Riding with Mrs. June

Hello everyone!

Today Ollie, Billie, my mom and I all were trailered (well, we rode in the truck...the horses were trailered) by Mrs. June to her house where she has a big track and 35 acres. We worked on lots of stuff, like flying lead changes, passing horses on the rail, the cloverleaf pattern, collection, bending....etc. I also saw Rusty again, who was the horse I learned the start of my Natural Horsemanship with. I thought y'all would probably enjoy some pictures, so here you go!

"Mommy wait! Let me pose for the camera! 1, 2, 3....tongue!!!"

Mom and Billie Jean

Ollie and I trotting. 

Trot race!! 

In sync. 

Canter Collection-after only his 2nd day doing this I think he did really well! 

Random Saddle picture

Ollie and Rusty

I have a few more exciting things to tell you, but they will have to wait!! :D STAY TUNED!

~CBL

Do you think I should still post about Ollie on this blog as well as Ollie's actual blog? Let me know in the comments! 

Update On Ollie

Hello, Everyone!

I have been in a model horse hobby funk. I haven't been all that interested in them recently because I have been so busy with Ollie and I actually dropped out of MEPSA for this season (even though I had horses qualified for the Championship Show) because I have no time for it. I am hoping to pick it back up in August.

But things with Ollie have been very full. I rode him for the first time in a month, a month ago. We were walking down a hill on a trail ride when he bucked. I was relaxed (and SO not prepared for it-we were walking and he had never bucked me off before except once when I got on bareback at an angle on his neck and he did a tiny crow-hop and I just fell off because his back was slippery) and so I just slumped off into the ground. I smashed my nose on our dirt road (ouch) and it later looked broken (but luckily it wasn't). I got up and was wondering why in the world he could have done such a thing. I got back on (he was just standing there when after I fell off) and looked around again. Then I saw a huge Husky staring at us underneath a tree in the shade, growling. I decided the dog was probably why he bucked, so we continued on our way and everything was good until I asked him to trot. He immediately tried to swerve the other direction and then bucked three times. I was (luckily) prepared and did not fall off. With my confidence still on high, we continued down the road. As we got to another hill, he wanted to speed up to go over it and as I insisted on a walk, he bucked four times, but again I was prepared and did not fall off. After his last bucking session, I realized that it would be dangerous to keep riding him back home (which was about 2 miles away) so I got off and walked alongside him.

Still perplexed, when I got home I put him into the round pen where I put him on a circle. He bucked, and bucked, and bucked. I called my horse trainer that night and she told me that I had to stop all riding and do groundwork (LOTS of groundwork) to gain his respect. He did not respect me like he should. Because he was/is a young horse, because it was spring, and because he hadn't been ridden in a month-it was all contributing to the extra energy, and therefore, the bucks.

So, this past month his been a bunch of groundwork. My horse trainer Mrs. June (the one I talked to on the phone-I have two horse trainers) came and helped me out with some new things to do and some exercises that would get his respect back. We found some holes in his foundation, and fixed/are fixing them. At first when I started the groundwork he was very naughty, and would firmly say "NO" to me. But after a few things, he became submissive.  We have bonded a lot over the past month, and I am getting back into the saddle this week, when my other horse trainer Mrs. Tia (Who is a four star Pat Pareilli instructor) comes out on Thursday to do some work with him. I will get photos of that, but for now I hope that some pictures of my last groundwork lesson with him will suffice.

Look at that tail!!!! So pretty..and long (for a appaloosa). 

Pretty Face. 

My pretty gelding. Love him so much! 

Oh, and I almost forgot. Ollie came back from his daily turnout time a few days ago limping on the front right leg and with his back leg scratched up too. I did not see what happened, but I am guessing that he ran into some oak brush. He is healing well-almost no limp is detected when he walks, trots and canters, but I am still going to keep an eye on it. Hopefully he will be perfect by Thursday!  

Ollie in his stall with a poultice wrap to draw out inflammation.

~CBL

Stella Update/More Breyerfest!

Breyer has announced four more auction models while I have been absent from the category of models and in the world of getting a beautiful mare. I looked today at them, and they seem to really be favoring grey's for this Breyerfest!




6/15/14 announcement.


Oh My. I LOVE her! I don't have any models in this mold, and I just think is is stunning. If you have read this blog for a while, you know that I love almost any Paint or Pinto.



6/16/14/ announcement.


OK, please don't be mad, but I don't really prefer the vintage look. While I do like this mold, I like more "crispness" such that is in the newer painted models.

6/17/14 announcement.

First decorator model announced in this year's auction. I don't have any decorator models, but I do have one horse in this Ethereal mold (Noche Buena, 2012 Christmas horse) I really like him. I love the dynamic pose of this model, and the person who will get this boy will be very lucky!

Today's announcement.

STUNNING! her spots are very nice, and her shading is very good. She seems really glossed up. While I prefer Matte's, I think that she would fit very well into my (or anyone else's) model barn!

 Now on to Stella. 

I was having a hard time waiting for this woman's decision. Neither my mom or my dad thought that she would pay for a vet or chiropractic trip to fix Stella. I nearly cried a few times...

But, I decided to fully to put my trust in God, and see how things played out. 

I got am email a few hours later. 

"Hi, just a quick update. Wendy wants to move forward with the vet seeing Stella for body issues. However, can't get her scheduled for 2 weeks. "

 above: part of email from Mrs. Tia to me. 

I jumped up and down with excitement, tears starting to come. I ran upstairs and called my dad (who was helping a friend move. My mom was also their) and told him. He decided not to tell mom until I could tell her myself (she wouldn't pick up her phone). Then, I called Mrs. June who couldn't believe it. She told me that she had gotten an email from Mrs. Tia that morning, saying that woman didn't want the vet or Chiropractor out (she just probably didn't want to pay for it). 

I couldn't believe it!

Thank you, Lord. 

So, I still have a chance to get her after all!

~CBL

Mrs. June's Birthday :)

Hello all!
 Now that the storm of business has passed by, I am now liable to post again. Of course, I have  many things to tell because it seems that when absent from something, all the exciting things happen! OK, enough blabbering.....I will now proceed and get the point.

So, my horse trainer Mrs. June's birthday was yesterday and I wanted to give her something special to celebrate the occasion. I wanted to give her something that she would really like, but I couldn't think of an item that she really wanted (or needed). One day as I was out in the barn I got a brilliant idea. I ran inside and told my mom. She agreed that it was a good idea. I got to work.....


Yesterday the package arrived. I was so excited and I was worried that in my wild scramble, the gift would get damaged. But alas! there they (!) were, two beautiful......

Mrs. Junes gift.....complete with chocolates! I made a mug using Shutterfly, custom with lots of pictures of Rusty on it. 

When I saw that you could get free shipping in orders of 30 dollars or more, I decided to get a mug myself so that I could get free shipping. I decided in honor of Collin, to make a mug of his Champion photo plastered on the ceramic. I think that he liked it and I sure did!!! I wanted to also make a Collin pillow, but it was a little more money than I was willing to pay, given that I am going to buy breyer horses at Murdochs in a few days.

 ( I am going to have to upgrade the mug when if he places in the Championship show. I am certain that he will). :)

I had my first cup of tea in it this morning. Yummy!

Happy Birthday, Mrs. June!!!!!!

~CBL

HORSE OF THE WEEK

So funny! I guess that horses really do take care of their appearance. :)