Good Move...

So being out sick, I missed a lot out at the barn... and not in a good way... Apparently two of the boarders took their horses out on the trails and one gal got bucked off her horse as the horse was bolting back to the barn... She fell and hit her head on some railroad tracks, went to the hospital and was found to have a mild concussion. She is OK now, thank heavens, but how scary is that!!!

Now she has admitted that her horse knows that she isn't strong enough to hold it back or control it. And the horse walks ALL over her... Once that horse gets its head it's all over for her... She loves the horse, but the horse is way too much for her. There has been too many bad manners left in the open and it's way beyond repair. So she has decided to go ahead and sell the horse. Good Move...

Why a good move??? Well, because horses should fun and relaxing. Now the horse is NOT 100% at fault... The owner did not work the horse nearly enough and she knows that now. That these animals are not like hamsters where you can just pull them out when you think you feel like it... But again, this relationship is too far gone. And frankly in this market there are just WAY too many GOOD horses out there to be stuck with one you don't get along with... There is no shortage of horses... LOL Good or Bad!!! It's just finding one that matches a certain skill, riding and experience level...

Me and Pneumonia are not friends....

To all of you who were wishing me well I THANK YOU!! So much... I Want to thank S&D and her Hubby for caring for my horse's. And My good friend Dusty for caring for Acacia. Ugh... I'm still tired and very beaten up. Pneumonia = My Own Personal Hell... BUT I'm almost over it and here's the great news!!!! I have not smoked a cigarette since Last Tuesday... Pros and Cons... T Rex is back in the game!!!! Thank you Thank you Thank ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's get going again!! :)

Easy Peasy

So obviously with me working with Acacia it has opened my eyes to a lot of different ways to handle training. One thing I've always used as a training tool however, is water. WATER? Yes water.

Why? Well it's so damn easy it's stupid.... Once a horse knows how to tie and is tied appropriately, safely and can not break away, you bathe them. From a very safe distance! If a horse has issues being touched (like Acacia did) and it is way too dangerous for me to just walk up and touch her without my head getting kicked off, then I spray them with water. Using a gentle spray with just enough pressure that she feels it. IT simulates being touched...

Now I always ALWAYS start at the feet and move up. I never want to scare the daylights out of her. It's still slow and easy... So, moving on. Water is one of the best tools you can use for desensitizing a horse because it never goes away, it never gets wrapped up in their legs, or makes crazy, weird noises. There is NO danger to it. A horse that doesn't like it's back legs being touched and kicks and kicks out at you. Can kick it's guts out at the water, because it doesn't hurt it, it doesn't scare water away and if you're already at a safe distance, then the horse learns that just because it is throwing a fit, you aren't going anywhere either....

With just enough water pressure it really feels as though the horse is being touched... And water goes ANYWHERE!! Under the tummy, back legs, rump, neck, wherever! It will NEVER harm the horse either.

I used it on Acacia and after the bath, I could touch her everywhere... NOT joking!!!!!! It is THE gentlest way to get a horse used to touching... In fact Acacia liked it so much she started drinking and playing with the hose!!!

Of All the Horses For sale....

Thank you DreamHorse for blowing my mind once again.... Soooooo here's an ad of someone who bought this "Awesome horse" with 2 injuries to it's suspensory... HUH? He's a 2 legged horse at the moment... And now... she needs to resell it... Apparently it's a great horse and was shown hunters and knows it's auto changes and everything like that, but why would you buy and now sell a DEAD lame horse??? OH and the horse is 17.... Here's the link to the ad. http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1375389&share_this=Y

With ALL of the horses for sale, why do you suppose someone would want to pay $500 for a lame horse. It's sad really, to me. Poor horse probably served it's previous owners well, went lame then go pawned off on someone else, who know wants a RIDEABLE horse. So again with the pawning. Ugh... He looks like a cute typical Thoroughbred cross, but unfortunately his owner may be hanging on to him for awhile... For I FEAR, no wait, I'm about 99% SURE, no one will want him let alone to pay money for him...

Good Ol Days

So there was an ad out on CL a couple days ago where a gal was looking for her horse. Apparently she had sold the horse to a girl and the girl dissapeared off the face of the earth after only paying $20 towards the horse. And the owner was trying to find the girl and her horse. Well, a lot of people including yours truly, knew of the reputation of the girl who dissapeared and so we contacted the owner via CL and gave her alot of great leads. Now, before we move on there is a back story. The girl who know has the horse is nototirous for STARVING horses and then begging people to help her pay the vet to have the horse put down. Well Owner A. Didn't know that at the time she sold the horse to a horse starver.


So anyway Owner gal is able track down H.S. (Horse Starver) and emails her telling her that she wants her horse back as the H.S. refuses to pay. So now it's all legal and the police department say Owner has every right to go and get her horse so long as she contacts the police department in the county where H.S. is. Great right? No, not yet. The OTHER police dept. says that H.S. is in an unincorperated part of the county and they can't do anything. If she steps on the property Owner will get arrested for trespassing on H.S.'s property. They basically tell her that H.S. is a THEIF and they will have to battle it out in court... WOW...


So, What if that was you?? What if you tried your hardest to make sure your horse was going to a good home and then find out you were wrong? What if they dissapear off the face of the earth?? Then what would you do???

Do you also remember the Good Ol Days??? You know what used to happen to horse theives??

No Really...

WTF is this SHIT?!?!?!?!?! http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/related/93223 This horse was drug behind a TRUCK! And then the man beat it with a PVC while some BITCH kicked it in the head!!! All the while screaming for it to get up...

Do you even KNOW what this does to my blood pressure??? Because you do NOT even want to know a sliver of what I would do to these people if I had seen that or was closer to them... Of course... Arizona isn't too far I suppose. HOW and WHY? He is so damn CUTE!! I do not understand people. And then they'll stand in court with their lame ass excuses.

Anyway, there is special place in HELL for them to burn in. AND, if anyone knows of someone who wants to adopt the horse, he is recovering nicely!

ACACIA

She has her very own blog now... I got some sound advice to start one for her... so you can see her story... From Beginning to End... Here is the link to her blog http://wildacacia.blogspot.com/

Happy To Be Back!

That was a loooooong drive!!!!! Holy cow!!! BUT! Acacia made it back safe and sound and she is a GREAT Hauler... She's scared and nervous, but quiet.... No thrashing, rearing, striking, NOTHING!!! The drive she stayed nice and still and munched on her hay...

We got back on Saturday and of course it's pouring down rain, but have no fear, rain or shine we're out there working with her.... So far I've been able to touch her nose while she was in the trailer and yesterday being day one I was able to get her to walk towards me and eat hay out of my hands, but still no touching allowed... LOL!!!

Acacia was captured when she was a yearling and is a beautiful black bay color with a cute little snip on her nose! I really want to hug her, she is so stinking cute LOL!!! I can see past the scrubby exterior and rain soaked fur and I know she's a beauty!!!

Here she is in the Chute getting her tag cut off and getting ready to go in the trailer....

Our Rain Soaked Beauty!!!

Mission Time

In exactly 2.5 hours I shall be off and running on my way down to Litchfield, CA to go and pick up the mustang *Acacia* So.... all of you have a fabs weekend and I'll have some pics for you on Monday!!

If You Say So....

So at the horse show we went to this weekend we saw a paint PONY that was being cantered under saddle, with a very tall rider in the warm ring, for at least 45 minutes straight!!! Even the trail judge commented on it, saying "WOW, she is really working that pony hard." It was funny because I noticed something off about that pony, you know it was really slender and VERY leggy, but really it's none of my business either.

So anyway, when it was time for our next class and we were waiting in the warm up ring to go in, I over head the lady riding the pony, now covered in sweat, that this was a full blown reg. Paint HORSE!! She was small because she wasn't quite even TWO years old and she'd been under saddle for at least 3 months!! I almost fell off my own damn horse.... Now I know that race horses are broke young and a lot of QH and Paint's are too so they make their futurity, so to each their own I don't break until 3, but that's also me... But this was damn INSANE!! The horse's chest was so narrow and she was so young looking with her small slender frame the whole outfit, tack, rider and all just looked damn silly.

It is apparent however how common this actually is, that people ride the tar out of their young ins... Here, go to this website... http://www.lazyt.net/horsetraining.htm

There is a two yr old STALLION being ridden by a guy who recently had a STROKE and is trying to regain his balance... WTF are these "Trainers" thinking??? Poor guy had a stroke and you're going to give him lessons on a 2 yr STUD horse? There are some other just BEYOND Ghastly pictures on their site as well.. Like the picture of a white ratty looking horse jumping over a pile of junk buckets and other crap. It looked like he was cornered, or something. OH! And there is no such thing as 17.5hh HORSE! The hand system stops at 4. Soooo I think what they MEAN to say is 18.1hh. Hell I don't even know... These people call themselves Trainers and a Farm. Well only if you say so....

What's in a Name???

We have named the mustang!! It is a mare....

Acacia

Meaning: Honorable. Biblical: acacia wood was used to build the wilderness Tabernacle.

It is also the name of a Cemetery in Seattle... and yes I have just outed myself as a freak, Thank You....

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Let the Challenge begin in 2 DAYS!!!

Just Another Manic Monday!

Ok, So recap of the weekend, took S&D's 2 mares to a show and placed VERY. VERY well in ALL of their classes. In hand trail was Sugar was a blue ribbon WINNER! In Halter, she came out with 2 second place ribbons and Diamond came out with a 4th... Oh my goodness they were FABS!!!!

Moving on.. the pastures and fencing is FINALLY complete as the Mustang is going to be here Friday LATE night!!! YES!!! We leave Thursday evening to go and pick up my wild mustang off the BLM, for the EXTREME MUSTANG MAKEOVER!!!!!!!! We are finishing the final touches on the pastures and the weather has been just CRAZY here. Snowing again... *sigh*

It's going to be a crazy, busy week!!! Posts may be short, but I'm thinking of all of ya!!!! OOOHHH And NAMES for the Mustang!!! Let me know some of your ideas...

Trainer X (Me) is going to blow a gasket by the time this all done and over with! LMFAO!!!!!!!!

I'm going to have to do a lot of "Half-Halting" so I can stop regroup and think... I WILL be documenting mine and the Mustang's crazy adventure either with pictures or Video, starting from this this Thursday night!!! Ahhhh it's all coming up so damn fast!!!!

Trainers, Trainers, Trainer Everywhere!

We all have certain horseman and women that we look up too. And for different reasons. Me for example, I am really into John Lyons, I enjoy reading his books, and taking bits of information and training techniques from him that I can apply to my own training programs.

Nowadays there are just so many damn horse trainers to choose from it can be a bit overwhelming. Typically when it comes to following a specific trainer or technique, it has to be one that matches your own style. If it doesn't make sense to you why would you follow it??

Now I read A LOT, I surf the web and I try to find advice and tips that I can use. I'm sort of a grazer, so to speak. I take a lot of information from many different avenues and use what I feel is appropriate to get the job done to my liking!! And believe me, with me going to pick up the Mustang in 7 short days, I've been absorbing info like a sponge!!!

So let's have a chat on some of the trainers out there that you like, or don't and why. What theories of theirs do you like or dislike? From Clinton Anderson, Pat Parelli, Julie Goodnight, Whomever! Let's sound off...

Consistency Kills...

When you don't stick with it...

It's the one of the keys to all horses and training and riding everywhere... Consistency. Without it your horse could could care less what you're asking, but with it... you are in the running for Gold.

So why is it so damn hard?? Because WE hate being consistent. Some days we get in our moods and say "Oh I don't care what Cuddles does today, she's so cute." or "I'm pissy and the normal things that I wouldn't care about, suddenly I do and Cuddles is in BIG Trouble!" OK, but that's just not fair to our horses who only look to us for guidance.

When training or schooling a horse you must set your boundaries and be consistent with them... It's like Wash, rinse, repeat, EVERYDAY! Of course you want to do different activities with your horse but ALWAYS keep the end result of your lesson the same.

Cuddles KNOWS that in order to canter you slide your left leg back and squeeze and voila she's going to the right. BUT if you suddenly changed that cue and Cuddles got confused and then you get pissed off because Cuddles isn't listening...Well my friends, that's when your horse gets sent to me, because you have confused the bloody hell out of the poor thing.

You aren't doing ANY favors to yourself or your horse if you do NOT stay steady and consistent with them. If you need help with a game plan, get together with a local trainer. It either has to be right 100% of the time, or wrong 100% of the time. No wishy-washy, well it depends on my mood BS. You will be AMAZED at how well your horse will respond to everything being consistent. hey will perform better, and be happier because there will be NO confusion as to what's right or wrong and on what day... Everyone from World Champion, to trail riders will reap the benefits.

Now We're Talking!!!!

So a friend of mine came across this website. http://www.horseproblems.com.au/Horseproblems%20home%20page.htm
It is written by a man named John O'Leary, he is a horse trainer in Australia. He uses a LOT of the same methods that I DO!!! And let me tell you, I'm in love....

He is all about using training techniques on the horse that makes SENSE. He doesn't do things just because, he does it because it logically makes sense to him and the horse. He communicates with the horse by using the consequence and reward system. Meaning that if a horse pulls back and he ties the horse so that it is uncomfortable while pulling. THAT is the horse's consequence. When it stops pulling and decides relaxing and not pulling is easier and less uncomfortable that is the horse's reward.

The horse, despite what people think is NOT that dumb. John happens to explain that very well, however, like with all informative horse training sites, take them at face value, although I do think he is pretty spot on with some of his theories...

Where is the Creativity????

Remember when you were little and you'd play with toy horses and name them things like, Sweetie, Lightening, Thunder, Princess. Those are classic names of our childhood for the beloved horses we wanted so bad.

Nowadays however, horse names come from pop culture. Example: Go to dreamhorse.com and type in "Hidalgo" in the name search. FIVE Hildago's will pop up!!!! There is also THIRTY Flicka's and 115 horses with "Spirit" in their name.

You can definitely see what is the "in" thing, because everyone will name their horse as such. You know what cracks me up too, is someone will have a 10 year old horse named after a popular 2 year old movie. Hmmmmm I think that horse was surely renamed in favor of the new horsey movie!!!! LOL!!

So What are some horse names you have come across... Maybe they're, weird, funny, obnoxious, or way too pop culture. And with that I'll leave you with this tidbit... Whe I was showing nd I was younger, say 15-16, my brother wanted me to show my horse under the name of "Hoof Hearted." Say it fast enough, you'll figure it out...