Clipping Done, Bathes Done Ready!

Two days until the show, and even though it is a playday show we are going to give it our all. It took me four(!) hours to clip the feathers on his feet. I knew that the had a lot of hair, but jeeze I did not realize exactly how much! After clipping I bathed, braided and blanketed him. He looks like a giant cookie monster. He did good being blanketed and having the sleezy put on, but he was not thrilled about it. I will be sure to take a lot of pictures of him at the show =]

Wish us luck!

Introduction to the Snaffle

The last few days I have been bitting Ace up in a snaffle, letting him wear it and get used to it. I have been bending him on the ground and he had stopped chewing on it and was very relaxed. Up until this point I have been riding him in a hackamore but it's time to change into a bit. He is really soft in the hackamore and responding well so we are moving to the next step.

Yesterday I rode him in it, but the wind was so bad and my eyes were getting pitted with dirt we didn't get a whole lot accomplished. He was bending laterally when asked well and performing all of our exersices good in the bit. After awhile though he started chewing the bit so we need more work on giving on the ground.

It's Official First Show is...

This weekend! April 10 is the Diamonds in the Rough horse show and I will be taking Ace. Wish us luck! Since he is not consistent with his leads yet, I am doing the walk/jog classes so we have a chance to place high. I don't want to pit him against horses that have been doing this for years in the three gaited until we are consistently picking up the correct lead. Hopefully by the April 24 show we will be in three gaited.

I have been introducing the snaffle to him, and have been riding him with it on just to get him used to it so he doesn't become a chewer or really mouthy. Its been really windy, rain and snow here but we suffer through it.

March 27, 2010 Update

Today I worked Ace again, I have been consistently working him 6 days a week, and he has made huge improvements. Thanks to the passenger exercise and follow the fence, he is really freeing up his feet and moving out. He's not at all chargey, just enjoying moving out. He is much more confident now, and is really stretching out and relaxing. He is really happy to go to work and seems to be enjoying it.

28 Rides...

Ace is doing very well both under saddle and on the ground. I finally got him floated so I will start introducing the snaffle this weekend/next week.

He is developing good impulsion, and is starting to get really soft. He is flexing really light on the ground and is catching up in the saddle. Here and there he will lean on the hackamore so I bump him off. He is getting the hang of it.

I have been doing a lot of despooking work with him, since he is doing so well with the sensitizing work. I have been focusing on doing the scary stuff with him until he has such a bored look on his face that he is telling me we can move onto something else.

He is very respectful in hand, and is still very good around mares. He knows that he has a job to do, and acting studish will only land a whole lot more work. He's such a gentleman =]

We are perfecting out one rein stop and disengagement of the hindquarters, he has gotten really good at it and responds off very light leg pressure.

Hopefully I'll get someone out to take some video and pictures of us =]

March 18, 2010

Ace has had 26 rides now and is doing exceptionally well. I am getting him floated tomorrow, so I can finally use a snaffle on him. He has very long wolf teeth, as well as very sharp molars, so up to now I have been riding him in a hackamore.

I have also been trailering him to flag team tryout practices with the Saddle Tramps, he loves going for rides. He still has excellent manners on the ground and has not gotten marey at all. He is a gem =]

Next week I also plan to get him adjusted by the chiropractor =] Yes, he is a spoiled boy lol.

Come on spring!

Jinxed it...

I guess I spoke to soon, as we got over two feet of snow yesterday. I'm really disappointed to say the least, and I hope it melts quickly. I will post new pics when we can start working again. Ace is enjoying his warm barn.