Three Bay Mares

Hi! I'm Alex, and this blog is to keep track of all the things that happen with my three horses!!! people since feb 10th, '13

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Today my coach came for my riding lesson. We normally do groundwork, but I sheepishly admitted to her that I had been on Mona 3 times now... So this happened! She was a STAR! Goodness, words can't express how proud of Mona I am. She's come so far in such a VERY short time... I've owned her for 12 days, and am head over heels for this horse.

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Mona learning how to load

  Why yes, my three year old did load in under 5 minutes. She has never been near, or even seen, a trailer in her life before this.

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Mona learned how to load!!!

That's right!!!

I took a video!!!

It took her 2 minutes to put her front feet in. and 4 minutes to get all 4. She was hardly even fazed. Backing out of the trailer is what made her the most nervous, so will be working on that. :)

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HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY MONA!!! 

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Weight, struggle, and thorougbreds.

Many of you are aware of the struggle I've had, since day 1, to put (and keep) weight on Shylo.

I've spent a LOT of money on different supplements, diets, calorie boosters, feeds, etc.

Nothing has worked. 

I decided I'm doing blood tests on Shylo, decided this a while ago. I want to pin-point the issue, and cure/fix it. 

Blood tests will be done probably mid-may. I'm still talking to my vet about how everything is going to work. 

I'm trying one last thing before the blood work... Hemp Oil. We'll see if it works, if not I'll be getting blood drawn.

You can see how thin she is in the following photo:

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Mona's 3rd ride.

Mona got her 3rd ride (I counted the "mounting" as a ride, otherwise this would be her 2nd ride). 

I ALWAYS stretch a horses legs out after doing the cinch up. I don't want it pinching... Well Mona lifted her legs up for me this time, so i could do that! It was fantastic! Just shows how smart she is!!!

It took me substantially less time to hop on her this time. She wasn't nervous at all.

I had Katie there, so we had Katie lead us around for five or ten minutes. It was very basic. I sat there, raised my energy, squeezed with my thighs, then my knees, then my heels, and if Mona didn't move, Katie started leading her.

After 4 of times that, I had Mona moving as soon as I squeezed my knees, and we were turning and everything. :) Then we went out on the lunge line, so she was "by herself", so to speak. She was a star!!! Her whoa is going to need work, but all in good time!

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We went on a trail ride!!!

My lovely friend, Katie, and I went on a trail ride with my barn owner. :) Katie rode Ella, I rode Shylo... I was bareback and just in a halter, Katie was riding a horse that was on it's second trail ride ever... They were both perfect!

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Sibling Rivalry.

Ella and Mona do not get along. They are fighting. It isn't over food. It's not over space. It's not over water. It's over Shylo.

Yup. Shylo. 

Ella get's too close to Shylo? Mona charges. Ella charges back. Ella loses. So now, Ella has a nice gash on her leg. Mona kicked her. I watched it happen.

This photo is from when it first happened. She isn't sore, or lame, or stiff.  It's been a day now, and looks substantially better!!! :D

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Mona got started!!!

I started Mona.

I've sat on her once before, but now she has walked under saddle!

I'm taking everything very slow with her.

I just wrote this on my facebook, and will now post it here.

How am I training Mona?

I'm letting her do what she wants. If she turns her head left, i open my left rein. The same for the right rein. 

If she walks forward, i give the cues for forward (move hands up mane, tighten thighs, raise energy, and squeeze). 

If she stops after going forward, i sit back, lift my hands, and say whoa.

If she backs up, I lift my hands up, and sit deep, and scrunch my seat.

I would rather we went at her pace, and had her well trained in two years, than go at the "normal" pace, and have her trained in a month but have a reactive, and explosive, horse.

So far, it's working.

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When I walk into my barn and my horse get's so excited she can't stand still, and nickers until i come into the stall to cuddle with her! Never fails to make my day a bit sunnier. ;) This is Mona when she see's me walking in! 

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Katie fell off Ella the other day!

What a cheeky little pony!!!

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Yes, you are seeing right! Shylo and I now ride without reins! I have her halter on for extra safety. We are still working on steering with just my legs. 

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Ella is doing great! She had an accident yesterday. She tried to jump the stall, and got stuck halfway. Poor girl!

She's doing well though. She's a bit sore, but nothing too concerning. Peeing fine, not flinching when i touch her stomach.

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Everyone, Meet Mona!!!

Mona is my new mare. She is almost 3 years old. She had been haltered once before I came along, and had no training at all.

Her mum is a purebred Morgan, and we have no idea what Mona's other 1/2 is. Feel free to guess? She's going to be my all around mare, and we will be focusing on competitive trail riding

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Some changes...

After adding a third mare to my "herd" (It's officially a herd!!!), I feel it appropriate to change this blog to be about all 3 of my horses, and the training happening with all 3 of them. :)

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Feet are done!

The horses feet are done. :) I understand how to do it now, and I'm so glad that I can do it by myself. Saves me money, that's for sure!!!

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Hooves.

Tomorrow my tutors mum is coming out to teach me how to do the horses feet!!! oh goody!!! I'll try to take before/after pictures. Their feet are pretty bad right now. They were supposed to be done by my farrier yesterday but, alas, no money. So this works well. I'll never have to pay for farrier again. :Df