Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sammie rode Arthur, too!
I forgot to mention that Sammie rode Arthur on a nice pony ride through the field with me leading her again. She directed me the whole way telling me which way to go, when to turn, and which puddle to walk through. :) She again closed her eyes and made some "snoring" noises, but to see her up there grinning from ear to ear she was far from sleeping. Arthur was very well behaved for the whole trip. And Sammie was absolutely adorable wearing real riding pants! I bought two pairs at a great discount at the Bluebonnet Horse Expo in 2008! I have been holding on to them just waiting for the day when they would fit her. :) I will have to take pictures next time to share with you how CUTE she was!!! :)
Another ride on Rocky!
I got to ride Rocky again today! We just walked around the ring again - enjoying the beautiful sunny day. It was so warm I had to take off my sweatshirt and ride in a t-shirt! Of course, it didn't last. At the end of our ride, a cold front blew in. Its always weird to feel the temperature drop 10-15 degrees suddenly as the cold air comes in on a breeze. It will be back down to freezing again tonight, so blankets will need to go back on. But I feel great that I had another chance to ride! Rocky is enormous, but so sweet and he loves the attention so much! Again, thank goodness for his sweet personality! We've been together since the moment I helped pull him out of his momma in 1996 - and he's such a good boy!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Beautiful winter ride with Rocky!
This morning when we woke up the ground was beautifully white with a very thick frost - it had been foggy early, and the fog added to the layers of frost. Thankfully, the sun came out and the frost melted away rather quickly. I warmed up quickly by getting the barn ready for the horses - picking stalls, putting out hay and grain - and the sun felt so warm I had to ride.
I pulled Sweetie out of her stall first - I wanted to get her back into her Rambo blanket that I had taken off after all the rains the other day - the "replacement" just didn't fit her quite right. Plenty long from head to tail, but her belly always hangs out way below it like it was designed for a sleek TB - oh, wait... Sweetie is a TB, lol, just with a big belly. :) (how embarrassing! :) ) But her belly was well earned while carrying Rocky around in there, and she is just as beautiful as ever.
Sweetie decided that she was a little perturbed that I would bring her out of her stall before she had a chance to finish her hay, and was making ugly faces, so I groomed her and put her back in her stall. I wanted to have a nice relaxing ride - and some days you can just Tell they are going to be silly, 23 years old or not.
And there was Rocky. It has been about exactly a year since I last rode him - my injured back and then kidney stone and then injured ankle had kept me off of him for the whole year! Oh, my, again, how embarrassing... :) But he leaned out of his stall window towards me trying to get closer and see what I might do - and I couldn't resist that big red guy. I pulled him out, took the blanket off of him and groomed him. I decided I would lunge him a little just to see what he would do before I bothered putting a saddle on him.
We got out to the ring and I was reminded how much I have already taught Rocky - I just pointed to the left, and off he went to the left. I pointed to the right, and off he went to the right. Every time I said, "whoa," he came right down to the halt and faced me. A slight jiggle of the lead, and he backed right up. He was being great, and so relaxed that we went back into the barn and put the saddle and bridle on him. He was easy to mount up, and we just walked around the ring. Halting occasionally, did a few circles, but just walked and enjoyed the sunny day.
I also noticed while I was up there that there was an area of ground that had sunken in about a foot outside of the ring - it is where there was an old well - and shortly after moving here (and finding the depression) we had filled it with a dumptruck load of sand. The area was generally 2-3 feet higher than the ground around it (still from the sand) but the center had gone down a foot or so. I guess the rains recently have helped some of the sand settle more than it has the last 10 years. After my ride I went out and leveled things out quite a bit, making sure the ground was now firm in the area. It was pretty easy to do as it really was just filling the center in with the extra sand that was already there. But I will be keeping an eye on it!
Rocky loved all of his treats and was so happy to have had a "job" for the day - I was reminded how much he loves attention - and recognized that he had been a little bummed that I had not been riding him lately. He is so affectionate. I love how well behaved he is - how friendly - since he has been well handled since the moment he was born (by me!) I really have taught him quite a bit. :)
I am also thankful that he is so laid back for such a big horse! I keep thinking I need to find myself a quiet, 14hh QH someday, but Rocky is just as calm - even if he is 17hh! It is such a long way down from up there! I love the big guy and look forward to our future adventures!
I pulled Sweetie out of her stall first - I wanted to get her back into her Rambo blanket that I had taken off after all the rains the other day - the "replacement" just didn't fit her quite right. Plenty long from head to tail, but her belly always hangs out way below it like it was designed for a sleek TB - oh, wait... Sweetie is a TB, lol, just with a big belly. :) (how embarrassing! :) ) But her belly was well earned while carrying Rocky around in there, and she is just as beautiful as ever.
Sweetie decided that she was a little perturbed that I would bring her out of her stall before she had a chance to finish her hay, and was making ugly faces, so I groomed her and put her back in her stall. I wanted to have a nice relaxing ride - and some days you can just Tell they are going to be silly, 23 years old or not.
And there was Rocky. It has been about exactly a year since I last rode him - my injured back and then kidney stone and then injured ankle had kept me off of him for the whole year! Oh, my, again, how embarrassing... :) But he leaned out of his stall window towards me trying to get closer and see what I might do - and I couldn't resist that big red guy. I pulled him out, took the blanket off of him and groomed him. I decided I would lunge him a little just to see what he would do before I bothered putting a saddle on him.
We got out to the ring and I was reminded how much I have already taught Rocky - I just pointed to the left, and off he went to the left. I pointed to the right, and off he went to the right. Every time I said, "whoa," he came right down to the halt and faced me. A slight jiggle of the lead, and he backed right up. He was being great, and so relaxed that we went back into the barn and put the saddle and bridle on him. He was easy to mount up, and we just walked around the ring. Halting occasionally, did a few circles, but just walked and enjoyed the sunny day.
I also noticed while I was up there that there was an area of ground that had sunken in about a foot outside of the ring - it is where there was an old well - and shortly after moving here (and finding the depression) we had filled it with a dumptruck load of sand. The area was generally 2-3 feet higher than the ground around it (still from the sand) but the center had gone down a foot or so. I guess the rains recently have helped some of the sand settle more than it has the last 10 years. After my ride I went out and leveled things out quite a bit, making sure the ground was now firm in the area. It was pretty easy to do as it really was just filling the center in with the extra sand that was already there. But I will be keeping an eye on it!
Rocky loved all of his treats and was so happy to have had a "job" for the day - I was reminded how much he loves attention - and recognized that he had been a little bummed that I had not been riding him lately. He is so affectionate. I love how well behaved he is - how friendly - since he has been well handled since the moment he was born (by me!) I really have taught him quite a bit. :)
I am also thankful that he is so laid back for such a big horse! I keep thinking I need to find myself a quiet, 14hh QH someday, but Rocky is just as calm - even if he is 17hh! It is such a long way down from up there! I love the big guy and look forward to our future adventures!
Friday, February 5, 2010
A healing day with Arthur
Today, I finally got Sammie back out to the barn. I'm not sure how much was her anxiety and how much was the weather, but I was really glad I finally took her out there again. When we first got out there she was in her "contrary" mood and pretended the horses were different horses - like Sweetie was Rocky, etc., and that Arwen was Penny... she even said she wanted to ride Penny... I did my best just to listen and then remind her that Penny was in heaven, and she looked at me like I had lost it and said, "I know, Mom!" She joked around some more and finally said she wanted to ride Arthur, even though it was a little chilly for her taste.
Sammie gave Arthur a few small handfuls of alfalfa for a treat, which he loved. We tacked him up, lifted Sammie into the saddle, and went for a walk through the field with me leading Arthur around. We went down by the pond and saw how it was actually overflowing around the edge, and followed the water until there was a tiny waterfall as it headed down into a very small ravine/creekbed that I have never seen any water in before. I'm sure it always has some when it rains as it is the low point of our property (and the others around us) but it usually is very dry - especially in the summer when we venture down there. We then walked up the back of the "tank" (pond) and just were amazed at how full it was, and how beautiful. We traveled along the fenceline by the crazy cacti in the neighbor's field, and made sure to pass by Penny's favorite rubbing tree - Sammie's idea. Its all the little things that we point out that somehow the kids remember. I had a special tree growing up - or rather, it was just a funny looking tree along the road in a national park that my parents dubbed "Elizabeth's tree" - and they always pointed out to me when we went by. I finally had my picture taken sitting on that silly tree when I was soon to be engaged to my husband.
We traveled up to the front of the property - nearly to the end of the driveway (and the mailbox!) It was a fun idea to go get the mail, but Arthur started tossing his head and Sammie knew Arthur wanted to go back to the barn, so we started our way there. As we were crossing the field, I looked back when I heard Sammie giggling, and there she was with her chin up and eyes closed - and the biggest grin I have seen in a while - just enjoying the movement of the horse below her. I saw myself in her - I have done that so many times, although not in quite a few years. I will have to remember to close my eyes for a few steps next time I ride Sweetie. (Of course, it would be safer to have someone leading me around on her... lol).
Sammie really had a great time, and gave Arthur more handfuls of alfalfa after the ride. It felt good to be out there enjoying the horses together.
One last note - Arthur and Sweetie started shedding today! I don't know how it always seems to happen so suddenly, but I left the barn with horse hair tickling my nose - and stuck all over my shirt. :) Nothing like a good ride followed by a good grooming to help your heart.
Sammie gave Arthur a few small handfuls of alfalfa for a treat, which he loved. We tacked him up, lifted Sammie into the saddle, and went for a walk through the field with me leading Arthur around. We went down by the pond and saw how it was actually overflowing around the edge, and followed the water until there was a tiny waterfall as it headed down into a very small ravine/creekbed that I have never seen any water in before. I'm sure it always has some when it rains as it is the low point of our property (and the others around us) but it usually is very dry - especially in the summer when we venture down there. We then walked up the back of the "tank" (pond) and just were amazed at how full it was, and how beautiful. We traveled along the fenceline by the crazy cacti in the neighbor's field, and made sure to pass by Penny's favorite rubbing tree - Sammie's idea. Its all the little things that we point out that somehow the kids remember. I had a special tree growing up - or rather, it was just a funny looking tree along the road in a national park that my parents dubbed "Elizabeth's tree" - and they always pointed out to me when we went by. I finally had my picture taken sitting on that silly tree when I was soon to be engaged to my husband.
We traveled up to the front of the property - nearly to the end of the driveway (and the mailbox!) It was a fun idea to go get the mail, but Arthur started tossing his head and Sammie knew Arthur wanted to go back to the barn, so we started our way there. As we were crossing the field, I looked back when I heard Sammie giggling, and there she was with her chin up and eyes closed - and the biggest grin I have seen in a while - just enjoying the movement of the horse below her. I saw myself in her - I have done that so many times, although not in quite a few years. I will have to remember to close my eyes for a few steps next time I ride Sweetie. (Of course, it would be safer to have someone leading me around on her... lol).
Sammie really had a great time, and gave Arthur more handfuls of alfalfa after the ride. It felt good to be out there enjoying the horses together.
One last note - Arthur and Sweetie started shedding today! I don't know how it always seems to happen so suddenly, but I left the barn with horse hair tickling my nose - and stuck all over my shirt. :) Nothing like a good ride followed by a good grooming to help your heart.
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