Arena + Molly + Tyler = GREAT RIDES!

Check it out! 85% Finished!!

So this last week has been wonderful week with Molly!!!! Her and Rex are understanding their routine here on the farm and have quit screaming for each other when they cant see each other. I did have to modify a few things... like moving them into separate sides of the barn (ie: when Molly was in the stall next to Rex... I couldn't even pick the stall without her trying to squeeze between me and the window to see Rex)... and I moved her hay net to her window in her new stall so she can eat her hay and see Rex at the same time (otherwise... she wont eat the hay because she cant see Rex)... I know, they are a little dysfunctional... lol.. but this works. She's eating ALL her hay now which is GREAT! The system works.

Also, even before the arena was installed, she was getting better and better undersaddle and understanding her job. It was difficult though trying to teach her the canter leads in the field: when I asked for the left lead-- she gave me the right, and visa versa. I could feel her getting stronger though in her hind in, and balancing was getting better. Much less tripping, and more holding HERSELF together. What a wonderful feeling.

As my arena was being grading on Sunday... I lunged her in the round pen with the cavesson... I love using this!! She did wonderful and this really helped give her some direction for the leads. On Monday, even though the arena wasn't finished, I couldnt wait any longer and I rode in the 85% finished arena!!! AWHHH!!! A FLAT PLACE TO RIDE!!! :-) :-) Major SMILES on my face for sure! Molly REALLY liked having the arena as well... she was back to her slower self, and no fussing when she had to go down hill. I'm a happy momma now! She also got each lead that I asked for in the arena! :-) yah! Also, the way the arena is graded, it leads to having banks that I can jump over and down! This was fun, and Molly enjoyed this I think also. :-)

THIS morning, Wednesday, Molly was amazing! She did beautiful transitions, keeps a lovely paced trot now that she is MUCH fitter- this is SO comfortable! I can really feel her push off her hind end now. Changes of direction were perfect, our trot-canter transitions were flawless. Our short (20 min) albeit, PRODUCTIVE ride was awesome this morning... and was a great start to my day (especially after I dropped my large mug of coffee that spilled everywhere in the barn 10 secs after I got down to the barn. lol).

So.. I need to have some help taking pictures of Molly... and need some of me on her. I think she's really filling out and starting to look very pretty! :-) ahh... oh the life of my OH so quiet Chestnut Thoroughbred Mare! :-)

It's Time to Learn Some Work Ethic...

Molly & Rex at Night Check Snack Time

Aloha folks! So... this has been QUITE the week with the Moll-ster. ;-) I'm a little frustrated that I do not have my arena installed yet... but I have a promised day of the 24th!!! yeah! So.. riding has been limited-- also do to time constraints as well.

So... You heard about our first ride in the field... which was nice. And then... I tried to get a quick ride in last Thursday before I had to be at the restaurant for work. I had a bad feeling when I put the two noggins up... got Molly ready in the stall, and as I walked her our- REX WAS SCREAMING HIS HEAD OFF AT MOLLY. Granted.. we had only walked 15 feed away to where I could get on. Oh Boy. So I walk up around the property, Rex still screaming, Molly a little agitated... I have to get off and close the big door to Rex's stall because his monster butt was about to break my stall gate. okay.. that done. Back on... Molly did NOT want to move forward away from the barn. oh boy. She starts figgiting... and she doesn't want to move forward. She either wants to stop... turn around.. or back up. She starts acting like she might rear (b/c she doesn't know where to go), she gets about 4 inches off and I said screw this!!! You are NOT going to learn this bad habit-- granted, it was not malicious intent... she just did NOT know what to do. Her default is back up... I said go forward, well... you know what that equation can equal. So.. I walk up to the barn.. get the lunge line and whip so I can work her in our makeshift round pin... again.. not wanting to move forward, at. all. All she does is either stare and pivot around me as I move to her side... or she violently backs up. Okay.. lead line chain now has to go over her nose... not really like where I am having to go with this, but nice was not getting me any where. She was SO distraught about being separated... there were NO reasoning skills. So... we had a little, eh, discussion about backing up- she ended up being back up alot on my terms, then she would move forward then spin and stare at me again. And then the waiting and pressure game begins. I sit on the lunge line... her nose hurts.. and FINALLY she moves forward. After all that... she goes, "OKAY-- I'll MOVE FORWARD! Got IT!!" Change directions.. a little and short issue... then she complies again and moves wantingly forward. Phew. I was pissed that I could not get on her at this point.. but I HAD to go to work. I hosed her off and put her back out in the pasture.

Doesn't she look thrilled? Not fun for either of us...

So.. the above picture was taken after we were done battling a bit. Then I had early morning work, and afternoon restaurant work so she didn't get worked again on Friday (:-( major upset about that)... OH YES! And after that incident... Molly and Rex got to be turned out in separate paddocks to help ease them away from being SO obsessed with each other. Didn't get to ride Sat either (dog training then camera workshop)... Sunday no ride due to finishing painting the house and then work... So.. Monday I finally got to work with her again. This time.. there was some grooming/bonding time before which I think helped not being so rushed, Rex was left out in the pasture... and I decide to lunge her first. She had a little freak out moment at first.... even decided she wanted to flip over backwards (thankfully neither she nor my saddle was hurt)... she didn't like that so much... I walked up to her... walked her back down to the arena... and we got to work. A little lunge whip desensitizing, leg yielding... then she moved out and walked, trotted, and cantered wonderfully both ways. Then I got on her... she was a little wiggly at first... then settled in to accept the work. Rex was a little worried at first and then settled a bit towards the end. She tried to resit the draw reins a little bit... but worked through that too.

Lots of love afterwards, a nice cool off... and a good rub down afterwards. She got Tuesday Off b/c I had a massage and then went to see my grandma in the hospital. Today (Wednesday)- I wanted to work her.. even if it was for 10 minutes since I have dog training today... so after all stalls were done, I threw the lunging head caveson on and got the Parrelli stick.. worked some leg yielding, ground work... then sent her out for a small lunge- trot session... changing directions with body language, etc... she was a CHAMP! And Rex was a good boy in his stall!! (yay-- they are both catching on that they are not going to DIE if the other is not in the stall with them). A quick 15 minute.. positive session was needed and I think will benefit us both! :-) lots of love and treats for her... turned them both out in their own paddocks, and both settled almost immediately. (Thank goodness! No more running around and neighing)

Enjoying her grass after our early morning work this morning

So... for more reasons than I can mention... I cannot WAIT to get my arena in. I think this will help Molly be focused and give a purpose to the work.. not just riding out in a field that she gets turned out in every day. I'm counting the minutes until it is installed! I know this was not the most fun post... and some might disagree with some methods used... but, I just take each situation as it is given to me and deal with it the best way I know how at that moment for that horse. I know it didn't help that she had almost 2 weeks with only 1 ride-- "oh, I'm just a lawn ornament again??" <-- I'm sure was her thought. Her life has drastically changed in the last 2 months... and I think in 2 more... she will feel for the better. ;-)
I haven't been able to spend as much time with Molly the last few weeks as I would have liked.. but with the house finishing up inside (getting painting and flooring finished)... I will have SO much for time and emotional space for her. :-) To be continued.....

Tyler... are you my mom??

So, life has been quite a bit crazy lately and taken a HUGE turn. Firstly and most importantly.. I DECIDED TO KEEP MOLLY!!!! Each day that I rode her I fell more and more in love with her. How did I come to this decision? I got the opportunity to lease a farm just over the Cherokee Co. line just outside of Roswell, a 5.5 acre farm with a 5 stall barn... the day I signed the lease was the day I decided to keep Molly. I mean, really... what better lesson horse could I ask for?? Lessons you may ask.. why yes... I believe I am getting back into the horse business. I have missed teaching lessons for quite some time now, and am excited to dive back in.

Very sweaty after a ride, not the most beautiful ever, but her mane is pulled and lays on the correct side!

Getting SOME muscle.. but is tighting up a bit!

Now.. back to Molly... since my last post.. I rode a few more times and then my life turned upside down. Molly's canter improved as did her gates and transitions. Each and every day I could feel a stronger, fitter horse beneath me. She could maintain an actual PACE at the trot, and she really enjoys cantering. I had my mother ride her and also an old student ride her which they both thoroughly enjoyed their ride. I hadn't even SEEN Molly for over a week and I put her back on a trailer and moved her to our new home last Saturday, March 3rd. Again, with the help of a lunge line behind her butt... she walked onto the trailer with no fit. HA!-- and proved me wrong and ate a peppermint front Auntie Jackie! We also loaded up her pasture mate, Rex to come and live with us also. They have been troopers!

View of the big pasture from my bedroom, bed

Day 1 on new farm: we unloaded them and let them into the front paddock... and they went.. "AHH!!! GRASS AND CLOOOOOOVVVVVEREERRR!!!!!" lol... they enjoyed their time while I went to feed store and brought them in for dinner.

Rex begging for more treats at nightcheck- Molly is hiding from his teeth

Day 2: let them out into the big pasture and Rex proceeds to run around the entire pasture checking out all the corners as Molly follows behind him! After about one lap... she was ready to start eating... and hesitated and then following as Rex would randomly take off. :-) lol.. it was very funny.. she was like "Really Rex? We have to keep running? Dont you SEE the green stuff all around to EAT!" I was cracking up. They will get their workouts in as their pasture is a big hill.

Day 3: Jackie met me out at the farm to ride in the fields for some hill work! Rex had pulled 2 shoes, so she walked/trotted hills as Molly and I walked, trotted, cantered around the whole pasture! I wish you could all see what was going on at this time... the neighbors dogs were barking, my dog is running around, the landlords are cutting wood for repairs on the deck next to the pasture, moving stuff, etc. They were both so great! Molly learned how to control speed going downhill, and even did a left-right  lead change! lol.. not on purpose but I took it! :-) Took her a minute to give into the drawreins on the hills.. but she was great-- and VERY sweaty... she hadn't been ridden in a week- which I was quite upset about b/c she had lost some of the beautiful muscle I had put on over the past month! grrr....

The other grrrr to this story is my ARENA IS NOT INSTALLED YET!! grrrrrrrrrr. I HOPE we can get it in this weekend! This makes training very hard... and also hard to bring in boarders with no arena. Come on Bobcat part... get here!

Day 4: Molly just got a really good late night groom.. she is MAJORLY shedding out right now and looks ridiculous. As I was currying her last night and chatting with my brother-- I stopped for a second, and she literally side-stepped closer to me as if to say, "Excuse me.. that felt good.. keep doing it!" she is super ichy right now with the shedding... trying to get a good curry in every day to help. Cant wait till she is shedded out, I think she will be SO beautiful with short hair! :-)

Alrighty folks! Thats it for now... new pictures to come soon!