Cisco and EPM – Stage One 2/8/2018

November 11, 2019Posted inCISCO, EPM
My horse Cisco was diagnosed with EPM not too long ago.  All 2017, we thought he had a stifle problem.  We were watching his back toes drag and first a limp on one back leg and then both legs.  During this time, I also became sick with internal bleeding.  My recovery surgery was a great success, but my body was weakened.  Cisco and I both needed rehab.  Cisco improved greatly in the summer and we started riding at James A Reed, short to longer distances.  It was going great.  However, he was nervous on the trek away…

Cisco EPM Story- Stage 2

November 11, 2019Posted inCISCO, EPM
Cisco EPM Great News on the Cisco health story. Cisco visited Dr. Randy Huenfield on Monday, 7/23/18. Dr. Randy was very pleased. Cisco was in better physical shape than was expected. Cisco did not need any acupuncture treatment. All his points were clear. We had some minor chiro adjustment what you would expect from a well horse. One day of rest and I rode him. There are muscles in his hind leg that are weaker. The EPM affects rear end muscles normally used, so other muscles have to compensate. That…

My Days are Special – Emma, Cisco and Fancy

October 26, 2018Posted inCISCO, City Dog, Emma, EPM, Fancy, Missouri Fox Trotter
I just got pictures from Florida showing Cisco's arrival! Cisco just traveled 1300 miles in a trailer. Tony Vaught made a special trip to get him. Cisco had gone into laminitis danger with his weight gain on the high sugar grass in Missouri. Horses get a version of sugar diabetes by eating too much sugar which is rampart in Central Missouri grass. This is called insulin resistance in horses.  Horrible pain called laminitis can result which heats up the bones in their foot to the temperature of a 400 degree…

“Powder Perfect” Spring Show 2018

June 18, 2018Posted inCISCO, Powder
I showed Powder at the 2018 Spring Show. I was thinking about how different it was showing an experienced horse who knows more than me, compared to showing Cisco his first year. At the end of my reining patterrn, the judge summed it all up for my Cisco experience. At the completion of the pattern. I went over to show the judge Cisco’s bridle. He said, “Well, you lived through it.” I lived through Cisco’s first year of showing. That was the goal. Riding Powder was an experience on the…

Love, Language and Leadership – Not There Yet with Fancy!

February 27, 2018Posted inCISCO, Fancy, Missouri Fox Trotter
Those are the three core words that guide my life with horses. This is a story about the invisible feel and bond between my beloved Cisco and I. Fancy is in round pen training with Cisco and I. Cisco and I show Fancy how to respond to my “language”. My desire is for the horse to come to me from several feet up to 20 feet from me. My signal is to bend my head to the side and focus my eyes at the flank area. My focus should communicate…

Farrier Day for Cisco and Fancy

December 20, 2017Posted inCISCO, EPM, Fancy
Farrier Day! We did not have a Fancy training session before the trim! She did argue just a bit when he was holding her front leg. When she argued, she was off balance and fell on her front knees. That was a huge learning lesson for her. She did not argue at all during the back leg trim. Fancy was in the round pen for a long time during Cisco’s trim, Tony rode Cisco and after, he reshod one back hoof. I let Fancy out of the round pen and…