All to myself

Maria is gone this week so I have Maddie all to myself.  I am trying to keep challenging her while avoiding overly ambitious sessions.  The last two trail rides have been fantastic.  We rode the entire river trail alone and had no trouble.  Several times we took a few minutes to work on backing and bits of turns/lateral work.  I also let her walk for much of the trail and she did well.  We also took the jump series at Heinen's. 

For the other ride we cantered in the cross country course and I also went over some spooky spots in the hay field.  I think I finally have a better procedure when she balks or gets spooky.  One session this week was just groundwork with the tarp.  I draped it all over her, pulled it over her head, and hung it from a tree branch.  It was tricky to get her to walk underneath it without going to one side or the other, but she did it a few times in both directions.  It was a windy day and the tarp was a little unpredictable--good for getting this lesson solid.  I think it really helps her and I wish I had done this kind of work three months ago.  We only walked over the tarp when I started her at the Pink Barn.  Should have done more.

Still working...

The last week has been quiet with Maddie.  We lost a few days to rain and several times I just went to see her and do some quick ground work in the driveway.  I re-introduced the tarp, draped it over the dumpster, the fence, etc.  I did some direct and drive lessons between myself and the tarp hanging over the fence, too.  It's funny that the tarp still bothers her at all, because I introduced it to her back in January on her 3rd or 4th session, and she never showed much fear of it.  But I never used the tarp outside in the wind, and I think that is the new element.

One ride over the weekend had some unintended excitement.  I had ridden over to Jane's and Maddie was not too happy with all the new jumps set up in the cross country course.  I worked her until she relaxed a bit, then rode home.  After doing a few roll backs in the last hayfield before home, I was resting her on a loose rein when Tracy rode past us in the next field over at a canter.  Maddie spun and bolted when she saw the movement through the brush, and I could not hang on.  I landed cleanly on my feet with both hands on the reins, but Maddie tore them from my grasp and ran another 20 yards.  She turned and faced me and I walked over and hopped on while Tracy apologized for all the trouble.  Crimenee!  How can I be a mustang rangler if I keep falling off my ^%^$! horse?  Oh, well, no harm done.  And it was very classy of Maddie to stick around and not run home this time.

Tracy & I rode together over to Soderberg's to hook up with Sandy, meeting up with her daughter Terri on the way over.  Then we ran into Katie and another rider, making a 6 horse group, all at a walk.  Maddie did well but I did not like being in the middle in a pokey group, so I put her in back where she didn't feel the need to kick the horse behind her.  We found Sandy and waited while she hopped onto Cricket and checked the controls.  The group went out at a walk and I kept Maddie in the back.  At one point we split up and Tracy escorted us back to the stable.  I'd like to repeat this kind of group ride in a situation where I can work Maddie in all positions and gaits, do some circling, separating, etc.  It would help her immensely, and be a lot of fun, too.

Today I had a pleasant ride in Kim's hayfield, and I was pleased that I managed to push Maddie through some spooky places.  She was overall a bit unhappy about going out, and she got pretty hot and kept jumping into the field whenever we passed some sewer pipes laying on one side of the field.  I kept circling the field at a canter and waited for her to stop jumping.  After 4 or 5 passes she was doing well, and I went around once more for good measure.  I let her walk home on a loose rein, occasionally doing a half turn on the forehand, followed by backing, followed by a turn on the haunches, plus some two track work.  Overall I just need to keep challenging her and working through things more thoroughly.

Just riding

The last week has been basic riding outside, no arena work.  Sometimes Maria comes along and we alternate riding Maddie and Jordan.  A few days ago I had a really productive ride on Maddie by myself, working just a short distance from the stable on basic control.  Working near the tractor and the dump truck, I challenged her to keep her focus on me as we moved past these scary objects.  There was also a tarp someone had staked down over a manure pile.  This kind of thing is still very challenging to Maddie, especially when we are alone.  She will sidepass her way around these things and try to come to a halt.  But it is getting so much better.

In general I keep Maddie moving and her mind occupied.  I might ask her to stop for no reason, back up a few steps, maybe we roll back and canter, maybe we just trot forward.  When I ride with Maria, I like to separate from Jordan or take the lead.  Maddie is taking the lead much better now, although she will still protest a bit at first.  It's easiest for me if I keep her at the trot or canter when she is out front.  Maria rides her with much less intervention.   But during a quiet moment two days ago at the walk, Maddie gave Maria a giant buck out of nowhere.  Just one, and it was no big deal.  This is one reason why I don't give Maddie a lot of time to think when I am on her back.

If Maria is along, I always have to wait an extra ten minutes while she hangs out with the horses in the mud lot.  Maddie is just a giant puppy dog and will follow Maria around anywhere.  Jordan is attached to Maddie and will go anywhere she goes.

PS Did a little bit of groundwork in lieu of riding at the end of the day.  Introduced leading the trot, worked with the hula hoop, and asked her to sniff the dumpster.  As soon as she sniffed the dumpster, I would walk away with her.  I am trying some new ideas regarding spooking that my friend Byron suggested.  The idea is to reward her for approaching a scary object immediately after she does something positive, and to not give her time to soak and spook herself (which she will do if I force her to stand next to something spooky).  I think this approach will help move her forward.

Most exciting:  Maddie's feet look amazing!  When I got her in January, the toes were a little long, but main impression was that her soles were just flat, with zero concavity.  One hoof had the frog fused to the sole, and the bars on all 4 feet were folded over.  Maddie's hooves were weirdly upright, although the heels did not seem that long (max 1/4" past the sole).  It was not possible to see where the sole ended and the hoof wall began.  The white line was not discernible.  Everything was just packed together into one mass.  For the past 3 months, I have been trimming the hoof wall to the sole, rolling the entire hoof wall, trimming the bars even with the sole, and lightly trimming the frog.  I did not trim the sole at all.  Starting about 2 weeks ago, her sole started to suck in, and the white line is clearly visible.  There is beautiful concavity on all 4 hooves now.  Clearly, the coffin bone is lifting inside.  It's really dramatic to see this happening, exactly like the barefoot gurus say it should.