Smoke Surroundings

All around us there is smoke. Last time I heard the news, it said there was 200 + fires throughout Northern CA. Luckily all this seemed to have by-passed this area. Except for all the smoke, which is now surrounding us like a grey blanket. You can smell fire in the air no doubt and I wonder how this is going to effect the horses that are closer to the fires? The smoke is fairly thick here and must be un-bearable in other places.

Today was much cooler than yesterday and the day before. We battled some 100 degree weather and now it’s suddenly in the sixties. I was actually seeking out the sun for warmth while outside. I’ve heard some people blame global warming.

Ink had his shoe appointment today. It didn’t go as smoothly as anyone would have liked. I sensed something wrong with the farrier. I couldn’t put my finger on it and it wasn’t my place to ask, but something wasn’t right. Ink wasn’t being quiet. He was moving a bit and wasn’t listening to S* very well. He pulled back twice but gave to the pressure and came back without a problem. I’m not sure why he pulled back in the first place. Ink wasn’t being really bad or spooky, he was just being mischievous, like he usually is when he gets bored. Most of the time he was falling asleep, so it had me a little puzzled.

Farrier Friday!

The new farrier came to shoe Ink today.  He was really nice and even early to the appointment!  He brought along his dog, who cleaned up most of the hoof trimmings.  Ink’s hooves look fantastic.  When the farrier was trying to do his back hooves however, Ink was having a hard time or just felt like giving the guy a hard time.  The man said that he couldn’t tell if Ink was just stiff or if he was just acting up.  It does sound like something Ink would do, but it’s hard to tell. 

I lunged Ink afterwards in the round pen and he looked great.  He didn’t look lame at all.  I was really excited to see him moving so well.  After lunging I decided to ride and worked on getting Ink to go low and deep.  We also worked on bending his body because he kept pushing to go to the center of the roundpen where Errika was standing.  It was a successful day.

The next thing on the list is to have a Chiropractor/Equine Massage Therapist come and do some body work on the big guy.  I think it would really benefit him.  When I thought more about what the farrier said about him being stiff in the hind end and looking how Ink is moving, I do really think that there might be something causing problems, that a visit from the chiro/masseuse would be helpful and then we can go from there. 

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.   

NY Resolutions YR. 2 + Jumping in Style

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  A new year is about to start so with that is my 2008 resolutions.  Last year I did the same thing and I pretty much did everything on my list.  Now I have a whole new list to put to work.  If you blog, you might consider writing down your new years resolutions or goals in a post, so you can always refer back to it, keep yourself updated and report back when you achieve something and when the year comes to an end.  This years I’m listing my goals/resolutions and a little detail with them, such as why they are on there.  Here are mine:

- Show Ink (Dressage and/or Jumping)

I would love to compete Ink in training level Dressage this year and really progress in that area.  However Ink can jump pretty well and if all goes well I would love to work towards showing him in some little schooling shows this year.  I would like to emphasize that if we do show I would like to do 2′6″ as a modest goal. 

- School Ink 3′3″

Because I want to possibly show him in 2′6″ classes, I want to properly be schooling him over 3′ fences.  But I have a goal of jumping him 3′3″ under saddle.

- Ride Ink at the Beach

We haven’t done that yet, so I would love to take a ride out there.

- Compete Errika (Dressage)

I am so happy with how Errika is coming along, back in work, that I would love to show her in some schooling shows as well, training level Dressage.  She shows much ability to go out there and compete with all the others. 

- Get a Paying Job

I think I’m working towards that now.  But I want to be in a paying position to pay for my horses expenses and some of my own so my parents do not have that burden. 

That’s what I have for now, I know not that great, but I’ll revise the list next week when I have more time to write it all down.

Ink has been doing great, we free jumped him on Wednesday the 26th, and he did about 3′.  He’s so awesome to watch, Tim says he could do 5′ no problem. 

Ink now has back shoes on too.

Here are the links to Ink’s jumping videos!

Please comment on here about what you think =)

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec018.flv

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec003.flv

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec006.flv

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec013.flv

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec015.flv