#44 - stop raining!

I know I live in a drought stricken country and shouldn't complain when it rains but this is getting ridiculous!

There was a brief break in the rain this morning so I rushed out and lungeed Teddy as he is getting too fat on all this spring grass and i wouldn't have had the time to ride him, so that was todays exercise.

It was difficult getting the halter over his nose and this has persisted since using the new bridle on him so I don't know what I have done by using it but I wont be using it again. I've finally picked up my other bridles from Sam's.

In the end, after the lunge I dried him off (rain not sweat), had some one-on-one time with him and rugged him up for the next downpour. Hopefully it wont be raining tomorrow and we can do more saddle work.

#43 - talk about molting!

I'm very glad Teddy doesn't use the shower because the amount of hair he is loosing would cause a permanent drain blockage! I was covered in the stuff this evening.

I have been getting home too late to do a lot recently so its been a few days since he's been ridden or had a lesson but he has had a lot of undemanding time just hanging with me as I always make time to go and sit with him, give him a carrot or something, even if its only for a few minutes.

Today I went out in the paddock and sat down and read and ignored Teddy while I looked up a lesson for him. After a while the curiosity got the better of him and he was in my face saying g'day. But as soon as I was ready and grabbed the halter he buggered off! Even a few days off and its a backward step with this catching stuff. He did catch me in the end though.

I also discovered he is doing a new behaviour; for the second time he is lifting his head so I cant get the nose band of the halter on. He is tall enough that at full arm stretch I cant reach when his head is lifted skyward. This has only occurred since bridling him with the new bridle so they may be connected.

We went and did some yo-yo and circle games and he performed really well at both of them. He is definitely a typical horse when it comes to favouring his left side. When he was going around me on the right he took a bit longer to adjust. But he did fine. The important thing was my feet didn't move an inch with either game. It wont be long before we are on to the sideways and squeeze.

Way to go Teddy!

#42 - bridle issues?

Teddy had a big issue with being bridled today and I'm not sure why. He resisted it going on for the first time and when it was on he kept throwing his head up, shaking his head and pulling faces. Maybe he didn't want me on his back or maybe its something to do with the bridle. He was give a kind of gagging expression but the bridle doesn't appear too tight and the bit appears fine. It's just a simple tom thumb bit and looks a good fit. I've also taken the drop nose band off. It's not his regular bridle so hopefully when I get his old one back things will be better.

I suspect the bridle was putting him off the ride too as this time he was different. He was focusing on the bridle for about half the time, pretty much until we hit the electic fence!

I was trotting along the fence line, just briefly, and he started veering off and swung his bum around and hit the electric fence before I could correct him. He threw a total spazz but I kept him under control and stayed on after all his jumping around. I'm very proud of myself for that!

I kept the ride going and took him through all but one of our paddocks. It was pleasant but I was a lot more on guard after the fence episode.

I didn't feel in sync with his trot either so I will work on that. I will have to get to Gisborne and pick up my bridles.

If anyone who might read this has any suggestions as to what his problem with the bridle might be please drop me a line. Thanks!

#41 - My horse ate my homework!

Teddy was a little better to catch today but it still took a good minute. After he was brushed up all pretty and pampered we did some ground work and went through the following:

• Protecting my person space - for a horse who didn't want a bar of me now he wants to be right beside me so we need to work on getting some distance. But its sweet so not that big of a deal
  
• Desensitizing - A+
• Yield forward direct feel - could do some work on this as he has gone to coming without being asked. I can no longer get him to stand there so I can back up. If I back up he follows. So we have gone from one extreme to another. In the end I can use my finger and just gesture him forward and he comes
• Yield forward indirect feel - 3rd go at this and he does it really well but he doesn't seem to like it as he is swishing his tail about all the time. Not quite sure why he has a problem with it.
• Yield backward direct feel - He or I am crap at this. I think I must be touching the wrong spot on his nose because he couldn't care less no matter what pressure is placed on his nose. He will shrug my hand, just stand there and even yawn but it takes ages to get a single step backward. Time to take another look at this method
• Yield backward indirect feel - He is doing well at this
• Lateral flexion - A+ and its so cute!
• Lead serpentine offside - I need to buy markers still so am doing this without them and he is still doing well. A little way to go for both sides and when I actually use markers.
  
• Stop & backup while leading from side - I cant get the backup but the rest is fine. Once again I think this is me not him.

All in all it was a good session though the fact that Teddy took the flash cards I had made from my hand and started to chew on them is a good clue of what he thinks of all this! The most important thing is he now has soft eyes most of the time and I am wrapped about that. He's relaxed at last.

#40 - She's not getting on me again is she?!

I went out after work to Teddy with the halter in my hand and he nicked off like he used to do. I was so disappointing. I had to put the pressure on and around and around the paddock we went. After a few minutes he stopped, I walked over and haltered him and he was fine.

I guess that since we went for our ride I haven't done much with him because it hasn't stopped raining. He must have decided that I wanted to ride again and he didn't want to so he buggered off. There's a reassuring thought for you! He doesn't want to let me ride him.

Anyway after I haltered him I gave him heaps of scratches and pats and played a game with him that is helping him not be muzzle shy. He was actually loving it and nuzzling me and exploring me with his lips, even tickling my cheek with his lips. Steve even came out and patted him! It's a miracle! I was sure to let Teddy know it was all fine though he could sense Steve's apprehension. I gave Teddy lots of kisses to let him know it was all OK. Then we played some more, I fed him a carrot and took the halter off.

Hopefully he is going to associate good times with the halter again soon.

#39 - I went for a ride! Yay!!!!!

It's finally happened! Teddy and I went off riding around the paddock - just the two of us. Wonderful!

The rain finally stopped, I had an event day at work which ended early so I got home on time, I pigged out at the event with the free food so I didn't need to cook tea, Steve was happy doing his own thing... yes the planets had finally aligned for me.

I took all my gear into the paddock and did some ground work with Teddy first. We did the latest lessons - yielding on the move, desensitisation at a walk (didn't want to do it at a trot in case it razzed him up just before our ride) and lateral flexion. He still gets annoyed by the carrot stick resting on his back when yielding forward but its something he has to get over. I also included some ground work along the fence line on his off side and he was great with that too, so it was time to saddle up!

All my tack is brand spankers so it was a bit stiff but the saddle fitted perfectly. The new bridle isn't a crack on my old one so I'm looking forward to getting the old trusted one back from Sam's (even if its the wrong colour). The new bridle also has a regular and a drop nose band which Teddy didn't much care for and I don't think he needs anyway.

So when Teddy was all saddled up and looking pretty I parked him along side the coffee table and into the stirrups I went. Very comfortable I tell you! I will adjust the stirrups down a bit for next time because I couldn't do this from the saddle as I put leather covers on them. It wasn't that bad so we set off around the front paddock, getting a feel for each other and me trying to remember all the good riding rules I never followed in the past but want to now.

We only went into a trot twice as I was trying to teach Teddy to stop by raising the rein (this doesn't come naturally to him). I also discovered that he responds to other commands well - squeezing my legs to go, neck reining to turn, pivoting (though I'm not sure I am doing that correctly myself), figure eights etc. The only thing he needs work with is stopping when I raise the reins instead of having his mouth pulled. Its important to me that he learns this as it's much better for him. Moving from a walk to trot doesn't seem natural for him either and I'm mindful of my abilities up against his polo background. Not a great match! One step at a time Teddy! I don't want to end up in the electric fence!

Steve came out with the video camera but I'm not posting it yet as it's unedited and... well all I can say is from some angles I look like a pig in a blanket! So it can bloody wait for a good editing if it makes an appearance at all. But I guess it is an historical moment for us so I should keep it. We will see.

All in all I discovered I've got a comfortable and steady seat so I doubt I'd come off easily but I also don't want to test this theory either LOL! I'm looking forward to what's ahead.

P.S. While typing this I have been watching my cows playing in the paddock. This is another first! Usually they stand, lay down, eat grass and occasionally moo. It's very cute to see them playing and running around each other. It must be the appearance of the calf next door, it seems to have that affect on our animals.

#38 - I finally have my saddle!

It's finally home - my stock saddle! It was meant to be a swinging fender but they ordered the wrong one so after four weeks of waiting I was going to have to wait again. However I reconsidered the fender as I decided that clip safety stirrups were more to my liking (and I'm becoming impatient!). So now I have a standard stock saddle that is very comfy for me and it comes with and interchangeable medium gullet so should be perfect for Teddy. If it isn't I can always just change the gullet instead of getting a different saddle (which was my problem the first time).

I was all geared up to get home and go for a ride but it started pissing down from the moment I got on the highway and hasn't let up until now. But now it's verging on darkness so I will have to wait for another day. I have waited this long so a little longer wont kill me.

I also picked up a relatively cheap bridle so I could have something until I get mine back from Sam's; plus they are always handy to have around and it matches the new saddle (black this time where everything else I have is brown).

I cant wait to start training Teddy and myself in the saddle. Yippee!

# 37 - bareback riding

After a lovely morning I decided that I would go for a bareback ride around the property as I still don't have my replacement saddle yet.

I went to get the bridle and discovered they were all missing, then realised that Sam put them in her float when I had Teddy assessed by Pol and I forgot to get them so I decided to use the halter and lead rope instead. I am very lucky to have a friend like Sam as I used her float, round yard etc that day and she wasn't even there! Thank you Sam!

Anyway, I got Teddy and the old coffee table I use as a step and tried to jump on his back. Jump after jump after jump and I couldn't haul my fat arse up there. Teddy was patient and quiet and stood there waiting for me to get on his back but after all his patience I just couldn't make it. Nearly but not quite.

I knew that without the step it would be totally impossible as his back is level with my eyes. I have used the coffee table to get up in the saddle in the past and its fine because I had the stirrup to assist me. But bareback... well this was nothing like I remember it as a kid.

Jump up, hang across his back from my waist (if I was lucky, sometimes from just below the rib cage!) and try to get my leg over without slipping. It turned out to be impossible. Slip, jump, slip, jump.

How embarrassing! Even the horse was looking at me like, "Ok, come on just get up there."

That bloody saddle better arrive this week!

#36 -yielding forward while constantly on the move

Though I have a terrible flu I went out with Teddy today and he still managed to make me smile.

I have stepped it up to make sure that he is desensitized on the move and he is (I can flick stuff around and over him while he is walking and he doesn't care). So we did a very quick review and then we did yielding forward at a walk while I walked at his shoulder.

I faced forward and pointed where he was to head and if he didn't respond I tapped him on the rump, otherwise I laid the carrot stick below his withers as we walked. I think he was into it at first then he found it annoying and was swishing his tail and giving me the aggro look.

When I would say the word stop he would stop automatically but as I am at his shoulder he needed to be coached to yield his bum right around so his head was facing me directly. He was doing a good job.

I am noticing that he is yawning more which is a sign he is relaxed which is great, particularly for Teddy, however he is starting to look to eat grass. Last session he did, this time he just would reach down slowly as if seeing if I would stop him or not. I think this may be a sign he is bored. I have add the moving yield forward but will try to add a couple of extra things, all at once with three being the limit, and see how he goes.

My goal for our next session will be:

• Yield forward on the move
• desensitize at a trot
• Lateral flexion.

#35 - Teddy is bored so we are heading to the next phase

We took a bit of time off training over the past week because I really needed the break and had a lot on. But today Teddy and I went out and did a refresher of our work. Apart from Teddy playing up for a few minutes with catching (didn't last long at all) he was fine, but kept wanting to eat grass.

We went through the catching game; lowering of his head; touching him everywhere (he still has a thing about his muzzle being touched but he is improving); stopping on command; backing up (much better this time around); yielding front and hind quarters; the friendly game including the whip lashing around him, under him, behind him, over his face, neck, back, legs, bum and not moving; whip above his head and behind him like a helicopter and him not moving. Pretty much it was all easy if not boring for him. So on to the next phase we go.

Unfortunately the horsemanship trainer I just started working with was rescuing a horse and in the process broke her ankle so she will be out of action for quite a while, so I need to do some research and get to the next level on my own.

I'm sure we will be fine.