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!

Riding the wet noodle

     For a twelve year old, Foxie is far behind even where most three year old's are. With her, I've been taking the slow road because with older horses that have never been asked to do anything it's hard to get past that sometimes Lunging has become an important part of our daily routine. It helps reestablish that I am the boss mare and it also gives me a heads up on where she's at for the day.

     For the most part she is doing well under saddle. guiding can be an issue still, Sometimes it feels like I'm trying to push a wet noodle in a strait line,  but again she has the experience of a two year old. The rail gets to be helpful in building her confidence in what she is doing. Because of that, circles and changing directions off rail has also gotten easier. She is truly a wonderful horse that is trying her hardest to please.
I'm looking forward to posting more updates and pictures on Foxie, as she progresses.

 

Foxie

Back to Foxie. As in my earlier post about this mare she needs some work, however I do see a lot potential in her for improvement. The best direction for her seems to be dressage. she likes the routines and dose well with arena work.
She is an older horse (13 years old now) and retraining dose take longer when you start with a horse that is older and has had nothing done with her.

First step is working on her frame and build up her top-line as well as getting her use to indiscipline. she has a good mind on her but it's still slow work.
As I continue to work with her I'll be adding more up dates about her.

full board and training

I started giving lessons and training saddlebreds at the age fourteen. After graduating I took a job under Gorge Knight unable to reconcile how saddlebreds are trained with the my love for horses I quit looking for a more natural breed. Finding Frisians I took a job at Walnut Way farms in Kentucky working under Morris Curr. For six years working as assistant trainer learning to drive multiples and ride and train classical dressage.

I believe that any training method that requires gimmicks or tricks is inherently flawed.
I believe the best way to train a horse is listen to the horse. If that horse does not naturally take to jumping you can not train it into them.

Training people I find it much the same way. Go to their level. do not assume that they can feel a beat in a trot. It is my job to break the process down to the point they can start to feel it instead of just assuming that sooner or later they will get it. That approach to me is both frustrating and dangerous. I also believe in teaching the whole horse. there is far more to them then just hopping up and riding. If you are going to ride a horse you should know how to deal with them on the ground as well as what to look for before throwing your self up on a back of a flight animal that out weighs the average person by eight hundred pounds. 

With this in mind I am opening up two stalls for full board and training. This offer is a first come first serve bases.

 For full board and training it is $350. per month. this includes; daily turn out, feed and hay 2x daily plus hay at night, worked 5 times per week (depending on the horse!) and a program designed around the horses and owners needs.

up dates are given to your horses progress, and you will be given the truth! I've worked at too many barns were the trainer tells the owner what they think they want to hear.
if interested please call (254) 679- 1135