Tango Tricks!

Tango Tricks

Tango makes me happy. All of my animals make me happy, but you know that. I have to remind myself on a routine basis that Tango is NOT A DOG. He is a horse.

Reminding myself of that is important, because as big as Tango is, he could accidentally hurt me when we're playing.


"Playing?" you ask.


"Yes playing!"

A couple years ago, Tango was off for about six weeks. I couldn't ride him or do any ground work with him. I wanted to spend worthwhile time with Tango and so with the help of a friend, we came up with a plan.

"We can teach Tango tricks," I told my friend.

My friend didn't hesitate. She's the best clicker trainer I know. "I'm all in," she said.

The first thing we did was to hang a plastic pop bottle by from Tango's stall. Of course, Tango was curious. Every time he reached out and touched the bottle, we'd click the clicker and give the boy a treat. Oh! One more thing. We always said the word push at the same time we clicked the clicker.

That activity led to Tango pushing a beach ball around the arena every time we asked him to give it a shove.

After that, we taught Tango the word pick. Since Tango's a very mouthy horse, he often tastes everything in sight. We used it to our advantage. Every time he remotely used his mouth on a jolly ball (a ball with a handle) we'd click the clicker and say THE word.

Within a few weeks, Tango was picking up the jolly ball and depositing into a muck bucket. I could have taken him on the road. We could have had a one horse basketball game!

There was more. We taught Tango to bow. We taught Tango to kiss. We taught Tango to back all the way across the arena until we asked him to stop. It was/is so much fun I can't even tell you.

Then we made the mistake of asking Tango to count. His cue to stop would be when we would click the clicker. Somehow, that just didn't work out. Tango kept pawing and pawing the ground. I swear that horse could count to 903! Anyway, we filed that trick away for future use.

Week before last, my sister-in-law came to the barn to take photos of Tango doing tricks that we could put into a slide show (thank you, Sandy). Unfortunately, I couldn't find Tango's jolly ball and the beach ball's long gone. Someone took Tango's balls! Oh well, not to worry. We used cones instead. Tango will pick up anything I ask him to pick up.

That brings me to another point. Tango uses the tricks I taught him for his convenience. He will pick and push and pull and back even when I'm not around. He can open his stall. He can open pasture gates. He can push down fence posts that he shouldn't be pushing.

Tango's the only horse on the farm that has to come in at night. While I feel badly that he can't stay out all night, I understand and want him to be safe. I truly appreciate the extra security they've put on Tango's stall door.

That horse!

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July 4th is Not Maddie's Favorite Holiday

Look at this face. Would you leave it home alone if you knew that it was terrified of thunder and fireworks? Not me.

Who knows what makes dogs afraid of things, but for as long as I can remember, Maddie's been afraid of anything that goes KABOOM! That noise can't be avoided on July 4th....3rd....5th.....anytime around this noisy holiday weekend.

I try not to feed into any of my animals anxieties. I act as though nothing is wrong and go about whatever I'm doing. But, if it's at all possible, I do whatever I'm doing so that Maddie knows I'm nearby.

Last night some high school friends came over. For old time's sake, we built a bomb fire in the backyard. Around midnight, it got chilly but I wasn't cold. Why? Because of course Maddie was warming my lap. We could hear fireworks in the distance, but they weren't so bad.

I wish there was something I could do to help Maddie through storms and the 4th of July celebrations. I don't really want to use medication so I just stay close after 10:00 at night. I figure it's the least I can do for her...especially right now. She seems even more vulnerable since Kelly's gone.

Happy 4th of July to all of you!

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Sandra's Famous Quote about Horses and Granddaughters

I'm a sucker when it comes to quotes about animals, kids, and love. I savor them and can usually recite my favorite ones at any given time. Some quotes stay in our hearts and minds forever. I was reading the comments you left after I wrote about my granddaughter and Tango.

Sandra left a quote (that is now famous as far as I'm concerned) that touched my heart. She said: A great horse is a treasure. A granddaughter to share him with is even better.

Alexa stayed all night with us last night. This morning, bright and early, Alexa and I headed for the barn. I saddled up Tango while she saddled up Tantra. First we warmed up in the indoor arena. Then we went to the outdoor arena and trotted around for awhile.

After about twenty minutes Alexa said, "Let's go on a trail ride Nan."

I hesitated.

There was a slight problem. One of us had to get off our horse to open the gate (since everyone else had left and we were alone). I thought for a minute and then said what any responsible grandparent would say:

"Okay Lex, if I get off Tango, gravity is going to keep me on the ground. There's no mounting block out here. You get off and open the gate and then YOU get back on.

Now it was Alexa's turn to hesitate, but not for long. She hopped off Tantra, opened the gate, and allowed me to pass.

"I knew you could do it," I told Lex. "Now get back on!"

Just so you know, Alexa and I ride in English saddles. We don't have saddle horns or an easy way to hoist ourselves up. What I knew was that Alexa was young and had the coordination to do just about anything she wanted to do. She just needed the confidence to try something she had never done before.

I was her cheerleader from atop Tango while Alexa gave it a few good shots. Of course by now we were both laughing. It's a good thing Tango and Tantra are both calm. Luckily, Mary (a wonderful woman who works at the barn and loves the horses) came around the corner.

"I'll give her a leg up," she said. And she did.

With that, Alexa and I were off. A gentle breeze cooled us. The day was about as perfect as it could get.

Alexa and I rode down the lane where the trees form shaded umbrellas. We rode in the fields where butterflies and bothersome flies were everywhere. We rode by the edge of the woods where birds were singing like they were serenading us. We rode around the paddock where Tango and Tantra graze. We rode and rode and rode. Alexa and I.

All the while we were riding, Sandra's quote kept going through my mind. A great horse is a treasure. A granddaughter to share him with is even better.

What a glorious day we had. What a gift to be able to share the fresh air and peacefulness with my granddaughter. No matter what obstacles or challenges I will face in my life, I will always remember today and the comment Sandra left on my blog.

**photo's from the day SIL traveled with me to the barn

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Tango's Up for Anything

You've seen Tango in a pleasure driving competition. You've seen him competing in dressage. You've seen him at a clinic. I just found this photo of young Tango and my adorable granddaughter, Alexa, taken a few years ago. Alexa and Tango were in a lead line competition. Am I obsessed or what?



Alexa and I have the best time together. She's going to be a better rider than me...no wait, she already is! She rides my friend's horse, Tantra now. I think in October, Alexa will be going to a dressage show too. She hopes to show in the junior divisions. Imagine that, a grandmother and granddaughter combination. Pretty cool, huh?! I do believe we're creating memories.



I can't find the photo of my grandson, Christian (he's adorable too) riding Tango but I will. Tango's great with kids. Christian is very active. It's really interesting to see the calming effect Tango has on him. All I have to do is put Christian on Tango's bare back and Tango's gentle motion takes over. My energetic grandson almost falls asleep. It's an amazing thing to see.



You know, when I first started this blog, I wondered if I could think of enough things to write about. All I have to do is look at photos (or live everyday life with my guys) and there's always something.



Also, I just realized I'm overcoming one of my greatest fears. I have let you see me in breeches. Up until I started this blog, no one saw photos of me in my skin-tight-dimple showing-riding apparel. Wow. What's happened to me? I've been having so much fun blogging, I forgot to care about how I looked. Good grief. It's a new world.



Before I forget it (like I could) my new business website is ready. You can find it at http://www.ignitetowrite.com/ If you know anyone who needs a writer, speaker, or creative coach please share my new site. Also, I'd welcome feedback from you. I value what you think.



Nothing at either of my blogs will change...I promise. I like talking to you too much!

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Not a Clue or Lucky Chipmunk!

I have rocks that surround three big trees in my backyard. Inpatients flourish there...until the chipmunks that tunnel in and out get hungry. Then they nibble on the delicate flowers until I open the door and let out the dogs. Maddie's more interested in birds. I suppose that's the spaniel in her. Not Annabelle. It's the chipmunks she's after.

Poor girl. Annabelle's clueless. She thinks she's a mighty chipmunk hunter while she lays in wait. What Annabelle doesn't understand is that chipmunks have some sense of danger

because they can hear her little dog snorts every second or third breath she takes.

Annabelle had been laying in the position you see in the photo for about two hours. I had Maddie on my lap and was alternating between reading a book and watching the rock pile just in case a chipmunk decided to brave it and run out.

I know chipmunks are detrimental to lots of things, but my plan was to run interference nonetheless. After all, chipmunks are pretty darn cute and it's not like I'm growing crops or anything!

Okay. Back to my story. Annabelle continued to stay in the position in the photo even after Maddie jumped down from my lap and I got up to move the sprinkler.

I sat back down and noticed...are you ready?....a plump chipmunk dart from the flowers back into the rocks.

"That's a pretty brave (or stupid) chipmunk," I thought to myself.

Of course my second thought was, "Is there something wrong with Annabelle?"

She was still in the same position, barely moving. My creative mind has a tendency to concoct things that border on the side of impossible, but I can't help myself.

Somehow, I got it in my head that Annabelle had suffocated from lack of oxygen in the rock formation, giving the chipmunks free rein to the flowers. "After all," I told myself, "Annabelle should have been up and chasing!"

At that point, I wished that my husband were home. I would have had him go touch Annabelle. But, as luck would have it, I was home alone.

I called Annabelle's name. Nothing. I moved closer to her (shuffling the loose gravel along the way). Nothing. I cleared my throat. Still nothing.

Can you tell how brave I am in the face of adversity?

When I reached Annabelle, I took a deep breath, bent over and laid my hand on her little back, not knowing what to expect.

You can probably guess what happened next. Annabelle bolted straight up knocking several rocks out of position on her way. She'd been sound asleep. Guess waiting for a chipmunk to come out had been more boring than she'd expected.

Clueless Annabelle. Lucky chipmunk!

Just so you know, my youngest son has the same imagination as me. Whenever he calls and doesn't get an answer in a timely fashion he's sure Chuck and I have been kidnapped or worse. It's genetic!

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Linda Hoover Clinic - A Great Experience!

It didn't use to be easy to travel with Tango. Getting him on and off a trailer took forever. Life is so much easier now. He actually likes to go where I go...thank goodness! As you can tell from the photo, Tango is happily curious as we arrived to participate in a clinic presented by Linda Hoover.

This is my good friend. Nancy (in the red) and her horse Jammer. Thanks to Nancy, Tango and I were able to attend Linda's session. The clinic I attended was held at Nancy's barn. As you can see from the photo of Tango and me at the bottom of the page, the setting is glorious.

I have to admit, at first I was a little intimidated about signing up to work with Linda. Her reputation preceded her. Linda Hoover is highly respected in the equestrian community.

"Why would she be okay working with someone with my level of expertise?" I wondered.

My fears were put to rest. Linda met Tango and I where we were in our relationship. She assessed our needs and began to offer advice and tools to work with that would make our relationship even better. Through natural horsemanship, Linda guided us through several exercises that resulted in more calmness and trust...for both Tango and me.

Linda's focus is to help horses become more willing partners. Linda teaches riders to chose better options with stressful situations that all of us encounter from time to time. Some of us encounter them more often than others, but that's another story for another time!

All in all, the day was a huge success. I don't think I'll ever learn all I need to know about horses, but through my love for Tango and excellent coaches like Linda Hoover, Tango and I will continue to make great strides.

Thank you Linda!

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I Could Love this Face but...What is It?????

I was going through my draft posts today and found this photo. It was labeled "A Face Only a Mother Could Love."

I can't remember what kind of animal this is or why I saved it in my draft file. I must have had a good reason at the time, but who knows what it was....surely not me!

Since I'm getting ready to run out the door, I thought I'd post this interesting photo and let you tell me what it is...I have two ideas, but I'm just not sure. What do you think? I do believe it's so ugly it's probably cute!

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