Ace is learning directions on the walk and is standing still for brushing. It has been interesting working Topaz then Ace. On Thursday Topaz decided she was boss! I asked her to trot and she kicked out at me. Well that went over like a lead balloon!! She worked up quite a sweat showing off. Every time she kicked out I gave her a strong "NO" It wasn't long before she decided that I wasn't giving up and settled down. Then the real work started. I kept her at a trot in both directions until I had complete obedience. Then I walked her to "cool" down. After brushing her I asked for a bow. When she did that we called it quits.

Friday she trotted with no hesitation. She is also doing much better on the bow when I am in the pen with her. She had a few oats then was watching as I worked Ace. I bet she was wondering why he didn't have to trot! He will in time but we are just starting out. The only problem I have with him is feeding time. Putting the hay in his stall is a little difficult. He is always hungry & wants to eat it before you can toss it in. I'm trying to teach him back but so far he will back for a second then when you reach for the hay his face is right there. He doesn't try to bite me at all he is just in a hurry to get at the hay. Something else to work on.

This morning I wanted to brush more on the gelding whom we named Ace. Topaz was out & about so I put Ace in the round pen. Topaz had to come see what was going on & began to run around the pen. Well Ace got all fired up and kicked out at me because I had him walking a direction away from Topaz. We settled that with a loud "no" and a raised cue whip. I continued to walk him as Topaz got bored & went to see if she could steal food from anyone. Ace then responded very well coming to me when asked. I was able to brush his tail so he is starting to look presentable. I put him back in his stall & called for Topaz. She responded a little slow but went into the round pen as asked. I only brushed her as I needed to pick up Abby from the vet.

Topaz is continuing to "stand guard" in the afternoon when it's super hot. I make sure to feed her 1st and for the most part the peace is kept. She has bit at him to let him know his place but he shows no aggression at all. I don't think I could have picked a better stable mate for Topaz. He will now go up to anyone that walks close to the corral. Quite a friendly dude for being wild less than a week ago!!

We did it!! We adopted again & Topaz now has company. We have a little sorrel gelding that has a sweet disposition. He is darker than Topaz with a very red mane that looks like it was permed. Topaz seems to like him a lot. The first day she spent a lot of time in the stall next to him. She would leave to go out in the pasture to graze but then come back to check on him. He calls to her but she won't always come. He is calling less & less. He came from Oregon and still has a winter coat that I am trying to brush out. He did have large clumps of matted fur that hung down but he let me comb them out. Not bad for the first day. Yesterday when I worked him I used a Furminator comb to get more out. We are in the 100s and he has to be hot.

Topaz comes back late in the morning and stands in her stall while he lays down & sleeps. We also adopted a burro. Topaz is not as friendly to her but the gelding has company when Topaz is gone & I'm busy with other things.

The training continues with Topaz, she now bows when I'm in the corral with her. Not as easily as when I'm on the other side of the fence but we're working on it.

After I got over most of the pinched nerve I managed to get the flu. Then over that & headed to summer vacation we were redoing the corral getting ready for the new addition when I broke my little toe. I have had a hard time wearing shoes but it's getting better. I can now wear my steel toed shoes to work the both of them.

He is like Topaz in that food is a great motivator. I want to get him to eat other than hay because it gets kinda messy. I'm sure it won't take long as he is quick to learn

Long Time!

December going into January wasn't a lot of fun. It seems like something is always happening to slow progress with Miss Topaz :( Some time in December I pinched a nerve in my neck. After much therapy and neck traction I'm still not 100% I have been unwilling to take the risk of further injury working Topaz. I am unable to lift much over 5# The pain is mostly gone now so I'm well on my way to recovery. (YaHoo!!) I do have Topaz line up & reverse which she will do by voice command. I'm pleased that I don't need to touch her to get her to reverse. I even had a neighbor over and she did well. I'm ready for warmer weather & more strength so I can file her hooves. They're looking a little ragged. I want to work her more with the saddle but am waiting until I heal a little more. She has been very loving and gentle the last few weeks. I think she misses the extra attention she gets when I put her through her paces.
When my Mother-in-law visited Topaz did a beautiful bow for her. It's nice to know she responds well to others. We had someone feed & put her up for 2 nights as we were out of town. Topaz was fine except that they had a hard time getting the oats in her feed bucket. She waits for me to put them in but not so much for others. I will have to work on that.
The 2 puppies eat carrots since Topaz gets them. Everyone wants treats! The other night on the way to treat Topaz, I stopped & gave each puppy a carrot. Topaz let out a deep neigh. I'm sure she was complaining about them eating HER treats! It was a lol moment! Now I set 2 pieces aside feeding Topaz first.
I'm still in therapy and hoping for a full recovery. Until then I'm limited on what I can do. We still plan on going to Burleson Tx. on June 2 to adopt a partner for Topaz. No doubt it will be an adjustment but better for Topaz in the long run.

There hasn't much in the way of new. Topaz continues to do what I ask. The reverse is down pat. In fact if I'm just hanging out and she is in the corral she will line up in hopes that I will ask her to reverse a couple of times. (she knows at the end I always have a treat for her) Food will motivate her like nothing else!!
We did have Whitney, one of the Thetas; come out to photograph Topaz for a photography class. Topaz, as usual, wanted to taste her camera. I did find out that Topaz is not safe loose with strangers. Whitney was waiting by a tree while I moved a dead branch with the tractor. Topaz went over to her (again to get the camera) and when Whitney went to back up Topaz struck out with her front foot. I yelled NO!! and she stopped but I got Whitney back on the tractor by me. I will not take a chance like that again! When I don't have a hold of her if people are around she will have to be in the corral until I can figure out how to train her to be safe. With Topaz it's ALWAYS!! something but it keeps it interesting and me on my toes!

YAHOO!! Topaz is no longer contagious. We are now back on a working schedule. She has been very good so I think she missed the interaction we have. The last 3 times I worked her she lifted all four feet when asked & stood patiently while I filed her hooves. She is doing well on the reverse and I can sit on her from either side, although I am more comfortable on her left side when mounting. She is looking well fed and doesn't really need oats but I don't think I can convince her of that! She is definitely food motivated! Hopefully now we can make more progress forward now that work has slowed and she is over the ringworm. She loves it when I'm out on the tractor. She has company while she grazes and she gets to look at what ever I'm doing. When I'm knocking over cedar she always checks out the hole. On a web site for training horses they said only a confidant horse will be curious. That being the case then Topaz is one extremely confidant horse!

Training has come to a screeching halt! Topaz managed to get ringworm, ugh!! The vet said she could have gotten it from a cat, dog, deer, or just about anywhere. I can't touch her without gloves. I have bathed her twice in a sulphur solution with one more time to go. After I bathe her all equipment goes in a bleach solution. I have been dodging her inquisitive nose going on 2 weeks. This weekend she will be out of "quarantine" I think I missed the affection more than her but who knows for sure. The one positive is that Topaz does really well when I douse her using a sponge. I can even get her ears! The rotten egg smell doesn't seem to bother her at all. I do have to keep her from sticking her nose in the bucket. The first bath she stuck her head in the bucket when my back was turned. I think she must have gotten some in her mouth because she went to the water trough and rinsed her mouth out about 5 times! The only thing is she kept going back to stick her nose in again! Maybe she just couldn't believe that a bucket could hold something that bad! I'm anxious to get back to her training which should be on the 29th.