Young horses born in 2009

I have not written much about our 2 year olds yet but would like to start as they are also in training and progressing along nicely
Check back for more info on Evekko a Dutch gelding born in 2009 and Dynasty a Dutch Mare born in 2009
They are both getting use to the barn, learning good manners and learning about the saddle and bridle.
Both have learned to go through the free jumping shoot.
the next big thing for them to learn is to be comfortable with the girth being tightened and when we can get the girth completely tight we will begin turning them out in indoor with the saddle on their back and eventually with the stirrups hanging down.
By mid August they will be able to free lunge in the indoor with the bridle and saddle and will be starting to get comfortable with the stirrups banging against their sides.

I like to start this ground work when they are 2 so that i don't feel rushed .
I have until April/May of next year to have them ready to be backed. This means that the horses get to be totally comfortable with everything before the first rider sits in the saddle.

Catalina

Catalina and i have began to work on should fore and more leg yielding excersises which is very exciting.
We are still waiting a bit longer to begin canter work until the trot is fully rideable and organized.
She is really understanding the work and maintaining a great attitude.

Her bowing is becoming very consistent and soon she will be able to do it with me on her back.

catalina is very active behind and so we are going slow because she uses her hind end so much that her muscles get tired fairly quickly.
Mentally she will go forever and in the wrong hands i think this horse could be easily over faced.
If you over train a young horse when the muscles are tired you risk that the horse will loose heart and become discouraged.
It is so important that we ask to do the young horse only as much as they can physically handle.

One month to the Debbie McDonald clinic and Catalina's first adventure off the farm.

Catalina

Catalina has been very good outside this year; however I feel like I’m losing her focus a bit and her concentration is not as good.
This is understandable of course but today I’m going to go back into the indoor to work on her concentration skills.

She is a very good girl and has learned its ok to look around however now in preparation for her 5 year old year she needs to learn that she needs to keep her focus on me for longer periods of time.

While I always teach riders to allow their horses to look they should immediately come back to following instruction from the rider.

Today I have a lesson on Catalina with Carole; so I will report on any new exercises later today

Fun Day for Catalina

Today Catalina got to free jump in the indoor.
She is familiar with this from learning it last year.
This is a good excersise to teach her body control and use her muscles in a different way.
After her free jumping she enjoyed a massage from Karen Bartholomew who is very good at horse massages.
it is always important to change the routine with  young horses so it's always interesting for them to go to the ring.
Keep the sessions short and at 4 years old she only needs to learn a bit everyday and have lots of possitive experiences

We also free jumped the 2 year olds today for the first time and they were great and seemed to like it right away.

First week in outdoor ring with Catalina

Well it’s been a few days since I’ve written but I want to update everyone on Catalina’s first week outside.

She was very good. I rode her on Thursday in the outdoor for the first time and just gave her a relaxed good experience, not asking too much of her and finishing a bit earlier than normal to reward her for her good behavior.

On Friday I had a lesson with Carole. Catalina was a bit more nervous starting out as the dogs were running in and out of the Gazebo and there were a few people watching.
However I gave her a bit of time to look around and start to breath and when I got started on our first trot exercise she was all business.

We started out working on the big square and getting my outside rein more confirmed.  She loves the security of the outside rein and is accepting this very well.

Carole wants her to be “warmer on my legs” and so we worked on half halts through my square turns and then closing more leg on her as we went out straight.

Carole calls this “smothering the horse with your legs” It is not that your leg should be tight by any means or that you should constantly squeeze but you should have your legs wrapped around the horses belly and this helps to fill up the contact.

We also worked on our walk halts; again halting with the outside rein and allowing Catalina to fall in a little with the inside hind.

When halting a young horse it is important that they do not feel too confined so you should halt one hind leg and let the other fall out a bit. With a young horse you halt the outside rein as this should be the first thing to get really confirmed in a horse.  The outside rein will forever be your balancing and straightening rein.

Remember when we talk about the outside or inside rein we are really talking about the whole side of the horse’s body and all of its parts. The feeling on the rein is a result of how the horse is carrying his or her body.

I’m happy that Catalina is enjoying the outdoors. She got the weekend off to allow her muscles to rest and will start up again on Tuesday.