# ST Progress



## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

01/14/2013
Today (yesterday, lol) I had an awesome ride. I got two nice, collected canters and had a nice trot down the road (made me feel like we were going to town with purposes, lol).
She only walked to the end of the mud pit at the gate, so I ended up having to wait and crawl through the fence to the mud I can actually walk in, lol. She then walked up to me no problem and let me halter her before I even brought the treat out (she still isnt nippy or pushy). I tied her to the gate and shimmied over again, popped her in the cross ties and brushed her down. I don't think what we originally thought was rain rot is such..I think she's just shedding in patches, otherwise Im going to have to start bathing her in the solution we have. Her hair is coming out all over, which is why I believe it's shedding and not rain rot.

So, I saddled her up and put her bridle on with much less trouble than previously. We used the jr cow that I haven't tried on her yet and I think she liked it. We got me all set up with my phone thing on my belt (otter box thing) and I hopped up and we headed out the driveway.

Ive found that her head tossing isnt really head tossing at all, it feels like she's striking out with both fronts and her head just goes with the motion, lol. I got rid of this today by give a little jerk on my left rein (mainly stayed left the whole ride). We had 4 instances of this throughout our whole ride, which is better than our last trail/road ride..by a ton.

After we got about halfway down the road to the trails we moved into the opposite lane and trotted down the road down to the trails. I can see if cars are coming from that lane and I have grass on the side we can move to. We may canter down the stretch when the weather gets nicer, but we're going to trot for now. She doesnt have shoes (thank god xD ), so she won't be slipping unless the road's bad, in which we wont be out anyway, lol.

We had another fit when we got to the top of the small hill leading down to all the trailheads and hay fields. Fixed this my just kicking her forward and keeping her head straight. We had another two fits as soon as we got to the spot we had a rodeo last trail ride..I fixed these (the striking/headtossing and trying to turn around) by letting het turn around, and then we kept turning and spun around twice and she offered to go forward without taking action on her attitude.

We got into our small, flat (slightly muddy right now out there too) trail around the hay field and she changed, just like that. Im still not sure it's her being along, I feel like she doesn't realize she knows exactly where she's at and is spooky because of it (doesnt have the confidence of going to a new place with another horse). I just can't seem to understand why it's only heading out we have issues (any help on that would be much appreciated).

So, we walked through the trail neck reining with a level head and got to the end where we come back out into the hay field..and we cantered! We actually cantered, she wasnt just flailing around and speeding up, it was a nice, collected canter with her pushing from behind. She broke into a trot where it starts to slightly (and I mean slightly) slope down where the goats use to be and I pushed her back into the nice canter again, on a loose rein (!). I got a little half-hearted buck, but nothing I could even care to discipline. 

We walked back on a loose rein and had the little beagle chase us down her yard baying, lol. ST didn't even pin her ears or swish her tail, paid no attention to her. She followed us three yards down (not sure why..she usually stays in her yard) before she finally stopped following and just stood there baying. 

We saw Ralph (BOs husband) as we crested the last hill and came up to the driveway. We also saw Dan (4h barn owner a few miles awaywho was nice enough to stop behind us and let another truck go before he passed us (forced to walk on the tiny shoulder at that point because owners of the property have ytried to sue before. I was told to get hit before I stepped on their property because they'll threaten to hurt my horse and sue me). We both waved, but Im bummed I didnt get to see his butt again  lol

About halfway down the driveway I put her in another lovely canter to the house and then walked down to the barn and untacked her.

She stayed in the run-in again and watched me until I walked I out too. 

Here's a picture or two. 









Before our ride.









During our ride in the woods.


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

01/15/2013
Well..she's lame on her front right..again. Hopefully it wont last 3 weeks again this time though. Wasnt lame when I put her back yesterday, so Im assuming she slipped or something in the pasture last night/this morning. Theres a little heat right under her knee on the lateral side and I think her pasterns a bit swollen. I cant help but think its her trim job though..I think she needs sole taken out, and our farrier doesnt take that out.

All I did today was brush her real good and take pictures. Going back out tomorrow, hopefully she's sound again, but I'm not betting on it.









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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

01/17/2013
Mare is sound today! Small trail ride before work now, will be back with details of how she does. 
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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

Okay, soo...
Still 01/17/2013
Todays ride went GREAT!!
We rode in the jr cow again, and I don't think we're going to go back to the snaffle aside from specific training days (maybe every other week?). ST only threw one itty bitty fit (throwing her head up again..and I think striking) because I held her back from continuing to trot after we got to the top of the hill. And that was it!!!
We went from two fits within 30 seconds to one in a whole hour or so! Im soo proud of her. She didnt spook at the big CAT machines one of the farmers had going, along with his old, backfiring truck lol. She perked her ears and raised her head up excitedly when one of the neighbours cows mooed. She also had a nice walk with purpose the whole ride!

On the way out she had her head up, looking around and occasionally snorting, but she never tried to spin back around towards home. She was really energetic on the trail, but I can't be upset with that, as it's been what I was looking for. I want her to be excited to go riding, and she was today! She only slowed down twice to look at something, and she listened off all leg/seat/neck reining to and from! Neck reining is usually an option for her (she only listens when she wants to), but she never questioned once today.

I'm working all dsy tomorrow instead of just my one evening shift tomorrow, but I might get to go out and love on her for a bit between my shifts. Otherwise, she gets a well deserved day off.

And of course, pictures!

On the trail:









Just got back:









Interested in the trailer:









Being all photogenic, lol:









And eating the snow because she's just soo thirsty after our rides, lol:








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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

01/24/2013
Well, today (yesterday lol) was freezing! But, it's been the warmest so far and I haven't seen her in a few days. The pasture was nice and frozen and there are pits everywhere..its the worst coming into the barn so Ralph's been taking their feed out to the majority that won't come in.

So..I usually have no problem letting her lag behind me as long as she doesn't stop or yank on my shoulder, but when I looked back I almost brike my ankle in one of yhe craters mid-shin deep..So, instead of going out for a ride, I just did groundwork for about 45 minutes in the run in. She did great, she moved forward with me when I clucked and started walking, amd she stopped right when I did with a woah after about 5 times of taking two extra steps and facing me, which she got a nice jerk for. After about 10 minutes we walked around woth no lead!

I brought the little treats out instead of the one big one I normally do and she got one of those (was going to give to the other horses) the first few times she stopped without me having ti correct her, and she got lovins everytime.

I brushed her down and we went for a little mile hike around the corn field (about a mile). I slid my foot off a little slope into a snow drift (that she was already walking in, lol) and got my pantleg covered in snow, but all went well. She was a little frisky with the geldings at the end of the cornfield near the end of the driveway..but I ddidn't realize she was in heat while we were at the barn, lol. Nothing bad, she tried stopping to squirt once and got a shank everytime she slowed down all down the fenceline, but I guess I was slowing down too..I need to get back into shape xD I might have to start taking walks for our trails, haha. I think 3 miles a day would work..lol.

Overall, I was very pleased with her. She kept moving her butt around in the cross ties while I was paying attention to Ace and had her buddy calling at her, but she moved back over and straight as soon as I hollered at her for it.

Soo..pictures? 

Before we left:









Before we left, again, lol (phone lense got dusty haha):









Before we left:









Before we left (last one lol):









Out on our walk:









Ace jealous I didn't take him:









And the second gate, lol:








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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

01/27/2013
ST did great today! She led our trail and didnt have any issues. Head nice and even and relaxed. 

Donald (BOs son) tagged along on Superman and we got to go on trails I haven't been able to touch in awhile. The caution tape was down so we went on through.









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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

01/29/2013
Couldn't have asked for a better ride today, now I really know I'm not even close to being willing to give this mare up for my old horse..I'm gonna find a way to make them both work. 

I'll be back after work to talk about the ride. 
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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

Okay..I missed two rides, but we'll live  I still have pictures, just can't remember the little differences between the rides, haha. They were both great though.

02.10.2013
Soo..today. I had an awesome ride..aside from the fact that I didn't even realize I forgot to put my curb chain on when I switched bits around my bridles and got new ones.

ST was stunning, no spooks, and the only issue we had was when we were trying to walk under the tape by the pond. It was loose enough that I could hold it up while Donald went under and drop it behind me..Well, instead of waiting for Donald, she decided to back up and I couldn't let go because I know Super would've had a meltdown with Donald bareback if it came down on his ****..so it's a little stretched out D:
After that we went down three horribly muddy hills, slid almost the whole way..and then we encountered three GIANT hills to go up..I didn't think ST was gonna make it a couple times! Donald was behind me hanging on by Super's little mohawk with his legs out behind him because they were just too steep.

So..finally got up all these hills and realized we weren't where we were trying to come out at..we ended up right back where we started. So, we had time and decided to go back down the same trail and take the other turn to go straight to the dirt road we wanted to breeze them out on. Donald, being the little a$$ he is decided to comment when ST's head was peanut rolling, "She looks like she's about to lay down on you, hahaha." Well, karma's a b!tch, ain't it? I turned around and watched Super stop and scratch his leg and continued when he brought his head up..Well, 10 seconds later Donald's hollering and laughing and Super's on the ground. Alright, but that's completely unacceptable, so I told Donald to give him a little kick to get up. Donald gave a little kick and he didn't even respond and Donald kicked harder (right where he would've if he was still on top and stood up) and Super got up. Not only did he get up, he decided to take off kicking and bucking towards me. ST isn't going to move anywhere, so I was hoping he'd try and pass so I could snatch his reins up (split reins)..Nope, he ducked to the left and went up through the hay field (poot Brett..our horses have been spazzing and tearing it up lately). After a few seconds he decided to take off toward the hill to the road, so I took off to try and cut him off. No go because he got a head start and they about match for speed. So, I calmly walked up the hill to find him munching on some grass on the side of the road. I went to swing off so I could grab him without spooking him and he took off again before I could even get my foot out of the stirrup.

Sooo, now he's on the road, right around a blind corner, great. Both reins are broke off right under the buckles. Donald finally catches him in a ditch beside a fenced property. I offered to pony Super and let Donald hop on bareback, but he decided it'd be better to just walk. So, Super ended up with a nice scrape from his front shoes on his left hind pastern and we walked back.

But, proudest points on ST's ride..Ran sanely to try and catch Super, got up all hills and barely broke a sweat (while Super was soaked), and she never once spooked at a thing.

Soo..pictures from the ride:

On our trail, you can see where the trail dips, which turned out to be a big hill:









Donald walking back:









ST after I hopped off back home:








Also..I know there isn't a curb chain on the bit, I didn't realize until it pulled halfway into her mouth in the middle of our trail. It'll have a chain before I use it again.
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## RiverBelle (Dec 11, 2012)

I just want to say, I love your horses color! I had a mare what was a red color like that, and she shone so well in the summer. I bet your horse glows like gold when it's brush out really good in the summer, huh?


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

Thanks.  But I wish, lol, she sun fades like no other and since she's a pasture horse..she's outta luck, haha.
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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

02/18/2013

Soo, today (yesterday) I got out of work early because we had too many people and went out to fit her new hack and brush her some.

Sadly, I forgot to take pictures because I was meeting Copperhead to go out to her barn and discuss boarding and mess around with Raina.

But, she tried to get away from me for the first time today.. D: She came into the run in towards me like a good girl and ducked to the left away from me. Nothing too worrisome though, tossed the lead over her neck and she stood fine to be haltered..She probably didn't want anymore giant hills and chasing of Super xD She got a nice brush down to get the caked on mud off and went back out after I adjusted and fit the hack to her.

Also..she's fine with bridling itself, leaves her head down and all, it's just the bitting we have a slight issue with, which I can't blame her for. She'll learn when I move her to this new place though, because we're going to stop grain (had to drop a hole on my girth sunday!) and leave her on just hay and pasture. I don't think she needs grain to keep her weight, even with a heavy workload..but if I'm wrong and she does, I can manage that somehow at the new barn (with an INDOOR ARENA!!!), lol.
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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

--^ that was suppose to say 12, not 18th, ****.
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