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Sharron Evans' report for 1-5-02
All but one of our mentors (who had the flu) were present for our Saturday
session which included a reporter for the Deseret News Newspaper, the
second largest paper in Utah. The reporter spent much of her time with
Janet who was very informative and professional and also took pictures and
asked questions of most everyone else. As the Utah locals have already seen, the
article with pictures came out on the front page of the Sunday edition, so
we're very happy with the nice publicity that the horses and burros have
been getting. It was so nice to have Rosie and Fancy make the front page
(with Janet sandwiched in between), when was the last time that happened?
Meanwhile, our emphasis on Saturday was to do our routine as normal, then
spend our time reminding everyone about trailer loading. By the end of the
session all of the horses had loaded, some just like old pros and some that
needed a longer time getting reacquainted with the process. Russ spent a
long time with Jack and Mo, but his method is pure patience and reassurance,
and although the initial approach took awhile, after he slowly worked up to
getting in in a relaxed way where he was choosing to trust, Russ spent a
long time in the trailer with him, just petting and praising, then they got
out and back in again several more times. We are all really starting to like
Jack, he has softened so much and really seems to want to do the right
thing. (Wish I could bring every one of these guys home with me!!! Don't we
all...)
Mo was slow to start but eventually went in with more ease and
eventually was getting in and out very relaxed. Spirit and Magic hopped
right in, we had wondered since they had such a long trailer trip here, but
they were fine with it. Dusty wanted to resist a bit more, he will get in
if a partner walks up behind him, but Russ wanted him to be willing to load
with one handler and eventually he was doing fine. Gator was more resistant
at first to loading, however he did join the horn-honkers club on Saturday
for the first time, becoming quickly so adept that he demoed his new skill
repeatedly for the newswoman. Cliff was working with him at the trailer as
we were leaving, and I'm sure he did well.
Moose and Frosty also hopped right in, poor Yogi has some soreness in his shoulder,
maybe from a kick so we did not try to load him that day. But he was groomed and
worked with the blanket and did very well. We mostly spent luvin' time with the
burros (no baby yet from Miss Belle!), but next session we will work with
the new "Media Darlings," Rosie and Fancy, and the trailer.
We had a great time, as excited as we are becoming to show them all off to the world, we
are realizing our days with them are shortening, and it's hard to relinquish
our emotional attachments to them, I don't think we ever will. It's funny
how one that you might never have predicted to will start to grow on you as
you see them gentle and change and try so hard. Now we just pray for great
and sensitive homes for them.
Boy this LRTC thing really works, both with my mustangs and burros at home and all
of the horses and burros for the Olympics, I hope that we will get more specific
publicity on the methods in the months to come so people can reteach themselves
on how they relate to the equines in their lives. When the press is out,
we are always talking the specifics of the training, but it rarely makes it onto
the pages but we'll keep pitching. Keep a good thought, as we do, for snow in the
mountains and sun in the valleys!
The Utah Crew
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Russ and Dusty
Leilani & Magic
Russ and Jack
Sharron playing peek-a-boo with Gator
"The Gang," working
Russ and Mohawk
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