I just have to boast! :)

[kigerfan]

Last weekend when we went on our desert trail ride, our 'guide' friend got all turned around and we ended up having to come back part of the way by street. Firefly is barefoot so I wasn't worried about slipping or knee jarring since we were only walking. She had cars and trucks coming towards her and cars and trucks coming up behind her. She was totally relaxed and paid them no mind at all. No tensing up, no nothing, she did fabulous. She's doing really well with the bitless bridle and she's fine under the treeless saddle. She evenly sweats and she doesn't show any signs of soreness. I must say I do like the looks of that other saddle too so when funds get much better, I'm going to possibly look into one of those too.

[angelsdream]

Oh how great! Sounds like firefly is a great horse. She is a pretty thing also Are you ever going to have any babies out of her? It feels so good to be able to post such great accomplishments like that, I know your so proud!! Your gleaming thru your post !!

I wish I could say maverick would do that, but whew, he'd be on the other side of the state in that situation right now. He's still very young and not exposed to all that yet.
Ive never tried a treeless saddle yet, but I did like Michelle's saddle she posted, I would love to get one of them also. Where did you get your treeless from?

[kigerfan]

Mine came from torsion saddles. www.gotreeless.com. It's a great saddle. Yes, I'm very proud of this girl, I've never trained a horse before in my life and she makes me look good. She's not been to a trainer at all, I considered it but I decided right or wrong that I wanted to share in that part of her life too. So little by little we have made our way along that path. Yes, I do plan to breed her. I believe she has a whole lot to offer to her breed.

[lindad]

I'm smiling! Way to go! Sounds like she got another one of her mom's good traits! Sensible!
Linda D

[fantasykiger]

It says alot for your training and your horses trust in you that she went thru traffic without a worry...congratulations. It is a great feeling to feel safe on your horse while riding down the road. I know as we ride our horses quiet a bit on side roads and highways on the way to the store. Way to go Firefly and kigerfan!!!

[kigerfan]

Today I introduced firefly to a foot radius log that was about six feet long. She learned how to walk over it both ways, trot and jump over it, put one foot over it and stop and straddle it. She hasn't quite got the idea yet of just one back foot but I can see where that would be harder. She also learned to straddle it and then back up over it. The first couple times I helped her by lifting and placing her foot showing her it was easy. After that, she backed over it just fine. I giggled and cajoled with her as she tried to walk around it the first few times. I made it a great big game to go over it. The whole time the only thing she had on her was just a rope laying over her neck. Her face was totally free. She got tons of hugs and kisses and scratches when she was doing the right thing and when she was trying to just go around I just backed her up and had her try again.
On the way back to the stall, Hondo took the end of her rope and started leading her, only he wanted to go a might faster than I did and she was more than willing to go with him, so I stayed in the middle of the rope and controlled their progress. We had a good day.

[stlkigers]

Way to go! Sounds like you are doing a beautiful job with your girl.....And glad Hondo was able to help out too! Sounds like a pleasant day; keep up the great reports!

Angela

[lindaf]

Thanks for the idea of the log exercises. Now if I can only find a tree out here in West TX!
Linda

[DianneC]

LindaF, do they have oil pipes that small? LOL

Kigerfan, I'm so impressed! What a wonderful feeling it must be to have that trust and such a calm horse. It sounds like you both had fun. What a novel approach to horse training, no sweat on either of you.

[kigerfan]

As we were heading back towards her stall, there was a big white bag of something that stood about four feet tall. It hadn't been there the last time we went by and she was very leary of it so I walked her over to it and let her check it out. Once she was sure it wasn't a great white attack pumpkin we went on about our business. I've already gotten her pretty used to tractors, any time one is running around I make a point to be somewhere in the vicinity. She's also walked up and sniffed and nibbled one that was running. There was one in the arena that was about five feet from her and I. It lifted it's bucket way up in the air and she just stood there and watched the bucket go up. She was a little tense but very curious too. Her nemisis seems to be the release gate for the cattle shute. For some reason that thing still makes her jump and run.

I'm going to locate some about six inch radius poles and set them apart and have her walk through those. Then I'm going to take some plastic bags and cut them up so she can't get her feet caught in them and peg them to the ground and have her walk through a field of those. I want to get her to where she knows nothing is going to hurt her as long as 'mom' is there to guide her. I want to do all of this first with just the rope laying across her neck and have her follow me because I want her to not because I'm pulling on her face. I already rub her down with a crinkly plastic bag and she's fine with it. I've tied it to a stick and shaken it all around her and under her and she's okay with that. She really rarely spooks anymore accept when another horse spooks. She gives that horse about four chances at spooking before she totally ignores them.

[kigerfan]

Okay I didn't get any good firefly video today, though she did learn to walk over four evenly spaced good sized plastic pipes. She walked over them, straddled them and backed over them. These were much harder to get her to do than the log was but she did it.
I do have another video of Hondo at the ranch so here you go

[sonrisa98]

May I hire Hondo to do my barn chores for me ;o) That was an awesome video!!!!!!

[kigerfan]

The funny thing was that there was an event going on in the main arena and when Hondo went by pulling the rake first to Firefly's stall, then with me to the poop dump area and then to Captain's and Bullets stalls, then back to the poop dump, he got all those people to turn and watch him instead of the event. He usually gets lots of attention because he's always carrying around a lead rope, or a bucket or something to help. He's sacked out on my bed right now snoring

[stlkigers]

HOLY COW! That Hondo is amazing and just a great dog! Thanks for the great laugh...He just loves to help, doesn't he? You can tell by the way he just trots along...Such a happy dog happy to be helping his mom....And the ending shot in the car is priceless...You really have the makings of a best pet video! He's a winner for sure! How old is Hondo??? And glad to hear he's taking a well-deserved snooze!

Angela

[kigerfan]

Hondo is over nine years old. I have a bad back and sometimes it's hard for me to bend over and pick things up. He reads me very well and will pick things up when I need it, also if I'm on the ground, he will let me use him to push up on. I trained and registered him as a service dog, but he is so much more than that. At the ranch, he wants to do everything. If he could figure how to scoop the stalls he would. He carries everything he can. He just wants to be a big part of what's going on. When he is required to stay on the sidelines it bothers him but he does it, impatiently.
He's not allowed in the turnouts or arenas with the horses and he knows it. Up at one of the big arenas he surprised someone when I told him to 'go all the way around' and he ran to the far side of the arena around the outside and waited. The person asked if he really understood that command so I yelled at him and told him to 'come back around' and around he came and sat outside, then after a hug and pet I sent him back around to the other side where I planned on exiting the arena. He's a very very smart savy dog and I'm so incredibly lucky and honoured to have him.