My Beloved Xandra and I :-)

A freind, who happens to also be an exceptional photographer came over recently to meet the Curlies.  While she was snapping away, for lack of a better description, it felt like Xandra was asking me to hop on... so I did.  I know, I know, should have been wearing a helmet, please believe me and trust me when I tell you I otherwise always do, crash vest too at times, for whatever reason, despite my better judgment, it just felt right to do it though, so I did.  First ride ever, no helmet, bareback, no bridle, heck, not even a halter, and Xandra was... perfect.  We both Loved it!!!  Since then I've ridden her one other time, Brandon caught a quick pic just before the sun set, sorry for the darkness, Im just so glad a smidge was caught, yep, in just a halter and lead, I'm wearing a helmet at least though :-)  Enjoy the following pics, I am so loving this girl, as always, my Hearts other, other Half, Brandon being the first one. :-)  Xandra was extremely comfortable to be on, so quiet, willing, focused on me, enjoying herself, and perfectly happy to do whatever came to mind, including a few figure eights around the trees we were under, so cool!!

So, other news... I took part in an in-hand dressage competition last weekend, I was actually there as the scribe for the day, love getting the opportunity to work with a Judge and learn what they are looking for!, I highly, highly recommend doing this!!  I got to chat about Curlies with the Judge, and then with several of the spectators during break times throughout the day!, as last year, they were very disappointed I didn't get to bring any to the show this year, too many other things going on right now!!

Rhys is finally recovering from an injury we've been doing some physical therapy, stretches, and massage for.  He has his first schooling show in Oct, for which I'm excited for and very nervous, he's basically been happily in time off the entire summer, should be interesting, no time like the present to get out and do things though right?!  Instead of riding him regularly to get ready, of course, I'm busy repairing fences, working others' horses, and... preparing once again for the Puyallup Fair.  Which is considered to be the biggest county fair in western WA, thousands of people will be coming through our exhibit and meeting none other than Xandra and Memri, who I well imagine will Wow the crowds.  I'm inclined to say I might spend most of it sitting on Xandra's back, we will see, we both seem utterly calm and happy that way, so why not right?  Thinking we might work on some trick training while we're there for so much time, I think Memri will enjoy this as well.  I am working through a new book called "Clicker Training for Horses" by Alexandra Kurland, I highly recommend it!!  I think the girls and I are going to have a blast working on some new things together for the week, I'm really looking forward to it!!

I was happy to finally get to check back in on everyone else's posts, sounds like many are busy, busy with lots of wonderful rides and promotional activities and getting to do great thigns with their Curlies, Keep Up the Great Work Everyone!!! :-)

Best,

~Heather

Skygazer Ranch

Sandor's Sundance Time

Yesterday was an unusually bright, sunny day here.  So I took advantage of it and got out with Sandor.  As most of you know by now, Sandor is my up and coming young sporthorse stallion prospect, he hails from Shelly White's, is sired by Sandman's Magic and out of the lovely Dutch WB/Arabian mare Legacy (aka Vanity).

Yesterday we did a little at liberty running about, well, Sandor did, ok, I did also, was a big field, while my friend Robyn took the pics.  We then lunged a tiny bit before attempting the in-hand triangle, away from the judge, across and back towards the judge.  Was interesting to say the least.  Sandor wanted to play.  So I let him off the line again and we played, it was really an amazing experience.  Sandor might only be a little more than a year and a half, and when measured with a level on the concrete yesterday is 13.3HH, but he is a powerful individual and when he gets moving, you notice.  At any rate, I'd send him out, he'd go out on a circle, then come circle back in to me, as he reached me, I sent him back out in the other direction, we got it down so he was doing about 15 meter figure eights out and back to me, at a bold trot!  Really a rush having him trot powerfully up to me and take off out the other direction, I can hardly tell you, it was like dancing with him, I'm looking forward to doing more of that.

Anyway, once he was a little less wound up, I clipped him back up and off we went on our little practice triangle.

I will be showing Sandor in-hand at a couple of shows this year, as well as just heading out to as many shows as we can to trapse about the grounds, I figure better to regularly practice all this at home, so when we add in the excitement of being off the property, and the oh so excitingness of other mares, he has less he has to remember and more experience to trust and just do.  So, we'll see how that works out.
Here are a couple pics taken from yesterday at-liberty.  I'm a bit disappointed, as most of these are all from 'round two' of pics and doing things, as the pics from 'round one' spontaneously combusted while still on Robyn's memory card, no idea what happened, very disappointing though, about 500 pics, poof, gone :-(, I managed to sneak in a couple of pics from 'round one' on my camera, but it's hard to keep Sandor moving, get in their right place, and take a pic without blurring the image, so I hope you enjoy these ones and know they are of Sandor after he'd already been out for about three hours, so he was not looking his snazziest, but, still pretty darn good, in my terribly biased opinion. :-)

And this one because it seemed a little silly, like how low can you go? style... :-)  He has such incredible control of his body, I half expect him to fall sometimes with all the mud we have, but he never does, he's very confident and sure footed and really has an incredibly dexterous and agile body, really a n experience to watch him go!

Best,
~Heather

Lemonaid For Life!! :-)

Got a call from home, early, at work today... Rogue was cast in the fence.  Left immediately, and promptly got pulled over... for a tail light being out.  Got home and one of my house mates, Robyn, was sitting with Rogue, keeping her calm, 'till I got home to get Rogue out of the fence.  Rogue was perfectly content to lay there quietly, thank goodness.  Got Rogue out, and since it was a couple hours before I had to head in to my other waitressing job, I decided to make the best of the day and working with the horses.  Since Robyn was still home, we took Sandor out and worked with him in-hand some, before setting him loose to try and get a couple at liberty shots. Let me tell you, Sandor was FULL of himself!  Nothing too dangerous or aimed at me, just a really hard time for him to keep all four hooves on the ground, let me say again, he did settle in fairly quickly and got down to business rather than play wildly time, was really incredible to watch him though, so much power!! And, oh, so easy, for him to become air-born!

With the warmth of the weather all of my mares are coming into season and strutting their stuff, apparently Sandor felt he should as well.  Here's a couple of pics of him before and then after a bit of a session, where I worked at reminding Sandor of some of his appropriate human interactions. :-)  He really is a good baby stallion and was quick to remember.  Mostly I was just in pleased admiration of his magnificence.  He is growing up so quickly!!
After taking Sandor out for a time, I took each of the
 foals out also.  They were wonderful!!  We went out to the jump field, over caveletti, around the back side of the out buildings, into the garage, investigated the bikes and other items in their, back out, the the porch and front door, out the path, around the cars, and then into the larger field.  They each did so well!, i am super proud of them!! 

 

And Riot jumped, twice, he is such a spit fire, full of energy and pizazz.  He really has the most Go! of any Curly I've ever met.  I keep lamenting that he'll only ever be pony sized, granted, that's what I was going for, but wow, that much umph in a "big" horse, would do wonders on an event course!!  Might have to give that a whirl anyway, unless anyone wants to borrow him for say Combined Driving in a couple years??? :-)

I hope everyone else was able to enjoy the day, it was a touch over 60F and semi-sunny, really fantastic day!! I'm looking forward to more tomorrow, if it's not raining too hard.
So, again, lemonaid out of lemons, seems to be a daily theme for me, so glad I can see the good, I wouldn't, aside from Rogue's casting, have been home in time to get to so thoroughly enjoy the day with so many of my lovely Curlies!, Such a delightful and unexpected treat for the day!! :-)
Best,
~Heather

The Little Things in a Life...

After an anxiety filled night, lying wide awake listening to the 60+mph winds blasting through my little world, worrying about my Curlies and the destruction I could hear, but couldn't see occurring all around me, it was with a heart brimming over with joy that I viewed the damage this morning.  All of my horses were just fine, a little stressed, napping some in the bright sunshine, felt like it was going to hit 70F, marvelous morning.  We've had "little" greenhouses as run in shelters in a few of the fields.  Never had any trouble with them staying put, they have a steal A-frame type interior and have tight like a drum plastic over their frame, they work great, especially in the winter, add some warmth.  Well, not any more.  They'd not only blown over, but one had actually blown up, onto the fence, snapping several electric lines, and landing in the trees, yes, IN the trees, plastic is in ribbons, A-frame is mangled.  Trees came down on the fence in a few places, branches down everywhere, and this was all tame compared to the road ways where trees dropped over power lines, not just neatly snapping them but stretching and tearing them, creating a spaghetti noodle mess of electric lines tangled with trees everywhere.  A mess.
For greater perspective, a friend of mine, got home today, she was in Haiti helping with the aftermath there, makes everything here look like sillyness, the stories and images she has are so horrific, the work she did there is an inspiration for doing right by others despite great adversity, I can not even begin to imagine the reality of waking up there each and every day right now.
So, I did what I do, look at the bright side of things, I had the day off, so some time to get some things done.  Starting with the most important thing, Quality Curly Time!, I did the morning breakfast rounds, apologized about the fresh water, said I hoped the water came on before they ran out (which it did, if it hadn't there is a back up plan involving me hauling five gallon water buckets from a stream that runs nine months out of the year).  Then, I got a curry comb and dandy brush out of the tack room and did the cuddle rounds, grooming everyone's coats out, fluffing up their curls, although kind of uncurls them a little, scratching all their itchy spots and generally just loving on all my horses, which they eat up and love in return.  It is so wonderful to start the day this way.
Then, I pulled the little greenhouses out of the trees, off the fences, and stored away for taking a closer look at later, repaired the fences.  Then loaded up Iris and Gavyn (my shepherd and shepherd/akita cross) and headed to my Uncle Todd's for breakfast and to pick his truck up to get supplies.  Headed to Home Depot.  Loaded up a lot (for me, I know a lot is relative) of lumber and had a great moment with Gavyn.  Gavyn is only six months old and still learning a few rules, like when I ask him to stop barking that means I'm in control of the situation and he is safe to stop.  At any rate, while I was loading the truck, a few people came and went, Gavyn started barking, I told him, quietly, that's enough, don't need to bark, please stop... and he did!!  I was soo proud of him, he's learning!!  This was a first for him, the me separate from him and trusting that he doesn't have to scare away the stranger, I think having Iris quietly there helped.
Next stop feed store for more alfalfa.  Gavyn and Iris were quiet the whole time.  Then home.
Unloaded everything and came in for a little lunch.  I'm home alone today.  So, since the foal's shelter is now in pieces, and we have more lovely weather on the way, they had to move.  So, I moved them.  This led to our first solo walks, as in outside their pen with none of their siblings for back up.  They all did fantastically!!!  I was just going to move them across the driveway to where they were foaled out which has a nice big foaling stall/run-in shed for shelter, but decided on the way across the driveway, that since they were each doing so well, that we'd go for our first official adventure walk.  So each of the four foals went up and down the driveway some, onto the concrete, into the greenhouse for a munch on the hay, then back outside and into the darkened interior of the garage, stood still quietly, then back outside, around the truck, around the trailer and then into the foaling pen.  Each of them did great!, I was so excited for how nonchalant they each were, like we'd been doing this every day and who needs a sibling or a mom near by anyway?  I plan to head back out with each of them again tomorrow, after work, which starts in seven hours, so to bed!
But, just had to share the day with everyone.  Oh, right the lumber is for putting up 'real' run-in shelters, you know, with huge planks going deeply into the ground, in three of the paddocks, which lost theirs last night, really seems like there is always something.
But, I am happy with the day.  The horses are all safe and sound and we all had a great day together.  The only time I'm not worrying is when I'm physically in their presence, so spending a great deal of the day that way was really wonderful.
I hope everyone else had a marvelous day!!
Best Wishes,
~Heather

Spring In Winter

Got home from work this afternoon, ran upstairs (3 flights) shrugged into my breaches, raced back downstairs, pulled on my boots, jogged outside, snagged my gear from the tack room, and met Lyra at the gate for another ride. And I do mean that I met her at the gate, she saw me coming from across the way, abandoned her round bale and companions, and met me at the gate, it was lovely of her!
Today we continued with a lot of walking. Really working on trying to get Lyra to relax through her top line, work from my inside leg to outside hand, have nice walking steps pushing through her top line, and working on balance. Lyra has a tendency to tighten up, through her head up in the air, and well, do the upside down neck game, which I'm a particular NON-fan of, so we are working on it. Today she managed quite a few strides with me getting to completely release her inside rein. She also followed my hand down rather well, especially towards the end of the ride. We are both a work in progress, but getting better with practice. I hope we can ride again tomorrow, lots happening though, so we shall see. :-)

Brandon and Dorothy swapped off on the camera (which I think actually worked to make for a not as wonderful as last time ride, since I was a bit tense with getting talked at for angles for light purposes, rather than just focusing on Lyra, good to keep in mind for next time, good to have a couple pics though, will help with my before and after reality checks in a couple of months when I feel discouraged that we've accomplished so little.) All in all, I had a great time with Lyra and am really looking forward to our continued rides. Looking into taking a few lessons myself with a local dressage trainer here, hoping that will help Lyra and I, might even see about getting Lyra over there for a little training herself, will see about that one...
Hope everyone else had a great day!!
As you can see in the one pic, we're starting to see green again, it was close to 50 and somewhat sunny intermixed with overcast today, Spring on the way so soon?, Dare I Hope???  And... we got a square halt! :-), seems the more I try to ask for one, the less likely it is to happen, but if I just move my seat to ask for a halt, she does a square halt pretty much every time, recon for Lyra, the less I interfere, the better.

Also, stopped at the local bookstore on my way home, for the new Chet and Bernie Mystery, by Spencer Quinn (really good books!, are mystery novels told from the Detective's Dog's Perspective, very quick, fun read).  While there, I looked through the horse books section (I always do) and came across a conformation book, "The Horse Conformation Handbook" by Heather Smith Thomas, which looks pretty good, has a lot of information in it along with clear descriptions and explanations and diagrams.  I haven't had time to spend a lot of time with it, but so far, it looks very good.  I also came across "The Rider's Fitness Guide to a Better Seat" by Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt, it also looks like it's chalk full of useful information.  I'm always happy to learn a new little exercise or stretch I can do while at work or sitting at my computer or in my car or on dark, rainy nights, when I can't ride, to help improve my riding when I can ride.  Thought I'd pass the titles along.
Hay getting delivered tomorrow. 
Best,
~Heather

Leg Yields and Bending

I'm going to try to use this blog to help keep a training log, so on those days when I'm feeling like I've accomplished nothing, i can go back and see what all has been accomplished, along with keeping some semblance of a direction for what we're doing.

Short note and apologies ahead of time for there being no pics from yesterday, was home alone today...but here's a pic of us from a ride at the end of December 2009, with Lyra's filly, Rogue in the background, very exciting way to ride, having her tag along.  Xandra was out with us that day as well. I DO NOT recommend riding with loose horses, it definitely poses some unnecessary hazards, that said, I had a lot of fun doing it.  Good to have Lyra to myself now though and able to go out for riding sessions without Rogue.

I took Lyra out yesterday, first time without Rogue (her five month old filly), third time since last March. Our first two rides were just walking about, calmly ignoring her child romping about, enjoying her freedom on drier footing. We finally started getting down to business though. Spent the majority of the time at the walk. Lyra started off with her head straight in the air, resisting, wanting to go back to Rogue. However after a great deal of resistance didn't pay off and required her to work more, she finally settled down to a nice, relaxed, very forward, swinging through her back walk. After getting her really comfortable and relaxed in this forward walk, we worked on some bending around my leg exercises and then moved into some bending going from my inside leg to outside rein, which I've never really worked on with her before. We finished off with serpentines through seat and leg cues and a very forward walk, bending beautifully right around my leg and springing forward again. All in all, this was, possibly, the best, most in tune to each other ride, Lyra and I have shared to date. I am so excited for our next ride, hopefully soon, was low 40s and pouring rain today, ugghh :-(
After riding I groomed everyone else, was nice to have a dry day where I could scrub all of them, get their hair all fluffed again and admire their lovely curls. Riot, Star's fourth month old colt, has recently decided to go through a rebellious stage where he doesn't like being caught, so he earned himself a drag line, which his sisters (Rora, Ravyn, and Rogue) along with Xandra immediately thought would be immense fun to grab in their mouths and head off in different directions with. Not sure how that's going to work out, I did request that while it was fair to give him a hard time about it, if they could resist actually hurting Riot, that'd be appreciated. They promptly ceased playing tug of war with his line and he took up, trying to pick his own line up and somehow finagle removing it from himself, he's smart enough, I won't be the least bit surprised if he figures that one out. He's yet to keep his rain jacket on longer than an hour.
After working some with Riot and reminding him just how wonderful it is to have me near him scratching all his itchy spots (ie his entire body), I worked with all of their hooves. Seems to be an ongoing thing, the more it's done, the easier it is,and the less time it takes. All of them were exceptional about offering their hinds without any effort on my part, their fronts they were good about but not quite so much on cue. I was happy with all of them being so easy about it though, they were loose, so could have walked off instead of playing my little stand around on three legs game. I think they new the quicker they did what was being asked, the quicker their reward of wonderful scratches would be in coming. I finished the afternoon standing quietly with Xandra, my cheek pressed up to her neck curls, just breathing in and out with her; observing the babies romp with each other, glad to be alive and so well blessed with the Curls in my life.
I hope everyone else is getting out and enjoying their Curlies. :-)
Best Wishes,
~Heather

Time's Wings again...

Can't believe I haven't posted in so long...
In a nut shell for 2009...
Sandor joined our herd in the Spring time, he hails from Shelly White's Curly Standard Place, he is sired by none other than the sensational *Sandman's Magic and is out of the lovely, fluid, forward moving Dutch Warmblood/Arab mare, Vanity (aka Legacy). We are still in joyous disbelief at having such a quality incredible stud colt here. We have very high hopes for Sandor's future in the dressage and eventing rings as well as for being our future herd sire. Thus far he has proven himself to be incredibly intelligent, have an expansive and giving heart, movement to die for, and is perfect in every way; we are smitten with him to put it mildly and couldn't be more thrilled to have him here. Thank You Shelly!!!

In July and August we had four foals, all sired by our lovely Curly stallion, *Rhys.
Lyra gave us a lovely gray filly, Rogue (Rogue Sky Warrior).

Epona gave us a gorgeous miracle, a pinto palomino filly named Rora (Rain Dancer Aurora).

Tiska (our Hungarian Warmblood) gave us a stunning bright bay filly, Ravyn.

Star gave us our only colt this year, not sure if he's true black or a very, very dark bay, he sure is snazzy with a lot of chrome though! Riot (Riot Storm Chaser).

All of the foals are extremely intelligent, very social, easy to train and work with, filled with character and spunky personalities, just an absolute wonder to interact with each of them every day.
None of our mares are bred back for 2010, although we do plan to breed back a couple of them for 2011 foals. We shall see how all of that plays out when it happens!
We also have a wholly unexpected addition, hailing from the south, our little Georgian Peach, "Memri" (aka Enjolique Remember Me) from Lisa Wytiaz's Bash Curl Farm II. Memri is a rich bay filly, born Memorial Day of 2008. Memri is sired by the Dutch Warmblood, Dressage Horse producing phenomenon, Ruben O, and out of the exceptional Curly mare, BCF Exantheus Keoke. We have very high hopes for her following in her siblings' hoof falls, competing at the highest levels of dressage at the least, possibly eventing, depends where her heart lies, we can not thank Lisa and Bash Curl Farm II enough for making Memri's entrance into our lives such a smooth and uncomplicated transition, not to mention having the foresight to put her parents together in the first place to create such an exceptional being!! Thank You Lisa!!; we are eagerly awaiting her cross country traverse and subsequent arrival, pics to follow upon her arrival!
Since I've no pics, here's a link to her most current Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp-4EHpcbjY
This year we will be focusing on continuing Rhys, Lyra, Epona, and Star's under saddle training. Ground work with all of the youngsters, and lightly starting Xandra under saddle.

We will be getting out to as many in-hand competitions with the youngsters as possible and hope to have a re-appearance at this year's Puyallup Fair.
I will try to be more diligent at keeping this blog updated this year!
Best to You all in this New Year!!
~Heather