Cativa Cativa Cativa & Ferrary Enzo

[Joan]

aww Gill it sounds sooo great,and sounds like she was very happy to see her mom!ahaha..must have been great to acomplish something so big! congrats and good luck with everything else!xo

[oxmaybesoxo]

Aww Gill thats so exciting! keep us posted!!!

[nat]

sounds lik she has made a lot of progress..she's doing phenomial with you hun..xoxo

[Biz]

It's all starting Gill!
Once she gets used to you sitting properly on her back, walking around.. it all happens so fast!

Good luck! And have fun (and patience)!

[Sarah]

Congrats! You guys seem to have quite a bond

[happilyeverafter]

Went to the barn again today. Surprisingly enough, Enzo was the better of the two horses!

When I got there I started in and did three stalls. Sandra had a lesson with an older beginner rider...Blue had a fit and threw her and she really injured her back! Sandra had to take her to the hospital!

Christina, Sonya Myself and Julie finished all the stalls, dumped the skips, gave out the hay and water and then brought all the horses inside! Julie and Sonya went home and it was just myself and Christina left...

Christina groomed John and took him for a ride and I tacked up Enzo! Enzo is getting so good with being groomed. He barely ever picks at me anymore, except today when I went to pick out his left fore hoof! He is really well behaved 99% of the time tho....but when the bridle comes out- Watch out!

Takes me 10-15 minutes to get my bridle on, he HATES HATES HATES the bit! Anyway, with much coaxing and after at least 2 or 3 whole carrots I got the bit in- off we go!

Christina was still schooling so she couldnt do anything with me. I walked Enzo out for a few minutes and then started doing groundwork: practising our halting and rein backs! He did really well! I was really proud of him today!

Put Enzo away and got Cativa. She has gotten kind of pushy when I'm grooming- always looking for treats! I think its my own fault tho, so the new plan is to not treat her except for when she lets me brush her legs and belly. Which, btw, she is getting much better with! She let me brush all four legs and her belly too and only made one mean face! I hope to start trying to pick her hooves out in the next couple of weeks (she'll do it but only if I hold her head - halter and lead- and Sandra picks her hooves out!)

Took her out in the arena and walked around for a bit. Cativa was really jumpy today! There were a few birds in the arena today but usually she isnt bothered by them! Anyway, Christina came out and we got the stool so I could practise leaning on her, moving the saddle and putting my weight on her back.

Cativa wouldnt stand still at all! She was really antsy and kept walking away, then she would turn and put her head right against my chest, tucking her nose under my arm! She is a big sook! Everytime I tried to walk away from her, she would turn and try to follow me! Christina was laughing so hard

We think maybe Cat just isnt used to having Christina at her head and will be more relaxed when Sandra is back tomorrow.

Anyway, it was a pretty good day, I'll update again when I get home from the barn tomorrow!

[happilyeverafter]

I went to the barn today and we had a great day, but I have to run out now so I'll update either later tonight or tomorrow!

[happilyeverafter]

Okay Finally! My update for yesterday


Brought the horses in, groomed Enzo, tacked him up-- he was a pain with the bridle again!! It took me, julie AND sandra to get it on! In the end he is only being a beast because he thinks it is going to hurt him...he should get over it soon tho!!

He was a super star on the lunge...was a little nervous at first but then was going like a pro, trotting around like a little schoolmaster! Such a good boy!

Yesterday when I was getting Cativa ready I tied her because she was walking around in her stall. She was well behaved otherwise tho! I can now brush all four legs AND her belly, without her getting angry! She just focuses on me and stands patiently while I brush them!

Sandra also picked her hooves yesterday- yay Cativa! She did so so well Tacked her up, not a problemmmm woo pony!

Took her out to the arena and a HUGE amount of snow fell off the roof! Cativa nearly had a heart attack. She freaked out and spooked but she only jumped to the side and then stood and waited....she didnt take off galloping like I figured she would! We went for a walk to check out the scary corner- she stuck pretty close to me as if saying "dont let it hurt me!" but all in all she was a really brave girl

We also lunged Cativa yesterday. Wow pony- she was a superstar! she was so relaxed (even after the big spook!) that Sandra was constantly after her to keep her trotting!

From now on sandra says I'm to bring my helmet out to the arena with me everytime I go out, because now we need to start "throwing me on" everytime or we'll never get anywhere...

woo woo

I'm so pleased with the kids!

[Mellu]

Awh, Divaaaa ♥.


I can't wait to start Juniper and go through all this!!
she's only two and is fine with having her feet picked up, she's a bit off balance with it though, it's cute.

Exciting!!! I'm gonnna have to find someone out here to help me.

Give Diva and Enzo lovin's for me!

[happilyeverafter]

Sure will Mel
I'm sure you're going to have a lot of fun with Joon!

It is - 42 celsius here today, so I wont be going to the barn this afternoon

[Jessica]

Sounds like the ponies are doing good! And -42? Ouchh! It's hovering around 0 here today:P

[Michelle]

Thank god it is not -42 here! I think I would die.. lol.

Glad to hear the kids are coming along great, Gill! I want to see some peektures!

[Sarah]

I love reading your log on "the kids" and, having never worked with such young horses, am quite jealous of/interested in the work you get to do with them! Keep us updated!

[happilyeverafter]

Another weekend with the Kids!

here's the update for saturday:


woke up and it was pretty gross out in terms of weather- freezing rain and a chilly morning in general! Christina and I went out to the barn around 10...all the horses were in (obviously) so we rotated turning them out in the indoor arena while we did the stalls.

Because of the weather Christina and I only stayed for a few hours- we did all the barn work, spent a few minutes with our ponies and then went home. The problem with freezing rain is that it makes the highways into and out of Ottawa REALLY slippery, so it is dangerous to be driving on them! We left early to stay safe!


Today was FAR more exciting!

Got to the barn around 12:15. We did a couple of chores around the barn and then brought the horses in. 4 people rode and while they were in the arena, I groomed Enzo and Cativa! Enzo was a good boy (as has become the norm, for grooming at least!) and Cativa was a bit nosy! I tied her up, no big deal and groomed.

Today Cativa even let me pick her two front feet!! YAY!! She is still really unsteady and nervous about her hind feet, so we're taking it slow...but for today I was SO happy that she let me pick up and hold her front hooves.

yay mareee

Andre the Cowboy was coming to do work with Danza so I only had time to work Cativa today (for more about Andre and Danza, see my upcoming thread in the general section ). She was a really good girlie, as per usual!

We worked with the stepping stool, putting my weight on her back! She walked a little bit, but we figured out that she just doesnt like having Christina stand close by!!! Too funny! so Christina waited and just Sandra and I worked with her.....after about 20 minutes of lunging (she was a superstar), we did work with the stepstool and me leaning on her back. Once that was done Sandra started giving me a leg up- tossing me upwards in the air with me putting some of my weight on Cativas back, and then getting down right away.

The whole point of this last exercise is to get Cativa used to having a rider tossed up above her--- so that when I actually DO go to swing my leg over and sit up, she wont be as freaked out about me being high above her!!!

I walked her out for a few minutes after this..but then Andre showed up so we had to clear the ring for him and Danza


This week is supposed to be really warm (all in the +'s) so I'll be up to the barn again on tuesday! Will update asap!

[happilyeverafter]

Tonight was another fabulous night at the barn!

I wont go into much detail because I'm dead tired but here goes in point form:

-tacked Cativa up first
-spent lots of time brushing her legs, she was fairly well behaved! Yay for fussy mare bear!
-Tacked her up no problem, as usual
-Walked her out for a bit
-Did some work with the stool...practising me just standing up on it and putting weight on her back
-I stood on the stool and Sandra gave me a leg up and I got right over on her back...then we walked around 2 or 3 times!! Pony was a superstar! She didnt buck or fuss at all, just walked around like it was no big deal.

The worst part is that the pommel of the saddle digs into your ribs- I'm gonna have bruises when this is all said and done!


Yay! I'm really happy with her tonight, she proved what a good girl she is and how much she trusts us! Sandra was really happy as well and asked me to come back thursday morning so we can do even more. The plan is now that we know Cativa is okay with me being on her back and walking around, we're going to move a lot faster. Basically hoping to sit up either this weekend or tuesday coming.

On Thursday I think I'll probably get my leg over her back and do the "hug" (arms around her neck)...then again on saturday and hopefully sitting up straight on sunday!



Okay here's Enzo:

-tacked him up
-better with the bridle today...Sandra helped and we put it on the 'big kid' way.
-walked around really calmly and was super well behaved
-did some stool work
-Sandra through me on...we walked for about 10 strides or so and then I felt him get tense. Just as I was jumping off he bucked! haha silly boy!
-Sandra walked him out for five minutes and then we tried again, just to end on a note where we have control of when I got off....so I got on for three strides and jumped off and THEN he bucked. haha it was weird but good

Yay Enzo! This is the first time I've ever put any weight on him---we have been doing more work with Cativa, in that sense.

Cativa is more focused on what she is doing, whereas Enzo's mind is going a mile a minute and he is thinking about everything going on around him. We think Enzo is going to be harder just because he is so curious and interested...and a bit of a bully haha! The only hard part about Cativa will be outsmarting her....Cativa is the brains and Enzo is the brawns!


Anyway, back to Apple Hill for 9am on Thursday morning to do more work on Cat..will update then!