Pickle's 1st week at Holiday's

[Tots N Dots]

Well what a week it has been, Pickle was well ready and has picked everything up amazingly quickly,

Holiday started off introducing him to the bit and to voice commands and taught him to lunge, Holiday sent me some photos, I was so suprised to see my boy looking so grown up that I cried a bit :o
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c34/totsndots/Pickle/Pickle%20goes%20to%20Holidays/pickle3a.jpg
He has got the hang of this very quickly, he is better going anti-clockwise than he is clockwise, but this is to be expected as we mostly do things with horses from the near side,
then he was introduced to longlines, I went to visit on Thursday and I also had a go at long lineing him, I have not long lined for about 20 years so I felt quite awkward, someone was sneaky and got a picture of me long lineing him :D
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c34/totsndots/Pickle/Pickle%20goes%20to%20Holidays/27-7dd.jpg
I was amazed how much had been accomplished in 3 to 4 days, Pickle is responding very well to voice command on the lunge
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c34/totsndots/Pickle/Pickle%20goes%20to%20Holidays/th_27-7lunge1.jpg (http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c34/totsndots/Pickle/Pickle%20goes%20to%20Holidays/?action=view&current=27-7lunge1.flv)
amazingly well I thought for only such a short time,
everything is taken at his pace and as he is picking things up so well he will get bored if he is not moved on to the next bit.
I visited him again today and he had his 1st ever proper saddle on (bless :o ) he had a very light racing type saddle on in february for about 10 minutes at the Monty demo, but they are a fit anything type saddle, I also tried the treeless on him to measure for a girth a while back. so really for all intense and purpose this was indeed his 1st proper saddle, no bucks, took it all very well
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c34/totsndots/Pickle/Pickle%20goes%20to%20Holidays/30-7ff.jpg
after he had finnished his lesson today I hosed him off all over, I was quite proud of my wimpy self as I had been afraid to bath him incase he threw a fit and trampled everything around, Holiday is helping me to be a lot more relaxed about life, This will help Pickle no end, and teach me to get a grip, lol
I am so very proud of him, and so pleased with how Holiday working with him.
there are loads more pictures and some videos on the "Pickle goes to Holiday's" link in my signature so feel free to nosey.
I am sure Holiday will want to add to the bits of the week I wasn't there to see :D
but I dont think I will be able to call him ickle Pickle for much longer he is getting to be a big boy now :D
I had to add this one in, Holiday is on the phone and after less than a week he is being so good lol
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c34/totsndots/Pickle/Pickle%20goes%20to%20Holidays/pennyphone.jpg

[bexj]

Sounds like an excellent start. Well done Pickle:D

[raingodz]

He is looking so good :) he seems to be a very quick learner too, you'll have a school master in the making there :D

[neen]

Aw, bless him, he looks like he's doing so well.

[holiday]

I would just like to say, from a training point of view, this week Pickle has been a star candidate and of course it doesnt always run true to course!!!!!! He is intelligent, willing, genuine, and wanting to do things, he has had a good grounding from a handling point of view from Tots n dots and is very confident in himself and in what is being asked of him, and hopefully he will continue as perfectly as he has done this week!!!!!!!!

What i would like to point out, not all youngsters are as easy to start, some just dont understand and take a lot longer, and unfortunately, we as people have to learn to be patient and take a day at a time, you do have to look at horses individually and take things as they are capable of understanding, he is very mature in his outlook and is capable of being pushed along a little, which is brilliant from both a trainer and a horses point of view, i hope he will continue as settled as he has been.

I will start to lean over him a little this week and hopefully i will be sitting on him by the end of the week, but this is totally up to him if he wont allow it i will back track a few steps and re establish everything he is totally settled with then try again.

All horses tell you when they are happy and settled, unfortunately, they dont run to a text book!!!!!!!!!!! Well done to Tots n Dots for putting so much into the ground work and making Pickle a well adjusted baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[palmerlover52]

Bless him, he;s stunning!

What;s next up for little Pickle then?

[Whatanejit]

Awwww! What a lovely boy. Isn't he a wonderful, dainty mover.

Fantastic to watch this thread for everyone - keep 'em coming.

xx

Dee

[DITZ]

He looks stunning!:D

[Yann]

Great stuff :) Looks like a good outlet for all that energy and intelligence at last :D

[Tots N Dots]

What i would like to point out, not all youngsters are as easy to start, some just dont understand and take a lot longer, and unfortunately, we as people have to learn to be patient and take a day at a time, you do have to look at horses individually and take things as they are capable of understanding,
this is very true, most are a lot more work than this, he is one in a million, (just grow a bit Pickle pleeease) most of the time it is down to communication, if they dont understand what we want and we dont understand why, then all parties can get very frustrated, horses then do things which can then become learnt behaviour, I am very aware how quickly Pickle learns things, which has made me a bit wary, he can learn "bad" things just as quick as "good" things, I am learning that I need to earn a little more of his respect by being clearer to him of my expectations. it would be so easy for ME to turn him into a "problem" as I am a little under confident, if someone had said to me a week ago " hose down Pickle" I think I would have messed myself, I find it very easy to look how things can go wrong, today I thought nothing of it, didn't even have to have it mentioned, i just did it because I know it will be ok, I have to have more faith in him and myself. so both Pickle and I are learning a lot :D
Well done to Tots n Dots for putting so much into the ground work and making Pickle a well adjusted baby!
Thanks :D but I have to admit apart from teaching him to lead properly I have done very little apart from play with him and the odd walk out on the road :o , this is just Pickle.

as I said to Holiday I dont expect the whole thing to be plain sailing, there are bound to be hic ups along the way as he tests limits from time to time. I feel the hic ups are as important to his education as anything else, because its how the hic ups are handled that will shape the horse he will become (ok Holiday :D , PONY he will become ;) ) I wasnt confident in handling the hic ups correctly which is why I chose to send him to Holiday, he and Holiday have made it look easy this last week, I have started youngsters myself a long time ago and I will say you get the slightest important thing wrong and it can be anything BUT easy, it is only easy when you know exactly how and when to react and what to react to, if that makes any sense? :D

[Rips]

What a stunner he is :) great post and fabulous pictures.
He really looks fab!!

[Tots N Dots]

I have to admit I have gone from being a bit scared and nervous to quite excited, I cant wait to post my 1st picture on here of me sat on my horse, after owning him for a year and sharing alot of our times together on here with all of you, it will feel a very big landmark :D

[teabiscuit]

wow he makes my estimate of his price at £2500 look like an insult..he's stunning

[Tots N Dots]

wow he makes my estimate of his price at £2500 look like an insult..he's stunning
:eek: :eek: :eek:
oh bless, thank you but steady on babe he is only 3 :D

[chewitmonster]

Lovely update :) He is an absolute star :D xxx

[KateWooten]

Wow - He's looking great, bev and holiday - between the 3 of you, you all seem to have turned out a very, very nice little horse there. Isn't it great when you know you've done a good job and have brought up a horse that is full of 'try' :) Bev has to take a lot of the credit for that (and Pickle, obviously).

He sounds SOoooo much like joePony. (although I can't take much credit for his wonderful attitude - he just is like it :) ) ... oh, and bev, I have some good news for you. You know we decided I was 5ft 2 and looked about right on joe at 15hh... well, I still am 5 ft 2, but having finally bought a measuring stick - joe is only 14.2 and a hair ...! Many people here of full height ride smaller quarter horses... Damon is 6 ft 2 and he's looking fine on Summer who's also only 14.2 !! It's more important that you're balanced and 'easy' to carry. You'll be fine. if you read any of the 'classical' schools, they ride much smaller horses for the height of the rider, no problem.

[Jessey]

He looks wonderful, and you are 'fine' enough ;), unlike me, you will look great on him :D

J x

[Tots N Dots]

Bev has to take a lot of the credit for that (and Pickle, obviously). honestly, its just the way Pickle is, but also he can decide he doesnt want to do something and I find it very difficult when he is being opinionated, I can tell he likes Holiday and he will try his hardest, but as I have said there is always a time when they "test" you and this is bound to come at sometime

He sounds SOoooo much like joePony. (although I can't take much credit for his wonderful attitude - he just is like it :) ) ... oh, and bev, I have some good news for you. You know we decided I was 5ft 2 and looked about right on joe at 15hh... well, I still am 5 ft 2, but having finally bought a measuring stick - joe is only 14.2 and a hair ...!
there is hope for me yet then :D I have to say Pickle does look bigger with a saddle on, made more difference than I thought it would, I am not riding out with my friend here though, she has a 17hh lad, we will look like midgets :D :D :D

[KateWooten]

well... I happen to like midgets :p

[teabiscuit]

:eek: :eek: :eek:
oh bless, thank you but steady on babe he is only 3 :D
tis as maybe, but from those piccys he looks a bit special ;)

[Tots N Dots]

tis as maybe, but from those piccys he looks a bit special ;) well I think he is but I am a bit biased, but thank you, I think he has Aunty Holiday falling under his spell ;) I have yet to see someone who meets him not be quite taken with him lol,

well... I happen to like midgets :p
Holiday is trying to convince me that ponies are more fun, I have just always found that I fall off them more, they have this knack of showing up my rubbish riding :rolleyes: lol, horses are less canny and more forgiving heehee.:D

[NoviceNic]

Ohhhh Bev he is`stunning under that proper saddle. I cant wait to see your first ridden picture together. :)

[holiday]

Pickle is a bit special and we love him here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We only have ponies on the yard ( my biggest pony is 17.2hh and my smallest pony is 11.2hh!!!!!!)

My 12.2hh 5 year old stallion has qualified for the trailblazers and now the regional finals at dressage with me on him at Novice level hopefully i will have him out at elementary next year with me on him!!!! Dont knock them theyre brill!!!!!

Pickle is trying so hard to please i cant do anything else but love him!!!!!!!!

[Tots N Dots]

Pickle is a bit special and we love him here only downfall is where ever Pickle is his dozy owner is not far behind ;) :p :D :D

My 12.2hh 5 year old stallion has qualified for the trailblazers and now the regional finals at dressage with me on him at Novice level
and I have to admit he is a real sweetie :D

[HorseManiac]

pickle is adoorable! :)