Tune up time....or "On teaching Strider to be less of a pain..."

I enjoy doing ground work.  I really and truly do.  I'm not GOOD at it, but I like to mess with a horse on the ground, and if I know how to teach a skill, I enjoy teaching that skill to a horse.  Something about seeing them learn and grow is immensely satisfying to me.  In a different life, I'd have enjoyed being a "recreational" horse trainer; buying green horses and putting a handle on them.

The reality though is I'm just not an accomplished enough rider and I lack the tools to teach a horse much more than the most basic of fundamentals.  I can overcome those issues by studying with someone; but I cannot overcome my lack of free time to do such things.

So, quite recently I realized it's PAST time to address Strider's quirks that make him a right royal PITA to deal with. 

So, I reached out to my farrier extraordinaire, Holly, to see if she was still doing training.  She isn't, sadly, but her son is. 

I took a few moments to weigh it out.  Holly is very affectionate with horses, but is no nonsense when they're working or act naughty (she has, in fact, corrected Strider in his younger years when she would trim him, and she was firm, but fair).  Her son perhaps isn't as "lovey" on horses, but he's no nonsense and gets results.  So, I feel that they will be a good match to work together.

Strider doesn't need "loved" on.  And, with Holly there, he'll get the loving from her. 

So, after Llano Estacado, Strider will get dropped off for another 30 days.

Goals?

Stand STILL!  He doesn't do this, and it's downright obnoxious at vet checks.  I suspect teaching him to ground tie is the answer to my problem.  And I know the fundamentals of it.  But figure I'll let someone else get that on him.

Yield the hind and forequarters.

Sidepass.

Open gates.

In general, let's see how much of an "all around" trail horse we can make him as well.


Icing on the cake is figuring out WHY he "bunny bucks" and seeing if that can be removed from his little brain.

The reality is that I want all of these things in case I should ever want to dabble in NATRC.  Also, it will just make him a more pleasant partner to have around.  And safer for our vets.  It kind of haunts me that at Shanghai the vet had to take him in hand and correct him.  I feel pretty awful about that.  Which is what sort of launched "Operation Tune Up".

Now, so Strider's all signed up.

My thoughts turn to Dakini.  She's a great little horse.  Needs to know more.  Gain confidence in herself.  Be balanced at a canter.  Learn to do trail obstacles too. 

For her, she needs a more "lovey" trainer.  She's a sensitive soul.  She needs no nonsense, but someone who will love on her.  So, now I'm on the hunt for that trainer.  I'm planning on sending her out for 30 days.  At some point this year.  Perhaps she will go sometime this summer as well.  My little "problem" child horse.  :)

Sometime this year, I also am planning on sending Socks for his 30 days.  Same lessons as Strider, although he needs some strengthening on his butt I think to make his canter less "ouchy" for his rider as well as learning how to negotiate trail obstacles and such.  Socks is such a friendly fellow that he also will probably go to Holly's son.  A large part of me is looking at making Socks my back-up to my back-up LD horse as he's in his 18th year now (certainly not OLD, but getting older), but really, making him a safe horse for Kaylee.

Strider is DEFINITELY going.  So is Dakini (once I find a good 'match' for her personality).  Socks is a "Well, he'll probably go this year....or next year.  But sometime."

And I'm kind of excited about it!!