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

Learning how to lunge Meika

Too old to learn new tricks?

Last June I saw an add on Craigslist for Horseback riding lessons.  We had just bought our first horse in April.  We had our neighbors friend coming over to help me ease back into the saddle, although we didn't have a saddle just yet.  She was nice and showed up a couple of times then stopped coming.  I thought great, now what?

Then I saw Amy's ad on Craigslist.  My first thought was am I really too old to learn this again?  I haven't ridden since my 20's or 30's and here I am in my 50's.  

The answer I realized was no.  However, the method of riding that I once knew is out of date.  Growing up our family spent our summers in Utah visiting our grandparents.  I have the best of memories of those times.  We helped feed cows, chickens, drank Ironports at the soda fountain in town and rode the neighbors horses.  The kick and go method I knew has been replaced by Natural horsemanship.

My lesson with Amy

Me and Meika

I've been going to lessons once a week since last July.  I really enjoy it and can't wait to start up lessons again now that winter is finally over.  I saw ladybugs on the porch door so I think that spring is on its way.  

"When you count your blessings, count your horse twice."

"When you're young and you fall off a horse, you may break something.  When you're my age, you splatter.  ~Roy Rogers"

Our little Haffie named Meika

  We bought our first horse last spring.  We were told she was a 4 year old Haflinger mare but it turns out she is closer to 7 instead.  She is beautiful with big brown eyes, likes people and loves to be groomed.

  She also loves Sweet feed and to graze free range.  Unfortunately, she put on too much weight so the Sweet feed and free range snacking had to come to an end.  She wasn't real happy about this.  No one likes to diet, not even horses.

Being a big girl with a lack of manners, she tended to be a bit pushy and tried real hard to show she was the one running things.  This was a hard time for me.  I thought I had waiting so long to own my own horse and this one is proving I don't have what it takes.
Double check here.....I need a trainer and I do have what it takes and if I don't....I will have!