Tail Wagging Dog Meets School Bus

This isn't my usual horsey story, but it was so heartwarming I just had to tell it.

I was driving down a busy road after stopping in to see how my new saddle is coming along at the saddle maker's shop. (more on this exciting event later:)

A school bus was stopped to let students off.  I was coming from the opposite direction, so I could see the front of the bus as I waited.

The bus door was open and an adorable brown lab was standing with his front paws on the step.  His tail was wagging so hard, he shook from his elbows back, so cute.

When "his girl" stepped off the bus, he was so elated, he could not stop wiggling. He jumped up and down and all around her, wagging every step.

I was a little worried when I first saw him that he might get hit on the busy road, but he was so focused on the girl, he was never more than a foot away from her.

It just warmed my heart, as they walked down her driveway, well she walked he floated with happiness, I drove on after the bus stop sign folded in.  I was smiling like a goof, but it just made me happy :)

Hope y'all had a wonderful Valentine's Day, I know I did.

Life   is   Good  :)

Naturally,
Susan

Annie playing with my grandson

Sweet Twixie

and Annie and Twix
(my special canine greeters)

Idaho Horse Expo Featuring Chris Cox

Wow! What a great weekend over in Nampa at the Idaho Horse Expo!  The organizers really did a fantastic job with all of the presenters and demonstrations in addition to a wide array of vendors.
I was fortunate enough to be working in the Chris Cox Horsemanship Booth and it was set up right next to the main arena, so I was able to watch all the arena events.  Chris did six demonstrations and all were incredible.  He started with a Ground Manners clinic Friday morning, then a Natural Headset clinic that evening, one of the horses in this clinic was used later in the drill team and we could all see the improvement.  I hope the young owner continues with Chris’s techniques, if she does, her horse will thank her.
Saturday morning Chris gave a presentation on Building Rider Confidence.  This was a real crowd pleaser.  The two ladies who volunteered for the clinic were great sports and listened to everything Chris said.  They were very coachable and both were loping confidently by the end of the session.  Saturday afternoon’s clinic was Colt Starting and Chris was given a big 3 year old bay roan filly to work with.  She was challenging, but with his tried and true strategies, she settled down to the crowd, was paying close attention to Chris and he saddled, mounted and rode her loping around the arena at the end of the session.  It is always inspiring to watch Chris work with colts.
Sunday found Chris giving a demonstration on how to use Mechanical Devices to train your horses.  Cattle are very expensive, so if you can teach a horse to track a cow using a 4-wheeler and a roping sled, it will save on using up those costly cattle while training the basics of cow work.  One of the gals from the Confidence clinic rode her horse and was chasing the dummy cow as Chris talked her through proper position and speed.  She was grinning from ear to ear, I think she gained a boatful of confidence this weekend.  Chris’s final demonstration was Refining the Performance Horse.  He worked with riders who each had a different maneuver that they wanted to perfect…slide stops, spins, natural head sets.  It was a great demonstration.
In addition to the featured horseman Chris Cox, several other local and nearby trainers and horsemen and women gave very informational and enjoyable demonstrations.  The crowd was appreciative of all of their efforts.
Alice Trindle gave several presentations both in the arena and round pen on horseback and even out on the lawn with a group of folks learning good riding position without horses.  She is a very good teacher and I could see the people listening to her were really grasping the ideas she was sharing.
Local trainer Shannon Allison also gave several demonstrations throughout the weekend.  I most enjoyed watching him as one of the participants in Chris’s Performance Horse clinic.  Shannon was riding a young mare that was really not understanding where she should be carrying her head.  With Chris coaching, Shannon was able to make a major breakthrough with this nice young horse and she relaxed into Shannon’s hands and he was one happy trainer.  I know he was very grateful for the lesson from Chris, and I am positive he will take what he learned and pass it on to not only the horses he trains but also their owners.
Henry Nable, Dee Craig, Julia Bell and Jeff Spencer also gave presentations.
The crowd was further entertained by the Southern Comfort Gaited Riding Group who showed the versatility of the gaited horse with several of their members showing off what their own horses could do.  It was very enlightening to me, I have never done much with gaited horses and enjoyed watching them.
Another fun presentation was the Stallions on Parade.  There was a beautiful liver chestnut Blazer Stallion, Tonka’s Legacy, that was very flashy and fun to watch.  Judge Boon was a blue roan Quarter Horse stud that showed off his reining moves with style.
Each evening after the last Chris Cox demonstration, Idaho’s Best Queens would lead a grand entry and would honor our flag with the multi-talented announcer, Hal, singing the National Anthem.
Eh Capa Bareback Riding group would perform with their horses bareback and bridleless.  We were also entertained by two riding drill teams, the Leather Slappers and the Posse-ettes.
On Friday evening, the 2012 Breed Challenge was awesome. This was an entertaining and fun competition with ten registered purebred horses all performing in the main arena.  The breeds were judged on their willingness to execute certain maneuvers and the smoothness of each as it pertained to that breed.   Movements to included but were not limited to: Walk, Trot, Canter, Back, Side Pass, Pivot on Forehand , Pivot on Hindquarters .  Riders were given the opportunity to show their horse individually, also.
One event that I wasn’t able to watch was the 2012 Supreme Cowboy Race.  It was held outside in the Esther Simplot Eventing Arena at the Idaho Horse Park.  Contestants were judged on challenges including water obstacles, vertical jumps, livestock, trail obstacles, rope work and much more.  Although the race is a timed event, each obstacle was judged based on the horse’s confidence and athletic ability, and the skill and horsemanship of the rider.  I spoke with one of the participants and she said it was a great competition and everyone had a good time.
All in all, I think the 2012 Idaho Horse Expo was an amazing success.  I’ll be back next year for sure!
To find out what Natural Horsemanship Events are going on around the country, check out my Events Calendar
Naturally,
Susan

Why Does My Horse Cough at the Beginning of Each Ride?

May 23, 2012 By Susan 1 Comment (Edit)

I usually start my ride routine with some suppling exercises, flex left, right and vertical. Then I will walk a couple of times around the arena or pasture perimeter, working on stops, turns and backups without reins. Then I move on to walk trot transitions and then some long trotting.

By this time, Bonus, my 10 year old Thoroughbred gelding is going well and listening to me.
As soon as I start to canter, he will cough two or three times, regardless of the weather or surroundings. He then settles in to our ride with no further signs of respiratory troubles, until the next time I saddle up and move into the canter.

I’ve gotten used to this routine, but each time wonder, “Is this something I should be worrying about?” My daughter is an Equine Veterinarian and when I asked her about it, she told me that if Bonus shows no other signs of illness and has no difficulty breathing as he works, this “warm-up” cough is just a natural reaction to the initiation of exercise.

The technical explanation of a cough is this: when receptors in the pharynx and trachea are irritated by pollen, dust or even just fresh air, those receptors cause the following to happen: 1)The horse inhales and the larynx closes, locking air in the respiratory tract. 2) The muscles in the abdomen contract, air pressure increases in the lungs, the larynx reopens and the air rushes out, carrying any irritants with it. That rush of expelled air is the sound you hear.

Warm-up coughs often occur when excess mucus accumulates behind the larynx. Hairlike structures called cilia that line the esophagus continuously move mucus upward, but once it reaches the larynx, it has no place to go. When a horse begins to exercise, he breathes more deeply, so he may cough to clear mucus from his airways. Some horses naturally produce more mucus than others, so for them, a cough or two at the beginning of a ride is just normal.

Even if this is your horse’s regular routine, don’t stop listening for subtle changes in his cough.  Unusual or prolonged coughing can be a sign of respiratory illness, and if his normal hacks grow louder or more frequent, you’ll want to talk to your veterinarian about it.

If you have a problem or concern with your horse, leave a comment below and I’ll “Ask My Vet” for you, it is so handy to have a Horse Doctor in the family
Be sure to sign up here to receive updates when new blog topics and training articles are added.

Bonus Loves the Water

June 21, 2012 By Susan Leave a Comment (Edit)

Bonus playing in the neighbor's pond

My friend Shawn, from Eagle Hardware Farm and Ranch, posted this tidbit of information this morning and it was very timely since I was writing my blog about Bonus’ love of playing in the water.

“Did you know a bored horse may pass the time by blowing bubbles in his bucket or flipping his nose on the surface of the trough, splashing anyone who happens by. In summer, horses with access to natural bodies of water make the most of it, pawing, rolling and wallowing in shallow spots, enjoying the cool water and the respite from insects. More adventurous horses will actually swim through deeper bodies of water. All horses are natural swimmers when rider-less; they simply dog-paddle along, with noses held high, “blowing” rhythmically as they swim.”

When we lived in Northeast Texas, our neighbors had a great pond or stock tank as they call them in Texas, that their kids played and fished in. They were generous enough to allow me to let Bonus, my thoroughbred gelding swim and play in the pond too.

The first time I took him to the pond, I just sent him in, there was absolutely no hesitation on his part. It is HOT in Texas in the summertime, he just splashed right in. He immediately tried to roll. He didn’t realize the pond was deeper than he was,and when he laid down to roll his head went under the water. He got up shaking the water from his ears and then tried it again 2 or 3 times, he really wanted to roll in the water, he just didn’t want his head to go under.

He then continued to splash and play until he was sufficiently cooled off. He leisurely walked back home, grazing and dripping and very content.

Fast forward two years. We have moved to Idaho, no pond in the pasture, and a pretty warm evening. My husband and I were out setting pipe to irrigate the pastures. Bonus was wanting to play with something, anything!

First he picked up a rubber feed tub and flipped it up the air a few times. Then he moved to a big rubber feeder that was in his corral.

He tried to pick this big trough up and flip it like he did the small tub but it was hard for him to get a good grip with his teeth. So then, he decided he should put both feet in and try pawing at it.
I had forgotten how much he loved to play in the water so I filled it with water for him. He was so happy, if a horse had a smile, his would have been from ear to ear! He continued to paw and splash and stick his nose as far under the water as it would go.

When I used this trough for water in Texas, I had to put it up on another feeder to keep it out of his play zone. When it was on the ground he played and splashed until it was empty every time I filled it up. Since that was his water source, I couldn’t let him spill it all the time. But here in Idaho, he has automatic waterers that are situated in a way that he can’t make them toys for his entertainment.

So, from now on the old rubber water trough is his water park.

Happy Splashing Bonus!

Amazing!!! War Horse, The Play

 By Susan  Acree

If any of you follow my Page on Facebook, you know how I felt about War Horse the Movie…Absolutely HATED it!
First of all I hate war movies.  War is a reality that I don’t want to see on the big screen and call it entertainment, even it is a “good” story.  Add to the war part, horses being cut down by Gatling guns, tangled and sliced up by barbed wire, run down by tanks and worked to exhaustion and death…No thank you.
I had no intention of going to the movie, but my good friend asked “Are you ready to see War Horse”?  My first response was  ”No, I don’t think I want to see War Horse”, but she insisted that she had heard it was great and we should go.  My husband even said he would go with us, so I agreed…Big Mistake!
Other than the feel good story about a boy and his horse, the whole movie horrified me.  I had people say, “I heard it was really sad”…I didn’t cry a single tear.  My stomach was so tied in knots at the horror of the whole thing, that I felt physically sick.
So why, you may ask, did I go see the play?  Well, a friend in my book club had suggested that a bunch of us go over to Boise, an easy 3 ½-4 hour drive, and make a girl’s weekend of it.  This was before I saw the movie.  I committed to the weekend, paid for my ticket and was all set to enjoy the show.  Then I saw the movie.  I nearly sold her my ticket back, but I had heard that the puppetry in the play was phenomenal and I thought, “There is no way a play can be as disturbing and graphic as the movie.”
I was right to an extent.  I wish I would not have seen the movie, because even as I was enjoying the play and the spectacle of it, I could remember the scenes from the movie.  Some of the girls said they wanted to see the movie now that they had watched the play.  Needless to say, I was emphatic that they not do that.  I said “Why ruin this fabulous experience, please don’t go to the movie.”  In the end it will be their choice, but I hope they don’t see the movie.
Enough about the movie; let me tell you about the play.
It was awesome!
It started with Joey (War Horse) as a colt.  The puppet was a bit bigger than life size with three puppeteers, one on his head, one on his front legs and one on his hind legs and tail.  They all stood outside of the colt’s frame.  The tail swished, the ears twitched, as he grazed, you could see him tug at the grass with each bite, soooo amazing.
And that was just the beginning….
In true Broadway style, with a flash of light and a puff of smoke, Joey grows up right before your eyes.  It happens so fast, you hardly know how it happened.
The adult Joey was bigger than life size by a bit and also has three puppeteers.  One at his head, one inside the front of the frame to control the front legs and shoulders and the third is in the back of the frame controlling the back legs, tail, and haunches.  They are dressed in the same color as the horse.  Joey is a sorrel in the play with no white on his face or legs.
In the story, Joey had a horse friend named Topthorn.  Topthorn is midnight black, big and beautiful.  The puppeteers for Topthorn are dressed in black.  After the first few minutes, you totally forget that the horses aren’t real.  The puppeteers disappear from your mind’s eye because you become so intrigued by the horsenalities of all of the horses on stage.
One of the other amazing things about these horses is that they are ridden by the actors in the play.  The metal frame in adequately strong to support the riders without the puppeteers having to carry all of their weight.  The designers were absolutely ingenious.
The play runs for two 70 minute halves and a 20 minute intermission.  The time just flies by.  When the play first started, I got that same ‘sick to my stomach’ feeling that the movie gave me, but I was determined not to let the movie ruin this experience for me.  By the second half, I was totally into the play.  There were still some scenes that I couldn’t help but look away, watching even puppet horses die and be dragged across the stage is still disturbing.  By this point in the show, they ceased being puppets and everyone was enthralled by each horse.
One of the scenes that captivated me was when Joey was trying to plow the field.  The way they were able to make it look like he was struggling to pull the weight was just amazing.  His haunches lowered, his neck arched, his shoulders and front legs strained and slipped.
Another amazing feat of puppetry was when Joey and Topthorn were getting to know each other.  Horses always must decide what the pecking order is to be in a herd, even if the herd is only two horses.
Topthorn and Joey had a bit of a scrap, they reared and bit each other’s necks, and again, you forgot these weren’t really two horses meeting for the first time in a field.  The puppeteers had all of the movements perfected, in the end, with one last kick, Topthorn came out as the leader and they were best buddies throughout the rest of the play.
When Topthorn died, we all cried right along with Joey, so amazing.
One of the most disturbing parts of the movie was left out, and I was so glad, it appalled me in the movie and would have not added anything but horror to the play.
For the curtain call all of the actors took their bow; then the puppeteers of Joey and Topthorn came out and took a bow.  Then the stage cleared and Joey and Topthorn came out for their bow.  They reared and whinnied and pranced around the stage….this is when I cried the most, it was just such an awesome spectacle, I couldn’t help it.
If you ever have a chance to see this play, take it!
Naturally,
Susan