Finding Out Where We're At

Day one for Miss Gypsy!

This is when I find out what I've really gotten myself into. She's somewhere new, still slightly upset. Now I see what is actually trained and what was complacency.

She's still easy to catch and halter. Leading...eh, not so much. She has no idea that there is a certain spot she should be in. She lags behind, she surges forward, she knocks into me. I fall back on a sharp "aught!" and flapping chicken elbows whenever she gets close. If she goes forward she gets bumped. Pulling on the lead will gets me dragged around, but a sharp tug on a slack line usually gets a response. If she lags back I keep on walking, putting pressure on the lead until she steps up.

It doesn't take more than a minute before she figures out that there's a sweet spot that doesn't get her pulled, tugged or hit in the cheek with chicken elbows.

Her lack of respect for my space is magnified once she's tied up. She swings her butt into me over and over again. And I move her back over and over again. I want to be able to have her move over with just a cluck. Time and time again I cluck, put light pressure on her barrel with my fingers...and then up that to whatever pressure is needed to make her move.

It takes much longer than it should to brush her and braid her mane, but by the time I'm done she's not coming into my space nearly as much, and when she does a cluck moves her back over.

Then I get the clippers. Whoo, she doesn't like that! I untie her and hold her while I run the clippers over her neck. That's fine. Turn them on, still fine. Rub them on her cheek? Fine. Move them towards her bridlepath...NOOOO. She doesn't look scared, just mad, and she's jumping into me instead of trying to back up or turn away.

I go ahead and twitch her, which wasn't that easy. She knows exactly what the twitch is as soon as she sees it and strikes out as I'm putting it on. I stay with her, and as soon as I tighten it she's a perfect little angel. Too perfect. She stands stock still with her head down as I do her bridlepath and the long hair by her eyes.

She's calm as I take the twitch off. head down, one hind leg cocked. I haven't traumatized her too badly. ;)

Now for her muzzle. I rub the clippers on her muzzle. Fine. Turn them on, still fine. Try to actually clip, and she leaps forward into me. That gets her a chain over her nose. I have to shank her back twice, and then she's back to miss perfect angel.

Usually I'll give it more time before reaching for help, but at no point did she appear to be truly afraid and the jumping into me has to stop and stop NOW.




Okay, wraps and lunging and we're done. :) She stomped a bit but allowed me to put the polo wraps on her. Good girl! As far as lunging I really just wanted to see if I could get her to walk a small circle around me. She's not too sure, but was willing to walk forward when I clucked and stepped towards her hip. 'Whoa" needs work, but I have a good place to start from.

Staying out on the circle is a new concept, but at least she's listening!

Meet Miss Gypsy

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This is Gypsy. She's a just-turned-3 TWH filly, and mine as of a day ago. :)))


I snapped this picture literally 5 minutes after unloading her from the trailer. I can't wait until I take an 'after' picture to go with it.

Gypsy has had her basic ground manners installed (easy to catch, leads, ties, picks up feet), has worn a blanket and has had a saddle pad on her, but that's it. She doesn't lunge, wear a bit or saddle, ground drive, or any of that other fun stuff.

My goal is to make her into a solid trail horse. I created this blog to chronicle how I'm going to get from where we are now to where I want to end up.

The way I do things is...well, it's the way I do things. No more, no less. I've done this sort of thing enough times to have worked out a system that works for me. Everyone has their own way of doing things, and more than one road leads to Rome.

Gypsy spent her first day here half in turnout and half in her new stall. She's settled in well and does not seem unduly upset at being somewhere new. She's eating and drinking and shows a great deal of calm interest in whats going on around her.

"School" starts tomorrow. The best way I've found to settle a horse is is to get to know them and establish a routine, and the best way to accomplish that is to begin training.