Monday, February 28, 2011
Moving home, or trying to anyway
It is time to bring Louie home. There was a storm coming today and I had hoped to get Louie home before the driving got too bad. It had already started to snow by the time we got home from work. But, it was snowing lightly. I shoveled the snow out of the back of my truck and headed over to the barn at 7:00. Wendy was not back yet from her weekend vacation. No one was at the barn yet to feed so all the equines got excited when they saw me thinking I might be the one feeding them. I had not moved my trailer since I had trailered Louie over at the end of December. There was a lot of snow around it. I shoveled the snow out but the tires and wheel chocks were frozen in. I dug, chipped and shoveled to no avail. I could not budge the trailer. Between being frozen in and so much ice under the truck it was no use. At about 9:00 am. I gave it up. Louie had been brought up into the barn. I decided to work him since I was there. But, the woman taking care of the barn for Wendy was just starting to feed. So, I turned Louie out loose in the arena. He did roll but then just went to the door wanting his breakfast. So, I put him back in his stall, which he protested even though that is where the food was.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Crazy Mule Today
I headed over to the barn today with Lance at about 4:00 PM. It was a nice sunny day but windy so kind of cold outside. Louie seemed happy to see me and came willingly up to the barn. Didn't even lock up at the doorway today. I decided to take him right into the arena today to lunge him and then I'd tack up to ride. Well, he seemed so nice and quiet when coming up to the barn. But, as soon as we got in the arena and I asked Louie to move, he spazzed right out. He bolted off at 100 mph with a snort. To his credit, when he came to the end of the line he did not drag me but headed into a circle around me. I got him settled back into a trot and a second later he bolted off again with a snort and a buck and even sent a kick in my direction. He was out on the end of the lunge line but I still let him know that kicking of any kind, even in play, when we are working is NOT acceptable. He did his bolting thing 4 of 5 times. He did a few crow hops but no more kicking out. He was just plain full of it and feeling good.
After a while he settled down......mostly. So, I decided today we would get some stuff out to work with to get his mind working with me. I put down a low jump and dragged out the wooden bridge. It is a small arched bridge and he's never seen this before. He went right for the jump and seemed to think that was kind of fun. He hesitated for just a second at the bridge. I was sending him onto it and not leading. After just a moments hesitation, he stepped onto it and crossed. After that, he made no attempts to avoid it. We were doing this all on the lunge line and we worked on transitions from trot to walk. He was having a very had time today with walk. He was jazzed up and wanted to move out. The obstacle helped focus him.
Eventually, I asked him to whoa on the bridge. If he was just going up on the bridge, he would stop immediately. But, if he was past half way across and on the downhill slope, he wanted to get all the way off before stopping. It took a few tries to get him to stop on the downhill slope of the bridge. One he did it the first time, he was fine with it.
We also worked quite a while on ground manners when being led. He was always good at my house because there were no distractions. It took him being in a new and busy place to find the hole in this part of his training. With the constant distractions at the boarding barn, he often gets heavy on the lead line and does not always respect my space. He doesn't purposely push into my space, he gets gawking around and doesn't pay attention to me and where I am. And I have not been working on this like I should. So today I led him all around and make him really pay attention to me and when he didn't he would get to work on backing, moving his hindquarters and on the forehand. It didn't take too long before he started keeping one eye one me while gawking around and he did real good. He is also doing great with trotting in hand. He understands what I want now and when I say trot and start to move off, he is right with me on a nice loose lead line. Two girls came into the arena with two mini horses. They were all fired up too. This caused a lot of distraction for Louie but that was good as that is just what we need to work with. Louie did good keeping on task even with the wild little snorting, galloping beasts in the arena.
I ended up not riding as I ran out of time. But that's ok, we did some good work today. I just have to make sure to reinforce the leading manners every time from now on consistently. When I was done, the arena was empty so I closed the door and let Louie loose. He was now past the desire to run around but he did enjoy a good roll. When I turned him back out in his paddock, he laid his head on my chest and wanted some head hugs and ear scratches which he got.
After a while he settled down......mostly. So, I decided today we would get some stuff out to work with to get his mind working with me. I put down a low jump and dragged out the wooden bridge. It is a small arched bridge and he's never seen this before. He went right for the jump and seemed to think that was kind of fun. He hesitated for just a second at the bridge. I was sending him onto it and not leading. After just a moments hesitation, he stepped onto it and crossed. After that, he made no attempts to avoid it. We were doing this all on the lunge line and we worked on transitions from trot to walk. He was having a very had time today with walk. He was jazzed up and wanted to move out. The obstacle helped focus him.
Eventually, I asked him to whoa on the bridge. If he was just going up on the bridge, he would stop immediately. But, if he was past half way across and on the downhill slope, he wanted to get all the way off before stopping. It took a few tries to get him to stop on the downhill slope of the bridge. One he did it the first time, he was fine with it.
We also worked quite a while on ground manners when being led. He was always good at my house because there were no distractions. It took him being in a new and busy place to find the hole in this part of his training. With the constant distractions at the boarding barn, he often gets heavy on the lead line and does not always respect my space. He doesn't purposely push into my space, he gets gawking around and doesn't pay attention to me and where I am. And I have not been working on this like I should. So today I led him all around and make him really pay attention to me and when he didn't he would get to work on backing, moving his hindquarters and on the forehand. It didn't take too long before he started keeping one eye one me while gawking around and he did real good. He is also doing great with trotting in hand. He understands what I want now and when I say trot and start to move off, he is right with me on a nice loose lead line. Two girls came into the arena with two mini horses. They were all fired up too. This caused a lot of distraction for Louie but that was good as that is just what we need to work with. Louie did good keeping on task even with the wild little snorting, galloping beasts in the arena.
I ended up not riding as I ran out of time. But that's ok, we did some good work today. I just have to make sure to reinforce the leading manners every time from now on consistently. When I was done, the arena was empty so I closed the door and let Louie loose. He was now past the desire to run around but he did enjoy a good roll. When I turned him back out in his paddock, he laid his head on my chest and wanted some head hugs and ear scratches which he got.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Finally got to ride....
Lance and Zephyr
I finally got over to the barn today to ride. Haven't been over since last Friday. Had a busy weekend. My step-son bought us a 55' flat screen TV. We wall mounted it and that meant moving some furniture. And that was a good excuse to buy some new furniture to replace some old, mis-matched stuff. So, the weekend was spend installing the TV and shopping. It was a nice weekend too so a shame to not spend it outside. But, Monday was just plain cold so I wimped out.
Anyway, the little red dog and I went over this morning. Lance was very happy to be at the barn. I had to search around for Louie's halter, it was trampled into the snow....again.... but unharmed. There is SO much ice on the ground right now. Wendy has sanded around the barn so it's manageable though her driveway in is a sheet of glare ice. Louie did not fuss about coming into the barn today. And he was quiet on the cross ties. I lunged him first and he was pretty good. A bit inattentive but not doing anything bad.
We then did some tarp training. Louie has walked over the tarp laid out flat on the ground quite a few times and doesn't mind that. And I have put a tarp on him without him seeming too concerned. When I first brought the tarp out he snorted at it a few times and backed away. Then seemed to realize it was a familiar object. I put it on him and pulled it over his head. Other then backing up a few steps the first few times, he did not object to this. Then I put it on him and led him off at a walk. No problem with that. So, then I asked him to trot. At that point the tarp started to flap. This he didn't like so much. When the tarp floated off him, he spun around to snort and stare at it. I then asked him to walk over it. It was not laying flat and he was not particularly inclined to do this. But, with a little patience and persistence, he finally did walk over it. I repeated this exercise of putting it on him, trotting him and letting it flap and float off and then asking him to walk over it. After about 4 times, he was fine with this.
Then I rode him for a while. He was good and lined right up to the mounting block and stood like a rock. And there were no mule eating dragons in the arena today. The dogs startled him a couple of time suddenly appearing in a doorway or overhead in the hay loft. But, he didn't do more then stop and look. He was just a very good boy today.
I finally got over to the barn today to ride. Haven't been over since last Friday. Had a busy weekend. My step-son bought us a 55' flat screen TV. We wall mounted it and that meant moving some furniture. And that was a good excuse to buy some new furniture to replace some old, mis-matched stuff. So, the weekend was spend installing the TV and shopping. It was a nice weekend too so a shame to not spend it outside. But, Monday was just plain cold so I wimped out.
Anyway, the little red dog and I went over this morning. Lance was very happy to be at the barn. I had to search around for Louie's halter, it was trampled into the snow....again.... but unharmed. There is SO much ice on the ground right now. Wendy has sanded around the barn so it's manageable though her driveway in is a sheet of glare ice. Louie did not fuss about coming into the barn today. And he was quiet on the cross ties. I lunged him first and he was pretty good. A bit inattentive but not doing anything bad.
We then did some tarp training. Louie has walked over the tarp laid out flat on the ground quite a few times and doesn't mind that. And I have put a tarp on him without him seeming too concerned. When I first brought the tarp out he snorted at it a few times and backed away. Then seemed to realize it was a familiar object. I put it on him and pulled it over his head. Other then backing up a few steps the first few times, he did not object to this. Then I put it on him and led him off at a walk. No problem with that. So, then I asked him to trot. At that point the tarp started to flap. This he didn't like so much. When the tarp floated off him, he spun around to snort and stare at it. I then asked him to walk over it. It was not laying flat and he was not particularly inclined to do this. But, with a little patience and persistence, he finally did walk over it. I repeated this exercise of putting it on him, trotting him and letting it flap and float off and then asking him to walk over it. After about 4 times, he was fine with this.
Then I rode him for a while. He was good and lined right up to the mounting block and stood like a rock. And there were no mule eating dragons in the arena today. The dogs startled him a couple of time suddenly appearing in a doorway or overhead in the hay loft. But, he didn't do more then stop and look. He was just a very good boy today.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Trick Out Your Mule Contest
Today I went to the barn armed with my camera and ..... "stuff" to dress up Louie for the "Trick Out Your Mule" contest being held by the MulesOnly internet group. It is a contest on creative ways to trim a mules mane. Decorations and props allowed. The prize being a bottle of ....something yummy. I bought some fabric ribbon in gold and black and sewed this onto Louie's bridle. I had already cut Louie's mane a few days ago. I did neaten the hair cut up a bit. I then added a feather plume to his bridle and some beads in his mane. Louie didn't seem to mind being dressed up at all. I was hoping someone would be around to help me pose him for pictures. Of course no one was to be seen today. Louie was good about standing for pictures though. The work I've done with ground tying has helped. I had mostly wanted someone to hold his reins and get him to flex at the pole and get him to arch his neck. But, I just did the best I could by myself. Of course as soon as I got my stuff put away Wendy, the barn owner showed up outside. She did give Louie and I some strange looks and said she was sure that Louie was completely embarrassed. Before leaving the barn I did lunge Louie but not for long. He was a bit of a wild man today wanting to buck and play. Pictures will be coming but I can't post them until after the contest.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Hair cut and hoof trim
I've been over to work with Louie 3 times since I last posted. But, nothing exciting. I'm getting in a rut and been lacking in enthusiasm and I can tell Louie feels it and is responding in kind. He has been good but also not getting engaged in what he is doing. So, for the rest of this month my goal is to get back in the game and come up with ways to engage Louie's mind and get us both back in the game.
This afternoon my farrier called. I was in bed but awake when he called. He asked me if I could meet him at the barn between 2:00 and 2:15 PM. I said yes. When I got off the phone that is when I looked at the time. It was 1:45 PM. YIKES, I quickly dressed, had a bagel and made coffee to go. Then Lance, the little red dog and I headed to the barn. I got there at exactly 2:15 PM. The farrier was already there. The driveway into the barn, which is long, was VERY icy. But, around the barn wasn't bad. Willow, the barn owners dog, comes to my truck when I arrive now anticipating that I will have Lance with me. Lance is still a bit intimidated by Willow so I have to make him get out of the truck. But, once out, he seems to have a good time playing with Willow. A few other dogs were at the barn today also and there was a bit of scuffling between some of them. But, overall, they seemed to have fun playing. All of them were a lot bigger then Lance though, poor little guy.
I caught Louie and brought him up to the barn for the farrier. He was not the best boy but not awful either. He didn't want to stand still. When he was done I put him in his stall much to his distress. I had to go get Bonnie's mule, Dolly so she could be trimmed also. Like Louie, she too was a bit naughty but not awful with not wanting to stand still. Wendy, the barn owner, said Dolly hates coming up to the barn even more then Louie. Louie pawed and banged at his stall door the whole time he was in there. Naughty boy!
When the farrier was done with Dolly, I saddled her up to try out a rear cinch on her that I had ordered for Louie. It was just a hair smaller then I had hoped it would be and I though it might fit Dolly better. Wendy told me I should ride her since I had her all tacked up. I might of but I really didn't have time since I wanted to ride Louie. So, after trying the cinch on her I put her back in her paddock.
The barn was busy today. There were kids, dogs, adults and horses all over in and out of the barn and arena. Louie was pretty quiet on the cross ties. I think he was just relieved to be out of his prison cell. So, I decided to give him a funky hair cut for the "Trick your Mule" contest that the MulesOnly internet group was having. Louie stood very good for this and it took me quite a while. We were getting some funny looks from everyone with Louie's new hairdo. I didn't have my camera with me so I'll have to go back with the camera tomorrow to get pictures. Then I can cut his mane all the way down so he'll look normal again.
When I took him in to the arena to lunge him, he was full of it and wanted to jump and buck. It took a while to settle him down. Then when I went to get on him, he didn't want to stand at the mounting block. Now this is one of the things I've worked on the past 3 times I've worked him and he's been perfect about it. BUT, no one has been around the last 3 times. There were too many distractions for him today and he was having a hard time paying attention. After a couple tries though I did get his mind working and he was a good boy. He was a bit bouncy and light on his feet today but didn't do anything bad. I was very pleased that he did not really pay attention to the others riding in the arena. He was mostly jumpy about sounds outside the arena. He does not like hearing things and not being able to see what it is. All the dogs kept running in and out of the arena and that didn't bother Louie at all. It is good for him to get used to this kind of thing. Overall he rode very good. His whoa was great. He backed well. Did his turns on the forehand well and even did a nice side pass in one direction. And he did some of the nicest canter transitions. He still doesn't keep the canter long but today he kept it up longer then ever before breaking. He does that real slow QH type canter which is neat. But, I know it takes a lot of strength to gather up and collect for that so I'm not pushing him.
Something else I've noticed is that he is no longer jumpy about strange sound coming from me when I'm on him. And I'm not even sure when he stopped reacting to this. It's just that today I realized I'm no longer being careful about every little move or noise I make when I'm riding. So, just to test this I flapped my coat, smacked my helmet and made noise with my zipper. Other then just point his ears towards me to listen, he was fine. Kind of neat to find out you've made progress on something without even realizing it.
So, it was a good day at the barn.
This afternoon my farrier called. I was in bed but awake when he called. He asked me if I could meet him at the barn between 2:00 and 2:15 PM. I said yes. When I got off the phone that is when I looked at the time. It was 1:45 PM. YIKES, I quickly dressed, had a bagel and made coffee to go. Then Lance, the little red dog and I headed to the barn. I got there at exactly 2:15 PM. The farrier was already there. The driveway into the barn, which is long, was VERY icy. But, around the barn wasn't bad. Willow, the barn owners dog, comes to my truck when I arrive now anticipating that I will have Lance with me. Lance is still a bit intimidated by Willow so I have to make him get out of the truck. But, once out, he seems to have a good time playing with Willow. A few other dogs were at the barn today also and there was a bit of scuffling between some of them. But, overall, they seemed to have fun playing. All of them were a lot bigger then Lance though, poor little guy.
I caught Louie and brought him up to the barn for the farrier. He was not the best boy but not awful either. He didn't want to stand still. When he was done I put him in his stall much to his distress. I had to go get Bonnie's mule, Dolly so she could be trimmed also. Like Louie, she too was a bit naughty but not awful with not wanting to stand still. Wendy, the barn owner, said Dolly hates coming up to the barn even more then Louie. Louie pawed and banged at his stall door the whole time he was in there. Naughty boy!
When the farrier was done with Dolly, I saddled her up to try out a rear cinch on her that I had ordered for Louie. It was just a hair smaller then I had hoped it would be and I though it might fit Dolly better. Wendy told me I should ride her since I had her all tacked up. I might of but I really didn't have time since I wanted to ride Louie. So, after trying the cinch on her I put her back in her paddock.
The barn was busy today. There were kids, dogs, adults and horses all over in and out of the barn and arena. Louie was pretty quiet on the cross ties. I think he was just relieved to be out of his prison cell. So, I decided to give him a funky hair cut for the "Trick your Mule" contest that the MulesOnly internet group was having. Louie stood very good for this and it took me quite a while. We were getting some funny looks from everyone with Louie's new hairdo. I didn't have my camera with me so I'll have to go back with the camera tomorrow to get pictures. Then I can cut his mane all the way down so he'll look normal again.
When I took him in to the arena to lunge him, he was full of it and wanted to jump and buck. It took a while to settle him down. Then when I went to get on him, he didn't want to stand at the mounting block. Now this is one of the things I've worked on the past 3 times I've worked him and he's been perfect about it. BUT, no one has been around the last 3 times. There were too many distractions for him today and he was having a hard time paying attention. After a couple tries though I did get his mind working and he was a good boy. He was a bit bouncy and light on his feet today but didn't do anything bad. I was very pleased that he did not really pay attention to the others riding in the arena. He was mostly jumpy about sounds outside the arena. He does not like hearing things and not being able to see what it is. All the dogs kept running in and out of the arena and that didn't bother Louie at all. It is good for him to get used to this kind of thing. Overall he rode very good. His whoa was great. He backed well. Did his turns on the forehand well and even did a nice side pass in one direction. And he did some of the nicest canter transitions. He still doesn't keep the canter long but today he kept it up longer then ever before breaking. He does that real slow QH type canter which is neat. But, I know it takes a lot of strength to gather up and collect for that so I'm not pushing him.
Something else I've noticed is that he is no longer jumpy about strange sound coming from me when I'm on him. And I'm not even sure when he stopped reacting to this. It's just that today I realized I'm no longer being careful about every little move or noise I make when I'm riding. So, just to test this I flapped my coat, smacked my helmet and made noise with my zipper. Other then just point his ears towards me to listen, he was fine. Kind of neat to find out you've made progress on something without even realizing it.
So, it was a good day at the barn.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)