# The Life and Training of Kariba



## thunderhooves (Aug 9, 2009)

DAY ONE: Continued
Wow. I was out bonding with her in the pasture. No rope, just perring her, following her around. I guess I then angled my back a bit, and she started trotting around me......... and then she was lunging, but without he rope! It wasn't great-kinda lopsided-, and she had trouble stopping right in front of me, but hey, it is her first day here and with me! 
I then had an idea-why not try lunging with a rope? I did, and it was GORGEOUS! Such light, floaty, western slow, but also english fast. Very nice. She would respond to the slightest "Woa", and then switch directions smoothly, or keep going in the same direction, with my slightest cue. Very, very sensitive. I sense great potential in this mare. She looks at you with those eyes that "know everything but nothing" at the same time. Did I mention it was day one?


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## thunderhooves (Aug 9, 2009)

DAY TWO:
Went out this morning, and got some pics of her running around in her pasture.A few minuted later, after a bit of a battle, I led her to the tie-post. She then untied herself while I was in the barn, and ran away into or orchard, determined to break a leg in one of the many holes in there. I finally stopped walking after her, stood with my back turned for 2 minutes, then walked towards her slowly with my eyes on the ground. I caught her, then led her back to the barn and tied her up to continue brushing her.

Then, I took some more pics. After that, I led her to the pasture again and lunged her, then tied her up again, with a hay net for munching. Then after a while more, put her back into the pasture.

A few hours later, I went up to her, caught her with no problem, led her up to the fece where the lunge line was hanging, switched to the line, led her out to the middle, and lunged again for 15 more minutes, getting her to work off my voice, and body movements. Then when I went to go back into the yard with the tie post, she wouldn't go through the gate. it might have had something to do with her getting shocked near there on the electric fence earlier, but IDK. She wouldn't budge. After yanking, pulling, and forcing her to back up for 10 minutes, I then learned an important lesson- *Lead By Example.* I figured if the gate was open and i just walked through and sat, she would come through, because we all know it's too tempting to a horse to resist an open gate. Turns out I didn't have to sit. After watching me, she went right through, where I tied her up with her hay net to groom more and stuff. Then the neighbor started shooting a gun, which was extremely load and echo'd. She jumped back, and a dove into the tack room. She was then very flinchy, so after a few more minutes of working with her legs/teeth/feet, I put her back into the pasture, where she jumped and ran a little after every shot. In the end, curiosity got the best of her, and she kept going closer, intent on watching the guy shooting.

All in all, a pretty good, interesting day.


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## thunderhooves (Aug 9, 2009)

Day 3:
Didn't see her today. Called, though, and everything was fine

Day 4:
Went today, even though its cruddy out. Got her in the pasture with no problems, and she even walked a few steps towards me!
So I took her out and tried on a blanket Belle had, its a 72 but fits quite big. After rubbing it all over her for a good 10 minutes and letting her sniff it and nibble it, I put it on her. I had no back leg straps so took some off an old fly sheet and knotted them, and walked to an open area we have to lunge her at a walk/ trot for a minute to see how the blanket moved with her. She hated the leg straps, was clearly moving her back feet differently and even did a crow hope. So I tied her up again and took them off, then went into the pasture for a 10 minute lunging session with the blanket on. I know you aren't supposed to lunge with blankets on, but I watched her temperature and stopped after 10 minutes of walk/trot/woah/walk/trot/walk/woah/switch directions/ repeat,so no hard work for her there. 
She did good with the blanket on, to I tied her up again and just let her stand with her hay neck again, munching, for 2 minutes, then put her back in the pasture with the blanket on. Just to get her used to it before her fly sheet goes on and to keep her drier as its raining.
All in all, a pretty good day with her! She's still fairly nervous, but coming along!


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## chrispy (Jul 2, 2009)

What a beauty! She has the prettiest legs!


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## thunderhooves (Aug 9, 2009)

Day 5:
Just lunged and worked on ground manners, a it was crazy windy and I wan't feeling good.
Day 6:
Sick. Didn't go.


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## thunderhooves (Aug 9, 2009)

Day 7:
i went out today to Kariba today, feeling confident, optimistic, and hopeful. By the end of today, I'm feeling unsure, confused, and wondering.
I went out today, and lunged for 15 minutes, both directions, different gaits, and even got a small lope. Then I went, bridled her with a smooth snaffle, after a bit of a battle with not opening her mouth, and saddled up. I need a new pad or smaller saddle, as even with 2 pads in was super wide and touching the top of her withers.
Anyway, after tightening in little segments, I went out and lungeed her for another..... 8 minutes. Then I brought her back, tightneied and fixed the saddle, and had my dad come with me into the pasture, where i and my helped proceded to mount her while he held her rope, because I left her halter on underneath her bridle. She was fine, then started moving and tossing her head, so I immerdiatly bailed. I then checked over everything, and the saddle was really bugging me, and I guess her. So, figuring that 5 minutes in a wide saddle with 2 pads under wasn't going to hurt her, I mounted again. This time, it was good, and my dad was leading her. Then I asked him to stop when I said woa and pulled on the reins, and to go when I clicked and she moved forward. So, it worked, aside from head tossing at the stop- which is something ive wroked with and fixed before-, it worked ok. Then, because he was reluctant to unclip the rope, I asked to just slack it and stand away away. 
It went downhill from there. stubborn are wouldn't even MOVE! kick, kick, kick, cluck,kick, cluck,lean forward, KICK HARD, CLUCK A BUNCH, LEAN FORWARD. Nope, nothing. I asked dad to give a gendtle tug at the rope. Guess who followed? Kariba. Guess who was in charge? Not me.
After that, I got off. In between all that, I had my dad telling me this " Oh, she's fine, its fine, don't overthink things, it can't be hurting her with 2 pads on", blah blah crap.
So, after I lead her a lap, I tied her up again, took everything off, and decided to try a new fly sheet on. Well, it went to her knees. So I ahve to sell it or send it back, whichever works best. 
After ALL that, I put her back.

I have now decided to send her to the trainer for a tune-up with her basics, because i KNOW she knows how to do it, as she was ridden some before she came here. We have a free 2 weeks with the trainer, so I am gi=oing to tell the trainer to strictly ride her AT LEAST 10 times, because this guy will flake and only ride abround 4. After that, I'm going to work with my pro-barrel racer neighbor with her. I am also going to buy a built up thick pad and see how it fits.
** NO CRITIQUE on what I did today. If I needed that, I would post in the training section**


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