Go Back
Off to School Although we got a good start with Don Knapp at the Colt Breaking Clinic (see below), we decided to send three of our youngsters to boot camp with trainer Don Laughery of Kingsbury, TX. His training methods are very similar to Don Knapp and the horses progressed quickly. Kay Prince's three-year-old gelding Hansum, Peggy Fry's three-year-old mare Paddy Rey, and TJ Corgill's two-year-old gelding Chilly were introduced to the mechanical cow, real cattle, a stock tank, highway traffic, and the locomotive. After a few months Hansum and Paddy Rey went home, but Chilly is now in advanced training with Don. Don intends to show Chilly over the winter before TJ brings him home in the spring of 2009.
Chilly is now working for his board at Don Laughery's. Don uses Chilly to pony the other horses in training, even though Chilly is the youngest of the bunch! After less than 7 weeks with Don, Chilly pushes cattle across the pasture while a train flies by, across the street. Looks like the cows are more worried about the train than Chilly! "Everyone just needs to get along." Don pushes Chilly and Hansum, with their heads set, while riding Paddy. Hey, this "work" stuff is actually pretty fun . . . or so Hansum thinks as he moves cattle across the pasture. Oh no, I can't dig holes any more with these hobbles on! Plus, what in the world are these skid boots on my back legs for? Chilly learns valuable lessons at Don's boot camp. This is Chilly after he realized that something on his head was NOT going to kill him! In fact, it kept the sun off!  "Oh boy, I get to be the boss of something!" says Chilly as he works a cow. Chilly learns that water up to his knees isn't scary at all, in fact it's pretty refreshing on a hot summer day! Hansum does a nice, correct spin. He's gone to work with trainer Don, and is progressing quickly. Chilly is learning to "think less/work more!" Here he is dragging the log by facing it.