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 30, 2012

SnowBunnies

I'm glad that I can approach my resting pony without the stomach dropping fear of "omg why is he laying down?!"  I know him, I know his napping times and this was just one of them. It took a while for me to get here..to let go of fear a bit.  
It had snowed a lot the night before with high winds and low temps so I had blanketed him. He was warm and happy to shed his rug and roll in the snow
We rode a bareback hack. The pasture was literally too pretty to ride in, so I left it alone and we went for a ride down the road
I mean, sometimes, you just can't beat nature or mess it up
We had such powdery snow to plow through, what a good work out for Laz and Mason
 Playing in a side field along the road, where Laz was pawing at the snow threatening to roll
I had to steer him past it as he full on ROLLED with me in the water only last month...I didn't want to test his 'want' again
 Look at how much snow we have already, it's beautiful
 Bare toes
 Relaxing
"I iz sleepin nows..you go homez"
On Saturday, I took a bunch of videos of our ground work for an online lesson I'll have with my Parelli trainer coming up this week. SO excited! For $25 she helps with any 'issues' or sticky spots and we have one going on.
It's minor but I want to nip it in the bud before it escalates  Laz is tossing his head and doing this physical 'thing'..it's not a buck, it's not a crow hop, it's like snaking his head side to side, tossing out his front legs, forward and semi crow hopping/baby threatening bucks.
At any rate, he did it on the trails this past Fall, and lately in our winter work so, I want/need help with it. Looking forward to what she has to say :)
Sunday, I got video of us riding, and dealing with said situation
But despite the tiny misbehaving moments caught on our youtube, Laz was such a good boy...
 We road rode (lol!) and played in the thick soft snow
I used our treeless and need to take the stirrups down a couple of notches-yipes
 Working through some deeper snow/brush aka making a good trail pony :)
 Some trot work (girl, keep you head UP)
 Some stills from our ride
Dressage anyone?! ;)
In all seriousness, he is acting very coltish and I want to know how to handle this. 
It reads as soooo small on video but under saddle it feels big and STRONG
I just want to know 'why?'
Do I channel it? Do I push through? Do I stop him? etc etc...we'll see after we skype to discuss 
The side tossing of his head side to side, in a bareback situation makes it VERY hard to stay on
Being he did this a lot more on our rides, I want to contain/change it now before it turns into a nasty habit.
Speaking of coltish, doesn't Laz look like a 3 yr old below?! 
He's a handsome 11 yrs old :)
Another video still and maybe a favorite photo... what a handsome boy
Speaking of handsome, what better view than your man riding your fuzzy horse
Billy is 6'3" for size comparison, he makes Laz look like a pony. We just walked around and I stuck by Laz's head as Billy got to enjoy 'the feeling' of Laz walking
So cute :) 
You have to appreciate a non horsey hubbie willing to come out to the barn to video tape while he misses football.  
The Lions suck anyway, right??? ;)
 Laz eating his warm mash of hay cubes, beet pulp, spirulina and chia seed
 Not one calorie was burned ;)

14 comments:

  1. The Lions may suck, but my husband still has to watch every game! Laz looks like such a baby face in the "colt" photo! Loving the photos and the awesome time you are having with your boy!
    I love seeing people have fun with their horses in the winter :)

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    1. Billy too, watches/listens and then disappointed. I say screw football and get a horse ;)
      I forget that winter riding is fun until I'm knee deep in fluffy snow. It's the biting winds that blow...loved your sledding with Shy!

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  2. Pretty snow pictures!!

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  3. Oh - SO many comments!!!! Can't help but love this post!!! The snow and you and your boys - happy rides. I think the stills would make amazing Christmas cards for next year!!!

    Brian is supposed to ride Chaunson tomorrow (with me walking along on ground) and we were a little worried about the bareback stuff and men's um...equipment. Just showed Brian the photo of Billy on Laz!

    About Laz's head toss stuff: Pie winds tight in a ball and half hops/baby rears when excited especially this time of year so I am very interested in what you learn. I can't ever really push Pie into a figure eight/serpentine which is what I use normally when in trouble because he is so springy/wound tight. I try to ride it and occasionally have to dismount and walk on the ground to diffuse the energy. Once I was able to diffuse it on board by using my best show equitation and ride by pushing him like I was going into a fence, but that day I had a saddle. Bareback I can't do that. So, I usually slide off and walk him with a quiet and intent purpose for a far walk moving away from the barn. He always relaxes and snorts and then I remount and usually we are good. Can't wait to hear what she says!

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    1. Billy rode for only about 10 minutes but I asked him about his ..um 'boys' and he said he was fine. I don't know what he did to manage that but I'm sure Brian will do the same ;)
      Interesting about Pie, I didn't know you dealt with a similar situation. I just NEVER think about getting off him..I don't know why I'm programmed to stick through it even though sometimes it may be better to allow him to burn the energy off with me by his side, I'm determined to find another possible way...hopefully.
      I'll be posting about what she thinks and how it translates into reality! :)

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  4. The Lions TOTALLY suck.

    Gogo used to act like that when she felt fantastically fresh... she acted out and used to bounce around and rear and strike like a colt. Naughty mare...

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    1. Oh sweet, feisty, talented Gogo. It's funny at times but then sometimes I feel scared of it too. Not today for an example but like out on the trails when he does this (it wasn't every time) and I feel like he's going to burst through my bridle and kill us both. ;)

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  5. We had to go to the barn at 8:30 yesterday morning to play in the snow so we didn't miss any football.

    I know Laz was being naughty, but he looks so friggin' cute! Good luck figuring out his head snaking!

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  6. Don't you love love love how the snow keeps the horses so clean???????? This is one thing I love about the snow. All those furry coats so soft and pristine! Now that's something you never see in the summer!!!!! Happy New Year to you and your special (and hilarious) guy.

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  7. Lovely pictures in the snow! It may be cold, but the winter wonderland is so beautiful.
    Harley had to be the first to plow through a 3 foot snow bank by the road today--my big brave boy! What heart OTTB's have!

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  8. Such great pictures!! Makes me (almost) want some snow. ;D
    Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy New Year! (((♥♥♥)))

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  9. When he does that - push forward immediately. Every time. It's an evasion, avoiding the forward, The correction is to ensure you teach the horse it must move forward when asked. So whether a bigger walk or a trot or a canter.

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  10. I'm glad your boy is feeling so well, good luck with the trainer.

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