Thinking Cap's On

Lets start the real training sessions with some good ole ground work. I have not worked with Wyn for a few weeks now, I have lunged him here and there but nothing more. So today I pulled him out and brought him into the round pen. Our round pen is 50ft, out side with pipe railing right next to our runs, which had our 06 filly Tanoka in one. He didn’t even look at her even when she said hi. Turing him loose I half expected him to buck off and be silly but he didn’t. He just walked around a sniffed the ground until I picked up the whip and told him to boogie.

I make him go around a few times letting him warm up and then I started to make him do roll backs. Not very tight ones just like half of the pen and turn around. He thought that this was so much fun, it was much better than regular old free lunging. He kept his eye on me and was excited to try and turn I could see it in his eyes. He did mess up a few times turning in but I think most were my fault for not asking at the right time. I train them to go away from the raised hand not toward it so if I raised my right he goes left and visa versa.

Going at a nice canter (making me wish my saddle was here) I took a few steps back making him look at me and then I would raise my arm. If he wasn’t connected tightly he would turn out. It he was paying attention he wheeled in quite fast. He had fun with it and so did I we were really going back and for the for a while there. After a few good turns I finely let him come to me. Well, we met half way. I don’t like it when horses charge up to you in any situation, it just scares me. My goal with him is to get him to come up and stop about 4 feet in front of me. He needs to add a few more feet to be there yet.

I then went about with steering and leading and trotting without a halter or lead rope. He was doing pretty good although he doesn’t like to stay connected tightly against you when you turn away from him at the trot. He will veer off but not completely disconnect. I had to stop and bring myself closer to lock on and then go again. I suppose he was yoy yoying me. :D

After we trotting walked and he backed. He backs up really really good, I played with his feet and rubbed him all over. I just stood and stared at him for a while. He has such a kind eye he is so deep and wise in there he is just like a really close friend to me. Brings me back to the days on the black stallion. Once in the barn we did a beauty session, brushing him and clipping the horrendous Mohawk he had been sporting. I will admit I was slacking on the clipping but he really does look like a show horse now honesty. He was starting to resemble a Haflinger straight off of the Alps! When the trainer was finished in the pen it was then empty so I turned him out in there to see if he would connect with me.

Now our arena is 204 X 80 ft and has jumps littering the inside of it. At first he thought smelling every place a pile used to be was imperative. I chased him around the stinking thing twice before he connected with me. I’m so out of shape its sad and that’s not mentioning the fact I fell off Marz yesterday. We did a few turns and trot offs when he decide to leave to the other end. I knew that was going to happen at least once. Pulling my pants up I chased after him to shoot him back down to the other side. There he connected again only to slump off after a little bit.

It then hit me as I refuse to hand feed him because he is a stallion (I will not condone biting) he needed a good reward. Something that will make him want to be with me, something he doesn’t get all the time. So I started scratching everywhere I could you know the horsy hot spots. I hit a real good one by his whiter and he nearly melted. That lip was twitching and his head was up it felt so good. It wasn’t just a little scratch it was the finger nails digging in and making my hand mimic a horses teeth. He just loved it, I suddenly found myself with a very powerful tool.

Figuring I found a good spot I made him trot off again and he never unconnected from me after I started to scratch him like that. His turns in are still off as he slacks off and we loose each other but he never stopped facing me he just looses the forward. I figured we could call it quits as he was being so good. He was staying connected even when we did light s curves and went down the straight wall. He was really connected and wasn’t spacing out to much. I figure this is a good way to get him back into think mode. I would like to be able to have him canter and what not on the ground but just takes time. Rearing and bowing would also be neat and he would learn them quick, will try! Before you know it were gong to be famous! Ha ha ha no at least we will be really close friends.

Tomorrow I think I’ll tack him up and round pen him and try a little foundation on bowing then I’ll ride him. I just love this horse he is so neat, you could never guess he was a stallion. He has so much to give and he just loved working today. He was thriving on it.