Queen

[stephaniec]

It seems everyone else has a training log on here, so I may as well too Well, not so much training...but progress.

I was having alot of problems with Queen in May, I later learned why, but I won't go into that. Anyway, she was basically being a spaz. Ignoring my leg, bolting off. A total jerk. I was even thinking about selling her for about three seconds. So I took a break, and gave her a break. And I started using a gentle hand and a gentle voice and lots and lots of patience.

Now she is a different horse. It took alot of work. But we worked through all the problems we were having, and now she's perfect. Our last few lessons have been excellent and her lope transitions are perfect.

Our next goal...faster stops and backups.

Stephanie

[Amanda.]

Sounds good!! thats all you really need in training a horse is patience and well experience! lol

[carly]

yeah i agree with Amanda !

good luck in the future with her !!!

[Jess]

Aww, love for mares. You guys have been doing so well lately, whatta pair.

[stephaniec]

I rode Queen last night, first time in a couple of weeks, and it was easy to tell. Hyper hyper. But other than that she was good. We just did a little bit of everything, although her trot was really nice. He neck reining is also getting wicked.

Yesterday, I spoke to my coach about doing my rider 3. I thought I'd have to do it on another horse because Queen wasn't ready for that but to my surprise, she felt that Queen would be fine! Yea. Just goes to show haw far she's come since May. She's been working really hard!

Goal for next post....Turn on forehand (really good ones).

Stephanie

[stephaniec]

Just a note on my girl. The other night, a friend of mine who is thinking about leasing her, rode her to try her out. What a girl! She's been a bit of a twit lately, so I told her to try her and see what she thought. She couldn't have been any better. She was nice and rocked back on her hind end, pushing off really well. Plus she was collected and all on her own! We've been working on it, and she's finally doing it without being asked. She's going in training for the next few months to get ready for show season. Hopefully this year, she works out.

[Jess]

I know I've said this to you a million times, but this girl is a different horse. I'm so amazed with her, she's really after maturing and mellowing out. Such a gorgeous mover too, she's so so much more willing than she's ever been before. I can't wait until this summer so you can show everyone what a fantastic mare you have. Her and Reo and Oreo can hang out at shows and be buddies, Reo can show her the ropes and tell her what things to freak out at ie. a tree, and what things to ignore ie. your rider.

[stephaniec]

Had a lesson on my girl tonight. Firstshe had a training session with Rhonda. All ground work. Then I rode her in my lesson. What a girl. I was so proud of her.

We worked on a really looserein, first on figure eights, then on some walk-jog-trot transitions, back down to a walk again by just using my seat. She was fantastic.

Then we did some lope transitions. I am actually going to get a video and post it of her lope transitions, because they are so smooth, and graceful. Its unbelievable. What a girl she was tonight. She was even collecting on her own again, and really working off her hind end.

And she was extending her trot!!!!

LOVES my girl. Hopefully we'll get in a show or two this season!

[stephaniec]

Well, we had a lesson last night. I was late, and hurrying through grooming. That, along with the fact that she hadn't been outside yesterday had her in a tizzy. She was prancing on the spot while grooming and tacking up.

All I could think was, oh crap. She's gonna be hyper.

So we started our warm up. She was at a good working walk, but not too bad. Then we did some walk jog transitions. Right now, we are no focusing on her speed, just keeping her on a loose rein, and using nothing but my seat to slow her. Rhonda told me to rising trot if she got too fast. She was a little fast, but nothing I couldn't sit to.

Once we did our warm up, we did some straight line, then side passing along the rail. The first couple of times she zig zagged, but then she caught on and did it perfect.

Back to the rail for some walk, jog, trot transitions. She did well, but kept spooking in one corner, and kind of trotting really fast past it. I couldn't figure out what in hell was her problem, but it turned out to be a teeny tiny mouse running around. Eeeeeeee! A 1100 pound horse is gonna get eaten by a 0.00005 pound mouse.

After that we did some circle work. Again, we tried to get her to slow by using a REALLY loose rein and all seat. At first she trotted (loads of energy), but then she lowered her head and slowed. By the end of our circle work, she'd slowed to a show jog, and I was using only leg to steer.

Then we just had a nice long walk around on a loose rein to cool out.

Goal - First show of the year.

[Sarah]

jess said:

Reo can show her the ropes and tell her what things to freak out at ie. a tree, and what things to ignore ie. your rider.

Haha that made me laugh. by the sounds of things it seems as though Queen has come really far ... I will look for you two in the show ring this summer!!

[stephaniec]

I went up to the barn today to groom my girl. I've really been neglecting her lately. I haven't ridden in about 3 weeks, and I haven't even been to the barn since then. We have alot of new people up there and its not the same...oh well

So I went out into the field to get her, and I called out to her and she just looked at me for a bit. Then she was lik "Oh I remember you!" and came to me like she usually does. She was very lovable today, which is unusal for her when she's in heat. And boy is she in heat

We went into the indoor arena to groom, and was she ever good. She stood PERFECT the entire time. She normally moves around a bit, but she was amazing. We had a nice good grooming, her mane was in dreadlocks so we manages to get all of that out. Then we just played around for a bit. Wanda had a houla hoop there for something she was doing with Kit...trying to get him not afraid of it I guess. Anyway, I shook it around Queen and she was fine with it.

Because she was so good I have her a treat by hand, which I don't normally do. But I got her to bow for it, and she did it! First time I ever asked her to do that. Then she kept bowing looking for more treats, smart girl Then we practiced some back up using only a voice command, and some turns on the ground both on the forehand and on the haunches. I don't even have to touch her and she moves away. What a girl.

Then that was it. Lots of hugs and kisses, and off she went to eat her supper.

Loves my girl I do.

[stephaniec]

Figured I'd update her training log after the clinic.

Saturday:

I really didn't know what to expect. I hadn't ridden Queen in a couple of months, and she hadn't been used in the outdoor arena in a long time. I was expecting her to be really spooky and a bit speedy.

She was excellent. We did some overbending exercises, some circles at the lope, and some backing exercises. We also did some exercises to get her really moving off the neck rein. She was a little stubborn at the backup, but that was ok. Most of that was my error.

All in all, a great session.

Sunday:

Amazing. She was great. We did some more lope work. She was in a pissy mood, so she charged around the arena, and actually nearly tossed me over the rail. We got in one of our fights, and Colin showed me how to avoid it, and show her that she can relax. And did she ever. 2 minutes later, she was loping nice and slow, he head lowered and I was neck reining. We did some more neck reining exercises, and then he showed us an exercise to get her really crossing over in the front. Another greast session.

Today:

Absolutely freaking amazing. I neck reined her all over the place in our group session, with the slightest pressure, and when she resisted, he showed me what to do to get her to listen up, again without fighting with her.

Then we started an exercise for SPINS!!!!! She's ready!!!! I'm so excited about that. She kinda never got it at first, but she really tried, then it clicked in with her. So we ended on that until I had my private session an hour later.

Worth every penny and more. Queen was a oh pickles because she had to work again, and she was the only one working. She she did it all, sidepassed, backed up, refused to do anything, bucked. She was so mad. But Colin taught me how to make her do what I asked without fighting with her. And it worked wonders. She did really well, and relaxed to the point where we once again loped beautiful circles, and she was relaxed enough for me to barely have to use my neck rein to steer,

I'm so proud of her.

Anyone who rides western, I'd 1000000000000000000000000% recommend getting in one of Colin's clinics. He's wonderful, and will help you through any problem you have

[Elsabé]

Sounds like the clinic was fun!!