Fun, Games, and Rides.
Day 74/75:
Opal had a nice turn out day earlier this week, but the other days she continues to be worked with on her ground manners, respecting space when asked, and picking up her back hooves. Some days she's great, other days she gets cranky and stomps them. We're getting there.
Today was a pretty active day for both mares. Opal wanted to 'help' in the pasture while I was cleaning, so I gave her my sweater to carry for me. Once we walked over to the rail, I hung it up in the fence where Opal and Satin took turns playing with it. Satin isn't really happy sharing her toys and would give Opal her grumpy ears and Opal would step back. Sarah brought a toy for Satin to play with, and Opal was very interested in checking it out as well.
Toys are fun.
Sarah, Satin, and Opal playing with toys.
We had a visitor today, Kelly. She has a mustang and came down to check out my mares as well as me working with horses. I let her work with Opal a bit, it was a good test for Opal to see how she would do with someone she didn't really know. Opal didn't mind too much, just kept looking at me, but was enjoying the grooming. Kelly even tacked Opal up and Opal did very well standing for her. I was quite pleased. Next Kelly walked her around in the arena through obstacles and worked with Opal on the Yo-Yo game.
After Kelly and Opal had worked around the arena a few times, I hopped on and gave Opal a ride. I have 2 challenges I'm working on her with. 1) moving her feet at the given gait I've asked for; walk or trot and 2) bending and giving to pressure on her bit. Opal thinks any pressure means to stop totally, so she has GREAT breaks. Part of training is knowing when to pick and choose your battles with green horses. I can have her move, or I can have her bending...both is asking too much.
My new favorite phrase as of late, because it fits, is 'how do you eat an elephant?' Answer: one bite at a time. Sometimes you can't accomplish the whole goal right away, so rather than trying to eat an elephant in one bite, you break it down into smaller bites. I need her to move and bend so she can become a balanced horse in her gaits, but she doesn't know how to do what I'm asking for yet. I go back and start at the beginning, asking for one thing, then another, working on 2 small elements with the goal of combining them in the next several rides. Her backing up, however, has greatly improved from in the tack, she was very light today.
12 week challenge
Hours logged this week: 5
Total hours: 25
Rides: 4
Ehawee:
Ehawee also had a busy day. Sarah was ready to ride again and she choose Ehawee. Sarah lounged her, groomed her, and I tacked Ehawee up. Since it has been 7 months since she last had a rider for the Napa Mustang Day's parade (which I rode her 10 minutes) I told Sarah to spend some time just putting weight on her. She told me Ehawee was looking at her confused like 'what are you doing? Just get on.' Sarah walked her around the arena and navigated the obstacles in the ring. They both had a nice ride together.
After 2 months in the paddock, she's got good weight and muscle back on. Today she would go back home to her pasture with Opal and Satin. After the rides were done we put the mares in the arena together and sent them around a few laps each direction allowing them to take their 'order' in their herd and work any issues out. Ehawee had been trying to make the point again to Opal that Opal was NOT in charge, which is fine with Opal, but Ehawee had to make sure Opal KNEW how things were. They settled down for some nice rolls. Mares.
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