lesson #3...

Camryn here:
Today was our third lesson, we're doing them bi-weekly on account the trainer is so busy.  For this lesson Mom opted for groundwork on account of my being a "obstinent, pushy, brash little Be-otch" (moms words not mine) walking over to the arena.  Seriously Mom, I'm in a mud infested paddock then you expect me not to take advantage when surrounded by grass?  DUH!  Mom does understand totally that having had the winter off AND being on dry lot till my pasture becomes usable I'm gonna be all the words describing me above and more.  She says being pushed, pulled, and dragged by over 1000 pounds of me isn't her idea of fun however.
Trainer and Mom worked on me leading nicely, whoaing, not getting behind, not getting ahead...Then some lunging.  I'm not overly fond of lunging and will express this by popping up my bum a bit, then I settle in and do fine.  And that's on my good side, my bad side I am once again all the words written above and more.  I'm notorious for showing my lunging displeasure in the spring after my long lay up. Mom explained this to trainer, trainer I don't think believed Mom at first.  She did after, though I don't understand why trainer laughs at me when I show my displeasure & keeps making me work just like Mom does SIGH. 
Anyway oddly enough walking thru all the green grasses on the way home, Mom said all nice things bout an to me.  I didn't hear the word Be-otch even once AND I got some nummy hay to boot.
Till my paddock/pasture dries out (should say if) Mom plans to walk me up n down the drive lots without letting me graze unless I mind my manners. 
Mom's not sure what she's gonna do when we move, I'm thinking "YES, no more learning", Mom reminded me we have a trailer and if trainer can't come to us, we'll be going to her.  SIGH
Later

maybe for me?...

Camryn here:
Mom n Dad went house shopping today.  Dad really liked the house Mom liked best on her last house hunt adventure.  It had the house with that needed the least amount of money throwed into it right away AND it had this for me:

Isn't it beautiful, Mom says it's bigger than it looks too.  Already a loft, and it has stairs into it stead of climbing a ladder like Mom does now.  It's got electric to it, though Dad would have to run water out.  Dad thinks the porch is awesome but, for some odd reason he had visions of his actually sitting on it.  Mom is like "Duh, the porch is for Camryn to stand out of the rain".  She has a vision of the man door turning into a dutch door for me and the porch being like a Camryn balcony. Best of all it's two acres of nummy grass, though I imagine the dogs n house will take up like 1/4 of it.  Dad said he'd throw up trick fencing all round at first, then come fall, tick out a smaller area for winter sacrifice.  Mom has to figure out what to do with all the road apples I make with there being no woods here, now they put it round all the trees, and they eat up all my poo real fast.

  I'd show you pictures of the house too but, hey this is my blog so I show you pictures of what hopefully will be my house!

We've given the realtors a list of questions to ask the owners, the refinace of our current place "should" close on May 6th.  So unless Mom finds something else she likes better or this house gets sold out from under our noses they'll make a bid soon as they sign the closing papers for the refinance thingy.

Please cross all hooves cause I think I'll really, really like this new barn for me.  Oh it gots concrete floors, so my hay'll be lot less dusty.  She'll put rubber mats in my stall just like now so that shouldn't be an issue.  Mom is wondering bout the concrete patio though.  Do you think that will be OK?  She worries bout things like that ya know.
Later

I'm a magician...

Camryn here:
I think I found a new career, I'm gonna be a magician:

See the pretty Dandelions?

Ha! Now ya don't cause I made them disappear!  It's magic I tell ya.

Nom, nom, nom, sorry can't talk now mouth is full.

Later

Shedding & Houses...

Camryn here:
Mom's been "trying" to deshed me nearly every day.  I just get such good winter woolies it doesn't just seem to take forever for me to shed out, it really does take forever!!!  The crows who've built a nest in the pines just outside my paddock I'm sure are benefiting greatly!!! 

Just one short sweep brought this much...

This was just from my left side, doesn't include my back, belly or nothing else on me...

This  was the opposite side, again just my side!  It's kinda hard to tell just how much is laying in the since it blends in quite a lot.  It's raining today so no deshedding being done.  Mom knows though that after havin gotten all wet sleeping in the rain that lots more will have loosened up and be primed nicely to come out.  Normaly, I'm all sleek come mid May.

Now the house talk part.  Mom looked at two places today, kinda bummed bout it pouring rain while she did so.  But, on the other hand she can see if the places have drainage issues better this way too.

First house was a cute place with tons of character, Mom loves character, Dad hates it!  This house however had to much character even for Mom.  Character doesn't make up for itsy bitsy closets and no windows in one of the bedrooms at all.  Property was excellant but, but house is a no go for sure.
Second house is a very strong contender, so much so that Mom had a showing scheduled for Dad to see it on Sat.  She says it's not to big, not to small but, just right.  A plus for Dad is that being a split level it has no character at all!!!  Mom hates splits but, gave it a shot and liked it lots.  The peoples forgot to leave the barn unlocked so she won't get to check that out till Sat.  Walking the property in the rain was good cept one spot that appeared to have a sink hole, so gotta check on that too.  It's only two acres but, all pasture for me to nom upon.  Kinda bummed cause Mom says I won't need my own pony though.  Two donkeys and a coupla goats are right next door.  % more horses just two houses down, and a HUGE boarding/training barn with like 50 horses just 5 houses down. SIGH I was kinda hoping but, least this way iffen we move there the pasture will be mine all mine.
Realtor is going to try to schedule showings on two more houses Mom n Dad are interested in on Sat. as well.  One is on a country road, a road so slow that Mom says we can ride down it.  The other is real near Mom's favorite bridle trail.
Later

Good friends...

Camryn here:
Without my own dog (RIP my Onyx), I've really begun enjoying my other friends.  Margeaux is nice but, more into people than being my BFF.  Maizee however is working out very nicely as my BFF as Mom is her only other BFF.  She's even beginning to get comfortable with the house dogs when their out in the yard.  Before Onyx was Maizee's  BFF just like me and she never warmed up to the other dogs very much. 
Mom has tried many times to catch Maizee and I on camera being BFF, finally she kinda sorta got a pic with her cell camera.  Sorry bout my ears being kinda back, I'd been unsuccessfully attempting to pull the stall door open to supervise Mom cleaning my room.  Maizee came over to help and I wasn't feeling real appreciative...

 

She does balance well even on a moving door don't you think?  Often when Mom comes down in the morning Maizee hops up out of my stall cause she sleeps with me sometimes.  She loves playing with the hay as I move it around eating.  She doesn't mind me snorkeling her one bit either. And boy is she loving shedding season, she catches floating hair as Mom brushes it off a me. 
Love having a BFF
Later

House drive by's...

Camryn here:
The realtor lady gave Mom a list of houses that may be of interest.  Mom's been doing drive by's, most just don't hold up to the pictures, or the land is sopping wet, or the neighbors have junk car collections...
So imagine her surprise when one she drove by today actually looks like the pictures!!!  Unfortunalty if we do get this house I probably won't get my own friend SIGH.  There are donkey's n goats next door, donkey's n cows right a cross the road.  A few houses down are a bunch of horses, and right down the road is this HUGE boarding place.  Mom called Dad all excited, specially about the donkeys for some odd reason!  Had no idea she was so infatuated with them, I've never met one afore but if we get this place I know I will be.  I also imagine Mom'll be wanting to visit an take pictures of the, specially the wee baby ones she saw in the field with their Momma's.
Oh, it's only got two acres but, it's all pasture acres not partially wooded like we gots here.  And it's got a real cute barn (according to Mom) which even has a porch on it.  Guess me n Mom can hang out in lounge chairs?
Later

Equine Affaire shopping...

Camryn  here:
Mom went to Equine Affaire over the weekend, it's been a tradition the past 4 years now.  Each year the number of peoples expands.  This year 8 of them went and had a ball.  Last year Mom spended a fortune on me which I really liked.  This year I didn't really need anything SIGH and Grandcolt is already creating troubles for me in that respect.  Can you believe it?  He's not even been borned yet and guess who got shopped for?  Unbelievable I tell you.
Lil Lincoln (yeah that's gonna be Grandfoals name) got these:

The tiniest cowboy boots in the world!  And his very own cowboy jeans, isn't Lincoln gonna be so adorable wearing them!!!  Since he's gonna be raised up as an Army Firefigher Cowboy I don't mind so much.

 

He didn't however get this:

Mom texted the picture to Chris who responded with "he'd rather have a red one named Honda".  Mom said "she's got red AND we could call her Honda!!"  How much ya wanna bet me n Lincoln get one to share?  Wouldn't that be awesome!
Today the Vet comed out and finished my spring shots.  She says I be her fav patient to give strangles vaccine to.  I just stand there like a trooper then smile a little.  Vet says most horses fight it, then blow it all over the place.  Then Vet almost tooked Margeaux home with her, by mistake at first cause Margeaux was curled up in her truck sound asleep on top of the ultrasound machine.  Then she actually wanted to keep her because of how sweet Margeaux is.  Mom wouldn't let Margeaux go though cause we'd all miss her so much.
We'll post pix of Equine Affaire next post I promise.  Mom said the Amish Girl Haflinger Drill Team was beyond awesome, so of course they'll be the first pix up of them.
Later

Me N Jesse at our lesson...

Camryn here:
     Tues. was lesson day again, this time Mom remembered her camera!!!  The lesson was supposed to be Jesse, Levi, Eclipse and me.  Unfortunatly Levi's Mom is sick, Eclipse rider (Lori is his Mom) canceled because we was supposed to get bad weather.  We didn't though!  So it was just Jesse n Me.
Our humans learned lots, mostly that they was both doing our leg aides A*@ backwards hee hee!!!
     I was a good girl, the dentist work did great for my attitude, I wasn't playing with my bit or acting all spooky n Bee-otchy like last lesson.  I found the lesson to be rather relaxing judging by how my mouth was foaming up so nicley!

If you biggify you can see me all foamy round the mouth.  No I don't got rabies, just relaxed n soft like humans say is good.  That be trainer riding me, she road both Jesse n Me cause she likes to get a feel for the horse, the way we go, our personality and where we are in our learning.  I got lots more to learn than Jesse.  Being I'm a former Amish horse and he's a former lesson horse.  Mom n Danette gots lots more to learn than us horses hee hee! 

 Trainer said Jesse n Me be really good horses.  She said I was a good girl and very willing to listen an learn stuff.

We like trainer she's very patient & when Mom told her she was having an ADHD moment, Trainer explained things a differant way that Mom understood better.  Trainer doesn't rely on the same thing for every horse/rider like some do which Mom likes lots.  This week we learned some indirect rein stuff n how our riders can help us bring our back legs up under us more.  Mom mentioned that I can be a bit pushy (who me) on the ground when leaving our property.  So next lesson will be some on the ground stuff.  Trainer click/trains for ground stuff so that'll be lots more fun than the lesson we did on groundwork last year where the trainer insisted Mom not use clicker at all! 

Here be Mom n me listening attentivly to Trainer.  Does Mom's butt make mine look smaller?  Sorry Mom I knows you lost 16 lb, but you got some more to go!!!

Trainer is instructing Mom on some excersising to do in saddle to stretch her legs with ankles down.  I listened while Mom did this up/down/up/down.

 

 

See how relaxed I am!  This was the area of the arena that had me trying to bolt outa there last lesson.  This week cause my teeth n bit aren't clashing I'm all "la, la, la...

 

For my lady friends I include pictures of Jesse :)  Jesses like to stretch waaaay down on th bit, Danette is learning him to collect better an only do this with permission.  Probably a throwback to kids riding during lessons.  Danette is also trying to not be in her chair seat.  She rode gaited horses in gaited saddle for years, so her muscles gotta unremember this.

 

He's a BIG boy being a Freisian/Quarter cross.  I'm like in love!!!  The only time I misbehaved was when we turned off towards home after the lesson.  I squealed and "tried" to turn and go with him.  SIGH Mom said No.

I have to say both us horses and our Mom's thought this was best lesson ever.  We was all real relaxed an enjoying it lots.

Later

 

Gramma stuff...

Camryn here:
Gramma had her appointment with the surgeon today.  Mom had scolded Gramma last month for not hearing what Dr's said when it wasn't what she wanted to hear.  So, Gramma said she'd listen up good at Dr's.  Well, Gramma listened and liked what she heard.
First thing Dr. started talking bout the surgery and how based on last appointment she'd only need a lumpectomy which was good news.  Even awesomer news though was when Dr. examined Gramma, she couldn't feel no tumors at all!  Dr. looked up astounded saying "they aren't there"!  She examined and examined still feeling nothing at all!  Gramma goes to see the oncologist next month, and if she feels the same way, surgery will be put on hold perhaps for good.  Dr. did remind Gramma that she'd have to be taking the meds for the rest of her life as with no surgery the cancer would grow rapidly if she didn't take it.  Gramma said she'd be happy to keep the meds!
We're thinking between the meds, Gramma heavy duty faith, & Mom's scolding, the cancer got so scared that it's gone into hiding? 
Had a lesson yesterday, I'll post about that after we digest the Awesome Gramma news!
Later

It's A....(drumroll)

Camryn here:
Got some very exciting news!!!  About the Grandfoal that's coming in September.  It's gonna be a colt!!!  WOW, YOWZA, WHOOT, WHOOT...

Da Ultrasound shows it's coltness very clearly, they even labled it so we'd know it wasn't an elbow or something.  So, this coming weekend Mom plans to do some shopping for the little colt at Equine Affaire.  Some cowboy boots for sure!
Chris n Sam had Mom go with them to register for baby gifts at Target n Babies R Us.  They figured having three foals herself she'd have a better idea of what might be needed.  They knew about crib, stroller, car seat n such.  But, had no clue that when making baby bed that you should put down a sheet, add a liner, then another sheet on top.  This way Mom explained when the wee colt messes the top sheet at say 2 a.m. they don't have to remake the entire thing.  Just whip off the top sheet and walla, clean crib!  Mom had so much fun helping them, Sam is planning to decorate the nursery with Giraffes, though Mom is welcome to throw some horsey stuff in too.
So happy bout knowing babies gender.  Don't know why they didn't do that when I had my own foals!
Later

Got to my Happy Place...

Camryn here:
Friday Mom told me the dentist Vet tooth fairy was coming for a visit.  Dentist Vet tooth fairy was supposed to be here Wed. but an emergancy had us rescheduling. 
Whilst we awaited her arrival I had some lunch...

Being unclear about what exactly was gonna happen, I felt the need to shovel it in!  Mom says this was very unlady like. Sorry Mom!

Mom had planned to get some pictures of the tooth fairy in action but, she was needed in a differant way.  The tooth fairy kinda hangs my head from a rope attached to the rafters, while Mom stands to the side and literally holds my toungue outta the way.  Seriously Mom holded my toungue!  Course I was already in my Happy Place so didn't mind any of the goings on around my head and in my mouth at all!

 

Me in my Happy Place.  Have any of you ever noticed the wonderful smell of wood shavings before?

 

Or perhaps the cool knots n squiggly lines in wood?

 

Check this out, I totally blend with the shavings n wood!  Like I'm invisible "WOW"

 

 

Maizee in her supervisory postion up above...

 

"Mo-om Maizee's laughing at me"

 

Soooo anyway, I had some pointyness going on with my teeth, not to bad.  Course nothing to phase my eating which is the only real important thing.  But, the pointys coudla been part of the problem at my last lesson, causing the bit to be a tad ouchywawa.  Mom says we'll see Tues. at our next lesson.  Tooth Fairy said I was really cute, and very well behaved, she says Haflingers in general make exclellant patients for Veternarians.  She appreciates the lack of drama in our personalty :)

I find this Happy Place stuff to be way cool by the way.  Dreams were excellant AND my mouth felt soooo good after it wore off.

Later