Groundwork – Page 4 – Virtual Brush Box

What Is Work?

I get myself into the state wherein if I am not working 110% every day, then I am not working hard enough, and am therefore a failure. It’s fun being me. Greg pointed out that the horses may have a different definition of work. I think work is riding, or jumping, or intense groundwork. TheyContinue reading “What Is Work?”

Counterbalance

Milton is not Rodney. I forget this. When I’m grooming Milton, I will slooowly reach toward his head with a brush. He stands there. Then I remember Milton is not head-shy; I can brush his head like any other part of his body. I take Milton for a walk. He utterly fails to get uptight.Continue reading “Counterbalance”

Rodney’s Hillwork

Remember back when walking up a hill caused Rodney to suffer an explosive anxiety attack? [Aftermath of an Explosion] This is Rodney on the same hill last week, a mere five years later. On the way up, he stopped repeatedly. Not from concern, rather from the fact that his hooves were glued to the ground.Continue reading “Rodney’s Hillwork”

Meanwhile Back At The Ranch, December 2016

So what have the horses been up to while I’ve been moping [Headspace]? The big picture remains a hopeless disaster. On a small scale, they are doing quite well. Field walks With Milton, our walks wander all over, in a different patterns, incorporating regular loops [Two Horses] and hills [Hillwork], to keep him from gettingContinue reading “Meanwhile Back At The Ranch, December 2016”

Butterfly Bit

Driving Thursday Milton’s new bit, a flexible mouth butterfly from Driving Essentials. We were concerned that the heavy shanks of a standard driving bit would swamp his delicate Thoroughbred face. He goes better in this than he did in his previous bit, a flexible mouth, loose ring snaffle. Weird, because the mouthpiece isContinue reading “Butterfly Bit”

Progress: July 2016

Progress report for last month. Goal: Put halters on both horses twice a day. [Summer Plan] Plus: Success. As possible. Some days I wasn’t around [MTCC]. Some days, I was physically present, but mentally absent, i.e. after an up-and-back, one-day Tennessee jaunt [Sidelines]. There were only one or two days when I said FTS entirely.Continue reading “Progress: July 2016”

Liberty Horse

Rodney and I have been groundworking sans tack. On Sunday, he started, stopped, and trotted through his poles [More]. It went well. Then it didn’t. In other words, I pushed for one more than I should. So, I send him around the ring at a trot. He objected by dropping the front end and reversingContinue reading “Liberty Horse”