Hoss - 8/20/11

Did not get a lot of opportunity to work with Hoss this week, so today I chose to ride him.  He was really "high".  He strikes me as a horse that really like to move out and work.  So that's what we did.  I started out in his ground eating walk, asking him to tuck his nose.  Once he was consistently giving to that ask, I sped him up a little.  His head went out and his nose went up!  So of course, we were back (at a trot, back hollowed out) out of control again.  I kept him in a trot and again started asking him to tuck his nose as we went.  It didn't take him long to get more collected.  I did not lope him much, just too hot to get him that over heated.

I did work on some turns as he felt like a carousel horse.  Meaning he wanted to turn on his middle and felt like he had a pole guiding his steps whenever we turned.  Now some ground work will clean this up, but since I was riding...I did some turns into the fence.  He was more willing to turn on his hind end, but he needed to go slow to learn where to put his feet.  There are still lots of opportunities for him to get better.

FYI....Hoss went home today.  Good luck Robin and Lynn!

Hoss - 8/16/11

Worked more on ground work and disengaging his hind end.  He really has a tendency to want to work all on his front end.  To get him more on his hind end, I asked him to just move his front feet left and right.  He got better by the end, but will require more opportunities to get better.

Hoss - 8/15/11

Before Felicia and I went down to MDA, we worked at the barn for a little while.  Robin and Lynn brought a new horse, although she thinks she may switch Magic for more riding since it appears that Hoss (I wanted to call him Stripes, but Felicia would let me.  BTW, he's an appaloosa) might be more ride ready.  But until then, I plan on working him to see where he is at mentally.  I worked on getting him to disengage his hindquarters, it didn't mean much to him.  But after some work circling and disengaging he was better.  I plan on working him again Tuesday and probably riding him on Thursday.

Magic - 8/1/11

Came home today to help Robin load Magic to take her home.  Robin brought some shipping boots, so we put the on and let her get used to them before we started loading.  We did some practice loading and all seemed well.  But it always seems that, with horses, just when you think that all is going to be perfect....you are reminded that they are horses and God made them that way.  She was hesitant about getting into the trailer (that was brought to take her to her new home).  Her first step into the trailer, the rubber mat slid and after that she wanted nothing to do with loading into a trailer.  I used  a stick w/a string to lengthen my arm, but we still spent about a hour rebuilding her confidence that the floor of the trailer was not going to move.  Eventually she loaded, but when you have a horse that is hard to load...once you get them loaded, you should unload and do it again.  Preferably you should do it several more times.  Take the drama out of it, you cannot get mad.  The horse is not doing this on purpose, the horse is just fearful.  You are loading them into a steel cave and things that eat them live in caves.  Be patient, take the time it takes.  Parelli says do more now so that you can do less later.  That's good advice! 

Magic - 7/30/11

Started the day with the direct and drive.  Loaded her in and out of the stocks (tight spot, getting her used to something against her side).  Also loaded her into and out of the stock trailer several times.  She did real well.  The ride was light today.  Sometimes it's not about the length, but about the quality of the ride.   She was stopping well and was relaxing her frame real well.

Magic - 7/28/11

Started the day again on the ground.  Did some direct and drive to get her more comfortable in tight spaces.  Robin is taking her home on Monday so I want her to load and unload with no issues.  She did well when I rode, worked more on the right side and she is starting to give to the feel.   BUT it should be a continuing education for her.  Robin came out and rode again today.  She did well and we talked about asking Magic to tip her nose as Robin rode her.  We also talked about stopping.  You should picture yourself deflating like a balloon and melting into the saddle when asking for the stop.

Magic - 7/26/11

another good day.  She is  getting better and better going to the right.  I am really pleased with her progress.  Still wants to travel with her nose pushed out, but once her right side gets "right" I think her nose will fall into place.  Robin came out and rode today, I thought things went very well for Magic and Robin.

Magic - 7/25/11

Good day today.  She was turning well and giving better.  Still struggles with going to the right, but I believe all the right things are being done to get her where she needs to be.

Magic - 7/24/11

Evening ride today.  Rode outside, and asked her for a lope.   She feels more collected but I didn't push her real hard.  Just let her get the feel of moving faster.  She still struggles with giving to the right, but she is better than a few days ago.

Magic - 7/23/11

Rode two times today, morning and evening.  Continued to work everything to the right.  She is getting better but still lots of work to build that confidence.

Magic - 7/21/11

worked in the round pen today.  Turning back into the fence and continuing to ask for the soft feel.   She still is resistant on her right side.  So I have been spending a lot of time getting her mind involved before I get on.  I do groundwork before saddling and riding.  Everything from disengaging her hip to direct and drive.  She is better, but she still has that hole that needs work.

Magic - 7/20/11

Rode in the round pen, asked her for a lope.  Of course she felt awkward and that she might stumble and fall down at any moment.  She carried her nose way out in front and her back was hollowed out.  So I backed off, I mentioned a couple of days ago about a hole, a ditch and a canyon.  This was a ditch for her, so we backed up and started asking her to tip her nose in and get her back up.

Magic - 7/19/11

started again on the ground.  Asking for the hip to move over and started asking her to step over her front end.  This starts to help her understand a rollback.  As I rode I asked her to turn into the fence.  You should always ask a young horse to turn into the fence when you give the room to turn.  if you are too close to the fence, it confuses them... they have no where to go.  Give them room to turn.

Magic - 7/18/11

Rode outside today, she did real well.  Asked her for all the same things that I asked for in the round pen, just in a different environment.   I typically don’t ask for a lot of speed, I want forward motion…I just don’t want uncontrollable forward motion.  When a horse has a hole at a walk, it turns into a ditch at a trot and a canyon at a lope.  make sure you can do a one rein stop before you can ask for more speed.  This is not a big deal if you have a thousand acres, you can ride as fast as they can run.  BUT, most of us don't have that option.  So before I asked her for more speed, I ask for more control.

Magic - 7/17/11

Again started the day on the ground working on her right side.  Asking her to step over with the inside hind leg, so that it the inside hind leg steps over and in front of the outside hind leg.  Its important to remember to work both sides in order to  be consistent.  Did more of the lateral flexing as I rode her.  I want to see the eye (in the direction I'm asking) looking at me and not the whites of her eye.  Again, better today than she was yesterday.

Magic - 7/16/11

One of the things you notice (or should notice) when you start young horses is that sometimes you rush them a little to much.  One of the things I noticed in Magic yesterday was that she had a hole in her right side.  Meaning that she was not as flexible or comfortable going to the right.  So I went back to the ground today.  She is very uncomfortable going to the right, so I directed her between myself and the fence (direct and drive) until she was comfortable with her claustrophobia.  She still needs a lot of work with this, but she is better today than she was yesterday.

Magic - 7/15/11

Spent the day again doing some basics.  Asking for the  soft feel both directions.   A soft feel means when I ask for a bend to one side or the other, she gives not just with her head to the side…but also with her chin giving also.  Spent the whole time working her laterally.