Back in Business

Finally today it stopped raining. And it got HOT! I could almost see the ground drying. The minute I got home from church I threw my boots on and took off to the round pen. Didn't know where I was going to start but I was ready to get back to work. I have been working on getting a little help with him and I have called a few of the trainers/ friends that I have been chatting with. I had a long talk with a seasoned EMM trainer and he talk to me a long time about things that I could do. Today was phase one. I have to get his feet moving. One of the first things I did is backed him and got him really light on the halter. After figuring out the round pen was still to slick I walked Spade to the arena. I put on the surcingle and took the halter off. My goal was to get him loping around the pen, well at least get him to lope. I soon figured out that the pen is bigger then I thought and Spade has a way longer trotting stride then I thought. About to laps up and down the arena I was exhausted. I sat down and let him graze on some grass at the end of the pen. After about 15 min I stood up and he faced me all the way from the end of the pen. He dipped his head and started coming toward me. Went I walked toward him he let me pet his forehead. So I walked away to see if he would follow. He did for a few steps and then walked away. I started chasing him and he ran a lap and then came right back to me. I drew him in with my body language and he started following me again. I started wondering all over the pen and he stayed right behind me. While he was there I decided to walk through the pole pattern that was set up. YEP. He walked the whole thing with me. That totally made my day. After working so well and not much other stuff that I could do I decided to put him up. After putting the halter back on I worked on getting him to lower his head on command. Shockingly he picked it up really quick. I can now place my hand on his head and he will put it all the way to his knees. It makes him a little nervous but he will get better at it.

At this point in the competition everyone is trying to figure out what class they will be competing in. There is Stars which all you have to do is work the horse on the halter. Don't get me wrong though it isn't a light competition. I have heard the freestyles look very much like the demo that Clinton Anderson does with Mindy. Then there is Idols the middle class. Where it is basic riding skills with cow work and a reining pattern. Then Legends which is the same as Idols but much stiffer competition. I am no where near ready for that. Not with this horse anyway. Right now I am hoping for Idols but Stars sure is sounding much more in our grasp. Bottom-line I have until Aug 1st to send in my entry form with which class I will be doing. I am going to work as hard as I can until then and see what Spade wants to do.
On a more exciting note! I was told yesterday that I am 1 of 25 barrel trainers that was accepted to compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover Barrel Slot Race that will be held in Alvarado Texas in Nov. at the BBR Finals. Yes that means that I get to start all over with a new mustang mare and we will go from wild to barrel horse in 90 days. I am really hoping that she is easier to deal with the Spade has been. But even if she isn't I have learned alot from Spade and I hope that aids in her training. So I will be adding all of her stuff on here too. I will be picking her up from Oklahoma Aug 3. This one I am just given for the competition. I will have 90 days to train gentle her, break her, and train her for barrels. Then we will head to Alvarado to compete in the EMM. We will have to do a trail style class, a judged exhibition, and a timed barrel race. The top in the average wins. Afterwards there will be an auction to adopt out each one. I hate that I can't keep her but you can't keep them all. Who knows I might have to make a bid.