Monday, June 16, 2008

A beautiful day in my neighborhood

Another great day working Sierra. She lunges well at a walk. We are working on a trot. She does a whoa really good. She walks over the poles and around the barrels. We are still working on backing the L well. She yields her hind quarters and steps over quite nicely for 3/4 steps. We got 2 steps each way turning on the haunches. All things to hone. I did spray her with fly spray and she just stood there. Pepper still goes ballistic when he even sees the spray bottle and to see her stand there is a really good thing. I am going to dig around in our blankets on Sunday and see if we have a light weight sheet to practice wearing. I don't know if we do. Am trying to remember what I put on Rosie when I was showing her. I know the winter blanket but its MUCH too warm for that. We have a bunch of blankets/sheets.

Last night I was in the yard holding Sierra while she munched on grass talking to our neighbor Shannon and we heard a noise. I looked up and the horse we have here in training, Paddy, was opening and closing the mailbox that is part of our trail set up in the arena. He is shut into the arena. He was so funny. He opened and closed it several times. He is the horse that bucked Bob off the first week of June.

I am leaving in the morning again to work a horse show in Milton Freewater, Oregon. Its only a one day show though and I will be home Saturday evening.

Another good day

I am so grateful for the nice weather we are having. I gave Sierra another rinse off bath and she did not mind it today. In fact she kept drinking from the hose. She does the trail things just fine too. I was so proud of her backing a figure eight around the big blue barrels. We worked some more on lunging too. She did that well also. We need to work on trotting now on the lunge line and trotting along with me on the lead rope. We made a 5 panel pen on good grass and put her out there for 3/4 hrs. this afternoon. She thought she was in heaven.

Bob is looking at another horse. He should have brought her home from Pasco. She is a 3 year old dun filly. I am wondering what he will decide to do. He thinks she is a 3 strikes horse and Tracey thinks she is not. If she isn't I know he will wait. Tracey asked me if she was a 3 strikes so I am assuming she thinks not. Anyway I e mailed Ramona and asked for sure.

Home

After a very stressful working weekend I am home again. I was thinking I was charging too much but considering I had to break up a fist fight between 2 guys who weren't even competitors, just a husband of one and a boyfriend of another who thought their respective competitors had caused a problem in the arena. Among other things I told them I did not need their help.

Spent time today messing with Sierra. Was too tired to do a lot but I did give her a bath. She was not especially thrilled but not too bad all things considered. She lunged well at a walk and a short trot and stopped when I said whoa. Then I let her eat grass. Tomorrow my goal is another bath and setting up the trail things in the round pen. I want to work in the arena but it needs working and I will get the trail stuff out so Bob can do that. I don't think she will have any trouble with the things. I backed her all the way around the round pen to help build muscle in her rear end on Tracey's advice.

I have to work next weekend in Milton Freewater, Oregon so I probably will not get to ride this week. Maybe next week. Bob is going to pony Sierra from Pepper one day this week. His back is much better. What a relief. I am off to bed, its been a long weekend.