Pooping Glitter

Geroge was just a DOLL! Today! I am so in love with my horse! He saw me and came trotting right up to me, so I took off and we did a little stick to me just to see if we can. We can!

I had my new farrier come out this morning. He turned out to be super knowledgeable, and pretty darn cute, lol. George was a perfect gentleman the entire time. Colt, my farrier, said that he had good feet, just mis-treated like most horses off the track. Ignorance is bliss I guess, as it turns out the places where he tore up his feet it was because his hoofwall was paper-thin in those places. But his feet look ok now and hopefully they will continue to get healthier and he can stay barefoot forever!

Yesterday I posted pictures of all the fun toys that I had gotten and set up in George's paddock. Here's the picture from yesterday:

Here are pictures from this morning:

I was certainly a happy camper this morning! Yesterday the wind blowing that tarp even a little bit freaked George out, he wasn't all that interested in the cones, and didn't notice the hula hoop.
Today I got this mess, and a significant amount of the glittery stuff missing off the hulahoop! I'm glad I checked before I bought it and it's non-toxic material. pretty sure my boy's going to be pooping glitter for the next week! Today a put ALL of the poles and all the toys on top of the tarp, hopefully it doesn't get too ripped apart and blown away this week!

I had to put this videos up that I took on my camera phone! George is just too much! I love my boy!

What can be more awesome than undemanding time???

The Answer: Toys!

But I'll get to that part later ;)

Suffice to say last week was just a no-go for George and I. I wanted so darn badly for him to just "accept the stupid stick" that I pushed him over the edge.

No suprise that when I got to the barn this morning he wanted NOTHING to do with me. He saw me, walked over, got a carrot, then walked away. *frowny face*

I noticed that his pen didn't look like it had been clean, at least since I was last out, when it also looked like it hadn't been cleaned. *ANGRY FACE*, so I decided to do it myself. I went and grabbed a poo-fork and went to work. I stuffed my pockets full of carrots and decided that if he wanted to be with me then I'd give him some incentive. I went to work, picking up poo with purpose! It felt great, the last time I picked up horse poo had to be about three years ago, and it's just theraputic. George sat in the shade and nibbled on the bushes through the fence.

But it didn't take long for him to get curious about the 15billion back and forth trips that I was taking. And since George is the kind of horse that poops on the way out the gate then spooks at the poop coming back in the gate, he just had to come check out what on Earth the crazy lady was doing with the poop. Soon he was following me all over! At first I decided that I would only give him a carrot if he got to stones to come up and touch the scary predator I had become, but then he just got so darn cute! I emptied my pockets and he stayed with me anyways. This went on for about an hour.

Finally I was done and went to go get the fantastic goodies I got at Lowes today. Aspen poles, a tarp, and cones...ok I went cone-happy, 3 sizes of cones. Also I hula hoop I picked up at target. Someone came out to feed him, and he went over and started eating. I unloaded everything from my truck, and suddenly became a very interesting person! He left his food to come check out what I was doing, then had to check out all the toys. I got him a couple scoops of grain and set it out, he didn't want it.

At this point in time we had a crowsd. Six different people came over to tell me how cool it was that he was so connected to me, and how much fun it looked like he was having with the toys. I stepped back into his pen and he walked right over. I thought: Hmmm I wonder; and took the dewormer I had in my pocket out, unscrewed the cap, stuck the tip in his mouth and shot all the nastiness into his mouth. He took it all stayed around long enough to get a good scratch, and then went back to the toys for another ten minutes before going back to his food. Gosh I wonder how much damage he'll do to those toys over night!

What could've been a very bad and negative day turned into a really great one!

I have the farrier coming out in the morning, wish me luck!!!

Getting Physically Fit

http://toughmudder.com/

I've decided to sign up for the tough mudder competition. It's a 12 mile obstacle course and it's rough! But all the proceeds go to the Wounded Warrior Project. My goal is to train and be able to finish the course! Thinking about going to the one in Colorado, it would be a fun road trip. But there is also one in California if I am home by then, and one in Texas if I'm not!

BTW: Found out that I have lost 5% of my body fat in a month! Looks like I get to keep my job for another month, yay! I haven't been starving myself or taking pills or supplements, just been eating right, drinking TONS of water and working my butt off, literally! I get my butt handed to me by a former Drill SGT for an hour and half each day, and it rocks! Still, time to bump it up!

Rodeo George

It's taken me what feels like forever to sit down and write about Sunday! I think I knew before I ever got to the barn that we wouldn't progress through the games, hopefully just our relationship. I am truly enamored with this guy!

FYI at this point in time I'd like to notify you that there are VIDEOS at the bottom of this post.

The first thing I did was grab my brushes and go hunt for itchy spots. I entered his paddock after he gave me permission, set down my totebag of brushes, which promptly got destroyed, and just groomed him for about an hour. I was suprised that such a slick coat could shed out so much! I just kept scratching him until I thoroughly got all of his itchy spots, he even let me into Zone 5, and positioned himself so I was getting just the right spot. Needless to say this ended with me covered in hair and a very handsome looking George!

The a brilliant, very gunsil-ish idea hit me. The whole time we spent together he really wasn't "with me". His head kept going up and he had to look at the lions 5 miles away. I thought it might be a good idea to let him into the round pen to get some steam out. We made out way, slowly but surely, around the paddocks and through the barn (REALLY SCARY), and out to the roundpen. Once inside, he went buckwild! Rodeo George! I sat outside and took some video and pictures, snickered and sighed to myself, and contemplated: Holy Cow! What am I going to do???

Destroying my grooming tote: Yum!

Getting ready to roll!

He ran and ran until the tops of his haunches were sweating. He rolled maybe 20 times, not in a colic way but in a "get down off the adrenaline way", but would end a good roll with a good launch into the air followed by a sprint! It occurred to me too late that probably every experience he's had in a round pen hasn't been a positive one, but I decided to let him get it out, and if we ever go back in there it will involve lots of left-brained time and lots of cookies!

I noticed also that while before I believed that George was a fantastic mover, I truly had no idea. He has athleticism coming out his ears! Also, he hasn't taken one unsound step since I've brought him to his new home, so I didn't feel to bad about my following decision:

I moved George! I moved him out of the barn stall w/attached paddock, which was already the biggest enlosure he's been kept in during his entire 4 years...too a MASSIVE pasture! He has it all to himself and it doesn't cost me any more per month! And it has some trees lining one edge so he has shade. It has pretty safe fencing, a large barrel for water, and it's just TOPS! Also, it's big enough that we can play in there without worring about other riders, I'm going to try to find cones, barrels, and a tarp...along with "real" horse toys for him to play with. He has a large palominoqh/draft in the pasture next to his. Yellow won't let me come near him, unless I have grain, which I don't mind giving him because no one else pays attention to him, but then it's only in Zone 1 and with caution. George and Yellow get along great, I'm ashamed to say it was my boy that was making all the mare squeals at their first meating. And I was worried because George inspired him to run about, and Yellow has a hairline crack up the entirety of one of his front hooves, which also looking like he has laminitis, and I really don't want him getting more hurt! I told the barn owner, and she said she'd try to contact the person who seems him from time to time, but he really doesn't have an owner right now. SIGH!

Anyways, it only took George about 10 minutes to settle into his new pen, and I think he likes it. It's about 30 times bigger than anything he's ever roamed (other than the races at the track). I think he has every chance of hurting himself in a smaller enclosure as he does in a big one, and for a horse with so much go and so much energy, it just isn't fair to keep him penned up tight.

Meeting his new neighbor...

Actually eating his grain! Maybe because I soaked it with tons and tons of water!

Pic of George and about half of his new paddock.

A lady was watching us for a bit and asked me if I wanted her OTTB, Sonny. She was asking an exorbitant amount, but said she would give him to me, or to someone else that would give him a stellar home. He was gorgeous, much like George but with a dished face, and he's a thousands of dollars worth of "professional" training. He really was a doll, if George wasn't an world-consuming horse for me right now, and if I had more time away from work, then I wouldn't said yes! It's not the first time I've turned away a horse with limitless potential. There was the fresian that was dressage trained with no ground manners, the western pleasure champ that was scared of air. I wish I had the money to keep all the horses people wanted to give me! Still, I am insurmountably happy with George. He is truly the challenge I wanted and the partner I need.

Here's the videos! Warning, you may want to turn down the sound!

The Second one is my favorite! Can someone tell me how I'm supposed to ride this horse??? HEHE

OMG: Oh My George!

Learning to BBQ

My husband is teaching my to barbeque. We bought a little habchi today, then he had to go back to the store because we had forgot lighter fluid and charcoal.

I made the decision to not go out to the barn today. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing that I wanted more than some savvy horse time. But George is not Stewie; he's not going to let me simply cry into his neck and rest his forehead against my tummy until I feel better. He is also not my husband.

I've had one heck of a week, just one thing going wrong after another...after another, after another. This on top of months of my husband being in and out of the field, pulling long duties, getting up before light and coming home long after dark. I lost all of my emotional fitness, finally, yesterday. I sat and had a nice talk with our Chaplain, and by nice talk I mean me bawling like a baby and he reassuring me that I am not worthless, even though I may feel that way. We prayed together and he told me that at a time like this, it is best to surround yourself with people that you love, so that was my goal for today.

We went to breakfast together this morning, then went to the store together, watched movies together, cleaned the house together. Now I'm learning to BBQ. Yummmm...lamb.

The moral of today's story is to take time to take care of yourself. My husband is my rock, my light when it is dark. I am terrified of his deployment in a few months, as we haven't spent more tha a few weeks away from each other since we met. But simply spending time with him has cured my anxiety and my restlessness. I am absolutely itching to get out to the barn tomorrow. But today, I'm learning how to BBQ!

Don't Know Where to Start...*GUSH*

I really don't...I just had the...most....amazing....time today! I have the GREATEST HORSE EVER!

Today started when I walked into George's paddock, left the door wide open. He walked up to me let me scratch him on his left side, then I went to his right side, and he played approach and retreat with me. He really wasn't all that confident with me on that side in Zone 3/4, but he was really itchy! He backed up until he was confortable, then moved forwards again, then moved back, then forwards, inching his way until he was okay with me scratching him while standing next to his hip. So cute!

I went and grabbed the halter, 22 foot line and my carrot stick. He waited at the open door for me to come back and tilted his nose and bent his neck towards me for me to put the halter on. Then we walked calmly and cooly out to the arena. (In case at this point if you are wondering, there is a 30 foot round pen, but the walls are 7 feet tall and plywood and I don't wanna go in!). Now, my game plan for the day was to play all 7 games, but we didn't quite get there.

When we got to the arena, someone had taken two barrels, layed them on their sides, and layed some poles over and around them to make cavelletis(sp?) and jumps. We stopped about 30 feet away because he just could not move his feet any closer to them! We played approach and retreat until we were at about 22 feet, then I went and sat on one of the barrels. Well, if mom is over there, then it can't hurt me! He walked right up and started scratching himself on the barrel. He gummed the poles, walked over the ones on the ground. I have to constantly remind myself that nearly everything is a new experience for him. The only places he's ever been in his life are his small stall/paddock, the trainers, the track, and back to his stall for recoup. One the bright side, he really appears to be loving learning about new things.

Squeezing between the scary jump and the pole.

Scratching himself on the once-scary jump.

Contemplating the easiest way to suck down his apple slice.

Hmmmm....How Interesting Moment: When squeezing over poles, the first three feet are fine, but the right hind always gets stuck!

We played lots and lots of friendly, I can now swing the carrot stick and string over my head without an explosion, can toss it over his back rub him all over, and he seems to be enjoying it.
Then we played the porcupine game. Very easy to move the head, move the back, move backwards, front end took some effort. Same with the driving game. Phase 4 to move the forequarters, Phase 2 for the hind. I'm doing my best to be absolutely patient with him, reminding myself that no one has ever taught him to engage witha person, or release from pressure of any kind. Still, he has never offered to kick me. We started fine tuning our yo-yo game, but he has to be paying attention to me for a Phase 1 Yo-Yo, and it's hard to catch his attention! Sometimes, especially when he is right brain I've noticed, I have to do something outrageous or Phase 4 to get his attention, then he sees me and will do it Phase 1. Hmmm.

At this point in time, I see a group of people headed to the arena. Two people riding, three people on the ground, and six dogs. I moved over to the side of the arena, and we just sat and waited. I wanted to see if he could be calm with the excitement, and if not then we could go elsewhere. When they approached I told them if we were making them uncomfortable, just let us know. They said no, not a problem! So I just sat and watched while George rooted through the sand like a piggie looking for foodstuffs.

One of the riders was on a beautiful Morgan and was trying to do dressage with him. The other lady was on an arab and just working on bending manuevers. I had met both these gals last week whilst George was the kite and my 22-line the string. He was a perfect gentleman today though. At one point in time, the gal riding the Morgan asked for a canter, which the horse was not ready for. He was tossing his head around at the trot; but, when she asked for the canter he became scared, frustrated and rushed. He took off. George was about 6 feet from me and I turned to him contemplating if there should or shouldn't be more space between him and I at that point in time. He looked at me, looked at the horse, looked at me, looked at the horse, looked at me. *paw* *paw* lay down, roll* Stood up, looked at me, looked at the horse, repeat.

Cue to me grinning like an idiot!

:) :) :)

After she had her horse under control, Morgangirl decided to end her session and go get a different horse. With her left two people and the dogs. Not before one of the dogs went for George's nose. He lept straight up in the air and mid air, I popped him with the leadsnap, and he hit the ground, looked at me, lowered his head and relaxed. I wasn't happy that his first experience with dogs involved one trying to bite his nose, but I'm glad because it could've been SOOO much worse.

The gal riding the Arab came up to me and we started talking, she was telling me how impressed she was the George was that calm with the Morgan taking off and what a difference he's made in a week! While we were chatting about our horses and our background, George stepped onto/over the 22-foot rope and before I could suck in a breath the line was wrapped around three of his legs and he was freaking out. I could see he was about to take off and hurt himself, so I ran towards him with purpose, and he responded by backing up with purpose. We backed up about 50 feet before he started to think. I stopped, he stopped, lowered his head, blew and licked his lips. I unwrapped his rope from his legs, then walked back over to my conversation, said sorry for the interruption, and continued the convo while playing friendly with the rope around his legs, leading by the legs and backing by them. Then we all decided to call it a day, she smiled at me and said, "You're very lucky to have a horse like that. I can tell just by looking at him what a relationship you have, he just wants so badly to make you happy." Holy Jeepers it took me two years to get a compliment like that with my last horse!

All-in-all, It was a wonderful day. I truly fall more in love with George every time I play with him. He's just so cool! I'm so bummed to have to work all week and already can't wait until next weekend. I just adore him and I can't wait to see where our next play session will lead. I'd like to think that Parelli saying, "If your horse is recreation for you, can you be recreation for your horse?" rings true here. George deffinetly seems to be having a good time too. I would, however, like to move him out to a larger paddock, he needs more room to move! The one he is in now is much bigger than his old one, but...I don't know it's just not enough!


*Interesting Note for Today* George would NOT eat unless I was near him. I sat with him to finish his breakfast, he wouldn't eat his grain until I was there. He took one apple slice from me (and I brought two bags full!) and that was that. I hope that he eats while I'm at work this week! I'm not really sure what this means though...

I'm just going to through this one out there: I have decided I will not be riding George until we can do w/t/c transitions at the circling game just by using my energy. If he can't listen to my body on the ground there is no way he will pay attention to it in the saddle! This may seem extreme to some people but given George's background I think it's more than fair. I also don't think it will take more than a month from now...but I'll put it on my "eventually" list.

Flip the Switch

I'm Back! Last night my hubby and I watched the old Steven Spielburg cartoon, "We're Back". It was wonderful! I try not to take life too seriously, and a good old school cartoon always brings me back down to Earth after a hard week. Well today I fell back into my old groove!

It was like someone flipped a switch in my head and I was able to just be savvy! And talk about playing with the horse that shows up! George was a different horse than I've ever seen him be!

When I walked up to his stall, he nickered to me softly, walked right up to me when I opened the door and stuffed his face into the halter as soon as I undid the knot. Hmmm...maybe I did something right last week?

I let him out of his stall, once again on the 22-foot line, and just sat there while he checked everything out, then we slowly but surely made out way to the arena, playing "touch it" with everything we could find. At the half-way point we hit a HUGE threshold, and he went flying backwards at the speed of light. Then I asked him forward, and he freaked and ran backwards again. I let this happen two more times until it clicked and I backed him farther than he wanted to go back, and it made him curious about going forwards. And *eventually* he walked calmly by. He let me know what he wanted to check out and was more than happy to go look and touch the things I thought would be fun to touch.

Once in the arena, I offered the yummy leather end of the carrot stick to George and he hungrily tried to ingest it. "Suddenly", the carrot stick was no longer scary. He let me rub him with it all over and toss the string over his back in a rythmic motion. Just last week, I couldn't get within 20 feet of him with a swinging string!  I tried to take a few pictures of George with the carrot stick in his mouth, with him swinging it side to side, then holding it like a dog holds a stick he just caught, with him chewing on the savvy string or grabbing the rope and leading himself; but every time my phone came out of my pocket to snap a picture, it became far more interesting. How do I solve this curiousity? Well, I think it's going to involve a phone cover and a leash to attach it to. If he can't put his mouth on it then he is just more determined to swallow it!

Today George was sweet and loving. He planted all four feet, lowered his head, took a deep breath and just relaxed. It was so wonderful to spend undemanding time with him without feeling like I might die! Not once did he invade my space, but several times he asked to come in and I let him get some good scratches! He let me past Zone 1 to Zone 2, 3, and 4 on his left side without thinking, and then on the right side after I asked permission.

So all in all we played the friendly game and the porcupine game, and had lots of fun just being together! I was very tempted to hop on his back and ride around bareback and in the halter, that's what an amazing frame of mind he was in today, but I decided to quit while I was ahead. I'm not about to push him, and it's really only the third time we've played. On the way back to his paddock, some horses in turnouts start rip-tearing around their pasture just as we were walking by and whereas last week one of these horses farting would've caused an all-out gallop, he simply stepped up his walk to a trot for a few steps, then looked at me and went right back to the walk. Also, the entire way back to the paddock from the arena, I drove him from Zone 3, which was beautiful because last week and even when we started today he wasn't confident with me in any zone other than Zone 1 and absolutely was not confident walking anywhere with me in any zone!

Oooh, and also, after I put him away he rolled twice while I stood by and watched! Then I went and got him some grain, and when I came back he backed up for me and waiting until I gave him permission to come eat the grain at my feet. Last week he couldn't bring himself to eat with me anywhere near him!

I can't wait to go see him tomorrow! I hope today was a good omen for things to come!
Here's a few pics from today!

On the way out to the arena

Hehe, the scary carrot stick is touching him! no scary anymore!

checking out my boots, I was sitting on the barrel

Checking out the barrels in the arena


I just wanted to touch on the word *eventually*. I use it in every context, probably even those it wasn't meant for. Sarah Konst brought the fluid motion of eventually to my mind. Similar to Pat Parelli's saying, "I've never seen it take longer than two days." I just make myself an "Eventually List". I know whatever it is, it will happen eventually, so I am not going to push it. Today, (Hmmm, day two, how interesting) we moved through thresholds with savvy and got friendly with the carrot stick and string!