Sherlock: Actually I haven't done much with him because he injured himself 10 days ago. He scared the crap out of me when I found him struggling to come up the hill (after all the other 
horses were up at the hay), dragging his front leg. In my panic, I was thinking he broke his leg (being a mom -- or is it just being female? -- I immediately feared the worst!). But after taking a few deep breaths, and upon closer examination, nothing seemed obviously injured. He had a bit of blood on his shoulder and some swelling, but no other marks. I thought he must have been kicked and he injured his shoulder. So I backed the trailer to the gate and managed to encourage him to hop on 3 legs up the hill to the gate and into the trailer. He's such a trooper. I was so amazed when he even hopped into the trailer on 3 legs! What a guy. The vet poked and prodded him, shaved his shoulder and revealed a puncture wound. She could not feel any damage to the shoulder at all and his range of motion seemed ok, despite the soreness. She figured that the punture probably jammed some nerves. So she put him on bute for 4 days and antibiotics for 10. After 3 days on bute, he was trotting around like his old self. Big relief.
horses were up at the hay), dragging his front leg. In my panic, I was thinking he broke his leg (being a mom -- or is it just being female? -- I immediately feared the worst!). But after taking a few deep breaths, and upon closer examination, nothing seemed obviously injured. He had a bit of blood on his shoulder and some swelling, but no other marks. I thought he must have been kicked and he injured his shoulder. So I backed the trailer to the gate and managed to encourage him to hop on 3 legs up the hill to the gate and into the trailer. He's such a trooper. I was so amazed when he even hopped into the trailer on 3 legs! What a guy. The vet poked and prodded him, shaved his shoulder and revealed a puncture wound. She could not feel any damage to the shoulder at all and his range of motion seemed ok, despite the soreness. She figured that the punture probably jammed some nerves. So she put him on bute for 4 days and antibiotics for 10. After 3 days on bute, he was trotting around like his old self. Big relief.Allegro: I took him to 3D a couple weeks ago to play with him online. He's starting to settle down a bit... less tail swishing and pulling away when he's asked to do something. He can circle both ways (better to the right) with slack in the line, yoyo is spectacular, driving is about 80% consistent and even sideways is getting better. He's really ticklish too, so porcupine tends to lead to friendly. But he does move away from the pressure pretty quickly.
He loves to play with the tarp, so I started putting it on his back. Really no big deal (see short video clip at the end). He's still pretty skeptical, but is starting to be more interested than upset when we try something new.
Saphira: I've probably done the most with her recently. She's going to be a nice horse (provided I don't screw up!). She's starting to learn to move off my leg pressure (forward as well as sideways). Sometimes I still have to go to phase 4, but I think that's more about her testing me rather than not understanding. However sideways off my leg still needs work. Her first instinct is to move into my leg. I've tried incorporating adding driving with the stick if she moves into my leg, and that has worked sort of, although I'm pretty uncoordinated with the stick while on her back, so I've abandoned that. She's starting to understand the different cues for moving her front feet vs her back feet. Although we've only worked on this at the standstill, not walk or trot yet. On the ground, her sideways is OK, but could use more work: I can drive the front end
and the back end, but not both together yet. Yoyo is nice and light and the circle is wonderful to the left, but still a bit stiff to the right (she tends to stop and look at me a lot more going to the right).
and the back end, but not both together yet. Yoyo is nice and light and the circle is wonderful to the left, but still a bit stiff to the right (she tends to stop and look at me a lot more going to the right).We've started playing with obstacles too now. I tried sideways over a barrel last week. I had to take it really slow - I think she thought I was trying to drive her into a wall! She did eventually figure out that the barrel would fit under her and I let her stand there until she licked and chewed, then let her step out. Smart girl! I still can't get Skittles to do that! I'm still working on the pole with Skittles, not even close to a barrel yet!
Skittles: I haven't rode her in a couple of weeks, but I played at liberty with her last week which was kind of fun. I had her going sideways, yoyoing (although the bring-back was more like a catching game!) and even backing by pulling on her tail. She does all of it really well... although she did decide to leave a few times. I got her up on the pedestal at liberty too. Just the front though. I'm hoping to work with Tania to get her "bring-back" a little sharper. Even online, her first response to pressure on the halter is to pull back. It's only for a second, then she comes forward, but I'd like to fix that. Plus the bring-back is sluggish, so if I can get Tania to swing a savvy string behind her when she pulls back, maybe she'll come forward quicker.
Gypsy: Gypsy is pregnant now, so I will only have a few more months to ride her before she starts to get big and uncomfortable. I took her to 3D with Saphira last week so my daughter and her friend could ride her. She's my friend/kid-proof horse. Although she was a bit wingy when we got there, so I did some ground work and riding before I let the girls get on her. She's such a pleasure to work with. Sure we still have some things to work on (lots!), but she's so responsive and tries so much for me, I just love playing with her. We've really come a long way. She still 
struggles with cantering online. She - like Saphira - is much better to the left than the right. I know she can do this because we did it for the L2 tasks, but that was in a huge outdoor arena... I wonder if that has anything to do with it (perception of more space)??. Anyway, I did manage to get nearly a full circle of canter to the left, and about a half circle to the right. I was focusing more on her response to "the allow" than the actual distance she cantered. I just wanted her to pick it up. I left it at that, then got on and rode for a while.
struggles with cantering online. She - like Saphira - is much better to the left than the right. I know she can do this because we did it for the L2 tasks, but that was in a huge outdoor arena... I wonder if that has anything to do with it (perception of more space)??. Anyway, I did manage to get nearly a full circle of canter to the left, and about a half circle to the right. I was focusing more on her response to "the allow" than the actual distance she cantered. I just wanted her to pick it up. I left it at that, then got on and rode for a while.She is so much softer than a year ago. Her rooting is almost gone and her sideways and lateral flexion are starting to get nice and soft. She's even starting to get some vertical flexion. I'm so pleased with that progress, because it's been a long time coming. I had a hard time relinquishing her to the girls! Next time I'd like to work more on sharper transitions. That's our next big obstacle.
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