Thursday, June 21, 2012

Joey & Ground Driving

I was out early this morning heading south to ride my friend's Pintabian gelding, Chief. We had a fun 10 mile ride with some good trotting and hill work and a great cool down in the river at the end.



 I made it home just in time to meet my trainer friend, B, to work Joey. Joey had the week off last week since the focus was on Desire and the ride, but today he was back to it. Today was some surcingle and ground driving work, though turns out he wasn't into having her behind him in any way, shape, or form, until the very end. The winds were high today and the horses over at the neighboring horse "rescue" were calling and restless, so he was pretty spooky and wired. Still, he did good work and he really is smart as a whip!

Checking out all the new equipment. Notice the doggie helper sticking his head through the gate...that's our lab mix, Tady, who comes and sleeps next to me during every training session.



Moving out with the surcingle:



 Feeling the long line on his bit, getting used to a little weight on it (just the weight of the rope itself)




Moving out with a slight bend, Hmmm, what is this new feeling?



Good boy, has a great Whoa these days:



Moving out with long lines through the rings and over his back, very exciting:



Hmm, new and strange, but I'm okay..



Look at the stretch!




Just a pretty boy!



 He didn't like her to truly ground drive behind him, you can see the tension here:




Hmm, well maybe you're okay back there..



By the end he was walking off with her almost (not quite) behind him:




First time seeing him bend and figure out how to carry his head besides HIGH!




He did a solid hours work and had a bath at the end, and THEN it was (happily) dinner time for all!

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