Playing barn owner part 2 and trying something new

A couple of body shots-just nice to have to look back at and compare.

Laz's weight is nice-a bit plump but I feel his topline is better than last year's August

Standing more square as time goes on (slowly) but less RH camped out in front

Points for my OTTB pony who stands still where I put him during grooming.

No cross ties, no tying-just ((gasp)) manners!

Pulling in the barn Sunday morning...peace-what peace!

The boys down in pasture...

I call them in for their grain and they lazily come ambling up. Quite opposite of their nightly turnout where they gallop down the track to get to the candy field.

Laz takes a long big drink.
They have two tanks accessible but I swear when they are on their pasture and it's dew filled, they do not come up to drink until day light.

Laz's ears pump back and forth when he drinks.
It's mega cute.

This horse is over documented when I take pictures of him simply drinking-sheesh!!!

I feed the ponies their feed, supplements, etc.

Here Laz is done...waiting to be let out.

"I HATEZ BEING STALLED FOR 45 SECUNDS!! Lemmme OUTS! I IS RACERHORS!!"

Smack, smack, smack...

"I IS ALZO SO SPOILSSS BRATZ"

Super Model!

Sigh, how did I get such a beauty?!

"I FREEEEEZZ!"

I grabbed sweet Red to treat a kick he had on his shoulder and thigh.

Look at how dainty this little Red OTTB is! Awwww-here he his in Laz's halter

He is gaining weight back so nicely

***

Later that evening, my Husband came with me to help.

Mission 'human with camera to capture all our riding adventure' was put into effect

I have been DYING to try this;

Bridle-LESS riding!

Why not?! Let's test where we are with our 'communication' while we have a witness

It was FUN!

and honest. Oh, so honest!!!

Our turning was hilariously weak. Well, my asks were.

Laz was 10000% tolerate and good to me.

I was giving him many mixed signals I'm sure

Our "whoa" and "backing up" was SPOT ON
Booo ya!

Our "Walk on" was good too

But with turning I was looking down TOO much, and not using my body.

Legs, yes, but I need to remember to LOOK WHERE I'M WANTING TO GO

See that?! That is a girl asking her horse to put her on the ground.

;)

Flies bother this fragile flower below

A couple of things that I did that was not smart.

1. Try bridle-less 10 minutes before dinner feed time (Laz was not impressed with my timely request)

2. Kept the horses in the pasture with us. Why? Lazy

3. Dusk, when they KNOW, their grass turnout is right around the corner

Yet I did it anyway and had faith :)

Above we are having a discussion that NOOOO you can't ask Justin to help you.

You are fine with me.

Below, was turning him after I had to re-mount because I had to dismount when he offered to walk into his stall for feeding that he felt was deserved. 

Maybe he thought "I'll carry your ass in this stall to feed me NOW" 

All in all it was FUN.  I'll try it again and again and who knows, maybe we'll be like this in our future

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JPgsMGN4bk

Whether you think you can or you can't... You're right.

Weekly catchup

 Hoof cast #2-so far, on tight for over a week and a half 

YAY! 

Doesn't it seem that Laz's toe is non existent? According to xrays, there is actually a lot of toe.

The hoof cast is to give his sole some protection, the hoof wall some protection as it grows out.

The angle that his hoof wall is at, growing in, is always so odd. I hope this foot can grow normal one day.  The back up isoxsuprine is to help blood flow, that paired with comfortable movement is all we can really do to help set him up for success.

So, we'll see

For now, Laz seems to like his cast, so that makes for a happy horse Mom

 This horse has more heart than I could ever ask for

Cutie pie OTTB "Red" aka "Red Zepplin"

He's gaining weight nicely and slowly and looking good.

He's really winning me over. He's like a tiny, petite little OTTB that is VERY wary

 The happy little herd

 This weekend, I'm barn watching again.

LOVE doing it! Any excuse to see my horse 2x a day, yes I'll take it

This morning at 7 am, this is what Mason and I saw pulling into our barn's road

 More deer in the background. We saw a total of 12 deer

Meeting the boys at the entrace.

 They graze in one of the two larger pastures at nighttime

 The world's best helper hound

 Keeping an eye on the hay, from....??? lol

 The boys all come running up for their grain feeding

 A hosed off worker hound

 A panoramic view of the day time pasture area, natural shade, tons of room and shelter if needed.
I seriously am obsessed with this barn's layout.
Whoever was the original barn designer of the space, was a genius.

Turning the boys out to the evening pasture to graze 

Theses fatties LOVE their evening graze time

Last one out...Laz was not paying attention to the moving herd and then turned on the OTTB and came trotting to the track...

 and BOOKED it out to his buddies at a dead nuts gallop!
AWESOMENESS...this is my horrible picture as I fumbled to capture it while trying to enjoy watching him move like that in real time

Magically serene

The herd all together in early moonlight

Swoon!

When you board; and you know your horse is not only happy but fairing so well, it's the very best feeling.  It's hard to find places like that, and I thank every day that he does well there.

And, have you heard of this site??

It's HILARIOUS..and this is our entry of Pudgie

Hope it makes it! :)

stinky foot

Friday evening

Yay, rain!  Whose smart horse is under the shed during the storm, and lighting, except for his obviously lightning proof head?

Oye

"What dos brite ziggy zaggy lites in da skys?!"

So..I brought in the head drenched pony to groom and just give loves on...

When I noticed! NO HOOF CAST!? grrrr

The rain/mud maybe yanked it off?
So..it lasted two weeks :(

The good thing is I *think* I see a slight improvement.

SLIGHT I said.

Still seemingly unbalanced but that takes time with setting him up with proper comfortable movement (I hope!)

 

I ended up booting him Friday night-grrr

Booting makes me crazy. It's a good padding/protector but I HATE leaving them on.

They always keep his foot too wet and it's just not the environment I want for his thrushy foot.

I fill the boot with powder No Thrush but STILL-stank o rama come day #2

Mason's rain delay face

Sunday, our friend's three ADORABLE children wanted to come meet Laz

Spa day!!!

 Laz, of course, was THE PERFECT gentleman toting all three kids and their Mom on safe pony rides

 He was especially obsessed with this littlest sweetheart

 Like obsessed. 

Nuzzled her and poured his muzzle into her hair CONSTANTLY

 You see, the stalker!? 

Sheesh. 

Laz would NOT leave her alone! 

Maybe her shampoo was apple flavored?

My adorbs Husband and the kids who he knows quite well, as he runs youth Basketball camps through the year which they all attend.

The later on Sunday, E a fellow boarder a top Laz's bff, Justin and I went for a RIDE!

I called my trimmer and he said RIDE, just boot him if needed and get him moving.

OK! :)

Don't we look like a carriage team below?

Heading to the neighbor's trail... trespassing!

I mean,  I just 'feel' when you have trails this nicely groomed, and no "No Trespassing signs" that's on you if you don't want people enjoying them.

Right?!

Right

It was cute to be able to ride with Laz's bff, Justin

Thanks to E's boyfriend for taking fun photos!

We trading leading spots and both the boys did very well.

Heading back home, the trail is tiny, so it only takes about 15 minutes to ride the whole 'system' lol

 We just enjoyed the down time in the saddle

 Lots of gabbing...

 and grass munching

E wanted to stretch Justin's legs a bit, and was super polite about making sure Laz and I were comfortable with them trotting/cantering in the field beside us.

I wasn't 100% sure how Laz would be...

would he freak? 

Would he want to run and race?!

Would he buck me off????

This is how he was.

lol crazeeeee ottb

Such a good boy.  

He just watched his buddy move around like a fancy dressage horse

He is FANCY

And for more cute animal spam?!

Meet Lorenzo

My sister and her husband's new baby.

They adopted him from a South African local shelter

They think he's Pit/Terrier/Bull Mastiff/???

100% adorable at about 10ish weeks

Hoof cast attempt #2 coming up tomorrow...