Posts Tagged ‘natural horsemanship
2012 Judged Trail Competition at BCHP
Last weekend we took Blitz and Boomer to the Bucks County Horse Park to compete in a Judged Trail Competition. You get to ride through the park stopping at obstacles along the way where they judge you on your performance.
We attended the event last year as well, which you can check out Boomer & Jet competing here.
We had a blast on the trail, this year I thought the course was a bit easier than last years though, but it was still a fun time and great experience for the ponies. We filmed some of the obstacles – but missed a few along the way, mostly because we forgot!
Hope you enjoyed watching the boys compete – we’re already looking forward to next year’s event!
Boomerang competes at the MGAA MA#1 – bitless and treeless
Over the weekend I packed up Boomerang and headed down south to Maryland to compete in the MGAA Mid-Atlantic #1. It was the first of the mid-atlantic mounted games series for the year and we were excited to attend.
Boomer and I were dusting off the cobwebs a bit as typically I give him the winter off due to being pretty busy at my shop – so this was sort of a “getting back into the swing of things” competition for us.
Boomer was the only pony at the competition to compete in a Bitless Bridle and Treeless Saddle – and you will also notice our treat bag hanging from his saddle, used when I am clicker training him during competition – because the training is never done.
I think one of the common mis-conceptions about treeless saddles is that many people think that without a tree the saddle won’t be stable on the horse’s back. But, all you have to do is watch me play games in it to prove this wrong. All weekend I was leaning off the saddle like a monkey, and vaulting on from the ground.
I’m in love with my freeform saddle for so many reason, but mostly because it is the most comfortable ride I’ve ever had, for me and my pony. And as much as treeless saddle are rare in the mounted games arena (in fact I believe you are not allowed to compete in treeless saddles if you ride with the USMGA organization – why, I do not know!) Bitless bridles are probably just as rare.
I think with equine speed sports especially probably a lot of people think you won’t be able to control your horse without a bit when it’s in racing mode. Now Boomerang may not be the fastest pony out there, but he wants to run towards the finish line just like the rest of them. Because I took the time to clicker train him a really nice stop, and to respect my seat and leg aids just as much as the rein pressure I am able to successfully compete him in his dr. cook’s bitless bridle.
Many riders in the US now compete in hackamores – yet these have a much different way of steering/stopping the horse by using sensitive pressure points on the nose. Bitless Bridles use painless and even pressure to help guide your horse in the direction you want to go and does not interfere with the horse’s breathing.
And while I personally am an advocate for the bitless bridles I do believe that using a bit or not is a personal decision that most times depends on the horse too. Not every horse may be a good fit for a bitless bridle and I think it just depends on what works best for each animal in the most humane way possible.
You can check out more photos from our weekend of games on our Facebook Page. And make sure you read Ammo’s recap of the weekend’s events here and here.
And finally, here’s a quick video I put together of Boomerang having a blast competing.
We hope to make it to some more MGAA competitions this year – and for anyone who is interested in getting started in the sport be sure to take a look at our upcoming competitions at Iron Horse Farm.
You can read more about mounted games here.
2012 PA Horse World Expo – Chincoteague Minnow
Most of the people that came by our booth at the 2012 PA Horse World Expo probably thought that 19 year old Minnow was an old pro at attending expos.
He hopped off the trailer on Thursday morning, walked through the barns buzzing with clinicians and horses twice his size, and made his way through the rows and rows of expo booths to his corral on the expo show floor. He was the ONLY animal on the show floor for the duration of the expo – with not a single horse in sight.
Yet, despite Minnow’s professional attitude, this was the VERY FRIST time he attended an expo – let alone spend the majority of the time corralled on the show floor.
I was so proud of him – he’s come such a long way from his days of being terrified of EVERYTHING, and bolting at the slightest sound. I can attribute much of his success to the clicker training we began in 2004, but mostly Minnow & I just share this connection where he will do anything for me and vise versa.
He’s truly an amazing pony, and I’m glad he was able to make so many people smile during our visit to the PA Horse World Expo.
Below is a video I pulled together of Minnow’s experience at the expo – in case you missed it.
I hope to have some photos of a few of his newest paintings up on the blog shortly – and as always you can check out our online shop to see all of Minnow’s artwork.
New in the Shop! Clicker Training Sets
I implement many different training methods while working with Minnow, Blitz, Boomer and even Ammo the Dachshund, but I predominantly prefer to use Clicker Training.
Clicker training is the process of training an animal using a clicker as a marker for behavior that will earn positive reinforcement (most often a food reward). Typically the clicker is a small mechanical noisemaker, but some trainers prefer to substitute a tongue click or other marker signal.
One of the challenges in training an animal is communicating exactly when the animal has done the behavior that the handler is attempting to reinforce. The clicker allows for precise timing and clear communication about what specific behavior is being reinforced, and enables the trainer to teach complex and difficult skills to the animal without the use of force or punishment.
All of the ponies of Painting Pony (including Ammo the Dachshund) have been trained using clicker training. It is not limited to trick training, but can be used to teach everyday tasks such as picking up feet, leading, and standing for the farrier. It can even be used during riding.
In an effort to share this great tool we have created a Clicker Training Set
This set includes one translucent clicker in red, blue, green, or purple (colors may be specified, but ultimately it’s a fun surprise) with a tab to hang on a wrist coil or lanyard. Comes attached to a postcard that explains what clicker training is, how to teach your horse to use the clicker with targeting, and where to go to find out more information.
Great as a gift – can even be paired with our Painting Pony Gift Set!
You can purchase our Clicker Training Set HERE.
Sponsor Welcome: Saddle Up
We’re very excited to welcome our new sponsor, Saddle Up! You might remember that we were first introduced to Saddle Up when my mom and I purchased treeless saddles from them over the summer.
The owner of Saddle Up, Paulita Neff, was amazing to work with. She answered my MANY e-mails with questions about the saddles and what would work best for Boomerang and I. In the end I came away with the Freeform Classic BTF Treeless Saddle, which fits Boomerang amazingly well.
Having been someone who really didn’t know anything about treeless saddles before this experience I am now convinced this is the only type of saddle that I will ever own again. Not only can I use it on any horse I have from here on out, but I have never had a more comfortable ride. They aren’t just for endurance riders either! I’ve been using mine in mounted games, cross country, versatility competitions, and even jumping in it.
We are thrilled to have Saddle Up as one of our sponsors, and we hope you’ll check out their website and facebook page to learn more about treeless saddles.
