Day 80-84 ~ Getting there

Well this week we have been trying to mainly re-iterate things in Lindsay's mind and my own so that hopefully all will go smoothly in Texas. She is such an intelligent girl and is packed with all this new knowledge now. I am just trying to keep her happy and quiet as we put this new knowledge to work. She can get a little "up" when we do a lot of lead changes, stops and spins..so I try to still remember to work in a lot of low and low work in between. That really settles her, the stretching seems to relax her mind and body.

We have continued to practice stepping on our pedestal and..other than taking a too large step and stepping over it from time to time..she's got it pretty much figured out. When she does step to far though, it does not seem to frighten her to slip off it. I am hoping that will be a plus when we cross the trail bridge in the preliminary course, hopefully she'll be pretty confident stepping up onto whatever I ask her to. They tell us there will be 2 bridges, one typical to a trail pattern and one that has multiple elevations for more points..I'd love to do the later, but we'll have to see what it looks like I guess.

They have posted our judges and wow what a panel! There are six..they include Craig Cameron (Extreme Cowboy Race entrepreneur), BF Yates(AQHA Hall of Fame), Richard Winters (Won Road to the Horse), Barbra Schulte(Cutting horse trainer and motivational writer/speaker), Tom Saunders(Director of Ft Worth Stock Show) and Tommy Garland (Arab Trainer and Clinician) We will actually have the opportunity to meet and speak with all the judges! What an experience in itself!

For those of you that do not know, there will be 4 prelim rounds beginning with the trail on Friday. Trail will consist of backing through cones and a "L" opening/shutting a gate, crossing a bridge, crossing elevated poles, crossing a bridge, removing bridle, picking up feet and jumping. Then Friday afternoon we will have a riding class that is on the rail with other Mustangs, walk, trot canter both ways of the ring. Sat. morning we have a maneuvers class, which will include slides, spins and lead changes. We will also have a cow class where we track a cow into a pen as well as turn them back on the fence. Our lowest score of the 4 rounds will be dropped and the top 20 Mustangs will get to ride a freestyle that night at 6 pm central time.

I think I counted 83 horses on the list of entries submitted to compete, so 20 horses of those 83 will make it. I am excited and feel like I have done everything in my power to prepare Lindsay and I, but this is my first competition of this sort so I am certain there will be surprises for me. It will be an amazing experience to meet and get to see some of these Mustang trainers compete. Many of these trainers have competed and won at the previous Extreme Makeovers and I have watched some videos on line...Wow what an amazing job they have done. It is awesome to witness what these horses are capable of in only 100 days, I just can not wait.

I have to give a very very special thank you to Sue King, Sandy and Heidi Ergas and Magnolia Farms for Sponsoring us recently!!! It is going to cost quite a bit to get half way across the country and we just could not do it without the wonderful support of our friends and horse community! Also, Dr. Marcy came out this week to draw up Lindsay's health certificate and donated her services as part of her Sponsorship! We were not expecting that and it was a wonderful surprise!!! Thank you all so very much! If anyone has an interest in Sponsoring Lindsay feel free to call 910-471-2658 or email high.cotton.horse.farm@gmail.com

I have had many folks want to come visit Lindsay and I wish I could have had everyone out, but we have stayed so busy it just has not been possible. I do plan on doing a demo with her sometime after the competition, I will be sure to let everyone know when and where so hopefully you can attend. I have all intentions of keeping her and continuing to compete in various disciplines in the future. I feel like I have been blessed with a tremendous gift of having this amazing partner willing to do so much for me..I owe it to her and all the other Mustangs to represent the breed well and show the public what amazing partners, companions and competitors these horses can be!

As for now I am anxiously awaiting Fort Worth!!!

Day 79 ~ Play Day

Well Lindsay had a day off from riding today. I know she needed it...sure deserved it as hard as she's been working! Instead we played a bit in the round pen with our new "Toy" I begged my husband to make... It's a pedestal :) It's every bit of a foot and a half tall and only 2 by 2 foot wide. It is actually much taller in person that I was expecting it to be! When I first asked Lindsay to step up on it she willingly sailed over...over the whole thing! Did not miss a beat just cleared it from a stand still, well I asked a few more times and I believe all I was doing was re-iterating to her that I wanted her to sail over this new object versus step on it. hummmm what to do what to do. I tried picking a foot up and setting it on the stool..when she would start pawing I would really praise her, because she was trying to figure out what I wanted...just like when a baby is figuring out how to load on a trailer they will paw it first...I always encourage that because typically it's a sign they are thinking and exploring and before long they step on up. Well, she'd paw, but each time I asked her to step up she'd sail over again. I was happy to see how easy it was for her to do so, but that still wasn't what I wanted. It kinda had me stumped for a bit, she was doing exactly as I asked...I said go forward over this new object and she did just that, getting her to realize just "HOW" I wanted her to cross it was a different story. We started this last night and I stopped once she was pawing and being inquisitive, but had not yet stepped up. So today when we tried it I managed to build the dirt up just a hair on one side so that it was not such a huge leap up. I picked her foot up again and set it on the stool then at the same time I asked her to shift her weight forward by pushing the lead forward...just as I would do to load her into the trailer or ask her to go anywhere in hand...Well she lifted right up and before I knew it she was standing with her front feet up high on that stool. And high it is!...she looks like she is looking down on the world up there! I think she kind of liked the view once she was up there, she was very comfortable just gazing around. I asked a few more times and each time she figured it out quicker and quicker. I then asked from the other side that was flush with the ground, thus a bigger step. It took a little while to figure that out..and she did jump it once again...but then she put the two and two together and stepped up once again! We practiced it a few more times on that side to be sure she had the idea and I do think she's got it. It's amazing how much reasoning skills she has, she really can figure things out quite well when given the proper opportunity.

Also, tonight when we went out to the round pen to work on our new toy I turned her loose first in the round pen and I went to nail a non slip rug on top of the stool to be sure there was plenty of traction. So there I am in the dark...lite up pretty well by the moon...nailing a rug on top of this pedestal and what does the wild Mustang do? Well she is determining to see exactly what I am doing...she watches over my shoulder the entire time ..and I mean right over my shoulder..and then decides to try and sniff the hammer...as I am swinging it to drive the nails in! ...and if that wasn't enough she drops her head in the container of nails and tries to have a taste!!..Well I managed not to whack her in the nose with the hammer and also managed to keep her from eating any nails, but oh my what a personality this gal has! I know it has been there all along, but she is really showing it now, she is such a character.

After playing with our new toy I decided I'd better try the bull whip out around her. I do not personally plan to incorporate one when I ride at the competition, but I know many folks will so I figured I better give her a chance to see what it was first. Well, that went great...she stood perfectly still and did not seem the least bit afraid that the crack the whip made was at all intended to land on her. I do think I'll be leaving our bull whip at home though, I bought it off of E-bay just to use to desensitize her and I think if any cowboy saw it they would laugh at me big time. It is shiny black leather with some sort of metal rivets on it...it looks like it should have been packaged w/ handcuffs hehehe...it really doesn't look at all like the real deal, but it does crack and got the job done...I bet Lindsay was laughing at me big time cracking this toy of a whip around her. I imagine she laughs at me lots these days...hopefully she'll laugh again when I shoot some blanks around her, that's another thing on the list I want to do, we'll see!

Day 78 ~ COWS

Fun night with the cows! Ed Lewis Sr and Ed Lewis Jr are two of the kindest folks you'll ever meet. They had some folks out for to rope at their "Roping Hole" pen in Currie, NC. We brought Lindsay over and what a fabulous experience it was. She was excited at first...I think more from a horse running laps close-by in her pen than the cows, but she settled quickly. We spent some time just pushing some cows around. They had a good 30 head or so and these were very much awake so it was a bit more of a challenge, but Lindsay was a star. She doesn't really get that it is about following the cow on her own, but she is very willing to put herself where-ever I ask her to be and she's not scared of them at all..so as long as I do my part, she'll do hers...that's the way it always seems to be.

After they started roping we stood at the shoot at the other end of the pen and opened and closed the gate and pushed the cows through that had just been roped. I really still have not made a big deal about shaking metal panels or picking things up that make lots of noise when I'm on her back because it just seemed to be setting her back if I made to big a deal out of that stuff. My backing off seems to have helped her realize that there really is nothing to worry about after all. She let me open and shut the metal gate while I was on her back! We did it numerous times to let cows in and out and she really got the hang of it. We even got to push the whole herd up the long side of the fence b/t the panels to move them back down to be roped again...one was laying down and we just about had to step on him to get him up...when he finally sprung up Lindsay tossed her head up a bit in surprise, but that was it. She is so incredibly confident I just love it.

We loped some circles as well and I was so pleased that she was not bothered by the rope horses and the riders swinging their ropes. She honestly seems to enjoy going places, she loves to watch what's going on. It's as if she is taking it all in and processing every little move that everyone makes....probably wondering if I'm going to ask her to do that next!

A big step was made for us when we first arrived. Mr. Ed Lewis Jr. walked up to us while I was sitting on Lindsay and went to shake my hand. She started to shy away from him, but held her own! I shook his hand then he rubbed her neck and she was totally fine! That may seem like a minor thing, but it has been one of the biggest hurdles to get over, she is just not sure about someone she doesn't know approaching her. It was so awesome to see how she has begun to broaden her comfort zone. Before it was barely big enough for me to fit in and no room whatsoever for anyone else...or any plastic bottle friends for that matter...but for her to open up the comfort zone to include so much more of her surrounding..including a strange tall man, that was just huge for us! It was such a productive night, that she really seemed to enjoy.

I don't know if they'll see this, but a HUGE Thank you to the Lewis' for letting us out. They have such an awesome facility and are truly wonderful people!

Day 74-77 ~ On the News

Well we have been doing quite a bit of bridle-less practice lately and Lindsay is taking to it so well. We can turn, stop and back at the walk really well...she is good at the trot and canter too, but maintaining our speed can be a little tough at the faster gates...Lindsay is no plug so it's not like she is a horse I have to push every stride..she likes to go forward , so we are working on getting our speed more and more steady without me using my hands, just my seat. She has gotten really comfortable with her bridge though and lets me ride her across it using just my legs and neck rope, no bridle.

WECT TV 6 came out today and videoed us. Lindsay was so good! Bob Townsend and the camera man both got really close to her and she really did not seem to be phased by them. The camera man even was doing some fancy camera work and shooting at funny angles from the ground and almost up underneath her and she was ok with it..ignored him really! We even did some of our bridle-less work crossing the bridge, stopping, backing, a few spins....At one point the camera guy was crouched down at the very edge of the bridge right beside (with in a foot) of where I was asking Lindsay to go...she did widen her eye at him a bit, but never veered off track and calmly went right where I pointed her ... without the bridle! I just could not have been more proud of her...no matter how talented and smart I think she is, she does something to out-do herself again....Now if I can just keep up my end of the deal we'll be set, she sure has her part figured out!

It will air August 4th and 5th, so two weeks from now...on channel 6 out of Wilmington, NC. I'll post a link closer to the time. Mr. Townsend wants to call us after the competition to see how it goes...hopefully I can tell him good news! If it was all up to Lindsay I am certain the news would be good...but I will have to do my part too...and I am no where near as good as her...I'm working on it though :)

Days 69-73 ~ Getting Excited!

Well, Lindsay actually got a day off Wed.. It was my husband's birthday and we had family in town. It drives me crazy not to be on her, but I know she appreciated the rest. I did still take her for a little hand walk to check out our visitor's and she was a brave girl.

Thursday it was back to work.. must practice, practice practice...She had thrown a shoe in her stall, so I had to reset it before we worked. She was good, even though she does still get a little tired of waiting on me...I do not drive nails in as quickly as some, but she hung in there and I got her re-set. No glue this time, just clips and nails.

We've still been working lots on our changes and we have times were we are super consistent with them...then lapse into little spells where we are not. When she gets tired it's a little tougher to get them each time and I have a tendency to want to just keep on and keep pushing. She's plenty tough and hangs with me, but I'm trying to be good and limit the amount of times I ask for her changes now. If she gets them a couple times each way I am good with that. She is getting that flying change left to right now which really excites me. Sometimes the hind lead will still lag, but she's gotten it clean quite a bit. Just the fact she is able to do flying changes clean at all at this stage still amazes me..it is a true testament not only to her "try" but also her physical talent, it just doesn't come that easy for many horses.

We've been popping over fences too here and there and she is very good at that. Very round and tight knees, that has certainly been an easy task for her.

We hauled out to a friends Sat and worked in a really nice, huge arena with incredible ground. We have been working on our stops and our dirt at home is just too deep. She stops great, willingly and with her hind end, but once she plants her hind feet she slides ~ 3 feet then sinks in the dirt and has to pop back up with her back end to finish the stop. We have tried to get our ground to pack, but it's simply to soft to really hold a slide, it's perfect for pretty much everything else I do...especially barrels which is wonderful, but the same dirt just can not always do it all. It was fabulous to have the opportunity to work on some better sliding dirt and I think it will help Lindsay learn she can float across this ground better. She still had a tendency to pop up after a few feet, but got better the more she got the feel of the new dirt. It's amazing how much ground really does affect a horse. It is very apparent in running barrels, but other disciplines as well. We can not expect them to give us the same ride in beach sand vs. packed dirt. They have to use their bodies differently to accomplish the same task. It's really amazing how well some horses can adjust to the feel of different ground, but they still have to be given a proper chance to feel it to be able to make that adjustment. I think working on this dirt will help her a lot, we'll see after a few more rides on it.

We had a low key ride tonight under English tack, lots of long and low...really practicing rhythm and consistency. We popped over a few jumped throughout our ride and she was hardly even sweaty when I stepped off. She was very relaxed the whole ride. I am trying to make a point to help her understand when I want her long and low and steady, versus when I want her more elevated and "reactive" so to speak for her stops and spins...and when we are going to be a little less reactive and work on slower maneuvers of her body, like turns on the forehand..backing through poles...opening gates etc. She is catching on to the different types of "feel" and degree of responsiveness I am asking for. It is very easy to wake her up and get her more responsive, so I have to be sure to not forget to continue to remind her that it is ok for her to be less reactive too.

We are getting so very excited about Texas in August! It is coming up so fast! We still welcome anyone interested in Sponsorships...no matter how small, anything and everything helps. It is going to be quite the expensive venture to get ourselves halfway across the country and back. I am so very thankful for those that have Sponsored Lindsay in the beginning... Ms. Jane in memory of Alex, Dr. Marcy, Dr. Burgess, Lindsay and Judy Miller....Triple Crown has provided Lindsay's feed and Soft-Ride has outfitted her with a fabulous set of boots. We are so thankful for each and every one of you. Without the support of our wonderful horse community and friends this would not be possible. We are just thrilled to have to opportunity to show folks how special and unique these wild Mustangs truly are.

They truly are an integral part of our history, not one of us would be here, living the life we are blessed to live without them. Their direct ancestors carried our ancestors across this great country..they fought battles and died for us, simply because we asked them to...they ran across the nation carrying our mail, many times running almost non-stop as the "Pony Express"...they carried heavy loads to build our rail-roads and were the primary means of transportation for all for many years. They worked our fields growing our food and herded the cattle we ate...the list of what the wild Mustang has given to us is infinite. They have shaped our heritage and history in every way imaginable. Now that they are seemingly not as prominent in our survival it seems some have forgotten what all they have given to us. There are now many more wild Mustangs roaming the west than the land can support. The Mustang Heritage Foundation (MHF) is such a blessing to us and to the Mustangs. They work constantly to create programs like this Makeover to promote the diversity and magnificence of these incredible horses and the aid in their adoption and support. By supporting these programs we are all supporting the wild Mustangs. The MHF and the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) work to support the adoption of these amazing beings as well as support them in the wild. Without the MHF and BLM these horses would be extremely over populated and be forced to fight for survival and face starvation for lack of grazing land. I am so proud to be a small part of it all...I want to do anything I can to help the public become aware and give credit to these wonderful beings that truly shaped every aspect of our life....hopefully in turn we can make their life better, by giving them loving homes and by supporting them in the wild on the range.

If you would like to offer any help in Lindsay's upcoming travels this coming month please feel free to give us a call or drop an email. 910-471-2658 or high.cotton.horse.farm@gmail.com

We appreciate every one's kind words and support in this process. It truly is an amazing ride....also if you are interested in adopting or training a wild Mustang feel free to contact us as well. There are many really wonderful programs the MHF offers to help these horses find good homes. If you ever have one you will see what I mean. They form a bond with their partners like no other. It is as if they have a capability to trust that runs deeper than most. It is a true blessing to have the opportunity to develop such a relationship with such a majestic being.

Day 66, 67, 68 ~ Air-time to Ground-time

Well Sunday we tracked the steers again. It went well...Lindsay isn't the least bit concerned about them. I'd love to find another place to haul with some new cow faces for her to see. I think it would help us to track some new faces...or tails, but these have been just perfect to get her used to them.

Monday we worked at home and all went well. Worked lots on stops, changes and spins.

This morning I decided I better start jumping her if I am going to...keep forgetting that! I put her in the round pen to let her free jump a time or two and get used to how to carry herself over a fence. It was absolutely hilarious! I have not done any round pen work in a very long time, seems like ages ago! Lindsay was a different horse in there...way more confident in me than before and she wanted to play big time. It was such a trip..I would send her out to the rail to work then bring her in to me to "join up" and she got soooo into it she'd bounce all the way to me...rearing, dancing on her hind legs, bouncing all up in the air...now don't get me wrong, she was not being aggressive or disrespectful of me at all, she was just having a blast while still doing as I asked. She was having so much fun, it was awesome...I really am in awe that this is the same horse that seemed to have no interest in any type of "play" activities before..she was always so proper and to the point...now it's like the little kid in her has emerged and the personality has exploded out :) I love it! ...One might thing she would appear "broken" from this "domestication" process, but it's quite the opposite...she's more full of personality and charisma now than ever before!

I did send her over the jump, amidst her leaps and bounces on her own, she poped over the fence easily and willingly, no hesitation. So after a bit more playing we tacked up english and set out to pop over a jump in the arena. She was a star, very quiet and just hopped right over, lift has sure never been an issue for her so it makes perfect since jumping would be a breeze.

We also practiced our rope gate as well as the wooden bridge Mike so kindly built for us. I tried to make the bridge scarier by putting fake flowers on it on both sides, but it didn't phase her. Here over the past week she's really become much better about the whole inanimate object thing. She still gets tense at some things, but way better than before. That night I spent tossing the feed bag filled w/ cans over her back a trillion times really helped I believe....not sure if I remembered to write about that...I was probably so tired of thinking about that bag of cans I didn't even want to write about them! It took a loooong time for her to stop jumping each and every time I'd drop the bag or toss it, but eventually she did...and ever since other "friends" have become less terrifying....I sure hope her new friends will not be to scary for her in Texas!

We also worked more on holding our bow. Sometimes, she'll want to pop back up out of it sooner than I asked for, so we worked lots on holding it...poor thing, I think I wore her out...she finally just laid down!!! I guess that was easier than holding that bow forever and she knew she wasn't supposed to get up. I'd love to teach her to lay down as well as bow, but we'll just take our time with that... even though I was tickled to see she was willing to today. I do not plan to use any ropes or hobbles to do it, and have not thus far...so she will need to be very comfortable with what I am asking to figure it out consistently.

So between cows, jumping, bowing, stops, spins, changes, gates and bridges we've had quite the diverse few days. Anyone that ever thought horses were "stupid" is truly an ignorant person. Her level of intelligence and ability to have a diverse dialogue with me through simple body language is simply astounding. It really is like she is excited she has found these new things she can do. I know of course she always could do them w/o me, but just watching her play in the round pen I can tell her body is so much more educated and in control than it was before. She was doing this little uphill canter just about in one spot in the most beautiful self carriage, w/o me or a saddle on her back...it was like she was showing off all her new tricks for everyone :) It makes my heart smile to see her seem to really enjoy life and her new lifestyle...watching her in the round pen today I tell you she seemed much more of a "free spirit" than she even did when she arrived...it's like she's just now really been able to start to be her true self and her true self is Full of PERSONALITY!!!!! I just Love it!!!

Day 65 ~ Short n Sweet

This horse just amazes me more each day. I can hardly imagine how she was 65 days ago...no interest in her grain what-so-ever...terrified for my finger to simply rest on her neck...no interest in anything at all, but doing her best to keep a safe distance from everything...especially that Pig they call "Samantha P" ... now she calls for her dinner as soon as she sees me arrive, She has decided she not only doesn't mind the touch of my hand, but it actually makes quite the good scratching post...she is intrigued by everything and when uncertain typically wants to explore the new object rather than flee...and Samantha P ..well it's hard to be afraid of a pig that takes a bath in your bath water underneath you every day :) ... She just amazes me, it really is hard to imagine her the horse she used to be. Which of course she is the same confident, strong willed mare she is today, she's just allowed many new doors to open in order to share her talent with me and it is a truly indescribable feeling when she really lets me into who she is. It is not to my credit that she is seemingly becoming "Domesticated" ... I have done nothing but listened to her and done my best to be as clear in my requests as she is in hers...and offer her the same patience she offers me in answering the questions correctly. She is a fabulous teacher and I am still learning more each day...and as far as being "Domesticated" it is hard for me to really see it that way, she is as much a free, unique spirit as any horse I've ever met..I just can not imagine her ever being "broken" She is much to confident in her own skin to allow anyone to do that.

We had a short ride tonight after the storm rolled through. Her flying changes are really developing. Her right to left is almost solid and the left to right is developing steadily. I find the best thing to do is simply ask nicely and wait patiently...it may take her a few strides, but she figures it out on her own. She does not need me to add pressure if she does not get it right at first. She puts enough pressure on herself, if I add more, it's to much. I am so thankful she is so physically capable. I have been on horses with plenty of try, but lack the physical ability. I always commend the try, but there is typically a plateau with those that is difficult to surpass. Her abilities seem infinite. It's as if she can do anything with her body she wants and will willing do so for me if I can simply explain my request. If only I was so perfect in my explanations every time :( But I strive to be and she is thankfully forgiving of my mistakes.

We also worked on opening and closing the rope gate and thankfully that went well. We still have moments where she gets tense when I begin to pick something up, but she is much more comfortable than before. I just do not think it makes much sense to her why we should be grabbing inanimate objects and carrying them around. She is still much more comfortable with anything alive, like a tree branch, than she is a water bottle. It's like she can feel the difference, even when things look very similar to the eye. I think there is a lot to be said for that. For example; there is a "feel" you get from leather or horse hair that is simply impossible to simulate with man-made products. It seems she already has this figured out....She has lots figured out that I have yet to...thankfully she's still willing to teach me as long as I am willing to listen and learn.

Day 63 & 64 ~ Kids n' Cows

Fun field trips over the last two days :)

Yesterday we hauled to the
Boys and Girls home and rode with some super fun kids and amazing
horses. We practiced riding around with the group of horses and Lindsay
was really a good girl with the horse "Traffic" and She even warmed up
to Julie enough to let her rub her neck! She actually really enjoyed it
once Julie started rubbing and leaned into her and stretched her neck out for Julie to get the perfect spot. Lindsay had met Julie a time or two before and I am certain she remembers her.I think she found a new friend!

Today
we hauled out to a friends house to play with some steers. (A HUGE
Thank You to Brandy and Jonathon!!!) I was pleased to see that Lindsay
was not to worried over them at all. She was intrigued, but not afraid.
We practiced walking and tracking them up and down the fence line a
bit. They were not to afraid of us and I kinda felt like I had to get
right up on them to get them to move. Lindsay didn't mind, but I was a
bit to close to efficiently change direction when need be. I'm going to
have to work on my cow skills, but I think Lindsay has her part figured
out...so long as I can do mine.

When we were warming up we even got some flying changes right to left!!! I was so excited :) Our left to right transition isn't quite as smooth yet and we lag that back lead sometimes, but she gets it if I just wait on her a
bit. I am super excited she seems to be figuring out what I'm asking
for though. I can not wait to see what she remembers tomorrow!

Day 61 & 62 ~Slidin', Spinnin' & Stoppin'

Well I do not consider myself a reining trainer, even though after my experience w/ Lindsay I might have a new discipline to explore :) She really is a fabulous teacher. We've been practicing lots of lead changes, she's got her simple changes down pat and has become pretty consistent with getting the lead I ask for...we are working on flying changes and we get them sometimes...sometimes not, but with her natural "uphill" canter I do believe she is fully capable. It's just a matter of time for her to figure out where to put her feet at all times. We have done some flying changes over poles and she gets those well, but I do not want to become dependent on that so I ask for them just on the flat as well. She is so smart and athletic, I just have to do my best to stay consistent and let her learn and figure things out in her own time.

We've worked on our stops too, out of a decent forward canter. She is still stronger on her left lead, but the right lead stop is coming along to. When she gets a good slide it is just an amazing experience! What a feeling..it's like you're floating across the ground...I can see why so many people love to show reiners!

We worked on speeding up our spins by me kissing once I asked her to step over. That went well, but we got a little ahead of ourselves and started loosing some of our cross over in the front...especially turning left. So today we backed up a bit (Figuratively) and went back to 90 degree and 180 degree turns really encouraging forward motion. She remembered well and started crossing over again. I imagine we'll do a lot of that as well as full spins to try and hold that cross over. She is very capable of it, but when we spin a full 360 sometimes we get a little stuck and loose our forward. When that happens I try to go back to getting that forward motion and cross over again.

Today it was soooooo incredibly hot, I was not in the best mood when I went to ride and I really anticipated a not so perfect ride. I mean Lindsay can only be as good as I allow her to be, if my moods and emotions get in her way it can not help but hold her back. It was odd though, it was if she took the wheel for me tonight. She was very relaxed and did not anticipate as she sometimes does. I actually felt much better after stepping off her..she really gave me a nice ride. I wonder if she'll take the wheel in Texas if need be? I sure hope so, I am certain I will not be the most relaxed person there!

Day 58, 59 &60 ~ New Nikes

Well Ms. Lindsay now has a new pair of hind shoes on. Still barefoot in the front and plan to stay that way. Her feet are as solid as can be with very thick hoof walls and an incredible toe callous that makes for a very sound horse even over gravel. However, due to her ability and desire to really drop her back end and sit in her halts (thus slide) I was really concerned about burning up her bulbs and hurting her, so I knew we needed protection on the back. My plan was to glue her shoes on the first time, just because she has never had them nailed on and I wanted it to be a gradual process for her to adjust to. She has done so well with me picking her feet up, I did not want to push my luck by asking for to much to soon. Seeing as I was planning to glue I needed clips pulled to help stabilize her shoes. Thanks to Greg Roach and Mr. Paul her shoes now have beautiful quarter clips. (Thank you Both!!!) After the clips were pulled Sat AM I went home to put these new kicks on our girl.

Mike held her for me most of the time and that in itself was very good for her. By the time we were done she was practically sleeping in his lap. I've been trying to convince her he really is a good guy, but I think she's a bit like me..she has to make up her own mind. I do think now she agrees though :)

I had already trimmed her hind feet pretty well and just needed to shape her shoes a bit to have them ready. I curved the heels slightly, just behind her bulbs to offer her plenty of heel and bulb protection (as Mr. Paul recommended) I had to clean her soles out really well to remove any dirt so that the glue would hopefully stick. I layered her shoes with glue and set them on. It was quite time consuming due to the fact that the glue takes a while to set up, but she was very tolerant. As a matter of fact she did so well I thought I'd try to get a nail or two in as well. I did manage to get a nail in both sides of her feet, so with the clips, glue and nail on each side they feel quite secure. I believe when I re-set I will use a minimal amount of glue and leave the nail holes open to nail through. She really was a very good girl.

So of course I could not wait to ask her to stop with her new protection. I had previously been afraid to ask for a whoa out of anything more than a slow lope. She naturally wants to drop her hind end and I was afraid she would go to slide and burn her bulbs, not only hurting herself, but also discouraging herself from wanting to to slide the next time. I was thankful to see that she adjusted well and seemed to have plenty of confidence sliding on her new shoes. I certainly had more confidence asking for a good stop out of a forward canter now as well. Her stop is exceptionally good on her left lead...it is not quite as strong on her right, but she is figuring it out. It really is a huge benefit for her to have this protection.

I am an advocate of shoeing as well as barefoot trimming and I believe there is a time and place for both. This is a good example of a horse that has exceptional feet and can continue to benefit from a good "barefoot trim" as she will on her front feet, but did need the added protection only a shoe can provide due to the high degree of abrasion in the maneuvers she is capable of doing. It is not typical that out on the range a wild mustang would run at a pretty good canter then chose to slide to a full stop as a reining horse does. Of course they are obviously capable and the fact they naturally work off their hind end is a testament to their durability that has been a necessity to their survival, but there is a difference in a horse sitting down and working of their hind end in necessity...versus the slide we so love to see in a reining pattern. That slide requires not only the ability of the equine athlete to work off their hind end, it also requires protection of the soft heel bulb from us as care-takers. I was pleased to be able to offer Lindsay that protection and to see that she was so quick to adjust to the new feel.

We worked Sun and Mon as well. We have been practicing lots of lead changes, mostly simple, but some flying here and there :) We have also continued work on our stops and our spins. I have started to ask for a little more quickness in our spins and Lindsay has done quite well. She is extremely athletic and the more she learns she is capable of the more she can get a little hyped up when doing certain maneuvers. I try to be sure to always encourage her to settle after wards and she is figuring things out. If it wasn't for her degree of sensitivity and lightness there is no way she would be capable of doing the things I ask of her...so a "Busy mind" kind of comes with the territory. I personally love a horse that is always thinking and trying to guess your next move, but I do have to be cautious she does not anticipate the next move...there is a fine line between light responsiveness and to much anticipation.

Day 54-57 ~ Simple Lead Changes & Pecan Orchards

Well I must say I have dug up my half chaps and breeches and that makes for a much more enjoyable ride in my hunt seat saddle. There is a reason those things were invented. I still feel the burn every now and then, but it is way better than that first day in slippery jeans! We have ridden english a few times and I really enjoy it. I can feel so much and stay really connected to her. We have been working lots on a rhythmic medium trot and still our canter departure..we even started some simple changes of leads too! Lindsay is so light on the forehand it comes quite natural for her. It is as it's always been...if I can explain it she will do her best to do it...I am loving the feel of her canter more and more each day. I still have to be careful of letting it get to "up" so to speak..when she is feeling good she can bounce like a bunny rabbit just about in one spot at the canter! So we still incorporate lots of long and low.

We trailered to Lake Waccamaw today and yesterday for the NBHA barrel race. What a fabulous facility to ride this time of year. The entire place is sheltered by huge pecan trees, it was a cool day anyway, but with the added shade it was just perfect!

Yesterday it was really quiet, not many horses there and Lindsay was really good. We rode in the indoor and she was a bit looky as they were unloading the panels and barrels and setting up, but she held her own and really seems to enjoy just watching everything.

We even walked over and meet a donkey that lives on the grounds. Lindsay Loved him! She perked her ears up straighter than I've seen them yet! She would have jumped in the pasture with him had I let her I think. Wonder if any burros ran with her in the wild? She sure appeared to recognize him...she didn't snort and try to run off, she wanted to go see him!

We crossed a bridge too...a real one... she was a star with that, no hesitation at all. I am always seatrching for things to walk her over and this was perfect, it had rails and was ~20 long crossing a deep ditch. I've had many colts at this facility and they typically do not cross this bridge as well as she did...it's amazing to me how much confidence she has.

We trailered back out today and there was a much bigger crowd..Lindsay could feel it. She was really on edge at first and was even antsy to mount. I still remained consistent with my plan of always having her stand after I mount, so we did..even though she was way ready to go see the sights. At first in the warm up pen she was quite jumpy at everything...the horse trailers..the stalls...it's the people coming in and out of nowhere that bothers her. It's like she thinks they are all a bunch of little gremlins creeping out of every corner to personally attack her! We moved over to a quieter pen and I really put her to work...trotted lots and loped lots. She was so fresh she even tossed her head at the lope and soooo wanted to play and bounce around, but we worked through it and soon enough she was loping great..we practiced some simple changes with a trot stride or two in between the leads and she did wonderful. We miss a lead every now and then, but for the most part she's getting it..and is by all means good at it when we get it right..it is quite the fun ride!After she had settled and was more focused we went back in the warm up pen and trotted and loped around. She was still very aware of the surroundings and the opening and closing stall doors and people sitting under their horse trailer awnings, but she let me work her through it much better and once we stepped up to the canter she really became more focused on her job. She was far from being oblivious of her surrounding when we finished up, but we were at a much better place than before.

We then went in and stood in the holding pen while they were running exhibitions, she was exceptionally good at that and seemed happy to get to rest and watch some other horses work. One horse loped circles around her passing her face with in a few feet each time and she did not even flinch...it's never been the horses that she's worried about anyway, but it was still good for her and I was thrilled to see her be so mature.

We headed home and hoping to do it again tomorrow!