Now It's Spring

The weather is turning nice. Suppose to be in the 70's this week. Worked up the outdoor arena. Really early for March. Ninth warmest March on record. Surprised the horses aren't shedding more. They must know something I don't. No foals for this year. Seems weird not to expect a foal. Hopefully will have three next year.



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Read this Article

Read " Best of Both Worlds"  on page 56 in the March 15, 2010 issue of the Quarter Horse News. Boyd Rice tells the cutters that the reiners aren't all wrong. He trains his cutting horses to be supple and give all parts of their bodies. I was so happy to see this article.As a reiner my hero was Bob Loomis and he taught that the horse must move all parts of their body when asked. I saw him ride Topsail Cody as a three year old and it was my inspiration.Everyday I ride I use the things I learned from numerous reining horse trainers. I believe they must accept my direction even if they are going to cut.I think it's easier for them to understand the fundamentals and to be able to give their heads and necks and turn around so that I don't have to pull on them like crazy when there's a cow in the pen.My 5 year old mare tends to get stiff in the circles and if she's stiff there she'll be stiff turning around too. I've been working to get her to be soft in the face but it's not her favorite thing. I finally remembered Bob Loomis's words about raising up their rib cage to get them moving in a circle better and it worked. Roger Wagner must believe the same thing as Boyd Rice.His horses are broke!

Riding Outside

Finally I can ride outside. Some of the fields that are mostly sand are dry enough to ride on but most are muddy yet. My outdoor arena is wet but I'm desperate to get outside so I'm riding there and planning on working it up when it dries completely. Both my 5 year old mares have been goofy outside. After three months of looking at arena walls there's too much going on outside for them to concentrate. My three year old was better than both of them put together. She's a bit lazy but that's good out in the big,noisy, scary world.Here's a little reminder of spring!


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Location:County Road U,Waumandee,United States

Spring in Wisconsin

This water is not suppose to be rushing through my horse pasture! The mares are on higher ground for luck.Every spring the whole valley drains through our yard.I've raised the road to the horse barn but cannot afford the cost of excavating the field across the road that would divert the water elsewhere. Oh the joys of the seasons!!

Go for a Big Show?

My five year old mare is doing really well. At least I think so. She's interested in her job and feels good. I brought her home from the trainer's about a year ago. She had been in training for more than two years, been to the Futurity in Fort Worth, and rested for only a few weeks and she wasn't liking her job much. I rode her all over the hills last summer and have worked on making her more flexible and responsive. She's strong and willing and I want to try her at a show again. Thinking of a larger show in May ...the BI in Tulsa.


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Location:County Road U,Waumandee,United States

Congratulations Fitzsimons !

Flash !!! One nice One Time Pepto filly born in Wisconsin. Mom is Missuma a great daughter of Smart Little Lena who is the dam of Play Miss a tough little mare owned by the Slate River Ranch. The new filly is owned by Lenis and Nancy Fitzsimons from Pepin Wis. We have great horses here in the north too.

Trained Versus Cow Trained

If I understand Roger Wagner's training program correctly he wants them broke first. Broke in the face and turning 180 degrees back where they were coming from lightly and with no tension. It makes sense to me because you'll be able to help put the horse in the right position to cut and what's more important to me the horse will be able to go ahead and do other things if he won't make a great cutter.
In a recent article about Cory Pounds training methods he advocates pretty much the opposite. He learned from Buster Welch and Mr. Welch was a great trainer who pretty much let the cow train the horse.
Maybe you need to be an even greater trainer to make a cutter this way I sure won't say Buster Welch was wrong but everything changes and one method can't fit everyone or every horse.


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Location:County Road U,Waumandee,United States