Merry Christmas!!

From my fuzzy family and I :)

Barefoot Saddles

I've started hauling LJ to an indoor arena near us to ride. It's not heated, but it is a lot warmer than outside. We have lots of arena work to do before hitting the trails again in February to start conditioning for his first LDR (limited distance ride, 25 miles).

I've decided to use my Barefoot Cheyenne on him as well this year. I LOVE this saddle. It is treeless and I am definitely converted to treeless saddles after using this one. Player has a very wide, short, scoopy back. He is quite difficult to fit. I went through several saddles before deciding on the Barefoot. I am so happy with that decision. He feels so much better, moves so much more freely, and gets all A's on his back and withers at every endurance ride now. Even on the 50 we did. That being said, if you chose to go treeless you have to understand it's a whole system. Not just a saddle. You need to have the right pad, one with inserts, to keep the saddle off the spine (obviously as it has no tree) and distribute the rider's weight properly over the horse's back. If you use a regular pad with it you could be asking for problems.

My old barrel racing saddle does fit LJ fine, he is a lot easier to fit, however it is NOT comfortable for long distance riding. There is absolutely no way I will even do a 25 mile ride in it. It makes me sore after 10!! I don't know I did those few 25 mile rides in it in 2009. I guess my body is spoiled now from the Barefoot saddle...it's like riding a couch. And I need my endurance stirrups (I use EZ ride) or my knees are screaming after only 10-15 miles.

So I am going to use the Barefoot saddle on both horses. I have 2 different sized pommels for it, but luckily Player's pommel fits LJ perfectly too so I don't have to switch them out. However, Player has a Grandeur physio pad for his wonky back and even then I had to move the inserts around a little bit to make it fit him right. I don't want to mess with them now that I have them placed right. So with some birthday money I had saved I ordered the Barefoot special pad for LJ, and I just got it in the mail last week. I tried it out for the first time yesterday with it and am quite pleased!! It fits him perfectly, I didn't even have to mess with the inserts. He is a much easier horse to fit than Player though. He has a nice back (comfy for bareback riding too...unlike Player!!).

Look at that hay belly!

Close up...I can't say enough how much I love this saddle! And those stirrups!

The pad looks a lot like Player's from the outside (except more fitted to the saddle), but it is different underneath. I am wondering if the Grandeur pads are now Barefoot pads? Player's came with his saddle and it is Grandeur, but looks like just this Barefoot pad except it says Grandeur on it. I am thinking Barefoot bought them out?
Player's :

Just thought I would add, I have the drytex version of the Cheyenne. Not leather. It's a synthetic material, and actually I really like it. It is very durable, and easy to clean. I just hose it off. Nothing can scratch it or wear it down. It feels a lot like leather too. It's not a yucky nylon type synthetic. I do recommend it for endurance riding as it's so tough and easy to clean.

Anyways, I am quite happy with it. I am thinking I might look into becoming a distributor for Barefoot here in Alberta. There are none here, there are only distributors in Ontario and BC. I am going to talk to them about it anyways. It'd be a great little add on to my equine massage business.

Also, just wanted to share...LJ has the best expressions LOL Player always perks his ears and looks handsome in photos....LJ refuses. He looks goofy in every single one I have of us together.

Bratt! LOL! Though from looking at this pic I do think purple could be his colour. I do have some purple half chaps on the way....maybe some purple biothane tack for him this spring??

Fluff balls

It's been getting pretty cold at night here, and we have a bit of snow now...and the boys seemed to double the amount of fluff they had in just a week! I kind of like the fuzz though, they are so soft and velvety. Had a great trail ride with a good friend the other day. She rode Player and I rode LJ, both boys were awesome. I am sooo antsy to get LJ out on the endurance trail next year. I am a bit disapointed I didn't this year, but better to wait and be sure than to push him too early.

<3 this horse!

A cute shot of mister Player...sooo velvety!

I am getting so excited for my next endurance ride already....and it's still 6 months away.

 

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!