Category: Dino’s Training

Dino’s First Show-And He Read the Wrong Test…

Training a great horse first dressage show

At 4 years old, Dino was ready to stick his Clydesdale-sized hoof into the world of showing…..but I think he was reading from the wrong test. Some excerpts from the tests are below:

Training Level 1 : Enter Working Trot, Halt, salute. Proceed working trot, Track Left

Dino performed the very common but non-sanctioned version: Enter Working Trot, Halt, salute, Proceed working trot. Spook at Judge. Track Left early or be prepared for a spin and bolt.

Judge’s Comments: Slightly Inattentive 7

Me: Seriously…a 7 for that? Wow, that was a gift!

 

Training Level 1 Test: Circle right 20 meters

Dino’s Version: Controlled bolt 20 meters

Judge’s comment: Prompt and Accurate

Me: Yeah, I guess by definition a BOLT IS PROMPT. Feeling pretty good it was actually accurate too 🙂

 

Training Level 1 :C-M-B Working Canter. Between B&F Working Trot

Dino’s Version: Huh? Did you see the pretty warmblood mare outside the arena?

Judge’s Comments: Came off rail. Prompt Transition 7.5

Me: Oops…I never could perform a one rein stop perfectly straight….but at least it was prompt! I win 😉

Training Level 2: Circle 20 meter allowing horse to stretch forward and down

Dino’s Version: Quadrangle 20 meters allowing horse to stretch forward and down

Judge’s Comments: Good stretch. Irregular O

Me: Yep, I took Geometry too. That was definitely not an O

When it was all said and done, Dino performed exactly how i thought he might. He was completely inattentive during his first class. He was THAT horse… You know the one that is screaming to the mares hoping to catch a date when the show is over.

The second test went much better. I spent almost the entire time between classes just walking him in the warm up arena. Worked like a charm. He was solidly OK during his second test (except for the quadrangle of course). I was actually just going for OK. I didn’t want to push too hard and have Dino blow up on me. One big step at a time.

The best part about the show is that after Dino calmed down, nothing really bugged him. There were horses flipping out right and left at this show. It was the most un-dressage like show I have ever been to. It must have been the foggy, cool weather. Horses were rearing, bucking and bolting right and left. Dino took it all in stride. He has the potential to be a really nice show horse…..so happy!

Oh and if you are wondering what kind of ribbons my little 4-year-old Dinosaur got at his very first show….. both Blues. Today a solidly average performance was good enough to beat out the competition. He scored a 73 and a 74.

Dino first show ribbons

 

 

 

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Dino’s First Road Trip

 free walk 
My ADHD 4 year old Dinosaur finally went on his first real road trip to PVRA! Here is the good, the bad and the ugly of today’s journey:

The Good: 

Dino is excellent in the trailer. He loads and unloads like a dream- all on command. He is still a bit nervous on the ride, but he is eating, so that is good. 

I am not sure where to classify this next event, but I think it is a positive sign.  While hand walking Dino in the dressage court, we made it up the middle to C when Dino decided to drop and roll. He left me there holding the other end of the lead rope not exactly sure what was happening. Maybe he isn’t too nervous after all!

The Bad

Actually Dino wasn’t bad at all, but let’s just say he needs more travelling experience before I show him. He did what every young horse does- he looked at EVERYTHING! His ADHD was through the roof. When he doesn’t pay attention, he either over-reacts or under-reacts to commands.  I don’t take it personally.  He even does this with the flies. He ignores them for awhile and then kicks out at them in frustration. 

The Ugly:

Maybe this is more sad than ugly….. But Dino thinks that every horse he sees is there soley to come play with him. If a horse even walks near him, he gets so excited. His head goes up. He dances. He calls. And then watches them intently until they are out of sight. (it’s like taking a dog to a dog park and then making them stay on a leash- kind of sad). This is how Dino was around the barn when he was two, and he has mostly grown out of it at home.   I wonder how long it will take until Dino realizes that no one is coming over to play? Poor Dino. 

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World’s Best Pony Loves Liberty Jumping!

My daughter ‘s pony Sutter (AKA World’s Best Pony) really took to liberty jump training. He is a pretty athletic little guy and loves to jump, buck and play-basically he loves anything that gets all 4 hooves off the ground. Sutter is just learning how to jump courses, but I can already tell he is going to excel at this ;-). Check out his video below:

 

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Probably Time to Get a Dog….

Some tricks are inherently easy to teach an animal because they are based on their core instincts and behaviors. Teaching a horse to play catch is definitely not one of those kinds of tricks.

Horses don’t naturally like to catch objects in their mouths like dogs. They aren’t hunters. They don’t have the instinct to follow an object in flight and try and grasp it with their teeth. Add to this that a horse has a bit of a blind spot directly in front of them, and you can see how this trick can be a bit difficult for a horse to learn. Most horses can learn to “catch” objects by just opening their mouths wide and having the handler toss the object into their mouths. When they feel the object, they close their mouth. Dino, however, has learned to have pretty good eye – mouth coordination, and plays some real catch by grasping the object with his teeth. Check him out in the video below.

If you are wondering why I would teach a horse to play catch….let’s just say that I sometimes have some extra time on my hands while I wait for my daughter to finish with Pony!

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Dinosaurs Need to Roam!

Now that Baby Dino has front shoes, it is time to get serious about hitting the trails. And, this is one Dinosaur that loves to roam!

Getting to the trails from the barn, however, makes the Extreme Cowboy Challenge look like a cakewalk.

 

  1. Start with a creek
  2. Add a slippery cement bottom to this creek
  3. Did I mention the water is pitch black so the horses can’t see the bottom or judge its depth?
  4. Toss in a major 4 lane overpass above the creek with an average speed of 45mph
  5. The overpass is located at the bottom of the hill right where the big trucks like to hit their air brakes
  6. Oh, and this is a major route for fire and ambulance crews. Random sirens are always a posibility.

All of the above make this crossing a dark, scary, horse eating chamber of doom, complete with sounds echoing off the concrete strucure. If you get past this, your horse is a saint. You will also be treated to a lovely back country type trail ride right in the middle of suburbia.

Dino is actually pretty good with going under the bridge and through the creek. He isn’t ready to do it on his own yet though. The rest of the trail went really well considering Dino is still only 3. Dino encountered:

  • Mountain bikers
  • Joggers
  • Lots of dogs
  • Polaris 4 wheeler driving on the adjacent trail
  • Stroller and kids
  • Deer (well at least I saw the deer)

Dino’s favorite part, however, was the ranch creek crossing. This is a REAL creek-nothing like the cement one we cross to get out to the trails. Dino LOVED it! He was pawing at the rocks and sticking his nose in the water. I had a hard time getting him out of the water!  He was like a kid playing in the creek for the first time. It was super cute.

Dino is one of those horses that seems to just love trails. Sure he is nervous about “stuff,” but he walks out with such enthusiasm. He doesn’t slow down until we turn for home. He wants to keep going and seems genuinely bummed when we have to go back.

It’s a good thing we have excellent trails at the barn. I see a lot of roaming in this dinosaur’s future!

Baby Dino LOVES Water!
Hitting the trails!
Dino Xing
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