Update On The Horses

                                                                        

 Hello, Y'all!


 It has been a while, hasn't it? I am sure you all are just itching for a update on the horses. Enjoy!!




CHEYENNE

 I have been really busy with our new horse  pony, Cheyenne. I retired her from barrel racing and am working on her speed. She is fast, but is also quite smooth, despite her straight shoulders. She has found good balance while carrying a rider at a fast gait, so it will be more difficult for her to slow down her speedy lope. I do not have any pictures of me riding her yet, but I will soon.

She has finished all of Clinton Anderson's Fundamentals groundwork. She is VERY smart and quick (as you already know) on her feet. She catches on to things incredibly fast and enjoys a job. Right now she does need a more confident rider to tell her what to do, but the more I work with her, the more I am chipping away at her barriers (she isn't spooky at all, but she likes a leader so that she does not have to make decisions). She wouldn't let anyone touch her muzzle when we first got her, and the former owners tried to use grain to help her with that, but it didn't work much. Now I can put my while hand on her muzzle and she is pretty good with it. She was pretty bad at disengaging her hindquarters when I got her, but now she handles it like a pro. I think she will work well with my family once she is fully trained through the whole Clinton Anderson Method.

OLLIE

I do not have a blog big enough to describe the love I have for this horse. He has finished the whole Fundamentals Groundwork and is almost done with the riding part of Clinton's Fundamentals series. He is so slow now and lots of people, including my trainer,  have said he is ready for Ranch Pleasure classes at the Appaloosa shows. He is learning collection and proper canter departures right now, and he is doing well. He is so smart and just loves people. I got Clinton Anderson's whole bridle, bit, rein, and slobber strap set and Ollie loves it so much. He really reaches for the bit, which is something he hadn't done with his other bits, and is very soft in the mouth with it. He is no longer headstrong and does not try to fight me with nearly anything. When I ask him to canter or gallop, he does it willingly and does not swerve a 90 degree angle when he is running at dead speed when we are on the trail (which is what he used to do about 4 months ago). and easily stops. I ride him on a very loose reins with one hand and very little contact (or no contact) with my legs when we are riding on the trail now. 

I am trying my best to grow out his tail. I have been using MTG for the past week and his hair has already grown 3/4 of an inch (in one week!).  I want him to have a really long tail and mane. It is already long for an Appaloosa (who are notorious for having skimpy manes and tails) but I would like it is long as possible. 

I do not have much of anything on Sherman, but I am working on him a little bit. My mom is cantering him now in the round pen and he is doing well. He will probably go up for sale soon, but we are not sure yet.  Stay tuned for more updates on him!!

~CBL