Dukes Saddles -- New for me English Saddle Kelsey showing me how to tack Selena with it

Bought an old English Saddle at Crimson Acres back in Nov 2015,  $25.  I cleaned it up and put together the parts to to make a working saddle.  Its at the farm now and I told Lexie she could give it a try.  If it works out Ill give it to Melody, maybe

Great Day 60 riding with Pete was fun. Duke Reared up at the lake

Duke posed like he was going to be in a photograph for most serious Percheron.  So cute

Lexie, Amy and Laurie went out on a long ride everywhere they said.  Sound nice

All the pictures are out of sequence but its ok.  I got to the ranch and Laurie was all tacked up and Lexie and Amy were getting ready.  They headed out after I was talking to Lexie a little and asked her to play with the English saddle if you would like to give it a try.  She was very receptive. I told her that I was going to give it to my niece but not until later maybe summer.  I shared with Amy that I had taken an English lesson.

Theresa said there was an 11am and I asked dif I could join in.  There were a nice group of horses. I did the little trick that Duke likes, where I wait and let the riders go into the woods while I bridle him and make sure hies all set. Then I let him go find his friends. I have bene discouraging him from Yelling in a horse voice to let them know he's coming.  He wants everyone to wait but I just let him do some tricky trotting when the footing became more solid.  He did great.  I love to ride with him.  Hoeing the snow gone was a big deal.  We caught up with the group right as they were taking this nice short but that had been blocked off with a fallen tree. Duke was in the back where Theresa and Pete were riding.  Pete wanted to play with Duke so bad.  He wanted to turn around and hang out.  

At one point he was too close to Duke's butt and he buck both legs at him.  He made us laugh so hard.  He did the buck and he made sure I wasn't bothered by the movement.  It feels good to see him with the strength that I know he has inside.  There was a strange moment later.  

We were doing little things like I was asking Duke to wait and letting the rest of the herd  go and he was holding on, then I would let him trot back to the area at the end where Pete and Theresa were positioned. I was very proud of him listening and trying to be obedient.

There was a couple of spaces where there is still snow and ice on the little bay like areas on the lake.
We came around a corner, I was ta the end.  Duke reared up high and spoke with his horse voice in a terrifiing sound and up on his back.  I spoke to him softly and asked him what was wrong.  He reared again.  Theresa turned around, she said she thought it was, then she pointed to the snowy areas of ice that was still on the lake were we were, it looked quite strange, like confetti or like strange materials on the ice.  Duke was continuing to be very upset and made sounds like that while we walked. I asked Theresa what was on the lake's ice that was making Duke and Pete so upset.  She said it was a dead deer that the coyotes had gotten into and it was mutilated.
It was truly upsetting for me.  Poor Duke, he kept his composure I am so proud of him. IfI had seen a dead person on the lake and was shocked by it I would be very shook up and would need a friend to tell me that it would be ok.
He's such a nice boy.  Im very glad Im that lady that loves him for who he is.  He's perfect for me.

So happy to ride with Theresa today, Her Pete is so dam playful. I just love him!

Cold and Sunny Proctor Farm Selena, Kelsey and the over to Bobbys for some quality time with Duke

Lesson with Kelsey at Proctor Farms

 10am with Kelsey at the Proctor Farm.  I parked outside,  early for the lesson.  I waited about 5-10 minutes and then came in the door aroub 5 of 10.  Its as cold.  Kelsey was putting her stuff together ran the horses were in their stalls.  Dakota, Giselle and Selena are her horses at Proctor Farms.  Kelsey put the old english saddle I brought on Selena with me and then went over some of the parts.  Then she tacked up Selena with her specially made saddle.  It was comfortable. We walked over to the big barn. It was nice there.  There were 2 other people in the barn taking lessons.  I didn't get on Selena for a little while.  It was fun.  Kelsey took good care of me.  We walked back and forth in the huge beautiful ring.  There was a huge mirror at the end.  Selena liked going over and looking at it.

[Later after the lesson  I spoke with Cassie, she wanted to take a lesson with me.  She said, "I want an English lesson".  She thought it could help her with her leg.  Maybe it could relieve it of some of th pressure from the Western saddle.   I called Kelsey and we are going to work it out maybe have Cassie go over with me on a Sunday and then Maybe after we take turns in the lesson.  Cassie asks me to see if we could take the lessons at the same time. ]

Selena seemed to enjoy having me on her as we rode.  She wanted to go faster and faster in the ring.  I was getting used to the different way of operating on her. Its as amazing.  She is so good she listens great. I was totally impressed.

Back at the farm

I brought the english saddle over to the farm to see about Duke.I didn't take a pictures but I brushed him up and then I put the pad, saddle fleece and the saddle on Duke.  His girth did not make it around Duke's belly.  He's so cute as I was tacking up Duke he was acting up ha ha trying to get snacks.  I gave him his supplements.  He's gobbles them up.  When I called him from the fence he ignored me as he munched on yummy hay.   He was kinda fresh going into the field.  He picked up many trots as we walked in the woods with Terry and Marley.  Terry showed up at around 12 I think and she wanted to just hang ou with Marley.  When I was out with Duke, Cassie laughed at me when I had the sadddle on Duke.  Whats that thing?  Later when I was saying good bye Cassie asked if she could take a lesson with me on a Sunday.  I said I talked to Kelsey.  She asked so many questions.  Everyone was excited about my lesson and had so many questions.  IT was pretty exciting.  Terry wants to talk about lessons wit kelsey and Cassie wants to go at the same time as me.

Spa Day 50+ sunny too

 Got to the farm and everyone looked ready to go out for a ride. I was not very interested in going out as far as they go.  I would like to keep Duke safe not sorry.  The stress on his foot makes me worry.  I have to make sure that he gets his supplements.  Im pretty sure that he's not getting them consistently.
Well I was over Duke before anyone had let home out yet.  The boys were revving to go.  Bentley waits with the Boarder horses.  I gave Jim a piece of apple.  The girls were coming around the bend and I was with Duke.  He was so interested in snacking any grass that might get between the snow that the was not very phased about this buddies all running like crazy to the field.  But the girls, Lexie, Laurie, Amy and Cathy's horses may have had another reaction.  They were reining in a bit to keep them calm.  Taboo was the one who seemed excited about it.
I ran as soon as I could get footing with the ice mud and puddles.
Today I was considering putting the Australian Saddle on Duke just to try it but I still need to learn some things.
Last night I made the arrangements with Kelsey for my lesson next weekend Saturday morning.  11am.  Im excited. Ill be on Selena, I hope I can handle it.  I think Im too big for her. Im hoping that it will be ok.
Today I just went over Duke coat and worked hard with him.  I was going to work his feet but I couldn't find the hardener.  I cleaned them up.  He stepped on my foot today and its kinda sore.  Also we bumped heads and it really hurt. His head is so cute. As I was working on his feet he was nice to just spend time with him and clean out my area in the tack shed.  I took some of the blankets home, folded things and threw away lots os things.

60+ Degrees with sweet breezes at Prospect Hill Farm then Time with Duke

Prospect Hill Farm

Lesson with 

Kelsey Richardson  

Visiting Proctor Farm and Kelsey, Selena with Stacie and Hannah.  IT was so fun and I learned so much.

Spending Time with Duke taking a snow covered warm ride alone

Great ride with Duke last week.  I still think he's kinda lame on the trails but I also think he thinks I should be riding with someone else, another horse.  It was very pretty last week.  We went out on th trails. Duke wanted to go onto the field so he could graze but we were tacked to go out for a short ride. It as nice to be alble to ride alone with Duke. I think he likes certain trails.  I did the back way and came out at the Barn.  When I was coming back onto the trails by the boarder barn Sergeants over on sergeant came trotting out from the woods. I had a wonderful walk.  

Duke was surprising me, he chosose to walk the high path that was tilted and had ice mud and snow, I thought it was too tricky footing to be out there.  The other ladies went out to Groton but I went alone to walk and trot with Duke.  I feel so good going out with him alone and he's a good boy.  Ill even do more with him and he feels better.  Its very exciting and the trails are beautiful. I would have had more pictures if I had brought my camera but its too big and I was able to focus on Duke and our nice walk.