Gaining a New Horses Trust

First off, since it is Veterans day, I want to thank all the veterans who served or are currently serving. This is the home of the free because of the brave and I am so thankful for those who serve this great country. Don't thank them just today, thank them everyday. 

Thank you to reader Abby Foley for this question. I hope this helps you out with your new girl!

-         -  So- I am use to having horses since they were foals. I recently bought a 3 year old. I saw your post about coming so far with your horse Charlie - him trusting you, etc. What are your suggestions on how to build that kind of relationship with a horse that is 3, not a baby?

Gaining a horses trust is very simple when you own them from birth. Buying an older horse that has already bonded with someone else and trying to recreate that bond can be difficult. I personally have always primarily shown horses bred, raised and trained by my family. However, with my dad’s training business, we have a lot of horses in and out that were not raised on our property and I have the opportunity to ride and occasionally show them. These are the horses I have to work at my relationship with.

When trying to gain a horses trust, I have found that just loving on them can go a long way. Hug their face, give them treats, and take them for a walk or grazing. They will come to associate you with pleasant things. They also feel comfortable with you. It is amazing how far just some quality time can take you in a relationship with your new horse.

Next tip, take hands on care of them. Go clean their stall. Go spend 30 minutes just grooming them. Get to know every little inch of their body and all their quirks. When you truly know your horse, it will deepen your bond. Find their itchy spot and make sure to itch them every day you see them… there is nothing they love more.

When it comes to training and working, I find that showmanship can really bond me with new horses. Something about moving in unison and having them learn to react off your body so harmoniously just really gets you together in rhythm. Even if your horse is bad at showmanship or it’s not their event, do a little bit. It certainly can’t hurt and you will be surprised how much rhythm it gives you as a pair.

As for riding, I suggest starting out slow and easy. Lots of walking, bending, just feeling them out. Teach them to trust your hands by being slow, soft and easy. They mostly need to learn to trust you so in the beginning, don’t give them a reason not to. Of course, don’t let them get away with bad habits but I always avoid picking fights in the beginning until we have a trust built up.

Horses are herd animals; they look for a leader and a place to belong. When they are show horses and being care for by people, you need to become their herd. They need to look to you for guidance and leadership. Building that bond of trust and love will help with this. Play with them, scratch them, take them for walks; All of this will help them to realize you are their herd.

I know these tips all seem super simple and self-explanatory but they work. Even the horses I raise go through this process; they still need to learn to trust and love you. Charlie is a great example; he was scared to death of everything. He had the biggest panic button. I spent so much time just loving on him (maybe why he is such a cuddle big now) and leading him around and treating him more like a puppy then a horse. I cleaned his stall myself and petted him in between pitchfork-fuls. I groomed him and brushed his mane and figured out he loved having his withers scratched. For him, it helped him to trust me; he realized I would never lead him into harm and my presence usually meant something pleasant. He will follow me almost anywhere now. He trusts me. All the time I spent in the beginning paid off now because as long as I reassure him, he will do always anything for me now. I haven’t stopped all this once I gained his trust; I keep it up. You have to constantly work at a relationship and a relationship with a horse is no different. I think Charlie truly believes I am the leader of his herd and one of his people…. Or he just thinks he is a human child… it could really go either way with him. But the key is that he trusts me and will follow me anywhere. That is a bond that is purely priceless to me.

A $3500 World Champion

It is sometimes said that one should surround themselves with people who inspire them. This is one cliché I can agree with. In the horse world especially, it is so easy to get caught up in the competition and the cut throat atmosphere. It is easy to become judgmental and even hateful at times. Surrounding yourself with horse show friends who do not fall to these temptations is something I try very hard to do. I have been very lucky to find some ride or die friends who I can say, wholeheartedly, inspire me. 

Just a slight height difference between our boys

Around 2011, I had just started showing Charlie as an all-around horse despite the fact he was just 4 years old and in his second year of showing. A new girl around my age showed up at the Ohio paint shows with a giant red roan gelding. Her name is Rachel Walcoff and her gelding is EFC Holesinmysocks. My parents are longtime friends with her trainer and through that mutual friendship we became friends. I learned the story of “Socks”, her giant gelding. They came across him for sale for $3500 and all he did was jump. He had cancerous sarcoids on his leg that had to be surgically removed and treated. He didn’t know the all-around events and given his older age, he wasn’t terribly interested in learning them. She was transitioning from showing Appaloosas and didn’t know anyone of the paint circuit. We quickly bonded over the crazy year of showing our polar opposite geldings; mine was young and clueless to the horse show world and hers was old and would rather not learn new tricks. We also just have a blast together; every show I see Rachel is bound to be a good time. Throughout the tough shows where the boys continuously screwed us out of winning with their antics, we realized that we were both in this for the same reason: a genuine love for showing and horses.

Fast forward a few years and we were back together again at the Pinto World Show. The geldings were much easier to show now. They knew their jobs and despite their ever present weaknesses; we both found great success. Rachel and I stayed up all hours of the night braiding our fingers raw to help pay for our classes. Charlie and I won reserve world champion in Western Pleasure and Rachel showed Socks in his strong classes of jumping and hunter events. I will never forget watching my sweet friend win her first world championship on that old roan gelding in the Amateur Dressage; my heart was overwhelmed with happiness for someone who had worked so hard to take a horse that no one believed in to the highest level of competition and WIN. She followed up that buckle with a win in Amateur Working Hunter and she literally danced her way out of the arena with her buckle. For someone who genuinely loves this sport, loves her grouchy old man and pays her own way to the horse shows through her summer job to reach such great success inspires me.

Because why not dance after you win your first world championship?

Currently, I am sitting at home, preparing Law School applications and writing papers and watching the APHA World Show live feed with jealously. Many of my friends are there showing, including sweet Rachel for her last show with Socks. I wish I was there with everyone. Two mornings ago I turned on my webcam just in time to catch the end of Rachel’s jumping pattern and the subsequent World Championship she received. Yesterday morning she won another one. She is having the show of her life and living her dreams; all on the back of a $3500 gelding that no one believed in. Despite the wish to be in Fort Worth, I could not be happier to watch someone receive the success they deserve. I am honored to be friends with someone who truly inspires me. I absolutely could not be more proud and happy for the success she is having. She pulled a diamond out of the rough and put in the hard work to make him the world champion he is today. Also, I could not be happier for our good family friend and Rachel’s wonderful trainer Ric who spotted the talent in that gelding and helped Rachel every step to bring them to this level as a pair.

Never underestimate the power of hard work, dedication and a little bit of love; the least likely candidate may just become a multiple world champion. You don't have to have all the money in the world and the fanciest horse to win. 

Rachel- 

I truly could not be happier for you. Thank you for being a great friend and thank you for inspiring me. Give Socks a treat from Charlie and I and I expect to see those buckles next time we get together <3

❤️ Brandy 

Fall Must Have's

The leaves are changing, the air is crisp and Pumpkin Spice is everywhere... It is fall! There are a lot of things I love about Fall but also a lot of things I dislike. It signals the end of show season, blanketing begins and layering up to go to the barn is a must. Here is my list of 5 must haves for Fall to make it easier for all us equestrians.

1. A Jacket and Vest
It's getting cold so some warmer clothes are necessary for crisp fall rides and a few hours cleaning stalls. I love to wear a light fleece with a vest or a light soft shell jacket in the fall. Not too warm but enough to keep the chill out. Love these styles from Noble Outfitters - comfortable, functional and pretty: the trifecta for barn clothes!! Love all their products!

2. Mid-Weight Sheet
Not cold enough for blankets yet but sometimes a light sheet just isn't enough to keep those show hair coats. I absolutely love this sheet. I use it all through fall and as a liner under the heavyweights during winter. It is nylon outside to resist stains and fleece inside to keep them toasty warm.

3. Grooming/Bathing Supplies
Trying to keep a show hair coat in the fall can be tough. Good grooming products can make or break that hair coat. A good, stiff, sharp curry comb and a soft but firm brush are classic and simple but you can't beat them. I also use EquiFUSE Shine spray every other day to keep my ponies coats healthy and shining even as their winter hair starts to come in. As for bathing, fall is the time to get their manes and tails in tip-top shape because bathing is a rare occurrence all winter. If your horse has a white mane or tail, get it sparkling in the fall. Condition the crap out of them. I only use EquiFUSE because it will get them super clean without striping their natural oils and health out of their skin and coat. Also, nothing is better for their manes and tails in my opinion. Gleam used with this brush is a LIFESAVER in the winter to keep those tangles at bay until they can get a good bath.

4. Coffee
Well not really horse related but if you know anything about me, you know I love coffee. Fall is the best time to take a travel mug full of rich coffee out to the barn to keep you warm and caffeinated. To each his own, but coffee is generally present in my tack room. (I promise this is the only random must have)

5. Hoof Oil
Winter is DRY. Dry hooves are a bad thing. Start early in the fall with the hoof oil to get those hooves healthy and keep them hydrated all winter long. This is the best hoof oil I have found. I do this once a week during the Spring and Summer but every other day in the Fall and Winter. The more the better!

A Visitors Guide to the All American Quarter Horse Congress

The All American Quarter Horse Congress.... aka any horse persons personal shopping paradise and heaven nestled in downtown Columbus, OH for the entire month of October. I have heard it called the Superbowl of horse showing. So many of us visit simply to watch, shop, see the famous horses, learn from clinics or just to get a feel for the biggest horse show in the world.

For the last 10 years I have been living in Ohio, a mere 1.45 hours from the Congress, I have visited at least 1-2 weekends every Congress to shop and hang out and watch. With my experience and amount of time spent there, I have amassed a large knowledge base on navigating the Congress as a visitor not exhibitor and many shortcuts and tricks. Here I will be outlining my best tips and tricks for a fun trip to the legendary All American Quarter Horse Congress for those of us not showing.

1. Best Times To Go
 -The first weekend is the best for shopping. Everything is fully stocked, lots of sizes, not very busy. Store workers are fresh and happy and excited to help you. They haven't run out of free stuff at booths yet. Downside is the classes are mostly reining and cow horse and if you don't want to watch that then theres not much to watch. Also, Gilligan stall fronts aren't all set up yet and those are so worth seeing.
-The middle weekends is the best for watching the classes. This is pleasure, hunter under saddle, trail, showmanship, etc. Freestyle Reining is the second weekend and always a fun evening of big stops and good music. It is busy though so shopping and navigating the buildings can be hard.
-Last weekend is a time for deals. Stores don't want to haul it home so prices are often reduced. Also, less traffic this weekend.

What a beautiful sight

2. Best Places to Shop
Personally, I love Schneiders, Rods and Big Dee's. They are the biggest and mainstream and there is good reason for that. They have a great selection and quality products. Schneiders and Big Dee's have very reduced stores at the congress this year but they offer free shipping in. Some of my more hidden favorites include The Tack Room: great quality and selection of English apparel and quality halters, storage materials and little bits and pieces. I also love Kathy Williams Tail Extensions; in addition to great tails, she always has great show clothes in her booth. Chicks and HorseLoverz are also good destinations for little random things- you can't beat the prices.

3. Walk Through the Barns
Trust me- take at least one walk down the main aisle of Gilligan and see the amazing set ups of the trainers. They are pretty incredible. Also, you never know when you will be walking down the aisle and see a famous trainer or horse.

           

Building the Stall Fronts and one of my favorite set ups

4. FOOD
The food stands are seriously the best. You MUST get a cinnamon roll from the Sweet Shop. Also, the Stromboli is to die for. You can't shop on an empty stomach so eat. A lot. It is worth it and you will work off the calories walking around and carrying all your purchases :)

YUM!

5. Go sit at the Practice Arena
This is usually my dad and I's favorite congress pastime. We love to sit at the practice arena next to Congress Hall and just watch everybody ride. It's amazing how much you can learn just watching these great trainers ride and listening to what they tell clients warming up. I highly suggest taking even just 15 minutes to go watch- you never know what you will pick up.

6. Fun Events
Freestyle Reining = enough said. It is a super fun evening. The rides are great, the music is fun... defiantly one of the Congress's best events. Grab a Stromboli and sit yourself down in the Coliseum for a night of music, spins and stops. Also, sometimes you get to witness history... such as 2006 when I watched Stacy Westfall perform her legendary bareback and brideless ride LIVE. The Masters is also a really cool experience- it is awesome to see the upcoming great horses in their first class and witness the pinnacle of talent in the industry.

Few things a cooler then watching Stacy Westfall win the Congress... again

7. Clinic's and Product Information Sessions
Why not? If you are there during a clinic, go stop by. Just like the practice arena, you never know what you might pick up and learn. These are put on by highly skilled and successful professionals and I guarantee you could learn something from any of them. This is also a great opportunity to rest your feet and set your bags down for a few minutes. Also, stop and listen to the product demonstrations. There are always a million new products available here and someone who wants to tell you all about it. Sometimes they are silly and other times they might be your new favorite product. I would have never found EquiFUSE if I had not stopped and talked to the dealer at Congress. It doesn't hurt to stop and get the info and sometimes they give you free samples... and who doesn't like free samples?? (only crazy people)

8. GIVEAWAYS
Ah the giveaways.... they are everywhere at the congress. Free stuff, gift certificates, free breedings... they are endless. When and doubt take the second to fill out that little paper. You can't win unless you play. Smartpak always has a great giveaway for not only starting Smartpaks at the Congress but also a raffle. Farnum usually has one, AQHA usually has one, The University of Findlay gives away hats and t shirts.... I know I am missing a ton but seriously find the giveaways and sign up. More chances to eventually win something.

9. Deals, Deals, Deals
I am a huge bargain shopper. I love nothing more then to find a good deal. Congress is great for this. I always take advantage of the deals on Jeans at congress: this year it was buy 2 get 1 free on Wranglers and Cinch at Rods! Yay! Also, as I previously mentioned, Chicks and HorseLoverZ always seem to have little deals like the zip up Sleazy I got for $20 yesterday! The last weekend will have a lot of places giving even better sales and deals because they won't want to take it home. Bargain shoppers heaven!

Nothing better then new riding jeans :)

10. Watch the Show
After all, this is the reason for the whole shebang. Go sit and watch the best of the best compete for bronze trophies and bragging rights. At risk of sounding like a broken record, you can learn something from this also. Drool over the outfits, dream about the horses and be in awe of the incredible  level of the competition. The Congress is overall, first and foremost a horse show... the biggest in the world.

The Celeste Arena

The Congress is one of my favorite equine destinations... such a convergence of all things equine and it is just a blast. I was there yesterday for the day and it was as good as ever. I got some new jeans, stuff for my puppies, treats for my spoiled ponies, a new sleazy for Charles and some information on breeding... more on that at a later date ;). I love the Congress and I like to think I have it pretty well figured out as a visitor. I hope these tips help you out when visiting the legendary show.

A beautiful evening at the Congress before we left

Happy Shopping and I hope you learn something too :)

 ~ Brandy

- What are your favorite parts of the Congress???

Starting Fresh: Tips for Starting Over Showing with a Young Horse

It is a great feeling to have a horse that is 100% in tune with you, knows their job and does it successfully. You know all their in's and out's, all their quirks and how to ride them to their best. These are the horses that show all day and are competitive and successful in almost every class... the ones people sit back and say "wow, that horse sure knows it's job". These horses make showing easy because they know their job, you know how to show them and they make you successful. These horses are finished, broke, smart and to be honest, a little boring. It is usually when my horses reach this peak of training and performance that I start finding a young prospect. Don't get me wrong, I love a good, broke, easy show horse but sometimes it's fun to have one that challenges you, makes you think and teach them. I love nothing more then to take an unbroke 2 year old and turn them into that superstar all around horse we discussed above. This is not an easy transition. It's a long, frustrating journey from start to finish but one I have found to be most rewarding.

I am currently experiencing this transition. Charlie is broke to death; he is 7 years old, he knows his job, he is a piece of cake to show and he really only needs to be kept in shape in order to go to horse shows and be successful. I love having him so finished but at the same time, I have my younger project, Ella, a 3 year old filly who keeps me on my toes and is still completely in the process of learning to be a show horse. Though sometimes it can be frustrating, my wise father reminds me that they do not all start out "Charlie-broke". It takes time. About 4 years ago I was in the same situation except I had broke to death Slipper and was attempting to teach baby Charlie how to fill those big all around shoes. I remind myself daily that Ella will get there, I just need to be patient. Now that I have done this process once and I am starting it again, here are my top tips for starting fresh with a young horse.

Starting Fresh: 5 Tips for Teaching a Young Horse to be an All Arounder

1. Be Patient
Young horses require endless patience. They are young and they don't understand. You have to slow it down and TEACH them their job or they will never do it successfully and happily. They do not become machines overnight... even the super naturally talented ones take time. They still have to mentally understand all that they are physically capable of. If you are patient and kind throughout the training process and help them to UNDERSTAND, you will have a happier and longer lasting all around horse in the end.

2. Take Your Time
This process may take a year; it may take 3 years. You never know how long it will take to finish one. Every horse is different. You can't rush them- some horses pick things up seemingly overnight (Ella is a supergenius and only has to be taught things once) and others take constant repetition over long periods of time to grasp the concepts (Charlie took almost 3 months to learn to go over the trail bridge). Both types of horses can be amazing in the end but you need to take the time they require to learn and not rush them. Some horses are naturals at some classes and struggle with others and that is okay- they will get it in time. Just keep working little bits every day and I promise you they will get there. For example, Charlie was a natural at Western Riding from day one. He was finished and showing that class successfully by his 2nd year in the show pen. Showmanship however was a different story; it was a constant struggle. I did not consider him finished in Showmanship to my standards until his 4th year in the show pen.

3. Take the Good with the Bad
The Western Riding/Showmanship example from above brings me to my next point, take the good parts with the bad parts. I accepted that Charlie was not going to be a Showmanship World Champion overnight and just kept plugging away at it and having respectable, 3rd place type patterns at the shows. Meanwhile, he was winning the Western Pleasure, Equitation and Western Riding. Though I love Showmanship and it had previously been my best and favorite class with Slipper, I realized it was not going to be that way with Charlie and that was okay because he had other strengths she did not. Throughout the learning process you should celebrate all the positives and not let the negatives get you down.

4. Teach them to Love their Job
All my other points all wrapped up into one: if you have patience, take your time and take the good with the bad, you will end up with a happier horse that loves their job. If you slow down and teach them, not scare them and give them confidence in what we are asking them to do, you are improving your chances of creating an all around horse that will be out there packing Novices around with their ears perked when they are in their 20's. That is my goal with every horse; I want them to enjoy what they do and they will not do that unless they understand it, have confidence and trust you. Charlie was scared to death of all trail obstacles in the beginning. It was a slow, tedious process to get him to where he is today; for 3 months I fed him grain and treats off the bridge until he finally would walk over it. But, the time and patience paid off because he trusts me to keep him safe and as long as I tell him things are okay, generally he does whatever I ask (not the case with mailboxes- they apparently have monsters inside them made to eat little white horses and he is just not willing to take that chance and get too close... I have just accepted that the pony express will never be his calling). Charlie also loves trail now, his always has his little ears pricked throughout the whole class and focuses really well. Do it right and you will have the all around horse that everyone is jealous of.  

5. Don't Give Up
This is going to be a frustrating process. It's not easy. Going from broke to death to a blank slate is a large adjustment and it is going to be a while until you are competing at the same level again. But do not give up. Eventually they will get there and when they do, I can personally tell you it is the most rewarding experience. To start from the bottom with a blank slate 2 year old and work your way back up to the level of your previous broke horse is an amazing feeling. You will get back to the top, just not overnight. Don't give up after a frustrating ride or a bad horse show; those are just another step towards the end result. I wanted to give up so many times throughout the training process with Charlie... around month 2 of feeding him grain off the bridge and him still refusing to walk over it or the 10th time he moved his foot in showmanship pivots at horse shows... it was a tough process but my dad kept reminding me that no horse starts out finished and eventually they will get there. The day Charlie laid out a flawless trail pattern with no ticks at the Pinto World Show and tied for Reserve World Champion was one of the happiest and proudest days of my life. All those tedious hours trying to make him a good trail horse and all the days it seemed impossible were worth it in the end to know that we had overcame the struggles. No one else knew (besides my family) how truly important that lost tie for a buckle and that big yellow ribbon was to me: to take a horse that was once too scared to lope poles and walk over a bridge and used to literally hit every. single. pole. to that level  and succeed was so incredibly rewarding. Someone had to take that time to teach every one of those amazing all around horses to be what they are. If they can do it, so can you... and it will be so worth it in the end.

I am so glad I took the time to make Charlie into the all around horse he is today; the journey to get here was rough but it is so rewarding to say that I did it all and made him the all around superstar horse he is today; a horse that loves his job, does every event right down to the barrels and does it very well. Ella will get there too, I just keep reminding myself that they all start out as blank slates and you have to sculpt them into great horses. One day you can look back after winning high point and say wow, what a great horse I have created and all the frustrations will be irrelevant.

Baby 3yo Charlie

Finished All Around Charlie

~ What are your experiences with starting over fresh???