Out and about again

B came in today with two more splits in her front feet, she's growing the walls like mad and where we're growing out the bits of flare it doesn't take much to get a crack to form.. Ellie is out to trim her next week but I rasped the splits out tonight and tidied everything up - she's also exfoliating sole like mad leaving really nice concavity...lovely little hoofers!!

Popped B's long-lining tack on, plaited her up (so pretty!) and just in case of shenanigans with the lines put a set of sports boots on ;-)

Attached the lines and hitched them up - here's a pic of how I do it Claire, not sure if that makes it any clearer tbh?! Once I undo the tab through the ring it all shakes free in a second so not too much of a faff

Off out we went stopping off at the mounting block for a good standing still /stroking /leaning practise and she was brilliant, walked straight up, kept walking as I climbed the steps and stopped when I did, didn't move a step until I asked her to walk on. My friend Shirley had been sitting in her car watching and said how absolutely brilliantly she thought we were getting on and how gorgeous B was ..aww!

Off round the back where we had to stop and wait next to a parked car as a transit van with a smashed up car on a trailer came past...Bally didn't stress at all so looks like no harm done on Monday Yay!!!

As soon as we got onto the set aside I unhitched the lines and set off we had a lovely little session again working on transitions and just keeping her nice and forwards. We negotiated a couple of tricky corners OK so the steering is getting a bit better (it couldn't have got worse!) I tried to get a bit of video on my phone but it became apparent pretty quickly that I can't video , walk and long rein at the same time hahaha , but did get a sweet shot of her, shame it's a bit dark though.

Once we got back round to the hay field I asked her to trot on out across it, it's got such good springy grass cover it's about the only place we can whilst the ground is so shocking.
Well B didn't need asking twice and launched into power trot mode, cue me leaping along, laughing my head off as she then kicked up her heels and had a little canter, she was having a ball and I was laughing so much trying to keep up, great fun :-)
We only had the one sticky moment (and a little temper tantrum :-o ) as I wanted her to long line right to the end of the field and up the path...I've always led her this bit, but she knows it well so I figured it wasn't too much of an ask.
Well we had a bit of sideways leaping, some planting, head shaking, trotting off etc, etc, to which I'd just put her straight on a circle and make her work then ask for a walk on in the direction I wanted her to go in..got a few more foot stomping little paddy moments, but she did it!!

She went all the way up the path until we got to the fields with YO's horses in and I led her from there - what a good girl!
Had a lovely groom and a cuddle when we got back to the yard I think we were both as pleased as each other :-)
Bally led back out to the paddock like a lamb on a completely loose lead as I'm lugging the wheelbarrow full of hay bless her and followed me round whilst I poo picked getting scratches and cuddles....She's such a sweetie x

The good, the bad and the downright infuriating!

Lots to report...bad me as usual for not taking the time to update, so this is a long one!

Had an interesting long reining session on Friday, we went off down the flitch and the aim was to do the slightly shortened version of the hack out we'd done with the other horses

As it turned out we had a very shortened version as Little Miss B had a proper full on waaaaaaaah moment along the bridleway through the ploughed field and we weren't going anywhere till I'd untangled her, me and calmed the pair of us down. It had all being going really well, she hadn't been hesitant till we got into this field and then she'd had a bit of a moment turning the corner into it (a bit of sideyways threatening to drop her shoulder and turn back)

Got her forwards again and then wallop, she full on dropped her shoulder and plunged off into the plough argh! I gave a strong hold to which she went up skywards and span, getting the reins around her front legs..cue much praying from me and lots of "steady" pleading...luckily she's not one to panic when she feels the lines and I managed to pull her up before she fell flat on her face.

Horrible moment...once again I'm glad we're still doing this on the rope halter!

Got us back on track and she excelled herself by carrying on up to the scarecrow, turning in the lane and coming back with no problems...until we got back into this bloody field again and she blew again!! This time I was better prepared and stopped her dead, calmed her down, hitched up the lines and led her through...no chance of a repeat performance!
I really have no idea what's setting her off but she wasn't happy - may have been something in the ditch???
At the weekend we had another box session accompanied by Gi. Again she was hesitant to get on, but walked up without too much in the way of persuasion with one step back off the ramp and she stood warily but happily as Gi shut the loading gate. We we stood on for a good ten minutes and had the gate opened and then shut again - no accompanying tap dancing at all which is great.
We'll repeat this a couple more times and if she remains calm enough I'll take the huge step of doing the ramp next!!

Last night we had a great session - I took her off down the lane, but much further than she's been before and in the opposite direction to normal. I just led her in hand with the reins hitched up. She was a little tense and hesitant, but this just meant she walked slowly and carefully with a watchful eye on everything around.
We were passed by a car from behind and B didn't give it a flicker of interest. 5 minutes later and I saw another car approaching at speed behind us - I waved him to slow down and he didn't - so I put my hand up to ask him to stop and the bugger just drove past us like he didn't even see us!!! (I'm in a big fluorescent jacket and Bally has a fluorescent exercise sheet on so unless he was too blind to be on the road it was just sheer ignorance!) Thank goodness she didn't react at all, just stopped and watched...phew!
Then we had cars from both directions at once so we stopped, waved the one in front past, and then the one from behind and again she was just brilliant, so pleased!

Off onto a bit of bridleway I hadn't taken her down before and I just unhitched the reins and longlined her...and she was an absolute star - foot perfect!! Walked, trotted and halted when asked went round a wiggly bend without too much steering difficulty..just fantastic!!

She had a bit of a wibbly in the corner approaching the farm (she'd had an issue here before) so I just asked her to stand, then asked for a reinback, a couple of steps forward and then I took the lead and led her past. Soon as we were round the corner I long reined her back up to the hay field...such a good girl, I was absolutely chuffed to bits!

Back on the yard and we had a real setback - she was walking towards a bus with it's engine running - first time she's dealt with this, so she was quite wary but I was just leading her calmly and letting her know it was OK...well the stupid Bliddy bus driver let the air brakes off when we were literally 10 feet away just about to walk past...poor B was scared witless and even I jumped! Cue panicky clattering and me getting jumped on...oh my lord the air was blue as I told the stupid man what I thought of him. They're normally brilliant but this guy didn't have a clue it seems.
So right back where we started traffic wise, I hope that a few sessions taking a step back and just letting her see them around the yard again will reassure her.
Back in the stable I gave Bally really good grooming and we did some stretches for treats to take her mind off the idiot bus, pleased to say she walked back down the yard completely calmly when I was taking her back to the field so I hope it hasn't affected her too much

So a few up and down days...let's hope for better!

A bit of this and that

Wowsers Little B was in an odd mood last night, she came in completely wired, very jumpy and tense to the point where I quickly abandondened all thoughts of taking her out down the lane for a walk.

In the stable she was very unsettled and as Button was taken out for a ride she became pretty agitated. So I just worked on calming her and asking her to stand still where I put her...just quietly and repeatedly putting her back in the position she was when I tied her up if she jumped about or tried to swing round.
There is absolutely no force involved in this - I keep my own energy levels very low, I don't speak, no waving of arms or telling off just keep everything I do slow, steady and pretty monotonous. It seems to work like a charm with her

Once she had a slightly more sensible head on I gave her a good brush and conditioned her mane, then plaited her up - such a pretty girl!

I took her out to the mounting block and we spent a nice 15 minutes there, I'd lead her up and ask her to stand and once she was get up on it and stroke her ears, neck and sides, lean over her to stroke the other side - once again if she moved I just turned her and put her back and started again so a nice easy continuation of the work in the stable.
I worked up to rattling and flapping the side reins on her roller and actually putting a bit of weight into my lean and after a couple of goes where there was movement backwards or a fidget she quite happily stood and let me get on with it...loads of praise and scratches. Oh forgot to mention...whilst this was going on there was a farmhand whizzing about the car park on a quad with two of the yard dogs running after it barking and a big red van stopped next to us and and asked me for directions to one of the units.......all good stuff lol!!

Then we toodled into the school for a quick five minute lunge practise. Just in walk, I wanted to have nice crisp transitions up and down and get her really watching my body language and whip for instructions (big circle, small circle, go large)
She was super tried a half hearted nap to the gate a couple of times but was easily corrected..and every halt was a lovely square one too, what a bonus!

Finished off with a wander up to the hay field for a trot in hand where she can really open up and worked on trot / halt / trot, again she was really nice and receptive..and she completely ignored all the lads out at the top end of the field haring around on the quads and mini motos :-)

Back in the yard and I put her back in her stable as Button went back out to the paddock but once she heard me sorting out her evening feed she forgot any thoughts of being worried because her pal had gone..funny girl

Pondering

Bailarina had a day off yesterday as she'd had quite a workout for a baby on Monday, and to keep me occupied I'd arranged to meet up with my friend to go out for a hack on one of hers. I hadn't been to her new yard or seen her horses for nearly six months, so long overdue

Well I rode out on hunky Hercules - a 15.2 cob / friesian / trotter cross. Not the handsomest chap, but sensitive, willing and honest - a real sweetheart. She'd got him in to sell on and wanted to know what I thought of him

We walked and trotted round lanes, jumped a couple of fallen logs and a ditch, went over the dual carriageway, under the dual carriageway, had a gallop across a stubble field, went into the river for a paddle, down through one of the villages where Hercules had to give the other two horses a lead past a skip with tape flapping around out of it. - He was a dream to ride, completely sensible but responsive off the leg, stopped on a seat aid..just a delight.

I was singing his praises when we got back to the yard and was completely floored to be told he had only been backed three WEEKS before.

They just got him in, popped a saddle on him, her son worked him in the field to get a bit of steering and brakes then took him straight out hacking. He'd had his first set of shoes just before I turned up!!
They're not cruel or heavy handed - their horses are happy - living out most of the year, their own two boys come to call and walk on to the yard like puppies - no lead ropes required, it's just that they work on the premise that the horse is in to learn a job and he'll learn the job whilst doing it, so get on and get on with it!

It really made me think about the way I'm doing things, the slow, steady approach building everything up gradually...am I just faffing about uneccesarily?? I like to think not - the horses temperament has to be considered and this chap is a saint in horse fur, nothing like a hot headed little Luso lol!

I can't see that I'll change my way of doing things or speed things up - Once B's brought back into work in the Spring she will be learning to cope with more being asked of her - but She will aslo continue to be worked in hand etc and do things at a steady pace with new stuff introduced gradually. This is the way I was taught and it's worked tremendously well on all the babies I've been lucky enough to be involved with.
Yesterday did make me see that there is another way.....another way that certainly effective but it's not a path I chose to follow.

Interesting!

Out with the grown ups!

Another fantastic new experience for Bailarina tonight...this is what I LOVE about working with youngsters :-)

Three of my friends on the yard were going out for a hack this evening and as I'd already planned to have a walk out with B I asked on the offchance if we could tag along for her first experience out and about in the company of other horses.

B was a little excited by the prospect to start with as we made our way onto the Flitch - we were at the rear and we had a few jogs, a little head tossing and a couple of 'ooops mum is that your space' wandering straight into me moments. She was still a bit silly as we walked past a field with a couple of ponies in and had a reminder tug or two on the rope ask her to mind herself and her manners, but as we ventured off onto a bridleway she hadn't been on before she settled down and started to enjoy the walk and the new sights and sounds.

She very bravely made it past Sunflower House with the beautifully well dressed Sally Scarecrow with just a little start and a snort, but then paid no heed as she walked past.

Off onto one of the local lanes past house after house with wheelie bins outside with no bother, passed by a couple of cars without even stopping to acknowledge their presence. B was a superstar.

We even had a couple of little trots, she was great in hand: slowed when asked, trotted if I wanted her to, no getting ahead of herself or pulling.

She had a stop and a look at a couple of things without being too silly about it and wasn't bothered in the slightest if the other horses got ahead of her, just happily and steadily trotted on to catch up if needed.

We did quite a big circuit with a variety of paths, bridleways and lanes and came back along the road where we had a few more cars and a van come past again without a flicker of interest.

Back round to the yard where she blotted her copy book by doing a monster spook at the cones to the side of the entrance. One of those real comedy la la la WAAAAAAH moments as she suddenly caught sight of them and teleported 6 ft backwards in a single snorty leap. So she left the yard highly excited and arrived back the same way, but the important bit in the middle was a great effort from B - with such a lot to take in, new company & new route - she did brilliantly.

Shirley, Nettie and Michelle all said how impressed they were that she'd taken it all in her stride so well

What a good girl, so proud of her - all that work getting her out and about on her own has really been paying dividends!

Boxing..progress!

Thought it was time to push the boundaries a little with Bailarina's box training. She was now completely comfortable with the loading, standing on and being moved about and reversing off.

So next step was to tackle the part that had sent her into orbit when she travelled down - gates / partitions.

I don't use the partition in my box, but have the two side loading wings that have to be closed up before the ramp can be lifted and I wanted to gently and slowly add these to the mix.

I needed the help of superhubby Gi, so duly press-ganged into service he came down to the yard this evening ;-)

Loading went well, Bally took her time but moved on up the ramp when asked and straight on. Once she was settled I asked Gi to start moving the first gate across. As soon as B heard it and sensed it coming across behind her she had a slight tap dancing moment, but calmed down enough to stand still but tense and wary. I got Gi to move it back to release the pressure on her, lots of praise, then across again until it was almost closed behind her.

Another tap dance, but minimal, and Bally calmed down as I stroked and talked to her - again she was still tense and wary, but once she stood nice and still I got Gi to open it completely. I gave B loads of praise and let her stand with no pressure again for a few minutes.

I wanted to try again, but this time I moved B across the box at more of an angle and let her turn her head to see what Gi was doing to see if that gave her a little more confidence to deal with the situation.
Again she just gave a little start as he began to move it and the gate squeaked a bit (a case for some WD40!) but this time she was happier to watch him close it completely behind her...success!!! I can see that just as we've slowly acclimatised her to being on the box and accepting the strange feeling of movement whilst still we need to repeat this stage several times until it's just another accepted part of the process.

I'd actually prepped Gi as to what to do / expect if she found it too much and made a run for it, so we were prepared for the worst but bless her Baby B was less tense / stressed with this new step than she was over the initial standing on the box and feeling it move as she moved, so I'm hoping this slow patient approach really will pay dividends when we have to take the big leap of actually moving!! (not to mention the rather huge one of closing the ramp)

Going by how well it went today and her acceptance of feeling closed in on the box I'm feeling more confident that we'll crack it eventually.

Onwards and upwards with those little baby steps

Saddle up!

Just fancied a bit of a play with Little B tonight so I thought I'd see what she thought about being saddled for the first time

Got my Fhoenix out with one of my lovely scrummy lambskin pads and just let B have a good sniff, decided enough was enough when Bally actually started licking the seat though!

So with her just loose in the stable I sat it on her back, attached the girth, fastened it, tightened it, wiggled the saddle....and nope, no response at all :-o
Bailarina did what Bailarina always does and acted as if it was the millionth time she'd been saddled up.

I popped her bridle and cavesson on and took her for a wander down to the school, thought it was safer just in case there were any shenanigans!
But no, B happily did a couple of circuits in walk on the lunge each way, then had a little trot with absolutely no drama whatsoever ;-)

So I let her off to have a wander around and she had a lovely free trot, did hump her back once, but no broncing - even when one of my stirrup leathers fell off...she just stopped and went back to have a good sniff at it lol.

I put a couple of poles out and we played follow my leader through, round and over them and B and I had a whale of a time ...especially when I raised them - B made a sterling job of walking over them

All done we went back to her stable for a nice brush down and her dinner, well deserved!!