Maverick - Week One

I’ve been working with Maverick all week. I feel bad that he’s in a fairly small pen (the ponies’ night pen) so I try to get him out and lounge him even if it’s just a little. Fiddling with him forces me to mess with him and be more comfortable around him. Fiddling with him also forces him to adjust to my manners. I may not be working him hard or testing his knowledge but I at least am out there making him think about what I’m doing. Until the lice is gone, I can’t risk contaminating my saddle so I’ll continue to fiddle with him.

Sunday I didn’t do much with him other than put him in the pony pen and let him hang out.
Monday I pulled him out and we lounged for a little while. (I can’t spell longed correctly so please pardon my spelling.) It’s a learning curve for both of us. I know I was starting to get frustrated because I don’t know what cues to ask. Unfortunately, Maverick knows more than I do so he can push my buttons. I know I was a bit upset Monday night after working him. I set too high of expectations and need to remember that he’s only a kid and you don’t push kids.

Tuesday I decided that I would add some extra elements and that really seemed to make him pay more attention. Of course after just a short time we were back to the same old antics. But I lounged him over two logs/posts and two barrels. There’s a lot of work to be done to get him to go in and around each barrel. But I’m game for trying. I also fitted him with a bridle to distract him even more. I know that he can handle a lot since he did just come from the trainers and was being ridden pretty well. So I figure if I throw in each of the elements, he’ll at least not get as bored with me.

Wednesday I pulled out the synthetic saddle and fitted him with it. I definitely need to trade in the synthetic saddle. It doesn’t fit him AT ALL! The saddle hit him in all the wrong places but he stood like a good boy and let me fiddle with tightening and adjusting as needed. I lounged him with the bridle and saddle and he did just fine. He wasn’t fazed by the fact the saddle didn’t fit and kept flopping around, banging him in the back. Working him in both directions, really made me realize I need to get rid of that saddle and buy one that actually fits him. I also decided that I better cut out some of the lice in his mane. When I took Maverick to the trainers, I figured he would cut a bridle path. When I took Chaos, he actually used same cutting blades on Chaos’s bridle path and had the girls braid up his mane. I’m sure it was the girls who insisted on braiding Chaos’s mane and getting the bridle path looking so clean. I on the other hand only use a scissors to cut a bridle path. But when I went to pick up Maverick, nothing had been done to cut his bridle path. I’m wondering now if the trainer thought I didn’t want a bridle path on Maverick so he left it as is. Wish I would have been able to cut it before he’d gone to the trainers so that the trainer could have messed with the clippers on Maverick. At any rate, I decided to cut Maverick’s bridle path. He stood pretty well for letting me mess with him. I may need to teach him to lower his head when I start cutting his bridle path. Instead he raised his head but I’m sure in time he’ll lower it if I work with him. All the others have the naughty habit of raising their heads when I go to cut their bridles paths.

Thursday I decided that lounging him is only good for burning off a bit of his energy. So I decided to change it up a bit. I put the bridle on and worked him in both directions. Then I pulled the bridle off and worked him in both directions. Since I’m not good at making him lounge in both directions we cut out early and I started fiddling with him. I did have him side passing. Ok, so he was actually sidepassing without evening knowing it or me asking. I think I may have been asking but I don’t know how to properly ask and get the correct results every time. Maverick is in need of a trim but the trainer didn’t work with making him give his feet. I started working on his front legs (still too intimidated with his back legs). I messed with both his front legs. He’s not so happy with me messing with his right leg but I believe that’s because he cut that leg just above the hoof and it’s probably still a little tender. But by the end of my fiddling, I was able to touch the scar and he didn’t mind. I need to work on him giving his feet but he’s at least comfortable with me touching his legs. Now if that’ll be the case today or not, who knows. I also decided that I would walk him up and down the driveway to get him used to me and my manners. He followed pretty well although he started getting a little forward and adventurous when I wanted him to stay by my side. I also added in the element of the Mighty Massey while working with him. Mike was working on the garage while I messed with Maverick. I decided to walk over to where Mike was working and see how well Maverick would handle farm machinery. He did get a bit uncomfortable but took everything in pretty well. He only spooked once but I had him on the lounge line so he couldn’t ripe away from my grasp. I let him graze just a little so that he could get used to the tractor running and being near him. I also introduced fly spray in a spray bottle. I’ve been simply wiping it on him but I decided to drench his mane this time around with a spray bottle. He wasn’t too thrilled with it but didn’t totally blow up on me like Dude does. He let me spray his mane (all the way up to his ears) and then his back. I was pretty impressed.

This morning everyone was very calm walking out into the pasture. Rain did a couple Pilates stretches before walking out to the pasture. I love watching Rain stretch. Brego is so fat that he waddles. His tail swishes back and forth because he’s so fat. I’d rather see him fat than skinny like when he first came in. I also am being brave today. I put the ponies out on grass with just one strand of electric. Mike will stop by Borderlands at least once during the day for work related purposes so I’m sure he’ll be able to check in on the horses. I need to start putting the ponies out on pasture/lawn grass so that they get used to it. I don’t want to feed any horses hay. I’m to my last bale I broke open awhile ago. I’m considering buying some small squares to hold me over. I’m planning on keeping Maverick in a small drylot so that I can constantly work with him instead of trying to hunt him down in the pasture. It’ll force me to work with Maverick instead of being lazy.

Last night after I was finished with chores, I surprised Mike. Chaos was standing right next to the gate so I climbed up real quick and hoped on Chaos’s back. Of course, I didn’t have anything with me to guide him so I was more of a passenger than a rider. I think Mike must have thought I was crazy. Chaos is the only horse I can hop on bareback and just putz around with. Ok, not true. I can do the same thing with Dude but I don’t ride him like I need to with Chaos. I figure if I torment Chaos enough he’ll be used to anything and everything and not be surprised when we finally DO go on a trail ride.

So that’s it for my adventures with Maverick up to this point. I think we are both adjusting to one another. It may take me a bit more to adjust to him but I need to remember that he’s only going to try and push my buttons and I can’t allow that. I just need to give it some time.