August 9, 2008

This was a good week working with Billie. The highlight was Thursday when Matt Wilkie, the farrier, came over to trim her feet. She'd started on a flare on her left hind, and it was starting to make that hoof look funny. I was really nervous, not sure what to expect from the experience. She's been pretty good round penning and working on the end of a lead rope, but I just wasn't sure how the whole holding her hoof thing was going to work out. Before Billie came to me, she had been trimmed by the BLM. From what I've read, I gather that usually the mustangs are penned into a narrow chute so that they cannot move side to side and yet the feet can be got at to trim. It's not as horrid as perhaps it sounds. I've kept a couple of spare panels on hand myself just in case we needed to restrain her for the vet (or farrier), but we've been lucky and the panels have just sat waiting.

For Billie's trim, I put the rope halter and lead on her and just held her as I normally hold my horses for trims. I pick up her feet just about every day, so this part would not be a surprise. But the farrier needs to trim her hoof, sort of like trimming your own fingernails, so he holds on a bit longer. Matt is the best, however, and extremely patient. I've not seen anything faze him so far. He tells me he has quite a temper, but I've never seen him use it. He's always been kind with each of my horses. He made his way around my little filly's feet trimming away. She got a bit more fidgety with each foot, but nothing bad. Matt just held on and continued trimming and filing. He started with the front left, and that was no problem. He next went to the left hind, the problem foot, and that went pretty fast, too. Halfway done and they were both still standing! Third, he trimmed the right hind. This one was a little more tricky since Billie seemed more ready to say cut that out. Still, Matt just held on and trimmed and filed quickly. And it's funny that he never seemed to rush; he just worked quickly. With each new foot, I'd move us to the shade, but Billie kept moving us out to the sun, where she'd stop hopping around and Matt could finish. Matt finished up with the right fore. This one was tougher since Billie definitely had had enough. Matt was holding that hoof, and Billie started to hop hop hop. I finally woke up and bumped her with the halter, and after a couple of times, she let Matt finish. He just held on while Billie was hopping. And then he was finished and set her hoof down. It was interesting since Billie did not seem upset, she just had this expression like "what was that all about?", and she knew it was over, too. No hard feelings.

So now my filly has been trimmed. Her flare looks much better, really not noticeable. Hopefully it will grow out more even this time and after another trim be gone.

Round penning is going okay these days. I think she's become de-sensitized to me sending her almost too much. She still goes the direction I ask for, and I can get her to turn into the circle to change, or get her to halt facing in and then we can play follow the leader. But I've been getting the hint that she's not all that impressed with me these days. I got some rump my direction today a couple of times, like she knows I don't want to approach that end so she's giving it to me to worry about. I'm thinking we need another Bev tune-up. Billie seems sweet as can be, but I want to be certain she knows/respects that I am the leader.

She's not so pushy at feeding, so maybe I'm really okay. I do remind her each time I go into the pen with feed that she's to stay back, and I do not let her rush the food when it's in her bucket. She has to stay back till I walk away. I wonder, do horses let you be in charge some of the time but not all of the time? Does she respect me when I'm feeding but not so much when I'm round penning?

I'm wanting to get her outside the pen in the next few days. I'm not as competent ground working her as I like. I can send her back and forth through the gate between the pens just fine, but cannot seem to get her to go past me with enough space when I stand in the middle of the pen. Bev will be able to help me with this. I want to have this part down a little better before traveling outside.

August 5, 2008

I really need to update photos of Billie. She has filled out nicely, and grown, I think.

This was a good morning this morning. She was very easy to work. I try to keep in mind the words of Clinton Anderson, "Be black or white". Sometimes I catch myself being gray, like "kissing" to Billie when I'm meaning to shoo her away--my bad. But if I keep in mind "black & white", I usually can be more clear, and she responds better. Duh.

So, it was a good morning, and my little mustang was very responsive (in a positive manner). She went around the pen as I asked. When she made to turn without prompting, I figured out to stop her, ask her toward the center, and then send her on the direction I wanted. I just have to remember to slow it down sometimes and let her have that break with two eyes on me--the two eyes is what it's all about anyway. We did more follow the leader, hula hoop, and sending through the gate, and she was nearly perfect.

This evening, we got home late so her supper was late. I asked Elizabeth to go out to feed her so I could get our supper on. Elizabeth told me that Billie dashed around the pen kicking and bucking when she headed out there, and again when she walked away. I think the little girl was hungry and was letting us know her displeasure at having a late feeding. I went out myself when Elizabeth came back into the house and told me all this, and Billie was too busy eating her grain to bother with running around.

August 4, 2008

Most days I can work Billie in the morning; some days I can add an evening session, too. I usually start out in the smaller pen with putting the halter on, doing a few backing exercises, then flex her head each side. Then I lead her out to the larger pen, which stays open to the smaller pen except when I'm working her. We get to practice a few more backs, then I make her practice being a good little pony while a mess with the gate between the pens to get it closed so we can work. Then I lead her around the round pen. We work on changes of direction, walking faster and slower, halting, etc. We again back a few times and do some head flexes and poll releases. Then I walk her to the center of the ring and remove the halter. Next, I send her out to the edge of the round pen and we start work again. She has to go to the left or right for a time or two, preferably at the canter, then I whoa her by stepping toward her path and then taking a step back. This normally slows her down, brings her head toward the center of the pen, and then I send her on in the new direction. Normally this works pretty well. Of course, some days go more smoothly than others.

Yesterday she was an absolute gem. Today, she kept offering to turn without my cues, which meant we both had to work extra hard! I would work to turn her and get her going my direction again. There was a lot of kicking up and bucking on her part today. But I think I did a pretty good job of staying tough and staying on task.

After running her around the pen a bit, when I feel like she's really with me and paying attention to what I'm asking of her, I will let her walk into the center for a pet (or sometimes a rest, and then we work some more). If she's done with this part, then we play follow the leader. I can get her to criss-cross the pen with me numerous times. This is really cool! What a treat!

After playing follow the leader, I will put the halter back on and then open the gate between the pens. Our next task is for me to send her through the gate "like a big horsey" has to work. She's pretty good at this. Today, we added a new game after: The stay out of my space game. For this game, I mentally drew a ring around myself. Clinton Anderson calls it a hula hoop. Billie had to stay outside the ring and keep her eyes on me. She was pretty good at this, better than I had expected. I had to bump her just a few times to either keep her from encroaching or to keep her attention on me. We had a successful few minutes, which I thought was terrific for a first time.

August 1, 2008

These last two days have been pretty good ones, as far as the mustang filly is concerned. Billie was a little resistant when I led her around yesterday morning, but we worked that out. I think she was "testing" me, trying to see if I was really the big mean broodmare! In the evening when I worked her again, she was more compliant, and fine to round pen.

This morning I had time to lead her around and round pen her. She did okay and didn't question me too much, except to ask if she could stop, please. Another wave of the whip and she was back on her circle.

It is very nice to run her around a bit, then step back and into her path, and have her turn and slow down, change direction if I choose, or just stop when I say it's okay. She's easy to bring into the middle and then put the halter back on so we can lead around a little more, or just practice going in and out the gate being led.

I've got Matt Wilkie, my farrier, set to come out next Thursday to trim her up. She's got a funny splay of her left hind hoof going on. She's not wanting to go long cantering to the left and I wonder if the funky hoof might be part of the reason. I guess we will find out next week. Meanwhile, I'll keep getting her ready for his visit. I think if Matt treats her like Ghost, who is a weanie for trimming and shoeing, we'll be just fine. Matt is real fast with Ghost and doesn't make him have to put his foot up on the farrier post. Yes, I've tried working on this with Ghost, but it's an ingrained thing and he's a retired horse with back end issues, so I don't worry about it, especially since Matt gets along fine with him anyway. This will be Billie's 2nd trim ever, and the first one with me. She's super at letting me mess with her feet, but I wonder how she'll be with real work going on! Wish us luck!

July 30, 2008

We are back on track!

This morning, I went out to work with Billie in the round pen, determined to really apply all I've learned through the years. She's a good little horse. I've been watching my videos again, studying my heroes, so I felt sure I could overcome this running at me thing that's been going on.

Wrong. That filly ran at me at least three different times, sometimes making two passes. It's amazing how this switch goes off. I'll be tap tap tapping the ground, tap tap tapping her rump, trying to get her to move (and pay attention to me). She'll take a step or two, so I let off tapping for a couple of seconds, till she puts her head down to munch more grass. Then I repeat the tap tap tapping. All of a sudden, she waggles her head and comes at me. Sure, I wave the whip at her, but she barely swerves enough to miss me, and sometimes turns to make another pass! Of course, I high-tail it out of the pen. I'm so frustrated that I let her do that, and I think I know what I did wrong, so I re-enter the pen. Starting again, confident that I can channel my heroes, I start again. The second time she "pretends" to play my silly game and runs around the pen once, then she makes for me again! I exit again, and really ponder what is happening. Is she wanting me to play? Is she showing me that SHE is boss? Of course she's boss--I keep running out of the pen! I sit for awhile next to the pen. Meanwhile, she flips the switch a few times (without me in the pen) and runs, kicks, and bucks at nothing. I am determined to not let her be the broodmare in charge, so I enter one more time. But I still cannot keep her from running at me.

I left the pen and called Beverly. I knew she would help me if she could. I knew she would be able to see where my holes in dealing with this filly are.

Beverly met me at the house this afternoon and after working with her for an hour, I feel like this is a task I can manage once more. She pointed out when I was letting Billie invade my space, pointed out where I need to be more firm. She took over for a bit. Billie only once time turned to kick at Bev, and she never ran at her. Bev worked her on the end of a line and then round penned her. Billie quickly understood that she was not the top mare in the pen. Then it was my turn, and I had just as good results in the end. I round penned her, I lead her around the pen, I backed her up, I got her out of my space, I even got to show off the Bev how great we are at picking up hooves! Wow! What a great way to end the day!

And what a great place to get to start tomorrow!

July 27, 2008

Back to frustration time. Some days I just really wonder what I'm doing. Last night, I turned Billie out into the round pen. After she was hanging out awhile and eating grass, I decided to go into the round pen with her just to hang out. After a few minutes, she decided to get wild. She made right for me, shaking her head and being silly. I shooed her away (thank goodness I remembered to take the whip in with me), and she veered off. She circled and tried this again. When she was past me, I made for the gate and got out of there.

I watched her as she ran circles around the pen, kicking and bucking. This lasted about 5 minutes, I think. Really, I don't think she was doing anything to me. I think that she just felt like being silly, and since she sees me as a playmate, I think she was inviting me to romp with her. Problem here is that I'm NOT a playmate, nor do I want her viewing me in this manner.

I "tricked" her to get her to go back into her small pen a while later.

Tonight, I tried some of our leading in the smaller pen, thinking to lead her out into the round pen. It was not so good tonight. I think she was distracted with Charles there, whom I'd asked for assistance. She also had not had her dinner, and I'm finding it always goes better when she's been fed before training times. Bummer for me. I did not get back out tonight--life just got in the way.

I'm going to borrow a friend's Clinton Anderson tape on working with young horses. I hope I find some help there. I also think I will order a rope halter her size. I really think a rope halter solves a lot of issues. She's just too small for any that I can buy locally, and I suck at making them.

July 24, 2008

Billie leads like a pro in her small pen. This evening, I was pulling up rocks in the round pen, getting it ready for Billie to investigate. An especially large rock would not come out with my meager tools, so I opted to leave it in place and tucked the dirt back around it.

Elizabeth came out with me just in case I needed another set of hands. I had no idea what would happen once Billie made her way into the round pen.

While Billie was distracted eating some hay, I opened the gate that connects the two pens. It didn't take long for her to notice the gap and start investigating. She made her way through, and I made my way back out, not knowing what sort of shenanigans were in store. Mostly, it was pretty boring. She pulled and ate grass as though she's not had any in MONTHS...oh...yeah...all she's had is hay. She covered the ground like a search team, working her way back and forth, left and right. Every time I thought I saw her getting ready to let it rip, it seemed a new piece of green green grass caught her attention. She would start to step over the patch, back up, grab the patch, and then continue her search. Pretty funny.

Night was descending, and I didn't want to be chasing her around in the dark, so I went back inside the pen while Elizabeth held the gate wide open. It was pretty un-exciting. Billie kept eating (I know, I should have made her pay attention), and so I started tapping the ground with my whip, slow and rhythmically. This got her to saunter in the general direction I wanted, as she continued to pull what little grass is in this pen. After a couple more minutes, it was as though she knew something was up. Her head came up, and she made as if to wheel toward me, so I shook the whip her way, and she went through the gate, by accident I think. I closed the gate behind her.

Here's where it gets really amusing: As soon as the gate was latched, she turned back my way and tried to poke her head through the panel as if to say, "Hey, wait a minute...How did THAT happen?!?!" She set to tossing her head and pretending like she was going to tear around her tiny pen. She sure seemed disappointed to be back on that side of the gate! When I picked everything up and started to head back to the house, she did her baby-buck routine. She's a fiesty little girl.

Tomorrow evening, I'll let her out into the round pen when there is more daylight left. Depending on how she seems, I may go inside and hang out while she's hanging out. Hopefully, on Sunday AM I can start some round penning exercises...we'll see.....