Bareback and Bridleless Ride with Cocoa

After taking Dixie out and about it was Cocoa's turn. I grabbed my savvy string and carrot stick and Cocoa and I were off - "like a dirty shirt" as my Grandpa would always say. I had Cocoa sidepass too the bed of the truck so I could hop on and then we ambled around the yard for a while plowing through the snow drifts and then headed on the backroad. We cantered up the hill right away but then we had a stretch there on the road where we had to have a conversation and do some serpentines because she was set on trying to take a shortcut trail. After we got that ironed out that we were going straight ahead she responded beautifully and perfectly the rest of the ride. We cantered another long stretch and she was responding just off of my seat! We did some stopping, sideways, and backing up every now and then too. We continued trotting and she was mirroring me at what speed of a trot I wanted...I trot slow and she would then I would bring my energy up and so would she and trot faster. It was just perfect. When we got back to the lakes I asked her to canter again and then we did some canter...trot..canter..trot transitions till I finally asked her for a gallop. We were cruising along the convoluted backroad and I was surprised we hadn't run into any snowmobilers yet....haha Well we came running around the corner and there was a snowmobiler with some little kids parked in one of the parking spaces drinking hot cocoa. Cocoa skids down to a jarring trot for two strides while we both catch our breath from being taken by surprise and then I urged her into a fast canter again and we went on our way! I bet they were just as surprised to see US out there as we were to see THEM! We continued our canter and trotting till we got to the trails. Cocoa cruised down the trail and we got a bunch more trotting and cantering in...and her responding right off my seat...didn't have to use the carrot stick at all...and the savvy string was only of minimal use. We continued along and went to check out the BIG sledding hill..ran into a couple more snowmobilers..with kids mouths gaping wide open and pointing and saying "look it's a pony!" lol That just makes my day....nobody expects horses to be out on the trails in the winter with all the snowmobiling..and Cocoa and I always are. Element of surprise. :)

The rest of the ride went just as well...and we made really good time on the way back too. She wasn't even sweating much at all and we went at a pretty good clip through deep snow at times too. The back road thankfully was beautiful to ride on because it wasn't slippery like earlier and had a nice cushiony layer of snow on top. We were cantering along on the way home when we ran into Michelle walking Bundy so we talked and I hopped off and walked the rest of the way home with them. Overall an ah-mazing ride! Cocoa and I haven't done much bb and b riding lately but she sure didn't show that! She did great.


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

Playing in the Round pen

Snowy and cold out yet again...it warmed up to about 10 degrees. Uggh!
I had the ponies out eating in the back pasture and when I called for them Cocoa bellowed out one of her loud, low whinnys! It was so cute. Then they came walking up to meet me in the other pasture...Cocoa actually put some effort and JUMPED over the log! :)
I attempted to scrape all the excess snow out of the horses hooves but it was stuck in there pretty good. Then I put there halters on and we ventured down to the round pen. I let them both loose and then sent them out. They were having fun together running around. Dixie was in the back first but then decided she should be up front so it didn't work as well as it had when I used the signals to tell them to slow down since Dixie isn't quite that far at liberty yet. We did some change of direction and a lot of trotting and cantering! Cocoa was a little reluctant to come all the way in..when I disengaged Dixie would come running in right away and be right there so Cocoa was Jealous? She seems to be acting a little like that lately whenever Dixie wants to be right by me. I had them do some yo-yo at liberty and Cocoa was pleased to stay with me when Dixie decided to leave...she did about a lap and decided she wanted to come back in! After that we just did some Stick to me...and I had Cocoa cantering beside me and then even did some cutting and got her to rear up! :) Fun Fun!

After that I hopped on Cocoa bareback..in my pj's! lol And then ponied Dixie around beside us in the roundpen and then headed out. We followed the back road a ways then went in the 'old' pasture/clearing and followed the 4-wheeler track at a trot with Dixie sometimes occasionally cantering beside us. Cocoa was even doing some really nice vertical flexion. Then we went back to the yard and cantered up the hill from the back to the front..I let them eat a little grass then put them back in the corral with some hay.

Went to Buca's with some friends for a b-day..so didn't get much else done with the ponies and unforchantly no pics. with them in the round pen.

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!!