Weekend/Weekday sessions 3 & 4

Weekend/Weekday Sessions #3 & 4: Yes, we got to have four in a row this week! We were able to take some video of Nike’s transitions (trot/lope), backing and some other fun stuff. Laurie and I tagged teamed on ground work and riding these last two sessions. We have been doing this so she gets used to multiple folks working with her in a session. Her ride times are getting longer as well. On Day 4 we could tell she was a tad sore in places from the work. She has rarely been worked like this with an equal measure of wet saddle pads, long rides and concentrated training. We have introduced all of the Fundamentals groundwork and are getting some nice lateral/vertical flexion, Follow the Fence, and One Rein Stops under saddle. Her steering wheel and gas pedal are developing nicely too. We are still under 20 rides (I think it is like ride 17 so far). To have come so far and seeing what a happy and willing horse Nike is shaping up to be certainly gives us hope. Current plan is to do a few more review sessions on all her ground work and then start moving into Intermediate. We still have some under saddle work to do in the Fundamentals but it is a journey, not a race. And it IS winter after all. We have altered her diet a little as we noted that she is GROWING quite a bit. Wont to give her every advantage to be her best. Three days off and then we start anew on Saturday! Good times!

Video can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1683078638604364/

DAY 44: Wekend Session #2

Weekend Session #2:  More of the same program today (Sunday). It was warmer out (low 40’s) and only rained on and off so everyone seemed in better spirits. Took a long look at Nike today and YES INDEED she is getting taller. She felt skinner under saddle too. So more food and some weight gain supplements are in her future! Changes literally overnight. It’s kind of crazy! Like all kinds who are in the middle of a growth spurt she was all about the cuddles and being lazy and less about any work above a walk. We reviewed the lessons on the ground from yesterday and she did really well. We noted some improvements, although Mr. Stick (on her left side) still got the stink eye when we practiced Sending.

Under saddle. Well, we got sass today we asked for the lope. Got some kick-outs and a little crow hop but with the help of Mr. Motivation (the riding crop) every time she acted up she was motivated to greater energy output and a longer stride. After a couple of conversations with Mr. Motivation the attitude went away and we got some of the nicest and longest lopes ever. Once the wins happened and she started acting like a Christian we dismounted and loosened up her saddle, followed by lots of love and scratches. Yes, a couple of cookies happened too.

Tomorrow will be Day 3 in a row. Should be interesting to see what had marinated into the core of her being. Never a dull moment!

DAY 43 - Weekend Session #1

WEEKEND SESSIONS: Session #1-Nike had two days off. It has been raining quite a bit so our training area at home is just a buddy mess. So, off we go to the local covered arena. Good times. Ronan got his shoe replaced so he was on board. Argent is still sore so more time off for him. Laurie and tag teamed the groundwork part of the session and we both worked with each horse. Today we worked on Lunge for Respect 2, Backing, Sending, Circle Driving, Changing Eyes/ Sides (form of Yielding the FQ from the Intermediate level, Lateral and Vertical Flexion and lots of desensitizing using the plastic bag on a stick and Throw to a Stop. We got a nice “yes, sir” attitude and some nice ground skills overall. Really proud of Nike’s progress. During the Sending exercise Nike is very aware of the stick and that if she does not get her hind end out of the way with some energy that she gets “bit” by the stick. She does the exercise and then presents an attitude towards the stick…not at the human but the stick. It is kind of funny. Thinking that we can move to just the body language and the rope next session. Stay tuned!

            Under saddle with Nike we worked on her steering wheel, with a focus on the human being clear with seat, leg and hands and expecting a softness and willingness to move by the horse. We got some really improved handling today. Her gas pedal is getting unstuck and we got some decent (for Nike) walk-trot-lope transitions. No need for the incentive of the riding crop today. Squeeze, Cluck and off we go. She was more willing to do the lope and we loped longer distances today. We mixed One-Rein Stops into the mix which kept her thinking and rating the human’s seat. Lateral and Vertical Flexion under saddle was worked on and Vertical Flexion at the Walk was introduced. Mentally and physically it was a good workout.

            We purchased a nicer and smaller cinch and got a real saddle blanket which when used with her normal saddle pad helps our saddles to fit nicely. She can FEEL the seat cues much more clearly which makes communication easier. Laurie and I agree that she is getting a little taller and that she is getting some muscle tone. She is always going to be a lean girl but as we progress with her training and conditioning we know she will be lots of fun to ride long term! Looking forward to tomorrow’s session!

Here are some images of Nike as of Day 43.

Mid Week Session and DAY 40 with Nike!

MID-WEEK SESSIONS: It has been a week of saddle woes, wet weather, introducing new things and moving forward with the Method. We took advantage of the lighted and covered arena this week at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds to get in some sessions with Nike. Ronan tossed a shoe this week so he is limited in what he can do comfortably. Argent has an abscess on of his heel bulbs so he on the disabled list. So it is all about Nike this week. Our goals with her as follows; Improve her lateral flexion and vertical flexion. Improve walk/ trot/lope transitions. Improve bending/steering while moving. Refine her ground skills. Introduce Stirrup Driving, Circle Drive and Yielding the HQ Along the Fence (precursor to Side Pass).

            This week we hit Day 40 with Nike. Looking back over this journal we can see that she has come a long way. We have really tried to work with her 3-4 days a week consecutively and consistently. It is a tough season here in the Sierra Foothills with weather and limited access to dry footing in order to train. Yes, we have trained at our place in the muddy footing at times but the concern is that if she slips (she did once in the round pen) that it could hurt her confidence so we are trying to be sensitive to that. Once things dry out some we’ll be starting her on our mini trail course under saddle. We have hopes to let her compete in the Trail Trials hosted by the California Back Country Horsemen in mid-March (Novice class).

            Laurie and I tag teamed this week. My left ankle is still in a brace and my left arm is still healing from a stressed tendon so we swap out doing ground work and riding. We thought we found a good saddle for her but the rides this week proved otherwise. While the saddle would be good for “first saddle/ first ride” sessions, Nike is past that point and needs to feel her human shift their weight and seat. The longer rides in this saddle were not “clear” for her even though she really tried. The leg position was okay but the swell made the reading of seat cues tough for her. Verdict – sell the saddle we just bought, get a really thick pad/saddle blanket combination, a smaller cinch and use our Martin Saddlery saddles. We experimented with this a bit and it seemed okay.  Ground work is improving nicely. Nike gets the concepts and seems to have a good attitude about moving her feet. On the line her lope is getting more confident as she is lowering her head and stretching out. Her trot is finding more cadence and smoothness. We are tapping into a seated trot and a posting trot which is pretty cool. She picked up Stirrup Driving pretty quickly and aside from being a little unsure why the handy stick was sitting on her withers, Circle Driving went well too on the first try. We shot some video this week to help us see what is really happening and were pleasantly surprised. Will have to add them to a YouTube account here soon! Under saddle the best day we have had so far was Day 40. This is really Ride 14 or 15 (starting to lose count –grin) so her progress is pretty good. We had several solid attempts at moving into the lope from the trot and maintained a decent cadence longer than in previous sessions. She required very little focused motivation to do this. Just a squeeze and a kiss. We did have to encourage her through active riding to let her know it was okay to move out and go a little faster. When she did it was NICE! Hard not to get greedy! Her trotting in getting better and better with a nice cadence. She is understanding the seat cue better too. Again, the human has to be proactive and clear when they ride her but she is much more willing to move out on a loose rein without being micro-managed. Her steering wheel is coming along nicely too. Walking and trotting some circles is helping. Once Ronan gets his shoe replaced we will begin to help her get better at Follow the Fence at the trot and lope to help her be responsible for her feet. She can follow her buddy at first to help her understand the concept and then go “solo” on the exercise. The days of micro-management are over. She is keeping us honest and focused in our horsemanship. It is interesting (and kind of funny) how much like Argent (our Kiger mustang) her learning patterns are. Keep the lesson short, introduce the concept and move on. The next day (or sometime two days later) she gets it and shows real improvement. Lots of affection and the occasional treat seem to reinforce the positive. It is what works for Nike.

Video can be seen now at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1683078638604364/

NIKE and January's Practice in Ione!

Nor-Cal Chapter DOWNUNDER BRUMBIES PRACTICE: It is Saturday January 16, 2016 and it is the first official practice of the Nor-Cal Chapter of The Downunder Brumbies. It is also the first “official” practice that Nike has been to! Today we are off to Ed Hughes Memorial Arena and are looking forward to a great session. There will be new horses and new faces at this session which is good for Nike to experience. Practices are structured so she’ll get her fill of groundwork and under saddle time (Nike’s #10 ride with us) as well as standing quietly, safely tied. We are also having a video shot today! Nike’s original human needs the practice for her college portfolio and The Downunder Brumbies could use a promotional video. So it is a win-win for everyone! In short it will be a full day for our young lady!

            We rolled in about 9:30am and the arena was buzzing! Ed Hughes Memorial Arena was PACKED with all sorts of people today. We had the Lopes-like-tail-is-on-FIRE club, a 4H group, several different lesson groups and of course The Downunder Brumbies. Everyone got along and folks were being courteous. We even shared some horsemanship tips! We had TEN (10) horse/human teams and three (3) auditors. Everyone did great! Nike was a rock star throughout the groundwork session and got to show off her lateral/vertical flexion and her leading from beside skills. Our practice leader (a Nor-Cal Chapter President) Denise V. asked to work with Nike under saddle. Nike was a tad unsure about the “new person” but with Squeeze, Cluck, Spank the two were moving out nicely. Lots of bending work and trotting! Then she got to work with her first human – Rose – who was filming the session! We couldn’t let these two NOT share some saddle time. Rose really got to see how far we have been able to help Nike develop in the short time she has been in our care. It was a good experience for everyone! Cows. Yes, cows are still on Nike’s “don’t trust them” list but she did get closer to them since her herd buddies Ronan and Argent were all about checking them out (Ronan wanted to play with them SO bad)! We wrapped up the day playing on some obstacles and ended on WINS. It is days like today that make all the sweat, concern, frustration and sheer work worth it. Very proud of Nike

It was a good day. Now...food and a LONG hot tub soak!

New Saddle, Improved Attitude!

Well the rain and snow have hit us big time this week. We took a day off to find a saddle that would better fit Nike and went to the Fairgrounds Arena again on 01/13/16, braving the heavy rain and chilly temperatures, to test drive the newly acquired saddle. Argent had a foot owie so he got the day off and got to hang out to watch the shenanigans. After our groundwork lesson review –which went really well and we introduced some new to Nike exercises – and then Laurie played stunt rider to test out the new saddle so I could focus on Ronan (we have a 3 Day Clinic coming up with Clinton Anderson in about four weeks). The ride went really well. Nike flowed into the trot MUCH easier and even got into the lope for partial laps around the arena several times! We worked on the walk/trot/lope skills together (both horses), worked on several “bending” exercises, worked on our steering wheels and evens some Forward/Backward/Forward transitions. All in all it was a great session and we could not be more proud of Nike. Finding a saddle that fit her better was really helpful too. We still need to get a smaller cinch (like 24”) but that may have to wait until later in the week. It is a journey but we are seeing Nike really begin to find herself and her confidence! It can only get better from this point!

Saturday is our next Downunder Brumbies group practice at Ed Hughes Memorial Arena in Ione (home of the COWS). Nike should be ready for ALL of the groundwork focus exercises and most of the riding focus exercises. Should be a fun day!

2016 Week 2 w/ Nike - Moving Forward

WEEK 2: 01/11-17/16: At the Fairgrounds again! This arena will probably be our home base for most of the season as it is fairly close to home and has LIGHTS, good footing (when not over watered) and it’s covered. There are also four pens we can use which makes rotating the horses  MUCH easier. This is our first time under the lights. Things look different. When we arrive tonight we noted that the foot was a bit swampy in areas. Someone over watered the footing. Sigh. Sowe had to be careful about what, where and when we did stuff.

            This was Day 3 in a row of both groundwork and under saddle work for Nike. We KNOW that in last humans did very little with her to develop her work ethic. Consistent work on consecutive days have really helped her to settle is faster and sass less. Plus we are seeing some muscle tone and we swear she is getting taller! We reviewed the lessons from the previous day. Since she was last to get work on Sunday we worked with her first on Monday. As we were doing our groundwork lesson other folks started to show up at the arena. Keeping Nike focus on the work takes effort and moving her feet helps. She figured out quickly that “two eyes” gets rest and rubs. Being a looky-loo gets her feet moving. One of the challenges we have had with Nike is her "gas pedal" while under saddle. She’ll walks at a mellow place all day long and will trot with some cadence and then just stop when she thinks she is done. Her last humans really did not push her through these points of resistance and she gets sassy (kicks out) when you cue for more impulsion. In short Nike takes a level of motivation to move faster, which folks who follow Downunder Horsemanship call Squeeze, Cluck and Spank. She is ridden in a smooth snaffle with a mecate set up so we have a “spanker” at the end of the line. She has a "sewing machine" like trot that she'll go into in protest of actually being asked to lope. It does some brutal things to one's innards and man-parts. Well tonight we rode through the "sewing machine" trot and sassy fit (she kicked out once and met the spanker) and found her real lope...twice. The lope was nice. The second request was given a much smoother response and felt really nice. My innards and man parts hate me, though. Still the soreness will fade and we achieved the objective. Now we build on that confidence. She also trotted with other horses quite a long time with cadence tonight which was nice. We ended with some lateral and vertical flexion exercises and some really nice backing. Ahhh, how we suffer for our art. One of our goals is to be as ready as we can for The Downunder Brumbies practice this Saturday. I think we are going to do pretty well.

We are also getting Ronan and Argent ready for the season ahead. Ronan and I are participating in a 3 Day Clinic with Clinton Anderson next month and I want us both to be a ready as possible so we can get the most out of the learning experience. Since I work with Nike and Ronan consistently we should be fine. The vast differences in work ethic, experience, and physical presence between these two creates an opportunity that allows my horsemanship to grow. I have to read and adjust what I am doing with each horse while remaining true to the essence of the exercise I am working on. It is a unique and challenging journey!

 Nike: First Ride

 Ronan: Glamour Shot

Here we are in 2016!

WEEK 1 January 4-10, 2016: Goals are to take everything we have worked on in the last twenty two days and get those skills really sharp with good energy and performance. This week has seen us get hit with a large amount of rain and some snow. Of course this means the footing at home and the local outdoor arenas are swamp like. So we’ll tighten our budget once again and see about getting a pass to the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. At least the foot in good there so all three horses can get the work they need (Ronan and Michael are set up for the 3 Day Clinic in February with Clinton Anderson). No round pen there sigh) so Nike will be working mostly on the lead line and under saddle on the Fundamentals.

            01/09/16: NEW PLACE! We headed over to the El Dorado County Fairground. This is a very active facility with folks coming and going to different functions and lots of folks walking their dogs and riding their bicycles near the arena. We have had a very wet week which made training very challenging. We FINALLY got hold of someone in the know at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds who knew when open rides (with a monthly or quarterly pass) were. We got a pass and then got to work! The Downunder Brumbies are having a practice on the 16^th of the month so we wanted all of our horses to be ready for the focus exercises. So this session focused on lateral flexion, introducing vertical flexion, getting  a ”yes sir” attitude when lunging for respect stage 1 and 2, improving the yields of the HQ and FW and leading beside. (all groundwork). We also focused on the Sending exercises and LOTS of desensitizing activities. Under saddle we worked on lateral and vertical flexion, unsticking her gas pedal and freeing up her steering and well as several suppling exercises. Having five days off showed in her sassy face and her performance. We worked through everything and got some wins. It was a productive session.

            01/10/16: Nike was worked after we wrapped with Ronan and Argent. The arena was BUSY today! When we got there we had the place to ourselves and encourages all three horses to run around and get the fresh out. They didn’t have much fresh and after some decent laps and turns just gave us “two eyes” so we got to work. Nike’s lesson was like that of the day before. Same goals but looking for a higher level of performance. Other horses were around – some calm and some not so much- and acted like magnet times but we saw some real improvement on all her focus exercises. She moved out and maintained her trot much longer today and even began to Follow the Fence. She was acting a little dull to my leg cues so I added some spurs to the mix. Woke her up and helped getting some roundness when we backed up and nice bends and lateral movement. Yesterday as I dismounted I twisted my ankle pretty bad. Silly but it happened. It started hurting pretty bad but I maintained until I got some real improvement and then dismounted so Laurie could handle Nike/s cool down. They did a little more trotting just to be sure the lesson was understood and then wrapped up with some Bending at the Walk. Good session! Nike was a bit tired but is making good progress. We’ll be back at the same place tomorrow afternoon!

DAY 22 - GROUNDWORK REVIEW

DAY 22 GROUNDWORK REVIEW: Today was a groundwork review day. The footing at home is still pretty bad so riding was out of the question. Reviewing the exercises we have learned over the last three weeks seemed like a good idea, especially with the really wet/cold/snowy weather we have coming in. Improvement in performance was the goal. We began in the round pen. Still having a little issue with getting two eyes when she is going to the right but her direction changes both ways have progressed with energy and a nice use of her hind end. Thinking this issue is of our own creation. Will continue to do on this in the round pen and evaluate our body language via video. On the lead line the same energy is there and we get two eyes going to the right easier. Her lateral flex is nice both with the line and with the bridle. Yielding the HQ Stage 1 and 2 are solid. Now it is time to increase the energy in those steps to build more muscle and confidence. Yielding the FQ is good and we’ll continue to refine this so it is really smooth and will translate easily to under saddle work. Backing is getting much smoother and with more control in all four methods. We have begun backing through smaller spaces and in a serpentine pattern as well. Sending is nice most of the time. She gets a little lazy with the hind end so we’ll be more black and white in the days ahead. Circle Driving is okay and we just need to do it more. We have worked on exercises like Turn and Go and some of the more subtle groundwork exercises. She is learning them very quickly and is understanding what is expected of her without over doing it or over reacting. We quit after playing on some of the trail obstacles and playing with the concept of side passing along the fence. Lots of rubs and scratches today. As soon as we quit and got her blanket on the rain began to fall. Sigh. Timing is everything.

            From this point forward we know the progress will be incremental in nature. We may work on the same things for several days before going on to something new. We also will be working on overall conditioning so she gains muscle and fitness. Since this is the nature of the program we will make weekly entries into this journal on Nike’s progress. Stay tuned for those updates!

BACK AGAIN! Day 21

DAY 21 – BACK AGAIN! We were able to head back over to South Shingle Ranch again    today! This time instead of Nike being worked first, she went last. We put Ronan and Argent through their paces! Since it supposed to be a decent night we felt okay getting everyone a little sweaty. Long rides, wet saddle pads and concentrated training is the key.

            The goals with Nike today included freeing up her gas pedal, working on her brakes and seeing about refining her steering. We were also going to do almost all of this session in the large arena. Sounds simple but the truth of the matter is these fundamental skills give the horse and the human a real workout! We started off in the round pen and got the fresh out and the mind engaged. Every session sees improvement and understanding. As we work together we find she knows some neat stuff –what we call big bang skills which have flash but don’t necessarily help her to be a great equine citizen. Icing on the cake as it were. We will utilize those skills when appropriate to be sure but for now it is about getting all the gaps in her foundation filled. We did the off the line work in the round pen and helped her find a better cadence for her trot and lope. Then we headed over to the large arena via the pasture with the mini horses. Since she seemed interested in them we figured it would be best to introduce each other before going to work. Good plan.

            We did our ground work and raised the expectation of performance a bit. Got a little sass from Nike but that was to be expected. The sass didn’t last too long and she did pretty well. Lunge for Respect 1 and 2, all four Backing methods, Yielding the HQ 1 and 2, Yielding the FQ, Sending and Circle Driving were reviewed and improved upon. Then we saddled up after making all the necessary tack adjustments for her slender build. We worked on Cruising at the trot, One Rein Stops, Yielding the HQ under saddle and getting some nice turns/ direction changes. Because we raised the expectations of performance in this area over the last session we got some sass. She refused to move out a time or two when Squeeze and Cluck happened so Spank was applied. She tried to pop up on the forequarters a little so she got hustled in some tight circles. She even tried to kick out/crow hop once. She got to be sweaty instead. To be fair we know we have worked her more in the last 21 days that she had seen in the months of being leased out. Our expectation bar also moves which was not in her contract before. A reality shift sometimes brings sass and you simply have to deal with it, correct it and move on. By the end of the session we got some really nice posting trots, easy turns, good stops and even a pleasant lope! She needs more saddle time and conditioning of course but if the progress she is making stays on course we are feeling pretty good that she will be a joy to work with. She is a young horse. She is growing. She is learning and she is trying to perform. Can’t ask for more than that right now.

            The weather here in the Sierra Foothills looks to be WET and COLD this week. Will do our best to squeeze in training as we can.

GETTING A RESCUE HORSE.

GETTING A “RESCUE” HORSE

Recently we adopted a horse that was in need of “rescue” and have enjoyed the adventure! This is the third time we have done this. Each experience has been rewarding it its own way. We have learned a great deal and helped some horses in the process. Still we don’t recommend it to anyone who is not willing to REALLY think about what they are getting into. It takes a certain level of dedication, commitment and focus which many folks are not, for a variety of reasons, unable to truly have no matter what their intentions of the heart may be.

Rescue Horse or General Sale Horse?

Well trained, well cared for horses are NOT cheap. Just look at any of the social media forums if you want to see what the market in your area supports. An experienced, safe and well trained horse that is suitable for the novice rider may range anywhere from $2000.00 to $5000.00 or more. Why? Simple. THEY ARE SAFE, WELL TRAINED and IN GOOD SHAPE. Not only are you paying for the horse but all the TIME, ENERGY and CARE that went into helping this horse be awesome! You need to acknowledge that “you get what you pay for” and you need to keep you “wish list” realistic when looking at a rescue over a general sale horse purchase.

Why is the horse in need of “rescue” and not simply being sold?

This is a valid question to ask. Sometimes it comes down to “life”, time and finances. Horses are not cheap to own (especially in California). If a household loses income or faces some major hardship they may need to rehome said horse quickly for the sake of the animal’s well-being. Selling a horse for fair market value takes time and preparation. Making sure the horse is looking good and is well trained takes real effort. In a rescue situation this may not be the case. Sometimes the horse and human simply don’t fit well together. It happens. Horses, like humans have personalities and aptitudes. If the team does not work it is tough to want to keep it together. Sometimes there is health issues or behavior issues that come up. Sometimes the horse needs more care, training or time than the human has to give. Sometimes it is a combination of all of the above and more. The bottom line is this: There is some “issue” and the human needs out of the relationship quickly. If you are thinking of adopting a “rescue” horse keep this in mind!

Is Cheap/ Free really Cheap/Free?

The answer is no. While the upfront investment may be appealing because of the low to no cost (our current rescue horse was free) to you, the REALITY is that horse is going to COST you MONEY and TIME! Besides the normal feeding, housing, hoof care and vet visits, you may be looking at additional supplements and special health care needs to help the horse be happy and healthy. You may need to increase your tack and saddle collection (Our new mare is slender and our saddles are not the best fit for her so – new saddle time!) on some level, especially if the horse is young and growing! In most cases there is some gap in the horse’s training or there are behavior issues that need to be dealt with. An investment of TIME, MONEY (even if you do it all yourself) or BOTH is going to be needed to help fill those gaps to ensure the horse has a solid foundation. This is a COMMITMENT that has to be acknowledged and made. If you can’t budget for additional training, either by you several times a week or by a reputable trainer, then DO NO GET THE HORSE. Remember you are taking on a horse that for whatever reason could not be a general sale horse (see above). You are going to take on whatever baggage that horse has and will need to commit to the process of helping it become a good equine citizen. Keep this in mind.

“Wish List” versus Reality – Can I Get What I Want?

As was stated, you get what you pay for. Ask yourself what you REALLY want and what you can REALLY handle. If you need a pasture pet or companion horse then your needs are easy and finding a “free to a good home” horse is too. However, if your “needs” call for a well trained, well adjusted, kid safe horse that is good for the novice rider but your budget is less than $500.00 you are, quite frankly, being unrealistic! Think about it. If you had a horse that met those criteria would you sell it cheap or give it away? No, you would not. You would want a fair market price. Rescue horses do not fall into the fair market price category (see above). If your needs are realistic like the horse should be rideable, broke to saddle, in overall decent health and have no major abuse/neglect issues you can find some wonderful horses out there. You can begin your adventure together as you add weight through good nutrition and care and as you craft a bond through building a solid foundation of trust through good training and conditioning. Your “ideal” horse may simply be a diamond in the rough and with time, training and good health care you can have a real treasure. The reward comes from hard work, dedication and focus. You either buy the diamond already polished and set or you take on the challenge of mining and crafting the diamond yourself.  Examine your needs, your skill set, your network of support and your time/money budget before making a commitment. Ask yourself some tough questions. The answers you get will help you determine if a rescue horse is the best option for you.

Is It Time To Go Shopping?

            If you asked yourself all the tough questions, if you have a support network to help you should you run into issues you are not able to handle alone and if you have developed a flexible game plan for helping the rescue horse achieve its best potential (or at least begin the process) then it is time to start meeting some horses! Avoid taking home the first horse you see. Take notes on each horse you meet which highlight the positives and challenges of each candidate. Be willing to walk away and think about it or bring someone who can do that for you. The various social media sites like Facebook have some great rescue horse forums. Craigslist is also another easy to use resource for finding leads on rescue horses. Of course your local/regional large animal rescue organizations are awesome as well. Be willing to travel a little bit (say 100 miles from home) to find a horse that fits your realistic needs list. Be willing to spend time with the horse, getting to know it on the ground and if possible, under saddle. Use your brain, trust your instincts and leave your heart in the truck (for now). If the horse responds as you would like and if it is in a condition you can deal with then it can go on your Possible List. After you have met a few horses, review your notes, speak with your support network and then make a choice. Remember that once you load that horse up and begin heading home the responsibility for its health, training and happiness falls on you.

            There are some REALLY wonderful horses out there in need of rescue. If you are willing to work a bit you can help create a great relationship and a great horse that will never need rescue again. The journey is a rewarding one if you are prepared to take those first few steps armed with a good plan! You will be glad you did.

ANOTHER ADVENTURE TO SOMEPLACE NEW

DAY 20 – SOMEPLACE NEW: We got word that a normally non-public arena was going to be open to the public this weekend. So today we are heading over to South Shingle Arena in Shingle Springs which is about 30 minutes away. We are taking all three of our horses. Supposedly this arena has a nice round pen which is perfect for Nike! It is always good to TRAVEL with the horses and get them exposed to new places and new faces! The weather forecast calls for rain early this week so we want to get in as much training time as we can with all of the horses!

Not sure it ever got above 45 degrees outside today. Welcome to winter in the Sierra’s.

Trailering: She OWNS it now. We simply point and she loads up. Freaking awesome! We see many folks who have a real issue with this aspect of their horsemanship. Just goes to show that if you train with the horse’s mind in mind you can get great results!

Round Pen: Today we did all of Nike’s work in the round pen as there were some folks racing around the arena who had their dog loose. Not cool but what can you do. So we did what we do in the round pen at liberty and on the line. In general she is really getting it and moving well. She is changing directions nicely and using her hind end. We rode in the round pen too. Outside of getting too close with me on her back to the rail a couple of times we got a nicer series with trotting and loping. Well, her lope is kind of sad. The time with the dressage person really confused her and she does this hop-lope thing under saddle. We know we can get it to feel balanced and normal with some work but wow…it is a workout to sit it. Her trot has at least two speeds so that is fun. Feeling good about her steering wheel so next time we’ll ride in the larger arena and see if that helps. After her workout she got to stand tied near the large arena to contemplate her lesson. We are heading back to the same place tomorrow if it does not rain! It was a good session. Both horse and human are learning and that makes the adventure extra special.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

DAY 18 & 19 – NEW YEAR’S EVE/ NEW YEARS’S DAY: New Year’s Eve -We were scrambling to get the house ready for a little shindig tonight but of course we had to work with Nike. The ground was rock hard in some places and really slick in others so we went with low impact. Trotting and direction changes to start along with the usual warm up exercises. She is moving with much more confidence and understanding of the signals. Really nice improvement in the round pen. Then we played in the bigger area working on Sending and the low level obstacles we have set up. Again, some really nice improvements there too. It was a short session (about 40 minutes) but we got a lot done and ended on some wins. She backed up the length of the lead rope (about 14 feet) with Tap the Air. Do we have lots of work to do? You bet. We have confidence in the heart and ability to learn of this little mare.

New Year’s Day – Some of our overnight guests wanted to meet Nike in the day time so we headed on down to the round pen with her. She got to show off a bit. We reviewed the lessons from yesterday and even saw some improvements! Could not complain! She charmed our friends with her cute self. Tomorrow we meet up with some Downunder Brumbies at Pioneer Park Arena in Somerset. Should be a great way to start off 2016!