Seeing Beauty, Riding Misty and Daisy!!

I got to see Beauty (my cousin's horse) yesterday. She is doing really well and is looking really nice. For some reason around her we had a lot of worms and we did a five day deworming program and all the horses that did this program look really nice and gained a good amount of weight after doing it. Daisy did too :) That was in the morning.

Then last evening I went to Sharon's before I went to my aunt's because I talked to my aunt after I left and realized she wasn't going to be home. I rode Misty again but I worked with her first for ten minutes at a walk then cantered her a bit then five minutes at a walk. We went thru the poles twice and she did good with that. Then Lillian took her thru the barrels. After that I went and gave Daisy a bath. She smells really good now and looks nice and is so soft ;) She dried off and I hopped on her bareback and rode out the back path by ourselves. We walked out and cantered a little bit on the way in..She did really awesome and was listening to me quite well. They were still practicing the games and so I talked to Sharon a bit. Then she asked me if I would ride out and stand by the keyhole to make sure nobody stepped on the white line. I did that and after everyone left Sharon and I went for a ride. We came back though before we even went up to Fairmount Trails because it started to rain. It really poured once we got back. I helped with chores then left..I can't wait to go this evening and ride Daisy!!

The Day Before Thanksgiving!

Good Evening. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I hope you all have a wonderful one!! I plan to. Hope to maybe get a ride in but probably won't be able too :D

Last night I went over to help my cousins a bit with Beauty. They wanted to know how to get Beauty to switch directions and I showed them that and how to teach her to move her hindquarters and forquarters. Boy is Beauty really looking nice and she really does good with lunging and by the time we were done with her (I started her and then I showed them how) on her changing directions she did awesome. Makes me feel good! I was just out by Daisy loving on her. She is doing just awesome!! :) Hope you all have a wonderful THANKSGIVING!!
I am thankful for so many things but a few things are my wonderful family, AWESOME FRIENDS, a God who answers prayers and of course a great horse!!
p.s. Here are some good Thanksgiving Quotes!!
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart.

~J.A. Shedd

Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day. ~Robert Caspar Lintner

Sunday and Monday!!

Wow what a weekend :) As you know I was planning on going on a ride on Sunday afternoon. I did ride and I rode Daisy. We went up to Woodcrest and it takes about an hour to get there. We rode a bit when we got up there. Then we stopped for supper. I got off Daisy and got my food out of the saddlebags. One of the other people that were along came behind me and Daisy (which is fine) and I was about ready to lead Daisy away and she kicks at the other horse. I had my hands full and was trying to wack Daisy for kicking the other horse but I couldn't do it right (hindsight tells me I should have just dropped my food and wacked Daisy with the reins a good one) and Sharon goes and wacks her good. Kicking can kill someone. It is ok if it is just horses and such but when there are people with the horses that is a totally different matter. That is why we hit her. Anyway I kept a hold on Daisy and we let the horses eat grass while we ate. After we ate we got on the horses and headed home. Overall it was a wonderful ride. Daisy is one fast horse. She can really go and she is so smoot and great to ride!! I LOVED IT. She made me cross a few times though because when we would be behind the others she did canter nicely and steadily but if she felt like it she would trot. That didn't have me happy and I worked with her on it and she did pretty good. I am so glad I got to go on a long ride like that because it helped me gauge to see how she acts and such. She doesn't like other horses and we figure it is because the former owner let Daisy's baby on her for half a year without doing anythign with either the mom or the baby and so Daisy is used to fighting horses off which isn't good. Guess we shall see. Kicking isn't a good thing so it is something we need to work on!! Other than that she did great! Beauty got ridden by Sharon's husband Earl Dean. We figured it doesn't hurt her any to get used to other people riding her!

Then for today. I slept at Sharon's overnight and then this morning we went over to where Sharon works. Sharon works at a stable and she cleans out the stalls, gives the horses water and cleans the isles (it isn't a really fancy stable but it works). There were four of us doing the work counting Sharon and we got done in good time and then headed over to the auction to get some things. I got some stuff for my new saddle (buying a saddle from Sharon..it has a high back but I don't care..the saddle is really comfortable) and I am selling my other saddle to my cousins :) Then we went to a chinese restraunt and after that went to an old ladies house to play games with her. Overall it was a wonderful weekend!!

My Saturday!!

Wow I had a busy but very fun Saturday! I went to Sharon around 8:30 and we saddled up all her horses and loaded in the trailer. We were going to a fundraizer for this ladies family who had some medical bills they couldn't pay (it was something like that) and we were going to give horseback and wagon rides for the people there. It was awesome. It ran from like 11 to 4 or something. Anyway when we didn't have any customers some of us (there were like 6 of us who were giving the rides) we would hop on a horse and just ride it up and down the street :) Now I have ridden all of Sharon's horses all except Speedy (he was being used for the spring wagon). We got back to Sharon's place around 5 and by the time we had all the horses unsaddled and put two of them into harness to go out to eat it was like 6 or so. We went and ate came back and rode. I rode Beauty again. She did awesome and I didn't even need to take the crop along. She cantered steady for like the first time for a long distance. I was so proud of her. Today Sharon and Earl Dean and I and three others are all going up to Woodcrest (where I went on that three hour ride a while back) to eat supper and ride the trails for a while. I am planning on riding Daisy :) I am lookin forward to it!! Curly is doing good although I haven't had much of a chance to ride him lately because of work and everything going on :( Guess that is life sometimes! Have a good weekend!

Thursday Night's Ride!!

I got to ride Beauty last night again. I got home from work and Earl Dean (Sharon's husband) picked me and Curly up here at my place. We took Curly over to the farriers and went back to Sharon's ate some supper quick got Beauty, Sharon's Beauty (there are two Beauty's so that is how we keep it straight..we say my Beauty or Sharon's Beauty), Lightning, Speedy, Misty! Anyway some of those horses got shoes reset and such. My cousins had met us at Sharon (they are the one that own Beauty) and they had come over with us to the farrier's and also some of their friends Abigail and Sarah. Beauty did really good with the farrier. She didn't stand so good but she didn't even care about her new shoes. I am so happy with her! Once all the farriering and such was done we got on the horses and rode home. Beauty did pretty good but she didn't want to cross 322 so I got off of her and led her across. I asked her to turn a few times and she wanted to act stubborn but she did good over all. I am so happy with how she is doing though!! I am going over to ride her tonight so I guess we shall see how she does!

Friday's Ride and SURPRISE...a Ride on Navajo too!!

I was working at my aunt till 3 or so yesterday and since my mom was there got to leave early. We came home and then I headed right out the door to go ride Navajo. Navajo's new owner Riley just broke his collar bone so he can't ride for like 4 weeks or something like that. So his mom e-mailed med and asked if I could or wanted to come ride Navajo. I said sure. So yesterday I got to ride him. He met me at the gate with his miniuture horse friend Duke (which unforantatly since I was dumb enough to forget the camera didn't get pictures of either Duke or Navajo). Duke was really friendly and so cute :-) Anyway I went and got the bridle and hopped on bareback. Since it is really muddy here after all the recent rain we have had I rode on the road. Navajo did really good and I sure have missed walking and trotting him bareback. I can tell I haven't done it in a while that is for sure..hehe! The one sign (a sign that says what kind of corn is in a field) really freaked him out. He had only seen one one time here and it was windy so I figured that was what his problem was. I got off and led him past but not before he got really excited about it. He was acting pretty crazy about it. But he did pretty good . I got on him and headed back. Overall it was so wonderful being able to ride him again. I am planning on going back sometime soon :-)

Once I was done riding Navajo I headed over to Sharon's place to saddle up Beauty and head for the trails. We didn't ride on the trails then because of it being really muddy and we would of had to do a lot of walking so we went on a longer road route and did mostly trotting (some walking but not very much). When we first started out Beauty kept wanting to be ahead and not behave so nicely. I told Sharon I wondered when she is going to act dumb in the saddle..it was just going way to smoothly (which is a good thing by the way but by the way Beauty acted on the ground I knew the time is going to come she is going to act bratty in the saddle sometime soon). Beauty remembered the neck reining that we had taught her and she fought a bit at first but I could tell the more I rode her the better she was getting although right before we turned into Sharon's driveway she acted a bit dumb again. Crazy stubborn hard headed horse. I am starting to be able to tell when she is honestly confused and when she is just being stubborn. She is quite the bullheaded horse because when she gets it into her head that she isn't going to listen it takes quite a bit of telling her what to do to get her to do it!! Overall it went really well with her and I am happy that she is improving slowly :-D Today I hope to ride Curly so I guess we shall see!!

Wednesday's Ride!

Last night I did ride Beauty again. She did really well up until the time I decided since we are on a field lane it would be a good time to work with neck reining =) Her right side is her worst side for anything I am noticing so that is the side we had to fight with..anyway. I asked her to turn right and she decided she had had enough of this (I had been doing it for a little bit before and she was doing pretty good but she was just getting the hang of it and she decided she is tired of it and she is not going to do what I want..just like she did with the round penning!) so she turned the opposite way (left) and went in a circle and she realized that wasn't getting me to stop telling her what to do so she figured fine she won't let me go where I want I will just stand still. She stopped and decided I am not stepping one step forward. I popped her with the crop on her behind a few times and then she went forward but she still fought (sp). When she finally did as I asked I gave her a reward by giving her a little break and didn't ask her to neck rein unless I needed to turn a certain way. Then when we got back to Sharon's house I asked her to turn right again and this time she really was like I am not doing this. Sharon and I both said we have to work with this here and now and it won't hurt her any to know that just cause we come back to the barn doesn't mean that we just go into the barn and we don't have to work sometimes. Anyway I got her turned and she walked for a bit till I asked her to turn past the barn (Sharon's driveway goes off the road in her lane a bit then goes in a circle around her house and in front of the barn so it makes it nice for something like this) and she didn't go and walked eveywhere but turning right. Then when we got close to her stall (which is outside more of a run in) she decided she is not going one step forward and I told her to go and she didn't so I popped the whip and that didn't help. She got mad enough she reared. I stayed on and once she was on the ground again I told her to turn..She did go but it took quite a bit of telling her to do it. She is one stubborn horse!! So we did a few more circles around the barn and she was doing better and I told her to turn right again (her left side she did really good with and we didn't have much of a problem at all) and she kept walking straight and she tried to walk into the fence. She tried to walk as close to the fence as possible to scrape my leg up but I still made her turn. We did a few more rounds and I could tell the more we did it the easier she was doing it without thinking much. We did one full round around the house and she didn't think one bit about turning so we stopped on a good note. She is quite the handful I must say! I was thinking wow she is doing so great you know but I had to think the other night (Tuesday) that she is doing so good wonder if she is going to act dumb again one of these days and yesterday was her day. Makes me wonder how she will do Friday. Anyway that was my day with Beauty. She is one stubborn spoiled brat..You wouldn't know it till you tell her she has to do something and she might not mind it for a while but then she decides she doesn't want to do it then then the stubborn spoiled brat appears =D

Beauty - Mother to Be!!

Today the vet came to see if Beauty took and SHE IS PREGNANT =) She is due August 15 2011. I am so excited and happy about it!! Worked with her on neck reining in the pasture today..She did really good with that!!

Sixth Ride on Beauty!!

Yesterday my aunt (that owns Beauty) and 6 of her children and my mom and Rose Mary and Rachel all went riding at Sharon's. My aunt brought her miniture horse along for one of her smaller boys to ride and I rode Beauty (my two cousins Rosie and Sarah are going to come and ride Beauty in the next week or so). We rode at a walk on the trail ride because some of them rode double with the smaller children but when we got back those who wanted to canter could in the pasture. I believe everyone had fun. I guess when Rosie and Sarah come they will be seeing if they want me to work with Beauty more and put more miles on her or if they are satisfied with how her training is now and take her home. I am so happy with how far we came already but if they decide they are happy with how far she is now I will be sad to see her go home (I guess you would call it bittersweet beacause it will be a happy and sad moment). I wasn't sure how long it would take to train Beauty so I guess we shall see if she comes back in the spring or not. Either way I can ride Beauty when she is at home which has me happy and also I can ride at Sharon's so whatever happens I will still be able to ride =)

Moonlight Ride!!

Wow the Moonlight Ride is something I think I am not going to forget. There were about 10 people on the ride and some brought their own horses. Anyway we headed out about 7:30 I am guessing because it got dark soon after we were on the ride. We did more walking today than we did any time I rode but it was because we did a lot of our riding in the dark. I didn't mind at all because the moon was very nice and bright and it wasn't cloudy either. We walked over the covered bridge and I really liked the sound of all the horses crossing over =) We walked for a while longer till we got to the field where Sharon and I cantered Wednesday night and we cantered there. Beauty had no objections to being at the back of the group and she cantered very well despite the fact there were lots of other horses. We soon came to the creek (Wednesday night we had crossed over the creek (it has a little bridge that is low enough that the water still goes over it a bit) and Beauty didn't want to go at first but she did go when Sharon came back with Bean and walked in front of Beauty again) and Beauty followed the other horses like she had crossed this creek every day in her life but I figured she had seen it last night and it didn't bother her when we were crossing it so I wasn't to surprised!! We did some more cantering but it was dark enough that we did walking the rest of the way. I really enjoyed myself and Beauty did so well. I know each time I ride her I can see a bit more improvement! That really makes me happy. My cousins are going to be coming to ride Sharon's horses on Saturday and I will be riding Beauty (most likely) so they can see how she acts and how she has improved =)

I am off to the beach for the day!! I am so excited..hehe!

Wednesday's Riding!!

I did ride last night again on Beauy and Sharon and I went the whole loop (what it consists of is some some wooded trails, roads, cornfields, thru a covered bridge and over a creek (it has like a concrete bridge but water still flows over it)) with Beauty and Bean. Beauty did great. She didn't mind the covered bridge and once we had walked for a little while we cantered thru this one field. It went great. I think we cantered 4 or 5 times and trotted along the one road. Beauty does really good at the trot (and the canter) and she seems to really enjoy it too. The way we rode last night is the way we are going tonight on the Moonlight Ride. I am so excited. I know next week when I work with Beauty we are going to work on neck reining and pefecting the stop but overall she is doing wonderfully!! I will try to update about the moonlight ride either tonight or Saturday (tomorrow I am going to the BEACH and will get pics and such from that as well).

Walking, Trotting and Cantering Beauty!!

This evening I got to ride Beauty!! We left Sharon's at 6:30 or a bit after. We walked till about 7:30 (we went on some trails and in the field..we went in a big circle) and then we got to this one field and Sharon asked if I was getting used to Beauty's trot (since Beauty didn't know about keeping up we had to work on that. If we fell behind I would trot her to catch up but we worked on Beauty walking fast so that she would stay caught up and not lag behind) and I said yeah and I also said I wasn't scared of cantering her because ridng Beauty doesn't/didn't scare me. So Sharon took off and I asked Beauty to trot. She trotted and then once we had trotted a bit I asked her to go a bit faster and she CANTERED for the first time with a rider on her back as far as I know and boy is it smooth. Now her trot is another thing...it is more bouncy but once she evens it out a bit it got smoother and I enjoyed trotting and cantering her. Then we slowed to a walk again and walked for a bit. We turned into a different field and started trotting and we trotted for a good ways. It was LOTS of fun and I must say I am so proud of how far Beauty has become..Sure she is still a spoiled brat but a better behaved spoiled brat =D She has more respect for humans and seems to really enjoy trotting and just everything to do with riding. I am just so happy!!

Walking, Lunging and Riding Beauty!

It was a rainy evening yesterday so I knew we wouldn't go on a trail ride with Beauty. I got to Sharon's and she said I could do some round penning with Beauty awhile because they had to take their truck to get fixed. I said ok and went and got Beauty. I first worked on some leading with her and also teaching her what WHOA means. She did quite well and since she did so good I was like now I am going to lunge you. Her turns were AMAZING!! I am getting the hang of what I need to do and I believe Beauty is as well! It is so confusing when you are lunging a horse because Beauty turns the one way no problem and the other way it takes a few tries to get her to do it. Now I got it when she is going clockwise she doesn't like turning and going counterclockwise. But when she is going counterclockwise she turns no problem to go clockwise. But she turned BOTH WAYS but it still needs work but I thought she did WONDERFUL. Then I tacked her up and lunged her a bit more with the tack on. Sharon got back just as I was about to climb on Beauty. I got Beauty to walk when I tapped her sides with my heels. She did so great and I am very happy!! I believe I will be going again on Monday. I am so happy with our progress!

Riding Ebony!!

I rode Ebony for about 45 minutes. We went a different way and it was lots of fun =) I enjoy riding her quite a bit..anyway at first she kept wanting to go off the road but I got her to listen to me. Each time I ride her the better she gets. I guess she is figuring out I don't put up with nonsense =D Sorry my updates on my rides on the other horses aren't quite as exciting as my updates on Beauty! Hehe.
p.s. I forgot to write last night but when we got back from riding Beauty I wanted to check her hooves and you guys know how she tried to kick me when I picked her hooves. Last night I asked her for her hooves and she DIDN'T MOVE A MUSCLE. I was so very happy. Beauty is proof groundwork is very effective =) She improves every time I got to Sharon's. I know Sharon has taught me a lot and Beauty and I are both better for it =)

Riding Beauty for the FIRST TIME!!

I figured I was going to Sharon today (Tuesday) and not yesterday (Monday) but it just so happened she thought I was coming yesterday so she planned something for today =D So I was at her place yesterday. I got there and she showed me the pony she wants me to ride (most likely..we shall see) because the pony knows everything about riding and all that but he just does not respect the children that have him. Then we got Beauty out and lunged her in the round pen. She did really good with turning today. The one side she just does not like to turn and the other side she does no problem but no fight today and she wasn't mean or nasty about it either. Good sign. Sharon was like she just needs work with changing directions when lunging but she is getting it. Then since the main ring was empty from lunging Beauty I turned Beauty out and then Sharon lunged the little pony (who btw is very cute..all black with a little white on his nose and some by his whithers and white socks..will have to try to get a pic of him). After she was done with him she hosed him off and put him in his stall (not sure of his name =D). Then I got Beauty out and saddled her. She did really good with that again. Then I got on her and Sharon and I rode thru the cornfield and on a field lane and went in a big circle and came back to the barn. It went VERY VERY well. Beauty would stop and Sharon and her horse would keep going and I would say Kum (which is dutch for come) and tap Beauty with my heels and she would go. I was very happy. Not sure how long we rode but it wasn't very long (all at a walk) we came back and I praiesed Beauty and then turned her out. I hung out at Sharon's for a little while. She was showing me some tricks her one horse can do..lay down..sit...and say yes and no..really really cool.

Next Thursday a group of riders (some of the same ones that went to Blue Marsh) are going on a moonlight ride as it is the full moon/harvest moon. Depending on how Beauty progresses I most likely will take her. There is going to be another horse like her in the group so that will make it nice!! Guess we shall see! I am really lookin forward to that!

Friday's Work Session with Beauty!!

Well I had told you guys I was hoping to ride Beauty today. My one friend asked me if I know what to do when a horse turns their behind to you when turning and I had to think that I honestly wouldn't know what to do and that Miss Beauty does the same thing. So that made me think and I talked to Sharon and said before I get on Beauty I want to work with her on that. So that is what we did today. Beauty may be smart but she has a stubborn streak a mile long. I got in the round pen with her and told her to go in a circle for me. Then I asked her to change directions. At first she kept turning her behind toward me which was not acceptable and I got her to change directions facing me (which was somewhat good but she pinned her ears..just a bit but enough to see she did it). I didn't know to watch her ears but Sharon said watch her ears because she pins them (not a good sign). So we did changing directions a few more times and Beauty got slightly better at it but now Sharon said stick to one corner and don't let her go where she pleases till she decideds to change directions. I was so tired from going after her (between telling her to stop and change directions and then her turning her but and running off it takes a lot of energy with Beauty) and I told Sharon I can't go anymore. Sharon asked if I wanted her to work with Beauty and I said sure so we switched places and I went outside the pen. Sharon came in and did the same things I was doing with Beauty and she got her to turn nicely the one way but the other way she absolutely refused to do it. I am not kidding this horse knew better but just was testing Sharon (I was watching and I saw the minute Beauty started testing Sharon). She would turn around almost like she should but then would turn her but and go back to that corner (a bit hard to explain but anyway). If it wouldn't have been Beauty rebelling Sharon it would have almost been half funny. But this smart horse was doing it on purpose because she had done it a few times without testing us. So frustrating. But Sharon got her to turn like she was supposed to without a problem and Sharon rewarded her by taking the pressure off. She got out of the round pen and told me to get Beauty and turn her out because that is her reward. It took a while to get her to do what we wanted but boy once she does it she means it =) So next week when I go again we probably will work with her on that again and if we don't have another battle (yes I call it battle because it is a battle of wills (who is more stubborn =D) we will saddle her up again and hopefully ride her. I wanted to ride her but I knew this needed to be addressed first!

Once we were done with Beauty Sharon asked if I wanted to go for a ride. I said sure. We put reflectors on the horses (Curly and Speedy (me on Curly) and off we went. We rode for about an hour or more and it was lots of fun. Curly tried to buck me but he got told that is not the way we do things around here. He is so funny. It was like 9 or so by the time I left there. I am so tired but this evening was lots of fun!! Hope you have a great weekend!!!!!

Wednesday's Training Session!

Tonight I got to Sharon's around 5:30 and I hung out with her for a while till she had to go away. We were discussing some things. After they left I took the three horses that were in the main ring into a big stall and I got Beauty out and lunged her for a bit. She did great and is learning how to turn quite well!! Also doing well with stopping of which I am happy. I lunged her for about 20 minutes I think then I went over to her and told her she did a good job. Led her out of the main ring and tied her. Put the other horses back in the main ring. Once I did that I groomed her a bit. Then I led Beauty around at a walk. She did GREAT and I am so proud of her. She did really good with the trot way better than she ever did. She is doing a ton better with respecting my space when we walk and trot or anything. That makes me really happy! I also did some work with her stopping and also learning what Whoa means. Overall it went wonderful! I am so proud of her attitude change and how she is doing!! Looking forward to Friday as I believe we will do some riding with her. =)

Saddling Beauty!!

I am so tired but I had lots of fun today! I got some very good bargains at the Horse Auction today. A breaststrap ($5 a good price as some are $20), bucking set ($7 also a good price sometimes $20), a saddle stand for $10, a leadrope for $5, and a hackamore for Beauty for $15. I was so pleased with the deals I got. We went into the sale barn and watched some horses sell. They had some really flashy paints which was cool. Anyway then we (Sharon, "Little" Andrea (really not little but there are two Andrea's so that is how we tell them apart) and me)) headed back to Sharon's. Andrea left and then Sharon and I went in and grabbed some lunch. We then headed out and did some things outside. We got Beauty out and worked with her in the round pen a bit. We lunged her and she did really really well. She remembered last time! I know she is a smart horse and is not dumb in the least!! Anyway we then got the saddle ready to put on her. We put it on her and tightened the girth a little bit but not enough to worry Beauty. Lunged her again and no bucking. Then we tightened the girth so that it would be ready for a rider. Lunged her again and still no bucking (wonderful). Then we put the hackamore on her and that didn't faze her either. I lunged her a bit with that then I led her around with the hackamore. A girl was there and she asked if she could hop on her for the first time. I said sure I don't care. Well she hopped on and her dad led her around at first but then they trotted her a bit and eventually Beauty would go without anyone holding onto the hackamore. Really really great. Then we ended on a good note and hosed her off (She is doing really good with that too). I dewormed her and turned her out! I am so pleased with her progress. She didn't put up a fight in the least to the new things we introduced to her and that made me happy. She didn't mind the rider on her back and I can hardly wait to get on her myself and work with her!! Guess we shall see! I am seeing progress and that had me happy!!

Thursday's Free Lunging and Pics!!

Wow tonight went really well..by the end that is. I got to Sharon's place a bit before 5 and we moved some of the horses around then we put Beauty in the round pen. I got in there with her by myself at first. I got her to get going and at first she did ok but then she started to test me and go to a corner and turn her behind toward me to turn. Sharon was standing by the small gate giving me advice (which was fine). After a bit of this Sharon asks if it is ok if she comes in to show me how she would do it. I said sure. When Beauty wouldn't listen we would crack the whip and if she didn't go then we would hit her (with the whip) and I didn't really hit her hard enough because I was just making her mad (Sharon called them love taps). We would only get after her if she went into the corner, turned her behind toward us when turning or came into the the middle (our space). Beauty would go into a corner when we asked her to turn and sometimes she decided to turn on her own and instead of turning with her face toward us she turned with her behind toward us (which is not good..you want two eyes instead of two heels). Well anyway Sharon comes in and Beauty starts testing her out. This goes on for a while and Beauty was getting more mad because Sharon was actually telling her what to do! Sharon and I both think this is one of the first times Beauty was ever told what to do and had no choice about it. If she did the right thing she was left alone if she did the wrong thing we got after her about it (Sharon said she had two other horses that did this and now you would nver know) Well Beauty wanted out of the round pen (there is a big gate and a small gate and the small gate is the one that led into the barn and the big gate led out into the other pens) instead of giving in. Well she ends up going thru the little gate (didn't break it) and takes off down the road. I go and get her and bring her back. Then I put her in the round pen, get in with her and lunge her again. This time she doesn't act as bad and she went around the circle without going into the corner. Since she was starting to give in I let her go around the circle one full time and then I asked her to turn around and then I let her go around the circle three times without acting up and she did. You could tell that she was more obediant and willing to listen because she was licking her lips and flicking her ears at me. She was definitely concentrating more on what I wanted her to do than what she wanted. I was very very happy with her. Since she was very warm and sweated we took her to the cross ties and sprayed her down (which was the plan all along). She didn't give as much of a fuss as we thought she would and by the time we were done with that she did good. I let her in the cross ties for about an hour so she could dry off and get used to them.

I think the lunging went well. I like free lunging because I think you can earn a horses respect real quick because you are able to control them with body language and without touching them. That to me is awesome. I think Monday we will give her a refresher course on the lunging and see how she does and then depending on that we will maybe put the saddle on her.

About the pics the first one is of Curly..I didn't get any of him here yet as I was working yesterday and today and then going to Sharon's so no time to take pics. Tomorrow I hope to ride Curly and also get some pics of me on him!

Then the next two are of Riley (the boy that has Navajo) and Navajo. I got some e-mails from Riley's mom and Navajo is doing great..That I am glad to hear!!

The next three are of Beauty and her pasture mates. She was in the pasture till tonight. Sharon's one horse has arthirites so he needed to be in the pasture so she is in one of the other areas. But she had a sheep and a goat as pasture mates in the pasture =) Enjoy the photos!! I want to get some of Beauty running but she didn't do it the other night. We shall see!!

Wednesday's Work Session!!

I got to Sharon's house after work around 5:30 or so this afternoon. I didn't work with her right away but we worked on her walking nicely beside me. At first she was forward and didn't walk so well beside me but by the time I was done she was walking nice and relaxed beside me. Also was doing really well with turning left or right. I was very very pleased with how it went. It was the best work session I had with her yet. Maybe the only better one was the time she joined up with me. Tomorrow we are going to free lunge her and soon probably put the saddle on her and lunge her with that! We shall see! So that was my day today (well a short run of it anyway). I will try to get pics of Curly tomorrow. I have pics of Navajo in his new home and also of Beauty and will try to post those soon as well!