It’s been a rather long time since I felt like things on the horsey home front were not just maintaining, but progressing on all fronts. The 2.5 year Scrappy slog taught me a lot but felt like just that–an endless, unwinnable battle until the moment he merrily left with his new mom, a lovely retiree with light riding goals who has kept in touch, sending regular enthusiastic reports. Things have been really smoothing out since, with the seamless addition of now-Apache-BFF Kenny, a few new friends rolling up their sleeves and putting their enthusiasm behind my little herd (thank you W and Na!), and the ultimate recent decision to find Rushcreek Aurora a new home where she fits right in.

It’s a year ago this week that Scrappy and I hauled down to Eastern Mojave XP and had our last 50 together. I thought it was also my little Georgia dog’s last hurrah. What a different shape things take this week, this year. Georgia made a grand recovery from her mysterious clot-throwing illness and is fat and sassy as ever at 8 years old, and of course Scrappy has moved on to star in someone else’s show.

Here’s a little of what I’ve been up to the last few weeks!

as promised, Georgia feeling good out with the Little fishing crew

Chiro checks for all and full dentals for 3..various stages of drugged ponies..

Trail time w/ W& Aqua, topped off by W hopping on Apache for his first “ride,” bareback in a halter

Nancy is learning about horse care/riding & will be training for her first LD aboard Blaze!

Briefly there was more cold rain, a little snow–and the beauty that surrounds weather

The sun returned so Apache, W, Kenny and I *went riding* 😀

  Apache’s first true trail ride, this horse lives for trail!

N continued her Blaze education, escorting Sheza & I on a first-time-booted bareback ride

Kenny is fitting up beautifully; Apache & Sheza model rope halter/sidepull work by Heather McCale of Knotty Pony

other happy moments…delicious sushi, winter roses, and February sunsets

And finally, with no photo evidence because I was alone and terribly brave, but only because he was…yesterday I jumped up on Apache myself, for the first time since he dumped me last summer. We were both nervous and startled each other a few times but this horse, you guys, this horse. He tries so hard, thinks so visibly, and wants to be good with all his trembling soul. There is perhaps no greater gift.

 

 

We’ve had lots of rain lately. Inches and inches at a time, lakes rising 10 and 20 feet in mere days. Years deep in drought, yellow baked Northern CA has quickly become green– and brown, lots and lots of muddy brown.  As outdoor work rapidly becomes a mire, rain enthusiasm becomes rain anxiety and always of course that reliable little voice chiming in “but we need it!” Of course! Indeed. Keep it coming, I suppose. Moving on–to some non rainy days!

Good friend W came over last week and we hiked out a local gravel road with Apache and Kenny, then I mounted and ponied Apache as we practiced–only then W wriggled up on Apache, too! (this was not as abrupt as it sounds without context, remembering they have a positive prior relationship with her backing him a few times in the last few months) Apache  immediately popped his hind end off the ground say 2,” when he felt a body part around his sensitive barrel area but just as quickly clamped himself back to the ground, not committing to a reaction. We all 4 stood and breathed deeply–well 3 of us did, while Kenny pulled at his reins and tried to itch his face and bopped Apache with his nose and was just generally– helpful! Because he was being normal, and normal is better than omgishegoingtofreakout?!  A few minutes standing there thinking about things and Apache clearly and suddenly decided, and was bored, and took a step of his own accord, clearly conscious of carrying W and going with it. We minced a few more steps (ponying a greenie off a greenie, LOL) then Apache got impatient with Kenny’s half hearted meandering and strode out, passing us even as we “ponied” him, but responding nicely to W’s rein bumps on his halter as she asked him not to get too hasty. A good 1/2 mile or so, including turning and heading towards home, and with pastured horses alongside the road adding their energy, Apache grandly bore W and had no concern for anything but out-walking Kenny. This was the horse that I’ve just known was in there since I saw his photos on an Arabian Rehoming Facebook page early last year. Forward, happy, and open to humans, it has been almost a year now since we brought him home in a storm from Oregon and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how far Apache has unfurled and blossomed. Huge credit to my friends and husband too, adding positive human experiences to his memory bank is crucial and the environment has been entirely supportive. Thanks guys 🙂

But wait, there’s more! 10 miles of ponying Apache out off of Kenny in the last week, half at home on the big hill..

..and half at the lake, great mornings enjoyed between rain storms. Local trails are mostly dangerously slick so I expect to make good use of my home gravel roads in the next month or two. We worked on our careful footing and calm walking at the lake, with no issue.

Happy for the rain, and happier to make the most of the sun when it returns. Onward, friends.

I’ve been getting a lot of queries lately from folks interested in starting to use Renegades or already using one model and curious about the other. My two favorite things about Renegades, and what ultimately led me to becoming a rep, are the ease of use and the forgiving nature of the boots. Let’s be clear: these are still a temporary hoof application, and as such you should be putting the most balanced, well cared for hoof possible into it. That said, both models of Renegades should slide on and seat easily, and retention is based on the flexing movement of the pastern and captivator rather than relying on pure snugness, so there is some accommodation in trim schedule and fit.

The release of the Viper model also means that there’s a host of new sizes for the not-quite-whole Original sized hooves, as well as more options for hoof and heel bulb conformation. To be sure, I can and do use both models on the same horse at times; this is not intended to be exclusionary information, but to paint the picture on some differences in the models and where you may want to look if you’re really fine tuning optimal performance fit.

Here is a factory provided side by side comparison of the two models.

The difference details break down as follows:

Original/Classic: Whole sizes: 0, 1, etc

Viper:   *Length x width millimeter sizing

OG/classic: *Oval or “hind hoof” profile            Viper:              * ROUND profile, streamlined, wide quarters 

OG/Classic: *generous undefined captivators    Viper: *shaped caps to cup defined heel bulbs

OG/classic: *original tread                                    Viper: *slightly more aggressive tread

To further illustrate, here’s a couple of my personal hoof photos that I thought demonstrated the model shapes nicely, sticking with Original on the left and Viper on the right.

Again remember that there is crossover, I’m not suggesting one shaped hoof couldn’t potentially pull off the other model, but since we’re chasing optimum fit generally, matching boot shape to closest hoof and heel bulb conformation just makes sense to me and the results are there for some clients with issues in one model that solved them when switched over to the other  model– or by swapping captivators. Because yes, there is yet another step in the troubleshooting optimal fit train–the captivators! The generous Original cap or the defined Viper cap can  be applied to either shaped boot shell depending on your needs, providing us with yet one more tool in the box.

I am happy to help with hoof and boot inquiries wherever you are located, please be willing and able to provide clear photos and contact:  auroragrohman@yahoo.com

I hope everyone had a smooth and safe holiday season and entrance into the New Year. I know that’s not the case, due to the nature of the human experience, but I still hope it. And to those near and far that are hurting, I wish you solace and peace.

new year morning, 2016

Being who I am, riding on or near the first of the year is always important, and this year was a first first indeed. To be sure, it was not the first time we started the new year with a relatively new equine face. But it was definitely the first time my husband, exhibiting an undeniable bond with new Morgan/Welsh gelding Kenny from the first day, joined me on a ride!

J and Kenny were technically babysitting me since I was riding a very fresh Sheza. Fortunately the footing was safe enough for me to warm her up–or should I say cool her down a little–in the arena before we left. She put on a pretty good bronc show on the line while Apache watched and drooled, but there were no shenanigans under saddle riding out from home! Just two green horses bumping off each other, urging the other to be braver, wandering drunkenly, trying to turn for home–highly amusing, and appropriate to their experience levels. J did great handling Kenny’s little challenges and taking the lead when Sheza baby brained out staring at culverts. We got to dive into the bushes as fast country traffic passed, and Sheza ate while Kenny peed. Pretty promising chromey pair here!

I’ve always been very independent and have long been glad that my husband and I have separate but equally strong passions, in horses and fishing. (I’ve also always secretly thought he should naturally want to ride because it could get him into sweet hidden fishing holes!) Anyway, finding ourselves suddenly seamlessly sharing the horses is a genuine reflection of the pretty intense journey we’ve been on since 2008, figuring out how to be good people who are good at marriage  (and good on me for bringing home a Non Arab, turns out!*) . We’re by no means done struggling or figuring, but it’s a good feeling.

*J loves our Arab herd but admits to being intimidated by their, well, Arabness

holiday hikes

I can’t claim any specific goals or resolutions in this new year except to strive, thrive, and provide a great home for my animals, hoof and boot services to those interested, be a stalwart adventurous friend to my own, and a strong fulfilled partner to my husband.

Wishing you all a stellar 2016!