Veronica and the Tarp

One of our volunteer riders, Candi, had this to say about working with Veronica:

“The barn is on fire! Let’s go!” It really isn’t on fire but, that was my mantra with Veronica for the last several months as we worked through some recurring haltering issues while she was turned out in her paddock. Even though she has spent well over a year of being haltered every once in a while she gets a bee in her bonnet and decides to run away and play catch me if you can. Rather than walking up to her slowly to gain her trust and hope she won’t take off, the approach of the barn is on fire sister we have to go was taken. I have spent countless hours of changing eyes, catch and release and haltering her in the as quickly as possible. It is paying off! She is no longer running off in the paddock from the volunteers and she is beginning to come to us to be haltered.

Veronica has also been introduced to the big and scary blue tarp. The tarp is used to help grow the horse’s confidence and remain calm and self-assured for an eventual rider. At first it was on the ground so she could walk across it like an object on a trail. Then I switched to moving it around beside her while waving it in the air and making a lot of noise. Eventually I had the tarp on her and moving it all around her body. She is now wearing the tarp while working on her hindquarters and moving up to the fence. I will continue to work with her on this as she still needs to build a great deal of confidence to work out the wiggles.

She is also making great strides in her hindquarters and becoming very soft in her feel. We will begin to work more on the front quarters as well. Even though she was saddled in the November clinic we are taking our time with her. We want to be sure she is ready for a rider and does not panic. She needs to be able to look to that person and feel that support.

Veronica is a sweet, sensitive and inquisitive mare. She has come a long way in the last several months, but she definitely needs a lot of continued horsemanship to prepare her for her future. Time is on her side.

Check out Veronica in action below!