Gabby has been doing super and I've been in contact with my mentors at CANTER and we agree Gabby is ready to take the next step in her life and find a forever home!  She is walking, trotting, and cantering well under saddle and jumping small fences out of a balanced canter, and learning how to use her back and topline to round over her fences.  She is still very green and will require a rider who can continue her education, but she has all the right stuff to make a fabulous partner for the right person!  Gabby just turned 5 at the first of the year, but her actual foal date is April 26, 2007.  She stands just under 16 hands.  She is polite and sweet in her stall and in the cross ties. She has fit into our mare pasture well and while she started on the very bottom of the pecking order, she has established good friendships with a few mares in the middle of the pack without any fights, cuts, or bruises.  She is lunged before rides, I use vienna reins rather than side reins to encourage her to stretch and strengthen her top line. She stands at the mounting block like a pro.  She trailers and ties.  She can be fractious when its turn out time and will require someone who can lead a young horse. She is not mean or dangerous, she's young and thinks it's cool to go out with the big girls and play.  She is tidy in her stall, but will play with her hay, nap in her hay, etc, so we put it in a small hole hay net and she thinks that is grand. 
Gabby has some tension under saddle and is new to contact. She is learning about half halts, and balance. She can be quick in her gaits, and needs someone to continue her education as she learns more and more about contact.  She is not reactive under saddle to things that would spook normal horses, she's one of the most level headed babies I've ridden. 
She is brave and I think she will make a very nice eventer, but I might be biased!
Her pedigree: http://www.pedigreequery.com/big+talk2
Her race record: http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbHorseInfo.cfm?refno=8056856&registry=T
She is priced at $3500

Conformation

Learning to jump with a soft, round top line.

Gabby is still very green, and we use a placing pole to help her find the right arc over her fences.  The placing pole helps her get to the right take off point in balance, and give her the confidence to use her whole body.  Her knees will come up as the jumps come up and get wider, as indicated by the free jumping shot below, but she's not ready to jump that big under saddle yet.

Gabby has a lot of scope and will soon be jumping like this under saddle.

Gabby is doing really well, she is cantering under saddle with confidence and balance and cantering small fences. She is sensitive to half halts and she's showing great natural rhythm and aptitude for jumping.

Gabby has been happily jumping small jumps for a while now, but I wanted to get an idea of how she would do over larger fences, and since she's not ready to do that under saddle yet, I built a jump chute for her the other day. She was a little heistant to try at first, but then she really got the hang of it and had so much fun she even came through twice more as I was tearing the chute down! 
She is a natural at finding a distance and was super tidy with her knees and her hind end. Overall, very impressive!

  About a month ago I started to suspect that Gabby's teeth were bothering her and worried that I was going to run into trouble if I tried to progress her training.  I conferred with Allie and Jess about who to use and started trying to schedule a meeting with a recommended dentist.  It was easier said than done though because I'm so far south in Maryland I was not in an area that any of the dentists regularly traveled.  Success came when I was able to schedule a meeting with Van of Van Equine at Mogie Bearden Muller's farm in Centreville.  Phinn was scheduled for a lesson and Gabby tagged along in order to meet Van. I sweetened the deal for Van by adding an appointment for Phinn as well.

Meanwhile while I waited for our appointment I stopped lunging Gabby in side reins and didn't try to progress any introduction to contact past the point it appeared to bother her.  So as I talked about in my previous post, I added jumping to our program to give her productive things to do while we waited to see Van.

Our appointments with Van were outstanding and I highly recommend him. Gabby did in fact have some pretty incredible sharp points in her mouth and I was very glad to know they were gone.

The next time I rode her I noticed a big difference and thought I was in the clear to start introducing contact.  As a matter of fact I naively thought that we were well on our way and that it would only be a few short weeks to solidify her training to the point we would be able start to market her for a new home.  Gabby, unfortunately, was surprisingly uncomfortable with the idea and so I conferred again with Allie and Jess, sending them a video to review. Under their advice I changed her bit to a happy mouth and started lunging her in vienna reins to help her understand the idea without the added confusion of a rider.

Our following rides started to show improvement, though she still exhibited signs that she was nervous and uncomfortable with contact, especially at the canter. So I decided to dismiss the canter until we have the trot solidified.

We were fortunate enough to have Mogie come to our barn yesterday for a group of lessons and I asked Mogie to give me a hand with working Gabby through her tension.  Mogie was great and suggested some small tweaks to how I was riding and how to handle moments of confusion so that Gabby came through the other side understanding what I was asking.

Overall I was a little befuddled about Gabby's reaction to this step of her training, I've actually never encountered it with any of the OTTB's I've worked with, but the good news is that with good mentors and trainers, I feel like we're headed in the right direction.  The amount of improvement she's shown in the last two weeks alone is impressive. 

 Gabby is learning to jump! 

I started her over trot poles and then progressed to jumping in a grid. She started out trotting the jumps, then cantering the jumps with her front feet but trotting with her hind feet, and then figured out how to put it all together to jump, and I was pretty excited because she has a very nice jump!

This week I added trotting and then cantering small cross rails with 'fill' underneath them, flowers, small barrels, hay bales, etc.  She isn't spooky about anything about a jump, but she had to figure out  HOW to jump, starting out she was still trying to figure out where her feet were as she approached the jump.  I love that she was dedicated to trying to figure it out and she picked it up very quickly, in two sessions she was cantering fences with related distances on a soft loopy rein. 

Overall her work under saddle has been progressing in leaps and bounds. She's a lunging pro now and I still lunge her before each ride, but all the confusion related to lunging is gone, and she confidently lunges both right and left.  She is learning to bend and soften to the inside rein and move off the inside leg.  I switched her from a 3 piece loose ring to a french link D and she seems to like that better.  Her canter has been a work in progress and her weak link so far.  I feel like she felt like any canter was actually the start of a gallop work out, so I've been working on teaching her how to soften and use her body to balance rather than brace and she's getting better about letting me help her soften, slow, and relax. Her canter is progressing from rushed, tense, and worried to slow, balanced, soft and I'm super proud of her!

We've continued with hacking out - I've taken her out on hacks with two quiet gelding friends and she's been great, she loves marching out in front of them, the only thing she's ever spooked at is a pile of hay bales next to a recently baled pasture!  Farm equipment, trees, puddles, dogs, nothing else has phased her and overall she is quiet, brave, and business-like while hacking out.

 I should have new photos and video soon!

The last two weeks with Gabby have been an exercise in problem solving.  In any training program, you will find that you have holes that need to be addressed before moving forward, and those holes usually show up when you add a stressor or new element.  It's not a bad thing, every training program has successive steps of added stress to test the depth and accuracy of training.  Added stressors are a very quick way to test how well your training…. stuck.

In Gabby's case, it's been an issue of moving right rather than forward.   I found out last week that her training on the lunge line wasn't up to snuff.  See, Gabby's recently been turned out at night in the mare pasture and she's been pretty busy trying to sort out her place in her new group of friends.  She hasn't come in with any marks on her so things aren't getting too rowdy out there, but she's pretty focused on that.  Add to that additional expectations from me, and well, Gabby found lunging the perfect opportunity to try to test out our relationship and assert herself. 

On the lunge she started refusing to lunge to the right, which was a new and an interesting problem to solve. It's not easy to solve it on the lunge line either, so we went back into the round pen.  Back in the round pen, Gabby made it pretty clear that I wasn't cool anymore, she had new friends and she didn't need to join up with me….so what started as a lunging problem really revealed the fact that I needed to reestablish my relationship with her as boss mare, for lack of a better term.  And mind you, all this time, she's never really done anything bad, she doesn't scream for her friends, she leads well (though is very distracted if the other mares are getting turned out when its time to work), never once kicked out, or was nasty in the slightest. She simply didn't want to do what I wanted to do. And it was subtle too.  Once back in the round pen it became clear that she was blocking me with her right shoulder. It makes sense, I assume she has had limited handling from the right and she regressed to known behavior and positioning herself so that she felt dominant rather than exposed or confused.  We spent two days on inside turns and completing turns rather than stopping her turns facing me. I usually like to work on turns and letting the horses rest facing me so that their attention is focused on me, but Gabby is super smart and started using that as an excuse to not complete her turns or to not move her right shoulder away from me and let me work her from the right.  While she was in the round pen I took advantage of the opportunity to add trotting and cantering poles to her new skill set to get her thinking about where her feet are, she's quite handy and did a great job picking her feet up. Once we got things sorted out in the round pen and I felt confident that I had explained my desire to work her from the right side and had better control of her shoulders we went back into the indoor arena to lunge.

After two short lunging sessions I was back to my normal routine of lunging and then riding. I have a pretty good toolset on the lunge now and even though there are times when Gabby will regress or 'act out' by trying to reverse to the left, I have an established response for it that is effective and clear to her that reversing on her own is not appropriate.  Back in the saddle though I felt we were stuck. Gabby is willing and tries hard, but it was clear that any request for contact was confusing her, she's quiet in her mouth and while I don’t suspect she has any teeth issues, (she will have a dentist check up soon) I felt like something was wrong.  She seemed very blocked in her neck. As timing would have it, our chiropractor Dr Mende was coming out this last week and so I put Gabby on her list, and lo and behold, our little tb was out, everywhere. The way Dr. Mende explained it, it was as if she were stuck upside down in her neck and her pelvis and SI, exactly what I was feeling under saddle.  Today was our first ride after her adjustment and it was pretty clear that Gabby was much more comfortable,  after a few tentative tries, she was able to lower her neck into a softer top line at the trot and maintain it on a large circle.

I feel like the past week or so has been a pretty big breakthrough with her, both mentally and physically. The honesty of a horse never ceases to amaze me, Gabby has been very honest about everything and it was a good reminder how important it is to listen, I'm very glad I did.  Each issue needed to be addressed, ignoring either one would have been detrimental to her progress and growth.  Oh, and she nickered at me and walked up to me (away from her friends) this morning when I came to get her out of her pasture, which was a sweet affirmation that we're back on track as a team.

Gabby hacks out beautifully.

Gabby is doing great!  She continues to be a dream to handle on the ground, she is polite and kind, and mindful of personal space.  She stands quietly in the cross ties, is a sweetie in her stall, and leads with a loose lead all around the property.

We've been continuing our work in the indoor, we always start with lunging and I've started adding loose side reins to help her work on contact without the added challenge of balancing a rider too!  When she starts out she chews on her bit, but when she relaxes, she has a very quiet mouth. I'm riding her in a loose ring KK snaffle with a flash.  We've been working on trotting in light, soft contact and keeping her body all pointed in the right direction, she tends to want to lean on her inside shoulder around turns, but that's to be expected and she's doing a great job learning how to use her body differently.  We're working on canter, she's a little unsure how to canter in an arena, even though its a large indoor, I can feel her worrying about how fast she feels the turns come up!  She picks up the right lead well, and at this point, does a beautiful flying lead change to the left lead after one stride on the right lead going left, but I'm sure she'll figure it out quickly, she's such a smart girl.

I've also started lunging her over a small jump, which she took to earnestly. She is a forward thinking mare without being hot or rushing, she goes forward, simple and plain as that, and if a jump is in her path, she goes over it.  Not once has she tried to run out or avoid the jump, she seems to love it.  

Under saddle she's doing very well, I have to point out that she stands like a DREAM at the mounting block. I don't mean 'stands' as in anything other than all four feet, stock still, waits for you to put your right foot in the stirrup once you're seated in the saddle, and then waits until told to walk off. No wiggling, no side stepping, no launching yourself like a spider monkey at this mare, she STANDS. 

Last weekend a friend was kind enough to give us a lead out of the indoor, and Gabby followed boldly, and then, quickly out walked her leader! We went into the large field out front and Gabby marched around like an old pro. No spooking, no silliness, bold, forward walking mare. She crossed a small swale  and got her feet wet in a puddle left by the recent rain and the only time she showed any distaste was when we tried to let her "leader" give her a lead over a natural ditch in the field, she didn't want a lead, she wanted to go first!  We walked over a little log, no lead, since she had made it clear she's a big girl and doesn't need a lead.

We have plans to have more group outings later in the week through some more of the spookier parts of the property, I'm sure she'll do fine.

Gabby has front shoes on now, no surprise, she stood like a pro for the farrier, only moving to swish at flies. She is also turned out with the mares in the large mare pasture, she is low in the pecking order, but does well keeping to herself and staying out of trouble.

This is a super nice mare!

On Sunday, I made my way up to the beautiful old farm in Eastern Maryland where CANTER lets down some of their young thoroughbreds before restarting.

Jessica, who has been an incredible asset to CANTER for as long as I have known her, and who has her own blog:  met me there and we walked out into a huge pasture with lush grass.  A small group of mares looked on sweetly as we approached. Big Talk was sweet and polite as we haltered her and led her toward the gate.  The group of mares, not to miss out, followed along as we led Big Talk out of the field.  Big Talk has been off the track and with CANTER for about 9 months, if I remember what Jessica told me about her.

We walked right up to the trailer, where Phinn, my mustang gelding, was waiting as her travel buddy.  She walked half way on, sniffed around, backed off, and then walked all the way on and stood quietly while we sorted out a halter exchange so as not to leave CANTER one donated halter short there at the farm.

Upon initial impression, you cannot help but see that she is immeasurably sweet and kind natured.  I believe she stands just under 16 hands and has great feet. She is barefoot at the moment and will get front shoes shortly.

She has been with me for four days now.  On the way home I came up with "Gabby" as a barn name, "Big Talk" just doesn't roll off the tongue, nor come across as endearing.

When we arrived on Sunday I took her off the trailer and put her in a small turn out to let her stretch her legs while I took my gelding off the trailer and parked the trailer.  She was a little sweaty from the trip, so after parking the trailer I brought her into the barn and she walked right into the wash rack and stood quietly while I sprayed her off. I put her in her stall next to a very nice gelding, Journey, who politely sniffed noses with her and watched her nibble her hay. No squealing, no ears back.  Very good girl.

Monday we got to know each other a little bit.  I groomed her in the tack stall, in cross ties. She stands quietly, moving only to turn her head slightly to watch other horses walk by or go in and out of stalls down the aisle.  She picks up her feet and lets me brush her everywhere. I combed her mane and tail, and fly sprayed her and put boots on her front legs and then we went out to the round pen.  In the round pen she continued to exhibit her sweet nature and innate desire to please, not to mention her intelligence. I sent her out at a trot and then canter and then stepped in to initiate a turn. She turned quickly and without a thought of imposing on my space.  After a few outside turns I asked for inside turns, which took three attempts for her to get.  Very smart girl.  Then we quickly progressed through stopping in a turn, and then approach and retreat and then following.  Either someone has worked with her in a round pen before or she is exceptionally smart. Either way, she was quiet and thought through what I was asking her to do and wanted very much to please.

Tuesday it was pouring rain.  So we went into the indoor arena. I fashioned a bridle for her and while she' s not in love with her bit, she doesn't seem to show and signs of having any mouth issues, tongue in where it should be and no grinding or other mouth issues.  I put my wintec isabell (my favorite baby saddle for almost ten years now, my go-to saddle for lots and lots of babies and newbies) on her in the tack stall, and she never moved a muscle, which I took as a good sign.  The indoor is like all indoors, scary at first. She walked in behind me, scared, but willing to follow me in without balking, spooking, or freezing.  With a rope halter and 22 foot lunge rope I first introduced moving her haunches, and then her shoulders so I'd have the tools to teach her to lunge.  Naturally she picked up lunging quickly and then she mastered changing direction as well. She is quiet, she's not one to run and buck and play, and though its clear she's still nervous and a little uneasy about all the new things in her life, she listens and takes direction without attitude or resentment. 

All in all, very impressive.

Wednesday, it was also pouring rain.  Gabby had taken advantage of the mud in her paddock and was a charming example of mud pie when I went to get her out of her stall.  She now nickers hello when I come to see her, which is exceptionally endearing and sweet.  Her ground manners continue to be impeccable and to up the ante I clipped her bridle path, which made her a little nervous, but she stood quietly.  

We went back to work in the indoor arena, where our task for the day was unlocking her neck. She's been very quiet and sweet, and moves her hind quarters nicely and turns and stops and is very good on the lunge rope and on the ground in general, but I was suspicious that she was a little locked in her neck and I wanted to address that before I even thought about getting on her. So with the rope halter, and this time a 12 foot lead, I worked on flexing her neck, which resulted in the inevitable spinning around until she realized she could stop her body and soften her neck and the pressure (me) would release.  It took some work, but she was very smart about it, and while truly confused at first, tried hard to work with me and understand how to answer the new question I had for her.

After working on teaching her to soften her neck I lunged her again, and she did a great job repeating the same work she did the day before.

I do all my ground work in a helmet and boots and gloves and Gabby already had on her saddle and bridle, so the next logical step was to get on her. I lunged her with the stirrups down, which didn't phase her at all.  Then I brought the mounting block out to the middle of the ring; she stands quietly on her own, and wasn't phased with me bringing the mounting block up to her.  I stood on the mounting block and patted the saddle, flopped the stirrups, tested putting weight in the near side stirrup, none of which phased her and she stood quietly, so I stepped up into the saddle and sat gently. She stood stock still, but I could feel her trembling under me so rather than asking her to move and potentially inviting an unknown reaction, I stepped off of her and asked a friend to join us in the arena at her head. I stepped back into the saddle and then had my friend walk forward, and Gabby happily followed. We did two circles each way, Gabby following my friend and me sitting quietly in the saddle.

So far I've been nothing but thrilled with her. She's never put a foot out of line or given me any indication that she would be anything but a best friend to a new owner.  We'll take things slow and continue working toward our first goal of 'walk, trot, canter under saddle".  As soon as the rain lets up we'll have ample room to hack out and there are several lovely horses at the barn who are great hacking companions for babies and so that should be a great learning opportunity for her as well and I’m looking forward to it!