Apricot Brandi (a.k.a Brandi)

[ariana]

Had a rough day today. She didn't want to be caught, so I knew that today was going to bad from there. Anyway, once i got her caught, i lead her out and bridled her (she did this good atleast), then I had to ride her down to a field cause i was going to give mom a lesson. I had to run and trot down there cause we were in a rush. She was hard to get out of the driveway and she tried to turn back a few times, but she went straight ahead when we went faster When I got down there, we saddled her up and I lunged mom and a walk. She kept stopping but we kept her going. Then I did some ground work with mom just sitting in the saddle (we were working on balance anyway) and she did awful. She wouldn't stop when asked and her backing up was just horrid. I was basically using all my strength for her to go back. By the end of it however, it was getting easier. she is stopping noramlly now, but backing is still an issue. So, I am holding off all riding until her ground work is up to par officially.

[katie muise]

shes still improving though
cant wait to see her again friday haha

[ariana]

yeah, I guess she is ! She's definatly going to be a big BUTT when you comes. AHAHAH <3

[htrimm08]

shes just being a bit*h when shes not letting you catch her, and backing up. it seems to me that your all over the place with what your doing with her. But you cant just stop working with her in an area because she does it once or twice. You have to continue doing it to make sure shes got it, and continue the same things every day until her listening is continuous, because I dont think its as much as weather or not she knows what shes doing as just a plain attitude problem.

When she dosnt want to be caught, drive her on until she stops for you. Make sure every good thing she does she gets praised up for it. You might even want to bring treats with you for the first few times, then she will associate being caught with a good thing.

for backing up, hauling and hauling on her isnt going to get you anywhere, because obviously shes hell of a lot stronger than you. Its repitition that you need, not strength.

[ariana]

Anywho, tonight she was great ! She let me catch her and while I was filling their bucket I walked up twice to her and she stood there perfect. After filling the bucket I went and caught which she just let me walk right up to her and I lead her out. I tied her to a pole, changed her halter (didn't even had to hold on to her) and as soon as I put the rope halter up, her head went towards it for me to put it on! I decided I was going to give her a good grooming (she was filthy!) then do some lunging and possibly some riding if I get to it. Ends up I spent most of my time grooming her! After she was somewhat clean, I lunged her at a walk and trot (her transitions and response to the cues was really good) and then worked on leading (walk ;trot), stopping, walking on, backing up, and turining away and towards me. She did WAY better than yesterday for whoaing and backing up. I had to use very little pressure to get her to back and she stopped on a dime. Everything else she did great on as well! That's our day

[ariana]

Pretty good day. I went up with my friend Jasmine and it was really windy up there so I figured she would be really spooky and skittish (the old Brandi was). But, sheproved me wrong. She stood calm and serene for me to catch her and lead her. Then i tied her on and groomed her (perfect), then did lunging,leading,backing, and turining towards and away from me. All did really well. Especially her backing up, by the end of the day she was backing with me just stepping back. The only thing I really had trouble with is turning toward me. She seems to not want to bend her neck that much and she was pulling away a bit, not a lot. So it got me thinking that her neck may be stiff ? Anywho, after that I bridled her (which she just stood for me to do (finally) and got on her. She stood perfectly and even when i sat up she never moved til I said. All i did riding was to see how she gave to the bit, stopping, standng and backing. She gave to the bit wonderfully (only pulled once or twice) and her stopping was an A+! She didn't stop when asked only twice for me and that was towards the end of the session. Then came the backing up which she seems to really have a hang of ! She's putting her head the way it's spose to go to release the pressure and she backed up like ten steps with just me wiggling my heels into her sides and saying "back" ! Standing was an issue, but she did what i wanted after about 4-5 times of disciplining her when she moved. My friend was riding with me so it was fun I was surprised at how well she did b/c of the wind and they were doing work in the shed right next to us that was really loud. Sorry for the novel guys :$ OH , P.S -> Does anyone have any tips on how I could help her if she does have a stiff neck ? Thanks!

[ariana]

Back to normal as of now, hopefully anyway ! She is back to what she was before in her ground work and the only problems I had with her tonight was riding wise. She didn't stand twice, but then she stood until I said she could and her steering was a handful at a trot, but we worked through it enough that I continued on. While I was filling the water buckets , I just had her out "grazing" on the hay that is spread all over the ground and she was fine with me walking up to her with/without a bucket and I even walked behnd her carrying a a bucket of water and she didn't even flinch. Also, I lead her and rode her through a "deep" puddle because at all costs, she avoids water. I'm trying to get her use to it, but it's not my first priority. Her backing up and whoaing while I'm riding has become amazing. Now 8/10 she stops when i say whoa and she backs up with me just lifting the reins and wiggling my heels She's finally back to where i want her to be at the moment !

[ariana]

There was bad and good today. . . Here's the good:
1) her ground work is great
2) she backs up and whoa's when asked with minimun rein pressure
3) she listens to her cues for her gaits (we are still working on walk on from a stop )
4) her steering is doing better and she's giving to the bit more and more each day

Now, for the bad:
1) she bucked today-> i am pretty sure it wasn't do get me off, I think it was b/c she got spooked...after she bucked me , I loped her again 3 times and she was perfect so I'm pretty sure she got spooked or something out of the ordinary happend. . .
2) when another horse is ridding with us (Katie was up and rode with me on friday and today) she seems to get more herd bound. She fights more when leaving and if she's ahead she wants to just turn around.
3) Her transitions (slowing down) is tough, especially from a trot-walk, but we're working on it.

That's it

[ariana]

She did well today. She seems to be getting sick of actually having to work now so she was fussy today, but I made her work even more b/c of her fussiness. She was fighting today on our trail and when we trotted, i found it hard cause i can't really grip (my leg is still hurt) and it hard to steer and hold on all at the same time bareback ! But, when i felt she was good enough on our trail, we turned and went home. When we got there, I lunged her for a good ten-fifteen minutes (walk,trot,whoa) and then on standing for mounting (she has been moving a lot lately) and the first time we did it, she stood perfect. When I first came, I gave her a good grooming and went through ground stuff and she was great so it was only the riding that had hurdles, but by the end, she was great !

[ariana]

Success. Tonight I went through her ground work which she did perfect , then I worked on commands for lunging. She did great on the left, but on the right we had a few snags. She was listening and doing what i wanted except for going from a trot to a walk and a walk to a stop. After a while she got "walk" and it took a few more minutes to get "whoa", but we got there.
After that I went into a quick lesson for riding. She lowered her head and left it there until I was done bridling her and she just stood for me to fidget with the new curb strap She moved only twice for me to get on, but after that she stood and waited til further direction. While I was riding I just worked on her giving to the bit, backing, and whoaing. She did great on everything, with only a little hesitation on giving and not stoping once. I got off and gace her lots of treats for being such a good girl !

[ariana]

Just went up today to see her and try a girth on her with the new saddle. She was well behaved and for it being SUPER windy and haven't seen a saddle in like months, she did really well with everything !

[ariana]

My cinch fits after all I went and lunged her today for a bit and did walk/trot transitions and stopping. She had LOTS of energy today ! After getting her to calm down i went through back up, turns, whao, etc on the ground. After, I groomed her and she did perfect for that then tacked her all up and she didnt even flinch. She also bridled great now ! The only problems i had were she wouldnt stand, but i fixed that. I just went for a little trail ride so we could both get used to it and she listened well. When I came back i got her used to the plastic blowing aroudn her in the wind cause she was scared of it when it started flicking. Great day today !

[ariana]

It's weird and nice to ride in a saddle again. Anyway, she was fantastic today. I lunged her first and it I'd say under ten minutes she was listening to just my voice for walk,trot, and whoa ! After lunging I went through all the other stuff (backing, turning, etc) and she aced it, as always. So, I decided to tack her up and ride her out to the field to see how it was for riding. She stood perfectly still to be groomed and tacked up and even turned her head toward me when I went to bridle her ! Headed out and had a little fuss, but nothing a little squeeze couldn't fix. Once we got out to the field, I did some trotting in circles and she was so responsive it was amazing. After that we did some stop, backing up, and walking on, and also going from a trot to a walk. When that was all said and done, we headed back and even got in a lope or two along the road for some fun. I worked her today so she's all pooped out and sweating.

[ariana]

They were outside of their pen when I went up (ashley was supervising) and Brandi decided she was going to peace out of the yard and into the neighbors, with Fuzz and Gunner to follow. Then for the next few minutes me and ashley went to drive them back. Gunner went back, but Fuzz and Brandi wanted to stay , so I went back and caught them both. I was actually pretty proud that Brandi never ran off and let me catch her! When i got her, I went up and lunged her for a bit cause she had lots of energy that i atleast wanted to get some gone. After trotting tons of circles, we worked on trot-walk transistions and whoa. She did amazing on all of these and by the end she was walking when i asked, trotting when asked, and stopping at me just saying whoa. What a girl ! I left it at that because it was drizzling out, cold, and windy = not a very fun to work with pony ! However, I was proud of our accomplishments today. Hopefully, I'll get lots of riding in during our easter break !

[ariana]

She did great today. Caught, lead, tacked, bridled (little issue, but fixed it), and rode great ! The noly issues I had with her today was steering (at a lope in the field) and getting her to stand while I mounted. All together i was very happy with today because she did listen to what direction i wanted after only one or two laps in the field and all gaits