Weeks 14 & 15

Onyx has been having some time off over the last few weeks. Since the beginning of the Challenge there has been a small swelling on her left knee. This has started to increase in size since I’ve started riding her and she is doing more physical activity. She started to show some mild lameness a few weeks ago so she has been turned out. This will be investigated further to determine the cause and outcome.
 

It has been good for Onyx to be turned out for an extended length of time. Since the beginning of the Brumby Challenge she was in very consistent contact and had training sessions almost daily. She has progressed wonderfully through her training, drawing a lot of comfort and confidence from my presence and relaxing when we are together. I feel that we have developed a solid relationship. One thing that I haven’t been able to change for Onyx is her continued vigilance for the remainder of her day. Onyx just doesn’t find as much comfort in the rest of the human world as she does with me. As an older mare, who has lived a large majority of her life in a wild, herd environment, she has certain traits that have kept her alive yet cause her to carry tension and uncertainty now she is in a domesticated environment. She is hyper vigilant and has a difficult time focusing in the presence of strangers or if vehicles or people are moving around in the distance. She has definitely improved in the last 6-8 weeks however she still carries a lot of concern. When she feels uncertain she becomes very busy mentally and physically. This is all very normal behaviour for a wild horse with a strong self preservation instinct. It keeps her aware and active to avoid possible threats, however it would be nice if she didn’t carry so much stress and use so much energy unnecessarily.

At the moment Onyx is turned out in a 25 acre paddock. She only uses about 3 acres of that pasture. When she does go across the paddock to water it is usually a quick trip, a drink and then a speedy return to her little “safe” zone, across the fence from the other horses. Unfortunately due to their very different dietary requirements I cannot keep Onyx with my other horses. 

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Onyx had this week off from any sessions. She was turned out in a large paddock.

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Another week of gradual progress with Onyx. She is still very nervous with movement in the distance, whether that be livestock, vehicles on the road or other people on the property. If she is tied at the hitching rail and gets agitated/anxious I can approach her and she will nicker to me and immediately settle. It is nice to know that she gets comfort from my presence. 

Onyx has also started to nicker to me when I dismount after our rides. This is something that VBA Playboy developed during our time together in 2018. I have had a few domestically bred/raised horses of different breeds exhibit the behaviour also.
 

Onyx is getting softer and more focused in our ridden sessions. She is also getting more consistent with her canter lead to the right, which has been a challenge for her at times.

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Onyx had most of this week off. It has been almost 3 months since she was picked up from Brumby Junction and we have been working consistently 4-6 days a week since. The weather has shifted to Spring here and it seemed like the perfect time for her to have a spell.
 

I brought her in and rode her twice. Up until our most recent ride I had been saddling Onyx in the round pen due to her tendency to get tight when first moving off with the saddle. She has now progressed to being saddled at the hitching rail however I untie her while saddling in case she does regress to getting tight again. This way I can support her through it.

We have ridden out in a big paddock this week and she felt great. She is also picking up her right lead more regularly, using her body better through lateral movements and seeming more comfortable with domesticated life.

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 Onyx has been progressing nicely this week. She is seeking me out for contact/connection and has really started to open up to other people. She has allowed contact from three new people and been led in from the paddock this week. She definitely draws confidence from my presence however I see her getting more comfortable on her own as time passes.

 She is progressing nicely under saddle. This week I have been predominantly focusing on her walk and trot. Getting her softer and more responsive to my rein, seat and leg cues. We have continued refining the leg yields, forehand and hindquarter turns and side pass. This week I introduced a basic shoulder-in at the walk to strengthen her body and improve her carriage. Onyx has picked up it up easily. We even had a few steps of shoulder-in at the trot today.
 

Today was also the first day that Onyx has saddled up and moved off without having any reaction to the saddle. That is a huge shift that I am hoping can become consistent.
 

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This week has been a gradual progression with Onyx’s ridden training. We still saddle and start our rides in the round pen as she still gets tight when moving off with the saddle. Once she is comfortable I’m able to mount up, get her moving around freely at walk and trot then we move to the arena.
 

I have been keeping things simple so far. Getting Onyx comfortable and focused in the bigger space, moving forward off my cues and stopping from my seat and voice. In the last few days I have been introducing some new skills. We already developed hindquarter yields from the first ride which then led to our forequarter yields which I have been fine tuning. We have also progressed to a basic side pass and leg yield.
 

Onyx is offering me more canter this week. She has given me both leads, however she definitely prefers her left lead. I’m not too concerned about that at this point. The right lead will get easier for her as her balance and responsiveness to my cues develops. As she gets more comfortable with people near her she will have some bodywork which may sort out any physical issues she may have.
 

Ideally I would like to see Onyx more relaxed. She is comfortable with my presence however anything or anyone new within her range of vision causes her to become very anxious. Even out in the paddock she remains highly vigilant and tense at times. I think this is essentially her nature and I’m not sure how much that will change with continued handling.

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Onyx had a few days off this week and then we continued advancing her experience under saddle. By her fourth ride Onyx was moving freely in the round pen and responding nicely to my rein and seat cues at the walk and trot so we progressed to riding in the arena.
 

Onyx was great to ride in the bigger space of the arena. After some walk and trot around the perimeter and some small circles, stops and turns she offered me some canter along the rail. It was a nice relaxed 5-6 strides. I stopped and rewarded her and she then offered me the canter when we came past the same place the next 3-4 times. I don’t canter any of the horses I start in my round pen. It is only a small diameter and young horses still developing their balance and coordination whilst learning how to carry a rider can find it challenging. It is in these moments of insecurity that a horse is more inclined to hump or buck. I don’t have a specific timeline in which I expect canter, it is really dependent on each horse and when they feel ready.

I had another three rides throughout the week. She can still get tight through her body and be very vigilant and distracted by any movement of livestock, people or vehicles in the distance. I am hoping her confidence will continue to grow and this will be less of a concern for her.

She is now turned out in a 25 acre paddock with my big gelding. They are a cute pair, taking lots of naps and having fun playing and grazing together. It is nice to see Onyx’s personality showing more.

This week Onyx was more accepting of being touched by someone other than myself. My dad has been very respectful of Onyx’s stranger danger and has moved around her over the last 8 weeks without pushing her over threshold. This week he was able to gently rub her face a number of times without her showing any fear or discomfort.
 

Onyx also began eating hard feed from my hand this week. She was eating hay out of my hand from the second day, yet hard feeds have been a challenge. She would get very anxious when she felt the texture of them in her mouth. It has taken a surprisingly long time! She took weeks to show a consistent interest in any of the numerous feeds I left out for her. Once she did begin to eat them from a feeder she continued to refuse them from my hand. This week things changed and she is happily taking what I offer. 

I’m really happy to be riding Onyx now and exploring this part of her education.

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The last few weeks I have been noticing subtle shifts in Onyx as she settles in to her life here. She has been laying down and sleeping more, yawning frequently and getting more comfortable and confident in our daily sessions. She has also started to whinny/nicker to me when I approach her at times. This is really endearing to see her opening.
 

This week I had a few sessions riding her in the bareback pad and felt she was very relaxed and willing. 

She also found more comfort and confidence accepting the saddle. We had a number of good days where she was relaxed and non reactive in the places where she would usually get uneasy or tight. I spent some sessions leading her off my other horses to get her moving out and about with the saddle on in the arena and out over varied terrain in the paddocks. I find this really helps a horse get comfortable with all of the movements and sensations of the saddle and also of my presence above and behind their eye. It also is another way to ensure that they are leading up smoothly and willingly. 

All signs were pointing towards her being ready for a first ride. First actual rides for me are in the saddle. I get on all of my horses bareback prior to riding in the saddle but don’t consider this an actual “ride”. There is a lot more commitment when getting on with the saddle. It took a little preparation on the day to get her familiar with my other saddle and the rawhide hackamore setup. I start all of my horses in the traditional rawhide hackamore as I find it a really intuitive and kind system.
 

Onyx was brilliant for her first ride! When I first sat in the saddle she tightened for a brief few seconds, which wasn’t surprising, as the new sensations have always been a challenge for her. I have her soft and responsive after weeks of groundwork and riding her bareback more recently so I was able to gently turn her, yield her hindquarters and get her to relax. Once she was back with me mentally I yielded her hindquarters both directions a few times and we began walking around the round pen. Once she felt comfortable I asked her for some trot both directions and she was smooth and relaxed. She stopped off my seat and voice cue and backed up nicely off a very light feel through the mecate reins.

I had a second ride on Wednesday and she was wonderful. We followed on from the first ride, developing a better understanding of the hackamore signal, forward cues and general confidence with the whole situation.
 

Onyx has had Thursday and Friday to rest. She is now turned out on 25 acres with my big Irish Sport Horse. It has been wonderful to see them enjoying the company. Onyx has been having numerous deep naps, laying flat while Bradigan looks over her. 

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We are still moving along slowly with Onyx. She continues to exhibit some concern over the saddle however her confidence is developing.
 

This week I spent some time riding Onyx in the bareback pad. Onyx is happy to carry me at the walk and trot. She stops off my seat and voice cues and is beginning to yield to my leg. 

Onyx has spent some time out in bigger paddocks for a few days. She seems to be feeling good, moving about in a more or a playful/expressive manner rather than the usual state of vigilance she displays.
 

This week I took some extra time to revise some things that we previously had touched on earlier in our training - leading by the legs etc. It is nice to go back and revisit these skills and see the progression and softness that she is developing. In general Onyx is far more soft and connected through feel than she was in the first few weeks.

Onyx has been offering up some really nice yawns and eye rolls this week. Sometimes during sessions, tied up at the hitching rail and even out in the paddock. 

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Onyx continues to progress. She is getting more comfortable with elements that she has found very challenging and her confidence and acceptance is growing.
 

This week has been very similar to the last with plenty of revision and time spent working on saddling and taking my weight. She is doing better with these each day. Onyx has a beautiful nature and sweet disposition however she can still be very sensitive and reactive so I have to work very slowly and meticulously. The slightest movement or touch out of place or sequence is enough to catapult her over threshold. When I have been on her it has been bareback. Today we had a walk around in the bareback pad to get her accustomed to my weight and the sensation of being girthed. In true Onyx fashion she found this new and challenging however after a minute she relaxed and we were able to walk around the arena.

During the week Onyx did start to express her enjoyment of a scratch. She is generally rather stoic however she began extending her upper lip and offered to mutually groom me a few times. I really appreciate that she is opening up to me. She really looks to me for confidence and realises that I’m looking out for her.
 

Onyx is enjoying a fresh and bigger paddock this week. She is great for me to catch however she is very vigilant with any other movement on the property.

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Photo Credit: Serana Hunt-Hughes
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Onyx had some time off over the weekend and the remainder of the week was very slow revision and expanding her comfort zone. 

She is really starting to get comfortable here and open up to me. She watches me moving around the property with interest now rather than the tension and concern exhibited in earlier weeks. In moments of insecurity she now reaches for me, seeking comfort and reassurance. She is also more interested in the other horses and will whinny to them as we pass by. I’m hoping to get her turned out in a bigger paddock with a buddy soon.

Onyx is extremely sensitive, especially to touch. Getting her comfortable with touch on her body, particularly around vulnerable areas such as her belly, has been a long process. She has difficulty finding comfort with some movement/rubbing of the contact, different levels and changes of pressure and also multiple points of contact at the same time. I have spent time exploring the edges of her thresholds and getting her comfortable with these things. She is getting more comfortable with my body and taking my weight. Today she took her first steps with me sitting on her bareback. She was uncertain however she stayed calm and sensible. I am so happy to have reached that point.
 

Despite accepting the roller without issue, Onyx has struggled with the saddle. I think the size, movement on her body and multiple points of stimulus have been challenging for her. She has carried the saddle another 3 or 4 times since last Friday and each time she improves. I really take my time with saddling, ensuring she is comfortable with each step before continuing further. I will just keep exposing her and building her confidence.
 

I finally got her mane fully combed out and Onyx is beginning to enjoy being groomed. She has also begun shedding her coat so there is LOTS of brushing and she is starting to really relax into it.

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Wow, that week went fast! I’m disappointed that I didn’t get as much time with Onyx this week as I would have liked. 

We had a lot of rain over the weekend so Onyx learned to tie up at the hitching rail and I took the opportunity to start combing out her terribly matted mane. At the beginning Onyx was unsettled however she eventually found comfort and started to relax. I’ve spent about 2-3 hours combing and we’re only about half way through. There is a lot of hair and a lot of big knots!
 

Over the last two weeks I have been teaching Onyx to bring herself up to the fence and mounting block, stopping with her wither/back aligned with my position. I have progressed from rubbing her all over to introducing weight. Onyx was very unsure of me touching her from this different position. She was highly concerned and reactive when I would reach across and she would see me in her other eye. It has been a very slow process. Lots of time with very subtle advance and retreat. She has now started to take my entire weight laying over her and also sitting astride. I have to be very aware as the slightest movement or touch can push her over threshold.

Last week I introduced the roller/surcingle. This week she wore it a few more times and started developing her long reining. We progressively built up to taking a nice walk out around the farm in the long reins. I would have liked to have done more however this week has been very busy. On Friday I introduced the saddle for the first time. Onyx accepted it well, calmly walking a few circles. At one point she must have felt something move or touch her in a different place and she reacted for a moment then settled back down again.
 

Onyx is now happily living out in a nice grass yard. She has been good to catch. Yesterday I was happy to see her laying down and taking a nap in the sunshine.
 

Strangers are still a danger in Onyx’s mind. I have been focusing on building my relationship with her and keeping her under threshold as much as possible, so have not done much to introduce her to new people yet. If anyone, other than myself, approaches she gets very flighty and will snort and attempt to leave. She has taken a sniff of someone’s hand and my dad was able to rub her forehead on Thursday (she likes forehead rubs) which was big progress for her. When she accepted his contact he immediately retreated and let her be. 

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Onyx enjoyed the weekend to settle in without any interaction other than being fed while I was away for a few days. Upon my return Onyx was more settled and comfortable in her new environment. Some of the suspicious and defensive behaviour that developed after the attempted vet treatment last week had begun to dissipate.
 

We spent the first few days of the week continuing to establish our connection through walks around the property and time grazing. It was great for Onyx to explore and simply get comfortable with my presence. I introduced Onyx to having her legs hosed down as, in lieu of vet treatment, I needed to be able to keep her wound as clean as possible. She was sensible and became more comfortable with it each day.
 

On walks to find good grass we would take the occasional stop in the round pen or arena spending a few minutes revising a skill or introducing something new. I got a rope on her legs, getting her to follow the feel and lead by each foot. Then I was able to use advance and retreat principles to rub my hands on her front legs and eventually pick up her feet when she was ready. We also introduced some basic ground exercises including back up, circles, hip yields and reaching her front foot. I started getting her used to ropes around her hind end and swinging over her head and body. I also introduced a rope around her barrel to prepare her for the sensation of girth pressure.

Wednesday was a big turning point for Onyx. In the morning she let me rub her forehead and eyes with acceptance, not resistance. She actually seemed to enjoy it! This was huge. She had really not appreciated my hands anywhere near her face until this point. Later in the day we had another short session and she accepted the roller/surcingle without any issue.
 

On Wednesday I’d started to feel a change in Onyx however on Thursday it felt as though she was telling me she was ready to progress further. She was far more settled and it felt that she had dropped some of the guard that I had been feeling. She seemed to be seeking contact, wanting to be with me more than ever and was far more relaxed. She accepted the roller again and, with careful preparation, I introduced the long reins. I start my horses in a rawhide hackamore/bosal, essentially bitless, yet I long rein them in a basic rope side-pull prior to riding. Long reining when starting a horse bitless isn’t necessary however I find it beneficial. At first Onyx had a few moments of confusion. I gave her time to figure things out and within a very short period she was softly following the feel of the reins, turning left, right, stopping and backing up. I was very impressed!
 

I’ll keep working on these skills and getting her more comfortable with domesticated life. When I feel that she is ready we will progress to introducing the saddle.
 

Onyx’s leg is looking much better! Time, daily hosing of the wound and application of topical treatment has greatly reduced the swelling and the wound is healing.
 

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Photo Credit: Serana Hunt-Hughes
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 It has been an exciting week with VBA Onyx. She is a beautiful mare with such a dignified presence and sharp mind. I am so excited to get to know her over the next few months.
 

My initial assessment from watching her at Brumby Junction during pick-up was that she was very skittish, yet highly intelligent. She was the most sensitive out of the group of mares she was with. Onyx didn’t want to take a leadership role in the herd however when she did get out on her own, if given the time, she would really assess and think over her options 

On day one we had a few very short sessions establishing proximity and introducing the bamboo pole. I introduced basic pressure and release principles and within a short time Onyx began targeting and interacting with the pole. I was then able to advance to hands on-touch on her shoulder and neck. By the end of the day I was able to hand feed her lucerne and fresh grass.
 

Day two I introduced the halter. I worked very carefully with Onyx’s thresholds, trying to keep her within her comfort zone whilst also trying to expand it. Using advance and retreat/pressure and release to build her confidence and trust. After a few short sessions she accepted the halter and established softness to follow the feel of the lead rope. I rubbed her down with my flag, introduced the rope to begin handling her legs and just spent some time rubbing her down with my hands. 

Day three was a little revision and a small walk out of the yard so she could graze on some fresh grass, which she enjoys. In her temporary yard she has been eating hay and I’ve left some hard feed out for her however she has no interest at this point.

Onyx had a small cut on her leg when I picked her up from VBA’s Brumby Junction and the inflammation seemed to have worsened since transporting her. I had concerns for her health, especially her susceptibility to infection due to the upheaval/change in her situation in the previous few days causing stress on her system. I knew it was early in her handling however decided to attempt veterinary treatment under sedation. I had a vet willing to give it a try however the circumstances were not ideal. Onyx became very anxious and it was evident that she was just not ready to have anyone else near her, so we were unable to sedate and treat. That also created a minor setback as Onyx became suspicious and defensive. For the next few days I simply spent time rubbing her and taking her out for walks around the property to graze. We needed to reestablish our relationship and her trust in me before moving on to new elements of her training.

 

Her leg has improved and the swelling is subsiding, which is a relief. Onyx will get this weekend to simply settle in as I will be away.
 

Thank you to the wonderful Serana Hunt-Hughes for coming and capturing the beautiful photos of Onyx in her near wild state during this first week. It will be so wonderful to watch her transform from here.
 

Thank you to fellow Challenge participant Hayley Hinton for the assistance in transporting Onyx from Brumby Junction.

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