Posts Tagged ‘iron horse farm
Rainy Day on the Farm
I’ll admit, I’ve been taking it a little easy since we’ve returned from the Extreme Cowboy Race. Those 6 weeks leading up to the event were pretty intense, so for most of March I’ve been enjoying taking things a little slower. The ponies are still being worked, in fact Minnow has begun a little exercise regime – to shed some pounds before the Spring grass hits. Being that he has Ringbone (equine arthritis) he can’t be ridden like he used to, so instead I’ve been hand walking him through the woods & bareback riding him in the arena (mostly walking with a little bit of trotting). Although Minnow is still as feisty as ever, and on occasion he decides that a little case of arthritis isn’t going to keep him from racing around at top speed.
Mostly though, I’ve been enjoying just spending time with the boys and catching up on things at home. And all of us can appreciate when a little rain forces us to take things even slower.
Blitz
Minnow
Boomer
Spider
Ammo
Happy 8th Birthday Boomerang!
Today Chesapeake Boomerang turned eight! If you can’t tell he thinks he’s pretty cool.
Happy Birthday Buddy! I hope you had a magical day!
xoxo
Kyley
Winner! CSN Stores Giveaway!
Last week I posted a little giveaway contest sponsored by CSN Stores. And today we announce the winner! So today will be a very Happy Friday for Virginia!
Winner was chosen using random.org
We hope you choose something fun from CSN with your $50 gift certificate! I know Minnow has his eye on the citrus fly spray….
And Ammo the Dachshund says the Big Chew Turkey Leg can be for little dogs too!
Congrats! And thanks to everyone for entering! If you are interested in sponsoring a giveaway on our blog please contact us at info@paintingpony.com
Blitz Training Update
Chesapeake Lightning aka Blitz doesn’t always appear on this blog quite as often as Minnow & Boomerang. The reason for this is that technically I don’t own Blitz, my mom does.
Me working on trick training with Blitz
While I’m still very much responsible for his “trick training” education (I taught him to paint, play fetch, shake hands, kiss, etc), my mom works with him on all other parts of his training.
Blitz during a Natural Horsemanship Clinic at our farm last year
My mom and I have similar training methods, but while I primarily use clicker training, she opts for a more “Natural Horsemanship” Direction. I don’t really like to put labels onto the types of training methods we use, because really we gather knowledge and inspiration from TONS of different sources. We watch DVD’s, attend clinics, take lessons, and pretty much absorb everything that comes towards us. I’ve even used methods taught in my dog agility classes with my ponies. Every horse we work with is different, and we tailor our training to what works best for them. It’s about using techniques that are kind to your horse, and aide them in the best way possible in learning with you.
Anyway, since Blitz hasn’t had any action on this blog as of late, I thought I’d give a little update on what he’s been working on.
Recently my mom started taking him to some Natural Horsemanship Lessons at a local trainers place. Blitz is very herd oriented, and as the leader of our small band of Chincoteague Ponies, he very much assumes the role of head “Stallion”. One of his biggest issues is confidence, and he lacks it when away from his herd and the safety of the farm. So my mom has spent time working on making Blitz confident in any situation, so that he will be a safe and reliable mount when put into any uncertainty.
Blitz and Boomerang share the same father, and although both ponies are similar in many ways, they also have some big differences. Boomerang is fearless, he wants to touch everything, try everything, and then do it again! Blitz on the other hand is a bit more cautious. Once he is comfortable with a situation (or scary object) he’s more than willing to do it over and over again. But it sometimes takes him a bit longer to be ok with things. One of his biggest fears have been things in and around his feet.
The video below really shows how different the two brothers are. This was shot in 2009, during their very first introduction to their new tuff ball from our sponsor, Toys for Horses. Watch how each pony reacts.
My mom has spent MANY hours working on desensitizing Blitz to things that make him nervous. One of his biggest obstacles has been tarps. He spent months living with a tarp outside his stall door (which he had to cross on a daily basis), and my mom worked with him day after day on making the tarp a relaxing (and safe) experience. I wish I had a video of him with the tarp last year, because it would make this next video that much more impressive….
This was shot last week when my mom trailered Blitz to a new arena (that he had never been to) and asked him to cross a tarp set-up that he had never seen. Within a matter of minutes she had him crossing it calmly.
My mom has really been working hard at making Blitz into a wonderful mount for herself. Her work with him is also proof, that taking your time and listening to what your horse needs to be able to succeed makes all the difference. I’ve always valued the horses I had that were the most challenging to train, in the end they taught me the most.
Giveaway! CSN Stores
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING ENTRIES!
Happy Friday Everyone! This past Tuesday was my 27th Birthday – so in celebration – I have a little gift to share with you! My loyal readers! We love sharing our adventures with everyone and we appreciate (and read) all of your comments. It inspires us to make more paintings, learn more tricks, and try harder!
Our giveaway is a $50 gift certificate to CSN Stores, that can be used on ANY product and in ANY of their stores. Woohoo! CSN Stores carries products from over 200+ stores, you can seriously find everything on their site.
Organic Horse Shampoo for all those dirty ponies out there. Check.
Outdoor Lighting for your stable. Check.
Dog bowls for your trusty farm companion. Check.
Details below on how you can win $50 to CSN Stores! Yeah for free stuff!
How to Enter:
All you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win. Be sure to give us a way to contact you, via your website or an e-mail address. Giveaway Ends on March 16, 2011, 11:00pm (EST)! The winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to CSN stores to use on any item that they wish. Winners will be drawn at random and notified by e-mail. Good Luck!
This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only.
Thanks to CSN Stores for sponsoring this giveaway.
