I arrived home to find Tequila & Kahlua out in the yard. Luckily they came right back into to the pens because I don’t enjoy chasing horses around the property. I repeated everything with Tequila again today she did really good so I put her up.
I brought Kahlua into the round pen because Ashley said she was being an IDIOT. I started round penning her and yes Ashley was right, Kahlua was acting the fool. She managed to crash through the round pen and got out into the yard with the herd this time. I took a break & by that time she had come back into the round pen via the new doorway. After rigging up a barricade in the new “doorway”, I started round penning again. This time I didn't allow her the time to think about escaping. She finally let me put a lead on her. Good thing too as she had a nice wooden splinter lodged in her neck. I removed that & played with her a little bit more, brushing her neck & picking up her front feet. She did well so I finished there.
Tuesday Feb 3, 2009
I got off work didn't really want to go play with the ponies. I wanted a nap. Ray told me I had made plans & I better keep them, so off I go to work with the girls. I got Tequila separated from Kahlua and started at the beginning again. Round pen, face up, halter,.............then I think “What the heck!” let's see if she will give me her feet. No problem! She lifts all four for me WITH my hands – no rope!! So I repeat lifting her feet and tapping on them. She even held them up so that I could clean them. Played with the ropes on her as well as the saddle blanket all while getting her to turn inside & outside. I keep lifting her feet, too. Another great session!!!!! Poor Kahlua she hasn't had me play with her yet.
Monday Feb 2, 2009
I really haven't tried to work with Kahlua as Ashley had expressed that she would be her main horse, the one she really is concentrating on. So I start playing with Tequila again same thing....get her to face up, put a halter on, play with ropes all over her. No problems! Yes, she is nervous & will move away when she is not sure but she is no longer looking to escape.
Ashley comes over as I'm playing with Tequila.....stands next to her, makes a big production out of petting her on both sides, does her little jumping jacks…and…off goes Tequila!!
She did not want to stand for that. We bring her back and do the whole deal again. Ashley hangs her weight off of her withers...repeat that a couple of times. Ashley slowly lifted her weight over Tequila's back not too much but just enough to lift her feet off the tub 4 inches. Of course I was not ready to take a picture so she had to do it a second time.
Ashley comes over as I'm playing with Tequila.....stands next to her, makes a big production out of petting her on both sides, does her little jumping jacks…and…off goes Tequila!!
She did not want to stand for that. We bring her back and do the whole deal again. Ashley hangs her weight off of her withers...repeat that a couple of times. Ashley slowly lifted her weight over Tequila's back not too much but just enough to lift her feet off the tub 4 inches. Of course I was not ready to take a picture so she had to do it a second time.
Sunday Feb 1, 2009
Selma, a friend of ours, came over for a few hours to play & help Ashley with the girls. They should have worked Kahlua but nope they worked with Tequila. Not only is she now facing up but she is allowing you to halter her. Put a blanket on, surcingle, play with ropes all over her body................brush her. They even took a few photos. We’ll get those posted as quickly as possible for you to see.
Saturday Jan 31, 2009
Another day at the fair...............so I got off work went to the fair grounds. Ashley loaded up 5 of the herd and met me there. Unfortunately, no time to play with the new ones.
Friday Jan 30, 2009
I wanted to continue with the progress that Tequila made. Ashley wasn't interested in working her as she already deemed her an IDIOT. The weather wasn't cooperating as we had a cold front moving in and it was windy and weird out. I had a hard time getting Tequila & Kahlua to separate. I finally got them separated only to have Tequila take down the gate again. I moved my brand new heavy duty panels in place to separate them. My daughter, Katlyn, called I had to pick her up & take her to the airport......not an ideal situation but I wanted to see if Tequila would face up or not. She did in less than 10 minutes so I left it at that.
Ashley had been working with Kahlua who leads fairly well on the line, going through tight places, & loads into the trailer. Ashley really needs to keep up with the blog here............
Ashley had been working with Kahlua who leads fairly well on the line, going through tight places, & loads into the trailer. Ashley really needs to keep up with the blog here............
Thursday Jan 29, 2009
Okay – now it’s time to get Tequila going. We separate the two mares and Tequila wants to get back with Kahlua again. She’s testing the boards and panels as I am asking her to go around the round pen. I get her to change direction several times and she hates giving you any kind of eye contact and doesn’t like to go to the right at all. She does really well for a few minutes and then its back to testing the height of the round pen and she still will not give you her eye. Ten minutes later round penning and reversing, she finally gives you her eye and with a quick step back I ask her to face up. No go!! She’s still looking for a way out of the pen and it’s right back to round penning. After another 5 minutes, she is dripping with sweat – but from being nervous – not from any heat or excessive running and she FINALLY gives you here eye again. QUICKLY I ask her to face up and YAHOO I get it but only for a second. She’s still looking for a way out, but it’s back to the round pen and reversing direction several times before she relaxes and gives you her eye once more. I ask again for the face up and YES, she does it! Now will she let me approach? NO, it’s too much for her and back to round penning. Repeat…..repeat……repeat and she finally faces up and stands there for me to approach. We have licking and chewing, a good sign, but will she stay standing? YES!! My out-stretched hand is 2 inches out of her reach and will she take the initiative? YES – she touches my hand and doesn’t even consider running off. It’s time to end this session. What a great feeling!
Wednesday Jan 28, 2009
No time after work to play with the ponies. We have a Bomb-proofing Fun Show at the South Florida Fair. For those of you who aren’t sure what that is, our club started a bomb-proofing “class” to help not only our mustangs, but any club members horses with scary objects. We use all manner of things and you can go onto our website: www.sfmustangs.com and check out some of our pictures. We started doing this at the Fair and opening it up to everyone who participates in the Horse Tent and it’s been a huge success. You can even go onto www.jfphototeam.com and check out some professional pictures.
Tuesday Jan 27, 2009
Ashley separated the mares and Kahlua could have cared less. Tequila, on the other hand, was having none of it! She managed to wipe out several gates and panels in her quest to be reunited with her new buddy. She even managed to get out in the main yard with the herd and ran around for about 5 minutes before she decided to come back to Kahlua. We promptly locked her up in the stock trailer so she wouldn’t hurt herself or damage more property. Tequila has earned her name for sure!
Now that Tequila was safely held in the trailer, it was time to work with Kahlua. Round penning – she turns and reverses direction. She keeps her eye on you and you ask for a face-up – will she do it? Yep she has it, but will she approach? NO, not yet, but she will allow you to approach. She also let me play with the ropes all over her body and even around her legs. Repeat….repeat….repeat. Back to round penning and ask her to give to pressure on her halter….but OOOOPS!!! She didn’t like that and popped up, managed to lose her balance and crashed into the round pen. She broke some boards and got herself stuck, so we took advantage of that and sat on her neck so that she would stop struggling to get up. I petted her wherever I could reach while Ashley got a rope in place to flip her over and clear the rails. Now that she’s up, will she be totally freaked out over the experience? NOPE!! She still allows you to approach and will approach you when she feels pressure on the rope. As it was getting dark, we released Tequila from the trailer. Ashley then asked Kahlua to load and unload in the trailer. She did so several times and even BACKED out of the trailer! What a great ending to what could have been a disastrous day!
Now that Tequila was safely held in the trailer, it was time to work with Kahlua. Round penning – she turns and reverses direction. She keeps her eye on you and you ask for a face-up – will she do it? Yep she has it, but will she approach? NO, not yet, but she will allow you to approach. She also let me play with the ropes all over her body and even around her legs. Repeat….repeat….repeat. Back to round penning and ask her to give to pressure on her halter….but OOOOPS!!! She didn’t like that and popped up, managed to lose her balance and crashed into the round pen. She broke some boards and got herself stuck, so we took advantage of that and sat on her neck so that she would stop struggling to get up. I petted her wherever I could reach while Ashley got a rope in place to flip her over and clear the rails. Now that she’s up, will she be totally freaked out over the experience? NOPE!! She still allows you to approach and will approach you when she feels pressure on the rope. As it was getting dark, we released Tequila from the trailer. Ashley then asked Kahlua to load and unload in the trailer. She did so several times and even BACKED out of the trailer! What a great ending to what could have been a disastrous day!
Sunday Jan 25, 2009
On our way back from Texas and the Mustang Magic competition (with Captain Morgan and the newly adopted MM horse – Seagrams 7 or Grey Goose), we stopped to pick up our Gatorland EMM horse, Kahlua. Though we were only expecting one, we ended up with two! After much discussion on the name for the new mare, it was decided that Tequila fit her best. (Kahlua is from Buck ‘N Bald and Tequila is from Maverick Medicine)
We stopped by a friends house for dinner and showers to help wake us up and arrived home about 2:00am Monday morning. Thank goodness for Ray as he set up some panels for us to make a chute from the horse trailer to the round pen. They off-loaded calmly and we left the trailer there in case we needed it for future use.
We grabbed just a couple hours of sleep as Ashley and I both had to work Monday. The mares were left in the round pen to mill around and let Ashley get a feel for them.
We stopped by a friends house for dinner and showers to help wake us up and arrived home about 2:00am Monday morning. Thank goodness for Ray as he set up some panels for us to make a chute from the horse trailer to the round pen. They off-loaded calmly and we left the trailer there in case we needed it for future use.
We grabbed just a couple hours of sleep as Ashley and I both had to work Monday. The mares were left in the round pen to mill around and let Ashley get a feel for them.
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