About this Blog

Meet my very 1st horse, Lazarus.
I couldn't wait for Santa anymore or ask one more time for a pony for my bday (after age 30 it got embarrassing). I took matters in my own hands and I finally decided to pick a pony that needed a new home. Laz found me as I contemplated with this idea. He was sweet yet very sassy, fresh off the track, Thoroughbred (OTTB).
Join us for our re-training, rehabbing from laminitis and testing all parts of mixed up horsemanship and partnership, and luck...

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

In where Laz makes me a sandwich...

I like sandwiches!
Do you like sandwiches?
Laz likes to make sandwiches....as in DIRT sandwiches.

 Let's start from the beginning...
"Hi sweet Lazaroo who I adore, care for and love and trust n such!! It's 55 degrees today, you are walking and trotting sound as I watch you play with your boys, so today, we ride.  Yes, it's been a month since our last ride, but let's do it up today son!"

mmmnnnnwhys? I getz plentee os esersise wif my boyz
u kin jus brushs me
 "Oh Laz, I'm so happy you are looking good, the weather is great, and we are going to ride, ride, ride!!"
u is gunna needz this today
I givs u subble sign by knocing dis steppie box ghetto stoolz overz in mud Mom, k?
"Hoorah! We are riding!"
 The weather was 55 but nice BIG cool winds were coming in, so I wasn't worried that Laz would sweat too much with his thick fur coat and warm weather. My intention was to work him out in the dryer pasture where it's cushy and better footing.

I love this view, it makes me think I'm riding in the English Countryside...
I see a spotz purrrrfect for strtchin mee backs and to twist n playz
We started out walking, and Laz was pretty coiled with major energy.
He kept snorting, and then would squeal and throw a head snake, shoulder pop but nothing major and nothing I haven't ridden out on him before. He usually gets excited in this field and then calms right down. Now, dumb me.  Who jumps on her OTTB, after a month off, un-lunged, bareback and decides to ask for an extended trot in an open field?! This idiot!!
Laz gave me some warning signs that he had TOO much energy to really focus, and I should have dismounted and let him run it off.  But it was funny in the beginning and fun and I thought "Whatevs..I got this!"
Then he threw a nasty, 16.3 meets 18.3 buck with the signature side leap to the right.
I felt my right calf bounce off his wither and thought "Wait..what the..." and I slammed into the soft (thanks to grass gods) ground lower back, shoulders and head bounced as I thought "This is why I wear a helmet!!!!" 
So, thanks Laz for the dirt sandwich. I wasn't hungry though
I stood right back up and there stood Laz looking at me like 
"oops. u fell??? I thught us said u hadz this??"

LOL! Good pony at least stood still and didn't try to run away 
I had to walk him back to the barn, to remount as I can NOT hurl my ass up his tall back, bareback...though I tried like I was some tween Native American girl.

 We regrouped and we rode inside his pasture.
I decided he would be more at ease there, and I certainly was NOT going to fall in this sludge, so it made me use my seat a lot better.
He was quieter, listened 95% and we were able to do some light trotting, circles, figure 8's , etc
We even played and splashed in the pasture pond
I'm sure everyone with this snow/melt weather has gotten the gift of a pasture pond or two?

 

So, a couple of thoughts.
I need to better prepare next time..I know better, I just didn't do better.
Reserve thought; is his Chia seed and bump in his grain making him a little ADD? Something to consider, but not yet...
And..I wish I had this on video!!! 
I could have ruled out if something caused it vs him just being silly.


Now...what kind of helmet should I get? Another $30 Troxel? Seems to hurt less when I have to purchase another one...




19 comments:

  1. Sounds like he has a case of the spring stupids. It's been going around. :)

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  2. I agree with Karen. I cannot imagine the chia, grain maybe? But probably just the great weather and mom getting on, LOL. I am glad you wear your helmet and new 30 dollar one sounds super!!! XXOOXX!

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  3. Due to our ongoing saddle search, we're only riding bareback. My (ex)trainer suggested going to the thrift store and buying a used (thin) leather belt from a hefty person, ie it will fit around the base of Laz's neck, as an inexpensive grab strap.

    Glad you're okay - silly Laz... ;)

    P.S. Love the ottb t's

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  4. Ehhh... The ovations are only like $45 and they look 100% better. They also fit the head more snugly with the dial fit thing, so I think they probably protect better.

    Either way, good girl for wearing your helmet.

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  5. Sounds to me like Laz was being very silly indeed! Good thing you had your helmet!

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  6. Oh no! Bad Laz! I have high standards...no matter how much energy a pony has they must still stay between you and the ground :P I am glad you are okay and I think you should go to the tack store and just see which helmet you like the best. I have a troxel for schooling and a Charles Owens for shows. I I think I have tried every kind at some point or another and those are just the ones that worked best for my head.

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  7. Glad you are ok (that goofy mud is good for something!)and I have the $30 Troxel too. So great you wear it! I am obsessed about helmets - no one wore one in Florida and we were on pavement!!!! I wore mine of course!

    I think you did everything right except for the extended trot ask too soon maybe. That sends the energy spinning inside too early in the ride. I still think the jump on bareback, unlunged is the way to go - stay calm and quiet and walk for a long time. Quiet serpentines with the dragon snorting or shoulder pop up and nice long neck pats with the relaxed snorts. Keep walking until silly boy is bored. That is what works for me.

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  8. Glad you had your helmet on! I has to be the weather! I know Shy is loving it and feeling very frisky!

    You ride bitless? I am interested in learning more about this!

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  9. The fact that you can take pictures while riding bareback and manage to stay on has me pretty impressed! Gotta love this weather... it makes everything interesting (blankets on/off/on/off). Love the pasture lake! We have roughly the same thing in our ring right now. Can't wait for summer!

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  10. I'm with Sprinkler Bandit...I'll be getting an Ovation for my next helmet. Without seeing video, I'm SURE Laz just had warm weather craaazies. As much as this winter has been great (both Miles and Chamie have been nekkid for 2 days now. In late January!!), it freaks me out. It's just not natural for our State-and the mud is getting really, really old. Ah well.
    I'm super impressed that you can get on a bareback 16.3 horse with just those milk cartons-and super impressed with Laz that he stuck by you after dumping you...in the ideal world there is no dumping, but it happens:) You're both ok and you're able to laught and write a thoroughly entertaining blogpost about it. All good:)

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    Replies
    1. Sarah, I totally agree about this weather freaking me out! It is so strange for Michigan! Not complaining, but just so weird. And yes, the mud can go! I am so sick of it!

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    2. I know, one day those milk crates are going to break, lol but Laz is super stellar for standing still while I hurl onto his back and for not running away when he tossed me. Which leads me to think, his buck felt bigger than it was, lol!

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  11. Glad to hear you had a helmet on. Repeat after me, always lunge first. Again, always lunge first. Oh, and lose the grain. Keep the chia seed but if you are graining to put on weight, switch to rice bran oil or pellets and grass hay, not alfalfa. Good luck!!!

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    1. Rice bran is a HUGE no no for any horse that had laminitis!

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  12. Hmm, I'll have to check out those Ovations!! Sounds like a good compromise b/w fashion and $$$. ;) Can't look 100% ghetto ALL the time lol.
    Thanks for all the well wishes, and yes, I'm totally fine! Again, very thankful for cushy grass and helmet :)

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  13. Now see, I'm a sandwich fan: turkey, BLT, reuben... yumzos. But dirt, not so much. At least you didn't get damaged, right?

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  14. LOL I love the way you tell a story. I'm so glad you're okay and the landing was fairly soft. What a fantastic pony boy for sticking around after. :D

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