Went to the barn last night, it was so hot today over 90 and very humid. No one was there, I thought it would be busy for some reason, people checking up on their horses, cooling them off, but no one in sight. Oh well, I check on XC and Taco and there were sweating in their stalls, so I gave both of them a nice cool hosing off. While I was grooming up XC's mane and tail, I let Taco hang his head out for a while and he was good. I think he like the fact that he could feel the breeze of the fan on him. Gave them some carrots and treats, check their water and went home. It was too hot to do anything with them, even ground work. It is going to be this hot even over the weekend. Yucky!  Maybe take a ride down to the stream this weekend to cool off... we will see.  

Went I went to DD this morning and I went to restart my car, it barely started... I got worried thinking it was the battery or something. So, I drove it to the mechanic we know here near my work and guess what he is on vacation until Monday... Great! So, it started up OK, but now I am worried... Well, I have AAA so if anything happens, I just hate to be stuck anywhere. I have to call my brother and see what he thinks I should do. 

Well, at least it is Friday... 
  
 

Tags: car, taco, xc

Yahoo, its Friday... it has been a long week at work and I am glad it is over! Looking forward to the weekend. I have been at the barn every night this week. Did not ride at all, mostly playing games and groundwork. It has been interesting and fun! XC lost a shoe on Tuesday, her back right and I was trying to put on her Saber Sneaker on and I could not get it on ... funniest thing, Karolyn even try to help and it was hot out and I was sweating and I gave up. It was quite a funny site. The farrier was there last night and she has  new shoes again. It is supposed to be a nice weekend, I am hoping to get some riding in, have not rode her in a while, expect for bareback around the property. 

I have worked her all week so far playing the games and she is doing very well. Last night I gave her the night off, by the time I got there, the farrier was done with her, and I groomed her and kinda hung out with Karolyn, rode around the property and then let them graze for a while. 

Game 1 - Friendly - She does very well at this, I can say I have done alot of ground work and sacking out with her over the years, so using the stick is really not a threat at all. But I have noticed as I work other games and I rub her with it, she definitely relaxes alot more and quickly than before. So Friendly game does work. 

Game 2 - Porcupine - She is getting better with this but she can be lazy about moving her hind quarters over at first, she will lean on the stick/my fingers a little bit in the beginning, but then will get better as the session continues. Moving her forehand with Porcupine is very good so moves over with no problem not even pinning her ears (unlike the driving game) Move backwards using her muzzle/nose, very good at, little pressure to move her back. 

Game 3 - Driving - Driving her hindquarters, she gets this and getting better at it, as soon as I begin to go towards her hind quarters, she will move them, and it does get better as I continue to do it in the session. 
Driving her forehand/shoulders, she will move without alot of pressure, but in the begining she pins her ears first and then as she goes around making a complete circle, no more ear pinned. Trying to use the lightest phase 1 start moving her over. Got some ideas from some Parelli friends. So I am going to try it tonight, since I gave her the day off yesterday. Driving her back is OK, a little slow but working on it. Have to remember to give credit for the slightest try even it is really slow. But work in progress. 

Game 4 - Yo-Yo - Sending her out now it much better then before, As soon as I bring my energy up and start to wiggle my finger, she gets it and starts to move back. Sometimes I have to get to Phase 2 or 3 towards the end of the rope, but not always. Bringing her back in, another work in progress, sometimes I have to grab the rope a little bit, to get her to come in but she will. I can say right now at this stage, sending her out it easier than bringing her in. Hopefully it will change. 

Game 5 - Circling - She very good at this, she understands my signal and she will continue on the circle until I ask her to to disengage her hindquarters and face me. She is good in both directions. She is also good at the trot. Sometimes at the trot, it takes her a little longer to read my body language to disengage but she learning. She probably got this pretty quickly because she understand lunging pretty well, even though the circling game has nothing to do with lunging.

Game 6 - Sideways - When I was shown has to do this game, I was pretty shocked that XC got it pretty quick. Not it is not perfect yet, but she understands your body language and knowing that she has to move over and it lineing up straight against the wall it much better, when I send her over to the wall she usually ends up at a diagonal towards me. But I can drive her front over to straighten her out. She does and without pinning her ears (Interesting) 

Game 7 - Squeeze - Have worked on this a little bit, she is getting better on sending her places, she sometimes puts her nose on things, sometimes not. But proceeding slowly and be patience, I think she was get this better and not feel that she needs to rush everything when I ask her something. 

I have to say this is really good for me and my horse. It is also fun to have some other people do it with you. Especially good friends. We all can help each other, which I really like.

 Last week from work was a very busy week... could not wait for the weekend.... So Saturday was a fun day... went riding with Karolyn and Taco. We trail rode to the straight away, haven't been over there in a long time, it was a very pretty day.... not humid, but it was hot. It was a good ride, even though XC was spooky at almost everything... always looking at the side of the trails, like she was waiting for something to jump out at her, just being on guard, I felt like I was riding a 3 year old or something.... it was odd... but we still had a good time, it was relaxing, maybe too much relaxing, by the time we got back, we were drained from the sun. 

Sunday, that's another story, Karolyn and I thought we were go out on the trail pretty early, get an early ride in, and have the rest of the day to do whatever... We thought we would head out to the airport, it was a cool day, and the sun was not too strong. We started out on Klein Road, and Taco kept on tripping and by the time we got to the end of the road, he tripped alot of times. Karolyn thought she would take him back, just in case, anything was wrong... sounded like a good idea. She decided to take Tessa out, we decided not to go to the airport, since she just started back out on the trail, so we thought we would head down to the abandon school and then down to the creek, an easy ride. I was proud of XC she was alot more confident then Saturday and she went back out the second time, no problem... Good Girl! 

THEN.....  We thought we would do a little trail blazing through some un-plowed fields and explore a little, we ended up in this really nice field, that the grass was really high and of course XC was trying to eat it, and you could not stop them it was literally in their face. When we finally got out of it, XC was doing something with her mouth. I felt like she was choking or something, or maybe the grass was stuck on the bit, so I got off, and took the bridle off, had the reins around her neck and she was choking, had it lodge somewhere and she was gagging, and backing up a little and buckling... it was the scariest thing, I have ever since, especially with your own horse, it just took a few seconds and she seem to cough what ever it was loose, but I can tell you it felt like minutes, while it was happened, I got Karolyn's phone and I was going to to call the barn, what I was thinking they could do.. no clue... felt hopeless and scared. So relieved that she got it loose! We then hand walk they back, I was not sure to get on her or not, but as we got closer and she seemed fine. We rode back to the barn. I can say, I was not sure what to do with her, letting her eat her grain, hay or grass... so I let her back out to the field and she was fine. Even when we came in she was fine, after she ate. Thank goodness. 

Then Karolyn took Tessa in to the ring and it turned out she was off... what a day, what was going on with the horses? I was stunned for the rest of day. Nothing ever happened like that on the trail and I hope it never does... 

This morning on my way to work I just left my house and I was at the traffic light near house and waiting for a green light to turn, I was the first car in line to make a left on Rt. 57 and when the light turned green, I proceeding to go and I popped my clutch (I have a 5 speed) and it is rarely that I pop the clutch, but it does happen and my car stalled, just as I was putting my hand on my keys to restart my car... a tractor trailer blowing his horn ran the red light.... I gasped literally... if my car did not stall, I would have been right in the middle of the intersection and the tractor trailer were have creamed me in my driver's side door... it would have been a direct hit and probably not would have made it... unbelievable... thank goodness for miracles and for angels.. I am not sure what it was... but I am thankful... it really makes you think about life, about slowing down and enjoying every moment with friends and family... because you never know.... 

Tags: angels, close call, miracles...
Current Mood: thankful

Was at the barn last with Karolyn, it was not too busy - we had the entire outdoor ring to ourselves. Karolyn was setting up Taco in Jara's english saddle, he look so cute. She went out in the ring before me because Miss XTC had fun rolling in the mud and I had to take a little bit more time to clean her and get her ready. When I got out there, Karolyn already had the calvettis and a jump set up. I brought out our cameras and started taking some video of Taco and XC with her camera. It was so cool to video tape each other. I think it will help with alot of riding and training. I got to view the videos,  I think we looked better than we thought we would. But I see some things that I work on .... for me and XC...

I was happy on my way to work this morning that it was Friday... this week has been a long one, and of course, as soon as I walk in, the hecticness began... one thing after another, it was crazy, I was ready to walk out and go home, but can't do that... also, we have breakfast club on Friday, each one of the secretary on Friday brings in breakfast, donuts, bagels, danishes, whatever, just on friday and I forget that one of the girls here asked me to switch with her day, I completely forgot and no breakfast for anyone and I heard comments about it all day... oops... oh, well... so I got through it and just waited for 5:30 to get here, so I can get home. I am going to the barn tonight .. I am going to meet Jara later... looks like another nice weekend to ride and stuff... a nice weekend to ride with my friends....  Karolyn and I are going to try to get the blankets wash this weekend.... Finally the warmer weather is here and no more horse blankets until next winter...

Tags: crazyness at work, ring, video

Had fun at the barn last night with Karolyn and Jara... it is so awesome that the weather is finally nice that you can ride in short sleeves. There is so much more room in the outdoor ring. Not crowded at all. Got home at a good time, not too late. 

The another day I noticed that I needed two tires on my car. Went to get two new tires at a place where I used to live this morning. It was nice to see the guys I know and trust with my car. So I went to the local deli and waited. When I got back, my car was almost ready. Timmy (one of the owners) said, your brother called and he took care of the bill. (I love my brother) that was so cool that he did that. What a savings for me!

Won't be going to the barn tonight, even though it looks like a beautiful night to ride. Going to meet a friend for dinner in Ramsey tonight. I hope we go to Masa Sushi & Grill. I am in the mood for Saki and Sushi. Yum!