A Great Day to get Started!

Well, it has been months since my last posting and with everyone starting off the New Year with such enthusiasm, I'm motivated!

My nieces Cheri and Melissa stopped by yesterday to help me begin 2010 with some basic ground work before jumping back into the saddle.

Mac was our first candidate. He's a coming 4 year old and is Cheri's favorite (who she gently started under saddle last summer.) Between the snow and frozen gates, I wasn't able to lock the herd away from the round pen, so one of our mares, Kwis aks Wussy, was the first to come over to tease him.

This proved to be a perfect first lesson of the year, as Mac got a bit goofy at first and with a little reprimand quickly remembered who he was suppose to have his ears on! This lesson only got better as his now gelded sire (who still doesn't always realize after 4 years that he is gelded--no he's not proud gelded, simply takes his job as herd leader very seriously!:~) decided he was slacking in his responsibility to look after his favorite mare.


You can see how Mac softened and apologized to Cheri as if to say "I am soooo sorry! It has been quite awhile since I've been worked...this was simply a momentary lapse in memory! I am ready to work!"


We had him stand quietly until everyone lost interest in his presence. He needed occasional reminders to back out of our space...I think he was just getting bored (too bad) of standing so long as the herd filed by the round pen. So we switched it up a little with some give to pressure working on his crossovers. I was very proud of his get back to work curly attitude and memory. He hasn't been worked since my accident, a few days after labor day! He is such a great boy!

So it was back to business and without missing a beat he followed our commands to walk, trot, canter, change directions















and whoa....








Next Billy was up, but since he's not a curly, I will spare you the details other than to say he was his usual soft, supple and in your pocket pony!



When we brought out Cody, one of our geldings, Montana, who use to be his stall neighbor, was the first to come over for a visit. Just look at the butt on that boy! Talk about curly tough!







Next a few of the curly gals thought they had to check out this young stud....as chubby as he's gotten they didn't seem phased by his belly at all--more to love, I guess! We handled him a little differently and let him visit over the fence before making him go to work.



After getting reacquainted with all his buddies, Cody readily accepted the command to start walking. He was full of himself at this point though and although staying on the rail and following our instructions to the "t" he apparently felt the need to throw in a few bucks and airs above the ground and other gyrations....I believe to impress his growing audience of ladies.

He calmed and began working very well--better than I imagined he would. I know we didn't work him very much last year other than to do join up and an understanding of basic commands....and as a silly yearling he tended to act dumber than a box of rocks (I say that with pure affection for him!:~) Ya gotta love the differences in all their personalities. His demeanor is so much like his sire!

In typical curly fashion he picked up right where we left off. He will need more work with respecting space, giving to pressure and realizing who he is suppose to have his attention focused on!

Of course Cody found it necessary to end his session with a smile for the girls. What a ham he is!

Well, I still get extremely tired and this was quite the work out for me. If I have the energy to do it myself, I'll try getting his sire, Ahote, out for a tune up tomorrow....He hasn't been nice to Cody, so is spending his days pastured with 6 mini stallions and is missing the attention of Mac, so I think getting back to work is in order.