Yep Angie, Got My Own German Foreign Exchange Student to Ride My Hoss

 

Well, I was so envious of Angie's German exchange student that I went out and got one of my own!  Here she is, Hannah, riding my handsome Curly boy Ah-D. 

OKAY, I will stop all the lying. Hannah is actually a guest of my friends Bob and Terry, and we went out on a group trail ride/drive on Sunday up in their neck of the woods.  Stoneham, Maine is beautiful country and there are plenty of back roads and trails from which to choose, all of which are surrounded by greenery this time of year. Very pleasing to the eye. 

This was a fantastic learning opportunity for Ah-D to be exposed to a team pulling a forecart.  Forecarts are somewhat noisy, with chain jingling and metal parts clanging.  At Acadia National Park, whenever we needed to pass a big team hauling tourists in a wagon, Ah-D was quite taken aback by the sight and smell, and I had to dismount for safety.  Now, we are better partners. Ah-D was definitely curious, but not shocked or scared. 

Hitching up

We humans talked it over and decided it was better to start out with the riders behind the team.  This worked out great, except that right near the beginning of the trip, the forecart tire ran over a discarded water bottle. Kabang! Swoosh! Ah-D spooked a bit, but who wouldn't? Even I jumped.  (Well, not counting Allie, who didn't do a thing - haha)

I eventually guided Ah-D on all sides of the team Pat and Willy, and when we stopped at a small clearing so Terry could take a picture for posterity, Ah-D reached out to Willy (or was it Pat?) to officially make his acquaintance.  My Curly is so friendly!

Love this picture of Willy picking at Pat.  Ah-D does this all the time to Allie.  And Ah-D friend Jax does it all the time to him, so what goes around comes around, I guess.

All of us had such a good time.  Ah-D was having fun, too, I know it!  He was all fired up to keep up with the team, and I think he was showing off because his head was higher than usual and there was a definite spring to his step.  Once in a while Hannah and I would hold our horses back so that we could canter to catch up.  Both Ah-D and Allie were right into it! 

Once I was sure that Ah-D was not frightened of the team pulling the forecart, I offered to switch horses with Hannah so that she could ride Ah-D.   Hannah is young, tall and fit, and language barrier aside,  I could tell from the first moment I saw her sit a horse that she could RIDE.  She has very correct and elegant posture in the saddle which belies her claim that she could ride "some." Yep, she and Ah-D hit it off!  She "hogged" him the whole rest of the ride, which made my heart a-flutter because I just love showing other people just how wonderful my Curly is!!!  Very rarely do I get to watch other people ride my horse.  Boy, is he CUTE! And, I had fun on Allie, because he was excited and determined to keep up.  It is so enjoyable to ride a horse who likes to get out and do something.

 As you can see, Hannah is much taller than me, so once we switched hosses, her legs were hiked right up from the stirrups, but my feet were just skimming mine.  Being too lazy to stop and adjust, I finally just let my legs hang.  It's good for your core muscles to do that anyway.  This morning, I can tell that I rode that way for an hour yesterday.  I bet Hannah doesn't feel a thing.

Bugs were not an issue and the weather was perfect for riding.  I didn't know where the heck I was, but it didn't matter because everyone else did, so I didn't have to worry about getting lost.  Bob was explaining to me where different trails went, but it went whoosh right over my head.  I just nodded and acted agreeable because 1. It's not very flattering to let on how directionally challenged I am 2. Bob likes to talk 3. What he was saying was interesting 4. Maybe the next time I am told, I will have an inkling of where I am in the grand scheme of Stoneham.  Once, as we passed over large culvert and I was admiring a beautiful good-sized pool of water below, Bob remarked that that is the spot where my husband and boys fished the other weekend (while I was getting a driving lesson).  So funny, because I was trying to spy some trout!  They were delicious, by the way.



 

 Lake Victoria was just a hop, skip and a jump from that nice fishing hole. One of the high points of the trip was experiencing Lake Victoria on horseback.  Hannah and I had fun letting our horses splash around in the lake.  Allie was very gung-ho about it, and once I even got the feeling that he was intending to lay down in the water, so I had to put the kibosh on that!



This from a pony who wouldn't even THINK of crossing a brook a few years ago!



Maybe it was just my imagination.   Thinking back, I should have ditched the cell phone, camera and saddle and let Allie go for it! At any rate, the scenery there was gorgeous.  It is on my agenda for next time.    

 

Hannah and Ah-D silhouetted against the view

Hope you enjoyed our trip to Stoneham.  Ah-D and I sure did! 

 

 

HCR Curly horses on Kentucky Life Televison

Last year we where contacted by KET-TV ( Kentucky educational television) to do a item about our B&B and Curly Horses.
Of course we where very excited and In February they came with the crew filming for two days.
It is only a 7 min show but they did a lot of filming. I was EXTREMELY nervous and now seeing the show finally hmm it is just weird looking at yourself on TV. It was on TV June 1 and 2 and it will be repeated a couple of more times. The show itself is called KY Life.
Please don't judge too hard on me I was babbling about the Curlies and the cut and pasted a lot. I hope I don't embarrasses you with my accent and telling about the horses LOL.
It was a good promotion for the B&B and the Curly horses I think. We had a lot of response and people calling.
Hopefully we put the horses more on the map in Kentucky!  O, and I did where my "incredible Curly" Hoodie ;-)

Here the photo's and we made a youtube video of the show.
Enjoy
marion Huurman
Hidden cave Ranch KY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpQa-rjha28&feature=youtu.be

Dream Angels

Tuesday night I get a private message from a lady that I booked a training lesson from if I'm going to make it for the lessons. !?

The ranch is on the other side of the Danube well above Passau in the Bavarian Forest, above the flooded cities of Passau and the blocked Autobahn. (On Monday all our streets were closed due to flooding and land slides.) I booked this in January, with the most famous Western trainer in mainland Europe, the man who brought Western riding to the German speaking world back in the 1960s.

Fast telephoning, and my good friend who studied with Walter Lukas (my trainer that passed away and was a student of this man) also, says YES, let's do it, we can make it. Quickley arranging a trailer, she picks me up in the morning, I provide the horses (since her 22 year old well trained Quarter Horse passed away 2 weeks ago). Road Trip! (Through major flood lands no less.)

We leave at about 6 a.m., and weave our way avoiding flooded areas and traffic jams, it takes us 4 hours. We arrive at just before 11 am. He's there. His horse is saddled, he's relaxed and gives us time. He's 78 years old, I guess time is relative. We unload settle the mares in a open box stall provided for us, and let them drink and relax. We start brushing, saddling, bridling. And, down the arena we go with him.

We walk our horses around the arena, we lunge Diamond a bit to test her level of stress. Relaxed, if a bit looky loo. My friend mounts Lark, I mount Diamond, and our dream of private lessons with Jean-Claude Dysli come to fruition. Two days of lessons. The first day, a lesson in the morning and the afternoon, and the second day only in the morning. He must go in the afternoon, to a clinic in Munich (he also has to cross the flooded Danube and the mess of closed Autobahn) we're amazed we made it. Learned a lot, lots of tips for us amateurs. Time to work on what we learned.

After a break, we drive back looking at the flooded plains, and the traffic all the opposite direction of where we are going.

When Angels travel.

Karen Zierler (Austria)

Memorial Day Clinic

                                           

ugh!  where does the time go?  April and May were not full of driving adventures for me this year. Family responsibilities took front seat for the most part, but I did get some driving in never the less.

On Memorial Day I attending a driving clinic. My Gator "Alice" and I packed up Legacy, all her equipment, all our equipment and headed out. We settled in on Thursday with our first lesson to be on Friday.

Friday lesson did not go well. I could tell when I long linned Legacy that she was not happy. She was not her usual self, relaxed and willing..but instead tense and sensitive....so, we worked her a bit and decided that Sat's lesson would be without the carriage and in the farm arena, instead of the wide open spaces. Saturday's lesson brought to light a few problems I had been having.....there have been a few times Legacy did not willingly move forward....for a driving horse, that is a real problem!  so....we went back to the basics and looked for hole in her training and a method to fill those holes. I have to work alone. I have no driving trainer in my area and sometimes I have questions...here Legacy is learning to stand quiet while I sack her out. In many clinics you will see the teacher wanting the horse to move. In driving the horse ONLY moves when asked to do so with your voice...so this is a "hole" we had in our training.







I have never seen a trainer ask a horse to walk and handle a flag flipping around their back at the same time. This is an exercise we did for a long while until Legacy accepted it.
Next...we worked all the previous exercises while she was wearing her driving bridle...as you can see, touching her tail brought a strong reaction...but we eventually worked through it.

I also learned how herd dymanics had changed Legacy and my relationship. When her Dam died, she stepped up to lead the herd. However, she passed my leadership role , claiming the top spot for herself.  I have to learn to be VERY precise in my cues, and never let myself be lazy about what I ask her to do. A common problem with the human/horse relationship.  So, the clinic was a huge learning experience for me...I did not learn what I went to learn, but I learned what I needed to learn...and we go on from there.
I also learned how heavy and unschooled my hands are, so I will be doing lots of practice....both on the off the horse! I plan on building a rein board as soon as I can get to it.

first time into the woods!

Behind my house, we have woods....today i went for the first time just walking with cinderella and bucky in the woods just to show them!

it was perfect, friday i will do it again and maybe friday or next monday i will ride them to the woods myself.....because i don't have a riding partner or buddy i have to train these thing alone and because of that i start walking arroud in a new area before i go on cinderella's back....

 

greetings marjolein, bucky en cindy!

A great 4 hr trail ride on the Pond Orielle Game range with my friend  Chrisy(on the RAC).. I rode Rose and  she rode her gelding Orion(one of my home breds)  I know  where  we will be riding  alot this  summer!! I knew there was  good trails, but was not sure where.  thanks  to Chrisy I know  a good one now..

we are getting closer to our goal!

 

We have done so many great things, but sometimes I forget to make pictures or forget to ride a story....with Bucky and Cinderella I trie to walk outside as mutch as possible, they have to learn how to react on trafic, and all kind off things you don't see in the field but just outside.

So yesterday i walked outside with Bucky, I try to sit on his back but he didn't liked it...

I think I am to heavy.

 

 

 

Today we worked with bucky...because I can't ride him I try to do as mutch as possible whene my kids can't....they have school....friends....swimming lessons, dance lessons....pfff.

 

2 times a week my kids ride Bucky but he always like to play and really needs to get serious lessons....he needs to know he is not in charge....he loves to play but needs to know you are not his toy buddy!

 

With cinderella I ride outside and go further every day...the day after tomorrow I will go into the woods....hope not to see any barking dogs....

So after all the hard work they can finally enjoy the nice wetter outside.

 

thanks for reading our story...show you more in 2 days...hope so!!!

 

greetings marjolein

Intense Training Weekend

Weather here in Minnesota has been so hit and miss.  It is finally June and I still haven't packed my sweaters and winter gear away yet!  Marley and I have been doing some fine tuning on our riding at home if the weather permits. Working on transitions and trying to keep things slow and collected.  This weekend we packed up and headed 3 hours into the North Country (Harold if you are reading this up by you!)  The Boy Scouts opened up their 600+ acre camp to search and rescue teams for a 3 day training.  There was trees, ponds, bogs, lakes, you name it they had it.  The mounted units where not the only ones participating in this type of training. We worked right along side the K-nine units as well as foot patrol, EMT's, and other units.  The training was very intense, graphic, long, and tiring (both physically and mentally).  We had the opportunity to work with many very skilled professionals from across the country.  One of our instructors even came from California and use to be on the Yosemite mounted search and recovery team!  The first 2 days up north it was cold, damp and drizzled on and off so needed my winter jacket.  Poor Marley would shiver, who would have thought this in June that I would have needed a light blanket for him?  Finally we had a break for nice weather on Sunday.  Sun was out, view from the camp over looking the lake was beautiful, to bad it was the day we had to leave :)  Working with these groups you (most just volunteers that want to give) you learn so much, and keep learning.  I have learned to read GPS coordinates, that if riding at night and you need a flash light make sure it is either red or green and not white/yellow (your horses have great night vision and once you use that white light you really mess with it), and so much other information I could share but that would take a whole nother page!  Your horse is truly your partner out there and you really need one you can rely on.  The last 2 years when we have done these trainings, it is amazing how each horse reacts to cadaver smell.  Some freak out, others will lead you right to even a small klenex thrown in a bush.  We have been fortunate that we have not yet been called out on a live search like this yet, but knowing we have had the training (at least some clue on what we are doing!) we can be prepared.  Hoping soon the weather will give in and give us some warm dry weather so we can get out and do some camping and hitting the trails!

We are being good students and listening to our instructors.

View of the lake at camp early Sunday am. No time to fish. Class started at 7:30 am!

Every picture I tried to get he was always hiding behind one rail of fence :)

While waiting for the K-nine unit to arrive at one of our points of evidence I got bored, laid back on Marley and snapped this cool picture, had to share it!

Headed to "headquarters" for our assignment, in perfect uniform fashion, Marley and I pulled up the rear

Camp, there was over 70+ horses had to take a quick one before everyone packed up

Evidence area secured, and we wait for further instructions. (see we taped it off?)



Most of the gang that was up there (Marley and I are way to the left and to the right of the white horse)

Today ... Canter in the Woods :)

Woody and Peter had fun to day. After a nice long walk they were cantering the way up. Enjoy :)

State Qualifying 4-H Judging Clinic

Rose and Kendahl  doing great at their  4-H judging clinic.. She  did  Stock seat eq and  west. pleasure and I did Halter and Showmanship with Rose... Judge  was in love with Rose!!

Benstone Road

Susan and Ah-D in Maine~

It's a scorcher again today, so Kate (and Jax) and (Ah-D) and I decided to strike out early.  Ah-D and I were out the barn door at 6:15.  Kate and I had agreed upon 6:30, but I am always the late one for some reason or other, and this time I was bound and determined not to be!  And I wasn't, phew!

Ah-D and I headed up the road towards Kate and Jax's, and Ah-D was quite forward and relaxed, unlike his typical lately On Screech mode for Spring, when I feel he could just Spring out from under me at any time.  He was very good as we passed the house with the goats, although he was worried.  As we came upon Benstone Road, I thought, "Perfect!"  Pretty soon, we saw Kate and Jax up ahead, and when I mentioned I would like to go up Benstone Road (and I use that term "road" loosely, as you will see), she was all for it. 

It was so good again to be out with Kate and Jax.  Here they are, posing at the beginning of Benstone.  Can you see the street sign behind them?

But, once you go past the first house, this is what the road looks like.  So, an old county road, not a road-road.  It was so beautiful in there.  I don't know why, but there are no black flies.  I am not complaining, mind you, but it was definitely a topic of conversation on this ride.

Both Ah-D and Jax were on their best behavior, and Kate and I somehow managed to get along as well.

:)

When we got waylayed by a deep stream with some dangerous holes all along the edge, we made lemonade out of lemons and turned on to a side trail.  Look at the view behind us!Holy Smokes, I took a ton of pictures here, but it takes so long to load them up.  Maybe I will edit and put some more in later.

Most of the road/trail looked like this, bordered on both sides by stone walls.  So peaceful, green and not too hot at all.

I took Ah-D off to the side to pose by a stone wall for Harold, but Kate wasn't wearing her glasses to be able to see what she was doing, so this is the best we could do.

What a fantastic way to spend a Saturday morning!  Coming home, Ah-D foxtrotted at least 3/4 of a mile.  I was pleased as punch, and he knew it.