Outside adventures

Our round pen is on order. So for now Bentley gets turned out in a fenced in area. Not really horse proof, well Bentley proof, so he has to be supervised. Couple days ago was his first outing to that area. He hasn't been out of his stall since getting here. One the breeder hadn't taught him to lead. Two I needed help with the swap.

Since this was going to be his first outing. I was anticipating a lil bit of ....excitement? Yeah..I guess I was. First off when I opened the gate and asked him to come out. He wouldn't step past the opening. I let him take his time. I didn't want to rush him any. After a couple of min he took his first step out. I asked him to walk along with me and he did. Such a good lil boy. I asked for some halt transitions. Which he did without hesitation. Even with tecate walking on the other side of the fence. AND the goats being asses right along side of her. The only real hesitation he had was walking into the pen. We have an oak tree that over hangs right there. It really needs to be trimmed but...we have yet to do that. Right where that one branch over hangs there is a trash can. So visually it looks cramped. Bentley stopped and looked at everything. You could tell he was a bit spooked by it. But he was thinking it over. I dropped a bigger loop into the lead and started to walk through. Like a champ he followed. He had the look of OMG OMG OMG OMG on his face but he trusted me and walked on through. So proud of him.

He ran around for a bit but was mostly interested in the goats. He tried to cut them. It was so damn cute. He's also a easy one to catch. Didn't matter where he was or what he was doing I could walk up to him at any point. He would even follow me if I asked.

I've also started working Tecate near him. From just grooming, picking feet, tacking up and leading. To actually working her on the lunge in front of him. He always watches with serious intensity its too cute. This may not actually help but I think it does. Cant hurt right?

A good few days

We have been working on the heeding the past few days. Bentley is doing real good.

Had a little bump the next day when I went out and messed with him. He wanted to be a bit more pushy with me. Now his pushy isn't bad at all. But still none the less he was trying to push me around. I think it had to do with my other half leading him that morning. He's just trying to be involved, but Bentley can easily get away with things with him. So we re schooled on the heeding. Didn't take long but you could tell just how quick he is on picking things up. Small lil bump but nothing that cant be nipped in the bud. :)

Now jumping to today. He's gotten more comfortable with everyone. But he seems to favor women more. Probably has to do with the fact the breeder was a female. I've decided to take off the catch rope. One it was annoying me it was getting muddy and soaking wet every time he drank. His water was getting nasty and fast. He doesn't really need it anyways. He greets you when you come in. Has no objections to you approaching him. Or clipping the lead back on at any time. He also gives to pressure like a dream so its just......pointless to me. All its doing is tugging on his head and rubbing hair off. So off it goes!!

Worked on more heeding as always. This round though he didn't need a tickle from the whip at all. I got at his shoulder and leaned ever so slightly forward getting ready to step and he went smoothly. It took half the time it did previously for him to sigh and start his licking and chewing. Even with the chickens running around like freaks. He lifted his head and flicked a ear and went back to listening to me. I was a bit sluggish when I switched to the right side though. Been having issues with a muscle between my ribs. So I was a bit distracted. He did want to lean in a bit more going to the right. So we did a couple quarter turn aways and he took a step off and held himself up.

Also today he felt a bit froggy and tried to pull his feet away after picking them up. It wasn't hard to hold them. He wasn't actually trying to walk away just pulling. Two or three tugs and he let me do my thing and waited for me to put them down. I'm sort of glad he's starting to test a bit. Haha I'd get those lil tests out of the way before he gets too big. Now I know they will continue. Hell Tecate still trys once in a while. But with good ground manners starting at a young age. Along with respect for my space and a good bond forming. I'm hoping those tests wont be too drastic come time to start mounting work. Two years from now....*sigh*. Haha

Okie dokies

Alrighty then....I've decided to combine multiple days into one blog. It was just seeming too.....blah for me. So here is an update from the last post.

I've been working on heeding with lil Bentley. I've been worried about doing too much and making things unpleasant for him. So I've been taking major baby steps. Leading was him following me without me having to pull on the rope. Once that was done with no hesitation. I would move to the shoulder and ask him to step forward and I would mirror him. Things were going fine.

Today I was teaching my husband how to heed Tecate. He was doing rather well. His one mistake was his tentativeness with Tecate. He didn't really ask her to go forward into the walk. It was more of a "Walk....forward?..maybe...please...one step...ok we'll stand." Kind of asking. So I demonstrated how you to properly ask then tell. Well while I was watching Tecate be the best teacher ever I had a light bulb moment. Tecate knew what he was asking but acted half asleep and would just arch her body around his. Kind of blocking him from asking. Which in turn Troy was content petting her. That right there reminded me of someone. ME. When I've been asking Bentley to walk forward he was doing what Tecate did. Hellloooooooooooooooo. DUH.

So with my retarded self I went into Bentley's stall with a dressage whip and a new goal. I was nervous I was gonna spook him but I know I needed to be less tentative with him. Guess what. THAT LIL BUGGER HAS BEEN PLAYING ME!! I got at his shoulder leaned a lil forward and asked him for a step. He wen to wrap his lil neck around me. I gently pushed him off and asked again this time touching a lil whip (rubbing the rump). He sighed looked forward and about fell asleep. Tapped a few times and he started to walk. Grrrrrrr. Here I am feeling like a total retard beginner. I was treating him like MY horse...like MY baby. I made it personal again. DAMN IT!! Because I'm such a tard and was kicking myself I stepped it up and asked for halt transitions. HE WAS PERFECT. WEENIE!!!

In conclusion....Don't make training YOUR horse personal. Christ on a cracker I feel like a newbie. *sigh*

Yesterday I was a slacker and didn't do much with Bentley. I actually came home exhausted and fell asleep until feed time. Horrible mom I know.

Today went well. I gave him a good curry right off the bat. Its been so hot they are shedding out again. Of course he thought this was heaven. Picked up all four feed again today. Only hesitation was to catch his balance. Other than that he kept his head low and waited for me to set his feed down. I hope he keeps this up.

We got a bit more serious with the leading today. I started off at his shoulder and mirrored his movements. I'm a bit rusty at it so I was the one who was a bit sluggish. What can I say...Tecate is my other horse and shes a damn near perfect. I can tell I've gotten sloppy. Anyways...Mirroring him was alright until he realized I was. Then all forward movement stopped. He ignored me by "eating" hay that wasn't really there. So I cheated a bit. I know I'm a sinner. I called rosie over to us. (he's cant get enough of her even though shes like WTF ARE YOU?!?!) I used her to get forward from him. Once he was walking I shifted his attention away from her. We did a few rough transitions and we switched sides.

The left side is a hit or miss. It seems to be his off side. But then days like today its not so bad. I worked him a bit with just getting some forward steps. Its funny he gets uncomfortable if you pat him with your hand. But if you touch him with the lead rope he doesn't even flick a ear. I tossed the rope over his neck and dragged it to his back. Nothing not even a flinch. Dragged it back over his back and let the end tap his belly. Same reaction. He noticed it but didn't care.Nor does he mind if I lean on him to scratch his opposite side.

My biggest issue right now is knowing when its..Too much too soon..or too little too late. I don't want that. I guess I should do as Shan says. Just listen. He'll let me know when its too much.

Dos.....

Alright I'm lagging a bit on this post but I was too tired to write one last night.

As always we started out with the grooming. He loves it and I love the bonding time. He's doing really great with it too. I can take the brush over his face and all over his body. I'm really pleased with that. Small I know....but after some of the horses I've come across..You learn value those small details. Nothing like a horse trying to cave in the top your head with her teeth because she doesnt want to be touch there. Thank god for helmets. Haha.

The grooming also gets him very relaxed. Major key there.

With him relaxed I decided to try picking up of the feet. I asked the breeder if she ever messed with his feet. Nope. My thoughts....WONDERFUL!!! All they did was groom him. So I was either going to be kicked, bit, or things would go well. He's got a wonderful temperment and a great disposition. But I cant expect everything to be easy.

Here we were in the center of the stall and I dont have a hold of the lead rope. I went straight from grooming to sliding my hand down his leg and asking him to pick it up. Just like I would my mare. The bugger lifted for me!! So I held it for a second and he tried to pull away but when I held he just settled in. I tapped and rubbed his lil hoof then moved onto the next. He was a damn star. His hind end was easier than his front. Not that it was hard. But I did get more hesitation from him in the front. Such a big lil man. So damn proud of him.

After our lil foot session. We worked on leading again. As soon as I pick up the lead he starts to follow. He still wants to just walk behind me. Which for now is alright. But once his lil cajones start to drop I want his shoulder even with mine. No back massages from lil Bentley thank you. With that in mind after we get some forward motion on a consistant basis I move back to his shoulder. There I dont really ask for any steps. I just mirror his movements. It baffles him and he looks at me like I'm nuts. Which is fine...lord knows I am. But he's getting the idea.

My main focus is keeping everything repatitious and calm. Or as you MM Girls will know...Rhythm and Relaxation. Your basic training tree. Obviously he wont come close to doing some of these until he is old enough to be under saddle. So for the most part rhythm and relaxation. Simple and sweet.

Rhythm

Relaxation

Freedom of Gaits

Contact

Straightness

Balance

Impulsion

Suppleness

"On the Aids"

Collection

A few pictures of the B man.