Last Week

Was the big 3 year anniversary with the hubby today so I took the hit to my riding schedule. This is a shot from last week, when only two of us showed. Took along a boarder and her horse. We weren't sure what to expect from her old girl but she did remarkably well with everything. Max was his usual fun self and I got to try out my new 'Webbers' - low profile stirrup leathers made by Wintec. They're designed to remove that lump sensation that is, with some saddles, present under the inner thigh. Gotta say, I'm totally impressed. My not-so-comfortable-for-me saddle is now something I don't want to get out of. WELL worth ebay's $30. *wink*hint*wink*

Other than that, we've just been plunking around the yard and in the pasture bush. It's good to work on everyone's balance and comfort level in uber deep snow and the trees are great for bending your horse around, limbering up that lateral response. Nothing like a solid tree coming at your kneecap to motivate YOU to get them off your leg - lmao!

To cap off a gorgeous day with the hubby, we went out in the black of night to visit the ponies. This would be the first time I've approach Maximus in the dark bush on a crisp evening. He was his usual mellow and friendly self. No skittish, sketchy behaviour at all, which would totally be excused considering the conditions. I just LOVE THIS HORSE!

Picture Post!!!

Glorious sunny day full of clean, fresh snow... what else can you do with these fuzzy beasts but snap shots?!

First, the Fuzz-Miester... can even squeak under the electric fence into the skinny corral with all that hair! Durnit, we're going to have to figure out how to keep this little chunk monkey away from the Increased Ration Corral!

Standing tied like a GOOD boy!

All three of our boys, patiently waiting to have their pedicures...

Some pasture shots, this one of Checkers the Shetland gelding and Big Ol' Bill in the background.

The Chunky Princess herself, Frosty with little Noah in the background...

Maximus sharing some time with 7 month-old Noah.

Master Max, his afternoon snooze inturrupted.

Having a good stretch and roll before getting up.

And he's up and Oh So Handsome! (Okay I might be bias.)

Round & Round We Go

We finally got a chance to really play today, Max & I. The round pen has been set up inside our Ladies' Venue for the winter and we went straight for it. I've been dying to pick his brain with such a chance.

I didn't expect anything to happen beyond me chasing him around and getting dizzy. But yet again he astounded me. I should have known better as he did come from a place with a round yard (larger version outdoors), I just had no idea how much had been done with him. I pointed and he walked off in the right direction. I clucked for a trot and curled the rope at his bum for added incentive. He picked up a beautiful, calm jog and didn't require much encouragement to keep it going at all. When I gently said 'Eeeasy' he instantly came down to a nice walk once again. Huh. So I tried inviting him into my space (collapsed my torso a tad and stepped backwards, slightly cocked to side). He spun right to me and stopped halfway when I stood up straight again. I pointed the opposite direction, curled the rope on the end of my stick and off he went with a calm walk. I clucked for the trot and again got beautiful momentum out of him. The next time I invited him in, I dropped my stick and tested him out. That boy followed me around that pen in every direction, through every twist and bend like a puppy on a leash! I was so excited!!

Then I decided to test the canter. Didn't think he'd feel very comfortable in such tight confines, as unschooled as he is at it, and he wasn't, lol! I had to chase after him quite a bit and he wasn't so eager to take me up on my invitations to come in afterward. Lots of tail swishing but he did try for me and I didn't ask for much. We'll grow the demand as he strengthens and builds confidence.

After about 10 - 15 mins in the pen, we did some SERIOUS trot work and got a good sweat on. Trying to keep him from gaining too much winter weight, as well as trying to build our unity. It is coming. He's a lot more sensitive than I first thought.

Goin Treeless

Rode last Wednesday in a friend's Rebecca Treeless. Max spent a lot of time walking and trotting with his nose on the ground. I'm not disciplined enough to ride without the support of a conventional saddle and found my legs swinging all over and torso leaning FAR forward. I need to work out!

Max's response to the new toy had my gears turning. I've also recently tried out a Sensation Treeless and really enjoyed how much it felt like a normal saddle to me. I'd like to try it out again now that Max and I are getting on so much better (I had tried it before his training and was too distracted with controlling him to really absorb the feel). If it feels as good as I remember and Max likes it as much as the Rebecca, it'll be the new trophy I set my cap for.

I'd get an all-black model just like this:

Oh Drool... They're Canadian-made and of exceptional quality. Price-point is about $1400. It's on my wish list.

There was riding at my ladies' venue tonight and Patrick was invited. Good for him to get out with his horse. We're both quite busy with our businesses and sprucing up the homestead in prep for winter. He enjoyed playing around and testing his relationship with Bill but is a trail rider at heart. I hope he makes it out a couple of times a month, at least. I'm sure if the rumoured Men's night strikes up he'll be right there. He's always so frustrated with all the muffin parties.

It feels like a year since I last rode. Business has been hoppin on the dog front. I can't wait for the day after tomorrow! Don't tell the hubby, but I snagged some low-profile stirrup leathers on ebay in an effort to minimise my discomfort with the tweener saddle (that's what I'm calling my latest saddle purchase as the truth is it's just not comfortable enough to be a forever model). I can't wait till they come in!! I'm hoping that, as advertised, the lack of a buckle will reduce the pressure on the inside of my thigh. Nothing to do about the ridge on the back of the seat, but perhaps as I continue to lose weight, that pressure will reduce a little. It just may be the quality construction of a lower-end piece of tack with a specialty wider tree. ^shrug^ I can live with it for a while. As long as my growing boy has room to develop well...

Saddle Woes Be Gone!

Well, that was almost too easy. Sold my saddle the day after I actually listed it (true, a boarder was looking and it fit her hard-to-fit mare).

Then tried a dozen saddles belonging to friends - not any actually for sale, but none of them fit anyhow... well, except the $2000 one. Hmmm... can't swing that.

Spent a week emailing back and forth with a dozen sellers of wide-treed dressage saddles and a couple of western ones. Schedule the first one to try out, and she even brings it here.

Snuggle it onto his back and.... IT FITS!!! Beautiful clearance at the shoulder, gorgeous gap at the withers and perfectly nestled along his back. YAY YAY YAY! Next, the 2nd test. How do I feel in it? So I grabbed all my gear and tacked up. Pitch black outside, but hey we've played in that arena how many times (in broad daylight).... the boy was a champ. One walking lap around the perimeter of the lake within, and he gave me a yummy floating trot, all bendy and swishy. Wait a minute... aren't those the exact descriptors to bump between a friend and I during a recent recitation of what response the right saddle will get out of a horse?! And mine was doing it?! HOLY crap!

The seat is a little wider than I'm used to (duh) but otherwise, this is a very comfy saddle. Totally plain jane with no bells or whistles, but that's exactly what we need - for him to grow comfortably and for myself to learn about him as he does.

Anyhow, I promptly handed over cash and stowed the sucker into the house for some lovin' of the oiln' kind. Here it is all glossy, sexy and ready to ride!

Personality Swap

There have been extreme herd changes that I have yet to expand upon, here.

Liquid Gold is gone, replaced by this interesting trio:

The mare is in the lead, a dominant girl in hiding. The shetland is a little shit-disturbing gelding. Very nice riding mount, but I suppose you just can't shake all of the pony obstinance outta them. He's been enjoying pushing Bill's buttons. And the old man bringing up the rear is a sweetheart I used to look after at another barn 13 years ago! His pony has been getting him into a lot of trouble with our herd leader. Poor Sailor just isn't as wiley as his shorter counterpart and often gets the brunt of Bill's rebukes.

In fact, it was 7 hairy days during the nastiest fall weather that Bill was making me wish him 6 feet under. He's a phenomenal herd leader, offering protection second to none, but integrating males to his harem is tricky business. Once a horse is in, though, he's their valiant protector for life. I'm glad he's not a horse to corner or constantly pick at anyone. I guess he makes his point clearly enough that all is required to continue his assertion and maintain order is some serious Ugly Face. He's great about protecting herd members from bullies within, too. Yes, he redeems himself a zillion times over once the dust settles.

Poor old Sailor has bald patch gashes head to tail and was chased through our electric fence twice. Thankfully, it was internal cross-fencing (rather than perimeter fence) and we use electric rope, which offers plenty of give and avoids serious injuries. In fact, other than his surface trophies, he has suffered no other ill effects from the altercations. Checkers the pony sustains not a mark, of course. The little shit would go into Bill's buffer zone and stir him up. Sailor, like a good protector himself, would try to protect his little scamp. And Sailor's mare (Minuet) just flirted back and forth with everyone.

At miday on the 7th day, everything changed. Liquid Gold had left the day before and we had pulled Bill's #2 mare into a seperate corral to complete a weaning process and allow her bag to dry up.

Mini went into heat, barrelled into the middle of Bill's herd and let both cannons fly. "Hey bitches. I'm here - MOVE OVER". I'm thinking a smaller hullo may have won her more friends, but she did catch Bill's eye. After some clear rule-setting such as "Don't pick on the babies!", he's seperated her from her Old Man and her Mini-Me. He continues to keep those two on the perimeter of the herd, though they are now allowed to eat in the same hemisphere. Minuet still comes visiting every time I feed Sailor his seniors feed, the little piggy.

I'm glad Patrick talked me out of removing Bill from the herd. It likely would have increased his frustration and subsequently his aggression when we would have been eventually forced to put them together again. Better to remove the alpha's motivation for defensiveness. One happy herd is so much emotionally healthier.

We have a full house. Full of wonderful personalities!

Ladies' Wednesday!

Well, I've officially entered the world of saddle fitting woes. Max has outgrown my favourite yummy synthetic dressage saddle that I will blissfully ride in anytime, anywhere. I phoned to order one in a wider tree and there is no such beast. CRAP.

Tooling around in a bareback pad on an unschooled horse is tricky business and I'm far too inept to tackle much. Instead, we worked on such intricacies as leading (!lazy!ass!), side-passing from the ground (!champ!) and climbing over and around all kinds of obstacles. A few hissy fits occured on both our parts, but we made some serious progress, I think and had tons of fun doing it.

So I'm searching hi and low, trying on anything resembling a saddle that we stumble across. I'm aiming for either another dressage or a trail saddle. Must be comfy for both of us. Ticker is, whatever is wide enough for his shoulders is too low for his withers. GRRRR. And of course, current financial circumstances being what they are, I'm ridiculously limited... which kind of suits me fine, as I'm sure we'll be transitioning again before Max is finished growing & changing.

We will prevail!!