# Taming the Beast



## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

Lakota started professional training today. I'd like this to be a journal of what happened every session, a place to post pics, and some place to let my thoughts out. Just to bring everyone up-to-date, Lakota is a 6 year-old Morab/Spotted Draft. He stands 16hh, weighs 1300lbs. He had 30 days training when he was 2.5 years old and then sat most of the time in his pasture. I got him last summer and want to start dressage with him. Lakota is Left Brain introvert and very stubborn.

May 30th, 2011-Angie and me worked on fly spraying him. We tried a few different methods and then she took him off by herself and just worked on spraying around him and he actually let her spray him once or twice without freaking out. After that, we saddled and bridled him and she lunged him before getting on. They spent about 30 mins walking around and they worked on him responding to the bit, keeping his head down, basically just working on him not grabbing the bit and throwing his head up like a fool. They finished on that note and I felt good about today. Lakota acted pretty good and had only a minor blow-up when she was lunging him.


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

May 31st, 2011-First, Angie lunged him and to get him thinking and focused on her, she lunged him over a few jumps. After that, she got on him and walked him around. From when I first started riding him, he's been responding to the bit and giving to pressure in an incredible way. At the walk, you just have to wigle your fingers. After about 15-20 minutes, she asked him for the trot and he kicked out twice before he went into. They trotted 8 more times after that and he only kicked out again when she switched directions. She walked him over some poles and he's such a brat he'd stop and then try to play with the poles. I have a short video that I took on my phone, I'll try to upload it later. It was a really good day and I was really proud of him because it was really windy 40 mph winds and the big indoor door would ever so often slam down. He only spooked once when the wind blew a plastic chair over and it flew towards him as they were passing. It was nothing bad though, just a few leaps forward and then he stopped.

Edit: I lied, the video is too big for me too send to my e-mail. Sorry guys, next time I'll remember my camera.


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

June 1st, 2011-Lakota gets the day off. He's back to work tomorrow and then Friday he has off cause Angie's going to a dressage show. He may get worked on Saturday if she's not too tired from the show and if not, he'll be worked Sunday.


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

June 2nd, 2011-Well first Anige lunged him and he was the perfect gentleman. Then she rode him around and he was fine at the walk but at the trot he got a little sassy, just basically being outside his comfort level and stoping wehn she asked for a trot and throwing a few kicks out. She worked him through it and he got better. After she got one good circle of trotting, she walked him for awhile and then asked me if I felt like riding today. I agreed. Me and Lakota just walked around but he was really good for me. I was catching him wehn he wanted to stop or pop into the trot. I got some pictures of Angie riding and she got some pictures of me riding, so I'll upload them later, once my computer learns to love me. It was a really great day and I'm feeling pretty high on life right now. =D


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

Here's the pictures...sorry it took so long. I'm the one in the helmet, Angie's the one without one. I really like the pics of her and Lakota in the shadows, especially the first one. No critques please.


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

June 4th, 2011-Angie's at a dressage show so Lakota had last night off because she trailed down then and today I'm just gonna go and love on him for awhile. =)


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

Oh man, sorry I've just been super busy. I've been helping Angie train and she has 4 horses in training, so I'm usually at the barn til late. There's this Quarb that I'm totally in love with, he'd be a great hunter or lower-level dressage horse but his owner's just gonna use him for trails. =/

Anyways, on to Lakota.

On Friday, he was so naughty at first. He was rearing up on the lunge, backing up, striking out, just not moving. So Angie worked him through that and by the time she was done lunging, there was 5 other horses in the arena. I was helpiung another lady with MS with her horse, I was walking next to her so I didn't see ehr ride him but she said they just walked and he did really good. We were both pleased about the way he turned things around. 

Saturday, we free-jumped Lakota. He was loving it. We didn't even have to ask him to go through the jump, he just canter, jump over it, then come around and jump it again. I'll have to think about taking up jumping with him.

Sunday, he was pretty amazing. He's always been a horse where you try anything new with him and he gets upset and nervous. Yesterday, lakota was trotting pretty amazing, giving to the bit and collecting himself. He was more in a learning mood than a nervous non-thinking mood. There was a Saddlebred in the arena with him and at first Lakota just wanted to be by the other horse but then he decided he could go off on his own. I got on a rode him around at the walk, he felt a little tired but he was really good. He's also very rarely kicking out/bucking anymore. 

Today, Angie might try to ride him over some small jumps depending on his mood. She's leaving for Montana on Thursday so she's working every horse everyday til Thursday and then giving them a break until when she comes back on Tuesday. I'll still be working Lakota and maybe the Quarb while she's gone.


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

Yesterday, we rode him in the outdoor. He was good but the sand out there sucks, like its really shallow in some parts and then it gets really deep in the middle, so we rarely use it. Angie rode him first and he broke into the canter a few times with her. He also did a little rear-hop but then he was fine. I got on and just walked him around again to cool him down. Next time I ride him, I'm going to trot. Today, Angie wants to try jumping him depending on his mood.


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

I trotted on him today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He has thee biggest trot ever. I've never felt anything like that and I've ridden my trainer's trainer's Fresian's trot. I have no idea how I managed to sit it. Lakota was pretty tired today so we didn't work him long or hard and tomorrow he's getting the day off.


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

Today I rode the little Quarb while Angie rode an Appy. We were going to hit the trails but then I got dumped. =/ Angie was ahead of me and the Appy spooked a little and since the Quarb is a little nervous and has no confidence, he freaked. According to Angie(I'm not sure what really happened), he went up, and I went forward and while I was trying to balance myself, he spun and hopped and I flew over his shoulder. it was my fault though, when the Appy spooked, I let my attention drift momentarily to Angie and the Appy and by the time I realized that the Quarb was probably gonna freak, he was already freaking. Next thing I know, my hips throbbing like crazy and the Appy's standing about 10 inches away from me because he was backing up. But I got up, grabbed the Quarb and walked him along the trail while Angie rode.

We didn't do much with Lakota, just lunged him in the dressage arena (he's never been out there) and then I hand walked him along the trail to get him used to it. 

Angie's gonna be gone for 4 days, so I'll be working Kota on my own, which is fine.


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

He looks a tad like Tess! A tiny weeny bit though, same left hand bum markings  Good luck with him!


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