I am still alive.....
I have been consumed by the ranch horse show and the tallying of results for that plus the big move to KY.
I am happy to tell you I did in fact haul Frankie to the show. I did even manage to ride him Friday evening. He was fresh, we did some lunging then riding and some bucking. He handled the crowds and newness of it all quite well. The rest of the weekend he basically stood in his stall and I had one of the youth kids water and give him hay at intervals. I did walk him around on Sunday during the lunch break and even took him over to the cattle pens to see his reaction. He was non reactive about the cows and generally everything else. The show went well despite rain and having to use the covered pen for every class instead of just the cattle classes.
This weekend is the final push for moving, should be in totally by the end of this week. Thank goodness for that. Today was last day of school for the kiddos so we are focused on getting the rest of our stuff moved now.
Sunday I am judging an open show here in Indiana and I must admit my first mini horse classes. I am curious about this mini horse obstacle at liberty class, should be a hoot!
Promise I will be back to posting more regularly soon, thanks to those of you out there checking on me.
Happy trails....
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Stubborn as an ass...
Yep, that's me! Despite my aching back and my need for vicodin just to be upright I decided to ride Frankie today. I know , I know.... but the weather was just gorgeous today and he is doing well again and did I mention the ranch horse show this weekend?
Well, Frankie was quite good today and instead of pounding myself with trotting and loping we worked on other things. We worked on moving the hip without it being a big deal and getting faster in pace. This will come in handy for working gates and lead changes and lots of other things. We also worked on backing and just standing still for awhile. He looks good and is completely shed out and I must say looking buff! Hopefully, I will get a chance to show him at least a class or two this weekend. Since I am running the show it is a tough call, depends on if my help shows up and works out.
Either way we are making progress again and I know separating him and Jane was the right thing to do.
Now if you will excuse me I am off for a Mojito and another vicodin!
Happy Trails.....
Well, Frankie was quite good today and instead of pounding myself with trotting and loping we worked on other things. We worked on moving the hip without it being a big deal and getting faster in pace. This will come in handy for working gates and lead changes and lots of other things. We also worked on backing and just standing still for awhile. He looks good and is completely shed out and I must say looking buff! Hopefully, I will get a chance to show him at least a class or two this weekend. Since I am running the show it is a tough call, depends on if my help shows up and works out.
Either way we are making progress again and I know separating him and Jane was the right thing to do.
Now if you will excuse me I am off for a Mojito and another vicodin!
Happy Trails.....
Monday, May 11, 2009
Frankie's heart break club
First let me start off by thanking all of you for your insights and suggestions in the Frankie / Jane saga. I want to tell you all that A) I am not mad at him or disappointed. I understand he is a young and inexperienced horse and B) He needs more riding from me. Mostly I was just surprised by his actions as he never has shown any of those characteristics before.
So before one or both of us got hurt or digressed any further, I loaded up Jane on Thursday and took her to Ky. She is now at Susan's in her own little paddock and could not be happier. Well, OK she could be happier if Frankie was with her but that is not going to happen.
It was too late on Friday when I got back to go see Frankie but first thing on Saturday I went over to see him. I had talked with Tiffany on the phone and she told me he carried on for about an hour then settled down when I took Jane away.
On Saturday he seemed relaxed when I brought him into the arena , a good sign.
He stood quietly while I groomed and saddled him. Tiffany's horse Cisco did call out to him a few times and he did answer but did not get agitated like before. I decided to lunge him just a bit to see what shape we were in. He worked well and did not seem to preoccupied with calling out to Cisco. I mounted him and am happy to say he was back to his old self. We had a great ride and schooled for about 30 minutes in the arena.
Unfortunately my back has decided to spasm and flare up from previous injury and probably the moving and the fall last week. So..... I am here with heat pad and vicodin trying to get well so I can ride some this week. Now I am preparing for the ranch horse show this weekend which is a full time job in itself.
So before one or both of us got hurt or digressed any further, I loaded up Jane on Thursday and took her to Ky. She is now at Susan's in her own little paddock and could not be happier. Well, OK she could be happier if Frankie was with her but that is not going to happen.
It was too late on Friday when I got back to go see Frankie but first thing on Saturday I went over to see him. I had talked with Tiffany on the phone and she told me he carried on for about an hour then settled down when I took Jane away.
On Saturday he seemed relaxed when I brought him into the arena , a good sign.
He stood quietly while I groomed and saddled him. Tiffany's horse Cisco did call out to him a few times and he did answer but did not get agitated like before. I decided to lunge him just a bit to see what shape we were in. He worked well and did not seem to preoccupied with calling out to Cisco. I mounted him and am happy to say he was back to his old self. We had a great ride and schooled for about 30 minutes in the arena.
Unfortunately my back has decided to spasm and flare up from previous injury and probably the moving and the fall last week. So..... I am here with heat pad and vicodin trying to get well so I can ride some this week. Now I am preparing for the ranch horse show this weekend which is a full time job in itself.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Round Two.....
Today was round two with Frankie. I would like to tell you it went better but in fact it was worse.
Last evening I went back over and gave him a bath. After bathing him I tied him in the arena and went to put away my things. He freaked out and started screaming for Jane and pulled back and broke a lead rope. I caught him and decided that we must do something to stop this behavior.
Today when I saddled him he was much quieter as was Jane, I was hopeful. But.... when I got up on him he flatly refused to move forward. I nudged him and bent him to no avail, he just froze up and whinnied for Jane who of course answered. I used my spur ever so gently at first and he just flinched, then he exploded. He did the shaking of the head thing again and then launched straight upward and started twisting and bucking. I took this as my cue to exit stage left. I was not as graceful as I had hoped and ended up in the dirt on my butt.
So, out came the lunge line and we did some work. After lunging for 15 minutes I remounted him and although he was still whinnying occasionally we did get some good work in. I ended on a good note and tomorrow is another day.
I have decided however, that Jane will be heading to Ky tomorrow afternoon and their love affair is over. He will now be pastured alone until he grows up a bit and gains some confidence. Sigh.....
The saga continues....
Last evening I went back over and gave him a bath. After bathing him I tied him in the arena and went to put away my things. He freaked out and started screaming for Jane and pulled back and broke a lead rope. I caught him and decided that we must do something to stop this behavior.
Today when I saddled him he was much quieter as was Jane, I was hopeful. But.... when I got up on him he flatly refused to move forward. I nudged him and bent him to no avail, he just froze up and whinnied for Jane who of course answered. I used my spur ever so gently at first and he just flinched, then he exploded. He did the shaking of the head thing again and then launched straight upward and started twisting and bucking. I took this as my cue to exit stage left. I was not as graceful as I had hoped and ended up in the dirt on my butt.
So, out came the lunge line and we did some work. After lunging for 15 minutes I remounted him and although he was still whinnying occasionally we did get some good work in. I ended on a good note and tomorrow is another day.
I have decided however, that Jane will be heading to Ky tomorrow afternoon and their love affair is over. He will now be pastured alone until he grows up a bit and gains some confidence. Sigh.....
The saga continues....
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Bronc riding
That is what my morning was..... a bronc ride on Frankie. Who knew the boy had it in him?? Let me back up a piece and fill you in.
I decided that since mother nature will not turn off the water works around here and give me suitable ground to ride on, that I would move Frankie and Jane to Tiffany's house since she is still here and has an indoor.
The decision was two sided. I am taking Frankie to the ranch horse show on the 16th and I know Jane is going to freak out when I take him. Last time she went thru the fence when I left her. I thought maybe she will behave better at Tiffany's since her horse will be there for company. I also knew it would make me take the time to go over there and care for him and thus I would ride instead of doing one of the million things around here.
So last eve, Tiffany God love her! Came over with her truck and trailer since mine are in KY with hubby, and got the kids and took them to her house. I also am happy they are there since I can visit with her some more before we part ways and both move to our new locales. Tiffany has a great indoor and several runs for pasture for the horse and donkey. I also like the fact that I can dry lot Jane as she is looking like she is ready to birth twins any day now!
OK, back to today. I got out of her at 8 and headed to Tiffany's, it is only a mile away. I brought Frankie into the arena to tack him up and he seemed very at ease with the strange surroundings. Then Jane started! She was braying and running up and down the dry lot behind the arena, I could hear all of it. Guess what? So did Frankie which led to whinnying and carrying on like a crazed man. He actually tried to rear on the cross ties! Saddling him was no picnic with that crap going on and I was doing my best not to get frustrated. I should mention it has been over a month since I last rode him so I knew it was going to be adventurous. He worked well in between the screaming for Jane and her braying for him. When I corrected him for whinnying to her he got agitated and shook his head and bucked. This went on for 30 minutes and he was in a good sweat despite it being 63 degrees out. I am hoping this will calm down in a few days but not holding my breath. I think Jane may have to head South to Ky and they may have to be permanently separated when we get there.
Any thoughts to how to get them less attached??
I decided that since mother nature will not turn off the water works around here and give me suitable ground to ride on, that I would move Frankie and Jane to Tiffany's house since she is still here and has an indoor.
The decision was two sided. I am taking Frankie to the ranch horse show on the 16th and I know Jane is going to freak out when I take him. Last time she went thru the fence when I left her. I thought maybe she will behave better at Tiffany's since her horse will be there for company. I also knew it would make me take the time to go over there and care for him and thus I would ride instead of doing one of the million things around here.
So last eve, Tiffany God love her! Came over with her truck and trailer since mine are in KY with hubby, and got the kids and took them to her house. I also am happy they are there since I can visit with her some more before we part ways and both move to our new locales. Tiffany has a great indoor and several runs for pasture for the horse and donkey. I also like the fact that I can dry lot Jane as she is looking like she is ready to birth twins any day now!
OK, back to today. I got out of her at 8 and headed to Tiffany's, it is only a mile away. I brought Frankie into the arena to tack him up and he seemed very at ease with the strange surroundings. Then Jane started! She was braying and running up and down the dry lot behind the arena, I could hear all of it. Guess what? So did Frankie which led to whinnying and carrying on like a crazed man. He actually tried to rear on the cross ties! Saddling him was no picnic with that crap going on and I was doing my best not to get frustrated. I should mention it has been over a month since I last rode him so I knew it was going to be adventurous. He worked well in between the screaming for Jane and her braying for him. When I corrected him for whinnying to her he got agitated and shook his head and bucked. This went on for 30 minutes and he was in a good sweat despite it being 63 degrees out. I am hoping this will calm down in a few days but not holding my breath. I think Jane may have to head South to Ky and they may have to be permanently separated when we get there.
Any thoughts to how to get them less attached??
Monday, May 4, 2009
Reality sets in
With all the hustle and bustle of my life lately I have been running on automatic it seems. The day to day life has caught up with me....
The move is now reality as I walk through my near empty house and garage. Sunday I took my little men fishing at our pond for what will probably be the last time. The neighbor came over and teared up talking with me about it. Today I caught myself telling Tiffany she could stay here at my place on her way to a trip South, only to realize it is in August and I won't be living here anymore. Sigh.... there are a few things I will miss around here. Life is hard, change is inevitable and usually for the better. Still the reality of it all is overwhelming.
Today I must give a long overdue THANK YOU to dear fellow blogger and friend Luanne
atAll in a days work for this lovely pendant she made and gave away in a contest on her blog.
This is called Dichroic Jewelry and although I do not truly understand the process in how she creates these, I do know they are beautiful and I am sorry these pictures do not capture the true colors and beauty of the piece. Thank you again Luanne!
Since I am now on the catching up part of my post I must give a shout out to new blogger and my sister at Adventures in paradise Welcome sis, I am sure everyone will want to read about your crazy life on the island!
News to come...... me and the girls are planning our summer horse trip for August.
Now, who wants to come along??
The move is now reality as I walk through my near empty house and garage. Sunday I took my little men fishing at our pond for what will probably be the last time. The neighbor came over and teared up talking with me about it. Today I caught myself telling Tiffany she could stay here at my place on her way to a trip South, only to realize it is in August and I won't be living here anymore. Sigh.... there are a few things I will miss around here. Life is hard, change is inevitable and usually for the better. Still the reality of it all is overwhelming.
Today I must give a long overdue THANK YOU to dear fellow blogger and friend Luanne
atAll in a days work for this lovely pendant she made and gave away in a contest on her blog.
This is called Dichroic Jewelry and although I do not truly understand the process in how she creates these, I do know they are beautiful and I am sorry these pictures do not capture the true colors and beauty of the piece. Thank you again Luanne!
Since I am now on the catching up part of my post I must give a shout out to new blogger and my sister at Adventures in paradise Welcome sis, I am sure everyone will want to read about your crazy life on the island!
News to come...... me and the girls are planning our summer horse trip for August.
Now, who wants to come along??
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