I've been showing pictures of this beauty since she was born and I have been anxiously waiting for the day I could hop on her back. It was a surprise to me that it happened so early! I got a call on Wednesday that the trainer is taking her on Monday. She's a little under 2 years old so I was expecting to still have at least 2 or 3 months to work with her before actually getting on her, but since she's so big he wants to do it now. We want her done so my sister can take her to 4H this summer and a few other summer shows.
Well anyway, there was a lot of work that I would have liked to have done with her, but I had to skip some of the ground basics like moving from side pressure since I had such short notice. I've worked with her in the round pen several times with a bit and saddle on, and I've put bareback saddles on her since the first week of her life. She halters well, and loads pretty darn good, ties, stands, picks up her feet, walks through anything you ask her to, including creeks. She's a really good all around horse and she's pretty level headed for being so young.
When I was down there on Wednesday morning she stood perfectly still when I saddled and bridled her. She even did a VERY good job of keeping her cool when the stirrup fell off the saddle and hit her in the side. She just jumped and stood there waiting for me to do something. I train by giving lots of praise, and I'm almost positive that's what she was waiting for. She was better saddling and bridling than her own mother!!!
I did some round pen work and hopped on! She took off kind of fast, but when I asked her to whoa she threw her head up a couple times and stopped right away. She was really awesome. She didn't give me any troubles other than she thought she couldn't walk with all the weight on her how rude.
Anyway, here's a few pictures. And yes my farm coat is from the early 90s
Here's an old picture of her if you need a reminder, Tora at a week old
And here's the very much anticipated video I'm sure
It may be a little less exciting than you were expecting, unless you were hoping I would live
Well anyway, there was a lot of work that I would have liked to have done with her, but I had to skip some of the ground basics like moving from side pressure since I had such short notice. I've worked with her in the round pen several times with a bit and saddle on, and I've put bareback saddles on her since the first week of her life. She halters well, and loads pretty darn good, ties, stands, picks up her feet, walks through anything you ask her to, including creeks. She's a really good all around horse and she's pretty level headed for being so young.
When I was down there on Wednesday morning she stood perfectly still when I saddled and bridled her. She even did a VERY good job of keeping her cool when the stirrup fell off the saddle and hit her in the side. She just jumped and stood there waiting for me to do something. I train by giving lots of praise, and I'm almost positive that's what she was waiting for. She was better saddling and bridling than her own mother!!!
I did some round pen work and hopped on! She took off kind of fast, but when I asked her to whoa she threw her head up a couple times and stopped right away. She was really awesome. She didn't give me any troubles other than she thought she couldn't walk with all the weight on her how rude.
Anyway, here's a few pictures. And yes my farm coat is from the early 90s
Here's an old picture of her if you need a reminder, Tora at a week old
And here's the very much anticipated video I'm sure
It may be a little less exciting than you were expecting, unless you were hoping I would live
