![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
horsey news, part n+1
Nov. 15th, 2009 11:54 pmLJ tells me I "Last updated 10 weeks ago". Really? Yeah, I guess, probably. Eh, just because I haven't been blogging it doesn't mean I haven't been living it. Case in point, the ongoing project...
Gemini has turned a corner in the last few weeks. It took six months to build up enough trust that I can walk up to her, clip a lead line on, and walk her out of the paddock like a normal horse. During that time, she was also extremely reluctant to leave the ring, even to graze.
Two weeks ago, in a fit of desperation, I took a dressage whip, gave her a tap (and I do mean "tap") on the flanks, and she went out for her first no-drama trail ride in ever so long. Just a mile or so, because she's out of shape, but huge progress. (Six months ago, she would have flipped out at the sight of the whip - something bad in her past. The fact that I can use it now is testament to the level of trust we've built up. Of course, it's still just a training aid; we're using the stick now, so we (hopefully) won't have to use it later.)
Last week, went out for a slightly longer trail ride with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lyonesse and iabervon. Next day, ring lesson with lyonesse, where Gemini did some practice jumps (18" cross-rail) with no hesitation, no refusal, and even no dressage whip.
Today, I took her out again solo, with the whip tucked in my boot. About 3½ miles, varied terrain, some hills, some nice fire roads. She took it mostly at a trot, with a few canters, and only walked when she had to. Her ears were up, she was looking around at everything, and she was totally into it. It was a warm day for a horse in her winter coat, and she's not where she needs to be with strength or stamina, so she was completely soaked when we got back, but happy. We both were.
Have I mentioned how happy this makes me? This is the sort of riding I got this horse for, and it's just weird to me that we went the entire summer without going on the trail. Really, this is where I'd thought we'd be in May, and it was frustrating. But we're here now, and she really seems to enjoy it. She's a really really good horse, and I'm looking forward to spending the next few years showing her my favorite places in the forest.
Gemini has turned a corner in the last few weeks. It took six months to build up enough trust that I can walk up to her, clip a lead line on, and walk her out of the paddock like a normal horse. During that time, she was also extremely reluctant to leave the ring, even to graze.
Two weeks ago, in a fit of desperation, I took a dressage whip, gave her a tap (and I do mean "tap") on the flanks, and she went out for her first no-drama trail ride in ever so long. Just a mile or so, because she's out of shape, but huge progress. (Six months ago, she would have flipped out at the sight of the whip - something bad in her past. The fact that I can use it now is testament to the level of trust we've built up. Of course, it's still just a training aid; we're using the stick now, so we (hopefully) won't have to use it later.)
Last week, went out for a slightly longer trail ride with
lyonesse and iabervon. Next day, ring lesson with lyonesse, where Gemini did some practice jumps (18" cross-rail) with no hesitation, no refusal, and even no dressage whip.Today, I took her out again solo, with the whip tucked in my boot. About 3½ miles, varied terrain, some hills, some nice fire roads. She took it mostly at a trot, with a few canters, and only walked when she had to. Her ears were up, she was looking around at everything, and she was totally into it. It was a warm day for a horse in her winter coat, and she's not where she needs to be with strength or stamina, so she was completely soaked when we got back, but happy. We both were.
Have I mentioned how happy this makes me? This is the sort of riding I got this horse for, and it's just weird to me that we went the entire summer without going on the trail. Really, this is where I'd thought we'd be in May, and it was frustrating. But we're here now, and she really seems to enjoy it. She's a really really good horse, and I'm looking forward to spending the next few years showing her my favorite places in the forest.
