For several months now, three-year-old "Given Grace," known around here as "Gracie," has been asking me to take her out for some one on one attention. She's had a little round penning in the distant past, but not for many months before I took the first two photos below a little over a week ago.
First I had to rescue the old round pen from the weeds and hard surface layer. Then I took my soft-eyed filly down to the round pen. Gracie is so calm and willing, with a very long attention span. I could not keep my body language together as to get any pictures while she was moving, but I had camera in pocket for when she stood at attention following the "Whoa!" command, waiting for my next command:
Gracie stayed totally attentive throughout our rather short session of walk, gait, stop, turn toward me, come and follow. We spent a lot of time just standing there, as I waited for her to turn even one eye or ear toward a distraction before sending her on another easy going circle.
Afterward I cooled her off with a good rinse down:
Next time she will learn to carry saddle and bit.
__________________________________________________
Friday, Nov. 26, 2010: After a week of stormy freezing weather I took Gracie's winter blanket off, tied and groomed her a little. She patiently waited tied to the hitching rail while I removed blankets from the other horses. After dressing her front legs in splint boots and bell boots, off we went to the round pen.
It was a beautiful day, and Lynn came out with the camera to watch.
For quite a few minutes Gracie worked up a sweat in excitement before calming down into walking circles. All the while I absolutely love listening to the sweet rhythm of her easy three beat lope and steady four beat gait as she circles around me.
Soon we were ready to learn something new:
She stood completely still for her first ever saddling:
Gracie calmly and happily carried her saddle around for a few circles in each direction, proudly walking as if she carried a badge of honor.
Then it was time to fetch a bridle:
What's in my mouth? ! ? :
A few more calm circles getting used to that big heavy snaffle bit in her mouth, then it was time to add a set of reins -- after she followed me back to the center of the pen:
Gracie walked a few more circles with the reins run loosely through the saddle D-rings and looped once around the saddle horn, not tight enough to collect her head, but just the weight of the leather provided a tiny amount of pressure toward a more vertical head carriage. Then back to standing with me in the center, where I freed the reins from her saddle with much praise and appreciation of her gentle willingness and intelligence.
And then ...
What's this ? ! ? Waz up here? ! ?
Oh, it's flexing:
Good girl, Gracie:
Her reins still draped loosely over the saddle, Gracie receives more praise after flexing, and releases her flexion somewhat:
I also jumped up and down on each side of her saddle:
My jumps became pull ups, with Gracie braced so as not to take a single step as I hung from the side of her new saddle:
She was so very good. We called it a day, and I rinsed her off and combed her mane and tail while she grazed on the lawn.
An absolutely delightful day. :)
First I had to rescue the old round pen from the weeds and hard surface layer. Then I took my soft-eyed filly down to the round pen. Gracie is so calm and willing, with a very long attention span. I could not keep my body language together as to get any pictures while she was moving, but I had camera in pocket for when she stood at attention following the "Whoa!" command, waiting for my next command:
Gracie stayed totally attentive throughout our rather short session of walk, gait, stop, turn toward me, come and follow. We spent a lot of time just standing there, as I waited for her to turn even one eye or ear toward a distraction before sending her on another easy going circle.
Afterward I cooled her off with a good rinse down:
Next time she will learn to carry saddle and bit.
__________________________________________________
Friday, Nov. 26, 2010: After a week of stormy freezing weather I took Gracie's winter blanket off, tied and groomed her a little. She patiently waited tied to the hitching rail while I removed blankets from the other horses. After dressing her front legs in splint boots and bell boots, off we went to the round pen.
It was a beautiful day, and Lynn came out with the camera to watch.
For quite a few minutes Gracie worked up a sweat in excitement before calming down into walking circles. All the while I absolutely love listening to the sweet rhythm of her easy three beat lope and steady four beat gait as she circles around me.
Soon we were ready to learn something new:
She stood completely still for her first ever saddling:
Gracie calmly and happily carried her saddle around for a few circles in each direction, proudly walking as if she carried a badge of honor.
Then it was time to fetch a bridle:
What's in my mouth? ! ? :
A few more calm circles getting used to that big heavy snaffle bit in her mouth, then it was time to add a set of reins -- after she followed me back to the center of the pen:
Gracie walked a few more circles with the reins run loosely through the saddle D-rings and looped once around the saddle horn, not tight enough to collect her head, but just the weight of the leather provided a tiny amount of pressure toward a more vertical head carriage. Then back to standing with me in the center, where I freed the reins from her saddle with much praise and appreciation of her gentle willingness and intelligence.
And then ...
What's this ? ! ? Waz up here? ! ?
Oh, it's flexing:
Good girl, Gracie:
Her reins still draped loosely over the saddle, Gracie receives more praise after flexing, and releases her flexion somewhat:
I also jumped up and down on each side of her saddle:
My jumps became pull ups, with Gracie braced so as not to take a single step as I hung from the side of her new saddle:
She was so very good. We called it a day, and I rinsed her off and combed her mane and tail while she grazed on the lawn.
An absolutely delightful day. :)
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