Friday Podcast!

New series here at TEI, I’m now going to do a Podcast thing every Friday.  I thought it would give you, the readers a more personal insight into my life with Ink, and Errika as well.  I will be narrating the video in the future, next week’s will be, but yesterday when I took the video for today’s podcast I didn’t.  I just did a short video of Ink on the lunge.  Unfortunately my ‘post to wordpress’ thing isn’t working, so I cannot embed the video here.  To view it, click the link below.  Please feel free to leave suggestions/advice on the video here. 

Click here

Below is Ink on the lunge yesterday.  He was looking over at the pregnant mare (due any day now) that was turned out next to the arena. 

I have a looking down problem…

And lastly giving Ink loves after being a good boy.

It was a short day.  If you do watch the video you can tell Ink is a little short strided on his right side. 

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. 

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. 

Trail Ride #2

The day was busy, where went trail riding.  It was a nice day, a little windy to begin, but when we got to the place the wind wasn’t bad. 

My my rode Errika, I on Ink.  Klint, Matt and Kevin both brought their bikes.  Most, if not all, of the trails that allow horses, allow bikes.  Often times they would go up ahead of us, or off to another trail and meet back up. 

We stayed towards the bottom of the mountain.  I wanted to do a really easy trail, more so than the last time we went riding.  Ink was good.  He began to give nervous, however when we got to this one part with the foot traffic goes up hill and we stay at the bottom of this hill.  He didn’t like that. 

During the ride, there were lots of people saying nice things about the horses.  Mostly how beautiful they were.  At the same time it crossed my mind that probably over 80% of these people know nothing about horse slaughter.  They don’t know that the horse industry has a dirty little secret. 

After we brought the horses back to the barn, we turned them out in the arena to roll and hang out while we cleaned two stalls and got their grain ready.

Leaving the barn, we went to get ice-cream.  It’s a tradition ;).  Matt had to go to his house, but Klint, Kevin my mom and I went to get an ice-cream cone. 

I have pictures but I need to upload them, so come back later or tomorrow to see them =D!

Enjoying Life

 

Ok, ok.  I have to admit, everytime mom goes out to lunge Errika, she take’s advantage of her.  The horse, Errika, does.  Mom is passive, a little too much.  I know Errika really likes her, but she doesn’t see her sometimes, as a leader, just someone to “mess” with.  She has fun acting like she’s never seen a lunge line and doesn’t know to go a certain direction.  And once Errika does get going on the lunge, she seems to say, “whoo, YAAHHHH!”  And then, “What does stop mean!!?”

Regardless I trust my mom with her and vice versa.  And I know that even if my mom is a little too passive, she takes her time and has a heap of patience.  Mom’s seem to have that touch.  The animals love mom because she is so kind and gentle.  Even if they may get a little bit extra room, they always come back to her for the love she has.  Errika will stand still for days on end just to endure the greatest grooming session filled with kisses, hugs and lots of love. 

My mom recently told me that we should be proud of what we have done with Errika.  Her recovery from the colic surgery has been amazing and she’s looking like the horse she was before she went through the surgery.  I am so thankful I have such a nice boyfriend/best friend like Matt and a great Mom, to help me with her recovery.  The first two months we fed her morning and night and went over to the barn to give her grain 3 times a day when she wasn’t on hay.  We had many sleepless nights in the beginning.  Initially all I could think about was seeing her back out in the field where she loves to be and seeing her healthy. 

Seeing my horse as skinny and down as she was during that time was hard, but as a team (my mom, Matt, Errika and I) we were determined to get her back to where she was. 

The above picture was taken two days after she returned from the ICU at UCD.

September 11, 2007 ^

That picture ^ was taken October 4th

A little under a month!

When I look at those pictures I am so proud of all of us and Errika for trying so hard and making it through. 

Today she is a frisky little mare, like she’s always been.  Living the good life, enjoying her grooming sessions, rides and having fun with mom!

Feb 29th, 2008

Coming Along

 

 

The progress Ink has made in this last month has been exciting and pleasing.  He pick’s up on things quickly and always tries to get it right.  I can only remember really riding him in the beginning and thinking, “oh this is going to be a long haul.”  Ink is such a tank and getting him on the bit eventually, was just way far out there.  I’m in love with how he feels now when he goes along soft in my hands and on the bit. 

Yeah, yesterday we did some more jumping again.  It was good practice for mom in the picture taking department.  Although she only got one of us actually going over the jump, I still give her props for the ones that did come out!  She’s getting ready to enter the contest =).

After the jumping, I just worked around the whole arena getting him to bend into the corners.  It was fun.

My mom rode Errika bareback and they did their own thing in between my mom taking shots.  Just the kind of day Errika likes.

Handsome Horse

Alas!  Some pictures to share with you guys!  Isn’t he looking great?

Errika had the day off.  She enjoyed a nice long grooming/pampering session from mom.  After I tacked Ink up, mom and Errika joined us out in the arena.  Errika nearly fell over because she was trying to nap.  I didn’t see it but my mom did.  The warm air, generous sun and grooming made Errika relax into high heaven and apparently she left her mind drift so far she forgot that she had four legs to keep on the ground.  My little sweet pea =D. 

Ink too, wanted to relax.  But he had to do some work.  In the beginning we walked and then trotted over a ground pole, did some circles and set up a small cross-rail to work over.  I must say he is getting jumping down pretty well.  He comes in deep sometimes, but he feels good other than that.  Mom said he looked nice over the jumps. 

For now we’re just working at the trot.  I figure that since we keep jumping light, it’s not an everyday thing, sometimes he gets weeks off for flat work and the jumps are small, we can work on a lot of jumping things in detail.  Like his confidence and mine.  (He’s come in deep sometimes and tripped over the jumps and it makes me a little jittery.)  He also can get a little rushy towards the jump, so I take my time and bring him back down if he gets a little too antsy.  Wee jumps are good just to help get things down, solid.  I know he doesn’t have a problem working over higher things, but it’s better we work our way up as well as properly developing muscles and strength. 

For the most part, at this point, I’m OK at jumping.  I’ve gotten rusty without having regular lessons.  I really miss jumping like I used to during weekly lessons.  I’d say Ink is better at jumping than I am.  Having days like this, I truly remember how much I loved jumping and dreamed of going big in stadium. 

I forgot to add this ealier but Ink is getting lighter and lighter in my hand all the time.  After jumping, he was so light.  Barely any movement from my hand made him bend on the bit.

VOTE for The Equus Ink in Blog Village

Blanket Whoa’s

Did you enter the TEI Contest Yet?!  http://inkeq.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/tei-contest-image-time-lapse/

 

My mom is becoming quite the photographer!

Rainy days inspire a lot of posting on the blog…

I updated a few things and changed the look.  That’s me and Ink up there on the header image :D.

Yesterday my mom and I went to the new horse store.  The people are so nice and if I’d give anyone money it would be them. 

I had to exchange a blanket my brother got me for Ink for Christmas, it was too small.  But I went out the other day to give grain and Ink has bits of cotton from his blanket in the field….  It was/is still usable, somewhat.  But it needs to be stitched up.  It, however, made it one more day.  We exchanged the new, small one, for a re-placement for the now destroyed blanket.  It’s a Weatherbeeta “Landa.”  It looks so good on him lol.  Well until the mud gets to it..

I also had a gift certificate to the same store from my brother as well and decided to buy Errika a new cotton sheet.  The one she was wearing under her waterproof turnout, wasn’t working well and kept sliding back.  It didn’t have belly straps, but for less than $20 it was OK.  I bought it new at the Horse Expo for that price.  But it was time for an upgrade.  Now she has a nice, pink, sheet.  It looks very classy lol. 

On top of that we decided to put Ink on a different grain.  The new grain is “Strategy” by Purina.  I had just enough left of the old grain to be able to switch him over slowly. 

Equine Love “Ham”

I hope you all had a great Valentines day!!  I had a nice, relaxing one.  Because last year at this time I didn’t have my license, I swore that when I did, I would get out there more for people.  I took some money that my dad gave me for keeping the house in order while my mom was away and bought balloons and had them blown up for friends/family.  Weeks earlier when the Valentines day stuff first hit the shelves, I bought some $1 items from Wal-Mart.  I bought this really cute goodie bags that had these bears on them, balloons with hearts on them, the v-day kids cards that come in a box and some candy (that by the way wasn’t a dollar lol.)  I ended up tying the balloons to the bags, which I put the candy and a card in and taking them to people.  The first one I took my dad at work, then to my older brother at work, then I went to my Grandma’s and brought her one.  She lives in a nice care home, it’s actually a house and that was my first time visiting her alone.  I enjoyed it as did she.  It was a great surprise for her.  I also picked out a bouquet of balloons for my mom at the place where I got them blown up and had two cards I previously got to give to her.  One was funny and the other was a really nice one. 

Matt and I had a nice day.  After I dropped the V-day things off, I met him for lunch at his work. 

After he got off work I surprised him when he got to my house with a balloon, his valentines gift and a card.  I bought a bunch of those Reeses candy hearts and put them in a bag for his gift.  Matt LOVES Reeeses so it was perfect, for a guy. 

The two of us then went over to see the horses and drop hay off.  I gave them each a kiss, even took a short bareback ride on Errika and headed home for dinner.  My mom, Matt, Klint and I had Chinese food, take-out.  It was yummy. 

Well today my mom and I went over to see the horses and ride.  It was a nice day. 

I was offered to ride a horse from the neighbor at the place where the horses are kept.  A hotter Thoroughbred mare.  Currently being trained in eventing.  I was delighted.  Emphasizing on her Dressage.  So we’ll see how that goes. 

I’m going to have that girl come over, hopefully this week, for a lesson and then our friend’s daughter might also come over for a lesson. 

Matt’s mom got me a Valentines day gift and she told me today what it was…  I’m going to get a facial!  Yay, I’ve never had one before.  I’m excited :D.  I wasn’t expecting anything, let alone a facial.  But wow, so neat!

I have a lot of pictures from today, but I still have to upload them, so I’ll have them up by Sunday or Monday.

I’m going tomorrow to go over-night camping with Matt. 

The New Blanket

 

It twas Christmas in November I tell you!  Ink’s blanket came early by UPS.  I was in the bathroom washing my face and I heard the truck..  Then the doorbell and there it was ready to be unwrapped like a present under a tree.  I know I am silly, but I just love getting new horsey things.  New or used, I love adding to my collection.  This is the first new blanket we bought for Ink.  His turn-out one we got used (but in new excellent condition) from a consignment tack shop around our area. 

Doesn’t Ink look handsome in that blanket??  Matt still doesn’t like it, but I think he looks sooo cute!  By the way, can you see how fuzzy the big guy is? 

The lady for clipping, is coming out to do a full body clip on Ink Sunday.  Yay, I’m excited for that too =).  He’s going to look sooo handsome, I can’t wait.  It will be my first clipped horse.  I’ve never seen anyone do it before, and never had my own horse clipped. 

After seeing this color blanket on Ink, I want to get Errika one.  She has a new cotton sheet (like Ink’s) but it’s not very well made.  Errika’s Christmas present perhaps?

My Equine Nutrition class was great last night.  We got into more of the math, and I was a little intimidated by it at first.  I’ve never been the math person..  But I really started to catch on.  I did the homework for the class this afternoon, and I think I did really well, but we’ll see.  It’s generally how to calculate the DM (dry matter) or the CP (crude protein) in a certain weight of a specific type of hay, that we were doing.  I actually enjoyed doing the homework.  I got only one wrong on the quiz at the beginning of the class.  The one I got wrong, was my silly mistake.