Apricot Brandi (a.k.a Brandi)

[ariana]

She did really awesome yesterday..her speeds at a trot and lope were nice and slow. At a lope she did really well with when i asked for her to speed up then slow down. Also, her vertical flexion is really doing great! She can hold it for longer and longer. Also, I took her on a trail and that road that she hates..I found a way around it! She didnt fuss at all, which is awesome Her head is staying lower and lower as we ride more and more, so yahh !

[ariana]

Yesterday we just worked on the usual and she did pretty decent. Lately the only thing I've been having trouble with is her leads. It takes so long for her to Pick up her right lead, she keeps wanting to go on her left..no matter the direction.

Today I wasn't in the mood to ride, but I wasnt going to let her off the hook either! So off we went and I lunged her for forty five minutes she did pretty good, and she even picked up the correct lead as time went on. She got a workout which was my main goal for today, so I'm happy!

[ariana]

I love my pony. There are like 5 kids which 4 are under the age of 5 and wow, my pony is so patient with them and careful.

One little boy doesn't understand how Brandi could hurt him, so yesterday instead of going around her, he went right under her. She never even flinched, thank god. Then he ran toward her back legs and fell down right next to them, again, she was perfectly calm and still. Today he fell ON her legs, which startled her, but she never moved from her place and he came out safe and sound.

I rode her down the road where she flips out yesterday and she did really well. I got her to walk and I gave her loose rein and she only fussed once. Definatly a start.

Me and the behaving kids groomed and braided her mane this evening and she was a gem for the whole thing. Just stood there and practically fell asleep.

Also, I gave pony rides for all the kids and she did really awesome. She just followed me around and I had two kids have reins and ride by themselves (with me supervising of course) and she neck reined to a t. Pretty good for just a lead rope and halter on, haha.

Sorry for the story book, but I haven't upated in so long and I had so much to say ;$ haha

[ariana]

Brandi had a pedi done today and at first she was a butt head. She was aggitated and just didn't want to hold her leg up for me. I think multiple reasons contributed to her fussiness. There were two girls talking and picking at her, she hadn't been ridden and had pent up energy, and she was tied up (she's used to being held and having some space type thing). Either way, I made her calm down cause she needs to learn to stand no wonder.

Then me and two little girls next door brushed her which she was much better for. She has come to love the girls, she falls asleep when we brush her haha.

When I went for a ride she was amazing! Brandi picks up her correct leads 90% of the time and she normally fixes it after the first time if she's wrong. Then we worked on her vertical flexion and she did pretty good! I took her down to the "scary" road after she had her major workout and she fussed twice, but that was it. When we got to a hill, I let her boot up it and she had so much fun. She wanted to keep running, haha. Silly pony. Her leg yeilding is also doing fantastic! Just got to get her to keep her ass with her front haha.

[ariana]

Brandi was ready to work today for the most part. We ran for a bit just so she could loosen up and get energy out and so I could relax and have some fun. Then I worked on vertical flexion at a trot as she needs a lot of work on that. It took her a while, but after she got into a nice slow jog and i used incredibly light pressure and she would put her head down. Same at a walk after too. Then I did loping and it took so long to get her on her left lead after she was tired, but she did it after andeven gave for me without breaking her lope. Then I went around on her other lead and she did great also, but it was harder to keep her going as she was quite tired.

Then I wanted to relax and just have some fun so we went for a boot down the road and she loved it haha.

To cool her down even more I let two girls have pony rides and they both were neck reining on her and telling her to stop and she did it perfectly (she was a little rusty on whoa, but I rarely use that word so considering she did stop 95% of the time when they said it, I was happy). I was so very proud, and for a reward we stuffed her with treats and gave her a royal grooming

I love my pony <3

[ariana]

Took Brandi down to the pasture today and the ride there went fairly well. The scary road that we've been working on for the past few days was a breeze and she only acted up when we went onto new territory, haha. She was really alert and dancy , but I got her doing a bit of vertical flexion and she calmed down a bit and was easier to handle. She also had a lot of energy so she started to trot, and I jst felt her want to go faster so i let her and after that she dropped her head and was totally calm!

The bridge we had to cross i got off and lead her as i didn't want to put either of us, or the public in danger type thing. she let me lead her and just wanted to sniff and she snorted ofr half the bridge then just caught up to me and totally relaxed.

When we got to the field she was anxious to go and roll as it was scorching and it's a field of grass, what horse wouldn't want to get out there as fast as possible? haha. I let her go and roll, then went up to her and put her halter on. Every so often I went up to her and petted her, walked away, and then did the same thing. I took her halter off and then put it back on again after a few minutes.by the end of our little session she started walking towards me! what a girl She's getting her royal butt kicked tomorrow though and for the rest of the summer as she's getting tubby and I can't stand fat animals. haha

[ariana]

I went to go get Brandi, and she walked away from me. So off she went as I chased her around. I only needed to do it once though , and she stopped and waited.

I tacked her up and worked on vertical flexion at a trot, and she was really awful at first, but then she did fairly well and was getting better. When that was decent I went onto loping and getting her to give then too. It wasn't the giving that was the problem today, it was the lead. She wants to go on her left, but i wanted her on her right and it was a good ten minutes or more before she finally went on her right. Her steering was rusty and she was winded up good, haha. She calmed down and started focusing and gave me what i wanted. More trotting and giving came after that and she was doing awesome. Loping in the other direction was a breeze.

Once all that was done, I did neck reining at all her gaits and she was a gem. She fights every now and then, but it's managable. Then i worked on whoa, backing, walk on, and leg yeilding just to change things up. Everything was really good. Her backing needs more work, but it's becoming straighter and quicker haha.

[ariana]

wow. haven't updated in ever..

We've just been doing the same old, same old. However, she has two new riders now who are 5 and ten ! She's been ridden walk, trot with reins for one rider which went amazing until she got tired and decided she wanted out..haha. We fought with her until she finally gave in and behaved.

I worry about them ruining the work i put into her and making her sour...but it's a month in and she's still fabulous! I make it a point though to ride her or lunge her now haha, before and after every lesson so she can have beneficial work done on her. It seems to be working just great!

I got burned on my leg and stomach so riding has been out for a week and I only just got back to walking, but she is being lunged and she gets daily visits from my mom and one of my lesson girls so she's atleast having contact with people

thats itttt

[Brianna]

What happened!? How'd you burn? Sun? Hope it gets better soon!

But its good to hear you can still get Brandi some work while your out! Lunging works wonders and builds muscle (god love it, but it can be boring after awhile I understand..ever since I got Lily I lunge before EVERY single ride which can be a pain in the ass but shes good at lunging anyways! hahahah x) ) A suggestion for lunging if your not already doing it would be transitions will build muscle faster then say have her canter around for 5 minutes, like walk, trot, walk trot, and do that a couple times, then keep her trotting for a bit, then trot canter trot canter then canter a couple circles then trot for a good 5 minutes then walk, switch directions and do it all over again..her stamina and transitions will increase and get better a lot too! And for a warm up, I let Lily walk a couple steps then shes straight into the trot so she can't get any farting around buisness in, the second she has a saddle on she has to work, and she has to listen. But its just a suggestion! Just want to help if you have any other questions or want some things to do on a lunge line let me know! And I can tell you some things I do with Lily considering she ALWAYS has to be lunged :/

Hope your burn gets better and hopefully I'll see you and Brandi go sometime soon

[Brianna]

Oh and sorry for my english terms (trot and canter instead of jog and lope) force of habit! hahah

[ariana]

Hahaha, I know what you mean girl! and i will try that! I'm really trying to get her used to loping while being lunged and she improved so much yesterday, didn't even has to use the whip, haha. I'll defiantly do those exercises cause she's getting chunky...

I got burned when me and mom went to get coffee and at the intersection she accelerated and all the three coffee spilled right on me..I got second degree burns on my stomach and inner thigh

[Brianna]

Hahah ! Thats good! Do you use voice commands? Its very useful! LOL! Like if I'm lunging Lily when I want her to canter, I say canter once and she has a wonderful transition up to the canter and its very lovely (sometimes lol) but whats really annoying is when somebody else says it but not towards Lily cause she'll canter... grr lol, or if I'm talking to someone and shes been troting for awhile she just canters cause she thinks I'm gonna ask her when I don't.. hahahah.

Another thing would be if Brandi is speeding up (lets say) or not listening at ALL, pull her in to a circle smaller and smaller and smaller and use some kind of voice command that you want her to do like if shes going to fast "easy" or something until she listens then slowly let her out to her full circle again.

And omg! Ouchhhhh! That had to hurt hope it gets better soon really sucks it was on your inner thigh!

[ariana]

That's exactly what a do ! Except I normally kiss to her as her cue to lope she's really good with her voice commands except for her whoa when she's out at a larger circle and of course her lope haha

It sucks so bad. My thigh is healed up pretty good, doesn't even hurt just looks gross. My stomach is killing though, that's where all the coffee fell first

[Brianna]

I see I see ! I do use a kissing and clucking if shes being stubborn and ignoring my voice commands (which isn't often but it does happen) I'll kiss and then she listens for cantering and what not..Lilys needs to work on her walk transition lol, she can go from a walk up but until shes tired she won't trot to walk easily most times, but when shes walking she keeps looking at me for a woah but I always correct her letting her know shes not aloud to look at me til I say so, and she's starting to get it now. Hahah and its funny cause sometimes I see her glance over at me in the corner of her eye just being like "mom please say woah already!"

Oh myy horses hahaha x)
And that actually sucks a LOT! Like..burns are the worst, I hate burns so much..Thats good that its healing! I would suggest something for it but the only thing I know good for cuts is fiskes..but thats for horses..LOL..it works wonders tho ;D

[ariana]

Hahahaha, my leg has actually healed up so good that I can wear jogging pants, so I may try some light riding again, I'll fight through the pain of my stomach