This past weekend was full of fun and exciting times for Baby D. Son & I got her all brushed out after a few days of rolling in the mud, grabbed the saddle, pad and bridle, with her still in the cross ties we tacked her all up. This was a first time being tacked up while tied, and she didn’t try to avoid anything at all. She’s really coming along nicely.
We round pen her at the trot for a minute and then hook the lead rope to the bit and get her flexing and following her head really nicely.
We grab the driving reins, run them through the stirrups and ask her to walk on. With just the slightest of cues, she follows the direction both right and left. We worked on those two for about 5 minutes circling, weaving, and doing figure 8’s in the round pen when the big test comes. I gently pull back on the reins and ask “Whoa” and she STOPS. No head throwing, no rear, no extra steps, just a complete full stop!
I ask son if he’d like a ride around the round pen and he excitedly said “YES” so up he climbs, and we walk around with the lead rope. We are not riding her at this time, so these few and far between “rides” are just for her to get used to someone being above her, and so far, she’s taking to it like a fish takes to water.
Since then, we’ve had husband on using the lead rope tied to her halter for direction, and again, she did awesome! She’s coming along so nicely, I’m very excited for her to turn 3 in August and for the real training to start!!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Our first show...
Friday evening we got all bathed up and pretty for our first Western Pleasure show in Auburn. I did a half French braid in Baby D’s tail and tied the obligatory red ribbon around the bottom of the braid just in case. She does not normally kick, but I’d rather be safe than sorry...
Saturday we woke up early and headed out. When we arrived, she had Big Sister Sugar and Auntie Sitka for comfort, so she stuck close to them while we found our stalls.
The In Hand Trail Class for 3& under was the first one called, so off we went to go check out the course. It started off with a slalom trot through some cones and over 4 ground poles, we came to the corner where we picked up the coat, and walked to the next corner, and hung it back up. Then we were to side pass over a log, but that didn’t go so well since we didn’t practice it at home. We walked through the “L”, but were unable to back around the corner, we went into the diamond where a turn on the forehand was perfectly executed, and over the bridge, which she also wasn’t too sure about, and didn’t walk over, but around. For our commanding performance, we won a 1st place ribbon! WOOHOO!! This is just the first of many shows that Baby Diamond will attend this summer, and I am planning on showing her in as many in hand classes as I can. We may even make an appearance or two at my friend’s gaming shows just so she can have more exposure to different horses and atmospheres
And i promise to post pictures as soon as i get them downoaded from the camera and figure out how to do it :)
Saturday we woke up early and headed out. When we arrived, she had Big Sister Sugar and Auntie Sitka for comfort, so she stuck close to them while we found our stalls.
The In Hand Trail Class for 3& under was the first one called, so off we went to go check out the course. It started off with a slalom trot through some cones and over 4 ground poles, we came to the corner where we picked up the coat, and walked to the next corner, and hung it back up. Then we were to side pass over a log, but that didn’t go so well since we didn’t practice it at home. We walked through the “L”, but were unable to back around the corner, we went into the diamond where a turn on the forehand was perfectly executed, and over the bridge, which she also wasn’t too sure about, and didn’t walk over, but around. For our commanding performance, we won a 1st place ribbon! WOOHOO!! This is just the first of many shows that Baby Diamond will attend this summer, and I am planning on showing her in as many in hand classes as I can. We may even make an appearance or two at my friend’s gaming shows just so she can have more exposure to different horses and atmospheres
And i promise to post pictures as soon as i get them downoaded from the camera and figure out how to do it :)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Iz a SHOW Pony
TX has convinced me to bring Sugar my 8yo to the WP show this Saturday. On TUESDAY she says "We've gotta take our horses this weekend and see how they do"... ummm ok, sure, why not?? No reason except we've been concentrating on this OTHER mare that was left (abandoned) at the barn I board at, trying to find her a good loving home and I have not been riding Sugar for about a month. Thankfully, Sugar has had some sort of WP training at some point in her life, and has a great headset and when she wants to can slow her jog down and look so perfect. I however, have NEVER been to a WP show, and am slightly nervous of this... a “what am I getting myself into” sort of nervousness.
As I'm looking at the classes to see which ones to sign up for, I notice a "In Hand Trail 3yo and under" I have the PERFECT horse for this class!! Diamond is now going to the show!! We are going to do this trail class and have fun at it. I have had NO time to prepare her for anything we might encounter... not that I know what we'll see, but I imagine it will have some logs to go over, and a tarp maybe (which she's not too sure of those tarps...LOL) but the point of this class for me and Diamond is to get used to going to strange places, and still behaving and performing to her ability. Whether we place first or last, is not important... this is a learning experience for the both of us and I'm sure we'll have a blast! I think I’m looking more forward to the trail class with Diamond than I am riding my own horse in the W/J classes!!
As I'm looking at the classes to see which ones to sign up for, I notice a "In Hand Trail 3yo and under" I have the PERFECT horse for this class!! Diamond is now going to the show!! We are going to do this trail class and have fun at it. I have had NO time to prepare her for anything we might encounter... not that I know what we'll see, but I imagine it will have some logs to go over, and a tarp maybe (which she's not too sure of those tarps...LOL) but the point of this class for me and Diamond is to get used to going to strange places, and still behaving and performing to her ability. Whether we place first or last, is not important... this is a learning experience for the both of us and I'm sure we'll have a blast! I think I’m looking more forward to the trail class with Diamond than I am riding my own horse in the W/J classes!!
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