JR’s Journal – First Experience with THE GAIT

November 23, 2001Posted inJR
Jenny and JR have spent time just passenger riding which JR choose to do at a walk.  The emergency stop or bend to a stop was instituted before JR moved.  Then they added direction with reins, stopping, backing, fore and hindquarter turns.  I know that Jenny has asked for the soft feel and probably have done a little sidepassing. Our philosophy is to FIRST get JR to be a versatility horse and learn the athletic moves plus flying lead changes.  After this is accomplished, we were going to help JR…

JR’s Journal – Jenny’s Opinion

November 23, 2001Posted inJR
JR’s proud Daddy came over to see him and Jenny wanted to show us how she first gets on a colt. She gets on the colt bareback. In case she has to suddenly bail off, there’s no stirrups, horn, etc preventing immediate ejection! Jenny got a small stool and stood by JR’s side. He moved and she went through about 3 minutes of moving him around until he was very grateful to stand still. She jumped up on his back and just hung there, rubbing him all over with her…

JR’s Journal – First Day of School

November 23, 2001Posted inJR
  JR is a coming 3 years old. It is time for him to go off to kindergarten. I waited till late Sunday afternoon and bundled him up in the trailer for the trip to Pine Dell farm…7 miles away. Velvet was told that she would have to give up her stall for the time being and become a pasture horse. Velvet thought that was great, until she realized that her personal food service delivery had ended!     I put JR in his stall and gave him hay. I…

JR’s Journal – Who Gets to Start JR?!

November 23, 2001Posted inJR
"Since you’re an advanced student now, I bet you are starting your own horses." "Why aren’t you starting your own horse? You’ve done all the ground work, haven’t you?" "Why are you paying someone else to start JR? He seems really tame?" Here’s my reply: I have access to "natural" professionals who start colts. These professionals give the colt the best start on the road to becoming a saddle horse. If you had choices for your children as to where they would start their schooling, wouldn’t you give them the…

Velvet – flying lead changes

November 12, 2001Posted inVelvet
I've been coached while doing flying lead attempts for 4 years. I've reached almost Master's Degree in flying lead changes. Jenny, the coach, always sez, "Squeeze with your right/left LEG" at the magic moment when changing directions. And that's exactly what I have done all these years. I have squeezed with my entire leg. Actually, I've pressed my entire leg on the side of the horse. What good do you think that has done? This is like the difference between the web halter and the rope halter. DUH This is…

Velvet – Level 2 clinic with Jennifer Vaught

October 27, 2001Posted inVelvet
The day was sunny and bright. It was warmer outside in the sun than in the indoor arena, so we were outside all day long. But it was cold in the morning, so we started out in the heated lounge. We had a knot tying class...we learned 4 knots. We got our circulation started with balancing games. Jenny had purchased a round board with a bump in the middle. The object is to stand on it without the edges of the board touching the floor. Then we had to stand…