Capitol Forest Trail Ride!!!

It's been a little while since last I wrote, my apologies, the weather has been atrocious here and the few times I've gotten out have been quick, still in the rain, and as a result, no pics.
Went on my first official outing with my own horses, off the property today!! Caryn and I took Star and Lyra out to "trail" ride in Capitol Forest. The actual trails are still closed to horses, so we were riding on the logging roads, not technically trails, fun none the less though!! Ryan (my brother and Caryn's other half) and Brandon (my other half) accompanied us on their mountain bikes. What a blast!!!!
I was thrilled with how well both Lyra and Star behaved, made me really happy to see all of the work we've been doing with them pay off so nicely, they were both a pleasure. Neither has left the property since moving here and never to go ride elsewhere, also their riding training here has been very inconsistent to say the least with all the rain and bad weather we've had this winter; they both just took everything in stride though, no spooking, no trying to head back to the trailer, only really good behavior. Lyra really wanted to go, go, go, and if it hadn't been encroaching on dark, we might have been out a lot longer than we were, as it was, I think it was a good amount of experience and exercise without being too much. I think it was a fantastic experience for them both, we encountered a few cars, a couple motor bikes, of course the mountain bikes, a few puddles, and well, just riding someplace new was a novelty in itself. We are seriously considering riding at next Saturday's team penning event, we will see though.

Thought I'd share a couple of pics from the day, hope you enjoy! :-)

And yes, I'm wearing my "Incredible Curly Horse" sweatshirt, very comfy, I highly recommend everyone have one from Denise's site. My RAC t-shirt was on under the sweatshirt in case it ended up being warm enough, sadly we got a late start and it was not warm enough. Really fantastic day though, I can't wait to head out again!!! :-) :-) :-)

I got the pics to upload...here he is at the fair...he did fabulous...went in the trailer like a pro...visited everyone. Lead up and thru the pavillion. Let lots of kids love and pet him and when it was all over he jumped up into the trailer like a pro.... he is learning all his lessons really well and I couldn't be happier with him! Jackie

Chip and the cart on Friday

Just a short post this morning, but exciting-- a photo of me (!!!) AND Chip is now officially a driving horse.

Talk about the classic "Curlies Can Do " -- Chip, in one week, has been ridden, worn a collar and work harness and skidded a skoot and stone boat (we still have to try a log in the woods) and beautifully pulled the cart.

Zoe and I took turns in the big ring where he walked and trotted past the group of very nosey mares on the fence, and then went for a stroll down the road. What a guy !

I am hoping for decent weather this Sunday so we can assemble our obstacle course. I have some great ideas, using the CSB list and adding some of my own ideas- which may not be "RAC approved" but will be fun none-the-less.

Enjoy your day -

Voodo at the Fair

Well I tried to upload a pic of Voodo at the Iowa Horse Fair last weekend but it said I had a error....and I can't figure out what I did wrong I had it down fairly small...
He did great ...I was so proud! We worked on it the week before...leading mostly and he was so good ...he hopped up in the trailer like a pro and let all the folks mug with him and take pictures and rub and touch him....he was a trouper!!! If someone tells me how to do the photos I will post a pic... Jackie

Happy Easter everyone. It has been beautiful around here after our blizzard last week. Here in the southeast part of the state, we have been lucky. The west and the north have been hit with 15 to 36 inches of snow in a two week time period.

We had the South Dakota Horse Fair in Sioux Falls March 20 through 22, and Whinny and I had a great time. I got to speak with a lot of different people that do know about this wonderful breed. One gentleman has been training mustangs that he gets from the BLM and he wishes he had kept the curly ones. He said he gets about 1 curly mustang out of 50. Another gentleman is interested in the ancestry of the curly horse and he has sent me one article from 1969 from the True West magazine titled "Did Russia Introduce the Horse?" It has some really nice pictures of the Damele's horses in Nevada.

When Whinny and I went in the ring, she wasn't to happy being alone so Saturday wasn't the greatest but Sunday was much better. The previous riding I have been doing with her has helped. If it wasn't for the RAC program, I wouldn't have been riding yet. Now, with April, I can work on some of the things that were spooking her out in the ring. I could have claimed the starter gun also as the Horse Fair had a demonstration of mounted shooting going on both days. Whinny took it better than some of the other horses. Some of the others were climbing the walls of their stalls and others were pacing and rearing. Whinny wasn't happy, but she just stood at the back of her stall and waited for it to end.

I hope everyone else has a great horse fair if yours isn't over yet. I have been watching and it looks like other states have theirs even earlier than ours.

Happy riding - Robin and Whinny

Those easy keepers

Sage and I have gotten a few rides in but the weather lately has not been very cooperative. So I have spent my horsey time doing more research on Sage's sacro iliac issue and researching his sugar sensitivity. Sage had a mild laminitic episode about 2 weeks ago when our snow melted. It turns out spring grass is dangerous! now I know. (Sage had blood results done last fall and was not insulin resistant, but does have a slightly low thyroid, and our vet feels if he has the symptoms, then we'd better manage his diet.)

Sage has also been on selenium for years now, ever since he had a slight lameness in his right hind as a youngster. He was sound after being started on selenium. Anyhow, in my research today I came across this article about how mineral deficiencies can create health problems and found this sentence:

Selenium and Vit E work together to convert the storage form of thyroid T4, to the active form T3, and are very important anti-oxidants.

So maybe we will up his selenium a little bit (I know it's toxic in large doses). It'd be nice if that also helped his thyroid.

Anyhow, just wanted to share that with you all as I have heard other Curlies need selenium supplements sometimes as well and I thought it was interesting. And if anyone has experience dealing with a similar health issue (laminitis, sugar sensitivity, low thyroid) in their easy keeper Curly I'd appreciate hearing about other people's experiences.

Here's a picture of my Curly boy, who is quite bored in his little dry lot right now, but at least isn't gimpy any more. I'm excited that a lameness specialist is coming out to see him next week. I know with the laminitis one cause of that can be not enough exercise...well with his sacro iliac injury, that has been us! I am hoping the vet will help me sort this out in a way that is more permanent so we can enjoy summer and get Sage back to a more active life.

Not Exactly Riding :)

We've been experiencing some very yukky weather here-- blustery, cold, rain/snow/hail on and off for days. But we have been working with Chip (my senior herd sire) making him into a driving horse. Last spring, he was trained to saddle after 14 years of being a pasture stud only. He's a smart boy and loves his work. Last summer he made a good showing at some walk/trot training level dressage. Now he is in harness and maybe he'll do some driving classes this summer.

He happily pulls anything we hitch him to- starting with a tire, graduating to a heavy stone boat- then my little skoot/sled which I bought in 1986 and has seen a lot of use. Here is Zoe and Chip - on the lawn. Chip is wearing a harness I got used 20 years ago - it definitely looks old ! but still in perfect condition. Chip likes to pull with a collar and we had lots of fun.

Here we are both of us on the sled - well, you can't see us- but we are there :)

And a photo of Chip's mane.. which has been growing like mad since Denise's recommended beauty treatments. Chip has always sported a sparse mohawk style mane all his life. For his first show last summer, we clipped it pretty close for a more tidy look. At the time I didn't give it much thought-- but as Denise has said.. start with cutting the mane off and the treatments will truly work well. Now Chip has mane, thick and curly- both sides.

For Chip, this is a LOT of mane. Now, if we could get his upper tail to grow some hair ! I think I detect some fuzz coming in.

By the way, Chip is also successfully puling a cart with his fancier driving harness now in addition to being a curly work horse.

Enjoy your day ~

Fun with friends!!!!!!!

Can you tell from the exclamation points how excited I am to be able to ride my Curly with friends?! We all had a good time. Before my friends arrived, I had AhD out to warm him up a bit. It was fairly windy, and I wanted him to realize we were going to be out and about. Here is a beautiful little stream meandering off the trail.My friend Ulla and her daughter arrived with Dozer and Daisy. Harold, I'm sure you are pleased to see that I used the blue saddle blanket on AhD today. I figured, everyone else was a girl, so I would make him stand out as a boy. Oh, right, like he didn't stand out anyway, with all those curls! We started out on Jason's Loop. It was beautiful in the woods.I turned AhD around for this photo op. After Jason's Loop (which was very muddy in places) we headed up the road a piece. We had a nice power walk and a nice stretch of an easy trot. What a heavenly day! Ulla's daughter had never seen a Curly before, and she thought he was VERY cute. (and he was ;)...) - and well behaved, too!

Chester - Our Calm Curly Stallion

Hello All,

Today we had an unplanned obstacle section in our barn at Golden Curls Ranch. My sweet and ever so calm stallion, Chester, had wandered back into the barn after we move lots of furniture, fans, filing cabinets and lots of other things that should be really be classified as "junk" so we could make a new tack room. I had been mucking stalls and did not closed the gate all the way when I left with the "poo mobile" to empty.

Meanwhile, Chester walked in and was smelling everything. I came roaring in with my Sears Craftsman Zero Turn and attached wagon (fondly known as the poo mobile). He turned at me and I realized this could be a very stressful situation as he was blocked by the furniture at one end of the barn and me and the noise maker at the other. I turned off the machine; got off and stood there quietly wondering what was the best thing to do (I have always heard never to make a stallion feel cornered.) I just stood staring trying to kick start the brain.

So I started softly calling his name and he began to walk over slowly. He walked up to the machine smelling it and in the process the pitch fork handle blocked his movement on the other side from me. The, I started singing softly and walked around to the front of him and move the handle. He walked on a few feet and turned and looked back at me as if to say; wow, there are so many interesting things in the barn today! I really do believe Curly Stallions are wonderfully calm souls!

Best wishes,

Angie

Fun with a poncho

At first, AhD was little wary of the poncho, even though he knew it was me inside of that great yellow thing. I flapped it around quite a bit, but it didn't take long for him to come over to see if I had anything for him to eat.

Ian, Number 4 Son, wanted to try the poncho next, and immediately AhD liked this game even better. I think I should be jealous! Look at the reception HE gets from my beloved pony!

Then Ian put the poncho on AhD's back. The wind was flapping it around, and it blew off. AhD seemed somewhat on Alert, but also curious. He sniffed the poncho,

stepped on it and bit it.

Then he proceded to pick it up and wave it around.
Ian and I got the giggles! Denise, this "contest" is just tooo much fun. Earlier today, after AhD took a trailer ride to the vets for his yearly shots/Coggins, I led him out back where my husband was cutting down some dead trees and burning them up with a big bonfire. AhD seemed more nervous about meeting my brother out there than he was of either the bonfire or the noisy chain saw. I had him within 10' of an operating chainsaw, and it didn't seem to bother him much. I also led AhD down the road a small ways when I spied my neighbor using the snowblower attachment on his tractor to get rid of an icy snowbank. That was scarier, and was awarded several snorts and sidesteps, but I just kept pretending it was no big deal, so AhD got the hang of it quickly. As soon as we build up enough milk bottles, I'm going to string some together for an obstacle. That proved to be our scariest one last year. How are you all making out for the April mini-contest?

A True Spring Day !

Yesterday, we rode in T-shirts !! What a great day-- After lessons and before Zoe has to meet her children at the bus-- we had a brief window of trotting time and we intended to just do our 6 mile loop. I saddled up Keri and Zoe grabbed OYY Ivan. We had our first obstacles of the day before we even left the yard.

The excavator is here- putting in telephone poles so I can make some sturdy gateways and bar-ways here and there.. burying them more than 5 feet down which is more than I could ever manage. Here, the big digging machine is loading the poles into the trailer to take them across the street.

Since April is the 'Month of Obstacles' , we are always on the look out for any little hurdles or obstructions which will qualify :)

Just a little way down the drive-- Sophie the pig is scouting out grubs and shoots of greenery.

And the ducks are back in the little pond- sometimes they fly up when we ride by, which could precipitate a minor spook- but today they are lazily waddling away.

Back roads are still pretty muddy. I am thankful I don't live out this far-- I'd hate to have to travel this in my car. As we trot a little further, we hear the trail calling... and see there has been enough melting so we can get up and over the snowbank blocking our nearest favorite trail-- so we abandon the road loop for something more beautiful.

We ride through shadows and sun~

clear trail and deep snow.

Sometimes Keri is the leader- other times brave Ivan. We find lots of meltwater and brooks.

We pass by the little beaver pond,

come out into the field and trot home.

Just for fun- we try the stone steps in the backyard..

Too easy !

I hope spring has arrived wherever you may be and you are enjoying it ! I think the only negative sign of spring I ran into today was several whirling bunches of blackflies--

"El Grande Puddles"

Hello All or as we say in the Lone Star State - Ha'yaw'l,

Cinnamon River and I are having a great time with one of our new adventures. We are walking through the wonderful "el grande" puddles Mother Nature left us this week. I'm not sure but think this may qualify for the "mini contest" . It is simple....and since Cinnamon River, at almost five years old, had not had a halter on less than a year ago .....Simple is Good! He is a brave fella and so wonderful to do as I ask. I really think he trust me and I carry that trust with great respect and honor.

First, we walk together through the water....OK, it is nice to have a bit of grain as a reward on the other side. Then I mounted and we walked together through the water to the other side without grain just kind words.

Maybe in next year's RAC contest we will be jumping the "el grande puddles"

Hugs to all,
Angie and A very Brave Cinnamon River

After Work Ride

The snow is disappearing fast in this neck of the woods, and the late day spring sun sure lends a different palette to the eye than it did only two weeks ago. AhD and I took a quick after work ride on Jason's Loop. It was lovely. The air was fresh and clean, and the birds were singing. AhD kept looking for deer bogeymen in the woods, and I had my work cut out for me to keep his mind on his rider. I noticed something strange while I was riding him; he had a muscle twitch in his right shoulder throughout the whole ride, almost like he was shivering. It didn't seem to bother him, and it went away when I untacked him back at the barn.

I couldn't resist taking this picture of his beautiful mane. I have been using Dermal Aid on his mane and tail. His tail is so-so, but his mane is thick, soft, spiral curls on both sides. I admire it when I ride, and I wish it would stay like this all year long. With a lot of care and a little luck, maybe this year will be the year that AhD will have a beautious mane right up through the fall. I really want him to look (and act!) nice when we go out in horse public this summer.

Grand-Mother/Grand-Daughter Ride - equine Ya-Ya and Egoni

Zoe and I saddled up Lilly and Elektra this morning for a quick trot. Lilly is the "Ya-ya" horse- (grandmother in Greek) and Elektra the "egoni" ( Εγγονή ) -- grand-daughter. Lilly's son (by Chip) The Mighty Quinn is Elektra's sire.

Today, I rode in my Barefoot London. I have been using the Cheyenne, but I kind of wanted to see if I still loved my London :) which I do ! It fits Lilly like a glove-- and what a glide/ride I had astride the old gal. Lilly is such a comfortable forward horse, all you really have to do is sit there and guide her- no work at all. Elektra has also inherited that from her equine Ya-Ya.. as did all of Lilly's offspring. Lilly is wearing Keri's bridle since both Elektra and Lilly use the same bridle.

You can't even tell Lilly is a

grand-mother she looks so young.

It was raining a bit-- but we wanted to ride anyway.

We just stayed on the dirt road- out and back.. a short "family" ride.

Right now, the skies seem like they are trying to clear.. I hope so. I know April brings showers- but I don't get as much done on those dreary days.

Enjoy your evening ~ Zoe- my Kóre (corey) and Betsy - both mom or mitera (μητέρα ) and Ya-Ya too :)