I love horses and I love to write so I thank my mom for letting me own Cross Creek Horsemanship, which allows me to share my two loves with others.  She also counts this as part of my school work.

With the acceptance of this award, I am supposed to share seven things about myself that you might not already know.  This is harder than it looks because some of my readers know me very well and some do not know me at all.

1.  I have mutton busted three times at the Grimes County Rodeo.
2.  I carried the Texas flag in the grand entry of the rodeo while riding Ladd.
3.  My favorite author is John Erickson, who writes the Hank the Cowdog series.
4.  My favorite dinner is chicken-fried steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, and corn-on-the cob.
5.  I am a Christian.
6.  I like to cook and am learning to grill.
7.  I am dyslexic.

I hope that my blog encourages others.  I want to help people enjoy horses.  My mom has taught me that talent can only get you so far.  It is passion that separates you from the crowd.  I certainly have a passion for horses so I hope that what she says is true.

Clayton riding Commander.

Watching nature is very interesting.  The behavior of horses is one thing that I have been watching lately.

I told you about our horse, Commander.  Since he has been here on our ranch, he has been at the bottom of the totem pole with the other horses.  They kicked at him, bit at him, etc.

As far as a riding horse, Commander was great.  He would do anything that you asked him to do.  He was a pleasure to ride.

But something has changed.  Commander is asserting himself with the other horses and with us.  He has earned himself the title, “Boss Man of the Herd.”  When all the horses are out of their pens and together in the big pasture, Commander is telling the mares when they can move, where they can go, etc.  He is also driving the other gelding away from the mares.  Angus has to graze alone on the other side of the pasture.

Commander is using his body language to control his newly-claimed herd.  With a turn of his ear, the mares will obey him.  He has fought Angus and apparently won as top horse.

I do not care which horse is in control of the herd; however, I do care when a horse asserts itself on one of us.  Now that Commander is numero uno, he is being difficult with any rider.  Regardless if it is PawPaw or my brother, Clayton, riding him, Commander has been rearing up and bucking.  He is no longer a pleasure to ride.

What to do with a misbehaving horse?  Clearly, show him who is boss!  PawPaw has taken Commander back to school.  Several days a week PawPaw works Commander hard in the round pen.  Commander is slowly realizing that PawPaw is still the boss of him.

I thought you would enjoy seeing some pictures that my mom and I took.  The day before the snow came, my whole family worked together to put blankets on all of our horses.  They do not have a covered shelter yet.  The barn is not finished.

Our horses, like us, are not used to snow or any winter precipitation.  We take special good care of them.  We feed them extra grain when it is so cold.  Of course, you have to break the ice off of the watering trough.

I think the horses liked the snow, but not as much as my brothers and sister did.

It is really snowing!

My baby brother, Andrew, is trying to catch a snowflake on his tongue.

Commander eating his dinner in the snow.

Angus in the snow.

Jesse in the snow.

A snowy pasture.

Clay in the snow.

Kyla, Drew, and Isaac in the snow.

I hope that you enjoyed seeing our day in the snow.  I hope that you stay warm throughout the rest of this unusually cold winter.

Ladd and Jake

Valentine’s Day is this Sunday.  We are making special heart-shaped cookies at home.  We are thinking of ways to show people that we love them.

I like Valentine’s Day.  I like getting sweet little notes.  I love eating chocolates and candy.  I like surprising my mom and dad with a homemade card, but I also like to do something sweet for my horses.

Months ago I wrote an article called “Where is Your Horse’s Love Spot?” for a different blog.  I am proud of this article and recommend that you read it.  I know where Ladd’s love spot is.  He loves it when I rub between his jaw bones under his head.

Spend time this week finding your horse’s love spot.  Bring him/her an apple or carrot as a treat.  Brush them down for no reason.  Detangle and/or fix his/her hair.  I have seen horses with braided tails, braids in the mane, etc.  Take them on a fun ride.

Whatever you do this Valentine’s Day, remember your horse.  Remind them how much you love them too.  I talk a lot about enjoying your horse.  Let them have a reason to enjoy being around you, too.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Today I walked with my brothers and MawMaw to see the horses on the ranch.  I went into a big pen where one of our geldings, Spur, was eating hay. While he ate, I petted him on his belly and neck.  When I turned to leave Spur bit me on my lower back. I was very surprised!

It hurt!  I really did not have any warning that Spur was going to bite me. The reason is because I was turned away from Spur.  I had my back facing him.  So, I couldn’t see what he was up to.

I know that when a horse puts his ears back he is not happy and might bite you.  So, I have learned a lesson from this horse bite, “Don’t turn your back on a horse, especially Spur!”

O is for opportunities to make money. You can earn money training horses.  You can give horseback riding lessons.  You can do many different things to earn extra money with your horsemanship skills.

R is for responsibility. You cannot be a good horseman without responsibility.  Horses require work and daily care.  They need fresh water, hay, and feed.  They need minerals.  They need to be worked with and ridden.

S is for sensitizing or de-sensitizing depending on your horse. Cold-blooded horses need to be sensitized.  They need to get their feet moving.  On the other hand, hot-blooded horses need to be de-sensitized.  You need to know your horse.  This is an important part of a groundwork program.

E is for exercise. A person’s legs get great exercise riding a horse, especially his/her inner thighs.  Horseback riding can be a good workout for both horse and rider.  It can also be therapeutic.  After my mom had a terrible car accident, she was left with a badly broken femur.  Months later she was still having problems walking without a limp.  She began riding Ladd.  It helped stretch out her hip and thigh muscles.  Within a month she was walking normally.

M is for maintenance. You need to groom your horse.  Brushing your horse is a treat to your horse.  They like the attention and pampering.  It keeps their mane and tail untangled too.  Every six weeks horses need to have their feet trimmed.  Horses are a lot of work.

A is for animal science. As a horseman, it is important to learn the names of  the parts of your horse’s body.  Knowing what a wither or frog is helps you communicate well with other horseman and veterinarians.

N is for nurture. You need to take care of your horse’s needs.  They want to be your friend.  They enjoy the companionship.  Like any friendship, you need to nurture it.  Bring them a carrot occasionally.  Rub down their muscles.  Go visit with them for no real reason.  A good horse can be a man’s best friend.

S is for self-control. I am a hyper child.  When I get in a mood, I can drive people crazy.  When I am around horses, I have to control my behavior.  I cannot run around whooping loudly.  When I get upset with my horse, I cannot yell at it and hit it.  I cannot throw things at it.  I again demonstrate self-control.

H is for health. Horses need to be wormed and vaccinated.  If they get sick, then they need to see a veterinarian.  A healthy horse is a happy horse.

I is for information. I make a point to read and watch informational shows about horses.  I want to learn all that I can about them.  My favorite television program is Clinton Anderson’s program on RFD tv.  I also go to clinics, camps, and workshops throughout the year.

P is for play. All work and no play makes for a dull day.  The best part about horsemanship is having fun.  Riding horses is fun.  Going on trail rides is fun.  Teaching your horse tricks is fun.  Play! Play! Play!

Shania getting her neck adjusted.

Have you ever visited a chiropractor?  My mom and dad have.  If so, why did you go?  My guess is that your back hurt or some other part of your body gave you pain.  The chiropractor adjusts your body to help your body feel better.

Well, horses can get hurt, too.  Sometimes their backs, especially around their withers, can hurt.  Sometimes their necks, shoulders, or legs can ache also.  What can you do?  You can hire a horse chiropractor.  Check with your veterinarian.  He/She might be qualified or know someone who is in your area.

We called one to check out our horses.  One limped occasionally in her right shoulder.  Another is very tender in his withers.  A friend of a friend agreed to come out and look at our nine horses.  He went straight to work.

The whole process was very interesting.  The chiropractor takes his hand starting at the withers and presses down as he slides his hand to the tail.  A well-adjusted horse does not do anything, but stand there.  There are several signs that a horse is in pain.  They can shiver, shake, flinch, and/or give to the gentle pressure.

If the horse does any of the above, then it needs an adjustment.  Just like a chiropractor pops a person’s back, a horse chiropractor pops the joints in a horse’s body.  You can actually hear the “pop”!

Checking for signs of pain.

I learned several things from the horse chiropractor.  The most important is that a trained horse who suddenly misbehaves like bucks or won’t stand to be bridled, probably has pain and needs an adjustment.  Regularly adjusting one’s horse supposedly makes the horse healthier.  They not only feel better, but are actually less likely to get sick.  As a rider, I can actually feel the difference in my horse.  He does not limp anymore.

If you have the chance to watch a horse chiropractor work, take the time to do it.  It really is amazing how the man or woman can move a horse’s body and adjust it.  If your horse shows signs of pain, then try to find a trained professional to fix your horse.  Your horse will not only thank you, but you will feel the difference.

Neck reining is when you direct a horse by the feel of the reins on its neck.  Well-trained horses are very responsive.  You can easily control where they go.  You can rein with one hand.

On a colt, you have to use two hands.  When you want to turn to the right, slide your right hand down the reins closer to the horse’s head.  Then with both of your hands at the same time, you pull the reins over to the right.  To turn to the left, you do the exact opposite motion.  You slide your left hand down the rein and pull with both hands.  The most important part is moving your hands together in one smooth motion.

You do not have to be riding a horse to practice this movement.  You can stand up or sit down anywhere and pretend you are riding a colt.  Practicing the movement so that your hands move together will help your horsemanship skills.

Baby Will sitting on Ladd.

This past Saturday my Uncle Glenn, Aunt Marisa, and their baby Will visited the ranch.  I love my family and I love horses.  So, it was so nice to be able to show Will the horses.  He went for his first horseback ride on my horse, Ladd.

First I rode Ladd down so that he would be calm for my six-month old cousin.  Then I sat in the saddle with Will so that he would not fall off the horse.  His mommy took a lot of pictures.  Will really liked the saddle horn.  He even tried to suck on it.

Then I dismounted.  My Uncle Glenn put Will in the saddle by himself.  Glenn stood next to Will and held him in place.  Now Will really sucked on the saddle horn because there was nobody in the saddle to pull him back.  I led Ladd around our round pen with Glenn walking alongside Will.  Then Glenn rode with Will.  Later Marisa rode with Will.  All in all, Will rode for a long time, especially for a six-month old.

Will is learning to move with the horse.

Babies can learn how to move with a horse as it walks.  My brother Isaac is two-years old.  He rides by himself in the saddle while I lead the horse.  Isaac does not need anyone next to him because he has learned to move with the horse and how to keep his balance in the saddle or bareback.  My youngest brother, Andrew, is eighteen-months old.  He also rides Ladd.  Andrew cannot ride as well or as long as Isaac, but he is on his way.  One day Will will also learn how to sit on a horse comfortably and naturally through practice.

Don’t be afraid to start teaching little ones to ride.  However, always use a very gentle and calm horse.  Always supervise the riding session.  Start small and progress in little steps.  It is important that your little cowboys are safe and have fun.

I am holding Will in my lap. I love Will and I love Ladd!

Commander tried to jump over this fence.

My PawPaw has many horses.  Four are in side by side pens.  They are Angus, Jessie, Shania, and his new horse Commander.  They also share a much larger fenced-in pasture where they can get exercise, graze, and socialize.  We made the mistake of not shutting the gates for their personal pens.  Apparently, Commander went into Angus’ pen and there was a fight.  Commander ended up jumping the smooth wire fence.

Unfortunately, Commander did not entirely clear the fence.  He had several scrapes and cuts on his chest and front legs.  My dad and I doctored his wounds with the proper medicine.  The injuries were not serious and Commander continued to act like himself.

A week later we went to work with the horses and we were shocked to see his chest.  It was looked like someone had blown a balloon up inside of his chest.  When you touched his skin, it felt as hard as steel.  It looked like it hurt really bad so my PawPaw asked my dad to take him to the veterinarian.

The next day my dad and I arrived at Commander’s appointment.  We saw a woman vet.  She brought out scissors, a knife, and gloves.  She needed these tools to treat Commander.  First she cut a hole at the top of his wound and another at the bottom.  She prepared me to see cottage cheese like stuff coming out of his chest, but it did not.  There was no infection.  Only blood came out of the holes.

Commander was pigeon-breasted.  If you think about a pigeon, they have large chests.  She explained that he had blood blister inside his chest cavity.  The vet showed my dad how to treat the wound at home.  He had to flush out the drain with iodine for five days.

Commander is a great horse.  He stood still while we treated him everyday.  Unfortunately we had to go back to the vet a week later.  His chest was still as swollen as before and still very hard to the touch.  This time we saw the head veterinarian.  He said that Commander’s body was making scar tissue instead of healing.  He cleaned out the scar tissue through the same holes, he just made them larger.

Now my dad has to continue flushing out his chest with a water hose and Kreso D.  He also has to apply an aspirin-like substance to his chest to help draw out the fluid.  Wow! Commander’s chest already looks so much better.  The swelling has really gone down.  Commander is on his way to being 100% again.

Living around horses gives me so many opportunities to learn new things.  I learn how to act around them, to train and ride them, to understand them, to feed and care for them, and I also get to see cool medical procedures.  I love where I live, and I love horses.  They are a lot of work.  I enjoy the fun and the not-so-fun parts of horsemanship.