# Aires' progress (and mine)...



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Okay, so random question...I love my stock saddle. I really do. But, I'm thinking I might want to try WP at some local schooling shows with Aires, just for kicks. Also, right now I'm not entirely confident in my stock saddle (I feel like it throws me forward, but I know it doesn't) and lack of confidence in my saddle plus lack of confidence in myself plus a green horse equals nothing good happening. I found this really nice-looking western saddle for a great price on Craigslist today. What do you guys think? I'm tired of borrowing the BO's saddles, to be honest. And the saddle looks nice enough to use in future WP shows (if we do them...if not, I can always resell it).


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## QH Gunner (Aug 16, 2011)

If you like the saddle go for it.. If you think it'll be better riding in then by all means it can't hurt. I'm biased (really don't ride in anything but) but I love a good, faithful, comfortable saddle haha! 
More importantly, don't give up. You two love eachother, & while that isn't what it take to train a horse, you do need heart to do it. Second, you should be proud of what you've done with him, doesn't matter how long it takes- your doing it! It's easy to get frustrated, I know bc it happens to me alot, I have high expectations of myself, what I do, & who I'm around- but I think it thru & make it happen. 
Last, you'll get your confidence back, again, might take awhile, but you'll get it back.
Good luck & I hope you have awesome days with your boy for awhile!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I took a MAJOR hit in the confidence department today (didn't have to do with riding...major drama at the barn regarding another boarder), so I'm trying to find ways to work around what happened. 

Here's the saddle I'm looking at...it says it's a 15.5", which I'm comfortable with (I've ridden everything from 15-16" and they were all fairly comfortable...for a western saddle ;-) ). Western Saddle


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

picture of said saddle, please?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

That looks like a trail/all around saddle from the 1960's maybe. It might have a pretty slick seat, tho. I have one just like that on my porch right now, hand made and really pretty 15 inch tho. also a slick seat. same sort of swell forks, too. That is a nice enough saddle. The 18 inch measurement means nothing. It is the tree that matters, and saying it's 8l5 inches concho to concho, is that on the inside or outside? They need to measure and photo better. Are there no used saddle shops in your area?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

There are two, but the majority of the saddles they have are out of my price range (keep in mind that Aires will probably outgrow this saddle). I know FQHB fit him, as that's what the BO's saddles I've been borrowing are (a 16" Abetta synthetic and a 15.5" Circle Y trail saddle). I'm fine with a slick seat. I've ridden plenty of saddles with slick seats and the Circle Y the BO has is a slick seat. In fact, the saddle I rode Paleface in (the gray mare I rode at the Girls Scout horse camp last fall) had a very slick seat and I liked that saddle probably the best out of any western saddle I've ridden (except the BO's Circle Y).

I'll email them and ask them for pics of the tree measurement.


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## Wheatermay (Aug 22, 2011)

Thanks for sharing this story. Ur doing very good with him, but I feel like that sometimes, and its nice to know Im not alone!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks, Wheatermay.  He's actually a joy to work with and learns very quickly.

Update on that saddle...the lady already got back to me about it and sent me a pic of her measuring the gullet. It is 8" between the conchos on the inside. Which, if I remember correctly, translates to FQHB, yes? Would it be awful to offer her $150 for it (she has it listed for $175)? I don't know why, but I just really like the looks of that saddle.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

I really enjoy reading about your progress with Aires, but feel for you when you write about your (mis)adventures at your barn. I think I've said this to you before, but I'll say again, when you get your horse paid off, you should consider finding him another barn. It seems there is a lot of barn drama. If the barn drama is with other boarders, you can generally ignore it but when it's with trainers/barn owners, you're much more stuck with it as you *have* to deal with these people, as they're taking care of or training your horse! It can suck.

One of the reasons I left my last barn, in addition to its inconvenient location and the fact my horse was miserable, was that the barn owner was treating me like an idiot on a fairly regular basis and I was getting increasingly fed up with it. It wears on you after a while, even little, trivial things. Like when I got the ninth degree from the barn owner after I had the vet out to investigate why my horse dropped a lot of weight. "Did you ask the vet this? Did you explain that? What did the vet say about this? Did you tell the vet....?" As if I had never spoken to a vet before! I was ragin'. Stuff like that happened all the time. In another incident, the owner was in a proper mood with me: I'd been gone for four or five days on a climbing trip and had asked her to ride my horse. She'd had the horse on the trail and the horse apparently went lame. I was in and out of mobile phone range and when I had a signal, found a voicemail saying she'd gone lame on the trail and had to be led home. I called the owner back to say, "is the horse uncomfortable just standing or walking unridden? No? She's just lame walking downhill under saddle? No heat, swelling? Fine, I'll look at her when I get back in two days." The day I got back, I lunged the horse and she seemed completely sound, moving beautifully, to be honest. The next day I rode her in the arena. The following day I rode her on the trail. Sound, sound, sound. The day after that, I jumped her over wee 2' fences. There never was a sounder horse. In the meantime, the barn owner is rabbiting on about how something is wrong with her shoulder, how I need to get it dealt with. Arrrrgh!!! Maybe she stepped wrong or tweaked a muscle or something *that* day, but all I can do is deal with the horse in front of me, which looks sound as a dollar. 

That's not even as extreme as what you've gone through, people giving you a hard time about being afraid, which is far worse. I guess I'm saying is that horse people can be utter tossers to deal with but don't have to be. There are lovely ones out there and nice barns where they stay. 

After I moved the horse to the barn she's at now, which is brilliant, I realized I should have done it months before I did. It's just so delightful being at a place where the barn owners have clear boundaries between their job, as the horse's care-taker, and your job, as its owner, and are really nice, awesome people.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

The drama yesterday was partly (okay, mostly) my fault, but it was completely unintentional. Don't want to get into details, but it ended with me being screamed at by the BO (which I completely understand) and another boarder (which he was WAY out of line with what he said...even the BO defended me from him at one point). The BO basically told me that if it wasn't for the fact that I still owed money on my horse, he'd tell me to get the f*** off his property and never come back (I think it was said in the heat of the moment, though, because he later told the trainer that he doesn't want me to leave). I even offered to sign Aires back over to him and leave of my own free will, if he wanted me to. 

Now, because of what happened yesterday, I feel incredibly uncomfortable going to the barn. Not because of what the BO said, but because of that other boarder. The things that were said yesterday were beyond mean and uncalled for.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Subbing.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

Is there a way you can re-work your deal with the barn owner so that you and your horse can find another barn while you continue to pay him off? After all, when you buy a car or other things and pay by installments, the car doesn't have to stay at the dealer's. This place sounds like hell. 

I am curious as to what happened (who wouldn't be ), but whatever it is, adults? Screaming? Really?


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Sorry to hear about the drama  

Keep your chin up. You are doing just fine. You took a big hit to your confidence with that stupid mare and they should all respect that. 

When you get feeling down about it all just think about how far you've come with him. You'll get there!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Yes, thesilverspear...adults...screaming. Like I said, I get the BO's anger. What happened affected his business. The other boarder was way out of line. He basically called me a "big baby" for being scared to ride, and called me a liar over my horse experience (on that one, I told him I could call four people right then and there who could tell them exactly what my horse experience was).

Anyway, I'm going back out tomorrow evening. I didn't go out today because I ended up not going to bed until 4:45am (my brain just would not shut down and kept running over and over what happened yesterday) and I woke up at 7am. I'm hoping to ride, but we'll see. As long as that other boarder isn't there, everything will be fine.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

What a jerk. 

Hope things go better for you at the barn today. Keep us posted.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd update.

I'm not really able to do anything right now except clean my stall and brush Aires (and even that's difficult) because of my shoulder. I am literally in constant pain right now. I am calling the doctor tomorrow and making an appointment to get it checked out. By the end of the day (at work), I can't barely lift my arm above chest level and all I do is stand at a cash register all day (pretty much). I went to pick up some clothes earlier today and nearly screamed because it hurt so bad (ended up biting my knuckles to keep from making a sound because it wouldn't have done to have the customers hear me scream). It's getting ridiculous.

I don't know what I'm going to do about riding Aires. I feel so bad that he's just standing in his stall (gets turned out when I'm there cleaning his stall), but I have a hard time lunging him (he gets free lunged and is great at listening, but in order for him to switch directions, I've taught him to respond to hand signals, as well as verbal cues, and I can't perform the necessary hand signals...at least not where he can see/understand them). I'm pretty sure getting up on him and riding is almost completely out of the question at the moment because of the position I'd be in and the amount of brute force it takes to stop him. I tried putting my hands/arms into the correct position to direct rein and perform turns and stops (without reins, just sitting on my couch) and it hurt like a motherless goat. 

I am between the proverbial rock and hard place...and it sucks big time!

I'll let y'all know what's going on with my shoulder as I find out. I'm just so ready to not hurt anymore! I actually don't even remember what it's like to be able to fully use my left arm and do stuff like throw a ball. :-/


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Okay, we have a goal to work toward and my shoulder be hanged! lol

My friend informed me today that there is a moonlight ride at our barn on October 10th. There's going to be a get-together beforehand (sounds like a BBQ and such maybe?) and then we're all going to go for a ride. She said that everyone was asking if I was going to go (especially since the boarder that was exceptionally rude to me won't be going). So, I am going to really start working with Aires and get him ready so that we can go. By my reckoning, that gives us just about two weeks.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

OMG!!! Today was such an awesome day!!! I'm shaking I'm so excited!

Okay, so I had determined that I was going to ride Aires today, come hell or high water. So, I got to the barn this afternoon and pulled him out and tacked him up. I lunged him for a little in the round pen to make sure he as listening, then I took him over to the arena with my friend in tow. We got him lined up at the steps to the viewing platform (most convenient "mounting block" in the area) and I started to get in the saddle, only to discover that the stirrups were WAYYYY too long. So, I started adjusting them, but Aires was being a butt, so we went back to the round pen to get him listening again. Then it was back to the arena, got him lined up (YAY for the "step" command!) and I mounted up. My friend walked with us into the arena, then stepped back and started snapping pictures as we rode up and down the far long rail of the arena. I walked him a few steps, then asked him to stop. The first time I asked him to stop, he wouldn't, so I one-rein stopped him and he was like "OH! That's what you mean!" After that, whenever I asked him to stop, it was instant! Toward the end, I barely had to put any pressure on the reins, even! And turning...this boy is a turning PRO! He turns mostly off leg, I barely had to use the reins to turn him. In fact, at one point I had gotten too far into the corner of the arena to make a nice wide circle like we had been, so I applied inside leg, pulled the inside rein back a bit more than I would have for a regular wide turn and he executed a beautiful 180 turn in that tight spot (with only a little trip at the end 'cuz he's two and huge and doesn't know where his feet are most of the time lol). So proud of my boy and of ME! 

But that's not all!! So, we walk to the gate and stop halfway through (every time he stopped when asked, I praised the heck out of him). The trainer was at one of the stalls on our left with one of her students getting a horse for a lesson. So, we start forward and then execute a beautiful stop and back for the trainer. Then she suggested we follow the horse she was leading up to the barn so that Aires could get used to following another horse. Well, apparently this mare is the one horse in creation that doesn't love Aires because she was NOT happy with him behind her. We weren't even that close (I made sure we weren't), but she pinned her ears, backed up and sent a massive kick flying at Aires. When Aires saw her ears go back, he stopped (I saw it coming too, so I asked him to stop just as he did) and started to back away, but the mare kicked before he could get away. One of her back hooves connected with his bit and he FREAKED! He half-reared, then spun almost 180 degrees (in the rear!) and trotted off away from the mare. I am EXTREMELY proud to say that I did not panic, I sat the rear and spin like a freakin' pro, and got Aires back under control within a few steps!!!!!! My friend came running over and was all "Are you okay?!" but I was laughing! lol I rode all the way up to the barn (a good 40 feet behind Noel, the mare lol) and dismounted at the barn. The trainer and my friend are both extremely proud of how well I rode out that spook as well. THAT'S how I used to be able to ride! I've got my game back (mostly)!!!!!

Anyway, I'm going to have to Ace bandage my ankle or wear a brace when I ride because it HURT to drop my heel down...but oddly enough, I was better about keeping that heel dropped than I was about my other one. lol

So, pics will be in my thread http://www.horseforum.com/horse-pictures/just-some-pics-aires-95722/ I ask that no one critique my position. I know it sucks bad. I know I hunch a bit (it hurts to sit up with my shoulder). But my position did get better as I rode more. Also keep in mind that this was the first time, pretty much, that I've ridden in the saddle I used (Abetta synthetic the BO has that I use because I can lift it lol). 

I just want to say that I have the smartest, most amazing horse EVER!! I'm still a little nervous on him, but that's mainly because I'm not used to him. Today was an enormous confidence booster for me!!


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## Cinder (Feb 20, 2011)

Congrats, congrats, congrats! You go, girl!


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## Ladytrails (Jul 28, 2010)

Yay, you! I know exactly what you're going through, after breaking my wrist and trying to get back in the saddle on my 6 year old. It's scary when you know you don't have the strength in 1/2 of your body to do what needs to be done...just in case. So, it had to be a great feeling to know that you still have what it takes, and that Aries isn't going to go totally nuts when he spooks! You'll have more confidence now that you know what his "big spooks" are like! Best of luck toward your goal of the ride on the 10th!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Rode Aires again on Saturday...in my stock saddle!! Yup, I decided it was now or never, especially since I had such a good ride the last time and pretty much got my mojo back. Well, it was a GREAT ride. Just in the arena again, but he listened really well, even though there were all sorts of distractions (lady across the road was out in her yard with her barking dog, the mail van drove by, the horse across the other road was being a little nutty, yadda yadda). My friend took pics again and said I looked WAY more relaxed and natural than I did even the last time I rode. I also found my place in my stock saddle MUCH easier this time. Before, I felt like I was getting thrown forward...a lot. So, this time I rolled my pelvis forward, but shifted my whole seat back (wasn't riding on my seat pockets, but was more toward the back of the saddle than the front, if that makes sense). It was SOOOOOOOO much more comfortable, balanced, and I even had an easier time keeping my heels down! Bonus was that my ankle didn't hurt at all, even after riding for as long as I did last time. :-D My friend was sitting on the observation platform thingy (aka-the converted hay wagon lol) and called out "Holy English!" as we were riding, because apparently the way I was riding and the seat I had made it look very English. lol

I had to take my saddle to the saddle shop, though. :-/ My left stirrup leather was SIGNIFICANTLY longer than my right (we're talking AT LEAST an inch longer), but the buckle was on the top hole and because the leather widens right above the top hole, I couldn't add another hole to it. So, because I don't have any leather-working tools and I'd rather it be a professional job than the hack job I would do, I took it to the local saddle shop to trim the leather and add a hole. Should cost me under $20, and since I have a $12 credit there, it shouldn't hardly cost me anything. While I was there, I found the bit I was looking for in the size I was looking for lol. They want $15 for it, which isn't bad, considering the cheapest I've found online is $21 plus shipping. They also have a REALLY nice halter bridle that I think will fit Aires for $45. I'm kind of on the fence about getting it. I have always wanted one and this one matches my saddle REALLY well. On the other hand, I just ordered a nice, new hunter bridle for Aires (which has been sitting in Denver since last Wednesday and is REALLY beginning to **** me off), so I don't really NEED a new bridle, per say, but a halter bridle would be nice out on the trail and keep the hunter bridle for schooling in the arena. What do you guys think?

Anyway, pics of Saturdays ride will be in my photo thread. They're a little fuzzy and kinda far away (not sure how far my friend had my camera zoomed in...and as I said before, my camera is a bit odd until you get used to it), but there they are.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

Re: Bridles. If I were you, I'd save the money and use the one for everything. I've never seen much point in those halter bridles.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

We got our new bridle today. It's a little stiff (needs to be oiled), but overall pretty nice. Going to see tomorrow if it fits the boy (it should if the seller's measurements were correct). Also got the saddle fixed for $15. The saddle shop guy wanted to completely replace my leathers (for $40), but I told him to just trim up the leather and add the extra hole for now and I'll replace the leathers later since I'm the only one who will be using the saddle (if my friend rides Aires, she'll use her Circle Y). Oh, and no halter bridle for us. Just remembered that we have to do fall shots this paycheck, which is $40.

As for me...I start physical therapy on my shoulder next Wednesday. Here's hoping the PT will work and we won't have to go into anything else (like surgery). I have been miserable lately because of stuff going on at work causing me to be tense, which kills my shoulder. I pretty much have a constant almost-migraine (headache that hovers on the verge of being a migraine, but never quite gets full-blown), which makes doing anything a major PITA.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Well, we had our first trail ride today. Talk about an EPIC WIN!!!! :-D 

I just have to say that I have the most AMAZING horse, EVER!!! We went on a three hour trail ride (it wasn't anything too strenuous) and Aires did amazingly well. I hand-walked him across the highway when we started out because we were both a little nervous. When we got to the actual trail, he was a bit hesitant about his footing, but just kept plodding along. Anyway, we got to this one part where there's a rather large outcropping of granite in the middle of the trail. There's three ways to get up it and my friend, who we were riding with (she was riding CJ, her arab gelding, who is Aires' "best friend"), went up the middle way (the portion on the left used to be blocked by a downed tree and the portion on the right is bigger and steeper). Aires did NOT want to go up the way CJ went, so he decided he was going to turn around and go back. We argued about it for a few minutes, then finally my friend brought CJ back down when she realized the way on the left was open again (it's not as steep and the rocks aren't quite as big) and went up the way on the left ahead of us. Aires decided that it must be okay if CJ did it, so I won the argument and we followed CJ up, except Aires took a bit of a detour over a rather large bush. lol So, we kept going and Aires just kept getting more and more confident...and so did I! Anyway, we went as far as the trail split where it goes to a local lake, then turned around. On the way back, we encountered three other horses (one from our barn) and Aires was like "Meh. Whatever." We stopped for a few minutes at some corrals, which were about 1/3 of the way back, and stretched our legs. Scrambled back into the saddle and we were off again. Aires was walking out REALLY well and taking these HUGE ground-devouring strides, but it was funny 'cuz it made the ride a little "bumpy" (still smooth, but very up and down) when he went down hills. So, we got back to where the trail forks for the first time and decided to take the little bit longer way back. We were on the downhill, heading back toward the main trail and it got kinda rocky, which Aires didn't like. So, since I was letting him choose his own way, he decided to go off-roading...which ended up being a not-so-bright idea. lol He somehow managed to drag me through a juniper tree! Really, the only thing that kept me in the saddle was the poleys and the high cantle. lol Ended up with all sorts of branches and bits down my shirt.  Anywho, the rest of the ride was great, but my right stirrup was turned funny or something 'cuz by the time we were almost back to the barn my legs were NUMB! lol So, I dismounted and walked back to the barn 'cuz there was some serious numbness/pain going on.

Anyway, we had a blast and I rode Aires on a loose rein for the majority of the ride. Loose rein as in just holding it by the buckle (I ride with English reins). We even trotted a couple of times and he settled right back down into a walk when I asked him to.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Forgot to mention...CJ kept being all alert and arab-y and "spooking" at random things, which is TOTALLY not like him. We figured out on the way back home that he was watching out for Aires and kind of pointing out things Aires might want to watch. CJ is such a good "babysitter" on the trail (would slow down when Aires would and kept making sure we weren't lagging too far behind). lol What made it hilarious is that Aires could have cared less about any of the stuff CJ was "telling" him to watch out for. lol He just kept plowing along, even when CJ would stop in the middle of the trail and dance while looking at an object like "OMG! That *might* eat you, Aires! I'm serious, dude! Watch out!"


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Well, I've just about had it. The boarder that I had issues with before (the one who screamed at me and all that) came after me again today because I was talking to a new boarder about her pretty little paint/arab mare and about Aires. 

I rode Aires again today in the arena. He was amazing! We got a new bit (5 1/4" eggbutt french link snaffle that's a little thinner than our previous bit) and he responds to it immediately. We wove the poles at a walk, went over the trot poles, went over the trail bridge and did sharp turns around the cones. I have the most amazing horse ever. We even trotted a little, but he was giving me this kind of half-a$$ trot, so it wasn't all that comfortable. lol

Anyway, I'm on the verge of asking the BO if I can just give him my credit card number so he can run the $100 a month I pay toward Aires on the last day of the month and moving Aires to a different barn. I don't _want_ to move, but I just can't deal with that other boarder anymore. He's made it so I don't want to go out to the barn at all if I know he's going to be there.


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## Courtney (May 20, 2011)

And your BO won't speak to this other boarder about his behavior? There's no reason YOU should be run off when someone else is causing the drama.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

That's the thing. He was told by THREE different people (the BO, the BO's wife and the trainer) to leave me and my friend alone. He was told not to talk to us, at all. The BO told my friend today that he was going to talk to the boarder, but I doubt it'll do any good...it obviously didn't do any good the first time.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

That sucks about the other boarder. Sounds like Aires is doing great!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

He is, MHFQ! My friend rode him on Saturday because I had to work all day and she instantly fell in love with him (I mean, she liked him before, but now... lol). She said they were waiting to cross the highway and about eight motorcycles (cruisers, like Harleys) came roaring past them and he just stood there like "Ok. Whatever." 

We had some fun on the trail bridge today. I asked him to stop and stand on it, which he did without issue and was very "Ho-hum" about. Then we circled around and went across it the wrong way (width wise, instead of length wise) and I asked him to stop with his front hooves on it. He did and was like "Ok. This is soo easy, Mom!" So, I decided to challenge him a little more and asked him to finish walking over it, but stop with his hind hooves on it...which he did perfectly! 

We even wove the poles a couple of times working almost solely off leg. 

And to top it off, his two best friends (CJ and Rex) were turned out right next to the arena and kept watching him and he completely ignored them and concentrated on me. He was even really good when another boarder came into the arena with her mare and started walking and trotting around a little.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

So sorry to hear that you are about to move because of another boarder. That kinda sucks. Do you know where you want to move him? Will you have to start w/a different trainer? Happy though that he is doing so well w/the riding, that's great news!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I don't know where we'd go if we moved, to be honest. I have a friend who runs kind of a boarding facility, but it's really far away (about 10 miles...where we board now is less than two miles away). One of the girls who used to board where we do now moved her horses to her own property at the beginning of the month and told my friend and I that we could board at her place if it got too bad at the place we're at (for free and with half-price hay, since her boyfriend works for a local feed store) and it's closer than where we're at now (about halfway in between). I'm sure I could find somewhere, though, especially for cheaper than what I'm paying right now (most people in my area think $250 a month for partial care is ridiculously high).


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Went for a dude string ride today with the trainer. I got to the barn super early because my friend's gelding was getting shod and she needed a ride. Then the BO and his son started getting a couple of the dude string horses ready for a ride, so I wandered over and asked when they were leaving and how long the ride was. They were leaving at nine (it was about 8:45 at that point) and were going for an hour, so I decided to tag along. Saddled Aires double quick, then fought with him for almost five minutes trying to bridle him (he kept sitting back on his lead rope and throwing his head up in the air). The trainer got the two ladies that were going on the ride mounted and then it was my turn to use the mounting block. That was another few minutes of fighting, trying to get him to stand. The trainer led the two ladies out the driveway onto the road and finally I got Aires somewhat positioned and climbed up. Little ****** walked off while I was still trying to catch my right stirrup! The ride was relatively uneventful, but Aires was definitely feeling like a two-year-old today. We argued several times out on the trail, including about whether or not he was going to go through the ravine on the way out, but overall he wasn't horrible...just horrible for him. lol 

Anyway, we did have one VERY proud moment. We were almost back to the main road from our ride up the mountain when this big dump truck turned onto the road we were riding on, coming toward us. The trainer was in front on Jazzy (paint mare), then came one of the ladies on Jack (dead broke older QH gelding), then the other lady on Bubba (well broke QH that came from a ranch in New Mexico at the beginning of the summer), then I was riding drag. The guy started revving his engine as soon as he turned onto the road and saw the horses. Jazzy and Jack were okay with it (didn't like it and sidled to the shoulder of the road), but Bubba freaked. He did a little half rear and spun toward the side of the road and then bolted and ran into a fence. Luckily the lady riding him grew up on a ranch and knew how to ride, so she was completely fine. Here's where the proud part comes in for me, though. My big boy (who I would be willing to bet money is going to be 16hh by Christmas) didn't flinch at all and just kept walking down the road. Didn't move away from the truck at all (we were about 1-2 feet from the edge of the road, but there's a fairly deep ditch to the side of the road, so everyone always rides on the road) and didn't even get tense or anything. I was shaking my head at the guy as he revved his engine even harder when Bubba freaked and, riding one-handed (Aires still just direct reins), made a "lower" sign with my hand to let him know that he needed to stop what he was doing. The jerk was LAUGHING as Bubba freaked out!! It made me soooo mad! I'm just glad that Aires was so good, so I could concentrate on helping the lady who was riding Bubba.

I found out that he doesn't like a regular snaffle bit, though. My bridle was at home (in pieces 'cuz I've been oiling it) and so was my bit, so I used one of the BO's bridles (on the largest setting lol) and an O-ring regular snaffle. Didn't get nearly the precise, supple response out of Aires that I get with our eggbutt french link.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Horses definetely have their "favorite" bits!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Hey Drafty I hope you and Aires are doing well


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

So I've been bragging a lot about Aires lately, but I'm going to brag about me for a second. Around April or May of this year, I was transferred from being a cashier at work (I work at Goodwill) to working in production, sorting and pricing linens. You'd think with such a move, I would lose a ton of weight because I'd be more active (bending in and out of gaylords, folding, walking around putting stuff away, etc). Well, such was not the case. I gained enough weight due to stress to go from a size 12 (was *almost* down to a size 10!) to a size 18. I was horrified. I was transferred back up to being a cashier a couple of months later. Since then, I have steadily been losing weight. I am now back down to a size 14 and those are starting to get loose on me. My goal is to get down to a size 8. No time table, just want to get down there.

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about school lately. I moved back up to my hometown almost three years ago to go back to school full time (my parents were paying for it). After two semesters of community college and one semester of regular college, I dropped out because I couldn't handle the way the classes were run at the college I was attending (went to Prescott College, which is a liberal arts school...heavy on the liberal, light on the arts ;-)). The classes were basically DIY mentored courses where you didn't have classes at set times or days, you just met whenever and did your own coursework whenever and you and your mentor decided what grade you got at the end of the semester. I don't do well in such an unstructured environment. However, I am two (hard) semesters away from graduating with my BA in English Lit, or three (hard) semesters away from graduating from with my BA in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English and my teaching certificate. There is a third option, but I don't know what it would take to get there. They also have an Equine Management degree. With the Adult Degree Program through Prescott College, you can take life experiences and apply them toward required courses (basically, your life experiences can count in lieu of certain courses, provided they are approved by the college). If what I'm doing with Aires doesn't count toward at least SOME of an Equine Management degree, I'd be greatly surprised. My only concern about the Equine Management degree would be: what can an Equine Management degree be used for? Any ideas?


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

I don't know what sort of career it can be used for -- possibly a barn manager sort of thing. But look at it this way: it will probably have more practicality than an English degree.


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## Cinder (Feb 20, 2011)

Equine management I'd think would be for a barn manager, maybe a nice thing for a trainer or a breeder. I'm thinking of taking equine management do depending on what I finally decide I want to do. 

Awesome job on losing the weight again! Sometimes, no matter how active you are, you end up gaining. When I went to horsecamp in the summer, all I did practically was ride horses and be active, but I didn't watch what I ate and I ended up gaining weight! (Not a lot, but enough to be noticiable). I'm the kind of person who gains and loses weight relatively easily if I do the right things for both. However, I lost the weight again, but now I'm gaining and losing the same couple of pounds left and right. It's nice...:lol:. So I know how hard it is!


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

You go girl on losing the weight! Now....photos!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

That's a good point, silverspear. Of course, with the English degree, I could always take a few teacher prep courses and have my teaching cert, if later I decide to go that route. I hate decisions! lol

Cinder, I gain incredibly easy. Losing has always been a struggle, though. When I'm active, it comes off more easily, that's for sure. 

cakemom, I don't like having my picture taken. lol The one exception has been that photo montage for the BGPs thread. ;-)


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

I meant him silly!! I hate mine taken as well, so I get it, but can't get enough of what hubby calls "horse porn", which would be photos of lovely horsies!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

OMG! The "horse porn" thing made me seriously snort! One of my old managers used to tease me all the time that the horse magazines we'd get donated being my "porn." 

The newest pics I have of Aires are up in my thread: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-pictures/just-some-pics-aires-95722/


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Just realized that I've forgotten to update about my shoulder. 

I went to one session of physical therapy. The therapist totally contradicted my doctor and said that I had too much strength in my shoulder for the rotator cuff to be torn (well, of course it has strength! I've been using it for two years...yeesh!). Anyway, they put ultrasound on it for 10 minutes and then did this electro-ice therapy (basically iced my shoulder while jolting it with little electric shocks...that was...fun) for 20 minutes. It helped a little, but not much. Then I got a call from the physical therapist a couple of days later that my insurance doesn't cover PT. So, I had to cancel any future appointments because I can't afford to pay for it out of pocket.

I had my follow-up appointment with my doctor today and informed him that my insurance doesn't cover PT. He was rather irritated (with the insurance, not me lol) and decided to send me to an orthopedist instead. It'll cost the insurance more, but whatev. lol So, now I'm waiting on the orthopedist to call me to set up an appointment. *sigh*


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Bummer drafty. Hope you get good news from the ortho!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

My doctor said that if it wasn't for my riding and needing to actually use my shoulder for that, he'd just inject me and be done with it. But, he doesn't want me to lose any more riding time than is necessary.  He understands the whole horse thing, as his daughter (who is about eight) has a horse that is boarded at the same barn we board at (they bought Blaze from the BO at the beginning of the summer, actually...he's an incredibly well-trained ex-ranch horse that we call "Blaze the Wonder Horse" because he literally does it all lol).


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

So sorry to hear that your shoulder is giving you such grief. At least the Doc understands, so that is a plus. Hope you get to feeling better soon!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks, Cacowgirl.  It's more annoying than anything else. I have very limited range of motion and most of the time it's difficult to saddle Aires on my own...especially now that he's getting so much taller (15.3hh at the withers and 16hh at the butt right now).


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Crap! I was hoping I wouldn't have to, but it looks like I'm going to have to have the doc prescribe something for pain. A friend of mine went to hug me today, forgot about my shoulder, and squeezed just a little. I seriously was on the verge of passing out. My coworkers kind of froze and were like "Are you alright?" because I was literally doubled over with pain. I hate this.

In other news...I just have to say that I absolutely LOVE how woolly Aires is! He's a hairy beastly, but sooooo warm and soft! It's gonna be a challenge de-hairing him in the spring, but it's worth it right now.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Not really anything to update...except that Aires is now EXTREMELY butt high. His butt is probably around 16.1hh. He's as terribly butt high now as he was when I got him (which is saying A LOT). Probably won't ride him until he levels out some. 

Went to see him today after being away for a week. I've had a crazy schedule at work because we had two people quit at work in the last two weeks and then they moved one of our cashiers to the back, so we were REALLY short-handed. Aires gave me this look like "Really? Is it really you, Mom?" and came over and gave me a horsey hug. I cleaned his stall and while I was doing that, he was standing in one corner (he doesn't like the rake for some reason) and then all of a sudden did this little crow hop and then came trotting over to me like "Hi, Mom. Whatcha doin'?" He's such a GOOF! I love that he'll just stand there and let me dig my fingers into his hair and get warm. I forgot my jacket today (went after work, right before feeding time) and it was freezing, but he warmed me right up.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Went on a trail ride yesterday. Aires was acting like a two-year-old...finally. lol He acted like he'd never seen a saddle pad, never seen a saddle, had never been bridled before. Took him in the round pen to work the sillies out and he actually bucked! He's NEVER offered to buck in the round pen or with a saddle on. I lunged him a bit until he was settled down. Went to mount him off the mounting block and he would not stand still, so I led him to a mounting step thing that's at the front of the barn and he stood beautifully. Once I was on him, he started walking off as I reached down to catch my stirrup. I sat up, deepened my seat, pulled back on the reins and said "Ho"...and the little ****** grabbed the bit and trotted off with me. lol I one-rein stopped him and he was like "Oh! That's what you meant!" We walked out of the driveway onto the road and he was all head up, ears forward "OMG!" Once we got to the main road to cross to the trail head, he settled down and was his normal level-headed self. We crossed the road and there was this bag that was as big as I was (literally) kind of flapping in the wind and he completely ignored it, even though my friend's arab was looking at it like it might eat him. Then a semi came barreling down the road from behind us and he didn't even flinch. We rode for about an hour and he was great. We only had one hiccup on the way back. My friend's gelding slipped on the pavement (not sure if he slipped or tripped or what, but his shoes kind of rang on the pavement in an odd way) and Aires did this little leap forward and was all "What was that?!" but was fine after that. He's such a goob.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Ah!!! Just a side note, never EVER reach down to slip your stirrup on. Learn to do it without looking because if you are down and they spook.. yikes!

You guys sound like you're doing great


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I normally don't have to, but I was using different stirrups and couldn't get it on my own for the life of me. I was borrowing a pair of endurance stirrups that belong to the BO and I've only ever used endurance stirrups once, so it was a bit of an experience for me. Can't say that I'm a fan (found myself bracing against them so hard that my feet were numb by the end of the ride).


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Yikes... why the different stirrups?

Least you got to go trail riding!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Because my stirrups suck and I was trying to see if I liked endurance stirrups well enough to buy myself a pair. My stirrups are Circle Y trail stirrups (were given to me by my friend, who put endurance stirrups on her Circle Y and loves them) and they are only slightly less uncomfortable than the endurance stirrups were.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Can you borrow stirrups from other boarders or try a pair of regular curved western stirrups out? Those are pretty comfy in my opinion


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

The stirrups I normally have are regular curved western stirrups. 

Not a great pic of them, but this is what I normally have:









As for borrowing others...yeah, not an option. It's...complicated.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Are they not comfortable? At local tack stores usually you can "sit" on saddles and try out stirrups, maybe you could do that? Cause riding in a stirrup that isn't comfortable messes with the riding for sure :/


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

They're kinda narrow, so they pinch my toes. 

I really want these stirrups (the fourth ones down, called the "extra wide Aussie safety oxbow"), but I can't afford them:
Stirrups
My friend has them on her aussie saddle and loves them.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

They look nice, 

Here's a stirrup that look like it'd be just as comfortable:
Saddles Tack Horse Supplies - ChickSaddlery.com English Endurance Ride Comfort Stirrups
There are like 3 others too if you're interested


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Those stirrups are almost identical to what I used yesterday. 

This is the closest I've found to the stirrups I want that's cheaper:
Saddles Tack Horse Supplies - ChickSaddlery.com Curved Shank Metal Stirrups


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

So have you ridden in your friend's stirrups?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I haven't yet. I need to ask her if I can borrow them.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Well hopefully they are the ones you're looking for! 

By the way, I am super jealous of your trail riding adventures!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Forgot to mention the kind of  part of our ride...

We came across tracks. They were about the size of my palm (so 4-5" across) and were definitely made by some sort of cat. It was either a VERY small mountain lion or a decent-sized bobcat and they were probably made sometime during the night before our ride. Also, we saw deer up on the side of the hill above the trail. They were just chilling and eating up in the brush.

My friend and the trainer from the barn saw FRESH bear tracks (as in, they missed it by MINUTES) on their ride last week. My friend sent me a pic with her cell phone, but I haven't gotten around to uploading it yet.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Oh my!!!!!! I'm glad you guys missed that bear and that big ol' cat.

At least it didn't leave a strange scent.. I've heard they do that sometimes and the horses can tell and they freak out. Not sure how true it is, but phew.. close call.

Scariest encounter I've had was a black rat snake  Thank goodness since mountain lions were popular in CO.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

My friend's gelding and the trainer's gelding both FREAKED when they smelled the bear. They refused to cross the ravine on the trail (where the bear had crossed as well). It took them five minutes to get them through the ravine (they didn't know why they kept refusing 'cuz they didn't see the tracks until afterward). 

I finally got around to uploading the pic of the bear tracks. My friend said they were bigger than her hand stretched out (so bigger than about 7" across).


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Wow... that is intense! Hopefully he's moved on by now..!


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

I like those stirrups that you want~the ones I have are like the four bar, w/the cushion insole-that is really a must. Hope you find something you like~ is there anyone you can "hint" to for Christmas? Glad to hear he settled down & was good for the ride.I've seen bobcats in our area, & the horses didn't act up terribly much.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

So, Aires is now officially the tallest of the "Three Amigos." The "Three Amigos" are Aires, my friend's arab gelding, CJ, and the trainer's arab gelding, Rex. Rex is 15.2hh and CJ is 15.3hh. CJ and Aires were turned out today while my friend and I cleaned our stalls and we glanced up to check on the horses and my friend goes "Where's CJ?" We started to walk over and then Aires stepped forward while grazing and we saw CJ behind him. They were on level ground! 

Lunged Aires in the round pen today. He did amazing, considering I haven't really done much except clean his stall since before Christmas (between work and the holidays, I have had zero time!). He listened soooooooo well. I groomed him afterward and he even let me pick up his feet with no fuss. Usually it's a veritable rodeo trying to pick his feet out with him trying to take his feet back and/or kick me. The only "issue" we had was when I picked up his first foot (his left front), he tried to lean on me, but I stepped out from underneath him and let him fall. He gave me this "Mom, you were supposed to catch me!" look that had everyone laughing. 

I splurged today and bought a set of Stowaway deluxe pommel bags for our trail ride on Friday. I've been wanting a set of saddle bags and after discussing it with my friend and the trainer (who both have the Stowaway cantle bags...the trainer also has the deluxe pommel bags on her English endurance saddle), I decided to go ahead and get the Stowaways, even though they were more expensive. I wanted them in red, but the tack store only had them in black, navy or hunter, so I opted for black (they were cheaper at the tack store than online, too).
They look just like this, only black:









I'm also going to either have to make my own or have a new halter made for Aires, as his is almost too small...again. *facepalm*


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum, what size halter is he at now?? He's growing so fast 

I've deduced that I need to have a custom bridle made for Sky as he has a draft sized nose, a horse length, and an O/S width.. it's ridiculous... lol. We've had to punch 1/4 holes on the O/S nose band and I can't find a draft sized anywhere. Gotta love special boys


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

I hear you on the growing-I had to let out the pup's collar again, & she knocked me down yesterday while playing-she probably weighs at least 80 pounds by now. Is the bridle still fitting?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

When we last used our bridle, it fit really well. There were two holes between the setting we're at and the smallest setting, so we have some room to grow, there. That was a few weeks ago, though. So now it's anyone's guess. We'll find out tomorrow, though, because I'm going to go do some arena work with him.

As for halters, Sky, we had to buy a rope halter and leave it as big as it would go (most rope halters come adjusted as large as they will go) because the draft halter was way too big, but the large (or x-large, depending on the company) was too small. Right now the noseband on the rope halter is about 1/2" away from being too small, and there's only about 4-5" of rope left after tying off the top (there was a good 6-7" when we bought it). His head measured 47" from bit to bit over the poll when we bought his bridle, which is generally considered the smallest setting on a draft bridle. His nose measured 28" around (which is just bigger than the smallest setting on a draft bridle).


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Right now the noseband on the rope halter is about 1/2" away from being too small, and there's only about 4-5" of rope left after tying off the top (there was a good 6-7" when we bought it). His head measured 47" from bit to bit over the poll when we bought his bridle, which is generally considered the smallest setting on a draft bridle. His nose measured 28" around (which is just bigger than the smallest setting on a draft bridle).



Wowzers!

Yeah I need to measure my boy.. his head isn't as big as it seems but he is wide faced.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Yeah, he definitely got the Perchie head. lol Even Petey, the spotted draft/Percheron colt that came down on the same truck as Aires and is the same age doesn't have as big a head as Aires does. The only horse at the barn with a head even remotely as large is Liberty, the full Percheron mare who came from the same farm at the same time as Aires and is the same age. Aires half sister, Piper, has a normal horse-sized head.

And forget about finding an English saddle around here that will fit him. The biggest tree I can find is a medium-wide and we need at least a wide, possibly even a draft (with as much as he's grown, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up needing a draft tree). I tried a medium-wide treed saddle on him when he was first broke and it just kind of perched on top of his withers (there was a 4-5" gap between his withers and the bottom of the saddle at the pommel). He sure does look cute with an English saddle on, though.

I also need to measure his fetlocks to see what size SMBs we'll need. I'm starting to fear that we're going to have to get draft size SMBs, as well. The last time I measured his fetlocks was right after our first trail ride and they were 11.5" at that time. They have grown quite a bit since then, though. I found a used pair of large red SMB IIs at our local tack shop for $25 when I got my saddle bags, but just looking at them I could tell they were going to be too small. :-S


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

OH! And I'm playing around with the idea of changing Aires' show name (for when we start showing). Right now it's Buenos Aires, because of the shape of his blaze (it's shaped like South America). I like it, but maybe was thinking something with a little more...pizzazz...or a fun play on words. Any ideas?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Sooooooooo...we went on our trail ride today! My friend that boards at the same barn wasn't able to go with us because she has been having serious issues with her gelding and decided to have his teeth floated to see if that helps and it was do it today or wait until after our ride, but with the way he's been, she didn't want it to spoil the ride. Anyway, my other friend trailered her quarab gelding out to the trailhead a half mile from our barn and Aires and I walked down there to meet her (I hand-walked him because it's all right next to the road, which is pretty busy...he was good, but we did have a few "OMG! WTH?! We're all gonna DIE, Mom!" moments that I was glad I was on the ground for). 

Anyway, got to the trailhead and mounted up, then started off. Aires started off in the lead, but he didn't like it and was doing his slow draft horse plod, so my friend passed us and took the lead (her horse is 16 and is fine leading or following, so it worked). We had a few "close calls" with some hikers and runners, but Aires did really well, especially considering we were on an unfamiliar trail for half of it. Aires decided he was two today and had never seen a person on foot before because every time we passed a hiker (usually they'd step off the trail to let us pass, which was nice), he would walk around them like "What are you? Are you going to eat me?!" all ears up and ready to bolt. The only "major" issue we had on the way out was when a runner came up behind us and I couldn't turn to see what was making Aires so nervous (my shoulder was sooo stiff today). 

So, we got out to these corrals by the trail and decided to have lunch. We went into the corrals and were just going to take of the horses' bridles and let them graze, but Aires decided that he wanted to roll. After chasing him up three or four times, I decided to just take off his saddle and let him have a roll. Bad idea. The corrals are full of these little burr things and I didn't realize it until after he had rolled! Oh well, he was happy and I got most of them off. He was being a nosy nut while we were eating and kept trying to climb into our laps to see what we had. 

Finally got the burrs off him well enough to get him saddled again and went to mount up (using a convenient rock because the ****** is getting so tall). Apparently Mom trying to mount equals "Let's walk off into this bush" because I didn't even get my foot in the stirrup and he started to walk forward. I kept hold of the reins, but hopped down from the rock and somehow Aires ended up in the middle of a bush bigger than he was, almost on his knees. So, I backed him out of the bush and we set off down the trail to find a better rock to mount from. A half dozen tries later, I finally asked my friend to hold him so I could mount (he kept moving away as I'd try to get my foot in the stirrup). After I got mounted, Aires walked off and was soooooooooo not listening. I tried to get him to stop so we could wait for my friend (who had to get back on her horse after holding Aires so I could get on) and he absolutely would not listen, not even to a one-rein stop. So, we did figure eights until our friend caught up and took the lead again (with the way he was acting--like he wanted to RUN--I didn't trust Aires in the lead). The whole way home Aires kept trotting at the most random times. At least it was his smooth, you-can-sit-it-forever trot, not his "I'm a bouncy 2yo" trot.

Anyway, we got to the big rocks that were our nemesis on our first ride and that's where we had our MAJOR issue of the day. Tam and Wendy went down first and Wendy stopped Tam at the bottom of the rocks to praise him (apparently Tam is afraid of heights and going down rocks, so him going down on his own without Wendy having to walk him was a major accomplishment). She didn't leave enough room for us to get down, really, and Aires was being ALL impatient and not listening and headed down anyway. So, I reined him in about halfway down (there's two kind of rock "steps") so Wendy could move (which she didn't, BTW) and apparently that ****ed Aires off because next thing I know, he crow hops off the rock and lands almost on Tam's back end. Tam threw him a little "Hey! Watch it!" buck and Aires retaliated with a "Make me!" attitude buck. It didn't help that later, as we were going up this pretty steep, but short hill (maybe 10-15 feet high, but at a maybe 70 degree angle), Wendy stopped Tam just off the crest of the hill, which made Aires half to stop not all the way onto the crest of the hill, which ****ed him off royally. 

All in all it was a very good ride. I have pics. They will be in my picture thread momentarily.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

And yes, we will be working on standing to mount...A LOT! Little jerk. He's usually pretty good about it.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Yeah lately Sky has started doing the antsy let's go dance before I get on. Honestly I think he just wants me to hurry up and warm him up so we can get to cantering.. silly muffin lol.

I'm glad you guys had fun though! And that you both got out okay. It must have been wonderful


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Wow Drafty! Sure does sound like he was showing his age! LOL

Glad everything worked out in the long run, and Im sure the two of you will only improve!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Yeah lately Sky has started doing the antsy let's go dance before I get on. Honestly I think he just wants me to hurry up and warm him up so we can get to cantering.. silly muffin lol.
> 
> I'm glad you guys had fun though! And that you both got out okay. It must have been wonderful


I just can't believe he ran full-on into a bush! That is soooo unlike him. And it wasn't like he was trying to get away from me. He just walked off like I was already mounted and because I had the reins still in my hand, it pulled his head to the left and he turned to the left...into the bush...and just kept on going. He's such a weirdo.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Sounds like a nice ride , mostly. It can be rough when the lead horse is in the way of others going up or down hill. I had a friend, on one of my horses, that did that & it caused my stallion ( that I was riding) to pull something in his back leg-he was laid up for a few months. But, still better than riding alone nowadays. Hope you got good pics!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Cacowgirl said:


> Sounds like a nice ride , mostly. It can be rough when the lead horse is in the way of others going up or down hill. I had a friend, on one of my horses, that did that & it caused my stallion ( that I was riding) to pull something in his back leg-he was laid up for a few months. But, still better than riding alone nowadays. Hope you got good pics!


When we were on the rocks (where Aires jumped/bucked), I asked her to move so my freight train could come down.  She laughed...and didn't move.

And I got some decent pics. They're in my pic thread. My friend got some pics of me. I'm going to ask her to email them to me tonight and I'll hopefully have them up tomorrow.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Okay, so I have news about my shoulder.

My rotator cuff isn't torn. MRI just showed TONS of inflammation in my muscles and tendons. Also, my AC joint has serious edema to the point that the two bones are rubbing on each other, which is where the majority of the pain is coming from. They did a cortisone shot into my AC joint and it felt better afterward...but it didn't last long. I got to work at 2pm and by 5pm, my shoulder was starting to hurt like hell again (shot was at 10am). They also prescribed prescription-strength naproxen (Aleve) to help with all the inflammation and they're going to work with my insurance to get me into physical therapy (since my stupid insurance doesn't cover PT unless it's attached to surgery). If the PT doesn't help my AC joint or I'm still in serious pain because of it, they'll have to go in arthroscopically and create space in my joint so the bones aren't rubbing on each other any more. So, that's where I stand. I'm waiting on the orthopedist's office to call me to tell me whether or not I can start PT and when (apparently they're going to set it all up for me, which will be nice).


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Hope they can get you into the PT w/out too many problems. Have you used your new saddlebags yet?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Well at least nothing is torn and you aren't in the dark about what's going on. Let's just hope that your insurance gets their act together and helps to pay for that PT!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Cacowgirl, I used them on Friday. LOVED them! It took some getting used to them because I'm not used to anything in front of me, but they didn't interfere with riding or anything and they didn't bounce (which was nice, since Aires has never carried saddlebags before). They held a ton of stuff (two sandwich containers, two large apples, an entire box of fruit snacks [not the box, but all its contents], the two water bottles, my warmer gloves...and there was room for a bit more!)  The only "bad" thing was that when I took Aires' saddle off and had the saddle and saddlebags laying on the ground, the horses smelled the apples in the bags and Tam (my friend's horse) managed to open the bag they were in. He actually grabbed the zipper tab (it has a pull cord thingy on it) and pull the zipper open! He did it so daintily that we were just about dying laughing. And Aires had his nose right down there like "Come on. Open it!"

As for my shoulder...the cortisone shot lasted for all of half a day and now it hurts more (and starts hurting sooner) than it did before. :-/


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Ahhhh  stop being in pain missy! Get better soon!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Ahhhh  stop being in pain missy! Get better soon!


I can't wait to get my prescription filled. Hopefully it'll help. I'm taking just regular OTC Aleve right now (220mg) and it doesn't help one bit (I took four of them before work and really all they did was make me extremely light-headed to the point where I thought I was going to pass out).


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Ahhh! Please don't pass out! Sheesh, I sing high praises for ONE aleve.. 4?! I think that would knock me out too. 

I hope it does help! Being in pain isn't fun at all... and makes riding not fun :/


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

OH! And did I mention that we're supposed to go on a ride with one of my friends tomorrow (not the friend we rode with on Friday, but the friend we normally ride with)? I don't know if it's going to happen. My shoulder started hurting as soon as I woke up this morning and just got worse. And if I'm going to ride, I can't load up on Aleve like I did today before work...have to be as alert as possible with Aires (especially after Friday).


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> OH! And did I mention that we're supposed to go on a ride with one of my friends tomorrow (not the friend we rode with on Friday, but the friend we normally ride with)? I don't know if it's going to happen. My shoulder started hurting as soon as I woke up this morning and just got worse. And if I'm going to ride, I can't load up on Aleve like I did today before work...have to be as alert as possible with Aires (especially after Friday).


Man... well just take it easy. Personally I wouldn't ride if I was in pain.. even though I'd be missing out it would suck if you hurt yourself even more and also riding in pain you are very limited :/ 

You're in my prayers, Drafty! I hope something works soon!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks, Sky. I'm just torn. My friend really wants to go riding tomorrow...and I want to go...but I want to enjoy it and I can't with as much as I hurt.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Thanks, Sky. I'm just torn. My friend really wants to go riding tomorrow...and I want to go...but I want to enjoy it and I can't with as much as I hurt.


Well there are plenty of other days to ride if you decide to give it a pass. I'm sorry you're stuck in this bleh situation. I know Aires would take care of you regardless though! :wink:


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

My friend wants to go riding, too, but I/m stuck here w/packing & now some demo so I can get moved. I feel bad letting her down, but I need to get this move completed.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I ended up not riding...but for completely different reasons (that I'm not going to go into because they're way TMI...let's just say that I spent more time in the bathroom than in bed last night). I feel really bad 'cuz my friend is absolutely awesome and lunged and groomed Aires for me when she went to do her stall and work with her horse. I <3 my C.D!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Aww what a wonderful friend you have  I hope you feel better soon!!!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I do have a wonderful friend (several of them, in fact)! And I know she'll see this because she forum-stalks me. Hehe. ;-)


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I am an awful horse mom. I haven't been out to the barn since our ride last Friday. In my defense, I haven't been feeling well (part shoulder and part just blah) and now I have no transportation. Yeah, my truck got impounded on Thursday and my license got taken away (driving on a suspended license and with suspended plates...loooooooooooong story...would rather not get into it). Since I filed my taxes last Wednesday (yay for TurboTax!), I should be getting in refund sometime this week, so I can get everything taken care of. The problem is, I don't know how much "everything" is going to cost and I had planned on using part of my taxes to pay down what I owe on Aires (I owe $700 on him and have until May to pay him off and I have been paying $100 a month on him because that's all I can afford [more than I can afford, really, but yeah] ). I can only hope that it won't be _too_ much and I'll have some money left over (I'm supposed to be getting just under $1200 back). 

Hopefully we're going on a ride tomorrow. I don't know, though, since it's supposed to be nasty weather tomorrow (50F, windy as heck, 60% chance of rain). If not tomorrow, then maybe Tuesday when the weather takes a turn for the better. Too bad I don't have Thursday off. It's supposed to be 66F and beautiful on Thursday. lol


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Oh Drafty, sorry to hear aabout the $$ woes. This year has started off tough for me,too. I've got a Check Engine light on, that worries me. But getting close to the close of escrow, so will have some "moving" $$ shortly. But it sure has been a rough ordeal. Need to file my taxes & see if I'm getting a refund.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

You aren't a terrible horse mom!!!! Money problems are awful but I'm glad you have a plan in mind!

I hope you get out of that mess soon, big hugs!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Well, went to get my saddle and bridle out of my (impounded) truck because I wanted to do some riding this coming week. Yeah, you have to have your driver's license or a state-issued ID to access your vehicle. Only problem with that is that the sheriff who pulled me over TOOK my driver's license and I don't have a state-issued ID (and it would be too much hassle to get one).

So, that means I'm going to have to either use one of the saddles that belongs to the BO (which isn't that big of a deal, really) or we're going to have to work on our bareback riding in the arena. Plus, we'll have to find a bridle that will fit my monstrosity, which I don't think anyone has one that will fit him (unless the bridle we were using before we got our English bridle still fits him, but I don't know if it will). If we do bareback, it'll be interesting because I've never ridden bareback before. I guess Aires would be a good one to learn on with his wide back, though. lol


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Well good luck with bareback riding if you decide to do it!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

So, we got an English saddle today...for $1! It's a cheap no-name synthetic, but it's the right size for me, I'm _mostly_ sure it fits Aires (going to have the trainer check it when she gets back) and it's almost new. It does need leathers, irons and a girth, though. Do you think I should go for synthetic leathers or real leathers? There really isn't an overly huge price difference (at least not on eBay). Also, how does one measure stirrup leathers?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I love how I am just watching your day-to-day with Aires like a hawk. Apologies, I just love hearing about you two!!!!

Have you been feeling better? 

And wooohoo congrats on the saddle!!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Skyseternalangel said:


> I love how I am just watching your day-to-day with Aires like a hawk. Apologies, I just love hearing about you two!!!!
> 
> Have you been feeling better?
> 
> And wooohoo congrats on the saddle!!


No worries about the "stalking" lol I appreciate it (and your words of encouragement  ).

I was feeling better until I talked to one of our regular customers today. Her daughter had a similar situation to mine happen with her car (got impounded for a DUI, though) and it cost a crap-load of money to get the car out of impound. So now I'm all worried that I won't be able to afford to get my truck out. :-( And I still haven't gotten my taxes back. Hopefully tomorrow they'll get deposited (another customer said that hers has always been deposited on the Friday after both state and federal returns were accepted when she's used TurboTax, which is what I used...my federal returns were accepted last Wednesday, but my state wasn't accepted until Friday).

As for the saddle, I'm pretty happy about it. I'm 85% sure it fits Aires. I remember this summer when we tried one of the saddles that belongs to the trainer on him, without being cinched, it kind of perched on his withers and there was about 6" of space between his withers and the pommel. When I sat our new saddle on his back today (while he was eating...he hates me now lol), there was just about three fingers worth of clearance between the top of his withers and the pommel of the saddle. So, here's hoping it fits. If it doesn't fit him, it'll fit my friend's arab (probably...he's got such shark-fin withers, he may need a cutback saddle) and she wants to start trying English anyway, so I'll just give it to her.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

You've seen that saddle fitting thread right? I found it really helpful. 

But don't worry about things that haven't happened yet, DraftyAiresMum! It may cost a lot, it may not, but try not to focus on that now. Focus on feeling better all over before you tackle another obstacle 

I'm excited for you though! Fingers crossed it fits him!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I forgot about the saddle fit thread on here! lol I googled English saddle fit and the sites I looked on seemed to agree that 2-3 fingers width of clearance over the withers was ideal. And it didn't seem to gap or dig into his shoulders. 

I am not usually a worry wart, but when it comes to money things, I can be...especially when it impacts my ability to be self-sufficient. I absolutely HATE asking people for rides to work, especially since I live kind of out of the way from anyone else at my work. Luckily, I have awesome coworkers who are totally understanding and...just awesome. lol My supervisor asked me if I open on Friday and Saturday and when I said yes, she said "Okay, good. I'm giving you a ride." No "Do you need a ride?" just "I'm giving you a ride" like it was a foregone conclusion.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

You do have great people over there haha! The key is to not ask the person, just tell them you're doing it!   

If you need the link, I have it book marked! It's 9 videos about the different areas of fit, starting with balance. 

I totally get where you're coming from.. I hate money but it gets me all wound up. You need it for everything it seems :/ and when it gets tight, it's very hard to relax.

I hope it all works out for you though!


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

That is so cool that your co-wrokers are helping out. Can you get a state-issued ID card? Impound fees can add up very quickly-hope you can get the truck out soon. I'll be closing my escrow soon & bringing my horse to AZ-can't wait to get there!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

See, here's the problem with a state-issued ID. Not only do they cost around $40-50, you have to have your social security card in order to get one. Guess where my social security card is? Yup, you guess it! In my wallet, which is in my truck (because I never use my wallet, I just stick my debit card in my back pocket because it's more convenient and I've had money stolen out of my wallet at work before, so I keep my cash in my back pocket as well). 

What makes all this even "better" is that I'm still having to pay my parents back for the $500 they spent putting a new engine in my truck...and they have no idea about my truck being impounded or anything. Yeah, pretty much FML right now, as far as that goes.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

And you can't request they give you your wallet from your truck? :/


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## Evansk (Dec 22, 2011)

sounds like a whole lotta problems going on!  but I'm subbing so I can "stalk" Aires hehe


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Skyseternalangel said:


> And you can't request they give you your wallet from your truck? :/


Haha...nope. Tried that. They won't give it to me because if I'm not who I say I am (even though I have the tow paperwork), I could steal my identity. Not that anyone would want it. In fact, if they stole my identity, they might actually IMPROVE my credit. lol

Anyway...funny thing happened at the barn today that my friend texted me about and is too funny not to share. :lol:

So Aires got turned out with CJ and Rex (his two BFFs, both arabs) today. They were turned out next to the arena and three of the mares (Jazzy, Noel and Dakota) were turned out in the other turnout next to the arena (the one the mares were in is on the long back side of the arena, while the one the boys were in is on the short far side of the arena). Anyway, I guess the arab boys were being all arab and showing off for the girls. Well, here comes my big ol' drafty boy literally doing an arab prance! Head up, tail as far up as he can get it (his tail isn't made to flag like the arabs ), trying to be all arab with the boys. My friend said she was laughing so hard she nearly peed her self. She said she thought about getting pics, but she was literally by herself rolling on the ground laughing way too hard.  Gotta love my weirdo!:wink:


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Going on a ride tomorrow!!! :-D

I retrieved my bridle from my truck yesterday (finally got my license back and the truck is insured...now all I have to do is get my plates reinstated and have the impoundment hearing, but the impound officer and I are playing phone tag) and I asked the BO if I could borrow one of his saddles since I wasn't about to lug my saddle while walking 5.5 miles home. Probably going to use the BO's Circle Y saddle, since it's the only one that will fit Aires and me. Not looking forward to riding without the comfort and safety of my Aussie, but it is what it is. 

For reference, it's the saddle the trainer is using in this pic (which is technically from Aires' very first ride ever...just not his official first ride ever lol).


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

YAY!!! I'm glad everything is working out!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Well, _someone _decided to act like a two-year-old today. 

First off, my morning didn't start too great when I pulled my bridle out of the duffel bag I'd used to carry it home...and found that my dog had managed to completely eat the browband off my bridle! So, I was already irritated to begin with.

We got to the barn around 10:30 and had the whole place to ourselves. It was soooo nice. So, I go get my beastly out, take him in the round pen and lunge him a bit, just to make sure he's listening while my friend goes and saddles her gelding. Fifteen minutes or so later, out we come and we go to tack up. I was able to tack up by myself (the BO's Circle Y saddle that we used weighs a friggin' TON!), and we did a little dance trying to get the bridle on, so I finally ended up loosening it another notch, which worked. I decided to lunge him again for a little bit, just because he was acting a little antsy, so back into the round pen we went for another five or ten minutes. Out we came and decided to school in the arena a little until he was listening better. Went down to the arena and the little ****** wouldn't stand to be mounted and kept trying to eat the grass. So, we went back up to the barn and were going to use the mounting step there, but every time I got him positioned and I climbed onto the step, he would pivot his butt away from me. Went into the round pen again for a little while and then tried mounting again down at the arena. STILL wasn't standing, so we went back up to the barn. By this time I was incredibly frustrated, but not willing to let him win. Tried the mounting step again and he wouldn't budge past one of the stalls for one of the BO's horses because that horse had a bucket of grain and pellets hanging on his stall and Aires wanted it. We argued for a good five minutes about moving forward past the bucket, which ended in a "Come to Jesus" meeting in the round pen. Snagged a whip from another boarder and made him run...and run...and run...until he started listening (I usually don't have to use a whip...just my hand to direct him, or at most the lead rope swung at my side to encourage him). Went back down to the arena (the very idea of going out on the trail with him like this was ditched long before the meeting in the round pen) and was FINALLY able to mount up. Caught my bra on the stupid saddle horn on my way up (and people wonder why I wanted an Aussie saddle without a horn!), but got in the saddle okay.

So, we're in the arena now and all of a sudden Aires stops stock still and looks up toward where there's a private residence with horses just up the hill from the barn. They had their horses turned out in their arena and were letting them run around all crazy. So, of course that made Aires go "Are we all going to die?!" and gave him an excuse to be difficult. So, we're riding in the arena for a while and we're doing okay, then my friend comes down to ride with us in the arena. Aires wanted to be by CJ, so he started being a little butt and totally not listening. I finally got off and had my friend ride him, to see if he would listen to her any better. I think I nearly peed myself when she asked him to trot (which he did), then looked at me all confused and said "Is he trotting?!" No one believes me about how smooth his trot is!! lol

Anyway, she rode him for a little while and said he was fine for her, so I got back up and rode him again. He was okay, but not his usually attentive, responsive self. He was playing with the bit CONSTANTLY (something he doesn't do normally) and kept wanting to go to CJ. It didn't help that I was in an uncomfortable (to me) western saddle and kept trying to sit it like I do my Aussie. I do have to say that I liked the aluminum stirrups on the saddle, though. Gonna have to find a pair of those.

Anyway, I finally decided that we'd had enough and we went up and untacked. I turned him out, then took some pics of my friend with her gelding before she untacked him and turned him out as well. Then we turned the trainer's arab gelding out with our boys and played with them for a bit (made them run and "spooked" them). I got some great pics of them running, plus a vid that I hope to upload onto YouTube because I want to put music over the stupid audio of us talking in the background.

All in all, it was an okay day (even with the weirdos who showed up and were asking really odd questions of everyone). Got to meet the owners of the Percheron filly that came down with Aires from Canada. They're teaching her to drive (so she can pull a cart with Petey, the spotted draft/Percheron colt that came with the PMUs from Canada) and I asked them if it was difficult and we got to talking. They said that they have always loved Aires and they're glad he has a good owner who is using him and loves him.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Glad to hear you got things from the truck. Horses have off days-& you worked thorugh it, so sorry to hear about the brow band-you don't need more trouble in your life. Hope things get better soon.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I feel like we're going completely backwards, here. :-( I am just so frustrated with Aires...but at the same time, it isn't exactly his fault because I haven't been out there as much. 

Yesterday, my friend was nice enough to clean his stall and turn him out for me. She said he was bucking and kicking at her while she was cleaning his stall. Then, when she went to turn him out, he refused to be caught in his stall. When she went to bring him in from turn out, it took her over ten minutes to catch him. She tried to take him into the round pen to lunge him and it took the BO's son smacking him on the butt to get him to go into the round pen.

So, today, I went out to clean his stall after work and since it was early yet, I decided to just take him in the round pen, walking him around, then bring him out (no work). It was easier to halter him than it almost ever has been before, so I thought we were golden. Headed toward the round pen and he balked before we were even halfway there. So, he backed up until I decided we were ready to move forward again. This time, we got closer before he balked. We spent a good ten to fifteen minutes walking forward only to balk, so we'd back up again, or I'd try to lunge him in small circles on the lead line (he fails at lunging on a line...he'll yield his hindquarters til the cows come home, but forget lunging on a line). So, I decided to walk him around the property for a while to distract him and work on just leading. He was doing find until I stopped him and made him stand by the arena while a couple people were riding in there. Then the littler ****** tried to climb up my shoulder because he wanted to move and I wouldn't let him. So, I ended up leaning into him and elbowing him HARD in the chest to get him off me. After he was doing okay standing there, we tried going back in the round pen and failed again. So, I tried to walk him down the road. We almost made it to the end of the road before he planted his feet and WOULD NOT BUDGE. I backed him, I lunged him, I threatened him...nothing worked. So, we headed back to the barn (did get him to in-hand trot for about a hundred feet, of all things!) and the round pen, where we spent another fifteen minutes arguing over going into the round pen. The BO and his son had started feeding by this time, but I was not about to let Aires go eat yet (which would mean he had won). Finally, the BO needed to come by where we were and drove the tractor straight at Aires (he isn't afraid of the tractor in the slightest), then yelled to ask me if we were trying to go into the round pen. I was prepared to move Aires to the side out of the way, but said yes anyway, and the BO said "Okay, go ahead" and basically drove Aires into the round pen with the tractor (none of this was done maliciously or in a harmful way...he stayed for enough back that if Aires spooked, he wouldn't run into the tractor). When we made it into the round pen, I praised the heck out of Aires and then just walked him around the round pen on the lead before leading him back out again when the tractor was gone. I made him stop and stand in the door to the round pen, too. Then we went past his stall and a little ways down the aisle, where I made him stand again. Once he was good standing there, I took him into his stall, but wouldn't let him at his hay until I had unhaltered him. I kept him off his hay even after I unhaltered him to show him that I am in charge and have the say in when things (like eating) happen, not him.

So, it looks like we're going to be doing TONS of groudwork for a while. We're going to teach him how to lunge on a line, come hell or high water. I just don't get why all of a sudden he's being such a jerk. He is also grinding his teeth (especially if he gets frustrated), chomping on the bit while bridled (something he only ever did with the copper snaffle we had at first) and my friend said he was smacking his tongue up and down on the bars of his stall the other day for almost an hour.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> I just don't get why all of a sudden he's being such a jerk. He is also grinding his teeth (especially if he gets frustrated), chomping on the bit while bridled (something he only ever did with the copper snaffle we had at first) and my friend said he was smacking his tongue up and down on the bars of his stall the other day for almost an hour.


There must be a "good horse gone jerk" bug going around.. I mean look what Sky did! 

You'll get there with him. Lunging on a line is an art.. lol it's a talent. Once you get it, though.. your horse will get it. 

Fingers are crossed for you!


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Getting him to work well on the lunge will be a giant step forward. I hope you have some positive experiences w/him coming your way soon.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I know how to lunge on a line. I taught my old gelding how to both free lunge and lunge on a line within a week or two. I tried with Aires, but he absolutely refused to believe that if he is attached to me by a line, he doesn't have to be right at my shoulder. I kind of gave up on teaching him to lunge on a line, mainly because he free lunges so beautifully that I figured we'd work on lunging on a line later.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

I think free lunging is harder than on a line, but each horse is different. Hope your next time w/him is better.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> I know how to lunge on a line.


Oh didn't know that, my bad. 

You'll figure it out either way


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Sorry, Sky! Didn't mean that as b*tchy as it sounded!!! Sorry very much!

I guess because I learned how to free lunge first, that is easier for me to teach a new horse. I only started lunging my old gelding on a line after we moved to a different barn that didn't have a round pen (it did, but it was full of trash and junk), so we had to lunge on a line in the arena because there was no way he could be ridden without being lunged first.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Sorry, Sky! Didn't mean that as b*tchy as it sounded!!! Sorry very much!
> 
> I guess because I learned how to free lunge first, that is easier for me to teach a new horse. I only started lunging my old gelding on a line after we moved to a different barn that didn't have a round pen (it did, but it was full of trash and junk), so we had to lunge on a line in the arena because there was no way he could be ridden without being lunged first.


Hahaha it's fine! I'm used to it  hehe kidding of course

I had the reverse problem.. he would try to cuddle free lunging and would run away on the lunge line and forget running with him on the leadrope. We fixed that though.. had to get reaaaally creative haha


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I'm going to go out and buy a lunge whip tomorrow after work. No one at the barn has one (the boarder's "whip" that we used on Sunday was actually a carrot stick with a full leather thong on it, instead of the cotton rope with the popper). The trainer has a carrot stick, but I can't crack a carrot stick like I can a lunge whip. I also prefer the flexibility of the lunge whip over the carrot stick. I always had a lunge whip when lunging my old gelding and I think it'll help with Aires. It certainly made him realize I meant business during our "Come to Jesus" meeting in the round pen on Sunday.


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## Ladytrails (Jul 28, 2010)

Drafty, didn't read all the posts here but I had the same problem with my young one, couldn't get him far enough away from me to lunge. (No skill with free lunging...) I had to take him to the trainer anyway, so I just let him deal with it and he did. But my nugget of info here is that the trick seems to be to tap on the shoulder, instead of the belly/hip which I had been doing when I need him to move out away from me. 

I can use the lunge whip on the ground near his front feet, if he's working out away from me (but I want him to go out farther) or I use a tap-tap on his shoulder when he's in close. For close work, of course, a lunge whip is too long for the pocket pony and I use a dressage whip or my carrot stick or the end of the rope. This wouldn't win any horse show awards for form, but it works great for me. 

Good luck with this!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Got a lunge whip today. I wanted the 7-foot red one, but I settled for the 5-foot sky blue one because it was cheaper and the longer one felt a bit *too* whippy (my friend that taught me how to lunge had a 7-foot whip, but hers was a bit stiffer than the ones that I found). I also broke down and bought the material to make a new saddle pad. Got the red and black lumberjack plaid for the top and black quilted for the underside. I also picked up my saddle from my truck. Wondering if part of the problem with mounting and riding on Sunday was the saddle (size/weight distribution/weight of the saddle/etc).


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Wooo! Can't wait to see that pad when it's done


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I turned Aires out with CJ today because CJ needed some exercise (he got ridden yesterday, but my friend was in Phoenix all day today, so couldn't get out to exercise him and didn't want him to lock up, so she asked me to walk him or turn him out). He was completely CRAZY! Hand-trotted him to the turnout (okay, I admit we were kind of showing off, but still lol), then when we got to the turnout, he tried to bolt before I had even tried to take his halter off and wouldn't stand still for me to get it off. When I FINALLY managed to get it off, he bolted off at a full gallop and started bucking and farting. He rolled, then took off galloping and bucking and farting and trying to get CJ to be crazy with him. He's such a psycho, but it's totally unlike him!!

Then, when I went to bring him in so he could eat, he was doing okay, but then as I went to open the gate after haltering him, he tried to bite the hand I was using to open the gate! He was a gentleman walking to his stall (which surprised me beyond words!) and even stood nicely and didn't try to go to his food while I took off his halter. I just don't know what his deal is!


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## Ladytrails (Jul 28, 2010)

Drafty, I can't remember how old he is -- could he be teething? or have retained caps? or wolf teeth? They are still getting their teeth in until 4 1/2, I think, and it can affect bitting and make them mouthy like babies teething.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> I just don't know what his deal is!


What a firecracker! I bet he was just showing off like big boys do 

What a great horse you have!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

He'll be 3 on May 7th. I'm 90% sure he doesn't his wolf teeth yet (checked day before yesterday, but he doesn't really like his mouth messed with, so it was a quick glance), but that doesn't mean they aren't possibly coming in. Not sure about the others, to be honest.

Sky, he was definitely commanding attention. Considering the earth friggin' SHAKES when he goes faster than a walk, it's difficult to ignore him. lol


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Okay, so I'm 96% sure Aires needs his teeth done. *sigh* My friend text me this morning at around 10am and said that Aires was the only one still eating when she got to the barn. Generally speaking, he's usually the first one done and vacuuming up any scraps he missed, then looking for more. So, that could be what's causing all the wild and crazies. This had to happen when I don't have any extra money (have to get my truck out of impound hopefully Monday, which is going to take the rest of my tax money, plus I have to pay my best friend back for the tickets that she paid for for me to go see her in Spokane this spring, but the airline went under and isn't refunding anyone's tickets). Sometimes I wonder why I try. I'm going to try to sell some stuff (my kidneys are in decent shape since I don't drink...I could probably get a fair amount for them...I kid!) to pay her back and get enough money to do Aires' teeth. What sucks is that I was supposed to have Aires paid off by May and because of my truck, it isn't going to happen. FML.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

It'll all work out, Drafty, I promise!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I just found out that we have THREE paychecks in March, so it's all good! lol


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Okay, so this is an update for me, not Aires, really.

I have my follow-up orthopedist appointment for my shoulder in the morning. Not sure what's going to happen. My insurance absolutely refuses to pay for out-patient physical therapy. The PT place called them twice to check, I called them AND my ortho wrote a letter. All to be told no. To make it worse, my shoulder has started clicking/snapping at the oddest times. I'll reach for something or in the morning when I wake up and stretch, it sounds like someone is snapping their fingers, but it's my AC joint. :-/ So yeah.

In other news, I got my truck back! lol It cost me $695 at the impound yard, plus about $300 to get my license reinstated, my plates reinstated and my insurance. So, I'm back to being broke beyond belief.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Well, it's official. I have orthroscopic shoulder surgery scheduled for March 29th. They will be shaving down the end of my clavicle to make room in my AC joint and they will be removing as much of the bone spur under my shoulder blade as they can. The bone spur is pinching my muscle of my rotator cuff and causing irritation and pain there, which is limiting my range of motion. The ortho said he might also end up having to reattach my bicep to my clavicle, depending on how frayed it is where it attaches now (I have a lot of pain at the front of my shoulder joint, right where the bicep crosses/attaches). 

If all he has to do is the bone shaving, he said I'll be back to work in a week and fully recovered in three to six weeks. If he has to reattach the bicep, it will be a MUCH longer recovery (three to six MONTHS).


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I hope this surgery does the trick!


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Oh my, when it rains it pours,eh? But, you have your truck,& all that straightened out. You have your surgery date & we'll all hope it willl be the surgery w/less recovery time. Does AZ have disability pay? Can you file for that? Can the PT place give you some hand-outs w/ exercise diagrams? You will need to do something to get back your range of motion. Or maybe you couldl find someting on line that will help. Are you having the vet come out to check on Aries teeth? Hope this year starts getting better for you real soon!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

The trainer isn't convinced that it was Aires' teeth, mainly because he's back to being his normal, placid, cooperative self. I checked his mouth this morning and showed our BO and neither of us can see where his wolf teeth are coming in and, really, his teeth don't look bad at all. 

The physical therapy (per what my ortho said) will help me get my range of motion back, plus he wants me trying to stretch my shoulder as much as possible BEFORE the surgery.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

You're always right there & taking care of Aries whenever there's a problem. My hat is off to you for that-it can be hard when they are boarded out. So, have the barn isssues been resolved? Are you getting those horrible winds yet? We might get rain or even snow tonight-glad I rode both horses this W/E. We had some range cows in the yard a few days back-the horses are cool w/that. I've got my hay in the horse trailer, & a barrier up so they can't get to the horse barrels. Got the shelter roofs up & some mats in their pens, so I'm feeling much better w/their living arrangements. They love being out in the country & don't seem bothered by anything.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Cacowgirl said:


> You're always right there & taking care of Aries whenever there's a problem. My hat is off to you for that-it can be hard when they are boarded out. So, have the barn isssues been resolved? Are you getting those horrible winds yet? We might get rain or even snow tonight-glad I rode both horses this W/E. We had some range cows in the yard a few days back-the horses are cool w/that. I've got my hay in the horse trailer, & a barrier up so they can't get to the horse barrels. Got the shelter roofs up & some mats in their pens, so I'm feeling much better w/their living arrangements. They love being out in the country & don't seem bothered by anything.


Yes, they have! The person who was the problem moved his horse to a different barn today and he will officially be gone for good on the 1st. Sooooooo happy about that!!

Yeah, we've had strong winds all day. I was out at my parents' house in Chino all day and went to get something out of my truck. A gust of wind hit me unexpectedly and nearly blew me over (I'm totally being serious!). We're supposed to get 1-2" of snow tonight, but it'll probably be slightly more where we live (we live on a big hill and usually get 1-2" more snow than the lower parts around us). Not looking forward to driving tomorrow, even though I've got my truck back. Glad I don't have to be at work until 2pm.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Alright...so, we went on a trail ride today. We went out Deep Well Ranch instead of going up the mountain like we usually do. Deep Well Ranch is pretty much prairie with all sorts of cattle and deer trails cutting through it, with scrub oak thickets scattered around for good measure. 

Aires was GREAT on the ride out to the gate to Deep Well. We rode all back streets and he handled everything like an old pro, even the "scary" ravine that a lot of horses don't like. He did keep wanting to trot, which did not make me happy (I'm good with trotting normally, but we need to work on our stop/slow down, so I have issues with it when we aren't in the arena). Anyway, we got through the gate and started off...and Aires was acting like he was going to die. Every little sound of bend in the trail had him wanting to take flight. We met some other riders (it was GORGEOUS today) and he acted like he'd never seen another horse before. Because I wouldn't let him take off like he wanted to, he kept getting ****y and swishing his tail at me (sooooo not like him). He also kept crowding up the other horses' butts and followed my friend's quarab gelding like he was glued to him (regardless of what I asked him to do).

We stopped for lunch at these corrals with a windmill and stock tanks. There was a goldfish in the stock tank and apparently Aires thought it was going to eat him because no manner of coaxing would get him even remotely near the stock tank. lol Anyway, we set about eating and turned the boys loose in the corral (after closing the gate) to play and nibble at the weeds/grass. Pretty soon, the boys realized that my friend, Wendy, had the goods (carrots...and Cheetos lol) and they were all right in her face begging. I swear we don't have horses, we have giant dogs. lol There were some heifers in an ajoining corral that had newborn calves and after an initial "What the heck are those?!", Aires and the other boys ignored them.

We mounted back up after about fifteen minutes and were riding across more prairie. Aires was a tiny bit more relaxed, but still wanted to take off every so often. We finally started getting into to scrub oak forest and he started to relax a bit. When we got into the denser scrub oak forest, he became the trail horse I know and love. We hit a fence that was locked, so we took off on a trail that headed back toward the way we needed to go and just kind of wandered and explored. We hit a residential fenceline and couldn't find a trail following it, so we just kind of trail blazed around until we found the trail we were supposed to take. It was really fun and Aires did great...until he ran me into a branch right at jaw level that scraped along the side of my face. Yeah, let's just say that even though both my friends went right by the same branch, the same distance from it, *I* am the only one who got run into it. Why? Because I have the tallest horse in the bunch and I'm the tallest one in the bunch. lol

When we got back to the barn, we untacked and then hung out by Wendy's trailer (she has to trailer in because she boards elsewhere) for a while, letting the boys eat grass on the side of the road. Then, we decided to try to get my two-year-old who hasn't been in a trailer since he was a weanling to load into Wendy's two-horse straight load. He actually almost got in and wasn't at all scared of it, but she was parked straddling a fairly good-sized dip, so the floor of the trailer was above Aires' knees (mind you, he's pushing 16.1-16.2hh now) and he wasn't quite grasping the concept of stepping up that high to get into the trailer. We're going to try again, though, next time we ride. Also, our BO is going to pick up some horses in Minnesota (or Michigan...or Wisconsin...somewhere over there lol) this weekend, so when he gets back, I might ask him if I can try to load Aires in his stock trailer (he won't put it away until he hoses it out).

In other news, Aires got a new halter! It's draft size, but fits him pretty well. Just a little big through the nose.


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## azwantapaint (Feb 5, 2012)

Ha! Sounds like an awesome ride on the day!
Makana and i learned how much she likes being brushed!
Got her all prettied up, walked around a little, cut her loose in the pasture and what's she do? You guessed it- rolled in the turd piles!
Cant wait to find a saddle that works for us both, so Jenny & Sammie, Makana and i can all come over the hill and ride with ya!
Or, come visit us and we'll run Mingus!
The antelope were out in force today - always a spectacular sight!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

If I had a trailer, AZ, I would SO be there! You'd love riding the mountain (Granite Mountain). It is awesome. We could go to the lake and have a picnic. 

Aires is shedding horribly right now, so my new saddle blanket and...well...everything, really, is covered with hair.

You should head over to my picture thread to see pics from today's ride. http://www.horseforum.com/horse-pictures/just-some-pics-aires-95722/


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Forgot to mention the bunny hop incident!! It was hilarious!!

Okay, so we're in the scrub oak forest just truckin' along with Wendy in the lead (on Tam, her 16yo quarab gelding), my friend, Christina, in the middle (on her 9yo arab gelding, CJ) and me trailing. There were several small logs (in the 6-10" diameter range) laying across the trail in a few parts as we were going along. So we get to this particularly large log (maybe 12" in diameter) that is about 6" off the ground. Tam walks over it. CJ walks over it. Aires gets his front feet over it...then bunny hops over it with his back feet! It wasn't a buck, it was definitely a bunny hop. I was laughing so hard!


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## azwantapaint (Feb 5, 2012)

Actually, we have a trailer, and both our tank sized horses fit in it, but whoever designed the 3 horse slant must have been thinking mini's.
Rest assured we will link up at some point soon.
I'm always looking for people to ride with on weekends, as Makana definitely needs some wet blankets to get us both dialed in.
One other place i love is Camp Wood- very remote, rustic, and lots of neat stuff to see, especially wildlife!
If you like, shoot me a PM with your email and phone, and i'll forward ours back.
And, if our 3 slant isnt big enough for all 3 horses, we do have access to a stock trailer too.
We KNOW 4 horses fit in there!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

So, today was NOT a good day. I nearly threw in the towel and said "Screw it."

So, my friend and I were planning on riding in the arena today, but I had to run to Chino first (about a 15 minute drive each way) and pick up the new stirrups I had ordered through one of the local tack shops. I was on my way back to the barn when my friend called me and asked me how long I was going to be. I told her I was almost there and then she said that if I was up for it, two of the other boarders wanted to go on a trail ride with us up the mountain. I said sure and hung up. 

So, I get to the barn and it's pretty much chaos. The BO, his son and his step grandson are working on cleaning up around the round pen, there's someone riding in the arena, horses turned out across the street (still part of the barn property), and my friend and one of the other boarders starting to tack up at the front of the barn. Right after I got there and got Aires out of his stall, another boarder showed up with her family for a trail lesson with the trainer, so they went and got their two horses, while the trainer got two of the lesson horses out to tack up. So, at one time, there were SEVEN horses tied at the hitching rails out front being tacked up. When I got Aires out, I went to go lunge him like I usually do before we tack up, but my friend said that the round pen was torn apart (the BO was working on fixing some of the damaged boards) and that there wasn't time anyway, so I just went and tied him up and started tacking up. 

Aires was being a bit of a pill while I was tacking up, but nothing extreme, so I didn't even really think about it. I went to mount up and he would not stand still. So, I asked one of the people who wasn't going on either trail ride (a friend of the boarder who was going with us) to hold him while I got the mounting block and brought it over to mount. As soon as he saw the mounting block, he absolutely FREAKED out. He reared up (not very high...just far enough to get his front feet of the ground), ripped the reins out of the lady's hand and took off trotting to the turnout gate across the road. I trotted after him, knowing he'd just stay there. Well, my friend and one of the ladies who was already mounted thought it'd be a good idea to canter over and try to block him into the half-circle driveway where the turnout gate is. When they cantered over, it freaked Aires out and he took off, almost ramming into my friend's gelding (who he usually loves) and then he took off down the road. Luckily he didn't head toward the highway or I would have been in deep trouble. Anyway, he dodged around the other lady, freaked when he saw two people running toward him from the barn driveway entrance and trotted on down the road. By this time, the BO, his son and step grandson had heard the commotion and were running out to the road to try to help catch him. Another of the boarders (who was down by the arena) hopped through the fence further down the road just in case he went that far. Aires finally stopped on the side of the road next to the new POA's stall and started eating grass. The BO fell in next to me and asked me if he'd spooked or was just being an idiot. I told him both and explained what had happened. 

So, I took Aires back up to the barn and asked the BO to hold him for me while I tried to mount, because I figured Aires wouldn't move with the BO holding him. The BO VERY sarcastically said "I wonder why not," pretty much implying that I don't discipline Aires, which is SOOOOOOOOO not true. He gets into trouble quite a bit and I am NOT lenient. So anyway, I had a hold of Aires' halter and the BO comes walking up in front of Aires and it was like Aires had never seen the BO in his life. His head went up into the air, his eyes and nostrils flared and he jerked back. I pulled his head back down and the BO went to reach for Aires' halter and Aires absolutely and completely FREAKED again. This time he reared again, then turned and rammed into CJ (my friend's gelding...with her mounted!) and kicked out at him, then ran off toward the new boarder on her appy and kicked out at them, then jumped sideways and almost ran into one of the other boarders' horses that was going on the lesson ride and kicked at him, then trotted over to one of the stalls and stood there. I grabbed him and my friend and the other two took off on their ride, leaving me to deal with Aires (I wasn't upset...I knew if we had gone it would NOT have ended well). 

So, I fought with Aires for ten minutes, trying to get him into the round pen, before the lady who had held him the first time asked if I wanted her to come behind him with my lunge whip and "drive" him into the round pen. As soon as she got behind him, he was a perfect gentleman walking into the round pen. Well, we had a serious "Come To Jesus Meeting" in the round pen after that. Turns out the round pen was indeed put back together (my friend didn't know that, though).

I literally made him run for twenty minutes, changing direction a few times. Any time he slowed from a canter if I didn't ask him to, I would pop the whip (he's never been around a lunge whip before). If he ignored the whip pop, he got the whip across his rump. After twenty minutes of running, I slowed him down to a trot and we worked on some gait transitions (extended trot to relaxed trot and back again, then down to a walk...that sort of thing) and direction changes. I let him come into the center after another ten minutes or so to rest, then sent him back out again. He was NOT happy that I sent him back out, but I was beyond caring at that point. So, we did a lot of short direction changes (made him trot one way for a quarter circuit, then change directions, then change again after another quarter circuit) until he was changing direction with just a shift of the whip in front of him and the word "Switch."

So, we came out of the round pen after I desensitized him to the whip (rubbed it ALL over him), and I took his bridle off and took him on a short walk up the road. We worked on ground manners: stopping, yielding his hindquarters, backing, turning, etc. I was going to ride in the arena, but one of the little girls was down there with her gelding and I didn't want her to have to deal with Aires' idiocy (she's like 10-years-old and just the cutest little thing with a horse that is ranch broke and can do just about anything). When we got back to the barn, I untacked Aires and turned him out with the other two geldings that were across the road, then went and cleaned his stall and changed his water.

I was feeling EXTREMELY frustrated. I can handle being made to look like a fool, but not in front of our BO (he already thinks I can't ride and made up my horse experience because he never got to see me ride before Gypsy threw me and my confidence went to hell). I ended up looking like a complete moron who can't handle my own horse today.

I went down to thank the lady who had hopped through the fence at the end of the road to keep Aires from going any further and she and I got to talking. She bought the Percheron filly that came down from the same breeder with Aires, but she got Liberty (the filly) when she was right off the truck as a weanling. She has always loved Aires, but couldn't afford another horse. Anyway, she was going on and on about how glad she is that I bought Aires and how I've done so good with him and come so far with him. She told me how impressed she was that I took a 2yo stud colt that was 15hh and ~1200lbs that hadn't really been handled all that much and turned him into a (usually) solid equine citizen with good ground manners. She said how it was a testament to how committed to him I am and how much I was able to teach him that I have gotten him to where he would have been now if someone had been working with him since he was a weanling and how impressed she is that I was able to do so much with him in such a short time. It really made me feel much better, since she's not a friend and wouldn't feel "obligated" to boost my self-confidence like that.

Anyway, I realize now that there was WAY too much stimulation going on for Aires and he was not focused at all. In time he may be confident/relaxed enough to deal with that much stimuli, but right now, it's just way too much for him to process. 

So, this next week and a half or so before my surgery, we're going to try to do as much arena work as possible. I'm going to head out to the barn every day after work and try to ride at least for a little while. 

On the surgery front, I had my pre-op appointment today. Meh. lol


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Not a fun day for sure. But you worked him, got him on your wave-length. Dealing w/youngsters is challenging,just hang in there. sorry that the BO has that attitude-that certainly was a lot of stimulation & Aries is a youngster & sometimes that will just come out. It will be getting warmer soon & that will probably be a help . We're having rain ,snow & wind here-how about you?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Thanks. Cacowgirl. Aires definitely said "I'm sorry" today. lol I went out to clean his stall (yay muddy icky mess...blech!) and he followed at my elbow EVERYWHERE. Usually when I'm using the rake, he is on the other side of his stall acting like he's going to be eaten by the darned thing. He was also highly intrigued by my watch and boots, for some reason. Oh, and my phone. I was texting my friend, answering her questions about the condition of her stall and horse since she hasn't been able to get out there all week (usually she's out every day) and Aires kept trying to lip my phone. 

Anyway, if it hadn't snowed, I was going to try to ride him every day after work until Thursday, when my surgery is. However, with the snow and the fact that he REALLY needs his feet done (not gonna say how long it's been), it might not happen. Everything at the barn is a yucky, muddy, mucky mess, and the round pen is half-flooded.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

So, no surgery for me. My insurance sucks and only pays $250 of the facilities fees. The facilities fees are almost $3000. I have to come up with at least half the amount before they'll do it, which leaves me less than 48 hours to come up with almost $1500. Yeah, not gonna happen. 

I am just so tired of being in pain.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

What! They wait until the last minute to inform you? Unbelievable! So sorry, can you appeal or something?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Had Aires' feet trimmed by a different farrier today. My regular farrier is difficult to get a hold of and unless you're having multiple horses done, he usually wants to wait to come out until there are more horses. So, I decided to give the regular barn farrier a try. I liked the job she did, but she's kind of slow (methodical, is probably a better word, but an antsy three-year-old standing in the gusting wind and cold definitely sees that as slow). She's also MUCH more strict than my other farrier. My other farrier would allow Aires to nudge his belt as long as he didn't nip, but this farrier wanted Aires' head nowhere near her. That was really difficult with my bum shoulder. I told her several times that I was having a hard time holding him, but she kept getting upset with me that he would move. My friend couldn't help, either, because she's got a fractured wrist. Finally, we put a stud chain on him to do his back feet (which he's usually worse about). He was much better after we added the chain.

So, we're going back to basics. Tons of groundwork. He was being SUCH a pill and kept running over me. I have a few Clinton Anderson vids that I'm going to be watching, which will hopefully give me ideas.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I was just having fun looking through Aires' sire's pedigree. Came across a lot of big names, including Leo, Joe Hancock, Two Eyed Jack, War Admiral, Man O War, Bold Ruler, and Poco Bueno. The only name right on his face papers is Two Eyed Jack, but he does have Leo just off his papers (one generation back). Just thought that was funny. Just goes to show that big names on a pedigree don't necessarily make for a good horse (meaning Aires' sire, who is incredibly fugly).


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

So, a little update. 

The boy is shedding out like none other! I swear every time I groom him I take off enough hair to make a mini. What's funny is that now (after taking a shedding blade to him twice), his coat is like a normal horse's winter coat. lol

He's getting better about minding his manners on the ground. I bought a dressage whip to carry with me in case he doesn't listen and all it took was once. He didn't stop when I did once and got whacked across the chest with the dressage whip. Now he stops when I do.

He's still a pill about his left hind hoof being picked out, but today I whacked him HARD across the butt with the crop if he tried to take his foot from me. All it took was twice and then he stood there just fine. 

I was able to try my English saddle on him again (haven't had it on him since I bought it several months ago). I had already let him loose in his stall and on a whim decided to grab my saddle and set it on him. Didn't have to tie him or anything. Just walked up, let him sniff the saddle and settled it on his back. It actually looks like it fits rather well! Now I just need leathers, stirrups and a girth. *sigh*


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Today. Was. AMAZING!!!

So, I finally went out to the barn with the express intent of riding. It was going to happen, come hell or high water.

Got the barn around 10:30am, after going to the feed store and one of the local tack stores (sold one of my cameras, so I had money!). My friend had a couple of endurance saddles she wanted to try on her gelding, so she pulled him out and brought him up. The first one (I had picked it up at the tack store where it was on consignment) didn't fit at all, but the second one (belongs to our BO) looked like it fit pretty well, so she cinched him up and went to lunge him to see what the sweat pattern looked like. While she was lunging her gelding, I pulled Aires out and tied him up at the front.

He was being a little brat and acting like he'd never seen a saddle pad before and pulled back a little when I went to saddle him, but overall he was good. He even reached for the bit when I went to bridle him. So, my friend got out of the round pen just as I finished tacking up and I decided to take him in the round pen because he was being a little butt. So, I had my friend walk behind us (we're still having issues going to the round pen, but part of it today was that there were people on the wash rack with a dog [wash rack is right next to round pen] and he was like "WTH?!") and we went into the round pen. He listened sooooooooooooooooo well!!! Executed all the transitions I asked for, including going into a canter without me having to get after him, after only having to ask once. He even pulled a little "dressage horse" on me and did a flying lead change (but one of those skipping lead changes...can't remember what they're called...I suck tonight lol). Sooooo, we come out of the round pen and head down to the arena to ride. My friend was walking her gelding cool and on the phone with the trainer, so I just headed down myself, thinking I could mount up.

Well, someone decided they didn't want to stand still...at all. My friend came down after she got off the phone with the trainer and held him for me (tied her gelding to the fence outside the arena so he could graze). Even with her holding him, it took a good three or four minutes for him to stand still enough for me to mount up (from the FENCE, I might add!). 

So, I finally got mounted up and we start walking around. Someone decided they had apparently forgotten EVERYTHING they've ever learned about giving to the bit and leg cues because we fought for a good five minutes. He ignored the bit and ignored me. Finally, he realized that I wasn't going to give up and go away, and that he actually needed to listen. After he figured that out, he was awesome! 

We even did a little trotting!! :shock: He took off at a nice medium trot with just a squeeze, a cluck and the word "trot." And he transitioned back to the walk as soon as I asked him to. 

After our ride, he got a full-on, soaped-up bath on the wash rack! He's never had a full bath (with soap) and trying to get him on the wash rack last year was an exercise in futility. My friend was giving her gelding (Aires' best friend) a bath, so I just casually led Aires up onto the rack too. Then when my friend was done with the hose, I started in on Aires. He stood there like an old pro! He did freak out a little when he saw the soap running across the wet concrete, but he settled down after he realized it wasn't going to eat him. He's so clean and sparkly and soft now!

All in all, it was a wonderful day!

Be sure to check out the pics in my "Just some pics of Aires" thread!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Hey, you've been so quiet! How is life and how is Aires?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Life is CRAZY with my new job. I've been working twelve days straight with two days off, and working bell-to-bell (open to close) three or four days a week, which make for 10 to 11 hour days. Thursday I worked a 14 hour day. This has meant that I haven't been out to see my boy nearly as much as I'd like. However, I just changed dealerships at my job (was at Toyota, now working at our GMC/Buick dealership right next door) and my schedule is MUCH better, so I'm hoping to spend a lot more time out at the barn.

As for how Aires is...well, the last time I rode him, I realized he needed his teeth done, so I haven't ridden him since. My friend has been working on lunging on the line with him and says he's doing it like an old pro now. I hope to get his teeth floated and feet done on my next check. I'm also getting a NICE Stubben saddle with everything for $275.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

That's awesome!!! Glad your crazy schedule got taken care of. At least you're making good money now


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Yeah, I just need to sell more cars. I've got a half a deal so far this month (you can get half a deal when you turn your customers over to a salesman from a different dealership in our complex and they make the sale...in this case, I turned one of my customers over to a Hyundai salesman and he got them into a car). One of my friends has four (maybe five?) already this month. Heck, he got three of them yesterday.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Wow that's crazy!

Good luck getting those deals!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

The good thing about the dealership I'm at now is that there are fewer sales people (there were 16 of us at Toyota...there's only six at GM) and we get most of the used car deals, which pay better. I made $1040 off my first car deal and it was a used car.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Very nice! A lot of people are in the market for used cars so you should have no problem in theory. 

What's the most common car that's bought used? Or if you can't answer that now, maybe later. Just curious lol


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Hmmmmm...we sell a lot of used Prius and Camrys, actually. We sell more used trucks and SUVs than we do cars, though. My first deal was on a 2010 Chevy Equinox LTZ (crossover SUV). They absolutely love it.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Interesting!


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## Cinder (Feb 20, 2011)

I'm glad your schedule is getting better and it sounds like you're going to get more money at this place, too, which is also good. Can't wait to hear how Aires is doing!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Right, so...

Went and saw the boy for the first time in a while. He was happy to see me, which made me feel good, and even let me put his fly mask on (apparently he'd been being a pill about it with my friend). He's looking great all slicked out in his summer coat. He's looking more like a horse and less like a baby.

Took my boyfriend with my to the stable today and of course Aires acted like Rob was going to eat him alive. He's so weird about men! Even my dog (who is very picky about what men he likes) LOVES Rob...but Aires acted like he was the spawn of Satan. *sigh*

In other news, I got a new saddle!! It's an older Stubben Siegfried jumping saddle, complete with leathers, irons, 52" leather girth, fleece halfpad and canvas saddle cover. I got it for $275 from a lady up the road! I also got a real sheepskin halfpad and a quilted halfpad for $25 together. Very happy about the saddle, though. It's an 18" saddle with a medium wide gullet. The trainer looked at it a few weeks ago and said I'd be crazy not to buy it. I'll get pics of it later. Now, I just have to get Aires' feet and teeth done and we can start lessons!

Just for fun, here are some pics I took of the monster with my camera phone.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

He's so handsome and congrats on the saddle! Hope it fits!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Tried the saddle on Aires yesterday and it fits absolutely perfectly! YAY! Didn't ride in it, since the boy still needs his teeth and feet done. 

Someone wasn't cooperating with Mom while she was trying to take pics of his pretty new saddle.

















And just a pic of him standing so patiently while tied. He was being soooo good yesterday!


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## Cinder (Feb 20, 2011)

Nice saddle!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Cinder said:


> Nice saddle!


Thanks! Fully fitted-out (older) Stubben Siegfried for $275.


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## azwantapaint (Feb 5, 2012)

Good for you!
Now, go slap some horsey nikes on him, bust out your western saddle, and come hot granite mountain with us!
Or, better yet, Cayuse!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Next week he's getting his feet done, so we'll be good for the trail. Let me know when you want to go! I'm buying a truck hopefully this week (if I can get my truck sold) that can pull a horse trailer and I think I know someone I can borrow a trailer from. I have Thursdays off, all but one Sunday a month (Sundays are difficult cuz I have obligations at church) and one Saturday a month off as well. 

And I don't ride in a western saddle. I ride in an Australian stock saddle. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Was wondering how oyur shoulder is nowadays? Was the surgery successful? Sounds like you are liking your new job & doing well w/it. This is my first AZ summer & it sure is HOT! My horses are doing fine w/it, but the hours between 1 & 5 are taking some getting used to-for sure. Hope you get some riding time in & get a chance to try your new saddle.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

My shoulder...well, that's complicated. My insurance wouldn't pay for physical therapy, so I don't have full range of motion. And while it doesn't ache as bad as it did (yet...I'm dreading winter), I will get sharp pain is I overuse it or try to reach up toward the end of the day. I'm not sure which was worse: the constant ache with occasional sharp flair-ups or this out-of-nowhere, slap-across-the-face sharp pain. At least that bone chip isn't the culprit anymore. That thing friggin' HURT!

As for the heat, it gets above 80F and I start to melt. Lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Well, at least the bone chip is gone. I think your area is hotter than mine,so you must be a puddle by now. I'm close-haha. I can endure the 90's but the triple didgets really get to me. We might be getting monsoons next week-another new experience for me. Can you do any evening/night riding?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Evening, sometimes. My work schedule changes every day and half the time I'm not off until after 7pm. As far as night riding, our BO doesn't allow people at the barn after dark unless there's a moonlight ride (when there's a full moon) or if you have cleared it with him to pick up or drop off your horse. They live in an apartment in the barn, so any activity late disturbs them.

Monsoons are fun. They're my favorite time of year.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Haven't updated in a while because I've been so busy with work.

Haven't seen the boy in forever. Am moving barns next month, just have to decide where we're going. I just can't afford to pay $300 a month to never see my horse.

Just had to vent something that happened just now. I texted one of my best friends to wish her a happy birthday and tell her that one of the horses from the Girl Scout horse camp was up for sale on Craigslist. She basically just told me to sell Aires and buy this mare. First of all, I don't like mares. Second of all, this mare is too short for me (I've ridden her before...trust me...she's too short). Thirdly, HOW DARE SHE?! 

Sorry. This just REALLY made me mad. How dare she tell me to sell my horse, when for the three years I've known her, the first two, she hardly EVER rode her horse?! She'd show up once or twice a week (sometimes) to clean her stall and that was it. I worked her horse for her for half that time. She wouldn't let me ride him because he is difficult to handle, but I lunged him and blanketed him and groomed him and turned him out for her. Wow. I really feel like I've been stabbed in the back.


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## Cinder (Feb 20, 2011)

Why did she tell you to sell Aries and buy the mare? It just sounds really weird :shock:.

Have you talked to her about how you feel yet? She might not realize that you feel stabbed in the back.

I agree that (especially after all the help you gave her) that was terribly rude and too bold.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

She feels I should sell Aires because I haven't been out to see or work with him in a couple of months. She doesn't get that just because she is currently working part time and gets to do everything she wants to do pretty much whenever she wants to that others of us don't have that luxury. 

I work usually from 8am until 5pm or 10am to 7pm. It's dark here by 5:30-6pm and the barn is almost half an hour away from my work (and from home). There are other days that I work 8am to 7pm or 8am to 6pm. I'm working 50+ hours per week. The only reason I see my boyfriend as often as I do is because we live together. When I get off early (5pm), I go home, cook dinner, watch maybe an hour or two of TV and then go to bed. When I get off late (7pm), we generally go out to eat and then go home and go to bed. The BO doesn't allow anyone at the barn after dark. I can't go before work on my late days (10am) because the BO doesn't feed until 8am, which means Aires isn't done eating until almost 9am, which leaves me less than a half an hour to tack him up, work him, untack him, and put him away...and then go to work (with the public...selling cars) smelling like a stable. On my days off (which are weird...I work eight days on, one day off, then three days on and two days off), I either have to help my boyfriend with his business, clean the house, or I'm so exhausted from work that I don't want to do anything at all. 

All of this is why I'm moving barns. Firstly, I'm paying $300 a month and my horse is 13 miles from my house and 8 miles from my work. Secondly, I don't feel comfortable at the barn I'm at anymore (had a falling out with the BO last summer and things haven't been the same since). Third, I want Aires to be closer to me so that it dosen't seem like such a chore on my days off to drive out and work with him or see him.

I haven't said anything to her because she feels like she's in the right and said nothing wrong (according to a mutual friend who knows what's going on in my life right now and how stressed/busy I am). I don't want to sell Aires. That's a last resort. And I sure as he** don't want to buy a mare that is barely 14hh and you have to ride with a crop to make her move, even at a walk.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Ok. Updating cuz I have something to update finally. Lol.

Aires rode in a trailer for the first time in 3 years last week and was AMAZING! Hopped right in and out, no fighting. I borrowed a nice two-horse slant from a friend and she said I can borrow it whenever I want (as long as they aren't using it, which they rarely use it cuz they have a super nice LQ trailer they usually use now.

Aires loves the new barn and so do I. $185 a month, he gets fed three times a day (grass or alfalfa, my choice), he gets turned out every day for a couple of hours, and it's two miles from my house. I love the people who own it, too. They're super friendly. 

I went out and played with the boy yesterday. Gonna have to invest in a lunge line cuz the round pen is ridiculously huge and he is being a teenager. He went right up on the concrete grooming rack (at the old barn, the concrete was going to eat him) and stood like a gentleman, even when Guido the potbelly pig bolted through his legs.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Your boy is growing up! Glad you can see him more now.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

New pic of the boy that I snapped while grooming him yesterday. Not great, but he was too busy making new friends. lol I have a couple of pics on my camera (that I snapped before it died), but don't have my camera cord handy to transfer them to my computer. Anyway, the halter he is wearing used to be HUGE on him (especially in the nose). Now it fits perfectly. *facepalm*


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Ok. I'm gonna vent this here cuz I don't want to offend anyone or start a flame war.

Why do people want their horse to be some breed that it clearly isn't?! Is a gray paint not as good a horse as a gray pinto mustang? Is a pony cross not as "speshul" as a curly? Is a draft cross not going to be as good a horse as a full draft? Why is it so hard to believe that just because your horse has a thick coat and wavy mane during the winter, it isn't a curly or curly cross?

Sorry, just been seeing quite a few posts asking if we think their horse is something different than what it is and then being argued with when we tell them it's not what they apparently hope it is.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Everybody wants something unique, but w/millions of people ( & animals) alive at the moment,there are lots of similarities also. We have to be more accepting of ourselves & others-Life is unfair & Nobody is perfect are 2 major lessons of life we all need to learn.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I get what you're saying. I think my problem is more with the arguing when not told what they want to hear. "But I looked up a picture of a __________ and Whizzer looks just like one...except he's smaller and is a color they don't come in and..." Sorry. It's a silly thing, I know. I have the same issue with people and their dogs that do the same thing.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

A lot to say today.

I changed departments at work, so my work schedule changed again. But this time, it changed for the better! I work Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. So, I now have time to actually do stuff with Aires. 

First thing I have to do is work on his mane. It's just a mass of knots and no amount of brushing has helped the dreds, so it's gonna get cut. 

Then, we're gonna start working on the ground with flexing and giving to the bit. I really wish I could afford Clinton Anderson's DVDs cuz I love his methods. Gonna invest in a carrot stick and work on giving to pressure and such.

Lastly, we're going to start going on trail rides at least once a week and then going on a bigger ride with my best friend once a month. There's a local all-women trail riding group I could join, but my best friend was the youngest member at 36 (she couldn't afford her dues this year, so she quit the group...among other reasons) and she said it wasn't the most fun being so much younger than everyone else, and I'm younger than her.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Went out to the barn yesterday. Bought a nice new western headstall from a fellow boarder, so met them out there and made sure it fits the monster. It will be perfect for our Little S hack, but looks like it's going to be a wee bit small if we use a bit. When we got there, the vet had just finished putting down one of the horses there. His name was Old Ronnie and he was in his 30s. According to the BO, he got sick last summer and then just couldn't keep any weight on. He also had something weird going on with his tendons that made it so he couldn't really bend his knees and made it look like his legs were bowed forward all the time. They put him down in the stand-alone stall right in front of Aires' stall. I was afraid he'd be upset by a dead horse ten feet from him, but he was calmly munching his dinner when we went to say hi. Love that boy! Absolutely nothing phases him.

I swear he's grown another inch. 

I'm toying with the idea of getting an inexpensive western saddle to show in this summer. I don't think we're going to be ready to show English (and by "we," I mean "me"), but I want to get him used to the atmosphere. Was thinking about showing halter (English), western pleasure walk/jog, green horse exhibition (if I'm allowed) and trail (would switch to my aussie saddle for trail).
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Went and tried the Circle Y I found at a local feed store on Aires today. My halters are two hours away with my Aussie saddle, so I used my new bridle (that the browband is too small on) with the Little S on it to "halter" him and lead him. I had my boyfriend (who is non-horsey and VERY intimidated by Aires' size) hold him while I put the saddle on him. The saddle was so ridiculously tight on the poor boy that he actually bit the sleeve of my hoodie when I put my hand under the front of the tree to check how tight the bars were. He hasn't really bitten me in almost two years. I tried to lunge him a little (was awkward with the Little S and his reins) and he'd do a quarter of a circuit and then stop and face me like "Mom, it hurts!"

I'm gonna have to do a withers tracing on him and try to figure out what size tree we need. I'm not sure what size tree the Circle Y has. One person said it looked like semi-QH bars, but someone else said it was FQHB.

The beastly has grown SO much! I swear he's 16.2hh now. When I put the bridle on him, I could barely reach his poll and had to force him to put his head down so I could actually put it on. He is also filthy. :-/ And of course, all my grooming stuff is with my saddle and halters.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Went horsey shopping today. Got a new red lunge line (didn't have one), a training stick (been wanting one for a while), a shedding block (woo!), some dewormer, and a bucket of Orvus. When the rest of my taxes come in (got state today, should get federal on Monday), I'm gonna get a three-tier saddle rack.

I also found a saddle blanket I LOVE. This pic makes it look more blue, but it's actually a nice greeny teal.








_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I really need to start keeping this journal again. So, here goes...

Aires is now 5 and has grown like a weed. He's easily pushing 17hh and is going through a bit of a growth spurt right now. Not sure if he's getting taller or just wider.

My best friend has been helping me work with him and he's getting better all the time. Not that he was ever bad before. lol. Got him a new bit that he loves and responds well to (it's similar to the Sharon Camarillo Tender Touch). Pretty sure that my aussie saddle doesn't fit him, which is why he's been such a pain in the rump about stopping. My best friend rides him bareback because there isn't a saddle at the barn that fits him and she doesn't want to have to schlep her saddle back and forth. He's great bareback and more responsive than he's ever been.

Tomorrow, my plan is to go out in the afternoon and ride him bareback. Robert is going to come with me. It will be the first time I've ridden him in a few months. Oddly, I'm not really nervous or scared, like I usually am. I would go out in the morning, but there's more people at the barn then, plus I need to go back to the doctor for my stupid hand.


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