Plan B Training

 

We all know to always have a Plan B. And I was thinking of that for my 2yr old filly and her training.  

If you've read my article from last month talking about my colt starting program., it outlined the fact that last fall I backed my filly and walked her a tiny bit in the round pen. And then winter happened.

I hadn't planned on riding her in the winter anyway. I used to do that years ago with customer's horses and my own horses but I don't have access to an arena anymore.

BENDING/FLEXING

So I'm still going along with my training program to use what opportunities I can to get more training this winter. In this first picture you can see that most of the time that I put the halter on my filly, I will ask her to give her face. I want her to be really soft in the face. I picked up this idea of flexing on the ground with Clinton Anderson's groundwork program.

Hold It

   Here the filly is holding the bend herself which of course, is what I want. She even held it there so I could take a step back and snap the photo. 

 She is also starting to like wanting to do more groundwork. It gives her something to do. And that's music to my ears!! That's exactly what I want - the horse to be wanting to work. That confirms her breeding.

From A Bird's Eye View

In this final picture, you can see that I took the photo from my filly's back.

I used to do this as a kid. I have a cute story to tell you. I would lead my ole dependable 'cow pony quarter horse'  up to the fence and little me would climb on the fence and hop on the horse's back and sit there for hours.

I'd wake up finding myself again lying in the pasture grass surrounded by horses. I remember getting sleepy from the heat of the sun, gently laying my head on the withers of the horse and then falling asleep. I'm sure at some point, I'd would've fallen off in the grass. Amazing.

Anyway, I have often sat on my filly in the stall while she eats her grain. Just to re- enforce the idea of me sitting up there.

I would wiggle around, scratch here everywhere - anything to get her to like me being up there. I would reach over to the stall divide and move around.

And when I get off, I will generally ask her to lift some of her feet, especially the back ones.

I guess it helps me to keep busy as well. :)

Putting my spin on Plan B

Reinersue

@KISS Reiners