The last month of training has been a little discouraging. I have taught Charmer so much, and he's overall getting better, but he recently bucked me off again!
I did a forward roll and landed hard on my right hip before continuing to roll and stand up. The problem of me not letting go of the reins helped me this time. Charmer kept backing away from me and pulled me back to my feet.
I took him through a series of turns from the ground, having him go right and left around me, but not letting him cut into my space.
I did mount back up also, but I was in the round pen.
~ ~ ~
Today I got out there and Charmer met me at the gate. I rubbed down both sides of his neck then haltered him. He finally drops his head for the halter! For a while there he would drop it then raise it before I could get it buckled. The last few times he has left his head low for me to put the halter on and buckle it.
I took him to the round pen under the trailers and did some groundwork with the halter. Then I did some free lunging (without the halter).
I then felt perfectly safe to mount up. Let me clarify, that's without a halter and no saddle. I did some directing with my legs. I want to do more of that. I even asked Charmer to canter a few steps. He protested some, but was really smooth for the few steps he did canter.
I want to get him going both ways, he kept turning around and only wanting to go race way. We'll get it!
I finished in his pen by rubbing his legs and shoulders with a thick plastic bag.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
April 6, 2016
The last few rides I've had have been very enjoyable! They haven't been perfect, but I have enjoyed most of my time.
Charmer has had quite a bit of energy, but he is also getting better at listening. I feel like I am giving him more subtle cues and he is doing what I ask.
The ride today was a little different because I didn't rude in the main arena. The arena below the cows was being used, so I used the round pen below the trailers. It is a slightly bigger round pen than the one by the main arena.
Charmer was slightly excited because we were closer to the street traffic, but it was only a few minutes before he was listening and following my lead.
I worked on turns and smaller circles, working on keeping the energy up even though we were doing the smaller circles. I think he still has a tendency to not drive forward with his hind end, which makes it harder to maintain a quick speed in a smaller circle.
Charmer is getting gentler when leading and tying. He walks along beside me and I feel like he likes being around me. He still comes to the gate when I get him on each visit and he follows my hand signals when we do groundwork in the round pen. We really have a lot of fun together!
I have found I am more excited to work with him each time now and we get great results as we work together!
Charmer has had quite a bit of energy, but he is also getting better at listening. I feel like I am giving him more subtle cues and he is doing what I ask.
The ride today was a little different because I didn't rude in the main arena. The arena below the cows was being used, so I used the round pen below the trailers. It is a slightly bigger round pen than the one by the main arena.
Charmer was slightly excited because we were closer to the street traffic, but it was only a few minutes before he was listening and following my lead.
I worked on turns and smaller circles, working on keeping the energy up even though we were doing the smaller circles. I think he still has a tendency to not drive forward with his hind end, which makes it harder to maintain a quick speed in a smaller circle.
Charmer is getting gentler when leading and tying. He walks along beside me and I feel like he likes being around me. He still comes to the gate when I get him on each visit and he follows my hand signals when we do groundwork in the round pen. We really have a lot of fun together!
I have found I am more excited to work with him each time now and we get great results as we work together!
March 18, 2016
Charmer didn't have any "go forward" energy today. It was more up and down. I did some ground work in the round pen and had him run some.
Down at the tie-ups a girl tied her horse, a Mustang, at the other end of the pole. Charmer was more interested in the horse than normal. I think he could tell she was not from around here. Well, Charmer spooked at the tack box. I'm not sure why because it looks like mine only it's blue.
I rode Charmer to the main arena, but he still didn't want to go forward. He actually bucked and I slid off, super annoying!!! Charmer pulled back enough to pull the bridle off. He stopped immediately, bridle still on, then as I walked over to him, he pulled it off and took off running. *Sigh!*
After that . . . I actually had a pretty good training session. I rode him in the small round pen quite a bit, loping for a long time. It still felt like his cantering was more vertical, not driving from the hind end.
I rode him down along the front of the property below the trailers and stopped off in the round pen down there. He had more energy, so we did more cantering and worked on a smaller circle.
I finished by riding in the main arena again, working on trotting around the barrels and a smooth canter in a slightly bigger circle than before in the other arena.
Down at the tie-ups a girl tied her horse, a Mustang, at the other end of the pole. Charmer was more interested in the horse than normal. I think he could tell she was not from around here. Well, Charmer spooked at the tack box. I'm not sure why because it looks like mine only it's blue.
I rode Charmer to the main arena, but he still didn't want to go forward. He actually bucked and I slid off, super annoying!!! Charmer pulled back enough to pull the bridle off. He stopped immediately, bridle still on, then as I walked over to him, he pulled it off and took off running. *Sigh!*
After that . . . I actually had a pretty good training session. I rode him in the small round pen quite a bit, loping for a long time. It still felt like his cantering was more vertical, not driving from the hind end.
I rode him down along the front of the property below the trailers and stopped off in the round pen down there. He had more energy, so we did more cantering and worked on a smaller circle.
I finished by riding in the main arena again, working on trotting around the barrels and a smooth canter in a slightly bigger circle than before in the other arena.
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