Well Done!

I got the chance to see Cassie work with the trainer yesterday! I had a few odds and ends to bring up to her prior to my departure so headed up there. The trainer waited to work with her so I could watch. Prior to, she got treated to another beauty day which included another bath (she's definitely not yellow anymore!), and a hair cut! She already looks like a million bucks (hmmm...maybe buck is not the right word when used in a sentence describing Cassie, LOL)

Anyway, she did great in the cross ties- stood very solid for polos, and for bridling too. They saddled her in the roundpen- and yes, she definitely was nervous. I think she holds herself tense, and while she is still for the saddle, she blows once she can get away. Once she becomes more comfortable with the trainer and the assistants (a new one yesterday, which rocked her world again), she'll be fine for that initial saddling. All the same, I'm very proud of her because she's come far enough to allow others to work with her.

Trainer was great- btw. Very patient, and rewarding. So was the assistant. Cassie had nothing to fear, and soon calmed down. And gosh, when she calms and moves in a relaxed way- she's beautiful.

Trainer did mounting exercises from BOTH sides(so happy to see a dressage trainer do mounting from both sides, hanging from the saddle while being walked around, touching her all over- she did everything I did with Cassie, which is great reinforcement). She finally mounted up and had her assistant walk around. Trainer asked me if she knows halt, and I laughed and said take a deep breath and sit, Cassie stopped dead. Over and over again. Trainer then tried trot while on the longe, and practiced halts- had a good laugh- halt is Cassie's favorite. She sits on that bum. Must be the western horse in her coming out. Trainer eventually walked and trotted off the line too. Cassie got nervous a few times with the new rider on her back- but trainer was very good, patient, light, and balanced- everything you want for a young, terrified equine.

I think she's perfect for Cassie- she's everything I was looking for in a dressage trainer- the perfect balance of what Cassie needs. I'm so excited for us! Cassie is going to turn out great. What's even better- I had the pleasure of watching Trainer work with a more advanced horse- and she's an awesome rider. Beautiful. YAY!

Training Update

So, I got a call from the trainer yesterday.

Me: "Hello?"

Trainer: "Uhh, Allyson?"

Me, heart in stomach: "Yes?"

Trainer: "Hi its Trainer. I'm calling you about your mare, Cassie."

Me, heart sinks further into stomach: "Oh Hi, how are you?"

Trainer: PAUSE...."Good." Another long PAAAAAUUUUUSSSSSSSE, "I've been meaning to call you but I figured I'd give her another day of work before I do."

Me, to myself: O Crap in heaven...O no O no O no

Trainer: "She's doing really good, actually"

Me: PSYCH!!.... then *sigh* ...outloud, "Oh really?"

Trainer: "yes, I can see what you mean about her sensitivity and need to bond with someone. She was pretty darn scared of me yesterday, and she didn't like the girth too much- she bucked a lot in the round pen and zoomed around in circles."

Me: "Yea, that sounds like a scared Appy Mare. She'll come around, she just needs to trust you first."

Trainer: "She's already doing better today. She stood rock still for the polos, was able to walk at the end of the longe line, and I got on and walked her around today. She also got a bath, so she's all cleaned up."

Me: "Awesome!"

Trainer: "I'm going to take it slow with her, if we're walking and trotting by the end of the week, I'll call it success. I don't want to lose her trust."

Me: "I'd do the same thing- gain her trust first, and stay safe."


So, pretty much what I expected would happen, happened. Cassie needs to know you before you attempt any acrobatics with her. IF she doesn't know you, she will act like a complete idiot- zooming everywhere, total wild horse-OMG-I-don't-know-how-to-do-any-of-this, type drama. The second she realizes you dont have a fork and knife in ur pocket ready to dine on her, she calms down and will give you some try. If you work with her fairly, then she'll really start to give- like 200% I can't wait for the trainer to call me and tell me what a change she's made. It'll happen, I predict, next Wednesday. :)

I'm going up there today to bring some belongings up to her- I can't wait to see how she is doing!

Fat Boy: Perspectives

So with Cassie gone, I needed to find Cabo an equine companion for the next couple weeks until the new horses arrive.

A friend of mine just got a new horse. New horse is skinny-ish. Not emaciated, but definitely needs groceries.

Decided to turn Cabo out with new horse in the arena to check compatibility. They were fine. the sniffed noses. they explored the plexiglass windows together, they rolled. All was good.

Except while watching them, I realized Cabo is HUGE. You know, I must have a complex- i think of myself as too huge, and think of the horses as never-too-huge. They take a breath and I see a rib and I go "OMG" WTF? Forest or trees?

So it was on Monday when I dropped Cassie off the trainer says "well, it looks like she hasn't missed a meal in awhile"...and then watching Fat Boy aka Jelly Bum next to Slim Mare I saw him for what he is: FAT. The comparison was shocking. He looked like a war tank next to her. I think he is still a hunkalove, but c'mon...not that much love!

The boy gets hay, super supplement, and bioflax ultra. Time to cut back on the hay, and increase exercise. Sorry, dude, party's over.

First Day of School

Yesterday we brought Cassie to meet her trainer, and her new farm. :) She did really well- loaded great, unloaded (though took about 200 baby steps backwards to the edge of the ramp, LOL it was really funny to watch- so cautious)

Went in her stall and happily started munching on the hay. School starts today- muhahah :)


I'm going to go up there on Friday ish to check in on her and to bring up her fly sheet and other things she may need while I am gone.


Good luck, Cass- be a good girl!!


As a result- Cabo also got "worked" yesterday- I had to take advantage of the weather. So we walked around the track and in the arena- just putzed around the farm. He's fat- the boy needs a job.

What's with the Cold?

So frustrated. Junk for weather. Junk for time. BUT getting stuff ready for Miss Cassie. Like today- I resisted the urge to buy new brushes and washed the ones I have. Man, new brushes would've been really fun. I also washed her groom tote. I consolidated Quik Silver shampoo into 1 bottle since I had 3 half filled ones laying around. I wiped off the show sheen bottles, and grabbed some mane n tail for more frequent washin's. I washed her solo comb, but i think I need to attack it with a grime buster and a toothbrush- that one is particularly gross. But expensive, so no getting a replacement.

In a little bit I'm going to wash the plastic tote that will carry all her stuff.

I also managed to find SafeChoice and started her on it today.

My friend had a new sheet that she let me buy off her- perfect so now I can send La's to get cleaned, waterproofed and repaired.

I even cleaned her bridle. Still have to clean the bits. If anyone is looking for a rockin' leather conditioner, use Effol Leather Balm. It smells weird- sort of like powder, which is out of place in an environment that smells like shit. And they dont really mix well. But you get used to it- and then the smell becomes addicting. And the balm does an awesome job. Way better than leather therapy. Compared to this Effol stuff, Leather Therapy is junk. How do I know? The other day I used it on my new-ish western saddle- still creaky and dry leather, needs to be broken in. But the leather was really thirsty. So I used the balm stuff and today checked in on my saddle and WHOA MOMMA! Totally different saddle- super soft and loffly. Product approved.

Ok that is enough rambling for now. Nothing else is new or exciting.

Preparation Station

So, Miss Cassie- La is definitely going to training on the 20th. She's got to bring with her polos, her bridle & bits, grooming brushes, show sheen, shampoo- all the stuff to bring out the fancy show horse that she is inside, LOL.

So yesterday during my errand running, i picked up some of those things that she will need to bring with her. This weekend i'll be assembling her "overnight" bag, LOL. Why is it that i have several sets of polos that are missing a wrap? Is that like the equine version of losing socks in the dryer?

Anyhoo- I also had a hot nut to condition my saddles- so got some more supplies, and last night, when about tack cleaning and conditioning. my hands, despite scrubbing, still have the conditioner smell on them.

Cabo also got braided last night. his mane has gotten unruly- flip flopping from side to side, mostly at the top. So I plaited them...and he looks like a child's pony right now, LOL.

Other things to do prior to the 20th:

• slow transition to Safechoice, as that is what she'll be eating.
• clean and fix her turn-out sheet so she doesn't look like the Slumdog of the barn.
• more conditioning work
• wearing tack
• maybe even hop on a couple times to remind her of her pre-training skillz.

Lots to do!

Ponying 101

The last of the beautiful weather was yesterday. What a depressing thought. I hope it comes back soon.

In any case, I decided that I still needed to do something with the equines, and myself- and I really didnt feel like going for another jog. So I decided to teach them how to pony and be ponied.

I dont know if Cabo has ever ponied before- but he did yesterday! LOL All that rope twirling and flinging paid off- because he didn't care at all when the rope was hitting him on his scary right side.

Cassie, I think has been ponied- probably when she was with Jon, because she knew what she was doing. She didn't take too nicely to swapping sides and being led from her right- something to work on because I think she should follow from both. In all fairness, I really dont lead her enough from the right- so she'd be equally as stiff on the ground too.

All in all, I think it was a great exercise for both horses. Cabo seemed to really like being boss man- I had him going walk/trot- and he really liked to go withuot too much attention being paid to him. Cassie liked to follow along- so it suited her as well. It suited the rider because she had so much to think about that her riding, based on the mirrors, was actually pretty good, LOL.

The great news is that my western saddle fits Fat Boy pretty well. Nice even sweat, no pinching shoulders. I need to ride in it more to break it in.

The not-so-great part of ponying was that Cassie is the bigger horse. Technically I should pony off of something that is stronger than her- but oh well. If she were really rank I wouldnt have tried it. Cabo was funny though- at one point, during our attempt to pony her from her right side- she stuck, and Cabo couldnt figure out how to go forward. So we had to go around, effectively disengaging her hinds and fronts a little for her to unstick her feet, rewarding when she moved. Just took a little creativity- not pure muscle.

After our 101 session in the arena, I took them out and went for a walk outside, right where we jogged the day before. It was getting chilly by then, so we went for one lap- but both horses did awesome. Had to cross water, pass barking dogs and a dude weed eating- no issues.

Tonight they won't get any work because I have to work late and go to a dinner- so it'll be all I can do to run up there to do chores.

But Thursday is another day!