Housecat Tip of the Month 

If your cat could use a little cardiovascular exercise, but prefers to be a couch potato, here's a game he won't be able to resist.  I call it "cat food."

Throw a piece of dry cat food in front of your cat.  Chances are really, really good that he will eat it.  Throw another a couple feet away.  He should walk up to it and eat it.  Keep doing this until you are doing long throws, and he is running to get it.  Thunder loves this game, and we will play it a few times a week.  Just be sure not to give throw so much food that your cat will gain weight-either that or reduce the amount he gets for dinner.

I have never found a cat who could resist this game.  As all horse trainers will tell you, it is a perfect example of positive reinforcement training.  By pursuing the cat food, your cat gets an immediate reward.  He also gets good exercise, which all housecats need to lead a healthy life.

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Hi Judi!

I just purchased and read your second book and I loved it.  Please publish another one as soon as you can!  

You have truly inspired me.  I am going to start my Morgan pony's under-saddle education in the arena this January (he is broke but was never trained properly and is 12!) and hope to start some trail riding in April.  He is going to be trained with dressage basics.  My OTTB was trained to be a great ring horse (by me off the track) but cannot handle the trail on him, so I am holding out hope for my Morgan, Leland.  I dream of riding the trail and want to do it so bad but have always been more of an arena rider.  My TB was so spooky and neurotic riding out of a ring, but he was a fantastic supple and responsive basic dressage horse in the ring.  I'm one of those people who LOVES flatwork (not being sarcastic) but dream of a ride outdoors like the rides I used to have with my Appendix mare when I was younger.  

I just LOVED reading your stories and Ellen's stories.  I'm a librarian and book lover, and I read EVERYTHING about horses, but your books are the most useful and truly honest that I've read in a long, long time.

I was pleased to see that you like Mary Wanless.  I ride with her principles in mind and saw her at a clinic here at Michigan State University a couple of years ago.  What an inspiration!  

You and Ellen are brave and bold and fantastic.  Oh, and I think Ranger looks very much like a Thoroughbred -- really!! - many of them are  smaller and have shorter heads -- especially the racing ones -- they breed them smaller for racing here Michigan and some aren't that really lanky build.  In fact, there was a sire who just passed away named Matchlight, and honestly he looked more like a Morgan or a very large Connemara Pony! My TB, Reggie, is only 15.3 and in many of the pictures, Ranger looks similar to Reggie.  I could also see Morgan in him.

Do you have any other exciting trail books to recommend?  I LOVED Ten Feet tall, Still by Julie Suhr -- wow!  I'm in awe of Endurance riders.   

Thank you again.  You guys are my heroes!  I love that you are real people, with jobs and have to balance riding with other parts of your life.  I respect Parelli and many other horse people, but things are very different when you have a full-time non-horse job, spouses/children/partners/pets/house cleaning, etc. to manage.  I struggle to balance it all and my riding sometimes gets last priority.  

Cheryl Lyons 

Owner of:

Reggie 15.3 hand 9 year OTTB - (pretty much retired due to arthritis, feet problems, etc) - beloved furry pasture pet

Leland - 12 year old and unregistered -- but probably a Morgan cross.   13.3 hands and stocky!  He's new to me and a very funny horse.  Very Napoleonic.  My dream is to train him to be the total "all around" horse that I can ride in a ring with dressage basics, trail ride and even put kids on him.  Has an aloof, stubborn yet very calm nature.  Complete OPPOSITE of my high-strung, high-performing, can't relax TB Reggie