Laura of Cal.
--- In haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com, Julie Wilson <wilsonjz@...> wrote:
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> Hello and an update...
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> Michigan is settling into winter and I can't say trail riding has seemed attractive on the state land between the hunters and ice on trails. I was able to get Bud home before X-mas from the stable I had been boarding before the weather and roads got too treacherous. Since I don't have a trailer yet, I have friends that allow me to borrow a 4 horse stock trailer that is plenty roomy for him. Being that it is xmas season, they were too busy to haul for me so they told my husband to go ahead and commandeer the rig (he's a truck driver - owner operator; we have a peterbilt that hauls an asphalt trailer). My husband has hauled every load you can imagine but never large livestock...especially MY livestock. Please excuse my words but I told him to drive like a 95 yr old retiree in florida who couldn't see over the steering wheel - go slow!
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> To add injury to insult, I have never loaded a horse in a trailer before (what a geek?!). I just never had to do that!
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> So...
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> I used to email this list pleading..."my horse bolts from me!"...we had ground issues...
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> Anyone following knows that I've been working with trainers on groundwork issues and I've stuck with the basic ground training successfully myself. I had my trusty ROPE halter and told Bud to step up into that trailer and he never hesitated. I tied him up, cute little husband drove like a champ the 15 miles home. I feared my real challenge would be getting out of the trailer once home; I told husband to not stand in front of trailer exit. Bud stepped right out with me, looked around at our slightly unfamiliar yard after 2 months away from home and very calmy walked to the pasture with me. He is becoming such a fantastic horse...
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> I piggybacked with sassyme808's post because I am a haflinger owner that started out with a greenish haflinger and myself green out of the horse business for 15 yrs (which can be both a good and bad combo). Once you give those buggers time and training (in my case had to be partially professional due to my limited time and training experience) they become your trustiest companion!
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> Sorry for the long post - I'm so glad to have that big dog home - have a great holiday EVERYONE!
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> julie & bud in se mi
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> --- On Sun, 12/20/09, sassyme808 <sassyme808@...> wrote:
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> From: sassyme808 <sassyme808@...>
> Subject: [haflingerfriends] Heartstring Tugs(very long sorry)
> To: haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Sunday, December 20, 2009, 9:23 PM
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> We have had quite a bit of rain here in Oregon, which is normal of course, but it came on top of a hard freeze. I don't know if the freeze is the problem, but the pasture is even more muddy than usual where I board, even to the point of forming a running stream right through the field. The barn owner moved the horses to a different field that sits just a but higher and has not been chopped up by hooves. The horses are very happy, but it's quite a hike through the mud to get them out of pasture and bring them into the barn. Today my DH went with me to get Charlie out and was kind enough to trudge out to get him from the field for me. Charlie loves Mike and walked up to him to be caught when he got out there. However, when it came time to wade through the muck to get back to the barn Charlie set his heels and said "no thank you" in the politest way possible. Mike said Charlie gave him a "horse hug" but would not take a step into the mud. He tried for 10
> minutes or so, but the answer was No. He's never refused to be lead before. Now, remember that Charlie has had mistreatment in his past, but is the most willing boy to do what he's asked, and we have a strict no hitting or yelling rule with him, as even a small swat on the rump makes him act like he's been shot, and would be a setback in his trust. I had been chatting with another boarder and finally noticed that it had been a long time, so I popped my head out of the door and saw Mike and Charlie stuck in one place at the far end of the field. I hollered out to Charlie to come on in, and he popped his head up, squared up his shoulders and waded into the mud! Mike helped him pick the best path and they got to the barn within a couple minutes. Mike said it was the sound of my voice that got him to take the plunge. It almost made me cry, but I'm goofy that way. Meanwhile, the barn owner is working on some new gates so we can have a firm path to the barn.
> We're doing another month with the trainer, and me in more lessons. Charlie's still pretty jumpy, but oh so much better. I'm just so darn stiff, but much less fearful. The trainer had me ride his Steady Eddie with my eyes closed, and it was the best exercise ever. I got a glimpse of myself as a young girl with no fears, and no arthritis in the neck! A dear friend of mine who's horse is lame is going to take a lesson with Charlie and our trainer, and then ride him until her horse is better. It's a win-win. More miles on Charlie, and she gets to keep working on her skills. (She's an excellent and experienced rider whom I trust totally. )
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