Youth Retreat 2011!

I had an awesome time at my youth retreat. We have sessions Friday night (one) and some on Saturday (three). Well we had two guys come in Friday who talked about their life storeis which was ver interesting. After the second speaker we had snack and spent time in the gym and played vball..then we had devotions with our little group. Then on Saturday one guy came in and talked about the Lordship of Jesus Christ in Our Lives which was split up in three sessions. Our first two sessions were an hour each and we had a 15 minute break between the two. After our second session we had a 45 min break along with snack/lunch. Then after our third session we had prayer time with the groups we had devotions with Friday and Saturday night (guys and girls seperate and then we split into small groups from there). That was awesome because we talked about what we learned and prayed as well. We ate supper then I believe. Then I know we had a time that the group that did a play that they had done for talent night they did that and also had two guys and their sister sing a song. We also played in the gym for a while which was fun (we had volleyball tournaments which was awesome!!! We had some intense playing :D :D ) Then we came in and some of us started to sing in the livingroom but we moved out to the gaurage where we ate and had the sessions and such and more people joined us and it was an awesome time of singing and being together!! Then we went upstairs and got ready for bed and had devotions. This morning we got up and got dressed. My friend and I went for a walk before breakfast came back ate breakfast then sat around for a bit till it was time for our church service! We had our church service then ate lunch and then some of us girls sang. After we had sang we sat around for a while. After a while some of us decided to go up to Governor Dick Lookout and hike up to the tower. We hiked up and climbed the tower and had a look around. Then we came back down and hung out a bit then we hiked back down and headed home. Over all I had an awesome weekend and I feel like I grew some in my spiritual life. I also had an awesome time with friends and got closer to my youth group!!

Thursday's Lunging and Daisy's Birthday!

Well my dear girl is 7 now. Yesterday (February 23) was her birthday and I was at work but I figured well I would spend time with her tonight and she is a horse and she won't know the difference...LOL. I plan to give her a mixture of grain and peppermints and maybe bananas if she likes them a bit later and I have been thinking since I got Daisy her blanket that that will be her bday gift..I have been thinking of that since I bought it and it is something she needs :D Anyway once I got home from work I went out and said hi to Daisy and got my lunge line. Not the one with the chain but the one that was completely nylon and I ran that over her nose the way I was planning on doing with the chain this time (my other lunge line had to dry..was really wet so that is why I was using this new one). I started her at a trot and she did awesome both ways..Then when she was going to the right she kept actually WANTING to canter which was a change from Tuesday when I couldn't GET her to do it :D It was kinda funny. But I got her to listen to my voice commands (something I haven't really thought of working on and I have been working on it the last while) at the walk, trot and canter and I got her to trot nicely both directions AND canter nicely in both directions. It was so awesome..I mean a total change from last time. I am so happy..I can't wait to work with her more but I don't know if it will happen this week anymore as I have youth retreat this weekend. I probably won't get to update on anything till Sunday afternoon or Monday sometime. So hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

p.s. All the snow in the picture is pretty much gone. We might have got about 4 or so inches but it sure didn't last which was fine with me :D We are getting rain at the moment!

Tuesday's Lunging!!

Sunday I had spent time with Daisy, groomed her and just loved on her. And since it wasn't too terribly cold I let her graze out in the yard. I didn't do anything with her yesterday (Monday) because it was cold, overcast and I just plain down had no motivation. I am feeling tons better but I am not back to my 100% but we as a family are taking different pills and they are really helping so I hope to be back to normal soon!


Anyway today I lunged Daisy. I started out with the chain over her nose and started going to the right at a trot. She did pretty well actually for the beginning. I kept lunging her and she just got better and better at a trot..It got to the point she didn't even pull at all gonig to the right and I was like we barely have been going long so lets work at the canter. Knowing she does so bad at the canter going to the right (it is even worse than the trot was) so I started going to the left..wow it was almost perfect. She didn't pull she just cantered very nice and she was on the circle the way she should be. Then I turned her and tried to get her to go the right (she still had the chain over her nose) and boy that didn't work. About the time I would almost have her going into a canter she would turn her nose in and then try to turn. I went down into the yard (I was up behind the barn) and got her to canter only twice but not even for a full circle. I kept trying and trying and it just wasn't working. I was getting frustrated because I know it was some of my fault not all hers. So I was like ok lets try this without the chain..that was a disaster :D She stopped listening to me because she used her nose and would pull out of the circle..I flapped the lunge line at her that didn't help. So what I did I got her to trot and then stopped because I didn't want to just keep lunging and lunging her. I figured lets end on a good note and try again sometime later. I mean what I really should have done now that I look back I should have stopped when we did so wonderfully at the trot but hind sight is 20/20 :D So both Daisy and I are still learning and slowly but surly getting better at lunging (me as the trainer and her as a horse) and our bond is getting stronger as we go. I have a few more ideas that I want to try next time that maybe will help with the canter..we shall see! And if you are wondering I wanted to have her canter because she had lots of energy :D Anyway so much for that. I should be going to work this week so I won't work with her until at least either Thursday or Friday and I have youth retreat this weekend so I won't be home till Sunday after I leave on Friday. So we shall see how much I get done with Daisy if anything ;) Hope you have a great rest of the week!

p.s. We got 4 or so inches last night so we have snow again :D I am ready for spring though ;)

Friday's Lunging and A Tack Shop Going Out of Business!

Some of you saw on Facebook that I went to a tack shop in Pine Grove with Sharon and my friend Lillian (I met her thru Sharon) because they were closing on Thursday. We don't know why but anyway. Everything was 40% off!! We at first thought everything had been marked down already so we were disappointed at first but then Sharon saw something one of the guys that used to come to her place to ride had and she called him to ask him how much he had bought his for..she was like I don't know how much it is with the discount and then she hung up. Well the people at the desk were like shout out the price of whatever you want and we will tell you how much it is with the discount. I got another lunge line so I can ground drive Daisy, Silverod (which is like show sheen only better..used that after Daisy's bath and boy is she lookin nice), a lime green bucket (smaller..used it to give Daisy a bath and also to wash her halter and grooming tools), some birthday gifts, a reflective vest, hoofpicks, and a blue blanket (was almost $50 but I got it for $30) for Daisy that is totally waterproof..we poared some water on a portion of it and cupped it there so that we could see if the water soaks thru and not only didn't it soak thru but it didn't even look like the blanket got wet. The pics that are at the top are of her in her blue blanket! All of us were very pleased with all we got!!

Then after we were done there I took Sharon home and Lillian and I hung out there for the rest of the day. I don't know if you guys remember the horse Sunshine I talked about. She is part Morgan and part Quarter horse. Anyway it was very warm Thursday so we gave her a bath and we didn't know how it was going to go as she is so skittish otherwise but she did wonderful for her bath. We got her dried off and tacked her up and I rode her around there for a while. Once Earl Dean came back with Lynelle and her horse Glory and Blacky (a pony) Lillian, Little Andrea, Sharon, Lynelle and I all headed out (I rode Sunshine). She did pretty awesome..I just love riding her. We got back untacked and I headed home ;)
I got to lunge Daisy Friday. I worked at the suggestion of a friend to lunge her with the chain over her nose first before I try it without and I figured hey why not. I did this and it seemed to work. I have it figured out. Daisy likes to not listen and pull and act all dumb the first half of the lunging session then towards the very end she settles down and listens to me and does what I want her to. It is kinda funny but a little annoying..hehe! I got her to lunge three times to the right without her pulling so I stopped and I figured out that sometimes the way she reacts it is my fault because of my body language and such. So we are learning together ;)

Since it was so warm I gave Daisy her a bath. It was in the 70's which was so awesome!! Then I blanketed her after she was dry because it got really windy. She had her blanket on today again and was laying down and I quick got a picture before she got up!! So that is why the picture looks a tad funny because she was getting up just as I snapped the pic :D Anyway hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Monday's Lunging!!

I did get to lunge Daisy on Monday night before chorus practice. I would have updated long before now but I have been sick along with the rest of my family (I got sice last week and now my family got it from me and they have been sick since Tuesday). Anyway I didn't really work on much with her all except pulling at the trot. I usually let her go on a wider circle but she wasn't listening so I shortened the circle up and made her trot around me. I didn't have the chain over her nose at first but she wasn't responding to me at all..she was just tuning me out. I was like fine go ahead and tune me out I will get you to listen to me one way or another. Well the shorter circle didn't work so I put the chain over her nose and she did really good with not pulling. I was so impressed. She really listened to me and we ended on a good note. I was so happy! Can't wait to work with her a little more later this week if I feel better!!

More Edits!

Haven't really been updating much lately due to having a sinus infection :D Daisy is doing well and today was turned out for the first time. The snow has melted some..well enough that it was ok to turn her out ;) We are having some decent weather too!! Hope you have a wonderful weekend and Happy Valentines Day!!!

Tuesday's Lunging!!

This evening despite the wind and cold I lunged Daisy. I usually don't but I want to kinda get into a schedule to work with her weather it is lunging or other groundwork or whatever at least three times a week because otherwise if I don't make up my mind it won't happen and the nice thing is it is starting to get dark at 6 so that is one hr later than it has been so that will give me some more chance!! Can't wait till spring!!

Anyway now for the actual lunging :D I went and got my whip and lungeline and got Daisy. I started her out at a trot without the chain over her nose because I wanted to see if she does well without. She did pretty awesome the best she ever did. I lunged her at a trot both ways for a bit til I decided it was time to canter. I knew that she would try to pull the most then so I put the chain over her nose for that. My goal is by the end of this summer to be able to lunge her without that..I don't know how much I will get to work with that come summer as then I want to really work on my riding and and training Daisy in the saddle more! (Sorry I keep going on bunny trails). So I cantered her to the left first and she did pretty awesome so I tried it to the right and she fought me again..but we worked thru it and I didn't let her get away with turning when she wasn't supposed to. I think that will take some work but I think she should do well ;) I got it to the point she made two circles at a canter without fighting me to turn or pulling or anything so then I stopped her and rewarded her by quitting. I was so happy!! <3 I was thinking that it is so awesome that when I got her it wasn't like she had tons of riding and all that because then I have pretty much a clean slate to work with which can be wonderful but sometimes a challenge :) Hope you have a wonderful rest of hte week!

Successful Lunging Sesion!

Today I did some things I didn't do with Daisy before..I had a tarp, a pom-pom, and an umbrella that were all new to her..well I had done something with the tarp a while back (http://musingsofacowgirl.blogspot.com/2010/11/mondays-lunging-and-groundwork.html). Anyway first I got the tarp out and that she didn't care a whit about...she stood perfectly still as I put it on her back (didn't open it the whole way because it is a tad muddy in her corral there and didn't want the tarp all muddy) and the neat thing was..she didnt mind in the least ;)

 So then I waved the pompom all over and around her and all she wanted to do was eat it..LOL. So I stuck it between her ears and she didn't mind it but she wasn't to impressed she couldn't see it I think :D Since none of the other stuff I did seemed to bother her which is great I got the umbrella out (sorry the picture quality isn't the best..took it with my camera on my phone).

Well she didn't seem to mind the umbrella, not near to the extent that Navajo and Curly did..They both had to blow their noses and such before they could accept it. Daisy was very level headed about it and was like ok :D Before I opened it I rubbed it all over her then opened it and let her sniff it and such. I then put it beside her face on both sides and although she didn't really like that she accpeted it. Then I put it over her head and at first she was not happy about it but she accpted that too. It was so awesome because that is the fartherest I have ever gotten with an umbrella with a horse. Then I put it on the ground and as you can see by the picture she played with it! Well she also killed it because I am not sure what she did with it but it wouldn't close after she was done with it..LOL. Oh well that is the reason I got the stuff I did at the dollar tree (hehe). Well that was all for that..Since everything I showed to Daisy she didn't care about I decided to lunge her.

I don't know if I really said anything or not but Daisy really had a habit of pulling when I lunged her especially when going right. I mean it never failed and it was to the point I hated to lunge her at a canter because of it. Well the last time I lunged her I had put the chain over her nose so that she couldn't pull and she really was getting better by the time I had quit. I was thinking before I lunged her today that if she does really well at a trot we will try this at a canter. Well I trotted her both ways and she really lowered her head and stretched down and didn't pull very much..not near like she had. So I was like ok lets move to a place where we can canter. We moved and I trotted her first and she was doing really well. Then since I knew going right was the worst I decided we would go left first. She did almost perfectly..no pulling at all at a canter. I was so impressed. I had a feeling we would have somewhat of a fight going to the right but I didn't know how it was going to go. First I started her at a trot and she did well then I asked for a canter and she cantered all right but she had a certain spot she ALWAYS EVERY SINGLE TIME (till I got smart) stopped and turned. I tried to get her to canter and she did a few times but not without stopping and turning. I was getting a bit frustrated and I finally was like wait if I make her go to the left and turn her right where she likes to turn on her own and maker her go to the right then. So this is what I did. I trotted her to the left, turned her at the spot where she liked to turn on her own and asked her to go right. I left her trot to the right one time in a full circle then as soon as she had passed the place she always turned (I asked her to keep going and amazingly she did) I asked for a canter and SUCCESS!!! She cantered in one full circle but right as she got to the place she liked to turn while she was cantering I asked her to turn. I was like you like to turn on your own there so fine I will ask you to turn there and this way you will still obey me :D I got her to trot to the left turned again at the trouble spot and cantered her and as soon as she completed that full circle at a canter without turning or breaking into a trot I said WHOA and let her come to me..That was her reward for doing exactly what I wanted. I was SO HAPPY and felt like I had gotten somewhere with her!! It is such an awesoem feeling to say the least. It was nice and almost decent to ride today but not really anyplace to go and I KNEW this was something we needed to work on!! I hope to keep working on groundwork till this snow goes away ;) Hope you have an awesome weekend!

Danya and Kootenai!

Here is a sampling of the pics I did for Danya..if you want to see the rest go right on over to this link: http://photographyandphotoediting.blogspot.com/2011/02/danya-and-kootenai.html. Enjoy!!

Wednesday's Ride!

I did get to ride today of which I was very happy. I first lunged Daisy because it was something I really want her and I to get good at..good for respect too. I lunged her with the lunge line but I put the chain over her nose because she likes to pull so bad for some reason..That helped a bit (she does it the worst when we are going right usually at the west side of our circle) and I think with continual work it will go away soon..we shall see. I lunged her for a while and then we went in for supper. After supper I came out and rode her for a little and I stress little. The driveway really melted off today so it was ok to ride and lunge her..I am hoping if I get to ride tomorrow I want to ride with the saddle (english) because I have some things I really want to work on!! I just finished Lynn Palm's book: The Rider's Guide to Real Collection: http://www.shoplynnpalm.com/product245.html (here is a book review on it: http://musingsofacowgirl.blogspot.com/2011/02/riders-guide-to-real-collection.html ) It is really really good! And I can't wait to try some of this stuff once I feel we are ready to work on it!! Spring please come!! Hehe!!

The Rider's Guide to Real Collection!

I would so recommend the book The Rider's Guide to Real Collection by Lynn Palm to anyone. This book has exercises on how to train a horse transitions between gaits and how to lengthen strides, turning on the forhand and haunches from the ground and saddle, sidepassing and flying lead changes and much, much more! This book is very well illustrated and I know that helps me..I learn better by visuals than anything else so if I see it or can feel it I will pick it up a lot faster than any other way. Anyway this is a very awesome book! :) If you get it and read it I would love to hear your opinion as well!

Wednesday!!

Hope all is well on your side of the fence ;) Daisy and I are doing great here..We have like 9 or so inches on the ground (not sure the exact amount..haven't measured) with ice on top so we can't really ride much in the snow and we had ice on the driveway but my dad is clearing it off and it is slushy today so I might just get Daisy out and walk around..we shall see. Since the weather outside has been frightful I have done some photo editing as I posted some yesterday!! Here is one I didn't!

Edited Pictures!!

Here are some pictures of Daisy..I haven't updated on here for a long time!! Enjoy!