Monday, June 21, 2010

Once It's In Perspective...

I can get as frustrated as I want with how things have been going in competition with Moon, but really...In the grand scheme of things...

It's not that big of deal. Frustrating. But nothing I cannot fix in due time. It's just one of those things that more often than not crop up.

Deciding not to go to the NBHA run this last weekend took a lot of pressure off and gave me a chance to slow down and spend some time with the kiddo and just have fun.

Well most of it was fun. On Saturday, my big buckskin creamed me again. For no reason really. Him and I...We had it out. When the dust settled...it was a tie. He made me eat dirt, I made him regret it.

So on Sunday, I decided Meg and I needed to go to another one of the local playdays. She loves going and having fun on her big blue horse...

BTW-Meg had the fast time of the day in barrel racing. She even beat all of the adult times. Seems the blue horse is finding new gears. ;-) She was very, very happy, as was I for her!!!

I decided the buckskin needed to feel what tired was. I saddled him up first thing in the morning and after seeing how tense he was thought that he probably needed longed first. I haven't longed him before riding him in a couple of years. It was a good call. That big yellow dummy blew up and made a complete fool of himself. I made him go until he grew a brain back and tied him up in the corral until we were ready to go to the playday. Loaded everyone up, him included...still saddled BTW and headed out.

I also took the paint gelding, Turk. He needs some exposure too. Megan is always so good about ponying my horses for me while I am doing sign-ups...
It's also a really good thing to do, if you are not certain how a horse is going to react to all of the commotion at public events.

Turk did really, really well. He is such a handsome boy...
I was going to use him in the events, but the ground was too hard for him. In his youth, Turk just about cut his right front foot off and it took a few years for it to heal. He's actually sound on that foot, but seems to be struggling with his left front. I believe it can be corrected by getting him shod, but I wanted to see how he did barefoot. Now I am on the hunt for a good farrier. We'll get him fixed up and see what he can do. He's actually taking this 'town horse' thing really well considering he has never experienced it before.

Much better than this do-do, who has been hauled thousands of miles already...

No worries though...After being camped on for 9 hours...Frosty had a completely new attitude today. He's thinking maybe he ought to give the 'grown up' horse thing a chance-LOL.

I do not believe in being cruel to a horse when they act stupid. Although, there were a lot of mean thoughts going through my head as I was picking myself up out of the dirt on Saturday. But I do believe in making them work their hinney's off for...oohhhh...two or three M.O.N.T.H.S! Frosty has never had that, but he's going to get it now. Time for the big baby to grow up.

Today, we headed over to the neighbor's place to rope...


We had a total blast and are headed back again tomorrow morning. By the time we left all 4 horses that we took over; Moon, Frosty, Rip and Spooks were nice and tired. We had working horses under us again...and boy does that feel good!

8 comments:

Kristen said...

great pics! Sounds like a great weekend! I just love that big blue boy! My dun got me off a few weeks ago, not sure what got into her. I had been riding for 45 minutes already and she bucked, I yanked her head, then she reared, and I tumbled off the back. Damn mares, this is why I swore against owning another one and look when I did, went and bought her! lol

p.s. way to go on being such an involved mom! What I would have given to have my mom even pretend to care about what I was doing with my playdays and rodeos etc...

Sherry Sikstrom said...

Some wet saddle pads for that boy! I like the paint!

Mikey said...

Oh girl, I hear you so loud and clear. I had Monte buck on me the other day, I swear, it's been years since he's even tried. Made me mad... and he got to work hard. Big jerk.

I gotta say, GO MEG!! and that big blue horse. He's a keeper. I bet they kick some butt. I can't wait for more!!

Laura said...

Sounds like you got Frosty's number all right! I like the idea of making them work hard when they are being naughty - seems like a great concept.

I also think it is great that you and Meg ride together so much! Will you adopt me??? I would love to learn to ride a working horse and go to rodeos (even as a groom!)

Anonymous said...

It's amazing how quickly a wet saddle blanket can turn around a stinky attitude (grin). Wish I could do that with my middle school students sometimes... My trainer will take a stinky youngun' and park the offender on the rail, tied to a stout indoor arena timber (small ones are 4x4s, he has one Really Stout 12x12!). Amazing how a few days of "talk to the post" while other horses work around them changes a stinky attitude.

Miss Mocha definitely does better with near-daily rides. She likes the work and thrives on it. The wetter the saddle blanket, the better!

Leah Fry said...

Turk is so handsome!!

And sistah, I am so with you on some of them needing to know what tired is. I am still on blogger time (as opposed to real time) from being on blogcation, so stay tuned for an episode involving running a pony til he begged me to stop ;-)

Glad you're okay from getting dumped.

Crystal said...

Amazing what a few days of hard work does for thier attitude :) They all need a reminder everynow and then, some more than others.

Unknown said...

Yes great pictures! In them at least looks like you guys had a blast. Also I am glad you got a chance to slow down a little, you sounded really stressed about Moon.