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.

 

Spring at last

At last some summer weather today so off Garbo and I sent for a ride at Jools.

I have not ridden him for a month but he was really good. We did lots of transitions, a little Game Of Contact, and some freestyle.

This is him eating while I change from 45ft to Bridle.

 I started on the 45ft and then got on as there were no issues. We did follow the rail and corners mainly, walk and trot. And then I even added in some circles. I think we'll try Cloverleaf next time.

 Afterwards he got to nibble on willow all the way back to the float.

 Mine's the blue float not the white one.

 Then he just stayed close while I loaded up the saddle etc.... he's such a good boy.
Double bonus - he didn't poop in the float either way.

Lovely trip out with the big boys

I took Garbo and Maraschino to Jool's place again today. I had in mind riding Garbo and Maraschino was just along for the outing - one of his glands is a bit swollen, and there is an airborne virus going round at the moment. So I think I'll get some echinacea tomorrow.

I got the boys in with the plan on taking them both, then decided to leave Maraschino behind today, and un-haltered him - he didn't budge - the gate was open but he stayed standing next to Garbo - I tried to lead him out but he kept coming back so in the end I thought - Ok - I think he wants to come!

So off we went, leaving Coco Monster behind. He was really good.

Anyway - Michelle came too - she was going to help me brainstorm on how to get Garbo to stay on the rail at canter. I started riding Garbo in the arena and Maraschino was in the paddock alongside.

As soon as we started cantering Jool's dog must have peeked out along the end of where Maraschino was, and gave him a fright so Maraschino started jumping, bucking (while we were cantering) and basically getting a bit right brain.

So Michelle did a bit of work with him online - he over-reacted at first to the downwards transition... as you can see... but soon after that he was trotting around nicely.

I was working on follow the rail and trot/walk/trot/canter transitions with Garbo.

It was very hot and he got tired quite quickly. But he tried hard.

Then Michelle hopped on Maraschino and we had a nice walk round the arena rail together. So Maraschino ended up doing something anyways!

Then Michelle had a ride on Garbo and gave me some ideas for strengthening and straightening his canter the rail - then she cantered him round the outside of the race - the one I am hoping to trot/canter him round soon. He tried to jump over the areas of long grass with his head down so I am kind of pleased it wasn't me for the first time LOL.

After that he was very very hot so it was bath time for both.

They both loaded impeccably!

2nd ride - Maraschino

So today Michele played with Maraschino while I got more obstacles into the round pen - added the small green ball (then we'll add the big one!), jump stands and yellow pole.

She had a little play and then bounced the green ball around him, then bounced it on him, he was a little jumpy at first, but got better real quick - then she rolled it along his back, up his neck... all good.

So she got on after a few bounces, and then off again, then back on - all the while Maraschino just stood there looking totally relaxed.

Once on again I led him round and over trot poles, fast walking, slow walking like stick to me while Michelle rode Red Indian style (no reins just the mane)... then we tied the other end of the lead rope up and she had a go at directing him from a-high. I stayed where I would be if I was leading him and we added in the smooch everytime we walked off, and I would tell Michelle when I was slowing or stopping and she'd relax in her body. He was so good - didn't put a foot wrong.

Next she said ok go a bit faster at walk and we'll do a wee trot - and we did - and he was great!!

Cool huh!!!

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!

Road ride

Garbo has been a bit jumpy lately when I bring him in - looking over towards the orchard like there are boogie men in there. I think it may be a reaction to either the grass after the rain, or from the hay cubes. I actually stopped the hay cubes and he came right - then gave him one the day before yesterday, and voila yesterday he was spooky again. They smell funny - and Coco is a bit more on alert and less relaxed - however Maraschino has not had any reaction what so ever.

So for now I'll keep on with eliminating the hay cubes and see how we go.

The human in my gets so annoyed at him when he's all spooky at nothing - because it really is nothing - however I do know that fungal/endophyte reactions can cause horses to hallucinate and it effects their vision alot too - so I need to work on my emotional fitness on that one.

I took him for a walk in hand past the spooky area (even though Linda's last blog post said not to do that) - athough I waited as long as he needed at each threshold - funnily enough the first one was about 20 feet from the washbay and yards. Once we got to the long grass however I noticed the thresholds decreased, and he was happily eating grass by the time we got back to the same area after a walk up the road. I decided a distraction and some transitions and turns online would help us both so that's what we did. On the way back he spooked at the fence (that he has walked past a thousand times) but after that he was happy just eating (next to the orchard).

I took him back into the wash bay and he was 100% relaxed so I saddled him up and jumped on and off we went up the road again. George came too for the company but Garbo led the way - and I think he would have gone further than Stanley's place (the dogs all started barking at us), but we decided the road was a bit too iffy down there (too many more crazy drivers past that point).

I rode him back (and yes Maraschino was very good both times), and he happily then went into his yard for dinner. Once he's in the yards at night he's fine (when he's jumpy) so I don't know what he thinks is waiting in the bushes, that suddenly disappears when food appears!

I might ride up the road again today - I was going to go to Jool's but I have a headache (think I pulled some back muscles yesterday weeding the last of the dock) so it's a quiet day for us here today - lovely sunny weather and gorgeous cool air. Well it's still 21 degrees.

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.

Another sunny ride today

Boy it was hot and humid today but I persevered and stuck my black joddies on and went to Jools with Garbo for a ride. She offered us the indoor arena - we started off in there, playing touch it first around the edges since we had not ridden in there before and only been in it once. Garbo chased all the chickens out first too.

We tried a few yo yo's without circle.

Hi Milo.

I got on but it really was too small to do too much so we headed out to the grass arena again.

Funnily enough in the indoor arena - after we got past the saying hi to every horse around the outside eating hay, we got some lovely canter circles!

My goal was to trot the rail x 15 today - well we ended up cantering it (stopping at point A for a carrot each time) about 6 times plus about 7 times at trot with transitions and change of direction - so my plan kinda went out the window but you have to deal with the horse that shows up right?

I tried to focus on cantering with my body if he stopped cantering, and to start cantering from trot, and it worked well - heck we even did a flying change - must have been on the wrong lead and he swapped. Clever boy.

Afterwards we went back into the indoor arena and I took his gear off and we did some liberty. Jools commented again (I always think she isn't watching) how much he loves it.

She then jumped on Intrigue - her arab and went to check the drains.

Garbo could see them through the trees and was initially trying to figure out what it was he could see so far away - then called out. Oh and he rolled in the sand too - as you can see.

Garbo loved little Milo!!

Then we did some touch it since there were so many interesting things around the place.

So all in all a very well rounded day! Loading was great too! I have been asking on softly but if he looks like one little ounce of trying it on I get very assertive very quickly.

Here's some video of the Liberty, a bit of confusion with aids as you can see... but we are getting there and I am getting fitter - I edited out the parts where we were out of shot (camera was sitting on post).