Desensitizing session with a small platform to imitate the trailer/ramp floor

Copied from Facebook, will hopefully revise later

I just went out and put together a little platform with plywood over it, and not 100% solid so it made some noise when walked on. Covered it with my poor man's rubber mats, set up some cones and played "let's load on the pretend trailer!". I started with Charlie to warm up because he's a pro, but he was kind of stupid about it. He did what I'd expect Susie to do - sidestep it.So moving on to Susie, my hopes are not high. I'm running out of energy from all the pills I'm on after wisdom teeth surgery. She's tired from the heat and annoyed by the flies and I haven't really touched her since my surgery so I was just like, k, let's see what happens.

Uuuhh, she walked right on? Wtf? I've done desensitizing sessions but I've never done a platform or anything to step up on. She didn't even blink.. And if she didn't come on enough or overshot a bit, I was able to ask her to come forward or back a bit to where I wanted her to be. The platform wasn't the most solid thing either, but she perfect anyway.. Really this horse confuses me. When I think she's going to suck at something, she blows me away. When I'm sure she's going to do something (i.e. trailer load) she's defiant. Maybe I just need to never believe in her, lol.

I'm possibly the worst (best?) procrastinator known to man.

No, I didn't forget about this. Yes, I WAS too lazy to update it.

But these next few weeks are pretty big for Susie and I - in a few days she'll be going back to the stables where she went for training - but this time it's so I can practice in a nice indoor or outdoor arena without worrying about footing and (if all goes well) do our first SHOW on October 4th!

Though she's not been worked consistently lately, she is a smart horse and that's why I'm taking her over there a week and a half before the show. I'm pretty sure we can get our shit together in that time! At the very least, we should be able to do the walk/trot test.. If not, hey, what the hell, we got some good solid training hours in.

So, assuming I'm not as lazy this week as I have been over the past 8 months, this SHOULD be getting updated as new info comes in. Training updates before the show, reports on how well or how badly trailering went (I don't own my own trailer and so am unable to regularly practice load her - this makes trailer loading a big question mark), and daily training updates once she's over there.. Plus show results!

I couldn't care less if I place, or even if I end up showing or not.. It's just a local thing anyway, and showing is not my "big goal". I just want to have fun and be proud of my little mutt horse!

I should have done this a long time ago..

But now I finally have a blog. I don't expect anyone to read it, and in fact the main reason I want it is so that I can look back in a few years and remember.. But if you find the adventures of a horse girl and her two green horses interesting, have fun reading!

First of all, I'm 21 years old and have been around horses on and off since I was 11. It was always my dream to own a horse and in 2006, I got off my ass and did it. More on that story later.

Introducing Susie, a coming 4 year old 14.3hh standardbred/percheron/appaloosa filly.

And the newest addition, who arrived just yesterday: Charlie, AKA "Keltic Cruiser" (not sure of the spelling there), a purebred off the track 6 year old 16hh standardbred. Not the best of pictures, but cut me some slack, I've only had him for one day ;)

More on their histories and training in a bit..