Montag, 13. Juli 2009

Photo session

Yesterday we had an offhanded photo session in our barn. The weather was mixed but anyhow it was funny. Here you can see one picture of Christiane & Askja

and one of Julia & Chinook:

After the rain stopped Robin, the boyfriend of Christiane, took some pictures of Baga and me.



On Saturday we started with the pattern "Question Box". That's what we will exercise the next week. Further I want to improve my roping skills and have to learn not to hit Baga with the rope during sitting on her ;o)

Montag, 6. Juli 2009

Busy weeks

Hey all.
We are still alive but I was too busy to blog ;o) Baga is doing fine and her sweet itch is still light. No wounds, just some scratches. But at the moment she is fighting a lot with another dominant mare about the leading position in the herd. That's why she is sometimes a little bit injured. We are still working on following the rail and figure8. Since yesterday it is confirmed that we will take part at a basic riding clinic in 4 weeks and a cutting clinic two weeks later. How exciting, I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!!
Until I can tell you about these clinics you can spend some time with my newest pictures. Yesterday I was at the Ranch Horse Competition like last year. Here you can find the first pictures. More will follow during the next days: http://skinfaxa.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=23779

And have you already found the pictures which I took as I visited Martina at her farm Schanzenhof? Check it out: http://skinfaxa.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=23352

Samstag, 6. Juni 2009

Having a lot of fun with "Follow the Rail"


Baga and me went on with the Follow the Rail pattern and yesterday I asked for Figure-8, Touch-it and the Weave-Pattern online. Everything was fine. At the moment Baga is doing so much Touch-it everywhere that I have to watch out that she is not sniffing the electric fence anytime!!! She was short before it one time.
Today Jens, his and my mother came for a visit. Jens took some great pictures of us. I'll share one picture with you and who likes can find more in the gallery:
http://skinfaxa.net/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=877
Follow the Rail is the best what could happen to us at the moment. Riding canter bridleless is getting more and more normal to me.
DO YOU PARELLI???

Sonntag, 31. Mai 2009

Trying the patterns

After Sonnie had gone and busy photo-weeks I went on to pay more attention to Baga again. Actually I would need to wash Baga latest every two weeks because of the skin care products I am using against her sweet itch but it always were a problem because she hates water. Luckily I learned a lot the last months to try a new start with water. In the past months I often showed the hose to Baga but although I could hang it on her ear she immediately was scared again if it was placed on the ground. Anyway I took her on Monday, hold the rope in my hand and switched the water on slowly. After short time Baga accepted the water and I could wash her carefully. On Friday I had to repeat this because of oil which came into her mane and it was really easy. I could put the rope on the ground during the washing time and Baga was not often trying to escape ;o)
Then we started new with the touch-it and 8-pattern of Level 1. I often did the 8-pattern before but never with letting Baga doing it alone. So I tried it again and noticed that she knows what I want (although this should not mean that she is doing it). She is bored about it so I can not repeat it every day, that's why we are not good enough to do it in trot immediately. Later we also could touch the "obstacle" with both front feets. I also tried a game in the round corral but Baga changed the game before I noticed it. So she was the winner :o)
Baga 1 : Sabine 0
On Saturday I totally confused her as I went on the pasture but walked straight forward without catching her. After few meters I noticed that she followed me so I slowly stopped, looked at the sky and pretended as if I haven't seen her. She was nearly angry that I didn't paid attention to her :o) Baga 1 : Sabine 1
Then I put the saddle and the natural hackamore on and after repeating the 8 online I mounted on Baga. My plan was to start the follow the rail pattern although I was sure I always have done it before. No I didn't. I think the problem always was that I were micromanaging but after comprehending that it's Bagas responsibility to stay at the rail, it worked better than EVER before. I had to correct her sometimes but it went better after every round. Soon I noticed some power in her as if she would ask me for trot so I smiled and she immediately went in trot. We also followed the rail in trot easily and short time later I felt the same like before as Baga asked me for trot. Suddenly we were cantering and following the rail!!!! It felt as if Baga is giving me so much more if I don't put the bridle on and if I ask her to work more without my help. This day was so great to open my mind! After cantering few rounds on both hands I stopped in the middle, did a turn to the left side for 360° and mounted off. After this I took the hack and the saddle and carried it from the riding arena by myself ;o)

Montag, 18. Mai 2009

Dritteltreffen Nord

Wow, it was great. Much work but maaaaaany wonderful horses. I felt in love with more than only one stallion. No time to blog more because I have to arrange my 9000 pictures. I only have a free day today. Tommorrow and the rest of the week I have to go to work :o(

Only short impressions from yesterday:

Viktor fra Diisa

Agnar Snorri Stefánsson + Katrine Langvad (?)

Glúmur frá Stóra-Ási

Nils Christian Larsen + Styrmir Árnason

Dienstag, 12. Mai 2009

Dritteltreffen

Now I am working on the pictures which I took in Lindlar - at the second Dritteltreffen. After that I will drive to Osterbyholz today. There will be the last Dritteltreffen. Horses like for example Fákur frá Auðsholtshjáleigu will be shown there. The last time I met this horse in Iceland 2006 (see the picture left).



Here you can find the pictures of Lindlar: http://skinfaxa.de/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=22086


Unfortunately I got sick with a sore throat and I am coming down with a cold, too. I am very curious how the week will be. A funny mix out of sickness and much work. But of course I will manage this ;o)

Now I have to go on with my work but not before I showed you the great cream gateaux which Ilona created in honor of me :o)

Donnerstag, 7. Mai 2009

Dritteltreffen in Wurz

Last week I was in Wurz to take photos for Worldfengur of the breeding horses. You can find some pictures here: http://skinfaxa.de/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=21340
It's hard to say which horse(s) I liked most because there were many great ones. See above a picture of Fannar frá Kvistum. He was the stallion with the highest score: 8,39. But the highest score all over got Vordís vom Kronshof with a total of: 8,40. See below.

You can find the results at http://www.worldfengur.com/
Tommorrow I will drive to the second Dritteltreffen in Lindlar and the week after is the last one in Osterbyholz. I'm very excited about all the great horses I will see during the next days.

Yesterday Hekla came for a visit to me and after a successful shopping expedition we drove to the barn to see Baga. Unfortunately it was raining the whole day but we were riding Baga anyway ;o) It was very funny and I was excited to see Baga with Hekla tölting but suddenly we noticed that Baga is really fourgaited: walk, trot, canter and pace. But no tölt anywhere! It was no tölt-day yesterday but never mind. It's not about the tölt. Only funny to know that Baga is fivegaited but I never knew before: Always if Hekla asked Baga to canter, she went into pace. My horse is a real surprise egg :o) In any case we had a lot of fun together and I hope that we can meet us soon again before Hekla goes back home to Iceland.

Montag, 27. April 2009

Email account broken

Unfortunately my webmail-system is not working today (hopefully not longer). So don't wonder if I am not answering your emails!!! You can also send urgent emails to sokkadis2002(at)gmx.de