So the workers arrived, and worked on the stalls, corral and small riding arena most of the day. Sarah supervised this, and instructed them to work on stalls first. She wanted at least five to start with, and one good stud stall so Mor couldnt get to the mares when they were in season.
Today, they had built two and a half. They had a cover at one end, just big enough to keep the horse dry that occupied it.
Sarah bought wood shavings and put it in the covered area of the two stalls that were finished. She moved Mor into the more heavily constructed stall, and gave him a flake of hay. She hung his halter and lead rope on a hook she put on the stall, and scratched his forehead gently.
One of the workers had brought his four year old mare. She was a morgan, about 14.3 hands tall and bay in color. He told Sarah that no matter what they tried, they couldnt ride her. She had excellent ground manners, they explained, but every time they got on her back, she'd bolt, buck and rear until the ride had fallen off.
Well, time to find out. Saddling of the mare went well, as did putting on the training bridle. Sarah took the mare into an open area where she stopped and looked at the mared a moment. The mare's eyes were wide with antisipation of what she knew was coming. Sarah had left the halter on, and hooked up a lunge rope onto the halter. She tied the reins around the horn of the saddle, and kept hold of the lunge rope.
Sarah had rigged up an 80 pound grain sack earlier, tying ropes around it. She took the grain sack and put it atop the horse, quickly tying the ropes to the saddle so it wouldnt flop around, or worse, fall off.
As soon as she moved the horse out, it bucked, reared and try to bolt. Sarah kept hold of the rope, flicking the end of the rope at her flanks. The horse, still bucking and protesting, moved in circles around Sarah as planned.
This continued about three minutes, untilt he horse finally tired and began trotting instead of bucking. By now, her chest was foaming with sweat. Sarah kept clicking at the mare with her tongue, flicking the rope at her flanks. Soon, she allowed the mare to walk and catch her breath until she stopped finally.
Sarah moved to the mare, gently patting her neck.
"Good girl.."
Sarah took the sack of grain off, and untied the reins from the horn of the saddle, and unclipped the lunge rope. Now it was her turn. She climbed into the saddle, atop the horse. All was ok so far, but they were still just standing. Here we go... Sarah thought.
She gently put her heels into the horse's ribs, and she began bucking right away. Sarah grunted, and pulled the left rein toward her own side, forcing the horse to bend its neck in that direction. Doing this, made it difficult for the horse to buck, and soon enough, they were walking tight circles.
"Lets try this again" Sarah said as they finally stopped. She clicked her tongue, put her heels into her side again and they went walking. Well, this went pretty good. Might as well end it on a good note.
Once the mare was cooled off and put away with a flake of hay, she went back into the house. She made some dinner, which was oven cooked chicken with garlic and rosemary flavor, corn on the cob and some salad. She made enough for Cinder if he decided he wanted some later.
It was nice to spend the day working outside again, and being so tired you couldnt think of anything else. Sarah fell asleep on the couch that night, in jeans and a t-shirt.
Today, they had built two and a half. They had a cover at one end, just big enough to keep the horse dry that occupied it.
Sarah bought wood shavings and put it in the covered area of the two stalls that were finished. She moved Mor into the more heavily constructed stall, and gave him a flake of hay. She hung his halter and lead rope on a hook she put on the stall, and scratched his forehead gently.
One of the workers had brought his four year old mare. She was a morgan, about 14.3 hands tall and bay in color. He told Sarah that no matter what they tried, they couldnt ride her. She had excellent ground manners, they explained, but every time they got on her back, she'd bolt, buck and rear until the ride had fallen off.
Well, time to find out. Saddling of the mare went well, as did putting on the training bridle. Sarah took the mare into an open area where she stopped and looked at the mared a moment. The mare's eyes were wide with antisipation of what she knew was coming. Sarah had left the halter on, and hooked up a lunge rope onto the halter. She tied the reins around the horn of the saddle, and kept hold of the lunge rope.
Sarah had rigged up an 80 pound grain sack earlier, tying ropes around it. She took the grain sack and put it atop the horse, quickly tying the ropes to the saddle so it wouldnt flop around, or worse, fall off.
As soon as she moved the horse out, it bucked, reared and try to bolt. Sarah kept hold of the rope, flicking the end of the rope at her flanks. The horse, still bucking and protesting, moved in circles around Sarah as planned.
This continued about three minutes, untilt he horse finally tired and began trotting instead of bucking. By now, her chest was foaming with sweat. Sarah kept clicking at the mare with her tongue, flicking the rope at her flanks. Soon, she allowed the mare to walk and catch her breath until she stopped finally.
Sarah moved to the mare, gently patting her neck.
"Good girl.."
Sarah took the sack of grain off, and untied the reins from the horn of the saddle, and unclipped the lunge rope. Now it was her turn. She climbed into the saddle, atop the horse. All was ok so far, but they were still just standing. Here we go... Sarah thought.
She gently put her heels into the horse's ribs, and she began bucking right away. Sarah grunted, and pulled the left rein toward her own side, forcing the horse to bend its neck in that direction. Doing this, made it difficult for the horse to buck, and soon enough, they were walking tight circles.
"Lets try this again" Sarah said as they finally stopped. She clicked her tongue, put her heels into her side again and they went walking. Well, this went pretty good. Might as well end it on a good note.
Once the mare was cooled off and put away with a flake of hay, she went back into the house. She made some dinner, which was oven cooked chicken with garlic and rosemary flavor, corn on the cob and some salad. She made enough for Cinder if he decided he wanted some later.
It was nice to spend the day working outside again, and being so tired you couldnt think of anything else. Sarah fell asleep on the couch that night, in jeans and a t-shirt.