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Kathy and Sha
- Nov 27, 2021
The Gauntlet-As told by Sharon
The best Christmas tradition in our family is our joy of "making"! Our earliest Christmas presents were made by our Mom and the days on our "Days to Christmas Calendar" was packed with things to do and make. Each day we couldn't wait to see what our activity would be. Setting up decorations around the house and the tree were of course majorly exciting, but there were baking and making days as well. Which pretty much explains our love of the holiday and why, most years, we co
Kathy Troxler
- Jul 27, 2017
Water...and other scary things!
The basics of training calm forward connections in the long lines!
Kathy Troxler
- May 23, 2017
Hero and Sharon
Sharon's visit this month was all about taking Hero to a show. But because my sister really "gets" horse training, it wasn't actually about how Hero would place in classes. It wasn't actually about being in a class at all (although that is one of the goals). It was about getting Hero comfortable in an environment that Sharon hopes to spend a lot of time in. Making the entire experience one that Hero feels was a positive one and one in which he felt he "rocked his job"! Becaus
Kathy Troxler
- Oct 10, 2014
Starting Vinny!
I've been lax on posting new material this week. And there are three reasons! The first is that Mike and I have both been working a lot of horses and still haven't really found a way to to work one and take pictures or video at the same time. The second is that once we get some really nice video, there's processing time to make it ready to post. I've learned that it's not hard to to, but as with horse training, when "rendering" and "uploading"...it takes as long as it take!
Kathy Troxler
- Sep 14, 2014
Horse Trainers Labor Day Weekend... Saturday, A Day of Firsts!
Day One....Saturday.... #HorseTraining #TeamTroxlerTraining #teamtrox
Kathy Troxler
- Sep 11, 2014
Moochie's Solo...and my first video editing project!
A rainy day, so perfect to learn a new skill...video editing. Mike has taught me just enough to be dangerous. While this isn't nearly the quality of a "Michael Troxler Multi Media" production...I shot it and edited 95% of it myself! When he got in from the barn today, poor guy had to immediately sit down and review my work, then explain some of the finer points of editing in Premier...like how to zoom in to the work area on my timeline for starters! Then I learned how to do "
Kathy Troxler
- Sep 7, 2014
Putting on a Bridle-Jet
This is simply a series of photos showing my hand and arm positions while putting a snaffle on a youngster. At this point in his training, Jett's worn a bit once or twice but could still be quite evasive! For a "first time" project, I would leave the halter on and just put the bridle on over. Note that with this training bridle set up, the cavesson (noseband) piece is separate from the bridle. I've put it on his face first. Once again, if this were his first time, I would jus
Kathy Troxler
- Sep 2, 2014
Second Installment of Chronicles of Z
Last Monday, I introduced Monica and Zenith! We delivered him to her scenic place in Deansboro on May 12th, and took some pictures and then headed home! May 12, 2012 Dear Mike and Kathy, My neighbor makes me crazy!! My new horse is settling in nicely, when what does my neighbor do? He decides, after 2 years of not touching them, to lunge one of his horses. And where does he decide to do it? On his field next to the pumpkin patch! I have never even been able to see his ho
Kathy Troxler
- Aug 30, 2014
Storm's day...Good, Naughty and Great!
Good, naughty and great all in one session? Welcome to horse training! If you think there aren't ever any days where they give you some "tude" then you're dreaming! Storm's rebellion for the day? I said "walk forward" (and this happened to be away from the gate) and he (for the first time) said "nope"! So he got a great big swat on his fanny. He's had that before and been a peach, but today, he got his panties in a wad and bucked and kicked out...then he got a REALLY big smac
Kathy Troxler
- Aug 29, 2014
Long Lining with Moochie
I've had some people asking for more shots of the long lining and I decided to use Moochie's workout today as an example. This is not Moochie's first long lining session! I've done him about a dozen times in the arena, but this is his 2nd or 3rd time in "the big outside". A little back ground on Moochie is in order. He had some training when I acquired him, but (when I rode him) I didn't feel like he really understood how to stop or steer. While he was comfortable carrying a
Kathy Troxler
- Aug 19, 2014
Pet Peeves? The term 'desensitize'
First of all, what is a "peeve" and why would someone make it a pet anyways? Thank goodness for Google! But right away I learn that "peeve" is a verb first. Synonyms include to; irritate, annoy, vex, anger, exasperate, irk, gall, pique, nettle, put out, get on someone's nerves, try someone's patience and the picturesque, ruffle someone's feathers! The term "pet peeve" was used around the beginning of the 20th century and means "a minor annoyance that an individual identifies
Kathy Troxler
- Aug 8, 2014
The rest of Jamaica's first session of 2014
After negotiating the route in from her turn out pen (see post from August 5), we needed to evaluate whether or not Jamaica knew how to tie. Some people are surprised that this is an actual lesson that needs to be taught, and I prefer to teach mine when they are a couple of months old. A foal that has been properly handled to yied to pressure will have no trouble with this concept. But if it's been skipped as a young horse, it will still need to be taught, it still needs to b
Kathy Troxler
- Aug 5, 2014
The New Girl in School- or- Start as You Mean to Go On!
This is Jamaica! Well that's not her registered name but that's what everyone at the barn calls her and it was stuck to her when we arrived in NY in 2009. Jamaica is the oldest baby out of E Ses, one of the super stars of Mike's lesson program. E Ses has four babies...Jamaica, Fiona, Zenith and Solomon. Solomon, the youngest has been a lesson horse since the age of 4, Zenith became Monica Acee's side kick in 2012, and Fiona joined up with Martha this past weekend. So guess wh
Kathy Troxler
- Aug 4, 2014
Fiona's new home!
Yesterday was the "big day" for Fiona as she headed up to her new home with Martha. Upon reflection, Mike had decided that it was very possible that this was going to be Fiona's very first trailer ride. Whenever we haul a horse for the very first time, we try to take along a 'trailer buddy". For this trip, we opted for veteran hauler, Robby. Fiona loaded like a dream! Fiona is initially going to be working with Martha's trainer, Jessica so our destination was her place in Rem
Kathy Troxler
- Aug 2, 2014
Fiona-Trailer loading practice.
It is possilbe that this was Fiona's first encounter with a trailer, but I'm not certain. She is eight years old and I do know that since 2009 (when Mike started working at WGA) she has been in the pastures that don't require trailering to move the horses from place to place. So if this wasn't her first experience with a trailer, but it's probably been at least 5 years, if not longer, since she's been on one. I do know that she's never been hauled off the property and, if she
Kathy Troxler
- Jul 29, 2014
Horse Training Fundamentals
Vinnie is a three year old gelding and he doesn't know much. But he knows a little. He did not learn to stand tied as early as he should. He didn't learn to lead like I'd teach one of mine. That said, he's catching up nicely...at least on the leading part-he standing tied part he's not so fond of. But he does understand the principle of "yielding to pressure" well enough to not get into too much trouble-he doesn't "set back" and panic when tied. But he does throw a temper tan