"Pepsi"
Training Journal - Clinton Anderson Methods

Sunday, April 4, 2010 - We brought Pepsi home on Friday April 2, 2010. Today was his first day at training. But first let me tell you how he was before we started. He is still a stud so he thinks every horse that is in sight is for him. He was pushy, he tried to bite me three times, tried to kick me twice, tried running over me a dozen times, and every time I went to touch him he over reacted and would jump, he paws constantly so lets say he was a handful, but by the end of the day he was giving me two eyes when I asked, he was allowing me to touch him, other horses could come into view and while he would still call to them, he paid attention to me and still did what I asked. The last hour he did not try to kick or bit me, not even a little. He was flexing both directions and will not stand still while I touch and pat him all over. We still have a long way to go, but I would say today was a remarkable improvement. He would even change directions both ways. We even got him to the point I was able to give him his first bath EVER! He did really well, he was tired but we ended the day on a good note.

Things he needs more work on from today's session: Giving me two eyes and holding the look. While I can get him to give me two eyes, he breaks the look and starts searching for other horses. Better and faster direction change when lunging. Yielding this we have not really gotten down yet.

These are photos of him after our first session and his first bath. His feet are long, but he is headed to the Ferrier this week:

Monday, April 5, 2010 - Ok all I have to say is WOW, Who stole my monster horse and left this sweet little guy? LOL. Today was GREAT! I went to get him in the pen, he did not run away, did not try to kick me, did not try to paw or bite me. I just walked up to him, he stood still and slipped the halter on and we walked out of the pen. And in walking over to the area I work him, he did not crowed me, did not try to run ahead, did not call to the other horses. It was great. When we started working he did fantastic. He gave me two eyes and kept them on me, every move I made he was watching me, forget about the other horses they where the farthest thing from his mind today. He did try to nip me one time halfway through but I popped him in the nose and that was that, he did not try again at all. Not once did he try to kick me or paw or run over me. He stayed out of my space and when I moved towards him he backed up. He flexed beautifully, even yielded his hip when I walked towards it. he stood still when I asked him to and was pretty quite about it all. I introduced the scary plastic bag on the end of the stick. I did not touch him with it, but he did let me flap it around him. He freaked out a little the first couple of times, but in the end he did really well.

Evening - I decided to work with him again today on trailer loading since I have to take him to the Ferrier Wednesday and need him to load and unload easily. It went very well. After 30minutes, he now loads by himself, just point him in and stand by the trailer, and unloads pretty well, he still could work on the backing out part a little. While he comes out its a little sloppy. But after a couple more loading sessions he should be coming out gracefully.

Things he needs more work on from today's session: More work with the plastic bag, need to get him where I can touch him with it and he not freak out. Backing was good, but he needs to be faster about it. His direction change when longing, while better, still needs to be quicker response and more action in his feet. Need to work on loping and not just trotting. The send through needs to be worked on, and trailer loading is the next hurdle. We have to get this done to get him to the Ferrier and the Vet. He goes to the Ferrier on Wednesday so we will see what's up with that right hind pastern. It kind of pops forward a little and today I did notice him favor it a little bit. You can kind of see it in the photos above.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010 - Another great day. Everyday he amazes me at how smart and willing to learn he is. He is the type of horse that really wants and tries to please you. We worked some more on trailer loading and got that down to a T. He does fantastic at it now. Goes in alone, and backs out nice and slow and shall I say Gracefully :). Could not be happier with that. We also did some more work with the plastic bag at the end of the stick, I still did not touch him with it because I don't want to push it to far. But I did get it close and touched the air space around his body, head and legs. He did really well with that. He has improved on direction change when lunging and now he yields great. Gives me two eyes every time I ask and keeps them on me. I also put leg boots on him today to protect his legs, he was a little fidgety at first but then stood still while I got them on. And taking them off he did great with, just let me do it with out moving around. Also had another grooming session and he did very good this time. Stood still and let me brush all over his body including his legs and face. He is acting like a gelding more than a stud now. If someone did not know he was a stud, today they would have guessed a gelding.

Things he needs more work on from today's session: Introduced the back today with the shake of the lead rope but only got a few steps, need to improve on that. He seems a little lazy and I have a hard time getting him to lope when I ask him to. But this could be due to that back leg bothering him. Will find out about that leg tomorrow. I don't want to push him to much until I know more about his leg. Still want to get him to where I can touch him with the plastic bag. And want him to get better about having his feet handled like when I put the boots on and brush his feet.

Thursday, April 8, 2010 - Well I have done messed with him any today had some things I had to do so did not really get a chance. But he did got to the Ferrier yesterday and he was a pill. He saw a few other horses there and he got all excited and would not pay much attention. The Ferrier got on to him pretty good and then he started to listen and they got his feet done. But our Ferrier thinks he has Ringbone in that back leg. :( he may be sound for a few years to ride, but eventually he will be lame. When the vet comes out she will look at his leg and tell if she thinks its ringbone and tell me what treatments we can do and the options we have.

Sunday, April 11, 2010 - Just been letting him be a horse for a little while. But today we did put up the other horses and let him out in the big pen so he could stretch his legs, and we got some pretty pictures too: