j1ffy
Well-Known Member
I hadn't even thought of that! I definitely think I need someone with subtler skills than my current farrier - as I say he's good at shoeing my loan horse but I suspect his 'toolkit' is a little small.
Backing 3/4yr olds
- Thread starter TheMule
- Start date
I hadn't even thought of that! I definitely think I need someone with subtler skills than my current farrier - as I say he's good at shoeing my loan horse but I suspect his 'toolkit' is a little small.
LadyGascoyne
Well-Known Member
Mim is now rising five but I’ve been taking my time with her.
She’s changed so much since she arrived, rising 3.
And now, five at the end of March.
I have just brought her back into work after a bit of a break. Her circles have got so much better - she’s really stepping through instead of wheeling around, and her halts and rein backs are so smart now. It’s so funny, something has just clicked for her recently and she’s gone from legs all over the place to understanding where her feet are overnight.
She’s really been the best decision I’ve ever made. Maybe other than the husband. Maybe.
She’s changed so much since she arrived, rising 3.
And now, five at the end of March.
I have just brought her back into work after a bit of a break. Her circles have got so much better - she’s really stepping through instead of wheeling around, and her halts and rein backs are so smart now. It’s so funny, something has just clicked for her recently and she’s gone from legs all over the place to understanding where her feet are overnight.
She’s really been the best decision I’ve ever made. Maybe other than the husband. Maybe.
lannerch
Well-Known Member
She’s such a pretty girl sounds like you’ve doing fabulous job with her too.
palo1
Well-Known Member
She is gorgeous - Arabs are so wonderful and she is a fabulous one!! 
MarvelVillis
Well-Known Member
Love that photo of her jumping out the box!
Northern
Well-Known Member
Third ever ride and we’re off the lunge rein ?
She’s been super good and taken everything in her stride. We even walked back to the stables under saddle (10 minute walk) and the last part alone unclipped. She’s learnt quickly that leg on means move forward, I’ll continue consolidating the voice cues on the ground as well and we should be right to carry on. I’m thrilled to pieces with her!
Have a terrible video still of our first solo trot ?
She’s been super good and taken everything in her stride. We even walked back to the stables under saddle (10 minute walk) and the last part alone unclipped. She’s learnt quickly that leg on means move forward, I’ll continue consolidating the voice cues on the ground as well and we should be right to carry on. I’m thrilled to pieces with her!
Have a terrible video still of our first solo trot ?
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lannerch
Well-Known Member
had this sent to me today suffice to say I don’t think Layla is going to have a water problem
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Great water training... I'm guessing that’s not supposed to be a water meadow?!
lannerch
Well-Known Member
Haha erm no , nor is it meant to be a water treadmill either.
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Well, I was supposed to be starting work with the babies again next week, but Nova has decided to go bum high for the first time in his life and actually grow, having been tiny thus far- he is now bigger than his mother (admittedly only 15.1, but I honestly thought I might have bred a pony last Autumn) and looks to have a bit in him yet ?for 15.3hh.....
I will get them both going out ride and lead again to start to build a bit of strength ready to get back on in 6 weeks or so.
I will get them both going out ride and lead again to start to build a bit of strength ready to get back on in 6 weeks or so.
lannerch
Well-Known Member
That’s really good news ?
Layla has just been hacking out when weather allows starting with really short hacks , however now she’s ridden further, she managed a full big girl hack around the block ( 45 mins ) all by herself on Wednesday ( she had been once there with company ) and was so well behaved .
She’s also jumped a tiny cross in the school , didn’t see it the first time , as was watching another horse being bought in so clouted it out, the second time she ballooned over it . She’s so good I’m going to have to be careful not to do too much .
She’s also 4 this year which in my experience has always been accompanied by an attack of the Kevins!
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ITPersonnage
Well-Known Member
Looks so game
Love those ears!!
lannerch
Well-Known Member
One of which is missing its tip got bitten of by the neighbouring horse ?Looks so game
Northern
Well-Known Member
Bella turned 3 on the weekend! Happy Birthday Bella, she got a rare piece of licorice to mark the occasion
Fourth ride and she's doing great wobbling around the arena. Still have our safety lunge whip in the middle but she is getting the idea of forward very nicely now. Hoping only a few more rides in there now to solidify the aids and we can go hacking and forget about the arena for the moment
Fourth ride and she's doing great wobbling around the arena. Still have our safety lunge whip in the middle but she is getting the idea of forward very nicely now. Hoping only a few more rides in there now to solidify the aids and we can go hacking and forget about the arena for the moment
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Bella turned 3 on the weekend! Happy Birthday Bella, she got a rare piece of licorice to mark the occasion
Fourth ride and she's doing great wobbling around the arena. Still have our safety lunge whip in the middle but she is getting the idea of forward very nicely now. Hoping only a few more rides in there now to solidify the aids and we can go hacking and forget about the arena for the moment
View attachment 65275
That's a nice carriage for a newly broken 3 year old
Bernster
Well-Known Member
Horses eat licorice?!
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Bella turned 3 on the weekend! Happy Birthday Bella, she got a rare piece of licorice to mark the occasion
Fourth ride and she's doing great wobbling around the arena. Still have our safety lunge whip in the middle but she is getting the idea of forward very nicely now. Hoping only a few more rides in there now to solidify the aids and we can go hacking and forget about the arena for the moment
View attachment 65275
She looks super, how exciting!
J&S
Well-Known Member
Just what I was thinking. Well done on a great start.
Northern
Well-Known Member
That's a nice carriage for a newly broken 3 year old
Thank you ycbm
I am pretty pleased, I couldn't give a toss where her head is at the moment (except encouraging her nose forward when she curls under) so I am chuffed that she offers a relatively consistent nice frame for me. All I want at the moment is a feel of her mouth, forward and steering.My horses all love licorice, especially Bella. Good thing, I hate the stuff! They have my portions
Thank you! She's the first one I've broken in ever and it's gone better than I ever hoped!
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
Bella turned 3 on the weekend! Happy Birthday Bella, she got a rare piece of licorice to mark the occasion
Fourth ride and she's doing great wobbling around the arena. Still have our safety lunge whip in the middle but she is getting the idea of forward very nicely now. Hoping only a few more rides in there now to solidify the aids and we can go hacking and forget about the arena for the moment
View attachment 65275
She looks lovely and I'm envious of your t-shirt weather (although I am very aware that it's brought all sorts of awful things with it recently).
Chilli's still turned away and I took pity on him and rugged him as it was due to be -6 last night. I absolutely love his attitude - he was very nervous as my OH and I walked towards him carrying a shiny new flappy rug (normally it's just me bearing coming to give him cuddles!), complete with dragon snorting and the 'ready to run' pose. But he didn't move away or shy, he bravely sniffed the rug then completely relaxed and let me put it on him. It's such a contrast to my 8yo loan warmblood who is still nervous of his hi-viz quarter sheet because I dared put a bit of tinsel on it at Christmas!
He fancied OH's bobble hat to match the rug...
Asha
Well-Known Member
Super chuffed with Frank . Yesterday long reined in the yard and then sat on for 1 minute as both he and jockey where drenched . Today jockey jumped straight on and we went for a short hack . He was just as good as he was last year . Fingers crossed this great attitude lasts , or is he just biding his time though ?
TheMule
Well-Known Member
That's fab!
My babies have started back in work this week- just some in hand stuff in the school and a bit of lunging but they hadn’t forgotten a thing and seemed pleased to be doing something. I will do a month of this along with some ride and lead and then get back on board. I absolutely love this stage- you can literally watch them learning
Asha
Well-Known Member
you can could practically here the cogs ! He just soaked it all up . He’s come back much more forward which is great . Can’t wait to hear how you get on with yours . Its nice to be excited again ?
Asha
Well-Known Member
Franks 2nd hack was a bit more eventful, thanks to Elvis Elvis is one of the neighbours shetland, who has an inbuilt radar for young / nervous horses. He doesnt move a muscle when we pass him anymore ,but clearly having Frank with us was just too tempting !
As we got near to Elvis a large tractor and muck tanker was at the junction, ( house is on a corner so 3 small lanes feed into it) Frank didnt bay an eyelid at that. Then Elvis spots him, runs right at him squealing bucking, mane flowing like a blinking lunatic. Frank was terrified, but to be fair he didnt buck, rear or run back home ( probably 500yrds away ) he just wouldnt budge. The farmer was amazing, just sat and waited patiently unlike a nutter cyclist who decided not to wait and tried to cycle behind Frank. Again Frank wasnt bothered but was still backing up from naughty Elvis. Cyclist then decided it was best to wait. So we popped one irish draught up Franks bum, and the other in front and we sort of pushed/pulled him along. Elvis still continued to run along the fence line, having a fabulous time. After that everything else was a complete doddle. We do a loop, so we knew we would have to face Elvis again. But clearly Elvis's work was done for the day. he just watched us walk passed, no doubt laughing.
On Saturday Frank then went in the arena for the first time. I did expect a few moves, but other than being unsure and doing his best giraffe impression he was good as gold. So after 2 laps of the arena left it at that.
be interesting to see how Frank reacts to Elvis next time
Elvis is one of the neighbours shetland, who has an inbuilt radar for young / nervous horses. He doesnt move a muscle when we pass him anymore ,but clearly having Frank with us was just too tempting !As we got near to Elvis a large tractor and muck tanker was at the junction, ( house is on a corner so 3 small lanes feed into it) Frank didnt bay an eyelid at that. Then Elvis spots him, runs right at him squealing bucking, mane flowing like a blinking lunatic. Frank was terrified, but to be fair he didnt buck, rear or run back home ( probably 500yrds away ) he just wouldnt budge. The farmer was amazing, just sat and waited patiently unlike a nutter cyclist who decided not to wait and tried to cycle behind Frank. Again Frank wasnt bothered but was still backing up from naughty Elvis. Cyclist then decided it was best to wait. So we popped one irish draught up Franks bum, and the other in front and we sort of pushed/pulled him along. Elvis still continued to run along the fence line, having a fabulous time. After that everything else was a complete doddle. We do a loop, so we knew we would have to face Elvis again. But clearly Elvis's work was done for the day. he just watched us walk passed, no doubt laughing.
On Saturday Frank then went in the arena for the first time. I did expect a few moves, but other than being unsure and doing his best giraffe impression he was good as gold. So after 2 laps of the arena left it at that.
be interesting to see how Frank reacts to Elvis next time
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
Naughty Elvis!! Well done for handling it so calmly.
I started Chilli's re-introduction to education with a thrilling 10 minute walk in-hand up the road I think I'll do a couple of times a week and build it up to a walk around the village (40 mins with a decent hill) before doing some groundwork and getting on when weather and daylight is more suitable. He was very well-behaved despite not leaving the field since he was trimmed six weeks ago. A herd of horses galloped up to the fence line and followed us but he just went full Spanish, with snorts and mane tosses and foot stamping, but stayed beside me and in control. Not at all bothered by cars or two other liveries hacking past but he looked very tired when I put him back - it was a lot of thinking for a baby pony!
I started Chilli's re-introduction to education with a thrilling 10 minute walk in-hand up the road
I think I'll do a couple of times a week and build it up to a walk around the village (40 mins with a decent hill) before doing some groundwork and getting on when weather and daylight is more suitable. He was very well-behaved despite not leaving the field since he was trimmed six weeks ago. A herd of horses galloped up to the fence line and followed us but he just went full Spanish, with snorts and mane tosses and foot stamping, but stayed beside me and in control. Not at all bothered by cars or two other liveries hacking past but he looked very tired when I put him back - it was a lot of thinking for a baby pony!
windand rain
Well-Known Member
Right time for Kitten to be more than a pudding sized lawn mower She is three next month and want to get her out and about on long lines so How would you approach the commands without lunging first. Normally her education on the ground would be nearly complete with showing and suchlike but Covid put paid to that
Asha
Well-Known Member
Naughty Elvis!! Well done for handling it so calmly.
I started Chilli's re-introduction to education with a thrilling 10 minute walk in-hand up the road
Good boy Chilli
. Its great when you have one that thinks before reacting . Id forgotten how quickly they get tired. keeping my fingers crossed we get some good nes about lockdown later. be nice to have a date to work towards for a little trip out.
j1ffy
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty hopeless at long-reining so focus on leading and in-hand instead. If you're confident with the prep required for showing can you do that to teach her the voice commands, at least for walk and halt, then go from there?
Good boy Chilli
I think he'd had an adrenalin-rush when the horses galloped over and he had to contain himself, so was on something of a comedown! It was quite sweet to see him looking all sleepy once he was back in his field, he wanted to hang out and have cuddles even more than usual.
He's had a tough few weeks as his best friend (an old pony) was PTS last month, although he gets on fine with the rest of the herd I don't think he has a new BFF yet.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
I do very little lunging and there are many ways you can teach the commands- mine learn it initially when led from from another horse and then do in-hand work initially on the rope halter and then from the bridle.
I am no expert at in-hand work and this is a very dull video, but this is where I'm at with Nova now.