Lab and I took Gabe on a long walk through the woods on Sunday.  Gabe is so easy going out there and clearly loves to be out in the woods.  He hesitated at the first stream crossing, but remembered quickly and didn't flinch for the rest.  As he gets more comfortable he is looking around a lot more and taking it all in.  It is so much fun to see him enjoying himself. 

I had a great session with Gabe this morning before the sun came up, our usual workout time.  He has finally gotten used to the western saddle, toting it to the river and all.  So, this morning I tied on one of those rubber toys horses play with.  Let's just say Gabe was not a big fan.  He tried outrunning it, out-turning it, out-smarting it,  you name it!  He was completely flummuxed by its ability to hang on to that saddle no matter what he did (bailing twine is a wonderful thing!).  By the end, he reluctantly agreed to walk with all four pointy toes barely touching the dirt and he never took his eye off it.  But walk he did nonetheless!  Calling it a victory for the mammals I released the ball's grip on the saddle and Gabe let out a huge sigh.  I look forward to seeing his reaction to it tomorrow morning.  In my experience, it takes just once with him and some time to mull it over and he's over it.  I'll keep you updated!

 

I had a great weekend with Gabe!  On Sunday my trusted horse and I took Gabe on a long jaunt down to the Patuxent river.  That included braving white and yellow lines on pavement, motorcycles, causeways with water rushing underneath, passing by geese and ponds, walking through puddles, passing through tall corn stalks rustling and scraping against the saddle, cars driving by on dirt roads, mud up to the ankles, and best of all, a stream crossing! 

Gabe took everything in stride and clearly enjoyed himself as his tail swayed and he looked around at all the new sights.  The river crossing was the toughest for him mentally.  To be fair, it had a muddy downhill entrance that he was sure was hiding allegators of some sort.  My horse waited patiently as I applied pressure on the lead until a step forward was taken.  The release on the lead was appreciated and Gabe quickly learned that if there was forward movement there was no pressure on the lead.  It wasn't long before he leapt into the water (maybe 5 minutes), but not before tasting the mud!  He literally stuck his nose in the mud, smooshed it around up over his nostrils, and tried a taste.  That got me laughing pretty good. 

By the end he was finding puddles to walk through!  I think he was pretty proud of himself all in all.  

I had an amazing chat with Jennifer last night, thank you Jennifer!  Jennifer has Julio and Byz and it turns out they are all from the same sire as Gabe.  The importance of that is that Jennifer has seen and lived with Byz what I am experiencing with Gabe!  She saw my post from yesterday and after hearing her stories with Byz, my post probably just made her smile and shake her head.  She has been to the ends and back with that horse to bring him around to rideable.  If you ever get a chance to chat with Jennifer, ask her about training Byz!  My hat is off to Jennifer's talent, patience, and perseverence. 

Turns out this sire of theirs had a bit of a "hot" streak, so to speak, and they have all inherited it in some form or another.  In that streak is an incredibly athletic buck that is used anytime the panic button is hit.  As far as I can gather from Jennifer, the trick is similar to teaching a human anger management.  They need to learn to not go there mentally and, most especially, to come back if they do.  That will take time, patience, perseverence!

I can't even begin to explain the joy I felt when Jennifer reached out to me to ask if I'd like to hear about her experience with Byz.  The best of all is that I have a better understanding of Gabe and where he came from and I know he will make it to the other side of this.  If Byz did, Gabe can!  And just as I thought, the quality of Jennifer's voice when she talks about Byz tells it all - the most difficult to train are the most brilliant partners. 

Sara, the head trainer at Days End, suggested that I be a little more forthcoming about what is going on with Gabe because other people may have similar problems with their horses and could learn from it.  So here it goes . . .

Gabe has proven to be extremely difficult under saddle.  In an odd contradiction, his ground work is impeccable.  He will lunge, he will pick up his feet, you can wave plastic bags, you can put saddles on him, and a bridle, he will back, walk, trot, canter, stand on a tarp, etc., without blinking.  He has never once offered to be malicious or doing anything but try to please. 

Get a rider on his back and it’s like nothing I’ve seen before.  When he bucked me and my husband off the first few times I figured I was rushing things.  So I went back to the ground work and started again.  I brought him to Kent Stough, and Kent agreed he was ready to be ridden based on the ground work that he saw.  I had the vet check him for the cross cantering issue, but also generally to make sure his back didn’t hurt.  I put shoes on him.  Through all the exams and exercising he has proven to be green, but level-headed, and a gentleman.

I have always thought that the most brilliant horses are the most difficult.  It is that spark that makes them incredible once they are willing to partner with their human.  The previous owner of my big grey once put the label “Alpo” on his door and yet he became and continues to be my most cherished companion.  I have no doubt the same will be true for Gabe.  And I am far from giving up!

A beautiful picture of Gabe taken by Jamie Quick!

Gabe got four brand new shoes today so that he can handle the trails without problem!  He was an absolute champ.  Kenny was extremely patient and his easy way immediately put Gabe at ease.  Attached are a few pictures thanks to Sharon.

Great news! Gabe passed the vet check with flying colors!  I am very excited to know for sure that he is healthy and structurally sound.  The vet believes his cross-cantering issue is a conditioning issue, which makes complete sense given his background.  I love the diagnoses that have a fix! :)

The cure: long trail rides, even if they are just at the walk.  So, I will pick back up with ponying him off my big grey gelding and enjoy the long jaunts.

Having taken a step back from my immense desire to partner on the back of this horse I am seeing a lot of room for improvement.  It is my understanding that he spent at least five of the last seven years of his life in either a 12x12 box stall or a round pen.  The round pen being the only form of turnout and movement for this beautiful guy.  His lack of conditioning and muscling was obvious upon arrival, the sharp angle to the hindquarters and dips behind the shoulder blades.  And over the last couple of months he has started to round out a bit (even in the belly)!  He is certainly an easy keeper.

What I am observing though is that it is taking him longer to muscle up and get his feet under him than I would have expected.  That makes perfect sense intellectually, but hard to accept in some ways.  If a person who has never played a sport in his life tried to get in shape at the age of 20, it will take them a lot longer than the person who played sports all through high school and then got out of shape in college.  I believe I am seeing the same thing here.

His weakness is manifesting itself most predominantly in the canter.  It seems to be where his lack of training and lack of conditioning meet.  He believes he is incapable of cantering on the left lead, even though I have seen him do it in the pasture.  His muscling seems to make it difficult for him to not cross-canter on the right lead.  He will take about 4 steps of true right-lead canter before switching behind.  At first I was letting him just canter as he wanted, assuming he would figure it out because it looks just as uncomfortable to him as it is to watch it.  But, after two months, he isn't figuring it out.  After consulting my favorite training literature and perusing the web I think I need to change tactics.  There are two concerns: (1) that there is something physically going on with him that makes it painful to canter correctly; and (2) that I could be "training in" the cross canter.

So, I have put in a call to the vet to get a physical assessment done.  I will hold off on the canter until I get the OK.  If I get the ok, then my plan is to start "training" the canter—something I have never had to do with the other horses I have worked with.  Sure, as a dressage rider I have always sought to instill more balance and cadence into my mounts canter, but to actually train the gait itself—that is a new one for me.  Thankfully he is  a willing partner in this endeavor!

He seem to enjoy the sessions, although if I get into a routine he is quick to let me know he is bored.  He shows that in a number of ways.  Either anticipating my requests as if to say "yeah, I got it."  Or nipping at the lead as if to say, "yeah, I got it!"  I work hard to change everything up, but sometimes he thinks he has it and it’s not quite there yet! J  He is a little like the know-it-all on the playground.  Just as insecure and just as hopeful to find someone that will show him how no matter what he is posturing out of pride.

Gabe has turned a real corner this past week.  He has really started to focus in his sessions and is demonstrating his sweetness to everyone who will stop by - something he was only willing to express in the quietest of moments before.  He becoming more and more comfortable with me approaching head-on and even let me slip the halter over his head facing him dead-on this morning.  Ah, the small things in life! But what it really means is that he is starting to trust.  A beautiful thing.  Seeing the expression on his face as his ears popped out from under the halter's headstall, a look of interest in what the session would bring, an absence of fear that I would do something he didn't like - that emotion, that moment, alone puts a big smile on my face.  He is truly a wonderful boy.

Gabe is doing wonderful!  He has been working out the stud hormones, which maybe because of his age is taking some time.  It is known that it can take as many as six months for him to "forget" what he once was.  He is clearly settling in though with each day and I am constantly introducing him to new horses, moving horses around him, and working him in the presence of horses to try and socialize him further.  We had a very funny moment when I got on my horse with Gabe in the arena.  I am working on ponying him so I can get him out on the trail and keep things interesting.  Gabe lost it, he had never seen a "horse-rider" combo!  It was quite possibly the funniest thing I have ever seen.   His eyes grew real wide and it took a bit before he was willing to reach out and blow on my hand to prove to himself it was really me.  I could just see him thinking, "I hear her voice, but what is that THING!"  My horse was clearly laughing heartily as well.  Being the smart boy that he is though, it took that one blow on my hand, you could see him say "oh," and that was the end of it.

Unfortunately, because of his unpredictability with other horses we have had to remove him from his pasture mates after nearly a month of calm (not sure what set them off), but I have full faith that he will eventually be able to manage being turned out with the herd.  As for now, he is perfectly happy as a bachelor.  He roams the property by day and is content in his stall at night.  He comes when he is called for scratchings and his two best friends are a pair of minis that take turns keeping him company outside his stall door at night.

Gabe's training is also progressing.  He is more and more relaxed with his ground training with every day.  He is able to concentrate for longer periods and is starting to muscle up a bit.  He is learning to be respectful, but not afraid.  He is working on accepting ropes no matter where they are on his body and following cues.

Gabe has an incredible mind.  He learns concepts with one try and remembers them the next day and the next.  He wants to please and is constantly trying to figure things out.  His current limitations are no fault of his own.  He is very locked up in his body which can set him off exploding as he gets frustrated.  I am working on releasing that tension even while working.  He is starting to get his legs underneath him and his daily progress is noticeable.

I took him on a field trip last weekend to a local trainer, Kent Stough, who is a world-renowned cutting trainer.  I wanted to make sure I was moving in the right direction with Gabe as I do not pretend to be a professional trainer by any means!  I dare say Kent liked the horse quite a bit even though he works almost exclusively with quarter horses.  I was very proud of Gabe as he really made every effort to understand what was being asked.  The rain pounding on the roof of the indoor, the thunder, the cows outside, none of it fazed him.  He is truly a fabulous horse.

My prediction is that he will make a top-notch endurance horse.   I continue to back him to get him used to the idea, but have put aside the real riding training until I can unlock his body a bit more.  I will also continue to put the ground skills on him that any rider would appreciate, but that will make him a wonderful and safe trail horse.

I promise to post pictures soon!

Gabe has graduated!  He took his first steps outside of the stall today and as can be seen from the pictures the change in environment really didn't phase him at all.  He is also dog-proof thanks to the golden child and my faithful companion (the black and white dog "Flaco") that are constantly testing his limits. :)  Flaco, was sure the adventure this morning was going to lead to a trail ride, which is why he was staying so close by!  He was very confused when the ride ended just a short time later.

Gabe was clearly very proud of himself as he marched up and down the aisle.  Such a ham!

Guapo is doing fabulous!!! This morning he chewed and exhaled deeply while I was on his back.  The moment I have been waiting for the last couple of weeks!  Because of his initial reaction to being backed we brought him into the close and comfortable environment of the stall.  He is the first horse that I have had to back in a stall for training and it has been a great place for him to take his first steps.  Thank you Sharon for the suggestion and instruction!  I swear I am learning more than Guapo is!

The small, closed environment has given him time to think about and come to terms with the whole riding thing.  I think he is starting to come to the conclusion that I am not going to come down on his head for every movement or attempted effort.  He was even interested in what was going on around him today instead of travelling so far away inside of himself. 

He is also starting to show some personality and even offered to play today!  With his new-found confidence he is starting to push some boundaries as well (e.g., nipping me to get me to move along when I stopped to talk to a friend). But, in pushing them I am able to set them so it is all good news! 

I promise to post pictures soon, but the video capacity escapes me.

Guapo has kindly asked for his training process to slow down and I am happy to oblige.

He is an absolute gentleman and has a clear desire to be in my pocket and to trust me, but he demonstrates a lack of familiarity with our species as a whole.  For example, it took him four weeks before he rested a hind leg while being groomed rather than standing at attention.  If a whip is brought out as a tool (not as a weapon), he shuts down.  In fact, I think his easy acceptance of the lunging, the surcingle, the ground driving, and the saddle, were all carried out in a mode of apparent tonic immobility rather than true trust.

He does not trust that a human's response will be kind or measured.  He needs time.  So, although he has carried me on his back, I am bringing it all back to the ground level basics.  This sounds like an apology even to my own ears, but it is not really.  I just wanted to explain why the posts would not continue as previously entered.  The fundamentals of his training will shape the rest of his life, and athough it is tempting to rush it to get results or to get over excited about wanting to ride him (he is going to be a blast!), it is not what seems right for him at this time.

Some part of me does feel apologetic, I suppose.  The common refrain for those who do not want to adopt rescues is that "they come with baggage."  And I always defend against that notion.  But I suppose some will.  How could they not?  Rescues have histories, and horses, in particular, have memories that seem to extend generations.  Partnering with such a past, however, and creating a new (previously unimaginable) future for the horse brings with it rewards that are equally unimaginable in scope for those who have the patience and kindness of heart.  My 20+ year relationship with my horse is proof and point.

There is no question in my mind that Gabe is going to make an incredible riding horse.  He has that quality of desire the brilliant ones always do.  He cares what his human thinks.  He wants to get it right.  Now, he just needs to see the reverse is true.

Sorry to have been MIA! Where to begin, this week has brought so much!  I don't have a round pen, so I began by teaching Gabe how to lunge.  He had clearly never been lunged before so it took time for him to understand his job was to stay out on the circle, even when something scared him or he got tired.  He proved himself to be amazingly in-tune with my flickers of inattention and would turn in and spin at that very mili-second! J  With each day, though, he is more and more willing to stay out where he belongs.

As a next step, I started with a surcingle.  Tightening the cinch made him wary, but he accepted it well overall.  I played "bridle" in his stall during the hot afternoons and within a couple of days he had quickly accepted the foreign object in his mouth.  He had done the usual chewing and shaking at the beginning indicating he'd probably never had a bit in his mouth before.  But always a gentleman, he was willing to let me put it on and take it off  dozens of times.  I did some ground driving to get him used to steering and stopping and responding to the bit.  That took some time getting used to, but often even saddle horses have trouble moving out on their own ahead of the person holding the reins.  I actually think he would make a fabulous carriage horse, but unfortunately I do not have a harness sized to fit him.

I began to wonder if he'd been ridden, maybe in a hackamore, but ridden none the less.  I put a saddle on, lunged him, snapped the stirrups, let them bounce around.  No reaction.  No butt tucking, no bucking, no running from the saddle on the lunge line.  He was present and listening, aware, but didn't seem afraid.  A few days of that and shaking the saddle and putting weight in the stirrups, and leaning over his back, and still nothing.  It was time.  After all, maybe it would be a non-event, maybe he had been a saddle horse.

Based on my relationship with Gabe I wanted to be at his head for his first time.  My wonderful husband was game to be first up and Sharon was also at his head.  Guapo knew Sharon and I well and trusted us, so I figured that was the best arrangement to start.  J. leaned into the saddle and Guapo stood still.  Listening to what was going on back there, but not overly concerned.  J. slowly got onto the saddle, carefully ensuring not to touch his rump with his leg as it swung over and sat quietly and softly into the seat.  Nothing.  We all started joking that we were making a big ordeal out of the process and Guapo was probably wondering what all the fuss was about.

We were wrong.  We asked him to take a step forward and Guapo expressed himself for the first time in an explosion of incredible grace and power.  Sharon and I didn't stand a chance containing it.  J. sailed equally as gracefully off into the dirt, Guapo ran to the corner of the arena and turned toward us.  His head low.  No victory lap, no malice, just a look of concern and "whoa, what just happened!?"  I caught him easily, he put his nose into my chest, and I assured him that what he had done was not going to be reprimanded.  Honest expressions of fear would always be met with patience and understanding.  J. came over to assure him of the same and we brought him back to the block.  J. is a trooper!!  It took a few tries, but we did finally get a step before he would lose it completely.  One step at a time.

So, Guapo has shouted loud and clear that he has never been ridden!  J. is sound and healthy (albeit a little sore!) as is Guapo.  For me, the training moment was a beautiful one.  Gabe clearly thought he was going to "get it good" for his actions.  The trust that was built in the moment I rubbed his neck, the softening of his eye, the whites returning back beneath his eyelid, that is what this is all about for me.  Guapo is an "introvert" of the strongest variety and has only shown me glimpses of his true personality.  It seems he fears even making a mistake.  I look forward to him learning each day that his personality is very much wanted in the equation, even if it is an expression of fear.   Only when he comes out of his shell will he truly begin to enjoy the companionship he already seems to seek.

We have had several sessions since that day and he now understands that I am not a lion on his back about to sink my teeth into his neck.  He is still very concerned about my weight shifting or how he is going to carry me through a turn,  but each day he makes significant strides.  I would be remiss if I did not thank Sharon (shown in picture with the golden child) and J. heartily for all of their patience and help in getting Guapo through these important challenges.

I am working on posting video soon so you can see him move, he is truly beautiful!

After spending a week being able to sniff his new buddies over the fence, he is now happily pastured with Ty and Red.  Guapo and Red have become fast friends!  Guapo even lets Red get an exta bite to eat from his own bowl when Ty pushes Red out of his.

A good friend was helping me brush Guapo yesterday.  We got out the measuring stick to see how tall he was and the newness of the instrument made him stiffen and he looked back warily. My friend pulled out a treat and gave it to him just as I was starting to touch him on the side with the stick—an action I knew was going to make him fuss given his discomfort with the presence of the stick at all.  When I realized she had given him a treat I tried very kindly to say, please, no treats. 

She asked a series of brilliant question: Why not? Doesn't it help distract him from that which he is afraid of?  And why no treats now when it is ok to give a horse grain trying to get him into a trailer?

I wasn’t able to articulate my answer right away (it was late at night after all!) other than to say, "they are just different."  I didn't like my answer so I mulled over it last night and reached the following conclusions and hopefully coherent explanation.  

To give a treat to a horse is to praise an action.  The closest action in time to the treat is the one with which the horse is going to associate the treat, or praise.  Thus, it becomes the action the horse will often repeat to try and reproduce the treat experience.  Hence, why some swear by clicker training, because it "rewards" the action as closely as possible in time (i.e., no delay in getting the treat out of your hand or out of your pocket for that matter).  By rewarding the action closer in time, the more likely it is that the horse understands exactly which action it should repeat to reproduce the praise (clicker) in hopes of getting a treat.

To provide grain in a trailer training session is different from "distracting" a horse from that which he is afraid.  Instead, it provides incentive for forward motion into the trailer (if they are afraid) and then praise once that forward action has been taken.  Thus, it seeks to encourage the horse to repeat the forward motion to get more grain.  Eventually grain is given at less and less frequent intervals until the mere promise of grain or a treat at the end of entering the trailer is sufficient motivation to get in.

When treats are used to "distract" a horse there are two detrimental things going on with regard to training.  First, as mentioned above, the horse is associating its closest-in-time behavior with the treat.  Thus, if a horse won't stand for a farrier and you give them a treat to distract them, you are praising the inability to stand still and effectively "training" in the exact behavior you are trying to avoid or discourage!

Second, when you "distract" a horse from the task at hand you are not doing any "training" at all.  For example, Guapo's fear of the measuring stick was a training moment (even though the training is not supposed to start until the 30th!).  It was a moment to build trust, to show him that I was going to do things he is not familiar with or comfortable with, but in the end it’s a fun game, he will feel no pain, and he gets a load of praise for going through the experience at all. 

When my friend gave him the treat at the very moment he was most scared (and starting to wiggle) he is most likely to think: "oh, when I am scared and wiggle, I get praised, that must be what they want!"  More importantly, I lost the opportunity to communicate with him about his limits and for him to learn to trust that I am going to push them and things will be OK.  Instead, he was thinking about food, and eating it, and the "training moment" was lost. 

Clearly, losing one moment is no big deal—there are millions of those "moments" every time anyone handles Guapo.  But, hopefully my friend finds this a better explanation to her questions then "just because." 

By the way, by our calculations he is 14.2!

Meet Gabe: A seven-year-old polish Arabian gelding (as of three weeks).  We call him "Guapo" at the farm.  It seemed a better option than "Stud Buns" as people were starting to use due to his self-confident air and love for the ladies.  "Guapo" means "good looking" or "gorgeous" in Spanish, but in a way that also means "stud muffin" to the thirteen-year-old girls that are most often heard giggling the word.  Perfect.  It has stuck. 

Guapo came to Broadfield Stables a week ago thanks to the generous acceptance of Susanna and Alan Kane, the stable owners.  Another person that must be recognized is Sharon, the unofficial barn manager who lives in an apartment just a few feet away from Guapo and has attended to his every need as he has adjusted to his new surroundings.  Another character in this act is Lainy, the golden child.  A six-month-old golden retriever who has fallen madly in love with Guapo.  She insists every afternoon that he sniff her down.  If he is bored with the request she will wiggle to position herself back in his path and he obliges.  She is often found sleeping in his stall and keeping him company.  What do a pampered golden retriever puppy that has never wanted for anything and a recovering Arabian have to talk about?  A question to which I would love to know the answer.

Gabe arrived on the farm without much pomp or circumstance.  A few of the mares in heat trumpeted his presence and paced in impatience.  After all, he had just been gelded a few weeks earlier and testosterone is still strong in the blood.  Something they could clearly smell.  Guapo took everything in and accepted the change.  Within a few hours we let him meet McTavish, an old rescue who had a similarly tough previous life, and a horse that is cherished on the farm for his ability to babysit the nervous new-comers.  They got along famously and were soon out together eating grass.  Guapo started being bossy, however, so we have given McTavish a break from his babysitting duties.  We are also giving Guapo some more time to work the intense hormones out of his system.  He is already calmly accepting pasture mates over the fence.  We are hoping to introduce him to his new buddies within a week or so.

In his few short days with us, Guapo has proven himself to be an absolute gentleman.  He was timid upon approach and untrusting at first, but within a day or two he has learned that humans mean scratching of the withers, brushings, fly removal, treats once in a while, and company.  The first day he was unapproachable in his large grassy field.  Now, he walks eagerly toward me when I enter his domain. 

He is quite possibly the smartest horse I have ever spent time with.  He is unafraid, but has a wonderful self-preservation caution about him.  He doesn't rush into anything and doesn't panic when he gets there.  Getting him in and out of the wash stall for a shower on a hot day has been his greatest challenge so far.  The dark, damp interior, the banging of the washing machine, the hose snaking overhead, the puddles on the ground, the white drain in the middle of an obscure floor, and a million other things and noises I don't perceive all tell him it maybe isn’t a place he should charge into.  He takes his time, refuses once and then agrees, but one step at a time.  Once he is there he has already decided it is safe, starts to chew in acceptance, and rests a hind leg until his spa date is over.

I look forward to hearing his story as he tells it through his reaction to training.  I wonder if he has been ridden or ever worked.  I wonder if he has ever had a bit in his mouth or been asked to complete tasks.  His wonderful ground manners could be a function of the great work of Days End and Paradise Farm, where he has spent the last year until his court case was resolved.  Or, it could be a sign that he is not new to the whole human thing.  Only time will unfold that side of his story.  For now, he is being given time to settle in to his new environment, meet new friends, and adjust to life of the plenty.

Gabe's best friend cheating on him with another horse.  Otherwise known as the "Golden Child," this six-month old golden retriever puppy spends her evenings in Gabe's stall hanging out.