More Razz work

I have been riding Razz as much as I can, I am at that fun stage where I just want to ride her all day everyday.  I'm kinda disappointed its been so cold the last 3 days I haven't gotten to ride.  On  the 23rd I was really frustrated with her and me for not being able to do the counter bending, so on the 27th I went back and after we were warmed up, Jardi come to help us but it wasn't working, so she gave me another exercise similar to counter bending but not in a circle.  I just ask for her to bend her head to the outside and put my outside leg on her and she moves down the side of the arena sideways.  We were both frustrated and after a whole bunch of times we sort of got it and I was tired and so was Razz.  Poor pony was sweaty and she kept holding her head down on the ground while I was unsaddling her.

I went back on the 28th (Tuesday) and was trying to figure out what was going so wrong, when I decided since I have been riding her especially this fall, I have been putting her head towards the center of the arena and now I was asking her something totally different.  And I know she should do it anyways, but she has been so resistant with her mouth it was just too much right now till I get her bending and giving as soon as I ask.  So as we were going through the center she moved away from my inside leg so I kept asking her to and about halfway to the wall, I moved my leg more towards her shoulder and she did a counter bend!!! I thought it was a fluke but we did it three more times and it was no big deal to her!!  I was pretty excited about it.  We worked on rollbacks for a while which she isn't very good and yet, but shes getting there and then I asked for another counter bend and she did  it!  We only got one way so far cause I didn't even try the other way yet, but I am so happy with that.  I hope she remembers but the time we go back tomorrow.

  If the weather holds like the weather man says it will, we will be working the flag tomorrow and the buffalo on Sunday and I will try to get some pictures.  I havent rode Gypsy or Tom since forever, but now the weather is supposed to be nice for the next two weeks, they are in my plan as well as getting halters on the babies, who will be a year old tomorrow!  Wow time flies!

Cute Christmas

There was sooo many cute things that happened over Christmas I had to so a seperate post on them.  Like Rupert sleeping on the couch with the stockings.

And Rupert hanging in a stocking, lol.

And the cat playing with a catnip ball.

And Cheyenne in a stocking.

And Cheyenne playing with her new toy.

And Rupert sleeping on Heidis lap.

And Diamond trying my boots on.

And actually standing up in them, even though they are about as tall as her legs.

So much cuteness occuring, I had to share :)

Christmas

This year on the 24th (Friday) I went to pick up my sister, her boyfriend and kids and then we headed up to Olds for Christmas Eve dinner at my Moms house.  Its always fun and we have had Christmas Eve at my moms ever since I can remember.  All her brothers and sisters and their kids come and its lots of fun.  We always stay over and open stockings in the morning before heading to Calgary to my Grmpas for Christmas Day.  When I was a kid it used to be a lot shorter drive cause we lived a block away from my Gramma and Grampas.

We stayed there all day and afterwards I spent the night at my sisters so we could go boxing day shopping.  It was not bad until we had the bright idea to go to Chinook Center, that was a crazy crazy place!  There was like hundreds of people in the mall area, but in the stores were not that busy.  We didn't get as many good deals there either, so we left and went to West Hills which was way less busy (except Superstore, which is busy everyday) and we also went to Market and North land mall, neither of which was that busy, probly less busy than before Christmas.  All the electronics stores were busy but I can understand with 50 inch TVs going for under $500 there was  TVs leaving the stores left right and center, if you want any electronics that's the day to get them!  My best deal was at Old Navy, 2 hoodies for $14!  Pretty proud of that one.

I got some pretty awesome gifts from my family, like a food sealer, a floor lamp for over my chair, a Nintendo games, fuzzy pj pants, chocolates, a calender, a halter a lead rope for Disco (in pumpkin), a deep dish pie plate, a day timer, a charger for my phone, some pretty smelling bath salts and lotions.  I don't know how they pick such awesome things, but they always do!

And while at my moms, we got to meet her dog again and she is still cute as ever!  Oh and on Christmas day, my grampa was having shortness of breath again (about the 5th time this month) and so my uncle took him to the hospital, which apparently is crazy on Christmas, and they decided to admit him till they found out what is  wrong for sure.  On boxing day, my mom and aunt went up there with turkey dinner for him and said he is doing fine, but there is fluid build up from his heart operation 10 years ago.  Wow I couldnt' believe it had been that long!  I'm sure it was only  a few years ago, wow time flies!

All in all I had a fun time over Christmas, even if I never had a chance to ride my ponies when the weather was super nice, it was nice to be with family for a change.

Sunday Stills Hats

This week Sunday Stills was an easy one (thanks Ed) because its the day after Christmas.  I will be in Calgary Boxing Day shopping with my sister, so I am posting this early :)

There are so many different kinds of hats, many for occupations such as construction workers:

Some for cowboys, although I should show a felt hat, but I don't have one even though I do need one soon, where we looked they never had my size.

Some are for winter, this is my favorite touque, although it was better when it still had the tassel that the puppies wrecked:

Some are free, this one from the Grazing school we went to (if you look closely there is a cow on the back of the hat, lol)

Some are for safety, although I never wear this one anymore, but I think I should sometimes even though it feels horribly uncomfortable, which is probly why I never where it.

And some are just for fun!  I got this a few years ago and have never worn it for some reason.

For more go to Sunday Stills.

Tom and Razz and Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!

This year we are going to my mom and Clints for Christmas Eve, then stay over and go to Calgary to my Grandpas on Chritmas Day then i will stay over and go boxing day shopping with my sister.  It should be lots of fun although I would like to finish early so I can go riding, lol.  I have been impoving and having so much fun with Razz I just want to ride her all the time. 

Although today we hit a roadbump, but I asked Jardi to watch us to see what is going on.  Not sure if its me asking wrong or her not doing it or what, but its frusterating.  We are working on counterbending and going with her head right she is awesome and left is horrible, she tries to go backwards or around in tiny circles, anything but the correct way.

The top two pics are of Tom, and the bottom on of my Christmas tree with all the presents underneath.

Funny and cute things.

We headed to Red Deer yesterday to finish up the Christmas shopping, of which I am done now!!!  We saw some really weird things happen, like the guy who got out of his car at a red light to get a bottle of water out of his trunk.  Or the cars that wouldnt drive and let me turn left in front of them even if they had the green light and the first car went, but the last couple wouldnt.  I tried to wait, but they waved me through and on the way through, Neil looked and sure enough they had a green light.

After we had almost finished everything, we decided to go down to Olds to pick up the last two things and have supper with my Mom and Clint.

 A few weeks ago she phoned me and told us she had gotten a puppy.  Aww is she ever adorable.  She is a Sheltie and her name is Cheyanne.  She is pretty tiny even though she is 3 months old.  I don't think she will be very big, but she sure is cute!

All in all it was a fun day and glad I got my Christmas shopping done and now its wrapped and ready for Christmas.

Buffalos

Yesterday we went over to the neighbors arena to use his buffalo.  They are so different from cows its weird.  I never had too much to do with them before.  We brought them in the arena after we had warmed up and followed them around a while so our ponies could see how they move and get relaxed with them.

Jardi went first on Twister who has done it before so she could find the slow one.  It was the biggest one and she just moved if you made her, perfect for us to start with.  Razz was so much better, a few times she even caught me off guard turning when the buffalo was.  It was pretty cool.  We used the next biggest one and she was quite a bit more unpredictable, moving then stopping then trying to turn, then going the same direction, but Razz still was pretty good.  I was pretty happy with her this time out.

She was really watching the buffalo and not afraid of them at all.  I had to keep her slow or else we would have run over them she was moving so speedy.  The total opposite of Ricky who didn't move very fast to catch up with them.
The pictures are some deer I seen today, the first is 3 bucks hanging out on our road, and the second is the babies that spend the night in our yard, hanging out at a dugout north of our house.

Sunday Stills-Christmas Decorations

This week our Sunday Stills is holiday decorations.  I haven't put up as many this year as usual cause I been too busy riding my horse :) Here is one of my favorite homeade ornaments, Eeyore made out of a lightbulb.

I picked a few favorites from my tree  like my Eeyore holding a bell.

And my Belgian Horse ornament

And my turtle from the Cayman Islands.

And my new Elmer,  slipping off a ball.

And then I thought I would show a picture of my holiday village, its made of a puzzle and I have had it a few years, so I am thinking I would like to replace it one year with a real village.  Guess some Boxing Day shopping is in order, hehe.

I also got a pic of all my stuffed animals sitting on my sewing desk, that means no sewing over Christmas!!

For more, checkout Sunday Stills.

Tom

Last night we went to a Christmas Party hosted by K and K Livestock.  It was fun, had drinks and dinner and shopping.  I bought a new Christmas ornament that will have to wait till tomorrow to see.  I also got a neoprene saddle pad and used it today and it worked well sofar, I still think i like my felt pad for longer rides, but it will be good in the arena.

I was so frustrated with Gypsy lately and I know Jardi has been hating riding Tom, so I made her a deal if I ride Tom, she will ride Gypsy.  She was pretty excited with this, although she said she would get in an argument with Gypsy and I said that's okay cause I been arguing with her for the last two weeks (except one ride) and I don't want to do that anymore, so maybe Jardi can fix her for me.

I rode Tom today and he has frustrating issues, mostly with not wanting to move.  I had him moving at a walk pretty good, then we trotted and wow is he ever rough.  He moves real slow, but we never had a time when he stalled out which is amazing.  He doesn't like to bend either, but when he does he can be really soft.  Now I understand what Jardi means when she said she didnt like him, its hard to like a horse that doesn't want to work.   

He sure has a nice stop and back up though, and he is pretty cute, with a big blaze, 4 white socks and a flaxen mane and tail, Jardi thinks he would make a good rope horse,  so maybe thats how we will go. Well I will keep riding him a while and see if there is any improvement.

Weirdness

The last couple mornigs I have gone out to do my chores (which aren't really chores cause I get to see the ponies)  I have noticed weird footprints in the snow.

I took a couple pictures and seen that yes they are deer tracks, but it seems weird cause we have never had deer in the yard before, in the hay bales, but not right in front of the house.

So Wednesday when I went after supper to the neighbors, I seen what was causing it all.  We have 5 baby deer (from this year) hanging around.  They must have found the oats under the bin and are eating them and have no moms to tell them its not good to be in peoples yards.

I feel like the woodland Santa without the woods, lol.  We also have a lot of bunnies on our road, I laugh and tell everyone we live on Bunny Lane cause there are always rabbits running up and down the roads.

Also yesterday morning our cats had a standoff.  It was pretty weird.  There was no noise and no fighting, just a standoff.

The black and white one (Fluffer) eventually after about 10 minutes, kinda creeped slowly away while the Siamese Tabby (Nintendo)  stayed and watched him leave.

Ponies

It seems like a long time since I have posted on my ponies so here we go.  First of Jazz, she is so cute with her furriness.

She is still friendly as ever and I can't believe she has so much winter hair when her mom has such short winter hair.

Then Fly is kinda weird in this picture, but cute still.

And Jamaica is still cute, and his mane is long enough to fold over and his forelock is longer than some grown up horses.

Bailey of course was over enthusiastic, crazy pony!

Dinero is always in the way.

And Disco comes looking for me cause she's still not sure of her place in the herd yet, I think shes almost at the bottom (except for Dinero) but she would like to be higher.

Weird Sky

Yesterday as I was driving over to ride my ponies, the weather was weird.  It was warm, about -1C at my house and hardly windy and about +3C at Jardis and horribly windy.  On my way I looked at the clouds and they are really weird.

At one spot there was like clouds underneath and clouds over top the sky.  And at other spots there was layers and layers of clouds, not sure what was causing this, a Chinook, or just weird wind, but it was pretty odd looking.

Oh and I never got an xray on my arm, that was why I went to the doctor Monday for till he was stupid.  I should have gone again, but I just don't want to sit in the clinic all day again.  I have a brace on it now and it seems to help, although I may look for the lemongrass oil too.

I rode both ponies on the flag today and Razz first followed Twister (who has 18 months cutting training, so wasn't afraid of the flag at all)  and Razz was really good at it, way better than I have sen her before.  The Gypsy, I'm not sure about her, she gets obnoxious and will not move it really frustrates me, but we eventually got her to follow a little and quit when she relaxed around it moving.

Sounds like on Saturday we may go and work buffalo, that sounds like it should be fun, I have never done anything with buffalo before, so it should be interesting.

Oh and Corvette is my favorite dog.  I tried to talk Neil into buying her for me for Christmas but he says he already has something else planned but didn't like the first one so maybe got it today, makes me a little worried that its something he wants, not something I want, but we will see.