Gidget heads off for more training - April 9

I have found a new trainer. Her name is Shannon Manor of Serendipity Horse Training out of Leduc. I found her online and went to visit her in early April. She seems very keen and wanting to learn and do different things with horses. She has experience and a bunch of horses in that seem to be going good. My only concern was that she didn't seem very organized. Not sure how many trainers would show up to show you what they can do but forget their boots. LOL Anyways, she brought in a couple horses and worked with them both and I was impressed. We also have the same ideals when it comes to training...so decided to go with her for Gidget and Ding's training.

Gidget was the first to head to Shannon's and this is how day 1 went:

I was hoping that Gidget remembered a little of what Jason taught her last summer. Shannon and I discussed what we were going to do today and Shannon is going to work her for me when we get there so that I get a feel of what Gidget remembers, she gets a feel of Gidget, and I can see what Shannon can do with a brand new horse.

I headed out to the pasture and caught up Gidget around 9:45. Expected a little bit of trouble loading due to how she was last year going to and coming home from Jason's but NOPE...she walked right in...with just a little bit of grain to encourage the continued forward motion.

We let Gidget loose in the arena while we stood and chatted to let her settle on her own. Took her around 15 minutes before she was bored with exploring and chasing the cat. When she came back over to stand beside us and then went to sleep we figured she was settled enough to see what she remembered..

We then took her into the stall section of the attached barn and tacked her up. Shannon lunged her both ways for around 15 minutes and then got on and off they went. No issues at all. Shannon and Gidget walked all over the arena, circles, straight lines, curvy lines. Then they trotted a little bit. I told Shannon to let go a little more on the mouth - she isn't really tight but isn't really loose like we ride. And she also had a bit of a hard time with the stop. So I told her how Jason does it and Gidget responded right away.



We then tied Gidget up - which is also another thing that Gidget does like doing - and she stood like an angel...no fidgeting at all. AMAZING.

We went outside with her and walked her around the yard and then as I was leaving Shannon was taking her for a walk around the neighborhood. She is hoping to be out on the trails with her by the end of next week - maybe earlier.

While outside, I told Shannon that she needs to get some boots as I was concerned about the riding with the runners. She said she would remember them next time.