Repairs, News (good and not so) and Horse Clinics.

Well, I missed posting another week, I keep saying I am going to write ever week, but nothing seems to happen to write about.

Last week-end we decided we should check out the refrigerator in the camper before we took it anywhere to make sure that it worked. The electric worked, but the propane didn't. It looked like the flame was on, but when we unplugged it, the fame went out. Charlie took it someplace on Monday, we got it back today. It works!!! We plan on going to my sisters "lot" next week-end, Labor Day.

Shonda came into Jackson and had lunch me me on Thursday, I figured when she called me to have lunch something was up. There was. She told me she had a date that night, her first since she broke up with Brian. OK so she had a date, then she tells me he's 33, and what did I think about that. I said there is not much I can do about it, she is 21 and has to make her own decisions.
While we were on the way to lunch she also told me Charlie had flipped the tractor over on top of him that morning. The kid across the road was helping him tear down an old trailer and Charlie was trying to pull the roof off, it was heavier than he thought and the tractor went up and flipped. Luckily he was not hurt, a little sore but that's all. It could have been much worse.

Saturday we went to a horse clinic that Chris Cox was giving in Paw Paw. Chris has a TV show on RFD TV, his website is here. He uses a style that Charlie has found works well for him when he is training the horses. Those of you who don't know horses might not find this interesting but we did. Even me who doesn't ride or work with them.

We watched Cox, train 21 riders ( he says he used to train horses, now he trains people). I don't ride and I probably wouldn't get the technique right if I was out there on a horse, but I could tell when somebody was not doing something properly.

One of the riders said he had a 2 year old at home that he was having trouble with, every time he tried to ride it, she would buck for 4 or 5 minutes then they would be fine. Cox told him to go get the horse, he'd look at and tell him what he was dong wrong.

After he finished the clinic for the day they brought out this horse. The first thing he did was take the bridle off, (the rope around the horsed face with a lead rope) before he put the halter (the bridle with the bit and reins) on. the horse took off and they had to chase it for a couple of minutes. Cox told the guy the horse didn't respect him and didn't think the person was boss. Within 1/2 hour that guy was not only riding the horse, the horse was standing perfectly still and the rider was standing on his back. Amazing

His big thing is that the horse has to know you are the boss and has to respect you. He trains the horse by making it work then giving it "relief" as soon as he get results.