redzip
Junior Member
Posts: 1,701 
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Post by redzip on Jan 28, 2016 22:16:57 GMT
I just have to take a minute to brag on my Zippy today  First day EVER, that we were able to do upward & downward transitions, trot to canter, canter to trot,.., without him getting super stiff, uptight, and inflexible, requiring us to quit after a short canter session. If I had known the journey that I would be taking with Zippy, I honestly might have never bought him. I truly had no idea how GREEN he was when I bought him, and how much work (not to mention, the money) it would take to get him going, fairly decently, under saddle. I had NO intentions, when horse shopping, of coming home with a horse that needed this much work   But afterwards, I felt I owed to him to try to get him going under saddle. OBVIOUSLY, every other owner had given up on him. He is a real challenge, but my most recent instructor has helped us IMMENSELY. She is a dressage judge, and has encouraged, instructed, critiqued, and supported Zippy & I in this journey of horsemanship. Zippy requires constant skill, and adjustment to help keep him together bc he has spent YEARS being laterally STIFF, very HEADSTRONG, and a rather DIFFICULT little horse with much anxiety. He is finally turning a corner and I am able to extend our saddle time, and practice multiple exercises under saddle. So, yay me & Zippy,.., VICTORY!!!  |
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Post by horselady on Jan 29, 2016 0:52:03 GMT
At least you found out that Zippy needed help and you sought the people to help you. thru trial and error and time he is becoming a horse with feelings and with the need to please those that ride him. Perhaps he was confused. and not knowing what was asked of him and he rebelled. . now that he has some idea of what is expected he is happier and so are you. Congrats to both of you .  |
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redzip
Junior Member
Posts: 1,701
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Post by redzip on Jan 29, 2016 1:20:46 GMT
He did rebel HL  He truly had no idea what was being asked of him. He was defensive, misunderstood, distrustful and super sensitive to touch ,., and he reacted with fear. He is really coming around to enjoying the work, relaxing when asked to work, and realizing that he is rewarded for a job well done. Not to mention, he gets many comforts that he never had before. He never had blankets or sheets, not even a stall, and he is so thin skinned he needed them  He also really enjoys the individual attention he gets. I'm so pleased with his progress. We've worked pretty hard to get to this point,.., I honestly wondered whether today would ever happen for him. Hoping we keep the forward momentum going!!  |
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Post by horselover4life on Jan 29, 2016 1:36:47 GMT
Good for you red, great for Zip!!
He rebelled...he was afraid and distrustful...
Sounds to me that he knew some cruelty in his life before you.
Today, and every day he now knows kindness and love...
He has learned that your hand is kind, voice encouraging and for that he tries to please you...
I am so happy for both of you that you have made the journey, a successful journey together...
Enjoy!!
.....
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jan 29, 2016 3:41:45 GMT
Brag away, you and Zippy have earned it!!!!!!! I'm so happy for the two of you. You two have been through many struggles together, but what a partnership you have built together. You have every reason to be proud and happy. Well done!!!   blue ribbon |
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Jan 29, 2016 9:31:48 GMT
I would love to see some videos of you too. It is always a nice feeling when you are making a progress. Congrats!
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Jan 29, 2016 14:35:04 GMT
Aw, I am so happy to hear about the wonderful break-throughs you and Zippy are having. He is so lucky to have you and you are learning so much from him. I know Red is smiling down on both of you.
I am a bit biased because when I first started riding it was with a dressage instructor but, the thoughts, theories and methods of (basic) dressage are beneficial to just about every discipline of riding. Asking a horse to balance himself, collect so that they are working through their hind end (not talking head position here), bend correctly, soften their mouth/jaw and body - these are things that all horses should be able to do prior to being asked to perform in a specific discipline.
So I'll get off my soap box now. Keep up the great work and in no time you will think back on these issues as distant memories.
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redzip
Junior Member
Posts: 1,701
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Post by redzip on Jan 29, 2016 15:18:07 GMT
Aw, I am so happy to hear about the wonderful break-throughs you and Zippy are having. He is so lucky to have you and you are learning so much from him. I know Red is smiling down on both of you. I am a bit biased because when I first started riding it was with a dressage instructor but, **the thoughts, theories and methods of (basic) dressage are beneficial to just about every discipline of riding. Asking a horse to balance himself, collect so that they are working through their hind end (not talking head position here), bend correctly, soften their mouth/jaw and body - these are things that all horses should be able to do prior to being asked to perform in a specific discipline.** So I'll get off my soap box now. Keep up the great work and in no time you will think back on these issues as distant memories. I totally agree with you MM (**) and I guess I took for granted how balanced and flexible Red always was. Which made him a total dream to ride. Zippy is like a stiff board, particularly bending to the right. And that stiffness translates thru his entire right side and body. Add in the mental misunderstanding, the resentfulness, and the confusion of multiple disciplines (with no real foundation) that he was asked to do with previous owners, WITH NO REAL UNDERSTANDING, and he has a big mess for me to get straightened out. I have spent A LOT of time undoing negative training and building trust. Not to mention, its REALLY hard to ride a resistant, stiff, spooky horse, properly. My biggest obstacle has been just getting him to lower his head and give thru the neck and jaw, verse arching his back, stiffening all his body parts, and staying in flight mode. He is a 1000 lb boy with a serious mind of his own, and most of what he had learned prior, was getting people to leave him alone by being DIFFICULT (misunderstood). He is finally starting to enjoy the job, and look forward to our rides. He no longer resents everything, and has starting giving instead of fighting and stiffening. He actually likes showing off what he knows now, and gets so much praise for. I never realized I was taking on such a project!!! 757724  |
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redzip
Junior Member
Posts: 1,701
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Post by redzip on Jan 29, 2016 15:25:16 GMT
If I had actually realized the amount of work I needed to do, I would have just started from the very beginning and put a real foundation on him. Unfortunately, with Zippy, and my belief that he already knew some things, and had some real training in place, I kept going about it like he had some understanding. I kept looking for a 'starting place', but have ultimately had to start everything over again (almost). The only real things he knew were some minor ground handling/manners, and had been 'backed' under saddle. HINDSIGHT!! He mostly just had resentment, and fear/distrust,.., < THAT WAS HIS FOUNDATION, poor guy  He has truly been a test of ALL my skills andknowledge base. Zippy is a series of small corrections, to help keep him together,., a lot like flying an airplane (I can say that^ bc I've taken flying lessons in my younger days). I've never had to work do diligently on just 'the basics'.
Thank goodness for the 'eyes on the ground' who have shared in my desire to get him going properly.
I am quite grateful.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2016 18:05:36 GMT
Good for you and Zippy! I know how hard you have worked with him and am so glad to hear that you achieved such an important milestone with him! Also glad to hear that you have found an instructor who is meshing nicely with you and Zippy. All of your hard work is paying off. You should be very proud of yourself and of your wonderful horse.  |
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nhg
Junior Member
Posts: 2,429
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Post by nhg on Jan 31, 2016 3:21:00 GMT
Hooray!!!!
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Post by Shelly on Apr 4, 2016 1:19:28 GMT
This is great! So glad to see you two moving up together. Nothing good comes without a fight |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Apr 4, 2016 13:45:23 GMT
How about an update? Now with spring here (or on its way), are you getting to ride more?
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redzip
Junior Member
Posts: 1,701
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Post by redzip on Apr 15, 2016 11:22:16 GMT
How about an update? Now with spring here (or on its way), are you getting to ride more? I'm trying to ride 2-3x a week still MM, but our weather is windier and chillier NOW than it was when it was 'technically' the winter months  The wind has been CRAZY this spring! Rode Zippy yesterday, he was fabulous (2x this week). Especially with all kinds of activities going on around the neighborhood, neighbor building a garage (sawing metal), big tractors next door hauling/spreading manure on the farm fields, and the WIND howling out of the East, and he was rock solid under saddle  Trucking around our 'arena' like an old pro!! Haven't worked with our instructor since January, weather has been so unpredictable from week to week, but hoping to get back into 2x monthly riding lessons soon. |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Apr 15, 2016 13:10:39 GMT
That's fantastic! Sounds like you finally have put a good foundation on him and now you can just build and grow from there. It's been a bit windier around here too lately. I wonder if it has something to do with the El Nino/Nina thingy.
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redzip
Junior Member
Posts: 1,701
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Post by redzip on Apr 15, 2016 13:55:00 GMT
That's fantastic! Sounds like you finally have put a good foundation on him and now you can just build and grow from there. It's been a bit windier around here too lately. I wonder if it has something to do with the El Nino/Nina thingy. The wind has really been terrible this spring,.., constantly blowing to the point where I've been having to keep the barn closed up. I am soooooooooooooooooooo ready for warmer, less windy, weather to get here. Not hot, but just nice warm, sunny days,., and many of them, in a row - Please!  |
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Apr 15, 2016 18:36:18 GMT
Glad you and the Zip man are finally connecting. Makes riding so much more fun. I can relate with the wind and weather!!!  |
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Post by horselady on Apr 16, 2016 0:32:25 GMT
Positive update and this weather is not spring.. yet.. still after winter winds and chills. and glad you and the zipster are clicking and you did not give up on him.. you helped him be a horse and be happy .. and that made you happy too and confident.
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blue ribbon 
