’04 Oct: Christa’s HORSE Day

We got there early so we could watch a lesson as Phase One of our HORSE Day.

Pet Me Pet Me Pet Me No Me No mEEEE.

All the horses wanted to play! And if you happened to have the oat bucket in hand, all the better.

The donkeys – and later in the day Christa RODE one of them. The pet goats were in the next pen over.

Meet Cindy who gave Christa a Perfectly Fabulous Horse Day! Here is a link to the website for the Shamrock T Ranch.

They had two baby horses and Christa learned how to manage the lead by helping to train the babies. Here she is finding the ‘sweet spot’, different for each horse, where, if you scratch them there the horse will absolutely purr with delight.

What Cindy liked to call ‘a Mexican standoff’. She starts training them to the halter when they are just a few days old so that she can still be strong enough to win this tug of war.

The Sweet Spot!

It’s all WorkWorkWork around the stables. That’s Craig drilling holes.

You always brush the horse clean before you saddle up and again after you ride.

They cleaned her hooves too which was quite amazing, to watch Christa with this honkin’ hook tool digging muck out from around the horse shoe and deep into the horse’s hoof.

So much to learn! By the end of the day she could do a lot of these chores by herself – she had the brushing routine down, could put the halter on and off without help, and could lead using all the right moves. Good job Christa!

Getting ready to kick off Christa’s lesson.

Christa was Faaabulous and Cindy’s lesson gave her so much direction and confidence.

No kidding, Barrel Racing! You go girl!!

Super Dupper Pooper Scooper. A daily job around the stables. Christa got to do Eeeverything.

Time for a full dress cleaning, good enough for a parade even! They washed her with soap and then added conditioner to the mane and tail…

…and then braided up the mane…

…and the tail.

And then some final touches and she’s Ready!

This is called ’round pen training’ where you get the horse to go this way and that way…

…and this is called ‘joining up’ because you make some command and then the horse will follow you Anywhere.

Hi Hunter! Craig and Cindy’s four year old. The one and half year old was hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa. And Craig and Cindy both hold down full time jobs in ‘the city’. So much energy!

And at the end of the day, Cindy and Christa and the dogs are off for their trail ride, out to the hills and a highlight to the end of a wonderful day.