Tuesday, January 21, 2014

A First Time for Everything and MORE Snow

 
Yesterday I had off from work because of Martin Luther King Day. So since I felt SO MUCH better after over a week of having a cold, I did a lot of things. In the morning, first thing, I went to the horses. I decided since I had driven Freedom on Saturday I would do something different. I had mentioned in my last post that I wanted to put the saddle on Freedom. I brought both horses in from the meadow. I groomed Freedom, then got the natural ride out. I let him take some nice long sniffs of the saddle (he even decided to taste it). Once he no longer took an interest in it, I put it on his back. He didn't think a thing of it. I tightened the cinch and put the stirrups down. He put his head back and was checking out the new gear on his back. I put the bit in his mouth and took him out beside the barn and lunged him a bit with everything on. Freedom really didn't mind anything about the whole idea. The stirrups didn't bother him and we just lunged like normal. So to him it was just another day of doing something different. Once we finished lunging, I did some flexing exercises using the bit. I wasn't sure how nicely he would do, but I guess since I have been driving him he does know what a bit is and knows how to respond to it.
 
First time lunging Freedom with the natural ride and snaffle bit (reins were just hooked to the saddle but loose enough that it made no difference in his headset)
 
After I was finished with Freedom, I put him in the stall where Daisy had been and got Daisy out. I groomed her a bit, then took her out back. I decided since it is winter and I know Daisy would benefit, we would work on some bridle-less stuff. It went quite good and I think by working her this way, it really helps me to remember how important seat and leg cues are! The only drawback was that as we were riding past the one fence, apparently there was a loose fence wire (which I fixed then) and my leg caught as we went past. Well I couldn't stop Daisy fast enough but when she felt me leaving her back, she stopped on her own. After checking to make sure no blood was involved (only a nice horizontal scrape and black and blue mark), I hopped on Daisy again. I did have to laugh at her though, when I kinda fell/slid off and landed on the ground, she looked at me like, "What is your problem, why did you dismount so funny, and why are you on the ground?". Horses have the most interesting expressions sometime. Well I worked her a bit more after that and we ended on a good note :) Once I was finished with both horses, I groomed them, then put them out again.
 
riding Daisy bridle-less
 
Today we had a snow day. It started snowing around 7 or so this morning and is still snowing now (it is 6:30pm). We have gotten a nice amount of snow so far. It has been a long while since we have had so much snow all in one winter. I am loving the snow (and the days off, for the most part) but I would like to work a full week sometime soon again. I am not going to complain because I love spending time with my family and as time has shown me in the past, things can change a family in a split second. Also I am getting some projects done that I wanted done! Speaking of projects, I spent the afternoon on a project that I had started but never had the time to dedicate to it again. That is my family tree. I had done my dad's father's side of the family, yesterday I did both my mom's parent's families (still missing quite a few people in the 5th - 10th generation although I have a good majority), and now just need to get a book for my dad's mom's family. Some people find it a waste of time or not interesting but I personally find it very interesting. I found out that my mom's side of the family immigrated from Germany and Dad's side immigrated from Switzerland.
 
Today, I helped my mom make lunch. (pictured below) I made biscuits and gravy from scratch and Mom made the eggs. It was a good snowy day lunch :) 
 
Good snowy day lunch 
 
I had taken some pictures this morning of the snow and spent some of my afternoon going thru them and editing them. Mostly I spent the day hanging out with my sister Rose Mary and just enjoying the day! I had gone to the horses this morning before the roads became to bad to travel and then Anthony took care of them tonight! Hope you all have a wonderful day :) Stay warm and dry!
 
 I have a fascination with mailboxes :)
More snow

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