A LONG Overdue Post....

So, it's summer time and you'd THINK I have all sorts of things to post.  Well... George has been working a lot and whenever I'm with the horses, I never seem to have the camera with me.  The other day, George and I went by my parents to take pictures of their incredibly cute boerboel puppies for their website: www.butterfly-fields.com and George decided to hop up on Spring.  Spring was the mare that we started last summer.  She has about three months of riding on her now and is a super little trail horse.  George didn't have any tack (or halter) handy, so he decided to go free styling.  I will try to get some pictures of OUR horses up over the next couple days... it's just hard to get motivated to take pictures when I head out to see them and they're covered in sweaty streaks!  With the Maryland heat in the 90 - 100 degree range, all I feel like I'm doing is hosing them down!

Anyway, the pictures I DO have to share....

Yes, we're here to take pictures of dogs, but Spring is always ready to say hi and go somewhere!

George does have an apple tree twig to tap on Spring's shoulder, etc.. to help guide her and let her know what yields George was asking for.  Everything else is off the seat.  Spring hasn't really had too many sessions on freestyle riding, so it was interesting to see her and George communicate.

She picked up on things really quickly.  George was in the confines of her pasture.  I wouldn't recommend trying this for the first time out on a trail!

The other horses were very interested in what Spring and George was doing.

Whiskey HAD to investigate.

Course, no ride would be complete with out cantering!

Spring's baby is nearly 10 months old now!  She's weaned, but was still very interested in following George and Spring around the field.

Okay, we're really here to take those dog pictures!

Boerboel puppies are CUTE!  My folks have some pups still available!  Visit www.butterfly-fields.com for more pictures and information on their boerboels!

The quest continues...

... so we've been trying to teach Rienzi how to lay down.  This is a difficult quest - as Ren is BIG and hard to manuver around.  Last summer we wrestled and wrangled her and it was partially successful.  It just wasn't a very postive experience.  So this time around I went the complete opposite direction - we did a lot of walking around thinking "downward" thoughts.  

This resulted in Ren digging lots of holes in the arena... 

.. lots of looking at me with her "I don't think so" face...

Notice the carrot I have hiding to try and convience her otherwise.  And Ren earns lots of treats if she offers downward thoughts - which includes kneeling.

Nom Nom Nom!

Now if only I could figure out how to get that big ol' rump of hers to go down, we'll be all set!

Here's Ren offering a kneel without a halter, and minimal use of the rope.

So... all of this is a lot for Ren to process, so she sits around and yawns quite a bit during these sessions which is pretty funny.

Any bets on when she'll finally figure out how to go all the way down when I ask?

George and Shae did a little session as well...

Finding the perfect spot to lie down.

It's so easy to mount your 16+ hand horse when they lay down for you!

Time to get up!

Hmmm.... interesting action shot.  It's hard to capture a horse hauling themselves to their feet!

Shamelessly begging for treats....

Shae thinks these sessions are the best ever - lots of treats, back rubs, and very little effort on her part.

Finally - some pictures that don't feature snow!

But instead, feature two very dusty dirty horses.  Not filthy, but definitely dusty!

Today was much windier and cooler than George and I anticipated.  Ren's sidebones were also acting up, so instead of a trail ride we worked Shae in the arena and then played a bit with lying down.

George bringing the girls in from the field.

We both rode Shae quite a bit - I've been riding her bareback so much, that it's time I got back into riding with a saddle!  We didn't really take any riding pictures - like I said, it was windy and we weren't sure how long we were going to stay out.  Ren and I just did lots and lots of walking to try and stretch out her legs.

Time to lay down!

First a good roll.... get that sand really rubbed in.

Gotta scratch that itchy nose!

Ren explored her downward thoughts by pawing at the arena sand... alot.

She also showed off her curly bangs.

Then, it's back out in the field for everyone's favorite pastime - eating.

And now it's April....

Mid April to be precise... and I haven't posted any new pictures!  Mostly because we haven't had much play time where George and I want to be snapping pictures.  We'd rather be out riding or doing our groundwork instead.   And speaking of snapping pictures, I tend to be the one that is always doing that, so we end up with many pictures of George and few pictures of me.  That's okay though - George is so busy that when he comes out to play with horses, I'd rather he just enjoy himself anyway.

I did finally get a chance to design my hubby some business cards!   Ren looks so cute up on the pedestal - and she even wore her hoof boots! 

February Snow Storms

So.... you might have heard that Maryland got a bit of snow over the last 5 days....  After the first wave of snow earlier this week, George and I went on a trail ride.  Took tons of pictures in the woods, of the horses, of each other... so many pictures.   However, when I got back to the house, I discovered that I had failed to put the memory stick in the camera.  What a bummer!  So, this morning we tried to capture some photos of the second storm that came through last night.

(Remember, to view full sized, click on each image.)

 

 

Okay... Make that a heck of a lot of snow!

 

  

 

We brought the girls in to spend the night in the barn - and this morning they were ANTSY to get back out.  Ren has this lovely idea that she can dig, paw, or chew her way out of any confinement.  When she's left tied at the arena, she works on the ropes until she's free (at which point she stands there and possibly grazes - cause where is she planning on going?)  In the barn, she will sometimes do the same with the door when she feels she's been left in too long.   She doesn't chew at it, but she definitely lets us know she wants out!

 

The caged beast lurks and waits... plotting ways of gaining her freedom.

What a big shaggy horse she is in the winter!

Ren is very good about getting her halter on in times like this.  No disrespecting the stall door space!

Shae tolerates being stalled a bit better - she just begs shamelessly for treats when we show up.

 

Give me treats!

Then there's my husband....

So cute.

Anyway... we had the job of getting them back out to their pasture this morning....  No shoveled paths.  BIG horse feet... us tripping over our OWN feet... not the best combination.  So, we decided to make life easier and ride them down to their field.

 

Who knows where the mounting block is under all that snow.  Where's that picnic table?

  

 Getting ready to tie up her reins.

  

Wow... what an action shot.  Me... in mid jump!

  

You aren't allowed to laugh.  I have two pairs of winter pants on and am so bundled up I feel like the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man.   I can barely get my leg over her back.

  

To the field!

 

 

Now here's where George missed capturing Ren wanting to run straight down the hill.  I decided to take her in a round about way to her field.  Even cooped up over night, she's still got to show some manners.

 

 These include gate manners... which she is very good about.

  

 This picture does NOT capture how fierce that wind is!!  Ren's hair gives you a little bit of an idea of how crazy the wind gusts were.

  

 One last treat for the road.

  

 Of course, making it back up the hill was more of a challenge.  Luckily, I this path wasn't too bad.

Now, it's Shae's turn.

  

 No Shae, don't climb onto the picnic table.

  

  

  

  

That is some DEEP snow.

  

  

 My funny camera angle makes this a horrible picture of Shae.  She looks like she has no rump!

  

 There.  A little cropping should help with that!

  

 A man and his horse.

  

 Is Shae looking for some scratches from George?  Or some treats?  Hard to tell...