Cisco 2016 Post Parelli Summit

I went to the 2016 Parelli Summit for one and maybe two reasons. I went to learn more horsemanship so I could be a better human for Cisco and because it was the 20 Year Anniversary! I attended all three days Of David Lichman's breakout sessions on advanced liberty training. His mentors have been Pat Parelli, a circus Liberty horse act performer and the woman who invented the clicker training with dolphins. You can't get much better mentors than that! I learned more advanced techniques in how those experts communicate…

Lucky Star’s AKA Name is Always Adventure

I let a beginning rider have a beginning rider lesson on Lucky Star.  We went through the required seven games and some required rules before mounting.  That went well.  Our rider mounted.  I did neglect to give the rider the mandatory mounting rule, but it went well.  Now the signal to walk forward was given and Lucky's response was ears back in protest.  We tried the turning on the hindquarters and then walking forward.  That is when Lucky decided to move and place his front feet in front of the…

First Cisco Trail Ride

Cisco had thirty days with Nichole Hack to prepare him for me.  I took my first ride and it was a good one.  Cisco came home and I took him to my favorite summer arena to get better acquainted.  I rode him in a clinic with Jenny Vaught.  We were doing great.  I started trusting him to take care of me. Friend Chas called and wanted me to go on a trail ride with her.  Gulp!  My first trail ride with Cisco.  I said yes and the deal was made.…

Fix the Cisco Love

it happens. You go to get your horse. Your horse turns away and leaves you. I want my horse to come to me and anticipate our time together. My last post was news that Cisco turned his back to me. I was spurned. Yesterday, I went out to feed the hungry horses. I offered to let Cisco out of the horse pasture. I opened the stall door. He looked at me, turned his tail and left me hanging. Sadly, we had a major lesson coming up. Practice on the gaits…

Cisco the Teacher

I learned a lot from Cisco today.  The big lesson is how to get really high stacked hay bales down on the ground.  I've got hay stacked in my barn.  Stalls are on one side and hay is on about half of the other side.  The hay is stacked about four bales over my head.  So it takes about four bales to equal my height and then add four bales on top of that and you picture the hay tower.  I've misplaced my gadget to drag a bale off the…

Fox Trotter Rough Fox Trot-Smooth it Out

A Missosuri Fox Trotter has a lot of options on where to place his feet while moving forward. There might be as many as 12-15 different names for the two forward gaits that are unique to "gaited"horses. Cisco was born with a bouncy 2nd gait. He was born with a tendency to hard trot. This is the normal trot that non-gaited horses have. We gaited people don't like that suspension bouncy gait. We gaited people want smooth, non-bouncy. Bouncy fox trot vs hard trot Discription: If you bounce out of…