Right around the corner

Wa Silly

My husband thought that Wa was going to poo in the wheel barrel! Now I could get money for that. No, Wa is just doing her "Silly Wa" stuff that she does with anything within reach that is taller than 24 inches. You should see her in the arena if there are barrels left out! And sometime, you may!
KK out

Overnight Smattering

I was somewhat upset with the smattering of white I saw from my "window on the world" when I gazed out this morning. This window is in my front door, encased with wrought iron, eye level, and is usually the first place I look outside on any given day.
There was a clinic at our stable and I planned on doing my mares hooves today in her stall, after I watched my stable mate's riding session. My stall, which is outdoors, would be too blame cold now for trimming hooves!

I arrived at the the stable and readied myself to be able to video my stable mate's ride in her session. After, I would decide yea or neigh on doing hooves. Also, While I do the hooves, I will be taking photo's for Mrs. Mom, so she and others can critique my unprofessional but earnest work. Just as I was about to settle in, my stable mate told me that they were an hour early this day and that meant...I could ride in the newly snow smattered trails, and do Hooves tomorrow inside the stable! Choice made easy...work or play-??!!

This was the kind of view we had today while walking the trails...it was all green and mossy looking with large fabulously crisp white areas dotted here and there. I loved it and so did the mare; though so many deer were a foot today that I had to be on my guard...she was JUMPY!!!

Visual Memory of Warmer Days

Jumping v 001

Jumping v 001

Had a desire to go Flying again today with the mare..she enjoyed it so much the other day. Of course I am dying to see us in the air together...so my attempt of this video is a lot of woods to look at with us whizzing over the brantches every now and then! I was able to stop and slow motion it to see that I need shorter stirrups! It felt okay but my leg looks straight. Okay till next time when I wrangle someone to come along(pay them!) KK out

With an Attitude of Gratitude I am addicted to lots of Lemons due to Proximity

Rachel over at "Welcome to Wilmoth farms" blog has made me feel on top-o-the world with a TRIPLE HIT for awards and a fun questionnaire! First off, I must admit that this is my 3rd lemon this week, and all three have made me cry for the sheer pleasure of having someone think of me for this little "Attitude/Gratitude" award.
This award is for bloggers who show Great Attitude/Gratitude:
rules.....
1. Post the picture
2. Nominate favorite blogs that show Great Attitude and/or Gratitude.
3. Link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Link this post to the person from who you received your


I love to encourage others and receiving something like this... makes my day into night!

Carolyn also brought some moistness to my ducts with her nice compliments to me and the bestowing of the Lemon and over at "All Things Horses" . Then, my new friend Jane ,over from "My World In Pictures" has also given this to me. I started a post on my awards page but have not gotten very far with it yet..in fact I am sooo behind with keeping current with passing these along am going to try to get-er-done HERE tonight!!

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Without more ado. This lovely lady is for us to list 5 addictions. here are only 5 of mine:

1 Quiet mornings+ Strong Coffee

2 Spending time with my mare

3 Staying in Bed'n'Breakfasts with my husband

4 Sitting with Elsie cat on my lap

5 X-Files

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This is a very nice award!!!

Proximidade is described as follows:

'This blog invests and believes in PROXIMITY -

nearness in space, time and relationships.
These blogs are exceedingly charming.
These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. (this is me all the way)
They are not interested in prizes for self-aggrandizement!
Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.

'The rules are:
This blog award should be sent to your favorite bloggers
and they, in turn should forward their favorites.
You should include the text for Proximidade (above) in your announcement blog.

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I am very thankful for the endearing relationships here in Bloggerville. I would have never guessed it would be so fun when Jules from "Equinemine" told me she had a "Blog"..hadn't heard of the things till then yet, I sure liked the thought of documenting my mare's life with me!

Thank You Rae and Carolyn and Jane!!!

I now bestow all these upon those I admire and that inspire

(changin'the rules like you'll do..with the amounts of bloggers to bestow on..gets to be a bit much!)

Esther Garvi from "Ishtar News" This Girl just Shines!!!

Dp from "Food For Founder" She is a constant for me..I learn so much and laugh soo hard!

Denise of "Less is More" Passion and dedication to her wonderful horse and dogs. She always is upbeat and has been faithful to post pics and video's for viewers enjoyment!She is a great friend here!

Melliamus and "Riding Miss Daisy" you can't get more passion than she has..attitude and gratitude flow forth...friendship abounds...and bet there are some addictions to things we should all have !

Stacey with her wonderful Klein found at "The Jumping Percheron" has inspired me..wow'd me, and generally kept me keeping pace with her enthusiasm for leaning teaching and doing the next step with her mare. She's always UP for being a good friend!

Jenn from "Green Slobber On my Shirt" She is incredibly talented with writing and portrays everyday life with her family and animals with ferver .She is a goods horse mentor for me, and I love checkin with her to see what antics or direction she is moving in.

Oregon Equestrian is a found at "Writing and Riding" is a fellow Oregonian I am getting to know. She loves her horse and is upbeat..sometime I will get together with her in person!

Lori over at "The Skoog Farm Journal" she is lovely inside and out! A true heart and a beautiful mind. Creative..oh!

Mountain Woman over in "Red Pine Mountain" territory is just a famously inspirational gal . She encourages those around her to be all they are meant to..please do visit her and just be enveloped in her passion for growth and life as I am every time I go!

FUNDER at "It seemed like a good idea at the time" She goes there with great Attitude, has plenty of gratitude and generally gets me out of any funk I think I am in every time! It is such a great time reading of her adventures and if we were closer...we'd be tearing up the place!

Okay my friends..hope you will accept and have fun with these!

Wordless and speachless

Meandering woodland Jumps

Washashe and I went to the trails today as the arena was very wet and being watered still. I decided to go jumping in the wooded trails, as there are so many downed trees right now to choose from. It has been dry for days, with this fabulous weather, so the slick factor is nill. This one was especially fun, as it was two in a row! She really liked it too. We Took several passes through it but, the last one she bolted towards home and I had to employ the "Racehorse stop" my sister taught me! In her extensive horse life, she once galloped Thoroughbreds. Anywho..we made one more round through this double jump and moved on toward the next place I saw downed trees.

Took a new(old) trail on the way there and was able to actually see Mount Hood, in her veiled glory of snow! That trail has been rutted so badly from the motorcycles that I took a cut over and trail blazed for an hour or so till I found my way through to a familiar trail.

This jump was half way made by the wind for us and all I had to do was prop the other side up. It was about 2 1/2 feet tall. She did it the first time without the other side but I knew she'd maybe want to run out so I made it more solid looking.The lane heading up to this jump is straight and firm ground...very flat and perfect for trotting up and over or cantering up and over. I did the trot first and she looked very hard at the jump and slowed slightly but then whizzed over! The next time I cantered up towards the jump, she broke to a trot to go over it. May have been timing, she was unsure. So we did it a third time...cantering the entire lane around the tree grove and then straight up to the jump..Wee ha! Boy, she flew on over the branches and kept her ears + attention perked forward, even after we landed, as if to say, "Okay, what's next for us today?!"
I have now solicited my husband to come along and video for me sometime...I gotta see what this mare looks like flying because, it feels so great!

Calm Cool Carefree

These are my "Out in the Field" friends that pasture board, as I do, at our stable.

We all had a fabulous ride today with Calm, Cool, and Carefree horses under our saddles...it was a complete joy! The horses got along very well and there did not seem to be the competitive edge on them. Don't ya love the colors of this Mom and Daughter team?! I love the fact they can share such an awesome experience as God's Glory in the greater outdoors together on their lovely horses !! The mom saw a gorgeous Red Tailed Hawk on the tippy top of a fir tree that I would have missed today. She was looking up !

We have these wonderfully high view points(as seen in the last fog pics) so we rode to both of them, as I did yesterday, and just took in the splendor of Portland heights and all three mountains in white capped brightness.

I think we all had the same kind of refreshed time today, I do think, and Missy Mare tells the story through her relaxed expression!!! Nice Ride girls! Can't wait to continue in this same fashion, very soon with you two!

Vital Signs

At the Stable today, we all met at 9am to have a lecture-hands on- with he horses to document all of Their Vital Statistics. Temperature, Resting Pulse, and Respiration. We Checked for Dehydration through skin pinching and also Capillary Refill. Looked at the Mucus memebranes in the eyelids and gums. Also we listened to normal Gut sounds through the Stethoscope.

Our Instructor was pretty funny...she was using an old Mercury Thermometer with hay twine tied to it and a wooden close line pin at the end of the twine.I do remember my sister using these methods as she is 15 years senior of our instructor.

The instructor has used this method since she was 16 and has not upgraded... Nostalgia city, is what she called it!

I have a Digital thermometer that was given to me when I thought my mare to be colicing once, 4 years ago...it stays in the tack grooming bag and I thought it may be dead by now...But no!

It was in fact was alive still and it took less than 30 seconds to read out the correct temp and beep to tell me so! We repeated 3 of everything, to make sure.

The digital pulse was the most difficult for me to find on my mare. I found it quite easily on one of the Arabians.Also the respiratory rate seemed difficult for me...she just did not breath in a fashion that was noticeable..so I watched and watched and read 7-10 breaths in 1 minute. 8-15 is normal.

I read now from the photcopied print out we all used,that we all could have simply felt the belly! I guess some use the old fashioned methods for lack of exposure/acceptance to the new and proven easier ones.

So-You may also use the Stethoscope on the windpipe and will hear lots of other things too! It was great to be with all and to check out other horses vitals.

Then, two of my freinds and I took a Brisk but sunny trail ride! The horses were in frisky form and I kinda thought coming back may be interesting...and yeppers..it was two Throrughbred mares and a Quarter horse mare really wanting to move out towards home...tried for some pics on the lookout..and got all kinds of kicks and stomps and twirls instead.

So..., now that it is done and we had to separate..I let them go on and I schooled and we met up again in the woods, then I let them go again.
I talked to one of the gals that does natural horsemanship(blended views) She suggested that we start taking our halters and ropes with training stick as well...get right off at the spot of Uppity, unlistening horse and do some WORK!
I am in for this, all the way, and will not ride with others unless we can do this now...it just is not worth allowing my mare to become accustomed to getting away with what she pulls! Stopping usually does the trick for her...get her to put her head lower, shut off the Adrenaline!
Tomorrow will be a better day!

Loving Your Bloggin' Heart

I have decided to make my 100 Post something that makes me feel wonderful.

It entails sending a loving package to A BIG HEARTED FRIEND here in Bloggerville. Because she has always enlightened me with new ideas and facts, comes by and says hello and also, she is always there for so many folks..making their day! I admire her.

And because,It feels lovely to be thought of in high esteem , and a surprise feels great! Sometimes her sincerity is like a warm blanket on a cold day. So this surprise is for her this time.

(well she does know it's coming, but she did not know I'd make a post of it!)

The wonderful part for me is, and I have a saying for you;

"The giver gets the gift!"

I believe this whole heartedly.

Also, this little memento I give to all of you...it is just a quickly scribbled thing on the back of some mail disclosure...haha!

But, ALL of you, my bloggerville Friends, have given me a gift too. You have surprised me, thrilled me, counseled me, and generally made my online Blog experience a rich environment for sincere heartfelt friendship.I treasure you "Peeps", as my husband calls you, and thank you too! This has been sooo fun! I keep coming back for more because you encourage me in my endeavors and I am allowed to be apart of your lives as well!

THANKS All of You...You make me feels wonderful and I am

( Think the horse speak of "I is Roxy" got to me there!)

Loving Your Bloggin' Hearts!

Men Working Above

Today at the stable was NOT AN INDOOR RIDING DAY. There had been a posting that a work crew would me making a ruckus on the roof for 2-3 hours..then it got amended to: 9am till dark.

The stable sustained major damage to all the gutters when the icy snow slid off the roof...literally took them down and mangled them . It really was Such a beautifully devastating snow storm. And What is costly and unexpected for some; is making a good living for others...as the crew told me that they could barely keep up with the demands right now. This is what I had to ready ourselves in...they were directly over us, as I checked out to see if Washsahe could handle the commotion.
She did okay for a time...but once the men started to walk above her...it was all over and I couldn't see me trying to put her hoof boots on down by her feet and and stay in one piece! So we improvised outside of the closed in groom bays. Wa was perfectly calm once she was not trapped . There was not another person there, but the owner in the office. She did come out once and was surprised to see Wa tied across the hall, and not one of the 4 groom bays...I explained the danger for me, and she passed by the mare .

The ride itself was lovely in the Foggy into sunny day. It is higher at the stable so all the fog of the drive melted away as I topped the last hill to the driveway.

I was in awe with the sight of our valley view the extends itself towards three large mountains and the sky scape's of Portland Oregon . Today...just a white heavy cream was laying deeply across the whole valley as far as the eye could see...small faint peeks of taller tress was all I could grasp through the sweet thick moistness of white foam. I kept gasping aloud, it was fantastic!

Cavalletti work 016

Cavalletti work 016

So this cavalletti work out is the last 10 minutes of our whole time in the arena on Monday. Started with lunging without side reins, then with them..slightly shorter on the inside to create some bend. Then Off for 10 minutes of walk over 1, then 2, then 3 ,then 4 rails on the ground to get her accustomed to looking and picking her feet up.

One thing of note: while I was using just the rails, directly on the ground, placed for walk then the same rails moved into place for trot...she got lazy and tripped on one..it slid almost out in front of her! I see now why using ground rails, without stands or blocks is very dangerous while trotting or cantering! And that is how I learn it seems...as my sister told me so!

Washashe was such a good girl !

Schooling over Cavallettis 2

Well, our planned schooling(with another) is being interrupted already! Vinnie here, our Thoroughbred Jumping Counterpart, was barely able to be walked into the stable yesterday before his scheduled lesson. I had my mare in the grooming bay and heard a commotion and stepped to the aisle to see him walking, without bending his knee , and with his leg actually straight out in front of him . It was painful to watch and my friend and he spend half of the summer 08' with his opposite foot/leg off..so she was holding back on the fearful tears of disappointment. The vet came out and they really hoped it was an abscess over anything else...today, my friend called me to say..they think it is an abscess because of the relief he got with shoe pulled/foot soaked/ poulticed overnight/ with standing wraps. Today, at 6am, he was walking well. Yea...hope this is true...and she said something interesting to me.....I have noticed my mares frogs are diminishing a bit concavely...no heat no smell, no black ick..just smaller. Yesterday I noticed a slit like scratch on Wa's Coronet band. Thought nothing of it but to put some of my favorite cure-all on it "Schriners" herbal spray.She told me that absesses can come on quickly and also release, just as fast sometimes through a slit near the band...as Wa's. I looked again the next day, and could NOT even find it! Interesting.

SO-My goal last night was to set up the Cavallettis after I groomed, with mare loose and following me as she normally does. I really don't expect too many folk to be around..and if they do come out tonight, I will just lead her with the lunge line and set up...she is good.I plan on doing the above pattern.. (with a twist...one set will be 4 cavs.) After I lunge in both directions freely(no side reins) then with side reins attached. I was with with another "unexpected" bout of work at the stable when I arrived...so I got to the setting up later than normal...and someone did come to ride...so my configuration changed somewhat for their convenience. It was crowded but we made it work.

From Reiner Klimpke's "Cavavlletti" book: Remember that the horses that is to go on a circle and that the inside rein must be shorter than the outside. The correct length will be about 2-4 in- about three to six holes shorter. The function of the outside rein is to control the inner bend and to prevent evasion through the outside shoulder. Side reins are fastened, as for work on a straight line, to the girth under the saddle flap, so that the the horse may stretch his neck forwards and downwards.Therefor the length of the reins is adjustable, and may be altered during the lesson."... The author does not recommend doing more than 20 minutes lunging over the cavallettis...broken up as :1o min at walk/ 5-10 minutes without side reins/ 5-10 with side reins, not over rails/ then 20 min of walk and trot over rails. Finishing is to be without side reins. "I do not recommend more than one such lesson every eight to fourteen days because the exercise over ground rails has to be included within the whole training programme and if carried out more often would prove to be too strenuous for the horse."..." The advantage of lunging a horse over ground rails lies in the fact that stiffness in the neck and quarters can be eliminated. Through the position of the horse's body on a circle, the inside muscles are contracted and the outside neck and back muscles are stretched. The inside hind foot has to take more weight."...After a warm up session walking over a few single polls and then lunging over 1, then 2, then 3 , I put the 4Th one down and we did about 10 minutes both ways walking . Then I set up for trotting and did about 10 more minutes.

She hit her feet a few times, and I had to readjust the Cav's(marks seen on feet ) and got kinda upset at first...then she settled in and we did a few minutes of trotting video before taking the side reins off and walking out for 10 minutes and me taking the polls down.

Washashe is doing much better in cross ties...She was so claustrophobic there at first, I was unable to groom even, for her anxiety. She does well alone now , she trusts the general area more and can relax. At first, there was a horse in the stall behind her and it would put its nose up to smell and she could see it...bad, she could not relax. She still does tend to pull to see if she may free herself if I turn my back...to get the camera in this case! I call her "The creeper"...as she creeps ahead -slowly so-one step at a time! I usually quick tie one fast..so she does not get all the way loose. It is a rule of the stable not to leave a horse unattended in the ties, as well as being standard for me!

I SURE missed my partner last night...it is a lot of work setting up and tearing down alone!

This Video is missing cause it refused to upload...so the next post will be a "You Tube" of the missing video!

TractorBronk Video

This is our friend JEWEL
formerly of "20 meter circle of life" and now residing at "Viva Volte!!!" If you don't know her yet in Bloggerville territory...go meet her and see why I have selected this timing to post this video. You'll know instantly why!

When I first met her, she was given the privilege of being able to use any machine on the property where she and her husband moved thier lovely horses faces to board. The owners were selling and NOT working the farm anymore....She is a hoot...like me, will try anything at least once and if she needs something done...doing it herself is the best way to go! Am I wrong there Jewel??? This is one of her first goes on the tractor....(even if it isn't say it is J)I was actually hysterically laughing inside...wish she could have heard my "Ride er' " yells...so she could have thrown her arm up! Ha!

This is Jewel and her lovely Abu Arabian. He is so content on this picture, I love it!

Airs Above the Ground and Cavalletti 1

The Courbette

Airs above the ground are strategic moves that the Lipizzaner Stallions and other horses of battle were taught to avoid the enemy and to safeguard the rider.

Today, though I should have used the arena to my advantage...no one there at all...it is 1 of 2 days that lessons are not underway, yet, I was drawn to the outdoors, as the sun was spotted!!

This fantastic move, seen in the link above, is fancy and for the talented, disciplined horse to achieve. Yet somehow, I without any pre -training was given this move today, going up a trail homeward! WA in rare form, hopped on her hind legs , just like that Lipizzaner does. Though today it was with me on her, to my great shock and to hers....we turned around and went 10 minutes back to the trail head, away from home, for a do-over! And I gladly report that she was near- buckle-with -contact all the way home after that.

We were able to use my new Equestrian Accessory that I purchased after Christmas today too..an Australian Oilskin Duster! It was toasty warm and the layers snapped around my legs and parted easily for mounting and sitting in the saddle.

So, without more ado, I tell you the tale of the Cavalletti and why I adore it's use . For those who are just starting to introduce the Cavalletti's to their horse ;( I am going by the book here) "it is easier for the horse if he goes over the cavalletti without his rider. He is entirely free and natural since there is no weight to hinder his movements, no hand to pull him backwards and no spur to give him the wrong aid at the wrong moment." "- If you take time over the basic training and devote the greatest care to the easier exercises, you will later go further much more quickly."

Basically, I do believe all that Klimpke's teach in this little book called "Cavalletti". There is more to it than you may think...if the distances are incorrect you run the risk of some serious injury either because the horse trips and rolls the polls if they are not in stands..or as I read; "If, however cavalletti work is overdone, or if the placing of each single rail is not suited to the horse's natural rhythm and action, then there is the danger of serious injury.Muscles improve through exercise only when they are used appropriately to their position and their internal condition." it goes onto say how swelling and debility disturbances can occur in the muscles if done incorrectly.

So basically, my friends, knowing the correct distances and having another to help you see that your horse is not altering it's gate over the rails helps if you are not sure. I really don't want anyone to hurt their horse.

I took the advise of the author Reiner Klimpke and hand walked my mare over the 4- spaced for walking- ground polls that were in a row, for 10 minutes first, to supple her joints.

Then I lunged her over a set of four single polls- above-for another 10 minutes in both directions before I went to lunging over the trotting Cavallettis I would later ride over in two point-below-. I have done cavallettis before with my sister many times..she has schooled me about my balance and seat and hands.When I first started, we would do 2 singles polls places on a 20 meter circle like the diagram above but with only 2 polls across from each other. I would post the trot for 3 strides, then place my hands on her neck for balance and in two point allow my mare to look for the rail and go over it..again to a posting trot for about 3-4 strides while I looked ahead 5 meters always to the next section of track, then go to two point balance over the rail again. it was very good to do for me as I had to think ahead 5 to 10 meters always and never looking directly at the poll as we went over it but ahead 5-10 meters. My sister taught me that.."Where you look ahead to is where you want the horse to be or go." It correctly positions your upper body when you do this.

I will continue to tell you about this cavalletti stuff again in small doses...like I like it when I am doing it ! That is why I went to the trails today...school then off, school then off, will be my routine. Though; Washashe is totally accountable on the trails as well. Dressage carries over well,anywhere I find!