Nova Notebook – Early Days at Pine Dell Farm

December 27, 2005Posted inNOVA
Did I mention that Nova has learned to walk on water and escape from the pasture. That was when the water was ice. Then she learned to walk on real water and escape from the pasture too. The fence guy showed up today. Thank Goodness. When Nova comes home from Pine Dell, she won't be able to escape. Fast forward to Pine Dell. A new training horse is kept in a stall for a day or two while it gets accustomed to the routine. Then the horse is let out…

Nova’s Notebook – First Clinic!

July 16, 2005Posted inNOVA
Nova and I attended a clinic called Young Horse Development. Both Jenny and Tony Vaught were the clinicians. The clinic could be called Extreme Desensitizing & Bonding! Before a horse is ready to ride, can you: Bounce an exercise ball on horse's back? (Tony told us that he doesn't start riding a young horse until he can bounce a ball off the horse!) Play goal as you and a friend roll a big exercise ball back and forth between the horse's legs? Have your horse carry two tied-together garbage bags filled with…

JR’s Journal – JR went to Level 3 Clinic with Linda Parelli

February 17, 2005Posted inJR
    Rosa wanted to attend a Level 3 clinic with Linda Parelli and Rosa doesn't have a horse.  I let her borrow JR.  That means that JR got to be in a L3 clinic with Linda and I didn't. sigh... Rosa came up to Pine Dell to bring JR home and she came up again this weekend to ride with Jenny. She told me that JR did great in the level 3 clinic with Linda Parelli.  She said that Linda Parelli yelled at her several times across the way…

SADDLE FITTING CLINIC

January 22, 2005Posted inMiscellaneous
Ten miracles happened today at Pine Dell farm in freezing weather. Why did 10 people venture out of their warm houses to attend a 3 hour clinic with the temperature around 15 degrees?  Because most of us are just nuts! Our 3 hour Savvy Day lesson was about saddle positioning with shims. First we rode our horses and evaluated how they were going. Then we trooped inside to the warm lounge. We looked at a couple of saddles inside the heated lounge sitting on a barrel. Jenny told us how…