Thursday, July 24, 2008

Why can't everything be easy?

Weaning is not going so well. Yesterday at work I called Kristy, my barn owner, to tell her the trainer I was going to check out last night had canceled on me. During our conversation she told me how poor little Kaia knocked down the top railing of the vinyl fence around her pasture yesterday morning in an attempt to reach Summer who was being led by at the time. They put her in Summer's stall for the rest of the day. When we originally seperated them Monday night I left Kaia in with her buddy Yogi to make the transition easier. I told Kristy that my only worry about that situation was that Kaia might try to nurse off of her. Sure enough, Kristy found her Tuesday trying to nurse off Yogi, and Yogi let her! So they were seperated and Kaia was left by herself. Then she decides she can climb fences. Luckily it was the vinyl so she didn't get hurt but still I'm a little worried about her.
On the lighter side my nephews are visiting so Tuesday night we went out to see Summer and Kaia and all three boys rode Summer. I couldn't believe it! Ethan, the 7 year old, is just really starting to get into horses and he has a natural seat and absolutely loves to be around them. He can be pretty fearless at times so I try to keep my eye on him. Austin, the 9 year old, likes them but the few times he has sat on Summer was pretty scared and would jump and look frightened at her slightest movement. I've always had to lead her around for him while he white knuckles the saddle horn. Ethan on the other hand loves to ride Summer by himself and I let him steer but I clip my lunge line on a halter under her bridle just in case. He is pretty small for his age and wouldn't have enough muscle to stop her if she decided to be a brat. Little Kellen is 2 and loves the horses but we've tried several times before to have him sit on Summer or different horses but he always cries and gets upset so this time I let him decide whether he wanted to ride. He wanted to be the first! We put his helmet on and lifted him up into the saddle and his tiny little hands gripped onto the horn and this great big grin spread across his face. Not once did he hesitate or look scared. Summer and I walked him all over the arena and he loved it. Next was Ethan's turn. He wanted to get in the saddle all by himself so bad but Summer is pretty tall compared to the pony he rode before so we boosted him up and off he went. Summer was so good for him. Its funny how some horses just KNOW when there is a kid in the saddle. Her head drops and she gets this sleepy look on her face and everything about her just relaxes. She'll walk all over for him and stop and turn and not once does she even think about breaking into a trot like she does for me. Ethan wanted to go faster so we tied up her reins so they wouldn't drag and I lunged her around me at a walk, trot, then a canter for just a few strides so he could see what it was like. His tiny little butt was bouncing all over in the saddle but he hung on and even Summer didn't mind. She looked so collected and smooth in her trot I almost didn't recognize her. Who is this horse? She even did well for Austin and he hasn't taken any lessons. He suprised me big time by wanting to ride by himself, he even looked confident and relaxed up there asking her to move around the arena.
Its funny how we can saddle her up, put a kid on her, and her head drops and she acts like an old dead broke pony but I can get on her 10 minutes later and her head pops up and its GO TIME. Put little Kellen in my lap and her head goes back down. She loves kids. I just wished she loved me that much all the time. I've got another trainer coming out Friday night and I'm going to watch her work some of Kristy's horses and then take a lesson from her and see if I like her. So hopefully she'll be able to help us some.

1 comment:

KD said...

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED?...