#100 - OMG! My 100th BLOG! It's video time!

I cant believe time has gone so fast. And looking back heaps has happened in my horsey life and I love it. Sometimes I get so frustrated I'm in tears and others I couldn't be happier. My patience has improved an unbelievable amount and I've learned heaps. Teddy and I have taught each other a lot.

Today we expanded on the friendly, porcupine and driving games. I forgot to take the carrot stick with me so driving Teddy forward while standing in zone three just wasn't happening. He was just looking at me like, "What?"

It's been a long while since we had concentrated on this so it was fun and he was great. His friendly game is perfect so I will introduce and umbrella or something tomorrow, during the porcupine game I don't even have to touch him on one side but his sore side I needed to press on his skin. He was quick to look around so I think it was a matter of him worried I was going to make him sore or something. During the driving game he responded straight away but I still needed to wiggle the line, if I wave a finger he gives me the "What?" look again!

He lowers his head when asked but never all the way to the ground. That could be my fault as I used to just teach it to my waist so it's easy to get the halter on and off. I should have been going further if I really wanted to stick to the plan. Also, I can pick up all his feet from one side without changing sides.

I'll have to go back to the plan to see what comes next because I've forgotten! I had one of those little hand books in my pocket and when I took it out to read it Teddy was right there beside looking as if he was having a read too; but it must have looked tasty cause he then tried to eat it.

The rest of the time I spent leading him and just stopping at any and varied moments to make sure he stopped straight away and along side me. I did this leading from both sides. He's great at that too. Good job Teddy, I should mix it up more often and not ride all the time.

To celebrate our 100th blog I have posted this 40 second video of Teddy in the morning. I hope it's clear enough for you to see his droopy eyes.

#99 - By God She's Got It!

I am still doing well with the dressage. I'm pretty good at posting on the correct diagonal by feel alone and rein changes. I still cant stay at a rise for the length of the arena but am definitely getting better. It's weird trying to rise for so long on a loose knee; I wouldn't have thought it possible for anyone as it kind of defies logic to me. I actually can see now that my knees are my greatest issue. It's my bodies natural response to use my knees for security when straddling a big round horse so I need to think about this as I ride. Most other areas have become natural (of sorts) so I assume the knees will follow soon.

I'm really happy with my balance now too - once again I think this was about my knees as well as remembering to keep contact with my calves.

No double bouncing and my transitions to canter and out of canter are a lot smoother. I think as I've been having a lesson a week for three months now, give or take, I am doing OK. I'm happy.

When I came home I came up the driveway in the car Teddy spotted me and ran over neighing and then ran over to the gate and waited patiently for me to get out of the car and give him a pat. How I love that!

I think he knows I've been seeing another horse!

#98 - a little sensitive

Apart from my sensitivities which are still driving me nuts, I think Teddy's girthiness is starting to reappear making him a sensitive boy.

He originally had an issue but it went away while using the stock saddle and the anti pressure girth similar to the one pictured. Now that I have changed to an all purpose saddle and an anti gall girth I'm noticing some signs that must be soreness. Today when I ran a brush over his underbelly on one side he swung his head around to look at me and while saddling up it was evident he was uncomfortable and was starting to get crabby.

I'll give him a break until he's better and concentrate on ground work and then go back to the stock saddle as the pressure girth doesn't fit the other saddle. I'll also alternate activities between rides to see how it helps him.

#97 - Teddy was a legend today!

For the fourth consecutive day I have walked up to Teddy and put the halter on him without an issue - no tricks, no bluffs, no traps, nothing - halter in hand and a reward at the end. I'm very happy this is working so well and we have found that one thing that he thinks is worth it. No chaff, oats, carrots etc for this boy; liquorice is the go!

After work today I tacked up Teddy and he behaved wonderfully. Then I decided to use my bridle with a simple snaffle, I took the noseband off, I put the long reins on and mounted with one goal - to comb the reins over and over and over again and see how he responded.

My mounting block is in another paddock to the hallway where I wanted to do this exercise so I rode Teddy back to the hallway on as loose a rein as I could without feeling unsafe, to see how he would behave. I wasn't going to give him his head straight off without a plan as he has been unpredictable in the past. This time however, he pretty much had his whole head but I had the reins with my arms outstretched but still in control. He was fine. He wasn't quite sure if he should run off or not so the moment he gathered too much pace without me asking I combed the rein to the side. Within about five minutes he got it and was perfect.

When I say he got it I have to emphasis here that the whole feel to his body changed and I felt him relax - truly relax. It is probably the first time I've felt this from him while riding. My long reins are the kind that can allow him to put his head down and eat grass while I remain completely straight in the saddle with the reins in my hands. He was so relaxed that he actually stood still with me resting the reins on his neck for as long as I wanted! I was stunned! No jumping, fidgeting, anything. Completely still. He actually went to eat grass after a while he was that relaxed!

I continued the exercise combing the reins briefly then I decided to give him his head completely and just point him in the direction of the open front paddock and see what he did. He calmly walked off in that direction and if he steered off course I neck reined in the slightest way and he followed my request. I tried the other direction and he responded to that too, so out of curiosity I neck reined in a full circle - he pirouetted!

I excitedly called Steve out to watch, reminding him that I was talking about and showing him Teddy as he is today and Teddy may have a different plan for tomorrow. The fact I was saying to Steve "Look! Look! He's standing still!" may sound odd to some but to me it was amazing. He didn't even toss his head once and I was using a snaffle bit! I took him back to the hallway and combed the reins as lightly as possible in each direction, in circles, forward and to a complete and steady halt and he was great at it. AND WITH NO HEAD TOSSING! Seriously!

What I have learned today is Teddy can do dressage as I was told, that is obvious, but he clearly doesn't work well in a frame like I have been riding him and this could well be the reason for his head tossing. Even though I've had him seen by a vet, chiropractor, healer, dentist and farriers he may well have pain due to the carriage of his head in dressage. Or he may just think dressage sucks - who knows! I'm learning dressage as its the greatest teacher of balance not because I want to go in comps. Also what I know is Teddy has done polocrosse, jumping and hunting as well - I have been told all about this - but why no-one told me my Stockhorse is actually Stockhorse trained is beyond me! He certainly didn't learn to neck rein and circle like that on his own! Someone somewhere had to have taught him.

I remember when he first got here I had him in the paddock with the cows and he cornered them against the fence. I thought as no-one had ever mentioned stock work and I had spoken at length with his two previous owners (the only two people who have owned him as one was his breeder) that this behaviour must be deeply ingrained in the breed. It wasn't like he did it non-stop or anything, just a couple of times, but I do remember thinking it.

Now Teddy and I have something to work with and I'm wrapped! I hope that we continue on this path and I can adjust my training to suit Teddy's skills. It's early days yet (actually just a day LOL!) but if things go well my beautiful boy will be staying right here with me because the ad to sell him is for a dressage horse or an all rounder! He's got the all rounder part down pat but if dressage is a source of discomfort for him I will have to rethink what is the best thing for him.

Maybe I'm the best thing for him after all!

#96 - A visitor for Teddy?

A friend Shelley, who is heavily pregnant, went and fell down the stairs and broke her leg so badly she had to have surgery and rods put in. Thankfully her baby is fine but as a result of her acrobatic trick she will be in a wheelchair for eight weeks. The whole giving birth in three weeks thing, already having two girls to care for and unable to go back to her house until she can navigate the stairs has just added to her problems.

To help I have been asked to take in her 30+ year old pony Pebbles, who has Cushings Disease. Here are the pros and cons to this:

Pros

• I'd be helping Shelley out which I'd be happy to do
• I will see what Teddy is like with a little friend (he loves company)
• I will see what Teddy is like when company eventually leaves (that would be interesting)
  
• Pebs has FounderGuard to help her with her Cushings Disease
  

Cons

• Cushings Disease brings on laminitis and I have a ton of grass which is just inviting a fat pony to chow down
  
• A 30 year old with Cushings could get easily stressed by the move to an unfamiliar place and get sick (Cushings is know to get worse due to stress)
• If Pebs gets stressed due to the move the FounderGuard wont help her (even the makers of the product acknowledge that)
  
• I couldn't live with myself if something happened to Pebs under my watch

Shelley assures me Pebs wont founder but who knows about what stress the pony will be under and the effect the sudden change of environment will have?

The other option is that I go to Shelley's place each day on my way home from work to give her the FounderGuard and whatever else is needed.

I checked with a friend who cares for sick horses for $10 a day as part of her business but she recommended that Pebs not be moved and thought she should definitely not go to my place as my grass is too lush.

I'll have to talk to Shelley and see what she wants to do - this is all she needs!

#95 - How Teddy Bears hate to be ignored

For the last two days I have tried a new method of catching Teddy, one that doesn't require me restricting his access to leave. I'm determined that he will not be left in a paddock with a halter on, which he never is, and that he will want to be caught.

From what I have heard and read catching a horse is the number one problem people have. With Teddy we have progressed in the right direction but very, very slowly. What was once a hour long chase around a paddock with me being a predator has gone to me luring him to a specific area on the property each time, which is the crush area (aka dining room) without a halter in my hand, then closing the gates on either side of him which restricts the distance he can retreat, then walking over and putting a halter on him. Mind you I have worked up to this. Once when I got him to the dining room he was on high alert and initially tried to leave before the gate was shut and then he eventually just accepted what was coming but has remained evasive to this day. It's at the stage now that it is always easy and works well because he accepts he has nowhere he can really go but it's far from my ideal.

I don't see this as being successful with my goal. I want him to come to me while I have the halter in my hand AND not want to leave, just be haltered, happy and not find it as the threat that he currently does.

On Saturday I tried something new. I walked out to the paddock with the halter in my hand in plain view and a piece of liquorice. I gave him the liquorice and walked away. He followed. I had one more piece of liquorice in my pocket that he couldn't see put most likely could smell. He walked up to me and I went to put the halter on him and he backed up. At that moment I shooed him away and walked in the opposite direction. 'Bugger off" I'd say, "I don't want you." In a few seconds he was following me again. I had my back to him and he put his head over my shoulder. I talked to him calmly and went to put the halter on him. He backed up, I shooed him and walked away. Again he hesitated with a look like he was trying to process what I was playing at. Then he walked over and stood beside me. I put the halter on him and gave him the liquorice that was in my pocket.

To me this was a success. He could have ran a mile like he used to but didn't, he came to me and he had to do what was needed to get what he wanted. Then when it was done I gave him heaps of pats and scratches which he loved and took the halter off. He continued to hang around me in the paddock for the rest of the time I was out there. There were no more treats but plenty of pats and scratches and that was reward enough for him.

This morning I did the same thing but with those mini Reese peanut butter cups which he also adores. This time he was different. He came over to me with the halter in my hand but he didn't get the treat. I went to put the halter on and he backed off sideways so I shooed him. This time he looked at me like, "get stuffed!" and then he went and ate grass as if to say "two can play this game". So I went and talked to the chooks over the fence. I was watching him from the corner of my eye and could see he was doing the same to me. I had to laugh at this mexican standoff! I continued to talk to the chooks and then I saw him walking towards me. I waited until he was half way and turned to say hi. He stopped but I wasn't going to him so he stamped his front hoof into the ground then walked over to me. I walked away. I thought that I wasn't going to reward his little hoof stamping tanty! He followed. I shooed him away one more time after he tried to back up and then he came straight over and let me halter him. He was wrapped to get that mini peanut butter cup.

After more pats and scratches I took the halter off him and just hung around the paddock doing my own thing and he followed me everywhere. Then he started licking me on the hands and arms like a dopey puppy even though he knew there were no more treats. He wanted to hang with me, to the extend that when I was leaving he was whinnying as I walked away. That has to be a good sign that he is starting to see the benefit of being haltered.

I've never had a problem with him wanting to hang without a halter, but for whatever reason he see's the halter as a negative and runs. He used to gallop around so fiercely at the sight of the halter that he actually made my oldest brother fall in the mud while he was attempting to get out of Teddy's way! So where we are now with his halter issue is leaps and bounds ahead compared to those days.

I figure that this is working so I will keep at it, even if it means that in the end he gets a little something tasty each time. It a far cry from chasing a a horse for an hour in the stinking heat or driving rain. Besides, its also very cute to watch him try to figure this whole tactic out.

He's certainly no dummy ol' Teddy, he's on to everything. Some people want a clever horse, as do I, but I tell you it's hard keeping a step ahead of them when they are quick to your every move. I envy those people I see with their horses that can walk up with the halter behind their back because Teddy would never fall for that! A bucket of feed wont even convince him. But liquorice - well that it seems is Teddy's Achilles' heal. So I'm off to the shops to buy more liquorice.

#94 -That horse named Dick...

I have a wonderful lesson today riding the horse named Dick.

My seat, balance and aids were good. I felt like things were much more natural and I didn't really have to think about all the balance stuff so I could work on identifying the feel of a diagonal change without being told, counted in etc. Of course once this new part was thrown into the mix some of the other stuff was momentarily forgotten, but it all came together very well and I was wrapped in having what seemed to be a great leap forward.

I was often successful at recognising the diagonal correctly which is great but what I think is more important is that I was often successful at recognising when I had got it wrong. I also knew each time the rise was out of time once I got the diagonal correct.

I think riding Teddy during an exercise like this will actually be a benefit as the horse named Dick is a 16.1hh Quarter horse and is a total barrel guts (though he doesn't have thin legs like I've heard some Quarter horses do. He's a well proportioned horse.) I love this size and type of horse but I am pretty sure that when I ride the slighter framed 15.3hh Teddy who is a Stockhorse, I will be able to feel the diagonal a lot more pronounced, which can only be to my benefit. Yay for Teddy!

I spent most of the lesson at the trot and in the end I could feel it in my lower back so I will need to find out some exercises to strengthen that part of my body as it is taking a lot at the moment having to control my upper and lower body simultaneously but in different ways while maintaining my balance.

It was one of my best lessons even though the weather wasn't good, with high winds, drizzle and cold. It makes me want to go again tomorrow... pity I cant afford it. I need to win lotto and quit my job, pay off all my debt and just go riding!

Hey it's my blog and I can dream all I like!

P.S. The pic is for the injured Shelley as it reminded me of her pony Pebs.

#93 - There is something to this lungeing...

Teddy was stepping away from the mounting block again on Saturday so I left him saddled, took off his bridle, haltered him up and did a good lungeing session with him. This was our first real lungeing session as the only other time I have done that kind of work with his was during the Parelli partnership program and that's not really lungeing at all, more sending and yielding work.

This time he was warmed up and went through all three paces on the lunge twice, then I took him for a ride for a good 45 minutes. It was probably the best ride I have had with him as we completed some circle work, I worked on my balance at Teddy's quicker pace and we worked on diagonals.

At first I tested him with leg aids on the ground by rubbing the stirrup irons over his stomach back and forth to see if he was actually as responsive to leg aids as the trainer claimed or he was being unaccepting and forward. I don't know why but I just needed to be sure. It works out he is perfectly fine and is just particular good at leg aids. The rubbing with the stirrup irons caused no movement whatsoever so it was a good indication that when I ask him to move on, trot, canter etc he is responding directly to the message and not being forward.

He may not be as forward as I think he is, it may well be me being a chicken. But I'm telling you horse riding is an extreme sport so I need to be cautious! Taking corners at the trot has never been my strong point with Teddy because he is quick but I think I have now got that covered too so my confidence is growing. I was still a little forward in my seat position, particularly when going from a seated trot to a rising trot but the improvement was noticeable. I've probably at level 4 with all I have learned so far.

Interestingly, even after the lungeing and the riding Teddy tossed his head more than he has done in ages. I was using a full cheek snaffle as I was getting paranoid about the Pee Wee bit, but I might have to see how we go and maybe go back to the Pee Wee. I may also call the Australian Bit Bank for some advise.

I've decided that the lungeing did him some good so I will continue to do it before a ride and I will also start to make some video tapes of our rides - for one it will show any potential buyers that he's actually a pretty good horse and it will also help me with my riding skills.

I've had a few enquiries from people wanting to buy Teddy and I have been open and honest with them all. One will come and see him this week, another thought he would be too forward after I described my experiences, and the third I thought the 16 year old girl was too green to take Teddy on as she had never actually owned or cared for a horse before, just ridden for many years. This is ok, I really want the best for all involved. The woman who thought he would be too forward was really happy with my honesty commenting that it's a rare thing with horse sales. All I know is I am not going to do to someone else what was done to me. Besides, as you will see from future videos of Teddy, he has come a long way and is a bloody good punk horse!

I'm more concerned about how my bum is going to look in these videos!

#92 - Tell your horse you're selling him & watch him become an angel!

Yes it is true! I was saddling Teddy up and he tried something new. Each time I got on the mounting block (aka old coffee table) he stepped away from it. Three times he did it and he's never done this before. It was almost like he was telling me that he had decided we weren't going for a ride, he had plans to do something more exciting like eat grass!

I looked him square in the eye and then pulled out the mobile phone and said, "That's it! I'm calling for someone to take you away right now!" He walked over to me and put his head down.
"Nope, #%@! Off!" I said.
He put his head down lower and tickled his lips across the top of my boots. I stepped back and just stared at him. He didn't move. I put the reins back over his neck, took him to the mounting block and hopped straight on. We spent the next hour riding around in a full cheek snaffle and he was fine. Of course there was some head tossing but nothing I couldn't work through.

What a cheek that horse has got! Always something LOL! Well if he thinks he's going to try being the boss of me he has another thing coming!

I also went for a lesson with Kim. It was good as I had a lot on my mind about my horse situation and it was cathartic to get it out and just have a casual chat about it. I also think that the last two weeks have effected my confidence and this lesson really settled me down. It made me see that all in all I'm actually riding pretty well. I can do the required aids at a walk, trot and canter, I don't ever feel like I'm going to fall, I'm actually progressing well with my balance, the bottom half of my body, particularly in this last lesson, has really loosened up and I'm a lot straighter.

It's funny, as a kid we were always told to lean back; by the other kids that is, because we never had instructors. Leaning back couldn't be more wrong so I am really learning from scratch. In the past I couldn't care less as long as I stayed on the horse, but now I have learned a new way I can really tell the difference in feel and movement and being able to ask the horse to do things. It's just a lot more comfortable for me now.

One of my friends, who was a good rider when we were teens, had a slight curvature of the spine and I now wonder if our style of riding has had any effect on her back as an adult. I guess it would be too hard to judge as we can attribute back issues to so many other things that we do in life. Her enthusiasm for horse riding hasn't been damaged so that is all that matters. Another friend has serious back issues from an accident at work and hasn't ridden in 8 years but still has horses and is determined to get back on. I guess that's the kind of effect horses have on people.

#91 - Teddy's not going to nuff nuffs!

I need to make it clear that Teddy is only going to be sold if the best of homes comes his way. I wont be letting him go to any nuff nuffs or yahoos and whoever wants him will need to explain to me the kind of home they will be making for him. Only good homes will be considered as he's already been through a rough time before he came to me; thankfully I don't think that was for a very long time.

I also wont be selling him to someone who wants to hack around, even if it's a great home, as I can and do do that with him myself around the property. Teddy's no trail riding horse.

The whole point is to give him the opportunity to be the best he can be and that is in a place that will nurture his dressage or polocrosse skills and take him to a level I'm not able to. He hasn't done anything wrong, if anything it's about providing him with the best opportunities out there to give his a great life. Until such a home comes we will continue doing as we are doing. I will continue Teddy log and riding, and lessons and ground work etc.

If the ideal place doesn't present itself I will happily keep Teddy and continue looking for another horse to work at my level with. I will just have two horses. That was always the plan anyway because horses are herd animals and I would prefer to have two for their own companionship (unless you consider the three horse argument but that is for another log). The cost has preventing me from doing it so far, but Teddy is a horse that keeps his weight well so he's not that expensive. I've also purchased Wintec gear so I have a stock saddle and a general purpose saddle so all areas are covered and they both can be changed to fitted to almost any horse shape so that expense has be thought out too.

From what I was hearing today it shouldn't be too hard to find a horse to free lease - I will wait for the right one to come along as there is no hurry. I ride a horse named Dick (see how I did that LOL!) at least once a week and ride Teddy at least twice a week so I'm not desperate to get another, I will just progress better on a horse less forward than Teddy.

I hope that clears it up. It's not about the money it's about the home Teddy will have. I love him too much not to do that for him. Day in and day out for a year develops that kind of bond, even with a punk horse with a bad haircut (check out his fringe in the pic above LOL!!)

Teddy Log: #90 - Teddy is now officially for sale

Teddy Log: #90 - Teddy is now officially for sale: "Ahhh that's a good scratch! What a handsome boy! Unlimited Potential Plus!Australian Stock Horse FOR SALE $3000 Teddy (Future Freddy) is a ..."

#90 - Teddy is now officially for sale

Ahhh that's a good scratch!

What a handsome boy!

Unlimited Potential Plus!

Australian Stock Horse

FOR SALE $3000

Teddy (Future Freddy) is a 15.3hh, rising 11yo, bay, registered ASH gelding.

Sire: Wiljohn Peeping Tom

Dam: Quickline

It is with great regret I have to sell Teddy. I am an adult returning to riding after many years and he is just too much for my level of riding at the moment. He was a polocrosse horse in his early days and then turned his hooves to dressage with his previous owner.

I have had a great time bonding with him, he has good ground manners and has completed the Parelli Partnership Program (no final assessment). Under saddle he’s a great doer and extremely responsive to aids but needs a more confident, experience and balanced rider than me.

Note he is not for a beginner.

He may suit a confident older teenager who is receiving regular instruction, but I would prefer a competent adult to take him further. He can jump, would suit someone experienced wanting to do a little of everything, or with the right person and further education he would make an excellent dressage mount.

Finding Teddy a perfect, loving, long term home is my top priority.

Teddy can be viewed by appointment in Kyneton, Victoria.

For more information please contact Tania by leaving a message in the comments section below.

Teddy Log: #89 - It looks like I will be selling Teddy

Teddy Log: #89 - It looks like I will be selling Teddy: "I took Teddy over to the reserve today just with a halter and lead rope as I knew my ARC would be their doing a trial and after last weeken..."

#89 - It looks like I will be selling Teddy

I took Teddy over to the reserve today just with a halter and lead rope as I knew my ARC would be their doing a trial and after last weekends episode I thought it would be a good opportunity to put Teddy in a stall and just let him soak up the atmosphere and relax a bit. I'm pleased to say that he did and there was no repeat of the overexcited hyperactive jittering of last Saturday. Of course he was on full alert but any horse would be, and he was neighing out and circling in the stall for a a little while but he calmed down quickly enough.

While I was sitting there watching other people and their horses going through their lessons etc. I was feeling a bit disheartened as this is what I want to be doing with Teddy but because he's so hot and I'm so green it just doesn't work out for me that way. It was hard to see all the work I have been doing and the success Teddy and I have had but still being so far from my goal.

I had the idea to ask one of the riders there, Deb, an experienced and skilled rider, to take Teddy for a ride and to provide her suggestions or opinions on him to me. She was working her own horse and couldn't but asked a competition rider and trainer there by the name of Kerry if she would and she agreed. I went home and got Teddy's gear and saddled him up.

I had to hold Teddy still for Kerry to get on him but once she was on all went well. She took him through his paces and really loved him, saying that he was really responsive to all the aids, was a bit stiff but this would work out with more work, very forward moving and would make an excellent dressage mount. She said that he does head toss but she believed that this would go away once he was put into some serious work as he was a doer and wanted to respond immediately to everything, really trying to do all that was asked. She also thought that he was not suitable for a rider at my skill level, that me being green and returning to riding and trying to find my balance again would be very difficult on a horse like Teddy. She thought that although I would eventually get to the level required to handle Teddy correctly in the saddle, by the time I get there he would be wasted in a paddock when she believed he would go far in competition. She even said that if she could she would consider having him herself but she wasn't in the position to.

I agreed with her totally as he is really such a good horse and even at my level of riding skill I can see how hard he works and how responsive he is. The problem is he is just too quick to respond for a person like me who has to think about what to do next. By the time I have gone through my next move in my head he is well and truly gone and I cant catch up. This could be dangerous and it definitely can be scary. This response from Teddy is great for an experienced rider but not for a green rider like me.

I don't want to see Teddy go to waste and I know he could be really special to someone who can take him to the level he can and should be at, so I have decided that it is probably best that I sell him to that special someone.

This decision does break my heart as I love him but I need to do what is right for the both of us and as my friend says, it cost just as much to have an unsuitable horse as it does a suitable one. I cant afford two horses right now and I need a horse that works for someone at my level. If I was an accomplished rider and ready for any of those things that Teddy is so good at - dressage and polo-cross - then he would be a fantastic horse for me, but here and now I need a plodder and he needs a goer.

I just hope the right home presents itself for my Teddy boy.

#88 - trial and error

I went an bought a narrow gullet for the all-purpose saddle and its made it fit perfectly. Who would have thought that Teddy, a 15.3 hh stock horse would require a narrow gullet? His stock horse line must have a lot of thoroughbred in it. In the past I would tell people that he has a high withers and they would say, "No he doesn't"; well this proves it.

So with a great fitting saddle and no riser I went out in the paddock with him today for our 2nd trial with the pee wee. He was doing great until I made him continually come to a complete stop and wait before going again - this started some head tossing. At first a little but I was determined to call the shots and he jigs about at times when asked to halt so the objective of the exercise was to do a drill at longer and longer intervals. We had already done a number of other exercises so this was to finish up. By the time we had done the exercise a heap of times and he had gone from being asked to halt at the count of 15 and then increasing two counts each request until we reached 40, e.g. count at a walk to 15 then halt, count at a walk to 17 then halt etc. By the time we got to 40 he was doing the halt perfectly, complete and not moving forward until asked, but he was tossing his head a lot again.

Even though the halt was asked very gently, literally only done with my two ring fingers on either rein, I guess the bit was making itself known and he was choosing not to accept it.

I'll have a think about how I am going to tackle this in the next step.

Teddy Log: #87 - a new saddle and bit added to the collection...

Teddy Log: #87 - a new saddle and bit added to the collection...: "I have recently purchased a second hand all-purpose Wintec saddle off ebay from Tassie. The lady who sold it said she had only used it twic..."

#87 - a new saddle and bit added to the collection

I have recently purchased a second hand all-purpose Wintec saddle off ebay from Tassie. The lady who sold it said she had only used it twice and I can honestly say that it looks like its never been used at all! It was a great bargain for something in such good condition and it has an interchangeable gullet so I can use it on pretty much any horse. The gullet in it at the moment is the standard black so I will need to get the red one as it's a bit too big. Until then I have been using my riser and it's fine. It's a nice, comfortable ride and it will work better when practising my balance. And I've saved myself about a grand in the process!

I also bought a pee wee bit to help with Teddy's head tossing issues. I've tried the full cheek snaffle, a hanovarian bridle with a egg butt snaffle, and a tom thumb but they made no difference so I continued my research on bits. It appears that the pee wee has had great success with working and training horses, particularly with Teddy's issues. I thought I would give it a go and I was stunned at the results!

I know it was our first go with it and it's still a trial for me but the improvement was remarkable! Where I was putting up with constant head tossing for the first 30 minutes or so and then it would slow down but not go away; this time I had five tosses at the start then nothing. I couldn't believe it. He wasn't in a hurry to get it out of his mouth like he usually is after a ride and he wasn't backing away, he stood there with his head low, gentle look in his eyes and nuzzling my side! Hopefully this isn't just a matter of a change for a day then back to normal.

The pee wee is a bit that you need to use sensibly as any rough handling could cause a problem but it is considered the gentlest bit on the market. It is to be used with a gentle hand and that is exactly what I am learning with my coaching from Kim. It's also not to be used as a curb as the chin is to be loose and just there to hold the bit in place.

At first I thought it was particularly good marketing but after researching a lot of leisure riders and professional riders comments I thought I should give it a go. People either have remarkable success with it or no success at all, very few have the latter. Even though it hasn't been approved for the dressage ring as yet a lot of dressage people use it for training and that is exactly what Teddy is doing - training to be a calm and relaxed, accepting horse. The pee wee doesn't work for every horse but that is the case with them all or there wouldn't be so many on the market.

Anyway, I'll take it around for Kim to have a look and I will be open minded about the whole thing, but so far so good.

#86 - Being whacked in the nose by a horse really hurts!

The morning started well but ended on a serious downer. Mainly due to the pain in my nose.

It began with me deciding that I would try Teddy with a Hanoverian bridle and a snaffle bit to see if this helped with his head tossing. I tacked up and then decided that I would take him across the road to the arena seeing as things went so well the last time we were there.

All was fine until we got to the grounds and were just near the arena and discovered that Kyneton Pony Club were there with about 30 horse and riders all set up to do various activities. At first Teddy was on high alert which was no problem, similar to last time and he took so much interest in the two other ponies. Then when we got to the arena I was told that on pony club days the KDARC arena was meant to be used for the pony club and I was asked if I'd be happy to share. That was very nice of them to offer but I was happy for them to use it for themselves, I just didn't know that this was the arrangement. It also wasn't a big deal as Teddy was getting more and more excited and needed to calm down. About 20 horses were closing in around the area and Teddy was becoming more and more reactive. I hadn't got on his back and decided that seeing as we couldn't use the arena I would stick around so Teddy could get used to the goings on around him and calm down.

Unfortunately he didn't calm down amongst it all and I didn't want to freak the kids out so I decided to take him to the edge of the paddock, about 100 metres or more away from a group of about 10 riders taking poles out of the ground. I stood well enough away but Teddy just ran around me in circles endlessly. If a horse neighed out he neighed back and he pooed a total of 6 times! Over excited, stressed, whatever he was going through he was running and tossing so I decided that I would just let him go through it for as long as it took for him to either calm down or tire out.

After about 20 minutes of this he was finally 'beginning' to calm. Steve showed up and was very nervous about the whole situation (thank god he didn't see Teddy at his worst!). I understand his apprehension as he is worried that Teddy is going to hurt me or someone else. After all my hard work Steve was starting to change his views on Teddy but this was taking us back a bit. Picking up on Steve's vibe Teddy started to nudge into me and when I was talking to Steve, not giving the situation my full attention, I turn right into a massive smack in the nose by my horse's head!

OMG it hurt! It hurt so much I let go of the reins and grabbed my face! Luckily I realised what I had done and grabbed hold of the reins again before Teddy bolted off and caused Pony Club mayhem! I stood there holding my nose with tears pouring down my cheeks. I thought I had broken it but there was no blood. Steve looked horrified and all I could think was that he would hate and fear Teddy again. He checked my nose and gave it the OK and then he said "He's dangerous!" My heart sank.

I tried to explain that this was just as much my fault for losing my concentration in a situation like this but Teddy was still hyper so it just wasn't the time or place. We headed home.

On the way home Teddy became much calmer, just being away from the environment and being one-on-one again did wonders for him. He was 80% better by the time we walked the five minutes to our house. At home I took him for a ride around the paddock until he was totally calmed. Unfortunately he was still tossing his head.

The cartilage between my nostrils hurts like buggery but I'm more sad about how Teddy behaved around other horses. I know its not the arena as we have been there before so it had to be the other horses and this really sucks because I want a trail riding horse. I don't know how I am going to work him through this but I'm determined to give it a red hot go!

#85 - everything is coming up roses!

Yep, Teddy and I are going gangbusters on all fronts. My riding is improving, Teddy's ground work is improving - his trot is normal pace now so I don't feel like a mexican jumping bean - he's behaving well, he's happy and relaxed and so am I... it's just great!

To celebrate I have posted a random picture I took of a quokka in WA... Go quokka!