# The Common Wisconsinite's Guide to Surving a Horse



## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

The Common Wisconsinite's Guide to Surving a Horse:​ 

Hola, welcome to my journal! Here I will introduce who ever cares to read into the life of my two horses. Sadie, and Moe.​ 
Moe is was my first horse, and was as greenbroke as can be. I was only 8 years old when I got him, and I was actually the one who started him from scratch, with the help of my trainer. None of my family members even knew anything about horses, and there we were, with a green pony. Moe is about six years old now, I'm thinking, and he is loads better now. I am alot more experienced now, thankfully. After falling off a few times that POA I've finally gotten back on, but not with complete confidence.​ 
Sadie is a 13 year old Paint mare, sharing the same birth year, and birth month as me. :3 She was actually born 20 days after me, which I find sort unique. She is considered fully broke, but I would have to disagree. She may have alot of miles on her, but that doesn't make her any more broke. She is so disrespectful for both riding ground work it is rediculous, and I am not the happiest that my mom bought her. (She was bought by my mom for her mother's day present. My mother has back problems and can't really ride anyway, so I have no idea why she bought a horse.) But it's not like she is going anywhere, so I'm trying to break her of her bad habits.​ 
I will post each journal entry, but I will also edit the second post with each new entry aswell. ^^​ 
Sadie:






 
Moe:​


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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

Marking~


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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

2/25/2011

Today was the first day I worked with the horses since fall. For sitting there over winter Moe did great! I only worked with him, but nothing faster than a slow trot because the snow is uneven and there is a bit of ice in some spots. I started out with just walking around the paddock, transitioning from walking and trotting. We also worked on backing up and stopping without running me over, which worked out very well. xD

I then had him disingage his hindquarters just by pointing at his butt, and he moved over. We had a little bit of a rough patch with the left side, but it did not take too long for him to figure it out. He usually is very good with that. I had him go for a walk around me, and also switching directions while still moving. No trotting with this, though. Even I had a hard time to keep my footing with that. I was really proud of him when I went to pick each of his feet and he did it with so much cooperation! I then had him walk over some poles, weave some cones and very simple stuff like that.

Today was pretty much a refresher course of random things. I didn't want him to hurt himself slipping on the ice or anything, so it was a pretty boring time. I gave Moe some grain and kept Sadie in the pasture for a few more minutes. When I let Sadie out she pretty much ran me over to get to the barn. I took Sadie back away from the hay and made her stand there. She proceeded to bob her head up and down like crazy. Once she calmed down I let her go.

As usual, Moe gave me a kiss before I left, and I went back to the house to write this. (Yes, I trained him to give kisses. He always does now, it's so cute! Even when I'm off to school he'll put his muzzle up to my face over the fence. It's not even a trick he uses to beg for treats, he just likes to give kisses, I guess. xD)


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## Cinder (Feb 20, 2011)

I just had to pop in here in say I LOVE the title of this thread!


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## ButtInTheDirt (Jan 16, 2011)

3/13/2011

So today I really didn't have any sort of training session, but I did have a breakthrough!
Today when I went outside to feed the horses, I just wasn't in any mood to deal with anything stupid. (I accidently took Niquil in the middle of the day rather than Dayquil. So after sleeping for a few hours I am still feeling like I was shot with an elephant tranquilizer.) But the horses behaved like a dream. Well, compaired to their usually behavior, they behaved like a dream.
But let me explain to you my feeding situation. I now make the horses weight outside the barn untill I'm done putting the hay in their feeders in the barn. If they step into the barn I will give them a stern "out" and they usually will turn around and get out. If they don't, I have a Parelli whip that I will hold the string and swing at them in a circle a few times, then I will let go the string and tap them with it if they aren't listening by then. Then, when I am done putting the hay out I will hold my hand out for them to touch. If they come up to me, let them pet me on their face without running away [to the hay], I will let them pass after a few seconds. If they don't consult with me before coming into the barn, then I will make them get out. While I am petting them, I use a release word to let them go eat their hay. It's the same with my dogs, I say "Okay". xD
So, why was this a breakthrough? Well, my mother's horse came up to me first. She doesn't like her face to be touched for the most part, and her nose touched my hand. Of course Moe [my gelding] ruined that by plowing through her to get to me because he wanted the hay. I rubbed on his face and let him go, then rubbed on Sadie's face and she got to much on her hay. Then Moe gave me a kiss goodbye and I was on my way to feel all proud and such.
That's not the only thing. When Sadie went in the barn when I was putting the hay out, she did the most awesome turn I've ever seen her do. She actually kept her back feet planted and turned around with her front. For Sadie that's pretty much the most effort I've ever seen her put into anything that wasn't eating.
Adios for now!
ps. If I tend not to make any sense, it's the elephant tranquilizers (Niquil) doing the talking. >.<


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