Hickory's a little sore

Got his feet done and he's letting me know he doesn't like his new feet. I'm hoping he'll be back to sound by next week, when we are supposed to go to the clinic. IF we can go. My truck is in the shop. Wheel bearing went on it. Not that it takes long too fix, but the garage won't fix it without my lesser half's say. Sexist bastards. And I can't move it without risking totally ruining it.
On a positive note, both are doing well. I've still got them out on pasture. They seem to be enjoying just being out with the others. They come to me when I go out there to see them. Of course, I'm pretty sure Penny just loves me because she knows who doles out the oats. I'm heading out again after supper. Hickory will be brought in and separated in a closer pen so that I don't need to walk over a mile to go get him. Gotta do some groundwork.

Been a while

I didn't realize it had been this long since I wrote anything down. I turned Penny out to the big pasture last night. Lots of long grass and her friends are there, so she'll be happy.
She's been working very well. So I'm giving her a vacation. I'll bring them back in in about another 2 weeks. July 29-Aug 1st, Hickory & I will be going to a colt starting clinic. I'll want to do a ground work refresher with him before that.
I still go out and give them grain every day. They both love attention, so it will be easy to go out there with a brush and check them over.
Today, Hickory was laying down, so I took the opportunity to check him over for ticks. We have wood ticks here. The horses were all treated for them, but you still never know.

Stupid Internet hasn't been working

But Penny has. I have been ponying her around our hay fields most days. I figure that it takes at least as much, if not more time than lunging her, and I get another horse worked at the same time. And as another bonus, she isn't going around in joint stressing circles.
We have got alot of rain lately, so there is a lot of water laying around here. She didn't like going through the shallow run-off stream the first time, but by the second time around the field, she was like an old pro. Her leading has much improved and she seems to be even easier to catch.
That might have something to do with the bit of sweet feed I have added to her oats. She's like her mother that way, she REALLY like her meals. Although, she could use a few more pounds on her.
Hickory is still on turn out. I bring him in for his grain and a grooming, but no work right now. I am not taking him to any of the shows we are going to, so we are concentrating on the ones who are going.
It's pretty warm out here today, so Penny will get another bath. And a hoof trim. I just came in for a break from chores, but out I go again.

Finally, 4-H is over, back to work

I gave myself a bit of time to recover from the weekend.
Yesterday I brought Penny back in. I am going to show her in halter classes at some open shows, so she needs to be in condition and to lead a lot sharper.
I am going to head out now. I'll post results later.

Another wet, miserable day

I decided to turn Penny out in a larger field for a few days, at least till 4-H is over and I actually have some time for her.
As for Hickory, I cleaned up the harness, put it on him and lunged him with it. No problems. He wasn't sure about the crupper at first, but got over it fast. I drove him abit yesterday and the day before. I'm happy with the way he's working.

It's crazy busy around here

I didn't get anything done with Hickory or Penny yesterday. My kids had 4-H riding lessons yesterday and they needed to turn in their project books as well. They have one more lesson on Wednesday, which is also a swimming lesson day. Achievement day is on Sunday, so this week will be filled with tack cleaning, clipping and bathing horses as well as extra showmanship practise. My son's horse has never done barrels or poles and they are required classes, so we'll be setting thos up and practise them as well.
Somewhere in all that, I need to fit time in to work with the young guys. So after my lunch is done, it'll be work time for Hickory. I'm going to harness him up and start driving him that way. It'll be easier on him than lunging, and he'll aquire a different skill. I'd like to eventually hitch the cart up behind him. I used to drive his dam when she was younger. That way he'll get work, but without the weight of a rider on his back.

Cowlicks as a way to predict trainability?

I know nobody reads this but me, but I'll write about it anyhow.
So, new edition of Horse & Rider has an article about how cowlicks on a horse's face can help predict their trainability and mind set. Any opinions on this? I wonder how many people have not bought super horses simply because their swirl said they were a complicated personality. Or how many people had their methods influence by thinking that the horse was gonna be an ass to train. Interesting topic. I'm gonna look to find more info on it. I know there is a whole book with pictures and everything, but do I want to spend money on a book when what I really need is a bosal? Not likely.

The rain was nice, and my weekend is PACKED

So, we ended up with some much needed rain. Hickory and Penny ended up with a bit of lunging and some grooming. The lunging gets better and better. I'm hoping to get some work done on them this weekend, but my kid's 4-H books need to be handed in tomorrow, so today wil include a mad dash to get the last bits complete and glue some photos in, which I have to go get developed today. Way to leave it to the last minute. We also have a benefit thing to go to tonight, for our neighbors who's house burnt down.
Apart from tomorrow being book hand in day, it's also picture day and a lesson. My kids only have an hour and a half lesson, both were put in the same group. But, I loan my horse to a 14 year old girl cause her horse isn't quite her cup of tea, and we board another kid's horse here, so I haul it, PLUS, I volunteered to pick up a horse for a kid who's dad's truck broke down and can't otherwise get there. So, instead of spending about 2 hours at 4-H lessons, I will end up spending closer to 5 hours there. I don't really mind, I get a chance to get off the farm and speak to other adults. So, my weekend looks like it's shaping up to be hectic.

Looks like it might rain today

Which is great because we really could use more moisture, but it's hard to work the horses in the wet. I left them out in the grass paddock last night. When I went out there to call them in, both came loping across. I know, I know, they were doing it because they know I bring the hay and oats, but still nice to see.
If it does end up raining, maybe I'll just tie them up in the barn and work on their ground manners and picking up feet. Their farrier will thank me for it.

OK, so I have lots of work to go.

I lunged both today. At the start, Penny wanted to rear and head back towards her friends, but she didn't take long to get the general idea. I'll just keep at it till she's solid at it. I really wish I had a round pen. I would have liked to add some video I took of her, but turns out my "unlimited" internet means that I can spend as much time as I want on things like this, but heaven forbid I try to load a video over 1 minute, or more than 10 photos in a day. They actually shut down my internet connection for a while. I told them specifically that I wanted to be loading pics and videos of my horses when I paid the $500 to get the bloody thing set up. They could have told me then that uploading was a big no no. I wish I lived somewhere that the choices weren't satellite or dial up. Anyway, back to my horses.
I also dewormed today. Both get it done on a regular basis, so it wasn't a big deal to either of them. I use an ivomectin that a friend gets from the US (I'm Canadian), for like $3 a dose. I can do 12 horses for what it costs to do 2 if I had to buy dewormer from the local tack shop.
As for Hickory, he was a real pain. Actually took off while loping and pulled the lunge line right out of my hands. Yes, the dogs were barking their faces off at the foxes, but still, no need for that. So we went to the other pen and worked him till he was starting to sweat. If you have enough energy to mess around, you can just work some of it off buddy. After I got him working well, I stopped him and put him away. Hopefully tomorrow goes better.

Today, we lunge

Hickory has already been lunged some. He walks and trots, loping, not so much. He's kinda lazy, but we need to start building some muscle tone, so he'll have to suck it up.
I don't have a round pen, or access to one close by, so I'm gonna make do with what I have. A lunge line and a lunge whip. I guess I can go use a little square pen, but they are all pretty mucky and gross right now.
I just got in from feeding, gonna do some dishes and head back out there. Maybe by then it'll be warmer.

Bath Day

It was finally warm enough to give some baths. It's been under seasonal temps for the last few days, but today it was t-shirt weather again and the sun was shining, so out came the hose.
To start with, Penny was super easy to catch. Practically walked right into the halter. Worked with the clippers a bit again. Getting better with that ear. Then I got out the shampoo and turned on the water. All in all, I thought she was pretty good. Moved around a bit. I'd like a wash rack, but since I don't have one, I make do by tying them to our hitch rail. I don't think I would have stood any stiller had someone been hosing water down my butt. Here she is all wet.


Looks real happy about it, doesn't she. lol


So, we got her all clean. I knew Hickory would stand still. He was shown as a baby, so he's got that been there, done that attitude about bathing. He also stands nicely for a sheet to be put on and taken off. I use mostly open front blankets and sheets, but he will allow me to put a closed front one on too. And a slinky hood.
So, after a bath for both, and a blanket put on and taken off Hickory, I put them in stalls, gave them some oats, and will turn them back out after they are completely dry. I know, I know, they'll both just roll after I turn them out, but it's got to feel good to get a winters worth of dried skin and crap off.

So, I guess I need to write down some goals

For both of them, I'd like them to;
Stand to be haltered.
Lead quietly beside me at a walk and a trot. No pulling or dragging.
Stand while tied, without pulling or pawing.
Stand while grooming, clipping and bathing.
Pick up all four feet for long enough not just to pick them out, but for long enough for a farrier to get their hooves trimmed.
Longe quietly with no pulling or bucking.

For Hickory, I'd also like him to,
Stand while being sacked out.
Stand while being saddled.
Keep his head down while being bridled.
Be line driven quietly.

I was grooming Penny today and she can be caught easily, will lead at a walk, stand tied while I brushed her, plus I clipped her muzzle with no problem at all. It took a while of rubbing the clippers on her neck before I could do her bridle path, but we got it done. I also rubbed the clippers on her ears. I don't want to actually clip her ears, we aren't going to be showing any time soon and bug season is starting. She stood great for her left ear, but needs more work on her right one.
It rained here all day yesterday, and they are in a dirt pen, so her legs were pretty dirty. I'll bathe her tomorrow if it's warm enough, then clip her fetlocks.
She could pick up her feet a little better. I'll have to really work on that. Her hooves could really use a trimming.
I'm about to head out and work with Hickory now.

Introduction

So, I decided to start a blog about training two of my Quarter Horses. They are full brother and sister. Hickory is a 2 year old gelding, and Penny is a yearling filly. Both are cow bred sorrels.
For now, I will be just doing ground work with them. Obviously, my eventual goal is to be riding them.
I figure if I have to write about my progress, I might actually get more work done. I'll try to take pics of the both of them as soon as possible