Spring Fever!

It feels like a broken record when I say Dancer is a mess. Today he is covered in dry manure...Yippe! This picture is from a few weeks ago, but I couldn't resist showing that he loves laying down.

Despite the hour of brushing, his rump was still pure dust. Oh well, his ears were up and he was ready to go.

I decided to saddle him up, but start by lunging him at the end of the hay field. This is where he has found something to spook at. I thought it was the phone box, but now I think it may be either the lamas down the road or the turkeys in the bush.

We went out prepared to lunge. What a great walk on such a beautiful, warm and sunny day. The wind was quite strong and I should have realized as we began that Dancer was going to give me a run for my money. He was skitterish around the mail box, then he walked so quickly as we progressed to the far end of the field. We managed about ten minutes of quiet walk and trot on the lunge line, then we progressed to the problem area. I could not get him to settle down, so I could only walk him up and down. I walked in the deep dry grass at the side as well. He tried taking off, bucking and kept up with the skitterish attitude. I wish I knew what was bothering him.

Usually Dancer is the most stable, solid horse. He even lets the goats, chickens and geese run under his feet. Oh, and when I lunge him in the outdoor arena, a cat comes and chases the whip - that doesn't faze him.

What can I do to help Dancer...and me?

Well this is where I have decided that my fitness is fitting into the horse activities. We were in the field walking up and down, with some trotting for over an hour. Add that to my hour of brushing and sweeping, that is a total of 2 exellent fun filled hours.

I let Dancer loose in the outdoor arena after I was finished. I asked him to trot and he started trotting around the outside, then all of a sudden he was galloping like alunatic. I asked him to trot throught to a stop and he did. He turned for me but just broke into a gallop. Maybe I should chase him in the arena and work off a bit of his spring fever before I lunge and ride!

Snow!!

With snow in the air, Dancer was quite eager today. He was ready to leave the field meeting me at the gate. This meant he crossed the puddle, usually he waits on the other side and I have to lead him around it. As usual, the mud at the gate is still deep and sticky. I managed to keep my boots on. Today, Nava stayed back not crossing a puddle of water.

Leading Dancer in, I could feel that he was full of beans. I put him in cross ties facing outside. It took ages to brush him. Thank goodness for Joan's brush, it really helps with the shedding. I pulled a wee bit of his mane and will have to remove a bit each day. It grows quickly. I just can't get it all to stay one one side...any ideas about this?

Andrew, my son, is holding the baby bunny that were nesting underneath the geese.

The snow and wind put me off from riding today. I got something in my eye, so I wasn't feeling quite happy. We managed some ground training. He lunged very well at the walk trot. I have to work on the canter. I was pleased that he was responding to the voice commands.

Rosie arrived at the barn...she rescued me and took the hair out of my eye!
She informed me of the latest barn info. It is sad and unfortunate that at the barn in the last two days, a wild animal killed the ducks and two of the geese. The goats, guinea hens, chickens, two geese and all the rabbits are fine. But we will miss these elegant geese.

After brushing Dancer off, sweeping the hall and putting all the bits away Rosie and I walked him back down to the paddock.

I met Rosie's Mum and we had a cup of tea. Her friends phoned, they are fundraising for the local Pony Club. They are having an afternoon tea and fashion show. This is going to be fun as they are exhibiting horsey clothing. I asked for two tickets to the event and plan on taking Joan. I will have to talk to a few other friends to see if they want to go as well. I think this will be a fun afternoon. Then, they turned up. I at last have met Tracy and Crystal. We went outside and continued to drink in the garage....tea for me. Had a great time and look forward to future riding.

Muddy Marvels

Yes, it is still muddy. The little bit of rain we had has contributed to it. I am still wearing my wellingtons! Oh well, spring is here and we are almost through the mud.

Dancer seems to like the mud as he was covered on both sides today. Even his head and ears had mud on them, what a sight. But it does help remove his winter coat. I have spent over an hour brushing him, once again.

We lunged for about 15 minutes in the outdoor arena. Rosie had disked it so it was much easier going than the other day. I think I am getting just as much of a work out as Dancer is.

We then went for a quiet ride in the hay field. At least I thought it was going to be quiet. The wind was tremendous causing lots of bits floating through the air. Dancer didn't seem to mind, though he was still concerned with the phone box on the other side of the road. A police car went screaming by and that didn't even phase him.

Beside the hay field, I think there was a creature in the woods. It might have been a deer. Dancer certainly wasn't interested in getting too close, though he was giving it his undivided attention. We rode further down the field away from the distractions and practiced bending at a walk and trot.

He was such a good boy today. His winter coat certainly is coming out, but he still has some rather long hair on his head, shoulders, legs and belly. I bought him a flax additive for his feed. This will bring a nice shine to his new coat.

Hairy Conniptions!

Dancer was very muddy yesterday - stem to sterm. I almost lost my wellies bringing him through the gate, as the mud is so intense. Then Nava, the other horse in the field, saw an opening and tried to escape. I quickly squelched my way through the gate, holding Dancer and fending off Nava. She was upset we were leaving her. Lately she has become quite pushy at the gate.

Dancer grew an amazingly thick coat this winter. We had temperatures of below -20C and Dancer was outside all winter. He only wore a rain coat on rainy days. Since he has a touch of Clyde in him, he was shaggier than a Shetland pony!

Now that we have temperatures of +25C he is shedding. My horsey sister, Joan, lent me a different brush. It is shaped like a bear paw and has large plastic nubs on it. I have a smaller version, but tried this one and it really works. Dancer has shed at least one grocery shopping bag every day lately. My biceps are getting a work out. The unfortunate part of this is that Dancer still looks mangy and dusty despite all my hard work. But, I am seeing glimmers of a summer coat across his chest.

Lately Dancer has become friends with the little beige and white goat. She has no name, so I am going to have to think of one.

Andrew, my son, thinks we should call the goat LBG for little beige goat and then L for short, after Reece Witherspoon in Legally Blond... don't ask me where that came from.

When grooming Dancer, this little goat stands on the other side of him then we switch sides. I can imagine this little goat following us during training in the arena or pleasure riding in the fields and forest.

A sure sign of spring is the sound of the spring peepers. Not only are there baby frogs, but there are baby rabbits too. Rosie, the owner of the barn, found the goose nesting with three little baby rabbits under her her! What a funny place this is!

Yesterday, my little sister Laurie took her children snake hunting. Usually at Easter it is for eggs, but with her inquisitive boys, snake hunting was a success. Well, for Laurie it was a success as they found no snakes!

Riding Again

It's hard to believe after 24 years I own a horse once again. I gave up riding while expecting my second child, Lisa. Life passed by and I was called back to horses once again. My sister Joan was the catalist drawing me back. After unsuccessful leasing, then sharing her horse Stevie, my dream boy came up for sale.

The day before my daughter's wedding I found out that Dancer was for sale. I had leased him in the past and loved him. I agonized over this as we were heading on a three month trip to New Zealand following the wedding.

Well, I managed to fit in the vetting, the purchase, finding the stable (with friends to care for him ), in a few short weeks then left him for three months. It was very hard.

I arrived home at Christmas to deep snow and limited riding as there is no indoor arena here. But, spring is here and we are now out riding in the mud and I mean mud! My boots have been suctioned off a couple of times when leading Dancer through the gate and chasing his roomie, Nava, away.

The sun is shining and I can't wait to get riding.