Sunday Feb 28

Last night we went up to our local hall at Homestead coulee and we did discing. Which is like floor curling with large wooden discs that get thrown onto a ring that looks like a curling rink. It was a lot harder I thought, especially the aiming. I was to busy plating to get some pictures, maybe next time.

Today was East Coulee Breakfast again and it was awesome as usual. They have the best hash browns I have ever tasted. After breakfast, I went to the barn and Princess is pretty sore and her right knee was really warm, but not swollen and not sore from pressing on it (which I did lots of). I never rode her, just cleaned her and left her in the corrals for the night.

Catherine was there riding her two horses that hadn't been ridden since fall and Canuck was okay with other horses, but Blue was by himself and having a fit and scaring Catherine so I grabbed Razz and rode with them and he calmed down pretty good. We went in for coffee and then I took Razz home and turned her out with my ponies and they actually didn't bother her very much, mostly Bailey, but she Knew Razz from before and Razz just chased her away, so I'm sure she will be okay.

I was gonna bring Princess home to heal, but Jardi thinks we should wait another week or so and see if she gets better. So since she wont be better on Tuesday for our lesson, I think I get to ride Dot. That should be fun, Dot won the Canadian Supreme snaffle bit at 4, she looks like lots of fun to ride, I cant wait. Super duper broke, but it will be a challenge to ride with one hand since I haven't done that since two years ago with Henry.

Also watched the Closing Ceremony of the Olympics, was pretty good, and entertaining, woulda like to go to the games, maybe next time in Sochi.

Saturday Feb 27

Yesterday was another riding day. I picked Princess to ride first cause she goes slow like Sandy, so its easier to ride them together. I thought she was walking in a little sore, but its hard to tell cause shes got a crooked front foot, so it always looks weird when she walks. I brushed her off and that took forever. The temperature the last few days over there has gotten way above freezing, so when they come into the corral in the morning, after eating and getting a drink the first thing they do is roll in the muddiest spot there. I think shes losing her white guard hairs, cause she looking pretty brown on her butt. Ill have to get some pics, cause I guess I don't have any, like I thought I did.

I saddled her up English and we went into the arena and she was okay walking, but when we went to the trot she felt funny, so we didn't do much, Jardi came by and I asked her to look and she said she looks normal at a walk, but definitely off at a trot. I thought it was the same front leg again, but she kept resting her left hind. So I walked her around a little more and we quit and I brushed her and actually got her clean by the time Lu was done riding Sandy.

This morning, Jardi phoned and said she was sore walking in, so shes in the front corral for now. The ground gets so hard at night and still gets quite cold, so not sure if that has something to do with it or not. We will see when I go up there tomorrow.

I caught Razz as Jardi was letting the horses outta the corral for the day, and Razz never even got upset she wasn't going out. We went for coffee, then I rode Razz. She was full of beans today. I would ask her to walk and that was good, lots of flexing n=and bending. Then I ask her to trot, and she kept trying to break into a lope. We usually only do one lope (about 5-6 laps) each direction while riding, but I did 3 times each direction cause I couldn't get her to do a decent trot without loping. Finally she gave me a jog and it was so nice, we walked and cooled out after about 45 minutes. I think she was so gung-ho because I don't usually ride by myself and every time we ride alone in the arena (even with other people on the ends or middle) we lope, so its different when I don't want her to lope, even when we are by ourselves. So unfortunately, she sweated but wasn't warm, so we had a glass of water and waited for her to cool out. Finally she was dry and I fed her and went to turn her out, she couldn't see the other horses over the hill, so she slowly walked down the hill, then a slow trot to the top of the hill and started to graze. Musta seen the other horses, even though we couldn't. I'm glad she didn't act silly and go running out there. I didn't think she would, but ya never know. We usually try to keep two in to turn out together, but Razz is pretty level headed and careful so we never did. She also wasn't very dirty, I think its too much work for her to roll anymore.

I am going tomorrow to ride Razz and hopefully Princess if she is better and then bring Razz home. Should be fun. Cant wait till the foals come!

Awesome Mail!!!

Yesterday wasn't been very exciting, just laundry and cooking and cleaning, ucky!

Dutch Apple Pie (VERRRY Good)

Then right before supper was ready, Neil went to get the mail and I got this:



The book I won from Lisa at Laughing Orca Ranch. I was so excited, sure made my day, thanks Lisa!

I started reading some stories and they are very entertaining.

Today I went early for my massage and he thinks my leg is about healed, and I don't have to go back for 2 weeks!!

Our accountant was supposed to come out at 10, but phoned at 10:30 and said he was at Gem (about half hour away). I got home at 12 and he still wasn't here. Finally at 1, he phoned again and asked for directions and he was farther away on the other side of the river from us. He tried to use his GPS to get here instead of just asking for directions, so it took him 5 hours to get here instead of 2. Stupid people, I wish they'd realize there are not roads on every quarter section!

Anyways we forgave him because he gave us both good news, I don't owe and Neil paid enough with his installment earlier this year, so we should be good.

Tuesday Lesson

Today was another lesson and I rode in my English saddle again. I think I am finally getting better in it, cause now I notice I am not slipping from side to side when I trot. I also wore my spurs today cause its so much work to get her to canter without spurs, cut I was a little afraid my legs weren't still enough to wear them. Jardi says they are, so I wore them and we got two laps around the arena without Princess slowing down till I asked and me not slipping sideways! I was so proud. We spent most of the lesson at the trot and she was pretty tired at the end of it, not from overwork, but its hard for her to trot when she is kinda lazy.

Razz was really good again, she tries to be bad sometimes and its kinda frustrating cause it's just a step here or there or pushing on me, nothing major, but always trying something. I think I am gonna bring her home on Sunday. I would like to bring Bailey up for a month or two, but I might have to wait till summer and just trailer her over for lessons, cause she gets stressed in the big herd, even if they don't bother her.

Sunday at the the Barn

It was so nice today I thought I should go see my ponies. I like going on the weekends, especially Sunday cause other boarders are there that I don't usually see cause they are working or going to school all week when i usually go. Today Jessica, Barb, Charlene and Rochelle were there. It was fun riding with different people, good for the girls as well.

Rochelle's mare is gonna foal this spring as well and she is really excited about it. It will be fun to see how they turn out.

I rode Razz first and she was really good (as always) I am liking her more and more. I never planned for that to happen, but things don't always go according to plan. I bought her with the intention of riding her for a year and selling her, cause it seem like there are lots of horses with 60-90 days on them and no one wants a horse that's not broke. I like them at that stage, its so fun when they figure stuff out and keep improving all the time. I wasn't supposed to like her!

I wasn't sure I would ride Princess cause of her sore leg/foot, but I thought she wasn't looking too bad, so I tried and we did some walk and trot, and she was a little sore, but it didn't seem to bother her too much, so we rode for about 40 minutes, mostly walk, and she seemed better at the end actually. I will see on Tuesday and I hope she just stepped on something and was tender. Its hard to tell with her cause that right front isn't completely strait.

Gold Again

Yaa for Jon Montgomery!! That was an awesome run in skeleton he made to come out ahead after sitting in second for 3 runs. It was just amazing to watch him win and be so excited about it. That's how all athletes should be when they win, super duper enthusiastic. He makes me proud that hes a Canadian.

I'm really excited we are doing so well in this Olympics. I know we have good athletes in this country, but they are not celebrated unless they play hockey. This makes me sad, cause there is so much other talent around we just don't know about until the Olympics come and they are celebrities all the sudden.

I love the doctor who has been doing the "superbodies" segment of the Olympics. Its really cool. He shows the muscles and blood and how the body reacts to the extreme stress the sport puts on them. Its so cool. I'm not sure how a doctor from the hospital for sick children gets to talk about sports, but hes really good.

Go Canada, I'm rooting for you!

Funny Friday

I went riding and there was a car there I never recognized, but no big deal, cause Jardi and her family sometimes live there. It was her sons friend. I walked right by the car and never paid much attention to it except it was old.



So I just went into the barn and walked out later to get the ponies in and Jardi was sitting there laughing and couldn't tell me what was so funny, she just kept pointing at the car, so I took a better look



There were three BIG dogs in the car. They never barked or growled, just sat there waiting for their owner to come back.




I also went riding and Princess musta stepped on a stone or something cause she is lame. Not bad enough to need a vet, but pretty sore when I lead her, especially in circle. Its her front right foot. I cleaned it out and it doesn't seem sensitive, and its not warm, so I just gave her the day off and Jardi will keep and eye on it.

I had a wonderful ride on Razz. After quickly tacking up, I got on and she was so eager to go. I made her walk and trot a little to warm up. It took very little to ask her to lope and she was so good. No cutting corners and no bad turns. We even made small circles around half the arena. I was so surprised. Both ways were awesome. I'm kinda sad shes bred, cause I just want to ride her forever now. I guess its good for her to have a break and she will still be good in the fall.

On the other hand, I cant wait to ride Bailey again and get Dinero going. Should be a good summer (if it ever gets here)

Fuzzy

When I went riding on Monday, I seen Razz has many colors of hair in her coat. She is supposed to be a buckskin, but most of the time looks black except for the yellowy hairs in her ears.

I tried to get some cool pictures of the many colors, this is how they turned out. I can only see it in the sun though.


#1Not my favorite, looks dandruffy but does show the different colors


#2Better but a little farther away. I still never really got the picture I how I really wanted.

I also took some pictures of Princess super long hair, it is really hard to not catch it in the cinch buckles.


Then I was just playing around and got this cool shot of Princess


Then out in the corral when I turned out the ponies, I saw my next horse. She belongs to Jardi and I have always liked her. She is very sweet and kinda sensitive. Just how I like them. But before I get her I think I need to get rid of either 2 horses and a baby, or 2 babies and a horse. Her name is Mermaid.

Tuesday Feb 16

I had an awesome time this weekend and got so much done. I love having a break to get some done like that.

The weekend was very cold, and windy, which I was hoping for nice weather so I could ride as well, I went out on Sunday for a while and rode Princess, but it was really cold. My mom came out to take some pictures as soon as I got off, so I had to get back on so she could take some pics of us.

Yesterday was really nice, sunny and above freezing. So I went and Rode Razz and she is still having trouble turning right. I didn't turn her hard at the corner and she kinda run into the wall and stepped on some poles. The next time round, she turned a little better, but still very stiff. I never rode Princess, but I dd brush her and trimmed her bridle path.

(the cats staring at Princess eating cause they are outta cat food)

Today I rode Princess in the lesson and have never worked so hard in such a short amount of time. Wow I was exhausted. we did a lot of trot and jogging. I am okay at eh jog, cause we sit trot and Princess is very smooth and she likes to go slow. At the faster trot, we are supposed to trot, and this means I have to kick her more which puts me outta position and then we are expected to post. I was so tired, but it made me realize how much I still need to work on . I may try my spurs again next time. I hadn't been using them cause I want sure about my leg position, but the instructor says they don't move that much (which kinda surprised me).

(Clara enjoying a bone)

I rode Razz after a break and coffee and I thought that was enough rest, but I was still tired. I gave her lots of opportunity to do the right thing at the lope by not asking for a lope till I got a nice right turn at the trot. This took about 15 minutes after we had warmed up. I actually ended up riding her for about 45 minutes, and was feeling pretty tired when we quit, but she was being really nice. After I had unsaddled her, i massaged her neck a little and she seemed to really like it. I try to do that every time but sometimes I forget. I also rub where the hackamore sits on her face and she really likes that.

(Clara and Chevy getting some lovin from my Mommy)

Now I need a bath and rest up so I can ride even better on Friday, I heard something about Cavelletti, but I'm hoping its not for me.

Frosty Friday

I went outside to feed the ponies this morning and I am very glad to see that Belle is hanging around with Gypsy now, I think Gypsy musta whispered in her ear about foaling, cause they both are slow walking to and from the waterer, I'm glad they have each other out there.



I had to walk far out to feed and check these two, which actually worked better, cause I could give them more without the other three knowing, hehe. They were back at the water trough already.


On my way back to the house, I seen some neat stuff with frost on them, first of all tire tracks, although when I was taking this pic, it kinda made me think I was a CSI



Then a few steps further, the lilac bushes



Then at the step, the boot cleaner


Have a good weekend, I know I will. Scrap booking, friends and horses, how could it be any better.

Bailey

I've mentioned a few times I have a mare I really like called Bailey and I thought I would mention a little more about her.

I bought her as a weanling in 2004 from the auction mart. I found out later she was owned by my neighbor and he liked her but she was full of zip so he sold her. I'm sure there was more too it, but I'll never know.

"The first week she was here"

Her mother (Tina Patrona-don't you just love that name?) was a ranch horse and used for barrels and gymkhana and anything else they could think of. The sire (Rich Holly Jinx) is his sister in laws and his babies are used for roping and barrels. He is a palomino dun or dunalino which I had never heard of till I seen him.


She wasn't halter broke when I got her, but very friendly. I made her let me pet her everyday before she got to eat, sure didn't take long for her to figure that out. Then one day I brought out a halter, put it on her and she just followed me wherever I went, out in the yard and everything. It was pretty cool. As a yearling I was bored, so I put a saddle on her and a bridle and she just took it like it happened everyday.


"Looking out the shed as I built my round pen"


In the fall she was three, I took her to Lane Berry to start and he said she was really good and brave, but reactive, have to watch her all the time. I knew she was very quick to react to stuff and that's why i took her there, and he does way more in thirty days than I would prolly do in six months. He moved her around the round pen the first day and I told him I saddled fer before and he said o good, but I said it was a long time ago and he laughed and said "it cant be that long, shes only 3" I thought okay, but he put a saddle on her and moved her in the round pen for a few more minutes and said "I think I can get on her tomorrow" I was surprised, but he did and he only rides outside, so she has seen the town of Hanna, maybe more than me, lol.

"As a two year old in the corral"

I took her to the barn and I rode her there with Lu and Susan in lessons. Every time for the first six months she bucked every time I rode with someone else. It took me a long time to figure this out, but she was awesome by our self and then attitude with others around. She got over that and sometimes I forget and think she is like that still. Although she hasn't been bad really ever.

"In the barn"

In the summer of that year (she was 4) we had a community trail ride and I took her and we did everything, walked through brush, went swimming (which I'm not sure I want to do again on any horse), seen wagons, and she just followed and sometimes led. Even when I rode in a wagon, cause riding in wet jeans is sooo not comfy, we just pulled her saddle and bridle and she just followed behind. All Winter she kept losing weight and we were trying to figure out why. She was on good feed, we had her teeth done and they weren't that bad, I was only riding 2 or 3 times a week and not that hard, and finally we did a massage on her and wow her hamstrings were so tight, she didn't want to put her head to the ground. After 2 more, she started gaining weight and it was like a whole different horse!

"Bailey on the trail ride (look how skinny she was!)"

In September that fall, she had hernia surgery and had lots of time off, that's kinda a neat operation to watch.

"After her surgery"

I found out one day how much she trusted me and it really scares me sometimes to think about it, After not riding her for 6 months, I took her outta the field and saddled her up, loaded her and took her to Brooks to the Silver Sage arena to ride with the 4H club ( I was the leader). Not thinking, I just walk up to the roll up doo (which she never see before), rolled it open and turned around to see lead Bailey into the arena, and she was just standing there, eyes wide open, no snorting, so jumping, no pulling on the rope or anything and when I asked her to walk through it she just calmly did, like it was no big deal. I was shocked!

I took her to a horse show in Oyen, and never expected to place, we just went for fun, but in Junior Horse Western Pleasure, she got a 6th place ribbon. (Yes there were more than 6 entries!) I was really surprised, as we were passing everyone at the lope and just basic not listening to me. I figured out there, she needs a good half hour or more to warm up,but I think we won it in the line up. The judge asked us all to back up one at a time, and I hardly lifted the reins and she took two steps back and the judge looked impressed to me. There were many others who couldn't get their horses to back. And there was one horse who wouldn't lope at all.

"With our Ribbon"

We rode outside lots and moved cows and tried roping, barrel racing, and anything else I could think of. Last fall as we were moving our cows out of the community pasture on a really cold foggy snowy day in mid October, we were loping after a cow and my saddle slipped. I said whoa and waited for her to stop, which she did after making a small circle, I stepped on the ground and fixed it and we went and got the cow. I never thought much about it till later, when Neil says what happened, did Bailey buck you off or something? I said no, my saddle slipped. and He just looked at me like I was crazy, cause I didn't panic. I knew then I could trust her, cause she trusted me.

"Not the best pic, but look how much fatter she is is!"

Ramblings...

Well I finished Painting the room in the basement and have started unpacking boxes, but before I get too far, I have to finish up the wood floor in there and put something on it (maybe tiles?) I also want to change the plug ins and light switch, they are all dark brown tight now and I don't really like them.


I have been working on getting these pics on CD and printed and organized cause I am going scrap booking retreat this weekend. The best part about it is it is at the barn where my horses are, (she used to have a guest ranch) and my mom is hosting it! All the important things in one weekend all together, I am very excited!

I have finished a very hard puzzle this week as well, It was only 750 pieces, but no edge pieces, five pieces that don't go to the puzzle, and the box doesn't show the whole picture.



We had a weird cloud the other night, not sure what it was, but very different than I have seen before

Feb 9, 2010

I rode Princess in my English saddle in a lesson today and it was good. We trotted over poles and it sure made Princess lift her feet up and pay attention to where she was stepping. This of course is after she had a snorting session at the poles. They fortunately didn't bite, so she walked over them. I never did much lope again, about a lap and a half until I lose my balance.


Blizzard left side

After coffee time, I rode Razz and she was very excited about being by our self and wanted to go quicker forever. We trotted until she slowed down and then we walked calmly for a while. Jardi came and rode her horse as well with me for a while. We had a good talk about how some horses are broker than we think they are or we give them credit for, because we knew them when they were young and silly. Like my Bailey girl, she had attitude when she was just started, but now I can do anything on her cause she trusts me and I trust her.


Blizzard right side

I put more old pics on CD today, and I still love looking at the old ones and remembering:) Pics are of a paint clyde cross I had a couple years ago, I traded him for Belle.

Wrong Horse?

I was thinking the other day, when at the barn where I board there are many people who don't come out at all in the winter and like 5 -10 times in he summer. I am not sure why you would want a horse when you never see them. It seem kinda like a waste of money to have them when you don't ride them or anything. The only good thing about that is they still get the care they need from the barn owner. I got thinkin and came to the conclusion if you don't want to ride, you have the wrong horse. This sounds simple, but I had the wrong horse for many years and just realized it when I had two and only wanted to ride the one.

The wrong horse was Henry. He was a good horse, never try anything to hurt you and you could do anything on him, so I couldn't figure out why I didn't want to ride him.

(Henry tied up in yard)

Then I got Bailey and she is not an easy horse to ride. She is broke and I trust her now (mostly) but she is very reactive and very quick. She makes me think and ride, no lolly gagging, if anyone says that anymore.

(Riding at Branding last year)

I have one I don't ride, but she is at home and I see her at least once a week, don't leave her care completely up to someone else. I guess its just not as important to everyone else to ride and see there horses all the time.

On the other hand I used to never imagine having a horse if I never rode it, but I can understand having them to just grazing and to see when you look out the window.

Pictures, Brandy, Riding, Memories!

I finally got a bunch of pictures printed that were on film, I went to the walmart and scanned them in and put themon a disk, I could only do 60 in one day cause it takes so long. My sister was talking about something that you can put your film in and it puts it on a disk? We are thinking if we can find one, we might get one for my mom and her husband for their birthdays (they are both in July) because they have millions and millions of films that are so hard to look through and find a picture. That way, me and My sister can use it too!

Anyhow back in my post on Dinero I was mentioning pics of Brandy so here she is:



and her eating out of the same dish as Bailey


Its so fun to look back on old pictures and the memories they bring.

I also rode both girls today, and I have figured out I still have no balance, I am doing lots and lots of turning and its helping, but still along ways to go in the english saddle. Maybe nest week I will get pics of me riding, and Razz will get her massage as well next week.

4th Massage

Yesterday I was in Calgary with my friend Linda and we had so much fun. I sure like going with someone it makes the trip so much quicker. I was gonna get my computer fixed (I need a new fan) but the geek squad says to call HP cause its less than a year old so they will fix it for free under warranty.

Linda was looking for paint and books, so we went to Chapters and Michael's and she got both. I needed to buy a gift for my cousins baby's first birthday, so we went to Walmart and I got her a grocery cart and doll, and my sister got her a stroller. Its fun buying for her cause shes got two older brothers, so we buy girly stuff for her so they don't steal her stuff.

This afternoon, Neil went to the dentist and he has to make an appointment in Calgary and the sedation dentistry to get some teeth pulled. I got another massage and my shoulder isn't as good as I thought it was, but my hip is almost cured, just some muscles that want to tense and not relax. Its all getting better and doesn't hurt all the time anymore, so that's always a good sign.

Feb 2, 2010

I went to see my ponies again today and we had good rides on both.

Razz I rose western again and she is still stiff when turning left, but I think it's her teeth again. By the end of the lesson, she is way softer, I think I just have to do more softening exercises without pulling on her too much. I have been bumping when she doesn't give and it seems to work better than just holding it there and waiting for her.

I rode English on Princess and I am finally starting to feel comfortable sitting in it. I actually loped for a round before I had to slow down before I lost position. She was really good though. She is really bad for wanting to stop when we walk, so I would trot, slow down to a walk and she would decide to stop after like 5 steps, so I asked her to trot some more, after about 20 minutes of trotting I had to stop cause I needed a break, and she was finally figuring out when I wanted her to walk, I actually meant to walk! It was fun.

Both horses also got trimmed today and I was a little worried about their feet being sore, but neither one seemed that way, so that's always good to know. Razz has been nervous about her feet, but she was really good today, helps we have an excellent farrier.

I started painting out basement yesterday and its finally looking like a room down there, instead of a storage facility. I will take pics after the second coat.