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Post by Michelle Clarke on Aug 18, 2012 11:53:59 GMT -5
Sounds good...let me know when you are ready to move on; any day now! She is taking correction better, which tells you you are finally getting through to her.
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Post by gotkiger on Aug 18, 2012 14:13:07 GMT -5
I think we are getting ready to being able to move on. She is definitely listening better and respecting me and my space better. I had to give her a shot today and she just stood there instead of the normal rodeo and tensing up. It took longer than I expected but I am super happy with where we are now as opposed to a few months ago. She still has her moments where she just wants to run and play and forget the manners and lessons but she soon comes back down to earth and falls in line. But that being said she knows she is worked in the round pen and even though she is in a 1 acre pasture she would rather run and play in my tiny round pen. Thank you so much for this. I am hoping the next few weeks will be easier as I am starting to get better myself.
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Post by gotkiger on Aug 20, 2012 11:18:17 GMT -5
Well here is my full disclosure... I am due to "foal" again in April. This time I have been wiped out completely. I am extremely exhausted to the point of not being able to get up if I lay down. I'm a little green but not bad. It was around this time with my daughter that I got kicked in the abdomen, not by my own horses, so I am a little warry as well. I wil keep moving dorward as much as I can but it might take a while longer to get from point a to point b.
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Post by DianneC on Aug 20, 2012 13:52:36 GMT -5
Congratulations! Hope your energy returns soon, funny how each baby is different from the get go. I'd be cautious too. You might check with your doctor on taking ginger for nausea. Works really well and you can buy capsules.
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Post by gotkiger on Aug 20, 2012 14:12:06 GMT -5
Thank you. You know I had completely forgot about that. Haha. This has already been so different but still so exciting. My biggest concern is Frodo but we shall see what wil happen with him.
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Post by gotkiger on Aug 30, 2012 15:06:26 GMT -5
My energy has finally picked back up and the green-ness has also been vanquished. I do believe it is time to move on and keep going. Dollie is back out to pasture but is easily brought back and forth to the round pen.
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Post by gotkiger on Sept 23, 2012 18:31:28 GMT -5
I brought Dollie back over to the round pen after about two weeks off. We did about 27-30 changes before my husband and daughter showed up and asked if i was ready to ride yet so we stopped and i rode her with the bareback pad and her halter all sorts of directions at a walk and a trot. Then I switched to the snaffle and picked up my daughter for a ride around the round pen. They both loved it, though you can tell Dollie is not thrilled about moving when there is precious cargo on her back. Once she realized that i wasn't going to let go or give up she gave in and kept moving at a nice smooth walk, but her ears were pinned onto my daughter. If Takara moved (even her little head) then Dollies ears moved and her head did a little too so she could see what was going on. It was so cute and I am so proud of how she has taken to having a little one ride her.
(side note: I am not sure that Dollie is right to be a child's horse. She is great for me and someone who knows a little more about how to control a horse. That being said I am trying to get permission to have a third horse on property which would be for Takara and my next little one. So i might be looking for a very calm and gentile gelding that can also be a companion for Frodo. I would want to "test drive" the horse for a month or two before i decide so i can make sure that i can trust the horse with my babies. Kiger is a preference but most important is trustworthy. Send me a PM if you think you might have something that would work. I am not expecting to gain the spot for another year but I keep trying and looking. Oh and I live on a dairy with over 2000 cows so that is another thing that could be a problem and take a while to overcome. Thank you)
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Post by gotkiger on Sept 26, 2012 17:11:29 GMT -5
We have been doing a lot of manners at feeding time work the last few days and she has picked up how to behave again. I come in and she backs off and away from her food until i am up and over the fence and starting to walk away. She is doing great with the changes but my cameras are not here so i cant do a new video until i get them back, oops. She did become picky with her hay again though. What I have been feeding Frodo is very grassy and very little alfalfa in some bales and Dollie does not like that. So she left half of her breakfast the on Sunday. I was mean and didnt feed her again until she had eaten what she had. Insert evil laugh here, it worked she ate it and hasnt complained and not eaten what she is given in three days, so fingers are crossed that she continues to behave.
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Post by Michelle Clarke on Sept 27, 2012 20:24:07 GMT -5
I am glad you are back to riding but I really hesitate to give advice because of you being pregnant...I know we have to dig and deal with some real issues with Dollie and I would not want anything bad to happen. So, with that said, we need to change our course in working with her and the most important thing will be to keep you and your new little one safe and sound. Honestly, I would not be riding her bareback right now, especially when we start addressing issues under saddle, we need to have her saddled. Agreed?
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Post by gotkiger on Sept 27, 2012 23:41:55 GMT -5
Agreed. I only rode her in my tiny round pen. I wont take her out to ride until after i deliver, and even then probably by a few months since i will be having a c-section. Sadly i am the only one who knows much about horses in my "married into family" (the only family i have near me) so for me to keep her a little fresh with cues i didn't see another choice but to hop on. She knows something is different and wont do much except her slow walk and piss poor, super smooth, trot. However, i do work her on the ground first and if she seems the least bit squirrel then i stop there. I am not comfortable riding in a western saddle while pregnant so i have an English saddle i can use and it works well. I am the first to jump out of the way if i don't feel right about a situation. I guess that is why I have been a little harsher on Frodo and making him keep a bit farther away when i bring in his food (but i am happy to report he took it in stride and waits about 20 feet away while I come in, and is super calm and sweet the rest of the time).
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Post by gotkiger on Oct 16, 2012 17:55:48 GMT -5
My rump was itching a little too much. So I decided to get on and do a little ride on Dollie in the small pasture that i have (probably 100x100 ft roughly, i will get actual measurements later this week or next). She listened very well to both leg cues and to the snaffle. I didn't want to risk not using a bit so i went as soft as i had. I did use my aussie saddle and it wasn't as bad as i thought. I didn't feel like i was going to impale myself on the horn. We walked and did a little bit of her half @$$ trot because it is so smooth and easy to sit, I call it the hooter friendly trot. We weaved through poles just with using my legs, stopped and backed up and walked on. She was so quiet and calm, it was nice. Then when i took the bridle off she wouldnt let go of the bit for a min. She just stood there with her head kinda drooped down a little like she was going to fall asleep. I should have taken a picture
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Post by DianneC on Oct 24, 2012 21:42:17 GMT -5
Ah, what a good girl...she knows.
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