Booked in for Breaking in.....

I am just super super excited!!! I have booked Diesel in at Weiti Station to be broken in and schooled/hacked around. He is going in January (around the 10th) and I will get him back a month later once the kids are back at school.

A good friend of mine, Melanie, has used Weiti to break in numerous horses of hers and when I was discussing getting Diesel done she happened to have a 3 yr old up there being broken in at the time so invited me to go up with her for a look.

I really liked it there. Not the flashest of places but have all the facilities needed, the yard was VERY busy (which I think will do Diesel the world of good) and alot of stuff going on all around. For me it is the perfect setup for the start of Diesels ridden life.

I personally dont think it is going to take much for Diesel to be broken in. He has had extensive handling, been long-reined, lunged with all gear on and stirrups flapping around his tummy and nothing has bothered him so far. He has also been sat on and couldnt have given a damn so I am confident it will be a quick job.

Why am I not doing it myself????? I just dont have the balls! If I tried and he packed a poop, I would freak and probably talk myself into selling him! At least up at Weiti Station if he throws his toys out of the cot I AM NOT THERE TO SEE IT.

Very exciting times ahead of both Diesel and Me! Soo looking forward to riding him.

Oh, and on another note, my new Fully Galvanised Apex float will be ready for pick up in January so my newly broken in youngster is also going to have new wheels!!! Talk about spoilt ha ha

Another great session - with pics!!!

Diesel had another wonderful session in the roundpen yesterday. It was a stunning, sunny and hot day and me and a friend took him there and at last have some photo's.

He was really good, put a pole on the ground for him to work over aswell (first time) and he was great. Really really listened to me and I had an absolute blast with him. I cant believe how black he has gone this Spring, and I think he is just super-stunning (although I am probably a bit biased lol).

So here he is......actually working!

And the fun continues....

Had another fabulous session with Diesel today. The sun was shining, he was really interested in what we were doing and he even worked up a slight sweat lol.

Happily accepted his bridle with no head-held-high, led like a pro and was great fun in the round pen. He was great with my voice commands and did some lovely work on his left rein but on the right rein he was not quite so good. Tried to stop a couple of times and turn in to me so was quickly sent back out on the circle. He just doesnt seem so fluid on that rein but will work on it.

And to finish off he had a lovely bath (shampoo and all). Diesel has not had a bath for probably over a year so thought it was time he ws re-introduced to that. He was a bit of a fidget but really enjoyed it in the end so was put back in the paddock sparkly clean and smelling lovely.

I am really enjoying this time with him and long may it continue. Have the farrier coming out on Thursday so will be interested to see if she notices an improvement.

An excellent day with Smeezie....

Well, today I had such a lovely time with Diesel. Me and Leah, a good friend of mine, built a new round pen in the paddock. Its a great size, which is good as Diesel has really grown substancially over the last 12 months!!!!

So, got Diesel out of the paddock, put his bridle on and took him over. He didnt even have a gawk at the new roundpen, just happily followed me in there. I put the gate up, sorted the lungeline out and asked Diesel to go out on a circle.

We started on the right rein and he was just excellent. Really listened to my voice and commands and as long as I was behind his shoulder he was fine. Did some really nice walk and trot work.

Put him of the left rein and in the beginning he was a bit worried about going to the edge of the ring but got the hang of it really quickly and away we went.

Only did about 15 minutes as someone turned up to fix my over so had to quickly put him back in the paddock but I was super stoked in how well he worked and behaved today. The last few times I have attempted to lunge him he just either didnt understand what I was asking or was just having me on but it wasnt an enjoyable experience, unlike today where he was really easy to work and seemed to enjoy what we were doing.

I will be doing this again tomorrow but I am started to get a little excited (although still apprehensive slightly) about this whole breaking in process.

A GOOD DAY!!!!!

Another appauling Farrier visit....

Well, I havnt updated this blog as I have done nothing with Diesel - apart from drag him out the paddock once every 10 or so days. I have HEAPS of personal things going on (involving my parents marriage) so I am not in a good place emotionally at the moment! I dont want to pass on my personal anger to Diesel so it is best that I keep a distance from him until I am in a better frame of mind and body.

But, he still has needs and one was that he needed his feet doing so booked poor old Chelsea out to do them yesterday.

Diesel was great to catch, lead to the stalls and brush (although he was a bit fidgety). So I thought all good.....

Well he was a little shite for Chelsea again, wouldnt hold his feet up, moving around alot, trying to nip me while she was working, just being a big pain up my arse!!!! In the end Chelsea took the lead off me while I cooled off and handled him herself. After a bit of 'groundwork' with her he was better but it was still darn-right embarrasing.

I dont blame him totally as I have not had the inclination to get him out of the paddock for quite some time but even so, he knows what Chelsea is there for and he knows how he needs to behave when his feet are being done...so once again I apologised many times to her and promised he would be better next time.

So, what is the problem? I think alot of it is he is bored. He just eats and sleeps all day and I cant even remember the last time he was off the property. I am a bad mother!!!!! I cant work him here at the moment as the paddocks are too wet and muddy....and I cant take him out anywhere as I dont have a float at the moment! I could borrow my mates one but I just cant be bothered....so because of my personal issues going on in my life I am making Diesel worse.

Not sure what I am going to do just yet but I have realised that I need to make some decisions......and soon.

Anyway, here are a couple of pic taken yesterday (14th September) of the boy with his grumpy face on.....at least he has come through winter with a 'good covering'.

The howling winds of August....

Today the winds were HOWLING through here, quite a cold blustery wind with the odd bit of rainy drizzle in it.

Decided to get Diesel out and give him a brush and feed and see how he would be being handled in the foul gusts....

He was a gem! Had a lovely time just chilling out with him, he didnt put a foot wrong. I havnt done anything much with him since the last blog entry as the weather had been total crap so wasnt really expecting the best behaviour today but he really surprised me.

I cant wait til Spring and the paddocks drying out so I can finally start the breaking in process.

luff my Smeezie

First time Long-reining.....

Wooo hoo, its a week of firsts for old Diesel!!!!

Today I decided to get him out and see what he would be like with reins attached to his bit. Put his bridle on and let him sort himself out and then attached the reins. Within 5 minutes he was gently turning to the slight pressure so that was all good!

Then, my dear friend Helena, came back from her lesson on Chevy and we decided to try him at long-reining. Just down from the house is the end of the cul-de-sac and its nice and round with great tarmac seal so was the perfect place to try this new thing out with the boy.

Helena was at the back end holding onto the long-reins and I had a rope attached to his halter and was just 'accompanying' him just to give him an idea of what we were asking him to do.

Well, after 5 minutes I unclipped the rope and backed off and just watched Helena working Diesel. Wow, it was amazing! He was very willing to learn and was really listening to Helena and took to it like a duck to water :o) Within 15 minutes he was turning when asked, halting when asked and being a very obliging youngster.

I watched with awe, for the first time I was truly seeing my wee man doing some work and could visualise what he is going to turn out like once he is fully backed and broken in. It was just amazing. He really is a super looking young man and today I was very proud of both Diesel, and myself, as we have come such a long way from me trying to handle a 7 month old baby.

Helena has such a wonderful way with Diesel and is going to long-rein him a couple more times before I to try it myself (weather permitting).

I am getting very excited about the prospect of finally riding him this summer...he is gorgeous!