Loading Review

Spent a bit of time grooming both Mezza and Scout today. Followed up with some trailer loading practice with Mezza. We should probably do this weekly, as she would rather stay (hence keeps deboarding after getting in) if Scout is not traveling with her. It was hot, but went well.

Working on 'Hills"

Mezza and I had a great ride today. Again, we started by checking out our ground work, walking and trotting some circles, changing directions on the line, desensitizing, progressing to lateral flexion and disengaging after mounting.
There was no mass exodus of pigeons today to set our ground work off to a fast start, as on Thursday. However, that was an important reminder from "higher up" how circumstances can change in an instant and remind me of my need to review and practice basics.

Mezza walked, and then trotted without getting stuck anywhere!  We repeatedly trotted up the two mounds the cattle stand on, where she stood and surveyed her surroundings. It was a lot of fun for both of us!
Afterwards, I untacked her and we took a long walk in the open space and up to the canal line. This will be one of our riding places, hopefully in the near future.

A Short Ride...

Today, Mezza and I slipped in a short ride after some ground work. We are picking up the trot in the heifer pen, as she is no longer trying to hide along fence lines that are shared with other horses.

Day of Grooming...

Monday Mezza's hooves were checked and got an 'OK' for now from the farrier. My schedule was slammed (full) and Mezza was happy to check back out to the pasture where she now gets daily turnout until evening unless it rains. We have been encouraged to ride uphills to assist with hind-end development.

Tuesday became a grooming and hand-grazing (read Scout) day. When time gets tight I at least get some hands on time. My appologies, I lack photos : (

Back at the Equestrian Center...

Sunday I loaded up Miss Mezza without Scout. Mezza rather thought that stunk, and she was asked back into the trailer 4 or 5 times before she decided it was easier to stay than to turn and come back out (sigh). She definitely likes a buddy, and I definitely need to be that buddy when we are together, and hope that this summer will help her confidence with that.

This time we were able to get into the center, and there was a show going on. Still plenty of room to park. Honestly, Mezza handled everything well!  I met up with Vanessa and her young horse, Whiskey, and Joann, who was riding Vanessa's other horse, Lady. Mezza was immediately happy to see them, although she squealed at the gelding, go figure.

Notice the breast collar--it really did help!

My friends went out to ride on alone, while I warmed Mezza up briefly in the round pen. When Mezza and I finished, I took her over to the warm-up arena to start with. I hadn't even gotten on when a judge came in to explain that he needed the arena for a short time for a class. So, we exited, and Mezza and I started off our ride out in the trail course. All good : )

Vanessa and Joann arrived back, and all of us headed through the show participants and attendees and took the loop around the inside of the equestrian center. Mezza did not bat an eye at anything going on. What I did have to address was her desire to suck up to the horses in front of her. So, everything she started to get close to one of them I disengaged her a couple of times and had her relax and wait until they others were farther ahead. A little over half way around she figured it out, and was happy to follow along without here nose close to anyone's tail.

By the time we completed our loop, the arena was free, so we went in and practiced going everywhere (without getting stuck anywhere) at the walk and trot. Again we had to work at giving up the buddy sour business. It was all good in the end!

Learning a Little Patience

Well, that was yesterday, Thursday, and it really didn't go as planned. I started out with a "D" and finally scraped by with a B- on my disposition and patience (or impatience). In the end it was a lot of learning (patience) on my part, and a wee bit of innovation--or more likely flexibility by demand.

I had the brainy idea that I would ride both Mezza and Scout, so I gave Scout some bute, got the trailer hooked up (on a plus, my backing was a lot better than last time). Got everything loaded tack-wise, and hung a hay net for the first horse (Scout) by a little after noon. Scout hopped right in and promptly turned around in the trailer. I spent a good 30 minutes (or more) with him. He'd get right in, get halfway to his spot (in a 3-horse slant) and then stop. He'd step up, then he'd step back. If he turned, he wouldn't necessarily get out, just stop at the edge. I was thinking, "if you'll get out, I'll just put you back in until you don't wish to get out". Hmmm. Finally every time he took a step toward his spot I rubbed on him. I literally had to stop wishing he would move up and just not care about that--I just needed to care about him and not my stupid schedule. He stopped taking the step backward. I sighed. He finally stepped up in place and contentedly stood there, and started eating. I looked at him and shook my head. He was perpetually relaxed through it all.

 Mezza, on the other hand literally jumped right in and sucked into her spot!  I will see if that happens when I trailer her alone!  Off we went. It's only about 1 mile to the center. There's a left hand turn lane in the middle of the road, then I saw the cones...."can I get around them," I wondered?  There were several men operating a skid-steer thing-a-ma-jig and putting down asphalt on the entrance drive. My heart sank. The entire entrance was blocked off. Dang. I kept the trailer going. Several cars passed me on the right. OK, change of plans, take the next left to G&J Lazy P!

Wondering what we're doing here!

I'd been wanting to take Mezza to G&J's indoor arena at some point, as if the weather got bad that's a close place to go to ride, and good during the week. I thought, no problem. She's used to indoor arenas, outdoor arenas, etc. Hahaha. Never take anything for granted. She screamed for Scout when I first put her in the round pen. I parked along the dirt road and tied Scout to the off side, away from any traffic and where he could have some shade. Mezza was a dirty mess, so I put her in the round pen while I pulled the take and brushes out of the trailer. We did ground work in the round pen (avoiding some water), then cleaned and tacked up and went into the indoor.

Totally relaxed here...

She did well with ground work and hand walking in there (thought the chickens were intersting), but was not the low-key self she had been outside. The saddle pad/saddle kept sliding back, and when I went to get on, things just weren't right. So, instead we went out tied at the rail and I struggled with the pad and saddle. Once that was resolved, back into the round pen we went and I finally realized I just needed to keep doing whatever I was working on until she relaxed, whether it was ground work or ridden work. I needed to lose my schedule and concentrate on her. Hmm, sound familiar?

Looking for patience (mine) and relaxation (Mezza's)

It worked. First I looked for it from the ground. Then when I rode. There was one spot in the round pen where she kept trying to cut through and turn around when I rode, avoiding a big puddle by cutting back inside instead of going around it. So, the only thing we worked on was her willingness to go around the outside of the puddle at a trot, without hanging up anywhere. I'd let her turn, but when she cut to the center I'd disengage her a few times at the trot, taking the pressure off when she faced the way I'd hope she'd go. Seemed like that would never end, but it did! We ended up with a nice trot after about ? minutes of that, then a nice walk, and then she just got to hang out there at the place she had been so determined to avoid. So much for spending time in the arena...I was bushed, and poor Scout was patiently waiting at the trailer.

Scout posing

Well, Mezza got to hang out at the trailer while I took Scout for a walk. My plans got changed, and I have to accept that I am ultimately not in charge of everything. I need to be flexible, patient, and look for the good in each situation without making assumptions. I will try my best to remember this.

I guess it's otherwise known as "Sh-t happens".
Note to self--use a breast collar!

Preparing for the Trails...

Yesterday I loaded up both Mezza and Scout, my Mustang, and headed to the local equestrian center. There I met up with a friend and fellow horsewoman, Vanessa, who has two wonderful trail wise Appys. Her youngest is a 4-year old who she started and regularly takes out on the trails. I've only had Mezza out of the arena twice before, (last summer), but she has been doing so well in the heifer pen that I think we can take another step forward.

Vanessa and Lady

I warmed Mezza up from the ground--going through her gaits in the round pen, before tacking her up. Scout took his post in a pen, where he did some weed wacking.  Vanessa and I then proceeded to the arena. Mezza and I worked on some in-hand circles, disengaging and desensitizing and then I mounted up and went through lateral flexion and disengaging before heading off.

We worked on walking and trotting on a loose rein, making sure there were no places we were getting preoccupied with. Her head carriage was a little high, and her stops need some review. Both had improved enough by the time we were ready to leave the arena that I felt good about going out.

We ended with a loop around the interior of the equestrian center. All went well!