{ - Western Riders United - } Open! CONTEST!

[cobalt.]

My Cowboy hates water too.
He hates bathes and he shies away from the spray bottle.
So I have to stand a couple steps away and spray it into a cloth then rub it on him and repeat.
As for baths he doesn't stand still and will purposefully move to the opposite side against the fence {I tie him to a post on a gate by the barn.} He also refuses to walk through puddles on a trail going way around it in the high grass and thorns. -.-

Romeo on the other hand stands still, even when the lead rope gets untied {because of my lack of skill for tying safety knots}.
He doesn't mind being sprayed and he isn't head shy, so I can touch his ears and face as much as I want, unlike Cowboy.
Cowboy will jerk his head back if you make any sudden movements around his face.

Crypt; maybe she's just afraid of it being deeper, like Hunter said.
She could just be scared of actually stepping into the water.
Maybe try to lead her through small puddles and gradually work up to the lake.
c:

[xChry.]

Yea i know, thats what ive been doing :3
Shes just.. Shes arabian, so she has natural fear of water, or so much as dont like water cept for drinkin. Its really just been something that needs to be put to the side until I can get hope into a position of which I can take her with too, Because hope is a little fish in water x__x

[☣DeadRabbitHopes☣]

My Quarter Horse/Mustang mix LOVES water. When he drinks, he puts his whole nose under water up to the bottom of his eyes and then swishes his nose around in the water. Sometimes he doesn't even drink xD he just plays around in it!
He's a goof xD

[cobalt.]

Hai guise!
{Sorry for that :/ }

I rode today.
Cowboy was out on a trail went I got to the barn, so I just got Romeo and rode him.
I'm going to work him as well as Cowboy, since my barn doesn't use him much and I'm gonna try to use him at the fair next year.
He didn't want to be caught again today, so I had to follow him around the field until he cornered himself against the barn.
He was an angel to groom and tack and I loaded him with flyspray to keep him from stomping around so much.
Anyways I had to ride him in the round pen outside since the barn was where the guests went to dismount, etc.
I didn't want to get off of Romeo since he doesn't stand still and when I try to get back on he starts walking off.
{At least he wasn't afraid to get close to the gate like Cowboy.}
So I got the gate open and very lightly nudged him with my legs.
Romeo starts walking really fast and he bangs my left leg against the side of the pen before we get inside. -.-
Then I get off and close the gate so it can't open unless I undo the chain.

He started to walk off again but I just shortened the reins and said "Ho. STAND" in a really firm voice.
When I finally started him at what was supposed to be a nice walk, he started trotting really fast.
I got him to walk then I asked him for a trot.
He trotted around really fast a slipped and stumbled, since the grass was kinda wet.
Then I asked him for a canter and he pinned his ears and trotted really fast.
I got a stride before he started trotting again.
Then out of no where he quickly turns to the side and almost throws me just so he can stick his head over the fence
and look into the pasture where his buddies are. -.-

After a while of trotting him around, making him go and trying to canter I tired him out a bit.
I finally got a nice, slow walk out of him and he flexed nicely at his poll.
{Like this}
Which made me feel proud since my trainer just happened to ride by with the rest of the guests including one of the girls who ride with me.c:
I gave him a good pat on the neck and had my Mom open the gate for me.

I left Romeo in his stall so I could get the SWAT, Vaseline and padding for Cowboy since his back still has a small sore.
{About the size of a dime}
And Romie {my nickname for him} starts whinnying and pacing in his stall.
He wouldn't stop until I came back. <3
I untacked him and brushed him down and gave him some hugs {don't tell my trainer c; }.
Then lead him out for a quick wash down on his saddle and girth area before turning him out.
I finally tacked up Cowboy then rode him in the arena.
At first I had him walk then trot a circle around a square bale {which to him means getting close to it at first then trotting over to
the side of the barn -.- }
The girl who rides with me was working with her 2-year-old Arabian filly {bay} with the fly spray, etc.
So I had a small space to work with {her horse would go after Cowboy even when she's so tiny}
Then I set up two barrels and trotted into the ring.
{I got him to go close enough to the barrels that I touched it with my boot and we knocked it over once.}


Then when we were turning left around the right side of the last barrel {we're doing figure 8 pattern around the two barrels working on turning}.
At the last minute he'd just {I don't know what to call it :/} turn the wrong way and almost run into the barrel. -.-
He did this twice before I started to mess around {I picked up the kitten, put her on the back of the saddle and rode around with her in my arms :3}
{{Timeskip}}
I'd washed him and thank GOD he didn't act up that badly, just moved around a little.
And I put SWAT on his sore and scraped the water off then turned him out.
"Don't roll." I told him.
I turn my back for a second then my Mom asks
"Is that Cowboy?"
I turn to see a partially wet Cowboy rolling in the muck. -.-
Luckily the SWAT stayed on and didn't get dirty.
The last thing I need is for his sore to get infected.

To sum it up I need some advice from you awesome people :3
-Exercises for turning (especially for barrels)
-Exercises for staying at the trot and slowing down to a jog.
-How to get him to stop pinning his ears when I ask for a faster pace.
-Showing tips c:

Oh and I got a new pink belt with my name on it.
I'm going with a "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" theme c;
I have pink boots, a pink belt, a pink long sleeved shirt and a pink tank top.

[Actually.A.Herondale]

When I work on turning, I was told to put my hand forward, up, and turn my palm up to the roof, sky, whatever.

[xChry.]

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/5695/080112131301.jpg
I have got my little one laying down on command, and when she wouldnt get up i sat by her close and her lifted her head and put it on my lap. <33 i love her. lol

[Actually.A.Herondale]

cute!

The barn manager found a horse that might be good...me and mom might go up there with someone else who knows more about horses ((manager probably got annoyed with the guy selling the horse) on Saturday. I'm not sure about his colors, age, price, or even if it's a he or she yet though...


Also, my mom's friend wants to go get these two ponies someone is giving away for free. He's not much a horse person, but the ponies were abused and really just need a lot of love and care, and that's what he likes. He loves animals, and rescues them all the time. I don't think he has a job, but he gets unemployment or something....They aren't riding ponies, too small. Just companions. I'm supposed to go with him when he goes to look at them, because he doesn't know much about horses, and see if I can spot any illness or injury or something that might need a lot more looking into...He doesn't want to get them to just find out he has to spend 10,000 dollars on each one for an emergency vet visit.

[xChry.]

My arab...
Shes so silly.
She spooked at a butterfly today. xD
~~
I've been working on laying down with my arab as well, and all she does is panic with the rope around her hoof, but thats how ive trained all my horses to lay. Even after hours of desensitizing she still flips. Ive tried bending her head in too, that dont wok x__x

[☣DeadRabbitHopes☣]

Do any of you guys find jumping in a western saddle(in trail courses, etc) really awkward?
I had to jump a crossrail the other day with my AQH Gatsby, I thought he was going to run out but instead he OVER JUMPED it! It's really hard to go into half-seat with long stirrups and a giant saddle horn in your way so I just flew up into the air, lost my stirrups and grabbed onto said horn.
Thank god Gatsby isn't a horse that gets excited with jumping and bolts off after every jump, so I had time to fix myself before the next obstacle(which he spooked at xD)

He needs a lot of work on trail courses. Regular trails are fine(he likes water, he likes driving me into every tree branch) but he just hates giant mailboxes with yellow raincoats hanging off of them...

[cobalt.]

@ Kibachu:
Jumping in a western saddle is really awkward and uncomfortable! (I guess that's why they're not meant for jumping lol)
Just for fun my trainer had set up a little cross rail jump for me and the other girls and Cowboy just trotted really fast over it or knocked it down. XD

Cowboy just needs to work on the gate, backing and going across the bridge. My trainer was worried that he'd spook at the raincoat.
He spooks when you spray him with fly spray (or any kind of spray) but he's not afraid of a tarp. I could even put it on his head!
Mailboxes he doesn't want to get really close but I don't mind having to bend over to reach it, the distance isn't too bad.

I forgot to mention that the other day when I did the figure 8 I also tried (emphasis on tried) to get him to back up on the L pattern.
I had to go really slowly with him and had to straighten him out a bit but he did me proud. It took quite a while of me having to ask for him to back, giving little tugs of pressure and releasing while saying "Back" so much I couldn't say "back". lol

I'm going to try working him some more on figure 8's but I'm going to try spiraling from big to small then small to big circles.
And I'm going to work on his neck reining. I usually go back to two reins and ask with one rein like normal, wait to see if he responds and if he doesn't I use the other rein and leg pressure to get him to turn.

I'm pretty proud of him. He's come a long way from when I first started.
In fact I think I might've figured out how to keep him from making HUGE turns around the barrel.
When he starts to make a huge turn I tap him with my opposite heel and use two reins to push him back.
It doesn't look pretty (he opens his mouth and pulls against the bit) and pins his ears but at least he gets back where he's supposed to be.
After I did that he seemed to turn better. I don't like doing that since I want him to have a soft mouth but it's his own fault.


My Mom irritates me when it comes to riding. I spent like two or three hours riding with him the other day.
After I'd worked on the L and trotting poles I decided to give him a little break since it was pretty hot and humid outside and he didn't get an opportunity to drink anything. I took his bridle off and led him outside to get a drink (which was kinda funny since he sticks his nostrils halfway underwater then snorts it out when he's done cx ) and I put him in a stall to cool down and my Mom starts annoying me. "Are you done now? Why did you take off his bridle if you're not done yet? Why do you keep going back and forth? Now what are you doing? Hurry up you're annoying the other people here. Why aren't you talking to that girl? She used to be an announcer for the 4-H Horse show. You should've asked her what to expect....''
e.e

Seriously, I know what I'm doing. Horses learn better when you only work with them for 10-15 mins on a new thing. I'm giving him time to think about what we just did. Its 90 degrees out, I'm thirsty he's thirsty leave us alone. I know what I'm going to be doing at the fair. Sorry that I 1.) don't want to talk to strangers and 2.) have to worry about a 1,200lbs animal's well being in the summer heat! He's my responsibility. If I don't pay attention to what I'm doing me, you, them or he cold get hurt. Then guess what? I won't have a horse for the fair! LEAVE. ME. ALONE! e.e

Guess what?
Only 10 DAYS until the fair!! :D

(9 since I'm going there a day early so Cowboy gets used to the hustle and bustle of the fair.
He's been there before but only for clinics when it was just the horses and their riders.)