Saturday, August 9, 2008

Paint Horse Brigade

Now that the temperatures have dipped into the 80's, we have really been getting rolling on some of these horses. Today, it seemed to be Paint Horse day. Megan and I grabbed the two herd markers from mom's and took them to the arena in town. It was a very productive ride.
Sissy is one of my mom's favorite horses. Now that she has almost reached voting age, mom has asked Megan to find a career for her. Yep, this girl is seventeen...
Bred to run, this little pony-looking thing can mortally fly. Originally, the thought was to pattern her on Poles for Megan to High School Rodeo on next year. Lo and behold, today she relaxed for Megan and made our jaws drop with her long, low, fluid trot. She is screaming Hunt Seat horse to me. Her canter needs some work to get her collected, but that shouldn't be too hard. Megan also discovered that there isn't a single trail obstacle that fazes her...so I guess we will be adding that to her resume too.

Look at that tail...
Every couple of months mom has to cut several inches off because it drags the ground. You know how many show people have to work hard for or pay for tails like this? LOL

Turk, has decided that he wants to please and today he lost the moniker...Turk the Jerk...
Also bred to run, he seems plumb happy to settle into a pleasure horse jog. He's another one who needs work on his canter. Mostly picking up his leads and learning to stay cadenced. I am adding reining horse manuevers too. I don't think he will stand up to barrel racing, with his badly scarred hoof, but he is sound and should make a really nice all-around horse for the slower classes.
Hi Mom...

Meg did slip a little slow patterning on her blue roan...

This is a tiny little barrel pattern, designed specifically for slow work. It has been back to basics for Rip and Moon. You can NEVER do too much slow work.
No all-around horse is complete without Showmanship practice...

Then it is back to town to work with my greenies. But Megan can't resist giving her Paint pony a few treats. But he has to work for them...
I think Frosty wants to learn how to do this too. He is watching carefully.
Okay, time to work on the new part of this trick. First we have to get on. And then we have to dig the treats out of our pocket...
Now r.e.a.c.h...
All the way...
Good boy...
Oh, okay...just one more treat...
We really do encourage a good work ethic...LOL!!

15 comments:

SunnySD said...

That is one impressive tail! I remember one year two of the horses let the sheep eat theirs - the poor things had nothing to swish with! It takes them years to grow back to normal, and you know how Arabs are prone to flagging when they're excited? Well, when their tales are short, they look sort of naked. Not a pretty picture.

I love the "stretching" exercises - hadn't though of reaching down between the front legs, but I'm going to have to borrow that one. Don't know if we'll get the bow, though. I'm thinking Sunny might be a bit surprised when I slide right off over his front end!

Mikey said...

Love that trick! What a fantastic horse!! Great pics today :) Wish I was there!!!!

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Sunny-Poor arabs. A yearling filly ate Strawberry's tail off. From touching the ground to hock length-in one night. It took 3 years to grow back. Geldings are really bad about letting stuff chew their tails off-dingalings.

Most of the time, I wish Megan never had to grow up. I wished I could just keep her around forever, just to do these kind of things with my horses. I do the stretching stuff too, but they all seem to work a little extra hard for her.

Anonymous said...

All your ponies (and your mom's ponies) are so smart! What a talented bunch. :) Horses and people alike!

sue said...

"your" Megan is amazing, what a wonderful gift to work with the horses like that!!! I would love to work that with my Tonka!!!... and the "growning up thing".. I can relate there, with my two being 23 and 20... it's hard to believe that my little girls aren't so little anymore.....I just absolutely love reading your blog.....

Pony Girl said...

Too great...love those tricks! Did Megan teach him that?
I went to a small rodeo tonight and LOVED the barrel racing! I was cheering them on! I thought of you! A few horses almost went down, though, on the first barrel. Do you think that could have been the footing? I think the winning time was 18.2. Anyway, I wish there were more rodeos around here, I'd love to watching more racing!

Flying Lily said...

Now that is a flexible horse! I have to try that with my Oreboat Johnnie...

Mrs. Mom said...

Fantastic pictoral here girl. I hear you about the kids too. They do grow sooo fast....

Your Megan has a heck of a talent there, Momma. Bet you just bust with pride watching those horses with her. ;)

How long did it take her to get Berrybutt to bow like that? I always thought it would be tooooo kewl to teach that, and have just never gotten around to it....

BITR Country Girl said...

It really does seem like it was a really productive day! That tail is to die for! Have a great day!

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Pony Girl-I would say that if more than one or two horses slipped or stumbled running barrels that night, that yes it was a footing issue.

Megan has been the one to teach Strawberry everything he does. He was pretty broncy when we got him, all I did was get him through that-Megan has done the rest.

It doesn't take very long to teach a horse to want to reach for the treat, it just depends on the horse on how long it take them to get limber enough to completely bow.

I'll get Megan to do a pictoral post on how she got him started. She will love that-LOL.

Holly said...

talk about stretching excercises!

Kathy C said...

Great photos, I love how she has taught him to bow. Very cool. One of our horses knows how to bow, we just have to be taught how to ask for it. =)

Andrea said...

You guys have some really nice horses. I love how big they all are. They all have nice wide chests and big ole rumps. It's so neat how you and your daughter both really love horses and work with them together.
Megan's Paint pony is awesome! What a fabulous trick!! I love her blue roan too!! That is one big boy!! She is one tuff cowgirl!! Fun pictures!!

Callie said...

Awesome trick! Love it! Great pics!

kdwhorses said...

Love it! YOu go Megan!! I'm glad I'm not the only nut that climbs all over our horses! LOL! Would love to teach the bow, just never have! I guess my thing is standing on there backs! The extreme race practice!!