A Good trainer, good horse and good farrier!
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August 30
Farrier visit, he is new and I take Chance to the round pen, and let him meet Dennis. I let Dennis touch him and work him a little, and then it is business. And let me tell you from the words of the farrier himself, “Chance did better than most domestic horses! Especially for a first time” and for those that know this means the most to me. I do train my horses to behave and mind, and my farriers don’t have to hurt my horses to work with him. So, if you ever met a farrier that hurts your animals send them packing! Chance did awesome for the farrier and I am so proud of him!
First Show, Chance loves his kids and family!
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August 25th
Mavricks Open show in LaGrande. Get up early and load up and drive and hour and half to the show. He doesn’t like standing in the trailer a new thing for him. He might get hobble trained before the trip to Texas. Unload and brush him out and get ready for showmanship. Paint his hooves and now stand and wait. I am in major pain in my back and legs from the coming off last night! Not sure how much I can do. Anyway, we do showmanship I find a way to get myself to move my feet fast enough to get him to trot, he squares up nicely and does a great walk, trot whoa transition. Our haunch turn is not the best but good enough for me! I am please! We place fifth and the load speakers; the horses and the kids do not bother him. He is just taking it all in. We get saddled and ready for trail. I take him to the warm up pen and lounge him but just don’t feel I can make myself get on, the pain is pretty bad. Anyway, I decide to try in hand trail and see how that goes. We can’t place cause he has been ridden but we want the experience. So, we enter the ring and go to the first thing getting a water jug from a packer and then walk over the poles, he looks at them since they are not his I guess. And then we go to the water crossing, let me tell you this water crossing is a narrow I can step across wide, deep thing with black trap on the edges and poles around it. Chance watches me and follows me over it. He jumps it but still he came across it and I am proud of him. Then we go to the back through and he does this great. And now on to the gate, we side up to it, and open it and walk through and he doesn’t want to side back to it to close it, but we close it, and walk to the dead bush where we dump water on it and he looks at that. Then we go to the branch and move it from the bride crossing and he gets a bit worried here at the branch but we work it out. Now, onto the bridge, there is water under this bridge new for him, and he can see himself as he comes up on the bridge he jumps forward and past it and now, we try again and the second time he ROCKS it! Great job chance. The judge says she loves his expression and his willingness to work for me! YEAH~~~~~
We head home my back it killing me!
What better place to ride first time away from home, Chief Josepgh Days Arena
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August 16th 2007
Loaded up in the trailer tonight in a new spot in the trailer, and hauled with new horses and picked up a horse on the way. We went to the rodeo grounds to ride. He saddled up fine, and there were two other horses around him four people and my kids, all talking and moving around. He is not bothered by any of it. I lead him into the arena and lounged him some, and then I let Emily Howerton a 4-H member new to riding pony him around the arena for the first time. They both did great. Chance just went with her and her horse and Emily did great for a first time ever to pony a horse! I then worked on getting him to stand he wanted to move to get on today, new place new horses, and new things. He is nervous as am I. We just work and work on getting him to stand and be standing when I swing on. I finally get on and the arena footing is terrible, so we are going to stick to walking and trotting. Others are loping and tonight he had some frists- like the first time someone was riding next to him kissed and took off, Emily as a new rider doesn’t understand how green horses are. So, Chance did great. We had others ride up our butts, and fly by us, my kids are running and jumping in the stands and screaming like kids do! Chance had lots to take in and think about as well as working for me. We got good circles and good constant gaits. We don’t want to stand still at all. He wants to figgy and dance around. He will not even stand with the other horses. I guess we work on that!
First Ride No Hands!!!
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August 7, 2007
Today is the big day; I got him out, tied him up, saddled, bridled and then took him to the round pen. I worked him a bit on the line, and then did some desensitizing working with flags, whip and bag, and milk jugs with rocks. I drive him some and WOW he is so soft today we drove without the bit em up on, and he kept his head set pretty nice. He really wants to turn quick and softly come off the bridle in the turns. Emily Bushman comes over and we are going to ride him with no handler today. So, she meets him, and works with him some, then she mounts and he sorta panics, I am there but not real close. She tries it again. Much better. This time we ask him to move, she does most of it, I am just there as his comfort and security, so that he slowly gets weaned from the handler on the ground. We do this with the line as I sorta lead him, then I set to the center of the round pen and sorta lunge him he is watching Emily and me but not really reacting to either of us. Relaxed. Now we take him off the line, and I still send him with my hands, voice and body language but Emily is doing more and more. Chance does panic when I raise my voice and move too fast, but he is easily brought back to control and focus. I lead him out and to the big arena, lead him around some here and then turn loose, then I walk near her but not next to. Finally I am able to stand in the center and just watch, and Emily is able to walk, halt, and turn him. And then moves up to a trot. Then she dismounts and this he panics a bit so she retries and he does much better the second time. Now it is mine turn, up and on, and he is great, now let move out. Super, nice, and we do some turning, halting, going and now we are trotting. He feels relaxed and just trying to understand the foot fall, and packing weight and such, but not scared or reactive. Kids come running up the side of the arena and I think it scares me more than Chance. We turn and face them, but Chance is great. The wind is also blowing the Hurricane Creek wind that we always get here. He handles the wind, the dogs, the people and the banners on the arena blowing. He is just amazing. Chance truly has moved me and pleased me! Now I dismount, nothing but prefect. What a GREAT DAY!
August 8th, 2007
Ride number two!! We did drive today just to show someone that was watching what driving is and how we taught him to rein. Then we rode in the round pen today just to make sure we were still all there. He was lost on the move thing without someone there to move him so Ryan had to get us and move us several times and then it was like he went “Oh I remember” and then we were great. We walked and trotted and stopped and turned and back. Good second ride!
August 9th, 2007
Today we worked in the round pen, rode in the round pen, no driving just sacking out and working. Then we went to the arena we videoed today, so we have it all on film. We did lots of rein work and then trotting and such. We went through the poles and then played barrel-racing horse! Then we went over poles, as well as stopped over the pole and got two side steps before Chance thought rolling the pole with his feet was fun! What a great ride! His dismount is solid. I picked up all four of his feet in the arena and then did some showmanship work. Boy, he is good!
Parade Horse anyone! Cheif Joseph Days Parade and more!
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July 26th Thursday
Well, I have decided to take Chance in the Chief Joseph Day’s on Saturday. So I am off to take Chance to the town of Enterprise and take him through town. I load up by myself, and haul to town, I unload in a dealership car parking lot in the middle of cars, tie up Chance and Kody and saddle up. Mount up and ride through town. The first that comes toward Chance and he is for sure not liking is a kid on a bike in a cowboy hat yelling at us to see the horse. WOW we lived through that, then we cross busy HWY 82 this is the main route to Wallowa Lake a major Tourist trap as well as Joseph and many trucks and horse trailers are coming through for the rodeo this weekend and first performance tonight. So, we get across the street and make it around the court house and toward the library as we cross the cross walks, man holes and walk past the parking cars, and people Chance seems to be doing very well. He wants to go forward sometimes but really is listening to me and wanting to do his best. We get noticed and some ladies come out of their place of work to talk to me and meet Chance, they come and pet him and then we are off again. As we head back toward our trailer I decide to stop major traffic and hit down Main Street as I do I have to truly stop the traveling turds and sports cars, as well as locals. Chance just doesn’t like getting too close to cars on one side and ones coming up his butt! And down Main Street we go, and now on top of all the scary it is not raining but a down pour is getting us soaked! However, Chance seems to just do great. We get back to the trailer up saddle and reload back up. I head to the store get some shopping done as the boys wait good thing for Chance to get that use to since we will road trip to TEXAS soon!
July 27 Friday
Well, I have left Kody in with Chance so they Chance can really feel safe with him before tomorrow. I get him out and saddle him up, work in the round pen, and get him use to the syrupy that he will be wearing in the parade. He seems to not mind it at all.
July 28th Saturday BIG DAY!
Today we get up to getting clipped, a bath and then our toenails done in black polish! Some show shine, some glitter and now in the trailer and up to the festive rodeo grounds. We unload get tied to the trailer. Oh we hauled more horses in the trailer today and put him in a different spot in the trailer that was taken like a man! Then we tack up, saddle pad, saddle, syrupy and now for all fours in polo wraps! YEP he was not sure about those on his hind legs, but did great. I saddle up Kody and mounted up. Let me tell you there is horses everywhere, people running around in and out and next to him and touching him and Chance just acted as if he had been at that sort of thing behind. Wagons, coaches, kids on horses, floats, music, horses with BIG I mean BIG flowers, and Chance only thought that was the weird thing was those horses covered in FLOWERS! He looked at the floats, was fine on the ride up with the cars, and people crowding him, and he just cruised up there, then stood waiting so patiently. He truly amazed me before the parade started. But once we got in the parade the drill team I ride with was doing drills in front of us, blowing whistles and then a prancing horse covered in flowers behind us, and Chance just went down that parade route like nothing! As if he had done it a million times. People would call out to him, I would wave to them over his head, and he just walked. When we came up on the speakers and announcers he would stop with Kody and just let me talk. He didn’t mind the kids with bags, and candy, the screaming and clapping the road way lined on both sides with people high and low! Nothing! I was in tears by the time I got done; I was just so happy and shocked! He did great. I am leaving again in the morning for judging and will be gone for a week. Chance does have one concern right now a huge knot on his neck from the teeth thing at the vet, we are putting DMSO on it and bute but nothing it making it go away it is sore to the touch and swelling has gone up into his throatlatch. I am thinking I will need to give him the time off anyway. However others will need to catch and put the DMSO on him. So I did leave his halter on for them. The BEST part of the parade was seeing Dan Courtney and his wife whom were here when I changed halters on him for the first time they seen us in the parade and then talked to me later and said they couldn’t believe that was Chance and were we are right now!!!! I am proud to make people proud and amazed at us!
Out with Others- First Ride!
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July 19- Day 41
Today the weather is cold, rainy and windy, when I caught Chance for our adventure for today, he was blowing and a bit on edge. We had a big day planned for him. We loaded up Kody and Cassi- Celeste’s horse and Chance. He was not sure about getting in the trailer with other horses in there moving and such but he finally did and it was even better than the day we went to the vet. He stood so well. We drove about 15 miles out to a place we call driving tour, we unloaded tied Chance to the trailer and unloaded the other horses we saddled them up and brushed Chance. We mounted and took off for our first ride off the farm and with other horses. Chance was a bit worried about a rider and horse behind him but Celeste being very aware of his fear stayed back and was very calm and easy when she would come up along side him. He got use to her and the trees and such very fast. He seemed to have a great time, we went up hills, through trees and brush, around scary stumps and down roads and narrow trails he took it all in so very well, along side a pond and then into is a bit, it was really muddy so we had to be careful. Chance got where he got closer and closer to me than he had ever done before with someone above him. We rode back to the trailer tied up and unsaddled Chance stood there as if he had done this many many times before. Loaded back up and this time we shut the divider on him in the slant load trailer and he was a bit scared of the trapped feeling but soon relaxed and we headed back to town. I put Chance away and then in the afternoon- Emily Bushman came to do the first ride on him. I saddled him up tied to the hitching rail and there was many people here to watch the first ride they were sitting in chairs all around the hitching rail he was a bit on edge but he knew how to find him focus. We got all tacked up and headed to the round pen. I moved his feet just a bit and then Emily came in to touch and get Chance use to him, he was a bit weirded out about two people and then due to the sun people moved to sides of the round pen that people had never been on before, but Chance settled in and we went to work, Emily hung on the sides over the saddle, moved back and forth from front to back and all around Chance getting him to just get use to her and me all there and all doing stuff. This took some time to get him really relaxed about the whole thing, finally Emily went up and over touched him on both sides, leaning over- he took this all so very well! Then it was time jump jump hop hop and swing then she was on, moved around and then back off, and back on. Several times and then we moved his feet, front back and turning. He seemed a bit concerned when he would see Emily off the right side or his off side, he would get a bit tense but never acted as if he wanted to buck more, that he wanted to just hurry away from her. He truly had softy eyes, and a kind look about the whole thing. He truly acted as if he was enjoying it, licking his brain and really staying calm, and if he got upset or jumpy I talking to him and getting him to focus again easily put him to ease. Emily dismounted off the off side and he just took it all so very well! I am soooo very happy with Chance and the opportunity to work with Emily Bushman a great fellow trainer in this project, to make sure it went the best it could. I always use a second person to either ride or do the ground stuff in the first few rides due to the horse having the ability to relax with that more and not get reactive with just a new thing like a rider above them. And with Chance this was truly important for him, as well to have a partner like Emily that truly was like watching myself work around him with me and me! I thank her for her help and support in the EMM and with my life! I am off to judge a Mule show for the weekend, sorry Chance I will be back on Monday!
Trail horse- that wants to PLEASE!!!
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July 18, 2007 Day 40
Today due to his teeth and mouth we took our day softly. I saddled him and picked his feet, and did fly spray and then we put our splint boots on this time we did it at the hitching rail and then led to the arena. He had only been out in the big arena once and it was with Kody and me pony-ing him. So, this was an in hand trail day for us. Got to the arena and he looked around but nothing big! He wanted to eat the fake tree probably has much like the feed at home did! Anyway, we went to the mailbox got stuff out, into the barrels and lead around them, backed out of them, and then to the raised pole bridge. Ok most horses and I mean MOST all horses freak out at the sight of this, he looked smelled and tried it a couple times and then just right on through it like nothing. I was just so tickled and happy inside!!! Chance and I then took to the fanned raised poles and over them, to the bridge- ok this took the most time and yet nothing like I have had other trained 4-H horses do about it. It had fake colorful flowers around it which he didn’t care he stomped them a couple times on his way off. For the most part he had a hard time being up there and walking straight! But we got it and then to the poles walk through and then back through them! PRO!!! And then we moved onto the side passing the poles, to the right was great to the left took some work and yet he did both. We also walked through the BIG mud puddle on the way to the arena. Nothing big here! I just am blown away at the willingness and try in this horse!
Trip to town and Back!!!!
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July 17th, Day 39
Today I went out and worked in him in the round pen, which we have not been to the round pen in at least a week. We saddled tied to the hitching rail which was new, and scary but he did great. Then to the round pen, and I put splint boots on him for the first time and he thought that was super scary. He tried to bite them off, shake them off, and then walked like he was stuck! Once we got unstuck he was great. We did loose work and just got moving our feet. I worked on de-spooking and yielding and I put a bit in his mouth. My worries like always with Chance were laid to rest as he took the bit great like I thought he would and did really well with getting the bridle over his ears. He took it like he had had it done a million times! We did some more work on putting weight in the stir ups and getting above him. He freaked out when I got way above him; he took a BIG JUMP forward. He came right back to me however, and we went right back to work on it. Then we got hosed off and went back to his pen. He then got caught again loaded in the trailer and hauled to Double Arrow Vet. I tied him in the trailer and he hauled super. He panicked just a bit when I went in the trailer after getting there to get him out. But, we talked our way through it. Loaded and he got to meet Dr. Randy Greenshields whom would do this teeth float and pull his teeth. Randy was not sure I could get him into the building and then lead him to the back pen, but we did it the way we work on things are home and Chance went right in and turned and then through the door just like a champ! He took the whole thing super well. We reloaded like a champ and then back home and unloaded and back to his pen. He did as good if not better than many domestic horses! He just seems to surprise so many at how we do! I am so proud of him and I!
Big Trip- Big Gains!
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July 16, 2007 Day 38
Home and ready to go. Worked on sponsorship stuff today as well as set an appointmentfor him to get his Wolfe teeth pulled and floated. So, tonight we worked on loading in the trailer, and not having me in the trailer with him. He is so dependant on me, he has a hard time trusting to go in without me. Then we would lead around and under and through the trees. We would load again and then unload. He backs out great. I don’t need any help to get him in or out, just to get the gate shut with him staying in there. I had Ryan hold his lead and talk to him. We shut the divider a couple times and he was scared to death about that. He freaked out want to jump forward backward up and down all at once. We really worked on him trusting us while he stood in the trailer with the divider shut. Then we unloaded and let him think about it. We reloaded and since we don’t want to tie and shut the divider in the first trip we opened the divider and then tied him and took him for a trip up the road. He panic and freaked out a bit and turn himself around he was tied with a blocker tie ring so he was safe. I decided to get in the trailer in the feeder in front of him and ride with him to talk with him. He wanted to pull and set back he wanted to walk; I talked him and got him to relax. Got home and then we unloaded and worked on tying and working with him tied. This was a first normally we do work and then tie session with no pressure. But, tonight I wanted to brush and pick up his feet tied. He thought about it a bit and a couple times tried to step away but for the most part he did GREAT! Then we lead to the pen and worked on getting him to go under or through the car wash thing hanging both directions and back through. When I got done I turned him loose and then I did free leading with him. He stayed ear to ear and walked, stopped and turned with me and backed when I stopped and back. I am so proud of Chance!
Beyond normal- Touch all over work!
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July 11, 2007 Day 33
Walked right up to me today and was ready to go. It is HOT really HOT
and we have had some really hard days so today, Chance and I went to
the shade and tried to show him grass. He has not a clue what green fresh
grass is, or at least green grass in July! NV really got him; I need to ship
some sagebrush in for him to feel at home with. LOL! We worked on
picking up our feet and got the hind ones done. Worked on his ears, still
not liking anything to touch those. I am not sure we will ever get the bridle
pulled over those ears! We did another tie session. And this time we also
worked on brushing our tail out. I know his mane is scary. I guess if you
have thoughts on roach-ing it or leaving it email me and let me know. I am
not sure I can make it look good either way. Emily Brushman Certified
Equine Massage Therapist/Licensed Vet Tech and great clinician/trainer
is going to work on Chance today. It went super well, Chance really
took to being worked on and he is all good to go. He let Emily touch him
all over which is great since she is the only one to touch him other than me
really.
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