Something very exciting happened at the Morrison Farm this weekend! I hosted our farms first ever Horse Camp! Organizing a horse day camp has long been a dream of mine! This week I got to fulfill that dream and share my horses with 29 kiddo campers! 

I am super excited to share what hosting a horse camp taught me, but first let me tell you a little bit about what went on at horse camp!

A big thanks to all the campers & to the awesome volunteers!

A Run Through of the Week 

Kids ages 7-12 were invited to sign up for camp. The attending campers got a t-shirt and four fun days of horse riding and activities! The campers were divided into three groups by age and experience. Each group rotated going to three stations: Riding, Crafts, and Hands On Learning. With a fun group activity in the afternoon. Students brought their own lunch as the camp was from 9:00am – 2:30pm.  

The campers learned correct riding position, balancing bean bags on their heads for posture, how to que the horse to stop, go, and backup, and got to weave their horse through the poles to practice turning. The last day of camp, they got to put everything they learned into practice by going through a horse obstacle course!

This game helped the campers learn the ques and practice having soft hands!

In crafts the campers made horse treats, horse collage posters, hand scrub, and a horseshoe picture frame. Learning horse markings and coat colors, the campers had a fun magazine scavenger hunt too!

During Hands On Learning they learned how to tack up and groom their horse. They got to braid their horse’s mane & tail as well as learn the basic body parts of a horse and basic horse care skills. I was surprised that so many students were really excited about learning how to tack up- it is something they really wanted to learn!

From horse relays and water games, to a hayride and painting the horses, the campers really got to have fun participating in the group activities. All the campers demonstrated patience and attentiveness that helped make the week run smoothly!

What Horse Camp Taught Me!

Horse Camp taught me a lot about my horses, kids in general, and myself!

• I learned to have faith in others (and my horses)! -This week I had to lean on others for help, and what great help I got! I was reminded what people can do when they come together with a purpose! I especially had to have faith in my horses, I worked with them a lot and prayed nothing would go wrong…. and nothing did. My horses did a great job around all the noisy, moving people!
• That things don’t always go was planned. -With kids this is always the case. My plans got changed, twisted, and some of them even got throw out the window, and that’s okay! I was reminded that being flexible is not only important, but that it’s not a bad thing for plans to change.
• I was reminded how fun kids are! I have lots of little siblings, yet children never cease to surprise me! You are sure to have a good laugh when hanging around kids; they make ya want to smile, scold them, and yawn all at the same time!
• I saw how much joy horses can bring! -There is just something about horses that draws us to them. This week I got to spread that horsey joy to others!

Hosting Horse Camp took lots of work; planning activities, buying supplies, getting the horses ready, however; the camp was an overall blast and I think that the campers that attended feel the same way! Seeing the joy that horses can bring to others was very inspiring and it made me want to share my horses with more people! *And encourage others to do the same! I am not saying you need to have a horse summer camp too, but how can you share the joy horses bring? I would love to help inspire you on how exactly to do that, so my next few posts will be on that topic!*

Tails & trails,

Reese

Did you know that one year ago today I posted my first blog post! Looking back it’s been one wild year, filled with ups, downs, masks, and quarantines! But it has also been a wonderful year of growth for my one year old blog and for me personally as an equestrian & horse owner! In celebration of this anniversary and in recognition of the trial filled year we have all had, I decided to commemorate today by giving a shout out to the awesome blogs & online equestrians I have gotten to discover this past year! I hope you find these fellow horse lovers and their products & blogs as helpful and beneficial as I have! 

Savvy Horsewoman Headquarters    

Savvy Horsewoman HQ is an awesome resource for any online horse owner who loves taking online courses and tutorials! Including a video course library and access to multiple eBooks, the monthly membership fee is worth all the knowledge and guidance you can get from Savvy Horsewoman HQ! New courses added monthly; make sure to check out this great resource and try my favorite course so far, Equine Emotional Motivation! 

The Backyard Horse Blog  

I thoroughly enjoy reading The Backyard Horse Blog’s posts! I get excited when I see this blog’s notifications in my inbox! Relatable, informative, and friendly, this journey of Horse Owner & her two equines, Bear & Shiloh, is a joy to follow along! The Backyard Horse Blog’s author might be a newish blogger like me, but she is certainly an accomplished writer with her articles appearing in Equus Magazine, The Horse Magazine, The Plaid Blog, and Horse Nation. Be sure to follow along as this backyard horse owner “liv[es] the dream and reality of keeping horses at home.” 

My Happy Lesson Riding Binder    

As mentioned in my last post, I am now an affiliate of the My Happy Lesson Riding Binder! This PDF printable can be used and enjoyed by any lesson taking equestrian! For any discipline or age, one of the things I love about this product is the customization it provides. Because it is in PDF form you can print or not print the pages you need, pick your cover photo, and really customize this riding journal guide to all your needs and goals! Read more about this super duper product here! 

The Flaxen Filly                          

The Flaxen Filly, named after the author’s mare UC Fascinatin’ Rythum, is an informative and fun blog featuring all things horse! Equestrian Moms with horse loving’ kids will really appreciate this site and all the information it has to offer about horse riding lessons, kids holiday gift guides, and stable/boarding management! Be sure to stop by this user friendly and exciting blog! 

Blanket Safe                                      

Blanket safe is an equestrian service offering soaps & washes for horse & pet products! Their soaps, washes, and deodorizers contain no harsh chemicals or detergents. Their products safely wash all your barn laundry with awesome results! Check out the Blanket Safe website & blog for some astonishing before and after shots! I have yet to buy from Blanket Safe, but I also have yet to hear a bad review about their product! If you wash your blankets, tack, or any barn laundry and haven’t used Blanket Safe, you should totally give it a try! 

Saddle Seeks Horse  

Saddle Seeks Horse was one of the first blogs I ever followed! I really enjoy following the journey of Susan & Knight! This blog not only shares horsey knowledge, but also keeps you busy with product reviews, interviews, equestrian getaways, and book reviews! Susan is super friendly and readily answers any emails you send her! *that’s been my experience!* She has also written two horse centered books that you should definitely check out on her blog! 

Saddle & Sage                           

Saddle & Sage is the ultimate horse lovers one stop shop! Featuring a blog, an awesome list of equestrian product finds, and horsy merchandise you can purchase right on the site! Mugs, t-shirts, and hoodies galore, Saddle & Sage offers merchandise for any equine lover! The list of recommended products/brands and the Gift Guide features grooming tools, leather care products, horse subscription boxes, and tack from companies big & small! You’re sure to find the perfect gift or self-pamper product for both you and your horse at Saddle & Sage!

Max & I showing off some Morrison Family Farms Merch! Photo taken by Kenzie!

Sharing is caring! I am so happy to share all of these practical and insightful blogs, products, and resources with you! I hope you take the time to check each one of them out, and if you do be sure to let me know in the comments or email me! 

*Disclaimer- All information on horsesoftheozarkhills.com is published for general information purposes only. Horses of the Ozark Hills makes no guaranties about the accuracy or reliability of this information. I strive to provide quality links to external sites, however; I have no control of the content or appeal of these sites.* 

Tails & trails, 

Reese 

1. Recognizing the wound 

As I was bringing Phoenix into his paddock the other morning, I noticed a piece of brown hanging on his lower leg, right above his hoof. With more inspection, I saw that he must have cut himself and that a piece of flesh was dangling on. My horse’s have definitely had cuts before, but not one like this. As I pondered what I should do. I realised I didn’t really know how to dress a horse wound.  Looking back now, I see that I had already completed the first step: recognizing the wound. 

2. Assess the wound & stop bleeding 

My dad is a doctor so naturally I came to him for help. He assessed the wound, which was shallow and not bleeding. Then he removed the piece of flesh, this caused some bleeding. Pressure wasn’t working to stop the bleeding, so we had to cauterize the wound. 

Step two was complete, we had assessed the wound. Especially note it’s location and maybe even taken a picture for documentation purposes or to send to your vet. We had also stopped the bleeding. 

How to stop the bleeding: Apply pressure to the wound using a lint free cloth, paper towel, or gauze. Hold the pressure for several minutes. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, call your veterinarian. 

3. Clean wound & bandage if necessary 

Once that was done, there was the question of whether to bandage it or not? We decided that because the wound had been cauterized that bandaging it was necessary to keep the cut arteries from opening back up.  We had to go to the store to get horse wrap. *I know we had some in the house, the question was where?* With the help of my father I flushed out the wound using wound care spray and then put some gauze on it and wrapped it in blue camo horse wrap. *Tip: use bright colored wrap so you can see the bandage when the horse is out in the pasture.* 

Before you bandage the cut, clean the wound. I used wound care spray to flush out any debris and kill any bacteria. You could use a Betadine or Iodine solution, but make sure to clean the wound with cold water *do not spray water, putting pressure on the wound* before you apply these solutions.

After the wound is clean, you can bandage it if you choose. You will need gauze and horse wrap. Holding the gauze in place, begin wrapping the bandage around the wound. After several wraps, use scissors to cut the wrap and press it down to secure it into place. 

Phoenix styling his blue camo horse wrap!

To bandage or not to bandage? Whether you bandage the wound or not depends entirely on the wound. Bandages help to keep the wound clean and unirritated, however; in some cases a bandage can put pressure and friction on the wound, drawing out the healing process. In general, bandage wounds below or at the knee/hock. These wounds can get easily irritated by grass and dirt, while higher up wounds stay clearer and tend to heal well on their own thus they don’t need to be bandaged. Also consider the depth of the wound. Shallow wounds will scab over and don’t need bandaging. Deep wounds that penetrate all skin layers do not scab over and are easily infected, so bandage deep wounds.

4. Do I need to call the vet? 

The farrier was coming the next day, so we waited to get his opinion. Because of the wound’s location, my farrier didn’t shoe him and recommended that Phoenix not be ridden for awhile. He also suggested removing the bandage in a few days to allow the wound to get oxygen and heal. To keep it clean and healing nicely, I was told to daily: clean it out with wound care spray, apply Vaseline to keep the wound moist & clean, and to apply roll on fly spray around the cut to keep the flies away. 

Whether you call the vet or not is entirely up to you. When a joint, ligament, or bone is involved it might be best to call the vet to prevent further damage. Second opinions are always nice; shoot your vet, farrier, or trusted horse friend a pic to see what they think. If you think your horse might need antibiotics or a tetanus shot, call your vet and ask. For me, having a professional opinion and knowing that I am doing the right thing for my horse is comforting. 

5. Follow up care 

Don’t stop at dressing the wound. Keep an eye on the wound and clean it daily to help promote good healing. Re-bandage the wound as necessary if needed, cleaning the wound out each time before re-wrapping.  If you didn’t bandage the wound, clean it out daily and put fly spray around it to keep the flies off it in the summer. Consider putting Vaseline or bag balm on the wound periodically to keep it clean and moist. 

Phoenix’s wound after it’s daily dose of wound care spray, Vaseline, & roll on fly spray.

Every horse owner will at some point need to know how to dress a wound. Being prepared and knowing what to do when injury does come is important. Remember that each wound is different and that these steps are not all inclusive for every situation. But hopefully this post helped to better prepare you! *Ever had to dress a horse wound? Any wound care tips you would like to share? Let me know in the comments!*

Tails & trails, 

Reese 

The training of my Halflinger trio has come to a semi-halt with how busy I have been recently. I am waiting to officially began training until I can devote myself to them everyday at the same time. (Basically when volleyball season gets over, for those of you who don’t know, I am in highschool!)

A cute pic of Rosemary!

Meanwhile, I have really gotten to know these super sweet horses. Seeing them always brightens by day! I am getting these gals used to me, rubbing them and brushing them often. I want them to be totally comfortable around me to make the training run smoothly. I love to watch them prance around and play! They are soooo curious about everything and love exploring, which is why I figured they would LOVE the hay ball I got them! When the hay ball was given to my other horses, they nudged it and gave up, the Haflingers; however, welcomed the challenge to get all the hay out! They have totally figured the thing out, rolling it all over the pasture and pushing it up against the fence & each other so they can get every bite out of it!

I found out about this slow feeder-hay ball at https://horsesandheels.com/hay-ball-slow-feeder/ It is durable and the bright color makes it so fun!

Finally, I have an exciting announcement as to what exactly I am training my Haflinger’s to do- pull a carriage for weddings on our farm! Rosemary and Jasmine are going to be my team of carriage pulling ponies!

My parents and I recently purchased the carriage and harnesses. The carriage is perfect, just what I had in mind! The red plush seats make a beautiful contrast to the white exterior. The lanterns and adjustable canopy add some detail. The carriage and harnesses are just waiting in the barn to be used!

I am super duper excited for Jasmine and Rosemary to pull the carriage and I have really come to LOVE these two and Princess! As the training process begins, I will keep you all posted as to how things go and the methods I use- can’t wait to share this experience with you guys!

Tails & trails,

Reese

More horsy posts: Training the Haflinger’s- Follow Me!

Flies are just part of summer. They plague our horses, buzzing around their face and biting their body. As horse owners it is our responsibility to make sure our horses live a comfortable life, thus fighting flies becomes our job in summer. Like anyone, we want to do our job as effectively and efficiently as possible. This begs the question how best to fight the flies? 

Starting my own horse blog has been wonderful because I get to learn about how other equestrians care for their horses. So as I explored the online equestrian world the words “fly mask” kept reappearing. I have long known what a fly mask is, yet I have never used one on my horses, only seen them in use on horses I do not own. So when my awesome friend and her family came down to look at my new horses they noticed the pesky flies and asked why I didn’t used fly masks. I honestly didn’t have an answer. I just knew that I didn’t use any fly masks, having my horses on full time pasture I was afraid they would get lost or broken. *Has your horse ever lost or broken a fly mask?* I want to do what’s best for my horses thus I decided to do some research on fly masks; do my horses really need fly masks?  

What does a fly mask do?

Dr. Timothy Gibb, Clinical Professor at Purdue Agricultural University in Indiana quote from countryandstable.com explains very well what a fly mask does, “Fly masks are used to relieve the stress that a horse deals with when continually fighting flies – primarily the face fly. Face flies are persistent and annoying while they feed around the eyes and nose of horses. They are capable of transmitting eye-worm to horses but this is not common. The mask simply acts as a physical barrier between the horse and the flies.” Face flies especially are attracted to the moisture of the horse’s eyes and nostrils, they become an uncomfortable nuisance your horse can do nothing about. Which is the main purpose of a fly mask: a physical barrier between your horse and the flies. 

Does your horse need a fly mask? 

Horses were made to live in the wild. Their long tails and quick muscles are their main defences against flies. And while flies can transfer disease, which is very uncommon, they are basically an annoyance to your horse. In other words, your horse can live without a fly mask. 

Wearing a fly mask and/or fly sheet can benefit some horses more than others. Horses that suffer from “flies in the eyes” or runny eyes will be very glad to have a physical barrier between them and the bugs. Some fly masks and sheets also have UV light and sun protection for the horse that is susceptible to burn in the sun. Other horses; however, can tolerate moderate insects on them and are perfectly fine swishing their tail at the flies as they graze in the pasture. I took some time to watch my horses in their pasture to see how uncomfortable the flies made them. I did see some tail swinging and body shaking; nevertheless, I didn’t see vigorous tail movement and intense stomping which tells me that my horses are fine without a fly sheet. 

While horses can live without fly sheets and masks, my job as a horse owner is to make sure my horse lives a comfortable life. Flies do bother horses, they can bring disease and inflammation to your horse, so some precaution should be taken against the bugs. 

That is why I use fly spray, to deter the flies. Fly spray takes daily appliances, and for the most part does its job. Some fly spray works better than others. I use Endure Roll On for my horses’ faces, and it seems to work pretty well. 

Phoenix is ready for his fly spray application!

Whether you use fly spray or a fly mask, your goal as a horse owner is the same. I think it all comes down to preference. Both fly spray and fly masks can do the job to deter the flies. So as long as fly spray does it’s job I will continue to use it to protect my horses from the flies. 

Other Ways to Deter the Flies

Fly masks and fly spray are not the only precaution against insects you can take. There are some really easy things you can do to keep the bugs at bay. 

• Keeping paddocks and stalls clean and free of manure will discourage the flies from hanging around your barn. 

• Open water is a breeding ground for bugs. Keep your toughs clean and try to get rid of any unnecessary standing water.  

There are numerous ways equestrians can protect their horse’s from the flies and ensure that their horse lives a comfortable life. *How do you defend against the flies?*

Tails & trails, 

Reese 

Some sources I used to help write this post!

What Does a Fly Mask Do & Do You Need One?

https://info.mannapro.com/equine/flymasks18

Does Your Horse Need a Fly Mask or Fly Sheet?

I step out the backdoor. Greeted by Zeus the dog, I carry a bucket of milk replacer to the tack house as I walk through the yard. A tractor is parked on the front lawn. A faint breeze blows past, taking in a whiff of air, I can smell I’m on a farm alright. I close my eyes and listen to the rustle of chickens, the mooing of cows, and the sign of a horse. Looking out over the land, I see fields of grass, littered with hay bales in early summer, and a glistening pond just down the hill. Opening the door to the tack house, I smell leather and grain as I grab another bucket and head out to the pasture. “Hey boys!” I call out to my horses waiting for me at the gate. I let them into the dry lot, give em some sweet grain and move on to the next pasture. Greeted by two horses and my bottle calf Ruby, I give Chestnut some grain and lead Penny and Ruby through the gate. I give em their breakfast, allowing my only gal horse and her little shadow to eat unhindered. Then I stroll back to the tack house, Zeus at my side to remake Penny’s mush grain and head back in the house. I sign with pleasure cause I have just finished my morning chore routine. 

Looking back, I realize how far I have come. 2ish years ago I was having trouble remembering to do my chores, I had forgotten to collect the eggs and was frustrated cause my horses wouldn’t come up when called. Now I enjoy my routine, it’s not always flawless and sometimes I run a little behind schedule, much to my horses dismay, but I am glad my hard work has paid off. And it was hard to get responsible. To realize that these animals were placed in my care, their life in my hands. Cause if I didn’t care for them no one would, it is my job. But I couldn’t be more thankful for what these daily chores have taught me: responsibility. 

What is responsibility? I am not sure about the dictionary definition, but I view responsibility as not only holding oneself accountable, but taking action as well. In other words, responsibility is a combination of self-accountability and perseverance. Because being responsible takes both of these. Doing my farm chores takes both of these. 

Ruby is hungry!

Making sure my animals, five horses, some chickens, and the occasional bottle calf, not only stay alive, but thrive is my job. I don’t get paid for it in money, I get something much better, a life skill that will stay with me forever. 

Becoming responsible took some work. First I had to hold myself accountable, with my horses this wasn’t that hard, I loved em and wanted to care for them. But with collecting the eggs daily, that took some rotten eggs and the realization that wasted eggs equals wasted money to get me to be accountable for doing my daily chore. I started to feel mad at myself and guilty if I forgot to collect the eggs, which was good because I was keeping myself accountable. But that was only one piece to the equation; responsibility takes perseverance too! 

More horsey posts: How Horses Benefit from Chickens!

So I decided on a routine to do and picked a time to do it. And while the routine has changed a little and the time I do it has shifted since when I first decided upon it, the overall concept has not. I feed my horses in the morning and then again in the evening, collecting the eggs after the evening horse feeding. It took strong self-accountability and perseverance, some reminders from my alarm clock and family, but now it seems like at five o’clock in the afternoon there is only one thing I should be doing and that’s feeding my horses! 

My boys waiting to be let out on Pasture for the night.

Living on a farm has taught me numerous life skills like: how to weld, how to deal with unexpected problems, the importance of a team, and on and on. But the one thing my farm experience has taught me and continues to teach me, is responsibility. Having a living animal depend on you really forces responsibility. I had and still have to keep myself accountable and be persistent in my daily routine. And I am so thankful that I was raised on a farm and got the opportunity to learn how to be responsible. 

The lesson of responsibility was a hard learned one, but I am so glad I learned it! Hopefully you can be encouraged today to press on and take responsibility for your horse(s)!

Tails & trails, 

Reese 

As much as I don’t like to admit my failure, about 28 days ago I failed to collect the eggs for a few days. We have a rooster in our coop so all our eggs have the potential of becoming chicks- IF the mamma hen does her job and sits on the eggs, keeping them warm and allowing the baby chicks to grow. My hens don’t normally sit on their eggs, but when I finally came into the coop to collect the eggs (with the intention of throwing them away because they were probably rotten) I encountered two hens sitting on their group of eggs. I decided that it wouldn’t hurt to wait till tomorrow and see if the hens were still there. They were…and they stayed there everyday! I collected the eggs they were not on and counted down the days. If there were chicks on those eggs they should hatch in 28 days!

Over 28 days later, once again I was thinking I was gonna have a lot of rotten eggs to discard (this isn’t the first time we have let the eggs be and hoped for chicks). But instead I found 2 little chicks who had just entered the world peeping at me from under their mother! What a surprise! It worked! Our chickens naturally reproduced with no human intervention. 

So now everyday as I collect the eggs, I also get to watch the little chicks grow and be taken care of by their mother. The tiny ball of fluff just followers her mother around peeping as she goes. Seeing the little chick snuggle up against her mother, I couldn’t help but think about a verse in the Bible from Psalms. Now I truly understand this beautiful picture of Our Father caring for us, and the picture of trusting in Him, just like how my new little chicks do! 

“He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust..”

Psalm 91:4

If you’re interested in more horsey tips, topics, and blogs, check out my Pinterest Board for BACKYARD HORSE OWNERS! Where you can find out about all things horse, help encourage fellow horse owners, and connect with other equestrian bloggers! A board for all horse owners, if your interested follow the board on Pinterest and get all the latest updates & pins OR reply to this email for an invite and Share & Pin your favorite horse related pins to this board!

Tails & trails,

Reese

It’s been awhile since my last update on the Haflinger’s training. If you’re following me on Instagram you are probably more up-to-date. I am proud to report that Rosemary & Jasmine can stand tied, be groomed, lunge, and wear a saddle, saddle pad, and bit! They have come such a long way from the halter broke horses I first met. Training these horses has required lots of work, diligence, devotion, and help from my sisters, but its all been worth it!

These are the first horses I have trained, so I am learning my methods as my horses do! I have already posted about leading, but today I want to share some training tips I have learned over the past three weeks of training the Haflingers.

Just Roll With It!

As I look back at these last few weeks of training, I realize just how much I just went with it! Being prepared with a step by step plan is important, but sometimes you have to go with the flow! One such example was teaching the Haflingers to stand while tied. I had done my research and had a planned method, but as I stood between the post and the horse I realized that the tool I needed was just a little ways away on the ground. Looping the lead rope around the pole, I kept one hand on the lead rope and with the other reached for the tool. The pressure from my forward pull caused the horse to take a step toward the pole, releasing the pressure. So instead of using my planned method, I spent that training session just going with this new method. I kept the rope wrapped around the pole while I brushed the horse, every time she took a step back I applied light pressure to the rope encouraging her to step forward, toward the pole, to relieve the pressure. This method worked very well for both horses, and I felt that it was a good experience for them, nothing like the fight with the pole kinda thing I had imagined.

More Horsy Posts: Training the Haflinger’s: Follow Me

You Gotta Have Help!

I could not have taught Rosemary and Jasmine without help from my siblings. Being on a strict dead line, I have to train no matter the weather. Through chilly wind and cold rain, my siblings have taken time out of their day to help me. With lunging, I defiantly needed an assistant to guide the horse in a circle, keeping them from turning in, while I stood in the center issuing commands.

My sis Quinn helping me lunge Rosemary!

They held both horses as I put the saddle pad, saddle, and finally bridle on each horse for the first time! (Please note I did not put all of those on at the same time, but introduced them to the horse slowly over a few day period.) Tacking up for the first time went much better than expected, no bucking or bolting. The Haflingers stayed true to the gentle and curious disposition of their breed and accepted the new tack with no problems! Much to my surprise!

While the Haflingers are fully used to their tack, I have not ridden them yet. For now the tack’s job is to get the horse used to weight and pressure on their back so that when I put their harnesses on the feeling isn’t totally new to them.

Training A Horse Takes Devotion

I train the Haflingers everyday, except Friday, at the same time. And often twice a day on Saturdays. Having never done this before, I have to take time to plan my training session. All this to say, training a horse takes time, but is worth it!

I still have training to do! I have just begun teaching them the ground driving basics! Yet it’s some of the best time of my day! I have really gotten to love these horses and to know their personalities! And I can’t wait to see them pulling the carriage! Speaking of which, our first debut will be in our small town Christmas parade! Stay tuned for that!

Tails & trails,

Reese

I have some exciting news to share- my horse family has gained three new members! 

They get their friendly spirit and curiosity from their Haflinger heritage, and their short stature from the tad of Welsh Pony in their blood. These three new additions are related, a mother and two daughters. I am so glad I get to introduce you to my new horses!

Rosemary 

The mother of the other two, this 10 year old horse is a friendly sweetheart, very curious about what’s around her.

Jasmine 

The only feature that distinguishes her from her mother is the slight waviness of her mane! The older sister, around 2 and a half, Jasmine has her mother’s sweet heart. 

Princess

With one look I knew I would love this horse. She was so loving and came right up to me when we first met. I then discovered that as a foal Princess injured her eye, thus only having vision in one eye. I felt sorry for Princess, but I also realized that that makes her unique and thus even more beautiful! 

ABOUT THE HLAFLINGER BREED 

Rosemary, Jasmine, and Princess are not fully Halflinger; however, they have the Halflinger personality! I had not heard of Halflingers before I looked into buying these three, but what a fascinating breed to discover! Here’s some neat things I learned about the Haflinger breed!

Very Intelligent 

Able to learn new skills incredibly fast, the Halflinger has an overall above average intelligence. This makes them very curious by nature and willing to learn. 

Traceable Lineage 

All purebred Haflingers can trace their lineage back to one stallion named Folie, who was an Arabian- mountain pony cross. The Haflinger Breed has been around since medieval times, the small statue and stoutness of the new breed was perfect for navigating the mountain trails of Austria and Northern Italy. (halflingerhorse.com)

Come in One Color 

Extensive line breeding has caused this breed to stay uniform in look, having a Chestnut coat and white or flaxen mane & tail. Haflingers are known and loved for their appearance. (Out of the three, Princess looks the most like a pure Halflinger.)

Horse’s not Ponies! 

Contrary to their size and mountain pony origins, Halflingers are classified as horses. They can be found all over the world taking part in dressage, jumping, vaulting, packing, western, CED, hitch work, therapeutic programs, pleasure driving, and more- don’t be fooled by their size, these horses are very strong and athletic. 

I was stoked for the opportunity to get to care for these horses; however, they’re gonna take a lot of work because they are only halter and lead broke. They have been around people, but have never been ridden. As daunting as that task is, it is very exciting as well. And with determination, hard work, and lots of help and support from friends & family, I think I can train these horses well. My prayer is that these horses could bring smiles to people’s faces and that their amiable spirit and majesty would glorify their Creator. 

Tails & trails,

Reese

You may know that the 3 newest additions to my horse family are unbroken. So it is up to me to train these horses. I get the responsibility of establishing a foundation for them to build upon. I have never trained a horse before and am super excited and a little nervous to take on this responsibility. I plan on sharing my experience on this blog. I am not a professional, but I hope that by following along you learn something new and get inspired to connect with your own equine. 

Not only am I encouraging you to follow me on this journey, but I am currently teaching the haflingers to follow me!

 First Steps 

Princess is learning to be led.

It is very important that a horse has good ground manners and can be properly led. A well trained horse should match the gait of their leader, keeping their head at their shoulder. Princess, Jasmine, and Rosemary are catching on fast as I teach them to be led. To help reinforce the pressure the halter gives and to get them to move their hind end, I used a lasso around their hindquarters, putting pressure there when I asked them to move forward. I used this video made by a horse-loving friend of mine as a reference. I will continue to teach them how to be led and am going to add in some barrels or cones to lead around. I want to establish a strong foundation of groundwork for these horses. Which is also why I am keeping track of all the training I do with them. 

More horsey posts: Lessons From a Farm Girl- Responsibility

Goals & Training Journal 

Whenever you have something that you want to accomplish, it is important to set clear goals for yourself and document them. That is why I am not only blogging about training my horses, but why I am also keeping my own progress journal to keep a concise and detailed record of the training process. This is also important because I am training three different horses at the same time. Each horse is different and will learn at their own pace. Princess will  need special attention because she only has one eye. She is such a sweet horse and I am excited to see how she does! 

After each session I will record the progress made and the work that still needs to be down as well as what I did in the training session. I made a column for each horse so that I can keep track of their individual progress. 

Whether you are training your horse or simply working in your own backyard, keeping a written record of your goals and progress is always a good idea. I have never had a progress journal before, but I am looking forward to writing in mine. *And to think years from now I will get to look back and see how far my horses and I have come!* 

I am super excited for you to join me on my horse training journey and I hope you will subscribe and tag along as I blog about getting to train these amazing haflingers!!

Tails & trails,

Reese