I really shouldn't have put that goal in there in that last post . . . because look back a bit about what I hoped to accomplish this year and know that NONE of it is now even POSSIBLE. sigh. Well.
But Increase changed the dynamic now didn't she.
And what I really want to say is just how perfect she is. Which makes me laugh because, you know, horses and horses and people are people and perfection is a long straight line not to be found in this old round world but still, she's perfect. She is funny without being obnoxious, curious without being pushy, smart without being mean. She has that wants-to-please thing that is so great about horses -- now that she feels like she can trust this place and her place here, and me and Ro, she's like, "What can I do for you?"
Today she wore a saddle for the first time. Today she cantered on the lunge really successfully for the first time (in that she'd cantered before but this time with some confidence, at least in one direction). Today she long-lined, just a bit, for the first time.
She also had some backsets as they say. She pulled at the tie for the first time in a long while, and she did it about four times too. But she was never upset by what made her pull or by the pulling itself or by the not getting loose. I guess that was all, really. She objected just a bit to the bit going in her mouth (which caused one of the pulls) but then again, it has been in her mouth three times so far.
She is doing so well.
Showing posts with label progress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label progress. Show all posts
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
I could have named her Progress
She was quite excellent on the lunge line today, very obedient and willing. She is in general an impatient horse so she's usually happy when she's doing something. She wore a surcingle for the first time today with no problem. She's got walk and trot, not so much canter yet -- which is fine, she's willing and too much willingness to canter would mean she was running away which I am glad she is not. I just positioned my apprentice on her sticky "corner" and it wasn't really sticky anymore.
Her former owner called me today. I'd mailed a note to her only on Monday. The consignor was a man so I'm pretty sure this was his daughter -- she sounded young. She said she'd bought the Inky from an Amish man up the road when Inky was four months old. She rode her some last summer. When I asked her how she was, she said, "Well, she has a mind of her own," so I'm not exactly sure what that means but it is a quality Inky most surely does have. She's been to one local show. Inky is a Saddlebred, not a Standardbred . . . the vet got that wrong on the coggins the girl said.
So that totally explains how she's been handled quite a bit and yet had very few manners. We're working on it. I am totally enjoying it. Adding Inky to my herd has helped me see horses as part of my work, not just my enjoyment, and that too is nice.
Her former owner called me today. I'd mailed a note to her only on Monday. The consignor was a man so I'm pretty sure this was his daughter -- she sounded young. She said she'd bought the Inky from an Amish man up the road when Inky was four months old. She rode her some last summer. When I asked her how she was, she said, "Well, she has a mind of her own," so I'm not exactly sure what that means but it is a quality Inky most surely does have. She's been to one local show. Inky is a Saddlebred, not a Standardbred . . . the vet got that wrong on the coggins the girl said.
So that totally explains how she's been handled quite a bit and yet had very few manners. We're working on it. I am totally enjoying it. Adding Inky to my herd has helped me see horses as part of my work, not just my enjoyment, and that too is nice.