You can't rush training

It's true.

When you try and rush something with horses, it never pans out well.

For example, when trying to 'train' a mini that bucks little kids off, don't throw your leg on his back.  

He will buck your 5'6" body (or in case, leg) off his 3' foot body.

(written visual of mini horse with stupid girls leg strewn across laughing stupidly, while he rears and throws several mini bucks and causes standing human leg to slip and lose control and fall)

You will fall and bruise/break your tail bone.  

Who learned a lesson there?

Moi.

Mini will not be tested with my leg on his back again.

Oh Mini....you silly furry devil.

I'll re-start and start massaging his back and introduce some Parelli games to him again and go slowly until he won't WANT to buck. 

Saturday...because we haven't gotten enough snow here in Michigan

But makes for fun photos

"See Mom, no brazces............ now gimmmme my frithsbeee"

Sunday, the BO and I went for a bareback hack.

Her on Sawyer and myself on Laz (duh).

It was fun.  

With a few heart stopping moments thrown in.

We started in arena and rode for about 20 minutes in there.  All was well, with minor spooking from Laz about the snow falling inside a large pine tree (which he thought was a rustling from a horse eating snow monster).

We ventured out in the front property and all was well. 

Perked ears and high heads but kept it cool.  

We kept this portion of the ride at a walk only because horse nerves were high.

Coming back towards the barn, a rattling car coming down the road caused the two horses to start, but they came back down.

We headed for alongside the length of the pastures trail (where I haven't taken Laz in over a year at least).  

One side is the electric fence and the other side is a line of pine trees so it makes me a little nervous.

I tried to be calm calm calm calm and did an OK job of it.

Laz was up a bit...rightfully so, because I was transmitting that to him.

I had to talk myself down and got him to calm down.

A BIG bonus I saw was he is getting more confident in himself and I. 

He wanted to be the leader and not the follower...shocked! LOVE it!

We had a couple of BIG spook/bolts from both horses (one from birds flying up from the ground, and the other was a mystery).  The mystery spook caused Laz's heart to pound SO loudly that I could feel it in between my legs. That was crazy.  

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

Poor guy...

Ok, I had to be strong for my poor babe.  I forced myself to talk out loud to him, praise him for not loosing it and giving in when I could feel he wanted to RUN.  He came back to me.  HOORAH!

I breathed and sighed and he eventually let out a big sigh.

Coming back, the mini was all up in arms with his two herd mates being away and he caused a BIG ruckus for a little mini man.  I called out to him "Its ok PONEEEE" and it was more him to realize we were still here and for Laz who was upset that his mini friend was concerned.

All in all...a little scary drama but a great trail ride.

I was very very very proud of my boy. 

I see major progress (work still to be done) but major progress in Laz's confidence

Trojan Laz

The herd.

Laz, Mini little Chief, and Sawyer.

All is well.

Sawyer rules the herd but the keebler mini and Laz are still bff's

It's nice for Laz to have companionship finally

 Sunny day.

Working on our free lunging

We've been able to play in the arena in fresh, untouched snow at least 5 or 6 different times this winter

It's beautiful and peaceful

 Send away...

 Come in...

What a lovely, low sweet head of trust

Babyface

 Enjoying a great ride.

Lots of trot work, circling, figure 8's 

 As a OTTB owner, there is a great feeling of ending a great ride, cooling down at the walk, on the buckle.

Any horse owner actually...but having your OTTB hang his head low and calm is heaven

 After our rides, I always rub him everywhere and tell him what a Goooooooooooood boy he is.

He enjoys it.  Licks and blinks and sighs.

"I iz a goooodz boy!"

 Laz and Mason

Mason walked around with us the whole ride and Laz didn't even once try to dart at him

Progress

I dont think Laz dislikes Mason in any way. 

I do think Mason can get too close for my comfort of his safety but he LOVES to walk with us.

I think there are days where Laz wants to play and charge at Mason and Mason is just such a softie he doesn't know to move and move FAST.

I watch for him very carefully.

Mason loves to be at the farm and I want to keep it fun for him as well as safe.

 The brown babes

What a cute Jock!

Laz is sporting the Blue and Yellow for Clawson Trojans Varsity Basketball

Why?!

Because my husband is their Coach and they won 1st place in their Conference.

 Animal abuse...torture...how could I?

"Iz usedz to race Mom and be real real proudz throohoobred..."

It makes me smile to think of how far we've come.

There were days where I could hardly halter him because he would be so wound up and ignoring my space.

Now I can dress him up like a doll ;)

And who can resist a fat mini rolling in the snow?

No one

How is snowboarding like riding?

It's not.

Not that I could find. 

I tried to find a similar balance and mind set so I could actually not kill myself....but I couldn't.

See, a while ago, I promised to take my Nephew snowboarding the next time he came to visit, with his best friend.  That was this weekend.

We took a lesson all together, the teens rocked it....and I sucked it.

It was FUN no doubt, but hard and awkward.  I was thankful to have a helmet and would have enjoyed to have been bubble wrapped as well.

My Nephew and I hamming it up after our snowboarding lesson...

only he was kidding and anxious to hit the slopes...and I was seriously nervous! ;)

Posing for the camera because I was mostly on my ass for the day

I fell more than I think I boarded.

I was told that's normal.

Huh?

What sport is learned from falling???? 

Snowboarding apparently.

Sheesh..it's a tough but FUN sport!

I would do it again........after I heal my bruises and work on my ego

 Of course my 15 yr old Nephew and his friend rocked it like 'sooooo easy'

Day #2-I took him and his best friend to play with the ponies.

They wanted to!! Hoooorah!!!

Laz was awesome, calm and tolerated a lot.  

The boys cleaned him, led him around and lunged him

Do you see how funny Laz is playing with his lead rope below....silly gelding

 Both the skateboarding teens here (my Nephew on the right) thought the Mini was too cool.  Probably due to the fact that skate boarding celeb, Rob Dyrdek, had a Mini.

After the boys worked hard to groom him, Little Chief promptly rolled in the dirt

 The boys learning about horse keeping and care. It's not all about riding....as they thought ;) 

To be a good horse owner, you have to get dirty and WANT to care for your horse. 

They had fun!

 and huh? Snow started falling....but I thought Spring was coming....?

 By the time we got home, we had almost 6 inches already.  We ended up with a foot of new snow

Ok...winter is not over yet.

A mini video of lunging the smartest mini

Mud mask

It's getting warm! This week has felt so nice and Cuba like! It's amazing that 40's can feel like a balmy 75.

The snow is melting quickly and of course leaving us with lots of wet, wet, wet.  

Laz read somewhere that mud treatments are good for the skin apparently.

My work week has been hectic, so when I was heading out to the barn, I was carrying my anxiety of "TO DO's" with me.  Of course, the minute I got there, it was melted away by two brown furry perked ears and a moon shaped star.

I did about 5 minutes of groundwork, a quick groom and jumped on bareback for a ride.  We rode for about 40 minutes, did our arena work (too wet and squishy to ride anywhere else).  Laz had some concerns at the deep end of the arena, school kids coming home, etc, but kept his cool.  He's been checking himself where typically he would spook and bolt, he may only flinch now or look. GOOD BOY!  Once he side stepped almost from  underneath me completely but we circled and rode around there pretending nothing happened.  We did light trotting and worked on backing up, stopping, standing still, etc.  

He rocked.

 After our ride, I fed him his slurpee and grabbed Little Chief, aka Keebler

I lunged him and he did awesome. Totally kept his eye on me and did PERFECT reverses and stops. Lots of carrot nibs and "Goood Ponieeeeee"

I groomed the crap out of him, literally.

He is SHEDDING, white fur only...isn't that odd?! 

 Every poniee needs a braid!

I will try and get a video of him lunging.  

I need to grow an Avatar tail so I can use it to hold my camera/phone/video.

 "So Mom, when you playz with my poniez I will roll in stinkie muuud, ok?"

When I put the mini back, Laz likes to smell him and then me.  Laz seemed tired after our ride...made me feel guilty.  I always try to gage our ride by his mood and we kept it SO LIGHT, that I can't imagine it was our ride.  Perhaps still adjusting to warm weather? Having a herd?  Having just ate?

 I hope it wasn't our ride.

Just sleepy eyes, lots of yawning, etc. Nothing worrisome...but of course if I see him rest his 'bad leg' I immediately worry.  And then he'll switch legs to rest.  Who knows...

I think I'll always worry...

No, I know, I'll always worry.

It's a tough balance.  Laz seems to really enjoy his work.  I just don't want to ever push it

These two crack me up....The biggest one in the barn, with the littlest...

Reminds me of my other two mix matched perfectly paired friends

Shades of brown and black love!

Valentine's and Saddle thoughts

Happy Belated Valentine's!

Valentine's bouquet for Laz

Happy Valentine's Laz!!!

 "sniff sniff....I smellz sumsing gooodz"

 SHARK ATTACK

 "GIMMMEZZZZZZZZ!"

Lesson 174-

How to loose a thumb while being too busy photographing your adorable shark...I mean horse

I kid. 

I still have my thumb.

Thank you glove.

Who knew there are brown bearded sharks that feast on carrots?

 Guess what little Keebler got a lunge lesson on Valentine's?

He was great going to the left, and a wicked demon going to the right. Clearly, he just hasn't been taught but he is SO sweet and immediately stopped when I asked him to.  

He got lots of "Goooood Pony" along with carrot treats.  

He is a people pony and a hilarious comic.  

When he bucks and canters and trots, it so funny, that I was literally in hysterics lunging him.  

Laz watched the WHOLE time over their gate concerned for his baby.

***

Now, on to Sunday, I am not posting in order here but that's ok.

I borrowed J9's Barefoot saddle to test it out on Laz.

I wanted to see if he was comfortable in it, and if I was too.

It's a treeless saddle and to learn more about it, you can click here

I've been toying with the idea of when to put a saddle back on Laz

This may be the perfect compromise

Since I've gotten so used to bareback I didn't want a hugely bulky saddle that would change our communication.  Thankfully, this Barefoot Cheyenne, even with a thick Skito pad, did not 

It was super comfortable

It seems to fit Laz well and I'm planning on demo'ing a new saddle, with some minor changes for his body to see if we love it 100%

Best part?! It's affordable!  We are not talking thousands, here and being I already own a Crosby AP I didn't want to spend a fortune BUT I definitely want a saddle that will work for Laz and I.

Mostly for him.

This may be the best all around, pleasure/trail, schooling saddle for us

He looks like a Shetland pony here! 

I hate how my helmet makes my head look so large ...oh well

Also...a shout out to my WonderPony who was sooooooooo awesome about me tacking him up on a crazy windy day! He hasn't had a saddle on his back in over a year, and did he buck once? NO! Didn't even pin an  ear...he did give a couple anxious chews, like "What's this" but I took my time with him. Did some ground work with the saddle on, etc and by the time I mounted, he was like "GET ON ALREADY!" 

WonderPony!!!

Crazy how the moon has been out during the day lately...see that tiny spec in the sky?

And surely you feel Spring in the air!? 

It's been staying light out later (every minute counts) and glory be...a SUNSET?!

Ok...so winter is getting OLD

We have been pretty good at enjoying the winter.

But we are cold.

Kisses are cold little icicle whisker scratchy ones

 We want this velvet nose back!

Mason says "I LOOOOOOOOOVE WINTER....I LOVE LIFE, I LOVE MY FRISBEE, I LOVE TO RUNS, I LOVE TO PEE, I LOVE TO PLAY, I LOVE TO EAT, I LOVE TO CAR RIDE, I LOVE TO LOVE!"

You get the general happy Lab motto

Temp said "0" when I drove out to the barn

We did a quick groundwork lesson.
Quick as in 40 minutes to let your beet pulp soak, so I can feed it to you, quick.

I also gave the herd (Mini, Laz and Sawyer-who I worked on his personal space issues with) warm, as in bath warm water to drink.  They have nice tepid water but really on these cold days, the spoiled babies prefer a nice 80 degree slurp of water.

I counted the gulps (thanks Lilly!) and they drank up a storm...I offered another, and they drank it all.  The Mini was first, he took about 10 mini gulps. Laz pushed in and drank an entire bucket and a half himself, and Sawyer a few sips...I think he was just curious what they were drinking.