We met our New Kelly Marks Trained RA today :)

[Imp]

No pics I'm afraid, I was on my own so hands otherwise engaged :)

The RA is a lovely woman who really knows her IH stuff! She arrived for our one hour booking at 9am and left at around 11:30! It was so inspiring to see how much she loved her work and to see how Megan reacted to the whole IH thing.

I bought a Dually Halter from her as it really worked well. Megan's issues are not humungous, she's lazy and not inclined to move if she doesn't want to. She can be a bit bargy but nothing awful. She won't stand still when tied up, she really is a blimmin fidgit and wont quuuiiiiittteee halt when asked (even if just taking one teeny step after being asked to stop she will push this a bit and this is disrespectful).

Soo, building on the respect thing: The RA took her on the Dually and showed me how to lead her, stop her, back her up and adjust her speed. I'm only able to do walk due to being lame myself at the moment but I could see Megan 'listening'. After the hour was up the RA asked me if I had Megan's saddle, I said no as I wasn't able to ride at the mo. She asked me to pop home to get it and she long lined Megs whilst I was doing that. When I got back she showed me how to fit up her saddle to long line her using the Dually. Megan was brilliant! She had her ears pricked the whole time, she was really enjoying work which is something I've never seen her do. She said Megan had trouble negotiating the L shaped poles in back up and said she thinks her back is stiff. I'm going to call the chiropractor to have a squint when she's next in Kent.

The RA said she feels Megan has some longstanding issues with past ridden or tacking up experiences. I'm going to continue with the ground work and IH exercises and try to grab another lunge line so I can cobble long lines together for some school work (I can't believe I'm saying Megan enjoyed school work :p ).

When the lesson ended - 2 and a half hours later - I walked Megs out of the school like a little lamb. I stopped to open the gate and she stopped around 3 feet behind me and waited to be invited through :) I tied her up and went to the car park with RA. We looked at Megan 5 mins later and she was standing full up with her ears pricked tooking at us, she hadn't fidgeted or budged from her spot - bless :p

She behaved the same when I turned her out, walking 3 feet behind me quietly and stopping to politely wait whilst I opened the gate. No stopping with her head over the gate and me having to back her up out of the way so I can go through first.

At one point she said Megan would be a good Monty Roberts demonstration horse as you could lean as hard as you like on her quarters or flank and she'd resist against your weight rather than yeilding :o :o

*sighs* sorry to blather on, I feel all uplifted and inspired :)

I'm hoping to have some news about a loan for Enya tomorrow but don't want to tempt fate by saying anything too soon ;)

[Stella2]

That sounds like a really good session - useful and enjoyable. I like the Kelly Marks school of horse handling, its worked very well for me. Though I've never had a rep out. Is it expensive?

Anyway it sounds like a good thing for you and Megan, I'm glad it went well. :)

[Imp]

As it was the assessment visit it was £60 for an hour (although she stayed a full 2 1/2 hours!).

... bit of a shock tonight, she was really rude to my daughter, tried to mug her for sweeties then headbutted her hard in the stomach when she didn't get any :eek: ! She's never done that before. We're only giving her a treat when she's caught and if she finishes work on a good note so I think it's a combination of settling in nicely at new yard, has her own pasture and is asserting herself in her human 'herd'. I shall be taking Enya through the IH exercises to get some more respect from naughty mare Megan :rolleyes:

[Whatanejit]

Oh Lynne that sounds just fantastic - worth every penny and wasn't she kind to stay with you longer having identified a need. That really is the sign of someone who cares about her work both the horses and the people.

Nice to get the tip about the stiffness - I am sure it can be resolved with a bit of TLC from another expert.

Doesn't it make you so proud when they respond so well to something that in the end is really so very simple.

The long lining is great too - I do lunge as well - wait till toms Cooper post to you see but the long lining is more like what you do when riding so I feel better about it and so does Coops - I think:o

Ok so you can't ride at the minute missus but look at all the other million and one things you can do with your girlie!

Thanks for the report.

xx

Dee

[Little Dolphins]

It's great when you see your horsey being all sweet and biddable like that, isn't it?!
I bet you felt as though a new gateway had opened up, things to do, things to achieve:)
I had similar help with HQ when I first had her, when I didn't have a saddle for 6weeks. I loved the in-hand work so much. Harley is still pretty good about manners, much better than the pushy girl she tried to be at first.

I hope you enjoy more sessions and less argybargy!

And (whispers), I hope it's good news re the loan .....

;)

[Bay Mare]

That's brilliant :) I rate RAs really, really highly :) I just wish I could use one more often (aka afford one more often).

x

[Whatanejit]

Ever thought of doing one of the course Bay mare?

xx

Dee

[cazrider]

That sounds great Imp.:D Lovely to hear Megan being so responsive.:D

[domane]

Oh my! How did I miss this thread???

What brilliant news Imp! Sounds like Megan actually enjoyed understanding her boundaries... they are like children... they really crave a leader and relax when someone takes charge....

Hope it continues to go well (despite the odd hiccup or lapse - see above ;) )

Well done! :)

[jenren!!]

That is fab news. I was thinking about getting one out for Aramis but from a little help from my next door neighbour livery it turned out she wasnt as bad as i thought! All it took was just a change in body language and the way i thought.

It wont change her overnight, but im sure it taught you alot and will teach you how to handle her better! :)

[nicolaj]

Hi Imp

I'm so glad you had a good experience with the IH RA.

Things will only begin to get better from here! At least you are able to teach your daughter the new techniques so Megan wont 'barge' her about and also when you get a new loan for her, she can use these on the new horse as well.

Don't worry about blathering on about it, I do as well!!:o But I'm sure it's the same for you, to have a horse that leads nicely, will back up when asked, stop rather than barging into you and generally be more polite, gentle and easy to handle, which other people do take for granted is sooooo nice!

In a way you learn so much about relationships with horses and in a way this will make your relationship a lot stronger.

I'm sure she said, but also it is really important to work on both sides as my horse is totally baffled as soon as you try to lead him from the right side, but is now 'getting it'.

So glad it went well and things will only begin to get better!!!!:D

[Bay Mare]

Ever thought of doing one of the course Bay mare?

xx

Dee


I have but am currently unemployed so now have the time but not the money. When I was working I didn't have the time OR the money :( I have tried getting sponsorship from some of my more wealthy friends (also want to do the Equine Touch and KC La Pierre courses) but they just laughed because they think that I'm mad being so obsessed with things horsey ..... :rolleyes:

[Est]

Bay Mare if I ever win the lottery I'll send you on a few courses :p Any moves on the job front?

Imp I have just booked an RA for mid September for various reasons, reading your post was the final kick up the butt I needed! Been thinking about it for ages. Please keep us posted on how it goes, I'm anticipating I'll need a few sessions but would also be interested in how "easy" the work is to maintain afterwards :)

[Bay Mare]

Hi :)

No, nothing on the job front in my line of work :rolleyes:

I'm applying to places like M&S etc at the moment so we'll see what comes of it. If I don't win the lottery I hope that you do ;)

Which RA have you got coming, Est? We've used Sarah Dent who is brilliant and really lovely.

The work is really easy to maintain afterwards, fitting it all in with riding etc can be a problem though!

[Est]

I tried Linda Ruffles (nearest to me) but she's not available at the moment so I called Debbie Glennan (based in Notts) and she's coming out on either the 17th or 19th September - to be confirmed!
Feeling so positive now that I've actually booked her - can't wait to take a step forward with Merrick :)

[Imp]

Sorry no work on the horizon yet BM :( That's pants.

Est, that's great! Even though we only had that one session Megan seems to have 'clicked' somewhere in her head. She still tried to ignore the fact that I was picking out her hooves yesterday on a couple of occasions and tried to wander off to see if her dinner was in the stable. I calmly stood in front of her with upright body language and applied pressure with two fingers to her chest. She backed up where she had been standing and I continued, not a word was spoken but after two (ok maybe three) goes she behaved like a lamb, even had hoof number 4 waving in the air for me when I got there :p

I have to wait two weeks for our next session as the RA is so busy all the time!

I don't think we'll need many but I consider it money well spend - and money is tight at the moment because I'm off sick from work on 1/2 pay :eek:

[Est]

even had hoof number 4 waving in the air for me when I got there :p
Oh that's so funny Imp! I've got a lovely mental picture of her waving it at you... "yooo-hooo mum, it's here!" :D

money is tight at the moment
Sorry you're ill :(
I have to confess that money is tight for me too and unfortunately it's my own fault... I've got carried away, and booked on a clipping weekend course late Sep, booked my next 4 riding lessons already, booked the RA to come out mid Sep, booking a private lesson on my friend's horse, and going to book on the next Joni Bentley mounted or dismounted workshop that happens after Sep... :eek: Plus my Stage 1 on 6 Oct for which I *must* :D have a new shirt.
OH is looking paler as the days go by :D

[Imp]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Imp
even had hoof number 4 waving in the air for me when I got there

Oh that's so funny Imp! I've got a lovely mental picture of her waving it at you... "yooo-hooo mum, it's here!"

He hee, I'll get it on vid!

She regularly lifts up her right foreleg when I'm going round the back, I think it's because she knows that's the last one and then she's in for dinner :rolleyes: Canny horses Dales types :D

[nicolaj]

I tried Linda Ruffles (nearest to me) but she's not available at the moment

Est - I had Linda out, she was very good, but busy as teaches on the IH courses
Good luck.

I have found it easy to maintain the training methods as I go along and things have started to get a lot better as well.

Imp - seems like you are doing really well!

[dancerinthecorn]

Bay Mare,
Where are you?? We have a job going at our place - someone to help me out in the recruitment section so I don't have to work so hard :D

I have the RA Sue Brown near me and had a lovely chat with her recently. She charges £30 phr and call out fee which is pretty good, but too steep for me at the mo. I have decided to have weekly lessons with Mark Walters of Progress Equestrian at £25phr, then have Sue out every couple of months.

[Bay Mare]

Hi dancer, I'm in South Yorkshire. I've got something for a few weeks in Bradford (hell of a trek) AND my old place want me back for 6 weeks but I've had to pass because it's not until the end of September. I've since found out that someone else has resigned so they COULD have kept me on for at least an extra 3/4 months if they'd have known sooner :mad:

Est - I tried to return your pm but it kept giving me an error. Thank you for the offer :) I may be getting back to you when the Bradford job finishes.