tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:54:55 +0000Nuzzling Muzzles is the place where I write and exchange news about the large and powerful beasts we call horses.http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/NuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)Blogger468125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-1425439606933445588Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:00:00 +00002009-07-13T15:00:00.368-07:00rural lifestyleOn Sunday my kids and I went to the Twin Lakes area in California to visit their grandmother. We each brought our cameras and went on a hike.We wanted to share some of the pictures we took.We did a little rock climbing...There were lots of critters...Lots of trees and water...I've been coming to this spot since I was a child every summer for thirty-some years now. Each year we find more people,http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/jza3Uk9F9tc/day-in-eastern-sierra.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)12http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/day-in-eastern-sierra.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-3712213540623005278Mon, 13 Jul 2009 02:05:00 +00002009-07-12T19:42:26.643-07:00Sunday StillsThis week's Sunday Stills Challenge was to take pictures that show textures. Luckily, I just happened to be visiting my mother at her cabin rental in the mountains today, and was able to find plenty of texture in nature.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/rF8O4cstiew/sunday-stills-textures.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)11http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/sunday-stills-textures.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-4911263869921242766Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:40:00 +00002009-07-11T17:35:47.495-07:00exposureI had plans to go to an Arabian horse show today, but my husband talked me into going on a hike / trail ride with him instead, and I'm glad. This trail ride was close enough on the heels of our last trail ride that Bombay had the trail fresh in his memory, so it was a lot less spooky for him.He allowed me to catch him. He held still so that I could get his boots on him, which is a big deal for http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/CW6MGGvY5rE/hes-big-boy-now.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)14http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/hes-big-boy-now.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-2611205237319640918Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:50:00 +00002009-07-09T21:55:20.923-07:00under saddle trainingI caught the horses having a neck-fest the other day.Everyone wants a nice massage.Lostine gets a little too much into the biting part. I was feeling frustrated because I got pulled into yet another meeting and told we have another impossible deadline for a project that I thought was over and done with. Each time I think I'm going to get a little relief from working long hours solving a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/_HQVGxVmdsE/necking.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)7http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/necking.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-8602809811094573147Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +00002009-07-08T06:00:48.109-07:00traileringI've tried a lot of techniques on making going into and getting out of the horse trailer a habit for my 4-year-old filly Gabbrielle, but each technique only works for so far or for so long and then I find myself back a square one with a horse that refuses to go into or get out of the trailer. Today, however, I found a technique that got her self-loading and unloading in just two-minutes. What http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/x18KcG927uQ/two-minute-trailer-training.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)20http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/two-minute-trailer-training.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-2673490166500705630Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +00002009-07-07T06:00:50.225-07:00exposuretrail ridingSunday morning I had a choice of driving to the north end of Reno for the beginning of the Region III Arabian Horse Show or trying to get Bombay out on the trails. My friend's granddaughter was showing one of her colts at halter, but somehow I always manage to miss their class every year. So, I opted for giving Bombay more exposure. Call me a meanie or a weenie or whatever you please, but I http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/ptusax8hqo8/sunday-morning-trail-ride.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)14http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/sunday-morning-trail-ride.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-6559268126287884257Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +00002009-07-06T07:47:55.715-07:00reality checksI took Thursday off from work despite my boss attempting to schedule a meeting for me then. That's his way of trying to thwart my efforts to use my vacation time by taking Thursdays off for my equitation lessons. Much to my surprise, no one appeared online on Friday, so I figured that it was a company holiday and everyone seemed to know except me. I quickly got offline as soon as I saw my bosshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/3LTjf8hAsrM/four-days-of-almost-heaven.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)17http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/four-days-of-almost-heaven.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-1556390137397205688Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:10:00 +00002009-07-05T20:10:23.129-07:00product reviewsThe Unit, a debut novel by Swedish author Ninni Holmqvist, gives new meaning to the concept of retirement. Narrator Dorrit Weger somewhat unwillingly joins a community of "dispensables" at the age of 50, when she is no longer considered to be a productive and valuable member of the bigger society. Children are highly valued, and the only way to live out a long life and natural death is to have http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/ZFbm9T2SXNk/book-review-unit.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)2http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-review-unit.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-260723032277453076Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:45:00 +00002009-07-05T13:47:34.062-07:00Sunday StillsThis week's Sunday Stills challenge is wildflowers. Here is a batch of wildflowers around our property that I took with my newest digital camera, my Canon PowerShot SX10...Here are pictures I took of some not so wild wildflowers that I admit I planted, but had to include them since it's so difficult to get anything to grow around here...These are photos that my daughter took with my old Kodak http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/Ej2Onu6mYSg/sunday-stills-wildflowers.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)15http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/sunday-stills-wildflowers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-2644764982307368921Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:00:00 +00002009-07-04T07:00:10.725-07:00humorThe other night I had just finished up cleaning the paddock when I spotted Bombay backing into the fence to relieve himself. I rushed over there dragging my Ursa Wagon behind me in hopes of catching the manure before it hit the ground. I said to Bombay, "At least you could TRY to get it in the wagon!"Unfortunately, the horse apples had hit the ground by the time I reached him. I grabbed my http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/ZtCKJq8ofW0/for-those-who-appreciate-bombays.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)11http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/for-those-who-appreciate-bombays.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-1906782315334022688Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:00:00 +00002009-07-03T14:00:03.268-07:00horse tackWhen my oldest, favorite bridle broke and we lost the clip, I knew I had to either repair it or replace it right away. I did not want to have to lose any riding time due to not having a bridle that fits all of my horses. I immediately went to the local feed store in hopes of finding a replacement clip, but they didn't have one.I recalled the hassle of dealing with the rude man at the local http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/CSEL1M3dqdE/new-headstall.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)10http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/new-headstall.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-950066962512516203Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:00:00 +00002009-07-07T06:28:16.687-07:00exposurespookingToday Bombay and I had our first equitation lesson in the big arena at the Fairgrounds. The past couple of times I have trailered Bombay, I have had to use the lunge whip to get Bombay into the trailer. I guess he sees me being patient with Gabbrielle, letting her just put her front feet in and back out over and over, so he's regressing to the level that she is at. I'm not as patient with him http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/gaSDyYC-4vI/eq-lesson-in-big-arena.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)13http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/eq-lesson-in-big-arena.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-3642573335175983053Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +00002009-07-02T06:00:29.758-07:00under saddle trainingI am so happy! I am sooooooooo happy! Gabbrielle took her first steps under saddle on her own. It felt as good as when each of my human babies took their first steps on their own as toddlers. In fact, I have a picture of my daughter right when she took her first steps on her own. I was taking a picture of her sitting in a child's rocking chair, and she hopped down and reached out to touch http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/acLogtG7boM/babys-first-steps.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)14http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/babys-first-steps.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-3323614162462047482Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:00:00 +00002009-07-01T18:00:04.890-07:00horse showsScenes from the 2009 Western States Horse Expo...http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/5ck07vOtjHA/breed-demonstration-gypsy-vanner-horses.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)7http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/breed-demonstration-gypsy-vanner-horses.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-8848346098673890355Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:00:00 +00002009-07-01T12:00:02.849-07:00horse showsScenes from the 2009 Western States Horse Expo...http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/3vlkwWjvuYQ/breed-demonstration-tennessee-walking.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)3http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/breed-demonstration-tennessee-walking.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-8619662498068356285Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +00002009-07-01T08:04:35.749-07:00horse showsScenes from the 2009 Western States Horse Expo...http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/DqAcVFVDsXc/breed-demonstration-morgan-horses.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)3http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/07/breed-demonstration-morgan-horses.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-3291035153370505269Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:00:00 +00002009-06-30T09:00:16.996-07:00horse showsTommy Garland taught a clinic called "Teaching Your Horse to Neck Rein" at the 2009 Western States Horse Expo. He is known for being an Arabian show horse trainer, and has his own television show on RFD-TV. He also helped judge the Mustang Makeover.Neck reining is something I started my horses on last year. It's one of those things that if you don't do it frequently and consistently, your http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/YXKFiDX9AEM/tommy-garland-on-neck-reining.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)8http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/06/tommy-garland-on-neck-reining.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-6792558591783227876Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:40:00 +00002009-06-29T14:43:05.935-07:00reality checksMeet the (relatively) new park two blocks from my house. A couple of years ago a woman came to my door and asked me to write a letter in support of having an equestrian trail incorporated into this new park while it was in the planning stages. I wrote my letter, and received a nasty reply in which I was told that my house was not even within the district that the park was being built for, and http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/EoIic9bqz5U/tight-squeeze.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)14http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/06/tight-squeeze.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-353078157894433070Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:15:00 +00002009-06-28T21:15:21.863-07:00under saddle trainingGabbrielle's under saddle training came to a halt after her ear surgery to repair a torn tip. I needed to give her ear a chance to heal, and she became very head shy after the accident, so there was no chance of pulling a bridle over her ears. This is what her ear looks like today -- slightly shorter than the other and a more rounded shape.I spent the past few weeks working my way into her http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/X1BPKNsiQSo/gabbrielles-progress.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)13http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/06/gabbrielles-progress.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-2794067121467250515Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:45:00 +00002009-06-28T08:12:15.729-07:00Sunday StillsHere's a picture I took of a noisy bird perched atop an arena light at the 2009 Western States Horse Expo in Sacramento, California. It was so loud that I couldn't concentrate on what the clinician was saying. It always amazes me how birds can twist their heads all the way around like the Exorcist. I admit that this next one is cheating. The planes that left those trails in the sky have http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/4QptWFbmBiA/sunday-stills-things-with-wings.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)8http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/06/sunday-stills-things-with-wings.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-6170328780815540360Sun, 28 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +00002009-06-27T21:10:24.195-07:00exposureI wanted to take Gabbrielle to the Fairgrounds, but she was being stubborn about getting into the trailer, so I loaded up Bombay and Lostine again. When we arrived, we discovered that yet another rodeo was in progress. No one was using the barrel racing arena, so my son and I tied Lostine in there. She gets happy when she's around other horses.I rode Bombay despite not feeling well. My http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/hYtBKSdzn9U/pictures-from-today.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)13http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/06/pictures-from-today.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-6246506429325049622Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +00002009-06-27T06:00:22.245-07:00horse showsAt the 2009 Western States Horse Expo, Richard Winters put on a clinic called, "Problem Solving the Bucking Horse."He began by teaching the horse to stay out of his space. That way, should the horse decided to buck on the long line or while you are in its paddock, it knows better than to buck near you.This horse actually seemed fairly easygoing, so Richard had to loop a rope around its http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/CQgQWife9wc/richard-winters-bucking-horse.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)6http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/06/richard-winters-bucking-horse.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-1940157108527438996Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:45:00 +00002009-06-26T06:47:42.715-07:00horse showsOn Sunday at the 2009 Western States Horse Expo, Stacy Westfall put on a clinic in which she explained and demonstrated basic body control of the horse. She broke down some of the complicated advanced maneuvers into smaller movements and showed us from the saddle what cues to give and what the exaggerated movements looked like. Last, but not least, she got off her horse and showed us how each http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/ytLZMi2CMRo/stacy-westfall-on-basic-body-control.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)9http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/06/stacy-westfall-on-basic-body-control.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-1505592869861725392Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:30:00 +00002009-06-25T03:31:30.216-07:00horse showsStacy Westfall filled the stands at the 2009 Western States Horse Expo while teaching "whoa" from beginning to bridleless. She passed on her secrets on how to stop a horse without relying on reins. Here she is with her two students...Stacy told a story about going on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and worrying that if Ellen decided to ride her horse, the horse might not be as responsive to Ellen's http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/HpzocawcpGw/stacy-westfall-teaching-whoa.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)6http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/06/stacy-westfall-teaching-whoa.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2200271203173821952.post-8237699090907654809Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:00:00 +00002009-06-24T08:04:09.027-07:00horse showsBelieve it or not, I still have a lot of report on the 2009 Western States Horse Expo. There were saddles galore at the Mane Market Mall. I enjoyed pawing them, but the salespeople made me nervous. Having just been given a brand new saddle as a gift, I didn't want them pressuring me into buying another saddle. One salesman kept trying to convince me that Arabian bars are exactly the same as http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NuzzlingMuzzles/~3/tbAaC3i2A5o/scenes-from-western-states-horse-expo.htmlNuzzlingMuzzles@gmail.com (Nuzzling Muzzles)9http://nuzzlingmuzzles.blogspot.com/2009/06/scenes-from-western-states-horse-expo.html