Students of 5 Day Foundation Course -14 March 2011

[candy1103]

Hey everyone!

As promised I've added a new thread for us so we can keep in touch and continue our 'support group'!

Feel free to use in any way you like but it would be lovely to hear your thoughts on the course now we've had a few days to let it sink in!

Also be great to hear your stories when you got home with your horses and how you are putting it into practice.

What I found great was how supportive everyone was so it would be great to try to continue that on here

Nell x

[jenwarren]

hello xxxx

[cath42]

Hi everyone,
I really found last week enjoyable and informative, was great to meet everyone.
I have been continuing to do lots of long lining with Inara (with varying levels of success!!). Did manage to successfully join up with Keith the fell pony. Basil the B***ard was a bit of a challenge but we did manage some follow up circles!!!
Cath x

[candy1103]

Hey Cath,
That's great, you must be chuffed to bits!
Something must have gone in from watching you all last week as I managed join up with my loan horse Gabe (pronounced Gab-ee)! So pleased - felt all warm and fuzzy! Had a slight problem when I turned my shoulder as she kept trotting round but as soon as I realised it was because that was what I was expecting her to do and didn't have the right positive energy, I stood still and she came in and we had a lovely follow up : ) Yay!
I've got a riding lesson with Suzanne tomorrow and def going to ask her to help me with some ground work and long lining soon.

[rosilla]

Hello everyone

Really good to meet you all last week. I've been trying the ol' join up thing with mixed results...Woody (the boy) opted for an easy life and made me feel better coming in and resting his chin on my shoulder ! The girls however are proving a little more independent! Rosilla eventually came in when I dropped the scary snake thing...still a work in progress!

Next job - to work on Snowy's leg-waggling!

This is Ali by the way!!!

[showsaddles]

hi Nell, Ben here, so good to see we have our own page to chat.
really enjoyed your company at breakfast last week and you being our best helper during the day.

I travelled home sat morn. was good journey.
my horses were so glad to see me. maybe cos I had a nice feed for them. lol.

I did a join up in the arena, with a wild 13.2 pony Milly, no dually , just me and her in the field, but using the same pressure ..release method on sending her away a lil, 20 mins she was letting me hug her and groom.

I was so pleased that the method works.
will chat soon,

Ben xx

[jenwarren]

I darent do join up with my big geldings as they have jumped out several times but goin to try one of the smaller ones. Been using the leading training tho and the geldings have been more responsive and chilled out . RESULT! Ive also been checking there saddles best i can. killed me to go back to work yest boooooo!

[cath42]

sounds like everyone's been busy!! I have somehow managed to acquire an unhandled 10month old filly (it's a long story) but it's a rescue case - if I don't take her she will likely end up dead like her older brother That will be a challange, she is arriving on Thursday - she hasn't been away from her mother yet and other than the owner checking that she is still there, I don't think there has been any handling!!! Any advice gratefully received!!
Ben - I am sure you are a wealth of knowledge with this sort of case
Well, it will be great to keep in touch with everyone and see how they are getting on. Will keep you posted on wild horse (who we have named Lucky!!!)
Cath x

[showsaddles]

hi Cath. you have your hands full for a while with the yng pony. I had the same 2 yrs ago blk & white gypsy cob. 11 months, hes almost 3 now.

takes a while to find out what to do, I did ask the feed girl so he gets all the vitamins etc for his bones and corect diet.

Hes now done scary plasic bag, over the big tarp lake. loads really good. next going to long line him so he will be a cute buggy pony. I have some pics of him on my new photo site.
If i can help let me know. xx
hes called arthur.
www.parkgateponies.btinternet.co.uk/

[showsaddles]

To, jenwarren..Hi Jen when doing your join ups if they have jumped out, go slower, just go above fast walk so they are not going into flight mode & want to escape, keep your energy level really low. Be very low key in your breathing. You will still get good result. Make your eye contact less harsh but still connecting. Steady movements to keep pressure on, read your horses body language so you know when to take the pressure off. Good luck. Ben xx

[sarahandrieu]

Hi everyone!

Firstly sorry I didn't get to say bye to you all as we had to get off to the vet. Hope everyone got home safely.

Have had a bit of a traumatic few days as Rieu was diagnosed with kissing spines, moderate T12-T16. Couldn't quite believe how bad he has it - he must have been trying really hard to look after me when I've been riding! So there have been some tears and lots of thinking to do, and not an awful lot of IH work done!! Although I can't ride I'm going to concentrate on ground work and try and get him as strong as possible in prep for his op. Hopefully I can get the indoor school to myself this weekend to try our long lining again and carry on the good work Linda started with us. I'm not going to attempt it in the outdoor, as on Saturday he decided to jump the 5 foot fence between paddocks (uphill as well!!), so i think he would quite easily be able to jump out the arena!! Our round pen goes up in April so looking forward to that.

Cath - got your email will reply but well done for rescuing that poor little horse although how awful about what happened to the other one , wish you lots of luck I'm sure you'll do great with her.

Nell - I gave your gloves to Suzanne - thanks for those!

xx

[cath42]

Thanks for that Ben. Have had a look at your site, Arthur looks lovely - he certainly landed on his feet with you, so to speak!!
I may well ask your advice if you don't mind Ben. I am sure you have much more experience than me of handling ill-treated horses and ponies.
She (Lucky as we have called her!) arrives on Thursday so I will know more about whatever issues she may have then!!

On a more positive note, on returning from the IH course I set to work on Keith (our newest fell pony) who is almost 4 and unbacked. I joined up with him, got the long lines on him and yesterday Vicki (my head girl) got on. He took it all in his stride and didn't seem in the least bit bothered. Today we progressed to Vicki actually directing him and asking for halt and go. It is so nice to see him so relaxed about it all
xx

[mistislav]

Hi everyone!

Great to hear how you are getting on - I've spent most of the time since I got back working with the Dually - trying to get Pippin (my daughter's pony) to stop his constant fidgeting while I am trying to pick his hooves, tack up, etc. So far it's going really well but everything takes much longer as I am holding him on a smiley line while she brings all the kit to me as it was impossible to correct him quickly when he was tied up. Also got some great follow up circles from him on Saturday when I let him loose in the manege - I "cheated " by scratching him all over after his rug came off and I guess he couldn't help following for more!!

Sarah - hope everything works out well for Rieu. He is so gorgeous and was such a star with the long lines last week.

Cath - news of Basil took me straight back to the course last week and had me laughing my head off. Good luck with the new arrival.

Keep the news coming.

Lisa x

[candy1103]

Hey everyone!
This is great, I'm so glad people are finding this useful : )
Really good to hear from you all and find out how you are getting on.

Ben, that's wonderful news with Milly - from what I remember you said this used to take you months to get to that point. How rewarding it must be for you to gain her trust.

Cath, like Lisa I have to laugh at Basil the b*****d - he sounds like such a character. Sounds like you will certainly be using everything you learnt last week with your lot : )

Jen, that's great you are seeing improvements already! I'm going to get my saddle checked again and now place it further back when I tack up! I could have easily spend all day chatting to Julia and trying to absorb as much info as I can!

Hey Ali, you've got to love the mares - I love their independence!

Good luck Sarah with Rieu, really sounds like you are doing the best thing for him. Chin up hun : ) Hope to see you and him at Suzanne's yard sometime soon : )

Last but not least, Lisa; well done with Pippin! Sounds like you are making great steps in the right direction : )

In fact, it all sounds as though we have all made great steps and in such a short time - well done us!!

N xx

[aklaharabs]

Hi all,

So glad I met you all last week. It was such an eye opening experience and thought provoking for the way you think.
It has already proved beneficial, i have been practicing join up and follow up on all my horses, and have been quite amazed at the results. It gives you such a warm fuzzy feeling when you get it right!

Hope all goes well with Rieu. I once had an arab in for schooling that had had the operation done for kissing spine. He was fine afterwards and schooled well, but I don't know how his compares with Rieu's.

Good luck
Tina x