Long Over Due

It's been way to long since my last post. Lots of new things happening. The 45 foot line is my new best friend! I never thought I would love it so much. I've gotten such bad rope burn in the past I figured I would just use the 22 forever. Chiclet loves it even more then I do and the great thing is he's still with me 45 feet away. The feeling of my horse being connected to me 45 feet away at a canter is a wonderful thing. Our flying change at the canter online are getting better. I only ask for it every once in a while when I feel like he's going to get it. I got a little greedy and started asking for it to much, the end result of that was this look like if he had hands he would flip me the middle finger. :~) I love that horse!!!!

The game of contact is more at play. It's a lot harder then I thought it would be. My plan is to do a dressage show in the spring. That has been my plan all along with Chiclet but he turned to be a lot more difficult then I thought he would be when I got him almost 5 years ago. He will be 7 years old in the spring and we have come a long way so it's time to take the next step.

My last bit of great news is we canter now when I ride him. I know we have always cantered but not together. Avery has been given me a few lessons to help me with the canter and it's been helpful but for some reason I didn't quite get what she was saying until I was riding by my self and I was doing figure 8 at the canter with simple change in the middle, Chiclet didn't want to pick the canter back up and I really got after him with back up and like magic we now can canter. I don't know what I did different that day but ever since that day I just think canter and off we go. Just a short month ago I was still thinking when are we ever going to canter together.

Chiclet is the best.......

Under Pressure

Yesterday went well for the most part. I spent most of the hunter pace ride right brained. The turnout ended up being 150 rider and that was way to much for me. Our issue was horses galloping up behind us. That was a interesting. Chicle also got really pushy and ran through pressure I was to right brained to fix it. Thank goodness Avery was there to baby sit me. She talked me though a few things but I was trying to be brave and only ask for help when I really needed it.

Another First

Interesting new things happening the last few weeks. Playing on the 45 foot line more. Chiclet and I both love it. He likes having more room and I feel he's still with me 45 feet away. I used to use the 45 and it was like flying a kite. Those days are over thank goodness. Yesterday he had the most wonderful canter all the way at the end of the line.  Ride the rail is awesome now we trot the whole field with canter here and there he stays soft and I just use sideways when he get a little tight. I never thought I would be able to ride a straight line. Today played and then got on to ride and Chiclet was tripping alot at one point he fell to his knees. We played with walk trot alot. I didn't realize it but Chicle had lost a shoe when we were riding. I kinda felt bad because maybe that's why he was tripping. Farrier coming out tomorrow to fix it. Last shoeing he put leather rim pad on him to help his weak walls and I think it's really is helping.

Big day for us on sunday. We are doing our first hunter pace in Westport MA along the Horseneck River. It's a 9 mile pace. I got a little nervous today when I heard that there will be around 100 riders there. That means 98 unnatural riders. I wonder what the hunter pace people will think when they see us grazing our horses long the pace.

Stretched

I over booked myself with work and helping Avery with her Parelli camp.  Today I was feeling the stress of this. Got up at 5am so I could get things done before lunch. Ran around like a chicken with my head cut off all morning at work. Got all the camp students feed and still had to clean the camp horses stalls. Finaly I was finished with all that by 3pm. I just wanted to play with my horse that I haven't seen all day even though he was out in his paddock just a short walk down the driveway. I had a hour before I had to get to my next job so I walked down to hang out with Chicle. I saw something interesting on my way down there he and Merit were grooming each other. I've never seen him groom another horse. I watched from a far it was so cute my 2 favorite horses loving on each ohter. When I went into the field Chiclet saw me and walked to meet me at the gate. I opened the gate to let him out and he was all about me I walked over to the shade to let him graze at liberty he followed me. This surprised me because it's all about the grass as soon as he gets out of his paddock. He grazed a bit and I just walked all around him checking him all over picking bers out of his tail. Running out of time so I said to Chicle it's time to go back in your paddock as I gave him a carrot. He followed me all the way back like he really wanted to be with me. Put him back in and walked over to check his water and Merit wanted to see what was going on, Chicle loves her and for the first time I saw him drive her away from me. I felt really good and really bad about this. I felt bad because my horse wanted to be with me and I didn't have time for him, and I felt good because my horse wanted to be with me. That's all I could think about for the rest of the day.

The last few weeks

Things have been up and down as always with horses. I got really frustrated a week or so ago riding in the indoor. I just wanted to canter that's all.....Is that to much to ask? Well it was for Chicle that day. Avery was riding Merit and she saw me getting frustrated with things and tried talking me through it but I was really have a tough time with just getting backup and then canter. Just when I was pushed to my limit I turned around and Avery is off her horse walking towards me. That's all that's going trough my head is on my God she's off her horses this is going to get really scary very quick. I love and hate when this happens she say do you trust me? Oh God!! YEEESSSSS with hesitation....So I hand her my carrot stick and here we go trotting backwards again and then off to the canter from a halt and Holy Shit! that was the scariest canter I've ridden in quite a few years.  It was only 3 or 4 times around the ring but it was galloping with no reins. I just kept saying I'm afraid but I heard Avery saying ride the storm it will pay off. And it did it turned into a beautiful canter. I was shaking after that. I sounds like I'm such a wimp but there is so much power in that horse it can be a little overwhelming sometimes.

The great thing about that day was I got to ride my dream horse Merit. I love this horse. She has baggage. She was given to Avery for free because she wanted to kill everyone that came in contact with her. Oh she is just so pretty and is a little princess. Loves to be groomed and loved on totally opposite from Chiclet. Anyway Avery thought it would be good for her to have someone else on her and tag I'm it. I love this horse before riding her but after riding I love her even more. It was just walk trot with Avery on the end of the line. I was in heaven.

It's been very hot the last few days so it was little liberty in the indoor ring today. Oh boy we had a good time with liberty. Learned something new about liberty today. Once your horse gets motivated at liberty stop. Ask for a little more every time. Stick to me was so much fun after he ran around the ring and got his bucks out. I know I say this every time but I love that horse.

Demo and more......

It's been a busy month. Lets see what's new since last post. I went to my first Parelli demo.....It was awesome!!!!! The 2 weeks before the demo were kinda rough. Chiclet came in from turnout with his hind leg looking like a tree trunk. It was a week of cold hosing and poulticing his leg. It was fun stuff.....finally got the heat and swelling down by the end of the week. Ok now I have a week to practice for the demo. The demo is on sunday Chiclet comes in from turnout on monday morning without a shoe....Oh crap! Farrier came on wednesday. 3 days to practice yay! It all turned out just fine but it was a little stressful for a little bit there. The demo was so much fun. Chiclet was really good a bit tired by the time we got to the demo part but 200+ people and our first demo I didn't mind him being a little tired. I thought he was going to be more up with the loud music and people.

Rode the rail in the field for the first time. That was interesting....I'm still not feeling that he is totally soft and responsive without a circles there and there yet. I know it's just me that why I need to push through it was start stepping outside the box. I was happy with that ride and he needs that. Other then that not much to report. I'm having fun with Chiclet I love that horse! =)

Learn Bern

Interesting last 2 days. Thursday played in the outdoor ring then practiced more bridless riding. Didn't go as well as the other day. Stopping was broken so did walk trot walk trot a hundred times then trot halt another hundred times. Phase 4 was used a lot that day. Chiclet was just in a I don't want to do that mood. We ended with a really nice halt from the canter.

Today I got a major wake up call. I was playing with getting Chiclet to keep the loop of the rope touching the ground at a circle.  Oh boy that was hard for both of us. We got some really nice circles and some really bad circles. It was change direction every time the rope lifted off the ground a few time it was ever few steps then change. When I got a good ones he could come in. He would think for a really long time when I let him come in. I just waited for him to finish thinking and then let him eat grass for a while. Ok here's when I got my wake up call, I asked for change of direction but he ran through it and I tried to plant myself to stop him but he was quicker then me and I got a pretty good learn bern on my hand. I should have been quicker to respond or let go sooner. Chicle was perfect after that. Even riding he was awesome. Cantered the question box with stop in the box with just using my sting and carrot stick. I stopped with that.

The roller coster ride with Avery continues...... I swear she's in my head sometimes. I was at work just thinking about things and where I'm at with Chicle. Thinking maybe I'm ready for another horse. Something to change things up for me and not focus all on Chiclet. Maybe it would make me better if I had another horse to study along with Chiclet. These are all just thoughts of course going through my head while I'm at work. So I get to the barn and out of Avery mouth not 10 mins being there is......... I found the perfect second horse for you......I said I wasn't looking for a second. She said I think your ready to start studying with 2 horses. I take a deep breath what are the details of the horse.  It's a 5 year old Lusitano gelding with a really bad bad top line from being broken under saddle. He was imported form Portugal and is worth a crop load of money but most important he needs a year to learn how to play and be a horse again. I said I would go see him if the owner is giving him away.  Oh Boy her I go again.....More to come on this one.

Best ride ever....

Sooo excited about my ride yesterday. Played and rode in the field just thinking is was going to be like any other day with Chicle. He was his usual self on line. Funny thing happened when I took his halter off to bridle him.....he left me.......he really left trotting and I had to go get him to catch me. It took about 5 minutes. I thought it was a little strange because I've been using fruit roll ups on his bit and he's usually grabbing for the bit when his halter comes off....not this time. After we got back in sync he was like oh yeah I love my fruit rolls ups on my bit. The riding was really soft and he was following my feel turning with the string around his neck and the carrot stick not using the reins at all. Avery was watching and she said things are going good take one rein off your bit and hook it on one side but don't use it unless you need to. So here I am riding with one rein not really anything new I have done this a hundred + times but the difference between those times and this is I'm not a passenger I'm the leader. I'm telling him where to go and what to do when we get there. WOW!!! I was so happy we did figure 8's stop back up trot to halt and I didn't touch the rein once it was awesome......Until he tripped and last a shoe.....all the fun came to a screeching halt. It was the best ride ever even though he lost a shoe.

Good news

I was in a funk today when I got to the barn. Saddled up and played. Chicle spooked at everything then Avery's horse got loose and ran back to the barn. Chiclet got himself all in a tizzy went right brained and everything. I got him back pretty quickly to my surprise. Sent him over some jumps not paying attention almost ran him into a jump....Ops my bad luckily he was looking were he was going for once. Got on trotted for 20 mins and then I just was not 100% into it so took him grazing. I have a lesson tomorrow....Well....I'm in a lesson tomorrow Avery puts me in lessons so all her focus is not on that student. I guess some people can't handle to much pressure.

Good news....I'm going to be in a demo on August 15th at a breed expo. Avery is taking some of her top students and we are honored to be one of them.

Updates

Lots to report since my last post......Went on a trail ride a few weeks ago and I really felt like Chiclet was following my feel and waiting for me to ask him what to do....I've been doing more riding with one hand on the savvy string using it to steer. I can't say how awesome it feels to have my horse follow my body. Hopping to be riding bridless very soon.

The last few weeks have been very hot "90's + and humid as all hell. So I have just get some play time in here and there when it feels cool. Chicle doesn't do well in the heat. It's funny because he was begging to be played with after a fews off even though it was "100 out. We spent a lot of time in the pond.

Played and rode a little mare named Vonna at my barn. One of Avery's horses. It was fun she has a lot to offer being a level 3 horse. I got a mini lesson on contact with her. She was so easy it was a nice change. I realized how much I like my horse and how connected we are.

Miss Vonna

I used what I learned about contact on Chiclet under Avery's watchful eyes for the first time. He was trotting so slow and my first thought was to move him forwards. Avery said don't worry about the forwards  you'll get it when he's engaged. At first I just ask for a few steps. Wow what a amazing feeling his back comes up and his hind end come under. The best part was he was like lets keep trotting. It was a fun ride.

Halfway there

I've been on a few fun trail rides the last few weeks. Played and rode in the field also. Just the fact that I can ride in the field walk trot canter is amazing to me. I can remember just 6 months ago Chiclet was not safe to ride in the field. I watched some videos I made this past winter when I just moved to Avery's barn. Chiclet looks so much better now. His top line is awesome. Together be have come a long way.

We have had some major breakthroughs the last few weeks. The past 2 days I had the best rides. Yesterday Chicle just wanted to canter with no bracing it was perfect. Some lady at the barn said to me you must be having a great ride because your face says it all. Today was the first time I rode the rail without circling. Chiclet was relaxed and stretching down I couldn't believe it was my horses. All the circles I had to do over the last few months are starting to pay off and my horses is finally getting it............. And maybe I'm getting it too. =)

Anew friend

Fun and interesting week.......Played and rode the beginning of the week with Chiclet. Played and rode Akiss yesterday then went on a trail ride with Avery and a horse there in training. Today Avery rode my horse and I rode Akiss. Chiclet was very brasie and Avery said I'm to nice. After she rode him a bit she told me to do a figure 8 with Akiss and only move my ribs to turn at the canter with a flying change in the center. I started just trotting and doing the turns a few times then went to the canter.........I love that feeling of not using anything but my body to control this huge 17 hand plus horse. It was awesome Akiss is so soft and responsive now I know what I need to do with Chiclet to get him to that place. I want that for my horse.

My friend Akiss

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

Where do I start. It's been a crazy last few weeks. I changed farriers and Chiclet is doing so much better with his new feet. My old farrier was doing everything all wrong and Chiclet was was not going well.

I graduated to spurs. They are not for going forwards they are for helping refine what I have accomplished and make my leg aid more affective. I didn't want to wear them and I was putting it off for as long as I could get away with it. Avery showed me how to use them and it was funny I walked around for 20 mins thinking about doing some sideways to try them out but I didn't know how Chicle was going to react to them. Once I figured out that Chicle was ok with them I love them. I have not used spurs in 10 15 years so I was a little nervous. I also feel a little honored that Avery thinks I'm savvy enough to wear them.

I'm stuck in a circle. Now that Chicle has new ideas about going forwards I'm only doing a few steps of straight lines and back to circle. It's so strange because I could not get this horse to move out of a halt 2 years ago.  Now I have to much forwards. Every time I ride I get more straight lines so I feel like we are getting there.

I jumped Chicle last week for the first time. He loved it and so did I. My back hurt like hell after from jumping in the dressage saddle. He was so good he jumped everything I pointed him to and was so happy doing it.

Comfort level

Had a lesson yesterday with Avery. She helped me with getting Chicle to be more snappy with his response. We trotted backwards and did some serious bucking and jumping in the air oh yes I was on him through all this. My phase 4 was not affective enough. So she helped me find my affective phase 4 and that's were all the bucking and stuff came from. She really pushed me out of my comfort level. It was good though I'm glad she did I need to be pushed a little.

????????

Why is it when I'm the most distracted and stress my horse dose something amazing? Today I played with Chicle after a very long week of a death a wake a funeral and lots of crazy family. He kinda seemed like he was not interested in having a conversation with me and I was ok with that. played with driving and squeeze over jumps. One of the jumps had to be 3 1/2 feet and it looked like he was going to stop half way over it but he made it. I tried some change of direction just to get him moving. He offered canter so I thought I'm going to change direction at the canter and see if he will do a flying change online. Wow to my surprise he was AWESOME!!!!! Oh I need to see that again cantered the other way and just like he's done it a hundred times he changed. How dose he know when I need these moments the most?

I Love this picture.

I have a happy horse

Chiclet is in love with Avery's mare Marit. I went to bring horses in the other day and made the mistake of bringing Marit in without Chiclet. When I went back to get him he had jumped out of the paddock. Oh my silly little horse!

Played and rode yesterday. I was really happy with how good he was. Canter was so nice and balanced I just have to remember to move my hind feet so his hind feet can move too. Trot he was stretching down it was a good feeling to have a relaxed happy horse under me.

Moving Day

We moved to the new barn on sunday. It took three and half hours to pack up all our stuff. And it rained to make things even more fun. Poor Chicle thought I was taking him from his herd. Avery put her 3 horses on the trailer and I headed to my trailer and Chicle was screaming his head off for his buddies. Luckily it was just a 10 minute drive. The awesome thing was he ran on to the trailer. The horses were so happy to have a huge field with grass to run in.

Monday and tuesday I played online in the indoor. Chiclet was very unconfident in there. He went really introverted it was really interesting because he hasn't gone really introverted in months. When he is unconfident and introverted he goes really slow so if you don't know him you would think he is being lazy. I played with driving and asked for him to move even slower then he wanted to. It takes a long time for him to get his confidents back. Today I took him to the outdoor ring by himself he was right brained most of the time. Made him move his feet and left him alone when he was quiet and left brained. Then I took him for a walk to eat grass. He loves his herd I just need to figure out how to be part of it so we can leave the rest of the herd and be okay and happy.

Stress Happens

Wow it's been a while since I posted. Well......... Things have been fascinating, confusing, and entertaining all wrapped up in one. My friend Laura came and left in a 4 day flash. I was so excited that she was coming with her horse and this would be the firth time we would be able to spend time together and just play with our horses. It seemed like the 4 days were a big blur to me. I didn't really get that much time to do the horse thing with her and when we did I was just so stressed out about my family. Anyway she had lessons with Avery (I didn't get to see =( ) and learned a lot while having fun. Her horse is just to cute.

Here is Diesel and Laura.

Just as I thought it's a roller coster being in Avery's barn. The barn we are at is what I call the ghetto, the fence is a joke and the horses hate it because it's really small and there is no grass. So they have been getting out all the time. So yesterday Avery decides to put electric fence up across the street from the farm in this field we have permission to ride and turn the horses out in. It has a stone wall but it's not enough to keep horses in so we put some wire up but it wasn't all the way around. We figured the grass would keep them in for now and we will finish the wire this weekend. Yeah....They got out today and took a little walk down the road and someone called the police. We got the call there are horses lose from a friend. Everyone back safe and sound.  Let me go back a bit I found a barn to rent a few weeks ago but Avery is being wishy washy about going there because the "normal people" are there. After today I talked her in to moving there. Thank goodness because I have enough stress in my life right now and my horses is the only thing that keeps me going. It's been a week of Avery going back and forth about moving there. I'm feeling double stress with things going on with my family.

In all the commotion Chiclet is having a blast with running around the field and eating grass. I have not played with him in a week. Today I finally had time and was feeling like I need time with my Chicle. Played and he was NUTS!!!! but we got though it. I got on and rode trot was good but for some reason canter was no good. I went to the field and trotted around eat grass and ended at that.

Free at last

Chiclet and his buddies got out of their dirt paddock yesterday. I headed over to the barn and get a text from Avery saying when are you coming to play? I called her because I was driving and didn't want to text. So she answers the phone like nothing is going on. Then with a giggle says the ponies are gone. I'm like WHAT???? Yeah they are not in their paddock and I don't see them anywhere. Let me tell you that was the longest drive to the barn not knowing where my horse is. Avery called me about 5 minutes away from the barn telling me she found the horses. They found a beautiful field of grass by the water. We hung out with them for a while so they didn't hate us for taking them back to the dirt paddock.  We really need to move to a farm that has better grass turnout. I hate that my horse is standing in a dirt paddock all 24/7. 

So dearest friend Laura is here for a visit with her horse Diesel. It's her first horse and she is having a few lessons with Avery. D and Chicle went out together this afternoon. They where just fine with each other. We left them in the outdoor ring for the night. It should be interesting to see what has happened over night because Chicle was calling for his buddies even with D in with him. I love that my horse is finally feeling like he is part of a herd for the fist time in his life.

Fun Stuff

So we didn't make it on our trail ride last friday because it rained. We did go yesterday though. It took us 40 minutes to get there and a hour to get home. I grazed the horses while Avery was teaching. It was along ride. On the way there for some reason I kept leaning forward and losing my balance. Not sure why I forget everything when I get nervous. On the way some we saw turkeys in this field we had to cross I was freaking out of corse the horses didn't care. Avery started cantering a head of me I wanted to canter too but the turkeys were still in my head. Avery stopped to grazed and I cantered around her it was fine and Chiclet did just great.

Saturday was awesome. We went to the Carnegie Abby for the beach ride. We parked under the huge turbine it was really noisy. I was thinking oh my what are the horses going to do when they get off the trailer. They were just interested in the grass when they got off the trailer. We played in this big field for 2 hours there were round bales to play around it was so much fun. I almost didn't ride, something about open fields that make me nervous. I pushed through it and got on. Chiclet was the best he's ever been. I think he eat his body weight in grass though. Then we headed for the beach but didn't get far, One of the horses we went with was foot sore so we turned around. But I was so happy with how Chiclet handled the day with gulf carts and dogs running around he didn't care about a thing. It's was a huge confidence builder for me.

Things to come

Well I rode yesterday it was good.  Rode again today not as good as yesterday. Got in a little fight about moving off my leg but I convenced him that moving off my leg was a good idea.

I'm a little bit excited about tomorrow. Avery and I are riding over to one of her students farms about 4 or 5 miles away. Oh it's going to be fun. Ride over there she teaches while I graze the horses then ride back. I'm going to be tired. I used to get this sick feeling in my gut every time I thought about going on a long trail ride now I LOVE IT!!!! Then saturday off to the beach with the horses..... I can't wait to go. Chiclet has never been to the beach. I'm sure he's going to be down in the sand right away.

Brace

Where do I start.....Still not feeling 100% yet so my time with Chiclet has been not very productive until today. tacked up played got on all he wanted to do was canter and brace. I didn't have it in me to fight with him about it so I just cantered around. Not a good idea...... Avery drove in and said what ya doin holding your reins so tight? Damn it!! My reply was it's a old habit that I'm having a hard time getting rid of. I'm not sure what to do about the bracing so having a short rein helps well...not really. Avery got on him and it as pretty rough at first. He had a plan and what Avery was asking as not part of it. It was lots of sideways and holding him head up higher then he wanted. After she rode him she said he was stuck in his ribs and that's what I have to play with. I knew that but I think I need see how to work through it to fix it. I learned something new today. Circles are for shortening the stride and straight line are for lengthening the stride. If I use the straight line to reword good circles thing will be easier. After watching Avery ride I feel a lot better about going to faze 4. I was a little unsettled about going there while riding. 

I finally have a partner

Today I realized that I mean something to my horse. I had the worst day I'm still not feeling good things at home got ugly everything about today sucked. Not my horse though. When I got to the barn everyone was leaving and I was thinking about just grazing Chicle. What the hell lets go to the indoor and play with some liberty. I didn't do any prep online just let him free. Played with circle that was ok still going out to far but he slowly comes closer. I've been playing with driving in zone 2 and getting him to catch up to me when he drifts behind. He now trots with me and canters but we didn't do a lot of cantering because I can't run without coughing my head off. I was thinking that this is going so good lets try adding a few things to see what happens. Wow! we did figure 8 at the trot it was awesome! I've had such trouble with this one even online I still have issues with it but we did it both ways. I was so happy even Chiclet was like did I do it good. He was even offering to jump over barrels that never happens. I felt like he was a real partner today. All my stress went away I love my horse.

Sucks to be sick

Ive been sick all weekend and still recovering today. I didn't do much with Chicle over the weekend infect I didn't even go to the barn sunday afternoon. Yesterday I thought I wanted to ride but took some meds before I left for the barn NOT a good idea. I was like Weeee! by the time I got there. Played stick to me at liberty everything going good until Avery came in the ring with Ahug and then it was oh no I lost my horse. I got him back after he cantered around the ring about 10 times. stick to me again and some sideway then jump over a barrel. I lost him about 3 times total  with the other horse in there but he came back pretty quick. I was happy with how he did. Avery was playing at liberty with Ahug too.

In a funk

I went to the barn in a funk this afternoon. I had a rough day dealing with life so my head was really busy with stuff. It's kind of funny how horses pick up on this. Went in the paddock and Chiclet was sunning himself with two of his buddies. The ball was next to him so I went and sat on it just to hang out. All 3 horses came over to say hi and see if I had a cookies. It was so cute I put my hand out and all three of them touched me at the same time.

Brought Chiclet in and gave him a good grooming against his will of course. He hates to be groomed. Saddled him and went to the outdoor to play. While playing I was in la la land trying to focus on what I was doing. It looked like he was not ridable so we did what he likes driving game ok now he looks ridable. Got on rode lots of walk halt transitions move to the trot doing figure 8. Still not feeling like things are right. I was looking around to see if anyone was around but the farm was like a ghost town. I really wanted to go out on the trail but no one was there to let them know where I was going. What the hell I decided to just go. This is our first trail ride with just the 2 of us no baby sitter. Got to the trail trotted stopped a few times all good so far. Once we got to the dirt road his feet were sticky so I just kept trotting and moved him sideways back and forth found some grass at the end of the road and stopped. He only wanted to eat a few mins though. I told him is was ok and we wondered home. Yay! we lived through our firth trail ride alone. The funny thing is when we got back there still wasn't anyone around.

Driving at liberty

Well, the horses stayed in their paddock 2 nights in a row. Rain monday and tuesday night so they came in to dry off for the night.

Here is one of the pictures my friend Sarah took last week.

I played at liberty this afternoon. I can't believe how far we have come in just a few months. We did some driving in zone 3 and 4 it was so much fun. Chicle is really starting to pick up on what I'm doing and doing the same thing. I just started canter driving in zone 5 on line but I thought I would try it today at liberty. Holly crap it was awesome! canter down the long side stop backup trot on and really snappy too not really using the stick. I really working towards taping my liberty level 3 I just have a few things like the figure 8 that I'm stuck on. 

A night out

Not much to report today. Worked all day and did some chores at home so I thought it would be a good day for Chiclet to do his Chicle thing with his buddies. Went to the barn this afternoon to feed and bring in. We decided to leave the horses out tonight for the first time. The fence is not great so it should be interesting to see what happens over night.

2 Days of stuff

We played in the outside ring thursday and my friend Sarah played with Bamboozle with us. Sarah is so cute she is just starting her voyage with Parelli so it's fun to watch her.  It reminds me of when I started with Parelli. We had a good time. Sarah takes amazing photos and took some of me and Chiclet.

Chiclet was not in a super playful mood thursday. I just played a little bit and then got on. I thought everything was going well until I cantered. Chiclet was tossing his head at the canter and would not stay cantering. Avery drove in so I asked her to if she could tell me what I'm doing wrong. She watched and then said your not moving your not moving your hind legs so he can't move his hind legs. HHmm how interesting! She told me to move my legs with the canter, it was so cool Chicle stretched down and even was blowing out and I didn't have to push him. It was awesome.

Friday I got to the barn played with Chicle and Avery played with River one of the horses she has for training. Chicle had a big blow up before I got on. One of the horses turned out beside the outdoor ring was running like crazy so Chicle thought there must be a huge bear in the woods and it's going to eat him NOT! Avery yells to me use his energy......Change directions every half circle. Holly crap I've never seen him so fired up he was doing flying changes totally right brain so it was a mess. I think I went a little right brain too! It felt like I was never going to get him back but it took about 10 minutes and he started to breath his head stretched down. I asked him to come in he looked at me like holly crap what just happened? The funny thing was I could feel myself coming down from the adrenalin rush too. He was pretty cooked but I rode anyway. He was really tight and still looking for the bear a little bit. Avery talked me through it she said just keep riding. I rode for about a hour the he finally felt soft so off on a trail ride we went. Boy is Avery really making me realize where my comfort level is and challenge me to step out of it. It's so funny because she just comes out with something and it's like just do it don't think about it to much. I so need that I'm a over thinker sometimes.

The last 2 days

Lets see where do I start......I played with some liberty yesterday just to kill time. I had to feed and bring Avery's 5 horses in so didn't have time to ride. Liberty went good I was doing the weave and he got fresh so I sent him away and the funnest thing happened.....he left and went through the weave himself. I just laughed at him so he came running back like did I do good mom. He cracks me up sometimes.

Today I got to the barn and Avery had lessons with 2 ladies I know. They invited me to go out on the trail with them. I used Avery's Parelli western saddle. OMG!!!! Chiclet looks so cute in it for 1 and for 2 I loved the feel of it. The trail ride started just like the one last week. Chiclet was up and full of it starting out but ended up being so good after.

Rain Again

Something strange happened this afternoon. The horses only got a few hours of turnout today because of the heavy rain. When I got to the barn this afternoon Chiclet was climbing the walls wanting out. My plan was to groom him then play and ride. I started grooming him and he was so fussy I decides to just goto the ring and play. Here is the strange part we got in the ring and he went really introverted and unconfident. This has never happened in the indoor even the first day we moved there he was fine with it. The only thing I could see different was one of the lights was making a funny noise and the mounting block was moved out 2 feet.  I just played with going really really slow in fact I think we set the record for the slowest walk! It took about 20min to get him through it and then we played with more driving in zone 5. Love it love it love it! I tried canter down the long side then halt and back up. It's not totally straight yet but we have it mastered in the trot so I think the canter will get straighter the more we play with it.

A Jaunt Through The Woods

Went on a short jaunt through the woods and down a dirt road with Avery this afternoon. Avery has a horse in for training to be restarted so after riding him for a week she said he's ready for a trail ride and tag I'm it to go with her. It started off a little hairy on my end. Chiclet started getting really up at the entrance to the trail so move the hind until he decided being up is not a good choice. Ok we are good so off trotting with a tun if transitions in between. When we got to the dirt road we trotted about a 1/4 mile then found some grass and hung out. It was so much fun. I probably would have turned around at the start of the trail ride with Chiclet all up if I wasn't with Avery. Then we just moseyed home.

I played online before the trail. I'm getting some really nice stuff driving in zone 5. I'm starting to get him to respond to what I'm doing with my body instead of the line. Trot to back up is awesome!

Rain Rain Go Away

Yesterday took it easy went over to this huge field that is a cross the street from the farm. Just wondered around looking for the good grass it was nice and quiet. We stayed over there for about a hour.

Today it rained and I played in the indoor and did a little riding in there. It just got watered so it was really slippery. Chiclet slipped a few times and it made him really tight. I decided to go out to the out door ring even though it was raining a little. Rode the rail he got really soft and was blowing out so I think the footing in the indoor was making him nervous. He even offered to canter. I was surprised and took it then did a few simple changes and called it a day. He was a really good boy today.

The power of a pony

There is a new pony at the farm her name is Bamboozle. She is a hot shit all the horses have great respect for her. When she says move you better move or your getting double barreled. Chiclet is very interested in her I think because she is fare to him. She asks first and he is used to being told not asked.

Sunday and monday I played and rode. Things went ok. On monday I felt like he was tired so I rode for a half hour I wanted to do more but I was feeling bad about him being tire. I'm such a sucker! It was the end of the day so I put Chicle back out for a bit before they all had to come in for the night. This is when I figured out I'm a sucker. Chiclet and the other horses had a serious rump around the paddock and Bamboozle was the start of it all. She was moving him around it was so cool. I went over to play today with a new attitude. I had in the back of my mind that horses can travel up to 30 miles a day. I was playing with getting him to be softer with zone 1 his head. He wants to pull me all the time. I felt like he didn't want to be with me at the end so I'm not sure if I got my point across or not. I guess I'll have to see what happens tomorrow. I already have big plans for going over to the big feild tomorrow.

Liberty

Let me start by saying that I alway wanted to have this awesome bond with my horse so I could do all the cool stuff at liberty. Up until recently I never played at liberty for two reasons. 1) Chiclet would try and run me over and 2) he would leave and go right brained and jump the fence or go through it. So a few weeks ago my dear friend Avery helped me with this issue. We had a big break through it was so much fun I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Here we are a few weeks later and I think my horse has out smarted me. I thought today would be a good day for some liberty. Walked around did some sideways yo yo everything going good. Ok send him out on a circle he goes off trotting and then stops send again trot stop after a few steps. Hhmm what do I do now? After a few minutes of this I figured I need to do something else. I found myself running around more then he was. So a few weeks ago he would just take off like a rocket and have no confidence now he leaves and is like ok I guess and has all the confidence in the world. I guess I need to figure out what to do with his new found confidence.

Farrier

I started this blog last summer and kinda forgot about it. Well, new things have been happening with Chiclet and I thought it's time to write everyday.

Today was interesting. (My best friend Laura always laughs at me when I say that. Because everyday is interesting with Chicle) My farrier came to put shoes on and I always get stressed out because Chiclet is not into the whole farrier thing. I have to give myself at least a hour before my farrier comes so I can play and get all of the naughty thoughts out of Chiclets head. I thought I was doing good we played he was awesome hung out in his stall everything was good. The farrier showed up late not good to much time for naughty thoughts to come back. To make a long story short he was trimming the last hoof and I turned my head and Chiclet bit my thumb and the blood was gushing. After 2 hours of him being in the barn without his buddies he had enough and my thumb took the brunt of it. I love my horse!!!!!