This weather is not helping.

We get some snow, then it rains for a couple days, and then we get more frozen mud. Then things warm up to the low forties and the horses get excited. This pattern has not been good for my health, or anyone else's.

I supposed to join Jean and Chrissy for a trail ride yesterday. Jean was on Rebel, her son, Jake, was on Dakota,  and Chrissy was on Harley. I'd tacked up quick and already warmed UK up with some trot and canter in the driveway, as most of our ride was to be walking for Jake's sake.

Once everyone else was mounted we started to go down the driveway, Jean and Jake in the lead. We didn't get more then twenty feet when Harley spun, bucked, and reared for no good reason (in my opinion he was just pulling some classic TB crap). Chrissy stuck with him, but everytime she touched the reins or tried to move, he'd act up again. Harley was so bad she couldn't get off.

So I put my leg on and marched UK into Harley's face and grabbed his bridle so Chrissy could dismount. Then I grabbed both reins and dragged his badly behaved ass down the driveway, determined not to let him get away with his temper tantrum. I have never used UK to pony before (that two times with Maggie don't really count as I did all the work and Jean was still steering her), but I rode with a keep seat and a firm leg, which told UK we could handle it. Harley was forced to walk and trot up and down the driveway until he settled down. Then Jean said she'd take him in the ring and school him, so I turned UK around and we headed that way. We were doing good until Harley decided to bite UK on the flank after I wouldn't let him charge ahead of us. UK bucked a little bit, but then settled. We successfully handed Harley off to Jean and then went back out into the parking lot.

UK had been nothing but good, so I wasn't about to make him go in the ring with the others. So we went down the driveway (one small fit, as he thought maybe I'd just let him be done), and then up the road pass the trail-head. We climbed up and back down a bank, then turned around and walked home.

So overall it was a win for UK and I as he was forced to do something he'd never really done before and he did just fine.

Tomorrow Chrissy is going to take Dakota and go for a trail ride with us. Here's hoping it goes easier then yesterday! 

Freezing rain, ice, and snow.

Today was damp, cold, and miserable. I cheered myself up by pulling UK away from his hay after taking care of the barn this morning to brush him and switch blankets. UK wasn't terribly thrilled as hanging with his buddy is far more interesting then me putting Thrush Buster on his feet and putting detangler in his tail. But then I went to the car to get my camera and when I returned there were treats in my pocket, suddenly I was much more fun! UK has learned to associate the camera with treats, thus he poses shamelessly knowing that if he's cute enough I'll reward him after snapping some shots.

I took him out to the snowy ring to get him to stretch his legs even though it was misting nasty half frozen stuff. There was ice hidden under the snow in some spots so I let UK stick to a relaxed trot so he'd be able to handle himself if he slipped.

Even though he's a wuss about the cold, he was born up here in the north so he knows the snow won't eat him (unlike a certain TB I used to own who was terrified of untouched snow). He slipped a few times but wasn't overly concerned as it's normal this time of year to encounter ice. 

We did some follow the leader and he tried to eat my camera, hoping that maybe it had turned into a giant banana rounder. No such luck. He's matured a great deal in the last year, he's much braver and has a calmness about him in the ring now that he used to lack. Part of it is because he's learned to trust me a great deal, finally understanding that I will never put him into a position or place that will get him hurt. 

We finished up and I put his blanket on, returning him to LD and the rest of his AM hay. Hopefully the weather will get better soon and we'll be able to go out for a ride. 

Oh! His feet are really starting to improve. By late spring/early summer he should have amazing feet again. Yay for mother nature! 

Sorry for the lack of updates!

The holiday season was a bit of a whirlwind for me, and it ended up with me being pretty darn sick for two weeks starting on New Year's.

Due to the alternating cold snaps and deluges of rain, ring work hasn't really been an option. Once I was able to leave the house without coughing up a lung, we started trail riding at least once a week. He still pulls a couple temper tantrums during the first half mile or so, but they're nothing like the tantrums of a few months ago, let alone the ones from the summer.

All the mud gave his sensitive skin a lot to deal with, and he's only just now starting to recover. His feet are toughening up, slowly but surely. I've had him on Smartpak's SmartHoof pellets since early fall, and by spring his feet should be greatly improved.

We're finally getting some snow (we got some last week but it was followed by two days of rain, yuck), so I hope to be able to do more with him soon.

Until then have a picture of fuzzy ponies!

LD & UK bundled up for the single digit weather.