Not Too Bad....

Wee one's doctor's appointment went very well, except he needed 3 shots, poor baby. He was getting behind because of being sick with ear infections/allergies/itchy rash at his last 3-4 well-baby check ups, his MD didnt want to give him the vaccinations for complication reasons at that time. Today, we were the last patient and Dr. S. had some extra time to spend with us and I asked him about his shots, he looked and said we had better give him 3 vaccinations because he really needed them now. Dr. S. also showed me where he sent the surgery and Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist's treatment referral to be approved thru contract health. Dr. S. is a friendly physician, he is a big, white haired/bearded slow moving man, in a Santa Clause kinda way. He has always answered my questions and seems never in a rush to get to the next patient. You know how some MD's just give off that 'vibe' that they know they are superior and talk in a condescending manner?( I have a relative or two like that) or the one's that are rushrush, distracted on an impersonal basis? I dislike those kinds medical professionals. Anyhow, Toddler Terror hasnt had any uncomfortable symptoms from his vaccinations, had a decent appetite, and is fast asleep with a dose of childrens tylenol to keep those symptoms at bay.



Hubby is snoring from the couch with Jurassic Park III blaring from the TV. Why was he watching that movie? I have no idea, we have all three of the Jurassic movies on video and I bet he has watched them at least 10 X with Son #1. Not to mention seeing all three at the Theatre when they opened at the box office. After Wee One dozed off, I still had about 15 minutes before dark. I went outside and brushed the horses, fussed over them a bit. Took Scooter out in the front yard and gave him some carrots I washed and cut up especially for him. The other horses couldnt see us by the front porch, so I didnt get a twinge of guilt about playing favorites.....




Who would have thought there were so many Free Horses needing homes?

I check here on a regular basis, Stolen: Horses, Saddles and etc. It doesnt hurt to be aware. I would be besides myself if someone stole my old guy....it evokes that awful sick feeling I get when I think about someone snatching one of my boys.


We have some thunderstorms coming our way. The feeling of something brewing has been in the gusty winds all day long, since early this morning. So far no warnings yet, I checked here at NewsChannel 8 weather, no tornados mentioned, but damaging winds and hail. We need the rain.


The sorrel has improved a lot. He is more supple now in his movements, less jerky. I can feel and see a difference already. The sorrel is a bit slow, but certainly willing after he catches on. Every horse and rider combination will ride differently depending on how much each of them knows, how well each can focus at that training session, how each one physically feels, and about 100+ other influences. Every horse is different, so lessons are molded to fit the way they learn. Sometimes people think a horse can be trained and made into the 'perfect broke horse' overnight.......not hardly. Here is a quote from an article I read a few months back and agreed.

"Until the horse achieves suppleness, he can’t attain the highest levels of training. It takes a baby green horse an average of 18 months to get to this point. When people take a horse to a trainer and expect to have a finished horse in 30 or 60 days they’re not playing fair with the horse or the trainer. That encourages short cuts that leave big holes in the horse’s foundation. Going back to plug those holes and unlearn bad habits can take a lot longer than taking the horse through the full training sequence in the first place". ~Ron Meredith


I like to have a general plan before I start everyday. Planning off of what works and what is not, always checking to make sure my body's posture is relaxed. I never liked the phrase 'breaking horses'. Break what? Thier trust, spirit, willingness to learn and please? These are the types of so called trainers who approach the horse like a predator, in a threatening physical manner. How is the horse going to respond? Like the prey animal they have been for thousands of years. It is a step by simple step process using a simple series of actions to get the horse's attention, and direct the horse's attention without scaring him. Training a horse involves conquering him mentally,and not physically. He must be introduced systematically to new shapes, tasks, or exercises in a way that makes sense to the horse according to his natural instincts rather than mine as a human. It doesnt take a brain surgeon to train a horse. The methods that work best are simple, learned from others or watching or reading or listening. Gaining a horse's trust is the very first step, without it nothing is gained. The sorrel is trusting and is also learning, maybe a bit slow, but thats how he is as an individual. All he needs is time.