Update on Rima’s training

(Previous update here.)

Rima is getting more relaxed in her work. I have handled her mouth several times in preparation for bridling and in the process discovered she had a wolf tooth.

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She was very good for the vet, taking the needle for sedation. I discovered she has a very narrow mouth and will first try a small 3 piece snaffle and see if it is a good fit.

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I have been roping her feet. Her first session was a little tricky and she kicked out with her right hind. She has since become more accepting of me placing the rope around her leg and dropping it to her foot and has learned to give to the pressure without bracing or resisting. (You might notice there is a horse and rider working in the arena while we do this, and Rima is paying attention to me despite this potential distraction.)

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She is yielding the front end now in a much more cooperative way. Yielding the front end is challenging for most horses, and is a basic exercise I always use in evaluating and developing any horse at any level. It’s one of the ten fundamental exercises included in the book The Better Deal.

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Finally, Rima will now stand and allow me to rub her head while it is down. Up until now she would raise her head and run backwards when I tried to rub it, particularly when I was standing on the left. She came around much sooner on the right.