Birthday weekend!

Few things are better than riding your last day of age 34 on your trusty OTTB

It's a great way to pay homage to a good year, and here's to 35...

This was most of our ride...

Lots of trotting in the open field. It was 56 degrees, no wind and perfect. 

Laz had a lot of GO, but no naughty behavior

Here's a zoom on above blob, lol...most of our trot work in the field...

A nice cool down with some trotting down the dirt road

 Birthday Day!

There is a dog friendly outdoor mall about 25 minutes East of us.

DOG FRIENDLY Mall, I said!!!

Who doesn't want to take their pups and get coffee, try on shoes, jeans, look at ipads, etc?!

Smart designers for this mall layout, I say!

 So, here is the mall "Partridge Creek"

To us, it had a California vibe to it

Great walk ways..all stores are open to the outside

I HATE an indoor mall...despise, in fact.

Get.me.out.

LOL, this is actually OK! Go ahead..pee on the bushes!

You can bring the dogs into some (most) stores which are clearly labeled with a dog friendly sticker on their front doors. 

I found myself judging the stores that didn't allow dogs..like, F.U. lol! ;)

LOTS of dogs...like hundreds. Both Pudgie and Mason were quite a hit amongst the kids.

Lots of "Awww a big one AND a little one!!!!"

Again, smart...

There is a "Three Dog Bakery" there too

Yummy treats for the boys

Pupcake Mason?

 

Pudgie mid slurp..and me trying to kiss him.

He HATES kisses..but he's learning to tolerate them

 We took a little break from the concrete and strolled off to one of the parks

It was right behind the Mall..

Belly tickles for the stinkiest Frenchie!

Pudgie thinking "STOP!!!!!!"

LOL, I can't help it...

 Then over achiever Mason found a 'stick'

 Kind of the perfect way to spend a sunny 70 degree day

 We dropped of the pups at home....

They were ZONKED!

We walked down our street to the new wood oven Pizza Bistro

YUM..totally amazing fresh food!

OOops! 

Red Velvet anyone? SLURP

Hey, this is a Michigan based company; "Just Baked" ..so I'm just supporting ;)

I'm telling you, Michigan has A LOT to offer..and this is coming from someone who grew up just North of Chicago.

I am a very happy girl here.

Speaking of happy...a sun drenched Pony and his lover laying out

I ran by Monday morning to snugglelove him and make sure he was fine with the temps that quickly dropped to mid 30's.

He was A-Ok

 That was a great Bday weekend...

Now, off for drinks with my Girlfriends to add a vodka soaked cherry on top of this Bday Sundae :)

The summer days of March

This is what I saw pulling up to the barn.

Seriously...I love that Laz loves this place

I had to go two days without seeing my brown babe...work got so crazy!

He was happy to see me because he was hot and itchy

 

Poor sticky shedding babe. 80's came way too early, he is literally molting.

So, we started with our favorite Harrod's soft rubber curry.  

Yes, Laz got something from Harrod's last time I was in London...I did not.

He deserves it

Followed by our shedding blade that really did a great job...

His armpit, belly area fur can literally be plucked off.

Anyone want a Laz sweater?

De-pouffff

 Looking a bit better, and definitely more comfortable

 I thought I would do a running braid...

Laz felt otherwise...

He gleefully shook it out of his silken thick mane

So, I kindergarten chopped his mane!

I had a moment of "do I do this or keep it long? 

I like the short

I think it shows off his ewe neck better ;)

**side note; after viewing this picture, I worked on his RF hoof, bringing his heel down a bit more, as well as his LH

Maybe I can make Mason a baby Laz stuffed animal??

Some bird is going to have a soft nest...

 Look at this choco faced angel in the sunshine!

He loves going to the barn and I'm so happy I can take him every time

After our grooming session, we hand walked down the dirt road

I'm trying to pretend Laz is at Rockley and provide him with varied terrain for his hoof health

 Little snacking along the way...

 I'm liking the way Laz is looking!

Compare above from this week, to below, April 2009 before he got ill.

  Doesn't look so much different anymore :)

My Mongolian Yak

Last week pulling into the barn, Mason and I were greeting by a flock/herd/pack/school of wild turkeys. 

They are UGLY birds. 

I'm not a fan of loose, free big birds (perhaps it was from getting my rear whooped by a swan when I was six yrs old-no joke).

Laz and Justin were totally curious as to WHAT are these things?!

More like a road runner...

Mason jumped out of the car and chased them away, cue the horses to RUUUUN!!!! Safe your self!

There has been some changes at the barn.  Currently there is now only Laz and Justin (WB x), as the BO's decided to send their OTTB to their trainers for her program to use (or to see how he does).  They like the small, quietness of only two boarders and I can't blame them.  My concern was I noticed immediately after their horse leaving, how Justin and Laz have become like GLUE.  Here is Laz below SCREAMING for his Painted lover as he was getting groomed out of his eyesight.

Pathetic.

It's been a little over a couple of weeks (I think?) and they seem to be adjusting well and panicking less when apart.  It's odd, but if I take Laz away from Justin, he's fine and Justin calls to him. If Justin is taken away from Laz, Laz freaks and screams for him.  

The other day, as I was grooming Laz, Justin approached and Laz nickered the sweetest little "HAROooo lovie BOO " to himI hope they calm the gelding love "I can't be without you for a minute" affair a bit.  

***

Friday, we rode. I had a long week and a nice little ride was want I needed.

PLUS, it was 70 degrees out!

Look at my silken Yak below...

Why don't I clip him? 

Um, because I don't have clippers that are strong enough to endure the thick fluff...I SUCK at clipping, and it's supposed to get back down to 40 degrees soon.

I had decided to ride within their pasture with Justin loose.

How cute.

Except they started playing, and Justin bite Laz's bridle and Laz semi reared up.

DUMB idea on my part. Laz let out two high pitched squeals, almost like "I CAN'T handle dis!!!" So I hopped off, put Justin in the 2nd pasture and we continued for a nice calm ride.

He was SO sweaty after about 30 minutes of walk, trot and a couple of canters that I opted to stop. I yanked off his saddle and cooled him off via walking with him for a mile. 

Walking by, a neighbor's truck shovel thingy scared the bejuses out of Laz so we approached it, he snorted, then sniffed, then licked and we went on our merry way.

Lovely boy admiring his digs

***

Saturday; first bath of the year! 

My friend who had never ridden or been around horses came to help us!

What a fun way to celebrate St. Patty's!

Laz enjoyed the cool water and dropped a lot of fur

***

Sunday; HOT, almost 80 out.

Again, saddled up for a ride and worked on bending, circles, trotting and getting Laz to carry himself instead of leaning/balancing on my hands which he's been opting to do. It's an odd balance of pushing him forward fast enough to get a good motor going and balance his own weight vs. falling down into my hands or falling into a downhill canter.

I was asking a lot from him mentally as well as real body work, so we kept it short again, about 35 of work (not including 10 walk warm up and the HOUR cool down)

Side note; There are white hairs on his back (I've only ridden him in this saddle about 5 times) and two bumps on his spine area (one old, one new) so I'm anxious for Chiro's input next time he's out. I'm not sure if it's caused by this saddle, or from when I was riding bareback..I had noticed the white hairs (about where my butt sitts) along his back this winter.  

Joy!!! 

Sweat much?!

Here was my attempt in a conformation shot after we had cooled down

Nice, huh?!

Oh well, at least he's looking a  bit more fit