Extreme Friendly

I tried the extreme friendly game tonight with Garbo. On a side not - I am really looking forward to having more daylight each day (counting down to shortest day on the 21st I think). There doesn't seem to be enough time for doing everything each day at the moment.

So I had never tried the whacking the ground with the savvy string and CS - so I did today. Garbo looked initially worried until I really relaxed and smiled and turned away from him. Then I stopped and gave him a treat and repeated it on the other side and he wasn't worried at all.

Worked on just moving him backwards with energy up rather than touching him, worked well. Then we practiced sniff your tail again.

Then I put them to bed. They are so cute in the morning with post peelings in their hair!

Stage 3 booklet, L2 review

Thought I would add a bit from the old L2 booklets each day...I have so much to do in these little pocket guides.

Changing directions at the trot on the 22 foot line.
Objective to smoothly change directions at the trot on the 22ft line and horse to maintain trot.

You have to have accomplished first;

1. The bring back and allow in the circle game. Your horse should be able to maintain trot at the circle. (hmm - need to work on this I feel).

a. Have your disengagement so finely tuned that you can just look at his hindquarters (phase 1) and have him come to you. If not go through your phases: lift your carrot stick and savvy string directly toward Zone 4. Do not pull on the line and keep your feet within your circle.

b. If your horse speeds up rather than disengaging and facing you, shorten the line, then slap the ground hard again, then shorten the line, and slap the ground hard again, repat this until he disenages and faces you, or until he's close enough to tap Zone 4.

c. When he faces you, relax and wait until he licks his lips, and then Send him out again and repeat the experience. Each time you repeat this your horse will respond sooner, until finally it will take just a look from you at those hindquarters and he'll snap around without you even slapping the ground.!

2. A good Yo-Yo game- there should be no resistance, especially in the come forward part. You should be able to run backwards and comb the underside of your rope with the Carrot Stick to draw your horse in to you at the trot.

a. Walk backwards abd comb the underside of the rope with your carrot stick, all the while drawing your horse towards you. At first, your horse may be skeptical of this but pretty soon he'll read your friendly invitation and his growing confidence will be reflected in his willingness to come forward.

b. Slow and right will build fast and right. Get to where you can run backwards while rubbing the rope and reeling it in, and your horse will run to you. Don't expect this to happen consistently after just one session! Take a few practice sessions to get good at it.

This exercise is a great key in preparing for changing directions at the trot on the 22 foot line. Once your horse is confident in running to you. It will be easy to redirect him onto a new circle in the other direction.

I shall post more once I have all of this sorted!

Goats

I have yarded the boys for three nights now - counting tonight. The night before that the young boys saw the goats next door (horse eating goats obvioulsy) and froze and ran - actually turn face and re-assess to be technical. I couldn't get them near the yards (which were closer to the goats than not).

Two nights on and they both went in to their yards at liberty. I had used yo-yo (rightly or wrongly) with Maraschino - (his yard is closest to said goats!)..each time he looked at the goats I yo-yo'd him backwards so he looked at me - then asked him forward towards me. Took three yo yos the first night - two last night - and none tonight - yay.

All is quiet in the yards now apart from occasional hay bag banging... that's yanking at the hay so the hay bag swings out and then bangs back on the wall (our wall).

Parelli wise I have been really studying the old L2 booklets and getting everything just so.... ie the one rein transitions - by sliding your fingers down the rope like a trombone lightly three times until the horse bends his head to you.... you close one finger at a time (Indirect rein position) and then walk on... eventually they will slow or go down a transition by pumping/lifting the rein.

I am trying to get everything soft and gentle as opposed to L1 hard and rough on the edges. But also trying to be effective at the same time, assertive but not aggressive....

I can yo you Garbo back and forward one step at a time just by energy and a look now.
He can back by leading from his tail...
He can sniff his tail (can't hold for 10 seconds yet)
Stage 3 booklet has the canter passenger lesson.... hope the track dries out soon so I can try it.

Bareback pad

My friend loaned me her bareback pad to try out today. Garbo was a bit spooky so we didn't go far. To be honest I didn't prepare properly and should have seen the signs and did more on the ground first. But anyway - after a couple of spooks, bareback, I got off and played the 7 games online.

I guess I was quite tough on Garbo because he was sticking his ears back a bit in the tie up area, because he ended up in a pose I hadn't seen for quite a while - head down by my knees and quite unconfident/submissive.

Still no jumping over the barrels but if I move the circle away from them he leads me back again to them.

Bareback ride

I can't really believe it but I rode Garbo bareback today! I had ridden him round the track in my saddle and then was unsaddling and thought - what the heck! I was only going to walk around the wash bay and then I went out onto the track - so much fun!! Even did a little trot too. And didn't wobble all over the place.

I have not ridden bareback before apart from sitting on horses as a kid (just sitting) - this is a pretty old photo!! It was taken at my Mums farm in Silverdale one school holidays. Yes, I have no shoes and a skirt on! Let alone no helmet.


I thought it would be harder but it's great being able to feel the movement of the horse.

Painting and Parelli

Woke up to a clear blue sky so after breakfast I took the boys covers off (it had been forecast to rain) and then I thought I would continue painting the yards. As soon as I took their covers off it clouded over and I thought oh here comes the rain so I got them all in one by one and put their covers on - but not before playing some games with Garbo and Maraschino.

Today Garbo figured out how to back up from me leadilng him by his tail. Clever boy! And his sniff my tail is getting better also. I tried combing the lead rope to get him to flex his head to the side like Pat suggests in the colt starting savvy club DVD I watched last night. That really helped with being polite asking and keeping him light. I am going to do that riding next time too.

We also did some carrot stick in the mouth and playing with mouth and tongue in preparation for the GG Dentist coming on Monday to see all three.

I was just telling Cilla I always forget to play games two and three so today I had a quick revise of porcupine and driving with lightness with Garbo - he was great!

I had a box of treats on the seat and Garbo was giving me sign language - translated "please get me a treat".

So then I stuck Garbo in his unfinished yard (no post peelings yet) so I could get Maraschino in without Garbo chasing him away - because Garbo clearly didn't think we had played long enough! And he was still trying to get the treats (politely).

I tied Maraschino up today for the first time - a quick release knot but he was such a star. "Look at me!!"

Then we played friendly game with the sack like it was a saddle blanket (nose for a smell then up and on his back)... this is him saying "I think I'm ok with this Mum".

Then I tried some driving (HQ and FQ) - interestingly Maraschino has a ball HQ and more of a chair FQ so I think he may be more LB than originally thought. I must find my charts and do one. Gosh I wonder where they will be?

Then I did some porcupine, back, HQ and FQ. He was really responsive, I only had to use phase 2 on all three. Then we played friendly with the carrot stick and savvy string over his back and withers...that was a bit scary to begin with but all he did was just jump without moving his feet..if you know what I mean - he improved very quickly.

Then it was time to put his cover on - and I am pleased to report he doesn't move away or flinch (that was the word I was looking for before instead of jumping without moving feet!) when I put the cover on his back. He stands still like an angel. He is very mouthy (LB tendency or a foal thing - not sure?)..he wants to bite everything including my ears, his lead rope, the snap, the halter, Scribbles halter, Garbo's rug strap (when it's hanging on the rails), the rails, the plant over the fence (hmmm), and the carrot stick to name a few. Oh yes - he was nibbling at the sand and the stones I put down the other day too.


Then I did some painting and finished painting all the yards. Well first coat anyway. Garbo tried to help for a while.

Barrels

We played with our barrels today - Garbo decided they were a little high to jump today Mum. But he tried really hard. We also tried going sideways over them - again - a little high today Mum but he tried really hard. You should have seen the look on his face. Asking a BIG question. So cute.

We'll try again tomorrow.

Squeeze, Yo Yo and Friendly

Garbo; Used these cool barrels that Michelle gave us for a house warming prezzie, to practise our yo yo through the barrels. This is how narrow we got today - and I had Garbo taking one step back, one step forward, etc rather than rushing through.



Then we played friendly with the tarp! After this photo was taken I was rustling it on his back with rhythm. He was a bit introverted but I kept on till he relaxed.

This fleece cover just really doesn't do much for Garbo's grass tummy!!


All good for today.




Maraschino; after last night playing approach and retreat alot with his pyjamas I managed to take his cover off this morning without haltering him - that's a first.

Then I put his bucket in his yard tonight for dinner and he came straight through the gate (yay) at liberty.

Then I left the gate open and let him investigate the rest of the yard after he had finished (shut the other two gates so the boys didn't interfere.

Then I let the other two out and Maraschino didn't panic and just cruised out a bit later, and then he wandered into the wash bay so I gave him a treat and haltered him (haltering him can be a challenge sometimes) and put his cover on and he was the best he's been. I gave him another treat and took his halter off again and he just hung out with us in the wash bay. So cute.

2nd ride at home

With being so busy at work and at home trying to catch up - and also with winter encroaching and less daylight hours every day - I have only ridden Garbo once at home. So today was such a lovely day I could not let it go by without another ride.

I did some games on the ground first, some stick to me and driving from Zone 3, then circle and change of gait and change of direction - at trot. Did a little canter too so Scribble wouldn't get excited again this time when we trotted off. (Last time I think he thought we were trotting off into the sunset - without him - and he did a huge buck and jump which gave Garbo a fright.

Then I got on and George let us into the house paddock and Garbo didn't really see the point of going round the outside of the paddock so we played your idea my idea (tit for tat) for a bit until he just said - alright we'll go your way.

Had a little trot a few times too - and then I got off - Scribble happily munching away without a worry.

Wonder if my neighbour was having a nosey out the window at us riding in Wellies and rope halter and lead rope.

Maraschino and carrot stick

I had a little play with Maraschino in the weekend. It was a lovely day. We had just taken his cover off (still a bit wary of that scary blue thing until it's on and then he goes 'phew' - chew lick).

I really liked these two pictures.

I find he is quite introverted - displaying frustration by stamping his back foot. Quite cute really.

He loves chewing on the rubber of the carrot stick too.

We did a little head down, some porcupine and some friendly. Zone 3 was a bit scary for him with the carrot stick but didn't take long to relax.

We're back!!

The concrete in our new wash bay/tie up area is dry so I bought Garbo in for a groom. He had his ears back alot - after about 5 weeks off!!! so I got my carrot stick and 22ft line and took him out onto the grass for a few games. we did some yo yo and circle and changes of direction and driving from Zone 3. He was really good and had a much better expression once we returned to the wash bay. 

I have a bit of stuff to do still round the farm like poo picking, and preparing the yards for winter, but I hope to still do something with Garbo each day and also start with Maraschino.

Trim slim

This is the new slimmer version of Garbo. There is not much grass because of no rain this year and the yard owner has rationed the hay - so 'ta daaaah' - what do you think?

Just as well he's not in work is all I can say!!!

And 'only 12 days to go Garbo'!

Circle game with new mirror horse

Just posted on my other blog about the new horse that lives at the end of the arena. Garbo is intrigued and wants to get to know him a little better.

Our circle game now is an oblong, with a half circle on the non mirror side, and once he reaches the mirror he goes straight to the end and looks behind it.

Ok so been doing nowt

Been packing and getting Garbo's new place ready for him, and the stables ready for us and him... so had no time to play with Garbo or Marachino over the last two weeks. Except for one day when the new arena mirror had just been installed and all the horses were spooking in the school. I took Garbo in for some circle work and it was hilarious... you see he thinks himself in the mirror is some other dashing looking horse to say hello to. So every lap of the circle he would stop at the end of the mirror and pull on the rope to look behind or to sniff and say hi.

It was just so funny.

13th day

Poor Garbo has been a paddock ornament apart from about two play sessions in the last 13 days. Yes, almost two weeks since we have had a nice day together and a ride.

So decided today was a day to take a day off from painting fence posts and spraying weeds up at the farm and it was a horse day!

We headed off to Royal Oak and first of all I let him loose into the paddock which Scribble and Maraschino are in (his new paddock mates at our place)... to let them have a little run around and a play. Well it was all go as you can see...








Once introductions were out of the way "good to see you again old mate" and all that - Garbo could not decide if he should check out the paddock, or play, or both.


Garbo checked out the water trough, decided the water was crap (it is), and turned around to see he had two shadows. It was so funny. Maraschino and Scribble looked on as Garbo left his mark by rolling.... they kept looking at him like "ooooohhhh a big horse" ..


Garbo seemed more interested in the horse next door who was two years old rather than these babies which don't play!

The thing I have always loved about Garbo is that even though he is usually always the boss - he is very social. I have never seen him kick or bite another horse yet. He'll use phase one alot!


But at the end of the day they all really got on well I was really pleased.



So this is the most active they got...



After all that I took Garbo back to the stables and saddled up for a ride. My friend was riding her horse and then she stopped to help get some other people's horse loaded, which took a while. We did some walk and trot and a little canter in the arena and Garbo was cruisy as. Then we went down the back for a bit and moseyed. When I came back my friend was riding towards me and asked me if Garbo was really quiet today? I said he was.. and she said "because you don't have your helmet on!" Oh my goodness - I had completely forgotten to put it on! So we went back and I put it on. Just goes to show how relaxed I am now riding.

We went down the back and I had a trot around the bridle path and Garbo was really good. Then he headed straight for the water jump. I nearly rode him in - then I though - what if he jumps in, oh and my new Parelli girth will get wet - so I got off, took all his tack off, including his hackamore and he ran straight into the water. My friend did the same with her horse and we sat there watching them for ages.

The 2 year old was looking over from his paddock wishing he was there too - so we let him out and they all had a big run around, then ran back into the water...Garbo jumping in from the cross country end! Then they all ran out and Garbo ran up the bank and then cross country jumped off the end of it!

Talk about making up for lost time.

Ride today

I decided to ride today - even though it was back to bedlam at the farm. Tractors fertilising, kids riding bikes, wind, horses arriving (another new grazer), horses going out, two in the arena trying to ride their horses who seemed to be picking up on the extremely busy atmosphere...

Anyway - as crazy as it seemed I got on. Had carrots in my pocket.

Decided not to attempt the arena - much too much energy going on. We headed for the paddock down by the driveway (away from barn and other horses) and Garbo was doing the 'no - I want to go back that way' trick and just turning his head and bracing when I would try and lift his opposite rein and lead him back on the track....

So - I decided to take a leaf out of Cilla's book, and just keep at it. I kind of treated it like tit for tat crossed with follow the track/trail. After what seemed like ages we got to the paddock - the distance of about 30m took about 5 minutes - seemed like ages longer.

What happens, like Cilla, when he gets so determined to go back, and does a 180, he tenses up when I try to turn him the other way, or I do first perhaps, and then I get nervous he will bolt or buck. But I stayed focused and determined to be a leader. We got in the paddock and he would go up one side (the closest side to the barn) and back to the gate, but not any further away form the barn. We did a little bit of tit for tat to try and get further away but I didn't want it to turn into a fight so I reverted to PPL and let Garbo take me where he wanted to go.

Funnily enough he didn't go back to the barn/stable/tie up area, he went to the race at the back of the barn - which is of course the race which is lined with paddocks of 7 horses down one end and 5 down the other end. We walked down the race and I used follow the rail to keep him away from the electric fence. He tried to turn at one stage but I kept his head straight. We went into the paddock at the other end and there was a bucket in there - the horse was in the arena so I thought of a good game that someone on the forum does. Instead of handing Garbo the treats - each time we trotted or cantered to the bucket I threw a carrot piece into the bucket. So that was fun.

Heading back down the race after a bit, I felt a bit nervous getting too close to the tractor so I got off just before the barn.

So - fair way to go yet before we get to Cilla's page in the book with this. But I'll keep on doing what she has been doing as I think our horses are very similar.

Saturday - part one

Today - our last day before the dressage people of the yard arrived home, we had a digger and truck to contend with - of all things. Before I started Parelli there was a digger in the same place as it was today - and everytime I led Garbo towards it - at about 100ft away he would 180 degree spin, pull the rope out of my hands and high-tail it outta there - away from the digger.

Today I led him right past it - calm as - okay well he sped up a teeny bit (walking) and put me between the digger and him but we passed within 30ft of it - I was very impressed.

The truck kept backing past us while we were grooming too - Garbo was a bit worried but I just let him move his feet.

Check out the veins in his legs! Odd. It was pretty hot.

Liberty today

Well since it was the last day before the Dressage gang got back from HOY I decided to get some hay bales and put them in the paddock and play yo yo between them. Had two bales high on each side, and started about 5ft apart I guess - Garbo got it really quickly (and he didn't even try and eat the hay) - so I made them closer so they were touching his sides a little. After a few tries he got that ok too. The thing he had trouble with for a bit was once he was all the way through them (coming forwards to me - he had trouble yo yo-ing straight back from so far, so would go crooked. (The same problem we have in the stall door).

Anyway - he managed it in the end so I put two aside and laid the other two on the ground like a jump and asked him to send over the jump - he put his foot on it and tipped it over. I asked again - and again, after he would either go round the far end or my end!

Finally - he went through the middle of the two - seperating them - it was so funny - and the ultimate squeeze!

Then we went into the hill therapy paddock to do some liberty. I had some more videos but my camera ate them! I started with medium range stick to me and slowly got him out further. At longer range he bucked everytime I asked him to stay out but it actually helped his confidence I think in the end because I wasn't telling him off - just laughing.

When he was further out near the edge of the paddock I found moving back to Zone 5 and going closer to him would help him not change direction. He did less of the 'look out of the paddock and change direction' today.

Here's a little video - we got better later - but that one got deleted. Had the bucks and all it was so cool. I'll try again tomorrow.




The paddock we were in is next to the house where the yard owner lives, but her 'in laws' have been staying looking after the kids. About an hour later after I had put Garbo back and fed him the mother-in-law came rushing over to me and said "thank you for that wonderful display - it was so amazing". The Yard Owner was like 'what'? and the mother-in-law said 'her horse was dancing around her'!

Cool huh!

Liberty

Today was a great day for me and Garbo. We really achieved a lot with our liberty - in a big paddock. I realised that he does not like to be too far from me at liberty if I am asking him to do something. Fine if he can just do his own thing and graze.

We started with circle online on the hill (we were in the hill paddock).

No - hang on - back up - I missed a bit. I did some more desensitising with the plastic bag, then with the umbrella like in the Savvy Club DVD - except I didn't have another person so I had to hold the rope (22ft) and the umbrella.

He smelled it first and would have been okay except it's one of those automatic opening ones and I had forgotten it was, and had released the button and just as Garbo was smelling it it opened. I had to laugh! He snorted and backed up very fast about 5 ft. So then I closed it and opened it again and he snorted again and jumped away sideways.

I started walking away opening and closing it - he was pretty good -looking all pretty and cresty as they do when something is a little scary/interesting.

But you know what the funniest thing was? There was two non-Parelli horses 5 paddocks away and they were freaking out!!! Running around- eyes on sticks....

I hid behind the hedge so they couldn't see us do the rest. Basically after a few minutes he was pretty crusiy but I didn't try walking towards him with it. I stuck it on the ground open and the first time he sniffed it, the line moved it at the same time and he snorted again.

Once he was grazing I closed it for the day and left it on the ground - at the end of our hill therapy and liberty he just walked right next to it no problem.

So - back to the hill therapy - we missed a few days. He finds it hard to walk down the hill, so trots. I tend to do some travelling circles during the hill therapy but I walk in a large circle so that Garbo can make some bigger circles (sounds like a need the 45ft line doesn't it)! Means he can go in some straight lines up and down hill as well.

Then I took the line off and the circle game was a bit of a disaster - he ran off to the gate and changed direction. I tried backing more to Zone 5 so I didn't block Zone 1 unconsciously. That seemed to work. Then I decided that was a bit hard for him (he was about 45 feet or more away from me mostly) so I changed it and did some stick to me - he loves that game! We did it all round the paddock and a couple of changes of direction too.

I then asked for some circles again and he went to the outside of the paddock again and did a few gallops and bucks, when I asked him in (interesting) and then cantered/galloped in to me - slid to a stop and stood there all puffed and kind of trembling. A sure sign of a little bit of unconfidence still. We stood for ages and I let him graze.

Right at the end I asked for a circle around me and I managed to get a lovely canter circle about 12 ft away from me - that was the best he has done at liberty so we ended it there.

Once back at the stables we tried backing into the stall again but he still is unconfident - think I need an in between challenge for him. We backed into the wash bay and had a bath back to front for a change. Might set up some hay bales tomorrow while everyone is still away and slowly make them closer together.

Then I went to see Maraschino and gave him some dinner and introduced him to the bot knife - poor thing was covered in bot eggs. I don't have that problem with Garbo because the poos are picked up. Then I brushed him and led him and Scribble to their new paddock (new grass so they will be happy).

Monday

It was a quiet day at the yard - and lovely weather - everyone else is at Horse of The Year so I made the most of the peace and quiet and headed up there early.

I let Garbo have a graze in the race while I made up his dinner and breakfast for the next day, and then brought him in. The farrier arrived to shoe Deva so we had a brush (untied) while they were trying to control Deva while sticking hot shoes in his feet, while tied.

Once the burning smell started I headed off to play with Garbo - we went and did some great hill therapy and then some sideways and changes of direction.

Once they had finished headed back to saddle up - Garbo was quite hot at this stage so I think he was in a can't be bothered mood. He stood still for mounting and we went straight towards the paddock with the hill, that we had just been in. This means going partially down the drive way and he did his 180 degree turn a few times. I took a page out of Cilla's book and decided to be persistant and kept asking, like tit for tat, until we got there - really only took about 2 minutes - so not that bad.

In the paddock riding we did tit for tat also because he didn't want to go down the bottom of the hill (that would mean getting back up it again - also bottom of the hill is further down the driveway). But after some (lots) of 90 degree turns down the hill each time he veered more than 45 degrees - we got there! And then trotted back up - how I love trotting up hill.

Did that a few more times and then let Garbo decide where would walk to after that. He headed out of the gate and up the race (where all the other horses are) - surprise surprise.

We trotted down the race a few times also.

He spooked at the float park (in between the two races) because I had a towel drying in the sun - hanging off my car side mirror - and just as we were walking past - it fell off! (The towel not the mirror)... anyway - teeny tiny "what was that" jump and that was that.... didn't get unseated.

I consciously decided to laugh with Garbo everytime something interesting happened. :-)
After we unsaddled and washed - I led him back to his paddock at liberty.... well nearly...

Heading back to paddock....


Checking out that scary damn towel.


On the way Garbo decided to look in my car for treats....
Heading back to the paddock - inside the paddock we have a bit of a routine...we run to the feed bowl and I take his halter off, then give him a carrot...