To Start Off...

I created this blog for a couple different reasons, though I am not expecting anyone to read it but me. The main reason is that I need a place to reflect on the days work. For those that don't know, I train horses. I have one under my belt, and have a few in progress. I will write here about things that I have learned, things that we accomplished that day, things like that. I won't write everyday, but will try as often as possible. The other reason is that I am a fairly good writer, and since I am not really in school anymore I don't want to loose my ability to write well. I read a lot of books, and will mostly likely will write about them too. Right now I am reading a book that I have started many times, and I hope to finish it this time, as I have a lot to learn from it. It is called Basic Training For Horses English and Western by Elenor F. Prince and Gaydell M Collier. I am only on page 18 and already I have learned so much. I am really hoping to meet a few fellow trainers on here, I am always open to a new opinion and to learn something. I just starting out and hoping to get a few tips.
The only horse I have trained so far is my horse Beau. He is a black and white paint/QH cross, about 14.3 hands. He was a real pain when I got him. I worked with him and found that he was a great match for me. He is HORRIBLE under saddle, but the best, most willing horse ever bareback and on the ground.Its fine by me though, because I only like to ride him bareback. He is very cushion-y (aka FAT). He does a few tricks and you can move him around using voice commands only (including picking up his feet without touching him). I have worked with other horses, and plan to start-finish my other horse, a mare named Jazzy this summer. She is nine, we have had her since she was 9 months, but I never had the confidence to work with her a bunch till this year. Other horses I have worked with are a rescue ex-barrel QH gelding that had been out to pasture for a few years and had been attacked by a stallion. I have also worked with his pasture mate, a very pushy mare. My goal in working with horses is to teach people how to understand the horse, and vise verse. I love that feeling you get when you know that the horse understand what you are asking. Also, to be able to have what it takes to work with the really tough horses, because while every horse I work with is rewarding, the its the really tough ones that make me know why I love training so much.
Lastly, I thought I would list some of the trainers that I really like, just so you can get an idea. My favorite is the Parelli's, I really like Natural Horsemanship and I try to use a lot of Parelli methods. Dave Jones. I don't agree with a few things that he believes, his methods are a little to rough and tough cowboy for me, but he does have many great points. Also John Lyons, Craig Cameron and many others. I love to learn about trainers and read a book or two about them, how they train and why. I take what I feel is important and combine it with what I know and feel is important.