The Colt Cam Chronicles

February 13, 2014 by ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~ Leave a Comment

Here’s another installment in our colt cam chronicles!

I put ride #13 on Fridge yesterday. We basically just chased Avie around. I gain more confidence on my furry buddy with every ride, and he’s getting softer.

I realized after watching the video back that I’m undoubtedly doing more than I need to in order to get him to move out and to roll his hips. And I’m still steering too much. But I’m doing better at the following:

1. Relaxing my shoulders.
2. Focusing on helping my horse, and less on external distraction, like the barn cats, Perry and Rafter.
3. Keeping my hand in neutral when I do focus on moving him out.

So today I will keep all of the above in mind, and smile, a lot, while I ride Fuzzy!

Since the weather is straightening up I’ve added another colt into my rotation.

Meet DX Nutter Butter! He’s a paternal half brother to Dino, out of Fridge’s paternal grandmother, so he’s related to both of those boys!

We started him two summers ago, and it went about like we expected: we saddled him, moved him out, and got on. We were swinging a rope by ride #2. Then we got busy, and since he’s gentle we figured we’d get back to him when we were able. This past summer we built our barn, and have been busy with that project, and now, well, time permits. He’s a fat, stocky stud colt (He’s a replacement for his grandmother’s/half brother’s- WDX Nukem – line), so he’ll more than likely stay a stud.

I am often inclined to do “too much”, on the ground too – does anyone see an underlying theme? So today when I handle “Butters”, as I call him, I’ll work on doing less to help him. I will take him from where he is today, and work to make him better!

As an aside, if you’re in the market for a started colt, and would like something that’s been started “this way”, you should totally check out the YouTube channel for the Montana State University Colt Starting Class. It is taught by the beautiful, talented and kind Reata Brannaman.

Happy Trails!

About ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~

Jenn Zeller is the creative mind and boss lady behind The South Dakota Cowgirl. She is an aspiring horsewoman, photographer, brilliant social media strategist and lover of all things western.

After a brief career in the investment world to support her horse habit (and satisfy her mother, who told her she had to have a “real” job after graduating college), she finally took the leap and stepped away from a regular income; trading the business suit once and for all for cowgirl boots, a hat, and jeans. She has not looked back.

When Jenn first moved to The DX Ranch on the South Dakota plains, she never imagined she’d find herself behind a camera lens capturing an authentic perspective of ranching, and sharing it with others. Jenn has always been called to artistry, and uses music, writing, images, home improvement, and her first true love of horses to express her ranching passion.

Horses are the constant thread and much of her work centers around using her unique style of writing to share her horsemanship journey with others in publications such as CavvySavvy, the AQHA Ranching Blog, the West River Eagle, the family ranch website, and her own website.

Using photography to illustrate her stories has created other opportunities -- Jenn’s brand “The South Dakota Cowgirl” has grown to the level of social media “Influencer”. This notoriety has led to work with Duluth Trading Company, Budweiser, Wyoming Tourism, Vice, Circle Z Ranch and Art of the Cowgirl, to name a few. She also serves as a brand ambassador for Woodchuck USA, Arenus Equine Health, Triple Crown Feed and Just Strong fitness apparel. Her photography has been featured by Instagram, Apple, TIME Magazine, The Huffington Post, and Oprah Magazine. Jenn’s work has been published internationally, has been seen in several books and has graced the covers of several magazines.

Jenn became a social media influencer by accident when she started to explore Instagram as a way to share her life on the ranch with folks that don’t get to experience it. It’s grown into an incredible platform that she uses to empower women, create an environment for self improvement and share life on the ranch.

When she’s not working, she loves to drink coffee, play with her naughty border collie named Copper, start ranch colts, and run about the country chasing cans. Her mother still thinks she doesn’t have a “real” job.