So Happy!

I am so proud of Napoleon today. He is doing so well. Such a joy to ride. No stress about his performance! Now, getting ready to pack and DRIVE to Texas is the stressful part. The heat there is a bit intimidating. I am hoping Napoleon takes as good of care of himself there as he does here. He doesn't let a blade of grass, a bucket of water, a piece of hay or an ounce of grain escape his lips. We worked cattle today and he was perfect. So happy with him. He is getting so handy and easy to ride one handed. Love that! I took him over a long chain that connected some gates and it was a scary object and he just went carefully over it. Picked up those feet! I have to thank my family (kids & husband) for giving me all the extra help an support these last few weeks. Feeling confident and prepared now.

What A Funny Guy!

Napoleon is quite a funny guy! Tonight I turned him out of his stall for some exercise time and he didn't even move 2 feet away from the gate. He just hung his head over the gate and looked at me quietly. Now, the Reymanator got turned out in a different pen and he was really tearing it up! You would think a wild horse would want to get out and move but he doesn't fit all the stereotypes of a gentled mustang. For one thing he isn't very careful about where he puts his feet. He trips over things and it has been challenging to teach him to walk over ground poles and walkovers. I jump him and sometimes he jumps great and sometimes he just plows through things. Now, when we get out in open country, he is very forward and nimble, but he is lazier in the arena. In fact, as I have said previously in the blog, Napoleon does not get out of a walk, ever, in the pasture. Isn't that interesting?

My brother came over yesterday and brought his mustang over to work our trail course and ride in the arenas. He has a cute little guy too. He has been more challenging to put weight on as he just barely started eating grain last week and he is not quite as thrivey as Napoleon. The horse has a lot of potential though. He is a natural lead changer and a good mover and also easy to teach. He is greener than Napoleon but I hope they do well too! My brother's name is Shawn Burtenshaw and he is from Recluse, Wyoming.

I am thinking that the next week will fly by! I really need to make a detailed plan to get ready to go next week. It will be busy around here. I am entered in the Rancher's Class at a cowhorse show in Deer Lodge, Montana this Saturday. I am excited for that!

Count Down

Only a few days left until we leave for Texas. Napoleon is continuing to progress and starting to smooth everything out. The word of the week? TRANSITIONS, TRANSITIONS, TRANSITIONS. Never can do enough as this is where a "green" horses lack of experience crops up. Just being patient now as he gets more and more confident in himself and what I am asking. Setting a lot of patterns and trail patterns to test our readiness. Still a little unsettled on a finals routine.
Tonight I took Napoleon to the Junior Rodeo. Lots of activity and unexpected happenings there for a horse to experience. He was really, really good. Not nervous at all. Let everyone come up and pet him with ease. Lots of little kids and swinging ropes whisking by and he didn't care at all. I walked him around the grounds and he guided well one-handed and no-handed while I talked on the phone and drank a bottle of water. Afterwards, we did a test pattern in the outdoor arena without warming up in it and he absolutely did every maneuver in a plus fashion. (I know, I sound like a proud mother..but I am!)

Cutie

I hope you can see by the photos how cute Napoleon is. I am loving him! So are the kids. They are begging me to ride him everyday. I would let them too but my arm is still so sore I don't think it's quite safe to leg them up yet for that first ride. Zane can't help either as he can't get out of a walk yet. So, they might have to wait a little longer. I must say that I am surprised that I never get a comment on the blog, positive or negative. We got lots of comments on our first blog but I guess now everyone talks on facebook :)

He Doesn't Even Blink

Napoleon has had a good week. Zane thinks the horse is quite funny. Napoleon is very low energy and very quiet. He is in to strict energy conservation. When he is in the field, he never runs or trots, he slowly walks from place to place. He has a pasture mate and he stays completely out of their way and doesn't socialize. When he is tied up in the barn he cocks a foot and closes his eyes, and doesn't hardly move a muscle. He is very patient...so far! Zane said the other day, "Man,I'm not sure that horse even blinks!" He is absolutely no trouble.You should see him slowly creep into the wash stall. He knows he has to go and many of the horses are not fond of the design, but he resolutely gets in and lets me tie him and stands stock still for his bath and rinse. So cute! Last weekend we accompanied Zane to Bozeman for a clinic. Napoleon turned back in the cutting pen and got to work a few cows down the fence in the indoor arena. He was stellar and I was very pleased with his attitude and work. They had kind of a junk pile behind the cattle pen and I steered him through the irrigation pipe and walked through a tire. He just went wherever I pointed him. It was a very good workout for Napoleon. He even let Zane load him in the trailer. (And he's on crutches, so not an easy sight for a horse.) Monday was not such a great workout though. Napoleon may have been tired and sore or maybe just grumpy. The first time since the first few weeks of riding where he was resistant. I had to keep working to end on a good note, but was finally able to after he completed a relaxed stop. The next few days I backed off on what I had been asking him to do and on Wednesday he was really good again. I will try to post a video that Zayle took. It's not the best cow turns as he usually preforms better but you know how it is when the cameras come out. Sometimes the little extra pressure gets to the performer! We just need to continue to improve a little each day and work on Napoleon's natural assets so we are ready for Texas.

Asking for Comments...

Okay, for all of you mustang fans out there: What would you like to see in a freestyle routine? and/or What was your favorite freestyle "element(s)" you have witnessed in the Mustang Makeover? In our 2007 finals Zane and I opted for no props or guns or anything. Zane did rope a steer but the judges felt he should have stopped it instead of break-away roping. (Algore was barely 14 hands but that was the judges' feedback). In the last makeover in Colorado, the winner did a well executed freestyle pattern with no props and did a bridleless routine to follow. (I tried that with Chopper in practice in 2007, he was not a bridleless guy!) So, as Zane helps me with planning and showmanship for this show what is your opinion? (Don't worry, I am not packing a "bouncy" ball or anything ;)

Today Napoleon and I practiced our events again. Zane had given us a thorough evaluation yesterday and told me what we needed to concentrate on in our gymnastic and reining work for the next few weeks. So, with a clear lesson plan in place, we worked on all of those elements today. (Rest assured, Zane has ridden Napoleon all of 20 minutes in the entire time he has been with me and has only schooled with us a few times.) Zane will be doing a cowhorse clinic this weekend and Napoleon gets to tag along so it will be a great test for us.

Still Here :)

Yes, we're still here. Haven't written in a while. Napoleon is doing well as usual. He looks beautiful. He has such a short, fine haircoat and he is chubby in a cute way. He is working all his events well and is very smart on a cow. He is good to me, which I appreciate. Especially since Zane and I have had a few weeks of mishaps. Just over a week ago, Zane had his foot and ankle smashed. Not broken, but really bruised, sore and swollen. He can't walk on it yet, but is riding anyway. A horse fell with him going down the fence. I'm supposed to be picking up the slack and then on Monday, his 3 year old NCHA Futurity horse bucked me off on the road. I couldn't hardly move for 2 days and I'm pretty sure my collar bone is cracked because my right arm hurts constantly and I can't raise my arm above my head. Nothing like a horse wreck to make you feel your age. I am so bruised up and tender on my right side. I had to give Napoleon the day off on Monday due to my aches and pains. I got on and rode him the rest of the week though. Mostly one handed since I can't pull with my right arm hardly at all. He let me get on with a bucket and he stands stock still which is great too. We just continued to work the preliminary events and have started on our tentative finals routine. I might have to change it a little due to my physical limitations at the moment. Just starting to plan all my travel arrangements too. Here's hoping for a better week ahead!