First training

Sorry I have not made any updates for a while.  But, several things have happened.  Friday a week ago was a beautiful day and silly me, I thought the weather was going to stay nice a while.  I decided Tadg needed a real good brushing.  I wanted to see how he reacted to being tied and to work all over his body.  I was really surprised at one thing.  When I brushed the left side of his face, he winked his eye every time I brushed around his eye which was to be expected.  What surprised me was that when I brushed his face on the right side, the eye socket flinched as well.  Obviously he couldn't see, but he was still flinching like the opening and closing of his eye.
On Saturday I took him out to play the 7 Parelli games with him.  I was totally amazed at how well he handled all the games with me.  I had to make a few changes such as taping his shoulder on the right when I wanted him to side pass to the left.  Tadg did not seem to mind at all and caught on very quickly to these minor changes.  He even did the circle game in both directions at a walk.  I did not try the trot.  But I was real happy with his responses.  I know he knows the games real well and felt comfortable with the games.
This leads up to Wednesday.  Hannah Buflod came over to work the ponies, so I decided I would have her work with Tadg.  At first all went well.  Hannah played the friendly game and Tadg showed no aversion to the rope being flung around him on both sides.  He also did the circle game at a walk without too much reisitance.  However, when Tadg was asked to trot to the left, all was well, but he could not go to the right.  He wanted to look at Hannah, like he is supposed to do, but he couldn't.  Tadg did a lot of rearing and pawing, but eventually could go half way around.  We took that as a great step since it took an hour to get that.  Tadg will get it I know.  It will just take time.  Hope the weather changes and we can get back to the basics again.  Happy Trails, Marcia

To anyone following my blog, sorry I have not up dated for a while.  I broke my big toe on my right foot and finding it difficult to get everything finished before I was too tired.  Tadg is really doing great.  He is very cautious and does not make Fog and McDuff wait for him to go in the barn first.  He is also very affectionate now.  He nuzzles me when I go in the morning and waits to be petted before going into his stall.  I am anxious to work with him, but I am waiting for the weather to change and there are to be several days in a row of decent weather.

In the meantime Hannah and Houston Buflod are giving me a hand with the others.  They are excellent with horses and young enough they do not mind working in cold weather.  Hannah has been riding Ciaran and Fog.  They both need time with a saddle.  She is such a calm rider.  I love to see her work.  Houston is working with McDuff and Ciaran.  I cannot believe Houston got a saddle on McDuff and rode him in less than an hour.  Like his sister, Houston has a way with the horses.  He looked so relaxed working with McDuff.  Houston has the challenge of getting Ciaran to trailer.  For those that don't know Ciaran's history, he had 2 major trailering accidents and is not real crazy about getting in one again.  If anyone can get Ciaran to trailer, it is Houston.

Tadg is coming along better than I dreamed.  He never gets upset and turns away from me anymore.  I feel many days that I have back my buddy again.  He does not shy much anymore.  If something scares him on the right side, he will stop and turn his head and look with his good eye.  I am sure that is a good indication of his adjusting.  Dr. McFadden of the Lebanon Equine Clinic did an great job and I will be grateful forever for saving Tadg.

I hope to get back more often and hope the weather changes.  Till then happy trails till we meet again.  Marcia

Haven't had much of a chance to update Tadg's re-education lately, but a few things have happened.  I first moved Tadg into a lot with a young mare, 6 month old filly, 14 year old mini and a llama.  He actually spent his time out there standing by the fence that separated him from the lot I normally put him.  So, I decided to put him in that lot the next time.  I switched out a 2 year old gelding, McDuff and put Tadg in with his buddy Ciaran.  He is happier in there and actually played king of the mountain with Ciaran.  There is a huge pile of dirt in that lot and the ponies like to take turns standing on the top.  I didn't see Tadg on top, but he was standing half way.

When I let him back to his stall, for the first week Tadg would go past his stall, turn and wait for me to point into his stall.  Then he would go into his stall.  It was like I had to show him the way.  Yesterday, for the first time, Tadg just walked into his stall.  He still likes to play hard to catch, even in his stall, but I  am persistent and when I do get him to stop, I pet him a while then leave.  With the temperature getting a little warmer next week, I hope to put a lead rope on him and play the first couple of games with him.  I had hoped to get started sooner, but I must admit I do not function well with such cold weather.

I almost forgot that Tadg is much slower moving in and out of the barn.  Normally, he is in a big hurry to get out and equally eager to get back to his stall to eat.  He is careful about moving and does not spook at as many objects as he used to.  That might change once his confidence is built back.  As Parelli says, confidence comes before curiosity and curiosity comes before learning.

Our puppies are growing.  They are now a month old and eating puppy chow.  They are fun to watch and can be seen at connemaraponies.dyndns.org. and pony is the username and password.

Happy trails till we meet again.  Marcia

A new day!

Yesterday, Jan. 7, 2011, Tadg had his stitches removed!  Doc came over and liked what he saw.  All swelling was gone and it does look a very sunken.  The ridge above the eye seems to really protrude now that the eye has sunken.  Tadg was apparently a little upset over seeing Doc this time and almost ran Doc over trying to get out of the stall.  Once they had a lead rope on him, Tadg was good.  Doc sedated him a little and removed the stitches.
Later that day, I asked Doc about what Tadg can do now.  I have been very careful so far about letting him with the other horses for fear he would shake or bump his head and cause bleeding in the socket.  Doc said it would do Tadg good to get back to normal including riding him.  Yea, like I am going to try that right off the bat!  This morning I opened the door to let him out of his home for the past month and let him out into a  pasture (as if there is grass!) with Cariagh, the llama, Moss, the 6 month old, Paddy, the mini, and Nainsi, Tadg's sister.  I thought of a little toddler who runs in  place before momentum pushes him forward. Tadg sort of jumped in place several times before going through the door.  Once out, he would grab some hay and then jumped around.  He was so happy to be on the other side of the fence.
Now if the weather will cooperate, I will begin a few Parelli games with him just to see if he is listening.  A nice thing about Parelli games is that they are played on the left side and the right side.  Stayed tuned for more changes.
Happy trails till we meet again.  Marcia

As the year ends...

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  Tadg is showing a lot more energy the last couple of days.  When I was cleaning his stall he was kicking up his heels and bouncing back and forth between his double wide stall and little paddock.  Ever vigilante, Tadg noticed right away that I switched our mare Fog with our mare Nainsi.  That bothered him a good part of the day.  I am able to walk up on both sides now and pet him and get a hold of his halter.  The vision in his left eye seems fine.  The swelling has gone down quite a bit and is beginning to sink into the socket.  Tadg allows me to rub his face all over except for the immediate area around the socket.

I have a lot of questions for Dr. McFadden.  I am still cautious about doing much with him for fear of causing further injury.  I am looking forward to the day I can at least take him for a walk around the farm.

I was to have lunch with several horse woman today.  I always look forward to our lunch.  However, things happen and I had to go back home.  If any read this, I want you to know how much I missed going to lunch and hope you all had a great time.

If anyone is interested in seeing our border collie puppies go to connemaraponies.dyndns.org (no www.)

I am also attaching a couple of pictures of Tadg's head.  Have a great New Year and Happy trails will we meet again.  Marcia

Sorry I have not been around for a few days.  Despite a flu shot, I got the flu.  Monday morning I did a little Friendly Game with Tadg and found he was comfortable with my hands flapping around his face and rubbing his ears, nostrils, and face.  He was very calm and quiet.  There is clearly less swelling and the area is beginning to sink.  Despite his calmness when I was with him, earlier today I scared him when I started cleaning the stall next to his.  Tadg bolted out of his stall area and into the paddock.  It is instances like this that remind me he is still not comfortable with having lost his eye and it will take a while to eliminate his fears.

Everyone have a wonderful Christmas!!
Happy trails till we meet again.  Marcia

Two weeks have passed

First off, it is sad when you go outside and the temperature is 21 and you think it is nice!  That was how I felt one day last week when it was only 3 degrees in the am, but with the sun shining and 21, it felt real spring like!

Christmas break begins today.  I hope to have time working with the other horses.  Little Moss needs to learn to be lead in and out of the barn.  Fog, McDuff and Nainsi will get started in ground work for the winter.  Fog is under saddle and a real sweetie.  McDuff, my Irish red head, is only two, but also very calm and gentle.  Of course, Nainsi is an old hand and just needs more finesse,

Playing with the above with Parelli Natural Horsemanship is a refresher and practice for me, so when I can begin working with Tadg, I will be comfortable with the games.  The swelling is going down a great deal.  Today I spent time petting him on the right side.  It took a few tries, but finally he started eating and let me pet him.  Up till now, I would go to the left side first and then to the right, but I felt I needed to address his right side first.  Everyday Tadg has been calmer.  He does not flinch when I go in with my wheelbarrow to clean his stall.  I can even clean around his feet.  I do not know when the stitches will be removed and how long I will have to wait after that to work with him.  However, I really feel I work with him everyday by simply being around him and touching him.  This is the Friendly Game for him at this time.  Hopefully I will be able to play the entire Friendly Game with him soon.

For those that do not speak "Parelli"  the friendly Game is a game to see where the horse is in relationship to his environment.  At this time, it is probably the most important game for him.  Can you touch your horse every place, do movements such as a lead rope swinging around and over his body freak him out are questions to be answered with the Friendly Game. Speaking of Parelli, as a teacher I felt he made a comment on a video I thought said a lot.  He said one must have confidence to become curious and one must have curiosity to learn.  I really like that.  It works for kids and horses.

Happy trails till we meet again.