#mounted shooting

[prettylittleproblem]

[scribblez09]

"Icon"

Acrylic on 36" x 60" panel - $2,000

Like the legend that she is, the lady gunslinger remains an icon...

Like this artwork and want to purchase the original or a print? Head to my website here: Cortney Elznic Art

[skippylynn]

Cowboyfest, Ruidoso 2021

[all-the-horses]

Bojangles Midnight Blaze

By Mr. Bojangles Jr.

Spotted Saddle Horse, Mare

15hh

Born 2005

[convoswithmyhorse]

Trainer:now slow down to the trot

Horse 1:what if I just canter really really slowely?

Horse 2:OK LETS TROT FAST TROT THIS IS FUN FAST FAST FAST TROT TROT TROT

[mesacollie]

Today we did something a little different. Instead of riding out into the desert, we did a neighborhood ride. Slower paced, but with a lot of mental challenges. We went out with the same partner as yesterday, along with a third horse.

LOTS of new things for Sierra to get exposed to. Roughest part was one road we went down, where a guy was working on his roof with a nailgun and NONE of the horses were happy about that. Lots of popping-banging sounds in rapid succession, then pausing, only to resume again at random intervals. They all kinda freaked out, but we survived and made it through (we took an alternate route to avoid that street on the way back).

But she also got to see bicyclists, side-by-sides, strange horses on other properties, traffic going by along the road, pens full of goats and chickens, and lots of barking dogs. She was a little nervous about some of it, but managed to keep it together for the most part (except that nailgun guy).

So, while not a scenic or placid trail ride, it was a good training ride! She's handling it pretty well for a green baby!

We also signed up for an Intro to Mounted Shooting clinic next month. They've been running these here for several years and, thus far, all the horses that have tried it have ended the day being able to shoot off of them. We'll see how she does. If it looks like it's going badly, we can always tap out. I don't have any plans to actually compete in mounted shooting, but I figure we'll expose her to lots of things like this while she's young and try to get her a solid foundation in Weird Stuff. And hey, it might be fun once in a while to do this anyway!

[mesacollie]

Miss Sierra did pretty well today at our intro to mounted shooting clinic. Better than I anticipated, actually!

Today we worked primarily from the ground, until we tapped out in the heat (it's 107F today).

We weren't sure how she was going to handle it, since she can be a little reactive sometimes.

In mounted shooting, it's single-action revolvers and you're not firing live rounds. It's just black powder loads, which is a little loud and makes a lot of smoke.

She was a little jumpy at first, but didn't bolt or have a complete meltdown. And as the shooting became more repetitive, she settled down and reacted a lot less. She would get a little startled when it started back up again, but by the end of our session, she was pretty chill about it. No broken lead ropes today, ha. The last round of shooting, she just stood there and kept nibbling on my shirt.

Since I had to drop out on account of the heat, they're going to let me come back early in the morning tomorrow to do the mounted portion before they do their group practice. Hopefully it goes as well tomorrow!

Also, on a side note, someone noticed and recognized my Fallout tailbag!! One of the riders who hauled in from outside our barn to join the clinic saw it and immediately commented on it! Thrilled to find a fellow Fallout fan and horse person!

[all-the-horses]

TNT Rapped in Gold

MR Moon Luck x Rap a Riker

Quarter Horse, Gelding

15.3hh

Born 1999