The Final Exam

This final exam was like no other I tell you. It had two parts, an essay and a True or False. I'd say Cloud passed with a B+. Don't want to give the teachers pet extra credit for being cute!

The essay consisted of two days of camping. Naturally we prepared for the test the best we could and tried out everything at home first.

First Essay Q: How do you Highline?
A: You get tied to a rope that is way above your head and stand very nicely for as long as you are tied there. No pawing, no pulling, and watch out for the rope getting around your neck weird.

 It is mostly ok, especially if your people tie you near your boyfriend!

Second Essay Q: What is a pack horse?

Oh that is Chaco, He gets to carry all the extra stuff that doesn't fit on us. We have to carry a lot it seems, but Chaco's pack was big, I'm glad I didn't have to do that!

I've got lots more to tell, and I will, just give me a day or two...

Got to do the Arena Work too!

Arena work is kinda of like workbook homework. Got to do the exercises to be able to do the fun stuff. So that is what Cloud and I have been doing. Cloud hasn't protested too much, I think she would be classified as a nerd in school. You know the kid that likes to do the workbooks and get all the extra credit!

So arena work means that we are getting more particular about how she starts and stops, how she turns, how straight she goes from point to point, how well she follows the rail, how well she follows a circle, can she move one foot at a time, how precise can we be, you get the picture. All of this then building toward put these principles to purpose.

Purpose such as cow work. There are lots of ways to play with cows. And on ranch they probably wouldn't call it playing, but we who don't live on ranches see the opportunity to move cows around as playing. There is a lot of horsemanship that goes into getting a cow to go where you want it too. As ungainly as they might seem, cows can be fast, agile, and smart at getting away. Our favorite 5-star Parelli Instructor, Dave Ellis, says that only 1 out of 10 horses can beat a cow. So you have to be smart and be in the right place at the right time. Easily said...

Anyway, Cloud did wonderful in our 4 sessions or so that we have had in a proper arena. I am using the snaffle with slobber straps (leather pieces that connect the rein to the bit for more hinges, thus more information that the rein is about to be in use) with the hackamore underneath . Double reins if you like. I realized the other day making the reins different colors helps to know which one is which easily. She is taking the bit nicely (still mostly with molasses treat, but occasionally without). However, she is a bit fussy (pun sort of intended.) She is giving vertical flexion nicely with a very soft feel at the halt and back up, I haven't asked for more than that. But when using only the bit she tends to flip her head and say why are you doing that. So with a little more weight on the hackamore and a little less on the bit she is quiet. Time will help her accept it more and I will also perhaps try the cradle bridle once or twice. The cradle bridle combines the feel of the hackamore and the bit with the use of a specialize noseband (not tight, but connected to the movement of the bit) and a connection to the pole. More on that if we get to it.

Highlights: Canter departs, haunch turns, forehand turns, yo-yo (walk trot, stop, backup, trot etc).

She likes her right lead better than her left, so I practiced on that side till I got the left lead and then quit. Cloud has a very nice smooth canter, all her gaits really.

So on to the fun stuff! Cows! My friend Vicki has cows and she was willing to let me move a few around. There were two Steer waiting for the market in the close fields. So we went out and woke them up from their nap under the tree and moved them right up the fence into a smaller field. I then let Cloud follow them and get in rhythm. We then could start actually affecting their movements. Start and stop, turn etc. along the fence. On doing this we discovered a weak spot in the fence and didn't want the cows to go through so we changed the game to another field. 

We let the cows rest while we got distracted with our horses making awful faces at each other. We decided that needed to be addressed so we played some games with getting them comfortable standing near one another. Cloud does have some issues around meeting new horses. She gets tense and I think defensive although it can look offensive.

Back to the cows and we moved them to the biggest of the fields. We were on track to move them right back to the napping tree, when we lost them off to the left. On analysis we realized that Vicki had left her jacket on the fence and they turned right before it and didn't want to go by it. Cows are very sensitive that way. That's ok, because it made for more fun getting them back. They actually separated and Cloud and I were able to move each one of them back to the gate which Vicki was guarding. Vicki's dog was not helping really and kept getting in front of my cow, but he just made it all the more a challenge.

So the arena work put to purpose. Cloud was being right with me and the cow, 7 weeks under saddle and she is already a cow pony!

Lots More Firsts

So sorry to be so long in writing an update. The days have been full and so...

Here is a list of the firsts that Cloud has accomplished in the last two weeks.

*Wore Breaching (harness for keeping the saddle from moving forward on extreme downhills)
*Ponied another horse (Frenchie, who kept trying to take the lead...)
*Climbed Mt Pisgah (not huge, but pretty much straight up and then straight down)
*Rode in the trailer with another horse
*Stayed in the trailer calmly for 1+ hours
*Had another rider on her, then another (Linda her owner!)
*Ate straight Molasses (well, then she put the bit in her mouth)
*Had a bit in her mouth
*Had reins on that bit
*Got pretty close to a loose cow ( and the cow left!)
*Stood tied without digging a hole
*Carried Saddle bags
*Played follow the rail (and took to it like fish in water)
*Cantered in an arena
*Helped me open and close a gate (ie, from the saddle)
*Left her buddies and rode home alone
*Knew the way home!
*Got home and wanted to keep going!
*Helped to pony a difficult horse!
*must be more, I just can't think of them now that I am making the list

Anyway, you can see by this list she is a super star and here are a few pictures to prove it.

On Mt Pisgah with Frenchie in tow.

Linda on Cloud at Snack time

Cloud the Superstar!

Linda n' Cloud, Emily n' Shaea, What were they looking at? Must be dinner...

Linda and Terra (on Toby) Terra was instrumental in me meeting Cloud, I am so lucky!

 

And finally, just so you can see what a great job Linda did bringing Cloud back to fantastic shape after her rescue...And Cloud's Friend Ruby...

Not a Pretty picture, she has gotten whiter!

Sweet Ruby

The first ride on Ruby after two years, she is going to be a fine trail horse we think!

I will try not to be away so long next time. Cloud and I will be spending time in some arenas getting more precise!

Super Cool Canter!

Cloud cantered down the trail today for the first time just like she had done it plenty of times in her life. I asked, she did!

Yesterday I rode her with Karmen and Shaea and she was really squirrelly. Andee came at 330 and she was pretty good touching up her feet, then we fitted her with boots, which she didn't mind at all, and then we had some patience practice, during which she wasn't patient at all. Meaning I left her tied in the shade and although this time she didn't dig a huge hole, she was trying to push the barn down. It is this funny thing she does thinking she can get away I guess. She doesn't pull back, she rubs up against the place she is tied, maybe thinking she will magically untie herself. Really funny thing is...today she was as quiet as a 20 year old. She didn't move at all while she was tied there before or after riding. Did she learn that quick or was she just in a mood yesterday. We will see.

Oh ...14.2 by the not so accurate tape measure. I forgot to use the fancy one the other day when I was at my friends house, hope I will be there again to use it!

Anyway, yesterday she was devilish, today she was angelic. Yesterday she basically argued with my every request, today I hardly had to ask, like she was reading my mind. Yesterday we rode with other horses, today she was alone...hummmm

When I say devilish, she really didn't do anything bad, just had a bunch of head shaking, she had a hard time standing still, she was head high and looking at everything. She did have one moment that she was going straight at along and had a quick turn to the right, could have sent one right off her shoulder if one wasn't ready. I stayed put and she stopped quick and we had some nice turns and back ups to make up for it. She stopped after that and stood and took a deep breath and actually did start paying more attention. Maybe she was liking her new boots so much she just wanted to be playful!

When I say angelic, I mean it. I played with her out front and she didn't even look once toward the herd. She was with me the whole time, paying attention and really soft on everything I asked. I introduced her to the dragging items and she really had no problem with either of them (one is a buoy from a boat on a long line, the other is a big plastic bag (2' x2') stuffed with other plastic bags and tied up with a rope.)

Like the last time I mounted up, had our pre flight checks (lateral flexion, back up, etc) then I said ok where do you want to go? This time she headed for the woods. we climbed down the little hill and followed our new trail that is getting made. She went there yesterday on line, and followed the EXACT way we went today...smart girl. Followed it right out to the street and on we went to the trail.

The dogs were with me and she was actually following them. At one point the trail opens up and you could take a right out into a big field (if we were allowed to ride there, which we aren't.) We saw a deer bounding across the field and into the woods ahead of us, which Cloud watched with interest, and so did the dogs. Woobie headed to the field and Ellie to the woods. Cloud wasn't sure which way to go, so I asked her to wait, and called Woobie back and headed him up the trail, and she followed! She still was a little unsure of this part of the trail, she hadn't been on this loop previously, so she was stopping some and looking back. I just stayed with her and kept my focus up the trail and soon she saw the dogs again and was reassured and on up the hill we went.

On this particular trail there are nice cantering spots. We found them all, and took advantage of them all and she was fantastic. She has a nice canter, like her trot! She didn't even really try to go too fast, which they often do the first time.  Even the first ask only took  three or four trot steps until she picked up the canter very easily. I wasn't sure she would, but her go button is getting so sensitive and light. And her stop too!

As most youngsters she wanted to fall right down the hills and trot. So to counter that I usually ask them to stop and back up. This I had to do three times, our magic three, and she already had the idea that she had to take her time and get her legs under her. Later in the ride I did need to remind her, but only once...

When I got home I played in the front a bit more, just so she didn't think home was only to get untacked right away. Actually I played with the drag (just the buoy) , she didn't even bat an eye at pulling it around, the rope bumping her legs, Woobie trying to get the buoy and everything. I ended by asking her to pull up to the trailer, just as we started for me to get off. Someone might need that one day...This girls needs a partner who is going to do things and really take advantage of a super cool smart horse.