Winterizing

Winter is definitely on it's way, our lows at night have been getting down past -10 C (14 F) lately. Highs up around 5-6 C (40 F). A couple days ago I had my dad come out and take the shoes off the ponies. They won't be getting shoes again until February, and they'll have corks and snow ball pads then to deal with the ice and snow.

Last year I hauled water to them every day with 5 gallon buckets. I am not doing that again this year LOL So my plan is to keep the hose inside so it stays thawed, and I am buying 2 water heaters for their trough. Much better plan than hauling buckets for an hour in -40 weather. Ugh. Plus then I don't have to worry about asking my in-laws to do it if I can't make it out there due to weather. I feel quite guilty about that still!

I also have found a used round bale feeder and some bales of brome hay for the horses this year. I think they will waste a lot less with the feeder, last year I did not have one. I think I may buy some straw for them to lay on though. I wish I had a barn, but I don't so I try to make winter as comfy for my boys as possible! They'll both be blanketed this year too as I am planning to ride lots and hate battling the mammoth hair.

LJ has been doing fantastic. I am still hauling down to a rodeo arena nearby to ride him. Once the snow hits we'll be hauling to an indoor that is just a few miles down the road. I got a few pics and a video of him last week :)

I <3 his long mane and forelock

Here is the video
http://s1115.photobucket.com/albums/k558/hoofbeats1/Little%20John/?action=view&current=winddown.mp4

It's just him doing a wind down on a barrel. I like doing arena excercises with my horses to keep them "broke" and working well for me, and barrel racing is all I know for arena type riding so that's what I do with him LOL No, I doubt I will ever barrel race them except for fun maybe, but I find the exercises are great for any horse. Keep them soft and supple.

Player is doing awesome, there is no swelling in his leg at all. I did massage it a few times and it was tight, but he is good as new now. I lunged him a few times and he isn't short striding at all, and watching him out in the pasture he is his normal bratty self. Chasing LJ everywhere, bucking, galloping around, rearing....typical Player LOL I'm so glad I decided to pull after that first loop because had I done the 2nd 21 mile loop I doubt he would have recovered so quickly and on his own. I'm sure it was just a strain, but it could have been made much worse had I continued on. And most likely pulled by the vets after the 2nd loop anyways.

LJ Trashed My Dress ;)

OK I totally forgot about posting this haha! But back in September I did a little "trash the dress" photoshoot and LJ got to help out! It was so much fun, and LJ looked adorable (though chubby as all heck! Good thing he's back in boot camp and getting preppred for rides this spring!).

Here's a couple pics.

Change

If you would have asked a year ago, there is no way this entry would ever exist. However, due to some coaxing by friends and discussions I've had with riders this year at rides I have had a bit of a change of heart. I went out and bought myself a helmet. What the heck?! LOL!

I will say I probably won't wear it all the time. I probably won't ever wear it while riding Player except for at endurance rides. I just got to thinking...you know I'm doing endurance. I am miles and miles from ride camp, sometimes from other riders, out in the forest alone. If anything were to happen, I'd sure has heck rather not be knocked out waiting for somebody to come find me. And starting out a green horse (who has bucked before, and IS quite spooky sometimes) on the trail can be pretty sketchy at times ;) I do the vast majority of my riding alone.

So! I researched brands, talked to a few endurance riders, and ended up deciding on the Tipperary Sportage. I tried it out for the first time today. I was actually quite pleased with it. Very light and airy, I didn't even notice it once I started working and concentrating on LJ.
http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/part_number=8500/3451.0.1.1

Anyways, LJ did quite well today. I have been hauling him to a rodeo grounds near us to use the arena. Lots of things to look at...ribbons everywhere, bleachers, chutes, pens, announcer's stand...another girl showed up with her barrel horse today which was really good for him! She started working barrels while I was working on transitions with him and while he did look a few times, he didn't get excited or flip out. What a good boy!
Starting to get fuzzy...

Disapointment, new blankets

Last weekend (Oct.8th) was the last endurance of the season here in Alberta. I hauled Player down to do another 50, which ended up being a 55, however I decided to "RO" (rider option) out after the first loop. It was too bad, I was having a fun ride with a girl I only get to see at endurance rides, but it was the right choice. The ride was split into 3 loops, the first 2 were 21 miles and the last one 13. Unfortunately, Player hit a gopher hole pretty hard and fell to his knees during that first loop. When we went to vet in he was off, so I decided to wait until the end of my hold and vet in again. He was still off on his left front. So I decided the pull. This was a *very* challenging ride and I figured it was not worth another 21 mile loop to hurt him even worse, and get pulled by the vets anyways. So it was disapointing, however talking to other riders they all say it happens from time to time. The vet figures he just strained a muscle, so he is getting lots of time off and massage work.

I was planning to give Player 2-3 months off this winter anyways, he worked so hard this summer he deserves a break. I honestly think a little break like that is good for a horse too. It's lets his body rest and heal, and is good for his mind too. Just let him hang out and "be a horse". I was going to wait until the snow flies to do it, but I am going to start it now instead since he needs some time off now anyways. By the time he's ready to go again the snow will most likely be here anyways. It snowed the other night, and yesterday if you looked in the shadows along the house it didn't melt there. Winter is on the way!

So now it's time to focus on LJ again. The plan is to do arena work with him, and start hauling to an indoor near us once the snow is here a few times/week. Then after Christmas or maybe in February (depending on weather) I will get corks put back on both of them and start conditioning again.
I got LJ a new winter blanket. I am hoping to clip them once I start conditioning again, so as soon as the temps get low enough (consistantly below freezing) the blankets will be on 24/7. I ended up getting a 72" for the lil' guy.

I'm hoping to update this more often now :) LJ is going back into boot camp starting Sunday!

Rolling Hills - 50 miles!!

Saturday (Sept.10th) Player and I did our first 50 mile race!! And it quite honestly could not have gone any better :D I am SO proud of my boy! It sounds quite sappy, but I really feel like my bond with Player was strengthened over this ride. I clicked with him right from day one, but I can say over this summer he and I have gotten to know eachother inside and out.

My hubby couldn't come to this ride so I was crewing for myself. I pulled in Friday evening and chose a great parking spot next to a wonderful lady who helped me out a lot. She even leant me some panels to use instead of my usual tying to the trailer. I should have known better. Player figured out that crashing his chest against the corner panel would gradually losen and open it, and escaped on me Friday night! Luckily he just want to the neighbour's trailer to hang out with her horse. TURD! He is so much more active that LJ...LJ just sleeps and hangs out. Player is always looking for trouble!!

So handsome, but mischevious!

Anyways, he vetted in good with all A's. Unfortunately there was no photographer at this ride, but I rode with a girl whose husband was there and he snapped a few of us at the vet checks. She said she's going to e-mail me them so when she does I will post them.

Saturday morning the ride started out at 7:30 am. I started dead last, but Player was still worked up and we ended up passing a bunch of people (at a sideways prance...LOL). I was a bit worried as I'm sure Player was thinking we were just doing 25 miles, as usual, and was going to tire himself out. Luckily I was able to get him steadied out after a few miles into his nice steady pace.

This ride was at the same place as the last one, so I knew the trails which was nice. We did each loop twice. The first loop was 13 miles, the second 12 miles. You should have seen Player when I tossed my saddle back on him after our 2nd hold..."Wait...aren't we supposed to be DONE now lady?!" LOL! He was so confused as to what the heck I was doing to him. We took it easier that 3rd loop though, at that vet check he just about gave me a heart attack. First vet check he was all A's, 2nd vet check all A's except he got a B in gait! The vet figured it could just be the ground (the one side of the arena we vetted in at was not worked up) so let us go on. I slowed our pace for the 3rd loop and paid extra attention to Player's gait, which felt fine to me. After that 3rd loop he vetted in all A's again, even in gait, and I trotted him out on the worked up ground so the ground must have been in the issue.

The 4th loop was our best :D Player was feeling great, caught his second wind and really got in his groove. This was definitely our funnest loop as well! It just felt perfect. I always get off him about 1/4 mile before the vet checks to come and lead him in, I do find it helps a lot to drop his heart rate faster. So I did at the end there too and he practically drug me across the line! LOL! I was WAY more tired than he was! Plus there were a few girls who did the 25 cheering us on at the end (everybody loves Player, mister quirky! LOL!) that had him perking his ears and arching his neck as if to say "I am awesome, aren't I?!".

We ended up finishing just a few seconds before 4:00 pm, so in 6 hrs 29 min 54 sec and in 5th place (we had two 30 minute holds and a 60 minute hold at the vet checks)! WAHOO! He vetted out with only an A- in skin tenting. Much better than I thought, I figured we'd drag our exhausted butts over the line at like 8 hours! LOL! Like I said earlier, I was a lot more tired than Player was. However I wasn't near as sore as I thought I'd be, and it wasn't as draining as I thought it'd be. I will admit emotionally it was pretty draining though, I was just about in tears at the finish I was so proud of my horse!

He did give me the BIGGEST stink eye after I vetted and washed him down at the end....I threw my saddle back up on him so he could carry it up to the trailer and he figured I was getting him ready to go for another loop LOL His head just dropped..."seriously? is this ever going to end?!" LOL Hmmm well one day I'll find out his reaction to what 100 miles will be like hopefully :D He was still all perky and nickering and being a turd in his pen after the ride, so not near as tired as me (who may have passed out in the lawn chair I had set up right beside his pen).

Great news is that they have added another ride this fall, so this wasn't our last one for the year! Oct.8th (Thanksgiving long weekend here in Canada) they are having another one, down south near Okotoks this time and Player and I will be tackling another 50 mile/80 km ride. I am SO excited we get to do another one this year! I am totally addicted to the longer distance now, 25 milers stink compared to the 50's. I know I'll need to do a few with LJ next year to build him up to 50's, but I hope I can get him built up fairly quickly. Which will require a lot of conditioning at home but that's ok with me!

Horseshoe Lake ride

I just want to say, I LOVE my horses. Especially Player right now. He was such a super star last weekend for me! He has the biggest heart and we work so well together. I love his quirky personality and how he just wants to work for me. He is the first Arabian I've ever owned, and the reason I fell in love with breed and wanted more :D

Last weekend, Aug.26th, Player and I loaded up to head up to the Horseshoe Lake endurance ride. I decided to do another LDR (25 miles) with him. It was a great ride, I'd been on those trails last year and really enjoyed them. The weather was perfect, not too hot or too cold and no rain!

This was definitely the best ride Player and I have ever had! We ended up finishing 4th and our time was about 3 hours, 15 minutes (waiting for the results on the ERA website so I can see our exact time). We started off about mid-pack but soon caught up to the front people. Player was feeling good and really wanting to go, but after a few miles I held him back to ride with the 2nd group of people. He has such a huge heart, he never lets me know when he's tired and just pushes through it so I really have to keep an eye on him and pace him myself. At the vet check he was all A's except for a B in gut sounds, which was my fault I should have let him eat more before vetting in.

Our 2nd loop was a lot harder than the first. Lots of bush whacking, I rode with 2 other ladies (one on a really cool Rocky Mountain Horse! <3 him!) and we were wondering at times where the heck they were sending us LOL! It seemed in a few spots like we were making new trails for them ;) There were lots of twists and turns, and we had to ride along a fire guard from the forest fire there last year. So there was a lot of rough riding through the bush and over logs so we did a lot of walking on that loop. The trail is nice though and there was lots of water, and Player always eats and drinks so well so I had no worries on hydration.

When we came in from our 2nd loop Player pulsed down right away, ate and drank and vetted in with all A's!!! Hurray!! What a good pony I have :) I feel like I finally have a good base on him and like he's ready for a 50.

Our next ride is Sept.10th (a week! eek!). Unfortunately it is our last ride of the season :( I wish there were one in October but not this year. I have decided to leave LJ at home to make his debute next spring in the endurance world. I am a bit disapointed to do so but I really want to do a 50 this year with Player. I feel he is fit enough and I'm quite excited to tackle that many miles!!

So I'm already making preparations for it that I don't usually do for a 25....saddle bags (or small back pack?), electrolytes, snacks and water for me on the trail (I usually just wait to eat and drink myself at the vet check, but 50 miles is a lot longer than 25 so I'll need to refuel on the trail I'm sure!), sponge for wetting down Player...so much to pack and plan! This ride will be at the same place the last one was, so I know both loops well now (we will do each loop twice for a 50) and am planning out my ride accordingly. Another girl I met there might be trying her first 50 as well, so we are definitely going to hang back and start at the back and just take it slow and aim for completions. No placing goals for our first one, just get the horses (and ourselves!! LOL!) through it.

Player is feeling good and ready to take on the 50 miles with me! He's such a great partner on the trail :)

Only one scary thing though, there was A LOT of fall foliage on the trail...we were riding through quite a bit of red and orange leaves. Today's high is 12 C (54 F) and it's been getting scarily close to 0 C at night. Summer really is coming to a close :( I will say I do love autumn and all the colours and cooler weather, despite the fact that it means winter will be here in a couple months. I'm already planning my winter riding schedule and starting to winterize the horse pasture (got a new round bale feeder for them, now just to get LJ a new winter blanket and hopefully have time to throw up a new pole shed for them). Also, new tires for the truck so I can pull the trailer out of a snow bank to haul to a  nearby indoor arena for riding!

Ya Ha Tinda

Hubby and I have been super busy lately! The last 3 days (Aug 5-7) we spent out west in the mountains on the Ya Ha Tinda ranch with the horses. This is an awesome gov't park where you can come in and camp and ride, free of charge, and there and tons of gorgeous (and challenging ;)) trails. Hubby and I usually get out here at least once every summer, but we are hoping to go back in September this year again.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/activ35.aspx

This was LJ's first trip out here, and he did quite well. On Friday we did just a did short, hour long ride after we set up camp. We ended up getting caught in the rain near the end! Player has been out here before, and is experienced with endurance and CTR now, so he is our good steady eddy out there. LJ was quite nervous the first day, didn't like the rocky footing and a few times got into "race mode" with Player :D However after hubby had a discussion with him he settled down quite nicely.

Saturday we went for a long ride. The longest LJ has ever done. We did about 25-30 miles, but suuuuper slow. We walked probably 90% of it. The terrain out there is something LJ has never experienced, so long slow distance was our aim with him this weekend. The rocky trails, big tree roots, super steep hill climbs and descends, and creek crossings were all band new to him and he handled it all very well. In fact much better than Player did on his first mountain outing a couple years ago (he bucked me off LMAO)!! Player is still a diva about water, likes to go in sloooowly (dips his toes first to make sure it's ok ;)). LJ suprised us at the first creek crossing and dove right in before Player even dipped a toe. No hesitation for water crossings on his part! We didn't end up doing any of the trails that crossed the river, we have had an unusual amount of rain this year and the river is the highest we've ever seen it and running fast this year too. We just didn't feel safe tackling it this year. Anyways, LJ had a couple little spook-in-places where he got poked by long grass or short trees, but his one-reined stop is solid and his spooks are 2 second prances/humping up his back snort fests :D Quite comical actually. However by the end of the ride he was acting like a broke old mountain pony, going along just as calmly as Player. I was SO happy with him <3

Sunday we did a shorter, 3 hour ride before we packed up to come home, which went well as well. Got in some different terrain and some good hill climbs, and LJ was finally figuring out how to use his booty to get up those hills! He is definitely sloooow at the steep hill climbs as he's not as conditioned for that as Player is, but it won't take long until he is rocking them too. He definitely out trotts Player on the flats and downhill. I'm quite excited about the next few years with him!

Overall it was a fantastic trip. I just LOVE it out there! It just feels like home :)

Pics

Creek crossing, no problem!

Yes, I need to trim those bridle paths...LOL

I really wish you could see my face in this one :P

Heaven <3

We ended up getting a flat tire on the horse trailer on the way home, so we made it home a bit later than we wanted but that's ok. Horses are turned out and happy to be home and resting. I had 2 horses to massage this afternoon, and now we're packing up and getting ready to leave tomorrow for a trip to Vancouver to see family! We will get home Sunday or Monday so the horses will get a very well deserved week off.