# Squiggy: The Big Package of Surprises



## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

Cool QH!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Alright.

I've started her lightly on barrels and she's almost ready to get some speed kicking. Just after we get the muscles for "being round" back and going well.

I'm still on the hunt for a bit that will work for her... I dont really want to spend the money of something that wont work. 

Oh well.

Here's a pic of the beastie wearing her boots:


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Dur hurr durr. 
"I wanna prance around like a fancy poneh... but I's too derpeh."


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Just some more pics, she's enjoying her few days off. Spoiled brat.



















I cant wait for her first barrel jackpot later this summer. It's gonna be great.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

*Muahah*

I found your journal.. prepare to be commented on!

She really is a great mare and you've done so much with her


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

LOL. I think the point of the journal thingy is to have it be commented on! 

I don't think I could have asked for a wild horse to turn out any better, I don't care if she isn't registered or anything, I have a feeling she could run with the horses with fancy schmancy pedigree's and what-not.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Yay! I found yours too, just havent commented, just kinda lurked 

I don't think I could have asked for a better horse. There's something about the 3 wild ones we've broke that makes them different from other horses. They have such a desire to please and they're confident, have a "let's go see" attitude and always come to the fence for kisses. I love working with them, it's just that I claimed Squiggy as mine the first time I saw her, and after that I kind of got stuck with her because I was the only one who could catch her in the pen without having to rope her every time. 

I like everything about her. She gets a little crazy sometimes, prancy and hot, but I can ask her whatever I want to ask her, and she does it. She might be half sideways for a bit, chomping like crazy, but it doesn't take long for her to concentrate and do whatever job I asked her to do. 










Our latest ride:


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

QHriderKE said:


> I don't think I could have asked for a wild horse to turn out any better, I don't care if she isn't registered or anything, I have a feeling she could run with the horses with fancy schmancy pedigree's and what-not.


Yeah that's how I feel about my horse too.. though I may register him as an AWB since their registry doesn't have need for history of breeding.. I just want papers so no one can run off with him, you know?

But yeah she'd give a looot of horses a run for their money. Can't wait to see how she looks when she's all done growing around 6.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I finally got to upload this:


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

QHriderKE said:


> I finally got to upload this


Hey QH, I have a question. She seemed in a really good place up until 0.06.. what happened then?

Are you starting her on barrels in this vid? She looks like she's doing well!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

She's been on barrel for a few weeks 

You mean when I picked up my rein? She thought I was going to point her at a barrel, but then I fooled her and made her settle into a nice trot inside the pattern.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

QHriderKE said:


> She's been on barrel for a few weeks
> 
> You mean when I picked up my rein? She thought I was going to point her at a barrel, but then I fooled her and made her settle into a nice trot inside the pattern.


Oh gotcha!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Mmmhm. When training for barrels, you gotta set yourself into unpredictability mode. Or else the horse will get sour and grumpy and do all kinds of bad stuff.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

QHriderKE said:


> Mmmhm. When training for barrels, you gotta set yourself into unpredictability mode. Or else the horse will get sour and grumpy and do all kinds of bad stuff.


That's good to know  Kind of the same concept when riding greenies.. can't do same ol same ol or they start acting up.

That was really fun to watch, she's got a cute canter


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

That's her excited canter. *shakes head*


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

QHriderKE said:


> That's her excited canter. *shakes head*


Yeah I could tell! I think it's how she is built that makes it cute. Looking forward to your updates though


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I'mma go for a ride soon... Just gotta share her adorable-ness.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I just bought a Jr. Cowhorse bit with a copper roller for her, and the crazy chomping has almost vanished!!! Although, some sucky news: While brushing, I found a very sore spot on her back. I'm hoping I can get it looked at and fixed this week by a friend of ours who does chiro


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

She really sucks at hiding.










And here she is... a complete mess, I managed to get some of the mud off...









She's getting chiro'd Wednesday.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Chiro'd? LOL, it is called adjusted. Oh and my horse is getting "chiro'd next Sunday after the first show of the year. Just teasin' you kiddo!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

It was quick and I dont get off the farm much, okay????


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think it's spelled , "Cairo'd" you know, when you are in "da Nile" about how badly your horse needs adjustments.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)




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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I haven't posted in a while... Figured I might as well write something instead of procrastinating over my Creative Writing assignment...

I've figured out (with the help of my father) that after all, Squiggy is not sore, she's just been telling me that she wants me OFF of her face and wants me to teach her how to work on loose rein. 

I allowed my father to ride her to help me figure stuff out... see: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding/i-think-i-taught-my-dad-124364/

So, re-training has begun. So far, I have her staying perfectly round and have pretty darn good cruise control at the trot with a draped rein.
The lope is a different story. She wants to charge into a run, and when I try and slow her up, gets all tense and stupid. So, I'm just establishing some cruise control there too... making her sit her butt in the ground when she ram-jams, and start over. 

When she does agree with me and works on the loose draped rein, she is a lot more relaxed looking and happily plays with the roller on her bit, which she loves!

It's a work in progress and hopefully I can w/t/l a barrel pattern by June 9th for a gymkhana fun day!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Went for another ride today... she's starting to figure out what this loose rein buisness is all about, and she's getting more relaxed in the lope, which is exciting for me. We loped along the trail in the pasture and I just had to check her every now and then.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Whelp, I had my first BAD blowup at a horse the other day, but it ended well.
I went out in the field and got her into a trot, and I fooled around with this for over 30 minutes. She would not trot nicely for me. All she would do was get into the worst trot ever and go. It was uneven and jerky, and fast. Not to mention her swerving EVERYWHERE. After asking nicely for a nice trot, I ended up sitting her butt into the ground (giving her face a good jerk) and making her BACK UP. And BACK UP NOW. After a several tries of that, I ended up punching her on her neck.  And then tried again. Apparently it worked. This is a good 20 minutes after I started with it. I got a few good circles and figure eights at an even trot. 

And then I shall finish the story later.... break is over


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Yeah :/ blowups happen.. be careful though. I once smacked a horse in the mouth for trying to bite a child that was leading her. Needless to say the horse changed her tune asap. I don't like hitting things, it's very childish of me and very disrespectful.. but it happens. 

Hope you enjoy your day though


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## RunSlideStop (Apr 21, 2012)

Did she get Cairo'd after all? Perhaps she is sore and was feeling unbalanced?


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Con't...

And then I asked for a lope. I was expecting her to ram-jam and start pounding, but no, she loped like an angel! Something that hadn't happened in quite a long time!

No, I didn't get her ... adjusted. I let my dad ride her, and they sorted out some issues and none of the things I saw as pain were happening, so I just have to be a hardass and adjust her attitude a bit.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Great job on her cantering 



QHriderKE said:


> so I just have to be a hardass and adjust her attitude a bit.


Not a good lesson to learn... review what happened today again and see what else you have learned from it.


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## RunSlideStop (Apr 21, 2012)

Sternness is good, hardassery will get you a lack of respect, from my experience. When in doubt, go back to the basics. 

Can't wait for an update


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I've been thinking as to why her attitude went crappy and why I'm having such a hard time bringing her back... I spoiled her! Not in the way of letting her get away with everything, but lack of good solid discipline, not beating, but y'know, a good old what-for! Instead, I was just giving her a little correction when she was doing something stupid and moved on, when in reality, she's at the point where she isn't such a greenie anymore and it's time for her to smarten up.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

QHriderKE said:


> she's at the point where she isn't such a greenie anymore and it's time for her to smarten up.


There you go..  Knew you'd get it. 

It's really easy to "spoil" a horse that a few months back you were still starting up and getting them comfortable. But yeah keeping up boundaries, holding realistic expectations, helping them reach them, and correcting when necessary = success.

Corrections need to be 'sized' right.. that's for sure. Cantering dangerously = requires a huge correction right then and there. Same with bolting.. little ones like bracing.. small corrections. You'll get it  I'm still feeling it out myself.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Yeppers  Now just to get her round up for me at a lope. Oh joyous day!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

My new breastcollar came today! YAY!

Took Squiggy for a ride... still had to get all up in her buisness at a trot and at a lope, but when she loped a circle for me on loose rein at a reasonable speed, I quit and went back to the yard. 

I'm just frustrated with her. I don't know how long it's going to take before she'll be comfortable to do anything in my "arena" without turning into a dummy. I walked her around in it at the end of our ride today, and she mostly just wanted to go back to the yard, so she threw a fit when I asked her to circle away from where she wanted to go... I think her teenage years SUCK. She's like that one girl in your class who is ALWAYS PMSing and is just a bag to everyone if she doesn't get her way. 

Hopefully she grows out of this... "phase" (-crosses fingers and toes-)


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

And you're sure she isn't in pain?


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I'm as sure as I can be right now. My parents don't think she's in pain... if she was in pain, wouldn't it have shown when we were dragging calves? 
Plus, the person I was relying on to do any chiro work if needed doesn't want to do it anymore, the vet doesn't do any of the like, and there are no chiro's anywhere in my area. It's even impossible to find a farrier.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Not always, you can test for it yourself too.

But omg lovely breast collar!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I've pressed on her back muscles, ran my fingers down them and her dorsal stripe, pressed on her rib cage, poked at her hip, squeezed and poked around her shoulders and withers, and I get nothing.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Well at least you can rule that out


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

So, a couple nights ago, the awesome waresbear explained to me a good exercise to work on with Squiggy. 
The next day, I went for a trail ride with my mom and dad and tried it out a bit. Every time she'd start to act up, I'd just keep myself relaxed, and bring her into a circle, keeping her walking, and "ask for her ear" (That's what I'm calling it, kay?) and just walk off when I got it, and gave her some love. I just did it at a walk each time, even when we were trotting along and she'd start being stupid. Just walk in a circle and get her attention in a polite way pretty much. 

At then end of the ride, I decided to lope a little bit in the field. Soooo I got her into a nice little trot on loose rein and then asked her to lope. She ram-jammed a little bit, but I just wiggled my outside rein a couple times and she settled down for the second half of the circle. By settled down I mean: slowed down her lope, rounded her back and dropped her head and let my reins drape. AND she wasn't bunched together and wound up tighter than a fiddle string. I gave her some love when she was loping nice, stopped her and gave her A LOT OF LOVE. 

Also, just for the heck of it, I asked my dad if his horse (Squiggy's half sister who's the same age as Squiggy.) could do a little spin. And then I stopped Squiggy and did 1 and 1/2 spins. Which she did pretty darn good. My dad spent at least 10 minutes trying to get Harley to do one 

On top of that, for the rest of the ride home, she walked calmly with her HEAD DOWN. Well, down for her. Which means pretty much the way a reining horse would carry its head.

Maybe she doesn't want to be a barrel horse anymore and thinks she wants to be a reiner D: She should really make up her mind and stop showing me her ability to do just about everything.

Can you tell they're sisters? LOL.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Gotta love waresbear 

What wonderful news!!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

So many ups and downs with this horse. GAH.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

With every horse my friend  But it's so worth it!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I've had ups and downs with other horses, but nothing quite at crazy as with her.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Oh hai... a video... cool.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

What beautiful land.. my goodness!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

That would be my front yard! We have it electric fenced to let some horses graze in it in the mornings and evenings, so considering the pens were too mucky, I rode there. I love the trees, they're awesome!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Well, I posted that video on HGS and was told that Squiggy is a "wreck waiting to happen" and that I shouldn't be riding her. Hello feeling-like-crap-about-my-hard-work.


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

I think she looks pretty good!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

QHriderKE said:


> Well, I posted that video on HGS and was told that Squiggy is a "wreck waiting to happen" and that I shouldn't be riding her. Hello feeling-like-crap-about-my-hard-work.


Hey, don't make me go there and slap you. 

GREEN horse, not a mind reader.

You are doing great with her, don't let other people decide how you feel about all the work you've done with her.

YOU KNOW DEEP DOWN HOW MUCH SHE HAS COME AND HOW GOOD SHE IS DOING.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Thankfully, some other people on that forum posted and were more supportive... and they didn't make me feel like my horse should be glue.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I don't know what to do anymore.

Here's the thing: I want to barrel race with her sooner than later, and I know I could start her back up on the pattern and just w/t it and do the other work I need to do with her on it, but I know once I get to a certain point with her, there's no going back. She's just going to be one of those horses. Once we get to the point where we can run the pattern, she's a barrel horse. When she runs, all she wants to do is run. 

Right now, I can ride her and when she gets excited, she bunches up, tucks her head, and chomps on the bit like crazy, and the more she does it, the more she sweats and whatever, and she never used to sweat on a w/t ride, now, I go for a 20 minute w/t ride, and she's soaked. The only rides I've done on her where she hasn't gotten soaked from head to tail were when we were pulling calves at brandings, cause she was relaxed and when she did sweat, it was becuase she was working, not because she was being high strung. I'm completely lost on why she changed so much, and what to do.

There's still a little thought in my mind that she is out somewhere... but the more I think about it, the more it doesn't make sense. If she was out of place, it would have showed pulling calves around. Plus, there is no one who does chiro work around here anymore.

I just can't get her to RELAX anymore. I've gone on rides where we just walked and trotted a little bit along the sand road, and again and again she bunched up and just was a hot head. There's some improvement, but not much. 
I've rode her in the corral, where I know she's comfortable, and she is better than out in the open, but still no relaxing and just being comfortable. I've changed saddles, blankets.....

I just don't know anymore.

-head desk-


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

-groans as if she is dying of plague, head still on desk-


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

You're asking too much too fast. I don't barrel race but I did take lessons on an ex barrel racer when I was 12. Learned to sit pretty on him but he was never go go go go go unless you asked him to.

She's young and you're asking for speed so early that she thinks that's what she's expected to do, instead of relax and only get speedy when asked. 

That's why it's so important to always start calm and return to calm. There has got to be more to do with her than run barrels and get her hyped up.

Go back and spend more time on the walk once she is nice and relaxed (throw some lateral work in there, circles, figures, walk behind some cattle if you can not running after them or anything. 

Once she's CALM, then you can ask for a trot and do the same thing until she settles down. Then once she's good on that, do some trot to canter transitions go from relaxed trot to canter for a few strides then back to trot and don't canter again till she relaxes in her trot.

Yes it's a pain in the backside but she's green and you're teaching her she has to just run like the cheetahs instead of control her speed and her anxiety level.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

But, you see, I've been doing slow slow slow for months now, and it's not getting much better. Even when I did barrels, there wasn't much fast. Gaaaaaaaaah. So darned frustrating. 

I've been working on her trot every ride, just trying to get her to relax, and she doesn't. I've tried leaving her face alone and letting her go with her head where she wants it, I've tried going back to riding her how I was last year, I've tried more little changes... just nothing is clicking.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Have you done any ground work or lunging with her? On a line, not free?


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I done a little bit, but most of the lunging I've done with her has been free lunging in the roundpen, not like an idiot, making her run around me endlessly, just trotting and listening to me.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

She may need some ground work to settle her down. Sky used to be just as you're describing.. I think you've seen the past pictures.

It took a lot of hard work but we eventually got slow and he can MOVE when you ask him to without fretting too much.

May be worth revisiting


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I'm so tired of groundwork. ACK. Oh well. Might as well.... -tear-


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

So, early early this morning, I got Squiggy in and rode her w/t in the roundpen after lunging her, all with just a halter. And then, this evening, I took her out to my arena-with-no-fence and rode her with a snaffle. Well, there was no tensing up and being stupid at a walk or trot, she even stretched down and travelled long and low-ish, but she much preferred to just break at the poll and bring her nose in without getting stupid about it. So, I lightly cued for a lope after some up and down transitions, and she loped wonderfully. It was... _COMFORTABLE._ Loose rein... just lovely.

I think she just likes to cause me stress.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I think the lunging may have helped more than you realize. It really refreshes the herd leader-horse relationship and allows her to build her own balance as well.

But yay that's great news!!!!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Another thing that probably helped is that she got a little talking to on the ground at the gate before I went to ride her the second time.. tried to ram-jam me around. Got a BIG talking to.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Just make sure you aren't becoming stubborn. She is a green horse, a mare, and she hasn't gotten the hang of her own balance yet. Yes sometimes a "talk" is needed, but ground work is just as important as is patience and knowing when to break things down and back off. 

In all your replies, I get the sense you are sharing this "oh she's just being a witch" mentality. Be careful.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

She had developed a big respect issue over the winter, like... kicking at me when I was trying to catch her, running away, pushing my around... and I have no tolerance for those things. At all.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

are you able to take Squiggy out for a good long gallop? I bet she'd love that.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I would, but I'm not sure what kind of effect it will have on her new found calm-ness... if you get where I'm coming from.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

yeah, I do. But most horses benefit from a gallop that is really letting them go, as long as they want to, and maybe a bit more. Especially if they can actually go somewhere, not just around and around an arena. 

I am not such a confident rider as to gallop out on the trails where we live, but I love it when Zulu's owner takes him for a good gallop. He gets all loose and relaxed afterward.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Yeah, well most of my riding lately has been out in the complete open in stubble fields. If I have good control there, it will be like 60% better in an arena. Even my arena doesn't have a fence.... 
I usually like to breeze horses every now and then, but Squiggy likes to run, and I'm at the point where I'll only let her stretch out if she gets all bunched up and tense.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I rode in the arena with my mommy yesterday and she was awesome the whole time! When we got to loping, she put her head up and wanted to fly, buuuuut I just sat down and gave two checks on the rein, and she settled right down into a nice headset and a slower lope... Its tough to describe though... I need it on videeeeo!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

My camera quit before she got nice and relaxed to lope nicely! GAH. Just my luck. Anywho, you can see a little bit of it in the last clip.

And holy stretching at the trot at 0.53! WOOOOOOW.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

She's really trying!! Well done! I loved the trotting before 0:53 most of all.. I could see her thinking really hard and testing the contact. 

She's getting it!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

The gears are turning! YAY! It's about time, LOL


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Went for a ride today and legitimately worked the barrel pattern w/with a teensie bit of trotting after doing a little work on her lope.

It went much better than I expected! WOW. She remembered all I taught her about barrels back in April. Still has a super-duper long way to go, but gotta take it one stride at a time.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Just copy and pasting this...

I was roping with Peanut at a rodeo, and decided to take Squiggy along for the ride. Before the roping slack, they had the barrels set up, so I quickly got on Squiggy and trotted her on the pattern a couple times, loped around a bit, and then rode around the rodeo grounds letting her see everything... like the Tarps of Death, Awnings of Terror, and the Screaming Demon Children. LOL... she handled it well. Just did a lot of stopping suddenly to look at something and whinny. We even hung out in the Open barrels line up and watched some horses spazz. She got a little excited with all of the horses running around, but she eventually stood calmly.

We went on a few bareback rides throughout the day too, no problems with that. In fact, we got lunch bareback  

And, when I wasn't there, my dad met some people that train and race CCA (pro-ish rodeo) and somehow got them to take a look at my girl. They apparently really liked her, and when I met them and talked about how I'm going about training her, they said I was doing perfect and that next year I should go to some SBRA jackpots with her and just go at whatever pace because they are really inexpensive to enter. 

After the rodeo, we went straight to a roping jackpot, (which I got 2nd in.) and after I was done roping and everyone was out of the arena, I worked Squiggy in the arena, just trotted around, did some bending, loped some nice circles, and even did a couple lead changes.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Well, I went for a ride in the now baled field, so it is rideable now. It's completely out in the open, so I thought it would be a nice place to work on her lope.

So, I warmed her up, did a few exercises at a trot, and loped off straight down the field. To my surprise, after we got over the wanting to run part, (it took about 30 seconds or less) her strides felt super relaxed and comfortable to ride (not short, hoppy choppy like I'm used to). I circled her a few times to wind her down and actually FELT HER SOFTEN THROUGH HER ENTIRE BODY. (poll through shoulders mostly) I did a happy dance on the inside.

And she HELD it while I dropped my rein to neckrein her for half of a circle before slowing into a trot. 

PROGRESS? 
I HAS IT.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Well, I was hoping to get a video of our last ride before my surgery, but the ride turned into having to get the longhorns in a branding a calf. Whoop! Squiggy did awesome, as she always does when she gets to chase cows and rope stuff, I think she was born programmed to handle a rope. 

My surgery went well. It's been 4 days (I think) and I can walk. It's uncomfortable, but I can do it. I've also been able to move it a bit more every day. In a couple weeks I have my first Physio appointment and I'm gonna ask about riding. 
Hopefully they'll let me! 


Oh, and this is my wound:


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

That's intense!

I hope you heal nicely


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

So. It looks like I might have to get a different pad and/or get a different saddle. My barrel saddle seems to not work for her very much.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I JUST remembered this video.

I rode her with a martengale that day, and it worked wonders by just being there.

I mean, her trot looks so relaxed and her lope isn't that bad either.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

ALSO. This is what we'vve doing doing lately. I just bought a lunge whip, so it should make my life easier.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

YOu did a good job lunging if that is your first time doing that with her. 
Couple of things;

be careful not to be holding the lungeline in loops, in case horse pulls really hard and you get caught in a tightening loop.

pay attention to how you use the whip, so that you are not kind of "nagging" at her. So, when she is going correctly, you keep the tip lowered and quiet. only if she slows or breaks gait, or ignores a quiet "ask" do you increase the pressure from the whip, then as soon as you get it, put that whip right back in nuetral. I saw too much waving of it up and down, kind of meaninglessly.

Hold the lunge line just as you hold the rein in English style riding. you can tighten your hold on it (by firming up your hand and forearm) and even exhale and lower your body to assist in downward transitions, and preperations (like a half halt) for an upward transition, where in you raise up, inhale and open you hand slightly and ask her forward with voice, almost immediately backed up with whip.

When you lunge, imagine yourself riding, hold the line like the rein, and your body as if you are in the saddle.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Thank you tiny! You're always so helpful!

Any lunging I've done before this was all free lunging colts for a minute or two before riding.

I've kind of figured it out now, except what you said about holding the lunge line. What do you do with the excess?

We're now working on transitions (w/t) and working on staying in a slow or medium trot and being able to transition into a long trot and back down to a medium trot.
It's going pretty good.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

like I said, for someone who has done so little of it, you are a born natural!

the excess? I hold it in the whip hand or let it trail on the ground if it's not too long to get tangled in.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Aw thanks!

Also, I have some AWESOMMMME news.

If I get the job I'm applying for, my parents said I can buy an English saddle after I make twice enough money to buy one. 

I saw some really nice brand new Tekna saddles this weekend, and they were priced at $350-450, so if I can put away half or all of my tips, plus half of my pay checks towards one, hopefully I could get one by next Spring.

I would even be happy with a used Stubben or something along those lines.


I got to practice my polo wrapping skills this morning, I always ended up with a bunch of excess that just made it bulky at the end, (on her front legs) but her back legs were fine. It took me a few times to figure out how not to get baubles, but a few more practices and it will be just fine.

I tried to get a good picture, but she was trying to figure out what the h*ll was on her legs. She did the best walk ever after I put them on her back legs, lol.










LOOK AT THAT BELLY. UGH.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

She looks so chubby nowadays....


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## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

Hey how is squiggy doing? seems like you stopped posting:/


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

It's cause I havent been able to ride or do anything since school started and I got a real job!

Eeeeek!

I visited her today though, she was oddly cuddly, it was cute. Oh, and she's fluffy.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Alright, went for a ride today with Squiggy, after her 10 weeks off, I'm just trying to get her back into "work" mode, so just "trail" rides right now (i.e riding in the stubble field...). She was being a real turn when it came to mounting... always gotta be something I guess. She actually does a slow jog on loose rein, which is wierd to me still, I'm used to her just instantly lunging into a long trot with her head up in the air. So, we did quite a lot of trotting today, working on controlling her speed at a trot on as loose of a rein as possible (I dont have WP or reining dreams for her, so no big deal... but I still want her to be able to just kick it into a nice trot and make some MILES out in the pasture on loose rein, and then hopefully that will help with barrel racing next year.)Her lope though.... we did a little bit of that, but I wasn't helping her any, my stirrups were a bit too long for some reason . I want to get a nice lope out of her, and I almost had one today, but she's always on the bit at a lope. I'm going to do a lot of downward transitions and half halts and such with her... anything else I can try?


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

So, she finally got over the whole "You asked me to lope, and now you want me to walk? HA! I'm gonna be a tard and bounce around!" stuff!!! YAY for progress!

I had to open her up in a field today to cut off some cows we were bringing home, and she went right back down into a lope and then a trot and then a loose reined walk! SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Now just to get that lope down...


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Squiggy is awesome. Just saying.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Went for a bareback ride in the snow today. I also tried a diffrent bit - a Jr. Cowhorse with a chain mouth. I still think she likes her roller mouthpiece more!

Did a lot of stopping/backing from my seat and legs and lateral flexion at a walk. 




Oh, I also realized how


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I feel like I've beaten this thread to death! D:


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

So. My dirt has finally cleared up enough for me to ride safely in it so Squiggy got to go for a ride!

She now does a jog that she just started doing, I believe it's a sort of "sitting trot" or something. She does it with her head almost level too!

And then it came time to kick that trot up a bit. It took a few half halts until she started to relax, and then tried to get her to reach into contact. And do you think I could make it happen? Nope. So, we walked the barrel pattern a few times and I tried again. This time, I remembered people saying to have an elastic contact for her to reach into. So, I super exaggerated it from my elbows to fingers, and she actually lifted her back and got on the bit! SQUEEEE!

So, I asked for a lope and it didn't take long for me to exaggerate the elastic contact again and she was DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. Even her neck was nice and rounded and she loped with a nice, even rhythm. 

It felt like I was riding one of those big dressage horses.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Still beating this thread to death XD


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

your wanting imput? you haven't asked a question. I don't know much about barrel racing , so can't say much. 

Did you find a suitable English saddle?


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

There's a MW HDR C/C that I can get for $400. I think a MW would fit her just as long as the panels are flatter. And if not, I have several other horses that I know for sure a MW would fit. I just gotta find a day off that I can drive and look at it and hopefully pick it up :/

I've been scouring the country for Wintec's, and all I'm finding are the AP's that I don't like!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I had this Crosby jump saddle that I was selling for a friend, but she decided not to sell it cheap like she originally planned to. It was a medium tree but fit Mac decently and he's pretty wide int eh withers.

I don't like wintecs at all, but that's just me.

do you have a photo of this other one you hope to get?


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

It's in really good shape...

Here's the ad:
17" HDR Advantage *Need to Sell* - Lethbridge Pet Accessories - Kijiji Lethbridge Canada.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

do you think it will be wide enough?


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

The seller said it's a pretty generous MW, and Squiggy's wither tracing only measured 31-32cm's, believe it or not.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

wel, it looks like a nice saddle. I wish you luck there. buying online is risky, but it works sometimes.

gotta go. night night.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I love this horse.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Just a couple snapshots from yesterday...


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

WOO.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Poor creature is all fat and under-used! Haha.
Hopefully I'll have time to go for a little bareback ride soon.


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## HollyLolly (Dec 25, 2009)

It's been really nice to read from start until now your journey. Please keep posting (I only just found your post today, but it's great to read how she's improved, from wild baby, to such a good girl!)


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Thank you!

Had to help get a cow in yesterday. Get bucked off in the first 10 minutes. LOL. I still had the reins in my hand tho!

And then, she was awesome. Loped on a loose rein, tracked the cow, wasn't phased when the cow fought and hit her, she even walked into the cow and pushed it around. Well done horse, well done.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

A little update on the English saddle search...

A THROWOGOOD TEQNIC C/C is soon to be on it's way with med/wide, wide and xx wide gullet plates!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

LALALALALALALALALALAAAAAA


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Looking good!


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Aaw thanks Sky!! Hopefully I will have a video soon
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I apparently have a TON of updating to do. Dang. 

English riding:




















All of those videos are dated, so the next pictures and videos take place between and after those. 

After hitting the dirt in that video, I realized I really needed to work on her lope. We also worked on barrel racing. And she got to do her favorite thing ever - rope calves at brandings!!!

Here we have the videos:









^^ Biggest day of triumph in a LONG time. It's just lovely!

And now on to branding pictures!


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## Gossip (Sep 26, 2011)

*Omg*

Oh my god! So much open space where ou live! Feeling.Urge.Must.Gallop.There.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

I do all of my riding waaay out in the open.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Another quick update...
















ALL KINDS OF PROGRESS WOOOOO


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

Adding stuff relative to this thread:
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-training/can-horse-have-learning-disability-256458/

I tried a bosal on her today, and I think I'm sticking with it. It needs new reins tho!! Silly mousesseses!!

And yes, I rode English. In cowboy boots. And half chaps. And shorts. With a bosal. WHAT OF IT? XD

Leaving home:


Cause I'm cool like that!




No stirrups for WARESBEAR






Our alfalfaaaaaa!




My "arena"






Dem sweat marks = perfect


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