Wordless Wednesday

My softer side.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Quote for the week

"My eyes are a mirror to your soul, they will never lie to you"

The first photo was taken right after my accident. You can see panic and fear in them, those emotions were not just mine. The DOR was feeling her share of panic and fear. I reflected her feelings and mine back to her.

The second photo was taken last week during our first ride. You can see my eye shows calm and confidence. Again some of the emotions reflected in them belong to the DOR.

She has learned that her emotions effect my emotions, making them amplified. Now that is all an good when her emotions are clam, happiness, confidence, and peace. But when she is worried, panicked, scared, or unsure it can make things ugly for us both.

While she is working on being honest with me about her emotions, incongruency cases me distress, she is also working on maintaining positive emotions while working with me. It has been good for bot of us.

Enjoy your day ad don't forget to hug your DOR!

Ony if you do it first....

The DOR had me the arena working out tonight.

First I had to do "carrot stretches"...there were no carrots involved, but I did get a horse treat. I had to reach my head down between my legs to get a treat from her hand. This move was not all that hard for me to do.

Then I had to reach my head around to both sides while she stood at my withers. Problem with this move is I am so muscle bound that when I reach around I tip my head sideways and actually drop it down to my elbow. The DOR wanted me to keep my ears level and my head at wither height, whatever! I will do that when she can bend over and touch her toes-how does that sound hmmmm?

She had me work on the lunge line. I had to walk and trot over poles and work my way through the tire obstacle. Part of the poles were raised up off the ground so I had to work on getting my legs picked up. Then, as if I had not worked hard enough, she had me go out of the arena to a hill. I thought I was going to get to graze for being such a good boy, but nooooo. I had to back up and then back down the hill four times. Does she know how hard that makes my rear work?

I did get a lot of "Good boy Boogie" and treats so I guess it wasn't all bad. I think that I will be feeling it in the morning.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Mini Horse Gets Lifesaving Prosthetic Leg

Shall we dance?

The DOR had me do ground work for 1/2 today. She was very happy with what she saw. I made it clear it was time for us to go back to work. So she saddled me up in an English saddle, that was a bit embarrassing because I am not a sissy horse like Sir Royal Pain. I do have to admit it was comfy though.

The DOR worked on reminding me how to line up to the mounting block and wait for her to get on . I worked on reminding her that I will bump her off the mounting block if she stands on the third step rather than the second while I am lining up. Once we came to a mutual understanding it was all good. The DOR mounted up and we went for our first real ride since my accident 1 1/2 years ago.

She has sat on me and I have taken a few steps and struggled doing that. The last time I carried an adult, the SCC, I staggered so badly the DOR thought I would loose my balance and fall so she had him get off quick.

Today I was rock solid! No wobbling when she mounted, no wobbling, and no staggering. I even stepped over poles and went through the black hole of death. The more we worked the more confident I got.

Yep, I am back! Time for the DOR and I to start dancing once more-after all my nickname is Boogie.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Quote for the week

When you listen with your heart together we will find the way.

The DOR has had a difficult time coping with my condition. She has put on a brave face for the past year and a half. She is worried about where this road I am on is taking us. What she does know is that no matter the outcome I will always need to be in her life. She has practiced listening to her heart when it comes to me...she knows that it is the only way to know what to do. When she listens with her heart I can then whisper to her where we should go. I am ready for a rider once again and have let her know that. This means she has to let me travel to the equine therapist so I can learn to carry a rider properly an rebuild my muscle memory. This is a big step for both of us because we do not like being apart, but it is a necessary step.

I challenge all of you to sit with your furry family, clear your mind, and listen with your heart. You will be amazed at what you hear.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Super Appy!

It's a bird!

It's a plane!

No, it is Super Appy!!! Able to leap a string of tires from a stand still with a single bound. Oh yea, I have got rocket launchers in that hind end of mine. Takes lots of power to get my rear above my shoulders.

I was showing Sir Darby that there is no need to gingerly pick your way through the tires when you can clear them all in one leap.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Little packages

After impressing the entire ranch with my trail obstacle prowess I threw in an encore.

I took a special little package for a ride through the obstacle course. I had a good time taking the DOR's grand-daughter for a ride.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Call me "The Streak"

Sunday I went out and played in the trail prep course. I went through all the obstacles with the amazing agility that only a special appaloosa can exhibit.

Where Sir Royal Pain sauntered through the car wash I flew through it at mach 10, after all why waste time? Yep I was like a streak I was moving so fast.

I had a good time and will share more tomorrow.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Quote of the week

~Learn how to read a horse's misbehavior as communication, then you will be able to understand how to help your horse do what you want it to do.~

The DOR practiced this with Sir Royal Pain yesterday. Not that he was misbehaving...actually he was really good. He was much better than I would have been, especially if I had been forced to wear floral boots.

There were some obstacles that he wasn't to sure about once she was mounted and wasn't leading him through. He was secure when she was on the ground because she did everything first. Once she was mounted she was still leading the way, just not in a manner that he could understand. They worked their way through things and had a really good day.

Remember a human is always leading their horse, whether on foot or mounted. Our behavior is just a way of telling you we are having an issue.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Face in Space

Here is the certificate that the DOR and I received after the Discovery landed safely. We are very proud to have had our photo join the crew on this last, historic flight.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Horse eating things

I am glad I am not going to the trail clinic...or at least I think the DOR is only taking Sir Royal Pain.

There is going to be an obstacle similar to the one in the photo. It will have pool noodles and sparkling tinsel hanging down. I think something like that would eat a horse if given a chance.

There are going to be other things that are purposely designed to stretch the tolerance of the horses attending.

I am sure there will be lots to share after Saturday.

Coelho is getting his teeth done tomorrow. He will be running around showing his chompers off to everyone.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Pansy boy

See those leg supports? I think having to wear two of them would be bad enough, but wearing a set on all four legs...that is just toooo much. However it isn't me that has to wear them it is Sir Royal Pain. The DOR got them for him to use at the trail clinic so he doesn't bang or scratch his delicate legs.

I think it is hilarious that he has to wear them. I was rolling in the grass laughing. The SCC saw me and thought I had a tummy ache until he realized was was giggling.

The DOR put an end to by fun though by telling me that I might have to wear them to when I am back to work. I would be laughed out of the "He man gelding club" for sure if she does that. I don't know but that might call for a werehorse incident. I

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Quote for the week

Peace can be found in the breath of a horse.

The DOR finds peace just sitting with her horses, even her little wild stallion. The feel of our breath, the sound of us chewing, the soulful depth of our eyes.

I wonder if the world's leaders had to spend a day together just sitting with a herd of horses if they would find the same peace. If they found that peace then maybe they would work harder to ensure world peace.

I am thinking that horses need to be members of the U.N.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Grumpy Old Horse Ranch News

The ranch has been a busy place this week. Winds howling at 30-40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph made it so we had to eat our hay on the run. The hay even blew out of our feed tubs.

The photo is of Coelho having a bit of a fit today in the arena. He is not ready for his winter vacation to be over. He gave the SCC a bit of a hard time. Once he was saddled up and ridden he was just fine.

Shandi is still trying to be a big girl. She isn't being so pushy with the mares, they are teaching her herd manners.

Sir Darby was playing peek-a-boo in the arena with the DOR putting a shirt over his head while she was riding him. He was a real good boy about it.

Jack got his feet done and a new friend in his pasture. The two of them ran themselves silly. Jack was lathered up from all of his silliness. The farrier told the DOR if Jack was able to do that he should be perfectly fine carrying weight and walking. Jack will be heading up to the therapist to learn to carry himself correctly with a rider at the end of this month.

Mighty Mouse is still waiting to be gelded so he can come home. The DOR is heading up to Ellensburg to work with him tomorrow.

I am hanging out in a pasture keeping an older mare company. I needed to move so I could get some extra feed, mush. I always drop weight with the change of seasons from fall to winter and winter to spring. I just don't like drastic weather changes. Besides being Salty The Wonder Horse involves care taking duties.

That is all the news from Grumpy Old Horse Ranch where not all the horses are old and Sir Darby is the only one who is grumpy.

Skywatch Friday, Season 4, Episode 34

This was such an unusual cloud formation.

Please go visit the other great Skywatch participants at Skywatch Friday There are wonderful photos from all around the world!
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!

Two more herd members

These are two more members of the DOR's herd, her 27 year-old daughter and 30 year-old son. They came out to visit us and spoil us all a bit. The DOR's son is living back home with his daughter, the little princess. He is a single dad and is doing a good job raising his little filly. Her daughter lives 45 minutes away and is engaged to be married. She lost the little prince's dad when he died in a horrible car accident.

The DOR loves having all her kids and grand kids come home...she would like it if they were always home.

We horses are like that too, we want all our herd members together in one place-that is the way it should be.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!