March 13, 2011

Heels down, toes in and SHA-WING those hips!

I had a great lesson on Divine today.  I was on the lungeline again and Laurie had me work on my leg position again.  Keeping my toes in, REALLY in is very hard, I feel like I'm twisting my legs!!  Then as I posted it seemed to help when Laurie said that as I rise to "push" down with my heels.  Alright, I can do that!  But the toes invariably would point out a little as I asked for more trot or squeezed to keep Divine in the trot.  All in all the lesson went quite well and Laurie and I high fived!

Afterwards I groomed Divine down.  She is starting to shed majorly....tons of white hairs, clumps from the curry comb littered the matt below her.  I gave her some carrots and giggled are her cute muzzle.  She has the softest and smallest little muzzle.  It's a nice gray color, no pink from markings, and perhaps that's what makes it too so soft.  It's like silver velvet!

I led her back to the arena to finish her hay breakfast.  Laurie said if I wished I could groom Pstar.  I jumped at the chance.  I wasn't officially leasing her but any time I can spend time with her I was happy about!

I got Pstar out of her stall and put her in the cross ties.  I curried her, tons of hair in clumps showed up all over her coat, you can see them in the pictures since I had not stiff brushed her yet so the clumps were still where they lay.  I used the shedding tool that Laurie has, a very useful tool indeed!

Then I started on her front near foot to begin picking her hooves...that's when all went to &@*#&!!!!  She kept pulling her hoof away from me even though I was supporting it properly and telling her she was a good girl.  As I kept trying to gain access to her hoof, I tried the other side as well things just got progressively worse.  Pstar bulldozed me by taking several steps forward as I leaned down to get her hoof.  Many times I was afraid I would get conked in the head with her back hoof.  I kept trying and trying....I took a few breaks to chill out and stroke her neck while talking with her.  Still nothing worked.

I got frustrated and ended up putting her back in her stall as Laurie's daughter came out to put Psylk in the arena.  I certainly didn't want to get angry with Pstar since that wouldn't help but I'm sure she sensed my irritation and frustration.  I have no idea what I did wrong or why she was being so testy.  She stood stock still while I groomed her, even Divine isn't completely still while I groom her!

I left hurt and dejected.  I didn't want to bother Laurie, so I figured I'd email her later.  I didn't know if this was something I could get past or even why it was happening.  I felt like a complete failure and questioned whether I could take on a young horse like Pstar.  After Laurie responded to my email I felt much better.  She mentioned it was a young horse thing and a new person thing.  Though Pstar knows me she doesn't really trust me just yet and that would come in time.  I guess my question is how can I work on the lungeline without picking her hooves?  Couldn't that injure her if there is a rock and I haven't been able to work with her hoof to get it out?  I'll just have to see how Pstar is the next time I'm out there.  The lease is for 6 months and in that time it will be great that Laurie will be right there with me to coach me as I work with Pstar and build the relationship.

I need to be patient with myself and not so hard on myself.  I'll try to be patient with Pstar, that's a little easier to do I think than with myself.  I'm constantly thinking I'm doing something wrong and thinking "Why can't you do this?  What's wrong with you!?"  That's not a fun way to be with myself.  I've been like that a lot at work, very hard on myself if I don't immediately know how to do something or how to handle a situation.  I'm out of my comfort zone both in work and with a young horse like Pstar....I have to realize what that really means and give myself a break!  Anyhow, I will continue on.  Hooves...that can get worked on.  Pstar is sweet and responsive on the lungeline.  She doesn't nip or anything like that, I have to keep it in perspective!  Throughout the 25-30 years I would know her if I buy her she and I will have many disagreements and off days, that's just how relationships are.

4 comments:

lytha said...

she has the exact same muzzle velvet as baasha - no white markings either, so it's an even silver. i kissed it tonight when i realized it looked like your photo.

that stallion is gorgeous. take more photos!

did you talk to the barn owner (laurie?) about the hoof thing? wish i had some tips for you besides "break it down." it's unnerving not to know what a horse is gonna do when the relationship is not there yet. i'm having the same issue with the standardbred - he holds his back leg up for me but in such an odd manner - way up there, i'm afraid he's gonna jerk and kick my teeth out.

also i have to ask about the name divine. does laurie like that singer? i'm pretty heterosexual but i really loved divine when i was younger: ) and i still sing divine as i clean my stall from time to time.

~lytha in germany

Christie Maszki said...

That grey stallion is Gadiel Laurie's pure polish stallion. I love him! I did talk with Laurie and she'll work with me next time I'm out. She said it was just a young horse thing and a relationship thing. Divine is short for Divine Infidel...her sire was Thee Infidel.

I love kissing soft muzzles!

Ruth said...

Sounds like you had a great lesson :)

Don't worry about what happened with Pstar young horses often try to test new people, they try to push their boundaries a bit.
I think you did a great job at handling the situation though!

Christie Maszki said...

Thanks Ruffles! I feel better after thinking about it and looking at it in perspective...I'm not used to younger horses but I know she'll teach me about as much as I will teach her...if not more!