St. Jude Trail Ride at the Underwood Ranch in Collinsville

After a long workweek in Kansas, we were planning to have a dressage shooling show at the Rocking C - but the show was cancelled.  So we had a free Sat.  Kathy B broughy Missy over for a test ride (pre-trail ride) and Kirk took a ride on Cisco while I worked Splash a little, Alaina played on Diez, and Ivy jumped Pico.

A late afternoon visit to TC at the Urban Ranch was shortened by a brief but heavy downpour - and a total sky rainbow. 

No rain at the Underwood's (north of Collinsville) so the St. Jude Benefit Trail ride was ON! Stephanie came over to help stuff deviled eggs for the husbands and we headed out with Diez, Splash and Sunny; Kathy B was bringing the Cisco Kid for Steff and she rode Missy.

We had a good turn-out for the St. Jude (28 trail riders and 3 arena girls) - $815 for St. Jude so far.  Diez did fine for her first big ride since founder and Splash and Sunny were pretty good at bringing up the rear.  With our position at the end of the group (well back) my photos are a sad story - sorry if I missed you. 

Yaya's in attendence included Rita, Judy, Leila, Tammy, Tami, Kathy, Steff, and Paula.  Nancy was missing on injured reserve, Sherry had a date with Knox in Texas, Christiana was watching Zoe compete at a dance competition, and Masha was planting a vineyard - don't know what the rest of the gang was doing but we had a lovely ride and missed them all.   

Feako Pico

OK, TC was our first freaky horse, but he acted more like Cramer as he tried to lean away from everything new (or old in a new month) with his head high and his forelock looking like a bad hair day.  But Freako Pico has been continuing the legacy.  Pico is VERY sensitive to electric fencing - especially the white tape kind.  He wants to give all electric tape fencing a quarter-mile buffer zone.  So, our latest pasture configuration has electric overhead (it buzzes a little) from the barn to fence post and the barn opens away from the pasture and holds hay covered with a flapping tarp.  The last few months Pico lounges through the gate and whirls to face the offending tarp.  So, last week, I tried to give him a break and took him around the other side of the barn through the other tape gate.  I threw the tape away from the barn to lead him through but he jumped to my left side and stepped square on the tape in the mud and zapped his feet.  So now either side is a scary entrance - two times a day - every day......

Last night as Ivy and I went to get the horses up for the night, we got Splash and Sunny on lead-lines and left the gate WIDE open for Pico to follow us out and up to the barn.  We got Splash and Sunny settled and Pico was still pacing in front of the gate like it was closed.  He WOULD NOT come to the gate to get a halter on.  It was dark and raining.  So, in my crocs and socks, I stepped into the pasture to halter the duffus - up to my ankles into a mud pit.  YUCK!  FREAKO PICO!

The rain predicted for Fri/Sat came in Sat and settled in for the weekend.   The girls joined Laurie and me for the 11 o'clock and then Kathy joined us for lunch at Graham's. A news flash.  Splash was a slug.  After good warm-up, we worked on leg yields in and out of the circle and then went on to canter work.  Splash took the correct leads but that was it.  Every canter depart, Splash had outside bend and when I tried to correct the bend, we lost the canter.  We ended the lesson with an equitation pattern.  Transitions - BAD.  Frustrating.  And the show is next weekend.  And I will be in Kansas most of the week.  HELP!  The girls and Laurie had good rides.  And Lunch was lovely.  Kathy B didn't ride because Call was off - they will see the Vet next week.

The girls took Sunny and Pico to the 4-H Fun Practice Show on Sunday evening.  They worked on patterns and Trail (Alaina and Sunny) and jumping (Ivy and Pico).  It was nice to have the dry indoor arena to work with.  The 4-H District Horse show will be May 8 at the Claremore Expo and it will be here before we know it.

Meanwhile, I have missed the last 2 rides at Rita's and will miss out this week too.  But, next weekend, we will have the St. Jude Trail ride so that will have to count.  YaYa!

Spring is Sprung

Finally, beautiful weather for the weekend!  Wisteria, blooming trees, and tiny flowers in the grass - Green is beautiful.  And, it was Patty's birthday on Friday so Nancy E and I met Patty for a birthday lunch and had a lovely time.

The girls had a 4-H show on Sunday so I joined their lesson at 2 so that the 'boys' could have some pasture time on Sat. morning.  Alaina rode Sunny English for the first time since working with Dawn and I worked Splash withOUT the German Neck Stretcher.  All three of us practiced equitation and both Ivy and Alaina did better than Splash and me - Splash made all the transitions look heavy but did take correct leads.  Ivy concentrated on jumping and made good progress.  After the lesson, we trimmed, bathed and banded so that Sunday morning wouldn't be a frenzy. 

The show was 4-H only, so, for an all-day event it was fairly low-key.  Ivy showed Splash in halter and showmanship and they placed 4th in halter - then she switched to Pico and rode English, Western and speed but no Trail.  Pico was a really GOOD boy all day long and they won all three English classes and performed well in the others (although that Dressage canter doesn't cut it in the speed classes). This was the first show with straight bars this year so I was very proud.  Alaina and Sunny had a great day too although their placings weren't as high.  They concentrate on Western and Trail and the competition is very stiff with more competitors and very nice horses.  But, they placed 2nd in horsemanship and 3rd in Trail - they skipped the speed stuff.  Both girs had a fun day but still had energy to play with twins next door, fish (Ivy), and ride/show-off on Diez (Alaina).  I sat on the couch.

This evening, Kathy B, Marsha C, and Rita G and I went to the 'Taste of Home' cooking show and drooled over recipes to try after our YaYa sista's at future rides.  mmmmmmm - cooking......  The weather is good this week until Friday and YaYas will ride at Rita's on Thursday but I will be working at the food bank in Tulsa.  Have fun girls!  yaya!

It's NOT Raining

But the wind sure can blow in OK.

YaYa's gathered at Rita's on April Fool's Eve for the first ride of the year - we usually have our first ride on New Year's Day and then ride regularly, but.....  7 riders braved the gale and residual mud and had a fun ride, but even Splash was a little nervous.  Judy, Leila, Kathy, Nancy, Rita, Christiana, and I rode the trails then Tammy and Marsha joined in for esprit ride to socialize.

Friday riding plans were foiled by mega rain in the morning.  My freshly disked arena soaked up the water.....

Kathy/Call and I/Splash joined Patty for the party lesson on Sat. - Carol J joined in a bit at first on her beautiful appy filly (what a mover).  Splash was moving out a little better but was like riding a snake.  We worked on STRAIGHT at the walk and then trot and Splash tried his best to drop his shoulder and slop sideways either direction every 3 strides.  We progressed and things got a little better at the trot.  Kathy took Call out of the lesson before any canter work because she seems to have a sore shoulder.  Splash and I worked on canter departs (promptness) and Splash took leads correctly. Then we did simple changes and transitions from circle to straight-line and Splash worked fairly well.  The main excitement was when he stumbled in the corner by K and I lost both stirrups and my seat but somehow didn't fall off (always a plus).  We continued work after I calmed my heart rate.

Lunch at Graham's and then the girls had their lesson at 2.  Sunny and Alaina had a great lesson with good trot work and steady (if a little fast) canter work. Ivy and Pico looked lovely at both canter and trot - very consistent.  Ivy jumped Pico to end the lesson and managed several straight bars at the canter (eventually).  Progress.

Meanwhile, I groomed, saddled, and lounged Sister in preparation for another ride.  Sister was pretty excited and seemed to rev up as we lounged.  Pam and Jack were also lounging so maybe Sister was distracted.  We mounted uneventfully and moved off at the walk.  Canter is still not something I feel comfortable asking for, but Sister did a couple of canter steps when we leg yielded into a corner.  Overall, she felt choppier than last week although I was more confident with my aids - so it seemed to be a wash with 1 step forward - 1 step back.  But Backing was much better this week, so maybe we ended ahead? 

The wind was back on Sunday but the temp was perfect and the sun was shining.  Kale was home so we tried a little ride just for fun.  The arena footing was like working in cake - not wet exactly (except in spots) but heavy and soft from the disking.  Splash broke a sweat at the walk.  We finished with a trail ride out front and back.  It was fun to see Kale back in a saddle.