January Trio

Meika, Durango and Serenity (Seray)

We all can't wait until it warms up so we can enjoy baths, grooming and riding. 

Come on springtime!  It's only January and I've already had enough of winter.  I'm sure we all have.  This winter has been especially cold.  We have well over a foot of snow and a sheet of ice under that.  Temps were below freezing for days so nothing melted. They called it an Artic Vortex.  That sounds like a drink I used to get at the Artic Circle in Rock Springs, Wyoming. 

 

Old man winter December 2013

 

Meet Honey Rose

Honey Rose is the daughter of Meika our Haflinger and J.D. aka Jade our paint mix.  She was born April 24th, 2012.  These are some of her first pictures.  She's cute, friendly and smart like her mother.  She may look like Daddy but there's a lot of Mom in her too!

Honey's mother and father:

Mixed paints

  My husband informs me that he has been dry stalling Meika to shed some weight.  Her ribs were starting to show but her belly was big and round so dry stalling was not working.

  We gelded our boy back in August when he only had one testicle showing.  We kept waiting for the other to drop and the rate would have been a lot cheaper to geld.  Our friend and trainer informs us that he can still get a female pregnant.  What??

  So what does a haflinger mixed with a paint look like?

Raindrops are falling on my head..

  Who would have thought that we would be having rain in February.  This is normally our coldest month of the year and here it it raining.  Our round pen and dry stall are both a muddy mess.  My husband saw geese this morning flying north.  I don't think they know where they are suppose to be.  We have crocus's coming up in the flower beds and I'm already seeing red breasted robins out and about.  What month is this again?

  I'm sure somebody somewhere out there is getting our weather and I apologize for that.  I sure thank you for sharing yours.

  I'm having flash backs of last years spring weather....

from WSIL photo's
This was north of Harrisburg, IL
Our roads in Murphysboro looked the same but I can't find any of my pictures.

Rescue horses

  We are currently taking care of two rescue horses from a friend of ours who needed to put on some weight.  The other horses bullied them out of the food.  Our friend who is also our trainer knew were already had a fat haffie, dogs that weren't missing any meals and then well look at us...lol

  Rascal Flats and Hank Williams are doing quite nicely and looking much better.  Both of them are very nice horses.  I don't remember Rascal's story but Hank was dumped off by a highway along with two horses and various other animals.  Nice right?

  Despite their previous situations they are doing very well, putting on weight and seem content.  Maybe we should take notes from them.  Whatever crap you've had in your past, get through it and move on.  Don't stay in the past.

Rascal and Hank

https://www.facebook.com/dogsfrommars

Dachshunds tails too

Update:  Herman (Peanut head) was adopted by a gentleman up north by Chicago.  He told MARS rescue that he was adapting well and was doing just fine.  Bye Peanut, I sure will miss you a lot.  Enjoy your new home.

We currently have 2 dachshunds and one part dachshund mix that we are fostering.
Reginald our cream colored long haired, Alexander is a smooth haired red, both 3 years old.  Herman is a Doxie mix  and he is 7 years old.  We were told he was Chihuahua/Dachshund mix but his ears don't look like it.  Does anyone has any guess's what he might be?



Reginald (Reggie)

Alexander (Xander)

Herman (Peanut head)
 

First snow today

  We woke up to some light snow this morning.  It looked pretty for awhile and then the sun came out and it started to melt.  By the afternoon it was all gone and that to me is the best kind of snow.

1st Annual Horse Fundraiser for M.A.R.S of southern Illinois

Midwest Animal Rescue Service of Southern Illinois (M.A.R.S) hosted their first annual fundraiser on
November 6, 2011.

It was as good way to learn about the Equine Rescue program and learn about taking care of horse's also.  Amy gave a short demo of  training techniques similar to "natural horsemanship".  From lunging the horse using only body language, halting, drawing in, lowering and relaxing the head.  She also showed us the proper way to hold the reins and about using leg cues.

Amy runs an not for profit animal rescue for dogs and horses.  This Horse fundraiser was to help feed and take care of her 8 horse that are currently in her rescue program.  They are costly to feed and maintain but they deserve this second chance that she is providing them.  Besides feeding and grooming the horses she also trains them and works through any disciplinary issues that they may have arrived with.
This take a lot of patience, consistency, devotion, and above all else...love of what you do.

Pokey

All but one of the horses in the pictures are horse's in her rescue program.  Pokey is one of her boarder horse's that is currently in training along with the owner.

Fiona and friends

Fred with Big Mac

I brought my own horse to Amy last year.  She thinned down my fat haflinger and put both of us through training.  I started as a beginner since I hadn't ridden in so many years.  I highly recommend her to anyone who needs a tune up, horse needs a tune up or a complete introduction to horses, like I did.  She teaches all levels of horseback riding in both Western or English disciplines.

All donations went to the Equine rescue program at MARS of southern Illinois.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYN-9eUYajs

http://www.dogsfrommars.net/
http://www.equinenow.com/farm/midwest_animal_rescue_service.htm

Haflinger and Jersey antics

Our beloved haffie Meika and jersey cow (her best buddy) Josie decided it would be great fun rolling a square bale of hall down the hill.  My husband witnessed this and couldn't get to his camera fast enough.  Otherwise we would have pictures.
  Josie the cow is the Alpha horse when it comes to the water trough....Meika is Alpha when it comes to food.  Gotta love 'em.

New saddle for my fatty hafie

I just purchased this from my trainer/friend for my fatty hafie.  Yes, she has once again managed to put on the weight.  All I can say is she found the right family.  We understand....really we do.  But we know it's not healthy for her so we are dry stalling her a part of the day.  I already told my trainer/friend my next ride will be with her present.  I was reading on my Yahoo haflinger group about some of their horses doing the "haflinger statue".  I read that and my jaw dropped.  My hafie has done this same thing to me and not once.  I've never had a horse that just planted its feet and refused to move....never!  I will get past this and so will my horse.

Fred's birthday/Memorial weekend party

  This year we had a bbq and horseback riding party for Fred's birthday which fell on the Memorial weekend.  We started out with drinks, a nice BBQ and followed that up with horseback riding and many more drinks. I think everyone had a good time especially the birthday boy..:)

Lesson's resuming

Ok, lesson's should be starting back up after a hotter than normal summer.  It's been way too hot and humid to do anything but try and stay cool.

I can't wait and I'm eager to do some refreshers with Meika and figure out what I've been doing wrong.  Amy says it's my "mental frame of mind".  Nah, that can't be it...lol

Dirty girl and boy

  Bath time!  It's hot here so I got out the bathing suit and flip flops and grabbed the hose.  Now our dirty girl isn't so dirty anymore.

They clean up well don't you think? 

Lesson 6-22-11 Wednesday

Off night for sure.  I started lunging Meika without a lead rope which we had done before with good results.  Not tonight.  She was plugish and slow and didn't want to draw in.  She did it once and then was non compliant after that.  I put the lead rope on her twice after that.  She knows this, I know this but for some reason not tonight.

I did saddle and bridal her on my own tonight so this was a first!  The cinch was alittle loose but other than that I did it right.  Yeah me!

Fred lunged Serenity for a bit then mounted her.  He was tense for whatever reason.  At the same time Meika was giving me hell.  She knows the rails around the pen but tonight decided she didn't want to walk the rail.  I kept having to make her get closer to the rail which made me frustrated at me and her.  I don't think Fred or I were in the right mind set tonight.  More lunging, more training and more patience is in order....next time.

Sorry Amy.  We'll do better next time.  Promise.

6-15-11 Lesson

  I was a little nervous after my last ride with Meika on Sunday.  I'm fortunate to have a wonderful trainer who not only is training Meika but myself as well.  She keeps me grounded, focused and above all calm.

Amy and her gorgeous baby Appaloosa Fiona

  Before our lesson we walked around the round pen and picked up pieces of glass that seem to appear there overnight.  I'm walking and Meika's following.  I stop and bend down to pick up glass and I feel her breath on my back or butt.  It was pretty funny.  I even felt a nibble on my hat.  She can be cute.

  This afternoon I lunged Meika without a lunge line and using only a lunge whip.  Meika was wonderful.  I tried this last time the lunging went well, but the drawing in was 2 times out of 10 tries.  Tonight....4 complete draws.  I took one step back and took the draw stance, patted my thighs and made the clicking sound.  That worked each and every time.  I was so damn proud of her!

  Then we moved on to opening the gate and not letting her charge through it.  We did a lot of whoa, stopping and standing still.  Then moving up a foot and repeating that process.  Finally Amy opened up the fence to the field and Meika and I walked through it.  The main focus was getting her to turn and go past the open fence and continue on.  The first couple of times were rough but I didn't let her get away with it.  We did turn and finally walked passed it to where I wanted her to go.  Ok, got that down.  Hopefully, I can still do this without Amy.  

Sunday's ride on 6-12-11

  Fred and I decided to go riding around the smaller pasture with Meika and Serenity our boarders beautiful paint horse.  Serenity was busy giving Fred a hard time apparent she wasn't used to the bridal after our trainer fixed it the right way.  They had all the bits going the opposite way for some reason.  We decided that she probably needs a broken snaffle bit vs the leverage bit she is currently using.
  So Meika in the mean time is having her own set of issues.  I'm anxious for some reason.  I tried 3 different times to back off and just chill.  I now have mounted her 3 ocassions and dismounted when I didn't feel comfortable.  Meika is feeding on all of this.  Poor baby she has such a neurotic mommy.  Damn shame!
  I finally gave up but not wanting to end on a sour note, I led her to the round pen and mounted her again.  She just didn't want to listen to me.  I ended up letting Fred ride her which probably wasn't a good idea for reasons I won't go into.  She is my horse and she needs to know and listen to me is the bottom line.
  There are days when I just love her and see us riding off into the sunset at a ripe old age....then there are other days when I want to sell her on Craigslist and buy something I can ride.  Not sure what that is...lol

Water baby 5-11-11

Ok, not exactly but Amy did get in her the water and not just once.  A couple of time she was even playing with the water.  It was so cute.

Mother's day ride

  Today Amy came over to go for a ride with Meika and I.  We still have flood waters at the end of our road and she wanted to see if she could get Fiona in the water.  Fiona loved it and even went for a swim with Amy.  


  Meika was a different story.  Amy doesn't think she has ever been on a trail ride in her life.  Meika didn't seem comfortable with following or leading.  She also seemed to have barn sour going on even tho we don't have a barn per say.  She had a real problem with my neighbors driveways, one of which has horses.  Both driveways connect to their horses so either one was good for her.  I would try and turn her one way and kick her to go forward and turn her again and kick her and she would turn and back up.  I was becoming flustered and frustrated to say the least.  That didn't help matters.  I finally got her moving with the help of Amy.  We walked back up towards my place and turned in, Meika started trotting back home.  As she was turning in I started turning her back around.  I did this several times, the last time she hit the electric fence and got shocked.  Amy said she high stepped out of the wire and then did a sharp turn with her backside.  That's when I slid off still holding the reins.  I told her good cowgirl up.

This old cowgirl is nursing left butt cheek and right clavicle tonight.

All in due time....baby steps until then

4-29-2011 Lesson "Cowgirl Up"

Tonights lesson was both good and bad.  It seemed like all the animals were stirred up for whatever reason.  One horse and one cow both in season.  A 2 year old colt realizing his manhood...yikes!  Lets throw in a ground pen built on unlevel land where Jadie managed to squeeze out of during his training.  Everyone seemed to be having a day.  But, like Amy says "stop making excuses, they will do what you ask of them"

Meika did fairly well in the round pen.  It was a different story outside of the pen.   We traded places and I rode Meika outside of the round pen and Amy took Jadie into the round pen to start lunging him.  At first things were going fine.  She gave me a bit of trouble when I asked her to turn around and go.
She kept giving me trouble around the hitching post.  I would turn her and she would act like the  only way she wanted to turn was into the hitching post.  I really think she had had enough and was letting me know.  Still no excuse.

I was too busy being the bossy one, the one where you will go for me only frustrating both of us.

I started turning her one way and then the opposite way and then for good measure tried backing her up.  She had enough of me and layed down.  I first thought she was stumbling but no, she went down!  I quickly got off of her thinking she was going to roll but she didn't.

Amy came over and asked if she could borrow her.  She wanted to make sure we didn't end on that sour note. I gladly handed her the reins.  She and Meika went for a walk down the road where she behaved quite nicely after that.  She brought her back and we unsaddled her and let her go eat with the rest of them.

Meika sunning back in March

Flood waters putting a damper on things

Horse training for today has been cancelled.  We have had so much rain that we now how a lake in our backyard.

Our neighbors next door are going to have to move their horses if the flood level gets any higher.

Looks like we are having a dry spell from now until Sunday and then it starts all over again.

Our road is flooded out towards the north of us

This has been the wettest spring I've ever seen here.  We've had 10 inches of rain in the past 4 days, plus about 4  tornado warnings so far.  Very scary considering it's only April!

The flood in our backyard