I started working with DC 2 1//2 years ago. When I first laid eyes on him as a two year old, I knew he was smart and sweet. He had a very kind eye and a sweetness about his face. I instantly melted. I started out slow, just spending a lot of time grooming and doing lots and lots of ground work. He caught on quickly and seemed to enjoy the exercises and drills. He was always in everyone's back pocket. He'd follow everyone around, wondering what they were doing, where they were going, did it involve food perhaps?, or maybe just something fun...He's always up for an adventure.My father had been visiting me from Connecticut for a few weeks and he decided he'd like to come help me at the barn with my morning chores. The Barn Manager and I were working on a project to bring running water into one of the stalls and it was going to require us to dig a trench thru one of paddocks to bury the water line. My dad started digging the shallow trench. Luckily here in Florida, the digging is was a lot easier than in Connecticut, as it is primarily just sand . DC, of course was wandering about the paddock, watching my father while munching on some hay. I could tell he was quite curious and was watching my father and kept inching closer and closer to the project. Finally, he strolled over to where my father was digging..smelled my dad, nuzzled my dad and then proceeded to paw at the trench that my father had been digging. Unfortunately for my dad, instead of scooping out the dirt and sand from the trench, DC was pawing the dirt back in behind him. So, as my dad was scooping it out DC was scooping back in. Now, my father having to put up with all my "horse nonsense" growing up and not being a "horse person" himself, has a tolerance for horses, but no great patience for them. After a few minutes of my father holding his tongue and temper, he finally forcefully told DC (without touching him of course) to "GET LOST"!! "SCRAM" !! DC stopped what he was doing looked at my father for a moment then casually walked into the barn and disappeared for a few moments down the center isle. I walked into the entrance to the barn to see what he was up to. I thought perhaps he just went in there to sulk or to see what his barn mate was doing. I was surprised to see that he had somehow grabbed a broom that I kept in one of the open stalls. He had to have grabbed the top of it and pulled it over the top rail of the stall as the stall door was closed. As I entered, he was holding on to the handle end of the broom in his teeth and walking backwards dragging the broom behind him, heading towards my dad. He passed me at the entrance of the barn without even glancing my way as he was on a mission to help my father. He dragged that broom right over to my father and dropped it as if saying "See, I have a shovel now too!..So I can really help now!!" We all stood with our mouths open for a moment and then laughed in amazement at how smart this little guy was. I reached over rubbed his head, then gave him the biggest hug. He sauntered away with I swear a look of satisfaction on his face. He went back to his hay, where he spent the rest of the morning sleepy-eyed and munching away, knowing that he had finished his chores for the day.

Ok, so I'm one month into my "year of fun"! Have to say I'm still kind of waiting for the fun to begin :) but the weather is improving and that means more horse time. I've purchased for DC and Dulce one of those exercise balls. Watching the two of them, especially DC interact with it is like laugh out loud funny. DC who's normally not afraid of a thing, is afraid of this purple ball as it rolls towards him. He enjoys pushing it away and rolling it with his nose and his front legs, but god forbid if that balls rolls backwards towards him . Too too funny, well at least it gives us something to practice with and work on. Dulce on the other hand, the one I thought would be afraid, couldn't care less. She'll just kick it or push it out of her way and then turn and look at me as if to say "OK, so what's next?"

So on to the subject of patience... Prior to about two months ago, every morning when I'd arrive at 800am to feed all the "kids",DC and Dulce would greet me at the fence..nickering and pushing their way towards me and following me a little too closely to feed room. Once there, they pushed each other and me ,literally trying and sometimes succeeding in getting into the feed room with me while I mixed up their breakfasts of beet pulp mash and grain..etc. One morning, during an "extra pushy" kind of day, I'd had enough! I thought to myself.."you're the trainer, you're the "head of the herd" do something about this disrespectful behavior"!! Now, I pride myself on trying to be the "thinking horseman" and I don't generally verbalize too too much or too loudly with them..its normally soft spoken words and easy gentle movements..but I had had enough. I stood up waved my arms and yelled "THAT'S IT!!!!!!" I've had enough of this nonsense!!!. They both stopped..looked up at me for a second and then DC quietly turned away and headed over to his empty feed bucket and stood there patiently waiting to be fed. Dulce also quietly turned and headed over to the arena gate and waited for me to open it. ( I feed her in there so that DC doesn't pig out on her breakfast too!)..Ever since that day , every morning when i arrive they nicker but before I even get in thru the gates they are walking over to the respective places to wait for me to feed them without any more nonsense! People are impressed and asked how I trained them to be so polite and patience. I'd love to give them an answer...I'd love to give some great advice..but..I can't. I think my voice and behavior took them by surprise and realized that I must mean business. I just can't get over how smart they are and that they have never once tried to be pushy again and that they now wait patiently every morning. Horses truly are smart amazing animals. 

Happy New Year everyone!

 2013 is here along with all of our New Years Resolutions! :) I have decided this year will be the year of fun and of course fun means for me, more "horsing around" ! I was so inspired by watching the great documentary Wild Horse, Wild Ride. It documents the Mustang Heritage Foundation's Extreme Mustang Makeover, where they have 100 trainers, 100 wild mustangs and 100 days to train them and then compete for prizes. At the end of the competition the Mustangs are auctioned off. The documentary chooses a few of the trainers, the horses they received and the process and progress of their training during the 100 days. It really focuses on the amazing bond and love that develops between the trainer and these amazing horses. I would say about half of those trainers ended up buying their horses back or at least tried :)! It has inspired me in my training with our Dulce and I'm more determined to continue  to create that amazing bond and trust with her. I think we are certainly on our way, though we had one medical setback, around Thanksgiving where she encountered a bout of choke. In all my 20 plus years with horses, I had never experienced it and I truly hope that that one experience will be my last. She now has wet and oiled grain daily and seems to be doing very well. With all the extra oil, her coat is amazing :) We've had a few sessions under saddle and lots and lots of ground work. I'll try to post some of those pictures and videos soon as well as videos of my sweet boy DC (he's my fav..shhhh) dont tell him that :)..well my favorite gelding anyway LOL

Stay tuned..and thanks for visiting!!

Welcome! Hope you enjoy the brand new site. I'll be posting pictures of some current "students" as well as a recent "graduate". We just purchased a sweet little Rocky Mountain Mare, Dulce. We're not really sure of her "training" other than she has been trained to pull a cart. So, I'm starting from scratch. She is super sweet and seems very eager to learn. DC my recent "graduate" who is also a Rocky Mountain, has fallen head over heels in love :). I must say they do make a great couple. :)