We did it!

After months of lurking and thoroughly enjoying everyone's posts...then using excuses of snow and rain and MUD, my fall from the loft (and not realizing I WAS injured), Dad's sudden passing and all the details that follow, missing spring and hit by sudden extreme heat, and consequently getting little training time in, with minimal riding, well, I finally did it. Thanks for all your encouraging stories!


Most everyone has gotten some
(thought inconsistent) training
this year; little bits here and there
as the weather and my schedule
would permit.






One of our stallions, Ahote (barn name Target) has been so neglected lately. Ever since Mac was injured (bad cut through the heel of his hoof), he has had to either be by himself (so to be closer to the barn and get some attention) or "by himself" with the mini stallions (and they sure enjoy bossing him around as a pack--sorry for the snow picture, but it's the only one I could find of Ahote and his little buds!:~)





Lately he is craving so much attention, that when I give it to him decides to be a bit of a jerk with the "where have you been" cold shoulder and studdy pushiness. Time for an attitude adjustment because (especially as a stallion) we can't be having any of that!

Started with some join up and at first he was a stallion with that a fore mentioned attitude, "screw you, I'm not on a lead or lunge...heck, I am the boss in here and can run around this pen all friggin day if I choose to."

I quickly realized that every time he got to the gate that leads out to one of the pastures--the rest of the herd is normally in there but they were locked out of this portion of pasture so he wouldn't be so distracted--he would stop and call for "his" girls. They were only within sight to check out his calls; so a nice distraction from a distance, but he couldn't get nose to nose with them...last year we were at that point where I could work him with the mares on the other side of the fencing, but didn't think that would be a very good start point this year with only one mare bred (and all those horny gals) and very little work under his girth since last fall.

OK hot shot....time to outsmart you...

I started by turning him every time he got almost to his calling spot. It wasn't long before he began to anticipate that move by trying to turn himself--so I began very random turns; often not allowing him to make it 1/2 way around the pen, other times only 1/4, and still others 1 or 2 times round, rarely at the same spot. The light bulb suddenly went off.

YES! Ahote decided he wasn't in charge anymore and I looked pretty good as his leader! He dropped his head and would chew each time I made him change direction. I slowed down his pace to a walk, started to turn my back to him and he immediately came in to me. Ahote became glued to my hip! He followed me everywhere. For the first few moments I allowed his "attachment" to me--his nose was firmly placed on my hip, shoulder or back as we moved around the ring. Now to work on getting my space back. A few "back" and he got the picture. We were both so pleased.

So I put a bridle and surcingle on him, and left him by himself in the round pen for 30 minutes to think about what we had done. When I returned, he joined right up with me so we moved on to long lining.

OK, I was definitely doing something wrong (I can be so darn uncoordinated especially when I think I am getting soooo confident--it's got to be a karmic thing.) I was getting tangled, he was getting tangled. He got frustrated and twisted and simply started backing every time he was confused.








Only one thing left to do.
I know I can communicate through
the use of reins and leg.
On goes the saddle. No problem.

Ahote looks at me like as if to say,
"I've seen this done before, it's actually
no big deal! Ahhh, where are the reins and
aren't you suppose to get on me next???"





Out comes the step ladder (NO short jokes please!:~) I place it a few feet off the rail, just far enough to walk thru and we do just that without incident. Both directions, several times.

Next I have Ahote make the walk all by himself. "OK, it looks a little scary, but for you, mom, no problem."

He does it a few times, each directions, and eventually we even get a whoa at the ladder.



I lead him to the ladder and put my hand in a stirrup and pull down. Nothing to this.

Up the ladder I go and lay over him. No problem.

Alright, the moment of do or eat dirt. Nothing left to try but to mount up. Problem!

Just kidding!!!!! He was perfect. A bit dense on my cues, so I need to buff up on my ground driving techniques and work with him some more from the ground...and work on my leg strength!

It took some time before he was getting the idea to walk with a simple cue....initially he wouldn't move unless I gave him a gentle smack on the rump....and I am thinking I don't want him to get the wrong idea and have this the way we move forward. Next we tried whoa and back. The whoa went alright. The back, well he immediately got frustrated as with the driving lines, but couldn't twist out from this pressure, so he reared. HOLY MOLLY. That was so cool, but so scary at the same time! No more of that. We walked a lot more...like for the next hour...this way and that...figure eights...whoa and backed without any more rearing.

What a rush!!!!

I'll admit that I never tried a trot (will do next time)....it was enough to get my camera out of my pocket and take pictures and hope that he didn't decide to loose his ride or worse yet me loose my camera only to get smashed under a hoof! Next time I will have hubby man the camera so I can man the reins. Besides, Ahote was doing so well I wanted to end on a very positive note. He stood perfectly still from his halt and let me slide down....seemed like a very, very long way down to the ground!

All in all we both had a blast! Can't wait to do it again....if it doesn't rain later today we will work some more.

One last photo....Ahote's sire Skeye threw an Araby head that sure stands out from this angle! I love this boy!