2 new girls

[Petra]

I got two new girls! Both are yearlings. I had them for a week now. They were in quite bad shape when I got them, very dirty, needed trim and quite skinny.
They will need a lot of work.
The guy I got them from said he has no time for them (which was more than obvious).
Said he got them in a horse sale 5 months ago. The only reason he got them so they don't die. Said they were in really bad shape.
Got them to stand for me to groom them and started working with the taller one. So far we are practicing standing still, picking feet, walking and stopping. She is a fast learner and good natured horse. Very curious. Always trying to see what I'm doing.

Sydney is doing great. I can sit my son on her and lead her around now.

I don't have any good pictures. By the time I'm done with daily training/grooming/cleaning/feeding it is pitch dark outside.
Anyways, I tried to snap few pictures - this is the best I could do.

[cloedoll]

I hope I don't come off as rude, because those aren't my intentions. I recall you saying you didn't have money to send Sydney off to training, so what are you plans for these two yearlings? Obviously they'll need training, broke to ride (well, not everyone has a horse broke to ride, obviously there are other things a horsey can do, but just assuming here), vaccinations, teeth floated, etc. and if you were unable to send Sydney off to training, what about these two? I think it's a good thing you were helping them out now, but in the long run, I am just curious how things are going to work out.

Sorry if I sound rude or anything, I was just wondering and am not trying to be, promise. That's really good news about Sydney, though! (:

[Petra]

No problem. You are not the first one to ask that. Well, as far as the vet care, feeding, etc. That is not as expensive as sending Sydney to the trainer. I can afford that much. These horses really didn't cost much. I had the vet come down. Got the wormer and the shots. Also two of them got their hoofs trimmed. (I still need to work with the youngest one to hold feet.) They are being taken care of.
The farrier even offered to teach me how to trim them myself, so I don't have to pay for it every time.
I may not have any experience, but I'm not an idiot either. I have my nose in horse books. I'm in no hurry. It may take me a long time to train them, but I believe I can do it. I may be going slower than any trainer would, but am progressing a little every day. I have no time limits - learn one step at the time until they good at it, than move on to next one.

[FatSpottedAppy]

You need some pictures of them in the daylight! ;) It's so great they're lives are getting turned around for the better.. I wish you the best of luck with them.

[Palogal]

No problem. You are not the first one to ask that. Well, as far as the vet care, feeding, etc. That is not as expensive as sending Sydney to the trainer. I can afford that much. These horses really didn't cost much. I had the vet come down. Got the wormer and the shots. Also two of them got their hoofs trimmed. (I still need to work with the youngest one to hold feet.) They are being taken care of.
The farrier even offered to teach me how to trim them myself, so I don't have to pay for it every time.
I may not have any experience, but I'm not an idiot either. I have my nose in horse books. I'm in no hurry. It may take me a long time to train them, but I believe I can do it. I may be going slower than any trainer would, but am progressing a little every day. I have no time limits - learn one step at the time until they good at it, than move on to next one.


Oh wow...Be careful with all of this.

[cloedoll]

I don't think you are an idiot or anything like that, but breaking/training a horse is not like origami where you can just read a book and know what to do. Every horse is different and there is just no way a book can teach you everything you need to know, nor can we. I really do wish you the best of luck, but I'm sure you've heard the saying green + green = black and blue, I just hope nobody gets hurt or anything. I'm really not trying to be mean or anything, it sounds nice that you want to help these fillys, but if you don't have the experience & knowledge, how can you help them get to where they need to be, or if you don't have the money to pay someone else with the experience & knowledge to get them to where they need to be, how is that helping them? Keep us posted...like I said, I hope all works out well.

[Palogal]

I don't think you are an idiot or anything like that, but breaking/training a horse is not like origami where you can just read a book and know what to do. Every horse is different and there is just no way a book can teach you everything you need to know, nor can we. I really do wish you the best of luck, but I'm sure you've heard the saying green + green = black and blue, I just hope nobody gets hurt or anything. I'm really not trying to be mean or anything, it sounds nice that you want to help these fillys, but if you don't have the experience & knowledge, how can you help them get to where they need to be, or if you don't have the money to pay someone else with the experience & knowledge to get them to where they need to be, how is that helping them? Keep us posted...like I said, I hope all works out well.


Well said and I agree.

[lisakaye]

I think that it is great that you are helping them and I am sure that they both will grow to be real beauties. You still have time before worrying about official training for them. I think as long as you work with then everyday and be patient taking one day at a time you will be fine. After they grow a little and fill out and get older you can either sell them or train them. It is totally up to you. They are both young so if you start a little at a time you may be able to do most of it on your own... Good luck and make sure you take some before and after pics in the daytime so we can see the transformation. Getting them both used to being handled is a good step in the right direction. Read lots of books, watch lots of videos and ask lots of questions. You can learn with them and the experience can be a great one for you too..

[Petra]

:)Thanks everyone for the best wishes.

but if you don't have the experience & knowledge, how can you help them get to where they need to be, or if you don't have the money to pay someone else with the experience & knowledge to get them to where they need to be, how is that helping them?

I really hope I do not sound like I want to argue, because that really is not my intention.
I'm saying this with my very best intentions.
Who is there to decide where they need to be though? They are my horses. They have 5 acres to run around, are fed everyday and besides of that have unlimited good quality hay available. Get fresh water every day. Their stalls are cleaned daily and horses are groomed daily too.
Will have vet visits on regular basis. I'm planning to learn to trim their hoofs so they're kept nice and trimmed all the time.
As far as teaching them the ground manners I think I'm doing pretty well.
Sydney now knows to walk and stop just by voice commands. She doesn't need to have a halter on; all I need to do is put my hand under her chin and tell her to walk or stop.
I can tap her on the side and tell her to move over and she does. She also knows to wait and to back up. I did this with her in little over a month.
When I got her I couldn't even touch her.
So how is it not helping them?

[AppyLover]

The thing with experience is if you are not doing it, how are you suppost to get it?????

Ok, I started with the barest of know how when I got my horse, broke her myself and done all her training on my own with very limited help.

Everyone starts some where and not everyone starts with a trainer.

I may not agree with starting out with 3 young green horses for someone just getting into horses, but getting down on her for starting this way is not going to teach her our knowledge from our experiences. This is how she is starting and I think we as horsemen and women need to be supportive of her efferts. Just because she can not afford "experienced" help does not mean she can not afford their vet bills and food.

I don't agree with taking on all their hoof care on your own with out a pro around, but there is nothing wrong with learning about the hoof and knowing how to trim off flares and basic hoof care.

I think as far as experienced help goes.....What are those of us on this forum, but experienced help?

Good luck Petra. People did not always agree with the horse I started with or my lack of experience when I first got into horses myself. Good luck with the challenges before you and we are here to give you advise and our knowledge. Learn from our experiences to make this jurney smoother on you and your horses. Please the only thing I ask is that you never stop asking questions. Sometimes the answers may not be what you want to hear, but will need to hear.

[IrisGreen]

I agree with AppyLover. I started out with a wild 10 month old half draft as my first horse. Now he's a very good sized 2 1/2 year old that I think I did a good job with so far. If you have animal since and want to learn you can and will learn. Especially if you are passioned about it and don't have the money to send your horse off, You have to learn how to train and teach them yourself. Sounds like you want the best for them and you know you have to work with them to teach the basics.

The one's I worry about are the people that own horses but pay everyone else to do it all for them and have no clue how to deal with there horse when it even thinks about acting up, let alone correct it so it doesn't get worse.

I took alot of flack for getting Muffin as a first time horse owner but I think I have proven that I can handle him, learn, grow and teach him what he needs to know because I am passionate about it. I want to become more experienced and the only way to do that is to get in there and do it, learn from it, ask questions and be smart to know when I need help and find that help or information so I can continue with his training.

Muffin is still a stud too. Yeah, It's kinda interesting when you get an old cowboy out here wondering why this skinny girl has a half draft stallion that he himself is afraid to get in the pen with. lol Yet, my farrier, vet and friends love Muffin and how calm, responsive to commands and well behaved he is? Muffin knows his boundary's and is not some crazy stallion but I know the risks of keeping him intact and have tried my hardest to bring him up right so I don't have to deal with a disrespectful stallion. Those old men look at me like I am crazy and they won't go near Muffin. lol I just think to myself...I wonder what screwed up cowboy worked with there studs for them to be so afraid of all studs. Even after watching me work with him they wont go near him.. lol

Anyways, I just wanted to post and say good luck. If you have the passion and guts to get in there and learn as much as you can, then go for it!! Just be safe about it and ask questions if need help. We all start somewhere and it's usualy where we chose to start.

I didn't want an already trained horse so I started where I wanted too, with a wild 10 month old colt. I wouldent have it any other way. :)

[Petra]

Thanks for the kind words. :)
Don't worry about my horses hoofs. I would never do anything to hurt them. As I said I want to learn how to do it. The farrier offered to teach me and I was all for it. Trust me I would never attempt to do it myself unless he says I'm ready.
As far as this forum. I do not come here to chit-chat really. I'm too busy for that. The only reason I started visiting is to learn from you guys.
I may not post a lot, but I try to read as much as I have the time for.
I know how forums work. Every time I started to keep some new species of animals I got on to a specific forum and got as much info as I could. It is a great help to be able to ask questions. Books are always great to read, but there is nothing like being able to ask someone with experience.
To be honest when I wrote I got a green horse and have no experience, I have expected pretty negative replies .
I know what I'm doing. I also know that this is what I want to do.
It feels much better to be able to buy neglected horses and make their life beautiful than to get an expensive well broke horse.
These days it is not hard to get a horse. People cannot afford them because of the bad economy. Someone actually offered 10 year old broke horse to me for free. She was beautiful. That is the kind of horse everyone wants. I don't have enough time or money to get another horse. I'm pretty responsible with our family finances.
However I picked these two girls - it looks like they growth was stunned because of their terrible care and they may never be as pretty. But as I said that is what I want to do and feel very strongly about it.

Anyways I was pleasantly surprised how nice people in here are. You should visit something like venomous snake forum. Ha, ha I'm not even going to get in to that. Some people can get very mean and rude.
Any responsible owner would give me that kind of response - I'm smart enough to know myself that it is not a good idea to get any kind of animal without experience. Ideal situation would be to volunteer in some other barn and learn. Life is not always ideal tough and we have to deal with what it gives us. :)

[Palogal]

There are folks out there that have natural horse sense and can get it done out of pure talent and understanding of the horse. My best advise- know who and when to ask for help.

[FrogInABlender]

Hey, I think it's great that you're taking in rescues, and inexperienced or not, the best way to learn is by doing. Sure, you'll make a few mistakes, but you'll learn from them and won't make them again. And like you say, these horses are definitely better off with you than where they were. They're very pretty little bays and I think they'll look beautiful once they get a little tender-loving-care in them.

I personally have been impressed with the progress you've made with your other little mare. I'm sorry I can't remember her name right now, but she's very pretty. I think you can build a really strong bond with some mistreated animals, after you get over the initial period of mistrust. They seem to know that you helped them. So keep up the good work and keep us posted on their progress. :)

[Petra]

IrisGreen, good job on the Muffin. It is quite funny when big guys are scared of an animal that a girl can handle.

It happens to me sometimes with wild animals. I cannot help but laugh.
(I'd relocate racoons, snakes, opossums, etc...)

[KittySawrus]

Petra, you sound fascinating! Venomous snakes? WOW!
...
And back to the OT ^_^
I agree that you have to learn by doing, know when to ask for help. I just wanted to say I think it's great that your farrier is offering to teach you to do your horse's hooves! That's really generous of him :) I hope to learn something as useful as that one day.
Well, keep us posted on all your updates and progressions :) I look forward to hearing how you do.

[FrogInABlender]

...It happens to me sometimes with wild animals. I cannot help but laugh. (I'd relocate racoons, snakes, opossums, etc...)

LOL! This happens to me too. When it started getting cold, we had a bunch of baby snakes get in the house. I discovered the first one in the corner of the bathroom, behind the cat's water bowl. It kind of startled me and I'll have to admit letting out a little squeal when I picked up the bowl and saw him there. But when I told my husband, a big manly man, he runs off for a few minutes, then comes back with every garden tool we have on the place...all for a little foot-long, pencil-thin chicken snake. :rolleyes: I just went and got a jar and scooped him up in it and carried him outside, all the while hubby was hollering to "kill the d#$% snake!". He's so scared of a snake, you'd think he was a little girl! ;)

[Petra]

Hey, I think it's great that you're taking in rescues, and inexperienced or not, the best way to learn is by doing. Sure, you'll make a few mistakes, but you'll learn from them and won't make them again. And like you say, these horses are definitely better off with you than where they were. They're very pretty little bays and I think they'll look beautiful once they get a little tender-loving-care in them.

I personally have been impressed with the progress you've made with your other little mare. I'm sorry I can't remember her name right now, but she's very pretty. I think you can build a really strong bond with some mistreated animals, after you get over the initial period of mistrust. They seem to know that you helped them. So keep up the good work and keep us posted on their progress. :)

Thanks! :)

Her name is Sydney.
I feel that way too. You would expect them to be all stressed out from the change; they all seem to love it here. In the evening they all come back to their stalls expecting to be fed.
Crystal (the taller filly) absolutely loves to run around! She seems to be having so much fun - yesterday kept racing around for quite a while - I guess she couldn't use up the energy in a small place she was kept in.
The two skinny ones were kept in a back yard so they didn't have much room.
Sydney, she loves people. It must be quite a change for her to be around us every day. She gets so excited when I came home from work!
If we are out in the yard she always decides to be grazing as close to us as she can.
The smaller filly (Bullet) was let out in a pasture today for the first time. I didn't want to be chasing her, so I kept her in the stall until I was sure she would come to me. I wonder how she is enjoying the 5 acres of room. Can't wait to get home see how she is doing.
I'll try to take some more pictures today.

[IrisGreen]

Yeah, lol. I had snakes, rats, lizards and all kinds of things most guys run from, not saying all guys but I have had a few that wouldn't even step foot in the house knowing I owned a snake, even when I said he was locked in a cage! lol

Yeah, Muffins size alone gets some of the guys afraid then when they find out he is a stud, that's it. They wont go near him and think I must be the craziest girl on earth. Before they would at least pet him and say how friendly he was...now it's like Muffin has the plague. The worst is when they not only treat me like I'm crazy but they won't talk to me on the same level and now have to "teach" me why and tell me all there crazy story's about "there or there friends" stallions. It's not my fault you or your friends don't know how to handle a stallion or teach them how to behave around people. I can't even count the number of speeches I have had to sit through from the "old timers". I like learning and will listen to them but it's very annoying because they always get stuck of the stallion thing for like an hour, trying to convince me my horse is a killing machine. I'm sorry but any horse can kill you, mare, gelding, stallion doesn't matter but they seem to think Muffin is out to get me. lol

I don't have a problem with people being concerned for my safety. It's just annoying when they want you to be just as scared as they are of a horse they don't even know. lol

Well, I look forward to updates on your girls :) I'm sure you will have them fallowing you around in no time :)

[WashingtonBay]

I'll tentatively wish you good luck with your latest, though I share concerns that it's really easy to become overwhelmed and hurt by young green horses, even for the very experienced. Add an inexperienced handler and well, those of us who have been hanging around forums awhile know it's an all-too common story on forums that a young, inexperienced horse owner has bought a green, untrained horse, has become scared and hurt, wants help, but says they cannot afford training or even lessons. It makes many of us cringe because there is NOTHING we can do to help you at that point.

On the other hand, many of us, myself included, have overcome some of those challenges and lived to tell about it, and you do have time, with these two, to get yourself ready to be the owner they will need.

I would recommend taking the steps to become that. Up to and including a relationship with a trainer who can help you.

[Petra]

KittySawrus:
:) yes I love snakes.
Lol a lot of people though I'm going to die when I came home with my first rattlesnake. I had no experience but he would have died. His owner got bitten and didn't want to mess with him any more. That snake was fed only 4 times a year!
You should see him now. Since than I kept a lot of different pretty dangerous species and never had a close call.
Yes, I thought it was great that he offered to teach me. He is a customer where I work and a very nice guy.

FrogInABlender: Ha, ha I had to laugh reading your story. That must have been so funny.
I have similar - neighbour comes over in his PJ's that he has a snake in a golf bag and cannot get it out. So I reach in and pull out this harmless 5ft Black ratsnake. That guy almost took off running, he was so scared! Week later he is back - there is a racoon sitting under his porch roof! So I come over, reach up, pull her by a tail and stick her in a dog carrier. He actually run inside his house thinking that the raccoon is going to have him for dinner! :D I had very hard time not to embarras him by laughing right than.

IrisGreen: LOl, before we bought the house we have now, we lived in a small town. The firefighters told us that our house will burn to the ground if it ever catches on fire - said that they will never come in! :D

WashingtonBay: I appreciate your concerns, it shows you are a caring person. There is not much I can say to put your mind at ease.
However, I do have a pretty good common sense when it comes to animals. And I can read them pretty well too.
I don't know why, animals do not want to harm me. I understand that horses are pretty powerfull animals, however I have just as good chance to have an accident as anyone else that works with horses.
In my experience - usually the careless people get hurt.

[HoustonFarrier]

Sydney is doing great. I can sit my son on her and lead her around now..

Wow....I wouldn't do that...but that's just me. I would not even let my grown daughter or son on a horse that I didn't get on first...and they both grew up helping me train horses.

Good luck

Steve

[Petra]

Steve, we have been walking around daily. She doesn't mind him on her back at all. I cannot ride her for the very fact she is not broke. But trust me I got her to the point that I can jump on her and off of her myself and she will not even twitch. She does stand still for me. I have been teaching her this for couple of weeks now, every single day, before I was OK with my son sitting on her.
I also know how she reacts when she get's spooked. As long as I'm holding her she is OK. My husband decided to make himself a range in the back yard. She did get spooked when she heard the shots for the first time, but I didn't loose her. I talked and walked her through it. I know I can control her now. There is not much spookier stuff going on on our property than shooting.

[shynbvs]

The thing with experience is if you are not doing it, how are you suppost to get it?????
I agree!

[Palogal]

Wow....I wouldn't do that...but that's just me. I would not even let my grown daughter or son on a horse that I didn't get on first...and they both grew up helping me train horses.

Good luck

Steve

I agree.

[WashingtonBay]

Different horse Palo... I think the mare she's talking about is a young adult, 2-3.

[Petra]

WashingtonBay: :) yes I was talking about Sydney, she is almost 3.
I'm only working on the very basic stuff with the two new ones.

Yesterday I mentioned I let Bullet (the younger one) on the pasture for the first time. Lol, she comes to me in the stall, but wasn't having any of that once she was free. Couldn't get any closer than 5ft. She wouldn't run, but walked off and kept her distance.
In the evening it took me a while to get her back to her stall. I had to walk the two other horses to their stalls first. I closed the gate on the smaller pasture to have her confined in a smaller area and made her run, changing directions until she decided it's better to let me close than work. Than she let me pet her all I wanted, but was in no mood to walk. So we were doing small circles one direction and other for quite a while. Eventually she made few steps forward and I praised her a lot for that. I tapped her behind; she tried to bolt out, but stopped once she felt the resistance from the lead rope. Eventually she started walking. It wasn't smooth, but I thought she did good for the first time. By the time we got to the stalls she was doing quite well, just got scared by few shadows. So we had to do small circles again. She was doing great once in the stall, stood nicely through grooming. I was proud of her.

I promised pictures but didn't get very good ones. It was already getting dark when I was trying to get few of Bullet.
I know it looks like I make Crystal wear really small halter. I don't, I took it off the second day. I'm not sure how long she had it on. It was very tight, it was hard to take it off and she still looks this way after having it off for a week.

[mandisue]

Pretty girls you've got! Sounds like you're helping them and like they're responding. And as far as the training a lot of people think you shouldn't even ride them til there three or four or five so if you decided to do that you'd have a good two years to go so no worries about no trainer. Lol. Good luck!!!!!!!!

[FrogInABlender]

Sounds like you know what you're doing and are doing great with their lead-line training! The pictures of them look great. Glad you got that halter off though. I wouldn't worry about her having a halter impression. At least there don't appear to be any hairless or white-hair areas underneath it that might suggest permanent damage to the skin. It should fluff up soon, or at least be gone by the time their spring coat somes in. Good job! :)

[Petra]

Oh Thanks!
I had a really good day yesterday. All three girls must have been in a good mood.
Bullet let me walk up to her (I had to be very, very slow), she still was very cautious but at least she didn't go for her 5ft distance any more. In the evening came to her stall by herself. She finally figured out what I want from her when I ask her to walk! I figured I try to walk her around in her stall. First she wouldn't move. I started to turn her and she just danced around, than she let me turn her round few times. I gave her a break and just pet her for a little. Than I gently tugged on the lead rope and she made a step! So of course I praised her like crazy. Tried again and this time she just put her head down and started to walk! I didn't have to tap her behind at all. I opened the gate and walked her out. We walked for a little while and she did very well, I gave her as much slack on the lead rope as I give my other horses, didn't have to pull her at all! I was so proud of her.
Sydney did great too. She is much lazier than Crystal. She doesn't like to trot but was doing much better yesterday than ever before. If she could she would be very satisfied with walking only. She was listening much better than ever before.
Crystal did well too. She has no problem walking or running. She is not very good at stopping but it's getting better. Her only problem is that she would go to the left anytime, but hates going right. She tries to change directions as soon as she can. Yesterday was first day she actually went both directions except if she goes to the left she either runs or stops, she will not walk until she gets a little tired. I figured I'm just going to concentrate on running in both directions until she gets used to move to the right too. Than we will concentrate on walking. She walks if I lead her. I'm talking about working in the round pen.
If someone things I’m doing something wrong in the training, I’m open to any criticism. It may seem like right thing to do to me but, I have never trained horses before…

[FrogInABlender]

I've had trouble with horses not wanting to longe to the right too. I think it's because I'm right-handed and usually hold the lead in my left, the longe whip in my right and start off by sending them to the left. I'm not as good at it when sending them to the right so I guess I don't work them that way as much, and I should. But then I don't really longe any of my horses much anyways so I've never really worried about it. I've just never really had any need to do it. I know a lot of horses need it though so I'm not knocking it by any means. :)

[WashingtonBay]

Oh Thanks!
I had a really good day yesterday. All three girls must have been in a good mood.
Bullet let me walk up to her (I had to be very, very slow), she still was very cautious but at least she didn't go for her 5ft distance any more. In the evening came to her stall by herself. She finally figured out what I want from her when I ask her to walk! I figured I try to walk her around in her stall. First she wouldn't move. I started to turn her and she just danced around, than she let me turn her round few times. I gave her a break and just pet her for a little. Than I gently tugged on the lead rope and she made a step! So of course I praised her like crazy. Tried again and this time she just put her head down and started to walk! I didn't have to tap her behind at all. I opened the gate and walked her out. We walked for a little while and she did very well, I gave her as much slack on the lead rope as I give my other horses, didn't have to pull her at all! I was so proud of her.
Sydney did great too. She is much lazier than Crystal. She doesn't like to trot but was doing much better yesterday than ever before. If she could she would be very satisfied with walking only. She was listening much better than ever before.
Crystal did well too. She has no problem walking or running. She is not very good at stopping but it's getting better. Her only problem is that she would go to the left anytime, but hates going right. She tries to change directions as soon as she can. Yesterday was first day she actually went both directions except if she goes to the left she either runs or stops, she will not walk until she gets a little tired. I figured I'm just going to concentrate on running in both directions until she gets used to move to the right too. Than we will concentrate on walking. She walks if I lead her. I'm talking about working in the round pen.
If someone things I’m doing something wrong in the training, I’m open to any criticism. It may seem like right thing to do to me but, I have never trained horses before…

My advice would be don't lunge the babies. Repetitive circling is really hard on young joints and I would not do this at all until you're preparing them to start under saddle at some point after age 2. Leading, yes. grooming, handling, giving to pressure, standing for farrier, all those things are good. Free hard running exercise and play in wide open spaces is good. Constant compulsive circling = bad and easily overdone, and not really necessary at that age. It does not take long to teach it when the time comes, and while it has a lot of uses in prepping a horse for saddle or evaluating movement later on in life, it's not good as a form of exercise.

The three year old, fine, but do this slowly and carefully it should be an exercise in controlled movement and communication, not just running in circles, because even at her age, a lot of running in circles can be hard on joints. Switch directions frequently and the sessions should be no more than about 15 minutes of circling at anything above a walk.... total.

[Petra]

Thanks for the advice.
I will not put Crystal in the round pen any more.
Don't be too worried though. I haven't been overdoing it. I was concentrating more on them to listen to me than on excercise itself. I would let her do 2 or 3 circles in walking than get her to run about the same and than change direction and walk again. It has never lasted more than 15 minutes (more like 10) and very little of that was actual running. They never even broke a sweat. But OK I'll work on other stuff with the young ones.
I pay attention to them. I don't want them to get bored by doing the same thing for ever.

[WashingtonBay]

I'm sure you haven't overdone anything yet. :)

No worries... they aren't glass, I don't want to make you paranoid, but lunging is one of those things that is often overdone in young horses in training, IMHO. I'd rather see young horses out walking miles on trail than making repetitive tight circles. It's one of those things that leads to horses getting arthritis long before their years.

[Petra]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. :)

[Petra]

Haha I know this thread is older than dirt. But I thought it would be fun to add some recent pictures of Crystal.


Here she is, 4 years old:
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=10571&stc=1&d=1312326457

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=10572&stc=1&d=1312326457

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=10573&stc=1&d=1312326457
http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=10574&stc=1&d=1312326457

Someone on FB asked me where I learned to train horses. I wasn't sure what to answer. I ended up looking up the very beginning here. So I told her that this was where I learned the basics and gave her link to this thread, and this one:

http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1312

Remember it? I had to laugh when I read through it now. I was so clueless! I got to say half of the stuff I was advised than didn't make any sense to me. I didn't understand the horse talk much.
Lol when I wanted a horse to stop I'd tell her "wait" instead of "whoa"!:hysterical:

[WashingtonBay]

LOL - We told you to GET a trainer, not BECOME a trainer! ;)

You're a rare bird Petra :) It's funny, how many threads I've seen from fairly clueless new horse people... some here, some on other forums, and they hardly ever go as well as yours did without outside, in person, help. You have a talent and a charm with horses that worked for you. And still is! Your initial luck has certainly been tested now. You're a bona fide talent I think. I've been a fan since that thread.

[Petra]

Aww thank you WB.
I apreciate the compliment.
I had a good laugh reading through the old threads.

I remember when I got Crystal and Bullet, I thought they are just odd looking horses. I honestly had no idea horse can change so much. When I look at her now and the pictures than, it's hard to believe she is the same horse. And she sure became one of a kind. I lucked out with her. Lol they say you get what you pay for. I paid $75 and wouldn't sell her if they offered me a million! :)

[oursarge]

You are a wonder Petra! Crystal looks great, such a pretty girl and a real good girl!

I just read through all the responses, who would have known back then that now you'd be taking horses in to train?! You have a gift with all animals but your gift with horses is amazing. If I lived closer I'd hand over all 3 of mine to you!

[TheBadLands]

I just read through this all...

LOL


And look at you now ;)

All trainers, as much as some won't care to admit, knew squat at some point.

Most won't even admit that they are forever learning.

Cutting off the pipeline to progressive learning is equivalent to cutting your own throat.

You've done great.

[Petra]

You are a wonder Petra! Crystal looks great, such a pretty girl and a real good girl! [/qoute]
Thank you! She doesn't get worked and I barely ever get on her. But when I find the time for her we both love every minute of it.
I took her to a race on Saturday (the 3rd picture) and afterwards we were giving rides to little kids. She was like an angel and a big hit. All the kids were in love with her. :)
[quote]
I just read through all the responses, who would have known back then that now you'd be taking horses in to train?! You have a gift with all animals but your gift with horses is amazing. If I lived closer I'd hand over all 3 of mine to you!

Lol I sure wouldn't guessed it. :D Thanks for the compliment Annie.

I just read through this all...

LOL


And look at you now ;)

All trainers, as much as some won't care to admit, knew squat at some point.

Most won't even admit that they are forever learning.

Cutting off the pipeline to progressive learning is equivalent to cutting your own throat.

You've done great.

Thanks Lindsey. I agree with you.

I can understand the trainers not wanting to admit they didn't, or don't know something though. They are probably worried the clients would have doubts and not hire them.

I don't lie to anyone, but I do not exactly advertise that 3 years ago I didn't know what a bridle looks like. I usually tell them that I started training for others only last fall, and before that I just worked with mine.