Equine Masterpiece

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Working with Angel

Last Thursday, MiniOwner and I realized that I really, really, really need to work on turning Angel away from me, instead of towards me. The problem with turning a horse towards you (like I had been doing) is that, after awhile, the horse will always try to get ahead of you - pull you, tromp past you, and just get in the way.

On Thursday I got to work with Angel on turning away from me, but it didn't seem to help that much by the end of the session. Today, however, she ended on a much better note! At first she was trying to lead me (as well as completely ignoring my cues), but then MiniOwner lunged her until she was quite tired, which helped tons. Afterwards, she was much better! She was listening, and actually let me get ahead of her to make her turn.

After working on turning her right (right as in both the opposite of left, and also right as in correctly) for some time, I worked on her sidepassing. Sidepassing has never been her forte, to put it simply. When she is happy she'll do it great at the barn, but at the shows she always thinks she can get out of it. And, I think she's right, as I don't discipline her in the show ring (because it'll get us DQ'ed).

However, my plan is that in the first trail course with sidepassing this year, if she misbehaves, I'll get after her. She needs to know that the show ring ≠ getting out of certain tasks she doesn't particularly like. If I get disqualified for it, I guess I lose ten bucks or so, and that's that.

Anyway, for a fair portion of the time I spent working with her on sidepassing, she was just paying attention to Milo (the dog). When she listened to me, though, she did pretty good! On the last time she did exceptionally well (for me not having done it with her for along time) - not even bumping the pole once - so I decided to end it at that.

And as always, after a horse has a good training/working session, they should be rewarded. Usually this just means getting a quick grooming again, but today she also received some pieces of apple core. Angel Eyes really, really likes it when I have treats for her. ^_^

The point is, when you are leading a horse, do not make the same mistake I did and turn the horse towards you just because it's easier. It won't end well, guaranteed. Also, after a good training session with your horse (or even if your horse does something you ask of him exceptionally well), reward him. Not only does a well-trained horse need discipline, but also praise. (:

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Meet Ben!

UPDATE: During the late summer of 2013 I got to ride Nick (the horse has been renamed)! You can read about it and see the pictures here.

This is part of the surprise I told you about earlier. :) Last week my stable friends cared for a big, gentle (although pushy, sometimes) Belgian gelding. He had been taken into custody by a humane society because his owner was mistreating animals (thankfully not him). Anyway, first one of the vet places cared for him for a day or two, and then we got him.

We weren't keeping him, though. We were only giving him free board until we found a good home for him. A gentleman friend of ours said he would take Ben if he was broke to drive. My stable friends had already suspected Ben was, and when said gentleman came out with his draft harness to try on him, he confirmed our guesses.

Ben is only five years old, and we're pretty certain he was trained by some Amish. Regardless, whoever trained him to drive did well. Ben was calm the entire time (he could've cared less!), didn't freak out when the collar almost got stuck over his eyes, was accustomed to the bit and reins, and didn't mind the blinkers.

Anyway, the gentleman was more than happy with the results, so the next morning (last Sunday) he came and picked Ben up. Once the guy tops off Ben's driving skills, he'll also be showing him. Which means I'll probably see Ben at least five times this year. :D

Ben has a good home now, and will actually have a Belgian friend who's name is Red. :3 Here are some pictures of him on the morning he started on his journey!

It was crucial that he finish his grain before leaving!

If you can kinda figure out how tall Ben is, I think the guy's somewhere around 5'8" or so.

Nice hooves! And pretty large, at that.

I like draft horses. :3

Horrid picture, but his movement is *beautiful*.

Nice tail? XD

I'm fairly certain he's checking out the trailer in this shot.

Speaking of trailers, he fit quite snugly in this one.

Peppy the Mule Colt

First of all, this is not a 2013 foal! This post is almost 11 or so months late, sorryyyyy. However, Peppy is too cute to not have his own post, so here it is. :)

He was born on April 12, 2012. His dam is Flicka, the silver dapple and white pictured below with him. The sire was a gray pinto miniature jack. Somehow Peppy managed to avoid the pinto allele. XD

Anyway, the story about how he came is slightly humorous. I guess you could say that he was an "oops" baby. MiniOwner had been offered Flicka (not in foal at that time), and had settled a deal to take her. However, before we ended up getting her, MiniOwner was called up by the Flicka's original owner. Apparently, Flicka had crawled through a water trough to get in with the miniature jack, and the lady had no clue as to if she was bred or not.

Regardless, MiniOwner took her, and we've had her since (although, if she doesn't take [aka if she isn't breedable] this year, we'll be selling her *sad face*). Turned out (yay!) she was pregnant. Anyway, all said and done, we got Peppy from it. We sold him after he was weaned, but it was awesome when we had him. :)

These stall pictures were taken the night he was born, and the outside pictures were taken a week or so later. :)