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

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

Dixie's First Canter - Riding!

First off...Dixie decided she wanted to play around first. It was snowing a bit earlier and Cocoa managed to get her back wet (?) and Dixie was dry...Hmmm. So I let Dixie in the barn to roam and just munch on the hay in the back while I put a cooler on Cocoa so she'd be dry by the time Dixie and I got back. So Cocoa got some hay and I took Dixie out for a stroll. We played in the snowbanks and she walked right into my neighbors snow hill from their driveway that is like up past her chest. Silly girl. She strode in there and then spun around and out. I had her go dashing through the ditches that were up past her knees and then jump some of the other snow banks! haha Her jumps were so priceless, she usually gauged them wrong. Oh..Dixie! Then we continued on our way on the DNR backroad all the while keeping watch out for snowmobilers. Quite a few of them passed us today...luckily Dixie has no problem with that at all. I did some Yo-Yo on the road and Sideways with her. She did really good! Then I was working with her high energy and even got her to wheel around and 'cut' me a bit...and when I ran back on the 12 ft. line come cantering towards me. She was wheeling and dealing..and had so much energy since the cold snap we had..and they couldn't do much more than eat to stay warm!

Then we did some trotting and walking and stopping transitions. She was mirroring me beautifully and would stop on a dime. She was trotting and I was running beside and skidded to a stop and she literally put on the brakes and slid to a stop and stopped right beside me. She was definitely on her toes and paying attention! :)

Farther down the road I had her CANTERING right beside me! We did that for aways till I couldn't do it anymore with all my snow gear and big boots. haha She was so cute and pretty to watch, running beside me. We stopped in the ditches and I let her eat the seeds off the tall grass..only part that was left since the snow is so deep! I asked her to do some circling and she had a snotty LB 'no' for an answer when I asked her to go left. Went cantering around on the 12 ft. and kicked out. A few minutes later she came out of her RB moment and licked and chewed. I presumed to ask her again and she went with no problem. I love it when she's spunky...she's so fun to play with when she's sassy and has attitude. lol Most people don't really like that...but I guess since Cocoa never really gets like that anymore I really enjoy playing with Dixie when she does.

We got to one of the parking spots and I had her come sideways and I hopped on. We did lateral flexion and then walked on down the trail..She really wanted to trot down the hill...but this horse has hardy any withers, big butt, still growing, lots of butt momentum, and not even half as much mane as Cocoa, so I decided I didn't want to slide off the front of her so I asked her to walk. I still can't believe how good my baby is coming along. She hardly resists, and listens to everything I ask her, and we haven't even done much riding because she's young but she acts like she's a natural! :) We did some trotting UP the other hills..that pleased her. Then started heading back home. We trotted for about 300 yards! :) Loose rein, slow trot, Dixie totally at ease, down the road. After that we took the trail by my neighbors that had like 2 ft. of snow that nobody had gone through yet! haha...so...guess what we did?!? I asked Dixie to start trotting and of course she did....and then she CANTERED!!! She cantered while I was riding her bareback through the snow, first time ever! I felt it coming but I was still shocked...then I was expecting her to stop after one stride but she kept going. Dixie must have cantered about 7 strides or so...this is the first time I've ever cantered her...and we did it out in the open and on a loose rein. No bucks, resistance, nothing. I love her! Then she I asked her to slow and she slowed right away and I hopped off to Congratulate her! I walked the rest of the way home. :) We stopped and said hi to Michelle's horses from the road, they even stopped eating from their new road bale to look over the fence and nicker at Dixie.


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.