Trail Riding!

Finally hunting season has ceased!

Had the horses eat in the front yard then went out and grabbed Dixie! I had her 'help' mom with the Christmas lights...and sniff all that! Then did some sideways towards on her 'off/bad' side! Now...both sides are about equal! YAY! Did some more practice with tying and then groomed her all up! Then we sniffed around the trailer and I had her load. She walked right in the first time I asked..and I backed her out by her tail. She wasn't nervous at all..and found the edge and stepped down fluidly!

Then we went down to the roundpen. Cocoa came cantering from the front yard to the back to be by us! I did the Catching Game with Dixie again...and she figured it out so quickly!! Did some backing by the hocks, leading by the lip, and then standing with all four feet on the tractor tire!

Finally I went and got Cocoa so we could get ready for our ride. Groomed and played with her. I haven't practiced with trailer loading with her in a while and she was a little nervous last time so we did some of that. She stepped up with two feet and then the next time she loaded right up! :)

I went out with Liz and one of Michelle's friends. It was a nice day but pretty chilly out by the time we got back I felt like an icicle! So we all headed out and stuck to the road for a ways then finally went got to the trails. Did a little trotting and cantering. Cocoa wasn't feeling to peppy. I noticed before we went out she had a chip in her hoof so I filed that right aways but I also noticed she seemed to be walking a little funny in front but didn't seem to be bothering her at all. So we took it pretty slow and easy. We stumbled upon a couple new trails they made since they have been logging....and they made a track all around this clearing! So...it's like a private race track! Cocoa is going to be in such good shape..I can't wait to canter around it! Liz and I thought that it has to be atleast a mile in distance. Oh yah...and we saw a whole like flock of TURKEY's out there when we were riding!! Right before Thanksgiving.

Made it back and I had to head straight over to Anna's for Amanda's 17th B-day party!

Just Chilling Out - PICTURES!

I went out and let the horses right out to eat in the yard...since it was actually SUNNY out! But...still cold. I was going to put their halters on when they were eating in the yard and Cocoa suddenly perks up..and just stares at something in the trees. I look too because her attention was just captured by something..and sure enough it was big buck! Good thing I'm not a hunter because my horse is good at spotting deer! So...we both stood there and watched it just standing staring at us from our neighbors yard..then it hoppity hopped hopped away, across the road and then the field to the river. My dad and brother were not happy to hear that!

I played with Dixie a bit. Brought her in the barn and did some more with pressure towards me...yielding her hindqtrs. towards me...just the hiney not full sideways towards. I want to have her swing her butt and then go right into a back up someday Then we did some sideway towards me while standing on a bucket for prep for mounting. Friendly time...she is so cute! If I just sit there she will start nuzzling me with her little muzzle on my head! :) And she's getting better at kisses too! She's been pretty touchy and sensitive about her muzzle lately but I think that's probably because she might be sore cause of all her loose baby teeth!

I groomed her up a bit...then we headed out and practiced some tying. That is one thing Dixie hasn't been taught yet. I'm a little nervous about it...because she has a tendency to pull back...if something scares her or just in general. But she did great...stood there patiently after she realized she couldn't eat the grass! lol Then we went and sniffed my brothers bright orange huntin gear he had hanging from a tree. She put her muzzle right in the baseball cap! It was picture perfect. Here's a picture of Dixie patiently waiting to be untied!

Then we continued on to the trailer. First I had her back up to it and just keep Zone 5 there..it was tricky for her at first and she got a little confused so we just took it slow. Then I stood up in the trailer and had her swing Zone 5 towards me so she was standing parallel to the back of the trailer. We eventually went to the windows....this is Dixie's favorite part!! She loves looking at herself in the windows! She just stares and stares..! Finally I asked her to load up. She eageraly put her front two feet right up and then we took it slowly..a hoof at a time and she checked everything out. Then finally came in and I still had hay in a hay bag from the other night Cocoa and I went Team Penning so she got to eat that! We just sat in there and chilled...she was totally at ease being in the trailer. I had her back out a couple times and come back in. Dixie is still a little wary about backing out...but our trailer has a pretty big drop so I can see why that is going to take her a while to get used to.

After we went back in their corral I had her put both feet in the little pickup tire! Then we continued on to the tractor tire. She got two front feet up and then she would lift the one back hind leg and just rest it there....as if to tease me! Finally she got all four up and she was so PROUD and TALL! She enjoyed nuzzling Cocoa from up there...she was definitely feeling full of herself.

Later on I saw Michelle and Jerry walk by so I hopped on Cocoa and went to deliver Michelle's belt buckle I borrowed back...Pony Express style! Cocoa was pumped...rounding her back and trotting collected! It felt wonderful. We cantered all along the side of the road...and she was doing a beautiful slow canter. Then I let her gallop down the dirt path...boy was that fun! I had tears streaming down my face because of the cold air blowing by so fast! lol We continued on to Jess's...cantered down their long driveway..but nobody was home so we made a quick detour to say 'hi' to Hank and Roxy..Cocoa's best buds and then headed back home since it was starting to get dark. I had to get off and walk since my legs felt like iceblocks...when we got home I had Cocoa load up in the trailer. Last time on the way to Team Penning she was a little iffy. Well..it was dark out...but she put two feet up right away..and then finally all four. We sat in there and she got to snack.

LBE to the Max

I came home from school and went straight out with the horses. They followed me all over the pasture and would come cantering to me. I ran around with them for a bit. Cocoa was way getting into it...She was acting like a wild mustang! Jumping up in the air and trying to get Dixie to play with her. She was having fun rearing a bit and just joshing around. So we went running up in down the pasture a couple more times!

I let Dixie out to eat grass and brought Cocoa in the roundpen..because when she has all that energy she is just ah-mazing at Liberty. We did some backing between barrels...sideways over barrels one way and then the other. She was doing so good! Then we did some sideways towards, and Stick to me at the Canter. She was staying right beside me and doing little canter strides! :) Then I had her go into the circling game. She got a little RBE but we did some change of direction at the canter and that got her thinking again. Then just some backing by the tail and cantering towards me. It was a Blast!

Surprise Visit

I had the horses eating in the yard and had just hopped on Cocoa when Joan and Mattie drove in! :) (Cocoa was doing so good riding around the yard...She was super hyper and rounding her back, it felt great!) So we talked for a bit...then we took the horses and Mattie for a walk. Dixie decided that she was tired and just stopped about half way through our walk..lol What?!? She can be so goofy sometimes.

Dixie lost ANOTHER tooth!! :) All her baby teeth are falling out.

Parelli

Watched Parelli and then went and developed a bunch of horsie pics. to scrapbook!

Tooth Fairy

We have a little bit of white blanketing the ground. The horses don't have to dig yet...but Dixie attempted to at the grass. Let them eat some in the yard then headed down the road for a walk. We went at a fast pace..due to the sheets of sleet pounding down and the cold. The road was a little slippery but the horses did fine. I let them eat some along the ditches and then we headed home. Dished out their suppers and had them stay in the barn for a bit. I tried to get as much wetness off as possible and then blanketed them for the bit they were in the barn..got a couple pics! My wet girls! I checked Dixie's baby teeth....and sure enough she lost one of the bottom ones!! My baby lost a tooth! Too bad I can't find it. So she had a tad bit more trouble eating...the one that came in is a little smaller but wider.

How exciting!!

Snow..I mean sleet.

We have a little bit of white blanketing the ground. The horses don't have to dig yet...but Dixie attempted to at the grass. Let them eat some in the yard then headed down the road for a walk. We went at a fast pace..due to the sheets of sleet pounding down and the cold. The road was a little slippery but the horses did fine. I let them eat some along the ditches and then we headed home.

Hay

Picked up another load of hay today....total of 38 bales. I think that plus what we have in the barn and the horse trailer should get us through winter. :)

We went out 30 mins. away to get the hay..met Joan there and then went to her house to help her unload her stack. Saw Ty, Gabby, Storm, Cloud, and Mattie!! :)

Got home and unloaded our stack...and let the horses out to graze. Then put Dixie on the 22 ft. line that was frozen stiff..and headed to the round pen. Granted it was freezing out and my rope was like a stick, we didn't get much accomplished. Just had her do a little circling..the ground in the round pen was pretty solid and hard so I didn't push the topic of cantering. And something had dug a hole in the roundpen..so I had to fill that...lol

Did some sideways towards and bring the rump around into a back up! She learned that pretty quick..Pawing on que, picking up all four feet, backing by tail, backing by hocks. We did a lot of Friendly game and just some good scratching. Then finally we wrapped it up with a little Liberty of Stick to Me and Yo-yo.

By this time it was pretty much dark but I hauled everything up to the barn and then grabbed the horses and went for a quick ride down the road. Cocoa was just raring to go. The minute I swung up on her bareback she was like 'Let's GO!' Didn't even want to keep eating. With Dixie in tow we did some trotting around the yard. Cocoa was going at a good pace and ROUNDING her BACK! It felt great. Headed down the paved road...Dixie slowed way down..and Cocoa got in some beautiful vertical flexion. Ate some grass and headed home. The end!


UGG! I hate deer hunting season! It doesn't help that I live right by the trails...I can't go anywhere..and I have a horse that looks like a DEER!

Undemanding Time in the Barn

It's been so wet and rainy/sleet weather that I decided to hang out with the ponies in the barn...granted that is was dark out too!

Had Cocoa in her stall and Dixie roaming the barn and eating hay. Groomed them both up then put Dixie online. Just did some friendly with her and some more with touching her muzzle. She's been sassy about that lately.

Her 'kissing' trick is progressing so well! It's so cute! Dixie is fascinated with hats and hair so she got in some good muzzles!

Then we did some 'Put your nose' on it. She was right on with what I was telling her to touch! BINGO! :)

Revamped sideways towards...she forgot it momentarily. Did some backing by tail.

Then I stood on a bucket and we did some sideways towards to mount. She did that wonderfully and I hopped on. Backed up with the space we had in the barn, went over to visit Cocoa in her stall, then went to go eat some hay. Later I had her going sideways along the boat and Cocoa's stall! She's never gone sideways with me riding before..so that was a first!! Gave her a treat and hopped off. I brought Dixie over by Cocoa and was scratching them both..and Cocoa was demanding ALL the attention so Dixie started getting sassy with her...they squabbled a little. Finally I brought Dixie back out, hopped on Cocoa in the barn and did a little with her and then we headed outside and went for a ride down the road in the dark! :) Even cantered along the ditch, ate alittle grass, and then decided it was probably a good idea to head home since it was pitch black and my toes were freezing!

Team Penning!

We went Team Penning today!! It was ah-mazing and Cocoa did wonderful!

Will post pics, info, and many a video eventually!!

More later.

Parelli!

Watched Parelli on RFD-TV at Anna's!

Trimming

Didn't have much time...and I was just worn out. I ended up watching an episode of McLeod's Daughters just to have some chill time..and then I got the brilliant idea to trim Dixie's hooves.

So I go out and it's already pitch black outside so I brought her in the barn. Granted we only have 4 lights in the barn it doesn't really work so well. So I got another little hand light which lasted me about a 1/4 of a way through one hoof! Luckily I just found out by bringing her in the stall it was lighter in there. I had planned on just doing her front two but then decided I'm already dirty and sweaty I might as well just do them all. She did really good on the front two hooves. Dixie when I first got her had a tendency to try and just go down if she thought you held her foot too long and she was tired...she tried it once last night. The back hooves though...she was trying to rest so much weight on me so that got a little more complicated.

Finally we finished up and I did a little yo yo game with her in the barn, space permitting. Then we did some porquipine with lower your head and then follow a feel with her lip.

I also had them stand on their new tractor tire pedestal!! :)