Cowgirl Spirit Rescue Drill Team

Sorry it has been awhile since my last post. Mandi has been doing very well.

Physically, her wound has completely healed.

Emotionally, she has definitely figured out her new life. While she still isn’t too sure about other horses, she has definitely checked her emotions and has settled into the routine of the barn. With people – she loves to be groomed, to be coddled, and also loves doing anything with her handler.

She has two riders now, myself, and another volunteer.

Last night I rode Mandi in our indoor arena with 2 other horses. Initially she was a bit nervous, she wanted to know where the other horses were at all times, but she settled in and we even did some “pairs” work with the other horse. Mandi was guarded, but never took a step out of line.

Afterwards, we all sat in the center of the arena and chatted, giving Mandi the time to relax amongst friends.

It was a positive experience for her, and one she took well.

Whoa, exciting times at the barn yesterday! Had tons of chores to do, and then took a lesson on Mandi.

Initially Mandi was a bit nervous when I took her out of her stall. There was a ton going on at the barn – few boarders tacking up and walking their horses down the aisle to ride outside, a lesson going on in the arena, and another rider riding around the perimeter of the barn. Mandi isn’t used to so much hustle and bustle, so she was on edge. She never did anything naughty or out of control, but she was a bit alarmed and tried to step forward in the cross ties a bit. In order to help her, I allowed her to move, but passively corrected her by moving her right back to her original spot. Once things quieted down she was fine.

I did longe her very lightly in our roundpen while waiting for our lesson. I don’t use that space often because I do find it a bit small, but Mandi actually liked it, and it seemed to relax her. So from there I took her to the arena and we started on our lesson.

We did a ton of trotting, and really worked on Mandi’s ability to bend – through her body. She very much just wants to brace her neck and plow along. So I was tasked with unlocking her neck, and her body. It was hard work. Physically, but really more mentally, which is why having a trainer there to keep encouraging is so helpful and priceless. So once she started getting it, even a miniscule amount, i’d give her freedom by loosening my contact and letting her stretch. A few times of that, and then a walk break, she licked and chewed and thought about it, and when I picked her back up in trot, I got a few more really good bends.

We then worked on the canter some, which was great. By then Mandi (and I) were pooped, so we did a  long cool out, playing on bend at the walk on the long rein.

All in all it was a great lesson. Mandi is a very sensible horse, and she tries real hard.

Mandi had a really fun ride today.

One of the rescue’s members came out and was able to take some shots of us at the beginning of our ride. Photos never turn out well in our indoor, which is why she stopped trying. I probably should’ve ridden outside to get better pictures but I wanted to stay out of the sun, plus a couple of training opportunities were available in the indoor, and I wanted to take advantage of those.

Mandi got to ride with another horse in the arena today. Not only that, she also got to go over poles, one on the ground, and one slightly raised. Because of these things, plus having an audience, she was a bit spooky, but nothing bad- she just scooted forward a time or two and then relaxed.

The poles- she trotted over it a few times, but also took the raised one as an itty bitty jump. It was cute. She’s not so sure if she wants to put in the effort to go over fences, but she did try, and she was rewarded.

We also did some canter work, and after everything, we gave her a bath.

All in all it was an awesome day!

Mandi and I had a really nice session today. We started off with all the basics we’ve been working on. Once on her and warmed up, I decided to start teaching her how to do changes of direction at the trot, serpentines, circles, half circles, figure 8′s - anything to get her to start understanding the change of rein and all that encompasses. She did really well.

When it comes to overall balance, her left shoulder is the heavier one. the left side in general is where she wants to lean.

So with that work done, I decided to ask her for canter, and asked her to go to the right first, knowing that is easier for her on the longe. She doesn’t have a canter cue, so we trotted into it, and I kissed to her, using the same cue she knows on the longe. She picked it up just fine, and kept it for a few rounds. She’s your typical green horse- unbalanced. But no funny- business. So, then we went the other way, and after doing some shoulder moving work at the walk, I asked her to canter to the left. That direction was a bit tougher balance wise, but she did it willingly.

Had a nice long cool-out, grooming session, and then dewormed her.

She was a good girl for everything.

Yesterday was Mandi’s 4th ride. Nothing new to report- she’s getting into the groove of working. Her fitness is improving a bit, and she’s much more relaxed about everything. I kept yesterday’s ride pretty short, it was just a reinforcement of the same concepts we worked on over first few rides.

She’s had her best work on the longe line to date. I firmly believe that the horses I work with need to learn as many skills as necessary, and longeing is one of them. It helps both fitness and obedience, and I can see what frame of mind the horse is in, if any tack is bothering them, if there is any lameness, etc.

Mandi has always been okay on the longe, but a little more resistant to the right, and she wants to stop, turn, and face her handler on that side. So we’ve been working on that, too. We’re also working on cantering on a large circle, which has been hard for her, especially on the “open” side – she always wants to break to trot. Its a fitness and balance issue.

Yesterday, she stayed on the circle the entire time, at the pace I directed. Much better.

She was also much better about fly spray/spray bottles, I can spray her anywhere and she’s fine with that.

She’s got the next day off, and then she’ll be back at it!

Mandi had her third ride yesterday. This time we rode in the indoor arena, which is a bit scarier for her – especially the far gate. However, Mandi was just fine yesterday. We did lots of transitions from halt, walk, trot, and then did some longer sets of trotting. All in all we worked for about an hour. We got some really good work- even some softness in places she was quite stiff.

All in all, it was a great ride.

I got up to the barn on Sunday morning, trying to beat the heat. I wanted to ride before it got too uncomfortable- I do not do very well in the sun.

I tacked up Mandi in our barn in the cross ties- she was much more relaxed, if even a bit sleepy, than last time. I also cleaned out her wound and redressed it in the ties which was a first as I usually do that in her stall- she just stood there and let me take a care of it.

So, once we were ready, we went out to the outdoor arena which is next door to our property. Its a larger space, not exactly the best groomed surface but it works. The 2 neighbor horses came over to watch us, too!

Initially Mandi’s excitement level rose – but she held it all together. We did some ground work, then I did moving longe circles around the arena so we could both get a feel of the new space. Nothing remarkable to report, other than Mandi’s desire to stop and eat the grass patches. She also wanted to drift over to the gate and her horse neighbors who were standing close to the gate, but they eventually moved off and she didn’t react. She’d also become alert if she heard a horse from our barn’s property, but never called back – just lifted her head and tried to listen closer.

I did more mounting exercises – just as a pack of motor cycles went flying past – Mandi didn’t react at all. From there I got on and rode. We practiced one rein stop, then “regular” stops with my seat, changing direction, and then started trotting around, circles, changes of direction – real basic stuff.

She was a very good girl for everything. Like I said in my last post- she’s green, but willing, and the change in environment didn’t change that about her.

So, the plan is to keep riding. The main things I want to focus on with Mandi is around softness- in her body, to the bit. Right now she feels a bit like steering a boat. Most green horses are like this (or extra wiggly!), and often times it is both fitness and training that sets everything straight.

Yesterday Mandi was officially put back to work. She stood in the cross ties just fine for grooming and saddling. She was a bit nervous about getting the girth on – so we worked on that. Nervous for her was her eyes bulging out of her head. So we repeated it a few times until she relaxed a bit. She is great to bridle and had no issues with that.

From there, I put her through her paces on the longe line, and also did some ground work. She was great for everything. For whatever reason, she is nervous of the far gate in the arena. I suppose that it is because life is more exciting on that side of the arena – where cars/trucks pull in. So we worked on going passed the gate in a relaxed way, then in and out, approaching it. I was trying to help her get passed her tense up and speed up reaction, especially when the gate is behind her.

Once she got better about the gate, i proceeded with mounting exercises. This was likely Mandi’s first go at wearing a dressage saddle, which always feels funny to the uninitiated. She also had to stand next to the mounting block. She stood pretty well, though she did look tense. So up and down I went, I finally asked her to move forward a few times, while partially mounted. More up and down, then i swung my leg over and sat there a few times. Then finally i asked her to go forward.

She was a bit sticky – and it mostly felt like she felt unsure about how the saddle/rider felt under her. She’d go forward when i asked, but then would stop immediately if she felt movement. This is all very typical green horse stuff.

So we worked through it, and in no time she realized there was nothing to worry about, and we got on with walk, trot, halt, change directions.

After that I untacked her and let her sniff around the arena – which she didn’t do at all. She just stood at the gate. So instead I took her for a walk around the barn, and she encountered our rooster, who is quite friendly. Mandi didn’t even flinch at him, even when he walked up to her.

My first impression of Mandi under saddle is that she’s green, needs to be suppled through correct work to soften in the right places and build muscle and stamina in others. She’s not dangerous and she has a good work ethic and loves people. She should be fairly easy to get going!

Quick Update on Mandi.

Mandi had her hooves trimmed this weekend. She was fantastic for the farrier- she stood quietly, willing allowed each hoof to be handled, and was done pretty quickly.

She did, however, have quite a bit of hoof trimmed and as a result was a bit sore for a couple of days, so my plan to ride her was put on hold.

Last night I took her out to clean her wound (almost healed!) and longed her – she looked back to normal. I also clipped her bridle path again, and did more of her ears. She’s a very good girl!

So hopefully Thursday or Friday she will get her first ride.