A day at the stables

[RowanRR]

Pocos is cute, Buzzard- she has a very sweet face

 

[Buzzard]

Pocos is cute, Buzzard- she has a very sweet face

Thanks,

She is a great horse. We might breed her this year. There is a paint stud on the ranch. He lives in the pasture well away from her right now. I still have to get the baby pics for you. They have one(tinker) that Is just gorgeous...

 

[diamondlil]

I'm just back from having a lovely weekend at Kim's. On Saturday Merlin was giving a brief lead-rein lesson for a little girl who's just starting to ride, then Kim saddled up Curo and we went out for a hack. This was the first time the boys had been ridden out together, and they behaved quite well through the woods.
In places, we have a hard time because Kim has a neighbour who's a little eccentric. He cuts down branches and trees to block the path. (To discourage walkers and riders, as the woods run past his land). The boys did very well even though one area was like a cattle grid of poles they had to step through carefully. Sometimes we just can't go over or around, and have to dismantle his creations. (I've included pictures of one) Even better, he someimes smears tar or excrement on the poles to stop people moving them!
Then we came back via the big field to the boys have a canter, but they decided to race and opened up into a hair-raising gallop! Merlin was determined that Curo wouldn't beat him, so when Kim slowed down, we shot past, making Curo gallop again to catch up! I had to bridge the reins and pull Merlin into a circle before I could stop him, with Kim bellowing at me to sit back instead of up in jockey position. Merlin was showing off snorting and prancing, I couldn't believe how fast we went and thanked him for such an exciting ride. Poor Kim said she almost had heart failure when we'd shot past her, until she'd caught up and realised I was having fun (and amazingly, still balanced on my stirrups!) she'd thought I'd end up in a crumpled heap.

 

[diamondlil]

After sorting the boys out and turning them out, we set to work on the new stables. Inside what was a shed for rearing turkeys, John has built 5 stables and lined the inside walls with insulation and wood panels. So we were on wood-staining duties, joined by Ben's owner. Working together we managed in a few hours what Kim had taken 2 days to do before, the atmosphere was great and fuelled by lots of tea and laughter.
We put the boys to bed when we'd lost the light and had a lovely evening with take-away curry and wine.

 

[diamondlil]

This morning, out for an early ride with Curo and Merlin. As the field was frozen, we took a different route, down the hill of doom where Merlin didnn't like the puddles. And to my great joy, he likes frozen puddles that you have to break through the ice and then wade through even less! I had to hold him up the whole way to stop him slipping over and persuade him that he could be a big brave boy and walk calmly through the puddles. And he did really well, he did try to go through the trees at one point but I managed to get him back on the track and through with minimal trouble.
We took the beautiful, gravelled, uphill ride home, with the boys having a very nice controlled canter. Merlin did try to break into a gallop at one point but I wouldn't let him, in truth the fact it was uphill helped too, he didn't really contest the issue!

 

[diamondlil]

Then it was mucking out time and back to work on the stables. While Kim and I had been out having fun, John had cut out the area that will be the sliding door to the stables. There was a lot more wood staining to do, clearing out the work tools and benches and sweeping away all the sawdust and mess. Hopefully next weekend we'll be moving the boys into their new stables! The outside will be cladded with shiplap timbers.

 

[RowanRR]

That stable looks awesome! I'm super jealous! Sounds like your hack was fun- especially with the gallop! That neighbor, though- yikes.

 

[diamondlil]

The new stables are totally awesome, I can't believe the transformation from grotty old turkey shed to now!
I suppose I did sort of believe Kim's stories of how competative Merlin can be and how fast he can go, but to have him suddenly think he can outrun an andalusian! It was when Curo was slowing and Merlin took his chance to overtake, I felt like we'd won the Derby!
The neighbour is totally mad. Luckily none of his creations we had to dismantle had 'stuff' on them, but we always check carefully. Often casual dog walkers or people strolling through don't though! Sometimes he'll half cut through trees and weave them across over the path, so we have to lay on the horses' necks to go under.

 

[RowanRR]

The new stables are totally awesome, I can't believe the transformation from grotty old turkey shed to now!
I suppose I did sort of believe Kim's stories of how competative Merlin can be and how fast he can go, but to have him suddenly think he can outrun an andalusian! It was when Curo was slowing and Merlin took his chance to overtake, I felt like we'd won the Derby!
The neighbour is totally mad. Luckily none of his creations we had to dismantle had 'stuff' on them, but we always check carefully. Often casual dog walkers or people strolling through don't though! Sometimes he'll half cut through trees and weave them across over the path, so we have to lay on the horses' necks to go under.

That is ridiculous! You should do the same thing around the edge of his property and fence him in!

Lol @ Merlin- "Now's my chance!". I was riding my aunt's 16hh horse, Chico, once and he did the same thing to me- he bolted across the pasture until we were out of sight of the other horses, then turned around and started screaming for them. It was a blast!

 

[Buzzard]

Very cool, Love the new barn/stalls..... I havent had a race on Pocos,yet, but I found out she doesnt like cows. I went for a slight rodeo the other day. Luckily I was in my saddle(western style, wifes is a calivery saddle) and was able to wrap my arm around the horn or I would of been a lawn dart for sure...... I love the older truck and that sunset...

 

[diamondlil]

Once Merlin had taken the lead, he really didn't want to stop! I'd got into a jockey position so Kim was bellowing at me to sit down and bridge my reins. I had to pull Merlin into a couple of circles before I could get him down to trot and he had springs under his bum for the rest of the ride and tried to break into canter a few times. I'm so used to him plodding along doing the minimum speed he can get away with, but I liked his brief transformation into a speed demon!
On our Sunday ride he insisted on being lead horse for part of the way, which made Curo have to work more steadily behind us and also gave Kim a good opprtunity to check over my position and balance, which she says is still improving!

 

[diamondlil]

Very cool, Love the new barn/stalls..... I havent had a race on Pocos,yet, but I found out she doesnt like cows. I went for a slight rodeo the other day. Luckily I was in my saddle(western style, wifes is a calivery saddle) and was able to wrap my arm around the horn or I would of been a lawn dart for sure...... I love the older truck and that sunset...

Oh that's like the day I found out how much merlin hates sheep!
The Ford truck is one of John's projects. He goes drag racing (I'll get pictures once his vehicles are all out of storage) but isn't going to chop this one, it's being restored. (I can't remember what year it is, I'm terrible at cars)

 

[snakemom1961]

Sounds like you had once again a great day! Merliln will always be my fav of all the horses you show. Keep up the awesome updates.

 

[diamondlil]

Thanks Nancy! I miss Merlin so much when my shifts mean I can't visit him. Aparently he's been quite naughty, trying to nip Kim and others, so she warned me to watch out and strictly no handfeeding him. Instead of any nipping me, he spent ages 'grooming' my hair and shoulders! Kim says she despairs of how I bowl in and basically do things the wrong way 'round, scrambling under his belly to reach straps, taking 4 goes to get his bridle on the right way 'round, fussing around wiping his eyes and picking stuff out of his ears, 15 minutes to pick out each hoof......and he just stands still all happy and dopey! Anyone he doesn't know, and Kim if she fumbles, gets short shift from him if they take too long or mess around he gets impatient with them. I had to take over tacking him up for the girl who was having her lesson on Saturday because Merlin was playing her up and barging her.
I do try to be careful and respectful, not 'thumping' his saddle on, not letting the bit bang his teeth, 'asking' him to lower his head instead of forcing him down, so I think we've just got a good working relationship where Merlin trusts I won't harm him or get impatient if he needs to stop and stretch, so he pays me back by being so sweet and patient back!

 

[diamondlil]

The grand moving in day today! No time for riding, we had to completely empty and clean out the old stables (which will be knocked down to make way for a new paddock) saving what we could of good bedding, then drag that in huge builder's bags to start the new beds. Then add 4 new bales of straw to each of the new beds, because Kim has gone mad and wants huge deep beds with high banks!
Curo and Merlin settled in straight away, Ben was a little anxious and box-walking for a while, he does get stressed easily by changes.
I'm hoping it doesn't snow on Wed, Merlin's getting a bit fresh and needs a good hack out, so Kim and I are hoping to take the boys out to explore some more bridle paths.
(Please excuse the photo quality, I didn't use flash because Ben was still spooking)

 

[wade]

J9 you know more than the horses, I enjoy watching you enjoy the horses.

 

[diamondlil]

J9 you know more than the horses, I enjoy watching you enjoy the horses.

Ah Wade, that's really sweet of you! I do get so much fun out of a day with them. Today we were freezing cold, shifting huge great amounts of straw about, oh and I forgot about the POOVALANCHE! I was busy helping tread the top step of the muck heap (it's about 7 feet high now) and ended up sliding down it! Actually, the muck heap is great in cold weather, it's so warm it steams.

 

[wade]

Nobody can appreciate the warmth of horse poo like a girl who loves horses

 

[kathylove]

I am so glad that you have such a relaxing hobby to help recover from your work woes.

But what I REALLY want to see is a photo of you in the POOVALANCHE!

 

[diamondlil]

But what I REALLY want to see is a photo of you in the POOVALANCHE!

Haha! That would have been a great photo, but my camera was in the stables then!