January Goals Recap, and February Goals!

It is high time for a recap of our January goals, and for our February goals to be mapped out! My hematoma is so big at this point that it is actually going to be the one typing this thing out. Seriously, it is creeping me out... no part of me should ever be able to wobble like this thing does. It is like the gobbler on a turkey, only on my leg. If it gets any bigger, it will need its own zip code.

January Goals:

1) Be going W-T (and maybe try a little C?) by the end of the month, in the roundpen (maybe try a little in the arena, depending on how she does)

Success! Although, after being lawn darted, I am not willing to say she is 100% ready to go riding in just any old arena anywhere. I'd say she is definitely solid w-t, in our riding area. But she isn't ready for bigger things yet.

2) More desensitization with the clippers!

We didn't work on this at all, and we should have. It got put on the backburner simply because I had bigger and more important things to deal with... but we'll be working on it when we have the time!

3) Have dentistry done
FAIL. We were SUPPOSED to have dentistry done last week, after struggling to get the dentist out for weeks, but the guy never showed up. This is a seriously frustrating matter... we'll see how this continues to unfold.

4) Pull entire mane
Success! Save for the little tiny bit right near her poll that will eventually become a bridlepath, we managed to pull the entire mane. Of course, it now sticks up everywhere in all directions... sigh! At least it is the proper length!

5) Continue with the theme of relaxation - in everything we do!
Success, mostly! I wouldn't say this was so much a goal as a way of life... I try my hardest in everything I do to make sure she is comfortable and and relaxed. She of course is not always relaxed, and will not always be, but even when she is being pushed a bit, I always make sure to end things on uncomplicated notes, things she already understands and is comfortable with.




February Goals:
1) Take her to the AquaTread once a week
2) Trailer out to other places once a week, whenever possible (even if just ponying, lunging, groundwork, etc.)
3) Ride 3 times a week (or 4!) and alternate with lower-key things
4) Be going comfortably w-t-c on a loose contact by the end of the month
5) Continue desensitization to bridling
6) Continue desensitization to clippers
7) First trail ride (while being ponied)
8) Standing quietly tied out


More goals than usual, but we have lots to work on!

Yesterday we had another ride, and it was a relative success considering it came on the heels of such a bad ride right before it. She was fussy and fidgety when I saddled her, but we did a whole mess of lunge work and groundwork before I ever got on, and she was in a very good mood by the time I was ready to get on. She fidgeted at first, not wanting to stand still at the mounting block, but I put a quick stop to that with some more groundwork and backing up. (Sorry mare, no excuses... holding still at the mounting block is paramount.) After that, she held quite still, and I got on without further issue. She was actually quite a lot quieter than I expected, not jigging or breaking gait even though she very much so wanted to - good girl! She was also not keen on holding still, so we did a fair bit of transition work from walk to whoa and back again. She diffused some of her energy by bobbing her head up and down while standing still... that is also not going to fly. She was doing it while tied as well... she was obviously feeling a bit anxious after the last riding session we had. Thankfully, she settled into her work, and directed her energies into what I was asking her to do instead of what she'd rather be doing (which was "let's trot, is it time to trot yet, I really want to trot!")

When S and the crew came down to ride, I had S pony us off of her big yellow horse for a lap around the field. Immy was not very keen on that, as she wanted to barge ahead of the yellow horse, and the yellow horse wanted to barge ahead of her. She managed to hold it together for her lap around the field, and it technically was her first ponied trail ride, but I think next time I will just go mashed into a group instead of be ponied... there was a lot of barging, head-shaking, and snarky behavior on both of their parts! (And we're definitely not ready to just head out into the big field yet, even with a bunch of other horses... she needs a LOT more work before we get to that point!)

After our lap, I had them leave me back at the barn for a little more alone time, and we did some more walk-trot-whoa work. She ended on a very positive note, walking quietly with her head low, very relaxed and content in her work. Good girl!


I crosstied her in the barn when I was grooming her, and she stood nicely, resting a hind foot and yawning while waiting for me to finish. We all stood back to admire how much weight and muscle she has put on in the past month, and were laughing that with all her extra energy, maybe I've been feeding her a little TOO well. She used to be lethargic, mopey, and constantly wearing her hind toes off from dragging her back feet miserably around all the time... now she is a red-hot, muscular, perpetual motion machine! I expected her to wake up a bit with a change in diet and the addition of a new job, but man, she is a hot head! She'll never have trouble making time anywhere, that's for sure!


The mares had today off, and spent it doing this:




Sorry about the camera lens smudge... it happens!
It is super fun to let them out of their usual turnout and into the big giant one to run around. This is what they do EVERY time... Immy leads P on a 10 minute nonstop gallop every single time!