More tricks, and other things

Well I sucessfully taught Diamond "hug me" and I am now working on teaching him how to act "embaressed" where he hides his head under my arm. We're having a bit of difficulty with that one, as I am slightly confused in teaching it and he is not sure what I am asking, but we are getting better! I've been working on the Spanish Walk, focusing on one leg at a time and right now I can get him to take three Spanish steps with his left leg. I'm waiting till he can do it easily with his left leg before I move to his right. I am also working on what I call "Precision rearing" where I have him put his front feet on the pedastel, rear, and land with both front feet back on the pedestal. He can do this really well, although sometimes he lands slightly to the side. Also, playing at liberty, if he gets a really good canter up, he can jump FOUR feet!! FOUR feet!! Its a little difficult for him, but with some more work on it, I think he'll learn to clear it easily! On Line we haven't been doing much...Liberty is so much more fun :P We've been practicing a little Freestyle, but...we both love learning new "tricks" so much we've mostly been doing everything on the ground. I don't have time to play with him today, much, as I am going to a masquerade party tonight and I have to prepare and make my mask for that...but tomorrow is going to be dedicated to teaching him another trick, and HOPEFULLY finally learning "Embaressed"!

Trick time

Well, I spent half last night reading my book Trickonometry, by Carol Fletcher, and went out this morning intending to begin to teach Diamond the trick "Kiss Me!" In which he touched my face with his muzzle. He was reluctant to bring his muzzle to my face, but with persistance he did, and in about half an hour, Diamond knew Kiss Me!! I was rather enthused so I then proceeded to teach him the "Evil, dangerous" trick of rearing on command. This took only about fifteen minutes to teach him! Although his "rear" was bringing his front hooves about one foot off the ground. My lovely little LBI :)I cannot wait till tomorrow, I want to try and train him to "hug" me with his neck.

The difficulties of using variety in repetitive training...

Diamond is doing so wonderfully in our jumping training. Right now the loads of treats I provide him with seem to be making up for the lack of adventures and variety. Plus he naturally loves jumping. But I am determined to think up more interesting ways of challenging him in our jumping training. I play on line, at liberty, I do different patterns before we approach the jump, I use lots of different jumps...what else can I do, I wonder?

Well, this morning I played with Dimey, popped him over a couple low fences On Line, then we went out and grazed together(although I actually just sat their, Diamond did the actual grazing). Then this evening I went out for a serious jump-training session. Boy, it was fun!! I got some pictures of sending Diamond over the jumps at Liberty. I can't wait to post them! Just have to wait for my gosh durned computer to get fixed(somehow all the programs have dissapeared from the screen!)

GREAT morning!

Well I got up today with the intent to brush out Diamond's mane. I am ashamed to say, it looked like I hadn't untangled it in decades. Matts here, matts there, matts everywhere! I've been avoiding it because, well, who likes to spend an hour just combing a mane when you could be PLAYING!? Plus, its not something Dimey really enjoys-the constant jerk, jerk, pull. But I did it!! I untangled his mane! Its rather short and you can see where a few pieces of hair were broken, but it certainly looks better than it did. Now next, for his tail *o* I am most certain I shall die during that. His tail is probably worse than his mane. On the other hand, the new feed I'm trying has made his coat VERY silky(Although its not putting weight on him like I wish). But anyway, after detangling his mane, I played a little liberty stick to me, and he "stuck to me" over a jump! Upright barrels PLUS pole creating a sort of spread jump. He stuns me with his magnificence, my Diamond. He is truly better than any gem. After the stick to me I popped up on him bridleless, and I don't know when it clicked, but today he FINALLY understood my leg, body and mane-tugging commands(lol)!!!!! I didn't have to use the savvy string or my carrot stick to turn him!! *falls over* It felt ABSOLUTELY wonderful. I could have ridden him absolutely naked(erm, I mean the horse only. Not me. I'll keep my clothes on, thank you. I'm not quite THAT natural.) And we jumped! Not upright barrels, but we did jump the barrels lying sideways with a pole in front in a small spread.

I'm so happy today!!!!!

Motivation...

I ought to be more motivated to post on this blog. I need to think of a "treat" for myself for each blog post I write. Otherewise I'll end up doing my monthly cram-in sessions. I'm writing this blog so I'll be able to share my journey with others and so I can look back myself and see how I've come along.

Well, Diamond has been doing great as usual! Today I was circling him online over a couple jumps-he cleared full-size upright barrels by at least a foot! And he acted as if it were nothing. I couldn't help but send him over them seven times in a row even though he often doesn't like doing the same thing so many times in a row-usually we do it three or four times then go on to something else or he gets bored. But I've noticed, a lot of times jumping is excluded from this. Even though he is mainly LBI, jumping seems to be something Diamond truly enjoys. It astonishs me how perfect he seems when he is feeling positive and motivated over jumps. His preformance is flawless and his impulsion and energy is perfect. He is just under 16 hands, and he is mostly legs, with a light body. Every time I jump him I get so excited thinking about how it will be when we finally get to preform in shows. I have to wait until I am eighteen seeing as he is a stallion and under eighteen "juniors" cannot show stallions. So that gives up two great years to Parelli Prepare!

Add two, minus one and bowing to forces beyond your control.

I'm playing with two new horses now, and no longer playing with Indy. Why? The awful Florida Summer has finally shown is eternally-boiling face. Its too hot to play with the poor drafts. All that muscle and strength that makes them magnificent has to take its toll somewhere. That somewhere is their endurance during hot weather. Fortunately Susan has another horse, a TWH named Kip who I can play with, and one of Susan's friends is letting me play with her cross-bred 3 year old gelding. Although I am dissapointed I no longer have a chance to play with one of my favorite breeds, I am thankful I had the short experience I did, and I am VERY happy that Susan didn't toss me out to the cold(er- heat as it were) because I could no longer work with Indy. I am really loveing Kip, the TWH mare. She is ten years old, an estimated 16.2 and a LBI that switches to RBE even quicker than Indy. I think she is exactly fifty fifty-half LBI, half RBE. Whereas Indy was more three quarters LBI, one quarter RBE. She was very insensitive and dominant our first session, but on the second session she was so angelic...it was like she had thought over our last session in her mind and really understood. The little gelding is named Blue. He is a LBE, high spirited, frisky, and immature as befits his age. He is one of the CUTEST horses I have ever come across. I believe he is a blue dun, and he is around 13-14 hands. Its such a joy working with these horses. It gives me a sense of fufillment that I am helping somebody-no matter if that somebody is human or horse. I like to think that Susan is happy I am "training" her horses, but in reality she is doing me a favor as currently most of her horses are pets and pasture ornaments.

Now with Diamond...well, our last couple play sessions have left something to be desired. Lets just say there were a lot of Right Brain moments, a lot of argument on tasks and other less-than-pleasant things. I'm hoping tomorrows play session will be better. Everyone has their bad days, and as discourage as it is, I have to face the fact that EVERYONE wakes up on the wrong side of the bed(pasture) every once in a while. Including myself and my horse.

WHOOOOOO!!!

Today Diamond and I did circling at LIBERTY. They were small, about 6-10 feet between Diamond and I, and at a slow walk, but WE DID THEM. I did turn around in the middle of the circle so I could really keep the connection between Diamond and myself-I think if he'd gone around my back he either would have come to me or walked off to nibble grass :P At first I only had him do one lap then brought him in, but at the end of our session he circled three laps and came right to me when I asked! I am just so excited. I didn't really expect it-we were just playing a little stick-to-me at a walk/trot and I randomly pointed to a pole on the ground and trotted right over it, turned around and came back. So I thought "if he'll do that, maybe he'll circle" so I just held my arm out and wiggled my stick like I do when asking for a circle on line, and 'round he went! He got LOTS of treats, and I am so proud of him! I could tell he was really focusing on me which is hard for him-normally he gets so easily distracted by little bits of hay that have fallen, or nibblets of grass. Its funny, I find that he normally shows me the greatest things he has learned/is ready for when I'm not really expecting it/asking it. A lot of times I really think he looks at what I ask him to do and says, "You want me to do THAT boring old thing again? I'll do it for a treat of course, but look at THIS, isn't THIS so much better than the thing we have done a million times before?"

Whew...and yeah!

Well I've worked with Indy more and I am fairly certain he is innately LBI, but very easily slips into RBE when he feels unconfident or trapped. I learned that the hard way. Well, they don't call it the "learn burn" for nothing! I've certainly learned something! Our last session I wasn't feeling well, and couldn't sum up enough energy in my body for myself, let alone a horse! So we spent a lot of undemanding time, just with me sitting on a barrel and Indy standing by me. I really started to feel that relationship budding, though. Indy yawned a LOT during our session, and got this safe, contented look on his face. At least he is feeling comfortable enough to release the tension that builds up. He is going to be a challenge for me-but I knew that, and I wanted that. I just have to keep reminding myself of all the savvy information I need to follow!

With Diamond, yesterdays play session on line sucked( he wasn't motivated at all for some reason, which I couldn't figure out...so I got frustrated and decided to skip most of the on line we ususally do), but freestyle...wow, he was AMAZING. So much energy and forward movement! Positive expression, willing, up for anything... And then today I did a lot at liberty with him, and that went wonderfully. We had our best Stick To Me ever, and I actually got him to go in a sort of half circle/loopy shape around me before he stopped with an "Okay I tried, don't ask me for more" look on his face. I let him come back to me for treat, treat, treat TREAT! Sending him out has always been really difficult, as once he gets out there, with no ropes connecting, he loses interest and decides to go nibble on grass, or wander over to the gate. Our liberty session took up most of our time, so online we just practiced the Figure Eight pattern some. He is getting better at it, slowly but surely. I still don't understand how at one time we were trotting/cantering through it, and now we have trouble walking through it...but I'm learning more every day, so hopefully it won't happen again!

A new horse! Or should I say a new elephant?

Well Diamond and I have been slow in our progress mostly due to me not knowing what new things to teach him. I have been doing more at liberty so we ARE progressing in that although he still will get the "Nah, not even treats are gonna make me play with you when I can go over here and graze." attitude. Still, better than it used to be so I am pleased that we are in a complete rut-I'm having trouble with the figure 8 of all things, something he used to do perfectly well! Suddenly he stops, knocks over barrels, gets frustrated...so while we are trying to overcome this mysterious relapse that also gives me something to focus on. I am also incorporating larger jumps into our play routien. Conditioning him for competition without him even realizing it :) Not that we are competing any time soon, but I can have "home shows" in our yard and time myself. Besides, its always good for a horse to be in excellent shape.

In the midst of all this, I found someone who is willing to let me work with her horses! The one I will be working on the most is a six year old percheron gelding named Indy. I. Love. Him. I have only worked with him for one two hour session so far but I am still so completely, utterly in love with him. Percherons have always been one of my favorite breeds-definitely my favorite heavy breed, and probably vying for first place on my overall favorite breed list. Today I mostly did the seven games with him. He is mostly LBI with a few E tendencies and maybe some slight RB but at the moment I cannot tell if the Extrovertedness is purely LB or with some RB mixed in. He did great in the games although he had the typical LB dislike of moving his forequarters. After that I played at liberty some with a LBE Shire cross named Kavi. I'm not really supposed to do much work with her though so it really was just playing and not training. We ran around and had fun, and then the third horse in the pasture-an elderly but startlingly beautiful mare named Ruby-saw that I had treats and decided her initial waryness of me did not matter so she carefully came over and I gave her a treat. There was something gentle about her eyes that really caught me-Okay, I admit to a terrible case of love at first sight with ALL of them. Then again I am afflicted with that for almost every horse I get the chance to work with, so what can I say? Horses do not help me see things rationally. Tomorrowwwwwws only a dayyy aaawayyyyyyy! And then I get to return to my newfound friends!
As a note: Susan, the horses owner, is extremely nice, I like her a lot. I was worried that whoever answered my add for horse training would watch me like a hawk and be kind of "back seat driver-ish" but she isn't at all. That is to say she watches me, but its more of an interested/making sure nobody is being murdured type of watching. I also feel like she really listens to my opinions on horses-something most equestrian adults don't do. I understand I am young, etc. but it does feel nice when your opinion is valued. I kind of think this caused me to talk to much however. I do tend to blab about horses when I am around any poor person who will listen. Goodness knows my family has to tune me out sometimes or else in the middle of watching a movie I will suddenly blurt out everything I did with Diamond that day, speaking so enthusiastically I drown out the TV.

Not gonna let it turn out like my diaries...

It has been too long since my last post. I am not going to let this blog turn out like my diary/journals always turn out...three months into it if I'm really trying, if not...three pages, then it gets lost under my bed :P To update on Diamond and I and our progress...I always forget to do the figure eight and weaves patterns with him. I don't know why but I do. So lately I have been really trying to work on that and he is getting so much better! He'll even trot through them now, and occasionally canter, although he gets stuck on the turns and slows to a walk. Its just sooooo much EFFORT to turn AND keep trotting. I might as well ask him to jump over the moon! On the other hand, I've been working on the traveling circle and he is doing WONDERFUL. It always used to be he would stop when he got behind me and I was always to slow with my body and the carrot stick to get him moving again before he had the little "Nah nah, look what I did!" look on his face. I became just a little more assertive, added apple treats and it made all the difference. Now I can walk for an entire minute with him circling around me! I usually keep it at one to four circles though, other wise he starts getting negative feelings about it. I've been playing circing with obstacles by jumping him over barrels standing up. I was really surprised when I put just two barrels standing upright and he headed right towards them when I asked, and popped over them like it was nothing! Treat treat treat! For Liberty, I have been doing a LOT of friendly game, a little sideways, some porcupine, some Stick To Me (using the fence to keep him from wandering far enough away that he can stop and graze) and lead by the mane at a trot. Riding has just been bareback w/halter lately(not that I ever use anything but a halter) Although I did saddle up and go on a twenty mile trail ride with one of my friends. Diamond was wonderful except for one part during the ride home where he decided Providence(friends horse) was getting to close and bit at him. We had a little calm-down session then went off again. This time he tried a kick. So, everytime he acted aggressively towards Provy I just told him to trot IN FRONT of Providence so he wouldn't need to tolerate him. Pretty soon he decided walking beside Provy was fine :P To reward him I let him eat a little grass before we headed home. During the ride while we were on a dirt road these three HUGE construction trucks carrying really freaky objects that even I couldn't identify passed us. My friend and I pulled off on the side of the road. Diamond took one look at the trucks, dismissed them as insignificant, and took advantage of our pause to eat some leaves. Back on home(on another day) we jumped the upright barrels bareback(yay me for not losing my balance!) and did lots and lots of transitions.

Well that updates pretty much everything. I will certainly post RIGHT AFTER our next play session so I don't have to write so much!

And...bravo!

When I went trail riding Diamond was angelic in regards to stallion behaviour....demonic in regards surround left brained introvert behaviour. He obsessed about wanting to plod verrrrrrrrrry verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry slowly to my friends and I's meetup place. Then when the other horses came into competition he perked up and lifted his feet a little-he does like to be in front, especially when we canter. On the way home it was back to plod...plod...plod. Still I was so happy that he had kept his studdy urges under his fur that I didn't mind. I saw another rider I've never met on my way home, but they were on another trail so I didn't get the chance to say hi-maybe I'll run across them another time. Its so hard to find riding buddies-no one wants the risk of a stallion tagging along. But, I have two friends that are willing to ride with me, and I'm fairly happy with that.

On to a completely wonderful note! This weekend I am going to the Women Luv Horses event in ocala. I can't make it friday but I'm going saturday and sunday with my mom. Linda is going to be there, ohhhh I can't wait!! I love the inspiration that fills you after a horse event-I fortell teaching Diamond a couple new things, and learning a TON myself this coming week!

Whew...

I spent a full three day weekend at the Youth Fair for my county. I showed five chickens, entered in chicken showmanship, LOTS and lots of contests...I don't know if I have sat down to relax for more than five minutes! And now it is monday(thankfully I'm off school) and I am trail riding with tow of my friends in a few hours! Ahhh...peace. After a weekend of having little time to work with Diamond I hope he does well, I'm planning to do some online(of course) before we venture out, and I might bathe his hindquarters...he is filthy! Why are mud and dirt covered horses so cute when they give you the "innocent" look when you start scolding them?

Another great day!

Well today I went trail riding with a couple of my friends. Diamond being a stallion I was uncertain how he would react considering one of my riding buddies has a mare. But he did wonderfully! He didn't rear once, just nicked and whinnied a bit, then wanted to graze! God bless Parelli and left brained introverts! Anyway we had a lovely ride, rode for about an hour. Diamond saw some donkeys and he was spooked by them but immediately went over and sniffed them, then didn't care. Our Touch-It has really paid off. I wonder what tomorrow will bring...probably a rest for both of us I imagine.

Today Diamond and I had a wonderful play session- we started out online playing the seven games with a few obstacles added here and there, then I decided to work some more on teaching Diamond to come towards me sideways. This is the second day I've worked on Diamond coming towards me in a sidepass. At first he didn't get it at all, got frustrated and unconfident and started to shut down. I gave him a break for a minute or so till he calmed down then started again-immediate stiffness "I can't do that, I don't know what you're asking, so I'm ignoring you" behaviour. So I reached inside my pocket and brought out a bit of carrot, and gave it too him. "What? Wow! Oh, I didn't know you had TREATS for me! What was it you wanted me to do? I'm all ears, tell me! Tell me!" Five minutes later he was stepping sideways towards me like it was as normal as anything! We started with me standing on a chair, then progressed to me asking him from the ground. After that I decided to try bridless riding. Without saddling him-as usual-I mounted with just my stick. I barely had to use it, he was so tuned into my body language. We cantered and jumped without a problem! We wove through trees, backed up, and went sideways in one direction-all without any rope at all! It was one of the best play sessions we've had in a while. I'm really looking forward to the next one!