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Shirley's Groups
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Horses and Leadership
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Losing A Horse
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Unauthorized GaWaNi Pony…
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Anxiety & Depression , H…
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Owners and Trainers
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Shirley's Discussions
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What a beauty! Hoping Cash and I make it till he's 20----I'll be 70! That's not real---I just won't think about that and take one day at a time.
This is so sweet even if it is thistles! Cheyenne is so pretty!!
I hope you will let us know how things go.
Hoping the best for you.
Sounds like a good time to have the ferrier out to trim and check it all out. there is no way to guess on this without seeing it. And you don't want to mess with his feet when YOU can see two problems.. No feet/hooves ~~~no horse! If there is a crac…
To go along with this~~~there was just a discussion at my barn last night about whether or not it's good to add a sheet to a well coated pony when it becomes near 0/zero. The pony has not had a blanket on yet this winter but last night he just seeme…
Do you have him blanketed so he's not burning off all his calories trying to stay warm? I'm sure others will have more suggestions.
totally agree!!!! :)
For all those that appreciate beautiful art! Check out Karen Bockus and others web page www.thecoachhousegallery.com Talented Folks & Beautiful Strokes!
I'm glad u shared this Cindy. I can imagine your mixed and frustrated and even probably scared feelings as you wonder what is going to happen to your horses. People often say a dog or a cat is like a part of the family and how sad we are when one of…
Tiffany, I misspoke when I said John Lyons, I had the right person in mind, Monty Roberts when I asked about more of his teaching techniques.
We do have quite a bit of similar thoughts. I am also spiritual minded when it comes to horses. I want them…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVSIDHTOc-g This is a great video about our wild horses with some advice about what we can do to help.
I have been amazed how few people will bother to write and send letters to help out our wild horses. It seems peopl…
Sounds like you are progressing/ Nothing happens over night. This is a journey, a process. I agreed with some of the things sic was saying but I also agree with you that she was going a bit over board, I was turned off by her way of presenting her o…
Profile Information
- About Me:
- I'm the mom of three adult children, happily married to a great guy. I love to travel and recently closed my in home travel agency to pursue my horse passions. Excited about the many horse trails to explore. I love progressing with natural horse techniques on the ground and in saddle.
- Country
- USA
- Do you have any pets?
- "CASH" 8 yr old QH and share "Quilombo" son's pitbull
- Topics of Interest
- Western Riding, General Riding
Shirley's Photos
Comment Wall (137 comments)
- At 12:29am on February 8, 2010,
cheyenne said…
- hey shirley long time no talk!! how have you been?? i havent been on barnmice since i discoverd facebok!! hahah im doing good and so is partytime i havent been riding much latly but i went swiming in the river with the horse and one of my best friends the other day whitch was a lot of fun. it was so deep and it was rite next to the road so everytime a car went past they stoped and talked to us whitch was funny. last weekend a bull got out on the rd at 7 in the morning i went and told the owners who im good friends with and they asked me to help round it up. i was so scarred coz it was as big as party time and wen we started to walk after it. it turned around and charged at us..but party ws so brave and she reared up and attcked it witch probly saved us both. i was so prod of her !! :) well that all ive really been geting up to. hope to hear from you soon
cheyenne
- At 3:25pm on February 5, 2010,
Cheryl said…
- Hi Shirley, Cash is sure looking good! Thought I had already sent this note, but can't see it so am sending again. Cheyanne is such a sweetheart...she is the only foal out of that nice 8 y/o mare I had to put down. Like I said, at first I was not pleased to find out the dam was pregnant, but what a gift this girl has turned out to be. And my old T/B mare is also so dear to me. Am so fortunate, and so grateful...
How is Cash these days? Did he heal up well? Cheryl
- At 4:15pm on January 19, 2010,
Catherine said… - Thanks! Yes, he's really friendly! I definately know what you mean. We have a great time riding but I love the quite time we have together. Sometimes I bring a book in his stall to spend time with him but I never get much reading done because he wants all the attention! lol
- At 10:11pm on January 10, 2010,
Geoffrey Pannell said… - Glad to hear Cash is behaving himself for you, we have had 5 days strait of over 35C WITH 3 DAYS OVER 40C so it's dryer that an Afgans sandle here at the moment. Not much horse riding after 9 am just too hot !! Have another youngster to re-start, I broke him in 2 years ago and he's been sitting in a paddock all that time untouched. I'll have to see if I can get some pics up of him later . Took him out on the long reins this morning before it got too hot , went really nicely . The Event season starts in march so I started to do alittle work on Itchy ,having to get up REALLY early to beat the heat . Not doing me any harm though , having a battle with the bulge after xmas hoovering up all the tucker. Cheers Geoffrey
- At 3:20pm on January 8, 2010,
Shirley said…
- It's Friday! The week-end off! I hope you will be able to go for a drive & see your guy.
This week has been 20's (F) as a high & chill at 0 often. Once I'm in the barn it's pretty warm so if I keep moving it doesn't feel terribly cold.
The ice must be especially challenging for you. Is your leg fitting better & more comfortable? I hope so!
With it being so cold, I've been trying to stay home every 5 days or so. This worried need to go check Cash isn't good. It is a short drive but when it's icy heading out on the curvy road isn't very sensible. Even the people with the 4 wheel drive trucks come much less then I do. It's not just the worry that brings me, I do get such a pleasant sense of peace there taking care of Cash and the others as much as I can.
I have been spending part of each day writing letters to try to keep the wild horses free. They did call off one round-up yesterday but the large one of 2500 horses is moving on now.. So far they have gathered about 400. One stallion escaped by getting over a six foot gate (after falling and getting his underarm caught up on the top) Once he finally got over he had to go thru a barbed wire fence to be free. They do not know how bad he is hurt but his whole family was left in the pen. Absolutely sickenlng. And, they don't know what they are going to do with all these horses once they are gathered. They 'say' they are going to send them to large pen areas in the mid-west. They already have 33,000 penned up in Nevada or Utah. The government spends ooooodles of money doing these round-ups and then more $$$$$$$$$$ keeping them in pens indefinitely. They WERE talking about sending some to slaughter but FOR NOW that discussion has been shelfed. I have no doubt it will raise it's ugly head again. It's so sad and maddening cause if they'd just leave them alone things would be okay except the cattle ranchers wouldn't like them free on public graze lands. Money talks! Even when it's whispered to keep the lies hidden.
- At 2:51pm on January 8, 2010,
Shirley said…
- She is willing to ignore which side I put the saddle on from and holding the horn. So with those issues behind us we are progressing again. I don't think either really matters in making me a good horsewoman. And I'm enjoying my lessons. That little distance between the mane and horn makes everything in my balance feel way off. Of course with any added tension every little thing feels exagerated. As I relax, I can work on that. Last week we worked on paddling my feet while riding. Cash loved it and then he'd move nicer and more willing so "Yes"! This is really where we needed to continue from. This is right where we were with my original instructor when she took time off from giving lessons. She took 6 weeks off cause she was feeling burnt out. She just is coming back to doing lessons but for now I'm going to stay with the Parelli instructor cause in the long run that is what I want. To progress with the ground stuff too which the 1st lady is not into at all. My personality meshes more with the first one but am doing fine with the Parelli gal and we are sorta just getting to know each other. I've had two ground lessons and 2 riding lessons. I'm not using a bit -just the Parelli halter and lead for reins. I have it rigged for a rein on each side rather then one rein but try to use only one at a time. It just feels right. For some reason I relax more and don't feel a need to grab the horn as often. I'm still way behind where I was at my previous barn. I hope one day it will just start feeling right for us and things will be much easier from then on. It's hard to progress at all if you can't keep the horse going. That has always been the biggest thing for us. How do you develope a good seat when they stop every few yards. I'm back to useing the string to hit myself and then Cash if he doesn't go by my seat request.
I don't remember parelli saying to start looking back when mounting. I'm focused on Cash & not really 'looking' but I'm very aware of my surroundings.
- At 2:17pm on January 8, 2010,
Shirley said…
- HI good to hear from you! I hope the new year will be a good one for you and Cooper and that great husband of yours.
The trick training DVD's arrived but are a weird situation. The play nice as far ans viewing and there is music but you can't hear the lady. She is obviously talking and instructing but you can't hear her. They did reimburse all my money including shipping and said I didn't need to return them. I was told they are probably 'boot-leg' and not reproduced properly? I have no idea. The Brannaman DVD is interesting. It's actually of a clinic he was doing with a few people. He was a wonderful kind hearted man and it comes thru when he's instructing. That has a little scratching or something so that it doesn't play real well in places and they reimbursed all my money on that too which I did not ask for.
I like doing any learning off DVD's with someone else so we can help each other to see little things that can make a huge difference but so far that has not been an option with no one else interested.
I'm finding the cold is bothering a bit more this year but I think it's mostly because my inner heater is burning cooler. I hope that will come to be so in the summer too cause the hot weather is a iller for me.
Initially I was taking turns on which side I mounted but gradually I just quit doing that over time. Getting on and off from opposit sides wouldn't bother me. But I can barely get that heavy saddle up and on Cash nicely doing it with muscles I have built up over the past few years. So when I tried to do it from the opposite side I pulled some muscles and was very sore. I'm still dealing with some pulled muscles or something cause there is alot of tension in my shoulders. No more of that for now. As far as holding the mane rather then the horn, I know this is how they teach it and I do see logical safety reasons for that BUT, I told my new Parellie Trainer that it's just not worth stressing me out 'more' at the beginning of each lesson. Continued:
- At 12:51pm on January 8, 2010,
Coopersmom_1958 said… - Happy New Year to you & Cash!!
Sounds like the trick training dvd's will be fun, have you got them yet and started them?
Like you, I have been watching and reviewing the Parelli & Jonathan Field dvd's over and over, as well as at the parellisavvy site. I am seeing little things I missed that might help me when I ever get back to it. Cooper really was doing so well with his training before I moved. It's going to be spring before I get back into training. I usually love the cold for working in but this year seems to be affecting me differently. Guess having no arena will do it too!
You wrote about mounting on opposite side and holding the mane. Parelli says to saddle from indian side (right), learn to mount from both sides and to hold the mane and not the horn. They also say to face the rear at start, grab handful of mane, put foot in stirrup and bounce yourself around into position to be facing forward and looking through his ears, then you are in correct position to mount. I really have been wanting to try this at my lessons but instructors say it is wrong and you have to face forward!! And I haven't been to lessons for 4 weeks, oh boy!
I may have a hard time mounting on the right side too as my knee is bad on that leg :( But if we keep trying and with time we do get stronger and able to eventually do it easier.
I still haven't got to see much of Cooper, with the leg and all.
Guess I better get back to work, it's almost 1 p.m. here and in the office. Boys are out for lunch so I get to play on computer LOL
Take care and talk soon
Margaret
- At 1:11am on December 28, 2009,
Shirley said…
- I'm very glad someone was there to help you with the stirrup and that you didn't fall. When I had surgery on my ankle and rode with my cast on, I did a similar thing and slid off the mounting block and right underneath Cash. How did Cooper handle the situation?
Maybe by next winter a better solution for you and Cooper will surface so you can be closer. I sure hope so!
We have a new teenage rider with a new horse at our barn. She is going to some pony club things and has some fun ideas to play around with. I'm hoping maybe she'll let me hang out with her a little. Alot of horse people aren't as sensitive about the age thing but then others are. We'll see how it goes.
I hope something happens to get Cash and I back on a progressive path SOON!
got a set of DVDs on Horse Trick Training and I think that might be fun for both of us too. And I have been reviewing my Parelli packs and will get back on that path for sure...even if it's on my own.
I always find the holiday season difficult. I just get burnt out and nothing about it seems to be as it should be. So u have at least one person on your side with that. But I do hope you had some nice things happen too for your memory file.
Please keep in touch and I hope you find a way to see Cooper more cause I know how good that is for improving the funks!
- At 12:52am on December 28, 2009,
Shirley said…
- Hi Margaret! Good to hear from you. Sorry you sound in a funk. A big funk. Things gotta start going better soon for you. I hope they get that new leg fixed the best you've ever had one feel! Dec. 31 would be a great time to get it too! Start the new year off right.
Sounds like you think maybe the traditional training isn't helping Coopers attitude? Very possible. It is so hard to leave our guys in the hands of someone else.
Cash was in his stall too much with his sore leg and he's gotten a little cranky with me. A lady at the barn suggested not visiting with him for a couple of days or at least just do what I had to do and then leave him to himself for a bit. So I've only played with him 1 day in the past five days and today I didn't even go see him. I was in a big funk. Tomorrow I have my third session with a 1 Star Parelli Instructor. So she is certified to do the online things only. We've done one online session and then one riding lesson (not certified but allowed) Tomorrow we will be doing a session of on-line and then a riding lesson. She had to do 50 free hours online with different people/horses to finish her certification so I don't have to pay for those two hours and she is doing an hour with another gal at our barn tomorrow when Cash and I are done. She wants me to saddle from the opposite side, and use the mane to mount rather then holding onto the saddle. I am not liking the idea of holding the mane cause it just starts my whole ride out feeling really off and that isn't what I need at this point to start feeling more comfortable again. I think the program directs you to mount from the opposite side as usual. I figure we are sort of in a trial period right now and if it doesn't feel right then I won't continue. The lady that WAS helping me has taken some time off and I'm not sure when she's going to restart. She makes me feel really good in the saddle and our lessons always have ended with Cash and I both feeling really good about things. Con't~~
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