Went over to see how the filly is doing at the Trainer. Trainer is mostly happy with her, though some parts are taking longer to be clearly understood. Filly has always been quite calm about most things or quickly understands it is just “new stuff” and accepts changes.
Filly is wearing harness and hanging ropes calmly, easy to bridle in an open bridle. No issue with breeching or crupper during lessons. The hanging ropes add a “tickle factor” as they touch lower legs, move during training. Traces will be touching legs later, best to get any kicking over with early. She has kicked a few times, then seems to ignore the leg or rump touching.
We got to see her being obedient to voice commands, beginning of dragging poles (fake shafts, not logs). The strings holding up the light poles broke a couple times as designed, filly stood nicely to get it reattached. Just doing one side at a time now. Going straight, then in each direction, then a tight circle with pole mostly just turning with her, not dragging forward much. That puts a bit of sideways push on the harness saddle for a new feel on the body. We thought she looked quite good at all these things! Trainer uses food reward, so filly got a lot of small cookies.
Trainer called 2 days later, said filly did both poles at the same time, no issues. Yay!! We have decided to leave filly there longer than the original 30days plan, to continue her forward training progress. While she is nice and quiet, she also has shown a bit of being resistant with next steps. She seems content there, has horse friends across the fence, eating well, looks nice. They aways look so “groomed” at the Trainers! Ha ha We see her with “new eyes” after not seeing her daily at home. Still kind of lanky the way I like a young horse to look, but nicely moving in her gaits. She may get taller than we expected! I think she grew a little over there, both up and filling out more. Our mares always seem to finish height younger than the geldings, then fill out after. She is consuming a lot of hay, so we took more bales over for her. We are not big grain feeders and trainer thought she needed more food with the extra work. Hay would fill her up and keep her busy during the day. Trainer says she cleans up her all rations, no waste. We did not want her small grain ration increased.
After she gets good in the poles she will move to dragging a small tire. But that may be a while, since she has to do all the steps well, both directions, on the voice, before Trainer lets her advance to the next level.
Anyway, was fun watching filly work, thinking back to when she was very little in comparing her present appearance. The plans you make for them coming true is very rewarding.
