Dee's Partnership Journey
Well, I've been so focused on the scratches episode I haven't mentioned much about my journey to build a partnership with Dee. The day I started thinking about bringing Dee home I asked her then owner if I could come out and play with her on site for a week or so to see if what I thought was a good match really was. She agreed that I could come out any time and play with Dee. So started a three week period of me driving the 10 miles each day to see what I could learn about this filly that had caught my eye. It was during the summer of 08. My work schedule during the summers has me off at 3:30pm and I would come home to change, then head over to Dee's place. She was 1 year plus a couple months - she was born in April of 2007 and this was all going down in June 2008.
I was excited about the prospect of starting a young horse. I had been the first to ride Moli (the Arab), but she was four when I got her and came with alot of baggage, plus I had never even HEARD of Natural Horsemanship at that time. This was a fresh slate - Dee had not been messed with much...she was around humans enough, but hadn't really been introduced to anything. I was told her feet had been trimmed once, the farrier had tied a back leg under her belly to get it done. (I was surprised to learn that they still do that) I felt bad about that particular incident, but I didn't get the feeling she had experienced any major mistreatment and she had what she needed to survive.
Armed with my halter and lead rope, a great friend and a video camera, I started spending my afternoons with Dee. I think I knew I wanted her before I ever started playing - something about her called to me (that's how I ended up with Moli too) so my main goal was to teach her to pick up her feet and put up with farrier tools so I could trim her, and to get her comfortable with basic haltering, leading and playing the seven games used in Parelli Natural Horsemanship to develop trust and language. I spent every afternoon in temps over 100 degrees working on getting her set. I tried to trim her feet, but they were so overgrown, I didn't have the strength to get much done in the little amount of time that she would offer her foot. So, before I bought her I requested that they have her feet trimmed, I was hoping she wouldn't have to go through the foot being tied again, but I just couldn't get it done and they were VERY over grown. They had their farrier take care of it and reported back to me that he was very impressed at her behavior and he had no problems getting her trimmed. (That made me very happy!)
So, for the last year I've been playing with Dee. We have made great strides, she has always been at the gate waiting and she has such an awesome playdrive. She is so much fun - I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to raise a horse with Natural techniques. She has taught me plenty and I know she is not done. I expect to get our first ride in before Christmas, but the medical issues we have recently dealt with may slow that down. I'm good with that, it will all happen on her schedule - it is my intention to be Dee's partner and for that to work, she must be alowed to have an opinion about how and when our riding relationship begins. Until then, we will keep playing online and exploring new things together. This morning we had a short session and tried zone five driving with one rein for the first time. I also spent about five minutes with two lines...it was fun and quiet and this afternoon she met me at the gate again, which she had quit doing because the only time I have messed with her for the last two months has been to deal with her infection from this scratches episode.
So...this is how I will start to document what goes on when Dee and I hang out together. I've already missed a bunch of fun and interesting sessions, and I won't try to go back to create them - onward from here!
I was excited about the prospect of starting a young horse. I had been the first to ride Moli (the Arab), but she was four when I got her and came with alot of baggage, plus I had never even HEARD of Natural Horsemanship at that time. This was a fresh slate - Dee had not been messed with much...she was around humans enough, but hadn't really been introduced to anything. I was told her feet had been trimmed once, the farrier had tied a back leg under her belly to get it done. (I was surprised to learn that they still do that) I felt bad about that particular incident, but I didn't get the feeling she had experienced any major mistreatment and she had what she needed to survive.
Armed with my halter and lead rope, a great friend and a video camera, I started spending my afternoons with Dee. I think I knew I wanted her before I ever started playing - something about her called to me (that's how I ended up with Moli too) so my main goal was to teach her to pick up her feet and put up with farrier tools so I could trim her, and to get her comfortable with basic haltering, leading and playing the seven games used in Parelli Natural Horsemanship to develop trust and language. I spent every afternoon in temps over 100 degrees working on getting her set. I tried to trim her feet, but they were so overgrown, I didn't have the strength to get much done in the little amount of time that she would offer her foot. So, before I bought her I requested that they have her feet trimmed, I was hoping she wouldn't have to go through the foot being tied again, but I just couldn't get it done and they were VERY over grown. They had their farrier take care of it and reported back to me that he was very impressed at her behavior and he had no problems getting her trimmed. (That made me very happy!)
So, for the last year I've been playing with Dee. We have made great strides, she has always been at the gate waiting and she has such an awesome playdrive. She is so much fun - I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to raise a horse with Natural techniques. She has taught me plenty and I know she is not done. I expect to get our first ride in before Christmas, but the medical issues we have recently dealt with may slow that down. I'm good with that, it will all happen on her schedule - it is my intention to be Dee's partner and for that to work, she must be alowed to have an opinion about how and when our riding relationship begins. Until then, we will keep playing online and exploring new things together. This morning we had a short session and tried zone five driving with one rein for the first time. I also spent about five minutes with two lines...it was fun and quiet and this afternoon she met me at the gate again, which she had quit doing because the only time I have messed with her for the last two months has been to deal with her infection from this scratches episode.
So...this is how I will start to document what goes on when Dee and I hang out together. I've already missed a bunch of fun and interesting sessions, and I won't try to go back to create them - onward from here!
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