Soooooo .... we have actually done some really fun stuff this summer with the horses, the last of which was an obstacles clinic with our favorite Mustang trainer, Jessica Dabkowski at Two Spruce Farm.
The owner, Jody Marken is also very knowledgeable and was a huge help teaching me to slow down and learn how to move your horse 'one step at a time'. It's a lot harder than it sounds. It's much easier to ask your horse to move in any given direction and have them move three, four or more steps, than it is to have them just move one foot, one step. Try it.
Bill sat this one out due to a migraine, then ended up being the photographer, getting some pretty great shots. GunDiva daughter, Miss LE, and I all had a great time challenging ourselves. As Jessica and Jody kept telling us, it wasn't about the obstacle, it was about the communication between you and your horse.
Since my horse is pretty great with true trail obstacles, once he understood these were just funky items to play with, we first practiced 'sending' our horses through on their own, then having them stop in the middle of one, or even trying to have them do something on 'just a thought'. Later I rode Washoe through this particular obstacle, and asked him to stop in the middle. He did .. then reached down and pulled the yellow noodle off with his teeth and spit it on the ground. Challenging our communication with them on a large scale - in both directions.
Another fun one. Washoe couldn't decide if he was supposed to step between the tires - or on them. After this he totally ignored them and just walked all over them, stepping wherever, and even just standing on them.
Right now, plans are to haul our horses over to Estes Park at the end of September to a Mustang challenge there, happening after one of the TIP auctions. So we brought our daughter's horse up here until then, so we could practice together on some maneuvers, such as side-passing over a log, backing through poles, and opening gates. Today, I decided to ride her horse just for fun; Washoe's nose was definitely out of joint, until I put Skeeter away and climbed on him. Both horses did very well, although they are worlds apart in their training.
Bill and Alloy had a great day today, too, making it about 17 rides or so this summer with NO BUCKING!!! They seem to have had a great breakthrough in the communication department, mostly Al deciding he could discuss things with Bill without yelling (bucking).
The lodge is running as well as can be expected with all the virus confusion and variants, so we are happily enjoying any spare time we can get with the horses.
Until next ride,
Bionic Cowgirl
Of course Skeets and Washoe are worlds apart in their training! You've had Washoe since he was a wee one, and now he's the old man of the herd.
ReplyDeleteThe obstacle clinic was a ton of fun and I'm looking forward to the Wild Horse and Burro Expo as well (even though Skeets and I are still very, very green).