Mare Day

We had a nice mare day today. Dakota was being a doll while being saddled up, everything normal... Then I take her out of the pasture, hop on her, and while I am fixing my stirrups she dives for the grass (which she KNOWS is a big no no when we are about to ride)... So, I popped her enough to let her know, and I think that rubbed her the wrong way. For the rest of the ride she was Ms. Spooky, walking with her head a mile high, needing to look at everything. So needless to say she wasn't exactly focused. That in turn gave her a little attitude problem also I think.

Get her to the field by the fire house where I work her occasionally, put her to work a little.. Normally she has a very low headset, but today it was like she was on the defense, keeping her eyes wide open for something to jump out at her (and she is normally not spooky at all).. So we did nice big circles, just trotting. She threw in the occasional drift back towards the woods (the way home), overall just not paying attention. She can and knows how to stop on a dime, but it was like she was blowing me off a little today. She would stop, just not on a dime, it would take her a few steps.

So I decided it was OK to let her have a mare day, I made her work a little longer got her trotting semi-collected circles and called it quits, trail rode home a different way through the neighborhood.

I think I may have hurt her feelings when I got on her about the grass... Oh mares.

Two Days Off

Well, Dakota has had a nice two day break... It was super nice yesterday, a little chilly, but nice... Walk out to the barn, carry my saddle down, had my polos all wrapped back nicely and ready to be wrapped on Dakota...Walk out into the field to catch her, and low and behold her right eye was swollen. Take a closer look, she cut her lower lit ever so slightly, so her eyelids puffed up a little. Decided to give her the day off... We had a nice grooming session.. Shedding season is indeed upon us, I was covered in hair. Dakota got the special mane and feet treatment. I am happy to report that when I got home from work last night her eye was back to normal. Phew.

Really wanted to get home in time before dark to ride today as it was nice again...but darn lab ran late. Wednesdays are my long days at school, and of course they are always the nicest weather days for some reason. It's supposed to be even nicer tomorrow...hopefully all goes well and I can hop on.

Got some pics of the swollen eyeball...Naturally she liked to close her eye just as I was taking the picture...Silly mare

Draw Reins Day 2

Well, managed to ride today even though it was freezing AND windy! The windchill made it feel a lot colder than it actually was I think.. Brought out the draw reins again, although I didnt get as much accomplished as I had hoped. Aside from the fact Dakota all of the sudden thinks wind is something to get worked up over, she did well. She was spooking at every little plastic bag that flew by. When I say spooking, she never really spooks.. It's more of a look at it intensely, and then every now and then flinch. Thats the definition of a Dakota spook, but nevertheless, she becomes distracted. So we pranced around, with our head held high, and worked a little at the trot. She was actually very good considering the conditions, the wind was really whipping. She actually stayed more focused than I thought she would have, she trotted nice straight lines for me and was paying attention for the most part, stopping on a dime, etc. I was proud of her in that respect. But I think it was too chaotic with the wind to really get anything good accomplished, so we worked a little bit because I want to make her work in conditions that shes not necessarily comfortable in, so she becomes more sound-minded.. But I didnt want to push it so after 30 minutes of work, we went to the woods to trail ride a bit.

As of now, I dont care if its cold tomorrow.. I just want this wind to go away!! Hopefully I'll be able to ride tomorrow also..

Draw Reins Day 1

Dakota officially liked the set of draw reins I made much much more than she likes the german martingale... She worked GREAT in them. I couldn't believe how quick she got it. Rode her yesterday (saturday) for the first time in them, and she acted like she knew all about them. I've never felt her so collected or trotting such nice circles. I was so proud of her!! We just worked on straight line trotting for a good portion of the workout, then did some smaller circles (about 50 foot circles). I didnt want to put too much strain on that stifle yet until its worked back up. It made me really happy, I cant wait to work her again!

After the work session, we took a ride around the neighborhood. Dakota didnt like the little boy that was zooming around on a go-cart.. He would crank the engine right as he sped by her..I didnt like him either.

Did not get to ride today as it was really rainy and crappy out.. Hopefully I'll be able to hop on tomorrow.. I am hoping it stays dry enough.

Video Session

Did not get to ride as much as I thought I would this week...it got really cold again! Ended up riding Monday and Tuesday, and thats it. Actually had Kota trotting both days, she felt great. A little stiff necked, but overall it was a good two days. I actually brought my camera with me tuesday to the soccer field to see if I could place it somewhere where I could get some videos.. Ended up getting an OK video of Kota trotting circles. I edited it down so it wasnt 4 minutes of her trotting circles...

She did well that day. It was the second time I had the german martingale on her ever, and for the most part she responded well. Only a few times she acted confused, threw her nose a little..But after she realized what it was all about she seemed to do well with it. I am going to try some draw reins on her this coming week, finally made myself a set. She felt like she forgot how to back up....but she did have 6 months off..and she IS a baby still!



I really wanted to ride today, but it was so darn cold!! Plus the wind made it feel darn near freezing out... My fingers almost fell off while doing stalls. Maybe I'll be able to get on her tomorrow, hopefully it will be a little warmer.

First time trotting

Had Kota trotting again for the first time today in months, she did great and felt great. I warmed her up for a good long time with just walking, as I was talking on the phone with Natalie. Mostly straight line stuff, not much flexing. She really surprised me with how collected she felt trotting. She held herself together great, and felt like she was really using her hind end. She also kept a straight line with ease, none of the drunk trotting (as I like to call it). I could stay one handed on her, and she would still continue straight. I did some large circles, and she felt like she may have been dropping in a little bit..but overall I was very pleased. I did not want to over do it, so we did a few minutes to each side, and I am going to work her up from that.

Bugged my mom to come out of the house after our workout so she could take a few pics!

Windy Day

Did not get to ride yesterday as I had hoped because we had 50 mph winds here... I about blew away just doing barn chores. A little less windy today, so I saddled up and headed out on the trails, was hoping I could do a little trot work today also. Got Kota all warmed up, we walked and walked all over the place, working on bending and flexing. Naturally everything was a little scarier when its windy out.. The kids out on recess at the elementary school, the flying trash bag in the wind.. But she gave all of that nothing but a double look. And then she saw it. The dreaded bleacher that was clearly out to get her, all because it was in a different spot than what she remembered.

Her first walk by it she about gave me a heart attack. Just about jumped out of her skin, and I wasnt prepared for it at all..I was lollygagging along singing to my Ipod. Made me chuckle after the fact, she's seen those bleachers many many times before.. Just not in that spot or position. So ever since the bleacher incident she was on her toes for the rest of the ride. I let her trot a little bit, but felt that it could wait for another day that wasnt so windy. Gives her less to think about, and more brains to focus on me.

We finished up the ride with a walk all over the neighborhood, she was a good girl. She really feels good underneath me, like she's using her body correctly and whatnot. I am hoping good weather is on the way, so we can really get to work soon! I'd love nothing more than to have her atleast loping a decent exhibition come late april when all of the NBHA's start back up...