Nothing!!
Yep, its been just 2 days but so far it has been a quiet 2 days and I think I'm starting to like my horse again! LOL He actually got zapped on the butt this morning, he stood too close to the wall and shocked himself, then kept looking at the wall as if to say "What the heck just happened, why did you shock me?" :) I was smiling of course because I have seen a jerk of a horse, act normal.. He doesnt come in the barn/stall trying to bite Edgar anymore, he doesnt try to charge at the other stall, he hasnt been kicking or leaning.. he still pins his ears towards Edgar, but thats normal feeding behavior for a horse and is the extent of it, I could not be happier!!! I will continue to cross my fingers that he doesnt find a way around this latest plan (as he could if he really wanted). He's far from "fixed" in behavior issues, he has a lot of maturing still to do, but I am hopeful once again...
Friday, December 28, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Plan C
Unfortunately I had to come up with plan C when it comes to the A-hole out in the barn that is still trying to kick the walls.. The chains work OK but are not 100% fool proof.. they do break off inwhich he quickly discovers this and gets back to kicking and when the chains are still in tact, he leans on the wall and constantly is still finding ways to bang on the barn. Its driving me nuts!!
So tonight as I sat watching TV, listening to bang bang out in the barn once again, I implemented Plan C on the spot.. At 9pm I was nailing out in the barn, installing hotwire on the wall that he keeps banging on... So now he cant lean on it and I suppose he could still kick it, but hopefully he'll find himself getting shocked in doing so and learns to quit. I did take the chains off, I want him to feel full power to attempt to kick or lean so he will get zapped, so fingers crossed this works. The bummer part of all this is that its winter.. so I'm not riding much these days and riding him seems to be the only time I like him!! :) lol I still daydream about owning my dream horse but I'm still not ready to put him up for sale, so he's still has a home with me for now.
Christmas was yesterday, was a non-traditional year for our family since the Schwartzenberger Family had our gathering on Saturday, the first time I can ever remember it not being on Christmas Eve! I thought it was great though because everyone was able to attend and noone had to really leave early or come late due to other family obligations. We spent Christmas Eve this year with my dad's family whom we have not celebrated with in probably close to 20 years!! We also did our immediate family on Eve as well so that left Derek and I with no plans for Christmas Day.. and nothing is what we did.. :) Unless you count waking up, making breakfast, opening presents, watching TV / Movie, cooking Prime Rib dinner and in bed by 8:30pm!
The Schwartzenberger Christmas had a competition this year to wear an ugly Christmas Sweater so this was my creation! I thought it was kinda cute, so I'm not suprised I didnt win; however, I did take 2nd to Jennifer :)
And we finally got a full Christmas photo of all that attended this year... turned out to be a great picture!
Derek and I have been wanting to get a logo created for our dog club, so we went to a website that designers go to and listed our wants/needs for a logo and after 5 or 6 creations were submitted, we picked this one! We had him modify a few things to get to this final stage but we love it!! We just hope now that the rest of the club likes it.. As we didnt ask permission to create a logo but also will not be asking the club to pay us back for it.
So tonight as I sat watching TV, listening to bang bang out in the barn once again, I implemented Plan C on the spot.. At 9pm I was nailing out in the barn, installing hotwire on the wall that he keeps banging on... So now he cant lean on it and I suppose he could still kick it, but hopefully he'll find himself getting shocked in doing so and learns to quit. I did take the chains off, I want him to feel full power to attempt to kick or lean so he will get zapped, so fingers crossed this works. The bummer part of all this is that its winter.. so I'm not riding much these days and riding him seems to be the only time I like him!! :) lol I still daydream about owning my dream horse but I'm still not ready to put him up for sale, so he's still has a home with me for now.
Christmas was yesterday, was a non-traditional year for our family since the Schwartzenberger Family had our gathering on Saturday, the first time I can ever remember it not being on Christmas Eve! I thought it was great though because everyone was able to attend and noone had to really leave early or come late due to other family obligations. We spent Christmas Eve this year with my dad's family whom we have not celebrated with in probably close to 20 years!! We also did our immediate family on Eve as well so that left Derek and I with no plans for Christmas Day.. and nothing is what we did.. :) Unless you count waking up, making breakfast, opening presents, watching TV / Movie, cooking Prime Rib dinner and in bed by 8:30pm!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Ho Ho Ho
Ready for Christmas, with 3 days to spare even! Took all of December (to date) to get motivated to do the shopping and just get zoned in to the festivities coming up. Derek and I finally spent a day out together, buying presents and accomplished our goal of getting everyone taken care of within about a 5 hour window! The list was not long but we had fun.
Yesterday I finally sat myself down to find a craft idea (or 2) for our family gift exchange and am very happy with what I came up with.. spent the evening crafting and I think they are both pretty cool.. Jennifer is trying to get me now motivated for the ugly sweater contest, she says she's going to kick my ass with her ugly sweater, which is probably true since I havent decided if I will even do one.. I'm not cute and thin, so I cant just go to goodwill and find some ugly sweater.. although she said she hand-crafted her's, I dont know that I have a shirt I want to ruin to hand craft my own... so I'm in a dilema.. I want to be festive, but not sure I have the shirt to do it with.
We have not put up a tree this year, I was all ready to get one a few weeks ago, but it never happened and I felt a bit overwhelmed with life, so we just didnt do it this year! :) Which i'm okay with, I did dig out our stockings, and the jewelry tree I made 20 years ago and another small tree I made probably 15 years ago.. so we are decorted as much as its gonna get! lol
Christmas came early for Derek & I this year, he needed some hunting gear and I wanted an elliptical machine, so we bought them; and there didnt seem to be any point to wrap them, since we both wanted to get right to using our gifts!
The dogs are about to find themselves on the street if they do not start behaving.. what is with my animals! They decided the kitchen floor would make for a fine new chewing toy and proceeded to tear up a large (highly visible) section! GRRRRR.. coulda killed them all, well except Russell who just stood on the bare spot as if to say "Do you see what those kids did!!"
I've filled my plate with one more responsibility for 2013, I was roped into becoming the Secretary for our Dog Club.. I was blindsided with the "non-spoken" request.. I accepted. Derek is on the board, so I typically go to the meetings anyways. Plus I am the Treasurer of the horse club this next year too, and I'm co-chair of our annual Prize Ride... the year is filling up and 2012 isnt even over yet!! :)
Yesterday I finally sat myself down to find a craft idea (or 2) for our family gift exchange and am very happy with what I came up with.. spent the evening crafting and I think they are both pretty cool.. Jennifer is trying to get me now motivated for the ugly sweater contest, she says she's going to kick my ass with her ugly sweater, which is probably true since I havent decided if I will even do one.. I'm not cute and thin, so I cant just go to goodwill and find some ugly sweater.. although she said she hand-crafted her's, I dont know that I have a shirt I want to ruin to hand craft my own... so I'm in a dilema.. I want to be festive, but not sure I have the shirt to do it with.
We have not put up a tree this year, I was all ready to get one a few weeks ago, but it never happened and I felt a bit overwhelmed with life, so we just didnt do it this year! :) Which i'm okay with, I did dig out our stockings, and the jewelry tree I made 20 years ago and another small tree I made probably 15 years ago.. so we are decorted as much as its gonna get! lol
Christmas came early for Derek & I this year, he needed some hunting gear and I wanted an elliptical machine, so we bought them; and there didnt seem to be any point to wrap them, since we both wanted to get right to using our gifts!
The dogs are about to find themselves on the street if they do not start behaving.. what is with my animals! They decided the kitchen floor would make for a fine new chewing toy and proceeded to tear up a large (highly visible) section! GRRRRR.. coulda killed them all, well except Russell who just stood on the bare spot as if to say "Do you see what those kids did!!"
I've filled my plate with one more responsibility for 2013, I was roped into becoming the Secretary for our Dog Club.. I was blindsided with the "non-spoken" request.. I accepted. Derek is on the board, so I typically go to the meetings anyways. Plus I am the Treasurer of the horse club this next year too, and I'm co-chair of our annual Prize Ride... the year is filling up and 2012 isnt even over yet!! :)
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Willie or Willie Not..
That is still the question!
I type that as I sit here on my porch at 9:30am in 40 degree weather, waiting for him to kick the barn! lol I attempted to do this yesterday, spent almost an hour outside in 37 degree weather, just waiting.. But the cold won out yesterday, I am a bit more prepared today. The chains have been working, Willie does not stand and kick the wall anymore.. But he has figured out he can lean into the wall and scrape his leg up/down and still bang it around a bit. So now we are on to option B....
!! Shock Therapy !!
Again, I am feeling more than barbaric, a bit evil.. sitting here almost smiling, waiting for him to misbehave so I can press the magic button. Although he has not kicked the wall yet (the chains have been taken off for this experiment), but he was biting at Edgar a lot as he waited for his breakfast, so I was able to test the little zapper out on that bad behavior. The collar has 1-127 levels, I started on 10, that did nothing, 15, 30, 45, 60.. all did nothing.. But 75 worked JUST FINE! :) I toned it down to 70. I think he was feeling it at probably 60, but not enough.
An now it is snowing!! :)
So I have been stressed about Willie lately but I'm trying to change my perspective so I dont get to the point of giving up. I have to tell myself to work through this.. because I do enjoy riding him. His arena type training is very soft and he's fun to play with in that environment and he always does good out on the trail, better than expected. I figure while he is still young and dumb, he'll just get the chain treatment when he is tied up to the trailer to keep him from kicking and bucking while tied and I'll continue to work on this barn kicking issue and see if we can resolve it. Worst case scenario, he gets more work and is worth more down the road.. right! lol
I have been getting in a lot more riding this winter than normal, its been nice to have a reason to get out. :) It can get so gloomy and rainy that you just dont want to do anything horse related, so having Suzi as a neighbor who's always up for an arena ride, has motivated my behind into getting out almost weekly, if not twice! I am just so darned happy for Edgar and Suzi, she's doing great with him, he is happy and Suzi's friend rode him the other day and got him to lope over and over again.. YEAH! That might seem silly, but Edgar just doesnt lope often, especially under saddle.. I think i've loped him maybe 5 times since I've had him.. seriously! He's awkward getting up into the lope, but he did it, so I'm hopeful now that Suzi can grow with Edgar in the future. What a great match this has been, I honestly dont mind paying some to keep the 3rd horse when I feel this good watching them together!
Oh the cold is settling in.. Willie is eating quietly and I'm freezing.. I might have to go inside soon...
Christmas is 2 weeks away and we are not even close to prepared.. Havent bought anyone a darn thing, havent crafted our gift exchange gifts yet and today I just want to sit and be lazy.. Last night was our horse club Christmas Party.. It was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed the social aspect.. Unfortunately dinner was not good.. Derek had prime rib, which I thought was tastey (he reluctantly gave me a bite) but for my chicken dish, I expected a breast, but got a thigh? It was dark meat, fatty with the skin on, no bone, but I actually thought it was kinda nasty! For $30, I expect the best part of the chicken, the white breast... Not the cheap cut.. So I'm dissappointed.. I ate it because I was hungry, but picked it apart pretty good. Which is too bad, cuz I LOVE the location and for dinner/lunch any other time, their food is really good.
Well I think I must head in to the house.. although its not snowing any more, my toes are turning blue.. I will just have to listen for barn kicking instead of watching...
I type that as I sit here on my porch at 9:30am in 40 degree weather, waiting for him to kick the barn! lol I attempted to do this yesterday, spent almost an hour outside in 37 degree weather, just waiting.. But the cold won out yesterday, I am a bit more prepared today. The chains have been working, Willie does not stand and kick the wall anymore.. But he has figured out he can lean into the wall and scrape his leg up/down and still bang it around a bit. So now we are on to option B....
!! Shock Therapy !!
Again, I am feeling more than barbaric, a bit evil.. sitting here almost smiling, waiting for him to misbehave so I can press the magic button. Although he has not kicked the wall yet (the chains have been taken off for this experiment), but he was biting at Edgar a lot as he waited for his breakfast, so I was able to test the little zapper out on that bad behavior. The collar has 1-127 levels, I started on 10, that did nothing, 15, 30, 45, 60.. all did nothing.. But 75 worked JUST FINE! :) I toned it down to 70. I think he was feeling it at probably 60, but not enough.
An now it is snowing!! :)
So I have been stressed about Willie lately but I'm trying to change my perspective so I dont get to the point of giving up. I have to tell myself to work through this.. because I do enjoy riding him. His arena type training is very soft and he's fun to play with in that environment and he always does good out on the trail, better than expected. I figure while he is still young and dumb, he'll just get the chain treatment when he is tied up to the trailer to keep him from kicking and bucking while tied and I'll continue to work on this barn kicking issue and see if we can resolve it. Worst case scenario, he gets more work and is worth more down the road.. right! lol
I have been getting in a lot more riding this winter than normal, its been nice to have a reason to get out. :) It can get so gloomy and rainy that you just dont want to do anything horse related, so having Suzi as a neighbor who's always up for an arena ride, has motivated my behind into getting out almost weekly, if not twice! I am just so darned happy for Edgar and Suzi, she's doing great with him, he is happy and Suzi's friend rode him the other day and got him to lope over and over again.. YEAH! That might seem silly, but Edgar just doesnt lope often, especially under saddle.. I think i've loped him maybe 5 times since I've had him.. seriously! He's awkward getting up into the lope, but he did it, so I'm hopeful now that Suzi can grow with Edgar in the future. What a great match this has been, I honestly dont mind paying some to keep the 3rd horse when I feel this good watching them together!
Oh the cold is settling in.. Willie is eating quietly and I'm freezing.. I might have to go inside soon...
Christmas is 2 weeks away and we are not even close to prepared.. Havent bought anyone a darn thing, havent crafted our gift exchange gifts yet and today I just want to sit and be lazy.. Last night was our horse club Christmas Party.. It was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed the social aspect.. Unfortunately dinner was not good.. Derek had prime rib, which I thought was tastey (he reluctantly gave me a bite) but for my chicken dish, I expected a breast, but got a thigh? It was dark meat, fatty with the skin on, no bone, but I actually thought it was kinda nasty! For $30, I expect the best part of the chicken, the white breast... Not the cheap cut.. So I'm dissappointed.. I ate it because I was hungry, but picked it apart pretty good. Which is too bad, cuz I LOVE the location and for dinner/lunch any other time, their food is really good.
Well I think I must head in to the house.. although its not snowing any more, my toes are turning blue.. I will just have to listen for barn kicking instead of watching...
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