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Melody Hills Quarter Horses

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Windham, ME
Melody Hills Quarter Horses

A partnership between horse and rider should feel like a melody.

11/16/2023

Instead of working on our usual weekly homework… we decided to skip right to the extra credit instead… 😅🐴

11/10/2023

What can you communicate to your horse from the end of the lead rope? 🤔

From day one I’ve worked on making Nala a soft horse. To make a soft horse you have to be black and white with them. This doesn’t mean you have to get overly big or dramatic with them. Rather try being more “yes” and “no” in regards to how they respond to what you’re asking of them. Start asking with a light hand and gradually add more pressure until you get a response. Once you get the response release (this is the “yes!”) Then ask again with the light hand and apply more pressure as need on a gradual scale. You’ll gradually start seeing your horse getting lighter and lighter in your hand as they respond to the lighter ask first rather than waiting for you to apply more pressure. You’re simply being black and white while also telling them “yes” and “no.” You ask them a task and the way you release the pressure gives them the “yes.” If you are still applying pressure for them to try the task you’re telling them “no, you’re not quite there but keep trying.” Once they remotely give you any resemblance of the task you asked of them, release the pressure and let them know they are headed in the right direction. We can’t expect horses to understand everything we ask of them right off the bat. It can take some time for them to piece it all together.

Nala can walk forward, halt, stand and back up from the end of the lead rope with out encroaching in my space.
Is it perfect? No.
Is it headed in the right direction? Absolutely! Horse training takes baby steps. There’s no need to rush.

11/09/2023

Nala was perfect for her pedicure tonight! She has come a very long way from when she first came home in May. The biggest key to working through her struggles with having her feet done was simply messing and doing something with them DAILY. She gets her hooves picked daily along with hoof oil applied daily for treatment/preventative maintenance against thrush. She also stays on a 3-4 week rebalancing trim cycle. I like to help maintain, correct and rebalance her angles. I don’t consider this spoiling her in the slightest. How can I expect her to work for me if her feet aren’t comfortable? 🐴❤️

11/06/2023

Nala loved trying out her new Back on Track quarter sheet today! It was one of her gifts she received. 🥰 She was also a rock star while trying out some new ground work games!

11/06/2023

I may be crazy…but…Nala had her very own baby (foal) shower today! 🥳🩷💙

It was a wonderful afternoon full of laughter and support from amazing barn family and close friends. Nala and I are very lucky to have found ourselves such an amazing community to be apart of. 🥰🐴

Nala received some surprise gifts in which she of course helped open. She received foal blankets, a back on track back pad/quarter sheet, plenty of love and of course cookies. You could probably guess which present was her favorite…may or may not involve cookies!🍪🎁

We offered her two cupcakes in hopes she may shed some light on what may be brewing in that belly of hers but even with those sugary temptations she wouldn’t be inclined to telling us. I guess the waiting game continues! (She really did refuse to eat the cupcakes!) 🧁🩷💙

11/05/2023

Nala’s been working very hard on her latest trick “play dead.” She’s quite the natural and even adds the occasional groan. Boy does she take nap time seriously!

📸 Sarah Campbell

10/31/2023

Despite her ever growing baby belly, this little mare has come a long way since May 1st when she came home. Nala gets a forge based diet along with adequate good quality forage. She also gets proper conditioning and a well balanced work schedule. The care she receives at Campbell Ridge Farm is impeccable. From a clean living space, fresh water, attention to detail and unconditional love from everyone around her. I’m so beyond lucky to have such a supportive barn family to oversee Nala’s journey. 🥰🐴

10/27/2023

The last couple of nights have been spent doing some ground work exercises that we learned in our last weekly lesson! The idea behind the exercise is to have balance through transitions while having her be more bodily aware of her transitions. I’ve found great improvement in her balance and her awareness to my cues. As a youngster with a growing body and a spacey baby brain this exercises was a fun way to get her more engaged!

10/23/2023

Despite Nala’s silly faces I do believe she likes her new medium sunflower blanket! She tried it on to ensure it was fitting just right for the Maine winter to come. ❄️🐴

10/20/2023

These are only a glimpse at the stunning Photos that Liz has taken for us. Their is so much emotion behind these photos and a life time of memories. I’m forever thankful to have this mare in my life. ❤️

10/17/2023

Why yes I’m this extra… 💙🩷

10/15/2023

Nala got her very own horse sized Kong! 🐴

10/08/2023

Nala and I went on a solo trail ride today. She rocked everything we encountered! We saw quite a few walkers with dogs. Nala handled walking by unfamiliar people and dogs very well! We walked over the bridges with fallen leaves on them and walked through puddles with confidence! Something about trail rides are just therapeutic!

10/06/2023

It’s exhausting being Nala! 🥱😴🐴

10/05/2023

The other evening I went to the barn later than I usually would and ended up finding Nala snoozing. She allowed me to join her and to love on her. ❤️ She’s so beyond sweet. I adore every moment with her.

10/02/2023

Nala and I did a solo ba****ck obstacle night! Towards the end of the video she even freely picked up her left lead canter! This has been her more difficult lead as it’s not her dominant side. Yes, just like humans, horses have a dominant side! Nala is “right handed!”

09/25/2023

Nala has been working so hard on her lateral work! 🐴

09/24/2023

After some recent blood work Nala has been put on an oral medication. No better time than now to work on a polite way to take oral medication through a syringe!

09/22/2023

Nala played her part in tonight’s ba****ck fun! She’s does pretty dang good for only being 4. Find yourself a crazy barn family that supports you! 💜🐴

09/17/2023

With todays warmer weather Nala got a much needed bath! She’s such a good little bu**er standing ground tied. 😊

09/13/2023

For our first attempt at liberty work Nala nocked it out of the park! 💜🐴

09/10/2023

After some persuasion from true friends, I finally decided to take a step forward on publicly sharing my day to day training a youngster and having our first foal in 2024. At this time I’m only training my personal horse and working under my trainer to gain knowledge. Tag along with me on my journey to becoming the trainer and quarter horse breeder that I someday hope to be.

📸Credit: Kassi Hyde Photography

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Windham, ME
04062

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Videos

Nala’s Maternity Photo Shoot!

Why yes I’m this extra… 💙🩷

Horse Kong! 🐴

Nala got her very own horse sized Kong! 🐴

🍂Fall Trail Rides🍂

Nala and I did a solo bareback obstacle night! Towards the end of the video she even freely picked up her left lead canter! This has been her more difficult lead as it’s not her dominant side. Yes, just like humans, horses have a dominant side! Nala is “right handed!”

Lateral Work Night!

Nala has been working so hard on her lateral work! 🐴

Applesauce and being Polite

After some recent blood work Nala has been put on an oral medication. No better time than now to work on a polite way to take oral medication through a syringe!