We went to Bastrop, TX yesterday and the wild flowers are just beautiful up there!! They also have lots of green grass with all the rain they have been getting. We feel so lucky to live in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.
The reason we were in Bastrop was because Jereny, Donna, Jackie, and Stephanie participated in Cowgirl Weekend and we went to support their team. All these women bring their living quarters trailers and camp on Friday night and then do the rodeo Saturday and Sunday. They have a great time visiting with the rest of the women and then participating in the rodeo on Saturday.
They all did pretty good. Jereny rode Junior, who is about twenty years old. He is a horse who believes you shouldn’t hurt yourself by running or putting out extra effort. Donna rode her husband’s mustang “the famous Shasta”. Stephanie rode a rescue horse she adopted named Sunkist, who has had very little riding and did quite well. Jackie rode her horse Harley. We had beautiful weather and lots of sunshine and had a very good time visiting with friends.
When people who practice Natural Horsemanship watch people who do more traditional horsemanship, sometimes there are questions, shock, and down right hostility. We had a lot of questions about why people were doing things. As Natural Horseman, we want to influence people our way. Here is what seems to work best for Jere and I to handle the controversy. We don’t want to make people mad at us, or turn them away, and we want them to figure out that there is a better way than make and force. It does no good to argue or confront. The only thing that works is to go ahead and do our own thing, do our ground exercises and riding warm ups and then go compete and do well. Then people will be asking if maybe our methods will work for them.
Hope you have time this week to enjoy this nice weather!
Monday, March 19, 2012
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Aspen Finds a Home
This week, Aspen's adoption was completed. We hauled her to her new owner and we think she will be very happy there. (If horses are happy!!)
Susan and Don are her new owners and Susan said she has been wanting a horse her whole life. They have a big place and pasture (if it ever rains) for her to run in. Eventually, they will probably get another horse for Aspen to be with. Susan wants to learn Natural Horsemanship so we will be teaching her how to work with Aspen. Aspen was a favorite with both us and Stephanie, her Bluebonnet contact, as she was so nice to work with.
Susan and Don are her new owners and Susan said she has been wanting a horse her whole life. They have a big place and pasture (if it ever rains) for her to run in. Eventually, they will probably get another horse for Aspen to be with. Susan wants to learn Natural Horsemanship so we will be teaching her how to work with Aspen. Aspen was a favorite with both us and Stephanie, her Bluebonnet contact, as she was so nice to work with.
Friday, November 4, 2011
The Bluebonnet Horse Rescue Expo
We participated in the Bluebonnet Horse Rescue a week or so back. This is the third year we have participated and the Expo is growing steadily. This year there were lots more vendors and eighteen clinicians and demonstrations to watch. There was everything from drill teams to horse clinicians to vaulters. It was very interesting. There were many more vendors and while the adoptions were down a little, because of the drought and economy, there were lots more people at the Expo. This Expo promises to be bigger and better in the future. There is no other big Expo in this area and that makes more people come to it. Make plans to go next year. It only cost $5 to get in and this is Bluebonnet’s main fund raiser.
Jere did a demonstration on personalities of the horse. A couple of his students chose several horses that were there to be adopted and he told what kind of personalities they had and what to do for each of the four personality types. He was in the outside arena, but even so had quite a few in the audience.
We would like to thank all of our students, friends and family that showed up to support us. We got to visit and they were a lot of help. We sure appreciate you all.
Jere did a demonstration on personalities of the horse. A couple of his students chose several horses that were there to be adopted and he told what kind of personalities they had and what to do for each of the four personality types. He was in the outside arena, but even so had quite a few in the audience.
We would like to thank all of our students, friends and family that showed up to support us. We got to visit and they were a lot of help. We sure appreciate you all.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Spending Money With No Return or The Money Pit
October 14, 2011
SPENDING MONEY WITH NO RETURN, OR THE MONEY PIT
Sure is nice to have this beautiful weather we are having!! We do need some more rain, but it has been much cooler and it is really enjoyable. We had one of those ultra light airplanes go over us this morning. It had a multi colored canopy on it and the horses sure watched it. Foxy ran all over her pen and had her head up and really thought it was a giant buzzard, come to eat her!!
This week has been a busy week again for us. We have had lots of lessons, and a couple of clinics. We do have more room for horses to ride though. We have almost finished up the ones we have here. Speaking of getting some use from your horses instead of letting them stay in their stall or pasture all the time………………………….
Jere and I, as proponents for Natural Horsemanship, feel that it is our job to inform people about Natural Horsemanship. One of the ideas Natural Horsemanship embraces is that you should be able to ride your horse, be safe, and have fun. Lots of people we see just go see their horse and feed him a carrot and pet his head and that is the extent of their interaction with their horses for that day. Why do they see him once a week and don’t do anything with him? They can’t handle him!! He runs over them, steps on them, and maybe even bites or kicks. You have considerable money invested in this horse by now. You have moved him into a barn or to your home, had the farrier come and work on him, had his shots, worming and Coggins taken care of and even bought tack and equipment. If you are spending all this money, why can’t you get out there and do something with him? Because you can’t control him! Go take some lessons and do it every week and then practice. Plan some time for him. I know we all have busy lives, but if you don’t have time for him, maybe you don’t need to own him? Horses are living breathing animals, and if he is standing in a stall or pen all the time, this isn’t good for him. We see so many people who have horses they are just paying for, not riding or enjoying and it is an easy problem to fix. Spend time at lessons, clinics and practices and you will be able to go on trail rides or show him or anything else. And you will get some fun out of all that money you spent. Wasn’t that the idea when you got him?!
Next Saturday, October 22, from 9a.m. to 7p.m., we will be at the Bluebonnet Equine Rescue’s Expo at the Travis County Expo Center in Austin. Jere will be demonstrating how to read the personality of the horse at noon in the outside arena. We also have a booth. Drop by and see us. The Expo has eighteen different clinicians and demonstrations, a silent auction, used tack sale, parade of breeds and lots of different vendors. You will find lots of horse stuff to interest you. This Expo is Bluebonnet’s main fund raiser and also a place where you can adopt a horse. There will be about 50 head there that need to be adopted and you can come and look and choose one.
Have a good week and get out there and do something with your horse!!
SPENDING MONEY WITH NO RETURN, OR THE MONEY PIT
Sure is nice to have this beautiful weather we are having!! We do need some more rain, but it has been much cooler and it is really enjoyable. We had one of those ultra light airplanes go over us this morning. It had a multi colored canopy on it and the horses sure watched it. Foxy ran all over her pen and had her head up and really thought it was a giant buzzard, come to eat her!!
This week has been a busy week again for us. We have had lots of lessons, and a couple of clinics. We do have more room for horses to ride though. We have almost finished up the ones we have here. Speaking of getting some use from your horses instead of letting them stay in their stall or pasture all the time………………………….
 |
| The dream team, Sox & Pat |
Jere and I, as proponents for Natural Horsemanship, feel that it is our job to inform people about Natural Horsemanship. One of the ideas Natural Horsemanship embraces is that you should be able to ride your horse, be safe, and have fun. Lots of people we see just go see their horse and feed him a carrot and pet his head and that is the extent of their interaction with their horses for that day. Why do they see him once a week and don’t do anything with him? They can’t handle him!! He runs over them, steps on them, and maybe even bites or kicks. You have considerable money invested in this horse by now. You have moved him into a barn or to your home, had the farrier come and work on him, had his shots, worming and Coggins taken care of and even bought tack and equipment. If you are spending all this money, why can’t you get out there and do something with him? Because you can’t control him! Go take some lessons and do it every week and then practice. Plan some time for him. I know we all have busy lives, but if you don’t have time for him, maybe you don’t need to own him? Horses are living breathing animals, and if he is standing in a stall or pen all the time, this isn’t good for him. We see so many people who have horses they are just paying for, not riding or enjoying and it is an easy problem to fix. Spend time at lessons, clinics and practices and you will be able to go on trail rides or show him or anything else. And you will get some fun out of all that money you spent. Wasn’t that the idea when you got him?!
Next Saturday, October 22, from 9a.m. to 7p.m., we will be at the Bluebonnet Equine Rescue’s Expo at the Travis County Expo Center in Austin. Jere will be demonstrating how to read the personality of the horse at noon in the outside arena. We also have a booth. Drop by and see us. The Expo has eighteen different clinicians and demonstrations, a silent auction, used tack sale, parade of breeds and lots of different vendors. You will find lots of horse stuff to interest you. This Expo is Bluebonnet’s main fund raiser and also a place where you can adopt a horse. There will be about 50 head there that need to be adopted and you can come and look and choose one.
Have a good week and get out there and do something with your horse!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)