Quinn and Leo getting some exercise on a beautiful fall day.
Quinn and Leo getting in some exercise on a beautiful fall day. Ivan thought it was exciting.
Sammie and China
Sammie and China learning to ground drive. Perfect fall weather today!
I had the privilege of teaching this young lady for 10 years before she left for college. Now she runs the stable for me during the summer when she’s on break. Lots of great memories!
Whiskey and Sam
When it’s too hot to ride, there are plenty of other things to do. Samantha is desensitizing Whiskey to arrows in case we do mounted archery.
Playtime
Nick, my chestnut 35 year old, playing with Hero this morning. Play is a very important component for the horses around here. Hero is only 22 by comparison. His front feet are bothering him a little bit but you can see he is still engaged with Nick. I try to make sure Nick gets some playtime every day with somebody, usually Hero. There’s no way he could cope in the herd due to his age and attitude. He doesn’t know he’s 35. That would get him in trouble for sure. I love how he rears up near the end. My old guy still has “it,” whatever it is.
I think my friend, Dill, has the right idea!
Video courtesy of Hannah Yaiser.
The grass eligible horses were feeling pretty spicy in this cooler weather. Actually, cool for us humans but perfect temps for horses.
Julie and Ivan practicing jambette.
Julie and Ivan practicing jambette. 
Whiskey Rose has been with us for just under a month now. I am sure internally it has been a difficult transition for her. She was taken away from her other two herd mates and her human, who she was quite attached to. Horses form deep emotional bonds and being taken away from all they know is not easy. She has become very tight with Daisy, the palomino, and was displaying anxiety when out of sight of her. This week I have observed Whiskey becoming much more independent of Daisy as I observe her herd interactions. It helps that Whiskey is grazing in the center of the track and Daisy stays on the track. Last night when I called the horses in off the grass, Whiskey took her sweet time and strolled in about 15 minutes after everybody else while I was feeding. That independence was a huge step for her.
We have done a little bit with introducing Whiskey to R+ training. Our first attempt was in the indoor arena, where there are no bugs, but that proved too stressful for Whiskey Rose. She could easily see Daisy out the door, but there was too much distance. Our next try was in the outdoor arena. As you can see, Whiskey often checks to make sure Daisy is nearby on the fence line. However, my student did manage to get a few steps of hand targeting with her. That same day, we did a little bit of targeting with the ball on the stick as well. Little baby steps with only what she can handle. Change is never easy for any of us. 
My student and friend, Connie, learning how to longe with positive reinforcement. Ivan is a good teacher and is moving well for 18 years old. I especially like that he is more relaxed than when traditionally longed and lifts his back. Special thanks to his partner, Cindy, for letting me use him in Connie’s lesson.
Samantha and China working on various agility obstacles today. Sam would like to help a friend with a spooky horse. We’ve spent the last couple lessons working on how she can help a horse gain confidence using R+. Last week China was quite sure the flag was out to get her. This week no big deal.