Jumpin' Jehosophats!

First off, I gotta say, this video (link is posted between photos) made my heart zing. Yes, the old Mort ridin', brush poppin', yee ha Janet of yesteryear's first reaction was, "I want to do that too!"

Then of course, reality set in. Old. Crooked. Shaky. Wrong horses. Wrong Saddle. Wrong country. Oh well.

Look at those cool horses! And the country side! And, and, the mud! Oooh, I want to run in the mud!

You get an idea where this video took me, I haven't used this many exclamation marks since my seventh grade creative writing class.

jumpin' jehosophats!!

The riders are the Ballinagore Harriers from Dublin Ireland. I have watched the video a few times now and I think I'll probably watch it some more. I've got to warn you, I am not screaming "horse abuse" Not even a little.

I don't jump my horses--as in, with an eventing saddles over fences--but I jump logs, downed fences, ditches and so on when I'm out and about. I have scrambled up and down wicked hills and gullies that had my horses sliding on their hocks or sent them to their knees. So I can relate to some of this.

This is what I saw. The horses were calm, willing and forward, even the ones that biffed it. I liked their size, how sturdily built they are, and their matter of fact outlook. They were pretty too.

Their attitude seemed pretty much, "La, la la, another jump, yip!"

The refusals didn't start until after the first horse to struggle with the footing. Were the horses watching? Did the horse in trouble yell, "This footing sucks!" to the ones behind him?

The riders were a mixed lot, but one thing they had in common, confidence in the ability of their horses, which tells me they've tested it.

It seemed clear to me the footing became more treacherous with each leap. I would think the riders would see that, but it didn't appear to be so. It also seemed, the better riders jumped first, the more tentative or off balance were in the back. That's where I saw the most bit snatching and martingale leaning. The horses that weren't given their head...all struggled. Horses with an ill timed whack on the butt ... struggled. Horses with wet bags of sand on them instead of a rider...struggled.

Again, this stuff seemed to happen more, the further down the line we went. So I started to wonder, are the greenies, fearful, untalented (or God help em' all three) pushed to the back? If so, I'd be thinking about that. It means the experienced, talented, confident horses and riders get the good dirt. You know, the riders smart enough to say, "I'm not jumping that, it's churned up  into a slippy slide and a cesspool." Do they jostle to the front to avoid the wreckage caused by the unwashed masses behind them? Does a rider earn their way out of mud flung in their face through skill and experience?

I have no clue, but would like to know.

I saw horses sliding in mud, but I didn't see a lot of trauma, either mentally or physically, to any of them. Except for some mouth snatching and the death grips, which we see on every dude trail in America. It looked like their might be a few sore riders though.

What do you think? Can anybody who knows more about this than me add their thoughts?

This, Not This

The more I think about breeds, crosses, bloodlines that trace back to....the more I, well, keep thinking. 

I guess I have more questions than opinions.

Because I like having a horse bred to do the stuff I want to do. I don't like the genetic weakness that comes with breeding for a specific look or ability. I guess it's that simple.

Same things with dogs. If I need to hunt, be protected, find stuff or herd sheep, well a dog bred help me would be great. 

By choosing to adopt at the pound, my chances of success for a specific test are much smaller. 

Except some of my best dogs have been mutts. 

Here's where my thinking always goes...

I would love to have one of these.

But I definitely don't want one of these.

I have dreams of owning one of these and seeing if it would make as kick butt of a cow horse as I think it would.

Same breed, ew, ew, ew.

I have wanted one of these for years, and I'll be honest, I love the color and the spooky eyes as much as the toughness, intelligence and loyalty.

See what happens when people are attracted to a breed because of it's color? Merle dogs bred with merle dogs can produce deaf and blind puppies. Some are born without eyes.

"Get a mustang," I'm told. "They are smarter, stronger, have better feet and their bloodlines trace back to the barbs that came over with the conquistadors!"
Well heck, if they all look like this Kiger, then let me jump on that boat.

Small problem, 90% of the kiger mustangs I come across look like this.

...then there are other rare gene pools that look like this, and I don't want to ride or clean up after either one of these.

If I wanted a big ass drooly guard dog (I don't) I might look at this.

Unfortunately, since WWII, the dogs have turned into this. I really don't want this.

I could get one of these instead. Smaller, cheaper, longer life span, same concept.

I'll be honest. I like color. I really do. Except I want my Krazy Kolor Choices to look like this.

Not this

I can't imagine having a dog without a  nose.

However, I would send my firstborn to a convent if I could have this Pugahoula.

Last but not least, my own beloved  breed, the Quarter Horse. They have turned into too many different types within the breed. Almost to the point of no return. You can still find sound, good minded, athletic horses within my breed, but there sure is a lot of chaff to wade through before you find the grain. 

This is what I want to ride.

Not this (yawn)

...and never, ever this.

Things I've Learned and What I'm Thinking - Brockle and Protection Work

We mill around, sipping coffee in cardboard cups, laughing and catching up. The dogs are let out of their kennels to stretch their legs and warm up, one by one, or in small groups that are known to get along.

Each dog runs to the "pee spot" and does just that, getting their first praise of the day for peeing where they're supposed to. They weave in and out of the group, receiving praise, pats and friendly greetings.

Brockle, who was so stranger-wary when we first teamed up, now trots up to his favorite treat lady, accepts a kind stroke or a cheery "Hey Brockle" with a happy wag of his tail. He is fired up and ready to rock and roll, but obediently goes to his bed in the back of my car when I call him.

What I've learned:
This first of the morning ritual is important. The dogs all pee at the pee spot because it smells good. When they receive the universal "Good pee!" they are not only learning to pee on command, but starting the day doing things right, just by doing things naturally.

The dogs socialize with their handler, the decoys, the trainers, spouses observers, etc. Everybody is the same, and all people are treated with respect.

What I'm thinking:
Brockle is learning to trust my reactions. If I'm relaxed and social, so is he. So, how much of his anxieties and fears are mirrors of my own? Watching him become a happy, solid, confident dog gives me a surge of peace. His insecurities aren't the only mirrors.

We start the day by bringing Brockle out so HMT and Bianca can check our obedience work. Brockle bounces and grins and turns himself inside out to perform each maneuver. What we lack in precision we make up in enthusiasm. HMT gives me some tips on correcting his crooked sit and Bianca talks to me about what's coming next, the off-leash down stay while another dog works.

What I've learned:
Brockle's bounce won't hurt him during our initial, Basic Handler test. He is young, the road to Schutzhund is long, and the judges will enjoy his enthusiasm. He throws him self into every maneuver like a crazy dog, keeps his eyes on me, and responds with lightening speed. These things are what they want to see.

I am too quiet and not assertive enough when I give my commands.Sigh.

What I'm thinking:
I wiggle inside like my dog does on the outside when my trainer and his wife say "Good job!"

One by one, each dog is brought from kennel or car and works with his handler, and a decoy. The dogs waiting in their kennels for their turn, bark and whine with excitement. Each work out is finished within minutes, sometimes one or two, sometimes five, rarely much longer. This is an experienced, knowledgeable crowd. They watch each dog work with intensity, and discuss what they see, and then ideas for improving the dog, the decoy and or the handler fly fast between them. The teasing, catcalls and harassment wait for the brief down times between dogs. Everybody contributes, everybody learns to take a bite, and those who can, are learning to decoy. Everyone has something to offer. The discussions are lively and I am the greenest in  the group.

What I've learned:

Keep my mouth shut, observe and listen. Think things through, then ask careful questions.


What I'm thinking:

While I don't mind not knowing, I hate being stupid. I want to be worth educating. I wonder why they keep me around.

Brockle and I come out to work. Decoy Jim wants to focus on Brockle's prey drive. HMT agrees and watches from the sidelines. Decoy Jim goes back to the tug, easing the mental pressure on Brockle. He immediately jumps into the game, hitting the end of the leash with authority, barking a loud warning and going in for the bite on the tug.

He fades again like he did last week, sniffing the ground, presenting his profile to the decoy. This week, we're ready for him. The decoy throws the tug, Brockle locks onto it when it lands and begins to bark as the decoy swoops in to pick it up. When he bites, it's without hesitation and he carries the tug in a proud victory lap.

What I've learned:

Through reading about the body language of dogs, I have learned that anxious dogs who want to placate a threat (the decoy) will look away, sniff the ground and otherwise appear distracted.

A dog that is guarding his person will stand lengthwise in front of them, looking out.

When Brockle bites, he is all about defense. He is protecting me and is not seeing this bite work as a game. He barks in a high, nervous yap, and bites with a shallow, front of the mouth bite. This says he's feeling insecure.

What I'm thinking:

Brockle is unsure of his role at this point. He has made it clear he will whomp some butt if the bad guy gets too close, but he's not happy about it. He is trying to placate the decoy.

Brockle is a civilized dog who knows it's wrong to bite people. "Hey man, why don't you settle down, maybe a game of fetch?"

I worry that we're scaring him.

What I've learned:

Brockle's behavior is understandable in a young dog and a surprise only to me. He understands the concept of defense, but not the concept of prey. Once he gets it, he will get into the game.

"Brockle is confused, not afraid," Bianca told me. "He wouldn't have been so happy on the field this morning, while you were working obedience, if he was afraid. He is always eager to come out, a frightened dog wouldn't be.

Brockle is sorting out his job and is telling me what he needs. The Cool K-9's team understands this. Our work-outs are fun, short and to the point. Dogs are encouraged and praised and we always quit on a high note, no matter how small it might be.

What I've learned:
Trust my trainer.

What I'm thinking:
Brockle is thinking too. He's freaking awesome.