# Life with a Paint



## paintthesky (Apr 13, 2013)

It's always good to be challenged! Good luck with her


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## evensteven (Mar 16, 2013)

*9/6/13*

Thanks, paintthesky! I agree with being challenged. I like a challenge.

We ended up not riding today, we thought it might rain, so I decided that why not start a bond/trusting thing? We round penned, which was fun because I didn't use the whip and she listened very well. After we stopped loping and trotting she started following me around the pen. I thought it was so cool! I was having a lot of fun, and the good thing was that I think our bond strengthened! Yay! And this is our third time seeing each other too.
I think I accomplished something.

Get ready for some pictures.. A few are some photos of Annabelle and I round penning.


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## evensteven (Mar 16, 2013)

*9.22.13*

I feel terrible. I haven't updated anything in two weeks! I was going to but then I was like ehh, maybe another day. But, today, I shall explain what has happened over the past two weeks..

Annabelle has much improved for as long as I have had her. Canter is much better. She cantrots (canter+trots) though, and she seems really lazy about getting up into her actual canter, which feels so much better. Any ideas for making her stop doing that? When I first rode her, it was much worse than it is now, but something just to give her an extra push?
I had a picture, but it won't upload, so I'll try to get it soon.

The past few days, oh my castiel, she's been terrible! Thank castiel it's passed now, but she was not listening at ALL. She was in heat or pmsing. My trainer said she was in heat, but what the owners said was that she didn't do that anymore. GUESS NOT. She would only walk and stopped when she wanted to. It was crazy! I was kicking the crap out of her too. Thankfully, someone was there and gave me a crop. It worked! So, now I know when she's like that to use a crop. She acts like she's afraid of it though. Desensitizing time.. With crops and maybe something else. Plastic bag on a stick? Good plan. My trainer was telling me that some mares acted like they weren't in heat at all while others were like her. She does listen though when I have a crop, and isn't cranky about it either. She didn't get angry when I smacked her shoulder, so that's good.

This is also crazy.. :lol: A lady stood and was holding a halter by the arena. Well, she was in the arena and close to Annabelle. Annabelle went all cuckoo and reared up a little. She got spooked by an old lady just standing there. What a weirdo.

And also, some goals: Canter.
Jumping cross rails (hopefully!)
Desensitizing with whip and crop.
To listen even though she's in heat.

I think that sums it up.


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## evensteven (Mar 16, 2013)

*9.22.13*

I feel terrible. I haven't updated anything in two weeks! I was going to but then I was like ehh, maybe another day. But, today, I shall explain what has happened over the past two weeks..

Annabelle has much improved for as long as I have had her. Canter is much better. She cantrots (canter+trots) though, and she seems really lazy about getting up into her actual canter, which feels so much better. Any ideas for making her stop doing that? When I first rode her, it was much worse than it is now, but something just to give her an extra push?
I had a picture, but it won't upload, so I'll try to get it soon.

A few days ago, Tuesday and Wednesday to be exact, she was THE WORST. Okay, I'm exaggerating a little when I say that, but she was pretty bad. That mare was in heat so bad! When we got into the arena and I got up on her, it took her like five minutes just to get her going. And from then all she did was walk slow and stop when she wanted. Thankfully, a person was there and gave me a crop to use. She listened right after that. She also seems like she's afraid of the crop and whip, so desensitizing time! With a plastic bag too. You can never be too safe. My trainer was telling me that some mares can go into heat and you wouldn't even notice and then there's Annabelle. She also said she's never seen a horse that bad when in heat. She's a good horse though, she listened after the crop and didn't act all butthole-ish when I gave her a good smack.

When we were trotting around, a lady stood and was about to leave the arena. We were coming up to her and Annabelle spooked at her. :lol: The lady was just standing there and Annabelle rears up a little. What a weirdo! The lady wasn't even doing anything! :rofl:

Goals: Canter
Jumping cross rails (hopefully soon!) I'll ask my trainer about it!
Desensitizing with crop and whip
Teaching her to not be so off in her own world when in heat

That sums it up!

Double post. CASTIEL. I thought the other one didn't post. Oh well.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

She is such a cute mare, I love your thread. Keep the pictures coming.


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## evensteven (Mar 16, 2013)

Thank you! Oh wow, really? It's not that great. Thanks! Her coloring to me is weird, with her white spots. I'm used to seeing full on brown and white paints. She's unique in a way.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

Is she gaited? I've never known a non gaited horse to canter-trot. In fact the only breed that I've known to canter-trot is a Standardbred. 

For a standardbred, they canter with the front feet and trot with the back feet. It is extremely smooth and comfortable.

I'm assuming you must have a different meaning.

I wonder if you have a lameness issue going on? Or are you pushing her into an extended trot to pick up the canter? Rushing into the canter is not good. Start at the walk, tilt the nose to the outside and ask for the canter. If the horse rushes into a speed trot, pull up back to the walk and ask again. Use the whip behind your leg if you need to. 

A horse should be able to pick up a canter from the walk with no issues.


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## evensteven (Mar 16, 2013)

No. She is a Paint and I don't she has any gaited breeds in her. She's just lazy with her canter. She does it, but it looks like she's trotting as she's cantering. But she is cantering. She also isn't used to getting ridden as much as she has been. My trainer did say her left hind was showing a little soreness when I first tried her out but I think it's good now.

She can get into the canter fine, it's just actually pushing her to do it. That's all. I want to get to the point where she actually full on canters instead of an in between kind of thing.


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## evensteven (Mar 16, 2013)

*10.3.13*

Happy October everyone!

Yesterday (Wednesday), I officially jumped on Annabelle! IT WAS SO FUN. And I think Annabelle enjoyed it too, she was really quick afterwards, which is good. She's usually really slow. Even though they were only cross rails, I was sweating buckets. Why does it have to be so hot in October here?! I think I should get some confirmation pictures on here so you can spread your knowledge to help see if she could jump higher. I don't know though. Do you think a 17-year-old could jump higher than cross rails? My cousin's Arab is the same age and jumps over 2ft still. I guess she could.. But I don't want to put anymore pressure on her than she needs.

One other thing. My trainer wants me to get into showing, but I'm a huge chicken and I'm really afraid of making a big idiot of myself. I feel like if I mess up I'll just give up and I'll be judged by how bad I am, but I'm really not. Caaaastiel. I want to show, but then I don't at the same time. My trainer says I'm really good, and I'm great at memorizing patterns too. I think if I do show, I'll only start with western things first. I'm better in western than English. Should I or shouldn't I?


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## evensteven (Mar 16, 2013)

Wow. An update! Almost a month later. Annabelle has been doing AMAZING. Aside from the cut on her leg, which is healing, finally, she has been actually _going._ We've really been getting her used to staying at a fast pace on her own, because she's been relying on me to push her.

NOT ANYMORE.

AND, our jumping career has begun. Even though we've only really been doing cross rails, and a small vertical once or twice, I believe she could go higher, if I wanted to. But not yet. There's a show next week, an English show, for kids like me. Who have no show experience whatsoever. It's a walk trot class, but I think if I really want to do it, I can. My trainer really wants me to show too. Heck, I want to show, but I get so nervous and scared that I'll mess up. That's probably the only reason. Haha. More updates sooon.


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## evensteven (Mar 16, 2013)

Well, first show was a success! Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous at all. It was kind of weird, haha. At first Anna was acting like any normal horse would but soon calmed down. She did really well! We did walk trot, because it was my first show and we got two firsts and a second. The second was for trail. She isn't completely great at trail, so I'm happy with a second. 
She bucked a little in trail actually! Just a little bump and nothing major. The horse that went before us actually bucked too. It was funny. The other two classes we went in were hunt seat equitation and hunter under saddle..? I believe? She did really well in those too. The judge told me we were flawless. I just kind of stared at her.

Overall, my first show was awesome. And I think I plan on doing more in the future.


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## evensteven (Mar 16, 2013)

Alrighty, the weather here has been crazy yesterday and today. It feels like England! It's just been raining all day long. Thank god my mom and I got to Annabelle before it started raining again to change her bandage. She was really giddy for some reason. Maybe because it was cold and rainy and it was feeding time? Probably. She really wanted to trot back to her stall.
Yeah. NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
I haven't been able to ride her as often, which is kind of disappointing. Annabelle is a good horse and I love riding her. And jumping on her is fun too.. Other than when she bucks afterwards. She gets all crazy over them! It's weird.


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