Wednesday, December 25, 2013
A beautiful Christmas Day
I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas. We had a beautiful warm sunny day, at least until it clouded over in the afternoon, so my gift to you is some eye candy, Diamond Lazy H style!
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Beamer's turn
I've gotta give a hat tip to Shayla here, not only is she my riding companion, she is also my hoofcare provider. Before I found the ABC Hoofcare system, I knew nothing more than the basics about horses hooves, and all I did was pick them and get them trimmed regularly. Thanks to my friend Tara coming to Creston a couple years ago, I got my eyes opened to a whole new understanding of the hoof and what is required to make a truly healthy hoof.
Beamer's feet are a reflection of my- and all my past farriers- lack of understanding . Here are some photos from 2010: These are taken POST trim!
October 2010
October 2010
October 2010
Right front (the above and below photos. )
I will leave the technical comments to those who wish to make them in the comment section. Suffice to say, for me, that at this point ignorance may have been bliss for me, thinking I was a good horse mama, but it was painful for Beamer.
Over the last two years, we have slowly been correcting the angles, the bar pooling, the extended bar, the long toe, the flare, the balance, etc. The last couple of days, Shayla has been working on these feet, and even though we had made a lot of progress, the arches in the hairline still weren't dropping back to level, even with rim notching.
She found bar where it shouldn't be in that right front- growing underneath the frog.
She found bar so deeply embedded that in a normal foot, going this deep to remove bar would have hit the corium.
But! we are gaining. Once all the offending bar is removed over the next couple of trims, and we keep on top of it so it only grows where it is supposed to, these are going to be healthy feet and Beamer will be a happier horse- not that he isn't happy already, he's such a sweetheart, but comfy feet will make him much happier. He was licking and chewing and sighing every time Shayla put his foot down and he could feel that the pressure wasn't there any more.
I think we have conquered the flare, and there isn't much left of those arched hairlines.
After trimming we went for a ride, I rode Rio and figured I could pony Josie, and Shayla rode Beamer. However! Rio was being a pill, acting like a goofy teenager, and Josie wasn't having anything to do with him- so we ended up teaching Beamer to pony for the first time in his life. I walked along side leading Rio and with Josie next to Beamer until he got used to the idea that he was not allowed to act even a tiny bit studdy (good job, Shayla!) and then handed the rope end to Shayla and continued to lead for a minute, then she took over. Please forgive the photos, I still had the little camera set on macro so the photos look too soft).
Such a good boy!
I think your Muck Boots must smell good, Shayla!.... well, maybe not.....
Beamer's feet are a reflection of my- and all my past farriers- lack of understanding . Here are some photos from 2010: These are taken POST trim!
Right front (the above and below photos. )
I will leave the technical comments to those who wish to make them in the comment section. Suffice to say, for me, that at this point ignorance may have been bliss for me, thinking I was a good horse mama, but it was painful for Beamer.
Over the last two years, we have slowly been correcting the angles, the bar pooling, the extended bar, the long toe, the flare, the balance, etc. The last couple of days, Shayla has been working on these feet, and even though we had made a lot of progress, the arches in the hairline still weren't dropping back to level, even with rim notching.
She found bar where it shouldn't be in that right front- growing underneath the frog.
She found bar so deeply embedded that in a normal foot, going this deep to remove bar would have hit the corium.
But! we are gaining. Once all the offending bar is removed over the next couple of trims, and we keep on top of it so it only grows where it is supposed to, these are going to be healthy feet and Beamer will be a happier horse- not that he isn't happy already, he's such a sweetheart, but comfy feet will make him much happier. He was licking and chewing and sighing every time Shayla put his foot down and he could feel that the pressure wasn't there any more.
After trimming we went for a ride, I rode Rio and figured I could pony Josie, and Shayla rode Beamer. However! Rio was being a pill, acting like a goofy teenager, and Josie wasn't having anything to do with him- so we ended up teaching Beamer to pony for the first time in his life. I walked along side leading Rio and with Josie next to Beamer until he got used to the idea that he was not allowed to act even a tiny bit studdy (good job, Shayla!) and then handed the rope end to Shayla and continued to lead for a minute, then she took over. Please forgive the photos, I still had the little camera set on macro so the photos look too soft).
Such a good boy!
Sorry about the shaky first part of the video- that was part of Rio being a pill!
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Sunday Stills
Christmas lights and decorations..... I could have gone around town to take photos of the many fabulous decorated yards and houses, but getting my butt out of the house in the evenings is a tough chore! Too cuddly with the wood stove going, and Christmas movies on...
So instead, here are some of my tree. I went with blue and silver this year. I bought some of those new LED lights that are a little bigger than the mini lights and their colour sure is intense.
Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you all have a wonderful time with family and friends.
So instead, here are some of my tree. I went with blue and silver this year. I bought some of those new LED lights that are a little bigger than the mini lights and their colour sure is intense.
Friday, December 20, 2013
White Christmas?
Things have been kind of green here lately, but this afternoon, it started snowing- we just might have it stick around for Christmas.
Nice big flakes that stuck to Josie's fuzzy thick fur.
Rio and Josie seemed to enjoy the weather change....
I've never really seen Rio pull some of the moves that Beamer has... until today.... the patented all 4 feet up move- finally I caught him doing it!
Got some hang time! And then one of these:
Only when Beamer does that, his tail is straight up in the air.
Rio and Josie seemed to enjoy the weather change....
I've never really seen Rio pull some of the moves that Beamer has... until today.... the patented all 4 feet up move- finally I caught him doing it!
Got some hang time! And then one of these:
Josie, d'ya think you will learn that move?
Meanwhile I took Beamer for a little ride, bareback just to give him some exercise.
Got a little cold, guess I should start wearing my winter clothes!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Saturday, December 14, 2013
A few firsts today
It warmed up beautifully today, so it was a good day to do things with the horses. Shayla came over, and the original plan was she'd ride Beamer, I'd ride Rio and we'd go for a tour down the road. However, that left Josie home alone, and you all know how kids left home alone get in trouble! So I changed up the plan; Shayla rode Rio and I led Josie. But just as we were about to head out, my husband decided it was time for Josie to experience her first saddle. What! you say? She's only 9 months old!!! Well, yes, but we didn't think she'd mind much....
A few sniffs... a few side steps.... and next thing you know, she's saddled and ready! (For the Christmas elf, maybe!)
So, after her first saddling, it was time for the first excursion off the property. Well, leading was getting a little boring for me, so I handed Shayla the lead rope and she taught Rio how to pony.
Josie wasn't too sure about it at first; I have never tied her up except in the horse trailer on her trip from Alberta the day I brought her home, and have only led her around from her pen to her turn out pasture.
Rio learned to pull for the first time. Shortly after I snapped this photo, Josie leaped ahead and Rio got a little worried, so I had Shayla drop Josie's lead rope and concentrate on settling Rio down. After that, we walked a bit and then tried again. Once again, Josie took a little exception to things and we had to regroup. But it wasn't long before they all got it sorted out.
I like to see the ponied horse facing the pony horse when they stop, and Josie did this naturally.
It was a good day and a good lesson! Thanks Shayla!
All the photos were taken with my pocket camera; I think I'm getting spoiled with my big camera for the lovely crisp photos I get with it. But this little one is so handy!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Josie's turn
It's not only Rio and Beamer that are lighter than air, little Josie has the talent too.
Turn out yesterday with Rio. You can sure tell they are brother and sister.
Turn out yesterday with Rio. You can sure tell they are brother and sister.
But I'm prettier!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Airs above the ground- Rio style
We all know how Beamer loves to do his patented leap with all four feet off the ground.... well, Rio has his version!
You know how I'm always bragging about Rio's floaty trot? Well here's proof. I turned him out today and the footing was a little slippery because we just got an inch of snow on top of hard frozen ground, so this is how he went around the pen:
He was floating every stride in that extended trot, snorting all the way! He really enjoyed his turn out.
You know how I'm always bragging about Rio's floaty trot? Well here's proof. I turned him out today and the footing was a little slippery because we just got an inch of snow on top of hard frozen ground, so this is how he went around the pen:
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