Marcelo diary II

Marcelo is making progress. I’m only doing a session about once a week because I’m not in a hurry. He is keen to come in and do stuff.

15 September 24

Today we started with a hoof trim and a good grooming. Then I introduced him to a saddle for the first time. He was puzzled but not worried. Neither about the feel of it on his back nor when I flapped the stirrups. We did a few little rounds of lunging, which he did better again than last time, staying out on the circle and rushing less. We got some nice quiet walks and stops on little requests.

I showed him the small movable mounting block. He was a bit concerned when I stepped on it, clearly humans suddenly growing much taller was a bit weird. He soon got over that and on hand signal (which he learned during intro to lunging), he stepped forward. On the second try, he stood right next to it, very relaxed and I could put an elbow on it, wave my hand around on the far side and make a few noises with the saddle from above. All that was no issue, so it was time for ending the session and a few handfuls of chaff as reward.

18 September 24

I saddled Marcelo again and let him stand and wait until I had also saddled Phoebus, and then turned him loose in the arena. I did a little bit of lunging and leading from the shoulder stuff with Marcelo and confirmed that he was ok with Phoebus hanging around.

So I tied him up again, got on Phoebus and then rode over, untied him and let him figure out the weirdness of a person sitting on a horse high up above him. There was only curiosity, neither fear nor any macho behaviour towards Phoebus. Phoebus is used to ponying other horses, and while making clear that it’s not his favourite activity, he is very gracious about it. He also works primarly off my seat and legs, so I have both hands for the green horse if needed, and I can easily position him exactly where I need him.

I asked Marcelo to walk on and after a few minutes he had figured out the basics, being: walk when Phoebus walks, stop when Phoebus stops, yield when we turn towards him and follow when we turn the other way (I will usually keep the ponied horse on my right, because I’m right handed and better with handling the leadrope and/or other items I need, and I’m used to have my reins in my left hand). About 20 minutes in, we had walk in both directions, turns, stops, backup and a few steps of trot, so I told both of them that they are good guys and handed out a handful of lucerne chaff before taking gear off and turning them back out.

22 September 24

Like last time, I brought in Marcelo and Phoebus. I saddled Marcelo first and let him wait until Phoebus was ready. Then I had a little play with Marcelo, asking him to yield shoulders and hindquarters, and a super brief reminder about walking on and stopping on the lunge.

Then it was time to pony Marcelo again. This time he was a little more confident (or rather cocky) and he was nibbling ropes. He started leading nicely and then decided to try to nip Phoebus’ neck. He paid for that transgression because I asked Phoebus to push him backwards and sidewise in return, making him back off a long way across the arena. While Phoebus isn’t over the moon with his nanny duties, he is totally happy with pushing into anything I ask him to. He clearly enjoyed dishing it out to Marcelo. Backing up is a powerful tool and being shoved by a larger horse and having to yield made the effect even better. At the end of that, Marcelo stood respectfully, and had a good lick and chew and think about what just happened.

After a brief rest, we did a bit more. This time he went well but started to be a little pushy into Phoebus. I decided to not try to fix this with Phobus pushing back and risking running Marcelo into the wall. Instead, I tapped him on the side of his head to get him to move away a little, and he got the idea after testing it out a couple more times. We did a couple of trots around the arena both ways and they both got a reward and gear off. I think Marcelo might be about ready for a little leading session outside. My goal is to take him out for a few rides, as prep for going under saddle when he’s ready.