Paddy's Day and It's Getting Warmer!

RMH Pretty Boy Floyd and his new halter

Of course this is one very smart horse having great taste in football teams and being a fan of the Irish in green being his favorite color!

I'm so proud of the work this boy and I have done together, he better than ground ties, he knows Stand and Stay, no lead needed!

How do you explain when you share souls with a horse?

Thank you so much Joanna Swartz for this custom made gift .

I know it was very hard for you being a Steelers fan, so Pretty Boy Floyd and I will very much cherish it.

One more layer of cloths gone, spring is on it's way!!

This is SSH Tcyoiya, a new arrival just in for some Shades of Oak spa treatments and a spring tune up getting ready for the new riding season.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day and a soon to be spring everyone, I feel like I'm blooming!

Liz

Pockets behind withers!

This is driving me crazy so I have to just say something here.

Those pockets as termed, of muscle depressions behind a horses withers are not a natural element to a horses shape and conformation!

Poor fitting saddles, improperly placed saddles, improperly strapped on saddles and/or poor horsemanship create these pockets and they should not exist on a horse.

In my over 50 years in this business, have I ever ever created these pockets on any horse and work hard to build a horses shape back up to eliminate them on the training horses that come in with them. I would kick my self into a ditch if I did, feeling so bad that I had created this to happen to any horses back.

Also no saddle should be fitted or shaped to fit a horse that have these pockets, but have enough flare to the front of the tree bars that the horse can build these muscles back up in proper condition filling that space.

It is so sad that what was known as" wrong" and undesirable in the industry is now thought of as right today. This ignorance has got to be stopped to help horses, in turn keeping horses from being in pain and riders from getting hurt and/ or thrown. When a horse is in pain and discomfort, I never think of that as a safe horse or one that is completely open to any teachings. . When a horse is to the point it has pockets then the whole spine and body need to be addressed by the proper practitioner.

Another myth that has evolved today is that gaited horses have more curve to there spines that their non-gaited counterparts. This is not true, and another sign indicative of saddle issues and or poor horsemanship practices in the industry.

I am just trying by this to help folks and their horses, this is not about me, but about you, keeping you and your horses safe, sound, so you can save money and heart ache in the end.

Don't be a follower of the crowd but get educated, open your eyes, help yourselves.

Please don't chose to learn this the hard way folks.

Liz

Busy, Busy and Fun!!!

Spotted TWH 'Rocky"

RMH" Pretty Boy Floyd"

RMH" Johnny"

The new girl just in" Mia" a Fell Pony

It may be winter still but that's not slowing me down.

I have had the best bunch of training horses coming and going all winter.

These are some of the string I'm working now.

Life is great and I'm doing what I love the most, teaching horses and people.

Liz

The Ribbon

Oh the brightness of a new day in the beautiful Colorado landscape, an exciting day. One she had been waiting for, yet was nervous about as well. The work she had put in getting ready for the big day, the fun and friends she had made along the way. It was all coming together at one time with her parents coming to see how well she had used her time in riding lessons with Col. Robertson , retired US Calvary.

The year is 1958 and all the parents of her fellow students will be there.

It’s a “Fun Day” to share how well all the students have done in their young journeys by way of the horse.

She brushed her little mare extra today and whispered kind, gentle words to her lesson mare reminding her of the relationship they had developed over time. She tacked the mare up just right checking everything twice. All the children were giddy with excitement and each so proud of there learning’s under the expert instruction of the Coronal. The big event of the day was the speed event though. Who had the fastest horse!

The winner would be whoever’s horse was fastest to the tree with a carrot placed in the fork of the tree to entice the horses.

Her turn had arrived, she takes her small 9 year old hand and places it softly on her mare’s neck and the electricity of understanding passes between her and the mare, they both know how badly they want to get to the tree.

She and her mare line up into position, all at the same time she urges her mare forward, with her little legs squeezing her mare to go, the mare hears her communication clearly. She feels the air pushing on her face, making wisps of her hair tickle her face and neck, and to the tree horse and girl fly.

THEY DID IT!!!

THE FASTEST TEAM TO THE TREE!!

Oh the pride, the pride in the mare and the pride in herself.

The prized blue ribbon is hers to cherish for a life time to come, just one important event to build a career upon by way of the horse.

It was an event that gifted so many over the years with her dedication to be a student first and teach so many along the way and share in her passion of understanding the horse.

That little girl was Lee Ziegler and the ribbon above is the very ribbon she won that day.

Missing you Lee!

Liz Graves

Copyright 2011