CLOUD 9 WALKERS

"Joy"

Sweet-natured 3-1/2-yr-old 15H Stocky Black and White Tobiano

Spotted Tennessee Walking Horse Mare

(Double registered TWHBEA and SSHBEA)

Direct daughter of SPOTTED ALEN AGAIN

Doing it all BAREFOOT!

Click on embedded arrow ABOVE to see Joy's training session in the round pen on 12/22/09.

"Joy" -- 3-1/2-yr-old mare in our 6-month training program.  This is the kind of horse with the conformation and gait that we need to be breeding for.

Because of her training, this horse not only hasn't been allowed to, but doesn't even know that she can buck, rear or be barn sour.  When a horse is started this way, slowly, the horse is never allowed to develop bad habits.  Moreover, the horse is taught to THINK, and not just REACT.

We are using Joy for riding lessons in the round pen so we're not wanting to sell her at this time.

TOP FIVE REASONS TO LOVE THIS HORSE:

1. Her gait is PERFECTION!  Smooth as silk, all natural, BAREFOOT and 4-beat;

2. Sensible and sane, sweetheart disposition, gentle natured;

3. Great conformation (wide chest, nice rump); hard, healthy hooves; beautiful spotted pattern;

4. Excellent care all her life, not started until she was 3 years old and then with natural horsemanship methods;

5. Excellent bloodlines -- direct daughter of Spotted Alen Again out of Ebony Masterpiece mare.

 Joy has had the best of care, hooves trimmed, dewormed on a regular basis, and current on her vaccinations (Encephalomyelitis, Influenza, Rhino, Strangles, West Nile, Rabies, Tetanus on 4/1/09).

First time being ridden in 3 weeks due to snow, rain and muddy conditions.

All this, barefoot, and just in her early stages!  This is no pitty-pat horse!

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

In her first three days in the round pen, Joy learned to go, and then to go at three different speeds, and turn to the inside to show respect.  She was worked on a "tree of knowledge" (cedar pole in the middle of the round pen), with a concept of driving with one rein.

The next few days, she learned to drive with the long reins, learning to get up, whoa, turn, flex and back.  She learned to tolerate the girth with the bitting rig and to pace herself at speeds that she was commanded to perform.  She was taught to stay focused on her trainer.

In the next few weeks, she learned to accept the saddle and be driven with the driving lines through the stirrups, as well as accept someone mounting her from both sides of the saddle, with lots of 'accidental' brushes across her rump as she was mounted and dismounted.

The fourth week is all about settling down, walking relaxed on command, running walk relaxed on command, relaxed canter and smooth, obedient transitions.  The goal is to get her to stay in the requested gait until she is given a cue to change gait.  When she is asked to reverse, she is trained to reverse always at a walk.  Hours and hours in her training are dedicated to teaching her that it's okay to walk slow and stand quietly, as this is the optimum window of opportunity for this training.

The fifth week, a "dummy" rider is introduced -- the first riding lesson, a rider is asked to be dead weight in the saddle, with the trainer giving instructions from the center of the ring.  This dummy rider is asked not to touch the reins, not to move, not to talk, not to be involved other than just simple weight in the saddle.  The second riding lesson, the rider is asked to give cues in a very subtle way AFTER the trainer gives the cue.  The third riding lesson, the rider is asked to relax, is allowed to hold conversation while riding, and gives cues at the same time that the trainer is giving them from the center ring.  Circles and go's are introduced, stopping and backing two steps is asked.  This is all using only a halter and lead rope for reins.

The fourth riding lesson, the rider gives the cues and the trainer is simply there to reinforce the cues if needed.  By the fifth riding lesson, the trainer is pretty much just there to observe, and then for the next few weeks, the trainer takes over and rides with just the halter working on turning in a circle with nose to the inside with no pressure, ride squares, continue backing training, yield front, yield hindquarters.  Before Joy ever left the round pen, she understood all these commands, and by asking to yield both front and hind, she easily learned to side pass on cue.

After a couple of weeks of intensive handling, the bit was introduced (with tasty molasses!), and now double reins are introduced (one to a leather noseband and one to the snaffle).  Another week or two in the round pen on the bit, after the horse is taught that she is being allowed to stop (instead of commanded), she knows the one-rein stop, and understands transitions, she is taken to the trails to be ridden alone -- no other horses with her.

HIGH SCHOOL:

Riding her first few rides out on the trail solo (without other horses around) teaches her to think for herself, as opposed to just learning to react.  She learns that she can trust her rider, that she can be courageous in the face of her perceived danger, that she can cross creeks, step over logs, encounter deer, squirrel, rabbits, motors, bicycles, etc.  She learns to pace herself and not use up all of her energy at the beginning of the day, and she learns to hydrate along the trail.  She learns to gait perfectly without the distraction of the stress of other horses, feeling like she needs to be where they are.  When her gait is fast enough to keep up with her peers, she is then taken on group rides and taught to ride at the back, in the middle, and at the front, all on a loose rein.  She is taught that she should not panic when she is ridden a lot further back from the group, leaving the group and then rejoining.  She is being trained to canter on both leads along the way, but that if asked, she should not increase her gait even though the other horses are getting ahead on the trail.

Next comes Highway 101, where she learns to tolerate busy traffic, dogs, 4-wheelers, garbage cans, whatever scary obstacles she can be exposed to.

All along the way, the goal is to get her to round her back, break at the poll and tuck her nose, drive her hindquarters forward and have a perfect four-beat gait with loose reins, light touch and all while BAREFOOT!

COLLEGE:

Now, this pleasure prospect will be hauled on camping trips, working on perfecting her gait, consistency, confidence, obedience and always, continuing respect.

Flexing before, during and after her workout.

BABY PICTURES:

What a cute little elf!!!

A beautiful pair, wouldn't you say? 

JOY'S PEDIGREE:

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