A Thirst for Knowledge can be good -- and risky

Work as usual on the farm- horses and firewood are the top priority lately. The last few days we have been juggling horses around, forming new groups, organizing what we hope will be the perfect winter set up.

We put horses together with ages in mind, feed, and often gender... Most of the horses were able to stay with their "best" friends-- some of them have to get to know a new group of buddies- I guess like graduating to the next level. Separating the older horses is like weaning- they may call for days to their old pals. But they quickly blend and find new comrades. At the same time, since we did have our good hard frost here, we were able to do our fall de-worming.

Zoe's Day Dream ("Reverie") has had a "graduation" of sorts also-- she is being ridden now down to the big ring and worked there. Up until now, Reverie has been ridden in the smaller 60 X 80 arena, which has walls, but is open. Horses often learn to "use" the walls to hold them up so when they get down in the big ring, no walls- all free space... they really have to learn to use their bodies correctly, especially shoulders. Being a bigger space, with all new scenery; the horses also have to re-learn to focus on their job. Next- the Reverie will be down the road and on some trail. She's such a lovely mare and lots of graceful "try" . Here is a link to a short video of Reverie up in the smaller arena a few weeks ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzgI2ekKeyM

OYY Ivan and OYY Dante, 2 three year old geldings, were in training during the spring and then had a few months off to "think" about their education. I find that this vacation gives the horses lots of time to assimilate all their new knowledge and they generally return to their training with developed maturity and readiness. They see us riding and training other horses and I am sure they watch with a hankering to be included, which seems to enhance their ambition to please and an enthusiasm to be back in "school".

As the horses "graduate" to new levels of experience and skills and master them- you can plainly see they are so proud of themselves. Their appetite for new knowledge and skills increases with every level they master.

But ~ seeking knowledge can sometimes be a "pricklish" affair ~

Apparently, one of our mares was surprisingly a little too curious about a porcupine and came up with a muzzle full of quills- Now, contrary to myth- porcupines do not shoot their quills at the enemy... so silly Ahmet had to have actually nosed this little fellow and touched the quills in her foolhardy investigation. The photo is not so clear- but she has 20 or so in her chin and nose area. She's not happy to have me pull them out, so I am leaving this job to the vet and some dopey drugs. Now, I am wondering, what would cause a horse to be so inquisitive to even get that close to such a prickly beast ? Goofy girl.

Enjoy your day ~

Crispy Clover

We have had some little frostings lately, but Friday morning was the first heavy frost- and a very nippy early morning to feed. I tend to get a tad anxious as winter moves towards us.. wondering if I have enough hay or wood... enough energy to battle the snows.. if they come heavily.

Walking up to load my wood boiler before the sun comes up.. the grass is very crunchy under my feet. Out in the fields- you can see the clover is crispy with ice. I guess I better get my geraniums inside and any other plants I want to save.. hope it's not too late.

I spent the last few weeks discing up sections of pasture and re-planting. I had left those areas open so the horses would - in effect- over graze..making my job easier. The fun part of discing-- is I get to use my beloved 8N.. who has been in the family now since 1979. I love my big Kubota.. but I adore my 8N ! That week I chose to disc and plant was perfect sunny fall weather hovering in the 60's. In one area, I decided I better finish getting out all the larger rocks before spreading out the seed... this is a job for my big tractor.. digging out rock and hauling them off to my big rock pile. It will be easier mowing when these rocks are gone.

I think I'll leave this one right where it is-- Sometimes you just know if you decide to poke at a rock, it's going to be a lot bigger then you think, kind of like an iceberg--- what is submerged can surprise you.

While I am working- my trusty poodles are with me watching.. what great pals they are ~

The best part about planting and seeding, aside from the fact that the horses will benefit from better grazing-- you have something to look forward to come spring. I love watching for that green velvet fuzz coming up. I mixed in some winter rye, so it's going to be green and glorious !

Speaking of something to look forward to-- I am pretty sure the pony mares that were bred by OYY Finnegan are settled. This is more than hay belly going on ! We'll see what arrives in early spring.

Enjoy your day ~

A little News about our Therapeutic Program

On Wednesday October 15th, 2008, Dream On Curls Riding Center was excited to be participating in National Disability Mentoring Day. The third Wednesday of October has been nominated as the celebratory day since 1999, growing and expanding each year. This year is designated as the kick off for a year round effort for individuals with disabilities to get out and be mentored at different area business locations to further career development.
Here at Dream On Curls Riding Center, we had a woman come who loves anything horses. She spends much of her time reading horse books and magazines to study up on all the new things for horses. NARHA certified riding instructor Zoe Lirakis taught her how to clean saddles, an important job to keep everything looking new and in its best condition.

After finishing with that Zoe introduced the mentee to one of the lesson horses, Sudie Bee, for some much needed grooming. The participant was fascinated with the curly hair on Sudie, never having heard of an American Curly Horse before today. She also could not get over how quiet and sweet Sudie was for her grooming. Peggy loved both saddle cleaning and the grooming.

George had a chance to groom and ride Keri, one of our Curly lesson horses. Keri stands very still while George uses the big 3 step mounting block we built specially for our riders.

Being able to offer this special program to our riders is gratifying and we are so fortunate to have such wonderful horses that take their job of carrying their precious cargo so seriously.

Enjoy your day ~

All in all everyone had a great time and learned some new skills that may lead to more opportunities for the participant. Dream on Curls Riding Center looks forward to being a part of this national effort to dispel discrimination against the disabled and further their opportunities in the work force.

More Fall Riding

In a continuing effort to get our lesson horses out of the indoor more as a special treat, Tall Trees Sassie was saddled up for a short trot down the road to view our neighborhood. Here is our wonderful Sassie (bred at Tall Trees Curlies) in a lesson, being ridden with a halter. The Curlies are really pretty tolerant and patient with their challenged and novice riders but they - like all of us- deserve a reprieve from the indoor and the therapy work. Sassie, poor thing, has not been down the road or on the trail in at least 3 years.. due to delivering and nursing first a curly filly and then a curly colt, then back to lessons.

As we trot past the Halloween presentation about a 1/2 mile down the road, Sassie veers off and thinks she wants to make friends with this ghoul.. silly girl-- very curious. She is loving her outing and wants to miss nothing !

We decide to take a short easy trail after passing the "mile marker" to give Sassie even more to experience and see. We pass by an old snowmobile cabin and enter the woods. There used to be a short loop trail in here which will be perfect for this "full figured" mare who is not in trail condition.

As we follow what used to be the trail, we realize it has all grown in-- it's been awhile since we traveled this loop. We found some rather deep water which both horses navigated without reaction-- but had to head back out the way we came.. darn. Sassie had a lot of fun-- and we find that after a ride out, the girls are in a better frame of mind for their daily lesson work.

Plus-- we feel refreshed as well ! Even when the ride is a short one.. it's a good one ~

Enjoy ~

Fall Ride

The RAC (Ride A Curly contest) is hosting a mini October contest which is a one month version of the year long contest-- ride and keep track of your hours. We have been able to get out almost every day, in between rain and rain. The temperature has hovered consistently in the 50's, but when the sun shines-- beautiful riding weather!

October 1st- to start the contest, we went out with me on Keri (of course- who else? ) and Zoe on Teasel. These two love each other and are a great team. We started out in the indoor, since it was raining and dark clouds loomed in the distance promising more. After about 25 minutes of that-- we looked at each other and said-- let's just ride in the rain.. we needed some fun time. Turned out, after a few minutes, the sun came out and the ride was gorgeous. Since this was unplanned I did not bring my camera. We stayed on the roads since the trails are VERY wet. The trees were bright with color and the roads littered with leaves already fallen... I wish I had brought a camera-- We had a spectacular refreshing gallop -- and as soon as we were home and horses untacked, it rained HARD !!

Monday, we decided one of our lesson horses needed a break. Sudie seemed sad and cranky- a good trot down the road will rejuvenate her spirits. This time I did bring my camera- since I had it in the barn already anyway.

I always say-- the first mile of our ride is fraught with obstacles.. after that-- it's home free. There are always ducks and herons flying up from the brook, turtles slipping off their rock, people raking their yard (horses just hate that rake rake rake sound it seems). And along the first mile for some reason, homeowners are obsessed with lawn ornaments of all varieties-- spinning and stationary. Today we were treated to the seasonal Halloween ornaments.

We call Sudie our Curly couch- she is wide and short. Her Wintec changeable gullet saddle takes the widest girth. This is one characteristic that makes her a great therapy horse..there's a good Str-e-e-e-e-ch for your legs. She has a delightful forward smooth trot- so she makes a super "road" horse. OYY Sweet Bee, who just returned to us last week, is a daughter of Sudie's. She is a chunky pony, but did not inherit the couch gene. Her son, OYY Buster Brown- who will turn 2 on the tenth of October-- takes after his Dad (Mead's Chocolate Chip).. he's more of a "horse". They all have Sudie's wonderful temperament though.

We ducked into an easy trail that looked dry for a break from the road. Sudie is no bushwhacker, she prefers a simple straightforward by-way. But she can handle a wide easy trail such as this one.

We had a great ride, the colors are not so vivid today, after the rains, but still quite inspiring. I love the way we can ride in and out of the sun and the shadows of the leaves on the road.

Here we are, on the way home, passing Uncle Reino's water garden.

Quite a difference from the last photo I posted of the same scene back in the winter !

We returned home refreshed and Sudie's mood uplifted considerably!

Enjoy your day ~

October Show

Finally-- the moment of truth ! Saturday- we loaded up the horses and took off for the show in Chester, Vermont. Not without some last minute anxieties and changes.

OYY Pal's Job came up terribly lame with an abscess on Monday. Oh no-- poor Job and poor Sara. After all the work she has put in riding him and preparing herself and her mount. Fortunately, I had decided to buy OYY Sweet Bee back from the Brogna's in MA. They made the decision to upgrade to a larger gelding for Denise. They had purchased Sweet Bee for their son, Louis, who did not follow through with an interest in riding. Denise chose a nice Curly from Lisa Wytiaz in Georgia for herself. Top O' The Hill Farm benefited from her decision in re-acquiring Sweet Bee. The fellow who hauled Denise's new mount from Georgia was nice enough to make a last minute change in his delivery schedule and Sweet Bee arrived in Vermont at 1:30 am Thursday. Just in time for Sara to ride her Thursday and Friday to ready themselves for the show on Saturday. We had rain for days with blustery November type weather-- too squishy to ride in the big arena so the girls schooled in the indoor.

After some last minute checks-- do we have everyone's girths, helmets, gloves, hairnets?? We arrived on the grounds to find out-- we are parked right near the duck pond !! Thank goodness, the horses did not react to the waterfowl at all.

Our ride times were one right after the other.. warm ups were in the indoor- the dressage arena was in the outdoor area. Zoe on WR Winter Dancer in the indoor pictured here--

Jennie and OYY Elektra-- Sara and OYY Sweet Bee

Great--- the dressage area is adjacent to the cows !! The duck pond was not enough of an obstacle ??





The horses and the girls did great-- a lot of work for 2 minutes in the ring, but worth it and has inspired new goals for us all.

Sweet Bee and Sara won second place with a 70.5% score. First place was 71%.. so she did very well for herself.

OYY Elektra and Jen scored a 69%. Elektra drifted outside the arena and stomped on the rope, their circle was a bit small -- other than that she did great. Jen and Elektra received third place.



Dancer was perfect until she entered the actual dressage arena and suddenly decided she needed to call to her imaginary friend. Zoe, I know, was furious with her, but kept her cool and kept her going. The judges were impressed how even though she was calling, Dancer did not stop or hesitate and got some good points on her balance, impulsion and smoothness.. but low points on her (to quote the judges) "inobedience" (Is that even a word ?) . She did score well with a 65% though and went away with fifth place. The judges commented how Zoe needed to take Dancer out more often by herself-- Dancer goes out alone nearly every time she is worked .. so who knows why she behaved like such a buffoon ?? Here she is with her nose out, calling away.



it was a great day-- Top O' The Hill Farm is proud of the horses and the riders. Lots of commitment and dedication on the part of all involved to get ready and do well.

Enjoy your day ~