The changes have been pretty amazing to watch from the 3rd perspective while Erin & Prophecy work together.  I’ve gotten to be there for about half or so of the training hours, during which I have been learning how to move him better with my energy vs. the flag, how to help him relax, and when to hang in there with my request. Plus just seeing how he is reacting to different stimuli from this view – like he is not completely comfortable with the idea of being pat/rubbed when he is on the move, or as itchy as that face is, he isn’t a fan of it being handled.  We are working on him reading the handler’s energy more than the tool, as he basically interprets anything as a reason to GO/go faster.

Prophecy has been progressing really well, and their 3rd ride together on the 19th Erin worked on trotting (snap shots below) – after having me warm him up by lunging and then tacking up. He didn’t buck, and even offered to canter.  The Synergist saddle is working well, and I also got a TSF shoulder relief synthetic girth to give a try that he didn’t seem to mind.  So now we have two girths for future rides, just in case, cause you know if I didn’t one would cause a gall or something!

being a Pokey Pony

The 23rd I was observing (after doing the ground warm up and learning some new requests to make) he actually showed his “No Go” side, not wanting to pick up a trot upon request or keep walking. Just in one of those “Make Me” moods lol.  So Erin returned the following day without me but carrying an incentive stick, as he is not the biggest fan of leg pressure to get the “I mean it” to the request.  I heard it went very well and he quickly adjusted to a more forward attitude and finding his rhythm.

I played with him on my own the 26th. Mainly I needed to get new hoof pics to post on the ECIR forum for review.  I posted his case study on there and got some recommendations on tweaking his diet further and will see if the hoof specialist has particular issues with his trim.  He’s just coming up on 4weeks post trim now, which ideally would be his trim due date for he grows, but 5w is the barn farrier cycle.  I did not put any hoof armor on this last trim (way too cold to use it!) but definitely will the next as now it is stored in a heated room so it is just a matter of my hands working in colder temps next time!  We did a quick ground work session after,  but since he was glued to me and didn’t want to leave me at turnout, I played and scratched some more in the field.

Pretty sunset view as we got to some ground work

 We were able to take advantage of warmer and dry weather on Saturday afternoon to have Erin & I both there again and he was less bothered by the wind than us!  I think he looked at us like we were nuts trying to see and work in the huge gusts that came through, but he wasn’t phased by any of it and stayed quite relaxed through it all.  I did a quick ground work warm up, then Erin rode for a bit to keep reinforcing what she had last worked with him on.  Then I actually got to get back in the saddle!  Albeit in baby steps on the line. Erin was checking my seat, having me feel his movements, feel contact on the bit, and teach me how to ask him to lift his shoulder (he is heavily right-handed and falls in).

Long. low and relaxed

Yawning

I know I need to change – to stop being afraid and tensing if something “doesn’t go to plan” (what ever really does?!) and live in the now – not the past, not the “what-if” future.   This is something I will be continuing to work on in myself.

In other news…
In my hopes to find a sport that Skyler takes an interest in, I took her to the barn for her first “riding lesson” as we were over 60 degrees last weekend!  She had a blast grooming and ‘riding’ Magpie, getting to meet a bunch of the horses that live there, and some foals at the farm across the street.  She even learned how to handle some mucking!  

Her second lesson (right before mine on Saturday) she ended up riding “by herself” with a great little Chestnut Arab mare named Flicka … and I think I’ve created a monster! Maybe one day she will be my trail buddy 🙂

Doug has also been making headway on my IOU from Christmas! Now I just need to stain or paint it, we will then mount a set of Tesla’s front shoes to it and it will be ready for the trailer 🙂

 

Don’t forget to check out my updated reviews of the Two Horse Tack set (Breast Collar and Crupper included now) and I’ve updated my Scoot Boots page too – Just click on the tabs up top!