Hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a gorgeous day here in Texas and dinner with the family was filling and the conversation enjoyable.
I must say I am greatly impressed with the staff at Clinton Anderson's facility. Not only were they extremely helpful when I was signing up for the clinic and extremely patient when I had a myriad of questions about the tools I was ordering, but they also got it shipped out in a hurry. I ordered around 2:30 on Monday and I could not believe when the UPS truck drove up yesterday afternoon. Hardly 48 hours had passed.
I had ordered a new halter and lead, a twisted snaffle bit, some new reins and talked myself into a new saddle pad. My Christmas is covered.
I learned my lesson Tuesday.... Major did one of his running off things and took the Gray with him. I just calmly followed and followed... and followed. Major came back up to me, so I put the halter on him and then took it off. He really is easy to catch. Gray didn't give me too much more trouble, but today the two horses and Bumble (the donkey) were in the trap and all the goats weren't, so I eased in through the pasture gate shutting the other trap gate behind me. Now they were caught without a struggle!! Made things much easier.
Anyhow...... since I had the new halter, I decided to do some of the ground work Clinton Anderson believes so strongly in. One of the things he stresses is to get the horse to flex his neck on the ground and from the saddle. He wants the horse to be able to flex his neck to the point that his nose practically touches the stirrup leather. I could never get Gray to do that before today. He flexes pretty well on one side, but has a hard time on the other. I was watching one of the DVDs and Clinton mentioned that one side will be stiffer than the other. He forewarned that the horse may back up or turn circles before he will flex.... Gray did both. I am supposed to release the pressure as soon as there is some slack in the lead rope, but I had to really look for it. He just didn't want to flex. I went back to the other side..... no problem.
By now it was twilight, but I was determined to ride. Well, lo and behold... Gray was much quieter than the day before. Tuesday he wanted to trot and lope. Yesterday he was content to ease on down the road. I only went as far a Bartis' gate since it was nearly dark. But at least I made some progress and got on the horse. One of the things I will work on next is Gray moving off when I get on. Clinton basically recommends backing him up about 50' or more from the ground or from his back, and then trying it again. Or to set him up in an arena and make him move his feet if he moves when one is trying to mount.
I didn't work with my horse today... too dark by the time I got home from the Thanksgiving gathering. I hauled my saddle up to the house. As long as I have had it I have never given it a good cleaning. I only thought I would get started, but Joseph and I watched the UT game and I cleaned every bit of it. If I don't perform that well, my tack will look good....
I also watched a segment on backing a horse from the ground. Since backing is an unnatural act for a horse.... the more you can get your horse to do it, the more control you establish over the horse. My horse just looks at me asking "You want me to do what.....?" So, I knew I needed more instruction. Backing will be my goal for tomorrow!
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