Goose- Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society

14/08/2024

Who does Goose get along with?
He currently stays with my other training challenge horse Pollyanna who is a mare. He gets along good with her and tends to be herd boss, but is not an aggressive herd boss.
He has also been turned out with another gelding who was the bossy type. He got along good with him as well but the other gelding was the herd boss in their group.
He is also turned out with a show cow who he gets along with well also.
Overall he's an easy going guy around other horses and should get along with just about anyone! He's also been turned out by himself and was not bothered by not having a buddy with him.

What type of trailer will Goose load in?
He has been hauled in an open stock type trailer and also a slant load trailer with a dark inside. The slant load trailer has a much smaller door than the stock trailer, so he was a little unsure about loading in it at first but is getting more comfortable with it the more he practices.

13/08/2024

Goose would like to call this activity "PUT THAT THING BACK WHERE IT CAME FROM!" 😆
This was our 2nd day working with the flag/banner and today was MUCH better than yesterday. He's not quite comfortable with the banner touching him past the shoulder yet but did much better with the noise and was ok with it touching him on the shoulder.
He was a little more reactive with it being on his right side compared to left so we will keep working on that.

09/08/2024

Check out another one of our Bluebonnet friends that will be available for adoption in October. He's getting experience having ropes swung around him already and how can anyone resist that adorable side ear 😊
https://www.facebook.com/61560109109921/posts/122123731952336970/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

07/08/2024

First ride... ish 😄 this video is actually from last week, the first time sitting on him with halter then we moved to the bridle. We repeated the same exercise today with me spending more time sitting on him and he did relax more today with lowering his head and chewing after getting off and on and sitting on him for a few minutes. My goal before asking for any movement is for him to relax with me in the saddle and not become tense or nervous with me moving around in the saddle.

04/08/2024

Working on saddling while tied. Goose tends to be more comfortable with being saddled in an open space/not tied so we are working on being saddled in the barn and walking to the round pen as well as walking back to the barn to be untacked. Goose works best with taking each new step slowly. I do have him tied with a Blocker ring just in case he spooks or sets back to avoid any accidents or making him more fearful of standing tied while being saddled. Overall he did great and even though he was a little nervous about this new thing, he thought through it and did not become reactive.

02/08/2024

We are working back up to the saddle 💪 Goose still becomes more nervous with the saddle compared to surgincle especially when asked to move out at a trot or lope with the saddle but it is a lot more movement with the stirrups flapping compared to the surcingle. He did eventually relax with the saddle at the walk and trot. He bucked a few times when asked to lope at first but was able to lope/canter both directions without bucking after those first few.
He also lunged with the bit with the saddle on, parked next to the mounting bucket and accepted me laying over his back with the saddle. .
We finished the day with walking back into the barn to be unsaddled while tied.

02/08/2024

We added in the bit with reins. This probably seems like a very small thing from being bridled with the bit to adding in reins but it adds in feeling a little pressure in the mouth that Goose will feel when being ridden with reins and also lets him get used to the extra rein flapping on his side as he lunges

31/07/2024

Check out another one of our Bluebonnet Challenge friends Spruce, he is doing amazing and will also be available for adoption in October 😎

https://www.facebook.com/100093490665022/posts/373843799075306/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

Spruce learning how to ground tie.

30/07/2024

The Bluebonnet Horse Expo & Rescue Horse Training Challenge just about 2 1/2 months away - can you believe it?

For those who don't know about the Expo & Training Challenge, it is a one day event on October 5th in Taylor, Texas that attracts horse lovers from all over Texas - and from several other states. There's presentations from equine professionals, vendors, tack for sale, a saddle auction, kids' stick horse show, horses for adoption, and the Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge. We cram as much horse fun into a day as we can!



This is our only event this year, so that makes it more important than ever that it be successful. The success of the Expo determines how many horses we can help in future years.



We need help to make this event a success.
- We need sponsors. Sponsorships start at just $25 and have varying benefits. We're at about 56% of our goal, so we have a ways to go. You can learn about the sponsorship levels and sign up at http://www.bluebonnethorseexpo.com/blog/sponsors



- If you don't need sponsorship benefits, you could donate. Donations are tax deductible since we're a nonprofit and help put on the event. Donate at https://bluebonnethorseexpo.com/blog/donate/



- Become a vendor. Vendor spaces are just $75 and are located in the climate controlled vendor area right past the entrance - we funnel everyone through the vendor area before they hit the rest of the Expo! We welcome horse/farm/ranch/western-themed art-work, jewelry, home décor as well as tack and equipment. Please no MLM or political booths.



We also take donations of tack, saddles, and horse equipment and would love a horse trailer to auction off again this year! You can contact [email protected] if you have items to donate.

Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society: http://www.bluebonnetequine.org or http://www.facebook.com/BluebonnetEquineHumaneSociety

Bluebonnet Horse Expo: http://www.bluebonnethorseexpo.com or http://www.facebook.com/BluebonnetHorseExpo

27/07/2024

Video 3 ok maybe it's not that scary, I'll get in 😄 this whole session only took about 30-45 minutes from starting with him not even wanting to be near the trailer to getting all the way in and backing out. We just worked on gentle pressure and release as he stepped closer to the trailer since I was working alone. He loaded in and backed out about 5 times. Even with things he's unsure about he's trying so hard to think through it. Way to go Goose!

27/07/2024

Video 2 making progress.. fine I'll touch it but im absolutely not getting in that thing 😆

27/07/2024

Well my plan yesterday was to haul Goose along with a couple other horses to a barrel race to see how he did away from home but.... I was reminded by Goose that not all trailers are created equal 😆.
When I took him to the vet for his yearly I took him in a stock trailer which is very open with a wide door and lots of light. When I went to load him in the horse trailer yesterday, he said heck no I'm not getting in that little black box!
We were short on time yesterday and I didn't want to get in a hurry trying to load him and make things worse so he got left at home and we picked up with trailer loading in the horse trailer today.
FB will only let me post 1 video at a time so first I'll post the video of when I first started today's session. He would not get within several feet of the door of the trailer and was very nervous.

25/07/2024

Goose had a visit from OdiLu Wellness today for a Magnawave session. He surprised me and stood so well for everything! Lots of new gadgets and a new very sweet friend to get used to. He was able to step up on a foot plate, have a wand rubbed all along his body and have the loops draped over him from his neck to his rump. OdiLu Wellness is so kind and she is offering FREE Magnawave sessions for current Training Challenge horses in Dallas area.

22/07/2024

We worked on taking a little bit of weight over Goose's back today and getting him used to someone stepping onto a step/bucket beside him. Since he is pretty tall it's important to get him used to someone using a mounting block or bucket to mount up. I did the same exercise with leaning over his back on both sides and he did really well even on the right side. In this video he is a little distracted by Wyatt walking through the gate to catch his horse, but he stood very relaxed before the video was taken.
I guess I'll have to do some brainstorming to make my bucket a little taller to actually lay all the way over his back 😅 lol

20/07/2024

Goose lunging with the surgincle. This may seem like a small step from hand walking with the surcingle to lunging, but each little step forward with Goose staying relaxed is big progress! He was able to lunge at a walk and trot both directions and work on some liberty circles at the walk also.
One thing I have noticed since beginning liberty work with him is that instead of tolerating me being close to him he actually WANTS to be near me. He would now rather stay close to me than be sent away and also comes all the way to me when being asked to join up with lunging. Before we started liberty, he would turn and face me when lunging, but would not take steps towards me. Way to go big dude!

14/07/2024

This year's theme for the Training Challenge is rescue horses are dyno-mite!
Which makes me wonder, if Goose were a dinosaur, what type of dinosaur would he be?!

I think Goose would be an Ankylosaurus 😎
Qualities Goose and an Ankylosaurus have in common include:

💥 Large size
💥 Built like a TANK!
💥 Herbivores more interested in food than bothering creatures around them
💥 Has the ability to take on a T Rex however is typically docile unless needing to defend itself against danger

Picture included for comparison, even though they share similar qualities, good thing Goose is MUCH more attractive than an Ankylosaurus 😉

13/07/2024

Goose picking up all 4 feet. When we first started he would get very nervous about someone being near his hind end and at times would attempt a kick when asking to pick up his hind feet. He's doing so much better staying relaxed when being asked to pick up all 4 feet.

12/07/2024

Check out Blondie doing amazing! Very sweet mare and learning so quickly. 😊
https://www.facebook.com/100093648154234/posts/360393060425630/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

11/07/2024

Goose working on bridling with a bit. He's been bridled with a hackamore/bosal before and did well, but is now working on taking a bit. He's doing so good thinking through new things and not becoming reactive 😊

07/07/2024

Goose working with a surcingle. He was a little nervous about the pressure around his belly at first but then relaxed and we were able to walk a couple laps around the round pen.

03/07/2024

Goose working with a saddle pad. He does tend to be more nervous with people or things on his right side, so we do lots of work on both sides to help with this. Overall he did great thinking through everything!

25/06/2024

Goose loves a good bath and who wouldn't in this heat!

20/06/2024

Combining some liberty andddd desentizing! He tries so hard to please 😊
We have also been working on our liberty circles and draws which he continues to improve with. He's much more comfortable with circles to the left and has always been a bit nervous about someone being on his right side, but on our last training session he was able to do some drawing in with me on his right side.

19/06/2024

Working on some desensitizing over the scary blue tarp/flag. It was eventually less scary going to the right 😆

13/06/2024

Part of the fun of these fb pages is getting to watch the horse and trainer progress but, I
often find myself only wanting to post the better videos or only post the video when the horse has mastered the skill. So here's a video of a trainer struggling to master a new training technique and a horse being very patient and receptive to some not so clear cues 😅
Major respect given to trainers that use liberty techniques regularly because whoo is it hard when you take that halter off!
One thing we have really been working on with Goose is desentizing to the lunge whip. It took a really long time to be able to touch his body without him becoming reactive to the whip when we started. It made him so nervous when trying to lunge him with a whip I stopped using it (this was a mistake). I'm hoping using the whip as a gentle cue with liberty and him associating it with the draws versus always being pushed away as with lunging will help with this.

10/06/2024

If there's one thing I've learned about training horses it's that you never stop learning! I'll be trying out some Liberty training with Goose, which is something I haven't ever tried before. I feel like this will really help build his confidence and connection with me and people in general. Today we worked on yielding the hindquarters and bending. All of our liberty practice will be on the line until we master this and then will attempt some exercises without the halter.
If you have a favorite Liberty trainer you enjoy watching/learning from feel free to comment 😊

08/06/2024

Meet Goose! Goose is a big handsome sorrel QH type gelding with lots of chrome. He stands at 16HH and is 13 years old. Goose has been here with us for a little while since last summer. He can be fearful when meeting new people, however this is improving and was a perfect gentleman on a recent trip to the vet for routine yearly vet care.
Goose tries very hard to please but can at times revert back to reactive mode when he becomes frightened. During the next 4 months my goal for Goose is to continue to build his confidence and focus on desentizing on the ground as well as introduce him to in hand trail obstacles. I would like to see him consistently use his thinking side and realize people are not boogie monsters so that he can be a wonderful equine partner for his future adopters.

05/06/2024

About me: Hi! My name is Courtney Fain and my husband and I own Walking J Land & Cattle. I have been riding horses since around 11 years old and have dabbled in lots of different disciplines including halter, western pleasure, barrel racing, sorting, stock horse & english pleasure. I love learning new training techniques and am always striving to improve my horsemanship. This is my 3rd year to compete in the Bluebonnet Training Challenge and I decided to do the challenge because it is a great opportunity to help a horse with a rocky past find their purpose and a forever home. Both of the horses/ponies I have competed with the last 2 years started out mostly unhandled and fearful of people and transformed into wonderful riding partners. Watching them both push through their fears and previous experiences and work towards developing a loving relationship with people was an incredible opportunity, and I can't wait to do it again this year!
In case you were wondering that handsome sorrel in this picture is Goose! 😊

14/06/2023

Meet Goose my challenge partner. We are still figuring each other out. Goose is a 15.2 hand, 12 yrs. old sorrel quarter horse gelding.

He's a beautiful boy with Chrome! a big white blaze and three big white socks. He has a history of being spooky and has bucked before. He has been examined by a vet and he determined Goose has a sore back. I am going to try somethings to see if it will help his back and work on groundwork to build his muscles. As for his spookiness that is fading as I work with him. I think it just takes some time for him to get to know people. He is settling in and is calming down more and more each day. He has found a love for cookies! and will bend himself into a pretzel to get them! LOL.

My goal with him is a wait and see how he progresses. I will keep pushing the bar with him to see if he can be a riding horse again. If not, he will learn to be a good citizen and friend.