Wonderful two days with the horses

[AllieBaba]

But I'm never taking my dog on vacation again.

Anyway, took the parson russell on vacation because she worried herself sick, literally, last time we were gone for several days. Wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, her titties got all fat like with a false pregnancy (when I came back I thought she'd sneaked some puppies out on me) wouldn't leave the couch for days after we got back, bit both my daughter and I. One very pissed off pooch. The lady across the street who was watching her said the night we came home she sat on the porch and howled for about an hour. She never howls, for anything.

So I thought, poor thing (I may have already told this story) next time I'll just take her. I don't want her to die on me.

So I carefully planned the next vacation, booked a motel on the beach (a very nice beach) that took dogs.

It was disgusting. We stayed there two nights and I was like pack it up, we're out of here. My son almost got bit in the face by a fellow vacationer's pit bull (while she was holding her...he ran up to it, another argument for leashes for kids. I was holding my rabid terrier at the time). We couldn't enjoy our balcony because anytime anyone or any dog walked within a mile of us she went berserck.

Anyway, short story long, I found a nice motel down the beach near the family reunion and dumped her at the first pet hostelry I could find. I had vaccinated her myself, but wasn't sure if kennel cough was i ncluded so I lied and said I had vaccinated her for kennel cough because at that point I no longer cared. As it turned out, the vaccine I gave her did have the vaccinations for kennel cough. I told the caretakers (who could barely hear me over the din of my snarling freaked out dog and the dozen or so other dogs following suit at her arrival) she didn't like other dogs and laughed maniacally as I left, and told them I'd be back in 48 hours...maybe. I left no forwarding address, lol. They took it well, they were laughing.

I picked her up, she was the only dog in her own kennel (very nice kennel) all the other dogs were obviously fed up and disgusted with her. She slept all the way home and was VERY happy to finally get home.

Now the horses. I've had a couple of REALLY good days with them. Had a friend come over so he could ride my mare while I rode the kids' horse, because although I've owned her previously and now again, I've never ridden her. I didn't feel comfortable turning kids loose on her while I'm on my mare if I don't know how she's going to act..particularly if something were to happen to me if my mare acted up.

So my friend rode her, and of course she acted up with him because he's an idiot in many ways....but they worked it out. I didn't care about that, because that's actually what I wanted to test...to see how the kids' horse acted if the other mare was fiddling around, not where she was supposed to be, etc.

She was PERFECT. She could care less what the other mare is doing. She's not particularly interested even in following her, she reins well (I got new bits for them, they like them much better than the other bits). And while we were cleaning out the barn, I found why my horses are rubbing their tails off...there are some nails inside the barn which have been pounded through from t he other side and smashed down so they won't cut the horses, but the mares stand in the barn with their rumps against hte wall, and the hair is catching underneath those flattened nails and getting ripped off. I'm pulling clumps of it out every day.

So yesterday I took the pastor's daughter to ride with the saddle while I rode my mare, who behaved perfectly with me on, I might add (you can't sit forward on her or she goes backwards, and if you get in her mouth she gets worked up, no problems....) and it was great. We walked and jogged around, no incidents.

So today I got a tarp to staple across where the nails are and hopefully my mares' tails will grow back and stop looking like htey have worms or lice or something (I treated them for both, repeatedly, I couldn't figure out what hte problem was). And today we're riding again. Then on Wednesday taking my 7 y.o. to ride for her first ride where she's in control by herself.

Woo hoo. Wish us luck.

 

[strollingbones]

you got a jack russell right? that is what we call them in the south...i have heard them called parson russell before...well my friend is getting a jack for da hubby...except she couldnt find one...so she came over and whined till i found one....then at 4 pm she decides we get to make the 5 hour round trip to get it...5 miles after we got it...it tossed cookies in my lap....cute pup however...she was real quiet....she will be up at 3 am...the pup and my friend

 

[strollingbones]

glad you had a nice trip

 

[AllieBaba]

Parson Russells are a separate breed, but they originated with the Jack Russell. They have longer legs allegedly so they could keep up with hounds when hunting.

They look a lot like fox terriers.

Mine is insane. She's the perfect dog for our family. I've had a devil of a time from the time they were little teaching my kids not to run up to dogs. I needed a dog that couldn't kill them when they grabbed their ears and put their noses up to them, but that was tough enough to teach them a lesson..and fast and agile enough to evade when necessary.

Mylo is that dog.

She's deadly for little animals and birds though. She catches tweety birds that fly too low...and too low is about 5 feet off the ground.

Third day of riding not quite so perfect...we went out at dusk (never a good idea with horses that haven't been ridden much, but we take our time when we can get it). Purdy took the pastor's daughter into the bard (3 sided barn, fairly safe as far as barns go, at least she can't crack her head going in). The girl was like, "Should I get off?" The horse was just standing there with her head to the wall, and I was like, no, make her turn around and take her out of there, and we aren't stopping until you can make a few circles without her going in. It's not like she was running away or anything, it was sort of funny, she'd just walk into the barn, lol. I told her if she got off the horse in the barn she'd spend every ride getting on the horse and riding into the barn and getting off, end of ride.

Meanwhile my mare was kind of faunching around now and then but she just needs to get out and move, and we can't really do that until the pastor's daughter can steer her horse...because Purdy could care less where we are, she completely ignores us and just goes wherever.

So the girl learned (finally) how to steer the horse. Up until now she's just been a passenger. Today she actually made the horse do something it didn't want to do.

And I was able to get on my horse with a much shorter mounting block. Instead of a 3 foot (upside down) feed bucket, I was able to get on using the 18 inch salt bucket. Yay! In a couple more rides I won't even need that. Provided the crappy leather on my leather stirrups hold. My good saddle doesn't fit the Arab, so I can't use it. The pastor's daughter is using it on Purdy. Mine is an ultra-cheap saddle that fits my horse's back. I'm careful to put as little weight as possible in the stirrups, I'll tell yah, though, and I do NOT forget the breast collar in the likely event that some very important piece holding the saddle on (namely, the leathers or latigo holding the cinch...or a stirrup leather) gives way. At least when it does the saddle (and me) won't end up under the horse.

Anyway, nobody died. Which is good because the girl forgot to wear her helmet. I didn't notice, I was busy staying on my own horse.

Few more sessions, we'll be loping all over the place and ready to actually leave the pasture. That will be a red letter day. My horse needs to get out and move...but I don't dare do it with a kid riding with me, not until she learns at the very least to steer her horse. And the only time I ever get to ride is when a kid is with me.

But we're coming along. She couldn't even lead a horse when she started. It's been quite an experience for both of us. I've given lessons, but this has been differerent. Lessons before have always been using horses I know, I've ridden, and my kids have been riding. And I don't think I've ever taught a kid who was this old with this little experience. It's fun.

 

[strollingbones]

oooo a nice saddle is worth the most fortune you must pay....try to find a 2nd hand one...

 

[AllieBaba]

My good saddle was old when I got it at 18. That's almost 30 years ago. We hadit refitted, all new latigo. It's still one of the best I've ever ridden, other than one particular Hamley's a friend of mine has (one of 3 he owns).

This one was inexpensive and I needed a saddle that would fit my mare, which is a big Arab and so is hard to fit in this area because the horses are mostly QHs. Mine doesn't clear her withers. But I miss it.

Once we start riding I'll find a dandy, never fear. I always do. I have 4 saddles, the two I've spoken of, a (little) kids' saddle, and a small saddle for small ppl and kids who have outgrown the little one. The only one I bought new was the kids' saddle. We'll be using that one tonight, my daughter is riding for the first time on her own. I won't be riding. At least not while she is. I'll be guarding the damn barn. It will take my girl about 2 seconds to figure out how to steer, she's been ready to ride for months. And now we've got a good bit so I don't anticipate any real problems.

 

[AllieBaba]

And we won't forget her helmet. Her saddle has tapaderas. It wasn't made that way, I made them put some on because I won't put little kids on a saddle without them. They force them to hold their feet correctly and their foot can't slip through and get caught if they fall off.

 

[AllieBaba]

The kids rode tonight, daughter for the first time with the reins and nobody leading or walking along.

She did great. I took lots of pics. I have them on facebook and my computer, haven't put them on photobucket yet...but that's next.

 

[AllieBaba]

Oh crap, forgot about the child molesters.
Well I'll post ones of the horses anyway.

 

[AllieBaba]

Yeah, it's blurry but that's okay on here.

She wants to be a doctor at this point in her life. That's what her cousin is. We'll see what she wants to be in a few years. She could do anything.

 

[AllieBaba]

But even blurry, note how straight that horse tracks.

I can pick em when it comes to hosses.

 

[AllieBaba]

Let's find a better pic..you know, I was a great photographer for the paper, but I had some supreme cameras. I can't take pics of horses for shit with my Walmart Supreme (the best they had) fucking piece of shit:

Here's one of the Arab in jail while I was working with the little ones on Purdy. She'd dig at the bottom of the gate like a dog, then reach up as far as she could, and grab the chain link gate with her teeth and try as hard as she could to pull it down. I've never seen anything like it.

Unfortunately, my slow camera never caught it. It was hilarious, though. Give her about 3 hours in that pen without being able to see her stable buddy, she'd have pulled the gate off and torn the place apart.

When she could see us (and when the kids were riding she could) she was okay.

In this pic, she's trying to go under. About two seconds later, she'd be trying to go through (hitting her head against the gate) or just be trying to pull the gate down.

Imagine what joy to ride. And I'm not being faescitious. (sp). She's a joy to ride. If you're willing to ride.

 

[AllieBaba]

BTW, I've seen colts find the highest part of the lowest part of a fence, lay down and roll under it to get out. I've got a feeling she was that kind of baby.