Observations, Thoughts, and the Journey So Far

 KENNA: Observations and Thoughts

Kenna has certainly made a great deal of progress so far. She continues to improve and grow in her trust, connection and communication. Her skills on the ground and under saddle also continue to improve and grow. What we have been mindful of is "listening" to Kenna. We "ask" the question and then "listen to the answer" and adjust our responses accordingly. If she is fearful or uncomfortable with something, we figure out why and then address it. If she simply doesn't understand then we address the lack of understanding. We praise a great deal and ask with kindness/fairness. Efforts are rewarded with rubbing, affection and simply relaxing. Given Kenna's history we have opted for a slow and steady program of retraining and rebuilding. We firmly believe that this is a journey, not a race. If we continue to focus on the Four C's of Horsemanship - Connection, Communication, Control and Confidence - in every aspect of Kenna's journey, we believe that she will be a very good Equine Partner.

Kenna has a good mind. This means she is willing and able to trust and try as we go through the Cooperative Horsemanship approach. Kenna is curious, which is a tremendous asset in her development. She is smart, which is also really helpful in her development. Kenna is social and wants to connect, which has certainly been a benefit to everyone, horses and humans alike during this process. The flipside to thins is that she lacks "life experience" and exposure to the realities of being part of a herd and family. She can be distracted easily by new things and can, at times, be spooky (although this is really getting better). Like most mares she can be sassy and demonstrative when she would rather not do something, but she does follow good leadership.

So, where do we see her in a year? Our initial impression is that she will be a good family horse and will be able to enjoy the arena as well as the trail. She can jump (we will be exploring that aspect of her development in 2023) and moves well, so some sort of performance riding may be in her future. We do not think she should ever be a horse for someone "learning to ride" as humans make too many mistakes with their communication. A solid advanced beginner with soft hands, a confident seat and a good understanding of the the Four C's of Horsemanship will be the best fit for Kenna. Now, in the next year anything can happen and she may surprise us with what she wants to do! We are hoping to bring her to several Horse Expos and Event in 2023 as well as Clinics and Connection Sessions in order to provide her with "life experiences" that can build her confidence. Training on the trail with leadership walks to group trail rides will be part of her program in 2023. In short, she will tell us what fits her best and we will do our best to provide her with the experiences and skills to be successful in whatever she wishes to do!

A HUGE THANK YOU for all the positive wishes for Kenna's continued success! We were so surprised at the number of her fans who stopped by the Lucky Star Horsemanship booth at Equine Affaire, Inc. (Official) in Springfield, MA recently. It was heartwarming to meet and chat with you! Your sharing of your own experiences inspire us!

One question we continue to get from her fans is "Is she for sale?" Honestly, at this point that is not even a consideration, as we have lots of work to do before we would even think about rehoming her. If that time comes, we will be very particular as to her placement. The humans would have to be the right fit and we will be putting any potential "new home" through a rather extensive interview process. So "not now" is the answer to that question.

ESSENTIAL GROUNDWORK/ ESSENTIAL RIDING with KENNA

Lucky Star Horsemanship has crafted an ongoing video series entitled “Essential Groundwork/ Essential Riding with Kenna” which is available to view for FREE on the Lucky Star Horsemanship Facebook page located at https://www.facebook.com/luckystarhorsemanshipnewyork (be sure to LIKE and FOLLOW the page to get all the latest videos and content). Kenna’s experiences are highlighted and will continue to be documented. Here is the series thus far (in order):

1.       Introduction: https://fb.watch/h2_MkYcHnC/

2.       Respectful Lunging: https://fb.watch/h2_QFZ-hls/

3.       The Saddle: https://fb.watch/h2_YF1iMn9/

4.       The Mecate Bridle: https://fb.watch/h2-7mMAv5m/

5.       The Mounting Block: https://fb.watch/h2-iMdyeA3/

6.       A Couple Days Off: https://fb.watch/h2-qEx-3fI/

7.       The Beginning of Connection: https://fb.watch/h2-BBVbW4H/

8.       Impulsion and the Flag: https://fb.watch/h2-_D-ZTjm/

9.       Desensitizing and the Flag: https://fb.watch/h2-X8bpS1g/

10.   Backing with Steady Pressure: https://fb.watch/h304UlOPTo/

11.   Yielding the Hindquarters: https://fb.watch/h30fTUVpwh/

12.   The 5 in 1 Circle: https://fb.watch/h30Aw3crYY/

13.   Being Ponied: https://fb.watch/h2-OHMJZKc/

14.   An Unexpected Ride: https://fb.watch/h2-RBDinxL/

15.   A First “Real” Ride: https://fb.watch/h30QdKoy_B/

16.   The Bosal: https://fb.watch/h30E2uwVbM/

17.   The Stop: https://fb.watch/h30U8A3DK9/

18.   First Farrier Visit: https://fb.watch/h30YCHnxkz/

We will continue to build this video series, which we are so excited to share with all of Kenna's fans! We hope to provide inspiration, education and fun as we craft up more videos. Keep the positive vibes flowing and we'll keep you all updated!

Have a great week and a fantastic holiday season!