Helping Training Babe, Jessica's Mare

Student Testimony: From Jessica, starting her mare, with a private lessons at Sherry’s
When we were at Sherry's in the spring and they were doing the colt starting all of the horses had this calm, quiet trusting look in there eye, it was almost beyond words. I've never seen it before quite like that in young horses or even very often in horses that are being ridden consistently. It's the look you see when a horse and rider have a deep partnership. It's when people take notice of a special bond and comment "They are a great match". That's what I saw in those colts. The trust in their eyes showed through and that really stuck with me... I wanted that for Babe and I but up to this point I had only seen glimpses. It struck me right before we went in for the night that Babe was finally wearing that look. It warms me to see that expression in her eyes and its taken lots of time, sacrifice and the help of a great teacher to get us to the beginning of that relationship.

I still stand in amazement at what we actually accomplished yesterday. I can hardly express the emotion as it's still spinning around in my head. All I can really tell you is I've had this big stupid grin on my face all day! The reason is, with Sherry's guidance, I was able to RIDE Babe, my free 9 year old Morgan brood mare.

I truly had my doubts if we (I) would ever be able to get her riding. Sherry didn't have any doubts but I sure did. We've got even more work ahead of us now but it's been proven to me and Babe that will the right prep work and time we will be riding confidently some day and that day isn't an infinite amount of "some day's", it's the near future.

Sherry and I talked about pivotal moments in a horse's life with humans and how those times can happen as chance or you can create them. We created a huge wonderful one for her at that moment. Babe's expression, acceptance and willingness in that last half hour of play proved to me without a doubt that with consistent handling and good horsemanship that it will be a one of those moments in her life. I hope that it will always stand out as a before and after point. Do I think that everything will be easier now or that nothing bad will ever happen because she was calm/willing and accepting at that moment… of course not but what a great way to start her saddle horse career.

After a lot of soul searching Jessica decided she just didn't have the time and support to work with Babe on a consistent basis. So Erica (my apprentice) and I started Jessica’s Morgan Mare Babe this past Sept. We had her for 30 days, rode her for about 60 hours in 20 different rides plus ground work each day.

This is what Jessica said when she came to ride her horse after we had Babe for three weeks.

What a day!! What a ride!! Sherry said I was going to be blown away and that was an understatement. This is what I wrote to her about the ride: I just can't get over how good that was. I am so excited about it all. You were so right when you said it was so easy it was almost a let down. There was no let down about it but I think I got myself so wound up about it and all that was really required was just to ride my horse and trust her. It was so good, she feels so soft and solid. I felt our relationship was still quite solid despite not seeing her for a few weeks.
I was a little wound up because of the unknown when we started but she felt so good and solid under me that once I stopped thinking about it and just rode her like a broke horse all of the tension melted away.

We did a few minutes of ground work and I mounted up. She stood stock still, flexed very soft to both sides and then off we went. In the pen we did some walking, changing directions, and backing. She tucks her nose so sweetly and backs so softly it's fantastic. Then it was time to do some trotting. After I got over my butterflies we started moving together nice and she has this lovely springy little trot. Then it was time to canter... gulp! The first time wasn't so pretty because I had a hard time letting go of my tension to relax enough for her. The second time was a little better. Sherry assured me it would improve when we got on the trail.

And we were off... out into the wild blue :) Babe walked out great, relaxed and really enjoyed herself out on the trail. She seems to really excel out in the open. Any amount of tension she was holding was all blown out and we had a GREAT trail ride. We did lots of walking, trotting, transitions, turns around trees, up and down blow-outs (burms), squeeze in between cedar trees, crossed water!! It was very eventful. We did a few canter transitions and they were much better out on the trail. I was able to relax and encourage her and she never got worried she just held a canter as long (a few strides to several) as she could then slipped quietly back into a trot. I didn't ever have to completely one-rein stop her. We did circle into the down transition but it was all very soft and controlled.

We rode about 2 1/2 hours and she felt so solid the whole time. She has nice impulsion but it’s pretty balanced in her downward transitions also. She doesn't really have any "drunkeness" to her any more. I was very happy with her straightness. OH... and her HQ disengagement is wonderful. Sherry is going to start working more on FQ, sidepass and etc. next week.

I am thrilled with the progress and basically she was ready to go home. They have already far exceeded my goals for her training time. I will ride her next Saturday at camp and then she'll come home with me. I can't wait!!

Well Jessica rode Babe the next Saturday on another long trail ride, and did a wonderful demonstration to music for us. I am trying to get the video downloaded to youtube.