Poppy- Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society

08/31/2024

Poppy was such a brave girl on her first trail ride on the more open section of the trails. I have hand walked her in the same location previously and she has gotten more confident each time so we decided it was time to try under saddle. She did have quite a major spook on a new section of the trail where it got narrow and dense. We have been working on desensitization in the trail environment so we will try another trail ride soon.

08/31/2024

For those looking for a solid equine partner, look no further than Pecan, trained by Nicole Dial in the Pro Under Saddle Division. It is admirable how much they have accomplished in a couple months and anybody would be lucky to adopt Pecan.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v82zXHwBLvXQMF4m/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Sports Event

08/31/2024

Please enjoy Poppy’s Basic Skills video demonstrating her ability to perform simple, daily tasks such as being haltered, groomed, tacked up, and mounted.

Please excuse Poppy’s dancing after mounting as there was lots of activity at the barn that evening and Poppy still can get a bit anxious with other people milling about.

You may notice we elected to pass on 2 skills - bridling and trailering. Poppy is very sensitive around her mouth following some significant dental work. While I have been working on getting her used to the bit, she is not yet entirely comfortable with it and I’ve been riding her in a simple halter with great success since our first ride. Poppy definitely has a lot of past trauma around trailering. I have been working a couple sessions with a trainer and doing lots of practice loading sessions myself. While she has improved and her anxiety has decreased, she does not load on the first try yet. I will share a separate video of some trailer loading practice.

08/11/2024

It appears Poppy has a twin in the Training Challenge! Be sure to check out Ruby Red’s progress with her trainer, Brittany.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094179529072&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Recreation Spot

08/11/2024

Poppy loves a nice cold shower and stands quietly to be sprayed off. Sometimes she even plays in the water and drinks out of the hose!

07/22/2024

The Bluebonnet Horse Expo & Rescue Horse Training Challenge just about 2 1/2 months away - can you believe it?

For those who don't know about the Expo & Training Challenge, it is a one-day event on October 5th in Taylor, Texas that attracts horse lovers from all over Texas - and from several other states. There are presentations from equine professionals, vendors, tack for sale, a saddle auction, kids' stick horse show, horses for adoption, and the Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge.

- We are looking for sponsors. Sponsorships start at just $25 and have varying benefits. You can learn about the sponsorship levels and sign up at http://www.bluebonnethorseexpo.com/blog/sponsors

- If you don't need sponsorship benefits, you could donate. Donations are tax deductible since we're a nonprofit and help put on the event. Donate at https://bluebonnethorseexpo.com/blog/donate/

- Become a vendor. Vendor spaces are just $75 and are located in the climate controlled vendor area right past the entrance - we funnel everyone through the vendor area before they hit the rest of the Expo! We welcome horse/farm/ranch/western-themed art-work, jewelry, home décor as well as tack and equipment. Please no MLM or political booths.

We also take donations of tack, saddles, and horse equipment and would love a horse trailer to auction off again this year! You can contact [email protected] if you have items to donate.

07/14/2024

Today was our fourth riding session with Poppy. Even after a bit of an out-of-character anxious outburst during our lunging session, Poppy settled very quickly and was very focused for our ride. Today, we did lots of turning exercises to work on loosening up some of Poppy’s restrictions. She is already bending further and getting easier to steer with lighter cues.

07/01/2024

I have been working with Poppy to stand quietly while tied. She has come a long way in just a couple weeks. Today, we captured that moment of calmness we’ve been working toward. While she tends to dance around and paw initially, she settles in once the grooming starts.

06/28/2024

Poppy is a 10 year old ex-racehorse who has spent the last 5+ years living in a pasture. She is quite a cute, eye-catching mare with great movement. We she arrived she needed a dental and some hoof care.

Poppy is a very personable and curious girl. It is clear that she has had fairly extensive training in the past and just needs some gentle reminders, though she does exhibit some ex-racehorse tendencies.

Most of Poppy’s basic skills are quite good - she is easy to catch, picks up her feet, accepts fly spray, and enjoys being groomed and bathed. However, she can be pushy and impatient and does not like to stand still for long (especially while tied). I am working on building her tolerance for standing without dancing in place.

Poppy lunges well and has caught on quickly to ground driving. She takes a saddle just fine, though I have not started riding her yet since we have been working through her dental issues. We are hoping to start riding next week!

From what I’ve seen so far, Poppy would be well-suited to an owner looking for an athletic horse. She is quite adaptable to new environments so she would make a great show horse for a young teenager looking for a jumping/show partner. Poppy has proven she has a sharp mind and gets bored easily so her ideal fit would be someone who can challenge her by teaching her new skills and giving her plenty of exercise (even a good trail ride).

Stay tuned for updates after the first ride!

06/27/2024

My name is Roshan Bharadwaj and I am a 15 year old rising sophomore who is a resident of the Lake Travis area. I have been learning horseback riding for over 3 years, specifically English pleasure. I am working toward learning to jump in the next year. I love wood working, horses, and spending time outdoors.

I decided to join this challenge to make a difference in a rescue horse's life. I also sees this as an opportunity to learn and improve on my horsemanship skills (riding and beyond) by participating in the training process first hand. I hope to own horses as an adult.

You may see photos and videos of my younger sister, Maya, working with Poppy throughout. She will be serving as my assistant trainer this year, but hopes to compete in the Training Challenge In-Hand division herself next year and even the Non-Pro Under Saddle division in a few years when she is old enough.

06/19/2024

Thank you so much for liking our page!
If you have questions about this horse or about how adoption works, please contact our Adoption Counselor at [email protected]. She’ll be happy to walk you through how adoption works, get info about the horse(s) you are interested in, etc.
If you are an approved adopter who is interested in adopting this horse, please contact our Adoption Coordinator at [email protected]. The horse won’t be available for adoption until the Challenge on October 5.
The Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge will be held on October 5, 2024 during the Bluebonnet Horse Expo at the Williamson County Expo Center in Taylor, Texas. All Challenge horses will be available for adoption from Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society that day, unless their trainer adopts them.
For more info on the Challenge, visit http://www.bluebonnethorseexpo.com/blog/challenge.
For more info on the Expo, visit http://www.bluebonnethorseexpo.com
To learn about adoption, visit http://www.bluebonnetequine.org

We may also have other horses available for adoption who are not in the Challenge. We will have volunteers who can show those horses to you, and if you adopt a non-Challenge horse you can take him/her home once you have signed the contact and paid the fee.