LOCK ME PLEASE C:

[Verdana]

Most. Amazing. Day. Ever.

Went out to ride the Weasel today (can't get there tomorrow, and the show's on Sunday! Yeep!) and the ride itself as pretty average. He decided that he didn't like the corner between K and A, and leg-yielded out of it whenever we got near it. >.< He was otherwise fine, except when he exploded (not sure what he did. The woman riding in the arena with me described it as 'sort of a buck-rear-hop thing') for no particular reason and then carried on as if nothing had happened. We worked on leg-yields, shoulder-ins and one or two rein-backs, and I did ten minutes without stirrups for my seat.

The wonderful bit came when I untacked and decided to try join-up again. I've done it a few times now, and we haven't been getting very far. He made all the motions, but when I let him back in, he just watched me. He didn't disobey, but he didn't come to me, either. It was quite disheartening.
Today, all of the round rings were full, so I had to use the oval ring. I suspected that it would be a bit of a problem due to the shape, and at first I was right. He didn't get it. He kept running to the long side and trying to change rein. I decided that I'd try for a couple of minutes, and if he got too confused, we'd give it a miss.
But, slowly, he started to get it. First he stopped changing rein. Then he started to cut off the long sides. And all of a sudden, he was making this small circle around me. At first I thought he may have been threatening me, but he wasn't. He knew what I wanted, and he proved it, because right when I had him forming a perfect circle and moving with me and not in front of me, he looked right at me and the dropped his head to the floor.

Of course, I backed off instantly, and dropped the lead-rein I'd been using. He didn't slow down for a while, and I was scared that I had misjudged it. Then he stopped, away from any food. I went up, patted and stroked (he'd gotten distracted) and then walked away. I waited. I tried to give off peaceful vibes.

I heard him coming. And then there he was, smacking his head fondly against my arm.

He followed me every time. It's the first time he's done it, and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

Sorry about the rant, but I don't know anyone else who does join-up and I'm desperate to share the moment with anyone, even if it's just to write it down.

[Bearsy <3]

Oh my gosh yes you guys. :D
A while ago I booked my tickets for the Windsor Horse Show, but at the time none of the timetables were definite or anything, so either I skimmed over it, or they just hadn't added it in, but, on the day I'm going, the Marwari horses will be performing during the day! C:
They've got a load of people from all over the world performing in a Jubilee event for the Queen instead of the usual Royal Tattoo in the evenings, and during the event they'll all be performing during the day, too. Originally I thought that the Marwaris weren't doing it on the Sunday, but they are and omg I'm so happy. I freaking love Marwaris. ;3;

The New South Wales Mounted Police [never before seen in the UK :D], the Royal Cavalry of Oman and Carosello dell' Arma dei Carabinieri will be showing in the Castle Arena throughout the day; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride and the Karabakh Horses from Azerbaijan will be in the BHS Frogmore Arena; and the Chilean Huasos Equestrain Team and Magnificent Dancing Marwaris of India [<3333333] will be in the Copper Horse Arena.
I am so excited to see them all it's unreal! I'll be sure to take a tonne of pictures for you all, don't worry. c: I'm probably going to watch them as much as possible and then just see the classes before/after when I can. I'll definitely make sure to get a good spot before the Marwaris come out, which'll probably mean sitting through the class before, but I don't mind, it's a Side Saddle Concours d'Elegance. :3 Then after them is the Appaloosa classes, which rock, too.
If they're in chronological order, that is. c:

[Hanoverian]

It sounds like you had a great lesson! ;D Mulligan sounds like a lovely horse.

Lucky you, with all the lovelies! Woody, and now Mully. xD

I love my crazies, though. They make life so much more interesting.

Thanks, it really was fantastic. I really enjoy that my trainer has put me on some different horses :3 Now I have options for the horse that I would like to progress on ;D Mulligan is wonderful, he is such a fantastic horse. I am hoping my trainer will maybe let me show on May 19th maybe in the 2' diviosn if we aren't to 2'6" yet. I am hoping to show Meg in Pleasure again too xDD That would be a lot of horses to show, so I would probably have to choose Meg or Mully <3

Haha, I guess I am lucky to have ridden those awesome horses. Yep, Woody, Mully, and Meg <33

You should, because Willow and Kat sound like amazing horses too ;D I always look forward to hearing about your lessons with 'em :3

Oh about the halter you want to buy Kat, that's awesome! I think the cob sized halter should work if his head is bigger for an Arab. I love all the stuff you buy for the horses. Actually, this summer I going to help out at Dover's Tent Sale by bagging items ^^ I am hoping to buy grooming brushes at the tent sale, because it would be so much easier to have my own brushes. Especially when going to out of barn shows since the other two girls I went with brought their own stuff, and I didn't have any brushes so I had to borrow theirs xD Kinda random, but I just thought of it xD

I hope that you can show then both! ;D They both sound lovely.

You are. (:

I love them, even with all of their quirks.

Yeah, I think I'll go for a cob. I'm either going to get a nice leather one or a newmarket one to match Willows. (: Probably leather, though, because I'm fairly certain that I'm going to show him a lot, and leather just looks nicer when you're hand walking around the barn after a ride. xD I love spoiling my ponies! Speaking of which, I need to get some Arab sized polos for Kat since mine are too big for him. >< Does anyone here use polos? I only wrap the hind legs though, and put open fronts on the front legs.
That sounds like tons of fun! I wish I lived near a dover, lol. xD The closest one is out of state and 5 hours away! You'll have to tell me all about it.
Oooh, get these brushes: http://www.smartpakequine.com/champion- ... _vc=Search I got them for my birthday and love them, especially the flick and the soft brush.


EDIT: Horsegirl: I'd love to hear about it! Any new videos?

@Verdana: Wow, that sounds amazing! How does join up work? I'd love to try something like that with Kat. However, my barn doesn't have any roundpens. There is plenty of turnout, the indoor ring, the huge outdoor... no round pen. Kat's stall has an attached run, though. But it's kinda small and rectangular. xD

[Verdana]

Oh, Hano, it is wonderful when it goes right! Have you read any of Monty Roberts' books? You must. His philosophy very interesting. As I learned today, round rings aren't essential, but they do make it much, much easier.

[ohmycarrotsitskevin]

My instructor said I might be able to go hunting on my loan cob later on in the year. I'm really excited now! He will look gorgeous all plaited up and washed. He already has a pretty face =D

[Zombex]

ourpawprints-

Yeah Paddy was the same way. You'd kick him as hard as you could to get him to freaking trot, then as soon as you tried crossing the diagonal he'd stop dead, or sometimes if he was in a bad mood he'd stop just to be combative. But bailey is literally my best friend. But sometimes when I walk him into the arena he'll stop and I'll have to yank his face off just to get him moving. I think it's cos he doesn't want to work.

About that lesson.

Okay, so I got to the early (like 9ish) and we went, did some stuff, and it was a pretty good day. So when I finished brushing bailey down and tacking him up I went into the arena and I saw a girl who works at the barn telling the trainers about bailey (he was abused, so he's a bit afraid of poles and doesn't cantor very well on one lead) and they treated us like we had never done anything. I think I got walk/trot transitions down, thanks. And when I told them this, they wouldn't stop talking about building confidence and trust. Like ohmigod, I trust bailey completely and he trusts me more than most people. Like his sob story is getting a bit old.

[Hanoverian]

Oh, Hano, it is wonderful when it goes right! Have you read any of Monty Roberts' books? You must. His philosophy very interesting. As I learned today, round rings aren't essential, but they do make it much, much easier.

No, I haven't. Do you know any names? I'd love to get some! ;D

Guess I'll have to make due with his run, then. (: I can make it work. He already follows me around, so hopefully it will come somewhat easily? Oh well, I have all summer. Love my boy!

[Verdana]

Basically, it's a body language principle. Monty Roberts explains it best, but it's a matter of pushing them out of your 'herd' until they recognise you as their herd leader and submit. You want them watching you, their inside ear on you, their head dropped, and a chewing motion with their mouths. That's full submission. When you get that, you 'let them back into your herd' by turning away, dropping your head and relaxing entirely.

The thing is knowing when they're trying their best. I had someone who knew how to do it to tell me when to stop the first time, which really helped.

The two I've read are, The Man Who Listens To Horses which explains it really well, and Shy Boy.

[Sengo22]

I Love horses <3

[Hanoverian]

I'll have to get those books! I've been wanting to do some bonding exercises with Katman.


Lesson tomorrow, with my lovely little Kat. It's kinda sad to go to the barn, though. D: But it'll be my last ride for TEN DAYS! Arg, I'm going to die!