Our First Lesson!!

 I am planning to take Flash to a USEA Future Event Horse competition this fall. These are in hand classes where the young horses (ages 1-3) are evaluated for disposition and conformation and how that equated to being an eventer in the future.  So they are shown "in hand" which means being led around at the walk and trot. Now, there is much that happens in showing a horse to his fullest potential  I have never shown a horse in hand and I thought it would be a good idea to have a lesson or two in how to do this.

So I went to a local expert on the subject, a highly talented instructor, Dressage rider and trainer who is also extremely experienced and good at showing young horses in hand.

We had a lesson set up for 5:00 this evening. I figured that would give me plenty of time to get from work to the barn, trailer hitched, Flash loaded (he's been a pro the 3 times he has ever hauled anywhere) and off to the trainer's.

Well, I did not factor in the time to work through Flash's trailer loading issues. My mistake is that I just expected him to get on. I had no reinforcement behind him and so when he figured out he did not have any pressure behind him asking him to get on, he decided he didn't have to. Then when he did get some pressure behind (thank you Erin!), he pitched a fit for awhile before he  finally decided it was easier to just get on. Oh you stinker, Flash! So we were late to leave and thus late to our lesson.
The nice thing is at least he's quite once he's on board.

So we get to the farm, and he on loads beautifully and is super quiet and calm when we walk into the barn and then down the aisle to the arena. I am not sure if he was just in shock and awe at being in a new place and didn't have time to think about being bored and feisty  or what. But I was quite thrilled with his quiet and calm nature.

So we went right to work walking and we learned about stopping with by " opening or closing the gate" with the dressage whip (or arm or lead rope or whatever is handy) while using voice to reinforce the whoa.

Flash was really good at responding to the cue, but he has already learned how to learn so it came pretty easy.  The key was keeping his eye at my shoulder  He wants to be slightly ahead of me (more like cheek to shoulder) which I need to remember to swing the gate to back up and not jiggle the lead rope.

So then we talked about turning clockwise with the same gate method (sort of an extension of the shoulders and body turning him) and he was pretty good at that too.

Then we practiced lengthening the walk by going in bigger strides counting up 1-2-3-4 then slowing down 4-3-2-1.  Pretty darn good at that too.

Then it we went over the basics of standing for conformation evaluation. So left legs need to be in straight line and perpendicular to the ground while the right side should be slightly underneath him (like a V)

He was pretty good at getting his feet where we wanted him too.  So that was it. I had one question about his mouthiness when he trots, but of course when I tried to show her what he did, he was a perfect gentleman. oh well.

If he attempts anything she suggested I blow up at him for a second or two and then go right back to work as if nothing had happened.

Then it was time to head home. We were ready for a loading issue this time, and since there was someone right behind him, he had no trouble climbing into the trailer.

So a few things to practice and next time we will work on trotting. The biggest objective was getting him to a new place and giving him a job. We succeeded in both.

In the end, a good day.

Lost in the fog

We've had a funny weather pattern the past few days... an inversion and COLD weather. So its been clear, but heavy fog most of the day. Its rally odd its pretty much like the clouds fell. You can tell the sky is clear above... and the sun wants to break through.  It just can't.

Took Flash for a walk out in the field.... he blends in until he faces you! 

Salon day!

It was a salon day this evening at the barn. Flash's "hair don't" is finally starting to grow out and starting to think about falling to the side. The time had come to brush out his mane and start trying to get it all to fall to one side. I think it is going to be a constant battle.... he's got a fine thin tail and a thick fluffy mane. Not sure how that worked out... but oh well.

So I was trimming and brushing and fussing with him. Then it was Deuce's turn and I ended up pulling out the clippers and working with Deuce and his fear of clippers. Well, Flash's stall is in plain sight of the tack up area and Flash was enthralled with the clippers and more so the fact that Deuce was getting lots of carrots...

By the time I was done with Deuce, Flash was practically climbing out of his stall to check out the clippers and get a carrot. So I brought him out and let him touch the clippers and feel them buzz and get lots of carrots too. He was soooo good. Even with the buzzing by his ears!

Fire and Ice

It was a COLD COLD COLD day...  the high was about 28 or so. And while it was a grey overcast day, it was not percipitating. So no snow. But out at the barn, there was a heavy layer of frost that was still there at noon today. At first glance, everything looed like it had a light dusting of snow but really it was just thick frost.

So that's the setting. I got out to the barn, went to get Deuce. I typically ride him first so he can wear his cooler and dry off while I work with Flash. Had a nice ride on Deuce, my fingers thawed and then it was Flash's turn.

Did I mention that it was cold? Deuce is fairly unfazed by temperature shifts or most anything really
(except clippers). He's got the Belgian draft genetics and maturity going for him. However Flash is another story. A bit of  change in the weather and the hot blooded Arabian side starts smoldering. So Flash was already a bit warm when I brought him into the barn. It was mid day and there was lots of activity in the barn with stall cleaning and bucket washing  Flash is usually out in the field during the day so he's not used to all these cleaning sounds that he couldn't see. He was on high alert in the cross ties while I groomed and tacked him up (it was going too be a lunge in the saddle day) and I could sense his smolders starting to ignite and a little flame started to build in him.

So into the arena we went. A few ground exercises and then right into lunge work. And the flame became a a full blown roaring fire! Buck , buck, buck, bounce, buck, bounce... and so on. Still respectful but wow, such fire!! It did not take long for the fire to blaze then settle back to a manageable roar, so I thought that was pretty darn good. We did a few more ground exercises and then went back to the barn take off the saddle and then carry on for a walk down the driveway and out to the Christmas tree farm. I could tell the fire was still burning as he still had a slight edge to him, but I am good with that. As long as he can keep his mind and stay mindful and still be fired up (and ready to gallop and jump on a cross country course!)

In the saddle again!

It was another intro to riding night on Flash. Russ came out to help and I got him all saddled up (he was much calmer tonight!) and did a bit of lunge lining to get him ready for listening and then took him over to the mounting block to hop on. He stood like a perfect gentleman while I swung on and he started just a bit when my right foot started wiggling for the stirrup. It was mostly a small jump in place and he then had to turn around and check out my foot. Then all was well.

Russ took us for a little walk and then we were back on the lunge line and steering back and forth and around with the halter. He was so good! It was easy to almost forget he had only been backed a few times. We even did some more trotting in a big circle and I was able to find the rhythm of his big floaty trot much easier this time. (and I think he was more comfortable moving with me up there this time too!) Yep, little Flash is coming along nicely!

A loaded spring

It was a chilly night. and it had been a few days since I had done much work with Flash. I decided that I'd just do a little ground work and some lunging to get his feet moving. And feet moving he wanted to do!!! I  could tell he was a loaded spring when we got into the arena... he was quite springy and alert. I was proud how he contained himself and didn't completely forget all his manners and try to run me over or run off or anything like that... but I could tell he was ready to go at the slightest chance. We got into the arena, I did a few ground exercises then went right to lunging. As soon as he got out to the end of the line at energetic walk, I asked for a little trot and he exploded into a trot/roundy canter and let out a huge buck. Then he lunged forward, rounded his back and sorta hopped off all fours and then went blasting forward again. Silly boy!! He wasn't being naughty, he was still respecting the lungeline and me, it was more of a "I have lots of energy and I can't contain it anymore" So he went around a few times kinda wild and then we changed directions and went the other way. After a few minuets he came out of it and settled into a nice trot and put his ear on me and we stopped. I am so thrilled to see him be fired up like this and then know that he will get it out of his system and settle into "listening and ready for my job" fairly quickly!