School is out and only 1 job = Horse Time!

I am finally back to having some free time on my hands. Now what to do with myself that I am working a set schedule M- F job :)

Update on Navi and her driving training. She is doing great! She is long lining around the outdoor arena. Currently we are still focusing on verbal cues of walk, right,left, back and of course whoa. She is starting to get consistent unless of course we are battling the distraction of grass. She hasn't quite figured out that she actually has to work when the lines are attached. She is getting better day by day and we just avoid the sides of the arena where the grass is at, lol. Right now I am only training her two days a week. And soon I will be adding in a 3rd day, but I feel like that is good for her. She gets bored easily and does better if she has some time off in between. So far her leg has been holding up and she has been staying sound after the ground work. We officially passed the year mark of her cut and it has been decided she will never be sound for riding. Does it still make me sad, yes in a way it does. Especially when we hike and she will jump over or cross over any log I point her at. She doesn't spook when we flush birds and over all has a great time hiking on the trails. So while that makes me sad she won't ever be a trail horse, it proves to me how great of a driving horse she will be because of her laid back personality. Besides I wanted a horse I could take from the ground up and nothing quite like teaching something you haven't ever taught before. Right? lol. It is making me a better trainer in the end learning how to teach something new and do it without force or fear. I am using some pressure and release when it comes to steering. But she understands how to move with the halter/and or sidepull bridle so that isn't new to her. Plus there is clicking and treating at the slightest try after my verbal cue. All in all she is doing well and I am excited to take this journey with her. It will be a long twisting road, but one that should be exciting! Besides we aren't in a hurry anyways being that she just turned 5 last month.

Pixie and I continue to hit milestone after milestone. We cantered bridle-less for the 1st time in the outdoor arena this last week and yesterday we carried and drug a tarp around the outdoor arena while walking and trotting. She didn't even bat an eye to the tarp flying around her. Good Mare! I can't believe next month I will have owned Pixie for 6 years. Time does fly!