casual playtime

Laz's doppleganger 

Shedding, fluffed up, half the time rolled in snow, mud, hay, etc lol

He is happy as a grimy clam

Some OTTB has figured out that if he sticks his mega head in between the barn doors...

He can push it open for treat time!

Fatty McFatterson was free lunged a few times this week, including on Friday evening.

LOVING how it's about 6:35pm before it's dark! 

every.minute.counts!

I didn't even groom him...more important to burn a few calories and since I only had about 40 minutes, that's what we did

My Mom joined (do you see a little Greek woman at the fence being molested by the two other OTTBs?) and Laz was great. Listened, trotted nicely, offered up a few canters but was tuned in.

"What else you wantz to do? I leeesin"

The best eye is the Equine eye.

Can you see Red and Pito in his eye? 

Saturday, I was dyyyying for a nice, relaxing ride

Work was stressful, I just NEEDED a good ride.

Footing has been so sloppy, icy, etc that it's been really difficult.

Laz was a speed firecracker demon boy on Sat.
He did not want a quiet ride. He wanted to snort, fart, buck, squeal, and snake his head until he could gallop on ice.
Yea, great idea of relaxation.

Saturday ride=super suck

SUPER suck!!! I got two images before I actually felt like...hmm, today may be a baaad day to push this. I ended our ride about 29 minutes (of hell) and chose to ground work him instead for an hour. 

He just needed to blow up and let off some steam...better that I wasn't on his back

I left feeling frustrated but understood. It's not about me, it's about us. He's always so giving to me,  that I have to allow that he has days where he needs to be young and goofy.

Sunday, E and I met for a light pasture hack

Wouldn't you know...Laz was on his best gentlemanly behavior.

Ahhhhhh finally. Good quality Pony Rx time

Happy boys. We rode lightly because of the slippy slidding, and we couldn't leave to trail ride because Red was NOT having it to be left alone

E is trying to convince me and Laz to show with her and Stella this summer; 

showmanship/flat..?! 

We'll see

She's the type of girl that is soooo fun and positive to ride with, that I just may do it!!!

If this pony shows up..I may have a chance ;)

Sweet Mason after bouncing around at the barn for hours...melts into the couch

Pudgie assumes anything soft and warm is his so he crawled up Mason's sleeping side...

and nuzzled in

Pudgie paw 

Another melted puppy

We are due for one more snow storm (one more..right, just ONE!?) this Tuesday so hopefully my Wednesday riding lesson still stands.
Fresh snow could be great to ride in before giving way to Spring...which better come SOON!

Thursday-Chiro adjustment

Weekend-RIDING

Booyah

over winter, as in OVER IT!

SO over the cold. 

Actually, I'm over windy days, lack of sun, the constant cold/warm making for poor footing and not being able to ride much. I really found myself wanting an indoor recently.

Laz and the boys demonstrating on a warmer, muddy day, their zooooomies!

 And nap time for all three

 Oh, and meet Stella!!! 

She's a 17 hand TB ATHLETE who is being leased by E

She's so Pegasus flea bitten strawberry roan drool worthy and they jump BIG jumps-holy mother!

She is being leased by E at a different barn, with an indoor (le sigh!) until they determine if they are compatible (yes already!) and they may come back to our barn (cue the band!) for Spring/Summer and trail rides! They are FANCEEEEEE together! Stella's Mom is searching for the perfect home for her and E just may be it.

 Laz got trimmed/re-balanced a week ago

Things are still looking good

"MMMMmmm gimmmes cookiez"

 He's not been hoof sore at all this winter which is so great because the ground is rock hard and lumpy

We had a lesson set for today (Wednesday) but due to ground/weather/lack of indoor I had to postpone it. Which=me being grumpy.

WANT TO RIDE

This past Sunday, as I was tacking Laz up for a lone ride, he was telling me politely  with tail swishing (which he NEVER does) and then when I seconded guessed it, he TOLD me with leg kicking and back humping--no saddle-no ride-I don't' feel good.

I don't know if he was really full, had a stomach ache, or what was up but he was VERY tummy sensitive. We just walked, and walked and walked (he was goofy, silly and cuddly and also was farting/pooping/peed so I didn't go COLIC-OMG crazy)

He wanted to eat this tree so for his own medicinal reasons, I let him.

I also did some Masterson massage on him (under the tail points) which wouldn't you know, he pooped 35 seconds later.

A great thing if you are a worry colic wart like me.

 Mason, Laz and I walked for about 2 hours

MuddyLab

 In other exciting news, we did a clean trax soak on RH and LF (LF just had some frog clean up so I wanted to zap out any thrushy spots)

Look at my perfect gentleman ground tied!! LOOOOOVE him

 

After the soak, I treated with Thrush Off and packed it with Keratax Hoof Putty to keep it packed/clean for longer

I booted him and baggied his RH up for our hour walk while it penetrated through

Laz is 10000% a trooper when it comes to this.

 Even though our rides have taken a beating by winter, we are still having fun being together

Pudgie wants you to know he likes to eat junk mail that sells pizza coupons

The only good thing about winter is puppy cuddles

GET HERE SOON!!!!!!

Daylight Saving Time (United States) 2013 begins at 2:00 AM on

Sunday, March 10

Sunday Snow Day

This past Sunday was one of those last minute FUN days where the stars just align.

E wanted to go ride the barnowner's horse Pito, and we set up a day/time to meet to finally hit the snowy trails. 

It was our goal before she lost her beloved Justin...since then, we just paused to breathe. I kept riding but I haven't taken Laz on his own (we just aren't quite there yet)

Red came with (which was great because we hate leaving a horse behind) and a girl who came to see if he was a good match for her, to possibly buy as her forever horse. She was a doll and they really had fun riding together. She lost her stirrup after cantering up a hill and sweet little Red even stopped, on his own, so she could get it back again. 

The trails were GLORIOUS

Fresh snow but warm (lol 35 is warm!!)

 Laz was like riding a fuzzy freight train who just wanted to RUN, but he was quite good for not lunging or doing much that week prior so I forgave his naughty head pulling/side snaky maneuver. My back/shoulders are still a bit angry however. After a good hour and some trot sessions he settled right down and was happy to lead or trade off. I like to keep him versatile like that.

 It was as fun and beautiful as I hoped it would be!!

E and I are going to look at another horse (a 17 h TB mare) on Wed, and the girl above wants to come back on Sunday for us to all ride again, and to try Red out again. If she buys him, he may end up staying or going to her trainer's barn (we hope he stays) but either way, she's the type of girl who wants another forever horse so it would be great for him.

January catch up

Wow, I'm happy to say January has FLOWN by.

Temps have been crazy (I know with everyone else too) so it's made for terrible footing and limited working out/riding.

Can you tell?
BOOM.

Fat pony alert

 Laz is due for a trim next week, it's been since Dec 13th and he's been doing well.

Still a bit toe first on his landings but I'm not sure what else I can do about it. 

I've tried 4 great trimmers, tweak(ed)ing his diet, and even prior to going barefoot, while shod, before he got sick, he was toe first....could just be him compensating for something I can't fix??

Oh well, he's happy and as sound as he's ever been

I would like him more trim and fit but I'm hoping this month we will be able to do that if footing can stick to either being frozen or melted. The frozen pools of ice below snow or frozen uneven hard ground makes for a crappy time. Here we worked on the ONE section of grassy snow that I found.

We have gone for our road rides where we mostly walk, work on brain excersizes and do some light trotting where it's safe to.

I rode him in his new (too small UGH-horse size, has his head gotten fatter??) lime green rope halter and reins and it was a HOT mess.

He just didn't respond the same as in his bitless and was MUCH MUCH more feisty.

No big deal at the walk, but asking for trot/canter was too much power with no brakes.

Basically means I'm not riding correctly and am relying too much on my reins. I like to try new things to figure out some honest truths, and I got one.

Laz is great at saying "UM no...I won't hurt you, but this is NOT cool"

Fine for a hack down the road but a bit unnerving feeling like I didn't have the same communication.

But it's SO cute. LOVE the lime green. LOVE it on his bay skin

On some of the colder days (below zero) I've opted for Laz to wear his blanket.

He is ALWAYS warm when I check him, it's shocking. I really think he doesn't need it, but I sleep better. He is naked lately (20's) and very fuzzy warm with LOTS of hay. There is always hay for them---love that!

The herd; Red, Laz and Pito-all OTTBs

They really stick all together which is nice. No bullies

They are all sweet curious geldings...we miss our Justin but they are adjusting 

Red is above Laz, Laz is above Pito and Pito is above Red, lol. 

How did that work out?

I barn sat for a weekend which I love to do

 And snuck from Michigan to Naples, FL for a quick 4 day girl friend getaway.

It was beautiful and relaxing

and full of seafood (holy crab legs!!!!)

And some fun images of the furry babies

Laz kurflupping on my phone

 Mason zooming...

Pudgie hating the cold

I really want to schedule a lesson for Laz and I and get back on track with our 'training'

I just feel we are riding a bit unfocused and I like a task/goal

I'm sure Fatty will disagree