Fall Weather is for Riding

Time to get back to riding the Arabs and the Quarter Horses.  I'm still thinking of what name I should be using now.  I'm thinking Messick Quarter Horses & Arabian Performace and Endurance Horses.  I'll be having my website updated over the next few months, so I need to decide.

The Arabs,

 

Allie

 

I just love her head!

 



 

Bonita when I first got her,

 

and under saddle.  She is so smooth.

 

Shaggy, just love his trot!  He is for sale now.

 

Duke

 

Duke is fun to ride. Fantastic lope!

 

Duke as a 3 year old.  I need to get him back to looking like this, but he is 15 now, so we'll see.

 

And Sox, the 12 year old Arab gelding that I bought for the fall trail rides and CTR's. 

I can't wait to do the next to Open CTR's on him.  I decided to get him as he is more seasoned than Allie, and I can work on me this yearto go the distance.  Allie will be ready next year!

I hope you are getting some fall rides in too!  The wind isn't blowing as much as the last 2 days, so I should get a few rides in today!

Summer has been busy!

 Bonita, May, 2012

I haven’t blogged in ages!  This summer has been busy with horses and riding!  At the end of April, I bought 2 Rushcreek Arabian mares, to start conditioning for the Fall CTR’s.  During May, I was riding them, Shaggy and Duke, and through May and June, tried to bring in 2 4-year olds to be saddled and lunged.  This didn't happen every day, but I tried to work everyone a couple of times a week, and ride Shaggy and Allie and Bonita most of the time.  I was also riding Savannah, and did sell her in June.  The first weekend of June, I hosted a Centered Riding Clinic.  Through May-July, I was giving kid’s lessons when it wasn’t too hot and humid.  Even at 8-9 am, if I thought it would be too warm for the horses, who are lesson horses and out of shape, I cancelled lessons.  We didn’t have many July lessons, due to the extremely hot days.  I found myself inside sooner and sooner.  At least, I’m catching up on house things… some cleaning, paperwork, putting things away.  Why is it that I look at my dresser, and it keeps collecting “things” and I never get that cleaned off!  I need to put a box under my bed to put that stuff in to!

Time to take on a project!  LOL  For a few year, a different room was painted.  About 4 or 5 years ago, I finally took out 70’s kitchen cupboards and had the whole kitchen re-done, with new paint in the kitchen and eating area. Along with that major project, the tile guy finished our master bathroom tile.  This is a tiny bathroom, just big enough for shower, toilet and sink, and it had been tore up for a year!  Once we watched and saw how the tiling got done, we had the toilet and sink and vanity in within days!  Those 2 projects lasted my “let’s get something done” for a few years.

 But a few years later, the downstairs basement family room got new carpeting, as grandbabies were first starting to crawl.   The next year, the living room got new floors, and since we were down to the wood subflooring, the family room, which was directly under the upstairs living room, got some extra ceiling lights!  That room used to be so dark and 6 new lights sure made a difference.  Last year, the main bathroom was done by hubby and me. The 80’s wall paper, and underneath it the edges of the 70’s flower power wallpaper, was replaced by tile. We put in a very small jet tub that would fit and tiled the tub shower area.  And I was very pleased by how it looks!  Love it and my horsey home décor items!!!

This year, I turned to the office/exercise area. Not much exercising is getting done, but it needed organized.  Hubby has taken over some of the area too.  This room used to be the boy’s bedroom and was a great room for exercise equipment, but is too small for that and 2 office spaces. But I’m trying to make it all fit. 

But getting back to “summer has been busy” made me think about projects.  August is usually about when I start a new project, because it’s too hot to be outside.  July ended up being that month!  I still rode early mornings, but not even every week.  Hubby and I did go home the first week of July to visit parents in PA.  I did ride the 2^nd week of July, and the horses were riding great after 9 days off.  But then the 3^rd week of July, horses and I shut down.  They were hot and sticky, I was hot and sticky because they weren’t riding easy, so I decided if I had to work at riding, everyone was going to have a break!  Then my major project started.

I am, and have been, liquidating my tack store inventory for the last 2 years, since closing my store March, 2010.  I have been selling items in vendor booths at a few horse events, and reopened during the Christmas season the last few years.  I had discounted my prices and offered sales at 50-60% off.  Up until now, I had refused to offer more discount and lose money.  But I felt it was time to do just that.  I decided to sell items at 50-75% off online through Messick Tack & Feed Facebook Page. By the end of the 3^rd week of July, I had tables lining my basement walls, and laid out all my inventory.  My clothing racks were already against 2 walls, with hanging clothes on them.  So I really only had to organize the T-shirts, books, caps, jewelry, kids item, Christmas cards and Breyer ornaments, Home Décor, and jeans.  The few items I had in storage in the barn, like cinches, grooming supples, first aid supplies, and a little bit of tack, and supplements were laid out on racks and tables in a room of the barn.  I was ready to see what I could sell.  And stay out of the heat on those 100+ days.  Check out the sales under the Photo Section!

Wow, the sale on the FB took off!  The minute I started posting photos of what the rooms looked like, I had messages as to what I had for sale and at what price.  I realized I needed to take close ups of each area, list the items, and put info and sale prices under each photo.  Easy to do, but time consuming.  For the last 3 weeks, that is what I have been doing.  Each day, or every 2 days, I tried to post new photos with prices.  The past 2 weeks, I took individual photos of all the jewelry, tank tops and t-shirts I had, and posted them with sizes and prices.  The Montana Jewelry sold out within a day.  Trying to keep up with messages and orders made for some long days.  But this is good news.  I see the piles slowly going down, yet I have a good selection of everything.  I don’t have all sizes in everything, but if not in one style, I have it in another style.

I’m looking at the whole picture now, from start of the tack store 8 years ago, until today.  And before that, I had feed sales.  Profit is still there.  If the use of social media would have been greater 4 years ago, or if I would have started using FB more, 4 years ago, (I’m not sure when FB started), I may not have closed the store.  I know I should have liquidated more items every Jan and Feb, when sales are at a slump after Christmas.  I should have offered more items at 60-75% off, just to move them, and make room for new items. 

Hindsight is wonderful.  Along with that, comes knowledge.  I’m a better businesswoman now.  Even if my business is turning another corner.  I’ve learned quite a few things from having the tack store.  I’m not sure I’ll deal with customers any differently, but I can understand customers better.  I’ve worked hard at helping customers find what they need and not what I could sell them.  I have always held that honesty and integrity and truthfulness is a must. 

I’ve been so busy, and have had very little free time.  I think within another week, I’ll be caught up on taking and posting photos, and then I’ll have some extra time.  I want to get back to blogging and posting informative articles and tips on my Horses Are Our Lives chat group.  I need to get back to working all these horses since we are having cooler mornings.  I want to get back to reading all these books I have and talking about them.  And I need to getting back to taking more photos to post on Sunday Stills, which I haven’t done all summer!  I’m not sure when I posted there last.  I miss it!  I miss that interaction. 

I did check FB this morning, and realized that I couldn’t take the whole day off.  If I hadn’t answered some messages, tomorrow afternoon would have been terribly busy.  I organized some piles of product that people were wanting and I can start invoicing more orders. This is after invoicing a large amount of orders last week, too.  

Then I sat down to blog!  It’s amazing when you finally sit down, and do nothing, how slow time goes.  I’m liking this. And I might just do this every Sunday afternoon from now on… when I’m not riding.  Those projects and chores will wait and be there tomorrow.   Time to grab a cup of coffee, lay my head back on this lounge chair, listen to the wind and the birds, and watch my horses in their lot.

Patience

Allie

Once, about 10 years ago, I asked God for patience. I'll never forget this. I went to work for a grade school, helping a child that has behavioral problems. I'm back to working with horses.

Bonita

Then God gave me many horses to work with, some young and some older.  Now he brought me Arabs.  And I'm loving them.  To me, they are not any different than working with a sensitive Quarter Horse.

Duster

The horses are tied in the barn for a short time to help with patience.  Learn to stand still.  Learn to stand still when your buddy leaves.  Learn to stand still when you are alone.  Learn to stand still when other horses come into the barn or leave.

 Honey

Some horses, like Honey, just need to learn to wear a saddle.  She is extra sensitive, and needs to learn to be comfortable with a saddle on her back.

Shaggy just gets to eat!  So he thinks.  He got to work on his patience today too.  He stands tied all the time, until he has to wait on some other horse coming and going.  He had a patience training time today.

A Quiet Evening with my Arabs

Tonight was one of those nights that I just wanted some quiet time with a horse.  Tonight, I had that quiet time with 2 horses.

Earlier, I rode a training horse and Duke.  I finished chores, then I went to spend time with Allie and Bonita. 

It's amazing how what you thought would happen, doesn't.  And then more amazing is when something better happens.

I've saddled, lunged and rode Allie a few more times than Bonita, just because she is a little bigger, and I thought was a little bullier, so any extra time I had went to her.  Today was no different, as I started with her.

I'm trying to get this "natural" horsemanship feeling brought into my training program.  "Feel" is what I've always tried to teach.  Now, because of Centered Riding and a few other things that I'm trying to learn, I take the time to really watch the reaction, and wait on the reaction, of my horses.
The first time I cinched up Allie, and I always cinch up slowly, she turned her head to nip.  Hmmm. Day 1 home.  We need to learn more about each other. Let's take the time to desensitize you more.  Next time, I'll spend more time rubbing her, like Lyle did when he showed her to me. 

Today, she was fine.  She just stood there as I saddled her.  I moved her hindquarters both directions, and every time I moved, she turned to face me, moving and crossing over with her hindquarters.  I took her off the leadline, and asked her to move around with the saddle on.  All she wanted to do was to turn and come back to me.  Ears forward, watching me, walking with me.  I think my stubborn filly has bonded with me.  A pleasant surprise.  And I'm liking her even more.

I brought her by the platform to mount, and she stands quietly.  I ask her to walk off.  I've decided to talk to her as I ride her, asking her what she needs me to do, telling her what we are doing, and asking her what she will teach me.  I forget about talking as much as we trot off, both directions, sitting and posting the trot, and riding in 2 point, which I will do a lot during competitions.  We only ride for a mile, but that was long enough.  I dismount, and I ask her to follow me over the platform.  She hesitates slightly but slowly extends one foot, then the other, and then walks towards me, where I stand on the other side.  Ears perked, coming willingly.  I turn her to walk over the platform from the other direction.  She hesitates slightly, then walks to me.  What a wonderful feeling.

I leave Allie in the arena when I open the gate to bring Bonita in.  Bonita was the quiet one, so light to ride.  She seems a little grumpy tonight (and I hesitaite to put human emotions to a horse, because it's not the same.  But something is a little different with her).  I rub her a little, but didn't ask her to move her hindquarters before I saddle.  She just doesn't seem as quiet as I saddle, and I make sure to ask her to move her hindquarters after I saddle.  Still not quite right, I took her off the line and ask her to move away as I free lunge her. 

She went off willingly, and wanted to crow hop a little as she went in to a little canter.  As I sent her away from me, Allie went with her.  Bonita loped off but Allie came back to me.  At one point, Allie came trotting up faster than I think she needed to, and as I put up a hand, she stopped right in front of me, actually in front of my raised hand, and I rubbed her forhead.  What a good girl.  She wants to be with me!  That is a good feeling!

Bonita, on the other hand, has decided to stay away.  Stopping by not turning towards me.  So I keep sending her away, until she turns to me.  It was funny to send her away, or turn away from her, and Allie is right behind me, so I rub her between her eyes, and turn back to Bonita.

Bonita has decided to turn towards me, and I walk to her, rub her between the eyes, and walk away.  She follows.  I attach the lead and ask her to move her hindquarters both directions.  She does.  Time to ride.

She is light and responsive, and moving out.  I had to tell her we were done, as she would keep trotting and going.

I also ask her to come over the platform.  She hesitates a little also, but comes.

I told Tom that I think this is different from Quarter Horses. If the QH didn't want to do this, they would pull back and argue, and you would need to spend time teaching them and showing them that this is ok.  These 2 arab mares hesitated, I relaxed but held the rein with a give and take, and they walked right over.

I'm enjoying these 2 girls.  They are going to teach me my next stage of horsemanship.  That is one of finesse.  They along with Shaggy, and Savannah, and Duke, and Duster, and Honey, and Dove and Fawn.  And I'll fine tune everything with Starlet, who I know so well.

I guess that means all horses will teach you something, no matter what their age is and no matter where you are at in your journey.

"Embrace the Journey!"