Maraschino Week 2 and 3

Well Maraschino settled well after week one and he started making some good progress. The ladies at Liberty Ranch are really nice and patient and the good thing is, for me, is that is he's not right with something the next day they go back and fix it rather than say oh well he was fine with it yesterday lets move on.

What they have noticed is that by the end or middle of a session he's good with say for example the rope touching his hind fetlocks as he backs up, or the rope dangling over the cantle and down either side of his legs as he circles (and the rope touches his legs), but then the next day he finds it very difficult again to start with. They have the lariat rope over the cantle of the saddle and around his hind end... and also dangling lower. He needs to be able to go forwards and backwards with that pressure or into the pressure when backing up, without freaking out. Last time I watched a session - on Thursday I think it was, he was collapsing his back end like when you get cold water on their tail. They also roped a hind foot.

So - while it's not as satisfying doing it myself, and I won't be able to say he's been 100% Parelli'sed, I think what they are doing is good for him and will set him up nicely. I have some ideas of what I'm going to do afterwards to add my icing to the cupcakes :-).

Like they always keep saying - they want anyone to be able to get on him. And be safe - that's the key. I want to be safe. I'm certainly not one to ride them to calmness - who can do that anyway - don't they just ride them to tiredness?

I think he'll be set up really well once I get him home. And while I think perhaps sometimes they don't take into account the horsenalities so much (no one has done that better than Linda Parelli), I think they do really well at quitting when he does well and not quitting when he's scared or unsure. I think the main difference, in my opinion, would be in particular with Maraschino and his RBI'ness is they don't ask and wait - they ask then tell immediately - like what you'd do with a LBI - so Maraschino can get more emotional than perhaps I would like. BUT maybe that's what he needs right now... I mean you can't avoid it completely because what happens one day when you want to take him to a show or somewhere new right?

 He looks lovely in a western saddle!

He's got a little bit of grass to nibble on now so I'm happier.

Nice peaceful place for him to be. And only 8 minutes from my door. Yes I timed it.

I took Garbo there to ride for a morning clinic last Sunday to help him get used to riding with other strange horses, and it was great fun. Nice just going to a place we know well for a clinic as he doesn't feel uncomfortable off the back foot. He did a capriole thingy at one point but they had some great ideas to help me with that. Making it a nice idea to rest near other horses and away from them he was put to do some work. Also we had the herd bound issues with Maraschino being in the next paddock so it was good for all involved.

Maraschino will be watching a clinic this coming weekend too.

Here he is being introduced to the new cat on the farm.