Apr 17, 2006
Apr 16, 2006
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch
What a beautiful day it turned out to be. Didn't get out to the barn until 1:45-- my longtime friend pat picks me up as my car has been in the shop for over a month--stop at his place, go to the atm, drive through Cashman's for my bi-weekly bedding supply, then to the barn, finally. Unload the gear. Horses out, no one is at the barn yet. Kim's vet, the one that treated my dog is due out to follow up on her preparation to perform chiropractic medicine on dogs--she has to to do a stint with horses as part of certification. As I wrote though, no one out yet so pat leaves to go up the road to the nature preserve to take photos. I putter around, clean my stalls, Gwen arrives. She gets busy doing some stuff, then gets Treasure from the pasture. Eventually I get Wyatt from same, bring him in and curry off the gobs and gobs of hair. This is April, the moon when the ponies shed. For Wyatt, my shaggy ole appy, it will be July before he looses it all.
Eventually we're saddled up and ready to ride. No one else has arrived yet so we go out to ride along the fence line (basically a square around the 8 acre pasture). We'd only started down one side when Gwen sees the vet pull up and here comes Kim in her truck. "I think we can get all the way around if we hurry Gwen" I encourage. Gwen doesn't like the idea of hurrying. Treasure may stumble and hurt herself, or worse. I don't know what could be worse though.My take, at least the vet there! She wants to turn back in case she'll miss something important, like the cutomary jabbering before anything really starts. Oh well, ok, I give in. We head on into the paddock. Gwen starts untacking. I just loosen wyatt's girth a bit and remove his bridle and leave his rope halter on so he can graze over by the indoor arena. I planned more riding while everyone was busy but got interested in observing Dr. Feula and her brother in law (who is certified) check out Binafa, a 20 yr old arab mare.
They do Treasure, Magic, then look for another candidate. I had removed wyatt's saddle earlierwhile they were still working with the other horses. He also had creeped rather nonschalantly ever close to the "horse party" to keep an eye on things--he does that a lot--first he's in one spot busy grazing, then you look again and he's right behind you. Its as if he sprouted wings or like a childs toy horse or chess piece, he gets picked up and put down somewhere else by some unseen hand. Other times he just disappears into thin air. There is no end to his talents. Anyway "ok, you can try Wyatt here. He's not all that exciting but you can do him." They agree, since he's right there handy. Dr feula had been by a few weeks ago and had noticed his atlas bone seemed severely out of alignment. They looked at his teeth, showed me how his bite was a little askew. Brother in Law--really nice guy--does his probing and adjustments as Wyatt's lower lip just hangs limp. He closes his eyes while he gets all his hot spots worked on. They are treating for TMJ. When done, we look at his teeth again and I'm just amazed. His bite is as straight and perfect as can be.
After everyone except kim had left, (pat had returned as well and looked on from a lawn chair) pat and kim end up out front by the jeep. They talk while I resaddle wyatt to get our ride in. I mount up and we come out front by the jeep to chat a little first. Wyatt and I start off, going along slowly across the front of the drive and out of nowhere he gets all spunky and starts cantering as soon as we hit the grass and even goes over the old silo foundations.--which are the only two hills on the property unless you count the old manure pile, and where he often slips and takes rather carefully most times. Wow Wow, he's frisky and happy. We have a nice lope going down the long side of the fence & he doesn't want to stop as we turn the corner. I ease him into a trot reminding him this is the side that's way too bumpy. We make our way around, trotting then back to the gravel drive. Stop to chat again, then go back across the silo pads. He's trotting smoothly this time. We walk a little down the long side again. I turn him around, let him nibble, then head back. I encourage him into a lope again; he really wants to go faster but I know his trick of cutting around the corner fence post where he knows someday I will wack my leg, but so far his aim hasn't been that good. I still don't know if thats on purporse. That's his fun game, his little joke, a reminder that he could be one up on me if he really wanted to We end up loping all the way past the jeep. Were on the gravel drive now and I'm warning him "easy now, you know how you slip here" he ignores me, full of his new found confidence. We wiz by kim and pat I wave both hi and goodbye. By now I'm chuckling over the "wild ride" and Wyatt seems to be pleased with himself. We slow down by the side of the barn which is a favorite place to graze. I dismount, still chuckling and give him a gentle pat and scratch behind his ears. I bring him around to the front drive and untack, ask pat to keep an eye out while he grazes near the shrubbery which blocks the main road from view and I put the saddle in our locker.
Kim eventually leaves, I take Wyatt back out to the pasture. He waits patiently while I struggle with unwrapping the customary peppermint He takes it politely from my hand and saunters back to the herd. While pat goes to get gas I grain, throw hay, and water for the night so whoever was supposed to do it only has to bring the horses in. Since it was going on 8pm i kinda wondered why no one had been to the barn to feed. They may end up staying out all night, who knows. I cannot wait to tell the doc though about wyatt's rediscovered exhuberance. Amazing in that they made a fairly simple minor adjustment which made wyatt feel apparently free of much pain. He can be very reluctant to lope when he hurts, and loping is his favorite gait. I like to think Wyatt had a really good day too, feeling young and coltish and satisfied with life for the moment. It's days like these that make it really hard to leave the barn and spend the rest of the evening in the dull routine of the suburbs.
Eventually we're saddled up and ready to ride. No one else has arrived yet so we go out to ride along the fence line (basically a square around the 8 acre pasture). We'd only started down one side when Gwen sees the vet pull up and here comes Kim in her truck. "I think we can get all the way around if we hurry Gwen" I encourage. Gwen doesn't like the idea of hurrying. Treasure may stumble and hurt herself, or worse. I don't know what could be worse though.My take, at least the vet there! She wants to turn back in case she'll miss something important, like the cutomary jabbering before anything really starts. Oh well, ok, I give in. We head on into the paddock. Gwen starts untacking. I just loosen wyatt's girth a bit and remove his bridle and leave his rope halter on so he can graze over by the indoor arena. I planned more riding while everyone was busy but got interested in observing Dr. Feula and her brother in law (who is certified) check out Binafa, a 20 yr old arab mare.
They do Treasure, Magic, then look for another candidate. I had removed wyatt's saddle earlierwhile they were still working with the other horses. He also had creeped rather nonschalantly ever close to the "horse party" to keep an eye on things--he does that a lot--first he's in one spot busy grazing, then you look again and he's right behind you. Its as if he sprouted wings or like a childs toy horse or chess piece, he gets picked up and put down somewhere else by some unseen hand. Other times he just disappears into thin air. There is no end to his talents. Anyway "ok, you can try Wyatt here. He's not all that exciting but you can do him." They agree, since he's right there handy. Dr feula had been by a few weeks ago and had noticed his atlas bone seemed severely out of alignment. They looked at his teeth, showed me how his bite was a little askew. Brother in Law--really nice guy--does his probing and adjustments as Wyatt's lower lip just hangs limp. He closes his eyes while he gets all his hot spots worked on. They are treating for TMJ. When done, we look at his teeth again and I'm just amazed. His bite is as straight and perfect as can be.
After everyone except kim had left, (pat had returned as well and looked on from a lawn chair) pat and kim end up out front by the jeep. They talk while I resaddle wyatt to get our ride in. I mount up and we come out front by the jeep to chat a little first. Wyatt and I start off, going along slowly across the front of the drive and out of nowhere he gets all spunky and starts cantering as soon as we hit the grass and even goes over the old silo foundations.--which are the only two hills on the property unless you count the old manure pile, and where he often slips and takes rather carefully most times. Wow Wow, he's frisky and happy. We have a nice lope going down the long side of the fence & he doesn't want to stop as we turn the corner. I ease him into a trot reminding him this is the side that's way too bumpy. We make our way around, trotting then back to the gravel drive. Stop to chat again, then go back across the silo pads. He's trotting smoothly this time. We walk a little down the long side again. I turn him around, let him nibble, then head back. I encourage him into a lope again; he really wants to go faster but I know his trick of cutting around the corner fence post where he knows someday I will wack my leg, but so far his aim hasn't been that good. I still don't know if thats on purporse. That's his fun game, his little joke, a reminder that he could be one up on me if he really wanted to We end up loping all the way past the jeep. Were on the gravel drive now and I'm warning him "easy now, you know how you slip here" he ignores me, full of his new found confidence. We wiz by kim and pat I wave both hi and goodbye. By now I'm chuckling over the "wild ride" and Wyatt seems to be pleased with himself. We slow down by the side of the barn which is a favorite place to graze. I dismount, still chuckling and give him a gentle pat and scratch behind his ears. I bring him around to the front drive and untack, ask pat to keep an eye out while he grazes near the shrubbery which blocks the main road from view and I put the saddle in our locker.
Kim eventually leaves, I take Wyatt back out to the pasture. He waits patiently while I struggle with unwrapping the customary peppermint He takes it politely from my hand and saunters back to the herd. While pat goes to get gas I grain, throw hay, and water for the night so whoever was supposed to do it only has to bring the horses in. Since it was going on 8pm i kinda wondered why no one had been to the barn to feed. They may end up staying out all night, who knows. I cannot wait to tell the doc though about wyatt's rediscovered exhuberance. Amazing in that they made a fairly simple minor adjustment which made wyatt feel apparently free of much pain. He can be very reluctant to lope when he hurts, and loping is his favorite gait. I like to think Wyatt had a really good day too, feeling young and coltish and satisfied with life for the moment. It's days like these that make it really hard to leave the barn and spend the rest of the evening in the dull routine of the suburbs.
Apr 8, 2006
The Last Week or So
Still on the job search so I can get out of the call center environment. Some prospects but life in limbo is the pits. Missing Amy lots. She's been my loyal companion especially in her last days, and there are those empty moments--like coming home from work and she's not there to greet me, or I pass her dog dish where I catch myself and pause, because I almost reached for her biscuts to toss in there and then remember, "oh, yeah...
My friends and I have been meeting at the barn on Sundays or Thursdays--my days off. We've actually had a few less frigid rides. Last Sunday when it was mostly sunny and not quite so windy, Gwen and I rode across the only field left that hasn't been plowed or sown yet and explored the County Home property across the way. We rode all around the main house and outbuildings. Rode around a little marsh pond where we scared up some ducks. Wyatt was a little edgy about this but not too bad. I let him sample anything he wanted, so he could compare and contrast with what is in his own overgrazed pasture. This made the ride worth his while in his opinion. From the property we can still see the barn and all the other horses grazing in the pasture so we didn't have to worry too much that Wyatt, and Gwen's horse Treasure, would be to jiggy for us to have a nice ride. We couldn't spend too much time as Gwen had to get back to take her daughter to walmart and dinner--The payback for a few hours spent with her horse. It would have been nice if we could have dismounted, let the horses graze while we had a snack and then maybe ride even further up to route 42 where Wyatt used to live.
My friends and I have been meeting at the barn on Sundays or Thursdays--my days off. We've actually had a few less frigid rides. Last Sunday when it was mostly sunny and not quite so windy, Gwen and I rode across the only field left that hasn't been plowed or sown yet and explored the County Home property across the way. We rode all around the main house and outbuildings. Rode around a little marsh pond where we scared up some ducks. Wyatt was a little edgy about this but not too bad. I let him sample anything he wanted, so he could compare and contrast with what is in his own overgrazed pasture. This made the ride worth his while in his opinion. From the property we can still see the barn and all the other horses grazing in the pasture so we didn't have to worry too much that Wyatt, and Gwen's horse Treasure, would be to jiggy for us to have a nice ride. We couldn't spend too much time as Gwen had to get back to take her daughter to walmart and dinner--The payback for a few hours spent with her horse. It would have been nice if we could have dismounted, let the horses graze while we had a snack and then maybe ride even further up to route 42 where Wyatt used to live.
Apr 1, 2006
Goodbye
Amy, my loyal companion, soul mate, barn dog extrodinaire left this world today, March 31, 2006.
You fought hard to stay alive, my friend.
In the end, though, you couldn't conquer death.
But neither did death conquer you.
Death cures all disease, mends all broken bones,
breaks all chains
And made you free at last.
--from Good-bye My Friend
Mary and Herb Montgomery
Mar 18, 2006
Keep your day job....
At work the other day between calls a couple of us in our row at the call center had a conversation about karoke. I recomended an indie film I had seen involving the same subject. Of course I couldn't think of the name of the film at the time and trying to describe it just brought blank stares. Needless to say I finally had time to look it up on the net. Jackpot (2001) written by Michael and Mark polish, directed by Michael, and starring Jon Gries as Sonny Holiday, Garrett Morris is exceptional as his manager, Daryl Hannah (friend of the polish bros) Peggy Lipton, Adam Baldwin etc.
Here's a summary: In a beat up pink chrysler, Sonny & Lester (Morris) travel the karoke circut across the desolate western landscape making their stops in sweltering, barely habitable towns to perform in contests held by a variety of swanky lounges and honky-tonks. This is sonny's"big tour" where fame and fortune are just a "pop-song" away. The tone of the film hums with a sense of estrangement, solomnity and many disappointments, but juxtaposed with sonny's character, who takes himself very seriously while donned in his fringed jacket and cowboy boots(picture Dwight Yokum before he could afford the nudie jacket) crooning to Billy Idol's Eyes Without a Face, you just have to break out laughing and laughing--til you start feeling embarassed for Sonny, but not for long because sonny is a prick-- in a way, the karoke theme lends a portion of humility to the otherwise cranky and ego-centric Sonny.
Like the other films by the polish brothers (Twin Falls Idaho, Northfork) , this one is really about relationships. Relationships between sonny and lester and the people sonny has estranged. The dialogue is rich as in the other films and Lester has some very sage comments throughout. The drama culminates as Sonny reunites with his brother, but I can't remember if he completely gives up his notion of fame as a karoke cowboy. I do know that they end up with a heck of a lot of miracle cleaner they haven't been able to unload.
Here's a summary: In a beat up pink chrysler, Sonny & Lester (Morris) travel the karoke circut across the desolate western landscape making their stops in sweltering, barely habitable towns to perform in contests held by a variety of swanky lounges and honky-tonks. This is sonny's"big tour" where fame and fortune are just a "pop-song" away. The tone of the film hums with a sense of estrangement, solomnity and many disappointments, but juxtaposed with sonny's character, who takes himself very seriously while donned in his fringed jacket and cowboy boots(picture Dwight Yokum before he could afford the nudie jacket) crooning to Billy Idol's Eyes Without a Face, you just have to break out laughing and laughing--til you start feeling embarassed for Sonny, but not for long because sonny is a prick-- in a way, the karoke theme lends a portion of humility to the otherwise cranky and ego-centric Sonny.
Like the other films by the polish brothers (Twin Falls Idaho, Northfork) , this one is really about relationships. Relationships between sonny and lester and the people sonny has estranged. The dialogue is rich as in the other films and Lester has some very sage comments throughout. The drama culminates as Sonny reunites with his brother, but I can't remember if he completely gives up his notion of fame as a karoke cowboy. I do know that they end up with a heck of a lot of miracle cleaner they haven't been able to unload.
Mar 14, 2006
Paint the Horse
Paint the Horse a horse blog at journal space, here's a cowboy blog, comment's later... here's a nice blog about ranch life in general called The Long Journey home
While you were sleeping...
While you were sleeping... the afore menioned link is where i had been sporadically posting whenever i had internet access and to keep my account active at journalspace. A few posts there track some of the goings on with the horses and myself--and my dog Amy. Rather than re post everything here at horsephiles, the journalspace entries can be referred to if you are really curious about the last year and why the horsephiles entries are far and few between
I do want to say a few things here about Amy, our once family dog, (kids are grown and on their own), now my constant companion & with me through the saga of my move up north and back. Amy has had the misfortune to be afflicted with a tumor on her belly which began to make its presence last july and has continued to grow at an alarming rate. The vet says that at her age she probably would not survive an operation. Performing a biopsy would be a moot point, for cancer or not, it's mere size will begin to hamper her quality of life. When this happens, or if she stops eating, or if she starts developing neurological or respiratory problems, that will be the time to let her go and kindly put her down. She is being treated with steroids to keep her comfortable.We were hoping that the steroid therapy might shrink the mass but it hasn't. The prednisone has been helping for quite a while but will not be able to keep her symptoms under control forever. For now, I just make the most of every moment I spend with her. I wish everyday could be Amy day, but since I work in an office she can't come with me. Instead she prefers to stay faithfully in my room until I get home. She does get all the peanut butter biscuts she wants, she gets to come to the barn with me on barn days and hang out, which she loves--helping with the barn chores or snoozing in the car if she gets too tired, and she gets a lot more hamburgers than she used to.
I do want to say a few things here about Amy, our once family dog, (kids are grown and on their own), now my constant companion & with me through the saga of my move up north and back. Amy has had the misfortune to be afflicted with a tumor on her belly which began to make its presence last july and has continued to grow at an alarming rate. The vet says that at her age she probably would not survive an operation. Performing a biopsy would be a moot point, for cancer or not, it's mere size will begin to hamper her quality of life. When this happens, or if she stops eating, or if she starts developing neurological or respiratory problems, that will be the time to let her go and kindly put her down. She is being treated with steroids to keep her comfortable.We were hoping that the steroid therapy might shrink the mass but it hasn't. The prednisone has been helping for quite a while but will not be able to keep her symptoms under control forever. For now, I just make the most of every moment I spend with her. I wish everyday could be Amy day, but since I work in an office she can't come with me. Instead she prefers to stay faithfully in my room until I get home. She does get all the peanut butter biscuts she wants, she gets to come to the barn with me on barn days and hang out, which she loves--helping with the barn chores or snoozing in the car if she gets too tired, and she gets a lot more hamburgers than she used to.
Mar 10, 2006
CANTER Ohio: Providing retiring racehorses with opportunities for new careers after the finish line.
I stop at this site once in a while when I wanna play, "hmm, if I were horse-shopping, which horse would I buy." CANTER Ohio: Providing retiring racehorses with opportunities for new careers after the finish line. I've always been impressed by Canter's determination to place ex racehorses in new homes and careers after their usefulness at the track is spent--at usually such an early age too. I read somewhere that among the various breeds of horses, the ones most likely to end up in the kill pen are first, thoroghbreds, then arabians, then something like standard breds--I think that's after they've (the standard breds) gone from track, to hauling an amish buggy around day in and day out for a couple of years til they're near death anyway, and arabs, well, don't really need to explain why they end up there, but thoroghbreds-- so few out of the many prospects make the grade or bring in the cash enough to justify the feed and vet bills. Then, the same as arabs, thoroghbreds are just too high on the maintenance scale for people who want a pleasure horse. The hunter-jumpers and dressage junkies don't just want a plain old thoroughbred anymore, as the warmblood, or any kind of european sporthorse is the thing to have. But I, like some others ,still happen to enjoy thoroughbreds. I love their personalities and their sensitivity and I get sad when I hear about their so often unhappy fates, like one example our local canter points out in the trainer section adoption ads:
SOLD - Big Time Sentence - At the SugarCreek, OH auction kill pen -- His fate is unknown!! Please help us stop this from happening by donating money to our "Pal Joey" fund to facilitate the purchase of these "at risk" horses.
If you go to that page and see the picture of Big Time perhaps the sad truth will hit home that these quality animals end up meeting this kind of fate. Such a waste, well, I hope he tastes good to someone in France or makes a nice handbag for someone -- our local canter is asking for foster care volunteers, especially for the Beulah park horses. Now you bet that if i were lucky enough to have my own successful horse operation, I would always reserve at least one stall for a foster or rescue project. To me that goes with the territory--to offer something back to the equine community that I derive so much joy and happiness from and was probably benefiting financially . Even if I was only breaking even, I would be compelled to make that small sacrifice. What the heck is an extra ration of grain and hay going to set you back, you know?
SOLD - Big Time Sentence - At the SugarCreek, OH auction kill pen -- His fate is unknown!! Please help us stop this from happening by donating money to our "Pal Joey" fund to facilitate the purchase of these "at risk" horses.
If you go to that page and see the picture of Big Time perhaps the sad truth will hit home that these quality animals end up meeting this kind of fate. Such a waste, well, I hope he tastes good to someone in France or makes a nice handbag for someone -- our local canter is asking for foster care volunteers, especially for the Beulah park horses. Now you bet that if i were lucky enough to have my own successful horse operation, I would always reserve at least one stall for a foster or rescue project. To me that goes with the territory--to offer something back to the equine community that I derive so much joy and happiness from and was probably benefiting financially . Even if I was only breaking even, I would be compelled to make that small sacrifice. What the heck is an extra ration of grain and hay going to set you back, you know?
Mar 7, 2006
I personally loved the jeans
I found my original post and yes, Brokeback Mountain is included in Still Wild. Why, of course Mc Murtrey and Ossana would win for best screenplay adaptation from blah blah blah, whatever the category. So I had to check and see who this Annie prude, Annie prew, whoever the heck they were talking about was, so I checked my old post--here's the link--and have been digging around at barnes and noble reading the reviews of Still Wild (click my link toward the bottom of the page to go to barnes and noble, don't know what happened to the thumbnail of the book though)
Ohhh...that's who they were talking about. Annie Proulx. Well, ok how could I have forgotten that. Ms Proulx who won the pulizer prize for Shipping News is another of my fav's and for a really great read check out her latest or last to latest That old Ace in the Hole. And no, ha, ha, ha, despite the title, it is not a sequel to Brokeback Mountain.
Fear not.
Ohhh...that's who they were talking about. Annie Proulx. Well, ok how could I have forgotten that. Ms Proulx who won the pulizer prize for Shipping News is another of my fav's and for a really great read check out her latest or last to latest That old Ace in the Hole. And no, ha, ha, ha, despite the title, it is not a sequel to Brokeback Mountain.
Fear not.
Mar 4, 2006
Still in limbo
Haven't posted in so long that Still Wild, Mc Murtry's collection of stories from the west that Id featured is fashionable once again...I believe Brokeback Mountain is included in this collection. I'd check for sure but the book is packed away or got thrown out by accident when I moved. At any rate, Still worth reading.
Jun 7, 2005
Update, finally.....
I'm still working at my new job--indoors in the air conditioning. Oh, I'm so glad for that--not having to clean 17 or so stalls and then run around all day in 90 degree temps bringing horses in and out. I am stuck on the phone all day answering tech support calls. More on that later maybe. Had the last two days off. Today gave both my horses much needed baths and of course they loved it. Hand grazed them afterwards and put them back in their nice cool stalls all clean and fresh. They are happy.
Time to drive back home---no internet up north where the new house is. Here in town at the old house to check in. After July 1st, won't be here at all as the house has been sold.
I'm still working at my new job--indoors in the air conditioning. Oh, I'm so glad for that--not having to clean 17 or so stalls and then run around all day in 90 degree temps bringing horses in and out. I am stuck on the phone all day answering tech support calls. More on that later maybe. Had the last two days off. Today gave both my horses much needed baths and of course they loved it. Hand grazed them afterwards and put them back in their nice cool stalls all clean and fresh. They are happy.
Time to drive back home---no internet up north where the new house is. Here in town at the old house to check in. After July 1st, won't be here at all as the house has been sold.
May 12, 2005
Jan 22, 2005
What the Storm Blew In...
Big Fancy Barn (as I will refer to it herein and to distinguish it from Lady and Wyatt's more humble facility) is convieniently located near the on/off ramp of a big interstate. Wouldn't you know one unseasonably warm rainy day we get a visit from this guy who was en route with his cute dog and horses in tow from New York to warmer pastures. Apparently north of us was a major snow storm and he needed a short layover so everyone could settle a bit. Don't know the details of how he found us, but those of us affiliated with Big Fancy Barn are nice people for the most part so of course he was welcome to regroup and do what he needed to get back on the road.
Anyway, this guy was Gregg Miron of Throwing Stones Farm. He's a clinician and trainer who has developed his own program: Redefining Horsemanship (I don't know how to do the registered symbol, just pretend it's there.) His program does not wholly embrace one particular brand of training such as NH, but, to quote his literature he "applies the science of interpreting your horses body language to predict their emotions while applying individualized training techniques to accomplish the desired outcome." Well, it sounds kinda sexy and since I am interested in equine behavior and psychology myself and have recieved training in natural horsemanship methods and use them successfully, I'm happy to include a link to his site. I'm also happy to promote anything that improves the horse/human relationship thereby making life better for owners and their horses. I do remind you that being a lowly farm laboror at Big Fancy Barn without a lot of time for in depth conversations let alone chit chat, I can't say if I completely endorse his program, but he was a nice person, treated his horses well and his dog was nice.
Big Fancy Barn (as I will refer to it herein and to distinguish it from Lady and Wyatt's more humble facility) is convieniently located near the on/off ramp of a big interstate. Wouldn't you know one unseasonably warm rainy day we get a visit from this guy who was en route with his cute dog and horses in tow from New York to warmer pastures. Apparently north of us was a major snow storm and he needed a short layover so everyone could settle a bit. Don't know the details of how he found us, but those of us affiliated with Big Fancy Barn are nice people for the most part so of course he was welcome to regroup and do what he needed to get back on the road.
Anyway, this guy was Gregg Miron of Throwing Stones Farm. He's a clinician and trainer who has developed his own program: Redefining Horsemanship (I don't know how to do the registered symbol, just pretend it's there.) His program does not wholly embrace one particular brand of training such as NH, but, to quote his literature he "applies the science of interpreting your horses body language to predict their emotions while applying individualized training techniques to accomplish the desired outcome." Well, it sounds kinda sexy and since I am interested in equine behavior and psychology myself and have recieved training in natural horsemanship methods and use them successfully, I'm happy to include a link to his site. I'm also happy to promote anything that improves the horse/human relationship thereby making life better for owners and their horses. I do remind you that being a lowly farm laboror at Big Fancy Barn without a lot of time for in depth conversations let alone chit chat, I can't say if I completely endorse his program, but he was a nice person, treated his horses well and his dog was nice.
Great Tack and Supplies
I've been meaning to update--really I have!
Formerly located in Michigan, Equus Now! has relocated its store and warehouse to the Central Ohio area.Lucky for us! It's a place I often stop to get a quick fix for my horse habit when I can't get out to ride. While they say they carry the higher end brands and cater to the more discriminating horsey set, don't make the mistake of thinking they are just a bunch of snooty english people! Everyone there is really nice (try not to mess up their floor with your dirty barn boots, though) and I find their prices reasonable--lots of sale merchandise too. You can also register for contests--our barn placed and won spiffy personalized ball caps--and you can receive an informative monthly newsletter which simplifies those life conundrums such as "Hm, what's with all those blankets, sheets, and junk and when should my horse wear them?"
The store is located near Polaris, just off Polaris Parkway (look for a bunch of wharehouses past old state):
Equus Now!
9042 Cotter St.
Lewis Center, OH 43035
Store: 740 549-4959 Fax: 740-549-4960
If you're not fortunate enough to live near the warehouse and shop in the flesh, you can shop online by clicking the link in the text or in the links section.
I've been meaning to update--really I have!
Formerly located in Michigan, Equus Now! has relocated its store and warehouse to the Central Ohio area.Lucky for us! It's a place I often stop to get a quick fix for my horse habit when I can't get out to ride. While they say they carry the higher end brands and cater to the more discriminating horsey set, don't make the mistake of thinking they are just a bunch of snooty english people! Everyone there is really nice (try not to mess up their floor with your dirty barn boots, though) and I find their prices reasonable--lots of sale merchandise too. You can also register for contests--our barn placed and won spiffy personalized ball caps--and you can receive an informative monthly newsletter which simplifies those life conundrums such as "Hm, what's with all those blankets, sheets, and junk and when should my horse wear them?"
The store is located near Polaris, just off Polaris Parkway (look for a bunch of wharehouses past old state):
Equus Now!
9042 Cotter St.
Lewis Center, OH 43035
Store: 740 549-4959 Fax: 740-549-4960
If you're not fortunate enough to live near the warehouse and shop in the flesh, you can shop online by clicking the link in the text or in the links section.
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch...
Here it is January already. I wish I could say that Spring is just around the corner. Actually, I don't like spring all that much what with the rain and mushy ground, inaccessable trails and bridle paths, yet most of our winter in Central Ohio and surrounding areas has been just that. We had a big Snow/Ice storm in December, just before Christmas, and soon after incredible rains and flooding. The ice storm brought huge branches crashing down all over the house starting at 3am and by morning it seemed a war zone on my front porch and all around the perimiter of my house. The whole neighborhood was really a mess. I didn't make it to work--a level 3 snow emergency--but did feel guilty. The next day was Christmas eve so we only had half a day of work, but the snow and cold temperatures made it a challenge. The horses could not go out even in the paddocks, but many of the boarders and clients came out to ride. Many people lost electricity, and our barn veternarian went without power for more than five days. She keeps horses as well, so I was surprised to see as much of her as we did, and that she was just as cheerful and full of her wry and leathery sense of humor as usual.
After Christmas we had the brief thaw. Most people would have done well to build arks during the holidays. I didn't see much of my horses as working in the contant pouring rain caring for the horses at the big barn had me wet and muddy through and through by the end of the day. What is sad is that at the "Big Fancy Barn" there isn't very much mud to contend with, but the stalls flooded and made the heavier work heavier still. When I was able to find some shred of energy I stopped by to check on Wyatt and Lady, even though I had to drive out of my way as the road was flooded at the little train overpass on the main road. In this though, I did get to see what was beyond skinner road and bowtown to get back to the main highway. This is an area where I could ride if I was feeling ambitious and Wyatt was sound--and if it wasn't pouring rain. The weather has turned cold again, with a new dusting of snow and more on the horizon. Stopped to see the horses yesterday. I had a hard time opening the sliding door--frozen, but the sun was shining and would have been perfect for the horses to be out munching hay. Got the door open, let my two out and considered letting the others out with some hay, but the heater has been removed from the pasture trough and no water. I didn't want to turn them out with hay but no water all afternoon and no one on the property. I threw everyone a flake of hay--I suspect most of my horses weight is from grain and not hay--which really makes me irritated, let alone my horses gut! After Lady and Wyatt frolicked a little and kicked up there heels they figured out no one else was coming out to play so they made their way back near the gate. When they heard everyone getting hay they reluctantly came back into the barn and went in their stalls. I gave them some horse snacks in there feed tub and shut up the barn, turned out the lights and said "Goodbye". Well, this is really the last thing I want my horses to put up with. At least they are eating better than last year, but they have spent the majority of their time this season shut up in a dark barn with no hay all afternoon. While it's pleasant enough for a horse to spend the afternoon outside where they belong, there is no one to put them out. The new owner spends very little time on the property due to his schedule and will hire no one on a regular basis to care for the horses as stated on the boarding agreement, hence, the horses stand around all day in an open pasture often exposed to cold rain with windy conditions (Ohio) and no shelter and no one coming for hours to bring them in, unless one of us, the boarders happens by or they stand in their stalls all day long with no hay in between the early morning and late night feed. This is a card carrying professional horse trainer. I'm sure he believes that he's taking great care of our horses, other than leaving them out in bad conditions, they are cared for about the same as some of the horses he's stalled for private clients--stand around in a dark stall, no hay, no real socialization with the other horses. Well, what does that say? Hm, what to do.
So, not only do I not see my horses enough, nor are they cared for as well as I would like, the last two months have me with extremely sore muscles--I'm waking up in the night with horrible muscle spasms--much attributed to the awful bedding we've been using at Fancy Barn since October-- you may as well be bedding the horses with limestone. No one there seems to get it--I'd never have this bedding in my barn if I ran one--and that's what has been ordered on purpose because it's "not as dusty" The stalls at this facility are bedded heavily so this bedding requires twice as much to prevent hock sores. This is the bedding none of the other barns want so it really is crap and it's much easier for the horses to get cast with it if it's not kept in the right place. We've had a lot of that going on too, horses getting cast with this bedding. Well, I warned them the problems this stuff would cause and now has, but everyone seems to look the other way, including the owner. You have to wonder--just because someone doesn't want to admit being wrong. Well, the bedding does have some benefits--you really cant fluff it up or use the dry bedding from the corners to make it last. It just gets wet and turns black in a hurry so you have to strip the stalls almost every day. Certain people in charge of the bedding and things like that at the barn like this because it takes more time to clean the stalls than we are supposed to be taking, and if we work faster than this person and our stalls look crummy, they can prove their point that it should take all day to clean the stalls to clean them right--or, that we suck at cleaning stalls but this person doesn't. I really love working closely with people who have an inferiority complex. It makes your job ever so much more enjoyable than if you worked with rational people.
Ok, there were some good things--Gwen and Brenda both called me on my birthday while I was at work getting irritated by J. and they were welcome and thoughtful calls--a reminder that I'm not really shut up all day devoid of reasonable people. Brenda invited me for birthday dinner with her family (gwen invite too but not able to make it) at her home complete with cake. I went and felt ever the "birthday girl" as her 5 year old son referred to me. Thank you Brenda, Dave and Ben--it was delicious and belive it or not, no one has ever done that for me before. The Birthday Girl is very happy! Alright--ending on a happy note :-)
Here it is January already. I wish I could say that Spring is just around the corner. Actually, I don't like spring all that much what with the rain and mushy ground, inaccessable trails and bridle paths, yet most of our winter in Central Ohio and surrounding areas has been just that. We had a big Snow/Ice storm in December, just before Christmas, and soon after incredible rains and flooding. The ice storm brought huge branches crashing down all over the house starting at 3am and by morning it seemed a war zone on my front porch and all around the perimiter of my house. The whole neighborhood was really a mess. I didn't make it to work--a level 3 snow emergency--but did feel guilty. The next day was Christmas eve so we only had half a day of work, but the snow and cold temperatures made it a challenge. The horses could not go out even in the paddocks, but many of the boarders and clients came out to ride. Many people lost electricity, and our barn veternarian went without power for more than five days. She keeps horses as well, so I was surprised to see as much of her as we did, and that she was just as cheerful and full of her wry and leathery sense of humor as usual.
After Christmas we had the brief thaw. Most people would have done well to build arks during the holidays. I didn't see much of my horses as working in the contant pouring rain caring for the horses at the big barn had me wet and muddy through and through by the end of the day. What is sad is that at the "Big Fancy Barn" there isn't very much mud to contend with, but the stalls flooded and made the heavier work heavier still. When I was able to find some shred of energy I stopped by to check on Wyatt and Lady, even though I had to drive out of my way as the road was flooded at the little train overpass on the main road. In this though, I did get to see what was beyond skinner road and bowtown to get back to the main highway. This is an area where I could ride if I was feeling ambitious and Wyatt was sound--and if it wasn't pouring rain. The weather has turned cold again, with a new dusting of snow and more on the horizon. Stopped to see the horses yesterday. I had a hard time opening the sliding door--frozen, but the sun was shining and would have been perfect for the horses to be out munching hay. Got the door open, let my two out and considered letting the others out with some hay, but the heater has been removed from the pasture trough and no water. I didn't want to turn them out with hay but no water all afternoon and no one on the property. I threw everyone a flake of hay--I suspect most of my horses weight is from grain and not hay--which really makes me irritated, let alone my horses gut! After Lady and Wyatt frolicked a little and kicked up there heels they figured out no one else was coming out to play so they made their way back near the gate. When they heard everyone getting hay they reluctantly came back into the barn and went in their stalls. I gave them some horse snacks in there feed tub and shut up the barn, turned out the lights and said "Goodbye". Well, this is really the last thing I want my horses to put up with. At least they are eating better than last year, but they have spent the majority of their time this season shut up in a dark barn with no hay all afternoon. While it's pleasant enough for a horse to spend the afternoon outside where they belong, there is no one to put them out. The new owner spends very little time on the property due to his schedule and will hire no one on a regular basis to care for the horses as stated on the boarding agreement, hence, the horses stand around all day in an open pasture often exposed to cold rain with windy conditions (Ohio) and no shelter and no one coming for hours to bring them in, unless one of us, the boarders happens by or they stand in their stalls all day long with no hay in between the early morning and late night feed. This is a card carrying professional horse trainer. I'm sure he believes that he's taking great care of our horses, other than leaving them out in bad conditions, they are cared for about the same as some of the horses he's stalled for private clients--stand around in a dark stall, no hay, no real socialization with the other horses. Well, what does that say? Hm, what to do.
So, not only do I not see my horses enough, nor are they cared for as well as I would like, the last two months have me with extremely sore muscles--I'm waking up in the night with horrible muscle spasms--much attributed to the awful bedding we've been using at Fancy Barn since October-- you may as well be bedding the horses with limestone. No one there seems to get it--I'd never have this bedding in my barn if I ran one--and that's what has been ordered on purpose because it's "not as dusty" The stalls at this facility are bedded heavily so this bedding requires twice as much to prevent hock sores. This is the bedding none of the other barns want so it really is crap and it's much easier for the horses to get cast with it if it's not kept in the right place. We've had a lot of that going on too, horses getting cast with this bedding. Well, I warned them the problems this stuff would cause and now has, but everyone seems to look the other way, including the owner. You have to wonder--just because someone doesn't want to admit being wrong. Well, the bedding does have some benefits--you really cant fluff it up or use the dry bedding from the corners to make it last. It just gets wet and turns black in a hurry so you have to strip the stalls almost every day. Certain people in charge of the bedding and things like that at the barn like this because it takes more time to clean the stalls than we are supposed to be taking, and if we work faster than this person and our stalls look crummy, they can prove their point that it should take all day to clean the stalls to clean them right--or, that we suck at cleaning stalls but this person doesn't. I really love working closely with people who have an inferiority complex. It makes your job ever so much more enjoyable than if you worked with rational people.
Ok, there were some good things--Gwen and Brenda both called me on my birthday while I was at work getting irritated by J. and they were welcome and thoughtful calls--a reminder that I'm not really shut up all day devoid of reasonable people. Brenda invited me for birthday dinner with her family (gwen invite too but not able to make it) at her home complete with cake. I went and felt ever the "birthday girl" as her 5 year old son referred to me. Thank you Brenda, Dave and Ben--it was delicious and belive it or not, no one has ever done that for me before. The Birthday Girl is very happy! Alright--ending on a happy note :-)
Nov 13, 2004
Home on the range
Don't think because I never post to this blog that I have no life! Well, really I don't but I'm very busy at not having one. Still working at Hunter/Jumpers-R-US. Some days are great, some not so much, other days--lets just leave it at that. Though I've been riding a lot more this summer and fall on my own horses I am beginning to feel landlocked. Attempted to ride to the trails at Alum Creek with my reluctant riding buddies in tow (they have no faith in me). Alum Creek has a reputation for being very challenging and very muddy--not for the faint at heart--which us gals are.
Here's one way to get to the Alum trails and the story of our adventure:
After encouraging our horses that yes, (even though we're lying) it's really ok to cross the highway which borders the front of the barn where the traffic averages 50 to 65 mph. we hurry across the slippery pavement and ride along the grassy berm of the road with corn rows flanking our right, speeding traffic to our left. We then turn right and ride between the same cornfield which is now adjacent to someone's very nice yard where they always have a little brush pile smoldering and this day is no exeception. My horse Wyatt and I ride by this all the time but typical for Wyatt, he tries to capitalize on the FIRE! hazard and glues his back hooves into the ground so he can hopefully surprise me while he whips around in a type of rollback manuever, which will allow him to head back to the barn at full speed. Of course, this same manuever he finds he's incapable of doing when you ask him. It doesn't help that Lady, my arab, can see us from the pasture, though it's quite far in the distance, and we can hear her calling and calling for us to "come back, come back oh, please come back!" I'm always prepared for this scenerio to come up so Wyatt's ploy is foiled yet again as I remind him that ok, we'll either go round and round in tight, uncomfortable circles until we proceed ahead or if we do go back you'll work your horsey BEhind off.
Anyway, we ride along until we get to the treeline where we turn and try find some break in the corn rows to get to a meadow, while at the same time hoping we can avoid that very deep hole that we can't see but know the estimated location of (could that be a fox den, or maybe something bigger?). We manage to locate a possible break and away we go crashing through the corn stalks which our horses have now learned to grab and carry as a souveniers everytime we ride here. Ok, so that now we're in the meadow with our horses still carrying two to three foot long corn stalks in their mouths, we mosey along the wide grassy paths cut through wide groups of trees and brush and eventually arrive along the property owner's drive. Here we take a small feeder road which will then take us briefly to the southern edge of Kilbourne on SR 24. We make it to the entrance off Old State and step about three feet onto the woodsy trail which is pretty, but abruptly descends down into a ravine. Never Mind! Although my horse was rather excited about being in the woods again as he is supposed to be a trail horse, I try to contain his excitement while we all have to manuever in a very small space and pick around in the undergrowth just to get ourselves turned around again, which is an adventure in itself considering my claustraphobia and agoraphobia thrown into the mix. Wyatt is rather disappointed about the human whimp factor. Treasure and Dancer--well they just seem a little perplexed but obediently await the next command from their mounts--which is of course, mission aborted, c'mon, lets go.
So, back we go the way we came and as we arrive at the driveway that we will follow back to the meadow, the property owner has saddled up and is just getting on her pretty red quarter horse to go for her ride. My friends and their horses want to stop and chat, but Wyatt has no time for that. From his perspective he didn't expend any energy picking his way along a trail so he may as well use it to get home faster. None of this nonsense of walking along pleasantly and gawking at all the nice scenery because he's seen it before. While my friends are shooting the breeze with their unsoured and perfectly behaved horses, mine is prancing, pawing, and jumping up on his front feet trying to torque around so that maybe he will lose me. Wyatt and I end up just turning round and round in tight little circles once again while my friends finish their unhurried conversation. Eventually Wyatt decides it's too much bother to fight and is ok on the way back home, but I ride him a little bit longer when we get to the paddock at our barn, just to add my 2 cents.
Now if my friends and I could get it together, we could get someone to trailer us to the better parts of the creek, but our schedules hardly ever mesh. Oftentimes we just miss each other when we've come to the barn to ride. We are so busy with the demands of the non-equestrian world. Trying to fit our horses into our schedules more often than not is a stolen moment from family, jobs and other responsibilites. There are people involved in our lives who are also competing for our time and attention. Often will come a reminder, sometime subtle sometimes not, that they think we are being selfish, that they are not as worthy of our time, we maybe prefer our expensive, high maintanence "pets" over them. The guilt factor adds its influence to the not-enough-time-as-it-is factor, always worming its way into our conscience and warrented or not, imposing a sense of urgency to our equine activity which is supposed to be our way to relax and slow down in a hyper-drive society.
In closing, what could be viewed as a disappointing ride since we had to abort our plans, was not disappointing at all I remind myself: I spent time with my horse and my horse friends and took in some beautiful scenery, found yet another way to get to the trails which opens up new possibilities, found out what my limits and Wyatt's are and am encouraged to find a way to minimize them. I had to be creative, take chances and be brave. These are are valuable pursuits and allow for not just wasting time riding around and having fun and ignoring responsibilities, but avenues towards self-examination and improvement. I am still feeling landlocked, but rather than giving up and accepting it, I vow to continue to find new ways to pick my way around the barriers and perhaps new paths will open up. I have my horses and my horsey freinds to thank for this.
Don't think because I never post to this blog that I have no life! Well, really I don't but I'm very busy at not having one. Still working at Hunter/Jumpers-R-US. Some days are great, some not so much, other days--lets just leave it at that. Though I've been riding a lot more this summer and fall on my own horses I am beginning to feel landlocked. Attempted to ride to the trails at Alum Creek with my reluctant riding buddies in tow (they have no faith in me). Alum Creek has a reputation for being very challenging and very muddy--not for the faint at heart--which us gals are.
Here's one way to get to the Alum trails and the story of our adventure:
After encouraging our horses that yes, (even though we're lying) it's really ok to cross the highway which borders the front of the barn where the traffic averages 50 to 65 mph. we hurry across the slippery pavement and ride along the grassy berm of the road with corn rows flanking our right, speeding traffic to our left. We then turn right and ride between the same cornfield which is now adjacent to someone's very nice yard where they always have a little brush pile smoldering and this day is no exeception. My horse Wyatt and I ride by this all the time but typical for Wyatt, he tries to capitalize on the FIRE! hazard and glues his back hooves into the ground so he can hopefully surprise me while he whips around in a type of rollback manuever, which will allow him to head back to the barn at full speed. Of course, this same manuever he finds he's incapable of doing when you ask him. It doesn't help that Lady, my arab, can see us from the pasture, though it's quite far in the distance, and we can hear her calling and calling for us to "come back, come back oh, please come back!" I'm always prepared for this scenerio to come up so Wyatt's ploy is foiled yet again as I remind him that ok, we'll either go round and round in tight, uncomfortable circles until we proceed ahead or if we do go back you'll work your horsey BEhind off.
Anyway, we ride along until we get to the treeline where we turn and try find some break in the corn rows to get to a meadow, while at the same time hoping we can avoid that very deep hole that we can't see but know the estimated location of (could that be a fox den, or maybe something bigger?). We manage to locate a possible break and away we go crashing through the corn stalks which our horses have now learned to grab and carry as a souveniers everytime we ride here. Ok, so that now we're in the meadow with our horses still carrying two to three foot long corn stalks in their mouths, we mosey along the wide grassy paths cut through wide groups of trees and brush and eventually arrive along the property owner's drive. Here we take a small feeder road which will then take us briefly to the southern edge of Kilbourne on SR 24. We make it to the entrance off Old State and step about three feet onto the woodsy trail which is pretty, but abruptly descends down into a ravine. Never Mind! Although my horse was rather excited about being in the woods again as he is supposed to be a trail horse, I try to contain his excitement while we all have to manuever in a very small space and pick around in the undergrowth just to get ourselves turned around again, which is an adventure in itself considering my claustraphobia and agoraphobia thrown into the mix. Wyatt is rather disappointed about the human whimp factor. Treasure and Dancer--well they just seem a little perplexed but obediently await the next command from their mounts--which is of course, mission aborted, c'mon, lets go.
So, back we go the way we came and as we arrive at the driveway that we will follow back to the meadow, the property owner has saddled up and is just getting on her pretty red quarter horse to go for her ride. My friends and their horses want to stop and chat, but Wyatt has no time for that. From his perspective he didn't expend any energy picking his way along a trail so he may as well use it to get home faster. None of this nonsense of walking along pleasantly and gawking at all the nice scenery because he's seen it before. While my friends are shooting the breeze with their unsoured and perfectly behaved horses, mine is prancing, pawing, and jumping up on his front feet trying to torque around so that maybe he will lose me. Wyatt and I end up just turning round and round in tight little circles once again while my friends finish their unhurried conversation. Eventually Wyatt decides it's too much bother to fight and is ok on the way back home, but I ride him a little bit longer when we get to the paddock at our barn, just to add my 2 cents.
Now if my friends and I could get it together, we could get someone to trailer us to the better parts of the creek, but our schedules hardly ever mesh. Oftentimes we just miss each other when we've come to the barn to ride. We are so busy with the demands of the non-equestrian world. Trying to fit our horses into our schedules more often than not is a stolen moment from family, jobs and other responsibilites. There are people involved in our lives who are also competing for our time and attention. Often will come a reminder, sometime subtle sometimes not, that they think we are being selfish, that they are not as worthy of our time, we maybe prefer our expensive, high maintanence "pets" over them. The guilt factor adds its influence to the not-enough-time-as-it-is factor, always worming its way into our conscience and warrented or not, imposing a sense of urgency to our equine activity which is supposed to be our way to relax and slow down in a hyper-drive society.
In closing, what could be viewed as a disappointing ride since we had to abort our plans, was not disappointing at all I remind myself: I spent time with my horse and my horse friends and took in some beautiful scenery, found yet another way to get to the trails which opens up new possibilities, found out what my limits and Wyatt's are and am encouraged to find a way to minimize them. I had to be creative, take chances and be brave. These are are valuable pursuits and allow for not just wasting time riding around and having fun and ignoring responsibilities, but avenues towards self-examination and improvement. I am still feeling landlocked, but rather than giving up and accepting it, I vow to continue to find new ways to pick my way around the barriers and perhaps new paths will open up. I have my horses and my horsey freinds to thank for this.
Jul 18, 2004
Home on the Range
It's been over a month since the farm changed hands. The new owner is a quarter horse trainer. Things are better for now--more consistancy for the horses. Lady is dappling out--a good sign. Went on a short ride with two friends; the five mile loop through a meadow then onto bowtown road and around. We call it the five mile loop. Very scenic and very hot. When you ride alongside the corn rows you can feel the heat coming off the crops from all the oxygen produced.
Work is work. It's been ridiculously hot. Horses and their owners have been busy showing almost every weekend. Last weekend was the Robert Murphy show in Kentucky. That was a long one. They left Wednesday morning and came back late sunday night.
The grad is still unemployed but did help me at the barn one day. I think that was enough for him. Going to sign off as I want to get out to ride a few horses before the afternoon storms blow in.
It's been over a month since the farm changed hands. The new owner is a quarter horse trainer. Things are better for now--more consistancy for the horses. Lady is dappling out--a good sign. Went on a short ride with two friends; the five mile loop through a meadow then onto bowtown road and around. We call it the five mile loop. Very scenic and very hot. When you ride alongside the corn rows you can feel the heat coming off the crops from all the oxygen produced.
Work is work. It's been ridiculously hot. Horses and their owners have been busy showing almost every weekend. Last weekend was the Robert Murphy show in Kentucky. That was a long one. They left Wednesday morning and came back late sunday night.
The grad is still unemployed but did help me at the barn one day. I think that was enough for him. Going to sign off as I want to get out to ride a few horses before the afternoon storms blow in.
May 16, 2004
Meanwhile, back at the ranch....
Wow. I have been working full-time at a hunter jumper barn for over a month now. I've been putting in long hours due to my training and just the basic horse management challenges transitioning from dry-lot turnout to pasturing. We've had lots of rain in this area as we had last year so it has been a difficult spring again for anyone involved in agrarian pursuits.
My horses have put on weight since they have been on pasture and look much better. I have a lot of plans for the summer--formal riding lessons for me, some saddle training for Lady--especially in the canter department--which means I need to find a trainer who won't cost me an arm and a leg--and just overall conditioning for both horses. I don't know how much I will accomplish with my new job eating up lots of time and energy. I may have to forgo lessons for myself as the big priority is to get Lady further along under saddle so I can enjoy riding her instead of worrying that she'll go into a bucking fit--she hasn't done that to me yet, but just the thought makes me nervous, which of course affects her confidence with me on her back. Getting a competent rider will help get through the basics without a wreck setting us back. KST
Wow. I have been working full-time at a hunter jumper barn for over a month now. I've been putting in long hours due to my training and just the basic horse management challenges transitioning from dry-lot turnout to pasturing. We've had lots of rain in this area as we had last year so it has been a difficult spring again for anyone involved in agrarian pursuits.
My horses have put on weight since they have been on pasture and look much better. I have a lot of plans for the summer--formal riding lessons for me, some saddle training for Lady--especially in the canter department--which means I need to find a trainer who won't cost me an arm and a leg--and just overall conditioning for both horses. I don't know how much I will accomplish with my new job eating up lots of time and energy. I may have to forgo lessons for myself as the big priority is to get Lady further along under saddle so I can enjoy riding her instead of worrying that she'll go into a bucking fit--she hasn't done that to me yet, but just the thought makes me nervous, which of course affects her confidence with me on her back. Getting a competent rider will help get through the basics without a wreck setting us back. KST
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