Frodo update!

Well, it’s been a long road since we started showing Frodo and the trainer gave up on riding him at the shows this spring because he was just too much of a butthead and too much stallion behavior. Reflecting on the path we are at, we never had focused on his ground training. We just got too excited about how trainable and accepting of everything he was. But we should have gone back to basics of “If you don’t have respect on the ground, you won’t have it in the saddle”.
So I brought him home for manners training about a month ago and really pounding in the respect issue. He’s been doing really well and this weekend at the double gold show, he ended up with a 3rd (UK Judge :negative: ), 3 firsts, 3 Grand Champions, and 2 Supreme Champions!!! He managed to keep his fifth leg up and we also strolled around the fairgrounds tonight without him jumping and screaming all over the place! I’m making progress with him and I’m taking him to the Tulsa State Fair in October! Anyone around there want to come say hi??? 😀

On a sad note, I had to put Ditto down and am finally able to talk about her without crying. She was a special filly and she had the “it” factor. Everyone loved her and she was more interested in being in your lap then with her mom.
The day we put her down she was in so much pain with colic (twisted bowel) she laid her head in my lap. It’s just heartbreaking to think about. Two weeks before she had taken two firsts in her classes at the Santa Barbara Nationals. So much potential. So much waste. 😥
But like the Phoenix, we’ll raise another spark. As I tell my daughter… It won’t be the same, but it can be just as good…

I didn’t have time to take pictures during the classes but when the show photographer posts them, I’ll send a link!

Here’s to new beginnings!