A bit of down time after a long day at the office... mustering the cattle on our oldest mare Buffy.
More Dusty handling. Getting use to being caught and use to touch on his protective side 🤠🐎
Long reining in the small paddock with Ziggy. He is much better then yesterday! Tomorrow we will tackle the bigger paddock! Walk, stop, back up.
Building confidence by the day 💪🤠
How cool is my office!
Magic having an easy session today. Today was a lot of getting to know eachother. I found she was a little tight is going into neutral (emergency stop) and focused on making sure she could see her mates.
So off we went on a lead and doing ground work in all different places where she could and then couldn't see her mates. Back home we went to saddle up. Set off down the driveway away from all the horses. She was Magic. I turned for home and Magic said "excuse me.. but I do not want to stop adventuring!"
First session for Ziggy. Basic ground work and desensitising today. Also an introduction to long reining.
I found he gets uncomfortable under pressure and with ropes or pressure around his bum. I will be using long reining to gain his confidence out and about before I step up into the saddle.
Great afternoon with Belle. Such a good girl! Tomorrow is another challenge 😁🤠
Last day of year and what better way then to spend it with Belle. 💕🐎🤠
Today we work in the bigger paddock. Ofcourse we had ground work first and this time in a bridle to ensure she is soft in both halter and bridle.
3 different exercises took place today. Transitions to a stop and back up. Still softening that back button. Belle threw her hindquarters out during the back.. this allowed us to practice "splitting up the parts" and moving her hindquarters with leg aids to straighten her up. Wasn't she just great at this after our session yesterday!
Most important exercise for the day. Transitions and emergency stop. I wanted to be sure that she was soft in all transitions! She was just wonderful!
Notice how I lifted my arm? It's so important that you only use ONE REIN! The emergency stop will not work if you hold 2 reins. The horse will get confused. Drop one rein and only use only one!
Does your horse know the emergency stop?
Yay! The video wanted to work today.
Softening Belle 🔔🐎
Today we focused on "splitting up the parts". Moving JUST the forequarters. Moving JUST the hindquarters. Switching off the engine room (hind end) And then putting them together to do the side pass on the fence. Engaging Belle's mind and softening the body.
Under saddle we worked the fence. Moving the front, backing and hind to form a "rollback". Again engaging Belle's mind and softening the body. Also reminding Belle that we can put her in neutral (emergency stop) whenever we like during a ride. All in a halter. She is a quick learner. Pretty soon we will have that off side loosened up!
We are learning eachothers buttons. This can be tough when a horse has had different trainers and riders. We are so lucky to work with such understanding partners 🐎🤠
Out and about with Kandy 🍬🍭
Kandy's desensitising session! She nailed it. 🤠🐎
Lazy old man Troop walking through the bush today. Lots of slippery mud from the much needed down pour we go over the last week!
