Quill ,Traveler, Jasmine, Whiskers

Today I went out to Horse Haven Hollow again to work with the greenies :) We did alot so I will try to focus on the key points. Quill & Traveler are the most receptive to training of the unbroken 3 & 4 year olds at HHH. They are basicly moving along on the same schedule. Today both Quill & Traveler were on their 3rd time out with a rider. Last session they didn't feel confident enough to move out on their own so Jeanne helped out as we patiently followed her around while having me on their back. Today we stepped up the pace and they actually moved out quite freely with being asked from the saddle. Quill who has gained some confidence was actually alive and moving quite friskily! I have to say he is going to be an outstanding athletic horse. He was still quite the sweetheart even with his new found confidence :) Quill was responding not only to moving out, but also turning & whoaing today as well as being mounted directly from the ground rather than the mounting block.

But the definite star today was Traveler.  We had a great ride in the round pen, he too was moving out, turning, whoaing and allowing me to mount & dismount from the ground without issue at all. After working with him I rode Jasmine, and got up on Whiskers then we were gonna go on a trail ride and I was going to ride Molly but she ran off in disapproval of those plans and little Traveler was just standing there by the truck wondering why everyone was getting attention & saddles so I said I will just ride him. Tacked him up and lead him out of the pasture and down to the road, hopped on him and off we went with Jeanne on Kita & Michael on Willow. I am ASTOUNDED by this horse. This little fellow has had 3 riding sessions. He just started to learn turning & whoaing only an hour earlier and he was an absolute joy to ride. We were out riding trails...he went down steep hills, he went up steep muddy rocky hills, he crossed a little stream without batting an eye. He jumped over a fallen log like it was nothing. He got a little anxious about one log but he LISTENED to me and calmed right down. It was like he had done this a million times. By the time we were minutes into the ride, he was listening totally to me, obeying all my cues...it was AWESOME! He was slapped in the head by branches, poked in the sides by briars, we rode past oil riggings, old barrels, fallen logs & woodpiles, crossed over an old metal culvert and nothing bothered him. I don't know what else Jeanne wants this guy to learn. I dismounted & remounted a few times during the ride he stood COMPLETELY still...I am just shocked by his spectacular performance. And my honest opinion is he loves his new role in the human world. I think he really enjoyed today and I am excited for him to find a family that will take him on many many trail rides. If I didn't know personally the history of this horse and I just got on him to ride trails today I would NEVER have known that this guy is just now working on being broke. His spook factor is very low, he listens without qualm, when he did get excited about the one log it was a quick spook and he listened to me completely. I mean I have a well broke horse at home and this guy behaved himself BETTER than her on trails. Just am floored with the fact that he has had so little saddle time and just is such a natural at being broke.

Jasmine:
Ok today I got on Jasmine again and she was so responsive to me. She is starting to relax, starting to listen to leg cues. She is getting it! And so far she has shown no attitude with me. She is starting to accept the fact that people are yes going to get on her back and yes we are going to ask her to do stuff and yes she can do it! Really good time with her too. We did some figure 8's and kept working on turning and giving in to cues and she listened like a champ. Jeanne got the video of her trotting with me later on so if I can get that I will post it later!

Whiskers:
So today we pulled Whiskers in the pen and I laid across her with the saddle. I stepped up in the stirrup. I sat on her back and she didn't show any disapproval to the idea someone was up there so looks like we have a new volunteer at HHH to get their little butt broke ASAP :) Didn't spend very long with her but I can already tell she is ready to get started. I put some snap on reins on the rope halter and climbed up and sat there for a second. She kinda moved in reverse a bit but nothing that showed she was gonna blow up or really cared to much for my presence on her back. I think she will be just fine.

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