up date on Foxie.

Do to the fact my dogs ate my phone, I do not have the pictures I wanted to go along with this post.

I was told many things about Foxie when she first came to me, one of them was that she was too spooky and high strung to make  a trail horse. Here again, I keep trying to believe people are not that blind when it comes to an animal that they have owned for years so by impulse, I wanted to believe that there was foundation to the things she was telling me about the horse she had since Foxie was  9 months old.

Again I was proven wrong about assuming the best of people when it comes to their animals. I can say with out a doubt that Foxie is far more of a study mount for trails then my tried and true trail horse I have now. On a whim I took Foxie out for a ride at dusk, spooked up a deer and rode through the trees and under brush (all after a couple days off by the way) without so much of a side step through it all.

the next morning I took her out again for an hour ride through anything I could find to go through to the same results! Turning for home I even asked for the canter to see what she would do. Not only did she pick up the right lead but she never tried to pick up speed or grab the bit.

I keep looking for something wrong with her but as hard as I've been looking the only conclusion I can come up with is;
 A) I just got a really nice free horse
 B) People are very stupid when it comes to their horses!

Dream horse

Everyone has a dream horse, mine is a Akal Teke. I've loved those horses since I was a little girl.

I always wanted to take off across open fields and through the woods just me and my Akal Teke. It's this type of day dream that has lead me to endurance riding. And to my surprise Foxie is turning out to be fit for the discipline! 

I look at pictures and adds of Akal Teke horses for sale and day dream about what I could do with a horse like that but this day dreaming about say... winning the Tevis Cup has reminded me of the most important part of any horse, their heart.

Foxie has a lot of heart, and willing to do the job. She's coming along and is a joy to ride so far I couldn't be happier with her!

Horses tell on them selves

     Horses are honest creatures. They will tell you when their about to act up and if your paying attention they will even tell you where. Foxie for instance is a good one for bowing her neck right where she is thinking about trying to quit on me. Over the last month or so she quit but if I miss a couple of days in a row, she doesn't seem to feel that she needs to go back to work.
     When I'm giving a lesson to a new student I almost always start off with lunging the horse,because first and for most it's a great way to see what the horse's mood is before you start and second the bast way to show someone the body language and movement of a horse is on the ground where they can see it for them selves.
     For reasons I don't understand the importance of ground work has gotten lost. For every discipline I've even have been involved  in grown work like long line, and lunging are always the foundation to a good start to building a good working communication with your horse. not to mention it's a great way to learn your horses tells.
     As for lessons I've found it makes it easier and quicker for the student to learn how to read a horse.

a 'free' horse

Every once you  get that offer to take a free horse. Now if you own a horse you know nothing about horses are free. however, every once in a while one comes a long that could do something for you. As it so happens this one is a cremello Quarter horse stud.

A few things to consider before taking on a free horse let a lone a stud.

A) Can I afford another horse? this means unforeseeable things like that late night vet call. where to keep the horse is another, after all I'm talking about a stallion here. just turning him out with the herd is a bad idea.

B) how long will it take to get this horse going? In this case I'm looking at about a year because he has never had anything done with him and he's five now.

C) what will the long term cost be? true he is a nicely put together horse even with a stud that you can keep booked through breeding season. you have to look at showing expenses (to get their name out there.) Promoting, and advertising expenses. Remember this is a business after all. If you have horses you know that it is complete myth that you can make money off them. your doing great if you just brake even at the end of the year.

So back to my main point there is no such that as a free horse.