Sunday-Auction day!

 Sunday was Auction day!  Kirstin and Remy were the fourth horse in the auction ring.  Being a yearling, people just weren't interested in her.  Not one single person bid on her.  Even at just $125 there was no one that wanted a very well trained yearling. Kirsin was heart broken when she left the arena because she knew that if no one stepped up to adopt her, Remy would go back to the BLM and all the work that she did would have been wasted.  The Mustang Heritage Foundation had her come back in the arena and offered to pay the adoption fee if someone was willing to give Remy a loving home.

Kirstin was brought back into the arena.  She demostrated Remy's skills, sidepassing, backing, trotting at a lead, stopping, turning.  Remy does it all very well, she just didn't do well for the show.  Finally a nice lady raised her hand and took Remy.  At least Kirstin knows that Remy is going to a good home.  She was able to speak with the new owner briefly and was assured that she will be well loved and taken care of. 



Goodbyes are always the hardest part of these shows.  Many asked why we didn't want to take this horse home.  Simple we already own 6 other horses and the reason Kirstin does the makeovers is not to get a cheap horse, but to hopefully introduce people to what she already knows; that the Mustang is a wonderful horse and partner.

Tennessee Extreme Makeover

  We arrived very late on Thursday the evening before the competition.  This didn't allow for much time for Remy to adjust to her new surroundings.  The horses; with all of the neighing in the barn, were really making her very nervous and you could tell that by watching her in the stall.  One of the main disadvantages to living on a farm and not stalling your horse at a stable.  Another huge disadvantage that Kirstin and Remy faced was the fact that we never took her anywhere off of the farm so the long trip and the new surroundings really added to the overload.  We knew better from past experience, but we simply ran out of time.  Kirstin has been so busy with her senior year that something always seemed to be on her schedule.   All that considered, I guess Remy did alright.  However, she would not load on the trailer which was a shocker since she has been loading on a trailer since week 2 and she wouldn't back which was a bigger shocker since Kirstin really focused on backing and Remy is a good backer. 

Walk thru for the in hand portion of the show

 Catch and release portion of the in hand course.  Remy did alright but she really liked being set free and didn't want to be caught.

 In hand portion.  Remy was extremely nervous.  Mostly our fault since we were never able to get her off the farm to any other competitions.  We know from past experience that the taking them to other shows is extremely important to the horse being able to calm down.  She was nervous until the auction which was on Sunday.   She did great at the auction.

Kirstin wanted to do a Breast Cancer Awareness theme for her stall decorations.  She had a banner at the top that read "Fight Like a Girl!"

 

Sept. 13, 2011

Remy appears to be flying.  Kirstin's dad is in the process of building some new jumps for her.  This is one of the jumps, there will be a series of 4

Remy trotting over the posts.  Love Remy's head carriage.  She has a very natural, low head carriage. 

Look at this surprise that was in front of our garage.  This is a baby copperhead snake frozen in the striking position.  It was dead and we are not sure why it froze in this position-coiled with his mouth wide open.  The only thing that we can figure is that it got caught under a tire and coiled up like that and died.  Either that or someone is playing a very, very horrible trick on me! EWW, I HATE snakes!!!! esp. poisonous snakes.  

Remy Sept 11, 2011

 Remy has come so far since Kirstin picked her up in July.  Isn't she a beautiful horse. 

Working on the side pass.  Kirstin can side pass Remy around the square.  It isn't the best yet but she is working on it daily.  Hopefully by show time, she will be able to do a nice side pass all the way around the square. 

Sept 2, 2011 Tarp training +

 Kirstin introduced Remy to the tarp.  She doesn't mind walking across the tarp and will even run across the tarp however, she isn't to fond of the tarp being placed on her. 

 With a little bit of help from Kirstin's boyfriend, they were able to desensitize her enough that were able to lay the tarp over her neck.  But, she still doesn't like it very much.  She will require a little bit more work on this one area.

Kirstin was showing how Remy doesn't mind having her legs handled.  She lifted up her hoof and then stretched Remy's leg out a little.  Remy liked being stretched like that. 

Aug 26, 2011 Remy checking out the heifers next door.

 There are a few heifers that we keep on our place.  Remy doesn't see these very often so one day when they happened by during training, Remy was more than just a little interested in getting a closer look at these creatures.  She approached slowly at first and then...

she stuck her head through the fence to get an even closer look.