Ciana & Harlequin
photo credit: Teens & Oregon Mustangs
Trainer Bio:
Harlequin (Quinn) has settled in great! She let me take her neck tag off on the second day and also realized that day that being petted is pretty nice! As of today (Day 10) she can do the following:
-be approached and caught from both sides
-be groomed all over (are still working on getting comfortable with brushing her belly and left legs; she’ll let me now and then but isn’t consistent yet)
-brush out her tail
-free lunge (very responsive whoa and switches directions well)
-lead (still a bit hesitant but gets better each time)
-90 degree haunch turns both sides
-180 degree forehand turn both sides
-back up
-lets me jump onto her back and holds my weight, but I haven’t officially mounted yet
-has been sacked out with saddle pads, ropes, whips,
Quinn is still timid and needs to build her confidence up quite a bit, but with every session she gets more and more trusting. I love the way she pays full attention when she is being worked with and she’s very curious. She is a very smart girl and wants to learn and do the right thing, just needs more time to bond with me. She also is pretty thin (hard to tell with all her fuzz though!) but she LOVES her grain so she should be putting on weight soon 🙂 Overall she is doing very well!
Quinn has progressed so much! She had been progressing steadily from the beginning, but she was still very unsure of people and was insecure and lacked confident. However, a couple weeks ago she turned a corner and is doing amazingly well. She’s now comfortable meeting strangers and enjoys being petted and loved on. She’s easy to catch, has excellent ground manners, ties, trailers, lunges, stands still for saddling, mounting, and dismounting, smoothly transitions into a walk, trot, and canter, and is getting very confident under saddle. Quinn has had between 20-30 rides on her and progresses so much every time. She has gone off property about 5 or 6 times and is the same horse as she is at home. She goes over obstacles very well and if she’s at all balky at a particular obstacle she is very reasonable in her reactions. It doesn’t take her more than a few tries to become confident with it.
Quinn currently stands at about 13.3hh and will most likely mature to 14.1-14.2hh. She’s small, but she’s solid. She has a sweet temperament and is not a bit mareish. My favorite thing about this little horse is she’s so willing to learn and wants to please! She has been one of my favorite mustangs to gentle if not my #1 favorite. Follow her Facebook page for more updates! https://www.facebook.com/Harlequin-the-Mustang-1801091623483103/
Harlequin is improving more and more every day! Now that her confidence is built up, her personality has completely shown through. She’s comfortable around new people and loves attention! She particularly love being rubbed behind her ears 🙂
Under saddle, Quinn is very confident. She’s been a open show, ridden on roads, on the beach, gone on several trail rides, and even rode through a coffee shop drive thru! She is solid in her walk, trot, canter transitions and is getting consistent at picking up the correct lead. She is also beginning to do flying changes. She’s getting her haunch turns, forehand turns, and side passing down, too. Quinn has been ridden bridle less a handful of times and did great! She’d stop from a canter, back up, and performed 180 degree haunch turns. Quinn also knows some tricks, including coming to the mounting block and bowing!
Overall, Harlequin has been doing amazing! She’s a very smart pony. She also has filled out quite a bit and grew an inch! She now stands just over 14hh.