Just had to Brag...:-)

Today I had a pretty special thing happen to me....often with our horses we are so consumed by training, riding, behaviour etc that we don't notice how far we have really come. It is not until a stranger points this out to you that you realise how lucky and special you are to have a horse and not just own it, have a relationship with it.

Today I stopped at the paddock to feed Roxy. Some days she comes running some days she doesn't. Depends on her mood and hunger factor I guess?

Today was a "I am looking but not sure if I want to come or not" day.

I began to stroll across the paddock and between Roxy and I stood my other four legged friend Monty. At about the same time a car was driving past the paddock.

As I went to pat and pay Monty some attention, curiosity and perhaps a little jealously got the better of Roxy and she came cantering up to us.

I gave her a warm welcome and decided not to put her halter on and just started walking. I then began to jog and asked Roxy to join me by clicking to her and asking her verbally to 'trot on' after a few moments she did. Then I stopped. She stopped. I walked. She walked. I jogged and she jogged and we continued like this all the way to the yards.

When I reached the yards, the car that had been driving past had made a u-turn and was now back down the hill near the yards. A lady wound down the window and after initially mistaking me for someone else, went on to say how beautiful it was to watch, a horse running to its owner and interacting like we did.

I was so, so pleased and proud that someone had actually noticed and mentioned what I already know in my heart. To have validation from a stranger was very special.

Never ever believe that you can't realise your dreams when it comes to horses, because I truly believe that they are the most amazing and complex animals alive and the rewards of true companionship are priceless.

Cheers

Lorrie

xxx

Secret Rides and Big Laughs

On Satuday just gone Rej and Rhonda finally got to enjoy the ride that Chris and I google earthed and found last week. After a practise run by Chris and I to make sure the track was clear, and we weren't going to upset any of the locals, we took off early to get a nice start.

The day was perfect and the horses behaved excellently...we havent laughed so hard in a while and Rhonda almost completely lost it on the platform as Rej continued to engage us with beaver stories as well as some bumbling and fumbling that was classic comedy..."George you bastard!" She really loves her horse...no really she does :-).

After posing at the lookout in various unglamourous shots we were lucky enough to have a tourist pop by who was keen to take our photo. We then asked if she could please take ours and she obliged.

We got the horses off the platform before one of them did a bowel evacuation and headed back along the track. A very steep climb up meant a very steep climb down. We had trotting and cantering and Nugget was stoked to see that cows dotted the hills as well. Luckily for us that bull had very short legs and didnt stand a chance of chasing us up the hill!

Only two weeks to MS and all the horses are going brilliantly. Getting sorted to go is another story. We are having a meeting this weekend to organise the logistics of the drive and hopefully that will make me a little less anxious. I am pretty nervous about such a long trip but we have some nice stops planned and I am travelling with seasoned professionals so I am in good hands

Enjoy the pics

Love Lorrie

xx

At the look out

Rhonda and Nugget...love this pic.

My riding buddies for the day Rej, Rhonda and Chris

Overlooking 7 Mile Beach what a treat!

Getting Fit for MS and Cow Hunting

Well it has been awhile since my last post because I am so darn busy skiing and horse riding. The long story short is that Roxy continues to improve and our battles are not so much of a battle now, but more of a whinge on her part followed by some assertiveness on mine. A little bit of no I don't want to go that way from her and that is responded to with 'oh yes you are and now for being rude you can trot'.

She makes me laugh when she then gets her sulky donkey ears. This doesn't last long though and they perk back up and dare I say it she enjoys herself.

Turns out she is quite the cow hunter and now I now know what is meant by the expression 'cowy'...she sees them and she is dying to herd them up. The other day on the trail a small Angus calf blocked her way and we were heading straight for each other. The mother cow bellowed but the calf stood its ground and Roxy just continued to head towards it....I was ready for some sort of explosion from either the calf or Roxy but I ended up with Roxy and the calf gently sniffing each other before the calf bounded off with its mum. Rox took it in her stride and we continued on.

She often turns her head to my foot to check in and get a scratch too and she has a heart of gold...ok gushing about her again now:-)

Tahoe is sold technically but I will write about that another time as I don't want to jinx myself.

Below is a pic from a recent ride....will post more later XXXX Lorrie

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

:-)