Training = fun

Because I won’t be riding this horse till July at the earliest I really need a direction to work towards with him.  Obviously as he gets bigger and stronger I will begin introducing him to tack and that he can be comfortable with it and give to pressure while wearing it.  But in the mean time, I dunno. 

D, the lady who owns the land/facility where I keep him has a 2½ year old KY Mtn. horse she’s been working with since he was a youngster, too.  Their relationship is phenomenal.  It has come about with a lot of baby steps, a ton of patience and repetition.  I’d really like to try to develop a language and understanding and trust with my little guy the way she has.  –and then if I get my dream-Arab in the fall/winter of this year I will be well rehearsed in how to go about things with him, too.

I’d really like to get my little guy responding to my body language and gestures on a big level.  The whole sans lead line walk when I walk, turn when I turn, back when I back, jog when I jog, dodge when I dodge, stop when I stop, and hopefully a come when I whistle portion.   It sounds fun and it sounds like a huge challenge, but I really want to see if I can accomplish it.  He is such a brilliant, quick learner.  I’m certain he can pick it up.  I just hope I can be enough of a leader to get him to that point.  I am the weakest link in this equation!

Time will tell.   And while I’m being a snot about not wanting to post photos for awhile of him, I will try to post photos of the barn/fields/etc. and some of the other horses there.  Maybe some videos of D and Jeanna playing with their horses.  They have such fun tricks – like yawning on command! – they’ve taught them.  Such a close bond.  Both horses are also extremely sensitive to the slightest pressure since their two-legged counterparts have been kind enough to be so gentle with them.  I hope I can manage this!  What great teachers I have.

What ground exercises do you suggest?  Anything fun and a little out of the ordinary?