December 2022
I am pleased with Bryni’s progress so far. In just a month, she is much more respectful, obedient and quiet and I am so happy with her.
Plan for December:
- Get up to Game 5 of the Parelli 7 Games
I don’t follow too much of Parelli but I find the 7 Games really useful as a foundation when training horses. We did work on these alongside lunging last month but I would like to focus a little more on these this month and focus on getting each game really good.
We are good with the Friendly Game (Game 1). The second game is the Porcupine Game where the horse learns to move from the slightest pressure. We are good with back up and HQ yields, but I’d like to encourage a side pass. The next game is the Driving Game. This is where the horse can move from a rhythmical pressure, eventually one which is just a suggestion of pressure. Bryni is confident with back up for the most part (they are sometimes a little quint) and we are still a little inconsistent with the HQ yields. The next two are the Yo-Yo Game and the Circling Game. I would like to at least introduce these after we have a little more consistency from the first 3 games. - Lunging- Voice Commands
Bryni caught on really well last month with lunging but this month I would like to help her to have sharper responses to voice commands. - First Bath!
Bryni has Sweet-itch which is so annoying for her. I would like to give her a good bath with some medicated shampoo and then put her new Premier Equine Buster Sweetitch Fly Rug and Buster Fly Mask on which I am so excited for!
November 2022
Bryni has presented herself to be very socially confident/ dominant and has on ocassion tried to bite/ come at me with flat ears, usually surrounding food or the anticipation of it.
Plan to tackle this and to gain more respect and boundaries:
- No treats, stop feed.
The grass is very strong just now and Bryni does not really need to be getting fed. I am also going to stop giving her treats until we are done for the day. I will give her a treat when I let her go back into the field again. - Tying up to be groomed
Bryni is a complete fidget when tied up and is not respectful in that she moves into my space while I brush her. We are going to work on creating boundaries and asking her repeatedly to stand nice; if she moves into me, I will be switched on enough to ask her to move back. - Lunging
I feel this is a good way to start earning her respect and to help her understand my position in her little herd. I would like to do light lunging up to twice a week. It will help her too to learn voice commands.
September 2022 (Bryni turned 2 the 11th September!)
At the moment, Bryni is largely turned away. I catch her 2-3 times a week and pick out her feet/ give her a groom. While I do this, I encourage correct leading and make sure I am very strict in all my boundaries.
‘Every moment you spend with your horse, you are training them.’
For example. I do not allow her to walk into me or come into my space and she is learning to tie up for a short time.
The rest of the time I check her in the field to make sure she has no cuts/ problems and I observe her. I love to spend time watching her interact with other horses. She is slowly starting to find her place in the herd. It also gives me an opportunity to learn more about her as an individual.
BBequines 