More rollbacks

I worked Panda for an hour in the indoor, which was dark due to the lights not working well in rainy weather. I did a couple circuits at the canter but mostly focused on more trot work. Circles were better for circle at the post, and rollbacks into the wall are getting prettier. Her shoulder-in and half-pass at the walk are still fussy and lack softness in the mouth. But I was really happy with the trot work. We were doing soft circles on a loose rein with a stretched neck, and she is getting better at relaxing and standing still after a work session.

Brian rode Star in the curb again and had a good ride. She is ready for more intensive training now and is now officially "green broke."

Rollbacks at the trot

Today was a strong session, focusing on loose-rein at the trot. Many rollbacks into the wall, from a straight line and on the circle. She is not coming across much at all, but the wall is helping to teach her not to rush. She gave some good bursts of relaxed trot on a loose rein. Later I switched to the "circle at the post" exercise at the trot, which I'd like to do again. Today the circles were very sloppy. Both of these exercises need to be done at the canter once the trot work gets better.

Outdoors she was hesitant to lead and moving out like a drunk. She is fearful and pushy at the same time. Nevertheless, she is showing improvement and the Pink barn has the arena that we can make progress in.

Back to work

Panda moved over to the Pink Barn on Saturday. I've worked her 3 times since then, focusing on one-rein work and stepping over when she rushes. I'm starting at the walk and working up to the trot. She's doing well but still having trouble finding a slow trot or any kind of collection in the trot or canter. But I think I'm setting her up for more improvement soon.

mustang practice

I set up a 40 x 40 square enclosure using string and rope so I could practice round penning on Panda. Worked on getting her eye without too much fuss and driving around. Sacked out with rope, feed sack, and plastic bag without a halter on.

In the saddle she is getting very light up front. She will sink in the hindquarters but rarely diagonalizes--more like tiny rears. The mobility is incredible, though. Anyway, it's too slippery to do anything but walk right now.

1000 halts

Working to extend Panda's calmness. W-h-w transitions on the circle with barrel work at the walk and trot. Her bend around the barrels is very good. Collection at the trot is very hard to find, which is more nerves than physical ability at this point, I think. Overall she is very respectful and easy to work around. No more walking off when mounting, and halting fairly square now.

great starts

Yesterday and today the rides started out very soft and calm. She is lifting the bit and accepting a nice contact. She is staying in this mode for about 20 minutes before getting nervous and losing some of the softness. This is progress, though, and her mouth and bend are feeling better and better. It feels like each time she is starting better and giving more, for longer periods of time.

Did jump work both days as well of the lunge. She is able to canter into the jump with control and is lifting her feet over the ground poles better. Her trot continues to soften up. Still very little canter from the saddle--waiting for her balance and collection to improve some more.

fantastic jump session

Maria noted that Panda overjumped one of her jumps on Saturday so I figured we should do a bit of arena work. I set up a single jump with placing poles on both sides and worked both reins. She mostly trotted over the cross rails so I had to raise it to 2' vertical. Even then she was able to trot over it sometimes! But once she was warmed up she jumped very smoothly with few knockdowns. Mostly it was a challenge to slow her down, but the exercise itself served to collect her and slow her down in stages. Overall she was just terrific today, calm and easy to work with.

Yesterday and today I also worked all kinds of lateral work. Fun stuff, make it up as you go. Turn on the haunches to renvers, half pass to turn on the forehand to half pass, half pass from a halt, etc. Getting softer and softer at the walk. Some of the best softness is at the half pass now, and the right bend has caught up to the left. Tried shoulder in at the trot in earnest yesterday but there was not much there yet. She stayed in shoulder in just fine at the trot, but it was bone jarring and forced. Will try again in a week or two.

Panda's big ride

Today Tracy picked us up again for a trail ride in Caledonia. This time there were 5 horses in all. I borrowed Peppy and let Maria take the ride on Panda. We spent a lot of time trotting and cantering, and Panda rode in nearly every position. She was well behaved and easy to control, just getting a little fussy when we stopped once. The ride lasted 2.5 hours.

Yesterday was another fantastic session in the arena. Mobility in all directions was light and accurate. Turn on the haunches really easy. Later in the day I also set up two jumps and a set of trotting poles, which I lunged her over in combinations.

mobility

Tried Panda in our new, unfinished arena today. Here mobility was unbelievable. She could move off of any leg at any bend, including backing SW & SE. Stayed on the bit very well despite a blustery day. Later on she got fussy, but the first 20 minutes was very good.

new stuff

Today I put a lot of ground poles in the arena as well as the barrels. We did a lot of backing and bending. I tried sidepass for the first time and she could go either direction quite easily. She is staying calm for longer and longer periods of time now. Shoulder in was really light and easy on both reins. Answering to the outside leg better now. Right bend responding better.

Quick rides most evening before I put her away. She is not fussing over the neck rein anymore and has been 100% on picking me up off the fence. Lots of fun.

walk week

Some good work this week, but still only in walk in the arena due to slippery conditions. Doing some barrel work, which exposed a weakness in the right bend. Rode one session in the double bridle. In the barn we started backing by the tail, which is fun.

Nice session of jumping of the lunge today for a few minutes. She jumps very well up to 2'6", which is as high as my standards go!

Today Maria rode Panda double with a friend just before dark, riding off a lead rope only. Panda did great and everyone had fun.

Great day

Panda was in a great mood this morning. We worked for about 30 minutes, first doing Western speed control exercises like "circle at the post." The footing was just barely good enough for the tight trot circles. In walk I focused on lateral work with a more stretched neck than what I have been asking. This evened out her neck bend and helped her advance more in the half pass. But before I got very far, Maria came and kicked me off. They went across the street for a fantastic trail ride that included a lot of trot/canter work. Maria felt she was much better than the last time she rode Panda, able to stretch and relax better and not rush ahead.

first trail ride!

Tracy picked us up at 8:30 this morning and we rode out from Neubauer's together. Panda was alert but respectful. Loading went well, but it would get better with repetition. She did not want to get on, but stepped forward when I pulled on the lead line. Nervous but respectful.

Predictably, she walked out very fast on the trail and I made her do tight turns when she started to pass Rico. After a few repetitions she was doing better. In the woods we picked up a strong trot and she dropped her head to keep her footing. We cantered a couple of times in the field, which felt great. She is very powerful. We rode in front, in back, and alongside without incident. By 30 minutes into the ride it was very easy to ride on the buckle. She did great.

Maria had a good ride on her Friday in the park. Yesterday in the arena we did walk work only, focusing on straight lines and loose reins.

some footing

It finally dried out enough late yesterday to have some footing again, and since it's supposed to rain tonight, I wasted no time today. More jumping in the morning at 20" vertical. She got the better of me on the right rein and ran out several times. She took some nice jumps, though. Later I went back and lunged her over doubles to 2'6". She did very well.

Outside leg getting a little more responsive. Focusing on getting the active hind leg under the center of mass in lateral work. This will teach her better and help get her off the front legs.

Maria took her to the park later in the day and did quite a bit of cantering and galloping. She was controllable and very sensible, but definitely had plenty of energy. Still pretty much on the forehand, but she had her moments. She feels quite different in the canter than Jordan and it will take Maria & I a couple of rides to find the sweet spot in canter.

real jumping

Nice day of work with Panda. Morning was walk only due to footing. She was still getting confused sometimes and moving into the active leg, but her mobility was fantastic. Right bend improving.

By 4:00 pm the ring was dry and I set up a single jump. She tried to run out the first couple of times but settled down quickly. We worked over a 20" vertical until it was really smooth and easy. She is a very efficient jumper and feels very solid.

Worked on picking me up off the fence before locking her up for the night.

both sides

Nice, short session in the mud today. We did very active half passes in both directions this time. Her lateral work is impulsive to the point of neurotic, but in a good way. She will ignore and ignore the outside leg and then a light switch goes off, and she dances sideways on the seat alone. The right bend is still tricky but getting better. At this point she understands bend better than direction. She can go from left shoulder in to right half pass (and vice versa) very easily, but it's almost impossible to keep the bend and change the direction. But she will learn this quickly. Today's half passes were a bit steep, to the point of being sidepasses, but I'm not worried about this.

Also introduced the double bridle in the barn this morning when I thought I wouldn't get a ride at all. Just quick flexions. She took to it very well and was not too concerned about the extra metal in her mouth.

real work

It was just barely dry enough today so that I could really work her. I cantered her on the lunge for the first time. Some cross firing on the right lead. She has been exciteable lately so I stopped a lot to work her with ropes. This helps her a lot. The wind was howling today but she handled it pretty well.

Lots of trot work from the saddle. She can ignore the outside leg and make very ugly circles when she is excited. Once the lateral work is more confirmed this should be less of a problem. She is not very nimble in our small arena but she is coming along.

Lateral work is coming along. The right bend is still resisting (from the saddle) in travers/renvers, to the point of open rebellion and moving off the wrong leg. But by working renvers on the circle I seem to have made some solid progress. She can half pass well on the left rein but I can't touch it until this right bend problem is solved. Shoulder-in on both sides very good and very controllable. Some short bits of shoulder-in at the trot. Ground work is really fun. She can do turn on the forehand with counter bend even, and move from shoulder-in to renvers or half pass easily.

Maria took her to the park yesterday for the first time. She was spooky but controllable. It doesn't help that I just haven't been able to work her to a sweat at all since she arrived, due to her training level and then the mud.

half pass!

Overnight rain...too muddy to even trot. Grrrrrr....

In-hand work was amazing! I tried renvers by just changing the bend in shoulder-in, and she knew exactly what I wanted. I also got the half pass no problem. This is the first time I've gotten it so easily from the ground.

From the saddle her shoulder in is very solid now. The half pass was good on the left rein. Right rein the bend was difficult to find, the best I can get was just a wink of a bend. I think she'll figure out what I want very quickly. Consistent with this, the renvers in left bend was quite easy, but the right bend was difficult. But I'm really impressed with Panda today.

Short sessions

Short work sessions yesterday and today. Started travers/renvers. Bending to the right and moving off left leg difficult, but a good start overall. Introduced shoulder in and renvers on the circle. She's a little mare-ish all of a sudden, but nothing drastic. I think she's finally feeling comfortable here and just pushing back a bit.

Today it was finally dry enough to start trotting again. Taught jumping from the ground--2'3" with a 16" placing jump no problem. Not much style, but no hesitation or refusing. Also jumped a low crossrail from the saddle.

mud!

Aaaaaargh...we got more rain than I thought last night. Too bad--she is ready to canter. Just a walk session, shoulder-in coming along. Halts looking better. This was the first time with spurs, which did not cause any trouble.

more trot

Good work today. Continued with trot on 10m circles, and going big around the pasture. She tends to the lazy side, a bit, but responds well to transitions. Bend getting better. Real shoulder-in on both sides at the walk now. Very good shoulder in from the ground, btw.

Quick lunge session in the afternoon over a single jump. Cross rails to 2'--no problem! But definitely a beginner at this point. Also rode bareback off a lead rope before putting her up at night. Neck rein improving, but need some repetition to burn it in.

Back to work

Good day of work today. Two sessions. Lunge and ride in the morning, and in-hand plus riding in the afternoon. Continuing with flexions at the halt from the ground and saddle. Shoulder-in steps on both sides, but better on the right rein. Barrels at the walk. Trot-walk-trot on 10m circles. Circles getting rounder. Excellent handling, mounting, etc. Ground ties in the barn or arena.

Hopped on bareback at dusk before putting her up for the night. Panda picked me up off the fence without trouble, riding with a halter and lead line only. Taught her to neck rein in both directions--a little more difficult turning to the left. No trouble flipping the lead around her nose to change sides. What a sensible safe horse. She seems more Paint than Thoroughbred to me--I don't see much nervousness or great desire to run around.

First real ride

Two sessions today. Morning work mostly desensitizing and in-hand. Sending over a tarp. She did not even seem to know that tarps are scary! What a great head.

In the afternoon Maria & I both took real rides, including some trot. Maria rode her on the trails in our neighbor's back yard. Panda did amazing--she seems to have a great head. She does ride with a low head and can go behind the vertical easily. Interesting to see how this develops.

From the saddle she is stepping over a little on small circles but not much.

stuck inside

Muddy and rainy all day today. A couple of quick clicker sessions in the barn. Started the bow and worked on targeting and jaw flexions. Picked up the hind feet a bunch of times and just about fixed this issue. Can't wait for the weather to clear and get on her!

Apple flavored flexions

Today was rainy and windy. Started with a nice session in the barn of target training and jaw flexions. She really did well. Using clicker and apple pieces as part of the flexions, which works nicely. Just lifting the head and asking for bend with the outside rein, rewarding for position and mobility of the jaw.

Tried a session in the arena later on but it was muddier than I thought. However, stepping over on a circle has really picked up and I was able to get shoulder-in on short straight lines on both sides. I'm really pleased. Her lunging is also coming along well. OK halts and she keeps a respectful distance very easily.

Last night did 10 minutes of sending from the fence, ending with pick up off the fence. I also discovered that she yields her forequarters very well--a by product of good backing and sending. She can be lunged and sent with just the tail of a lead line now, no need for a stick or whip if it's not handy.

Long lining

Two sessions today. This morning we worked in full tack. Lunging over barrels and a lot of desensitizing. Still need more work around back legs--ticklish. Some bucking when the rope first went around her hindquarters. Overall doing very well in spooky situations--she has good respect for space. Stepping over on small circles coming along.

Afternoon I put on a surcingle and bridle, but still lunging off the rope halter. Introduced long lining off the halter. The lines were spooky for her and I did not completely desensitize her to them before hooking them up. She did well, but again gave a couple of small bucks the first time the line went around her hind legs. Walk trot only. She was able to walk calmly after just a few circles. No problem changing direction at all. Good backing steps as well. More work in hand off the snaffle afterwards. Go Panda!

A bit of clicker target-training. She doesn't get it yet. Finished the back feet--looking much better. Will take a little more off the heel in a few days on all four feet.

First ride

Maria had a long day at work and needed a ride on a horse to fix it. She had promised to just let me lead her around, but after five minutes she demanded the lead rope and rode Panda all around the front pasture. Panda did great! But I'll wait to do some more ground work before I ride her.

A little later I put a saddle and bridle on Panda and did some more ground work. Lunging, changing direction, w-t-w, over cavalletti, etc. Afterwards jaw flexions and stepping over on small circles.

Fixed her front feet today and got started on her hind feet. She is touchy about her hind legs so I can't work back there easily.

First 24 hours

Panda arrived at around 4:30 yesterday. She was nervous but well-handled by Brian. He introduced her to the goats and walked her all around the fence perimeter. She was pacing and calling for her foal, but calmed down quickly once I started working her. I did simple ground work for about 20 minutes, in addition to walking her in and out of her stall and such.

She would not eat right away but did finish two flakes of hay in her stall overnight. Very quiet and easy to work with, but nervous at the beginning.

Today I had ropes around her hindquarters, midsection, etc. Leading by front legs and just starting to pick up the hind legs. Good backing. Learned sending very quickly. Lunged at walk and trot and changed direction easily. Sending over cavalletti. Sized bridle. She took a while to get used to the snaffle. Very nice mover--beautiful cadence at the trot.