Ride at home

Since Maraschino has been home I have been playing with him every day and when I do that he's such a fast learner. He was much more relaxed today despite the rain this morning and he offered to get but on the pedestal. Now this is no s mall pedestal. It's a filled tractor tire!!!

This was just as he was getting off.

Soon after this Michelle arrived as she had offered to ride him for me. She was happy with what she saw I'd done after seeing him canter and trot, and she hopped on. It started raining!

She did some lateral flexions and disengaged the hq. Then we got him hooked on to me to get him to go straight instead of what he seemed to like to which was going round in circles. He had a couple of frights but she's super cool and calm and one rein stopped him. We observed that he almost gets so fixated on something he's concentrating on that he momentarily forgets he has a rider, then gets a fright. She just walked today but he went really well. It was bucketing down at the end so it was challenging for him and he did really well.

 

Maraschino's weekend workout

I spent the weekend and Friday getting Maraschinos confidence and curiosity back to where it should be plus advancing all the games and pre-ride checks. He's very good at staying focused in me now rather than getting distracted. I did two sessions a day. In the AM we did sending to obstacles and walk trot and canter with the saddle on and stirrups down. He didn't blink an eyelid.

 

I also put the bridle on for the first time, starting his bridling training off well by getting him to have his head low and seek the bit. He spent the whole time chewing the bit but I think he likes chewing on things. I did the bit simulations for contact and also lateral flexion like Linda showed with Hot Jazz. I also did some liberty in the pen with him. Little more difficult to get the HQ to move round than the FQ.

In the afternoon we did circling with me on the barrel, walk trot canter and change of direction then figure 8. By the end of tonight he was trotting and cantering quite relaxed then he did figure 8 at trot. Cool.

Then I got up on my huge tyre and did some work from up there, getting him to stand for mounting, do figure 8s back toe, and lateral flexions as well as HQ disengagement. Lots of relaxing and rubbing too and head down....I'd spent the middle of both days this weekend watching all the RBI DVDs again.

Taking the bridle off the normal way (not undoing the buckle) made him out his head up tonight so we worked on that till it was good. Lots of yawning after that.

I got Tori's Tshirt yesterday...it's nice.

 

Play on the Paper Road

Took advantage of the fact there were no cows in the paddock (and paper road) and took G up for a walk - along our private road, then into the paper road and back down to the other side of our house.

When we replace the fence you can see we will add a gate - it will be alot quicker!!

 Garbo did some lovely trot circles and Garbo even kept his head low at the same time so he could snatch bites at the long g

Maraschino and the circle

I played with Maraschino tonight - about 6pm it was a bit cooler (it hasn't been cooling down at night the last few weeks but tonight was just nice - just right).

I decided I was going to get Maraschino confident enough on the circle to relax on it - not ask to come in and to relax. At trot.

We started off ok - he stopped at the pole and tried to paw it. Off we went again - send again - and he kept asking to come in before a full circle. I gently asked him out again every time. We also backed up a bit each time too so rather than getting closer he was getting farther away.

It took about an hour, and in that hour he; reacted to the carrot stick being lifted gently off the ground to 'send' by running away, rearing, - or should I say over re-acting. At one time he pulled back so hard I couldn't hold on the rope and it dropped to the ground. He didn't go far - just a few steps and then stopped at snorted at the rope on the ground in front of him and snorted at it.

He reared about 4 times I think - just little ones, usually changing directions at the same time. Then each time I just resent. Not sure if that was the right thing to do or not - but I did.

Then I asked him to change directions each time he went over the pole, and turn face and wait. Then we tried circle again. Finally he did a few nice circles - lovely curved body, nice trot. I asked for canter and he did the most beautiful upwards transition, he canter about half a circle and I asked him in. He seemed pretty pleased with himself. I let him rest for a bit.

As soon as he got distracted and looked elsewhere I sent him on a circle again.

So - by the end he was circling fairly calmly.

Tomorrow I hope the relaxation will come.

2nd ride prep - Maraschino

My friend Michelle came over for a playdate with us today and I played a bit with Maraschino in the round pen. I have trot poles (pink ones) in there now, barrells, jump pole and stand....

We did a bit of circle but with a transition and stop at every quarter so that he had something to focus on every little bit, instead of just running. This got him quite focussed and very calm.

We set up trot poles for him and he conquered those (3) no trouble at all.

I also did a bit of 'unwinding' - you know when you put the rope over their head and over their back and round the back end and you stand at their head with the other end of the rope, and gently flex their head by pulling the rope, then unwind them basically.

He panicked a little feeling the rope behind his legs so we did half unwinds till he got confident again.

Then we left it at that - he had a lot to think about!

What a clever boy!

Maraschino's first ride

It was a bit chilly till the wind died down but we made some great progress with Maraschino.

I put the rhythm beads on him, the cherokee bridle and the bareback pad - all without any reaction from him. The jingle bells are a bit loud for him sometimes as they go over his ears but he was really good.

I had a play with him, we did some walking on the tarp, backed up onto the tarp, looked at the barrel and the cows, and then some circle in trot and canter, and I got two trot circles!

He did a nice squeeze in between the tire and the round pen and Michelle started by just leaning on him, then jumping up next to him - all of which he was fine with because I've done all that with him right from day one practically. The only glitch we had was the end of the savvy string came loose and flicked him in the eye so we took it off after he over-reacted a little, and then didn't swing ropes over his head - just not today. We didn't want to stress him out.

So then I was charged with having him online basically while Michelle got on and took turns putting her knees up and rubbing him etc, he moved forward the first time, but I positioned him again after going 360 round the tire and after that he was fine. She was armed with carrots so every time he looked round at her he got a carrot which he thought was pretty cool.

So it wasn't too long before she was able to get her leg over and sit up - literally about 10 minutes. And she sat there for a while and rubbed him, gave him carrots etc.

Then it was my job to move him in a way that everyone would be safe, since Michelle didn't have reins. I moved him forward then immediately stopped him by lifting the rope and moving his HQ over.

All he really did was stumble a little, trying to get his balance and figure out how to move forward with Michelle on top. Then when stopped he looked round at her shoes which looked very much like carrots in all fairness.

We walked forward again, then stopped after a few steps and repeated that a few times, went backwards, and then Michelle got off, then back on again and by this stage he was walking out with me with his head down and relaxed and he licked and chewed.

Then Michelle had a go with the rope at directing him forward, left and right - and he was so soft and so responsive!

Just like that!!!!!!! How cool is that...

Here's the money shot!

Thanks Michelle. xx

I fitted quite alot into 3 hours

After a bit of a stressful morning (spending an hour on the phone to another business person giving them business advice they didn't want to hear), I called Garbo after hooking up the float and he came in. Awesome! The other two did too - so I gave them all some vegemite.

Gave Garbo a quick brush and a hoof pick and off we went... we were on the road 40 minutes after I walked outside to hook the float up. Garbo loaded nicely and with the rope over his withers after front two feet on... decided I am going to trust him to make the right decision.

Not a soul was at Woodhill Sands but as soon as I pulled up I spied a horse through the trees in a paddock having words with his cover - it was round his neck (buckles at the top) and around his front legs. I texted the facility owner and got no reply - and I could see he was getting tangled trying to walk so Garbo and I went to the rescue. I tied Garbo up to some baling twine on the fence and went under the electric tape to take this horses cover off - a horse I didn't know. I held out my hand and he sniffed me, then he looked quite relieved so I undid all the buckles and got rid of it for him. Garbo just ate calmly I was quite impressed.

So back to the float to swap ropes to the 22ft and off we went. I had decided not to ride since there was no one there at all... just to be safe.

We had some major squeezes to get to the arenas the back way - through trees and round X-Country Jumps, and one was uphill and round a tree 270 degrees round the tree!

We worked on - change of direction without panicking - he panics when I ask him in for COD and rushes past so I can't touch him with the savvy string... so I concentrated on asking for COD while maintaining walk. He got it after a few goes and lowered his head at the walk in both directions - yay.

Then I worked on disengaging the HQ on a circle - but - don't come in - just disengage - I feel I have not seperated this from disengage and come in - he thinks disengage means - disengage and come in. Didn't take him long but he looks so put out when I ask him to stay out - don't you think?

If I could sum up Garbo's day I would say it would be best described as an unconfident day - he had airplane ears alot - but it was good practice for him and me, and for him to realise I can be a good trustworthy leader.

We spent some time looking at the X-Country Jumps - I love the look on his face here as if he's saying "and you know I ain't gonna jump this right"?....

I had to go to Phase 4 at one point on the travelling circle and he lept in the air and bucked - honestly you would think the savvy string was an Australian Stock Whip at times.

This fence is our sideways along the fence and half circles fence - how cool is it??!! I am not even at the end of it.

This is what we get for sideways along a fence at the moment - bum trailing. Although Sideways without a fence is quite good...

There was a little back at the side of the arena with a large water pipe at the bottom of it so I sent him over the pipe and up the bank - and then down again - a few times. That was cool.

We checked out some more jumps as a wind down before heading back along the lane back to the float. A few times he tried to tell me which poop (horse email) he wanted to smell and which grass he wanted to eat so I bumped the rope to remind him who was driving who. Oh yeah - he says. He spooked at a bird jumping out of the trees along the lane... it was at that point I had been considering a ride round the car park - but I thought - nah - thats just silly.

I still feel like I have hit an imaginary brick wall - feels like I am boring Garbo - and he's like "yeah yeah" although there are some things we have not yet achieved. Either I don't know how to ask for them or he doesn't understand... or both.... Don't get me wrong I still enjoy our play dates but sometimes it does kind of feel like we have lost sight of the end result desired. Just at the moment. I know what needs improving; just a bit lost as to how to get there....

We loaded brilliantly and off home we went. Then I gave Maraschino a go at being a big horse...float loading practice.... I'll blog about that tomorrow - it's after midnight... tired...

Out twice this week...

and I haven't blogged yet!!

So this is two days worth... ok!

Tuesday

It was really windy and I nearly didn't go, cancelled then re booked - I think I knew it was because I had told myself I was going to take my saddle and ride. I don't do much more than a couple of strides of trot in the bareback pad so in the saddle I have no excuse.

So I was pleased I changed my mind back and decided to go and not ride. Heading down the road in the float (Garbo loaded really well despite the wind), we passed a grader and a gravel truck going about 100kmph. They were added more gravel to our road and evening it out.

We had a really good session online and his circles are really improving, his right hand circles are still looking stiff and he's looking out - perhaps forgetting his hip is not sore anymore - or favouring it still, or maybe just habit because we more often go to the left (note to self to even this up).

There were leaves and twigs all over the place and Garbo liked the taste of them so as a reward I would stop him on the end of the 22ft after he'd done something well, at a leaf or twig, for a treat.

I just focussed on not drilling the circling just getting a nice lap with head down and relaxed and looking in, and stop.

We are working on me leaving to go and pay while he waits calmly....

We had a nice walk back again to the float and he loaded well again. Off home we went. He unloaded really nicely and Maraschino had been good again - not alot of calling out.

Friday

I did play with Maraschino on Wednesday but I'll blog that seperately.

Again another nice day and no wind, loaded well and off we went. Maraschino didn't look bothered at all - he called out and for the first time Garbo didn't try and come off or do anything in fact when Maraschino called out. Arrived to find Bronwyn had decided not to bring Critey so again it was a great opportunity to practise Garbo working (and focusing on me) without any other horses around - and for me to ride him alone too. Yes, I took my saddle.

He wasn't completely as ok with the saddle going on as the bareback pad so I am going to get it checked again soon.

Well - happy to report - no spooking today and he was calm and Left Brain the entire time. I think he looked up once or twice at other horses grazing in the distance, but nothing much at all. My new rule for myself is to not be on Garbo if I am anxious or nervous - I know he feels it, in the hope that he will only have rides that has me being cool calm and collected.

The circles to the right were again stiff so I shortened the rope and made smaller circles at the walk adding a little flexion to Zone 1 and keeping Zone 4 away from me, he did that well and then I made the circle slowly bigger. I think we are making progress. The left circle oh my goodness - lovely - head down, blowing, using his back... nice.

So on I got - he was good for mounting from the fence... and I ventured away from my comfort zone - near the fence and near Bronwyn. We went over the poles a few times slowly moving out further away each time, and I used the barrels to make some figure 8 at walk, and interestingly enough his right circle round the barrel is actually fine. I increased my confidence with every lap away further and so did Garbo. So we went for a little trot - back to the fence. And then another.

Then - I decided to shorten my reins and try out the engaged position as per the last Mastery DVD - hmm... well the upper part of my body felt good, Garbo seemed to be ok with it, but my heels came up... interesting!!!! I shall have to try and isolate what is happening there.

We rode all the way back to the car - well nearly - 3/4 way back I realised I'd left my carrot stick in the arena so I went back on foot and Bronwyn took Garbo back for me.

Bronwyn had to leave then because her house alarm had gone off so I took Garbo and we walked back to pay the money (there is a green letterbox you need to place it into)... and then I decided we'd walk back down the sandy shad lane past all the cross country jumps (a different way).

Garbo was totally relaxed, no thresholds, past a tractor towing something (parked) and Garbo stepped over the tow cable that was lying on the ground like it wasn't even there.

All in all a great day - loaded well on the way home (with no other horses around for security)... it was eerie it was so empty, and off we went.

I gave him carrots from inside the float!