Saturday helped out with Pearl, Shenen and Red

Last week I met with Sandi after work to learn how to take care of the horses while she was away at the NASCAR with Kevin her new boyfriend.

Feeding the Billerica Ponies

It was fun.  I learned alot and was with the horses at 2:30 for an hour

The Stable at Night 

and then again at 8:30 until 9:30pm.  It was pretty cool being at the barn alone at night.

Raychel with Duke today Then Val and I went to Stacies Farm

Riding with Raychel was great.  We were shceudled to ride on the 10am but there were too many kids running around excited for a birthday party.  I thought it may be nice to go on the 11am ride. It will work out so much better.  We had a fun time she played with the cat she loved it.  I got Duke's saddle on and we talked.  she interactied with Duke and Duke liked her.  We went down and got him at the barn even Bob was down at the barn when I brought her down there. She had lots os questions about Duke and we walked him up to the Tack shed.  After he was tacked and we decided to take the11 am ride, I brought Duke over to the outside ring and Raychel got on hm and rode.  I took apart his bit by accident and then I decied when I put it back on him that day, I did it backwards or somehow wrong.  As we were over at the ring and raychel stepped on the 2 step up, I pulled off the bridle and connected the reins to the halter.
It was so nice in the ring as Raychel held the reins connected to the halter and she guided him around the outside ring.  Duke followed every cue she gave him. This would later inspire me to know that Duke was ready to try a bitless bridle.  Wow

Duke lost 1/2 a shoe and  I rode Blue on the ride later.  It was an amazing ride iwth Blue.

It was a nice to ride on Blue again. He was very alert to me. As we were going up the hill for the trail ride, He stopped 2 times and each time I talked to him and gave him a knudge to more on.  I laughed about it and Theresa said he tests eavery rider by stopping at his favorite spots up the hill.  Seh said she tries to trick riders and I found him out right away.  I loved his story.  He was amazing on our walk only ride but  Know he would have been excellent on a trot ride.  He's like a wonderful riding horse.  Love him!

Stacies Farm

Big Saturday at the Ranch then took care of Pearl, Shenandoah near home

Got up early to go over to the ranch.  I arrived about 845 and went over and got Duke.  Hes so cute I give him an apple every time I get him.  Jim is there too.  I parked and went over to the far barn as soon as I could.  Its great to get him and run back to the tack shed to tack him up.  Laurie was meeting her friend for the 10 ride and she was going out before for a ride with Amy.  She was tacking up Apache with Katie and Winter by the out rail.  I cant stand sharing space. 
[As Raychel said I have a space issue, I want my own space and plenty of it. With my draft horse Duke I want even more.]
I guess that's it, I need tons of room for Duke so I took his tack over to the big log rail where the customer load.
  I worked on him and then grabbed his saddle. 
 He does so much better when hes got the space.  When its took tight he acts up.  He did a funny thikng with my black jean jacket, chewed the jacket that happen to have an apple it in, when I reached in the pocket it was apple sauce.  I didn't give it to him until time to leave, so funny.

He was so amazing, after they left for the pre ride, I went in with Duke to the indoor ring.
Duke trotted the whole time he was amazing.  Even Bob walked by and gave me some advice on how I was holding my feet in the stirrups (I should put my feet more forward).  Also he gave me advice on sitting on the seat of the saddle I should sit up forward.
Well I worked with him and he was the greatest ever had been in the indoor ring.  He would never listen to me or do what I asked and he trotted and walked and stood while I mounted him on the step in the indoor.
I got ready for the 10am ride with Terry and Laurie and her friend.  Terry was very friendly and Amy also went on the ride. It was kinda nice except it was a totally a walk ride.  There was some thing about the ride though, they were having the special neighborhood party where they put up tents and bbq grills in the sandy area for the big party.  It also brought on another problem.  We could here the dirt bikes, many of them.  And at the end of the ride, the came as loud as they could to the back of the border barn almost on Bobbys property.  Face to face with our ride. They rieved their engines and acted like total jerks.  I yelled at them with my loud, low Moms voice just to make sure then knew they were flying toward horseback riders.  Like I said they stunk. 

Katie was brave and because the horses couldn't pass the stupid bikes in the thin path, we did an about face and Duke took the lead all the way home. I was proud as I know his foot hurt because he only had on 1/2 a shoe.  He lead the ride back to the barn and took every que I gave him.  He's a super horse super best friend for me.
So proud of that guy.


Oh yea then everyone left and he worked with me in the outdoor ring.  Went around trotting on cue and the best part is I waited to see Val so he just grazed at the end of the day while I watched him and we hung out together.