Making the most of it...

Well, I can finally say that I'm back in the saddle!  After having our second child, Colter, I've been waiting anxiously for this time to come!  Barrel races are already under way in our area and I had the feeling that I was going to be left out for most of them that I had planned on going.  Thankfully for me, the good thing about riding a stud horse in spring is that I don't have to worry about getting him in shape He does that job without me so I'm able to get right to work instead of spending weeks getting him legged up. He knew my plans of running barrels so while I wasn't able to ride, he was helping me out getting ready. ;) Well, okay it wasn't quite that that. He might not have had barrel racing on his mind while he was getting in shape, but I sure did!

We've had some more moisture here in Montana and I'm so thankful for that but it can put a cramp in my barrel racing training/schedule.  As I was riding Elvis through my barrel patch yesterday to see what it looked like and just how wet it was, my first thought was that it'd be a long time before I got to work barrels in there.  We're blessed with a mixture of nice gumbo with a hint of sand....perfect for barrel racing....well not really.  However, we do make it work and with the drought we've had lately, it worked pretty good!  

Riding along, I got to thinking of rodeo horses.  My plans for Elvis this year is to be seasoning him at the local rodeos and although we have some nice ground in the area arenas, there are a few that my barrel patch would be the better place to run on any given day.  So, while my barrel patch is not in the greatest of running conditions, I've decided that it shouldn't keep us out of the game.  The best thing I can do for to prepare Elvis for rodeos is not to baby him and let him experience this 'not so great' ground while there is no money on the line so that when there is, he'll have a better idea how to handle himself and I also will know how to ride him through that ground.  

We often times baby our horses when the practice ground isn't the best.  Although I won't be asking my horses for their life on this ground, I will ask them to do our slow work so that when we hit that rodeo trail that they aren't afraid to go run and will have confidence that they can turn the barrels. They can learn how to stand up and know where their feet are and I can help give confidence in how I ride them as well as I'll prepare myself on how to help them in those situations.  

So for that short while that I was down about not being about to work barrels, we've decided that the ground and weather isn't what is going to get in the way of our barrel racing aspirations.  We'll do our best to prepare ourselves for this coming year with what's being dealt to us and make use of every learning opportunity! 

Facts of life...

The horse business is never easy. You have your highs and your lows.  A fact of our horse business is that it's not just a business, it's our lives.  We've put so much time and effort into each and every horse that they are part of our family.  They are something special.  

One of the facts of life though is that things are not always rainbows and butterflies.  I've been raising horses for over 15 years and have been very blessed with relatively good luck.  Sure there's been a few bumps and hiccups here and there but in the big scheme of things, we've been very blessed. 

It wasn't what I was expecting when I walked to the barn yesterday.  Our broodmare, Punkin was by the barn and was acting funny.  She wasn't due to foal for another couple of weeks so I hadn't been really worried about her having her foal.  However, when I saw her I knew that things weren't right and she was having it then and it wasn't good.  Thankfully my dad was in town and was able to come right away to check her out.  (My dad is a vet.) He was there within minutes to our rescue.

My heart sunk when he said the words "the foal is dead", although in my heart I knew the sad truth already.  The head and legs were back and although she was pushing, there was no way she was going to get it out on her own.  Between my dad and my husband Philip, they were able to get the legs and head in position and deliver the dead foal, a beautiful sorrel stud colt with a star and Elvis' signature snip. It appears that the umbilical cord was detached leading to the death of the foal.  Punkin, although heartbroken over her lost foal, will be fine.  The outcome could have been so much different if we hadn't been there for her and I'm so thankful that we were there in time. Time will tell if we will ever have another Punkin foal, but with the loss of this one, I count my blessings in the foals she's given us already.  

The loss of this colt has hit us hard. We had such big plans for him and like I've mentioned in my previous posts, all of these colts are special to us and mean so much.  This business is full of hard work, sweat and tears.  We do our best to provide and protect but somethings like this are just out of our hands. Because we are dreamers, dreaming of that next foal, dreaming of what it can do and will do, we will continue on.  We will never forget what was lost, but we will always remember what there is to come.  

Proverbs 16:9 reads, "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps."  All this time we've planned for this foal, our hopes, our dreams will not be wasted.  We take comfort knowing that the Lord is leading the way. 

Punkin with her 2012 filly by Frenchmans Guy.

Punkin with her 2011 filly by Frenchmans Elvis. 

With every horse comes an opportunity...

Have you ever been in a rut? Just can't seem to climb out of that hole that you felt you hit rock bottom on? Or have that horse that no matter how much time you put into them they just can't seem to get it or things just don't "click"?  It can really take a toll on us as riders; making us lose interest, our passion.  It can make your frustration grow which in turn takes it's toll on our horses.  This is never a good combination with horses and has no business in the saddle. We've all been there, myself included many times.  

I've been so frustrated before that I was ready to sell one of the nicest horses I've ever had because she presented a challenge to me that I just felt like I couldn't work through.  I was ready to hang it up, sell them all.  I was throwing myself a pity party.  It showed in the horses I rode, in my barrel racing, in my attitude towards life in general...I was at a pretty all time low with this particular horse and it sure carried over into every aspect of me.  I've worked most of my life to better myself in the saddle.  Horses were my life and it was something that I strived to be better at every day.  It consumed me and when I hit that low it felt like what I'd worked so hard for all that time was for nothing.  

I remember one night lying in bed praying to God to help me find some sort of direction, that obviously this wasn't what I was meant to be doing.  I had tried all that I knew and I just wasn't good enough.  That next morning when I went to the barn I can not explain the new feeling that I had.  The strength, the freshness of my mind and the new found determination.  The Lord whispered in my ear, you have a lot left to learn. 

This horse was put in my path for a reason.  She made me grow in ways that I can't explain and she presented a challenge that pushed me beyond my limits. I've had many horses that have made me think "outside of the box" and when I started to think about all the things that I've learned from each and every horse, I realized that no time is wasted in the saddle if we keep an open mind and we learn something.  Each and every horse that I've rode has helped me develop my riding, my thinking, and my style.  I've gotten better with each horse, my horses that much more prepared - more solid.  Even though not every horse has made it into a barrel horse for a variety of reasons, I've always learned something from them and have put it to use on the next horse.  

We all have dreams for our horses, goals that you have set in your mind, etc. Since the majority of horses I work with are just prospects, I spend most of my time trying to mold that horse, unlock the promise that individual has into a top barrel horse.  We spend countless hours to achieve this goal and the end product takes years to make. Truth be told, not every horse is going to make it as a top barrel horse and many you won't know until you've already put in years of work.  There may come time where you come to a point with a horse that you feel like I once did, defeated.  However, don't let that sense of defeat get you down.  That horse may need to go down a different path than you had desired for it, but as long as you have learned something from it and are willing to use that for the next time you swing your leg over a saddle, that time was never wasted. You can learn something each and every time you sit in a saddle, halter a horse, or just by just brushing him. 

You may learn what to do better for that next horse or you may learn what not to do, but regardless of what it is, never stop learning.  If you open up your mind and eyes to your horses and your heart to God, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in the end. 

The challenge that I almost gave up on, who in turn gave me more than anything than I could have ever imagined! She  continues to challenge me, making me grow and learn every day I get to ride her.  She's a one in a million! 

Burn Out

Many people get caught up in the monotony of their jobs.  They do the same thing day in and day out and it takes away the love and desire they once had to do the job. Maybe it's not the monotony but the stress and constant pressure to perform, meeting deadlines, your coworkers or boss that has done you in.  You may try to do your best but in reality your heart is no longer in it like it once was; your passion is gone.

I'm sure many of you know the feeling that I'm talking about whether it's about a job or maybe even a hobby or sport you once loved. No matter what it may be from, taking a leaving of absence or a change of pace or scenery is what most people will do to clear their head after being burnt out.

The same is true for horses. They can get burnt out and sour just as we can. That's where you can see horses starting to wring their tail, baulk at the gate, get panic attacks, buck and rear.  There of course are other things that can go on that could cause the very same issues such as pain and miscommunication that need to be factored in to know the true reason why a horse does these things. However, horses regardless will become bored or lose their desire just as we do.

It is our job as their rider and trainer to be on the watch for this in our horses and prevent it from ever happening. Those horses that are constantly in training and being drilled need some time to refresh their minds.  Ranch work and pasture riding are so important to let a horse breathe and rejuvenate. Although technically you're taking a "break" from training, there are so many things you can do under the radar that will further your training.  Go work on circles around a sage brush, switching leads between them, work on speed control, walk slow, walk fast, trot slow, trot fast, (you get the picture), etc.  If you're on the ranch, position your horse on a cow much like you would if you shape your horse for a barrel.  Let the cow move your horse and your horse the opportunity to "think" on his own without being told.  Give them praise and give them meaning to their work.  The time away from actual "training" will do them good and they will come back willing and wanting so much more.  If they've lost their "passion" to run barrels, just by giving them a different job or just time off in general could make all the difference and bring them back to loving what they do. 

I see this alot in horse trainers as well.  We get so caught up into what we're doing that we forget why we are there in the first place. We're constantly on deadlines to get a job done that can have so many variables, the stress of performing well and the aches and pains that we put our bodies through day in and day out to complete the job is enough to make anyone lose a little bit of their focus after awhile. Although I haven't lost my "passion", I can say that I have lost focus on why I really do what I do.  With being pregnant with our second child I have gotten more than enough time off to be reminded and brought back to see why I love what I do.  This breath of fresh air sort to speak brings me back refreshed and hungry to get back to it.  I'm reminded of this verse, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23 NIV .  There is no shame in admitting your heart is not in a job because of being "burnt out" and I respect those that realize it in their horses and themselves before it gets too bad and will do something about it. 

With this breath of fresh air not only are my horses refreshed, but I am as well.  I am recharged and ready to get back in the saddle!  I don't know what 2013 has in store for us, but I do know that I will ride through it with an open mind, renewed focus and a heart full of passion.

Preparing For Our First Rides

When first starting a young colt under saddle, we do a lot of preparation for this big event whether we realize it or not.  Ground work, sacking them out, getting them to "join up", creating a good partnership based on willing submission, etc is what most comes to mind when people think of "preparing" a horse to be rode. 

However, there is something that many over look - floating teeth.  Many think that the only time you need to worry about the teeth is when a horse's condition is going downhill or if you are having trouble with the bit. What is that saying? "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Why wait until you have problems?

I am a big believer of getting our your horse's teeth done before we think about starting them. Not only do we need to make sure that there are no wolf teeth there that will interfere with how well a colt takes a bit, but even as two year olds they can have sharp points that cut into a colt's cheeks causing discomfort. Not only will floating their teeth early help with riding but by keeping their teeth balanced year to year, we are setting our horses up to have a mouth full of teeth as even older horses keeping them that much happier and healthier.

Last year I was guilty of over looking the teeth of our young horses and boy did it ever show to me when I was riding.  As horsemen we know that there are bound to be a few bumps in the road caused by miscommunication, unwilling submission or self preservation due to pain.  I would rather take the guesswork out of it as much as I can by making sure their teeth are not the problem so that I can move onto finding the right solution and to curb the potential problem before it ever starts.

Although I am not able to ride yet, yesterday I started "preparing" by having our two and three year olds teeth done as well as the other horse I will be riding this spring, Elvis.  It may be a month or more before I will be able to swing a leg over a saddle but I will know that when that time comes that I will be that much more prepared and the horses will be ready to get to work.

I've always been a stickler for having a horse's teeth done every year and after overlooking/forgetting about it last year, I was not going to make the same mistake twice!  Have you done all you can to "prepare" your horse?

Spring is in the air!

Spring is just around the corner and that means one thing to us here in Montana...babies!  This is particularly true for us this year as we are expecting our second child in just a few short weeks!  Calving season is ready to begin at any time and foaling begins this year the first part of April for us.

Awe...foaling season, one of my favorite times of the year.  The possibilities are endless, well...sorta.  Four of the six mares we have in foal are sorrel.  Sorrel paired with a palomino means you have two options.  Of course the first is filly or stud colt and the second is palomino or sorrel.  I guess we like knowing our odds! ;) The other two mares are bay/brown so their color options are much more open than our sorrel mares can genetically offer. 

No matter what the color may be, these foals born here we are proud to produce.  We strive to breed for foals that have the potential and ability to do whatever is asked.  Whether it be a top level barrel horse, a horse that is handy on the ranch or one you can trust to put your kids on, our colts are bred to have that trainability, athleticism and soundness that all of these jobs would require.

By keeping our program relatively small, we are able to have a very hands on approach to our mares and foals.  Our mares were hand picked by us to what we feel will compliment our stallion, Frenchmans Elvis, and will help us reach our goals in our breeding program.  Each mare brings something special to the table, making the resulting foal that much more special to us.

As a breeder, I am pretty proud of the fact that whatever is born on our place is exactly what I'm looking for in a prospect and I have no problem keeping them for myself to ride.  This value was one of our conditions when Philip and I started out, we are breeding for horses that we want to ride and are proud to do it!

Our program is relatively young with our first foal being just three this year, however, it is showing the hard work, the hours and hours of endless thought and consideration we put into each mare, and our vision is paying off.  We are so excited for the future and can't wait to saddle up the next prospect from our program!

What will this year's foals bring? We may not know the gender or what the color will be, but we do know this, they will be the kind we want to ride! 

PA Frenchnickerbars, 2012 filly and her dam Nick Bars Babe. Babe is bred back the same way for 2013. 

Doing Your Homework

Wow! Life sure has had me busy the past few months! Between barrel racing, riding colts, and breeding season, I have been SWAMPED! I keep wanting to blog and finally I actually have a few minutes, so here I go - ready or not!

Why is it that as soon as you mention to a non-barrel racer that a certain horse is a "barrel horse" that they instantly have that image of "Hi O Silver", a horse rearing up and taking off, hot, baulking at the gate and just plain disrespectful pop up in their head? Well, believe it not, this misconception of a barrel horse is every where you go. Stepping back and just observing at a barrel race, you will see some "hot" horses, some horses that are "ready for their job", and some that are "okay if you say so" type of horses. It is easy to see how the barrel horse has gotten that image and reputation, but it is no excuse to let you horse fall into that "hot" category.

A barrel horse may become "hot" from many different factors. Maybe it's been running while it's sore or hurt? It anticipates that it's going to hurt, which leads to balking at the gate, running off, or ducking barrels. Or it may became that way due to over running or practicing barrels. Soon, they dread working the barrels and do whatever they can do to get out of it. Their rider has taken the fun out of their job.  Or maybe they have become that way due to their rider's nerves.  A horse feeds off our our body and our energy so if we're nervous, it will pass on to them and make them nervous. 

I can NOT stand a "hot" barrel horse, however I enjoy and want my horses to be in the next category, "ready for their job".  I want my horses to know what their job is and be ready for it.  I don't want to have to ask them twice to head to that gate and onto that first barrel.  I want them prepared and craving their job.  They may be tense at the gate, their head may be elevated some, but they are completely controllable and walk easily around.  There is a VERY fine line between this type of horse and being a "hot" barrel horse.  How do you keep your horse from becoming into a Hot horse or take your horse from hot and into the "ready" all depends on you.

I used to dread homework while I was in school.  I would much rather do fun stuff after school, like ride horses, however, if I didn't do my homework, I struggled in school.  I might get by, but I wasn't prepared for that next lesson, or really even the previous lesson - I did not have a solid foundation.  This is much like a barrel horse and gate issues.  I stress to everyone I talk to about gate issues or high strung horses....DO YOUR HOMEWORK! 

So what exactly do I mean by homework?  I can't say enough how important walking is.  I spend a lot of time on my solid horses just walking the pattern.  It's actually amazing how much you can fix on the pattern if you just walk.  Most importantly, you horse learns that it doesn't have to run or work every time it's in front of a barrel pattern.  My goal with my barrel horses is to be able to make a run, stop at the finish line, turn around and walk that pattern on a loose rein.  In order to do this, I spend a lot of time walking.  If I feel a horse be tense, guess what...I walk it! If I can feel it pulling on the bit, I walk it! If I've loped through quite a few times, I spend just as much time walking it through the barrels as I did loping it.  And on those solid horses, I live by the rule that for every run I make on a horse, I will walk it 3-5 times through the pattern.  You will be amazed at how just walking the pattern will make your horse freer, happier, and more relaxed. 

Another very important part of homework is gate work.  This can be done at home but I've found it most important while at jackpots and on the road.  Before it's my turn to run whether it be just a few runners before me or 50, I like to walk my horses up to the gate and let them sit.  I'll do this multiple times onto hundreds depending on the horse and circumstances.  I want to keep them soft and relaxed and waiting on me.  It doesn't take long to get them this way if you make it a habit.   The next step to gate work is just as important.  After I make a run, I won't get off my horse immediately.  I like to stay on my horse until the end of the rake and then I will do much like I talked about before and will walk in and out of the gate.  If at all possible, I try to walk through the open gate, stop, pet and let the horse relax, get off and loosen my cinch.  If you are a roper, it's just like what you do when you score a horse or when before you put him away, you set him in the box. 

Find a sweet spot.  By that I mean, find something that you can do that automatically makes the horse relaxed.  For me, if you've read my blog before, I do "Direction". If you're not familiar to what I'm referring to, there is a whole post dedicated to this exercise I posted earlier this year.  These tiny little circles not only help my horses to relax, but also to focus, and it's a reminder to stay soft.  My good mare can be HOT and as soon as I do this, she melts down into a kids horse state of being and walks with her head down, soft and relaxed. My horses know that this is a calming thing for them to do.  It takes their mind off the anxiety and gives them something else to focus their energy and nervousness onto.  You might have a different exercise that would work for you, however this is what I've found has worked best for me.  In addition to this exercise, I've found that it has calmed me down as well.  With deep breaths, my body relaxes, translating to the horse to stay cool.

Just like with any thing you do in life, the more effort you put into it, the better things will be.  By doing these things, my horses stay in that "ready" category.  Sure, just like humans, they can have anxiety attacks here and there, however it should not take much to bring them down a notch if you've done your home work.

Don't let that raging barrel horse stereotype give you an excuse to not do your homework. There is no good excuse for this kind of behavior.  If you do your homework, not only will the barrel race become more enjoyable for your horse, but it will be for you too!

Happy Trails!