My little Pony has come a long way!

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Horse flies were nuts today! No sign of them when I first went out, within 4min, they were attacking the gelding and he spooked. Saddle shifted, but stayed on until he stopped and was calm. Hopped off to fix the saddle.

Continued attempting the walk for 12min and then hopped off. No bugs, yay.

Then had him lunge at a walk with some pool noodles. At the end of it, the flies came back...ugh. They freaked him out and one even got me!

Walking out of the pen, horse fly came back to snack on the gelding, was able to kill that one!

Got both spooks on camera.

Otherwise, a good day.

 

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He did real well last night in pasture under saddle. But today, we were both just not in the mood to bother with it, lol. Started out ok, got weird and then ended on a quick good note. Have video from today's mess. Wish I had the camera up yesterday, that went very well.

Ah well. I'll post stills later.

 

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Just over 12min of good practice before the issues came up.

 

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Okay, we have a new Black Forest treeless western saddle.

We went out and down to the barn, turned and half way back to the pen before he decided to refuse.

It took 30min or so to fully get over it and walk back into the pen.

Saddle was loose because the girth wasn't proper.

 

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Pics from a ride on Thursday.

 

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I've started taking lessons at the barn my horse will go to.

Have also bought a horse trailer and been reteaching them to load. Heck of a time with the silver mini and the gelding, ut pinto is fine like always.

Didn't mess with the horses much until tonight.

Lead the gelding through sheep pasture into the yard with the trailer. Baby mini popped through as well, but got her to stay in with the sheep.

Gelding gave me a refusal to go into the trailer, I insisted, he went in. We walked out, around and back in, no issue. Repeated a few times, then tied him and closed the trailer. I left for a little bit and opened the door and lead him out and back into his pasture. =) He was so good today! Minis were both running around calling, but he did well.

Then caught the booger mini, baby one, and she gave no issues with going in, waiting and back out. She even went ahead of me the last two times! =)

Though, she did refuse to pass the gate between the sheep pasture and the yard the trailer was in. Little persuasion and she went through.

Then did some tying, just the rope over the bar and in my hand in case she freaked. She likes to rear when forced, but she was calm and only a little squiggly. Led her out of the trailer, tied her to the side of it so I could close up the trailer. Then walked off here and there to see how she'd do with me not near her. She wiggled a little, but stayed calm.

We walked back through that gate she balked at, but she did well and even listened when I motioned for her to turn after she passed through. =)

Gelding also did well with turning after walking through the gates.

 

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Rode the gelding for 45min today, tried to get a trot, but soon became obvious that I have to work more on lunging and asking walk to trot, trot to walk and then attempt it. Or find someone to lunge him while I sit on him, but don't have any horse friends, so I guess I'll just work on the line for now.

Tried to get him close enough to the gate to undo it, but it didn't work out. If it swung the other way, would of been able to do it. But how it is now, there's only 4ft from latch to corner of fence on an incline and that's too hard for him for now.

Will try riding him in the bigger sheep pasture tomorrow. Gentler slops, a large rock to cross, between a few trees, might be nice practice. =)

Oh, I've started taking lessons, next Tuesday will be lesson 3. February or March I'll send the gelding for training.

 

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Pics from today's ride

 

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Stirrups need to be longer still, but he's wide and you just can't easily wrap your legs around him and still keep heels down. =/

 

[Ryan Johnson]

I have one TB like that , he built like a draft horse

Ive been following this thread since it started and as titled " he really has come along way "

 

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Today we rode in the large ewe sheep pasture. He hasn't been in this area for 2+ years. Trotted a bit a couple times all on his own, that was nice. Walked up steep little hills, back down the steep little hills, dry mini creek under the trees, all over the big rock(was neat to hear his hooves clack on it), etc. Nice ride. Can't wait to go on trails one day with him! He was so calm and fine with everything.

 

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3 more pics.

 

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Came back from my lesson today and got a short bareback ride on my boy. =)

Sorry, should of made them smaller.

 

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Rode my boy today after my lesson. Found out I hate my treeless saddle, just a horrid fit/position for my legs. Have to wait until my boy is fit to buy a good saddle for him. May get a bareback pad with stirrups for now and sell the treeless, it's a Black Forest, if anyone is interested in it. *hint hint, wink wink* lol

He may be going to training a month early! Depends on how soon his coggins comes in, should be tomorrow.

First half of today's ride. With a saddle.
Going down the easement, where I dip my head under hotwire and horse stops, the sheep run off and Vanilla injured herself.
Then going back up that area, a thorn snags my shirt and it ends up whipping him on the rump and he spooks. =0 But he soon stops and we take a breather. smile emoticon
Once back at the white bucket, I dismount and lead him through the barn to ride in the other pasture. That's were the other video picks up from.

 

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He goes to official training on the 7th!

 

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December 31st, I started to train again for backing out of trailer, but found a new way.

He is terrified of the step down while going backwards. So I used food to distract him and ta-da!

Took a day off today, will practice again tomorrow.

 

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Got his microchip and brushed out mane. Leaving tomorrow...ughh, I'm dreading it. He's started to eat shavings, bedding. So will have to make sure they know about that. I rather bring them hay to use as bedding than him have shavings and eat it....

Wish him luck!

 

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He was a little floppy in the trailer at first, but figured it out.
He unloaded ok, bit looky lou and shoving the trainer, but once he got down the length of the truck and trailer, he remembered his manners and did great. Went into the dark barn and stall ok. =)
He scrubbed that feed bucket spanking clean from the feed scent that was left in there, lol.
Have a video of him in the stall, too, he's so short you can hardly see him over the wall! =)

Snazzy in hot pink.

Video at the end, she laughed with me about his height some more after the video cut out. They have 2 others in, one is quite tall and you can nearly see all of him over the wall, lol.