Herd Bound

It was time to try Brego again. I was elated that Ginger did so well- it gave me the confidence I needed!

I tied Brego up  and prepared to get him ready to ride. He wasn’t happy. I could sense it and see it. While tied, he swung his hindquarters left and right….agitated. After the tack was on, I knew his frame of mind wasn’t where it should be. I wasn’t going to mount him yet.

I walked him(in hand) down the road, about 1/4 of a mile. Upon departure, I could hear Ginger neighing; no help there. As we walked, I could see his face soften. I let him have a bit of grass here and there. When I reached the 1/4 mile mark, I found a place where I could mount. I am Waaaay too short to mount from the ground!  After being on him, I made him walk (away from the direction of home) just a little bit further. He was compliant enough. Turned him around towards home. His pace picked up and I jiggled the reins and told him to slow down!  He did. The short ride home was without incident! Almost felt like the old Brego!  At home, I dismounted, loosened the girth, and let him graze for 15 minutes.

I got to ride Ginger the next day after work. She was very good. The next day, Brego again. Got on him in our usual spot, the step stool by our driveway. And off we went!  He did it willingly enough. Down the road I went up the path and into the place where he first gave me a hard time. No real issues but he started to trot fast towards home after a bit. I did the circling thing and he settled down. At home, I did the usual grazing time and back into the field. He seemed more confident of himself when home, not running to Ginger, but appeared to like the attention I gave him.

I am mentally compiling various horse training techniques. I am sorting out what I will do, and do consistently. There is one thing that I am implementing, thanks to a Facebook post by Radek Libal. I am not allowing Brego or Ginger to twist and turn and not stand still while being tied. I had started enforcing that quite awhile ago, then got swayed by other horse-handling techniques! No more! All I do is put them back into the same spot after they move. Brego swings his hind end to the left…I patiently move him to where he was. He is getting much better.

All I have ever wanted is for my horses to enjoy themselves while I ride and interact with them. Ginger really is such a sweetheart and loves attention!  She appears to enjoy going out for a ride!  Brego used to…I have to work with him more just to be sure.

A heat wave is upon us now. I had wanted to get up early to ride him again, since it has been awhile since I was on him. Unfortunately, I didn’t get up as early as I would have liked. I lost the window of time before the heat and humidity struck.

I did get to sponge both down today to alleviate (I hope it did) the heat! Boy, afterwards, they both dropped and rolled and rolled! I feel bad when it’s this hot!  I wish I had fans hanging for them…but it is just a old pole barn.  🙁        I hope the cold water sponge made them feel better!

When it cools down a bit, my husband and I are (finally) going to get the stock trailer I so impulsively bought in March. It is just down the road at the farmer’s house. He had borrowed it to get calves. Bob told him to keep it there and we would get it. I want to put it in our field so they get used to it. I need to weather proof the floor, get mats, and sand some joints to spray paint. I want to go somewhere to ride!  I have ridden around here for 9 years, and I just can’t do it any longer!

Ginger hasn’t been in a trailer for over four years!  Brego has had more experience; I just hope he likes the stock trailer!