Adventures begin!

The boys being very helpful this morning and walking (half way) to us to be caught.

We had such a fantastic day, a perfect hack on the perfect day. We usually hack for around 45 minutes on a simple loop close to the yard. Today was a bit more of an epic trek for us. I made a second attempt on a running braid to try and keep Rio cool. It was more successful than yesterday, but I still need to get it tighter as it did start coming out on our ride.

I couldn't have been prouder of him. He didn't spook, shy, bolt or play up at all. He got a little antsy when there was one in front of him and one to the side with one behind but soon settled down, and only walked a bit faster. That is about the extent of badness. 

We hacked for just under 90 minutes over to another yard we know, where the boys were untacked and had a little break and some haylage. Rio went into the end stable to begin with where he couldn't see anyone and did have a little panic, but I moved him down a couple of stables so he could see everyone else, and he was actually very well behaved. He moved back when asked, and let me tack him back up without fuss. I was very proud. 

This was on the way home, Rio lead the ride for a few minutes trot down some of the more winding road, and did a great job. We are working on getting his confidence up being out front for longer lengths of time. He is a brave boy, but seems to tire of being the leader for longer than a few minutes, and will slow down to allow someone else to take over. We had plenty of canters over the course of the ride, and over the last field we had a couple of vastly improved ones! On the way out, he dropped out into a trot, then picked it back up again a few metres later. Our penultimate canter was a little bit of a fight to get him to hold onto it, but we managed it, he was more keen trying get back towards the others because we had fanned out a little. Our last canter, I felt him ease into it, and just had to squeeze him on every few strides instead of every stride. It felt glorious. 

We played in the water jump too! Unfortunately no photos this time, but Rio went in without hesitating behind Sarah and Franks, and had a little wander around. He just didn't seem fussed at all. We walked out, around, and back in again, and there was just nothing that worried him despite the four of us being in there and Nemo & Franks splashing around!

Just on one small bad note, he was a little cheeky when trying to load him to come home. Luckily Wendy was on hand to Parelli Drive him and he walked himself on perfectly after just a couple of minutes. There are no limits to what that lady can teach a horse!

Ride / play safe x

Mind over matter

A picture can speak a thousand words. 'Nuff said!

Forgot to take a photo but I did my first running braid in Rio's mane this morning, it was a bit loose, but I know how to make it tighter so will be trying that tomorrow! We're off on a road trip tomorrow to the yard that my cousin keeps Baby at, so we can go for some farmland hacking woohoo.

Ride / play safe x

New outlook

Much has changed since I left to go on holiday. I missed the yard lots, and definitely missed my Rio! We have ridden every day since I got back except his rest day on Tuesday, and I'm loving being back in the saddle and feeling comfortable there. We've been riding with others every day, which has been really quite pleasant, but we are going to have to start flying solo once a week soon so that I can start working on our ridden bond and loosening him up on his own. We also need to work on getting into the outdoor school, which I keep putting off because it's been breezy. But I'm back in the saddle!

I've been working on keeping myself relaxed, and I feel like a completely different person. I'd started getting very tense when riding, and would definitely avoid long reins. Since getting back from holiday, I've found my confidence again, and my balance, and am currently more than happy giving Rio his head without panicking at every twitch of a muscle or every time he looks around for a nose at what's going on. 

The pony play day was great fun, we had a bit of action on the ground with him trying to establish dominance and failing because we wouldn't give in to his very Left Brain antics. (That's the rearing - he never does it in a dangerous way, he does it in such a calculated fashion, and never with the intention to physically strike out at you). Some good transitions into canter, which we need to continue to work on, and then will come the work on cantering for an extended time - we are currently lucky to get one circuit! On the plus side, I did manage a couple of good canter transitions without looping my fingers through the neck strap to stop my hands going up, which was a huge achievement for me. It just goes to show how much more relaxed I am with him right now. 

Once we'd had some lunch we played the gymkhana games, and whilst Rio wasn't sure what was going on when we headed away from our team, when we were heading back towards them, he was more than happy to kick it up a gear and canter back! He was absolutely brilliant for his first time playing, my proudest moments being him standing very nicely whilst I dressed up in a scarf, long coat and gloves (whilst mounted) and also him letting me swing myself up from the ground after bobbing around for an apple for what seemed FOREVER (had to keep the apple in my mouth), and cantering flat out back to the team! There was a mounting block up at the other end, but until recently I've always mounted from the ground because he used to fidget too much. That's no longer an issue, and I'm proud to say we are mounting from the ramp every time now. Love him! 

Ride/play safe x

Wordless Wednesday - Play Day Fun!

Ride / play safe x

Saddle up!

I'll keep it brief where I can, there's a bit to cover since I left off for my holiday! By the time I left, this was the state of the fields. The morning that I flew out to Cyprus, the girls were down at the yard at 7.30am retrieving the horses from their fields as the water came over the river banks. They're still on their Summer grazing at the moment, and probably will be for at least another week!

So Rio survived his night in the stable. However, somehow he managed to jump his stable door not long before I got to the yard the following morning.

This is the door he jumped. Not a low one, and not much room to launch or land! Amazingly, he didn't go lame, although that didn't stop me worrying about it for the first few days of my holiday. Once I'd got a friend to check him over for me, I had a ride! Yes. I RODE!

He was a superstar, and thankfully with the lack of wind, he didn't step a foot wrong. It was the best boost I could have asked for.

Sarah was taking Rio on a few days after I left to keep him busy, so I had plenty of photos sent over to me whilst I was away, from her and Millie. Rio always loves to have a good roll after he's hosed off and boy has it been warm here, so he's been a sweaty boy!

My sleepy boy after he had worked hard with Sarah!

Bromance time - Rio had a sleepover in with Franks last night after we went out for a hack. I made it out for a hack within 2 hours of being back home. Wonderful! We were back out again at 7.30am this morning, even better! Tomorrow we have another Parelli Play Day. 

Casually flinging poo and sticking it to a tree... Because that's how we roll...

Rio looking pretty fly! Trimmed his tail back up again as the ends were grubby, bleached and starting to trail on the floor. Snipped the long feathers to avoid so much ground coverage, but couldn't bear to take the scissors to his mane despite his missing middle patch... Jury is out for what will happen with it. If I can grasp the running plait, it will stay - if not, it will be cut and pulled... Such a handsome young man!

Ride / play safe x

Foto Friday!

My friend caught this awesome pic of the boys having a nap this week. How cute!

Having a good roll!

I was getting concerned about how squishy Rio's field was getting.

That was nothing after a day of rain!

These are Rio's pastures.

Stable training last night. This was after less than an hour. With company opposite.

Decided to bank it up as he never comes in.

Went back down tonight (yes, just a small one so he doesn't make a total mess tonight!)

Dinner bribery to help him settle. Had to make the big decision of rug or no rug, and settled on a waffle cooler as he was soggy and has an open window above his head. Oh I hope he's ok.

Everyone else I know worries about their horse being out. I worry about Rio being in! Hopefully with Miss Bella for company he won't be too unsettled. He was much more co-operative this evening after clinging to the door and being very bargy in the stable last night. He moved back when asked with much more ease today, and I was happy to stand in the stable with him without worry of being squished! I even picked up all four feet in there, and put the waffle rug on. Small steps. OH and he walked straight out of the field - compliment to the horrendous state of it bless him. He was cheeky half way up to the barn when he realised he'd made it far too easy, but I told him off, refused to back down, and he came quietly after that. 

So much for getting back in the saddle tomorrow - now I have to worry about him being stabled whilst I'm away which was not part of the plan, and it's meant to continue raining tomorrow! 

Ride/play safe, and I hope you guys have usable paddocks!

Bella's Breakthrough

It's been a bit of a mixed bag this week. A bit of good, a bit of bad, and a bit of exhaustion. Since Monday night, I've been down every evening and brought Rio up to the barn (except Friday - had a MacMillan Night In and raised a ton of cash with a lot of lovely ladies!) This has been with varying results. 

I have felt like screaming at times, and have instead found myself talking out loud asking questions I know I am never going to get the answer to but it helps me to calm down again. Frustratingly, the more we do this, the further away he seems to be getting from the second gate when he plants himself. We have now tried walking through when the power is completely off across the yard (big storm caused big powercut!) and still with the same results. 

Don't get me wrong, once I have committed to bringing him out of the field, that's it, and however long it may take, it will happen. I was sort of hoping for some change by now though, and that he might have realised that we ARE coming out of the field when I'm suggesting it! A friend is coming up this morning to try the same exercise for me, so I can establish if it's behavioural in general, or just with me. I will be a little sad if he walks straight on out, but we will see. 

All of this boils down to insignificance in the field. I love just being in there with him. We are working on personal space (trying to!) as he's very good at standing with his nose on your shoulder whilst you poo pick. He's actually had the barrow over a couple of times this week too. So now I'm wondering if I have done right by him putting him in his own paddock. Should he be in a herd situation? Would that be better with one other pony or maybe two? Who could I put him in with? Is he bored? Maybe he doesn't want to come up to the yard because I've been keeping it so simple for myself that he feels it's not worth the effort of leaving his field? (Do horses even have a trail of thought that long?) 

So last night whilst Hubster caught up on the football final, I decided to head back down to the yard. My friend picked up a new neddie yesterday, a very green, malnourished TB mare of 9 years. She's very sweet, and appears not to be a nervous type, although she did ask some questions when we took her off the lovely long grass to put her back in her stall! Got to love a bit of sass! Anyway, she gave me a brainwave, as she didn't want to load but was happy to walk straight up the ramp without hesitation with a feed bucket in the equation. Same goes for persuading her that the barn was the place to be. 

Rio loves feed. He no longer has breakfast, as to be honest, even with the grass munched down, the new shoots are very rich, he certainly needs no extra energy from his sugarbeet, and it seemed a bit of a waste. Sweep the cobwebs off the feed bins, Laura. Handful of chaff, a dozen pony nuts, and a sprinkling of garlic, and let's do this. 

He sees me walking down, and clearly clocks his favourite blue feed bucket. I'm not going to make this game too easy for him, so the feed bucket is left within a couple of feet of "scary gate". I walk down to him, get his headcollar on, and he stands there. I walk across in front of him to start the wiggly worm game, and he follows after one go. Phew. We get half way across his second paddock when he starts to slow. We're not stopping tonight Rio! I walk across in front of him again out into the field, before doing a shallow loop back to the fence line. I think he's spotted the bucket again. I'm focussed on the bucket, and walking with intent, we make it! In one sweeping motion, I grab the bucket and keep walking. It's amazing how insignificant a gate is when there's feed involved. Rio doesn't care about the gate any more, and we're off through the main metal gate, he's having a little prance, trying to get the better of me and my bucket. I push him back half a dozen times, and what do you know? He walks up just behind me, doesn't spook, scare or question at "scary spot #2", and has a beautiful forward walk coming up. We reach the barn, where he gets a big scratch on his neck, and to enjoy the little feed. Well done Rio. There's a light at the end of this tunnel - I just need to find out how far away that is!

Honestly - I know that this is not a permanent fix. If I can make it into a bit of a game for him in the meantime though, I'm hoping if he's bored it will get him interested, and if it's something else, well I'll just have to re-assess. On Wednesday I plan to pop him in with a friend's horse for an hour or so - a pony play date! If I can get him out of his own field of course! 

It's not even like he has no friends around him - he has one on two of the four sides of his field, and can see at least 4 others further over. I'm quite sure that he plays with his TB neighbour over the fence and that they groom as this is all that's left of this bit of his mane! Or perhaps, he's just happy playing in his field like I am - and maybe that's my fault. It's the only place we play at Liberty, and perhaps I'm wrong to do that as it's his place of rest? So many questions... 

Ride/play safe x