Training wrote:"First touch"
I was out riding on
Roshan out in a forest. We were riding for about an hour when we started to hear plants rustling and from time to time seeing something flash by in the distance. It kept it's distance but seemed curious. I assumed it had to have been a Neravontii sneaking around. I wasn't sure what it was up to so I just kept a watch of everywhere it moved. Roshan was keeping his head held high, and kept raising his tail every time he heard the other Neravontii.
We had made it to an exit to the forest. Roshan started to get very distracted all of the sudden. He then quickly swung around and backed up to defend me. The other Neravontii had chased after me trying to attack us. I signaled Roshan to read up in defense. He responded fairly quickly as if he was prepared for the signal. He snorted at the other Neravontii to warn her to back off. It backed away a few feet then lowered it's head, with it's ears pinned back then scraped the ground with one of it's front hands. It began to snort then charged a few yards towards us, but Roshan stood his ground, until I signaled him to rear again. Once again was ready for my signal. As Roshan landed, I grabbed hold of a rope, and wrapped one end to my saddle horn. I prepared a loop, and Roshan moved in the direction I needed him facing with just a simple swift of my body. I then give a quick toss of my rope as it was about to turn around. The loop makes it around it's neck, and I tighten the rope more to pull the mare in. I then stood ground for a bit and let the mare settle down before attempting to lead her to the Agency to get her registered.
After an hour walk to the Agency, struggling with the mare and couple of times almost losing her. I had to even use a 2nd rope on her to be sure the main didn't snap and she break lose. We walked up to the gates of the Agency and the mare got very nervous and quickly moved to walk along side Roshan. Roshan stayed very relaxed, and quiet to as usual, and it helped the mare relax. I took that chance to shorten the ropes and keep her close as I bring her to a round pen. I released her into the round pen with the ropes on her as I went to speak with the Agency owner. I got the mare registered then signed adoption forms to keep the mare since I knew she was going to be a challenge, and I was interested in seeing how far I can get with this clever mare. she didn't seem like she's mean, just obviously sneaky, and very clever as far as I've learned. She also tends to be a bit sly, like she was as I was capturing her.
I head over to the tack room, and prepare some training gear, tack, and other supplies I may need. I move the stuff to a table outside the round pen, and gather a pair of glove to handle the rope as this maybe tricky to remove from her when I can get her to trust me enough to remove it. I enter the round pen with a halter and lead rope. I put pressure on the mare to get her to move her feet and move around the pen. I constantly rotated her around the pen just speaking to her to get her used to my voice. I did this for about 10 minutes. She tried so many times to switch direction on her own, so I had to keep correcting her. She's very sneaky though and and I may have to snap the rope in front of her to put pressure on her.
I stop putting pressure on the mare when she lowered her head to level with her body, and 1 ear towards me and the other would flicker as she passed different objects, like a plastic tarp hung over the wall that she's gotten fairly used to flapping around the wall each time she passed. There were a small group of people sitting about 10 yards away that kept distracting her but she began to get used to them. I waited as the mare slowed down then licked her lips. She looked back calmly over at the people who were talking a distance away.
So far she's not shown any aggressive behaviors towards me ever since she tried to pounce on Roshan and I... She's beginning to respond to my voice. I watched her calmly as she looked at the other people. She was calm so I just let her watch the people. She eventually looked forward with her ears pinned upwards, and lifted her head. She just looked at me for 10 seconds then shook her head, and walked towards me as she lowered her head. She walked up beside me and sniffed as I stood still and relaxed. I waited for her to finish sniffing me out. After about half a minute she nudged my arm and licked my hand. I was shocked she has done so. I slowly reached out to stroke the mare. She jumped from the movement so I just held my hand in place to let her see it was just my hand. She then sniffed and pressed her nuzzle into my hand. I slowly began to stroke her face, and she kept moving her ears around.
I pet her then slowly took a step back, and slowly increased taking a few steps back. The mare followed, so I turned around and walked around the pen. She started to follow me but then sneaked up behind me and bumped me on my back as she sniffed my pockets realizing I had treats. She's clever alright, and sneaking for sure. I stop and the mare quickly stops then tries to distract me with allowing me to pet her. She then steps forward and acts as if she's enjoying the pets and not minding them. I wasn't expecting a something to happen as I began to pet her on the back. She turned her head slightly to look at me and pawed at the ground. I laughed as she did that then I suddenly feel something reaching into my back pocket. She had distracted me to steal the treat using her hand on her tail.
"You... are one very clever mare. It also looks like you enjoy playing games. So let's go play some games in the arena, yeah?"
I continue to pet the mare then attempt in trying to get the halter on. I wasn't sure if she'd be sly and sneak awake. I moved my hand over her shoulder a few times stroking her then moved the rope over her neck and grabbed the other end. She began to back up. I slowly grab the ropes around her neck and removed them. I held onto the lead as removing the current ropes from capturing her. She got a little spooked from the moving the ropes around but then started to realize I was just removing them. She started to calm down a bit but was still nervous about the rope around her neck. I let lose of the other end to see if she'll relax or move away. I waited for her to make her choice, and in the next 10 seconds she just turned her head and nudged me. I stroked her face then slowly moved the halter towards her. She then sniffed it out then relaxed. So I took the chance to try and slip it over her head. I managed to slip it over but then she got nervous when I touched her ears. So I carefully moved the ears into the halter so that I could buckle the halter. I stepped back not holding the lead to see if she'll pick to follow me.
I walked around the round pen a few laps as she followed. I stopped after about the 4th lap. The mare stopped right behind me almost up against my back and hung her head over my shoulder. She then Nudged me into her chest and began to sniff my pockets again. I stroked her then collected the lead rope from her neck. I slowly walk not pulling or tugging on the lead, and gave her some rope. She didn't seem to pay very much attention that I was even holding onto a lead connected to her halter. She just walked along side me as I lead her out of the round pen and to the arena.
We made it to the arena, where there was already a course someone set up for me specially for this tricky mare.
I unhooked the lead rope from the halter, but left the halter on for her to get used to. I let her also get used to the objects in the arena before putting pressure on her. I let her learn the objects are of no harm. After about 20 minutes of her observing everything, and I had time to sit and drink water and relax, it was time to train her.
"First Tack"
As I had sat for 20 minutes I was thinking of names, Pheobe seemed like a nice name, so I kept it on mind to see if the mare would respond to the name. I entered the arena, to try and work on the mare again. It was the first she's been apart from me for such an amount of time since I've captured her as before it had only taken a few minutes to get ready to tame her.
I collect a training rope, to begin training. I spoke out to the mare and she looked over at me. She stood for a bit then walked towards me. I for some reason believed she was going to actually come to me until we reached 6 feet of each other then she leaped in the air with her ears up and her tail in the air and pounces away then trots around with her head held high and circling me. She then suddenly stops as I just stood and she gave up then moved in towards me and nudged my arm. I hook the rope to her halter then ask her to move out, and began to move her around and get her to respond to to signals I gave. She picked up on signals pretty quickly.
I decided it was time to move her over poles, and obstacles to play some games. She seemed to enjoy them so I continued different activities. She began to have more and more fun and seemed to had forgotten that just a few hours ago she was wild.
I continued training for half an hour. I then signaled the mare to return to me and lead her to the fence. I then unhooked the training rope an replaced with the lead rope that I had hung on the fence. I then lead her out of the arena and back to the round pen. She was very relaxed and quiet as I've worked her. I then tied her to the post and collected the saddle pad, and let her sniff it then stroked her a few times with it before placing it on her back. She maybe was relaxed, but she was clever, sly, and sneaky. She pretended to be calm, and as if nothing is going on. I suddenly heard a flop on the ground and the saddle pad was in the dirt. The mare just stood there as if she hadn't done a thing. I look over at the saddle pad then at her. She snorted and nodded her head as if she was laughing at me.
I pick it up and dust off the dirt. I then place it on her back again and reached for the saddle. She pulled the same trick again so this time I went to grab the saddle and then picked up the saddle pad. I then dusted it off and set it on her back as I stood beside her with the saddle. I prepare to swing the saddle up onto her back and as the saddle is only a foot from landing on her back, she swifts the saddle pad, out from under the saddle. The Saddle was placed on her back with no pad and she held the saddle pad high in the air. So I decided to not put up with the game and ignore it and continue on with the saddle. She seemed to had been disappointed as I started to buckle it. The saddle pad suddenly landed on my head. So I picked up the saddle pad, unbuckled the saddle, and moved it back to place the saddle pad. I then lifted the saddle and put it in place ontop of the saddle pad.
"First ride"
I lead the Pheobe into the the round pen, and unhooked the lead. I let her get used to the saddle for a bit. I walked away to get a drink of water as she got used to the saddle. After a small break I returned to check on Pheobe. She was just trotting around the round pen, giving a small buck from time to time. I laugh a little and call out to her. She stops and looked at me, then she began to buck and run around the pen showing off. I enter the pen with the lead rope, and wait for her to walk up to me. After about a minute of her still running around, she slowed to a walk and finally came to me. I hook the lead, then lead her out of the round pen, and made our way to the arena.
When we got to the arena, I hooked up training ropes on either side of her to control the stirrups, and teach her the signals and get her used to different things before mounting. I would signal her to move through obstacles, to walk, trot, and stop. After about half an hour I let her take a water break then unhooked the training ropes. I then lead her around a bit then stopped her. I started the practice of mounting and rotating sides a few times with added weight. Then I finally mounted and slowly put weight onto her back. *whoooosh, THONK!!!!* "owe".... Pheobe had unbuckled her saddle while I wasn't paying attention. "I should have put the chest belt on you I guess knowing your a little trickster."
I grab the mare, and lead her to the fence and tied her up. I hurried off to grab a chest belt, and came back. I fasten it and she realized her games were over.... So I remount her, then ask her for a walk. She obeyed and walked but started to seem bit nervous about the weight. I patted her on the neck and spoke to her. Her ears went forward, raised her head high then began to trot without my signal. I decided to ask her to canter instead of telling her to walk. She instantly went into a canter. We rode at a canter for about 5 minutes, then asked her to trot again. I then made her go over the poles and around poles as riding her and she responded fairly well. "You really are a clever girl." I pat her on the neck and we continued the ride for about half an hour.
After half an hour I finally dismounted, and brought her to brink water. I then tied Pheobe up, and went to find Roshan who was untacked and resting in a stall. I spoke to him and he got up to greet me. I collected his tack, and prepared him to go back home with Pheobe. I got him tacked up, and when I got to the Arena... What do you know... Miss Clever, Sneaky Pheobe managed to untie her lead and wonder off. Luckily she was in the arena... "I guess I'm going to have t o start tying her rope a little better aye Roshan?" Roshan snorted and nudged me. I patted him on the neck and lead him into the arena. He followed calmly as I collected Pheobe. I gathered her lead rope, and mounted up onto Roshan, opened the gated, and rode off home.
The ride home was a little tricky as Pheobe had just been caught this day, and I'm already walking her out in the open where there were no fences. She tried being sneaky and playing tricks to take off. I still had a little work to do with her outside fences. We finally got home, then untacked both Roshan & Pheobe. I released Roshan with ZeKorra and their family, and then released Pheobe with some other horses.
