 |
| Arroyo and Arrow- 1st Dozen Days |
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Gone Country....
Beautiful snowy morning today (11/16). Stayed up too late working on TCF work but it is always a sort of rejuvenating therapy to see Arrow. When I arrived she was eating in the loafing shed with the other (big) horses- she almost disappeared between Kit (a quarter horse/TB) and Sienna (a QH)... but I found her and after a quick groom I brought out a big western saddle. She gave it a couple looks and sniffs but then didn't move as I laid it on her back and cinched it up. The belly strap didn't bother Arrow but she did look like a toy horse under all that leather and silver.
She's getting pretty good at being tied too-- still just looping the leadrope around the fence but tight enough that she can't easily pull free and she no longer tests it.
With carrots and camera in pocket I drove her back along the frozen puddle and stopped her next to her tire. I just loosely tied the leadrope attached to the tire around the saddle horn and off we went down the road. At first she steered like a drunk and we made wide curves back and forth over the snowy road but then we improved and even trotted down the lane with the tire. She pulled it off both sides of the saddle and backs up and turns beautifully. I think she could plow my garden this spring if I could get her to my house.
Back in front of the barn I stepped it each stirrup and swung up and sat on her from the left side. Didn't get all the way on from the right because my ankle is still hurt. Gave her carrots from the saddle and flexed her neck.
She took her western experience completely in stride--- can't wait to hit the trails.
(photos coming)
She's getting pretty good at being tied too-- still just looping the leadrope around the fence but tight enough that she can't easily pull free and she no longer tests it.
With carrots and camera in pocket I drove her back along the frozen puddle and stopped her next to her tire. I just loosely tied the leadrope attached to the tire around the saddle horn and off we went down the road. At first she steered like a drunk and we made wide curves back and forth over the snowy road but then we improved and even trotted down the lane with the tire. She pulled it off both sides of the saddle and backs up and turns beautifully. I think she could plow my garden this spring if I could get her to my house.
Back in front of the barn I stepped it each stirrup and swung up and sat on her from the left side. Didn't get all the way on from the right because my ankle is still hurt. Gave her carrots from the saddle and flexed her neck.
She took her western experience completely in stride--- can't wait to hit the trails.
(photos coming)
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Arrow on a snowy sunday
I've worked with Arrow twice on driving with long reins. The first day my friend Brian led her around while I directed them both from behind. We walked around and trotted too (left Brian, whoa Arrow, whoa Brian... like that- team driving!) Then the day after that I drove her around the roundpen and pasture in wavy lines. It would have appeared to any observers (none present I hope) that at least one of us was very drunk at 8:30am in the morning. But she got the basic idea and learned to stop and back up and we finally drove back into the roundpen without hurting anyone or anything. Everything is so much fun with Arrow- I was late to work but couldn't leave her.
Then came a snowy Saturday when we just went for a trail walk and trotted along the roads in the setting darkness. I tried to teach Arrow to pick up a jolly-ball and she did once but then we ran out of carrots and she failed to see the point of picking it up off a snowy picnic table.
Sunday was snowy and sunny. We played in the arena (Arrow is really getting good at the 'circling game' and goes over the logs and around trees without hesitation. Next, I jerry-rigged the saddle into a surcingle of sorts and used my side-reins and 12' leadrope to make longreins and off we went. Arrow got the "driving" better than I could have expected today and pretty soon we were trotting only slightly drunk clover leaf pattens around the barrels and walking over logs, halting, backing up and doing nice turns on the haunches. Every car that passed saw a little mustang getting big hugs.
Then we "drove" up the neighbor's driveway, turned around and went to the barn where we picked up a tire to pull. I started with pulling the tire (leashed with Arrow's old leadrope) next to her and behind her. Even if it bumped her feet she was steady. Then passed the tire's leadrope through the saddle's girth straps and she helped me pull it down the road. Then I let her pull it alone. She marched along beautifully (leading me to wonder if she'd done this before? in a past life?) and then we turned around and she pulled the tire, and a lot of snow, up the driveway, through a half-frozen puddle and then up a little hill and through the woods.
Eileen and Skip, who own the place where Arrow lives with their herd, popped out to ask me if I'd like to borrow the cart and harness... YES! So hopefully we can be driving for real soon-- this has always been a dream of mine. Because Arrow is only 2 1/2 and not a very large horse, I'd like to wait til she's closer to three before riding her much, so the driving will be wonderful training for riding too.
To get a photo I had Arrow stand and Fiddle (my cattle dog) sit on the tire. If she moved I just went back to her, lifted up the tire and had her back up, 5-10-15 steps, no matter, she's getting good at this! Fiddle was understandably nervous about the situation and when Arrow lifted up her foot (because of the lines, not Fiddle) he looked at me warily. When Arrow started to walk, Fiddle leapt out of the tire. I'll have to rig up a little sleigh for me to stand on and eventually both Fiddle and I can sit in the cart I hope.
At the end of the day I give Arrow a few oats and her vitamins. Today she nickered when I came out of the barn with the pan-- probably one of the best sounds in the world. I'm glad I can give her this small pleasure. She eats off the picnic table with Fiddle and I watching- a nice, quiet time. Fiddle likes to lick the pan while I turn Arrow back out with the other horses.
Then it is time to go home and get back on the computer to try and save her compatriots still in the wild.
Then came a snowy Saturday when we just went for a trail walk and trotted along the roads in the setting darkness. I tried to teach Arrow to pick up a jolly-ball and she did once but then we ran out of carrots and she failed to see the point of picking it up off a snowy picnic table.
Sunday was snowy and sunny. We played in the arena (Arrow is really getting good at the 'circling game' and goes over the logs and around trees without hesitation. Next, I jerry-rigged the saddle into a surcingle of sorts and used my side-reins and 12' leadrope to make longreins and off we went. Arrow got the "driving" better than I could have expected today and pretty soon we were trotting only slightly drunk clover leaf pattens around the barrels and walking over logs, halting, backing up and doing nice turns on the haunches. Every car that passed saw a little mustang getting big hugs.
Then we "drove" up the neighbor's driveway, turned around and went to the barn where we picked up a tire to pull. I started with pulling the tire (leashed with Arrow's old leadrope) next to her and behind her. Even if it bumped her feet she was steady. Then passed the tire's leadrope through the saddle's girth straps and she helped me pull it down the road. Then I let her pull it alone. She marched along beautifully (leading me to wonder if she'd done this before? in a past life?) and then we turned around and she pulled the tire, and a lot of snow, up the driveway, through a half-frozen puddle and then up a little hill and through the woods.
Eileen and Skip, who own the place where Arrow lives with their herd, popped out to ask me if I'd like to borrow the cart and harness... YES! So hopefully we can be driving for real soon-- this has always been a dream of mine. Because Arrow is only 2 1/2 and not a very large horse, I'd like to wait til she's closer to three before riding her much, so the driving will be wonderful training for riding too.
To get a photo I had Arrow stand and Fiddle (my cattle dog) sit on the tire. If she moved I just went back to her, lifted up the tire and had her back up, 5-10-15 steps, no matter, she's getting good at this! Fiddle was understandably nervous about the situation and when Arrow lifted up her foot (because of the lines, not Fiddle) he looked at me warily. When Arrow started to walk, Fiddle leapt out of the tire. I'll have to rig up a little sleigh for me to stand on and eventually both Fiddle and I can sit in the cart I hope.
At the end of the day I give Arrow a few oats and her vitamins. Today she nickered when I came out of the barn with the pan-- probably one of the best sounds in the world. I'm glad I can give her this small pleasure. She eats off the picnic table with Fiddle and I watching- a nice, quiet time. Fiddle likes to lick the pan while I turn Arrow back out with the other horses.
Then it is time to go home and get back on the computer to try and save her compatriots still in the wild.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Susan Visits!
Susan of Chicago adopted Arrow and I just get the pleasure of training her. Susan was at the roundup and the auction and traveled with Arrow to Colorado before going back to Illinois. On Oct. 24th Susan came back to see Arrow and boy did we all have fun.
Photos and details coming soon
Photos and details coming soon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)