Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Thanks for the sympathy about my toe injury. I finally thought to ice it yesterday, did it on and off all evening. This morning it was so much better! I'm still a little gimpy but not too bad. I didn't let it keep me down.

I realized I have less than 2 weeks until Mustang Days, where we're entered in the Walk/Trot, Halter, and Trail classes. (If you're near Spokane WA and want to participate or come watch, I'd be happy to pass on the details to you!) I figured I darn well better get to work. So today we worked on obstacles and de-spooking. Let's see... What did we do... Flagged with a cloth flag and a plastic flag. Flapped my yellow rain slicker all over him and had him carry it around. Walked over barrels laid on their sides. Backed between two barrels in a straight line. He gets so worried about that one I didn't try for the figure 8 today. Walked over two different colors of hoses and a couple ropes. Flapped a white paper Macy's bag all over him. Dragged a tarp next to and behind him, careful to turn him so he got the full effect of it coming against his butt and leg. Wrapped the slicker around his legs and asked him to walk. I was hoping he'd drag it with his foot, he worries about things caught on his legs, but he just stepped out of it. I think I'll tie something to his foot and walk him. Maybe contractor's tape, then work up to something heavier. I was hoping to ride after the kids got home from school (everything we did was from the ground) but that didn't work out because we had an away softball game.

Before we left I got some pictures of our fun games.

"Yeah Ma, this is getting old. Yawn."

"Mmmm-hmmm, I can do it this direction too. Sigh."

"Two colors & sounds, yep. I wonder what this tastes like?"

"Hey Ma, I'm not sure I really need all this rain gear."

"This is kinda tickly."

I'll be adding more strands to my "cowboy curtain" but wanted to start simple. I think I'm going to try to find some caution tape, and maybe throw in some rope scraps tied together or something...

I also want to work with a plastic bag (which he finds most tasty) full of cans (which he hasn't encountered before) and a bottle of rattly rocks. This is so much fun! Ooh, maybe my brother-in-law will let me borrow his bull whip? That would be a good tool for getting used to loud noises. I need to make a bridge too. Maybe tomorrow I'll find time.

Does anyone else have any ideas for de-spooking and obstacles to play with?

5 comments:

Lady Of Chaos said...

Ideas??? Oh boy lol. Orange cones, radio controlled cars, bicycles, bicycle horns (yeah those really annoying ones), barrels (put rocks in the bottom and 'let' him bump them to make noise), balloons (pop them too), banners, those little triangle flag banners, coins in a coffee can (or nuts, screws, bolts, those kinds of things), goats, air hoses & compressers, air tools, air brakes on buses (found out the hard way that a horse doesn't like the sound of brakes on the school bus), kites, bubbles (the kids loved that one - blow bubbles at the horses), wind up alarm clocks (the noisy ones)...

That should keep you busy for a while... I do have more lol. I have a huge list.

Pony Girl said...

These pictures impressed me, what a good boy you have! I want to do some of that with my horse. He's pretty good, but I wonder if I could walk him over a tarp? We are having a playday at my family guest ranch trip this summer...you gave me some good ideas of obstacles and tests we can put our horses through!

Anonymous said...

Andrea - hope all those things are not in the trail course or I am sunk already. You will be ready. He is a nice guy and very tolerant.
Are you coming Friday? Got an entry from Craigs list. Thanks you. Her name is Amy and she might come to the meeting too.

Lea

Linda said...

Hi Andrea. You're doing great--an inspiration to me. I want to come see you at Mustang Days.

Linda

Andrea -Mustang Saga said...

Darn it, Blogger didn't tell me there were comments here...

Thanks everyone! I really have fun dinking around with this stuff.

Lea, sorry I couldn't make the meeting! But I'm glad we have another Mustang Days entry!