Muddy Mare

For the past few days it has literally been raining nonstop and had kept me from seeing my girl. But finally when the sun broke through the storm I went out to see her and found her covered in lots of crusty mud, guess what I was doing for the next half hour... haha, yes, getting all of it off of her, my hands have callouses now from using the shedding blade so much!

What We Wear and then Some

So, today I wanted to make a little post sharing what gear Ava and I wear during a ride. But before I get started I wanted to mention that a wonderful blogger named Mary has an awesome 100 follower giveaway, she is giving away a beautiful customized grooming tote bag to one winner, everyone should enter!! You can find it here at Simply Horse-Crazy.

Also, yesterday I went to see The Hunger Games movie with some family and friends. It was... indescribable and the actors couldn't have done better. I read the books way before the movie came out and after reading the books it gave me a pain in my heart, kept me crying and depressed for weeks (literally,) but left me with an amazing story that will stay with me for as long as I live. I truly do not have words for it. Has anyone read the books or gone to see the movie?

 

Well, now, let's see what I've been wearing...

•Stubben all purpose saddle, got it for $20 at a sale- literally the best saddle I've owned

•Black biothene stirrup leathers

•Safety stirrup irons

•Fleece and nylon english girth

•Dover saddlery quilted purple all purpose saddle pad

•Tipperary Sportage helmet, I saved for a long time for that helmet and it was well worth it!

•Ariat riding/hiking boots, comfy and perfect for everything

•Bosal with black nylon mecate reins

•Dark oil western headstall

•I also wear black Kerrits riding tights and silver/gray Irideon riding tights as well, forgot to add them in the picture, so comfy!

Well, at the moment that is all Ava and I wear when we go for a riding.

A Fun Start

First I want to say I LOVE YOU CHRIS COX AND RICK GORE! Okay, now that I have that out of my system I will get on with my post.

Ava and I had a fun and relaxing week. All thanks to Chris Cox and Rick Gore for helping me train myself to become a better horsewoman. Ava went from a bucking unfocused maniac to a calm little pony I can ride out of an arena alone.

The weather was amazing all week long and gave lots of opportunities to go and do stuff. We first started with only ground work but then moved to riding. Yesterday we stayed out of the round pen and fooled around for a bit. I started with groundwork in their pen then right outside their pen then worked on liberty in the arena and finally rode in the open fields and investigated the scary objects at the back of the them. It was a blast and I hope we can do it again and soon. Ava was responding well to my cues and didn't over exaggerate either (which she usually does,) you would've thought she was a ten year old dead broke horse instead of a six year old green broke one, it was great!

Just two pictures before we went on our ride, look how calm she is! What a good girl!

Thanks for reading!

Before and After: Dec 2011 - Mar 2012

First of all, I know that I have only been posting about Ava's feet for a while but there has been a lot of Spring weather here and I can't work with her very much until it gets a little better. I also just recently got sick with a cold or whatever so I have to deal with that too. Being sick is so annoying when you want to be out at the barn without having to sneeze every two minutes...

I wanted to show some before and after pictures of Ava's feet. I just trimmed them a couple days ago and noticed they looked quite a bit better than when we started. So, here we go!

Ava's front feet as of December 2011- I had not done anything with her feet when this was taken, the farrier did this... Almost NO heels!

Here are Ava's front feet as of a few days ago- March 2012. Heels are coming back and her axis is becoming straighter!

Now for her hind feet. This is what they looked like as of December 2011, they actually didn't look as bad as the front.

Here are her hind feet as of a few days ago, March 2012.

Of course there is still room for more improvement but I think they are looking pretty good and heading in the right direction. I heard someone say once, "if they can still walk by the time you're done trimming you most likely did a pretty good job." Haha, always makes me laugh!

Learning to Trim

As you may know I started trimming Ava's feet all on my own. My farrier was becoming unreliable and just too tricky to deal with. So, I decided to start doing it on my own. Already knowing quite a bit about hooves and whatnot from 4H it wasn't a complete novice thing for me, I had some idea of what to do. After watching tons of videos, reading articles, asking for peoples advice I finally got all the tools, rasp, hoof knife etc. That was my favorite part. Once I had everything ready to go I haltered up Ava and set to it. I really enjoyed it and still do. Anyways, back to the actual post. Doing all of the research was not hard, there is quite a bit on the internet if you know where to look. If anyone is interested in learning to trim or even just to learn more about horse feet there are some links below you can check out, if I have forgotten any I'll make sure to add them later.

PDF on Beginning Hoof Anatomy- this is great!
[click this]

Sarah Bell Barefoot Trimming

Video Playlist of Hoof Stuff 

Care of Your Horse's Feet

First Riding Session of the Year!

Well, I have been getting some feedback about training Ava and I have been advised to work her about 5-6 days a week. Since she is young and has high energy. The reason I started so suddenly is because we had a huge downfall when I went to lunge her a few days ago, nothing went right, it literally got worse as we went along with it. So, I stopped and asked for advice and since then I have been doing things differently. I round penned her the very next day and made her work her butt off, the results were satisfying. Same for the next days of groundwork. But today I rode her. I thought she did fine for her first time since last December. Although we have much to work on I think we took a tiny step forward.

I rode her in a bit but I'm thinking to switch back to her bosal which she likes much more. Also, since she has high energy and even with lots of redirection of her feet she almost never tires no matter how much I work her. So, I suggested to some people about possibly trying endurance with her and they thought it might be a good idea. I mean also she loves to get out and behaves SO much better when she and I are out rather than if she is here at the barn. Maybe it would be a thing to actually get into...

It has been raining here for the past few days so Ava gets a lucky break, but once it is nice again she's gonna get some more work on her.

Hoof Check #1

So, today I took Ava on quite a long walk. I think we went close to three miles for our entire trip. While we were on the walk I took some pictures of her feet on flat ground and wanted to see what condition they were in. I started trimming her feet on my own around two months ago. It has been a very fun and interesting experience. If I could make a good living and almost never get hurt from farrier work I think I would make it my career, I love it! But it doesn't look like that will happen so it can just be my hobby.

Okay, so, I haven't done anything to Ava's feet for a while now. I don't think they look too bad, the front need work the most and all need the heels taken back a little more. I took some photos to help me keep record of the condition and sometimes I can see things I didn't see before. I know they're not ideal photos but they still help me.

Left front hoof (above)

Left hind hoof (above)

Right front hoof (above)

 

Right hind hoof (above)

I always appreciate tips and whatnot, I'm still learning and want to make the most of this experience, good or bad.

Oh! Also, thanks to all the new subscribers!! I can't believe anyone would want to hear anything about my horse life. It is much appreciated and hopefully we will have many adventures together.

Ava and I: The Beginning (Part 2)

Yes, it is true. While leaning over the fence I spotted a buckskin mare whose name eventually became Sophie. Immediately I was drawn to her and her beauty. I held out my hand trying to get her to approach but she never did. All of the horses were pretty timid of humans at that time. After a little while I started to leave but then saw the lady that was in charge of the meeting. I went over and introduced myself (I don't think she even saw me at the first meeting...)
     "Hi, I'm Emmi. I e-mailed you about volunteering." I said while shaking her hand.
     "You're Emmi?" she asked. I nodded with a smile. "Well, okay, we'd love the help."
I can't recall what else was said during that conversation it must have not been very important. Anyway, I ended up going home then e-mailed them again to ask when I should start coming, I can be pretty persistent at times... They got back to me and said to come anytime around midday. So, I did.

So, I went and all I basically did was help clean out the pen and brush on some of the horses. Literally nothing else. Then the lady in charge of the meeting (let's call her D) came up to me and asked,
     "We were also looking for help on training some of the horses," she said. I looked at her and smiled, this was exciting, me a horse trainer? wow!
     "Oh, that sounds great. I was actually interested in that buckskin mare over there," I said to D pointing to the mare. She looked at the mare then looked back to me and said,

     "She is a nice mare. Although, she is quite a bit to handle, I think it would be better if you worked with that one over there," she pointed to a little gray and white filly who just turned two and was resting by the feed trough. This was going to be my future horse...

KONY 2012

This is non-horse related but I wanted to get it out there. This is a video for Kony 2012, amazing amazing thing and a way to bring peace to the world. Watch it, share it, support it, let's bring some peace!

Ava and I: The Beginning (Part 1)

Alrighty, I will make these posts into parts so your mind won't have to stare at the computer screen for an hour or two. So, anyways, let's get started! This is the story of how Ava and I came together.

It was the year of 2008 when it all started. I found a newspaper clipping about some people getting together to discuss rescuing horses. I immediately took interest and ended up going to the meeting. I was the youngest one there by years and years... I stood out but everyone treated me the same. During the meeting they mentioned these twenty plus horses that were going to be sent to slaughter and the lady in charge said she wanted to rescue them. Of course, saving twenty something horses from slaughter costs quite a bit of money. So, basically, all they wanted was your money to rescue the horses, not what I expected or so I remember. Of course, I didn't have the money or couldn't just send it away no matter how much I wanted to help. So, I went home disappointed and somewhat agitated.

But it didn't end there. A week or two after the meeting my mother showed me this clipping in the paper mentioning that these people just rescued twenty something horses and were looking for volunteers! The clipping also said something about another meeting or whatnot at the place where the horses were going to be kept. The lady in charge of the first meeting must have gotten the money she needed, I thought to myself with some relief. I was very excited about all of this and e-mailed them saying I was very willing to help out. They got back to me and said they'd be happy to have me. I went to that so-called meeting but only remember leaning against the fence to where the beautiful herd of paint horses were kept. And that was when I saw her... I saw a beautiful buckskin mare named Sophie...

Spring Training from America's Horse Daily

I am subscribed to America's Horse Daily and they sent me this great article about getting your horse physically and mentally ready for Spring riding. This may not be useful for most of you but there may be some green horses out there like Ava who need some help, so here you go, this is a paragraph (or a few) from the article.

By AQHA Professional Horseman Mike Kinsey in America’s Horse

There’s a whiff of spring in the air, the pasture is greening up, you’re having more short-sleeve than long-sleeve days, and judging by the amount of hair that’s coming off your horse, you’re a little nervous that he’ll be naked by June. Spring has sprung, and you’re itching to hit the trail.

Not so fast, buckaroo.

There’s a good chance that your pasture potato isn’t ready for a five-mile hike. It’s no different from the condition you’d be in if you sat in a La-Z-Boy from November to March, eating Nacho Doritos and watching “American Idol.”

The amount of work it takes to get a horse ready for trail ride season all depends on the age of the horse, whether the horse has been in a stall and is overly fat or whether he has been in a pasture and is in a little better condition.

Read the rest of the article here: [click this]

Letting Them Be Horses...

This post really made me think [click this]. It explains everything! For the past year Ava has not been her old self which was sweet, calm, and not bucky. I always thought it was because something was wrong with her feet, she was in pain, or because we tried endurance one summer (which was not a good choice.) But after reading that article it makes complete sense. I haven't been letting her be a horse! When we moved to our new barn in August of 2011 she and her pasture mate Poco were confined to a smaller paddock. All of early summer they had been kept on a large piece of pasture all to themselves. I never would have thought it would affect her mood that much. Although, I never would have thought a lot of things... Anyways, yes, I finally figured out the problem. Ava is stressed from her paddock size. At the moment I can't do anything about it, all of the larger spots are taken for winter but as soon as horses start to leave again for the summer I'm going to have them moved to a larger pen, which will make them much happier. Until then I'm going to be turning them out in the arena as much as possible to keep them sane.

At first they were snorty and easily spooked but that soon wore and were actually happy with their little excursion. So, first new year's resolution (kind of late but oh well,) keep my horse sane!

First Walk of March

I took Ava on her first walk this month. She has been stuck in her pen dealing with annoying snow and I thought today would be perfect to take her out. Well, it wasn't 100% perfect but still, I bet she appreciated getting out. We walked all the way past the indoor arena and barn and went towards the front of the facility. It got a little windy and she got nervous at times but handled herself fine enough. Using Chris Cox's method when she gets nervous or tries to get pushy really helps, keeps her focused on me not the other horses running around. But, for her first day out of her pen in almost two months I thought she did great.

I cannot wait for the weather to get better here so I can go riding again! Or at least start training her again. I would use the indoor arena but there are always multiple people in there, I never get it to myself which I need... Oh well, working with Ava outside is actually better for her anyway, perfect for desensitizing.

Well, I just wanted to record what we did and hopefully I'll have a new video up soon, weather and school permitting.

Horse Trainer Review- Clinton Anderson

Ava and I have had much difficulty with finding a right training program for us. It has taken me years to find something that works. I've used Downunder Horsemanship, Parelli, Carolyn Resnick, Ginger Gaffney, John Lyons, Buck Brannaman, and many more but don't wish to list them all. So, yeah, Ava and I have been through quite a bit... But now we have found our program, Chris Cox! After seeing him win three Road to the Horse competitions I thought "Wow... He must be pretty good..." So, I started to give it a try and literally Ava and I are so much happier with training and overall being with each other.

Anyways, time to get to the point of this post. Since I've tried many training methods I thought that I would do some reviews on them. I'll keep them short, sweet, and to the point (I'll try at least.) I know many people have their opinions this but these are mine and I wish that this is kept professional, please. Let's get started!

We'll start with Clinton Anderson.

Mr. Anderson, hmm... What can I say, he knows what he's doing, he gets the job done, and knows how to sell his products. When I tried his method I liked it a lot in the beginning, I still use some of his methods at times. But some of the exercises would not help Ava and I at all, lunging for respect stage two was a nightmare (even after a year of practicing), also the cruise control exercise is something I do not want to do with my mare, she only wants to do what she wants to do, and letting her do that with me on her back is not safe. Other than that I thought his exercises had good purpose and were good for the horse.

His methods are simple and very easy to follow. Clinton definitely knows how to teach people. On the horses part it does seem a little more on the rough side, if the horse doesn't get it immediately he may sometimes smack the crap out of them. He seems to try and train them as fast as possible. It's not a bad thing but time for training is essential and healthier for the horse. Riding and training is the most unnatural thing to a horse, it's amazing that we can ride them at all.

If you would like to check out some of his groundwork stuff here is a link for a free-guide. [click this]

That seems to cover it, I guess, I could go on about this forever but must save some for later.

Overall rating: 4/5
Do I recommend this method? Yes, for most people.
For every horse? No, unless you beat it into them.
Should I buy the book? Maybe, the DVD's are more informative though, much more (if you are just learning.)