Everyday Horse Life

Nothing super interesting to report on in my horse life.  I wanted to thank you guys for all the nice comments left on the last post!  I really appreciate the time all of you take out to read and comment :). 

I’ve been doing catch up on reading posts on my fellow equine blogs’.  I’ve really enjoyed the reading lately that I have done and wanted to congratulate once again 20Meter Circle of Lifeand her Arabian horse, Abu’s 3rd Place USEF Horse of the Year award!!  I have to state this line again, but it’s so refreshing and exciting to see various breeds and sizes stepping out of the shadow of the 17hh Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods.  Although I do own one, I am certainly a fan of the little guys throwing their hearts into equestrian sports. 

So what to report on with the horses today..  Well Ink was a tired boy, probably from his work-out yesterday.  I found him nearly asleep in his field.  I thought he’d greet me with his ears pinned saying “mom you are not taking me out today,” as he sometimes does, but alas he was welcoming.  From Thursday to Saturday I wasn’t able to get him out and do the general routine like I do almost everyday and it showed.  It usually shows when that happens, he’s sour and mad at me.  He wants to get out and hates when things don’t go along as a normal day.  Needless to say Ink is settled into his way of things, into our little life.  I’m happy to see him enjoying life and work.  Since the beginning it’s something I’d been hoping for.  Now it’s a goal reached. 

If you’re wondering about the lameness delima, I wanted to report on that as well.  I’m going to call M* to schedule a time for her to come by and look him over.  Now that her reiner is in training with the trainer at the barn, she’s able to get over our way more.  Today, free lunging, Ink looked good.  I notice a little bit of short strided-ness with the right hind, otherwise things look good. 

 On Sunday I was delighted to see Ink and Errika’s blankets off before I got there.  M* took them off for me when she came by in the morning to feed.  It was a nice gesture.  I laughed at Matt and said, “no one has ever done that for me!”  He was quick to remind me that he has done so many times before, but he missed my point.  I know M* really cares about horses, not just as “uses” but as animals and she was the first horse person who has ever taken the time out to do something nice for them like that.  You’re probably laughing thinking, ”wow is it that big of deal, a frigging blanket taken off?”  lol. 

Ink did get another free lunging session with the stretcher again, he did very well this time and looked so nice.  I’m hoping this will help build his top-line.  Is there any other benefits and exercises to do while uses the stretcher to help his muscle development? 

Clipped Coat Changes

 

I gave Ink a bath today.  It was a little bit windy, but in the sun it wasn’t bad and luckily we are sheltered from whatever wind there is with the barn. 

After the bath I put him on the hot walker for about 10-15mins.  I didn’t have it on because I didn’t want him stirring up dust and defying the point of a bath lol :p.  Next door the old man has two new pigs and Ink hasn’t seen them yet.  He saw the last two from last year, but now there are new little pigs and he was scared of them.  Probably because he couldn’t see them very well from where we were.  So I put him on the side of the hot walker where he could look and observe.  And he did just that the whole time.  A little spooky in the beginning but he soon just stood looking with curiosity. 

Matt and I sat with him during his stay on the hot walker.  I ate my snack and then was able to get some shots.  The camera was getting low on battery and I had a full memory card and after compromising with deleting some photos, I had four spaces left. 

I’ve been curious as to see how Ink’s coat might change or what would happen after he was clipped.  Someone said that they don’t get their color back for two years.  Now I don’t know if that is true or not, but in the last week Ink’s regular coat color is coming back.  I think it should be back in full by at least the end of April, if it continues to go at this rate.  But right now it’s, interesting..  I recently read the blog of The Eventing Percheron at http://eventing-draft.blogspot.com/ talk about her boy’s coat color.  I’m having weird things happen with Ink’s coat.  His neck is really light, probably because it’s been exposed to the sun, when he’s been blanketed most of the time.  It was so noticeable and looked really funny, but it’s kind of blending in now.  And his head is shedding out now, but his ears are probably going to be last, they are soo fuzzy! 

Ink didn’t just get to be pampered all day, he had to do some work, since I’ve been light with him the past week.  I put the stretcher on and free lunged him in the round pen.  He didn’t like it at first, some times bucking and striking out, but then settled down fine and remembered about the release when giving to pressure.  He looked great going around.  Errika joined us and then my mom took her out for a little trail ride around the property and into their field. 

Frustrated

I’m not going to go into it now.  When we have horses in our lives, their care should be on the upper portion of your important list. 

Ink is doing good btw.  So is Errika.  It began to rain today when we went over there.  We cleaned all the left over un-approved hay that was in the horse’s pasture where they get fed.  They seem to really like the Grass hay and pick through that and leave the Oat hay now.  - I’m mixing it still.  I turned them out in the ally to graze for about 30mins.  Just a nice treat. 

Equine Spring Saving

It’s now spring and I’m gearing up for the summer.  I just got the new SmartPak catalog and I found the fly sheet that I’ll be getting Errika and Ink.  I’ll have to save apprx. $115 to buy them and I’m hoping that I can order them in time to be here around mid May because that is when the bugs start coming out around here and the weather will be getting warmer so they will need something cooler than their cotton sheets.  I also have their two fly masks from last year that I got at the expo so I won’t be needing to buy more of those. 

We got hay a few days ago and decided that we were going to switch them over to grass hay instead.  The trainer recommended it instead of Oat and I think it will be easier to digest and chew than the Oat.  What do you guys think of Grass hay? 

 Tonight is my brother’s 24th birthday and I made him jet black cupcakes with bright red frosting (his race car colors) and sprinkled black edible flake things on top.  They look awesome!  We’re having a little party over at the shop. 

Happy Easter!

My mom surprised Klint, Matt and I with an Easter bag of goodies.  She even got my, very soon to be 24 year old brother one too, lol.  He doesn’t live at home anymore, but she was planning on him coming over for Easter breakfast. 

I just got back from removing the horses’ blankets.  It’s such a warm day, perfect spring weather.  Errika wasn’t amused, she stood there looking tired.  Ink was being a hoover as usual picking at all the left over pieces of hay from their breakfast.  Then he walked off to go pick around at the grass that he has kept mowed since it sprouted. 

I brought my dog Sophie with me to see the horses and when I asked Sophie to come into the pasture to say high to her admirer, Errika, the mutt walked in and I picked her up to Errika’s level.  Errika is so sweet, as soon as she saw Sophie come in, she perked up and was happy to see her.  Then she gently smelled little Sophie. 

I am now going to get ready to go over to my uncles place for Easter.   

Happy Easter, from all of us, to you!

Our Senior

I seem to not be able to write very well lately.  I started writing a post about senior horses, but I just don’t have the steam to pull through making it what it should be, right now. 

I will tell you that my senior horse (I say senior because she has the wisdom and graciousness of humans and horses alike in their older years), Errika now 24, makes me smile all the time.  My mom and I spent a good time grooming the happy mare yesterday.  She stood for us for about an hour while we groomed her from head to toe.  Some people wonder why we like to spend hours primping her, when she’s isn’t going to a show.  Well first off Errika enjoys this detailed grooming time very much.  You don’t have to know her to know how much she likes it.  I usually like to find a nice quiet place to do this with her.  I don’t like to tie her up unless it’s at the wash rack for a bath.  Normally we do this in her field, to her discretion.  I’ll bring all the supplies out and walk them back and go to her.  Yesterday we did it however in the round pen.  I am very happy that I do have the time to dedicate to her.  But it’s always been something I’ve strongly believed in.  That when you take on a horse you dedicate yourself completely to it.  All horses are special, I’m just lucky enough to say I have my own special one to take care of.

I just don’t feel that because a horse is not showing or because a horse is not a show horse doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be treated great like one.  The majority of the ’senior care’ post I was working on focused on the fact that senior horses should still continue to get just as much love and attention that they got when they were winning ribbons.  

On another topic I’m just synonymous for getting cancelled on.  I was going to ride that horse yesterday but the owner said she forgot and well I ended up not riding.  I’m not worried about it though, I’m flexible enough where if people’s lives require their time suddenly, I can accomodate.  But hopefully soon I’ll ride :). 

I hope everyone has a great weekend :). 

The Ham..Again & More Horses

The barn neighbor asked me to ride her horse, I wrote about this a few weeks ago.  So tomorrow is my first day.  I’ve never met this mare but it will be exciting to work with a new horse.  All I know is she is bold at xc and is rusty on Dressage.  Primarily this will be just exercise for the horse but I think the goals are to focus on her Dressage and work in that department to better round her out as an eventer.  She has some problems with stadium, but I need to talk more with the owner to determine what and why that is.  I’ll be updating on that as well here on the blog and maybe some pictures?  Mom the photographer has some new assignments :).

So the ham has this burn on the inside of his right hind hock.  It’s a hard area to keep clean and to help heal.  I’m usually anal about keeping hind boots on him to help the process, but he keeps opening the scab up when he’s turned out.  The other day I was free lunging him over a gymnastic and he clipped the pole with that hind hoof and somehow opened up the burn, again.  But when he did that it started to swell and so I cold hosed it, cleaned it and put that bright yellow stuff on it to help it heal and wrapped it.  The swelling went down afterwards but that area is being such a booger to heal.  It’s now started to scab over a little bit, I guess I’m just going to have to watch it day by day.   

Errika Research Pt 4

A nice lady emailed me with details on Errika.  She was able to look up all her information with an Arabian database search, because she is a member.  I now know her breeder and where she was bred. 

 I also now can get in touch with the couple who gave her to me.  The live in the same city I do.  I’m planning on calling and going to visit with them.  

Mother, Teacher and Love, Errika

I have a heap of photos from yesterday.  Ok maybe not a heap but enough that it’s going to take more time to upload them. 

 

 

Yesterday I gave an informal lesson to Olivia.  Our family is friends with her’s and my dad has known her dad for a long time.  She is 8 years old, I think.  She loves horses and riding.  Fearless as almost every 8 year old is.  Errika was great for her.  On Saturday Olivia got to ride a little bit, but yesterday she had almost a whole day with the mare.  I decked Errika out in pink and purple.  Her pink rope halter, pink bareback pad (which was an x-mas present to my mom last year) and her purple woof boots :).  

Errika enjoyed taking around a child.  She’s good with kids and listens to them.  Her ears were always turned back listening to her little rider.  I was a proud mummy.  During the beginning Matt or I would lead Olivia on Errika.  But then I decided that Olivia was ready for a little something more.  I took two of the cavaletti x’s and set them up for Olivia to walk Errika around, to practice steering.  The fearless 8 year old had been on horses before, but never had actual instruction.  Well the steering went good.  I was impressed by her natural ability to ride. 

I’m hoping that this summer and maybe before I will be giving Olivia regular riding lessons and do a little camp thing in the summer. 

Long Days with Horses

Yesterday was a long day over at the barn.  I lunged Ink again, rode Errika and cleaned stalls.  I had Ink eat his grain in the round pen while I cleaned Squirt’s stall.  When I was done, Ink was finished with grain and it was dark.  I grabbed his blankets and walked to the round pen.  I put the blankets on and reluctantly started walking to the back.  Last time I drove the quad back there, thankfully I was on wheels, I came across a possum that glared at me and just kept walking towards me.  I rammed the quad in reverse and floored it until I was back at the barn.  No way was I going to go back there again in the dark and I swore, not on foot.  But last night I was all alone and I walked Ink to the back.  I kind of hid next to him and stomped really loud, so if something was there it would hopefully run away after it heard us coming.

 No scary possum or rat was around and we made it safely to the field.  I was so relieved.  But then I had the walk back..  Alone..without the big guy to protect me.  I ran all the way back, as fast as I could.  

 It was such a loong day.  It rained, got sunny, was windy, man the day was full of adventures. 

Ink looked really good yesterday.  I didn’t notice any lameness and he wasn’t short strided at all.  I’m not sure what that means.  But maybe a feed through joint supplement and a chiro or massage therapist is all he really needs.     

I’m off to the barn, have a great weekend everyone!!