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Post by kas on Jan 16, 2012 19:50:44 GMT
Quest, that's brilliant news!
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Post by quest on Jan 17, 2012 10:55:32 GMT
I blw her brain a bit yeaterday, asking for them again - she did it but was too "over the top" so I've back tracked doing them at the trot until she offers again.
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Post by snigsby on Jan 18, 2012 8:17:45 GMT
I think she was just saying "Look,easy-peasy!"
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Post by quest on Feb 2, 2012 18:39:22 GMT
A beautiful day. Fairy, Spiderman and Terrier caught little Dartmoor to groom and play with her. She is SOOO good. Spiderman put on the body protector and then vanished to shoot aliens, Terrier did some ground work, much to Little Dartmoor's surprise and popped her over a jump. Fairy became really brave and decided to sit on. She saddled up by her self (with no moody faces from LD) banged a mounting step around her and the climbed aboard (as she's left handed she does everything from the off side and LD accepts this better than her near side.) LD couldn't be persuaded to leave the hay net which was a great confidence boost for Fairy, so we hung another net the other side of the yard and hey presto she's walking from one side to the other. I had planned to ride on the banks with Nancy, but she's jumping out of her skin so we settled for on line work and then I rode in the small paddock. Interesting - we tried some sideways, which she finds very difficult and trailled her hind end and would only go to the left if I held her right rope so we did some practice moving the hind end when the stick and leg were applied (carrot stick laid onto her flank) and she managed a good few steps with her brain fully engaged on the activity. We had a rest then inspect the difference between taking up the contact, moving off and backup. Both moves require rope contact but the backup we did with me lifting my ribcage. Wonderful horse she understood both. I called it a day then as it was dropping to -1, Nancy to her stable and me for hot chocolate
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Post by kas on Feb 4, 2012 21:58:35 GMT
I hope you remembered to retrieve Spiderman from his alien battles? If not, nip out now, he's only little and could get lost in a drift.
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Post by quest on Feb 5, 2012 13:40:17 GMT
no problem, spiderman returned to the warm house for a drink and biscuite leaving the females doing what all equine loving females normaly do on freezing days. x
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Post by kas on Feb 6, 2012 16:50:37 GMT
He's got sense that boy!
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Post by quest on Feb 9, 2012 18:09:48 GMT
Still frozen here and more snow on the way so I decided to take Nancy in hand and Rusty (dog) for a walk along the banks. There is some lovely grass there. We had a good time practicing lift/lead the rope to walk her on from grazing, downward movement with my hand to stop her and a finger wiggle to back her to another piece of grass. I realized while dreaming as she was grazing (wearing full ski outfit to keep warm, and no I have never managed to successfully ski and never ever wish to try again), I realized that back in Kent we hacked mainly in woods and never met anyone. Here its totally open and you can see for at least a mile and I will meet several people + dogs and possibly Shetlands all of which is totally new to Nancy - another learning curve for me - again, never assume.
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Post by quest on Feb 25, 2012 16:33:28 GMT
Tired today after a rave night out. Well not quite went to see classical guitarist Clive Carroll - very civilized tables and chairs, bring own booze & cup of tea in interval. Fair decided to ride LD and wanted to walk over the poles. LD's idea of works is not to move at all, so Fairy had 3 challenges, to get her moving, to turn her and to stop her, but gentle little Fairy managed to bump her legs effectively enough to get speed (well slow walk) and bump the reins enough to get direction, halt is not a problem. Fairy was ecstatic and had enough carrots in a bucket to share her joy with LED (Terrier was nowhere to be seen and Superhero is suffering from man flue. I then brought Nancy in to work on her left sideways as she still leads with her fore and had some excellent steps. Clambered aboard carefully as I've put her back in her H girth now her sarcoid site is completely healed and she can take a little time to get used to it. No problem so we did some riding with 2 sticks and then practiced the sideways again, the sticks are extremely helpful for this exercise. Continued with figure of 8 to work on the correct bends and bless her she offered a rocking horse canter. Finished all Happy and all desperately in love with our equines.
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Post by kas on Feb 26, 2012 19:36:50 GMT
Ah, a great day Quest! Much more fulfilling than mine, which involved getting out The Glove and attending to Fin's Grotty Backside.
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Post by quest on Mar 16, 2012 17:09:39 GMT
8-)our flying changes on line have not been progressing recently - she just hasn't got it and gets in a temper when she can't manage to do them, so I've back tracked and been practicing changes of rein at the walk and trot and not attempted the canter. I've even seen her out in the field playing with the others and still not managing them and again she would blast off in a temper tantrum bucking and leaping, but this morning when she was playing she did a beautiful one so this afternoon I put the 22' line on and did some excellent walk and trot changes of rein. I asked for canter - nothing but lengthen trot (not what I wanted but beautiful) slowed her down asked again - still the same, did a change of rein at trot and immediately asked for canter and got it, asked for change of rein and had BEAUTIFUL flying change, so we stopped, had a carrot and cuddle and that was it. I suspect she finds one rein easier than the other and needs plenty of time to think about what I am asking her to do, but I thrilled to know she is really trying and is progressing ..
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Post by beksnjake on Mar 16, 2012 22:53:15 GMT
Sounds awesome.
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Post by quest on Apr 11, 2012 20:13:06 GMT
Over the past few months Nancy has been getting more and more unsettled so we've reverted right back to very basic work, the moment she goes "Arab" I stop and do something else completely different to attempt to change her mind set. She's not the sort of girl who can work through upsets she just gets worse and worse until her brain goes completely. I believe that she was fine to start with because she thought we were on holiday/on a course but when it became obvious that we were going "home" she started to worry about absolutely everything. I pleased to say that she is calming down, its like having a 2yr old again but we are still having fun together. We've found a Parelli instructor nearby and have booked an afternoon session in May for LD (now known as Hairy) Hatti and Nancy. Fairy has her Level 1 (although not with Hairy) and Hatti is Level 2 so it will be really good for Nancy and I to work with them and hopefully continue building up her confidence. Hairy and Fairy have now got a beautiful relationship together.
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Post by kas on Apr 12, 2012 11:36:43 GMT
Hairy and Fairy
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Post by quest on May 15, 2012 18:54:56 GMT
One step forwards 2 steps back. Nancy has recovered from her hormone but has thrown an allergic reaction to something - under her belly is swollen and tight but apart from not wanting her girth tight she's looking and feeling well. I suspect it's a combination of mud and sweet grass as she has a little rain scald on her neck where her rug didnt reach - such a fragil flower. The riding paddock lake has subsided a little but it's is very slippery so we all went out to the 1st field, Jaws, Hairy and Nancy and did some ground work. I've gone right back to basics with Nancy to help with her confidence issues and because riding isn't really an option at the moment. We worked again yesterday and Hairy and Fairy are getting the most amazing relationship going. Hairy is new to Natural methods but is finding it more relaxing and interesting and as Fairy is very gently they are both very happy together. Jaws spent most of the time practicing her airs above the ground while Nancy and I did some very basic "7 games" and I found some brace in her shoulders ( thanks El for your report from Mark Rashid it's helped inspire me). More rain forecast so probably the fields will go under water again. We've had a quote to drain the field and will probably do this next autumn.
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