Trips, Trails, and Trailer Adventures

It's been quite a while since I've really said much in terms of what I've been doing with my Curlies, not for lack of doing, but lack of time to tell.
I've been working with Epona, Lyra, and Rhys, under saddle quite a bit.  As you know I've recently started Lyra jumping and she is continuing to do really well with that.  Epona is just so easy and laid back about everything she's not been coming out as often and when she does she's been quickly conscripted to helping me with riding lessons, which she is such a patient and gentle teacher, it makes what I have to teach so much easier, at this point anyway, very relaxing soul to be with, she is.  I've been implementing an intention of mine to enrich the environments my youngsters are in.  Both the girls and the boys have lots of new items in their pastures now.  Added a helium balloon and wind spinners this weekend, repositioned their cavalettis, and am working on a new tunnel items with my new Nerf noodles, for outside their pastures, to walk through.
Thought I'd send a couple videos and pics about what we've been doing aside from that...
Brandon got a truck a couple weeks ago, a big Dodge 2500 Diesel, Cummins engine, short box, quad-cab, 'arctic' white, great little Beast. :-)  I've been making as good of use as I can afford to re-fuel, having this new addition tot he family. 
We're trying out our first haylage bales, picked up two on Saturday, so far, they're great!  Had my first real ah-ha break through moment with Memri (BCF Enjolique Remember Me, from Lisa Wytiaz's Bash Curl Farm II), she was a little concerned having this monster truck drive around her pasture with these big white marshmallows on top of it.  Xandra, Rogue, Rora, and Ravyn have been in their field with us driving hay around, before, so they just followed after, Memri wasn't too sure though.  Did she sprint off though?  No, she came over and stood shoulder to shoulder with me as I directed Brandon to drive the hay where I wanted it, she then followed me around the whole time as I helped off load the bales, position them and get the feeder back up around the bale.  When I left the hay to head over to the mare's field for round two with the other bale, she made to come with me.  She was just so calm and assured with me, I hated to leave her.  Was really her first moment of showing such a clear preference for feeling safe and secure with me rather than her fellow horse friends or another person.  Was really nice! :-)
Right, so We have also been heading into Capitol Forest with a mountain bike for Brandon and with two of the Curlies.  Our first trip was with Lyra ponying Xandra, they both did really well!  Here's a couple of clips of Xandra ponying behind Lyra and I, easy and quiet and calm as can be:





...and then the next we switched off and Xandra ponied behind Brandon and his mountain bike!!



and one more, you have to wait a little while for something to happen, but once it does, well, it's great!


Then we went out again on Saturday afternoon (I got out of work early!), this time with Lyra and Epona and a mountain bike. 

Dorothy came along for the ride, was a beautiful, sunny day, a brisk breeze blowing, lots of people out doing target practice things, ugh.  We did a bunch of huge hills, trotted a bit, walked a lot, and had a Great time!!  Dorothy hadn't trotted before, she said she was game for it though, so we did, she did very well with Epona, the two seemed very content and calm with each other, which was wonderful to see.  This was Epona's first time off the property this year.  True to form she took it all in stride. 

Iris, my German Shepherd was along for the trip too, she enjoyed the adventure quite a bit.  Parker and Gavyn were home on lay-up unfortunatly, Parker's still recovering from getting hit by a logging trip almost two months ago and Gavyn... I'm not sure, but his stifle is inflamed and he's a little gimpy on it, so he's on rimadyl for inflammation and restricted movement.  It was a really great day though!, pics are attached.
I'm hoping to take Shaylise (my niece) out with Lyra and Epona this weekend, should be fun! and also get Xandra out with Memri, hope there's time, I think it should be a really terrific experience for all involved though!
Enjoy!!
Best,

~Heather Keller
Standing *Rhys and *Sandor
Incredible, Versatile, Hypoallergenic, and Athletic
American Bashkir Curly Horses
Skygazerranch. com

First Ride for 2010!

Finally! Temps in NJ were above normal, so I took advantage of the mild weather and went for a ride. Rah was very excited to "get out" and break up his boring routine.

He did very good despite several startled steps from rustling squirrels, birds in bushes and farm tractor noise. I just don't understand, Rah is immune to all this when he is inside his paddock. But when I take him out, he's a little "nervous".

Last week I did some ground training by walking him in and out of our new garage. Each time he'd walk in, walk around several times and then stand, he would get a treat or a

scratch. Don't you know that when I rode him past the garage, he wanted to walk in! Guess he thought he was going to get a treat!

An Outside View of The Inside

I've been contemplating, since that seems to be something I tend towards when I am well inspired. I'm not a big competitor in general, I've long given up most competitive interest with horses but find the personal competition with RAC inspiring. I feel like this is such a positive form of competition. Mostly, as riders, we are competing against our own individual potential, and we are competing in a way to benefit the horse most. We are not competing to win a blue ribbon necessarily, we are not putting our horses on the speed circuit to break down in an effort to be favored by some judge in the ring. Instead we are having lots of fun riding our horses in whatever way suits us and our horses best, we are promoting them at events and talking to people about why we LOVE these Curly-haired monsters. *grin*

It makes me think about one of my favorite mentors, who would say that riding cannot be based on what it looks like from the outside, because it is all a feeling. How can you judge the relationship someone has with their husband/wife based on the external actions they make with each other? You cannot for the same reason you cannot quantify the chemistry two people may have between each other as friends, family members, or spouses unless you are one of them. Or, as my mom and Life Coach would say, stop comparing your insides to their outsides!

Which then leads me off a tangent circling back around to the Curlies again. We all know that wonderful feeling that we have when in the company with our Curly horses, and while unfamiliar onlookers may be confused and befuddled, we know the feeling. We know the addiction to Curlies! ha ha
And perhaps that is one of the keys to helping promote this wonderful breed, to pass along the feeling rather than the description. We are such an open and inviting group of equestrians and I think it quite rare to hear of someone not being asked to come and visit and see our great Curlies in person. We are naturals at helping bring people closer to the feeling aspect of a relationship with the Curlies.

I hear that the cold weather is coming again for a short stint but I already have my gear out to be cleaned and prepped for a busy spring and lots of time logged for the RAC!

Erica K. Frei
Awareness In Riding

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