@monchele: Eureka moments are the best. Like when for the whole lesson you've been trying to get somebit right, and when it finally clicks. I totally understand the feeling.
*drools Cody * Not his best angle probably, but still so droolable...
That price tag probably has the not-so-common breed extra in it as well. XD
I have those Roeckl summer gloves. Well, the same type, but not in those colors. They are to die for in summer I tell you. I had similar made pair from different brand(Jacson), but they broke so I had to get Roeckl's as I didn't find the other ones anywhere(sucks, as the others I had gotten for 5-10 euros I think). I'm not sure how durable the Roeckl's are, but the pair I had before only lasted 3 summers I think...
4 pairs of socks and still cold toes?! Wool socks? Though I feel you, as soon as I stop moving around my toes slowly start to freeze. Same with riding, unless I keep myself working as well, I freeze. >_<
@Dolphin: lol Lately lot of MIA people have been popping back in.
I have no idea what WEF is, but it sounds Amazing! Congrats girl, you've been doing really well it seems.
@Sin: Could you ask your instructor for different kind of horse? I know we didn't have much luck in choosing our horses for lessons(until the 3rd year, when we got to choose the horses from set list) and rarely got to ride the same horse twice in row(or if some one did it was either a horse the rider disliked or no one else liked XD). But you could really use a calmer horse for jumping, so I think the instructor might understand...
Men who ride, appealing? YES. Well, to certain point. Would I want one? Most definetly, as then he wouldn't complain about the time I spend with my horses. XD
I love that show jacket. <3 Gray isn't really my color, but the cut of the jacket looks sooooo nice.
lol Icelandics have bad habbit of getting people hooked. ;D No new pics of Tý I'm afraid, and there won't be any until I go see him sometime. :c I had camera with me when we dropped him off, but it was such a hassle for while I kinda didn't have a good chance to take it out. I really wish I had taken pics though... But two of the owners had cameras out. ;D So I might get some pics from them at some point. I know at least one of them takes amazing pictures, so keeping my fingers crossed I might see some of the takes from Sunday. I might get some pics/video of Heta tomorrow...
@SassieC: Wibeke has a point there... There have been quite few suggestions, haven't they worked at all?
My main issue is when giving behavior/training advise, I can't see how's the horse really like like, like are they actually just messing with the people or is there a deeper issue. >_< Because of his past, you'd think he dislikes the bit. But yet he's okay to ride with it, so I doubt that's it in the end. I'd maybe rule out pain as well based on that, BUT not so much I wouldn't have his teeth re-checked if they haven't been in 6 months(some horses need more frenquent checks than others, even 4 months is not unheard).
How's he to put halter/bitless bridle on? Also have you ridden him without bit how long(like from day one you started riding him, or did you work with the bit before) and since when have you been trying to get the bit in his mouth? And does he let you touch everything else but the corners of his mouth on his head(nose, lower and upper lip mostly)?
How about forget the bit for now and focus on getting his mouth open. As that seems to be the main issue, not the bit itself. Like don't even bring the bridle in with you. Instead of food, could scratches work as a reward? Like when he allows you touch his mouth, or near it depending how bad he is, scratch him. This probably isn't a quick fix thing with him, so that patience you talked about is needed.
Also do this in a stall, not in a round pen. Round pen is good for other ground work stuff, but in this case I think it gives him too much room to run off, which is a win for him. Or if you do, then you need to have halter on him and a lead rope, to stop him from running off. And even in a stall I'd have at least reins on his neck so that you have some control over him.
When you start getting the bit in more easier, don't go riding right away, incase he has learnt to connect the bit to hard work. You have to make the bit more nice to him. Like put it in, let it be a little while, take it out. Or if he actually does mind the bit while riding, then put the bitless bridle on top of the regular bridle(take the noseband off, if you have one) and ride with the bitless.
The ultimate cheat on horses that pull their head high up or are naturally too tall for some to put bridle on easily, is for you stand on a chair. Not kidding. Of course inside a stall it might be little hard if there's lots of bedding, but on crossties it works.
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Apparently Heta is little slow in everything. XD Today when I took her out(she'd been left inside, as no paddock for her) and took her to the arena she suddenly realised there was no Tý around.
Oh the loudness... Then I let her loose on the arena to let out some steam if she wished. Well, at first she just wandered around, nibbled some things on the arena, couple times I thought she may have gone down for roll, but didn't. She did neigh few times too, I assume calling Tý. Then out of no where, from stand still she threw a good 4 legs up in the air buck and off she was cantering around. XD Then occasionally she'd stop, call out again, then repeat. I think she did try and chat with the young geldings in the paddock next to the arena, since two of them came to the fence. This running-bucking fit thing lasted for while, with little trot in the mix(she tried to do little floaty trot, but it was quite far from it...), until she somehow calmed down and came to the gate, where I was watching. She wasn't totally calm, but I though it would be nice if she didn't run herself tired, I mean she did spend 3 hours at least in a trailer yesterday and has been off for while. But then again, she really didn't seem like she was hurting anywhere. XD Walk back was kinda funny as her head was all high, as she was still little high strung, which is so not Heta. Usual Heta has head lower than her back, usually so that her nose is about same level as my hand. So suddenly my horse 'grew' tall. I did have to do some ground manner checks(stop, back up, continue) on the way back as she was rushing. Then on the yard I talked to R about Heta, checked her udders too. Poor thing has them packed with milk(they haven't been like it since summer, as they shrunk in fall already)... Now we have to hope she won't get any inflammations or other nasty things there, before she stops making milk. I might milk her, if things get too tight and sore. Or then we put her with the fillies and see if Heta will let them nurse. XD
Anyway, we decided to see if she'd settle with the two mares left outside in the back herd. The two mares with fillies that usually rule that herd, were still inside as one of the mares and the other filly, decided that they do not want to stay inside the fences. : P Plus R and L are planning to start weaning them soon. So there was only older mare and 4 year old. Both not very agressive or looking for fight. Heta went in pretty well, no running or neighing like on the arena. Headed straight to the bale. XD The older mare stepped aside and the younger kinda took Heta as her new mom, and Heta kinda treated her like a foal more or less. Like the 4 year old could sniff and nibble Heta and she'd just give her little pinned ears or walk away if the youngster got too nosy. I think the youngster may have bossed Heta around a little, but there was no fights. And in the end when I went to get Heta back inside all 3 were sharing the bale. So that went good, but we didn't want to risk it by leaving them totally by themselves. As R had to leave to take her daughter to dance lesson and I think L was going as well, and then of course I couldn't stay there all night either. So it was best to take Heta in when I left.
Oh, and Tý's doing fine in the new place.
Apparently the boys calmed down in the evening and Tý hasn't been really missing mom at all.
by Rebel Love Song » Mon Jan 27, 2014 4:26 pm 
Or a herd of them for that matter! No chance you could link some more pictures of Tyvar and/or Heta? ^_^ Feeling the Icey Love
