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:
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
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!
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!
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!
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