Some evaluations and comparisons

Someone luvs to perform his new trick to get a treat. 

I've created a monster

Funny thing is, I thought I was teaching him his 'smile' cue by touching his lip, but he chose to do the trick when he see me extend my pointer finger and point up. 

Funny what they figure out as their cue sometimes.

 The last couple weeks, we've had some nice rides, decent rides, great rides and some off rides when he wants to buck and romp around.  

I've noticed some riding patterns of mine that are teaching him how to use his body incorrectly, so I've been working on that.  For instance, when rounding around the arena, he wants to pull away from outside fence, when I push him over with my inside leg, he turns to the right or does a circle.  So I've noticed that I've been riding with a strong outside rein, along with inside leg and it's creating a banana curved shouldered out horse with his head at the arena fence but not turning with me to the right or left, depending on direction.  We have been working on that lately at the w/t.   I still am riding bitless/bareback and may pull the saddle out 1x a week to see if there are some positive changes with that, and maybe my old bitted bridle to see how he handles that.  We rode in a kimberwicke but I dont think he likes it so I'll have to play around with bits, or see if I can communicate what I want in my bitless, correctly.  He loves his bitless so I don't want to stray...that will be my last option.

And in feet news, here's a shot of his right rear from this past Friday...

 Here's an image from May 2010..so I see some positive changes for sure

And it's just starting to look more like a normal foot.

He is still 'lame' and off but that may have to do with muscular as well

I've thought about xrays, but I think for now...I'm opting to save the money and just keep trusting in Cliff and make sure Laz stays consistent with signs of positivity along the way.

 Something that helps his feet too, is being back in a herd and moving more constantly.

He and Sawyer (herd mate) get along, more so tolerate each other, but aren't really playful with each other.

They don't know how to communicate.  Sawyer wants to play, Laz doesn't and Sawyer will pester and follow him and then bites Laz, so Laz doesn't trust him.  That is my input from what I see...who knows what they think! :)  They also chose to stand by each other and show signs of relaxation around each other.

 Friday evening was high 80's and humid. Felt like mid July weather..yuck! Too much too fast.  Today as I write, it's 50's and rainy.

But Friday evening, we actually got a good ride in.

 Laz was a bit of a pistol and was agitated by the heat/bugs/the others being turned out to pasture, and we had some riding miscommunication which lead to a couple of tantrums during a canter request BUT we found some good spots, and he rode beautifully while a helicopter whizzed by, neighbors were shooting something rapid fire (wtf?!) and I was proud of him for not reacting to that poorly.  

 Poor sweaty boy!

So, he deserved a good hose down.

First one this year! 

Not a bath, just a hose, curry, sweat scrape job.

 It felt satisfying to feel his hot body cool down and allow him to graze a bit

 Mason got hosed down too!

Hopefully the weather will cooperate for this week being the weekend wasn't so great!

It's the BEST when you get this picture via text of BO, while at work. It makes it all worth it....

My baby at daycare, napping with his dwarf friend, lol!

 Finally this week has had some sun and decent weather, my spring flowers are finally awake!

My phlox...love phlox!

 My purple hyacinths...best smell ever 

Speaking of Spring...I love this Ombre hair color thing. 

I know some people hate it, but I love how effortless glam it is.

and someone else has been sporting that Ombre look at the barn, for a couple of years.

He's ahead of the fashion curve, obviously.

 Cliff came and gave Laz a pedicure and things are still looking great.  He wants to do a bit of thrush treatment as 2 of his feet look a touch thrushy. Darn it but I thought so maybe too.  We'll tackle that on Thursday.  I turned Laz out for a romp in the arena and boy did he ROMP.

"I gots neeew feets to runs on!!"

 "Look Mom...one leg!"

 "Yippppeeee!"

 "I flys off the ground, all feets up!!"

 zip

 ziiip

 trit trotting slowing down

Before tacking up for our ride, the sun started to peak out

Hmmm...maybe someone up there acknowledges our time together and continues to allow it

I'm just saying.......!!!! ;)

THANK you

 "Wass that??!"

 "Oh it's Mealsons....whew"

Sweet boy Mason turned 8 yrs old on Tuesday!

He had a good day playing at his favorite place, the barn!

He also got organic canned duck for dinner and a new toy!

 "Did you say organicducknewtoy?"

 Our ride simply rocked. It was serene, quiet, sunny and Laz was forward, forward, forward but BRAVE and willing to listen, bend and work.  I think he felt re-energized since our clinic

He was a pure joy to ride. PURE joy

 Coming to say bye after our ride, and me trying to feed him his leftover beet pulp slurpee with flax

His been less interested in it since the lush spring grass sprung

This is what I love about being an equestrian. 

Sure, my riding outfit may cost over $200 at any given time, but it's covered in muck, hair, carrot drool and my car always stinks like a stable and looks like this:

Tis the life and I LOVE it

 Now that Mason is a big boy, at 8 yrs old, he got to sit in the front seat.

LOL! Not really ideal for having room for him to be totally comfortable, but he seemed to enjoy the new views.  Anyway, he was in the front because I garbage picked an old bench that I want to re-purpose

 I have to say, having my Bubba next to me while driving home was heaven. I got to rub his ears and talk to him that much more and we shared a few raw almonds on the drive home.  

Sweet boy...

So 80's

"Shake it like a Polaroid pikcha"

Shake...

Shake!!!

Shaaaaaake!

Perfect!

Now to hang it inside my locker (lol)...

Wanna try it out old school? 

Click here to download the free software to upload a current photo into a Polaroid look!

So much fun!!!

Impressed x 3

Impressed #1:
The other night, my husband and I were having dinner 

(side note-it is an AHmazing vegetarian cafe for those local to Michigan)

and talking about random things.  

On Monday, he joined me for a barn visit.  While there, he played with Mason tossing the Frisbee, patted Laz on the neck, commented on "WOW, I never get used to how big he is" and that was pretty much it.  I asked if he wanted me to teach him how to 'free lunge' or play, and he said he was fine just watching (outside of the arena). 

Ok...I thought

It's funny, as a horse freak, when I'm on the outside of the arena, I'm chomping to get IN.

He just doesn't have that bug.  I get it.

So, that brings me to our dinner convo...I asked him "God forbid something happened to me...what would you do with Laz?"

He replied "ugh.....oooff"

I have to say, I fully expected him to say something about re-homing him, and how he couldn't take care of him, etc etc.

Well, he caught me totally off guard

"I'd go psycho with him because I know how much you love Laz, and I would stay connect to you by him. I would take it to another level and treat him as if I were you."

I about busted out in tears.

Not what I expected to hear....and I promptly told him that my love for him grew that much deeper.

Seriously.

Now, I just have to get that in writing ;) lol

***
Impressed #2: 
Working with Laz during this crazy windy, wet weather

 The BO and I walked our two flighty babes down the road.
Ellie her 3 yr old recently had surgery (removed her ovaries) and was acting extra witchy, poor thing. We suspect just an overall surge/discharge of hormones, etc. Nothing wrong with her physically but us women can attest to why she may feel off.

 Ellie, bless her heart, is a stay clean kind of girl
She wasn't keen with walking through the muddle puddle in the road

 Mare face, lol!
Ears were PINNED at Laz if he came near her rear, as if to say
"Here's your warning...the next one is a hoof to your face!"
lol!

 Laz loves his Ellie girl though and showed her how fun it is to play in mud

 "Wasss that"!??"

 "I see deadz peoplez!!"

 "Oh..haha..not dead peoplz..just a dawg"

 "Back to my kreeachionz"

 Happy boy in puddle

Walking by the dwindled brook that Laz leapt over...see those bushes/sticks, that was where he landed.  

We did not attempt to cross again for my worry of him wanting to jump it again. 

I just don't think he should be jumping, lol!

What a kissable muzzle!

A little mud, a blade of grass...he's like a wild toddler with chocolate on his face!

***
Impressed #3:
Saturday...our HANDS ON MASTERSON CLINIC with Tami Parr
Nothing short of amazing...everyone who attended was really into the learning, trying it out on the horse's and see what great releases ALL the horses were getting.
Tami here was demonstrating a poll release on Tinde, an adorable senior Arab, who loved her treatments

 We paired off after learning a new technique to try it out.
Erin, who is a barefoot trimmer (coolness!) and I worked on Laz
Laz is familiar with some of the techniques being Tami worked on him for a full bodywork this past October, and I try to continue some body work for him 2x monthly.
He LOVES it.
If you think your horse wouldn't get something out of this...you are wrong. Try it out and look for the subtle releases, and then see BIG releases. Your horse literally thanks you..it's pretty unbelievable.

Erin starting the bladder meridian (one of Laz's favorites)
It's SO interesting to see which areas he holds tension and can be used as a great indicator of what to work on for him

 Laz smelling his Dad's coffee...
Sun, horse, coffee, learning, support=heaven

 Continuing the bladder meridian, can take a minute or up to 5-10 depending on how your horse releases.
It is very interesting to see what release patterns different horses have.
Some blink, shutter, breathe deeply, yawn, snort repeatedly, evade and then big time release, etc.
Again, so awesome to be able to do this for your loved horse

 Eyes at half mast....

 While Erin worked on Laz, he came down to nuzzle. We noticed throughout the day, after the horse (all of them did this) had a great release, they would bring their head to your hand or nuzzle as a sort of 'thank you' if you envision how horse's blow on each other's muzzles as a hello.  When things happen, again and again and again and again, there is no denying something major is happening.

 Each method was taught separately so we could break and practice. It made it easier to understand, process and try out.  Here Tami is demo'ing on 3 yr old Ellie who had a lot of things to work out.
What was amazing was in the morning, a few of the horses were quite upset by being out of their normal schedule. We had screaming, rearing, bucking, etc. Right after our first round of Masterson, there wasn't one horse that wasn't calmer if not almost serene.  Even some of the horses that were outside but where watching from over the doors where reading off the worked horses and were licking/chewing and calm.
  Ellie was a great demo because she had a lot of angst going on (recently had surgery, and teeth done) so she was quite expressive with her releases.

 Happy ponies!

This is something that every horse owner should try to do.
It really is nothing short of amazing.
Many of us were talking about doing a 2nd clinic again this Fall, so stay tuned!!!

So many thanks to Tami (and her husband Skip) for coming 9 hrs from Wisconsin, to us in Michigan, to teach us this awesome, amazing method!