CountryJackG

This is the first session teaching Hank the Missouri Fox Trotter to pick up his rider from a raised mounting platform. Yes the horse can be taught to be responsible to move itself into position so you can easily mount from any raised mounting platform. This first session with Hank took less than 13 minutes and it is so much easier than trying to position your horse next to a mounting block then climb up only to have the horse move away and you get down again and move the horse back over - again and again. Yes make the horse responsible to move itself into position so you can easily mount it from a raised mounting platform. I apologize that the video quality is very poor. It was getting dusk to full dark when this training session was done - I did what I could to adjust the brightness, etc. after self-filming the video via my phone on a tripod. I hope it proves helpful despite the very poor video quality. You can see that Hank was concerned by me being up so high when I stepped up onto the picnic table. He was concerned enough that he initially acted like he had forgotten that being lightly tapped on the hip with the dressage whip means to move that hip over - but he actually had been trained that - his anxiety was simply kicking in. Once he settled in he then started yielding his hip as he knew he should. The objective is to get the horse to move itself over very very near to the raised mounting platform the rider is standing upon and then stand there until told to move - no matter how many times the rider mounts and dismounts - no matter if a little kid is saddling the horse and has to get up and down repeatedly from the raised mounting platform to get it done. Had it not gotten dark I would have taken Hank around and found MANY other raised platforms to stand upon and get Hank to pick up his rider from as part of the first session. Since it did get dark that will now get done in the second session - I will review on the familiar picnic table and then will go stand on a stump - go stand on the horse trailer fenders - go look for anything sturdy we can stand upon and Hank can safely pick up his rider from - until Hank realizes his job is to pick up his rider off literally anything his rider is standing on. And eventually the dressage whip will be replaced with finger clicking as the reinforcer to the verbal command. Training horses always involves some risk of injury (or even death) to the horse, the trainer, any spectators, equipment used, etc. - this risk is totally your own as you will be making your own judgements on what to do. As with any suggestions on any subject you must weigh them out for yourself and proceed accordingly - at your own risk. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

In this video you see Zoya the Mustang crossing the Creek at Waterloo Recreation Area Equine Trails near Grass Lake, Michigan. Elano Polyblank, Zoya's owner is riding Zoya. Since Zoya started training on 31 May 2022 she has logged 125.8 miles outside the arena on roads and trails in addition to training done in the arena. We very strongly believe it takes REAL miles going somewhere (in addition to arena work) to make a good horse. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

Bella the Chestnut mare is an experienced road and trail horse - Joel has logged 370.85 road and trail miles on Bella from 22 Feb 2022 - 13 Aug 2022. Obviously Joel has a lot of confidence in Bella. Joel is heading off to college in early Sept 2022 and Bella is for sale. If you are interested call or text Joel at (517) 588-1353 --- This is the link to Bella's sale video https://rumble.com/v1f1wlf-bella-the-chestnut-mare-sale-video-posted-6-aug-2022.html Please don't try this if you are inexperienced OR on an inexperienced horse. And as is true with any and every horse activity - you are choosing for yourself AND thus you engage in them FULLY at your own risk. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

Bella the Chestnut mare is an experienced road and trail horse - Joel has logged 370.85 road and trail miles on Bella from 22 Feb 2022 - 13 Aug 2022. Obviously Joel has a lot of confidence in Bella. Joel is heading off to college in early Sept 2022 and Bella is for sale. If you are interested call or text Joel at (517) 588-1353 --- This is the link to Bella's sale video https://rumble.com/v1f1wlf-bella-the-chestnut-mare-sale-video-posted-6-aug-2022.html Please don't try this if you are inexperienced OR on an inexperienced horse. And as is true with any and every horse activity - you are choosing for yourself AND thus you engage in them FULLY at your own risk. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

This video shows Joel on Bella the Chestnut mare making a heading catch and turning the steer. Bella has just started roping live cattle very recently (two Novice Heading runs at an MRA competition then this practice) - so she is still in training as a team roping horse. She definitely has the speed to do it and she was also willing to pull every steer Joel caught - including the very first one. Joel is heading off to college in early Sept 2022 and Bella is for sale. If you are interested call or text Joel at (517) 588-1353 And this is the link to Bella's sale video https://rumble.com/v1f1wlf-bella-the-chestnut-mare-sale-video-posted-6-aug-2022.html Jack on Avi the Pinto mare did not get close enough to make a heeling toss this time - got close enough one time but missed. This was Avi's very first session learning to rope live cattle and when the steer made the turn she generally hung back and she generally could not be convinced to close the distance in time though she definitely has the speed to do it. Avi is not for sale. "You don't practice until you get it right - you practice until you can't get it wrong." Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

This video goes over how my family has introduced a new horse to the herd to reduce the odds of running through the fence injuries and/or kicking injuries - for 50+ years. About 15 minutes or so after this video was filmed Hank very foolishly tossed an "I want to take over your herd" challenge at the boss mare, Avi, by rearing up and striking in her direction. She immediately answered in kind. When Hank came down to all four on the ground he wheeled to kick Avi which was an even bigger error in judgment on his part because she wheeled and fired 3 rapid succession two hoof kicks into his backside before he had a chance to get a kick off. He never did land a kick. So please understand that reducing the chance of serious physical confrontation does not mean that it eliminates it completely. If the horse being introduced fully challenges the boss mare - there is virtually always going to be a physical confrontation. And if a horse gets kicked hard on bone rather than on a large muscle group well that bone could fracture and it could be the end of that horse. That is the reality of it - and you can't totally eliminate all the risk - but IMO you can reduce it. Introducing a new horse to the herd always involves some risk of injury (or even death) to the horse, any spectators, equipment used, etc. - this risk is totally your own as you will be making your own judgements on what to do. As with any suggestions on any subject you must weigh them out for yourself and proceed accordingly - at your own risk. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

Joel is heading off to college and Bella the Chestnut Mare is for sale. This video shows things she has done. She is a horse for an experienced rider. She has done many things with Joel her owner - including the start of team roping training - roping and pulling Joel's RopeSteer dummy - doing two Novice Heading runs at an MRA competition and one live cattle team roping practice (video from that practice https://rumble.com/v1fsrj7-team-roping-practice-on-live-cattle-11-aug-2022.html ) She has ponied other horses - in this video you can see her ponying a pony ridden by a 6yr old rider on that child's first trail ride at Waterloo Recreation Area. In the arena you can steer her with just your legs. She is also pretty fast and very competitive if you race your friends. Between 22 Feb and 6 Aug 2022 Bella logged 359.85 miles outside the arena - on roads and trails. If you are interested call or text Joel at (517) 588-1353 Additional videos of Bella you may wish to see Bella - Joel tying raincoat behind saddle while trail riding at Waterloo - 13 Aug 2022 https://rumble.com/v1fwdsx-bella-joel-tying-raincoat-behind-saddle-while-trail-riding-at-waterloo-13-a.html Joel standing on Bella at a walk on Waterloo trail ride 13 Aug 2022 https://rumble.com/v1fwfm7-joel-standing-on-bella-at-a-walk-on-waterloo-trail-ride-13-aug-2022.html Team Roping Practice on live cattle - 11 Aug 2022 https://rumble.com/v1fsrj7-team-roping-practice-on-live-cattle-11-aug-2022.html If you are interested call or text Joel at (517) 588-1353

Today we worked on proper leading with Hank the Missouri Fox Trotter. What does that mean? It means getting the horse to accept responsibility to keep you in the proper position (between its head and shoulder) while it moves with you at whatever speed you go and wherever you go. Today was Hank's first lesson on truly proper leading - like most horses he knew a little about leading but had not accepted his responsibility to keep his master in the proper position while moving with him. This video was the end of this training session and Hank had come a long way. Hank foxtrots beside Joel going uphill weaving the cones and barrel and then as Joel picks up speed coming downhill Hank canters beside him and when Joel stops fast so does Hank - on a slack line - with Hank simply accepting his responsibility to keep his master in the proper position as he moves with him. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

If you are going to enjoy trail riding, showing, roping competitions, etc. then your horse needs to load willingly in the trailer. This short video shows what you are aiming for. Literally ask the horse to go in, and close the divider gate once it does it. Entirely done and done willingly in 12 seconds. This is my personal horse, Avi, in the video being loaded by my youngest son, Joel. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

Hank is a 9yr old Missouri Fox Trotter. This video was taken with one week in training. He canters quite smoothly. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

Hank is a 9yr old Missouri Fox Trotter. This video was taken with one week in training. He canters quite smoothly. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

Hank is a Missouri Fox Trotter in beginning level training to ride. He will need work to learn to take and hold the fox trot on cue. He is fox trotting here and we caught it in slow motion. The fox trot is an uneven four beat diagonal gait - one of the smooth gaits. The forefoot lands just before the diagonal hindfoot (the one on the opposite side.) You can see that in slow motion. Most of the smooth gaits are lateral gaits - basically broken pace type gaits. The fox trot is a smooth gait which is an exception being a diagonal gait - basically a broken trot. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

Hank is a Missouri Fox Trotter in beginning level training to ride. He will need work to learn to take and hold the fox trot on cue. He is fox trotting here and we caught it in slow motion. The fox trot is an uneven four beat diagonal gait - one of the smooth gaits. The forefoot lands just before the diagonal hindfoot (the one on the opposite side.) You can see that in slow motion. Most of the smooth gaits are lateral gaits - basically broken pace type gaits. The fox trot is a smooth gait which is an exception being a diagonal gait - basically a broken trot. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

If the lead horse crosses the Bridge without hesitation then the rest generally follow with little if any hesitation. The lead horse is Bella ridden by my youngest son, Joel, and he is ponying Spirit with a 6yr old rider. This Bridge is on the Equine trails at Waterloo Recreation Area - Grass Lake, Michigan. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

If the lead horse goes through the Creek without hesitation then the rest generally follow with little if any hesitation. The lead horse is Bella ridden by my youngest son, Joel, and he is ponying Spirit with a 6yr old rider. This Creek is near Baldwin Flooding - Waterloo Recreation Area - Grass Lake, Michigan. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

Start Right!! - Defusing the anti-predator responses associated with mounting a horse. My youngest son, Joel, is demonstrating how we get a horse ready to be mounted safely the very first time OR how we assess if a horse has been properly prepared to be safely mounted by either an owner or a previous trainer. Decades back the Lord guided me to notice that common issues with mounting a horse the very first time revolved primarily around the horse misidentifying what the human (an omnivorous apex predator) was doing as a predatory threat to its life which very naturally would then trigger in the horse an instinctual anti-predator response to get that predator off their back. This is the first time we have filmed the process I have been using for decades. This video is raw, uncut, unedited - you see the entire process start to finish with me narrating and occasionally you can hear something which Joel is saying (generally to the horse) as he works to see which triggers were and were not defused on 9yr old Hank the Missouri Fox Trotter who has not been worked with in years. Hank has been ridden years back but allegedly was not trained much nor well. So we need to see what he knows and fill in any holes in his training from years back. Joel follows the exact process we use on a horse which has never had a rider on its back - but is able to move in a bit quicker as he discovers what has already been defused (either intentionally or simply incidentally). Joel spends about a half hour to get Hank to the point where he is able to from both sides do a Indian style Swing Up bareback mount with Hank simply standing still fully accepting it. On a "never mounted before" horse the process is typically completed in 45 minutes +/- 15 minutes - depending on the horse. This process is described in writing here. https://griffes.tripod.com/startright.htmlhttps://griffes.tripod.com/startright.html Training horses always involves some risk of injury (or even death) to the horse, the trainer, any spectators, equipment used, etc. - this risk is totally your own as you will be making your own judgements on what to do. As with any suggestions on any subject you must weigh them out for yourself and proceed accordingly - at your own risk. Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

When you own livestock sometimes despite good fencing and trying your best to keep them inside your fence they still get out. After I did my morning chores I spotted Ashley's donkey on the road and then her two horses soon thereafter. I called her, told her they were out, told her I would help, and immediately went to saddle up my mare Avi. My sweetheart wife woke up Joel and he saddled up his mare Bella. We got the two horses and donkey in easy BUT they had been in the same pasture with nine cattle and the cattle were nowhere to be seen. Joel and I went scouting where I had heard cattle early in the morning. And while we were scouting Ashley called with a tip someone sent her via FB Messenger - so we took off for Onsted Hwy and soon found tracks and then saw the cattle. I asked if any of her cattle were trained to lead - she has a SUPER friendly well mannered Polled Hereford bull whom she slipped a halter on and with a 1/4 bucket of grain lead her cattle home down the road (the clearest path) while Joel and I blocked traffic and once the cattle were back in her yard helped very gently ease them through the open gates. Another neighbor Tony Holtz immediately when asked blocked the road which allowed me to get my horse positioned to help with the cattle when needed - Tony also helped push the cattle a wee bit when they stalled in Ashley's yard - just a little so they didn't bolt when so close to recaptured. And a couple of other neighbors also helped block traffic for a spell. IMO - neighbors are supposed to help their neighbors. May I respectfully suggest that you intentionally be the kind of neighbor who immediately "saddles up" and helps when help is needed. Video was taken by Dr. Susan Griffes Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!! Jack Griffes Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html

This is an easy "no extra equipment" way to warm your horse's bit while you get ready to ride on a very cool or downright bone chilling cold day.