How far we've come . . .

Pictures are sometimes worth a thousand words . . .

Could they get any cuter?

Introducing our newest addition, the Rock Star, Rocky Road, Mr. Rock N' Roll himself . . . "Rocky" the mini donkey. Sass needed a friend to keep her company while Haley & Bucky are out riding . . . and so we adopted this little fella!



Rocky getting fitted for his new halter at SYA Longear Rescue, getting ready to head home . . . and me asking last minute donkey questions . . . how DO you do their manes? Do they make donkey bridles? Etc . . . LOL


Rocky arriving at our house, Ann was right they do like to ride facing backwards!





Love the look on Rocky's face . . . he thinks she's pretty cute!






The bray . . . oh the bray! It is SO loud and he already does it to greet us . . . the first time he did it the horses spooked big time and Sonny & I laughed so hard we cried.


Sass wants to make sure he knows that SHE is the queen of the paddock . . .


Bucky thinks he may have found a great new friend too!


Those cute not-so-little ears swivel all around . . .



AND he makes that cute floppy lower lip quiver when you rub his ears . . . . so seriously . . . do they get any cuter than this?

Haley goes to camp and Sassy learns to drive . . .

Haley went off to spend the month of March with a friend . . . she was a champ and loaded right into the trailer, traveled well and settled in to her new surroundings without a fuss.



She is getting lots of attention and riding and will be back in April. Hopefully we can get her out the trails this summer. Meanwhile back home . . .




Sassy is doing very well leading, lunging and doing pony rides . . . she has been great for the nieces and nephews. I tried to get her a little english saddle, but a "mini" mini she is not . . . need to find a slightly larger saddle for her!




We decided it might be time for her to learn a new trick! I found this adorable little driving harness for her and after a few adjustments it was fitted to our chubby mare. She was very tolerant of the crupper and breaching!


We started off by ground-driving in her halter and then with the closed bridle. She took to it very well and knowing voice commands (walk, whoa and trot) proved to be very helpful in the beginning stages.



Later we had Sonny pull a wooden hay sled behind her, while I lead her and then later had her pull the sled, he even sat on it for a few seconds. She was very very good and tolerated our antics! Now we just need to pick up her training cart.

Bucky & I also have some exciting summer plans, click HERE for more info . . .

Winter boredom & pony troubles . . .

Haley enjoying a run in the fresh snow . . .

It's officially winter in Vermont, the mud is finally gone and we are left with snow, ice and COLD! The horses have their wooley winter coats and are pretty much "off" for the winter, other than some groundwork and occasional riding. The footing in our paddocks is not very good right now and they are just plain bored. To prevent them from chewing up their water tubs and barn any further we got out the "toys".

Bucky playing in the fresh snow . . .

In addition to the usual "Lick-it"'s, Jolly Balls and hula hoops . . . we also made them some toys out of milk jugs and shavings bags. They have a great time destroying them!

Sassy has had some manure troubles with some loose manure and staining on her hind end, but after all sorts of diet changes, deworming, and diagnostic testing, we finally found a medication to get her back on track, only someone who has dealt with this will really appreciate the following photo:

Success!

Haley update . . .

Haley is gaining weight and feeling good! Her & Bucky are now best buddies. I haven't had very much time to ride her lately. She knows how to walk / trot / halt on the lunge line and is for the most part pretty calm about new things!

My best friend came to visit this weekend and we rode Bucky & Haley together. Poor Haley got stuck with the Western saddle and the snaffle bridle! I have been riding her exclusively in a bitless bridle, which she goes well in. She accepted the bit well, but I suspect she has not been ridden in one before. She is also VERY talented at getting her tongue over the bit.

So we included a bosal (as an energency brake / steering) in her tack. This was she could continue getting used to the snaffle and we could primarily use the bosal to stop / steer as this is more like what she is used to.

Overall she did very well and was yielding her head to the side and halting with gentle bit pressure by the end of her second ride. She still needs lots of desensitization and hours under saddle to be a good trail horse! Her very sane & sensible temperment sure is helpful.

The Sassafrass Fan Club . . .

It's official - the snazziest, brattiest, fuzziest pinto pony around has her own adoring fans . . . they are just as cute as she is!

My 3 year old niece Emma on Sassy!

Nathan having a ride on Sassy while his sister Hannah helps lead her!

Hannah, with her brand new helmet on Sassy.

Payton (almost 2 years old) having her very first pony ride (and loving it!)

After riding Sassy usually gets a little treat . . . and spoiling . . .




She also insists on a pedicure!

Haley is a superstar!

Haley was great for her grooming, she let us comb her mane and tail out, trim her ears and bridlepath.

She was also great for her first real ride, she has made great progress longing but as she is still gaining weight / muscle she tires easily. She really looks forward to halts and is always checking to see if I'm asking her to stop and look at me!

Here is Haley on her first real ride with Ali walking beside her. She is very green, but our lessons in yielding to pressure paid off and she has a solid halt.

This is her second ride, we walked a few laps around the paddock, she really wanted to be back with her herdmates eating grass, but was good for the most part.

Big day . . .

Today I came home with a brand new saddle for Bucky, had a great ride and then worked Haley on the longe in the new saddle. She was being so very good, I figured what the heck, time to sit on this mare!

Should have brought a mounting block home from the tack shop too! We have spent the past week getting used to standing next to the gate or bucket while I pet her all over and mess with the stirrups, no big deal.

I'm waiting on Ali to come this weekend for her official "first ride". But she was good today while I got on and off her.

Who has dapples?!

While I am busy working on Bucky's lameness, Haley also continues her training. She has made great progress in the past few weeks, she is now longing - walk, trot, halt both directions very nicely, leading well, yielding to halter pressure, and has become much more attentive.

I still primarily have to longe her on a line because she will jump out of my little "round"(its actually square) pen, when she's had enough. The fence is only about 4 feet tall and it has never occurred to the other horses to leap out, but Haley figured this out in about 5 minutes. She is a terrific jumper.

We are working on desensitization now and she literally yawned as I flapped a saddle blanket all over her body. The flag took all of 5 minutes to get over. So today I saddled her up. This mare has obviously been ridden at some point, she knows to hold her breath when the girth is put on!

So after assuring her I was NOT going to girth her too tighly I showed her what being saddled is all about - relaxing and eating grass of course! She's almost ready for her "first" ride, how exciting!

Look at her dapples! Now if we could just add a tail . . . her papers from AMHA also arrived last week.

Goodbye Lady Byrd . . .

After 20 years of being a part of our family, the time has come to say goodbye to our beloved Morab mare, Lady Byrd. Yesterday she tried to have a nice roll in the dirt after her bath and could not get back up again without assistance. Her hind end is just too weak and wobbly. We got her to her feet for a last weekend of love and spoiling before we say good bye.

Lady was my first pony, she was not always so sweet. I was bucked off this little mare more times than I can count (and most of my friends have been too!). She taught me how to be a quiet, gentle rider, and also about perserverance.

She is also Sonny's first and favorite horse. They both look forward to her nightly wither scratching routine. In her later years she taught many kids how to ride, took them to their first horses shows, and gave first pony rides in our yard. She is the only pony I know that has had two barns AND a run-in shed built just for her in her lifetime (thanks Dad and Sonny!).

She will be missed.