December 2012 with Cooper

Saturday Dec 1/12

I didn't get out to see Cooper again all last week, Al did go out on his own though. When I came in to the barn Cooper was pushing his nose in the corner of the door to get out. As I groomed him he had this soft look in his eyes and was turning his head and mouthing me, not biting, just rubbing me with his lips. I wasn't feeling up to riding so I decided to take him into the arena and free lunge him as no one else was around. He was relaxed and not doing any crazy running, just nice and slow. He started coming in closer to me on his own and circling so I decided to try some liberty with him. He was fantastic! He loped a few circles around me and then came in when I asked for the yield and draw in to me. I played with him doing this for about 10 minutes then another boarder asked if I could do it again and show her. Cooper was doing some tight trot circles around me with his head turned in. I was walking around with him and was getting very dizzy. I tried to get him to go out farther but he just wanted to stay close. After we walked all around with him following me with no lead on, even down into the scary end of the arena.

When I was all done with Cooper the barn manager and the other boarder who was watching came in and asked if I might help her with her new horse. She would like me to show her some of the ground work exercises, 7 games and stuff for safety and respect. I told her I could try but that I was no expert and that I could loan her my Level 1 On Line dvd to get an idea of what it is. She was so grateful that I said yes to helping her and I felt so good that they think I have done a wonderful job with Cooper :)

Comment

You need to be a member of Barnmice Equestrian Social Community to add comments!

Join Barnmice Equestrian Social Community

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on December 11, 2012 at 10:01am: Saturday, December 8 2012

We did some circles with 22' rope over the trot poles at first then tried to show Brandie the liberty circles and he would not do it. Finally did a small circle around me and then I quit and put him back online. He was coming in close once I put him back online, I had to keep applying pressure to his middle to get him to move out as he was getting too close to me while trotting.
We did some travelling falling leaf pattern to the back of the arena and then back to the front of the arena. At the beginning he was tugging on rope then after a few bumps he started to have some belly in the rope. We did some responsibility circles at a canter and he did it wonderfully, lots of loose rope, but he started to cough a lot so brought him back down to a trot. I was able to stand still while he maintained gait at the trot going around me in both directions, he only tried to stop a few times and when I raised my hand with the rope he continued on.
140th ride, I tacked him up with the bit & bridle tonight. We walked all around the arena to begin. I followed another horse around to the far end of the arena and Cooper did well, only tensed up a little in the far scary corners. We then did some trot around the rail, even venturing to the far end of the arena a few times then did some circles at the near end. He had more whoa than go tonight except for when we went in the circle, then he would try to bulge out at the shoulder. I even had the reins a little looser, we are getting there.
I had pretty well had it with riding, my legs were sore as I was tensing a lot again even though he was doing very well. I have to remember to keep my real leg in close so it is laying on his side like the prosthesis on the left side. Another boarder was lunging her horse and was commenting on how cute Cooper was and she loved his trot and though he looked comfortable. I asked her if she wanted to have a ride since her horse has been lame for months and she was so excited to have a ride. She had a short ride on him and loved him, telling me that I had done wonderful with his training. He did give her a hard time once with the whoa but then did some great ones after. I told her next time we are there together if she wanted then she could ride him again, since I never work him hard :)

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on December 10, 2012 at 11:02am: Thursday, December 6 2012

Only free lunged for a few minutes then others came into the arena. We did some trot circles over the poles for about 5 minutes in both directions then I took him inside and tacked him up to ride.
139th ride, I used the rope hackamore and we walked around at the close part of arena to begin. Every time we went close to the far end of arena Cooper's head would go way up and I could feel him tense so we just circled in the middle and stayed in one end. Another boarder came in and said door but then hit a bag that was hanging and it spooked Cooper, he jumped sideways and I stayed on. I did the one rein stop to bring him around and stand. There was someone riding and another boarder standing in arena and they said I did good managing to stay on the spook.
I had to bump the hackamore a lot as his attention was going elsewhere all night. He was fast when asked to do a trot circle, ducking in this time so I was always doing an inside rein up to get him to move out. His head was up in the air, back hollowed and his ears were back, I don't think he was very comfortable and I was very tense, my prosthesis keeps pinching and I can't stretch that leg down, so we ended it at a walk on a good note.

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on December 4, 2012 at 7:37pm: LOL I don't mind helping if it will help them at all with what I have learned. I was very happy to learn they like what I was doing with Cooper.

Comment by Jackie Cochran on December 4, 2012 at 3:55pm: See Margaret, it is HAPPENING, other people are coming to you for advice and help! I remember the first time it happened to me. Warning, it will probably never end (though it is never constant), people will see how nice Cooper is and they will want help to get their horses just as nice as he is. I sure hope they listen to you more than they listen to me!

Comment by Coopersmom_1958 on December 4, 2012 at 11:41am: I groomed and then tacked Cooper all up with rope halter and 12' lead. It took forever to groom, he was full of mud. We did about 10 minutes walk and some trot transitions, he was head bopping going to the left.
I wasn't going to ride but got on and rode only for about 10 minutes at a walk with the rope halter, no bit. He was relaxed and bending nicely riding to the left but when we went to go to the right he wouldn't bend and relax. Tried a trot one time but he was short stepping and stiff with his left hind leg. Thought after maybe he slipped in the mud and that is why he was sore and full of mud. So we did big circles at a walk at the near end of arena, he was spooking at the arena door entrance on other side so I had Al close the door. When I got off he was yawning and licking and chewing.