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.