Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Winter woes

Suddenly looking at these pictures that my friend Michelle took in the summer and I just got e-mailed, I don't miss the warm weather so much.
At least my horse looks clean with the snow to roll in.

I haven't got her on the sleigh yet. A friend had the collar that fits her since I was not using it because of her shoulder laceration (that is completely healed you can't even tell it's there). I am anxious to drive her in the sleigh but I suspect that will have to wait for another day considering the temperature today and what it's supposed to be tomorrow. No more snow D:

I hate having to go to class at night after I work and it's a gorgeous day.

I went out after my barns to see her. I had a bag of horse cookies I had made a wile back and kept forgetting to feed her.

I tempted her over to the old silo foundation with them and hopped up on her back. She promptly turned her head around demanding more cookies, which she got. We then cruised around the paddock.

Riding her bridleless isn't an effort anymore except I hadn't done it in a very long time. Shes a very smart horse however.
At first she did not want to turn right but would turn left and even do a slow spin. I couldn't get why, shes always so good to the right.

I never really thought before how much she is in tune with my seat. When I was training her in the round pen to be ridden bridleless I would exaggerate which way I wanted her to turn by really turning my body and looking at a certain post I wanted her to go towards before turning.

This is where I put two and two together.
I looked at the gate that I wanted to open from her back.
She promptly turned on her haunches and walked over.
I shifted my weight back.
She promptly shifted her weight to her hindquarters and backed up ten paces.

It was one of those moments of realization. She is so good when I ride her bridleless. Shes always been a horse that HATES people on her face (or in her mouth when she was bitted) she gets downright nasty about it sometimes wringing her tail and crow hopping.
I wonder if I start riding her with my seat and legs and no rein when I am actually out riding if I will see improvement.

We cruised around the paddock for about 10 minutes. Indigo always gets a drink of courage when I am around. She would NEVER take a swipe at Sheba. Guess what she did the first time we passed her? Lunged out and just about snapped her yellow teeth on sheba's barrel.
I retorted with a bite of my own with my hand on the side of her neck. She smartened up real quick and even tolerated me riding her up next to Sheba and feeding Sheba some cookies from her back. Sheba is always respectful shes such a good horse.

So now I am off to school, dreaming about driving my sleigh in this wonderful weather. I hear theres only 63 (?) days until spring says the black board at one of the barns I work at.

I can hardly wait but please, pleaasseeee snow another half a foot for driving Indigo in my Sleigh and some more tobogganing. I haven't even gone down Suicide hill yet.

6 comments:

Desert Rose said...

I love using all my "tools" except the bit...as much as I can. My horses both respond well to the leg...and pretty good to my seat. I don't really think about keeping my hands of the bit, it has just become notural to me now!

Millie-jane said...

I would hate to have to brush her when shes all muddy.

Unknown said...

Actually if you give her 10 minutes to start to dry all that mud comes right off. I think she might have teflon hair, not her body tho she hurts that too often.

lisa said...

My Annie, sure gets just as dirty. Does yours get dredd locks? If I don't keep her mane brushed or she gets muddy oh, boy watch out!

Unknown said...

Indigo does get dreadlocks when it's windy and damp. I use santa-fe and sometimes show sheen in her mane regularly so I don't often have problems with knots.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Baby Doll had a teflon coating. She could roll in mud and I only had to wipe my hands across her fur or pick out any mud clots.

Spring won't really arrive here until June. We've gotten now all the way up to Memorial Day.
I agree that I'd rather have snow over mud anytime.

I liked the photos. You looked great!
I also liked reading about how you rider Indigo bridless. Baby Doll was also very sensitive about her mouth, even with regularly floated teeth. I never liked using a bit on her and she went much better in the bitless bridle. She also did well with leg, but was very sensitive, and as a beginner rider I'm sure I confused her often. I'm pretty positive that she believed she was smarter than me when it came to riding....and she'd be right.

~Lisa

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