Chroi: die erste Woche
I think Tru-D is getting a bit of a vacation until Chroi goes back home. I think Tru-D might miss the attention, but I think she will survive.
Chroi has gotten much better about lungeing. She has a much more prompt stop, walks and trots off well, and is changing directions without trying to blow out her shoulders. Today she thought about swapping on me and returned to her original direction only slightly grudgingly after a minor correction. We introduced the long lines today, though she has worked on long lines before I still moved them around her hips to be sure she was okay with them and flicked them over her back and hips.
She did pretty well on the long lines.
Chilling at the "station."
Yesterday I hooked to the trailer and worked on getting her in. She pitched quite a fit about it, backing and trying to shove her shoulders into me. I'm glad for the work I did earlier about moving her shoulders around or it would have been really ugly!
She got in the first time within 15 minutes and then she decided that once was all she was supposed to do and we had some words about not pushing her shoulders into me and moving forward when asked instead of backwards. She did more backwards when she decided that trying to go through me wasn't such a good idea. She also stomped on her tail as she was backing and pulled out a lot of hair.
After popping her front end several times and more backing she finally decided that maybe, since I left her alone when she moved towards the trailer, the trailer was a better place to be. She then loaded several times in a row with a point and a slight lift from the whip with me on either side.
She definitely has a strong independent streak and opinions about The Way Things Should Be. It was evident in the lungeing, but the trailer loading definitely highlights it. I'm hoping next week we will see her step right in so I can put the trailer loading aside until she is ready to head South.
Not such a bad place to be.
Today I (re)introduced the long lines. She also showed much improvement on the lunge line with only a brief thought to force a direction change, but gave it up quickly.
Next week we'll be playing with the tire more, introducing the rope traces, and pressure in the breastcollar. I did pick up a smaller tire earlier this week as the Jeep got a nail in it and we had to take it in. While Discount replaced it I asked for, and received! a car tire. I am sure Chroi can pull the small tractor tire without issue, but I didn't quite feel like dragging the beastly thing to introduce the noise. The car tire is nice as I can lift it with one hand! I may put a piece of board in it to keep it from filling with footing. It's not quite as noisy as I wanted, but will do the job.
In other news Debbie is moving to a smaller house without property. She sent Digur back to the rescue she got him from with the single consolation that she won't have to body clip him next year. They were a good fit and she quite enjoyed the little guy after spending so long struggling with Royal, but life happens and she needs a smaller house (her current one is pretty huge for a now-single lady) and horse property wasn't in the cards.
This meant that Pebbles the miniature donkey was looking for a new home. I knew I couldn't convince Chris we needed a mini donkey (he confirmed) and Marty didn't think it was a good time for her to acquire a new creature. I asked Dawn and she is content with her feed leased mini who is best buds with her mare Grace. I mentioned Pebbles in passing to Nelson and he said he'd think about it and by that afternoon I had found Pebbles a new home. Funnily enough she will be rejoining Royal. Since Nelson doesn't yet have a trailer I'll be loading and moving Pebbles on Wednesday. She hasn't seen the inside of a trailer in three or four years so we'll see how it goes!
In still other news I've ridden Bud the past few weeks.
Making use of the Trensen Knebel and playing with a new bit. He went well in it.
Next week I should have Sue in the cart again. Her back surgery recovery has been a lot slower than she had hoped and she is anxious to get back too it, but doesn't want to overdo it either.
Chroi has gotten much better about lungeing. She has a much more prompt stop, walks and trots off well, and is changing directions without trying to blow out her shoulders. Today she thought about swapping on me and returned to her original direction only slightly grudgingly after a minor correction. We introduced the long lines today, though she has worked on long lines before I still moved them around her hips to be sure she was okay with them and flicked them over her back and hips.
She did pretty well on the long lines.
Chilling at the "station."
Yesterday I hooked to the trailer and worked on getting her in. She pitched quite a fit about it, backing and trying to shove her shoulders into me. I'm glad for the work I did earlier about moving her shoulders around or it would have been really ugly!
She got in the first time within 15 minutes and then she decided that once was all she was supposed to do and we had some words about not pushing her shoulders into me and moving forward when asked instead of backwards. She did more backwards when she decided that trying to go through me wasn't such a good idea. She also stomped on her tail as she was backing and pulled out a lot of hair.
After popping her front end several times and more backing she finally decided that maybe, since I left her alone when she moved towards the trailer, the trailer was a better place to be. She then loaded several times in a row with a point and a slight lift from the whip with me on either side.
She definitely has a strong independent streak and opinions about The Way Things Should Be. It was evident in the lungeing, but the trailer loading definitely highlights it. I'm hoping next week we will see her step right in so I can put the trailer loading aside until she is ready to head South.
Not such a bad place to be.
Today I (re)introduced the long lines. She also showed much improvement on the lunge line with only a brief thought to force a direction change, but gave it up quickly.
Next week we'll be playing with the tire more, introducing the rope traces, and pressure in the breastcollar. I did pick up a smaller tire earlier this week as the Jeep got a nail in it and we had to take it in. While Discount replaced it I asked for, and received! a car tire. I am sure Chroi can pull the small tractor tire without issue, but I didn't quite feel like dragging the beastly thing to introduce the noise. The car tire is nice as I can lift it with one hand! I may put a piece of board in it to keep it from filling with footing. It's not quite as noisy as I wanted, but will do the job.
In other news Debbie is moving to a smaller house without property. She sent Digur back to the rescue she got him from with the single consolation that she won't have to body clip him next year. They were a good fit and she quite enjoyed the little guy after spending so long struggling with Royal, but life happens and she needs a smaller house (her current one is pretty huge for a now-single lady) and horse property wasn't in the cards.
This meant that Pebbles the miniature donkey was looking for a new home. I knew I couldn't convince Chris we needed a mini donkey (he confirmed) and Marty didn't think it was a good time for her to acquire a new creature. I asked Dawn and she is content with her feed leased mini who is best buds with her mare Grace. I mentioned Pebbles in passing to Nelson and he said he'd think about it and by that afternoon I had found Pebbles a new home. Funnily enough she will be rejoining Royal. Since Nelson doesn't yet have a trailer I'll be loading and moving Pebbles on Wednesday. She hasn't seen the inside of a trailer in three or four years so we'll see how it goes!
In still other news I've ridden Bud the past few weeks.
Making use of the Trensen Knebel and playing with a new bit. He went well in it.
Next week I should have Sue in the cart again. Her back surgery recovery has been a lot slower than she had hoped and she is anxious to get back too it, but doesn't want to overdo it either.