The Dinah Report

Dinah has been doing quite well over the last few days. I have been continuing to review all the skills we have already learned as well as introduce a few new ones. One of the things I am constantly having to remind myself is how important it is to go slow when working with a young horse. There are so many things for them to take in and in addition to learning new skills Dinah is still adjusting to her new environment. She seems to be feeling better, I got her probiotics (digestive enzymes) in a paste form, which she has been getting 2x per day for 3 days. Her back legs seem a little better, I have been using sports medicine boots when working her, so hopefully those are giving her some extra support. I begin each workout with her grooming, then tack her up, I am now doing all the tacking up while she is tied up, which I am really happy about. After I get her tacked up, I take her to the round pen and work her in hand from both sides, me leading her from her left and right and then I longe her on both sides. Today after I longed her I brought the mounting block into the round pen. I practiced leading her up to the mounting block and standing on it. I also started putting weight in the stirrups and moving around above her so she can get used to a person being above her. She took this all in very calmly. In her afternoon work today I first worked her in the round pen, and then I took her to the covered arena and worked her in hand there. We had to have some reminder lessons that she is not allowed to come into my space and she is also not allowed to push past me. After I got her walking politely next to me, I longed her in the covered arena. This is much harder than longing her in the round pen because in the round pen she has the fence as a guide for where to go. The covered arena is much bigger, so our communication must be really on in order for her to stay under control. She did great in the larger arena. I have not been able to get too many picture recently because I have been by myself, but I will try to get a video up soon. Thanks for reading!