Adventures with Tink

January  9th 2013

Tink has been so pen sour, having the hardest time walking away from the herd. So today I decided to focus on just that. I walked her away from the pen down to the round pen and back over and over. Obviously going back to the paddock was easy but leaving it was always with hesitation on her part. So how I got her to move was a combination of tactics. The one I used the most was twirling the lead rope at her rear while slightly tugging the lead rope right at the base of her halter, if she still wouldn't move I would continue to twirl the rope while moving it closer to her body (it would smack her gradually more firmly the closer it got). The instant she took a step forward I would cease all pressure (twirling) to reward her for doing the correct thing, but if she took a step backward I would twirl with more intensity.

So the last stop in the round pen I grabbed a tarp and decided to see how she would respond. She was curious but cautious. I laid it out flat and walked on it loudly to see her response... she simply stared at me. So I grabbed her lead rope and tried to get her to walk over it. That wasn't going to happen. So I walked her around it over and over. Then I stood on it again and invited her to join me. She Stood there for a good while licking her lips than after a bit she leaned down and started to sniff the big scary blue tarp. She slowly inched closer to me, then put one hoof on the tarp than took it off, off, on, off, on then she stepped on than darted across (cutest thing ever)! We did our laps around the tarp again then I stopped and invited her once again to step on the tarp. She sniffed it then slowly inched her way on, I tried to help her just stand on it but after a little she walked off. I was such a proud mommy :)

January  18th 2013

Today Ariel, Sabrina and I put a kids saddle on Tink! This was her first saddling, and she did marvelously! She was very cautious but not to jumpy, she didn't want to stand still (but that is no new news.) We walked around and simply let her sit with it for a good while. She was more hesitant and jumpy when we moved the stirrups and kinda wiggled them around. Twas a good start! Sabrina gave me some great advice. She said that we want to introduce her to new things and push her to the edge with them but not over, we don't want her to fear the objects.

January  20th 2013

Video of Tink and I

I helped out this videographer  with his portfolio, he made a short clip of Tink and I. Its a tiny bit embarrasing on my part, but I know ill love to look back on it!


Today I went out to work with Tink, and I decided to video record myself so I can look back at it and critic myself. So looking back at the video I really need to figure out how to keep her along the fence and not right next to me! SO... if anyone else reads this and has advise or ideas im open!

We ponied her today, she did great; and we saddled her up in the kids saddle again... she did great. I ALSO laid across her back with all my weight on her, she didnt seemed phased!!! This summer is going to be great


 January 24th 2013

I wanted Ariel to lunge tink today to refresh my memory on proper lunging. It was great to see someone with experience work with tink because she did WONDERFULLY! And if she had spirts of energy, I watched how Ariel reacted and that was also very helpful. Her body language was simply saying that's fine... let it all out little girl.

January 25th

Yesterday I watched Ariel lunge Tink; that actually gave me much more confidence! Today I lunged her and she was a pure angel, though there was another horse in the big arena, which comforted her. Once that horse left she had a little episode, in-turn that gave me an excuse to get on (not actually get on her -- make her move) being pretty firm. I could see how much both of us have improved through these few moments though. She did her side kicks and attempted to run through me, but I stood my ground and kept my confidence and very quickly she collected herself and calmed down. AND my heart didn't feel like it was going to jump out of my chest, I wasn't scared!!!


January 27th

February 1st-9th

This week has been a joy all around! I have been up to the horses every day, and meeting several people that board up there. One gal named Genna has a yearling as-well that she is training + she lives down near me so we are going to car pool to cut cost.
I thought a lot about moving Tink closer so I could train with her daily. Though, after this week I think it will be highly beneficial for me to keep her up north. I have so many resources and help its amazing! Christine said she has many 'project' horses that she needs to start, so I will be able to learn from her also!

Tink had her first visit with the farrier, she did marvelously! Her previous owners hadn't had her feet clipped before so her hoofs were a bit of a project. From now on her feet will never be that long again! I would really like to get a hold of her papers soon, because I am not totally positive of her age. The farrier said by the looks of her feet she might be a little over a year... I was told she was almost two years old.

I have been working with Tink so much and I feel like this bond is forming so rapidly, its incredible. I met this lady, who apparently had been watching me work with Tink this week. She asked me who has been working with her on her ground work, I told her mostly me, though I have amazing mentors. She said I am doing outstanding with her. She was telling me that she knew her when she was with her previous owners and apparently she had issues. Its interesting because I was talking to Christine this week and she was applauding me on how far Tink has come. I asked her where she thought Tink was at when I get her and she said she was only halter broke, and then she proceeded to say that if she was big enough I could hop on her!

February 12th

Yesterday my sweet little girl some how got herself tangled up in the electric fence. She managed to make out with no scratches the first time, but when they found her again in the neighboring paddock she ended up with a nasty wound and a swollen leg.

So I cant really work her to hard... so we practiced the patience of being tied! 

4/15/13

Spring seems to to be bi-polar this April, warm and sunny one day the next it is a blizzard. But neverthe less the coat continues to shed regardless of the weather. 

Over and over I am amazed by Tinks intelligence and willingness to learn. The other day I tied a rope to a block and the other half to the pen and began to lunge her trying to get her to jump over the rope. The first go around she simply tried to barge right through it. The second go she stopped and grabbed the rope with her mouth and dragged the block out of her way than continued to lunge. (The CUTEST thing ever!!!) 

I have been debating on buying the horse I have been ridding, Ghost. He is such a lover, such a big heart and we get along so well. I would do it in a heartbeat if I knew financially I would be fine, be right now I just don't know. I am so in love with this guy I just don't want to see him go.

May 10th 2013

BEST day in a LONG time! I rode Tink for her very first time!!! It was such a calm and enjoyable experience. She truly could care less, I hoped on and she was so nonchalant about it. We walked around, and she seemed to enjoy it. So perfect! I love her!

June 18th

Well the past month and a half have been the twilight zone, but now I'm back.