Took advantage of sunshine today...

[luv4chance]

Here in Ky we haven't seen the sun in a few weeks. Today, it was finally in the sky, the sky was blue w/a few clouds. It was still a bit cold but I still took advantage of the weather and went outside.

First thing I did work Chance in the roundpen. Some of you guys know I have trouble loping him. He seems to want to jig, sling his head and buck...goof off...instead of work. Today, I started out by asking him to lope as soon as we got in the round pen. I wanted to see all that "fresh" that's been building. Sure enough, he started slinging his head and went to buck.... I ran after his HQ, yelling "EEEEEHHHHHHHH" and threw the lead rope at his HQ. That stopped his playing around. I use "EEHHH" all the time, so he knows what this means. I had to get after him like that at least 3 times b4 he started "thinking." We worked on his inside turns. I went in the house a couple of hours. I wormed all the horses and then back to the round pen we went. He did better this time. I didn't have to get after him, so we concentrated more on his inside turns.

After our roundpen lesson, we went for a walk. Some of you may also remember, I'm hoping to build his confidence so him & I can ride anytime this summer (by ourselves) I took him further today than I've ever taken him, (by himself) I let him graze about a mile down the road on the neighbors grass:innocent:. He was much more relaxed than he had in the past & the wind was even blowing:clap:. When I first started walking him last fall, his head was always up, ears & eyes alert...today, his head was low & very relaxed.

My neighbor walks her dog... I walk my horse.:whistle:

It was a good day today!
Still waiting for 60 degree weather (tapping my foot & looking at my watch)

[vicklynn]

Glad things went well today.

I walk my horses too...lol

[luv4chance]

Thanks! Me too! I thought about getting on him bareback on the way home, while he was grazing b/c he was doing so well. But I decided against it b/c the last time I rode him bareback, that's when I ended up w/ a huge hematoma on my left leg and had to have surgery on it to remove all the blood. It was horrible.

Anyway, I decided to continue to walk him this winter and when it gets warmer, I'll saddle him up, walk him away from the house and then ride him back. B4 I do this, I will tell my husband what i'm doing and make sure he watches for me on the way back Or I'll make my husband walk w/ us to make sure I stay safe. I don't want to take another fall like I did this past summer.

[4myquarter]

Good for you. Glad everything went well.

[HaveFaith]

How old is he? That's a good plan.
I fell 3 times from different horses and 2 went home without me. The other one would have, but she got tangled up in the reins and just stood there till I came and found her. 2 of them spooked bad and Daisy jumped a ditch and one of the stirrups came off the saddle. She ran the wrong way down the 4 lane hiway with 18 wheelers dodging her. I was so scared she would get hit. Some guys we ride with saw her go by with an empty saddle and took off after her, but she was in the driveway before they caught her. The other 2 times I was trying an english saddle and only used to Western ones. Feels funny with a horse under you one second and AIR the next. I had my cell with me, but luckily unhurt, except my pride.

[Fork]

60 degree weather? :D It's been 10 (F) these days... if we're even that lucky.

Congrats on your confindence. :D Doesn't it just feel great?

[Me'N'Chic]

Glad you had such a good day! If I can't ride I like to walk Chic and Sony too! Actually I almost always come back feeling so bonded! Hope the weather cooperates so you can get out more!

[luv4chance]

How old is he?


Chance will be 7 this year. He's a little older & shud already overcome alot of these issues but I was green myself and it took me about a year b4 I was comfortable riding him. Took me another year b4 I was comfortable trotting him. Working 4 days a week, weather, kids, family, oh yea and being 39 yo makes the ground a heckofalot harder ;) I'm an over achiever but I'm not a fast over achiever. I'll get there!!! I wish I had the time to spend 8 hours a day ALL week w/ my horses. (sigh) Ok, back to reality.

This year I'll be working on building his confidence in me, teaching him to stay calm at a lope and teaching him to collect at a lope. Once I teach him to collect, that shud give me the 3 beat gait I'm wanting when I lope him. I'm going to have someone in the roundpen w/ me when I lope him. Hopefully, he'll act up and we can get him understanding that THAT TYPE of behavior is not acceptable.

On the way back from our walk, I had the handy stick w/ me & the string attached. I walked on the edge of the road, using the string, dragging it back & forth beside me, making the leaves russle. I was also smacking the string on the ground, dragging my heavy rubber boots on the ground, making lots of different noises. He kept his head lowered. I was very pleased w/ him but he isn't ready yet.

Starting this week, I'm getting my Wednesday's off again. :banana:
The weather is suppose to be in the 30's but I think I'll bundle up, wear my husband's Underarmour and get Chance back in the round pen and also walk him.


Congrats on your confindence. :D Doesn't it just feel great?


I cannot wait to ride him away from all the other horses. Now THAT will feel awesome. I'll be on cloud 9 when that happens. Accomplishing anything w/ Chance makes my head swell!!! To see him now and to remember the way he was when I first bought him, wow... he's came a long way. Once I get comfortable on him at a lope, I will work on loping him in the paddock, turning him into the fence and ask him to lope off the other way; making him do alot of turns and to start thinking...

(Still tapping my foot, looking at my watch...waiting on 60 degree weather)