Riding Ellie - Ride #62

Trying to get back into the habit of blogging about life - today was my 62nd ride on my beautiful mare, Ellie.  (fka Mo)  She is a 2007 Trakehner/ Selle Francais mare.  Her dam was actually foaled in France.



It has been 2 weeks since we rode so I was sure to longe her first and I was very glad I did.  She had some extra energy and bucked and then went off galloping in a circle the way she used to whenever I had her in a roundpen.  Now, when she bucked, I did get after her to go faster one time, but in the past, just putting her in a roundpen would make her start galloping at mach 9.  However, today, after the initial ask to move out faster, she continued galloping like mad like she used to.  Once she calmed down and came to the trot, we trotted both directions until she was trotting with a more relaxed neck and posture.  She did have some fancy prancing steps at first.  It is fun to see how elegant she can be when she is full of it, but my goals are not that right now.  The bottom to the training triangle, so to speak, is relaxation.  So here we continue on our quest to just be calm and take things in stride.

My goal for the coming year is to make it to one of the local schooling shows and go over a course of 2' fences.  That's not too hard.  Last year we jumped 2'6" easily.  Well, when she was feeling calm.  The whole idea of traveling was a bit much for her the first few times we went back to the barn after I brought her home, but I wonder if that was more of an emotional thing on her part.  Anyways, we still go over there to get her shoes on and she is relaxed and super good for that, so adding the ride to it should be ... well, not that it will be easy.  She is my project mare and I'm just going for relaxation at this point.

Today we walked a lot and did some nice bending serpentines at the walk.  We also trotted about halfway around the ring both ways a couple times, coming back down to the walk before she got worried/energetic.

With the holiday break I hope to ride more.  I have finally ordered a trial of a nice saddle from SmartPak for my birthday present!  So glad I have such a supportive husband! :)  Mwah!  It has an adjustable tree, adjustable knee and thigh braces, and I really think it will be good for Ellie.  I know my saddle doesn't fit her right.  The whole back half of the saddle lifts off her back right now, unless I'm sitting in it, and with a mare as sensitive as she is, I've got to cross all my t's.

So here's to more riding and blogging!

Saying goodbye to Max. 1993-2015

It's never easy to say goodbye.  6 weeks ago when the vet first saw max and his xrays showed some rotation in all 4 hooves, she told me that sometimes they seem to get better for a while and then make a turn for the worse, and that with all 4 hooves affected, it was pretty dire, but the rotation was not horrible yet.  "Mama, I don't want the vet to put my horse down!" Said my wonderful 9yo daughter immediately as she heard us talking.  Max was 22.  His previous owner moved overseas and could not take him with her, and he had been a faithful dressage and trail partner for the last 16 years for her.  We were so blessed to have him here, even if it was only for just over a year.  

He was the perfect beginner horse, and would take care of any rider at the walk and trot.  Besides my daughter, we had friends, cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles enjoy rides on him.  He was a total goofball when we took him to a local arena, but calmed down and worked through it with me.  He knew if I was riding that I would make him work.  He much preferred his sweet girl, and showed it in his expression of pure joy every time he saw her.  His ears would prick forward and his eyes would light up at her knowing she probably had treats in her hands.  

The onset of laminitis was rather sudden and he was very lame.  If you watch this video, when the vet first came to see him, he had the stance of a "severe sinker," although I didn't know that then.  To get the x-rays, we had to block all 4 feet so that he could stand comfortably on the cement, and then after we saw the rotation, we decided to take him to the vet hospital while he was still blocked so he could be seen daily for DMSO for 3 days and be in a sand stall for a while.  I don't know if I would do it that way again, but it is the decision we made.  Dropping him off was an emotional nightmare.  They had to temporarily put him in a stall with no windows - it was a sand stall, and he was only there for 40 minutes, but I really didn't want to leave him in that situation at all. Thankfully the kids were still in the truck and didn't need to have that information.  I was clear that I would rather take him home than have him where he couldn't see other horses, and was assured that he would be moved into the other sand stall very soon.  I was also in a bit of an emotional spot not knowing whether Max would make it home.  On our way out, I had to drive the trailer back behind the clinic near a manure pile, and ended up sinking the dually up to its rims in the muddy shavings.  A tractor pulled us out, but it was still stressful.  

5 days later, he did make it home.  He was still lame, but much more comfortable and was standing squarely. Over the next few weeks he seemed to get a little more comfortable, a little quicker in his stall to come visit you at the door.  He would go out in his paddock and scratch withers with Charlie over the fence.  But last week I noticed him seeming a little more sore, so I made an appointment for the vet to come out to do x-rays to see where we were.   I had been waiting to see that typical founder ring at the top of his hoof, and it was finally growing.  The line was so deep I worried that the hoof wall might come off.  A few days later I noticed that at the top of the coronary band, it felt strange - like the hoof had slid up on his pastern slightly - or rather, his coffin bone had sunk.  I hoped I was wrong.  For the rest of the week he got progressively lamer each day.  First I noticed his RF seemed more sore, then his rear feet one at a time. 

The day before the vet appointment, my daughter and I had a long talk in the barn about Max.  We stood in his doorway and just watched him, and then we sat down on a hay bale and kept watching and thinking and talking and snuggling.  We left his stall door open... his feet hurt too much to try and take advantage of it, at least not at first.  He did not want to put weight on his LH. We talked about all of the horses that I have helped cross over to the rainbow bridge and why we made that choice.  We talked about rotation vs. sinking.  I told her I didn't know for sure what the x-rays would show, but that how sore he was was not okay, and we have to put the welfare of the horse above our feelings.  We talked about how horses in the wild that were very lame would not survive long.  And we talked about the process of euthanasia, and that the vet always gives them a sedative before injecting an overdose of a barbiturate.

The day of the appointment I researched and hoped for some sort of way we could help him further.  I didn't find anything that you could do once the coffin bone hand sunk down.  And then my daily email from The Horse arrived and the top story was about how humane euthanasia actually was...  I went out to the barn to groom Max mid-day and he was laying down.  I went in his stall and pet him and sat down and waited, hoping he would get up soon on his own.  I have walked into the barn when he has been laying down many times and this was the first time he didn't jump up to see what was going on.  He lay there for the next 3 hours, and thankfully he did get up.  I knew just by watching him that it was time.  

The vet finally arrived and my daughter and I met her out at the barn.  She rubbed her hands over his hooves one by one and said that without even x-raying him she could tell he had already sunk and that, "I think you should put him down."  As much as I knew it was coming and thought I was prepared, the tears started falling down my cheeks.  It was hard to talk.  My daughter looked up at me with worry but strength.  We asked the vet if she had ever seen a horse rehabbed from sinking in all 4 and she shook her head sadly.  She said that if it is just one hoof you could cast it and let a new hoof grow over the next year, but with all 4 the horse had no way of being comfortable on any of his hooves.  We had talked about it and I knew my daughter didn't want to be there for the actual process, but this was her horse, and she wanted to be the one to take him to his resting spot.  I told her she could feed him as many treats as he wanted.  The vet gave him some banamine to help him be more comfortable before walking out of the barn.  He hadn't been able to have any grass since he had been home.  He was so excited to get some carrots and ate more than half a 5lb bag.  He made it out onto the grass with my daughter at the lead and was so happy to have his muzzle down in the green stuff but still took every carrot she offered.  More tears fell as I watched my daughter put a braid in his mane - the same way she did for Penny, and I did for Arthur, and all the others.  And then she bravely braided his tail. Final hugs and kisses were given and the vet and I watched her and her brother run into the house.

I have helped my share of horses pass over the rainbow bridge and some times they pass easier than others.  Max, like everything else in his life, passed the easiest of them all.  He was very relaxed after the xylazine and I kept rubbing my hand on his forehead and told him over and over how much we loved him and thanked him for all he had done for us, and when the last of the pink injection was in, he bent his knees and laid down and was gone.  So peacefully.  

Riding = Healing

You would think that the last thing I would want to do right now is play with the horses, but somehow it is the exact thing I need to do most. I guess it makes sense - it has always brought me peace - why would now be any different? Somehow, being out in the barn, grooming, riding, mucking, all just relaxes me and helps me feel well. I was even able to talk about Sweetie on the phone to Julie who sold her to me without breaking into tears because I was leading Sammie around on a horse. Sometimes you just have to trust that it's okay and do what feels right.

So today I went out to the barn and finished trimming Rocky's feet. I did the front two yesterday and the back two today. I groomed him and noticed how well the hair has started growing back after his bout of pigeon fever (icky stuff - won't describe it here). He had been so lame the past few months before the abscess drained that I wasn't sure how he would be. Okay, I have to talk about it a little - the abscess builds a thick wall of muscle/soft tissue around it, and his body is in the process of breaking down the excess tissue. Unlike most pigeon fever cases where the abscess is at their chest/base of their neck, Rocky's was huge under his R shoulder. It made him very, very lame and stiff. He still has a spot on the front of his R hock that is swollen (we have taken x-rays and found nothing wrong with the bones). We are hoping that the swelling will go down/resorb soon on its own, but it may also decide later to drain - I hope not, tho.

Poor Rocky's mane had been neglected for a while so I trimmed it - nearly a foot of mane fell to the ground. (Reminds me that I wanted to do that with my own hair, but am still procrastinating for some reason). I know that western riders like the long manes, but for me, manes should be neatly kept. :)

So I put the longe line on the halter and took Rocky out to the ring to longe him to see where we were. I somehow had forgotten how much groundwork I have done with him, and love how I just point a direction and he goes out on the circle for me. The first time I asked him to trot, Rocky jumped into a buck and cantered around the circle. Not what I was expecting him to do, but oh so typical for him. It's like not a day has passed since the last time we longed together, but in reality it has probably been nearly a year. So I asked him to walk and trot and he is always so quick to come back down to a halt. So smart, just like his Momma. It crossed my mind that he is 16 this year. GEEZ. And Rocky has been with me from the moment he was born. I'll gladly take another 16 years with him, God willing.

He looked pretty sound - not perfect, but not obviously lame somewhere, and I knew I wanted to ride him - so I did. Normally, at that point I hear little voices about being afraid of "What if I fall" and how I need to be responsible for the kiddos and stay safe since no one else is around. But today, it just wasn't there. I knew what I needed to do, and the fears had melted away. Not sure why, but they were gone. My internal monologue changed to, "Well, maybe I will fall, maybe I won't. But I won't know if I don't get up there and ride" and to "the best way to get back into shape for riding horses is to RIDE, duh!"



We had a wonderful ride at the walk and trot both directions. Rocky still felt a little strange at the walk (from being lame for a few months with pigeon fever) but the trot was actually pretty even. No head bobbing or unevenness that I could feel. Weird that I could feel it at the walk. And then I thought, "Well, the best way for him to build muscle back is for me to ride him!" And thought about how Sweetie and I were so successful showing the year that I rode her several times a week and showed almost every weekend. It was part of our routine, we were both in excellent shape, and if I want to do that again, I need to be riding like that again.

Rocky is very smart just like his Momma, but generally much more laid back. Well, unless he is in new surroundings, then he is mostly sensible but definitely more energetic. It's the warmblood in him, for sure. I am embarrassed how dusty his bridle was, but I won't let that happen again! Riding brings me peace and mental well being. I can't afford not to be riding. :)

Top 10 Falls Off of Sweetie

Thought I would try and lighten it up a bit, but hope I don't leave you cringing too badly. :)

10: At one of our first few shows (it was just me and my Dad) - with me trying to fit into my show team gear that didn't fit so well anymore, she stopped at a fence in the middle of a course, I came off and walked out of the arena to mount back up because I couldn't get on her from the ground...

9: I remember a fall in Culpeper at their winter series 1994-5. It was something very silly and simple - but I can't recall exactly what. It might even have just been warming up, but I remember how silly it was and feeling a little embarrassed... maybe it was a fun class like ride-a-buck where you ride bareback with a dollar bill between your knee and the horse. Good luck after show-sheening your horse! :)

8: I fell at a show in Lexington, VA. 1993? Don't remember much but falling on bluestone and getting back up and riding in the next class with gravel stains on my knee.

7: I think we fell during our warmup in Roanoke, VA in 1994.

6: Just riding around at VA Tech in the ring at the barn, and I think Sweetie stumbled/got a stone bruise. All I remember clearly is more bluestone - ouch!

5: 2008 - Was enjoying a ride at dusk trotting/cantering and Daisy came up and spooked her in the shadows. Sweetie jumped 6' to the left. I only made it about 3' but at least landed in soft sand.

4: 2006/7 - I was out of shape after having the kids and rode Sweetie in the field. The other horses took off trotting and I thought it would be fun to let her run along. She bucked then caught herself and stopped almost immediately as I toppled over her head and landed on my back. I was too top heavy and out of shape with not enough muscle to hold me on there. Very painful, slow fall that got me serious about getting back in shape. :)

3: Early 1991 - the fall at Penn State that tore ligaments in my ankle.

2: While at VA Tech, around 1993-4, I took Sweetie on a trail ride, by myself, and a dog spooked her and I came off over her head, well, maybe onto her head. She stayed with me as I screamed out in a cow field - at least 1/2 mile from the barn - for a few minutes, then up and bolted back to the barn without me. Thankfully for me, her returning without her rider still saddled up instigated a search party that found me within 30 min or so. I spent at least 2 days in the hospital with some internal bleeding.

1: WIHS Local Day at Paper Chase. I had a nearly perfect round and Sweetie stopped at the last fence. I came back in to try my next round and she stopped at the first fence, which I then gracefully fell off right in front of the judges' stand. Nothing like being judged on your unplanned dismounts. :)



So, looking back, I pretty much fell any time it was a big show. :) Which meant that I generally was experiencing some sort of soreness/pain at those shows. I will say that Sweetie just simply knew me too well. If I hesitated, even a bit, she knew it and would stop at a fence. But when I was confident, she never refused. Our connection was so close that she trusted me to guide her, and when I was unsure, she would just stop almost the instant I thought about it. At the bigger shows, I would be nervous and not ride as effectively.

The good news is, I had trouble remembering 10 falls. I'd say 1 fall every other year is plenty, though! :)

My Sweetie, Feb. 7, 1987 - Feb. 7, 2012

Yes, 25 years exactly, and I was blessed to be with her for 22 of those years.

It all started the summer after I graduated from high school. I was spending my summer shoveling manure and riding horses at a local barn. For a few months, the barn owner, Julie, had been talking about bringing home this "three year old bay filly." She was off the track, and had been "letting down" in a pasture up in Maryland. I actually rode with Julie in her truck to go pick up the filly. I had no idea it was all beginning there.

Back at the farm, the we put the filly in the "Q" paddock (quarantine) for her first few weeks, which had a small sand arena between it and the main field where all the horses were turned out. I remember leaning my chin on my arms along the top rail of the fence just watching her trot around the field - she was so beautiful. I took a few brushes with me and would go out in the field to brush her and just be with her. I called her "Sweetie" and "Sweetheart" as she was yet unnamed.

Sweetie has always been a "herd" animal - and could never stand to be away from her herdmates for long. Within her first few days in the Q field, she had jumped over the 3'6" fence in to the arena, and jumped the fence on the other side of the arena into the field to be with the herd. I guess you'd call that "jumping potential" if you were trying to sell a horse. :)

It was my job to start riding her and training her to be ridden english. Of course, she had been ridden at the track, but I can remember Julie giving me a leg up and Sweetie walking a little anxiously as soon as I was in the saddle the first time. Julie led us around the ring once or twice as we made sure the basic signals were in place - you know, important ones like "whoa." I'm sure we at least trotted together that first ride, if not cantered as well. And of course, I knew right away that she was the horse I had been looking for, and hoped we would be able to buy her. A friend of mine at the time teased me for being "fickle" as I had trouble making decisions sometimes - but even he said Sweetie was the first thing he had ever seen me be so sure of. I had always wanted to train my own horse.

I had been talking to my parents already about having a horse with me at college. I was pretty shy and naive still, and couldn't imagine being away at a new place without having a horse - a constant companion -there with me. From my age of 10-17, horses were my life - I was out at the barn as much as I could be, taking lessons, riding young horses, I couldn't imagine going away from home and losing such a big part of my life. I wonder to this day how I managed to convince my parents to buy me a horse - already tied down with the expense of college tuition, and adding another cost. But I promised to get a job to help pay for board (it was only $200/mo, that couldn't be hard to come up with :)) and my grandparents gracefully offered to pay board for the first year.

It wasn't long before we had come up with her "show" name. It had to have something to do with "Sweetie." Over one Sunday Dinner with my grandparents, my parents and I deemed her "Sweet Persuasion" as that described the situation perfectly. :)

I had a friend who was a trainer come see Sweetie to "evaluate" her and we trotted her over some poles to see what she would do. Sweetie was great, but the trainer actually advised me not to buy Sweetie. She has an "ewe" neck she said (which was actually just a young lack of muscle/topline) and she said her knees weren't perfectly straight. But the trainer couldn't sway me, and I didn't look to her for advice ever again. 5 years later, that same trainer happened to be at a horse show where Sweetie and I were Champion Pleasure Hunter & Champion Adult Amateur Hunter. I was young enough to want so badly just to stick my tongue out at her and say, "this is the filly you said not to buy," but I never did. Although I certainly was proud that day.

We had a prepurchase exam done by the vet, who saw nothing wrong with her - she was a little ouchy in her front feet from pacing back and forth in the Q field on gravel and getting stone bruises, but that should be easily remedied. Julie put fancy aluminum shoes on her with pads I think that solved that problem immediately and Julie wrote in the bill of sale that if the lameness didn't go away, we could return her. That was also when they did her first coggins test - the Vet draws blood from the horse's jugular vein that is later tested for a disease, and as I watched the blood fill the tube I suddenly felt dizzy and weak had to go sit down before I passed out.

Somehow, I had magically convinced my parents to buy me a horse. What is weirder is that we bought the horse trailer first - and boy, we got a good deal on that one. We went to pick up the trailer at a very fancy barn with white board fences - I guess the owner just wanted to get rid of it, but it was a relatively new trailer for a great price. We parked the trailer at the barn for my last week before I went off to college. I vividly remember the moment Sweetie was "mine." I knew it was going to happen, but refused to believe it until I watched my dad hand Julie a check for her - that moment of the check where it passed from my father's hand into Julie's hand is burned into my brain. It meant that she was really mine. Forever.

10 minutes later we loaded Sweetie up onto our new trailer and headed out to take me (and my horse) to college. I spent my first year at Penn State. I was not allowed to have a car my first semester, so I had to take a bus or ride my bike the 5 miles to the barn. I did a little of both.


This is the day after we bought Sweetie and drove to PSU.


And here is my Dad, thinking to himself, "What have I done?!" :)

I am sure we brought Sweetie home for winter break - I couldn't stand the thought of being 4 hours away from my horse for a whole month. And in January, back to school we went. (Looking back, I am still amazed at how flexible Julie was always welcoming me & Sweetie back for just a month or three during college breaks).


Sweetie's first winter coat came in just a few months so gorgeous!

Early in my second semester, I was riding Sweetie in the arena and "training" her to go over jumps. I set up a little "in and out" (two 18" jumps one stride apart) and as we headed to the jumps, Sweetie thought it meant "over and out" and at the last second jumped sideways to avoid going over the fence, and I didn't get the message and was on the ground. I had torn a ligament in my ankle and couldn't walk on it, and was soon whisked to the hospital. I spent the next few months on crutches and sadly missing my horse. When I finally convinced a college friend (actually - it was a couple of friends from high school who attended there) to drive me out to see her (still on crutches), I insisted on trying to ride her (bareback no less - oh, what was I thinking?) Sweetie thought I was a little crazy, too, as I hopped around on my good foot trying to mount her from a stone wall about 3' high from the wrong side without a saddle, but I did, and just sitting on her back for the few moments I was able to brought peace to my soul. I managed to slide off after my brief respite and land on my good foot, no harm done. This was a three year old thoroughbred, I remind you...

Being on crutches on a huge campus didn't work out well, and Sweetie and I came back home for a year to regroup. I spent the summer of 1991 helping Julie rebuild a barn at her new property and getting it ready to move 35 horses to her new place. I took lessons all summer, too, and Sweetie and I were getting much better at going over the jumps - together! I think it was that summer that we went to our first show. We didn't bring home many ribbons, but it was our first time out, and I managed to stay on and get over all the jumps. Although it seemed almost in slow motion - Sweetie's way of dealing with new jumps at a new place was to go up to them (at a canter) and then slow down and eek over the jump just barely. It wasn't pretty, but it was a great learning experience. I'm pretty sure I took Krissy and Beau with us that time (also remembering a few years later when we took our horses to Culpeper for a winter show - spent the night in a hotel, snuck in our dogs (Kelsey at least), and showed the next day) Crazy kids!


At the end of the day after one of our first shows. :)

At some point in her 4yo year, we moved Sweetie to Bay Ridge Stables, where I had taken lessons for so many years. I think part of that decision was to have access to a covered arena (it must have been a rainy year), but it was also so good to be back with so many of my show team friends. That summer Sweetie's coat bleached out to look yellow from being outside all day, (and I would get in trouble for leaving Sweetie in her stall during the day when I was there) and it wasn't long before I was back at Julie's.


Caught giving her a hug. Man, I miss her.

Well, I've got to take a break - I've only covered 1-2 years of my time with Sweetie so far - 20 more to go. :) Thanks for reading!

Golden Butterfly - another great ride!

It sure was a beautiful evening for a ride! My husband and I went out to the barn together to play/ride - and I thought what a great opportunity to see how Golden Butterfly would do in the ring with another horse. Short answer: fantastic. She is so laid back, and she continues to relax more and more and just be a really good horse. She has been coming up to my husband in the field and letting him pet on her, and she looks happy and curious almost always nowadays.

Tonight, the only time she pinned her ears was when I was girthing up the saddle for the first time in the aisleway. She did not pin her ears when I tightened it in the ring, or any other time. I have to say she was in a super good mood - came right to me when I opened the door to her stall, easy to halter, etc., and she was in absolute heaven as I curried her and got rid of the last bits of winter coat. I think she was just enjoying her grooming (which we do regularly when she comes out of her stall - she waits for me to curry her before going out of the barn and is disappointed when I don't brush her first). Anyways, I haven't ridden her in a few weeks and I think the saddle was not what she was planning on, but she was great.

I am finding that GB is actually a very lazy mare. :) She understands longing, but I have to be really serious about it for her to stay moving/trotting. As soon as I relax, she comes down to a walk. Same thing under saddle. I pretty much have to give her gentle reminders/squeezes with my legs to keep her going - and at the first sign of me relaxing, she comes down to a walk. But it's not like the dead-sided school horse - you just have to be serious about what you want and she will do it.

We walked and trotted both directions in the ring while my husband was in there with his horse longing, and I had no trouble at all. GB was great. She stood perfectly still for me to mount up (no ear pinning or at all!) and was easy and calm to ride. She is such a sensible mare, and would make a great trail mount for a lucky adopter! Now that she is finally getting over being afraid/pinning her ears so much, she is really turning out to be a sweet girl!

Golden Butterfly's first ride!

The idea of the first ride on a horse when you know nothing about their history is always filled with some anxiety. You go on what you have observed, and hope your instincts are right.

I have not had a chance to play with her in a few weeks - family was here, we've been busy on the weekends, but we do now have a routine after every meal that she walks out of her stall into the aisleway and waits patiently for me to groom her from head to toe. She knows when I'm done and walks on out to the field. Or not - and I can carry on around her, clapping my hands, clucking, etc., and she just stands and waits for me to put the lead around her neck to walk her out.



In preparation for today - (and all I really planned on) - I switched out the rubber bit for a metal loose ring snaffle the right size, and pulled out the molasses. She was good about letting me put it on her and loved the molasses! Her mouth quickly quieted down as she accepted the bit and I put the saddle on. She turned to look at me with her ears pinned as I started to connect the girth and I said, "no" and she quit.

Out in the ring we lunged at the walk and trot both directions, and then went to the mounting block. Before doing anything else, I asked her to turn towards me on the ground using the reins as a cue - and she didn't completely understand, but then I did it like neck reining and she knew right away what I was doing. I put my foot in the stirrup and put some weight in it and she turned to look mad with her one pinned ear(her bluff) and I told her no, and leaned all the way over her. She stood very calmly, so I went ahead and slowly brought my leg around and sat up in the saddle. She still stood perfectly, so I dismounted and got back up on her again 2 times, and the 3rd time I decided to see what she would do if I gave her a cue to turn.



Before I knew it, we were walking around the ring, turning and halting. I could hardly believe it! I almost had tears in my eyes as I was so proud of her and she was being so calm and relaxed about it all. The worst thing she did was to want to turn back to the gate - like an old school horse trying to get out of work. But her body was otherwise calm and fine the whole time. Amazing. She stood calmly as I dismounted and was just such a good girl!



I am SO happy for her and excited to ride her again!

Golden Butterfly update

Yeah, she's looking better!

Here is a photo of her cute stumpy ear:



I had been waiting for Ms. GB to get up to weight before testing her out to see what she knows - and I suddenly realized I had a super fluffy mare that was well up to and past weight. :) So I started yesterday with her, and after grooming her and trimming her front feet, I put a saddle on her, and we went out to the ring to see what she know. I longed her both directions at the walk and trot and she did great - and then I put pressure with my hand in the stirrups. She wasn't too sure about me bouncing around on the mounting block, but it sure seems to me that she was at one time trained and ridden.

Today, when I went to get her out of her stall/pen, she did not want to be caught and moved away from me. So, I asked her to trot round the pen and when I stopped, she waited patiently for me to halter her. We've done this a few times before, and it's clear she has been worked in a roundpen at some point and knows that standing still is the way to do less work. I groomed her and picked up all 4 feet - she is still a little nervous about letting me have her back feet.

Whenever I am working with her, just as it is clear she did have training somewhere in her past, it is also clear that she was abused after that. You can tell she really wants to relax and trust again, but every once in a while, something worries her and she pins her ears, or tosses her head or kicks in worry. My job is to not react other than to remind her of her manners with a swift "NO" and then go back to being affectionate towards her. She really does enjoy the affection in spite of her fears - rubbing her all over, scratching her itchy spots, etc.

I did not put a saddle on her today, but took my long longe line and whip with me into the ring. We longed both ways at the walk and trot. Just enough to get her breathing up a little, which wasn't really very long. A couple of times when trotting to the right, she got frustrated and turned and went more quickly to the left. I calmly said "easy" and asked her to go back to the right again. One thing that I'm not sure about is that whenever I longe her, she turns her head to the outside to look around. Some might consider this disrespect or not paying attention, but as soon as I say "easy" or "whoa," she slows right down and turns and looks at me. If it was only to one direction I would wonder if it was an eye or body soreness bothering her, but doing the same thing both ways seems like it is just her looking around.

After longing, we went over to the mounting block - without the saddle. I pulled her up to the block and stood up on it and she moved away - she knows that me getting up on the block means she's about to get ridden, but that wasn't in my plan today. We worked to get her to stand well at the block, and started putting my arm over her. She pinned her ears and moved away. I told her "NO" about pinning her ears - and then got back up on the block and did it again until she stood still, then stepped down and rubbed on her forehead. We repeated the next steps also and ended when I could lay my arms/head over her back while she stood relaxed.

Back to me rubbing her forehead - that is actually something she would not let you do when she got here. She didn't want you to touch her face or get anywhere near her ears. Today in the ring, she was relaxed when I would rub her face, and even lowered her head to the ground as I rubbed the top of her nose. She had one moment where she got worried and lifted her head up and jerked it around, so I stopped for a moment and then went back and she was fine again.

Even cooler than rubbing her forehead, was that I was able to rub around her ears and poll without her being worried!!! THAT is a HUGE deal for her! Maybe she was distracted being out in the ring, but man, that was awesome. I just made it part of rubbing her head and took my hand along her good ear first, then even rubbed gently over her bad ear. I think they are finally feeling well - they were still very sore when she first arrived - and her stumpy ear has a lot more movement to it now. It used to be that it always looked the same, but now it turns back and forth and you can see a lot more movement. As her (current) human, I also have to pay extra attention to her ears - usually when I'm working with a horse I can see their ears out of the corner of my eye and quickly notice if they get mad and start pinning their ears - it is much harder to judge with GB with only one ear to see.

Overall, I was delighted with today - being able to rub her around her head so much - it was hard to believe that she was so relaxed about it. Yay, Progress!

I think we're friends...

This morning I was able to catch Golden Butterfly a bit quicker and without having to ask her to trot. I used a super soft rope halter, and I think she appreciated it. I think I am starting to see her eyes soften a little, but again, it is probably just her stomach talking. She nickers whenever I come out to the barn, as she knows I'll bring her another small meal of grain.

We took Golden Butterfly for a walk in the field to let her graze on some grass to get her body used to the grass. I guess it's not much different than hay at this point, but just in case, we are going to make it a gradual change. It will be at least a week or two before she has enough strength to go out in the field with the other horses. I may let her out for a few hours with Love at some point, though. Love is so gentle - I've never seen her be aggressive at anyone/any other horse. Sweetie did a good job with Crystal, too. But we all know Rocky will nip at a new horse at least. Well, at feeding time for sure. And little Arthur - he cracks me up. Some Napoleon complex he has. His run is right next to Golden's and he will charge at the fence and rear at her. She's got his number now, though, and knows he can't get to her so she just stands there and continues with whatever she is doing.

So, back to the field - I had 2 helpers at the end of my lead rope as we walked from the barn about halfway to the pond. Both kiddos enjoyed helping, but I still have to keep a close eye on them. The kids went back to the barn to play, and I led Golden back as well. I put her on the crossties, and groomed her. She seemed to like the attention, and calm as I gently touched her nose. I doctored her ears a little - I didn't get as far as I had hoped, but it is a beginning. I decided to try to pick her feet as well. She did give me the fronts relatively easy, but did not want to hold them up for long. She allowed me to pick up the back but wanted to put them down immediately. I gave her several treats which she enjoyed and put her back in her paddock.

I wonder how much she knows - with a few horses in the past, picking up their feet and being good about it has been a clear indicator that they were trained at some point to be ridden. Sounds crazy, but generally, if they pick up their feet for you well, it means they were cared for enough to be worked with and ridden. Right now, I'm not convinced one way or the other. I suspect she knows something with the way she walks onto the trailer so easy, but she is not yet comfortable with me picking up her feet for long. We will continue and see how we progress - she's only been here for a few days!

In other news, I learned that the sheriff's office had to cut her halter off of her face because it was on so tight. We often see that with young horses who have grown into their halters, but with an older horse - I don't know whether someone just put it on that tightly, or if honestly had been that long (if she is 12) since it had been taken off - those nylon halters seem to last forever. More things to wonder about, and be thankful that she is safe now.

"Golden Butterfly"

We welcomed a new foster horse to our barn yesterday. Here is a photo of this poor mare:



My 5yo daughter named her "Golden Butterfly" and we do hope she will make a transformation over the next few months. She is missing part of an ear and has a scars all around her poll and on her face. I hate to think about what she has been through, but even more so I am amazed that she still seems willing to allow me around her.



Yesterday when we picked her up from a temporary foster home, she was a bit irritated at first that she had not been served her dinner and took a few moments to catch. But once caught, she led well and walked willingly into the trailer where I had a full haynet waiting for her. She seems well traveled - or was at one time well trained. I don't know what happened to her, but I hope she will come around and learn she is safe again.

The cutest thing was my daughter sitting on the fence talking to her telling her she was safe now and that no one would hurt her again. She also introduced her to all the other horses and told them to be nice to Golden Butterfly.

Tonight I wanted to halter her and let her graze on some grass. I went into her paddock with the halter over my shoulder, and at first she did not want me to get close to her. I would approach and retreat when she would step away, and we played that game for a while, but we didn't seem to be making much progress - I still was not interesting enough for her. I recalled how we had caught her yesterday, and asked her to move out (trot) or work if she would not let me catch her - and it only took twice around before she decided it was easier to stand still and be caught than work.

She gave in, I easily put the halter on her, led her around, and then took the halter right back off to make sure the experience was a good one.

More soon.

Love at the Expo

Here is a photo of Me with Love at the Expo

We competed in the Rescue Horse Training Challenge, and won first place in the experienced foster home category! We were within one point of the other contestants, so it was very close! Her best scores I'm sure were based upon improvement and conditioning. I'm so proud of her!

Moving Forward!

Love had a day off yesterday with kids swim lessons in the morning and getting a load of hay last night (just for Arthur - he is particular!) This morning when I fed, I also still had to stack the 30 bales of hay, which meant restacking some of the 200 bales we bought a few weeks ago. It was very humid this morning, so when I was done with the hay and dripping with sweat, I needed to cool off before coming back out to play with Love. Of course, she watched everything I did and was waiting patiently for me and you could tell she just wanted to play and didn't want me to go yet. But I scratched her withers and told her to take her morning nap and I would be out in a bit.

When I got back out to the barn, she was waiting at her stall door with shavings in her mane from her nap, and nickered to tell me she was ready! She loved her grooming - and has started grooming my "withers" in return - it's hard to decide how much of that is okay, and how much I should stop to make sure she doesn't get any bad manners. Right now, it is part of our connection, so I only stop her if she gets over zealous about it. :)

Today was the first day that Love stood perfectly still about putting the saddle on and tightening the girth! No steps backwards at all! Yay!

I made the mistake of putting molasses on the bit before I had taken her halter off/down around her neck - and while I was trying to do that with the bridle over my arm, she started putting whatever part of the bridle she could find into her mouth! Thank goodness I was quick, and she grabbed right onto the bit when I offered it to her. I've never used the molasses trick before, but man, I will always start a new horse that way from here on out. She just loves it!

Love still chews on the bit pretty constantly. There is no anxiety associated with it - I'm not sure if she's trying to eat it or what. I may need to play with a few bits to see if this one is too "thick" (it is rubber) or that the give in the rubber is too much (she thinks she can eat it) and she would prefer the taste of steel. I get a sense it is a little of both.

I have not put any reins on the bridle yet - I am waiting for her to stop chewing the bit before I do that - so I have a rope halter on over the bridle. She is a little stubborn about leading out of the barn the opposite end of where I let them out. But once out of the barn, she leads well.

We went to the ring after our groundwork which is improving. She stops when I stop - but I need to decide if I want her to do that behind me, or at my side. Today she stopped right next to my shoulder and loved a few pats on her forehead. In the ring, we tightened the girth, pulled the stirrups down and I lead her over to the mounting block. She stopped well, but then took a step away from the block. Hmmm.. I thought. After moving her back, I tossed the rope over the saddle and bounced up an down a few times before mounting up and sitting in the saddle. She stood perfectly still and did not take a step for about a minute before I wiggled back and forth and dismounted! I was so proud!

So I got back into the saddle a second time, and this time I wanted to see if she understood anything about cues to move forward. I gently squeezed my legs, and she took a step back. I tried turning her head to the side, and she took a step back. I kept gently squeezing, and each time she went backwards. I made sure I didn't have any pressure on the lead, but still she took a small step backwards, and then nibbled on the grass in the ring. So I decided to sit there and wait for her to take a step either forwards or sideways (generally forwards) and when she did, I praised her and told her what a good girl she was! I then asked again with my legs and her head turned to the left, and when she moved the right direction I immediately released all cues and praised her again. I got several steps forwards/turning and then decided we'd better try it to the right. So I moved the lead across her head to the right side, and asked again with my leg cues - and as a green horse would do, she thought I meant to the left again... but we got her nose turned to the right and she stepped right and I praised her. We did this a few more times with forward movement, and then I sat up and said, "whoa!" and wiggled back and forth and dismounted. What a good girl!

So today we took our first few steps forward! :) I sit here and think to myself about the way I am going about this and wonder if I should be doing more longing to teach her voice commands for walk, trot, and canter. I'm sure I will start including more of that here soon, but right now, she is just so calm and relaxed about everything, I really don't want to get her excited thinking she needs to move fast. A lot of what she is allowing me to do is based upon 1) her personality and 2) the bond we have created - she really trusts me and knows I won't hurt her, so is willing to let me do these things. I wonder if she is part Arab with the way that she wants to connect with me so much... No matter, I accept and am really enjoying her affections and helping her learn so much!

I sat on her! :)

Over the past few days, I have continued to saddle Love after nearly every meal. We go out and practice leading, turning, moving her haunches away, halts, and backing. I finally put the rubber snaffle on the cob bridle and it fits just right - and I was delighted with a "trick" someone mentioned recently - I put just a drop of molasses on the bit, and Love smelled it, and she put the bit right in her mouth herself! That was SO much easier than her lifting her head up as high as she could (pointing her nose up, too) while I opened her mouth with my thumb in the side! So we have kept doing that - and every time she puts her head right into the headstall and brings the bit right into her mouth. She is still chewing on it pretty constantly, but she is not anxious about it. It's just something new and she's getting used to it still.

I have been flapping the saddle flaps around and took the stirrups down (I'm riding english) and her reaction to all that has quickly become little to none. It really surprised her the first few times I did that - her body quivered each time the flap came down on her side, but we've kept doing it and now she understands it's not going to hurt her. She still turns her head around to see what I'm doing all the time, but she isn't anxious anymore (it's only been 4 days!). I keep doing the "tail test" to see whether her tail is clamped down or not, and I have continued to find it relaxed.

Yesterday, I took her into the ring (after leading her around in the field) and put some pressure on each stirrup to see how she would respond - she turned her head to look at me, but was not concerned about it at all. So I led her up to the mounting block, and climbed up there. I put my hands at her withers & on the cantle of the saddle and bounced up and down a few times. She stayed calm, so I took a chance and pushed myself up on to my belly on the saddle - I didn't want to sit on her quite yet. Love turned towards my feet and mouthed my foot, then turned to look at my head/body hanging on the other side. She took one step back to steady herself, but otherwise was not worried, so I stayed that way for 20 seconds or so before getting down and doing it again.

This morning, I fed the horses and then came in to the house for a bit to let the horses digest a bit. When I got back to the barn, Love was laying down in her stall. I had come there to work with her, and was thinking about trying to sit on her, but I didn't think it would be polite to force her to get up to work - it's part of her routine to take a nap in her stall after breakfast. I waited a few minutes, and then opened her stall door and went in - and I sat down on her hay while she napped a few minutes, and rubbed her forehead a little. She is so sweet. After a few more minutes, she got up on her own, and I stepped out of her stall towards the grooming area, and she followed me (like she has been doing for the last month or so to be groomed before turnout) without a halter. I did go ahead and put the halter on since it was work time, and when she would move her feet, I would gently remind her to go back to where she was by putting my hand on her chest and gently pushing back. She really understands that well. She got carrots for being so good. And then molasses on her bit again! :)

We did our normal ground routine in the field and went into the ring. I tightened the girth a hole. She didn't move her feet for that but still turns to look at me. We went over to the mounting block and I flapped the saddle flaps, pulled down the stirrups and gently tossed the doubled lead over her back/saddle to continue desensitizing. She seemed relaxed about everything - tail check was good, so I put my foot in the stirrup and leaned over her back. She took a step for balance, and then stood well, so I brought my other leg over and sat up in the saddle! :) Yay! She stood well and then I said "whoa" and wiggled in the saddle and then dismounted. I can't remember who taught me to do that as a signal for dismounting, but it seems to work well. I got on her again and she stepped back once and stood well again - and I took a picture of her while riding! (Ok, not the smartest, but she was being really good!) I dismounted again, and then got up on her again, and this time she stood perfectly, and I hugged her neck and rubbed her all over wherever I could reach, and finally gave a super good scratching to her withers. That was so good she was stretching out her upper lip so far and wanted to turn around and scratch me back. :) I said "whoa," wiggled back and forth in the saddle, dismounted and gave her lots more scratches and a bath before turnout.

Love has become so affectionate - well, she always has been, but even moreso now that I am working with her so much. She always looks at me with these big eyes, "Come play with me! Scratch me!" and willingly tries whatever I ask of her. I wouldn't normally get on a green horse quite so quickly, but she has continued to show me that she was ready and willing to try.

I connected with Love the first day I saw her at a dental clinic in April, but have tried to not get too attached because I have not been sure whether she would work out for Sammie. But working with Love every day, I find myself in the midst of a wonderful connection with this horse, and she has firmly planted her hoofprint in my heart. I don't know what the future will bring, but I do love this little mare more than I'm willing to admit to myself sometimes...

Finding a bridle that fits...

Love's new schedule is now to be groomed and worked with for 15-20 minutes before turning her out after meals - that's twice a day! Yesterday, when I put a bit in her mouth, I used a cob size bridle with a 5 1/4" snaffle that was obviously too long. The bridle didn't quite fit, either - it was about an inch or two too long. I searched through my tack "collection" that I have been gathering over the last 25+ years. I found a nice rubber snaffle - about 5" long, and I dismantled Arthur's pony size bridle and put the bit on there to give it a try. I let the cheek pieces all the way down, and it should have been almost the right size - it was - but just a little too snug. So now I will put the bit back on the cob bridle, and punch a hole or two. :)

This morning, I used a nice soft rope halter on Love, without any "hardware" that would jingle under her chin. I chose to ground tie her in the aisle instead of cross tie so that I could see her reaction to the saddle a little more closely. She backed a step or two when I put the girth on her, but was more relaxed than yesterday. She is still very curious and sniffs the tack before I put it on her. We continued with the groundwork exercises we did last night. Leading, stopping, backing. I am pleased to say that she is a tiny bit better about stopping when I stop - there were a couple of times that I was actually really impressed by. I am trying to teach her to back with me when I march backwards (stomping my feet a bit as a cue) - and although she was a little easier to move backwards (still with gentle pressure on the lead and her chest), she hasn't quite figured it out yet.

I'm still thinking about what kind of tricks I can teach her to show off her talents. I taught Sweetie to take a bow using carrots a long time ago - maybe that is a good place to start. Something cute & funny to win the judge's hearts. :)

The Competition Begins!

Love and I are competing in the 2nd Bluebonnet Rescue Horse Training Challenge at the 4th annual Bluebonnet Horse Expo on October 16, 2010. Love has been my foster horse since late April, but the competition officially starts tomorrow! I have 3 months to teach her as much as I can about being a good horse and learning how to be ridden.

My first job was to evaluate her fully on what she knows as of today. Tonight, I saddled her for the first time at my place, and she was tolerant and curious of the saddle, but the way she moved away from the girth and kept turning around to look at the saddle tells me she has not really been ridden. (This was consistent with what I saw at Nan's the day we brought her home - she let us put the saddle on, but seemed like she didn't understand what it was.) Flapping the saddle flaps around today also seemed to take her by surprise, although with rhythm, she began to calm and stand still while I made some noise there. I also put a bridle with a bit on her to see what she thought of it - and the first attempt was difficult - she pointed her nose straight up and backed away from the bit. The second attempt I was successful, and put the bit in her mouth, but she constantly mouthed it as though she had never had a bit in her mouth before. Pretty quickly it was clear that she had not been ridden before.

We worked on yielding her hind quarters, trying to keep her front feet in the same general area, and the same on yielding her front end. We also worked on leading (and with the saddle, she seemed somewhat hesitant at times which I had not experienced with her before). We also walked and halted, and I asked her to back with me. When she would encroach my space, I would attack the ground with the end of the lead rope to get her attention. She is not as responsive to that method as Arwen was, but she does at least finally come to a halt.

So, I have my work cut out for me, and I am ready to get serious! I hope to be riding her by the end of the challenge. It's just a matter of routine, repetition and consistency. Oh, and a little moxie to get in the saddle for the first time. :) But that can wait. We have some ground work to do first in order to be safe. But Love does have such a sweet personality, that I hope she will be a quick study!

Size does matter!

My hubby and I were having a discussion about Love last night. She is such a sweet mare, but still has the exuberance of youth when it comes to her playfulness. I love it that she is so happy to see you that she will trot (or even canter) up to you in the field. She always stops when she gets to you, and loves attention. But she is not yet careful about where she puts her feet. The older horses have learned to watch out for the munchkins, and stand very still around them. But Love gets into a good scratch, starts leaning into you (which is totally fine for me) and all of a sudden steps widely across without checking what might be there first. The more I groom her, the less I see of this (thank goodness!)

Last week we went for a family walk and on the way back Love followed the kids and wanted to be petted. I started scratching her neck and she loved it, but Love proceeded to step widely towards me and the kids - and I had to guard the kids and move them away just to be careful. (I'm always there with them just in case). I think the "kid" sense - or "hoof" sense is something horses get with age.

Heaven knows that Sweetie (now 23!) stepped on my toes a multitude of times in her younger years - I still have clear memories of 20 years ago when she smashed my foot a few times in the cross ties. I always thought she did it on purpose back then, but it was just her being 3 and distracted (combined with too much time in a stall which I didn't recognize as an issue back in the day - I have learned so much since then!) Man, come to think of it, no wonder she was so restless in the cross ties - she had been up in the stall too much and full of 3yo TB energy. I can't blame her a bit.

Back to "hoof" sense. I really do think horses become more aware of it with age. At the same time, I also think some horses have it naturally. Penny sure did. Maybe some of it comes with being a mother to a foal. I also remember Charlie when Goose was first born. Goose was sleeping in the grass and Charlie saw me coming (still not sure about her new owners) and woke him up by rubbing her giant 10" hoof on his body. I thought for sure she would squash him, but she knew just how gentle to be and he jumped right up. Mother horses don't step on their foals. So how do you teach a horse to be more aware of her hooves and my kids feet? Let her step on mine and say "ouch?" (No, I wouldn't really do that, just wondering.) When I groom her and she moves around I say the horse woman "Aaa aa!" sound. (How else do you describe that?). It just has been a while since I taught standing - I know the next step is that every time she moves, I need to put her gently back where she started. I appreciate how much she loves being groomed and enjoy her happiness, but I also need to remember that I am training her and its my job to remind her to stand still.

So why the title of the blog about size? Well, as my hubby and I were talking about Love - my perspective was how sweet and affectionate she is, and he reminded me that it's just her size that makes it seem not so scary. Love is about 14hh. It wasn't long ago that we had Goose here on our property - at least 17hh, 3/4 draft. He was a giant. And he was just as "friendly" as Love, but when a horse that big comes running up to you (and the kids) in the field and doesn't have "hoof" sense yet because he is only 3, it is downright SCARY. I recognized his affection and friendliness, but around young kids it was just plain unsafe, which is why we sold him. I don't regret it, and I know that with more training he would someday become a safer mount. I just couldn't go through his youth constantly worrying about the "what if's" around the kids.

So, Love is 4-5yo (per my new favorite vet). The first vet that saw her thought about 8, but I trust this one more (not to mention, I agree with her :) ). Love really is on the young side for a youth's mount, but I can see her potential! I have entered the Rescue Horse Training Challenge with her, so I hope I can teach her a bunch by the Bluebonnet Horse Expo - have her learn her "hoof" sense and how to be ridden, etc. Because if we aren't ready to adopt her then, I have no doubt some lucky person will adopt her in a heartbeat! She is so gorgeous, and has such a wonderful personality! I want a horse with that kind of loving personality for my kids, but I also need them to be safe. Her sweetness reminds me of Penny so much, it is sometimes hard to be objective about it all. :)

Working with "Love," my new foster horse

Love has been with us for about 2 weeks now, and I have spent a lot of time grooming her, tending to her scars & sarcoids, but had not really worked with her in the ring yet, so I decided today was a good day.

Love has come across as a very sweet mare, who loves attention & grooming, and nickers whenever you come to the barn. She stands well for doctoring and fly spray, but was a little concerned about having her feet trimmed the first time, although she relaxed into it.

We went into the ring and began playing modified "games." The first is the "friendly" game - rubbing them all over with the longe whip, which she stood well for and didn't mind at all. Then you ask them to move away from pressure - both backwards, and yielding hindquarters & the forehand which she did well. Then you ask them to do the same things using rhythm with the stick, which Love understood laterally very well, but did not get the idea of going backwards. With everything, you start with the lightest touch, and increase pressure until they give, at which time you release immediately so they understand what you're asking. What I found is that if I want Love to go backwards, I have to ask her by gently pulling the lead to her chest. No amount of arm waving/dancing the jig in front of her would get her to move her feet backwards. She just wasn't reactive to it. She did lift her head, but that's about it.

So we practiced walking and staying with me - i.e., stopping when I stop, and backing when I back. She is improving stopping when I stop (I have worked several sessions on that so she would be safer around Sammie), but I had to ask her to back by gently pulling on the lead towards her chest again. I was able to make the ask lighter by the end, but no amount of high stepping or chicken wing waving caused her to back.

It was about then that I confirmed to myself that she had not yet ever "chewed" and "mouthed" like she got something since we started. And my question is - why would a horse never do that? Not even if you stop and wait for a minute or two - her lips never moved other than to attempt to grab a blade of grass. Is that from when she was a foal? She came in with 2 other mares that look very similar, and I think she is the youngest ...

We went on to asking her to longe. We started to the left and she was still quiet and nonreactive, and walked nicely to the left. So when we started to the right I was quite surprised when I finally got her to move (which she didn't want to at first - she acted like she didn't know what I was asking and kept following me). When she finally "got it" - she bolted almost right at me - within inches of my body and let out a big buck right as she went by me. She galloped around and finally came back to the walk and stopped. Well that certainly wouldn't do. I asked with the exact same cues on each side, and for some reason, going to the right always started the same way for several times. We stopped and started (and changed directions) quite a few times. She was always quiet to the left, and to the right she started off bolting right past me. We kept repeating, staying relaxed, until she finally gave me more room, and by the end of the session, we did start off with a nice walk without cutting the corner to come right at me. I hoped that I would see a nice licking/chewing response at that point, but still, nothing. Not even as I groomed her and turned her out.

You always wonder what the rescue horses have been through before they come to you. My biggest question is -why does she not have the licking/chewing response? It is the "signal" that all natural horsemen look for, and I did not see it once. It makes it hard to judge when she "gets" something. Any thoughts?

God's Plan Revealed

I wrote about 2 months ago that God stepped in when I went to pick up a horse from a seizure that I hoped would make a good pony for my daughter. I didn't know then what his plan was - as the pony turned out to be quite unruly, and instead I ended up taking home Crystal, who would be perfect for my daughter if only she were about half as tall. :)

Today, a mom & daughter came to visit Crystal - they are already a foster home for the rescue, and actually were there the day I picked Crystal up to trailer the unruly ponies to a different rescue. They have been waiting for a long time for the right horse to come through the rescue to adopt, and hoped that Crystal would fit with their family. Crystal was everything they hoped for - the right size, the right temperament, and as I had guessed, already had the right training for what they wanted to do. As her daughter trotted Crystal around the ring and Crystal was so good for her, I found tears in my eyes. Not because I would miss Crystal, although I certainly will. But because the match was so perfect - for both Crystal and her new family. This is my reward, and why I am a foster mom for a rescue. And Praise God for stepping in and guiding my hand, and making this match possible.

Hard working Mother's Day!

One of my favorite parts of Mother's day and my Birthday is the opportunity to spend time with the horses (or whatever I want) guilt-free. This morning I was sent out to the barn early by my husband to go ride. :) After feeding, I got Rocky out of his stall and trimmed his back feet (I did his fronts earlier this week). He is a big boy (1300 lbs or so) and it is hard on my back when he is silly, so I will do fronts separately to spare my muscles. After his toes were beautified, we went for a ride in the ring. I longed him first at the walk and trot, which gave him energy for when I mounted up. We had a very nice trot with lots of circles & changes of direction. He remembered that we cantered last time, but I did not feel like pushing it today - I really was there just to enjoy the ride. (Rocky enjoyed the carrots!) We also practiced backing (which he is getting much better at with the smallest of cues!) and turns on the forehand. He does the first half of the turn very well (with his front feet in one spot) but then wiggles a bit for the second half of the turn. Something for us to work on. He sure loves his carrots!

Next, I groomed Crystal - who absolutely loved all the scratches everywhere. I had not ridden her in a few weeks, so instead we went into the ring to longe - and she did beautifully at the walk and trot! She is going to make someone such a nice horse! Crystal had more energy (I think mostly due to her being healthier) and kept the trot going on the longe better than she has to date.

Love was my next project - her toes were starting to break up and against my better judgment, I decided to trim her as well. Thankfully, she is much lighter than Rocky so her gymnastics don't bother my back much. I looked on her health record and it said that she was good for her first 2 trims, but the last one she was pretty silly about. I don't have more info than that, but I wanted to make sure it was a good experience. As soon as I picked up her LF, she started leaning and then wanted to hop around while I held the foot for no particular reason that I know of. We went slow, stayed calm, and she did quite a bit of "hopping," but we got the foot done. She was much better about bringing her foot forward to be rasped. The RF was similar, but she relaxed after not as much hopping, and we got it done quickly. The rears she lifted up super high at first and hopped again, but the second time she settled in nicely to let me rasp her foot. I will work on trimming the backs later - she seemed pretty worried about it, but we did beautify the edges on both of them to help with the brittle breaking typical of a horse that has had poor nutrition for some time. Love appreciated the carrots after each hoof was done, and especially all the grooming afterwards. I put some more cream on her hock scar and Crest on her sarcoids, and at that point I was worn out and it was time for lunch. :) But I feel great - I accomplished so much and was able to ride, too! Yay! Happy Mothers Day to all those wonderful moms out there!

I got to ride with my hubby! :)

Tonight, for the first time in at least 2 years, Harlan and I got to ride together! He rode Charlie and I rode Rocky, and we both had a great ride in the ring! Harlan rode Charlie on Sunday for the first time in a year - and she was so wonderful, Harlan said all he could think about for the next few days was riding his horse! :) WOW! I feel that way all the time, but it was some of the most beautiful words I have ever heard to hear Harlan say them! :)

I walked, trotted, practiced cirles, backing, and then cantered for the first time in a year on Rocky! He did his normal buck of annoyance here and there, but we made it about half way around the ring. Yay! But I confess, although I've been thinking about getting back into the canter, I'm not sure if I would have done it if Harlan hadn't been there suggesting it - asking how Rocky does at the canter since he is so good at the trot.

Ahhhh. It feels so good to ride! Now I need to get back on Crystal to get her adopted! :)