I'm going....Don't stop!

Today was the third day in a row, I have taken Chester out. I am absolutely, totally, completely proud of myself! I mean, this is the most I have taken him out for a while. We have been having so much fun; practicing tricks, grazing and taking walks. It wasn't quite easy at first because he had so much energy, but sense he has been exercising, he is getting calmer. Which it's very nice to walk a farm pony instead of a race horse. =) haha! Thankfully it hasn't been raining, so I will try my best to keep going until it returns. It's bound to; it's only January. I seem to get a little depressed in March when everything is sopping wet and we're both sick of winter weather. But once I hand my horse life over to the Lord, He always blesses me in a special way and Spring starts showing signs that it's going to pack up and head out.

Here are some pictures from a couple of the times I took him out.

Side note;
I got my first phone in December, so now I can take quick photos. But, that also means not so good quality pictures. I am getting a new phone though, so they will be a little better.
Sorry if they're blurry or the color is off. =/

Monday; my dirty beast. Actually he's not that bad.

                                                 Munch, munch- I gave him a carrot.
I rarely tie him to the hitching post. Rarely. Like, I could count how many times. At the most ten times?
(I usually just have him stand there while I brush him or what-not. He's pretty good about it. He falls asleep when I brush him. =) Oh, and I keep him in his yard when I do that.) =)

He did a really good though. He didn't pull on the rope to get the grass the whole time. He only tried a couple times but I told him no and he just stood there, like a good boy!

  Isn't he cute?

 What's your guys rating on my hitching post?? I made it myself! I actually need to fix it because one of the posts is lose.

At one point, he got a black berry bush stuck on his head. He was just standing there and when he lifted up his head it was right above it. Most of you probably don't have blackberry bushes....be thankful! haha! Anyways! He freaked out but I grabbed his halter and told him to calm down and he stayed still for me to lift it off his head. Silly horse. I can wrap a scarf around his head but when a blackberry bush lays over his head he gets all scared. Well, now that I think about it, he could have thought it was barbed wire.
He has some scares on his back legs from getting cut by barbed wire when he was little.

A little story real quick.....
One time I went to feed him and he was standing in his yard so I went up to him and said hi. Afterwards though, instead of following me up, he stood there,weirdly turning his head to his sides. Like he was in pain or something. I was thinking he might not be well. But as I stood there at the top of the hill trying to figure it out, he slowly moved one of his back legs forward. All of a sudden, he took off up the hill. And as he ran a blackberry bush flew up, a little into the air. I then realized that he had gotten a blackberry bush caught on his tail and (later I found out, because of a spot of blood) on his leg.

                                                       "Can I please have that carrot?"
                                            I was holding a carrot up by my phone. =)

                 "I think there's something over there."       Oh really? Well we'll go see in a little bit.

Hope you guys are having a nice week and you are enjoying your horses! And your wonderful family's, too! =)

I Love My Pony

 I got in a little while ago, from taking Chester out for some exercise. Let me tell ya! I love my pony!
 He is truly a sweet horse. As long as he gets fed, watered and exercised, he is a fun, sweet, gentle horse to be around. I will admit, right now he has a bunch o' energy. Lately though, I have been taking him for walks. Letting him eat some grass and walk around to stretch his legs. It has definitely helped to use some of that stored up winter energy. =)
It also helps to keep the inflammation in his back left leg down; which I've learned older horses get inflammation (in their legs) from not moving around a whole lot. Chester has one leg that will kinda "swell" when he doesn't get any exercise. It goes down, literally moments, after he starts walking. So I haven't worried about it.
I haven't ridden him in a long time- I was thinking of working/exercising him all week and then maybe riding him Saturday. (Like, tack him up and walk him around.) It'd be good for both of us. =)


My pony and me...

                                                                   Besties!

Better Late, Or Really Really Late, Then Never, Right?

Ok, this is a super duper late post, on what I got for Christmas. Sorry I didn't do this weeks ago! Have any of you heard of school? Ya well...

                                  Here's everything in one picture. Lots of blessings! =)

                                                       I got a pair of riding gloves!

                                                          They are really nice!

                                                 A belt buckle-Super-de-duper fun!

                                                                     Ooooooo! =)

                                                    Jean, always need those! =)

       And.....

                                             ....A belt!! I big bingy belt! I love it! =)

                                                                       It's purtty!

         One thing that I did need, was a real riding helmet. That too, came as a Christmas blessing!

I like it- a lot! =) I feel like I need to step up and be a "real" Equestrian now. (Whatever that means. I don't know...I just feel that way.) =) I'm weird. Moving on!

Now one of my most favorites!!

                                 A sweatshirt that says, Barrel Racing! I absolutely Love it!!

                                              It's a really fun sweatshirt! Trust me! =)

                                    This was before I washed it- so it shrunk a little bit. =)
         

                        Of course I got a horse calender. We all get a calender, each Christmas.

                                                       I love my horse calenders....

Those were all gifts from my family.

A couple friends gave me some horse/country related gifts.

A sweet friend gave me this, super fun frame! (And the picture-it's so weird though, the girl looks like me!) =)

 Then another girl gave me this book mark. You put it around the bind of the book. Is'n't that fun!?

That's all my horse related gifts this year! I was really blessed! Sorry it's like, LATE! =/

Two More Days!!

So, there are only two more days for anyone who wants to add to my, Winter Tips and Techniques, post coming up this Friday!!
I only have two people so far.... I would LOVE it if anyone else would participate. I think it would be really cool if there were lots of peoples advice and tips. Please, consider it!! Two more days!!
Here is the link to the post, with all the info on it. Or click on the picture.

Winter Goals Shift, Towards Summer Dreams.

Hey guys, this coming week I will have some cool posts going up. But until then, I was wondering if any of you had some good exercises to do with your horse during the winter? Like simple easy ones. I can't really take Chester out and lunge him or do high tech work. As the ground is soggy, slippery and wet. I don't want him to break any bones....
I have been working on tricks which I will continue to do. But do you have any suggestions??

These are my thoughts. I want to invest in my horse. What you put into your horse is what you're going to get out of it. Horses take a lot of time. Not just feeding and caring for them. Or the time it takes to tack up and ride and then un-tack. It takes time and effort to build a relationship with them. To gain that respect. I want to keep him thinking this winter. I want to keep investing and working with him, so that come summer, we're not "cold and stiff" so to speak.

Winter in Washington State (Northwest specifically) is the worst time and place to own a horse.
Nevertheless, I own a horse, I'm glad I own a horse and I'm sure glad I own a horse like Chester!

One more week to submit your Winter Tips And Techniques! Please really consider it!

Liquid Sunshine

Right now we are getting a lot of liquid sunshine. Rain. While a lot of people are dealing with really really cold weather, like -30, we get rain. Don't get me wrong, we did have cold weather and it was cold. But it has warmed up and now rain is here!

What have I been doing with Chester? Well, I have this new years resolution, to work Chester, at the least, once a week. That can be hard for me this time of year though. The ground is soggy. When I mean soggy, I mean, slipping, sliding and foot deep whole made by my wild pony that wants to run free!
He as so much energy right now! I will have to do a post on my "round pen"/area where I work him. So you can see what I mean. =)

So, while I'm keeping in mind that I need to get in one "good" day of ground work with him each week, I'm hoping the rain will go away.
In the mean time I'm working on tricks with him! I got some peppermint treats for him- so today he got to enjoy a different treat. Most of the time I use carrots, as that's all he likes. Today he got both though!
I'v been teaching/working on kissing, something else, (which is a surprise right now) and I recently started teaching him how to hug. Right now, he's just doing the "hug" for the treat but is doing good! He is really improving on kissing. Just needs to be a tad more gentle...=) He does it really fast and then wants the treat. Such a funny boy! He is definitely a smart horse. No doubt about that! And the "other trick," he's coming along on that really nicely too! ;)

Stay warm and dry, Ya'll!

                                                                     Yummo!!

Winter Tips and Tricks, For Keeping A Healthy Horse.

Hey everyone, so you might remember a couple months ago, I mentioned that I was thinking of doing a big, combined blog post of winter tips and tricks from all of you. Well, I am going to hopefully bring that to pass now. Here's the deal.
I want as many people as possible to join in on this. I think this could turn out really cool. This is what I'm thinking.

•  Have a person give personal advice, tips or tricks, of how they keep a healthy, happy, fit, clean ect. horse during the winter.

• I want it to be, tricks and techniques you have found to be helpful to yourself.  [Example- A way to keep a healthy coat during the wet winter months. It can be way simpler too. Like, how you keep your hay dry.]

Here is what the person would get for sharing their tricks, advice ect.

• You would get full credit.
• There would be a link to their blog or site in the post.

I want this to be fun for everyone, so the more people who do it, the more worth our time and the more fun it will be.
There was a couple people who gave some advice before, when I mentioned I wanted to do this. As for those people, I can use your advice and tips or you can give me new ones.

I will give you two weeks, till next Friday, the 17th, to submit your "fun facts". (Tips, advice, tricks ect.) They can be one sentence or up to one or two paragraphs.

Please, Email your "fun facts to me. Email me at-  flaxndaisy@gmail.com

Feel free to spread the word. The more the merrier! Here is a button for you to put on your blog. 

                 

Hurray!

I've hit 4,000 page views! Hurray! I know that it may not be that many to some of you but that's a lot for me!
Thank you, to my 11 wonderful followers! For following me, supporting me, giving me advice and just being nice friends! I appreciate you more then you know!

2014! Happy New Year!

 Happy new year to you all! I hope you all had a great year and will have a blessed one to come!