Backing Weatherly and bonding with Freedom

[DeniseJP]

Yes, I "backed" or "broke" (I hate the term "break a horse" as it sounds negative and hurtful to the horse)Weatherly today to carry my weight aboard her back and am alive to tell about it... I used her halter and two lead ropes (most horses do not like bits and I always start them with the leadlines), led her up to my water trough and climbed aboard, just like that. It helped her to have her mom and Neffie nearby - she was careful to walk and balance me (bareback)at the same time... I sat up there about 45 minutes in disbelief that she was so comfortable carrying me- her ears were up and every so often an ear would turn back to check on me.... had Tim take pics on his cellphone to record the moment and canpost those tomorrow...I am still in disbelief at how well she did. She is a very spirited horse and I have been trying to ride her mother Dipper in her view so she could see how comfortable Dipper is being ridden. My goal was to get Weatherly toa certain spot in the field and I would dismount at that point. I pictured Weatherly walking to that spot with only a little squeeze on her side as she does not understand steering or how to be cued forward, and that helped. After I dismounted and removed the halter and lines, Weatherly continued to follow me about the pen for handfuls of grass and pats. I figure if she disliked the whole experience, she would have hightailed it out of there once she was free of the halter.

Ended the evening going back to the barn to put blankets back on after the girls had been given dinner... Mercy was up but Freedom was on her keel snoozing soI climbed into her stall and sat next to her, then was lying next to her and she rested her nose on me and started really snoozing. That is a big thing for a horse to feel comfortable enough to lie down with a human in close proximity...and to fall asleep.

Axel and Juno also had some out time - they each have toys with bells on them and were playing with those...what a great day!

Denise

 

[Bo B Bunny]

WONDERFUL! Isn't it great when a horse LIKES to carry a rider? I hope you post the pics! We have a college visit today and my niece is in labor so sometime I'll be home LOL!

Dakota was good for his first show on Saturday..... I told my mom that I think he was happy about being a big horsie now and getting to go into the show arena like the others! He loves being ridden and seeing all the stuff around him. Sometimes that's bad when he decides he wants to look at someone or something OUTSIDE of the arena LOL!

 

[DeniseJP]

Weatherly has a good role model - her mom Dipper. Dipper loves to be ridden - I swear she pouts if I am not ready to ride.

The weather here is supposed to be rainy and cool for three days and then start warming up into the 60s and 70s. We do need the rain but I can do without the cold and the wind...

Glad to hear Dakota likes being a "big horsie" - it is funny when youngsters figure that out!

Denise

 

[Bo B Bunny]

YEP! same here..... nice weather in a couple of days. It wasn't bad today tho.. we had to go to Purdue for a college day and I feared rain - but it was really nice out!

Gotta love our horses........ they are so intelligent and kind..... not everyone has that luck with theirs.... sometimes I think it has to do with how we raise them.

 

[DeniseJP]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

YEP! same here..... nice weather in a couple of days. It wasn't bad today tho.. we had to go to Purdue for a college day and I feared rain - but it was really nice out!

Gotta love our horses........ they are so intelligent and kind..... not everyone has that luck with theirs.... sometimes I think it has to do with how we raise them.

I always try to see things from the horse's point of view and that helps me in my training.

One more day of cold here (we have flurries this AM on my hill) and then we soar into the 80s until Tuesday....80s, in upstate New York in April!

Yay!!!:bunnydance::jumpforjoy::trio(the happy dancers needed some music!)

Denise

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Yep! the weather is getting nice now! it'll be around 70 today - 82 by Friday!

Put the baby goat out on a lunge line yesterday for a long time! He loves grazing... the chain on the lunge line is almost too heavy for him LOL! but it allows him to move around a lot. Sydney goes out to "babysit" him...

I think we'll bathe Pokie tomorrow...... she's filthy!

Kota needs ridden.... that's probably today.......

Nice weather = lots of horsie work!

 

[DeniseJP]

Yes - lots of horsie work in warm weather - we are supposed to see the 80s through Tuesday.

Can't forget Axel and Juno in the midst of my horsie dilemmas - they love their new cages and we have our first show May 9th!

Denise

 

[missyscove]

Yeah, this weather is delightful! It was in the 70's today for my equestrian class so we got to ride in the outdoor ring.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

OMG You should see Pokie! We were brushing her and literally HUGE clumps of hair was coming out - she was loving it!

I don't know what I was thinking but I left the goat out too long on the grass yesterday and he got a touch of the scours. Took a sample to the vet and it wasn't anything else so that's good! Now we just have to get him better.... goat poo...... REALLY STINKY! and I had to bathe him. :yuck

 

[DeniseJP]

There were two baby goats that a horse breeder I knew had and they had the scours - it was nastier than cat poop and cats have nasty poops!

Gonna ride today - need to after the mail I came home to...

Denise

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Bad mail? I'm sure I would get some if I opened it LOL! I hate reading mail and bills and avoid them at all cost....... even when I end up paying them late. :foreheadsmack:

 

[DeniseJP]

Rode both Dipper and Weatherly today - Weatherly is steering now with her halter and leadlines... and she has full mobility of her neck after her shots so if she wanted to buck me off, she could. I kept things mellow - steer here, steer there, whoa, lots of pats, brush the flies from her ears, steer again, turn this way, that way...and after the ride she was following me again, being right in my pocket. That has been helpful for my Shetland, Nefertiti, who is very flighty and high strung... she watches and follows Weatherly's lead and is also becoming more of a pocket pony.

Dipper was put out that I rode Weatherly first so when I took her out, she got a good grooming and since my legs are getting stronger, we did more trotting and cantering. Still didn't solve the pudge wiggling around my middle (never had that happen before but I am gonna be 45 and middle age crept up on me like a pair of Walmart underwear)but the horses and I are all on diets so hopefully things will improve.

Dipper and I had some good canters and one good gallop - when she collects herself her canter is oh so smooth on her left lead (her favorite), the right is still a little "strung out" but she is working on it.

We are supposed to be near 87 tomorrow - unusual for us in April...riding tomorrow will have to wait until it cools down.

Mercy has recovered from "Farm Day" at Lollypop Farm - it was extremely crowded and Mercy was a trooper for dealing with the crowds, painting multiple pictures and listening to a crowing rooster in the next stall.

It is amazing to me that people see her and run right up to... of all places... her butt! People do not understand horses can kick so I tell them "Don't go behind her - that's where the poop comes out." One little kid was so unnerved by me telling him not to go back there that he burst into tears and had a melt down. Mama was not too far away but running up behind a horse would be the last thing I would do as a kid.

People ask "Does she bite?" Or "Does she kick?" I open her mouth to show the teeth and say, "She has teeth - she can bite if she chooses to." Or, "She's got hooves - she can certainly kick or step on you if she chooses to." Luckily, she is good but I still would not want to push my luck with any horse.

Denise

 

[Bo B Bunny]

I see people walk right up behind horses and cows all the time.... stupid!

I will walk around my own horses and touch them and tell them I am around there.

Funny you say that one got upset you rode the other one first! we noticed that Pokie had her nose bent out of shape when Lexi rode Dakota last night. She hadn't ridden him at home where Pokie saw this year...... and before, she always rode Pokie as well.

I told her that maybe if she was a good girl she would get to play next time. LOL!

I'm glad training is going well. Do you start out by flexing them? Kota flexes himself now LOL!

 

[DeniseJP]

Yeah, Dipper bit Weatherly with me aboard... Weatherly scooted out of the way and I hung on to stay with her. Dipper loves being ridden - I have had a few horses like that that loved to see the tack come out. Hope I am doing something right...

I do flex them, especially Dipper as her joints creak as much as mine do!

Yesterday was 90 Fahrenheit here (a record) - I took Weatherly to the pond so she could splash and play and she had a great time doing so. No sense taking Dipper - she does not like to step in water but likes getting hosed off after a ride - go figure.

Rain here now and in the 50s...supposed to be in the 40s tonight so I have to dig out Freedom and Mercy's blankets...they are clipped.

Denise

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Rain here also. Today is Kota's ACTUAL birthday and we gave him a mineral block..... HEAVEN!!!!!!!!