Happy 4th of July!!!!

Have a Wonderful 4th everyone!!!!!!

Spooky ride or the Terodactyl is going to eat me!

This thought crossed Gilly's mind today I am sure!!!

Gilly and I went for a short ride today. He was beside himself right from the start, Blue Heron has a nest somewhere on the hill above the barn and it was screaming! I'm here to tell you that it will make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end! He was snorting, blowing and dancing around like crazy. Took me awhile to get him saddled up, since I knew what was making the noise, after hearing it many times now, it wasn't bothering me today....and we were riding! Here is a link to a recording of their voice: http://www.naturesongs.com/gbhe2.wav
Just as I was ready to get in the saddle it started to rain, just a light rain so I gave up the idea of riding in the hayfield, too slippery for trotting. We rode up the road first away from the barn and Gilly seemed to settle down some but still the ears said otherwise. He was listening for the giant Terodactyl (in trying to find how to spell this prehistoric bird it seems that now there is a "P" in the beginning of it? When did that happen?) that he just knew was going to swoop down and carry us both off for supper!
After about 5 minutes up the road we turned and came back toward home, rode past the barn, now he is getting really nervous again. Pokey is running past us, on the other side of the fence which makes Gilly even jumpier. Thank you Pokey! But I made him go on down the road toward Kim's house. He wanted to turn and run several times but I kept his head straight. I would squeeze first one rein then the other just to keep his mind on something beside wanting to run. I didn't tighten up on the reins either, which I used to do which just made things worse. But I think that by squeezing and releasing my hands on the reins kept him focused on me and not the sounds he was hearing. It was starting to rain harder so I turned and rode back to the barn, again he wanted to run but we just walked along at a good brisk walk. I stayed calm, cause I knew what it was, and that helped him.

I hurried and got the saddle off, raining harder now, went to put Gil in the barn but he won't go, still afraid. So I turned him loose in the field by another gate and he and Pokey are still standing there, 3 hours later. Silly boys!!! But since it's still raining they are getting a bath! LOL
We will work on more scary stuff tomorrow!
Jane

New Helmet

Gilly and I have been working on going straight and forward. He is NOT a very forward moving horse and so we work.  I wanted to learn to sit his trot but a girl that I have working with us said I should concentrate on getting him to go forward and me strengthening my legs. So I post and post and post and it's working, it's also giving me a more secure seat. Yea!

Got a new helmet too a Tipperary Sportage and I LOVE it!!! It doesn't pinch my forehead like the other one and I really love the fact that it has so many air vents in it.....it's COOL, really cool! and light weight, feels like you aren't wearing a helmet at all. I'll use the other one that doesn't breath as much for winter riding.

Last week I saw and killed my first huge horse fly. Dang I wish somehow those darned things would just go away. They will be coming out in force in a week or so. I got some fly spray the other day it had Citronella scent it said. I forgot that Gilly is allergic to. I sprayed him lightly the next day he had hives all over him, HUGE ones! Poor boy, so I start looking at the feed store for a different fly spray that is good, well all of them have citronella in them now. I did find one, an off brand and I can't remember the name now. Today I used it but sprayed it on a mitt and wiped him with it, will have to see if makes him break out. He also has large flaky, dandruff looking patches too. I have been using Vetericyn on him and it is helping. I couldn't ride yesterday because of a sore place at his girth area from the hives.
Have any of you had this kind of problem? I wanted to use Pyranha but that is what had the citronella in it, couldn't find any around here that didn't have it in. I have also tried the home made fly repellent and it doesn't work with Gilly the flies still love him.
Hope everyone is having a good summer so far!
Jane

Gilly having an identy crises

Gilly is one mixed up guy isn't he? LOL Click on the picture to enlarge. I also got a new hat.

 

I have some things to do on this one and I will post on it a bit later when it's finished.

Lacy posing with me and my new hat! Gilly thinks it's pretty neat too, and wants to grab it off my head. Maybe he wants to wear it too.

I have been riding some in the mornings, when it's not raining. Have to go early so the bugs won't carry us away! Gilly is doing so much better and mostly it has to do with my attitude. Imagine that? It's really true what they say about the horse mirroring us and if we don't like what we see then we had better change "us" not them. Boy, sometimes that's a very bitter pill to swallow, it's so much easier to blame the horse. Well, not so. I have been reading a wonderful book by Jane Savoie called "That Winning Feeling"......all I can say is WOW!!!!  I have only read a few chapters and it's helped me a great deal.

more later........
have a great weekend everyone!
Jane