Day 266: wowsers. :)

So today marks day number 2 of asking Ike to actually begin trotting. I've asked him just to get in a trot even for a step in the past, but I'm actually trying to get him to understand its a gait I can ask him for and he can hold in addition to just walking. For day 2- he's doing awesome. Yesterday, I had to squeeze, cluck, and use a little rein on his butt as he didn't know what the heck I was asking. After a couple times of that he was already more readily trotting. I still don't have him holding it, but he's getting in it more easily and isn't excited/overly forward. (Nice and calm) I've got him doing circles to either side with reins or without and as of today side passing on a fence under rider. He still doesn't fully understand just to move his hind end or side passing perfectly, but for the little time he's been being asked for more than walk, stop, back, turn... He's a ok in my book. :) I might be a "LITTLE" bias. Hahaha. Anyway, a month or 2 of this and we'll be on our way to loping. Wha?!!!! I know I'm super slow compared to others who train! I'd rather make sure he totally gets it before I move on. I don't want to get hurt on a pony I trained! :p eek! Ohhhhh!!!! First time EVER Ike kneeled with me pointing. Awesome!!!!!!!! Sooooooo awesome!


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Day 252: pond walk.

Today, I got home early as I had plans to film Ike walking with no tack including his bridle. Since Ron was no where to be found, I scratched the filming idea and went for a typical unfilmed session instead. Sooooo awesome! I had Ike walk all the way across the pond with only the guidance of my body. LOVE him SOOO much! I mean SOOoOOooooO much! :)


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Day 248: 2 knees please...

Did several mini sessions with Ike today. The first was just haltering and releasing in an effort to keep him happily lowering that head to be haltered. I don't want him to associate tack with work so I'm happy to put it on and release him for being cooperative about it. :). I've been practicing moving just his forequarters and hindquarters over and then both as I'm wanting him to gain an understanding of that movement under a rider in addition to just on the ground. He's doing really well with that. I'm def. struggling with laying him down, but all in due time. He's doing beautifully with so much. I wish I had extra cash to buy a bitless bridle for him as I'm using Amocean's on both he and Ike. Flying a go pro cam with a phantom for footage, so I should get some cool stuff soon. (The cam isn't mine. Still want my own!) anyhow, it's late and I'll be up with the sun as the horses are due for their 4 week hoof trims tomorrow. I so love sleep! :)


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Day 247: working on lateral movement while backed

My pony is doing absolutely awesome. The big things I'm working on with him are laying down, moving just his front/hind end while mounted, walk, whoa, turns, & backing up. all bitless and bridleless (doing awesome) and all while walking only at this point. Super sleepy. Eating and going to sleep. Night.


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Day 234: AMAZING progress.

I so need to get new footage. Ike is doing SOOO beautifully at so many things. He's listening well in a halter on rides. He will walk up and down stairs and between rails. I've done a LOT of asking him to step in puddles and mud and he's made a TON of progress with those things. He's lowering his head with a touch at the base of his neck for a neck assisted mount as well as new as of today being asked to give me a leg up to mount. (Awesome!) he was just asked to move off leg pressure laterally more yesterday than any days prior. He's slowing on the with me and waiting when asked with an open gate to go to grass. Really want to teach him to lay down. Ordered a telescoping pole and am really wanting to involve Amocean more for liberty work with multiple horses simultaneously. :) awesome stuff. Oh!!! And the woman I originally apprenticed with asked me for help with liberty and her horses. That was sooooo cool and I feel so honored to be considered as a mentor to a former mentor. :)
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Day 212: wow!

Ike is calmly eating hay beside Amocean and the 2 goats. He's doing wonderfully and is always eager to play. He's not any taller. I pray he doesn't stay so short! I like small, but 14hh is perfection to me. This 13.1 stuff just isn't working! :p I still haven't gotten a go pro camera and I've been focusing my cash flow on upgrading work equipment. Ike is doing awesome though. I have him walking/stopping, riding in traffic on side roads, riding bareback , with a bareback pad, or under saddle. I ride very little given his age, but I hope to take him on his first camping/trail trip this fall. :)
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Day 179: my guy has been far from forgotten!

I have yet to obtain a gopro camera that will enable a video blog and a much nicer compilation of what's being done. Ike is nonetheless doing superbly! :). He took me on my first ride off the property today. (Solo with no other horses) We walked by cattle, between 2 dogs on either side of the road, by cars, by a flag, by mailboxes, dumpsters, trash, over a bridge, by graffiti ... He did really well. Hesitant to get alongside heavily treed roadside, but even so did very well for his first short outing. It's been a long time in the making, but he's got a park out down even better now. I don't ask him to hold it, only that he position both front feet in front of a normal square stance. He was just introduced to a bareback pad and is doing well with it. Still no work outside of walk/stop/turn is being done. He's very smart, and I'm very lucky indeed. :)
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