Just Hacking Around

Buck and I went for a nice little ride yesterday around the area. We ran into a couple of scary, loud dogs but Buck was good, he looked but kept going. Phoenix would have freaked out!

The fall colours are gorgeous, and this is my favorite time to be out riding, its not too hot or too cold, the bugs are pretty much non-existent and the colours are awesome. Buck is great on the roads, he is very secure and not nervous. Cricket is ok but nervous at times. Phoenix freaks out big time and Misty is good.

We had paparazzi following us!

I love this picture. It looks very serene and peaceful.

Phoenix and I went for a short ride in the fields the other day. She will be out of comission in December as she will be in the later stages of her pregnancy. Plus we do not do a whole heck of a lot of riding in the winter anyways, so for trail rides, we need to get em in now! Because next summer she will have her baby....so really after this season she will not be ridden for about a year because by the time her baby is weaned its winter all over again! I really need an indoor arena...!

She is such a funny little mare. I cherish her. She makes me laugh with her antics.

Misty and I went for a very, very, very short bareback ride today. She is getting much better and I am hopeful that in a week or two she will be good to go and well enough to go on some trail rides. She is a lovely girl and is feeling better each day.

(One of) My Girl(s)

Cricket and I had a phenomenal ride today!!! We have not ridden for about 4 months, but it was a great ride! Not only that but I took her out into a field she has not been in before and we cantered all around the fields, it was great! She can be nervous, as I have enplained due to the missing eye, but she was good as gold today.
She has such a nice floaty canter (and trot) it is like sitting on a waterbed. She is my oldest horse (almost 17 yrs) yes she is most often mistaken for being one of the youngest. She is in great shape and she is very fluid and smooth in her movements.
Thats my girl :) I was also out on Phoenix today, but for some reason no pictures were taken of her....lol I will have to speak to the photographer about that ;)
See ya! We're off for more adventures!

Fun With Pheeny!

Phoenix is an amazing horse. She is willing to do pretty much anything. She lets people climb all over her, and do all kinds of things with her and she takes it all in stride. Ace is very much like Phoenix.
Pheeny and I have lots of fun together. She is one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Goofing around with Pheeny.
Riding with just a lead rope snapped to her halter under her chin.
Gotta love this horse.

Pheeny is going to have a baby next May! The stallion produces amazing foals, calm and well behaved (Ace) and Phoenix is an amazing horse who is very smart and kind. I have high hopes for the little one.

Trail Horses

When it hasn't been raining like ctas and dogs I have been trying to get out riding as much as I can. After all I have 3 horses who all get very silly if they are not ridden regularily. Cricket will have some time off so that we can sort out her fertility issues.
Buck has been great (for the most part, lol) For a while his name was 'Bolt' but we have that all strightened out now. We have come to an understanding. I think time off coupled with grain made him very hot and he decided to get rid of his excess energy under saddle. No more grain for him until winter arrives. He now recieves his glucosamine via applesauce.
When not at the stud farm or bossing around the little guys Phoenix has made a wonderul horse for newbies. She has given a few rides to those who just want to try a horse out. I will have to get on her and ride her, she can be stubborn when not worked regularily and she has already had about 2 months off. The vet has given the go ahead to resume some light work now that she is past the very critical 45 day mark in her pregnancy.
Buck and I like to hit the trails when we can. Its so peaceful and serene....unless a deer should happen to jump out, then its a little less peaceful for a few minutes.

Rain, Rain Go Away!!!!! I want to ride!

A Day With the Girls

The weather held out on the weekend and I was able to get a couple days of riding in. I rode both girls and we had a good time. Dad even rode Phoenix twice!!

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I was plesantly surprised to find that Phoenix neck reins well. I was able to ride her one handed and neck rein her, which is a nice change from the other horses who like to ride in more of an english fashion. I believe that Buck actually neck reins too, I will have to check when he is ready to ride.

Cricket really does make a beautiful western horse!! She is a much different ride than Phoenix, she had more get up and go in her. I think she is also very nervous, in the sense that she is nervous in the front yard. She takes much longer to get used to new situations, I think because of her eye.

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She did well though and I was pleased. I might get someone to come and work with her a couple times, just to get her back in the groove of riding. We also need to work on her patience...she is donig well though, I can see big improvements in her already!

Finally We Get to Ride!

FINALLY, we were able to get out and do some riding over the weekend!!! its about time! Phoenix and I went for a nice short ride, there was still some ice on the ground and she slipped a bit so I did not want to push it, but it was great to get out there. Pheeny, was a well behaved lady like always :) We just went bareback because it was not a long ride, she is very comfortable bareback, lol.
I am hoping to get out again on Thursday. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain all day :(

I have taken all of the horses for walks along the side of the road. Surprisingly Cricket is one of the best to be out on the road...she is not spooky at all. Blaze had fun, he was nervous at first, scared of the sound of his hooves on the pavement but soon he began to investigate the road and the land aorund him and seemed to have fun.

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Poor Buck has (had) lice. Most of it is gone now, thanks to that fact that I dewormed him as soon as he arrived. He has some bare patches on his sides and butt, because we had to shave him. He is feeling much better though, the vet gave him a shot to stop the itch and with the deworming, antibiotics and the soothing cream that I have been putting on him each day he is looking much brighter and in much better spirits. He is also gaining weight well and looking good. Too bad he now has bald patches all over his body...

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Blaze is going to be gelded on April 10. Whoohoo for me, boohoo for him :p He will be more polite and easier to work with when he is not concerned with procreating. Hurry up April 10th!!!

Our first ride together!

Cricket and I had our first ride together today and it was great! We had fun, although Cricket does not like her bit. I will head out to the co-op this week and get her a simple egg-butt snaffle instead of this full cheek snaffle. This bit was Ruby's but Cricket does not like it.
She definitely looks like a western horse!!! She looks awsome done up in western tack with a blue navajo deisgned saddle pad.
I CANNOT wait until we can head down the trails in the spring. When the weather is warmer and drier it will be great :0)