This is my experience, and has been successful to me. I have trained horses both professionally, and for private pleasure. I have imprinted over thirty foals in my life successfully, four of which were my own. I have taken Parelli courses, and Irwin courses, whenever I had the opportunity. As a younger person I was fortunate to have ridden with trainers; such as the original Pat Carter, Neil Simpson, Archie McArther, Keith Brown, and my black smith was one of the original cowboys Leroy Kufskey (the author of Cowboy English/English Cowboy :) )
In my early years I did not show horses, I followed a very good friend as she showed in the sporting events, and pleasure, often coming away with the first prize. My biggest pleasure with our local club 'Central Saddle Club' was to join it's members in long weekend trail rides, or Saturday shoe followed by a Country Western Dance. Getting up at 5 a.m. and going to the boarding barn, feeding the horses, tacking up, filling the saddlebags with food and drink, and meeting at a local country corner, sometimes as many as 20, but generally around twelve. These are some of my best memories in life. Often we would get a call, like an emergency fireman, help the cattle broke the fence down and are all over the country side, or our ponies broke through the fence by the highway again. I have gone back into the bush and found lost calves, laid them over my saddle and tied them down, and carried them back to the owners barn, and been chased by bulls in fields, but mostly my adventures were by those more experienced than me.
My first foal 'Buddy' was born to a tobiano liver and white paint mare called 'Choctaw', That was not her show name, and she was a Quarterhorse/Paint cross registered, sired out of Painted Skipper, Painted Skipper was Canadian Champian, owned by the Rileys, just outside of Paris Ontario. Choctaw was later bought by a blacksmith out of Paris ON, and was to go on and win m any ribbons like her sire, at Quarterama, and other natianal shows. Choctaw was far to young to have foaled, only turning two. The Sire was her half brother, another two year old Stud, also sired by Painted Skipper. The owner and his wife, had loved the Painted Skipper line, and bought two yearlings to break and train. The owners exact words exact words to me, were, "well I never thought a brother and sister would mate'.....both of his horses were registered Quarterhorse/Paints, he gelded his stud, and because I had been working with Choctaw the mare, and had been the one to notice she was pregnant, he gave me the solid colored dun foal for the cost of the vet bill. I worked with him from the moment he was born, with the coaching of my land lord, Art Brewer. (another story all together, I am sure).
We started the imprinting, as I always would follow with the rest of my days. My ways a little more patient, but I listened and learned. Teaching him not to bite, haltering him right from the first day, so it meant nothing to him. Knotting the lead line to hang, so he would not trip up, but was comfortable for the pull of the lead line to the halter. I would get up and drive out to the barn, every morning, before work, and every night after work. Teaching him how to lead, flanking him, trailering him, walking him like a dog down to the rail way tracks. I shot guns around him, had transports blow their horns at him, waited for the train to pass with him. All this before his sixth Month. I walked him with a pony saddle when he was little, then as he grew the saddle grew. I went for long trail rides with my mare, or his Mother, ponying him behind, or I just walked him like a dog on foot. By the time he was two, and ready to break, I was riding him around the paddock, with all the horses watching him, he never minded, and never had separation anxiety, because he trusted and loved me as I did him. I rode him for the first time, at two and a half, down by the railway tracks with a friend , and we stood, Buddy and I relaxed and still, as my friends horse tried to bolt with the train whisking bye
When Buddy was just over two, I was thinking I would like to show him, and at the same time found out I was pregnant with my first son, so not to loose time, in the period I could not ride, I sent him to Pat Carter's to be trained. Within two weeks, Pat called me back, I remember I had just had my C section, and had a newborn, I brought him with me to the barn. Pat told me she had him side pathing in a few minutes, she could not believe how quiet he was, she said I had done a great job. Buddy did everything she asked him and more, he loved the ride of Horse and rider. However, I told her I was not confident, for his age that leaving him sit until I got better was the best thing to do, she agreed, and I kept him at her barn another three weeks, then she and I rode down the road together, while she instructed my leg cues for him. Pat praised him all the way, and I was never so proud.
Buddy will always be my first love. He was such a good boy, but when I found out, in his third year I was pregnant with my second child, I knew he needed a better owner. One that could take him to where he was to go. I advertised, and went through several people before I sold him to the right owner. A blacksmith and showman near MaryHill, ON. The man told me you are the first person, in all the horses I have looked at that knew her horse. You described him to a tee, and I thought it was to good to be true. He allowed me to come out and see his facility, which was as organised back then, as some of the best professional barns I have seen, he was a modern thinker, of horse first. I knew this was the right place for Buddy. Buddy had taught me many things, mostly patience. Today if he would still be alive, Buddy would be around 16 hands, and 34 years old, he has probably long since joined his Mother in the big pasture in the sky. Buddy went on to win many ribbons, and trophies, locally and nationally. Which is exactly what I felt he could do. I missed him always, but never had any regrets, for I know he was well loved and taken care of to the end of his days.
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