# Cascade and Me



## nickers103 (Aug 10, 2010)

Hi Chessie! I read through your entire Adopting a Mustang thread and was really inspired by your determination and progress! Please continue to keep us up to date! I also was wondering what trainer you decided to go with since I see you are located in Ohio and you mentioned DC?


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

Right now, I'm in Ohio. I'll be moving out to DC on July first. Once I get settled in, I'll do some serious looking for a good barn for Cascade to board with. As soon as I find a good place for her, her trainer is going to haul her out for me and help me get her settled.


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

I spent a long time on Sunday with Cascade, which was a lot of fun, but I'm fully realizing the task ahead of me as far as training goes.

Her trainer has done a good job with gentling her nicely, but hasn't really pushed her hard in training or done a whole lot of respecting space exercises.

When I get Cascade to DC, I'm going to assume that I'm starting from scratch, and not take much for granted. I figure it can't hurt to start at square one and take things slowly.

First we have to work on our bond, but my next two priorities are teaching her to respect my space. I noticed a couple of times that she thought nothing of moving in on me when I was between her and the fence, and that is NOT okay in my book. My bubble will be respected, darn it.

At the same time, I'm going to really work on desensitizing her. I think she needs much more methodical and consistent desensitizing work.

The good things I'm seeing so far is that she has a sweet demeanor and is not aggressive toward the rest of the herd. I think her confidence needs to be built up as well as some muscle tone on her top line, especially. I feel like she's floating around in this horsey head space of, "Well, those people are nice and won't hurt me, but if something scary should happen, I'm on my own, so I'd better shy."

I want to stop that lack of confidence through lots of gentle desensitizing. From what I've read and seen, I like the CA method of starting the "scary" with low energy far away from the horse. As long as she is agitated, keep doing what you are doing until she is standing perfectly quietly and ignoring the "scary". As soon as she relaxes, stop all motion and give her a break for a breather, then start up the scary again, but move a step or two closer. Wash rinse repeat, etc.

My goal would be to teach her that if something is upsetting her, the best thing to do is hold still, and then also to teach her that it doesn't matter what funky thing I'm doing, it's not going to hurt her.

It's a good goal to start, anyway.


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

It's almost time! I have found a great barn that I have a good feeling will work out for both Cascade and I, and I've been talking with her trainer in Indiana. She'll be with me soon! Now I just need to get all my supplies set up at the barn before she gets there. 

I feel like I'm pregnant and nesting, but with a horse.


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

Cascade arrives at my barn on the 21st!!!!! There will be pictures, I promise.


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

Hi everyone,

It has been a while but I'm starting up this journal to track some progress. It has been a busy year for Cascade and I.

Things are going fairly well, but she is a big bossy horse. I've had to step up my horsemanship, and sometimes it has taken me a little while to settle into my new stride. 

I just sent Cascade away for some professional training, but now it is up to me to maintain it.

Yesterday was her first day back, so I did some ground work with her and gave her a bath so I could inspect her all over for any nicks and cuts from training.

Today was my first day on her on my own.

It didn't go terribly well. 

My goals for today were to do ground work until she was moving off my cues nicely and not pulling at all on the lead. I also wanted to get her calm and settled before I tried to ride her.

I took her into the jumping arena where two other ladies were riding, and Cady wouldn't settle when I was in the saddle. She sidestepped, backed up, and went over to the gate, so I hopped down, bought her back to the round pen, and worked on our groundwork some more.

I brought her back to the jumping field and got on her again, she started off at a walk, but didn't listen to my directions when I would try to steer her. We ended up all over the place, and I didn't feel in charge, so she took advantage of that. It did give us some practice on one rein stops and backing up, which she did well.

She also didn't try to buck or do anything silly.

By the end, I made it my goal to walk with her once to the other side of the arena. When she did that, I got off. I walked her back to the gate, then made her do some quick circles at the gate, then I walked her around the arena before I took her out.

We visited the round pen one last time because I had to clean it up, but I took the opportunity to make her move again at a nice controlled trot.

Then I groomed her and put her away.

How I felt today: Focused when doing the ground work and assertive. When I got in the saddle, I was determined, but I felt a little out of control. That got to my nerves.

How Cascade felt today: She was taking every opportunity to test her boundaries. She was trying to graze while grooming, moving into my space, etc. Health wise, she had a lot of energy and not much focus.

For Tomorrow:

Wednesday is farrier day, so I'm going to make sure she is behaving while having her feet done, then do some groundwork near the barn. Then I'm going to take Liberty out and ride him. 

My goals: Move Liberty around the jumping arena at a trot and a canter so I can regain some confidence at those gaits. Thursday I can't ride due to an appointment, but on Friday, I want to be able to move Cascade into a confident trot and stay with her until she realizes she's not choosing our gait, I am and if she wants to slow down or stop, she has to go once around the ring under my control.

Things I need to think about today: 

Patience. Rome was not built in a day. I just need to make sure to help each day go as best I can and recognize if I'm falling into a bad pattern so I can ask for help. I will get where I want and need to go with time, patience and confidence.

I need to sing the song "Let it go" while I'm riding. Fear doesn't make anything better. It is very hard to let go of as a mother and a rider though.

I love my horse.

We'll see how things go with the Farrier tomorrow. I'll have a better idea of how much she's testing everything with him tomorrow because I know how she normally acts with him. If she's being testy, it should come out tomorrow.


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

Today was Farrier day. 

For the last three days I've been a ball of nervous energy, and that is definitely coming through with my horse. She did well for the farrier, but pulled her foot off the stand a couple of times, which was unacceptable. 

I groomed her quickly and put her out in the pasture after her toes were trimmed, then I took out Liberty.

I focused on trotting with Liberty and gained some confidence that I can manage him at a trot, but a canter was a different story. I think I have several hang ups I need to work through.

The first is that I hate cantering. I have never liked it or felt comfortable at that pace. Ultimately, I want to get my horse to the point where she is a steady trail horse and we walk for miles and miles together through the countryside. So, the other half of my hang-up is that I don't see the NEED to canter since it plays no part in my goals and is actually counter to my goals.

However, I know that I am the primary trainer for my horse and I need to be able to ride her well and in control at any gait, even cantering. 

My second hang up is that I used to own a parrot, but when I got married, the parrot HATED my husband, and it caused so much tension in my new marriage I had to find a new home for the bird I desperately loved.

I'm terrified that the same thing will happen with my horse. I even had a dream last night about my parrot dead on the floor. I'm afraid if I can't be the rider my horse needs to develop into the awesome horse I know she can be, I'll have to give her up, and that breaks my heart.

At the same time, I am afraid of getting so far in over my head that I end up hurting myself. I don't want that either because my family depends on me.

I'm not sure how I'm going to come to terms with all of this mental stuff, but I'm aware of it, and so I'll figure out a way to work through it. Someone once said that a horse is the best psychologist. I didn't anticipate she'd make me face so many demons. I know I will be a better person in the end if I can get through this. I will be brave, bold, and strong, three things I've always wanted to be.

I'm getting some help. One of the ladies at the barn is a very experienced instructor, and she's going to help me get through this.

Tomorrow I have an appointment, so I'm just going to groom Cady quickly and do some brief groundwork. On Friday I'm going to ride her again.

My goal for tomorrow is to relax and to remind myself I have a great little horse. The problem is not with her at this point. 

We're going to make it.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

I remember when you first got Cascade! I would love to see more pictures of her.

I think getting some help from that Lady at the barn is a great idea and will hopefully help you and your Cascade more


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

I just added some to her album. Here's what she's looking like today. She's a good girl.


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

Today I wasn't expecting to ride, but I had the chance to anyway. I got up on Liberty again and just walked around, trying to get my head on straight. I had a heart to heart with some of the other ladies at the barn, and that really helped. Tomorrow I'm going to ride Cady again.

My goal for tomorrow, get on her and calm down and relax. If all we do is stand there, great, but doing anything that gets me worked up is not good for either of us. I don't have to win the Kentucky Derby tomorrow, I just need to ride.

And remember to breathe.


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

Today went much better than the first day. Moving to the dressage ring was a good idea. It is a much smaller and more defined space. I got up on her and she walked forward, as soon as I tried to guide her back to the rail, she picked up into a trot and then a canter. I just let her do it until she was tired and brought her back down to a walk. She doesn't like to expend energy where she doesn't have to as a rule, and I want her to realize she doesn't need to pick up into the faster paces unless I ask her to.

My goal is to have her a steady walking trail pony, so we have to take things one step at a time. Once she settled down, we walked around the arena several times, and she listened to my directions when bringing her back to the rail or moving her through the corners.

I had difficulty turning her off the rail into a circle. That's what I'm going to work on next. That and really work on a good stop and stand.

I felt a lot better about everything today. I'm still a little edgy, but a lot better, and mostly encouraged by how today went. 

I also have some things to work on and tweak with her ground work. When she comes near a place she wants to go, like a gate or the drive, she pulls on the lead just slightly, more like leans on it really. We'll keep working on that until she can do soft even circles around me without tugging at all.

I'm going to try to ride again tomorrow.

We'll keep going one step at a time. But today was a much better day.


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

Today went so much better than yesterday. I'm feeling really encouraged that every day is moving forward in a positive way. Cascade was much more responsive doing her warm-up ground work, and I made sure to continue with that work until she was supple and calm both in front of the barn, and then in the ring. She definitely had a good, and not so good, direction when moving, so I had to spend a little extra time on her counter-clockwise direction.

My goal for today was to walk calmly around the ring twice in both directions, then walk through the lane I made down the middle of the ring with the jumping poles. 

I had to work on her standing still at the mounting block. We worked through it until she was standing still and not anticipating moving when I got on her. So, I mounted fine. When adjusting my feet in the stirrups, she moved out. I'm going to have to work on that. I want her standing still until I clearly ask her to move out, no matter what I'm doing in the saddle. 

She set out moving at a walk. I directed her to turn, and she was more responsive, but hopped up into a slow trot. This time I kept her going at a trot around the ring a few times, just following the fence. She tried to slow, and I kept her up at that pace. When I asked her to walk, she eased down, and we were back to work.

Yesterday, she wasn't responsive to turning hardly at all. Today was much better. I could turn her off the rail and move her back to the rail, and switch directions. I was so relieved and proud.

I turned her toward the "lane" and she didn't want to walk through the middle of it at first. She shied to the side, so we walked along it a couple of times. Finally I turned her, and walked her through the lane. I was really proud about that too. On Monday, we'll work more on walking through the lane going both directions. 

She was much calmer today. I was much calmer today, and her stop was much better too.

I was able to walk her to the middle of the ring, halt, and dismount without issue feeling good about myself and my horse.

Today was a good day. I almost cried. I love my little horse.


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## Chessie (Mar 13, 2012)

Another good day under our belts. Cady was in a very calm, extremely relaxed mood today. I went into the pasture and kissed at her and she walked up to me and let me put her halter on. I groomed her, braided her mane, and did some groundwork with her that was on par with what she did yesterday. I'm still working on her moving counter-clockwise. It is definitely her difficult side.

In the ring I again had a little trouble with her moving away from the mounting block, but got her up there, then stood on top of it and scratched her neck and butt until she was holding still. My focus there is to not let her get away with shiftiness while mounting. She took a couple of steps forward, halted and stood for the first time while I settled into the saddle and adjusted my foot in the stirrup.

This was also the first day she didn't try to pick up into a faster pace than I asked her for. She was also better at standing and just holding still without anticipating moving.

We did a lot of walking. I focused on doing small circles in corners. To the right she was doing them really well with very soft cues. I had a lot of trouble turning her to the left, which is that counter-clockwise direction. I'll keep focusing on that tomorrow.

The other ladies at the barn took their horses out riding in the field where Cascade could see them. Her head came up and she lost a little focus, but she didn't spook, shy, or stop listening to me. She still moved on when I asked her to, and listened to my cues. 

I took her out of the ring, led her on a short walk around the center pasture, then groomed her and let her graze because she was such a good girl.

I'm not completely free of the butterfly feeling in my stomach yet, but every day is a little better. I've also still got a little tension in my seat. I'm working on that too. It helps to have three really good days in a row. 

If the little dressage ring is our "kiddie pool" for now, I'm okay with that. We've had three good days.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Journal Closed due to OP's recent lack of participation in it.
This routine action is taken to prevent other members from posting on it without the OP's knowledge.
It can be reopened at any time by the OP if they contact the Moderating team to request it.


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