Coming back into work

So went out for another light hack down the road this weekend and was lucky enough to entice my friend L to come with!  L is a pretty awesome gal, always up for anything and everything, especially if it involves wearing her rubber boots.

We went out for a quick ride, and Koda was being a bit of a turkey.  The moment I swung my leg over, he walked off (which he rarely ever does) and was giving the tractor (aka: the bringer of food) the hairy eye.  This was somewhat the theme of our ride - everything was going to try and eat Koda, and he was SURE of it.  The end of the driveway?  The snowbank?  The grain bins down the road?  GAH!  It was like we'd never   ridden down there before.  To counter-act Koda being a baby, I decided to do some transition and lateral work.  Of course, after a few walk-trot transitions, Koda found something else to investigate.... the grain bins he's walked by since last year!  Oh, the turkey...

Ger OVER it, Koda!  I'm the alpha of this situation

At that point, we turned back around and started doing some lateral work on the way home.  Koda has stopped doing his jigging back to the barn (As Carly would say, small win!) and we put in some baby shoulder-in.  L was asking about how do you ask for all the stuff we were doing, and so did a quick baby lesson on the aids and how to ask for lateral movement.

Some baby steps in shoulder-in (and obedience), good boy!

We did some work again by the snowbank where we had a bit of the rodeo last time, and it went a tad better this time.  I think I was confusing Koda since I was kind of like "ok, jump it if you want..." but I wouldn't keep myself up off his back when he did, so he got pissed when he felt me thump back down on his back (don't blame him!) and he threw a couple small crow hops while cantering away.

Wheeee!

In the yard, I tossed L up on Koda so that she could get a bit of a ride in plus I got to see how Koda would handle a very green/beginner rider.  It was kind of super cute since he would always keep looking at me, seemingly saying "Is this right, mom?  Why are you down there?  I'm not sure about this... but ok...".  Kind of super adorable.

L and Koda looking absolutely adorable

It's funny to think about now, but I almost didn't go ride this weekend.  There has been some very big drama going on up here and I am one of those people who hate dealing with conflict.  Either way, it's gotten to the point where it's starting to affect my riding time and it has to stop.  I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do about it, but something will need to be decided soon enough.  Crack on and carry-on as they say!

Feel free to ignore the crazy duck feet going on...

Tack Room Clean Out!

So, having to completely clean out my tack room in the trailer (for obvious reasons... see photo below in the previous post!), I have found some extra tack that needs to be cleared out.  I am a known lover of bridles, in particular the Five Star Tack brand.  Sorry for the shameless self-promo and using the blog as a sales page, but right now the trailer is going to need a bit of extra funds to get it fixed.

I am open to offers on everything, but please remember the prices do not include shipping and I do live in northern Canada!

Brand new Devon-naire field boots, size 9 regular calf. Calf is too large for mine, 

just looking to get back what I put in for them. Asking $100.00 obo + shipping

Ainsley all-purpose/dressage saddle for sale. Extra wide tree, 17.5-18 inch seat. 

Very nice older saddle with a few flaws (see next photo of split on cantle and worn area on flap). 

Asking $150.00 +shipping

Brand new, never used Five Star Bridle with flash. High quality leather,

 gorgeous fancy stitch, padded and raised. Size is full. This is a show quality bridle! 
Asking what I paid, $225.00 + shipping
A link to the bridle description on the manufacturer website
http://www.fivestartack.com/figure-eight-and-flash-noseband-bridles.html

Used Val Du Bois Full Bridle, fancy stitch, padded and raised. 

Has been used for 1.5 years, been sitting for a year. Size large cob/full
Asking $60.00 obo + shipping

Show quality Five Star Tack padded and raised bridle. Lovely leather, stitching is tight, 

this bridle has been taken care of and looks/feels brand new.

 Was used for one show season. Size is true cob.
Asking $125.00 obo + shipping

If you have any questions about any items, or offers, let me know!  Either comment on here or feel free to email me.

To end this post on a more blog-type note, here's a cute photo of Koda on the first day he was brought home!

Onward and Upward, plus an Anniversary!

Today was the first ride post-quarantine and it went well.  Before the whole kerfuffle, Koda had been getting to be a bit of a handful when we headed home after hacking out.  Today my plan was to go out and have an easy go of it, just walking/ambling down the road and back.  If he tried to be stupid on the way home, I would turn him around and trot out a bit, then start walking back home.

Ready to go!

We headed out and things were very good.  No jigging, no back and forth across the road, just plodded about.  I'm reading Koda better and better, really paying attention to him and his "tells".  One of his tricks is to look like he's going to sniff or lick the snow, then dart in to the centre of the road or wherever he wanted (discovered later this is one of his biggest evasions), kind of like the pony looking to "graze" then ripping the reins out and going wherever he wanted.  As we went, I really didn't want to be in his face so I focused on using my seat and legs.  As the ride went on, it seemed like today was the day for bird-watching!  I saw several different birds, a few of them new to me.  A couple neat ones were some juvenile prairie chickens playing along the ditch and a very small swallow type bird, mostly white with some black speckles along the breast and it looked like the wings and tail had been dipped in black paint.  When we turned to head home, I worked on playing with his stride length, moving into the territory of "collection" at a walk, along with some minor lateral work.

Our natural water obstacle and what's happened to the quonset...

When we got back to the farm, I decided I wanted to take the "back driveway" in.  There was a bank of snow in front of it (caused by the plow) but I though, oh Koda will just step/climb over it.  Well... the first time he did.  It was fun going along that back way, I wanted to school a bit back there.  So we went back along it to where we had come, and Koda decided he had to jump the snow bank.  Ok, not a problem, but the running afterwards was.  So we had a bit of a discussion about that.  Jumping, that's fine, but the running away afterwards was certainly not!  Once back in the yard, we schooled our natural water obstacle.  Ironically, the best footing in the yard right now is under that water, so we walked and trotted through it.  If the water is still there come Tuesday, I may toss a small jump in there to school.

When we finished, I tried to take a conformation shot... It didn't turn out very well...

Not square, but at least on flat-ish ground.

"But mom, I'm supposed to be beside you!"

So, this is kind of the best shot... 

Also, today was Koda's and mine one year anniversary of being together!  We've been through a bit, and I can't wait for this up coming year.  Every time I go and see Koda, I learn something new or notice something different about this amazing animal that I get to call my partner :)

Love you Koda!

Even covered in spring shed and muck, you are a handsome adorable pony!

Got some news today...

So I got a call at work today from the food inspection bureau (they handled the investigation for what's been going on up here, including Koda's Coggins test).

and...



KODA IS NEGATIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough Patch

Sorry for the silence everyone!  Things up here have not been going well.

As I mentioned before, Koda has been exposed to another animal that has been confirmed infected with a very contagious disease.  We are currently under quarantine for testing to occur to ensure that he is not infected.  I'm not too too concerned, but it's not a great thing to think about.  If he does test positive, he essentially will have to be put down...

To add on top of that, my trailer is stuck inside a storage building that collapsed.  My trailer is showing some damage (there is definitely some crushing going on the roof and a hole straight through in the dressing room area).  The BO's trailer is also stuck in the building (her building) and we won't be able to get them out until the snow melts away.  Considering we just got another 10-20cm of snow, things are not looking good.  Add on top of that the trailer is only insured when it's hooked up to the truck and on the road, tightening of the purse strings will be happening.

I'm just extremely blessed that the BO wasn't inside the building when it collapsed and none of the horses were injured either.  Thank God for small blessings, and let's hope the forecast is right in that the weather is supposed to heat up again in the following week!

Sorry for the glum post, everyone.  Things are going to be in a slight limbo until we get the test results back.

In happier news, another couple along with me and the SO went to Jasper over the long weekend.  It was a great trip and am hoping to make some plans for the summer to go back and possibly do some back country camping or at least day-long hikes.  It may not happen this summer, but hopefully next year.