Tuesday - 21 August 2011

Today was basically a repeat of yesterday for Sweetie and Julie. I was running late and had brought my saddle mare, Star, in for a little one on one time before I brought the girls in.  Star is just ..... Star. She has been running with the young stock so she thinks she is top dawg. After we got that little misconception straightened out she did a whole lot better.

After the young horses were in the round pen, I walked up to Sweetie and rubbed and petted her for a bit. We then slipped the hackamore on and did some ground driving. Sweetie had been giving me some static when I had asked her to turn tot he right but today she finally figured out what I was asking for. She is doing better all around. We will continue to practice this for a few more sessions.

I then went to Julie. She was very calm today and easy to slip the hackamore on. She backed and turned both directions, doing very well. After ground driving for a while I decided to do some more sacking out with the saddle blanket. I worked her over pretty good on the near side and she stood like a rock. I was proud of her. I went to the off side and she jumped once or twice and flinched a couple of times but none of the dancing hooves or any of that silliness. She just may make a saddle horse yet. LOL

Then I turned to my other two. I worked with Snippy for a while but she is very protective of her head. I can rub and pet her all over except for her head. HB was living up or down to her name. I would catch her and rub her head a couple of strokes then she would get a look in her eye and take off. Decided to try something different. I took Sweetie and Julie out of the round pen and then picked up my flag. I flagged Snippy and HB making them change directions and kept them moving for a while. Snippy started calming down and let me run the flags over her body but would jump when I went over her head. She wasn't as active in her trying to evade the flag as she had been. I think she has potential. HB on the other hand never really relaxed. She would explode every time I got the flag near her. I don't think she is quite ready for this yet. Have decided to concentrate on the other three and work on HB a little bit later. Maybe with a little time her mind will mature and she will be more ready for this.

After I moved Snippy and HB out of the round pen I brought Sweetie and Julie back in. I put some oats and alfalfa pellets in the feed bags and slipped them on the girls. There was no fuss about slipping the bags on the girls. I think they have this exercise down pat. LOL