Fun..Fun

Volunteered at the ice fishing contest and went tubing.... Just visited with the horses today. Did a wee bit of undemanding time.

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

Snowstorm

Boy is it ever blowing out there. We had the Blood Drive today that I volunteered for at school..which got a little goofy because we ended up getting out two hours early..due to a big storm that was coming our way! :) EARLY RELEASE!! Yippee.

I went out to see the horses. They had their blankets on..but their heads were white and covered in snow!

We went out in the big pasture to blow off some energy. They ran around with me for a bit and I took some pics. I was covered in snow..and it was blowing so hard..it was hard to see at times. I was scratching Dixie's neck and she just starts to lay down right there..lol What a goof. So her and Cocoa proceeded to roll and enjoy the snow for a while.

Crossing fingers for atleast a late start tomorrow! That would be quite a treat.

I'll post pics. later.

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

Focusing on Details

I let the horses out to muzzle around and try and eat a little of the uncovered grass now taht the snow is beginning to disperse. Cocoa was being so adorable and would stop eating and walk right over to me whenever I came back to check on them from the barn. I brought Cocoa over to the stump and she got all fours up without my even asking. So I let her go back to eating.. :)

I grabbed Dixers and Zone 5 drove her over to the tree stump and just waited. She eventually started snuffling it and then licking it and then pawed it and then finally stepped up on it. "Nose, neck, Maybe the Feet!" So she got both two front feet up there and then for the next ten minutes of getting off and on it we focused on getting her front feet in just the right spot so she could attempt to squish all fours up there. She understands the dynamics now we just have to get the physical side and balance to get all four up there for awhile! At first when I was asking for the back feet to move up she would pivot and then she would paw with the front legs and then eventually end up falling off the pedestal. But then it just clicked and she moved the back legs closer and got all 3 up there and tried to get the 4th but....missed the stump. SO CLOSE! We called it quits after that...it will go even faster next time and I have a feeling she'll get all four up soon! I then had her play in the yard and the deep snow in the ditch. I had her do the circling game and then stopped her in the snow. Where she pawed and pawed and pawed then Rolled!! She rolled and rolled....she must have went back and forth atleast 5 times..and it was easy for her because she was in the ditch. At one point she was trying to get over and all four feet were sticking straight up. It was hilarious. She can be so comical.

So..finally my dirty horse was beginning to look clean. After that she was trotting around and attempted to do a sassy jump move and slipped....and down she went on the grass and in the mud. She hopped right back up...but not before her side was all full of dirt. Shucks. She continued being playful and sassy after that. I love my little snot, I love the little attitude she has going on..she just makes me laugh. And isn't that what this is all about? Having fun!

I took the girls for a walk down to Michelle's to visit the horses. They stared but my girls didn't nicker. Apparently they were feeling anti-social. Hmm...

We continued on and ran into the neighbors dogs who followed us then on the way back we had a little fun chasing them. Dixie was intrigued, that's for sure. Cocoa was being such a sweetheart. I let her rub all over me since she insisted she was itchy and she got lots of kisses. She's been so calm and sweet lately. I wish she was all back to normal..something is still up. I'm scheduling an appointment with the vet to get her tested for a urinary tract infection soon.

When we got back there was a wee bit of daylight left so I gave Cocoa a flake of oat hay and put her in the pasture and grabbed my little one and headed to the backyard. Well....Dixie and I go running down to the backyard and a couple seconds later I hear footsteps and lookie there...comes Cocoa running after us. I had went in the barn with Dixie and gave her some treats and had forgotten to close the pasture gate...Cocoa noticed. So she was out..but I really didn't care so I just let her stay out and eat some grass while Dixie and I played. Well a couple mins later after Cocoa taste tested the grass...apparently it wasn't up to standards and she ran back to the pasture to proceed eating her hay. What a goof!

Dixie and I did some circling with transitions. She was very entergetic. Then we did some change of direction which she got a big dominant about. She would come in quick and give me a snotty look when I directed her back out so I gave her a 'wipe that look off your face.' Then we did some traveling circling game. A lot of sideways towards (Man..it's getting ridiculous she is constantly offering this...all the time. She absolutely LOVES this.) Her new trick is to come sideways towards me and then I ask her to swing her butt over to line up with me and then we go into a back up. Did some of that and then worked on going sideways towards me from the other side which she has some troubles with. Her and Cocoa have both have trouble with that side. I need to make a point to focus on that side...and perfect it more..and not so much on the side they are good at. Maybe it's me?

Then we did some backing up. Which is some great exercise and a challenge for her in this deep snow. Then we worked on her rearing! I'm having so much fun with this task. She is starting to really put the two and two together and I want to make sure I stress when she should rear and when she should back up so she doesn't get them confused. She was giving me cute little rears on cue when I asked...little hops. It was great! I'm so proud of her.

We went into the roundpen for a bit. Did some sideways with the barrel, some pawing, and some jumping. Got her to jump it and stop..so she was staddling it again. YAH! I love it. I can't believe she caught onto that so quickly. Then I hopped up on the barrel and she immediately came sideways towards me to line up so I could mount. I just did some friendly and then we practiced doing a backing up circling game around me and the barrel. Slowly but surely its coming along. Finally we did some extreme friendly, cuddling, and some more work on yielding the front end. She's a little sticky with moving her shoulders over but is getting really light! I'm hoping to get her light enough and teach her how to spin pretty soon, then she'll be caught up with Cocoa! Oh and we did some bowing too!

It was a fun jam packed learning night!


Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

A little Adventure

Mom and I took the girls out for a stroll...Dixie was being absurbly hilarious....

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

Dixie in the Dark

More later...

Dixie and I played in the roundpen in the dark.

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

A lot of 'Firsts' Today!

Video taped...

Dixie jump barrel..and stop..straddle it.

Cocoa play drive up.

Bowing...standing on back.

More later.

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

Patience is a Virtue

I bought the horses another bag of grain today, yikes prices just keep going up around here!

I went out and visited the girls and was in the mood for giving them lots of treat so they were pleased with the handouts. They did have to do some bowing to get them though. Dixie did spectacular with bowing today! She slipped a little bit on the ice under the snow the last time though and almost laid down on accident. Not quite ready for that one! Let's getting bowing down pat first.

I did a little Liberty with her in the corral first and some Friendly. She would come and pay attention then leave but I just waited her moments out. I had her stand on her tractor tire and then we headed out to the field to play. The only obstacle I have out there is a barrel since it isn't really our land. So we played with the barrel, A LOT! She did everything she possibly could of to it! lol Pawed it, scratched on it, lifted it, rolled it, licked it, jumped it, sidewaysed over it....etc.

Dixie had a couple RB moments which I patiently waited out all the while giggling at her silly antics. She's so cute and it's so funny when she gets riled. I helped her use her energy and we ran around for a bit, and tried to advance our rearing on cue a little farther.

Went back to the barrel and had her jump over it at a stand still to me. :) Then we just ambled all over the pasture and did some "I walk sideways and so would she" and then she would walk sideways towards me and then away. She was having fun with that. Finally it was time for church and I had to head it. I had her do one last bow for the treat she had patiently been waiting for.

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

Cocoa's Playtime

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

Consistency is the Key..with Dixie PICS!

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

The Great Escape..

First off..I went out with the naughty munchkins who weren't so naughty in the morning atleast. I did a lot of undemanding time with the girls. And just asked for backing by the tail, leading by the lip and little tasks out of them in their corral at Liberty. Then I put Dixie online and just her play with some of the stuff that was in her little pen. I had her stand up on the pedestal...and she came SO close to getting all four feet up on the little stump. She tried so hard but she wasn't quite able to get it yet. Then we ventured over to the tractor tire which she definitely was able to get all four feet up on... :) It's a lot bigger that's for sure. She was extremely proud of herself none-the-less. Then I had her put her front two feet in the little pickup tire.

We headed out to the pasture. I had her back out of the gate..which she did obediently. We played around. Dixie had oodles of energy so that was fun to play with! We did a lot of the traveling circling game and sideways and playing along side of the fence with change of direction. She loves to do sideways towards... :)

After we got done playing....here was my first mistake..I decided to let her eat the grass that was just starting to peek out from under the melting snow. They get to do this all the time so it was no big deal. Mistake number two, I went to get Cocoa and let both of them eat out there. Which they do all the time. They were eating out there for some time like usual and I went in the barn and came back to check on them but didn't see them anywhere. This was not like them at all...they were just Gone. I was scared to death. I ran all the way to see if they were at Michelle's house with her horses, they weren't, we checked all around and they were nowhere to be found. The backroad was slick ice so I couldn't imagine they would take that. I was so devasted and frusterated. My parents were looking, neighbors, and friends and they still hadn't turned up. I took the whole trail I usually ride the horses on all the way to Jess's house through deep snow. Let me tell you that was a trek. Didn't see them anywhere and their horses didn't look like they had company...Eventually we found fresh poo by the cemetary...but couldn't make out where the tracks were headed. They went in BOTH directions. Darn! Long story short...we were looking around Jess's and heard Cocoa's piercing deep low lion roar whinny. (There is no mistaking Cocoa's whinny..it is definitely one of a kind.) And now went off to search for them in that direction..what a Relief!! Turns out they were a few houses down and they had found them sniffing their horses and put them in the barn. My girls were safe...with hay and comfortable yet Cocoa wouldn't stop talking and Dixie was pawing the stall. Little stinkers. We got them out and over the icey spots...and after a couple pit falls later I finally began to lead them home. After we got off the drive way and the ice I hopped on Cocoa and rode the buggers the rest of the way home. I was not pleased with their behavior today and they won't be eating in the yard for a while. They lost that for some time. I'm just glad they are home and safe and sound. They gave me quite a scare.

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

And the Sun is Shining...

Absolutely gorgeous out today!

I caught the horses dozing in the pasture and got a ton of pictures and some video. They were adorable!

Took them out for a spin. They did great and we hit the trails. Dixie was a little pokey but she still did pretty good.

Trimmed Cocoa's hooves.

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

Ponying Dixie

Took the horses out for a ride tonight....and ponied Dixie all the way. The horses and I went a long ways and we got some really great cantering in!



Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

Riding in the Dark

Well I didn't get home soon enough to get my butt outside in time to go for a ride in the daylight so the horses and I went out at dusk. I argued my point with mom and dad that it was light when we left and then the moon was bright enough I could see the horses shadows when I was riding. lol I love riding in the dark, it's so peaceful well except for the occasional snowmobiler that goes by now that it is winter.

I went out and visited with the munchkins a bit and fed them the apple I brought home from school for them. Then I tried to take an ax and chip away at some of the ice along the barn so they wouldn't slip. It was warm out last weekend so stuff started to melt and then got froze in its tracks with some more below zero temps that were right around the corner. I got the halters out for them and Cocoa was all perked and excited to go! I nearly froze my fingers just taking my gloves off to tie their halters it was super cold. But none the less we braved it out and I had Cocoa sidle up to the side of the trailer and I hopped on and we were off with Dixie in tow. Finally, both my girls with, I hadn't done that in a while. We went through the backyard and man was the snow Deep! They were arguing over which one should get to walk on the snowmobile track even then they sunk in about 1/2 foot. I said Cocoa should get to since she was not only walking through it but I was riding her and Dixie is young so the end of that! :)

We made it to the backroad and Dixie was trotting along side us so after a bit I let Cocoa trot. They trotted beside each other beautifully, I even let the reins go and Cocoa was responding to my seat when I asked for a fast or slow trot and Dixie would mirror Cocoa. I had Cocoa do some sideways serpentine's down the road. We did a bit of stopping, backing, and then of course cantering too!

When we got up past the farm I let them canter the whole stretch. At first I had Cocoa do a slow collected canter but then by the end I let them have fun running with each other. I started to ask Cocoa to slow slightly and she went into a slower canter and I wiggled the rope for Dixie to slow down but she only slowed a little so I wiggled it a little harder and she slammed on her brakes. Cocoa was down to a trot at this point but I decided to hold on to Dixie's 12 ft. line because I didn't quite realize at that point she was at a dead stop, so when it came to the end of the line I didn't let go but she didn't budge and off I went. She pulled me right off Cocoa! lol I hopped back on and we kept going a little ways farther, Cocoa was getting antsy at this point so I had her do some really nice sideways. That is when I got an idea! I decided I wanted Dixie to go sideways with us. I started on the ground making sure she remembered sideways towards me..which she did of course. Then I hopped back on Cocoa and threw the end of the rope over her back and she came sidling right up next to Cocoa and I. I still can't believe how fast she caught on! So we did some more of that...Cocoa all the while not so pleased Dixie was in her bubble and quite close. By the end of the ride Dixie would come sideways towards us with me just lifting my hand up and starting to motion throwing the rope over her back!

We made it back and I put the blankets on the girls since it was supposed to be really cold that night AGAIN. Gave them their supper and headed in. When I looked in the mirror in the garage I looked like an eskimo, I was all bundled up and had frost all around my winter gear on my face, even some of my air that was out was frosted. By that time I realized my toes were freezing...oh boy. It took me a while to warm up the rest of the night..but it was worth it. I can't wait till in a couple of days the moon will be even fuller and then I can take them out for a real moonlit ride!

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

More Riding

Got home from church and saddled ( I know amazing..I actually rode in a saddle!) Cocoa up to go out riding with Michelle and Ace. Amanda stopped by just as Cocoa and I were walking over to Michelle's so Cocoa and I talked with her a bit! That was a fun surprise! :)

Cocoa wasn't feeling it on the ride. She was really pokey and didn't feel energized at all, she didn't even want to race Ace. Hmm...we took the trails and did some trotting and a little cantering. Finally in the end Cocoa got a little more spiced up and wanted to go.

After Michelle and I were done with our ride I had Cocoa cut through the open field by our fence and was going to cut through to get to the backroad. I was having her do some soft feel through the deep snow and then just let her walk. She started nosing the snow as she was walking so I was thinking maybe she's thirsty because surely she wouldn't think of laying down with me on her. In the next second Cocoa and I were on the ground. She laid down! She's never done that before so I was kinda shocked. I quickly hopped off and she got right back up...I hopped back on and we continued on our way..

I took her on the backroad after we got back and cantered on it a bit. She was being kind of tempermental so we did some sideways, serpentines, and spins. Then on the way home she did a nice collected slow trot until we got in the deep snow in the yard then I let her barrel the rest of the way up.

I had a 4-H meeting so I went to that with Jess and then it was Superbowl time.

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie