Weekend Coffee Share; My Heart Is Full

On By DianaIn Living life, weekend coffee share
Welcome to my weekend coffee share! How are you today?

Welcome and how are you doing? Can I get you a cup of coffee or tea? I am doing great and am so excited because next weekend is my grandson’s second birthday. I can’t believe he will be 2 they grow so fast! My hubby and I will be traveling to Arizona so we can spend some fun family time with not only our grandson but with our granddaughter and my son and daughter-in-law! I pray that someday we won’t all be living so far apart and am thankful they are a short flight away and its not a bad drive. We will be driving there and my daughter will be joining us flying in Friday evening. 😀

They are so adorable! My granddaughter is 6 1/2 and my grandson will be 2 at end of Feb. ❤

Boy, just looking at this photo fills my heart with so much love for them. I could just stare at it all day as I miss them so very much. We do video chat, sometimes I wish we could more often but they are really busy and I will keep hoping that someday they will move closer to us, or vice versa. My son has been applying for a new job and has even mentioned maybe moving back to CA. Oh my, that would be so GRAND! But I should not get my hopes up too high as who knows where is next job will land them. He has been applying all over the Pacific Northwest.

As I am getting excited about my upcoming little vacation next weekend I wanted to share this last weekend and the fun I had with my ponies. I have been struggling a little bit with Murphy and getting him to participate more willingly in our rides. He has a bit of a stubborn streak in him, and I have been gently working with him in a positive way to keep his feet moving. I have to say my eyes opened up yesterday when I was reading Anne’s blog (HorseAddict) she shared a lesson with her trainer (her trainer is an Olympian!) She rides dressage and at the highest levels and I am just trying to get a nice walk, trot and canter in the arena.

Murphy is so young I am teaching him the basics but he would rather just stop and stand. So I asked Anne a question after watching her video and I asked her about riding with the dressage crop or whip that she carries while riding. I have one to use but it has been so long in using it I wanted to ask an expert and she gave me great advice about tapping Murphy with the whip near my leg when I cue him if he doesn’t respond immediately and it worked GREAT! I only had to use it on two different occasions, once to trot and once at a halt I asked him to walk. I barely touched his side, it seemed more like a tickle but he is sensitive enough it motivated him perfectly! I have to give her credit as it definitely helped him keep his feet moving which made my job riding him so much easier. I wasn’t so exhausted trying to push him forward. I am so excited! Thank you Anne!! Here are some photos from my weekend.

Before my rides I always get him warmed up by trotting and cantering in the arena!
I set up some trot poles that you can see in one of the photos. He did great trotting over them today!

He was such a good boy today as I was able to get him to move forward and into the bit with him being supple in his neck and he does this best at the walk. I am working on him to stay supple at the trot and having the dressage whip helps immensely and he is much better going to the right, I need to strengthen my left leg when we go to the left as he is a bit stiff. It is all a work in progress and I need to take one day at a time. But I was so impressed as he had a good attitude and moved forward more easily! YAY!

I also rode Miss Chloe today out on the trail. Her and I had a great ride!

I can’t leave out Miss Chloe. She can’t trot and canter any more with me riding her as she has a bad back leg that does fine at the walk but not so good at the faster gaits. She has an old injury in her stifle which is like our knee. She can run around free in arena with no problems but with the weight of saddle and rider it just isn’t a good idea and would put more pressure on that old injury. She does great on our trail rides! Walking is motion lotion!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I know some are still really cold and living where they may even have snow on the ground. I know others across the world are still in Summer probably heading into Fall. It is fun to share my rides and my adventures with my horses. I am having to reach far back in my memory in riding now that I am starting out a young horse. He is very, very calm and doesn’t get rattled very easily. He is smart (sometimes too smart) and forgiving as I am getting in shape just as much as he is with our training. I will end with a pretty photo of Chloe as she is shedding out her winter coat and getting a nice shiny one as we get closer to Spring!

Miss Chloe looking very pretty! My heart is full!

Have a wonderful week ahead!

~Diana ❤

25 thoughts on “Weekend Coffee Share; My Heart Is Full”

  1. Oh congo Diana on your grandson’s second b’day( in advance😅🤩) !! Give him a happy two from my side…. 🤗
    P. S The horses are stunningly beautiful…. Wanna ride on Miss Chloe myself!! 😅

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    1. Thank you so kindly Aahna! So sweet of you and I’ll give him a happy birthday wish from you too!! Thank you for the horsey compliments too, you would be welcome to ride Miss Chloe, she is so sweet! 🤩♥️🐴

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  2. Love the advice you got with using the dressage crop I was told to use one when I rode my friends HUGE thoroughbred. I was told to just tap him on the left or right depending on what way I needed him to go I was told to tap him on the front top part of his leg in front of my leg. Mind you he is SO big I looked extra small riding him lol. I think I might have posted a picture of me on him. I love the color of Chole that little bit of what looks like gray in her fur. ❤

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    1. It was great advice and that’s so cool you needed to use one when you rode your friends huge thoroughbred! How fun. ♥️🐴 These big horses have a lot to move I think so any encouragement is a good idea. I worked so hard trying to get Murphy going I think I was more tired than he was but having that dressage crop helped immensely!!
      And Chloe says thank you!! She’s all gray with brown and white mixed in and I agree, I LOVE her roan color. I love it so much I thought I’d try and find another roan horse, but that’s too difficult. I do love Murphy’s color too, but it’s very common. Chloe’s color is definitely more unusual! ♥️

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  5. Beautiful photographs Diana and great to hear you had some good advice for helping Murphy move forward from Anne. Chloe looks so well with her Spring coat coming through and Murphy is as adorable as always! We wish you a fabulous time celebrating your grandson’s second birthday 🎂 and please give sweet Chloe and Murphy a big pat from us all 🤗🧡🐴 xxx

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    1. Thank you so very much Xenia for your wonderful comments. I’m so glad I asked Anne my questions, so helpful! I’m so happy you enjoyed my share this week and the horses will love the extra pats I’ll give them for you! They are both so sweet. I can’t wait to see my grandson and granddaughter too. Please give Eivor and Pearl a big pat too and I hope you have a wonderful week! 💞🥰🐴♥️

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  6. Oh my crickey, 2yrs already I am sure it was only a short time ago you shared baby photo’s too adorable, little sweet treasures. Naughty Murphy. I love how stubborn horses can be as long as they don’t throw a complete tantrum, he may be upset that you aren’t taking him to the party. lol Chloe looking sweet as usual. Have a awesome time with the fam wish your little Grandson a happy birthday from the land of Aus.

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    1. Oh my goodness, how does this time fly! I did share baby photos, I can’t believe he’s going to be 2!!! Thank you, they are sweet treasures. ❤️💙
      And Murphy has been a little naughty, but thankful just a stinker and no tantrums. I’m thankful for that! 🤩 He’s just trying to get out of work, and I get it but then I work twice as hard to ask him to give me some energy on our rides. The dressage whip was a perfect addition and we had a great ride! Miss Chloe says thank you and thank you too for the birthday wishes my sweet Aussie friend!! ♥️🤠🐴

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  7. You Grandkids look so cute. I love that gap tooth look. Our Grandson has one too! I’m glad Murphy responds well to the tap and is going forward more. I think he came from the track did he not? There they use totally different aids to communicate to the horse; a tug on a rein can signal a gallop. I found this out when I got a TB off the track when I was 16. Miss Chloe looks very good. I always love her coloring. Have a good week Diana!

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    1. Thank you so much Anne! I too like the missing tooth, it’s so cute when they get to that age and start losing teeth!! Murphy did great, so thankful for your help. Yes, he came from the track but he was never raced so I’m not sure what all they did with him. Since he’s so lazy, the tug on the reins is not inducing a gallop, and since I’ve been working with him for the last 8 months he now knows clearly the cues for walk, trot and canter and whoa. I also talk to him so he knows the words too. I know you are not suppose to talk to him in dressage, but I’m not planning on showing. I would like a trained arena horse and he’s slowly coming along. And since he’s still growing I’m not in any hurry. I need to stay focused, and watching you ride helps a lot too. There is no one at my barn who does much arena riding. Thank you again! And have a great week too! ♥️

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    1. Thank you so very much!! I’m thankful the barn where I keep the horses there are wonderful ladies there to take my place, but I think they’ll still miss me. I’m so excited to see those grandbaby’s, I miss them lots!! ♥️

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    1. Awww, thank you sooooo very much!! ❤️ I haven’t seen them since October and so I soaked up every minute I spent with them. I think you can relate as my poor family there in Arizona has been battling virus after virus. They had Covid in early January, and with them going to school (the little one going to day care) they keep getting sick. Praying they get past this season of virus bugs soon. We visited anyways and am so happy we did, and I don’t think they were contagious. Little Teddy had a low grade fever on Sunday when we left and he went to the doctors yesterday and they said it’s just these viruses these kids pass to one another. Alice was coughing so much but was better Sunday. It’s been a tough start to this year for my son and family.

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  10. Your heart is full with grandkid love and horse love!
    Oh and let’s add in blog friends to that awesome mix and so cool that Anne had some helpful info and that it worked so fast!
    We truly are better together and sometimes need tips that come from someone else!
    Hope the trio was awesome and how fun to turn two!
    That entire year is a special age!
    I remember when my kids were under five – we learned that if we met someone with a two year old there was a huge difference between a new two – or two and six months or two and ten months! Huge!
    And maybe even more so for boys?
    Anyhow – now I am off to check out the more recent post that just came in my reader – 😉

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    1. I have to say those are my two most favorite things these days, my grandkids and my horses!! ❤️ Haha, of course my steady, strong loveable husband puts up with my crazy obsessions willingly and lovingly. And yes, my heart is full with my blogging friends too! You all bring so much to your blogs. I get strength and virtue, with a love of life and beauty from your blog, and excellent horsey advice and wonderful videos from Anne’s. There’s so many others too, from writing advice and encouragement to story tellers delights, to photographers galore with their beautiful shares!! This community is so full of beautiful people, it’s amazing!!

      I think your right, that entire year of being 2 is so full of growth and changes. I think boys there can be huge differences too!! Thanks so much for stopping by and always so wonderful to hear from you!! 💞

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      1. The way you summed up the variety of your blog circle was wonderful ! And this is why I am glad nobody fixes my blog roll for me because if someone assumed what we liked – we would never get the variety we need, right? So even tho I am not a horse owner / the freshness of the posts and heating about the equestrian experience is a delight — yet no algorithm would have picked that for me! In fact – one time I kept getting all these suggestions for “Christian bloggers” — it was after a blogger friend and I were chatting it up abbot faith! However – I was getting annoyed because the LAST thing I want is to come here and have Christian bloggers in my feed! Even tho I am a Christian and my faith is all to me – most of the Christian community drains to the life out of me! Sigh – yawn – and ugh!
        So anyhow / I am glad those suggestions waned and I love my authors, photographers, and all the folks who have a variety of themes they Beijing t the blog world

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