Juniper.

[Mellu]

Joon is a two year old 14.3hh QH X that I recently bought().



We've been having some leading issues(posted on the NH forum). Today I went over and put her rope halter on her and did some basic leading and turning. Then we ventured out the driveway(which is where our leading issues mainly occur). She got away from me once walking back. She went up on the back lawn and start grazing. So we did about twenty circles when I caught her. The we tried again. SUCCESS! She was perfect, stayed by my side the whole time. She gave me a few jerks but she didn't really bother other than that. I tied her up with some hay and water while I wetted her hay down for tonight, she was sooo good!! I groomed her tied up. We practiced picking up her feet and she's getting really good at it. She is still pretty iffy with her front feet but her hind feet she picks up before I even get to them. I decided today that since the only reason she is mouthy is because he's teething, that I'll give her food treats again. So she got a nibble of carrot for each hoof. Then we practised our bowing and course she got a nibble of carrot.


After she got all groomed up and I had her hay and watering finished I set up some pylons for us to manouver through. She LOVED this. We walked through them about twenty times switching up direction and the number of pylons. Then I thought we should try trotting them so I spaced them out and we trotted them and she was such a good girl and loved it!! She stayed by me, turned well and didn't try to pull me while circling. She stepped on the heel of my paddock boot and ripped the sole straight off. RIP paddock boots, you served me well for 2-3 years, haha(not bad for 20$). So I tied a cloth around my foot and watered her hay for tomorow, cleaned her stall, tied up her new jolly ball and put her in for the night.

I gave all the other ponies water and talked to a guy who is looking for bred his mare to Joe's stallion, I put her fly spray on(nippers out here like CRAZY) and then I brushed out her massive tail while she nibbled away on her supper.


Once I finished that I gave her goodnight kisses and left her to her supper.

[Sarah and Rudy]

Your poor, poor paddock boots.

Joon sounds like she's doing GREAT!
Aunty Sarah can't wait to meet her!

[Mellu]

Wooow totally forgot about this.
She's not for sale anymore and she now lives in my backyard.


Well Joon no longer has any real leading issues. Well, besides getting a bit snotty when leading over grass(she tries to graze an I do not let her). We're working on that constantly. She must come to a full halt and then only put her head down when I give slack.

She's come so far in such a short period of time. Kayla was so happy to see how much her temperment and our trust improved. I can now sit on her back and cuddle into her while she's laying down. I've napped cuddled into er belly when she's sprawled out. One awesome thing about having her at home .


She has an abscess so anything in regards to backing her is totally out of the question for now. Although I don't think she will mind at all once herfootsie is healed up. By backing her I mean hopping on bareback and having kayla walk us around for a minute, in a halter and lead ropes . Baymen horse-breaking . We'll probably introduce the saddle and then the saddle with a rider at the end of the summer with a bitless and then that will be it for the year. She's already been tacked up and didn't give a crap, pardon the language:p.

We've already started on lunging work. Just the very basics. Walk on, whoa and out.
She ends to lie down when we are lunging(as in, she'll say, "enough of this, boooring, I'd rather roll/take a nap!"). She's picking up very fast and is respecting me alot more-not trying to drag me around.

Yesterday we just turned her loose and free lunged her and she had a blast, cantering around(thought you were lame, horse? ), running into trees/brush and making me go help her find her way out/stop her from going in any further. But yeah cantering and galloping around madly with her tail in the air. Kayla needs to get on the ball with her camera .

She has discovered a love for slush puppies. We always walk her over to the store and buy ourselves slushies, and she will -try- to drink ot of my straw, but ends up just trying to eat it. We'll get it! .


She had her teeth floated with no tranqs and Dr Peacock was impressed with how calm she is for such a young horse. He confirmed that she is in her late twos-early threes. We have to give her a birthdate!

Kayla and I have been soaking her foot in warm water and she's not at all afraid of the plastic bags. She thinks it's fun when it's time to go outside to take it of and she busts through it while walking .


Jess was out and trimmed her and she was a bit of a butthead. Although in my opinion she was pretty good considering it's only her third trim ever!

She's going to town soon(along with me). She'll either be going to stephs or my house depending on where we move. We got an offer in on a house just up from Linda Pikes. I'll hopefully be able to take lessons at Equine again(haven't called ange yet, I'm such a procrastinator). I secretly really wanna move to CBS though, so she can go to Stephs. Haha. I have my heart set on it . Danielle and Steph can further help me with my transitioning, and of course danielle can just generally help m with my little Jooner.

I'm hoping to get the light oil billy cook show saddle out at one rider for her. When I think about it I get butterflies haha, I love it so much . I don't want to have to sell one of my own saddles or decline krys', because I love all of them. So I'm brainstorming as to how I can get my way. Hey, if mom wants to start riding she's not gonna wanna ride in a purple or pink saddle? . Gonna try to work that angle, lol.


Anyway this is becoming a book, but thats how my girly is doing.

[Sarah and Rudy]

Joon sounds like shes doing awesome! I hope her abcess gets better soon!
And Mel, pm me back, I sent you a pm!

[Mellu]

Wow, been a while. Got the billy cook, but my dad bought it for me and it is MINE, not my moms.


Joon is at Steph's along with Prancer. We got an accepted offer on the manor today. So that means some serious house shopping before our december close-date.

She's sound as a dime now but needing her feet trimmed badly. Katrina's gonna do her for me soon(hopefully ^_^).

Past two dys I've been riding her in the ring. Working on straight lines and circles, generally, steering. Are circles are still pretty pointy but she gets the whole pressure deal. Refining is next ^_^. She's a little ball of energy. Holding her back was a chore. She kept breaking gait and trotting, running away with me today, she quickly got introduced to Mr Outside Rein and Mr tight circle. Towards the end she was walking around on a loose rein contentedly without even thinking of taking off on me. When I could feel the energy ball growing, I slowed her mostly with seat, then rein.

She's learning quick.


Any suggestions on how to slow a speed demon mare, besides what I've been doing? I hate having so much contact on her mouth, I feel horrible.


I'm gonna lunge her before I ride tomorow. Let her get some beans out pre-riding.

[Jess]

Let her go. Just let her trot (or canter, or whatever) until she wants to stop, and then make her go a little longer. In my opinion, circles and half-halts are alright if your horse just has a moment every now and again, but if they're constantly trying to go-go-go, let 'em. A lot of half halts, especially when your horse is too green to really have a clear idea of what they are, can cause them to disrespect the bit, and small circles every time your horse wants to go tends to restrict the horse - they learn to go slow but they think forwardness is a bad thing, so they don't know how to turn it on when you ask them.

If you hate having the contact, don't have it. There's a fence around her, she ain't going anywhere.

[Mellu]

Dually noted ^_^

[Champ]

Hey how are the girls doing? I'll be back the 21st, and was wondering if you'll be up to visit the ponies the following week? I wanted to come visit you and them both, now that Prancer isn't a stones throw away from my house I have to make some serious plans for visiting her! How are they settling in up there? Loving it? Post some pics fool, and when I come up I promise to take 100 or more for you!

[Mellu]

I'll be in for my birthday and my have my coutdate with Jim on like the 26th. And Prancer settlin' in fine. Her and Joon get along pretty well. Joon's a bit jelous of her though. Mom took her camera to Alberta with her this time, so no pics from me *Looks at steph, pitifully*.