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.
(this photo is a few weeks old...it is NOT that sunny and pretty these days...taken at Jean's farm)
My natural trimmer came today. I was assigned all the evening barn chores, so I didn't get to chat/really look into Daisy's hooves, but I was informed (Though I sorta knew anyway) that Daisy has thrush in...a lot of her hooves. I'm not sure exactly how many, but I think all of them, to some degree. All this snow, and she STILL has thrush!
Daisy also has slight laminitis in the white line of a couple of hooves, because of the alfalfa hay she's on at Jean's...It completely didn't occur to me about the whole alfalfa=more sugar thing :-/. At my house, Daisy's on grass hay, so Daisy is (of course) loving the alfalfa, and now...yeah. Luckily, she's coming home in probably just a couple more weeks, and then she'll be on grass hay again. I just need to stay on top of spraying her hooves with tea tree oil/apple cider vinegar spray...which while I'm at it, I need to ask, does that stuff get "old"? The stuff I have is from December, and it wasn't kept in a fridge or out in the barn...so should I still use it or mix new spray?
Otherwise, there's nothing new to report...I have some videos of Daisy and I and a friend from the barn riding yesterday, and I'll try to fix them up and get them online...we shall see.
Until then, have a great night everyone! We have (I think) about a foot of snow on the ground...ohhh, fun. ;)
Last weekend, I was riding Daisy in a 'valley'. Yesterday, a mountain again. Go figure.
I took her in the arena and worked on getting her on the bit at a trot and canter; she did really well! At the end, I *actually* got her on the bit for a canter around a complete side of the ring, so I let her finish with that for ring work. I took her out and headed out into one of the (snow covered) alfalfa fields and rode all the way around it (it's a big field). I cantered a good portion of it, and actually galloped for the first time in awhile. I gave Daisy her head and she ate it up; she had a ball. She was thrilled to be outside again, cantering and galloping, and so was I. It was pretty uneventful; we passed by a man-eating-extra-large-dead-weed without dying, so that was good...
In all, I have renewed faith in my horse that she does have a heart and isn't a complete idiot every day. I really do love her ;)
The pics are from my phone while out riding today...sorry the first one is so bright. It was so sunny out there, I couldn't properly see the screen on the phone, so I adjusted brightness a few times and just guess ;)
So my personal computer died on me after battling viruses for a few weeks :( so posting is likely to slow down as it's inconvenient to post currently. I must make this quick.
I think Daisy is suffering from arena-fever. She was doing SO well arena riding the entire time and going on the bit and junk, but...I fear she's sick of it. For this reason, I'm going to try to get out and trail ride (In the snow!...) to give her a break. She doesn't get on the bit as well lately and has been plain piggy the last few rides. She's jumpy, she refuses to do simple things like back and side pass, and a few times now I've let her loose in the arena and had her run and she has energy galore. I ride her almost every day (generally about 6 days a week) so it's not from lack of exercise but rather being in shape and not getting enough work. I've started cantering her over ground poles to get a bouncier canter and it worked the first few times and she had a really impressive, nice, engaged canter, but now...that is no more. I'm off to the barn in a little bit, and as long as the footing seems decent, we'll ride some fields...alone :(. But that's alright, we're used to it.
Actually, on Saturday I rode Daisy and then let her out in her pasture and brought her a flake of grass hay (she's been eating hay with alfalfa though). I figured I'd do her a favor and give her some extra because she already ate her hay for the day. Well, apparently Daisy didn't appreciate it. I was standing next to the flake and she walked over, smelled it, didn't eat any, and promptly turned her butt to me and tried to kick me! I can count only a handful of times where she's tried to kick me, but never like she did then. I wasn't doing anything! No worries, I grabbed a rope and smacked her right back (She didn't actually hit me). What a little jerk! Hills and valleys, I tell ya...
On another note, my parents went to Florida and bought me new cowboy boots to replace my old ones! My old ones actually still look pretty good, but I get blisters in them...not with these ones (at least I don't think I will ;)) They are made of Caiman (a small alligator (...or crocodile? I never know the difference). They are very comfy and I'm anxious to show with them western next season!
They ALSO got me a new, red show shirt! YEY! Red is our club color, and it's awesome that it's a really nice shirt (I love it...it's so great) and it's red!
Just had to share this video...it's the horse of a boarder at Jean's barn, mare's name (the one who rears and falls) is Allie, the little gelding is Mouse. They have a ball outside together each day... No worries. Allie was not hurt in the making of this video. Otherwise I wouldn't post/laugh while posting about it...enjoy. It's hilarious! The shining moment is around ten seconds...I hope you can view it; I sent it from my phone to youtube. I love how she tries to run but falls as she's still flailing her legs; lol! Horses do the darnedest things. :P
