More Work

I want to thank everyone who gave me links and advice on how to proceed with Gidget. I went over alone tonight (Jenn's still not feeling or moving that great) and put her in the round pen. She does listen to my commands, stopping at "whoa" and turning in to me, and keeping an ear on me when moving. It's just the approaching that's giving us trouble. I did pick up a bamboo pole (actually it's a piece of pvc, but it works) and after our round pen work, I put her back in her stall and worked on touching her with the pole. She did accept scratches on her shoulder without striking out, so I quit with that. We didn't work a long time tonight, but I feel better about it. Maybe she just has a small tolerance level and once that's reached she explodes. So we'll just work up to it, and I've decided that if all I'll be able to do at the competition is lead her in the arena, so be it.

it leads!

Ruger was fantastic today! i cant say enough cool things about this mare..and yes..i'm buying her back! haha! you just try and out bid me. :) we got lead out of our stall and around the ranch! she seemed to really relax and enjoy her time out in the sunshine with roxanne. we got the normal saddle pad and saddle treatments today with awesome results! no flinching or sweating! :) we are making big time progress in just two days. i'm so proud of her.


Gidget on the other hand is a flaming beyotch...and i say that in the nicest way possible. she struck out at me (ears pinned, nostrils flaring) and caught me on the arm..nice bruise by the way. That isn't the first time she has done this to myself or my mom and i've had about enough of it. This mare is very hateful to people...to be honest, I don't want my mom or myself getting hurt. we are doing this for the fun of it...there is a part on the form that states if the horse is untrainable, it is to be returned. I'm suggesting she get a replacement horse.


oh well, heres to hoping they will still let me mom compete-
-Jenn

Yahoo!!!

I got to touch my pony today!!! She had somehow lost her halter last week, then Jenn got hurt...so we had a couple of days off. I was hoping she wouldn't be a goldfish and forget everything we'd worked on. As extra insurance, I brought Roxanne, my old and wise Mustang mare, over and turned them out together...it was love at first sight for Gidget! She followed her around and couldn't figure out why Rox would let me come up to her and pet her...she was way curious about that. Then came time to get a halter back on her...that was kinda traumatic so we just put an extra panel in her stall and squeezed her against the fence...bingo, the halter was on and she didn't even know what happened. Then came the oh so scary hands, followed by the brush - but wait, that feels kinda good, so I'll just stand here and see what happens...she was such a good girl. Hopefully tomorrow will be good too...we've only got 11 weeks to go.

can you say faaaabulouuuuuussss

yes! it's true! i am up and walking today! Dayquil and tylonol seem to be my new sponsors for this weekend. We had a beyond great day with the horses today!! My mom wants to blog about her own horsie today so here is my piece about my bay wonder:

Ruger-
thanks to mary(since i'm walking but my right side says "hail no!") ruger wore a pad and a saddle today! whoooo hooo! i'm pee in your pants excited about that. she also stood and got her mane brushed as well as both sides of her neck and face. can we say BREAK THOUGH! oh yeah baby! our leading is coming along nicely too, we back and stop. lol. it's showmanship time!! mary(who is a sound person for MTV by day) has the next 3 weeks off so she is going to be helping us out with working the mares during the day since i think we are the only ones in this thing who have nine to five jobs? lol. no offence meant by that...lucky you guys!! :)

oh yeah, the big girl panties were on today sista! :) lol.

over and out!
-Jenn

no work today

I spent mostof the day on the couch pumped full of vicodin. :( still need to figure out why i can't feel the skin on my right hip, even though the swelling has gone down. I feel much better, still sore, but i'll be able to work with ruger tomarrow. We are trailering Roxanne over so we can work with the saddle pad and saddle with Ruger and get leading down. hopefully my 2 day absence wont hurt us. I'm sure it won't she is beyond smart and willing. Gidget should be good tomarrow as well. mary is coming over again to help since i might not be fully operational..haha. I'll be back on my witty feet before you know it. :)


more sleepy-

-Jenn

set backs

i didn't get to work Ruger tonight cause i was thrown off my friends horse onto some seriously hard ground, and to say the least i can barely walk. I'm talking hit my head and passed out, my hip is the size of a watermelon, and I have a 5 inch scrape on my forehead where i actually lost hair on my right temple. lets hope tomarrow i can move or im totally screwed for this thing.

anyway...last night we had some serious progress! she let me put the "scary" saddle pad on the longe line..she's so friggin good, the weight of the pad makes her stop and turn like i'm asking her too...it "chased" her for a while, wich was scary at first, but shedidn't care after the second lap. she spun around and flipped the pad up onher back all by herself and stood there like "oh god, it's on my back. it's ok. oh god, it's on my back." She also is getting GREAT at leading and backing! We will have more saddle and pad training on saturday when we bring Roxy over and pony her.

Gidget was good tonight as well. she managed to get her halter off, and we have had some issues with space and temper so i was set on fixing these problems in one session. she let me wrap a longe line around her neck and work with her that way, making her face you when she stops is a big problem we have, i put her in the round pen and worked with this on the tarp and saddle pad. She was good so we went in her stall and worked on her space issues. She rears and paws at you if you get to close or do something she doesn't like, so i went to work using the longe whip and desenstizing her with it. she was good and didn't do anything stupid, so i quit with that.

i'm off to heal,
-Jenn

Finito!

There it is!! I finished the pencil drawing of Ruger last night. You can buy a print at:

http://www.cafepress.com/teameliminator.361271983