Post by greydales on Aug 30, 2006 16:38:47 GMT -1
For those who may be interested!!
Olivia has been a challenge! I first met her as a little foal a few weeks old on one of my spring foal visits to Lorraine, but was not in the position to have any youngsters then. I fell in love with Cherry the next year and we were looking to move at that time - once it was confirmed and I had the facilities it was decided I would be having her.
I went to pay Cherry a visit and spotted Olivia as a yearling in the field; I thought what a lovely riding pony she would be as she has nice paces, and I bought her on impulse along with Cherry (the drawback with having a few acres
). Perhaps her reaction to being tied up on the yard should have given me second thoughts (she reared non-stop when her field mate was led away). But impulsive person that I am (some would say reckless ) I decided she would be coming home with me!
When she first arrived she had little more than halter training and when I attempted to pick her feet up she tried to sit down! But gradually we overcame those obstacles. However she has proved to be a difficult pony, due to having a tendency to panic and to fight any kind of restriction, confinement or pressure. If she got into a strop when you were holding her she would rear up vertically and tank off and no-one apart from superman could hold her!
She hated being put in a stable; she would paw and scrape and bang the door. If she was tied up she would do the same and also rear - once last year I left her tied up and watched her from the kitchen - she reared for over an hour
and I couldn't believe that she just wouldn't give in.
But I taught her the basics by leading her around the yard on a loose rope, using a clicker to enforce the vocal commands - she cottoned onto this very quickly. Her first introduction to work went quite well, she was very responsive to loose schooling and subsequently lunging but would have periods where she would just tank off at 100mph and be extremely difficult to hold.
She accepted the bit without too much problem but once the side reins were attached (loose) she reared up and flipped herself over backwards thankfully on the rubber surface of my arena! She was a b*gger to lead and I had to sometimes use the chifney to stop her rearing.
So, I wasn't too confident of my plans to ride her as I just didn't want to risk my neck in that way, and is the reason why I decided to put her in foal this year. BUT Olivia obviously had other plans!
After her unsuccessful liaison with Chieftain I thought to myself well, what on earth am I going to do with her.
But as you have seen she has suddenly seemed to turn over a new leaf, and has accepted all I've asked of her since her return without any problem whatsoever - lunging, side reins, lying across her back.
My biggest challenge to date has been to get her to accept bit pressure. So I introduced the long lines, attached to her headcollar. Apart from a few seconds of not understanding what I wanted she just walked off like a pro! Today I put her bit in and attached the long lines first to the headcollar, then to the headcollar and bit, and finally to the bit only. She was great!!! She was turning and stopping with bit pressure and I was so thrilled!!
Sorry I have rambled on a bit but I am sooooo happy that she accepted being worked off the bit, as I never thought I'd get this far! It's more difficult as it is only me doing it and I don't have the assistance of another horsey person, so I have to make sure that everything is done at her pace. So, after some work like this - next stage - backing!!!!!!!! ;D Anyone got a full body protector (head to ankle) LOL!!!
Watch this space!
Olivia has been a challenge! I first met her as a little foal a few weeks old on one of my spring foal visits to Lorraine, but was not in the position to have any youngsters then. I fell in love with Cherry the next year and we were looking to move at that time - once it was confirmed and I had the facilities it was decided I would be having her.
I went to pay Cherry a visit and spotted Olivia as a yearling in the field; I thought what a lovely riding pony she would be as she has nice paces, and I bought her on impulse along with Cherry (the drawback with having a few acres
). Perhaps her reaction to being tied up on the yard should have given me second thoughts (she reared non-stop when her field mate was led away). But impulsive person that I am (some would say reckless ) I decided she would be coming home with me!When she first arrived she had little more than halter training and when I attempted to pick her feet up she tried to sit down! But gradually we overcame those obstacles. However she has proved to be a difficult pony, due to having a tendency to panic and to fight any kind of restriction, confinement or pressure. If she got into a strop when you were holding her she would rear up vertically and tank off and no-one apart from superman could hold her!
She hated being put in a stable; she would paw and scrape and bang the door. If she was tied up she would do the same and also rear - once last year I left her tied up and watched her from the kitchen - she reared for over an hour
and I couldn't believe that she just wouldn't give in. But I taught her the basics by leading her around the yard on a loose rope, using a clicker to enforce the vocal commands - she cottoned onto this very quickly. Her first introduction to work went quite well, she was very responsive to loose schooling and subsequently lunging but would have periods where she would just tank off at 100mph and be extremely difficult to hold.
She accepted the bit without too much problem but once the side reins were attached (loose) she reared up and flipped herself over backwards
thankfully on the rubber surface of my arena! She was a b*gger to lead and I had to sometimes use the chifney to stop her rearing.So, I wasn't too confident of my plans to ride her as I just didn't want to risk my neck in that way, and is the reason why I decided to put her in foal this year. BUT Olivia obviously had other plans!
After her unsuccessful liaison with Chieftain I thought to myself well, what on earth am I going to do with her.
But as you have seen she has suddenly seemed to turn over a new leaf, and has accepted all I've asked of her since her return without any problem whatsoever - lunging, side reins, lying across her back.
My biggest challenge to date has been to get her to accept bit pressure. So I introduced the long lines, attached to her headcollar. Apart from a few seconds of not understanding what I wanted she just walked off like a pro! Today I put her bit in and attached the long lines first to the headcollar, then to the headcollar and bit, and finally to the bit only. She was great!!! She was turning and stopping with bit pressure and I was so thrilled!!
Sorry I have rambled on a bit but I am sooooo happy that she accepted being worked off the bit, as I never thought I'd get this far! It's more difficult as it is only me doing it and I don't have the assistance of another horsey person, so I have to make sure that everything is done at her pace. So, after some work like this - next stage - backing!!!!!!!!
;D Anyone got a full body protector (head to ankle) LOL!!!Watch this space!
I know Olivia has been more than a challenge for you but it looks like all your patience and hard work has paid off. I bet Olivia will be easy to back now, she clearly trusts you and knows you won't do anything to alarm her. You have done a great job with her. Give yourself a massive pat on the back, you deserve it! 
