Some Pics

Hi

Can't believe I haven't blogged since August. Simple fact is, I've actually been outside doing stuff with the boys, and by the time I come inside, I am exhausted, and really don't feel like writing. never have been a good writer, and not a godd diary keeper either. :)

The boys are living at home now, and we are down to three. Ricky Tic, Aussie and Devo. Devo has come along really well after his stringhalt, and I have just started to bring him back into work, I am so happy, and I think he is too.

So I am here to show you a couple of pics, of the boys, and their new paddocks at home. Thise who have followed Devo through his Stringhalt, and seen how absolutely ravaged his body was, just checkout his newly muscled butt, I am so happy to see him back to better health.

Ciao Claudia

Riding Ricky Tic

Yesterday I got Ricky Tic all setup, and rode him for the first time in the bareback pad. He is so very comfy to ride bareback. We did some walk and trot, transitions, trot a few steps, walk a few steps etc. I could see he was bored out of his brain after about a minute, so I got my guts together, and opened the gate, and rode him out in the play paddock, didn't get a much happier look on his face, but when I picked out a patch of grass, and rode to it, and asked him to stop, and gave him all the rope, he was very happy to munch. We did that for a few seconds, then off to another patch, etc. It was fun, and he really enjoyed it I think.

Today I played friendly game with Ricky Tic and Mossy. I started out with Ricky Tic, and did some undemanding time..... The first picture was Ricky Tic checking me out from the side of the roundyard. I was sitting on a bucket in the centre, and he stood there like that for a good ten minutes, so funny, he just couldn't work out what I was doing, but you know what, when finished, and I did some friendly game, he was sooo relaxed, he just chilled out, it was very cool. He dropped his head right down to the ground as I rubbed his ears (second Picture), and then I knelt down, and rubbed his legs, and hooves, he loved it I think, nice day.

Mossy was not so interested in looking at me, he spent the whole time looking the other way, but when he was walking around, he kept one ear on me, we did some friendly after that, then I had to rush off after feeding, pickup kids....

Ricky Tic

A lovely picture of the lovely Ricky Tic.

We had a great play on Saturday, between the rain the night before, and that night. I am planning to film my level 1 with him in a couple of weeks, so I can take him to a two day advanced clinic in September.

He did really well, the only let down was sideways, but I am sure with a little practice, we will work a lot better together. He is such a stunning horse, I am so in awe of him.

I hope to head up to the paddock shortly, and do some riding in the bareback pad. Haven't done that with him yet, but I was thinking I might do my pushing passenger in the bareback pad. Unless I get my new NP saddle before then.

A nice picture of Mossy man, having a little graze between the circle game. He is a lovely horse, very calm and happy sole.

I think with some more playing in level 1, he will be a lovely horse for Jessie to work with. he is picking up the seven games quickly, almost like he's done it all before, though I don't think so.

It's currently raining and hailing here, so I don't think there will be much riding and playing today. We have no shedding at the property, so nowhere to get the horses under to rug and saddle etc, next on the wish list. :)

Ahhh Devo

Well Devo is getting over what we are sure was Stringhalt Type A, and is slowly looking healthier, slowly. His movement is still not great, it looks like his back end just can't get up under itself, and I imagine it was from the lack of muscle all over. It is slowly coming back, which is looking so much better, thank goodness.

Here are a few pictures I took yesterday.

The last photo is of Mossy.

Day Three Hill Therapy.

Jessie and I played with the horses today, she had a ride on Beejay, while I played with Mossy the first time.

I gave him a lunge in the roundyard, to see how he moved, and to work out if he is sound. He is a massive horse, absolutely huge, and quite sweet. It's funny looking at the photos after the fact, and to see that he is looking the other way in all of them, hmmm, we need to do a lot of friendly with him, to help him to want to be there. He has huge movement, and quite graceful.



I then played with Ricky Tic, working online first, then let him offline. His yoyo is getting a lot better, but he is still occasionally stamping at me when I send him back. When I sent him out at liberty, he went around the roundyard once, and then stopped at the gate, (a rope), put his head under it, and then was free, gotta love his ideas! He was gone, into the grass. So I let him be, if he doesn't want to play, then he can go. So I played with Aussie, and did his Hill Therapy session. Devo wasn't interested in being caught, so we both played tag around the play paddock, he is a cool horse. I then caught Ricky Tic again, as he kept coming up to me to get attention, and we went and did some real play, and then saddled him up and rode. He still gets very fangy when I move him off, I'm not sure of this is now habit, but he is a super playful horse, and quite dominant, so could be a tactic. His sore back is better now, but who can be sure, could be a phantom pain. He gave me a little buck here and there, and had what felt like a little buck jump, when I think he felt we were finished, so we backed up a quarter of the roundyard, he hated that. But gave me some respect. Jess got on him after that, and had a walk around the roundyard. She was great. She let me coach her through the riding, breathing out to slow down, and she did really well, until, Ricky Tic dragged her leg along the rail, ride over, pain set in, pack up go home. All in all a wonderful day, on a lovely warm winter's afternoon.

Day two, Hill Therapy

Aussie and Devo, on day two of Hill Therapy. Very pleased with the results. Devo circled nicely, and didn't trip once. His transition from walk to trot, is a little sloppy, as his muscles are still regenerating, but he is looking alot healthier, and happier.

I haven't done any Parelli work with Devo, since he started getting sick, and had only just started the seven games with him, prior to his illness coming on. He still remembers the seven games he learned, and is

circling nicely.

Hill Therapy

Okay, I have started this before, but have gotten busy with life outside horses, and have quit. This time, I will be dedicated to getting through the program, and finishing it.

On the weekend I started hill therapy with Aussie and Devo. Devo's condition has been improving since Mark came out and did some acupuncture on him. At the same time he did some acupuncture on Aussie, who's physique is looking a lot better too. He has a much more rounded rump. They are getting a huge amount of movement these days too, with the whole property to roam on. I did have the three horses in a 10-12 acre paddock, as I was worried that Beejay may founder, with the huge amount of grass, not a well thought out plan. Now they get a huge amount of movement, which obviously gives the exercise they need to work off any excess grass.....

Attached are two pictures, day one hill therapy. Not great pics as Jessie took them on my phone.

We are picking up Mossy today, so we will take some snaps of him meeting the boys, should be interesting with the herd dynamics changed. I am looking forward to getting stuck into Ricky Tic's training, now that he is my horse, We have a very big and fun future ahead.... Hopefully my new saddle will be here very soon, I am very excited.