[KathrynKat]

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[KathrynKat]

"Healing after the bite, while still taming Zorah"
The bite wasn't too bad but still caused some swelling and a few scabs. Luckily nothing broken or any serious long term injury. Day by day I'd enter her paddock, transfer her from her paddock to round pen and back. I've felt nervous trying to introduce the halter but if I want to move her without having to set up gates every time it be much more pleasant to get things done. There have been a few attempts but doesn't turn out pretty. At least there hasn't been any gates knocked down and escaping anymore as we transfer her. At the very least, this is training her to work around walls surrounding her on both sides.


"Meeting, and preparing Zorah for Today's Training"
My staff and I during a meeting had agreed it might be good to try using ropes, and getting Zorah used to it moving around her, over her, around her neck and around her face before slipping a halter onto her. After the meeting, I went to the tack room to gather the gear needed for today. I even had my staff collect a few other props like a ball, bucket, water noodles, and a tarp. After about ten minutes everything was set up. We had the fences set up and ready for Zorah to pass from the paddock to the round pen. I whistles to Zorah as she entered the round pen. I entered the round pen after her, shut the gate and latched it. In my hands was a lunging whip and rope. I hold up and position the lunging rope to encourage Zorah to move in the direction I wanted. Before she had moved in the direction I wanted she tried to put pressure on me and get in my space. So I cracked the whip among her and she moved back to the fence.

"Working with ropes before halter"
Once I managed to get Zorah settled and focused on me, and not as a target, but as a leader. I began to move the rope around that was in my other hand. I waved it high and low, letting loose little more by more rope. Suddenly Zorah had nipped at the rope when it nearly touched her. She even began to attack the rope, until I cracked the whip among her head. She tried to snap at the whip but missed. I cracked it again then she moved back to the fence again. I began to swing the rope around again with the lunging whip touching her on her back from time to time. Next I had swung the rope over her back and over her neck, with a few attempts of Zorah trying to attack the rope. With many cracks of the whip, and cutting her off every 10 seconds to change direction for 10 minutes. Zorah had finally began to listen. I tossed the rope over her back and moved it over her neck and head more. After a few more minutes of the rope constantly over her back and neck I turned around and walked away. Zorah followed after the lunge rope keeping a distance from me. I move to the gate then exit and gave Zorah a few minute break.

"Time for the halter - Rope Halter"
It wasn't going to be easy, but it's gotta be done eventually. After sitting down for a few minutes I grabbed the halter I planned to introduce her to, the rope, and lunging whip. I entered the round pen and directed Zorah to move more. She attempted to attack but I cracked the whip and she got back by the fence. I ran her around the pen a few rounds then drew her to the center. I swung the rope around as she walked up to me. I tossed it over her neck and over her head as she stopped by me. I walked up to her slowly as speaking to her. I placed a hand on her neck and stroke softly and slowly. I move up in front of her face and move the rope over her neck and tie it into a loop around her neck. I then stroked her on the nose and with the lunge whip in other hand ready to crack if she were to try and nip me. I gave a few strokes then slipped the rope over her nose and tied it then swung the rope over her neck.

"Time for the halter - Real Halter"
I drove her around the round pen a few times as she few times wasn't sure how to react to the rope around her face and neck. She tried nipping at it but would fail. I turned around to draw her in and waited for a moment. Zorah walked up to me and stopped beside me. I grabbed hold of the rope halter and gave a tug and lured her to moved forward at each tug. I gave it a few minutes getting her used to the rope. After she had settled I untied the rope and slipped the halter over her face. Zorah tried to bite me but I cracked the whip. Although she had dashed away at the sound of the whip and ran along the fence. So I cut her off and had her run the other direction. I cut her off a few more times every 5 seconds then had her return to the center with me again to give it another shot. I took a deep breath as she stood beside me. I slipped the halter on and managed to buckle it onto her.

"Getting used to the halter"
I did some ground with her using the halter for another 5 minutes decided to try and lead her from the round pen to her paddock. The fences were still up, but I wanted to also get her used to the feel of being walked around and being walked through walls. I opened the gate and lead her through. Half way through she knocked me down. One of my staff cracked a whip among her head and she had backed off huffing and puffing. I got up and grabbed hold of her halter. Once she settled down I lead her rest of the way to her paddock and released her then shut the gate to her paddock. For the next few days I continued to work with her using the halter and ropes.

[KathrynKat]

"Halter Training & Ground Work Daily"
The past month My staff and I have been working on getting Zorah used to halters before we even could nearly introduce saddles and wagon harnesses. I've gotten her used to halters, ropes around her neck, around her chest and even had just introduced her to bridles and bits. It was a rocky road but things are smoothing out finally. My staff and I had a meeting and we talked about what training methood to use. We knew it was going to be a long process to get her used to the saddle and still yet need to teach her some ground work and some manners, before anybody mounts this powerful Neravontii...

"Introducing The Bareback Pad"
After the meeting we had decided to start Zorah with just the Bareback pad strapped to her back. We'd have her run laps around the arena, round pen, or her paddock wearing it. We did this twice per day for 10-15 minutes for the past few days. There was bucking, rearing and charging towards My staff or I. The first day wearing the Bareback Pad, she had charged at me, and I cracked the whip right before her. Zorah had reared up while sliding to stop and wound up on her back. Zorah turned her back on me and went to the end of the arena bucking and kicking around. I moved in on her and pressured and directed her to go counter clockwise around the arena. She held her head high and snarled. After I had gotten her under control, I slipped a bridle onto her with long reins and steered her from behind with the reins slipping through the rings on the pad. After only a few minutes she was relaxed and calm just like any of my average Neravontiis. Was while I was behind her out of sight but still had control of her movements.

"Introducing A Real Saddle - Part 1"
After we had gotten her used to the Bareback Pad it was time to introduce a real saddle. My staff helped me prepare the props while I went to halter up Zorah, and get her into the round pen. I grab a halter and head off to Zorah's paddock. As I entered the paddock Zorah had her back to me so I swung the rope in circles as I walked towards her to put pressure on her to get moving. I had her do 5 laps both ways around her paddock then turned away from her and she followed me to the gate. I rewarded here with some fish and slipped her halter on after she had finished eating her fish then patted her on the neck then lead her out of the paddock and to the round pen to get her used to a saddle with stirrups. I let her loose in the round pen then went to collect a saddle and re-entered the round pen. Zorah had already gotten used to the bareback pad for days. This had made introducing a real saddle much simpler aside from still letting her sniff it she could tell it was a different object. However when I set it on her back she didn't have much reaction. I left the stirrups over the saddle seat for a few minutes, while I had her run some laps around the round pen. After she had adjusted to the saddle I lured her to the center and then pulled down the stirrups. I had flapped them both as I approached both sides to remove one by one. If I had just let one fall from other side it would spook her more than the flapping of the stirrup. After I had gotten both stirrups dangling, I asked her to move back out to the fence for some laps.

"Introducing A Real Saddle - Part 2"
When Zorah had began to move she had felt the tapping of the stirrups and sped up her pace moment by moment then began to buck and kick around. It wasn't safe for her to buck and kick around while I was in the round pen with her so I raised the lunging whip and cut her off a few times every 5 seconds to gain her full focus. When I had collected all of her focus I continued to drive her around the round pen a few laps both ways each then drew her into the center. I rewarded her with some fish when she walked up to me silently without striking at me and then patted her on the neck. I then exited the round pen and let her adjust more to the saddle and the stirrups. After a good 10 minutes she was relaxed and just her usual self while alone. So I re-entered the round pen with a bridle and long reins. I called her to the center and rewarded her with a pat on her neck and slipped the bridle on with a bit and slipped the reins through the rings of the saddle. Then tied ropes to the stirrups to flap one or the other or both when needed to teach her cues. I had worked on her for 15 minutes then got her untacked and returned her to her paddock and continued these training steps for the next couple weeks.

[KathrynKat]

""Getting Used To Variety Of Tack & Harnesses"
For a couple of weeks I worked on getting her used to couple different saddles. I had began to hook harnesses to her next for the next two weeks. I had even began introducing other Neravontiis, that I have trained to pull wagons. I had staff walking the others in harnesses in an arena with Zorah to see who she is less aggressive towards and work from there. It turned out Hound was a good match as she seemed to had taken an interest in him. We had gotten the two used to each other day by day for a week then hooked their harnesses together. We drove them together twice per day paired for a few days before we actually hooked them up to a wagon.

"Time To Pull A Wagon"
It looked like Zorah and Hound worked well together. Although Hound is much taller than Zorah, it was better than there being an accident. I went to go grab Zorah to get her ready while a staff had gotten Hound ready. We met up at our race track and got Hound hooked up first then Zorah. She has been around wagons just not hooked to one yet. Once even hauled by one she just doesn't know that. The whole time we hooked Zorah up she held her head high with her ears pinned back ready to bite triggered. Once they were hooked up, one of my staff sat on the wagon while I steered them both from the front. When both of the Neravontiis were asked to start moving they pulled the wagon forward with no struggles but then the squeak of one of the wheels spooked Zorah and she began to snarl and look around. We carried on for about ten minutes for their first pulling and continued this task once per day for a week.


"Time for extra weight in that saddle"
Zorah has gotten used to the wagon, and not time to get back to focusing on saddles and preparing her for being mounted. So for the next two days we tied a flour bag to the saddle, and weights in the stirrups. We've done the training in both round pen and arena. Few times she had bucked the flour bag off of the saddle. One bag had busted and basically the whole round pen is white now. I guess I should have used a bag of dirt or soil. Then last but not least, Zorah was covered in powered herself.

"It's Now As Any Time, Time To Mount Zorah - Part 1"
It's a bright sunny noon, and today is the big day and taking a big risk but time to step up, up into that saddle! My staff got the tack, gear, and a grooming kit. I grabbed a halter and a fish in a bucket of water. As I make my way to get Zorah she was already at the gate. It was the time of day she got a snack and one of only few moments she doesn't have her back to you or trying to attack you. Although I advice never to slip a halter onto her until she had completely finished the food and is relaxed. I arrive at the gate and lifted the bucket to her. She dove her face right into the bucket and grabbed hold of the fish and then backed away and snacked on the fish while I just stood behind the gate and watched. A couple minutes go by and the fish was gone. Zorah looked over the gate expecting more. I held the bucket up to her to show that it was only water remaining in the bucket. Zorah took a few sips from the bucket then walked away.

"It's Now As Any Time, Time To Mount Zorah - Part 2"
I set aside the bucket of water then entered Zorah's paddock and followed her. I then stopped in the center of her paddock and whistled to her. She ignored me so I gave her a few seconds to respond then corrected her by following her then cutting her off and making her turn the other way. Zorah suddenly pounced towards me ready to bite me but then I cracked the whip among her head and she had turned away walked away huffing and snarling. I followed her and continued to drive her around her paddock a few laps. I then began to walk towards the gate and Zorah had followed. I slipped her halter on and lead her out of her paddock and to the post we had her stuff set up which was by the Closed Arena. I tied her up and got her groomed. She got nippy couple times while grooming so took longer than planned to get her groomed. After about twenty minutes I had finally gotten Zorah cleaned up and was time to get her fully tacked up for her first real ride.

"It's Now As Any Time, Time To Mount Zorah - Part 3"
I got Zorah tacked up and entered the closed arena walking her in then releasing her into the arena while I shut and latched the gate. I followed Zorah and had her run a couple laps around the arena before attempting mounting her for the first time. One of my staff stood aside near the gate in case of emergency. I whistled to Zorah to call her to center then gave her a pat on the neck then begin to flap the stirrups switching sides and repeating on both sides. I then began to hop around the saddle and tug at it as well. I then next began to put pressure into the stirrups. I repeated these steps a couple of times on both sides before actually slipping my foot into the stirrup. It was finally time, I grabbed hold of the saddle and slipped my foot into the stirrup and pulled myself up into the saddle and prepare myself for one wild ride.

"It's Now As Any Time, Time To Mount Zorah - Part 4"
I had pulled myself into the saddle and sat up, with both feet in the stirrups. I then gave Zorah the cue to walk and she suddenly bounced in the air almost giving me a whiplash. I grab hold of the horn of the saddle and made sure I didn't hold the reins to tight. I gave Zorah a moment to give a few bucks then pulled one of the reins towards my hip, pulling her head to the side. Zorah then began to spin in a few circles and gave up after ten spins. Mainly because she began to lose balance before giving up. She huffed a few times then when I asked her to walk again she suddenly bucked real roughly tossing my off her back onto the ground. Zorah then cantered off in the opposite direction. One of My staff ran in to check on me while another went in to correct Zorah and make her run a few laps before they them selves got Zorah untacked for the day and put away. I went in to get rest after the big fall. No doubt will be feeling that in the morning.

[KathrynKat]

"Half A Year Of Training Riding In The Arenas"
Through out the half year, I'd ride Zorah up to one to three times per week, while My staff would switch out riding Zorah week by week, the Staff will switch out. Each month there were more tasks and more time added to her riding schedule. We still have Zorah and hound pull the wagon from time to time, have done jumps, raced her against other Neravontiis, and other simple tasks. We've even taken turns riding her around the ranch and getting her used to other people and working on her manners around others. There been a few times Zorah had hurt a staff member or neravontii. But has improved in the last week of her half year training under the saddle.

"Preparing For Zorah's First Trail Ride"
All of the staff and I have agreed that Zorah is ready to be taken out on the trails and see how she does. It was agreed that a few staff had gone with Zorah and I for this trail in case of any trouble. Being it is highly likely she would dart after a deer or other wild animal. This trail ride couldn't be just any Neravontiis either. We agreed the Neravontiis that be safest to ride for this trail ride were Roshan, Elsa, Roselyn and Douglas. The staff went to gather tack and grooming kits to get ready for the trail ride while I went to gather Zorah. I had to make a couple of trips. I gathered Zorah's Saddle, Bridle and Halter, then went back for the Grooming Kit and Bucket of water with a fish. I carried the Grooming Kit and Bucket of water with a fish to Zorah's Paddock. I set the Grooming Kit down then carried the bucket to Zorah who was waiting at the gate for her fish. Soon as the bucket was near her she launched her face into the bucket and went wild with the fish. Once she was done I grabbed the halter and entered her paddock to get her ready. I slipped the halter onto Zorah then lead her out to a post and began to get her groomed. After half an hour I had Zorah groomed and tacked up ready to go on her first trail ride.

"Headed Out For A Trail Ride - Part 1"
I removed Zorah's halter and slipped her bridle on then lead her away from the post. The others were all waiting on me in the arena warming up. I entered the arena and cantered Zorah around the arena a few laps before we all headed out for the trail ride. One by one the staff had left the arena to allow their Neravontiis to get drinks of water before we all headed out. Since Zorah gets aggressive I held her back to watch the others drink first then take her drink afterwards. Zorah tugged at the reins and snarled as watching the others drink and even began to paw at the ground. I turned Zorah around and took her another lap around the arena while the others got their fill on water first. After we had made a full lap the others were done so I allowed Zorah to walk up to the water and take her fill as well. She took a couple of minutes, taking her time. "Alright, alright quit taking your time let's go now" I nudged her with my heels and turned her head away from the water. She snarled and trotted roughly as we caught up with the rest who had just exited the ranch front gate.

"Headed Out For A Trail Ride - Part 2"
We had exited the ranch and Zorah raised her head high with her ears perked up and twitching. She sees something move in the bushes and begins to charge in that direction. Staff riding Douglas cut Zorah off and I cracked the whip in the air. Zorah tried to bite Douglas but he moved to quickly for her to bite him. I steered Zorah back onto the path and we headed off on the trail. I patted Zorah on the neck and spoke to her for a moment to try and sooth her. She snarled a couple of times but then settled down. Once she had settled, the five of us picked up our pace to a center. Things were nice and peaceful for up to five minutes until a deer had appeared. Zorah one again tried to charge, but even with more power being an animal in sight. A couple of the staff ride pat Zorah and help put pressure on cutting her off. It took a few minutes to get Zorah to relax and things seemed to get a bit intense. We waited it off for a few extra minutes while she was calm in hope she'll stay calm for awhile this time.

"Headed Out For A Trail Ride - Part 3"
We had headed back onto the trail and rode for another ten minutes and stopped at the large pond. Zorah began to get excited when she saw a huge pond almost like a lake. I allowed Zorah to walk into the lake but had to be sure she wasn't ready to roll over or go 10 feet into the water. Zorah cantered and galloped all around the water splashing insanely. After about ten minutes of Zorah enjoying the water she finally took a drink and then began to relax. I called out to the others that we should head back. For most the way back home Zorah remained calm and quiet. The whole way we kept it at walking and trotting. We were able to have a conversation while out riding. "After the two times Zorah had dashed after wild animals, I was worried the trail ride wasn't going to be pretty one bit." We all laughed and sighed with relief. I patted Zorah as we reached the gates of the ranch and the five of us parted ways. I rode Zorah to the back of the ranch where she is kept. Once we reached the post I had tacked her up at I dismounted, removed her bridle and put her halter back on. I then worked my way to the saddle then untied her and walked her into her paddock. Zorah snorted and trotted off keeping her back to me and headed for her water trough. I watched for a few minutes then went to put the tack and supplies away.