Yesterday and Today

So, the pictures are from yesterday, forgot to bring the camera out today. Yesterday we had a bit of wild pony when I asked for a few lunging circles outside his pen. Luckily, he didn't get away from me. I think I scared my mom a little (she was the one taking pictures, but didn't get any of his rambunctiousness). I don't really blame him though, he's been stuck in a 24x24 square for the last month and a half, wouldn't you want to kick your heels up if you didn't feel confined anymore? But not wanting him to think that was acceptable, we backed, we did more circles, and he settled down. I am working on clearing out space to give him sort of an extension on his pen, so he'd have something like 26x100 to stretch his legs until I can get the field cleared.

This was after he backed up and was standing there paying attention. I think he hadn't quite finished that last backward step, hence the crooked looking leg.

Can you put your head down?

Bend to the left...

...and bend to the right.

So today, when Mom and I got home from seeing the movie "Defiance", and I looked out the kitchen window, he was just standing there in a bit of sunshine either taking a nap or just totally bored. Before I actually made it out, he had laid down. I figured he'd hop up as soon as I opened the back door-nope, still laying down. Okay, so he'll hop up when I get to the gate-nope, still laying down. When I slide through the panel, surely that will get him to stand up? I slowly walked closer, talking to him, and he laid there and let me pet him for a moment before standing up. How cool was that? Too bad I didn't get a picture!

We started off with the "usual"-take off the blanket, quick brush, a few circles each way, some backing and coming forward and then I figured, let's go outside again, the day is just too nice!

I opened the gate and out we went. He was walking right with me, head about at my shoulder, not trying to rush or crowd or stop or anything. We practiced "whoa", I would say it as I turned toward him slightly and he'd stop. After a couple of pets, with a cluck we were off again. We made a lap of the whole backyard, past the tree, past my uncle's old trailer (that needs to disappear) and back to the gate. A little hesitation at the gate, so I stepped back, pointed with my rope hand, gestured with my stick hand, and in he went, nice as can be. That went so well that we went out for another lap in the opposite direction. We almost made it as far as the road, but I didn't want to push it, so stopped maybe 40 feet back. Stood there while a couple cars went by and then headed back to his pen which he walked back in the gate like a champ. Oh, and the whole time he was wearing his bareback pad again (not that he cared). I wanted it to be a good and calm experience, so we didn't attempt any lunging so he wouldn't be as likely to feel rowdy and he did great, very attentive and well-behaved. Such a good boy!

Two days in one

I feel guilty, I missed posting yesterday after working with Cody! So here is for today and yesterday.

For starters, gtyup at Life at the Rough String passed along this little lemonade award for bloggers who show Great Attitude/Gratitude. So, I am following the instructions.

1. Post the picture (isn't it cute?)
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show Great Attitude and/or Gratitude.
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link this post to the person from who you received your award.

Okay, now to pick 10 blogs to nominate.

1. Reddunappy of There Is a Horse in My Bubblebath
2. Stormyranch of gentling a mustang
3. Pip of Me, Myself and Horses
4. Tracey of Mustang Diaries
5. Macaroni Manatee of Phiber Photos
6. Andrea of Mustang Saga
7. Jessie of Two Appaloosas and a Mustang
8. Leah of The Dutton Family
9. PalyReiner at Spinnin & Slidin, Lopin & Dreamin, Mustang Style!
10. Linda at Beautiful Mustang

As for Cody, we've been working the last couple days on leading, lunging, and feet. Oh yeah, and yesterday I decided I wanted to see how he looked with a bridle on.

The leading is getting there. Circles are good, straight lines we're still working on, it really helps when I can take him out of his pen to give us more room to actually walk in a straight line. And yesterday, it was heading past dusk when we went out so harder to see, he was a bit upset that I wouldn't let him stop and eat grass, and he bounced to the end of the rope a few times bucking and kicking up his heels (thankfully he stopped when he hit the end of the rope!) so we didn't spend much time outside the pen partly because it was dark and partly because it was kind of slick. So today, things were going pretty well, he was good about lunging in both directions at a walk and a trot and even stopping and changing directions. There were a couple times that his butt popped up in defiance of me asking him to move forward so he just had to work harder... This time, when we went for a walk outside he didn't try to eat grass even once, the only difficulty we had was walking back into his pen...but flip the rope around his hiney and in he went.

This morning I drove up to watch Tracey and Steve Holt! and that was fun! They are doing great and SH! moves out really nice.

All in all a pretty good day!

Lake

Well, not the best of days. There is a lake to walk through to get to Cody's pen, luckily, at this point, not a lake in his pen. And it turns out the old shed where I am storing hay has a leak or two so I am going to have to figure something else out. I'm glad I hadn't gotten one of those Costco tarp garage thingies because where I likely would have put it is also a lake at the moment. Grandma's back yard does not drain well enough for snow to melt and it to rain and rain on top of that, the ground is pretty saturated.

Went out and worked with him even though it was miserable and raining. The only part of taking his blanket off and putting it back on that he doesn't like is me buckling and unbuckling the front straps. Going to have to work on that. The rain didn't help things any because I ended up putting a blanket back on a wet horse. I had a plan for today, we were going to work on moving his hip and moving his shoulder (separately). We were so-so successful. It was like he forgot what it meant to move his hip over from a tap. But we did get a few steps so hopefully it will be better next time. I guess it was just all around less pleasant and harder to concentrate for the both of us in that miserable rain. We did manage to get a couple steps of moving shoulders away in each direction.

At least with all this rain I can see where water tends to accumulate and try and figure out ways to redirect it. Now if only my brother will be willing to build a little addition onto Cody's stall to store hay in a dry place when he comes up this weekend or next.... (Key word there little, as it can only be about 4 feet wide by the 12 feet deep of his stall to fit within the 200 sq ft limit to not need a permit).

How many of you out there find yourself typing with a cat on your lap?