I Didn't Know I Did This

Ever since I started to ride horses, back in 2002, I  always looked no further than their head and ears. while in the saddle and cueing the horse.

 I wanted to make sure the horse  willingly was walking and moving forward.  I guess I couldn't believe this ride was accepted by my horse.   I had to make sure i was walking....straight not crooked.  Do horses walked crooked? They walk without direction but not crooked.

Do not ride a horse and focus on the top of their head looking down at their ears.  Why?  They need a leader and they need to know you have a direction and plan to take them on this ride they are allowing you to take.  I came upon this statement from a a a facebook friend who just came back from a riding .clinic in Winnipeg.  Her professional horse trainer told her that   "You'll do great just keep looking ahead!" The horses ears are not going to fall off. (got it).

I rode my horse the other night and I did not  look down, I did not ride with my eyes focused on her head and ears.  I kept looking ahead, to our next step,  the next corner.   It was a very solid paced ride because I was telling her what I wanted to do.  Her ears are always attached to her head they will not come off so I do not need to watch them.  lol!  what a good teaching statement!

This sounds so silly!  It's so important.  I can't walk down the street looking at a sidewalk or the ground all the time.  I can tell if I am in trouble just with my quick glances and peripheral vision. Same with riding.  It's important to read the ear position but not to constantly stare at them like the ears are coming unglued.

• must always look ahead 
•  observe as you ride
•  horse's ears communicate
• pointing forward
• or pointing back
• or straight up
• do not focus on the ears as you ride
• look ahead and the horse will know you are looking out for him 
• you are a leader.

Horses often rely on their ears and eyes to communicate with each other, according to a recent study. The animals' eye direction and their large, mobile ears can be used to tell another horse where to direct its attention, which can be beneficial in locating food and avoiding predators.Aug 5, 2014

watch for these angles

VISION

Horses were believed to have poor vision and be short sighted but they actually have very good binocular vision with a tendency towards long vision. It's logical to think that given a horse's wide vision range, they are able to see a rider on their backs however a rider is in the horse's blind spot.

This is going to make my rides more in control and my horse Gracie will know I am the "director" and she can trust me.  When you understand the horse and what their messages are in the pasture then once you saddle up that horse needs to understand your cues and working as a team is what it is all about.

photo splash memorable adventures

Photo splash to the past and the present,

just events to cherish, here they are....

A ride at our acreage - Swift Current,

with none other than BEN.  Only, if you ride this

horse, will you know how special he is to be on.

I always needed a stool mind you,  to get up onto his back, and hope

when I am out riding that we don't stop  and have to get off

and then get back on; out where there is no stool. I have looked for  many

  boulders and bumps when this happens so I can leg up  and get back on

(LOL) 

Motherwell Homestead in-between Yorkton

and Regina.

This was an experience and scary to see these men

get this thresher running.  How dangerous it was for

those farmers to operate this.  They did get it running too!

My cowboy boots (Ariats) I bought in Bozeman, MT
in 2007 got an overhaul and I bronzed them with bronze spray paint
  and painted
a bit of the design.  I will keep these forever, and hopefully someone will
throw them in my coffin (morbid but thats what I want)

this Christmas season I realized that
Tom is a genius with puzzles he did this 1000
piece puzzle in 5 days - it is glued together now and we will
frame it!  this was such a gift I had no idea it would
be put together that fast and it is a beautiful picture.
Thanks son!

We live 5 miles from a world renowned Strawberry
farm called Prairie Dome Strawberry Farm (look it up it is worth a trip)  and they take you for a ride on the big
open ended wagons to your area of picking.  Was enjoyable!

My dad gave me this letter that he found in one
of his photo albums as I wrote this to my
Grandma when I was 10 years old while at a summer camp.
(I think I was homesick a bit.  I was only away for 7 days)

My husband (Brian) made a new bed frame for our
master bedroom bed.  It was a new challenge and he
worked at it diligently.  I am staining it here in this picture.
I was impressed!

One of my most dearest moments; Tom and I and Brian went for
a ride through the back hills at our Swift Current acreage during the holidays season in (guessing maybe 2009)
Tom can ride but his interest is not really that developed but he has gone
on a few rides with us.  He rode Rocky and I must of been on Ben and Brian on
the colt at the time maybe Leroy.

Good Spirit Lake in April 2016
beautiful white sands and a lovely
clean lake for swimming and it has barely
changed since we used to go as a family
with my mom and dad.  We always treasure
this spot and attend it several times in the summer!

Oh my this was so thrilling to see a sea turtle while
we were walking around the rocks at the Big Island in Hawaii
Special moment for me.   They are so big!

Riding with the Top Line Trail Riding Club
at Sask. Landing and we were on the very highest ridge
I'm the second in line and Brian is the 2nd last rider.
One of our riders walked quite a ways up the other coulee
hill to get this photo.! (I was a bit nervous but I had Rocky and he
is the best trail riding horse, he is steady and sure)

Parkland Therapeutic Riding Club in Yorkton year end
party;  the clients/kids got to paint this white horse
I have never seen that done before and this horse was amazing!
He was tied on each side of his bridle in the middle of the
horse barn so the kids could paint away.

This was exciting ! Tom was getting his puppets spruced up
and perfected for his first Art Gallery Exhibit at the South West Open
He had 5 life size paper mâché video game characters on display at the local art gallery in the
exhibition grounds..... this was
July 2016.  His puppets are in this exhibit every year now.

 My folks came up to see his exhibit
and that was pretty special for me and Tom having my parents come see his success in the
art genre.!

This was a blast and having our acreage to have a fireworks
celebration was so exciting.  We bought the fireworks at Canadian
Tire and set them up down our lane.  What a Hoot!

Myan Riveiria in Mexico!
This was the most wonderful
ocean I have ever swam in.
Loved this swim, this ocean....I truly
felt I was in heaven for about 30 minutes.....
will never forget!  The universe was aligning up with
me at that time, I know it.  I said an amazing prayer to God.  It was January
last year and it can be a hard month.... (sigh)

Okay this was so cute, I helped Brian do the chores for our

neighbour back in November and she (our neighbour) had at this time 30 goats or so.  We watered and

gave them some feed and I took this video.  They are crazy busy and cute and

a bit noisy when excited.  Our neighbour loves goats and makes homemade soap bars using

goat milk.  This was a unique experience.

Horse back riding in Hawaii on the Big Island!
So loved this it was so beautiful and serene and different
landscape.

That's all for now folks!
Happy New Year!

our riding experience

Howdy!

How's life for you 'all this summer?

We are back from vacations at Cypress, Clear Lake,

and day trips to Good Spirit Lake and Madge Lake.

Will be heading to Regina Beach Saturday with my sister

and her friend.  

  Our son has been visiting us this week and I have always wanted a video of me riding a horse.  The loping or cantering is new for me in an arena setting.  I have no problem out in the open country to lope; for some reason arena riding is restrictive  to me when I want to do some loping.  I am practicing that here with my horse Grace.

Tom, this was a nice video of me and my Mantracker workin' it at Kirkville arena!

Keep calm and ride on!

a precious object indeed

Have you started to realize or notice that nothing is

ever as it seems with people.?   I am sure you have.  This

post has nothing to do with that question. Or maybe it does.

Connecting at Christmas through the holidays

and all December's events means for me to

be authentically true and I cannot give to

everyone and I cannot pretend I don't miss 

my loved one (our son who left this earth

too many years ago). 

'''''' I saw him in a dream in September  

 and this dream was so real.  He looked 

like himself in this dream and of course I started to break

down and cried as he stood in front of me and he said "I hope you

don't cry often"  He looked so darned happy.  I was in a library

and I noticed he was working with a woman and a child sorting books.  The woman nodded

at him and he then came over to my area and walked up to me and past me and turned around.  That is when I started

to cry.  His comment made me think really really hard and it didn't take

long to get it.  Getting it means he has his place now and he is

working and learning about who he is and he had the confidence

(as was his way on earth) to simply state a fact or emotion.''''''

After that experience of a realistic dream; I find I am connecting now more than ever with people;

not in a way of close friends but just being around

them and accepting a peace with myself.  

Grief is a huge lesson.  It is.  It is.  Darn it, it is!

So I am with vigour and self-confidence doing a couple of things like:

riding as much as I can....for adventure and exercise.

I am swimming...for my health and flexibility and meeting

women who share the passion of the benefits of water exercise. I also

swim for my mental stability too.  I am stronger and whatever comes up

in my life now is easier to deal with when I treat myself like a precious object, yes a precious object

because I am delicate and need to nurture my inner soul, and

it will make me stronger.

videos on horse

I always like to get a shot or two when

horses are around.

I thought the trees turning colour

would turn out on this video

Nada.

Ben, our so so favourite horse has been

improving since his accupuncture

treatment a couple of weeks ago!

Bridge fun

technicalities on riding

okay I have muscle tension

I am attempting to re-train my riding

hand positions to keep the upper shoulders

more relaxed

so I need to repost these photos....

as you can see below my hands are turned with

the top of thumbs up

 I have my heels down in this above photo (that's a check mark) ...but hands in wrong position...{sigh}

ok this is better top of thumbs up while holding the reins

and my heels are moving downward

It used to drive me insanely crazy learning this preciseness. I can now see

the benefits when heels are down (I am grounded in my saddle) and my neck and shoulders

are more relaxed with "top of thumbs up".  I sense the horse feels more fluid when I position

myself correctly.

I can ride more relaxed and fluid as well as the horse. Cool stuff!

evening on the acreage

It was such a beautiful calm August evening.

We have been out riding several evenings thus far

and it is a relaxing nighttime exercise sessions for

the horses and riders.

Brian is  out walking our arthritic horse Ben to keep his joints moving better.  This
is something hubby has been doing for 2 weeks and Ben is looking stronger.
I think this horse enjoys the low stamina walking jaunts as much as we do.

I am doing the same for myself!  riding and trotting to keep horse and 

me tuned up

I am so grateful I can do this.  It's wonderful to 

work with a strong gentle partner. Just like my husband!
{ooh he will like this post now}

arena fun

the poet David Whyte wrote this:

"Anything or Anyone that does not bring you alive; is too small for you"

I think that is a brilliant statement.  Books, People, Animals, Birds, Plants...et al

are here for us to pick and choose our pleasure and once we find it we are to nourish it, flourish it,

learn more about it, share it.

What does this statement mean to you?

physical joys

I am riding again.

5 rides in the last 2 weeks.

I am fit and strong now

my shoulders and back are 

flexible and I am amazed at my
energy and level of health as I enjoy
this 6th decade.

I am so happy to do this one thing,

this one horse and rider

team physical activity.

It boosts my self confidence

and I am riding a good 10 year old

mare to boot!

We have good horses here on kirkville

for riding!  2 of them are getting very senior of course

like Rocky and Ben.  Ziggy is still the first horse
to grab for a ride and Brushetta follows along with him.

I have been trotitng in the riding arena most evenings

and I even warmed up a horse for the therapeutic

riding session last Tuesday.

Now my plan is to do some cantering/loping.

Everything is coming back to me

all the lessons and clinics

and Mantracker instructions.

This is a most pleasurable summer

exercise.  It almost equals being at the lakes

and dipping my body into the waters.

"Summer time ...where the living is easy" tune comes to

mind.

The skies blow in lots of wind this season

The evenings

tend to calm down just enough

to enjoy a ride.

I rode inbetween all our tree rows

around our property last night. That was kinda cool!

I haven't lasted long in shorts or even capris yet but

it will happen.

"in the saddle once more....💬  "  🎼

the best therapy is

horseback riding helps so much

when you have weak muscles

and joints

autism

mental challenges

nothing better

for confidence and

building strength

and learning to care

for an animal

is working with horses

this is "Sweetie" she will carry a new adult

rider tonite

volunteers are grooming and checking for ticks

leg problems, etc 

there are 5 horses

and 4 of them are well trained

one is an arabian and is going

to carry someone on her back one night this season

she is a new therapy horse and needs warming up

and saddling and lots of lunging!  She is pretty much ready to go this year.

 this is her "Lady"

Brian warms up "Fudge"

this arena has been used for the owners own

western/equestrian competitions

but she also shares this arena for the PTRA (Parkland Therapeutic Riding Association)

and it has been 23 years! 

Her name is Karen and she trains the horses and the volunteers

for the therapeutic riding coach who comes in every week

to give riding instruction to all the clients

the horses are brought up to the edge of this ramp

and trained to stand still while the rider is placed in the

saddle 

all clients/riders are placed on the horse

with a certified coach of therapeutic riding

she is the final boss that the saddle, stirrups, reins, safety belts

and sometimes buddy stirrups are used correctly and
cinched tightly before the rider walks on.

there are 10 mentally challenged or handicapped

clients that ride, ranging from about 10 years to 50 years old

I side-walk beside the rider and sometimes I help with holding props up

for the relay games and groom the horses and ensure that

the heavy doors at either end are closed once all riders are saddled. 

lots of rules and insurance restrictions with a Therapeutic Riding Centre

they are governed by National standards and visits are made yearly

to the arena and owners to ensure no liabilities occur.

It is a very good thing!

fitter is better

 I started the 21 day fix with beachbody.com

end of May this year

I am busy doing my 30 minute workouts every day since

and I did not realize the fitness level I am at now

I rode Rocky this afternoon

it was hot and bugs weren't too bad

when I stepped into the stirrup to swing up

and over I couldn't believe how simple that

was.  No left sciatic to numb my foot and

more strength and speed in getting

on

BONUS

this is why I work out!

one of the reasons that is for sure!

this horse is a good ole boy but he is pretty soft, not in riding shape for a 20 year old

horse and I need to get him out more. 

so this afternoon was hotter than I thought

and Rocky was really sweating after 1/2 hour and I only

trotted him around the arena for 20 minutes

I had to get off him to longe him a little bit more

as the team work was not there between him and I, yet.

anyhow when I did that

he was lathered up around the breast collar

and his neck was wet

It was time to quit

maybe go again tonite?

I was overheated too once

I got into the tack room

to put away his bridle/reins

I needed a sit down on the deck!

(face flushed/feeling weak)

I am getting back in the game in the fall here when weather is cooler and

horse flies stop biting, then it's good horse riding!  In the meantime short rides
in our yard will be perfect this month.

Bruschetta and the trail ride

trail riding is nothing but fresh air and sponging up the sun (which we were blessed with all afternoon) 

I rode a buckskin who is 7 years old and Mantracker and Morley trained her.  They call her Bruschetta who I now named Grace as she is mine now (fall 2017)

 taking our first break

she walked briskly and anxiously at first as she

had been on trail rides only with her trainers

all the new horses were pretty exciting for her

but there never was any sign of buck or bolting away

she is a beautiful trotter and lopes easily and only

if I encourage  the loping.  She was a bit of a princess

and I enjoyed riding a new horse as it checks me on my watching the horse cues from

her and my messages to her.

to keep her relaxed I just leaned back and pushed my

heels down and it slowed her down.  She reacts well to just leg pressure which

was a treat for me. Did not need too much reining.

Mantracker took all these photos so it was good to get me in the photos more.  I like to see how I am riding and if I am sitting relaxed with good posture.

Until the next ride which will probably be at the spring trail ride in April!