Educating Princess Jewel-1st trailer ride :)

Ponied Jewel home to our house on Friday!!  She did really well except for pulling away once to avoid crossing a "scary" driveway that was identical to all the others she crossed before and after that one   Considering she's never been beyond the street she was born on, she did great following Cody along, up and down curbs, over trickling water, etc  
 
Turned her and Cody out in the arena yesterday and they had fun running around together and trying to get into trouble eating the umbrella.  Put her and Tahoe out tonight and they did some good running around and she got a little gelding discipline.  All this is soooooo good for her   She seems content and relaxed in her corral, eating and not getting excited at all. 
 
So nice to have her here where I can work with her whenever I'm able.  Gotta get my back healed!

I saw a post that she was home and wondered about the details.  I would never have the nerve to pony her like that.  I've ponied Dani off Zag around the yard but it wasn't the best attempt.  Is Cody used to ponying because Zag wasn't too thrilled!

He hasn't done much, just occasionally led one of our other horses around when the girls needed them held for something.  He was fine with it except when she ran up his butt a couple times!!  He doesn't kick or anything like that.  We were able to take little roads, dirt roads to our house, nothing major and we practiced in the arena before we left.  She was really good!  Tripped over a couple curbs because she wasn't paying attention but stuck right with Cody and seemed to like it.  He's so big, it works out really nicely too   I had my friend on Spirit and Kelly on Tahoe too so we figured if there were issues, one of us could get off and lead her. 
 
Let her out with Tahoe last night and they were so pretty together   Tonight is Spirit's turn with her.  Every time I look out, the boys are hanging out around her corral and they are nibbling on each other.  No squealing, kicking or anything of the sort.  I think she's still too much of a baby to be like that and hopefully never will?

Did you see this picture?  I can't remember where I posted it!  Cody's twin. []

Yep, that's one big horse.  Cody's prettier though but that'll do in a pinch!!

Jewel's been getting turned into the arena w/ one of the boys daily and is loving running around in all that space!  She isn't loving getting gelding discipline so much....... Cody who is at the bottom of our totem pole until Jewel has learned he can make her move and is enjoying that some although she's too fast for him!!  Tahoe was making her move some last night, I think she's too "clingy" right now, wants to be right next to him and makes him annoyed so he runs her off.  She does the same thing to me.   As soon as I come out into the arena, she gloms onto me and I have to make her give me my space and then she follows me around.  Guess it will take her a while to feel comfortable on her own.  She sure is beautiful to watch.  Tried to get pictures last night but by the time I got the camera it was getting dark and she was done playing.

Jewel had me cracking up and marveling at watching her think and learn this morning.  Put her out in the arena and after she had had some breakfast, she started exploring.  At the top end of the arena, where we took down the grade about 3 feet is a foot and a half ledge against the fence.  She walked onto it from the end where it is level with the ground and walked up along the ledge to where the fence at the front of the arena is.  Then she was stuck....... couldn't go forward, had never gone down a steep incline and kept trying to back up but her hind foot would slip off the side and she would shoot forward again.  She'd decide she didn't care and was just going to stand there and rest her hind leg, but then she'd want to move.....  She finally got brave and went off the edge and made it to her delight so she took of bucking and kicking and then ran down to the other end and went back up on the ledge.  She did this, I don't know how many times, practicing I guess, then got brave and started to trot up the ledge.  So funny to watch her figuring it out and having fun with it.  She also was practicing her reining moves today, sprinting from one side of the arena to the other, sliding stop, whirling around and taking off again.  She's been out all day and I'm sure is loving getting all this exercise and stimulation   She did take a nap this afternoon, laid out completely flat.  Spirit, on the other hand, ate his breakfast, then laid down and took a power nap, then stood up and napped some more........

Yep - pictures sure would be nice!  Actually a video of that would have been perfect!  I can't wait to see how big she's gotten.  Funny my 3 boys love their filly, too.

I did get some pictures but have to wait for Gary to import them onto the hard drive.  My computer isn't recognizing the card at the moment....... Don't have any way to video at the moment, I think.  Gary tends to take everything except my camera to work, motorcycle shows and it's never here!!
 
When I went to get Jewel and put her away for dinner, Spirit had apparently trained her that she was not to get near the gate or "his" end of the arena.  He was just standing there about 30 feet back looking innocent but she was NOT going near him.  Had to let her go, catch him and take him out, then come back for her...... I was leading her out as he came galloping up in the pasture on the other side of the fence and she whirled to run before she realized there was a fence between them.  Guess the boys are teaching her some horse humility......  Wormed her tonight, need a stepstool!!

Remind Spirit while you're around, YOU're alpha.  That gets dangerous when they stop listening to you and start paying more attention to the "alpha".  That's the only time mine are dangerous but I try not to let them do that carp.   (I'm sure you're always careful.)

 I know!  Cody sometimes will lunge at the other horses when he wants to be near me and I'm working with one of them, even though he is the low man on the totem pole and it's dangerous for me!  I've started really getting after him although when you are holding another horse, it's hard to get after him and not make the other horse think you're getting after them.  I need to carry a squirt gun or something!!
 
I didn't see Spirit do anything to her yesterday and when I was trying to get near the gate, he seemed to be just standing there about 30 feet away, ears forward, watching us, occasionally tossing his head at flies but who knows!?  I let Jewel out by herself today so she can relax a little.  I know she is a social misfit from being by herself for almost 2 yrs. so it will take time for her to learn but she's had 5 days of being bossed around so I figured one day to digest would be good.  The boys are in the pasture across the fence.  She's not so worried about me moving them around any more.  Last time I put her in the arena by herself she was pacing the gate area and pushing on it, very upset, now she's just fine.  She's also much less pushy and eager to go when led which means she's getting some respect and exercise

This afternoon I decided to introduce her to our trailer and put a pan with some of her pellets on the ramp, then gradually started moving the pellets further in.  Guess who got in the trailer twice on her own?!  She stuck her head out the window, was hanging out doing fine and then she panicked, went forward as far as she could with her butt tucked, looked like she might go for the window, put her head down and saw she could turn around so she went out that way, slightly freaked out....... did it one more time but this time I asked her to back up from the window and she took a couple steps, then sort of panicked, put her head down and turned around to get out..... so we need to work on exiting the trailer and backing up over, up and down various obstacles BUT she went in!!  Progress

Oh, I forgot.  After seeing her panic in the trailer and work things out to get herself out, hubby said "That's why you don't want to get in with her!"  Experience is the best teacher

Great job working with her.  Your patience will pay off.  She really is a Jewel!

Jewel has been out with Tahoe and Spirit successfully so far today.  She seems calm and they are leaving her alone.  She has been giving them a really wide berth after her first couple unsuccessful encounters, but is starting to ease in toward them now.  Figuring out this horsie-body language thing.  She's REALLY good being led from her corral to the arena now.  Doesn't have all that pent-up energy pumping through her any more