Winter is coming

Winter is coming. 

One long forelock.

Day 16:

Winter is coming, eventually.  Later rather than sooner I hope.  I enjoy the rain, I just hate the mess it makes for my horses....that and I don't like being cold....not one bit.  Ehawee (my bay mustang) has worn her winter blanket all of 5 times at most.  I like having them on hand in the event it gets cold or they get sick and need to wear one.  Since I've been working on desensitizing Opal all over, it never hurts to try and fit her for one now before I need it.

Opal didn't mind it much until a breeze picked up and made it fly around....so scary.  After a few moments she let me slip it right over her head and onto her body with ease.  We walked around on the grass for a few moments before taking it off.  After all, it is still summer.

 Walking with a blanket with ease.

After taking the blanket off, we walked back over to where my daughter was sitting in her stroller.  Opal decided to say hello to her and check out her stroller.

Hey kid, can I have some goldfish?

Day 17:

Sick kids make for sick Moms....thus cutting into horse time.  A nasty midwinter cold in July??  Ugh, go away winter crud, its summer!

 Opal loves being brushed, so this is how we start our day.  I placed a saddle pad and the surcingle on her before walking her into the round pen.  I attached 2 plastic bottles to the surcingle and had her walk around.  After a few laps I asked her to trot out.

I'd rather eat the grass, but ok I'll walk around.

Even though I had to use the lounge whip a little to keep her going, she did very well for her first lounging session.  She was very excited to go graze with the other mustangs after her lounging session.  

 

Floaty/Bendy Things and Hula Hoops

Floaty/Bendy Things and Hula Hoops 

Profile of Opal.

Day 15:

Opal has been settling in well.  She  was eager to see me today as due to our house being under the weather (its July right, cold and flu season should be over shouldn't it?) I was unable to get out to see her the last few days.  The herd she is in seems to have worked most of the kinks out.  Opal and the alpha-mare even ate dinner together.

   Sharing dinner.

Today I took an old bareback pad and started putting that on Opal.  We walked around the ranch with it.  She didn't seem to mind it one bit.  The reason I'm working so much outside the arena with Opal is she thinks anytime she comes out of her pasture, she gets to graze.  This way she's not only learing what ever it is I'm teaching her, but learning she has to wait to play and have fun.

 I've got this Mom.

Now, back in the early to mid 90's on our family vacation at Lake Powell, we encountered a storm.  Now a rain storm at Lake Powell yields waterfalls where there were no waterfalls before the storm, so we would always jump in the boat and go looking for them.  One year we found four or five of these "Floaty/Bendy things" (that's what we called them since we had not seen them before this point in time) they are also known as Pool Noodles.  They are great for training.  They are light weight, move when horses get lazy picking their feet up, make noise and are light weight.  Its summer time, so why not break one out for Opal.  

Now, Opal sees me as her security blanket, which I love, but when the world gets scary, she wants to nearly jump on me.  Sweetheart, I love you, but you out weigh me by over 1,000 pounds, please don't squash me.  Opal walked over the Floaty/Bendy Thing, let it touch her all over, sit on her, and didn't even bat an eye when the wind blew it off her.  That' my girl.

 Opal checks out the Floaty/Bendy Thing

  
Opal said this was a piece of cake.  Next I introduced her to a big Hula Hoop.  I let her sniff it and put her head through it on her own before I placed it over her head myself.  She wasn't worried about the sound, or it being around her, or about her legs hitting it when she walked.

 

 Hula Hoops, not on the scary list.

Next I added a second, smaller Hula Hoop and walked her around.  

Two Hula Hoops.

Talking things at a slow, steady pace and not turning up the heat when she is unsure of what to do is the key to her success so far....that and the clicker and lots of carrots.  When she is unsure, I walk back to her and talk to her softly, give her some loves and pats, then ask again.  She's very willing and has come a long way in 15 days.  

 

 

Saddle Pad and Long Lines

Saddle Pad and Long Lines

 Checking out the saddle pad.

Day 14

Previously opal had snorted at a saddle pad, so guess what's on the agenda today?  It's not about riding her, it's about desensitizing her, letting her know these things won't hurt her and I'm going to keep her safe. She also snorted at a rope dragging, so I thought a surcingle and ground driving was in order.

Saddle pad is first. One snort, a sniff and nibble of the pad and she let me put it right on her back. Off and on both sides several times, mixed in with walking around, Opal was as cool as a cucumber.

 Hey, this smells like my friend Ehawee.

  

Next the surcingle.  Easy on, easy off, but she did nip at the straps as I went to buckle it. We walked for a while before adding the lounge lines. She had no issue with the first line, the second she was not thrilled with when it touched her hoof and she pulled away. Since the surcingle had not been fully tightened yet, it slipped a bit and she tossed out a few bucks. We regrouped and got all hooked back up.

  Mom says its ok, she won't let it get me.

 

A little unsure as to what to do at first, once she started walking and heard the clicker, she fell into a nice rhythm in both directions.

Time to unhook and call it a day, but she was still snorting at the sound of the lines dragging near her, she even gave one another buck for being too close to her.  I hooked up the ropes and let them drag behind her as I walked her in hand. A little unsure at first, she walked right next to me, but as we walked she calmed down.

  

The noise if following me, but its ok, I've got my Mom.

Time to get turned put to graze on some green grass with the other mustangs, which is her favorite thing to do.