Moving Forward & Growing Up!

WEEKEND SESSION (01/30/16): All three horses got saddle time today. The arena was busy and we did a bit of horsey PR as always when the public wants to “pet the horses”. Had to gently advise a fellow that is energetic dog was offering aggressive postures and if Nike (or our other two) decided to believe the dog, the owner would be minus a dog and it would be on him so please be aware of this. Nike was in a pen attached to the area. Sigh. People. If we have to hear about “that one time you rode” one more time we may scream.

Nike did really well both as the poster child for BLM mustangs and in her session with her groundwork and under saddle lessons. We have introduced all of the Fundamentals level groundwork. On most exercises she is at a B. Some of them are at a C but getting better. Some, like lateral flexion and backing (all types) is an A. Can’t complain. We started to introduce some Intermediate ground work and working with the plastic bag on a stick. So far, so good! Under saddle we worked on the Cruising lesson, Follow the Fence, One Rein stops (she had GREAT breaks), Bending at the Walk and Bending Transition and Forward-Back-Forward on the impulsion side of things. We also worked on Lateral/Vertical Flexion with the Bridle, Yield the HQ at the Standstill and Yield the HQ along the Fence for suppling. We were really pleased with her willingness and confidence to transition (walk-trot-lope) and her ability to trot and lope longer with more control of her own body. We may be working on this for a while as she is young and needs to build her muscles up. She is GROWING too. There is some nice roundness to her hind end and some nice tone in her shoulders. We believe that she is always going to be a “lean” horse but think she’ll top out a 15hh. We are upping her feed to three meals a day for the next month to see if that helps fill her out. Her workout program will be three consecutive days a week for the next month (excluding the weekend of the Clinton Anderson clinic) as we noted that four-in-a-row was a little taxing for her right now.

It is all about finding the balance needed to help her reach her potential and keeping experiences positive. We have a Downunder Brumbies practice coming up. Looking forward to the session. More exposure to new places is SO good for her brain.

INTERLUDE (01/31/16): Life is never dull! We got a call earlier in the week to see if we could help someone who is trying to form a horse rescue operation. The person has purchased some nice property locally but the fences and stalls are not completed yet. Our part in this inspirational endeavor is to house six horses, ranging in age from 1 to 14 years old. These horses came from a feed lot in Washington. All are underweight but in overall decent health. We’ll be getting some real weight on them and doing some basic handling to remind them of good ground manners.

The get to live as a herd on our 3 acre pasture which has shelter, trees, terrain/hills, a seasonal brook (which is REALLY flowing right now) and some mentally stimulating surroundings. Day 2 found them all MUCH calmer and happy. I sat with them after breakfast and got to rub on the more curious ones. They will be here for 2-3 months or when the recue facility is complete.

It is all about helping others and paying the good karma energy forward. There is one gelding I really like Must resist!

Weekend/Weekday sessions 3 & 4

Weekend/Weekday Sessions #3 & 4: Yes, we got to have four in a row this week! We were able to take some video of Nike’s transitions (trot/lope), backing and some other fun stuff. Laurie and I tagged teamed on ground work and riding these last two sessions. We have been doing this so she gets used to multiple folks working with her in a session. Her ride times are getting longer as well. On Day 4 we could tell she was a tad sore in places from the work. She has rarely been worked like this with an equal measure of wet saddle pads, long rides and concentrated training. We have introduced all of the Fundamentals groundwork and are getting some nice lateral/vertical flexion, Follow the Fence, and One Rein Stops under saddle. Her steering wheel and gas pedal are developing nicely too. We are still under 20 rides (I think it is like ride 17 so far). To have come so far and seeing what a happy and willing horse Nike is shaping up to be certainly gives us hope. Current plan is to do a few more review sessions on all her ground work and then start moving into Intermediate. We still have some under saddle work to do in the Fundamentals but it is a journey, not a race. And it IS winter after all. We have altered her diet a little as we noted that she is GROWING quite a bit. Wont to give her every advantage to be her best. Three days off and then we start anew on Saturday! Good times!

Video can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1683078638604364/

DAY 44: Wekend Session #2

Weekend Session #2:  More of the same program today (Sunday). It was warmer out (low 40’s) and only rained on and off so everyone seemed in better spirits. Took a long look at Nike today and YES INDEED she is getting taller. She felt skinner under saddle too. So more food and some weight gain supplements are in her future! Changes literally overnight. It’s kind of crazy! Like all kinds who are in the middle of a growth spurt she was all about the cuddles and being lazy and less about any work above a walk. We reviewed the lessons on the ground from yesterday and she did really well. We noted some improvements, although Mr. Stick (on her left side) still got the stink eye when we practiced Sending.

Under saddle. Well, we got sass today we asked for the lope. Got some kick-outs and a little crow hop but with the help of Mr. Motivation (the riding crop) every time she acted up she was motivated to greater energy output and a longer stride. After a couple of conversations with Mr. Motivation the attitude went away and we got some of the nicest and longest lopes ever. Once the wins happened and she started acting like a Christian we dismounted and loosened up her saddle, followed by lots of love and scratches. Yes, a couple of cookies happened too.

Tomorrow will be Day 3 in a row. Should be interesting to see what had marinated into the core of her being. Never a dull moment!

DAY 43 - Weekend Session #1

WEEKEND SESSIONS: Session #1-Nike had two days off. It has been raining quite a bit so our training area at home is just a buddy mess. So, off we go to the local covered arena. Good times. Ronan got his shoe replaced so he was on board. Argent is still sore so more time off for him. Laurie and tag teamed the groundwork part of the session and we both worked with each horse. Today we worked on Lunge for Respect 2, Backing, Sending, Circle Driving, Changing Eyes/ Sides (form of Yielding the FQ from the Intermediate level, Lateral and Vertical Flexion and lots of desensitizing using the plastic bag on a stick and Throw to a Stop. We got a nice “yes, sir” attitude and some nice ground skills overall. Really proud of Nike’s progress. During the Sending exercise Nike is very aware of the stick and that if she does not get her hind end out of the way with some energy that she gets “bit” by the stick. She does the exercise and then presents an attitude towards the stick…not at the human but the stick. It is kind of funny. Thinking that we can move to just the body language and the rope next session. Stay tuned!

            Under saddle with Nike we worked on her steering wheel, with a focus on the human being clear with seat, leg and hands and expecting a softness and willingness to move by the horse. We got some really improved handling today. Her gas pedal is getting unstuck and we got some decent (for Nike) walk-trot-lope transitions. No need for the incentive of the riding crop today. Squeeze, Cluck and off we go. She was more willing to do the lope and we loped longer distances today. We mixed One-Rein Stops into the mix which kept her thinking and rating the human’s seat. Lateral and Vertical Flexion under saddle was worked on and Vertical Flexion at the Walk was introduced. Mentally and physically it was a good workout.

            We purchased a nicer and smaller cinch and got a real saddle blanket which when used with her normal saddle pad helps our saddles to fit nicely. She can FEEL the seat cues much more clearly which makes communication easier. Laurie and I agree that she is getting a little taller and that she is getting some muscle tone. She is always going to be a lean girl but as we progress with her training and conditioning we know she will be lots of fun to ride long term! Looking forward to tomorrow’s session!

Here are some images of Nike as of Day 43.

Mid Week Session and DAY 40 with Nike!

MID-WEEK SESSIONS: It has been a week of saddle woes, wet weather, introducing new things and moving forward with the Method. We took advantage of the lighted and covered arena this week at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds to get in some sessions with Nike. Ronan tossed a shoe this week so he is limited in what he can do comfortably. Argent has an abscess on of his heel bulbs so he on the disabled list. So it is all about Nike this week. Our goals with her as follows; Improve her lateral flexion and vertical flexion. Improve walk/ trot/lope transitions. Improve bending/steering while moving. Refine her ground skills. Introduce Stirrup Driving, Circle Drive and Yielding the HQ Along the Fence (precursor to Side Pass).

            This week we hit Day 40 with Nike. Looking back over this journal we can see that she has come a long way. We have really tried to work with her 3-4 days a week consecutively and consistently. It is a tough season here in the Sierra Foothills with weather and limited access to dry footing in order to train. Yes, we have trained at our place in the muddy footing at times but the concern is that if she slips (she did once in the round pen) that it could hurt her confidence so we are trying to be sensitive to that. Once things dry out some we’ll be starting her on our mini trail course under saddle. We have hopes to let her compete in the Trail Trials hosted by the California Back Country Horsemen in mid-March (Novice class).

            Laurie and I tag teamed this week. My left ankle is still in a brace and my left arm is still healing from a stressed tendon so we swap out doing ground work and riding. We thought we found a good saddle for her but the rides this week proved otherwise. While the saddle would be good for “first saddle/ first ride” sessions, Nike is past that point and needs to feel her human shift their weight and seat. The longer rides in this saddle were not “clear” for her even though she really tried. The leg position was okay but the swell made the reading of seat cues tough for her. Verdict – sell the saddle we just bought, get a really thick pad/saddle blanket combination, a smaller cinch and use our Martin Saddlery saddles. We experimented with this a bit and it seemed okay.  Ground work is improving nicely. Nike gets the concepts and seems to have a good attitude about moving her feet. On the line her lope is getting more confident as she is lowering her head and stretching out. Her trot is finding more cadence and smoothness. We are tapping into a seated trot and a posting trot which is pretty cool. She picked up Stirrup Driving pretty quickly and aside from being a little unsure why the handy stick was sitting on her withers, Circle Driving went well too on the first try. We shot some video this week to help us see what is really happening and were pleasantly surprised. Will have to add them to a YouTube account here soon! Under saddle the best day we have had so far was Day 40. This is really Ride 14 or 15 (starting to lose count –grin) so her progress is pretty good. We had several solid attempts at moving into the lope from the trot and maintained a decent cadence longer than in previous sessions. She required very little focused motivation to do this. Just a squeeze and a kiss. We did have to encourage her through active riding to let her know it was okay to move out and go a little faster. When she did it was NICE! Hard not to get greedy! Her trotting in getting better and better with a nice cadence. She is understanding the seat cue better too. Again, the human has to be proactive and clear when they ride her but she is much more willing to move out on a loose rein without being micro-managed. Her steering wheel is coming along nicely too. Walking and trotting some circles is helping. Once Ronan gets his shoe replaced we will begin to help her get better at Follow the Fence at the trot and lope to help her be responsible for her feet. She can follow her buddy at first to help her understand the concept and then go “solo” on the exercise. The days of micro-management are over. She is keeping us honest and focused in our horsemanship. It is interesting (and kind of funny) how much like Argent (our Kiger mustang) her learning patterns are. Keep the lesson short, introduce the concept and move on. The next day (or sometime two days later) she gets it and shows real improvement. Lots of affection and the occasional treat seem to reinforce the positive. It is what works for Nike.

Video can be seen now at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1683078638604364/

NIKE and January's Practice in Ione!

Nor-Cal Chapter DOWNUNDER BRUMBIES PRACTICE: It is Saturday January 16, 2016 and it is the first official practice of the Nor-Cal Chapter of The Downunder Brumbies. It is also the first “official” practice that Nike has been to! Today we are off to Ed Hughes Memorial Arena and are looking forward to a great session. There will be new horses and new faces at this session which is good for Nike to experience. Practices are structured so she’ll get her fill of groundwork and under saddle time (Nike’s #10 ride with us) as well as standing quietly, safely tied. We are also having a video shot today! Nike’s original human needs the practice for her college portfolio and The Downunder Brumbies could use a promotional video. So it is a win-win for everyone! In short it will be a full day for our young lady!

            We rolled in about 9:30am and the arena was buzzing! Ed Hughes Memorial Arena was PACKED with all sorts of people today. We had the Lopes-like-tail-is-on-FIRE club, a 4H group, several different lesson groups and of course The Downunder Brumbies. Everyone got along and folks were being courteous. We even shared some horsemanship tips! We had TEN (10) horse/human teams and three (3) auditors. Everyone did great! Nike was a rock star throughout the groundwork session and got to show off her lateral/vertical flexion and her leading from beside skills. Our practice leader (a Nor-Cal Chapter President) Denise V. asked to work with Nike under saddle. Nike was a tad unsure about the “new person” but with Squeeze, Cluck, Spank the two were moving out nicely. Lots of bending work and trotting! Then she got to work with her first human – Rose – who was filming the session! We couldn’t let these two NOT share some saddle time. Rose really got to see how far we have been able to help Nike develop in the short time she has been in our care. It was a good experience for everyone! Cows. Yes, cows are still on Nike’s “don’t trust them” list but she did get closer to them since her herd buddies Ronan and Argent were all about checking them out (Ronan wanted to play with them SO bad)! We wrapped up the day playing on some obstacles and ended on WINS. It is days like today that make all the sweat, concern, frustration and sheer work worth it. Very proud of Nike

It was a good day. Now...food and a LONG hot tub soak!

New Saddle, Improved Attitude!

Well the rain and snow have hit us big time this week. We took a day off to find a saddle that would better fit Nike and went to the Fairgrounds Arena again on 01/13/16, braving the heavy rain and chilly temperatures, to test drive the newly acquired saddle. Argent had a foot owie so he got the day off and got to hang out to watch the shenanigans. After our groundwork lesson review –which went really well and we introduced some new to Nike exercises – and then Laurie played stunt rider to test out the new saddle so I could focus on Ronan (we have a 3 Day Clinic coming up with Clinton Anderson in about four weeks). The ride went really well. Nike flowed into the trot MUCH easier and even got into the lope for partial laps around the arena several times! We worked on the walk/trot/lope skills together (both horses), worked on several “bending” exercises, worked on our steering wheels and evens some Forward/Backward/Forward transitions. All in all it was a great session and we could not be more proud of Nike. Finding a saddle that fit her better was really helpful too. We still need to get a smaller cinch (like 24”) but that may have to wait until later in the week. It is a journey but we are seeing Nike really begin to find herself and her confidence! It can only get better from this point!

Saturday is our next Downunder Brumbies group practice at Ed Hughes Memorial Arena in Ione (home of the COWS). Nike should be ready for ALL of the groundwork focus exercises and most of the riding focus exercises. Should be a fun day!