Monthly Totals

February 2015

Morgan - 335 minutes - 5.5 hours
Reagan - 193 min - 3.2 hours
Bill & Majesty - 45 minutes
Wasabi - 0

Total time: 478 minutes, 8 hours

Happy 4 Year Anniversary Morgie Girl ... 

it seems like just yesterday you arrived, and yet it feels like we've been together forever ... 

I must have dreamed about you long before you arrived

Happy 17th Birthday my beloved mare!

Thank you for everything!

Should Have Stuck With The Original Plan

40 Minute Ride
Morgan - Solo
1.82 miles

Does this look like the face of trouble?

Nope, looks like an adorable Morgan ... yet she was a pistol today.  I should have stuck with the original plan of riding Reagan and ponying Morgan today.  I got greedy and figured I could sneak in a 20 minute ride on both Morgan and Reagan.  Mmm hmm.

It started out ok ... we walked for 10 minutes then I swung up into the saddle.  I should have stuck with the original plan and kept to our normal path.  But no, I decided to follow this wash and ride parallel to the sun. Mmm hmm.

Morgan wants a treat for putting up with me. 

And she wants it now.

Once we turned towards home, Morgan got high headed and snorty. She wouldn't walk. At all. I kept having to pull her down to a walk, circle bushes, do figure 8s, flat out run in the opposite direction, whatever I could think of to get her mind back on me.  What should have been a pleasant 20 minute ride turned into a 40 minute fight because I couldn't stick with the original plan.  I forgot she'd had 4 days off and needs a routine.

Sorry Morgie girl. I'll listen to my instincts more and my greedy side less. Tomorrow will be better. I promise.

An A-Ha! Moment ... Quietude

24 Minute Ride
Reagan - Solo
1.16 miles

Reagan: They're all looking at my butt, aren't they?

Today, Reagan:

• put her muzzle in the bitless bridle without any urging
• didn't look behind her when we left the turn out
• held perfectly still while I mounted

 

Reagan navigating the terrain on the path she chose

Today I:

• realized the sun was in Reagan's eyes and made her uncomfortable, so I
• let Reagan be in charge of where we went as long as we were moving forward
• stayed quiet in hands, mouth, thoughts, and attitude

Reagan: Look, they're right where we left them!

Me: Ayup. Usually happens that way.

Today we:

• took the road less traveled and didn't rush home
• provided comfort to each other and just relaxed
• found the Reagan I remembered and fell in love with five years ago

Reagan's Turn!

26 Minute Walk/Ride
Reagan - Solo
1.10 miles

Reagan: Quick, let's get out of here - Majesty sounds upset he's being left behind

Today was Reagan's turn for a walk. I saddled her up with the intention of riding her the half mile home.  Decided to try the bitless bridle today and it seemed to work better than the cross under headstall.

Why are you standing there taking pictures still?  Isn't it time to go?!

She did so much better today leading!  No rushing, no dragging behind, no crowding, and no trying to snack.  I could tell the rocks were bothering her feet, so we walked in the sand next to the road. The terrain changes had her working a bit more and thinking about her foot placement.

Reagan looking contemplative

Had to ask her to stand twice while I mounted, but that's a vast improvement.  Made her flex her neck both ways before walking off at the house, then repeated the request under saddle.  Repetition and consistency seems to help ease her worries. 

In her zen mode ... she's as quiet and calm as can be ... while eating

Rode her the whole way home, with only minor correction.  Anytime she moved faster than a walk she had to circle once then move forward.  Took us five circles, but then she settled to a beautiful walk.  

She jumped over the fallen log today without any prodding and headed for the "U" driveway rather than the gate upon arrival at the house ... which means she's learning the pattern and anticipating my requests.  The routine seems to be helping.

Snowy Morning

13 Minute Walk
Morgan - Solo
0.54 miles

Walked outside to see this:

And 5 soaked horses since it had rained all night.

My poor soggy girl

Morgan was shivering, so I towel dried her off and tossed on the light wool blanket to help her out.  We took a short walk just to help her warm up a bit.

So adorable ... thank you for being MY Morgan !

Two In One Day ... It's starting to be a habit

35 Minutes (25 min walk, 10 min trot)
Rode Morgan - Solo
Distance: 2.91 miles

I got a new saddle pad which fit Morgan perfectly!  Which means the green one belongs to Reagan. Figured it was going to rain tonight, so I'd better get a ride or two in quickly.

Morgan was reminding me I hadn't brushed her mane yet

We walked our normal path before I swung into the saddle.  She's so much better about holding still now when I go to mount.  She set her own pace today with me just providing guidance on where to go and when to slow down for the footing changes.  

Morgan selfies ... they make me laugh

Morg chose the route back, and we meandered through the streets until we arrived home.  It was a wonderful, but too short, ride in my opinion.

Morgan failed to notice a girl walking a dog ... when she did see them, she made a sharp swerve to the right which had me off kilter for a few seconds.   Never had her do that before, but no harm, no foul. 

35 Minutes (20 min walk, 5 min ride, 10 min mounting groundwork)
Walked/Rode Reagan - Solo
Distance: 1.24 miles

Saddled Reagan up just for the practice and because I wanted to see how the green looked on her ... it's not bad ... wish it was teal or navy blue, but I can get used to it

Reagan selfies are just as funny!

Took Reagan for a walk out the front gate, and the goat tried to follow us.  We had to turn around and chase the goat back onto the property.  *sigh*

Reagan is never too pleased about walking, but the tuft of hair between her ears makes me giggle every time I see it

When we got to the normal turn around spot, I led Reagan over to the area I usually mount Morgan from and tried putting my weight in the stirrup.  Reagan immediately moved forward.  So, we spent a few minutes relaxing and learning to just stand quietly while I got settled in the saddle.

Reagan's wonky ears

I slid into the saddle and let her move forward, but she wouldn't walk calmly and was breathing heavily.  I stopped her, walked beside her for a bit, then tried getting in the saddle again.  We had to have the discussion about standing still while I mounted again, but eventually I sat in the saddle and asked her to walk.

Yep, that's the view between sorrel ears, at a nice, calm pace

We repeated the process three more times over the course of a half mile, but finally she held still the first time I put my foot in the stirrup, relaxed into a walk, and dropped her head.  All the tension left her and I grabbed the camera and took a few pictures from the saddle.

She's going to be just fine, as long as I stay calm and quiet, she will learn what's expected and what is acceptable behavior.  I really like this mare ... she just needs guidance.

Double Time!

45 Minutes (20 min walk, 15 min trot, 10 min walk)
Rode Morgan - Solo
Distance: unknown, tracker lost connection

Reagan was completely unfazed by the saddling process

Morgan and I went for a 20 minute walk and then I hopped in the saddle and we played in the dunes.  There wasn't another soul to be found ... not a single jackrabbit, crow, horse rider, or quad was out and about.  It was a glorious bit of wandering with just the right amount of exercise.

Reagan's "Aren't I cute?" look

I have an app on my phone that tracks our ride, provides our average mph, total distance, and shows our path with a red line on the map.  I was so excited when we were done to see how much distance we had covered and what our map would look like.

Reagan just found out that cute doesn't get you treats

Only we must have lost internet connection somewhere in the dunes because it didn't save any of our progress. *sigh*  Oh well, we'll stay away from that set of dunes in the future.

15 Minutes
Rode Reagan - Solo

Her ears just crack me up ... here's her burro imitation

Morgan and I had left late morning, so there was plenty of sunshine left to try Reagan under saddle.  I initially was just going to try on the saddle for fit, make all the necessary adjustments, and then take her for a walk.

Little tufts of funny hair tucked between her funny ears

She was so placid about the whole situation, I decided to get in the saddle and let her walk around the yard for a few minutes.  She was clearly nervous about any pressure on her face (even with the cross under headstall) so I used my legs to cue a turn reinforced by laying the reins across her neck. 

After the first five minutes, she released the tension she was clearly holding and breathed out softly.  To stop, I asked out loud then sat deeper in the saddle.  Worked out great! 

First Ponying Session

20 Minutes 
Rode Morgan, ponied Reagan
Distance: 0.5 miles

Morgan looks so worried here!  Poor thing ... it's just a quick ride Morgie!

We ran errands all day, so I didn't get home until just about dark.  I quickly threw a saddle on Morgan and a halter on Reagan and set out down the street.  We didn't go far, but it was still enough to reinforce the leading exercises I'd been working on with Reagan and to get time with both of my mares.

After a nice workout, every mare deserves a snack (and a bath)

I will say that Reagan did wonderful going in and out of the gates, waited patiently for me to mount and then stayed on the side she was assigned.  That's a big improvement over our last venture together.  She still lags behind on while walking away from the property and tries to take the lead on the way back ... but she did much better and quick, quiet reminders had her positioned where she should be in a few seconds.

Once again, I am so, so thankful for Morgan.  She's such a steady, willing, and forgiving partner.

My Newest Walking Partner

30 Minutes of Walking, 15 minutes ground work
Distance: 1.18 miles

Took Reagan out for a walk this morning.  Morgan tried to run out the gate and was not happy to be left behind. 

Psst, Reagan ... wanna go for a walk with me?

Reagan: Who me?

Me: Yes you cutie!

Awwww, thanks

 Reagan and I had good moments and bad ... she needs consistency when being led and she has some head-shy issues.  Looks like lead ropes must have been whipped near her head ... she's very jumpy and worried.  Some quiet talk and lots of rubbing for correct behavior/ positioning helped settle her down. We have a long way to go.

I can still hear my friends. Maybe we should head back.

We will, once you're done snacking.

We had to spend 15 minutes going in and out of the turnout gate and stall gates this morning. She rushes through with no thought as to where I am positioned, which is dangerous.

Made it safely home! Now, where's breakfast?

Coming your highness.

So we worked on standing still until asked to move towards the gate, and then walking (not rushing) through until asked to stop.  Just going to require a little more time to get her used to our rules.  She tries hard and I appreciate the effort.

Ahhh ... Back in the Saddle

34 Minutes Total
Walking for 20 minutes - Trotting for 12 minutes - Lope - for 2 minutes 
Distance: 2.42 miles  Average Speed: 4.23 mph

Three days in a row ... are you ready for this Morgie?

Hmmm.

Walked beside my Morgie girl for the first 15 minutes then we stopped at our normal spot so she could snack.  She took one mouthful and then walked over to the mounting area and stood still.  Ok then!  I hopped in the saddle and we headed down our path.  

We walked, we talked, we trotted, we sang out loud.  What a great way to start my morning!

We saw a neighbor as we were out and she shouted "I love seeing you squeeze in a ride so early!"  I replied "There's no better way to start your day than hanging out with your horse and seeing the world through fuzzy ears."  It's absolutely true.

Today I was in charge of scouting the path for obstacles and she was in charge of pace and direction.  It worked out wonderfully. Thanks Morgan!

Getting Back In The Routine

25 Minutes of Walking
Distance: 1.15 miles

Went out for a walk this morning with Morgan.  Still a little weak from being sick, but she didn't mind the slower pace.  We walked in the dunes today just for a change of scenery.

Um, Morgan, are you snacking on our walk?

Mmmmph ... *swallow* ... What?

Reagan's first walk

30 Minutes of Walking
Walked Reagan & Morgan
Bill walked Sundance
Distance: 1.09 miles

Came home sick from work on Thursday, and didn't get out of bed until Sunday afternoon.  No walks, let alone rides, for any of the horses or I.  

Reagan got her horseshoes removed on Saturday. Bill said she did well until the farrier touched her right rear leg.  Bill forgot she had a small injury on her right hock, but said she settled down quickly. Sorry I wasn't there to lend moral support Reagan.

The last time I saw the world through a pair of sorrel ears ... Reagan in November 2012

Sunday I thought I could manage a walk so I tossed halters on Morgan and Reagan. Reagan took a while to figure out which side she wanted to walk on.  Once we got that sorted out we headed down the road behind Bill and Sundance.

Reagan alternated between trying her best to touch Morgan or dragging behind us.  I thought having Morgan would help comfort and encourage Reagan, but I'm not sure it did any good.  

Reagan is going to need a refresher course on my expectations for walking on a lead rope.  Going away from the house she was crowding me and returning home she was trying to lead me ... and all the time she was trying to stop and snack.  She tried to walk through the gate at the same time as me, which could be dangerous.  So, we have a bit of work to do.

Reagan and I conquering the open desert ... November 2012

Walking both horses at the same time made me realize how very lucky I am to have Morgan.  We've been together four years now and she knows where I like her positioned, what speed to keep, what the route is, and what the expectations are for our walks.  So very grateful to have Morgie girl.

A little bit of work and Reagan will be back on track as well ... she's smart and she wants to do the right thing. It was unfair of me to expect her to know my rules after having been gone for a year.  Can't wait to start working with her in earnest once I feel better!

Extending our Route

43 Minutes Total
Walking for 31 minutes - Trotting for 10 minutes - Lope - for 2 minutes 
Distance: 2.97 miles

Had a rough start this morning ... I decided to ride rather than walk next to Morg for the first portion and her anxiety at leaving the herd was evident.  Wouldn't walk a straight line or focus for the 15 minutes.  

Once we got to the trotting portion of our ride, she settled in smoothly and we extended our route by an extra half mile.  Simply fabulous on the way home, even when I asked her to walk most of the way.  

Really enjoying our mornings together!

Amazing. Simply Amazing.

25 Minutes Total
Walking for 12 minutes - Trotting for 10 minutes - Lope - for 3 minutes 
Distance: 2.51 miles

We walked half a mile before breakfast,

then I hopped into the saddle and we trotted for 1.5 miles,

loped for .5 mile, and

trotted and walked the last .5 mile.

Absolutely perfect.  Wonderful heart rate, excellent breathing, amazing horse.  She did everything I asked her to do without me having to ask ... she knows the route and the expectation and performed brilliantly.  She got way more than normal amounts of cuddling and praises at home.

Love my Morgie.

Snuck in a ride before the Super Bowl

45 Minutes Total
Walking for 20 minutes - Trotting for 15 minutes - Walking for 10 minutes 
Distance: 3.21 miles

Decisions ...
I decided to change Red's nickname to Reagan.  Her registered name is Smokem Mochem, but calling her Smoke seems silly since she's a sorrel. I had tried Mochie in the past, but that didn't seem to work for either of us.  Since she's getting a new start here, she needed a new name and Reagan seems to suit her well.

Morgan laying down, Reagan watching over the herd, Wasabi snoozing, and Sundance sound asleep

Where is Majesty you might ask?  Well, he was standing by the gate waiting to go out for a ride!  Morgan hopped up as soon as she saw me grab a halter.  Such a nice mare!

Morgan was in a cuddly mood and kept scooting over to rub her head on Bill's leg.  He would absently reach down and rub her hear and she would sigh contentedly.  She was quite happy to let Majesty set the pace and follow along, but moved out very nicely when asked for a trot.  Couldn't be happier with how our progress is going!

Whenever we come in from a walk/ride, Morgan heads straight to the turn out and touches noses with Reagan. It's adorable!  Reagan gets her hooves trimmed on Saturday and then she should be able to start joining us on our daily walks.