If my counting down is correct, my course begins in 5 weeks!
It's always hard to keep a consistant program going when the weather constantly flip-flops...but I'll also admit to being terrible about sticking to my own schedual.
Tucker is taking a break from lessons these days, and it's made it nice to be able to pick up where we left off when I pull him from the pasture. Our last few rides this past week have been short, but very sweet. As our trip approaches I'd like to increase our ride time, mostly for physical fitness, but above all keep playing fun and interesting instead of a chore.
Number one priority from here on out is extreme friendly with the horse trailer. Tuck has been nervus about it since he's been here...maybe partially because I'm nervus about it?? I never think it's fair when people have horses that just load up and go. I constantly have Pat running through my head though saying, "DON'T wait until you're late for the show!!". Prior and proper preparation, I am counting on to help us out.

7 weeks!

I leave 7 weeks from today!
My trailer has been all dolled up, the vet has been out, and the farrier is getting the pony's feet ready to go!
I got a new vet & farrier all in the same week, and couldn't be more stoked about them both. The vet had very very nice manners toward my horses, and was very helpful in getting me set up to enter and leave Colorado.
My new farrier is also totally fabulous. I have a 24 year old arthritic mare, who I felt has been going down hill. My last farrier was very quiet, and I didn't feel understood what I was wanting for my horses. New guy was very very helpful in helping me understand how to help my horses feet, and really took his time to do it all right and help the horse feel good. I also told him that Tucker tends to pick up his back legs really high at random times as if he's stretching them, and he said he probably has some arthritis in his hips. But he moves soundly, and I think with a good farrier he'll be even better.
I've put about 5 rides on Rascal now, and he's just fabulous. I don't know how far someone should be after 5 rides, but for Rascal we are just swell. We've mostly done pushing passenger, and he's catching onto the "go" part. I'll worry about the steering later.
So that's pretty much what I'm up to. I'll just be enjoying the journey, and working on my relationship with Tuck before we start traveling!

I'm having a great time with Tuck in level 3 online and liberty. Yesterday we played at liberty outside the round pen. It was perfect! He was very attentive even in the lush green grass we were playing in.
He has also been loading and unloading like a pro. Now we both just have to get comfortable with closing the divider and heading off down the road!
I feel like my ground skills far exceed my riding skills, and my freestyle still feels so sloppy. Tucker is bored with the round pen, but it's where I keep going to, to learn and teach whatever we're having difficulty with. It will be nice to have 4 weeks of guidance in this area. I guess I'll just continue to chip away at it until then. I have to remind myself that I spent over a year just on the ground...so it's no wonder I feel more comfortable and competent there.
I am still keeping up with Rascal and even Pepper as well. Pepper is weird, and just sort of checked out yesterday in the middle of the round pen. So I let him chill there while I played with Tucker.
I've ridden Rascal about 4 times now, and he's starting to understand the concept of "go" but I'm not pushing him. That plucky little guy sure is comfy though!

How many days? I think it's something like 64...

This time of the year is always so unpredictable as far as weather goes.

In the last week we've had 2 downpours of hail and slush, with bouts of rain and sometimes a brief sunshine. Yesterday I pulled Tuck out to give him some grain, I thought it would be nice to let him eat his calories in the warm sun while I ran in and did a few things in the house and we would play that afternoon...I was shocked when 15 minutes later we were in a downpour! I had to go rescue Tuck and let him into his shelter in the pasture. So much for my glorious plans!!

Tucker and I are well on our way through level 3 I watched all the new material yesterday, and really enjoyed what I watched, and feel good about where I was filling in the blanks about what I wasn't sure about. I could use a little refining on just about everything, but especially the yo-yo game.
We had a nice little session today with change of direction, sideways, stick to me, and advancing porcupine. He did lead by the leg(front and back), by the ears, and by the girth SOOOOO well that I just laughed and gave him a treat. I'm finding that once you've established your leadership with Tuck he offers you the world. It's making things fun as our relationship grows.

I have now ridden Rascal 3 times, and he it's like I have done it 100 times. I usually wait until we've played on the ground enough that he starts to yawn before asking if I can get on. He doesn't get very worried, and looks back at me with questions all the time. Our last ride, I started asking him to take a step or 2 forward. It took few tries, but he caught on!


For now we are getting my trailer in tip-top shape for our long journey...which means no more trailer loading until it gets back from getting cleaned up. I'll have to be patient and hope that I also have a few sunny days to take it for a spin with Tucker. So lots of study and practice time!

So many plans are being finalized, that the reality of going to Colorado is setting in.
I now have a place to stay, and a loooooooong to-do list until then.

We've had a lovely few days of sunshine here(though I hear more rain is on it's way as I type). I pulled Tuck out and we worked more on online transitions and change of direction. His transition into the canter is getting much better. I think I finally took a hint in change of direction too -- waiting for him to give me 2 eyes made things much more fluid.
Things were feeling well this afternoon......and then it hit me, "justonemore" syndrome kicked in. "Just one more change of direction..." I thought. As I asked him out onto the circle, something sprang up in TuckerBoy and a RBE slowly emerged. I felt like a kid hanging onto a kitestring on an over-blustery day! I abandoned the line(or course...what else does a damsel in distress do?) and watched Tuck zip around the property with my rope trailing behind him.
Just then my sister came out with the phone saying someone wanted to talk to me. What a time for a phonecall! Wondering just where Tucker would stop I took the phone, and much to my relief saw him stop by the house a few seconds later. I sat on my porch letting Tuck catch his breath as I listened to my unknowing friend chat on, not knowing the fiasco I just caused.
After getting to hang up we headed over to the roundpen. I finished the pattern we were working on before the gunfire, and asked poor Tuck to come in for a loooooong rest and a scratch. It was nice to have that bit of bonding time with him. He stayed with my for a long time yawning, licking his lips, and wanting to roll...but not with the dogs around.

Tomarrow I'm hoping we can chill a bit more, and not have such a demanding(not to mention highly physical!) play time!

Wow! What a day yesterday was!

I spent awhile with Tuck working on transitions and change of direction online. I have a hard time being a pansy about letting horses crowd my space. So I tried to be a little more assertive about asking him to swing out and around me when we change direction.

After that I headed out with Rascal. He has just transformed into a different horse. I just want to remind you that Rascal came to me a year ago in December. I was in between levels horses, and one of my friends said she had a pony who had a bad past, and she just didn't have time for. I asked if I could help get him able to have his feet handled to he could be trimmed and ready for sale. That was not to be. he was afraid of everything! And I loved him! I couldn't sneeze without him leaving the planet! Eventually he figured out that the noise of candy wrappers opening was a good noise, and maybe I was worth looking into...
Yesterday we played with circling a squeeze games. I sent him over logs and through ditches, and played with his feet and swung the rope over his back. I parked him next to a log and started playing more over his back. I would jump and flop on my belly so my arms dangled on one side, and my feet on the other. I rubbed his belly and waved my feet around. He handled it sooo well that I decided to slip a leg over! He handled it great! I did it 3 times, and then we went for a little walk! It was like I had done it everyday for the last year! He kept his head low, and even yawned and licked his lips. I'm so excited about the things we'll be able to do together! And the things he'll be able to do together with Tuck! We'll all have such fun!

Trailer loading is going soooo well. Tuck is way confident getting in, but could use a smidgen more for backing out. We'll continue to work on it, and hopefully get our wheels out on the road a bit.
We've been busy planning out our route, places to stay, things to get and things to bring. I love it all. So exciting, and everyone has to listen to me chatter non-stop about it.
The weather took a break from beating on us, and let the sunshine through the last couple days. It's been nice to soak in the sunlight.
Anyways, that's all the current news!! 108 days until we leave?? Or something like that...

Trailer Loading

WooHoo!! It is going fabulous. I spent yesterday and today working on it, and really taking the time it takes to show Tuck how to safely get in and back out of the trailer. He's been real worried about stepping backwards off the step, but finally put it together today.
Yesterday he offered to put in one hind leg with the very tippy toe resting. I was stoked with that, and called it quits. Today he did that twice, and then I'd retreat, and on the 3rd time he got in! So he got all the way in and out 3 more times(stopping inside for a snack of course) and then I put him away. I can't wait to see how he progresses with that now that he knows what to do!
I really enjoy working on trailer loading. It tells a lot about the horse and you can really see the puzzle solving come into action(not to mention in the human too!). I'm still learning a lot about it, and am constantly having to re-assess the situation trying to decide, 'left brain or right brain? approach or retreat?'. It's a learning experience, and such a relief when those 4 hooves calmly step onto the rattling rubber floor-mats.

120 and counting!

One hundred and twenty days until our road trip!

I cannot wait to just be there. Not so much looking forward to the drive, but what can ya do.
I have much to do before then, and my mind is twirling with things I need to accomplish. Yesterday we picked up a hitch for the truck(have no idea where the other one went. weird huh?), so now I can safely practice my trailer loading. Also a big bag of grain for skinny ole Tucker boy.

We had a great ride yesterday. We worked on our transitions using my seat. He picks up things pretty quick, and likes a good puzzle.......as long as I know what I'm doing! Horses vote for their leaders every day! I'm planning on ordering the new level 3, and look forward to having the new material.

These are my biggest goals, and I think I'll have fun working on them. Let the games begin!

I'm starting to wonder if I should build a boat. I'm not used to getting so much rain all in one shot! We need it here so bad though, so I'm trying not to complain about it too much. Instead I'll complain about wanting an indoor arena! haha, just kiddin.

Though it has put a pretty serious stop on my progress with the ponies. In the house I'm trying to get in some studying. The savvyclub vault is filled with dozens of information/inspirational videos I haven't seen yet to progress my levels journey.

We had a snowday with the church over the weekend, and it was of course a blast for everyone. That night was a study night for our college group, which we spent in a cabin in the snow without power. What could possibly be more fun? I love the fellowship and always come away with something hardy to lick and chew on.

We came home far too early, in my opinion, but I'm happy to sit in my house watching the rain fall and studying all that I can before I take full advantage of good weather...whenever we get it. I'm already dreading the heat of summer, so a few more wet days with a cup of tea is fine by me.

This week I'm pretty sure the ponies have taken flight several times. The wind here makes it hard to stay ancored down!

I've caught up on some videos in the savvy club vault, and just wanted to get down some thoughts about what I've watched there. I watched a video of Amy and Prince, and she worked on using her seat to communicate to her horse. I loved seeing her use a real phase 1 and quickly get down to a phase 4 when nessacary with the string around Prince's neck, and 2 sticks. She also worked on her weave pattern, she would circle around one pole, and Pat would tell her to really look back at it, and use her stick when needed. She would circlecirclecircle, then move on to the next and do the same thing. I can't wait to try this.
Then I just finished a video of Susan and Dusty(mentioning names for those of you in the savvy club, or for back reference for myself). She was online and worked on the S pattern and the falling leaf. I learned that the S pattern is when you walk backward and ask for a change of direction, and it helps with confidence. The falling leaf is walking forward, and asking for a change of direction and build respect. I need to remember to have better rhythum with my stick. Doing the S patten you can get a nice beat going playing with the change of direction, "1-2. 1-2." It was great and really improved their figure 8.

I'm cold and wet and have a new cookie recipe to try. Snickerdoodles! The ones I've been making taste like egg to me. So hope this one is better!

The last couple weeks have felt like gogogo, and they are gone gone gone! The last week or so has been great with Tuck. We've done some carrot stick riding, and better with follow the rail. Our level 3 freestyle is coming slow. But we are progressing if just a little at a time.
I had a lesson on Sunday and Tuck decided he wouldn't be a part of it. He sauntered off and played with Rascal. Hmm, how interesting...said something about our relationship! But we played a lot that day, and played a lot yesterday, and had some undemanding time today. He's really enjoyed all that...and treats too of course :)

Rascal was automatically included in our undemanding time, but he demanded ALL the attention! I was extremely proud and soaked up the love that he was offering in his partnership. Today was absolutely the most left brain he has ever been with me in the year that he's been here. He played with me just like he does with the other horses! We even played catch me at the trot! It was spectacular and I loved every minute of it. He has taken to licking new guests that venture close enough to his fence, and chasing dogs that wander into his domain. Do you smell a LBE?

Happy 2010!!

December always seems to fly by doesn't it?

I spent most of the month baking. Which I have to admit I've come to love. I don't care much for cooking, but I love to bake. I've gotten a little over-loaded with the simple chocolate chip cookie, and have ventured in to other varieties. Russian tea cakes, chocolate crinkles(my personal fav these days), and snickerdoodles over-threw my kitchen! And it was delicious.

I've mapped out my level 3 online and freestyle and think I can get through them in the next couple months if I use my time wisely. Our online is going spectacularly and I think we'll breeze through it. We're almost through with loping on the figure 8 and touch it. Freestyle is a little harder for me. I've had a couple years of practicing being a good leader on then ground, but am having a harder time transferring that leadership to the saddle. I remember going through the same frustrations when I first began Parelli, not being able to remember what to do with my equipment, and hands, and body language, and feeling outright sloppy. So, more studying to be done there.

I've unfortunately lost the hitch to the truck for hooking up the trailer. I think it may have fallen out on the road some time back :( So we'll continue to advance our yoyo game until we get another and load safely in the trailer.

Reading back through my old posts I noticed my descriptions of Rascal are a little vague. So here's what we're working on - he is much more unconfident with me on his right side than his left. At every opportunity he'll offer me the left eye instead of the right. Having things tossed over his back is still difficult for him, but not at all like it used to be. But still, I'd like him overly comfortable with me tossing a rope over his back before I toss my leg over! Those are the current main issues. He's doing well with the 7 games! Except of course the things on the right side tend to be a little more difficult. But he's much more self confident, and easier to teach things to these days because he snaps out of introvertness almost instantly on the occation that he goes there. We all love to watch him run in his pasture! And the last couple weeks he'll sometimes trot up to the gate at feeding time! TWARDS me! hehe, makes me smile.

I've been avoiding getting wet, or frozen, and try to head out when the warmer weather does too. Lot's to do in 2010!