Barn Time

I'm back to riding and training this week. It's been a long winter, and even a longer time for me to feel this good. I plan on blogging nightly about my day, but as you see, I'm alreay to days late, lol! I'll have 2 posts today for the last 2 days!

I'm also talking about Training Tips and Centered Riding Exercises on my Horses Are Our Lives Chat Group. Click here if you would like to join in or just follow along.

Monday's thoughts:

Barn Time

Yesterday, I've had my first barn time today that I have truly enjoyed in a long time. And it wasn't on one of my own horses. It was on a training horse. A mare. Have I told you that I truly love mares. And their personalities. But maybe not so much their pi$$imess. lol But I understand them, and their "whys" they do what they do. I just love mares, and their babies.

I enjoyed my barn time because I went into the barn without a set schedule. No husband. No kids. No lessons, therefore I didn't have to rush to get done. Tired from expo, so therefore, I didn't need to work all the horses that I needed to start riding.

I just needed to start working on a training horse. Which was a mare. On obstacles/maneuvers that made me realize as I talked to the owner this morning, that THIS is where my training program is going.

Actually the wanting to ride has come back! and it feels great. Yesterday (actually Monday, I’m a few days behind), I had such a good time riding and dealing with Tammy's, of Horsetrailriders.com, Windy. Windy's here for 2 weeks, getting a tune-up. She is fun, but makes me work. She is so quiet at times, then gives me some attitude. lol I just put that mind to work, and after about 6 lope circles around the outdoor arena, you could just feel her say, ok I'll be good. And this was after some collective trotting. She started doing things before I asked. lol

After saying goodbye to Sara and Makenzie, which makes me sad, AND unloading the racks and most of the clothing, home decor, etc., I still had to work this mare. What I enjoyed the most was going to the barn without rushing. I didn't work any other horse, as we had a busy day, getting Sara and M on the road, and unpacking 2 horse trailers. I got out Windy, rode, put her away, and it was so relaxing!

I know that losing a horse is hard, and I had a very hard time losing Finny, and I wasn't excited about riding since, even though I started a relationship with Shaggy and started Duster, who is awesome. But now, after a few meltdowns this winter, I can put Finny to rest and move on. Training and riding and competing is my dream, and Finny was part of my dream, and dreams continue.

Thank you to all the mares that I have ridden and that I will continue to ride. You give me back my desire, because of your opinionated ways. Even though my latest 3 horses that I have raised and are riding are geldings, Finny, Shaggy and Duster, mares are very special.

Even though my family complains about Starlet in a good way, thank you Starlet for understanding me as well as I understand you.

I better get that Arab mare soon! I need to start getting ready for the CTR’s and Endurance rides.

Back to riding the training horse:

Tammy, from Horsetrailriders.com brought Windy for a 2 week tune up. Windy will be a good horse! I love mares, and Windy didn't disappoint me. We did EVERYTHING today that I was to work on, and a few others. She is so quiet, and then she demonstrates her personality. lol She stood still each time at the step stool! I'll have to try to set her up to be bad. But I did a few things I can show you to get her mind first. I think it comes from years of showmanship.

I sent her off in the outside arena, making sure there were no bucks, while I moved logs. Then I got on and trotted around, bumping with a LOT of leg. ok, girl, you will learn to move on and move forward. after a while, asked for the lope, 3,4 trot steps and she loped off, and I thought, let's go around 2 times. Well, we only made it 1/4 turn before a kick out. Now, I don't get mad anymore, but kicking out like that can really get to my lower back, so she got a mild licking, and we asked again. We loped 2 laps, ears sometimes pinned, lol, but no kick outs, stopped, walked on a loose rein, turned around, and loped off. She loped until there were NO ears pinned and no attitude. lol

We side passed, 2 tracked (half pass), and worked over logs at both the trot and side pass. I have a few things to work on to make these maneuvers better.


All in all, she did well. Sweated a little, and stood quietly in a stall cooling down. I worked on her paying attention to me when I led her, instead of looking everywhere. She is so quiet when you lead her, you don‘t realize that she is looking for the other horses. I want a horse to pay attention to me when I lead them.

Windy is a good girl. She just needs reminders that it's not her world, but mine right now, then her owner’s world for the rest of her life.

I enjoy mares, because they let you know exactly what they are thinking, Most of the time, aren't bully like geldings! They just want their own way.

I enjoyed my hour in the barn, and that hasn't happened in a long time. Thanks for bringing her to me. I believe my true healing started over Christmas with Sara's book she gave to me about Finny, and I am moving on. Windy is the first horse in my new training program. Thanks for the support of my friends who encourage me to keep going when the time was tough.

“Embrace the Journey!”