Riding Project.......

With the warm weather quickly on the rise I have finally had time to ride, which I have really wanted to do! Even if it was for fifteen minutes at least it would give her some practice with the aides of a mounted rider. I haven't worked with her in a while I always like to start the warm-up with some lunging and then I will get on her and ride at only a walk. I work her up to it, instead of doing everything all at once. You have to work your horse up to it and do little bits at a time. She is good about moving off of the leg and off of pressure. Right leg moving to the right, left leg moving to the left. I have mastered with her walking when I cluck to her and squeeze with both legs. She is good about turning from left to right, she is good about reversing and changing directions as well as changing leads and side-passing. The only thing that I need to correct with her big time is STOPPING, and stopping from tossing the head. If I get for her a martingale that should stop her from tossing her head. The next step in my training process would be bit training her. I only use as of the time that I am riding her a halter and connectable reins. Which seem to work fine, but for the future after getting her used to all of the other good stuff it will be time to start introducing her to the bit. I plan on riding her every single day for at least fifteen minutes to practice with her the aides that a mounted rider would do. Right now I am only practicing certain things with her in the arena, I have not taken her out in the field or out on the trails yet. I am hoping to take her to the Gettysburg Battlefield trails either this summer or next summer. Wish me luck! I look forward to experiencing some new things with her and learning along with her. I look forward to accomplishing many of my goals with her for the 2014 year.

A special evening..........

Now that the cold weather has pretty much subdued I figured that it would be a perfect time to spent some time with my gal and ride her for a bit. I always, always start with some groundwork especially if I haven't ridden or worked with her in a month. Even if she seems like she is completley sound and normal I don't like to take my chances. I always lean towards the safe side and see what she is like when I do groundowork with her first and then I determine weather I can ride her or not. If she seems full of herself I try to stay clear of getting on her back. Miss. Betty Boo is the kind of horse that if I overload her with too much stuff she shuts down and does not want to have anything to do with me. That's why I have to be careful how much and how fast I accomplish my goals with her.

Yesterday and tonight I decided to work with her for at least an hour both nights. I did of course some groundwork with her first. I lunged her in both directions like I normally do. Then I do the Porcipine Game, and the Yo-Yo game. I desensitize her with an old feed bag and wave it around her both sides both times. I try to make the bag as big and scary as possible I also try to let her know that If I am around I will not let anything hurt her, EVER! I rub it on her stomach her face the most vaulernablee parts of her body. I walk her over, back her up, cover her with it and have her walk around the arena with the tarp/feed bag/ empty plastic grocerey bag tied around all parts of her body. If she does well within my hour of groundwork with her If I have enough time I will get on her back, I also have to keep in mind that my horse is letting me on her back out of "trust", riding a horse is something that they allow you to do out of trust.

Ph gut balancer........

Ever since I got Betty she has had constant Diaherea and I tried everything from Probiotics to you name it. Her poop did not get any better so I had my chiropractor come out; adjust her; and I asked her. She recommended that I buy her Dynamite Plus. She told me that Dynamite Plus had a Ph gut balancer in it that would aid in taking her Diaherea away for good. She explained to me that Diaherea in our equine friends is a cause of a unhealthy gut. That Betty did not have enough healthy gut microbes to balance out her gut so she was having loose bowels. Dynamite Plus also has calming herbs and coenzymes to balance the gut PH. This has helped her so much and not to mention it has been giving her a shiny coat! I will continue to keep her on it as long as I can. I definitly think that it has made a difference.

Weight Difficulties............

Even though I am blessed with an easy keeper mare and gelding. I know that there are a lot of people out there who have problems with weight. Especially our older equine friends! Some horses can't have it all and yes do require some "extra care" if you will. Weather it be separating them to have and adequate amount of hay or giving them extra, extra amounts of hay all of these things will help in order for the weight to be gained. One of the other key reasons for horses loosing strategic amounts of weight in a month or so would be BAD TEETH. EVERY horses teeth should be done EVERY SINGLE YEAR. This length of time may be bumped up for horses with choke issues or older horses that may have a hard time with their teeth. 50 percent of the time weight loss can be a contributing factor to severe dental issues. The key reason for weight loss in horses both older and younger is the ineffective calorie intake. (Calorie Deficiency). Some horses metabolic systems run a lot slower than most so therefore will slow down the calorie intake. This process results in them getting little or no calories. Some people tend to think that quarter horses and some of the other larger breeds don't need a fat builder. Yes, in some cases for some horses this may be right but for senior horses and horses with a calorie deficiency a fat suppliment will be your best bet. HAY: Horses need to eat ten percent of their body weight even more on colder nights. Depending on how big of a herd your horse is turned out in make sure that your horse gets PLENTY of hay. Separating your horse from the herd may be necessary depending on how low your gal/guy is on the totem pole. Horses eat tons of hay to keep themselves warm when they run out of hay especially on some colder evenings this process is done and therefore your horse will get colder much, much faster! BLANKETING: Horses that have a shorter hair coat during the winter and senior horses ALWAYS should have the OPTION OF HAVING A BLANKET put on. When it drops below 35 is really when you should start blanketing your horses. When it is single digits multiple layers are required to keep your horse warm enough. Older horses especially have a harder time keeping themselves warm, so you have to aid them with a blanket. Below are some links to websites and articles on weight loss, and Cool Calories 100. If your horse seems to be a harder keeper than a fat suppliment will do him/her wonders. Cool Calories 100 is a fat suppliment that I have recommended many horse owners to try and every time I think the horse has had amazing results. Here is another link for Cool Calories 100: For more information on weight gain check out this article:

Loose Salt Vs. Salt Blocks.....

I know there is a lot of controversy between loose salt and salt blocks. There are both downsides and upsides to this!!!! If you see your horse constantly licking the sand in your arena(s) or dirt then this is a key indicator that your horse needs vital amounts of minerals and salt!!!! Loose Salt: Loose salt is recommended for horses that like to crib, bite, chew, or are really mouthy and are constantly biting something. This is because if they were to bite the entire salt block that would break a tooth or choke on how much they have in their mouth. Also, with salt blocks there is a lot of talk about how horses can not lick enough of the salt block to get enough magnesium, and copper. They would have to be constantly licking it. However, you can always buy a Redmond Rock and smash it up into pieces and they can have enough of it that way as well! Also, there is a Dynamite 2 to 1 free choice mineral that you can give your horse but since it is so concentrated you will have to add Isyzmine to it, in order to break it up a little bit!! ;) ;) ;)

Salt Blocks While Salt Blocks are good for larger herds of horses and inexpensive if you want to cut expenses. Keep in mind that some horses need to fill their mineral bank so much that they can never lick enough salt to fill it to the top. Salt Blocks are good but pay attention to the contents they contain in them, as long as they have copper and magnesium in them you are GOOD!!! ;) ;) ;) ;) Depending on how big the salt blocks are you can always smash them into pieces and put them in feeding bowls around the field. That should be good!!! The highest quality of salt for horses is the **REDMOND ROCK**. ;) ;)

My special project.......

Recently I have been committed to work with Miss.Betty for at least an hour each and every day! No matter the time of day or the activities that I work with her on I try my best to make sure she understands what I want from her!I pick five games from either Parelli or Clinton Anderson to work with her on to see how she does with each and every one. What she needs to improve on, what she is getting better at, what she has officially mastered. All of this and how she does I document in my journal for each and every journal entry! I work with her on the Porcipine Game the Yo-Yo Game the driving game and the circling game!

I have finally at least at a walk mastered the lunging game for both sides! She now every few times that I do the lunging game with her she does turn he behind to me like she wants to kick me but I soon remind her that I am her leader and that I will keep her safe and that she can trust me and nobody will hurt her! I want to start getting her to trot on the lunge line but we are not quite there yet as her bone spur after a "agressive" trimming acts up and she is lame for a couple of days. I try not to overdue it with her on days that she is having problems! Every single time after I work with her I usually get a couple handfuls of hay pellets and spray them with the Dynamite Relax spray! This helps to calm her down if she seems tense and to release all of the bad energy.

I try not to ride Betty frequently and because of her bone spur I really can't! The most I can do with her as a mounted rider is a walk, turning, reversing, stopping, reversing and all of that good stuff! That's about it! The Bone Spur's don't go away for about three to four years with the addition of "Agressive Trimming" and consistent exercise! She still needs to master the aids of a mounted rider but I have her for a long time so that probably will take some time and yes I'm okay with that!

Pole Work is also a good way to get good exercise and to maintain their brain extroverts to keep their minds busy of always thinking of what you want them to do next! By setting up the pole horizontal, diagonal, vertically, or on top of each other they have to take some time to think about it and an turn you are keeping their mind busy. By keeping things the same they get board after a while and they don't want to do anything but if you mix it up a couple times they find a way to keep themselves interested and focus more on you!

I love my girl so much and she has come such a long way from where she was when I first met her! Thanks to groundwork and connecting through that. That has given us our much needed partership and friendship!

Why the rush to ride?

What have you done with her? Did you ride her at all this evening? How long did you ride? Yes, most of these questions passes by me most of the time that I spend time with Miss.Betty. A lot of people ask me why are you not riding her, how much training have you given her under saddle. Well the answer that I have to all of these questions is WE HAVE TIME. Betty is only eight so I have her entire life ahead of her to do whatever I please with her. There are some moments where I do think that I should be riding her but I also think that instead of getting right on and riding her I need to build that trust with her first. I need to be able to connect with her on a deeper level instead of just getting right on and riding her away into the sunset. Being able to communicate with your horse from the ground first plays a impact for how you will be "in touch" with your horse while you are in the saddle. If you don't have a good relationship and respect of leadership on the ground than you can forget riding. Most people don't think about stuff like that, they just think about the basics. Every single evening even for at least 15 minutes or even for 30 minutes I try to do at least five Parelli Games with Miss. Betty. Taking the time to do each game very carefully, by being patient, and loving. These are the games that I practice with Betty every single night. The Yo-Yo Game, the Friendly Game, The Porcipine Game, The Circling Game, and most of all playing with the Equine Ball and practicing her soccer skills! Each game usually lasts for about five to ten minutes depending on how good and how familiar they are with these games they should do extremely well! The art of lunging and desensitizing games are also extremely useful as well (it helps them towards trail riding). If you have an empty feed bag, grocery bag, or tarp these things should do great in desensitizing your horse to loud and scary noises and objects!

Every single time that I work with Betty Boo I always write in my training log for her to keep track of what I did each and every day, what I am going to be doing tomarrow. What she could improve on, what she is getting better at, what I will work with her on next time. This seems to help me in seeing how she has been improving over the years and what she still needs to work on for the next couple of months. Keep checking out my blog for updated posts and more!

The Art of Lunging........

I know a lot of people getting their horses to lunge is an extremely hard thing to do. I know with me and Betty it gets extremely difficult as well as trying to keep the situation in a somewhat practical matter. The materials that you will need to do this is a small and I mean very small round pen, a carrot stick, and any kind of rope halter, a lunge line, although when I work with Miss.Betty I like to use a Parelli or even a Clinton Anderson Halter. This helps. (Read previous article for me detail on this information!) Anyways, getting a horse to lunge that hasn't even been touched by a human hand is an extremely hard thing to learn and teach as well. Taking your horse in the round-pen stand in the middle with your horse not coming in the space of "your personal bubble" while stepping out with one foot take your hand with the lunge line in it and point to the direction that your horse to go in. Most horses if practiced this before will get the idea, however, a green horse who is new to the idea will take a little bit more time to get used to so repeating the first step, add an extra step, and then while pointing with the lunge line hand take your carrot stick and nudge your horse over while looking at their hindquarters (this will yield them in the direction that you want)

To get a better idea take a look at the picture! For more blog posts keep on checking for new updates. If you have any questions leave a comment! Thank you!

Bone Spur's.....

I know a lot of people out there don't have a clue about what a bone spur is and how they can happen so very easily. Well here is a little bit of background information on how they can happen and how people can fix them. "Bone spur is a term used to describe sharp bony projections that are visible on X rays at the joint margins of affected horses. The medical term for these spurs is osteophytes, and they occur specifically at the margins of joints!"

Most Bone Spurs are easy to notice if you look at the horses foot. These Bone Spurs can be easily treated if you have your farrier come out and "roll the toe and heel" of the horses hoof. Doing a more agressive trim can also help to cure the bone spurs. If you feel where the bone spur is located and you feel that there is heat trapped in that certain area then a cold clay poultice along with cold hosing will be required to do so every single day. Horses with Bone Spurs can still be ridden but only light riding is required most of the time as they can be lame for a couple of days when the farrier comes out to do his more agressive trimming! If you are riding them since horses are a pretty good judge of character and will tell you if they are in pain and they want you to stop what you are doing. YOU JUST HAVE TO LISTEN! :) That is a big mistake that most people make when being horse owners they don't listen to what their horses are telling them. A couple of months ago I had the chiropractor out to take a look at my girl Betty and that's when she noticed that she was having a bone spur. We started off by again cold hosing it and putting poultice on it for the past several months. I think that I might start doing that again just to make her comfortable as far as riding goes though I have been able to ride her bareback mostly for the past several weeks and she has been a angel. :) :) I hope that this information helps you and your horse! Good luck in dealing with your spur. Until then send me any questions that you have and I will try to answer them! Come and check out my blog for new posts every single week! Thank you!

Tense situations.......

There are a lot of people that I have talked to and from "past experiences" that have inspired me to be different and to never become like that EVER! When you have a difficult horse that has a hard time understanding what you want the last thing that you want to do is slap the horse on the behind, be rough, and to desteam the situation try taking the time to listen to what your horse is telling you that way you know if something is bothering them. When your horse isn't doing something that you want it to or have in your mindset that you want to do, the last thing you want to do is "loose your temper" with the horse. The horse will "shut down" and not want to listen and in turn "walk away from the situation". A lot of people also play the tug-of-war game with their horses and fight and struggle with them. Also, a lot of horse people make themselves tough and then in turn empart some of that furious rage on the horses. (Which is a big-no-no) You can tell when your horse starts to get nervous and starts to become scared and worried. If you have ever heard someone say you can see the whites of the horses eye, well then this is what they mean. The horse is nervous scared or on the verge on not wanting to be with you.

The Grazing and Bonding must for any horse owner............

Everybody thinks that in order to bond with your horse you need to have them in a working mode in order to be in sync with them, but with me and Betty all it takes is one simple task.... Taking her out in a small field with her lead and halter and letting her "hand" graze while I sit and stay by her side. Laying down in the golden sunlight and requiring her to do no work what so ever we have in turn bonded.

Everybody thinks that humans need horses as companions and in some cases "yes" that is true but in some cases that is the complete opposite horses that are too afraid to be themselves around their owner is a big concern that I see with many horses and their so called "companions"! Horses need a "leader" they need somebody that they can count on to be there in a time of desperate need or desperate attention. Every horse has a different personality and sometimes need a human who can match that. That's where truly connecting with the horse comes into play. Instead of thinking that horses need to be in constant work and that you can really only enjoy them when you are riding with them is not the case.

Yes, groundwork is a excellent way to connect with your horse but sometimes even doing the simpliest things in the world is considered a form of connecting with them on a "deeper" level that what you think that you are capibable of. I have to admit that for a while I wasn't really paying that close of attention in taking the time to "bond" with my horse, which was really sad because I really wanted to but didn't have the time. Even taking five minutes out of my busy schedule to do the simplist task of taking them out in the field and running your hands through their mane brushing their tale and braiding flowers into it in considered a form of bonding.

Thank you for reading!

Broodmares and loss of vitamins......

Over the time when broodmares are constantly breed they lose a key amount of magnesium and copper when they lose that their bone density is compensated and that is very hard to get back. A lot of broodmares if not being fed the proper diet when pregnant and expecting they give a lot of their nutrients and essential vitamins to the baby in order for them to be healthy. The essential vitamins to broodmares are calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium, which are needed for the healthy growth of bone tissues and bone structure. Since Betty has been a broodmare for most of her life she hasn't gotten the key vitamins and minerals that she vitally needs in order to have a healthy body, mind, and soul. So to replace what she lost I will be putting her on a 2 to 1 Vitamin and Mineral Mix in order to get back what she lost. The Dynamite 2 to 1 Vitamin and Mineral Mix is a key item to have when living in this area. The Copper and Magnesium are extra low in this area and animals tend to need more of it. For instance if you have ever seen your horse licking the dirt or sand it is because they need either copper or magnesium along with their necessary feed! Salt is a MUST for any horse owner out there, especially when living in PA! There has been a lot of debate over the past couple of years about which salt lick is better for horses and honestly I think you want to let horses eat as much of it as they want and have it be as quoted "free choice" if you buy the solid blocks for your horse especially for the equine it is extremely hard for them to consume the amount of vitamins and minerals they need but just sitting there and licking the salt block for countless hours. Also, since the salt block that you would buy at most farm stores come in huge blocks a lot of those companies use a lot of harmful doses to bind their products together! If a horse goes to bite down on the lick and takes too big of a chunk this can lead to chocking and also dental issues.

A Day Spent With My Girl.....

On a quiet day I will go out to the barn and spend time with my girl! She is very special to me and I love spending every minute with her, she loves the attention, and I love giving it to her! I was going through my photo album and found some old pictures of her during the Winter time when I was still working with her. She wasn't as good then but now she is doing a lot better! She was posing for the picture here!

On her way out the door, I always like to give her a treat and a big hug and kiss! Thank you for following Betty's journey and the work I cover with her along the way! Thank you for reading!

Bath Time........

On a hot day like today, I always spoil my girl and give her a nice COLD bath! She is kind of timid about the water so we are starting out slow and introducing her to the sponge first and then we will make friends with the hose! Since Betty is a bigger gal than the rest she tends to sweat A LOT especially around her neck and stomach areas. When I give her a bath since she can break out if I use any old shampoo, I usually buy for her the DYNAMITE ALL NATURAL SHAMPOO instead~ She tends to like that a lot more! Anyways, when I give her a bath I always start out with a new sponge and fill up a bucket of water to use and then rinse her off really good! Then of course she will go out and roll right after but at least she will look really good and be much more cooler! Fly Control: On a hot, sticky, humid day the fly's tend to be the worst pests ever (Especially when it comes to green-heads, those nasty little things) They can make your horse miserable and extremely unhappy! I mix 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup apple cider vinager (You can double the recipie depending on how many horses you have)! That seems to do the trick in keeping the fly's off, however for those nasty green heads I haven't found anything yet that does the trick in keeping them off! Fly Sheets and Fly Masks: On a hot day ALWAYS make sure that your horse has shelter that they can be under for a day if it gets too hot outside. If you have stalls that open up to the paddock make sure that the barn is well-ventalated and make sure that ample supplies of water are availible for them to drink! For all your horse owners out there that have older horses they tend to benefit from a fly mask to help keep the fly's out of their eyes. If you have a horse that tends to break out and have an allergic reaction when bitten they could benefit from a fly sheet. These extra steps will ensure that your horse has a GOOD summer and will enjoy its time outside! Pictures soon to come! Thank you so much for reading! Please check out the rest of my blog posts along with poll pods, and links to the right! Have fun!

We've gotten to that point.....

Betty hasn't seemed I'm sure to a lot of people the kind of horse that would be ridable to anybody and for anybody for that matter, but it takes the patience and strength to work with her through hard times and she gets better and to the point where you build a good relationship and trust with her enough to get on her back! I trust her completley and I know that she wouldn't do anything to hurt me. I sit with her in the middle of a field, lay down with her when she's napping, read a book out in the field on the end of a lead line with her, anything that you would be able to do with your horse I can just about do with her! Just not to the point of aids yet on mounted saddle but we are getting there! Sometime in the near future! Anyways, when I train/work with any horse I always like to do things the natural way and ride the natural way. I also train them to do both Western, English, and Aussie Stock for riders that prefer their horse to be multi-talented in different areas! This opens up their perspective and that way they don't get board with what you are doing with them! Since every horse is a different brain extrovert every horse learns differently than the rest! Betty still has a long way to go! Right now I am working with her with the aids and am teaching her a English discipline at the moment! Since she has never really been ridden before as of right now she still has a lot of learning to do but I'm sure that if I work with everyday she will get better! She still does not know the basic aids but she will get better with time!

Betty... The Dynamite Horse......

For years I have always wondered what to give my girl that is high in fiber and protein but does not include all of these other harmful products that some of these other feed mills use to preserve their product. Instead I found Dynamite! Dynamite is a company that is "innovation guided by nature, backed by science!" Dynamite is for all breeds of animals and also for humans to provide the best in everything that your body needs! Right now I am making the switch to Dynamite and am putting both my girl on it, me, and my cat all on Dynamite products! Here is what Betty is getting right now in the Summer time! Betty's feed: 1 handful of Stanlee Hay/Timothy Pellets 1 scoop of Dynamite suppliment 1/8 tsp/100lbs* Dyna Pro Here is some history behind the products..... They have a wide variety of suppliments for both equine, feline, cannine, human, exotics, livestock! You name it they have it! Dynamite Suppliment "It is a complete balanced formula containing enzymes, coenzymes, biocatalyst microrganisms, amino acids, cultured gut bacteria, vitamins, and bioavailable minerals." This suppliment is for horses that demand the extra nutrition in their diet. Knowing that the grass is not at its highest nutrition factor then some horses like Betty demand the extra vitamins and minerals in their diet! Dyna Pro I put Betty on this suppliment because of her constant upset stomach and Diaherria that she has been having ever since I first saw her. In order for that to go away I saw the label on the Dyna Pro and thought that this would be a good idea for her to go on! "Equine health depends on a thriving population of beneficial gut microbes.Factors such as stress, diet changes, chemical wormers, vaccinations, and antibiotics will cause a horse's gut to become and unfriendly environment and will force microbes to go dormant. Dyna Pro is designed to create the ideal conditions for good microbes to come out of dormancy, multiply, and thrive so your horse gets optimal utilization of food and suppliments, resulting in a vibrant animal!"

The Way of Groundwork.....

Groundwork with Betty has changed the way that she first was when I first started working with her! I think through groundwork I have been able to connect with her in a way that I am able to be her leader through her life! Every time I walk over to her she comes up to me and lays her head in mine! I think of the first day that I started working with her and how much she has changed over the past couple of years that I first laid eyes on her! I have taken her on trail rides by herself and walked her through the middle of a corn field with just me and her and she has been wonderful! This is her first off the property trail ride! When I walked her for the first time! There has been no riding yet but hopefully one day that will happen and she will be great. I have practiced with her both English and Western discipline to make sure that she is multi-talented in different areas of both strengths and discovering her weaknesses. She has been great in everything that I do with her. I mainly do a lot of liberty training with her. I practice a lot of Clinton Anderson methods with her and have been inspired by Stacey Westfall! When I ride her I usually like to ride Miss. Betty bareback and without a bit or bridle. I love riding with a halter that would be my favorite part! She has come such a long way and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to work with her each and every day!

Why I fell in love with Betty!!!!!

When I first met Betty she was very shy and timid and wasn't the first one to approach me in the field but after a couple years of groundwork our relationship started to grow even better! When I took at least five minutes out of my busy day to work with her each and every day she started to come right up to me in the field. But people need to realize that this start off relationship with your horse is not an easy one to reach. This takes time and patience, especially working with a difficult horse like Miss.Betty! Betty has been abused in the past and earning her trust is extremely hard to do. I have found though that she does not like Men handling her and is more friendly towards Women handling her. When I am working with her I find that since horses feed off of your energy that you give off, horses feed off that and that contributes to your emotions! Betty has to have a strong leader that she can look to for guidance and direction! When I am able to do that with her she feels confident that as long as I am leader that she will be okay and that nothing will harm her! This is Betty being her sweet self! Betty is such a unique horse and I feel like me and her have something very special between the two of us! Even though she isn't a special breed or has unique markings or is the most prettiest she is very special to me indeed! She is the most hardest horse to get along with and work with but for me there's something about our special connection that makes it really easy to work with her when we are together! After working with her for a couple of years and she started to get better I got extremely attached to her and decided that I would eventually buy her! I taught her how to give hugs! Here comes the kisses! She is one of the most special and unique horses that I have worked with! There is just something about her that I find very interesting and special that you can't find in a lot of horses!