Come On Spring!

Not much to say for an update, but one nonetheless!

Went out and wormed big boy yesterday. I haven't seen him in a week or so! My last two Saturdays have been filled up. Or raining. So sick of this rain, this is the wettest winter we have had in forever! I can't wait for warm weather that is here to stay. We have still had a pretty mild winter though. Can't complain too much! I will probably get to try out Cisco's new blanket tomorrow though. Supposed to be raining all day and lows in the 30's, ick. I'm sure he will appreciate it!

But! Supposed to be sunny and warm by Thursday! Saturday they are predicting 70! Woot!! Def gotta grab a ride! I'm so excited to use our new trailer too, soon maybe!

Anyway back to yesterday. Rusty is in the close pasture by the house by himself, so we decided to just drive around to the back side of the big pasture to find Cisco. Good thing we did too because they were pretty close to the back gate. I came out of the trees from the lane and called for him and he started right over, trailing his two buddies. So cute. Of course my husband had to make a wisecrack about the way he moves as he came lumbering over in a rack/pace thing. -_- He takes great pleasure in teasing me about him.

So he thought the wormer box was kind of scary when I shook it but he just gave it the hairy eyeball, lol. I threw his halter on and gave him some hugs/kisses and some cookies. Which of course had to be shared with the other two moochers. I was so happy to see them all getting along so well. Even with the cookies no one was running anybody off or laying ears back. They seem to be a good group. When we left to go back to the car they all followed along behind us and were like wait, no more cookies?? lol

Cisco Nohead lol

So got him wormed with no trouble and checked him over for cuts, bumps etc. All looked good! He is getting a little thinner then I want, need to tell them to up the hay. Hopefully the grass will come in good this year. Need to find some more hay actually, really low. I found some for $3.50 in our little local paper, so we will probably go get it sometime this week.

In case your wondering, Rusty is up top by himself because he has had a few people ride him lately to buy possibly. All turned out to be no's. The last lady that came was a disaster. She was 5 foot nothing, pretty round, couldn't get her foot in the stirrup. Her husband comes over to boost her and she kicks him in the rump as she tries to swing her leg over. Which of course causes him to scoot off, lol. Then he spooked sometime later and dumped her. Yeah, she didn't get back on after that, eep. Suppose to be a couple other guys coming to look at him this week. Feel sorry for the guy. He just needs someone to take time with him and love him and his goofiness/problems.

Not much else to report! I have thought about doing a post on last Saturday; I worked with Tuff for the first time in forever. But I'm really too depressed to say much other then it was a nightmare. I was about in tears as I took him back to his pasture. I think I had higher expectations then I probably should have, yes, but he also was just awful. To think of all the time/training I put in on him over the years and then think of how its seems to be all wasted? Ugh. I might post on Daisy's blog later about it...

Have a great week everyone!

Three Amigos ;) Skip on the left, the sis in laws QH gelding
Stormy on the right, the bro in laws QH mare

Loving My Saturday Rides

Lookit those cute ears!

I got another free Saturday this past weekend, and you know what that means?? Horsey time! I really can't wait until the sun stays up to at least 6:30, so I can get time in after work. I don't get home until 5:30 or later and that really limits my outside time at this time of year. One more month and we spring back forward in time (March 10th) thank goodness! I lived in Arizona from birth to 14 years and never had to deal with the nonsense until I moved to Alabama.

It was pretty cool that morning so we waited until two or so before we went out there. I was also waiting for the big fuzzy sleepy head to get done with his nap! In the course of the two to three hours that I was out at the inlaws before we rode, I saw Cisco laying down sleeping in three different spots! So funny. That definitely set the tone of the entire ride, too. His energy level was about a 2!

Went out with my little brother in law of course. Stormy did great again. The BIL didn't have help tacking up this time, so I talked him through some things to get her to stand, etc, and they both did great. (Would love a hitching post, but it is good practice for ground tieing!) Her biggest thing last time was bridling. I think she might have had a rough hand at sometime because she is a tad head shy. I gave her a cookie right after she accepted having the reins up her nose a little (in preparation for over her ears) and after that she seemed much more obliging, lol.

Cisco was a mess on one side from laying down so that took me awhile to get cleaned up. He didn't seem to mind though as he nearly fell asleep. Then he had a foot resting the entire time I was saddling him, so I finally had to pull his hind-end over to get him to square up. Silly boy. Which reminds me, I need to have my mom bring the other cinch from her house to me. The one he uses now when I cinch up pulls the FIRE out of his hair right at the latigo buckle, ripping quite a few out. Which he does not appreciate, lol, poor guy.

We ambled over to the round pen again just to make sure we were all functioning correctly, but didn't stay long. I could see Cisco was going to be a total dead head and Stormy was her normal slow self so we went on up the road again and then back to the pasture and moseyed around in there. The older BIL was down at the far end (right on the other side of the lane going to the other pasture) trying to run some more hot wire to the fence between each of the big pastures. Apparently everyone was quiet excited about the new addition (Cisco) and the BIL thinks the hot wire needs to be, well, hot, to make sure everyone plays nice and stays on their side of the fence.

So we went over there and talked to him a bit, then I asked the little BIL if he wanted to swap horses. Wow, was that a difference! I felt like I was riding a pony, lol. I did like his saddle much better then Ciscos, it felt a lot more solid. I think Cisco needs a bigger one. Sigh, only takes money! I ran her about the pasture a bit, working on turning and such. It took quite a bit of effort but I got her to lope a bit and then let her settle down again. She was sure happy when I got off, I bet! ;)

Stormy the fireball

The BIL had already dismounted by the time I got done, definitely not liking how my gaited horse rode, lol, besides the fact the saddle was too small for him. They are all QH guys, but at least he tried him out.

So after that we made another trip up the road for fun, and I discovered my big gentle giant has no problem with me getting mail out of the mailbox, lol. Then it was back to the house to untack!

I had gotten his blanket in from schneiders a few weeks ago, but this was the only time I had had to try it on him. He was such a good boy standing there while we fiddled with all the straps forever. It looks so good on him!

He says, really?? Its nearly 60 degrees out!

Until next time!!

Ridin' Ridin' Ridin'

Cookie please??

Lots and lots of riding! Such a fun day Saturday! Had some errands to do that morning and then put little girl down for her nap. Shot a text to the BIL (Stormy's owner) and asked him if he wanted to be my riding buddy! He was all for it.

Threw all my tack in the explorer and left the husband with sleeping beauty. The horses were up by the fence of course, taking a nap. I called to him and he perked his head and ears up, so cute. They both came toward the gate when I went to go get him, but he hung back and let Stormy see me first. She is the boss, which I expected, but they are good buddys.

The FIL came out to help with Stormy, thankfully, so I could focus on big boy. She hasn't been ridden in quite some time, and even then she was quite green, so I knew he wouldn't be able to just toss the lead rope over her neck and throw his tack on her like I could with Cisco. (Yes, we need a tie post!) She gave them a little trouble with the bridle but other then that was golden. (which I was stuffing her face with cookies during the saddling, so I'm sure that helped!)

Speaking of the cookies, I am having so much fun 'babying' him, I bought him some apple cookies, a new brush and hoof pick. I've never bought cookies for any horse! He is just so lovable though that I love getting him stuff he will like. He is also getting his very own new winter blanket coming in this week! For those days we have rain/snow and cold temps all together. We almost got some freezing rain last week but it didn't pan out, thankfully!

Here is the blanket we ordered him: http://www.sstack.com/horse-blankets-and-sheets_waterproof-turnout-blankets_euro-fit/stormshield-classic-euro-contour-collar-turnouts/

He is going to look so snazzy! The big scudder wears a 84! Good grief! Daisy wears a 72! We also bought one for Dixie, my moms old horse, in purple. She wears a itty bitty 68. We went ahead and got her a 70 though, just in case. Hopefully it won't be too big. I know it seems kind of squirrley to just now be buying blankets, but the really bad weather around here doesn't usually show its face until after the first of the year. We have gotten some awful snow storms in March before!

So we got them all tacked up, this is the first time I've tried Cisco's new pads on him. The black no-slip I like, the other is smaller then I thought it would be. Next time I will have to try folding it different to see if I can get it to show more.

We both climbed up and were ready! We decided to hit the round pen first to try out their paces, get everyone steering and woahing well. So Cisco and I headed out and were the 'fearless' leaders, lol. Cisco was very looky and interested, but never did spook and was a good boy! I was kind of nervous about Stormy, the younger brother in law is really quite a green rider, but he insisted she wouldn't do anything and rode her to the round pen instead of walking her like I suggested. He was right! She was just fine.

I thought originally two of us in there would be too much, but we fit okay! Until I tried to rack with him and kept running into them, haha. Well not physically but every time we got near her he would lose motor. So, I was hoping he would be easy to get to rack and not get pacey, but boo, nope. I got a pace much more often then I did a rack. I did get it a few strides a couple times, SO FUN! We will work on it! I wish I could go take a lesson at a gaited barn, that would be the best. I really am quite clueless about gaited horses and their mechanics. I've done a little checking and haven't come up with a place that looks decent just yet. We'll see.

After we got bored in there (and Cisco decided the tractor moving hay around 2 counties away wasn't going to affect him in any fashion) we ventured out, the plan to go down the road a bit towards my house. I was in the lead again of course, Cisco has a motor and he goes until he's tired! (which doesn't usually take very long, lol) So he's doing his power walk down the road head in the air checking it out and we leave Stormy waayyy behind, lol! She not only is about a hand shorter but she walks slow! Typical QH walk, lol. So I circled back a few times, made him woah a few times and wait. He wasn't too keen on that, but it was good practice! We made it down the road and turned back before we got too far, didn't want Tuff and his buddy seeing us and causing a ruckus! I called the husband out and had him take some pictures of us.

Look at their cute faces!

 After that we went on into the woods behind the round pen. My husband has a deer stand down there. Cisco looked at the little opening and was like, "Really?" but after I gently persuaded him he was like ok! As we got toward the end of lane two or three squirrels jumped out of the clearing and took off into the woods. He jumped a bit but kept on trucking like a good boy! I had so much fun, there is a lot of brush and trees down in there so we weaved in and out, bushwhacked our own paths. There is a big deer feeder down there and the stand, but neither horse even gave it a second look!

We played around in there a few minutes and then headed back out to the pasture they live in. We walked around in there for a while, again weaving in and out of the trees. I also used that time to get as far from Stormy as I could so he knew he was okay without her. He swished his tail a bit about that, but got over it pretty quick. Then I walked him around behind her a bit to get him used to following at a slower pace, he rated himself pretty well if I helped him, lol, but definitely would have run up her hiney if I hadn't! He had to take little baby steps.

By then it was getting later and the BIL had to be at church for a meeting soon so we called it quits! We were both so proud of our 'greenies'. They need lots and lots of just that sort of thing!

Snoozing after our ride. Need to re-braid that mane!

Cisco was so cute when I let him back in his pasture, he followed me back to the gate and was like, "more cookies, please??" Silly boy!

Well as usual I have gone way long! Will be back with more of our adventures!