✨Third required post✨
What a ride these past almost 100 days have been! The ATFO competition is in less than a week and while I’m nervous, I’m also excited!
Ziti has come a long way the past 3 months but unfortunately she is just not a “100 day horse”. I plan to take the competition day by day with her and see what all she can handle without pushing her too far 🙂
She’s really started to open up and become more accepting of new things! With some more time I think she’ll be something special for sure!
In no way shape or form is Ziti a dangerous horse but she is not what would be considered as “safe”. She has her moments where she can be very reactive and spooky both in saddle and on the ground still . People are also still a big hurdle for her, trying to sway a horses opinion on humans after almost 7 years of being completely unhandled is not always the easiest 😂
If she’s pushed too hard, too fast she very quickly starts to mentally shut down. That’s why, compared to others, Ziti doesn’t seem as far along. I’ve tried my absolute hardest to go at her pace and only push her when I know she can handle it. Lots of groundwork and only asking for a walk both on a lunge line and under saddle. As of now, asking her to pick up speed seems to get her mind going in the wrong direction so I have occasionally only asked for a trot here and there for short periods of time to keep her relaxed.
We had a difficult time in terms of her health as well, seeing as she was sick for a couple weeks and I think stress when she first arrived and started beginning work played a role as well. She’s picked up a lot of weight in the past couple of weeks though and is slowly building some muscle tone as I’m able to add more work to her schedule!
Z’s adoption level as of now is an advanced rider only and it’s an absolute must that her training continue after the competition. If she doesn’t get adopted, she’ll be coming back home with me to cont
✨Second required post✨
#hopteamziti
#atfo2023
Just another boring riding video of Z, working on nose control and good brakes, with a few of my favorite pictures of her!
This horse really has come a long way looking back at some moments we had when we first started. Don’t get me wrong she still has her moments and has a ways to go but she has really started to trust me and open up rather than act so shut down…it’s an incredibly rewarding feeling.
We have a little over a month until the competition and while we’re not as far as other competitors, the progress and confidence this girl has built in herself beats any score or placing she’ll ever get 🫶
I’m going to continue taking things at her pace and making sure she’s ready and able to accept her forever person soon 🥰
Here is our technical from today! Some key notes:
• Brutus obviously doesn’t think trotting in hand is very important 😂
• OF COURSE I would be the one to almost lose my hat 🤦♀️
• He is still learning to side pass but he’ll get there with more work!
• I purposefully skipped the fly spray because that still makes Brutus extremely nervous and stresses him out to the point that anything else I pick up freaks him out for a minute and I didn’t want too ruin the whole technical because of it!
• Brutus knows how to step next to a mounting block but decided he didn’t want too this time 🙄😂
• Brutus just couldn’t get his feet on that platform but in his defense it was a little small 🤣
• As you can see Brutus gaits around very well but when it comes to his lope he’s hard to keep in a circle pattern and doesn’t stay as relaxed. This will continue to improve with more riding and training of course! 🥰 (let’s not forget that this horse refused to lope for the longest time lol)
• I made an extra lap around the pattern because I’ll admit that I lost my train of thought but I also wanted to calm Brutus down and bring his mind back to me
All in all, Brutus did very well and I let my nerves get the best of me which in turn probably made him a little nervous as well! For never being hauled to this type of environment, he’s handled everything like a champ 🤩
#hopteambrutus
#atfo2022
Big thank you to Kyndra Mae for this PEMF session on #hopteambrutus and also #hopteamviona! We want these guys feeling their best for the big competition! 😊
Also, turn your volume up on the last clip to hear just how much Brutus absolutely loved his session! 😂
Just a little glimpse at his personality, he really is such a goof 🤣
Be on the lookout for a video update of Brutus’s transitions! The rain here in Kentucky has made everything a muddy mess so please be patient with me 😅
I’d like to take the time to once again thank our supporters/sponsors:
• Charlotte Priddy
• Clea Ranson
• My Aunt Beth 🥰
• Danny Tharp with 3D Concrete
• Jordan Snelling
• Probios
• Sarah Shippobothom
If you’d like to donate I have a wishlist pinned to this page or a venmo @ https://venmo.com/code?user_id=2918617804963840966&created=1658937593.4115539&printed=1
#hopteambrutus
#atfo2022
This is our 2nd required post for the Appalachian Trainer Face Off which means we’ve hit 60 days of training for Brutus! So I thought I’d share a video of Brutus’s very first time being rode through an obstacle course, with all its imperfections 🤓
Brutus is an 8 year old gaited cross gelding that would love a home with lots of trail riding and could excel in trail/obstacle work!
My favorite thing about this big guy is that not a lot scares him and he does anything I ask of him, even if he is nervous he thinks it through and just goes on! He really does have a gentle, old soul ❤️
What we’re currently working on:
🐢 Right now Brutus struggles a bit with leaving other horses on a trail or just no longer being able to see them so we’re working on a lot of solo work to build better confidence!
🐢 Brutus does have an issue with fly spray that will take time for him to get completely over but he gets better with it everyday!
🐢 As everyone knows Brutus had a problem with his back feet being picked up and worked on, as of now he will pick his feet up and stand for a farrier but will sometimes pull them away or try to step away but with more training I know I can fix this.
🐢 Also, Brutus is still a little weary of his backend and may swing around to face whatever is making him nervous but has no longer tried to kick out. Although that’s not too say if something/someone ran up behind him that he wouldn’t try.
🐢 Lastly, we’re working on learning to follow our nose and gain better body control. He sometimes will try to go around things or go his own way and just needs a simple correction!
We have to remember that most of these horses haven’t had any prior work before this competition and 100 days may not make a dead broke horse so it’s amazing what’s accomplished in that amount of time!
A thank you to our supporters so far that have sent me supplies and money for Brutus, it helps me out greatly! 🥰
Thanks to our sponsor Pro
First Trim!
This was a post I wanted to make before our 30 day update; it deserves its own post just because I was so proud of Brutus man in this moment 🥰
When I first met Brutus at the HOP facility, I was told he had a problem with his back feet being touched and upon bringing him home you could definitely tell he didn’t like anything being by his hind end at all. Although he did kick out at the flag, the water hose and other horses he only did so once or twice 😅
I worked really really hard with him to get him to this point and it took a lot of flag work and trust in each other. My biggest takeaway in all of this was that he never once tried to kick me or anyone else so I knew it was more than likely a fear response and I think once he started to trust me he really let his gaurd down!
I mean this horse stood better for Colby O'Connor than my own grouchy mare ever has! 😂
He was also out in his back end before his chiro visit so we think that could’ve had a little bit to do with him being so wary of his hind end!
#hopteambrutus
#atfo2022
Brutus First Trail Ride!
This is a video I put together of Brutus’s first trail ride that I’ve slacked on posting but here it is!
First off let me start by saying this guy is so level headed that it blows my mind! He acted like he’s ridden trails his whole life! He had no issues leading the way, going over and under so many different obstacles, and heading right into the water! I felt so safe riding him around I almost forgot that it was his first time but nothing spooked this guy at all and he seemed to actual enjoy the trails as much as I did 🤩
The only “issue” I had with him was that he didn’t want to walk through the water without some buddies but I cut him some slack considering it was his first time probably ever going through water like that!
I’m truly so proud of this guy and how good of a horse that he is and is still becoming! 🥹
Big thank you to the Rockin' H Farms and Colby with #hopteammingo for going with me and taking all these videos!
#hopteambrutus
#atfo2022
Brutus Working Cows!
Brutus working some cows on our favorite day of the week! 🤩
Right now the stockyards is the perfect place to get Brutus used to all kinds of sounds and equipment and so far he’s handled them perfectly!
Although I don’t think Brutus is going to make a “cow horse”, I do think he will make the absolute best trail horse or just a horse to mess around on because he just has no fear or concern for anything!
We’re working on putting some pep in his step currently, as he prefers to stay in turtle speed 🐢😂
#hopteambrutus
#atfo2022
This boy loves to roll and he’s so cute doing it! 😍😂
#hopteambrutus
#atfo2022
Chiro and Dental Appointment!
Brutus got his teeth done and some adjusting!
He did so well for Gary and as always Gary is just amazing with our horses 🥰
Although Brutus is riding wonderfully, I think this much needed appointment will help my guy do even better!
Working on putting together some very big video updates so be on the look out 👀
#hopteambrutus
#atfo2022
Brutus at The Stockyards!
A little video of Brutus at the stockyards today! Including a walk down the alley with #hopteammingo! 🥰
Working on getting Brutus to follow his nose and go where he’s pointed! But next week we’re working some cows 🤩
#hopteambrutus
#atfo2022
The easiest horse to catch 🥰
#hopteambrutus
#afto2022
Brutus’s First Bath!
Brutus had his first bath a few days ago and he did really good considering it was his first ever bath!
I may be biased but I think he is so stinking cute 🥺
(No sound on this, sorry!)
#hopteambrutus
#atfo2022
Brutus Week #1 Groudwork
Currently this is where Brutus is with some flag and groundwork! He is also an absolute king at bending and giving to pressure! You’ll notice is left side is his “bad” side and I have to make him move his feet a lot more as he tries to move himself to put me back on his “good” side but he’s come a long way with that within this first week!
Although I don’t have any videos at the moment, we are taking a little longer to understand lungeing as Brutus is actually very lazy and really does not like to move any faster than a walk 🤦♀️
But regardless I am in no hurry with this guy and don’t expect him to be perfect within the first week, with that being said he is actually so chill and such a quick learner that I have to remind myself he’s never been messed with before!
He really is one of the sweetest horses I’ve ever met and you’ll see in the video at one point that he loves to mess with my jeans with his big upper lip as he does with literally everything 😂
#hopteambrutus
