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!!!!

A quiet lead into February

Oh winter

It's beautiful no doubt. But it's also COLD and hard to maneuver through.

I wish everyday that I lived closer than 40-1 hour away from the barn, but I don't

In some terrible winter weather days, it's taken me an hour and a half only to get to the dirt roads that are impassable and I have to turn right around and go home.

I'm not about to walk 4 miles of snowy dirt roads with Mason just to pat Laz

Two weeks ago I was able to hop on again for a bareback ride.

The snow is SO deep that it's labor intensive for trotting not to mention some days there is an ice crust on the top

 Looking out on his summer pastures...soon Pony

A chill pony, I wonder if he's bored too.

I long for a trail ride

 

 Snow shadow

 Pito even joined us for our pasture walk around...

My visit before my quick vacation (yes I escaped for a 4 night girls trip in Naples, FL)

Napping Pony in the sun

It's funny...after the 1st Polar Vortex I told myself I can NEVER worry about Laz in the cold again.

If he did so well through that hell, he's fine for winter.

 

Here it was 17 and he's already starting to shed. He's always soooo warm and always has hay/shelter so he's a winter babe for sure

Half napping, half wanting to play with Mason

 Mason just wants me to play with him...Laz tries to sneak a sniff in

 Half mast eyes

 White covered chocolate

 The barn's driveway is so narrow and deep in the snow trench it's tough to even drive through

Is it going to be a muddy like crazy Spring??

A fun video the BO sent me while I was laying out on a beach sucking down a Miami Vice

Yes...NO GUILT :)

Polar vortex again...

Sigh, this winter has been trying.

On the 'good days' when I have a bit of mid work week time, this is what we do. It's still productive but it's HARD walking through the 2-3 ft of snow piles and ice to get to the snowy summer pasture.

Oh well, as long as this fuzzy angel face is having fun...I don't really have a thing to complain about 

ZOOOOMIES

and then La la la la la la

What a funny boy. He has such talent..I'm going to try to do something more with channeling it this spring/summer

The puppy brothers snuggling in for a warm mid day nap

Greek holy water that you take home to sprinkle on your family and home.

(and dogs and horses)

Another mid work day, time enough to check on fuzzy (that temp was about 14 and he was doing great sans blanket) and stuff both the boys with hay to get out of the wind

SPOILED...as we like it ;)

***
Saturday morning, waiting out a snow storm before our barn visit. Mason could care less that I had made lemony Dutch baby pancakes with powdered sugar and black tea with coconut milk

His eyes say "GET DREZZED IN UR STINKEE HORSIE CLOTHES AND LESSS GO!!!"

So I did.

I drove out to the barn in a white out. I didn't even care. I just wanted to SEE my horse and not be pressed for time. Snow, windy, whatever, I was going.

It was windy and cold and snowy, but temps were in the 20's so I wanted to yank his blanket and allow him to run free and naked. It was snowing SO hard I doubted myself. I took him inside the barn, yanked the blanket, groomed him and when I walked back out 10 minutes later...

Sun and no snow! I literally ran back in the barn, grabbed my bitless bridle and helmet and decide to hop on bareback. I didn't care if it was for 15 minutes, I was going.to.ride!

It felt so good. Like soul feeding good.

The snow was powdery, the wind stopped, the sun shone through...hello and thank you horse gods!

 We did a couple of trot sessions but between his BIG lofty snow trot and the slippery ice underneath, I didn't push it. I didn't want to bounce off or have him slip and hurt himself. So we just ambled around making patterns and riding softly. I probably rode for 25 minutes, but it was so good.

 Cookie face afterward. 

I stuffed him full of cookies for 

A. allow me to scramble up on his back bareback when I was needing about 18" more in height to get up

B. Listening under 'bareback'

 This boy is food motivated like a dog

 This little French munchkin is healing really nicely and I'm happy to report his bad breath (like a shrimp boat) is gone!
He is such a good little patient

My best boy for late night cuddling and my barn co-pilot

Stay warm!

Laz is currently blanketed and I can't wait to yank it off him tomorrow!