Xmas Eve 2016

Remembering last Christmas Eve seemed so much different than my trip over to see Duke, Saturday morning, Christmas Eve.  I saw the group getting the horses ready, Krystyn, Bonnie, her Dad brothers.  I came right into the barn and greeted who I think it Krystyns Dad.  He was very friendly.  It was raining outside but I wanted to get Duke 2 miles as agreed.  He was so cute as I walked in and talked to him. I put up his first stall covered storage thing.  I thought about riding in the arena, its possible.  I got the brush and saw that there was a treat from Safari, a large peppermint and a nice tag "From Safari".  It made me feel great.  Well I had Dukes salt, his treats and I got him ready.  The man I think is KRystyns dad said he would be taking the little vehicle out of the aisle and then I could work wtih Duke to go out to the arena.  I hurried all of the hugging etc that I was doing, put his halter on and couldnt find his lead line so used an old stredded one that someone put on the stall.  We started towalk and walk to get his time in.  I was seeing Duke really skipping along and trotting fast. I was trying to see what was going on.  He at one point in the circle after the barn door on the right would actually rear up so high I was actually frightened.  I asked him to relax and keep on task,

 I heard Scottis voice as she was at the board.  She said, Jules he really wants to roll.  Well she was right I took off his lead line and he bolted making the most amazing spurts into the area throughing his amazing weight and his back legs went crazy into the air.  Wow I was so excited.  

Scotti put in Doc and I could see that Duke was disappointed to see that Doc was sort of avaiding his space. I really wanted to have Duke relax.  Scotti talked alot about how nice it is to have Doc and Duke friends.  Well Im kinda a one horse woman and dont always appreciate Doc bugging Duke.

Well it went ok but I tolk Scotti that its part of his recovery to keep him walking at least 2 miles everytime I see him. She saw that Doc was getting out of hand int he arena and she was feeling kinda terrible.  She took him out and I finsied his walk 2 miles good job.

Then we walked outside into the rain so that Duke could eat the delicous grass. Then we walked around to the front.  I had such a nice time I took him over to the other edge and he waded into the water to get the best grass he could find in the water and snow.  He was very happy.

I put him back into the stall and asked him to please say. As I was leaving I saw that someone has placed a little bag on Duke's hook.  It was a handmade ornament from Scotti.  I gave Krystyn and Bonnie the chololcate horses, Bonnie scratch tickets and Krystyn 20 bucks.  It was very nice.

Snowy foggy Duke went into a Canter in back field

What a day at the barn.  I didnt have a helmut on when I was in the field.
I got there early enough, Bonnie had texted me to see if I had gone to the barn the day beffore during a storm where we got about 6 inches of snow. I told her that I hadnt been over and asked he what had happened and is Duke ok.  She said Duke was fine, he had just taken the door off the stall and was out in the aisle of the barn.
[The thing I was thinking is that if Duke wanted to get out of the stall because of an emergency, he could do it. He also might be able to save the other horses if something was wrong and they all needed to get out.  Hes a smart guy and knows right from wrong.  He knows also that in the winter, horses should be outside.  He wants OUT!  Im proud of him letting them know that they better get him out or he'll take the door off.  Good Boy!]
Back to being at the barn with Duke.
I saw that I was able to walk around and Duke did not get mad when I walked over to see Manny in the arena with Kristin his owner.  There was a sweet lady named Christine who is leasing Johnny.  She was brushing him out and she said that she rides on Sunday mornings and she goes outside. I did not see her outside ever when we were over there on most Sundays. She said she'd be interested in going out if we were there at the same time.  Scotti showed up and walked in after I had brushed out Duke and had his saddle all ready.  I like tacking him in his stall, I have lots of space and its private.  I finisned getting him ready and walked out to see how Scotti was doing. She was in the ring already.  I was getting Duke's bridle on and he giving me a wicked hard time, it made me laugh. I think that I gave him the apple right away and it may have spoiled him a bit.
Well I was going to see how Scotti was doing and Patti was helping her down off of Doc, she was feeling dizzy.  When she got there she told me that shes been struggling with Vertigo.  I was thinking that if she was not riding Id go right out into the snow and ice with Duke since he has his winters.  Hes been in for a few days and this way he will want to go right out there.  I really didnt spend any time making sure she was ok so I better make sure that Im a little bit more helpful next time.

I used the block of Stacies to try and get on. Duke acted like a total jerk.  Even Lily was laughing at me and him as I tried to get on him.  He backed up too many times.  I asked Patti to hold his mount.  He was a jerk.  As soon as I got on we were in the field to the right.  He waded into the deep icy puddles in the field.  He stopped so many times on the way to the corner field.  He slowly walked gazing into the woods.  He smells the coyotes and he worries. I believe he may even see them at night through is window.
He slowly moved toward the corner and walked he actually stopped many times to turn to go back. I kept on him as we continued around the edge.  We walked as the fog rolled out of the woods.  Duke walked slowly as he thought that something was in the fog. Truly erie for us today.  Hes stalled so many times.  He definately does not like going into the field by the strange trailers.  I believe that we will from now on go into the scary field to the right and then go across tehe street and behind the Greenwood houses to around the back field.  Soon Im going to go into the field that is behind the large field to the right. Id like to explore the field that I see when I pass the bike path on the left.
Anyway, Duke was giving me the backing up thing but I am on him.  His apprehension in the field felt like he may break out into a run back to the barn.  The fog rolled in.  As we went up the hill Duke was still gazing into the woods.  When I went by Bonnies house she came out and yelled at me to keep to the edge of the feilds. I told her that I was on the edge.  She went back into the house.   As I went by the house in the snow, Duke didnt even blink at the boat because of the wind and fog.  We got to the edge of the field Duke stopped and again tested me to see if I would continue to get on him and kick him, he crossed.  As we went over to the right to go behind the houses Duke again gave me a hard time.  As he stopped and would not go into the grass, snow ice, with deep water.  I pulled him around and to the left to walk the side of the road.  He did good. I was disappointed that we would not go into the woods and the big field.  As we went down the road, Duke was great.  We got to the end and I steered him into the path near the opening of the big feild.  He was terrible, backing up again, giving me shit, refusing to go forward. I spoke gently and asked him nice.  It wasnt working.    I decided to go back the way of the road and Duke went into the snow very gently.  He liked the snow under his hoofs.  During our walk especially when we got deep into the field that has the woods, Duke stopped and yelled into the woods to see if another horse was going to answer.  He misses his friends so very much.  I think that possibly he would like to rdie with Sky sometime soon.  He walked into the water, ice, snow and grass.  He did great.  We went into the back yard of the Greenwood brother and Duke trotted when asked.  He tugged a few times during the walk where he thought he would steal grass.  I know that he cant steal unless he has permission.  As we rouded the back field as we did last weekend, Duke was getitng into the groove of being out and also forgetting to be a little jerk.  It felt like last year at Bobbys.  I think hes come full circle.  Hes almost while I was on the trail, made me feel like the old days.  He was definately feeling it too.  He was gladly going into the woods.  As we went into the woods, Bonnie sent me a text that asked me where my helmut was and I hadnt I worn it. I told her I actually forgot it because I had a hat on I didnt remember.  She said that because of insurance she could get screwed, I let her know that I hadnt forgotten it before and I promised not to again.  I had no intention of not wearing one and was truly sorry.  She said it was ok.  I would never want anything to happen to anyone.

Bottom line on this guy:

• He got out of the stall when locked up too long
• Listened to me about going into the field.
• Kept going through lots of deep water, ice and snow just to be a good boy
• Doesnt like the field next to the trailers as an entrance.
• Likes to cross the street next to Bonnies
• Doents like the Coyote area and the foggy woods
• Can canter and might be happy to get "out there" this winter
• All of our work to strengthen him up has paid off, arena, fields, walking ground work, being with me in the fiels
• He can even bend his head back (to get a celebratory mint after the cantor.  Good boy
• Oh yeah, I cant pat him on the mane when he listens to me too much or he'll stop.  Only a good boy and a quick pet will do for him

Harry and the Snowman Movie at the Regent Theater

Duke gave me my Christmas gift

Was excited to go over to meet Scotti and ride with Doc again.  ITs been going pretty well with her.  I left earlier than I usually do so I could get there with Duke and get him all tacked up.  When I was driving Scotti sent me a text that she was going to be late.  I thought no problem.  It was still pretty cold that day and I was dressed pretty well.  I went and got Duke he looked over at me as I walked up to get him.  He has settled in with Doc but doesn tlike him.  I borught them applces and Doc was under the impression that he was number one in the paddock.  He and Duke had bites and then the strange thing is Doc used his back legs to do a buck in Dukes general direction.  I really didn't like it.  I pushed Doc away and gave him some words. I kinda was mad I was so nice to him with the apple.  I have Townes some because hes a sweet boy and was watching.
I brought Duke into his stall to tack him after Kystyn left the area. I like to get the saddle rack out and put his weatern on it as I tack him in his stall. I really don't like the cross ties much.  Its funny I have no problem with Duke here alone with no one around.  As a matter of fact I love it.
Well I put in the rack and the new Kristin that is Manny's owner was there doing the chores.  Shes very nice, I like her a lot.  I started to clean up Duke.  Giving him his wormer quetely in the stall.  He really appreciated it.  I was glad to get that going and over with until the next dewormer in Feb.  I groomed him like crazy, love the way he's looking, and tacked him up. Im using the Red pad for now but I think I will use the pad that Valerie had next. 
When Scotti got there she went out to get Doc, I offered to go help if she needed it. She said she was pretty good with the gate unless its frozen then she said it was trouble. 
In no time I could hear her talking to Doc to tell him to behave.  He seems like a pretty small little horse that's nice for her too.  Shes more of a rider than she is a horse buddy.  I think that my time with Duke is less about riding andmore about taking care of his needs and keeping him healthy and happy
We warmed up in the arena and circled around a lot.  Scotti keeps a strange formation where she and doc are in the center ring and she acts like shes over him with Doc.  It feels a little bit strange.  We worked together rfor a bit but I could see that Duke and Doc don't nesscessarly like being together.  Duke did follow him during a good trotting bit.  Then we separated from them and I came through the center with Duke a lot more.  Forgot about the mounting.
Duriing the intinatial start to workingin the ring, I had some probs with Duke again.  I actually blame it on myself as he is so large that I have to almost jump to get on him from the standing mounting block.  I wish I was mounting from the ground but I thnk I weight oo much.  Anyway I was working with him and his moving back.  I finally was able to  jump on him.  I keep working him each week. Its good training, because this is a strange behavoire that needs to be fixed even if its me.  He stands for everyone else but me.  :)
Anyway Scotti sadi she hasd to leave.  The amount of walking was just ok but pretty good. I looked at how cold it was outside and how many peple there were out there. I hadn't seen a stupid truck go by in a hwile so I decided I would chance it and open the barn door, jump back on Duke and go out..
Best decisions of many weeks and months.  I think that Duke knows that hes an outside guy and wants to be outside and busy.
We started out the side where the other horses could  see Duke.  It was nice and we started by the equipment area of the field.  He fought me a bit and then he shows caution near the path at the end of the field.  Id like to go into the woods there but I know there are coyotes that were playing in the field and that they were putting in a trap for last month.  We are careful near that area.  As we ggo around the edge there is snow and duke looks into the woods ever so carefully.  I don't see much.  We then go around the bend in the field.  After the small hill he did a waak trot.  We carefully walked by the boat where Duke was kinda jumpy.  As we got to the road to cross, I asked him to move to the sharp right and go around the large field the opposite way.  He went behind the hourses and also maket th eedge of the field.  I let him have some grass for only a bit then we trotted before he went into the woods to meet over to the other feidl  He was exicted and It was amazing.  We went through the woods, cam eout at the other feidl and then off we went to field trotting.  It was amazing he was himself.  He was warmed up in the arena and also this was almost magic. I was so happy to feel the feeling again with him.  He was very happy to ge out and I could see that he could have actually cantered out in the last feidl.  I woul dhave loved to get ot that but I was so happy to just be out there along in the woods.  WE might have the more amazing winter as usual I love to ride in the winter.
THAnk you Duke for your great riding this Sudnay.