Go out and enjoy the show with them :o)
My goats are the only ones who pelt around the paddock before they take shelter in the implement shed but they need the exercise. The dogs couldn't care less, but then I couldn't care less either.
I go out to see the horses when they first start and remind them that fireworks for us are a celebration, a happy time we share with family and friends and admire the lights and the noise. So I stand out there and admire the lights and the noise with my family and friends (the 4 legged ones) until I'm bored and then I go back inside.
Make it a positive thing for them, explain what it is, so there is no unknown aspect to it for them, enjoy it with them and then leave them to it :o)
Animals "hear" what you are feeling the thinking, so don't worry about anything, or they pick up on that worry and then the strange noises and lights start and they go "oooooh that must be what she was worried about!!!!" and stress too... just enjoy the celebration and leave them enjoying it too :o)
Of course that doesn't mean you do NOTHING for an animal that does stress about them, you take your normal safety precautions! Common sense still exists so you use it :o) But by removing all stress from yourself you will remove a massive amount from your animals too.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Where has time gone???
It's nearly Christmas already!!!
Marcus and I are off to Auckland this Saturday for a week, see nana, do a little work, catch up with some people, looking forward to it :o)
Mac had his dressage including his first ever musical (mine too!) Rather disappointed with the marking of it, but hey, that's life, I was very happy with his attitude over the weekend, full of energy but we weren't butting heads like we can hehehe and he loved "dancing" to the musical with me so that was cool.
I do think the 2nd lot of homeopathic drops are working too as we haven't had any butting heads sessions over things since the first lesson we had (4 days after the drops started) We even had 2 fantastic lessons last week with Saskia Ostermeier, with no tension from him and I'm feeling very confident we can get him TRULY to level 3 now I know how to sort out his strength (and weakness) issues LOL.
Smokey has had some more bareback riding and was a very good boy in the trot, brakes were still in place and all!! He also did his first gate yesterday when he headed out to ride down to the end of the road and was a great wee boy with me hanging off the side of him (it wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination but we did it!)
Am still helping out collecting free range eggs every 2nd weekend and have 3 wee girls ready to come home with me in a months time, however one of them (Mary) is beginning to worry me, she is/was a survivor, knew how to keep her head down and shut up when the attacks and bullying came, but has now started to squawk (calling me for help) and it draws attention to her. She is begging to come home with me every time I'm there, following me like a dog and asking to be picked up. Breaks my heart having to leave her there when I leave and then not seeing her for 2 weeks is torture! I don't even like chickens!!!!! hahahaha (note the hysterical note in that laughter!) My sweet tail-less Mary is just the sweetest, most gentle wee girl tho, I think she could win anyone over! She even decided my head looked like a safe place to perch when a bully started in on her at one of the nesting boxes I was emptying, I laughed so hard she nearly fell off!
She looks so tiny and mangy and horrible with no feathers, but she is absolutely beautiful :o)
Marcus and I are off to Auckland this Saturday for a week, see nana, do a little work, catch up with some people, looking forward to it :o)
Mac had his dressage including his first ever musical (mine too!) Rather disappointed with the marking of it, but hey, that's life, I was very happy with his attitude over the weekend, full of energy but we weren't butting heads like we can hehehe and he loved "dancing" to the musical with me so that was cool.
I do think the 2nd lot of homeopathic drops are working too as we haven't had any butting heads sessions over things since the first lesson we had (4 days after the drops started) We even had 2 fantastic lessons last week with Saskia Ostermeier, with no tension from him and I'm feeling very confident we can get him TRULY to level 3 now I know how to sort out his strength (and weakness) issues LOL.
Smokey has had some more bareback riding and was a very good boy in the trot, brakes were still in place and all!! He also did his first gate yesterday when he headed out to ride down to the end of the road and was a great wee boy with me hanging off the side of him (it wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination but we did it!)
Am still helping out collecting free range eggs every 2nd weekend and have 3 wee girls ready to come home with me in a months time, however one of them (Mary) is beginning to worry me, she is/was a survivor, knew how to keep her head down and shut up when the attacks and bullying came, but has now started to squawk (calling me for help) and it draws attention to her. She is begging to come home with me every time I'm there, following me like a dog and asking to be picked up. Breaks my heart having to leave her there when I leave and then not seeing her for 2 weeks is torture! I don't even like chickens!!!!! hahahaha (note the hysterical note in that laughter!) My sweet tail-less Mary is just the sweetest, most gentle wee girl tho, I think she could win anyone over! She even decided my head looked like a safe place to perch when a bully started in on her at one of the nesting boxes I was emptying, I laughed so hard she nearly fell off!
She looks so tiny and mangy and horrible with no feathers, but she is absolutely beautiful :o)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Well since Smokey and Marcus are about the same age
it's only right that Marcus is having some of his "firsts" around now too! Going to kindy and getting colds non-stop means he gets to do all the fun stuff kindy kids do like a TRIKE-ATHON! Raising money for some new playground equipment, so off we went to that last night, helmet borrowed from Liam next door (thanks Liam!) trike in tow...
He did well considering he was apparently tired and it was his dinner time LOL.
Proud mummy of the big boy (exactly 3 1/2 yesterday too :o)
He did well considering he was apparently tired and it was his dinner time LOL.
Proud mummy of the big boy (exactly 3 1/2 yesterday too :o)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Spring has Sprung...
the grass is riz
I wonder where
them birdies is.
Ignore me, a poem I remember reading in the Grapevine many years ago!
Marcus has had one day back at kindy after the holidays and has ANOTHER cold!!!! Unbelievable! He's already on mutli-vits for kids and Vit C every day, anyone have any other ideas for him?!
Mac has another lot of homeopathic drops in the mail to us, ones that deal with issues with "change" so will report back after we've tried those at a lesson and dressage next weekend!
Smokey had our first bareback session flying solo today. First couple of times legs touched him and asked him to move on he thought they must mean backwards but by the end of 10 mins walking round he was accepting them doing all the normal things and was fine, dandy and his usual lovely self :o)
(does he look bum high to you guys?! I think he may be having another wee growth spurt!)
I wonder where
them birdies is.
Ignore me, a poem I remember reading in the Grapevine many years ago!
Marcus has had one day back at kindy after the holidays and has ANOTHER cold!!!! Unbelievable! He's already on mutli-vits for kids and Vit C every day, anyone have any other ideas for him?!
Mac has another lot of homeopathic drops in the mail to us, ones that deal with issues with "change" so will report back after we've tried those at a lesson and dressage next weekend!
Smokey had our first bareback session flying solo today. First couple of times legs touched him and asked him to move on he thought they must mean backwards but by the end of 10 mins walking round he was accepting them doing all the normal things and was fine, dandy and his usual lovely self :o)
(does he look bum high to you guys?! I think he may be having another wee growth spurt!)
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Spring is Back!
Gosh I've been tired the last few days, but the cold weather has lifted and the sun was out and a glorious day and I got to head up for another ride with Pauline up the Valley further. Took Mac altho Smokey would have coped fine. Climbed up damn high! Stopped for some photos of the scenery with a bit of snow still showing on the hills but of course they look nothing like the panorama you actually "see"...
This is home, Wairau Valley.... the Wairau River running through it, left of the photo's is West, to the right is East and Blenheim....
My dear wee boy even let me take some photo's off him today so either he was very distracted by the views (and he was!) or the homeopathy has helped in little ways :o)
This is home, Wairau Valley.... the Wairau River running through it, left of the photo's is West, to the right is East and Blenheim....
My dear wee boy even let me take some photo's off him today so either he was very distracted by the views (and he was!) or the homeopathy has helped in little ways :o)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
So, as a I matter of interest I gave homeopathy a try...
having spoken to a friend at the last dressage they indicated they'd tried some homeopathy on their boy and had noticed the difference in stress levels in him etc. The lady they used is in Nelson so handy enough I decided to give her a ring and see what happened.
After lengthy discussion we decided to start with a remedy to help release the past abuse stuff and then see how much of his usual tension was linked to that as to whether he needed anything different.
He had his first drops on Friday and on Saturday I had an incredibly "soft" horse, very soft in the eye, still alert and interested in what was going on around him but very soft and smoochy. It was a pretty windy day too and Mac HATES the wind, but we had a split second of tension as the first 2 gusts hit and then he was fine and on a long rein even into a BIG gust head on (normal semi bolt material) and NO lifting of the head at all, so very soft and accepting.
Saturday night however brought a "I'm not sticking around" for his cover to be thrown on (another hate of his LOL) and for no good reason he took off from that. Another lovely soft and giving ride on Sunday and I thought we were full steam ahead, but at our lesson today, we had nothing but arguing the rotten darling! He just didn't want to soften, he didn't want to give or do as asked so obviously his stubborn streak is not abuse related hehehe (not that I thought it was!) Stubborn and contrary just like his mum damn him!
So will give a report to Vicki the homeopath and see what she recommends from here and just see how much relaxation for him we can pull out of a bottle (not much I reckon, the boy likes to make me work for what we get!)
Sunday resulted in a bareback session for Smokey too.... just right back to baby steps and a good few mounting and dismountings with hubby just standing at his head for a safety net for Smokey. Then a couple of walk arounds on just a 10 metre circle before another dismount and mount. As per everything else, he just took it in his stride :o) REALLY looking forward to doing heaps of bareback with him, I do miss that!
On a down side, Pete's mum has found out her cancer has not gone after chemo and radiation but has in fact spread, which has resulted in my "hold everything in" husband having anxiety attacks he thought were heart attacks, so working on helping him open up and deal with things. Mum in Law is waiting to hear what they'll do chemo wise for her but hopefully this time round we might actually have a shot at getting her to try some more natural help too, even if it's just in the form of vitamins/minerals etc to boost the system. Eating broccoli just isn't gonna cut it now!
After lengthy discussion we decided to start with a remedy to help release the past abuse stuff and then see how much of his usual tension was linked to that as to whether he needed anything different.
He had his first drops on Friday and on Saturday I had an incredibly "soft" horse, very soft in the eye, still alert and interested in what was going on around him but very soft and smoochy. It was a pretty windy day too and Mac HATES the wind, but we had a split second of tension as the first 2 gusts hit and then he was fine and on a long rein even into a BIG gust head on (normal semi bolt material) and NO lifting of the head at all, so very soft and accepting.
Saturday night however brought a "I'm not sticking around" for his cover to be thrown on (another hate of his LOL) and for no good reason he took off from that. Another lovely soft and giving ride on Sunday and I thought we were full steam ahead, but at our lesson today, we had nothing but arguing the rotten darling! He just didn't want to soften, he didn't want to give or do as asked so obviously his stubborn streak is not abuse related hehehe (not that I thought it was!) Stubborn and contrary just like his mum damn him!
So will give a report to Vicki the homeopath and see what she recommends from here and just see how much relaxation for him we can pull out of a bottle (not much I reckon, the boy likes to make me work for what we get!)
Sunday resulted in a bareback session for Smokey too.... just right back to baby steps and a good few mounting and dismountings with hubby just standing at his head for a safety net for Smokey. Then a couple of walk arounds on just a 10 metre circle before another dismount and mount. As per everything else, he just took it in his stride :o) REALLY looking forward to doing heaps of bareback with him, I do miss that!
On a down side, Pete's mum has found out her cancer has not gone after chemo and radiation but has in fact spread, which has resulted in my "hold everything in" husband having anxiety attacks he thought were heart attacks, so working on helping him open up and deal with things. Mum in Law is waiting to hear what they'll do chemo wise for her but hopefully this time round we might actually have a shot at getting her to try some more natural help too, even if it's just in the form of vitamins/minerals etc to boost the system. Eating broccoli just isn't gonna cut it now!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
a couple of websites of interest...
great work by Rachael and Danny De Hek, the sites are incredible! Check them out people, have fun getting lost in there and looking around :o)
NZ Information Network yep, that's a listing of mine in there!
And their equestrian forum:
NZ's Equestrian Network
Great sites, great work guys and some good chatting going on there! Come on over and say hi anyone who is interested! A HUGE range of forums on the New Zealands Information Network too, German Shepherd Rescue have a forum in there for the dogs :o)
NZ Information Network yep, that's a listing of mine in there!
And their equestrian forum:
NZ's Equestrian Network
Great sites, great work guys and some good chatting going on there! Come on over and say hi anyone who is interested! A HUGE range of forums on the New Zealands Information Network too, German Shepherd Rescue have a forum in there for the dogs :o)
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