Ibn!!!

The weather has been beautiful. We’ve had spits of rain almost every day. We even had a couple of good soaking rains a few nights. I’ve been able to ride or work the horses almost every day I haven’t had errands to run, for some reason I have to keep going to the Mercantile to get hay once a week. Of course we need to eat as well, and there are the trips to Ruidoso for meds, or tires, or other foolish things like that.

 

Marina is still lame. I was going to check her again today, but I puttered out (more about that later) Ser-Haat has another sinus infection so I had to get more antibiotics. I know it’s the weather that is causing it, but this is the first year it’s been this bad. Jazzy is positively fat. I’m trying to work her on a regular basis, but there is nothing regular about my life. Lizzie continues to improve. Espree is Espree. She has gotten really good about getting the halter on. I think she has finally figured out that it’s more fun going out to get some exercise than staying locked up in her stall all the time. It took her long enough. Stormy forgot all about the saddle we put on him last year. It’s going to take a while to get him back to being comfortable with a saddle on. I don’t even want to think about breaking him. He throws big bucks. I also forgot to tell you about our newest members of this menagerie. I lost some of my chickens (sad story), so Sherry said she would buy some chicks if I took care of them. That way we could simply split the eggs once they start laying. I got her seven chicks, and kept them in my bathroom (of course) until they were big enough to put with the others. They are now about half grown, and as cute as they can be.

 

 

Star is doing very well with her training. She was getting a bit overwhelmed with the arena so I enlarged the round pen by one panel (10’), and rode her in there. She did much better. She can walk, trot, and follow my direction pretty well. I’ll wait until she’s completely comfortable with that before I try to canter her. I haven’t been collecting her at all, but the last time I rode her I used a martingale. She was much calmer, and I got a hint of what she will be like to ride once she is well broke. I won’t use it again (I don’t think) till she knows more, but I wanted to stop her head flipping before it became a habit (like mother, like daughter). Rudy said he doesn’t introduce a martingale till after a couple of months, but he knows some trainers use it at the get go. Since I really don’t know what I’m doing I’m relying on my gut for a lot of my decisions. I wasn’t hard in her mouth, but she got the idea that she can carry a rider comfortable w/o all her antics. As I said she seemed to calm down, and relax during the ride. We’ll see if she remembers what she learned with the martingale, and carry it through with her next ride.

 

 

I learned a little more about Penny. While April was here I rode her to show April what she can actually do. When I put her into a canter she bucked on me (first time) so needless to say she got a harder workout. When I was done I put April on her in the round pen. I’m having April ride w/o stirrups, which worked fine since Penny still had my saddle on her, and her feet only reach to the top of the stirrup. She was doing so well at the walk that she wanted to try to trot. I told her to go ahead, and she was amazed at the difference in Penny. Part of the reason she was afraid to trot was Penny trotted off like a mad woman. She now trots like a lady. After her session (which went very well) we were talking, and she told me that the woman who had Penny got rid of her because every time she went into a canter she bucked. Of course she never warmed her up (because a horse shouldn’t need to be warmed up), and she was training her for barrels. That of course puts a whole new light on the subject of Penny. No wonder she tears off like a bat out of Hades, and jumps whenever she gets the lightest touch. She was probably whipped too. I use a whip, but lightly especially with a youngster. A tickle is generally all one needs. At any rate it explains a lot. Once she discovers she doesn’t have to bolt every time she’s cued I think she’ll be fine. She even kept a perfect headset all the time April was riding her.

 

Now Ibn. Since we’ve been out here he’s had nothing to deal with except his girls, his kids, his herd. He’s become herd bound. He’s a stallion in his prime, and in very good condition. I took him out on a trail ride as I said I would, and he was perfect until he thought we were headed home. We had a couple of battles so when we came to our gate I rode him past it much to his chagrin. Today I worked him again, and he was being such a pooper I took him out on the trail again. It was hot (the clouds hadn’t rolled in yet), and humid so he actually worked up a sweat. We were out for two hours, and he was still full of it. I was exhausted. I took him back into the arena, and he was a little better, but not much. I don’t know what to do about it except work him hard till he figures out that if he behaves himself he can get back to his girls. I hate the thought of riding him down Laughing Horse with all the horses there, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to resort to that battle or no. He has to remember that when he’s under saddle he’s no longer a stallion, but a performance horse. For once I wish he wasn’t in such good shape. I was so tired I couldn’t work anyone else. He does look great though. If I looked half that good…

 

Tomorrow I’ll try to get to Star, and Penny. I’ll do Penny first. It’s easier to retrain, than to train. Star is good, but she still doesn’t know anything, and since this is all still so exciting for her she tires me out. If I have any energy left I’ll work some of the others. If only this were twenty years ago. I had plenty of energy then!