Pistol - photos added 07/29/12

[Krista]

Breed: Quarter Horse
Sire: Leo's Yellow Jacket
Dam: Poco Good Tactix
Age: June 12th 2011

Figured I'd start one for Pistol since she's with me for good now.

Since her return three days ago she's been thrust into retraining! Where she was didn't do much with her, just let her out in pasture to be a baby which unfortunately isn't what this previously unhandled filly needs.
Her second day back (Sunday) with me I practised her leading, stopping, and backing. She remembered very quickly. I then tied her to the fence and brushed her. Because of the work with her leading I did prior to tying when she'd back up and feel pressure she'd automatically step back ahead to release the pressure on her own, after a few back ups she stood quietly. I spent quite some time getting her used to me rubbing/cleaning her utter and between her legs - still a problem area but much better then what she was! After the easy stuff I sacked her out with the carrot stick and a tarp. She stood for it all, even when the tarp went completely over her head and I pulled it off her under her belly. The large ball we have was interesting to her so I showed her how to push it around and then I picked it up and put it on her back and bounced it down and off her side, she could have cared less! I decided to push my luck and spray her with fly spray after she did so well with everything else - she backed away and moved to the side but not once tried to bolt or run away from me. By the time I was doing her second side she was standing quietly
Later that afternoon (Sunday) Dave came out with me. I instructed Dave how to approach and catch her. She was very wary and nervous of Dave, having not seen a man or had much handling lately it didn't surprise me. He was able to catch her in a short amount of time and was able to rub her all over and lead her around. We ended with him feeding her her evening grain.

Today (Monday) I did the same as yesterday for the most part - leading, sacking her out, rubbing her utter, fly spray, etc. Dave was with me again today so I got him to again go catch her, lead her, rub her down, and just show her no one is out to hurt her.
Because today is insanely hot I figured it a good day to sponge her down (was going to hose her off but didn't want to through too much at her too soon). She again was nervous and unsure but stood. I then had Dave lead her around to dry her off. When he released her by her feed she didn't stay and eat - she followed him over to me then continued to follow us around the round pen so we rubbed her down then left.

She'll be staying in the round pen until she's easily caught again then she'll be turned out with the other horses.

Body condition wise she still needs improvement but she's a long way from where she was!!
She'll be dewormed on Tuesday (tomorrow) and vet checked again on Thursday. Her imbilical hernia is slowly closing on it's own but I want to be certain she doesn't need it surgically done.

A few photos of her:


Tied




Tarped




Pushing The Ball

[Krista]

The last two days I've done pretty much the same as above with Pistol. I've started walking her outside the round pen, around the pasture, along the roads, over obstacles, and through water. She's taken it all in stride! She now stands quietly for fly spray and I can easily catch her in the round pen without her having a catch lead on. She's still not ready to be let out into the large pasture but I'm thinking this weekend I'll give her a try!
Very pleased with how quickly everything is coming back to her
Tomorrow I'm going to start working on her back up and forward and yeilding her quarters to me!
I figure if I can stick to working with her regularly she'll be an awesome 2 year old to start next year!

[Danielle.S.]

What a pretty horse!

[Rodeo]

I'd do what you are doing, but don't forget to let her be a horse. She's still a baby and learning to be a horse is super important.

[Krista]

i only work with her for a half hour at a time. once she's easy to catch and able to go out with the other horses she'll get days off in between to just be a baby. but because she wasn't handled or imprinted as a weanling when she should have been she needs this extra work before she gets too big, much easier to handle when she's small! i'm hoping this weekend she'll get out with the others to race around and play for a bit, but we'll see how the next couple days go!

she'll get time to be a baby

[karlah]

She is absolutely stunning! I love her coulouring

[Krista]

thanks

Pistol has had it pretty easy these last few days. All I've really done with her is work on catching her, tying her, grooming, and fly spraying. Yesterday I did sponge her down again as it +36 and higher at times. She's been a star for it all. Dave has also been coming out more regularly to help me with her. She still won't let him catch her but once I have her (which I can just walk up and put her halter on) he can do anything with her too.
She is out in a pasture on her own now rather then the round pen and is doing great. Until someone other than me can catch her with ease she won't be going out with the other horses.
She's a very smart girl and seems like she's going to be super quiet!

[Krista]

These past few days have been fabulous! She stands perfectly to be hosed off now and I can leave her tied to do so and leave her tied while i turn on and off the hose up at the house away from her. She also stands like a statue for fly spray now as well. The last 3 times I've caught her she's been coming to me when I whistle which is fabulous if she's learned my call already, but I think because Jack comes to my whistle it's helped her as well!
I also ponied her on her first trail ride with Jack. She was amazing, followed along with a light lead, crossed water, walked along the road, went through a huge field without wanting to run off, etc etc.
She's out with all the other horses on the 10 acre pasture with no issue and they all accepted her back instantly!
I haven't sacked her out with anything these past few days as it's been far too hot (+46) for me to handle, the horses were fine but I'm ready to die! So I've left it to hosing and fly spraying and we've both been fine with that! haha
It's gotten easier for Dave to do stuff with her. We're almost at the point where he can catch her by himself without my help. She comes to me when he's around so I just get him to come over and halter her once I just have the lead over her neck, then he's able to do everything I can do with her! Hopefully another couple days of him coming out he'll be able to call her like I can.
Once this heat wave is done I'm going to introduce the trailer - she has been hauled a few times with me but has never been taught to load and unload.


Being ponied on a trail ride:


Standing after being hosed off on a hot day:


Standing tied to the tree after being hosed down:



PURPLE is her new colour as well!

[Krista]

Well Pistol is officially at the point where I'm content leaving her for a few days untouched !
I haven't been out for the last couple days and earlier today my barn owner went out to fly spray the horses. To this point she hadn't tried doing anything with Pistol without me being there other then rubbing her down in the pasture. Well today she walked right up to Pistol with a lead rope only, put it over her neck so she'd know she was caught and sprayed her down! Pistol was the only one of our horses that didn't need to be haltered and sprayed down out in the pasture !
I went out this afternoon to feed her her grain and Atlas was running around and brought up solid in her lead rope and did a barrel roll through the air - Pistol didn't budge!
She's come back around very quickly and has thus earned the right to be a foal! She'll still get regular grooming and sacking out but it won't be daily like it has been.

Very pleased with her and love knowing what she was like the day she came off my trailer to now!!

[oxmaybesoxo]

AMAZING!! You have quite the looker and sounds like shes come soooo far imagine what she willl be like in another years time

[Krista]

Thanks She'd never had a halter on her or human contact (other then being run through the auction) until I loaded her onto my trailer. So knowing this great little filly is due to my work is very rewarding !!

Had an awful day so went out with the horses. Had no intentions of doing anything with Pistol but due to my bad day I decided to work with her to get my mind off things. She was absolutely amazing. Sacked her out, even tacked her up !!!! She stood to be tacked (saddle only, no bridle) better then most 15 year old horses do!! No flinching, no kicking, no side stepping, etc. Even being led with the girth done up tightly she could've cared less!

Can't wait until she's old enough to start, going to be such a great project !

[Krista]

Today was great! I threw the saddle on her again today just to see if yesterday was a fluke - it's wasn't! She could care less, only reaction she gave me was turning to smell the saddle. I led her around, twisted the saddle, flapped the stirrups, and took it off on her opposite side, etc etc - all without a flinch!
She was perfect for grooming, picking out her hooves, and fly spraying as well.
I know I didn't plan on doing something with her daily but I think it's because she's still on grain everyday I find myself doing more with her then I intend. SOOOOOOOO, tomorrow Lynda is going to feed her and I'm going to ride Jack so Pistol can have an actual full day off !

Photos from today


Pistol trying to follow me until she realized she's tied to the hitching post and stops:


Pistol tied to the hitching post away from the other horses with the saddle on relaxed:


The most reaction I got out of Pistol - smelling the saddle:

[Krista]

So I got an old mattress from a friend yesterday and decided to use it for desensitizing the horses. As most know new footing can be a scary thing for some horses. A mattress provides a squishy, squeaking, springy footing.
Pistol didn't bat an eye at the mattress, she could care less about walking over it at all!

I've also been working on getting her to come when I whistle! We have that down pat now, she'll come from anywhere to my whistle

She's had pretty much the same things done to her - hosing down, fly spraying, grooming, picking out her feet, sacking out, etc

She's a super filly and I've absolutely fallen for her <3 !!!

Here are some videos of her:

Pistol coming when I whistle:
www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151113227296285#!/photo.php?v=10151113182051285&set=vb.611641284&type=3&permPage=1

Pistol walking over the mattress:
www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151113227296285#!/photo.php?v=10151113227296285&set=vb.611641284&type=3&permPage=1

[Ash]

It says I can't view Either way, good job with her. She looks great!

[Krista]

i don't know what you wouldn't be able to see?? they're public videos weird!