Ephiny's Training Diary: Weeks 2 and 3

[dancinghorse]

There's been a bit of a blogging hiatus in the past two weeks, but not a work hiatus. We have had somewhat truncated weeks, with Easter and all, and now J is in the end-of-semester crunch. But work proceeds, and Ephiny has settled into the routine. J arrives, we clear the arena, everybody gets a little hay, she gets groomed and taken out to work.

We've had some very windy days, not the best for working with a young and opinionated horse. For those we opted to do groundwork instead. The first time, the Monday before Easter, she was baffled. We both worked with her on obedience and attentiveness. And that was it. But--but--weren't we forgetting something? Like, saddle? Cavesson? Longe work?

The next time we had strong winds, which was Easter Monday, I saddled her and put on the cavesson, but opted not to use the longeline. Instead I experimented to see if she would walk at the end of the 10-foot leadrope on her usual longe circle. She would, and nicely, too. She's getting the idea.

In between these sessions, when it's been quieter and she's been correspondingly calmer, we've continued with the longe work in walk on the circle. This past Wednesday, for the first time, I was in the middle and J did the outer circle. After two circles in that familiar configuration, J unsnapped the secondary lead and Ephiny got to experiment with more authentic longeing. She was quite good going right, more inclined to fall in going left, but the penny has definitely started to drop. She'll be an old hand on the longe quite soon.

At the moment she's hit a stage I've seen before: she's been wonderfully cooperative about her work, but she's testing her boundaries and getting quite pushy on the lead. Today's plan (sans J who is at work) is to discuss this with her and confirm a few of the rules.

She certainly isn't objecting to having a job. Tuesday when I brought Camilla in for grooming, I had to peel Ephiny off in order to get Camilla through the gate. Ephiny wanted to work! She wanted to work now! She didn't see why she couldn't do it now!

Very good development, that.

And yes, Camilla is back on the regular roster. Well past time, and she's getting used to the idea of being ridden like a normal horse. So much so that after two days in a row of work, she mugged tcastleb for work yesterday, and got groundwork, since she insisted.

Ya have to love the workaholics.

In among all this, we've had Adventures in Gimpitude. Carrma got up from a nap a week ago Monday and was three-legged lame. We figure either a bad bruise or a strain. There was some Angst, and we had S come and work on her (massage and electrostim). She's off stall rest now, still gets a wrap at night, but is notably improved, which indicates bruise or strain rather than tendon injury. Tendons take forever to heal, and moving around would be the worst thing for it at ten days out; in this case, she's better off with movement. Big relief there.

And, not to be outdone, Pooka threw a tire on Monday--sound in walk, lurching in trot. Left fore. Either bruise or twisted shoulder. Gah. He's improving; has been working out of it, but not enough for a ride. He'll get another diagnostic longe today to see how he looks. Wednesday he was still a bit short on the leg, though much better than Monday.

It's always something. But hey. By the time J gets off crunch time, Ephiny should be ready for backing. And then she'll take over the world.

Comments

[sea-pony.livejournal.com]

So nice to have a second ground person you can trust and work with! (Something that is sorely lacking here...)

Hope Carrma and Pook are on the mend soon!