Training & Trail

Just a few pics to show some of the handling & exposure our horses get.

---

Patience is learned by standing tied.

Up the steps, across the narrow porch and down the steps.

Below video is yearling ground work and trailer loading:

Yield those hindquarters!

We love to sit & lay on our horses when they're on the ground

Mike & Maven on the ridge top - beautiful day in the snow. 1/5/13

Maven is "knee deep in the water somewhere"! :)

Summer calmly pauses on the tarp with a small boy.

Our horses get lots of practice being sprayed with the hose. You can see this one is completely ignoring that scary spray!

Lots of water crossings - we want our horses to go anywhere!

Practice crossing obstacles such as logs.

Walk the plank!

Standing tied on the trail.

Mike & Maven in Clark State Forest.

Marcia & Summer in 2011.

Everybody gets bath practice - including yearling fillies. Mike is spraying right by her face and she stands calmly.

Even foals get to learn to stand for bathing.

Marcia & Summer 2012.

Ever dress your horse up? Try a large, crinkly bow and a hat. Nellie doesn't mind!

Gotta get used to having those feet cleaned. Hemingway is 6 months old and will stand tied for hours!

Sacked out!

Big, rattly tarp being dragged across your back? No problem - and talk about a loose lead!

"I ain't afraid of no tarps!"

We like to catch our horses laying down and go sit & lay on them.

Snuggle!

Up & down steps seems like good obstacle practice.

Bucket therapy. How often do you sling a rope tied to a clangy bucket over your horse & twirl it around their head? Great desensitizing exercise!

Mudcat practices the one rein stop.

Another mare practicing patience.

Mudcat does great on the trail. And he's unfazed by the dog running around his feet during the whole ride.

Maven is taking a break on the trail

We like to practice water crossings:

Back up (wiggle, wave & walk)

We like to make sure our babies are good with being trimmed.

Final touch ups on a body trim. This foal is about 3 months old.

Lateral flexion - look at the rope & halter, you can tell he's not having to pull on the horse. This gelding is wonderfully soft!

Our babies playing with a noisy tarp.

Trenton out testing a new obstacle before we even get it finished! Looks like Mudcat was a willing accomplice!

Letting the youngsters play in the trailer.

August 2013 - heading up a steep, rocky hill.

Climbing tires on the obstacle course

Foal walking on tarp at liberty