# Cowboy's Thread



## JazzyGirl (Mar 27, 2012)

*Always Tripping...*

*Went for a hour ride yesterday (which is entirerly too short, but I cant ride till my dad gets home and he got home at 4:25 pm it gets dark a hour later..). The wind was strong and really friggin cold! But the day was great, my dad let me stay home from school so I spent most of the day playing with Cowboy in the pen. Did a bit of a join up, made him back up with a little pressure to his neck with my finger, the lightest of pressure! And of course the word, "back" repeated till I was satisfyed with his response. *​ 
*After I went inside for a couple of hours, I came back outside. This time Zeus followed me into the pen and we joined Cowboy( Zeus is a 4 year old paint who belongs to a neighbour of mine, hes the pasture buddy for Cowboy). I made them run together around the pen, and something amazing happened (to me anyway). *​ 
*I was making Zeus move about the pen while Cowboy stood in the middle. I was pretty much walking around Cowboy as Zeus trotted, and loped about the pen. And Cowboy, who follows me like a dog, started to turn his body the same directon as Zeus and I did. I was working two horses at the same time, it was mindblowing. But Cowboy biging left sided, had trouble following to the right side. *​ 
*Back tot he ride, it was great! But I have yet to work on Cowboy picking up his feet as he moves, he's lazy and drags them, leading to TRIPPING. *​ 
*I plan on getting some of my wooden posts in the pen setting them 6ft apart, and making him learn to pick up his dang feet.*​ 
*Well thats all for today... Hopefully saturday Ill ride with barrelbeginner (Stacie) for about 4 hours maybe *​


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## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

Do you have to work? lol


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Looking forward to keeping up with this thread. Cowboy is a doll <3


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## JazzyGirl (Mar 27, 2012)

*A day to remember*

Two days ago, Saturday, I rode at 7 am. My horse loves to stand in the back of a 35 acre pasture. So I walk up there to go get him and, of course, he knows what I'm up to. So with his tail sailed he gallops away. So me being stupid I run and throw my reins and halter at him... but I realize... he is circling back! It was as if we where doing join up in a round pen. So I take advantage of this, and make him go again, but this time I'm standing and just clucking and holding the halter, throwing the reins. He rounds about 2 more times, and I move to face his head, not his rump. So he turns, and I repeat my movement to his head, he knows to stop now. Then I softly talk to him and move to him, pet him and put the halter + reins on. WOW! That has never happen before!!

We walk home (can't jump on his back bareback, because I'm a white girl, and can't jump...) and I saddle him and ride for about 40 minutes in the pasture I caught him. Then I open the gate to the front pasture and Ride in this like 3 acer front yard haha. We cross the rode to my neighbors and cross back (getting used to the rode). Well we caught the neighbor's llama's attention and Cowboy was NOT sure what the heck it was but it was obviously gonna eat him. Cracks me up, hes afraid of LLAMAS bahahaha.

Today I got home at 4:30 pm, drove my stupid truck out to the pasture with my mom, chased cowboy with it, caught him, and mom drove the truck home. I used the bumper to get on bareback before she left. It was a good 5 minute-ish but I was in big trouble once I got home.... The tire was ripped, there was a flat, and my *** was in deep trouble. 

So I dismount, put the halter up, gave him a treat for being so good. Then I walked off and went to find the ring to the tire. Well in my crying, upset rage I find it and walk back home, and Zeus and Cowboy come to me.

Let me tell you this, its RARE for Cowboy to really care about anything... But as if he understood I was up set... He came right up to me, ignoring the shiny object in my hand, and rubbed his head and nudged me... Astonished, happy, and laughing, I felt like I had a true connection to him.

It was amazing, a day to remember, my horse actually cares... I feel so speechless, he's never done that.

Tomorrow will hopefully be as good as today was, or better​


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## JazzyGirl (Mar 27, 2012)

*Just real quick but...*

School. School. and more school.

But I got to ride to day, it was wonderful. 
Horses came when called, huge time saver!
Cowboy side passed when I rode

It was a good riding day but too short!

Thats all Ground work is planned for wednesday and friday


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## JazzyGirl (Mar 27, 2012)

*The Plan*

Well today I'm currently at school, but I've been thinking of what to do with Cowboy today. This morning I went out to the pasture to water the horses (but the hose was frozen, luckily there was still enough water to last till I got home). Well they had slept by the gate, it was rare but so awesome to see them this morning. I fed them bread and loved on them.

I decided Im going to do ground work today, it has been awhile since I stood in the pen and just worked with him with out riding (bad, I know). 

So with this thought in mind, I remembered something off RFDTV, I watch Pat Parelli.
I remember the 7 games, I understand some of his methods are odd and I've heard bad about him, buy the 7 games actually make sense to me. 
I am very excited to try them out when I get home today

This is a link on the 7 games

How to Do the Seven Games of Parelli: 8 Steps (with Pictures)


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## JazzyGirl (Mar 27, 2012)

*Well.*

Yesterday was a disaster, it got dark so soon ): But I did some ground work, side passing. It went okay but Cowboy was confused way much on how to do it from the gound. I got on his back (I can not jump on his back to save my life, today my arms ache >.<) and made his side pass, he did better than when I was on the ground. I rode him at a walk (all at dark with barley any moonlight) just talked to him.

Sad part is I need to study more on the Pat Parelli games, I forgot them by the time I caught Cowboy and started to work him 

Yesterday was a poo day.

Im home sick today, I really dont feel good today, but figure Ill be out there for a bit before dad gets home. If not, tomorrow I'll do more ground work. Study up on the 7 games.


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## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

WTF I hope you feel better


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## JazzyGirl (Mar 27, 2012)

*Food for Thought*

Natural Horsemanship, its been on my mind for years, but not in my ground work.

My dream for ever has been for me and my horse to be partners. 
Im not crazy for the whole, "Im boss and your my slave" relationship... I understand it but there is a better way to get past things.

I've noticed as I work with Cowboy, he doesn't want to work, he wont play, and he doesn't really participate. But over the years I've been around horses, I thought this is the way of horses. I was worng and I've only started to take note to that. 
I thought it took a special person to be connected with a horse, but it only really takes a person who understands. 

Cowboy's personality or should I say "Horseanality" (some Paralli vocab haha) as far as Im away is lazy, stubborn, the "Oh is that you calling? Oh this patch of grass looks tasty maybe Ill just ignore you and munch on it..."

But when I'm not near him... when his a horse out on the land... he's different. His horseanality is being very curious, and running! Oh boy does he love to run, his tail flagged high, his stride is longer, and even when he's at a slow lope he skips from side to side looking over his shoulder to see if your in pursue of him. 
Basically this, with me - bored and tense | out free - happy and alive

My horse rarely comes to me, and I hate that. I've read storys of other's horses actually wanting to play and go for a ride, putting their head to the halter, walking up to their person, and playing! 
I want to learn this so bad. I want to be able to read my horse's body language, to be partners with him.

So I found a article that has made all this thought cloud up my mind
http://www.parelli.com/putting-the-relationship-first.html
(Stacie if you happen to read this you should read this article as well)


Here is my list

I need to take note about how he "thinks". In that article it asks about how he needs to think and I realize, I really have no clue.
I have noticed though, he is a fast learner. He doesn't spook easily, he isn't the first to run at a unfamiliar item. So I believe he is a left brain
I also need to stop tricking him, he's smart and knows when I have the halter behind my back, and after a try of coaxing him with treats he knows what I'm up to if I try it again.
Another telling from the article "When your horse gets you to move more than he does, you’re losing the game!" this reminds me of when I was trying to catch him in the pasture and I was chasing him, then I realized I could use what I used in the round pen. 
 
There are a lot more articles on that website that are very interesting!


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## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

Darn it jazz lol.. You have me reading articles instead of taking finance notes now


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## JazzyGirl (Mar 27, 2012)

*Okay wind*

Saturday morning - text best friend - catch horse - let fear of ridding up the road in the wind ruin the fun - text best friend - ride at home

Cowboy was good as usual, I even caught him... well he came to me.
I walked to the back pasture, he saw me, and started to walk away. So I sat in the grass/dirt, and waited.

I didn't even "warm him up" he didn't need it. Of course he wanted to trot every where, or lope. But he actually walked the whole back pasture, didn't offer to trot or anything. Ira (my aussi mix) followed me the whole way. It was a good relaxed ride, would have been better with Stac, but Im a pansy x)

But gosh, ground work, ground work, and ground work. 
Its starting to irritate me how much I don't do it, I'll have a plan and as soon as I'm out there I'll forget x(

Im gonna write down a list of things I really want to work on with him, like side passing, maybe backing up faster, and just more bonding too.

I'd love to work on Liberty, to start it, but the more I look in to it the better idea I get. I read about it on here but every one has their own opinion on it.

Well more articles and thoughts


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## JazzyGirl (Mar 27, 2012)

*Two days*

Yesterday 
I came home, my horses approached me, I haltered, saddled and rode Cowboy. I used a side pull (a training one, green) loved it! He did so well, Im in love with a side pull 

Same today, not a lot happened >.<


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## barrelbeginner (Jan 31, 2012)

Glad that it worked out.. Soo does that mean you are going to order one? I'm going to need it back soon( so I can do some ground work with my horse)

Cowboy's letting you catch him now?( without running around)


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## JazzyGirl (Mar 27, 2012)

Yes hes getting better at letting me catch him, I wont be able to order one for a couple weeks... When is the soonest you need It back...


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