Learning the Obstacles

This is my quarter horse, Lakota. Not much to look at, but he is a very good trail horse. Not much in the arena, but then I rarely ride him in the arena. He is just a good dependable trail buddy. Goes through anything and over anything. Although, he is always hungry and does like to snatch a leaf now and again.

I have recently started building a trail obstacle course to teach the horses and my students more about trail riding. We have a lot of fun learning to walk the horses through the obstacles and then to ride them through. This is a great way to get over fears for both and to have fun with your horse.

Fall is a great time for riding with the days cooler and a lot fewer biting bugs. It is also a great time to have your horse in training as well as through the winter months when you won’t be riding quite as much. Here at Baymount Farm we train the horses from ages two years and up. We start them out in the round pen and continue through until they have plenty of saddle time to understand what is wanted of them for the basics of riding. More on our training at Baymount Acres Training.     We take our time in making sure the horse understands the lessons from the ground up before we get in the saddle. Then we build on each task or skill being sure to repeat as often as necessary until they have a good foundation before we move forward.  After we have established a routine for the horse that is safe, we invite the owner to take as many lessons as time allows for them to learn everything we have taught the horse.    This ensures safety, knowledge and an immediate fix to any problems that may arise when we are not there.  Training both the horse and the rider is high on our list of priorities when we are in the process of training the perfect trail horse. 

Contact me at sherry@baymountacres.com or  704-902-7345.

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This is Alex. I adopted Alex a few years ago from Ohio. He is an ex-race harness horse. He was retired at 2 and went to a riding school after that. The school apparently stopped using standardbreds and once again Alex was put up for adoption. So, he is with me now.

I love this little horse. He is so much fun to ride. I have used him for lessons. He does jump. But I have had more fun with him as a trail horse. He attached quickly to my daughters appaloosa mare and he dearly loves her. He will follow her around like a puppy dog. I have recently set up an obstacle course for training and Alex has had no trouble going through the obstacles and around the trail. But he does like to have his best friend near him, so he will whinny for her on on occasion when he notices her nearby in the pasture.

Alex will walk, trot or pace, depending on what you ask him to do. If you ask, he will jump logs. Alex is only 15 hands high and he is 12 years old. He is what some would call an almost black in winter, but he is a dark bay. He is tatooed on the neck. I have several horses that I don’t have time to ride regularly and Alex is one of them, so I have decided to sell him.

Alex would be great for anyone, but I like to sell my horses to adults whom I know are set up for taking care of them properly. He would be a great trail horse for anyone and is easy to ride. contact me through sherry@baymountacres.com or 704-902-7345.

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This is Our Sister Gina,  we lovingly call her Sera for Seranade.  I acquired Sera two years ago at a small farm in North Carolina where she had been rescued by a wonderful woman along with two other thoroughbreds.   I brought her home, plumped her up, had her vetted and started riding her.  We have had a lot of fun and learned a lot about dressage riding on this mare.  She knows a lot more than I do.  We have also ridden her on trails and had lots of fun.  Sera does jump, but I am not huntseat trained and feel I am to old to start jumping horses now, so…

I have been taking lessons on Sera from time to time over the past two years.  She has also been ridden by some of my more advanced students and taken to a show or two.  However, the shows were hunt seat shows and she was shown in equitation.  I have come to the point in my life where I want to slow down.  I would much rather ride a smaller horse (Sera being 16.1) .  So I have come to the area where I am putting Sera up for sale.   She would be a wonderful horse for an advanced intermediate teenager or adult student who wants to learn dressage.  She is very well train, has a wonderful trot and easy going canter.  I have no doubt she would do well in shows, but I am not into showing. 

If interested you can contact me through sherry@baymountacres.com or call 704-902-7345.

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I personally trained this little mare spending many, many hours in the saddle riding all over North Carolina and Virginia.  She has been on several day long trail rides and three competitive trail rides sponsored by ACTHA.  Confetti is 14.2 hands and has excellent and tough hooves.  She can go barefoot most of the time.  I prefer shoes on the rocky trails.  She is easy to handle and gets along well with other horses.  Anyone can ride her, but she is hot to the cues, so preferrably a rider with quiet hands and legs would be best for her.  She has a very sensitive mouth and it doesn’t take but a small touch to cue her.  I also ride Confetti with a hackamore, which I prefer except for cantering in the open.  Confetti loves to gallop and can cover a lot of ground in very little time.  She is a little running machine and her small compact body makes her perfect for endurance rides. 

I would love to keep Confetti, but I have too, way too many horses.  I want her to have a good, loving home, preferrably a woman owner.  She loves attention and grooming.  She also loves the trails.

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Recently, I had two very green 3 year old horses come in for training.  They had some ground work and saddle work done, but basically everything was new to them.  The owners needed a little help to get over the hump and continue themselves and I was happy to help.  These two horses had been pasture buddies since they were one year old.  They were very dependent on each others comfort for security.  However, this did not interfere in their training.  I put them in stalls on opposite ends of the barn and pastured them together in the evenings.   They adapted quickly and only whinnied to each other occasionally as if they were checking on each other. 

Training went quickly and easily as they are both very intelligent animals.  I always start out with basic ground manners:  standing, tying, grooming, picking up feet, bathing, clipping, moving left, right, back, forward, leading, bridling, saddling, using a bit, moving away from presssure, the walk forward cue, stopping with the bit, the one rein stop, etc.   All this I teach them from the ground before I ever get on their backs.  

I started with the male first.  It was interesting that he was very apprehensive about anything being above him and want to bolt everytime I got higher than him.  We worked on this quite a while just to be able to get on his back safely.  I put him in the round pen and started raising my arms up until he accepted that, then I used the rope or lariat to go over his back, around him and over his head until he was ok with that part.  Then I progressed to twirling it over my head and throwing it over his head, behind him and in front of him until he was ok with that.  However, he still did not want me above him.   We have a flat bed goose neck trailer that puts me quit a bit taller than him.  I walked back and forth on the trailer leading him alongside until he allowed me to pet him on the neck and head.   After that , me being above him was not a problem.  From their we progressed to riding.  He took to it quite well. 

However, his sister, who had already been exposed to the saddle, did not have a problem with me being higher than her.  I could get on without a hitch, but she spooked at different things in the yard or pasture.  (Needless to say, I do all my basic training and first time rides in a round pen.)  I did the same training on the trailer with her, but it did not make a difference.  So then I progressed to different desensitization techniques.  I got out our exercise ball.  I started out rolling it around her, under her, over her  and bouncing it until I could bounce it off her sides, rump and shoulder with her standing there.   Not a problem, but she still spooked under saddle if she saw something move suddenly.  So I started waving my arms around like a mad woman, doing jumping jacks, anything I could think of until she started standing there looking at me.  Then I rewarded her with lots of strokes and soft language.  She spooked less and less. 

Time went by too quickly and the owners took her home to finish her.  I cautioned them to keep her on a lead line until they were comfortable with taking her out alone.  They have since emailed me twice to let me know she is doing great and they are now riding her off the lead line and she is the first one at the gate to be worked.   Awesome.   That is what I like to hear.

Here is their testimony:      “ Both horses are doing great! I’ve started riding Zazzy last week off the lead line and she hasn’t spooked yet. She has started just looking at me like I’m crazy when I jump or do jumping jacks with her. She really acts like she is enjoying working, she’s always the first one at the gate and ready to go with me to the round pen. Had too give Sluggo a few days off due to a swollen leg, I think his sister kicked him, but doing much better and he did fine today when I started riding him again. We are very pleased with the progress they have made after being with you. Thank you again.”

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For anyone reading my blog for the first time; Seranade is the thoroughbred I purchased last year to add to our collection of horses.  She was very underweight and a little scared.  She was slightly fearful of trailers and looked around a lot.    But she never bucked, bit or did anything dangerous, she is much too sweet for that.   After a time and with the help of a wonderful trainer here in Stateville, NC, Jennie Dipple  I have been able to work with her gently and regularly to bring out her best.

Seranade, formerly known as Our Sister Gina on the tracks, has gained all her weight back and become quite a robust sort of mare.  She is gentle as a lamb, and a beautiful mover.  I wish you could see her, so I will post soon a video of her.  I am quite impressed with her.  I have been learning dressage on her.  And needless to say, she knows more than I do at this time, but I am learning and having a wonderful ride.  We have taken her out on the trail in the woods around our farm and she loves it.  I think she would make a good hill topper or gallery horse, maybe even a fox hunter as she is quiet and listens.  However, that sport is not for me.  She is wonderful in the ring and loads of fun.  My daughter can jump her, but that isn’t my sport either as I am older and afraid of jumping now.  I don’t bounce back as quickly as I used to, so….

 Here she is grazing peacefully with her friends.  Sad to say, that this fall Sera will be up for sale as a dressage horse.  She will be good for a teenager or adult beginner and will do quite well in the shows.  I would love to keep her, but I have to stick to my plan of conditioning her and finding her a suitable home.  Whoever buys her will fall in love with her immediately.   I have 17 horses, some of which are minis, lesson horses and others for sale, such as TWH horses.  So as much as I love her I will have to let her go.  If I can:(

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Confetti acted as if she did not know how to be ridden.  If I had not known better I would have thought she was green, but given time to calm down I could tell she had training.  I spend a lot of time working with Confetti on a full cheek snaffle to get her responsive again.  I spent most of the time just walking beside her suppling one side of the bit then the other to see just how responsive she could be.  What I found was, she knew how to ‘give to the bit’ but didn’t know for ‘how long’ or in other words, how to stay on the bit.  So we kept walking and giving until she had it down.  That was basically all it took to teach her to rein properly.  After that, it was saddle up and practice in the ring.

I know she had been ridden before because she picked up on turning on the forehand, haunches, backing, side passing and half passing very quickly.  She was just rusty and protested to being back in work.    My daughter and I took her out on the trails and she loved that!  Oh my gosh, she was wonderful.

Ok, it was time to sell her.  We had way to many horses, my daughter was going to college and wouldn’t be home to ride her, so we found a home for her.  A wonderful family bought her, took her home for their 14 year old daughter.  But,  they have walking horses and Confetti had a hard time keeping up.  They decided to stick with walking horses and have offered Confetti up for sale again.

Now Confetti is back with us and continuing her training.  I have been working her on the obstacles for competitive trail riding and she has been doing quite well.  She is now ready for another home.  Confetti is being offered for $2,000.  I have a 14 year old student who has been riding her to keep her in shape.  This particular student just recently learned to ride and has been having a wonderful experience on Confetti.  Here is her recent video Red Confetti on You Tube

Confetti would make a wonderful trail riding competition horse or just a pleasure trial horse.  She is sound, easy to work with, stands for the farrier, hauls easily, has no dental issues, stays outside year round, has a very thick coat in winter and sheds out smoothly in the summer.  I don’t normally grain her except a small amount for extra nutrition in the winter.  She can go barefoot or wear shoes for the rocky trails.

Confetti loves people and gets along well with other horses.  I would love to keep her myself, but have too many now.  So, if you are interested or need more information you can reach me through my contact page.

Happy Riding.

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Was I in for a huge lesson.  I was so green and so dumb that I told the farmer who owned the land that his mare pony had an infection and needed to call a vet because she had all this discharge under her tail!!  Imagine the laugh he had after I left!  Well I kept my horse for a few years, but sold him after I had my daughter.  I had owned him a few months when I found out I was pregnant for the third time and decided he was too much to care for with an infant and two  boys that needed me more.   I wish I had someone who took the time to tell me how much there was to caring for a horse when I bought him and had outlined it for me.  I wouldn’t have changed my mind, but I would have had something in which to refer.  And I probably would have picked out a better horse.  There were so many books out there I could have thumbed through hundreds before I found the right one to go by. 

Here’s what I wish I had known.

1.  How to judge the temperament of a horse.  I loved all horses and if I could catch them I thought they would be fine. I didn’t know to look for signs of sourness, distress, submissiveness or what-have-you.  I didn’t know that ears flat back meant, beware, or that flared nostrils could mean the horse is ready to bolt, a swishing tail could mean, anger, not just swatting flys.  There is a lot of body language I know now, that I had no idea even existed then. 

2.  I would have given anything to have known a horse has a one track mind and if you keep it busy doing something it knows well your chances are greater at having a safe ride.  Especially if you horse hates to leave its buddy or the barn. 

3.  Knowing what type of grain, hay and wormer to give and when would have helped.  My poor horse had to survive on what grass he could find.  There was plenty of it, but he would probably have been healthier if he had been limited to his intake of rich pasture grass and wormed more often. 

4.  Realizing (not just knowing) horses are herd animals and feel safer in groups would have helped me understand my horses reluctance to be separated from his pasture buddy.  Looking back I am thankful he had a pasture buddy.

5.  Knowing the signs of colic and how to take a pulse, respiration and what is a normal temp would have been helpful.  All these things should be kept on record for future reference.

6.  Signs of lameness and what the common causes are, like laminitis and abscesses. 

7.  My most recent challenge was to have a horse choke.  Never had that happen before and didn’t know what had happened at first.  It’s nice to know that they can choke and still breath, but do need to see a vet immediately when this happens. 

I could go on and on, but I would end up writing a book and there are already enough books on the market about horses.  My best advice is, that if you love horses, but aren’t that familiar with them, then don’t be afraid to ask for help.  There is no need to go out and hire a trainer, but you can learn a lot through riding lessons, videos and there is always RFD TV.  There is lots and lots of practical advice on that program. 

But if you have a question and need a fairly quick answer just email me.  I’ll do what Ican to answer your questions and give my best advice.  You can find me on Facebook under Baymount Farm or Twitter.

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This is how thin she was when we first got her on the farm.  As you can see she is doing very well with her weight gain and health.  I keep a blanket on her in cold weather and feed her equine senior to give her the nutrients she needs.  She also has access to all the hay she can eat during the day.

Sera is a wonderfully trained horse and can be a low level dressage horse or a jumper.  She actually takes the jumps quite well.  I will be, hopefully, showing her in the spring.  Of course, my daughter will be the one riding her since she is younger, in better shape and less fearful going over jumps than I am.  I have really enjoyed this horse and look forward to continuing her training.

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Finally learned to drive.

Midnight has finally graduated.  I am so proud of her.  In my recent posts about her I was training her to drive,  but she was having  a difficult time because of a dental issue she had.  Once that was cleared up, learning to drive was a piece of cake.   I have been able to drive her around our neighborhood several times now and she has become quite a pro.  I was able to safely give my barn help a ride home, which to me is the mark of a good horse.  Let me explain, anytime I feel I can trust the horse to not spook, to stop upon request and stand until asked to go again, then I can safely let others ride with me.  Midnight was excellent at this.

I love teaching a horse to pull a cart.  It is so simple!  All it takes is patience and time.  Most  horses are very willing to please, they just need to time to adjust to what you are asking them to do.    In case you are interested in how I do it, here it is in a nutshell.

1.  Start out by round penning your horse to assure they learn to look to you for direction.

2.  Equip your horse with a surcingle and long rein it both ways asking it to stop on command and stand.

3.  Once the horse is 100% listening to you on the long reins and surcingle, attach poles to either side of the horse and ask it to perform the same tasks dragging poles.  (a bit of advise here, don’t teach your horse to back on the poles or long reins until after it has learned to pull the cart, if it backs on the cart while still in training it may not stop and could tear up your cart).

4.  With poles attached teach your horse to make lots and lots of turns making them sharper.  This teaches the horse to step over and use her body to move the cart.

5.  Add weight to the poles, I suggest using a hay bale(s).  By the way, do all this in an enclosed arena or small pasture.

6.  Once your horse is 100% with poles and weight it is time to hook it up to the cart.  I use a heavy metal cart, weight helps keep the horses mind on not running away and wooden carts are easily broken.  Take your time here, as the horse has to be comfortably standing still for this.  Also, it is ok to lead the horse thru all these steps until it is ready to be driven.

7.  If you are unsure or don’t have the time, hire a trainer.  That is the easiest way to teach your horse to pull a cart and ensures neither you or your horse gets hurt.  By the way, I know a good trainer…wink, wink…

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