Looking back on 2012 and into 2013

First day of 2012 and out for a trail ride on the farm with
Margarita, the trusty  Icelandic horse

What a year it has been for little Flash! He did lots of growing and learning this year. We have made huge strides in training from solidify ground exercises to learning about wearing sheets and learning how to respond to crinkly, noisy, flappy things. Flash also made the move from the country farm to the boarding barn where Deuce lives so I could spend more time working with him He went for numerous pony trail rides along side Deuce and had a few mishaps along the way but we got through them. Both boys are quite level headed, thankfully. We made big strides in learning about steering though ground driving too and even worked towards sitting in the saddle and being carried around a little bit too! We are making big strides at a very slow pace towards being ridden.

Moved to PRF in August and discovered the fun
with mirrors in the indoor arena!

Shadowing Deuce in the pasture at PRF

In 2013, I am planning on more work towards consistent riding, off farm trail rides (ponying with Deuce), maybe going to a few horse shows to spectate, camping trips, and maybe even compete in some in hand classes as a USEA Future Event Horse. My My, it will be a busy year!!! 

SNOW!!!

This was a surprise and a rare occurrence here! There were flurries at the office. I left about noon to head to the barn for a ride.... the closer I got to the barn, the more snow was on the ground! The temps hovered around 32 degrees. Water troughs were not frozen. Just the right amount of wet air hit cold air for a few hours in the right places to make some snow. It won't stick around long.... but its fun to see. Deuce and Flash didn't seem to mind at all. Other than they had to push the snow aside with their muzzles to find the grass.
Since the roads were slightly slushy around the barn, snow still falling and I am a giant chicken when it comes to winter weather driving; I opted out of a ride today. I snapped some pictures, gave some pets and scratches, fed some carrots and headed towards home.

A little brotherly love from Deuce.... not...
this is the "That's my carrot, get back!" face.

More driving progress!

We had an unusually dry and sunny day so I decided we should take our lesson outside. Today was back to driving. I wanted to work on practicing steering with a bit so we did a bit of that in the familiar indoor arena the went to a large paddock to try out working in a new environment. He was such a good boy!!! Very focused and studious, even with the neighboring horses coming over to check out the activity over the fence.  We made turns and stops with ease! He's really coming along!

In the saddle and riding!!!

I asked Russ to come help me with Flash again tonight.

We had a few moments to settle then worked on the basic ground exercises and then went to work. I did a few mount and mount reps while Russ held him. Flash was soo un phased so I had Russ lead us around.
Flash continued to be calm cool and collected so I decided to practice a little bit of steering while Russ lead us so I looped over his lead rope and around and tied it to the other side of his halter. Since we have been ground driving with just a halter, I figured he would be pretty comfortable with the sensation. Then we went into a large circle with Russ in the center. Flash was a little confused about not following Russ at first then he understood the luge circle really well. I did actually practice steering a few times when I asked him to chage directions and he understood it enough to make the turns.

At first I was not using my stirrups in case I needed to bale off quickly, but I decided all was going well that I could pick them up. Flash was a little surprised to hear the stirrups clanking around on my boot and to feel my feet moving around, but once he turned his head around to investigate each boot and the noise, he was okay with the sensation and had no further concerns about the stirrups or my feet bumping around on him.

We worked our way around the arena lunging and steering and walking.  All was going so well we even worked our way into some trotting on the lunge line while I was riding! Wow!! This boy has a big floaty trot! He'll be  whole different ride for me.. but he's gonna be fun and I think he's got some decent movement in him too...I'd wager that he's got the potential to be a fancy dressage horse. Too bad I just want to event with him (if he is even game for jumping when he gets older).

 In the video we are going away from the gate and over the ground poles. He hesitated only a bit at first but he willingly went forward when I asked him. Not even the thought of a baby tantrum.

I think he enjoyed all the new challenges tonight  I could definitely see the wheels turning in his baby brain as he worked through all that we asked of him. Whata smart boy!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Flash has been an extra good boy this year and would love carrots, apples and things to chew on in his stocking... or better yet he will very carefully take them right out of your hand. But no thank you for the candy canes. He will happily give those to Deuce. (Who LOVES all things peppermint!)

Needs a moment to settle

Flash is the kind of horse (at least right now) that does much better with some "settle time" before going into any real work. Basically giving him a minute or so to trot around on the lunge line to snort, kick out, be spooky or whatever. It doesn't take long and I have learned it is easier to not ask too much from him at first. Once he gets it out of his system, he is ready to get down to business and much much easier to work with. He clearly switches from a loaded spring to a relaxed rubber band given the opportunity to bounce a little.

I wonder if he will maintain this trait out as he matures and develops a work ethic through the years....

Driving improved!

After a rough start in the ground driving lessons this week, we have made massive improvements with just a few fore days of practice. Flash's tantrums have gotten less and less and today they were non existent.  I could see the wheels turning in his noggin as we went around and could clearly read his body language too. Several times he thought about stopping and turning with a slight hesitation but when I subtly reminded him with a little direction from the outside rein, he stayed on course and did not even offer to swing sideways or paw a foot.

I am actually quite pleased that he is having these tantrums and to be able to work through them right now.  I much rather deal with these outbursts on the ground before I get in the saddle and have the ground so much farther away.

Back to work = baby's first big temper tantrum

While I was out of town, Flash got turned in and out everyday as usual but that is about all the handling he received. So I figured I would have a youngster who was in fine shape to go back to work this afternoon. And  I was not far off from that sarcastic thought prediction.

I went right back into where we left off with the ground driving. We started out pretty well going in small circles near the gate end of the arena but  I could tell Flash was not real keen on turning away from the gate. Each time we turned away he became a little less forward. Then after about the 4th time passing the gate and moving away from it going left he just stopped. I flicked the lunge line on his side and asked him to move forward and he spun around left and faced me. ergh. Not what I wanted. I got him straightened out and started going forward again and made the turn away from the gate but this time I kept an outside supporting (more contact on the right rein) rein to prevent him from cutting back in left. Well,suddenly he could not do what he wanted and he let me know about it. He shook his head then started hopping sideways and then bounced up a little in his front end. Ooooo! A little temper tantrum! So I sent him forward around me so that he was lunging; I wanted to reinforce the go forward cue and give him a safe and familiar consequence for his outburst. (If you fuss, you will have more work) After a few circles, we went back to driving and  he had an even bigger outburst in the same spot. This time I asked him to go forward with a flick of the rein on his hip and wow; he really threw a fit about that. He even showed me his heels! Fortunately I was a safe enough distance back that there was no contact. But I was sooo not impressed. Into more lunge work and forward trotting we went. This pattern of tantrums went on a few more times and then he finally realized it was easier to just walk away from the gate without drama and so we at last ended on a good note.

Lets work on steering

I worked with Flash on  long lining tonight so we would at least some have steering abilities when I finally get in the saddle and start riding solo. I borrowed a surcingle (sorta like a belt with rings on it) and long lines, clipped the lines to his halter, ran the lines through the rings on the surcingle, stood behind him and away we went! Well.. not at first. Flash has got the giving to pressure down pretty well, but the whole walking forward with someone behind him was a difficult concept to grasp at first. When I put pressure on one rein, he would turn his head as directed, but could not quite figure out how to keep his feet moving forward at the same time while I was behind him. He'd turn around and looked at me...  So I broke it down to first asking him to walk forward with no steering involved  That went pretty well. Then we graduated to asking for half turns. To complex things a bit more, he tended to want to gravitate back to the gate so I had to work with him close to the gate at first and every time he wanted to turn towards the gate, I'd pick up on that rein and ask him for a turn in that direction. Eventually, we were able to work to the other end of the arena and make large circles down there. After some more practice and maybe, if we get a break in the weather, I could do a little practice outdoors too with more distractions!