12/31/2010

Hi all,
Silke is amazing, I know I have said it before, but it's hard to describe it any other way. Today we tried something different. Silke and Bear have been staying in my Oval pen in the main building where everyone else passes by with their horses to get to the big Arena. I was hoping it would help Silke adjust to people coming and going with horses, and it has been a good thing. I decided to change a little on our routine, my friend and I put our 4 horses together in the big Arena and turned them loose and asked them to go to the left, there were no rules about speed, just don't change directions and don't stop. we have done this many times with our horses, but never with Silke. She really loved it, I think she felt like she was back in the herd again. we let them go round until they were consistent with out trying to stop or change directions, then we sent them to the right and when they were consistent, we asked them to stop and come to us. Bear and the others came right away, Silke hid behind bear a little at first and then came up to be haltered. I am so excited ! she really loved it. I can't wait to try it with Vaka (Feather) and Silke and Bear. It was a good way to warm them up on a cold day. (we also got warmed up) we did our usual ground work taking away what is working well and adding a new task to replace what we have taken away. She is very smart, she remembers everything.
 I decided to see if this was a "riding" day, I took Silke into the oval pen and just turned her loose and asked her to stay with me, she followed me all over the pen and really liked the game of "Stick to me" she seemed to like the interaction of it. Since she didn't leave me and seemed to be very focused on me I knew it would be a good time to "ride."
 I put the bareback pad on and cinched it up in 5 cinchings so she could accept it better. then I moved her to the right and to the left crossing over on her front and then the hind quarters and crossing over. she stayed focused and did everything as if she had done it her whole life. I put the bosal and reins on and did lateral flexion both ways. I put the rope on her right side and around her butt and asked her to follow the feel from the halter and she turned from the left and from the right.

 I put the mounting block next to her and walked up on it, she did not move I laid on her back and on her neck, and on her butt, she still didn't move, she just lowered her head as if to say, just get on ! I got on and had my friend hold the lead line but only as a safety net.
I squeezed her forward and we walked and then I asked her to back up she didn't like it at first, but she did it just fine and then she decided it wasn't so bad and she backed up fairly smoothly we went to the right and to the left and we did several one rein stops so she could get used to emergency stops before I have to use them. She had her head down the whole time and she seems to like being ridden. this was a good ending to a good year! I hope to be riding with out the lead rope soon.
Happy New Year !