Blame it on the rain

I feel like we are living in the tropics. It has rained darn near every day and it was a record rainfall for June with over 11″. The storms seem to roll in about the time that I get off work each day making it a challenge to fit the riding in.

I have been writing quite about Gib over at my makeover page-  http://retiredracehorsetraining.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=97:jessica-morthole&layout=blog&Itemid=396&layout=default

Gib has been having some ups and downs in his retraining. He actually reminds me quite a bit of Letterman when Letterman was starting his retraining. I think many of the issues we are running into are being caused by muscle aches and pains. It seems we have some good days and then bad days but I have yet to figure out a pattern. I just keep plugging away and journaling what it is like to try to figure out a more complicated horse. Seems like it has been a while since we had a tricky CANTER horse. Most of the horses we do are very straight forward and quite easy. Leave it to Gib to throw us for a loop 🙂 Perhaps he really wanted to make sure that I show case my ability to work with a difficult Tb for this makeover challenge? Difficult in terms of training only because he continues to be the sweetest horse ever. We were just snuggling this morning and I brought him in and stuck him under his fan for the day. He is such a lover and snuggles with the best of them. I really think we will get over this hump soon.

Letterman is staying sound (knocking on a big piece of wood now) and feels great. We have even added some jumping back in and it has been awesome. Our canter is getting better. I am looking at some dressage shows for him over the summer while I build up his fitness to get him back to jumping. He seems to have really settled into his private stall that opens up to his small paddock which then goes into a larger grass paddock. He panics if his “stall door” is closed because he is a freak. He has to have his stall open so he can come and go as he pleases. He totally OWNS me! I love his weird self so it is all okay. When I ride him I almost can’t believe it is the same horse. He is so enjoyable.

I have been getting amazing reports on all the CANTER horses and my own resale horses in their new homes. I love seeing all the updates from their new families.

I did say that I was going to take a break and not buy any horses (unless one really jumped out at me). I will blame it on the rain and my cranky attitude but I did end up buying two horses from Iowa. Yes, I shipped two Tb’s from Iowa based on pictures that I saw on facebook. It took them three days to arrive but they are lovely. Both are 3yrs who trained but never raced. It seems strange that I live in one of the best area for Tb’s but I shipped two from the midwest. However, they were cheaper in cost and the shipping was very cheap. They ended up being more reasonably priced then what I could find locally.

This is Gude Affair:

He was said to be super quiet and the type that anybody could ride. I just loved his cute face and honestly he was the right size, color and was said to have a great attitude. He is the sweetest guy! Can’t wait to get on him here soon. He looks more like a QH with his face. They were calling him Baldy and we have stuck with that.

This is the guy who had really caught my eye. He was said to be over 17h and he just looked like he had the uphill build that I look for in a horse. His name is Gude Gone Wild.

I was doubtful that he would be over 17 h but he is pretty darn big. I would say maybe 16.3 which is plenty big!

When they arrived they had a cold so they immediately went into the front field that has a run-in shed (away from the other horses) and they have just been hanging up there. They got a vet visit and some antibiotics. They both are feeling much better and in another week they can join the barn. They are super bored right now. I visit with them daily and they love attention. They are both such nice horses. I am so eager to get them started that it is driving me crazy but it has been raining and nasty out so really I couldn’t have done much anyway.

I am in the process of getting one of my small paddocks (the one we use for free jumping) turned into an area that actually has footing so I can do lunging and free jumping even when the weather is bad. It will also be a smaller area for riding the babies. My barn has gotten a lot busier and we are finding the need to have two spaces to work. Wish the weather would cooperate so it could get finished. Having this smaller ring will be helpful to working with the young horses.

I still do hope to bring one more CANTER horse over at some point. We have many that are ready to get started and are just waiting us retrainers to get time/space.