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...

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Gallop into December

Sometimes things can come full circle.
About 4.5 years ago, I had the major ITCH to start riding again. I started looking at horses to lease and found a great person through Craigslist and we totally bonded. My friend Sam had several horses and she wanted a lessor riding  buddy. We are the same age and it was such a fun fit. From that experience is how I met Laz (when he was dropped off at our farm along with 44 other OTTB's HOT off the track to be sold or sent to slaughter)
I adopted Laz, we moved barns and my friend started her own riding barn about an hour away.
We have always stayed in touch and finally had set a date to meet up and ride.
She trailer-ed her 17.2 WB Seeley, and had a friend and her paint pony join in.
4 years later and we ride again

I had rode Laz for a good 35 minutes to warm him up. He's been WIRED lately with loads of TB energy and just keeps testing me with naughty "IMZ SOOO EXCITEDZZZ" squeals and shoulder pops/neck snaking. So much so, that I need to re-align his bitless to make sure we are still 'connected' lol
Off to the trails
 Sweaty boy. 
Laz did quite well being he's never ridden with these two horses OR MET even except for our way to the trail.  He was a bit more drama llama but still lead the majority of the way, but with much more Arab action (snorty, arched neck, prancy moves)
 Ex-Eventer Seeley loooves to RUN and Laz quickly picked up on this and race time was 'game on.'
Not what I wanted or intended. There are parts of the trail where it's fun to canter, but Laz would racehorse LEAPT into a flat gallop the second he saw Seeley getting ready, and I had to use everything to re balance him and bring him down a bit. He was in racer mode which was fine, but he was listening more to Seeley than me at that point, which was not OK.
 Towards the end, as dusk was approaching and I had a pretty wet horse, I had to remind the group "UH, we need to cool these crazy monkies OUT and Laz needs a mental stop on the racing" 
I'm not into having a wet horse at the end of a ride...or having a crazy amped horse during the trail who now wanted to RUN everything.

This little pony was super chill the whole time, lol

 My friend had brought dinner, loads of delic appetizers; hummus  tabbouli  grape leaves, home made fallefal, etc. I brought a bottle of  South African Foodbarn Rose. YUM
 And our ride below;
Not a bad way to welcome in the winter that is soon to approach

Now, I have some training thinking to do, of how to keep Laz interested in trail riding while maintaining his manners and remaining with me as a partner...stay tuned

12 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great ride!!

    What app is that?

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  2. Sounds like an exciting and fun ride--ooeeee! Don't you just love it when you've got no brakes!
    Harley can be a bit like that with the bitless bridle--not really listening, just thinking about the speediest way home.

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    1. Ya, I found myself with 'soft' brakes but it brings me back to what I need to work on with my seat, and probably to make sure all adjustments are A-ok with bridle

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  3. What FUN, although sounds like naughty Laz is almost feeling a bit *too* good! Guess he was having flashbacks to his racing days and picturing his photo finish. ;-D

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    1. I know right, he's VERY competitive and boy did it come out!

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  4. Fun! I am interested to read you training thoughts to keep him in tune to you but wanting to trail ride, you always have great ideas! It was a nice weekend in Michigan, I got to drive some drafts!

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    1. I'm hoping to convince one of my Parelli trainers to come ride with us :)!!!!

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  5. Great, now I'm hungry again ;)

    Mayhaps Laz just needs more practice?

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  6. hey...cool app...will have to check that out!

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  7. Looks like you've a lot of fun with Laz. He looks so cool and friendly, just need some more practice.

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