Blows off the dust.... I know it's been weeks..

I have a great excuse to why its been weeks! Like a totally awesome excuse. It's just taken me a few weeks to come to terms with it and accept it.

I'm pregnant.

There I said it. This has changed everything lately. I found out at the end of June and have pretty much done NOTHING with Memphis since then. I mean right after I found out there was about 2 weeks where I just saw him once and didn't go back out. I'm starting to get back in the hang of things but this is a huge shocker for me.

For one, last time I went to the doctor (for my yearly doctor feel up: sure strange man, I'll get naked for you and let you do whatever you want with cold metal objects) he was concerned that my husband and I would have problems having children. Since we had been together for almost 10 years (my husband and I, not my doctor, yuck) and weren't exactly "careful" during that time.

For two, I was on birth control. I screwed up the pack the prior month and decided instead of overdosing on hormones as the pack directions suggested, I would skip a month and restart. I warned the hubby.

Apparently though, some alcohol and being your anniversary throws caution right out the window and stuff happens that only adults do. (you know, two consenting, loving adults, birds and the bees here!) Two weeks later he starts harping on me about why I'm so PMS'ee (my new word) and when its going to be "that time".

Curiosity got the better of me and well... unfortunately for hubby, he's stuck with my crazy butt for almost a year. So here we are. Took us about this long for this to start sinking in. Still need to tell family but we wanted to wait for our first appt which is tomm.

So back to my horse, I somehow read that you really shouldn't horseback ride while in my tender condition. Something terrifying about really screwing up. In my fear, I've avoided Memphis. :( I'm doing better though, a lot better. I'm going to go out today and play with him, but probably will not ride. I'm going to take my saddle and really think it through, but I know myself too well.

I did give him a bath on Friday. He was dirty and just plain gross. But I will say, he let me halter him easy, walked as he should at my shoulder really relaxed through two gates and a pasture with a mare and filly. He fought me some on the water itself, but I was persistant and did the old walk with him while applying what he hates trick. He settled down by the end of it and let me do what I needed to do. Thank gosh my trainer lady showed me that, otherwise I would have given up on so much with him so long ago.

Basically, like with the hose lets say, leave him in a halter with a lead rope attached. (depending on HOW scary the item is, I may have a stud chain) Stand so you are almost standing directly in front of the horse, but not so much that if he bolts you are knocked down. Apply scary object, in this case water. If the horse has a brain, he will move side to side or backwards to get away from the object. Follow him and do not give him much slack and do not stop applying the stimulus. Eventually he will see that it won't kill him.

This took Memphis about two months, so it isn't a quick turn around, but I will say the bath was a much quieter one than I have had with him in a long long time. He didn't like his neck washed so that was a little struggle but we worked through it.

Today is going to be hoof work so hopefully when I get the farrier out there, he isn't such an ass.

Boots

So I bought a new pair of riding boots. I actually dropped cash on these. My first pair of riding boots were just paddock boots and they were CHEAP. Saxon's that I bought for 25 bucks. I will say that while the cheapies were not comfortable to walk in, they did hold up to 3 years of riding. Eventually the pull strap to pull them on broke, the glue holding the upper to the sole broke, and what did them in for me? My shoelace finally bit the dust.

So I started looking at brands of boots. I really only wanted to buy Ariats or Justins. I settled on Justins. Here is what I got:

http://www.bootbarn.com/L9900,-Color:-Cognac,-Size:-9.5,-Width:-B/731871769443,default,pd.html

I know, ostrich print? I needed some flare without some obnoxious color. :)

Now boots, I have found people either think their needed or think they are not. I'm in the yes they are needed camp. The tennis shoe's riding is not for me. I really did get spoiled by boots. I like the way my feet feel in the stirrups with the boots on. I also find that in tennis shoes my feet slide more in the stirrups or they don't move when I need them to. Now scratch your all's heads at that comment, but I swear it to be true.

Two things I don't want to be without with my horse... boot's or a helmet. Which the helmet is the next thing I want to get a new one of. I have just a standard Troxel white helmet. It works, does its job, and I feel safer with it on. But, I want some style if I'm gonna be trail riding heavier this fall/winter. Sounds dorky I know haha.

In other news, Memphis' leg since turnout is doing much better. Not sure if I ever blogged about his leg, but he had a HUGE fluid build up in it from banging his leg on the stall when he eats. (he is quirky like that) He also bangs it when he is impatient. Vet had to be called out and she said there is no damage, gave me some DMSO chock full of steriods, gave Memphis a big dose of steriods and gave me the all clear.

But, the leg kept me from doing anything with him for 2 weeks. You can stil see a small amount of the fluid in the leg, but he isn't lame on it so I am happy. And the vet says that it could come back. Joy.

I will say though, Memphis, since this incident, has quit banging his stall so much. I think a lot of that has to do with the hobbles that I bought. Barn owner uses the hell out of them on him, or did. Memphis hasn't been hobbled in a few weeks.

Haha and I never did go into this farrier incident. I'll save that for another post, this one is getting long and doesn't seem to have direction anymore! But I'm good at rambling.

Rode my freaking horse!

Thank God! It was a nice evening and I rode. Couple things that I have found:

1.) He likes to scream at his buddies

2.) He likes to speed up near the gate

3.) He is awesome on the ground

4.) We almost have woah down to a science

5.) He is *finally* starting to anticipate the leg maneuvers

Now the screaming I will not tolerate. That leads to retard-ism on the horses part if it gets out of hand. He is not to scream to his buddies when he is with me. N.E.V.E.R. Dodge did that (my first horse) and I ignored it, well guess how it got worse and worse till she was running over top of me?

He gets walloped with whatever I have in my hand, which today was a brush, curry, hand, and a stirrup. When I got done with the ride he started to yell and I picked up the stirrup again to whack him and he quieted right down and stood there chewing the bit.

He has FINALLY the last two rides stood like an angel for mounting. I do need a good new pair of riding boots though, as tennis shoes do not slide in the stirrups like boots do. (that's the point right?)

Now, how I have decided to train this big animal that I love. SLOWLY. I have all the time in the world to get him trained; I'm not training for an event, I'm not training him for some specific discipline, and I'm not training him for anyone else. I do see the benefit of short 15-30 minute rides. I feel like he won't get overworked, he can learn what I'm asking, and as soon as he does what I ask it's time to end the lesson.

So the next month of riding? Flat Walk. That isn't to say that I won't ask every now and again for more speed, but I want my horse to have a good solid flat walk. I want to be able to hop on and not go running off into the sunset. I want some gait out of him that is solid. I want that to be the flat walk. I am planning (since it is finally nice) to start riding him 3-4 times a week at just the flat walk.

I know now, it's a little rough. He isn't sure what I want because I haven't asked him to do anything really but eat, sleep, and poop. But, I will change that here in the future.

Here we go Memphis!

Turnout and Bath's

Throughout the winter Memphis got very little turnout. I feel bad about this, but I'm happy where he is boarded at. He always has fresh water, stall is cleaned every day, grained twice a day, and 4 flakes of hay in the winter. If something was wrong it was fixed and treated first, while I was/am on the phone. So for his quality of care is excellent, then I will not bitch too much about a small amount of turnout in the winter.

In the spring we had epic amounts of rain, so again, turnout was very very limited since the pasture was essentially mud. My barn owner likes to keep her horses dry and so Memphis gets to do what her horses do. (I'm her only boarder haha)

When it hit 80F and was somewhat dry, I decided to give Memphis his first bath. Get all the winter wooley hair that was still clinging out and get rid of that dust that plagues every horse. Anyone who reads this that has a horse knows what I'm talking about.

So, lets go with Memphis hadn't been out of his stall to run around for a bit, it's now warm, and I'm wanting to contain him for a bath? HA. His feet were a goin in every direction but with the help of my barn owner we got him done.

Fast forward to yesterday, where now Memphis has been turned out every single day for the past two weeks. The past week it has been 90F or more every single day. I wanted to ride last night buuuutttt Memphis was sweating just standing outside. I couldn't do that to him, but I used this to work on the hose.

Here's how it went:

Pull Memphis out of the pasture. Lead him into the barn to the hose. Turn hose on. Walk Memphis and hose out to the drive. Drop hose. Hose kicks on and starts spraying water AND wiggling around on the ground. Me tries to remain calm while thinking to myself Memphis might flip out thinking it's a horse eating hose. Memphis actually took the hose off like a champ. I think this is because he was soooooooo hot that the cold water felt really really good.

Other than screaming for his friends (which was corrected with a snap on the lead rope) he did the whole thing quite nicely.

I'm gonna hose him, or at least try to, every time I'm out. I'd like to be able to tie him and then hose him, though I think that is a little ways off.

But there. That is my big dumb horse post :)

It's Hot

Here in KY we don't just have heat, we have humidity. Hot, sticky, and damp heat. Horrid stuff. That being said, when it hits 90+ not much gets done because it's hot.

Memphis has done nothing. I was going to ride today but it was 95F and Memphis was just standing in the pasture sweating. Nope, no riding.

Sigh.

Anticipating the problem

I've noticed on every ride I have done with Memphis, I am anticpating a problem with the ride. I take FOREVER to tack him up. I take forever to get into the saddle. I also take forever to get moving after in the saddle. Lately, I've realized why: I think I will have a problem.

In all, Memphis is a really good horse, slightly green, but a really good horse. He generally wants to take care of me when I'm on his back and doesn't balk at anything, nor does he cause me a problem.

I on the other hand, think everything is a problem. I just haven't been riding that much and have lost my seat, my hands, and my mind for it. It has finally quit raining and I plan on riding tomm as the arena is dry. I want to ride 3 times this week. That's the goal, 3-4 times a week as long as it stays dry.

Goals for the next 4 weeks? Really push the leg aids and really push his rack. Rack Rack Rack. I then need to start asking for the flat walk. He wants to go directly froma walk to a rack. Fine. I will build up what I'm asking for a little slower. He wants to rack? Fine, rack away buddy. I'll get that solid gear on you and then we are slowing down to the flat walk.

Memphis has a beautiful, head bobbing, smooth flat walk. I know I can get a running walk out of him, I just need more finesse than what I have had. This summer is going to be a gait filled summer I forsee. Which is fine, it will just make me more at peace with my big guy.

I love my Memphis :)

Starting some sort of half assed training.

For one, lets take a look at my groomed, shedded, and amazing horse:

He has become this beautiful horse overnight almost!

So last Friday I went to see him and saddled him for the first time in a LONG LONG time. He has been a little fussy walking on a leadline, but I will say, he was giving me 110% of his attention on Friday.

I set up ground poles for him to walk over. I made patterns out of them and we did a flat walk over them with me on the ground leading him. He did amazing, never pulling on the lead rope, doing as I asked, and pretty much followed what I said.

I worked on the word "over" with him while pushing his on his side to let him move his hindquarters away from me. The purpose to that, in my mind, is so in the saddle he will associate me pushing my leg on him with moving his but over. He did very well with that. We worked on "back" as well, which he is getting very good at.

I then saddled and we worked again on the pattern on the ground. i do need to carry the crop with me as he does NOT want to move out when asked. He has a gorgeous rack, and I am currently working to develop that. Since I do not wear spurs because I do not feel I am experienced enough to do so, the trainer had to get out a lunge whip and "help" him forward. Which, once coerced into the gait, he stayed in it.

He had a slight sweat when we were done and I was very proud of him. I really do love this damn horse and I look forward to putting more work in him.

We have also been working on his mouthing problem. I admit I have caused some of this, but now it's over. He comes at me with his lips and he gets yelled at, or if needed, smacked. He is learning very quickly that I don't play like that and that is a good thing. I also got a sign for his stall that basically says don't feed treats.

I also have to say, my trainer likes him. :) Now don't get me wrong, she thinks he is a bumbling idiot. But, she has told me many times that my horse hasn't a mean bone in his body and trusts her grandkids to work around him. That says a lot. You shoulda seen when her gkid wanted to pick his hooves and the gkid was just bumbling around with it. The kid started whining and saying: but he might kick and his hooves are heavy. She looked at him and said "that horse is being more patient than my horses with you, get it done already". haha

She even pointed out that when I was afraid that he would bolt out of the barn, she said my horse had no bolt in him. He just wants to please. And after she pointed that out, I realized she was right. THIS is why I love this damn horse.

Aw Memphis, don't quit being awesome.