To Ride or Not to Ride??

My horses just got their hooves done this week so now My Boy is ready to really rock the trails!

Too bad we've had thunder and lightening storms and 95 muggy temps, which don't make trail riding very appealing to me!

 The "double rainbow" I saw the other night during a thunder storm at the ranch! Ranch Boy's daughter took this photo on my I-phone.

I did get to saddle up my roany pony Luna the other day. I climbed aboard (at Ranch Boy's insistence.) He held the lead rope and I just sat there in the saddle as we watched a group of other horses return from their ride.

I am so ready to ride this horse! I need some advice. She is only two years old. When I got her, she'd had about a dozen rides on her. I am not ready to push her with heavy riding. Do you think that doing a little light riding at this point would be harmful? By light riding, I mean just walking and maybe some trotting. No loping yet. I would like to work on getting her to move off of leg, turn, whoa, back, all that slow basic stuff. Now, part of me worries if we just do that, then next summer when I want her to turn up the gears, she'll think "hey, I never had to go fast under saddle before" and get sticky.  I mean, when I watch Clinton Anderson and other trainers, they are loping on the first ride!

 I think the colors of My Boy's saddle pad look quite nice on Luna!

I am fine not "riding" her this summer. We will continue to put the saddle on, and sit on her bareback, just so that she doesn't "forget" that it is okay to have something up there. I would also like to teach her to pony from My Boy so I can pony her on the trails.

I just feel like when I am around Luna, she is almost begging to be ridden! For the most part, she is a two year old going on 4 year old (in mind, and in body, built more like a 3 year old.) Maybe because she is so "easy" of a youngster it just seems like it's time, as there isn't a lot else to work on. She loads, she fly sprays, she saddles, she round pens and lounges on a line (much better now.)

Regardless, I am sure having fun with her! I think we are kind of two peas in a pod...sweet, but we both have a little stubborn streak. Hee hee!

Happy weekend, everyone!

Ranch Girl

Sister Time

Well my sister just pulled out with her horses. She's been visiting since Thursday night. It went so fast!

We had HOT sunny weather~ 90 degrees! We hit the trails 3 times, even twice in one day (morning and night when it was cooler.)

 Jen on Brandy.

Through the ears of My Boy.

We also had some arena time with the young ponies.

Jen's Mustang "Chance."

This was Jen's 3 year old Mustang's first trip to the ranch, or first trip anywhere, for that matter! She actually did very well considering she has never left home in the 3 years since Jen got her as a weanling. There was a lot going on and she has a lot to learn, but the more she gets out, the more relaxed she'll become at seeing lots of kids, trailers, trucks, harrow bed trucks, bikes, horses, and commotion, commotion, commotion!

Jen leading Luna.

Now my little sweetie-cakes is a pro at being around the commotion at the ranch now. One of the things we did with Luna was work on her lounging. I was having problems in the large arena with Luna pulling on me and not staying in a circle and she even got away from me one time when she got spunky and galloping too fast and straight.

My sis helped me wrap a chain with some fancy wrap from the Arabian stable she used to work for, then we fashioned it under the chin and into a "V" (so that it tugs evenly) and attached my lounge line to that. One quick tug the next time she started pulling or being silly, and my roany pony was back in line! She lounged perfectly on the line this way. Whew! Now we can settled down and get to work!

I also got some more bareback time. I used the halter and lead as "reins" and just practiced her moving off my leg and turning a little. My sister stayed at her head and kept her on another lead rope just in case she got silly. Luna is only 2, so I will not be doing a lot of riding on her this summer. Just playing around and not letting her forget that she can wear a saddle and a person! Next summer we'll get more serious!

I also wanted to try loading her into my sister's trailer. Luna walked right in without hesitation. We will need to work on backing out. My sister has a slant load which is easy to turn around in, but at the ranch there is only a straight-load which she'll have to back out of.

I also sprayed my pony with water. She left me run the hose on her front hooves and shoulder without too much fuss! So, a lot of good pony time this weekend and hopefully one more good lounge lesson in the arena today after it cools down. I really want her to learn to whoa on voice command (as well as using body language) and trot at a cluck, and lope at a kiss.

I was sad to see my sister go but we will have more pony time together when she visits this fall! Hopefully she'll be able to do some trail riding on Chance by then!

I hope you all had a good weekend!!

Ranch Girl

It's July??

Seriously? The last time I posted was June?

Where does time go?

I just spent a really fun weekend with my family!

My ponies spent some time at the ranch. My Boy even got to lead a nice family trail ride. He was awesome! I will say this, he is in LOVE with Luna. He is experiencing more separation anxiety with her then he ever did with Loretta, and he's not even pastured with Luna, just next to her! I am wondering if being pastured with Loretta (after being alone for 4 years) then having a pasture buddy come, then go, and a new pasture neighbor (Luna), has just created him to be more sensitive to having a "friend" now.

 I even got to go on a pony ride!

Yes, 41 year olds like to go on pony rides, especially cute two year old roany pony rides!

Look at my girl's fun roan coloring, it keeps changing! She is getting quite light now but has all these red spots and "slashes" of color.

I had lots of young helpers this weekend. My cousin Miss C helped me pick out Luna's pen. She said I had to email her mom this photo so that her mom would see she was responsible and ready to get a horse of her own. Oh, the dreams of young horse crazy girls.....

Luna met lots of my family this weekend! Speaking of family, I am excited to say that my sister will be visiting me soon with her pretty Mustang pony and Brandy pony and we will be doing some riding. Yee Haw!

Have a happy and safe 4th of July, everyone!!

Ranch Girl