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!

2016 Week 2 w/ Nike - Moving Forward

WEEK 2: 01/11-17/16: At the Fairgrounds again! This arena will probably be our home base for most of the season as it is fairly close to home and has LIGHTS, good footing (when not over watered) and it’s covered. There are also four pens we can use which makes rotating the horses  MUCH easier. This is our first time under the lights. Things look different. When we arrive tonight we noted that the foot was a bit swampy in areas. Someone over watered the footing. Sigh. Sowe had to be careful about what, where and when we did stuff.

            This was Day 3 in a row of both groundwork and under saddle work for Nike. We KNOW that in last humans did very little with her to develop her work ethic. Consistent work on consecutive days have really helped her to settle is faster and sass less. Plus we are seeing some muscle tone and we swear she is getting taller! We reviewed the lessons from the previous day. Since she was last to get work on Sunday we worked with her first on Monday. As we were doing our groundwork lesson other folks started to show up at the arena. Keeping Nike focus on the work takes effort and moving her feet helps. She figured out quickly that “two eyes” gets rest and rubs. Being a looky-loo gets her feet moving. One of the challenges we have had with Nike is her "gas pedal" while under saddle. She’ll walks at a mellow place all day long and will trot with some cadence and then just stop when she thinks she is done. Her last humans really did not push her through these points of resistance and she gets sassy (kicks out) when you cue for more impulsion. In short Nike takes a level of motivation to move faster, which folks who follow Downunder Horsemanship call Squeeze, Cluck and Spank. She is ridden in a smooth snaffle with a mecate set up so we have a “spanker” at the end of the line. She has a "sewing machine" like trot that she'll go into in protest of actually being asked to lope. It does some brutal things to one's innards and man-parts. Well tonight we rode through the "sewing machine" trot and sassy fit (she kicked out once and met the spanker) and found her real lope...twice. The lope was nice. The second request was given a much smoother response and felt really nice. My innards and man parts hate me, though. Still the soreness will fade and we achieved the objective. Now we build on that confidence. She also trotted with other horses quite a long time with cadence tonight which was nice. We ended with some lateral and vertical flexion exercises and some really nice backing. Ahhh, how we suffer for our art. One of our goals is to be as ready as we can for The Downunder Brumbies practice this Saturday. I think we are going to do pretty well.

We are also getting Ronan and Argent ready for the season ahead. Ronan and I are participating in a 3 Day Clinic with Clinton Anderson next month and I want us both to be a ready as possible so we can get the most out of the learning experience. Since I work with Nike and Ronan consistently we should be fine. The vast differences in work ethic, experience, and physical presence between these two creates an opportunity that allows my horsemanship to grow. I have to read and adjust what I am doing with each horse while remaining true to the essence of the exercise I am working on. It is a unique and challenging journey!

 Nike: First Ride

 Ronan: Glamour Shot