Sunday, April 26, 2009

Back in the Saddle Again

I was feeling devilish when I got to the barn on Saturday. I planned to ride Jaz, and used the occasion to mess with Poco at the same time. And why not? He messes with me all the time. I greeted Jaz first and with enthusiasm. There's heavy mesh on the top half of the stalls. Mr. What-About-Me pushed his face into the side of Jaz's stall and kicked the stall door. He got scolded twice for that. When I finally did walk in to visit him, he was more interested in the grain Heather was dispensing. You aren't getting any, Porco, but have it your way. Jaz got taken outside, groomed, cooed over, smooched, and told what a good boy he is. Poco was quite verbal in his pissiness. We all had an ongoing laugh at his expense.

I need to ride my Little Man more. I need him to reteach me all the stuff it feels like I've forgotten. My balance is off, my seat and posture downright ugly. Me and trot have never quite meshed, but this was even worse than usual. I am guilty of not riding enough to remember what I've learned, much less get better. I'm back to being all over the place. I do want to get better, but the important thing is that I'm having fun.
My sweet boy doesn't need a bit. We use the Dr. Cook's.


I've discovered a flaw to the hat helmet. You can see by Jaz's tail how windy it is. I am holding my head down because the wind kept catching the hat. Note to self: use conventional helmet when windy. Jaz sez, "Make sure you get my best side, Nita."

Isn't he the cutest thing?


Trains pass all the time.
The horses don't even flinch at the air horns.



I'm really glad Nita took this picture. See how my left hip is lower? I now realize I stand and sit that way too. I need to get out my balance ball.


Licking the sweat off my hands.


Nita said she wanted a smoochie picture.


After I tacked him down, I hand grazed him for the better part of an hour, including right outside the back of Poco's stall. Poco called out and carried on, and still we ignored him. We didn't get his butt today — we had his full attention. The cherry on top was Jaz and I sharing a nice, cold, sweet Texas Ruby Red grapefruit before he got put back in his stall with an extra flake of hay. Poco was an unhappy Appy. Mission accomplished.

Chillin'

I intended to post all the weekend news & pix this evening after I got back from the barn, but I ended up not going. We've had short light periods of drizzle, light wind, and the forecast says rain until Wednesday or Thursday. Yeehaw! I will make the most of this and all of the dreary, rainy days. Rain on me!

Who knew watching grass grow could be so exciting?
This is the best this place has looked in a long time.


But it's still fragile. We need more rain.


Ch-ch-ch-chia. If this makes no sense to you, click here.


The grass is hanging onto every tiny bit of topsoil it can find.
Look at these photos from five short weeks ago.


The dog yard is so lush, Mike had to mow it. Imagine that. I'll throw common Bermuda on this whole place as soon as night time temps are in the 70s. I hope this investment pays off someday when we sell this place to another small-time horse owner.

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend with your ponies.

16 comments:

Paint Girl said...

I think you look great riding Jaz! Jaz is the cutest thing!
I bet Poco was very jealous, but never fear Poco, you will get your turn!

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

Well, it looks like you've got a nice, big place to ride with soft ground. Was this horse started in a bit and then moved into Dr. Cook's bridle?

Leah Fry said...

Jaz was started and ridden for 7-8 years in a bit. Nita still uses a bit when she rides him.

Esther Garvi said...

Aw, you and Jazz are beautiful together!! I wanted to kiss his beautiful muzzle too!

Jenn said...

It looks like you had a good ride: Grins all around! You two are SO cute together.

I use a balance ball at my desk at home and I sit on it/do stretches on it daily to help keep me honest and even. If the bosses would let me, I'd have one at work, too, but they nixed that idea.

I think we all (well, those of us without proper indoor arenas!) go through the re-learning phase every spring when things are rusty and stiff...just like our horses.

Anonymous said...

What a handsome boy he is with you riding him! I like it that you can ride him without bit. Way-back-when, my Dad and i were doing a lot of trail riding in the summer, he preferred to use hackamores on the saddle horses. We had experienced stock and probably could have ridden them in halters. Jaz must be a dandy riding pony.

Laura said...

You guys look great together! I hear you about the balance and posture thing - I struggle with that a fair bit. I keep hoping it will all click at some point. :-)

I especially liked the picture of you kissing Jaz's nose - too cute!

I'm glad your grass is growing! I think only horse owners and golfers would get excited about new grass! lol

I've been thinking about trying a Dr. Cook's - just a little hesitant on shelling out the money on yet another bridle (I have 4 for one horse...)

Chelsi said...

Girl, you are way to hard on yourself!!! No one here is going to give you a rough time (you look great so they'd have no reason too anyways!) I hate that these fugly people have us so worried about being perfect! Who cares?

Your hat looks cute and it would be annoying in heavy winds, which we have here too.

That arena looks dreamy!

Btw, I fall off my balance ball... seriously! lol I am a lost cause.

cowgirljlynn said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful ride!

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

I second Horse Crazed opinion. You have absolutely no reason to be worried. Sometimes I think twice about posting pictures or saying things I know would set that crowd into a frenzy, but I don't anymore. Since fugly got "famous", I figure I am far too insignificant to hit her radar.;)

I hear ya on horses getting used to loud noises, like the trains going by. I used to board horses next to an airforce base and the horses that I have that were boarded there are bomb-proof.

Pony Girl said...

I loved seeing the pictures of you riding your boy! ;) He is so clean! Your hat helmet is cool. I always wondered what those look like on someone's head! And the Chia Pet reference was a riot.
p.s. Did you put that 'r' in Poco's name on purpose? ;)

Leah Fry said...

PG, yes, "r" was on purpose. His mantra is, "What's in it for me? Please tell me it's food." In Parelli speak, he's almost dead center between left-brained introvert & extrovert, leaning more toward "in". AND I thought of you this weekend. Nita and I went to a tent sale at a western joint and they had a zebra striped sofa and a tiger chair, but I'm sure all of it was cowhide. I took photos but will have to email them to you. The tent was red plastic so everything looked pink! I'll need to mess with Photoshop filters.

AHCM & BECG, mostly the photos I've self-censored have been of Heather's horses. If I took a photo of one that looked a little ribby, or if one of the foals was going through that gawky stage, or if a section of the fence looked iffy, they got nixed. I HOPE I'm insignificant enough that the Fugly people don't pay attention. I would not want to put my friends in her sights. I have wanted to pose a pic of Heather's fewspot stallion, sire to these lovely foals, for awhile, but I can't bring myself to do it. You know how they are about stallions. My two horses are geldings and they are my pets, so they can fire away at them.

Isn't that arena to die for? They are hoping to someday be able to cover it.

Jenn, I realized this morning that I even SLEEP with my left hip dropped. I'll be 57 this weekend. This is probably a flaw I will take to my grave, but I can try.

Thank you all for the encouragement. Riding keeps me humble, that's for sure, or at least seeing photos of me riding does! I'm having a great time!

Anonymous said...

good on ya... i call gazi my arabian "little man" too :)
Nothing beats a good day on the horse, huh?
gp looking out at about 7 inches of white stuff... argh

jane augenstein said...

Ahhh, great pictures! I too have one of the bitless bridles by Dr. Cook. Gilly does great in it.
I too have problems with balance, but it's getting better the more I ride. I tend to drop one shoulder and tilt my head??? I need someone to coach me a lot! LOL But I still love riding, you look great on your beautiful horse. I don't show so I am not trying to be perfect, we can't all be, I just want to have fun and RIDE!!!
Any ride is a good ride!
Jane and Gilly

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Awww Jaz is so adorable! And you, too! You look great together. I love the smoochie photo. hehe!

Baby Doll goes in a Dr. Cook's, too. But she's rather opinionated and will play a tug-o-war game with me sometimes. So, I have to put her in the snaffle as a refresher/reminder of who's still in charge.

And unhappy appy indeed! lol!
Let's hope he doesn't hold it against you nest time you take him out though! gah!
Let's hope he tries to be a good boy so he can get all the lovin' and goodies, too. :)

Wow! Your Chia Pet grass is lookin' lovely! What a difference around there.

We got some grass growing a couple weeks ago, but it's already drying out. We need lots of rain badly.

Here's three cheers to more rain!

~Lisa

R Wolfe said...

Came across your blog at work...you haven't changed a bit!

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