next week

Hi all,

I have been gone to Florida for a week, so it was interesting to find out what would happen after a week off. when I had only been working with her for a little over a week.

As you recall I was able to progress to riding bareback and picking up feet etc.

the first day back from Florida, I went into her stall and it was just like the first day, she was very timid, so I really thought I had lost everything I gained. she kept moving away, so I just kept doing approach and retreat and every time she looked at me I would turn a shoulder to her and squat down and look to the ground, very submissive like. all of a sudden I could see her soften, she remembered!! I walked up to her side to side and backed my way over to her in a zigzag fashion until I was touching her all over. she let me put the lead rope on and she seemed relieved. 

 Today was even better I was able to catch her in less than a minute! I took her to my working pen and let her loose, she stood and let me pick up all 4 feet and she allowed me to brush her and I sprayed Vetrocyn on a spot on her back that she had when I got her. spray doesn't bother her either.  I put on the bareback pad several times, she moved away after I cinched up a couple of times so I sent her out and when she would look my way I would back up and turn a shoulder and squat down, she actually started stepping toward me!! We did several turns with her facing me to change directions, Yay!  This is very exciting for me! 

 

 Eventually she followed me all over the pen. I took off the bareback pad and tied her to the post, and went to get my light weight western saddle, I put if off and on 10 times from each side, then I cinched it up and then sent her to the right and then the left, she seemed to like it. so i got a portable mounting block and worked her to stand still to be mounted. First we did the right side and then the left, she would drop her head every time I stepped into the stirrup even on the off side, she didn't seem to know the difference. At one point she took a step when I had all my weight on her as if to say let's go. I didn't ride because I was by myself in the barn and I wanted someone to be a spotter in case they see something I don't, safety you know. by the way I always wear a helmet. I left her in the pen for several hours and came back , she followed me all over the pen loose, I also had put up a hot wire at the end with flags on it so she could get used to our electric fence before being turned out. She honored it well.

  My farrier comes Tuesday so I really worked on picking up feet several times. as I was taking her back to her barn a farrier came for one of my existing boarders, so I took advantage and asked her to pick up her feet and she cleaned them out, right there in the driveway,  Silke acted as though it was no big deal, the farrier gave her some peppermint treats for each foot, so she was very willing to oblige her. what a great day! That farrier said she thought my farrier would be very happy with how far we have come in such a short time. I told her that it is the horse, she is exceptional. Sorry this is so long I wanted to give specific details.
Cheryl & Silke