Other horses I'm currently helping...
Rocho
Rocho is a 13yrs, Paso Fino mare with a troubled history. When her owner Margaret got her she was almost untouchable, because she was so afraid of humans. Margaret has done an amazing job taming her, she now enjoys being with humans and is very content with her life. Rocho had come a very long way, but still found human things like halters, ropes, and saddles very difficult to deal with - much safer to revert to old habits and run away.
I began to help Margaret with Rocho, working gently and softly until she trusted me. I spent a lot of time observing her and making sure that she was okay with what we were doing and only moving on to new things when she was ready. She became an eager learned and tries very hard to do what she thinks is right.
The slightly gainy picture is Rocho being ridden under saddle confidently. She has struggled a lot with carrying a rider due to both her emotional and physical inbalances. This is the begining of her career as a riding horse.
Clovis
Clovis is fun on four legs. He's an intelligent, switch-on chap, who's always looking for something new. He came to me after he was started and then turned away for the winter. At 3.5yrs he already knew he was stronger than some humans and could do as he pleased, however he was still growing and with his playful nature this meant his legs frequently went in six directions at once. So we brush-up on his ground manners and he was turn away with my two horses for 3months (while I was in Colorado).
I strongly believe that horses should live in herds. My two older, more knowledegable and sometimes extremely bossy horses made my job much easier when I got back because Clovis had all the play and stimulation he needed, plus herd discipline.
So in August, a more grown and less trouble-making Clovis resumed his education. It was time for him to learn to use his body properly and establish his paces. Starting with groundwork excercises to build him up I then started to teach him about poles and jumping on the ground also (which he thought was rather good fun).
Laterly, I introduced riding again, he was already backed and happy under saddle, I just felt he needed more time and strength before starting his career as a riding horse proper. He's now working well under saddle, schooling and hacking out, I have taught him to jump and he's started going out to Riding Club events.
This year he will start to lightly compete.
