| Off the Beaten Path
e-news Volume 2 Issue 2 March/April 2009 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Greetings! |
We hope you enjoy your free copy of Off the Beaten Path e-news. A place to glean nuggets of information to enhance your creativity, confidence and comfort.
This e-news is dedicated to our customers and their new playgrounds. Enjoy
|
|
It's All About....Misty & Chief |
|

Chief explores his new bridge/teeter totter made by his mom Misty Nichols from Rusinga Ranch - North Port Florida. While most of us were shoveling snow, Misty took on the challenge of creating her own horse playground from our plans available on Horse Playgrounds Vol I DVD.
Misty writes: "Thank you! I was doing a search online for pedestals. I started natural horsemanship with my horse Chief and wanted a pedestal along with some other fun obstacles, but didn't want to pay outragous prices for them. I found your DVD! My husband is in the US Army and is deployed more than home. I was not able to count on him helping me build my obstacles. With your well put together manual I was able to get all the needed items with only 2 trips to the Home Depot (and about $200) and have the Tee Pee, Car Wash and Noodle Squeeze complete and in the pasture in one weekend. We had a great time playing on Sunday. With my confidence at an all time high, I purchased the materials for the bridge and had it finished by 2pm and my husband helped me drag it to the pasture. He was impressed with my handy work. The best and most rewarding part was when I removed Chief's halter after playing online and he walked over the bridge on his own. He loves the bridge. The pedestal is next!! Our playground is definately going to be the envy of all our horsey neighbors. You guys are GREAT! Keep those ideas coming.....Misty"
|
|
|
|
|
And....It's All About Anthony & His Cob |
|
Anthony Francis-Jones from the UK writes...
Just thought you might like to see my cob loving his pedestal. I train lots of difficult and problem horses and play with lots of toys. People think I am mad, but where do they learn their fine balance from or how to get their hindquarters underneath them?
Pedestal all the way! Makes them more "stable" in the moving trailer too.
I used to work at a yard in Scotland so there were lots of old whiskey caskas around - they were great training foreleg pedestals. I once was asked to use the mounting block by a posh instructor to get on my horse so I put the pony on the mounting block. She was not amused, but I was! My cob loves his pedestal and I find him on it when I come into the field. Best Wishes - Anthony |
|
And...It's About Trinity Equestrian Center's Parelli Group |
|
Each Sunday a group of local Parelli students gather to play. They created a playground from our DVD and we went to film them!! Enjoy their photos, they had so much fun they stayed in the arena from 11am to 8pm. Good job gals (and guys). Special thank you to Trinity Equestrian Center for letting us play! Thanks to LeAnne & Toni (and Toni's husband) for building all the toys.
Toni and Walter change things up using our rainbow colored cones.
Toni learned how to use the cones to be more precise with where Walter put his feet and Walter is shown paying complete attention to Toni.
Rob and Royall had lots of fun
negotiating the toys - especially the
squeeze and teepee.
Amy and Dakota try their hand at pushing the ball through the carwash. Dakota got really interested in tracking the ball. Amy was happy because he showed her that he may have a little cow instinct in him after all. Dakota loved the toys and once he figured out the pedestal, he really enjoyed the "safety" it provided.
 And last, but not least - Chippewa Valley Equine Challenge organizer Carnation asks Angel to push the ball over the teeter totter. Looks like Angel would rather love the ball than move it.
We had a blast at Trinity. Visit them online at
Trinity Equestrain Center - Eau Claire WI
|
|
Training Tip..... |
|
Training a horse is a journey - it begins with one step.
The secret to horse training is to know where the horses foot is, when to move the foot, how to move the foot and where the foots needs to go.
A horse can't move his foot when it is already on the ground.
Take it one step at a time.
Learn where your horses feet are, learn when to move them, how to move them,
learn where to move them and the journey will be wonderful.
Tips from Jack Brainard - UW River Falls Clinic Notes
|
|
Teaching Your Horse to Smile |
|
Teaching the smile is fun, but it can be annoying when your horse is always smiling at you, the vet or farrier!
We start with a treat, the smaller the better. Point your finger at your horses muzzle and tickle it a little. The instant she lifts her upper lip, even a little quiver, give her the treat.
This is easiest taught in the stall with you on the other side so you can back up and make her reach. Build on this, remember to point your finger, tickle then treat. Eventually you will only have to point your finger and you will get a big smile. Wean her from the treats and you will have the funniest horse in the barn! If you want her to smile without pointing at her, start adding a little head nod (yours) and start removing the finger pointing. Within a few days, all you will have to do is tip your chin up and she will do the same.

LeAnne gets a grin out of her new horse Elvira.
|
|
The First Annual Chippewa Valley Equine Challenge |
 Six trainers gathered together April 4th & 5th in Menomonie WI to start colts. Trainers were judged on how well their colts turned out. Horses Just Wanna Have Fun sponsered a round pen and the Parelli Group from Trinity donated the use of their toys for the event. Shown here is Trainer Zeke Zacharias from Rockin Z Ranch in Spooner WI introducing this 4 year old Arab mare to our carwash.
The course looked fantastic and the horses handled the obstacles quite well.
Special thanks to LeAnne Moehle & Toni Riley for buiding the toys and letting them use them.
And thanks to Ray, Jill & Chevelle for all their help at the expo. | |
Until next time - keep off the beaten path!
|
Thanks for reading our newsletter!!
We hope you enjoyed it and remember we would love to add
your photos to our next newsletter.
Just drop us an email with your photos.
Dawn & Cindy
Horses Just Wanna Have Fun, LLC
*Innovative Products To Enhance Your Creativity Confidence and Comfort*
Contact us:
Horses Just Wanna Have Fun, LLC
PO Box 21
Prentice WI 54556-0021
715 339-4040 Fax |
|
Horses Just Wanna Have Fun, LLC will have display booths with our DVDs and toys
at:
Midwest Horse Fair - Madison WI April 17 though April 19, 2009
Minnesota Horse Expo - St Paul MN April 24 through April 26, 2009
Be sure to stop by and see us and the new exciting toys we are going to be offering!
Save on shipping too! | |
|
|
|