The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) meeting is an interesting gathering of practicing veterinarians, researchers, industry businesses, and horse owners. That convention has delayed some of my entries, but I’ll try and keep up better now. Chief Eric Bush of the Prineville, Ore., mounted police, sent a note to us. He’s currently training a 5-year-old Percheron cross to replace his 20-year-old Quarter Horse mount on the unit.

Training was interrupted by the trip to AAEP, but it’s amazing how some lessons are learned well, and some need more reinforcement. First, let me tell you that my rather large yard around the house is starting to resemble a “playground” at one of the Parelli ranches. There are bags, benches, plastic tarps, buckets, and anything else we can think of or build. My daughter, Beth, and Chapman were walking over, around, across, and through all sorts of obstacles before I left. The blue plastic tarp was a new addition, and we’d just left it blowing around for a week or so to get the weanlings used to the noise and sight of it while they were safe in their field