Tuesday 22nd January
Well the last two days we've been having snow blizards, horizontal winds/snow and a complete white out of the views ;( Horses are a bit tired from having to stand out in it and we're SO glad they've had their rugs on to keep them warmer and not stressing about food.
Drifts on the track up to our house are in some places over 4' deep and could only walk dogs directly in front of the house as drifts both ways were over my boots, then up to my thighs and we couldn't walk any further...it's exhausting. Managed to help Mark shovel the snow away from the main gate ready for getting out when we can for more supplies but for now we just have to sit this out and pray that it stops soon. Feel worst about the horses, out there all hours in this wind and snow ;( But at moment they are at least hiding behind the garage where it's a bit less stormy.
Drifts on the track up to our house are in some places over 4' deep and could only walk dogs directly in front of the house as drifts both ways were over my boots, then up to my thighs and we couldn't walk any further...it's exhausting. Managed to help Mark shovel the snow away from the main gate ready for getting out when we can for more supplies but for now we just have to sit this out and pray that it stops soon. Feel worst about the horses, out there all hours in this wind and snow ;( But at moment they are at least hiding behind the garage where it's a bit less stormy.
Our house this morning.....picturesque
Dogs were having huge problems trying to get out
for their walk, it was deeper than Rusty is tall !
being rugged for once ;)
they can, it's a bit calmer there....Tara, wisely
keeping out of herd dynamics over in the other paddock ;)
Thursday 17th January
Very cold today but snow nice and solid, not slushy or melting SO, out again for a very short session to see how Stormy take to pulling my weight on the sled!
Just slight changes today, I put his sidepull bitless bridle on and am using 2 very long flat lunge reins so that when I get to the sled I have plenty of rein left...the 22' lines were only just making it back there! lol.
Firstly I take him on a 'tester' walk the whole length of the track I'm going to use for sledging, just to make sure our stop/go/left/right.backup are working from zones 2, 3, 4 and 5 ;) all perfect. Back at the home gate I put the harness on him, he's really understanding why I need his head down now! lol. Then I turn him and we walk down the small slope to the house with me dragging the sledge. I take it rather than put it on him as I don't want the sled sliding into his back feet down the hill.
At the bottom of the hill I attach the sled to the swingle tree and then to the traces of the harness and then we're off on the next 'test'....pulling the sled behind him without my weight on it.
Just slight changes today, I put his sidepull bitless bridle on and am using 2 very long flat lunge reins so that when I get to the sled I have plenty of rein left...the 22' lines were only just making it back there! lol.
Firstly I take him on a 'tester' walk the whole length of the track I'm going to use for sledging, just to make sure our stop/go/left/right.backup are working from zones 2, 3, 4 and 5 ;) all perfect. Back at the home gate I put the harness on him, he's really understanding why I need his head down now! lol. Then I turn him and we walk down the small slope to the house with me dragging the sledge. I take it rather than put it on him as I don't want the sled sliding into his back feet down the hill.
At the bottom of the hill I attach the sled to the swingle tree and then to the traces of the harness and then we're off on the next 'test'....pulling the sled behind him without my weight on it.
I put the chains from the end of the harness
up a bit to make it a bit shorter from sled to his bum
and it looks and feels like a good length...
too long before hand ;)
where the trees are we turn
After we've turned around I decide it's time to just get on the sled and see how it goes. I also had a good tip from Mark and that was to try kneeling on the sled rather than sitting down. If kneeling I can get off quicker, rearrange my balance quicker and also think about standing up if feeling brave. SO, I kneel on the sled and dear Stormy pulls his mum up the track ;)
as there is a very slight incline on this piece of track
him get the sledge around the corner...then decided on a whim
to just go for it and try STANDING on the sledge!!! ;))
YEEHAA...FUN
and knelt back on the sledge but quickly had my front
left leg ready to try standing again....this now
is at the bigger hill up to our house gate and Stormy
is putting in the start of a trot ;)
the incline, Stormy putting weight into the harness,
him going into trot, my standing up and being
balanced and yeehaa....sledging ;)
Wednesday 16th January
Today is dry again, very very cold but another opportunity to put in some long reining time with Stormy and try to progress it a bit.
SO, back to the long reins without harness for one pattern, the pattern now is: walk down track, turn right and walk down another track to where I put the sled earlier then halt, backup, turn and walk back down the hole length of the track to the house gate. THEN, backup, turn and repeat back to the sled ;)
Today went well, we did one pattern in walk with just the reins, one over his back. One pattern with the half harness on and then back with him actually pulling the sled ;)
SO, back to the long reins without harness for one pattern, the pattern now is: walk down track, turn right and walk down another track to where I put the sled earlier then halt, backup, turn and walk back down the hole length of the track to the house gate. THEN, backup, turn and repeat back to the sled ;)
Today went well, we did one pattern in walk with just the reins, one over his back. One pattern with the half harness on and then back with him actually pulling the sled ;)
Just recapping what we did yesterday before
putting the harness on ;)
So I move further back behind him
Sled is so light he probably doesn't even feel it! lol
Tuesday 15th January
Decided that not much to be done with the snow about, did some HA the other day but really not a good idea with 6" of snow down and not a clue where the lumps and bumps are in the garden....the tarpaulin, carpet square and hula hoops are hidden somewhere under the snow!! SO, what to do today whilst the sun is trying to shine, the snow is good and it's dry?
AHH, decide that it's time to give Stormy some more long reining lessons and to see if the half harness still fits him ;)
I long rein him from Zones 2, 3, 4 & 5 and with the outside rein over his back and both reins along his sides. He had a bit of difficulty keeping straight (same as when riding him) and gave him better guidance from the reins until he 'got' what we were doing more. He then went pretty well and followed the pattern that I gave him nicely. Pattern was: walk down track one way, turn, walk back. Made it easy for him to start with and did the pattern 4 times, twice with reins only then twice with half harness on.
Stormy long reining in walk from zone 4,
outside rein over back
Stormy long reining in walk from zone 5,
reins down his sides ;)
Monday 14th January
Well we had about 4" of snow yesterday and another few inches today. It started off very misty and a complete white out this morning but the sun started to shine and burned off the mist to reveal a beautiful blue sky. By lunch we got out and did a snow, horsey photo shoot with reindeer head decorations, tinsel and jingle bells...one of these pics is going to be our xmas card for this year. Talk about planning ahead! lol ;)
Will put those pics up this xmas, no peeking now I'm afraid ;)
But I did get a couple of nice pics anyway of the snow and the horses....
Beautiful Tara laying down for a nice nap on the snow
Solly and Tara 'ground tied' waiting for me to
get their decorations on. How good are my babies ;)
get their decorations on. How good are my babies ;)
I think they were looking for their treats for being so good <3>
Saturday 12th January
Good day today. Took Tara out for a nice hack around some fields she'd never been around, was a lovely change to go somewhere different. Mark then hacked Holly around the same way and enjoyed it too.
Then in the afternoon we had some nice play, first me with Solly and then Mark with Stormy. Around obstacles in the garden that I'd made up from stuff in the garage...imagination really worked hard to find things to play with. There was a curtain, fig 8, circle weave, small jump, hulahoops, stand on a carpet square, tarpaulin, sidepass over cone, umbrella, steep bank, flag, yo-yo's through gateways, a hanging dvd corridor and Colin the Caterpiller ;)
Good day's fun had by all ;))
SollyGood day's fun had by all ;))
Stormy
Friday 11th January
Just in-hand grazing today, this picture shows how big the land is in front of our cottage where we graze them, and there is another half like this behind me...no wonder they enjoy it so much ;)
That's Mark with Stormy and Holly! ;0)
Wednesday 9th January
Shoulder felt a bit better today so we took the horses out for some nice in-hand grazing. The grass on the meadow in front of our house/paddocks is lovely, long, lots of different types and they all go for the greener stuff growing under the older dead stuff on top.
Me hanging with my two beauties as they eat
Got tired so jumped on Tara's back half way
through the grazing session ;)
walked/jumped over the small stream ;)
he knew not to bump into Tara's bottom...good boy ;)
after the jump...phew...shoulder still ok ;)
Monday 7th January
Not a lot going on, dry weather, a bit chilly but I hurt my shoulder/neck by doing too much poo picking so I've had to behave and stay in for a couple of days to help it mend. I've also had some wonderful Reiki distance healing from a very good friend and student of mine who has helped me before and that really is helping to get it sorted quicker ;)
On that note I only got one picture from today....Solly being taller than Stormy!!!
by placing himself half way up the 'hillock'
in the paddock...Makes Stormy look small! lol
Saturday 5th January
Mild and dry again so out to do some poo picking and Mark goes out to do some maintenance of the mats that go to and from the 2nd bridge.
Beautiful engagement and lifting of Solly's back here...
wonder what could get him to be so engaged and light?...
wonder what could get him to be so engaged and light?...
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...It was Mark bringing in the Muck Truck with some old rottenhay
for packing under the carpets and mats that lead to the bridge! lol ;)
for packing under the carpets and mats that lead to the bridge! lol ;)
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Mark packing the muddy pathway to the bridge,
carpets stripped back
carpets stripped back
Both sides of bridge now packed better,
horses give it a test to make sure all's working well ;)
horses give it a test to make sure all's working well ;)
After doing the work we go in for some lunch and a cuppa tea but then I take Tara out for a short half hour hack down the track to the first field for some w/t/c fun bareback. I try to do a bit more connected rein riding today to help her not be on her forehand so much, it went well today.
Tara and me enjoying our hack out
Last bit, canter for home ;))
Friday 4th January
Friday 4th January
Wow, another very mild, dry, sometimes sunny day today ;) What a pleasure to have this, am hoping it lasts. Horses are liking it a LOT.
Today for a change Mark and I take the boys out for a walk/play up the hill behind the house. I thought about riding Solly maybe home but didn't feel on top for today so decided not to do that. They were both quite sensitive to the walk being away from the girls but they did good play sessions and we all enjoyed our walk out. Here are some pics from the walk, enjoy ;)
Solly: 2 feet on stone mounting block
Stormy circling game with Mark on stone
Stormy: 2 feet on mounting block
Stormy: touch sign with nose
Stormy: sideways away up hill between fallen trees ;)
Stormy: sidepass between fallen tree
Solly: sideways towards fallen trees on track
Solly: sideways away through scary fallen trees ;)
Solly: S2M, backup down hill
Storm: jump fallen tree
Solly: jump fallen tree ;)
Solly: squeeze around gateway...
Solly: squeeze trot back
...and squeeze back ;)
Stormy: squeeze through gateway...
Stormy: circle on/off hill...
...and draw back nicely ;)
Solly: circle on/off hill...
...and draw back nicely ;))
Stormy: jump fallen tree on way home
Solly: jump fallen tree on way home
Mark and the boys nearly home
Me and the boys ;)
The boys at dinner time,
interesting how bonding a session together can be ;)
interesting how bonding a session together can be ;)
Thursday 3rd January
A very mild day here in Perthshire. No rain, no wind, no snow, not much sunshine BUT dry and mild. I get out and start some serious poo picking of on of the paddocks and Mark takes Holly out for a quiet, mild hack out to the village to get some electricity (Yes, they do sell it in packets now! lol). They both came back refreshed and not too tired or sweaty ;)
After I did my paddock I also then went out for a quiet hack bareback on Tara, walk, trot and 2 canters later, around a field and we'd blown out some cobwebs from our brains too...lovely to be out and about with the horses. Hope the weather is nice again tomorrow, maybe the boys can come out for a stretch too ;)
Tuesday 1st January 2013
Well it was a lovely start to the new year today, sun shining (albeit rather cold) but a GOOD day, dry and the ground was not too hard or too wet ;) SO, Mark and I and the herd went for a walk up the hill behind our house, with some grazing thrown in...nice day ;)
