Black Friday and Saturday visit oo

 

Black Friday - on Wednesday Bonnie asked me what I was doing on Friday. Well I was going to go into work but just really to check in head to the mall for some sales, pick up stuff at Gamestop and have a nice lunch.  So it was easy enough to get up early and head over to the icey barn at like 10am it was in the teens, pretty cold morning. When I got there I stopped and took a picture at the road of the beautiful acres of snowy land spanning the length of my view.  Amy and Tess were there helping riding the Gator and putting out the hay.  Amy was very happy, she had put out Duke and said he was well behaved. That's good to hear I d hate it if he wasn't a good boy. I saw them it was pretty chatty.  Amy loves talking a lot and taking pics of Tess in the barn working have a nice experience. I asked Bonnie what was going on and let her know I had about 90 min. I jumped into the stall, well I went over to Duke and gave him some carrots, some love and then went into back to the stalls. I started in the backat Safari.  Bonnie and I went to town to get the stalls shoveled. I tried to get as many as possible. The gator was kind of slow getting back to be filled. I just went ahead until I was at Duke's. I noticed that complaining about the work doesn't make me feel good about doint it. I do not complain I just do it.I shoveled by my self for a while then made sure that Bonnie didn't take on too much. I really care about them and watch out for them. As I was talking to Krystyn I asked about going to get a new blanket for Babe and maybe I would be looking for Duke, she mentioned that she wsa thinking about going to Nevins and asked me to go too. There was a butt into the conversation and then I was cut off again adn it all revolved around Amy.  Its disappointing to have this happed to me over and over while I am with her. I know it will make it so Ill avoid her.

I worked as far as I could finished a ton of stalls and also went around and pucked up te piles at the other ones so that Bonnie didn't have to..  I was proud of how hard I worked and was able to get to work area and meet up at Kohls right on time. Not back for a Friday morning. It made my day so much better, especially knowing that Duke was out in the sun.  I gave both Doc and Duke carrots but I waited for Doc to be a good boy before giving him any.
I was thinking about the effort that goes into the Greenwood Stables compared to the old barn.   Friday was I was mucking the stalls, I could hear Kelly chopping the ice in the next aisle.  Kelly was empting the buckets, chopping the ice and bleaching each one of them out before she replaced each one with the water. As this is done each day bring the fresh water to the separate paddocks and giving hay too. After the stalls are cleaned the new clean shavings are placed into the stalls. Its so nice to see.

Saturday was a

Saturday was a dream come true, I texted about 12:15 or so to see if they needed a hand, Bonnie said all finished. I let her know that John would be coming tomorrow morning to hang out with me and Duke. She understood I was avoiding the afternoons to miss Sc.

Well I was alone the horse were all out in the paddocks.  I went over and got Duke before anything else. I knew I don't want ot put off getting him.  The temperature was much better than yesterday, the 30s. He was truly happy to see me.  Walking over to the gate and I had no issues getting him out of the paddock and into his lead line. He was all about getting some grass under the icey snow. I didn't have my cleets but at least Duke had his on I went into the ailes and connecting him. He needed the dirt on his beautiful coat cleaned off and then checked his hoofs with the protectant; also applied the RainMaker on his hoofs and also the Funo\ff on Duke's tail. His tail is getting better, the hair is growing but I wish I had washed it with shampoo today. I might need to tomorrow. Anyway I finished working on his coat, hoofs, and tail.  As I looked at Dukes feet and bottom of his hoofs, I saw that the cuts on the bottom almost looked like they were kinda deep. I could see the white of his hoof and some almost blood looking underneath, maybe veins.  I think that having his feet down by Dave gives me a piece of mind because he is a professional. But his feet looked freshly trimmed. I Brushed out his under carriage and his feathers on his legs. Hes so much stronger looking in so many ways.

I talked to him that we were going to be have today. He was tacked up good and I have my terrible method of walking him over to the edge and giving him a couple of carrot pieces. I walked him around about 2-3 times in the arena he was pretty good. I had closed the ailes off by putting up the boards and opened the back doors so that we can see the other horses that are in the paddocks. I felt he was well behanved. He had bee ndoing this strange back kicks lately that I am concerned with but he did not do it with me riding him. Well I took him to the side put the carrots down on the ground and then jumped up on him we walked 2 times in the arena and then out the back door. its pretty icy wet and also snowy. The ice in someplaces was pretty thick.

Ride around outside down the road back into the arena and then saddles off walk out to the hay barn edges for grass graaing then brushed off and water scrapted then a quick walk down the road again, blanketed off the water brushe dout and then put in the stall as the Perry's were there getting the horses put away 3pm seems pretty early for getting them into the stalls but maybe that's ok. I had wished that they were out for longer like one more hour. But I think that Duke had had enough exercise with me that afternoon.

I felt like the afternoon visit was very quality time with that guy. I spent tons of time with Duke and thought tenderly about Doina and how Daniel was letting his sweet horse go. I held Duke in my arms and brushed his face tenderly today. He saw that I was loving him so carefully as he was in the barn, brushing lovingly.  He is a great friend and I hope he realizes how much he means to me.

 

 

 

Helping at the barn and plans for Target Training and Liberty

Headed over to the barn at about 1215 after I did some chores at the house, washed some floors vaccumed di laundry.  As I came around the corner the snow from yesterday stretched over all of the big fields on either side of the road.  I hoped that there was no one at et barn. I had texted Bonnie to see if they were still doing stalls. Krystyn and Bonnie had almost finished Duke's side. 
I finished up Duke's stall and then we went over to do the rest of the other side.  Krystyn was on one side with Bonnie and I wa son the other.  WE did the stalls together and then after I was almost done with Docs Bonnie popped in and said, come on Jules I bought you lunch. I said we were about to finish and she said that it can wait.  I went into the office and sat on a bag of feed.  We talked about everything. I told them about Joe and Bonnie said if anyone wants to use the farm for a wedding they can. I thought it was a beautiful offer and that I would like it for Raychel.  I think we should do that. Ill talk later.

 Duke was in the paddock.  Duke was outside happy, had an apple and was in the deep mud so deep.When I go to the paddock now Doc isn't as much of a jerk as he used to be over the past couple of years. I actually don't hate him as much. I whistle for him and then I ask him to come to the gate.  He speaks back to me. When I talk to him and walk toward him he looks straight at me and walks toward me speaking. Doc realizes that I will not let him out and also that he needs to steop away while I get Duke and open the paddock door. I brought him out  over to the snow field.  There is usually long delicious grass there but its covered with 7" of thick snow.  He uses his top lip that is very much like an elephants trunk and moves the snow in a circular motion where he scoops back with his teeth and gets a big pull of grass. This goes on for a little while about 5min. 

Then we finish up snacking and into the barn, tied him up on the cross ties.  I got the new cat litter bucket filled with water and grabbed the medicated Tail and Mane, warm water in the bucket.  I put he medicated shampoo on Duke's spot on his tail.  Took the bucket up to the tail top, to wet his tail so that I can put the shampoo directly on.  I put the shampoo on my hand, wet my hands and then lathered it up.  I coverd his tail and then looked at his face, he was so patient. I was really proud. I grabbed the apple out of my pocket and petted his neck hugged him and then gave him the apple.  I waited the 15 minutes brushing him out and taking care of his tail while he wears the blue striped blanket.   Hes beautiful such a good boy.  I rinsed his tail wrung out his tail hairs. The 2nd bucket of water was to rinse out his soapy tail.  I wanted to go for a walk on the road but the kids were racing down the road with their rid eon toys 3 at a time and I really didn't like all of the noise and screaming. We decided to go into the arena. 

Dukes been working out with me in the arena in a really nice way.  Krystyn called it liberty training and also target training that will lead to Liberty training.  I explained how I was using cones to go over some exercise bringing Duke around the cones, showing him me go around the cones and working to see if Duke would then go around the cones w/o me.

As we worked out in the arena, I did what I always did when walking around with the lead line to add up to 1 mile.  But as we walked Duke became jumpy, kicking his legs like hes been doing over the past few weeks during night exercise.  He wanted to break away. I was actually keeping him warm because his tail was still damp and I was worried he was getting cold. I had his blanket on as we walked.  He kept kicking up the back legs and doing this thing with his head toward me, being riled up and his energy was very stirred up.  I realized that he was excited to be in the arena with me. He wanted to do that training that we like so much. Running around on my cue as I whistle and call him.  I walk or sometimes run to the edge and Duke will wait for me to get close to the area and then to call him and then he came running, running with his legs kicking up and his head throwing back and forth in the air.  Hes excitement and his attention to what we are doing is front and center.  Hes everything I ever wanted for a horse.  Better than any horse ever.  Hes the greatest.

Krystyn explains to me that the ground work of Target Training and Liberty will work with him.  Krystyn also agreed that if we did lessons in Western she would do them. I mentioned Monday nights. Krystyn is busy on Wednesday. I'm very happy about the lessons on Mondays.  Krystyn seems very happy with her life and Bonnie is very settle with Reggie and Krystyn in the house with her  It will work out great.  Bonnie also suggested that we have a wedding at Greenwood.
Target Training or Clicker training
http://www.equineclickertraining.com/articles/targeting_handout_new.html

5 Principles of Liberty Training

Principle 1: Your Horse Must Want to be with You
Every detail of Liberty training must be positive in order to progress with your horse.This means that your horse must prefer being with you over everything else.You must be more interesting to him than what’s going on outside the fence, you must be more pleasurable than goofing off. Being with you must feel better than being away from you. this can be more challenging than you think.
Principle 2: Your Horse Must Come to you Anytime You Ask
It’s easy to “chase” your horse away from you, and in fact, this is what most folks call Liberty. It’s not quite so easy to cause your horse to come to you… anytime you ask him to. Simply, you, your space and your energy must be inviting to your horse. If there’s anything about you or your energy that is off-putting, your horse may not come to you. Focusing on Principle 1 dramatically helps your horse come to you anytime you ask him to.
Principle 3: Positive Reinforcement Causes the Above 2 Principles to Occur
An immediate and obvious truth will emerge as you and your horse are learning Liberty – if it doesn’t feel good to your horse, he won’t keep doing it. Positive reinforcement, which is the reinforcement of desired responses with a reward or something pleasurable, is key to Liberty training.
This very powerful application of positive reinforcement may be one of the most profound aspects of Equine Liberty Sports. In conventional training, horses are taught that your “silence” or removal of pressure, is an indication that they are doing the right thing. In essence when the handler “goes away” in traditional methods, it is presented to the horse as being desirable. In the Equine Liberty Sports teaching program, your presence, and a connection with you, is presented as being preferred, and silence is used to motivate your horse to reconnect with you.
Principle 4: Less is More.
The fastest way to blow Liberty is to overdo it. Horses are intelligent and can learn new ideas in a matter of minutes. It does take thousands of repetitions to create conditioned responses, but these are two separate training activities. The Equine Liberty Sports teaching elements has both elements, but all lessons should be approached in short bursts, 10-20 minute sessions only. When you play with your horse, try to end your sessions just when it seems that your horse is getting hooked. This insures that the next principle will occur.
Principle 5: Your Horse Must Never get Bored!
When your horse gets bored, he starts to make things more interesting. In Liberty training this can mean he may not come to you, he may not do what you are asking, he may decide to goof off, he may do the opposite of what you are asking… just to shake it up! Boredom to the horse is the “devil’s workshop,” and this truth becomes more apparent, more quickly, when you remove the lines. In Liberty training you must keep it stimulating, you must change it up, you must keep your sessions short and fun!

Sunday I went over at 2:30pm  Scottie was there with friends.  They were strange, she mentioned that they all had just cleaned under the floor mats of Doc's stall.  It seemed that they put the cleanings (poop) in the back of the friends car.  They were backing it up near my car along side the barn to dump in the pile.  I wasn't comfortable with them backing up.The big man was driving the car and Scottie was saying, Its ok they are my friends. I went into the barn and put down my stuff.  I went right out to see Duke, it looked like I had lost my lead line because they used Babe's for Duke . I was calling him over and opening the gate, he was near the gate as I opened up the gate and placed the latch on Duke's halter.  I heard Scottie voice saying that she wanted to see about taking out Dusty at the same time as Duke. I said I had problems with them and wanted to take out Duke without Dusty running over and pushing o the gate. I told her I had problems with him.  I grabbed Duke, and asked her to step back as I got Duke out of the gate.  If she wanted me to help her I would have like her to ask. I was wondering if she was waiting for me to get Duke out so I would help her with Dusty she should have asked instead of running out behind me and kind of cornering me as I was trying to get Duke out. I think like Kristin was saying that because her friends are there shes acting a little bit weird.  Just an observation.  Anyway I walked out toward the front of the barn instead of the back door as she went.  As she walked I could hear her yelling at Doc because he wasn't listening. Sometimes I feel bad for him. Anyway I got Duke into the barn, went into his stall and sprayed his tail over and over.

I had the new hand tooled bridle and it still wasn't big enough. I need a longer strap for under his chin.  He was a nice boy standing in the cross ties while I was working on his bridle and cleaning him up. I was planning on riding in the arena.  Having Scottie in the arena area was making me wait until she was leaving.  She had her friends and the horse. She said things like, Dusty don't bite and she was yelling at him scolding him for something.  I was praying that no one was going to think its a good idea to ride him.  Hes a small horse and they are all overweight.  Anyway. I was sort of keeping my self scarce after I got Duke, he was tacked and ready but I didn't want to go into the arena with them. I wanted to have a peaceful walk and just be me and Duke talking.
I waited patiently with Duke. Kristin came to see Kinsey and they were still there. We killed time talking until they left.  I wish I don't have to wait for them to leave.   Well finally they finished up.

Since Duke was tacked, I had a pocket full of carrots, we were ready to go to the mounting block.  I walked around for a few times with him and then tried to get the back kicks out of Duke before we walked the arena. I asked Kelly if they were brining the horses in the back way, Kelly and Kayla said that they didn't have to do it. I closed the back door to the barn and put up the boards to keep the arena close off.  It worked out good.  Those two are really good kids, they are considerate I think.
 I did the same things that I would do for walking but with Duke on horse back.  He was distracted with Kelly and Kayla's pouring the feed buckets into each of the horses buckets but I tried to keep him on target for what we were doing. He did ok.
Things went pretty good.  It was enough, he listened and then I took off his saddle and he went to get his oats.  Perfect visit 2 hours, tacked hung out and rode a little.  Great day.

Quick visit to Greenwood to see Duke, blanket, walk, do his hoofs and hang out

At 7pm I was thinking it was pretty early in the year for the temps to be dipping down to 25 and below. Did Duke need a blanket?  It this the right one?  I missed him too. I started to think that maybe I should start getting up early and going over to see him before work. What about that.getting up and going over toe Greenwood before work. Could I pull that off?  How much sleep do I really need? I used to stay up so much. So many hours.  I could try to get Rookie his shot and then get dressed head over to Chelmsford, do his tail, hand out and then head over to work. Could I do this?  Just a thought, lets try it out later this winter.
Anyway, I got there put on Duke's halter and lead line after he had a juicy cold apple. I gave Lily one too.  We went into the cross ties and I gave him the once over. I had the arena lights on and I snagged a moist yumymy snack.

Equine Affaire Vets Day Weekend

Saturday was at the Equine Affaire, I miss him so much when I'm around other horses.  hes so amazin. He was lookin grighst at me as I walked from my car across the barn to the doorway.  Patti had Sienna and Townes in already.  She missed Equine Affaire because her dog got really sick and had to go to the hospital.  Patti had swept the ailse so clean it looked great. She is so good with her sweet Sienna who in front of Patti showed me some real love. It was a nice thing.

Anyway I washed his tail with the medicated shampoo, tail and mane then I brushed him out rinsed him with clean warm water. I was worried that he was going to get chilly. He didn't and he was in the cross ties.  Patti showed him love as I continued to brush and attend to his poor tail. I want get him all back to healed and normal.

Our walk was really wonderful  His tail was drying and we usually do our walk and then I make him walk some more in the arena.  This was a bit different than usual because we went down for our walk and got to Bonnies House and Bonnie came around the corner in her car, pulled over got out and went to the back of her car and got some gingersnap cookies and fed Duke on the side of the road.  She really gives to everyone a truly wonderful woman. I talked for a moment let her know how I appreciated her. I think that when I told her that I had spoken to Liv about possibly renting out the arena each week, she was very appreciative of me helping to get some extra business in the weekly arena rental.  She was happy and I think that Krystyn was happy too. Its good to have a relationshop with good people that are going to help the grow some funding through the winter. Anyway I would love to have her at Greenwood working out Tarzan and Cleo.  Bonnie said that any weekend morning the arena isn't used so it would be a good time and then she also mentioned that Monday night is the slowest at the barn. Ill let Liv know so that they can see if it works for the Gypsy team. <3

I enjoyed my time today.  The paddock was so muddy when I got Duke.  Doc was a bit better behaved and I was totally covered with mud because all I had to do was open the paddock gate and Duke's first step out he was excited to get out and to also eat some grass. I was happy not to have .  Kayla was telling Scotti as she was walking around doing her chores to feed the horses how she had a broken finger.  She also mentioned how her husband was not feeling well. I was

 

 

Liv working out Tarzan before his entrance into coliseum

Friday workout, Saturday afternoon session and then Sunday

Friday Night
Needed to check on that guy later in the night on Friday. He needed his meds the other night last night I just felt for him being in for a coupel of days with this terrible rain all of the time.  I went ovr at around 8pm. I was able to get to him, spray his butt with fung-off and take him into the arena. Its spooky there late night but it was about 65 degrees out.  Very dark just me.  The doors closed. When I pulled up the window wasn't closed all of the way so I could hear Duke speaking to me a Nicker as I was getting out of the car.  He was happy to seem me. I had some cookies and 2 apples. The other horses seemed like they were jealous. As I brush out Duke a little before we walk out together into the arena.  I love how Duke will hold his head just perfectly to place it into the halter as I hold it up. Shows here really looking ot stretch his legs. I want to get a mile on him when I am not riding and only walking. We walked for a while and then we played the fun cookie running game. He was really playful. I love it.  He is well behaved lately, knowing that he has to walk with me before he can act crazy.  He rolled but this time he didn't dig up huge holes. Its like he didn't even dig this time. Very happy. The lighting is pretty good, I think they fixed one of the lamps. I get in and turned on the lights in the aisles and then walked down to the arena and turned on those lights.  Its truly spooky. I was thinking everytime I am there its like a Stephen King Movie. Walking into a totally dark barn, the horses know whats going on and I am just getting there so its dark, scary too.
Saturday Afternoon

Saturday afternoon Duke gives such joy 🐎

Heard Duke was pouting on Fridays No Today ❤️ 🐎

Last weekend GW

Sunday Night with Duke 9pm playing in the ring together.  Duke has been doing a workout with me by doing a circle, lines back and forth in the center and also an "X" with a loop at the top. I'm interested to use cones and having more patterns to walk.  Also I would like to do the patterns in the arena to keep Duke thinking while we walk and then see if I can get him to know the patterns and then to see if I can ride him more with the same patterns.I love to be at the barn with out another person but the barn for of the sweet souls that are the Greenwood Herd.  They are all settls at night and they watch as I turn on the lights and also walk by sometimes I am able to give each a cookie or a carrot.  I basically use my ailse to make sure all of Duke's friends get a midnight snack.