2007-2010 March 29th

March 29, 2007

I did a quiet, controlled ride with Phoenix today around the yard.  The pastures were still frozen this morning and he hasn't been ridden for 4 weeks, so I thought it best to get him used to the saddle again and work on basics.  We did lots of flexing, backing, transitions from walk to trot and back again, then worked on stopping on "whoa."  He did very good but seized up on me when the landlord started using his Bobcat.  I tried to get his feet moving but will have to try a dressage whip, as I couldn't get much movement out of him.

March 29, 2008

Today was mild and sunny, but the melting snow is still exceptionally slippery.  There was a large group of people at the farm, getting a tour off Elsa, so Phee and I wound up demonstrating a bunch of groundwork exercises in the courtyard; he was great - so quiet and responsive!  After grooming (they're both shedding blankets of hair!) we took Onyx and Phoenix up to Boot Hill and let them "graze" on some of the dead grass - they were in Heaven!  Onyx actually spooked at a bird today - very bizarre behaviour for him.  And I did some more yielding of the forequarters today - think we got our breakthrough!

March 29, 2009

It poured rain most of the day today and I had a final exam to take for my final HR course, so we didn't get out to see the horses (with Ashley) until 5:30.  They were filthy with dried mud and it took us well over an hour to groom them, but we really had nothing better to do so we took our time and chatted with Ashley while doing so.  Phoenix was a big suck today - I truly think he detests getting dirty because he "asked" to be groomed today!

March 29-April 1, 2010

More roundpen in the evening combined with grooming and training on the road when there's time