My Little Cowgirl

I know it has been FOREVER since I had a good post, especially one about the subject of this blog! Well I can deliver today!

Yesterday afternoon I actually had a Saturday free, and the weather was great. The husband and little girl and I all took off for the inlaws. I grabbed my bridle with the mullen mouth on it and also wanted to get my billy allen curb but it is seized up with rust so I left it. Side note: anyone know how to dissolve BAD rust on a bit? Its been in the weather a LOT and the roller in the middle is crusted so it won't turn.

Anyway! I got all the brushes and tack set out in the area I planned to tack her up in and we trekked out to the pasture. Because of course the girls were waayy out in the back. So we located them and easily haltered Daisy girl up. I love that she is so easy to catch. Stormy was with her but moved off as soon as we got close. Daisy kept eating, lol.

We had a somewhat Harrowing experience bringing her back with Stormy bouncing about and the geldings going crazy in the other pasture, but we managed to lock Stormy in the back pasture and had peace up the lane. The father in law and BIL were near the place I took Daisy working on a pickup but it didn't bother Daisy girl. Chloe helped me brush her down, it was too cute. She was even smart enough to want the shedder and not the soft brush, lol. Its definitely the start of the fun shedding season!

Then I handed Chloe off to the husband and finished tacking up. Daisy wasn't real happy about the saddle so I had Lee hold her. I she was thinking 'what is this foreign object!' lol. It has been a LONG time! I ride her bareback a bit but this is the first tack up in forever. So got her cinched and then walked her around a bit, cinched her again. Up I went! Had to get onto her a bit for walking off but we got that sorted and then strolled around the yard and pasture a bit. Even did some trotting. SO FUN! Daisy was such a good girl, its an awesome trait to have a horse you can turn out for a year and come drag them straight from the pasture and hop on and your good to go! She is feeling good too. I saw her just yesterday trotting and loping around her pasture at will. Thats so good! I think she has tons of years left in her!

She kind of surpised me a little bit when we rode over by her pasture. Her 'girlfriend' was out in the far pasture and apparently Daisy felt the need to make sure she hadn't been abducted by aliens, so she let out a deep neigh to her. (she has such a funny 'voice', so deep and masculine! lol) Which of course Stormy returned, and then Daisy returned, you get the picture. But we headed back towards the other area and she was just fine, even while calling she wasn't too concerned, love that mare! Doesn't she look pretty!! ~~>

After I had my fun I had the hubby bring Chlo Chlo over so she could have her first horsey ride!! She was initially a bit unsure (she's going to be a tad timid in nature I think) but after I got her up there and we got going she was having a ball. She kept saying 'yeehaw yeehaw', lol! And grinning, according to the onlookers. She fit really well up there right in front of me. Although I need to teach Daisy to neck rein ASAP if there are going to many more pony rides. It was NOT fun trying to steer her and also try to keep a hand on Chloe, although she did fit nicely in the little 'box' of my arms. The husband walked with us most of the time, you know, for 'just in case'. But I would have had a much better time of it if I could ride one handed. But neck reining is something that takes LOTS of rides and time, so who knows if it will ever get accomplished! Back when I was riding her half way consistently she was starting to get it. When we were going the direction she wanted, lol ;). Here are some pictures from that! (btw, all the pictures and such were taken from my husbands htc phone)

 Pose! 

 Daisy getting fired up ;)

 This is my favorite

So after that we untacked her and put her up. Where she promptly trotted and then cantered her little self over to the fence near her friend, ;). So a great Saturday afternoon! I gotta say I am LOVING this mild winter, even though it kind of scares me at the same time, strange stuff! We are going to be so spoiled for next winter! Oh, almost forgot, here is a short video of me and little girl.

So not much else to say, none of the other horses have been out in a while. I have a feeling Rusty is going to have a relapse in behavior since he is not getting ridden regularly. Which I knew was going to happen. Shrug. And Stormy has a hoof issue the BIL said? Not sure what.

Anyway, till next time!

An Update for the New Year...

First off, Happy New Year everyone!!

Just thought I'd put up a short update. All are still alive and well! Tuff is doing so well with his new owners. He has rode him about three times so far in the round pen. I am so proud of him! I feel like I've succeeded in setting him on a good path in life by the work I did with him from birth up. Makes me feel good! His only issue is getting 'stuck'. His owner has even taking to wearing spurs, lol, definitely not something I would do on a baby, but, sigh, not my horse anymore! Anyway, he hasn't figured out what the 'go' button is yet, but it won't be long! What I love most is how calm and nonchalant he is about it all. Such a good boy! I get to see him every time I leave or come back from the house (the pasture is right on the road before my driveway) so thats nice.

Daisy is good too! Her and Stormy are pasture mates. I went out and saw her Monday, she got her feet trimmed up. I brushed her and got all the tangles out of her mane and tail while she munched on her hay. She seemed to really enjoy the attention. She's starting to get a little thinner then I want, and we haven't even had the hard temps yet. So I'll probably start her on her senior feed here soon. We have had such a mild winter so far! 50's and 60's in the day, rarely freezing at night. Love it! Last year it had snowed three times by now, ugh! (that white Christmas last year was pretty awesome though)

Anyway, not much else going on! I haven't rode in forever, not counting my last two jaunts on the BIL's horses. I feel guilty getting on Daisy since she is getting so old and has that leg issue. Maybe I'm just making excuses! I found her papers while I was digging through some stuff the other day, she will be 22 this June. I told the husband the other day when Chloe gets old enough to ride I'll probably pass Daisy to her and get me another horse to ride/play with. I can just see us going down a beautiful wooded trail with me on my horse and Chloe on Daisy while I pony her. Fun stuff!!

Well not much else to report, hope all is well with everyone else! Till later!

Riding Day! Times Two!

Lots of fun times yesterday! The brothers in law came over yesterday afternoon, my day off, and asked me if I wanted to go riding with them. They were both going to get their horses out. Rusty is back from the trainers, and this was the first time he had had to get him out since he came home the beginning of the week. I wanted to get Daisy out so bad! But the mother and father in law had just left and little girl can't quite watch herself yet, lol. But I did go out and watch/help!

The little BIL got his horse out first. She hasn't been rode in quite a while, at least a year. He had some health issues all last year and is just now getting to feeling better. But she did really well! He lunged her quite a bit before hand, getting her listening and working good. Then he saddled her up and worked her some more before climbing up. She went along nice and quiet. Her only problem is the bit. They keep riding her in that dadgum tom thumb -_-. She does not like it and roots against it a lot. Anyway, he walked and trotted her a bit then asked me if I wanted to ride. Of course! So I climbed up and put her through her paces.

She is very green but willing enough. I worked a lot on trying to get her to slow her trot a bit, which made her round up at the same time, though that wasn't really what I was going for. I did some tight circles with her trying to get her to give a little and she gave in pretty easily.

So after I hopped off the older BIL was coming back with his horse. This was when all you know what broke loose. She had an absolute FIT! See, they used to be pastured together, which if you remember right from a previous post, caused all sorts of problems. When he got back from the trainer they put him in with Skip, the sister in laws gelding. So Daisy and Stormy have been together (Scarlet has left the premises, the FIL gave her to the trainer that Rusty went to, he is going to put some training on her and sell her).

Anyway there was NO containing her, the little BIL was just spinning in circles trying to keep her from running over him. Thankfully he was till in the round pen with her. Rusty was also getting quite excited, but nothing like her. Anyway the big BIL took Rusty a ways away and she settled down a bit. At this time I had to go back to the house to put little girl down for her nap. By the time I got back Stormy was put up and Rusty was being saddled. They had planned originally to ride together outside of the pen, but after the way they both acted, they decided that wasn't wise, lol.

Before we move on to Rusty, here is some Stormy picture spam! Click on the pictures to see it bigger. (bear with me, I am loving my new camera and I get even more picture happy then before!)

 

                                                                                                                               Check out the tongue, lol

                                                             Baby girl having fun!

                         The husband said while I was riding she kept clapping for me every time I went by, lol! --->

So this was the big test! How was Rusty going to do after coming back from his training? Same? Better? Would the BIL want to keep him or go ahead and sell him??

Well I have to say I may have to eat my words! From what I saw yesterday I'd say he is a MUCH improved horse! Its like all the fire has been tamed and he is just relaxed and obedient. He got rode quite a bit while at the trainers so I don't know if it was just wet saddle blankets he needed, or someone to put him in his place, or both, but whatever it was it worked! At least as far as I can tell. 

The BIL lunged him for just a few minutes and tacked him up. He stood there falling asleep and also did very well while the BIL got on. He only rode him in the round pen briefly before venturing out. The trainer rode him for miles on the trails and was really pleased with him. He told the BIL if he decided to sell him to give him first bid! lol.  

He did perk up remarkably once he was out in the 'wide open' but didn't do any funny business. The BIL walked him around near the round pen a bit, then up around their yard, down the driveway, etc.

Before long he was done and asked if I wanted to ride him. I was hesitant at first, but then was like well why not, I'll kick myself later if I don't! So I said sure, and jumped up. Try not to laugh at my high water jeans, sigh, I really need to get some actual riding jeans! They are just SO EXPENSIVE. I have to have a 36 inch inseam to have jeans long enough when I ride. They don't sell those in regular womens jeans! Anyway, I really enjoyed him! We went exploring and he moved out nicely, but not too fast. He responded well to the bit to me, and we walked over some logs and went and saw my husband who was doing very scary things behind our house with a saw, lol. As we were walking to the corner of the house to go behind it, he couldn't see around the house to see what was going on. So he didn't really think it was a good idea to go over there! But I persuaded him he wouldn't die fairly easily and we walked around to where we could see my husband and stood there a bit. He wasn't sure it was a good idea to stay around so I had to make him turn back and face the saw a few times. After he was still a few moments we went on back towards the round pen. He was fairly level headed and so calm most of the time. Such a good boy.

So all in all a very productive day! All of us were busy today but I wish we could have gone out again, its been so pretty here and I just know the cold weather is JUST around the corner. I hope everyone else has a great weekend! Till later!

Visiting...

So Chloe and I went out visiting today. We manage to see 6 horses today! ;)

First off we went to visit Daisy girl. I felt pretty safe this time since the main trouble maker (the BILs horse) isn't here right now. The BIL decided to ship him off to a cousin of his to get some training. He seems to be doing pretty well so far. We'll see!

Daisy and Stormy are the only ones in the pasture now. They were of course chilling in the shade on the far side of the pond.  I just got a AWESOME new camera for my birthday so you will def be getting some picture spam in this post!! Its my first dslr and I feel so inferior!

My little buddy :)

I sent the BIL down the lane to fetch Daisy, I didn't want to be in that lane with Chloe. He tried and tried to get her to come with him back down the lane to no avail. I was just giggling. He pulled and pulled on her head (no halter) and her mane. Then I suggested he try tapping her with his walking stick while he pulled on her mane. Nope! He was smacking her with it and she was like, huh? So funny. So then he gave up and came towards me to get the halter and of course THEN she decided she would come visit! 

I then decided to park Chloe outside of the gate because I saw Stormy headed down with us and I was taking no chances this time. Little girl had a bunch of leaves to play with so was good for a while, lol. I had brought a little stiff brush with me so I brushed Daisy girl down and got her shining as well as I could. She definitely could use a bath! Her head is so dusty as you will see in the pictures. After that I sprayed her down with some fly spray and let her loose. I then pulled out my camera and went crazy taking pictures. She was so cute! She just stood there looking at me and posing, lol.

Then I turned my attention to Stormy and got a few of her.

She is such a pretty color, what girl hasn't wished they had a dappled grey?!

After that we left the girls dozing, well Daisy at least, and headed out the gate down the road. At the end of the road is the pasture I jumped Daisy in a few years ago, and where Skip and the FILs horse is now. But they decided not to be sociable and I couldn't get any photos of them. On down the main road back to the neighbors pasture where Tuff now lives! It was too cute when I called his name that he answered me. You think he misses me? I couldn't get many pictures of him because his buddy wanted all the attention and kept running him off. I think he thought we had food and was not going to share!

And thats about it! All seem to be happy and healthy. I REALLY want to get out and ride Daisy but either the time or someone to watch Chloe is not available. And when the husband is home its either late or we are going going going! I guess I need to just set the time aside and DO IT!

Hope all is well with everyone else! Say a prayer for Andrea, she lost her beloved mare this week and its such a heartbreaking story... http://eventing-a-gogo.blogspot.com/

A New (Old) Home For Tuff

Well my sweet boy has returned to where it all started! The pasture of his birth is now where he will live, hopefully, for the rest of his life. We sold him to our super nice neighbors that I mentioned in my last post who let us use the pasture for Daisy and her foal when he was born.

Baby girl was down for a nap when he came out to the in laws to get Tuff. Thankfully the BIL was able to go get him for me. Chloe woke up a little bit later and I loaded her into the stroller and headed out there. The in laws and neighbors were all standing in the front yard talking while Tuff blissfully ate up all the grass in sight, lol.

We all talked there for a while. His wife just loves him. I told him all the things he knows, and doesn't know. Mainly we all just 'talked horses' for a while. I love it! Very rarely do I get to do that. The hubby is indulgent and a good listener, but definitely does NOT 'talk horses' with me, lol. I also liked how the mans philosophy about horses ran very parallel to mine. Its not often that happens!

After that we headed on out to the pasture to see how Tuff would do with their other horse. He is a 12 or so year old Saddlebred.

There they go! After we got to the gate he went and put a halter on his horse and they talked over the fence for a bit. All seemed to go pretty well. Tuff was mainly interested in eating the grass, of course, lol. His horse is definitely the higher strung breed of horse and was VERY interested in him. He squealed a few times at Tuff but that was about it.

 Then the BIL took Tuff in and put him in the far pasture closest to the house. There is a fence separating the pasture in two. He's going to leave them like that a few days before putting them together. I think Tuff will be fine, but I'm a little worried the other horse (Bo is his name) will try and run him and basically be mean to him. Hopefully they will be good buddies though! Geldings generally make good pasture buddies.

There is Chloe chilling in her stroller like a good girl! She is chewing on the pasture gate keys, lol. Little girl is going on 14 months now! Can you believe it?? Still pretty much bald headed, yes, but we are growing a bit more fuzz then we were! LOL.

So after we watched them for awhile I headed on back to the house. Here is the last shot of them:

Bo is trotting along the fence to get back to Tuff who went to meet the BIL and neighbor. I hope they do well tonight! I'm sure Tuff will be fine, he's been in that pasture several times since he was born and the hot wire is very well marked.

So! I went out and visited Daisy the other day with little girl. It was, um, interesting to say the least. Scary actually would be a better word. I'm never going out there with Chloe again. Not unless it is only Daisy. The BIL's horse and Stormy scared the living DAYLIGHTS out of me. That gelding has gone plum crazy when it comes to 'his' mares. Dangerous, really.

Daisy was in the lane by the pond so I pushed Chloe on out there in her stroller and put her in a safe spot and got Daisy haltered and started brushing her down, checking her over, etc. I had already done the same thing earlier with Tuff and had a lot of fun. (Skip is totally harmless and Scarlet ignores us, lol).

Stormy has been on the side with the older horses for a few months now. Somehow she broke in there and we just left her since she did well. There needed to be one less horse on the babies side anyway. So as I'm brushing Daisy, the BILs horse and Stormy decide they want to come in the VERY NARROW lane with us. Well thank GOD the BIL was there and shooed them off with his hat.

That SHOULD have been the end of it. It wasn't. He kept on, and kept on, and kept on trying to get over there to Daisy. And then Stormy came over there as well and they are all trotting around in a very SMALL space with the gate, pond, and lane (with us in it) in a small triangle. I'm getting very nervous at this point. And then all of a sudden Stormy is trying to run over me, Daisy, AND MY BABY in her stroller! I could just see her making a flying leap over the stroller and kicking my child in the head. :heart stop:

So I am SCREAMING and yelling at Stormy to get out of there and NOT to run into/jump over us (BILs horse is on the other side of her STILL trying to get to us and pushing Stormy INTO us; much kicking and squealing is going on). So finally Stormy thankfully decides its a bad idea to run over the screaming crazy lady and gets out of there.

But he is not done. He goes to the other side of the pond and GETS IN. He starts walking into the pond!! I look at the BIL with a dazed expression and say "he is going to try and SWIM over here to get to Daisy" And sure enough he did! Before he got over there though I had taken the halter off Daisy and got OUT OF THERE with my child. We went out the gate and watched as he swam over to a log, tried to REAR OVER it, and then finally got over to the other side of the pond to where his 'mare' was and heaved himself out onto a huge bank. UNbelievable!!

I was just in shock. I've never seen a horse act like that! Ever since Stormy got into that pasture I've heard reports of those two acting strange. And sure enough, there was the proof. My gosh. I guess it doesn't help any that he was cut late and also bred a horse before getting cut. UGH! I swear, it was ridiculous!

You might be asking, what was Daisy doing through all this?? NOTHING. She stood stock still with a foot cocked and her head up with a look on her face like WHAT is going on?? Thank the Lord she is so mild natured. If I had had to deal with her as well who knows what would have happened.

Anyway, I've definitely learned my lesson and will NOT be going out there with Chloe any time soon. I don't know how I'm going to ride either if he is going to insist on being near Daisy at all times. Gosh, what a mess!! I basically begged the BIL to let me put his horse up for sale but he won't do it. Sigh. Hopefully he will see the light soon. Theres no reason for him to have to have a horse that is no use to him as opposed to a horse he can actually work with and ride. I for one would LOVE having someone to ride with AND get rid of a nuisance!

So on that happy note! LOL, I hope all is well with everyone else! And hopefully I will not take so long to post another entry! Till later!