About

Sept 8 2019

Loki was born Oct 26th 2019 at 3am. I woke up to my mom trying to place a note on my lamp. I couldn't help it. I had to see Cocoa's new calf! Cocoa had lost her previous (second calf) She had fallen ill right after and thus had a year off. I met that little baby that dark morning. I fell in love with that little guy. It could have been the loss we all felt the previous year had taken its toll on all of us as we rejoiced to see this little one. I felt he was special although he is out of two very special parents to us. 

Sept 15th 2019

Loki and Julia's first time together. I had new clickers come in, I got Julia a note book so she could write down their progress. and I got her a target to use. Normally, when I am training it is all about the animal and how fast or slow I go. This time I am training someone to train and it is now on how fast or slow do they both need to go. Julia had already watched some videos of clicker training prior to me teaching her. I wanted Julia to understand the meaning of training as it isn't just about getting to train an animal but it also means caring for the animals needs as well. Loki, well he picked up touch it pretty quick meant a click and a treat. We ended up going in the round pen and that meant Julia would be working closer with Loki. I had the lead rope while Julia Manned the target and the clicker. I had the treats to give him. We started with things he needs to know to be safe. 1. Back up and 2. Stand. Back up took him a bit but he figured it out. Stand... that one we needed to work on. At the end I asked her what colors did she think would be a good custom halter for Loki and gave her that as her homework. 

I had to drop Loki off for his appt so I could still get to work. I was so worried about him as every bad thing ran through my head as "it is always the good ones we lose "my brain thought. I hated leaving him but the vets loved him and knew when we came in to get him castrated. When we did come to pick him up he was so happy to see me and feeling so much better. He went back to his normal self once home. He ate about 40 pounds of hay and had plenty of his favorite cattle feed. 

On this day I was giving a lesson to a 10 year old young girl and her sister. Loki had been weaned and was by himself as he was still a bull calf. Loki would hang out with my lesson's parents and at time entertain them. This day would be the start of something. To give a back story. I had been wanting to teach Loki as I really couldn't see him leaving. I wanted to keep him to try training him to be a saddle steer and maybe oxen (a draft animal). This little girl at the end of her lesson said as she looked at Loki "can I train him?" I my instant response was YES! The next lesson was her teaching Loki all about the clicker.