There is a Monster in the Trailer

So -- Spent the last hour and a half trying to get Annie in the trailer. She has never been great about the trailer, but usually after a couple of circles behind it, she'll go in. Champ, Bless him, walked right in, but Annie started to, changed her mind and banged her head on the roof trying to fly out. This upset Champ but he was good and stayed in the trailer.

So after trying to get Annie in about 10 minutes, I took Champ out and tied him up, then Annie and I did circles (she did circles, I just kept her moving). We'd pause occasionally to see if she'd had a change of heart. No. We tried all the tricks we'd ever heard of over the next two hours. During which she learned she could charge away from us, give us rope burn and take off (first time, she went out the gate which caused heart failure on our part as she trotted toward Highway 31 - lesson learned, close the gate when working with a difficult horse), She broke a halter during this fiasco too.

Finally I started to see she was just so worked up she had stopped thinking.. so we started doing side to sides instead of circles, worked our way toward the trailer then I led her circles around the trailer with a whip in my far hand and if she tried to stop I'd tap her on the ass with the whip while staying beside her. Then when we got behind the trailer and headed in, I did the same thing. She finally said OK OK I'll go in.

She went in and got to rest, had several treats.... and then I let her out.

So much for riding after hours of THAT. We'll try again later but not with Annie. Annie is going to have some serious trailer therapy in her future but no more today!

Good Ride in Wachula with Champ

Champ, T, Peg and I went to the 3rd Annual Wachula Main Street Ride today. Champ had a great day! He only had to do a few circles behind the trailer before deciding to go in. It was almost a 7 mile ride and he was determined to lead. But accepted it when I made him ride in the middle and near the back a few times (but most of the time, he was up with the trail boss).

He went through mud and water, high grass, palmettos. He saw cows up close and personal! He was very excited about that. I think he is really going to find cow sorting fun when we get to do it! He learned more about "waiting", something he reaaaally doesn't like to do. He hasn't learned the beauty of just standing around yet, so we just ride circles around the group between "short" waits. I notice the "waits" get a little longer the more circles we make

We "waited" several times for everyone to catch up. Champ has a walk that just burns down the trail. And he 's racking very nicely now for me. 

He's still testing me and does not like to stand for mounting.

Champ is Testing Me

Horses are funny. So Champ is a bit pushy (testing me) so I started doing ground work him this week. Basically just doing Clinton Anderson's first 5 steps to start with. So today, I came home and went out to see them and he was fiesty, running around winding his head, you know the play move they do. When I went over to pet him, he ran away. So I petted Cody and the others, then went inside. I came out later, and he ran away again. Like... "NO NO you'll never get me!" So I ignored him and petted the others, then started doing chores. I turn around, and he's following me around. Like.. "What? You don't want me? WASSUP with that?"