Arbeitpferde
Bud is on schedule again. I think it has been almost two years since I last rode him and Sue said he last worked six months ago. He did awesome for his first ride back.
I've been riding Bud's stablemate for a couple months now. She is pretty awesome for four and a half. She is starting to get the idea of leg yield. She doesn't quite believe in the left lead canter yet, but this will come and she is pretty rock solid and has an awesome mind. This past week we came up on a man with a leaf blower and he turned it on when we were only 10' away and she just did a little half startle. What a good girl. She had some mouth anxiety the first day I tried her when we put the bitted bridle on so I've been riding her bitless. We will need to find a bit she goes well in for Sue to drive her.
Miss B is new as of last week. She is either 7 or 8 years old and is an Andalusian. This is the first Iberian horse that I have ridden, another breed to tick off the list!
Poor Miss B had some rough handling at some point. When I first put the bridle on she instantly started jawing and working her mouth. Tons of anxiety in her mouth about having a bridle on even without the bit! I suggested to her owner she have B wear the bridle (under supervision) and between that and my riding her bitless ride five today had a MUCH quieter mouth and a more happily forward horse. She still works her mouth and does strange things with her neck when she gets anxious about not having the right answer, but it is loads better than it was and Leslie was pleased with the progress she saw over the last week.
Dolly the Haflinger I trained to drive bitless two years ago is continuing to be thoroughly enjoyed by her owner. They upgraded to a buggy and did a parade this summer!
I'm still riding Ludo and he makes me feel very fancy.
His canter is almost sit-able now. We got some half steps and his haunches-in is better at the trot than the walk apparently.
Bess is getting closer to hooking! I need to get a picture of her with her new harness!
Betty the National Show Horse is going really well in harness. I'm pretty surprised how quickly we got here! I am going to start making Robin drive her own horse.
Moonie is still getting twice a week. She was really weird on Tuesday, but she was back to normal today. We had a storm blow in Monday night, which dropped us 20 degrees and might explain her weirdness.
And that's not even everyone!
I've been playing with Tru-D in the "double" with the bit and Paso Fino Bosal.
I had ordered two sets of navy reins to go with Talon's bridle, 5/8 and 3/4" wide 11' loop with center buckle so I could work her in the two rein set up. Well Anita outsourced it to get it done faster as she went out of town and I ended up with royal blue reins that were 11' long each side! Whoops! Anita said no charge on these so Tru-D got them and I'm using them as split reins. I still need to hack off a foot or so of them because Tru-D will step on them if I don't gather up the slack in hand.
She is a ridiculously good looking horse if I do say so.
Talon's reins came in for hers. I'm getting fairly decent with two reins. I'm practicing for driving tandem...
I think I'm going to swap her out for a wheel hack instead of the scawbrig/jaquima like I have on Zeke's bridle. Monday I plan on driving Talon.
I finally got my Monday mornings cleared out so I can work my own horses! Talon first, then get Jasper going and it is then a toss up between getting Tru-D driving and Jasper.