Current Training - Hugo

INTRODUCING HUGO

This has been the year for four year old geldings! Hugo is one of the three four year old geldings our family has acquired this summer. He is half Arabian, half POA and full of potential. I am super excited about him as our "Next Level" pony. He was an amazing find and we believe he will be with our family for years and years. He has a lot of athletic ability, fantastic hooves (open range raised!), and a super abundance of intelligence and energy. He is pretty much the polar opposite of Ardreth in personality, while Ardreth's favorite part of training is NOT moving, Hugo loves to go and the faster the better. Because Hugo was basically a wild horse and much more reactive than most of the horses which come here, Ted has spent significant time on him but at this point he is receiving a lot of training from Beth with some help from Terrence. Terrence has been 'lucky' to have several very reactive types of horses to work with over the last two years and so has really developed a lot of experience with reactive horses!

BETH on HUGO -still working on cruise control.

I love how Hugo watches her feet and follows every step!

I am so excited about his athleticism.

LJ gets saddle time on Hugo under direct Daddy supervision only at this point.

Even though she is the one who Hugo likes the most and who we hope will be the one enjoying him for the next several years she is not given any unsupervised ride time yet.  Hugo is so quick to learn that we are being very cautious that her lesser experience doesn't end up teaching him something we don't want him to know (i.e. - That she is not as quick or as strict as Terrence, Beth or Ted!).

Current Training Projects

LJ working on following the fence on Ardreth on his sixth day under saddle.

   INTRODUCING ARDRETH
These are pictures of a four year old Welsh gelding which Beth purchased this summer. He is another great training project for her. He is smaller than the Welsh filly which she trained last winter so Beth has enlisted her little sister's help to put miles under his feet. LJ doesn't mind one bit being the one to ride him on trail rides and is even hoping to go on a 25 mile (also known as LD or limited distance) endurance ride on him before snow flies this year. Beth is continuing to train him on the ground and under saddle and has ambitions to teach him all kinds of tricks as well. The original plan to buy him, train him and sell him next spring to be somebody's dream pony did not last very long. The current plan is to teach him absolutely everything she can and be able to use him as a solid lesson pony. Currently Beth gives riding lessons on Clay and she is a wonderful lesson horse but Beth thinks having a lesson pony as well is a great idea. And even just looking at the pictures can you blame her? I wouldn't want to sell him either!

Whatever his long term career becomes, for now he is a pleasure to work with for both Beth and her little sister. He has been the horse (well, the pony anyway) to bring a bunch of new horsemanship firsts to LJ's life including the execution of her first 'First Ride'. I'm the Mom (and I know I am biased) but I have to say she did AMAZING at doing the riders job on that very first 'first ride'.

LJ and Ardreth just finishing up a picture perfect first ride with Dad.

Beth and Ardreth embark on a groundwork session.

 Ardreth prefers lessons which involve standing still and being petted.

He does move when asked......





but this is the best part according to Ardreth.

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