Sunday, February 8, 2009

Tripp and I went for a walk...

Okay, the reason there are no pictures is not because I didn't take the camera out with me. I did take it out, and I hung it up on a fence panel, haltered Tripp, and left for our walk. Maybe if I started wearing a belt when I went out there I could just hang the camera case on my belt...

In spite of no camera, we had the best walk! We went up and down hills, over washed out creek beds, into rocky creek beds and back up steep hills. Every time we hit a half way flat spot, we would do some ground work. A few full circles, several half circles and changing of directions (we are working on our speed of the change) and whatever else I can think of. It was so much fun, and we both needed the exercise. It felt good to be out, and spending time with Tripp is what I really needed. The only way he will get better is if we work work work on things, and hopefully he is having a little bit of fun too. On our way back up to the house I thought about going into the round pen and ride him bareback a little bit, but the other day Brian told me that maybe I should just take him for walks and not ride him every time, that way he doesn't think that every single time I take him out, we are riding in the pen. I liked that thought process, so we came back and I brushed on him a while, gave him an apple wafer, and called it a night.

Then I headed to the new guys. I did not put a halter on Vegas tonite. I did not have a lot of time to work with them. I worked on rubbing Vegas on more of his body, and a little bit on the front legs, and we worked on him dropping his head when I ask. He is better on one side than the other, but I am not worried...he will get it. I also rubbed his belly and he was much better with it than the other day. I don't stay long, just long enough for me to be the winner, and him to know that he isn't being captured by anything bad. During all of this Wyoming was his normal nosey self, and he came up behind me and sniffed on my jacket. He even took it in his lips and was playing with it. I did not even turn around - I just kept moving around Vegas and petting on him. I then took one hand and put it behind me and I heard him take a step back, so I kept my fingers moving and he came back and started playing with my fingers. It was a pretty successful night in my book.

Back to work tomorrow....

Until later...Karen and Tripp

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are you busy or what?? Isn't the difference in the appearance of their brands very interesting. Do they apply each character individually? Looks like it. Whose is the easiest to read? My mustang's brand is way higher behind his ear. So half the jewels have been located:) Good thing you didn't use my name idea on him! Sounds like Tripp is determined to not let any new mustang outdo him. Plus his performance is positive reinforcement for you and your talent.

Anonymous said...

I forgot to say, good job!!

Karen C. said...

Hi Jill! When I watched a RFD-TV show on freeze branding, they did it one character at a time. My Arab mare has one on her right side, and hers is very nice and neat so don't know if they do them all one at a time or not.
Both of them are very easy to read - it is amazing how easy when they are shaved! We need to shave Ace to see how his looks. :-)

Some of the people from the Yahoo Groups have mentioned that it depends where the horses came from as to how their brands are put on. Some are high on the neck and others are very low. Is that like picking regular or decaf? Depends on the person doing it? :-)

Hope to see you soon Jill!