Of a GREAT little ride!

After all of the clean up and emptying the large outside freezer, defrosting it, cleaning it, moving it from the collapsed shed to the back porch and filling it back with the contents, I managed to find time to ride. I rode little Shadow in the round pen with an English saddle. I have had the saddle for a couple of yrs now but have preferred the western ones. I may change my mind! That little saddle was VERY comfortable! I have been riding bareback this week in the round pen to strengthen my leg muscles and to improve my balance. Haven’t fallen off, yet! LOL

So, today was the day…. the day I rode Ruskie, my Arabian.

And here is the Evidence!

He is such a dream to ride! SO SMOOTH!! But, then after riding Shadow, who has a pointy back and the CHOPPIEST of gaits, Ruskie felt like a cloud! I have been riding Biggin, the big quarter horse to regain my confidence and it really showed today on Ruskie!! I rode Biggin on a six mile trail ride a couple of weeks ago and on shorter, closer to home, rides since. MAJOR milestone for me today!!

YAY ME!!

My clowns  

My hard work for the winter – a full barn

This is where I spend as much of my time as I can – with the horses. They calm me, center me and make me laugh. The ducks have been going out to Shadow’s pen to help him eat his oats for the past week. Please, excuse his bony butt and winter hair…. he is about 26 now and this is the best that he has looked since I have had him.

See the brown one in the hay, waiting to dive into the oats?

This duck decided to stop and groom a bit….

And this is of my two big guys, Biggin on the left and Ruskie, on the right… both on a diet (and always hungry!) and needing exercise… my bad!

I am reallllly happy that WP did this last upgrade. I have been wanting to share so much but when this doesn’t work properly, I just get to frustrated to deal with it. And this is suppose to be fun for me!

Yes, this my 100th post… don’t know if that is suppose to mean something, or not.

It started to snow about an hour ago.  This is what is looked like about 45 minutes into the storm.  And according to the Weather Channel’s radar, it is going to do this all night.

Since I started to write this, upload and post the pics, the ground is covered white and getting deeper… can’t wait til morning!

And don’t forget to go to A Writer and A Rider to leave a comment telling her what your favorite fall memory is so that you can win a free bar of glycerin handmade soap!

We got a new horse today…. His name is Biggins. He is a 14 yr old Quarter/Thorobred mixed breed.  His previous owner came and rode with me a couple of months ago.  I was really impressed with this big guy that day.  He came to us because of financial hardship.  Now I need to find a home for my little old mustang or I will come to financial hardship!

Ruskie and Biggins get along very good

But Ruskie is still my beauty and my jewel.

I mentioned in my last post (so very long ago!) that we had some guests.  I have my friend’s Arabian, Zzari, here.  He has chosen to be the leader of the “herd” and the other two horses aren’t so sure about it, even though Zzari keeps telling them!  The New Kid on the Block is on the right…

Then I am taking care of a friends dogs indefinately while they move to Phoenix.  They are in an apt for now while they look for a house to buy.  These dogs are sooo big! and Hairy!!  But they are well-behaved guys.  Cinder is the black dog and Buddy is the puppy (for real!)

Buddy and the kitten, Archie, play… actually, Archie beats the crap out of Buddy and he just acts as though nothing is happening – while he licks Archie.

I went on my first real ride on Ruskie today.  A friend rode his horse, “Biggin”, over to my house and we left from here.  He was a really big help for me.  His horse told Ruskie that he was not as great and pretty as he thought he was, and was a great leader for him.  My friend kept me calm when Ruskie didn’t want to go across the highway and through a gate.  We rode for almost 2 hours.  It was as I had dreamed of for nearly 2 yrs now.  Ruskie had a wet saddle blanket and I will probably be sore tomorrow – but it was SOOOO FUN!!!

I hope to get many more hours of riding now that I have gotten the first under my belt

First sight of Ruskie’s new friend, Biggin

Me – on top, finally ahhhh

Today when I went out to groom and work Ruskie, I took my camera with me. 

And when he was done with all of the running and bucking, he came to me with these eyes

I am his biggest fan and hope to be his someday.

This is my first attempt at a blog.  I like fairies and horses.

This is Ruskie, my 10 yr old Arabian gelding