About this Blog

Meet my very 1st horse, Lazarus.
I couldn't wait for Santa anymore or ask one more time for a pony for my bday (after age 30 it got embarrassing). I took matters in my own hands and I finally decided to pick a pony that needed a new home. Laz found me as I contemplated with this idea. He was sweet yet very sassy, fresh off the track, Thoroughbred (OTTB).
Join us for our re-training, rehabbing from laminitis and testing all parts of mixed up horsemanship and partnership, and luck...

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Using what we got

It's been a weather nightmare lately.
Wind, WINDS, snow, sleet, rain, WINDS and cold...did I mention, windy?
Brrrr
So I haven't been able to ride since Wednesday, which is OK, because I enjoy our ground work and firmly believe that a lot can still be done in terms of training, healing, rehabbing, exercising and mental work.
Saturday was a no go...I drove an hour in the rain to basically groom my wet soggy boy and watch him eat his hay.  Doesn't matter, he was happy so I was happy.  Drove an hour home.

Today, I managed to get a couple of hours in with NO rain! 
Victory!
Windy, yes, but whatevs!
I grabbed my brown boy and was aching to let him play and stretch it out in the large arena.
He went straight to rolling.
 And rolling...
This boy loves to roll in cool sand, or mud, or muck, or dirt....sigh
 He proceeded to pop straight up from his roll with the loudest fart and buck.  
How can you not laugh?!
Instead of grooming him first, I went right into free lunging and let him blow off STEAM.
Which he did for a good 10 minutes and was having fun.
I brought him back in and groomed him thoroughly.
Applied skin ointments to his herd bites and his hock sores and instead of free lunging, we then switched to some long line work.
Trotting ground poles.
Worked on w/t/c on long line and then did some Parelli games.
I took him down to the far end of arena and worked on circle game, having him move his shoulder or hind end away when asked (believe it or not, Laz HATES to move his shoulders/head/neck vs hind, so I work on that frequently-it's a brat thing, not a lame thing).  He actually did great with that today!
We had a couple of explosions where Laz decided he either was done, or didn't quite understand my request and was extra panicky because we were working in the 'scary zone' of the arena.  He blew up when I asked him to change directions on the line, like a trot, reverse direction, trot.  
He struggles with this on days where he's UP...he wants to STOP, SPIN, FLY, REAR, BUCK and be defiant.  
No, I'm looking for a soft but attentive turn, thank you
Looking back, when I started this work in November, that was the point that I would freak at.  
I felt out of control and that Laz was dominating me....which he was.
When Laz becomes BIG,  he gets BIG (and dumb, lol).  

Now, I seriously laugh it off and have a better idea of what to do, to bring him down and get him attentive and back in control of body/mind.  
I asked him "Find your brain...."
"Pick it back up"
"Good boy!"
I basically match his energy instead of shrinking back, I raise up to show him that "NO...you need to listen to me and it will be OK"
I maintain asking for reverses and circles and dont stop until he shows signs of releasing and calming down.  It really only took a couple of minutes 
He did calm down and went back to understanding and respecting.
"Ohhh, you want me to turn....see, haha, I thought you wanted me to rear and be a stallion Mom....ooopsie!"
His work ethic is truly so great, that when he does blow up, it usually means that he isn't understanding or can't quite process it and needs a minute, a reminder, and time to work it out.  I also, have to be aware if I'm asking for something correctly, as well.  
***

And, the BO's are adding on to the barn, extending lean to off stalls so now our herd of three will have a shelter for during the rain, hot summer days, etc, instead of having to stand in their open stalls.
Love it!

And I'm happy to report that the minimal application of the Animax on Laz's unknown hock irritations, are doing well and healing with fur growing back.
Picture above is from today, and picture below is from last month

5 comments:

  1. Hocks look good!

    You are located at a wonderful barn. The people there help you and Laz so much. They are putting on an addition for your herd? How great is that?

    I am here listening to the rain beat down. I have had Foggy in and out of the barn all day. We have two sheds, but they get little use. Ugh! Gelding boys!

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  2. You have really come a long way with Laz. It must make you so proud to think about it! He just keeps getting better and better...

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  3. His hock looks SO much better!!

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  4. Wow his hock looks so much better already.

    Kudos on the awesome job you are doing with Laz. I'm glad you've found the confidence to deal with him when he goes stupid silly lol. Horses are powerful and can get scary. Keep up the great work.

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  5. Isn't it amazing how much bigger they suddenly are when they are suddenly on edge and spooking?

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