Day 104: tornado watch

Rainy and miserable. Didn't play today. Worked in McKinney/Plano area today.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 103: eep!

Spent time with Ike doing nothing. Touching him & by his sheath, his ears, face, muzzle, just asked him to accept hands all over and left him at that. He was super calm today. It was really nice. :) need a saddle pad and I can pony him from Amocean. :)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 99: YESTERDAY

Left early for getting hair done and didnt return until WAY late. Ron took me out for dinner and pool on my return. :)



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 98: video

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/8pPFh3HA2tc


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 97: gorgeous weather

Left early for work as we had pool tonight so played with Ike between the 2. He did AWESOME. Starting to understand stop straight/back straight. (Just starting) still swinging out, just not so much. :)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 96: played b4 work

Had to go to work and didnt want to miss out playing with Ike even though it was FREEzING. Ike did beautifully. Starting to ask him to stop while keeping his butt straight as he has a tendency of swinging it out. Fun stuff! :)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 95: 2 sessions

Before and after work. Ike's doing fabulously. Working primarily on staying with me, backing when I stop while keeping his body straight. (Can't find my bitless bridle anywhere! :( wanted Ron to shoot a video but he was tires so I told him I'd play while he took a nap. Trying to get Ike to follow a feel off hi tail too.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 94: dyed that foot!

Boring afternoon session. Ike was lacking his usual spunk. Had a great morning session. Got some cool pics from the video but could use another take on a video worthy of posting! :p


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 93: Ike rocks!

Session went SO perfectly. I love days like today. Sunny, warm, the perfect energy in Ike. He wasnt pushing other horses. He was attentive and responsive. Did so awesome! Doing much better at sideways to me! Really watching what's being asked. Love that alertness in him! Starving! Hasta!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 92: www.homegrooms.com

Yesterday, Ike did beautifully as usual! I'm trying to ask for more before I offer treats to him and I'm really looking for him to soften before I reward him. Need to do more desensitization and REALLy want a vid. Worked on website all day today, so for any locals .. :)

Www.Homegrooms.com


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 91: Colin Chilson came!

Awesome!!! The boys feet look So much better, and I absolutely love how Colin is with them. Ike did soooo good. :) (for being Ike!) both Amocean and Ike were eager to stand around or play afterwards as well. Ike was spooked by Colin approaching with his talk stature, hat, hoof stand, and that oozing confidence. Ike said "whatever you planning on doing with me, I want no part of it!" Then, he settled down and was good the rest of the time minus some subtle shifting of the foot being worked on. Amocean did well too. Need to spray feet again (both guys, Amoean moreso than Ike)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 90: snow day!

Are you kidding me?!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 89: eek!

Went to Wylie for a job today and planned on playing on our return but when I got home, we needed hay and a mineral block so I headed out got that and just walked back in after dinner and unloading. Awww. My poor ponies! :p tomorrow I'll play before I leave to avoid that happening again.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 88: no play

Fed and watched. No play today.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 87: bombproof horsemanship

Today, I tried attending a clinic put on by Chad Brinlee whom specializes in desensitization. I drove to Whitesboro only to find navigation couldn't get me to the exact destination the clinic was being held. It was raining the whole way on top of that. Outside of feeding everyone, the weather kept me from playing today. Poopie.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 86: YESTERDAY

Played with only a pocket full of rewards yesterday. Ike is being blocked from pushing Amocean so he reverted to something he'd been doing beautifully at not doing which is running the minis off. He's less than 2 months shy of being 3. Yay!!!!! Can't wait! (Well, I can, but anxiously. :p I had grooms yesterday, so I didn't write, but definitely played in the mud again!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 85: beautiful muddy day

The day was warmer than most so I could play in jeans today. The mud wasnt fun, but I couldn't pass up the nice weather! I only used a pocket of grain today (mostly for Amocean) and "caused" Ike to back off if he approached without invitation (not on his case for approaching respectfully and or not crowding) but if he was too forward or had his ears back, I asked him to back up. Also, if he pushes Amocean, I ask him to move away so as to tell him that's unacceptable and also to establish myself as a more fair/respectable leader to Amocean. They managed stepping over the water hole even though they did try going around it for the most part. Played ball with them and am showing Amocean how to pick up a fallen cone. Super fun. Really wanted to do a smidge of riding, but the ground was way too nasty! I might be able to snap a pic of the over the water hole stuff tomorrow. :) I hadn't taken my phone out with me today.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 84: rain, rain, go away!

Yuck on the weather.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 83: awwww man!

So much for a whole year! It was rainy all day! (And tomorrow is supposed to be the same/worse) I was cleaning the inside of the truck this morning. I tried to go out mid-day to play even in the mud, but Marvin and Ivan( the goats) were a filthy mess & I wanted nothing to do with penning them and moving them in and out to do a session. Ike and Amocean came running when I went out. That's always super nice. :) Anyhow, I'm off!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

"Just for Food"

If you read or have read my blog, watched my videos, you know I'm an advocate of using food as a reward in horse training. I know its controversial and I've even been conflicted with it myself as my ultimate desire is a genuine bond and communication strong enough that the horse performs as requested without food being used. Personally, I find with horses that lack motivation, food can give them a reason to do "work" that the human makes effort to present in a fun way to the horse so that its enjoyable. For eager/playful horses, it helps gain the focus of the horse and funnel his energy into desirable behaviors. I use a combination of methods, so Im not saying ONE way is right, but the woman who posted my video was kind enough to send me her post when I told her I was bothered that some people think the horse is working STRICTLY for food. I know this is something I personally need to be able to hear or read and have enough belief in how I do things to shrug it off. It takes a lot of time and effort and lots of undemanding time (where rewards aren't being given) to make progress with horses and its saddening for that to be minimized for food being used. The food is a reward not a bribe. I find its useful for early stages of training or introductions of new material and firmly believe in weaning the horse away from treats further on down the road so he/they can progress to enjoy what's being done at liberty for the fun of the work and the fact that work was presented in a way so that its viewed as enjoyable. Anyhow her post is as follows;

"Very thought-provoking discussion. As a clicker trainer for close to two decades I applaud the new rules for the top level performance.
Clicker training is just that-TRAINING. In my experience, when clicker training is correctly done the animal learns to enjoy the task as it's own reward. The beauty of clicker training is the pleasurable association that is created toward the idea of "working". Instead of work being approached as something the animal HAS to do, it is seen as something the animal WANTS to do.
And no, this doesn't occur because the animal is being fed. Otherwise a clicker trained animal would only respond when food was available.
It is the relationship that the animal develops with the trainer that becomes the motivation. A partnership based on trust and a sincere desire to communicate and acknowledge the intrinsic value of the animal's contribution in determining how a task should proceed.
I have trained dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs and even Koi fish. No matter the species I have seen the long-term result of clicker training to be the creation of this relationship. I have also seen the relationship maintained over sometimes even years with the only reward being the opportunity to participate in a reciprocal partnership between two different species.
When a horse is performing at liberty with nothing to motivate their responses except the relationship we have built through the training process It is an opportunity to see the clearest reflection of what can be accomplished when an animal is seen and treated as a worthy and valued partner instead of simply a tool. "
Cathi Cline
Sacramento, CA

Again, I'm not a clicker trainer per say, but it is amongst the techniques I personally use. My big issue is with food being used. If the handler strives to present a learning environment the horse enjoys, makes effort to keep the horse respectful and not enable him to be pushy or mouthy, the bond created isn't something anyone should criticize. I know that people will still say what they think so I just have to come to terms with that. I'm after a bond that enables me to ride bareback and bridle-less. When I do use a bridle (it will be bitless) so... However I get there...I can't deny I'm proud of the time, effort, and personal actions/training methods I used to obtain that. :) I'll try not to repeat that too many times in the future but it is something I feel strongly about and I tend to voice my opinion. Thank EVERYONE who understands where Im coming from! Very special thanks to Cathi for allowing me to include her beautifully written thoughts. :)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 82: haha!

A person on you-tube came across Ike's videos and was incredibly sweet to post one of them (the 57 day one) as an inspirational piece on a community board. She has a new little 6 month old fell (reminds me of the little guy I had the oppurtunity to take, but I'm SUPER happy I went with Ike.)She suggested I look into horse agility as it seemed/seems to dovetail seamlessly (her words-I liked them. :)into what I'm doing. I have to admit she's absolutely right and it looks super fun for horse and human alike. I'll be looking into dues more when I actually have some cash flow I could steer towards that. For now, I'm happy doing sessions and building on what he knows. The funniest thing happened today. I had Amocean going on a circle at liberty and Ike started going in the opposite direction on a circle without being asked and they both bumped heads. Hahaha. It sounded pretty nasty and I felt bad for both of them, but man was it funny! :p I feel evil for saying that. Great session and Amocean is really becoming animated in some of his forward movement. It's absolutely gorgeous coming from him. :) As usual, I'm just incredibly privileged to have the boys I do. Thank you Ron for enabling me to keep such incredible guys❤ thank you to every person that's been kind enough to take the time to help me learn and gain from your knowledge and experience. I hope I can in some way however small- make life better for the partners that make it all possible. :)

For any of you reading who have made accomplishments with horses, please take the time to encourage newer individuals who are keen to make improvements. You have no idea how appreciated your words and actions are to them. I know from experience it means the world to be commended for effort (even if a person is lacking in technique or doing things differently than is considered norm.)

There is no one right way to obtain the result your after with a horse. We are ALL entitled to our own opinions about how to make progress and what works for us and the individual horses in our lives.
..... The End. :)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 81: video

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/blYHuukdN38


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 80: 10 days till 3 months!

Ike is still very keen to play in sessions. Did 2 today as the sun was shining and I was out cleaning the garage anyway. Amocean is doing well with everything when he chooses to be involved. I don't pester him as I want him to desire being involved. Can't wait to shoot a vid again! :)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 79: my pretty ponies

Played with the boys. Ike is still doing awesome even with having added a horse to the sessions. Can't wait to record them! Went and did work with a yearling who was never led before today.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 78: sunny bliss

It's cold out but the sun is shining. High of 46. Ponies were playful and attentive. Played with Ike and Amocean together again this morning. Amocean is doing incredibly well for not having the same one on one sessions Ike did. It helps that he knows all the games though. :) ran with Ross and Phoebe too. Sooo cute jumping the little ditch. I'm so so so so lucky! :)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 77: double trouble

Played with Ike and Amocean both today. Other than bumping heads trying to be the one to get the treat, they did really well overall. Ron put my hitching post ring up and brought the dog crate out so I can crate the goats while I train ponies. Freezing outside, but horses did awesome in the half hour I played with them before they were fed.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 76: muddy play day!

1 hour split between Ike & Amocean :)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone