Weather and season hasn't provided for much play time. We got down to a chilly 17 degrees for nearly a week!! Much colder than us Californians are ever prepared for!
I'm progressing one checkmark at a time on my level 3 chart. This is where loping come into play a lot more. Not so easy with a LBI!! So we began steps twards a figure 8 with a bit of loping. Hoy, what a task. Much easier said than done. We spent about 4 days improving drive and draw at the trot....and then that freezing cold hit!
Yesterday I went out to the pasture and just play with my horse. He was slightly unmotivated, but got more and more silly as time went on. LBI's can REALLY trot! They will trot for days if it means they don't have to lope! As I asked for the dreaded gate of a lope, he leaped in the air and took off jumping and bucking. I quickly took a hold of zone 1, and everything came to a stop. Tucker looked at me so innocently like he was awaiting my next que. To keep things interesting for him, I asked him to go the other direction. He quickly picked up the trot, then lope again. As soon as he offered, I brought him back in. A try was all I was looking for. Now the other direction, picked up the lope right away(a little rambunctiously, but still). Half circles...that's almost a figure 8. After a few change of directions he had beautiful departures, drive, and draw. All the ingredients I was looking for! I called it quits there.
The ground right now is pretty much either slick or slop, but I'll continue to try to make the best of it. I'd rather have rain than heat!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Dec. 09
Like my posting, my horsemanship has been spastic. Except...maybe not quite as scattered! ha.
All the ponies are doing well. Tucker hurt his leg, but it didn't seem to effect him much. He had a couple of days off, and is healing nicely. He has been backing great up and down hills, over logs, and even off the back porch(don't worry, not as dangerous of a situation as it sounds)! I think he'll load quite comfortably soon. We also began backing by the tail! Such a swell guy who puts in his whole heart when you put in yours.
Rascal is also plugging along. We can always find something new and scary, but the basics are coming easier for him to deal with. I run over them in and extremely friendly way until it's normal, like: dropping brushes while grooming, picking up all feet from one side, lateral flexion from the ground(both ways from one side while leaning over his back), cinching simulations, yoyo, circling, and squeeze. Feels good to make a list, really reminds me how he arrived almost a year ago, a snorting prancing deer I could hardly catch!
Looks like a Parelli tour stop is scheduled for Aug. of next year! Yippee Skippy! I'm stoked. Until next time, I'm out riding and playing to my little hearts content and a little more! ha, Savvy On.
All the ponies are doing well. Tucker hurt his leg, but it didn't seem to effect him much. He had a couple of days off, and is healing nicely. He has been backing great up and down hills, over logs, and even off the back porch(don't worry, not as dangerous of a situation as it sounds)! I think he'll load quite comfortably soon. We also began backing by the tail! Such a swell guy who puts in his whole heart when you put in yours.
Rascal is also plugging along. We can always find something new and scary, but the basics are coming easier for him to deal with. I run over them in and extremely friendly way until it's normal, like: dropping brushes while grooming, picking up all feet from one side, lateral flexion from the ground(both ways from one side while leaning over his back), cinching simulations, yoyo, circling, and squeeze. Feels good to make a list, really reminds me how he arrived almost a year ago, a snorting prancing deer I could hardly catch!
Looks like a Parelli tour stop is scheduled for Aug. of next year! Yippee Skippy! I'm stoked. Until next time, I'm out riding and playing to my little hearts content and a little more! ha, Savvy On.
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