Overnight camping and 2nd trail ride

Poptart had his first overnight camping experience. We spontaneously decided to go camping last night and went to Bucktail, where we set the horses up on a high-line and we were comfy in the newly-insulated horse trailer. This morning we rode out on Bucktail trail for 2.5 miles to the bridge, crossed the bridge and went down to the creek for a drink, then re-crossed and rode back to camp. We encountered a monster hiker who had a large orange pack sticking out above his head and a large black dog who also had an orange safety vest. Obviously this hiker was not a human due to the orange appendage above his head :) I anticipated this and dismounted, but both Graham and I mistakenly thought Rogan would be okay so he stayed mounted. Rogan decided the hiker actually was a horse-eating monster alien and he thought spinning and fleeing the best course of action (and of course Poptart joined Rogan in this action). Thankfully Graham stayed on and immediately brought Rogan to a stop, and both horses lived while they bravely walked past the very accommodating hiker. The only other excitement (or annoyance, LOL) was a lost easyboot, Rogan got to re-ride the complete trail (at a much faster pace!) and thankfully we found Poptart's lost hoof boot stuck in the mud at a water crossing.

Our first trail ride together!!!!

Poptart and I had our first trail and conditioning (mental and physical) ride today. He started out right on the Old Dominion 100 trail already preparing for his future career :) Graham and I parked at Bucktail and rode Long Mountain Trail up to the peak, grazed for a few minutes and then descended back to the trailer. We encountered 2 scary monster obstacles 1. the trail barricade gate 2. a bridge. The trail barricade was near the parking area and was okay after going up and checking it out. The bridge was quite terrifying, but Poptart was brave and both willingly and safely followed Rogan over it. I was proud how he kept it together even though he thought he was about to die for the few seconds of the bridge crossing -- what a good boy! The goal was for a short, simple, and safe ride and we succeeded! He also practiced both eating and drinking on the trail -- Rogan is a great mentor! We rode about 1 hr 40 minutes, 4.4 miles and had about 1500' elevation gain and loss.

Highlights of today's groundwork session. What a beautiful day!

And more relaxation...

Poptart was very calm and confident yesterday. We split his training into 2 sessions, a morning groundwork session and an evening riding session. In the am we just repeated our last session and everything was more confident and improved. He 100% knows the pattern of backing onto the tire for a cookie, backing to the hay bale and squeezing between the hay bale and barn wall backwards. Where he suprised me and excelled was sidepassing over the hay bale, once again we took it slow but ended with him sidepassing over it to the right, pausing and sidepassing back to the left for a cookie. He is really learning the pattern and is very confident -- no worries if he bumps it with his legs, etc. We will keep repeating it for a few more sessions and at some point add in a 2nd hay bale for a longer side pass. Then we grazed and played with hobbles again. Hobbled the back legs and this time he got a bit worried when needed to spread his legs to poop and couldn't (bad timing on my part, LOL!), but he kept his head and as soon as he relaxed and went back to grazing I removed the hobbles.

Saddling went bettter for riding, he was more relaxed in general and when he worried about Rogan he got to practice backing, moving his HQ, sidepassing, etc until he became relaxed and focused on me again. Did not seem concerned about the saddle, but we had one tense moment when I first ran the latigo through the cinch ring and held pressure. I am not sure what he was thinking/worried about (the cinching, where Rogan was, etc?) but he kept still and we waited until he relaxed and proceeded with saddling. For our riding warm up we did more sideways around the barrels and then practiced sidepassing and backing up next to the big green ball, he is improving but not ready to actually back into it or touch it sidepassing (though he is more than happy to push it around with his front end!) I had him move out prior to mounting (to make sure he was okay with the saddle at all 3 gaits-- my standard pre-ride check before getting on any green horse). He has gotten into a little habit of breaking gait at the canter and starts trotting at about 1/2 -3/4 of a lap. We played with changing direction everytime he broke gait (the 1st time we've played this game together) and he figured it out pretty quick and we ended with 1 full lap of canter. Riding was great (Rogan was in the front field, not put away in the stall so that may have helped) but he was very relaxed after mounting and was happy to stand until asked to move. He was smoother on sidepassing from barrel to barrel and we added in more trotting and transitions. If he continues to be this relaxed and confident we will really start to make some progress 

Any even more confidence building (and a little riding!)

Just finished our confidence building-groundwork session and taking a break (for both Poptart and me!) before saddling and riding later this afternoon. Poptart knew the games from last night-- he backed right up to the tire and on the 3rd or so try he backed up straight (LOL!) and put both back feet on it. Same with the hay bale-- he was even trying to step backwards up on it rather than just touch it. We then squeezed backwards b/t the bale and wall again and he had that one down too! Backed into the wall due to poor steering a few times but no big deal :) Then we moved the bale outside to play more with sidepassing and after climbing on it and knocking it about a few times with both front and hind limbs (and of course eating it!) he became sick of baby steps and just side passed over the whole hay bale, like he knew what to do the whole time! Then a grazing break while I played 'extreme' friendly with the carrot stick/string and broke out the hobbles again. Hobble the front feet for a few minutes just so he doesn't forget what they are, then played with the back feet. He was so confident and his porcupine was so good with the hobble rope on the back feet I thought he was ready to try hobbling the back legs. He did great! I set the hobbles fairly long and he was grazing. He tried to take a big step, but felt the hobble and gave wonderfully to the pressure. He then tried the same with the other back leg and once again gave to the pressure. I then removed the hobbles and turned him back out with Rogan.

Okay and for riding... Saddling is still slow. I am saddling at the trailer to practice for real life smile emoticon I am not sure if he is concerned about the saddle/cinching or if he is just worried about where Rogan is, what is in the bushes, etc? No problems saddling at all, but I would like for him to be more relaxed and for it go quicker (which just requires more relaxation at each step) rather than on/off, rub with the stirrup, flop the cinch around, put pressure on the cinch and release, etc, etc before actually completing the process. After saddling Rogan was put in the stall so he wasn't a distraction and it is good for Poptart and I to work together without any other horses around. Poptart is becoming much easier to relax without Rogan, I have found a few exercises that help establish my leadership and thus his feeling of safety. -- mostly involving a pattern of squeeze or sideways next to barrels, disengage HQ, back up and repeat. This seems to work much better to focus him rather than moving his feet at a trot/canter in figure-8's or falling leaf, etc patterns. My husband was wonderful and came out in the cold drizzle and 'played' with the green ball off to the side while Poptart did his ground warm up. It was very scary close up, but not a problem a little further away, definitely something that needs more repetition. He, in general, is much more relaxed for mounting and his HQ yields are becoming quite good, almost no rein required. Rogan then squeeled and we used my 'focus' pattern from the groundwork which also worked excellently under saddle and he relaxed again. We played with sidepassing from 1 upright barrel to a 2nd upright barrel about 6' away. My husband obligingly put a treat on each barrel so Poptart sidepassed over to the barrel and got a cookie. We repeated about 3-4 times each direction. He was much better moving to the right than to the left. Much more 'attitude/resistance' to the left including backing up, head tossing, and surging forward. To the right he was a pro. More practice needed, but he liked the exercise! We ended after a few trot transitions and trot circles each direction. Very productive ride, but what cold, wet weather!!

And more rain and yet more confidence building

After a full day in town running errands I found a few minutes to play with Poptart in the cold, dark and rainy night... Thankfully he was nice and dry under his rain sheet :) We just played right next to the barn and in the barn aisle to have a little light and shelter. After just a few tries and a few minutes of thinking followed by much yawning he backed right up to the tire-pedestal and put both back feet on it! He really figured out the game, the answer and that the correct answer equaled much praise, cookies, and rest! Then we played in the barn with a hay bale for 2nd time working with wonderful suggestions from Claudia Lowe (thank you!) about building confidence by having the horse move to the obstacle rather than me touching him with the object. I placed the hay bale next to the barn/stall wall sticking out perpendicular to the wall and we side passed over to the wall, then practiced backing up and touching the hay bale with Poptart's hind legs :) He was a little uncomfortable still but really starting to figure out the game at the same time. Then I moved the hay bale out from the wall and squeezed him b/t it and the wall progressing to backing b/t the hay bale and the wall. The first time he did the backing up squeeze he bumped his rump on the wall --this would have sent him into orbit a few months ago, but today he just stopped alarmed for a few seconds then stepped away (yay!) and finished backing until his mouth was at the hay bale :) We then moved the bale to the middle of the aisle and I sent him over it-- he clambored over it like a goat sometimes and offered a little jump once, but was never worried! He rather enjoyed trying to climb on the hay. He was so confident I decided to start the idea of sidepassing to it and over it... We ended on him sidepassing one step , just over the edge of the bale, then studiously side passing back off, lots of cookies :) Till tomorrow... and more rain

First time in a blanket (or rain sheet)

It is raining and raining.. and now cold. We finally ordered and returned enough turnout sheets that I have on that fits, just in time for the 42 degrees and heavy rain coming tonight! I unfortunately did not have enough time to have him completely relax with the sheet prior to putting it on as he was already starting to shiver from being wet/cold. We safely put the sheet on without any incident (though he was worried and it took some time). Shortly thereafter both horses took off playing, galloping and bucking in the rain. The sheet is no longer returnable...and Poptart learned that it is not a good idea to gallop in slick mud on a steep hillside. He took 2 big slides on his hind end, covering the sheet with mud, but thankfully both he and the brand new, expensive turnout sheet are just fine!

And now it is time for Poptart and Rogan to go load and eat dinner in the horse trailer in the rain...