Well another early morning of 4:45 am start and and off to the barn. Today was Parelli Principals with Meggie Andrews (9am to 12pm) and Kim with Mobile Confidence Course(1pm to 4pm) in South Lyon MI at Foxcroft Farms. Afterwards a small competition on riding, or walking our horses through the course and prizes given to 1st and 2nd. Kaspin always seems to load ok with 2 people in the morning. Takes us about 5 to 8 mins. I want Kaspin to load by himself and me not having to always have 2 people to load eventually. Anyway, we did show up on time and actually a few minutes early, yeahhhh! Kaspin got out of the trailer and was worried of where he was, but he never does anything stupid. Kaspin again didn't want to walk into the barn. The nickname for Kaspin now is Chickenlinger!!!! Instead of a Haflinger, LOL. Anyway, we had to get another horse in front of us and slowly let that horse lead the way. Kaspin slowly followed. Once in the arena Kaspin moved very slowly and cautiously and checked everything and I mean everything out. Once the clinic started we all (7 of us) started playing with our 7 games. Some horse were trotting really fast and the arena was small! Kaspin was really right brain introvert and really couldn't handle the claustrophobic space, all the horses moving, and that he was just stressed on a trailer ride to this scary place! So basically I didn't get to do much but wait for Kaspin to lick and chew. If I put any energy on Kaspin it was just too much and Kaspin ears would go flat and Kaspin would move like a snail. So I just had to bring out my patients and go SUPER S L O W and be relaxed. Either way, it was great for both me and Kaspin to experience this and get through it together. Once 12 noon came it was time for lunch. This place was nice enough to offer a stall for lunch if we needed. I needed a stall for sure. Kaspin won't tie well. Well he will if a horse is next to him and even then he spooks and breaks the tie. So a stall is much better. Well of course, Kaspin screamed the whole time and paced the stall. I couldn't tell if he ate much hay. Since it now was all over the stall and I know he hadn't drank. Oh well. Then 1 pm came around. Time to get Kaspin out for the 2nd half of the day with the Mobile Confidence Course!!! We walked in the arena and I already noticed a different horse. Kaspin was calm and perfectly fine. I played a bit with my 7 games and kaspin could move again and his ears were not flat either and he was much more confident!! My Kaspin was back and doing super!! We went through the course on the ground by hand with flying colors. Kaspin even walked through the water obstacle Which I was surprised about. Since sometimes I cannot get him to walk through a puddle at times!! Then it came to riding and Kaspin just rocked the obstacles even the car wash. I thought that might bug him, but it didn't. Some of these items I have at home and I try to expose him to lots. Then the little competition started. In my head I wasn't there to win and never thought we could anyway. So I just realized to have fun and to take care of Kaspin! The first 7 obstacles riding through went great and all my things were done on a loose rein always, yeahhh! One obstacle I had to take a rain coat from Kim, ride over a wooden bridge, then put the rain coat in a mailbox with balloons tied to it. Kaspin aced this one and all the other ones. At the end there was 3 of us left that couldn't get out. They kept asking us to do things and see who could do it correctly? Then came the pool noddles. You had to now back your horse through the pool noodles within 15 seconds. The 1st two horses couldn't do it. Then Kaspin was up. He did it and he backed it up in 4 seconds!!! We were done yeahhh! Later they handed out prizes and informed I had won 1st place!!!!!!!!! WHAT?? I thought I was out?? When they kept giving us things to do. There was one thing they asked us all 3 of us and we couldn't do it. So I thought we were done. And we were just kind of figuring out 3rd place, or something?? Really I had no idea what we were doing?? I was just doing what they told me to do, LOL LOL. Well since all 3 of us couldn't do that one thing, we were all in the same place at that time. Either way, I was soooooooooooooooooooo very thrilled!!!!!!!! We even won a brand new green Parelli ball!! How very cool!!! This is my 4th time out with Kaspin and 2 times were small fun competitions and both times Kaspin won me 1st place. I am sooooooooooooooo very proud of you kaspin!!!! Then I put kaspin back in his stall. While I put all my stuff back in trailer, helped Kim clean up the obstacles, and get ready to leave. By then Kaspin was freaking out and screaming in his stall again, poor boy. Plus, Laz left. Kristen and Laz (http://sweethorsesbreath.blogspot.com/) came to this event also!!! It was great to see them out! Laz and Kaspin were the only 2 right brain horse freaking out and they bonded by there stress, LOL. We had stalls across from each other. When I was cleaning up. Kristen started trailer loading with Laz. Now Kaspin was all alone in the barn and really freaked out that his friend was gone!! Now it was time for me to start trailer loading. Probably didn't help that Kaspin was already super freaked out and Kaspin always loads worse going home. I started to try myself, but later Meggie came over to help. Kaspin offered his best moves! Bolted to his left a lot. Tried to rear! Using his shoulder to move my space, etc. It was probably at least half an hour before I got him on the trailer with Meggie coaching the whole time. After Kaspin got on the best and stayed on the trailer, I shut the door, etc. Wow, Kaspin blew a nut in there! Stomped his feet, throwing himself, maybe even kicked. I just jumped in and got the trailer moving!!! Later at a red light I heard nothing bad. Once I got home, kaspin was still very upset, sweaty all over, and hadn't eaten any hay. Nothing I could do now. Once he was off he settled immediately and already ate grass. Well the day went super and trailer loading not so good. More work with the trailer after I am back from my shoulder surgery!!! Here are the fun pictures for the great day!!
Waking over a mattress.
Kaspin and Laz love!
In water before water was added.
Hanging out.
Eating the mailbox.
Pool noddle walk through.
Flags!!
Yes, kaspin ate flowers too!
Kristen and Laz!!!!!
Kristen and Laz flags!!
Riding the car wash then to back up 2 steps.
My first place prize!!!
Riding the water.
Kriten and Laz with a big smile!!
Getting the rain coat.
Trotting through bottles at a trot, loose rein!
Putting my rain coat in mailbox. I love this pic of Laz watching!!!!
Over bridge!
My HUGE smile!
The group!
Yes! Kaspin eating the pool noodles too!
Peek-a-boo!
Kristen and Laz sooooooooooooooooooo cute!
The end! Janine, Brave Kaspin, and the missed Enzo.
Hi, i"m a new reader, but that sounds like so much fun!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Marissa! It was lots of fun and thanks so much!!
DeleteYaaaah! The play day looks amazing! I love doing that stuff with G...I need to create some of our own to play with. I think he'd like it. But I know you're real big on introducing funny things...two things come to mind...an inflatable alligator and a fog machine! LOL you are too cute Janine!
ReplyDeleteAs for the trailer...I've so been there although Grayson settles once he's on. I always felt guilty that he had such a "bad" experience with it. Maybe after your surgery, he'll just come to terms and hop on with no problem. :)
Yes, I have lots of fun things at home. I have a mattress, 2 huge balls, stock whip, umbrella, pops cans tied to a string, milk jugs tied to a string, jumps, cones, ducks and snakes on the ground, crushes bottles on the ground, and the list goes on. So yes, some of this was our advantage that Kaspin already gets to play with these:)
DeleteThanks for the nice words, but yes, I think I have my hands still full with trailer loading once I am back:) We will get it eventually, I hope, LOL. :)
Have fun!!!
omg I didn't even THINK that I left Kaspin alone in the stall but we did!! I'm so sorry!!! :( Poor sweet boy.
ReplyDeleteThat day totally fried my brain. lol. My post is coming soon. xx
LOL, you see I never wrote anything nasty:) I wasn't upset in any way and I heard Kaspin screaming from the stall and I saw you loading. I was just explaining how Kaspin came out to the trailer:) So it was OK and more learning for Kaspin. I just know it didn't help my loading situation. But hey, again Kaspin and I both learned so much that day with loading. I am glad Kaspin was hard and nasty for me! It finally gave me a better lesson with Meggie!!!! So don't feel bad taking Laz at all sweety!!! We both love you and Kaspin needs to grow up, LOL. xoxox
DeleteUGH, I dont think poor Kaspin needed us making him more scared, I feel awful. I should have gotten you first--so sorry! What a day, lol!!!
DeleteWe love u guys too!
Really I am fine:) I could have gotten him when I noticed. REALLY no biggie:) I took it as an opportunity for sure!
DeleteWhat a fun day and congrats on the win!!! Ugh on the trailer. I can totally relate. Chrome is waaaaaay worse loading to go home. He is antsy in the trailer and sweats too. It's weird though because he used to be so good at it. I think that's when he was smaller though. Now that he's so big the trailer looks smaller and it scares him I guess. :( This post reminds me I really need to work with him on the trailer since I have to take him to a brand new vet to get his teeth done next month! Thanks for the reminder! I'm glad you got Kaspin loaded safely and that the trainer was there to help you out. So sweet of her. :D
ReplyDelete