Math is Fun!

So I met this woman last week, who has claimed to have traveled around the world training horses ever since she ran away from home at 14. Well the years of living her life with booze have worn her down a bit and although she claims to be 33 she looks more like late fifties...

She proceeded to tell me and S&D that since she started training horses at 14 she's broke over 4,000. Um... Let's do some math on that shall we... OK, 14 from 33 puts us at 19 years of horse training. 4,000 horses divided by 19 years gives us 210.52 horses broke a year. Which puts us at 1 broke horse ever day and half... Uhhh I'm just going to come out and say it....BULL SHIT! And even if it is semi true then what is the quality of said "broke" horses?? Hmmmm?

She was one of those women who was an absolute know-it-all. Her way is the right way and even if she couldn't tell you why her way was better, that didn't matter it just was... She was very harsh with her horses and rode them even harder. She was about the domination of the horse. If it was standing still while ground tied and lowered it's head even a little to sniff the dirt she would yank on it's face so hard and scream at it... She was someone who'd I would never let touch one of my horses, EVER!!! She rode every horse with spurs and there was no mercy. If the screwed up, even in the tiniest way, there was going to be hell to pay. There were several times that S&D and I had to ask her to mellow out with the horses, it was getting to be way to much for us to bear. She would go on and on with stories of her breaking horses and "how to show them who was boss." You know I'm just never quite sure where on earth these people come from??

Believe me when I tell you that there were a couple times in our conversations with this woman that I really, really wanted to call her out on her BS. But, she seemed to think she was cool and fitting in...

Part of it is sad, part of it pathetic and sick. But I suppose there is no point teaching an old dog new tricks. With people like this, the proverbial "know it alls", sometimes it's better just to nod your head and then walk away...

Maybe she's a braggart, maybe she wanted to impress us, but I will tell you one thing. Isn't math fun???

All Breed Parade

I've trained and worked with a lot of different breeds. Some are super easy, some are not. Let's go down a brief list of a few of my experiences, then I'm turning it loose to you guys.

I broke a 3 yr old Arabian mare who was as mean as snot on the ground, but under saddle she was one of the easiest.

Haflingers, EASY and Mellow.

A Quarter pony who was stubborn and lazy.

An appaloosa, smart, but rambunctious.

A Paint Mare, she was a dream!

A POA, Stubborn, but smart as a whip!!!!

Quarter horses, too smart, they take a bit of figuring only because each one is different. Good solid horse though.

Thoroughbreds, melodramatic but willing.

A Belgian which was a huge scardey cat!!

A Mustang Filly, smart, but skittish at first, she caught on quick and was a great riding horse.

OK, so there is just a couple of different breeds I've trained and a short blurb about each of them. Now thasts's not all horses in the same breed category, just a couple of the ones that I've worked with. And that really doesn't even begin to scratch the surface, but you get the idea. So what is your experience with different breeds and which one is your favorite????

I'm going to have to ask you to stay on the ground!

100th post and it's feeling good! Thank you to all my readers!! I love you all!!!!

OK, so how do you feel when you truly think that you may have actually worked out all the kinks in a horse??? Pretty good, only to find out you were wrong and the horse was merely biding it's time.

So I trained a horse to STOP rearing. And the damn thing reared over again last night... it had been months since she'd reared. We thought we nailed it and fixed the issue. Surprise, surprise. So once again we need to break it down into the possibilities of why...

Sore?

Hasn't been worked in awhile?

Sassy? Just seeing what she can get away with?

Medical condition?

Breeding?

In season?

Sometimes I really think horses like flipping us off and what a way to do it!! So any way it's back to square one. Finding the source of the issue and starting back from the beginning. I really greatly dislike horses who will "appear" to be fixed and then explode one day with randomness... Especially rearing over backwards...

We do know that this mare has been passed from home to home in her 8 years so it is a good assumption that she scared the previous owners and so they sold her and over and over again. Well it stops here as her owner now is fiercely in love with her and refuses to give up. And guess what the mare needs to figure it out that we are not just going to send her packing again... We're in it for the long haul... But Damn does it get rough from time to time...

Shut the Hell Up...Please!

So as most horse owners know, EVERYONE happens to have an opinion. How to train your horse, how to ride it, what bit to use, not to use. It's really quite overwhelming and quite annoying. So #1 How do you find some to trust and #2 When do you tell certain people to shut the hell up.

You need to do your research. It seems as though now it is very prevalent for green riders to acquire green horse (WHY?!?! I have no idea). NOW with that being said you have the blind leading the blind and EVERYONE will be vomiting information at you. IF you do some homework, find a good trainer or aren't quite as much of a beginner as everyone thinks you are, then you're in luck.

What most first time horse owners find is that everyone bombards them with info and what you should/have to do. Now you want to talk to these people and get all the insight you can. Take it all how you want it. BUT, What do you when it becomes too much?? I tell my clients... "You need to know when to tell them to shut up with a smile on your face." You NEVER want to hurt any ones feelings or seem ungrateful, but there comes a time when you have to say "No thank you. This is my horse, but I appreciate your help." You don't want to burn any bridges you just need to make sure that there is a clear message coming their way that says. "Shut it."

And again, it's NOT in any way that you want to be rude or ungrateful it's just that we all know what too many cooks in the kitchen does... Don't ever look a gift horse in the mouth, just KNOW when to take control of your own horse.

I am Just That Good...

No, not me necessarily... YOU! We all have talents when it comes to horses, you know, something we are just really, really stinking good at. For example I am good at getting a horse broke to a rider. S&D is REALLY good with ground work and round penning.

One of the things that can make for training a very successful horse is never being afraid to ask someone for help, or to learn from someone else. Like I said, we all seem to have a niche in where we just ROCK at something and maybe just sub-par at something else. BUT, when we're good, we are just that DAMN GOOD!!!

So what are you good at? No holds-barred, lay all out there, incontestable... What is it that you can honestly say "I kick some major ass!" It could be anything horse related... Maybe you're good at posting, jumping, reining, getting a horse to clip, bathe, load in a trailer. Anything! Let's hear it!!!!

Finally Someone Normal...

So last night I finally found a great, excellent home for one of mine and S&D's sale horses. We had her for sale for 3 weeks and went through WAY too many people who were looking at her. So congrats to the new owners and congrats to me and S&D who do NOT have to deal with any more crazy people!!!

Have you ever noticed when you sell a horse, the type of people who may come out of the woodwork to look at them? OMG we had some strange people. We had to ask SEVERAL of them to get off our damn horse due to their hellacious riding. We just put way too much training into this horse for some ass to screw it up. And yeah, people's pride may have gotten hurt, but too bad. I'm very VERY gentle on the mouth of my horses and when someone comes out to try one and just hangs on to my horse's face, I have a major problem with that...

Plus, have you ever noticed that people come out to "check, interview, scrutinize" your horse? Well they have a huge surprise coming their way when I tell them straight up that THEY are under MY microscope with me, as I am VERY picky as to whom I sell my horses too.

When I tell and SHOW people EXACTLY how we ride our horse and they jump on with spurs and they're kicking and yanking... OY!!! No matter, you just need to tell them to get the 'F' off your horse OR you yank the 'F' off your horse!!!!!

So what are some of your horse buying/selling stories....

Heaven Help Us...

Here's an article off the front page of today's Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008755161_horses18m.html

I am at a loss... sometimes it feels as there is no end in sight and stories like this keep becoming more and more rampant...

Tricks are for Jackasses!!!

As a horse training professional there is nothing on earth that I hate more than LAME ASS TRICKS! They do nothing for you, for the horse, for riding, they're mindless, typically dangerous and confusing acts that are supposed to make you look soooo KYOOOOL!!

See here's the thing, they are dangerous because PEOPLE are typically really dumb when they teach their horses these "tricks." EXAMPLE!!! I was training a beautiful dun gelding that the owner had taught to rear. Oh yay! So any who, one day I was about to get on the gelding when someone in front of me happen to throw their hands up. Well boys and girls, that was the geldings cue to rear! And I was half way on him and then on the ground!!! See there is no "normal cues" for tricks, so something as common as throwing your hands up, or certain movements or touches to the horse can cue them to perform their said "trick." OK, moving on to the picture portion...Have fun!!

You know I've really never figured out what the "standing" on your horse thing was supposed to prove???

Is this really REAL???

ASSHAT! Hopefully your horse can maintain his balance....

Ugh, You're horse is so beyond humiliated at this point...

WTF?!?!?! Damn I would love to *grumble grumble* nevermind...

I'm Sorry What Did You Say???

Happy Monday!!

So a good friend of mine keeps her horses on a 5 acre piece of property with a little barn. It is owned by a guy and his wife who happened to have gotten a good deal on it as it was on foreclosure. These people know NOTHING about horses and they just so happened to answer her craigslist ad in regards to her finding a place for her horses a few months ago.

So everything is fine they work a deal of a $100 per horse and she'll feed and buy her own chow for the horses. Well now suddenly greed has decided to take over... it's actually beyond ridiculous. The barn itself is old and has terrible footing so she can't ride, They have a dog on the property that has killed 2 goats and chases the horses, basically the place is a P.O.S. BUT the price was decent and they seemed nice at first. OK, back to my point.

So, she gets an email one day saying that effective March 1st board is $150 per horse and there is also a boarding agreement at the barn for her. Well needless to say my Friend is a wee bit taken a back by all this and when she finally picks up the agreement she shows it to me and is just about blow a gasket. It is the most RE-god-Damn-Diculous agreement I have EVER SEEN!!!

It's 8 PAGES LONG of blather... They will supply 2 rounds of local grass per month, THEY will worm her horses and add the charges to board, her horse's are NOT allowed to wear horseshoes?? She has to clean the barn 3 times a week, and on and on and on... Now I'm OK with a boarding agreement or a use of land agreement, but this is so damn stinking stupid I just can't help but to laugh!! My friend has had over 25 years of horse experience and just moved her horses from some other crap hole that wasn't feeding her horses. Sooooo the likely hood of her just standing idly by and having some other asshat take over the feeding and worming of her horses is NOT going to happen. Especially when she has 25 years of horse experience VS. their 4 months of horse experience. LMFAO!!! I'm sorry the whole thing was so dang funny I about died!!! I mean they happen to own a HOUSE on some property and answered HER CL AD!!! They are NOT a boarding facility, not even close, and she didn't ASK to move there, they asked HER!! and suddenly they are horse professionals?*Snicker* ALSO finding a boarding agreement on Google and then copying and pasting it DOES NOT mean that it is A. Legal or B. A Good Idea

Thankfully she has a great place to go and her horses will be moved at the end of this month. BUT! I know there is a lot of you guys who have horse boarding horror stories so let 'em RIP!!!!

It's Unconditional...

My love for you...Your ears and soft doe eyes,

The way you knicker at me when you hear me walking your way...

Your muzzle brushing against my cheek,

The way you push at me when you need my attention as much as I need yours.

The way I can be with you with no makeup, no designer clothing and you are still happy to see me.

You can read me like a book, whether I'm happy or upset.

The way you slobber my clothes and yet I couldn't be more grateful.

You carry me on your back so faithfully and gently.

I would die to be with you and die without you...

For you...My love is unconditional...

Today let's hear all about YOUR four legged Valentine's day sweethearts...

GoLightly

Just for you...Hugs and kisses.... :)

I Have Aids

No, no. Not that kind. The artificial kind. Spurs, riding crop, etc. Have you ever watched a person ride a horse while using some of these items and just cringe?? Yes. Misuse of riding aids is all too common. The show we went to this past weekend was FULL of people doing the "Yank on the mouth, spur spur, whip whip." Yeeeks it's a tough one to watch. So when you SEE others riding with their whip flailing around and smacking the horse wherever it seems to make contact or gouging their horse's guts out with their spurs, it kind of makes you wonder what and how you are actually supposed to use that stuff for.

Well for starters, whips and spurs are exactly what they say they are. ARTIFICIAL AIDS. They are NEVER supposed to be a substitute for proper riding! They are just the exclamation point at the end of your statement. OK, with that being said let's jump in.

Spurs are never to be sharp or so harsh that your horse bleeds. EVER. So moving on. You wear spurs on your boot and when you need that extra "HEY! Listen to what I'm asking YOU!" You are supposed to simply TURN your heel out so the spurs makes contact with the horse make your statement then turn your heel back to normal. Never bring your legs out and full on kick your horse with your spurs. If the turn of the heel doesn't seem to get you the response you desire, then tap tap with the spurs just enough for your reaction. You can do way too much damage to a horse's body AND training if you misuse spurs or whips. You can make a horse VERY dead-sided, to where they simply start to ignore ALL of your aids.

Crops and whips. This one should be easy enough. Crops and whips should almost ALWAYS be used right behind your leg. A crop is merely the reinforcement to your leg asking for the movement desired. Don't smack your horse on the butt or shoulder as that teaches NOTHING! You cue your horse with your leg, you get no response, so you ask again this time with the reinforcement of the crop right behind your leg, and ONCE! Not repeatedly smacking the crap of your horse. That AGAIN, does nobody, be it horse or human, any damn good!

Using artificial aids appropriately can really enhance you and your horse's performance. It can make riding slightly more appealing if you're on a pluggy school horse who refuses to move. Only experienced riders with GOOD leg control should ever use spurs. With both aids as well KNOW the horse before you decide that using this equipment is a good idea or not. You may smack a horse behind your leg and he takes off going crazy. Always be prepared. If you are asking a horse to move forward with a crop or spurs and he does just that by jumping forward, the worst thing you could do is then grab them in face. So be prepared. Realistically both a crop and spurs should really only be used with the help of a trainer or another experienced rider. There's no shame in having aids! Have fun and stay safe, but remember that they can be your greatest tool, or your worst nightmare depending on their use!!!

Let's Flex

Whether your horse is a competition horse or a trail horse, nothing will benefit them quite like a good stretching exercise. We know how good we feel after a good stretch, well our horses feel the same!

Stretching their necks and bodies before and after a ride or activity will help make and maintain a nice supple horse. When riding do circles and encourage your horse to stretch down almost to a peanut pushing status... if your horse is dropping his head then he WANTS to stretch and it is totally encouraged until you're ready for work... Circles and figure eights with a horse stretching his head down will stretch ALL the muscles of his top line. From Poll to Dock and everything in between.

When you're done riding or exercising, then use treats for stretching their neck and sides. Get the horse to follow that treat around as far as they can, BUT NEVER FORCE your horse's head or leg, or ANY body part around for a stretch!! The more you do this the more supple and comfortable your horse will become. You can put a treat or carrot just about anywhere and you're horse will most likely stretch to get it.

A nice supple, round horse will appear pleasant in the show ring, be pleasant to ride and will never appear stiff or uncomfortable. I even know people (myself included) That will sometimes get their horses adjusted using acupressure and then you keep up on it by stretching them out everyday!! It's the little things we may overlook that can help your horse immensely in the long run!!

Who Are You???

So those of us who own horses MAY have the luxury of knowing history of your horse. But what if you don't??? Are you just doomed? NOPE!!!! And here's how!!!

OK, so short story. A Client of mine has owns a horse that has been passed around a bit. She's a young horse, but seemed to have had a handful of owners. Well this horse also has some really bizarre gaps in her training. Like she neck reins, side passes and spins on her large muscle bound Quarter horse ASS, but she won't canter???? Yeah there are some real MAJOR GAPS in her training. NOW Thankfully I and the owner are smart enough, that instead of just beating the crap put of the horse and forcing her to do it, we want some HISTORY on her. Where is the ROOT of the problem!!!!!

That is what I want. I can not appropriately solve any problem effectively unless I know where it stemmed from. So how on EARTH, do you track some of this crap down??? Well... if your horse is reg. than of course you can look up the owner history and then HELLO GOOGLE!!!! Google their name and use keywords, like "Suzy Q Horse" "Suzy Q AQHA" Also GOOGLE your horse REG. Name to help find out info!You will be shocked how much info you'll pull up that way. and you can do that with ANY NAME!!!

Trace your horses lines. Find out the who, what, when and where of your sire and dam. What did they do? Where they shown? Contact the breeder if you can! GOOGLE GOOGLE!! LOL!!! Find any information out you can about the parents. Any health issues in the lines??? Inbreeding? Who knows!!

Study the area of where your horse came from. Doesn't seem like a big deal right? Who cares where they came from?? I DO! I just found out that where one of my students horses came from had a TERRIBLE out break of EPM when she was living there.... THAT could be a PROBLEM!!!!

Of course you need to find out who trained your horse if possible, do NOT be afraid to call people or email them. You'll be surprised how ACCOMMODATING the people are in order to help you.

Last but not least. If you can't find much on YOUR horse, try to find a FULL-BLOODED Sibling!!!! That could help you immensely... it will at least give you insight as to personality and temperament. And Maybe the owners of your horses' sibling will know how to contact other people you can use as resources!!! I have found out A LOT of information about horses that I'm training using these tools. And it gives me a way better idea of who and what I'm working with!!!! Plus it's great if you just want to know the history of your horse.

Holy Crap Guys!!

I have a TON of updates for you! It has been a hell of weekend!!!!

1st~ Yours Truly has been chosen to compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover!!! I will be picking up my Stang in March and Competing in June! WAhoooooooooooooooo!!! http://extrememustangmakeover.com/

2nd~ The Show was FANTASTIC!!! S&D did AMAZING!!! She placed VERY VERY well!! So congrats to her! She received a 1st for trail in hand 3 and under with her baby Diamond and received a two 2nds and a third and a 1st with Sugs! And now she's a show addict!!!

3rd~ Bella, the TB we were given, HAS found a terrific home!!!.

4th~ The OTHER mare that was also left to us by some asshat has been coming ALONG AMAZINGLY in her training!!! She will be ready for her first show shortly!!!

NOW, you will all have to excuse me as I am FREAKING out about being chosen. This is my version of Miss America!! LOL! Not quite the Olympics, but still!! They are VERY picky when it comes to choosing trainers for the Stangers!!!

Big Trouble!

Unless your horse looks like this--------------->

You can be in big freaking trouble! Now granted it only has one pose, but WOW what pose it is!!! HA! Seriously now, tomorrow I am taking S&D to her first show and as horse people we understand that horses have good days and bad days, just like people. Now matter HOW LONG you train and prepare for something, NOTHING gets you ready for a horse that gets up on the wrong side of the bed.

Ahhhh our faithful companions... we been riding you for weeks and months on end preparing for this day, only to have you pitch a bitch fit and buck halfway through the class. You what's funny to me? I once dating a guy who was really into "Ultimate Fighting." He said that was the hardest thing EVER! Harder than any other sport and especially horses because all I need to do is just "sit up there and let the horse do the work." WTF?!?!? LMAO!!! Little did he know!

See when playing a sport like soccer or even "Ultimate Fighting", Karate, etc... you are only dependant on yourself! If YOU have a bad day or screw up then it's on you. I have to try and work with something that has it's own brain, feelings and wants. And sometimes it does NOT WANT to show. Ha! So now who has it harder? Not only must I maintain composure, but I have to please (and bribe with speak of cookies) another living thing in order for ME to be successful and get that damn blue ribbon...YIKES!

No one is perfect, your horse is not perfect. We all have good, great and fantastic days as well as bad, horrible and please let this be over days. All in all it's about making the MOST out of every situation you can with your horse. Set attainable goals for you and your horse. Example: If your horse has NEVER been in around or anywhere near a busy chaotic show and you expect to go and clean up and he'll be a "perfect angel", well than I would like to know what you're smoking!!! Now if you go and think "Hey, my horse has never been exposed to this so as long we as do our classes and we are safe and have fun that's all that matter."

<---- Reminder, NOT your horse!

My OWN show horse who I've been showing for years, can still get a bug up his ass some days and we are just screwed from the get go! BUT, I still go and have fun and make the most of it.

Horses are and should always be about learning, having fun and establishing a great strong partnership with each other. That way IF one of you is having a bad show say, the other can try and coax you out of it!!! Good OR BAD I'm glad my horse is not made of plastic. I'll take him as he is any day of the week!!!

This is Why We Have Issues!

So my brother's ex-girlfriend is now dating someone who has racehorses *already headdesk*. Well... they are idiots... They are the reason why horses get put down for no reason and why they get mis treated. So I get a text from the ex who tells me, "Hey we have this 7 yr old mare we need to give away, but she's mean so we'll probably shoot her, but if you want her that's cool too HEE HEE." Um...OK then WTF are texting me for if she's "mean"?? Ugh... So naturally me and my partner in crime S&D go and look at this mare and she's in about an acre and half of pasture and I'm like OK deep breath, she'll most likely kill us, but let's go in! Well surprise surprise, she's an ANGEL! She whinnies and comes right up to us and we pet her and life is good.

This is the VERY first day we see her. ICK-------------->

So I call the ex and I say "So what exactly made this mare so mean?" And her being really smart tells me "Well she was just taken away from her brother and her mom for only the second time in her life (She's SEVEN!!!) and she's freaking out and running and she tried to bite us!! She's DANGEROUS!" OH MY GOD PEOPLE! So naturally we are going to take this damn mare that we do NOT need, just to get her out of there!!!

S&D and Hubby went to the place and picked her yesterday... the Ex's NEW BF was there waiting for them and he said, "Well, she might not load and she's kind of a nasty thing so good luck." Well S&D asks "Has she ever been broke?" He snorts back at her "Um Yeah right! Only Jockey Broke and that was like 5 years ago!!!" Apparently this mare had been trained to race for only 2 months when genius boy realized she was NOT fast enough and he has her brother so screw her, she's going into a pasture for the next 5 years NEVER to be touched again!

<------ Sweet face, but OUCH look at that chest! OH yeah and Forelock! UGH!

Well, She loads right up (she was probably thankful to get the hell out of there) comes to the farm and we let her chow, then it's off to the round pen. So she does great, then we grab the saddle and she does great then we bit her up she does great, I ground drive her and she freaks a bit, but then settles right down, so I jump around her and put weigh on her and she's fine so I hop right up there and she's awesome I get off, S&D's Hubby Plops on and we walk them around. He tells us to unclip the lead rope and off he goes. She walks, trots, stops, backs, turns, stands, EVERYTHING! Yeah really F-ing scary my ass! So once we are done it's back into the barn for a SEVERE makeover!!!

So Genius boy and the EX apparently were to freaking lazy to brush her tail or wash her EVER, because she was a filthy mud ball! AND YAY! They CHOPPED HER TAIL OFF! To the bone, because it was matted and so they just cut it. AND she has a fantastic RUB on her chest! "Probably from reaching over the fence, but we don't know why?!" (yeah right) And they cropped her forelock straight across! UGH! Her feet haven't been touched as hey are over grown and pancakey, and until last night I'm sure she was never up to date on worming. Well she looks 100 x's better now, WE have ANOTHER damn horse we don't need, and she couldn't be sweeter!

After 2 hour Makeover---------------------------->

But damn it! It is people like the 2 wonderkids (ex and ex new bf) who put these horses' lives in jeopardy. They were going to SHOOT her because she "bit" at them. Well yeah you JUST weaned her after 7 F-ing years!!! *HEADESK* Anyway... Another happy horse, saved from the evil that is idiocy! *sigh* OH and here's her pedigree http://www.pedigreequery.com/mirabella4/

and here's daddy! HE is a NICE BOY!!! http://www.eldoradofarms.net/free_at_last.htm

Only One

So for those of who love and own our horses they are like family to us. I have no children so to me my 4 horses are my kids. I'd do anything for them to keep them healthy, fat and happy. But how far would you actually go??? If you haven't heard this story go and check it out here http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/397691_shootings28.html It's about an L.A. man who lost his job, was losing his house and saw no END in sight and that this was no world to raise his kids in, so he and his wife decided the only way out was to kill the family, including themselves.

Where am I going with this? Well, times are tough, and that man and his wife couldn't bear the thought of their kids being homeless, on the streets or starving to death so he ended the "madness" as it were. Well... let's change he roles a bit here... what if that was you? You have NO money, no hay, and your horses are hungry. There is no end in site and giving them away is NOT a quick fix or even an option because everyone is flooding craigslist with free and cheap horses... Where do you turn?

Unfortunately this ISN'T that far fetched of a hypothetical situation anymore, this IS happening to people and their horses. What are your realistic options... Would you Steal? Shoot your horse? Sell your horse to a meat buyer? Turn you horse out and let it run "wild"? Just abandon them? You get one choice... or you get to see your horses starve and die...

Am I being a sadist? Or grotesque? No, I'm being a Realist. And it's tough out there right now... YOU are at a crossroad... Make your move...

Cowboys Are Fun!!!

Today it is gorgeous here in the Seattle area, we should all be out riding... Just not like these guys... You know sometimes I have to wonder, does this really help your horse sell? Well here is your cowboy edition of "WTF will they put on Dreamhorse next?"

http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1356039

WTF? IS he really standing in the parking lot of Rose Bowl Stadium on a raggy looking horse that could really benefit from A. A new home and B. A good Brushing

Hmmmm Who says you can't ride 2 horses at once?? *headdesk* http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1356444&share_this=Y

Oh and if you want this horse you can for $7500.00 Ahahahahaha Yeah RIGHT!!! OK OK so seriously now... WHY would anyone spend that much money for that horse in a market like this?

You know what? I bet this girl is really nice and a very good trainer, but there is something about her that just really bugs the crap out of me. LOL!

http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1355393

Maybe it's all the gimmicky stuff I don't like. You know? Just RIDE your damn horse like a NORMAL Freaking person! Or Maybe I'm just being pissy pants today!! LMFAO!!! Either Way Enjoy!!!

This is FAB Training!

Boys and girls. Today's lesson is "If you need to use EVERY piece of training equipment on your horse, then A. You are a TERRIBLE Trainer or B. You have a TERRIBLE trainer. I don't use hardly ANY artificial equipment such as draw reins, training forks, bits to crank their head down, side reins, basically ANY fancy gimmick that "should" lower my horse's head, make him round up, or whatever... NOW, that is of course not to say that I won't use them, just not ALL the time and not to this extreme.

NOW, never mind the fact that she is riding in SHORTS *ouch*! But that she is also gagging her horse and and has enough crap on him to...well... choke a horse. NOTHING beats good old fashioned hard work and proper training PEOPLE! Circles, circles, circles small ones big ones, whatever will get your horse's head down and have him rounding up! Hard work, repetition and CONSISTENCY will pay off big time and you will have greater rewards and an easier horse to handle because of it!

With crap like this girls riding with, your horse will learn to brace on the equipment and therefore will NOT learn to hold his own frame. When you go to take the shit off, your horse's frame will COMPLETELY get strung out. They have to learn to hold themselves up. If your horse becomes too dependant on the equipment you are going to have to start back over from square 1 anyways! There are NO quick fixes, answers or training techniques. NONE!

Now again, I will use certain equipment here and there, but I will also find the ROOT of the problem and fix that, not mask it with "tricks." Example: I trained a horse that reared it's brains out, no matter what! So after having the him examined by the vet, farrier, and a chiropractor, I decided it was time to put a tie down on him and round pen him. Then I just waited patiently for the explosion, for him to rear, I knew it was coming, because it always did. Once he finally tried to rear, he realized he couldn't get his head up to do so and him bumping his nose on the tie down was turning out to be less than fun. He did that a couple times, then I took the tie down off and worked from there. I wanted him temporarily uncomfortable while rearing to prove a point, then we went to work and he has been fine ever since.

Tools like that are just that tools. you use it for a little bit, then put them away. I've ridden jumpers who have needed martingales on, and barrel horses who need a tie down. BUT when it is avoidable, then it needs to be! Again, I'm not opposed to the use of SOME equipment SOME of the time, but there is NO excuse to ever crank your horse's head down... using equipment for safety is one thing, but just trying to avoid hard work and find a quick fix, that's disgusting. I was at a show when a girl was riding a 2 year old filly with draw reins. She had them so tight that the filly's chin was touching her chest. Finally with no where to go the filly flipped over in desperation to get away, while also falling on her stupid ass rider. The rider ended up having to go to the hospital, but surprise, surprise, no one had much sympathy for her! This is your new mantra "Nothing beats hard work, nothing beats hard work, there is NO such thing as a quick fix!"