| The Goal | | | | with Vego so she could hear and see everything going |
| I was working with Vego and Gemini today. I have | | | | on. I had a rope halter and lead rope on Vego. I then |
| been working on desensitizing them to loud noises. The | | | | started to walk Vego around the outside of the arena. |
| final goal is 1) to be able to shoot a gun while sitting on | | | | While doing this my 11 year old son was in the center |
| their backs and 2) to be able to ride them down a | | | | of the arena. He started to light the firecrackers one |
| street filled with people, flying streamers, loud noises, | | | | by one. Bang! The horse was a little bit startled but we |
| fireworks, etc. Basically, I am trying to bomb proof my | | | | just kept walking. Again the firecracker went off and |
| horses. | | | | Vego jumped but we just kept walking. My son |
| | | | continued to light firecrackers one by one and I |
| 4th of July had just passed and I still had fireworks. | | | | continued to walk around the arena circling in closer to |
| When I was younger I would have never had any | | | | the center. When we eventually circled to the center |
| firework left over. That would be a sin. I guess I have | | | | of the arena we stopped. One by one my son threw |
| slowed down a bit and it is not so important to light | | | | firecrackers all around the horse. He did not throw |
| every firework off or see how many I could light at a | | | | them so close that it could hurt the horse but rather |
| time before I had to run away from the eruption of | | | | out in front of the horse or behind the horse 6-10 feet |
| flames, sparks and explosions I had initiated at ground | | | | away on either side. Near the end of the lesson, in the |
| zero. Because of my new found self control, we had | | | | center of the arena, Vego was not bothered by the |
| some Black Cats left over. These are the little | | | | firecrackers. He would not even flinch as they |
| fireworks that just explode and make a big bang. I had | | | | exploded. |
| 2 packs left with 100 firecrackers in each. So, what | | | | I repeated the same procedure with Gemini. She did |
| should I do with these firecrackers? I could save them | | | | equally as well. As a grand finally we lit off a string of |
| till next year. No way! I recalled reading many forum | | | | about 20 Black Cats while walking the horses around |
| entries were people had posted topics about the 4th | | | | the arena. They had no problem with noise and |
| of July and how the fireworks scared their horses. I | | | | continued to walk at a relaxed pace. |
| would reply and tell them that they should desensitize | | | | Conclusion |
| their horse to these noises. So, that is just what I | | | | This was not the first desensitizing exercise that I had |
| decided to do with my horses. | | | | done these horses. The results I had during the |
| 4th of July All Over Again for Vego and Gemini | | | | firecracker session went very smooth because I have |
| I decided to start my lesson with Vego. Gemini was in | | | | at least one desensitizing exercises every time we |
| a holding stall next to the arena where I was working | | | | have a training session. |