WooHoo...back at it!

After taking a few days off from working with my horses, I am back at it! Today was vet work day, vaccinations for all our weanlings ( they are for sale ) a preg check for our mare Marbles ( yes, she has a tiny HeartBreaker baby on its way ) and a couple of minor things...a little "nose job" for Ally, a little cosmetic work on her nose injury...Marbles also seemed to be limping, so we also checked that out, and we had our colt "Handsome Dark Knight" gelded today. So, after the vet work, and with a day way too nice to stay inside, I headed back out to work with our weanlings.

I have worked with our filly "Heartfires Spark" quite a bit this fall, but it still seemed that we were not on the same page. There always seems to me, to be a point that a horse just gets it..and if you miss that point, it can cause problems all their life long. So, once again, I worked with Spark...she is a darling filly, almost a black bay, built like a tank, and a very lovely mover. I had her stalled to do vaccinations, and I used the stall to my advantage. First I groomed her, she was not to impressed, but she stood quietly. I had to use my "cockleburr" tool, it really does work well. She had plenty of cockleburrs in her mane, and even a few in her ears :( I gently and quietly worked on grooming her, she relaxed, and licked her lips....Next, I used my lead rope to help her learn the turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches. By gently tugging on her, and using my voice like a clicker, she quickly learned what she needed to do...move those feet! and...I also got the absolute BEST licking and chewing response I have ever gotten from her....yahoo! the wall is down....I love seeing my horses turn on the light, and know they will keep the light on, as it was all done so they could understand.

Next, I worked with Handsome Dark Knight. Being gelded today, I will keep him in a couple days. I groomed him, worked the same manuvers, and took the burrs out of his forelock. He is such a dear guy, and reminds me so much of his Dam...."Black Sage" who we lost last spring to colic. DK or Darkie as we call him, is really a tall colt. I need to measure him tomorrow. He is also almost jet black now...with each shed he turns darker and darker.

Working with babies this time of year is a real pleasure for me. They have had enough handling to be predictable and we can put some really nice finishing touches on their training.

Linda