Saturday
It was an excruciating 105 today and all that was set was the farrier coming out. Alas, he didn't show up on time, so we rescheduled it for tomorrow. We did give everyone a quick hose off and I played a little with Harry and the tarp. I didn't try to make him go over it, but I held it folded up and walked around with it and had him follow me, that way he would get the idea that he is supposed to follow me no matter what scary thing I might be carrying. Eventually, we did get to halt and then I inched my way over to him to press the tarp against his nose. When he finally let me do this, I put the tarp down, still folded up, stood on it, and played the YoYo game to make him come towards me no matter what scary thing was around me. At first he didn't want to come back, but after he came close to me, we called it a day. I'd say that was progress!
Sunday
Harry was absolutely miserable today. He hasn't been quite this bratty in a while. He kept trying to buck me off! I got so sick of him that I got off and made him longe like a devil. After that, he calmed down a little, but was no where near where I wanted him to be. I don't know what happened between now and a month ago when he was being such an angel. It's beyond frustrating.
I got to poke around on Nina today, which was nice. We walked around outside for a little bit. She's so nice. I wish that every horse was like Nina. Or that I got to ride Nina more.
Finally the farrier showed up and everyone stopped riding. Nina is getting better around the farrier. We didn't have as much tranquilizer that we normally do for Nina, we had about half of what she usually gets, and I'm proud to say that she was pretty calm for her standards! She didn't even try to kick him.
Showing posts with label tarps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tarps. Show all posts
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Days 222 and 223
Saturday
Didn't really do much today. Just played a couple of Parelli games and then left because it was hot out. But there was a lot that went on this week. Earlier in the week, Samantha's mom noticed that Nina wasn't acting right and that she couldn't pick up her head to eat her hay from her hay basket. She called my mom who called the vet and the vet said that there was a large swollen lump at the injection site from last weekend and there were hives on Nina's neck. Definitely still a reaction from the shots. So the vet gave Nina some medicine to eat for the rest of the week and then up until tomorrow. The vet was back out to check on everyone who got shots every morning for the rest of the week up until yesterday morning. Poor Nina. First the stitches on her nose, now this! And the vet also mentioned that a couple of weeks ago, some minis colicked from the vaccines too. So it's definitely the manufacturer's fault and the vet will be taking that up with the company. I'm just so thankful that Samantha's mom was there to notice Nina! Who knows what might have happened if the vet didn't get out there. One thing's for sure -- Nina wouldn't have been able to eat for a while if she couldn't reach her food =[ But by the time we got out there today she was definitely better and the vet had cleared her this morning.
I'm proud to say that Harry and I are making progress with the tarp! He didn't want to step on it, but I did pick it up and drag it on the floor while he walked with me and then held it and walked around with it while I held him too. Then when we were all finished, I brought it into the aisle where he was cross-tied and folded it in front of him really small, then showed it to him and rubbed it on him and he was okay with it. Progress will continue!
Sunday
I'm getting really discouraged. After Harry was working well all this time, he's not doing so hot anymore. He's all loose and flying away from me now that he knows how to largo and I can't figure out how to get him to slow down and collect without tugging on the reins and it drives the both of us nuts. And it was so hot today and I felt bad for working him so hard, but the next show is in two or three weeks, and I won't be able to go out to ride this weekend, so we don't have that much time to get back to where we were a month ago. I really don't know what to do and it's frustrating. I know he's trying to figure out what I want too, I just know that he's trying, but I don't know a better way to communicate that I want him to just collect and corto instead of flying around now, and that I still DO want him to largo, but only when I ask him to, not just all of the time as a default speed. I was getting really frustrated, but then I had to remind myself that we didn't work yesterday and that he was really behaving like he was trying to give me what I wanted. He wasn't fighting at all and I appreciate that. I just need to figure out how to ask him for it better. Hopefully this week off will give me some sort of revelation!
Didn't really do much today. Just played a couple of Parelli games and then left because it was hot out. But there was a lot that went on this week. Earlier in the week, Samantha's mom noticed that Nina wasn't acting right and that she couldn't pick up her head to eat her hay from her hay basket. She called my mom who called the vet and the vet said that there was a large swollen lump at the injection site from last weekend and there were hives on Nina's neck. Definitely still a reaction from the shots. So the vet gave Nina some medicine to eat for the rest of the week and then up until tomorrow. The vet was back out to check on everyone who got shots every morning for the rest of the week up until yesterday morning. Poor Nina. First the stitches on her nose, now this! And the vet also mentioned that a couple of weeks ago, some minis colicked from the vaccines too. So it's definitely the manufacturer's fault and the vet will be taking that up with the company. I'm just so thankful that Samantha's mom was there to notice Nina! Who knows what might have happened if the vet didn't get out there. One thing's for sure -- Nina wouldn't have been able to eat for a while if she couldn't reach her food =[ But by the time we got out there today she was definitely better and the vet had cleared her this morning.
I'm proud to say that Harry and I are making progress with the tarp! He didn't want to step on it, but I did pick it up and drag it on the floor while he walked with me and then held it and walked around with it while I held him too. Then when we were all finished, I brought it into the aisle where he was cross-tied and folded it in front of him really small, then showed it to him and rubbed it on him and he was okay with it. Progress will continue!
Sunday
I'm getting really discouraged. After Harry was working well all this time, he's not doing so hot anymore. He's all loose and flying away from me now that he knows how to largo and I can't figure out how to get him to slow down and collect without tugging on the reins and it drives the both of us nuts. And it was so hot today and I felt bad for working him so hard, but the next show is in two or three weeks, and I won't be able to go out to ride this weekend, so we don't have that much time to get back to where we were a month ago. I really don't know what to do and it's frustrating. I know he's trying to figure out what I want too, I just know that he's trying, but I don't know a better way to communicate that I want him to just collect and corto instead of flying around now, and that I still DO want him to largo, but only when I ask him to, not just all of the time as a default speed. I was getting really frustrated, but then I had to remind myself that we didn't work yesterday and that he was really behaving like he was trying to give me what I wanted. He wasn't fighting at all and I appreciate that. I just need to figure out how to ask him for it better. Hopefully this week off will give me some sort of revelation!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Day 218
I have everything, as promised! Here are some more pictures of Nina's cut.
After seeing it today, we've decided to call the vet tomorrow and have them take a look at it. From there, it'll be their decision to put stitches in it or not. My poor Nina. Maybe the stitches will be out before the show.
Once we made that decision, we played some more, since we didn't get to play for as long as we wanted to yesterday. I did some walking around and Harry followed me wherever I went. We got further with the Friendly Game and he'll now let me swing the string at the end of the carrot stick against him. Next goal: getting to swing the string over him and around him. Then my brother set up the tarp. I was pleased that I managed to keep Harry's attention and relative calmness while my brother unfolded and put the tarp out. He made Nina longe over it, which Nina thought was the most fun thing ever, and my mom made Brie go over it, which Brie thought was the biggest waste of time ever. I decided to take Harry over by the poles that my brother had set up and we tried to walk over them. He walked over them once, but then everyone else wanted to, so we started with the tarp.
There are literally 90 other pictures of him sniffing the tarp. He was snorting the whole time. Once in a while, but not often, we got shots like this.
The important thing is that I never forced him into anything. Although this picture shows me pulling him with the lead line to prevent him from rearing, I only pulled this hard in times like this. Otherwise I had a very gentle tug and immediately released when he moved his neck or foot closer.
Finally he stepped on it! I'm so proud of him. It certainly took a while, maybe close to an hour, but next time it will be even less and before you know it, he'll be able to longe over it like Nina!
I worked Harry first, since by the time he stepped on it, everyone else was already tacked up and riding. He was very good on the longe, no fishtailing, and was pretty calm. Maybe a little too calm. He paced a lot when I rode him today, unlike yesterday. Maybe he was tired too from mentally exerting himself over the tarp. But he wasn't bad. He just needed a couple corrections. After much riding, here is the final video!
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| Right after we took her out of the stall. Getting ready to clean it. |
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| Front view. It goes all the way into her nose. |
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| After cleaning it. |
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| This is the blue stuff I'm talking about!! |
After seeing it today, we've decided to call the vet tomorrow and have them take a look at it. From there, it'll be their decision to put stitches in it or not. My poor Nina. Maybe the stitches will be out before the show.
Once we made that decision, we played some more, since we didn't get to play for as long as we wanted to yesterday. I did some walking around and Harry followed me wherever I went. We got further with the Friendly Game and he'll now let me swing the string at the end of the carrot stick against him. Next goal: getting to swing the string over him and around him. Then my brother set up the tarp. I was pleased that I managed to keep Harry's attention and relative calmness while my brother unfolded and put the tarp out. He made Nina longe over it, which Nina thought was the most fun thing ever, and my mom made Brie go over it, which Brie thought was the biggest waste of time ever. I decided to take Harry over by the poles that my brother had set up and we tried to walk over them. He walked over them once, but then everyone else wanted to, so we started with the tarp.
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| Thinking about it |
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| Smelling it |
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| You want me to do what, now?! |
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| Circling around the tarp. |
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| The final sniff |
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| Stepping on the tarp!!! |
I worked Harry first, since by the time he stepped on it, everyone else was already tacked up and riding. He was very good on the longe, no fishtailing, and was pretty calm. Maybe a little too calm. He paced a lot when I rode him today, unlike yesterday. Maybe he was tired too from mentally exerting himself over the tarp. But he wasn't bad. He just needed a couple corrections. After much riding, here is the final video!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Days 209 & 210
Saturday
We got a call this morning from Paco about Nina. He said that Nina looked like she wasn't feeling well, but wasn't rolling around like she was colicking. We rushed out and by the time we got out there, she was looking better than Paco had said, but we got her out and made her run around the round pen until she pooped just to make sure that she wouldn't colic. Thankfully, she did! And remained okay for the rest of the day.
While I didn't exactly "do much" today, I think that today was one of the most influential days I've had with Harry.
After trying to work with the tarp last week, I decided that the first task I would do was confront him with it again. We went out into one of the small paddocks (it's more like a pen) and I held the tarp, folded up. He was not having any of it. He kept running around and away from it and me. Eventually I got him and tried to rub it on his nose, but he didn't like it much. Rather than chasing him around some more, I laid it out on the ground, clipped him to a lead line, and we tried to walk very close to it. He was getting kind of close, but the wind kept picking up and moving it, which would scare him. I hung it on the fence and unclipped him and hoped that he would eventually go by it on his own, but he wouldn't.
After this, I had Paco help me. I've seen Nick doing this trick. He ties the horses short enough to the pole in the arena that they won't get tangled up in it, and swishes a rod with a plastic bag on the end around the horse until they stop fighting and trying to run away from it. Then he goes closer to them with the bag and eventually tries to rub it on them without them being scared of it. Basically, it's the Friendly Game with a bag, not a rope, and tied up so we won't get trampled. So Paco helped me with that. Harry was so scared though! By the time he finally relaxed and let us touch him with the bag, he was soaked with sweat. I didn't ride him, just hosed him off after that and let him relax in his stall.
So no, I didn't do much, but I really think that was one of the best things I could have done for Harry. It's something that will build our trust. Once he knows that I won't let bags hurt him, he'll be more comfortable with tarps, and then other things that come our way will be less shocking.
Sunday
Nina is still looking good! She pooped 3 times before we got there, so she must be feeling better.
No tarps today! Although, while my parents were talking with Paco, my brother and I put everyone outside and got the huge exercise ball that we bought a while back and wanted to play with the horses. Brie was totally unenthusiastic about it, which I guess was good? At least she wasn't running away from it! She was just letting us bounce the ball off of her sides until we felt bad that she looked so bored/sad by the fact that we were throwing a ball at her. So we moved on to Nina.
Nina usually loves playing with the ball, but not today! She kept running away from it. We didn't know if she just didn't want to be bothered or what, so my brother held her while I just rubbed it all over her. She wasn't scared of it, so I guess she just wasn't in the mood.
Then we moved on to Harry. What a baby! No matter how many times we kept coming back to him, he just wasn't having it! We did eventually get to rub it on him, though, which is progress. =]
After all that, I rode Harry starting inside. I didn't put any bracelets or the rear end collector on and just wanted to check any progress we had made in the past two weeks. He was very calm in the indoor, but then when we went in the outdoor, after our little herd of riders broke up to do our own thing after walking around the arena for a while, he got really upset and kept tap dancing. Frustrated (and hot), I decided to go back inside and work with him. He calmed down and gaited really nicely, and then we worked on largo without pacing. Every time he paced, I would just bring him back a little or even stop if it got really bouncy and let him start over again. We ended with a beautiful largo pass over the board and I ended with it so that he could hear what I wanted him to do.
I switched with my mom and then rode Brie outside with my brother, Kimmy, and Samantha. Of course, Brie was their leader! And after we ran into a few branches, raced up a couple of hills, and chased John's car down the driveway, our day was done.
Now back to school =[ It was so nice being on break! I wish I could ride every day.
We got a call this morning from Paco about Nina. He said that Nina looked like she wasn't feeling well, but wasn't rolling around like she was colicking. We rushed out and by the time we got out there, she was looking better than Paco had said, but we got her out and made her run around the round pen until she pooped just to make sure that she wouldn't colic. Thankfully, she did! And remained okay for the rest of the day.
While I didn't exactly "do much" today, I think that today was one of the most influential days I've had with Harry.
After trying to work with the tarp last week, I decided that the first task I would do was confront him with it again. We went out into one of the small paddocks (it's more like a pen) and I held the tarp, folded up. He was not having any of it. He kept running around and away from it and me. Eventually I got him and tried to rub it on his nose, but he didn't like it much. Rather than chasing him around some more, I laid it out on the ground, clipped him to a lead line, and we tried to walk very close to it. He was getting kind of close, but the wind kept picking up and moving it, which would scare him. I hung it on the fence and unclipped him and hoped that he would eventually go by it on his own, but he wouldn't.
After this, I had Paco help me. I've seen Nick doing this trick. He ties the horses short enough to the pole in the arena that they won't get tangled up in it, and swishes a rod with a plastic bag on the end around the horse until they stop fighting and trying to run away from it. Then he goes closer to them with the bag and eventually tries to rub it on them without them being scared of it. Basically, it's the Friendly Game with a bag, not a rope, and tied up so we won't get trampled. So Paco helped me with that. Harry was so scared though! By the time he finally relaxed and let us touch him with the bag, he was soaked with sweat. I didn't ride him, just hosed him off after that and let him relax in his stall.
So no, I didn't do much, but I really think that was one of the best things I could have done for Harry. It's something that will build our trust. Once he knows that I won't let bags hurt him, he'll be more comfortable with tarps, and then other things that come our way will be less shocking.
Sunday
Nina is still looking good! She pooped 3 times before we got there, so she must be feeling better.
No tarps today! Although, while my parents were talking with Paco, my brother and I put everyone outside and got the huge exercise ball that we bought a while back and wanted to play with the horses. Brie was totally unenthusiastic about it, which I guess was good? At least she wasn't running away from it! She was just letting us bounce the ball off of her sides until we felt bad that she looked so bored/sad by the fact that we were throwing a ball at her. So we moved on to Nina.
Nina usually loves playing with the ball, but not today! She kept running away from it. We didn't know if she just didn't want to be bothered or what, so my brother held her while I just rubbed it all over her. She wasn't scared of it, so I guess she just wasn't in the mood.
Then we moved on to Harry. What a baby! No matter how many times we kept coming back to him, he just wasn't having it! We did eventually get to rub it on him, though, which is progress. =]
After all that, I rode Harry starting inside. I didn't put any bracelets or the rear end collector on and just wanted to check any progress we had made in the past two weeks. He was very calm in the indoor, but then when we went in the outdoor, after our little herd of riders broke up to do our own thing after walking around the arena for a while, he got really upset and kept tap dancing. Frustrated (and hot), I decided to go back inside and work with him. He calmed down and gaited really nicely, and then we worked on largo without pacing. Every time he paced, I would just bring him back a little or even stop if it got really bouncy and let him start over again. We ended with a beautiful largo pass over the board and I ended with it so that he could hear what I wanted him to do.
I switched with my mom and then rode Brie outside with my brother, Kimmy, and Samantha. Of course, Brie was their leader! And after we ran into a few branches, raced up a couple of hills, and chased John's car down the driveway, our day was done.
Now back to school =[ It was so nice being on break! I wish I could ride every day.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Day 190
Saturday
As you all know, I was super excited to feed them all their Christmas salads today! I made them with iceberg lettuce, golden delicious apples, and baby carrots. Brie, Harry, and Nina each got their own. I think it's safe to say that they enjoyed them! Harry has found a new favorite food in lettuce =] But before they got to eat their salads, they had to face the big scary tarp in the middle of the aisle. Paco put it up to keep the heat on our side since there aren't any horses on the other end and they all freaked out when they stepped out of their stalls and saw it!
After I fed them their salads, we tried to teach Harry some Bella Forma. For those of you who don't know, it's basically like a confirmation class. The horse has two handlers on the ground and we hold lines attached to his bridle and walk around withe him to show his gait. We did this with Nina when she was little, and my brother wanted to try it with Harry because it was Christmas. He tried with my mom and I could tell they were getting stressed, especially my brother because he was having Nina-like expectations of Harry, who knows nothing about Bella Forma. I went and tried with my mom and Harry I got scared at one point that Harry would kick me because he swung his butt over towards me, so I dropped the rope like I'm supposed to and he freaked, bolted out on my mom and got the rope twisted around his leg. He was running in a circle around her until she managed to get him in close enough to stop and untangle the rope and after that, no more Bella Forma for Harry. We don't want to get killed and we don't want him to break a leg. It's really the sort of thing that you're supposed to start with a horse when they're young.
So after that, we rode for a little bit before we stopped and talked to Paco and Gary for a long time. We cleaned em up, said Merry Christmas, and then left...only to return so I could grab my camera hanging on Brie's stall. So now I can show you pictures!!
As you all know, I was super excited to feed them all their Christmas salads today! I made them with iceberg lettuce, golden delicious apples, and baby carrots. Brie, Harry, and Nina each got their own. I think it's safe to say that they enjoyed them! Harry has found a new favorite food in lettuce =] But before they got to eat their salads, they had to face the big scary tarp in the middle of the aisle. Paco put it up to keep the heat on our side since there aren't any horses on the other end and they all freaked out when they stepped out of their stalls and saw it!
After I fed them their salads, we tried to teach Harry some Bella Forma. For those of you who don't know, it's basically like a confirmation class. The horse has two handlers on the ground and we hold lines attached to his bridle and walk around withe him to show his gait. We did this with Nina when she was little, and my brother wanted to try it with Harry because it was Christmas. He tried with my mom and I could tell they were getting stressed, especially my brother because he was having Nina-like expectations of Harry, who knows nothing about Bella Forma. I went and tried with my mom and Harry I got scared at one point that Harry would kick me because he swung his butt over towards me, so I dropped the rope like I'm supposed to and he freaked, bolted out on my mom and got the rope twisted around his leg. He was running in a circle around her until she managed to get him in close enough to stop and untangle the rope and after that, no more Bella Forma for Harry. We don't want to get killed and we don't want him to break a leg. It's really the sort of thing that you're supposed to start with a horse when they're young.
So after that, we rode for a little bit before we stopped and talked to Paco and Gary for a long time. We cleaned em up, said Merry Christmas, and then left...only to return so I could grab my camera hanging on Brie's stall. So now I can show you pictures!!
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