370 Days of Grace…

It’s not that I didn’t mark the 365th, it’s that I haven’t had time to post. It was funny… I spent all day joking with Kirsten about making Grace a carrot cake for her “Bower Birthday” which also happens to be the anniversary of our engagement… we ended up going out to dinner to celebrate the event and the waitress brought us… you guessed it. Carrot Cake. Yummy. Too bad though, I didn’t really think the cake was all that healthy for growing ponies 🙂

On the plus side, she gets two birthdays every year 🙂 Mar 30th and Nov 13th!

SO now a few more days have passed, and a year more.. and boy, has Grace just grown into an amazing, amazing horse. She’s somewhere in that awkward stage between adolescence and adulthood, but every inch of her carriage and poise is that of the most regal and high duchess of horsedom.  it’s amazing just how social she is, and how… it’s hard to describe… -present-. She expects to be part of things. Her curiousity and intelligence are written all over her face and her expressions. What a welcome addition she’s been to the family 🙂 Matter of fact, she’s rather central to it 🙂

Thank you, Tonia!  Thank you thank you 🙂 We couldn’t be happier 🙂

Mark

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Used Saddles For Sale

The key to natural horsemanship and balanced seat riding is to be able to freely balance and control your various body parts.  A saddle can make that easy… or downright impossible.

A saddler once measured my femurs and discovered they were 2 inches longer than they should be for a person of my height. That explains a lot of my personal riding challenges. It also makes it tough to find a saddle that actually fits me!

I’ve decided to clean out the tackroom and sell saddles I’ve accumulated trying to find ones that fit me or a particular horse.  Each one is good for balanced seat riding in English disciplines.  I know that they will be a a vital part of someone else’s harmony and success with their horses!

Are you looking for a new used saddle to take you and your horse to the next level?  Read the following posts. I may have a saddle for sale that will fit your needs and your horse!  Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section. As always, I’m committed to win-win-win situations where you, me and the horse all come away happy!

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Black Horse Dancing

abstract photo of friesian stallion fridse 423

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Black and White Friesian Photos from Wish Upon a Ster

black and white photo of fridse friesian stallion cantering

 

fridse friesian stallion cantering black and white

 

abstract friesian galloping photo

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Solo Flight

Friesian in hand in flying trot

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Horse Training Tips Contest

“Horse Training Success” is running a training tips contest.  We just submitted this entry:

I love all the posts that include training with treats! Do you know they actually funded a study in France which “scientifically proved” that horses learn faster when they receive food rewards? Hahaha, horsemen since the dawn of time could have told them that!

My tip brings even more impact to the power of treats. When a new horse first comes to the farm, we teach them a “bridge signal.” They learn to associate a clicking sound with a treat. More importantly they learn that whatever they are doing at the exact moment of the click is what they are getting rewarded for. This way, we can reward them “in the moment” no matter how far out of carrot range they are (great for liberty training or speed work.)

This has infinite applications! We have taught a horse who hated having his feet handled to stand in a bucket of warm water and epsom salts to soak out an abcess. We have taught rowdy youngster to quietly hold their hooves on a hoof stand so one person can trim their feet without needing a second handler. We made horses who refused to be dewormed look forward to the dewormer. We have taught flying lead changes to an off the track TB who would only take one lead, and curiosity and courage to a “chicken-heart” who spooked at anything and everything. The list is endless!

The photo shows a recent– and FUN–success. The mare in the photo is an off the track TB. We brought her to a medieval equestrian reenactment. In no time she accepted the flowing, jingling costumes, the swords and lances swinging around her head, the loud cracks of impact and flying targets–all through the power of associating the click for the right behavior with the treat that says “well done!”

lucy jousting the quintain at a medieval equestrian reenactment

Check out the contest and vote for our tip!

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Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better….

Not to be outdone, Gracie says, “look, Dad!  I can do it too!”

grace the friesian poses in the water trough

 

Friesian Grace

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Welcome Diego!

Our horse family has grown by one! We welcome Diego to the farm. Diego (until he reveals his REAL name) is a 16 month old Friesian Percheron Paint cross.  He was raised by a small breeder in upstate New York. Her care for her horses shines through in his amazing disposition. That alone gives him a huge jump-start in our horse training program!

friesian percheron paint and appaloosa

He lay dozing his first morning here as “Uncle” Pete, the wise Appaloosa, kept watch. Diego watched me slowly approach, but remained reclining, relaxed in his trust in humans.

As I cuddled with him, I looked down:

lucky four leaf clover

I consider that four-leaf clover a good sign 🙂

Diego settled right in. He is now out with the geldings learning about life and appropriate horse behavior from the herd. He will grow strong running our rolling pastures. He’ll learn partnership with humans through natural horsemanship principles. Eventually he’ll be started with classical dressage and go on to eventing, medieval reenacting, and horse shows… with lots of trail riding thrown in!

We can’t wait to share his development… naturally!

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Welcome to the Family

We have a  new member of the family!  “Diego,” as we are calling him until he tells us his permanent name, is a 16-month old Friesian Percheron Paint cross.

new friesian paint percheron cross with appaloosa

 After I greeted him, I looked down in the grass:

lucky four leaf clover

We take that as a very good sign!

Diego is out with the geldings now learning the ropes.  He will grow up in our green fields.  He’ll be started using natural horsemanship principles.  He’ll most likely enjoy the variety of dressage, eventing, trail riding, and medieval reenactments, with some horse shows thrown in.  We look forward to posting his progress!

 

 

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Congratulations, New Horse Owner!

Congratulations are in order to Cappy from Albany, NY. Cappy is Zydeco Boogaloo’s proud new owner.

Boogie traveled “like a lady” to her new home. Her new name will be “Adrianna.” We can’t wait to hear updates!

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