Day one with the little Cricket and working with Jessie

So after work today I went straight to mom's to play with horses. I was a good girl and went straight to the yearling, Jessie. She let me walk right up to her and halter her like a big girl. This horse loves to be loved on, but a halter means work time. As I was lounging her I called my ferrier who proptly called me back, finally. He came out today and trimmed her long as heals. For some reason this horse grows heal like there is no tomorrow. Then we have and older mare that we can not get any heal on. So wierd. She was good for the lounging. We did not work hard, but did not have to when she did eveything right. Then we went for a stroll around the property.Had her second tieing lesson. I clipped her first briddle path, but she has had her muzzle clipped before, and was done again today. Dad and I started giving vaccination to the other horses while Jessie was tied out. She then started throwing a fit, I am not sure why. Maybe because she is a horse and she can? Put her away and continued to vaccinate horses. We were very bad this year and are very behind.

Then while waiting for Brian, the ferrier, I took Cricket out. We strolled around the property also. Was not to sure about going under the big mulberry tree, but we managed to get past it with out it eating us. This was the only time she actually tried to back away from me. And Desiree I never put a but rope on her, it did not have to come to that. She was willing to follow just was not sure if she was suppose to really trust me on this. We walked around the outside of the arena, back up the drive and under that tree again. This time we stood in the nice cool shade for a while. Of course the wind blows while we are under it, but she just tensed up a little, but did not move. I think twice today she tried to run past me, but becasue she is so responsive she was easy to stop. Went into the round pen to see if she would run in the sand. Took her off lead, and she just stood there. I swung the rope at her and she barely walked. OK this was not doing anything, so I caught her back up. Walked around again. Jogged on the lead line, she just followed. So I got brave and pulled out the clippers. Her muzzle got clipped, but she did not want them any higher. I just laid them across her neck where there should be a briddle path with them running, but did not clip anything. I got about half a clip on one ear also, but that was the end of that. Oh yeah and she walked up on some steps at mom and dad's back porch. It is just steps made of DG with 2X4's on top. Kind of gives the sound of walking on a bridge. Again walked on without using a butt rope. And stood there for a while. I do see that I need to work with her on patients, she does not like to stand around for very long. So Brian finally got there and I put her away. He pulls up next to her stall and says "so that is how they breed them back there." I say "what already broke?" To which he replys "yep". He trims and shoes some big boys at the Ward Ranch, and also for Fairlea Ranch. He knows his cow horses. He was impressed with Cricket, of course. Who could not be. So after we finishe trimming up Jessie, who was perfect for once with her trimming, we went back to look at Cricket. I walk in and scratch and lay on her. As I walked away she followed. So I had to continue. I reached down and picked up a front foot, not haltered. I know Desiree told me she had picked up her feet before for practice, but yesterday she wanted nothing to do with it. I could touch her legs, and she would pick up her foot if I asked, but then got mad. Today it was all good. Of course that was one out of four feet. Have I told you all how much I love this horse?