June 23, 2011 - Making a break for it





Today's ride was a little exciting, but kind of fun too.  Rory was very good for the pre-ride longe which took less than ten minutes.  He did tend to look out the back door of the arena as he went towards it, and the circle started to get something of a corner in it's shape.  Rory managed a little canter on the right rein.



"You are NOT going out that door!"
Rory did keep his balance with a few quick sidesteps.







I mounted and dismounted two or three times on each side before picking up the reins and asking Rory to walk on.  The first time I picked up the reins he shifted his weight to take a step, but I reminded him about standing still before he moved a foot.  For the second time Rory started off with a humped back and snaking head.  He was a bit worse than last week, even getting to the point of trying to trot towards the back door.  I kept focused on what I was asking him to do and like last week, after a halt he suddenly relaxed and listened well.  It only took five minutes to get to that point today.

...and turn...

Trotting past the door.

We moved on to trot, and the first time we went towards the far end of the arena Rory took over and headed for the door.  I was determined that he was not going to get out today and got him stopped with his feet just barely inside.  The next time he tried harder and got his front feet just outside, but I wouldn't let him go any further out and backed him a step or two before turning in again.  After that I kept him further away from the door, but it took two more tries on the left rein before he managed to trot past with only a couple of walk steps.  We changed direction and he trotted past the door (well to the inside) twice on the right rein.

Rory trotted out the door, but he didn't get very far.

Since he'd been good, and he was so determined to get out of the arena I decided to ride out and in the back door.  Rory got a bit excited as we headed directly for the opening, but did listen when I insisted he stop and stand quietly inside for a few moments before going out.  He wasn't keen on going back inside, but didn't put up much of an arguement.  The next time we approached the door he got ahead of me and broke into a quick trot.  I managed to stop him, though we ended up going sideways and I was a bit worried that he might slip on the wet ground.  It rained last night and things were a bit slick in places.  Oddly enough Rory was heading off away from his paddock.  He didn't want to head back towards the arena, but once we got moving he walked right in without hesitation.  We went out and back in once more and Rory was very well behaved.  Then out for the last time and walked back to the barn.

Walking back inside without a fuss - Good boy!

Walking calmly outside again.

Rory eyes the puddles as I tell him he can walk between them.

June 17, 2011 - Who's running this show?

After Sunday's excitement I decided to start in the arena today, thinking I could ride him out and around the sand ring if all went well.  Rory was very good for the initial longeing.  He did keep looking out the back door and tried to go out once.  The view out the front door was also interesting, but he wasn't trying to make an exit at that end of the arena.  We did a little walk, trot, and even a little canter on the right rein.  I didn't ask him for the canter, but he did a very calm transition to an easy canter so I encouraged him to keep it for part of the circle.

Fussing with the bit

He's gotten very good about standing quietly for mounting so I have been doing less of the mounting exercises before getting to the ridden work.  Today I did a partial mount, leaning over his back and patting his other side before getting down again.  I got on and off from each side a few times as well.  Rory wanted to get moving and started walking as I picked up the reins the first time.  He halted reluctantly, and I hopped off and took him back to the mounting block.  That time he stood and waited for me to ask him to walk on.

Oops!  Rory made it outside and didn't want to come back in!

At first Rory had a hump in his back, and kept pulling on the reins twisting his head around, up, down and sideways.   Very early on he dropped his head down in a bucking attitude, but without lifting his hindquarters off the ground.  He halted reluctantly, and got stuck in one spot twice.  I ignored the snaking head as much as possible, focused on where we were going, and praised him as much as I could when he did cooperate.  Very suddenly after almost ten minutes, he walked out of a halt calmly, relaxed and quiet on the bit.  After checking that he really was relaxed through some changes of rein and another halt I asked him for a bit of trot. 

Back inside and Rory just wants to go back out.

Rory was willing to go forward and he had a lot of energy coming through his back making me think he was going to run off, but I trusted him and let him go forward as I concentrated on where we were headed.  He gave me a good trot, relaxing into it, but when we got near the back door he veered towards it and we halted just barely inside as I insisted he turn and stay inside the arena.  The next time he managed to take that last step and get outside.  I didn't let him get very far, turning him back right away, and we had a discussion about where we were going next.  Rory didn't want to go back inside, but I kept his nose pointed into the arena and kept asking him to walk forward.  It was a pretty minor disagreement.  Apart from a few wiggles, backing up and refusing to step forward Rory really didn't do anything.  Once we did get back inside Rory tried balking again, but I persisted and he walked on.

Starting the early turn to trot past the back door.

We trotted again and I tried to keep him trotting past the back door.  The first time we were too close and he walked when I insisted he stay inside and keep going.  The next time I turned him early to cross the arena and although he drifted towards the door he did keep trotting.  We trotted past once more, a little closer but still leaving lots of room for drifting and Rory kept going without much effort.  I praised him and took him down to the back door again at the walk.  Rory was all ready to march off outside, but halted when I insisted.  We stood for a moment, then I asked him to walk out through the door.  After walking a little figure eight I turned him back to the arena and he walked forward and put his first foot in without hesitation, then changed his mind and backed out.  Our discussion about going back inside was much shorter that time.  I quit there as I'd been riding a bit longer than fifteen minutes at that point.  I would have liked to have gone in and out of the arena until he wasn't hesitating, but Rory had listened to me and our time was up.

Drifting towards the door, but we're far enough
away that Rory can keep trotting as we go by.

I count today's ride as a success because Rory was pretty determined to get what he wanted, but discovered that I was more determined.  When I start a horse I try to avoid getting into an arguement for as long as possible so the horse gets into the habit of doing as I ask.  That doesn't mean I back off if the horse does refuse to do what I ask - that would teach the horse that he could refuse to do something, but I try to avoid asking for things that I think the horse might be unwilling to do.  The more times the horse agrees to do what he's asked, the less effort he will put into refusing when he finally decides not to cooperate.  I think most of Rory's attitude came because he found the arena boring, especially now that he's been outside a couple of times.

June 14, 2011 - Fresh grass!

The temporary grass paddock got moved this morning and we put Rory and Totyo out on it for a while this evening.  The boys were feeling good and ran around exploring the area for bit before they stopped to graze.  I was there with my camera and got a few good pictures.

June 12, 2011 - A little oops

It's been really hot and humid this week so I didn't do anything with Rory until today.  I decided to work outside in the sand ring.  Rory was looking around a bit, but was listening well enough.  We started on the longeline as usual and he was okay going left.  He did tend to fall in on the side of the circle near the middle of the ring, but went out again.  After I changed direction he cut in at that point of the circle even more.  I pushed him out a little harder and he jumped away sharply and kicked out, managing to get his inside hind leg over the longeline.  I held on for a moment testing to see if Rory would respond to a little tug, then let go rather than get him worried about the line. 

Rory ran down to the far corner of the ring and stopped near where there was a horse beign hand grazed on the grass.  I started over, but Rory realized the horse wasn't one of his buddies and he took off along the fenceline between the sand ring and his paddock.  He ran back and forth a couple of times, ignoring my attempts to slow or turn him, then he started off around the whole ring.  Every time he ran over the back of the sand pile in the far corner he paused for a moment, so I let him run, walked over and blocked him the next time he came round.  His buddies were up in the shelter out of sight and Rory was upset about not finding them.  It took a while for him to calm down and relax again.  I worked him on a shorter line with more transitions and he listened well even when his buddies did wander out for a bite of hay.  The footing in the ring is fairly deep and I don't want to overdo it with Rory so I decided not to ride today.

June 6, 2011 - Growing up!

Rory got to go out on the grass with my other horse for a bit today.  At one point they were grazing right beside each other and I was really struck by just how big Rory's grown - he's almost as big as my other horse.

Rory in front.

June 5, 2011 - Outside ride

I decided to work with Rory outside in the sand ring today.  He was a little distracted by the sights, and pulled out on the circles, at times quite hard.  I stopped him and snapped the longeline to both the halter ring and the inside bit ring to get a little extra attention.  Afterwards Rory was much better and he cantered a few times too.  I ended up longeing a little longer than usual, so I cut my ride a bit shorter.

Rory was good.  He trotted a bit, but was a little reluctant to trot for very long.  I thought maybe the extra longeing tired him out a bit.  He did listen to my aids and went forward when asked.  I got lucky and Rory's buddies stayed in the shelter while I was riding.  The tractor was at work, but Rory was completely unconcerned as it went back and forth.

June 4, 2011 - Grass!!

Totyo and Rory

 It's been a very wet spring, but after some dry days and the strong wind the barn owner decided it was dry enough to set up the temporary grass paddock.  Rory's group got to go out for half an hour this morning.  I love pictures of horses against the green and took a bunch.

 Rory was keen to graze, but he was also curious about the new view.  He grabbed a mouthful of grass, looked around as he chewed, then went for another mouthful.

Before the vet arrived I managed to give Rory a good grooming and pull his mane.  I thought it was a bit too thin when I was finished, but a quick test braid showed it was about right.  I'm just not used to his mane being so thin.  The new washrack was almost done, and Rory got to be the first horse to use it.  I had to scrub his heel where he'd caught himself on something.  He wiggled a bit while I was getting the hose, but stood nicely while I scrubbed and rinsed.  There was also a touch of mud fever on his white heels and I scrubbed those scabs clean and put some zinc ointment on them.

June 2, 2011 - To boldly go...

We had a couple of very hot days this week and then a really windy system blew in to clear out the humidity.  Today wasn't quite as windy as yesterday, but it was still blowing very strongly today.  I wasn't sure if I'd get any decent work out of Rory, much less if I'd be able to ride, but I decided to take it one step at a time.

Looking out the door

I groomed, tacked up and went out to the arena to longe.  The big back door was open again, adding yet another distraction.  The wind was strong, but fairly steady and the arena wasn't too noisy.  Rory was a bit distracted at first, and a couple of times was so intent on looking out the big door that his feet almost followed his nose out the door.  He was listening to me well, and responded to my cues to go forward and come back in the trot.  I noticed today that Rory tracks up without any effort on his part, and when I ask him to go forward his hind foot easily lands more than two hoof lengths in front of the front hoof's print.  After ten minutes I decided that Rory was attentive enough for me to try riding.  I skipped the canter today since he had enough trouble going past the doors at trot.

A relaxed trot

I mounted from the right today and Rory was a little less steady.  He seemed eager to get on with the ridden work.  I'm glad he's comfortable enough with the mounting to be a little bored, but I took the extra time to dismount and remount to reinforce the concept that he must stand still for mounting.  Once we got going Rory was good.  Again he was a little distracted by what he could see through the big doors, but we managed to trot and turn reasonably well.  Rory was quite calm and I dared to take him outside.

And out we go into the wide world

We went out the big back door then stopped and Rory had a look around.  I didn't rush him and he wasn't nervous, just wanted to look at everything.  When he was ready we walked along to the corner and stopped for a look at the new sights that had been hidden by the arena.  The horses in the ring looked at him and I waited until they'd come as close as they wanted to and lost interest in Rory.  I didn't want to risk them watching him walk halfway along the arena and then running over to see him - I thought that might be a bit much to ask Rory to accept on his first day outside.  We walked down the side of the arena, halted again, then went into the arena again through the other big door.  Rory wanted to trot as if he intended to go straight through and out the back door again, but I just had him do a half circle and come back out again.  We walked back to the barn and Rory was very relaxed and comfortable.  He did tend to drift towards my friend (who took photos and kept an eye on us today) when she was ahead of him, but responded easily to my corrections.  I was really proud of him and how good he was on his first walk outside.

Looking around with interest

Then off we go...

... back to the barn.

May 28, 2011 - A very little attitude

Today's ride was significantly less succesful in some ways. Good in others.  The longeing went all right.  He did get distracted a few times by the activity outside the arena.  One of the other boarders returned from a hack, another was hand grazing, and the BO's son had a couple of friends over.  Rory put his head down, shook it and bounced a couple of times, but I sent him forward and he settled quickly.  I had put a plank down for him to trot over and he had a little trouble with it because it wasn't up against the wall where I usually put poles.  I ended up pushing it over to the wall.

I did some mounting practice on his right side to start.  From a training point of view it's good to work all exercises from both sides of the horse so he is comfortable with activity on both sides, but also it's better for the horse if we regularly mount from both sides.  Years ago I read that always mounting from the left pulls the horse's spine and withers out of alignment.  Switching back and forth helps to keep the horse more comfortable, as does mounting from a block.  I started alternating sides when mounting and don't feel quite so uncoordinated on the right any more - at least not when I mount from a block.

When I first got him to trot Rory put his head down and shook it back and forth and humped his back.  I brought him back to walk and continued. Another time he went forward, and faster and faster so I again brought him back to walk. Then he didn't want to trot and only managed very short jogs.  One time he got his back up and head down and I did a very small serpentine to defuse him. It was too many different aids too close together and he got worried and even more uptight so I quickly abandoned the serpentine and asked for a halt instead. In fairness there were a lot of distractions today and he did do what I asked.  We had a number of halts for him to look and think which left less time for riding exercises. The little shots of attitude were probably also a good thing because he still had to do what I wanted.   I was disappointed that we didn't get to build on his good trot work from our last ride, but a ride like that does serve as a reminder that he is just a baby and has a lot to learn.

I always have a good think after a not-so-good ride to try and figure out what went wrong and what I could have done differently, and then I make a plan for the next ride from there. It's just part of my MO. With Rory it's important to do because he is just learning, and I'm riding for such a very short period of time. His little attitude moments made me laugh more than anything else.  I could think of half a dozen things that I could have done better, and a couple of things that I might have been doing unconciously that I shouldn't have been doing.  But now I really want to get back on him and fix my mistakes. And I've got to wait until Tuesday at the earliest!!!