Snow bunny

Thank you for all the support and ideas last post! It was great to have support, and it is great to talk to folks who really understand how hard it is to do something like lease a very important horse

I like the idea about giving a few lessons to potential boarders first, so I can share with them things that work really well with Bodhi, and also to make sure the person is a good match. Call me crazy but I am not too worried about him getting "ruined" by someone. I know I do a lot of things differently then other horse trainers, but I think if I pick someone kind for Bodhi, even if they do train differently I think Bodhi is the kind of horse that can handle it. I think it will be good for his development.

Now: why you guys are really here- The ever elusive chunky monkey fluffy feral snow bunny....
click on the photos for up close cuteness...

Would you lease this pony?

Horse for Lease this Summer/Fall

Graduate student studying abroad for the summer and looking for a compatible rider for a 6 year old, 14.2 hand Haflinger gelding. Bodhi has been trained using positive reinforcement, and has been worked slowly and consistently, and as a result has no vices and is a simple and quiet mount. Bodhi would be perfect for anyone wanting to school, trail, and/or attend schooling shows. Price negotiable References required.

· Walk, trot, canter, with the beginnings of flying changes (over ground poles) lateral work, and shortening and lengthening at the trot.

· Started over fences. Green but willing and simple.

· Trail rides alone, and in groups.

· Rides in a snaffle, or bitless bridle. Good for an adult amateur, or intermediate youth

· Great ground manners, lunges, ties, clips, loads- a pleasure to work with.

*How does this look for a lease add? Text? Pictures? I figured I should start early since I am going to be so picky on the selection of a leaser.

Canadians: Where do you look for horse related things online? Where is a good place to post this?

Pictures and questions

Graduate school is seriously limiting my time for blogging (who knew!) and winter is limiting my time for training. I am trying to enjoy the little time I have with Bodhi though, and I hope all the walking we are doing in the snow is keeping him some what conditioned. I have had 2 things on my mind lately and I would love to hear your thoughts:

I have decided I do not need to use a bit right now. Bodhi is bit educated so if he needs to go in one for some reason he is equipped. I feel that teaching him to be balanced, supple, and connected is more interesting without a bit right now. I have been riding him all winter in his side pull I talked about here. My issue is that it puts all the pressure on the top of his nose, and that it slides around. I think I want to try a cross under bridle like Nutural. I rode in one last weekend and he was much easier to bend and turn. My fear is that it will put too much pressure on the poll and under the chin. Has anyone ridden extensively in steady contact in a cross under bridle?

I am going to go to Africa this summer for my master's research. I think I would like to lease Bodhi while I am gone (6 months). I am hoping to lease him to someone who will take him to some shows and give him complementary experiences to what he already has. Knowing what you guys know about him, who should I market him to? What type of rider would be interested in a horse like Bodhi, and what should I work on in the short amount of time I have between the thaw and my departure to make him more marketable?

Also, here are some picture from the fall that were taken by a photographer the barn owner hired to document the new arena that we happen to be in. I was really happy to them because right now he looks like a yak. It is nice to be reminded what lives under all this hair!

This picture had to be blown up because we were in the background. It is signifigant because it caught him in what I call his baby extended trot. I have this photo labeled as "baby's first extension"

This picture is what I would like to think represents our best of 2010, and of him as a five year old.