What I have been up to

It seems like forever since I have done a post.  It probably has been forever.  As much as I hate facebook, it seems like I spend most of my time there simply because I do a lot of selling on the horse pages there.  It is interesting where this new endeavor of mine is taking me. The friendships I am making are pretty awesome and I am finally starting to get my name out there as someone who has quality items at a fair price.  

I still only have two boarders, which to me is perfect.  It pays for my own horses food and my farrier bill too.  However, one of my boarders is back east right now, picking up a second horse, which will suit me just fine.  She wants her two horses to cohabitate in the big paddock that her other horse already lives in, so once we get them introduced and acclimated, that is where he will live. That negates me having to do any more fence building.  Plus, will bring in enough money to cover the special services that my ponies get (chiro and the such).

I had a big 2 day tack sale at my house this past weekend.  Sold quite a bit and handed out a ton of cards.  Now even more folks know I am here, and that is a good thing.  I think the most exciting sale for me was the Colorado Saddlery saddle I have. 

It was exciting not in the sense of, "Thank god this thing is finally leaving." But exciting because someone besides me, saw it and thought, "Wow, that is a gorgeously made saddle, even if it is old."  the folks that bought it are just getting back into horses.  It fit the lady perfectly, and they were happy to be able to put it on a layaway plan.  Her horse is a little narrower too so it should fit just fine.  She looked at others, but they kept coming back to this one, saying it was the one.  I am so happy about that.  Silly, I know.  

In horsey news...well there hasn't been much.  I've done a little riding in the arena, here and there, but need to get back to doing more.  However I have another sale to go to this weekend, and still have to get my mobile trailer put together, so yet another week will have to go by without much riding.  

However, My new trainer worked with me and Melody on our lead changes, and I do believe we are finally getting the hang of it...well I am, she has always had the hang of it.  One of the biggest problems was me not collecting her up for the change.  Once I understood that, thing got much better. 

Sassy, threw me for a loop last week.  I had tried an experiment with some low wedges, and quickly realized that they weren't working so well.  I had the farrier pull them, now she is back to just shoes on the front.  But then I noticed that she was hobbling on that left front. I do go out and massage that shoulder when ever I am around her, but she hasn't gotten much exercise since the night she went to the sorting and got to hang out with all the grown up horses like a big girl.  

I was completely at a loss for what I needed to do for her, but then a light came on.  I looked at her heels.  Sure enough, she was developing another deep crack on that left front medial heel.  I got out my ACV and started treating. Today I let her out to meander around the property and trim the grasses around the trees, and she is doing much better already.  She had been standing in some mud for a about a week (because someone keeps leaving the water on by accident- that would be me) and the mud and the moisture where getting up underneath that wedge.  The wedge is gone now and I can still treat her with the shoes on.  

Killian...he's just Killian.  My big easy going guy.  

Trax is leaving tomorrow.  He is going with my trainer for 30 days.  Once again I have reached a brick wall in our training, and I need help.  I trust her, and I think he will do just fine there and hopefully come home with a few new buttons.  The three things I will ask her to focus on is collection, stops and lead changes.  I would love it if she could get him started on spins too.  But I don't think we have the foundation for those yet.  So if she can get the foundations going for me, then together when he comes home we will build from there. Once he gets home, and even while he is there, the lessons will continue for me, both on him and on Melody.  

So here is the thing.  A great fancy reiner, he will never be.  Well I don't think anyway...he may surprise us all, but I won't hold my breath.  But since I am getting into sorting more, all the things I am hoping she can teach him are things that are helpful in sorting.  I do still want to do the ASHA and NRVA as well. So that is what I am hoping for, better foundation so we can move forward in those things.  If she works with him for a month and just can't get anywhere with him, then I will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that his job in life is to carry me up the side of a mountain.  That will be that, and it will be enough.   But I don't think its going to happen like that.  I think she will bring him along nicely.  I think she will because I  saw the huge changes in him with just the little bit of work that Mark Keil did on him.  She is as good a trainer as Mark, actually I think she might be better.  I know she has been doing it longer and has done a larger variety of riding disciplines.  All of which will be helpful.  

While he is there, I will still be here working with Melody, learning to keep my HANDS STILL, and use my legs, and butt in the saddle instead of bouncing all over the place.  Killian will take Trax's place as my trail horse for the month, which will be excellent for him.  I'm sure he will disagree, but he will feel better when it is all said and done.  Also I will keep working with Sassy.  \

I sure will miss my paint horse though.  

Tomorrow is treatment day for the mares, and then sometime soon we will be holding a Therapy clinic here, introducing folks to the magna-wave therapy that I have been using on Sassy.  

So there it is, that is what has been happening with me.  Now time to go catch up on everyone's blogs to find out what you have all been up too!