Reviewing Ground Work

I did a quick summary of ground work 101 for myself so I could have a quick reference of what I should be doing every day. Of course, I am not, but when I can get it in the horses are much better for it.

Ground Work 101

Catching Your Hose In The Field

1.     Relax and approach gently remember  he might think you are a predator so don’t tense up, turn your eyes away from his eyes and look at his feet. This will show him you aren’t a threat.

2.     Watch and he will give you an invitation to approach he will turn his head or front quarters towards you, lick his lips or soften his eyes. He has invited you in. Walk towards him slowly and keep his attention.

3.     If he does the opposite and ignores you or walks away back off the pressure immediately. If you back off he will take a few steps, stop and relax. Then he will rethink inviting you in instead of getting away from you.

4.     When I approach a horse I hold out my hand palm down and let him sniff me. When he softens I rub his neck, muzzle or any area that makes him feel relaxed and comfortable. Using this technique will help you build confidence and trust with your horse. At this point you should be able to slip a halter on him or hook in your lead rope and proceed to the next step.

Crossing His Feet

1.      This exercise is designed to teach your horse that you are strong enough to take care of him and that you are the leader. You will need a 14’ lead line and a knot halter for this exercise. ( I prefer a double diamond brand knot halter because the knots are already positioned for you to have utmost control. The 14’ lead line works best if it is a cotton outside over a nylon inside. The cotton coating will keep the line from burning your hands in the event of an unruly horse.)

2.     Crossing his front feet. Take the lead line about 2’ down from the knot halter into your left hand. Place the remainder of the lead line into your right hand. Hold your left hand up in the air and twirl the lead line in your right hand to get your horse to move. Look at this front foot that you want him to move. To cross his front feet you are asking him to go to your left with your left hand. The right hand is the energy to make him move. You will twirl the rope in the air closer and closer until he moves. But, he must cross his right foot over his left to yield to you. Repeat until he does.   To cross the right foot; repeat above steps switching hands. He only has to cross them once, but it must be a genuine cross over, not a side step.

3.     Crossing his hind legs. Take the lead line about 2’ down from the halter in your left hand. Crouch over and look at this left hind foot, you are on his left facing him. Twirl the rope and pretend that you are a predator and going to bite his hind foot. Move in close towards his body and make him move his hind quarters away from you crossing his feet.  Repeat on the other side. Remember he must cross, not just step out of your way.

This exercise is amazing in that when done properly he has just given you control over his feet. It is a difficult exercise and requires some practice, but in a short time you will be able to do it.  You cannot do this exercise too much. You should do it EVERY time you handle your horse whether it is to lead him across the pasture or to ride him. You will be surprised at how it makes your horse respectful and easy to work with. 

You absolutely cannot do this step too often.

Yielding His Front Quarters

1.     Wrap your lead line around your horses buttocks  on his left side and pull from the right side until line is taught. His head and neck should be turned to the left. When he yields to this pressure you can release the pressure on the lead line to reward him. Repeat on the other side. 

Try these quick exercises and you will have a much more respectful horse and happier ride. 

Too cold to do much today, wind chill is -5 but better days are coming. Horses are all tucked in and eating hay and grain. Some of them are sleeping in the sunshine out of the wind. I guess they are having one of those days when you want to snuggle up in front of the fireplace in their case sunshine and just be lazy. 

Have a great day.

Cold Monday Mornings Suck!

Well the water of course is frozen, thank heavens Rodney filled up everyone's buckets last night. My job in the mornings is to grain the babies and fill everyone's water. He has already been out and given everybody hay for the morning. Everyone seems to be doing good this morning. I was a little worried due to the HUGE drop in temperature overnight. Knock on wood, they all seem fine. Two of my babies didn't eat their grain last night, but I had to substitute Tractor Supply for the good stuff I get in Benson because I was out. They don't like the sweet feed much, but were up and happy this morning so I don't think there is anything wrong with them.

Gotta move some boys around this afternoon to prepare for the snow coming Thursday. Oh joy! Actually, if I am prepared for it I don't mind it at all. Reallly rather have snow than 100 degrees!

I was watching the NHRA championships for 3 year old last night. Big kudos to Jeff Matthews horses as they were the big winner walking away with $250,000.  The winning horse was a son of One Time Pepto which the Matthews own. Peptoboonsmal horses still heavily dominate the cutting and reining world. Gotta get some of that blood line here at my farm. There were some High Brow Cat horses that placed and that would be a welcome addition as well. In the spring this search will begin. It will be time to upgrade some blood.

Well, gotta get ready for work in the real world that for now pays all the bills for the horses. Talk to you tomorrow.

This is my sweet Frankie baby!  Just looked out the window and colts were gobbling up their grain, so thank goodness no colic just holding out for the good stuff.

Farrier Day

Today we have the farrier coming to do ten horses. This is always good. It makes me feel good knowing that I am giving the babies the proper care. Our farrier Zack lives about an hour and a half away, but he is awesome with the horses. Literally when people stop to look at my animals they comment on my farrier. So you know he is good. If anyone needs his number email me.

Rodney is working today which is good as his over time will soon be gone due to the economy. Don't you get tired of hearing that everything is blamed on the economy! It is hard to keep a positive note going when you are continually blasted by the media that confirms that we are in the weeds financially. Even at work you can't get projects accomplished because there isn't enough money for staff, supplies, for growth! It is ridiculous Wake Up Business People if you don't invest ANY money in your business you will be OUT OF BUSINESS!

Thanks for indulging me that rant. I will try to do better. Cowpoke our new blue roan stallion and Sophie our new paint mare are coming next week. Obviously, I am doing my part for the economy. I invest every bit of spare change I have back into my horse business. I BELIEVE! Maybe I am a fool, but I believe that sooner or later the "economy" will turn around and things will get better.

Teasing my husband this morning that I only have 38 horses on the farm so I have two open slots. He laughed, but I am sure he is thinking "we don't need another horse" but poor fellow has thought that since we have 6 and number 7 was coming!  LOL. Gotta love him.

Well better get my knickers on and go out side and give them critters some grain. Have a great day.

My sweet colt Pepper. Now doesn't that make you smile.

Thinking Thursday

Thinking about my breeding program and who gets bred to who?

It is about that time and I have to put into concrete my breeding plan for 2011.  I have so many choices, because of the number of stallions that I own that this is NEVER an easy decision. Seriously just look at them.

Are they not all gorgeous!

Needless to say this has taken many conversations with my friends April and Rima. I think though I have finally got it figured out. Now the only problem is figuring out if I can breed my mares in foal heat to the stallions that I have selected for them.  Spring will be interesting.

I have six babies coming, I think. First one is due March 19 and most likely be a paint solid from Heidi and Shakey. Shakey is Rima's stallion, a very handsome boy.  Then I have Starfire and Freckles due about March 30. They are both bred to Sierra Sandstone a beautiful Perlino owned by April. Shortly after that comes my bay mare Jewels in foal to Kid Clu, I think.  Then my beautiful Hannah who is in foal to our blue roan Cowpoke. Then later in the summer Maggie will deliver a goregous baby from Shakey, Rimas Stallion.

So the nursery and the breeding barn will be quite busy needless to say. I can hardly wait. Having babies is almost as good as real human ones without the trouble, sort of.  So in summary, I think I am having two buckskin babies, one blue roan baby (keep your fingers crossed), two paint babies and one awesome halter baby.

Another cold day today, I think I better hush and get on out there and feed those hungry critters. Hope everyone has a great day.

Good Food

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I got this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Dip. It is phenomenal! So I thought I would share it with you this morning. Seems that this week we need something to warm us up.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

8 oz Cream Cheese                           1/2 c Ranch Dressing
1/2 c Shredded Mozarella                1/2 c Red Hot Sauce (I used Texas Pete)
2 cans Chicken Meat

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish and stir. Mix in salad dressing, hot sauce, cheese and stir in chicken. Bake 20 minutes.

I added more cheese to mine like 2 cups.  This would also work well with left over turkey........
I can see this as a filling for quesadilla. You could change it up and use it a million ways, but whatever you do this simple recipe is DELICIOUS!!!!

Now for the important stuff about my horses.  The cold weather has made them feel their oats. It has been fun to just watch them at play. My 2 year old pen of stallion colts are enjoying "play fighting" with each other. They run and chase each other and rare trying to decide who is the biggest baddest stud in the pen. They are so funny. Each day the pecking order shifts a little. Casino remains on top of the heap, but Boomer, Cash and Nugget are all willing challengers. Sometimes Moon even tries to be king. Moon is a year younger, but just as big as anything in the pen. He is going to be a giant. Shooter runs with them and bucks and plays, but hardly ever is the challenger. He has a gentle soul. He is my Perlino.

The pregnant mares get in on the action and kick up their heels and run and play as well. We just roll with laughter seeing them buck and jump up off the ground with all fours. They are hysterical. It is always amazing to see how agile and athletic they can be even at seven or eight months pregnant. Now that is tough.

Once one starts runing and playing the whole farm joins in on the action. You will see even the babies bucking and kicking up their heels. Everybody is celebrating! It must be Christmas time.

What to do if Santa has been asked to bring a horse

Christmas time is coming faster than I care to admit. It is already well into the first week of December and with only 18 days till Christmas if you are in the market for a horse or pony here are some helpful hints.

1. Decide what you want from this horse or pony. Do you want something to ride in yard with the family and just have fun with or do you want a performance animal to show or game? Is your idea of a trail ride 10 miles or 30 minutes. What is the age and the experience level of the folks who will be riding. This is one place to be totally honest. If you are an inexperienced rider  be honest so that when you select your horse you get something you can enjoy. 

2.  Age is definitely a factor. If you are inexperienced you would do well to look for something in the 12-15 year old market. Horses of this age are settled and experienced and apt to be more forgiving while you learn. A more experienced rider might prefer to purchase something to train themselves. A green broke horse is a good option as they have accepted a rider, but need to be taught finer points such as neck reining, gaits, etc.

3.  If you are looking for something to use in competition whether it be pleasure or gaming you need to get the advice of an experienced horse person to help you. Confirmation, bloodlines, etc. are all just as important as how the animal moves and handles.

4. If you are planning to purchase a horse for breeding you will want to consider a mare that has already had at least one foal, but is still relatively young.  A mare that has already given birth will be easier to handle as a beginner when the due date arrives.

5. By all means ride it before you buy it. Be sure you purchase the proper tack for your purposes with the animal and make sure it is a good fit for him.

6. If you are purchasing a pony be sure to get a good size for the weight and size of the rider. A tiny pony while cute will be quickly outgrown by your children.

7.  As far as gender of the horse a lot of people prefer a gelding as their temperament is usually even keeled. A mare's personality can be more challenging, but don't be afraid to consider one if you find one you like.

8.  If you are spending a considerable amount of money for the purchase I would suggest a pre-purchase exam by a qualified vet.

9. Do you want something that is registered (with papers) or grade (without). If you aren't going to show or breed then registry is optional for you. Grade horses usually cost less, but for a horse that is well broke, well behaved and good for a beginner you may pay just as much.

10. Take your time, look around. Know the breed that you are interested in. Visit a few area farms and look at what is for sale. Try to avoid auctions as a rule unless you have someone with experience to go with you.

Remember you will need a fenced in area large enough for the animal to get some exercise. Shelter is not mandatory as long as there is a tree line or something for a wind break. Horses need grain and hay for roughage. Water will be a necessity and they drink about 5 gallons per day, so be sure your container will hold enough.

Hope these tips have been of some use. Happy hunting and Merry Christmas.

First Snow of the Season

It is Saturday night and the snow has been coming down for about 4 hours now. Weather reports said no accumulation up until it started accumulating. Now they say possibly 2". LOL. Oh well at least they got the part about it snowing right LOL. Thought I would share a couple of photos with you of our farm and horses enjoying the weather. For NC this is a BIG snowfall.

This is Buttermilk one of our mini mares. She is a sweetheart, patiently waiting for her supper.

This is a shot of part of our farm. Look at the snow in the pines. It makes you want to sing Christmas in Dixie doesn't it.

Well it is still snowing and supposed to snow all night so we will see what the morning brings. Thank goodness for a big round bale of hay delivery today. Sleep tight.

Saturday morning

I just love Saturday mornings. I am home all by myself, Rodney is working today. I have been playing Farmville and jamming out with my newly discovered You Tube music. I know, I am gradually stepping into the enlightened world of electronic technology. It is really cool to just type in a group or song from my memories and boom there it is. Jammin out this morning to a lot of songs from Easy Rider. Don't know why I am in a rock mood, but perhaps it will be good motivation to get my blood circulating and get some house cleaning done. Got to get the Christmas junk up!

Weather forecast is for snow tonight, no accumulation, they claim, but considering they are only 50% right I gotta take precautions. So my challenge today is move the minis to their barns out of the round pen. Get Lucky halter broke, he is my blue roan paint stallion colt yearling. Move Strut and Skeeter to a stable and then that only leaves poor Kid Clu out in the snow.

We took his corral down to work on the drainage issues in his paddock, but haven't worked out all that stuff yet so he is in the round pen for now. He loves being in there. He can see all the horses on the property, he can see who comes and goes. He is the Ultimate King of the Ranch. (and he really is)

Sold my paint colt, Apache yesterday. Hope it was a good move. He was a sweetheart, but he went to a little girl to love and nurture so I think he will be happy. Still it is so hard to see one go. I hadn't planned to sell him but the folks seemed to need him.


Well it is a crock pot full of chilli, a fire in the fire place and deck the halls for a wild Saturday night on the ranch. Talk to you tomorrow.

Winterize Your Horse, There is a Chill In The Air

The weather has really turned cold almost over night. Been watching the horses really carefully for signs of colic. So far so good, knock on wood. Just a reminder that this time of the year we need to have Banamine on hand, syringes, Epsom Salt, Mineral Oil, etc. and hopefully if we have all that stuff we won't need any of it.

Of course, potential sale for colt stood me up. Part of the horse business I guess. Oh well, he is really nice so if he doesn't sell I will live.

The horses were feeling their oats today, especially the stallion colts running and rearing with each other. It is so much fun to watch them play, kinda makes you feel like running and being free right a long with them. (If you decide to do this, however, be very careful, when they are playing they might not see you and keep your distance because they play rough. Yes, I am speaking from experience.)

Got the website up today. Can't say it is finished in reality because I will tweak it weekly forever, but at least there is something up there for folks to see. www.halfmoonfarms.com. Seems like it has been off the air forever! Totally new design and I think it looks better than before. Hope you enjoy it, if you take a peek.

First baby due March 19, so it won't be long before that big old stork flies over. I can hardly wait. Tic Toc.

I have included a copy of a column I wrote about winterizing your horse. Hope you like it.

Winterize Your Horse Now
By ROSE CUSHING

Mother nature does a pretty good job of taking care of your horse’s basic needs. When the temperatures are between 15 degrees and 60 degrees horses don’t require extra energy to stay warm, unless the wind is blowing or the hair is wet. When this happens they instinctively know to eat more calories.
Unfortunately, our horses are at the mercy of our knowledge of what they need and aren’t able to allow mother nature to run things. Don’t be fooled by their thick winter coats that make a horse look fat. Horses burn fat from the areas of reserve such as the ribs, crest of the neck and rump first. If you have ever noticed your horse looks “ribby” that is probably why. “Ribby” that is my term for being able to see some of his ribs, always a concern for me. If you aren’t comfortable eyeing in whether or not he is losing weight you can use a weight tape, but as time and experience go on you will just know.
Always remember that hay is the best feed to help a horses body generate heat. The heat from five pounds of digested hay will raise the horse’s core body temperature for nearly four hours. Hay is digested in the horse’s large intestine and provides nutrients as well as generating heat. Grains are digested in the small intestine and produce little heat. A 1,000 lb.horse usually needs about 20 lbs of hay per day (3-4 flakes of medium quality hay).
When it is cold focus on long stemmed hay, preferably free choice. A horse can eat all the hay it wants without risk founder and can be added quickly when the temperature drops unexpectedly. You should continue to feed your horse grain, but a sudden increase in that can cause colic or founder. An idle horse will consume roughly 3% of his body weight in feed every day and at least half of that should be in hay.
A bit of scientific data here scientist found hay acts like a sponge inside your horses digestive system soaking up water and retaining it for a long time thus making digestion smooth. A diet of 30 pounds of hay turns into 43 pounds of manure. A diet of 12 pounds of hay and 12 pounds of oats only turns into 25 pounds of manure. Obviously diets consisting of high portions of hay are not desirable for competitive horses where weight is a concern, on the other hand during endurance events these animals shine.
The next significantly important consideration is fresh water. Most horse owners carefully monitor their horses water intake in the summer months. Water intake is always important. Horses need less water in the winter and therefore naturally drink less.
Research done at the University of Pennsylvania show correlations between decreased water and fecal impact colic. Increasing the amount of water that your horse drinks is an inexpensive way to help prevent a very serious problem.
There are various types of heater units for water tanks on the market. Remember that horses tend to play with objects so use care when making this decision. Choose a unit that does not float on the top, instead select one that is designed to sit on the bottom of the tank or clamp directly on the side securely.
If this is not an option you can also just fill their bucket a couple of times a day with luke warm water. The study at the university showed that when given the option of warm water horses drank more. A horse will typically drink 10 to 12 gallons of water each day.
Remember that it is not critical that your horse have a barn, but it does need a wind break. This can be a heavy stand of trees or as simple as a wall to block the cold north wind. Horses are designed to live in the wild and are remarkably adaptable to weather conditions as long as their nutrition and water requirements are met.

Horses For Sale

Alright I finally agreed to sell a couple of horses. I know it is insanity to keep all these, but I love them. Anyway put APHA 6 month old colt IMA Cool Skip grandson, AQHA 2 year old mare on horseville and craigslist. Had two calls today about colt. Think he will be gone by weekend. At least they both would be good perspective owners and will give them a good home.

Work went well today, but late getting home again. My sweet cowboy husband fed the horses for me and cooked supper. I am so lucky. He is a doll.

Got to make a decision about purchasing a new mare. Beautiful foundation bred double homozygous girl APHA two year old. Really really want her, but then do I really need her? YES, I probably do. It is tough being a Libra and having to analyze EVERYTHING....

Am doing an angel tree at work to help needy kids in Edgecombe County. I took on 140 kids! Yes, I am insane, but we already knew that. The DSS and Salvation Army had over 1000 kids that needed help and at the time 140 didn't seem like many. Going well so far we have had about 25-30% adopted and it has only been a week today. Got 10 more days to go.

My stallion Kid Clu met me at the gate tonight and was lonely. Nothing like big horsey hugs. Talk to you tomorrow.

New horses arrive

Friday before Thanksgiving we got two new colts. One is a blue roan paint that my husband purchased for my anniversary. He named him HF (Halfmoon Farms) Lucky In Love. So Lucky was my 11th anniversary present. (11 is a lucky number as well) too much, I know, but I am a hopeless romantic. The second was a surprise. Brady Horse Farms, owner Roger and Lauren decided to surprise me with a second colt, a beautiful black and white APHA colt with bloodlines to Zippo Pine Bar. (Nice surprise huh!) So far his barn name is Apache. Haven't worked on registered name yet. He is adorable.

Of course, neither one was halter broken so I am diligently working on gentling them and getting them haltered. Hopefully, in just a couple of days. Apache is letting me touch him pretty readily, but Lucky who is a yearling is much more wary. This will be a good test of my patience. (Unfortunately up to now there hasn't been a lot so I am praying for a miracle here) If all else fails my trainer Ronnie will halter break them.

My darling husband, who vowed we could not add any more horses to our farm, fell right in love and turned to mush. Thank goodness. So I guess for now Apache is #39.