Mezza work continues....

I've been lax in my updates, but Dawn has been faithfully trailering Mezza to the Equestrian Center nearly every Sunday since early spring so that we can work together.

We practice our groundwork, trailer loading (working on backing out of the trailer), long lining, ground driving, water crossing.....yikes, lots of stuff!

Here are several pics showing highlights of this spring and summer. I am so proud of her!

I am looking forward to working on ponying her off of her dam, Luna, in the near future and continuing with her ground driving work so that we can drive her out of the round pen and eventually along the path around the Equestrian Center. She is starting to grow her withers up, and get some more height, but at 3 years and 3 months there is still plenty of time to practice while she continues to grow and get ready for riding! : )

Long lining

getting used to water

Dawn and Mezza practice in the trailer

Polly helping with part of desensitizing Mezza for sitting on her

The other side...

From above...

On with weekly posts...

Training with Mezza ground to a standstill last September as I moved our horses and then underwent two surgeries.

Now, aside from the weather and occasional schedule flexing, Dawn trailers Mezza out once a week so we can work together. It is a great experience for her to trailer on a regular basis, and over the past month she has trailered without Luna, her dam, on board.

We are currently working on her long-lining and ground driving, while testing out various saddles on her. She is growing, but still fits in a semi-quarter. These two photos were taken in March, courtesy of Dawn Dooley.

 I was really proud of her this past Sunday, as it was fairly windy, and she didn't get it a thought! Dawn and I froze, but Mezza still has most of her winter coat and seemed to enjoy the session much better than the week before, when it was warm and she got itchy and she wanted to roll with the saddle on!

Scout in the long lines

Today I spent time with Scout. He got some good grooming in which he enjoyed, and then I tacked him up in the surcingle and side pull and we worked at ground driving, and a little long lining in the indoor arena for about 20 minutes around the arena and over poles.

He saw the chiropractor last week, and had his 7th cervical and his first thoracic vertibrae put back in place. She worked on his LS joint area too. The first two adjustments seem to have held, but the lower back has not. She does not want him ridden or worked in small circles until that one stays in place. He did a great job for me, and was very willing. He really likes the attention. We will have to see what happens with the lower back. I stretched out his hind legs afterwards, and he happily walked back to his pen with me.