Another[much BETTER] new adventure!

So, I haven't posted much, in a long time... So, I thought I should.. We moved barns. Yes, again! Why? I'm not trying to badmouth the other barn AT ALL. But my horse wasn't treated the way he should have been, and we weren't getting what we should have been for how much I was paying. But sometimes a lot of people don't have common sense.... Anyways, we moved to Circle K, about a week and a half ago, and so far so good! Such genuine, sweet, caring, and SMART horse people. I'm so glad I moved with Taylor out to Circle K, Copper and I are both really enjoying it. Although I am paying more out of pocket at this barn, which is somewhat killing me, I'm glad to be here.. [if anyone would like to donate to the help pay for Coppers board foundation, that'd be lovely (; hahahaha] He's gained weight since being there, and is looking SO much better. Weight issues are still one of our biggest struggles, but he's come SO far. 

At Circle K, Copper has a run off of his stall, and gets to go out in the pasture every other day. Which I really like because then I don't have to worry about him being too muddy every day. Although, he likes to drag his hay outside into his run, which makes the hay gross. haha! It's one of my pet peeves that he does. He's still learning to stand still when being tacked up, and taking the bit has been going a lot better. It's not perfect yet, but we're getting there..

He's so full of energy now that he's healthy and semi-fat. Which can make it difficult to work with him, but thankfully I have lots of people helping me out with him, and offering to help, Taylor, Danielle, Stacey. I need to take some lessons of my own to keep up with how much he's learning. Although, I'll say I've learned a lot, as well as him, he is just ahead of me now. He is such a smart horse, and he knows whats being asked, I just need to learn to ask it the way he knows to listen to it, and perform what I'm asking like he should. (: 

Anyways, so that's all for now. I'm really happy at the new barn, and excited for how well they care for horses, and how much Copper enjoys being in the stall next to his best friend, Ollie! 

making progress!

So the last two weeks, Copper has had two "lessons" with Landis Lutton. and let me tell you, it has helped A LOT. Just two times of her riding him, he's understanding SO much better.. Usually I lunge him before I ride, but tonight I forgot my lunge line, so I just jumped on him -- although he'd already been ridden by Landi this morning, So i'm sure that helped a lot. 

He had a tough time trotting to the right tonight, but I can't tell if he's just being lazy, or what. This morning he'd trot and canter to the right with Landi, but tonight when I was trying to trot him he'd try going to the left. We got past that a few times, and I made him go to the right a lot, but it's still frustrating. 

He can stop almost on a dime now as long as I sit deep -- I'm learning to sit deeper in my seat, since I have a terrible habit of leaning forward. tonight I did really good on sitting deep. 

Anyways that last few nights have been excellent rides! and tonight i felt the most comfortable with him than I have ever had. He was a little butt sometimes, but other than that he was awesome (: 

After almost 10 months of having him, I finally feel like we're making progress and getting somewhere good (:

Fall/winter 2012!

So as most know, we moved for Winter!! So far it's been awesome. We've worked the last two days. So far he is learning to stand in cross ties- Which he doesn't really like so far, but he'll get used to it! Picking up his back feet, which is coming along okay, and tonight we lunged while someone else was riding in the arena. He thinks he can be by other horses constantly when we're riding, so that will help us a lot! He doesn't seem to mind being in a stall most of the day, which I thought he would, but the fact that he doesn't is totally awesome and makes me happy. I was worried he'd be that "one horse" who kicked the stall or, something. So far so good! (: His neighbor, Sophie, doesn't like him as much as he likes her :/ Poor boy will get his heart broken! (; 

Working, going to school, and working Copper has kept me busy! Although since moving him, I am VERY, VERY, VERY broke :( But he's totally worth all of it (:

Anyways, since we just moved we don't have a lot of improvements yet. But I'll continue to keep everyone updated (: 

Lunging

so, last night, Copper decided that he didn't want to listen to anything I had to say, and was just an asshole the whole time. And obviously at the time, it wasn't funny AT ALL. And it actually didn't even click into my brain, that'd he taken off, oh and then I accidentally zoom in on him running away.. Oops, Oh well. haha. It's funny now.....

BUT
Here's a video to show you how terrible he was, (and don't mind the cuss word, because well, i'm pretty sure I could have said worse haha)

BUT, today I had some help (by Shereen Lycklama, which thank you so much) and Copper was SO good. He listened really well and it was awesome!! Here is a video of trotting and him learning "whoa" which he needed to relearn. Anyways, yeah! OKAY! Bye :)

the last few days

So, I haven't updated in awhile because 1. I didn't have a computer. 2. My moms computer is slow and 3. i had no computer :P haha! Anyways, so yesterday we went to an arena with Tawnee, and Cowboy. and let me tell you. Other than the Copp fighting the bit, he was an ANGEL. It was SO amazing. Although, we struggled with the barrels a little, I can't wait until we try it again. Yesterday was such a good day for us... But today on the other hand, was a little ridiculous compared to yesterday. I made him SWEAT! He just wanted to go go go go go, and wasn't listening to me at allllll. So, all we did was trot until he listened and then i let him canter (while we were lunging) we didn't ride much because he was extremely grumpy, and hungry. But here's a video of one of our barrel runs incase you missed it on facebook! :)

A little frustration

Well today was one day where I was hoping we could ride a little longer than usual, but tonight I didn't even hop on him. Copper has these days (well all horses do, just like people) where he doesn't want to do anything.. Which is a total frustration for me. The only thing he actually did today is put the bit in without any fight at all(which is awesome!), and lunge to the left. For some reason he thinks he doesn't have to go to the right at all, and acts like he's going to rear up at me, and constantly pin his ears back towards me. He had MANY "time-outs" tonight, well they were more breather breaks for me than actual "time-outs" for him. haha! but anyways, I knew the more frustration that I were to throw out towards him, the less he'd want to do, even though he didn't want to do anything already. We were ALL over the field tonight, trying to lunge to the right. We went from starting in the far end, to ending up by the gate headed into the barn pasture. I got him to walk a few actual full circles, but it was a constant fight. Finally he did about 5 full circles, and I decided to end there. I'd rather end on a good note than a bad one. Afterwards when I was unsaddling him, he decided he was still going to pin his ears back at me :P 


This morning, I was on a facebook horse page, and it asked the question "What was the best horse advice you've ever been given"------ The best advice that helped me tonight, isn't exactly "horse advice" it's more of "everyday life advice" is whenever you feel frustrated, just stop what you're doing and take some deep breaths. It really does help, and even though tonight the frustration continued until the end, I took MANY deep breaths in order to make sure my frustration wasn't rubbing off on to Copper.. 

--Anyways, Just a little write up from today. I know it isn't much, but just felt like I needed to write something :) Thanks for listening, everyone! :) And here's a video from him taking the bit tonight! 

CIS. 

Lessons!

So today I had my first lesson with Kym! I'm super excited to learn more, and know how to really ride :) Today helped me to not be so self conscious about what people think about when I ride, and how they judge me. It helped to have someone who knows what they're doing to be watching me, and showing me how to ride right. :) Can't wait to continue doing lessons and work hard to make myself a decent rider :) 
Thank you Kym for your help today :) 

Also, today Copper and I had a somewhat of a photo shoot ;) He was quite the buttface this morning though, so hopefully we will have another one in the future and he wont be such a punk! thank you Kristin! :D