I just registered for a benifit trail ride/mounted scavenger hunt to be held May 16th in Lorton, VA!  What better reason to saddle up and hit the trails than to help benifit the children who are treated at St. Jude?

I'm spreading  the information everywhere, both to beg for donations to help me reach my goal of $400 and to encourage others within reasonable travel distance of Pohick Bay Regional Park to participate as well!  There is a requested minimum donation of $25, and everyone recieves a participation ribbon, but come on now, two parks worth of trails, helping the kids and meeting other awesome equestrians is reason enough! 
www.mystjudesaddleup.org/eqimagined

If that link doesn't work let me know! 

So I was going to take Winnie for a spin today since it's so pretty except for the wind (which is drying things up so I don't mind it and neither does she), then when it came time for her to walk up to the barn for breakfast I noticed she was very owwy on her right fore. 
FML - I think to myself. f m l.  Check her all over for swelling, cuts etc.  No swelling, some heat in hoof which she is very unpleased to let me mess with but does anyway because she's my good girl.  There's a stone bruise. 
(Rain+softening sole)TB/(barefootXstones)=abscess. 
She is unpleased about being confined to stall, but will have to cope. Or else. Foot soakings and poultice wrap here we come! 
To kill time until there was a vehicle I could take to the store to buy the supplies I don't have on hand (shame on me! I should know better!)  I rode Laddie.  He looked so cute in his black polo wraps with his western saddle and breast collar and new headstall since he broke the one that used to be Luna's.  I spent some time searching the gaggle of bridles in the tackroom and found one finally that should fit all four horses!  Much easier than cleaning a ton of bridles that have been sitting for years is cleaning just one!  (I know I should clean the rest but I'm lazy!)  Its black, and has the brow band with a roll of white behind it, matching noseband with flash option....now I just need to find the flash band and I may have Scout and Laddie's chewing problem resolved temporarily...  He looked very handsome. 
With his total disrespect of the full cheek snaffle last time I rode him, we stepped up in bit level.  He was NOT happy with me, but listened muuuuch better (will drop back down to full cheek to see if he appreciates it more, hopefully I haven't ruined it completely and don't have to keep using the more severe bit I HATE them!) 
Did not want to stand for mounting. BOO. mini training session.  A-
Walked off before asked to.  FAIL. had to stand in one place while I smoked one whole cigarette. B+
Steering: Shows improvement C
Speed control: from none to there in ten minutes A
Getting a tude and trying to scrape me off on fence: F
Getting over tude and resuming good behavior in record time: A+
Extra Credit: Can now fairly efficiently maneuver a gate obstacle without freaking out.  A++++++++++++

The problem I'm having with Laddie is he's been allowed to develope so many bad habits its hard to target one and correct it because another one will rear its ugly head that takes precedence.  He's still improving, but gawd there are days he makes me feel like a failure. 

Posting for a friend of mine - she was contacted by a woman who is having a supremely bad string of luck.  Left MD for FL for a job, came home to husband wanting a divorce, house foreclosed, and her two mares needing to find new forever homes or face being euthanized. 
From what I know, the mares are 8years old, well mannered and have training from ground and in the saddle.  She wants them to go to forever homes, not be bounced around from place to place.  If you, or anyone you know, has room for them as permanent members of the family let me know and I'll get you the contact information. 

And it was good.
Except for the part where I'm still getting over a stomach bug and a little dehydrated from not being able to keep anything down very long has left me kinda weak. 
Other than that, it was a nice ride.
Ground tied for grooming and tacking, no problems taking the bit, walked quietly past the boys and down to the arena, walked around arena being led so I could survey where the swampy parts are before getting up.  Stood nicely for me to mount, nice quiet turn around the ring and then WHOOMPH spooked at either the trickling water, or her shadow.  Tantrum was impressive, but short lived and we went around the arena cool as cucumbers two more turns before I realized with having been sick my muscles were shaking so I got down and free lunged her a bit.  Very energetic but responsive. 
The bit seems to be bothering her, and she's been dropping grain, so I'm going to have her teeth floated if she's still here in two weeks.

After lunging we worked on leading hands free, very good girl.  Let me get back up and wiggle around in the saddle while she wandered freely, no more episodes.  I called it quits for the day. 
Still no clue why she can be so good for me and had such a toxic reaction to the last person other than me to ride her, especially since she's had significantly more time off since she was last worked than she did that day.  Mares *rolls eyes*
If I'm feeling better later, I'll work Winnie and one of the boys.  If not today, deffinately tomorrow before work. 

110% better.  Absolutely back to her normal self and content with life.  Our daily mud knocking session was nice and quiet, with all her sores fromt he rain rot healed she's much happier to be groomed and enjoys it again!   Out in the warm morning sunlight her coat now has the gleam of a brand new penny, SO much improved from the dull brown when she got here.  *happy dance* the MTG is helping the hair grow back, by mid summer when I send the update photos I promised to the girl I got her from she won't recognize her at ALL.

It's been a b*tch the last couple months. Unable to work her to help build her muscle back up and f inding the right balance to keep her gaining weight without feeding her so much she put it on too fast and got sick but its paying off. 
As far as ground work, she's about as de-spooked as a mare can be.  Plastic bags from the bedding can be thrown on her rubbed all over her, she'll wear them as hats and I can shake them every which direction only to have her cock an ear and essentially roll her eyes.
I love that mare! 
It was so nice today I decided to take Laddie for a spin around the pasture now that its dried up significantly - absolutely not the same horse I rode when I first came here in Sept, despite the limited work over the winter.  Far improved on the head tossing and playing with the bit, when he doesn't want to go some where its still somewhat rack and pinion steering but far better than it was, and we added ditches and stream crossings to his resume today. 
The wider spot of the little trickle running through the pasture made him pause a moment but he walked right over it calmly.  Had a nice trot around the pasture in the wooded area, met the neighbor's minis without incident and did some transition work in the arena (also worked on giving to the bit, much softer now, will try again tomorrow and see if it took!)  all in all it was a great ride. Ended with some from the saddle desensitizing. 
Two months ago I never would have tried anything resembling a vaulting/trick riding exercise on him.  He now stands quietly so I can stand on HIM and tollerates me swinging my legs over and turning around on him like the silly little girl I think I still am.  (All with the mares running around being springy and his son trying to compete for my attention)  Ground ties for grooming, tacking, and untacking.  *content sigh* Love my loveys.  They keep me sane.

Two nights ago Winnie coliced.  I caught it very early and it was treated with the quickness, she's currently confined to a stall so I can monitor water intake and manure production so she's feeling a little put out and insulted but much better otherwise.
I was up at 6am Thursday, did not go to sleep finally until around 2am Saturday.   Past exhausted now.
Because she was not drinking, but the vet said she could be back on her feed, she's only getting her pelleted food, soaked in warm salty water which is encouraging her to drink.  Her hay gets watered down and aside from being confined she knows she's getting the royal treatment right now.  Her sister and the geldings are jealous. 
You know you're a horse mom when you're lugging warm water up to the barn, freezing your fingers soaking her hay so it gets wet but her bedding doesn't get flooded by the hose, closely watching the level of water in a bucket and doing insane happy dances with every poopy.
This weather is being hell on everyone.  At the store where I work we've had several customers that have lost horses to colic/dehydration.  Silly horses, DRINK! 
In every other way though the vet his happy with her appearance, and was pleased to inform me that while she tries to tube horses without sedation, 9times outta 10 she has to sedate.  Winny's special, she was a saint for her indignities.

And exciting news is everywhere!

Winnie's rain rot has not made a comeback despite the weather being perfect for it, and I have ridden her twice. Both times briefly as she is still on the skinny side, our trimmer cannot believe the difference in her though especially with the rough winter and the condition she was in when she arrived!  She is decidedly more animated than when I first got on her, and it tickles me pink!  Walked beautifully around the arena until she had a moment of "I feel good lets RUN" and had a tiny tantrum at being told no, but I was so excited she had the energy to throw it I couldn't be mad at her, especially seeing as she calmed down so nicely after it and moved on like nothing happened.  (She has not been ridden since October)
Budgie may have found a new home with a 14yo girl who wants to play with green horses but is not quite ready, so its the perfect blend.  Budgie knows her jobs, but has a lot of energy and can keep you on your toes in a GOOD way so will be good safe energetic practice to work up to green/unbroke horses for this girl, and she'll get all the one on one attention she deserves! 
Once her stall opens up, I have an 8yo WB mare coming here to work/show/help sell for a friend's mother on a $2,000 commission.  I'll be soaking up the cost of feeding her but she's a big fat lazy easy keeper and while she is here she can be used for lessons, showing, trails, whatever and to help get my name out there.  As soon as she is sold, which with show season upon us and her lovely nature/movement should not be long, her half sister is coming here for training. 
I'm so excited!  It's FINALLY happening!  This is what I want to do with my life, not so much the sales part but the working with horses and having it pay more than with the emotional therapy they provide!
And in even bigger exciting news for me, after losing Luna and Tango, there is new life!  My dear friend in NC's mare foaled today!  A stunning creamy dun colt, with the cutest little face and tipped ears and sweetest baby boo eyes, complete with dorsal stripe and leg barring.  We had so expected a filly so he has no name yet, and I only have one photo that was sent to my phone, but I will most deffinately be updating on him and the warmbloods and especially my sweet lovely Winnipeg. (who for halloween is going to be the Winnie-peg-asaurus. I just have to make wings for her and get her used to them)
Hope all is well for everyone! 
PS: I have a new boyfriend, he's kind of a big deal, even if he doesn't ride (YET)

.....is non existent once Snow Days no longer means getting to stay home and play with friends.  I enjoyed the first snow, the second one...it was okay for a while.....I mean I didn't get to enjoy it much because of my hand but oh well.  this snow can go away.  I not just want, I need to ride.  Budgie is getting sour sitting in the field and sharing my attention, so she's been put on the market early as I feel she'd be happier as 'an only child'.  Scout and Laddie are bored to the point we're inventing new games for them to play and Winnie, well she just wants to do something now that the rain rot is gone and she's feeling better, while not 100% back weight wise. 

Yesterday while driving home from the feed store after picking up bedding and grain, fully prepared to unload the truck and then take advantage of the beautiful day and work the geldings before heading to my job, I was KOd

No, really, can it?  The snow has been pretty and all but we've gone through a couple deicers (a certain mouthy gelding likes to play with them)  and the whole frozen ground thing is old.