# 365 Days of Walter



## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

That's quite a commitment - good luck! I promise, if you post, I'll look 

Ps nice picture


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I'm in too.


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Thanks guys!I can't post pictures from work, so all my posts during the week will most likely be in the evening from my home laptop. 

It snowed last night. I was late for work because everyone decided to drive really slow incase the intersections might be icy... oy. I am planning on going to the barn tonight. My cousin should be coming as well, and hopefully she will want to ride Walterbb! She has put on the majority of his rides to date. My uncle, her father, has ridden him a couple times. They are both excellent riders, and so good with the young ones. I am very grateful for my cousin. 

I am currently looking for a trainer to send Walter to for a month or two this spring to get a solid amount of time put on him. I can't put it all on myfamily's shoulders to do this for me, and I do not have the riding skill setrequired to start a green two year old. I am just getting back into riding after a year or two hiatus. I have ridden a couple times this past year, but nothing substantial that would improve my riding. My goal is to lose some weight and build my balance. I need to get my seat back. 

I rode Walter on Monday night. I lunged him for about ten minutes to make sure he was listening, and not going to be a tard-two-year old. I admit I am a little bit nervous when I ride him. Once we get going I relax though. At this point all weare doing is walking. Working on woah, backing, going over poles, circles, and moving off my leg. When my cousin rides she is working on more, as she is jogging, trotting, loping, working on picking up his shoulder, etc. 

He trains in a modified English bridle (took the nose band off, it’s been made smaller to fit his little head) with a D-ring snaffle with copper rollers. He also has a one year headstall with a loose ring snaffle on it, and split reins. I need to switch the split reins to my other bridle, as I like having him work in the d-ring bit right now. We have a circle y equitation saddle, and a nice Diamond Wool pad. Sometimes he wears a pair of Pegasus Air Boots on the front. They have a leopard print trim- very manly! 

I will post a picture (or two!) tonight, and update on how everything is.


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Baby Walter <3 

Laptop dying, will write about tonight's ride tomorrow!


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

That is quite interesting how his body spots have come out. I wouldn't have guessed that would have happened by looking at his baby picture (not that it's a bad thing as the spots are rather clever).


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Okay, so I didn't have time to post yesterday, it was a very long and busy day. I was up at 215am Saturday morning. I went to watch my younger cousin plan volleyball around 8 with my aunt, was home around 3, and then I went out to the farm with them after a short visit with Bryan and packing my backpack. Then I hit bed around 830pm haha. 

Friday night my cousin Christine came and rode Walter. She rode him for 40mins. She was working on moving his shoulders, teaching him he could do these things lol, and on bending. He is a cheater and just turns his head, not his body, and this also teaches him to move off the leg, not into it. After the ride we did some stretches with him. 

This morning I emailed a trainer in our area, and if all works out he'll be going to see her in November sometime!!! I am so excited. My mom is going to pay for it as my christmas/birthday present. I will miss my boy, but it will be good for him, and then we can do more riding this winter to get ready for the May Spring Appaloosa show. 

That's all I've got for now. I haven't seen the bb all weekend. I will be going tomorrow after work. On another note, it's snowing right now. Blegh. 

Today I will post two pictures of the stinker! The first one is when he first got his cooler, and the second is from September. He's grown so much!


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Chevaux said:


> That is quite interesting how his body spots have come out. I wouldn't have guessed that would have happened by looking at his baby picture (not that it's a bad thing as the spots are rather clever).


I know! I love it though. He looks so pretty, less plain. I didn't really want a chestnut, but I love him, and I wouldn't have him any other way.


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Squeee! Walter is going this weekend!! 

I will miss my bb though  5 weeks is a pretty long time lol. 

Tonight I lunged him and then we de-wormed him. He is starting to look so much like a horse now, not a silly baby. His new winter blanket should be here in the next week or two I hope. I am also waiting for a rain sheet AND his Canadian papers to arrive. Gosh, I've been waiting for his papers since September, and I know they are done haha, since he had his number at the show. Maybe I should go check the mailbox... 

I finger combed Walter's silky tail tonight. So long and thick and soft... And turning white lol. Not much else to report. I've been working on homework all day. Ration balancing is so hard. Formula's hurt my brain. I am starting to get a grasp on it though. I need to have a hay analysis done so I can make sure Walterbb is getting all the nutrients, etc that he needs. I think my next course I take will be Marketing and Communication in the Equine Industry. Between my cousin and I we should be able to make my aunts website epic, and get the word out more about the horses. 

Today's picture are Walter modeling the pretty Stubben sadle!


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Didn't do a whole lot with Walter tonight. We played in the arena. He followed me around (no lead rope, just a halter). We walked, stopped, ground tied and I walked a circle around him, then we went over the bridge, and then did another ground tie, this time with a larger circle. He is getting pretty good. I put an eye patch and clip on earring on him tonight so he could be a pirate for halloween, as I am not going to the barn tomorrow night. I will save those pictures for tomorrow! 

I am getting more and more excited for him to go away for training, but at the same time I'm sad he will be away so long. Not much else to update on... 

This image is prooving Walter is my stalker. He didn't want to go play with the camera man.


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## Paintlover1965 (May 22, 2009)

He sure is a super cute stalker!


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Paintlover1965 said:


> He sure is a super cute stalker!


Agreed. I'll have that cutie stalk me any day! <3


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

I didn't post anything yesterday, sorry guys. 

Yesterday I worked then went to my parents after to do the pumpking, dinner, and help hand out candy. We got ten kids.. sad considering there is a school behind their house. While hanging out I watched the Appaloosa World Sale Auction online. There were some nice horses. My aunt and uncle were going to buy a yearling stud but they didn't get signed up in time to bid during that auction. Next year we (my cousin, aunt and uncle) are planning on making the trip down to the World Show to watch and maybe buy a couple horses from the auction. I am pretty excited!! 

I didn't go see Walter tonight. I cleaned the condo instead... bah. And the wind is wicked tonight- so cold! Tomorrow I am going after work. I have to pay his board and lunge him. Saturday my aunt is coming to pick him up so we can head to Avonlea. I really don't know what I am going to do without him around. I will be so bored and missing my boy!! 

On the plus side of things, I finished my term paper today, it's due Sunday... I have never finished homework so early.. I am a procrastinator, big time. 

Anyways!! Walterbb!!


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

merrrr. we have no internet at home, and I can't post pics from work.  

Took Walter to the trainers on Saturday. He was a very good boy. She was starting his rides today. I hope everything goes well! I can't wait to go visit him. If his winter blanket comes this week we will go this weekend. I need to take him some more food as well, as he was running low on Equine Power. 

My mom might buy a TB mare off my aunt and uncle. This mare is picked on by the other TB mares, and so looks in pretty bad shape. They are getting her teeth done, and my uncle is going to ride her and see how she is. Her name is Candi('s?) Valentine and she is nine. They will also preg check her, but we doubt theres a babeh in there, she is looking thin. My mom is gonna fatten her up a bit and do some ground work with her and see how she is. 

I miss my Walterbb though haha. I hope his blanket comes so I can go visit  Maybe see her ride him, too. She was impressed on how calm he was coming off the trailer and walking into her barn. I tied him and took his leg wraps off, and put him in his new stall, and he was all like "meh". Walter is becoming a seasoned traveller lol, good thing he loads like a pro! 

No pictures right now.. maybe I will be at my moms and can post something this week.


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

ermagawd I have internets again!! -dance- 

Walter is amazing. omg. Brought him home December 22nd. I have ridden him a handful of times since. He was pretty sore when he got home, so he had some time off, then he hurt his right knee doing something, twisted it playing i think. So he was off again and on bute, he had a really bad limp, and heat behind his knee. The weather has been off and on terrible too. Then he fell or something and scrapped his other leg, but it is healing nicely. 

Our first show is in 93 days, the spring appaloosa show. I am planning on showing halter, showmanship, HUS, WP and trail. 

Monday night I rode and got to work learning to sit his jog. It's pretty tough to get into, but I think we're getting the hang of each other. Next week I'm off and have a couple lessons booked, so that will be good. Walter is looking wonderful. 

I also have exciting news- my mom is buying a yearling from my aunt, a little roan colt. He is a sweetheart, and we started halter breaking him last sunday. I want to try and get him fit up for halter. atm we are calling him Joey. my mom is going to name him either QAR Stolen Identity or QAR Identity Thief. He is out of Challenger as well. He is very quiet- you can go right up and touch him and pet him. 

I will do a photodump as soon as I load pictures onto my computer. I got a new camera at christmas  I missed everyone!


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Christmas pics, new headstall, new blanket


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

My buff boy, english poneh, owie, healing owie


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Walterbb's stall, Joey this summer, and current Joey.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

Good pics!!


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Went and played with WBB tonight. He had a big roll and then ripped around the arena killing off his abundant energy. We practiced showmanship and halter for a few minutes, then had a big groom session. He's started to shed off the white portion of his coat- yippee! 

Excuse the poor quality- my camera didn't want to play nice. I have a poor quality video too, just gotta load 'er up.


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Rode Walterbb yesterday and today. Fell off yesterday. I'm uber sore, and have a scrape on my forearm. We were trying to lope for the first time together haha. Got back on and rode for about 20 mins just jogging. Rode my coach's old appy gelding today and did some loping, then rode WBB. Worked on more jogging. Then had my coach rode Walter so she could see how he is. He has a very bumpy trot/jog, and it makes it hard to sit still lol. She loped him too. I'm probably going to be even more sore tomorrow. Yikes! Oh, and WBB got a new slinky my Grandma made


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

How tall is Walter at the moment? I think you said one time he would probably go to 15.2. He looks like he's still going shoot up some more.


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## xxdanioo (Jan 17, 2012)

Chevaux said:


> How tall is Walter at the moment? I think you said one time he would probably go to 15.2. He looks like he's still going shoot up some more.


Last measured 15hh. He's looking ribby again, so must be growing. He's pretty bum high yet. His bum last measured 15.2hh ish.


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