Brioso (aka "Beth")
2006 APHA Solid Paint Bred mare
Quick post to announce that, after stalling now for a month, waiting for the right day, hoping to have someone here to pick up the proverbial pieces, I finally just went ahead and got on Beth this morning!
2006 APHA Solid Paint Bred mare
Quick post to announce that, after stalling now for a month, waiting for the right day, hoping to have someone here to pick up the proverbial pieces, I finally just went ahead and got on Beth this morning!We've been doing lots of ground work since she's been home from the trainer's, but my energy has been so low from the pneumonia (just finished another round of antibiotics), and there were always chores and projects that needed doing that sapped that limited energy, that I just didn't ever feel it was the right time to climb on.
Today felt right!
She had thrown one of her front shoes, so first thing, while it was still cool, I pulled the other one and trimmed them both up. Then I decided she needed to get to know the Simple boots, so maybe I can pony her along on a ride one of these days, to see how she'll do in the great outdoors. So on went the boots. And, golly gee, if I'm going to lunge her, I might as well saddle her up, and maybe even weight the stirrups.
So that's what we started with: lunging under saddle with the boots on.
And Beth did fine.
It's the kind of hot muggy morning that slows us all down, and she was very mellow and compliant. So let's put on the helmet and just try standing her at the mounting block and weighting the stirrups a bit.
Okay. No big deal. So why don't I just go ahead and climb on?
Well, 'cause I still have my clunky rubber chore boots on.
Beth, stay here a minute while I run in the house for my [safer] paddock boots. She noses at me curiously while I sit on "her" mounting block and change boots.
Okay, sweetheart. Let's do this thing!
And up I go.
Stand and flex each way a few times, then ask her to walk out. Wander a bit, then ask her to turn each direction. Play ring around the mounting block. Then figure eights around the stump and the piled up lunge line across the arena. The trainer guy did not ride with nearly as much contact as I generally do, so Beth and I are working on a compromise there, but otherwise she did very well for her first ride at home and the first time outside the confines of a round pen (mine is still flooded--another stalling point in her training). We did that for about ten minutes and then I climbed off, loosened her cinch and called it good.
Tomorrow, I'll set up some barrels and poles for her to think about--she's a mare that needs to do more than just wander around. She needs a job.
Of course, having no one here to pick up the pieces meant I also had no one here to take any photos. You'll have to take my word on it that there were no pieces to pick up!
Today felt right!
She had thrown one of her front shoes, so first thing, while it was still cool, I pulled the other one and trimmed them both up. Then I decided she needed to get to know the Simple boots, so maybe I can pony her along on a ride one of these days, to see how she'll do in the great outdoors. So on went the boots. And, golly gee, if I'm going to lunge her, I might as well saddle her up, and maybe even weight the stirrups.
So that's what we started with: lunging under saddle with the boots on.
And Beth did fine.
It's the kind of hot muggy morning that slows us all down, and she was very mellow and compliant. So let's put on the helmet and just try standing her at the mounting block and weighting the stirrups a bit.
Okay. No big deal. So why don't I just go ahead and climb on?
Well, 'cause I still have my clunky rubber chore boots on.
Beth, stay here a minute while I run in the house for my [safer] paddock boots. She noses at me curiously while I sit on "her" mounting block and change boots.
Okay, sweetheart. Let's do this thing!
And up I go.
Stand and flex each way a few times, then ask her to walk out. Wander a bit, then ask her to turn each direction. Play ring around the mounting block. Then figure eights around the stump and the piled up lunge line across the arena. The trainer guy did not ride with nearly as much contact as I generally do, so Beth and I are working on a compromise there, but otherwise she did very well for her first ride at home and the first time outside the confines of a round pen (mine is still flooded--another stalling point in her training). We did that for about ten minutes and then I climbed off, loosened her cinch and called it good.
Tomorrow, I'll set up some barrels and poles for her to think about--she's a mare that needs to do more than just wander around. She needs a job.
Of course, having no one here to pick up the pieces meant I also had no one here to take any photos. You'll have to take my word on it that there were no pieces to pick up!
Congrats!
ReplyDeleteVery nice - congratulations!
ReplyDeleteYaa, sounds like it went really well.
ReplyDeleteWay to go!
ReplyDelete~Lisa
ps, I know you probably won't believe it, but in reply to your comment about Etta Bay not treating someone comaing towards her with halter compared to loving arms, I am proud to say that when Colleen showed up to take Etta Bay home, she was surprised at how easy it was to just walk up to her, halter in hand. She commented that she loved how Etta Bay didn't run away and she stood still for haltering and petting. I could tell that Colleen was pleasantly surprised.
And since last week, she's said that she is now much easier to catch and will even walk up to people entering the pasture. Seems like easy to catch can also transfer to someone carrying a halter, too. My daughter has the magic touch. :)
Hurray!
ReplyDelete