04Jan 2014 by myexracer

Snow day on the farm

Barn tales, Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel
[caption id="attachment_725" align="alignleft" width="300"] Snow day[/caption] When I got the the barn it was all covered in a soft white layer of fluffy snow. It looked beautiful but I know better it was cold out there. My car temperature gage read 23 degrees. Thats cold for this Southern California girl. I was prepared, I had all the clothes on. I thought maybe I'd ride Jez as Circe hasn't been ridden in a bit due to her sore hoof. Tina was working so the trail was out. She's my trail buddy and Jezebel isn't ready to hit the trail alone, we'll get there eventually but right now its just not possible. I checked out the ring and it looked usable. They snow hadn't turned to ice yet and it was all…
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03Jan 2014 by myexracer

Under the wire

Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Trail Riding
I met up with Tina early. The plan was to get out on the trail before the snow hit. It was cold. I was wearing all the cold weather stuff.. i mean all the stuff [caption id="attachment_696" align="alignright" width="300"] My jacket is lined with fur from this Muppet. Really![/caption] SmartPak's SmartShape Base Layer Tights. I got them on sale a while back and had yet to try them out. Over those i had on the Kerrits Power Stretch Winter Tights. For socks I had on sock liners and Smart Wool crew socks from REI. I hate spending that kind of money on socks but my feet were toasty at least for a while. My boots were my Ariat paddock boots. No half chaps, i own several pairs i never wear…
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01Jan 2014 by myexracer

The Circe effect

Life with Circe, OTTB
[caption id="attachment_690" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Circe Effect[/caption] She was lame when i pulled her from the field. Mary (Willa) was helping me catch my ponies because my trainer was going to work with them both and i was running late. (Go figure) i could see her stepping short on the right hind. Nooooo! Not the right hind! Okay this wasn't Jez but Circe, but the right hind freaks me out because i just spent be better part of 2013 re-habing Jez on the right hind. I brought her into the barn and checked out the leg. No heat, no swelling, not cuts, no scrapes, no reactions to any palpating, no nothing. When Michelle showed up she rode Jez then we turned out attention to Circe. We tacked her up and…
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31Dec 2013 by myexracer

A cure for every evil

Life with Jezebel, OTTB
[caption id="attachment_683" align="alignleft" width="225"] Super pony![/caption] Its the last day of 2013 and I went down to the barn to ride Jez. I went early because in the afternoon i was going to watch an evaluation of my friends OTTB Wasabi. Tina is thinking about selling Sabs and she had to work today so I was to groom her and get her ready. That meant i needed to get my riding out of the way early. Jez  greeted me in the field and was happy to be lead out and up to the barn. Both her and Circe had been in all day the day before. Circe is on stall rest and Jez stayed in to keep her company. I brushed them both and tacked up Jez and took her…
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31Dec 2013 by myexracer

You can lead a horse to water

Life with Jezebel
[caption id="attachment_670" align="alignleft" width="225"] Water water everywhere...[/caption] Jezebel is not a fan of water. At our last barn on one of our very first trail rides she jumped over a water crossing (seriously like a inch of less of water in it) so she didn't have to get her pony tootsies wet. She also hates mud or more specifically mud holes. So it was raining and I trucked on down to the barn to check on the girls who I knew were in because of weather. I put on Jezebels rope halter and we went for a little walk down the drive way. She was a very good girl, especially for being couped up all day inside. We grazed and walked until I was too cold and wanted to go…
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29Dec 2013 by myexracer

I call her Besos

Life with Jezebel, OTTB, Training
[caption id="attachment_650" align="alignleft" width="225"] Im ready, lets go![/caption] It was a beautiful day out today and my trainer was able to come out to work with the girls. The barn was quiet and i pulled both girls out of the field and got them ready. Jezebel was up first and did much better today. She always does better when she's busier working and I was able to ride yesterday and the weather was good so we got in a good ride together. She still takes a long time to warm up but not as long as when she had too many bad weather days off. She was looking good at the trot and didn't give Michelle to hard of a time. When it was time to canter, her upward transition…
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23Dec 2013 by myexracer

Mud Honey and the Princess

Barn tales, Life with Circe, Life with Jezebel
[caption id="attachment_619" align="alignleft" width="300"] Oh hai![/caption] It was pouring so the training session got canceled.  I hate the unpredictable nature of the weather out here. The only thing I really miss about Los Angeles is the weather. It was always sunny and warm even in winter. Here in MD, not so much. Sunday is the day my better half takes his riding lesson. He had never been on a horse before knowing me and after about a year of "suggesting" he take lessons he jumped in last summer to see if he liked it. It's been only a few months and he just started his "beginning to canter class" Hes got great natural balance and is coming along nicely and actually seems to enjoy the lessons. He takes his lessons…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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