Candy Update

Since my last post, I've had a really good training session and a mediocre one.

The really good one was yesterday. We rode around the arena, wove in and out of cones, and developed a go forward cue. She was hyped up at the beginning of the session, but by the end, she was calm and responsive, and very soft bending and steering through the cones.

Today, things started out well but I think she lost interest about halfway through and got bored. There wasn't much riding due to some groundwork issues and some slight regression, but that is to be expected during the training process of a green horse. We all have good days and challenging days. I did end the session on a good note and she will get tomorrow off other than petting and brushing.

Interestingly, she's become the boss mare of the pasture as she was at her previous home. Boy, can she run and I am amazed at the athletic ability of this mare. I might just have to borrow her for an obstacle race or two!

Candy's "First" Ride

Today, we started by reviewing the groundwork she has learned in the last two sessions (desensitizing, sending, backing up, bending, disengaging, moving the forequarters). Then, I saddled her up (uneventfully other than a few looks as I was tightening the cinch) and we went for a short ride.

I have been told that Candy has been saddled and ridden lightly in a round pen in November 2011. She's a little confused about moving forward without someone leading her, but we'll work on that more tomorrow. She learned how to flex just yesterday, and today she is incredibly soft! Once she gets it, she's got it, and that's one of the things I really like about her. She's a thinker.

The rest of this post will be captions, because I think the photos tell a great story and show exactly how willing this wonder horse is. Many thanks to Ken Kennedy for taking these photos.

Ready to work! She met me at the pasture gate.

Sending to the right

Candy's favorite reward: a good scratch in her favorite spot!

We also worked a little on picking up feet (she's not very good at this yet, but will be soon).

Formulating a trim strategy

This photo really shows her personality.

Checking out the saddle...

No drama whatsoever... I'm so impressed with the trust Candy has in humans and our crazy shenanigans!

Taking a "think" break.

Working on mounting and feeling weight in the stirrups/saddle.

Calm as she can be...

Hi there! Get on already!

Changing the subject for a moment. As far as I know, Candy has never seen a ball like this before.

I think she likes it!

I rolled the ball right under her and she didn't even flinch. Nothing fazes this horse!

And over, too.

This is the first time I sat on her.

She looks pretty happy herself.

Disengaging hindquarters under saddle.

Good girl.

Candy's Pedigree

Besides her temperament and looks, Candy has an impressive pedigree, and shares some common blood with Nellie, the original Spotted Wonder Horse.

While Nellie is not yet registered, you can see the pedigrees of her sire and dam to compare. Their common hall of fame ancestors include Goer and Mighty Bright.

The Beginning

Home safe and sound in the Palouse pasture

After a long road trip from Grassflat, PA to Thomasville, NC, we arrived home around 8pm on Saturday evening. Candy was stalled for the night with Ray's other horses due to the ongoing storms. The day broke with beautiful, sunny weather this morning, and we started with her first groundwork session in the arena.

We are all impressed with how quickly Candy learns. In less than an hour, she was disengaging her hindquarters, backing up with the slightest wiggle of the rope, and sending in both directions. I was even able to get her to flex a little in both directions.

She is definitely more protective of her right side, which is relatively common at the beginning of training, but she quickly relaxed with a rope and stick/string swung over and around her body on both sides.

We ended her session with a much needed bath and a face clip, neither of which she was comfortable with in the beginning, but again she quickly learned, through approach and retreat, to trust and enjoy the process. After her beauty treatment, we turned her out into her new pasture with my horses, Cherokee (half appaloosa) and Nellie (leopard appaloosa). There was very little drama, and it's clear that the pecking order is Nellie (#1), Cherokee (#2) and Candy (#3). It will be interesting to see if that changes at all in the next few days as Candy becomes more comfortable with the new surroundings.

I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to train and work with Candy. I believe she will make an excellent horse for whatever Ray would like to do with her (mostly trail riding). I believe the 18 hours of driving were definitely worth what we came home with!