I have been focused on Ruby and 'neglecting' all the other horses around here, so I decided today it was time to play with some of the others. Fly was handy, so she volunteered herself as project no 1!
Fly is just 3, and has been handled to the point of leading, tieing, trimming, worming. But she hasn't really been 'played' with, and she is definately ready to go on with! She isn't very tall, barely 14hh, and I don't think she is going to get much taller either, but she is really well developed, and would have no trouble carrying a rider now.
She has always been sooo easy to handle, I have assumed I had a lovely little left brain introvert on my hands, but on playing with her today, there is quite a play drive in there! Definately left brain though. I thought we would just put her nose on a few things, do some porcupine, lateral flexion on the ground, just a few things to check her out and see what we have got. She was really confident, putting her nose on things was a breeze! That tyre, sure, put my nose on the jump up? Why, I'll just jump up it! A see saw, cool, let me on it! Kids on motor bikes, no worries! So I soon realized I was going to have to think pretty quick to keep this little girl on her toes!
It is lovely playing with a young horse, seeing how impressionable they are. At some stage Fly has been rewarded by standing with her hip to someone, It may have only been for a second, and probably not even noticed at the time, she may have just been having a scratch, but she remembered. When she felt slightly confused, she swung her hip to me and it stopped right in front of my nose, and she stood there and relaxed! Since there was absolutely no notion of her kicking, I didn't react the first time, I was just wondering what on earth she was doing. The second time it happened however I just yielded her hindquarters away and let her know that it is much more appropriate for her to come to me nose first!!
We just had two short sessions, with some time on the patience post in between, and I am happy with our results for day one! She is such a sweety.
Wow Gen, she sounds great! What really struck me with my young ones is how light, sensitive and perfect young horses are. What struck me after that is what we must do to them to make them do what they do when we start getting reactions we don't want like heaviness... I have been really aware of this and it has actually made me hold back a little on Moz and Tea for a little bit while I think that through. So much to think about....
ReplyDeleteWhile I am soaking on that I can't what to hear how Fly progresses and see pics of her first ride! :)
I know exactly what you are saying Anne! The whole time I am playing with her I am conciously thinking "how can I keep her light". Buck Brannaman talks about how he never wants his young horses to know what brace feels like, that they never know what it is like to lean on the rope. I have this in my mind all the time. And it has also held me back from working with my young horses! But I thought I better bite the bullet and just do my best. At least I am concious of these things now, and will stop and find more information if I feel something could be done better.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise Fly will be a 10 year old and I will still be telling myself I'm not ready!!!!
Another thing, I would still love to send Split to Rob McCauliffe to get started. I just want to feel what he feels like when he comes home, to have an unspoilt horse have a start like that...
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