A Trip and Working the Horses

Been a bit since I wrote last. Thursday evening I just worked with both horses on groundwork. I got Daisy to do a turn on the haunches. She does really well going to the right but when I ask her to move to the left she is like "You want me to do what?". I also worked with Freedom as well. I got him to move back, do a turn on both his haunches and forehand. I was pleased with his response.

I was gone all weekend. I went to VA for a youth retreat at a friend's church. My cousin Sarah and I left Friday morning and got down there around 3:30. We ate supper at my friend's house and then after talking for a while headed to the gym to play some volleyball. Saturday we had sessions in the morning and one in the afternoon. After the session in the afternoon, Sarah and I went back to one of my other friend's house to rest. We went back to the gym for supper and an evening of fun and volleyball. Sunday we had church/sessions in the morning, ate lunch and after many not so fun good byes, headed for home. On the way home, Sarah and I stopped by Mountain View to see Elana. It was amazing being able to see her again!! We had the chance to talk for a good 2 hours or so! While we were at Mountain View it started to snow. We stayed for supper, took some pictures, then Sarah and I headed the 4 1/2 hours for home. We had snow for about 2 of those hours but then the rest of the way was mostly clear. It was good to get home again but I must say I had an amazing weekend with some awesome friends (some I knew before, some I got to know, and some I felt I knew for a lot longer than the 2 days I actually knew them, but all of them I WON'T be forgetting right away), faced some challenges but was able to come out on top. I definitely learned that if we leave ALL things to God, He will work them out and give you grace and strength for the day, no matter how hard the day/week/month, ahead may seem! Overall it was a stretching, challenging but most of all a fun and amazing weekend!

Me, Sarah, and Elana (or as everyone that knows her, call her, Lane)

 

On the way home from VA, I saw the red barn and asked Sarah to stop so I could take a picture. I just really like a red barn in the snow :) The picture below, is a house that I saw for the first time back in July when Charlotte and I took Elana to Mountain View. I look for it every time I go that way because I just love the blue roof, red trim and the yellow outside! :) Seems like such a cheerful house!

 

Today (Monday), Sarah and I slept in (woke up to snow on the ground, it followed us home), went for some breakfast, and then headed to the horses. We were at the horses for about 3 or so hours. I worked with Freedom on the lunge line and also laid him down. I was impressed that he laid down so nicely for me 3 times in a row and waited till I told him to get up. Definitely see improvement.

I then laid Daisy down too. I wasn't sure if she was going to lay down nicely without a rope or not but she did lay down just by me picking up her leg and asking her to. Sarah was working Mischa in the "round pen" and I sat on Daisy for a bit to watch her. Then I took the horses in the barn and groomed both. After putting Freedom out in the meadow, I put Daisy's bridle on and just decided to see if I could improve her turn on the haunches from the ground. I worked a bit on my cue to see if that would make a difference. It seemed to because she definitely went to the right a lot better than she had on Thursday. When I asked her to move to the left she gave me a bit of a hard time, but after working a bit more on how I ask her, she responded better. I think if we keep working on it, we will get there.

I put her out in the meadow and then cleaned some tubs and filled water buckets. Sarah and I had decided that we don't want to spend all afternoon at the barn. We are planning to go to Chincoteague and Assateague Island in September and tenting. So we spent some of our afternoon after coming back from the horses, seeing how much it will cost us and what all things we want to do while down there. We are also hoping to go backpacking in June sometime. Guess we shall see!

Hope you have a great week!!