VickiGG
28th Aug 2006, 11:19 AM
Well - guess what - it's the last week of winter and it's starting to feel like spring! I saw a mummy duck and 14 ducklings following along behind her last night when I was feeding Blue.
Jools Topp came to trim Garbos feet...she is a fab trimmer and really loves her work.... she'll be there for an hour... she is famous here in NZ - see http://www.topptwins.co.nz/topp_intro.asp as an entertainer with her twin sister. She is really funny too - so that was great fun! She really explains what she is doing the whole time, and what she is trying to achieve each trim. Garbo loves her too - here's a very short clip
http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/?action=view¤t=MVI_0003.flv
Then we wandered up to the paddock to see Blue - he had been lame for two weeks and the vet said it was arthritis which he does have a little - but it iwas really bad. Jools started to trim his feet and found a hoof absess :( The vet missed it - Jools said that was lucky because he would have cut the crap out of it. She punctured it and I have been bandaging it all week and had this boot on it - WHICH IS THE BEST BOOT EVER http://www.hoofeeze.com/
Anyway - Garbo now has new dainty feet....as you can see (tried to get the before and after shots.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/IMG_0006.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/IMG_0005-1.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/IMG_0007.jpg
Friday - another long lining lesson. No photos yet - but my instructor took some for a magazine article she is doing so promised she would send them to me soon.
We were going really well in the arena - round cones etc, trotting, so Fiona decided we should try down the driveway.
A little way down she said to turn him round - he rushed round the turn....(looking back that was the first warning sign)....
Next time after the turn towards home the foal started running along the fence line and Garbo did two bucks on the spot. Fiona was like 'keep going' and 'goodness' - she had not seen him like this. She said he was getting his own excitement for the day (again).....looking back she told me this was the 2nd warning sign.....
Third turn (going down the driveway a bit and then turning for home each time) home and he rushed again...I said out loud - "my main concern long lining on the drive is what will happen if I drop the rope and he runs off" - GUESS WHAT - I then dropped one line and tried to pick it up - Garbo rushed the turn - got tangled in the ropes and ran off - towards the stable thank goodness. Fiona said "it's ok- we had to know what he would do".
Garbo meanwhile decided this would be a great time to introduce himself to the new horse to the property - he had been here a few days now and Garbo had not been properly introduced and I could tell it was bugging him. As he ran off down the race with the ropes trailing behind him - my friend said she could just imagine Garbo saying "it'll just be a quick hello - I only have a minute" to the new horse as he cantered towards him. :o
So - long lines now covered in mud we long lined him back to the arena. Fiona said he just forgot his training for a minute. Not helped by the fact that we were on the drive which he has previously confused with 'a paddock'.
So we began by dropping the outside line in a trot circle in the arena and pulling on the inside one till he stopped (he ran back to the stable once) - then till he stopped and faced me...after about 4 goes as soon as I dropped the rope he would stop dead and turn and face me as if to say "Mum - you've dropped the rope... ?? Mum..." So cute!! I was in awe. I would not have known how to deal with the running off.... I could for the first time see he was looking to me for security.
So - big breath - lets try it on the drive. Worked brilliantly - in both directions. He stopped each time. Then we went back to the arena and tried cantering (yes on the long lines) and dropped the rope. He stopped!! Yay.
I was so pleased.
Fiona said we need to do another session down the drive with me riding so we can apply the same principles in riding - when he has his little excited moments! :)
Saturday I did some clicker training with Garbo - touching cones...
Today I rode Garbo and set up cones down the middle of the arena to 'rotate' round...Garbo soon cottoned on to what we were doing and goes "ok - I've got this Mum - sit tight" and weaved his way through the cones. I would then try and do some normal schooling in the arena and he would side step back over to the cones again! Hilarious.
If nothing else - we have had a fun week. Lots of cuddles and lots of brushing.
We have a dressage test at the local Adult Riding Club on Sunday - no canter involved - just walk and trot. It will be good to get out and about again.
Jools Topp came to trim Garbos feet...she is a fab trimmer and really loves her work.... she'll be there for an hour... she is famous here in NZ - see http://www.topptwins.co.nz/topp_intro.asp as an entertainer with her twin sister. She is really funny too - so that was great fun! She really explains what she is doing the whole time, and what she is trying to achieve each trim. Garbo loves her too - here's a very short clip
http://s27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/?action=view¤t=MVI_0003.flv
Then we wandered up to the paddock to see Blue - he had been lame for two weeks and the vet said it was arthritis which he does have a little - but it iwas really bad. Jools started to trim his feet and found a hoof absess :( The vet missed it - Jools said that was lucky because he would have cut the crap out of it. She punctured it and I have been bandaging it all week and had this boot on it - WHICH IS THE BEST BOOT EVER http://www.hoofeeze.com/
Anyway - Garbo now has new dainty feet....as you can see (tried to get the before and after shots.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/IMG_0006.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/IMG_0005-1.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c188/VickiGG/IMG_0007.jpg
Friday - another long lining lesson. No photos yet - but my instructor took some for a magazine article she is doing so promised she would send them to me soon.
We were going really well in the arena - round cones etc, trotting, so Fiona decided we should try down the driveway.
A little way down she said to turn him round - he rushed round the turn....(looking back that was the first warning sign)....
Next time after the turn towards home the foal started running along the fence line and Garbo did two bucks on the spot. Fiona was like 'keep going' and 'goodness' - she had not seen him like this. She said he was getting his own excitement for the day (again).....looking back she told me this was the 2nd warning sign.....
Third turn (going down the driveway a bit and then turning for home each time) home and he rushed again...I said out loud - "my main concern long lining on the drive is what will happen if I drop the rope and he runs off" - GUESS WHAT - I then dropped one line and tried to pick it up - Garbo rushed the turn - got tangled in the ropes and ran off - towards the stable thank goodness. Fiona said "it's ok- we had to know what he would do".
Garbo meanwhile decided this would be a great time to introduce himself to the new horse to the property - he had been here a few days now and Garbo had not been properly introduced and I could tell it was bugging him. As he ran off down the race with the ropes trailing behind him - my friend said she could just imagine Garbo saying "it'll just be a quick hello - I only have a minute" to the new horse as he cantered towards him. :o
So - long lines now covered in mud we long lined him back to the arena. Fiona said he just forgot his training for a minute. Not helped by the fact that we were on the drive which he has previously confused with 'a paddock'.
So we began by dropping the outside line in a trot circle in the arena and pulling on the inside one till he stopped (he ran back to the stable once) - then till he stopped and faced me...after about 4 goes as soon as I dropped the rope he would stop dead and turn and face me as if to say "Mum - you've dropped the rope... ?? Mum..." So cute!! I was in awe. I would not have known how to deal with the running off.... I could for the first time see he was looking to me for security.
So - big breath - lets try it on the drive. Worked brilliantly - in both directions. He stopped each time. Then we went back to the arena and tried cantering (yes on the long lines) and dropped the rope. He stopped!! Yay.
I was so pleased.
Fiona said we need to do another session down the drive with me riding so we can apply the same principles in riding - when he has his little excited moments! :)
Saturday I did some clicker training with Garbo - touching cones...
Today I rode Garbo and set up cones down the middle of the arena to 'rotate' round...Garbo soon cottoned on to what we were doing and goes "ok - I've got this Mum - sit tight" and weaved his way through the cones. I would then try and do some normal schooling in the arena and he would side step back over to the cones again! Hilarious.
If nothing else - we have had a fun week. Lots of cuddles and lots of brushing.
We have a dressage test at the local Adult Riding Club on Sunday - no canter involved - just walk and trot. It will be good to get out and about again.