Cantering on the lunge

Well I have to fess up. Dancer had a bit of an accident a few weeks ago. Bear the dog started barking and the goats fled the scene sending Dancer bucking while cantering. I could not believe my eyes when he landed the buck on his front quarters, but his hind quarters slid out from under him.

I thought he was going to have a serious injury. Well Dancer was fine. I wasn't. I have had trouble asking him to canter for fear of a repeat performance.

Today my sister Joan came out and sorted us out. She had Dancer cantering both directions, even galloping. Bear reacted, luckily the goats were not on the scene and Dancer only tried a few bucks. He loved the gallop so much that I had no trouble asking for a trot when riding. Instead of the sluggish trot he had been trying with me he was much more enthusiastic.

What a great time I had with Joan. We will have to do this again next week.

Riding Lessons

Dancer and I are having riding lessons at last. He and I are no longer going to be plodding around the arena or shying - willy nilly

I heard peeping in the shrubbery today. I wonder if the other guinea hen has hatched a brood, or perhaps it is a wild bird's nest of hatchlings?

Our lesson was on Tuesday and a lot has happened in the past week. My friend Marnie came for a ride and Dancer was such a gentleman with her.

Earlier in the week, we rode on the lane, up the side of the road. Dancer seemed to enjoy himself, I know I was. Unfortunately, when we approached the hay wagon he decided there was something scary there. He shied, but I stayed on and we managed to inspect the hay wagon thoroughly. I plan on only riding in the hay field when there is someone home at the farm.

On the weekend Rosie and Rod worked on the new fields in the back pasture. After my ride I treked out back to see what they were up to. The were putting in over fifty fence posts. The dogs were hiding under the trailer to keep out of the heat, but came out to see me.

Today we had a great lunge. Dancer walked, trotted and stopped on command. It was quite hot so we stayed in the shade of the trees. Then we played for a while. I had Dancer help me push the barrel around the arena. He is now trying to push it himself.

Harry our cat is trying to help me with this blog. He keeps climbing on the keyboard and rubbing against my hands. He is such a little helper.

Dancer and I worked for half and hour. The breeze kept the heat at bay. We practiced going from a walk to a trot and eventually he was trotting on command. Though he still does to take off in a straight line... we will work on this. Also, we practiced his flection, backing and finally the dismount.

I took Dancer into the barn, untacked and gave him a sponge off. He loved that. We will have to try a bath. I will have to ask Rosie about using the hose to bathe a horse.

Today we handled the treats differently. I took Dancer outside and showed him a piece of the horse pattootie - his favourite treat. Then I asked him to bow. He did it!!! I took him to the pasture took his halter off then used the second treat and asked him to bow again. I will have to get pictures! What a great morning we had.

Missing Dancer!

I won't be seeing Dancer until next week. We are off to Grandma's house.

To keep me out of mischief I have a knitting and a rug hooking project to work on ... if I have time.

I am going to miss our cats, Harry and Oli too!

At Rosie's farm, where Dancer lives, I will also miss the geese, the cat, the goats, the chickens, the rabbits, the dogs and the other horses.

Collected Canter

What a great Mother's Day. Cards, flowers and fun.

My sister Laurie and the boys came for Church and lunch. She brought me lovely gifts of a knitting calendar, knitting markers and antique sock stretchers. Thank you Laurie.

Then Laurie and I made pretty knitting bags. We recycled a silk scarf to make them. We had a great time between tea, sandwiches, planning, cutting and sewing.

Then, of course, I went out to see Dancer. Today I just gave him a quick brush, then saddled him up to ride. Rosie came out to visit. I tried her saddle, which fit me much better. I am going to have to find another saddle in the near future.

Dancer was a bit sluggish to begin with. I should have lunged him first...oh well. He was also very sluggish at the trot, but eventually came around. He collected beautifully.

When I asked him to canter he kept a beautiful headset there as well. He remained collected. Between pushing Dancer in the walk and trot then riding a collected canter had quite the workout today. What a lovely ride.

Violets & Dandelions

"No hour is wasted that is spent in the saddle."
Winston Churchill

Dancer always comes when he is called. Nava follows him, then as usual she tries to escape through the gate to join us.

Friday, Dancer and I spent a happy half hour grooming. His new shoes look great. I ordered extra large bell boots for him, as the blacksmith recommended.

We managed to have an excellent lunge session. I am going to start training him to harness, then hopefully buggy.

We had a great ride. The little kitty did not come and visit us in the arena.

Dancer is still having difficulties walking in a straight line, though he trots and canters in one. I am trying to position myself carefully so it is not me causing the problem. We trotted for much longer than usual doing circles and figure eights.

We had a nice canter in either direction. Dancer wants to canter collected. He was on the wrong lead and changed automatically, that feels sort of like a buck when he is already doing a collected canter. Eventually we did a gallop around the arena. Our first gallop!
To cool off, we rode up the lanes to the road, then back along the hay field. I plan on riding bit by bit into the hay field so we can get over being scared of the wild turkeys. He isn't afraid of geese flying up under his nose, but he is afraid of the turkeys.

As I walked him back to the field, I let him nibble along the grassy lane. We had such a nice ride today.

Little Kitty is OK!

I went out to the barn on Tuesday just to see if the little kitty was ok. I caught Dancer and brought him in to put fly spray on him too.

At the barn the little kitty was eating. I put Dancer in cross ties and dug into my bag for kitty treats.

The little cat let me look over it's back legs. No broken bones. He was sore of course and there was a skinned patch on the inside of the right back leg. Luckily no skin was broken, just a clean shave.

The little kitty is not afraid of Dancer. I can only hope that it stays out of the arena from now on.

Fancy Feet

Spring has truly sprung! The apple blossums outside our house are gorgeous. I can even see the bees in the blossums from the kitchen window.

Today Dancer experienced his first pair of shoes. He was such a good boy.

Mike,

the blacksmith, has such patience with the horses. He really took his time with Dancer.

Dancer certainly was watching what was going on. He kept turning and looking over Mike.

Mike is very lucky not to have a balding spot on the top of his head as Dancer (and I am sure other horses) wanted to rest his nose there. He also was fluffing Mikes hair with his lips.

Little Kitty!

Dancer and I had a great time today.

First I groomed him. Interestingly, his mane is now on the other side. It appears to be more natural on the left than the right.

Dancer lunged well, even cantering in both directions. I rode him for over 1/2 hour then the little kitty came to visit us in the arena. Well, Dancer didn't see it and stepped on it. Boy did that cat yeowl. Dance eventually lifted his foot and the wee cat took off for the barn. It was limping on the back, so I think he stepped on its back foot.

Later after I unsaddled Dancer I looked for the kitty. I couldn't find it to check it out and hope it is ok.

Over the weekend I went to a rug hooking conference. There I learned how to hook mini memories. This is a picture of Dancer that I made.