Pics from this weekend

Had a great weekend with the girls, did lots of clicker training, and Daisy had a short ride. She did great!

Martha is still being awesome about letting me touch her front feet!!







I love this pic, no halter, no restraint, showing that Martha really *wants* to be there, and there's no coercion, no forcing. If she didn't want to be there she could easily just walk away.

WOW!!! AGAIN!!

i decided to go see what Martha remembered today. She let me pick up the 'good' one right away. then i started asking for it longer, and longer. Then started introducing the hoof pick - let me tell you the first couple times were interesting, while I tried to figure out how to hold all my 'tools'. LOL

a couple more times and I was cleaning her foot! it was amazing!!

then onto the bad side, we got a give at the knee, then the pastern, and soon i was able to hold that one in 'position'. Then i worked her up like the other one, having her let me have it a little more, and a little more. Then introduced the pick, and got to clean that one too!!

I just cannot believe how much this helped break us through this tough spot! I can't wait to see what we can accomplish with clicker training!!

Both of these sessions took place in the 12' x 12' stall - unhaltered/tied, so if she wants to move away she could. but she never did really. and when she let me have her feet, she was really soft.

so happy with the results so far!!

woo hooo!!!!!!

So i've been wanting to clicker train with Martha to see if that helped,well it did! Went out there today - and it seems like our 'training' space is the stall - cuz I can lock Daisy out - I started as I usually do with trying to touch Martha's legs, but now there was a click! She caught on really fast that click meant 'yes, good!' and that there was a small treat on the way.

so it started with being able to touch down to her canon bone - which I could do before most of the time, kinda. then she started lifting her leg before i got to her pastern, so i thought 'ok, that's good, click, then she was letting me hold her leg at the knee!

well by the end of it I could actually pick up her right front hoof!! wow! and put it into 'position' as if I were going to clean it. She did great! she actually let me hold it a few seconds! So i found out her left side is her 'bad' side. She just doesn't really care for me to be over there. so on that side I didn't get a foot, but I got her to lift her leg a couple times and it at the knee, but not nearly as long as the right side. I ended the session on picking up her right hoof again. then told her 'all done!' and that was it!

I'm so proud of her & myself! She's also learning that she's not allowed to nip at me during this time and if she does then she doesn't get a click. i love that it seems like there isn't much resistance. if i feel like she's had enough i give her a break, then step away, if she comes up to me I take that as 'yes i want to learn more!!'

I think for a really short session - maybe ten minutes, we did awesome!

( also this was in the stall un-haltered & untied, so if she wanted to move away she could)

Of course Daisy got her feet cleaned, she does excellent when she knows theres a treat at the end. she 'can' do it without the treat, but she's so amazingly easy going when she knows she gets rewarded - no jerking he leg up, no kicking out, nothing, just patient - and I've been cleaning her feet while she's loose so even better. when i didn't treat her I'd have to tie her for the rears. She stands nice & patient now LOL.

Chilly donk

Daisy's new Saddle!!

Check it out! got Daisy a saddle on ebay! Its looking like it fits pretty well!!

the official weigh in of this saddle with girth & crupper is 15lbs 10 oz.