Welcome to Fern Valley

Here in central Alberta prime farm country,my husband Martin and I work together raising beef cattle and Appaloosa horses. Fern valley appaloosas have long been known for their quality of temperament conformation and color.I have recently rediscovered a love of writing and have published 2 collections of poetry. "Telling Tails" and Tails Trails and Campfire stories" . I look forward to a future spreading my wings as an author and as a horse woman .

Thursday, 28 February 2013

Sometimes it is just fine

You know how sometimes you do something, that even as you are doing it seems, well STUPID?
I have these moments on a fairly regular basis in my life. But sometimes it works out OK .


Every day I put Harley out in the morning , and when I feed at night I have been making it a habit to halter him to lead him into his pen.It is a good learning experience for him,and also keeps him for crowding me with his pail of nosh.Mostly he is very good to catch, but did have a few days when I got home form mexico that he was running form me. I just  herded him into his pen, then haltered him and  led him back to the top pf the hill to get the bucket and led him back down. I didn't have to but I did have to halter him (you cant let these kids away with running off) so it is good work for him to learn he cannot avoid being caught by running into his pen.

The last few days he has been  much better, occasionally stepping away but always comes back and lets me catch him.And then there was today,he quick stepped sideways,(here is where the stupid idea popped into my head) and I for some unknown reason grabbed a handful of mane and said whoa!
Now those who have tried this out there know it usually ends in a "mane burn " or cut fingers from them yanking the hair out of your hands and leaving at speed. But not today .I grabbed mane and said whoa, and he stopped. Just like that! Good boy Harley! I haltered him and he nicely walked to his pen with me. Sometimes it works out  just fine.

I am sure hoping  that premise applies in July , I got a great opportunity to participate in a Dan James of Double Dan Horsmanship"Ground Control"clinic .I am not going to learn how to get my horse to sit on a bean bag or rear on command( I got that one already) more to learn about thier  ground driving techniques and build skills for me and for my horse, learning to improve focus and partnership.


 I will be taking none other than  our very special "FV Catch a Dream" Cat, Aka , the Fat baby or Whoa  Dammit.I had barley committed to the clinic online when I looked out and saw , her doing some frightening and athletic, "airs above the ground" in her pen!
I swallowed hard and thought "Oh my,  am I really doing this?"

Yup I am , I can and will get her and I ready for the clinic.And we will both work hard and learn!
And it will be just fine
Stay safe and warm my friends. I will get some more current pics soon

11 comments:

Paint Girl said...

What a good boy Harley! Gotta love it when they listen to you especially as a baby!
The clinic sounds wonderful and I am so excited you get to do it!!

RoeH said...

I loved that video! The interaction between horse and human is very dear.

Willow said...

Good for you. She is a beautiful girl. I can't wait to see how well you both do in the clinic ...you will do well. See it happening :)

GoLightly said...

Well, you know what I think already:)

That's the trouble with FaceBook, I say what I mean, but it's hard to say it the same way twice.
You da bomb, Farmer Fern :)

4RRanch said...

The clinic sounds great. Hope you learn loads.

Cut-N-Jump said...

You will be fine and you will do fine. You're there to learn so you will for sure, bring something home from the clinic.

Don't forget to breathe and above all smile. It's supposed to be fun dammit!

Reddunappy said...

Cant wait for more pics, and to see how your clinic goes!!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

How exciting a clinic! Go you!! You will have fun :)

And what a good boy Harley!

~Lisa

Ami said...

I so love your stories. What it's REALLY like to raise horses and all the huge amount of work that goes into them. I'm glad he whoa-ed instead of goed!!

Janice said...

Well of course it will be fine ....because you my friend can do anything:)That's quite the video.

Shirley said...

Having a goal like riding in a clinic is the beat way to focus on what you need to do to be ready for it. Ole Whoa Dammit is going to be burning a few brain cells, methinks.