Riding solo and 1st lesson of 2014

Some videos of our solo rides/water training

Some days Laz is all this...

But mostly he is this ..

 #ottbselfie

 He was extra snugly and quiet  

So we saddled up and headed out

 Snapping photos along the way down the dirt road

 He was quite and forward so we kept going...

 and turned towards the private pastures to get to the...

 mowed thicket that leads to our trails. I haven't seen these trails since early December 

 We went as far as almost to the trails but alas the footing was SO bad. He was sinking into the ground leaving huge holes about 6-8" deep. I finally gave up when we hit a low spot that had so much standing water and branches/roots that I didn't feel comfortable pushing him through. Laz splashed at it, and I gave him a cookie and turned around to come home

He did great, until we turned to come home. He got VERY anxious and starting tossing his head, curling up to explode and gave a few crow hops and squeals. We small circled our way back to move his ribs, breathe (me too!) and lower his head from a giraffe to a saddlebred to back to his normal relaxed state

We made it home in one piece but it was spotty for a minute. A dog came rushing out at us which didn't help but he knows better and I lost his communication for a minute, and had to fight to get it back

Not terrible for his first outing in that area in months, but not great

Chubbs grazing safely back home with his loosen girth, and muddy legs

 

We also had a lesson last week and I elected to work on the ground with him to start off in a true spot.

We worked on his respect. Not tossing his head or backing up or away when I rub his face. His reward was when he brought his head back to his chest center and low, I would stop rubbing.

We worked with using my body's energy to move his shoulders/haunches

She wants me to give him treats LESS and reward more with quiet time or a pat (I have a tendency which you may have seen in the video to treat the crap out of him! He's a foodie, what can I say?! But I get her point because he becomes so antsy for the treat that it's counter productive often)

We worked on our circle game (where I stand still and send him off in a direction on the lunge) and when he gets snakes his head/neck I use my whip to slap the ground behind him to mark that moment/spot and within twice of doing that, he quit and quieted down. I don't understand how/why it worked and I'm looking forward to seeing how that may translate in the saddle because he often gives me that sass under saddle. The lesson was really about matching his energy with mine vs shrinking back and knowing and using intention for him to respond to

Our next lesson will be in the saddle and putting some of this to work

Ah, Spring OTTB brains

Ahhh April

Oh, Hello April!

It's nice to show your 40-50 degree sun-shining face

I've been finally able to get back into a real routine

Laz and I hit the roads.

As you can see this is great footing (no really, it is) vs our pastures which are too soft right now

For a barefoot horse, this terrain is awesome to help condition and build a hoof vs standing on soft snow/mud/grass 

 Laz's eye says "Cookie?!"

Nope, just a photo of us enjoying our first ride this Spring!

Sir Laz is dropping fur in massive amounts

***

 Another day, we hit the roads and I didn't have Mason so I went a little further.

Mason turns 11 soon and I limit our distance for his comfort when he joins our rides.

 On this ride, Laz was a bit spooky. I am trying to use more approach/retreat for his comfort instead of push/push/push.

There were kids playing, dogs barking, people out in their yards working...so it was great exposure.

He got lots of pats, and treats 

 I can't blame him, he's been stuck in his pasture due to this crazy amount of snow for months!!

 Back home=hog heaven

 ***

Another day I came to alternate my riding with ground work.

I found this snoozing ponerton.

Put a bow on it!!

I couldn't resist curling into him for some napping photos

 The photo is the best..not sure what each of us is doing, ha!!

 Off we went on a walk to 'play'

I want him to think his rides are fun, as well as working on ground work

I've been encouraging water play...

 It's going well.

 He's learned that if he splashes, he gets a cookie, or a 'good boy' or a pat, or all 3

 By the way, this puddle was actually a HUGE pile of snow two days earlier.

It's dried up now...

 Mason rolls in snow enjoying the last of it

 Our muddy toes and reflection

The many faces of Laz

So, my blogging schedule has just been off. I'm working more, riding more, playing more, etc...less time for blogging. I assume this winter I'll blog a bit more.

Back to the riding! Last Wednesday, it was 50 and gorgeous so I rode. It was relaxing, lovely and Laz was perfect. In our new saddle and bitless.

 It was blustery but gorgeous

 Cow chewing face to the left...

 Horse chewing face to the right

 Saturday, it was cold. Like 20 degrees but sunny and no wind so actually very pleasant for riding. Billy came and Mason got his exercise and Laz and I played in the pasture and ended it with a family road stroll.

I had been telling Billy how Laz has been fiesty and playful but also quite full of himself lately. On Saturday, NONE of that came out, just a gentle fat lazy pony...

Some videos from Saturday:

Came home, relaxed and glittered up our home with Christmas delights and twinkle lights 

(why can't we have twinkle lights year round?!)

Then today, Monday, the BO and I had planned for a trail ride.

The weather was cold, low 20s and very windy. Like 25 mph and overcast. Not a pretty day.

 Yet any day is a better day when you can ride!

Laz was a FIRECRACKER!!! 

From the start he was telling me, "I'm trying,  but I'm having a VERY hard concentrating because I really want to run and run and then run some more followed by more running, ok?"

However, Pito was relaxed and chill so it was a delicate balance. In hindsight, I should have lunged him?? But I didn't so I just rode through it. He got more excited as we approached the trail so I'm not sure lunging really would have helped.  He was frisky and excited and it just happens.

He was anticipating at ever turn to RUN, so he started jigging and curling his neck, and doing baby bucks followed by grabbing his bit and running and acting a bit nutty in general. I needed to get him on the trail and let him trot, so we did. He was so cute, trotting and cantering and great big happy snorting and breathing out...goood boy!!! As long as he behaved, I didn't care, just move forward and not UP. It was a short, cold trail ride and we turned around and Laz didn't want the ride to end...I really feel he just had more energy to WANT to get out and he love love loves trail riding. So, we asked for a trot (Laz was already jigging and squealing and feeling VERY fresh and fancy and collected/coiled with spring-like steps and bounce..like where is that horse, normally?!!) but..I  had him moving and was nicely  trotting and then he moved into a collected canter/buck which was ride-able but there was definitely room for it to get out of hand, when Pito who was calmly trotting, let out a tremendous left hind buck and tossed his Mom in the snow/frozen ground! UGH!

I immediately stopped Laz and dismounted and grabbed her horse (not that he was going anywhere, he seemed as shocked as all of us...like "Uh, oh shoot...I forgot you were up there...sorry...")

She was fine, just shook up and took her time to get her breath (she was launched) and vision back. We mounted up and ended the ride by just walking and ironically so the two fresh boys seemed very sorry for their antics and didn't take a mis step the rest of the ride.

Isn't it hard to determine when to get that trot going to get out the willies vs holding it in vs letting it all rip out?! 

Silly ponys!!!

It made me realize the strength of Laz and what he's capable of. He was very strong in our ride today (and he was bitted) but really tried his best to listen despite his body getting out of control vs some of our ambling rides that I can ride him with my pinky finger...

I respect his strength and willingness to listen and be soft, yet today I also respected his need to be a silly pony and act up. We all have those days. Just happy no one was hurt and we ended it all on a good note.

Winter willies!

Thrush B Gone-Review #3 and Riding

This past Monday evening, I visited Laz due to the two days of HIGH winds we had here in Midwest.
A couple years ago, during a storm like that, he ended up bashed on his forehead so I was nervous but thank god, he was totally fat and fine.

I groomed him, fed him, and decided to treat both his rain rot with listerine again and treat his hooves with Thrush B Gone  It typically only should take 1-2 treatments but with his aggressive white line disease they recommended dosing a few more times to help.

Here is his RH before the 3rd treatment (which you just squeeze onto a clean hoof)

 The hoof wall before treatment.

I think the results will show more as his hoof grows out and hopefully more connected

The toe was shortened a bit more at his last trim to help with heel height and overall comfort

 Now, below is his LH which is after 3rd dose. I probably didn't need to treat again, but I did!

Here is what I noticed; his central sulcus (the valley in the middle of his frog) prior was stinky and he was sore when I put my hoof pick in it. On Monday, no foul smell and he wasn't at all sensitive, and I wiggled my pick around a bit. I treated it again for safety reasons but as far as I can tell---FIXED. 

No more thrush there as well as in his club foot. I'm anxious to see how those hoof cracks grow out as well

I'm really excited about this product...the proof will be better in RH as time goes

Now, as Laz has filled out (ahem not just fat) I've been really thinking his Crosby is too narrow on him.
I feel really pitched down forward when I ride and I feel that I'm needing to pick him up to balance him.

He seems so short strided and has been super choppy in that saddle. I switched to my Barefoot treeless which seems to fit him OK, but for me, the seat is way too big and I feel sloppy in it. GRRRR

BUT...J9 had a dream saddle that I sat in that I just fell in love with last month. 

Fast forward to within two weeks I had found a STEAL for almost brand new version of what I wanted.

Meet my new saddle 

 I had my Parelli trainer out to fit it to Laz and it's perfect.

I got to ride in it for an hour to really test it out and it's dreammmmmmmy and I feel centered in it and Laz really moves out and stretches in it. WIN WIN!! 

and like I said, I stole it ;)

This past Saturday, it was so beautiful out that I was determined to ride.

I got to the barn and these two had other ideas

zzzzzzzzzzz

 

Look at sweet Pito's face and lips...aww he's like a little baby pegasunicorn

 Laz was all "Yous wantz to do whatz?? Ima seepin"

I tacked him up and we rode. Mr. Sleepyface went into a fiesty mood of "OK let's RIDESSS" and did not want to trot, but wanted to canter canter canter canter. So, instead of having to fight him, I decided "GREAT IDEA" and we cantered and circled and used transitions to bring it down to a trot, then back up and down to a walk, etc. He loved it. After about 20 minutes of that and a lot of snorting and blowing out, he was re-connected.

Here a little video--no GoPro darn it, just  my iphone in right hand while I ride with left:

and then after playing in the field for a bit, I wanted to 'reward' him with walking away from the barn area and onto the road with our steady eddie, Mason

Here's a video of that:

Love this saddle!! I felt so secure in it and Laz was offering such great strides. I really want to get it on video--I'll need to get Hubby out to the barn soon before mega winter hits.

OOFff that belly!!! I really want to lose it and build up his top line this winter if possible.

Below is our mid week workouts, usually after work or on my lunch breaks, 2x to 3x a week

I'm literally RUNNING behind him as fast as I can, lol

Both boys with their tongues hanging out

 And I'll leave you with this at IKEA

Are you kidding me?! 

A bin of starred Lazs' for sale?! YES PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!