Training Day 3

Training Day 3 went very well. The horses need lunge time with the saddle on, to become more accustomed to loping with the saddle and not kicking out. The horse is standing quiet now when we come into the arena. I groomed and saddled first, then I did my free lunging.

The training horse trotted and loped around, only kicking out a few times. Every time there was a kick out when the horse was loping, I stopped him and changed direction. He settle down and only attempted small kicks. Once I could lounge him in both directions without a kick out, I stopped.

He was very willing to stop! He had worked and was definately blowing. I had my "long" lunge line out, and I circled it above my head. I gradually worked closer to him until the rope, with the baggie attached, was circling over his head. I worked on both sides of him and he didn't move. I brought the line down and swung the baggie over him to lay on the ground on the other side of him. I pulled it up and over the saddle.

I played with the lounge line and baggie around his legs and under his belly. I brought it up in front of him and rubbed his face with the baggie. He is excellent with this desensitizing.

Ride time was better. We did serpentines and circles in the arena, changing directions. He still fights the bit a little so today I'll put a different bit in his mouth. I am staying at the trot until there is no buck in his lope on the lunge line.

The training horse moves easily off my legs. 2 tracking and sidepassing is coming very easily. He moves his hip easily and does turns on the forehand. Pivoting is harder for him as he doesn't move his shoulders easily. As I pivot him, I turned the pivot into the 2 track. This helps to pick up his shoulders. As I pivot to the left, I end the pivot by picking up the right rein and ask him to 2 track to the left. This picks up the right shoulder, which is what needs to move to pivot left. As I pivot to the right, I end the pivot by picking up the left rein and ask him to 2 track to the right. This picks up the left shoulder, which is what needs to move to pivot right.

Today I will also work with ground driving both of these geldings, the training horse and Shaggy. Shaggy will need to be desensitized to the ropes.

On another note, it felt really good to get the horses out and go on a trail ride! I feel that I am back. I couldn't wait to load the mares, Starlet and Chick, and meet Tom at Branched Oak Lake for the Wed night Platte River Riders, PRR, ride. My parents are still in town so we only rode for an hour. I love the paths there, as they have both wide trails, where horses can ride side by side, and narrow trails.

Another rider was with Tom and I, as she wanted a slower ride also. Starlet is so fat that we walked slower than the group and got left behind. That was fine, as we turned around after 1/2 hour to head back. At the spot that we turned around, we had to cross a large log in the path. Starlet stepped over it easily with her front legs. I was up in 2 point position to be off her back. I didn't feel anything but after she crossed the log, and took a step, I had a severe jolt in my lower back. Another step and the pain was still there. We stopped and I stretched out my back. Tom said she jumped or hopped over the log with her hind legs, and my body did a whip lash. I couldn't believe that I didn't feel that. After a few minutes, my back was a little tight, but I didn't have those twinges. The rest of the ride was quiet. We ended up heading back to the trailers by routes of smaller paths that zig zagged off the larger paths. We kicked out a deer in the under brush, but typically, we only saw the tail!

We loaded easily and headed home, with Tom driving the truck with the stick shift!
I didn't want to keep straining my back. At home, I only felt a little stiff, and put some heat on my back after my shower. I feel fine this morning, just a little stiff like after a hard day of moving hay.

Today is going to be a sunny 80 degree day. I'm meeting Amber with Caden at a consignment sale at the Event Center. Then home to work horses and mow grass before the storm comes tonight!

Hope to see you on a ride soon!