Silke October 2011

It has been almost a year since I brought Silke home. We have had some great fun and we have had some challenges. I am very pleased with her progress. Thank you all for taking the time to listen to our blogging and commenting on our progress from time to time. I wanted a project horse, and it has been a wonderful experience. For those of you who have these horses, I have to say that the thing that has worked the best for me was to try to spend time with my horse every day. That seems to be the most important ingredient in her training. So be as consistent as your life allows!

Bear and I went to the beach with the Cascade Icelandic club last Friday and on Saturday Bear and I rode on the beach for the first time ever! It was amazing at one point I rode with the reins on his neck and my arms stretched out like the kid on the Black Stallion. I can't wait till next year, thank you Claudia for organizing all of this for us, you are a very special person. We got to meet new friends and we got to spend time with a wonderful group of women. The food was great and everyone shared in the cooking, cleaning etc.  We stayed at a house that sleeps 10, and has room for our horses in stalls or in stalls with a run, it was great for us and for our horses. Thank you to Seahorse Acres on the Washington coast.
 Today I spent time on the ground with Silke and then we walked around the property and then I put her in her pasture, I will get her out again this afternoon and sit/ride her.
Thanks for listening,
Cheryl & Silke

riding!

Hi All,
Silke is truly becoming a wonderful horse, she has taught me so much. she is still teaching me on a daily basis. I am riding her now and I have made a commitment to her, she is still being ridden by Mike, my trainer. she has learned to trust humans and she seems to like being played with. she is very laid back but she is also very sensitive. we are still working on her speed control and directional. Mike rode her outside the arena and up the riding trail, she seemed to really like it.
We are riding in a bosal, it seems to be what she likes and responds to best. I ride in a Spanish/Western round skirted saddle made by Don West, it seems to fit and is good for me too. I truly believe that you need to build a relationship with these horses and it is the foundation for trust and helps everything fall into place, naturally. If I ask her for too much she lets me know to slow down, If I don't ask for enough she lets me know that too.
Thank you for listening,
Cheryl and Silke

First Ride...Again

I am so excited, today I rode Silke for the first time since the Trainer started (thank you, Mike), we both did well. I know this is weird because I have ridden her before, but this was different, I wasn't stealing a ride. She enjoyed it as much as I did. I am feeling like she is the velveteen rabbit and she just turned real. Because I haven't ridden her in several months, I need to re-build my confidence level. Today was a very important part of this process. thanks for listening,
Cheryl & Silke

Silke's progression

Hi All,
Today Silke is like any other horse, it is amazing. she is tolting more, but she is also walk, trot cantering too! she has lots of go, but it is getting smoother everyday. she is quite happy walking and trotting/tolting. she is still learning to balance herself at the canter. she stops very easily now. I sat on her today, bareback for quite some time. Now I need to make the transition from the trainer to me, it should come easily for Silke. The trainer will continue to work with her and take her on trail at Battle Ground lake park so she can get used to where I ride. I am really excited about her first trail ride.
Thanks for listening,
Cheryl & Silke & trainer Mike

Tolting!!!!!!!

Hi all,
Silke had her longest ride, she is now comfortably walk, trot, cantering and she is tolting before and after the trot she is really doing well, I can't wait to be riding her myself again, for now it's just the trainer, but I am doing all the ground games and manners, she is amazing. I am also going up and down in the stirrup on both sides and climbing on her bareback she stands very still at the mounting block and she stands tied very quietly she trots when I trot, she stops when I stop, she backs when I back. I send her in a circle and she stops when I say whoa at a walk, trot, or canter. she backs thru gates and she goes over bridges and she goes through water really well. she seems to love being ridden now. as I have said before, she comes when we call her name. I am very pleased with her progress.
 Next I need to get her some boots so she can start going out on trail rides. she has been hobbled and she rides with a big heavy western saddle with saddlebags and a back cinch. she stands still for the bullwhip snapping.
My granddaughter is riding bear on a weekly basis now, so I need to make Silke my new riding horse, I am also riding Feather, she is really doing well at the tolt and the canter, she is a lot more balanced.  thanks for listening,
Cheryl
PS the trainer is here to stay now, thanks, Mike.

Canter!!!!

Hi All,
We are progressing so rapidly now, We are now walk , trot, and canter. she is doing so well she has really turned the corner, she is so relaxed and calm. I added a crupper to her saddle 2 days ago and she is doing well with it, no problem. she has given up her union card! woohoo! I am now doing all the ground games and the trainer is doing the riding. When we call her name in the pasture she comes running to the gate! she is allowing everyone to catch her with ease. she has really settled in........Thanks for listening,
Cheryl & Silke

Silke's Progress Blog

Hi All,
My Trainer, Mike Schnicker, had a great riding day with Silke today, she is doing very well. I wish you all could be here to see how far she has come along thanks to Mike doing such a great job. Sadly Mike is only going to be here for 2 more weeks, I wish I could get him to stay longer, he is the best trainer I could have asked for
for Silke, he is kind and gentle and he reads my horse so well, its like he is so in tune with my horse, thanks, Mike.
Silke and I will miss you 
Cheryl & Silke