More mare time
Since Saturday I have ridden Iris every day. On Monday evening I tried her in the bosal rather than the halter but I think she was a bit intimidated by it, so I have stayed in the halter the last couple of evenings. I'm not a big fan of riding in a halter because having the rope connected under the horse's chin makes it harder to give them a clear signal than something like a sidepull or bosal. Hopefully next week we'll get her wolf tooth removed and once that has recovered we can go back to working with a snaffle.
The thing I notice is that every single time I work this horse, doing groundwork or riding her, she is better. We tend to do fairly short sessions, maybe thirty or forty minutes, but it feels like we're making good progress in that time and the next day when we start again she is just better. She is starting to be able to soften when I ask her to flex and even figuring out she doesn't have to brace against the reins under saddle. We're getting more used to one another and I'm getting more ready to insist on what I'm asking for, which is something she needs. I am, in general, immensely pleased with her.
This evening she was quite warm after our ride- it's been a hot day and the evening air is muggy and humid - so I fetched out the hose to rinse the sweaty patch where the cinch had been. The conversation went a little like this:
Iris: *Snort* Warning! Something exceedingly dangerous is approaching my feet at very low speed.
Me: What is bothering you, mare?
Iris: I don't even know what this stuff is, I have never seen anything like it in my life! Look how it creeps menacingly towards me... I.. I think it might be lava! *snort*
Me: It's a hose, pony, I'm sure you've seen one before.
Iris: *Snorrp* This is definitely dangerous it seems to be coming from that thing in your hand. In fact it smells a bit like... tastes a bit like... this lava is very similar to water.
Me: Are you having a nice drink there?
Iris: I'm protecting you, look I think I've got this figured out. I can save us both if I just block off this hose with my nose like... Oh. No, that doesn't seem to have helped at all. In fact I seem to have totally covered you in lava. Still it looks like you've survived so I suppose that's good. I'll just drink a bit more now, shall I?
The thing I notice is that every single time I work this horse, doing groundwork or riding her, she is better. We tend to do fairly short sessions, maybe thirty or forty minutes, but it feels like we're making good progress in that time and the next day when we start again she is just better. She is starting to be able to soften when I ask her to flex and even figuring out she doesn't have to brace against the reins under saddle. We're getting more used to one another and I'm getting more ready to insist on what I'm asking for, which is something she needs. I am, in general, immensely pleased with her.
This evening she was quite warm after our ride- it's been a hot day and the evening air is muggy and humid - so I fetched out the hose to rinse the sweaty patch where the cinch had been. The conversation went a little like this:
Iris: *Snort* Warning! Something exceedingly dangerous is approaching my feet at very low speed.
Me: What is bothering you, mare?
Iris: I don't even know what this stuff is, I have never seen anything like it in my life! Look how it creeps menacingly towards me... I.. I think it might be lava! *snort*
Me: It's a hose, pony, I'm sure you've seen one before.
Iris: *Snorrp* This is definitely dangerous it seems to be coming from that thing in your hand. In fact it smells a bit like... tastes a bit like... this lava is very similar to water.
Me: Are you having a nice drink there?
Iris: I'm protecting you, look I think I've got this figured out. I can save us both if I just block off this hose with my nose like... Oh. No, that doesn't seem to have helped at all. In fact I seem to have totally covered you in lava. Still it looks like you've survived so I suppose that's good. I'll just drink a bit more now, shall I?