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| Jan
2012: A few recent photos — explanatory notes to follow
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TRAINING |
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| This is
'Keeper'....and he sure is! Keeper belongs to Wayne
and Roma and spent a month with me just tweaking his
attention and intention perception........ |
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| Ace and me
having a moment of connection whilst bridling. This was
a tough one for Ace, so to have him as mentally soft as
this was a long time in the making, and very special. He
had to learn to get his head very low as his mom, Angela
is, um, vertically challenged...:) |
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Ace and Angela, looking all
the world like pro endurance riders....which one day they
may just be. I love the look of purpose on both of them....
"I
can't thank you enough for putting such a great
base on this horse of mine. A good ride after a
month+ off?! Willing and soft?! Imagine summer,
when nights are light and we can get out more
how great he will be :) It is my solace, my
stress relief when all seems hopeless, my
meditation..."
- Angela |
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| Mr. Ace again...I just adore
this shot Becca took. Hard to get this amount of purpose and
motivation in the ring, and we look like we are lined out
and travellin'! Ace is actually a travellin' kind of guy,
and trails are his happy place, which is good, as Angela and
him agree 'Rings are BOOOOORING!' |
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| This is Hero. A very apt
name for this little guy. Little in height only! He was one
of the most challenging horses for me and I ended up falling
in love with his spirit, mind and heart. Once you have this
guy on your side, is is truly an amazing Big, Little horse. |
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Buddha crossing a creek....I
can't help but think that Buddha thought he had gone to Boot
Camp. Buddha was a teenaged Thoroughbred, off the track,
then off the California Jumper Circuit to Heidi. Heidi got
him to grow into, and at 17.1 that's a lot of horse to grow
into! Mentally, Buddha needed a facelift or rather
'faithlift' and some confidence on the trails and in self
carriage. He was truly a gentle giant, and I hear he has
taken to his role as teacher to Heidi like a duck to
water....
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| Training at its best! Gumby
is a Mustang/Belgian and ran wild as a stallion for 7 of his
9 years. It was so much fun to get to know him and to teach
him to trust people. He had an innordinate fear of bikes, so
this is Becca helping out. Gumby now ponies nicely off the
bike....which causes a few folks to stare and scratch their
heads.....:) |
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| Here is Jeanne and her
Belgian/Mustang, Gumby. Gumby is in training with me and has
been such an amazing journey. I really like how this photo
shows Dis-engage/indirect rein ....... |
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| And this one shows
turn-on-the haunches/direct rein.....Jeanne and Gumby are
well on their way to an incredible partnership..... |
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| Jeanne and Gumby.....look at
the focus and harmony! Not to mention how alike they
look....hmmmmmmmm. |
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| This is Rummy and Carla, his
mom. Rummy spent a couple months with me, learning to
walk....out, please! and some confidence on the trail as
well. Carla was such a dedicated owner, and that just makes
everything that much more positive for all involved. This is
a great shot, showing her getting that darn direct rein
manuever working right! |
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| Mesa. Canadian. Big. Black.
And incredibly sweet ...... Mesa was one of the nicest, most
willing horses I have yet had the pleasure to work with ....
Shy and uncertain of connecting at first, she unfolded into
this very athletic and happy mare. Tracy, her mom, spent a
week with us and that made such a strong and positive flow
from myself into Tracy's very capable hands. |
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| This is Nova, Cheryl
Hurley's dandy Quarter Horse Mare. Nova spent a month with
me, to figure out what, if anything, she knew, as she was a
mystery when Cheryl got her. She is a strong mental and
physical girl, and VERY sensitive. Mix that with some
independent dominant survival skills and you have a great
horse for teaching all SORTS of things....:) Nova was one of
the BEST horses ever on the trails: sure, steady and patient
.... She's a keeper, Cheryl! |
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| Meet Percy....a
Percheron/1/4 horse cross. He is from Vancouver Island, and
owned by Jeanette. Percy is a BIG guy in every possible
sense of the word, and when he canters, it is quite
something to see and feel. He is a clown in a horse
suit......... |
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This is Silva -
Throughbred/welsh Cob, owned then by Kathleen Hinde.
She came to me un-halter trained and this is her second ride. Boy, did this little mare have a lot to teach me! |
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Silva again. This is one of my favorite
photos, taken by Jackson Holmes. The light, the mood, the
expressions are so full of grace and oneness..... |
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Kestrel, a lovely warmblood
mare, owned by Janel Bush. Kestrel really grew into a brave, athletic, soft and connection-seeking young lady. She and Janel are currently helping one another on confidence and trust, and it is a beautiful thing to watch.... |
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Danielle Wegelin and her mare
Larry
| "Stefanie was the
first person who looked at my horse and saw HER. Not a problem, not
a unstarted mature horse, not my biggest mistake. She saw that all
my horse wanted was a connection and to be engaged. Interesting for
me, the thing my horse had the hardest time with - connecting - is
the thing I have the hardest time with. Stefanie showed me that it
was just so important that I take the first step and that everything
means something AND that soak time means everything. I feel like my
skills from last year to this year have grown so much. I feel like I
am a starting horseman." |
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CAMP
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This is one of my
favorite views on the Dot Ranch.....with Becca and her
boy Dakota. Becca spent an entire summer with me helping
with the glory work....pen cleaning, feeding, hauling
hay, helping teach and work training horses. But her
most amazing talent is in photography, and many of the
great shots here are hers. Her great attitude and humour
lightened every day, and she was a blessing...Thank You
Becca!
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Renegade gave Brenda the
biggest show of trust possible....he laid down, RIGHT behind her. He
actually passed out right on his side and slept. Either the Game was
incredibly boring, or he just showed us all the level of trust in their
relationship and why it is worth waiting for and just 'being' with our
horses.......BIG lesson, and what a gift. Thanks Brenda and Gator! |
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Like
Renegade, Ace took 2 full hours to come in and connect.....but
so worth the wait! Ace's style was very different, tho. He did not move an INCH for well over
an hour,
then he peed, and stepped closer. Wait.......another hour, pee, and step
over to snuggle.....hahahaha! |
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Vicki and Vicki trotting thru the Water Jump .... I think they
are having fun........! |
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A
great shot of Vicki D and her great Arab, Faleema, cantering thru the
poles. They got even narrower so's that it was hard even for me to walk thru
them, and yet, both Vickis and their mares cantered right, straight
thru....wow! |
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Time out and hang out. Vicki D and Faleema, September
2009. |
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Vicki and Dixie.....What an accomplishment this was. Simple little,
narrow ditch with a bit of water in it and get your horse to stand quietly on loose
rein fully in it.... Simple, yeah, try it sometime, or ask Vicki just how easy this really is! |
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Adele Constable's great, great
mare, Shiloh.....This is one of my favorite horses...
cheeky, opinionated, athletic and so very sweet. She is a cowboy's dream
to be sure.....
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Here Indy is jumping the big log in the event course field. No, wait!
Here's Indy standing on
the big log in the event course field....hahahaha! |
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| Truly, does it get ANY
better than this? Brenda and her boy Renegade down at
the river having a blast! Renegade was a sworn water
hater, but add 34+ heat, good horses and people to be
with, and the right attitude from his rider, and
suddenly he LOVES water..... |
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| We had a nieghbor take
this great shot of us at the river .... This was day 3
of the Trail Ride with Confidence camp and although it
may be a wee bit hard to tell from our faces in this
shot.........we had a BLAST! Not sure how had more fun,
humans or horses.....:) |
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| Sue and Grace travellin'
on their good mares Frost and Velvet. We are heading to
the river for the girls' first ever swim .... allbeit
with some trepidation:) (Velvet needed Duct tape moon
boots for her barefeet on this stoney ride) |
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| Hahahaha! Becca's Dakota
.... he REALLY likes the water, can you tell? In the
background are Sue and Grace again .... starting to get
into the whole 'swim your horse' thing. In the end, we
had to all but rope and drag them out of there as it was
headin' on to darkness....:) Other folks kept right on
swimming at one of the best holes on the Nicola River,
and diving of the railroad bridge as well, so quite an
experience for everybody! |
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| Another shot of everyone
getting slowly deeper into the water...and just soaking
up the sun and company. |
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| Vicki took to rope
handling like she was born to it! This was such an
amazing Camp, with some big tasks, focus and a whole lot
of fun. |
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| Becca and Dakota
navigating the water ditch ... This was their first time
thru, well, actually, nobody got to practice this task,
and it was so amazing to watch everyone put together
feel, ask, release and watch for that try. Tough, going
into a narrow, muddy, odd space. Great job! |
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| Here's Vicki (it was the
Vicki and Vicki Camp!) taking a turn catching that wily
jump standard before it makes good its getaway...... |
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ADDITIONAL PHOTOS
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Indy, myself, Lauren and Mark
on Nightflight and Phantom bringing down dry cows with Quilchena Cattle Company. It is July and we've been riding since 5 am......what a life! |
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Robin Duncan took an AMAZING
series of photos of Indy and me, together with dogs Sage and Griffin. There were sooooo many gorgeous
ones that really captured the love that the four of us share, and I get a huge smile everytime I look at them....Thank You, Robin! |
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July 2008. Blindingly hot.
Stupidly dusty. Incredibly long, challenging days
..... one of the funnest 4 days of my life. Lauren and I, with Indy and
Cactus, at the Buck Brannaman clinic in Ellensburg, Wa. |
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Indy and me right after a
session with Dennie Segnitz and her beloved Carson. Dennie
was either stupid brave
or stupid crazy to brave the -12 +wind that day .....Who knew popsicles could ride??? |
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| Sandra Wallin's Chiron cooling
his toes in tje creek, May 2008 |
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Painted Chief (Blackbird).
Originally owned by Kathleen Hinde, now gracing Lauren's backyard .....as it turns out, Chief has kindly agreed to be a large part of Lauren's
Continuing Ed.... |
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My dear friends Vicki and
Terry Dugas sent Hollywood up for a month of trail riding. Vicki does such a great job, that there was very little left for me to do, but enjoy this big, sweet paint.... |
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Dakota and his Girl, Becca, behind the barn....hmmmmmmmm
I love the way this photo
shows the depth of care and connection they have for each other.... |
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