A lesson with Billy

[Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

I have to pass this on to Ridecamp...partly because some of you know me, know
Aarene (pronounce Air-in, who lurks on ridecamp...say "hi" Aarene ;-)), or
know
Billy...at least know *of* him.  I brought Billy up from California this past
summer.  He's a beautiful 15h CMK Arab gelding with great conformation and
wonderful gaits...loads of potential (not to mention LOADS of energy) who is
going thru some Basic Training here.  Aarene is currently his mentor since my
time's a bit limited and she's eagerly working with this talented, very
sensitive, extremely intelligent, and very VERY green horse.  One of the
things
that I have asked is that, if I'm not able to be at the work sessions, she
send
me a note on how he did during his lesson.  We're spending a lot of time on
the
basics -- he had a couple of months off when he first got here to acclimate,
due to our schedules, before we could actually start with him with any
regularity...so he's just now getting some real good training time in.
This is
tonight's Progress Report! ;-)  Those of you who have trained green,
energetic,
young horses will appreciate this edition!!  

I might add that Aarene, besides being a boarder here, riding student, and my
trail riding buddy, is a storyteller and librarian by profession...so any
progress report is not your usual progress report. <g>  You'll see a fair
amount of her at the PNW rides this year...and if you find her, you might be
able to talk her into a story around the campfire!

Sue

Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 22:02:54 -0800
To: sbrown@wamedes.com
From: Aarene Storms <aarenex@earthlink.net>
Subject: Progress report:  your genius horse
:
:

Tonight we walked WALKED I said WALK.  

Oh, okay I'm walking, still walking, yup it's me walking walking can I have a
carrot now I'm walking so much. 

And also Whoa and STAND. 

Right ,that's me standing and not turning my butt and NOT switching directions
which is much more interesting than standing.  Which is what I'm doing. 
Standing. 

And then a little bit of TROT. 

Trot!  I am good at trotting trotting watch me trotting trotting I can trot
everywhere I'm such a good trotting boy.  And I CAN switch directions but only
when she says to do it, I understand that now. 

And then under saddle. 

The monsters are SO MUCH BIGGER when she's Up There!  Especially:
EEEEEEEEeeeeeek!!!   The Blue Step Stool Monster!  It's coming to get me! 
Don't worry, I'll run! 
OH I GUESS I WON'T RUN, I GUESS I'LL JUST STAND HERE 
LIKE A gooooooooooooood BOY WHICH IS WHAT I AM.  
Gooood Boy.  I like that.  
Carrot now, please? 

Walking and turning and walking and standing and going back towards the steps
and then walking past it without coming unpeeled. 

Walk and walk and walk gooooooooood boy.  That thing is scary but I'm walking
and I'm a goooood boy. 

And standing still for mounting and dismounting. 

I think she Likes Me. 








????????????????????????????????????????????????? 
How many librarians does it take to change a lightbulb?  
>>>I don't know, but I can look it up.<<< 
????????????????????????????????????????????????? 
Aarene Storms 
East of the Sun, West of the Moon 
aarenex@earthlink.net 


"If all you can do is what you've always 
done, then all you can be is what you are right now."
                              author unknown

sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.