All tacked up!

I've worked with Crystal a few times this week, and each time we go into the ring and do some bonding, and then groundwork, followed by longing at the walk. Last night we started at the trot as well, but just for a few seconds. The rescue has an adopter curious what Crystal knows, so I tacked her up for the first time today. I introduced her to the saddle and let her sniff it, and she moved around a bit. But when I went to put the saddle pad & saddle on, she stood very well and seemed familiar with it. We went into the ring and did our "routine" and she did not seem at all phased by the saddle on her back. In fact she continued to make steps forward in our bonding, seeming even more relaxed than the previous session. I stand at her shoulder/girth area and ask her to turn her head towards me without moving her feet - and as soon as she "gives" I immediately release. She keeps getting better, allowing me to turn her head each direction a little further each time. She even knows to turn towards me when I outstretch my hand and wait for her for a moment before I ask more firmly.

We trotted both directions making a few cirles each way, and it was more continuous and steady than it was yesterday. I think having a lunge whip instead of trying to use the end of the line as a motivator worked much better. I never touch her with it, of course, but you have a longer reach with it to extend your energy.

I then took her over to the mounting block. I did this yesterday as well, and yesterday when I would ask her to move forward so that I would be at her withers area, she would walk forward and then turn her body/rump away from me, so that if I had been trying to mount, I would not have been able to reach. She again started that way today, but I stayed relaxed and after a few asks and lots of petting, she walked right up to me and put me in the perfect "mounting position." I did a lot of petting and flapping the stirrups/flaps a bit, as well as some jumping up and down on the mounting block with my hands on her withers/the saddle, all of which she tolerated with no indication that it bothered her at all. She watched me, and even turned her nose around to me to see, but kept her feet still and seemed prepared for me to mount up if I had wanted to. I put pressure in the stirrup with my hand and still she stood well. I got down and up again on the mounting block and continued with the same sort of thing, rubbing and scratching her neck/chest and telling her what a good girl she was. If my husband had been home, I probably would have gotten right up on her, but just in case I will wait until there is another adult around before I do that (and it wouldn't hurt for her to gain 50 lbs or so before I try, but I'm not sure I can wait that long. Her ribs are nearly covered, and she seems so willing!)

We got back to the barn and I took the saddle off, but picked up a bridle just to see what she would do. And that sweet mare put her head right into the caveson, and actually opened her mouth for the bit on her own! Sweet girl! So she definitely has been ridden - how much is yet to be determined, but she gives every indication that she knows quite a bit. She moves so easily away from pressure, understands "whoa" by voice on the lunge line and stops every time, and she has stayed so relaxed about everything throughout! I can hardly wait to get up in the saddle and find out how much she knows.

But patience is a virtue (so I'm told) and we'll continue our little routine until things are ready.

Crystal is becoming more and more affectionate - she loves to be groomed - and she knows that I will find all of her itchy spots. I've been grooming while ground tied so she can move around a bit - and she always moves just a little here and there to get me to curry the perfect spot. But she never leaves. She just stands there. It is funny when I let her out of her stall to go out, she does the same thing. I step back and she steps right up to me and waits for me to scratch her chest and withers and rub on her neck. I think she would stand there all day if I would keep scratching. :) But as soon as I loop the lead over her neck, she knows it's time to go out and off she goes!

This mare is going to make someone a lovely horse, and I already know I will miss her. I wish she was about 8 inches shorter and she would be the perfect pony for Sammie. But 16hh is just too high off the ground for this mother's heart when it comes to my baby girl. :) When she's a teenager, no problem, but at 4 years old, well, I'm sure you understand. :)

Trying out the Ankle...

This morning was beautiful here in Texas, and I have been anxious to ride - it has been well over a month since the last time I rode - before I hurt my ankle. As I said before, Sweetie is always the first horse I get back on after a time off from riding. She loved the grooming, and the apples! I know that my ankle is still sore sometimes, but I just couldn't stay off the horses any longer. So we went out to the ring, and I mounted up - OUCH! It was pretty significantly painful. What did I think would happen? It was my left ankle, the one that you put your foot in the stirrup first, it holds all your weight. I was even using a mounting block (although not a huge one, and I was getting on a 16hh horse). It took several minutes for the pain to subside, and I quickly decided that we were not going to do more than walk this lazy Sunday. So we went out in the field to walk the fence a bit, and check out the pond ("tank"). Sweetie has never been one to really enjoy going away from the barn - even after all of these years. I had to straighten her out to stay the direction I wanted to go several times. But she did not fight it too bad for her. As we approached the pond, I could feel her anxiety building, and the moment I turned (no longer away from the barn, but perpendicular to it), she lifted up her front feet and began to get ready to bolt to the barn. Haha - I was ready for this - I know how she is - and I half-halted with my body to bring her back. As I continued to do the rest of the way back up the hill to the barn. I did not have to use a one-rein stop as she did not make that strong an effort, but it was all I could do to keep her walking the whole way back.

The good news was that the pond was full again after all the rain we have received. :) I liked that. :) And I took Sweetie back into the ring to dismount - for two reasons. 1) to teach her that we don't dismount at the barn and 2) it has much softer footing (sand) for my ankle :). I managed to dismount very slowly and only put weight on my good ankle first, and had no trouble from there.

So, I have come to the conclusion that I need to teach my horses to be mounted from the off side for a month or so while my ankle continues to heal. I suspect that although my horses will be initially surprised, they will take to it easily. It's me I'm worried about. :) I don't know if I'm that coordinated anymore. :) My body is so programmed to mounting from the left, I worry I'll mount up and end up looking backwards. :) (Not really... well, maybe. :) ) So we'll see what happens there.

I also took my foster horse, Arwen, out to the ring for some nice, calm, ground work. She was very relaxed, and always came back to me easily. Although I have not "played" with her as much as I'd like, she's learned that I'm pretty laid back. Every time she would come in to me, I would rub her forehead, and she would close her eyes and chew a little. You could just see how relaxed she was. It feels good to know that she trusts me and that we have built a bond even if it is based just on our daily interactions - grooming, a gentle rub on the forehead every time I pass her stall, etc.

Rocky had been sore in his front feet for a few weeks (not laminitis like) - like the change in weather to all the wetness made his feet hurt as the old sole shed off. It has progressively improved, and I took him out to longe him to see how he was doing. I put him out on a circle and asked him to trot - and he told me what for as he took off bucking/kicking/galloping and then came down to the trot. He did that both directions. I don't know if he was saying, "it's about time, Mom" or "how dare you make me work after all this time off." :) Something tells me it's the latter, as he would buck into the canter as a sign of resistance when we were riding regularly. But it was good to see him feeling better - and although I am anxious to ride him - he is 17hh and I've gotta get this off-side mounting thing down before I try to get on him. :) I don't think my ankle could handle the extra 4 inches right now.

It felt so good to ride again today! Here's looking for more of that!