Monday, January 30, 2012

Balmy in January



Fourteen Biker Women Lunching at LaMansion in Catoosa - LART (Lunch After Road Trip) on Saturday afternoon. Luckily, the LaMansion staff love to have WWL (Women Who Lunch).  So we joined them for LAL... hahaha... Really they are just like us having lunch with their girlfriends who share their passion for riding. We ride powerful animals and they ride powerful machines. They did have matching bandanas too.





The last weekend of January was beautiful with temperatures starting off in the fifties on Saturday and almost making 60 on Sunday - way better than "almost 40."
  

The girls' lesson started late because of a couple distractions.  Sophie, Sydney's new horse got a serious laceration on her face so Dr. S. came out to sew her up - Mallory gave some medical assistance before we got going in our lesson. 

And, Cynthia was moving in with Ahab and Shadow, so Alaina was very distracted with the new Arabian and Half Arab.



Finally, the girls rode and after their lesson, Ivy jumped Pico over the BARRELS for the first time. Very Nice.

So, the ladies started late too.We had the SUPER Party Lesson with Nancy, Kathy, Mallory, Mary, me, Cynthia, and Margret.


We rode in the outdoor arena since the weather was nice and the group was so big.  Splash struggled with canter in the deeper parts and where the surface was uneven.  Even so, he was a pretty good boy.  Mallory had some lovely canters, Call looked great in the trot work and Nancy had nice canter departs both ways.  Yay!

Ivy, Alaina and I rode our horses at the Wild O Ranch on Sunday afternoon.  Steve set up a new Gate for Alaina in the grassy side arena and Ivy was set to do more JUMPS.  Steve took some pix from the top of the shed and scared poor Freako-Pico.

Pico spooked at                   Sunny resisted the
      low jumps on Sunday.                                                           grass temptation.





Ivy took pictures so I would have Blog Fodder. 



The weather is great for now, but cold rainy weather is in the forcast later this week.  If so, the groundhog will not see his shadow and we will have an early spring.  YaYa.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Return of the Cold Front


Or maybe just cloud cover. 

Mallory and I planned a fun Friday playing with the ponies in the 50 degree sunshine predicted. Alas, cloudy and cold was the order of the day.  It was 11am and 36 degrees and Mallory told me to get over my Miami roots, put on my boots, and come work my horse.

So, I did.  First some Clinton Anderson in the round pen - lunging for respect, desensitizing/rope, yeilding the hind quarters, desensitizing/string, flexing, and a bit of backing.  Then, up to the arena for some basic flat work.  Splash was a pretty good boy.  The deep, sandy arena is hard for Splash but he gave mostly good efforts in canter departs with just one wrong lead at the start.  Then, we concentrated on forward trot and some stand/trot transitions.  Finally, for cool down, we did some turns on forehand and haunches.  I tied Splash to the trailer for a cool down and "lesson setting" while I watched Mallory work Sister in the round pen.  Sister is pretty responsive to all the exercises but has a residual kernal of resistance - but I know Mallory will prevail.

Meanwhile, my Saturday Party Lesson is a no-go and I will be in Stillwater for a 4-H training while Patty and Kathy are at the AGM.  Perhaps I can sneak a ride in Sunday morning between the cold fronts.  YaYa.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Wild Life

Alaina and Sunny working at the Rocking C

Saturday lesson for Ivy and Pico

Furball needs a SPA day

Pico

Rooster at the Wild O Ranch

Sunny and TC

Sunny and TC
Ivy and Alaina with their mounts

Sunday, January 8, 2012

New Year - New Horse

Well, not really.  It's just that with the unseasonably lovely weather for January in OK, I have managed more riding than usual.  And, the result?  If I didn't know better, I would think Splash was a really good horse.  After 4 riding days over the New Year's weekend, Splash and I worked 3 days over this past weekend.

Friday was Fabulous. So Mallory and Trouper picked us up and Splash and I joined the YaYa's at Oolagah (Centennial Trailhead) for a ride up Kite Hill.  Riders inclued:  Rita, Patty, Sherry, Lila, Marsha, Judy, Mallory, Amy, Linna, and me.  For the record - Kite Hill is way to steep for Splash - and for me.  We had a wonderful time anyway and the view from the top while picnicking with good friends was great.  Splash and I survived the trip downhill and Rita thinks I won't have any qualms about the slopes at her place from now on.  Hmmmm.

Saturday we joined Mallory, Mary, and Nancy for the Party Lesson with Lunch at Ramona's.  We worked on trot serpentines, sitting trot/collection, and then canter departs and canter circles.  Slash was really good in trot work sitting and posting and, after one left lead depart that should have been right, we had good canter work as well - only one instance of dropped gait.  We even did a little cone weaving at walk and then trot.


Sunday was cool but still warm for January.  I got Splash tacked up and we worked in the Wild O Arena for about 30 minutes before Ivy and Pico joined us.  Splash was a bit tense working on his own but it was good for him.  After Ivy jumped Pico at several levels of our jumps, Splash and I went around the front pasture all alone.  He was very good.  Perhaps Splash is my new horse after all.  YaYa!


Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy 2012!



The Walkerosa was beautiful on January 1, 2012 for the our first trailride of the year - sunny with a high of 55 degrees and light breezes.  Fantastic day and a fantastic ride.  Eighteen riders and one walker wearing mud boots to keep her feet dry.  After our ride, we shared potluck with a couple ways to eat blackeyed peas, cowboy chilli, cranberry salsa, salad, brownies, pie, Juli's beer bread, etc..... YUM! 

Reese was wearing his New Year's tiara and all the mounts were very good.  Ivy and Pico found a jump to play over and Alaina and Diez tried to outwalk the walkers in the front.  Splash and Sunny brought up the rear most of the time with Tater and Rio.



We had lovely weather last couple of weeks of 2011 and the girls and I had several horsey outings including a visit to Rita's last week to play with Fresians!  Cindy H (Duchess Desires a Fresian), Sherry B and the Hays family joined in too. Ivy and Alaina rode both Silka and Jurgan; I took a quick turn on Jurgan and now have a new YaYa name (Duchess Also Desires a Fresian!).  Cindy rode a walker out back and Alaina took Silka through the woods.  When we were finished in the back field, we put a sidesaddle on Splash just for fun.  Alaina and Abbi managed a quick trot, but I was testing my balance limits at the walk.  Splash wasn't really into it but didn't object either.

Splash has been good during our last couple of lessons at Patty's - trot work is really improved, forward and more consistant contact with the bit.  His walk is still sluggy and right lead canter difficult to maintain, but both are very slowly getting better.

So, 2012 lies ahead and I look forward to working with Splash to develop his abilties beyond Into Level.  Cross Fingers.  Ivy and Pico need to really refine their First Level movements and Alaina and Sunny will consider a move into Pri Caprilli.  And, Maybe... Splash and I will try a western dressage class or two.

And as many YaYa Rides and we can manage.