One of the lessons Ace taught me back in the fall when we were starting under saddle is that he doesn’t like to feel pressured. I was asking too much at first, go forward, be energetic, stay straight, bend on the turns. And it was just too much for my horse who had been standing in a pasture for two years. He taught me that I needed to just focus on one thing at a time. And when I did, everything else started falling into place, too.
When we finally started …

I got some really wonderful suggestions on show names for Ace from all of you, my wonderful readers. I’m glad you are so creative, because you came up with tons of ideas that I just loved (and never would have thought of myself). I haven’t made my final decision yet, though, because I wanted to get your input first! (I do have some favorites)
Here’s a complete list of your suggestions:
Aces Wild
Ace Of Hearts
Winning Ace
Chocolate Ace
Acential (Acesential/Essential)
Aces High
Ace of Spades
Ascension
Aced
Aces
Graceful
CyberspAce
Innerspace
Ace of Swords
Flying Ace
Hidden Ace
Outer Space
Bay Ace
Brown Ace
Decor Ace
Sturdy Brace
Charming Ace
Loyal Ace
Gambler’s …

We all do it, all us horsewomen bloggers have to talk about our horse’s manure habits from time to time. And after reading quite a few poo posts, I can’t believe I’m giving in and doing one of my own. I never thought that would happen on my blog. But here it is …
I’ve gotten up close and personal with Ace’s poop this week, as Dave and Tracie are on vacation and I’m responsible for animal care while they are gone. Sure I’ve cleaned his stall before, but it hasn’t …

It sure didn’t take long for me to figure out that when Ace is unsure of something, he goes backwards. What’s that stuff you’re putting on my feet? He backs up. Why are you putting pressure on my throatlatch? He backs up. What is that stuff you’re spraying me with? He backs up.
He definitely has an overdeveloped backing mechanism. (Is there a way to install the “beep” that comes from a large truck when it goes into reverse on a horse? I think Ace needs one of those.)
I’ve also discovered …

These first few days of horse ownership have been riddled with conversation surrounding Ace’s training. More specifically, how quickly he learns and how willing he is to try even when he doesn’t know what you want. I’ve used some of the Parelli basics to direct our groundwork; work on desensitizing, establishing myself as the boss, yielding to pressure, and building blocks for lunging. I’ve been so impressed with how well he has picked up – and remembered – the “games” after just a few sessions. Ace is one smart cookie …