One Of Those Days (Roscoe Day 58)

DAY 58: Work and weather kept us from doing much in the way of training. Short groundwork sessions were the standard over the last three days. Today however the weather and work schedules (sort of) allowed for some real training time. The sun was beginning to set by the time we got to the arena. A few good laps around the small arena to warm up and a 15 minute review of our ground work exercises happened first. Roscoe seemed in good spirits and was willing to “work” during the session. The time off showed in his understanding however and he was not a smooth/good as he was last week.

I too felt “off” and could not get my timing or rhythm right. So, in all fairness it was 90% my fault and 10% his fault (grin). We saddled up and did some nice walk/trot transitions along the fence and some one rein stops. A little sluggish but he really tried. However I felt like a monkey trying to ride a greased watermelon! Everything felt wrong. Seat, leg position, balance, rein coordination…everything just felt off. We got through this weirdness in my head/body/hands and ended up having a nice session. We even did some loping (which is still a little weird for him physically with a rider of my size on his back) which was very cool. I was happy that Roscoe was VERY patient with me during this time of ugliness. I was happy to note that, because of the cruising lessons Roscoe waits for the loose reign to move forward and drops his head nicely when it is given. The positive take-a-ways of the session is that Roscoe has learned patience with stupid humans, he will try when asked…even if his answer is not quite right and that he is getting stronger and healthier as we move forward. More of his personality is coming out too. He seems to really want some cuddle time before and after he works. He performs better if he gets a little longer grooming time and rubs during the training session. Its like he desires the positive reinforcement of praise/love and not just the release of pressure.

Good to know!

A Rescued Horse's Tale: We've Come A Long Way (Day 56)!

DAY 56: Right after our visit to Mokelumne River Ranch, the first real rain of the season hit. We had three days of heavy rain. Since we currently do not have access to a covered arena (we are purchasing a pass to the fairgrounds arena, which is covered, this week) we didn’t get any training in. Grrrr. Today the sun poked out and we got to do some work. While Argent was having his hooves trimmed Roscoe and I took to the round pen. We reviewed our previous exercises in quick succession and then moved onto Yielding the Forequarters and Sending. On Yielding the Forequarters, Roscoe was able to get three to four steps on each side. Some minor confusion happens on his right side (he sometimes backs or moves forward before remembering to side step) and on his left side he was a champ. We them formally introduced Sending. Because of the previous ground work we have done Sending came easy during the concept lesson. That is why the Method works so well. It builds on the confidence and experience the horse gains through the previous exercise. It was a short (30 minutes) session but we had some wins so we quit as the plan was to go to the local arena later in the day.

            Arena time! The footing in both arenas was pretty bad. Bog-like in areas and just plan soft/slick in others. Using the rail was pretty much out so the middle was our island.

Ground work review (as always) and…of course…more Yielding Forequarters and Sending. During the Sending I asked for more hustle in Roscoe’s feet when his tail passed my belt buckle. A tap on the butt a time or two convinced him of my intent and he caught on quickly. Rubs and cookies make the lesson easier to swallow (grin). Then we rode. With the foot being so bad, we mostly walked and worked on our steering. It was not quite as good as Sunday but with three days off along with the chilly weather I was not expecting great things at first. It got better as the saddle part of the session went on. We got some walk-trot transitions in the mix, which were okay. Had to use the spanker a couple of times early in the session and then never had to touch it again. Roscoe’s backing was a bit sticky so we worked on that and introduced Yielding the Hindquarters under saddle. He flexed nicely until the leg/seat cue got into his brain and he moved his back feet. It is really cool seeing the thinking side of the brain of a horse work. You can see and feel them working on a solution. The sun was set and the moon was rising by the time we left the arena. All in all it was a nice session.

            We snapped some images of Roscoe to compare them to his first few days with us. A real change is happening. The exercise, training and nutrition have really helped! We have more muscle to add but that is going to take time and conditioning. Roscoe is a very social horse and having the consistent attention seems to be doing great things for his mind and demeanor. It should be neat to see what the winter and spring bring to our journey.

Roscoe's First "Outside" Ride (Day 53)

DAY 53: We traveled to a new place today! Mokelumne River Ranch in Thornton, California hosted the Nor-cal Downunder Brumbies October practice. It has a nice covered arena and an OBSTACLE COURSE so our October theme was to de-spook (desensitize) our horses! Prior to today’s adventure, On Day 52 (a light work day) Roscoe got some round pen time at home. Covered what we have been working on including the Dread Exercise 6 (Yield the Forequarters)! Our round-pen does not have the most level footing but we still managed two (2) steps, four (4) times on each side without any fuss (a little confusion at first but hey, it’s only day two with that exercise). Then it was bath and snack time. Early morning on Day 53 we loaded up and headed down to Thornton, California. It is about 1.5 hours from Placerville but well worth the drive. Mokelumne River Ranch is a beautiful facility. Nice round pen, a great covered arena, lots of places to sit and watch beautiful horses (we had a nice picnic lunch) and then there is obstacle course! Wow! The obstacles range from fairly easy to difficult in nature. They were formed to look like they were part of a trail, but with good footing and lots of space. The also have a half-mile “track” with great footing that you can walk, trot or lope your horse on and a levy trail! In short it was a thing of beauty.

There was a group of ten at the session. We did our traditional club warm up of Lunge for Respect 1 and 2, Backing, Yielding Hindquarters 1 & 2, and Flexing. Then we broke up into Fundamental and Intermediate groups and worked on skills we were challenged by or needed help with. The spirit of fellowship and camaraderie is always good at our practices but today it felt even better. The group has come a really long way in a year. Roscoe got some tweaking on Yielding Forequarters and increasing his “energy” on his backing. We formally introduced Sending as an exercise but with all othe other ground work we have done this was simply a combination of exercises he already knew so the process was simple. Nice “wins” in those areas. Groundwork took about an hour and then we had a short break to tack up. Some of the group had time constraints so they hit the obstacle course under saddle. Those of us without said constraints rode in the covered arena first. Roscoe worked on the Cruising lesson, One Reign Stops (I need to do more of those now) and Follow the Fence. He was a little distracted by Annie, a very pretty Quarter Horse mare own by Randy. Still, he did a good job for me. W had a nice mix of walks and trots and I never needed to use the spanker ( I did make a motion towards it twice when Roscoe was looking at Annie and that got his attention). We got some points from Dave and Randy about leg cues and positions that might help refine Roscoe’s steering. We used those pointers to test his understanding and create a starting point for improvement. This is always a god thing! We wrapped this up and then walked the horses to the obstacle course!

Because this was Roscoe’s first “outside ride” and because it was a group setting I thought it wise to walk him with a lead line through the obstacles first. Laurie and Argent did the same. It was good preparatory work and gave Roscoe some real confidence. Some of the obstacles were of a level that were a little too hard for Roscoe in his current physical condition by we examined all of them. Then we saddled up and rode the ones we felt he could do (several times each), we played in the “barrel/pole arena” which had four barrels (lots of circles around the barrels) and then we “serpentined” around the poles. There was a fair amount of trotting between stations and on the flat track, some nice breaks and even a little loping before he tired out. We had one mini-spook at a large bird in the bushes but that was it. It was a great experience for us both and our group plans to make this an annual (or bi-annual) experience! It was great to be able to work our horses outside the arena while applying all the skills of the Method our horses knew. A day of mental, physical and even spiritual exercise that everyone enjoyed! Have to love a day full of “wins!

 

Yielding the Forquarters - The 10th Level of Hell

DAY 51: Of the twenty-seven (27) exercises in the Fundamentals level of the Downunder Horsemanship Method, it seems to be a common consensus that Yielding the Forequarters is “of the devil” and one of the hardest to get your horse to want to do willingly. Because horses “dominate” one another with their head, neck and shoulders, getting them to move it from the slightest pressure is difficult. This is the exercise that brings out the frustration, the tears, the swearing and the desire to quite horses all together. Yes, today was one of those days! But let me back up…

            Today we did some groundwork outside of the arena. We did some Leading Beside, Sending, Backing, Flexing Yielding the Hindquarters (1 & 2) and Lunging for Respect 1 & 2. We used the trees, the hills, the paths…anything we could find to get Roscoe thinking. It went well. We even got more energy in his feet. Good times and good results! Then we saddled up and worked on One Rein Stops, more Flexing with the Bridle, Follow the Fence along with circles and serpentine patterns to help with is muscle building. All these went well…a solid C to B in grade. Because Day 50 had LOTS of trotting we split the saddle work up 60/40…with the 40 being trotting. We loped a tiny bit. I could felling both willingness and fatigue in Roscoe so we ended on a win, dismounted and took a break to watch Laurie and Argent make significant strides in both skill and confidence (Laurie shut down one of Argent’s little crow-hop fits and moved his feet with energy. He was a gem after that.).

            Now, on to the Dread Exercise 6! On Day 50 it was introduce on Roscoe’s left side. Today he seemed to get it at a high D low C grade…but he tried with out fuss. It was like watching someone move in new shoes. It was cute and entertaining to be sure. He was rewarded for the slightest try and slowing pushed to a new level of understanding. Then me moved to the right side. Wow! He TOTALLY checked out, freaked out and lost his brain! He firmly believed that this exercises would eat his face off! We kept at it and had a couple of “almost there” moments…and then he got aggressive with his head. Well, that was a mistake. There was LOTS of moving of the feet and changing directions with a HIGH level of energy. Yes, he bumped into the handy stick a time or two as well. In short he saw the error of his choices and calmed down. As long as he tried to figure out what he was being asked in a respectful way the pressure stayed low and every effort was rewarded. We actually got four solid attempts (in a row) in a calm/respectful manner. We ended there, got brushed off and he was treated to some apple slices and baby carrots (his two current favorites). Whew! Hard work but we had a break through. We’ll do just that exercise tomorrow and if we get two solid tries each side we’ll call it a win. Baby steps.

A Rescued Horse's Tale: Roscoe's Progress (Day 50)

DAY 50: Yielding the Forequarters is probably the most frustrating groundwork exercise in the Fundamental level of the Method. Yet it is one of the most important too! The goal was to properly introduce this exercise after a warm-up and review of the other five exercises. We ended up warming up in the large arena and did our warm up and ground work on the line as other folks were riding in the arena. The small warm-up arena at Pioneer Park was being used by a lady and her very green horse. She was sort of doing a weird mix of Parelli and Clinton style exercises. Watching her (and the horse) briefly really illustrated how ineffective the naggy mother attitude and the need for good timing. Not sure how her ride went because Roscoe was the focus. She did come down and watch the work we were doing and asked how long I had Roscoe. Her jaw hit the dirt when I told her. It was an “interesting” moment to be sure as I politely advised her to find an approach that works for her, REALLY learn it and REALLY apply it.

            With the Arena Mates in firmly in hand and the tips given to us by Professional Clinician Shana Terry of Downunder Horsemanship (DUH paid us a visit in August. The Brumbies had a blast!) we were ready to really try to Yield the Forequarters. The biggest elements to covey this exercise to the horse seems to be body placement, stick placement and staying with the horse. Lined my navel with Roscoe’s eye, had the tip of the handy stick pointed toward his ears and the handle to his shoulders (remove the string) and then tap the air with rhythm. Roscoe’s first reaction was to back up. We got past that by popping the halter downwards and resuming the pressure. You could see the gears turning in his head. A couple of taps on his shoulder and a couple taps in front of his ears and he figured out that it was easier to move the front end instead of the rear end to get away from the pressure. Of course he had to go through his entire menu of reactions before he got to this point. All the human can do is laugh and be patient (not easy). It was a process! Once we got ONE good step each side twice we quit the exercise. It was a win and the sun was beginning to set so we wanted to get in some saddle time.

            Saddle time! Roscoe has figured out that when you lift up on the reins he should back up a step or two. Good boy, right? Still it does make it tough to mount up. So we worked on standing still while mounting.  Mount. Stand. Dismount. Repeat. We got it worked out. Because the light was fading the goal was to simple Follow the Fence and maybe some direction changes or circles. Because of Roscoe’s hooves and condition we have been mostly working at the walk. Today he felts a little bit more energetic and transitioned into a trot without much squeeze. In fact the first time he totted off I hadn’t yet asked for it. Now that he got my attention we started to trot down the long sides of the arena and walk down the short/curved sides of the arena. We did this about four times in each direction. It because obvious he was rethinking his actions (grin). Then we did a couple full laps in each direction. This was the longest (it is a BIG arena) duration of trotting he has done while in our care. He was a bit sweaty at the end. Because is trot is not yet as smooth as it could be there was a bit of posting on a loose reign. It is a work out to be sure and one I am sure both horse and human will feel later. It was a solid training session that had both challenges and wins. Progress and improvement happened and that is the real goal. Our challenge on the human side is to keep improving while pacing how much to push Roscoe. We don’t want him to be bored but we also want to keep him healthy. It is a balancing act to say the least.

A Rescued Horse's Tale: Roscoe's Journey (Day 45-48)

Day 45: The horses had two days off. Today we squeezed in a training session before the rain hit. We did about 15-20 minutes of groundwork review and then saddled up. Our focus was the cruising Lesson, One-Reign Stops and Follow the Fence for a majority of the session with some Backing and Circles worked in the mix. Roscoe is a sensitive guy and reads the energy of his human better than expected. Trying to be “stress free” as the weather was changing was a little tough but singing quietly to the horse (and myself) helped. We had some wins for the most part. Some resistance going to the right in a circle but it may be caused by the unevenness in Roscoe muscle development. Still he did try and was much lighter compared to three rides ago. After 30-45 minutes the rain started so we leaded up and headed home. A good, albeit rushed session. Sadly “life” is going to get in the way and the horses will bet three days off. On the plus side we found a farrier who can do body balancing work. Roscoe is going in for a trim/balance on Saturday. Lets hope it makes him more comfortable and level.

Day 48: Roscoe had a rather extensive hoof trimming which helped to balance his hips and shoulders. The session leveled his shoulders and his hips really nicely and even allowed for a greater range of motion and energy. He did some light ground work on Day 47 but was still figuring out how to move normally (we call it drunk pony syndrome) instead of being a little wobbly. His hooves were really bad when we got him and he learned to walk/compensate for this. Now, after his second trim/adjustment where he REALLY got leveled and balanced for his conformation and stride he is relearning to move again. Its like having a limb in a cast for a long time and then having to rehabilitate the muscles and joint for that limb. It takes time. Another comment was about his nutrition and how it may have effected his development (he is a little croup high). With the evidence noted at the corona band of MUCH better nutrition Roscoe may actually grow a little more! He is already filled out and is looking much healthier! It does take time though.

            Off we go to the arena. The local drill team seems to have beat us there so the big arena is filled. We take the smaller (60 x120) arena and start doing ground work. Being conscious of Roscoe’s hooves and being off balance/sore a bit we did some work on the line for 10-15 minutes. Roscoe likes people and it seems we have bonded a bit. He was really looking to come into my space after each exercise. Truthfully, being away from him for three days was tough and I had to stand my ground emotionally and well as physically. When I did let him in he got LOTS of rubs and even some treats. Yes, I am a softie I admit it. Roscoe gave me a solid effort every time I asked for something. His flexing was a solid B. His Yielding Hindquarters to the left was really nice. To the right…well he was off so it was not as pretty. In short he really tried for me and communicated areas of discomfort in a very respectful manner. It was really nice working together like that. The bit issue seems to be gone. He just opens his moth for it and we move on.  Whew! We saddled up with a goal of just doing a few laps and being done. Nope! Roscoe wanted to work! Most of the time it was just a squeeze and we moved out nicely. Clucking happened a few times when his feet got a little sticky or when he became a little distracted by the drill team. I touched the spanker once…just reached for it to adjust it and got a “yes, sir” response. He actually wanted to trot so we did until I felt him begin tire out a little. His backing was not as smooth but I cut him some slack on this because of his slight soreness. His circles were really nice. There have been some major improvements in the last week or so. It comes down to working the Method, being clear and being a leader combined with being a loving owner. We have a long way to go but we are finding a joy in the partnership and a solid work ethic. We need to own a couple of more Fundamental ground and saddle exercises and then I think some work outside the arena is going to happen. Should be an adventure!

A Rescued Horse's Tale Day 40-42

DAY 40: We visited a new place today! Fellow Nor-Cal Downunder Brumbies members (Gale & Kim) invited us over to the ranch (Cedar Springs Arena and Livery) in Shingle Springs, California, for a nice afternoon with the horses. Gale was working through some of the Fundamental exercises and was looking for a second pair of eyes. We were happy to help! The first part of the day was focused on communication and leadership. We played rotating human and everyone got to work with different horses. It really took our ability and confidence to a new level. Roscoe was a gentleman and was willing to work with everyone. Then we tacked up and did some work in the covered arena. Since our focus was “gas pedal, brakes and steering” we kept it simple. Roscoe moved out better today and responded quicker to “squeeze” and needed less “spank” to get going. His response to the leg/seat cue for turns was a little better. He listens well to the seat cue for stop! Never quite got a full one rein stop completed before he stopped and flexed. Some of the folks took a mini trail ride around the property and worked on exercises outside the arena. Not yet trusting the “handle” on Roscoe, we dismounted and did groundwork outside. We ended up back in the arena and played Follow the Leader and some other basic exercises before calling it a day. Roscoe was getting tired as it was his longest workout to date. Lots of rubs, brushing and treats happened before we loaded up and headed home. It was a great day with great people and great horses. Tomorrow we’ll be headed over to Somerset for a morning session. Looking forward to seeing how today lesson is was absorbed.

DAY 41: Improvements and wins on the ground and under saddle. Roscoe seemed to “get it” and was less fussy/frustrated than in previous training sessions. We are about to expand his repertoire of ground work exercises. His took the bit without issue today which was so nice. Even dropped his head for m with light pressure/touch between his ears (we have been working on that). Those little wins mean SO much in the process! It is hard to put into words the feelings of victory, of pride and of connection to “non-horse people” who often times can’t relate to the fact that this big, powerful creature and this human just shared a moment of communication and partnership. Coordination is happening in the use of the mecate “spanker” and look of a monkey riding a watermelon is fading fast. Clinton’s saying “Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult” and “always reward the slightest try” have be proven to be TRUH of the highest order.

We did Follow the Fence and he rocked it at the walk! Stayed fairly straight and only needed moderate corrections when he veered off course. At the trot he tired more quickly so we did short bursts of trotting mixed with walking. We loped a couple of time (short distances) just to see if we could. It was a blast. He is getting back into shape. Carrying a 200 pound rider for 30-45 minutes is a workout. We are taking the body building slow.

DAY 42:  Fourth day in a row of training. Whew, everyone is tired. Intuition said "try other training aids" with Roscoe based on how "where" he reacted to cues on his barrel. We'll it seems he knows what spurs are. He just had to hear them and he was a different fellow. Light on the leg cues and when "sticky" happened, a light touch/roll with the rowel and he was moving laterally. When squeezed he would move out 90% of the time without a cluck. A couple of times I had to show him the spanker...just showed it, mind you...and he moved out. His backing was MUCH better and lighter. He read the seat and refined with the bit. Speaking of the bit…those issues are gone. He lowered his head and took the bit without fuss. Lots of wins! It was a shorter ride (after groundwork) than usual because we kept having win after win and wanted to quit on a positive note. Roscoe showed us what type of horse he wants to be. It was an emotional session…those sessions that are the reward for all the hard work, sweat, dirt, sore muscles and energy expended.

His gaits and transitions are getting smoother as he gets in better shape. Really like his headset too. Guess the moral of the story is “stick with the Method, be a leader not a naggy mother and be consistent.” Tomorrow, everyone gets a break…or a spa day, depending on the weather!

A Recued Horse's Tale (Day 39)

DAY 39: The Age of Squeeze, Cluck and Spank has dawned in Roscoe’s world! After we hauled the horses over to the arena we let them run off some freshness, tacked up and got to work. The sun is setting earlier now so time management is essential (until we get our season pass to the El Dorado County Fairgrounds arena…it’s covered and lit until 9:00pm). We reviewed groundwork and asked for three “wins” on each of the known exercises. We classified a “win” as a good try, probably a C+ to B- in the Clinton scale.

Flexing was les sticky and Roscoe is reading body language better as he applied more effort/energy to the exercises. A short breather and then we saddled up. First focus: GAS PEDAL (a challenge for Roscoe). Now, coordination of the “spanker” at the end of the mecate is not as easy as it looks! Monkey doing a math problem aptly describes the first several attempts at using it. There is also some trepidation as to how the horse will react to the use of the spanker when applied and getting control of the amount of pressure to use. Our first few starts were not good. Being effective and establishing a starting point was tough. Still we pushed on…squeeze, cluck (fumble, fumble, touch, tickle, tap) spank!

Eventually it got worked out and Roscoe moved out into the walk and the trot much better. We got several nice walk-trot transitions and lots of “big boy” walks with lots of energy/fluidity to them. Folks at the park must have though we were nuts with all the “good boy” and “awesome job” comments we were making rather enthusiastically. Squeezing and spanking lengthen the stride and kicking shortens it. This is a great thing to remember! When a kick was applied you could feel the rib cage and shoulders elevate…not the result we wanted for this exercise (but good to know for later).Trying not to steer during the Cruising lesson was tough! We had to remember to only apply a direction cue when he got too close to the rail or tried to stop at the gate. The other time a direction cue was applied was when, for physical development reasons, we needed him to work on his right side (he favors going to the left). Trying to maintain good leg position and a centered seat during this exercise is not easy! Because the horse is not being “guided” and the fact that the rider is just focusing on the horse…while adapting to his direction changes, holding the reins loose, squeezing, clucking and trying to coordinate the “spanker” when needed…it can get a little unbalanced at times. However once the exercise is done for a short period everything begins to gel and get in harmony and it feels comfortable. Roscoe’s breaks are great. He listens to the seat and it is hard to actually complete a One Rein Stop. Still, it is a skill we want him to understand so we’ll be focusing more on that too. Roscoe’s ability to back up on the ground using all four methods as been improving and now, with the new bit, we wanted to see if we could get less fuss about backing under saddle. We’ve practiced on the ground first by simply standing at the stirrup, facing his nose and picking up the reins to a point of contact with his mouth and gently with a 1-2-3-4 rhythm (alternating sides of his mouth) ask him to back up a step. He takes a step and gets a fast release and lots of praise. We have gone as far as eight steps on the ground with almost no fuss. So, time to test the translation of groundwork to respect under saddle…and he did great! He actually tucked his nose a bit, shifted his weight backwards and moved back nicely. Not the perfect back up by any means by it was light, soft and responsive. Lots of praise and love was applied.

We wanted to end the ride part of the training with some big figure 8’s. Roscoe got better about listening to the leg cues and even let it slip that he can “read” a seat cue a little bit.

So, we’ll be exaggerating to teach and then refine the skills. It was a day of more wins than challenges for Roscoe. We quit on a good note, hung out watching Laurie and Argent work and even took a nice slow walk around the park (leading beside) to wrap up the session. NOTE: Roscoe has spots! As the condition of his coat improves we’ve noticed these marking more clearly. Theses are very dark brown in color and are all over his coat. We seen certain bloodlines of Quarter Horses that have this…more research is in order!

A Rescued Horse's Tale (Day 37 B to 38)

DAY 37: Part 2-.6:00pm – A local fire closed our route to the arena. So, it was a round pen session again. Refined what we worked on in the morning and added Yield Hindquarters Stage 2 and some Leading Beside. Flexing was better on Roscoe’s right side today as his left side was “sticky.” The session went well overall. Respect was shown. Leadership and love was given. Not a bad way to end a very hot October day!

DAY 38: We reviewed some of the groundwork exercises that we have been working on after running the horses around a little at the arena in Somerset. Roscoe tired of loping much faster than Argent. We know that his hooves are still uncomfortable for him and we have a plan to meet with a farrier who specializes in recovering horses with poor hoof care next week. We are hopeful that one or two more trims will get him feeling great! We also found a nice snaffle bit with a thin copper/steel mouth piece for $15.00 at the local consignment tack shop. New ones like this run between $45.00-$60.00, so this was a bargain. Roscoe really seems to like this one MUCH better than the others we have. He fussed much less when we cued with it. Our plan changed a little after our session with Stacey Boyd of Royal Legend Stables when we work under saddle. On the ground we are working through the Fundamental level ground work exercises and getting them to at least a B. We have exercises 1-5 pretty good. We’ve introduced Yielding the Forequarters but need more practice on this as it is one of the toughest exercises to learn. Leading beside is MUCH better and the four backing up methods are coming along nicely. Flexing is sticky at times (not always but after 3-4 flexes he gets sticky) and we have to bump his nose now and then. Under saddle the entire focus is getting a gas pedal, a break and steering. That is it. One Rein stops, Cruising Lesson and Follow the Fence. We know that once these are really good everything else will flow. Lots of  “Squeeze, Cluck and Spank” in Roscoe’s world today and for the rest of the week. The bit issue is almost a non-issue at this point so that challenge is well on its way to being gone. It is frustrating to “feel” he knows more but does not want to give up the union card so we are doing it the long way…from square one. We will be going back to the round pen periodically as well. Looking forward to tomorrow’s training session.

A Rescued Horse's Tale: Day 32-37

DAY 32: Roscoe’s public debut! We attended the September Nor Cal Downunder Brumbies practice in Wilton, CA. Roscoe worked on his round pen skills and fundamental groundwork, got desensitized top new places and other horses and even made a new friend. He helped a “new to horses” person try some of the groundwork exercises we practice. He seemed calm and relaxed, even when another horse came loping by. Sadly because of time we did not get to work under saddle at the practice but we did get in some work with the bit. He was much better and we were able to get him to take the bit three times, flex and back up in about 15 minutes. It was a good place to end the session and head home. He got lots of attention and rubs form folks. In short he did well as we hoped and better than we expected.

. Hard to believe we hit the 30 day mark so soon!

He seems to be gaining healthy weight and his energy levels are going up. His coat is looking good and we are seeing some good hoof growth. It is a process and an exercise in patience to be sure.

Day 33: We did an experiment Today.

A) We double checked with the vet that Roscoe could trot/lope for short periods without hurting him. His feet are still now 100% but MUCH better than they were just 30 days ago. Also he is putting on muscle (from the exercise) so carrying Michael for short periods is also okay. The lighter the rider the longer the ride.
B) We got in the round pen and "reviewed with alacrity and energy" the round penning exercises, backing and flexing for 20 minutes. Got some deep breathing and sweat happening on the boy. Good times.
C) Laurie saddled up and basically rode Roscoe through the exercises with Michael being the "spank/pressure" in the squeeze, cluck, spank formula for 15 minutes. Many direction changes and transitions of gait (walk/trot).

RESULT- He did perform better. Going to the right (clockwise) his turn and responsiveness was still not pretty but better. The "loose rein" was a big help too. He did transition into the trot smoother. So...we have a plan to help fix this as well. Our friend Stacey Boyd (owner/trainer -Royal Legends Stable) is going to give Mr. Roscoe the “once over” later this just to see if we missed anything. What we figure is that during his time of "neglect" he was not being used much at all or ridden poorly. We know so very little about his history. At the rescue they "sort of do the Method" but from what we saw they simply saddle up and ride until there is an issue. He reportedly got 8-10 rides on him in the arena and on the trail while there.. He did seem to need "active cues" during our “test drive”. So this "condition" may have been there prior to our adoption and it resurfaced now that he is feeling more secure. It's a process.

            As for the bit issues is is REALLY getting better. It now takes seconds compared to minutes to get him to calmly take the bit in his mouth. We have been doing short sessions of put it on, take it off several times and then he gets to have a snack.

DAY 34:  We loaded up the horses this evening and headed over to Royal Legends to hang out with our friend Stacey Boyd. She looked over the boy and highlighted some of the conformation/muscle development points we noted at the rescue. She turned us on to a farrier who she thinks can really help Roscoe recover his hoof shape/health too. We’re going to try him out next week. Stacey wanted to ride Roscoe cold (without ground work) to see what his reactions would be. After a 30 minute ride which combined arena work and a mini trail ride we all agreed on the level of Roscoe’s “training” under saddle. Sadly, the Animal Rescue was way off in their assessment of his skills. He is "green" so it works out well since the Fundamentals level kit is also green. He has some basic skills but he is not refined. He did seem to enjoy is mini-trail ride with Stacey so as soon as we are "sure" he knows his Fundamental skills we'll be getting more trail miles under his hooves. He even gave a bareback “pony ride” to Stacey’s two boys (ages 6 and 4 respectively) and was a rock star. Oh, he took the bit well too. Stacey has a bit that he really seemed to like so we’re off the to the local tack consignment shop to get one. Tomorrow we go back to square one and start working him through the program. The goal is to create a safe, sane horse for a "weekend warrior" to putt-putt down the trail and dink around the arena with. He was nick-named “Prince Charming” after the pony rides. We have found his calling!

DAY 35 -36: Round pen day! Michael was on the road for work so Laurie did his training session today. More fundamental round pen exercises with a focus on developing that gas pedal and steering. He was much smoother and seemed to enjoy the experience. He locked on very well and moved with energy. As it broke 100 degrees today the workout was only 30-45 minutes. May wins were achieved. A day off occurred as it was hot and everyone needed a break.

DAY 37: 9:00am – Round pen session with Michael and Roscoe. Lots of wins happened. It actually seemed like Roscoe missed Michael. Lots of direction changes at the trot and lope and getting two eye/locking on happened smoothly with little effort. We can tell that there is still some minor discomfort with Roscoe’s hooves but nothing like Day 1. Supplements and trimming will help greatly with this. His coat looks great. He actually has spots of dark brown/almost black on him. Very cool. The feeling we get that his belly is full therefore his mind is focused. He seems to be getting into the workouts more and more. We are very sensitive to rewarding the slightest try and it seems to be work as he keeps trying to give us a better effort each session. Later we’ll head over to the local arena for another training session and saddle work.

NOTE: The pictures below were take on Day 1, Day 17 and Day 30. Seems we are on the right "trail!"