Mustang Play Day - Sat. 3/1/08 ALL INVITED!!

Sign is doing great. She had 5 consecutive days off because of my Texas vacation. She enjoyed her days of no work and daily turnout with the mares, running hard and fast in the snow. Jill said she would lay her ears back and run around the pasture about 3 times when she first went out every morning. It is also reported that she is in no hurry to come in at night. I presume she likes the feeling of being "free" again. I rode her last night and she was great. She almost rides like an old broke horse.....almost.....

This weekend, a few other challenge trainers are coming to Signature Arabians with their mustangs for a "mustang play day". So far, I think Jessie and Remington, Jessi and Nash, and Tracy and her "Wild mustang mare" are coming. We are planning for 11AM arrival. We will have an obstacle course set up. Equine dentist, Lee Minks, will also be at the barn that day so there will be plenty of action.

Anyone who wants to come and participate or watch is welcome. You can show up anytime around the noon hour. We will also be taking as many pictures as possible. Let me know if you are planning on bringing your mustang. If you are coming without horse just show up. We are a very casual, easy going barn. You can get directions at Signature Arabians website or call me at 608-364-1018, or email.

Cowboy Fair in Madison - April 2008

Johnny Buser is part of a great event in the Madion Area the beginning of April. He is has lots of experience training young and problem horses. He is also an experienced farrier. You can find out more information at the following website:

http://web.mac.com/busers1/iWeb/Site%202/Cowboy%20Fair.html

I am hoping to bring Sign there for as many of the events I can around my full time work schedule. If you have any questions you can contact him through the website. If that does not work, let me know and I will help you get in touch with him.

56 Days Remaining

Sorry I haven't posted much lately. I have been basically doing more of the same every day with definite forward progress. Sign is getting more cadence/consistent rhythm to her gaits. The canter is still quick, but she is getting more consistent and relaxed in that gait also. She does relax the most during the canter letting out large "snorts" while dropping her head and stretching over her back. She has a great stop, sometimes too good. I get the brakes more often then I ask for them, or at least mean to. When I slightly pick up the reins, she sits down, stops, and steps back. I think it is her favorite transition and she offers it as much as she can justify.

She does constantly "work" the bit. I will get the vet/dentist out very soon to get her teeth done and hopefully that will quiet her mouth. I also need to take the time to switch out the "squeaky" bit which is getting annoying. It does however provide some "music and rhythm" while we ride, if you want to look for any benefits of a squeaky bit. I never knew I had such a squeaky bit in my collection....thanks Sign for bringing it to my attention.

I did clip her on Tuesday night. It was a good alternative to riding in the single digits. Sign is most protective of her head/face. She would also rather her ears not be touched. I put the "Karla twitch" on her lip. I call it that because Karla showed it to me last summer. Actually another fellow boarder of mine when I lived in Madison, Maria had shown it to Karla. Maria was clipping her 2 yr old colt and couldn't get the clamp/twitch on his upper lip, which I'm sure most of us have experienced or at least seen. So, to get the clamp on him she just put it on his bottom lip, and she discovered it worked much better at calming him. It works very well with most horses I have used it on. It is a cheap plastic clamp, bought in bag of of many sizes at Wal-Mart for a few bucks. I think it is called a wood clamp? I grasp the lower lip and add clamp. It works great on horses that are a little fussy; I don't know that it will calm a horse with more deep issues like fear or aggression. That requires more time, patience and the correct approach.

I had clipped Sign 2x previously with nothing other that a halter. That is when I clipped her freeze brand, which she was perfect for. I also did her bridle path which she "tolerated" but she really does not like the feel of the clippers under her chin (I got some done) and really hates it on her muzzle. I wanted to give her as much opportunity to get it done without any "restraint". She is not afraid of the clippers at all; I can rub them all over her entire body. She only becomes resistant when I start the actual cutting of the hair anywhere on her head. The clamp helped her stay calm while I did her entire jowl and most of her muzzle. There is still some to do, but I have plenty of time. I also did her front fetlocks before my clippers started to "drag". She has almost as much feather as a Clydesdale. I will get it her all pretty before MWHF.

I did reveal two old scars under her left jowl. It looks like she has a big injury there at one time. Her legs are very clean and tight and show no blemishes at all.

This weekend will be some R&R for both of us. Sign has been going out with the mare group in the pasture/snow field every day. At first she was a total outcast. The herd would all stay together and Sign would go to the other end and stand alone by the gelding pasture. Now it is turning and Sign is becoming the “leader” of the mares and the “keeper of the gate”. She does love to go outside and have some freedom. This weekend will be good for her to have a break and be ready for a new week on Monday. I will also feel better to get out of the cold for a few days and enjoy some warmer temps.

No Show, Again

I was planning on going to the second day of a two day show this past Sunday. We have been expecting bad weather on Sunday, so I was waiting until the last minute to make the decision to go or not. The organizers ran the entire show in one day, on Saturday because of the expected rain, snow and ice. That was a good decision, because Sunday AM the freezing rain had arrived. There was 2-3 inches of ice in everyone’s drive way and the parking area at the barn. The roads were better, but I did see quite a few cars in the ditch. This coming weekend I am going to Corpus Christi, TX to get some R&R and relief from the winter. So, there will be no showing next weekend. Maybe March will be our month to get some traveling done?

I gave Sign Friday and Saturday off. No one was at the barn Friday night, so I didn't think it would be wise to ride alone and no one was expected until the stall cleaners were to arrive Saturday AM. Saturday I went to Madison to audit a reining seminar at the UW Stock Pavilion. That was the first time Sign had two days in a row off. Sunday she was a little more reactive, but I did get a much better canter from her.

This week will be more of the same ground work and under saddle work I have been doing. Sign will get Friday - Sunday off, unless someone wants to come ride while I am out of town :)

Freeze Brand

Since I got Sign, lots of people have wondered about her freeze brand and how to read it. I found this great diagram which explains what the symbols mean. By reading Sign's "signs", her freeze brand tell us she is registered by the US Government, born in 2004 and her number is 597069.

The registration numbers for mustang brands fall into these number ranges depending on the state where the horse was gathered. Sign is from the Twin Peaks Horse Management Area (HMA) in Nevada, which the 59 of her registration number tells us.

Arizona 80,001 - 160,000 (08-16)

California 160,001 - 240,000 (16-24)

Colorado 240,001 - 320,000 (24-32)

Idaho 320,001 - 400,000 (32-40)

Montana 400,000 - 480,000 (40-48)

Nevada 480,001 - 640,000 (48-64)

New Mexico 640,001 - 720,000 (64-72)

Oregon 0 - 80,000 (00-08)

Utah 720,001 - 800,000 (72-80)

Wyoming 800,001 - 880,000 (80-88)

Eastern States 880,001 - 880,100

How does freeze branding work?

Freeze branding kills the pigment-producing cells in the hair follicle. Therefore, when the hair regrows where the brand was applied, it is white. Freeze branding is done with special copper or bronze irons cooled to -100° to -300° F. The area must be prepared so the iron touches the skin, freezing it during the branding process. The first day after branding, the skin swells producing a welt in an outline of the brand. In two to three weeks, the brand will form a scab and peel. Six to eight weeks after branding, healthy unpigmented hair (white in color) will replace the scab.
Freeze brands work best on black, dark red, or red animals. However, satisfactory results on lighter colored animals can be achieved by leaving the irons in place for a longer period of time which will completely kill the hair follicle. This results in a brand similar to a hot brand with more hide damage than normal freeze branding.

More information here: http://www.lhbrandingirons.com/freeze_instructions.pdf

Start of Week 5

This Monday I hit my cold tolerance limit, so I pet the horses and went home to warm up.

Tuesday the temps were in the low 20's which felt like spring time to me. I clipped Sign a little. There is still more clipping to be done, but she did OK and I ended it on a positive note. I will work more on it tonight after the cordless clipper batteries are charged.

I also turned her out in the indoor with my gelding. He was very entertained by her and followed her like a puppy dog. She tolerated him, but was aloof as usual.

Sign is doing great under saddle. I incorporate lots of obstacles and body control into every ride. She is now being ridden at all three gaits. She does feel like a pocket rocket at the canter. Fortunately that is my strongest (favorite) gait so I can help her to find a rhythm and become balanced.

I am planning to take her to a show this coming weekend, and the weather is supposed to be more normal than last weekend. We will be at Bounds Showtime Arena in Deerfield for the Sunday AM classes. Come say "Hi" if you are there also.

End of Week 4

Today was to be our first horse show with Sign. However, we are having another extreme drop in temperatures. This AM, the air temp was -7 with a wind chill of -30. So, the show was cancelled, which was OK wih me. Next weekend I may try to haul her somewhere. If so, I will get some pictures to post.

Her training and progress is going very well. We had visitors yesterday. Denise, Cathy, and another fellow boarder came to see her for the first time. They all think she looks just like you would imagine a mustang to look. I think once I get her clipped, she may look more domestic. Maybe I should let her keep her "mustang" look?

I will try to get more pictures this next week to post.

An Invitation to all Traveling Trainers

Well we are about a quarter of the way through the 100 day training time frame. Hopefully everyone is happy with their progress and getting excited about the competition and the end of winter. I know those of us in Wisconsin are ready for spring and the end of the endless inches of snow. We are expecting approximately another foot or more over the next 24 hrs here in SE WI. So as the time to all convene in Madison approaches, I sure you all are making travel arrangements.

Signature Arabians, the facility where my Mustang is, has graciously offered to put up any trainers and their horses who want to arrive a few days early. The facility is in Union Grove, WI, 20 miles south of Milwaukee, 60 miles North of Chicago, 80 miles east of Madison. The drive to Madison is 1.5-2 hrs from the facility. The facility is also within 20 miles of many trails which offer lots of training opportunities. You can expose your horse to bikes (100’s of them), strollers, hikers, bridges (high and long), lakes (hopefully no longer frozen in April), trains, etc., all within a 30 minute drive of the facility.

The facility has a small apartment and also a large RV available for overnight stay. There are plenty of available stalls, indoor arena, ½ mile track, and turnout. If any trainers would like to take Signature Arabians up on the offer of lodging, you can contact them or myself:

David & Jill Mann
1117 N Britton Road
Union Grove WI
262-878-9204
www.signaturearabians.com

Rebecca Bishop
horsespyder@yahoo.com
608-354-1018
http://rebeccabishop.blogspot.com/

Hooded Jackets with logo

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Repels water. Resists wind. Guaranteed.
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Mesh lining. 80% polyester/20% nylon brushed microfiber shell. WearTex™ finish. 100% nylon taffeta sleeve lining. 100% polyester mesh body lining.
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We are placing orders for Jackets within the next week. They will be Embroidered with Signature Arabians logo and Midwest Mustang Challenge on the left chest. The color is Dark Khaki like the one in the picture. Most of you have let Jill know if you want one ordered for yourself. The approximate cost is $40. If you do want one and have not let Jill know, you can send her an email @ Jill@signaturearabians.com . Let her know what size you want (S-3XL). Payment can be made to Jill upon delivery.

...and more snow pictures by Cherish

You can see we sometimes can make good use of the snow.

3 weeks down

Yesterday marked the three week mark from pick up date. Sign got three rides on her this weekend. She is walking, trotting, backing and steering better and better with each ride.

Saturday I had a farrier/cowboy come out who has lots of experince with mustangs and "problem" horses. He was great with the horses he worked on. Sign didn't need much farrier work as she does not have lots of hoof. He did work with her and balance her hoofs. He also worked with another horse in the barn who haves confidence issues, mostly with farriers. He got him trimmed all around in addition to helping the horse gain lots of confidence and trust. If you are looking for a good farrier or someone to help you with horses that have trust issues, he is the guy to help you. I told him he should be in the Mustang Challenge, he would be one of the top contenders for sure.