19Dec 2013 by myexracer

Night and day

Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel, Training
[caption id="attachment_575" align="alignleft" width="300"] Getting ready to throw her shoulder out![/caption] Finally the weather was such that my trainer could come out and work with the girls. Hazer! Jezebel was up first and started off good and got progressively worse. She was determined to not hold her body straight when asked. Throwing a shoulder out and occasionally throwing it in. Anything to not go straight. It was a struggle. Shes much better with consistent work and i think she just had too much time off because of the weather and she was being pissy about working at all. Michelle is much more stubborn then my wild mare and in her persistent, patient way kept asking IE telling Jez to do as she was told this pissed the wild one off…
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17Dec 2013 by myexracer

The was a little girl…

Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel
[caption id="attachment_554" align="alignleft" width="300"] My lovely Mare Mercy and I a lifetime ago[/caption] You ask a stallion, you tell a gelding but you have a conversation with a mare. That's the saying and its true. Mares have opinions and they like to express them. Some more then others. I've only had mares, its what i know and i enjoy the conversation. My first horse Merciful Heavens AKA Mercy never gave me the ugly mare face, never had issues with going into heat and being un-ridable but she did have her own opinions. I always let her express herself, we formed a bond, a trust that was unshakable. I rode that horse in the LA river with water up to her chest in raging rainstorms (okay now i know how dangerous…
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14Dec 2013 by myexracer

On such a winters day

Barn tales, Life with Jezebel, OTTB
[caption id="attachment_547" align="alignleft" width="300"] Round Bale Naps[/caption] It was cold, I know most of my postings have been starting out that way. Winter in Maryland, go figure. I headed down to see the girls thinking maybe, just maybe I could get in a ride if the footing in the ring wasn't frozen. When I went down to the field, Jezebel was napping in the round bale. Not by the round bale but in the round bale. Jes who lives in the stall across from her was standing guard. I love how they do that. I approached thinking Jezebel would get up. Nope. She opened her eyes saw me and decided that maybe she should have a hay snack while she was laying down. Okay then. I walked up to her…
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12Dec 2013 by myexracer

Horse blogs, ugh.

Rant
[caption id="attachment_540" align="alignleft" width="300"] Blah blah blah[/caption] Horse blogs are just as clicky as horse people. Certain blogs come into some kind of fashion I suppose, though I can never really figure out why some are popular and other better blogs are not. I read and enjoy a few, I stopped reading and do not enjoy many more. Most are horribly designed, I'm an ex art director and I think making your blog look good is an important element. Us design-ie people are funny like that. Many horse bloggers it seems use good old blogspot, which has a really terrible interface, is owned by Goggle (eww) and looks clunky and cumbersome. Compared of course to the more streamlined and better interfaced wordpress. Wordpress has the huge advantage of 3rd party…
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12Dec 2013 by myexracer

Coffee Klatch

Barn tales, Life with Jezebel
[caption id="attachment_536" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Coffee Klatch[/caption] I had to cancel our training session for the day because of weather. Even though it was sunny and beautiful, I thought the ground would be frozen. The snow stopped but its been bitter cold and hasn't be above 35 degrees. In the afternoon I headed down to the barn to see my horses and to check the ring see if maybe it would be in shape to ride in tomorrow. The ground is still pretty snow covered and when I drove in Jez was snoozing on her side in the snow. Of course she was. I parked and walked down to get Jez. I whistled for her but she and Circe were not interested in coming to me, I had to go…
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10Dec 2013 by myexracer

Snow Ponies

Barn tales, Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel
[caption id="attachment_527" align="alignleft" width="225"] Jezebel and Michelle In the snow![/caption] It doesn't snow a lot out here but it does snow. Certainly more then my Southern California born and raised self is used to. This is also the first winter I've had horses out here when I don't have an indoor ring to ride in. Lets just say I've invested in some better cold weather horse gear and clothes. Blizzard boots, under armor, a awesome cold weather jack from REI (on sale.. score!) and for the ponies, quarter sheets and warmer blankets. We are as prepared as we can be this year. For the last few days we've had some on and off again snow. Sunday is our regular day with our trainer she usually rides both girls and teaches…
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06Dec 2013 by myexracer

All In A Days Work

Barn tales, Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel
[caption id="attachment_517" align="alignleft" width="225"] Always happy to see me![/caption] My two girls are opposites. Though both are fun and beautiful they are very different. Jez likes to throw her shoulder out, Circe throws it in. Circe runs away from me in the field (new fun habit) Jezebel comes running to me when i whistle for her. When ones good the other is bad, when one is calm the other is wild. They are night and day, ying and yang Kate and Bianca at the same time. Its hilarious and it keeps me entertained. A friend and i decided to take my two girls out on the trail, together. Tina tacked up Jezebel in her full on dressage gear and she looked amazing. Tina has a OTTB of her own who…
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29Nov 2013 by myexracer

The Girls

Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training
Things are going well. Having two horses two ride is a big adjustment from having one, then two broken horses to rehab and not ride. My trainer Michelle comes out twice a week, Sundays and Wednesdays. On Wednesdays its just Jezebel. On Sunday she works with both horses. Jezebel is improving a lot and my trainer (who is just about the best thing since slice bread) does great with her. We have my 7 month stall rested horse working like a champ. She's happy enough to work. She likes to throw her shoulder out and had trouble with the left lead canter. Both are improving with each session. Last session Jezebel picked up the left leap canter first try... Twice! Shes totally getting it. When I ride her she is…
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12Nov 2013 by myexracer

Plans are meant to be broken

Life with Jezebel, OTTB
[caption id="attachment_502" align="alignleft" width="225"] Ready![/caption] It was windy and cold, not crazy windy and not super cold but windy and cold enough. I decided since i had ridden Circe the day before that it was Jezebels turn under saddle. Her trainer is on vacation so its just us for a couple weeks. Both girls came over to me in the field and they both got their field treats, I should have known i was in for a day when Jez decide that she wasn't putting her head in the halter. I told her in Spanish "mirar" (pronounced Me-da) and pointed to the halter. I've taken to talking to her in Spanish some, she knows commands in it and she's really good for my stable manager Rolando who talks to her…
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29Oct 2013 by myexracer

The view atop Jezebel

Life with Jezebel, OTTB
[caption id="attachment_498" align="alignleft" width="300"] I'm on top of the world[/caption] My horse is back. My lazy, half asleep "Are you sure we have to work?" horse has returned. When my trainer takes her out to work with her she always comments how Jez is half asleep. Yup, thats my girl. I really thought id never get her back and that she'd always be the wild one mare. Thats not to say she doesn't have her moments but in general shes calm and happy. Turnout with the herd has made all the difference. My trainer who is great is walk, trotting and cantering her and she's doing really well. Jez is having issues with the left lead canter. She doesn't want to pick it up. She's also cross cantering on that…
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