Happy April!!

Here's a trivia fact that's funny but true: my parents were married on April Fool's Day in 1967. They have yet to call the joke off...

My oldest niece, Samantha (Sammie), just celebrated her fourth birthday a few days ago. It's amazing how quickly the time flies! My younger niece, Nicole, will turn one at the end of the month.

Another exciting recent development would be my first ride of the year on each of my hairy ponies! I haven't made a lot of time to work with them, as busy as I've been lining up my new job and getting the house ready to sell. I decided on Friday that I would ride them both, wind or not (the wind had been blowing nonstop since the weather started to warm up--big surprise in Iowa, let me tell you...).

Jazzy was such a sweetheart! I had not ridden her since July, due to various reasons (abscess, crack in hoof from abscess down that had to grow out, starting Caly, getting trail time on Zep, weather). She had no objections to me saddling her at liberty. She stood perfectly for me to mount, and walked off with just the slightest squeeze of the leg. She resisted turning to the right (the side with her partially blind eye), but she didn't act up at all. I kept her in the round pen, and we trotted a little bit before I called it good. I retrieved Zeplin from where I had tied him on the outside of the pen (that boy really needs to work on standing tied patiently again--he used to do it very well). Jazzy settled in easily on the rail.

Zeplin is a four year old. Anyone who has dealt with a horse of this age (equitable to a human teenager) understands exactly what that means. He currently has the attention span of a gnat, distracted by everything and desiring to test his limits. He is far too comfortable around me and follows me happily, but he doesn't like my attempts to send him away. The best way for me to get him to longe is using a plastic sack on a stick, but he doesn't listen like Jazzy. I'm sure a lot of it is my own inexperience as a trainer, but one thing I really like about Jazzy is how responsive she is to my cues. I'm positive that it's because she grew up basically untouched. Zeplin is a spoiled brat, and while he knows better than to try to run me over or crowd my space, he still needs constant reminders of his place lower down in the herd (and not just from me, from Jazzy as well!!). This spring I'm going to have to step up his groundwork a LOT!!

Zeplin mouthed at everything while I groomed him (still building a second horse from his shedding hair). He didn't mind being saddled (at liberty) until I tightened the girth. However, in the end he realized he wouldn't escape his fate, so he allowed me to finish tacking him.

Mr. Antsy didn't want to stand still so I could get on him, so I stood on the overturned water trough I use as a mounting block and circled him around me whenever he scooted his furry butt away from me. Finally he was lined up next to me and stood still while I leaned over him and slapped at the saddle. However, once I swung my leg over, off he went again! Such a little turd!

I got Zep to stop briefly while I settled myself in the saddle and found the stirrups. He parked out, bracing against my weight. Just the slightest nudge and we were off, walking both directions of the roundpen. I kept him to a walk because he wouldn't relax and he felt testy. After a short time of reminding him to pay heed, I asked him to exit the roundpen and we walked into the yard.

Zeplin remained tense while we walked in circles in the pasture. He tried acting up a bit, but this boy lets you know years in advance when he's thinking of being naughty, and I easily diverted him with more work. He searched for things to balk at, and he tripped the first time I directed him over a log because he wasn't paying attention to where he placed his feet. We had a few episodes and fits, but for the most part he listened to my direction. I kept him to a walk because he never truly relaxed. I'm sure the wind didn't help at all.

Saturday I rode Jazzy again, but cut it short when Zeplin managed to open the clasp on his leadline and escape being tied to the rail. I sighed and slid off my patient red mare, quietly and quickly catching Zeplin to return him to his place on the panel. After that I worked Jazzy a little at liberty, then took her out still saddled to graze while I grabbed the silly gelding.

I pressed Zeplin around me using the leadrope as a longe whip. He bucked and kicked at me, but he moved his feet as I asked. My time was short, as I had promised Julie that I would help her put the second ride on her nearly three year old Westfalen gelding, Parker (aka The Mountain).

Way back at the end of February, I held Parker so that Julie could climb on his big back for the first time. She wasn't on him very long, and he remained on the leadline. The most exciting part came when she asked him to sidepass over to the bucket she used as a mounting block so that she could dismount. He understood and complied without a second thought!

Now it was time for the first ride off the line. I held Parker while Julie mounted, then I climbed on Vivian and rode around Julie's arena. Parker was hesitant and a bit sticky, but he didn't offer Julie any trouble. She rode him in a new rope hackamore.

Julie has done a lot of preparatory work with Parker (registered as Perpetual Motion). He has a very thorough and solid groundwork foundation. Parker will turn three next month. I have mentioned his dam, Hannah (TB), previously. His sire is the beautiful and extremely talented Pablo, who stands at Rainbow Equus Meadows in California. This boy is going to be HUGE (I tell Julie that he's definitely going to make it to at least 17 hands) and will be able to jump the moon when he's fully mature.

Towards the end of our session, Parker started to develop a little more confidence, and he slowly followed Vivian around the outer limits of the arena.

Julie worked Parker for about half an hour before sliding off his back and returning him to the barn. I continued to putz around the arena on Vivian, but the normally compliant grey mare felt pissy that day. She called after Parker frantically and refused to relax. After a time of walking her around the arena where she threw fits at little things, I stepped down and let Julie deal with her moodiness. It was most likely a combination of the wind and her being in season, since I know she's normally obedient and reliable.

The rest of the weekend consisted of more work on the house and little horse time. I probably won't have the chance to ride again until Thursday, that is if it's not raining!