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

Pictures!!

It all started with Dixie........


I got home from school to find Dixie laying down and sleeping. So I bustled inside to get the camera...and ran out there and hardly got one picture before she got up.


Cocoa and Dixie
In pursuit. Trotting After ME!
Cocoa and I
The girls...

Here she comes!!

And the Attitude comes out...Cocoa trying to tell Dixie off and to stay away from me..


The girls were being SO cute and spunky! I couldn't get rid of them. I wanted them to run out farther so I could get pics. but they stuck right to me...especially Cocoa. She was doing close range circling in the pasture which was great!!!! But doesn't take very good pics. lol It was a fun day....and even with my wader boots I still got snow in my boots and was soaked!

Even more pics. on next post!!

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

This I believe...

Another English paper....Horse and Parelli related of course!! It is about patience especially when teaching horses! Enjoy.

(Again..it formats it really wierd on here..no paragraphts..hmm..)

Count to 10

“Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead,” stated Mac McCleary. Tension is thick in the air and you can just about feel the anger radiating out of the stream of drivers behind you, horns blaring, fingers flying, and tires screeching, and yet the red light still refuses to turn to green. Waiting in traffic and driving resembles one of the many instances where there always seems to be short fuses and a major lack of patience. It seems like so many people today are trying so hard to scramble and rush to their destinations, that they are completely forgetting to enjoy the journey along the way. We want everything handed to us right this minute, now, instantly, immediately! There are many distinct signs that portray how truly an impatient generation we are today. After all, “How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes, frozen dinners, and instant cameras teach patience to its young,” questioned Paul Sweeney. Today in our growing and booming society, everything appears to be a race and we take so many and so much for granted in trying to win that race. But for what reason and why are we always in such a hurry? I believe that patience is truly a virtue. It was once stated, “Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at the small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.” By eagerly devoting your time and embracing the quality of patience, I believe you will have the key to unlocking the secrets to success. The longer you have to wait and the more time you invest in something or someone, the more fulfilling, satisfying, and rewarding it is in the end and the more you will learn and walk away with. Along with patience, comes quality. I believe in doing things right the first time, no matter how long it takes. “Take the time it takes so it takes less time,” states Pat Parelli. People have the time and tendency to always look for a short cut or a quick fix. They have the time to fix it over and over again, instead of just taking the time and doing it the right way the first time around. This applies to horse training as well. One of the major things people complain about is that it takes too long to prepare your horse on the ground and see how your horse is feeling that day, and with that kind of mindset you can really begin to see what their horses mean to them. If they can’t devote and put enough time aside to prepare their horse mentally, emotionally, as well as physically on the ground, and just want to merely hop on and ride then frankly they shouldn’t own a horse, they should own a motorcycle instead. When you take the time and allow things to come about instead of pressuring, being impatient, and demanding snappy results, you will begin to notice the finer details you hadn’t before. Horses require an abundance of patience, especially when you are trying to teach them something new. You can’t simply make a horse do something, if you want its dignity, confidence, and respect for you to remain intact. However, you can allow you ideas to become their ideas, this will create a desire for the horse to want to perform the task for and with you. Your horse will not only trust you, but will respect you and not because of fear or force either. Edmund Burke stated, “Our patience will achieve more than our force.” Your horse will know they can depend on you to be the best leader you can be for them and that you are committed and in it long run, not just the short ride. Patience is an important quality to have, illustrate, and exercise everyday. You just have to recognize that even of the littlest things count and mean something to someone. Though it might be hard to sit back and wait, there is a healthy alternative we can try to contain our impatient impulses with. Simply remember to breathe and count to ten because “Patience is the ability to countdown before blastoff.” So next time your are stuck in traffic just sit back, put your feet up, relax, and enjoy the ride because after all “Life is a journey, not a destination.”


Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

No School!

Yay! No school for us again. Last night it was posted 2 hour delay..but then this morning they cancelled it for us! Thank goodness. Now it's like having a 5 day weekend since we get Monday off too! Gonna try and get my crafts done this weekend. And try and keep the ponies warm. I went out to feed the horses this morning and Cocoa was shivering a bit. Dixie had the blanket on so she was fine. I brought Cocoa in her stall with a bunch of shavings down and threw her cooler on, gave her a bunch of hay, and her grain and I have her beet pulp soaking now. Poor girl. I wish I had ordered that blanket sooner..but I just couldn't decide. The thermometer read -17 F in the BARN! It's like -22 F outside today without windchill. BRRR..

UPDATE: Cocoa is feeling much better. Spunky now that I let her out! I had them run around with me a bit in the pasture. They were rolling and having a good ole time. Then I was just scratching them. Dixie apparently had a VERY itchy neck. She loved it...sticking her neck and head way up and trying to lean against me while I scratched. Then, it was so cute she rested her head on top of mine with a little pressure while I scratched her. That would have been a funny picture.

Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie

Snow Day!

School is CANCELLED! Woot Woot! First day this year. It is so cold out like -20 F without windchill. Yikes. I have the blanket on Dixie and the Cinderelly blanket draped around Cocoa but of course it won't stay on. I ordered the Viking blanket..I wish it was here NOW! Cocoa could use it. Horses are getting a LOT of hay and beet pulp mashes. Just trying to keep them warm and comfy.



I woodburned today!! I did something other than horses or of Cocoa and Dixie so I can actually give them up and sell them! lol So I did a wolf. Hopefully am going to do some more tomorrow since it's so cold out.



Savvy Out,
Olivia, Cocoa, and Dixie