Everything you learn about horses involves applying pressure in varying amounts in order to get a response. And it works extremely well. That is until you get a horse who seeks the pressure. This is an issue we’ve had with Laredo since we got him. It does not come up all the time, and it… Read more »
Duke-Day
Frigid March
Today the farrier was out, so there were a bunch of people at the barn to get their horses feet done. Brian and I got there early to fit in a ride before it was our turn. I rode Steen. It was a super cold morning, and he was riled up and snorty when we… Read more »
Finally, a Trim
Today the farrier was out, and our guys had enough toe to warrant a trim for the first time in over three months. We got to the barn early so we could ride first and get the guys settled… a plan which may have backfired in the long run. I started out on Laredo, and… Read more »
Duke Day Lite (Solo Edition)
Our barn is currently full to the brim, boasting a record number of horses on the premises. This makes some of our traditions a bit cumbersome. Duke Day, for instance, is when the farrier comes and does all the horses’ feet. Except there are so many horses now this is actually no longer possible. It’s… Read more »
Rides and Visitors and Trims
We’ve had a few interesting rides last week. Monday I rode Steen and Brian rode Laredo. My ride was fabulous. Brian’s was difficult. We think Laredo was fatigued, both mentally and physically, and he was inclined towards distraction, jumping into the trot, and rooting. Thursday I rode Laredo in the outdoor arena. His two days… Read more »
A Double Ride
It was again my turn to work with Laredo. We went to the barn extra early as it was both Duke Day and Vet Day, so we knew things would be a little hectic and crowded. Thankfully Laredo keeps getting more and more settled. Today it only took me 4 minutes to get the halter… Read more »
Trims and Vaccinations
We got the barn early today because both the farrier and the vet were scheduled to come out. We wanted to ride before the chaos started. Catching Laredo took four minutes today, so we are definitely on the right track with that. We groomed and tacked and he seemed a bit less touchy about his… Read more »
My Turn
Robin worked with Laredo for most of yesterday, so today it was my turn. We found him in a low section of the big pasture, grazing with the Icelandics. I went over to give Bleika some pets. Laredo got curious, and for a second I thought he would come right up to us. But no. … Read more »
Back with Steen
Today it was Brian’s day to work with Laredo, but we headed out thinking it might take both of us to catch him again. However, the catching process was a lot shorter today and I didn’t really have to help at all, so that was great. We took Steen and Laredo to the hitching post… Read more »
Riding Well Always Matters
On Sunday the guys got their feet trimmed, and then we took them out for an easy ride in the fields. Lately we’ve been doing some longer trail rides on Sundays, but for some reason neither Robin nor I felt like going out and about, so we stayed closer to home. It was a fun,… Read more »