Lucy dragging the log first time today! I did a voice over which I haven't done in a while, but she spooks and I thought an explanation of what I'm doing would be a good idea! So proud of my girl though!
I'm finally slowly back to work after a heck of a week off sick. I decided today Lucy would wear the argentine short shank bit and start learning leverage and sharpening up her shoulders better. As we warmed up doing our trotting and leg yields I decided to try the canter leg yield. She responded beautifully! So, in one of them I just swapped legs and asked for the lead change - which she promptly responded correctly too! Very proud and happy with her today. Sometimes the super feely ones can make certain maneuvers much simpler to teach. Good girl, Lucy! She's not yet a year under saddle.
Who knew Gyspsy horses could learn how to spin 🤩. Sully isn't perfectly solid but he sure is trying and developing the strength.
While I had the obstacle course set up for the Trinity Trail Events virtual show, I've put Sully through it a few times. Here's a nice little example of him navigating the obstacles. He didn't care about a single element that I asked of him!
*I did do the pattern wrong* 🤣 but I didn't compete him so ...
@trinity trail events is hosting a fall obstacle series virtually which means you can video and submit your entry online by just completing the set pattern at home. I decided to enter my filly Lucy into the novice division but also have ran the other saddle horses through the course while I've had it set up. Here is Whizkey doing a beautiful job!
Sirocco's first ride footage.
He did better than I expected honestly. Some days he still is a little cold backed and some days he isn't totally on board with following the bit. But the last week something finally changed for him and he's been pretty willing to go with the program. It's hard to put into words the feeling you get when you know they are ready. Sometimes it's just a feeling but you can't quite say why. Other times it's very obvious like not being able to steer yet, or not understanding going forward on the ground.
I feel like Sirocco finally looks to me for guidance (mostly) rather than finding a plan for how to avoid whatever the task is. I feel really great about this first ride today.
Updated video of Sirocco. Sirocco is still on his groundwork portion before I get on. In my program, I like to ensure they solidly have all the groundwork skills before that first ride. I'm not the type to cowboy them or ride the buck out.
So what does that mean they have to know via groundwork? In this video you'll see I have drive lines attached and the inside is ran through a lower ring. One of the things I want them to know BEFORE I get on is how to follow the bit. That doesn't just mean being soft on it, I want the inside rein to connect to their inside shoulder and inside foot. So when I pick up on the rein they know they follow with the same leg. Eventually I want suppleness and softness in my hand too, but for my own safety and for the success of the horse under saddle, understanding this concept is very important to me.
Sirocco isn't at the point where I trust he 100% understands and follows. He's getting better - but there are still instances (like even the day this was filmed) where he thinks he sees a way out and attempts to dart the opposite way. And yes, a fully enclosed round pen would be helpful (and it's on the list), but he also needs to understand this concept without the training wheels of walls as well.
Some horses just require more homework than others - and that's ok. His owner knows that Sirocco is the type that really needs convincing. This is why it can be so hard to take in clients horses - who may see one horse took only two weeks from intake to first ride, where others may take two months. Every horse takes what it takes and I firmly prefer to take the time needed than to rush to get on only to have problems under saddle.
That being said, Sirocco really has made improvements since he arrived! Every session he is understanding more and more and the repetition and consistency of my aides and expectations further helps develop him. I do think, based on his personality, when I do finally get on and he is fully "on board" that he wil
Sully Two Weeks Update
Sully is two weeks under saddle (since coming back into work from his start in Washington with about 5 rides). Here's video from today to show his progress! Although today was pretty warm when this filming happened (at 88 degrees) he remained forward thinking pretty well (a struggle for him) and is pretty darn reliable to following the aides to steer.
At times you'll see some effort on his part to stretch to the bit which I LOVE! I believe it's important from the get go to get suppleness in the ribcage to allow me greater shoulder control and guiding (as well as strength building to carry a rider) but it also starts to show the horse that good self carriage actually feels good to them! I always know I'm on the right track when horses want to stretch over their topline and seek the bit - and it just tickles me when they find this at just two weeks under saddle!
You'll see I'm also putting a halt/stop on him, teaching the back up, and a forward stepping turnaround. Sully struggles in all maneuvers to the left and this is evident in the turnaround and lope. But he's such a willing horse he is learning quickly and gaining the strength and confidence to keep trying!
Sirocco has been coming along! He's the type that is a little skeptical and needs more convincing about the program. When I first met him in the spring he would run over you if he saw a "way out". I believe we are past that point and he is starting to really understand ground work and boundaries. In this video I'm working him on guiding from the bit - I want him to learn that the side pressure from the bit/rein means to follow with his inside shoulder. The gypsies don't have a lot of natural forward so keeping them going forward from the hip while still following their face is an important concept.
Sully got his first ride - again haha. As i mentioned before, he got a handful of rides this spring in Washington before I moved. But now he's had some time off and needed some refresher on ground work skills before I could get back on. Well the time came to climb aboard again! It wasn't without a little bit of opinion on Sullys end (a little crow hop and an attempted peace out which dislodged me a little!) But overall he went forward and mostly guided around. I think he would look so cute in my dressage saddle!
