I think I don't like dogs.

Things have improved slightly with the dog situation at my house. First off, we had a couple good training sessions. She will now lay down when I point to the ground. (We skipped right over “sit.” She kept laying down and I figured that was good enough for me.) I am now trying to install a voice command. Tonight, we will do that and work on “stay.” I realize I must get her listening if I ever expect her to behave around Thunder.




Thunder, of course, is still hiding out upstairs. We have circular stairs. I have them blocked so the dog can’t get up them. I did notice last night, when he heard the dog moving around, instead of climbing up the windowsill—the highest point in the house, he walked to the edge of the stairs and looked down at her. I think that is a good sign. Also, I put treats on the top 2 steps before I went to bed, and he ate some of them. I’m hoping that if he gets comfortable sitting on the steps, he could watch the dog from there.

New dog

Well, we got our new dog. She is adorable. Dad loves her. She loves Dad, and Thunder is petrified. She chased him, and now he won’t come downstairs. I brought all his furniture, food and litterboxes into my bedroom. I opened up the other bedroom up there, too. I am so upset becaseu he is upset. I wish we never got devil dog. The stairs are blocked so she can’t get up them.




She is about 30 pounds, black and white and is supposed to be a Border Collie mix that likes cats. Yeah, right. I’m ready to turn her loose for the coyotes.

Tuesday Evening at the Barn

I started down the trail yesterday evening with Cruiser. I got down the hill to the first river crossing and it started. First there was a loud screech and then boom…boom…boom…screech. Well, Cruiser is half Arabian—he thought we were entering a warzone and he got very, very frightened. I got off, turned him around and led him back home.




We are close to the airport, and every now and then, Canadian geese congregate on the runways. They shoot something at them—sounds like loud fireworks—to get them off the runway. Usually, it is only a few shots, but not last night. I brought him back to the barn to let him unwind. He was petrified. I cleaned stalls as he settled down. When it seemed quiet, I took him back out. He hesitantly, yet bravely headed back into the park. Once he realized it was going to be quiet, he settled down and we had a nice ride.



When I got back, it was Cole time. I have been having inconsistent rides in the arena. Sometimes, he is fine. Sometimes, he is very speedy and feisty. Other times, I have troubles with him spooking and trying to take off. (This is the worst thing he does, but I always catch him before he gets far.) It has put me off from doing ring work with him. On the weekends, and sometimes if I have enough time before sunset, I have been taking him on the trail where he is more consistent. My hopes are that as his good behavior on the trail becomes a habit, he will transfer it into the arena.



Well, I think it is working. It has been nearly a week since I tried the arena, and he was considerably better! In fact, it was by far, our best arena ride, yet! We walked and trotted about, practiced transitions and turns and didn’t have a single spook. He got a little goofy towards the end of the ride, so I just started to review very simple things to settle him down and when he was listening, again, we quite for the night. What a relief. I have a long winter ahead where I will mainly be riding in the arena, so I am glad things are starting to work out.

Great Ride Sunday

After 2 less than great trail rides on Friday and Saturday, Cole redeemed himself on Sunday when we took him back up to the show ring area.




Friday and Saturday, he was questioning me as to why he had to go at the gait I wanted to go. When I trotted, he wanted to canter. When I walked, he wanted to trot. We worked through it all, but it was work--not fun.



Sunday, though, he was wonderful. We went with my sister on Ranger, kept the ride at a walk the whole time and that's what he did--he walked. He didn't spook when a dozen motorcycles passed us, he went calmly up the steep hill, and he did better when I led him down the steep hill. Even though the park was chaotic and we rode into the busy area, he acted like he did it his whole life.



Next weekend, I have a 4-day weekend with lots of riding planned!

Warm and Sunny Weekend

Oh, it is going to be such a fine weekend. After days of rain, we are going to have warm days of sunshine. We will be doing a lot of riding--including a trip up to the show ring area with Cole and Ranger on Sunday! It will only be our second time up there with Cole.




He did fair in the indoor arena on Weds. He did sppol a few times and was more hyper than usual at the trot. I think that with all the trail riding, he is getting in better shape, so it takes more to tire him out. I will ride him in the arena tonight and see how it goes.



I am taking Cruiser on the trail for a quick ride before sunset. Cruiser is doing well, so there is seldom much to say about him. I certainly appreciate him a lot more now that I have Cole!

Weekend Update

I had a 3-day weekend, which meant 3 days of trail riding! Friday was perfect, and we had a great time. Saturday and Sunday were drizzly and chilly. We still managed to trail ride, though. We just didn’t go that far.




Cole is doing well. His biggest accomplishment this weekend was crossing the river when it was a little higher and muddier than he was accustomed to. He hesitated, but I just kept my legs on him until he took a step.



Another thing we worked on was increasing speed on command. He was a little slower, so I decided it was time to ask for more speed at a trot. I simply squeezed my legs, and when he picked up the pace, I released and clicked. He understood right away, but I did it a lot to reinforce the command. I will continue to do it. I’m hoping that when he really understands, I can get him to canter from the trot on command. We haven’t worked on cantering on the lounge, so we don’t have any cue for it at all.



This evening, I will be riding him in the arena for the first time in more than 2 weeks. I don’t know what to expect. How well will he transfer what we have been working on to the arena? We shall see…

House Cat Tip of the Month

House Cat Tip of the Month




Here is a tip that I thought everyone knew, until I was out with my girlfriend and she was telling me about her new kitty. She didn’t realize that if a cat sticks his tail straight up in the air and walks away, he wants you to follow him.



Follow is a great game to play with cats. I play it at least once a day with Thunder, and sometimes, depending on his mood, we play many times. I follow him and pet him as we go. He likes to show me whatever is on his mind. If he had spent the afternoon looking out a particular window, he takes me there. I remember when the robins built a nest in the bathroom window. He was constantly taking me there to show me the birds.



He likes me to open doors for him, so he will ask me to follow him to a door, than he will put his paw on it to tell me to open it. He then wants me to go into the room with him and explore it—often bursting into a run.



Sometimes, he just wants me to follow him until he falls over on his side and wants me to pet him. Of course, if he is hungry, he will bring me to his food.



Not all cats do the tail thing. Our Siamese cats didn’t seem to do it. If you have the kind of cat who does, follow him and see where he takes you. You may learn something you didn’t know, and your cat will love the attention.

A Dog in our Future?

Dad went to the cancer doctor, today, for his check up. He checked out fine, and the doctor told him he should get a dog. So, now that he knows he will live a while longer, he made the decision. He wants a dog.




We will start looking, but I sure wouldn’t mind not having a dog over the winter. I am the one that does the dog walking in the dark and in the snow. We shall see how it goes. He wants one as much like our last dog, Pollie, as possible. We will never find a dog that good, and he knows it. He just wants someone to keep him company, and though Thunder is trying his best, my dad is a dog person.

Successfil weekend with Cole

I had a very successful weekend with Cole. Friday evening, we had a decent ride in the arena. It was incredibly hot (90s), so we only did a little trotting. I didn’t want to get him too heated up with his winter coat. He was steady and well behaved. At this point, I can’t ask for much more than that. I was very pleased.




Saturday, the weather was chilly. That’s how it goes here in northeast Ohio. I took him out alone about 5 miles round trip on the trail. We did a lot of trotting and ended up and a brand new trail for him. On the way home, we met my sister on foot and walked back with her. It was an A+ ride. I was in heaven.



I never expected Sunday would be just as good. This time, we went with my sister on Ranger. We did some trotting together. We put Cole in the lead, and he was just fine. My sister was the one with the challenge. Ranger likes to be lead horse, and she had to tactfully keep him behind Cole. We trotted 3 stretches of trail that morning and walked the rest of the time. Cole got an A+ again! It was an amazing weekend.



This weekend coming up is a 3-day one for me. My sister has to work on Saturday, so I will be alone that day. This evening, I will try him in the arena, and Thursday he is getting his feet trimmed.



Cruiser was great all weekend, of course.

Wednesday night ride

Cole and I had a better than normal arena ride, yesterday. Finally, some improvement! There was a lot of factors on my side. First, it was hot. Second, I was able to turn him out to play, first. I have been having trouble with the turning out. He doesn’t like it, and pushes, paws and rears at the gate to get out. This time, I stayed in the pen with him and encouraged him to run about. Although he stopped at the gate, a lot, he didn’t show any signs of trying to get out. I’m starting to think that Cole gets separation anxiety—from me leaving him.




The next thing that was on my side, and this is a big one, it was quiet around the barn. The horses that had been turned out alongside the arena weren’t. He couldn’t see them walking past the windows, and they weren’t’ making any unexpected noises.



He didn’t spook a single time. He walked and trotted on request and listened most of the time. We were able to practice our turns, circles and transitions. I was so glad to have a good ride in there. This is his second within a week. Maybe winter, when we can’t get on the trail, won’t be so bad, after all.



I took Cruiser on a trail ride for about an hour. He was great, of course. I was surprised how sweaty he got, and had to sponge him off when we got back. He has quite a bit of winter coat, already. So does Ranger. Cole hasn’t gotten much coat, yet. I bet he will be cute when he is shaggy.