I haven't blogged in the last couple days but Penelope has had 3 ground work days since my last post including today and even a very short ride today.
Mostly desensitizing, backing from the halter, moving off of pressure, moving the hind end and front end by using the carrot stick. Lots of all of that in our last couple sessions.
Today my friend Jessica came out and helped me work with her. She got out to the barn before I did so she started working with her and she called me and said, "Are you sure this mare has never been broke?" So we talked about how she seems to know all the groundwork and how she is so much more responsive to cues, and the fact that she is so easy to tack up.
So I told her we could get one her again and when I got there she had her tacked up and grazing. We lunged her with the saddle on for a little it and then Jessica hopped on. As expected, Penelope was perfectly still for all of it. Jessica squeezed with her legs and urged to forward.... nothing. So I reinforced it with the carrot stick, being very careful not to upset her too much so I had it way out behind her. She started walking forward and the tucked her head between her legs and started bucking. It didn't last too long, she probably got about 7 bucks in. Mostly hopping up and down, nothing too forceful.
Jessica decided to get off of her and do some ground work with the saddle on rather than have a bad ride and set us back.
So we did more desensitizing because she can be very reactive. Tapping on the saddle, flopping the stirrups, and waving a grain bag around and on her. The flopping of the stirrups took the longest for her to figure out. She too to the grain bag very well actually, she figured that out really fast.
I'll be out there on Wednesday to do all of this again. She is such a fast learner I'm excited to see how she takes it all on Wednesday.
Pictures to follow
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
1st Ride!
February 11th Joyful Imprint, or as I think I may call her "Penelope", had her first ride ever.
I have decided to blog my journey after realizing she is untrained.
At first I was certain she had riding experience, even though I knew it would have been a long time ago.
I started to tack her up but I knew it was possible she hadn't seen a saddle so I went really slow with everything. I let her look at, sniff, and touch everything. Put the saddle pad on and took it off,m on and off, more sniffing. Same with the saddle. I shook the girth around a little and let her investigate. She didn't seem to care at all. When I went to tighten the girth she didn't even flinch, no mad ears, nothing.
She let my put on the bridle without a 2nd thought, but she certainly seemed confused about the bit. So I realized maybe there was no previous training.
I took her out to the round pen and she seemed very interested in a hose off in a different field that was running around but she stood perfectly still. I tightened the girth, and again, she was not a bit concerned about me. So I grabbed a bucket and put it right up next to her. I hopped up and down, laid over her back, wiggled the saddle, then did a little dance.
Again, no worries from her. Not anything, so I hopped on. She stood perfectly still while I got on, I grabbed my reins, squeezed with my legs.... then i squeezed some more, squeezed even harder....Nothing! I hear my mom pipe in "Well looks like you've got a project"
Not what I would expect from a horse with even a tiny bit of training.
I had someone lead her around the round pen and as soon as they let go, she stopped again. I accidentally kicked her a little harder than I intended and I felt her back round up a little bit so I eased up on her.
I did get a few forward movements out of her through out the rest of our ride. I could tell she was starting to get a bit irritated with me towards the end because she was rounding her back more and comping the bit harder. So I had someone lead her around one more time before I got off. I felt that would be a good note to end on.
I'm certainly looking forward to working with her. I'm more than pleased with the fact that I was able to tack her up, get on her, and move forward without falling off. I believe it was a complete success!
She has a great mind. Very smart and tolerant.
I have decided to blog my journey after realizing she is untrained.
At first I was certain she had riding experience, even though I knew it would have been a long time ago.
I started to tack her up but I knew it was possible she hadn't seen a saddle so I went really slow with everything. I let her look at, sniff, and touch everything. Put the saddle pad on and took it off,m on and off, more sniffing. Same with the saddle. I shook the girth around a little and let her investigate. She didn't seem to care at all. When I went to tighten the girth she didn't even flinch, no mad ears, nothing.
She let my put on the bridle without a 2nd thought, but she certainly seemed confused about the bit. So I realized maybe there was no previous training.
I took her out to the round pen and she seemed very interested in a hose off in a different field that was running around but she stood perfectly still. I tightened the girth, and again, she was not a bit concerned about me. So I grabbed a bucket and put it right up next to her. I hopped up and down, laid over her back, wiggled the saddle, then did a little dance.
Again, no worries from her. Not anything, so I hopped on. She stood perfectly still while I got on, I grabbed my reins, squeezed with my legs.... then i squeezed some more, squeezed even harder....Nothing! I hear my mom pipe in "Well looks like you've got a project"
Not what I would expect from a horse with even a tiny bit of training.
I had someone lead her around the round pen and as soon as they let go, she stopped again. I accidentally kicked her a little harder than I intended and I felt her back round up a little bit so I eased up on her.
I did get a few forward movements out of her through out the rest of our ride. I could tell she was starting to get a bit irritated with me towards the end because she was rounding her back more and comping the bit harder. So I had someone lead her around one more time before I got off. I felt that would be a good note to end on.
I'm certainly looking forward to working with her. I'm more than pleased with the fact that I was able to tack her up, get on her, and move forward without falling off. I believe it was a complete success!
She has a great mind. Very smart and tolerant.
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