Stocking Up, Road Dressage, & Typical Mare Misbehavior

 Not much has been going on. School is so hectic, as well as my extracurricular activities and concerts.

My dearest brother went and got a big load of hay with me last weekend. He has a short bed on his truck, but....he stacked them that high and we squeezed 40 bales on total. I was looking in the mirrors the whole ride home, sure I was going to see bales on the road behind us.

 We unloaded them and I have about 60 bales in the shed now...and could have fit probably 20 more. It's good to know how much I could fit. Since I'll be boarding, it's not really necessary to stock up more than that for now.

 I've been riding Daisy very little...due to being busy after school, and the days I'm not seem to always be the days where it's too windy and/or rainy to ride. Because of this, Daisy had a lot of attitude the days we do go out. I went out with her on Thursday down the road...first time I asked her to trot, she plunged her head straight down to buck. She didn't get very far though; I had her head up fast again, I saw it coming. After that, the ride was truly marvelous. We road up this big hill on the road in the direction of home that we generally gallop. Even in the kimberwicke I had trouble stopping her once we'd start. Thursday, in the snaffle, bareback, I could feel her in my hands and when I asked her to stop in the middle of the hill, she was at a walk in seconds, no questions asked. Later, at a flat spot, I had her sidepass trotting back and forth across the road...At the schooling in October, Karin harped a little on getting Daisy to ride straight because apparently she's squirmy...I never noticed, but I've been trying to do that more now, and I realize when she sidepasses, it's always her front end sideways, then her hind end, which always gets left behind at first. I've been working a little on sidepassing with her entire body completely straight and getting her to sidepass her whole body at once. Going left, at the trot, she was amazing! :) 

Today I didn't ride because it was opening day of hunting season here in upstate New York. I gave her a good grooming, then let her out and followed her out of her stall to get the wheelbarrow (err...muck bucket. The wheelbarrow has been out of commission for over a week because the wheel blew; with a full load, of course) and for no reason, I could see it in her eyes just before it happened, she kicked me and took off. She hit me in the upper leg, about a foot above my knee, on the side. Left a curved, hoof shaped bruise. ouch. It made me mad, of course, and I took off after her yelling and whacking her with a halter. 

I'm thinking I'm going to have to go to being over-the-top about demanding respect from now on. Not a move shall be made that I don't specifically approve of.

Crazy mares. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

So Much For Claiming I Post Weekly....

I claim on my facebook that I update my blog weekly...but it's been a week and three days since I last posted...*sigh* :P

We were really hit with a snowstorm the Friday (the day after) I last posted...I think it was the most snow I've ever seen at once in my life...over two feet of heavy snow everywhere. It snowed over the course of three days and left everything looking like this: (The view of our driveway)

Doesn't it look like Narnia? ;)

I have a three strand fence...Can't you tell?
We get as much snow as we do because we're outside of town in the "mountains". At the barn where Daisy is, there wasn't nearly as much snow...although some areas were pretty bad because of drifting. I had a snowday on Friday.

I used to post pictures of my barn cats all the time...so I figured I'd put some updated ones up.
My baby boy, Groenemeyer.

And Miss Genevieve.

Snow above the barn roof...

And the barn altogether. Because of all the snow we got, Daisy didn't come home...She'll come home as soon as the property is good enough to walk on :P. In town the snow is melting and it's muddy, but it's melting slowly at our house. I'll definitely need to put a new bottom line on the fence at some point... :-/

This is sorta backwards timewise, but just before the storm I went trail riding and got this shadow shot :)

Then last Friday I went with Lydia (Click here to see her blog) to the farm she boards her quarter horse at to see a newborn foal and watch Lydia ride...here is Momma mare, "Queen Jean"...I love this photo:

And then Momma and baby, yet to be named.

My computer died, as I said, I got my dad's "old" (2 year old) laptop to replace it...I'm still working out kinks. I need to set up allll my old iTunes playlists, I have to figure out how to connect my FLIP video player to the laptop without having the laptop shut off because of it, and how to download an MP3 without having the laptop shut down...as well as figure out how to get my pictures back and be able to put together the video of Lydia riding on Friday...*ugh*...this is all so complicated. Luckily my older brothers are skilled in the PC area. :) Thanks, guys!

Sooo, on to riding. I've still been riding. Last week on Tuesday I did a little jumping, then on Wednesday I rode for an hour and 15 minutes, doing a lot of jumping, and I jumped bareback Thursday. My course was SMALL. A ground pole, a raised ground pole (cavalletti), a vertical...I have no idea how high...2 feet? A crossrail, less then 2 feet, and that was it...The Tuesday Daisy's jumping was bad. She only got through the vertical once without knocking it...she also mysteriously started coughing on Tuesday so I didn't jump much because after a few times she had a mega coughing fit so I stopped. Wednesday was great. She jumped really really well, she ended up rushing towards the end, but generally she was good and she jumped (at least the "big" vertical) round and she didn't knock it often. She was such a good girl. :) Thursday I didn't have much time and ended up going bareback and ultimately jumping...which was crazy because you can imagine my form bareback... ;)

Friday I didn't go to the barn, and yesterday I rode Daisy and Bubba. I rode Daisy first and because I skipped one. day. she had a fit and wouldn't listen at all the first ten minutes... I eventually got the dressage crop/whip/whatever and knocked some sense into her, made her sidepass the length of the arena; that got her attention. After that she was an angel, of course. :P
Riding Bubba was amazing yesterday...I'm riding him again in Fair, as aforementioned...I would post a pic. of him but seeing as how I lost them all I'll post links to two posts involving him:
http://cdgagudl.blogspot.com/2008/07/congratulations-jean.html <- Stuart Horse Trials 2008, when Jean and Bubba had 2nd place in the Novice Division. Bubba was an INCREDIBLE event horse. The best. (from my Mom's blog)
http://ridingdaisy.blogspot.com/2009/07/sundays-horse-show.html <- Umm...Last, I believe, event of Bubba's career, July 2009.

Soo I rode him yesterday and worked on the free walk...and moved on to a free sorta trot, and then canter (although that was not with a loose rein). He was awesome! Best ride ever on him.

Today I rode him and Daisy again. I rode him first and was exhausted as usual at the end, but it was a good ride, too. We worked on bending.

Rode Daisy...due to time limit I didn't ride long, and I worked on some side pass and pivot groundwork, as well. :)

Jean pointed out that the more I ride on the bit with Daisy, the easier it will be to teach her free walk...I totally didn't think of that. Sometimes I need obvious help ;)

It's been in the 30's the last two days, which is nice...Daisy is no longer blanketed :)

Annddd the thrush is coming back in Daisy's hinds full-force because of the warmth...I'm going to buy what Michaela suggested, the Mustad Thrush Buster... :)

That's it for now...sorry for the sudden long post! ;)

That's Winter in New York for Ya...

This is what it looks like out here in the woods currently...we are getting a "snow hurricane". It was in the forecast all week. I took these photos just 5 minutes ago...and we're supposed to get a foot on top of all that!

Otherwise, I don't have much to report...

Just wondering, what do you all do to get your horse's hind end engaged while riding? I'm told to squeeze Daisy while she's on the bit, but she either pops her head up from the squeezes, or speeds up...she doesn't know what I'm asking.

What's the weather like up by you?

Super Sunday.... :D

I had an absolutely wonderful Sunday, pretty much, so I just had to share about it.
Daisy was trailered to board at Jean's on Thursday afternoon. I rode on Thursday and Friday, Saturday I didn't make it to the barn, and then I went today after church.

I ordered the above cooler from horseloverz.com (AWESOME site; lots and lots of sales alllll the time) for $34 about a week ago, and it finally arrived Saturday and I tried it out today...I apologize for the picture quality, I took it with my phone. :) It looks sorta silly like that, but it's contoured and I'm glad I have it, because Daisy sweats a ton in winter, and it helps to get the sweat off. They didn't have it in red, so I had to settle for blue. :)

I got to the barn, unblanketed her, tried the cooler on, and then finished grooming and got on to ride. Daisy was very agreeable during grooming already; she leaned into the brush like she was loving it and she wasn't really girth-y today during saddling, either.

I headed out to the arena and was alone for the first half hour. I got on, and warmed up slowly, first walking and having her get on the bit at the walk, then slowly the trot. With the new Kimberwicke, she's on the bit a LOT more often, but she's not necessarily stepping through, which stinks...I'm hoping to take dressage lesson soon to see what I can do about that. I got her going and some nice trots in both directions while on the bit the majority of the time, and practiced getting nice round circles. Then I got a nice trot on a small circle going left, and asked for her left lead. She got it and after a little bit actually got on the bit for one of the first times cantering; yey! It didn't last for long periods, she'd get on the bit only for a few strides at a time, but it's improvement! I had her collecting her canter, and then I changed directions and trotted, then cantered right. She's generally really speedy going right because no matter what, it's still not her favorite side. I was really happy today, though, because she collected herself at the right lead much better then usual.

After that, I kinda made up a dressage test for myself :P and ran through it, changing directions and diagonals and canter leads and circling and even tried a free walk and such...she was sooo good!

Eventually Oliver (Jean's son) and Sarah (a 4H-er) came in on their ponies, and I rode with them a bit, got off to do some groundwork, and ended up quitting that and just walking around with Daisy following me. Generally, if I walk around without holding Daisy, she doesn't follow me. Even if we've just done a join-up, she'll only follow me for a little while before stopping or heading for the gate. Today, I did NO join up and she followed me everywhere! I used a lot of body language and had her pivoting on the ground just by stepping toward her, and turned circles and walked one direction, walked another, and she always followed! At the end, I walked toward the door, but stopped in the middle of the ring, said "whoa" and she stopped, too! If I'd been her I woulda kept goin' for the door :P.

So I had a wonderful ride :)

Just wanted to ask, does anyone know of specific problems a horse could have in a leg that's NOT hoof related that could throw off their leads (like Daisy's right lead) or make them stumble a bit while turning? I just know that if I take a dressage lesson, the trainer will jam on me that Daisy's hooves are making her "off" when she makes a tight turn to the right, but that can't be possible because her hooves are wonderful right now; no bruising whatsoever. She's had that funny stumbling turn problem since last winter at least, which is why I know the trainer will bring it up. Daisy's canter to the right is also "funny"; to me it just seems speedy, but another rider told me that she looks like she's throwing her front right out really far, like it looks stiff, when she canters on it. Frankly, it ticks me off that said trainer right away assumes it's her hooves simply because she's barefoot, because it could equally be any other part of her leg/body. Can she just have some sort of leg abnormality? I have no idea what it would be...this is probably silly, but could she have a shorter right leg or something? :P Or is it beginning arthritis (She's only 11, though)? Should I try joint supplement?

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On another note, I dissected a horse leg at a vet clinic yesterday (Saturday)! It was quite an experience, but very very cool...sad, but cool. I learned a lot about the leg, and it was really interesting to see everything underneath the skin and hair :P. Some say that's gross; to a point, it is, but I thought it was a great learning experience that isn't offered often and I'm glad I went.

Mellimaus Really Regrets...

Painting by Katie^

Cookies for Daisy^

No, she is not angry in this picture...she's begging, but so distracted by the new treats, she forgot the "look cute" aspect...^

In the snow, January 6th, 2010^ and below

...Not doing a decent update-post for about two months...or three...
So now I get to update you. I may repeat stuff from my lammmeeeooooooo update video below...
This is kinda a journal update for me...so as usual, if you read the entire thing, it's not because I'm making ya or expect you to :P

November I went to a tack sale and got some stuff...including a new bridle. I priced it online and it would have been a minimum of $80. I got it for?! $40. It's brand new, VERY well made, with padded browband, noseband, and that part behind her ears...(Whatever that's called ;)) and I absolutely LOVE it. It's a little annoying right now because the leather isn't broken in, plus it's sooo cold outside, so strapping it up is kinda annoying...but very worth it.

Christmas came...just beforehand, a dear friend from my parent's restaurant, a waitress, gave me a painting of Daisy she's been working on...the picture does not do it justice. It lacks the depth that the picture really has when you see it...it's beautiful; when I was little, my friend had a horse and someone painted it for her, and I remember thinking that was so cool at the time...now I have one! :)

Daisy got a cute Mrs. Pasture's Cookies for Horses gift container for Christmas...(technically gifted to me :P) and she loooovved those cookies! All gone now :(. But I saved the container. :)
She also got a Likit treat in her stocking and was very offended...pinned her ears worse then usual and refused to go near her food bin...I mean, come on...Excuse ME for assuming you liked horse treats! She got over it after awhile...but it took a few hours for her to realize the Likit was edible! :P

The vet came in...I think early December, on a Saturday. It was the first time I called the vet for something other then vaccinations, and I actually got a new vet because my old one apparently doesn't serve my area anymore... :/

I called because Daisy had been pretty regularly getting colic-y and one night she got to a point where she had "gut sounds" (which is what you want to be able to hear) but was really uncomfortable and pawing and I walked her up and down and up and down the 1/4 mile driveway over and over and it didn't get better...so I got the vet to come out two days later...still not completely sure what good it did. We ruled out ulcers through checking her feces for blood...and we discussed perhaps discomfort from eating dead leaves (possible), or through something called a granulosa-theca cell tumor, which is pretty much an ovarian tumor that's benign. She said she didn't have an ultrasound machine and could ultrasound for it in a few weeks. I didn't know really what she was talking about (researched it a bit since, especially in Equus magazine issue number 367, April 2008, article called "How to Mellow Your Moody Mare") and wasn't really interested in spending extra money to check it without thinking it was really possible...she also said that it could have something to do with a heat cycle...at some point, she said a treatment for some sort of thing could be inserting a glass marble into Daisy's uterus to make Daisy think she was pregnant and make her stop cycling...weird...but since I've read it more it does make sense...

Three days later she called and left a message on my phone discussing Selenium deficiency. She said we could test Daisy's blood and the ground to see the levels of selenium in her blood. When I first got Daisy, a few people told me there was a selenium deficiency in the soil around our area...but after looking it up online now that doesn't seem the case...question being, trust people's answer's or Internet? In any case, I read up on symptoms of selenium deficiency...a few people describe it as a problem that is often mistaken as signs of both colic and tying up syndrome...both of which I thought Daisy had signs of. I found this article, and it seems to be just what it's talking about: http://www.dcfventures.com/snvhforum/index.php?topic=63.0
What caught my eye was this:
The interesting thing about selenium deficiency is that it is found in horses who tie up. Unlike colic, tieing up is not about the gut but about the muscles. Muscles will get too much lactic acid buildup. You will often see a horse's muscles quiver or become rigid and hard. Sometimes they sweat profusely even though the have done little work. After much more reading about this condition I found an article that talked about how horses will stretch out as if to urinate, but it's only to relieve the pain and tenseness in their back muscles. Bingo!.......I have not had any problems. I've started a new regimen of grass hay only, low-carb grain products with no added sugars(mollasses)and I also feed Mezotrace minerals with added selenium. So far my gelding has not exhibited any more signs of discomfort.

I've had some questions about why Daisy would stretch out the way she did/does(?), and Mrs. Mom pointed me to tying-up syndrome.
I've added a selenium block to Daisy's stall besides her regular trace mineral block and she licks it almost every night...She hasn't "coliced" since...this does not necessarily mean that that's what it was, because it snowed soon after the vet appointment so she stopped eating dry leaves as well...However, I remember Daisy used to lick the ground a lot (literally lick the dirt) and, until she ate all the bark off the trees, she used to eat tree bark (this during the first/part of the second year I had her) and she never really got colic-y during that time...so I wonder if she was getting selenium from there during that time...

I really don't know...but I have a lot of fun researching random stuff...Like I've read more about the granulosa-cell tumors, and symptoms include aggressive attitude (almost stallion-like), general irritability, and unwillingness to pick up certain leads (due to where the tumor is located)...for which you can have the tumor removed, as well as have a mare spayed (which is done very rarely in horses)...so that's just something for me to think about a little...I've only ever emailed with Daisy's original owner once, and she described Daisy as "disgruntled" when she was young as well, so I guess her attitude does not at all necessarily mean she has a tumor, but...it's still interesting.

Well...I think I pretty much covered anything...we have at least a foot of snow on the ground everywhere (I think more...idk...) and counting. I took Daisy out today and ground-worked her (haven't done that in forever) and worked on stopping with me, backing, side passing on the ground, and some work turning on the forehand, our goal for the winter :) (Along with hindquarters, which I tried from the ground, but she didn't understand what I was asking of her...). I lunged her in the snow, and towards the beginning, she was feelin' good (what's new? :P) and bucked and fell; slid on her knees and half her face ended up buried in snow...I was half worried, and half laughing really hard. She stood up, I checked her over and had her walk for me, she was fine, and then I just laughed ;). She had snow alllll over her face; looked really silly. I think she was embarrassed. We continued lunging, and she was extra careful after that...she did really well on the lunge. It was good to do something different, other then do nothing or go trail riding (which is nice, but not all the time). We both had some fun; I should do that more often.

And so, here I leave us, updated on the main points of the last two months...or at least, of what I can remember :P.

January 6th Video Update (Tuesday

I didn't get around to uploading this until now...I'm apologize for my absence of posts.... :P
Sorry the video's a little long...

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!
I'm sorry I haven't posted...I have a lot to say, so I almost don't want to start! SOO much to talk about!
I will *hopefully* get around to it during these next ten days off of school.
Until then, enjoy my card. All pictures taken today by my mom!

Love,

Sunday Stills Challenge: Landscape(Fall Foliage)

Hello, Sunday Still-ers! :)

I knew we'd have a "fall foliage" challenge, so I took some fall pics a couple weeks ago...the colors are already fading now, as most of the leaves are on the ground. Fall is my favorite season because of all the color, and the temperature, which is PERFECT for trail riding...and I like hearing the "crunch" of the leaves.

But I wanted to ask; are you sure we shouldn't be doing a "Winter Wonders" challenge right now?

I woke up to this a few weeks ago...that was a shock. I seriously thought maybe I was dreaming.
I wasn't.
Luckily, it didn't last long. :)

And so, without further ado, my Fall Foliage photos (sorry my landscape pictures are limited):

Don't you wish they sold carpets in this color?
That'd be cool.

So this "fall foliage" isn't that colorful...can you tell why?

The flowers in fall really make it feel like "Indian Summer".
That's my dog, Abby, in the backround.

Have a great fall week everyone! (or for some of you, Spring!!)

Check out more landscapes and pretty scenes at Sunday Stills today! Or join in! It's a great motivator to get out and take photos.

Sunday Stills Challenge: Signs of Fall (and also Macro Monday 9/28/09)

I will admit that this week, my entrants were pretty lame...Fall has barely arrived at our house, so there aren't that many "signs of fall" around....I will admit that I went to the archives for the first two shots, taken last year because they are much prettier and more "fall-like" than the ones I took this week...

This is what it really looks like...not very pretty.

These next few are also my entrants for Macro Monday this week...

Now, I have my own personal "sign of fall"...for those (FEW) of you that read my blog regularly, do you notice anything different about my pony? (Besides the fact that she's whinnying adorably at the camera, AND looking at it?)

Her coat is darker...it gets almost liver chestnut in the fall, like her mother (though I've never seen pictures of her mother, that's what I'm told she looks like).

For more signs of fall around blogland, check out Sunday Stills!
Or maybe even join! It's a great way to make yourself get out with your camera and snap pics...although, don't take my word for it, because evidently I'm pretty bad at taking my camera out a lot to get good pics...this week I waited until today to get the pics :P :).

The Chick's Big Move

Future Roosting Chicks