Yesterday I got up early and decided it was time to figure out more about Rocky's bucking into the canter departure. I needed to know if it was really soreness or otherwise. His mouth was probably still a little sore from the dentist, so I lunged him in just a halter, with no intention of riding him.
We started off at the walk and trot each direction, no trouble at all. And then I asked for the canter. My error probably was working in an arena that wasn't closed off - but we'll have that fixed soon. (We took down a few boards for the bulldozer to be able to level the arena). When he took off (after being very well behaved at the trot) he took off out the end of the arena and bucked/kicked. And then he calmed down, and we went back to work without fanfare, but I did make him do canter transitions several times both directions. It turns out that the bucking fit was not about any soreness, but rather, an escape mechanism - he just doesn't want to work harder, and he has gotten away with it a few times. We finally got correct leads both directions and quit with that. I will lunge him a few times more before I try doing a canter with me riding him. He needs to be consistent about not bucking - as he was once we were past the first canter departure!
Next, I rode Sweetie, my first horse. And she was wonderful, of course. I think it and she makes it happen. Although she seemed lazy at the walk, as soon as I asked for the trot, she jumped right into it! Ditto for the canter - it was a lot of fun!
Kiley was 3rd (I got to spend more time riding today thanks to my wonderful parents & sister babysitting). We walked and trotted both directions - and she is getting much better about going to the right. But one time she came trotting right towards me, which was too fast, and I lifted the carrot stick quickly to say no, and it scared her. I wanted her to feel like she could get away from me, and I ended up giving her more line than I intended, and she ran off out the open arena around the barn with the line trailing her. She did come back to me and let me catch her, but the level of trust was not there anymore. We went back to the arena and walked/trotted both directions really well, and then quit with that. She didn't come in to me after her escapade. Usually, she goes out on the circle, and then comes in and checks in with me regularly. But after she got free that one time, she did not do that again. I groomed her in the crossties afterwards, but quickly put her back in her stall so that she would have a chance to relax as a reward. We will keep plugging away at her trust issues, and I'll do my best to continue to be calm and unthreatening.
Next we went and got all the kiddos out and groomed Arthur, and then we groomed and rode Penny. Penny was great for Jackson, but she decided that she really didn't like Corey walking along side her while Miley was up. We had to cut Miley's ride a little short because we weren't sure what was bothering Penny, and safety is rule 1. I need to take Penny back to the vet to re-xray her head to see if the tumor in her nose has grown or gotten smaller since last year - if it is starting to affect her demeanor, well, I really don't want to think about that right now. But safety for the kiddos is the most important thing.
It has been great to have Corey here with Jackson and Miley to keep us company - the kids have had a blast, and both of her kids have had a wonderful time around the horses.
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