Monday, February 7, 2011

Hazy days


Here is the end of the week look...much like last weekend when my sis and I rode. I MADE myself leave the house and go to the mare's place; as I was about as foggy inside me as it was outside me!
This day,
I hooked up the trailer, and repositioned it for loading my mare. She has NOT been trailered for 4 months. I wondered how she would feel about walking in with me~WHOOP!!!
Wa mare walked right into the trailer, with absolutely no hesitation. What a good girl!
 Then, she stood as I hooked up her rope to the blocker tie.

We arrived and my sister was all ready to go...Wa and I went into the familiar barn to put the Bareback Saddle and bridle on...we were off shortly, walking down another familiar place.


Wa was hesitant, like she always is with her hoof boots on, going down this road. I really dislike hoof boots...but untill I can buy a case of EASYWALKER shoes, I am stuck with them!
Last year, the first time the mare and I tried the Easy Walkers Shoes out...her walk was so swingy and free-at this exact spot-it confirmed to me that the hoof boots caused her hesitations.

Pantz and my siss took the lead, since Wa was going slow...you can see how she felt about that!


We made this a light ride day with tons of training. Me being in back mostly, since Wa has issues with her competitive mode.
I would do leg yields and halts. I insisted on her being square as we halted and sometimes rein back...if she sometimes has problems standing in wait. She is always anticipating the NEXT MOVE!
You can see how Hazy/ Foggy it was out. A bit a of heavy drizzle too.



It was good to be outside...after I got there, I thought.
Wa was good mostly, except when she thought she wanted to head a certain way. She knows these roads and trails well and has strict opinions of them! When she wishes to go a certain path or road, she'll speed up, as she approaches and bend that way. So my sister had me "BORE HER WITH SOME DETAILS"...we trotted on by, walked on by, halted and reversed on by and a bit of circling on by...till she did not look. She soon got my boring drift!

Good girl Wa mare~



It was much more difficult to keep her at a distance for the ride home. We did all the same tactics...but she tested my resolve,  every chance she got.


The driveway was the most challenging..she really wanted to go back to the barn and I know not to ask for much near this barn. She has exploded before, though I do think that was a saddle fit issue I have since resolved(no saddle yet).
 My sister wanted to see her worst..and well, she did!
We decided to trot by the drive..woo..the race was ON! Wa thought it fun to be all uppity and my sis was telling me to roll back on my rear ( I know it to be the "Pelvic Push") to give her room to meet me...a-NO-Go on the meeting place..she was so UP and Hollow..it was like being on a trampoline! I started to laugh it up, there wasn't much else I could do at that moment, as she really was propelling me up!
Of Course,we tried it again and again..it got better and better, but once she attempted to root the reins from my hands...and canter in place.
My sis was surprised with this move...but this athletic mare is surprisingly strong/ balanced and I know she is capable of so much beauty...I really wish to harness it and have it be controlled and fun for her  "when I Ask"! Sometime in the future, I hope to~

Driving home again, I thought of all my blogger friends that have
gotten  hammered with tons of snow/ice. Hang In there...the Roman hedgehog and the American Ground hog -predict only 2 more weeks of winter!!  Go-go-go small rodents!!
We had a sunny week last week (while I worked inside). Still made me feel good when I looked out the window, but I thought...drat!

Here is one of my favorite phone shots of the mare-
I call it "Stall Peeking"~ She never tries to open the door any farther, she just looks out to me as I put equipment away and yes...bring her apples and carrots to munch as a treat!

See you soon wa mare~

17 comments:

  1. Good for you Kacy that you made yourself go out. The misty fog doesn't look all that inviting (pretty pictures thought) but it sounds like a great training session.

    How nice for you to have your sister there to be extra eyes on your form, and moral support too.

    I used to ride a very opinionated mare who thought she should decide where and when we would go. Very different from my laid back gelding who thinks he should decide if we will go lol!

    Still waiting on my Mary Wanless book - any day now :)

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  2. Yea, making it her idea..though it is really mine, is tricky sometimes! My PBO was just complaing about her mare that is way more WHOA than go..something I've NEVER had!
    Hope your book comes soon..will enjoy your take from it~

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  3. It must be a mare thing, haha. I once went out riding with a friend and on the way back to the stables I discovered that my mare could canter sideways. I mean... what? (Sometimes when I do my dressage training I ask her to canter slightly shoulder inwards. For a horse that can canter sideways that shouldn't be too difficult. But apparently it is, hehe.)
    And my friend's mare could trot backwards. We were a hilarious couple. To watch ;-)

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  4. "I was about as foggy inside me as it was outside me!"

    loved this description.... :) the fog was kind of lifting anyways - amazing that fog can lift fog....if we just change our focus :)

    love your shared experiences....loved reading Carolina's experience too - how funny.

    just stopping in to see how you are faring this horrendous winter. We are having more snow that AR's usual. I'm always ready for sunshine :)

    Stay warm and clear headed even though it's sometimes foggy inside...and out. Glad you have such a lovely relationship with your sis!!

    hugs,
    Patrina <")>><

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  5. Good for you and Wa. Today it is melting, but will be in the low 20s starting tomorrow.

    If your picture is too big for the header (that happened to me with my Drum Jam Blog)... Under design, where it says Header...just put in the title of your blog. Then right below it, add a gadget (picture). It has to be in the wide gadget format for your picture to be a decent size or it will be sidebar size. Does that make sense?

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  6. Glad you got out - it's always better when you ride.

    Wa seems to have been having one of those "I'm a mare and I have strong opinions about everything" days! Glad you dealt with it so well.

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  7. Good ride... even if foggy in and out!

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  8. Wa is a good girl to not try to open the door further. Lostine will open anything I leave unlocked. She has a powerful nose. If I leave the stall door unlocked, she'll open the door to let herself in during the day and open the door to let herself out during the night. It's a heavy door too. I have to put all my weight into getting it to slide to the side.

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  9. I love your "horse eye view" photos!

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  10. Ahh nice ride thanks....since I can't get on my own horse right now I sure am enjoying yours.We must have a different Ground hog day cause there is no way we are only having two more weeks of winter...more like 2 more months maybe....if we are lucky.

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  11. Kacy! I am glad you got outside and had a good ride even though it was hazy. That is too bad that you spent the sunny day inside, but the fresh air outside on rainy days is good for the brain too.

    Wa's mane always looks so shiny. What do you use on it? Do you bathe her a lot? I think haircare is your profession, so no wonder she looks nice. My boys manes are all rough. What mane/brush or comb do you use?

    Also, I love that you say that Foggy is Forever Found. You are right - he is the very best!

    Stay happy - I am sorry Wa was giving you a time at the end, but she is really good to go on the trailer and ride out so nice. Maybe a few naughties, but really she is good for a go-go Thoroughbred girl. She loves you and honestly seems like she is trying!

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  12. New reader here but good call on still going out the more different experience you do with horses the better I say then you can trust each other better and you can face anything :D

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  13. Gotta love that WaMare - smart and athletic!

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  14. I liked enjoying your misty, wet ride while sitting in front of my fire. Were you all soaked to the bone?

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  15. Glad you got out with your sis and Pantz. Wa mare is very opinionated, aren't they all! Glad you got a good ride in and some training along with fun. Love the picture of her peeking out her door. Have a great week.

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  16. Ah, stall peaking! Cadence is so good like this. I can leave his stall door wide open and he never crosses the threshold! He just likes to be a part of everything!
    WaMare is so, so sweet! Kisses to her :)
    xo, misha

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  17. Spooky fog pic! I remember once our ol' Standardbred mare, Tennessee, got out in the night (we lived in a very rural area, so she had lots of acreage to roam!) and we went looking for her. It was dark and the fog was thick...we never heard her until she was literally right over my right shoulder and let out a loud snort...scared the heck out of me! She got around just fine in the fog, way better than me!

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