A Wopper of a Success!

Have you ever been shocked beyond belief with the gratitude and generosity of friends and stranger alike. Well, that is just what happened this weekend at the fundraiser. As mentioned earlier Jill and Connor Blakeney hosted a fundraiser to support t myself, Emily and Chapin on our journey to Ft. Worth for this years Extreme Mustang Makeover.
We arrived on site Saturday morning to find Dallas and company (owner of Southern States) hard at work getting the grounds ready for the event. Jill and Connor with a task force consisting of Missy and Joann, Shorty Cash, and Molly Brooks had put together a program for the day that consisted of meeting the horses, trainers, slide presentation, display board of several local mustangs, food, beverages, door prizes, raffle drawings and just good fellowship. All Team Thomas had to do was just show off our mustangs, meet some great people and do a couple of demo’s. The horses performed wonderfully with each trainer taking a few min’s to show off their accomplishments and speak with the crowd. As a father I have never been so proud as to watch my two kids show their stuff. Chapin ran Raszin Cain through his paces and finalized with a standing display in the saddle as he fired off 6 shots from his pistol. Cain performed without a glitch! Emily and Holly-Go-Lightly displayed a bond that only a young lady could create with a young horse. Upon finishing up her ground work she finished up with a bull whip and crawling through Holly’s legs. Now, how much prouder could a father be.
Total attendance seemed to be somewhere around 75 folks and proceeds totaled over $1,100 dollars. WOW! I can never express the friendship and appreciation from these attending horse lovers. With additional donations from a special friend from the coast, a local training and breeding facility in Sanford, The 11 Bar East, 2 local Vets, Dr Richard Kirkman, and Dr. Bonnie Terrell, we topped the mark at over $2,000 dollars. So, with all that being said I can only say for myself, Emily and Chapin thank you and we love you all! You are the ones that make dreams come true and are a large part in making the American Mustang a symbol in Chatham County.

More info on the Show and Tell

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
FUNDRAISER FOR LOCAL TRAINERS COMPETING IN THE EXTREME MUSTANG MAKEOVER


With 100 days to tame wild to mild, 200 trainers from across America will gentle 200 Wild Nevada Mustangs in the 2008 Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth, Texas
SEE THE MUSTANGS! MEET THE TRAINERS!
WHEN: Saturday September 13th, 2008
WHERE: Country Farm & Home Supply, 203 S. Small Street in Pittsboro.
8:30 am, COUNTRY FARM & HOME SUPPLY OPENS
Chat with the trainers, see the horses, have breakfast, check out store sale items. Free breakfast for first 10 in line at the grill.

9:30 am, TRAINING DEMO BY TEAM THOMAS
Jimmy, Emily, and Chapin will work their horses in the round pen and discuss techniques for working with wild mustangs.

10:30 am, MUSTANG ADOPTION EXPERIENCE
Local owners will share slides and their experience in adopting mustang weanlings from Nevada.

RAFFLE and DOOR PRIZES

We've made the turn!

The past couple of weeks have really been great for Pardon. Daily riding and just human contact has caused the little fellow to grow inside and out. His nerves has worked a toll on his weight but as he relaxes his weight is coming back. His attitude around other horses is very relaxed except for strange areas. After the trip to Uhawarie we've made a couple of small trips to add to his exposure. It does seem he forgets the small things, leading thought a gate that he went thru yesterday, walking down the isle of the barn he enters on his own daily, I just can't figure. He still will back into any fear with little concern opposed to walking forward into it. Hmmmmm. Yesterday he had a pedicure on all four feet for the second time. I really think he enjoyed the quite time and contact. I think the heel clicking with his back feet might come from his feet being out of balance. Both bars on his rear feet caused an inside step. I trimmed that down and that should move him more center on his step and balance. (But what do I know, I'm no farrier). I'll consult George on that one. He really helped alot with Medicine Man last year and I respect his knowledge.
We had another visitor this week from Jacksonville, NC. Sherie brought up a mustang she's had for 10 months for a little team building. She has a really nice sorrel that is going to make a great trail horse. She had done alot of ground work with him and with a couple of pointers I think they'll be riding within a couple of weeks.
I did take Pardon out for show and tell while she was here and thought he didn't impress her on the ground I do think his movements under saddle did get a compliment. His only big issue now is an ear problem he's picked put. His right ear has suddenly become off limits. At first I thought it might be an infection or soreness but after alot of working around it I can't find a tender spot. It's just when you first approach it with the bridle or your hands. He takes the bit well but when you pull it up and over he's very resistant. We'll get thru it I'm sure. Just time and patience.

Now, what can we do with him.........walk, trot, lope on demand with a slight cluck and squeeze. Stops from a lope in 3-4 steps. Backs with little finger pressure. Flexes left and right, bends at the pole. Handles all four feet with no problem. Water, logs, ditches, hills, bridges, are all no concern. He catches fairly easy with a halter, (the ear thing without). Cars are no problem, throw a rope from his back, pulls a log forward and backwards. Saddles without being tied, stands untied for saddling, feet trimming, grooming and washing. Wears a blue tarp like a raincoat, ropes around his legs no problem, stands for whips popping as well a firearms. Backs thru an L shaped course, turns left and right within an eight foot box. Can turn off both the front and rear feet with slight cues. When the monsters do get him he shuts down with a slight one rein lift. All in all a good little fellow.
Just want to remind everyone again of the fundraiser next weekend in Pittsboro at the Southern States, 8:30 to 12:00. Food and fellowship available with lots of raffle items plus we want to meet you!

Fundraiser!

I do want to invite any and all to our Mustang Makeover Fundraiser for Pardon, Rasin' Cain, and Holly-Go-Lightly before our Fort Worth trip. With the idea and hard work of our friends Jill and Connor Blankney, we will be showing our soon to be famous horses at the Southern States Feed store in Pittsboro, NC on Saturday,13 Sep from 8:30 to 12:00. All horses will be there and each trainer will have an opportunity to share with the public a few of the skills we use in working with horses. Their will also be several door prizes and drawings throughout the morning. We will be serving both breakfast sandwiches and burgers for lunch! Please mark it on your calender and plan on attending! More to come........

Update on Pardon

OK folks, its been 3 weeks since my last update and Pardon is coming around, slowly but with reverence. Each day we go thru almost all skills to keep working on his confidence. From leading, yielding fore and hind, picking up feet, roundpening, lounging, sacking out, tarp treatment, whips, and any other loud noises I can muster to bring out the fears. Our next long ride was 1 week later and his flight desire has decreased. I think our only real scare was a plastic water bottle in my rear pocket and a St Bernard all at the same time. A quick hop, side jump and he's back to himself. My friend Helena rode along with me this time and we went thru all his gates with no problem. This past weekend was spend on an overnighter at Uhwarrie. A great place for overnighters and lots of riding, more horses, 4 wheelers, loud noises, people, jeeps and just plain commotion around the campground. His first couple of hours had him a total bundle of nerves but did settle to a slack rein either in the front, middle, or rear of the pack. He would ride off on his own when asked with little effort. I was really proud of this little fellow. He remained tied on a highline overnight with no problems. He was the only horse that didn't get loose that weekend.
For those that have kept up with the blog from last year you will understand a scare we did have. During the night on Friday, Medicine Man, who belongs to Dean and Helena decided to take a little trip on his own. On Saturday morning he came up missing. However, we did find him about 1/4 mile from camp just walking along the road eating grass. Now tell me, how many horses will leave the heard on their own! This fellow cares only for his own preservation. What a horse. They still love him and he is making a great trail horse for Cassidy.
I'm still trying to get as many different riders on Pardon as possible to continue his trust of the human. So far he's had 5 different riders with no problem. You just have to relax on him to assure him of safety. We have started to add a few moves with him that should help out at Fort Worth. His back is great, softness is excellent and we are working on a little side pass and lead changes. His stop from a lope is 2 steps in the arena and he is gaining a good collection. Now it's just up to me to improve these things and continue to build his trust!

Emily's blogg!

I just wanted to share with you my daughter's blog for her EMM yearling. Emily also is involved in the competition this year as a yearling trainer. Dubbed, "Mission 007" opens up the opportunity for trainers wanting to participate with yearlings in the competition. Emily's mustang, "Holly Go Lightly" is a yearling mare, bay, with the courage of the mountain lion. She is constantly into everything and afraid of nothing. If you have a chance follow her at www.thebartfilly.blogspot.com/

Out of the roundpen?

Yes, things have made the turn-around for Pardon. Saturday brought 2 more opportunities for Pardon and me to work on our under saddle skills. Round and round we went, left and right inside and outside turns, moving off the front and rear have improved with slight leg cues. His gas pedal still has some issues beyond a trot. Seems his lopes are very uncomfortable for him. He has an issue with his rear feet hitting each other in the roundpen during a lope, don't know why but quite evident.

This morning, Sunday I invited over a couple of friends for a trail ride to bring Pardon out of the roundpen and pasture. I first introduced Scooter, Chapin's roping horse to him inside the roundpen for a little socialization and follow the leader. This went well so out of the pen and into the pasture for several laps of both walking and trotting with Pardon both following and leading the way. I have several obstacles in the pasture, logs, a wood bridge, traffic cones, cross ties and a four wheeler. We accomplished all these tasks with no problems so I guess the trail was next. With 4 horses total, we left out with Pardon 3rd in line. Into the drive, up a short woods trail, down by the highway, first car, barking dogs, 2 ditches and we're into the main trail. Pardon handled all this exceptionally well as we went along. In the first 20 min's the only issue I had to address was him trying to follow to closely to the lead horse. We fixed this with that rider holding a short limb over the rear of the horse and swatting at Pardon each time he got within range. Pardon picked this up quickly, (20 swats) and found his place. Across 2 fields, into more woods and then his first water. I must say I've never introduced a horse to water for the first time with no refusal until today. Not just a small stream but 3 feet of water as we moved up the creek. I think he actually enjoyed it! So, back around and backtrack to the last field.
We stop for a short talk and suddenly all (*&#$(#*&$# breaks loose with Pardon. Don't know what caused it but for the first time today he really sets up for the big one. I guess for some reason I was prepared and we really had a bucking fit for 5-10 seconds. Yielding him around to the left we got things back under control and he stops with this very uncomfortable feeling. (Maybe for his first trail ride I should have shortened the time). Back on the trail, through the woods, into the next field with no problem. About half way of the second field Pardon moves along Reba, my personal horse and I rein him back and here we go again. Bucking and rearing this time and I'm without the right stirrup, Now this was the big one and I really thought I was a goner until a good lunge and rear gets me back in the seat giving me a chance to really hunker down. I felt like this episode lasted 44 min's 'til he relented to the one rein shut down. Now I have the shakes. Before we make it back to the house he tried 6 more times with each one being less and less severe. The last few were quickly dispersed within 1/2 second by shutting him down with 1 rein. (Thank goodness for the one rein stop). His softness is not nearly as good as I'd like but time should fix that. I did ride in a full cheek snaffle today so it was very difficult for him to resist the pressure when applied.

All in all I am very excited and pleased with Pardon's performance for the last 5 days. He is quickly meeting new people and that's making a difference in his acceptance of new things. He received his first full bath yesterday with shampoo and conditioner. He accepted this with only a line laid over the rail. No moving or pulling during the whole soaping and enjoyed the whole experience to include drinking out of the hose. Tomorrow, into the arena (a flat part in the pasture) for a little improvement in his responsiveness and handling.
We're heading to Ft Worth in 45 days!