Sunday, January 25, 2009

Steve Holt!, week 7

Click to Mix and Solve

I have been with Steve Holt! for seven weeks now. We have just over 7 left before leaving for Albany. I expect that gives me roughly 40 more rides, for a total of 60 before we compete.

Those big, huge, monumental steps have been taken. He loads into a trailer like a pro. He lets me climb on and off without a care. He follows me anywhere I ask him to go, be it through running water, beneath streamers or over bridges. His curious nature has won out over his cautious side, just as I'd hoped.

This past week we did meet up with a few milestones, however:

1) We rode in Curt's arena with 3 other horses, plus 2 more tied to the rail, as the hydra bull ran. Although he'd seen the bull working the previous Saturday, this time I was on his back and he relaxed enough to walk with a dropped head while the bull and one of the horses went head to head working.

2) We traveled up to the Trail Dayze event again, and this time he was saddled and ridden in an arena with 9 other horses. A small arena, too...not some big fairgrounds arena where horses had room to move. No...we were packed like sardines and someone was trying to give a riding lesson in the middle of it all. Horses were circling and darting in and out in front and behind us, and other than him not liking when they passed us, he was cool with it all.

3) Not only did he handle himself well in the crowd, Steve Holt! handled himself well over the trail obstacles. He crossed the bridge mounted for the first time. I asked for a sidepass from his back and got it...both directions! Not pretty, but he's trying to figure it out. We backed an L. I also asked him to attempt getting through the rope gate. This was his biggest struggle because I was asking him to sidepass without a pole beneath to help guide him. But...we did it, and I was able to hang onto the rope the entire time.

4) We're working on our half pass. I aimed him straight down the center of the arena on Friday where I could watch us in that big mirror that Steve Holt! loves so well. He moves quite nicely to the right, but the left isn't quite as easy for him. It's coming along, though.

Round circles, straight lines. That's what Curt is always telling me. We need to work on our round circles. They're anything but round. Our lines are fairly straight, however. We'll be working on a lot of serpentines this week, plus more simple changes as well as getting his stop down pat. On Tuesday we're expecting a visitor...stay tuned!

9 comments:

Karen C. said...

Love the puzzle! I am not good at them, but I enjoy them a lot!

You all are doing great!

I also want to thank you. Thanks to the OT Blogger Appreciation/Gratitude posting, I have been able to check out some other trainers blogs.

Keep up the good work and am looking forward to seeing you and Steve Holt! follow that hydra bull around a while.

Until later...Karen and Tripp

cruznrowdee said...

Love the puzzle Tracey!! It took me quite a while but I got it, lol! You and Steve Holt! are doing great! Really enjoying reading about your progress together! I also appreciate Blogger Appreciation/Gratitude! I am enjoying reading about others training/mustang blogs!!

Rising Rainbow said...

I like the puzzle too........great effect. Lindsay is great working those things......not me, no patience.

There's something for you at my blog and it's not a virus this time. LOL

Linda said...

I think I got the slowest time on the puzzle...duh. But it was fun. I wish I was working my domestic horses as much as you're working Steve Holt! I feel downright lazy every time I read your blog. If I have time for crossword puzzles....maybe I have time to clean stalls?!? Nahhh.

Linda said...

I sent him the photo--this is what he says about the vertical line ".... in the front of the P3 is a vascular channel that can show up as a crack or a line in the front of the hoof capsule. The toe is forward and the feet need trimming. With proper care these will not be so noticeable and may even go away. Not a concern if they're trimmed properly."

As you know, my girl, Beautiful, had her hoof issues--a club foot that looked horrible--she has come around quite nicely with good trimming.

froglander said...

Have you tried any of the other shapes for the puzzle? Lol, I just sat here and did the USA shaped one, the Euro one and the Lazy Lizard one. The lizards was the hardest, took me over 10 min.

photogchic said...

Can't wait to see you in Albany...I am going to be there all week cheering you on and spending my paycheck:-) Great progress!

KCNH said...

Thank you Tracey. I just don't want anyone to think that I am blowin smoke. She is a very level headed pony. I am even amazed at her progress. She really is somethin else.

I have fri., sat. and sun. off every week. Those days I pretty much am riding full time. Half of the day on Bella the other half with my training horses and lessons. So any one of those days we could go ride at black raven if you wanted.

Let me know what you can do. Thanks again Traacey.

Tracey said...

Glad y'all are enjoying the puzzle! Frog, yes, I've tried some of the other cuts (although not on this particular photo.) The lizard is definitely hard!

Linda, thanks for the hoof info. I'll do a bit of research and see what I can figure out. Since it's growing out, I'm hoping there's no problem looming out there in the foreseeable future.

Photogchic, I'm anxious to meet you, too! Since it didn't work last year for us...

Kyle, sounds great. I'm thinking Friday is best at my end.