Monday, February 28, 2011

Growing (up) pains.

Since Destinee had been exhibiting strong amounts of boredom for the past month, one fine weekday we decided to up the time table a little bit! Saddle, reins, lounging and reining from the ground and then up I went! She was one cool cat - not even Michele yanking on the stirrup leathers freaked her out. Then it was picture time! Michele kept backing up to get out of the pictures and Destinee kept walking toward her like, 'What? Walk? Then why do you stop me?' We decided that was enough for one night and hopped off. LOTS of praise and pets followed. By the by - we left the stirrups "short".



Then I had a lesson - she was the perfect example of a straight A student so we started working on the next steps in lounging, introducing the canter. She struggled to understand what we wanted and kept stopping and turning in to ask, we took that as part of the learning process kept going until we thought she understood and then up Jodi went. Destinee wasn't sure about Jodi back there and me on the ground but she figured it out and we took a couple laps around the arena with me leading and then Jodi even did a little circle around me! Again, cool cat. She spent a lot of time licking and chewing, yawning and otherwise telling us she was finally learning again! And boy was she learning a LOT!

Finally, yesterday. An ode to sticking with your original plan. I got to the barn expecting to work on documents, fix the new saddle up and then get Destinee out. When I arrived I was told that the people coming to look at two adoption horses weren't coming until 4pm and I should get Destinee out now rather than later. I failed to ask someone in charge and just stumbled along, we ended up getting the saddle on but the correct stirrups had to be put on as the saddle was on Des... not something I would suggest! She got sooo antsy. And then - the worst I've ever seen her lounge! She refused to go out for me and then would get ahead and spin round and just sit there staring at me. Oy! Talk about a switch from allllll our previous times! I was pretty frustrated and out of 'arrows' as Linda Parelli says. AND not quite in the state of mind to go 'hmmm, how interesting!' Jodi came into the arena and took over - hopefully she got Destinee through to a state that we can return to our fun lounging. I had all my 'how interesting' moments while Jodi worked her through it. Apparently adding canter cues ruined all of lounging for Des! Ack! Next time, I vow to stick with my plan and/or ask people in charge if the overarching plan has changed and thoughtfully change my plans based on what I'm told. Regardless, she's still my sweet girl. I spent some time with the mares before I left and Divya and Destinee just snuggled on up, one in front and one in back, acting like no one ever loves them. Apparently they're doing this a lot these days, but I'll take it!

Destinee will get a little break from the saddle as I oil it. But the farrier comes out on Thursday so she can't get a complete break, I need to know she'll behave and stand still for him. No growing pains for the farrier!! So we'll go back to slow walk, fast walk, slow trot, fast trot - in hand and lounging. (I think she really likes to do those in hand... maybe a halter class this summer to show her off?) It's also a crazy busy week - hopefully I can fit it all in!!

Also - new mare! Name is Fermi? (I think she needs a new one, shh) Off the track, 5 year old, 16+, TB... I think I was told the owner has had her for a few years but hasn't done much with her as far as riding goes. Jodi gets to figure out how to best help her move past the racing training and onto something else. She's a darling as well! I think she'd be a good ride...

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Spring Fever, yeah!

Cabin Fever!  (link)

We're at the point of the year when I think Callie and Maya feel just like those muppets! To be fair, Callie has been showing signs for awhile now, but Maya's symptoms just started yesterday and are more "subtle".

Maya keeps asking for the front door to be open so she can sit and watch the kids from the screen door. And her trips outside are getting longer and longer. Callie, on the other hand, has been trying to jump into the bathroom window for weeks now. The only problem is, the window is closed! Half the time it ends with her face planting and falling back to the floor, the rest of the time she successfully stays on the little ledge and begins purring and rubbing on the blinds. I can't decide if I feel terribly sad for her or if I wish she would realize, it's still cold out there!! The next sign in the progression of spring fever was Callie joining Maya in begging to go out. Callie wants her screen porch privileges returned so badly! Finally, while Callie had become extremely vocal before Maya, she has since turned her volume down and only vocalized after Maya was put to bed or during their play time. Now she has returned to meowing, both randomly and with purpose. Example: if Maya's outside - Callie is pawing at the door and meowing. (Interpretation: LET ME OUT)

Since it is so nice out this morning, the sun is shining and birds are signing, I closed the outside door to the porch and let Callie go sit in her chair. Despite the fact that Maya had been out for 15 minutes prior to her coming in and me letting Callie out... she acted like she hadn't been outside in WEEKS. Frantically nudging the door nob, trotting to me, licking my hands, trotting back to the door. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. About every 3-4 times I would get up and look out the window at Callie. She'd look at me, her eyes would get huge and her gaze would drop to the door nob. My interpretation: "Nooo, not yet. I like it out here, just don't do let that dog out here yet." Eventually, Maya was let out and Callie ran back inside. Callie took up meowing at me again so I asked her, What? Where do you want to go? Her response: Sit by the back door and stare at it. I got the message pretty clear.


Here's hoping this household can survive until spring!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Bird Dog, no doubt!

Background: Since it's been freezing and we did not want to have to go the the screen door to let Maya out and in every 45 min we propped our porch door open with a shovel. It's been great! Now we just have to open the back door and she goes out! Apparently last night a bird thought it was great too..... we're sure it was a break from the wind. The only problem? Dave didn't see it before he let Maya out this morning. At this point I was still in bed so Dave's report is as follows: 

The bird started flying frantically around the porch (couldn't find the door apparently) and Maya leapt up and caught it in her mouth! Dave told her to drop it and get in, and he said she immediately obeyed! What a good girl. I got a text saying Maya caught a bird... alive. Needless to say, I jumped out of bed and threw on a robe. As we peered through the glass on the back door with Maya begging to go back out, the bird was laying upside down right by the door! I could see it breathing but was worried that she had fatally wounded it somehow. After scolding her about Irish Setters needing to have soft mouths, we decided Dave would go out and move the bird with a shovel. So out he went, scooped up the bird, walked to the steps and BAM! The bird took off! He said it had been looking up at the ceiling and as soon as it saw sky it came to life. PHEW! I'm so glad it was able to do that. 

We were able to let Maya back outside and giggle as she tried to bound through snow, some drifts higher than her chest! She still stopped and smelled around the porch for the bird.... there's no doubt, she's a bird dog!