Lisbet and Leisel

Anvil's Acres
Raising Norwegian Fjord Horses Since 1973
"Disposition, Conformation, Versatility"
www.FjordHorseForSale.com

As usual I was up before six am and out the door by six thirty to feed the horses at the corrals. Our corrals are three quarters of a Km below the cabin we live in. I fed Josefa and Mektig, in the big corral and Jussi in the small corral as well as the black mare Orville is training to drive for our daughter who is in the other small corral. Check water for all the pens then off to the other corrals where four weanling colts are. I have soaked alfalfa cubes as well as rolled oats with their additives for them as well as free choice hay. The corral next door I feed hay to Lisbet and Lara.
Lisbet is a nine year old mare that was trained to ride and drive as a three year old and then turned out to be a brood mare.
She was left open last year but this June we borrowed Peppertree's Christian from Dan and Solvieg Watanabe of Olivia Farm and bred several mares to him including Lisbet.
I had jaw surgery in February and suppose to let that heal for six months. Since I am a very timid rider I felt the best horse for me to ride this year would be Lisbet. I based my decision on her bloodlines which tells me about her personallity and trustworthyness. The Rudaren daughters bred to Leidjo have always excelled as wonderful riding or driving horses with a great work ethic and sensible nature. I brought Lisbet in to start her conditioning and have Orville restart her riding as it has been six years since she was rode or drove.
Lisbet has lived up to all my expectations. Several days ago, Orville did some ground work with side reins to remind her what the bit was for and I started conditioning this overwieght broodmare with our gelding Anvil's Mektig on the ATV or quad as we call it. I had started her last Tuesday evening with a walk around the trails with her not realizing she had to keep going and not stop when she felt like it. Trotting was not on her agenda at this time.
Back after our 45 min workout and Orville followed behind and encourged her to trot on command. I use verbal commands of walk and trot when I change the pace. Wednesday morning we went out and had a ten minute warm up walk at 5 kph, followed by a 10 min. 10 kph trot, another 10 min. walk again at 5 kph, 10 more minutes of trot again at 10 kph and a 10 min. cooldown walk at 5-6 kph. Had a few stops but a great improvement over the night before. When I said "and Trot" Mektig would pick up the pace and Lisbet would take a few seconds to figure out what I meant. Mektig would look at me a though to say " What's with her. Can't she Hear you"
Spending the last six years eating and running out on the mountain side had conditioned Lisbet so she breezed through our workout with a very quick recovery rate once she figured out the routine. Mektig had been up to 14 min of trot at 14 kph and thought this slow going was very boring. Lisbet did need some encouragement to keep going and not stop at her favourite rest spots for the first few round but now has the routine down and as of this morning up to 6 kph at the walk and 11 minutes of trot at 11-12 kph now.
Did miss not having Leisel make the rounds with us this morning. On Thursday evening when I took Lisbet and Mektig on their nightly run on the quad, Rebe and the two year old white dun filly, Anvil's Leisel were home. They started following us up the meadow on our warm up walk and when we started our ten minutes of trot they came along. Up on the first loop or bench through the trees above the cabin the herd of horses where just below the hill. Rebe called and disapeared over the side to the other horses. Leisel watched her go and just kept on trotting behind or beside Lisbet when the trail was wide enough. Leisel followed all the way around and did the entire run with us. After our coolout walk back to the gate to get to the corrals she was still following so she got washed down, allowed to eat in the yard and then her grain, just like the other two. Once her grain was done and my evening chores finished up I lead her from the quad, back through the gate and turned her loose. I went on up to the cabin for a much needed shower and to bed.
Next morning Leisel was waiting and again made the entire trip with us cutting a few corners once in a while but otherwise going the whole route.
Again on Saturday morning when we came across the herd on our first trot, Leisel left the herd and made the run with us and had her grain etc. just like the others. However today she was missing. Kind of missed her happy presence but didn't have to eat her dust when she went out in front on the last walk home.
Maybe she will be home tomorrow when I make the rounds with Lisbet and Mektig.