Our second go around at the Porcupine game went much better than the first. Jester was much more responsive to the cues - still waiting into Phase 4 (the hardest pressure) before moving, but not waiting a minute or two before yielding. There was one point where we had to reorganize ourselves and he refused to move his feet as I led him with the halter to a different part of the paddock. He stood like a tree and I was very appreciative of the prior preparation given in the coursework. Particularly this piece of advice came to mind: "It won't take more than two days for your horse to yield." In perspective, this makes a 30 or 45 second pull bearable.
Last time we only went as far as pushing with the carrot stick and he was pretty stationary for those. This time he was responsive enough I progressed to using stiff fingers to move him backward, or his front- or back-end around. This was much more successful and easy for him to understand. I wonder how much of that is his prior experience or my assertiveness when I'm at closer range. One thing I hadn't thought of with this step is my fingernails - they're fairly long so poking my horse brings a whole different sensation than dull fingertips would. Is this actually an asset that I just need to get the hang of (hair, skin, muscle, bone with my nails)? Do I use my knuckles instead (dull, but stiff poking tips) or do I lose my fingernails, much as my piano teacher begged me to do years ago? Side note: I quit piano lessons rather than cut my nails back, but in this case I think the horse will win, at least while we're learning.
Next up is the yielding to the halter and then we're on to the next game and more communication development. Tonight, though, is my hangout night with Rebekah, so if it doesn't rain, the majority of the evening will be spent with her riding, though if I'm feeling brave (or it is raining) perhaps we'll play Games instead.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Game 2: Porcupine
Well, if I didn't learn much last time because Jester was too cooperative, we swung the other direction this evening. The Porcupine Game is about submitting to pressure and moving away. I'm really glad the booklet broke it down to many steps and gave some guidance as to when I should move on to the next step. Let's just say we played for 40 minutes and walked away with a very small success on step 1.
I'm also really glad there were videos of Pat playing with a horse, as well as simulations with people. It gave me a lot to consider. What I hadn't considered was the other directions a horse can go to get away from pressure, besides the obvious yield and the opposite rebellion of pushing into it. Jester's primary response to pushing on his chest with a Carrot Stick was to step to the side and make me move to keep the pressure on. Once I was moving, he could easily push me back. Clearly he's better at this game than I am.
I got quicker on my feet, and tried to set him up along a fence so he couldn't step sideways, and this yielded better results but small ones. He seems to consider stepping back a second or two into Phase 2, but then stands there solid into Phase 4. Should I reward the moment's hesitation or wait for something more substantial? I know it's good to start small, but I'm not sure I'm not imagining the shift.
In the line of things I can change or control, I think that rather than counting "1, 2, 3" for each phase, say "back it up, back it up, back it up" in my mind (Level 1 has a ban on talking aloud so your body language is forced to be bigger) to focus my intent.
I definitely have a new insight ("How interesting!") into Jester being right next to me all the time. It's tricky poking a horse with a 3 foot stick when he's 18 inches away. And his relaxed disinterested manner when I'm trying to work with him started to feel like an avoidance technique tonight. I think he might be cleverer than I gave him credit for.
Well, let the games begin!
I'm also really glad there were videos of Pat playing with a horse, as well as simulations with people. It gave me a lot to consider. What I hadn't considered was the other directions a horse can go to get away from pressure, besides the obvious yield and the opposite rebellion of pushing into it. Jester's primary response to pushing on his chest with a Carrot Stick was to step to the side and make me move to keep the pressure on. Once I was moving, he could easily push me back. Clearly he's better at this game than I am.
I got quicker on my feet, and tried to set him up along a fence so he couldn't step sideways, and this yielded better results but small ones. He seems to consider stepping back a second or two into Phase 2, but then stands there solid into Phase 4. Should I reward the moment's hesitation or wait for something more substantial? I know it's good to start small, but I'm not sure I'm not imagining the shift.
In the line of things I can change or control, I think that rather than counting "1, 2, 3" for each phase, say "back it up, back it up, back it up" in my mind (Level 1 has a ban on talking aloud so your body language is forced to be bigger) to focus my intent.
I definitely have a new insight ("How interesting!") into Jester being right next to me all the time. It's tricky poking a horse with a 3 foot stick when he's 18 inches away. And his relaxed disinterested manner when I'm trying to work with him started to feel like an avoidance technique tonight. I think he might be cleverer than I gave him credit for.
Well, let the games begin!
Keep it Friendly
Sunday I went to the barn to play my first "game" with Jester, The Friendly Game. This game builds the foundation of everything I'm going to do with my horse: trust. It explores whether or not Jester trusts me or if he thinks I'm going to sneak something bad between us.
Most horses are wary of a human holding a stick, and often for good reason. Jester, on the other hand, seems more concerned with halters than sticks. I started off walking away from him while dragging the stick on the ground between us and Jester largely ignored it and tried to catch up with me. It's a little disappointing in how well he took to the stick rubbing him all over; I would have learned more had we had to work harder to get him to accept the stick. I would like more approach and retreat and reinforcement and reward, but he just stood there. There were a few spots that he twitched at when I touched him but after a rub or two, he decided it was all right.
In thinking about this, though, it occurred to me that I can approach his dislike of spray bottles in much the same way as the Carrot Stick: have him approach the bottle, spraying rhythmically, and then work up to him accepting the spray bottle in Zone 1, 2, etc. Now to get an empty spray bottle so I don't blow through a whole bottle of fly spray! :)
Most horses are wary of a human holding a stick, and often for good reason. Jester, on the other hand, seems more concerned with halters than sticks. I started off walking away from him while dragging the stick on the ground between us and Jester largely ignored it and tried to catch up with me. It's a little disappointing in how well he took to the stick rubbing him all over; I would have learned more had we had to work harder to get him to accept the stick. I would like more approach and retreat and reinforcement and reward, but he just stood there. There were a few spots that he twitched at when I touched him but after a rub or two, he decided it was all right.
In thinking about this, though, it occurred to me that I can approach his dislike of spray bottles in much the same way as the Carrot Stick: have him approach the bottle, spraying rhythmically, and then work up to him accepting the spray bottle in Zone 1, 2, etc. Now to get an empty spray bottle so I don't blow through a whole bottle of fly spray! :)
Friday, July 09, 2010
Morning riding
Wednesday I tried something different for riding, since it's regularly been 90 degrees each day. I put off going to work for a couple hours and instead got up at my usual time and went over to the barn. Temperature-wise it was far better than standing in the shade, sweating.
We had a pretty good ride, tempered with some drawbacks to riding from 7-8am:
We had a pretty good ride, tempered with some drawbacks to riding from 7-8am:
- Hungry, hungry hippo - breakfast is at 8, so he was definitely looking for some munchin' the whole time.
- Flies - the night's condensation hadn't burned off yet, so it was very humid, which meant in short order (by 7:40 or so) the black flies were an absolute menace. To me and to Jester. I guess Swat and Off! will be in order for future morning rides. And sunglasses to keep them out of my eyes.
- Animals sleep, too - not so much Jester, but the deer (?) that sleep in the woods next to the arena. Just when I was getting comfortable and stretched out, we started to trot and woke something up in the woods alongside the arena. Jester did not like hearing wildlife without seeing what it was or how quickly it was going to eat him. We became close, personal friends with the other side of the arena, fairly quickly.
- Punctuality - this wasn't a problem, but only because I was watching my watch closely the whole ride. It's one thing to be late to dinner or bed because I'm off riding; it's another thing to be late to work (and miss my bus) because I'm out riding.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
4th of July (Observed)
I took advantage of the College Holiday yesterday to sleep in a little bit and then go ride Jester. I'm thankful I did, because it was a bear of a hot day. We rode for a little while in the sun, looping back to the one shady part of the arena if we needed to stop. I think we're going to try some morning rides before work and his breakfast and see how that goes.
Today was also the day to introduce Jester to the Carrot Stick and Savvy String (Parelli tools) and see what he thinks of me when I carry a large stick. Honestly, either because we had already ridden or he's just that kinda guy, he really couldn't have cared less. For most of it, his response was "a little to the left - ahh, that feels good" when I was rubbing him either with my hand or the stick. He seemed to find the string around his legs a little annoying, but didn't care if I draped it over his body. At one point he walked away, but he wanders a bit whenever I'm there anyhow. His roommate seems more interested in me than Jester does, but then again, I demand less (nothing) of the roommate.
Finished picking up the rocks in the paddock (for now) and have quite the pile for the rock collector whenever they come around. I like the paddock without so many rocks, especially if we're going to do some Parelli there instead of the arena. It shouldn't be too much of a problem - Jester just pushes the other horse out of the way.
Need to get through my reading and CD listening before we do more, but given the heat we've got today, this shouldn't be a problem. Water and shade are my friend.
Today was also the day to introduce Jester to the Carrot Stick and Savvy String (Parelli tools) and see what he thinks of me when I carry a large stick. Honestly, either because we had already ridden or he's just that kinda guy, he really couldn't have cared less. For most of it, his response was "a little to the left - ahh, that feels good" when I was rubbing him either with my hand or the stick. He seemed to find the string around his legs a little annoying, but didn't care if I draped it over his body. At one point he walked away, but he wanders a bit whenever I'm there anyhow. His roommate seems more interested in me than Jester does, but then again, I demand less (nothing) of the roommate.
Finished picking up the rocks in the paddock (for now) and have quite the pile for the rock collector whenever they come around. I like the paddock without so many rocks, especially if we're going to do some Parelli there instead of the arena. It shouldn't be too much of a problem - Jester just pushes the other horse out of the way.
Need to get through my reading and CD listening before we do more, but given the heat we've got today, this shouldn't be a problem. Water and shade are my friend.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Sunday fun day
Day two of very hot weather so I decided to forgo riding today but to work with Jester on his ground manners and then have some fun. So I caught him out of the field and we munched on some grass before brushing him off (need to bathe him a little better, around the cinch). Then we worked on picking up his feet. If he let me, he got a treat. If he didn't we kept at it.
When we were done with the treats, we went for a walk in the shade (the arena is all sun in the middle of the day). So we struck out on a lead line and headed up Tallow Hill (class VI) Road, which is to say the dirt tire track that leads into the woods. We went a fair distance and I tried to gauge his reaction to being out in unfamiliar woods. He was very energetic and stopped a couple times to listen to the woods and I tried to teach him to eat only when I dropped the lead line. I know from my trial ride that he loves to eat on the trail.
He seemed a little high strung in the woods - not sure if that's just his woods walking pace - but he seemed fine crossing the little stream next to the trees. Probably won't go out just yet, but it was informative and a nice change of pace. Now if the weather would just not be in the 90s all week, we'd be great.
When we were done with the treats, we went for a walk in the shade (the arena is all sun in the middle of the day). So we struck out on a lead line and headed up Tallow Hill (class VI) Road, which is to say the dirt tire track that leads into the woods. We went a fair distance and I tried to gauge his reaction to being out in unfamiliar woods. He was very energetic and stopped a couple times to listen to the woods and I tried to teach him to eat only when I dropped the lead line. I know from my trial ride that he loves to eat on the trail.
He seemed a little high strung in the woods - not sure if that's just his woods walking pace - but he seemed fine crossing the little stream next to the trees. Probably won't go out just yet, but it was informative and a nice change of pace. Now if the weather would just not be in the 90s all week, we'd be great.
Saturday surprise
Although I'd told most of my friends that I'd gotten a horse, I was keeping it a surprise for two very horse-crazy friends, until I was more familiar with Jester and could get them to come over for a visit. They came on Saturday (sadly a VERY warm day) and we had lunch and then headed "around the corner" to where they thought we were going to do some yard work. The carrots I should have put in the car before they came (though they would have been very floppy by then) tipped them off that there would be horses where we were going. They were excited at getting to fawn over pretty horses while working. :)
When we got there, I told them that we were actually there to meet my new horse, and then they were VERY excited. After they signed the waiver, we headed out to get him. Jester doesn't catch well at the moment - he needs a while to look at me and maybe play a little game before I catch him. I'm trying to keep it fun for him, but I think he'd rather stand around in his shed than work with me. He follows me around his paddock if I'm picking up rocks, or just not holding a halter, but he knows what a halter is for.
Jester was much better behaved today as far as standing still, but then again I had more hands at the ready. Bekah was able to pick out his feet without too much trouble and we had him all brushed and pretty in no time. I think he did like all the attention and kisses.
We tacked up and Bekah went first, knee brace and all. We walked a bit and she got a feel for him. She rode him around, doing a little trotting (and a few inadvertent canter steps the first time). It was tricky with her knee brace as that limits the use of your legs and changes the feel of what you can do.
After Bekah, Grace had a go of it. She hasn't done nearly as much with horses as Bekah has so she wanted to learn how to post to the trot. We walked around the arena, working on steering and balance before we even started talking about posting. I had her practice posting at the walk first, and using her hips in rhythm with the horse's movement to keep him going. Then we put the halter on him and I led them through some trots so she could practice posting. She got much more comfortable doing it than she had been previously, and of course had a ball being on a horse.
When she was done, the girls wanted to see me ride, something I hadn't come dressed for, in shorts. However I obliged them and though the sweaty skin on leather was sticky, it did give some extra grip to the saddle and I was glad I did it. My posting trot was much more comfortable and I managed to sit the trot very comfortably.
Jester was a little more stubborn afterward and he wasn't playing along with checking his feet. He got a mini-bath - need to get a large sponge - to clean out the sweat and then went back to his paddock with the rest of the carrots.
When we got there, I told them that we were actually there to meet my new horse, and then they were VERY excited. After they signed the waiver, we headed out to get him. Jester doesn't catch well at the moment - he needs a while to look at me and maybe play a little game before I catch him. I'm trying to keep it fun for him, but I think he'd rather stand around in his shed than work with me. He follows me around his paddock if I'm picking up rocks, or just not holding a halter, but he knows what a halter is for.
Jester was much better behaved today as far as standing still, but then again I had more hands at the ready. Bekah was able to pick out his feet without too much trouble and we had him all brushed and pretty in no time. I think he did like all the attention and kisses.
We tacked up and Bekah went first, knee brace and all. We walked a bit and she got a feel for him. She rode him around, doing a little trotting (and a few inadvertent canter steps the first time). It was tricky with her knee brace as that limits the use of your legs and changes the feel of what you can do.
After Bekah, Grace had a go of it. She hasn't done nearly as much with horses as Bekah has so she wanted to learn how to post to the trot. We walked around the arena, working on steering and balance before we even started talking about posting. I had her practice posting at the walk first, and using her hips in rhythm with the horse's movement to keep him going. Then we put the halter on him and I led them through some trots so she could practice posting. She got much more comfortable doing it than she had been previously, and of course had a ball being on a horse.
When she was done, the girls wanted to see me ride, something I hadn't come dressed for, in shorts. However I obliged them and though the sweaty skin on leather was sticky, it did give some extra grip to the saddle and I was glad I did it. My posting trot was much more comfortable and I managed to sit the trot very comfortably.
Jester was a little more stubborn afterward and he wasn't playing along with checking his feet. He got a mini-bath - need to get a large sponge - to clean out the sweat and then went back to his paddock with the rest of the carrots.
Friday update
I was a little pressed for time today, because we were going to visit friends in the evening. Much of my visit was given over to working on ground work, because he was as bad as Wednesday at standing still, and now I didn't have Steve to hold him for me. Ashley (the barn manager) helped a bit, but he's very stubborn about picking up his feet. That definitely goes on the list of things to work with him on. The whole Parelli "tack your loose horse" thing I look forward to working on.
With Ashley's help I got him tacked up and headed for the arena. The games to get on (I did fix my stirrups - the leather is dry and a bit stiff) were much reduced and we were off at a walk in no time. He was good enough to take him to a trot, which he performed enthusiastically.
His withers are very round which means the saddle rotates a bit if my balance is off. At this point, that works for me as an indicator that I'm leaning to one side, so I won't "fix" it with more tack yet. It only seems to be to the right that it happens so I wonder if it is aided by unbalanced musculature in Jester. Something to work on - keeping him even left and right.
In true horsemanship fashion, I was late to the get-together with the Witmers. Got to start wearing a watch on horseback again.
Jester's roommate arrived today; he's a cute Appaloosa pony that Jester loves to boss around. Haven't learned his name yet. He's at the barn for some tune-up training so he may only be here for the month.
With Ashley's help I got him tacked up and headed for the arena. The games to get on (I did fix my stirrups - the leather is dry and a bit stiff) were much reduced and we were off at a walk in no time. He was good enough to take him to a trot, which he performed enthusiastically.
His withers are very round which means the saddle rotates a bit if my balance is off. At this point, that works for me as an indicator that I'm leaning to one side, so I won't "fix" it with more tack yet. It only seems to be to the right that it happens so I wonder if it is aided by unbalanced musculature in Jester. Something to work on - keeping him even left and right.
In true horsemanship fashion, I was late to the get-together with the Witmers. Got to start wearing a watch on horseback again.
Jester's roommate arrived today; he's a cute Appaloosa pony that Jester loves to boss around. Haven't learned his name yet. He's at the barn for some tune-up training so he may only be here for the month.
Updates
I wish blogger let you back-date entries, because I'm a little behind. I suppose this'll just force me to to be more intentional about writing after working with Jester.
Wednesday
I got my State Line Tack order on Tuesday night and took everything over to get fitted for him today. It was also a cool, pleasant evening so Steve came with me and met Jester. The tack mostly works great (my Western saddle apparently doesn't have the usual complement of rings to attach breast collars to) and Jester got all fitted up. Of course, he could hardly stand still to save his life. He also showed me that I really need to learn how to tie a horse to a ring in a safe way. At one point he pulled back so hard, the knot was very difficult to undo and I worried he was going to panic. He didn't, but my list of skills to work on got longer.
I was also playing it by ear whether or not I got on him today. Despite the antsy tacking up, he calmed down a fair bit after lunging him a little and taking him up to the arena. So I thought I'd see how far I could get. He either didn't want to, or didn't understand that I wanted him to stand still at the mounting block. His owner's mounting assistance is more of a platform than a small, two-step block so it's possible he didn't get it. He moved off early, backed away, and drifted time after time, but each time I just circled him, moved him back or forward and then stepped him back up to the block. Six, seven, eight times.
Finally something clicked in his head, because I put my foot in the stirrup and stood up against his side and he didn't move a muscle. I stood back down onto the block and stood up again. Zero movement. I stood back down again, patted his neck and then stood up, swinging my leg over his back. STILL no movement. I got my feet in the stirrup (yep, need to adjust those, I thought) but he was still standing still. Finally I gave him a light squeeze and he moved off at a walk, willing as ever.
We kept it to a walk and moved around a bit. He doesn't really leg yield, and he's definitely a direct rein horse. But he's an easy mover so far and willing to go. At the lunge, he's a very easy mover, hardly needing encouragement (of course we don't know each other yet, so this may be in part fear). He keeps going and even responds to looking at his hindquarters to stop. Learning Parelli with him will be very interesting, I think.
Wednesday
I got my State Line Tack order on Tuesday night and took everything over to get fitted for him today. It was also a cool, pleasant evening so Steve came with me and met Jester. The tack mostly works great (my Western saddle apparently doesn't have the usual complement of rings to attach breast collars to) and Jester got all fitted up. Of course, he could hardly stand still to save his life. He also showed me that I really need to learn how to tie a horse to a ring in a safe way. At one point he pulled back so hard, the knot was very difficult to undo and I worried he was going to panic. He didn't, but my list of skills to work on got longer.
I was also playing it by ear whether or not I got on him today. Despite the antsy tacking up, he calmed down a fair bit after lunging him a little and taking him up to the arena. So I thought I'd see how far I could get. He either didn't want to, or didn't understand that I wanted him to stand still at the mounting block. His owner's mounting assistance is more of a platform than a small, two-step block so it's possible he didn't get it. He moved off early, backed away, and drifted time after time, but each time I just circled him, moved him back or forward and then stepped him back up to the block. Six, seven, eight times.
Finally something clicked in his head, because I put my foot in the stirrup and stood up against his side and he didn't move a muscle. I stood back down onto the block and stood up again. Zero movement. I stood back down again, patted his neck and then stood up, swinging my leg over his back. STILL no movement. I got my feet in the stirrup (yep, need to adjust those, I thought) but he was still standing still. Finally I gave him a light squeeze and he moved off at a walk, willing as ever.
We kept it to a walk and moved around a bit. He doesn't really leg yield, and he's definitely a direct rein horse. But he's an easy mover so far and willing to go. At the lunge, he's a very easy mover, hardly needing encouragement (of course we don't know each other yet, so this may be in part fear). He keeps going and even responds to looking at his hindquarters to stop. Learning Parelli with him will be very interesting, I think.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Develop Curiosity
One of the big tenets of the Parelli system is developing a relationship with your horse. Well, a good relationship, really. If you have a horse, how would you classify the time you spend together? Do you march up to him, grab his nose, and then drag him off to ride in circles for an hour? Worse, do you have to "catch" him by sneaking up to him with the halter behind your back?
Does he run toward you or away from you when he sees you coming?
The first thing Parelli has students do with their horses... is nothing. Walk into the horse's corral, smile at him, and then walk past him. Find a place to sit (or stand, or lean) and ask nothing of your horse for 30 minutes. How different is this from what you normally do? What do you think your horse is thinking? Well, watch and see.
Jester is very social - he likes to know what is going on around him. He runs up to the gate when I (or anyone) comes near. So I wasn't surprised by this. But this time, I brought no carrots and offered no greeting, other than my smile. Then I walked past him and headed for the top of his paddock. He followed me closely, waiting for the magic carrot to appear. Finally, once he was convinced I had none, he gave me some space and we stood around together, swatting the cloud of flies around him.
After a minute or two, he walked down to his shelter and stood inside, listening to the sounds of the barn through the trees. Every once in a while, his ears would twitch back in my direction. A few times he'd wander back up to me, stand around for a minute or two (swatting flies), and then wander back down to the shelter. Each time his angled his body from 180 degrees away from me, to only 90 degrees, facing me and the barn. At one point when he approached me, he did the typical prey horse behavior of approach-pause-approach, stopping to grab some clover and see if I was still safe to approach. When I seemed safe, he continued to approach until he bumped his head against me.
Near the end of the 30 minutes, he changed it up and munched on some grass by his water trough. When I walked toward him (and the exit) he didn't move but just kept munching away.
In retrospect, standing due West at sunset perhaps didn't set me up well for being watched, but was an improvement over standing in the mud and muck. And he did get his carrots eventually, but once I was on my way out and I wasn't trying to entice him to do anything with them.
Does he run toward you or away from you when he sees you coming?
The first thing Parelli has students do with their horses... is nothing. Walk into the horse's corral, smile at him, and then walk past him. Find a place to sit (or stand, or lean) and ask nothing of your horse for 30 minutes. How different is this from what you normally do? What do you think your horse is thinking? Well, watch and see.
Jester is very social - he likes to know what is going on around him. He runs up to the gate when I (or anyone) comes near. So I wasn't surprised by this. But this time, I brought no carrots and offered no greeting, other than my smile. Then I walked past him and headed for the top of his paddock. He followed me closely, waiting for the magic carrot to appear. Finally, once he was convinced I had none, he gave me some space and we stood around together, swatting the cloud of flies around him.
After a minute or two, he walked down to his shelter and stood inside, listening to the sounds of the barn through the trees. Every once in a while, his ears would twitch back in my direction. A few times he'd wander back up to me, stand around for a minute or two (swatting flies), and then wander back down to the shelter. Each time his angled his body from 180 degrees away from me, to only 90 degrees, facing me and the barn. At one point when he approached me, he did the typical prey horse behavior of approach-pause-approach, stopping to grab some clover and see if I was still safe to approach. When I seemed safe, he continued to approach until he bumped his head against me.
Near the end of the 30 minutes, he changed it up and munched on some grass by his water trough. When I walked toward him (and the exit) he didn't move but just kept munching away.
In retrospect, standing due West at sunset perhaps didn't set me up well for being watched, but was an improvement over standing in the mud and muck. And he did get his carrots eventually, but once I was on my way out and I wasn't trying to entice him to do anything with them.
Mission: Parelli
I have a horse. (yay!)
As part of my activities with my newly arrived horse, I am studying Parelli's natural horsemanship curriculum. So, I'll be musing over observations and assignments as needed, and post updates on how Jester and I are getting along.
Meet Jester
The horse's name coming to me was Buster, but I'm trying out the name Jester instead. He is a Haflinger cross, which is to say part Haflinger, and part something they're not really sure of. The
owner says the main theory is Appaloosa, but it could be anything. He's a pretty classic looking Haflinger, though. His owner before the current one (I'm only leasing him, much like you would a car) bought him at auction, so there's a fair bit of unknown to the guy. The vets put his age in the late teens, which is old enough to know better but still got some good life left in him. He's pretty feisty, actually, and very social. When I went to visit him the other day, he kept coming over to me in the paddock, checking up. When I left, he stood at the gate for a little bit, and then turned and *ran* to the far side of the paddock, where the barn manager was cleaning up. "Ooh, what's going on over here?!"
Currently I'm waiting on some equipment I ordered to arrive before going out on our first ride, but I broke out the natural horsemanship curriculum I bought a couple years ago and have started working through it this weekend. (It starts with ground handling stuff, and I have the equipment I need for that.)
There are a handful of other people who board horses at the barn (just around the corner from our house) and they all mostly trail ride, so once I do get riding, it shouldn't be too hard to find people to go out with. It's also close enough that I should be able to ride him home if I want to, like when I have friends or family visiting and want to show him off. :)
As part of my activities with my newly arrived horse, I am studying Parelli's natural horsemanship curriculum. So, I'll be musing over observations and assignments as needed, and post updates on how Jester and I are getting along.
Meet Jester
The horse's name coming to me was Buster, but I'm trying out the name Jester instead. He is a Haflinger cross, which is to say part Haflinger, and part something they're not really sure of. The
owner says the main theory is Appaloosa, but it could be anything. He's a pretty classic looking Haflinger, though. His owner before the current one (I'm only leasing him, much like you would a car) bought him at auction, so there's a fair bit of unknown to the guy. The vets put his age in the late teens, which is old enough to know better but still got some good life left in him. He's pretty feisty, actually, and very social. When I went to visit him the other day, he kept coming over to me in the paddock, checking up. When I left, he stood at the gate for a little bit, and then turned and *ran* to the far side of the paddock, where the barn manager was cleaning up. "Ooh, what's going on over here?!"Currently I'm waiting on some equipment I ordered to arrive before going out on our first ride, but I broke out the natural horsemanship curriculum I bought a couple years ago and have started working through it this weekend. (It starts with ground handling stuff, and I have the equipment I need for that.)
There are a handful of other people who board horses at the barn (just around the corner from our house) and they all mostly trail ride, so once I do get riding, it shouldn't be too hard to find people to go out with. It's also close enough that I should be able to ride him home if I want to, like when I have friends or family visiting and want to show him off. :)
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