Cypress is a Cowboy

This horse... this horse I've been trying to finish for a year... has... ARRIVED. Now, I was not raised on a ranch, nor have I lived in Montana and lived the life of a cowboy. But it's what I've dreamed about my whole life. I've been misplaced in this city life for a long time... (if you can call Redmond the city life!) This horse makes me feel like we could pack it all up and go work a cattle ranch and be really good at it. This mutt from the wild, that roamed the range of the Oregon desert for the first year of his life has finally given his soul and devotion to me in his own way. Still owning himself and still staying Cypress, he has finally agreed to let me call the shots around here. We've come to the point were I don't feel like we are working against each other. We've found our niche together and I'm so very grateful for it. I feel proud when I see my 8 year old daughter riding the once rouge horse, I can't help but feel so proud for him. I see her riding him well and him staying inside of complete compliance and enjoying understanding someone else other then me, let alone a child. I watched him stay soft for her, listen to her, enjoying the light load. I almost cried it was so beautiful. When I practice roping off this horse... he likes it, he likes the quiet of it. He pays attention and seems to know exactly what to do. Bless his heart. His wild heart.

I at one time almost gave up. Deemed him a plain old trail horse. This disappointment I felt was awful. I had plans for this big boy. But he just wouldn't give in... but he has....completely and 100%. It took 4 1/2 years. He is almost 8 years old. I've learned a million things from this horse. Mainly the power of persistence. How to treat a horse for what they are. The know no anger. It is us that possesses anger and disappointment. Take that away from the equation and you have something real solid.

One day, you may see me and Cypress in a branding pen one day. You may say "Look at that rock star mustang." I can't wait for that day. :)

Elegance and Spark... that's what I like...

I have an Arabian stallion named Kalamazoo. I call him Kyle. He is not your typical stallion. In fact, I had no plans on ever owning a stallion. I always felt the life of a stallion cooped up in a stall, taken out to ride and breed was just hell for them. Plus, my only experience with stallions was handling these wicked, lustful creatures that had no interest in being good for me. They screamed and called and pranced around and I had NO interest in ever dealing with them again. Then, Kyle comes along. Kris Wilcox, one of my instructors brought him to the barn to train for riding and get him sold. I thought he was drop dead gorgeous. He was shy, sweet, so well behaved and just darling. I had to have him. Some how it worked out and he became a Mecca horse... well, a Catherine horse. He has his turn out buddy, Apollo, and they are so finely suited for each other... two beautiful Arabian horses hanging out together, nothing better then that.

He's been the easiest horse to deal with. He's a little bit of a ding dong when it comes to scary things outside, but for the most part, he's really respectful and well behaved. He was a handful when taken on a trail walk, but nothing scary, just annoying because he had a hard time listening. Otherwise, he's been easy to work with. I rode him about a week ago twice and rode him tonight. My goodness. What a gentleman. I walked and trotted him. I asked for bend, I asked for his haunches to move... I backed him, I turned him... he remembered it all from the ground. What a diamond. His trot was amazingly smooth. It doesn't look that smooth from the ground, but under saddle it took my breath away. I have big plans for this elegant beauty... and it's not what you think. I'll keep you posted as time goes on.

On the side, I want to use him as a breeding stallion. But I do not want to do any Arabian circuit showing or anything of the sort. His beauty and his quiet mind is what I would like to pass on. Obviously I'm not in this for money, I'm in it for the love.

This horse has literally changed my life. I've never felt this way about a horse... even my beloved Cypress. It's just something different. It feels like he gives me absolute trust. He thinks my idea is always best and that is golden.

Rooster and Freedom.....

Rooster is amazing. I had a really bad couple of days and my friend asks me to go on a trail ride. So, I saddle the little guy up. He's full of beans and ready to go. He's the type of horse that loves to be in front with ears forward and it makes me feel like he's got the biggest smile going on in those ears. He really, really likes being in front. If he is behind another horse, he is really competetive and wants to pass. So after a few instances of crow hoping and combustable energy releases, Rooster starts to listen and I give him a little more freedom. I wanted to let him go, but he just goes into over drive. He and I do have an understanding though... you take care of me and I'll take care of you. Listen to me, and I'll listen to you. There is nothing that compares to the rush of galloping on a horse. Knowing that you can let it all go, let them go to the moon and come back to earth still in tact and still be grounded is golden. He appreciates that rush too.

On the way home, my friend asks if it's ok to canter up the hill. Of course it's fine... but Rooster wanted to fly. I trusted him and let him go. No need for leg and prodding... just release the energy to him. As I passed my friend and watched him disappear behind me, I could hear my heart beating inside my ears, I could feel the wind slipping it's icy fingers into my hair and my breath stayed inside my chest. Rooster was fast... so fast and so quick, I felt like I was on a dirt bike. He kept accelerating and I could feel him saying "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Then right back to earth when I asked him. Freedom to be who you are. Freedom to do what you feel, freedom to believe it's all good. Freedom. Rooster taught me it's ok to be free when trust is there. My bad couple of days is over. An empty can in the dirt. There is nothing like a friendship with a horse. Nothing.

Giving him a job...

I write a lot about Cypress. I've been trying to finish this horse for a long time. I know I've trained him to do most everything. But he gives so much resistance that I've written about before. But something has changed. I gave him a job. I try to work him outside the arena as much as possible and have started to pony young horses from him. He enjoys this and this seems to bring out the precise training I have put into him. He is perfect. He is strong. He is good with young horses.

This morning he did something he has never done. I've had him in my life going on 5 years now and I have heard him whinny twice. I've never heard him nicker. He's not like Flame who will give you deep nickers when ever he sets eyes on me. This morning Cypress was not facing me. When I looked in his stall to say good morning, he turned quickly and gave me that soft, deep and so special nicker. He appeared to be very happy to see me. This made my year. This made it all worth while. :)

I Fall in Love Everytime

This is Joe pictured to the right. That is his owner Chris. Joe is a 2 year old curly/appy.


One thing about training horses is that it is an emotional task. You are dealing with an animal that only wants to please you. How wonderful is that? They want to do what is right and take the path of least resistance. What's also fascinating is that they all are different, so I end up learning more then the horse does.



I have been working with 3 horses the past week that do not belong to me. Their owner is out of town and has asked me to continue his work with them while he is gone. I am in love with each one of them for different reasons. Because training a horse is more like proving to a horse that you are trustworthy, a bond is created.



I found myself hugging and kissing a 2 year old curly horse today. I don't usually do that to other people's horses, but because a bond has been achieved, I feel love and affection for him.



I'm not sure if this is how most trainers conduct themselves. But I know that I am extremely happy to have met every horse I have ever worked with. Even the one's I found difficult changed me in some little way.



Teaching a horse to live with the human race is an easy task if you begin with a relationship. I suppose that's easy to say. Achieving it can be hard, but I love every minute of it.



My point being is that it doesn't matter who's horse it is, I love them all and I love what I do for a living and I feel as if I'm the luckiest person in the world. :)

Jon Ensign is the MAN!

We hosted a clinic this weekend and it was wonderful. I chose not to participate in the clinic so everyone could have a chance to go. I did get a private lesson however with Jon after the clinic. Cypress learned the meaning of "Go!" today.

Now, Jon warned me. He said to get ready for what may happen. I've never pushed Cypress as much as I did today and that's probably why I never in a million years would of expected what he is capable of. My horse took to bucking so much I didn;t know what hit me! But I did not fall off. I held on with my legs, and of course did the very thing Jon told me not to do which was pull back on the reins. I had to though, I pulled myself half way back on with Cypress' poor mouth. But we got through it, a whole series of him bucking down the wall.

Jon taught me to be brave today... showed me how to "get 'er done" with out holding my hand or my horses' hand. He taught me about not giving up, keep at it... not just overall but all the little things. Cypress has counted on me giving up. He's so dang smart that way. Which is why he probably was so surprised today when I did what I did with Jon.

Jon is so great with not only beginners, but people who have a lot of skills and just need help because they are stuck. I can't recommend him higher. :) http://www.jonensign.com/ He is also the best colt starter I've met. :)

My Old Flame

It's hard watching your beautiful horse age. Especially one that has a neurological problem. Flame is what I think of as a perfect Arabian horse. He is the quintessential Polish Arabian. He looks like he could run 500 miles in the desert and still kick your ass at the end of the day. He is beautiful, big boned and heavily muscled.

In August of 2006, we took Flame to a western playday. He blew everyone away with his 13 second pole bending run ending in the most beautiful piaffe. He set a park record that day. He blew me away. I am not a gamer but he was for 13 years. No one knew he was 23 years old. On the way home he lost his balance and busted his front leg through the escape door of the trailer. He was ok but at every corner he would loose his footing and almost fall. A 15 minute drive took over an hour. That was our first sign.

In January of 2007, I was lungeing Flame and he fell. He was hurt, so I called the vet. My vet was not so concerned about his fall, but was very concerned about Flame's demeanor and the fact he was showing pretty severe signs of a neurological problem. Because of how stiff he was in the neck, he felt it was probably something pressing on his vertebrae. After several tests, and a regimen of potent steroid treatments, my vet said to just wait and see, but the prognosis was dim. I felt as if I was going to fall to my knees. My Flame was going to die.

Flame kept falling in his stall. He kept showing really bizarre behavior... there wasn't a day that went by where he didn't have a ding or big owie on him from falling in his stall. He would just stand in pasture when I would turn him out. His head hung low...looking as if he had the worse headache ever. I thought I may have to start making plans to put him down. Then, he seemed to get better. He was perked up, eyes brighter...he even claimed a mare. He stopped falling in his stall, and even started galloping in the pasture again, with tail high and neck arched.

He is still not at 100%. But I am hopeful that he will be with me for longer then we all thought. It was awful seeing him go through this. It is hard watching his body become more angular and less muscular. He is in retirement, because it is not safe for him or a rider if he looses his footing. But he is still here. Everyone kept saying I would know when it is time to put him down. I thought the time was close, but I seem to have been granted a little more good time with him.

I wish I could ride him one more time... gallop him, spin with him, sit that little prance he has. I am thankful though I can still watch him arch his neck, prance and passage around his new claimed mare, "Butterfly".

I cleaned him up today. Gave him his Arab hair cut, trimmed his whiskers, brushed him till he was shiny. Man, he's gorgeous. He will always be the most beautiful to me. Today, my daughter said with a far off look... "Mom, what if Flame could be a stallion for just one day? We could pass one his pretty face through all the mares here at Mecca.". I thought that was a good wish. :)