Spring Rains

I love, love, love rainy hazy days. Spring has arrived in this part of the world, bringing my favorite weather with it. Many people find rainy days gloomy and depressing, but I relish in them. There is something about a good rainy day that fills the very air with energy. I love the way that the rain or mist conceals things far away, or changes the way light hits them. It makes you look at everyday things in a different light - literally and figuratively. 

Weather like this reveals layers where you don't expect them. What was once is now three-dimensional. What seemed simple in the sunlight carries a new complexity in the layers of grey. 

And this our life, exempt from public haunt, 
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.
I would not change it.
~ from As You Like It by William Shakespeare

Evaluation

When I wrote about the bucking incident yesterday, I purposefully didn't go into the whys and wherefores. I wanted to take time to think it through, run over the events in my head a few hundred times, research possible solutions, receive advice, and form a game plan. Now that I have done those things, I am ready to evaluate what happened, why it happened, and how I can keep it from happening again.

What happened?

Gambler wasn't using his "left brain" (yes I am aware that left-brain, right-brain is a myth, everyone uses both sides - I am just using the terms to represent a horse's mentality) and acting as a partner. Instead, he was acting defensively, like a prey animal who needs to survive. 

Why did it happen?

I've done a good job of getting Gambler to use the left side of his brain and act as a partner on the ground before I mount up. Once I get into the saddle, however, I stop playing the games and start riding. Gambler has been sending me "yellow lights" at the halt and at the walk. He has been bracy, not responsive. Instead of recognizing that Gambler was uncomfortable and getting off and playing or staying on and playing the games I pushed him into a trot. Having already sent me signals to slow down, Gambler sent a clear "red light." 

Things that went wrong:

The longe line - I've had Mom circling Gambler on the longe line because I believed it was more safe. From the events of last night, I'd say it's not much safer. The only thing it stops Gambler from doing is bolting, and I've never had him bolt under saddle (knock on wood). When I tried to pull Gambler into a one-rein stop (more on that later) I couldn't because the longe line was pulling his head in the opposite direction. This caused the situation to be even more dangerous. 

I fell off - Thankfully I landed on my feet and wasn't hurt at all, but falling off is still a really bad thing. Gambler now knows that he can buck a rider off to get out of work. Falling off once isn't horrible, falling off twice is bad, and if I fall off three times we're going to be in a lot of trouble. If he forms a habit of bucking people off, I will have created a problem horse. 

Things that went right:

One-rein stop - My first instinct while Gambler was bucking was to pull him into a one-rein stop. This is really good because I have never actually been in a situation where I had to stop a horse in that manner, or I have never thought to do it. I've been telling myself that's what I need to do, but I had no idea if I would remember in the moment. 

Landing on my feet - The fact that I landed on my feet means that while I didn't stay on the horse, I did keep my balance. That is encouraging because it means I am more likely to stay on in the future, especially since I am more confident. 

Confidence - As I briefly mentioned in the last post, Mom and I have been worried that if I was bucked off it would destroy my confidence and/or Gambler's confidence and our trust in each other. But after I was bucked off, neither of us were phased by it. I had adrenaline pumping through my system, and when I mounted again I was more wary, but neither Gambler nor I were visibly shaken or worked up. In fact, I think now that the thing we've been dreading has occurred, we can move forward with more boldness. 

How can I keep this from happening again?

First, I am going to continue playing with Gambler on the ground while he is wearing the saddle to build his confidence and encourage him to work with me as a partner. 

Second, I am going to play around with the mounting process so that he sees it as another part of the games. I am going to make sure that he gives me a green light at every phase of the mounting process. 

Third, I think I'm going to ditch the longe line. That doesn't mean I'm not still going to have my mom watching me carefully - you bet I am! But the longe line won't stop me from getting bucked off (as we've seen), and without it I can do things like disengage Gambler's hindquarters, taking away his power to buck. 

Forth, I'm going to play with Gambler while riding at the walk, specifically the friendly game and the porcupine/driving game with his hindquarters and forequarters. This will build his confidence at the walk and give me more control in the case of another bucking fit. 

Finally, when Gambler gives me all green lights at the walk and I can easily pull him to a one-rein stop and yeild his hindquarters, we will start trotting again. If he bucks again, I will pull him to a stop with one rein, move his hindquarters, and put him to work at the walk. Then we'll trot again. 

So that is the evaluation. Of course, with a green horse (or any horse), the plan is always under construction. This is just a skeleton, a game plan to alter as the occasion calls, because good leaders always have a plan and are always flexible (more Parelli lingo).

It's All a Matter of Time

I have to apologize for the lack of photo or video content. The camera is out of batteries, and last time we were in town I totally forgot. One of these days I'll have some good pictures. Until then, I'll do my best to entertain you with my words.

It's November. There will probably be snow on the ground by the end of the month. It is supposed to be a mild winter, so I hope that there isn't much snow or ice, but in the end no one knows what is going to happen. Needless to say, I'm a little nervous. I made my goal of putting the "first ride" (first sit is more like it) on Gambler before snowfall, but can I put a sound foundation of saddle training on him before the weather stops us in our tracks?

I knew that time was going to be an issue. Starting a green horse can take anything from a few months to a couple years depending on the horse. And that is in an ideal situation. I only get to see Gambler four times a week on average. Now that the sun goes down at five, I only have an hour or so of daylight on week days. I was ranting about it to my mom yesterday. She reminded me that it's not about how fast you train a horse, it's about how well you train him. I agree wholeheartedly. The thing that frustrates me is I think Gambler is ready. I think I could have put the first ride on him several weeks ago, but I'm holding him back. I just haven't found the time.

Nevertheless, I don't regret keeping Gambler so far from home. The barn he is at right now is the very best place he could be. He is kept in a large pasture that he shares with only one other horse, so he always has food. He is brought inside two times a day for grain, so any injuries are caught within twenty-four hours. I know that he is safe and in good hands, and I know that he is happy. I wouldn't dream of keeping him anywhere else.

Winter is Coming!

The cold weather is here. A few days ago, it snowed for the first time this season. Freezing winds, fluffy flakes of snow, and a sugar-like white power were everywhere you turned your eyes. It was beautiful, but frigid and inconvenient to horse-related activities. I love winter in some ways. After all, without winter there would be no autumn, which is my favorite season.

Since then the snow melted away, but it left the low temperatures behind. Now it is cold and gloomy and wet. Burrrr! Believe it or not, there is a point to this wintry rant. Winter is coming. This means I have less time with Gambler. Although I am an idealist who hopes this winter will be as mild as rumors suggest, the conditions will probably get worse from here. Most people set horse activities aside for the winter, because it is nearly impossible to get anything done in the conditions. Ice, snow, wind, cold, none of these are conducive to riding horses. There are exceptions. The moderately deep, fluffy snow (that only appears in the coldest temps) is a similar texture to the sand that fills arenas, making it ideal for riding. Of course you still have to cope with the cold. 

I have no idea what this winter has in store for Gambler and me. Maybe it will be mild and I'll find a lot of time to ride and play with him. Maybe it will be cold and icy and we'll spend four to five months in the cross-ties. Either way, I am determined not to let the frozen weather get between my horse and me. It's time to bring out the hats, hand-warmers, thick winter socks, and invest in some flannel-lined jeans. I'm tempted to buy some winter riding gloves too. 

But what is a horse person to do when conditions drive him away from the barn and into the warm security of his home? Read books, lots of books. Ironically, I'm writing this from the library . . . ;) But I'm completely serious. Find a warm blanket (fleece and flannel are my favorites); a cup of warm apple cider, coffee, tea, or hot chocolate; and a book. Better yet, read a blog. Either way, reading is an enjoyable way to continue building your horsey knowledge while locked away at home. Even if you live in a warmer place where the storms of winter don't barricade you away, reading is never a waste of time. Here are a few suggestions. 

**Again, I will have you know none of these people are paying me to suggest their books/blogs**

Books: 

*Hope Rising by Kim Meeder and A Bridge Called Hope by Kim Meeder - Both of these books are full of true stories from Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch; a ranch that rescues horses and teaches them to trust, while using their stories to prove to humans that there is hope. It is a beautiful witness to God's love for His people and His creatures. 

*The Phantom Stallion Series by Terri Farely - This series is aimed at teens and pre-teens (I read them as a ten-year-old) but they are beautifully written must-reads for every horse-crazy girl. 

Blogs:
*Simply Horse Crazy (Mare) - This blogger has temporarily (I hope!) set her blog aside to pursue a career, but she left her blog up as a testimony to her first horse and their story. It is full of wonderful thoughts and insights. I suggest reading the entire blog start to finish as I did. She reminds me a lot of myself.

* Beautiful Mustang (Linda) - I haven't read very much of this blog yet due to my OCD-like need to read blogs from the very beginning. I'm still back in 2008, but from what I have read I admire her story and writing style. Someday I hope to gentle a mustang, so I appreciate everything her blog stands for.

How do you fulfill your horsey passion in the winter?

Ramblings

I've always wanted - a phrase I find myself repeating often as of late - to write in a blog. Naturally, when I got Gambler, one of my first thoughts was to write about him. I put it off for months, because I wasn't sure what I thought of making our story public. It's one thing to buy a green horse and train him yourself; it's another thing entirely to train him in front of the world. Not that I'm saying the world is watching, but anyone with an internet can watch if he wishes to.

When I finally started this blog, I started it for me. I wasn't thinking about the page views or the people who would read it. I just wanted a journal dedicated to Gambler, so that I could look back and see how far we've come. Then people started reading and commenting and asking me questions and I realized that I could help people out in some small way. Maybe, someone in a similar situation will see this blog, and be able to avoid the mistakes I made along the way. 

Now I'm enjoying this blog so much. It is still here to fulfill the original purpose, but I can't lie: I smile extra big when I see that there are 117 views in one day. I love writing, I love horses, and I love that this little blog is bringing joy to some people out there. 

So I guess that's all I have to say. Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings. God bless you and your horses!

The New Plan

I've spent some time thinking about the last few sessions with Gambler. Things just haven't been working out the way I'd expected. Something needs to change. So I've thought it over and come up with a new approach. 

The first step in my new approach is the same as the first step of my last plan, only more intense. The plan was to stand on the mounting block and ask Gambler to stand next to it calmly. When he steps away or moves around I send him out in a circle around me so that he learns that the mounting block is a safe place where he gets to rest.

The problem with the last plan was in the execution. I only asked him to walk calmly, which didn't push him at all. When he walks away or moves around I need to push him into a fast trot or a canter so that when he comes back in he wants to rest. There is one more thing that I want to change. I want to attach a pair of gaming reins to the halter while I'm doing this exercise just to get him used to having them there.

The second step in the new plan is to do some in-hand work with the halter and gaming reins. I got this idea while researching dressage training methods. Some trainers will walk beside a horse holding the reins under the jaw to teach the horse head position or lateral work. I want to try out this method to teach Gambler the basics of plow-reining: turn, stop, back up, and flex laterally. I realize that it is more conventional to use long-lining, but I've tried that with Gambler before and he is very uncomfortable walking in front of me. It's something we need to work on in the future, but right now I'd rather see if he is more comfortable with in-hand work.

Lateral Flexion

The third step is to combine the first two. I will return to the mounting block and flex him laterally. At that point I will lean over him again and prepare him to be mounted. When he allows me to lay over him without moving around or leaving I will attach the 22-ft line and give it to my mom as a safety line. Then I'll get on him. If he moves around I'll do a one-rein stop (lateral flexion) until he holds still. Once he stands calmly I'll get off again. Repeat on the other side.

So that's the plan. It should take at least two days to complete, more if you count wind and rain and other strange occurrences that can't be planned for. I won't put the first ride on him for a while, because so far I've taken it slow with him and it has paid off. I want to wait until he is comfortable with the rider as a passenger before I introduce the rider as his leader.

Rain and Wind and Beetles Oh My!

One of these days, I will ride my horse. But there is no time limit with a young horse, especially if you're training him for yourself. I'm reminded of that time and time again. On Tuesday I started leaning over Gambler's back for the first time since I've had him - I've been more focused on ground manners and the acceptance of the saddle. He did so well on Tuesday. I got to the point where I was leaning 90% of my weight on his back while he licked and chewed and yawned in relaxation.

Thursday

I expected to put the first ride on him that Thursday. However, as you know, I did not ride him Thursday because it rained and other things got in the way. I probably could have played with him in the rain, and in retrospect, I probably should have.

Saturday

On Saturday I was ready to pick up right where I left off, but it was one of the windiest fall days we've had so far. Gambler would be relaxed and listening to me, but then a hunter would walk past or the wind would pick up. 

Sunday (Today)

Today I was determined to keep trying. It wasn't too windy, it wasn't raining, everything should be perfect right? Think again. Today the farmers harvested the soybeans in two nearby fields and the asian beetles were swarming. They were a little better out in the open as opposed to in the barn, where they congregated in the doorways, but even in the ring Gambler was annoyed and grumpy. I can't blame him. I was spooking at them too. 

So maybe next Tuesday, a week from the beginning of this grand adventure, I'll finally put the first ride on him. Or maybe some other interesting situation will come up. It's discouraging, but I'm gonna stand up no matter how many times I'm knocked off my feet. Winners never quit and quitters never win right? Successful people are just failures who never gave up. So even if something happens on Tuesday, and next Thursday, and everyday for the next three months (I really, really hope that's not the case) I am going to keep trying. 

Friday

Friday. In the summer it's the day I get to see Gambler twice. In the winter it's the day I don't get to see him at all. I can't really complain. After all, I will see him tomorrow, and the day after. I don't really have any update, since I didn't see him today, but I just feel like writing something.

The trees are already turning colors. From where I am sitting on my couch, looking out of the window, I can see yellow, red, and orange leaves. The majority of the trees are green, but still, Autumn is approaching fast.

Fall is my favorite season. I love curling up in a cozy sweatshirt or blanket, with a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate, or cider. I love Thanksgiving, especially the mashed potatoes and gravy. I love the crisp and refreshing air that trickles through the open windows. I love being able to open the windows. I love the color scheme of fall. I love fall sunsets. I love riding in the fall, because it's cool enough to work hard without sweating a ton. I love that all the bugs die off after the first frost. I just love the whole season.

Autumn has a new meaning for me as a horse owner and trainer. Well, I'm not technically a horse trainer . . . what even qualifies someone as a horse trainer? Anyway, as a horse owner who is training her horse, fall is a constant reminder that I only have a few months to start riding my horse before winter comes. Don't get me wrong--I am definitely planning on riding all through the winter, but it is incredibly difficult to ride in snow, especially in rural Wisconsin. I need to have a decent foundation of 5-10 rides on Gambler before we get serious snow. At the same time, I don't want to push it. I know that he is still very uncomfortable with the saddle that I am going to use. When he has the western saddle on he is way more spooky because he isn't used to it. I don't want to add the pressure of a rider until he is confident moving at walk,trot, and canter with the saddle on. This is even more important because the first time he was started something went wrong. I've heard conflicting stories about what it was, and I really don't care what it was. I don't want to point fingers, I just want to do what is best for the horse. I am dying to ride my horse. I haven't ridden a horse in months, and I have never ridden my own horse. On the other hand, I am not going to sacrifice his emotional well-being for my own gain. I have to find the balance between letting him take his time and getting on his back before snowfall.

I think another reason I am reluctant to start him right now is I'm feeling a little unconfident (yes I am well aware that unconfident isn't a word, but I'm not feeling insecure, I'm just not feeling confident, there is a difference) about my riding ability. I'm not a beginning rider, I've been riding on and off for eight years now. But because I've never had my own horse I've always been riding other people's horses. That means I have very limited, although versatile, experience with riding. I am 100% confident with my ground skills. I'm not perfect, but I have experience and it's always kinda been my thing. Riding is different. I have ridden bareback, english, western, dressage, gone on trail rides, jumped (just a little), and even taken a couple little cross-country jumps, but I still have a questionable canter seat. I'll be the first to tell you that I think that a green horse and a green rider can be perfect for each other, but I'm still a little afraid that I don't have what it takes to truly finish a green horse. That said, I'm not giving up. This is my horse, my gamble, and I'm taking it. Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I'm inexperienced. Maybe I'm a clueless, immature, horse-crazy girl and years into the future I'll look back at myself with embarrassment. But I'm doing this anyway. My dream has come true, and I am going work my butt off. I have a history of being a quitter, but I'm not giving up on my horse. He is more than just my pet, he is my future. God has offered me the opportunity of a lifetime and I'm seeing it through to the end.