# Horse Training Journal! keep up on Midnight training!



## Trusty Rusty

Why I did not work with Midnight on 12-19-14:

I was sale my gelding to a riding stable as a lesson horse 


Day number 2
Picking up Midnight hoof:

Today Midnight did very well. I started on her right side today with her front right hoof. She picked it up no problem so I praised her and gave her a treat. Next I did her right hind leg. She kept walking forward avoiding to have her hoof picked up. When I finally was able to pick up her hoof and set it back down I praised her. After that I went to her left hind front and she pulled away and kept walking forward. I finally got her to let me pick it up and set it back down. Next I went to her left front hoof and she picked it up and set it back down no problem. Then I went to her back left hind leg and tried my normal pinch and pick her hoof up but she stepped forward again.I picked up her hoof by her pastern and she let me pick it up and set it back down. I learned that squeezing her lower leg was uncomfortable for her. Midnight is slowly making progress! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 3
Picking up Midnight hoof:

I am so proud if Midnight! She is making so much progress!

Today I started with her front left hoof and picked it up and set it back down no problem. Then I moved to her back left leg and picked it up. At first she kept walking forward but then I was able to pick up her hoof and set it back down. Then I went to her front right hoof and picked it up and set it back down no issues I was also able to do the same with her right hind leg. Of course I praised her and fed her a treat every time I'm able to pick up her hoof and set it right back down no issues.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 4
Picking up Midnight hoof:
Today I started on Midnights hind left leg. She let me pick it up and set it back down no problem. Then I went to her right hind leg. I picked it up and set it down. Next I went to her front left side and picked her hoof up and set it down. Easy as pie. After that I went to her right front side and picked it up and set it right back down. No problems. I praised her and treated her each time she let me pick up her hoofs and set them right back down. 

Day number 1:
Taking Midnight for her first walk:

I put a saddle blanket, and bareback saddle on her back today. 
At first she spooked at the girth around her belly. I took the saddle blanket and saddle pad off and put it back on. She let me cinch it up no problem. 

Then I took Night out of the yard and down on an old concreat walking trail. I worked on teaching her "Whoa" to stop, I clicked at her to go forward, then I clicked at her again to trot, we also worked on "easy" which is to slow down, and lastly we worked on backing up. 

She did wonderful with these commands no problems other then when we were walking sometimes she wanted to trot so I told her easy and made her walk my pace. She would occasionally stop and look around or stop and call for another horse. 

On our way back to the barn she spooked at a huge rock lining the enterance to a house. She wouldn't go near it. So I went up to it spoke to her softly and I touched the rock. She came up and sniffed it and she was fine. 

I think for our first outing on a walk Taking very well . I'm so proud of midnight.


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 5
Picking up Midnight hoof:

I worked with Midnights hooves again today and she did real well with all of them. Sheblet me hold them up for a little bit longer. She gets treats and praise every time she did good. Midnight got frustrated towards the end with her left front leg. (I had been accidentally working with her too long) I she started to not let me pick up her front left goof. So I went to her right hind hoof. She let me pick it up and hold it. I praised her and called the hooves training for the day quits. I sadly lost a little bit of trust with her but will have to gain her trust back. 

Day Number 1:
Getting Midnight used to the blanket:

I let midnight sniff the blanket and rubbed the saddle blanket all over her body. She didn't mind it much and did very well I praised her for doing very well. 


Day Number 2:
Taking Midnight on a walk. 

I put the saddle blanket on her back and put the bareback saddle on her back. She was a little nervous at first but she did fine. I worked with her on going forward, stopping, backing, and slowing down. She did fine. A few times she wanted to trot when we were talking and all I told her was easy and gentle pulled back on the halter and she slowed down. We passed a house where she suddenly stopped. A few minutes later a big stalky pit bull appears in the yard, my neighbors didn't own this bit pull. It stared us down, then it trotted off and me and Night continue walking. On our walk I walked her up to every huge rock I could find to get her used to them. She didn't seem to mind them at all 

P.s sorry for the late post. I'll have to post about today either later tonight or after Christmas.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 6
Picking up Midnight hoof:
Midnight wouldn't let me pick up her hoofs on her left side. Midnight would not let me pick up her back right or back left hooves. Midnight kept pulling away and kicking out, pawing etc., when I tried picking up her hooves and she was getting frustrated at me working with her. 

Day number 3
Taking Midnight for a walk:
For Christmas Midnight got a new halter with a name plate and I lead her down the road of the barn. (Long dirt road) and stopped and let her eat grass for awhile. I practices her stopping, forward, slowing down, and backing up and she did very well  no issues. 

In photos :Midnight sleeping with halter on and her halter name plate.


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 7
Picking up Midnights hooves:
Midnight did very well today, she was having trouble with her hind and left front hooves getting picked up. I finally picked them up and set them back down and praised/treated her. She did good with her right side. No fuss. 

Day number 4
Taking Midnight for a walk:
I put the blanket and the bareback saddle on Midnight. I also put on her nee bridle. She did very well with her new bridle on! No issues.  I worked on her stopping, going forward, and backing up. She did good. We also walked by a road with cars and she didn't mind at all!

Midnight in her bridle in the photo


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 8
Picking up Midnights hooves:
Today I picked up Midnights hooves there were no issues on her right side. On her left front she pawed a bit but then she let me pick it up and set her hoof back down. Her back right she didn't do too well on. She cow kicked me. It didn't hurt but she did it on purpess so I swatted her (not hard) and told her no. After that she let me pick up her hoof no problem. Each time I picked up her hoof and set it down I treat her for it.


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 9
Picking up Midnights hooves:
Midnight had no issues with picking up her hooves today on her right side. Her left front she pawed a bit but let me pick up her hoof and set it back down the second try. On her left hind leg she pulled away a bit but when she understood I wasn't gonna give up she let me pick it up and set it back down. Of course each time she let me pick up a hoof I praised her and treated her.


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## Ebonyisforme

You are doing awesome with her! The only thing I noticed is that up farther you said she wouldn't let you pick up her left front leg so you moved on? One major thing with horses is being consistent and persistent. I would suggest next time keep on trying until she lets you. I have a horse named Midnight too!  I am also training a pony that has never been rode before.


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 10
Picking up Midnights hooves:
Today I picked up midnights front hooves today no problem. I gave her a treat after licking up her font hooves to problem . I went to her back left leg and tried to pick it up and she kept pulling away. I finally got her to pick up her left leg then quickly set it down and treated her. Next I went to her back right leg and picked it up and there were no issues on that leg 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Trusty Rusty

Day Number 1:
Working with getting Midnight used to the saddle blanket.

Today I rubbed the saddle blanket all over and when I got to her belly she kicked at it. I had her realize that it wasn't gonna hurt her and treated her after she quick kicking. Other then that she did amazing.
_Posted via Mobile Device_

P.S Update!

I started to work with her on different things each day so she doesn't get so board with picking up her hooves.


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## Trusty Rusty

Day Number 11: 
Picking Up Midnights Hooves:
Today Midngith let me pick up all four of her hooves no problems! She did amazing!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Trusty Rusty

Day Number 12: 
Picking up Midnights hooves 
No problem today either!  I think she's learning. I am gonna keep doing the picking up her hooves and setting them back down for another week then start working with her on holding her hooves up longer 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Trusty Rusty

Ebonyisforme said:


> You are doing awesome with her! The only thing I noticed is that up farther you said she wouldn't let you pick up her left front leg so you moved on? One major thing with horses is being consistent and persistent. I would suggest next time keep on trying until she lets you. I have a horse named Midnight too!  I am also training a pony that has never been rode before.


Thanks for the awesome advice! It helped a lot. And how awesome! What breed is your Midnight? And that's so cool! How's your training going?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Trusty Rusty

For Midnight I know our routine may get old and it may seem like all work and no play!
But after training session later in the day I like to play with her. I am teaching her that a jolly ball is something fun to play with. I try to get her to chase it but she never wants to. She just like to pick it up in her teeth and drop it  On the days its too muddy to play with the jolly ball I tack her up with a bareback saddle and I lead her out to a field down pur road so she can eat grass! Lately I haven't been taking walks due to not having time. I will start doing that again soon! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ebonyisforme

My midnight is a Quarter Horse. My training is doing great, I have been lunging her with a saddle the past couple days and getting her used to minimal weight.


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## Trusty Rusty

Ebonyisforme said:


> My midnight is a Quarter Horse. My training is doing great, I have been lunging her with a saddle the past couple days and getting her used to minimal weight.


Oh how awesome! And that's good how's she doing with the weight on her back? May I see a photo of her?


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## Ebonyisforme

So far, we have gotten to a grand total of 4 pounds, haha. Taking it slow, any more than that and she will shy...slowly adding more and more every day!
There is pictures of Midnight (The black full size horse) and then Whisper (pony I am training!) And, since I am giving you pics of both of them, might as well do my other horse. Belle(Baya) is a 15hh Paint horse. She is the full size paint.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EDHglZAUTUrWpKO2SAg4y9AOn7v0f2UXx7-fyANzvE8/edit?usp=sharing

They are all kind of big, chubby, furballs right now... :/


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## Trusty Rusty

Ebonyisforme said:


> So far, we have gotten to a grand total of 4 pounds, haha. Taking it slow, any more than that and she will shy...slowly adding more and more every day!
> There is pictures of Midnight (The black full size horse) and then Whisper (pony I am training!) And, since I am giving you pics of both of them, might as well do my other horse. Belle(Baya) is a 15hh Paint horse. She is the full size paint.
> 
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EDHglZAUTUrWpKO2SAg4y9AOn7v0f2UXx7-fyANzvE8/edit?usp=sharing
> 
> They are all kind of big, chubby, furballs right now... :/


At least your making progress!  At first Midnight would only let me pick up no hooves at all, and now? I can pick all of them up with ease and set them down.  you'll get there  Your horses are absolutely beautiful! Don't worry Midnight is a fuzz ball too. That's a good weight your horses are at. Its better then too skinny. I see lots of folks having there horses skin and bones and say they are perfect weight, I disagree with them. Your horses look good 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ebonyisforme

Haha, thanks! Everytime you say Midnight, I think of mine... You are doing great with her! Does she let you ride her?


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 13: 
Picking up Midnight hooves:
I picked up midnights hooves and held them up for three seconds. She did good with her front hooves no issue she did perfect. Her back right leg at first she pulled away then let me hold it up for two seconds. Her left leg she let me hold up for two seconds but didn't pull away  I'm gonna slowly increase the time with her.


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## Trusty Rusty

Day Number 14: 
Picking up Midnights hooves:
Today I picked up Midnights hooves and held them for three seconds on her front legs. She did fine with her front legs then I did her back left leg and she was pulling away. I only had her hold it up for two seconds her right hind leg she did perfect with.


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number five:
Taking midnight for a walk:
I put her bridle, and bareback saddle on and we went for a walk. Midnight was hyper because all the grain she's getting but other then thag midnight did awesome! She kept wanting to trot but I just told her easy and she slowed right down


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 15 
Picking up Midnight hooves:
I worked on picking up her hooves today and she did amazing. She didn't fuss at all with any of her hooves and let me hold them up for three seconds! I'm so proud of her. 

Day number 6 
Taking Midnight for a walk:
Today I bridled midnight and saddled her up with my western saddle and walked her. She spooked at my neighbors shooting their pellet gun, and some cars driving by that you couldn't see the directions they were coming from. Other then that she did amazing!


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## Trusty Rusty

Day Number 1 
Teaching Midnight to lunge:
I swung the lead rope after midnight and got her to walk in a tight cercial around me in both directions


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 2
Teaching Midnight to lunge:
Today I got her to go in a bigger cerial around me  I swung the lead rope around in circles and got her to go. I followed her hind end around while teaching her to lunge. So far she's done very good


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## Trusty Rusty

Day number 2
Getting Midnight used to the saddle blanket:
I rubbed the saddle blanket all over her body then slowly snaked it up her neck to where she was letting me cover her ears with it!  my goal right now is to her to let me cover her whole head with it


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## Trusty Rusty

Ebonyisforme said:


> Haha, thanks! Everytime you say Midnight, I think of mine... You are doing great with her! Does she let you ride her?


Thanks, and yes she does but I don't ride her right now. I'd rather work on ground manners first. How's your Midnight doing?


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## Trusty Rusty

I forgot to post this photo, but its of Midnight saddled up on our walk


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## Ebonyisforme

Mine is great! I give lessons on her! She is perfect! Yours is very pretty!


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## Trusty Rusty

Ebonyisforme said:


> Mine is great! I give lessons on her! She is perfect! Yours is very pretty!


How awesome! What type of lessons? and thank you so is yours.


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## Ebonyisforme

Western Pleasure. Just the basics, not anything you could go show on or anything, just kids who want to ride a horse.


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## Trusty Rusty

Ebonyisforme said:


> Western Pleasure. Just the basics, not anything you could go show on or anything, just kids who want to ride a horse.


Cool. Do u by chance want midnight?


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## Ebonyisforme

What? You're getting rid of her?


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## Trusty Rusty

Ebonyisforme said:


> What? You're getting rid of her?


Yeah my mom says I am not experience enough to train her so I gotta sale her.


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## Ebonyisforme

Oh, I'm sorry! Where do you live? If you live close enough, maybe I could help you? Or you could save up and hire a trainer to at least get her started?


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