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.