Ottb – Page 11 – My Ex Racers

22Dec 2013 by myexracer

Two Gross Ponies

Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training

[caption id="attachment_596" align="alignleft" width="300"] The other side of her is covered in wet sloppy mud[/caption] My trainer came out on Sat which is great cuz shes supposed to be out this morning as I write this but alas .. pouring. Though riding in the rain is certainly an option especially when the weather is warm like it is today (WTF weather gods is the 2nd day of winter and its 70 in Maryland!) The drainage in the all sand ring can be dicey when newly wet and sloppy. We elected to push the day to another. [caption id="attachment_597" align="alignright" width="300"] Yehaw! That right hind sure looks all healed[/caption] So back to yesterdays training session. Both horses got ridden, both horses improved, both horses were bad. Story of my life, bad…

21Dec 2013 by myexracer

Trail ride adventure: The Wasabi edition part deux

Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Trail Riding

[caption id="attachment_591" align="alignleft" width="261"] Im not Smiling but Jez is![/caption] I got the the barn by 9:30AM. Tina and i had made plans after the days before to try to the trail again. The plan today was to give Sabs 2mils of Ace IM and see if that made any difference to her at all with her tude on the trail. Jez would be going out sober. Sabs has competed novice level and gone cross country and she has lots of trail experience this being a pill on the trail thing is new. It was an experiment of sorts. After Sabs let us know the ace was on board we tacked up this time with rope halters under our bridles in case walking home happened. We headed out and all…

20Dec 2013 by myexracer

Trail ride adventure: The Wasabi edition

Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Trail Riding

[caption id="attachment_583" align="alignleft" width="300"] On the trail...[/caption] My barn friend Tina who is a great rider has a 9 year old OTTB named Wasabi who is super built and pretty cool. Sabs has competed at novice level and i was told will jump amazing heights (she once jumped over the gate the the barn much to the farm owners dismay) Tina and i have walked the bridle path together with our horses and even got into the woods (with Tina on Jez and me on Circe) Since the last time Jez went out she was a rock-star we decided to give it a go. Me on Jez Tina on Sabs. [caption id="attachment_584" align="alignright" width="300"] Tina and "Wild" Wasabi [/caption] It started out pretty good both horses were alert and happy…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Tag: Ottb