Baby Shiraz. Smoochable nose from day one :) |
We all know bringing along a baby horse is never as easy as simple algebra, but having a plan and seeing it work with Savvy gives me hope. With phase one of the grand plan accomplished (get Shiraz officially green broke w/t/c), I am moving on to phase two which is to start trailering for arena time and lessons.
Ah, but can you solve this? |
Sitting on Shiraz and asking her to horse kind of still feels a bit surreal. She miraculously learnt A LOT in her short stint away at the trainer's and my brain needs to catch up to this new level of ability. I can ask and expect more from her but at the same time I am struggling with not 'knowing' her under saddle. Now that real work is happening I can find out the finer details that just were not showing up in the gradual low-pressure training I had been doing with her this past summer.
Maybe I roll? - Shiraz, many times |
I am also just taking note of simple things like what is her easier side? How easy is it to get her straight/bend and what does she tend most towards? And then there are the more subtle things that you feel from a horse like what their back feels like when they are tense versus relaxed.
It is all just so new and I am having quite a bit of fun figuring it all out.
Having a look at jumps we will be using in the somewhat near future! |
Once I felt like she was settled and ready to work, I saddled her up and began lunging. I wanted the experience to be quiet and relaxed to establish a good first experience for her. I made sure the lunging had plenty of transitions, tons of walk as well as halt and stand quietly for well-earned breaks (and of course stuffed her face with carrots for being such a good girl).
"This place has no 'winter'. I like it." Me too Shiraz, me too. |
I kept it to about a 60-meter circle doing walk/trot and focusing on forward, correct bend and not nagging. I discovered (like with all of my previous horses) she was far less forward in the arena than at home. I also could start to sort out some details about her way of going in working gaits. She felt quite stiff and a bit anxious going right. Going left was fantastic though and it was almost easy to get her shoulders where I wanted and a lovely soft bend off of inside leg to outside rein.
And (*gasp*) riding! |
My hour there seemed to fly by. I just wanted to keep going because Shiraz was being so fantastic and it was so much fun to be riding her.
My plan for the next little bit is to trailer over a few more times and ride on my own (if my truck cooperates b/c engine lights are worrisome and putting a sticker over it so I can't see it doesn't seem like a long-term solution) and then start lessons with my coach from last year. I did try to arrange lessons with the girl who worked with Shiraz, but after leaving two messages with the barn manager to get permission to trailer in there, I have still not heard back. I haven't given up on that though and will try to get something arranged, even if it is just for a couple of lessons because the more places I can take Shiraz, the better right?
Is the answer 16? I think it's 16
ReplyDeleteYour math is on point my friend :)
DeleteShe is so pretty. I'm glad taht she's doing well with her training. Maybe if you drive to the barn you can speak to the BM directly?
ReplyDeleteUmm, maybe. Ugh shiness might be an issue though...
DeleteSo excited for you to start this new journey with Shiraz! Slow steady and methodical counts for so much with horses!
ReplyDeleteI know it is so exciting!! And she handled all the new things really. I think having everything super planned out helps me be calm and focused which helps the horse so much.
DeleteI got 16 A’s well.
ReplyDeleteShe is such a beautiful creature. Give her a pet for me.
You got it right :) Yes she beautiful, to me anyways.
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ReplyDelete