Tuesday, March 31, 2009

March 31, 2009

Wow - what a difference a week makes. I met Gary at the stables after work ( he arrived first). LBR is a bit "hot" because it's around 6:00 p.m. and due to lessons in progress, he's frustrated at not being fed.

Worked on leading in the practice arena tonight due to the lessons and lack of feed (poor thing). Dropped all the rails on the jumps and expected him to walk over them. He hesitated at first, but led out nicely. He still has a "thing" for the "Snow White" and any other grey mare he can see - crowded Cindy once and was reprimanded again with an elbow and almost jumped out of his shoes ( he doesn't even have shoes).

LBR did really well at following in the proper position late in the lesson - staying at the 4:00 o'clock position and starting/stopping w/out any halter contact. He responded so well, it was such a big change from where the lesson started tonight.

BTW...a cold front came through today and all the horses at the barn were "spunky" waiting for dinner - calling out and running around.

Monday, March 30, 2009

March 30, 2009

Continued ground/lead manners. LBR has a new "friend"....a white mare turned out in the paddock next to him. She's very pretty - and quite the flirt. I've nicknamed her "Snow White" as she is about 17.5 hands and all the "big boys" look like dwarfs around her. She called to him as he was taken (under best manners) out of the paddock.

We reviewed the practice arena and led towards the barn. Snow White called out and LBR listened but never misbehaved. We ventured into the jumping arena....past the trailer, cars, trucks, trees and tire tracks that can "get" LBR. He's developing such a trust it's amazing. After walking large ovals in the jump arena area that is free of jumps, he followed nicely past all the tall things that could "jump" him (i.e. 4'2"+ walls, jumps complete with flowers ribbons and other horse-eating items).

Ended by walking down the road past all paddocks without incident...so nice to have him trust us.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

March 29, 2009

Today we continued ground/lead manners. LBR again greeted us at the gate and was simple to halter. We walked around the common area and headed to the practice arena. Several horses "out and about" today being visited by owners and lessons going on in the main arena.

LBR was again well behaved. You could tell he had a little "attitude" - thinking that every horse was looking at him. LBR crowded Cindy once and she gave him an "elbow" which was quite effective.

We ventured out of the practice arena and closer to the main barn. LBR could smell and call to even more horses - yet was attentive to the person leading him.

After we finished a long lesson (almost 2 hours), it was feeding time so Gary & I decided to stay and see how he and Romeo got on during dinner. After a brief switch of buckets, they settled in nicely and finished dinner at about the same time. We're glad to see that he likes his paddock mate (or at the least they have mutual respect - still no bite/nick marks on either ones fur).

LBR is shedding like crazy so we're hoping to get to the barn and wash rack this week.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

March 28, 2009

We had a good day today.....my brothers came out to visit LBR (non-horse people but good photographers) and I hope to be posting some pics soon. LBR was PERFECT again. He walked both directions on the lead line around the practice arena and behaved perfectly on the lead. He and Romeo seem to have an understanding Tomorrow - we venture closer to the barn:-)

March 27, 2009

Severe (hail) and thunderstorms came through this morning and added to the mud. A cold front also came with 20+mph winds by the time we headed to the stables. We weren't sure we would be able to get into/through the paddock to halter due to mud, but LBR left Romeo eating hay in the center of the paddock and came up to us at the gate.

LBR haltered perfectly and lead around the common area for a while. Ventured to the adjoining arena and around the outside of the round pen. LBR was a perfect gentleman tonight despite wind gusts of 30+ mph and dropping temperatures.

March 26, 2009

Beautiful quiet evening (all lessons cancelled due to rain overnight). The paddock was quite muddy. Gary haltered LBR (with lead rope over nose today) and we took him out of the paddock to the common area that has grass. We worked on walk/whoa for about 45 minutes with only one "spirited" incident - when horses in the surrounding paddocks got spunky and started running.

LBR calmed down quickly and really enjoyed munching on the fresh spring green grass.

March 25, 2009

I arrived at the stables early and Gary was meeting me there later w/ the halter/lead rope. Observed LBR & Romeo's interaction. No nicks/cuts in either one's fur and they seem to have established a mutual respect. Jim (the caretaker) makes his evening rounds for feeding and LBR won't come to the feed bucket that is tied to a post that also has the electric tape (top band only). Jim will be feeding him in the middle of the paddock for a while until LBR gets more familiar.

We lead/walked LBR in the paddock and he did very well until the weather turned a bit stormy and "GIANT" rain drops started coming down. He got pretty spirited and we moved quickly to the shelter. The rain drops stopped, he calmed down and we finished the exercise on a good note.

March 24, 2009

Little Big Red is moved by the stable owner and Gary from San Marcos, TX to Manor, TX. They make a stop at Tractor Supply for a little shopping (LBR stood nicely in the trailer munching on his hay).

They arrive at Scattered Oaks Stables around 4:00 p.m. Every horse at the stables took notice of the new comer. LBR gets a bit too excited over tire tread tracks in the ground and trees that might jump out and get him and gets "corrected" by the handler.

LBR is placed in his paddock and meets his new paddock-mate "Romeo". The paddocks use electric ribbon for fencing....LBR has no concept of why the fence is "hot" and bucks and kicks when he touches it. After an hour or so, he gets the idea that he is supposed to stay "off" the fences. He also establishes an "agreement" with Romeo that he is not to get too close.