Horses on the Silver Screen

So I am a fan of horse movies....I know shocker. I have seen many of them over my growing up years and my father likes to tease me with "What!? A horse movie you haven't seen?" There are the iconic classics of Black Beauty and The Black Stallion, the exhilarating stories of  Hildalgo and War Horse, and the rags to riches stories of Dreamer and Seabiscuit. All touch our hearts with the amazing displays of the courage, resilience and mesmerizing beauty of the Equus.
Now, not only do I appreciate a movie that has horses in it, but I appreciate even more when it is well done. Am I the only one who cringes when the horse they claim as a "pure wild Mustang" happens to look just like a pure Arabian? Or a person flopping excessively on a horse's back when they are supposed to be a ribbon winning rider? Anyway, no horse movie is perfect but there are those ones that seem to do their very best to make things look as authentic as possible.
I just got done watching a movie called Open Range which is about two men traveling in the old west with their free grazing cattle and the adventure that ensues. Although it is not a strictly horse movie, horse play a pretty good part in it, since they happened to the main mode of transportation back then. :)  As I watched this movie the other night I was reminded of how much I appreciate actors who truly wish to ride the horses in the movies themselves. They actually learn to ride. And they aren't half bad either. Of course not all wish to do that and have their stunt doubles ride for them in the really tricky scenes but that's why people like me dream for the job right? :) However I do appreciate those who dare to go the extra mile and complete the genuine horse movie experience. Perhaps they understand to the breathtaking freedom  they give us.
Since I am highly interested in horses and film, it comes as no surprise that I observe them quite closely. I hope to every once in a while, share my thoughts on a particular horse movie and share it with you all. So watch those movies closely, and what are some favorites of  y'all's?

The Simple Life

I am currently taking a mini-vacation with my family in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It has been three days of shopping, hiking and chilling at the cabin; but unfortunately, I must go back home to the real world tomorrow. :(  I must return and make sure my little ones aren't driving my roomy too crazy. ;)
This morning we took a drive into the Smoky Mountain National Park and drove the scenic loop of Cades Cove. It is my favorite drive in the park and for those of you who have not been there it is a gorgeous valley nestled between rows of mountains with fields that are just calling to filled with horses! (There actually is some as there's trail riding offered.) It also calls out to avid outdoor horse women like me as the perfect spot to build a log cabin and a barn. :)
In the late 1700s into the early 1800s Cades Cove was settled by Indians and early settlers. Some of the old cabins, barns, and churches remain. They utilized the fields for crops and lived a simple life with hard work and seclusion. As we were driving through this morning I could find myself picturing the little cabins dotting the landscape and the fields being cultivated and tended with the help of horsepower...and I mean REAL horsepower! Back then horses were mainly used for work, helping on the farm, and taking people to where they wanted to go. It is a far cry from what most horses are used for today but some people still hold on to the tradition of the original horsepower.
However, as I view the gorgeous landscape I am strangely drawn to what I simple life it was. Hard no doubt, but peaceful, full of purpose and drive. These people alongside their trusty four-hooved companions worked for a better life and a brighter future. What a life in such a beautiful place. I think if we could ponder at the grit and strength of those people it could change the way we view our lives today. And just maybe because of it we will find ways with our horses to continue to work towards a brighter future ahead.

"And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you," 1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV

Teaching the Smile

So the first trick I am going over is the Smile. I am working on this trick with Merrylegs  but it is currently a work in progress as you will see from the pictures and short video. This is good though, because it's realistic and will not be perfect right away when you're teaching it.

This is fairly simple trick to teach and it is a favorite for people. So are you wanting to turn your horse into the next Mr. Ed?

Here is what you need:

• Your hands
• Treats of your choice
• Don't forget patience! ;)

That's it!  

Steps:

1. It will probably be best to outfit your horse with a halter and leadrope.
2. Stand in front of your horse and take a treat in your hand.
3. Get your horse's attention and give him the verbal preparatory cue. (Ex. "Ready")
4. Hold you hand up with your index finger pointed up and the treat hidden in rest of your hand.
5. Give the command, "Smile" and you will place your hand at your horse's mouth. Often times the horse will smell the treat and try to grab for it. This is a good start.
6. Reward him for it by opening your hand and allowing him to take the treat from your opened up palm.
7. Repeat steps #5 and #6  a couple of times and you can call that a session unless you feel like your horse can do more.
8. You develop the trick as you encourage your horse to lift his lip up higher and longer before giving the treat.

It is important to remember to say the verbal cue each time you ask for the Smile so that your horse can learn to associate the command with the trick. Also don't let the him quit until you have put your finger down: that is your release cue.

If you are having trouble getting your horse to nibble for the treat then you can very carefully try to tickle the underside of their top lip with your finger. You can put a little bit of peanut butter or something that smells, as this can trigger their fleming response.

Once they get good at responding just keep adding to it until they will eventually do it just by your finger and verbal command.

It is important to make sure your horse does not crowd your space while you are teaching this trick and retains his manners. Watch your fingers and if you want to wear gloves for extra safety you can . This is not a trick I would suggest teaching to nippy ponies and or allowing unsupervised children to do unless they prove to have the discipline and coordination. Understand though an accidental nibble on the fingers it can still happen to anyone.  If the horse gets to pushy, correct him and come back to the trick. Practice in moderation and have fun with this trick!

Any questions feel free to ask through my Google+ profile which provides my email!

  

My post for today was mostly written on a horse carriage. I was driving carriages in my little hometown therefore this post will be short and sweet. Today, I was reminded as I drove complete strangers around, how fun and enjoyable interaction can be even with people you don't know. Sometimes I think we get burned out on being around others and having to deal with other people. However, there is nothing quite like making someone's day a little bit brighter by simply asking them about themselves or genuinely listening to them. You can learn so much and give more than you can imagine with just a smile, a listening ear, and sincere "have a good day". Also it might just make our day as well.
So get out and greet those around you. You might just help someone out and make a positive impact in their lives as well as yourself.
"Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." Romans 15:2 (ESV)

Teaching Tricks

Tricks are not just for fun. If you just want to teach your horse tricks for the fun of it, you are missing out on a lot. Tricks are not just for you to show off your companion's talent or to create a YouTube channel, or even do horse movies. Teaching tricks strengthens your relationship with your horse and deepens your trust with each other. You learn a lot about each others' personalities, especially when you are trying to teach something that is not exactly the norm. Yes, you really learn each other true colors. ;) Also teaching tricks can prove to a life-saver even. In stressful situations your horse can face many different things thrown at him because he has already done some not exactly common every day things already. He has learned to be a thinker instead of a reactor. Now that does not mean that your horse will never spook again or they will never flee from a less than ideal situation. They still have their instincts, but with the trust and principles that trick training requires they will be better prepared to handle unusual situations with more confidence and ease.
Now with that being said a few things to remember:

• Patience is key. If you are frustrated you aren't doing any good, just unteaching what you are trying to work towards. Hildago, I am sure was not trained in a day. :) This is something I have to remember often. You are asking your horse to do things that are not exactly in his natural instinct. Cut him some slack.
• Consistency. Another one I have to really remember. Just like anything else in life, if you want it to be good, you've got work on it continually and not change things all the time.
• Be positive. Negative energy will affect your horses mood to cooperate. You still need to ensure he behaves and respects you but you must make sure to make it a positive experience. Otherwise he will do what you ask because he must, not because he wants to.
• Take breaks. Don't beat things into the ground. Take rest sessions to let things sink in and so your horse nor you have issues with the first item we mentioned above!
• Be careful with treats. Treats are a useful tool, but also make sure you use them responsibly and your horse maintains his manners.
• Pay attention to detail. Observe what your horse is giving you. Write things down if you want to.
• Enjoy yourself. It should be fun working with your horse and teaching him new things. If  it's not fun and doesn't have a purpose then maybe you should question your motives for doing it.

Ok, if that isn't enough information already here we go with more. When teaching tricks there are key steps to remember. These are called cues. There is not just one cue to tell your horse to do the trick, rather a string of cues. They are as follows:

• Preparatory cue. This is what gets the horses attention and tells him to get ready for what's going to be asked. It can be as simple as saying their name or using a word such has "Ready".
• Trick cue. This is the cue you give that actually asks for whatever trick you are wanting. It's the touch of the whip for the bow or the  movement of the body used to ask the horse to pick up the object on the ground.
• The spatial cue. How close you are to the horse indicates what you are asking. Want the horse to back up or follow you with no connection? What is your proximity to your horse? 
• Voice cue. This is pretty self explanatory. "Smile", "Pick up", "Step up".
• The release cue. This lets your horse off the hook of whatever trick he's doing and not a minute before. It can be verbal or a physical movement from you. But speaking from experience don't do "good boy or girl". One thing I dislike is when you are riding a horse and he thinks that's the magic to cue to stop whatever he's doing and bask a little too much in those two words. ;) 

This last cue is not to be used last but is to fit into as it is needed and seen fit.

• The Yee Haw cue. Ok, so don't take this literally. I cringe at the thought of what Hollywood cowboys have taught us...but what I mean is, this is your excitement cue. If you ask for a cue with enthusiasm, chances are you just might get a more enthusiastic response. Now I am not saying you have to be a crazy person. I struggle with this one sometimes actually because I'm not an extremely outward excited person, but if you are eager, your horse might just be curious about what your so eager about. This cue is usually helpful in getting a horse to jump on pedestal with more gusto or Spanish walk with more of a flare for the dramatic.

Rewarding your horse is very important. The horse needs to get positive feedback when he responds well if you ever want to continue to increase the depth of the trick. Reward can be with treats or with pats and rubs and vocal praise. When using treats remember to use in moderation and carefully. Make him work for it and as time goes on encourage him to accomplish the trick better or longer before rewarding. Eventually the goal is to be able to wean him off of the treats and he will purely enjoy doing the trick for your company.

The equipment you use doesn't have to be fancy. It just needs to be safe. Pedestals need to be sturdy and support the horse's weight. Objects being picked up need to safe for the horse to handle in his mouth. Footing, yes it qualifies as equipment, needs to be secure. Certain tricks may require wraps or boots. Safety for both you and your horse should be priority. Accidents do happen but if you put yourself and your horse in a position that is not secure you have the potential to destroy a trust and goals that will not easily be re-established.

Lastly, but not least, trust is crucial between you and your companion. If you do not trust each other then mostly likely things are not going to go well. Don't force your horse into something he's not ready for. He needs to fairly well grounded in the every day basics of horsemanship before you start introducing him to do not so common every day things. Go slowly knowing you will hit some speed bumps and some set backs. It's not a big deal. If your horse is having a bad day do simple stuff or just take a day off. If you are having a bad day and you can't leave it at the gate then don't do it. Trust is not so easily won and is easily destroyed. If he's not ready and confident then ok; go back to what he is confident with. Same goes for you. And there may be things he just will never be ok with and that's alright too. Remember it's not about creating the next War Horse Joey. It's about enjoying the horse that you love and chose to share your journey with.

Honoring 9/11

Today I am taking a break from the regular posting to remember and reflect the lives lost on 9/11. Pray for all the families of those who relive the tragedy every year and let us stand up and say "never again". Pray for our nation and that instead of pointing fingers we will stand for what we know to be just and true as one nation under God.
Irregardless of what you believe about our government and the people who are leading our country, I believe that this country is still the greatest nation on earth and I am proud to be an American. Take the time not just today but every day to thank those you meet who have served and continue serve our country and keep us safe. May God always bless America!

Follow Me on Facebook

My blog now has a Facebook page! Go check it out under Trickhorseoffaith and Like/Share please! :) And keeping checking for updates throughout the week in between blog posts.
Thank you to all following so far!
-Kayleigh

Meet Brooklyn

This is Brooklyn. My one of kind and hilarious fur-baby. Brooklyn is a 7 month old Lab mix (not exactly sure what else is in there :)) that I adopted. Her litter had a mixture of Lab, Boxer and Shepard looking siblings so your guess is as good as mine! :)  Since then my house has been filled with much crazy and comical relief with her antics. She is very smart, sometimes a little too smart and learns quickly. She learned common commands very quickly and has learned a few funs ones such as shake which is her favorite and crawl. We are also working more on stay as her attention span is starting to last longer than three seconds and she is learning to play the piano. ;) I hope to get her to do tricks with the rest of clan as she like being with the others.
 Her best quality: She is fast learner.
Her worst quality: Right now she is very timid but I am hoping she will shape into a good guard dog. And she will get over her fear of the floor vents. :)
Her likes: Any attention possible, water, and licking everything. :)
Her dislikes: Brooms, being alone, and she doesn't appreciate when getting clean, such as bath is not her idea.
Brooklyn is a ball of joy that has brought much happiness and laughter to my life. She goes with me pretty much everywhere hates to be left behind. Now what is funny about Brooklyn is she doesn't really bark. I have tried all sorts of things to rile her up and get her to bark but she has only done it about twice for me and often times instead of barking, when I leave her she just howls. Maybe one of these days I will get a fierce guard dog that will scare someone off with her ferocious attitude...or just lick them to death. :)

Meet April

This is April. She is a year and a half old miniature donkey who is a lover. I bought her from a place that offered kids parties and had a petting zoo which she was a part of.  From the very beginning she adored any attention given to her and would throw herself quite literally into it and still does. :) She will place her head into your arms and expect you to hold the whole weight of her head up. And if you are to sit down she will insist she's a lap donkey. If you are to pay attention to anyone else she will literally force herself in between you and whoever you are loving on. And if that doesn't work she'll be sure and give you a firm nudge. I am starting to teach her tricks such as smiling and kisses and she loves to put things in her mouth so I'm sure picking up objects won't be too much of a problem. Just getting her to give them up might! ;)
Her best quality: She's a love bug and you can do about anything with her as long as your touching her.
Her worst quality: She's extremely jealous and can become pushy.
Her likes: Hugs, kisses, rubs...really any kind of body contact. She's like your childhood favorite teddy bear.
Her dislikes: Being ignored, and when you pay attention to someone else but her. Also flyspray.
April is a sweetheart but don't be fooled as she will fearlessly shoo of coyotes and deer if need be. :) She is extremely smart and is an eager learner therefore I have hopes she will make a great little trick donkey. The story I have for April is about her interest in playing with things. One day Merrylegs had gotten off his grazing muzzle and guess who found it? But not only did she find it, she picked it up and proceeded to shake it about as if to say, "Look, he lost this!". Now getting her to give it up is another story, but I now know I can count on her to hunt it down whenever he loses it!