Week 1
When starting horses for the public and also myself to a degree, I go in with a plan for the hoped/expected result. My approaches may alter per individual horse but I usually have most breakers ticking along at a similar time frame.
I had to throw all that out the window when I took on Callisto.
My plan was to expect the unexpected with absolutely no expectations!
So this week I wanted her to settle into her new surroundings, with new smells, noises and neighbouring company.
I learnt by watching her load at the VBA that she was going to be an extremely smart mare, but also one not to rush or take advantage of.
So I focused purely on connection and trust this week, the first days were about accepting me in her space which is a large roundyard, eventually drawing her in a few steps by the second and even finishing on a bit of following around.
On Wednesday I brought in some bribery - a handful of hay to reward that draw, and when she reached out and took a mouthful tears come to my eyes!
Thursday morning I walked in with a handful again and as soon as she seen me she engaged and walked straight up, a bit of zig-zagging as she shortened the space but she come up herself and took a mouthful and walked away, by the third mouthful she stayed with me. ❤️
I also realised she had decided to eat her hard feed the night before for the first time, so Thursday arvo I sat in the middle with the bucket and she came up eating in front of me without retreating which was a huge win!
Today (Friday) will be much the same I feel, but if anything extraordinary happens I'll update you!
She's definitely a spritely girl, if she gets worried or cautious she'll slink away and move those feet like a cutting horse 😅 but the engagement she's already showing and increasing is so promising and already incredibly rewarding! (Yes I think I tear up daily!)
Week 3
After the first week with VBA Callisto, I spent the weekend introducing the flag, getting her to approach and touch with her nose and I’d back off, with her wanting more and following around. I worked it up over each session over Saturday, and finished off with her allowing me rub her up the face and along the side a little bit.
Over the early part of week 2, I would work with the flag, and swap to my hand to get a touch on her muzzle – noticing a HUGE difference! By then I was working the flag up and through her ears with ease and she was totally relaxed, as soon as my hand approached she was wide eyed and shook her nose toward me. She didn’t seem overly offended, just alot more wary of it!
I started to see if I could get a light touch up the nose a bit, which she was handling ok but out of nowhere (well she was probably giving me signs and I missed them!) She did pin the ears and lunged forward.
It did rattle me a bit as I wasn’t expecting it at all, but I went straight back to my flag – knowing she was comfortable with that – and didn’t push my hand further, just reverted back to the flag acceptance and quit with that.
Mid week I decided after that I wanted to get a rope on, not to anchor her down but to have a little more contact, just to keep her engaged a little more as she tended to lose interest in the flag and wander off, and I felt like we were at a bit of a stand still in the way of progress.
As I’m no roper, I hooked the rope through the end of my flag and (pure fluke) I was able to rub in up her face and over her ears.
So I worked with that for the rest of the week, in the end I was able to rub the rope up her head and over to catch her, getting a bit of leading through that, but if she got worried and trotted off I’d let the rope slide and regain her once she settled – which was in no time.
By the end she was giving to pressure even if she chose to leave and with no worry or anxiety.
The rope really was a game changer, it allowed me to keep her engaged, limit her flight response (but not control) and let me introduce my hand easier (swapping from the flag to hand still) and with a lot more acceptance – finishing up week 2 with nice pats down her face! Woohoo!
Over the following weekend I was able to get a halter on her – surprisingly enough she sniffed the halter and let me rub it up and down her face without any worry – yet if I swapped to my hand she was still wary! 🤣
Being a nylon halter it only has a short poll piece, and she’s still not 100% happy with my hand/s on the side of her face, so I threaded baling twine through the last hole and through the buckle, so I slid the nose piece over, then the poll piece up and over the ears, and was able to pull the buckle up with the twine. The whole time she stood patiently which was a huge relief!
I still used the rope for leading as such just as she wasn’t too sure of the halter pressure to begin, but over the following days I used both “leads” and today she was leading around really lovely with just the halter lead and no freak out moments.
Over the week she’s gotten a lot more relaxed with my hand rubbing her, with no more head tossing or worried eyes, finally enjoying it (I think!)
Today I was able to rub down each side of her neck and stand at the side which was a huge accomplishment for her!
The third week wasn’t really about getting big goals, it was about repetition and acceptance and I really feel we achieved that. She’s still got a bit of flight but even if she does have a moment, she’s quick to turn back to me on her own terms and come back relaxed and pick up where we left off.
Week 5
These 2 weeks have been relatively quiet, and “boring” as such, but it’s been the most rewarding progress over the time – especially when compared to our previous report a fortnight ago.
My daily routine appears like this;
- Poop scoop, with her following and always curious.
- CopRice breakfast – sometimes before or during the clean up, but it’s funny at times she’ll come out to see what I’m doing even with her feed there.
- Treats, just getting her to approach to get her treat – lucerne cubes which she LOVES! (when I gave her a 5 day course of panacur it was the only thing that would make sure she polished off the feed!)
So I go in, give her a treat pat her head and just be with her. It’s so nice to not have her walk away now! I also work on standing to her near side and have her reach around me for her treat to lead up to haltering as she’s still hesitant to allow that – which brings me to my next step!
- Come in with my rope, rubbing it up her head and over. She just accepts this and responds so well so while she’s relaxed and accepting I’m sticking to it for the time being.
- Put on the pull back collar. I like this as she still leads better from neck pressure rather than the halter, I thread the lead through the halter and onto the collar to give pressure on both so eventually the collar will fade away. But also for tie up (more so early on) I like the collar rope. In saying this, her first tie up was perfect and has been so ever since.
- I take the rope off and we have some lead sessions, tie up sessions and slowly working down her body in pats over the 2 weeks, working in between client horses and horrible weather!
Patting has been one of the biggest accomplishments, since week 3, I’ve been able to get her to really enjoy a face pat, and slowly been working down to her rump. Any sudden movement or hand change she’ll have a bit of a freak out, but she just shuffles to the side with all the room allowed to take off if she wanted, but she gives to pressure in a relaxed manner.
Another accomplishment was leading out of the roundyard and into the arena and even out onto the grass!
First day out she took off, kinda expected, but she stopped at the end of the arena and allowed me to pick up her lead and carry on. Since then she hasn’t once taken the lead, very happy with her grazing time on some lovely grass daily.
But the highlight was yesterday, as I walked down to the arena, she seen me and called out. Talk about melting my heart. ❤️
So when I say it’s been “boring” it might be to some but I’m over the moon with the walls she’s chipping down and trust she’s giving me. 🥰
Week 7
These past 2 weeks have been much of the same, plenty of bonding and increasing the pats down her body with alot more acceptance.
In the early days of patting past the head, she was very nervy, if she wasn’t rushing away it was very evident on her face that those were indeed her intentions! So I knew I had to tread lightly and just solidify each area of her body with touch in accordance with her acceptance.
She’s now at the stage where I can pat down to her hamstrings while she sits there licking and chewing with her head lowered and relaxed which might seem so simple, but for her it’s a huge trust step.
With her now looking to me with interest and coming up as soon as I’d walk in her yard, (still with the help of treats!) I felt it was time to give her some freedom, so 6 days ago she was finally introduced to a large grassy paddock which she was incredibly thankful for! There was no running away or around, just head down and enjoying some lovely grass at her leisure.
Since then I would just go out once or twice a day, give her a treat and a pat on the face and neck and not ask anything more.
We might only be at patting down stage still, but for this beautiful wild girl it’s been a huge ask to get to that point and she’s answered with trust and acceptance so a week of not asking anything more was well deserved!
I got her in yesterday – still using the rope to loop over her head as her halter was removed when she went out, and she was a different horse. She was so relaxed, not at all jumpy even when patting with 2 hands and chopping and changing.
I introduced “whoa” moving her feet back and a slight intro to lunging (we’d previously worked on disengaging the hind) and she walked a couple circles each direction in a relaxed manner, then looking to me for more instructions.
When I think back to a few weeks ago, when she lunged at me with teeth bared and any sudden movement or change would send her flying away, I really had my doubts as to if she’d let me in. Her flight instinct (and fight at that one point) was so strong I really had to question my expectations (and my sanity!😅)
Week 9
What a fortnight of firsts!
- First saddling after some confidence building with the tarp, rug and then saddle (not done up but placed on and walked around.)
- First walk “off property” which was out to my back paddock for a stroll through the bush and even in the dam which she waded into without any hesitation.
- First bath, which she wasn’t overly keen about to begin and did race back at the first intro of the hose on her feet, (I had her in hand and just went with her) but once she understood what it was all about she took it really well.
- First time using the mounting block getting her used to me above her and patting her all over.
- First proper saddling with girth done up – absolute superstar!!
- First lunge, asking at a walk then picking up into a trot, slowly increasing the length of time asked.
- First time putting the halter on in the paddock “normally” – no more putting the lead over her ears first!
I am so incredibly proud of how she’s taking everything and how much she’s progressed since last report! I’m still only asking and working in her acceptance space, if I get somewhere that she’s cautious, that’s my cue to stop and work there till she relaxes.
Our only mishap was last weekend, my stepson rode his motorbike down the lane which goes past her paddock to head out the bush. He knows to go steady and putt past quietly which he was doing, but unfortunately it was all too overstimulating and she took off and straight through the fence. She’s had cars and the tractor carrying a hay bale drive past several times and she is perfect, the bike was just something she was not prepared for. Although not at all ideal, she luckily came away with a only small scratch on her nose, but even though she was clearly rattled, she allowed me to walk up and catch her and settled almost immediately which really spoke of her trust in my presence.
Week 11
The past fortnight has actually been our slowest and non – productive yet. Not that I feel it’s a bad thing, we’ve had a few more saddlings, lunge sessions and an introduction to long reining which she took amazingly. She is still hesitant with touching around her back legs so thought she might have a little freak out when I changed directions with the long reins but she was really relaxed and responsive.
Since then she’s had some time off really as I’ve been seeing a specialist and getting a procedure on my shoulder so unfortunately progress hasn’t been as exciting as previous weeks! But with spells comes processing time and it wouldn’t be hurting her in the slightest!
She is still happy to see me walking down to her daily and loves a scratch and treat and that’s all I ask of her.
I won’t lie, with time ticking away I have been feeling like we’re falling behind and are not where I’d hoped we’d be. But I knew I didn’t want to get caught up in the competition side of it all.
We have our days where she’s a bit more guarded than others so on those days I don’t push for anything new, just repetition or even just a nice brush and call it a day.
My main aim is still to do right by her and she’s letting me know we’re still progressing at her pace, which is – to me – the correct pace. 🥰
Week 13
Early on in week 12 the stars aligned and I was able to sit on her for the first time.
Were there tears? Most definitely! Such a milestone and one I am so proud to have reached, for myself and Calli.
I didn’t set out to sit on her this day, but I saddled her and lunged her as usual, bounced all around and started standing up in the stirrups, patting her on the opposite shoulder, belly and butt and she was just so relaxed and willing I knew it was safe to swing the leg over.
I was on and off quickly to begin and built it up to where I was able to sit comfortably, wriggle in the saddle and give her plenty of pats, all with her happy and relaxed.
No sweating, no bulging eyes or rigid body, just a willing demeanour that shone that green light.
With first sits and eventually first steps, I’ll do it in the roundyard, with plenty of opportunities to move if needed, always slack in the lead and never pulled around to the side. This part of the process is always a 2 way street, she needs to trust me as much as I need to trust her.
Since then it’s been a mixture of up and on, some steps from each side, both on the ground hanging a arm over the saddle and up in the stirrup guiding her nose out and asking for some relaxed steps with different aspects of weight and positioning. Also incorporating more long reining around the arena and over some obstacles, complete with music and my awful singing bringing up the rear 🤣
There’s definitely days she’s more apprehensive, so these are the days I don’t ask any more than what she’s completely comfortable with, rides will come when those stars align again and she’s giving me all her consent and right signs to progress. ❤️
Week 15
The last 2 weeks I’ve continued to repeat on the saddling and mounting process, swinging on and off, with small walks around on the side of her.
I knew what I wanted to do and what she was ready for, but self doubt was always sitting at the back of my mind. After a few injuries this year, my body hasn’t really been helping my usual confident mindset.
So Scott came home one day while I was working her and offered to have a play and if she was happy with him doing what I was doing then he’d swing on.
I knew she’d be wonderful and she truly was. She had a small little rush but went into her one rein with ease, but didn’t come to a stop for a while so Scott got off once she did, got his bearings, and got back on, and with that she strolled around like an old pro, changing directions and working some figure 8s like she’d done so before.
A couple days later he done the same and she was so relaxed and willing, even stepping up into a circle or 2 of trotting.
To think this mare was super stranger danger not even a month ago, to now allowing a stranger to ride her really shows how far she’s come.
I won’t lie I was quite heartbroken it wasn’t me, but just watching from the sidelines was still something special and I couldn’t be more proud!
Since then we had a fantastic adventure out the bush in hand which she loved!
We also had our first float trip to Ravens Park – a local obstacle course with several other people and horses and she literally blew me away. Not only having a go at every obstacle in a complete relaxed and willing manner, but chilled with everything going on around her.
And last – but definitely not least – we had our first ride out the bush! All breakers here are taken out solo first and Cal was no different. I find it builds and encourages self confidence and independence, while focusing on horse and rider partnership and trust.
She was absolutely incredible and although I may not have had the first ride, this was still extra special and extremely rewarding. ❤️
Week 17
What a week it's been, and not something I really anticipated.
We started off with positives last week, having her dental done, and another successful outing to another obstacle day.
But this week has been all about bodywork .
Early on as Cal shed her winter fluff, I started noticing her scars more and finding "holes" around her body which I kept a mental note on.
When I looked closer, one scar struck me as an obvious mouth, and inside = another big hole!
But as I poked around testing her reactions nothing seemed sore or worrying so we kept travelling along while she was accepting and progressing happily.
Last week I took her out the bush as previously done, but upon mounting she was visibly uncomfortable and had a reaction of going backwards and as I stepped off she half bunched up, clearly evading some pain, and when I felt under the saddle to her shoulder blades she let me know that was where the pain was.
So I took her straight home and got her booked in with my bowen therapist Glen, and also Dr Christine Gee - a spinal vet, just to get her feeling right and obviously answering some questions before asking any more of her.
Glen's findings on Monday were deep shoulder pain both sides - in his words "felt like cornflakes crunching" - and a few spots here and there, but she got some great release and responded to her first bodywork session so well.
Yesterday Christine dug deeper, confirming the shoulders were an issue, stemming from nasty tears in her wither area and most likely contributing to nerve pain in the area where the saddle bars sit hence her reaction.
All the other "holes" I'd spotted and even more I'd missed being tears in the muscles, ligaments and fascia, all due to old bites and injuries from the past.
Although the majority of these weren't dramatic singularly and are all treatable - as a whole each one is adding to the next, and after a few rides, these areas started to become aggravated and Cal let me know.
So moving forward it's a maintenance and waiting game and making sure she's pain free before I jump back on, and just taking each day as it comes, but obviously putting Cal's needs first.
She's such a tough gritty girl, but even the toughest stoic horses communicate and we owe it to them to listen and act accordingly. ❤️
Week 19
As this is my final report, I feel it’s necessary to reflect back on the past 150 days, and ask what did the challenge mean to me?
150 days, is simply that – one hundred and fifty days. When first applying I thought sheesh that’s ample time! But there’s so many factors you don’t consider and time really does fly by!
As a challenge or competition, I truly don’t believe it’s about the end result, to me it’s about the workings, the readings, the connections, the communications, and above all the trusts built each and every day, showcasing what we can achieve with these beautiful wild horses over those 150 days, while highlighting our ethical approaches, squashing any beliefs that the only option is the old fashioned ways of forced breaking.
The 150 day horse is such a broad term regardless of breed or domestication, but in the brumby’s case, it really is a “how long is a piece of string” scenario!
I think anyone that expects all competitors to be up and going at the same level at the end is either uneducated or unrealistic, and why I tried to not let expectations get to me (others and more so my own!)
Each journey is unique, and to see these amazing lady and brumby duos excelling at their own level and pace through their own approaches has been amazing to watch and incredibly admirable.
It has been an absolute privilege and honour being amongst a beautiful group of trainers and something I’ll be proud of for life.
Lastly it has been an honour being VBA Callisto’s chosen trainer. She has taught me more than I could ever teach her and for that I’ll be forever grateful.
She let me in, slowly but surely, and has given so much along our journey, exceeding my expectations and blowing apart my self doubt.
We may not have made it to Equitana ridden, and as disheartening as it may be, I’m beyond proud of my Cal, and stand by my decisions of always putting the horse first and giving them a voice – highlighting the importance of health and bodywork over pushing and breaking their mind and body for a few minutes of glory.
These past 150 days are only the beginning, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for my beautiful, grey, wild Kosciuszko girl. ❤️
#oncewildnowforeverwonderful.