So I couldn't find anyone to shear my sheep since I live in LOS ANGELES and people WORK FOR A LIVING like in little cubicles, here, so I just got some scissors and four blisters and some serious skin rubbed off my hand later, I have a fairly sheared sheep who now hates me. I only cut him one time, but it did look pretty gruesome.
Travis is one year old, and he had started looking like who's that black dude with the afro, Larry King? Rodney King? Wait, somebody King, from the 70's. Anyway, he was looking SWEATY.
So now he's baa baa black sheep haven't any wool, and I have two bags full. I decided what the hell do I do with the wool, so I looked up "what to do with wool" and you wouldn't believe the huge amounts of terrible and useless things they showed pictures of. First was the animal rights sites that said sheep are being skin stripped which okay I'm not doing that but suddenly I had to SEE and can't UNSEE that. Travis is about as far from that demise as he can get, since he likes to sometimes wander into the house. Then I see that if you want to spin wool into a sweater (which I don't), you have to wash it, a bunch of times in a kettle, rinse it, dry it, pick it apart, pick all the dirt out (it would take hours just to pick apart ONE piece of wool, let alone two bags full), comb it out and then you have chunks of wool that you can make into ugly decorations that none of your friends would want.
Like wool coasters. Or a wool wreath. Or you can do a bunch of other junk to it where the end result is buying the Sleeping Beauty spinning wheel and making it into actual yarn to actually knit. I am a knitter but I barely even want to pick up the sticks in my hands to knit WITH, so I see the joy in getting the yarn already colored and clean and ready in strings at the store.
But I am not ready to throw out the dirty wool. I may wash it just to say I did, and I may pick it apart on some day that I really don't want to do something more boring like clean the house or play with the kids. heh. Then I could make a pillow or a comforter for the dog or something. Right?
But then, can you WASH that? Things that are all natural are like, way more complicated. They wear like sandals and have goatees and wear their shorts kinda baggy and ride bikes in the rain.
I just want to say that my natural inclination is to zip it into an old sleeping bag and say there ya go. Instant dirty comforter. DO NOT UNZIP.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Little Drops of Water
Something weird is happening lately. I am actually enjoying riding.
I think falling off those years ago took so long to heal up the fear. And then adding a new horse whom I assumed would cause me years of torment (but I did it anyway) has been work, but after 2 1/2 months of working with her almost every day, I'm starting to know her, and relax.
Today on the trail I ponied her and rode Dewey and then on the way back, I got off him, got on her and rode a tiny bit. Then switcheroo again. Then when we were back on the little secret path I got back on her, and ponied him, and she is sleeker, more like a hot rod convertible than huge thick lumbering Dewey.
I had to think cautiously, I've never ponied Dewey, she's only 4 years old, new to everything, she's never ponied a horse either, so I picked my spots carefully, and I kept the rides short where she was the leader. The good thing about being careful is that you set yourself up for success. There's nothing wrong with little tiny steps. The Carrie Fisher song:
Little drops of water
Little grains of sand
Make the mighty oceans
And the pleasant lands
All I know is it is nice to see the flowers and see the butterflies and be riding a horse who isn't afraid, and to be helping the new horse learn her place and her job, and because of all this work eventually I'll have a friend along with me in the saddle, and riding will be even more fun because there will be chatter and company, and safety in numbers, comfort for both Dewey and I. He's so happy to have a friend in the barn and on the trail, it's like he sighs with the relief of company.
Maggie does like to see if she can be in charge each day - she will do what you say, but she's just askin. She is happy to be with Dewey, and see the scenery. And having a young horse to work with and teach all the cues to, and learn her likes and dislikes, and try and mold her into just a regular quiet old trail horse - this has made me a mostly humorous, stronger rider, which has made Dewey a better horse. Now I just ask him clearly for what I want, and he's happy to do it, where before I was slightly always terrified. Since Maggie is more hardheaded, I've had to be super tough, and it's changed my riding. Even though with her I also have to be very light with legs and hands, since at her age, she's just learning balancing a rider, moving forward happily and learning some rhythm. We're still only at a walk with a rider on, I figure I'll get her happy going forward at all gaits on the lunge, and happy going forward at the walk and then stick a few small trots in there when I think she will be willing and not slam on the brakes. (Her favorite trick.)
Okay, that's Mag and Dew news. I am fresh from being outdoors and exploring, even just the neighborhood trails. I feel good that I'm building up for the only other thing she'll have to do, which is take us down to the water and enjoy the wilderness of Hansen Dam. She's been there once!
I think falling off those years ago took so long to heal up the fear. And then adding a new horse whom I assumed would cause me years of torment (but I did it anyway) has been work, but after 2 1/2 months of working with her almost every day, I'm starting to know her, and relax.
Today on the trail I ponied her and rode Dewey and then on the way back, I got off him, got on her and rode a tiny bit. Then switcheroo again. Then when we were back on the little secret path I got back on her, and ponied him, and she is sleeker, more like a hot rod convertible than huge thick lumbering Dewey.
I had to think cautiously, I've never ponied Dewey, she's only 4 years old, new to everything, she's never ponied a horse either, so I picked my spots carefully, and I kept the rides short where she was the leader. The good thing about being careful is that you set yourself up for success. There's nothing wrong with little tiny steps. The Carrie Fisher song:
Little drops of water
Little grains of sand
Make the mighty oceans
And the pleasant lands
All I know is it is nice to see the flowers and see the butterflies and be riding a horse who isn't afraid, and to be helping the new horse learn her place and her job, and because of all this work eventually I'll have a friend along with me in the saddle, and riding will be even more fun because there will be chatter and company, and safety in numbers, comfort for both Dewey and I. He's so happy to have a friend in the barn and on the trail, it's like he sighs with the relief of company.
Maggie does like to see if she can be in charge each day - she will do what you say, but she's just askin. She is happy to be with Dewey, and see the scenery. And having a young horse to work with and teach all the cues to, and learn her likes and dislikes, and try and mold her into just a regular quiet old trail horse - this has made me a mostly humorous, stronger rider, which has made Dewey a better horse. Now I just ask him clearly for what I want, and he's happy to do it, where before I was slightly always terrified. Since Maggie is more hardheaded, I've had to be super tough, and it's changed my riding. Even though with her I also have to be very light with legs and hands, since at her age, she's just learning balancing a rider, moving forward happily and learning some rhythm. We're still only at a walk with a rider on, I figure I'll get her happy going forward at all gaits on the lunge, and happy going forward at the walk and then stick a few small trots in there when I think she will be willing and not slam on the brakes. (Her favorite trick.)
Okay, that's Mag and Dew news. I am fresh from being outdoors and exploring, even just the neighborhood trails. I feel good that I'm building up for the only other thing she'll have to do, which is take us down to the water and enjoy the wilderness of Hansen Dam. She's been there once!
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Neigh borly
I was playing with the Mags and Dewey out front on the street, because it had gotten too boring in the arena and I like to get on scary and green/untrained horses while riding on cement for the extra head trauma.
Dewey has a sore foot so he just stood there basically while I got Maggie used to being outside on a street where she had never been and in the saddle I have to let my body loose like I'm completely relaxed and giving and no problem when in reality I'm completely opposite of that, like every minute of every day in every way.
But it works for her, she doesn't know complexity, she only knows body language, so my body speaks to hers and we're doing allright. I even feel allright.
A neighbor comes out and talks to me, he's the guy who usually rides his bike around, like we're in Seattle. I like him. He's more of an activist, there is stuff on his lawn that says No on This or Save this Thing, someone who thinks more in an outward way, and I'm grateful for people like that who use their lawn for stuff I never think about. I'd much rather just lay on the lawn and look at the clouds. We have clouds right now because we've had rain.
Anyway, just try working in a new spot, when you get stuck. You might meet somebody new, and someday you might actually feel your own body language. If you can get that far. I hope I do.
Dewey has a sore foot so he just stood there basically while I got Maggie used to being outside on a street where she had never been and in the saddle I have to let my body loose like I'm completely relaxed and giving and no problem when in reality I'm completely opposite of that, like every minute of every day in every way.
But it works for her, she doesn't know complexity, she only knows body language, so my body speaks to hers and we're doing allright. I even feel allright.
A neighbor comes out and talks to me, he's the guy who usually rides his bike around, like we're in Seattle. I like him. He's more of an activist, there is stuff on his lawn that says No on This or Save this Thing, someone who thinks more in an outward way, and I'm grateful for people like that who use their lawn for stuff I never think about. I'd much rather just lay on the lawn and look at the clouds. We have clouds right now because we've had rain.
Anyway, just try working in a new spot, when you get stuck. You might meet somebody new, and someday you might actually feel your own body language. If you can get that far. I hope I do.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
One Trick Pony
So my dumbass new horse decides she's done with riding as soon as I get on her. Her new trick is to flatten her ears, try to kick me while I'm in the saddle, and then back up scarily. Of course I get off when she does this, and she's so happy she learned a way for me to get off immediately.
So I read up on what to do with this new pleasure-filled experience, and it says it's common for young horses to be assholes, basically, when they don't know what you want, and then once they do know what you want, they will be assholes. Especially mares.
Hmm. Today I set Maggie up in the little back paddock with a chair and had a nice talking to her. Just kidding. I put the chair as my mounting block, and I took my time putting my weight on her, and taking my foot in and out of the stirrup, leaning on her, flapping her stirrups, and finally getting on and then right off. I did it a few times until she didn't look like she was going to try and launch me spaceballs up. The last time, I just got on and then sat there. My goal was to sit there and not ask her to move, just sit there and see if she'd be good with just THAT step.
I sat there for minutes. Then I lifted the reins a little bit. Just so she could see that nothing bad was going to happen, and we weren't going anywhere. Then got off and took saddle off and done. Then I took her for a walk with Dewey on the close trail, the 5th time. She did better, only one spook that kind of spooked Dewey and I thought here's where I die but it was okay. She used to stop many times going out, but today she only tried it about 4 times before I got on Dewey and then only one or two times once riding. I say that's improvement. Now that I know that's normal, I don't get mad. I just get her going again and ignore it.
Tomorrow I'll try to start some of the games on the ground, to get her respecting me a bit more. In the afternoon today I took her out in the driveway and ground drove her around, in and out the gate. She was NOT going for it - she does fine for awhile, then has a little fit like I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT and she tries to push her way past me and turn and evade me like a wriggly thousand pound fish, and I'm not all that good with steering on the ground so it took me a few times to get her re-aimed, but I was resolved that she would walk in and out of the gate without being an asshole before I'd quit for the day. By the end, she was walking in and out like it was the most boring thing in the world, like she was punching a clock. I put her away, happy she did what I asked but also knowing that it was only today. She was clearly doing me a favor, in her mind. We are a long way from her being boring every time. She does LIKE the challenge, though. I see it in her. Because she doesn't try to do anything really mean. She's scary, because she's big and silly and I don't know her, but it's only been a month. Pretty soon I will know all her tricks, and be able to manage her better, and guide her to her best self. I hope. I did today, anyway, for 5 minutes. Or maybe almost an hour total.
She is a really kind horse around the barn. She just has to learn her job, and that she has tasks, and that it can be easy or it can be hard. That's the part she's learning now.
Dewey is okay with being the forgotten horse. He was a good leader on the trail, and doesn't mind her sneezing all over him. He's okay with me steering with my legs and butt as I haul her with my other hand, and it's good practice. Who knew I had a lower body.
So I read up on what to do with this new pleasure-filled experience, and it says it's common for young horses to be assholes, basically, when they don't know what you want, and then once they do know what you want, they will be assholes. Especially mares.
Hmm. Today I set Maggie up in the little back paddock with a chair and had a nice talking to her. Just kidding. I put the chair as my mounting block, and I took my time putting my weight on her, and taking my foot in and out of the stirrup, leaning on her, flapping her stirrups, and finally getting on and then right off. I did it a few times until she didn't look like she was going to try and launch me spaceballs up. The last time, I just got on and then sat there. My goal was to sit there and not ask her to move, just sit there and see if she'd be good with just THAT step.
I sat there for minutes. Then I lifted the reins a little bit. Just so she could see that nothing bad was going to happen, and we weren't going anywhere. Then got off and took saddle off and done. Then I took her for a walk with Dewey on the close trail, the 5th time. She did better, only one spook that kind of spooked Dewey and I thought here's where I die but it was okay. She used to stop many times going out, but today she only tried it about 4 times before I got on Dewey and then only one or two times once riding. I say that's improvement. Now that I know that's normal, I don't get mad. I just get her going again and ignore it.
Tomorrow I'll try to start some of the games on the ground, to get her respecting me a bit more. In the afternoon today I took her out in the driveway and ground drove her around, in and out the gate. She was NOT going for it - she does fine for awhile, then has a little fit like I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT and she tries to push her way past me and turn and evade me like a wriggly thousand pound fish, and I'm not all that good with steering on the ground so it took me a few times to get her re-aimed, but I was resolved that she would walk in and out of the gate without being an asshole before I'd quit for the day. By the end, she was walking in and out like it was the most boring thing in the world, like she was punching a clock. I put her away, happy she did what I asked but also knowing that it was only today. She was clearly doing me a favor, in her mind. We are a long way from her being boring every time. She does LIKE the challenge, though. I see it in her. Because she doesn't try to do anything really mean. She's scary, because she's big and silly and I don't know her, but it's only been a month. Pretty soon I will know all her tricks, and be able to manage her better, and guide her to her best self. I hope. I did today, anyway, for 5 minutes. Or maybe almost an hour total.
She is a really kind horse around the barn. She just has to learn her job, and that she has tasks, and that it can be easy or it can be hard. That's the part she's learning now.
Dewey is okay with being the forgotten horse. He was a good leader on the trail, and doesn't mind her sneezing all over him. He's okay with me steering with my legs and butt as I haul her with my other hand, and it's good practice. Who knew I had a lower body.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
You Herd Right
I like the day where nothing bad happens.
Today I took the new Maggie mare out with Dewey the wonder horse. It's only our fourth time together out on our little close trail, and 3rd time ponying.
Reading and using ideas on training has really helped, especially with being patient. Today she did really well, she's settled into knowing her job. She still likes to stop a few times on the way out, I'd say maybe 6 times today. But now I stop Dewey and tug on her halter and she starts back up. I'd like to figure a way to start her back up that will translate better to when I'm in the saddle, so I chirped to her at the same time as tugging a few of the times. I think turning Dewey and going back for her would help, but I don't really want to turn around the Dewey barge, it's hard enough just to figure out how to stay on him while leading her.
Luckily I practiced stopping a few times, just to get that cue in, and rested and had them learn to just stand and relax, listening to the nature sounds. It gave me time to see that her halter had half pulled off over her ear (yikes) so I got to fix that and disaster averted. Hey, it's like I'm learning and thinking. And taking time to stop is actually a good thing. What is the rush, dude.
I'm also happy to learn how to hold my body differently - since I'm riding one-handed, I have to give with my Dewey hand or he lifts his head like ouch stop pulling my face. So I'm realizing I can use my legs a lot more, to move him over to the side, to anchor myself. My right hand is all focused on the mare, and making sure she stays with us. Using the whole body is crazy, it makes me see how I usually carry my entire self up in my throat. A nice fear and tension party up there, and all of me is invited.
Anything that helps me slow down, melt back down into my body, breathe and try and relax and even enjoy the (harrowing) process is good. It's the newness that is scary - not knowing her well yet, and being scared that she'll do something I can't handle, or cause a chain reaction in Dewey...But today I was thinking as I rode, that horses just want to go forward, at a relaxed pace. They are not in a rush. They will be just as happy as me to have an uneventful ride. Me being the boss mare doesn't mean pre-worrying about things. I sit deep, trust my horse, look out for danger, and trust my horse. And feel peace!
Luckily, I have worked with Dewey for 4 yrs straight, until we were so sick and bored of each other that it was finally time for the right young mare to come into our lives. So she has a spot, and Dewey gets to be the older brother, not perfect, but he's comfortable with the trail, he knows it, I don't ask him to do too much. I figure the more simple we keep it, the better the chance for all of us to get used to going out together, and already she's more respectful on the lead, and will learn to not stop! And I get to use my Dewey skills, more leg, trust, more rein, trust. He's happy to just amble along, and their paddock is so muddy right now, it's much better out on the trial, moving their bodies without slopping through the mud.
Once I get Maggie used to the close trail and the long trail, I'll bring Becky back out with us, and our trail team will be complete. Becky can't come til I have another butt in the saddle and I don't have to pony the mare.
I'm glad she had a good start, with people who handled her right. She came to us not afraid of things, and generally loved. She got out maybe once a month with them. Here she gets brushed at least once a day, worked with once a day, lots of attention, and a buddy horse who is happy to have her.
She's not as worried when he's out of her sight anymore - yesterday we were ground driving right here in the driveway, and I even started going out front on the gravel road, just to get them used to being worked separately. Have to do it in small lessons, since they are definitely attached and call to each other. But the one being worked is always happier than the one being left behind. Tomorrow I'll do more ground driving, or maybe get her under saddle a bit in the arena. I'm doing ground work/arena/turnout, individual work in driveway and then walks on trail, every other day. Variety. She also has a snotty nose and cough, so keeping an eye on it. But she is perky and happy to go out. A very mellow and kind girl, her energy is good for Dewey. She's a lot like him. She's not worried about much.
I can't imagine it yet, since I'm in the kindergarten area with her still, but I'm putting in the work to make her a quiet, listening horse, who is happy to take relaxing rides with me and my kids. I'm putting in the turn signals, and the brakes, and showing her the surroundings, and eventually it'll be me and one of my kids out there, enjoying the trail like she was born this way none of this work ever happened.
I am happy that Travis the sheep has been here a year, and helped Dewey have company until we got Maggie in. He belongs to the barnyard, and Dewey loves him, but now that he has Maggie he's less anxious about Travis. I think a horse likes his own kind, and likes a small herd to belong to. Lifelong process, this learning animal behavior, riding, manners, being a bossy leader, all of it.
Today I took the new Maggie mare out with Dewey the wonder horse. It's only our fourth time together out on our little close trail, and 3rd time ponying.
Reading and using ideas on training has really helped, especially with being patient. Today she did really well, she's settled into knowing her job. She still likes to stop a few times on the way out, I'd say maybe 6 times today. But now I stop Dewey and tug on her halter and she starts back up. I'd like to figure a way to start her back up that will translate better to when I'm in the saddle, so I chirped to her at the same time as tugging a few of the times. I think turning Dewey and going back for her would help, but I don't really want to turn around the Dewey barge, it's hard enough just to figure out how to stay on him while leading her.
Luckily I practiced stopping a few times, just to get that cue in, and rested and had them learn to just stand and relax, listening to the nature sounds. It gave me time to see that her halter had half pulled off over her ear (yikes) so I got to fix that and disaster averted. Hey, it's like I'm learning and thinking. And taking time to stop is actually a good thing. What is the rush, dude.
I'm also happy to learn how to hold my body differently - since I'm riding one-handed, I have to give with my Dewey hand or he lifts his head like ouch stop pulling my face. So I'm realizing I can use my legs a lot more, to move him over to the side, to anchor myself. My right hand is all focused on the mare, and making sure she stays with us. Using the whole body is crazy, it makes me see how I usually carry my entire self up in my throat. A nice fear and tension party up there, and all of me is invited.
Anything that helps me slow down, melt back down into my body, breathe and try and relax and even enjoy the (harrowing) process is good. It's the newness that is scary - not knowing her well yet, and being scared that she'll do something I can't handle, or cause a chain reaction in Dewey...But today I was thinking as I rode, that horses just want to go forward, at a relaxed pace. They are not in a rush. They will be just as happy as me to have an uneventful ride. Me being the boss mare doesn't mean pre-worrying about things. I sit deep, trust my horse, look out for danger, and trust my horse. And feel peace!
Luckily, I have worked with Dewey for 4 yrs straight, until we were so sick and bored of each other that it was finally time for the right young mare to come into our lives. So she has a spot, and Dewey gets to be the older brother, not perfect, but he's comfortable with the trail, he knows it, I don't ask him to do too much. I figure the more simple we keep it, the better the chance for all of us to get used to going out together, and already she's more respectful on the lead, and will learn to not stop! And I get to use my Dewey skills, more leg, trust, more rein, trust. He's happy to just amble along, and their paddock is so muddy right now, it's much better out on the trial, moving their bodies without slopping through the mud.
Once I get Maggie used to the close trail and the long trail, I'll bring Becky back out with us, and our trail team will be complete. Becky can't come til I have another butt in the saddle and I don't have to pony the mare.
I'm glad she had a good start, with people who handled her right. She came to us not afraid of things, and generally loved. She got out maybe once a month with them. Here she gets brushed at least once a day, worked with once a day, lots of attention, and a buddy horse who is happy to have her.
She's not as worried when he's out of her sight anymore - yesterday we were ground driving right here in the driveway, and I even started going out front on the gravel road, just to get them used to being worked separately. Have to do it in small lessons, since they are definitely attached and call to each other. But the one being worked is always happier than the one being left behind. Tomorrow I'll do more ground driving, or maybe get her under saddle a bit in the arena. I'm doing ground work/arena/turnout, individual work in driveway and then walks on trail, every other day. Variety. She also has a snotty nose and cough, so keeping an eye on it. But she is perky and happy to go out. A very mellow and kind girl, her energy is good for Dewey. She's a lot like him. She's not worried about much.
I can't imagine it yet, since I'm in the kindergarten area with her still, but I'm putting in the work to make her a quiet, listening horse, who is happy to take relaxing rides with me and my kids. I'm putting in the turn signals, and the brakes, and showing her the surroundings, and eventually it'll be me and one of my kids out there, enjoying the trail like she was born this way none of this work ever happened.
I am happy that Travis the sheep has been here a year, and helped Dewey have company until we got Maggie in. He belongs to the barnyard, and Dewey loves him, but now that he has Maggie he's less anxious about Travis. I think a horse likes his own kind, and likes a small herd to belong to. Lifelong process, this learning animal behavior, riding, manners, being a bossy leader, all of it.
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Put the Mad on Hold
I love working with the new pony. Once I realized she was just young, and not being an asshole, it gave me a sense of humor, and some patience. I figure, only a year or so ago, she was just a baby frolicking around in a field. So now she's here, and she's mine, so how best can I use her curiosity and work ethic, and also put the mad on hold, when I get frustrated if she's not understanding what I want her to do, and just give her a second. Or figure out what it is she's trying to figure out, and help her achieve it.
Horses are a lot easier than teenage sons. But maybe Maggie can help me to remember that only a few years ago, he too was frolicking around in a field. Now there's this whole one year away from college. Preparing him, helping him.
The world is new to all of us.
Teenage boy and baby horse
Thursday, January 5, 2017
In With the New
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