Imprinting Summer

Summer was born last week 6/23 -- about 2:15 a.m.; since then I have been working on imprinting her to make a better horse, one that will be people oriented. With each day's handling Summer has been easier to "work"/play with, even though I can tell she is growing very rapidly. At the time of her birth she was soft and supple, now she is quite strong and a real hard body. In pasture she runs allot and bucks off the ground, like with springs on her feet.

This morning Kittee (taking off work for the holiday) joined Summer, Goldie, and I for our imprinting session.


The following is the progression of how our process works...

1. Catching Summer -- I now just grab her by the tail and say Whoa, and then put my arm around her neck.

2. After catching Summer I pet her all over from head to tail.

3. Girth hugs, and somedays I do pick her up off the ground... won't be doing this much longer, she is getting heavier.

4. Then I "sack her out" with a plastic bag, all over her head and body

5. "Sack her out" with her halter, which has a fair amount of jingle in the buckles

6. We halter up

7. I will give her a face brushing

8. Then a full body brushing

9. Then we will do some tail wagging exercises. Summer knows how to wag her tail, but this exercise is just for her... lets her know, that I AM the boss/lead horse around here

10. After all the standing "ground work", I then lay Summer down... I'm the boss

11. Summer laying down/ settling down

12. After laying her down, I pet Summer and we relax a bit together

13. I will go back through the "sacking out" process and just pet her all over again. During this entire procedure, I am whispering in her ear... "Summer", "Good little horse", "Summer", "Pretty little horse", "Summer"
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More and more when I go into her pasture and call "Summer" she will nay back to me.
Pretty neat having a little pet horse.
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14. Ear and nose massage -- Yep that is putting my finger in her ears and nose and giving them a massage

15. Bars massage -- Today for the first time I could feel teeth ridges on her gums

16. I then do farrier works -- handling her feet and tapping on them with my "handy" hammer

Front hoof

Rear hoof

Crossover handling

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Imprinting a horse is all about handling a horse from birth. In this way when they turn into a thousand+ pound critter, they are used to their handler being the boss of the moment. Much easier to start this process at 75 pounds and willing, than wait until later which comes very fast.
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17. After about 40-45 minutes of workout we get to relax again together

18. After our morning's work is done, we take a break. Several mornings Summer had fallen asleep in my lap.

and this is how life for this Summer begins each day...Are we having fun yet? You betcha!

♫ Happy Trails to you, until we meet again ♫

a day in the life around the ranch --- Dale