Full Body Bath for Rupert - July 23rd

After a 45 minute work out in the main arena I untacked Rupert. He has been ground tying so far. Standing calmly and still at the hitching rail as he enjoys being brushed. Over the past 2 weeks I have been able to hose down his chest and shoulder. I start out by turning on the hose and shooting it out in front of me while I lead him. I water the lawn a bit, spraying on each side of him and then spray his chest for 3 seconds and remove the spray to the ground to the side of him. This has been working well. Today I did similar but then sprayed his back and kept it on for 15 sec. He was antsy circling away but I kept the water on. He stood after some big disengaging type steps with the hind end. Got the HQ sprayed and went to the right side. He was surprisingly better. He tends to not like me on this right side.

I think of how his life has been changed these last few weeks. And what progress he has made. He will be ready to ride very soon.

First Week of July - Ruperts Log

Great strides this week! Every day 1-2 new things are introduced. Really scary this week was the whip whizzing thought the air over his head. Also me climbing on the RP top panel resulted in lots of snorting and spooking. But by day 2 of these new things he was calm.
He has been working on the sending exercise on line,backing, turn on the forehand, turn on haunches. Whip in figure eight while standing facing him and on each side. Leading, following the running water hose. Usually after 2 days off I put him off line in the Round pen initially and work on turning and some cantering.
On the 4th of July with fireworks popping in the back ground he worked well. Attentive and not afraid. I was able to Jump up and down holding onto his withers and back and really get some height with my torso bumping into him.
Yeah! And the big one - Rupert had his chest and neck hosed down with water while he was slurping the hose. Thanks Clinton Anderson.
We might not be putting the saddle on in a few days like Clinton but I am really happy with the month of work under our belt. I am thinking of laying on him this week but he is so tall I don't know if I can jump up. I need a leg up.
Sorry for the lack of photo's but it is a little challenging to work him with a camera in hand :)

Scared to death of that water hose - amazing result

Rupert is scared to death of the water hose. I have tried to sponge bathe his neck and front legs over the years but it has not worked. For sure I can not get a hose near him.

I saw the video of Clinton Anderson about introducing a scary object. You put your plastic bag on the end of the handy stick and walk straight forward with the stick pointing in front of you, leading the horse behind you. The scary object isn't scary when it is going away from the horse. So I did this with the hose, turned it on and walked forward with it in a big circle. Within just minutes he was trying to touch the water with his nose. He didn't mind the hose dragging along behind him. It was so simple and totally amazing.