online, liberty and justice for all....

Developing a whole new interest in my round pen again and working everyone online and at liberty. Those is still my weakest areas so I am spending some quality time with all of my guys in there. The up side is, it’s nice and shady on these 100 degree days. I rode August bareback and bridleless at the canter the other day. Something I’ve only done a few times before. My round pen work made the process so much easier. In there I also worked with Violet on her sideways game. It was the last game for her and she picked it up in no time. I quit after the slightest try and then the next day she achieved the task that much faster.

more whoa than go?? maybe

Took her out on the 45 ‘ line and let her move about the arena and obstacles. She is good about following the feel. A couple of strong moments but never stronger enough to make me lose my grip. Her draw is better than any of me other guys, as well as her change of direction. I find that if I can make it fun with my energy, she has more fun. She is so left brain so not a lot of go but August was the same way. Once the play drive is initiated they move, move, move. As always with the left brainers, you must make it interesting of they get bored. So far nothing seems to scare or startle her. Plastic, bridges, tractors, fire trucks (my husband has a fire truck)

suppliments and new challenges

Have played most of the seven games with her. I groom her a lot. She has dry itchy skin so I’ve added some nutritional supplements to help her coat like rice bran, platinum and some corn oil. Very little grain if any on the vet’s recommendation so she didn’t grow too fast. She has long legs and big ears (they say smart horses have big ears). She will hopefully be as big as Wizard if not taller (15.3). she still isn’t totally comfortable with the spray bottle and I have not given her a hose bath yet.

fun with worming paste

Before I left town I had been trying to practice giving her worming medication orally with a syringe and applesauce. But she hated applesauce! I gave it to her and she rubbed her mouth in the dirt. Must have been too tart. While I was gone she did develop a taste for cookies and carrots. No doubt the girls were enticing her while I was out of town. As long as she is polite about then I am ok with it. I am not over doing it though. Release of pressure is the comfort zone everything else is just icing and if unchecked can lead to some pushy horses.(Like my August ☺ ) Her new love for sweets did make it easy to disguise the worming meds in some rice bran and molasses.

Vaccination Day!

We had been practicing with a toothpick and pinching the skin on her neck to simulate the needle. Problem was, she was so skinny that there was not much skin to pinch. My vet, Dr Liskey is so cool. His vibe is great around the horses. They feel his relaxed nature as he elicits their trust while offering the right does of leadership with kindness. We were just talking and he administered the shots in Violet’s the rear before either of us knew what happened. She totally hated the strangles intra nasal application and it took some serious friendly game to get her back on our side but all is forgiven.

First day back. She remembered me and loved on me just as much as she ever did. She loves to visit, loves to go out, loves going for walks. I watch her negotiate the food too. She eats with everyone at different times. Each one of them pushes her away at various times but she just sticks her head in somewhere else. She totally gets her place and gets enough food too. Oddly enough she ends up eating with Rose a lot!

my "stuff"

From July 23- August 7 I was out of town so I did not work with Violet. Terry went in and brushed her and put fly spray on her while I was gone. I did end up putting her back in with the herd before I left realizing that the best teachers would be my herd. I have Rose the alpha mare, a PMU I rescued 7 years ago. Wizard, a 20 year old tri color paint gelding is the “stallion” of the herd. Summer, a rescued strawberry roan mare, age 13 ish, part of Wizard’s harem, August, another tri color gelding PMU rescue I got 6 six years ago, his a typical rogue stallion who stays on the outer band most of the time. My fear of Violet going in with them was that 1) they might not let her eat enough food and I want her to eat! 2) she would forget all about me and our relationship prefering their company to mine ☹
These are all my issues, not the horses ☺