Quickee update

April 30

To be honest, it's been a long few days and so I cannot honestly say I completely recall all the details of what all I did with the horses this day haha.

Little miss Queen Bee Havanna, LRF Vienna, and BAM Venus all did well - the new two at their 5 games (as well as foot work and being wrapped up in ropes), Venus at her 7 (she's really becoming increasingly trusting). No work with my own three (Koolaid, Silver, Link) or with Sonny today!

May 1

Sonny
Trucked him out to the trainer's today, so by the time I got back I had to rush to get all three trainees of my own in so I had enough daylight to work with Venus (had to do her last) outside. Vienna and Havanna I worked with outside in the pasture...sort of a laid back session to maybe help create more draw with the two of them. We worked through all our 5 games (we'll try to start including the last 2 games - the squeeze and the sideways, Monday perhaps) and they did well. Venus worked well too, including squeeze between a pair of horse-consuming tires and over a ground pole. Sonny btw looks like he is at an excellent place, I'll be out to visit him in a week and a half, hopefully to take him out on a trail ride in Kananaskis (where the ranch is situated).

May 2

Lazy sunny day today - all the horses were feelin' pretty relaxed! Vienna and Havanna did well at their 5 games outside (despite tractors roaring about and horse/rider movement), though they took a little encouragement to get a full lap of circling game at the trot. I also bounced around a little next to them and applied some weight, working until they were calm. Not much else to report for these two...Monday I'd like to have them doing all 7 games and some patterns and would like to start adding in some saddle work to our routine (just basics).

Link
Tore through a couple of our games (squeeze over barrels included) as well as some circling (transitions, changes in directions, w/t/c) and our figure-8 pattern at the trot (flawless) in the indoor before saddling up! He was fantastic on the ground! Under-saddle we did a few minutes of bending, suppling, softening and collection on 20m and smaller circles at the walk and trot in the arena before hitting the pastures for some fitness work. He was a little reactive at times in the field but for the most part he was fantastic - trot, some canter, and gallop (I couldn't resist letting him out some haha). That horse just loves to run!! I was impressed too at how well he "turned off" - relaxed, chilled, after his few minutes of hard gallop, because he definitely had a lot more left in the tank - super energy lol. We finished off with a little more (outdoor) ring work - just bending, softening, suppling and some work towards collection at the w/t/c then a cool-out.

Venus
Worked once more on all 7 games, including squeezing between those monstrously-scary tires and doing some trot at the circling game (a ton of difficulty going to the right). We also tried some vaccinations today...which was not happening. Apparently she has had shots before and she was pretty good, but that was definitely not the case today. She felt that needle and instantly went reactive...feet-dangling-in-my-face reactive. I ran out of (3) needles so Monday I'll bring a few more and we'll hopefully get those vaccines in. Monday also we'll get some more saddle work in too.


Monday's a big day! I'm starting work on Hard Twist, that roan gelding, so I'll be up to 4 horses beginning then. I am hoping to have all three others doing a little saddle work (just simple weight, perhaps a few minutes of teaching to release to the direct/indirect reins and back-up) and progressing those 7 games, including onto the patterns. I'll work out an official work schedule for everyone over my day off too so that they're getting in 4-6 sessions per week without wearing me out...gotta work in some rotations :D