Phebes is loading, though she is still a little sticky getting in. It takes some intial tugging and releasing to get her feet moving. Once she gets the front foot up, she comes on in. This morning she was coming in, and backing right out, like a yo-yo. She'd come right back in and back right back out. I decided to just not make an issue of it and think on it. What I finally decided to do was this evening to put a web halter on her, with her rope halter over it. I had a rope tied already inside the trailer, and her feed bucket hanging there. So I walked her in and clipped her to the bull snap on the lead, and swallowed hard and let go. She started backing and really leaned back on that rope. I thought I'd really screwed up......but then suddenly she found her own relief by moving forward again. She tried it a couple more times, and then she stood there nice. I brushed her, and hand fed her the feed she eats in the evening time. She was still a little tense, but she wasn't jigging around, and she wasn't putting tension on the rope she was tied with. She stayed put at least ten minutes, then I unclipped the bull snap, and backed her out. She was a little jiggy backing out, but all and all it went well. Just hope she will get back in tomorrow. I'll try again at feeding time then.
Other good news! I tacked her up today and hand walked her back to the problem areas on trail and she was walking over the ditch ----wooo hooo!!! She also crossed her logs nicely. After working from the ground I figured I'd try it mounted, and she did a nice job. This was her first time being ridden without a horse buddy in attendance. She didn't call for the other horses or anything. I rode her back home throw a fairly narrow twisting trail that had trees and such hugging in pretty close. She had to go down a bank into the creek and then back up a bank to get out. She was awesome ****great big huge Granny smile****.
Phebes has been a very long drawn out project, but I'm starting to see a glimmer of hope that we will eventually hit the endurance trail, even if it is at a turtle's pace. I'm even beginning to bond with her, which I thought would NEVER happen with all of our bad history. She is rock solid muscle, and has not got tired yet with our little excursions. God willing and the weather cooperates tomorrow we are going to try lengthening our ride, and take the trail over the ridgeline that drops down to Laughery Creek. If we make it that far I'll try to ride her into water up to her belly.
Current report card:
Sidepassing C- she's starting to kind of get the idea.
Back up B- she is confusing her back up with the sidepass a little.
Trotting patterns B I set up barrels and we are weaving a pattern like for pole bending, only with the three barrels one direction and then reversing. She is catching on to that very quickly.
Water crossings A
Ditch Crossings A-
Log Crossings A
Flexion B+ Most of the time it is good, but she still gets sticky once in awhile.
Riding the trail alone A- in my mind very good for a young green horse.
Calling it a day......................................~Endurance Granny
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