Parelli in the woods

I took Destino hiking a few times this last week. Something that I find very enjoyable is to play the 7 games as we hike. It seems to make it a bit more meaningful to Destino and to myself =)

First we walk down the trail. When he crowds me I use the yo yo game to back him up a bit. I also will have him move his front end over and then yo yo him back. We did this lots tonight, so I decided to try something. I turned him to face a steep hill and we did the sideways game! We have NEVER been able to do the sideways game at home, but tonight he did it perfectly both directions with the hill in front of him! The hill was very helpful because if he went forward, it was REALLY hard. He found it was much easier to just go sideways! Yea!!

He is afraid of water. So, I have him put his nose on trees that grow close to the stream. The touch it game!

I drive him over fallen trees, then disengage him and pop him back over the tree.

I have him do the figure eight in between tree stumps.

I play the squeeze game between myself and a tree, or myself and the creek or a tree stump and a tree.

When we get in tight situations, with trees and brush close in on the trail, I'll yo yo him back and bring him forward and yo yo him back. He has learned to yo yo back very straight.

I also yo yo him back over small fallen trees. They will pop up a bit, touching his legs, as he crosses them, IF he steps on them. He is learning to pick his feet up a bit more AND to not be afraid when a tree branch touches his legs!

Tonight I swung my string up in a leafy tree. It would catch a branch and shake it, high up over his head. When he could walk up and touch that tree with his nose he got a Good Boy and a treat!

THEN I jumped up on him again. Lots and lots of times. THIS time I had Hubby take a photo so I could prove it! At the end of the hike, I jumped up on him a few more times, then I actually SAT up there! Straddling him!! It was so exciting! Hubby was nervous, but Destino took it all in stride. He is such a good boy.

Getting ready to hop up there!

Ta Da!! Hubby caught him with his head up, but he was pretty relaxed. After this shot he dropped his head and licked and chewed. When I straddled him, he had his head down, relaxed and sighed! Yea!

I think that taking him hiking and playing the games has solidified lots of things for both of us. It is sure a lot more fun that just playing at home in the round pen. When we are hiking we get to see other people riding, deer cross the trail and there are a bunch of cows up there to watch as well. Not to mention all the trail experience he is getting. Another big plus is that it's GREAT for me! Exercise is NOT my favorite thing to do, but exercising WHILE training Destino seems like a win win!

Hiking

I thought I would share our hike with you. Yesterday I took Destino up to a beautiful camping/hiking place called Bass Creek/Larry Creek. It was gorgeous up there and it SMELLED sooooo GOOD! We had a great time and I even GOT ON HIM!!! I was so excited and he was so good. He really didn't care at all.

Today my Mom and I went up there and she rode her little mare, Marley. We had a blast together, even though Destino decided to show off the entire time and be a goof ball. He was all a two year old today! But he was pretty funny to watch. I laid across his back at the beginning of the hike, but didn't get on again. I will tomorrow, here at home.

I'm so proud of him!

Look at his tongue =)

This is a photo of the trail. Isn't it pretty?

Here's my Mom and Marley.

Company

Destino got to go out with my Mom's Haflinger today. We put them in a nice big, green pasture and they hung out for a few hours. He hasn't been in with another horse for a very long time. He definitely doesn't know horse language and misreads things. But Marley will teach him. She put it to him a few times, only when he deserved it though =)

I watched her sidle up to him, to share a little groom time. She reached up over his back (it's quite a reach for her!) and started to scratch his wither area. He reached down and nipped her hind leg. She squealed and kicked at him and off he went! It will be interesting watching Marley teach him about horses and how they communicate.

I'll have to take some pictures tomorrow.

Oh! And I think Destino will help get Marley in shape. He had her running and trotting around the pasture for a pretty long time, at least for her. He wanted to keep going, but she had had enough and "needed" to eat. He ran around her for a little longer, then gave up and started eating too.

Fun!

Destino's Growing Up!

Destino is looking so grown up! Well except for his little bit of butt-high-ness. Just look at him in his bareback pad! I got this from my saddle maker friend Ray Vierra. I built him a website (click here to see it!) and in exchange he made me this pad! I am SO lucky. I couldn't afford one this nice otherwise...

He didn't even care when I put it up there and didn't move a foot when I cinched it up! He's such a wonderful boy!!

"What is this thing? I wonder what it tastes like..."

Doesn't he look so proud? What a handsome fella he is =) And as for the butt-high-ness, to be fair, he is standing a little downhill. It only accentuates his hiney =)

Destino's Sire and Dam

These two horses are so fantastic! I am truly blessed that I was able to get Destino. I am so excited about what our future holds!

Destino's Sire, Hero MAC
To see more of him go to www.jaystables.com


Destino's Dam, Joya D
To see more of her go to Joya D.

And just to refresh your memory, Destino RFS.

Yes, We Can Do It...

We took Destino to the Missoula Equestrian Park this weekend and we had a BLAST! We played on the cross country jump course, not that I had him jump anything. Once in a while he would get excited and leap across the log instead of step across and as you'll see in one of the photos below he got all fired up and LEAPED off a little hill that was part of a HUGE jump. I stood up there on that jump and thought... "I will never ride him over this jump. I would DIE." LOL

He was such a good boy and even played with Hubby (who is not a horse person) a little bit so I could get a few of the shots that I wanted =)

On with the picture show!

Here he is just after we unloaded. He's taking a look around.

We wandered down the hill and walked across this "bridge".

Here is the HUGE jump that I was talking about. I had a great time driving him up over it from the side. It was WAAAY to high to have him go up the front. He is still just a baby!!
(Please ignore my ginormous hiney... lol)

Just look at his face! He was having a BLAST! I was having a pretty good time myself, as is evident in the big goofy grin on my face =)

Hmmm Mmmh. He was having a really good time...

Here he is after I asked him to "hide his hiney". Pretty!

This is when Hubby had him. He was all sweaty from playing on the cross country course and "needed" a roll in the sand...

Whew!

A nice side shot. I needed a new one. The one I had from last year, he was MAJORLY butt high. He's looking really good! Remember, he isn't quite two yet!

A happy boy...

And here he is just before we loaded to come home. He has gotten so tall that I had to make him a head "bumper" so he doesn't hurt himself on the roof of the trailer! Isn't it cute? I tie it onto his halter with turquoise ribbon. It was all I had laying around!

The next post I'll show you his mama and daddy. Whoo hoo are they a nice couple!!