time

So we've had our little girl for a month now. Exactly one month and two days. and of those 33 days, we've had snow or rain for at least 30 of them. Sorta makes training hard.... We have started working on respect by lunging and working in the round pen when it's not 1)Frozen, 2)Snowy & 3) a lake, so needless to say, not as much or as often as i'd like. She has gone from absolutley refusing to move (anything other than her feet flying backwards at my head LOL) to being able to control her movements and speed quite nicely. She still does give the occasional buck, but they are getting far and few between.
So far, we've introduced her slowly to our other two mares, one of which is 28, the other is 8. Both had to school her as to her position in the pasture, but all 3 get along nicely now. Occasionally there is some squeeling as D tries to move up a spot, but Sug is having none of it, and Mama just flat out won't put up with any crap from a 2 year old with an attitude. Those two have helped out so much. It's amazing what the herd can do for us humans. D's previous owner's mare babied and coddled her so much so that D was top mare. She would eat first, leave the pasture first, decide when to graze first, she was clearly the herd leader which i would imagine was hard on her being the baby and not knowing what to do really. I think she's much more comfortable now with Mama and Sug's to follow.
So on with the training... We have introduced the bareback pad and saddle pad to her. She's willingly stood there and let us put them on her. I even tighteded the girth on the bareback pad and let her move around to feel it on her belly. She took it all like the little champ she is and didn't freak out at all!
We've bathed her in the wash rack, she thinks she's an ostrich. If she hides her head, the hose can't find her :)
We've blanketed her - at first she wanted nothing to do with that big green monster trying to eat her up, and now we can put it on and off right over her head. She got tangled up in another one that was "modified" to fit her - i thought we were in for it when i saw her, but she stood nice and quiet and let me take it off - today, she tripped on it while putting it on, almost hit the ground, caught herself, and then stood there for me to untangle her.
I've climbed above her on the step stool and flapped my arms on both sides of her body imitating the sound and feel of the stirrups and again, she stood there trusting everything i was doing was not going to hurt her. My husband has leaned over her and gone for a few steps. Again, she got a little wide eyed, but didn't buck or rear. She didn't do anything except take a few quick steps and then settle right down...
this weekend, it's saddle time.