Who's a good pony!!!!
Gwyn! That's who!
I'm still feeling wrung out, so I have only been working with one filly at a time, alternating. Well, today, I decided, what the hey, let's back Gwyn. Jacqueline got home early, and during her summers with my mom, she got tossed up on all sorts of green stock that my mom was training. As a matter of fact, so did I, when I was growing up, =-D Anyway, Jax has experience, even though she's not horse crazy, so, up she went on Gwyn!
Before we got to that point, I had Missy Gwyn going through her lunging lesson. She was lunging like a champ, walking and trotting and woahing on command. Still hasn't figured out Reverse, but when she's more confident, it will happen. Then, I put the heavier Western saddle on her, and cinched it up fairly snug. Tied the stirrups together under her belly, and ran the lines through the stirrups. (Normally, we use Amy's English saddle and pad as it has nifty dangly webbing that the lines can go through.) We walked up and down the driveway a bit, so she would remember what she's supposed to do, (once or twice a week is not often enough to expect her to get it right off the bat.) Did a few figure 8's in the cleared area. She was a little spooked by the garbage can near the road, and we had a little dance about, but I sat against the lines and let her figure out that it wasn't pleasant to be a goober and when she relaxed, she got her head back.
So then up went Jax. Gwyn didn't bat an ear. Stood like a champ. So we stood for about 10 minutes. That was going to be all of it, but Gwyn was so nonchalant about it, I figured, what the hey! So, I attached the reins, handed them to Jax, took off one of the lines, and walked quietly next to Gwyn while Jax que'd her with her heels and a cluck. Gwyn moved on like she had done it 30 times already! We went over half way down the driveway and back, with Jax guiding her in a slalom pattern, interspersed with frequent woahs. Only one time did Gwyn get confused, and did a little side step. And then she was done. We made it back into the yard, me feeling like an unnecessary piece of equipment or a tag along, =-) Jax did some weight shifting, wiggling around, standing in the stirrups, and dismounted. Gwyn seemed disappointed that it was all over!
But that was about an hour of working with her, and I didn't want to fry her brain, =-D Plus, I was tired!
Now for peektchurs! Pardon the quality, phone camera,... The first is Dedgrl on Gwyn. Forgive her posture, the stirrups were tied together for the lines, and Jax is really long legged, so she's quite uncomfortable, LOL! Also, yes, we are sans helmet and barefooted. Don't give me any crap about it, I do not want to hear the preachin'.
Now for a Nyx Pix! She's eating her dinner, and I couldn't get her to give a crap about me, =-D She's the 'skinny' horse,...
Here's a close-up of her roaning. I love the dapples! Sadly, she also has the little ratty tail,... Used to be really thick until she started roaning out. Also, you can just barely see her hogback, (where her loin ties into her hip.) I'm not keen on it, but she still moves nice!
And, just cuz he's SO DAM KYOOT!!!! Mr. Curtis! He has his own Twitter! If anyone is interested, its senorcurtis, =-D
I'm still feeling wrung out, so I have only been working with one filly at a time, alternating. Well, today, I decided, what the hey, let's back Gwyn. Jacqueline got home early, and during her summers with my mom, she got tossed up on all sorts of green stock that my mom was training. As a matter of fact, so did I, when I was growing up, =-D Anyway, Jax has experience, even though she's not horse crazy, so, up she went on Gwyn!
Before we got to that point, I had Missy Gwyn going through her lunging lesson. She was lunging like a champ, walking and trotting and woahing on command. Still hasn't figured out Reverse, but when she's more confident, it will happen. Then, I put the heavier Western saddle on her, and cinched it up fairly snug. Tied the stirrups together under her belly, and ran the lines through the stirrups. (Normally, we use Amy's English saddle and pad as it has nifty dangly webbing that the lines can go through.) We walked up and down the driveway a bit, so she would remember what she's supposed to do, (once or twice a week is not often enough to expect her to get it right off the bat.) Did a few figure 8's in the cleared area. She was a little spooked by the garbage can near the road, and we had a little dance about, but I sat against the lines and let her figure out that it wasn't pleasant to be a goober and when she relaxed, she got her head back.
So then up went Jax. Gwyn didn't bat an ear. Stood like a champ. So we stood for about 10 minutes. That was going to be all of it, but Gwyn was so nonchalant about it, I figured, what the hey! So, I attached the reins, handed them to Jax, took off one of the lines, and walked quietly next to Gwyn while Jax que'd her with her heels and a cluck. Gwyn moved on like she had done it 30 times already! We went over half way down the driveway and back, with Jax guiding her in a slalom pattern, interspersed with frequent woahs. Only one time did Gwyn get confused, and did a little side step. And then she was done. We made it back into the yard, me feeling like an unnecessary piece of equipment or a tag along, =-) Jax did some weight shifting, wiggling around, standing in the stirrups, and dismounted. Gwyn seemed disappointed that it was all over!
But that was about an hour of working with her, and I didn't want to fry her brain, =-D Plus, I was tired!
Now for peektchurs! Pardon the quality, phone camera,... The first is Dedgrl on Gwyn. Forgive her posture, the stirrups were tied together for the lines, and Jax is really long legged, so she's quite uncomfortable, LOL! Also, yes, we are sans helmet and barefooted. Don't give me any crap about it, I do not want to hear the preachin'.
Now for a Nyx Pix! She's eating her dinner, and I couldn't get her to give a crap about me, =-D She's the 'skinny' horse,...
Here's a close-up of her roaning. I love the dapples! Sadly, she also has the little ratty tail,... Used to be really thick until she started roaning out. Also, you can just barely see her hogback, (where her loin ties into her hip.) I'm not keen on it, but she still moves nice!
And, just cuz he's SO DAM KYOOT!!!! Mr. Curtis! He has his own Twitter! If anyone is interested, its senorcurtis, =-D