The baby is all grown up!

Felix had his very first ride today.  Devon just hopped on, Felix stood there like a total champ - didn't even flinch.  It was totally uneventful, just as it should be.  Pictures to come once Heather uploads them to facebook!

This is why we long line.  So that any battles can be fought from the safety of the ground, and some stop and steer is also installed ahead of time.  And it's not just for young horses. I've seen high level dressage done one long lines. In fact, here's a video of a very cute little mini doing dressage on long lines!

If you don't know how - I am willing to bet that there is someone at your farm that does.  If not, there are several books on the subject, and likely clinicans who would be pleased to teach you. It's a skill that I feel that every horse person should have in their bag of tricks, and I'm always surprised to learn that most people have no idea what it is or how to do it. 

For today's trick - bathing.

It was 90 degrees out today, and super humid.  This resulted in one sweaty pony when we were done working today.  So, I hand the lead over to Heather, and she procedes to hose him down.  After a lovely display of "airs above the ground" he finally realizes that the water is probably not going to kill him.  He's still a little concerned - but we have a hot summer ahead - so he needs to get used to it!

I also picked up all his feet today.  He still fusses with the backs, but there is no badness such as kicking or leaning - so I am hopeful I can get him to stand for his hoof trimming sometime this week.  His front feet need trimming again anyways, so we'll have to try for all 4 this time.

I was talking to Devon today - he is the guy who will be doing Felix's first 30 or so rides - and he told me he'd happily try to ride Felix right now, so I'm going to have him sceduled to be started under saddle starting July 1st.  I am tempted to try to do it myself, but I'm a very rusty rider so this is a bad idea.

On another note, I rode for the first time in around a year today. It was 5 minutes on Heather's new horse Orio, and it was great!  Orio is a fantastic horse, made all the more fantastic because she's only 4!

Back to work

I'm back in Canada again, and glad to have my barn time even if Felix is still a rude little sucker.  I'm taking him out of his stall to tie in the isle now for grooming  -  mostly because a huge acomplishment has been made: the barn owners were able to get him turned out with a herd last week!  We finally have a happy arrangement. It's the broodmares, who look to have been teaching him manners. He's a bit scraped up, but I knew that would happen. 

According to the barn workers he is insisting on "playing stallion" with his new herd, fortunately they own the broodmares, and are not worried about it.  This should stop once his hormones calm down (he's been infertile since 3 days after the surgery, so no worres of unexpected fugly part-fjord's).  The girls are quite funny. They are very excited to get him back after he's come in for his grooming session.

I've decided that he needs to have the traditional fjord mane trim.  His mane is over 2" wide at the base, and will be next to impossible to pull - so step one is going to be clipping it right off.  He's pretty sure the clippers are going to eat him though, so we're going to have to work on some desensitization.

Definitely might have made a mistake...

Not much to report this last week, partially because I've been out of town working.  I got back today only to find that the barn had attemped to turn Felix out with my friend Heather's fairly dominant horse.  It did not go well, Felix chewed up Monty pretty badly. Probably not the best idea on their part, as this horse was supposed to go to a new home, now he stays untill the damage heals (just superficial fortunately).

I did try to lead him over to the arena for a run around yesterday, it did NOT go well. He ran around me in circles like a mad idiot.  Needs some work on his ground manners quite badly, but to be honest he scares me when he's like this. 

He's doing fairly well with being moved from stall to stall, and I am going in for grooming regularly.  Working on picking up his 9 months overdue for a trim feet so the farrier (also the barn owner) is willing to work on them.  First time I tried he bit me, so now I am sporting a nice pony-teeth shaped bruise just below my bra strap. Now I know not to trust investigating pony lips!  The front feet are pretty good to pick up though - will get to trying the backs another day once he starts calming down.

His incisions from surgery are healing normally, although his sheath is pretty swollen.  This looks normal according to the vet and the farm workers, and it shrinks every day.  I'll be going away again for 10 days or so for work again, so Felix will just get a bunch of settle-in time without any harassment from me.

A begining

Welcome to our blog! My name is Renee, This blog is here to chronicle the progress of my newest project pony,  Felix.

Felix is a 13.3 hand, 4 year old Thoroughbred/Fjord,  soon-to-be gelding.  Felix has been only lightly handled in the past, this will record our journey through his training, plus anything else he or I would like to talk about!

Here is the sale picture from his ad, now you know who we're talking about!