Frosty Pants

I got off work early yesterday, which was exciting; however, it was tainted by the reason. The reason is I have several 6am mornings ahead of me, bleh! The bright side though was that Shane and I were able to get out to ride the ponies early enough in the day that we didn't conflict with feeding time and we still had time to take the dogs for a romp in the gardens before our dinner time!

When we got to the barn I grabbed Frosty Pants and Shane grabbed Trinity. I really want to ride Frosty mostly this summer so she is ready for Shane to really get a feel for her. She is an amazing horse and her gait is SO smooth, but for a beginner any horses trot (no matter how smooth) is going to be a bit jarring. So, I want to work on getting her to a good place for him. I stared by lunging her really well to let her get some steam out. We got a few crow hops and then she settled in to work.

She has the cutest movement, don't you think?

Shane did really good with Trinity. He had to ride English, because we only have the one Western saddle right now. His form is 100x better in the English saddle. I think it is just the way my amazing saddle holds you. English is definitely the way to go to learn proper horse posture. They mostly walked and turned. I am sure Trinity was thrilled to have a walking lesson. It was good for Shane as well to get the feel for it again. 

Look at that form! Better then mind, I am embarrassed to say!

After we lunged I got on Frosty and we did a lot of trot work. Mostly learning to turn and listen to the new hackamore. She hasn't quite gotten the whole steering concept. That is something we REALLY need to work on. She is so stiff in the neck and almost dead to me legs when trying to bend her around my leg. Anyone have any ideas? She was cowboy broke (we assume), so I am wondering if they killed her face and sides with thumping? Any suggestions would be appreciated! 

Here she is resisting to the pressure on her nose. She does not get asking for softness, roundness, or flexion.

Doing better but she is counter bending the wrong direction.

I love her stride. She is so the cutest little thing. Here she is relaxed in the reins, but she is still stiff through her whole body.

Shane also took a video so we can maybe see if there is anything I am doing or I could be doing to make it better. I am just at a loss right now, she is the first total stiff horse I have worked with...

It is Summer

I don't care what the calendar says, my internal clock says it is summer. It is staying light until after 8:30pm, it is hot as all get out, and I got my first sunburn. This was TOTALLY on accident. I know I need to be super careful this year so I don't have a major farmers tan on my wedding day in October, but I forgot it was summer in Colorado (we are 5,280ft closer to the sun than most people!).

This was a rare moment of calm in turnout!

Saturday I spent a good 4 hours out with the girls. I started by turning them out in the small arena/paddock and let them run and roll. And Run they did! Even Trinity was tearing around like she had a bug up her butt! I went to catch T and she was like "Nope, still playing, Thanks Mom!". She never runs from me so I just let her keep going for another few minutes. Then I brought her in and gave her a good grooming and braided her mane to keep it off her neck during the hot days.

"Hi Mom, I was enjoying playing with my sister..."

"I am going for the rugged, wild Mustang look here, whatcha think?"

Then, I outfitter her in the balance system and we went to work on another lunging session. She is doing so good and is really building back up. I can't wait to get back on her! While Trinity was being lunged, Ms. FrostyPants got put on the Hot Walker and walked and walked and walked for about 45 minutes. It is good for her brain!

Trinity did really well! We started out going left and she really stretched in to the system several times. I am so excited to see this, because it means she is working her back and really getting a good stretch of those muscles. 

As you can see, the lines were pretty loose most of the time. She is starting to remember where to hold herself and how to really get the most out of her sessions. Nothing will replace riding in the way of getting her to come up through her belly and step out, but this system really helps to start developing the right muscles in her top line so it is a bit easier once we get back to riding. Sh also REALLY needs her feet done, the farrier should be coming out next Monday.

I love this mare so much. It is so hard to believe that I almost lost her only 8 short months ago. She is my little rockstar and I wouldn't trade her for anything! When she was done, I untacked her and gave her a good squirt off with the hose. She loves baths and even loves getting her face washed, which is so rare for a horse! When bath time was done she swapped with Frosty on the hot walker and had her brain decompression time!

I groomed Frosty up real quick and got her all saddled up. I fitted her into the mechanical hackamore for the first time. As she is growing she is getting a bit to strong willed for the simple side pull that we have been using. I would love to get her started in a snaffle bit, but she needs her teeth done first. So, we worked in the hackamore. She actually did a really good job and the curb strap definitely seemed to get her attention. 

After her lunging session I got on her and we took several laps around the big arena. She did a great job. Frosty's biggest issue that we are working to overcome is that when she is tired she is DONE. She decides that is it and puts her feet in one place and stops. We worked passed it this time and even went on a tour of the property. She was really really good. I do know, though, that I need to wear spurs today when I go ride. 

All in all thought it was a really good day at the barn! Then, I came home and went to get in the shower only to find a dreaded farmers tan sun burn! GRRRRRRRRR!

Welcome Back

HELLO OUT THERE! I am so sorry for the LONG LONG break away. I haven't been a horrible and neglectful mother, though most of my breaks are because I don't want to admit that. I have just been super busy doing wedding planning and living life with the boy, the horses, and the puppies. We spent a few weekends getting the back yard all situated and looking pretty. Last year we moved mid-summer and we never had time to get the house looking like we wanted it to look. So, it never felt cozy. This year is different. We got some Tikis, and fire pit, put down some gorgeous mulch, and planted some pretty flowers. I like it! Then, we spent some time out there with the puppies!

Enjoying the fires with the three girls! 

We have also been doing a great deal of wedding planning. Mom and Sis came for a visit to do a whirlwind weekend of planning. On top of a ton of stuff we bought my boots and the bridesmaids boots (yes we are all wearing BOOTS! YAY!). 

I don't know why this is upside down or how to fix it :-(

Shane and I also found our wedding bands! We were so excited to find them that we went ahead and bought them! YAY!

Shane's Wedding Band

My engagement ring set inside my wedding band!

Then, work sent me to Florida to get my Certified Technical Specialist Exam. It is the only real international certification for my field. It means I know my stuff! The trip was fun, but Florida was miserable. It was hot and humid and yucky. PLUS it made me miss a whole weekend away from my ponies... :-(. I passed my test though, so I was very very happy!

Setting up for the show!

MY NAME!

Yay! I was the first woman to pass during the conference!

So, on to the horse stuff, which you care about. The ponies are doing so so well! We are very happy with them. I am headed out as soon as I write this blog post. I am hoping to get on Frosty today and let Shane work with Trinity. I really want Frosty to start getting some good conditioning and some time in the saddle. We shall see how they are feeling today. 

I love the skies in these photos! Trinity is doing really well!

Starting to get into things! She has definitely lost some of her extension. 

Finally, We had a photographer come out and take some engagement photos with us and the girls. The couple that I have seen turned out so so well! I am so anxious to see the other ones, but the photographer hasn't posted them yet... BOO!

Getting Prepared for their photo shoot!

I absolutely LOVE this photo!

Baby girls!

Checking on the girls

Shane and I went back out to the barn on Sunday to check on Frosty's leg, unwrap it before the snow storm, and worm the babies. As soon as we got there it began to rain/snow so we grabbed the girls and hustled in to the indoor arena. After playing with the lights for 20 minutes or so, we were able to get enough light to groom them up, check Frosty's leg, and shoot some nasty tasting wormer into them.

The outside of her hind left leg. The purple is the antibacterial stuff we put on it. It dried the wound out really well.

The inside of the same hind left leg. 

We thought about actually working the girls, but at that moment 50-60 mile an hour wind gusts began slamming in to the barn, which neither girl liked. So, we decided to just give them time to breathe and get cleaned up. Besides that...there is not much to report. 

Shane worked on getting Frosty to follow him.

My gorgeous big mare!

Eeyore!

ugh that withers makes me cringe! I can't wait for her to gain weight!

Whatcha got, Mommy?

Spring Cleaning

It was SO nice this weekend that the fiance and I went out to the barn for some seriously needed Spring  Cleaning. Both girls got curried with the shedding brush for a solid 30 or so minutes, got their legs scrubbed, and got their hooves cleaned and oiled. They look SO MUCH better. I was having so much fun cleaning that I didn't take very many pictures. We are going back out this afternoon, so I will take some more.

Trinity enjoying the sun and her Spring Grooming Session

When we got to the barn Frosty had a gnarly skinned section off of her back leg. We didn't notice at first and put the girls out in the arena. She ran and bucked like the baby she is and didn't look off at all. We then ran her and T around to get their body temp up (it eases shedding) and to get the kicks and bucks out (it eases my having to correct their behavior at the hitching post!). Both girls looked GREAT! Well, we tied the girls up and Shane immediately noticed Frosty's leg... It wasn't deep (really only a bad skinning, but her leg was pretty stocked up and once we began poking at it it became apparent it was sore. This really kind of irked me, seeing as though I never received a call about it...just like the tail situation, we show up for a fun day of grooming and riding and are shocked by something.

The list of cons at this barn are slowly adding up... No calls to inform me of whats going on with my horses, too far away, mediocre hay at best, T is not gaining weight, not enough room for them to move around if I can't get out... It all started the afternoon I discovered T colicing and the owner told me he noticed that morning, gave her some Banamine, put her on the hot walker, and then she seemed fine. OMG I couldn't believe that he didn't call me, it just goes on from there... Anyways, I have been in massive depressive mode lately due to work and not being able to see my girls hasn't helped in the least. I am really contemplating moving them; however, there aren't a whole lot of barns to choose from in the city. I am investigating a few...however no news yet... I don't dislike the place I am at though. The owner is so nice and I know he cares for the horses; however, his idea of what to call me about is drastically different than mine. I just wish I could see my babies more often. I think it would improve my moods lately 100 fold!

Shane and Frosty enjoying the sun while her leg dried so we could wrap it

Back to Sunday... We washed Frosty's leg off really well and wrapped them for the night to help reduce swelling. We have to go back this afternoon and remove the wraps before the massive rain/snow event starts this evening. I will take some pictures tonight. Shane and I packed up there and went to Murdoch's to pick up some supplies we needed (wormer, rubber bands, new lunge line, etc.). While we were there we found our cake topper for the wedding!

I LOVE IT! My family is not so sure about it, but we are going to use it!

Bad Habits...

A few blogs that I follow (The Adventures of Crispy-Creme and Wyvern Oaks) have recently discussed bad habits and the things we do with our horses every single day that could lead to death...just because we are lazy. That really got me thinking about what I do every time I spend time with the girls and how I am putting myself at risk. We often fall in love with our precious babies and forget that they are 1200lb (or 1550lbs in big girl's case) animals that could injure us on accident or on purpose at the drop of a hat! My main flaws come on the ground, though I have had several lapses in judgement while riding as well.

The main and most dangerous laps in judgement that I have ever had was during the summer of 2010 when I was riding and learning to barrel race with a bunch of western riders. Until that time I had grown up in a strict jumping and helmet world. People just did not go helmetless unless you were a big time trainer out hacking or schooling your horse (which I never got anyways...aren't they supposed to be the role models???). Anyways, I had never (or VERY rarely when riding a horse in from the field) gone helmetless. Well, I let myself succumb to the peer pressure of the western world and I barrel races FREQUENTLY all summer with no helmet (because no horse has ever slipped and fallen on a person while barrel racing...doH!). In the vein of fellow bloggers...here is the shamming video...

It was a stern talking to from my boyfriend (now fiance) as well as disapproving glares from my parents that knocked sense in to me and reminded me that helmets were for safety and not just for being hot and sweaty during the miserable Texas summers (its not like I haven't taken a million falls where a helmet saved my life or anything...dummy!). Luckily, I have remained smart and have continued to wear a helmet when I ride, even when people I ride with don't and mock me for wearing one. I have even become an advocate even though they never listen.

While I can say I have gotten better about the helmet thing...other things that I still do with the horses that just isn't smart or safe includes leading them without a lead rope. Trinity is such a lover and so well behaved on the ground that I often find myself throwing a lead around her neck and letting her walk to the arena for play time. If anything were to spook her (say the horse eating rooster or Trinity's main nemesis) I would have a loose horse on an 80 acre property that has no horse safe perimeter fence...Brilliant Lauren...I am much better about halter and leading Frosty Pants, but this is only because of the next unsafe task I do every day...

I often lead two horses at once! When I was at the self-care barn I had been known to lead 3 and *gasp* even four. This became a bad habit from my inception as barn help at my first training barn. The grooms were notorious for leading multiple horses at the same time and it just became habit. This is SO unsafe because if one horse spooked it could either cause the other horse to spook and you now have 2 crazy beasts with you in the middle, or you have to make the decision to let go of the spooking horse and have a crazy beast running wild or let go of the calm horse causing it to spook. I would love to say I halter and lead Frosty Pants because I am trying to avoid the spooking of both horses; however, it sadly isn't the case. Instead, I halter and lead Frosty because she is so much pokier than Trinity and I have to drag her as Trinity sets the pace (due to no halter and or lead rope...)

I could go on and on and on; however, the last unsafe thing that I do all the time is forget my place when grooming. I often put my head in front of Trinity's gigantor knees while scrubbing her cannon bones, get down on both knees (limiting a fast escape) when wrapping he legs or examining her feet, Let my head get to close to her back feet while picking her hooves, stand directly behind her while brushing her tail, etc. etc. etc. I have been nailed in the head a few time while scrubbing her cannon bones but did I stop doing that...nope...

In time I have found that the best way to remind yourself of unsafe horse practices is to teach a kid! You always know the correct things to do and want to pass those along, even if you don't do them yourself. Unfortunately, I am not teaching at this time and have forgotten a lot of this. Thanks to the blog-o-spere, I have become aware again and will be more conscious the next time I go play with my 1550lb baby cakes!

Back in Action

So the last month and a half or so have been absolutely miserable. I have been swamped at work, it has been snowy and disgusting, and I have put myself in to a really annoying funkification...

Yesterday I finally made it out to the barn for longer than 5 minutes and spent some quality time with the girls. It was disgustingly muddy, and they were themselves disgustingly muddy, but it was so good to see them! They always make things look better. I don't know why I forget that when I am in funkification mode. I should pack my ass up and head out the the barn. Then everything would be alright and I wouldn't be in a funk anymore...hindsight is 20/20 I guess. But anyways, the girls are doing magnificently. I just let them run in the arena yesterday and didn't work them. I want to get out both days this weekend and put their booties to work!

For your viewing pleasure...the mud balls!

Still looking a bit puny...

"Hi, Mom..."

Frosty looks REALLY pigeon toed here...I didn't notice that last night. She just got her feet trimmed. I think a call to the ferrier may be in order. 

It could just be the way she is standing...I will have to stand her up on hard ground this weekend.

That shark fin of a withers needs to go away...fast!

I think she will make a NICE horse if I ever find the time to finish her...