Apparently I Camryn are not allowed to express opinion. At least not in the way I attempted too. Not fair, not fair, not fair.
So anyhow, I think I mentioned human n I learning to now have me turn my forequarters off her leg. We already got the hindquarters thing down pretty good and her changing it up on me!!! Also I gotsa learn how to slow from a trot to a walk, stead of just stopping. AND Momma learning how to sit the trot JEEZ, that's a lot.
Momma say it's not just me doin the learning that it's both of us. I gotta admit turning off the legs turning into a good thing. The trot sitting not so much.
Last night Dakota an Me tooked our Moms over to the arena to play a bit. We both worked on the turnin stuff. All the while we was trying to flirt with the boys though ;). On the way home my Mom wanted to work on her sittin trot, but Dakota needs to learn how to walk on the way back home. Since that apparently has something to do with safety we were supposed to walk. Normally I fine with that, last night I knew we was supposed to practice the trot sittin so kept offering to help with that. Apparently that wasn't appreciated however SIGH. One rein stops are such a bother.
Tonight Mom n Me stayed in the pasture. I offered a trot several times an got the one rein thing again. After a few of those, I did figure out walking when asked worked out best. I also figured out that a soft one rein meant I could simply go down to a walk and I didn't have to stop. After a while I was ready to be done and expressed my opinion. I kinda ducked my head down to the side, and popped my bottom up a bit to the other side. Mom called it a crow hop of all things, hmmmmph I am not a crow. Her laughed at my opinion and one reined me inna circle. I kinda expected the one rein but, the laugh it kind of took the steam right out of my opinion I tell you. Then if you can belive this, she had me circling every tree in the pasture. Have I mentioned there are about a dozen trees??? After that her dismounted, I'm thinking "hay, hay hay"! Wrong!!!! She tooked off my bridle, tied me and let me stand there for like forever. Her filled my water, tidied the tack area, then sat on my mounting thing and talked on the phone. Only like after forever did she take off my saddle, n put my sheet back on. Then can you believe this, she puttered around again forever before finally giving my hay!!! I was so bummed with all the waiting all I could do was stand there sighing and yawning and licking my lips.
So should I go on strike or quit with the crow hops??? What do you all think? Two days without the clicker, I miss it but am getting over it.
Later...
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Been kinda grounded...
Me n Mom had a lesson last night. All went purty good ceptin that trainer lady wants Momma to quit the click training for a month to see how I progress without it. I heard Mom sayin OK, we'll give it a go an I couldn't believe it. No treats for bein cooperative for an entire month???? Not fair I say. Trainer lady says her thinks I'm to attached to food for motivation, I say "DUH". I mean I'm a Haflinger AND on steroids, course I motivate for food. Good thing is trainer lady say I be real nice horse, an super smart.We already know this but, it be nice to hear. Momma gived me a hug an agreed I be a keeper for sure.
At the lesson we worked in direct reining, I got the indirect down pat. Aparently Mom an Me started things in reverse with that. Momma also learnin how to "sit" the trot. Her does posting n having a hard time with sitting the trot. I'm havin a hard time with that myself. Neither of us be used to that an I keeps thinkin her wants me to stop. I'm sure her'll get it I just hope it'll be soon, glad her lost some weight recently for sure.
Since our pasture be dry now we walked back to the arena via our woods from the back of my pasture. Mom was kinda concerned cuz it's all growed over but, I did just fine.
Time to eat, later...
At the lesson we worked in direct reining, I got the indirect down pat. Aparently Mom an Me started things in reverse with that. Momma also learnin how to "sit" the trot. Her does posting n having a hard time with sitting the trot. I'm havin a hard time with that myself. Neither of us be used to that an I keeps thinkin her wants me to stop. I'm sure her'll get it I just hope it'll be soon, glad her lost some weight recently for sure.
Since our pasture be dry now we walked back to the arena via our woods from the back of my pasture. Mom was kinda concerned cuz it's all growed over but, I did just fine.
Time to eat, later...
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
I Camryn taking over...
Since this blog is basically about myself "Camryn" otherwise known as "Gurly Gurl", "Princess", "Golden One" and a few others some not worthy of me such as "You Beotch"!!! I "Camryn" will be taking over blogging duties from my Human also known as Mom. She feels her writing skills leave a lot to be desired and even though I can't spell, I'd probably be much more facinating than she. I agree!!!
As most of you know, I'm a utterly beautiful, highly intelligant, most facinating Haflinger mare. I was born and raised in Amish country here in Ohio. I still live in Ohio but, now I'm an only horse. Though some might think "oooooh poor Camryn", I must say it's pretty good. I mean I don't have to share hay, feed, my bedroom, paddock, pasture or my Human's time. Instead of bein in a tie down stall I gets to be outside all day long, at night I sleep in a lovely big stall (bedroom). I even gots my own dog (Onyx) who in is prime was a big time Champion show dog. He an I gets along real good, he even likes my horse treats, plus him listens real well. He knows that head low, ears back means get the H outa dodge dood. My human and I gets along quite famously too, I have her all trained up pretty good. Feed n Hay first thing in the morning, my fly sheet n mask, fly spray an a hug afore her goes to work. Affer work, more hay, more fly spray, mask back on (I take it off), then out in my pasture for a bit now that it's dry and the ducks are gone. Yeah, it flooded bad this spring. Lately her's been saddling me up an riding lots, that's ok cause I got her trained that when her hears a click she gives me a treat. See, I got it made in the shade, literaly cause I got lotsa trees in my paddock n pasture. I digress regarding humans training, at night affer a long hard day of mostly eating, human takes off my fly sheet, not my mask of course cause I did that part already, gives me more food, then fills two bags of hay. Oh, an I gots a big window that looks over at my friends Dakota an Eclipse nearby.
I was once rather ummmmmm Rubenesck (some painter facinated with heavy womans forms), I'm now quite svelte and enjoying it. Yup, I'm a Happy Halflinger, and even though I'm no longer quite portly I'm still a "Drafty Hafy Gurl".
Todays Human training so far has consisted of teaching her how to give apples when ever I go in the big white box. Today I gots not one but, two apples, plus hay an all just for walking in the big white box all by my self. Course I did have to suffer the butt bar, and the ramp being put up. Still all in all an easy days training my human, an I must say her apple feeding skills are gettin better all the time.
Darn, 1/2 hour passed, gotta come in from the pasture now. Somthing about not getting a thing called "founder", I can only go out for short periods while my body adjusts to grass agin.
Later....
As most of you know, I'm a utterly beautiful, highly intelligant, most facinating Haflinger mare. I was born and raised in Amish country here in Ohio. I still live in Ohio but, now I'm an only horse. Though some might think "oooooh poor Camryn", I must say it's pretty good. I mean I don't have to share hay, feed, my bedroom, paddock, pasture or my Human's time. Instead of bein in a tie down stall I gets to be outside all day long, at night I sleep in a lovely big stall (bedroom). I even gots my own dog (Onyx) who in is prime was a big time Champion show dog. He an I gets along real good, he even likes my horse treats, plus him listens real well. He knows that head low, ears back means get the H outa dodge dood. My human and I gets along quite famously too, I have her all trained up pretty good. Feed n Hay first thing in the morning, my fly sheet n mask, fly spray an a hug afore her goes to work. Affer work, more hay, more fly spray, mask back on (I take it off), then out in my pasture for a bit now that it's dry and the ducks are gone. Yeah, it flooded bad this spring. Lately her's been saddling me up an riding lots, that's ok cause I got her trained that when her hears a click she gives me a treat. See, I got it made in the shade, literaly cause I got lotsa trees in my paddock n pasture. I digress regarding humans training, at night affer a long hard day of mostly eating, human takes off my fly sheet, not my mask of course cause I did that part already, gives me more food, then fills two bags of hay. Oh, an I gots a big window that looks over at my friends Dakota an Eclipse nearby.
I was once rather ummmmmm Rubenesck (some painter facinated with heavy womans forms), I'm now quite svelte and enjoying it. Yup, I'm a Happy Halflinger, and even though I'm no longer quite portly I'm still a "Drafty Hafy Gurl".
Todays Human training so far has consisted of teaching her how to give apples when ever I go in the big white box. Today I gots not one but, two apples, plus hay an all just for walking in the big white box all by my self. Course I did have to suffer the butt bar, and the ramp being put up. Still all in all an easy days training my human, an I must say her apple feeding skills are gettin better all the time.
Darn, 1/2 hour passed, gotta come in from the pasture now. Somthing about not getting a thing called "founder", I can only go out for short periods while my body adjusts to grass agin.
Later....
Monday, July 11, 2011
Progress across the board...
Sorry, I'm a bad blogger. Get to busy, to hot to even feel like parking myself at the computer. I'm equally bad at taking pix as of late. So that makes for boring blogs for the most part.
Anyway, Camryn has progressed with her self loading to where I can now do the butt bar whilst she munches away. She is one that will need tied for sure when trailering. If she drops some hay she's not adverse to perching her apple bottom on the butt bar to attempt to pick up what she's scattered. I can just imagine my making a turn just as she does so and that would be ugly. Makes me shiver just thinking of it.
The pasture finally dried out enough for Camryn to use it. I've been letting her graze for short periods as we build up to allowing her to graze most of the day. She's a happy Hafy!!! The bugs are HORRID however. And with Camryn suffering from sweet itch she's pretty miserable. Her Vet switched her meds around since the Dexa had been working so well, she thought we might be able to use Prednisonal. Pred is safer regarding laminitus, she takes 50 tablets every other day. Unfortunately the Pred just isn't cutting it for her, so it's back to the Dexamethasone. With that she takes 3 pills every other day, it's a bit riskier but, so is an infection if she keeps ripping her face up on tree bark. Poooooooor girl.
With the pasture now dry enough to graze (though it's storming as I write this) we've now been riding each evening. Sometimes just 1/2 hour as it's so hot, but at least we get to play. Camryn's turning with leg cues is going awesome. For some reason teaching her this took longer than anything else we've worked on. Once she had her light bulb moment however she's 98% there. I love not being in her mouth, she loves my not being in her mouth too!!! Last night for some reason she decided to show off how well she can trot for some reason. While I'm asking her to "walk on", Camryn is saying "but Mom look how well I can trot now that I'm not a chubby dumpling"!!! I'm guessing that since last year we worked on her trot in the pasture she figures when we're back there, that's what I still want? Either that or I'm cueing for a trot without meaning too? She's not being bad, worried, or trying to escape bugs, it feels like she's trotting simply because that's what she wants to do. She walks when circling, doing serpentine, going thru the barn and in the paddock. In the pasture if I ask for straight, I get trot!!! I can ask her to Whoa and she does so, actually her Whoa is a little to good at the trot as I get thrown forward. Me thinks I need to work on being more balanced LOL. Also if I do a one rein stop, all I need to do is lift the rein while adding leg and she flexes and disengages happily. So while trotting when she's supposed to be walking at least I have no problem with stopping her. I'm thinking if I put her cones out to play with while riding I might be able to fix this odd problem. If anyone has any suggestions feel free to post in comments.
Anyway, Camryn has progressed with her self loading to where I can now do the butt bar whilst she munches away. She is one that will need tied for sure when trailering. If she drops some hay she's not adverse to perching her apple bottom on the butt bar to attempt to pick up what she's scattered. I can just imagine my making a turn just as she does so and that would be ugly. Makes me shiver just thinking of it.
The pasture finally dried out enough for Camryn to use it. I've been letting her graze for short periods as we build up to allowing her to graze most of the day. She's a happy Hafy!!! The bugs are HORRID however. And with Camryn suffering from sweet itch she's pretty miserable. Her Vet switched her meds around since the Dexa had been working so well, she thought we might be able to use Prednisonal. Pred is safer regarding laminitus, she takes 50 tablets every other day. Unfortunately the Pred just isn't cutting it for her, so it's back to the Dexamethasone. With that she takes 3 pills every other day, it's a bit riskier but, so is an infection if she keeps ripping her face up on tree bark. Poooooooor girl.
With the pasture now dry enough to graze (though it's storming as I write this) we've now been riding each evening. Sometimes just 1/2 hour as it's so hot, but at least we get to play. Camryn's turning with leg cues is going awesome. For some reason teaching her this took longer than anything else we've worked on. Once she had her light bulb moment however she's 98% there. I love not being in her mouth, she loves my not being in her mouth too!!! Last night for some reason she decided to show off how well she can trot for some reason. While I'm asking her to "walk on", Camryn is saying "but Mom look how well I can trot now that I'm not a chubby dumpling"!!! I'm guessing that since last year we worked on her trot in the pasture she figures when we're back there, that's what I still want? Either that or I'm cueing for a trot without meaning too? She's not being bad, worried, or trying to escape bugs, it feels like she's trotting simply because that's what she wants to do. She walks when circling, doing serpentine, going thru the barn and in the paddock. In the pasture if I ask for straight, I get trot!!! I can ask her to Whoa and she does so, actually her Whoa is a little to good at the trot as I get thrown forward. Me thinks I need to work on being more balanced LOL. Also if I do a one rein stop, all I need to do is lift the rein while adding leg and she flexes and disengages happily. So while trotting when she's supposed to be walking at least I have no problem with stopping her. I'm thinking if I put her cones out to play with while riding I might be able to fix this odd problem. If anyone has any suggestions feel free to post in comments.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Week of HUGE progress on several things...
What a grrrrrrreat week for Camryn & I.
First off Camryn is Amish trained, pull rein to left, she turns to the left, right rein, right turn. Also she doesn't always respond with soft hands. Especially if there was an off chance we could head towards grass. I really hate being in her mouth and want to ride her in the softest way possible. At last weeks training class Barb showed me some things to do with my body.
So, this week she and I began working with the clicker on turning off my leg, and turning softly. Day 1 we had some progress with my leg aides being very strong and exaggerated. Day 2 while not 100% I was able to exaggerate my body aides a little less. Yesterday, as I bridled she was quite eager to "play" her cute lips were just wiggling away reaching for her bit. At last she's thinking Mom is getting somewhere!!!
If she listened to my soft cues she'd get click/treat, if she just offered what "she thought" I wanted she got NADA. Once as she began to "second guess" and turn right (which is what earned the last click/treat), I lifted my little finger just a tad, she hesitated and turned left!!! Yeehaa, jackpot tons of good girls.
The rest of that session she was turning with very soft gestures from my body and my little finger raising a tad. Soooo, awesome!!! Of course we'll have to start over once we get out of the paddock, so we'll stay there till it's 100% and hopefully she'll respond quickly as we start over on different terrain (grass)!!! I pumped though and know it's in there "progress rather than perfection".
Today was an even bigger breakthrough for us...
I've written about our trailer loading issues. She'll load but, only if I lead her in and go out the escape door. This means a second person needs to be there to do the butt bar. I'd like to do some weekday riding but, needing a second person and hubs at work well, that isn't happening.
Earlier this week my dear non horsey hubby asks what Camryn's favorite thing is that she rarely gets, well that'd be apples without doubt. Dear non horsey hubby suggests that I put an apple in her manger when loading, and that she only gets apple in the trailer. Today dear non horsey hubby picks up a bag of apples. I cut one up in little pieces, place three in the manger, the rest in a baggie for reloading manger.
I hand grazed Camryn a bit then head for the open trailer. First three times I lead her in, she gobbles up the apple, I also click/treat (regular treats) for backing slowly (she normally does) and off the ramp straight. Recently she began turning while on the ramp, she was backing straight again after the second unload.
While reloading apple bits in the manger I'd been tying her to the trailer allowing her to graze. After the third load when I tied her we had a near fiasco!!! Camryn attempted to self load while tied!!! So glad she's awesome at backing so instead of going into panic mode she listened and backed. Thank you God!!!
I then walked her back to the paddock and tied her to a secure fence post (which is what I'll be doing from now on). Reloaded the manger with a jackpot of apples, walked her up, pointed and in she went!!! Camryn self loaded!!! Can you believe it and all due to my dear non horsey hubbies brilliance to boot. Yep, I give credit where credit is due.
I didn't do the butt bar as I wanted to end with Camryn thinking, "trailer loading is awesome". I have the next three days off, weather permitting we'll be playing "get the apple" several times each day upping the ante (closing the butt bar) when I'm feeling she's feeling good about the whole thing.
Funny isn't it how something as simple yet inexpensive as a little apple and a non horsey hubbies thinking outside the box leads to such a breakthrough for us :)
First off Camryn is Amish trained, pull rein to left, she turns to the left, right rein, right turn. Also she doesn't always respond with soft hands. Especially if there was an off chance we could head towards grass. I really hate being in her mouth and want to ride her in the softest way possible. At last weeks training class Barb showed me some things to do with my body.
So, this week she and I began working with the clicker on turning off my leg, and turning softly. Day 1 we had some progress with my leg aides being very strong and exaggerated. Day 2 while not 100% I was able to exaggerate my body aides a little less. Yesterday, as I bridled she was quite eager to "play" her cute lips were just wiggling away reaching for her bit. At last she's thinking Mom is getting somewhere!!!
If she listened to my soft cues she'd get click/treat, if she just offered what "she thought" I wanted she got NADA. Once as she began to "second guess" and turn right (which is what earned the last click/treat), I lifted my little finger just a tad, she hesitated and turned left!!! Yeehaa, jackpot tons of good girls.
The rest of that session she was turning with very soft gestures from my body and my little finger raising a tad. Soooo, awesome!!! Of course we'll have to start over once we get out of the paddock, so we'll stay there till it's 100% and hopefully she'll respond quickly as we start over on different terrain (grass)!!! I pumped though and know it's in there "progress rather than perfection".
Today was an even bigger breakthrough for us...
I've written about our trailer loading issues. She'll load but, only if I lead her in and go out the escape door. This means a second person needs to be there to do the butt bar. I'd like to do some weekday riding but, needing a second person and hubs at work well, that isn't happening.
Earlier this week my dear non horsey hubby asks what Camryn's favorite thing is that she rarely gets, well that'd be apples without doubt. Dear non horsey hubby suggests that I put an apple in her manger when loading, and that she only gets apple in the trailer. Today dear non horsey hubby picks up a bag of apples. I cut one up in little pieces, place three in the manger, the rest in a baggie for reloading manger.
I hand grazed Camryn a bit then head for the open trailer. First three times I lead her in, she gobbles up the apple, I also click/treat (regular treats) for backing slowly (she normally does) and off the ramp straight. Recently she began turning while on the ramp, she was backing straight again after the second unload.
While reloading apple bits in the manger I'd been tying her to the trailer allowing her to graze. After the third load when I tied her we had a near fiasco!!! Camryn attempted to self load while tied!!! So glad she's awesome at backing so instead of going into panic mode she listened and backed. Thank you God!!!
I then walked her back to the paddock and tied her to a secure fence post (which is what I'll be doing from now on). Reloaded the manger with a jackpot of apples, walked her up, pointed and in she went!!! Camryn self loaded!!! Can you believe it and all due to my dear non horsey hubbies brilliance to boot. Yep, I give credit where credit is due.
I didn't do the butt bar as I wanted to end with Camryn thinking, "trailer loading is awesome". I have the next three days off, weather permitting we'll be playing "get the apple" several times each day upping the ante (closing the butt bar) when I'm feeling she's feeling good about the whole thing.
Funny isn't it how something as simple yet inexpensive as a little apple and a non horsey hubbies thinking outside the box leads to such a breakthrough for us :)
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