A Rain Storm

I thought about it and thought about it some more.  I spent about, at least, a half an hour explaining to my mom about the day with Ink.  From the annoying beginning, that didn’t have to do with the big guy, to the terrific end.  I talked so much about what happend today and how we are progressing from the ground, building carriage and “Dressage,” training overall.  I was burnt out and didn’t feel like writing over what I explained to my mom, but here it goes. 

The day was cold and gloomy, a little windy.  Perfect conditions for horses to get their buck on ;).  To get straight to the point, there were two mares that were put in a make shift pasture next to the round-pen.  Being the ladies man Ink is, he had to go over and greet them.  Nonetheless it was usual mare behavior and the girls who so eagerly greeted the big guy were doing that striking, loud whinny noise.  When I got the lunge whip I asked Ink to move on, we were getting to work.  Social hour would have to wait.  He was enthusiastic, expressive, a big show off.  No bucking surprisingly.  I wanted to do some more lunging with the stretcher and ground pole work, but before I got to that point I had to make sure Ink’s mind was in the game and not floating around with the flirty mares.  I was strict and demanding in the beginning.  I kept the lunge whip at, my, hip height, driving Ink forward.  When he would wander, or even attempt to stop by the mares I would ask him to focus back on me by raising the whip above my hip, vertical and snapping it towards the ground.  It only took about one time for Ink to realize that it wasn’t the time for play and we had some work to get done.  The rest of session one went smoothly and Ink was very responsive. 

After that, I waited until Ink was showing submission before I asked him to come in and proceed to session two.  The following was working Ink over two ground poles, to help him pick up his feet.  We did that for about 10+ minutes and went to session three.  I tacked up the beast and put the stretcher on.  We did some consistant trotting.  Afterwards I removed the stretcher and decided to take a quick ride in the round pen.  Ink felt good, better than the last ride.  He is becoming more athletic and is able to carry himself more consistantly.  I asked for a little bit of trotting and a nice extended walk.  At the end, it began to rain more and more, so I hesitantly dismounted. 

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. 

Days of Play

Yesterday, the weather was odd.  It rained last night…huh?  Such nice, sunny, warm spring weather and here comes a sudden batch of rain.  At first when I went outside last night, I thought it might just be mist from heavy fog, but there wasn’t a lot of fog.  It got worse and worse and I actually had to use my wind-shield wipers!  It wasn’t enough to cause a mucky mess again in the field, but I haven’t been over there today to see the horses. 

 Now yesterday, one of my favorite type of horse days.  Matt and I stopped at the mini-mart for a drink and snacks and then got to the barn, walked to the back and sat in the field while we drank and ate.  At first the horses were very curious as to what they thought we brought them.  When we walked across to the grassier side that is a tiny hill and sat, the two horses watched us with facsination.  For about five minutes they stood still watching.  Then Ink decided he wanted to come hang with us, so he walked over to where we were, sniffed what we had, realizing it wasn’t something he liked, then put his head down and started grazing by us.  Normally Ink is such a lazy butt.  He won’t walk anywhere he doesn’t haveto.  Errika stayed behind, I figured because she probably knew what was on my mind.  After Matt and I got done eating and took the horses’ blankets off, he would give me a leg up on Errika and I’d walk her to the barn to ride in the arena.  Plus Errika probably knew that Ink would probably push her away, because he’s just like that. 

I rode Errika up and we followed Matt and Ink to the round pen.  Matt was going to lunge Ink while I watched before I went into the arena.  Well Ink did look good, he’s still slightly off, but he did look nice otherwise.  It was his best “normal” appearance.  I wanted Matt to work on how Ink responded to the cues for the different gaits.  But the highlight was when they were all done and Matt asked Ink to walk and then come to him, and Ink walked with his head low, a little concerned if he was doing right and put his head right at Matt’s stomach.  Matt rubbed his head and told him he was a good boy.  Both of them were proud of each-other.  Matt looked over to me smiling.  I wish I could have gotten a picture. 

I rode Errika in the arena for about 10 minutes, but it got boring.  Matt and I took Errika into the round pen and we all hung out in there together.  I rode Errika while Matt stood with Ink and then we played this game where the first person who could get their horse to halt from the trot first, won. 

Then we cleaned stalls and made grain.  That was about it for yesterday. 

 We will probably do the same thing today, or similar. 

The skies are all blue now :).  Spring forward, daylight savings, is sooo nice! 

Our Friday

I know Ink has a good heart, he just is a jokester about a lot of things and sometimes he doesn’t know any better.  I was reading a blog about a rescued horse and in a way it reminded me of Ink.  The things I have and wanted to do with him on the ground, the expectations I had for him (once he developed manners), are all things that I had to work hard for.   I think it would be easier to do that if I actually had a horse that wanted to be openly taken under my “wing.”  But Ink acts like a tough dude and can be stubborn.  So I think I did the right thing by being gentle and patient in the beginning?  Now, however he knows what is right from wrong.  Through understanding, between his stubborn hissy-fits, he now knows that nipping or threatening to kick is a big no no.

Tonight Ink got his shoes done.  T*** trimmed them and reset the shoes.  Ink was good and was pretty patient and willing, he made me laugh just because he kept resting his head on T***’s shoulder and smelling his back, hair and behind lol.  But he lifted a hoof a few times when he got a little tissy.  When I first got Ink he kicked at everything, if you’ve read this blog you’ve probably heard me say this before, but he kicked at water, at anything that even attempted to upset him.  Now he’s much better, more understanding with people and other things.  I think it’s just been his reaction from life on the track.  Things such as kicking problems aren’t worked through or even prevented in that enviorment.  Often times it’s encouraged, as one man has told me.  I think most of us horse people have seen the move Seabiscuit?  He was such a lazy little horse and then he was a sour thing with a bad attitude about everything.  Ink was probably very much that when he was at the track.  He’s crossing over to his real self these days, a laid back hunk, with a cool persona.  Lazy - falls asleep when he’s shod, having his hooves picked, stretches his back leg right out to have his belly scratched, stands patiently and quietly for almost anything.

I see the horse within him and it’s been a dream to see it emerge.   

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. 

Productive Ride

The dark skies are depressing.  I really miss the sun :(. 

My mom and I rode yesterday.  She rode Errika and I had a great ride on Ink! 

It was very productive, I worked on getting his neck and body to bend on circles, since he is a little stiff going right and tends to fall on his shoulder.  His jaw is really breaking loose and he goes on the bit much more easily now. I don’t ask much of him in terms of going on the bit at this point because he needs a lot of time to develop those muscles to hold it, but he’s getting the response down very well.  This was mostly done at the walk and I will continue to do that during the beginning and end of the rides. 

This is really funny..  Ink has been doing this a lot lately after we get done riding.  He will lift his back leg like a dog and stick his neck out and waits for me to scratch his belly.  He loooves his belly scratched, it’s just now he’s holding his leg up for me before I even do it! 

After I rode and un-tacked and scratched his belly, Matt let him out in the arena to roll.  It always feels good to him I’m sure, without his blankets on.  Apparently he had a lot of energy left and ran back and fourth after rolling bucking hugely as usual.  Then showing off his flashy trotting skills, haha. 

It rained today and is supposed to throughout the week, but it’s nothing bad as of now, so I think I’m going to head over there now to ride the big guy. 

Rain Blues

During this kind of rain I always remember riding in pony school.  At the facility they had a nice indoor arena with good footing.  Some of my greatest riding memories took place in there.  I enjoyed going to my lesson during rainy days because we would ride in there and because it got darker earlier we would be riding during the night time.  I miss having an indoor to ride in.  Often times I think when I do have money I would love to board there just to enjoy the nice arenas again.  But because I was never a boarder I really don’t know how that enviorment is.  I sure did love that place and I don’t regret learning to ride there.  I was care-free and happy. 

The rain has came late this season, but it isn’t being gentle on us.  I just got back from going to the store to pick out some Valentine’s day cards and then I met Matt for lunch.  The roads are filled with water and when a car drives by you get a heavy misty splash on your windshield.  The sky is dark and gloomy and it’s cold.  For almost all the rain storms we’ve had, there has been snow on the hills surrounding us.  Which isn’t common around here. 

I wish I had a nice cozy indoor arena to ride in during the rain.

In Wind & Rain..

..would you travel, mud and flood to be with your horse?

If you haven’t heard yet us Californian’s are getting heavy rain and not to mention wind, 100MPH of it to be exact.  Flood warnings are scattered throughout the area.  Yesterday was the less of the two stormy days.  I walked out back to get Ink, luckily the rain stopped for a breather, so I wasn’t soaking when I got him up to the barn.  Since it wasn’t raining at the time I thought I’d take him in the round pen to play some.  The weather didn’t seem to phaze him, he was happy to go round.  There was a large puddle in the round pen and I thought that it might be fun to work him through the water, but he kept going to the very outside, next to the rail, and avoiding the puddle as much as he could.  I had another idea, I just thought I should ride him.  School him through the puddle.  By that time I was still over there alone and I grabbed my tack, carried it over mud to the round pen where Ink stood waiting.  I’m sure he was thinking “oh my gosh mom, please.”  I thought tacking him up might be a disaster, I was sure that something was going to fall into the mucky sand or in the water, but I got lucky and everything remained dry. 

Ten minutes into my ride, it started to rain.  Nothing heavy and if I wasn’t in my nice tack and some of my newer things, I would have stayed out there.  But we took refuge in the barn.  I un-tacked him, and by this time my mom was there, and we went off to do errands, so I put Ink’s blanket on and turned him out in the round pen. 

I ended up walking him back to his field, in rain, in the dark, going through puddles and mud, and Ink kept throwing water up at my face everytime we’d go through a puddle.  I was drentched by the time I got back to the barn, but it was worth it lol. 

Job!!

I got the most incredible email today from a trainer.  She personally contacted to discuss a part-time position at her barn.  The position she offered was working student, that has endless opportunities in terms of growth.  I would LOVE to teach lessons and do some barn management, which is what the job will possibly entail.  I so excited!  I hope to meet with her and some of her team possibly on Friday =)!

I rode Ink today.  I lunged him first with the stretcher and then rode him for a short time.  He was superb and felt so nice now that he has shoes on.  I can’t believe how well he lunged either.  He just started lunging, haha! 

I lunged Errika as well and then played with her in the arena.  She was so frisky!  What a workout. 

I started raining right after I got done with Errika, so for the rest of the day I mostly working in and out of the rain.  Now it’s coming down pretty good.  Oh and when I went to get Ink from his pasture, his blanket (the waterproof turn-out) was laying in the mud.  The front straps were still buckled, but the belly ones weren’t..  It was so weird.  He must have got it over his head somehow.  I just can’t figure it out…

Shoes for Ink!

Wow, shoes make me so excited haha.  Trainer Tim (and part-time farrier) did Ink’s shoes today.  They look super!  I was so excited to see them done and even more pleased when I saw how much better Ink moved.  I didn’t get to ride because the arena was already dragged and we’re due for another storm tonight, but I did lunge him in the round pen.  His stride looks better and he’s more sure footed. 

I lunged all tacked up so I could put the stretcher on him.  Last time Meghan was over she lunged Ink before I rode him, with the stretcher to help him round and assist in building that top-line muscle.  When I did it today he responded beautifully.  It made me all the more excited to see him looking so good.

I might be moving Ink as well.  I cannot say for sure yet, but hopefully Ink will be living at one of the barns where Meghan rides and works out of.  I can’t afford a large board bill, so I’m going to work to help pay it off.  If this does work out.  Ink will be on pasture, as he prefers.  Like I’ve said before it has a nice indoor, so the rain and darkness can’t stop me and Ink from working =).