#102 - The real test begins...

Now that Roger has gone I have opened the whole property up so that the cows and horse can roam anywhere they like. This will be the true test to see if Teddy is with me or will not want to be caught. Fingers crossed he continues to come to me and just let me put the halter on like he has for the last week and a half.

I'm feeling positive.

#101 - Teddy and the umbrella

Teddy's was fluffing about in another paddock while we prepared for Roger the bull's farewell. When we got Roger in the crush where we needed him to be the rest was pretty easy and our two cows got drenched while Teddy looked on. Meanwhile Roger was quite pissed off to be leaving and was make a drooling racket in the back of the truck. Lets hope he's done his job and we have babies around August/September.

Once all the cow stuff was done, by Steve I might add as I worked late, I went and got Teddy to do some work with an umbrella for the first time.

I have to admit I was prepared for the worst, though quietly confident that he would do fine - and he was. He was on a 12 foot lead but was up close to me with plenty of slack. First I let him sniff the umbrella and then I opened it by his neck very slowly. I did this a little faster each time and he was cool. It was only when I did it very fast that he lifted his head in surprise. He didn't get scared or anything and through the whole process he didn't attempt to leave. I don't even think he moved his feet.

It was only a 5 minute exercise (too many mozzies eating me!) and was with an umbrella that was silver on the outside and red on the inside so I exposed him to sudden flashes of the colours from all directions and all was great. I hope to get to the stage where he has that much trust in me that he doesnt even flinch. I have a feeling that wont take long as he has been superb lately; really interested and wanting interactions. He had no fear at all and at one stage I let him explore it with his lips then opened it again and he was good. He got lots of love for doing so well.

The catching is also going wonderfully but the true test will be soon when I open up the whole property to him, which I will do when I have settled the cows again.

#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!