The Peachie Plan

- we use clamps on our saddles because the sticks were too much to hang saddles on a hanger- The really big clamps work great. I am not a short person but have really really short legs- so my stirrups have a lot of leather at the bottom because I have to have them so short. So I clamp them turned after each ride. it makes such a difference!

I think you and Peachie are doing wonderful things! I so have the itch to ride and cannot wait! THe /ice burgs around here make it too dangerous to even get on and ride bareback like I usually do in the winter. One of the horses fell turning the corner by the gate - once second walking through the next BAM on her side. She laid there for a second and gingerly got up. So I told my daughter to stay off of her horse and I am not trying it with mine.

Keep up the pics! I love them - and think you are doing just fantastic!

Any new stories from the peachie camp /

Thanks for asking, we were getting better, she was getting more responsive and I was staying on longer because she wasn't acting up.  But that all went out the window today.  Plus a nasty day at work. 

The indoor arena doors were all open but the sand had been hauled out and there was just these large expanses of ice everywhere.  So after our walk up and down the roads with trucks and trailers, etc. I thought I would ride her in one of the round pens.  Very, very muddy.  We walked around and while I was slipping all over Peach seemed fine.  So I get on and Peach just would not stop!  I had to aim her into the corral panels quite a number of times until she started side passing.  I couldn't take a chance staying on as she was picking up speed and I had no control except direction and was concerned that she could slip so easily.  So when I did get her to finally stop, I sat for just a fraction of a second before I got off, tried to tighten the saddle again, took off the reins and zzzoooom, off she went.

I suppose she had a bunch of pent up energy because she got moved to a different paddock.  Change is Peaches' kryptonite. I have no idea how long she careened around the pen.  Took awhile before I could ask her to change direction she was so wired.

I guess next time I'll have to do that first. So glad I decided against the large outdoor arena and used the round pen instead.

I did better than I would have a few days ago, so I'm okay with that but it still wasn't the ride I was hoping to have in the indoor.  And it won't be for quite a while *sigh*

I really love the comment of "That's what friends do for each other"  that is what we all want out of our relationship with our horses.    And I agree with you .   Part of the relationship is knowing and understanding their needs.   If Peaches needed time to get the sillies out before she can focus then so be it.  But when she is done then she needs to understand time for work.  And it sounds like she has been very good at coming to and lining up at the mounting block for you- even when her energy level tells her to walk out.

I want to say again (and I hope you are not tired of hearing it) that you should be proud of these accomplishments!    These are accomplishments.  If you read back to old posts the mounting block was an issue and now its not.   Progress is being made - maybe not as fast as you think it should be made - but it is being made.

-  years ago I had a horse-  I bought her with my own money and I was in 8th Grade.  I bought her because she was beautiful - and unfortunately she was untrained.  I had been around horses my entire life and thought no problem.   PROBLEM!  This horse was smart - smarter than my 8th grade self.  She used to rub me off on fences on trees on the peoples horses we were riding with - whenever she felt the ride was over.  My parents were so tired of Cherokee coming home by herself and having to go look for me on the country rodes by my home that they demanded that I sell her.   I refused - and I read whatever training books I could -  I changed bits - I rode at home more -  I had so many scabs and bruises from being rubbed off -  but I kept at it.  And really tried to figure her out - to be one step in front of her.   And eventually after lots of hard work we did it.  I rode her everywhere - bareback with a hackamore.  We rode hours and hours at a time.  She was my best friend - my heart horse.   If anyone other than me tried to ride her she played tricks-  I lived with a guy for a short time that hated her.  Anytime he went to ride her she would "limp"  he would get off and put her away and she was fine.  She rubbed my step Mom off on the side of our house - down the entire side!   when I met my now hubby he could ride her but she had his number and she would just stop when she had enough of him.   I miss Cherokee every single day -  I loved that horse for 23 years before she passed.  I see this as the same kind of bond that you and Peachie will have -  keep it up and I guarantee that your friendship will be worth so much more than you ever imagined.