Starting over!!!

Well since I decided to start from the beginning again things have been going really well and Kizzy really enjoys it. I have been doing a lot of rope work especially around her belly and hind end. I want her to get used to all these sensations so that when I do put the saddle on again and the breast plate it will be no big deal. I have been making her move away from pressure and she is doing wonderful I also have continued to work on voice commands which she seems to understand better now. I am really working on trust with her so she completely trusts me, and she is really becoming a lot less worried when I move all over around her... I am also working on standing by her on a bucket so that I am a bit taller and rubbing her all over then when she is first mounted she will be used to somebody being there. I figure I am in no rush and I am enjoying all the work I do with her.. She follows me around the pasture now and loves to be scratched...So Sweet!!!

It has been busy!!!

It seems like we have been running everywhere so I haven't had as much time as I wanted to work with Kizzy. Once the refi on our house goes through it will be back to more normal activities. I decided since Kizzy has been a bit fearful of the saddle I moved to quickly without enough prep work. So we are back to square one with the saddle. This is fine since I am in no hurry and I am having a blast. Leslie helped me with a few ideas on how to get her comfortable with the saddle and girth so she will be happy and comfortable once we get it on again.

Sometimes I feel I move more quickly with her because she is easy going and doesn't really react to things which is great. The only problem with that is I don't realize she has an issue with something until after she already has one. I just carry on with things then she reacts to something and I realize I did not prepare her for what I was doing and she has never had it done before. I just expect her to be good about everything and forget sometimes that she is so young with so little experience it just takes getting used to. She is such a joy to work with and I am hoping to do some really fun things with her in the next few months. I have a bunch of fun training activities planned....

Saddle is a success!!!

Well we have been working on putting the bridle on and getting her used to the bit and she has been doing very well. After the surcingle slipped I was a little hesitant about using it again. It has no elastic and it is hard to get it tight with give. I decided to just use the saddle instead. We worked on getting it on and off and moving it around but I didn't try the girth again for a while. On Friday I decided to give it a go and after a few bucks she was good and lunging like a champ. I did the same thing on Sunday and although she moved a bit more because she new what was coming she still did very good. I try to alternate days so she doesn't think we are going to be doing something she is not fond of everyday. So now we continue working on getting her used to all the normal tack (saddle, bridle, boots etc) then slowly introduce the breast plate, stirrups etc... I am taking it slow because I want this to be a positive experience and I want her to become a horse that nothing really phases.

Back to work!

Well I just got back from a family vacation with my mom and my son Gage. We went to my cousins high school graduation and visited a bunch of family while we were there. It was so nice to see Gage playing with his cousins. We had a busy time but it was a blast. I do really miss home...

Kizzy got a week off so now it is time to buckle down again. I am really working on getting her used to all the equipment and lunging while she is tacked up. Today we worked on boots and her bridle. I had been working on just putting a rope in her mouth to get her used to the feeling of something in her mouth. Today I put a light bridle on with a rubber loose ring bit. She was chewing on it and moving it around but she was taking to it nicely. When I first put her boots on she did a bit of high stepping but soon got used to them. She lunged great today and listened really well. I am basically going to keep putting her bridle on and the boots until she gets used to them then introduce the surcingle again. I don't want to introduce to much at once. She seems to take things in stride and even if she gets a bit nervous she is nice and quiet about it. I think she will come along nicely...

We Made It!!!

We just got in last night from our schooling show. We went there to get Kizzy used to the whole show experience it was a blast although she was not to impressed by the stall. She would rear in place and buck all in a little stall I think she felt a little trapped. She settled in though and when I took her out to lunge and walk around she was great. She was on her toes but she did nothing to huge and just took everything in.

She even loaded and unloaded from the trailer great. I thought when she got there she would be a little worried about getting in again to go home but she walked right in an stood...What a trooper!!

My friend Sam also brought her young mare Las Vegas Showgirl to get used to everything and she did great. She is a beautiful chestnut with a great personality. I think Sam will have lots of fun. Betsy and Bugz did very well at Novice level. They are going to work on ditches but all and all had a great day. Bugz is such a nice horse and a real sweetie to be around.

Maddie did awesome on Wally with not one run out and there jumping was awesome. Wally was a perfect neighbor for Kizzy because he is so quiet and sweet in the stall. All and all everybody had a great show and it was fun hanging out with friends and talking to other horse crazy people. Kizzy and I have a lot of work to do but it will be a bunch of fun.

I just had to write!

Kizzy's new nick name is the Kiz Cow because she loves to eat so I had to add this picture of her laying in her hay while eating it. You have to love that!!

Fun Filled Weekend!

Well we had a bunch of fun this weekend. I thought I would be working the whole weekend on getting her to load and unload from the trailer. Well I walked her up to the trailer and in she went so I made her back up to get used to that and then go forward again. She rocked and never once was worried about getting in or out. We worked on walk, trot and whoa without any problem and she just does her thing weather she is scared of something or not. We walked by a few monsters on the road and she just takes it all in and moves on, I love this horse.

Today I decided to try to put a lunging surcingle on to get her used to something around her girth area. I had gotten her used to the pad and surcingle but was going to walk her around a bit with it tightened a little. Well I tightened it a little and she was walking around like a pro until it slipped back and really tightened. She looked like a Lipizzaner with all her feet off the ground, boy can she jump (she is so athletic). It was my mistake by putting it to loose so it could move to much but she did her leaps above the ground then just stopped and let me pull it forward. I held onto it so it wouldn't move again then walked her around so it would end on a positive note and she just went about her business. She is going to be so fun!!!

I also pulled her mane so she looks a bit more ready to go!!