Flicka
Flicka is horse #2 for me! She is the mom of Stella's half sister, Cappucino, who was also born this year (that's Cappy's butt in the picture below!). I haven't spent much time with her. She seems grouchy when she's with the herd, but it might be because she's so low in the pecking order. Last weekend I took her aside and just spent some time scratching her and she loved it. Apparently she's been tacked up before, years ago, but I have a feeling we might be sstarting from scratch again.
January 13, 2009
It's been a while since I updated! It has been SO unbelievably COLD the past few weeks! I know I live in Canada, but seriously, -40 is too cold to train! I've been slowly working with Flicka, just petting her, teaching her manners while leading, and gaining her trust. This weekend I put her in the "roud pen" which is actually just a square paddock, since right now the real round pen has about 3 feet of snow in it! I saddled her, and got her responding better to my body and voice cues to prepare her for lunging.
Her grouchiness seems to just be insecurity. She is really happy on her own with a person once she is used to her surroundings. She is VERY sensitive though; I asked her to move her hindquarters by a poke in the ribs and was met with pinned ears and an attempt to kick me! I barely have to touch her to get her to shift her weight, and taught her in a matter of minutes that "over" means she needs to shift her hind end.
I haven't bridled her yet, but I dewormed her on Thursday and she did NOT like it! So every time I go out, I'll keep playing with her mouth and sticking my fingers in it to get her ready to accept a bit.