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I'm a big fan of horses. Currently I own five.
See our horse-moving video odyssey! Video originally from knoxnews.com.
Thanks to the experiences that I've had with Drummer, I am also a big fan of Conditioned-Response training, which is taught by the horseman John Lyons. I strive to teach my own horses this method. First, the horse is a horse, and should not be treated like a human. He/she is a horse with a horse's needs and a horse's responses. Second, the horse can be taught through repetition, so that a certain response is given by the application of a certain cue. Through cues and a thorough knowledge of the horse's mindset, a safe, calm relationship with the horse can be reached. I work with give-and-release, with the mindset that a good relationship in the saddle is begun with a good relationship on the ground. Groundwork is a huge part of my training.Eventually, I plan to become a John Lyons Certified trainer.
My chosen equine sport is Competitive Trail Riding, which I do throught the North American Trail Riding Conference. It is a distance sport, with all horse and rider teams completing the same amount of miles within the same window of time. Teams are judged on presentation, readiness, and response to given obstacles. I have competed since 2002, and while I have been on hiatus since 2006 as a serious competitor due to my lack of competition horse, Tessa should be ready to go by next year and we'll hit the trails again. My parents have been a huge factor in my ability to do these rides- Dad and Moochie have safety ridden for dozens of rides, and hopefully next year Mom and Daisy will begin their own competition journey.
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