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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
16Oct 2013 by myexracer

Unsafe at any speed

Barn tales, Life with Jezebel, OTTB
[caption id="attachment_489" align="alignleft" width="281"] Away we go![/caption] It was the day, Jezebel's first turnout with the full herd. It's been 7 months and i needed to get her out and being a horse. Her little hospital paddock time was coming to an end. I had tried this once before a week or so back just getting her out into a field and basically she lost her mind and was charging fences and being an idiot. The plan was to Ace her which we did with 3.5 mils IM. Then to put her out with the ladies who are field boarded in that field, one of which is Lilly who she shared a paddock with at my last farm. Then once she got her Aced ya ya's out the other mares…
Read More
15Oct 2013 by myexracer

Appreciated

Barn tales
Customer service matters and it's something that is lacking in the horse world. Not just a little lacking, I mean wholly non existent in some cases. So when I come across someone who gets it right i'm always giddy and happy. Also I have a pretty deep and heavy advertising background having been on the client side of that coin for more years then I want to remember. When someone gets their marketing right that too brings a wide grin to my face. Put those two elements together and you get SmartPak. Not only are they the go to place for supplements for your horses but they assign you reps and those reps either remember all their clients and clients horses details month to month or they take really amazing…
Read More
07Oct 2013 by myexracer

Barefoot?

Life with Circe, OTTB
[caption id="attachment_463" align="alignleft" width="225"] Brand New Barefoot[/caption] Cire's feet are not in the best shape. She came to me front shod, with long toes and over under on the right front. Id love to get her barefoot but its not clear yet if that can happen or not. Unfortunately its kinda an experiment. Her feet will eventually tell me what they need and luckily I have the best farrier in Maryland so eventually I will get her balanced and in our out of whatever is best for her. I'm a fan of having a horse barefoot, Jezebel is barefoot and has been since i got her.  I'm also a realist and not every horse can handle not having shoes, some just need them. So step one, we pulled Circe's shoes,…
Read More