About this Blog

Meet my very 1st horse, Lazarus.
I couldn't wait for Santa anymore or ask one more time for a pony for my bday (after age 30 it got embarrassing). I took matters in my own hands and I finally decided to pick a pony that needed a new home. Laz found me as I contemplated with this idea. He was sweet yet very sassy, fresh off the track, Thoroughbred (OTTB).
Join us for our re-training, rehabbing from laminitis and testing all parts of mixed up horsemanship and partnership, and luck...

Friday, January 17, 2014

After the freeze


Happy to report that the Arctic blast was a non issue for our ponies! Last Friday the BO and I met to have a lovely winter trail ride. Weather was 33 degrees (warm!) but as we tacked up, we realized...Uh, we are totally snowed in. No gates would open enough for our horses to get through.
So, we just hacked around their pasture.
I was convinced Laz would be so lazy and tired from working so hard to stay warm...uh no. Firecracker pony, BUT with manners. It did take him a good 20 minutes of warming up and pushing forward to get him to snort out a "OKKKKKK" and starting thinking.
Silly boy

Fuzzy ears in a Topline Leather beaded and crystal browband. Don't mind if we do!
I've be alternating his bitted with bitless just so he's comfortable in each.
Happy to report, he goes along the same in both
I definitely ride different when he's bitted, as I try to avoid hanging on him for balance and try twinkling my reins vs pulling.  I developed bad habits so I'm working on them
We had some lovely bouncing, and lofty trotting through the tall snow!
Pito (the BO's horse) was having a hard time so she was going to cut her ride short. I offered for her to play with Laz, while I sat on Pito so we could both have fun trotting in the snow.
They looked great!
Chubby pony alert! (love that belly)
***
The next day I wante to drive out but waited until Sunday as the roads were a mess!
 Sunday  it was in the low 40's. HEAVENLY!
However, it caused a big melt of a lot (uh a lot) of snow and things got icy and sloppy pretty quick
The dirt road leading to the barn, no road riding for a bit... (total sheet of ice)
I was due to have a lesson to work on Laz's bucking (and overall uncontrolled excitement out in the front pasture) but with the weather, it's hard to pick a day and hope mother nature will cooperate. So, we've kept to having positive, successful rides where he's comfortable to work on a happy partnership again.
I rode him in his bitless and we played in the snow.
He was loose, forward, snorty and awesome
We like to make hearts in the snow
Laz smiled out of no where (oh wait, I DID have cookies in my pocket and he knows it)
I was using treats as a 'good boy' for his forward action with no silliness.
Laz has also learned when I say "gooooood boy" that he thinks it means STOP. So, we'll trot along and I'll praise him "GOOOOD BOYYYY" and he halts proudly. He is too smart!
So, I just shut my mouth and rode him and he was 100000% a team player and awesome. I ended it on a great note without asking/asking/asking until he feels I over ask (which I can do) and it was glorious.
I love those great days of riding with a true giving partnership.
***
Laz is due for a trim towards the end of the month.
His thrush is closing up a bit more and I see some changes in his sole (good changes!!!) on his lateral side...
This has closed even more since photo
After the storm, my feeder pan was BURIED in 2ft of snow, which is I feed Laz his warm, soaked salted hay cube mash.
Guess who dug it out and proudly carried it for an hour
What a bubba
Melted in my lap on the couch later that night

8 comments:

  1. Love your header! Oh, I so want to ride in the snow! If we had any.....we usually do. I think its great you ride bitless too! I almost wanted my 2 yr. old mare to go strictly bitless but the trainer I found didn't do that (well she started her in a Clinton Anderson rope halter and reins and used that for several rides) and I decided to start her in a snaffle then move to bitless later if she seemed a good candidate for it.
    My ponies have bellies too I tend to like mine a little on the chubby side LOL!

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    1. Thank you! I like to change my header about once a year. I love riding in the snow, when it's fresh especially. I rescued Laz at 7 yrs old and as far as I know, he had never gone bitless, so I think it's never too late and especially to ride comfortably in both! :)
      I love pony bellies!! LOL

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  2. Love the heart in the snow. You guys are soooo cute!

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  3. hah! We have some big bellies around here too. My own brumby looks preggers! I always say to Bill: what would happen if someone's stallion got loose and came running down Pine Hill Road? And he answers: Then your horse would be having a baby!
    When I ride (or even lunge) the second I say Good Girl, Lilly will stop too. It;s as if she interprets it as: OK, great, you are done now, time for carrots! So they DO understand what we are saying, even if they interpret it a little incorrectly!
    Glad to hear you got a bit of a heat wave!

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  4. Love the heart! Your Laz is such an amazing horse! You two are doing just perfect together! And what a sweet puppy to find and carry Laz's bowl! Heaven up there - I hope you are still ok in this cold!

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  5. Chrome does the exact same thing when I say good boy!!!! LOL! Silly boys. Mason is so adorable carrying that bucket! Such a Lab lol. I'm glad you all are doing well. I'm just trying to get caught up on blogs. :)

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