It's Time to Learn Some Work Ethic...

Molly & Rex at Night Check Snack Time

Aloha folks! So... this has been QUITE the week with the Moll-ster. ;-) I'm a little frustrated that I do not have my arena installed yet... but I have a promised day of the 24th!!! yeah! So.. riding has been limited-- also do to time constraints as well.

So... You heard about our first ride in the field... which was nice. And then... I tried to get a quick ride in last Thursday before I had to be at the restaurant for work. I had a bad feeling when I put the two noggins up... got Molly ready in the stall, and as I walked her our- REX WAS SCREAMING HIS HEAD OFF AT MOLLY. Granted.. we had only walked 15 feed away to where I could get on. Oh Boy. So I walk up around the property, Rex still screaming, Molly a little agitated... I have to get off and close the big door to Rex's stall because his monster butt was about to break my stall gate. okay.. that done. Back on... Molly did NOT want to move forward away from the barn. oh boy. She starts figgiting... and she doesn't want to move forward. She either wants to stop... turn around.. or back up. She starts acting like she might rear (b/c she doesn't know where to go), she gets about 4 inches off and I said screw this!!! You are NOT going to learn this bad habit-- granted, it was not malicious intent... she just did NOT know what to do. Her default is back up... I said go forward, well... you know what that equation can equal. So.. I walk up to the barn.. get the lunge line and whip so I can work her in our makeshift round pin... again.. not wanting to move forward, at. all. All she does is either stare and pivot around me as I move to her side... or she violently backs up. Okay.. lead line chain now has to go over her nose... not really like where I am having to go with this, but nice was not getting me any where. She was SO distraught about being separated... there were NO reasoning skills. So... we had a little, eh, discussion about backing up- she ended up being back up alot on my terms, then she would move forward then spin and stare at me again. And then the waiting and pressure game begins. I sit on the lunge line... her nose hurts.. and FINALLY she moves forward. After all that... she goes, "OKAY-- I'll MOVE FORWARD! Got IT!!" Change directions.. a little and short issue... then she complies again and moves wantingly forward. Phew. I was pissed that I could not get on her at this point.. but I HAD to go to work. I hosed her off and put her back out in the pasture.

Doesn't she look thrilled? Not fun for either of us...

So.. the above picture was taken after we were done battling a bit. Then I had early morning work, and afternoon restaurant work so she didn't get worked again on Friday (:-( major upset about that)... OH YES! And after that incident... Molly and Rex got to be turned out in separate paddocks to help ease them away from being SO obsessed with each other. Didn't get to ride Sat either (dog training then camera workshop)... Sunday no ride due to finishing painting the house and then work... So.. Monday I finally got to work with her again. This time.. there was some grooming/bonding time before which I think helped not being so rushed, Rex was left out in the pasture... and I decide to lunge her first. She had a little freak out moment at first.... even decided she wanted to flip over backwards (thankfully neither she nor my saddle was hurt)... she didn't like that so much... I walked up to her... walked her back down to the arena... and we got to work. A little lunge whip desensitizing, leg yielding... then she moved out and walked, trotted, and cantered wonderfully both ways. Then I got on her... she was a little wiggly at first... then settled in to accept the work. Rex was a little worried at first and then settled a bit towards the end. She tried to resit the draw reins a little bit... but worked through that too.

Lots of love afterwards, a nice cool off... and a good rub down afterwards. She got Tuesday Off b/c I had a massage and then went to see my grandma in the hospital. Today (Wednesday)- I wanted to work her.. even if it was for 10 minutes since I have dog training today... so after all stalls were done, I threw the lunging head caveson on and got the Parrelli stick.. worked some leg yielding, ground work... then sent her out for a small lunge- trot session... changing directions with body language, etc... she was a CHAMP! And Rex was a good boy in his stall!! (yay-- they are both catching on that they are not going to DIE if the other is not in the stall with them). A quick 15 minute.. positive session was needed and I think will benefit us both! :-) lots of love and treats for her... turned them both out in their own paddocks, and both settled almost immediately. (Thank goodness! No more running around and neighing)

Enjoying her grass after our early morning work this morning

So... for more reasons than I can mention... I cannot WAIT to get my arena in. I think this will help Molly be focused and give a purpose to the work.. not just riding out in a field that she gets turned out in every day. I'm counting the minutes until it is installed! I know this was not the most fun post... and some might disagree with some methods used... but, I just take each situation as it is given to me and deal with it the best way I know how at that moment for that horse. I know it didn't help that she had almost 2 weeks with only 1 ride-- "oh, I'm just a lawn ornament again??" <-- I'm sure was her thought. Her life has drastically changed in the last 2 months... and I think in 2 more... she will feel for the better. ;-)
I haven't been able to spend as much time with Molly the last few weeks as I would have liked.. but with the house finishing up inside (getting painting and flooring finished)... I will have SO much for time and emotional space for her. :-) To be continued.....