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Post by horsespoiler on Feb 17, 2015 21:32:11 GMT -5
Yesterday and the day before we took the girls out on their walk. The first day DH rode Winnie for a one mile lap and then walked her for another mile lap. I walked Whitey both times. She was being a real pain about leading. DH took over and he started the "windmill game". Every time she started to get ahead he put his arms out and moved them up and down and back towards her. She would pull back and stay behind him for a few steps and try to get past again. out came the windmill again and back she went. It didn't take very long for her to realize that the best place to be was behind his shoulder. She started walking at a much slower pace than she usually does. Yesterday I put the saddle I had bought a couple of years ago but thought was too small for me on her and rode one lap and walked the other. The saddle fits me fine and sat great on her. In fact it stayed in place even with the cinch a little loose. I moved the cinch to the 7/8 position on the saddle which puts it a couple of inches further back on her belly and not up in her armpits. She seemed very comfortable in it. On the lap she was led on she even stayed in the right position just behind my shoulder most of the time. Just a few windmills bumped her nose to move her back. She is really a smart horse but has been trying to push things with me. Once DH got her started and got her attention on her position she straightened up. She moved out quietly under saddle with just a slight nudge from heels and stopped gently. I think she doesn't care much for the bridle I'm using either because she shakes her head a lot and wants to rub the side of her face on things. I'm going to try a different bridle in the next few days and see how it goes. We are having such good weather it's a shame when we have other things that need doing and can't take them out.
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Post by ghostrider on Feb 17, 2015 22:35:17 GMT -5
My dad called tonight from CA, said it was 85...I told him I was watching a heavy snowfall! Talk about good weather.
I do the same thing you call a windmill only with the end of my lead rope. I twirl it around like a fan blade on slow and they either stay behind it or get smacked on the nose. I only do it on last results when correcting them doesn't work. Buddy's really good but Boomer can have tunnel vision when he's going somewhere out of the corral.
Glad you're working with DH on making the horses more trained. Sounds like a good saddle for riding in. Is it a ranch saddle?
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Post by horsespoiler on Feb 18, 2015 22:42:50 GMT -5
I'm not sure what it is. I don't think it's a roping saddle but the lady I got it from said her friend had used it for years around his ranch. It was very well cared for. I'm going to switch the actual stirrups on it with another pair I have on a different saddle. They don't match it because they are a lighter color but they are leather wrapped and tooled. The ones on it now are wood and metal. DH talked to one of the gals in town today and there is a place they go on Wed afternoons for a kind of group lesson. He wants me to go to it next week. I'll know a couple of people there and it sounds like fun.
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Post by ghostrider on Feb 19, 2015 0:21:21 GMT -5
Sounds really great, I'd love to go to a group ride/training. You might be able to use neatsfoot to stain it darker, I did with a breast collar that was too light. Took about 3 or 4 applications but it came out just as dark or close enough.
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Post by horsespoiler on Feb 19, 2015 20:58:30 GMT -5
I was wrong about the rigging position on the saddle. It's in the 3/4 position. The first loop is full, 1st and second combined is 7/8 and second alone is 3/4. There are apparently a couple more but that's getting too complicated for me. This one seems just fine.
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Post by horsespoiler on Feb 25, 2015 1:31:19 GMT -5
Took Whitey on another walk and ride today. We are up to 2 miles riding and 1 mile walking. She was very calm and didn't pay much attention to Winnie except when Winnie would get too close to her. She was very happy to walk out ahead of her and leave her behind. In fact I had to go inside and she was tied to the itching post and DH and Winnie left and went out front. I came back out and she was standing there as calm as could be and very relaxed. She walked out front with me without any pulling at all. The only thing that even interested her at all on our ride was a neighbor in a jeep and she just looked at it and then kept going. I think being in her own stall is really good for her. No one picks on her at all. Next year we plan to fix each one a separate stall and keep them penned up when it gets muddy.
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Post by ghostrider on Feb 25, 2015 11:03:13 GMT -5
Keeping them penned up is easier to feed but makes a lot more work cleaning the pen for you. I love it in the summer when they're on grass and I have almost 0 clean up.
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