Fly Masks Are Our Friend

Rhulain
40 minutes ground work
15 minutes tacking
5 minutes saddle time

It's been windy lately so there hasn't been much flies about bothering the horses.  Realized Morgan had a few on her face, so I pulled out the fly masks.  Rhulain wasn't sure about the crazy thing I held in my hand, but she only slightly flinched when it touched her shoulder the first time.  Then she let me rub it all over her neck and ears.  I placed it on her face and secured it with no problems.

Later in the day I put a halter on Rhulain and led her around the yard again.  She handled the gate like it's been part of her everyday routine, didn't try to get ahead of me, and moved out nicely when asked to circle around.  She did so well that I decided to walk her out the front gate and into the street.  Not an issue.

We saw an ATV coming down the road, but she just looked at it for a few seconds then gave it her patented "so what?" look.  We climbed some of the sand and dirt piles on either side of the road, stepped over a log, and then I let her taste some of the local fauna.

I took her over to the tack shed and picked out her front hooves, then lifted the backs.  Much, much better than yesterday.  I took her back to her stall and gave everyone their lunch.

Later I decided to try on her tack.  I took off her fly mask and put on the bitless bridle.  I spent a few moments teaching her how the bitless works.  She was fine with it, but kept reaching out for the fly mask.  I laughed.  Didn't take her long to figure that out.  I put it on over the bitless bridle.

Saddle pad looks striking, but it's too long and she needs a cut out for her withers.  Saddle fit fine, although I'll need to switch out the cinch (36" is way too big).  No issues with cinching.  She stood there with her back leg cocked the whole time.  So, I put weight in the stirrup.  No movement.  I slid over and into the saddle, no movement.  I kissed and she moved forward.  

Had a little trouble with the bitless ... every time I picked up a rein, her head came around to touch my boot, but she didn't turn her body.  Ok.  I asked with leg cues and she turned on the forehand nicely, but a bit stiffly to the left.  Kept it short, two laps around her stall and one figure 8, then asked for a halt and she stopped immediately.  Slid out of the saddle, untacked, and put on her beloved fly mask.  She's going to be fun to ride!

Learning about Rhulain

60 minutes, ground work

I wanted to spend some time with Rhulain, so I tossed on a halter and asked her to exit the turn out.  She rushed through the gate, so we worked on where to stand and not to move forward until asked, then progressed to walking calmly through the gate.  It only took three passes before she was executing gate manners perfectly.

Morgan didn't want to be left behind, so I opened the gate and let her wander the property.  Rhu kept an eye on Morgan and one on me.

We started with basics: leading, stopping, turning, and backing. Moved on to lunging in both directions at a walk and trot.  She's got a great stop.  We walked around the yard and whenever we got out of Morgan's sight, Morgie would come trotting to where we were.  Rhu didn't crowd my space, but she did try to walk ahead of me if Morg was around.  Minor corrections and we were fine.

She's got a "So what?" attitude which is great.  Giant tractor tire? So what?  Monorail in the yard?  So what?  Jackrabbits jumping out of bushes?  So what?  The only thing that seemed to hold her attention was the dogs ... not that she seemed scared, but interested.

Ran into a bit of trouble when I tried picking up her hooves. Fronts were no problem, back right was hesitant, but there was no way she was giving up the back left.  Ok. This is not an issue, just an opportunity to get to know her better.  Worked on it for a few minutes and once she gave up all four hooves and let me hold them for 5 seconds each, I moved on to something else.  I'll work on picking up her hooves everyday until it isn't an issue.

She is a little stiff flexing to the left, but very pliable on the right.  Good to know.  She ties off to the trailer like a champ.  There's a few little holes in her training ... could be that the cue was different.  It's certainly fun to figure each other out!

Rhulain's first day

Fed this morning just to bask in Rhulain's gorgeousness

She's got such a great personality ... very curious

Very unaffected by strange things going on around her ... though she's keeps staring at the goat ... I'm sure she thinks it's the ugliest dog on the planet

I am overwhelmed with joy when I see her ... grateful doesn't begin to explain how I feel.

Didn't want to go to work today.  I'd rather have stayed home and just watched her all day.  

Guess I'll have to go home early. :)

The Arrival of Rhulain ...

So ... way back in late February I saw this sweet face on the ForeverMorgans website ...

 

I read the ad ... 7 year old, trained for trail riding, black mare, 14 hh ... exactly what I wanted as an endurance racing prospect.  She was named after the "High Rhulain" series of books written by Brian Jacques. 

I was smitten.  I filled out the application.  

When I was approved as an adopter we hired a transport company to bring her to Vegas from New York.   

The transporter was supposed to arrive about 3:00 pm, but by 7:00 pm he still wasn't near the house.  So, I let Morgan out to keep me company while I pulled weeds ... she's incredibly helpful at eating the grass.

And then we got a text from the transporter at 8:30 pm.  

He was lost.

Bill hopped in the truck and drove around the valley until he located the transporter and guided him to our house.  

Out stepped the most gorgeous horse I have ever seen ... she circled the handler a few times then settled right down.  Unfamiliar territory, pure darkness, strange horses calling out, strange people near her, shifting sand under her hooves, and she handled it with level-headed grace.

The handler walked her to her new enclosure, whispered in her ear (he really wanted to keep her ... he offered to buy her twice), and then took off her halter.  She checked out her enclosure then made goo-goo eyes at Majesty.  She is in heat, and I don't have the heart to tell her he's a gelding and won't look so attractive next week when her hormones have settled down.

The pictures just don't do her justice .. her muscles are astounding, that mane is gorgeous, not a stitch of white anywhere on her, and she moves so beautifully my breath hitched watching her walk down the driveway.

I'm simply over the moon.  Bill is quite taken with her as well ... he's offered to put the first ride on her for me.  As kind and thoughtful as that is, I think I'll keep her all to myself.

15 years and counting ...

Been married to my best friend for 15 years ... we've traveled far, encountered much, weathered some rough patches, and shared a thousand smiles through all our adventures.

I look forward to many, many more years of laughter and watching many more sunsets on horseback with Bill.

Thank you for everything, and for those things yet to come.

Riding by the monorail

35 minutes
Rode Morgan
Bill and Majesty
1.60 miles

Bill asked if I wanted to go for a ride ... you never have to ask me twice!

Saddled up by bestie girl and headed out to the sand dunes.  Not another soul in site ... it was simply marvelous.  It was a bit windy, but that just helped keep us from overheating.

Then we came home and rode the horses past our newest acquisition ...

A monorail.

This one was engineered and used at Walt Disney World until it was retired and sold to MGM Grand for use in Las Vegas.  It ran between the Bally's Casino and MGM Casino for a few years before they retired it and sent it to be stored in our Valley.  Bill knew the gentleman who was storing it and they worked out a deal.  Bill sold an engine and a passenger car on eBay to a gentleman who is renovating the cars to become a children's museum in New York.

As for us ... who knows what it will become ... may become sleeping compartments, dining cars, butterfly habitat, or even Amber's new tack shed.  It hold many options and we're entertaining all notions, no matter how crazy!

Definitely Reagan's Last Ride

20 minutes
Rode Reagan
0.92 miles

Windy, chilly, and getting dark .,. just about the perfect time to throw a saddle on Reagan and take a spin around the block.  She was a sweet girl, but nervous about the wind.  Had a bit of a spazz attack when my hat fluttered in the wind so I brought it close to her shoulder then retreated until she was able to let it touch her while holding still.

  

After that, she was just as good as gold.  We wandered down the road, out in the open desert, and then circled back home all at a nice calm walk with her head in perfect position.  

I rubbed her neck quite a bit and told her what a wonderful mare she is and how much I appreciated our time together.

After our ride, I taught her how to take carrots out of my hand because her new owner will probably want to treat her in hand.  She really liked that lesson!  Gonna miss you red girl ... but you're headed off to new adventures ... and you're always welcome home.  Always.

** Reagan's new owner picked her up Sunday, May 3rd. 

Happy trails to you both! **