Such a rush to the end of the quarter. Students trying to make up a 23% and pass, so they are eligible for sports. Parents gettting concerned because their kids' not doing so well and can't/won't come to after school tutoring because they are busy watching little sisters/brothers after school. Whew! This weekend, Calvin has his first band competition, and all my band kids say, oh Mrs. B don't come to this one. Come later in the season, when we are really good! This is our first show." But its my oldests first competition, and I need to make up for skipping out and missing his first parade (got caught having a latte with my friend and the parade went to fast).
My mom probably wants to go, but she will be helping out at a dog show on saturday, so she will have to make a later performance. She fell again last week, I am not sure what to do about this. She wants to stay in the home she's lived in for 40 some years, but its getting harder and harder to have her on her own without someone around to help her. My wonderful husband is around and actually works on her 2 acres for 2 days a week, and is first call if anything happens, but even he reaches a max point every now and then.
My horses are standing around thinking I left town or something. Jim feeds, Calvin cleans, and I go to work, or wait on Calvin to be done with Band, or Cross Country practice or my tutoring . We have a weekend trip planned to Montano de Oro State Park (horse camping), but we won't be doing any long rides if I don't get some muscle on those horses... It helps me stay balanced, and reduces my stress level when I ride on a more regular basis.
Ethan changed schools, his class size was up to 46 (YIKES!!), so I moved him to a school that had 2 classes (29, 30 each) and he is doing much better. He only has a couple of friends and still moans about not getting on Facebook to check on his old friends. Maybe this will motivate him to get his chores done a little more energetically, as he can be online only when those chores are done....
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Relay for Life
What a great first experience as an outing leader. We picked up the scout trailer on Thursday, Back to School nite for me, spent 3 hours dealing with the same trailer issue we had last time we used it over six months ago. No right brake/turn light. As usual he said, “Nobody said anything to me after summer camp.” Ahh well at least, we got it before friday night, when we needed it. Got the trailer down there and had set up the site by 8 pm, not bad.
Saturday morning we arrived before 8AM and spent the morning organizing the lunch order for the boys/adults. The boys were great about passing out the water that we got donated to our troop for the walkers. Usually American Cancer Society gets the water in a donation, and we just supply the “man power” to give it out and get it cold. This year they asked us to get the water and really pressed us to find a donor for the 2 pallets of water needs (~150 cases). We've passed out their water for about 8 of the last 10 years. We have seen a lot of people grab a bottle of water and drink a small portion of it and toss it or leave it and walk away, so this year we thought a small fee would encourage them to finish it and when they turn it in give them a free one for any empty they returned with. Then we could not only give them all the collected money from the water, we could turn in the recycling and get ACS the money for that as well, seemed win-win for everybody.
Needless to say varying from the norm, was not acceptable. I got reamed by this no name committee member for like 20 minutes. He hollered at me in front of all the scouts and all the relay for life people and just ranted like a fool. He claimed he’d “done” the water for the past 2 yrs and never had ACS charged for water. I let him make a fool of himself as everybody just stood there gawking at him. Fine, we will give out our water for free and we did.
Later when I went to register our troop and make sure we were all signed in, Barbara Mc was very helpful and listened to my story and gave me the name of the ACS guy in charge of the entire area, David Smith, 1043 W. Ave M-4, Ste B, Palmdale, CA 93551, 661) 945-7585 #3. Upon checking the registration status of our group, not a single person showed upon the online list as registered. I had an email with over 18 names on it of team members, but not one showed up on their list. So I filled out 56 forms for our team and signed signatures on all of them, as “chaperone”. 28 participants and not a one were listed with them. << Deep sigh>> they are volunteers, too. Soon after I got back to our site, both David and Arthea – local event chairperson showed up and spent over 20 minutes apologizing for Alan Hefter’s bad behavior and listening our to the rationale behind the small charge, and the fact that the water was not ACS water, but water donated to the BOY SCOUT troop. They agreed that Alan was being unreasonable, but could we please not charge for the water, as it was not previously arranged that we would do that. Fine, whatever they want is fine by me. I am just sorry that I even got involved with the whole thing by this time.
The remainder of the event was in fact uneventful. Saturday after the dark laps, we sold out of quesadilla S’mores in about 2 hours, cleaned up, the young ones crashed, the tweens kept walking and the teens played a dozen or so different games of catch. The adults sort of faded off individually and went to bed.
About 12:30- 1AM, I went to bed. By 5:30 I was up and awake, staggering around counting noses and checking to see that we had all our boys and they had all made it thru the night. Ended up walking about 2 miles total, found Ethan and Adam crashed out in front of the big screen where the movie was shown. JJ was the only one who made it until sunrise, then he crashed about a hour and got up to help break camp down. We were packed and out of there by 9:45 and home and unpacked by 10:45. Napped until about 3:30 and took the trailer back to Lewis ranch about 6PM.
We earned about $1000 for ACS that weekend. Funny, that’s about what it seemed like it cost me emotionally, too
Saturday morning we arrived before 8AM and spent the morning organizing the lunch order for the boys/adults. The boys were great about passing out the water that we got donated to our troop for the walkers. Usually American Cancer Society gets the water in a donation, and we just supply the “man power” to give it out and get it cold. This year they asked us to get the water and really pressed us to find a donor for the 2 pallets of water needs (~150 cases). We've passed out their water for about 8 of the last 10 years. We have seen a lot of people grab a bottle of water and drink a small portion of it and toss it or leave it and walk away, so this year we thought a small fee would encourage them to finish it and when they turn it in give them a free one for any empty they returned with. Then we could not only give them all the collected money from the water, we could turn in the recycling and get ACS the money for that as well, seemed win-win for everybody.
Needless to say varying from the norm, was not acceptable. I got reamed by this no name committee member for like 20 minutes. He hollered at me in front of all the scouts and all the relay for life people and just ranted like a fool. He claimed he’d “done” the water for the past 2 yrs and never had ACS charged for water. I let him make a fool of himself as everybody just stood there gawking at him. Fine, we will give out our water for free and we did.
Later when I went to register our troop and make sure we were all signed in, Barbara Mc was very helpful and listened to my story and gave me the name of the ACS guy in charge of the entire area, David Smith, 1043 W. Ave M-4, Ste B, Palmdale, CA 93551, 661) 945-7585 #3. Upon checking the registration status of our group, not a single person showed upon the online list as registered. I had an email with over 18 names on it of team members, but not one showed up on their list. So I filled out 56 forms for our team and signed signatures on all of them, as “chaperone”. 28 participants and not a one were listed with them. << Deep sigh>> they are volunteers, too. Soon after I got back to our site, both David and Arthea – local event chairperson showed up and spent over 20 minutes apologizing for Alan Hefter’s bad behavior and listening our to the rationale behind the small charge, and the fact that the water was not ACS water, but water donated to the BOY SCOUT troop. They agreed that Alan was being unreasonable, but could we please not charge for the water, as it was not previously arranged that we would do that. Fine, whatever they want is fine by me. I am just sorry that I even got involved with the whole thing by this time.
The remainder of the event was in fact uneventful. Saturday after the dark laps, we sold out of quesadilla S’mores in about 2 hours, cleaned up, the young ones crashed, the tweens kept walking and the teens played a dozen or so different games of catch. The adults sort of faded off individually and went to bed.
About 12:30- 1AM, I went to bed. By 5:30 I was up and awake, staggering around counting noses and checking to see that we had all our boys and they had all made it thru the night. Ended up walking about 2 miles total, found Ethan and Adam crashed out in front of the big screen where the movie was shown. JJ was the only one who made it until sunrise, then he crashed about a hour and got up to help break camp down. We were packed and out of there by 9:45 and home and unpacked by 10:45. Napped until about 3:30 and took the trailer back to Lewis ranch about 6PM.
We earned about $1000 for ACS that weekend. Funny, that’s about what it seemed like it cost me emotionally, too
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Lets Talk about Astronomy
Helping Ethan with Astronony MB and stuffing my face with boboli pizza. I don't care how many calories, I just have to eat something, or Kill ETHAN.... He is so frustrating to work with when he is writing something, he has no focus. Gotta find some distractor to keep me outta kitchen. He is very verbal and must talk while he writes and has no faith in his spelling, so he asks for spell check on every single. UUgghhh how will he live thru MS, let alone HS and college.
Monday, June 21, 2010
We are on the down side of summer school.....
Into the last 2 week and they are dropping like flies... Semester 2 is down to 17 active attending from 35 and 1st sem is down to about 20/35.... such is life, I can't make you change your habits, and if your gonna do the same crap you did all year in class, expect the same crap result. Its the ones who are trying and making the effort that I am HERE for. Those of you who wish to listen to your jams and tune me out, getting no help on the stuff you don't know how to do, you guys can flip/fly on your own merits. I hate marking fails, but if the effort is not evident, the knowledge is not shown, and no action was taken to correct the lack...
ASK QUESTIONS - - is the first rule in my room, if you can't open your mouth and ask, them email me, or hit me up in a msg on FB or MyS or something..... even here, comment away.... (Imaging how many of my students actually read this blog... tap, tap, tap... yeah that's what I thought-nobodys out there....
off to help with the poopapalooza at my barn this afternoon.
Clean pens, what a concept! Need to stop at the ATM to pay the boys....
ASK QUESTIONS - - is the first rule in my room, if you can't open your mouth and ask, them email me, or hit me up in a msg on FB or MyS or something..... even here, comment away.... (Imaging how many of my students actually read this blog... tap, tap, tap... yeah that's what I thought-nobodys out there....
off to help with the poopapalooza at my barn this afternoon.
Clean pens, what a concept! Need to stop at the ATM to pay the boys....
Monday, May 31, 2010
School's out for SUMMER!!
ok, so I have a 3 day weekend (wait, I know, don't tell me everybody has this holiday- I am living the fantasy of "its only me who has the 3 day weekend.") Then a week chauk full of meetings, then 4 weeks of summer school. Great, so schools out for the successfull kids who passed their classes and weren't deadbeats during the 40 weeks previous... and me. Teaching Algebra 2 to all the cherubs who wouldn't for one reason or another FOCUS (nod to the Calculus kids there) and complete the units in regular time. They get 16 days to relearn/redo all same material and tests at warp speed. It woulds out to be about twice as fast as normal school time wise 2.5 hours = 1 week in regular school year. <-- thats about 2.5 days and then test, with a quiz every day start. If you reading this and signed up, bring your pencils/pen and paper as we start off running and don't stop for nothing. Expect homework to the tune of 2 hours a night at least and remember you could've done this during the year at half the pace. Math dept policy requires that 70-80% of the grade be based on assessments, so your tests an quizzes will matter. the 20-30% left is the cushion for those of you who don't test well (in the 90% average range). C u in 116 on June 7th, gotta ride... E>)
Monday, May 17, 2010
FB or Real Life??
ok I spent most of last weekend on FB farming or whacking bad guys on Mafia Wars.... Such a collossal waste of time. I got nothing much else done. Part of Saturday, after a really good nap, I got to cleaning the papers and crap off the dining table and, wait wait I supposed to be doing something outside, bu I'm on a groove here. The crap piles are diminishing. The wood is beginning to show again, with some more time I may actually be able to sort and file the bills from 2009 for the tax guy and all his I need this too questions....
Its monday eve. and I'm so tired, I dont even care if the grammar is right here. off to bed perhaps more sleep is in order and less farmville.... uugghhh!!! There I've blogged.
Its monday eve. and I'm so tired, I dont even care if the grammar is right here. off to bed perhaps more sleep is in order and less farmville.... uugghhh!!! There I've blogged.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Mother's Day - The Best Laid Plans
Friday I left with 2 horses to Fort Tejon Ranch for a weekend of training on Kit and Kelly working on Sage. By myself, no kids, no plans to cook, just ride and relax. My wonderful Daddyman hustled and bustled and cooked some boneless skinless chicken breast on the BBQ for me to take (hence negating all need for cooking, except hot water for tea).
Arrived around 6PM in time for a nice appetizer/margarita dinner with our parking neighbors the Fullers. Rick & Jennifer are such wonderful organisers, they put on a truly nice weekend. Early night and up at 6AM, saw no movement outside, so I cleaned the camper part of the trailer and organized while the water heated and I made tea. Easy morning breakfast of hard boiled eggs and CBreast with Kelly.
Saddled both Timme & Kit (Kelly saddled Sage & Howdee) and we rode out for a nice vista loop of the surrounding mountains and such. Back through camp, offered water to the horses and off again on another short loop. Lunch was easy and the nap following was really refreshing. Up in time for a quick ride on Kit, just around camp. It is her first camping trip and she was totally clueless about what to focus on - me, the trailer next to us, her buddies still on the high line, the hills, the rigs down the canyon and their stock, the list is endless. We ended on a positive experience and kept it short, so she would be successful.
Saturday night's potluck was great we had so much food. Somebody even took time to steam artichokes and bring them!!! What a treat. We had carne asada, and lots of choices for salad, side dish, and casseroles. It is just amazing what people can pull together in the back country for a potluck! I turned in early and read for a bit, then crashed like the dead. We did a repeat breakfast and loaded up and drove home.
Getting home was the best part. All weekend I had been puzzling on "...don't worry about your Mothers day gift. The boys will have plenty of buy in." Kelly assured me that I would a) like it and b) probably even use it, but that was all I could get out of her. Having assured Jim that there was no cell service up there (we had it in writing from the flyer) I didn't bother to phone home with a heads up.
I roll in about 12:30 and there is a potted yellow rose next to the tack room... mmmmmmm ok I like flowers like any mom, looking around the sheds I also see a half whiskey barrel in the middle of being linseed oiled (outside) and (black stock tank sealer) sealed inside, right next to the tractor I normally would jump on to haul my crap to the house. Having gotten an FB post from DM that the tractor oil change did not go as planned, I wasn't sure I could use the thing like always. SO I call DM at the house and ask if he could send OS down with the Saturn to get my stuff. He replies, "I'll be right down." Mmhuh, no OS? on Mother's Day? WTH?
DM rolls in and jumps out saying, "I've got 5 minutes before I have to turn the chicken on the BBQ." We load all the crap I can throw in 4 minutes into the car and race back to the house. YO helps me unload and DM disappears - to the BBQ I'm guessing. I get what I can put away and the shower is calling me by name (the one thing I hate about camping in the rough-no showers). Scrubbed clean I pass out with out so much as having seen the DM's face.... Feel him slide quietly in to bed for a nap later on, but am still to pillow faced to care.
Woke up to sleeping DM and all is right with the world. YO sees me reading and bounces in as only a Tigger could and manages not to wake DM for a cuddle with me. He is leaving for outdoor science school Monday and I will miss our cuddles. YO gives me the coolest card, it is an 8 piece folded ninja star that has 8 pieces of paper coupons inserted under each flap for stuff like 1 day of complete cooperation, 1 back rub, 1 ride together, etc.
Dinner was delightful with mom bringing her famous enchiladas and me making my super easy pasta salad. Collapsed into bed and next thing I knew it was time for Monday and work.... pictures to come I hope soon..
I case you even care, all my never been high lined stock did well on the high line all weekend, I was proud of them, we got several compliments on our babies...
Arrived around 6PM in time for a nice appetizer/margarita dinner with our parking neighbors the Fullers. Rick & Jennifer are such wonderful organisers, they put on a truly nice weekend. Early night and up at 6AM, saw no movement outside, so I cleaned the camper part of the trailer and organized while the water heated and I made tea. Easy morning breakfast of hard boiled eggs and CBreast with Kelly.
Saddled both Timme & Kit (Kelly saddled Sage & Howdee) and we rode out for a nice vista loop of the surrounding mountains and such. Back through camp, offered water to the horses and off again on another short loop. Lunch was easy and the nap following was really refreshing. Up in time for a quick ride on Kit, just around camp. It is her first camping trip and she was totally clueless about what to focus on - me, the trailer next to us, her buddies still on the high line, the hills, the rigs down the canyon and their stock, the list is endless. We ended on a positive experience and kept it short, so she would be successful.
Saturday night's potluck was great we had so much food. Somebody even took time to steam artichokes and bring them!!! What a treat. We had carne asada, and lots of choices for salad, side dish, and casseroles. It is just amazing what people can pull together in the back country for a potluck! I turned in early and read for a bit, then crashed like the dead. We did a repeat breakfast and loaded up and drove home.
Getting home was the best part. All weekend I had been puzzling on "...don't worry about your Mothers day gift. The boys will have plenty of buy in." Kelly assured me that I would a) like it and b) probably even use it, but that was all I could get out of her. Having assured Jim that there was no cell service up there (we had it in writing from the flyer) I didn't bother to phone home with a heads up.
I roll in about 12:30 and there is a potted yellow rose next to the tack room... mmmmmmm ok I like flowers like any mom, looking around the sheds I also see a half whiskey barrel in the middle of being linseed oiled (outside) and (black stock tank sealer) sealed inside, right next to the tractor I normally would jump on to haul my crap to the house. Having gotten an FB post from DM that the tractor oil change did not go as planned, I wasn't sure I could use the thing like always. SO I call DM at the house and ask if he could send OS down with the Saturn to get my stuff. He replies, "I'll be right down." Mmhuh, no OS? on Mother's Day? WTH?
DM rolls in and jumps out saying, "I've got 5 minutes before I have to turn the chicken on the BBQ." We load all the crap I can throw in 4 minutes into the car and race back to the house. YO helps me unload and DM disappears - to the BBQ I'm guessing. I get what I can put away and the shower is calling me by name (the one thing I hate about camping in the rough-no showers). Scrubbed clean I pass out with out so much as having seen the DM's face.... Feel him slide quietly in to bed for a nap later on, but am still to pillow faced to care.
Woke up to sleeping DM and all is right with the world. YO sees me reading and bounces in as only a Tigger could and manages not to wake DM for a cuddle with me. He is leaving for outdoor science school Monday and I will miss our cuddles. YO gives me the coolest card, it is an 8 piece folded ninja star that has 8 pieces of paper coupons inserted under each flap for stuff like 1 day of complete cooperation, 1 back rub, 1 ride together, etc.
Dinner was delightful with mom bringing her famous enchiladas and me making my super easy pasta salad. Collapsed into bed and next thing I knew it was time for Monday and work.... pictures to come I hope soon..
I case you even care, all my never been high lined stock did well on the high line all weekend, I was proud of them, we got several compliments on our babies...
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tuesday 10 Favorites
Favorite things to do when I have MY time.
1. ride my horse.
2. sleep/nap with my hubby.
3. work my reining mare with Kelly.
4. drink beer with my husband and watch the sun set at the barn after I've fed.
5. walk down and scratch my beasties and put my nose in their necks to smell that wonderful horse smell.
6. straighten up the tack room and actually sweep.
7. have friends over for a potluck meal.
8. read trashy fiction.
9. clean my house, especially the kitchen - I can see my horses from there. (but only if I get to enjoy its cleanness for a day or two).
10. go on road trip
1. ride my horse.
2. sleep/nap with my hubby.
3. work my reining mare with Kelly.
4. drink beer with my husband and watch the sun set at the barn after I've fed.
5. walk down and scratch my beasties and put my nose in their necks to smell that wonderful horse smell.
6. straighten up the tack room and actually sweep.
7. have friends over for a potluck meal.
8. read trashy fiction.
9. clean my house, especially the kitchen - I can see my horses from there. (but only if I get to enjoy its cleanness for a day or two).
10. go on road trip
Monday, May 3, 2010
Whew what a day!
Mondays suck when they are after nice weekends. Boys went camping/backpacking. I went to the auction with kelly on Saturday. Found a breastcollar for twenty bucks and a nice bit for 25. Came home to a crashed out family and backpack crap everywhere. Sunday was spent working horses and realizing that my new medicines make me move way way too fast around horses. They were skittering like down in a pillow fight. We gotta look into changing that...
Mondays suck when they are after nice weekends. Boys went camping/backpacking. I went to the auction with kelly on Saturday. Found a breastcollar for twenty bucks and a nice bit for 25. Came home to a crashed out family and backpack crap everywhere. Sunday was spent working horses and realizing that my new medicines make me move way way too fast around horses. They were skittering like down in a pillow fight. We gotta look into changing that...
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Speical (Ed.) days list for a wordless Wednesday
Let me see if I've got this right...
Wordless Wednesday <-- blew that one already didn't I? Somebody has a theme - who/where is that?
Flashback Friday,
am I missing any? Sort new to the blog world need to get this figured out.
Wordless Wednesday <-- blew that one already didn't I? Somebody has a theme - who/where is that?
Flashback Friday,
am I missing any? Sort new to the blog world need to get this figured out.
Monday, April 19, 2010
What a Great Weekend!
Friday night date with the DaddyMan, frustrating to get to, running late, etc. Sorta like that rascal flats song.... Anyway, we saw Noises Off!! the HS production by LHS drama. My students did great and its good to see them in something other than a Math class. Picked up some $$ on the way home for the boys who had a poop-a-plooza planned for Sat AM. They needed movie money, and at our house, the cash comes out of the horses rear at a rate of $4 a tractor bucket full. Its a 4-5 muck bucket load of poop, and its usually not to wet and heavy.
Sat AM rolls around and DM drives, and I get to occupy the stallion Rodeo while they clean his pen. Brushed, lunged, re-did his tail-braid, took a short trail ride, and came home to viola beautiful clean horse pen. I helped DM level the mats in the inside and we even gave the big guy some shavings to sleep in. Being 10:30 by now, we headed up to the house for lunch and a nap. Skipped lunch, had a BIG NAP and went back to check on the horses and work another one. Rodeo greated us with the biggest horsey grin, he was covered in shavings from head to freshly rebraided tail. That and his saddle sweat marks made him look like a real true life working horse, not some lonely-old-used-to-be show horse his mom has left home and moved on from. He was a happy boy, only thing makes him happier is, well, you can guess..
Sat PM Got Timme (Rodeo's 8yr old gelding son-my everyhorse) out and put the harness on him, we towed the tire around for a while, then switched to him following the training cart. That went so well, we put him in the shafts and walked all over the ranch practicing moving sideways and not turning our bodies, so the shaft didn't bump our hinders. He was a little goosy aobut that, but I wasn't using blinders but he only squirted out from the shafts a couple of times and went right back to it. Like "ok I can get out if I need to, so this can't be that bad." YO, was calling himself "rickshaw boy" because he was driving the cart around and getting Timme used to the sounds and sights and all. We told Timme he could be a rickshaw boy, too! Timme being the wonderfully willing gullible gentle soul that he is said/thought, "That kid can do it, I bet I can too." and proceed to do it, just fine. We probably won't actually tie him into the cart for 2-3 more lessons, as we still need work on the goosy parts and need to introduce the tug of the britching and all that stuff. (I can see YO skiing slowly hanging onto hay string tied to the britchin as I backTimme away from him).
Sunday: leisure start to the day, and then worked 3 sets of horses for/with Kelly. We did Bill, the mare Kit <-- who is much improved from the previous post) and Kelly's mare Sage. Sage went without a pony line for the first time sunday and was cool about the whole deal...
gotta go pick up Oldest Son... got his phone taken at school and I need to retrieve it, so I can lock it away for a while.... :(
hopefully more sooner than later.. happy trails, enjoy the spring flowers even if it is mostly fiddle neck!
Sat AM rolls around and DM drives, and I get to occupy the stallion Rodeo while they clean his pen. Brushed, lunged, re-did his tail-braid, took a short trail ride, and came home to viola beautiful clean horse pen. I helped DM level the mats in the inside and we even gave the big guy some shavings to sleep in. Being 10:30 by now, we headed up to the house for lunch and a nap. Skipped lunch, had a BIG NAP and went back to check on the horses and work another one. Rodeo greated us with the biggest horsey grin, he was covered in shavings from head to freshly rebraided tail. That and his saddle sweat marks made him look like a real true life working horse, not some lonely-old-used-to-be show horse his mom has left home and moved on from. He was a happy boy, only thing makes him happier is, well, you can guess..
Sat PM Got Timme (Rodeo's 8yr old gelding son-my everyhorse) out and put the harness on him, we towed the tire around for a while, then switched to him following the training cart. That went so well, we put him in the shafts and walked all over the ranch practicing moving sideways and not turning our bodies, so the shaft didn't bump our hinders. He was a little goosy aobut that, but I wasn't using blinders but he only squirted out from the shafts a couple of times and went right back to it. Like "ok I can get out if I need to, so this can't be that bad." YO, was calling himself "rickshaw boy" because he was driving the cart around and getting Timme used to the sounds and sights and all. We told Timme he could be a rickshaw boy, too! Timme being the wonderfully willing gullible gentle soul that he is said/thought, "That kid can do it, I bet I can too." and proceed to do it, just fine. We probably won't actually tie him into the cart for 2-3 more lessons, as we still need work on the goosy parts and need to introduce the tug of the britching and all that stuff. (I can see YO skiing slowly hanging onto hay string tied to the britchin as I backTimme away from him).
Sunday: leisure start to the day, and then worked 3 sets of horses for/with Kelly. We did Bill, the mare Kit <-- who is much improved from the previous post) and Kelly's mare Sage. Sage went without a pony line for the first time sunday and was cool about the whole deal...
gotta go pick up Oldest Son... got his phone taken at school and I need to retrieve it, so I can lock it away for a while.... :(
hopefully more sooner than later.. happy trails, enjoy the spring flowers even if it is mostly fiddle neck!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tornado - in coming!!
Ok, we don't get tornados out here, but after the week I've had it may have well have been one. Off to the Back Country Horsesman of California Rendezvous in Merced at the County Fair, Youngest One and I trundle off with the Kit mare along for Matt Sheridan to work in his clinic.
Signups had "stalls" @ $20/night, so I packed shavings and buckets and stall stuff... Rolled in around 8:30PM on thurs. and what? no stalls, they had them, but even the event organizer (not a horse person) wouldn't let me use them. Little Kit was gonna get more than her one or two lessons this weekend.... Turned her out in an arena with 5 other stock all owned by the same guy. She immediately picked out the smallest burro out there and started cutting it from the herd.
By this time its a long way past my bedtime and my friends said they keep track of her for me, and off to the hotel I went. Nice place, Kelly was already there. The Booth we vend for the AV Unit of BCHC was set up and ready to go, so we turned in.
Friday AM: Youngest one is still in a wrist cast from his latest scooter advetnure, so bag the cast/duct tape/shower for him and then the rest of us and off to the fair... Picked Kit up out of the arena, and she was a little pushy and sorta haughty about the fact she got to track that poor little burro all over hell and gone all night long. Brought her over to where Matt would be clinicing, and found a stand alone pen for her to be in. Did I mention she's only been with buddies or in a separate pen next to somebody before? Food & water out for her and off to the booth to check on Kelly and Youngest one. They are doing fine, so nervous mother that I am, I head back out to check the mare. She's fine and Matt still isn't here, back to the booth to try and help there for awhile, but really not focused on what needs doing.
Matt rolls in and wants me to go ahead and saddle the mare and tells me we plan on riding her both days (oh great, now I can make a fool of myself twice in one weekend). He starts on the first horse and I stand with the mare outside on a halter line. About an hour later, JC the first mare is done and he calls me in explaning our background and his work with us thus far. We start off just circling and bending left (bad side) on the halter from the ground, much like he finished up with JC, but she is not the same horse we had last weekend at his place. Resistant, and non-compliant, and not trying very much. Matt takes over and tries to get her working, but still no really change. The decision is made to "lay her down. "
First thought - my saddle and tack will be dirt filled, yuck.
2nd thought - it all washes, if she needs it, go ahead.
Next - oh call Kelly out of the booth to watch, too.
I have only some idea what this entails, and Matt asks me, "It will probably take about 45 minutes for this mare to decide to lay down for us, are you ok with that?" He's the trainer, so I agree and step out of the way and watch the man work his magic.
In the next 45 minutes, he danced with this mare and was safe with her until she chose to lay down for him. He had a tough time, the mare has had her way all her life and no one has ever asked this of her before. She went through all the stages, fighting him, sulling up and getting mad, etc. She even went as far as to flop herself down, and then raise her head and look at him as if to say, "Is this what you want and can I get up now?" at which point she'd come up swinging for Matt with her head or her shoulder or a front foot. That little mare was not about to choose to lay down and (the important part) let down emotionally. Matt was right, at about 45 minutes, she finally laid down and shut her eyes and just rested there calmly. Stretched out like a big dog sunning herself in the pasture. When he was done, he just let her rest and get up on her own - took about 3-4 minutes for her to regain her feet. She first sat up like a dog and looked around like "mmhuh, well, looks like they don't want hurt me after all." She caught her breath and got up to her feet, and just stood there. Matt gave her patts and turned her over to me and said, "She's gonna need a bath." The crowd was good, Matt asked that when the mare went down that they please stay quiet and for the most part they did. Everybody clapped and I led her off and the mare who has only had one bath her entire life stood stock still (not even tied) while I washed the entire mess (saddle, horse, pads). I tied her to the trailer, undressed her, and turned to watch Matt's remaining stock work.
That was emotional for all of us; I was a nervous wreck hoping Matt wouldn't get hurt, YO who videoed most of it, was worried for the mare and his mom (who evidently was a little pale through the whole thing), Matt was working hard to stay safe and keep the mare from hurting herself or him, Kelly was watching to make sure it all went down well and to know what she'd have to deal with when we got home, and I was just a wreck worrying about the mare, Matt's safety, my tack, the mess I've have to clean up after, how she'd turn out, would it make a difference, will I be able to transfer this lesson on to me, not just Matt. Gosh the list was endless.
Afterwards at dinner, YO asked Matt, "So Matt do you dance that well with your wife?" Got a totally blank look from Matt, YO explained that it looked like he was dancing with the mare this afternoon... Matt did an aw shucks kinda move, smiled and said, "No, I'm a horse trainer, not a dancer."
BTW we highlined all Matt's horses (even mine-I borrowed one) <-- Another lesson for Kit. Tied overnight. Another tale for another time... Off to bed.
Signups had "stalls" @ $20/night, so I packed shavings and buckets and stall stuff... Rolled in around 8:30PM on thurs. and what? no stalls, they had them, but even the event organizer (not a horse person) wouldn't let me use them. Little Kit was gonna get more than her one or two lessons this weekend.... Turned her out in an arena with 5 other stock all owned by the same guy. She immediately picked out the smallest burro out there and started cutting it from the herd.
By this time its a long way past my bedtime and my friends said they keep track of her for me, and off to the hotel I went. Nice place, Kelly was already there. The Booth we vend for the AV Unit of BCHC was set up and ready to go, so we turned in.
Friday AM: Youngest one is still in a wrist cast from his latest scooter advetnure, so bag the cast/duct tape/shower for him and then the rest of us and off to the fair... Picked Kit up out of the arena, and she was a little pushy and sorta haughty about the fact she got to track that poor little burro all over hell and gone all night long. Brought her over to where Matt would be clinicing, and found a stand alone pen for her to be in. Did I mention she's only been with buddies or in a separate pen next to somebody before? Food & water out for her and off to the booth to check on Kelly and Youngest one. They are doing fine, so nervous mother that I am, I head back out to check the mare. She's fine and Matt still isn't here, back to the booth to try and help there for awhile, but really not focused on what needs doing.
Matt rolls in and wants me to go ahead and saddle the mare and tells me we plan on riding her both days (oh great, now I can make a fool of myself twice in one weekend). He starts on the first horse and I stand with the mare outside on a halter line. About an hour later, JC the first mare is done and he calls me in explaning our background and his work with us thus far. We start off just circling and bending left (bad side) on the halter from the ground, much like he finished up with JC, but she is not the same horse we had last weekend at his place. Resistant, and non-compliant, and not trying very much. Matt takes over and tries to get her working, but still no really change. The decision is made to "lay her down. "
First thought - my saddle and tack will be dirt filled, yuck.
2nd thought - it all washes, if she needs it, go ahead.
Next - oh call Kelly out of the booth to watch, too.
I have only some idea what this entails, and Matt asks me, "It will probably take about 45 minutes for this mare to decide to lay down for us, are you ok with that?" He's the trainer, so I agree and step out of the way and watch the man work his magic.
In the next 45 minutes, he danced with this mare and was safe with her until she chose to lay down for him. He had a tough time, the mare has had her way all her life and no one has ever asked this of her before. She went through all the stages, fighting him, sulling up and getting mad, etc. She even went as far as to flop herself down, and then raise her head and look at him as if to say, "Is this what you want and can I get up now?" at which point she'd come up swinging for Matt with her head or her shoulder or a front foot. That little mare was not about to choose to lay down and (the important part) let down emotionally. Matt was right, at about 45 minutes, she finally laid down and shut her eyes and just rested there calmly. Stretched out like a big dog sunning herself in the pasture. When he was done, he just let her rest and get up on her own - took about 3-4 minutes for her to regain her feet. She first sat up like a dog and looked around like "mmhuh, well, looks like they don't want hurt me after all." She caught her breath and got up to her feet, and just stood there. Matt gave her patts and turned her over to me and said, "She's gonna need a bath." The crowd was good, Matt asked that when the mare went down that they please stay quiet and for the most part they did. Everybody clapped and I led her off and the mare who has only had one bath her entire life stood stock still (not even tied) while I washed the entire mess (saddle, horse, pads). I tied her to the trailer, undressed her, and turned to watch Matt's remaining stock work.
That was emotional for all of us; I was a nervous wreck hoping Matt wouldn't get hurt, YO who videoed most of it, was worried for the mare and his mom (who evidently was a little pale through the whole thing), Matt was working hard to stay safe and keep the mare from hurting herself or him, Kelly was watching to make sure it all went down well and to know what she'd have to deal with when we got home, and I was just a wreck worrying about the mare, Matt's safety, my tack, the mess I've have to clean up after, how she'd turn out, would it make a difference, will I be able to transfer this lesson on to me, not just Matt. Gosh the list was endless.
Afterwards at dinner, YO asked Matt, "So Matt do you dance that well with your wife?" Got a totally blank look from Matt, YO explained that it looked like he was dancing with the mare this afternoon... Matt did an aw shucks kinda move, smiled and said, "No, I'm a horse trainer, not a dancer."
BTW we highlined all Matt's horses (even mine-I borrowed one) <-- Another lesson for Kit. Tied overnight. Another tale for another time... Off to bed.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Dream Contest, mmmm what's yours?
http://bitlesshorse.blogspot.com/2010/03/contest-dreams.html
this link is to a dream contest, post the answer to your dreams in the comments and you could win the really cool horse hair charm pictured. If you want, copy paste the comment here, so we can all read them...
So having said that,
Tell me what your "American (Or Canadian for them there) dream is" How are you going to achieve it? Does it involve horses? Are you already living it? Give us the details here in a comment and you could win this lovely little bridle (or key chain, your call) tassel.
here's mine: (currently)
My Dream: Living most of it.... house wiht acreage and a nice barn, family, happy marriage, good kids, nice horses living on my place, good friends, $$ enough to keep the creditors happy, and time to spend with my family and my horses.
How:Working my ass off as a HS teacher until its time to retire, probably after Youngest finishes college (about 10 more years),
Horses: you betcha, part of that dream is to ride Gettsburg on my horses and go on a couple AQHA trail rides, and be a competitor in Ranch Horse Versatility, at least locally. I'm training a homebred mare that is a really good RVH prospect. Got a nice homebred gelding that makes a great trail horse for camping, or for freinds to ride that would tune up real nice, if needed. My stallion, Rodeo, is a darling, I need to promote him more, but he is the best minded horse I've ever ridden. So much try, and so much please, and all this on top of good bloodlines and confirmation. I love my horses, they are part of the family. Even my boys say Rodeo is the middle child at our house. Two comfort loving ridgebacks complete the picture and its my favorite time of day at teh end of it donwn at the barn after I've fed and the dog are who-rahing the sun down and the horses are munching, and the shadows are crawling down the hill and into the valley floor.
this link is to a dream contest, post the answer to your dreams in the comments and you could win the really cool horse hair charm pictured. If you want, copy paste the comment here, so we can all read them...
So having said that,
Tell me what your "American (Or Canadian for them there) dream is" How are you going to achieve it? Does it involve horses? Are you already living it? Give us the details here in a comment and you could win this lovely little bridle (or key chain, your call) tassel.
here's mine: (currently)
My Dream: Living most of it.... house wiht acreage and a nice barn, family, happy marriage, good kids, nice horses living on my place, good friends, $$ enough to keep the creditors happy, and time to spend with my family and my horses.
How:Working my ass off as a HS teacher until its time to retire, probably after Youngest finishes college (about 10 more years),
Horses: you betcha, part of that dream is to ride Gettsburg on my horses and go on a couple AQHA trail rides, and be a competitor in Ranch Horse Versatility, at least locally. I'm training a homebred mare that is a really good RVH prospect. Got a nice homebred gelding that makes a great trail horse for camping, or for freinds to ride that would tune up real nice, if needed. My stallion, Rodeo, is a darling, I need to promote him more, but he is the best minded horse I've ever ridden. So much try, and so much please, and all this on top of good bloodlines and confirmation. I love my horses, they are part of the family. Even my boys say Rodeo is the middle child at our house. Two comfort loving ridgebacks complete the picture and its my favorite time of day at teh end of it donwn at the barn after I've fed and the dog are who-rahing the sun down and the horses are munching, and the shadows are crawling down the hill and into the valley floor.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Trail ride from the house. Got home in a rush. Maggie said she'd ride with me but they were almost ready. Tried to rush Kit, and ended up back in the round pen with the side reins on just watching her go. She wouldn't walk. Half Halts weren't working. Circles just made her worse . I haven't the energy to do this today. So back to the ranch, into the round pen and on the side reins she went.
Took her all of 10 minutes of dragging herself around the round pen at a fast trot to figure out I wasn't the one pulling on her face.
She walked about three minutes and will probably trot for another 45 before she slows down enough to think walking would be easier. Maybe I can nap while she's out there.... I can dream can I? Wait. It only took her 4 start walking. There might be brain in there somewhere under all that energy. Smart little mare. Maybe it was the lounge chair and can of soda that clued her in. Or the clack of the keyboard of me blogging about her. LOL
Tuesday after the Insanity
Off to ride the mare, Kit again... I am dreading screwing her up, but what I need to do is ride her and work on what I need to work on. Facing your inadequacies is tough, and this one is evidently a big one. < sigh> Will let you know how it goes... E>)
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Insanity in the snow
ok, here's how it went.
Plan: Lesson with Matt Sheridan at his place in Tehachapi. Sorta worried about fee and our budget, but prayed it'd work out.
Night before: got a email from Matt about hauling a horse up for him from Phelan for the price of my lesson (prayer does get answered, thank you God). Make arrangements, get horse, take Kelly with me for advice and general entertainment value. Also she sees me ride more and can continue the things Matt sees/tells me. And if I'm lucky she'll offer to drive home and I can nap.
Morning of: outta bed, showered, etc. got horse picked up, Kellys along with... Everythings going smoothly. Unload at Matts saddle up (it is a biting 36 degrees with a overcast sky and 15 MPH winds, snow flurries half way thru lesson).
First off, Kit is fresh, so she's walking and looking and looking and not paying me much mind. Matt says, No this is not allowed, she is to pay attention to you and give you her face and shoulder and ribs at all times. No bracing or bending against you or heavens not pulling on you. He takes over, Kit softens up her face, shoulder, and ribs from the ground in the halter and starts walking like the lady I know she can be. Mmmmm, what am I doing wrong that would give that bad habit a start. <-- Being too lenient and not paying attention to where her body is from the ground. ok got it work on that.
Into the round coral (not even the arena), ok this will be a basics day. She needs that (maybe? I guess Matt would know- its what I paying for right?). He works her again from the ground about 4 or 5 times left then only one time right and then back left. His release and demand is consistent and smooth, timing flawless, the mare is learning to give her face,shoulders, and ribs to him as asked, when asked, as much as is asked, no more. Then he climbs on her, same lesson with variation of adding the halter as a left side rein to help me(him) stay outta her mouth and still get the necessary bend etc. Gets her going good, settled in great.
This whole time Kelly is whacking me in the arm everytime Matt says something she has been telling me for the last 6 months, ok she only actually connected 3-4 times, but she was constantly giving me the "see, its the same lesson we've been having for the last 6 months." This must be so frustrating for her to have to listen to the same stuff she's been saying over and over to me again from a different angle. She tries handing me the new camera to take pictures, so I try and use it for all of 5 minutes and give it back to her because I can't concentrate on what he's saying and take pictures. Screw the pictures I'm here for the lesson.
Crap, now its time for me to ride the mare. On we go, and its the same lesson over and over. at one point he was pulling on my sleeve like I pull on the mare. I had no clue, so I was just giving to the pressure and leaning over toward him, he kept pulling and finally said, are you gonna let me pull you off of this horse? I am clueless what he is trying to get across, so I look at him like, Is that what you want me to do? What do you want me to do pull back?, so I try resisting, and he pulls again and releases the moment I give. Then he pulls again and says this is how I want you to pull and releases as fast as I give in a smooth pull, release. Then he pulls again and says this is how you are pulling and pulls lightly, I give and he only lightens the pressure then pulls again lightly, I give more and he holds the pull and asks me what I would do if this was one of my kids. I take a light swat at his head and he says, "Exactly what the mare is doing, isn't it?" She is wanting it this way... demonstrating correctly again and you are giving her this demonstrating what I'm doing wrong again. You've got to really release this mare, she wants you to throw her head away when she gives you what you want.
So I try it, he corrects,
I try it ok better,
I try it not quick enough,
I try it nope, pull smoothly until you get the change, then dump her.
I try it no don't shake the rein at her pull smoothly until she gives, then release.
But she isn't holding the bend,
so turn her again, add another corner to the circle (really a polygon).
Pick up, release,
pick up release again, again, again.....
right, wrong wrong right better wrong ...
relax your hand after you release her you look like a SpEd kid. pick up release pick and hold...
When she's given her ribs take a leg off and let her stop
look for her release of your pressure, release her there.
getting better, practice sliding your hand up the rein to shorten it, more, your not picking her up enough.
Its like your teaching a kid learning division and rewarding her for putting her pencil on the paper, but not writing any answer. Pull through smoothly until you get the change, don't let her take the rein away until she's given, then give her all she wants.
Now try right, she's not a resistant this way because your hand comes out to the side more naturally, stop pulling straight to the hip on the left, its gotta be out to the knee at the side. Right is easier for you (why is that? I'm lefthanded??)
Now back left, no don't pull up, pull out to the side. What was that? A fix not a turn... I just wanted her face straight not a turn. ok, no for now its gotta be a turn if you touch her face, left or right, but turn even if its only a slight corner, make it a change in her body.
ok you lost forward, flap (not spur or cue) just bounce your inside leg on her with no pressure on her face, get forward then ask for turn, ok try that start again. gather your reins like your going to do something, squeeze and tip forward, flap your leg if she won't move. He likes a horses that needs a little winding up to get moving. good you've got forward now pick up and turn, release her, pick up, release, pick up, release, better, not enough, don't shake your rein smooth pulls to her change and release.
End of lesson: we ended on a postive note couple of good turns and releases.
Take her up an tie her to a rail and watch the next lesson. Rene on Star in the two rein setup. They are much further along then us. We still are in the snaffle and seem stuck there forever. Will I ever learn the timing and intensity and ability to read this mare? She is telling me what she wants and I don't know how to give it to her.
My habits seem to never change and aren't getting any better, have I peaked out as a trainer? No matter how hard I try and visualize what needs doing, practice doing it right (or so I think), its never right, its always the same issue for the last six months (Kelly will probably say years) but glaringly for the last 6 months.
At times like these I feel like an English teacher trying to teach Spanish to 3rd graders when what they really need is long division math. I have reached a point that I am blindly searching for the correct way to do it, and not knowing what the correct way should look like when I get it or how to I got the corect way if I did get it. The only thing I can compare it to is trying to teach somebody to change a tire when they have never even seen a tire on a car to know what needs changing and there is no car in sight. I'd like to ride a more finished horse once or twice under total supervison, so I can get my cueing, releasing, and timing down better before trying to teach it to my green reining horse Kit.
The only time I ever actually rode a trained finished horse was once in a long time ago when somebody let me ride their "old rope horse." "Be careful Snake's a mean one" was all the warning I got. He was a little rusty, but from what I'd seen Kelly do, I asked this horse to spin and viola he spun, slowly at first, then when I asked for speed, he gave it to me. Oh Lord in Heaven, what a wonderful feeling. He turned right better then he turned left, but he did both pretty good for me not even having done more than watching Kelly school her horses(15 years before). When I finished playing with him the owner got down off the fence and said, How'd you make him do that? I've never seen him do that except to dump somebody off. He's never done that on command, what did you do? Then he wouldn't let me ride him anymore, because I petted him and told him he was a good boy and I was spoiling him.
Drove home, unloaded, fed the crew and went up to the house to cry out my frustrations.... Now you've read the whole nasty story.... What do I do?
Plan: Lesson with Matt Sheridan at his place in Tehachapi. Sorta worried about fee and our budget, but prayed it'd work out.
Night before: got a email from Matt about hauling a horse up for him from Phelan for the price of my lesson (prayer does get answered, thank you God). Make arrangements, get horse, take Kelly with me for advice and general entertainment value. Also she sees me ride more and can continue the things Matt sees/tells me. And if I'm lucky she'll offer to drive home and I can nap.
Morning of: outta bed, showered, etc. got horse picked up, Kellys along with... Everythings going smoothly. Unload at Matts saddle up (it is a biting 36 degrees with a overcast sky and 15 MPH winds, snow flurries half way thru lesson).
First off, Kit is fresh, so she's walking and looking and looking and not paying me much mind. Matt says, No this is not allowed, she is to pay attention to you and give you her face and shoulder and ribs at all times. No bracing or bending against you or heavens not pulling on you. He takes over, Kit softens up her face, shoulder, and ribs from the ground in the halter and starts walking like the lady I know she can be. Mmmmm, what am I doing wrong that would give that bad habit a start. <-- Being too lenient and not paying attention to where her body is from the ground. ok got it work on that.
Into the round coral (not even the arena), ok this will be a basics day. She needs that (maybe? I guess Matt would know- its what I paying for right?). He works her again from the ground about 4 or 5 times left then only one time right and then back left. His release and demand is consistent and smooth, timing flawless, the mare is learning to give her face,shoulders, and ribs to him as asked, when asked, as much as is asked, no more. Then he climbs on her, same lesson with variation of adding the halter as a left side rein to help me(him) stay outta her mouth and still get the necessary bend etc. Gets her going good, settled in great.
This whole time Kelly is whacking me in the arm everytime Matt says something she has been telling me for the last 6 months, ok she only actually connected 3-4 times, but she was constantly giving me the "see, its the same lesson we've been having for the last 6 months." This must be so frustrating for her to have to listen to the same stuff she's been saying over and over to me again from a different angle. She tries handing me the new camera to take pictures, so I try and use it for all of 5 minutes and give it back to her because I can't concentrate on what he's saying and take pictures. Screw the pictures I'm here for the lesson.
Crap, now its time for me to ride the mare. On we go, and its the same lesson over and over. at one point he was pulling on my sleeve like I pull on the mare. I had no clue, so I was just giving to the pressure and leaning over toward him, he kept pulling and finally said, are you gonna let me pull you off of this horse? I am clueless what he is trying to get across, so I look at him like, Is that what you want me to do? What do you want me to do pull back?, so I try resisting, and he pulls again and releases the moment I give. Then he pulls again and says this is how I want you to pull and releases as fast as I give in a smooth pull, release. Then he pulls again and says this is how you are pulling and pulls lightly, I give and he only lightens the pressure then pulls again lightly, I give more and he holds the pull and asks me what I would do if this was one of my kids. I take a light swat at his head and he says, "Exactly what the mare is doing, isn't it?" She is wanting it this way... demonstrating correctly again and you are giving her this demonstrating what I'm doing wrong again. You've got to really release this mare, she wants you to throw her head away when she gives you what you want.
So I try it, he corrects,
I try it ok better,
I try it not quick enough,
I try it nope, pull smoothly until you get the change, then dump her.
I try it no don't shake the rein at her pull smoothly until she gives, then release.
But she isn't holding the bend,
so turn her again, add another corner to the circle (really a polygon).
Pick up, release,
pick up release again, again, again.....
right, wrong wrong right better wrong ...
relax your hand after you release her you look like a SpEd kid. pick up release pick and hold...
When she's given her ribs take a leg off and let her stop
look for her release of your pressure, release her there.
getting better, practice sliding your hand up the rein to shorten it, more, your not picking her up enough.
Its like your teaching a kid learning division and rewarding her for putting her pencil on the paper, but not writing any answer. Pull through smoothly until you get the change, don't let her take the rein away until she's given, then give her all she wants.
Now try right, she's not a resistant this way because your hand comes out to the side more naturally, stop pulling straight to the hip on the left, its gotta be out to the knee at the side. Right is easier for you (why is that? I'm lefthanded??)
Now back left, no don't pull up, pull out to the side. What was that? A fix not a turn... I just wanted her face straight not a turn. ok, no for now its gotta be a turn if you touch her face, left or right, but turn even if its only a slight corner, make it a change in her body.
ok you lost forward, flap (not spur or cue) just bounce your inside leg on her with no pressure on her face, get forward then ask for turn, ok try that start again. gather your reins like your going to do something, squeeze and tip forward, flap your leg if she won't move. He likes a horses that needs a little winding up to get moving. good you've got forward now pick up and turn, release her, pick up, release, pick up, release, better, not enough, don't shake your rein smooth pulls to her change and release.
End of lesson: we ended on a postive note couple of good turns and releases.
Take her up an tie her to a rail and watch the next lesson. Rene on Star in the two rein setup. They are much further along then us. We still are in the snaffle and seem stuck there forever. Will I ever learn the timing and intensity and ability to read this mare? She is telling me what she wants and I don't know how to give it to her.
My habits seem to never change and aren't getting any better, have I peaked out as a trainer? No matter how hard I try and visualize what needs doing, practice doing it right (or so I think), its never right, its always the same issue for the last six months (Kelly will probably say years) but glaringly for the last 6 months.
At times like these I feel like an English teacher trying to teach Spanish to 3rd graders when what they really need is long division math. I have reached a point that I am blindly searching for the correct way to do it, and not knowing what the correct way should look like when I get it or how to I got the corect way if I did get it. The only thing I can compare it to is trying to teach somebody to change a tire when they have never even seen a tire on a car to know what needs changing and there is no car in sight. I'd like to ride a more finished horse once or twice under total supervison, so I can get my cueing, releasing, and timing down better before trying to teach it to my green reining horse Kit.
The only time I ever actually rode a trained finished horse was once in a long time ago when somebody let me ride their "old rope horse." "Be careful Snake's a mean one" was all the warning I got. He was a little rusty, but from what I'd seen Kelly do, I asked this horse to spin and viola he spun, slowly at first, then when I asked for speed, he gave it to me. Oh Lord in Heaven, what a wonderful feeling. He turned right better then he turned left, but he did both pretty good for me not even having done more than watching Kelly school her horses(15 years before). When I finished playing with him the owner got down off the fence and said, How'd you make him do that? I've never seen him do that except to dump somebody off. He's never done that on command, what did you do? Then he wouldn't let me ride him anymore, because I petted him and told him he was a good boy and I was spoiling him.
Drove home, unloaded, fed the crew and went up to the house to cry out my frustrations.... Now you've read the whole nasty story.... What do I do?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Whew what a week (wait its only wednesday)!
The haitus is continuing, I thought I'd stop by and let you know that I am BURIED in taxes and Calculus and paperwork. Back in touch hopefully next week.. I'll let yo know how it went...
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Test Photo Upload - Winter ....
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Watching Matt Sheridan at equinne affaire. Yeah I snuck off to see Matt. Been good so far, only bought wormers, hotwire stand offs, and a key chain do dah.
Matt is going thru the basic four steps of body control. He is refreshing the basics we learned in octobers clinic. Riding the others horses, showing braceyness and patience.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Help I'm glued to the chair...
ok no not really, but its one hour after schools out on a friday and I'm still parked in the chair... GO home, my brain says. Body says, Nah just read a couple more blogs and then maybe we'll move.
Gotta a substitute coming in Monday for a conference I have to attend. He's my usual, so plans are a minimum, but still I need to leave something other than the Calculus book i used 6th period friday out for him... or do I....
Maybe I'll just come in early Monday and brief him then
(brain says bad idea, you always move slow and late on mondays, don't risk it)
aawwww this is ruining my vegitative state, I can't truly vege when I'm fusssing about something.
Crap, better go and get ready for the sub. We have rain coming and I need to squeeze a ride in before hand.
ok, ok, ok, I'm moving already.
Have a great weekend everybody who is giong to Equinee affaire in Pomona this weekend.
I am broke and staying home. :( E>)
Gotta a substitute coming in Monday for a conference I have to attend. He's my usual, so plans are a minimum, but still I need to leave something other than the Calculus book i used 6th period friday out for him... or do I....
Maybe I'll just come in early Monday and brief him then
(brain says bad idea, you always move slow and late on mondays, don't risk it)
aawwww this is ruining my vegitative state, I can't truly vege when I'm fusssing about something.
Crap, better go and get ready for the sub. We have rain coming and I need to squeeze a ride in before hand.
ok, ok, ok, I'm moving already.
Have a great weekend everybody who is giong to Equinee affaire in Pomona this weekend.
I am broke and staying home.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The tax man cometh
It is a really, really, REALLY bad idea to be too busy to open the snail mail for more than 2 months(mistake #1). Ok, ok, ok I know that was not the only stupid thing I did(n't) do. I pay my bills online or with a CC, so I keep track of who and how much the usual people/businesses get online. Well silly me, of course the IRS doesn't have time to track me down for an audit from 2006, it will get handled when I have time (mistake #2). I was only notified of it during the spring of 2009, so they won't be after me for a while, I've got time.
WRONG!
$4400 later (short out of a monthly check of usually ~ $5K) They have my attention. Crap, I guess I have time now to look for the data they need to verify stuff they already have access to and could check themselves.... Power of Attroney to the Tax Guy, other documents from the District office, and CTA office and we start the re-evaluation audit process.
3 meetings today.... more later assuming I can afford the time.....
Now I get to decide who to call first the mortgage company, or the credit cards, or the utilities.
WRONG!
$4400 later (short out of a monthly check of usually ~ $5K) They have my attention. Crap, I guess I have time now to look for the data they need to verify stuff they already have access to and could check themselves.... Power of Attroney to the Tax Guy, other documents from the District office, and CTA office and we start the re-evaluation audit process.
3 meetings today.... more later assuming I can afford the time.....
Now I get to decide who to call first the mortgage company, or the credit cards, or the utilities.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Weekend Report
Weekends always end up about 3 days too short. I went to "Town" with the girls on Sat and did the round of Thirfty Horse in Norco (browsing for a full quarter saddle with a flared front -no luck), Coldwater Creek (late christmas exchange- got a shawl like sweater thing that supposedly will dress up my tshirt and jeans combos a bit), the Apple store(ordered Calvins b-day gift, check out the iPad), Buzzard House (for dog food), and ended up with a trip to Cheesecake Factory (Lousiana chicken pasta) with hopes of making it home to ride... yeah right. We piled out at the ranch at 3:30 and immdeiately they immediately started in with the reasons why we couldn't possible squeeze a ride in today. The boys and Jim went ice skating at Ice Station in Santa Clarita with the Troop (243 -Littlerock), even got food on the way home so I didn't have to make dinner.
So Sunday at 1PM, we all gathered and tried to get some riding done. But alas, no joy there either, the motorcylclists had to be wrangled by 4x4 and advised of property ownership and negative appeal of motorcycles in the area. So 45 mintues later, me and Kit had warmed up, done all our HW, (She is progressing nicely on the "get your head on the circle", and follow my seat/lean in the turns. She is even beginning to sidepass against the rail.). We practiced standing and being bored for a solid 15 minutes, then she'd fuss and we'd wander around working on the power steering and focus. Got a total of about 5 good big sighs out of her, so she was relaxing).
Ended up on Fizz, another mare of Kelly's, for the last 5 minutes. She is a rescue. Such a basket case when she got her one year ago and now she's a totally different horse. She spent a last winter here adjusting to life in a pasture (living in the 24x24 attachd to it), and went to Havilah for some hill training last summer-came back a "pretend wild horse" and then figured out humans give out treats if you meet them at the gate. Today she was real bracey and kept pinning her ears like she was worried I was gonna get after her and hurt her. We just walked around the arena and did a couple of small turns (maybe 10m cirlces), backed up and were done. She has a lot of training on her, however, Kelly believes some of it wasn't the most kindly done and thats why she is so defensive. I was amazed at how light she was and once she started to trust (albeit only a little) me, she was working good. Kit was looking at me, like "hey WTH I'm your horse, ride me, why her?"
Made stuffed pumpkin for supper, Valeries famous recipe that I always beg for. It was a breeze and really good. Have plenty of leftovers for another meal and couple of lunches.
Gotta figure out how to upload pictures like ya'll do, all this writing is looking boring... mmmm
So Sunday at 1PM, we all gathered and tried to get some riding done. But alas, no joy there either, the motorcylclists had to be wrangled by 4x4 and advised of property ownership and negative appeal of motorcycles in the area. So 45 mintues later, me and Kit had warmed up, done all our HW, (She is progressing nicely on the "get your head on the circle", and follow my seat/lean in the turns. She is even beginning to sidepass against the rail.). We practiced standing and being bored for a solid 15 minutes, then she'd fuss and we'd wander around working on the power steering and focus. Got a total of about 5 good big sighs out of her, so she was relaxing).
Ended up on Fizz, another mare of Kelly's, for the last 5 minutes. She is a rescue. Such a basket case when she got her one year ago and now she's a totally different horse. She spent a last winter here adjusting to life in a pasture (living in the 24x24 attachd to it), and went to Havilah for some hill training last summer-came back a "pretend wild horse" and then figured out humans give out treats if you meet them at the gate. Today she was real bracey and kept pinning her ears like she was worried I was gonna get after her and hurt her. We just walked around the arena and did a couple of small turns (maybe 10m cirlces), backed up and were done. She has a lot of training on her, however, Kelly believes some of it wasn't the most kindly done and thats why she is so defensive. I was amazed at how light she was and once she started to trust (albeit only a little) me, she was working good. Kit was looking at me, like "hey WTH I'm your horse, ride me, why her?"
Made stuffed pumpkin for supper, Valeries famous recipe that I always beg for. It was a breeze and really good. Have plenty of leftovers for another meal and couple of lunches.
Gotta figure out how to upload pictures like ya'll do, all this writing is looking boring... mmmm
Friday, January 29, 2010
We are Trench-less
The last of the dirt has been applied and the rain has settled the dirt and we are essentially trench-free at the Midnight Canyon Ranch. We need to do some leveling, but basically we are finished. Jim has moved on to the next project (Kristl's hay/muck/mud/drainage issues) and is almost done with that. She is living in the round pen for now and Rodeo has finally quite wondering where the hell HIS "MMmmaarrreeee" is? Jim removed a panel, removed countless loads of muck and returned over 23 loads of dirt to the pen. I think she will enjoy landscaping it to her desired liking.
The trenching set the pen cleaning back about a month, so we have some catching up to do. Timme's got done when he got OUT and browsed his way thru every feed can in the barn and then visited every horse in the barn and was probably bragging he was out and they weren't. Oh well, snaps get double checked at the ranch now. He lived, no heat in his feet and no bellyache, he is a tough little pumpkin colored boy. Sadly Rodeo only got ridden once this month, so he is the beggar when we talk about needing out.
It friday and I'm off to a lesson at Kelly's on Kit. Who I hear is so desparate to be out that even standoffish, Idontknowyou Kit is putting her head in anybodys halter at the gate. She got shoes about a week ago, so she's good to go. Can't wait to learn more on her about training and reining and spins and , and and and ...... gotta ride !!!
The trenching set the pen cleaning back about a month, so we have some catching up to do. Timme's got done when he got OUT and browsed his way thru every feed can in the barn and then visited every horse in the barn and was probably bragging he was out and they weren't. Oh well, snaps get double checked at the ranch now. He lived, no heat in his feet and no bellyache, he is a tough little pumpkin colored boy. Sadly Rodeo only got ridden once this month, so he is the beggar when we talk about needing out.
It friday and I'm off to a lesson at Kelly's on Kit. Who I hear is so desparate to be out that even standoffish, Idontknowyou Kit is putting her head in anybodys halter at the gate. She got shoes about a week ago, so she's good to go. Can't wait to learn more on her about training and reining and spins and , and and and ...... gotta ride !!!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The Trenches
Since the beginning of December we have been digging at the barn. First it was ditching for water for the pasture, then I offered Calvin $150 for a ditch to the last pen, so we could lose the hoses and have spickets at each stock tank and not so much freeze worry. I put a deadline on the finish date (with -15%per day late penalty) of 12.31.2009, and told him several times that the digging was tough and needed spread out over several days. Calvin dug for a couple of days in the filled in easy stuff, then layed off for the remaining time thinking all the rest of the digging was going to be that easy. He started digging on the 12.29.2009, and when it was obvious that he wasn't going to finish anytime soon, let alone by the deadline. He walked away with the excuse of "I'm just saving the family money" and "I'll still help you finish it, I just don't want you to have to pay me (I think I was truly hearing - don't pester me about the deadline and I sick of doing this - it ain't worth it)."
Jim finally got the ditch dug thru the inguenuity of the desparate and the thinking of a tractor man. He went to one of his welding guys and had them weld a 3/4" diameter spike extension 18-22" (onto one of the teeth of the gannon's ripper (he bought an extra one from AV Turf & Tractor-Jim favorite store). The guy called him crazy and almost wouldn't do it mumbling about liability/crashing the tractor. He made it and Jim stuck that tractor in A-1, and away he went. Trench got dug, and now we lay the pipe.
Back to the story, its mid-January now and rain is coming, duh!!! Jim has been busting his ass getting the pipe layed and the drain pipe for the horse laundry run, and the boys aren't as helpful as I'd like. In fact right now they are watching the movie and not helping Jim. I asked them to go help, and Calvin is putting his shoes on.
I am sure that my wonderful husband will finish the project and we will living like normal horse people and be reasonably hose-dragging free. If it snows, mayhaps the hoses won't freeze.
Jim finally got the ditch dug thru the inguenuity of the desparate and the thinking of a tractor man. He went to one of his welding guys and had them weld a 3/4" diameter spike extension 18-22" (onto one of the teeth of the gannon's ripper (he bought an extra one from AV Turf & Tractor-Jim favorite store). The guy called him crazy and almost wouldn't do it mumbling about liability/crashing the tractor. He made it and Jim stuck that tractor in A-1, and away he went. Trench got dug, and now we lay the pipe.
Back to the story, its mid-January now and rain is coming, duh!!! Jim has been busting his ass getting the pipe layed and the drain pipe for the horse laundry run, and the boys aren't as helpful as I'd like. In fact right now they are watching the movie and not helping Jim. I asked them to go help, and Calvin is putting his shoes on.
I am sure that my wonderful husband will finish the project and we will living like normal horse people and be reasonably hose-dragging free. If it snows, mayhaps the hoses won't freeze.
First Mornin' Back in School 2010
7:AM - Cruise in, put coffee on, bell rings, warm up starts on my Geometry class, roll is taken, slackers redirected for the 3rd or 4th time. One of them comes up and says, 'I need a notebbook.' I put out my hand in a typical gesture for that comment, and add 'quarter?' He gives me a "low five slap" (nothing majoron that), and swings his hand up past my face like a backhanded slap was going to be applied. I feel the wind in my eyelashes from it and automatically my brain jumps to hyper speed. No Way, he did not just do that? Listening to the remaining 35 students holding their breath in the silence that is dragging on, yep he musta..... mmmm can't hurt him, can't touch him for that matter. mmmmm He gets told in no uncertain terms to go sit down and I will not be helping him if he's going to do that. He rants rudely on the way to his seat and as he butt hits the plastic, he ends with 'you're such a bitch.'
The rest of the class has decided that nothing truly noteworthy will be happening without them missing it, so they go back to work. I tell this wonderful cherub to head off to LAD (on campus Suspension room) and the paperwork will follow. Head for the phone to tell LAD he's on his way, and start the refferral process. ...... Now this is the killer to all this..... ALL BEFORE 8AM on a MONDAY after a great 3 week holiday.
Gotta lesson scheduled for 3:30 on Kit, so this day will at least end nicely.
Paperwork gets shuffled, parent phone calls get made/returned, and by 6th security is really bugging me for an incident report on this... Wait, I'm teaching!!! So by 6th (MY AP Calc class) I promise to not do anything until the incident report is written and submitted. Calc kids love the excuse to work on their own (they catch up on their other 5 AP classes and have no math to do)...
Found out wednesday, he pissed somebody off similarily the next day and was suspended for 5 days and applied for Independent Study (I think working for his Dad for a while would be a great thing).
The rest of the class has decided that nothing truly noteworthy will be happening without them missing it, so they go back to work. I tell this wonderful cherub to head off to LAD (on campus Suspension room) and the paperwork will follow. Head for the phone to tell LAD he's on his way, and start the refferral process. ...... Now this is the killer to all this..... ALL BEFORE 8AM on a MONDAY after a great 3 week holiday.
Gotta lesson scheduled for 3:30 on Kit, so this day will at least end nicely.
Paperwork gets shuffled, parent phone calls get made/returned, and by 6th security is really bugging me for an incident report on this... Wait, I'm teaching!!! So by 6th (MY AP Calc class) I promise to not do anything until the incident report is written and submitted. Calc kids love the excuse to work on their own (they catch up on their other 5 AP classes and have no math to do)...
Found out wednesday, he pissed somebody off similarily the next day and was suspended for 5 days and applied for Independent Study (I think working for his Dad for a while would be a great thing).
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