Since the ground was still rather damp today, I went bareback and indoors again. This time I was not alone in the arena, but shared it with another horse and rider. It is always nice when this happens because it is good practice for Steen in the art of paying attention to me when there… Read more »
Horse Thoughts
Soggy Ground
We’ve been getting more rain here. Unfortunately, rain means a soggy outdoor arena, and to preserve the grass out there, barn rules tell us to ride indoors when it is wet. I left work on Wednesday feeling a little bummed about this. The indoor arena is not bad – it is just smaller, dustier, less… Read more »
Friday Evening at the Barn
After we both spent the day at work, Brian and I decided to head out the barn for a little evening ride. Due to Steen’s continued shoulder infection, I have been out to treat it every day this week, and since I’ve been out there every day anyway, why not ride, right? The result of… Read more »
Grain, Clover, Trims, Wormings and Rides
On Saturday I picked up some grain on my way to the barn so I can start feeding some to Steen in hopes of helping him bulk up just a little more before it starts to get cold. Steen seems pretty happy about this decision too. I arrived at the stable with my spoils, fetched… Read more »
Tag Team
Two Sundays in a row now, Brian has gone out to the barn with me. Last Sunday on the way out we stopped at a tack shop to pick up a new headstall to go with Steen’s new bit – a Myler loose-ring snaffle with nice big rings and bent mouth-pieces. It is a lot… Read more »
Cruisin’
Well, it’s now been three months since Steen came into my life and although he’s still a long ways from dead broke, he’s a more and more relaxing horse to be around every day. His ground manners are approaching excellent, and everything else is slowly improving as well. Lately we have been doing an exercise… Read more »
Rotten
Moisture, I’ve concluded, is a mixed bag. Sure, water brings life – but is it always desirable life? In Arizona, our horses can’t get all their food from grass grown in their very own pastures, but they also aren’t constantly battling parasites. Here in the midwest, everything is wet and rich and the environment is… Read more »
Grand Visitors
Steen and I had to part ways for quite a while while I took a trip to Arizona via Chicago and Brian’s sister’s wedding on the way back. Luckily, Brian stepped up to the plate and went to visit our poor lonely horse twice while I was gone. Cathi also brought Steen in from the… Read more »
A Manure Barrel!
While Robin is in sunny, hot, and dry Arizona for the week, I told her that I would check up on Steen. I had a wonderful 4th of July weekend that involved multiple BBQs and nice bike rides, so on Sunday I was more than happy to take an easy ride out to see Steen… Read more »
Padded
Today I spent several hours at the stable with Steen. It is windy today, and that had him a bit riled up. Also, I can tell I haven’t been spending as much time with him lately. He was just a bit more inclined to be fussy today than he has been in a while, although… Read more »