Baby Steps, Big Wins and a New Horse for the MS Ride

Well there's no beating around the bush so to speak, the great news is that Roxy has been voted in for the MS Ride.

After a mid paddock discussion with members of the Wild Waler Women, Leah and Rhonda, I came to the conclusion that I should trust my heart and my head and give Roxy a chance at this years MS Ride. If I am to be honest with myself, I can do this on her and I can have her ready, all things going to plan. I have never been one to chicken out of a challenge, and to have made the decision to get stuck in and get Roxy back to work, has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders.

So now where to from there? Well Leah and Lucy kindly offered to escort me out this morning with their beautiful mares Lola and Rose. Roxy is being treated as a green horse fresh from the breakers and Rose and Lola were there to hold her hoof and Lucy and Leah to hold my hand...or keep me talking which isn't hard :-)

So I saddled up Rox and did a flight test, she was calm and relaxed and it was all systems go...oh...what...we are going down the road and off to the complex? Love these guys no fussing around just get out and ride.

Roxy was nervous at times but brave and we took things steady. We reached the tunnel under the road, a real test for any horse, and Roxy gingerly got through it. She was a bit rattled on the other side but we did it. We continued on like this taking on mini obstacles and many of the evasions that had previously been an issue. Again gently and bravely Roxy took each challenge on, sometimes needing Rose or Lola to show her the way. She looked to Rose often for support but got braver and braver as we went on. On the way home she led the way and was first through the tunnel, relaxed and confident.

YIIPPEEE !!!!! We aren't back home yet but I can tell that Roxy is calm and really does have the potential I saw in her all those months ago.

There are some issues to work on...not racing to catch up, softer in the mouth and more rounded, but really I am ecstatic. Those things are nothing that time and gentle hands cant fix. As for the rearing, well I am sure in the back of her mind and if she was pushed in the wrong way, it might 'rear it's ugly head' but if I listen to her and consider her viewpoint and support her as a leader I truly believe she will be everything I dreamed of.

Thanks WWW for a wonderful ride and a massive confidence booster...slowly, slowly baby steps and big wins for everyone.

The only thing I regret today...no photos...oh well will get some next time. ;-)

XX

Lorrie

Nowra ATHRA Ride - Chris and Rhonda made the pics!

Well I never make the pics because always being last tends to get you out of frame, but two (possibly three) of my riding buddies made it....just! :-)

She leaves artwork nailed to the fence posts of Croome Road every three months and has a knack for choosing brilliant horses....On the far right is Chris and Premier Nev!

She masquerades as "Bush Pony" and true to form there she is hiding in the bush with old mate Nugget...Is that Rejie and George hiding behind them?

It was a great ride and there will be more photos to come as soon as I can be bothered to download them...which reminds me of how damn lazy I have become!! Crap in the old days we had to take that roll of film to the lab to wait days for it to be processed only to find they were all out of focus, legs and heads cut off and the lab developed them too dark and with yellow undertones.

Oh well better go order a movie off Box Office on Austar and get some take away delivered!

Cheers

Lorrie

xxx

Lorrie - 1, Roxy - 0!!

FINALLY the new saddle arrived Monday safe and sound. This morning I decided to take it for a test run. Rhonda and Mark were there to watch and I am sure Mark was hoping for some rodeo action!

The new saddle fitted beautifully and there was no buck with the rear cinch after some lunging at all three paces. I headed to the round yard and jumped on board again no buck no nothing at all three paces.

Full of bravado I decided to head out into the paddock. My first hint at evasion of some sort (not moving forward) was when we were going past the feeding yards..no biggie just a smooch and a flick on the rump and we kept on towards the gate. However, I was prepared for some kind of resistance to heading out away from the yards. Sure enough once I mounted up on the other side of the gate and asked her to go forward, she began to resist and some popping of the front feet started.

Everything I have been reading and watching on videos starts rushing into my head, loose rein, keep her moving, dis-engage the hind quarter. Then at one point she gets her chance and up she goes in a mini rear to try and turn back towards the gate, however I felt safe and fully in control thanks in part to my new 'non self emptying saddle' and months of riding good ole Monty and getting my seat back.

I was ready to take her on and we persisted up the hill with some more resistance but no more rearing. A few one rein stops and circles were required, but other than that I believe today's victory was mine...mmwwwaaahhhhhh. We even crossed some water with no evasion whatsoever which previously would have created an issue for her.

I am left thinking that after Roxy was started, by her previous owner, there wasnt an awful lot of trail riding involved. She is very much at ease in the round yard or arena, but not so keen on riding away by herself. I am going to need to put some hours in that is for sure, but now I am armed with the knowledge and the tools to see this thing through and at the end of the day Roxy is my bud and we have a great bond....she just wasnt really expecting me to know more than her today and she sulked a bit. Back in the yard after she ate she stood with her head against my thigh just basically admitting defeat.

Round 1 to me but I am sure being a female Roxy will have other days where she might test me...I am ready!

Love Lorrie

Roxy Rulz OK!

Well after 3 sleepless nights I just had to make the time and effort to see what kind of horse I was left with after all this time. I have been dreaming of riding Roxy and in my dreams it was like we had left it back in December...smooth and together.

I got to the paddocks about 1.5hrs before we were due to meet up. I called Roxy and she came running, I gave her a treat and I bridled her then put a bareback pad on her. I put the halter on and led her down the road to the roundyard. No stubborness, no sillyness nothing just a Saturday morning stroll.

I started off with some yielding and then some circles each way and I could see that she was calm relaxed and focused...ok I am getting on.

At this time Rhonda pulls up and I was glad to have someone there just incase it went pair shaped or to offer advise.

I got a leg up and off we went....I cant begin to describe the feeling of getting on her again..she was light and responsive and after we trotted I brought her to a stop with a minimum of contact. To get her going I only needed the slightest pressure from my calves and some smooching. Oh the absolute joy and love I felt for this horse.

I am not counting chickens too soon but what a great start. It is a relief that is too great for words, to know that the Roxy I know and love is still there and if possible she is better than before.

It is the first step to returning to my journey with her and you cant wipe the smile off my face...Roxy and I are back...LOOK OUT!

XX

:-)

The Weaning of Tahoe and Roxy's Back with the Herd

The day finally came....Tahoe was ready to leave his mumma and Roxy needed to get back to normal. I had mixed emotions as I headed out into the paddock to catch them. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do but human emotion always thinks like a human, and a little part of me felt like I was tearing a mother and son apart.

I haltered them up and sat and waited for my friend Christine to come and help me. I gave them both big cuddles and told Roxy she had done a great job but it was time to go.

Christine came out and took Tahoe behind the shed and I took off with Roxy. I was expecting her to plant her feet and not move and basically have an argument with me but she walked along like she was happy to go. There was no noise from Tahoe, but Roxy's adopted sons Ted and Neville weren't pleased, and called out to her as we headed down the hill.

Roxy was all ears and at one point did stop and plant her feet but with minimal coaxing we were on our way again.

We got to the paddock and the rest of the herd were looking from the top of the hill. When I let her go she took a moment and then took off in the direction of Tahoe. She reached the fence line and said hello to the horses in the next paddock. After a few more moments she looked back at me and then came cantering back to check in ....she still loved me and it was nice that she came back for some reassurance. After that Roxy did quite a few laps of the paddock whinnying out and getting a bit worked up but nothing silly. Quite soon she realised that the call from the opposite side of the paddock was her old paddock mate Choc. She made her way over there and seemed pleased to find a familiar friend.

I left Roxy to settle in and headed back to see how Tahoe was doing. True to form he was doing pretty much nothing...no crazy galloping along the fence line, he just seemed a little confused.

It was done. The end of a chapter and the beginning of another.

That evening I went back to check on Roxy and she was still on the side of the paddock with Choc but she was also getting to know the new horses. Which includes Monty and her baby Nugget as well as some of the other horses belonging to the Wild Waler Women, Rose and Lola. Unfortunately she also decided to spend some time with crazy Carnie who almost ran me over, but I think she has moved on from that.

The next day she looked a bit more relaxed despite losing some weight overnight it seems. Later that afternoon she was hanging around the yards with Rhonda, Leah and Lucy and getting some cuddles from Leah.

Tahoe is doing fine and has Ted, Neville, Tully, Sheeba and Dawn for company and to help put him in his place, he is truly a remarkable little foal. I may have a home for him too but I am not sure yet, you never count your chickens with these things.

All there is left to do now is feed and settle Roxy and wait for my non-self emptying saddle to arrive and then I will get back to work with her, as well as getting Monty fit. Who I might add did a great job yesterday with some hill work.

Monty's foot has healed extremely well and although she will have a hole in her hoof until it grows out it all looks good for her.

Until the next installment...happy riding!

Lorrie

xx

Time for some pics, you will see just how big he is getting and he is only rising 5 months!

It is clear from this shot that the big boy will be just fine and mum needs to go and get some condition on!

Tahoe's new for sale pic that I will put up in Horseland next week.

Me and my beautiful horses!

Cuddles for Tahoe

Its Time To Go....Roxy

Well time has flown by and this week I have made the decision to wean Tahoe which means in two weeks Roxy will be going back to one of the main paddocks. She is only just maintaining her weight and Tahoe is doing just fine so my priority is to look after Roxy. It is the least that she deserves.

I havent written too much about Roxy over the last few months but the pride and love I have for this horse is nothing short of breath taking. Scaling everything back to its core and taking baby steps with her and just creating a bond is the most wonderful and positive thing to come out of all this. I couldnt rush anything and I have had a chance to spend time with her EVERY day just being. I look at her and my heart jumps and I am so excited about getting back on and getting started with her again, except this time we are so much closer.

So how do you know that things have changed?

Well I used to have to con her into coming to me with a bucket of food and when I let her go she would walk away. She still comes to me because she is getting food, but the important thing is that she knows her name. I call Roxy and she looks up and whinnies and more often than not comes at a trot. She is relaxed, happy and familiar with me without being pushy.

We used to walk along and I would have to constantly ask her to keep up with me..now she plods along beside me .

She stops when I stop walks when I walk.

I could not for the life of me get her to relax enough to lower her head below her wither...now I can get her to drop it to the ground...I will be bridling her from a sitting position from now on.

I did some quick lunging with her the other day and after initially being unsure of what we were up to, she soon got it and I had my girl circling me freely with one ear pointed in my direction...I had her attention even with two foals watching from the sidelines.

She was even relaxed enough to roll next to me in the stall and lets me take Tahoe away without freaking out. For a horse to lie down near you, when lying down is as vunerable as they get, shows real trust.

I am sure I have an amazing horse on my hands and I dont expect it to be all smooth sailing but she is worth all the effort I am sure. She is my "55 horse" the one I expect to be on for the next 20 years, thanks Roxy for being such a great teacher! XXX

Lorrie