Post by Neeners on Mar 5, 2003 15:14:16 GMT -5
today was raining, dreary and foggy out. at 11:30 when Lis got on the bus i was determined to go ride (had to really talk myself into it.. atleast to groom them)..bring Molly in, give her a good cleaning.. she's molting... we got out to the very sloppy ring and I get on her.. We just do a few circles of walk.. then we trot a little both direction.. Ask her to round up a bit and she went very nicely both ways. Was only on her about 20-25minutes. By this time the rain stops..turn Mols out..
Bring in Cherokee, get all the yuck off him, out to the ring we go.. After 20 minutes of "i dont want to stand by the mounting block, ma" I get him to stand nicely (actually i cornered him in so he couldnt back up and gave him sugar cubes for standing nicely) I get on finally, he really isnt really into it (been 2 months since he has been ridden) tries to intimidate me a little with lots of head tossing. I push him forward forward forward and the tossing stops.. we take a walk around the front of the sloppy barn and call it day.. rode about 20-25 minutes as well..
In comes Rhea.. I tack her up... no issues... strap on the lunge line and out to the ring we go.. Now, here is where im shocked.. ive been working on the whoa/stand command with her and she has picked up pretty quick.. I ask her to move out at the walk around me.... I raise my hand (my command for stop) and ask for whoa, she isnt sure, i back up with pulsing the lunge line.. she stops and stands. I ask for 'walk on' coaxing her with my lunge whip.. Few more feet forward , i raise my hand "whoa aaannnnnndd stand" ......SHE DOES IT! We do a few more circles of this stopping every few feet.. me only having to lightly pulse the line to get her to stop/stand.. I ask for trot (getting her to know the voice command) tap the whip twice behind her she trots off.. now here is where im figuring she wont get the down transitions....except.... IM WRONG>. I say "annnnnnnd whooooaaaa... walk" she slows down and walks... again i say "annnnnnndddd stand" ....she does it.. i almost fell over in disbelief. Now we all know how TB's are with only going on one direction... well i got both directions! (although to the right she was alittle confused but picked up right away what i wanted...) So now i get daring, walk over the mounting block to see if the stand command is really that good.. she shies away from the block the first few passes.. I coax her over, let her smell it she thinks its ok.. i ask her to stand... climb up on the mounting block.. ask to 'stand again' she just stands there.. I pick up the reins and put weight in the stirrup.... no reaction..... i take my foot out of the stirrup... lean ALL the way over the saddle (my feet were dangling) and she......YAWNS lol... I was SOOOOOOOO excited.. no jigging... no dancing.. just STAND! I ask her to walk around the block with me standing ontop of it... and ask again "stand" she does i lean over the saddle.. full weight in it.. she doesnt move a foot.. i called it a day there with her... VERY HAPPY (happy happy joy joy dance)
Bring in Cherokee, get all the yuck off him, out to the ring we go.. After 20 minutes of "i dont want to stand by the mounting block, ma" I get him to stand nicely (actually i cornered him in so he couldnt back up and gave him sugar cubes for standing nicely) I get on finally, he really isnt really into it (been 2 months since he has been ridden) tries to intimidate me a little with lots of head tossing. I push him forward forward forward and the tossing stops.. we take a walk around the front of the sloppy barn and call it day.. rode about 20-25 minutes as well..
In comes Rhea.. I tack her up... no issues... strap on the lunge line and out to the ring we go.. Now, here is where im shocked.. ive been working on the whoa/stand command with her and she has picked up pretty quick.. I ask her to move out at the walk around me.... I raise my hand (my command for stop) and ask for whoa, she isnt sure, i back up with pulsing the lunge line.. she stops and stands. I ask for 'walk on' coaxing her with my lunge whip.. Few more feet forward , i raise my hand "whoa aaannnnnndd stand" ......SHE DOES IT! We do a few more circles of this stopping every few feet.. me only having to lightly pulse the line to get her to stop/stand.. I ask for trot (getting her to know the voice command) tap the whip twice behind her she trots off.. now here is where im figuring she wont get the down transitions....except.... IM WRONG>. I say "annnnnnnd whooooaaaa... walk" she slows down and walks... again i say "annnnnnndddd stand" ....she does it.. i almost fell over in disbelief. Now we all know how TB's are with only going on one direction... well i got both directions! (although to the right she was alittle confused but picked up right away what i wanted...) So now i get daring, walk over the mounting block to see if the stand command is really that good.. she shies away from the block the first few passes.. I coax her over, let her smell it she thinks its ok.. i ask her to stand... climb up on the mounting block.. ask to 'stand again' she just stands there.. I pick up the reins and put weight in the stirrup.... no reaction..... i take my foot out of the stirrup... lean ALL the way over the saddle (my feet were dangling) and she......YAWNS lol... I was SOOOOOOOO excited.. no jigging... no dancing.. just STAND! I ask her to walk around the block with me standing ontop of it... and ask again "stand" she does i lean over the saddle.. full weight in it.. she doesnt move a foot.. i called it a day there with her... VERY HAPPY (happy happy joy joy dance)
She sounds very sane and smart. I can't wait for more updates. Congrats on such success!
Course, it's been bareback with the hackamore, so he can't complain much. 
