Fun Buns Turn

Man, having 4 horses is hard! That's a lot of ponies to work. :) And Fleck doesn't even get worked. :) So that means Funny has been a little bit on the back burner. Which isn't the end of the world as she's still a baby! But... today was a glorious day and I had the whole day free so she got a turn. 

I took her to the arena for some work. We started with some shoulder/scapula releases and worked on getting her to lift her back. Then we did some yielding of her barrel. Then we did pillar work in hand, focusing on all 3 pillars. 

After we did that, during which we got some licks and chews, we lunged. I just used the halter today and we focused on quiet and relaxed and correct. She was super. She only snaked her head a few times at me and never did anything more than that. I got her going nice and stretching forward, down and out and she was mostly upright. I focused on tapping/flicking her girth area to try to get her to lift her belly. I'm not sure if it worked. It's hard because... I think she's more lifted than most naturally/because of the work we've done, so... it's hard to get her to lift more. But we tried. And we got some licks and chews while lunging too.

Then we headed back to the barn and I cross-tied her and picked her feet and groomed her. I tried to get her to stand on the surefoots, but she wasn't having it at first. But once I got her on it and clicked and treated she was like "oh, okay, I'll stay here". For a little bit at least. She's shedding a little bit but not nearly like Fleck. So then I treated her elbow itchies and turned her out. :) Good girl!

The wild photos are from Lyric's birthday! They were rowdy that morning. But DANG SON!!! Look at that trot!!!!

Danger!!!!

 Oh sassy gingers!! Sigh... Today... today made me wonder if I have it in me to be a red mare owner. Both of them were living up to the reputation!

Funny was actually fairly good. Well.. maybe. Maybe not. Okay, not really. Ha. Kind of! 

We did some long lining today. We started off with our pillar walks. And... she's totally cheating in pillar 3 tracking right. She does not want to abduct laterally. She'll go backwards, but not necessarily laterally. So we worked on that and got a little better. We also need to work on her lift! I let her walk through the groundpoles too and over the cavaletti. 

 

Then I put on the surcingle and pad and long lines and we started off. She immediately pulled back hard and about ripped my arm off my body! Oooooh, that's gonna hurt later. I managed to hang on and she went into a rear. I thought about potentially trying to flip her, but it's hard to do. Especially with two lines and then she spun, so they weren't lined up like that were. I didn't flip her but came close. And then she ran a little but I got her stopped. But after that she was pretty darn good. I managed to get resituated and off we went. Oh, and maybe she did scoot another time because somehow she ended up with the one rein over her nose and on her forehead. So I fixed that. And then she was pretty good! We got some high headed trotting, but managed to get mostly stretching down and a little out trot. We even trotted the poles! We quit when she was a good girl. I pulled everything off and she saw someting in the woods and went on high alert! Hee hee. She then scooted and bolted to the end of the arena, tail up and flagged! Then I had the gate open so she bolted out the gate and went galloping for the herd. Except she hit the slight rain washout and lost her hind end... like two or three times before she could get going. Her hind end basically wiped out. But then she bucked and went off. She seemed fine afterwards. Just embarassed. ha ha. Good thing there wasn't a real mountain lion in the woods! You might have been eaten girlfriend!

As I was walking back she came up to me and apologized. So I took her in for a rinse as she was all sweaty and I think that's partly why she was so itchy. She got her coat sprayed with the coat spray and then I put medicine on her skin funk and turned her out. 

Rough day with the gingers! And... a little bit Dan too. Doh!

 

Trusting my Gut

 Today was such a pretty day. I even had time to work the Funbuns. :) 

 

(these were actually yesterdays sunrise)

She was up by the arena after I worked Dan, so I snagged her and into the arena we went. We skipped our pillar walks because Jacel was coming to ride Jean's horses and I didn't want to be in her way. Plus I had a lesson with Lyric after and had to have time to get her ready. 

So we immediately got started. I decided that maybe I would try long lining her today. I thought this might be nicer than the side reins because it had more give. Although I would have to be very quick and dextrous to be kind with them. And then I had forgotten the bit back at the barn, but decided that this was even better! I could hook them to the side of the cavesson and teach her about pressure without using her mouth just yet! And then once she gets used to the idea, then I can add in the bit and attach the lines to the bit. Turns out.. that was a really smart thought for me. I'm so glad I did it. 

Funny was pretty good for getting the pad and surcingle on and then the long lines attached. I did it how we did it with Jessica at the clinic. Inside line straight to the "bit" and outside line through the top surcingle ring to the "bit". And before I could get the lines untangled (Shame on me for not untangling them first) Funny started walking and then maybe panicked a little with the lines or the girth or the lines touching her? And scooted, then tried to rear. Then bolted a bit and I almost lost her! I was running behind her at full tilt! Then the lines snagged on the cavaletti! Eeeks. Luckily I had the lines and was able to put some pressure to get her to turn. Although that sort of caused her to panic a bit more - hence the rear. But it ended quickly and she stopped and turned to me and I was able to pull the lines out from the cavaletti (This is why (well partly why) I prefer NOT to have jumps/cavaletti's in the arena while I'm lunging feral beasties). I got the lines untangled and then we started off again. 

 

She was a bit rowdy! Nothing major but a few bouts of resistance and irritance at the lines. At one point I was thinking... good grief! I'm glad we're doing all this before I get on! I will need my air vest! But, she quickly settled into a nice trot. A faster than usual nice trot, but a nice trot. I was even able to have an outside rein with the slightest of pressures. I'll do more the next time we do it but today was more about introducing her to the rigging than actually aiming for a connection. Then we went the other way and she was a hair explosive that way too. But she settled much quicker and gave me some nice stuff that way too. 

Right when we started (and she bolted and snagged the caveletti's) Jean's interns had showed up with all 3 horses. Maybe that was why she scooted initially. ha ha. Anyways, since they were politely (and probably for their own safety as much as mine) waiting to enter, we didn't do much. And Jacel pulled up pretty soon after anyways. But baby girl was a bit sweaty! I told her she was brilliant and a good girl and let her loose and she took off. Hee hee... oh, if I can harness that energy and spice for good... we're gonna have SOOOO much fun!

Zoomies

 Oh funny foo! You crazy!

Funny was happy to work today so we went for a spin in the roundpen. Silly girl trotted quite nicely the first way. She had her neck arched and was so prancy, but relaxed and soft. Then we went to the right and she just went straight to canter zoomies!! Around and around and around... Not helpful little one... not helpful! I finally got her to trot and then we got a nice trot. So then we quit. ha ha.. Poor girl was all sweaty and crusty. It was hot today though. Like... 67! In February! 

I love this crazy munchkin!

The one to worry about

 Funny is going to be the wildest beastie!! Feral! Super quick to react. Rears. ha ha... sassy pants!

Today we did pillar walks. Apparently the arena woods were scary and full of monsters. Even Dan was reacting a little earlier. And Funny was convinced that there were monsters too, so there was leaping and spinning. She finally settled and then we lunged. And of course, she was spicy! Lots of side eyes and snaky mare heads. And a few rears. Oh Funny.... 

Then afterwards, she was playing with Flecky while I was working Lyric (be still my heart!). Sadly I thought I was videoing but didn't actually hit record for the best clearest view. Funny reared up and boxed Fleck's neck, to which he retaliated by spinning and kicking her. Oof! I love that they love each other. Although they could play a little nicer!

Sunset and snuggles

Baby girl is in season!!! She is sooo flirty. Tonight when I turned her out, she legitimately turned and peed, and got Dan in the shoulder! Ewwwwwww!!! But she's also been flirting/playing with Lyric. Which makes me happy that they are getting along. Of course Lyric is in heat too, so...