hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Jan 27, 2015 2:13:34 GMT
Fake Suzie, that cracks me up. AND Coke IS a gelding! I didn't even get that right, sheesh! Lois and I went out into the pasture and she introduced me to all of her horses. I remember the names but not exactly who is who but I sure do know Coke and Suzie! (rofl) Lois said she wouldn't let anyone work with her horses, especially Coke because he has ulcers and is very sensitive to being confused but she trusts me to have clear cues and not get on him if he doesn't do what I want. Not my style and if I do find myself losing my temper I know it isn't the horse that has the problem!
And yes, most definitely Diamond, Susie was testing me. Lois says she's a very smart horse and will do anything to get out of work. I'm okay with that, at least I know what is going on and its not that she's going to go off on me. I'm used to resistant horses, Buster taught me well ;)
So now I'm over my upset from Sunday, I must be coming down with a cold so that kind of fed into my upset, too tired for bull-oney, you know. So now that I understand Coke and Suzie and like you said, appreciate my ground skills and know I have Lois' blessings, I can relax into it.
Peaches got some grooming time in the pasture this evening in the dark and she came up to me when I called her so that made my day. She stood so quiet with her eyes closed so I know she felt safe and had a happy tummy. A good end to the day.
Maybe I'll call in sick Thursday and Friday smileys-sad-593832
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Post by Shelly on Jan 27, 2015 3:35:04 GMT
Suzi almost sounds like the lesson horse I've been riding Zoe. She's the typical lesson horse. She's great but she tends to pull some stunts within the first 5-10 mins of you working her and it's often enough to scare kids. Zoe is good to mount but when you first get on her and ask her to walk she will get cranky and usually do a hop with her hind end a couple times. She's figure out that I really don't care what she does I'm going to work her anyways so she generally does one or two little "bucks" and then she's a doll for the rest of the lesson. It's like it's her way of telling us that she does have a mind of her own and she will try and get her way. If she doesn't do it at the walk, she does is when I first ask her for the trot and I swear it's like clock work with her. And I couldn't agree more with everyone, it's almost a blessing in disguise that you worked with the 3 of them.  |
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jan 27, 2015 12:34:55 GMT
It takes me some time to process this stuff so that's why I really appreciate these discussions and probably why I bored to death the HT folks. Its not that I "think too much" its because I'm working through changing how I think and then see the influence on what I do and what I think is possible. If anyone has ever tried to develop a different habit or simply learned something will understand. I didn't get an B+ average in graduate school because I'm not a good student! It takes effort.
Anyway, yes, I see that about Suzie, that she's just testing me, its not that she'd do something bad or that it's going to be an ongoing problem. With Peaches there was fear/under confidence underneath it and I saw what horrible things happen to people who ignore that. I can't help but think of it with other horses when I see it now. But talking to Lois and understanding it from your experience I am better able to tell how severe its going to be.
Lois said I know how to read horses and act appropriately, I'd like to think that myself but I don't always have the nerve to step up but that is better, especially with Coke and his ulcers, to demur and step back only asking for little things. But now with more skills I can more often but not always chose "up" or "back" in the moment.
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jan 28, 2015 1:23:18 GMT
I don't have the wither strap for the breast collar that's necessary to stabilize the saddle for Suzie. And this time I knew who to go get and she came willingly. We did a number of exercises, even the bridge and she was pretty good. Has a nice whoa if I'm assertive enough saying it. At the end of it all she followed me around off lead, so that is another feather in her cap.
We'll play with the mounting block tomorrow but Peaches will have the saddle so I don't know if I'll get on or not. I'll just take it as it comes.
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Post by diamondgirl on Jan 28, 2015 1:49:30 GMT
Chief walked off when Daughter tried to get on, using the mounting block, on Sunday. I finally parked Diamond in front of him, so she could get on. Yesterday we did some work on the whole mounting thing. Most of our mounting work didn't actually include mounting. It was more of a leaning and scratching thing, and lots of backing up if he moved while I decided if I want to get on, just lean on a while, or lean over and scratch his favorite scratchy spots.
I guess all I am trying to say is, there are lots of things you can do with a mounting block, other than just mounting. Or if you just don't feel like riding, you can just get on, and off. It's all good. |
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hugs
Junior Member
Posts: 2,647
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Post by hugs on Jan 28, 2015 2:08:03 GMT
Yeah, a whole world around a mounting block ;)
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Post by horselady on Jan 28, 2015 2:20:44 GMT
Make the mounting block not so scarey. let the horse smell it. and touch it. and perhaps knock it over. and if you are on the mounting block and your foot is in the stiruup ready to get up. than just do that. and sit there. even if you need someone to hold the horse. and do not talk but in one word commands. whoa. stand. over. walk. and not full sentences. and no over touching. cause touching also means reward. and you can reward for bad behavior. but you are doing great work, just wanted to chime in on my workings with a new clean slate.  |
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Jan 28, 2015 2:53:02 GMT
Thanks horselady, I'll keep all that in mind, although tomorrow we won't have the saddle because Peaches will have it. I'm hoping to stop by a new-to-me tack shop to get a wither strap for the breast collar. Its on some folks homestead so at once it could be over priced or maybe reasonable, you never know until you check it out.
I like the tack shop back home, its reasonable with a good selection of "working man's" stuff, the bits and pieces for repair, not all foo-foo brand new stuff for weekend warriors or spoiled kids with rich parents. You know what I mean.
Oh you guys! You should see Lois collection of Mylar bits and headstalls WOW!
Of course like she says she has 60 years of horses so one is bound to collect but oh man, it is so cool! LOL
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Jan 29, 2015 1:56:57 GMT
I went to the tack shop to pick up the pieces I needed for the breast collar and back cinch so I didn't get to the horses until about 6pm. I didn't bring Suzie in, just brushed her out in the pasture while she ate, can't work her every day, but also I knew that Stephanie was giving Peaches her riding lesson and thought she was using my tack. Nope. So that means I don't have to worry about that anymore.
I got to watch part of Peachie's lesson. She got lunged first which I missed but Stephanie was riding her at the trot, a rather stiff and nervous trot but still. Since Peachie is fairly okay with the bridge Stephanie rode her over it and was able to stand there with her front feet on it. You could almost see Peaches holding her breath.
A lot of blowing as they did big and little circles, working on giving, whoaing and backing. Stephanie is very happy with Peachie progress. In fact IF there is room they'll bring Peaches to a sorting practice, I sure hope there's room, that would be so great, more trailering, a whole new kind of thing to do. And cattle really tick Peaches off so she might like it. In fact a couple years ago one of our steers got in the with horses and all on her own Peaches chased it back to the corral while I had the gate open, it was hysterical!
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Post by diamondgirl on Jan 29, 2015 2:14:09 GMT
Oh my goodness. There you go, you have a job all lined out for you once you retire from what you are doing now. Ranch sorting. Yea!!!!  |
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Post by Shelly on Jan 29, 2015 19:04:09 GMT
That's great news!! Peaches standing on the bridge under saddle is a HUGE milestone for her!! (even if she was holding her breath hehe  ) Hopefully there's room to have peaches go for the sorting practice, that would be a great experience for her Way to go Peaches! |
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hugs
Junior Member
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Post by hugs on Jan 31, 2015 22:25:49 GMT
Suzie is way too wide for the breast collar so I couldn't get the saddle to be anywhere stable enough to ride. We practiced weight in one stirrup but even that slid the saddle. Lois came out to visit and even though Suzie isn't a huggy-kissy horse she was licking my hands Lois figures that means I'm okay in Suzie's book. After we were done, I got Coke. He isn't quite as wide but the breast collar still wouldn't fit BUT I got the saddle to stay so I rode him! YES I DID smileys-flowers-548267He is a very good boy, if you do the sit deep whoa he is very quick to stop. What a good boy! He isn't as resistant as Suzie is and has more go, even though he seems more patient. Of course I groom and clean feet for both Suzie and Coke and Coke will stand the longest being groomed, he loves the attention. Both of them love the bristle brush more than the "pin" brush. AND THEN, get ready for it, I brought out Peachie and compared to those two she is such a little peanut! All the tack fit her just fine, so next time I tavk her up we're going to do the breast collar and the back cinch just for show. She could use a smaller cinch, the other two could use a longer one so I guess its good enough for everyone. Here is Coke, let's see if this one works, don't know what happened to the other one  |
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mistersmom
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Abita Springs, LA
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Post by mistersmom on Jan 31, 2015 23:22:58 GMT
Oh my goodness!!!!!!!! I am sooooooooo proud of you for riding Coke! That is fantastic! He looks like a sweetie. Good job huggies!!! |
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hugs
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Post by hugs on Feb 1, 2015 0:00:16 GMT
Thank you, but I can't believe I didn't finish my "story". I rode Peachie too! She was a bit high headed and resistant, I didn't want to get myself into trouble so I got off after I got her calmed down a bit. Stephanie said that serpentining her would have helped, which I didn't even think of. Tomorrow is another day
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Post by Shelly on Feb 1, 2015 0:23:06 GMT
OH MY GOODNESS CONGRATS!!! So you worked with 3 different horses and rode two in ONE DAY!! That's such good news!!! Must have felt great to be back in the saddle again SO SO SO happy for you  ps, Coke is definitely a cutie |
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hugs
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Post by hugs on Feb 1, 2015 0:26:56 GMT
It is so much easier to get on Peaches than Coke LOL I did a lot of desensitizing with all three horses so that when I was ready to get in the saddle there would be no funny business. Coke is definitely the easiest to work with but oh so wide, goodness sakes but still not as big as Suzie. I'm just going to have to ride her bareback. I so wish we had three day weekends LOL
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Post by Shelly on Feb 1, 2015 0:32:53 GMT
LOL Wide is nice because I find it's easier to balance yourself on a wide horse when they do silly things Mind you, your legs/thighs won't really appreciate the "wide" horse in the morning hehe |
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Terry
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Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Feb 1, 2015 1:03:04 GMT
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Post by horselady on Feb 1, 2015 1:49:48 GMT
All I can say is atta girl. proud of you for taking a ride on your horses and having peachie girl do what you wanted.  |
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Post by diamondgirl on Feb 1, 2015 3:23:44 GMT
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) 
! Wow! 
Working with 3 horses and riding 2 - WAY TO GO, YOU!!!!!!! 
