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The Challenge | The Trainers and Students | Event Information Saturday, August 2 My neighbor and I went to Carver Park with our horses. We rode for almost three hours. It was the most relaxed ride I have ever had. Brio led most of the time, but was happy in the back too. He cantered along highway 5 and didn't flinch when the trucks' air brakes sounded. He crossed the bridges first and quickly got used to crossing the paved paths. There wasn't anything that caused him concern. I was surprised and very pleased. He seemed to really enjoy the day. July 27-30 Brio went on a field trip! He joined me at Otter Creek Farm in Wheeler, WI for four days. I attended an Instructor Certification workshop there and I thought it would be a great training opportunity for Brio. He was a superstar! He trailered quietly and moved into his new digs like he was a well traveled show horse. I rode him for the first time with other horses!! He shared the indoor arena with a Lusitano stallion, a warmblood mare, and a four year old Percheron cross who was a bit directionally challenged. He handled the activity very well. I was concerned that he would be spooked by the horses coming up behind him since he was picked on in the pasture as a youngster, but, he had no issues. The four year old and Brio went on a lovely trail ride the next day. We came upon deer, jumped a log, walked over crunching twigs, had branches snapped at us as the Percheron cleared the trail ahead. Brio took it all in stride. The deer flies were horrendous, but, Brio didn't seem to mind. (The bugs did my TB in the day before on our trail ride attempt). We walked and trotted through the water complex. He liked splashing around and didn't try to roll! The third day, I did a little of everything. Rode inside and out, tried all of their fancy dressage and hunter rings, rode out in the woods and schooled him during a cross country lesson. I thought horses galloping around him and jumping might unsettle him, but, they didn't. He was stall bound for three days and I never had to lunge him before I rode. He stayed that quiet. It was a great trip. Everyone there oooohed and aaaahed over Brio. No-one could believe he'd been under saddle for just one month! Honestly, I can't believe it either. Wednesday, July 16
Brio has gained weight, muscle and conditioning. I've started a bit of hill work and cardio conditioning with him. He is walking, trotting and cantering in the ring and out in the open. I've taken Brio down my road alone and he is just fine. He gets a bit concerned when things come up quickly behind him. I think this is due to getting picked on in the pasture in the past. My herd of four has accepted him just fine, now.
Brio/Elliot is becoming a very fancy, sensitive, obedient dressage horse with three very good gaits. I've even done some sitting trot and his back never tenses up. He is a joy to ride. > Back to the Trainers and Students Wednesday, July 9 Eliot (aka Brio) is doing great! I picked him up on Tuesday, June 24. He settled into my farm just fine. I lunged him on Wednesday and Thursday and taught him my voice commands; he's a quick study. I backed him on Thursday and using voice commands walked, trotted and halted. He learned to move away from the leg well and had a sacking out session. Saturday, the 27th, I lunged and rode him inside and outside. . . Sunday we cantered. Monday the 30th, I clipped, bathed, loaded in and out of trailer several times and rode in my back field. He finds work over caveletti rather exciting! He's been very cooperative and I am happy to work with him. I've ridden him bareback with no bridle and a wooden hoop. He's really been great. He has more people skills than horse/herd skills. He's adapting to my herd of three geldings, but, not without a bit of drama. I wormed him twice, once with ivermectin and once with tapeworm wormer. He is gaining much needed weight and has been introduced gradually to my grass pastures. He's a very sensitive horse, not spooky at all, very trusting! He keeps trying to follow me into my tack room when I go to fetch things--no horse does that! It's a people sized door. He's walked onto my deck, into my garage, up stairs!! All with me on him and doesn't question. He trusts a bit too quickly, me-thinks! This could all disintegrate with an owner who does not make wise choices for him. Eliot is a joy to work with. Very willing to please, sensitive, not a mean bone in this horse's body!! He's very social and inquisitive. Like Joe (the horseman who graciously housed him for many months) told me, "He's just waiting for his 'person'." > Back to the Trainer's Challenge About Eliot: One of the original members of the Pine County 45, Eliot (formerly Con Brio) was foaled in 2001 and is a Thoroughbred cross gelding. When he first came to the Rescue in 2002, he was nearly untouchable, which how he became named after Mr. Eliot Ness. Once he was a suitable health (and was a little more trusting of people), he was adopted out and had exceptional care and ground-work training for those few years before coming back to the Rescue. While he has made great progress with this trust of humans, his adoptive family felt it was important to Eliot to receive training from a more experienced person.
About Jodi: Specializing in the sport of Eventing and Dressage, Jodi earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Minnesota in 1982 and has over 40 years of experience riding horses in many different disciplines. As a youth she competed in eventing, dressage, vaulting, roman riding, drill team, and formation riding. She spent 10 years in California focusing on hunter/jumper at the Huntington Beach Equestrian Center and then dressage with Maureen Van Tyle in San Jose, CA. Since she moved back to Minnesota twenty years ago, she has owned and operated Trista Farm, LLC in Minnetrista, MN. Jodi’s main goal is to help horses and riders of all levels and abilities become as successful as possible..
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Brio/Elliott has been at my farm for three weeks. I am thrilled with his progress. He is very smart and very willing. I only work him about 4 times per week, but, he's catching on so quickly, I'd rather not burn off the much needed pounds he's put on so far. 
He's learning a bit more about being 'herd smart.' He's not particularly fearful or wimpy in the pasture, but, he doesn't always make smart choices, ie he might decide one day that he should come in first, before my very studdy thoroughbred who ALWAYS runs the herd! Not a good idea, little guy. I think he is catching on to the pecking order of the universe. He definitely understands this hierarchy with humans, he's just not as clear about the order of the horse world. I think my biggest challenge will be group outings and ring riding in a group setting. I ride alone, so I will need to trailer him somewhere to expose him to the group dynamics.