Tarps, Laying Down, Groundwork, and Riding

Freedom

Freedom

Daisy

Daisy

Since it is June and this summer I am hoping to have more time than I have had in a summer for a while, I have written out a weekly schedule for what I want to do with each horse. They might get ahead or behind but the idea is to have a better plan than what I have had in the past.

Monday evening I worked with Freedom first. He was being a bit of a mess coming out of the meadow so I took him through the gate a few times till he behaved the way he usually does. I had decided to work him in the round pen this evening and then work with him using a tarp. First I free lunged him. Different times he asked me if he could stop but I just asked him to keep on. After he was consistently doing everything I asked (which didn't take long), I asked him to stop and face me. I then allowed him to come to me. I praises him. I had brought a plastic bag in with me and after I let him process the lunging, I rattled that at him. He could have cared less about the bag. I also ran it all over him and again showed no interest. I put it over his ears and eyes. He wasn't happy he couldn't see, but otherwise was ok with it.

So I then brought a tarp in. I lay it on the ground for him and he was snorting at it but wasn't overly concerned. After I let him get used to the tarp I asked him to stand and I shook the tarp and put it over his back. As you can see in the first picture, he didn't care. He was just quite curious about this strange and somewhat noisy object on his back. After he showed so little concern for the tarp, I was curious if he would allow me to put it on him when he was laying down. And he did. I really praised him for doing so wonderfully! I really wasn't to surprised but it made me so proud of him. After I took it off of him he just walked off :) Over all, I felt my session with him went wonderful!!!

After I finished with Freedom, I got Daisy. I wanted to work her over the tarp too but knew I should do the riding work I want to do first and if I have time I can play with the tarp. I already knew she stood with the tarp on her, I was curious if she would go a step farther. So I put her bridle on and worked her a bit. My goal with her is to get her better in-tune with my seat and leg cues. We worked on her stop and back up. I was really impressed with how she did. After working her a bit with that, I got off and praised her. Then I put her halter on again, put the tarp over her and she stood there and just looked at me. So I praises her, took the tarp off and asked her to lay down. She did. Then I got the tarp and put it over her again. No problem. She laid there like we did this every day. I praises her and took the tarp off and asked her to get up.

 

Tuesday evening I went to the chiropractor. I had been having issues with my one knee bothering me for a while now. Driving to GA a couple weekends back really bothered my knees. My chiropractor put it in place and then taped it to support my knee cap. I think he said I have Chondromalacia Patella. Whatever the correct terminology is, I am not supposed to go down stairs or hills more than I need to, or kneel. Not sure how this all works with riding yet. I went to the horses after coming home. I put flyspray on both horses and fed them. I also worked Freedom a little bit on doing a move on both his forehand and haunches. Didn't work with Daisy at all.

 

Wednesday evening I worked Freedom a little bit as well. I free lunged him and in the end he followed me around. I also got him to lay down for me as well. I didn't work with Daisy at all. Thursday evening I didn't do anything with the horses besides feed them because I was in a lot of pain with my knee.

Today I had off. I spent most of my day working on pictures from the rodeo in May. Got those finished and then after supper I went to the horses. I rode Daisy and worked her at stopping when cued all by body language. She did excellent at all three gaits. :) I was really pleased with her. Since she was doing so well, I got her to do a turn on the forehand both ways. Daisy did excellent with that too. I also got her to do a lot of turning all by leg and upper body cues and not using the reins. Now she knows all these things but I want to fine tune it a bit more. Tomorrow I am hoping to work her again. After I worked her, I got Freedom out. I did some in-hand work. I then worked him at both a turn on the haunches and the forehand. Turning toward the left he was being a mess but I just worked him a bit more and he did it well without a fuss. I also got him to stand nicely as well and he did that nice as you please. Looking forward to working him tomorrow as well! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!