I had to let her go

Its been about a month since Zippity went to a new home, It was really hard to give her up.

I had the vet come out and take a look at Zippity because she wasn't getting any better lunging something was wrong with her. It turns out that Zippity had fluid on her stifle.
( knee cap) I had a couple options one to sell her, two to try and give her steroid shots and see if that would clear it up, but there would always be a chance that the fluid would return.  I had to make a choice on what to do. I talk to my trainer and she told me she would sell her if it was her. I also did some research on the Internet, once a horse has stifle issues they seem to always have issues. I knew I wouldn't be able to sell her in today's market. Who would want a lame horse?

After a few weeks a thought came to my head to find a horse rescue and see if they would take her in. I located one near me and told them about my Zippity. They said they would take her. I was joyed at the fact that she would be in a good home, but very sad at saying goodbye. Zippity has now been adopted to a loving home.Where she will be loved by just being her.

I am now trying to find a new horse to replace Zippity. I am not looking for a baby horse this time, because Ginger is 30 this year, and I really really want a horse I can ride. So far I have tried out an Arabian that didn't work out and a fox trotter that was nice but not for me. I now have found a 4 yr old quarter horse that might work out for me. I'm going to try her out for a few weeks and see if she is right for me.  I also have appointment to see a 10 yr old mare on Wednesday. I really hope to find a horse that will be my next horse and start a new adventure.

I will always love Zippity she taught me a lot, she just wasn't the horse for me. I really hope she is happy in her new home and that she is getting the love that she deserves.

Good News Bad News

So do you want the good news or the bad news? I think I will start with the bad news, because I want to end on a happy note. I always hate stories that end sad.

So the bad news is.......... you ready?  Are you sure?  Ok  I will tell you what it is,
I rode Ginger today, and I think it is almost time to retire her. I don't think I will be doing any mountain riding on her anymore. She is anywhere between 25 and 30. She is slowing down and her back legs seem to give out on her sometimes when we are riding. So I don't dare go any faster then a trot. When I was out today with her, I just got the feeling she was telling me, " I'm old and tired can we please go slow". I will still take her out around a bit just to keep her moving. Ginger has given me so much, I'm happy to let her spend the rest of her life just being loved.  I have so many happy times with her. I went on a few dates on her with my husband. Had many many wonderful times with her up at  Mona Pole riding with my cousin Candace.  Ginger has had 3 beautiful babies, all were buckskin.  I think she has had a good life. Hopeful I will have lots of time just to love her and baby her.

So now for the good news...... are you ready?  Yesterday I was working with Zippity on the lunge line. She is a lazy horse doesn't want to go any faster then she has too, and she will fight you if you ask her to go faster. By the way I don't understand because she ends up working harder by fighting me, anyways back to yesterday. I was lunging her and she decide she would come at me when I would ask her to go faster. I cant have her running me over. So I took the lunge whip and and would whip it in front of me if she started to come at me, so that she would hit the whip and not me. After a few mins she started to listen to me and I got her to LOPE on the lunge line. I then put the rope around her neck and walk around she started to follow me, I couldn't believe it.

Today  I went to work with her again, wondering what today was going to be like. Would I have to fight her again or would she just go? 
I had her going at a lope both ways I couldn't believe it. I think I finally got the respect I have been wanting.  I ended the work with Zippity with her just following me around without me holding onto the rope. I think I'm seeing hope here. This just might work out in the end.

WOOT Zippity is now 2!

Well Zippity is 2 now. I'm not ready to send her to the trainers yet, however I needed to do something with her. I needed to find a trainer that would come to my house and help me to work on ground work with Zippity. I didn't want someone to come in and do it for me I wanted to learn. I found a trainer that comes to my house once a week and helps me with Zippity. I can tell that I am feeling a lot more confident around Zippity. I still have a lot to learn.

 

I have been working on lunging Zippity and trying to get her to respond more to me and to listen to me. I am now putting the bareback pad on her when I work with her to get her use to having a cinch around her belly. I can get her to trot just fine but if I ask her to go faster she darn right will not do it, she fights it. I hope the trainer will have some idea as to why Zippity is doing this and how to fix it. When she fights like this it makes me wonder how Zippity will be once I get on her back. Is she going to fight it? Will I be able to handle her? Will I need to sell her because she is too much for me? So many questions that only time will tell. That's kind of a bad thing about me is that I HATE waiting to know, but there is nothing I can do about it.

 

Another thing we are working on is taking Zippity out on walks and trying to get her used to being out on her own without Ginger. She did really well the first time we took her out. When she got spooked she didn't freak out she would just stop and stare at what ever spooked her and then slowly move towards it, stuff like that gives me hope. I like to mountain ride and I cant have a spooky horse.

 

Soon we will be putting a saddle on her and a bridle. I wonder how she is going to take to that. Horses really are amazing animals.  By the end of summer I should be able to saddle Zippity up and take her out around the block and have both of us confident with each other. Thats my plan anyways, only time will tell if that happens.

Its been awhile!

Well its been awhile since my last post. Nothing much has been going on since it is cold and I don't like to be cold. Zippity is getting really big and has lots of energy.

The barefoot trimming is going great. Ginger and Zippitys feet have never looked better. I cant believe that Zippity will be 2 this April. I'm hoping to hire someone to come out here and help me work with Zippity, My barefoot trimmer knows someone that comes to your house and helps you with your horse. I am going to have to do a lot of work on Zippity this summer I hope I am up for it!

Sometimes I wonder if Zippity is going to be too much for me. I think I really need to take some ridding lessons on Ginger, and get more knowledge about horses. I am feeling like I know nothing but how to feed and water my horses.... lol. I really want to know more. This has always been a passion of mine, but I'm starting to wonder if I have what it takes.