# Moments



## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Hi everyone! Starting a journal looked like fun, so I thought I would give it a try!

I have two horses: Prince,a mini gelding, and Annie, a Quarter Horse mare. I also manage my father's mini mare, Lady. I have two German Shepherd dogs, Missy and Mutty, and a bunch of cats. I live on a farm, so I do not board my horses. 

About Annie:
Orphaned at birth, Annie is a special horse. The original owner wanted to shoot her, but another lady took her in and bottle fed her. Then, after awhile, Annie was sold to this lady's friend, who then sold her to me.  She is now around seven years old, and I bought her when she was around two years old. She primarily does trail riding, but we do some liberty work. I would really like to do reining, but I do not think that is going to happen.:sad:
About Prince:
Prince is a half brother to Lady. They were bought from the same place at the same time right after they were weaned. As soon as we brought him home, one of the dogs ( one that has since died from cancer, but was a very good dog most of the time) escaped from where she was caged and bit him. Thank goodness that it no one was seriously injured physically, but poor Prince never got over being uncomfortable around dogs. We do dressage with a surcingle and a dressage whip, since I can not ride him. He also enjoys jumping in hand, and doing liberty.
About Lady:
Lady was my first horse, but when it came time for me to move on, Dad could not stand to see her be sold outside of the family. It is a funny story because he was very determined to never ever have a horse, yet he fell in love. :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
I trained her to pull a small cart, which she adores, and she lets small children ride on her back.


Well, that is my first post in my journal!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Welcome Greenmeadows. your place sounds like a real 'Eden" to me.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

tinyliny said:


> Welcome Greenmeadows. your place sounds like a real 'Eden" to me.


Thanks! It is a great place, but it is no Eden! Especially for spring work, harvest, or the worst of all.... hay time!


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

This sounds interesting! 
What kind of farm do you live on?


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

GMA100 said:


> This sounds interesting!
> What kind of farm do you live on?


I live on a corn and soybean growing farm. My dad used to have cattle and hogs, but because the markets went sour, he pulled out of it. I miss my piggies! We also do some hay in annoying small square bales and some in the large round bales. Putting up hay in the square bales is not exactly my favorite thing, but I guess we do what we have to do...


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Today I did some ground work with Annie, and took the minis for a walk. Annie decided that she felt good, and threw in a couple bucks to prove it. It has been awhile since I last worked with her, but all in all, she did pretty well.  I just walked with the minis because we were a little short on time, but it was better than nothing.:neutral: Hopefully I can get everyone back into shape.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Annie and I did some bareback and bridleless riding today.  Oh how I love riding without tack! It makes me feel so free, and I think it strengthens our bond. We worked on rollbacks, gait changes, circles, serpentines, and backing. I really liked how she responded to my leg and seat cues for canter departures, but I did not feel like she rolled back very smoothly. It was a little slow and she did not seem light on her shoulders. I have to keep reminding myself that it has been awhile since I last rode her, and to not expect perfection yet. But she tried, and I do not want to discourage her from trying.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Sounds like fun!! I love riding tackless!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

I rode with my western saddle and bridle for Annie's ride this time. Her rollbacks seemed better. We did more circles and serpentines to work on bending and being soft on the bit. Then we did some simple lead changes. I am not happy with her stops when I let her gallop, but hopefully that will come back to her the more I ride. She becomes a little too energetic and I can not just lean back to cue the stop, I still have to use plenty of rein. She will almost stop instantly when at a canter, but not at a gallop. :sad: However, that is probably because I do not let her gallop that much. After a really bad accident I had while riding fast, I have been fearful of letting her run. I guess I could be tensing up when she gallops, and thus accidentally encouraging her to go on running...but one way or another, I refuse to let my fear ruin our time together! I want to gallop, and I will learn to gallop again! I just need to relax a little. 

I worked with Prince for a short time on the long line. The little fellow gave me a huge surprise; he held a counter canter for almost one whole circle!:happydance: I did not ask for it, but I was beginning to doubt if he even could counter canter. The last time we had regular schooling sessions, I tried and tried to get him to counter canter, but he would only hold it for a few strides. So, I know he can do it, but now I have to figure out how to have him do it when I tell him. :think: We also did transition from walk to trot, and back to walk from voice and body commands. 
And poor Lady was left out of working today. So she practiced scratching on the fence, rolling, and eating grass. I do not think she minded all that much.:wink:


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Yesterday Annie and I did not do much, just a quick review of the other day's ride. We also worked a some on shoulder in/shoulder out. Prince worked on the long line for a little bit. Nothing too exciting. 
My wrist popped out of joint, again. I think I snapped back in, but it is still a little stiff. I forgot to brace it before riding, and it constantly pops out of joint when I work with the horses.:icon_rolleyes: Anyone else have that problem? Or any ideas on how the strengthen it so it stays in joint? 

If any of you have any ideas on how I could improve on any thing, I would love to hear it!  I know I do not have any videos yet, but maybe I can get some eventually. Is it possible to upload directly here without going through YouTube?


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## cruisinpastcurfew (Aug 6, 2016)

Wow, just love reading this thread. Keep updating us!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

cruisinpastcurfew said:


> Wow, just love reading this thread. Keep updating us!


Thank you so much! I will try to!


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

We need some pictures! 
How do you like minis? I'm thinking of getting one sometime in the near future to do liberty and tricks with. I've done tricks with my mustang gelding and he can lay down at liberty, but I've never really done a lot of liberty. Are minis very trainable? I'd love to see pix of you working with yours!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

@GMA100 I will try to take pictures sometime this week. There are a few pics in my "barn" if you want to see some right away. 
That is so cool that you have a mustang! I have never been able to work with one, but I really want to. 
I love my minis! They can be obstinate at times, but it really depends on the horse. Each one has its own very unique attitude, good or bad.:wink: Prince is excitable and nervous at times, while Lady is calm and sometimes lazy. They are so different in their personalities that one would never guess them to be half brother and sister!  Prince took awhile to catch on to his training, but now that he figured it out, he does well after the warm up and some refreshment schooling. He likes patterns and repetition. Lady, on the other hand, likes new things. If I repeat something too often, she becomes bored and does not try anymore. It all depends on the mini!  The book Mini School by Sabine Ellinger might help you some!  I found it to be helpful.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

I took Annie out for a short ride, but did not do any serious training. I let her gallop again, and this time I consciously relaxed. She came right back to a canter with out much rein! It must have been my riding, so I am going to work on that.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Annie earned a day off today, so I did not work with her. 
Prince worked some with his surcingle. We worked on "leg yields" without the leg, I have to use the dressage whip instead, circles, and serpentines. 
Lady worked on some ground work. She did very well. I think I will start her in some liberty, since I have not tried it with her yet. 
I received some bad news today. I had some blood work done, and it turns out that I am allergic to eggs, dairy, and nuts. I have Celiac disease on top of that, so no wheat, barley, rye, or gluten either. I figured out how to cook and eat gluten free, since I have had that for awhile, but I have no idea about eliminating nuts, dairy, and eggs. Celiac is hard enough. I have to take a shower after measuring out horse feed, or else I become very, very sick. Sometimes my eyes swell shut if I itch my face after handling something with gluten. :sad: Oh well...life goes on.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Sounds like you had fun with the minis!
My sister is very allergic to gluten and eggs, and she gets along fine! Another sister is allergic to Dairy and eggs. Almond milk and rice flour are your friends!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Aww welcome!  Annie sounds like such a sweetheart. So jealous that you live on a farm! Must be pure bliss. Riding with no tack is awesome, sounds like you two have quite a bond. Your other two horses sound adorable! I'd love to see some pictures/videos! I hope your wrist feels better, ouch. I guess just keep bracing it. My wrist has become sore from riding many times.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

GMA100 said:


> Sounds like you had fun with the minis!
> My sister is very allergic to gluten and eggs, and she gets along fine! Another sister is allergic to Dairy and eggs. Almond milk and rice flour are your friends!


I use lots of rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch, but I can not have almonds. I can not have coconut either. I feel like I am allergic to everything!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

PoptartShop said:


> Aww welcome!  Annie sounds like such a sweetheart. So jealous that you live on a farm! Must be pure bliss. Riding with no tack is awesome, sounds like you two have quite a bond. Your other two horses sound adorable! I'd love to see some pictures/videos! I hope your wrist feels better, ouch. I guess just keep bracing it. My wrist has become sore from riding many times.


Thank you! Farm living is, well, interesting. It is a constant fight with wild animals, especially cougars! I lock everyone up at night so they do not get eaten. And since my dad is a farmer, it can be really tough with all the work that needs done. But, I love it anyway! 

My wrist keeps popping out because of an old injury, ironically cause by Annie pinning my wrist between her saddle and a gate I was trying to get through. It was a tight squeeze for both of us, and it was mostly my mistake. Never did it again! And of course, it had to be my right hand... lol.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

More riding with out tack and some ground work at liberty for Annie today. I did not feel like dragging out a saddle and bridle.:wink: I am still not satisfied with the rollbacks, but I think she is getting off of her shoulders more. The flies did not help either, I am going to look into on of those fly masks that one can use while riding. She does not take too kindly to flies, and I dare not put spray near her face. I think it bothers her eyes. 
The minis and I just kind of chilled out together. I do not want them to think that when ever I come that they have to go to work, so I grabbed a halter and lead and pretty much burned daylight with them. :tongue: 
One of my kittens thinks it is great fun to take off with my whip if I set it down, so I had to chase my whip around. I did not think he was even big enough to pull it, but I guess he thought that he nabbed some prey or something in his kitten mind. :icon_rolleyes: He is one of my orphaned kittens, which makes them that much more ornery if they know that they can get away with it. It looked really funny to watch him drag it around. :lol:


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

I have not been able to work with any of the horses these past few days. Instead I have been mostly dealing with those stupid food allergies. I am slowly figuring it out. I did not take any new pictures yet either.

It has been sort of stormy and the horses have been rolling in the mud. They think it is great to receive extra long brushings to remove all the dried on mud. Sometimes I can not tell if I have a pen full of really large pigs or horses after a decent rain shower. :lol:


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

I am so proud of Lady. A couple kids wanted to ride along in her cart, and she was a perfect angel. They even tickled her nose with a weed while I harnessed her and she behave perfectly. She is such a sweet horse with kids! She let them "brush" her, and ride her for a short distance too.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Still no new pictures yet.  Sorry all! It has been a wild week. I have not even been able to do much riding either.  I wish I could give my horses something better. I think they deserve someone much better than me; someone who could work with them more often and train them to be successful. I feel horrible for not being more skilled and having more time.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

I wouldn't feel bad at all, I often feel this way too, but then I remember that there are people a lot worse than me, and if I'm doing my best then that's the best anyone could do! 
My horses can't be worked long at all in the summer time and I get so discouraged when it gets cooler because I have to refresh so many things. 
Compared with me, you are with your horses much more than I am.
And I hardly ever find time to get pictures of my horses either.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

@GMA100 Thank you! I do not feel so bad now. Sometimes I get pulled down by everything that goes wrong and I forget to look at the positives, even if the things that go wrong are not that bad.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Welcome!! It always helps to remember how far you've gotten, instead of how far you have to go!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Finally managed to take a few pictures of the horses out in the pasture. However, none have clean horses. :icon_rolleyes: It has been sort of rainy, and they LOVE rolling in the mud!


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

They are sooo pretty!!!!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

GMA100 said:


> They are sooo pretty!!!!


Thank you!


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

How tall are the mini's? 
Oh and they aren't dirty compared to mine!


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

It's a sad thing when I can honestly say that my black horse looks dirtier than your white ones! LOL!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

GMA100 said:


> How tall are the mini's?
> Oh and they aren't dirty compared to mine!


If remember correctly, I think Prince measured around 36 inches, and Lady around 32 inches, but I can not be for sure. I have never shown them, so I never really paid much attention. Lol.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Thank you both @GMA100 and @Change! But trust me, these guys know how to get dirty! Just wait until winter is over and the spring mud is here! Lol. 

Today, a little while after I took the pictures, I moved them to a new section of pasture. Annie decided that she would spook and ran through the electric fence. Lady followed on out, but Prince thought that it was nicer to stay inside. No one was hurt, fortunately, and everyone was secured quickly. It was that electobraid stuff, and I do not think the visibility is that great on it. This is the first year that I have used it, and they have ran through it at least twice now. The first time was because Missy tried to herd them back into their barns (which she does not have any training for herding of any kind, but she thinks she is a herding dog), so I guess I can not really blame them for that. Needless to say, Missy was in BIG TROUBLE and hasn't done it again. This time, however, Missy was innocent. Annie just felt like spooking.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

LOL my mustangs roll in pond mud for fly repelant . And for a almost buckskin horse it is horrible!! 
36" isn't bad at all! My dad HATES mini anything, and 28" is to little for him.
I usually don't like paints but yours are gorgeous!!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

GMA100 said:


> LOL my mustangs roll in pond mud for fly repelant . And for a almost buckskin horse it is horrible!!
> 36" isn't bad at all! My dad HATES mini anything, and 28" is to little for him.
> I usually don't like paints but yours are gorgeous!!


Thank you so much! 
That is too bad with your dad, minis are so lovable!


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Well he says he wouldn't mind anything over 36 inches, so I think I can still get one!!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Ugh! I think I saw another cougar! I saw it eating something on the road near the house last evening, and it did not run away when Mutty and Missy started barking. I am so tired of cougars! I can not ride out without a brother following me on a ATV because I am scared of running into one of those cats again. I see tracks of them a ton, and my dad has awakened one up in his field.  Ugh!


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

I've always wanted to see a cougar! Although it prolly isn't fun not being able to go riding, I'm sure I wouldn't want to!


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

When I was a kid, my sister and I would ride the mountain trails alone, but we always had to take our German Shepherd Dog as our chaperone. I remember him challenging one big cat who was wise enough to run away! That's pretty scary when you're 12!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Yeah, it is scary to meet a cougar! I was somewhere around 10 years old when my brother and I were riding bicycles and a cat cut us off from the rest of the family. I have found tracks less than 20 feet from the barns last year and the year before. They are so thick around here! Another fellow I know had one in his pigs, but that cat was stupid because there was a boar in that pen, and he killed that cougar. It is amazing how tough pigs can be, especially when they're mad. Go pigs! 

It has been storm after storm lately. Everything is muddy. Dad thinks that he wants a second cutting of hay, but with all this rain, it'll be hay soup! 

And, of course, I haven't been able to work with the horses. As soon as the weather clears up, I also need to work with the C-172 (Cessna Skyhawk 172). Lol. I really should be finishing up flight training soon, it has taken me long enough. So, who knows when I will be able to ride again!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Last night, I took all the horses out for a quick walk. Nothing fancy, but it was fun. 

This morning, I felt the house shaking. I couldn't figure out what it was, but the plants were swaying and I could definitely feel it. Then a little while after, I learned that there was a significant earthquake in Oklahoma! :shock: I am way out in Iowa, so it was really surprising that the effects were felt way up here! I hope everyone down there is okay, it would be so scary to actually be in a quake.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

@Greenmeadows - I lived in CA for many years. We went through a few major quakes and my first thought was always for my horses! There was one really bad quake and when it was over I ran home from work to find my herd acting like nothing had happened. LOL! But yeah - they're scary!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Yikes! I don't know what I would do if I was in an actual earthquake. One can feel little tremors sometimes, but yesterday was the worst. All I can say is that it would be so scary to live in CA where there is frequent quakes! Twisters are bad enough for me...Lol.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Early this morning, I took Annie out for awhile. We worked on figure eights and serpentines at the canter, and did a few simple lead changes. Then, after all this and after I had put away the tack, Dad told me to ride her over to the other pasture before it started to rain. So I retrieved the tack, re saddled, and fetched Prince to be ponied. This was Prince's first time of being ponied by Annie. He has been tied on behind Lady's cart, so it wasn't entirely new to him. He was such a good little horse, he kept right up with Annie even though we were trotting pretty fast. When we had about a mile left, it start to rain pretty good. I asked Annie to canter, but forgot to tell Prince. I didn't know a mini could trot so fast! He was determined not to canter until I told him he could. After I gave him his cue, he cantered along right up with Annie the rest of the way. Once we finally arrived, I put everyone in the barn and put their coolers on. I was soaking wet down to my socks, and both of the horses were soaked too. It was not fun, but now I feel much more sympathy for the ranchers that have to ride in all types of weather!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

On a western saddle, what is the appropriate length of the stirrups? I have noticed that my legs become sore after awhile of riding. When my feet hang down, the stirrup bottom is a little below my ankle. Or perhaps would not enough twist in the stirrups cause one to be uncomfortable in the calf muscles? 

I hope it is okay to ask questions in a journal, because I have a ton of them!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

I don't know if anyone who is interested in reining reads this journal, but that is something I would really like to try. But, with no trainer, I am a little lost of where to start. I guess I'll just keep watching videos and reading for now... 

I have had two trainers/coaches in the past. The one never let me off the lead line, and all I could do was walk, and the other never had me on any kind of line at all. With the second trainer/coach, all I really got out of it was this: Heels down, don't nag on the bit, and when you fall off, mount up again. I was expected to be able to canter with only a handful of lessons. So, I didn't last for very long with either of them.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Reining takes a lot of work and a lot of training - both for the rider and for the horse. Slide stops rarely come naturally and those picture perfect spins start with a lot of teaching the horse suppleness and control through legs and body almost exclusively. Watch those videos again, but don't watch the horse - watch the rider. She/he barely moves his hand (one hand on reins). Those turns come from leg and a shift of hip. Speed control - all body.

I'm not trying to turn you off of reining - I love the sport and would love to have gotten into it when I was younger - I just want you aware of the realities of it. 

As to your previous question regarding appropriate length of stirrup in a western saddle. I personally prefer mine on the longer side, so my leg can be relaxed but my heel still below my toe. I know others prefer a shorter stirrup. And I will go up a notch on occasion, depending on how a horse feels/reacts, or the type saddle I'm using, or even the type riding I might be doing that day. YMMV.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

@Change Thanks, I will try one notch longer in my stirrups!
Yes, I am well aware of how much training it takes to become a great rider and for the horse to be well trained. That is what grabbed my attention in reining; the precision, softness, and how the horse and rider work together. That is also what discourages me, because I have a very, very long way to go. It is not a new concept to me to spend hours and hours, or even years, on mastering something that is seemingly simple, but is not. Oh well, I think I will keep on trying, may not make it anywhere, but I'll keep trying!


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Then by all means, keep at it. As you work your horse you will learn right along with it! It all starts with soft hands and simple leg cues! It isn't rocket science, just a lot of patience and a lot of time going in circles! LOL!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Did some trail riding with Annie today since I did not feel like doing anything hard. I have been stressed out terribly, and I needed to just be. We rode for several miles at a walk, crossed a bridge (she has only been over one other bridge, so I was thrilled that she only put her ears up and didn't even try to shy!), startled a huge hawk (again, she did awesome!), and we neck reined almost the entire time! Neck reining is something I have been working on with her, so I am pretty happy with how she did today.

I tried my stirrups one notch longer, and it felt better, but I still became sore. So,, maybe I will try another notch longer next time.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Sounds like you had a lovely time!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Hay, hay,hay. And more hay. I have been putting up hay. The barn is not going to hold much more, it has over 1200 bales in it with at least 100 more to go in.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

Dang! If you were in my neighborhood (as in within 2 hours drive) I'd gladly come and take some off your hands!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Change said:


> Dang! If you were in my neighborhood (as in within 2 hours drive) I'd gladly come and take some off your hands!


Lol! 

I was mistaken with my numbers, I asked dad how many bales he thought we had up, and he said closer to 2000. :eek_color: I think we've got enough hay to make it through the winter now. :tongue:


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Today's ride was interesting... as I was practicing two-tracking on Annie, a wasp decided to sting me on my leg. We must have disturbed its nest. So, because I didn't feel like hanging around unhappy wasps, I overcame my fear of galloping. ;-) Annie thought that would be a great opportunity to buck. Nonetheless, we escaped in one piece! I don't know if a wasp stung her, or if I got a little too excited and accidentally kicked her when I asked her to run, because she doesn't usually act like that. :shrug: It was windy, and the corn in the fields rattles, so that might have something to do with it too. I guess there are a lot of factors that play a part into bad behavior, but it still needs corrected. After all that commotion, we settled right in and started working again like normal.  

For some off topic news, I found four new kittens in the shop! They are so cute! One is going to be fluffy, and the others I think are short haired. They are all orange, but Dad claims to have seen a black one running around.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Four more new kittens! These are at the house this time. I took a picture. They are so cute, but I am a cat person, so I guess that makes me biased.  The mom cat put them in Annie's shed, I will have to move them out once the horses come back.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

A mouse tried to jump on my head. :shock: I was in the hay barn, and the little squeaker thought it would be interesting to try that while I was getting the horses' supper. I'm going to have a talking with that mom cat over there... 

The minis look like puffy balls with their winter coats coming on. Minis always look silly with all that hair, and during the spring shedding, one could knit enough sweaters to supply an entire nation with it.:icon_rolleyes: The first year I had Annie, I was terribly worried that she'd be cold since she didn't have much hair, at least compared to Prince and Lady.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Yesterday:
Ponied both minis back home with Annie. Annie, at first, acted a little naughty. We worked that out on the ground, then she behaved well for the rest of the time.:smile: If some horses are hot, and others are cold, then I think Annie must be the microwavable kind. Some days she acts all hot and nervous, and other days she won't spook at anything, kind of like food that's in a microwave has hot spots and cold spots. Sometimes she'll swap back and forth during the same ride, but usually she'll be a little naughty at first if she hadn't been ridden for awhile, and after that is worked out, she'll be fine. First we took Lady home, then came back for Prince, since I am not talented enough to pony two horses at once. 

Lady is way out of shape. She could barely trot two miles, and significantly larger than the last time we worked. :neutral: Better get her cart out and make her work. Her weight has always been a problem, she manages to get fat on air! If I don't at least walk her daily, it takes a lot of work to bring her weight back down. And, with her being over to the other pasture, I haven't been even walking her. *sigh* 

Prince, quite contrary, is in great shape. He tried to out run Annie multiple times WHILE SHE CANTERED!!! So, out of necessity, I neck reined Annie at a canter while bumping Prince back. I don't think that I have ever neck reined at a canter with her before, so that was fun. :smile: 

Today:
Didn't work with the horses, but I bought them some new things! A person was trying to get rid of a few rope halters and two saddle bags, so I got them. I have been needing a saddle bag anyway, and for $5 for a huge one, I thought that was great. I am not sure I really like the design, but it'll work for what I need it for. Maybe there's a way to alter it... Also there was a little one, the kind that is just right to pack a lunch or two. :grin:


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Today was Lady's first day of liberty work! We only worked for about thirty minutes because I don't want to wear her completely down with her being so out of shape. She was already tired at the end of that brief lesson. :neutral: We started off in the round pen. I had her trot the circumference off line two or three times while I walked a small circle in the middle, then stepped out in front and backed up a few steps to ask her to turn and face me. Then I sent her off in the other direction to again trot the circumference two or three times. However, when I stepped in front, she turned into the fence. I got after her for that. Not only does that greatly annoy me, but it can be dangerous should a horse kick out if one was too close. She did that twice on the same side, but we worked that out. She already knows how to do this exercise from a long time ago, but needed a refreshment. We only spent maybe 5-10 minutes on that. Next, I stepped out front, then walked backwards from her instead of turning her the other direction and sending her off again. She followed just like she was supposed to do.  We walked around the pen once, then she stopped following. I yielded her hind quarters, which again she already know how to do that on a rope, and started spiraling away, making a large circle around her. She started following again. I yielded her hind quarters each time she stopped following. We did some zig-zags too, and even had her trot beside me for a little while. And that concludes Lady's first day of liberty work.:grin:


Prince, meanwhile, ran around his pen bucking because he was throwing a fit. I think he is having separation anxiety, but he will just have to learn that throwing a fit won't bring the other horse back. So I ignored him.

Annie contentedly watched and ate hay. I didn't do much with either her or Prince today.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Monday: Worked with Lady in her cart for a while. Just some simple driving around to exercise her.
Tuesday: It rained.
Wednesday: It rained again. 
Thursday: It rained yet again. But I did manage to sneak in a quick bareback ride with Annie in between rain showers! 
Today: No rain! :happydance: So Lady and I did some more liberty training. We started off doing the same round penning exercise, but this time added in some figure eights and backing a few steps. It took some work to get her focused, and she turned into the fence two or three times. When I asked her to follow me, she stopped to eat grass a few times too, so lots of yielding the hind quarters. 

Prince again had a fit, and I again completely ignored him. 

Annie was feeling ornery, and she did her "mock sliding stop" at me when I walked by her pen. She gets to running and at the last minute tries to stop, sometimes bumping the fence if it is slick. It scares the living daylights out of my dad. If I am in the pen with her, I correct it, but today she did it while I was outside of it. I feel it has the potential to be dangerous, so I am glad it isn't very often that she does it.


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## Hoofpic (Aug 23, 2015)

Checking in


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Prince's turn today. We did some liberty, but he was so nervous. It took a bit to get him thinking. I back tracked him all the way back to the round penning, but after ten minutes of that, we settled down to business. Worked on figure eights in the middle of the round pen, backing half way across and coming back, and tried a few leading roll backs. The figure eights I was very happy with. He didn't go near the fence at all and paid a good amount of attention to me. The leading roll backs need a lot more work on the line. I need to get him up off his fore quarters and on to his hind end.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Monday: Annie and I worked on some more rollbacks, backing, and neck reining, shoulder in/out, two-tracking, stops, and canter departures. Her rollbacks are coming along, but not great. She needs more "snap", I just can't seem to get it! I wish so much I could get a trainer. :sad: Her backing is crooked, she keeps swinging her hind quarters over instead of straight back after several steps. I think I know how to fix that, so I guess that's what we'll be doing. Everything thing else is good. And, of course, right after I dismounted and began untacking, it rained.:icon_rolleyes:

Today: Again with Annie, we worked on mostly the same things as yesterday. I tried walking her a few steps, then moving her shoulders over, then walking again to try to have her more responsive in a rollback. I don't know if that will help any, but I tried it. Also started her on counter bending. 

Lady pulled her cart for awhile. Something is bothering her, but I can't figure out what it is. She is almost acting like Annie when she is in heat, but I haven't noticed that in Lady before. I almost suspect that she is having some kind of hormone disruption.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

I did it! I did it! I did it!:happydance: I finally got up the courage to really let Annie gallop hard for more than 20 seconds. I forced myself to keep my heels down and chin up, and I actually wasn't terrified! :racing: When I just purchased Annie, she wouldn't even canter for me without having a big fit. So being the stubborn person I am, I took her out to a dirt road to make her canter. Well, she cantered all right, also found out she could buck pretty good too. I stupidly let my heels come up and started hunching over, and that greatly assisted her bucking abilities. I fell off on the first buck, and somehow managed to land in front of her, and found myself still clinging to the reins for dear life, which pulled her on top of me. Needless to say, it was not a pleasant sight. She thought that meant that I wanted her to do an Irish jig there, and I blindly kept hanging on to the reins. I don't know how long that lasted, but it felt like forever. And again, being the stubborn, and perhaps slightly crazy, person I am, I got back on and rode for a couple more miles, went home, did chores, then decided that it might be best to go to the E.R. since it hurt insanely to breath. Everything else ached too, for that matter. Outstandingly, no bones were broken, to the complete amazement of the doctor. I don't even know why I survived, because I shouldn't have. God is good!!!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Went for a quick bareback ride this evening. Now that some fields are empty, we find new places to get into trouble.  Didn't have a brother follow this time, but I did try out Missy. She is easily distracted by rabbit trails and who knows what else. :lol: How does one train a dog to follow reliably? My other dogs at least stayed within sight of me most of the time without any training. Mutty just hides in his doghouse because he doesn't like horses. Prince must have nailed him a time or two. Some dog he is... 

Anyway, Annie and I worked on counter bending, two-tracking, shoulder in out, some circles, and some sepentines out in the fields near the house. Was going to let her gallop a bit, but decided that it wasn't worth it. It was getting dark and I tend to be more nervous about animals attacking us, which in turn makes her nervous. 

Here is another question for someone (I might start a thread sometime on this, but I am not sure if I will or not): In jumping, is it possible to have a correct position in an old Italian made saddle? I have a really old Pariani jumping saddle that I ride in, but have heard that it was made to support a forward jumping seat, which is supposedly not good. I don't know much about jumping, other than going over baby jumps that someone could probably do in a western saddle without too much discomfort.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Another bareback ride today. Didn't really work on anything particular. When I asked for a canter, Annie gave me a weird trot-y canter. It almost felt like she was trotting with her back legs while cantering with her front. :confused_color: No idea where that came from, all I can think of is that she was feeling too lazy to put some effort into it. 

Kitten update! The mom cat brought her babies their first bird this evening! :loveshower: One of the fluffy ones carried it all over the shed while growling. :rofl: It was so funny! They are climbing everything now, and unfortunately, they figured out how to get into the minis' area. :sad:


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Good news!!! I found a guy not too far from where I live who is into reining horses!!!!:happydance: Supposedly, he's a trainer.:smile: 

Bad news!!! Now I can't afford any lessons!! Stupid unexpected expenses! I might stop by that barn anyway to see if I could at least watch for a bit. I'm desperate for any scrap of knowledge I can possibly find.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

I meant to write here yesterday, but forgot to until it was too late, lol. Anyway, I worked with all three horses, something that doesn't happen all that often anymore. 

Lady: Walking in hand, nothing spectacular, other than she tried to sneak a couple mouthfuls of grass.


Prince: Worked on the long line. Started out with a little desensitization by cracked a whip near him. He shook his head and was tense, but didn't try to escape it. :grin: He is such a strange horse when it comes to spooking. When we work with a plastic bag on a stick, he is usually cool with it if it moves quickly and touches him. But if I move it slowly, stop it completely, or right in front of him, then he panics. :-? Next, I backed him about half way down the line (give or take 12-16 feet) and sent him in a circle. Of course, first thing he does is take off at a gallop without any warm up. :icon_rolleyes: One of those bad habits I haven't fixed yet. I bumped him back down to a trot, and he found his brain somewhere along the way. After that, when I said to trot or walk, he obeyed 90% of the time. A few more episodes required bumping, not as much as the first bout though.

Annie: We worked on riding with a little contact, a handful of rollbacks, and gait changes. I rode bareback and was trying to improve my position mostly. As some of y'all know, I fell off. One of the cats ran out in front of us while we were cantering, and I guess I thought Annie would swerve to avoid stepping on it. I zigged, but she didn't zig or zag. She just kept going strait. So, I lost my balance, fell forward, grabbed her neck, and in the midst of it all, swung down and landed on my feet. I found myself giving her an involuntary hug, literally. I was still clinging to her neck after it was all said and done. I have never landed on my feet before, it has always been in a much more painful style. :falloff: I'm so glad Annie was being good and that she stopped as soon as I departed.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Last evening: I am back in the round pen with Annie. :-( Hunting and trapping season has started, and I don't want to go in the fields with the crazy ones. I don't know if I'll be able to go back out there or not this year; an abnormally crazy dude decided that the creek near our house looked like a good place to trap. All the other years, the landowner didn't give permission for hunting and trapping except for a relative. But unfortunately he changed his mind for Mr. Crazy. :shrug: 
So, Annie and I worked some more on riding tackless. Ok, so it was because I could cling to her mane without worrying about yanking on her mouth, but I did canter again! I may have greatly reduced the volume of her mane base.  She was so patient with me! She offered a nice easy canter and didn't get cranky when I panicked because I thought I might fall again.

Today: English saddle this time, and nothing but a walk around the buildings. It was muddy, so I didn't want to push my guardian angel by seeing if I could make Annie slip and fall.

Lady also took a walk.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

JUMPING TODAY!!! Annie and I jumped a small jump (maybe 18 inches? I'm not sure). I rode in the jumping saddle, not the western. She refused to jump three times, but I guess that's not too bad since we haven't jumped in ages. She also tried to bite me when I tightened the girth. She was a nibbler when she was younger, so I'm not sure if she was going back to a old habit, or if she was in pain, or just being naughty. Hmmm... She might have just been annoyed that I tightened and re adjusted it several times. One way or the other, she was corrected. I also had her in a short sprint, I don't think she could go much faster.  And I didn't even think about falling off! For some strange reason, I feel more secure in the jumping saddle than I do in a western. One would think it would be the opposite, since there's more to grab a hold of on a western. 

Prince is fat. I put his surcingle on, and could barely get the girth to fasten! I guess he gets to go on Lady's diet too, along with more exercise. Anyway, we just worked on a easy working walk with light contact on the long reins. Hopefully we will be able to do something serious soon!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Not much new to add, I pretty much have just been taking everyone for walk/jogs. It is starting to get cold, so it won't be nearly as much fun to go out now.
I wish Christmas would just get over with. I am so sick of all the movies and commercials on tv. It's Christmas this, and Christmas that. I'm sure some people enjoy it, but I'm not one of them. Two of my closest friends died earlier this year, and last year about this time, two of my dogs died. To add to that, I heard the death scream of something down in the creek and a bat flew at me last night while I was doing chores. One of my kittens is sick, and I'm incredibly flustered with my financial situation. I feel so whiny and grumpy. I just can't get in the holiday spirit...


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Sorry for the last post. I shouldn't have let my emotions get in the way. I apologize for being like that.


Rode a little bit on Annie with a halter a lead rope on. She had an attitude for awhile, but darkness crept in too quickly for me to do any real work. So just trot and walk. I'd like to be able to ride without any tack in the open, so I guess that's going to be a goal for us to work towards. 

The minis are taking their walks together. I've been thinking that maybe they could do liberty together. I've seen videos of that, but never done multiple horses myself. They work so well together. Any ideas or thoughts on how to start working with two horses at liberty?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

If a person can't whine a bit on their own journal, then where can they?

I dislike all the Christmas stuff, too. not because I dislike Christmas. I love Christmas. but, no holiday can feel like a real holiday if it's pulled out to last 6 weeks. I try to do nothing 'Christmassy' until two weeks before. no decorating, no tree, no baking. no music. and , only a little online shopping. then, Christmas feels like a real 'time' in and of itself. and after two weeks of those decorations and music, I'm more than ready to pack it away.


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I hate that the commercial world is now overlapping holidays! Thanksgiving shouldn't be mentioned until after Hallowe'en is put away (after holiday sales). Christmas shouldn't be advertised until after Thanksgiving! Sheesh. Let us look forward to the celebration at hand and not leap-frog them!!!

So @Greenmeadows, rant away! There are many of us nodding our heads right with you!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Thanks @tinyliny and @Change!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Change said:


> I hate that the commercial world is now overlapping holidays! Thanksgiving shouldn't be mentioned until after Hallowe'en is put away (after holiday sales). Christmas shouldn't be advertised until after Thanksgiving! Sheesh. Let us look forward to the celebration at hand and not leap-frog them!!!
> 
> So @*Greenmeadows* , rant away! There are many of us nodding our heads right with you!


I used to work designing Christmas decorations for stores and malls and hotels. it was a fairly big company. for the malls, we never installed before Thanksgiving. in fact, all the malls wanted the decs to be brand new for the customers to see, all adazzle, on Friday after Thanksgiving. So, we often had to work hard ON Thanksgiving. it was utter CHAOS! and it was impossible to give all clients their wish. so . . . we started, little by little, putting up the decs before Thanksgiving. it was like breaking a sacrosanct barrier. no one thought commercial decorators would EVER put up holiday decs before Halloween. unheard of! 

and here we are.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

I wondered how that came to be... I assumed the stores were just trying to convince people to purchase more gifts over a longer time span. For some reason the thought never crossed my mind that the decorators needed more time.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Annie spooked at least twice, jogged in place, and wasn't very cooperative today during our walk. The weather wasn't very nice either. Lots of wind, and I felt a few sprinkles of rain on my face. She was stiff as a board in her face, and tight as a loaded spring everywhere else. It felt like I was riding a totally different horse, like a Thoroughbred straight off the track! :icon_rolleyes: Where did my calm sweet Annie go?! 
Prince's attitude wasn't much different, but he's regularly nervous, so I was prepared for him. We just did some walk/jog with the halter. 
Lady remained indifferent. She doesn't care what everyone else does. :lol: She liked her walk, and that was that, no surprises.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Tacked up western today with Annie. Worked on two tracking, shoulder in and out, small circles, serpentines, and bending at the poll. She wasn't nearly as stiff as she was in the last ride that I posted about, but nor was she terribly soft either. All in all, she wasn't too bad. 
Also worked on stops from a walk, trot, and lope. At the trot and walk, she is already good, so we didn't work much at that. Anything faster than a slow lope seems to need re enforced. We need to do lots of practicing there.
Started working on a spin by trotting her, then laying the outside rein across her neck and asking for a 90 degree turn, then trotting her out of it. Repeated that several times on both sides. I think she understands the concept of it, now it is a matter of practicing before moving on. I almost always use my leg and seat to turn her instead of the rein (which resulted in a turn that wasn't sharp) so I have to get used to not using my leg so much. She responded really well to the rein. Her nose led the turn 90% of the time. 

I watched a video on how to give a horse a massage, so I tried that on Annie's neck. She loved it! She'd yawn and get sleepy looking, or lick her lips. At first, she wasn't confident that it was okay for me to do the top of her head and by her ears, but after a short time, she decided that it felt good and dropped her head down. Then she'd try to rest her head on my shoulders. Good or bad, I let her do that as long as she doesn't use me as a itching post or try to boss me. Even though I'm definitely not certified to do equine massage, I don't think it could actually hurt her if I keep doing it. I figured people give each other a back rub without being a certified masseuse, and it doesn't hurt them, right?


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Had a moonlight ride tonight. Rode bareback, and I probably could have slipped the bridle off, but didn't. It was freezing, but beautiful. One could see the stars clearly. No clouds, not much wind, but it felt like it was maybe 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit. Coyote were howling, and even a goose went by. Poor goose :lol:. Thankfully, the coyote were at least a mile or so away, and it is fascinating to listen to them. It sends shivers up and down my spine, even though they can't hurt any of my creatures as long as everyone stays near the buildings. Mutty and Missy keep them away. 
Prince and Lady took a quick walk/jog together again. Prince wanted to walk fast, but Lady wasn't in any hurry. I had to keep bumping Prince back while encouraging Lady to move quicker.  Somehow, we managed to avoid a catastrophe. They get cues mixed around; if I cluck to Lady, then Prince thinks he should go even faster. If I bump Prince back, then Lady thinks that I want her to walk even slower. So I avoid all voice commands, and have them somewhat separated so I can bump one but not the other. Maybe once they get used to matching each other's pace, that I can use voice commands.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Had the vet out today for Lady. One of her eyes had an infection that was caused by a piece of hay stuck in it. At first I thought she just had a tiny scratch, so my dad and I had been cleaning it out and putting drops in it, however it wouldn't clear up. So during this morning's cleaning, Dad seen the piece of hay and called the vet. :-| The vet numbed her eye, but she still reared up and struck at the vet a couple times and got me a couple times too. It didn't really hurt, I think she was just trying to get away rather than actually all out kick. (I know when Prince kicked me in the past, he made sure it hurt.) Now with that hay out, hopefully it will clear up quickly. The vet did say that there was a little ulcer, but that it was so small that it should heal up soon with the drops he gave us. :grin: Well, that's all I've got to say for now...still don't have enough daylight to do much serious work. Soon the days will start lengthening, and maybe I'll be more able to get out there like I want to. :cowboy: I should get some more pictures sometime too.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Thankfully, Lady's eye cleared up very quickly! She doesn't need anymore treatment now. 

But still nothing worthwhile to post on with the other horses. :neutral: 

Happy New Year's to everyone!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Finally! Did a little liberty work with Annie, and even rode for a short time. She bucked twice on the ground, and spooked a few times. Then she settled down and got to work. We just vented off some compressed steam for a while, then we worked on her circling closer to me. She did very well . For the riding, it was pretty much walk, trot, canter, stop, backup. She did good in that too! All in all, not a bad day. :cowboy:


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Nothing very exciting going on around here. Got some snow, which it's fun to watch the horses play in it. But we still haven't done much for serious training, and I am beginning to think that the days of serious training are coming to a close for me. I'm just way too busy anymore. :sad: 
But, I have been able to do a little here and there with Annie. Today we took a short ride, and make the not so wonderful discovery that she's turned horribly barn sour. We need to get out more.


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## GMA100 (Apr 8, 2016)

Greenmeadows said:


> Nothing very exciting going on around here. Got some snow, which it's fun to watch the horses play in it. But we still haven't done much for serious training, and I am beginning to think that the days of serious training are coming to a close for me. I'm just way too busy anymore. :sad:
> But, I have been able to do a little here and there with Annie. Today we took a short ride, and make the not so wonderful discovery that she's turned horribly barn sour. We need to get out more.


Your life sounds exactly like mine right now, except for the snow. we haven't even had a week of weather under 50 degrees! 
Are you doing school now? I know the feeling of being soooooo busy, I just hate it when I get so busy that I have to start pushing my horses to the back burner :icon_frown:, but I guess that is life! 
As for the barn sourness; I can only sympathize with you, as I am working on Asher with the same thing:icon_frown:.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

GMA100 said:


> Your life sounds exactly like mine right now, except for the snow. we haven't even had a week of weather under 50 degrees!
> Are you doing school now? I know the feeling of being soooooo busy, I just hate it when I get so busy that I have to start pushing my horses to the back burner :icon_frown:, but I guess that is life!
> As for the barn sourness; I can only sympathize with you, as I am working on Asher with the same thing:icon_frown:.


 You're more than welcome to have some of the snow, :tongue:
Yes, I'm back in school; I'm currently working towards a degree in business. And still trying to finish flight training. :eek_color: Add that to a part time job, and one starts to wonder how anything is going to get done. 
That's no fun that Asher is soured too. :icon_frown:


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Had an awesome ride today with Annie! :grin: She was a little hot to begin with, but after some ground work, she settled right in. I actually rode in a saddle, after most all of winter riding bareback. :lol: We worked on getting some softness in her face, gait transitions, circles, and just a little bit of shoulder in/out. It felt so good to actually do some real stuff instead of just lollygagging around. She was flipping her head around, I'm not sure why. Some bugs came out which might have been bothering her some, but I'm inclined to believe that she was protesting being asked to work. So I kept working on trying to soften her. For the first time of doing actual work for awhile, it went pretty good!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

I have been able to work with Annie and Prince a lot more recently. Annie has been doing pretty good, we're trying to get back to the point where we left off. She is not flipping her head so much now, so I think it was her just being stubborn. Still a little stiff, but not anywhere near the extent she was last month. We're getting there!  Prince has begun some harness training. I am working to desensitize him to a tire being pulled on the ground. It is going to take awhile, as I still haven't actually harnessed him to it. At this rate, it is going to take a looooong time. He wants to walk sideways all the time when it is behind him, but he doesn't really spook or pull on the lead rope to get away from it. I guess he just doesn't want to talk his eyes off of it. I haven't tried him in blinders yet, I figured I wouldn't want a spook if something should happen and he would have to pull something without blinders. So I guess we will keep working on being cool with the tire without blinders.


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Goodness! it has been a long time since I last posted here! Nothing particularly impressive to report. Still haven't put Prince to a cart, but he did pull a tire for a short time, and I introduced him to blinders. Now, however, he has had a bit of a break because of rain and lack of time. But we will get there someday. I haven't been pushing Annie, she is reviewing and practicing previously learned things lately. I did teach her one new thing though, to work on a lunge line using voice cues. Before, most of our communication was mainly silent; but I thought it may be useful to have her used to vocal commands. 
Hopefully I will be able to give a more interesting report with more progress next time!


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

About a week(?) ago, I moved all the horses to a different pasture. I rode Annie, and drove Lady with Prince following.
Annie did okay, but she wanted to spook more than usual. I think that was more because she had not been worked very hard for awhile and was kind of feeling her oats. But we survived, and I did not fall off. She was still energetic after 2 miles of fast trotting and cantering. :-? Barely broke a sweat. 

Lady was obnoxious. She would call out every 2 minutes, wondering where Prince was. Usually she cool with being alone, but again, that was her first time in harness this year, so that was my fault too.
Prince was pretty good. He actually kept wanting to get up beside Lady, and I had to bump him back. His foot got ran over once by the tire, but he did not get hurt. Otherwise, he held a nice trot beside us. Maybe this is a sign that he is very close to being ready to pull all by himself?


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

It has been soooooo busy around here, and with everything going on, just been surviving. I thought it might be good to update this since it has been FOREVER. :-| I think the horses have probably forgotten most of what I taught them, or at least need serious refreshment because I haven't been able to work with them. They have unfortunately have become pasture pets without a job. :-( I really wish I had more time to work with them...


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

It again has been a long time since I posted here! So here are a few things to add.

Annie kicked the side of the barn in May, and sliced her foot really bad, to the point if it had been much deeper that we would have had to put her down. Thankfully, she has recovered really well and can walk fine now, but we are dealing with coronet and hoof wall damage, and a lot of proud flesh. She had to have a cast on for a while, which was a brand new experience for us both. Needless to say, I hope to never go through that again. 

Prince and Lady have been pretty good. For a while, Prince figured out how to escape the electric fence and so my Dad put on a much more powerful fencer to it. Missy was blithering and not paying attention, so she ran into it and boy! What a scene that was! She ran yelping all the way from the pasture to her dog house and stayed there. :icon_rolleyes:


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## Greenmeadows (May 8, 2016)

Kinda sad news. I will be finding homes for my horses in the next few weeks. I will be moving and can't take them with me. Haven't been able to work with them much either...so I guess it is time. Depression and university have taken its toll on everyone it seems... 

Anyway, I know I haven't been posting much on these forums anymore, but thought I'd give an update anyway.


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