Fun filled horsey weekend...

What a nice weekend it was.

Saturday was my clinic at JB's place. It was such a nice day. A little windy, but no complaints. I rode Summer my first 3 goes and she was panting like crazy as she has put on some weight. (got to get that belly off of her) James noticed and said, "she's hot Tammy". I know, but she'll be fine. Then he asked if I wanted to ride a horse that he was selling for someone. She is a little black and white paint with the barn name of Nasty. So I said sure. All I can say it was all I could do to keep her in check and keep up with her. She is fast and all about the job. I sure would like to have her as I need a finished horse for this sport. Summer is good, but I need great to advance in this sport. And Nasty is great. I ran her 3 times and on my last run of the day decided to use Summer. The guy I ran with asked, "you gonna ride Summer?" I was like, "if you want me to ride Nasty I will." He was like, "Oh, I was just asking, you ride who you want." He wasn't snarky about it, just asking. Well, this guy is always winning money and he is pretty good. I mean, we all have things to improve upon, but he is good. But I swear it was like Summer understood him. She was on! It was beautiful. We did a very nice, fluid run. He even complemented Summer when we were done. And James had nothing to critique us on. Next Saturday is Southwest, let's hope she is "on" then too.

After I got back to my barn, I saddled up Harper and lunged her in the round pen. She did something she hadn't done before and she did it twice. She humped that back up and went to bucking. From whet I observed on the ground, it wasn't anything I couldn't sit, but now I know what her bucks look like. Once I got done lunging her, I hopped on and worked on her collection and then we just did one loop around the barn yard. She was real good for me.

Sunday was more sorting, but this time I took Harper to the arena. She wasn't too keen on that, but she didn't try to kill me either. I didn't take Summer and there was no Amira to act like a secruity blanket. Barb came up for a few minutes and gave me some advice on what to do when she starts moving around in the waiting line and such. Robin came up to me and asked if I had a ride open and I am like, "of course, I'm on little greeny, nobodies gonna want to ride with me today." LOL

So Robin and I go in and man, Harper was all about chasing those cows. She had absolutely no reservations about going into the herd and sorting her cow. My only problem was she wouldn't stop. She totally sucks at the hole. She wanted to continue chasing. So needless to say, Harper and I showed everyone watching how not to sort. LOL But Robin was cool with it, that's why it's called practice.

The next run I asked James to run with me and I would pay for his run. And Harper did it again. Harper's thoughts: "Chase the cows, but I ain't working no stupid hole, I want to chase cows!" James told me when we were done that I needed to work on her stop. Roy and Barb both said the same thing about what James meant, so we will be working on that this week. As well as with Summer.

My final run, I asked this girl named Courtney if she had any open runs, and she was sweet enough to say yes. I told her I was on a greeny that loved the chase but didn't have a clue about the hole. So she worked the gate and I did all the sorting. We got 4 head. I was very proud of Harper. That little mare has potential. Just not sure if I'm the one that can get it all from her. But I sure want to try.

I have to say though, after our first run with Robin, she really settled down. I mean, she was quiet after our first run. She stood quietly while we were in line and everything. No fidgeting and such like before the run. It was like something in her brain just clicked on and she was a good girl. She still gave "ugly ears" to everyone that got too close, but she is a mare.

I do have to work on her trailer skills. She sits on the butt chain and door when she is fixing to be let out and she about runs you over coming out. Gotta call Toni on that one.

When we got back to the barn it was still pretty early. So I tacked up Summer and went for a lovely, quiet ride in the pasture. She was very good today. Maybe a bit jealous that I am paying attention to other horses? Who knows. But she was good for my last run the day before after I rode Nasty a few times, then she was good and no spooks after she saw me come home from riding Harper. Or maybe she is just liking the break I am giving her.

After Summer and I came back in, Barb brought me Woody. He is half pony and half Arabian. Amish broke driving horse of her's. She wants me to ride him cause June is wanting to use him as a riding horse. It has been about 6 years since he's had a saddle on. But he was very good for me. I only rode about 10 minutes as it was getting late and I only wanted to see what he would do. I think he will be just fine. But I will ride him a bit more so June will be comfortable getting on him.

I also have my farrier wanting to me ride his horse, Ebby. She is a stock type, almost black bay mare. Lots of fire in her, but she is a sweet mare. He said she is good and has sorted before and loves to work cow and I was more than welcome to take her to the arena any time I wanted. So last night after I worked Harper, I put Ebby in the round pen and just watched her. She ran and bucked and farted and wouldn't stop until I came back to the fence. I will ride her a bit at the barn and get comfortable on her before I do any work with her. He said she is a good girl, but she has been his horse for 10 years, so will she be good for a perfect stranger? I may wear both of my helmets for this one. LOL

It was a great weekend and I feel very honored that all these folks are trusting me with their animals.

It's been a month since I posted last...

The last month has been pretty good.

We Texans lived through one of the coldest few days in 15 years. Lots of freezing rain, ice, sleet, snow...you name it, we got it. But after that, the next week was in the 70's. Go figure. Gotta love this Texas weather.

I have started riding my barn owner's little Arab mare, Harper again. (that is her in the winter pic above) She is doing good, but just needs a lot of miles. I started riding her because Summer had a corneal ulcer and couldn't be ridden for awhile. So I have become a little attached to her. She has a little attitude which is kinda funny. She tries to bully but she is slowly realizing that I am not the kind that is bullied by horses. One thing I can say, she is smart as whip.

I took her to sorting practice this past Sunday. She will be 10 years old in about April or so. Never been near a cow and I have to say, I wasn't disappointed. She is an aggressive mare towards other horses and other kinds of animals. (She is only 14hh so I think she has little horse syndrome lol) Tracey watched as she chased a squirrel out of her pen. So with that news, I was hoping she would do the same with cows. She was a bit hesitant about going to get her cow, but once we were on one, she laid those ears flat back and she was off. She even unseated me a bit by lunging at a cow.

We did 4 runs and her owner came to watch as we did the best of the 4 so I was pretty happy about that. Barb (Harper's owner) talked to James (my instructor who is also a horse trainer) and he told her things he wanted in a horse before he took them on to train. So Barb and I are going to start Harper's ground work and get her ready. If she really takes to this, I am sure Summer will be happy for the break away from cows.

Summer and I competed in the February SWTPA and didn't place. I did 7 runs with her this past Saturday. Once it was all said and done, James told me to slow my brain down. In other words, I was going too fast for Summer's comfort level. Summer doesn't like to move into the herd too fast and I was putting to much pressure on her. All of the busts and what-not were not my fault, but there were a couple that I put too much pressure on my partner while they were in the hole.

I did have one short run in the 3 sort, but my partner couldn't keep them out of the hole cause they were coming from both sides. And on another plus note, I did run in the 8 mix twice. Once with James. He had 5 runs in that class and if I'm not mistaken, I was the only one of his runs that didn't bust. We only got 3 head tho, and it took 5 to go back. Oh well, I was a bit nervous as that was the first time he and I have competed together. I can't wait for our next lesson. Maybe I can learn to ssslllooowww down for Summer's sake. LOL

But in the end, I had fun. Isn't that what it's supposed to be about anyway? Because if it isn't fun, what's the point.

TTFN!

Shiney new toy...maybe not

Well, a few weeks ago I started messing with a 9 year old Arabian mare named Harper. She is a sweet little thing. Has had professional training, but that was about 5 or so years ago. So, she is a total greeny as her training was not reinforced. But she is not mean or an idiot either, she just doesn't know what is right. She will move out when asked, she "plow-reins" as she doesn't know how to neck rein, but she gives to the bit wonderfully. She is also broke to drive. But again, it has been even a couple of years since she has driven, and that was only a couple of times around the barn yard.

Harper belongs to my barn owner who just doesn't have time for her right now as she has several horses. So, she told me to use her as I wished. If she did well moving down the trail, take her to CTR's or endurance. Her sire was a roping horse and grandsire was a cutting horse, then I could see if she took to sorting. But here in again, she needs a lot of wet saddle blankets and time before I would take her into a cow pen.

So I did a couple of weeks of ground work with her to see what she remembered and what she might spook at before I climbed aboard. Again, she was good mannered, but needs a lot of trail time.

Well, this got me to thinking when Tracey and I were riding around the barn yard. I have a great horse in Summer, but even she isn't "finished". There is still so much for her to learn. I didn't complete our homework from Toni J. in Summer's trailer issues (which I started back up doing the other night). I haven't driven her since last November and I haven't driven my ponies in a year.

So...what do I do? Play with my new shiney toy (Harper) and leave my "unfinished" projects by the way side. I know it may sound stupid to some, but when I started thinking about my other 3 equine kids and all the things that they have yet to learn, I started to have second thoughts about Harper. I talked to Barb the next day and told her my thoughts. She agreed. She told me that I had a blue ribbon pony in Hank as he proved himself last year at our one and only show. That I needed to drive him more, show him and bring home some more ribbons.

So, Harper is back out in the pasture. Barb told me though, if Summer ever comes up lame or something, to just pull Harper out of the pasture and use her anytime. But I have to say, as Tracey pointed out, riding Harper those couple of times, sure makes me appreciate the great horse I have in Summer.