Is Your Horse Listening to You?

I found this great article from America's Horse Daily about how to tell if your horse is listening to you. Check it out!

Is Your Horse Listening?

Our New Home

Yes! We're now at our new barn and from now on I'll be labeling it as The Ranch.

I was really nervous driving down to RS (our old barn). I was praying that Ava would do well, getting in the trailer, not spooking at things too much, or not act like a fire-breathing dragon. So, to help that I worked her in the round pen for about an hour and then went around the barn desensitizing her to more things. She did very well and she really seemed to be trying.

Then after waiting for the trailer to arrive we loaded her up. She got on great but tried turning around after being tied but couldn't succeed (really it was my fault she tried turning at all, I didn't tie her rope short enough.) Then we shut the divider, locked the door, and we were off. The drive over was very smooth and it didn't seem like she tried anything dangerous.

Finally we arrived. I was thinking to myself the whole drive over to The Ranch "please let her behave, PLEASE!" So, when we got there I just hoped for the best. We opened the trailer door, unlatched the divider, then my new BO went in, untied her, and backed her out (this being a stepping up/off trailer) then handed me the rope. When she stepped off that trailer backwards I couldn't believe it, what a good girl! Afterwards I let her look around for a second and it seemed like by her expression she was thinking "cool, I like it." I walked her around the whole barn and she only spooked once, once! At the old place she was still spooking at things. Anyways, we took her to her new paddock pasture! let her loose then went inside to sign the papers. It still doesn't feel like I am boarding down there, I thought that place would only be a dream but now that dream actually became a reality. Ava and I are really happy and hopefully we'll be staying there for a long time.

Last few hours at RS

 Ava's new pasture, gorgeous right?!

Indoor arena, I still need pictures of the inside!

 Poco!

The white arch is the outdoor arena and it is gigantic

I gave Ava her first bath of the year (she did amazingly) and of course she had to roll

What? Moving? Yes!

Hey all, this is a quick update because I have a big day tomorrow. I am moving Ava to my dream ranch. It kind of came up suddenly but I think this is going to be a good move. I have been wanting Ava to live in a larger paddock or at least something with turnout, her pen at the moment is small, only dirt and no turnout. She is the kind of horse that needs to be a horse (yes, that is how I wanted it sound :P ) and staying in that little pen just won't cut it. I will truly miss my old BM but I think this will be the right choice for Ava and I think she will be much happier. Even though leaving the place she knew to go to a completely new place will be stressful it will hopefully create more happiness in her in the long run. Also she will get to see her life long friend Poco! I can't wait to see that moment, it could be very emotional (happy emotional) or it could be like they see each other and don't care at all. Either way they will both know that neither of them have died.

Of course I will take a million pictures, the ranch is literally to die for gorgeous and super photogenic! I can't wait to tell you how it all goes, good or bad.

Hoof Update and Weak Stifles?

I trimmed Ava's feet yesterday with my new hoof nippers. It made my job so much easier even with Ava being a pain in the butt. I think they have definitely improved especially on the heels. Her feet were really dry so I couldn't get all the bars off but hopefully all this rain will soften them up. I don't know if you remember but I posted the very first pictures of her feet before I started doing anything to them and her heels very slung under, it did not make me happy. But it looks like her heels are coming back and her balance it getting better.

Also I am having the vet come out on Thursday to check out Ava's stifles. I won't go too much into details until after I get a diagnosis but so far it is looking like she has weak stifles or a possible locking stifle. I put some pictures below of her cantering. On her left she seems much more calm but on her right it seems tight and rigid (especially when I ride..) She has also been falling on her hind end more often than before. I uploaded some of these pictures to a horse forum and the responses said that the stifles do look weak, so, I'll see what the vet says.

Firefly

Today Ava was moved into a pen with another horse! The horse had an individual pen next to Ava's and from the get go they became great friends. So, we decided to move them into a pen together. They acted like they have known each other for their whole lives and they don't pick on each other either (which is weird for Ava.) I was really happy for Ava, she needs a good friend while Poco is off being trained. This horse's name is Firefly and her owner is also a friend of mine which is even more wonderful.

The new pen is huge. It will be really nice for them to have a more space. Although they won't be staying in that paddock for long, they are almost finished building a new set of horse pens and said that Firefly and Ava will be moved in there after they're done, can't wait to show you guys!

 I'm not the best photographer ;)

Already sharing their hay!