I have been unable to work with the Big Girls, but I just wanted to let everyone know that they’re doing well otherwise.  They’re fat and sleek on summer pasture and living the good life just hanging out enjoying the view, and of course swatting away flies.  Daddy helps out a lot with checking on them and making sure they have a constant supply of water when Mommy can’t get out there to check on them, and Grandma helps out with cleaning their stall and holding them for the blacksmith.  Thank goodness for family!

I have no idea how much longer I will be sick–if it will pass soon or if it will last the entire pregnancy–so I don’t know when I’ll get to post pictures, etc. in my blog next.  Sorry for the slow spell on Paige’s Page.  Hope everyone is doing well!

My eyes got huge when she did the first one, then my jaw dropped to the floor when she did the second one! I stood there for a second with my mouth open, disbelief turning into a gigantic smile, then smothered her in scratches and praise and a big hug.

(She used to be trimmed on a tip table like they use for cattle when she was at the PMU ranch. She had never been asked to pick up her feet until I got her at 8 years old.)

She has been wonderful about her front feet for a long time now. She gives them to me, is totally relaxed, I can pull them forward, to the sides, slap her feet, bump them with utensils, and she doesn’t slam them back down. She waits for me to put them down.

But the back ones have been the single biggest hurdle with Paige. My blacksmith, who is absolutely wonderful, can trim them, but it is with effort. Paige will give her back feet, but has never relaxed about it. The blacksmith encouraged me to keep asking for them every day and be persistent about it, and that one day it suddenly would click and all of a sudden it wouldn’t be a big deal anymore. I was REALLY starting to doubt that day would ever come, but it has!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

It was almost like she knew I needed her to do it, because I was feeling down in the dumps tonight. I know that sounds completely off-the-wall, but that’s ok!!  I don’t care if it does!

And as if that wasn’t enough, she had to top it off with one more thing. I’ve been letting her stand tied (in her halter, supervised) with her bridle on for short periods of time to allow her to get used to the feel of the bit in her mouth. Usually she plays around with it for a while, and when she quiets her mouth down that’s when I take it off. Well tonight she only played with it for a couple minutes, then stood quietly like she’s had a bit in her mouth her whole life!

I’m just one cloud nine right now…

This was my first time riding her since last summer, so I wasn’t sure how much she would remember.  She did great, though. She’s a smart, good-natured horse, and she has a lot of trust in me which goes a long way.

Getting her hooves cleaned out:

Getting her saddle on (she’s already figured out to puff out when I tighten the girth):

Did some brief ground work, and she was responding to me well.  Here I am testing my weight on her back to see if she remembers this:

It’s all good, she says.  What a pretty girl.  (A little tubby, but we’re working on that!)

Started out well, remembered brakes, gas, steering (not power-steering, though), and backing:

Now she’s decided she’s done and she’s not going forward anymore.

Time for some more groundwork and for Mom to get an “arm extension”:

Back up in the saddle.  I guess we’re not done yet?

Oh, hey, Mom’s arm got longer.  Guess I better wake up:

Much better:

Getting a little far from the barn and Cassie now, so I’m getting some resistance here since I’ve pushed her outside her comfort zone:

Not happy cuz Mom’s being persistent:

SO much better:

Ending on a good note.  She went outside her comfort zone, but did what I wanted her to and ended in a relaxed, but attentive state.  Here I’m loosening her girth after dismounting far away from the pasture gate and Cassie:

Aww, I love this picture:

What a good girl!!

Awww…pretty girl:

I just finished taking a shedding blade to the Big Girls, so most of the mud is gone in these pictures:

Typical expression on Cassie’s face when Paige is near.  Paige doesn’t seem to notice.  LOL.  Poor Cassie, she tries so hard to be intimidating but it just isn’t working:

Ms. Curious:

Awww…

Awww…

Josie’s tired of walking.  I’ve been dragging her all around with me outside, trying to get her some exercise:

What a pretty picture of the Husky girls together:

And our pond, all thawed out!

We have a couple new residents at our pond, it seems:

I love this picture, because the evergreen trees behind the house are so green right now:

And here are the Huskies again, enjoying the last little bit of snow we have on our property.  It was several feet deep here and in the shade, so I’m not surprised to see it’s still around: