Day 3 and a Name change!

Back home at last. After being gone 6 days I felt Ricochet would have forgotten most of what we've learned. Yes he was a little shy, would rather run than be close to me but the face up and turns we're still there. It's Sunday evening, 7 days from the last session so a recap on all things learned were in order. It's really been hot lately and today is no exception. Temp is 96 and it 7pm. Wow, I think we need to do this in the fall! I had to rope him again, this must be the last time for roping and we were back in tune within 30 min's. Being so hot I'd brought in a water hose for a bath if he could stand it and boy did he. Being so shy and enjoying the cool water really confused him I think. Good things just can't come from humans........Yes folks, a bath on the 3rd lesson. After the bath a quick squeegee down and back to work. During my absence I thought a lot about a new name. His demeanor just didn't match his name. I gave lots of thought and I came up with the name that will stick. "PARDON" I've never had a horse or worked with a horse that had such manners. Under no circumstance will he run over you, bump into you, push you or just plain ol' walk into you. This fellow really respects his handler and fellow horses. To see him get in a stressful spot, he can't go back, won't go forward over you and left and right are out of the question so he just stands and trembles til the danger passes. What a gentleman! Plans for this evening was to move him out of the roundpen and into a stall in the barn. His fears would not let him walk into the barn. It was getting late so I just decided to try something he has become really great at. Backing! Whenever Pardon just won't walk thru it, over it, around it, or by it we just back right thru it. And does he do it with style. No pressure on the lead or halter. Just a sigh to back and off we go. We backed down the ally and right into his new stall. No problem. We will work on walking in forward tomorrow. So for the remainder of the evening Hay, sweetfeed, and water and a fan to keep cool by.......OHHHH, what a life.

Day 2, Ricochet continues to impress!

Monday morning came with one more chance to work with Ricochet. I had to leave town for a week today and wanted to get his halter on and off, start leading and work on a little de-spooking today.


Right out he came with yesterdays lessons still fresh on his mind. Left, right, face-up were still in the front of his mind. I did have a little trouble touching him so back out with the rope and we had a lead rope on him within ten min's. My nephew, Daniel was down and he is really interested in the horse training stuff. I started with hands all over his body rubbing face, pole, neck, withers, belly and back and worked down both rear legs to his hocks. Yes, sometimes he would run off but patience paid off as he had a complete rub down. I brought Daniel into the roundpen for some additional human exposure and Ricochet picked up on this quickly. We worked on yielding the hindquarters and facing up even when we walked tight circles. This fellow really did catch on quick! We finished up the day with a short lesson in lunging and again, he fell right into the task at hand. I put him away for the remainder of the week in hopes that his memory was as good as his attention.

School begans!

After arriving home early on Sunday morning, 2 AM I gave my project a little rest until Sunday evening. I had planned on getting the halter off, number tag off, and a little hands on before the day was done. Having only 1 roundpen and 2 mustangs we (Chapin and I) are having to schedule our times so as not to conflict. Chapin was in first and gave me the pen around 7 in the evening so I could have a couple of hours before dark. I picked a name during the ride home for my horse due to his reaction in and around confined areas. In watching him he reminded me of a pinball bouncing off anything he touched. Hence, the name Ricochet came to be.

Ricochet entered the roundpen with purpose. He was a little lost without Chapin's horse, "Razin Cain" in the pen so his focus was on the attached stalls. It didn't take long for Ricochet to pull into my world and he was very quick in facing up. This was really exciting because this can sometimes take 15 min's. With him, in less than 5. Direction change went well after that and he seemed genuinely interested in what was going on. After about 30 min's of left, right, face-up and follow me with his head I decided to put a rope on him to speed things up and go for the touch. Without the rope I was able to get within 10 feet of him. I didn't want to make the same mistake I did with Medicine Man in working til dark and having to deal with that.

So, out comes a new rope my kids game me for Father's day with a Buck Brannoman honda and around his neck it goes. Now, here was a big surprise, no bucking, kicking, snorting, or rude behavior when he felt the rope across his body or the pressure on his neck. (I had already thrown the rope on him several times during the initial roundpen work to kinda de-sensitize him to the new feel). Within 5 min's he was facing up fully and backing away from me when I applied to much pressure with my body. What else could you ask for! Within 30 min's, I was able to touch him on the forehead and a jaw rub. We had several observers that evening so the distractions were very large for this close contact. Our friend Helena decided she wanted to try her hand at this mustang taming stuff so in she comes and gives it a try. One thing I failed to tell her was don't try to hold him when he runs off, wait until the burst is over and have him face back up using the rope. Well, he gave her a real sand ski trip across the roundpen and her poor hands just could take the sliding rope and she wound up with several rope burns. I think she maybe learned a lesson. After a few touches I removed the number tag, removed the rope and gave him the rest of the evening to soak-in his lesson. Monday would bring new and exciting things.

Another horse? Just what I needed!

I just had the fill in the mustang world on a future addition to the Bar T before I get underway with my EMM Mustang. In early May while researching the BLM internet auction site I ran across the seldom seen mustang. A splattered paint, 15.2 hands, 5 years old and looking for a home. This young man was captured in CA 18 months ago and had not made it to an adoption site. Well, as luck would have it I was able to adopt him for a mear $280.00. I arranged shipment via the BLM (free if your willing to wait for them to leap frog your horse from the holding site to a local adoption) to Archdale. While we were in IL picking up our 3 EMM horses we where walking around the site and low and behold, there he stands awaiting transportation to NC . Not having enough room in the trailer or room here at the BAR T until we have these 3 manageable we just had to leave him in IL. I hope to have my EMM mustang well on his way by the time he gets here. I haven't named him yet so if anyone has any ideas just run'em up the flag pole!

Horses Arrive

Welcome all to the next Extreme Mustang Makeover 2008. We've just returned from Ewing, IL with our new gifts from BLM/EMM. The trip up was with much anticipation as to what was awaiting. After 12 hours on the road we arrived at the facility at 9:00 am. We were 2nd in line for our horses so we had some time to look around and check out the grounds. They had alot of horses ranging from weanling's to mature horses separated mainly by age in holding pens. Each pen of adequate size to support the number of horses with no overcrowding. They all had plenty of hay and fresh water. During our walk around we were surprised with 1 horse in particular. A very flashy paint gilding very similar to one I adopted earlier from the Internet adoption site. Well, as fate has it he was the same. I had adopted him in early May and arranged for shipment to our local adoption site here in NC for the annual adoption in July. Well, seems as if they have leap-frogged him to IL awaiting the local adoption here. This really was a pleasant surprise.
OK, own to the draw. Again as last year selection for horses had already been made prior to the trainer arrivals so there would be no favoritism. WE backed up to the pens and had our first look at our new projects. As mentioned earlier we were there for 3 horses. 2 EMM horses and a yearling for the yearling challenge. First out of the pen was a nice yearling, a bay filly with legs as long as a giraffe. That's for Emily and was she happy! 2 down the line was a bold and very stocky chestnut that turned out to be mine. More on him later. And third was Chapin's bay, a 3 year old slender but healthy gilding. As BLM requires a halter was put on all the horses with little trouble. The handlers at the facility were excellent in handling the horses and created a near to none stressful environment for the mustangs. Horses loaded and back on the road. We decided to stop a couple of hours down the road after they had settled in for a little hay and water. The trip went well afterwards and they ate and drank for the entire ride home. We arrived back at the Bar T around 1:00 AM and released our new friends directly into the round pen for sorting out later after a few hours of sleep.

Mustang Makeover # 2

Hello mustang enthusiast, it's been a while since the last post so lets bring you up to date. We've, that is Emily, Chapin, and myself have all been selected to participate in the 2008 Extreme Mustang Makeover to be held at Ft. Worth 18-22 September. Chapin and I were selected for the Makeover and Emily was selected as a yearling trainer. This years Makeover will consist of 200 mustangs and trainers and we will be competing for over $50,000 in prize money. That in itself has brought out some really superb trainers throughout the nation. North Carolina this year has 8 trainers going for the gold with 2 being returns from previous makeovers. Myself and Dave Robart, a reining trainer from the coast. Dave participated in the Mid-west challenge held in April and faired quite well placing 1st in the overall competition and came back for the run off and finished 3rd.

We will leave out Friday evening for our trip to IL to pick up our mustangs and hope to be back in Pittsboro by late Saturday evening. As last year's challenge anyone is welcome to come by the BAR T to visit and meet these wonderful horses and watch their progress. Keep us in your thoughts as we travel north for a safe trip and return!

Update from the Bar T

Well folks, its been a couple of months since Medicine Man has gone to his new home and things are really working out well for him and Cassy. I've been over a few times to work with the two and they have really blended into a team. In early December we trail roded together and Cas and I broke off and worked on water crossing and a little running away from the crowd. This really put a big grin on a little girl. Her mom has done allot to build confidence in the pair. Cas and her sister Cody ride nearly every day with Cody adding to the development of the pair. Cody is an excellent rider at 14 and gives lessons to several young riders in the area.
The first Sunday in December was the annual Christmas Parade held in here in Pittsboro and as you would expect Medicine Man and Cassy were the leaders of the pack having no problems throughout the day.
Medicine Man has gotten a little protective of his space lately by pinning his ears and kicking out when another horse gets to close. This is something that is taking time and effort to build his trust in other horses. Its improving slowly but surely each ride.
For Christmas Emily created a short DVD of Medicine Man and me from start to finish. I'll attempt to post. Hope it works out as it was a great production.
Chapin and I are awaiting the coming of spring for applications for the next Mustang Makeover. He will be of age this year and we hope to enter with each having our own horse. Chapin's training abilities are really exceptional and more so for his age. I've seen many adults not get half the results he acquires in the same period of time. I've even gone to him for some assistance recently in working with a Hanoverian I was starting for a local breeder. Results were great! He has created his own blog at www.thebartjr.blogspot.com. Give it a look.
Currently we have in training our 3rd Hanoverian and a halter breed starting under saddle. We're trying to keep our training to two per month with the weather and short evenings. We've been working on our new barn with hopes to have it finished by the first of April for the first and hope to be annual Extreme Horse Course. More on that later.
Again ,thanks for reading and keep warm!