Winter Mud

Oh I really dislike mud! It's been really wet this winter.... someone told me in May it was going to be - it was hard to believe after a 6 month drought..... but there you go.... of course with the drought the grass was very thin when the rain did come, and of course now we have extra mud!

So - we have been playing a bit in the washbay on the 'little things'.

Yesterday we played head down with Garbo - he's never really been that good at that particular task... he'll put his head down but then snatch it back up after 1 second... so I just kept persisting until he left his head down for a bit longer..... after a while we actually made some progress.... he must have been getting a bit of a headache (or dizzy) with all that up and down.....

Coco and I have been playing can I lift up your feet? He says yes you can on my back feet but no the front is still too scary..... the look on his face now is so much braver than it was 18 months ago....

I actually patted him on the face 4 times this last week, and he didn't move away, and I gave him a hug!! Around his neck... who would have thought I would have been able to do that one day after seeing him arrive shaking like a leaf a year and a half ago?

This is feed time these days....

Coco pokes his head round the corner.... keeping an eye on the herd leader in the next yard... Garbo is watching him too.

Then almost in the door!

Then Garbo snarls at him....

Oh my goodness - I just used up my 1GB of space with blogger that comes for free... 3 years in 1GB - not bad really - anyway - paid a whole $5 to upgrade to 20GB so I'll be here a bit longer yet folks.

Level 3 Online Audition

Hana and Jane arrived at my place at lunch time and Garbo decided he didn't want to be caught today and ran off chasing the others. I had originally caught Maraschino first with the idea I would play with him first but Garbo followed along badgering him, so I thought - ok your turn first then - and he ran away - what games he plays with me! You could almost hear him giggling. When I walked back to the wash bay he saw we had visitors and the curiosity of course got the better of him!

I had a quick play with Maraschino after they all got a brush since we had one person for each horse... and he was very good. Backed into the yard like a pro.

Garbo loaded fine and off we went with the pedestal and ball in the back.

Arrived at Jools and set up the arena and parked the float next to it. I had a wee trial run and of course Garbo proved me wrong and did the weave perfectly, and everything else, so I said - ok lets film before we lose it.

We started on the pedastal, got all 4 feet on, then he backed off it and back on again (offered that) - actually I think he was saying "errrr you missed it - scuse me I am on the pedastal - where's my carrot??"

... then we went to the ball - he sniffed it - didn't push it - oh well.... sideways along the fence at trot both ways - one way was better than the other....

A couple of half circles from the fence, then trotting along the long side with a transition, to the cones for the weave, he did it perfectly.....

then jumped the barrel, added in some circles somewhere there.... he was a bit sore I think so didn't stay in canter for long (after slipping over the other day), change of direction x 2, then trot to me... yay.

Rest...

We also did sideways over a pole, and backwards squeeze through the barrels.

Oh I forgot - we started with Extreme Friendly - he couldn't have cared less really - added in lead backwards by the tail and the hind legs (both at once)

and then trailer loaded, and a yo yo on the 45 - phew - not quite sure how we fitted all that in to 10 minutes but it was a rap!

He's such a good horse!

Thanks to my two amazing friends Hana and Jane for helping today - your photography and videography skills were amazing - not to mention the ginger cake and just 'being there'. Thanks guys.

Today went really well

Garbo and I had a great session today - first I gave him a nice brush (finally all his winter coat has gone) then we had some wash bag float practise - all good there.. yay, then I took him into the middle paddock which I had just mowed.

Started with my new improved back up - you know that alone makes soooo much difference to everything else. Yes, I know - how many times have you heard Pat say - the better they back up they better they do everything else..... (kah-ching!)...

Then we had some lovely sends in the right direction (the one I asked for) and we practised downwards transitions with the CS. Garbo still thinks it means go faster if I am far away so I need to watch the L3 online DVD again for that... and then some change of directions - both ways - yeeha! We got it!

Oh - at one point Garbo did such a big send after COD that the rope popper slipped out of my hand and he took off to the gate then realised the 22ft rope was chasing him - lol - he stopped and stared at it...I went up and did de-sensitising with the 22 on the ground - I must try the drag something task one day. Was wondering at the time how different the reaction would have been had it been young Mr Maraschino!

Garbo was still a little bit unconfident about friendly today (swinging rope over his back (22) rhythmically) but I took a break and let him graze the new grass I have uncovered earlier by moving the tape... then we did some more closer range transitions and I left it at that. Pretty pleased - transitions up are fabulous - I just take a deep breath, need to soften the phase for the downwards now.

Got a bit confused about how to hold the CS (if it was under the rope) for downwards - so off to watch the DVD again - that chapter anyway.

Did day three of mini massager - now when it's on Maraschino queues up for a massage - then falls asleep. Garbo still very "WTF!" Scuse my french! But I found a retreat spot (retreat within a retreat) - under his belly - his muzzle quivered a little there and he looked more relaxed. His left hind muscles above his leg were really tight so I used a bit of pressure with the massager there and I think he finally looked at it differently. NOt sure if I have mentioned the scar by his tail (in line with his tail) so I think he may have been injured with clippers in the past.

If it's not too rainy tomorrow I'll go out to Jool's for a ride. Watched the Level 3 Freestyle today too! So much to do!