Maraschino's summer cover

This is Blue's Mark Todd summer cover. After a bath I decided it was time for Maraschino to start staying clean and out of the sun.

Before that we played heaps of Friendly game with carrot stick and savvy string. He still doesn't like it and can't tell the difference between my body being relaxed or energy up. I tried walking while swinging the CS and SS and he followed but stopped when I faced him initially. After a few more goes he followed me.

Then we tried circle game and he can do walk really well - unusual for a RB, but when I ask for trot he walks towards me and the carrot stick and string! Hmmm. Oh well we improved his confidence with the savvy string and also got a good draw.

I also tried to get him to trot with me leading him but he just stops and stares at me asking a question. He asks lots of questions.

We finished with some sideways which he got pretty quickly, just a few steps and stopped. He was looking so sleepy in our 'waiting' times that I called it a day. He did really well. Then I tied him up for a bit and then a bath, and his new cover. He was great for his bath too.

Garbo watched the whole session - I had 20 minutes spare before a photo shoot so I put Maraschino in his yard and took Garbo out to the play paddock for some figure 8's and some circles. We have trot now without breaking gait for >5 circles, and change of direction, just working on canter now. After that I took his hater off for some liberty and he followed me over the clay hill, to the tyre (which I have now filled with sand), I jumped up on top and he cantered round me. Pretty cool.

After that he trotted back to his yard and decided it was dinner time. Fair enough - it actually was!

LBI

Hows this for an LBI pose.

lol

Monday

I rode Garbo bareback today but his hooves are in sucj dire need of a trim that he was tripping over a bit (just stumbling) so I decided it was too hard for him to balance himself with me on as well so I got off, took the bareback pad off and we did some circles concentrating on purity of gait, and not stopping. I had a pocket full of carrots and added in change of direction after three nice 22ft circles one way, and then a carrot after another three the other way. Worked really well - it was really the first time he has been out on the end of the 22ft nicely and calmly and with a nice trot, while still paying attention to me.

I had to use the carrot stick and string to get him to back up before we start the circle, because he decides to start the circle before he has backed up. (shortcut).

Then we did some liberty and at first when I asked for circle he trotted off - about 50ft away, I sneaked up behind him until he looked at me then I backed up and he followed. I tried again and he circled but really close so I asked him out a bit more and he trotted away towards the gate (about 100ft away). I called him and he stopped. Remember I had carrots. He looked back and came back. I gave him a carrot and asked again for a circle. And I got it - a lovely 22ft trot circle at liberty - that really was a first!!!

We did some stick to me and we went over a jump a couple of times. It was about 2ft I guess.

So - trimmer coming tomorrow, all in all a good day.

Monday ride

After Stella had a ride on Monday I took Garbo out for a bit more of a ride. The last time we rode Garbo had his ears back and tail swishing a bit when I asked for him to go away from the tie up area. Today - I had a bum bag full of carrot pieces and I rewarded him at every barrell, clay pile, after a jump, and he was a different horse. Full of energy, asking questions, shall I canter here? canter there? It was so nice. As I said we even jumped over my little jump I have set up in the paddock. It's about a foot high! I used my saddle as I have not yet attempted canter in the bareback pad, but we still just had the halter and lead rope.

No piccies sorry.

Savvy Club DVD

I watched Issue 38 this morning and it inspired me to have a Parelli afternoon with my boys. Firstly I rasped a little off Garbo's front feet as they are so long they are cracking.

Then I set up the barrels, spools, the balls and cones. I decided to start with the little ball rather than the big green one. So while I was waiting for Garbo's hoof oil to dry I managed to get the scary blue ball onto Garbo's back! Many times in the end.... he was not overly impressed but he got better and licked and chewed a bit later. Think I will do it 7 days in a row. Then try the green ball.

Then we did some patterns, touch it, figure eight, added in some trot poles and I put the green ball between the two barrels and asked Gabo to move it out of the way- and he did - I was so amazed.

Then I took the halter off and we did some stick to me.... my trot is not as good as Garbo's - he has to wait for me. lol.

Then I thought hmmm why don't I ask for Figure 8 (which we aced after watching the dvd) at liberty - I got two complete F8's! He wandered off and ate grass then so I tagged his bum - boy did he get a fright. I wandered over and asked him to come back and he did. We met half way. Then we did some more stick to me and I led him by the mane after an apple, back into his stall.

Maraschino's turn! He is so much better at haltering now. We had a few things to work on... the fear of ropes and some driving and porcupine. He still jumped out of his skin when I swung the carrot stick rope over him, so we spent ages using the CS with teh rope hanging to scratch all the itchty places. Then we did a bit of touch it, and a couple of figure 8's and then we walked a bit round the track with me swinging the CS and SS from side to side. He was good with me facing away but facing him was a bit scary...he ran into it and the CS clunked him on the nose. He got a huge fright and reared and backed up (almost simultaneously)... I kept hold of him and gave him a cuddle - he was pleased for the cuddle.

He's such a smooch. Then he started eating grass. We did a little bit more and stopped after he showed Garbo how clever he was by yo yoing backwards into his yard.

It's a bareback pad

Maraschino got to try on Garbo's bareback pad after I rode Garbo the other day. Granted I didn't use the cinch but he was not in the slightest bit worried.

Isn't he cute!

Nice evening ride

Garbo was not too impressed about me riding him after his dinner but it was a lot cooler - we have had really hot days so it's great to be able to feed him at 4.30 and then ride at 7pm.

He tried to turn back a few times as we did follow the rail but I went to phase 3 and off we went again. We did a few transitions and a couple of 180 degree turns. It wasn't a long ride but I enjoyed it - even if Garbo wasn't completely convinced about the whole point of it!

You can see our upside down tomato plant to the left of my head!



Like my colour co-ordinated clothing!!?? It was really just my garding clothes lol.