Spring chill mode

I'm happy to report that Friday evening was the day Laz joined back in with the herd.

Pito joined Tinkerbelle on Thursday with no issues and here is how Laz reacted to joining in

(video below)

Whew! What good ponies!

***

Saturday, the weather was heaven. 50 degrees, sunny, low wind.

I grabbed my pony, cleaned him up and decided to ride.

He was game from the get go

So...we ambled down the road and tried for our 2nd attempt for the trails

Heading down the mowed path on the private property to get to the trail system

It was a lot drier but we hit some soggy spots

 This is when I know I have a good pony between me; when he wants to stop and sniff things

 He would spot a few times to smell and I just would refocus in the distance and urge him on.

He obliged 

 Officially in the trail!!!

 Such happiness! I love our quiet alone rides when I can push my nerves aside

We rode for about 15 minutes when we saw two more riders in the distance...

Laz FROZE. It took a few asks and I got him to circle (breath buddy!) and we just waited to let them approach us. They were two ladies out enjoying the trails on their Canadian Warmblood and a Perch/TB X. We chatted for about 10 minutes, they complimented an OTTB in a halter (nope, it was my bitless bridle) and said he was the roundest TB they've seen. I literally laughed out loud. I take that as a compliment.  They seemed very nice and hopefully we run into them again. 

We carried on our own though today, as that was our mission.

After that Laz was definitely a bit more up, but I put in some trot work and he came back down

Here he is back to normal chill mode

Coming home...

 The two grays in the distance...far distance

This little friend joined us for a ride...

Laz, feeling a bit tired and content I hope, as I untacked/brushed him gazing over to his new herd of three.

What is nice is that Pito doesn't scream after us when we ride away because he feels safe with Tink

After my fantastic soul fullfilling ride, I made this for tomorrow's Greek Easter

A fruit trifle made wtih ladyfingers soaked in strawberries, lemon and condensed milk, layered with freshly whipped vanilla creme and topped with blackberries, strawberries and passionfruit

Pretty much a great day!

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

Turning my brain on...

This winter my brain has felt like putty, in terms of horse things.

It's been COLD and windy and blah.

This weekend, when I went to play with Laz, this was our footing...

Up to his knee crusty ice capped snow. 

No thanks, I'm not going to ask my horse to trot or move in this crap just so he can hurt himself.

Yet, I want to play...!!! 

Allow me to back up, a few weeks ago a local Parelli trainer, Courtney offered this online class for whomever to join to work on collaborating as a group for moral support, while we learn, challenge ourselves as riders/horse people. For $50 you get a year of follow up, encouragement and advice. 

So, clearly we signed up! I needed some mental change.

After this Saturday image, I cried out "HELP...I'm so bored and I can't do anything physically with my horse right now due to footing/weather"

She responded with some great 'games' to play with Laz that we can do even in the barn.

"How about playing porcupine game? There are so many things you can do in a little space- leading by the leg, backwards by the tail, lead by the ear or mane/forelock, etc. Plus just getting all the basics working off as light a phase 1 as possible (going backwards, yielding the forehand and hindend, etc.). Get really creative with your touch it patterns just at a walk- can you get him to touch really small objects up high and down low? How about getting him to put his butt on something or a hind foot. Here's a fun one- experiment with teaching him to hold his hoof aka stand on 3 legs for farrier prep, etc."

I was game for anything!

So today, we did some of them.

J9 had a good one too, see if I can ask Laz to back into his stall. This is great practice for trailer loading, etc I thought!

Laz was all "Why we is in hur?"

We played this game...I would ask "hoof" and when he picked it up I would treat reward him.

Oh, yes, he's food motivated. Like brain on, willing and smart!

Eventually, he would hold his leg up...

Cool..this will come in handy for my trimmer, that's for sure! And for me!

Who knows, maybe if he's ever tangled in something..I could use this?!

(god forbid!)

Fraggle Rock begging to learn more so he could get more treats (ie three..yes three, grain nib-lets--FATTY)

Here is me asking him to back up, into his open stall

This took him a few attempts. One hoof back and then a bit unsure...

To eventually, he backed in and out of his stall with no issue.
I need to take more time to go slow...I have the tendency to push for more more more more more!

"I strikez a poze for a cuuukie?"

At the end of our 30 minute play session, he was licking/chewing, head bobbing then sorting and processing all with his man hood out. All signs of learning. 

Boys learn that way, don't you know ;)

I have to say, it sounds so trivial but it was fun and Laz seemed to have used his brain which is great and I'm sure he's starving for some variety in his life as of late too

Now, for my hoof nerds, my hoof trimming mind was BLOWN with these videos... I felt like I was looking at Laz's hoof (only still alive thank god)

and then I just wanted to channel my inner Pudgie and do this to figure it all out via osmosis...

PS Daylight Savings is coming soooooon!!!

SnowSunday

My Parents have been traveling for the past several months (yes they should write a book on how to really live during retirement)

While in London, I got these fun photos

My Dad in a Polo store...

 On a hunt in Harrod's Equestrian Department (I droll at this Dept, it's the very best) looking for a rubber curry for Laz

 I want that coat!!

 Ahhh Dubarry...

Such fun..wish I was there!

Meanwhile, back in the Arctic Cirle of life.

Mason is a CHUNK right now as shown below in the " watch the brown flying pig in the snow" shot

 I drug my Husband out to the barn last Sunday. It was a great day. Fresh snow, bright sunshine and no wind.

I beg like a 5 yr old "TAKE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF US PLEEEAAASE!!"

 Pito was being an instigator and trying to pull silly stunts while Laz and I rode around

All was fine though

And a couple videos of our 'riding' in the up to Laz's knee snow

I left to go to the barn today and had to turn right around due to another terrible white out.

These are the days I so wish that I lived only 15 minutes from the barn.

Those of you that do, you are SO lucky!!!!

It's a marsh-mellow world in the winter

First off, I know how to spell marshmallow,  however for this calm, sweet trail ride with NO winter wind blowing; it was marsh-mellow.

The snow had that glittery sparkle and the only prints on our trail were of deer

Laz was relaxed (although interesting enough he wasn't blowing out a ton so he wasn't completely relaxed or confident) but we led partially and he did great. No jigging.
He did let out a controlled buck during a canter but it was funny.

I do want to work on an issue. In the bit or bit-less, he is trying to evade any pressure. If I pull on one or two reins, he almost always is tossing his head up. Doesn't matter the pressure. He does this on the ground if I try to back him up via my hand on his head/nose/side, etc. It's not a pain thing, it's a defiant thing...so that will be something to work on this winter. I want him to remain soft and agreeable and I'm sure it's me (and him) that need to work on that.

I texted my trainer if we could do a lesson out on the trails and she said YES...how great!!! 

Now to get the weather to cooperate

Leading into our trails

 J and Pito behind us..Pito is almost is invisible in this powdered snow

It was a great trail ride! 

Dare I say, one of the most perfect winter scenery and weather situations for a snowy trail ride. Fresh snow, 20 degree without wind and great footing.

Watch below for the cutest video ever..here is our French Bulldog upset that his brother Mason is out playing in the snow with Billy...

Why didn't I let him out? I did, with his down puffer on and he came back shivering..

Oh Pudgie--he is a laugh a minute