Standing on the shoulders of giants

Mar 262009
 

Gratitude creates it’s own attitude. It can give you a new perspective, a new focus. I am going to use this day as my opportunity to see those things.

One of Lily's very first rides

One of Lily's very first rides.

Today, I would like to pay homage to all those horse trainers that I have learned from. Without the likes of Bill Dorrance, Ray Hunt, Mark Rashid, all who’s books and writings helped me gain insight, see new ways to look at situations and think outside the English lesson barn upbringing that I had. I had learned that you can’t, “Let them get away with stuff.” and that you have to, “Show them you mean it.” Since then, I am grateful that I am learning a better way.


I will include in my list, the blogs that I regularly read that reaffirm that I am on the right track. They often speak of issues and solutions that I have or am working through myself, as well as those challenges I am yet to face.

  • Mugwump Chronicles
  • JP Giacomini’s The Centaur Blog
  • The Barb Wire
  • Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch

    • And the people who have personally helped me.

  • My first excellent dressage teacher, Barbara Carlson, who got through my teenage mind and set many things there that stuck.
  • Emmett Brislawn, from whom I learned much by simply watching as he worked one or more young horses loose in the stockade at the Cayuse Ranch. Those times gave me an example of the sensitivity and feel that everyone else talks about.
  • Susan Catt, who’s encouragement, support and coaching on gait and Spanish Mustangs has been invaluable.
  • And the clinicians that have helped me the last few years in various, specific areas; Diane Sept for gait and connected riding; Suzan Atkinson and Megan Sibiga, both with whom I have had one lesson each, concerning long lining and driving from the ground. Having the in person work from these two trainers helped confirm what I was doing correctly and what needed adjustment and improvement.

    • I hope that I continue to learn and grow in my relationship to the horses that I handle. I really enjoy the trainer’s journey. May it never end.

    Take a few minutes today to create your own Thankful Thursday.

    How:

  • Sit back and consider what you have to be thankful for. Listing three to five things is nice, but one will do.
  • Post about gratitude on your blog.
  • Then link back here or leave a comment.
  • Feel free to tag other bloggers, if you like to do that, but it’s not necessary. This is not a meme that obligates you to do anything, but look for gratitude. Oh, and link back, and comment, that’s all I ask.
  • If you don’t have your own blog, go ahead and write about what you are thankful for in the comments of my latest Thankful Thursday. post instead.

    • About Bonita Piernas

    Mar 252009
     

    Spanish Mustang mare, SMR 3536
    Foaled 4/30/04 ~~ 14 Hands
    (KC Dreamcatcher SMR 2189 x Sacred Medicine SMR 2680)
    Click for Pedigree
    Grulla sabino with a lacy blaze, four stockings, wither and belly spots.

    Training Updates

    090519-0024web1Bonita, owned by Chuck & Kay Day, was with me Spring 2009 for saddle training. She is healthy, sound and barefoot. She leads, loads, ties/cross ties, trims, lunges, and is UTD on all health care. She has nice ground manners, no vices, and has been started under saddle, in the ring and on the trail. She is sensible, bold and fun to ride.

    She enjoys jumps, easily clearing 3’6” free jumping. Bonita is sweet tempered, intelligent, sensitive and fun to be around. She would be suitable for dressage, eventing or make a nice riding horse. There are weekly training updates here on my blog for the time that she was with me.

    Bonita is available for sale to a good home. If you think that you might be interested, please contact Kay.

    090523-0021webh1

    090523-0013webh1

    Bonita

    Bonita

    Expo Photos

    Mar 242009
     

    Our group after Saturday's demo

    Our group after Saturday's demo

    Daveen on Annie, Vin and me, Bonita and Kristin, Savanna on Lighting and ?? with Cruzer. Kristin was going to ride Cruzer, but she came down with a bug and was out of commission for most of the weekend. We went low key this year. None of us had a lot of time or energy to do fancy costumes or plan a routine or pattern. Just getting there was a good thing. And I have to say that Savanna had such a good time that she carried us through.

    Vin's stall

    Vin's stall

    I didn’t have time to do a pedigree for Vinnie, so added “Sire” and “Dam” to the ones that I had made for Lily and Paisano. I realized on my way that there were no photos of them, so I stopped at Shopko and bought a couple of picture frames. I pulled photos from my album. I think that it actually ended up looking pretty good.

    Bonita

    Bonita in her stall on Friday

    This was Bonita’s first time out to a big event. And Kay had not done much with her, as she had not really planned to bring her. I am out a riding horse, so asked if she had a horse that was ready to start. She chose Bonita for me to bring home and play with. Bonita did well for her first big outing! I hope to have her under saddle and doing well enough by the meeting in June for some trail riding. Stay tuned to see how that goes, as I’ll be posting updates here on my blog. Bonita is a smart and dominant mare. I was able to do a couple of short ground work sessions with her. The first order of business was learning to yield her shoulder. She liked to get on top of you when she’s scared. She was also always looking most anywhere but at the person leading her. Yes, we will have fun! I didn’t get any good full body photos of Bonita. I hope to remedy that later this week, if the clear weather holds.

    Our booth

    Our booth

    Speaking of weather, I was so happy when Friday turned out to be pretty warm. It rained a little, which was no big deal. Last year was really cold, so I looked forward to this change. It turned out to be only a tease, as Saturday was colder and Sunday windy and freezing! On top of that, our demo on Saturday was over an hour delayed, because of the Mustang Makeover auction. I figured that would happen.

    Daveen & Savanna washing Annie's socks.

    Daveen & Savanna washing Annie's socks.

    We were all icicles standing outside in our show shirts waiting. We didn’t have a crews to toss jackets to. Chuck was our crew. With his camera, there was only so much that he could carry. So we were just cold…

    Vin at the wash rack

    Vin at the wash rack

    Vinnie had daily spot baths to try and remove the yellow manure stains from his hocks, knees and body. I think that I got his body pretty clean, but never really whitened the legs…. Anyone got a surefire trick? I used the purple shampoo, leaving it on for over 10 minutes, then touched up with cornstarch.

    Vin

    Vin

    I had quite a few groups of people, kids mostly, visit Vinnie in his stall to give him scratches. He really enjoyed all the attention. By the last day, he would get indignant when anyone left his stall, as he can stand for a very long time, while being scratched!

    We served over 100 cups of coffee and tea each day, chatted and answered questions. As always, it was fun to talk about the horses. I ended up hoarse myself from it all. Well, I also got a head cold by the end of the weekend, so it might have been partly that.

    My friend Pam took video of all three demos, our booth and a few other bits. I’ll be getting a DVD from her soon and will see about putting clips up.

    All in all, it was an excellent Expo. This was our forth year, so we’ve developed a method for our booth, decorations, etc. We were packed and out in record time, under an hour! I even got home before the hail hit and dark fell. Miraculously, only a few drops of rain fell on me during my drive home, though I could see dramatic storms on either side of me. It was fitting show to end a great weekend.

    Like father, like son

    Mar 202009
     

    I know that I wasn’t going to post this weekend from the NW Expo, but when Vin was napping in his stall, it reminded me of when Paisano did the same thing.


    Paisano in 2005

    Paisano in 2005


    Vinnie today

    Vinnie today



    I found him lying down twice today and went in to hang out with him. He entertained people with his reaction to my finding his favorite itchy spots.

    Finding "the spot"
    What a silly boy! I was laughing. That's why I've got my eyes closed and look a little silly myself!

    What a silly boy! I was laughing. That's why I've got my eyes closed and look a little silly myself!



    I’ll have more to say next week. Now it’s time for some sleep!

    It’s Expo Week

    Mar 162009
     

    And Vin and I will be heading up to Albany on Thursday. There will be no time for other blog posts this week. Today, I’ll share a few photos from last Saturday. I was planning to give him a bath, so I tied him out by the hose and got all my supplies out.

    090314-0008webh

    It was cold and overcast. Then it started to rain. I still considered it, but Vinnie convinced me otherwise.
    090314-0012webw

    In the act of protesting the concept of baths in general…

    090314-0010webh

    And later tied to the ‘patience wall’. He did get a good grooming and shed out quite a bit of hair. It’s still coming off in handfuls. He may end up with the blanket look of a slick body and fuzzy head and neck. I’ll put his slinky on Wednesday night to help slick down the fuzz. It is nice to actually be able to see his markings without the crust of mud that he was sporting the last few months. The new barn is quite a bit drier than the last one, a huge improvement in general cleanliness!

    090314-0017webh

    I like that he is starting to look more balanced. He is in a growth spurt and has lost a little of the weight that he gained over the winter. Well, probably not the weight actually, but he’s stretched to carry it differently.

    I’ve been enjoying doing some free work with Vin lately. We are working on Whoa and Stand. I ask him to trot and canter around the indoor arena. It’s basically like a large, square shaped round pen, as it’s 72 x 60 with some stuff in one end. He has picked up on the voice commands pretty well. He will stop from a trot after about a quarter round and stand still while I walk around. If he moves a foot, he is sent around again. By the second session, that happened only a couple of times. Tonight I started him with free leading. Twice he didn’t stay with me as I turned and was sent out. That’s all it took for him to stick right by my shoulder for turns and stops. His favorite reward is neck scratching, so I never had to break out the treats with him.

    I will probably be very tired and get in late Sunday, so a blog update will likely be later next week. If you are local to Albany, OR, stop in and say hello at the Spanish Mustang Registry booth. Our breed demos are Friday at 6 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm. Saturday, we are right after the Extreme Mustang Makeover auction. I will not be at all surprised if that runs late and we go after one o’clock.

    In other news: I will be bringing a five year old mare home with me. She is a grulla with stockings and a blaze, a granddaughter of Comes From Dream, owned by Chuck and Kay Day. I’ll be starting her saddle training. I hope to have her going well enough by the SMR Meeting in June to do some trail riding. She is also for sale. I will be keeping a training log here. Her name is Bonita.

     Older Entries  Newer Entries