Sunday, June 7, 2009

I'm riding again!

I thought after the move things might calm down a bit, but so far it is full throttle around here. This past week I did manage to get the satellite TV hooked up and a phone connected. Since I was captive all week I decided to go commando and potty train this very stubborn almost 4 year old boy of mine. We have tried several times with no success, my fault too since I am always on the go. (no pun intended)
But, I am happy to say I think we have rounded that corner this week as well.
Friday was a trip to Toys R Us for a job well done and yes the dreaded Chuckie Cheese adventure..... shoot me now! After that we drove a very sick and fevered Dad
to the Cincinnati airport for a flight to New York. He went against my advice, work calls you see. It is just an hour to the airport but with two small boys it felt like twenty!! We then booked it home, stopped for groceries and shavings for the equines and went to Susan's to prepare Frankie's new stall and paddock. I got the stall bedded and filled the water trough and buckets in the stall.

Saturday morning I went and hooked up Susan's big aluminum stock trailer and thank God she watched my boys as I drove to Indiana to fetch the big ole Perlino man.
Two and a half hours later I arrived and promptly loaded 78 bales of hay into the front of the trailer. It has a cut gate and that was what I could fit in the front section, was hoping for 100 but oh well. I then went to Tiffany's house and loaded up Frankie and all his paraphernalia into the trailer. Despite the trailer being something totally different and this being his 6th time hauled he did great.
I made it back to Susan's by 3:30pm and proceeded to unload him and some hay.
I turned Frankie out into his paddock to let off some steam. The rest of the horses were up in the barn and this distressed him terribly, not to mention Jane started the hee haw express in there. As I unloaded hay he basically trotted the fence and whinnied to whoever would answer.

Later that evening Susan had a cookout and by then he was settling in and relaxing some. Until...... I turned out Jane. Her paddock is across the driveway from him,
he can see her but no contact. He pawed at the ground and paced a small section where he could see her, she could have cared less. By the time I left at 10pm he was worn down and grazing peacefully.

Today after driving back to the airport to fetch said sick Dad who is now even sicker, I decided to go and ride with Susan. So at 2 o'clock we loaded Frankie and her mare Payback and headed to the reservoir to ride. The reservoir is not actually a reservoir it is just county land that may one day be used for that purpose. It is only 15 minutes from the farm. Frankie did well considering that he never had another horse haul with him in the trailer, I don't have slants just an open box. When we arrived at the parking lot there were about five other trailers there. We had seen a deer on the way in and that was only the first of many today. We unloaded and saddled up the ponies. Frankie did his classic pull back on the lead when I was about to saddle him, something we must work on. It is frustrating because he doesn't always do it and he is completely calm after doing it. After that outburst he was fine while being saddled. Susan had daughter Eliza along for the ride today in her buddy seat on the back of payback, she is six. We headed down the road and immediately crossed a concrete bridge with 4 culverts running under it and sticking out the sides like evil monsters. Frankie just had a look as we were passing over them. We found the trail head and went into the woods, it was a single file trail and Payback led. It was nice and shady and the bugs did not bother us today. We climbed some slippery hills and this did give Frankie some nerves but he handled himself very well. The trails were in the woods then opened into big fields,
we saw several deer and Frankie never spooked or acted up at all. We did some water crossings with no problem either. Of course I forgot my camera but Susan managed to snap this one with her Blackberry.




Can you see the topography in the photo? We did some serious climbing today.
We rode for about an hour and a half and when we arrived back at the trailer little Frankie was pooped. He was actually trying to sleep while I unsaddled him. We headed home and he got a nice showering off and some rest in his stall until this evening when he will get turned out for the night. Me I am turning in also, I am sore all over from slinging hay and tomorrow it will be from riding. That's OK, I am so glad to be back in the saddle again....

The mare may come this week for a trial basis to see if she fits my program, she sounds to good to be true so we shall see......

Happy trails......

7 comments:

allhorsestuff said...

Hello Sweetie! Do you know I think that frankie was smiling in the picture with you! he really looks happy!
I know that you are and what a good idea for the donkey/Jane and he to be seapratied by a drive way!

I was thinking of you the other day...I moved the hand made sign (I love my horse)you sent to me, over the grooming area of the barn. It looks SWEEEET!

So...have you tried a "Blocker" tie ring yet on that Frankie for the pull backs he does?
That is strange..but Romeo used to do that too...it helps to be able to release as they pull it does seem.
Kac

allhorsestuff said...

PS yesss on the jam!

Anonymous said...

Wow - you have been busy! Nice that you finally got Frankie and also got in a nice ride - you both look very happy in the photo!

Mrs. Mom said...

You GO girl! I always feel bad for parents- they ask how we got Wrecker to potty train at two, and I look blank, shrug my shoulders, and say, "Uhhh... I dunno..." I really hope that your lil man decides that being dry is GOOD! ;)

*sigh* Riding... I envy you and Frankie! ;)

Ride for me one time, and please kisses to the ponies and those sweet boys too!!

LuLo Designs/Blue Eyed Tango said...

Hello, Frankie looks so much like Romeo in the photo the way his little head (I had a recent post on Thurs. that looks like him) is tilted so curiously! Looks like you're settling in nicely in your new place. I'll be it's nice to have Frankie near you now. I'm getting ready to head to Key West for a wedding so I'm trying to get as much riding in as possible before I leave! We have our black/white mare in training right now.... doing great! I rode her last week and she's nice and smooth! Yea! I guess your back must be better now if you're hiking hay up? Take care of yourself! Luanne

Anonymous said...

always good to sit down and ride...

gp in mt.

Karen McLain said...

I enjoyed reading about your adventure with Frankie. He seems very happy. I bet he could tell you were smile'n!