spiritjournal16

4-18-01 Another lazy day at the barn. I took Springer for a short trail ride, introduced Shaman to the bit (again...it's probably been a year since I asked her to carry anything in her mouth) and just played with Spirit a little bit. She's almost white right now and shedding tons. This summer, I'd like to teach Spirit to tie (yeah, I *know* I've talked about teaching her to tie about a billion times, but this time, I'm serious...LOL) but I think she might have already been taught. If I drape her lead rope over the panels that make up the runs to the stalls, she stays put. <shrug> She'll still learn all over again, just in case.

Every time I see Spirit, especially now that I don't get out to see my horses that often, I'm just so impressed with such a nice mare she is. She tries so hard. Today, I grained her out in the run and then just sat on the edge of the water trough and watched her. She kept an ear on me while she ate, and then stood that the end of the run, maybe 15-20 feet away from me. If I moved, she'd look at me. She stood there until I asked her to come to me, and she prompty walked right up. Her "comfort zone" (especially when I'm doing something strange, like sitting down and asking her to come to me) is just out of reach, so I asked her for a couple more steps, and she came closer. I just sat like that for awhile, and she stayed right there with her head low, nice and relaxed--almost asleep. I saw Carol drive up and come into the barn, so I stood up, walked through the stall and out the door to talk to her. Spirit, without any hesitation or cues from me, followed me right up into the stall and hung her head over the door. Good mare. I expected her to remain in the pen, and go hang out at the end of it with her buddy who was hanging out right next to the gate.

After I spoke with Carol, I took Spirit for a walk around the pasture. I swear she leads better than either of my other horses most of the time. She's just so responsive. I'm hoping that after I teach her to tie, her flight response will go away, and she'll be okay just being restrained (both when tied and when led). 95% of the time she's just so easy to walk around, but when she gets too scared, she's just gone.

5-2-01 It was really fucking cold today. If this had not been farrier day, I would have stayed home, huddled next to the fire. I hate this cold crap. It was 88 yesterday, but it's like 30-something today. Spring. Damnit.

Anyway. Spirit was good for her feet. Instead of the 1cc dormsedan that I usually get, LLAC gave me 1/2cc of dormosedan and 1/2cc of torbogesic. It didn't do ANYTHING. She never showed any signs of it affecting her. She was good enough, though, that Tim feels comfortable doing her without anything next time. Nice. Was going to worm all my horses, but it was so cold I couldn't feel my fingers. Next time.

5-5-01 Still cold. It's been sleeting/snowing since Wednesday (the 2nd). Just went out to drop off my board check since I forgot my checkbook when I was out there earlier this week. All my horses are fine. Spirit was eating her dinner and was a good mare when I went up to her. It makes me happy when I can just walk right up to her, put a hand on her shoulder, and she'll just look and me and go back to eating.

5-9-01 Just brought Spirit in to be wormed today. She was a good mare, as always. Didn't have time to really do anything with her. Oh well.

5-15-01 I got to spend some time at the barn today. I groomed all my horses--Shaman and Spirit are still in the process of slicking out, but Springer is SLICK and SHINY. He looks great. Tried to take some pictures, but the batteries in my camera are dead. Sigh. I groomed Spirit outside with her lead rope draped over the hitching rail, and she was a good girl. I've really *got* to teach her to tie properly--for all I know, she has been taught to tie sometime in her life, but it's just not something I'm willing to assume...

5-19-01 Spirit's just starting to really slick out--she looks good. Didn't do a whole lot with her today; she's just not as high priority as my other two right now. I did bring her in and groom her, and I put her fly sheet on. The bugs aren't bothering her yet, but Shaman (who the bugs have been bothering, and has been wearing her sheet) is just so slick and shiny. That sheet really does keep them clean and get some of the extra hair off. Today I did lead Spirit out of the barn and through the pasture gate in the dark, which I've never done before. She was a bit snorty, but a good girl. She tries SO hard to do what I want.

5-22-01 Actually got some time to work Spirit today. I longed her in a bridle and a surcincle, and she did well. Still sticky to the right, but I suspect that'll always be an issue. She's really picking up "walk" and "trot". "Canter" is still hard. Longed her a little bit in side-reins, but didn't get much reaching down...I think she's forgotten or something. Last summer, she'd gotten pretty reliable about relaxing and reaching down. I also worked on basic giving to the bit stuff, and I sat for awhile on the roundpen panels. She was tense at first, but then calmed down. She doesn't like people above her, but I gotta get her used to it if I want to ride her someday ;-)

5-30-01 I groomed Spirit well today, trimming her fetlocks, whiskers and under her jaw. Hopefully the pictures I took will turn out well--if they do, they'll be here in a couple of days. I'm letting her mane grow out for now. It's just such a PITB to cut it with scissors or even my Oster A-5's. If I ever get those really big clippers, I may start roaching it again. Spirit stood fine for all my scissoring, only getting snorty when I did her hind legs. She gets confused about when I want her to pick up her feet and when I want her to keep her feet on the ground, but she always tries to figure out what I want.

6-12-01 Just groomed Spirit today. She was a good mare. She's in that almost black color phase she goes though...I really should get pictures of her. I'm moving Shaman to a different barn with an indoor and a big outdoor arena, so I'll be spending more time there. Sham is really the priority now--I've got to get her ready to sell. Hopefully Spirit will still get her fair share of my time...

6-20-01 I moved Shaman on the 15th. She's doing very well, and, as I expected, taking up my available "horse time". Spirit's going to be on the back burner at least till I move all three of my horses to the same barn in the middle of August. So, unfortunatly, there won't be a whole lot to write about in the journal. I do have some pictures that need to be developed, and I will, hopefully, be able to work Spirit a bit between now and August.

6-26-01 Just went out to check on Spirit and Springer today. I groomed them both well, and then put that new fly stuff, Freedon Spot-On, on them both. We'll see how well it works. With all the thunderstorms here lately, Carol's been bringing all the horses, including Spirit, in when the weather looks bad. Spirit's *much* more comfortable in a stall now that she's spent a few nights in one.

Pictures. Not the best, but pictures nonetheless ;-)

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