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page last updated Feb. 22/06
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Mr Peponita Colonel - Peponita Flo x Miss Colonel
Boon
Foaled March 5th 2002, 14.2 hands, $6,500.
His mother was purchased as a broodmare prospect, and he came along,
"onboard". We want to enlarge more on our own breeding
- he hasn't got *any* of that in him, and counting those just turned
two there are ten studs on the place. So, he's looking for a new
home. By the way, he is not in shape in these pictures - hasn't
done any work for maybe 7 months before they were taken.
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Photo taken Aug. 30/05
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The pedigree reads like this:
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| Looking at that, notice
that he is a 3/4 brother of Shakin Flo, winner of $429,106 NCHA
dollars. |
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This guy also
has some moves
But, he knows very little under saddle and we work him
rarely. |
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These
are stills from video, linked below on this page. Probably
September or November '05.
He's working barefoot, by the way, no plates. |
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More photos from Aug. 30/05 |
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Caroline sent him out to be started as a 2 year old, visited
him at 30 days into training and what she saw at that point
looked okay. Home again after 90 days, we discovered a *complete*
lack of basics in him - okay to get on and go, but that was
it - otherwise, a totally untrained colt who had discovered
that he was a stud. You can imagine...
We've done a little to put some fundamental know-how in
him, he's coming along with minimal effort on our part. Anyone
deserving the name "horseman" can handle him with
fair ease, but I *did* say "deserving" the
name. My 70 year old mother can take him in a fair fight,
but I could name a "professional" trainer who obviously
couldn't... So there you have it.
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Photos
below taken on Sept. 01/05
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Photos/discussion/video below from Feb 2006
I am told the video is *much*
better if seen in
Media Player, much worse quality in Explorer
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Above, I
mentioned "basics". Video is the best
possible aid for conversation about that in general,
or this animal in particular. For instance, it is
"basic" that any horse, but especially
a stud, have good manners around other horses.
But - my videos are a deadly slow download. So,
if you have big fat DSL-type bandwidth, have
a look -it's 9.6MB,
and plays a minute & 15 seconds. Fairly nice
quality.
If you have cruddy dialup like mine, 9.6
megs is truly unrealistic, though if determined,
you might consider getting lunch, turning the drums
on your truck and cleaning the garage while it loads
in. |
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| There
are suggestions for successful download & best
viewing on
his video page - it also offers the same links,
text & photos as here. The videos should display
about 5 inches wide, if not, tinker with your viewer
settings - far more is revealed at the larger size.
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This video has some revealing details.
Throughout, he works his ears a lot, and much
of the time is tracking me with his left ear,
either "general awareness" or pinpoint
on me - that focus is a good early step
toward him becoming a "pro".
At the moment on the right he's instructed to
come away, and it takes several discreet but firm
nudges. He is decent, but this must improve before
he should consider live cover. *
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Sometimes a mare is receptive until the last moment
- he rears up, and she chickens. A stud not trained
to come away instantly
is a bad risk for getting kicked, perhaps seriously
injured. |
One sequence
plays out so fast it needs a close look to see what
really happened.
He comes away, and I take in the rope so quickly
it might look as if I pulled him the whole way.
Not so: There is just a *little* slack in
it through the entire move. As
in most of the video, if looking closely.
I absolutely expect a horse to be a light touch
and "with" me, responsive to any small
cue.
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At the time
I did this page he was still mouthy enough to annoy
- an overture typical of a stud who wishes to interact,
but does not know where he stands or what reception
he can expect. Not inherently hostile, but exploratory,
an insecure "inquiry". A stupid person
would whack him every time for that, teaching him
to knock it off, and teach him a lingering hostility
and resentment.Win the war and lose the peace.
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| Here, he
immediately dodges back from the warning "finger
of impending doom", and with repetition, he
fell into better habits. I gave him more lattitude
earlier because he came back from "training"
totally alienated and pretty rank. It was a fine
line - teaching a horse to feel at ease and give
him confidence while simultaneously having to get
tough and hammer down the rougher edges. He's made
enough progress now that he can (and does) live
with a bunch, he feels at ease with me, and is a
very friendly willing guy. |
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A lack of confidence
was driving at least 80 percent of all questionable
behavior on his part, so I went easy when possible,
and I'd venture to say it paid off very nicely.
Parenthetically, I've noticed that maybe the single
biggest difference between those who make winners
and those who ruin potential is knowing when and
why to whack and when to not whack. (Not
that I've got much record to run on, but have been
around enough to have some sense of which is which.)
-And yes, I realize full
well - there is a contingent out there who will
read this and think "Oh, a problem
animal - damaged goods". (Let alone what the
bleeding hearts think about how I fixed it.) I most
sincerly invite them to head on back to their own
hopeless little world. Apart from rare clinical
conditions affecting behavior there are no problem
animals; only problem people, speaking of damaged
goods. As suggested above, understanding the obvious
allows for appropriate responses, as opposed to
stupidly causing and/or perpetuating trouble needlessly.
Some pay the dues necessary to understand this about
life, some won't, and never will. |
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The video with saddle:
This is also linked on his
video page
Taken Sept/November(?) 2005
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| I really
hated to cut out as much as I did, but to get it
down to just over 3MB filesize,
a lot had to go. He moves nicely, and maybe I'll
do more video one day, having finally gone modern
with DVD. I never could convert VHS to look good
in digital, and this one is especially gray and
grainy, but it clearly establishes that this colt
could earn some dollars provided the right training.
Have
a look - when fully loaded (eventually) this
one should play for one minute 10 seconds. |
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| It pretty
much speaks for itself except to mention that he's
a little hesitant to approach at the end because
I pushed him more than I normally do. The day was
fading, we had little tape remaining, and I wanted
to prove what he can do before running out. As mentioned
above, he's not entirely sure where he stands with
people, so he wasn't too sure just what this meant.
He's actually a fairly brave guy, and even with
doubts, will usually face things rather than run
from them. |
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| Caroline can be contacted
at caroline@redshift.com
or 831-659-3355 mid-mornings/early afternoons. Some
e-mail problems, if no timely reply, try me - galen@haystackhill.com,
or leave a message on the machine at 831-659-2625
any time. |
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