DONNY!
11 year old Grey Thoroughbred, owned By Karen & Chelsey Bakof
Donny will be staying with me for extra education and for some of my spoiling.
I will be updating this space as the days go by for Karen & Chelsey as well as fellow You&Me Horsemanship fans.
Arrived last night(31st of May, 2012) and went straight out into his paddock with dinner, around 6pm.
DAY 1
Donny is here!
Enjoying the awesome sun we had today, even though it was only 16 degrees!
Already settled in well and met my lovely Niabi.
I will be updating this space as the days go by for Karen & Chelsey as well as fellow You&Me Horsemanship fans.
Arrived last night(31st of May, 2012) and went straight out into his paddock with dinner, around 6pm.
DAY 1
Donny is here!
Enjoying the awesome sun we had today, even though it was only 16 degrees!
Already settled in well and met my lovely Niabi.
4/6/2012
Been freezing today! I think winter is telling us all that it's here. Donny today had a half hour massage and a light "long and low" cavaletti lesson to stretch his back and improve hock action. As well as a quiet tie up lesson with Niabi!
Been freezing today! I think winter is telling us all that it's here. Donny today had a half hour massage and a light "long and low" cavaletti lesson to stretch his back and improve hock action. As well as a quiet tie up lesson with Niabi!
6/6/2012
Well the pass two days have been raining, til the point that some paddocks have flooded! Yesterday(5th June) I arrived to Niabi & Donny's paddocks to find Donny's half under water. Niabi was dry, so I Donny ended up staying the night in with Niabi and will stay there til his paddock is less flooded --- Photo's below. Niabi is a good companion and great teacher herself, so no doubt Donny will have fun with Niabi.
Other than the flooding Donny has been going extremely well. I am hopeful Donny will put more weight and muscle on with his balanced diet and right exercise.
He is currently being fed by me with the following diet;
600g Lucerne chaff
1kg Perry's Fat n' Up
200g Copra Cool
100ml Rice bran oil
70g Equilibrium (Yellow bag mix)
HAY:
2 kg Prime Lucerne hay
Round bale of Oaten Hay
He's training consist plenty of ground work. Removing off pressure, cavaletti poles, standing patiently while tied as Donny has issues involving tying, engaging hind end through trot and canter.
Well the pass two days have been raining, til the point that some paddocks have flooded! Yesterday(5th June) I arrived to Niabi & Donny's paddocks to find Donny's half under water. Niabi was dry, so I Donny ended up staying the night in with Niabi and will stay there til his paddock is less flooded --- Photo's below. Niabi is a good companion and great teacher herself, so no doubt Donny will have fun with Niabi.
Other than the flooding Donny has been going extremely well. I am hopeful Donny will put more weight and muscle on with his balanced diet and right exercise.
He is currently being fed by me with the following diet;
600g Lucerne chaff
1kg Perry's Fat n' Up
200g Copra Cool
100ml Rice bran oil
70g Equilibrium (Yellow bag mix)
HAY:
2 kg Prime Lucerne hay
Round bale of Oaten Hay
He's training consist plenty of ground work. Removing off pressure, cavaletti poles, standing patiently while tied as Donny has issues involving tying, engaging hind end through trot and canter.
13/6/2012
Donny's 4th Ride with Shannon
So far I am extremely happy with how Donny is coming along, on the ground and in saddle. He is putting more weight on as the days go by, and is relaxing more. Donny's issues are being stiff throughout his back, head high to fight contact, also rushing his canter transitions and ignoring legs aids. As you can see in the photo down below today there was none of that.
:)
A video to show his improvement in canter, and even lunging which he struggled with.
Unfortunately I don't have a before video of his canter, but Donny was once a horse who would "Panic" when asked to canter on the lunge and bolt forward to take you across the arena.
What a good boy!
Donny's 4th Ride with Shannon
So far I am extremely happy with how Donny is coming along, on the ground and in saddle. He is putting more weight on as the days go by, and is relaxing more. Donny's issues are being stiff throughout his back, head high to fight contact, also rushing his canter transitions and ignoring legs aids. As you can see in the photo down below today there was none of that.
:)
A video to show his improvement in canter, and even lunging which he struggled with.
Unfortunately I don't have a before video of his canter, but Donny was once a horse who would "Panic" when asked to canter on the lunge and bolt forward to take you across the arena.
What a good boy!
15/6/2012
Donny was fantastic today for his 5th ride! He is a pleasure to work with
Here are some photos
Donny was fantastic today for his 5th ride! He is a pleasure to work with
Here are some photos
19/6/2012
Today Donny was being a champion!
Routine during the ride was lots of transition, half halts and flexing to get those hips moving as I like to say :)
Today Donny was being a champion!
Routine during the ride was lots of transition, half halts and flexing to get those hips moving as I like to say :)
24/6/2012
Donny's 7th ride today, but no photos today of the ride. Sorry guys! Next time.
The weather was a mess with it raining off an on, but we pushed through for a 45min ride. There are big improvements happening on flexing and his leg aids, the most big improvement has been his back. The massages I have been doing are showing results, which I'm extremely happy about!
I have been considering doing a demo video about massages, so keep watching this space in case it shows.
We have had huge flooding the past few days again. It has peaked around 50cm and some places around the property even higher, but it very slowly receding. lets hope for better weather :)
Donny's 7th ride today, but no photos today of the ride. Sorry guys! Next time.
The weather was a mess with it raining off an on, but we pushed through for a 45min ride. There are big improvements happening on flexing and his leg aids, the most big improvement has been his back. The massages I have been doing are showing results, which I'm extremely happy about!
I have been considering doing a demo video about massages, so keep watching this space in case it shows.
We have had huge flooding the past few days again. It has peaked around 50cm and some places around the property even higher, but it very slowly receding. lets hope for better weather :)
26/6/2012
Donny has had two more rides since the last post, making it 9 rides and a abundance of groundwork daily. As Donny will be going home this week back to Chelsey and Karen he'll be ridden right up to the leaving date. An updated photo shows you all how his weight has progressed, with muscle developing through the shoulders and hind end. Topline has slowly increased as well.
Donny has had two more rides since the last post, making it 9 rides and a abundance of groundwork daily. As Donny will be going home this week back to Chelsey and Karen he'll be ridden right up to the leaving date. An updated photo shows you all how his weight has progressed, with muscle developing through the shoulders and hind end. Topline has slowly increased as well.
1st July
Donny went home today back to Chelsea and Karen. Travel perfectly, even with It pouring throughout the whole drive. I wish Chels and Karen the very best, they certainly have a very special Horse. Donny was a joy to have and he is welcomed back anytime with me :D
Niabi will miss his friendship!
Here is a photo of the two on Donny's last morning with me.
Donny went home today back to Chelsea and Karen. Travel perfectly, even with It pouring throughout the whole drive. I wish Chels and Karen the very best, they certainly have a very special Horse. Donny was a joy to have and he is welcomed back anytime with me :D
Niabi will miss his friendship!
Here is a photo of the two on Donny's last morning with me.