Cisco Trailer Journey

October 9, 2015Posted inCISCO, Missouri Fox Trotter, Parelli
Again I used the 22' rope around his neck. We played the circling game with the concept of not pulling on the rope. These are simple things, but not easy. We have not yet accomplished circling at a trot with the rope loose in my hands. Until he can do this on the 22' rope, perhaps doing it on the 45' rope will either be easier or more difficult. Ha! This is what horsemanship is all about. Guessing, trying, breaking it down into pieces, trying, etc.. Next is trailer loading.…

Cisco-Parelli Level 4 Journey

October 8, 2015Posted inCISCO, Missouri Fox Trotter, Parelli
More trailer today. This time we loaded with the 22' rope around his neck. He loaded at a trot the first couple of times! Whoowee! Same as before, he exploded a couple times when he first loaded. I managed to drop and grab the rope when he exploded out of the trailer. Then he ate a bit of grain, turned around and stayed quiet. I had dropped the rope. I had to figure out how to get the rope in my hands to get him to come out. I didn't…

Trailer Loading-Carrot Stick Riding-Journey to Level 4

October 7, 2015Posted inCISCO, Missouri Fox Trotter, Parelli
Level 4 task is for the horse to load himself into a trailer at a trot or canter (at liberty). I have my 3 horse trailer at home for a while. Cisco and I went to load. With my 14' rope... This trailer is different and makes him nervous. So we had words for me to send him into the trailer...about 10 sentences. Then he panics, turns and runs out. About 5 times of this, he finds the bucket of grain and takes a mouthful before panicking and running out.…

Cisco and the Parelli Journey to Level 4!

October 6, 2015Posted inCISCO, Missouri Fox Trotter, Parelli
Surely everyone in the world knows that Velvet, Sage and I completed the Parelli Levels Journey from Level 1 to Level 3.  If you don't know that story, please buy the book and read about it!  Susan Fox Trotter.  The Level 3 pass occurred some many years ago, 2001.  I've been involved with a few horses since that amazing accomplishment, but the desire to return to the levels journey never came back. Until now. I blinked and the perfect horse appeared in my pasture.  Cisco, my raffle win, is the…

Winning Cowgirl of the Day Award

September 27, 2015Posted inCISCO, Missouri Fox Trotter
Missouri Fox Trotter World Celebration 2015 This is Cisco's third ever horse show and it's the big one.  We were planning on showing at the Spring Show in June, but he developed a coughing allergy at that show.  My diagnosis after some experimentation is allergic to moldy sawdust.  Sadly, the coughing continued from June till August.  No riding. No ground work.  Just cough medicine and cough supplements.  Finally, he was cured enough to ride.  Cured enough in August, about thirty days before the World Celebration.  I rode him and noticed…

Day 2 in Round Pen – Body Language is Loud and Clear

August 22, 2015Posted inLucky Star, Missouri Fox Trotter
I took all three horses into the round pen today.  We (they) got to run around the round pen according to the rules-of-round-pen.  Of course Lucky Star knows the rule of round pen, so when he asked to come into the middle with me three times, I let him.  The girls ran around for a while.  I stopped them and they were about 30' away from me.  I made the round-pen body language "sign" saying, "Come to me". One of these horses is a retired mare.  Her life from her…