12/10/07: Zafir arrived on Wednesday December 5th, 2007. He calmly walked off the trailer from Kentucky at 2:00 AM and quietly explored his new surroundings. The 500 mile trip was a short one compared to the journey from Brazil he took as a youngster. We spent the first couple of days going on long walks and learning more about each other. He picked up my lunging voice commands easily and without fuss accepted the surcingle and next the saddle. He has been "long lined" off the halter to get the feel of the lines around his body and help keep his position on the circles. He has had the weight of a rider on his back and was curious and accepting of the whole ordeal. Today he was introduced to the bridle and carried a bit in his mouth while lunging, at this stage nothing is being attached to his bit as he listens to voice, body and whip aids as well as pressure to his caveson instead of his mouth. Zafir is a wonderful student and I look forward to his progression.
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Zafir continues to work well in hand on the long lines and is mounted normally. He is being ridden on the lunge line at the walk and is practicing lots of transitions to the halt and learning to move forward off the leg. He finished the week with his first trot steps under saddle.
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Zafir continues to progress daily. He continues to be worked in hand or lunged first prior to being ridden, then works with a rider on a loose lunge. He has just started some independent work with a rider off the lunge line at the walk and trot!
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Zafir is now coming out of the barn ready to be ridden off the lunge and rode at the end of the week with another horse (a mare) in the arena
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Zafir continues his work with a rider and was ridden outside of the arena in a nearby paddock for a slight change in scenery this week.
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