Building blocks

The last several days I have been mounting Cece from the tire and allowing her to walk off a few steps. She has also been led around several times with me on her back. She is improving daily! Although repeating exercises seems boring, I think that it is important, especially with a gloriously sensitive horse like Cece.  Such horses make the most responsive riding partners and can be such a joy to work with!

Snapshots of the day

Who wants to come to my house and groom?!

Cece loves the water(and the mud)!

Mounted Photos Finally!

Cece is licking her lips after considering my being on her- a submissive gesture.

Cece, calmly posing.

 

Yesterday and today were just gorgeous and way too nice to be inside, stuck on the computer. Cece and I have been working hard though! She is becoming more comfortable with me being on her back  and I am able to move around on her and rub my legs lightly along the sides of her barrel. She understands the bridle much better and is giving to pressure well. Yesterday she was stopping for me every time that I asked her to and even backed a couple of steps for me! Today was the first time that I mounted fully into the saddle (up until this point I have always mounted her from the tire, bareback) and was just awesome for it! She likes the security of someone on the ground (horse or human) nearby, but she is growing more confident daily!

Mounted!!

Fantastic day! I full on sat on Cece today. She stood quietly while I mounted and dismounted her (on a completely slack lead rope that I held). Then we went for our first walk off the property! She was absolutely wonderful and relaxed; a trail horse in the making for sure!

Pics as promised!

Sisters! Cece with Riah peeking from behind.

Note the tiny chestnut dot in Cece's blaze.

Still dragging the milk jugs around.

Wow Windy Day!

The gusts of wind yesterday were truly incredible, but what a good girl Cece was! I stood on the tire and worked with desensitizing her some more and practice swinging my leg up as if to mount. I am almost ready to fully sit in the saddle! After this lesson, I tacked her up in the western saddle again with the milk jug bag attached and she spent a good hour following my mom and Belle around at a walk and trot. This was nice- two horses were being conditioned with just one rider!

Intro to the bridle, loaded saddle bag.

Two great lessons between yesterday and today. We have been continuing all basic handling manners (handling feet, ears, leading at the respectful distance, ect) daily. Yesterday, after playing around with her back and laying across it a few times, I placed the western saddle on her and attached an old grain bag full of milk jugs to it. Every time she took a step the bag moved and made all kinds of strange noises. At first, she thought that it would be best not to move at all! I did have her trotting on the lunge line and then turned her loose in the large paddock to play with the others. Riah thought that playing with the bag was great fun and was helpful in making sure that it made LOTS of noise for Cece! Late I took the baggy whip out and had them all trotting and cantering around. Cece seemed to completely forget that she was wearing the silly thing.
Today I introduced Cece to the bridle. We practiced bending and giving to pressure. She is picking up on what I want her to do rather quickly! She is much more comfortable with me rubbing her face and forelock, but still doesn't care for her ears being played with too much. Pretty typical for a young horse. We will continue to work on it. I also laid across her back several times and swung my leg up to her hindquarters multiple times. This didn't seem to phase her. Actually today I was very happy with how relaxed she was and quiet while I tried to push her typical buttons to no avail! It was VERY windy and she was excellent! Definite progress! 

Cece forgot that she was even wearing the silly bag;

my parents new horse trailer was far more intriguing!

 

Can't wait to ride this girl!

Cece and Belle

Cece has a sweetness about her.

 

Today I spent more time on the tire and bucket with Cece. At the time, she was blanketed. This brought a new dynamic to my desensitizing her back- it was noisy every time I touched her back or leaned on her. It took just a couple of minutes to realize that this was an ok thing! The big accomplishment though is how much more comfortable she is with me rubbing her face and ears, even when I am above her on the tire. Big steps made here!!This pic was taken a few days ago. Lord willing we will have a new horse trailer tomorrow. I am looking forward to loading practice for both girls and going on a few trips!!

  Yesterday afternoon we finally had a break from the soggy weather and although the ground was well soaked, it was nice to stay relatively dry!! After our grooming session I played with the saddle around and on Cece. If she side stepped or walked forward I would immediately send her forward for two laps around me at a working trot or canter (on the lunge line). It is a hard lesson to learn, but she is starting to realize that standing still is a whole lot easier than moving her feet! After working with her I left the training saddle on her for a couple hours while she ate piles of hay around the paddock.
  Today was a short session as my mom and I traveled a couple hours to see a horse trailer. When we got home I placed a bucket 3 or 4 feet next to the tractor tire (a "gift" my husband dragged up from the back of our property!!!) and had her weave in between them while I hopped/ stepped back and forth between them. I would play with her back and lean across her while I did this. She is coming along nicely! I know that I need to get some more pics taken so stay tuned! In the meantime, I will continue to show of her family. Below are photos taken this year of her half sister (Malisse of PLF, "Riah") who is the same age as Cece. The middle photo was taken 3 days ago, after Riah complained that Cece was getting ALL the attention! We went on a scavenger hunt for a taste of new spring grass in the yard.

Riah, just started under saddle

Riah and I looking for new sprouts!

Rick and Riah last Fall

Soggy day!

Silver Classified Stallion Amstrat, Cece's Sire

 

Despite the poor weather, during a break in the rain, I did manage to clean Cece up and threw the saddle on her. I practiced swinging up and down on both sides and laying across her back. I am starting to do this a little sloppier than before as I want her to stand quietly no matter what is going on around and on her back.  I will be doing this exercise every chance that I get as I want her to feel as though the saddle is just an extension of her back. Cece is a fairly sensitive mare, without being high strung - a trait that is desired in many equestrian disciplines that require precision and finesse. This also means that she will respond to light contact, and will also be very careful were she puts her feet (think jumper, good jumpers are very careful NOT to knock down poles; trail horse, everyone wants a horse that will be calculated and surefooted). She really seems to enjoy the walks that we take as we expand our "known territory."

Cotton Candy, Cece's mom with her '06 foal

More of yesterday's fun!

Cece has nice, soft eyes.

Lunge practice.

Shari and Edmund

Belle (honorary Haflinger) and my mom.

Note the lead rope on the ground.

 

Almost mounted!

Yesterday was so nice that I didn't take the time to come inside to update the blog! Cece and I had a couple of wonderful sessions! She has been lunging well, taking trail walks around our property and I she is becoming increasingly relaxed when I am laying across her back. We have continued to pick up her feet and play with her head area. Everything is done on a loose lead rope so that she may leave if she wants to.

A day of ups and downs......

Cece just a couple of months old!

 

 

 

Well, today was a bit discouraging- and it wasn't even Cece's fault! We were having a great and relaxing grooming session when I reached over and touched her nose and shocked her with static electricity. She startled and snorted at me and I felt terrible, but I continued to brush her out. Well a couple of minutes later I touched her nose again and the same thing happened again! This time she jumped and it took some time to get her relaxed again. After the third time I shocked her, I decided that this was no coincidence and decided to tie her up and change out of my fleece sweatshirt and switch her halter to something not padded, but as I tied her, I shocked her twice more. At this point she was quite unhappy about me being anywhere near her face.
After I removed the static causers, I went back to grooming her and tacked her up. However, she wouldn't let me approach her head or reach out and pet her nose. To fully understand this, you must know that Cece in particular gains confidence when you touch her nose. When she is nervous or unsure she reaches out and offers her nose to me and the moment that I touch it, she relaxes. Reaching out and nosing me is also how she displays affection. So having betrayed her trust this way, I lost a fantastic tool for her security.
Despite this setback,  she lunged beautifully for me and I tightened the girth up all the way for her saddle. I desensitized her back area and even put my full weight in the stirrup on both sides! If it weren't for her expecting me to shock her the whole time, today probably would have been the day that I practiced fully mounting and dismounting. She is such a quick learner and very willing to please. My original plan for tomorrow was to do some line driving and practice mounting and dismounting. I'll have to read how she is feeling tomorrow and I need to back track and re-earn her trust again (amongst apologizing up and down to her). :( I refuse to rush her and will wait until she tells me that she is ready to move on. An elephant never forgets. Enjoy her foal pic!

Today was a day off for both Cece and I. She got to spend the day with the other two mares and very much enjoyed taking in the warm sunshine that we were blessed with!

A little sister time!

Hmmm.. I think that I should have tacked her up BEFORE playtime!

 

Cece had another great morning session. After grooming time, we did some more desensitizing to things on and around her back and practiced lunging over the tarp. I thought that I would let her have an hour with the other two mares before I got the saddle out. A few minutes after I let her into the larger paddock she marched over to the ONLY muddy (and I mean muddy/pond like) area and dropped down smack in the middle for a good roll. She proceed to get up, reposition and get back down for more 3 more times. It was positively painful to watch! All I could think was how long it was going to take to get her clean enough to tack her up! Grrr... actually I am sitting her now contemplating whether or not I want to rethink my plans for todays session. Better procrastinating  and get out there!!

Kisses! Cece and Mom (Robin)

 

What progress today! Early this morning for barn chores the weather was lovely, warm and quiet. I looked forward to finally tossing my winter coat in the closet and donning a lightweight jacket for today's horse related ventures. So you can imagine my disappointment when 2 hours later the wind was gusting and I had to dress the part of an eskimo! Despite the weather and my goofy attire, Cece neighed a greeting to me as I made my way toward her paddock. She was again leery of my immediate approach but as soon as I touched her neck she relaxed and leaned into my hand.

After a short grooming session we worked on moving away from pressure and turning on her hind quarters and forequarters. She also allowed me to pick up her front feet and play around with her hind feet. All on a loose lead rope without any pressure or force! I want her to choose to stand quietly and not have to rely on her being tied to groom her or in the future tack her up. When she does move, I move with her. She has been learning from the get go that standing still is easier than having to move and work harder for the same result.

I loosely wrapped a lead rope around and in between her legs, around her hindquarters and belly. This was all rather boring and uneventful. She now walks more confidently over the tarp (even as it is blowing around her legs in the wind!).

Our second session for the day was all the more exciting! First of all, she approached me at the gate!!!  I pulled out an old saddle blanket and rubbed her all over with it. I slowly slid it on her back and asked her to move forward so that she could feel it on her back. No reaction. I spent some time taking it off and putting it back on- clumsily, slowly, quickly, slid on, thrown on, all wrinkled up, unfolded, unevenly, ect. Before long she stood like a rock and completely ignored my saddle pad antics. Victory again!

Next came the saddle. For this I expected some excitement. I let her nose it for a minute on the ground. I picked it up and used a corner of it to curry her and rub her down with, started at the shoulder and working my way back. She sniffed it and only took one mini side step away during the whole affair (again, she has the ability to leave it, the lead rope is slack). At this point she is a little distracted by commotion in the other paddock. I slide the saddle up onto her withers and place it on her back, wiggling it into place so she knows it is there. She eyes it and returns her attention to the other horses.

Hmmm... I guess I'll go ahead and loosely girth her up today after all..... She looks at me briefly as if to say "I do see what you are doing!" and returns her attention elsewhere. This of course isn't good enough for me. I bring her attention back to my saddle and I. We go through her paces- turn on the hinds, fore, back, move forward. All with the saddle. We go for a walk in the other paddock since the other horses are contained. I give her the full length of the lead and encourage plenty of motion and movement. She is aware of the saddle and a bit puzzled by the oddity of it, but isn't all that concerned! Woohoo!

 Far more than I planned for the day. My mom holds her so that I can capture proof of our exploits on camera and we call it a day. She gets to hang out with my mom's National Show Horse,  Belle, for 20mins while I finish barn chores. Introductions were anticlimactic; when turned loose together both mares walked to the same pile of hay and started munching head to head!! Wow, pretty and easy to get along with!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High expectations! First full session with Cece!

She LOVED today's grooming session!

Cece- shortly after she stepped off the trailer.

 

Cece has settled in quite a bit already. Early this morning (6am!), I ran out and pulled her blanket off and threw some hay before heading down the road to clean stalls. She is still a little leery of me approaching her right side, so of course I made a point to do it frequently throughout the morning!!
This afternoon we had our first lunge lesson- she picked up on this faster than most youngsters that I have worked with. I like short lunge lessons (I prefer a round pen), so after we had forward motion both directions and "whoa" down, we took a walk around all our paddocks and front pastures. We walked over ditches, in and out of run in sheds, over ground poles and played a little with the tarp and baggy whip. She was very willing to try and after succeeding once at something new she acts like she has done it her whole life! A thinking horse... what a relief!
I cleaned her up and took the first photo above. She is a very modern in type, refined and a lighter boned Haflinger. In comparison to her half sister, she has a longer shoulder and just a little more knee action. Lower in the pecking order, she is more confident when she can see our other horses. Spending some time in an individual paddock (within sight of the others) is already proving to be beneficial and she is seeking me out for companionship and realizing that she can stand on her own 4 feet! 
  I have high expectations for this little horse. My mom has already stated that if she didn't already own the "horse of her dreams," this mare would be what she was looking for. Pretty impressive considering she has only been here 1 1/2 days! Jumper, eventer, endurance anyone? Tomorrow I am going to measure her height and continue to build on today's lesson.

1st Day with Christmas Candy!

Today Christmas Candy, a 2009 Registered Haflinger mare arrived here on the farm. We will be preparing her this spring for her career as a riding horse! Her name is a mouthful to say, so my first goal was to come up with a barn name for her. My mother mentioned Cece and I think that it fits this modern type, stylish and athletic girl! I like her already. The temperature is dropping  tonight and miss Cece doesn't have much winter coat left. The problem is, she has never worn a blanket and hasn't had much handling at all!  My mom and I headed out expecting a fight, but Cece impressed us both with her willingness and level headedness. With just a few minutes of rubbing her with a saddle pad my mom was able to place it on and off her back and shortly after I had the blanket on her and was leading her around with it strapped down snug. We were careful to wait until she told us she was ready for it. Reading your horse is so very important in training; pushing her to accommodate my schedule would only create an unsafe mount rather than a happy and willing riding partner!  I'll post pictures tomorrow. Follow along to see her progress!