"Horses are something to dream about... and to wish for, fun to watch... and make friends with; nice to pat... and great to hug: and, oh, what a joy to ride!"

- Dorothy Henderson Pinch

Since Spider died in 2006, I haven't done much with the horses in terms of riding.  Because of this and because of a couple horse accidents since then I have lost a lot of the confidence I had in riding.  My folks talked with my trainer about it and she offered to come pick up Trib and for the two of us to do one of her clinics.

The clinic was this past Sunday and it was a BLAST!  I got to meet a lot of nice horse people and Trib and I got to know each other better.

We did a lot of ground work in the outdoor arena and later on Christy used Trib as a "problem horse" example.  She tried to see if she could get him to blow up and have one of his backup episodes.  She was able to get him to have a couple of incidents but they were a 4 or less on his blow up meter.  It turns out he seems to have more of a claustrophobia/pressure issue since it happened when he stepped on his lead rope and after he was cinched up.

After he was saddled we went back outside, did some more ground work, then hopped onto our horses.  Trib and I rode in just a rope halter and lead rope and he did pretty well.  We had a couple of disagreements with standing still, stopping and backing but once I used my body more (sitting on my pockets to whoa, leaning back to backup) we got along much better.  We did mostly walking out there but I finally got pushed into trying the trot and... we did it!

Next we went out to the obstacle course to send our horses over the obstacles.  Trib did great over a couple but wanted nothing to do with walking or jumping over barrels.  Christy worked with him and convinced Trib it was okay and he finally went over them.  Then he got to play on the BIG obstacle (no idea what it's called) and Trib didn't even hesitate to go up on it.

After all that playing it was time to hop back on our horses and ride around the parameter of the obstacle course.  We walked a couple laps one way, then switched directions and walked the other way.  Next it was time to trot.  No biggie for Trib.  By this time I was finally comfortable and ready for the canter, so when Christy told me to get going we did and it felt AWESOME!  He sure does cover a lot of ground with those long legs of his though ;)

The last part was ending the day with a trail ride.  Trib was so not in the mood for any more work (we were both pretty pooped by this time) so he lagged way behind the rest of the group.  We ended up losing the others in the trees and I couldn't find the trail.  We tried to go in one direction and ended up with branches blocking our path.  It seemed to make Trib nervous (he didn't do anything bad) so we turned around and headed back out the way we came.  I wasn't familiar with the area and figured we'd get lost in the trees since I didn't know where everyone else had gone so Trib and I headed back for the barn.  Trib wasn't worried about being by himself so it was a nice relaxing ride back just the two of us.

Once at the barn, I was just getting ready to dismount when Rob and Tater rode up to find me.  He asked if I wanted to go back out and take a couple shortcuts to meet up with the group and off we went.  Rob was so great to ride with.  He's one of the types that makes sure you're comfortable with a trot before he just takes off and makes you feel at ease in general.  Needless to say the ride was wonderful and eventually we caught up with everyone else and finished the ride.  Trib did awesome following Tater and going over logs and through the brush.

After our last horse incident I was starting to question my decision to buy Trib and worrying that he was too much horse for me.  After Sunday, this just proved that my first instinct was the right one and that Trib is meant to be here.

He's home!

After being away for 5 months, Tabasco is finally home.

We brought him home this morning and when we pulled up by the barn Tabasco let out a big whinny.  Shoni perked up (she knew that voice) and then there was a chorus of hello's from the entire herd.  I don't think I've ever seen Shoni so excited.

Sundance, Shoni, Sweetie, Pebbles, & Trib (peeking)

There was a lot of nose sniffing, ground stomping, and googly eyes being made.

Horse hugs!!

Later on Christy came out and picked up Trib and Sundance to take them out to her place.  She has a horse training clinic going on tomorrow that she invited us to be a part of.  Trib and I are going to participate so we can get to know each other better and gain some confidence (more so me then him).  We're also going to try and figure out this backing issue that he has.  I think it may be connected to being tied/feeling restrained some how.  So we're going to play with that and work on trailer loading.

On Monday Christy is going to work with Sundance and try to get a feel for him and see what he knows.  After that we have decided to find him a new home.  It's going to be really hard for me to let him go, but having four horses of my own right now is not practical and I need to downsize by one or two horses.

Hopefully I will be posting some fun updates soon!

"Loving someone deeply gives you strength...
someone loving you deeply gives you courage."

I've been taking a (forced) break from the horses the past two weeks.

Back on September 9th I hopped up on Trib in the round pen bareback (same exact way I did last time with Mom holding onto the halter).  This time though he decided to fly backwards until his rump hit the round pen panels.  Then he stood there all stretched out with his butt in the air and he turned his head and looked at me like he was a little spooked.  Then he jolted forward and I was able to get him stopped.  I sat on him maybe a minute after he was stopped then hopped down.  I'm not sure what set him off unless it's a tied sort of thing since Mom was holding the halter?  I'm hoping to get a saddle and bridle for him soon so I have a little more to hang onto.

Still smiling even after that ride- I love this horse.

Three days after that incident, I was doing chores and decided to put a fly mask on Trib and fly spray him since the flies were so bad.  The rest of the herd was by Trib's pen so I decided to walk around and fly spray Pebbles too (she's the only other one who will stand for being sprayed).  As I was walking around Shoni to get to Pebbles, Sweetie pinned her ears and barred her teeth at Shoni.  Needless to say, Sweetie was on one side and I was on the other in a wrong place wrong time sort of thing and Shoni plowed right into me.  I'm not sure if Shoni ran into me with her shoulder or chest but she sent me flying and I woke up on the ground.  I went to the doctor and they said I had a concussion and gave me some muscle relaxants because I was having a lot of neck and back pain.  Apparently somewhere in all that Shoni stepped on my foot as well because the entire top of it was bruised.  The doctor said I couldn't do anything with the horses or any sort of exercise for a couple of weeks to give my brain time to heal.

After the incident any time I went up near the horses to do chores, Shoni wasn't herself.  She had an attitude and acted like she didn't want much of anything to do with us.  Last Thursday I was sick of the attitude and brought her into the round pen for some one on one time.  She did really well (for not being longed in a while and for not having any halter/lead rope on her) but you could tell she was still being sassy.  Finally she started licking her lips and softened up a bit.  Once she was a little more "normal" I sat and waited for her to come over to me since everything else has been me going up to her.  Once she did come over we ended on a good note and called it a day.

Today she was completely back to her normal sweet self.  I think the accident freaked her out a bit too and we really needed that one on one time.

I came across this poem by accident; it's called 'A Parable of Immortality' by Henry Van Dyke.  Whenever I'm sad and missing my Grandma, I think of this poem and feel a little better.

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.

She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last she hangs
like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and the sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says,
"There she goes!"

Gone where?

Gone from my sight...  that is all.

She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the place of destination.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at that moment
when someone at my side says,
"There she goes!"
there are other eyes watching her coming...
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout...
"Here she comes!"

Trib and I enjoying the sunset and our first ride at home.

I only post this because I love
the expression on Trib's face :)

PS- Trib says, "Hi!"

Tuesday we went out to the trainers to work with Tabasco.  He hasn't been doing much so we worked on ground work.  He was a little fresh in the arena and acted like he was going to kick up his heals at me a couple times.  Once I got on his case about it he was much better and started paying attention.

We led him outside to the obstacle course and Tabasco learned how to jump over barrels.  I've never really had the urge to have any of my horses jump anything (I don't need to teach them to hop fences lol), but it teaches Tabasco to watch where he puts his feet.  He's also the type of horse that needs a job, so once he figures out what you're asking him he thrives with it.  I'm thinking about setting something up around the house to work with him and the other horses.  Do any of you have obstacles set up around your barn just for fun?

Once Tabasco and I figured it out, he did awesome!!  I had no idea a horse could jump over anything from a standstill so that was pretty amazing to watch.

After the barrels we went over to the bridge and I was supposed to ask Tabasco to go up on it by driving him onto it (is that the right term?) like we did with the barrels. Tabasco thought he was supposed to jump the bridge or walk around instead.  A few times he almost had it but then he would question himself.  Christy took over so I got to take some pictures.

After the bridge, Christy and Tabasco went over to the pit and Tabasco went up and through it with no problems.

We ended the session by me taking Tabasco again and asking him to go over the barrels both ways.  He didn't hesitate.

I'm so proud of my boy!!

Meet Tribute Express.

Trib is a 12 year old Thoroughbred Gelding that we brought home on Monday.  I came across a for sale add on craigslist and immediately fell in love with him from his pictures and the video.  You know that feeling you get when you just know it's meant to be?  Yeah.  I had that times a million.

Trib is hard to take pictures of because he follows me :)

We went out to look at him and he was just as wonderful in person.  We got to see what he knew then ride him ourselves.  He has a nice slow walk and is super laid back.

He was a race horse from 2003-2007 (I think that's the right time frame).  He knows dressage and was used as a lesson and trail horse.  He is great with novice riders so I'm hoping he will be my go to guy when I need a break from my green horses and maybe he will even teach them a thing or two :)

Trib trotting up to me in the pen

He loaded off the trailer nice and easy and was relaxed when we were walking him around.  He acts like he's lived here his entire life.  The rest of the herd is excited to have a new friend and they all like to come up to the pen and beg Trib to come over and say hello.  When he does there is a lot of squealing from the girls then Trib will walk away when he's done being fawned over.  Pebbles keeps giving him googly eyes (see photo) and it's hilarious!

Pebbles, Sundance, Sweetie and Shoni

I am so happy and I can't wait to get to know Trib.

Trib on the right- all 16.2 hands of him :)

 Sneak peak!  More info coming soon.  :)

Since moving to Minnesota I seem to have a tougher time keeping up with the horses manes.  It might be because it's windier here, the dirt is wetter (instead of sandy), or maybe the burrs.  Whatever it is, it seems like I just brush out their manes and before I know it they're full of tangles again.

 This last time I was at fleet farm I bought a bunch of different grooming supplies to test out.  After testing out different ones, my favorite supplies are now: Vetrolin or Cowboy Magic detanglers (I think I may like Vetrolin better even though Cowboy Magic smells a lot nicer).  For mane brushes I liked the Braiding Comb and a regular plastic mane brush.  The braiding comb worked well getting out the witches knots.

I also picked up a couple new snazzy halters, although I think I was more excited about the halters then they were :)

"Gimmie all yo cookies!"

"He didn't listen."

The newest edition to our family.

A stray cat decided to have her kittens at our place and all four babies ended up playing in our garage while Mama Cat was away.  When Mama came home three of the four kittens ran out of the garage to meet her but one little kitten stayed inside.  We coaxed him out with some food and were able to catch him.  He is sweet as can be and is now an indoor kitty.

He had his visit with the vet already who determined he is around 5 weeks old.  They told us if we can catch the other kittens we should, so we'll see.  We might set a live trap and try catching the rest of the litter and Mama cat and have them fixed and try finding the rest of the kittens homes.

He's fitting right in with the rest of our family...

... Now we just need to come up with a name.

Now for a lighter post.... or some pictures anyway.  :)

Telling secrets...

...and giving kisses.

I just love my Shoni Girl <3