Foals are fun!

An update on the gang here. I could use the weather the last couple of weekends as a perfectly good excuss to not ride & spend time with my Kisia but the truth is that I'm just constantly drawn into to hanging in the foal paddock with Zorra & Foxy. I go out to check on them with the intention of then heading over to get Kisia & an hour later I'm still there! So what does one do with a 3 week old filly? So far, lots of Parelli game #1, Friendly game, getting her comfortable being touched. We're also working on picking up her feet which is going really well...she's much like her mother...a real no fuss type. She doesn't over-react to new things & once she sees your purpose..well no problem! She tolerates having her ears, face & belly handled, is unphased by fly spray & is even yielding to pressure from her chest, face & shoulders. One of the reasons it's so hard to leave is that she loves to "hang out". She will follow me around & if I head to the gate, pretty soon she's trotting up behind me. Obviously this is irrestable. So yes it takes several tries on my part before I actually make it out of the pasture. Then if she winnies! really how can I not go back over for one more scratch? She's adorable, sweet & turning more beautiful every day. Video coming soon!

Pics of Zorra & Foxy.

Pics here are of Zorra & Foxy spending some time in the big pasture. Zorra is just over a week old here & has really grown. She's getting some nice musculature & has discovered the joy of bucking & running! Her lessons include getting lots of scratches, have her legs & head rubbed & learning to lead with the butt rope. She fits all this in around several naps & meals throughout the day so is a busy princess at the moment!

New Filly!!!

Foxy foaled a beautiful black filly around 2am Friday morning. They have both had their post foaling vet visit & are doing well. We've named her Zorra, which means Fox in Spanish. Foxy's registered name is Strait Gold so Zorra is named after her "barn name" but in Spanish to honor her fabulous sire, Chulo. Zorra is very sweet & seems to have inherited her dam's tolerant while remaining slightly skeptical character. That said, there is a curiosity to her nature that must come from Chulo's more outgoing & friendly temperament. She has the long legs & nice bone that Chulo throws. Two hind white socks & feet from her dam line & I believe she has inherited her dam's natural gait. As of today, she is running around playing, performing some really fancy roll-backs & bouncing around her momma. So far no bucking or kicking out although maybe a bit ticklish on her rump which can trigger what I call her buckaroo move. If you get it right, although, she'll stand still for a nice scratch back there which is great for all involved parties. Lots of sleeping, eating & getting used to life as a princess. Aunt Kisia (Kisia & Chulo are siblings both out of Gitano MOR) is keeping watch next door & looking forward to joining Foxy & Zorra soon. Lots of pics to come of this sweet black beauty & much fun for us around here this Spring & Summer with our first foal to enjoy!

Spring 2010 pics of what Kisia & I have been up to....

Journals & Quotes

For years now I've "journaled". I have a personal journal (which doesn't get nearly enough attention), book journal, equine "studies" journal, favorite quotes journal, loads of now closed journals & a Kisia journal. I've attempted to document Kisia's & my progress over the years & actually do study that little book to see how we're coming along as well as pick up on patterns in her behaviour. On the back of her journal I've written quotes I've come across that struck me as something I may want to keep on the tip of my mind while working with her & thought to share them here. While most are from Pat or Linda Parelli, I've not kept a good record of who said what so please forgive that oversight & don't "quote" me on who they are from.

Think could rather than would or should.

Only sustain something your horse willingly offers. *Karen Rolf

It's not about the obstacle or the task, it's about the quality of your communication with your horse.

Am I willing to do what it takes to be good enough for this horse?

To whom much is given....much is required.

If you knew it was lack of confidence, would going up your phases be the right thing to do....or would you stop & pat your horse & let him know that he's okay?

Begin with the end in mind.

When you & your horse can get lost in a world of dance, this is the art of horsemanship. This is when it is totally humane to ask your horse to perform at the top of his ability because he is enjoying his performance. You have increased his life's experiences. *Carolyn Resnick

Pics from Lipizzaner show...

Not sure why my slideshows here are always off-center. Click the pics to be taken to the link for centered pics. :)

Sometimes making a plan works...

When I submitted my paperwork & DVD for my level 2 Online audition with Kisia we had one task yet to accomplish, jumping online. Every time I approached it, she just wasn't getting it & needed way more pushing at the time that she could tolerate. So, I listened to my horse & decided to hope everything else was good enough without that task. It's not like I'm interested in jumping anyway. Now that things are dry enough for some fun, we've really stepped up our online work progressing well into Level 3. She's had some tension with riding so my goal for that has been to be a quiet relaxing ride at the end of our more taxing online play. So after a few weeks of this, I placed a nice line of barrels in the round pen thinking we would just play around them. I set it up where she would have to see & think about them but didn't have to go over. The plan was working nicely..we made our way near them..she eyed them one good time & just popped over them!...couple trot strides she did a "bull fighting horse" turn on the hind end & popped over them the other direction...couple trot strides...& repeat! Now I did not ask for this. As a matter of fact I stood there stunned with images of trick riders standing on galloping horses, jumping through hoops of fire then jumping their bold mounts onto the backs of moving vehicles! Surely I'm not enough woman for this much horse!?! How could this happen? She not only took those barrels from near standing still like they were the smallest anthill but did it 3 times! of her own choice! OK, she didn't see my moment of fear...we continued our play...WELL away from the trouble causing barrels. Bareback pad & bridle on...move to the mounting block & it happened. My fire breathing stunt horse turned into a sweet quiet backyard filly. Our ride was relaxed but forward & she did everything I asked without the least bit of tension. Appears the famous Andalusian ON/OFF switch is thus far intact...whew.
*jumping pics coming soon*