Had an OK ride on Violet today. I tried on a Circle Y saddle with a cushy seat, on consignment at Marys tack. They want $450. Too much but it was comfy. Violet is OK until we start trotting. Then she pins her ears bad. We did lots of arena work, then down the driveway and to the far open pasture, where I have trails mowed in the tall grass. She is better out in the open but still pinned some, and even threw a little buck on the way back. Little pisser! I fussed, circled and kicked for several circles, then took her back to the open pasture away from home, made her walk and trot some out there again. She was much better! Don't like the bucking though.
I know it sounds like something is hurting her. But she does it in any saddle. Feet are OK. I do think she was better in the hunt saddle though.... Don't know, need to figure this one out....

Violet over caveletti

Today I lunged Violet in side reins, after introducing them, then rode her for a little while in the arena. She had a much better attitude today, less pinning of ears. We trotted ground poles, and went over caveletti and a cross rail a few times. She was much better, more relaxed than last ride. She is wanting to jig some when first mounted. Maybe a phase she is going through....we will see.
I cleaned a harness today, trying to get it ready to sell. Don't need it...
Supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow :(
Supper...make your own mini pizza....

Is Anybody there???

Today I decided to give Sangria her first bath. Sangria is my 1 yr old chestnut filly by Rock (Carringtons Choctaw) and out of Ruby (Arapaho Penny), a mare I leased. It was a warm day, good for bathing, so I went ahead to prepare for the battle. I hate giving first baths.....

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I began spraying her legs gently with a small stream from the hose. Nothing. No dancing or fidgiting. I moved up and down her legs....still nothing. Ok, the chest, shoulder, neck....barrel, hips. No reaction. She just stood there watching the other horses in the pasture.

I knocked on her forehead and asked....Helloooooo.....Is anybody home???

I shampooed her coat, mane and tail, then rinsed her off. A couple of time, she moved her hips over, tried to eat grass, and did scrunch her butt when the water hit her tail. But overall, she was amazingly calm and took it better than some horses who are used to being bathed. I'm really impressed by her disposition!

Heres a few pics after she dried off. I am so impressed with her calmness today. Such a wonderful, calm disposition. She is for sale, but I may rethink that.

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Later today, I rode Violet again. Worked on circles in the arena and then went for a ride out in the pasture and a quick jaunt on the wooded trail. She was good as gold out in the pasture and in the woods. Pinned her ears some in the arena, not sure why.

Diva is a Diva!

I played with Diva today, a 3 yr old pretty flaxen chestnut Morgan filly. As a youngster, she was unhandled and flighty when I bought her, but now she has settled down and seems ready for work. Her first saddleing with a small huntseat saddle was adventurous, she did not like it one bit! Turns out she was nervous of the jangleing of the buckle ends, so after I got her used to that, she was fine. Today, I groomed her and sacked her briefly, then introduced a big western saddle. She was fine with it. I cinched her up and out to the arena we went.

We played, tossing the rope around and on her, lunged, walked over caveletti, lunged more, then I led her to my mounting block where I bounced in the stirrup, leaned on the saddle and generally go her used to someone up and above her, without actually getting on her. I think I will have someone here on the ground when I do that!

All in all, she was a really good girl, she seems to have developed a trust in my after all the goofy things I have done with her. She is learning it doesn't hurt and sometimes it is fun to play.

Next: playing with Vixie!

OK, not Vixie the dunskin...

Late this afternoon, I rode Violet again, my cute little bay mare. We rode in the arena in my old stubben saddle. She was pretty full of herself, as it was cool and cloudy. I insisted on a walk for a few times around the arena, then let her trot. We trotted around, over ground poles and cavelletti, did serpentines. She is a good girl, but sometimes acts like she has been made to wear a tie-down, will tuck her chin in too much. I try to encourage her to stretch out to the bit.

After arena work, we moseyed down the driveway and then back home to unsaddle, quick groom, and feed everyone.

I really like Vixie, she is such a good ride! I have enjoyed every ride on her so far.

Beautiful Day!

It was a gorgeous day here in Lexington GA. I got some work done, then headed out to the barn and decided to work with Filigree, my 4 yr old cremello mare. She is a sweetie, and measured today at just under 14.3h. We did some in-hand work, refreshing her on "walk/whoa/walk", then did some lunging in both directions. Then, to the barn for a saddleing lesson. I have put a surcingle on her, but never a saddle.
She stood quietly while I sacked her out with the thick western saddle pad. Then introduced the western saddle, she took it without a single sign of tenseness. Cinched her up and walked her around the stall some. She acted like she had done this a million times...not a single sign of anxiety. Untacked her, then turned her out. Wow, what a good girl!
After lunch, I did pretty much the same with Vixie, my 3 yr old dunskin Morgan mare. She was pretty much the same, no reaction at all when saddled. This was her first time being girthed up, and she took it so well. She is a bit more lazy than Filigree, needed much more pressure to move. Filigree was sensible but very quick to move off when asked. Vixie is on the lazy side....They are very different in personalities. Filigree wants to sniff everything in sight, Vixie just wants to eat.....

My first Blog

Today, as my first blog attempt, I will blog about my ride today. I saddled Mandy, my Morgan mare, and we went for a quick jaunt thru the leaf-strewn woods. Autumn is almost over, winter is on the way, and the weather is beautiful today, so I thought I'd better get out before the nasty cold winter is upon us. It was in the mid-70's today, a bit warm, but cool in the shade of the woods. Mandy stopped when 3 heads popped up on the other side of the neighbors fence....3 donkeys were there to our surprise. I'm not sure Mandy had ever seen a donkey, so I let her look, then we moved on. Down a damp muddy hill, then around the glistening lake we went. Up the hill and into some thick woods, tall old oaks surrounded us for several hundred feet. Then we moseyed on by the old farm house on the property, weathered and beaten by the years. We ended with a walk thru the open field, then back home. Mandy was wonderful as usual. She is a sensible, sweet mare who is a joy to ride.
I came home and cooked dinner - roast pork, baked potatoes and sweet peas. Chocolate chip cookies for dessert. I even had one myself. I'm trying to loose weight, but that is another topic for another day!