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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

MOBILE CONFIDENCE COURSE!!!

I am sooo excited for this Saturday!!! My friend(Kim) is the owner of Mobile Confidence Course, or MCC for short!!! She brings the scary to you and your horse, LOL. Really, here is what her courses are all about....

Clinics are specifically designed for you & your horse to build confidence & safety through simulation. These Clinics slowly introduce various obstacles that you & your horse could encounter while riding. Both you & your horse are then trained to deal with situations by using various techniques that prove to your horse that you are a confident and trusting leader.

Kim will go to any barn, or location around MI! Anyway, Kim is coming to my barn this Saturday! I of course will not ride, but doing her obstacles on the ground, on line, will be so much fun! Also, it's a super experience for Enzo to gain more confidence in me being a leader! Here is her web page http://www.confidenthorse.com/index.html go check it out! I'll have more updates and pics after Saturday!!



Keep it natural!!! Janine and Enzo!!!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Watch what you trick train a horse!

I wanted to tell you another funny story about Enzo! I had taught Enzo a while back to shake his head NO. He learned it of course, super fast! Well, I had used a sharper object to poke him on the top of his neck and that would make him shake(top of paper clip, toothpick, or end of a screw). After you do a few tries the human no longer needs the sharp object. You just need to lift your hand high. Anyway unfortunately, to me!!! Enzo decided anything that poked him in the neck anywhere!!! Will make him shake his neck. That means for blood draws, or vaccines Enzo starts to shake his neck like a mad man!! My spring vaccines I gave this year were a nightmare to give. Even one time the syringe and all went flying on the floor, because Enzo was shaking his neck so hard. Well, today Enzo needed to get a coggins test and fecal. The vet was already coming out for my barn owner for spring vaccines on her horses. So I figured, I would jump in on the barn call. Since, I need a coggins to get to NC! Anyway, I realized last week that the poor vet is going to have an impossible time drawing blood!!!!!! Sooo I kept thinking how do I fix this? Then it came clear! I would go ahead and poke Enzo in the neck all over. Especially, at the jugular area. Enzo would not get rewarded for the times he did shake, but for only the times Enzo stood still and did not move!!! It was really hard, since of course at first, Enzo was shaking all over the place and it was super hard to not release the poke when he was shaking! Finally Enzo started to get it!!! I only had 3 days total to practice this before the vet was coming. My last time to practice was last night. The first couple of times Enzo shook his neck again. I was disappointed, but we kept practicing. At the end Enzo had it again! Sooooo, today the vet came and guess what!!! Enzo didn't shake once and Enzo did great for the VET!!! Soo it paid off and worked!!!! Yeah!!!! Now, I am going to refine my saying NO over the next few weeks. I will reward for head shaking when my hand is high up on the neck where the mane comes out for poking! This is where I started originally months back, but Enzo decided to make it all about his whole neck instead! Then, I will work on poking Enzo below the mane all over. Like Enzo is getting vaccines and or blood draws and I will continue to reward Enzo for not shaking in the future in that area!!! Yeah, how cool!! So be careful what you trick train, LOL!


Keep it natural~ Janine and Enzo

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Ohh, open house on May 7th to meet Mintse 384!!!

Oh, I am excited! May 7th there will be an open house at the Friesian Connection in Dorr MI!!! Enzo's father Mintse lives there! I have always loved Mintse, but I have never gotten to see him in person! I am sooooo looking forward to it! I'll have to bring my camera and my Flip video for sure!!! Here are a few pics of Minste below and 1 picture of Enzo's mother! I cannot wait to see if Enzo gets hair like his father?? Man, what a beautiful animal!



Mintse 384 (sire)

Mintse 384 (sire)
Belle(Dam)
Keep it natural! Janine and Enzo

Monday, April 18, 2011

MI wind training with Enzo!

Wow, what crazy weather this whole world has been having lately!!! When is mother nature going to get back into sync again??? This weekend in MI it was extremely windy!!!! On Saturday it rained on and off all day with blasting winds from the north! I went and got Enzo and we headed for the indoor arena to play our Parelli games all on a 22 foot line. After a while of fun, I decided it was time to head into the scary outside world again and go play in the outside arena. At the time is was not raining, but I figured even if it did rain again? We wouldn't melt. Once outdoors in the outdoor arena. Enzo jumped around again and at few different things, but nothing too bad. I started to play some of our Parelli games. I just made sure again, that I kept MY energy low. Since, I already knew Enzo's energy was higher with the weather. On the circle game at a walk. Enzo would try to do a running trot, or a full try at a bolt on the 1 side of the circle. I noticed Enzo was doing it on the side of the neighbors, where it is much scarier! This is the neighbor with chickens running around, plastic flying in the wind, etc. So ever time Enzo tried to bolt on that side of the circle I would shut him down and start our game over again. This way, Enzo just couldn't get more speed and decide to take off fully. I did this about 5 times until Enzo could confidently walk around the circle without freaking out on the neighbors side. The first time that Enzo accomplished this, I asked for game over and had Enzo come into me and I gave him lots of friendly game and praise!!! I was just waiting for Enzo to be confident on that side of the circle. During all of this, it of course would rain, snow, and rain again! What a great way to play that day!!! After that, I finished with a few more things and we both walked calmly back to the barn. I also practiced with us both walking, halting, and then backing up to make sure Enzo was paying attention to me, as we headed back to the barn for the day.

On Sunday, the wind was even worse!!! It was 25 to 30 mile and hour winds!! With wind gusts up to 40 and 50 miles and hour!!!! It was nuts, I have to admit. I felt like cousin it for the day! Since, my hair is long and it was blowing everywhere! Yes, people would say tie it up. But it was sooo stormy and my hair is fine, and has layers, that it would have just blow apart even being tied up. Either way, I went and got Enzo and again we played in the indoor arena all on a 22 foot line. First to build our connection better. Today all the arena doors were banging in the wind, the cupolas were making noise, and big fan in the ceiling was spinning out of control. So needless to the say, the indoor arena was just as silly. Enzo spooked a few times and the gust of wind flying by the open arena door. Enzo also spooked at leaves flying by and into the arena, and even the barn owners dog came to say HELLO at the open door and that sent Enzo flying also! But we worked through it all and it was great experience for Enzo and I. After and hour or so, once I knew Enzo was much more connected with me again and more confident in the weather. I decided to head out in the stormy wind of MI! I started down the long drive way again going slow and practicing out walk, stop and back up. I knew in my mind that if Enzo had any trouble getting to the outdoor arena? I then would retreat and work with what both of us could handle. Since, the weather was so much stronger than Saturday. But Enzo did great and we made to the outdoor arena with no problem. Again, I worked on my 7 Parelli games slowly. I eventually got back to the circle game, like I had on Saturday. This time Enzo was only slightly worried on the neighbors side! Enzo slightly picked up a tiny trot, but it was easy for me to ask Enzo to go back to a walk again. Again, I waited for Enzo to calmly walk the whole circle and once that happened I would do game over and bring Enzo into me and phrase him lots! Enzo was able to stand next to me calmly and even yawn a few times. Which showed me Enzo was able to release his adrenaline. I was in the outside arena for at least an hour. Sometimes just hanging out. Horses want safety, comfort, and play! I was just getting Enzo to understand he can be just as safe with me as he is in his own pasture with his herd mates. It was a great feeling to see Enzo finally feeling more confident with me in scary situations. We have many years for our bond to get even stronger. But this is the first time I could really see Enzo feel it. We then started to head back to the barn and again I went calmly and slowly and Enzo was just as calm the whole way. Last year, Enzo had his head up and acted 18 hands high, if he saw any animal. Like a bird, or a squirrel move, Enzo would have lounged forward. So again, to see Enzo walking calmly back with me to the barn was so great feeling! I am sure Enzo felt the same way. Since, I know Enzo doesn't like the frazzled scarred feeling either!

Creat great moments~Janine and Enzo!!!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Outside in the scary world....

me and my Enzo went! Yesterday in MI it was soooo beautiful!!!! 65, no wind, and finally the SUN!!! I drove to the barn after work as fast as I could. So I could spend time with Enzo in the SUN. I had decided we would venture out to the front arena outside! Since, we have spent all of our time indoors during winter. I know Enzo gets very nervous in the front arena. It's scary, neighbors next door, chickens next door, birds flying over head, and his horse friends are not with Enzo to hold his hoof!!! In the past, Enzo had gotten so scared in the front arena, that if I tried to teach my Parelli games to him. It was just too much for his mind to deal with the learning of the games and trying to deal with the scary outside! If I used too much energy, it would be just enough to have Enzo go over the edge, and at that point he would decide. It's way too scary out here, and now you are too scary as well! I am sooo leaving this situation and then Enzo would run away from me! So now that know this about Enzo. I reminded myself to stay very calm and never use too much energy, that will push Enzo away. It's amazing to see how much of a different horse I have, once I take him away from his familiar surroundings. Enzo is usually a LBI when he confident. But outside, or in unusual areas he gets RBI and gets very unconfined, jumpy, doesn't think, and scared! That's why even birds flying over his head can make him jump! I know he has seen those birds a billion times in his pasture. But his senses are heightened to every little movement when Enzo is scared with me. I started to play with the 7 games as if I had a horse that never has played the games before. I made sure my movements were very slow and I took the time Enzo needed to understand. I must have done a great job. Enzo did not try to run away once and I even saw him lick his lips once and while! I was very thrilled with that. If I can get Enzo to eventually understand that I will take great care of him and I am a good leader. Enzo then will be the LBI that he is when he is in the SAFE closed indoor arena. I just need to remind myself to take the time that Enzo needs!!!

Create Great moments!! Janine and Enzo

Sunday, April 3, 2011

HORSES ARE SOOOO MUCH FUN!!

Well, we are still waiting for our 60 degrees!!! This spring thing sure is not happening. But I did play a lot of my Parelli games with Enzo this weekend and we both had a blast!!! Last night I worked on things I would like to do, when I tape my Level 2 on line test on paper. But we are 100% ready as of yet. But I want to get an idea in my head of things I would like to offer in my video. Plus, it made me go through all the things Enzo can confidently do and things we both need to work on still. So when I went out today, I decided I wanted to try a figure 8 at a trot today. We have never done this, and if it did happen by accident in the past, it did not look pretty. So this is the funny part!!! I went and set up two cones. Then I spent a lot of time on winning my porcupine game, stick to me, traveling circles and all kinds of fun things to warm up with and see what kind of mood Enzo was in, or what side of the stall he woke up on this AM? Enzo was in a very playful mood and seemed to offer a lot today! He had a mind set of ohhh I can do that mom!!! Watch this! So warm up went really smooth and flowed out of both of us. Of course, I wish I had my recorder!! But I am sure, I then would have been too nervous and things would have never flowed like it had today! Anyway, I made it over to the cones and I offer my hand towards the cones. Then, Enzo took off at a TROT on his own and did the figure 8 pretty much by himself. I was so excited, that I wanted more. BUT, I knew I had to say Parelli game over and give him lots of friendly game(which I did)!!! BUT, why did he pick up a TROT today????? We have never done a trot and I hadn't asked for a trot. Could he have actually felt my energy of me really wanting to try trot today????? I am not sure, but I sure was a happy girl!! I did ask for the figure 8 one more time and just as easy as the first time. Enzo popped into a nice trot and floated around the 2 cones! WOW, how cool is this and this is why horses are soooo much fun! Enzo hates to move. So for me to see him happily pick up a trot, keep it and look happy, was just so thrilling. Somewhere through my play time with Enzo we went onto the circling game. Just the past few weekends. I have been playing with Enzo to now pick up the canter. Enzo hates to canter and he is still baby uncoordinated. So even if he gets the correct lead and does canter. Enzo usually does not keep it long. Today Enzo offered to canter on his own 2 separate times!!!!! Ok, did my horse fall out of his stall this AM??? Again, I wanted to see more, but I did shut the canter down to a trot. One to blow Enzo's mind and 2nd to make sure that Enzo doesn't dominate the game. Since, Enzo picked up a canter when he wanted and not when I offered. Enzo loves to figure out the games and then do them by himself!!!!! But still, it was soooo cool to see that Enzo did offer it. Later I did ask Enzo to canter when I was ready and it was a piece of cake! Again, horses are soo much fun!!! I hope you all had as much fun this weekend!!

Keep it natural~Janine and Enzo!!!