I do have two legged children..

[Remudamom]

One of my girls on one of my girls.

[Cindyg]

How are you doing on your bridleless project?

I bet you never put blankets on your horses do you? I just bought my first one. I bought a foal blanket for my chubby donkey, Eeyore. I thought it would be too slim for him. Eeyore is not built at all like a foal! But it's too big for him. I did have to let the belly straps out as far as they'd go, but it hung off the end of his backside about 6 inches. Do you think it matters? It's only for emergencies, like a severe winter storm. He'll not be wearing it regularly. (I haven't tried Ivan's on.) My husband is seriously mocking me for this purchase, but Ivan is 20 years old, and the blankets are 50% off right now.

I am so thrilled with our trail riding progress! I was just floating through my errands today!

Oh, that reminds me of another question. There's a spot on the trail that is muddy. Both last weekend and today I turned back when I got to it. I was afraid Ivan would bolt through it and kill me. There's no getting around the mud. Obviously, everyone else goes through it. I think Ivan will go through it. Both last weekend and today, I felt sure he wanted to go on, but I chickened out. It's about 10 feet wide. I should go on through it, shouldn't I? (Yikes!)

[Remudamom]

Maybe bring his halter and a long lead rope and send him through a few times to see how he'll handle it. Then you could decide. If you do just ride him through be prepared for a jump too. I didn't think we were ever going to talk Sugar out of jumping over mud and water. She would fake me out, I'd be sure that THIS time she was just going to walk through and at the last minute she'd turn deer and leap off.

I haven't blanketed a horse in a long time. I'd guess that if Eeyore is calm with it on he'd be okay, he surely couldn't get a leg through a strap could he?
If all the straps are snug enough I wouldn't worry about it hanging over his rump.

Believe it or not I'm ready to start prep for bridleless, but it'll still be a long time before we get there. First step is to teach her how to soften to the side with a cue from a handy stick. I'll have to make sure she isn't bothered by me holding it up on her. She's used to crops, so it should be okay. But when we can ride everyday we're going to review all RWC Series 1 and see how far into 2 we are. I was awful happy with her today.

I sold one of my Aussie saddles yesterday. I was so tickled. I don't use one of them often, much less two of them. I need to find a big pony, small horse saddle that's about a size 13 or 14. Something for Blaze and Mace pony to wear.

Keep up the wonderful trail work. I think it's fantastic that you're brave enough to ride out by yourself. Sometimes that's really hard to do. I couldn't see your videos on my laptop, but it just occurred to me that one of the kid computers might load it better. Mine's new, but for some reason it won't play movies I make with my camera either. I think maybe I've got to install something on it????

[Cindyg]

Maybe bring his halter and a long lead rope and send him through a few times to see how he'll handle it.

I took his long rope out today, but by the time we got to the mud hole, I was just too tired to bother. We spent about an hour in the woods today. I rode about 20 mins and walked about 40. Plus, I have to walk to the trails and back. I am exhausted!

Today we took a different trail, which was why I was walking. Ivan is the opposite of bombproof. Going down this new trail, he was SO spooky. It reminded me why I have avoided doing this for 10 years.

So, I was leading him. We came to a tiny creek, small enough for me to walk across without getting my feet wet. My big, strong horse was afraid to cross it. In the end, he did; but he leaped it like it was a torrent. I was glad I wasn't on him. Anyway, we had a nice time in the woods, but he's so awful at this.

I think it's fantastic that you're brave enough to ride out by yourself. Sometimes that's really hard to do.

It is very scary and very tiring. It occured to me today that Ivan may never have crossed a creek before. He was a show horse when I got him. Maybe he's never been trail riding. :confused: At any rate, he doesn't make this easy.

But I am really thrilled. I have (past tense) felt defeated by many things about Ivan in the past ten years, but this is the main one and the last one. If we can get comfortable on trail rides, when he retires, I'll be satisfied.

Believe it or not I'm ready to start prep for bridleless, but it'll still be a long time before we get there.

Well, let us know. This is part of Parelli Level 3, though towards the end. My thought is that I'll start L3 in the fall. So, I'll be doing that same prep work.

[Remudamom]

Dh bought me a double bred Jackie Bee mare right after the triplets were born. I'm not sure she had ever been in a pasture until right before we got her. She was terrified of water on the ground. Once we were riding through the yard and she saw a mud puddle, she put on the brakes so fast I nearly went over her head. She was 12. Eventually she turned into a fantastic trail/kid horse. We gave her to some folks down the road when she was 26, to keep their old gelding company. We saw her the other day and she looks great.

[cin]

Thou shalt not covet, thou shalt not covet....

I really need to not look at your website, remudamom, I LOVE horses!!!:)

[Remudamom]

You can come and enjoy the horses without the cost, smell, pain, heat, cold or poop.