The Weekend

Friday -

Missy - Primary Goal: Increase suppleness and decrease mounting issues
Secondary Goal: Increase willingness and effort

Missy really did very well tonight. I again began her training lesson with her on the lunge line. Worked on precision and effort. She really began to tune in and cue off of less and less. Changed her to the side-pull and worked on suppleness and hip/shoulders over. She is very sensitive to the hips over, but tries to kick out occasionally especially to the right. This is unusual for her (heat, tenderness? will keep an eye out). She is more responsive to the rein tonight, but loses focus easily. Hopefully, when the under-saddle work begins, moving her feet will help to keep her focus. Her owner requested that I work her with the sidepull, but I am going to transition to a snaffle and see if this will work better to lighten her up and then move back to the sidepull. Monday, my husband takes over her for the mounted work. (This is actually his training project, but a pulled groin has taken him out for a bit) I also continued to work on her softening to the bridle by lunging her with the sidepull on. She was confused at first by the different feel, but soon was working well and softening her neck to the pressure. I worked on the mounting issues by going step by step through the mounting routine. I was extremely pleased when I was able to half-mount on both sides and she remained sompletely relaxed (hip cocked). This is quite a huge step in her training. We ended the lesson with more suppling and a good belly rub. The mare is adjusting to a regular training schedule, but is showing signs of boredom and resentment. I will strongly suggest to my husband to really vary her schedule from now on out in hopes of keeping her invested in her training.

Kixsie - Primary Goal: Relaxation and trust
Secondary Goal: Ascertain her training level
Kixsie is beginning to really relax with contact and has become very easy to catch in her paddock. Tomorrow, I will turn her out into a larger paddock and see if the change is permanent. I gave her a through grooming session and other than her fear of the head brush, she behaved well and maintained a calm, relaxed demeanor. I then took her out for a brief lunging lesson to get an idea of her training level and attitude. As I suspected, she knew how to lunge ( circles with minimal pressure on the line, w/t/c, etc.), but she rushes around tense and defiant. She maintains her nose to the outside of the circle and pops her head at any cue. I allowed her to rush around on the end of the lead with little interference. Once she realised that I wasn't there to fight, she calmed down, slowed down and began to pay attention. She was still a little resentful to the cues, but obeyed the cues. I then brought her in and tested her suppleness. Once again I was met with tension and resistance. I responded by rewarding the slightest effort on her part and soon, her tension subsided and she became very light and responsive. I then turned my attention to her responsiveness to moving her hips/shoulders. She remained responsive, but lacked the knowledge to respond correctly. So I now know some of her training limits and have a glimspe into her previous training tactics. I am pleasantly suprised at how quickly she decided to cooperate and hope that it will remain when the real hard work begins. The only real problem we encountered was when the cat decided to run out from the bushes and scare the beejeezers out of Kixsie. Kixsie proceeded to spook toward me, but this time I was able to quickly regain her attention and calm her down. Baby steps! Tomorrow the undersaddle test will begin to further target her training level and glitches.

Saturday -

Well, yesterday I decided to help my son with his show heifer, Chloe. She has begun to pull away from him and I thought that I could help (big strong me!). Well, I ended up working (struggling) with her for an hour. At the end of the hour she led better, but I was sore. This morning I woke up and couldn't move. My back HURT! I was on the couch for most of the day until it was time to leave for Jacob's first ever little league football game. It was a blast!! I am so proud of him. He took a very hard hit his first carry, but came back to rush for 20+ yards with 3 more carries.

Sunday -

More of the same with both horses. Kixsie was very sore today and seems to be stemming from the left front hoof. No heat or obvious injury. She was in her paddock all day Saturday and except for a short work on Friday, no exercise. She seemed a little stiff on Friday, but I attributed that to her tension and apprehension. I hand walked her and it seem to lessen the lameness. It looks suspiciously like a navicular lameness. I will watch carefully and since the owner is in Australia, I will treat accordingly and get a hoof tester to check it out. Missy was very distracted today. She wasn't very interested in working either. I took this opportunity to instill the work ethic with her. You give me something even though you don't feel like it and I will take it easy. I introduced a few "games" to mix it up. I was still nursing a tender back, so I did not feel it wise to embark on our first mounted lesson. My husband was in the hay field, so he wasn't able to ride either.

P.S. - The heifer from the previous post was with her mom in the correct pasture by the next morning.