THE MONTH OF APRIL - Think FLOWERS!

This month is a special one for our RAC'ers. Throughout the year, I will be holding 3 MINI-Contests which are 30 days long. April we begin our 1st contest of this kind. The contest will involve doing as many obstacles on the CSB course with as many as 3 curlies per obstacle and documenting points per obstacle successfully achieved. The person that has the most points at the end of April will win a ribbon and small prize. There will be 2 winners, 1st & 2nd place in both Youth and Adult divisions. These points CAN be included in your Year End totals. Any questions, just email me. And please share your stories & pics!!

Announcing the winners of the RAC April CSB Mini Contest!

1st Place: Betsy Lirakis (prize: Blue ribbon & a small gift)
2nd Place: Zoe Lirakis (prize: Red ribbon & a small gift)

Honorable Mention:
3rd place: Susan Lejonhud
4th place: Michelle Ives
5th place: Cara Duncan
6th place: Adria Halstead-Johnson

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(Lesly from Our Big Sky Ranch )Wanted to share our first and final episode for March...as I come down to earth from the exuberance I feel! Dan and I attended the first in a three part series on carriage driving on Sunday.  We brought along Lejonhud's Nokwisi, affectionately referred to as our Wus, a coming 7 palomino curly mare, and our up and coming two year old buckskin curly colt, Mac.  Having an illness that felt close to death the previous days, early Sunday morning was a whirlwind of rushing to get them out of the mud, and presentable for their first debut, all their tack put together (this is all new to us), not to mention the other 30 something fed and watered...As it was far too cold and windy for baths, the shedding comb and curry removed the chunks and a warm bucket of water cleaned tails and lower legs.  By the time we were loaded, and now 30 minutes behind schedule, there was no time for our usual healthy breakfast---only a quick shower and change of clothing to make ourselves presentable to the public!  By the time we hit the road, it was a dreary, foggy, drizzling morning for the hour drive into Wisconsin. When we arrived the other participants were slowly trickling in.  I got Mac and Wus settled into their stalls while Dan parked the trailer.  I heard plenty of oohs and awes as I lead them in.  Following introductions and considerable classroom time reviewing the various styles of driving and competitions available, the types of turnouts and bitting, then playing with different kinds of carriages we finally got to the real hands on section of the clinic with our horses.  YES!  I brought Mac out first...I had no idea as to how he would handle all of this...his second time traveling in the trailer, his first time in a strange barn (he was extremely vocal about his new surroundings--calling for someone familar to reply), first time in an arena, and hasn't worn a bit or surcingle since last fall.  So all things considered I thought let's do this!  As it turned out, I couldn't have asked for more from this young colt! Of course everyone was in awe of his curls...."so this is a curly--I've only seen them in pictures"  and "look at those cool dread locks" were the initial comments as we passed through the aisle into the arena.  The driving trainer, Linda, was assisted by a vet named Ann, who was having a blast leading Mac around and working with him.  She immediately noticed some arab in him (he is a product of our National Show Horse stallion and our ABC mare, Dream Angel.)   She was impressed with his behavior considering he's a 2 year old stallion.  She kept stating "I've always heard that curlies were calm and really intelligent, now I see that first hand.  He is really great."  I was so flattered, I was beaming! When the trainer started helping me work with him, she couldn't say enough about what a great driving horse Mac will make "and ultimately that means you will be able to do anything with this boy!"   She was thrilled with his presence, his good mind, and way of moving....She couldn't wait to see what he could do, so after some initial lunging we started long lining him.  I heard "awes" from the crowd and comments on his ease of movement, length of stride and action.  Even with Mac's occasional 2 year old antics, both the vet and trainer dismissed it to his age and the newness of the day.  "This curly colt has a wonderful, sane mind and that is most important to his potential for driving along with his ability to stand still for long periods of time, while still keeping an eye and an ear on his handler."  Everyone, including  myself, were impressed with this curly boy.  Unfortunately, Dan was too busy answering questions about curlies to get a picture of us working!  Bummer!  Mac looked so good!  So hang in there....there will be another opportunity for pictures and perhaps video at the next clinic in two weeks. When Dan brought Wus out I explained that she was under saddle and I hadn't had much success in getting her to lunge, but that her previous owner (Susan) had ground driven her quite a bit.  So I put a bridle on her to see what she remembered...unfortunately the bit (which another trainer had recommended) was too harsh for her and I ran back to my trailer for a Myler comfort snaffle.  I missed many of the comments at that point, but Dan says everyone LOVED her...more comments about the curls, the calmness and kind "sleepy eye", and her conformation.  She stood like a statue as we changed bridles. I simply dropped her first one.  Ann quickly thought she needed to wrap a lead around her neck, but Wuss didn't move a hoof!  OPPS, another obstacle....I had the headstall attached improperly to the bit, so instead of laying flat on her face, it was bumped out.  Again, Wus stood so patiently while the four of us fussed with one of those pain in rear bit attachments!  Everyone was astonished with her willingness to tolerate the fussing and tugging....as with everyone messing with the bridle, no one was holding her!  Linda explained to everyone that this is exactly what you want in the demeanor of a driving horse! Ground droving came right back to Wus.  She was obedient, bent nicely in each direction, backed in a nice straight line, and was certainly enjoying herself, but wanted to avoid staying on the bit.  Linda stated that with her present knowledge, and great demeanor I should be hitching her in 30 days to begin that phase of learning....provided I do my end of work with her....practice, practice, practice and I have to start getting her to stretch her top-line and working that belly more to accept the bit.   She wants me to try side reins...lowest loop on the surcingle....very lite contact and also showed me a technique of "shuffling the bit".  I am so excited!  Unfortunately it's raining a zoo outside today (which means flooding and MORE MUD STRESS) and as we haven't a arena yet, I will have to wait until tomorrow and put on some hip waders....anyone know where I can get some for the horses???  Here's to more exposure of our Curlies in April...two endurance rides, another driving clinic, and anything else I can find time to attend!

(Susan & Ahd) and (Laurie & Dream) I had a very eventful and fun-filled three day Curly weekend!  On Friday, Laurice Lee came to my place and met me and AhD in person for the very first time.  We then went on to visit Betsy and Zoe Lirakis at Top of the Hill Farm and Adria, Chuck and Guinn Halstead-Johnson at Green Mountain Curlies, Inc.  At my dear friend Betsy's on Saturday, I had the extreme pleasure of introducing  *OYY Buster Brown and *OYY Queen Jane Approximately to an obstacle course.  These two yearlings were remarkable in their willingness to please, and I just can't say enough good things about them. I had so much fun on this trip!   Buster and Queen were very curious about the umbrella and not scared at all.  It must have been the color that won them over.

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The last item to play with was the penguin and it too was "Ho-hum". Next time I'll try to add a couple of items but keep the ones that bothered him the most (plus the yummy backpack)I also took *Glory down, but she wasn't worried about any of it!  Some de-spooking exercise!

(Michelle & Lakota @ Chestnut Hill Curlies) After cold and clouds this morning gave way to sun and warm temps (52F right now and sunny -- T-shirt weather!) I had to drag my butt outside.  For some reason, the thought of riding was not appealing at all, and I almost stayed in the house and did laundry <gasp!>  I knew that was not the thing to do on a sunny day, so the laundry piles up, and I remembered about the Calmer-Smarter-Braver mini-contest.  So I assembled my props, stuffed my camera in my pocket, and headed outside. Went into the roundpen, and started looking at all the props. I had a pedestal, a big plastic owl, a trampoline, and a backpack filled with balls, an umbrella, and apples!  We started with the pedestal, and I was only able to progress to her pawing it, I couldn't get her to step on it (at liberty -- next time we'll try with a halter).  When I tried to get her to mirror my steps and I stood on it, she bumped up to it and wanted me to get on. Awwww.  She got a hug for that (lol). So we moved on, and checked out the plastic owl, and the backpack. Now THAT was interesting!  She had her whole head in the backpack, was biting the umbrella and flipping it all around.  Of course, I missed the shot when she picked up the backpack and was flipping it around in the air as I was checking the time at that moment, but I did get a short video clip of her stuffing her head in there and biting the umbrella. Do you guys have any idea how hard it is to take photos when you are trying to hold a prop, hold the camera, and deliver treats at the same time? So these shots aren't perfect.  Oh well. So then I took out the umbrella, and rubbed her all over with that, it makes that rustling sound. Then I opened it up and she targeted it on the ground, and in the air.  It was a little freaky and she didn't like it, but she wasn't scared of it. She just found it a bit too obnoxious to her sensitivities (lol). Then I rubbed her body with it open, she did quite well with that, better than I expected, she's not a fan of obnoxious things touching her body. Not scared, just doesn't like it, its rude. Then we played with a ball, and targeted that and rolled it around a bit. Then I got on the trampoline and bounced. That was a little freaky!  She touched the trampoline while I bounced gently (feet not leaving the surface), and she gave it the hairy eyeball. I think the black shiny mesh top looked weird the way the sun was hitting it as it moved while I bounced.  I kept bouncing while she took her treats though. Then I started to bounce a little higher, and OMG  I laughed so hard as she bounced her head up and down with me to get her treat!  Then after I got off, she had to go give it a good looking over. So then we went back up, and I had about another 10-15 minutes, so I decided to bring Jen out and see what we got out of that. Jen was very eager to go do something, and didn't care about the goats, or ducks, or any of the other stuff, she just walked right down like she's been doing it every day (I think she's been out there 3 times in the past year?)  At first Jen zoned in on the cones.  Mandy has worked on targeting cones with her, and that was all Jen could see. She didn't care about the other stuff out there, went right to the cones.   I thought the umbrella would get her attention. Nope.  I opened it, rubbed it on her, nothing. She didnt' care at all, totally ignored it, but was focused on those cones.  So I walked away, and took out the ball, and pointed to it, got her to target it, then rolled it. That got her attention, so she targeted that a little, but kept going back to the cones. Soon enough, she realized that she only got a treat when she touched the ball.  The lightbulb went off, and she understood that its not only about cones, there is other stuff to do, too!  So kicked the ball around, and she went after it, touching it, and pushing it with her nose.  She loved it!!!  She had so much fun!!!!!

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(Tesla & Sage) Hi All, On saturday I rode Sage off the lunge line! He was very good and I might start riding him in lessons soon, and by the middle of this summer do some drill team. There was so much snow a couple weeks ago that all the horses that are in the pastures on the hill got loose. Now the people at the barn have opened all the pasture gates and let everyone out. They have a car parked across the main gate leading to the up top pastures. The last few weeks have been melt days, so now the Toyota is getting stuck in the mud.

(Laura & Billy) FINALLY.....I was able to get off our property and get on the trail with Billy!  I think he was just as excited as I was!  A few days earlier I learned the lesson of NEVER RIDE A CURLY HORSE WHEN THEY ARE HUNGRY!!  When Billy's stomach is growling, he will stop at nothing to get me in a tree, around a tree, or under a tree - whatever it takes to get me off and get back to the barn where the food is!  It was not a pleasurable ride :-)  So, with a lesson being learned, Billy got to eat a full flake of hay while I brushed (and brushed, and brushed) and saddled him.  When he finally stopped eating and looked at me as if to say "Are we going somewhere or what?", I knew we were ready to hit the trail.  He got a little antsy while we waited for my neighbor to come ride with us.  I think he thought that was time that could have been spent eating!  I did let him nibble on the very few green pieces of grass and that pacified him.  My neighbor came down with her 4-year-old greenbroke mare QH who had already bucked her off once and who went into instant heat when she saw Billy.  All I could think was "this is not going to be good".  But, much to my surprise, Billy said his hello to the young mare and then he was all business about the ride.  I have been riding him in just a halter and lead rope since fall,  because he desperately needs his teeth done, which will happen on Thursday.  And, even without a bit in his mouth, he was obedient to my hand and leg cues.   I have decided that Billy is MY Prince Charming! Happy Riding Everyone!  (P.S....Spring is finally here in northern Michigan!  Might even be able to give baths this week!) 

(Brie & Sage) Sage and I had our first ride on Monday! Just a short fifteen minutes of walking after putting the saddle on and getting him reacquainted with it, and with people hopping on again. He did really well and was very calm and seemed happy to have a job again. Best of all, he was not noticeably lame, although he did seem just a tiny bit tender on his right side. Here's hoping we're on our way!

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(Laurie & Dream)The last time I was able to ride was March 13th!!  Then I had hand surgery, so have been unable to ride.  Yesterday was the first day without my hand in a splint, so riding was my first order of business.  It was a gorgeous, summer-like day!  Rachel has been riding Dream weekly while I've been laid up, but since I'd noticed that Dream has Spring Fever and has been a little bratty during a couple of the recent rides, I wanted to make sure she was concentrating on me before I got on.  My left hand is very weak from not being used for so long.  I lunged Dream first, during which she tried REALLY hard to convince me that she didn't remember how to do it!  After a couple "discussions" she settled down, and she began to listen well.  Next she didn't feel like standing next to the mounting block.  I was supposed to quickly hop on as she walked past it!!  So, we had to work on that until she remembered how to stand still politely next to the block.  Then she wanted to walk right off before I was fully in the saddle, so we practiced standing still after mounting!  After all of these ground manners lessons, we had a really nice ride!  It felt great to be in the saddle again.  It hit 80 here yesterday.  Last time I rode there was still snow on the ground!! Laurie

(Carol & Phantom)The month of April has been a riding month for both Tom and me.  Phantom and I have been working with the trainer 2-3 times a week.  Tom and Ron have been doing the same.  Both horses have made great strides in softness and responsiveness and we are developing a solid, trusting and respectful relationship with our horses.  My confidence in riding and relating to Phantom has blossomed.  Ron continues to do so well with Tom.  I swear those two were related in a previous life!!  Friday both horses are coming home and then the real work begins to maintain and increase their learning curve and ours as well.  Meanwhile back at the ranch....we have been riding Warrior and I have been working with Treat.  Yesterday Tom and Warrior went riding with with our riding buddy Corky and I saddled Treat and worked with her in the arena then we walked along the rode together....equicizing, I think they call it.  Tom and Cork rode the trails we marked over the winter.  Treat's condition has not worsened at all.....perhaps she has even improved.  We will take her to MSU next summer for another evaluation. Meanwhile I will continue to work with her.  She is such a doll!!!!  Warrior is such a solid horse very accepting and eager for the trail ride.  We certainly are blessed with our animal family!!  (could it be all of that ground work??)

(Carol & Phantom)Okay, before I begin to share....no laughing.  Remember I am an old girl who just started to ride last summer. Cantering.....well the first time I did canter I ended up in the dreaded fetal position, curled up around the horn on my saddle.  Gads!!!....that was in the early summer '07.  Since I have been taking riding lessons this Spring I knew the time would come to canter in front of my trainer and, worse yet, my husband.  Well, the dreaded event happened last Thursday and as my husband noted succinctly, it wasn't pretty.  I managed to avoid the fetal position but I bounced all over the place and had a sore butt for two days.  Poor Phantom, the more I bounced the faster she went( I think she was hoping this old girl would fall off).  Nothing but pride and vanity kept me on her that day.  Today, however, we emerged as a potential team ready for the reining ring.  Moving off her trot to a canter was like floating on a cloud.  Not sure what happened but it worked and it felt sooooo great!!!  Austin and Tom watched as I became one with Phantom( this sounds like something Freud would write) cantering in a circle.  The best was when I was able to bring her back down to a trot by shifting my seat and then down to a walk.  Granted it was not all perfect but it was close enough for today so I am going to savor the ride for a few more hours and then mentally prepare for tomorrow's lesson.  AHHHH!!!!!!

(Betsy & Zoe @ Top O' the Hill Farm) We have had a blast this month with the obstacles. First, studying the suggested list-- than shopping the dollar store for scary stuff, then building and setting up in the indoor... bridge, tires, star cavaletti, pedestal, our big hoop with streamers for walking and riding through. Set up an owl decoy, some wind spinners, wind socks, a kite, some beach balls, an interesting knapsack full of grooming tools, tarps, mailbox and a raincoat hanging for putting on and taking off-- a rope gate, a wheelchair and crutches (which we keep on hand anyway for training our therapy horses). I have an awesome umbrella which opens and closes with quite a WHOOSH  with a button on the handle-- perfect !! Add to that-- the farm pot belly pigs and noisy, nosey guinea hens-- we are good to go ~  We opened both doors of the indoor so we could have the advantage of plenty of wind and over the course of April, we introduced as many horses as we had time for. One weekend Susan Lejonhud and Laurie Lee were here. Susan led OYY Queen Jane Approximately and OYY Buster Brown through the course. Susan has sent in a few photo's of those two with the magic umbrella. Laurie posed as our wheelchair and crutches person. The horses were not bothered by any of it... When Zoe and I bought the pink spinny fish lawn ornament, we were sure the horses would spook somewhat at that-- but at most, they wanted to use it for an itching post.  We used the "tickle tubes" in 2 different ways-- rubbed them over the horses and also set them up so they stuck up for riding over and through. Neither way was alarming. Later in the month, I rode Keri through the course, got stuck in the raincoat trying to put it on over my helmet--  Keri LOVES the bridge... being high up I think agrees with her attitude of being queen of the farm. I could not get a rise out of her with any of the obstacles. I ended up trotting around the arena doing a Mary Poppins routine with the umbrella, popping it open and closed.  I rode Camille through and she was also unfazed by any of the course. Zoe took Winter Dancer and Teasel Obi through the course under saddle. Teasel's only issue was-- he wanted to stand on the edge of the big tire as though it was a pedestal, instead of stepping into it. We led a few young ones through and even Meads' Chocolate Chip, who is only 2 weeks under saddle, did the course without batting a curly eyelash.  On the trails and dirt roads, we got lucky and had some bicyclists pass us, a motorcycle, people target shooting in their yard. One obstacle not on Denise's list is--- riding on the road and having a jogger come up behind you with their squish swish of those nylon jogging suits.  We managed several bridges on our treks out-- a covered bridge and a very high concrete bridge over the flood dam. On our flood dam trip, we met woth an unexpected obstacle also not on the list .. 2 helicopters hovered in and landed very near us on the trail. I posted those photo's on my blog. Also on the blog are photo's of many water crossings and "brook walks". One of the obstacles on the list is a "car wash" -- now I have the idea to ride down to the car wash in town and get photo's of us riding through that--- Tomorrow !! Last opportunity to add it to my list of obstacles completed-  Also-- not on the list.. but we could not resist. On sale was a kid's badminton set, with shuttlecocks that light up when you hit them. I will try to post photo's of Zoe and I playing badminton on horseback one of these days  !! :) This contest has been so much fun and we plan on keeping most of it set up for all the horses to try. They truly do become smarter, calmer and braver after accomplishing it and it increases the bond between horse and handler so nicely. Great idea Denise !!

Zoe and I went out fairly early this morning for our last obstacle of April-- the car wash -- here are photo's. We had to ride through the Plaza, past McDonald's, down the highway and off to the car wash-- fun !!  I will post the other photo's on the blog.. but wanted to get these to you right away for a little laugh of the day

(Michelle & Lakota @ Chestnut Hill Curlies)I had a lesson this morning, so was way too tired for any riding, beside the fact that my roundpen is dismantled to make way for the dump truck to bring fill for the garden sometime this week.  Then I realized that today was the 30th, the final day for the Ride a Curly Calmer-Smarter-Braver April mini-contest (wow, that's a mouthful!) So I assembled a few more props and headed out for a short while.  Its a little chilly, and breezy, only 48F today, but at least it isn't raining!  Three inches of rain over the past 2 days resulted in a very cold, shivering old draft horse.  He finally allowed me to put a blanket on him!  Unfortunately, I have no photos, because some nameless 11 year old managed to trip the nameless 6 year old running away with the camera, and it is broken beyond repair :-( Anyway, I only had a few props here that I hadn't used before, and forgot to bring a few up with me, and didn't feel like walking all the way back to the house and back up the hill again. So we made due with a bag of grocery bags, bubble wrap, and a balloon. First up was Jen, she came right over to find out what all this fun was about.  Lakota watched from a distance to make sure Jen didn't get eaten first.  I started with the bubble wrap, and it was a total nonevent. She touched it, I rubbed her all over with it, I popped the bubbles, and then I popped the bubbles while it was on her body, and all she cared about was the treats.  So I put that down, and grabbed the balloon, which was mostly deflated, but one of those Mylar ones so it was all crinkly and flapping about in the wind.  That was another mostly non-even, I crinkled it, she touched it, I rubbed it all over her body, scritching her with it. April busied herself by pulling grocery bags out of the bag and walking across the bubble wrap popping all the bubbles.  I swear, the ONLY thing that gets that little girl going is being separated. When I picked the balloon up over my head, though that got Jen a little worried, so we worked on that for a bit, until she stopped leaving it, and looked at it, and stretched her nose out to it.  She wsa still a little worried, but was being very brave.  Jen has a thing about things "up" in the air.  If I carry a blanket up over my head, and pick it "up" off her, she gets worried, but if I keep it down low, there is no problem at all.  So now I see that we have to work on that, and its an "up" thing, but a "blanket" thing as I originally thought. Lakota decided to march over now and investigate, so I worked with both of them at the same time.  I would take turns rubbing the balloon over them and giving treats for this. Then I went to the plastic bags and did the same thing, and this was another total non-event. Then Whinney wanted a piece of the action (while April busied herself playing with the things we were finished with).  So I did a little with Whinney too, but when I went back to Jen, Whinney got nasty and chased her off. Well, she almost kicked me in the melee', so I went after Whinney and chased her off. Well, the entire herd scattered, the human had finally gone mad!!!! Lakota then decided that I was mentally unstable, and refused to come back near me. She did get up the nerve once, and I must have had static in my fleece jacket, because she the second she touched me, she suddenly leapt away snorting, and refused to come near me again for the rest of the afternoon.  LOL! So then I tossed some apples in the water tank, and Jen had a blast dunking for them!  At first she didn't get it, but once she caught on, I thought she would drown herself!  She blew all her air out, and started to breathe in with her head under water, and suddenly she FLUNG her head up, eyes all bugged out, took some deep breaths spewing water, then went back for that apple!  It took her a total of about 30 seconds to figure it out and get it, then the second apple I tossed it took her less than 10 seconds to get. Jen is very, VERY food motivated! Soo, all in all, it was fun.  I then gave them their lunch hay, and was able to finally, with a lot of approach and retreat, scritch Lakota's shoulder.  She gets so highly offended!

(Susan & Ahd)Today being April 30th, I thought I'd send in a short run-down of AhD and my experiences with the Calmer, Smarter, Braver obstacle course.  I've attached a picture I took of AhD with his nose completely buried in a backpack (oh, boy, goodies!) and one with him stepping on a metal grate with a large flag draped on him.  Apparently, he is quite patriotic, and did not mind the flag at all.  I breed/train Labs, so the decoys were incredibly boring (ho-hum, been there, done that)  - I finally threw one at him to get him to notice it - and the starter pistol was also nothing.  In fact, during April my husband shot several squirrels and a groundhog out of the pasture next to the winter paddock, so that was very helpful.  :)  One day it poured and blew gales, and I went into the paddock with a giant orange rain slicker.  That was quite frightful until AhD figured out that it was ME under there.  Then he wanted to know if I had food.  By far, the hardest obstacle we had to overcome was the Drag Item.  I took a long rope and attached 5 empty plastic milk cartons on it.  Well, AhD did not like the noise it made on gravel at all, and he did NOT like it following him!  If we weren't moving anywhere, he would actually sniff and bite the milk cartons, but if it was moving near him, it made him nervous.  During one session, I was throwing the milk carton rope up into the air and over his back and such.  When I had the rope over his back with the milk cartons draped over the side, he moved and the cartons freaked him out, and he ran right at me for protection!  He literally almost ran me over several times as he spooked and bolted around me.  Whew!  Thank God I didn't get hurt, but this experience sent the message to me again - wear your helmet!  Even when you are doing ground exercises.  By the way, if anyone has a method for discouraging a startled horse NOT to run at you for comfort when they are frightened, I would appreciate your comments.  Thank you.   I hope all of you RACers got the chance to try some of the Calmer, Smarter, Braver obstacles and had as much fun as I did.  Thank you, Denise, for this great idea!  May riding, here I come!

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