Woof Whinny Whisper

Moonlighting

We have been moonlighting lately.  Back east I spent a great deal of time training dogs.  Lots of dogs. My regular schedule was to teach two classes back to back two nights per week at local pet stores and then two classes two nights per week at my place as well as private classes and consultations.  This was in addition to my full time job.  Back in the day I even competed with dogs.  That was long ago and far away.  After we got settled in the southwest I began fostering and retraining dogs.  Herding dogs with behavior problems were my specialty. It seems that I love a challenge.  Most times we made the lifesaving difference for these dogs.  That is, to me, what training is all about. 

In any case, I haven't trained a dog as a job for quite some time now.  That all changed when the real estate agent that helped us purchase RIR got a puppy named Starr.  Starr has been on the blog before but I have to say that last Thursday, she did very well!  Although she has a tendency to become highly excited around other dogs, she did very well when I began working her with Albee.  Yep, Albee is back to work now that he is all recovered from surgery.

Starr's Mom, Amber, is at the ready and learning to watch for changes in Starr's body language.

Starr progressed very well during this lesson.  She was able to handle walking with Albee while minding her own business, walking next to Albee, passing him and concentrating on her mom but mostly... Amber is learning how to keep this bright young dog engaged on her and to step in before this pup's attention can become focused on something else.  By keeping Starr focused and engaged, negative behaviors do not have time to gain foothold. 

By the end of the lesson Starr was able to do a down stay, lead unattended, right next to a dog she very much wanted to sniff up and down.

She really wanted to get up here... she wanted to come to me but waited patiently...  in fact, I think we might have worn her out a bit...

Well, you know what they say... a tired dog is a good dog.  Good dog, Starr!

And now I'm off to do chores.  I hope your day is wonderful!

Mystery Pie

Well.... It has come to our attention that perhaps Huckleberry Pie is not an Andalusian.  I can accept that since I wasn't sure he was in the first place. I've certainly no claims to be an expert in different breeds.  He certainly is beautiful. Is he an Andalusian cross? He came from a place in California that had Andalusian... Is he an Arab or Arab cross? Sigh...  I haven't a clue.  It has been recently suggested that he looks very much like a Crabbet Arabian.

It has also been suggested that he looks like a Shagya Arabian....

 

 

oh my....  The only thing I can say for certain is that whatever else he is, he is an exceptionally wonderful old gentleman with a kind eye and an even kinder heart.  He is long winded and sure footed, calm and steady on the trail and an absolute joy to handle and to ride.  Sigh... I love our Pie.

Here he is giving my beautiful sister-in-law a ride and a huge smile.  He has that effect on people.  He has that effect on my heart. I know that Smripe is in love with him too.

God and Dog

I loved this video.  I hope you do too.

Nosey Girl

Hey, whatcha got there?

Hey... that's that thing you put on The Geezers!  What is it???

You do WHAT with it??

Seriously?

They like this?

I doesn't look like this on The Geezers.

No, Beautiful Cayenne, it doesn't.  But what a good, courageous girl to let me walk in your stall and put it on your back like that.  You are getting braver by leaps and bounds lately!

Love Is....

Covered in dog hair....

It's Make a Difference Time!

If you read Smrp's blog then you already know about the Animal Rescue Site Shelter Challenge but just in case you don't wander over to Dream Valley Ranch we will post it again here.  If you visit The Animal Rescue Site you have the opportunity to vote for a shelter to win $20,000!  Smrp and I know all too well how much rescuing these horses takes.  Now imagine yourself rescuing animals that have physical disabilities that render them, at least in most folk's eyes as un-adoptable but that still have wonderful lives ahead of them with just a little assistance from us human-folks. 

That is just what Rolling Dog Ranch in western Montana does.  If you haven't heard of Rolling Dog Ranch, there is a great introduction here:

so.... If this touches your heart as much as it does ours, please visit the website above and vote for Rolling Dog Ranch.  Compassion wasn't born at Rolling Dog Ranch but it sure flourishes there.

Dashing through the snow....

Okay... maybe not snow exactly and maybe not quite dashing but we did get to see our friends at Horse Carriage of Las Vegas at work during the Holiday Festival in Henderson Town Square in the Water District.  It was right chilly for a desert southwest afternoon and although there wasn't really snow there was plenty of drizzle and lots of chill.  

In all the time I have known them and even been on the trail with them, I have never seen Jerry work under harness.  We braved the weather and went out to support our friends.  How can you not want to see this guy?

And this was his demeanor in spite of children rushing past him with balloons or foam lizards on sticks dancing and skidding across the ground. He stood as loudspeakers blared with Christmas spirit and strangers approached him with outstretched hands and open cellphones hoping to get a picture of him to later send to friends. 

Round and round he went, Rodney at the reins as six to eight riders at a time got a taste of old-time transportation and listened to the rhythm of sleigh bells as this giant of a horse stepped out lightly.  He was beautiful to see as he moved out along Water Street in front of City Hall amd the convention center.

And his passengers both young and old were all smiles.  Rodney kindly repeats the answers to the same questions over and over with a gentle understanding that this might be the 65th time he has repeated it but it is the first time his passenger has heard it.  He is an ambassador for the Percheron as he explains the history and character of the breed.  It is a magical trip back in time even if it lasts for only a few moments.

I took lots of photos and video clips.  Hubby and I rode along with Rodney and his daughter Ryan as they took their break.  

Yep, that is Hubby there in that gray felt hat.  He is so impressed with Jerry's demeanor and of course, his s-i-z-e!  It was a fun afternoon and wonderful to get the opportunity to have those special 'privileges' of friendship and get that extra time to be a passenger and learn a little more about what it is like to drive a horse.  I have a huge appreciation for the art of it and I always love to see the partnership between a horse and handler.

I don't want to leave out Rodney's helper and daughter Ryan! She was doing a good job keeping people organized, counted and filling out the paperwork as well as helping Dad with the big guy. 

So maybe we didn't exactly get to 'dash' although we were able to get to trot along in the wagon for a bit during our private ride and maybe there wasn't exactly snow but how could there be snow?  This big guy and Horse and Carriage of Las Vegas are warming so many hearts that it just can't get that cold around them.

Merry Christmas from the Rolling I

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Once is never enough

or so it would seem....

I promised I'd tell you about our very first rescue.  Her name was Chloe... that is what WE named her after we found out that her name translated from Spanish to English as 'Taco Meat'.  He laughed when he told me that as if I would find it funny.  She was no use to him anymore.  They had tried unsuccessfully to treat the swelling in her knee with poultices, wraps and penicillin injections.  At least the boy that was riding her and whipping her to trot constantly was no longer allowed to ride her.  It just so happened that I was going by as they were forcing her into the trailer.  Never being the shy one, I inquired if they were taking her (finally) to the vet.  No... they were taking her to a 'rodeo' to give her away.

She was on her way to becoming a trip horse.  Several moments of negotiation later I was left standing in the trailer dust holding the lead rope of a 13 year old appendix mare.  Now what?

Do you see that left knee?  It is crippling arthritis.  You see that hunter's bump from ill fitting saddles most likely and oh!... look at the angles on those hind feet =(  And to this day I can still see that chubby boy whipping her and whipping her to go.  And go she did, as best she could. Sigh... what now? 

There has to be a place for her.  At that time we hadn't really formed The Huppie Syndicate.  There was a local horse rescue, Shiloh Horse Rescue and I called them to see if they would take this sweet, sweet girl.  They would take her they told us, if we could help raise funds for her care.  As I was contemplating how I was going to raise those funds I got a phone call from Smrpie.  I smile to think of it now...  In any case, Smrpie called her BFF, Myra in California and the money was raised for Chloe's care and she was transported to Shiloh. 

 

Hubby comforts Chloe in the trailer. Her knee was so painful and stiff that stepping up was horribly painful for her... and yet she did willingly, politely and it brought tears to my eyes to know the enormity of what she was doing for us. 

Here is a photo of Myra and Smrpie visiting Buttercup before she moved to the Rockies. As you can see, Buttercup is totally resistant to all affection....

 

Our very first rescue still resides at retirement village at Shiloh Horse Rescue. Her name was changed to Clover and you can still visit her there.  She was spared a life of cruelty and neglect by some very special horsewomen. Myra was right there at the beginning and when we thank all those special people we can't do without, well, she ranks right up there at the top of the list.  Myra also stepped up to help the Mustang Boys and in turn Wildflower.  I'm supposing that makes her a pretty darned big part of The Syndicate, don't you?  And when Myra isn't loving her own horse and helping us save them she works pretty hard at finding solutions for saving the planet.  Now, how cool is that?

Chloe/Clover was the first horse that we rescued.  We friends simply thought we were stepping up to help a horse in need and doing the right thing.  At that time I had no idea where it would lead nor do I know where this journey will end but what I do know is that there are horses that have better lives because of the friendships that have been forged by hearts in kind.

How amazing is that? 

We Take Returns

We found her at just four months of age.  Her owner had taken the dam away to train her for racing.  Since this was a filly, there was little use for her.  Colts were treated as royalty, babied and pampered but there was little use for a filly.  So if she was four months when I found her and Momma had been gone for a couple of weeks...  There were no horses where she was kept.  There was a cow....  She was being fed buckets of foal-lac.  She had an upper respiratory infection and we were afraid she would die.

We got her a baby blanket and called the vet in.  Smrpie and I formed a partnership over her and although people think she was our first rescue, she really was our second.  We actually rescued our first horse with Smrpie's other BFF, Myra.  But I'll tell you about her later. In any case, Smrpie, Tammy and I jumped in to rescue this little four month old filly.

She was frightened, velcro friendly but would bite at anyone that even resembled the twelve year old boy that tormented her by pinching, poking and kicking her.  This caused Tiny Tammy and her problems in the beginning.  She is what is called a breeding stock paint because she is a paint with out color.  Though she does have spots on her socks and one brown spot above her nostril.  We made a video of her... please excuse the crudeness of the video, I was just learning to do them:

In any case... after working with her and doing training, she became a very nice little girl.  And then one day when Huppie was nine months old, a family came along to adopt her.  We did do a home check and got references and everything but still, I was uneasy about the placement. My friend talked to me and told me it was probably just my heart not wanting to let go (true) but there was something else bothering me....

Just before her second birthday I got the call from the owners telling me that they could not keep her because Huppie was too small.  At just under two years of age, Huppie was only 13.3 hands.  And back she came to The Syndicate with no questions asked.  When I went to go see her however, there was a bit of a problem.  Huppie would bite, she would rear and I was told that she positively would not load in a trailer.  Are we talking about the same horse?  Biting? Four people could not load her in a slant load?  I clearly remember trailer training her and she always loaded willingly

  

And yet, when I went to load her this time she reared and refused.  When she reared I drove into her, swinging the end of my lead and hitting the leather fob against the ground. That front end came right down and when it did I became quiet.  She looked at me for a few minutes and I let her gather her thoughts before I asked her to load again.  This time, she walked right in the trailer without hesitation.

She was only 13.3 when she came 'home'.  The last measure several weeks ago put her at 14.3 and I fully expect her to mature at 15 hands.  She is a beautiful little girl.  Hard to believe she has grown so.  These days she is larger than Mae.  Okay... okay... she is taller.  I don't think she will ever have the 'bulk' that Mae has but I do think she will be a very nice sized little mare. 

I believe Huppie was about six months old in this photo with Mae.  And here she is today:

Me is a solid tank and squarely 14.2 hands and though Huppie doesn't have Mae's large bones and bulk, she clearly is larger.  I'd say she will mature at 15 or 15.1 hands.  She is sweet, too clingy and in your space but we are working on that.  She has a very clear need to be close to her human and she has the most beautiful, floaty trot.  She is barefoot at the moment and Rodney says her feet are good.  She will make someone a nice, nice horse.  With that beautiful, extended trot of hers she would make an excellent English Pleasure mount, certainly a ground covering trail horse.... if you are a good home she could possibly be YOUR horse. 

And remember... we take returns.