Renny was Prepared for School

I like this little photo of Renny getting ready for his morning lesson.  I love this pony and can hardly believe that he's old enough to be ridden.  But I digress.  What I wanted to say is that from the very beginning, Renny's been sensible.  From the very earliest days, when he would squeal and run around the indoor arena back at Breezy Acres and kick and run at the soccer ball, to when he was an angel at his inspection, to the day he let me longe him over cavalleti and long-line him, to the day Coy got on him for the first time, Renny has had nothing but good spirits. 

But to tell the truth, he has been like lots of 2 year-old colts.  On some mornings, early in the process, he would give us the stink eye expression, until he warmed up to his tasks.  And then on other mornings, he would look as sweet as a kitten in cotton from the very beginning.  In this photo, you see happy good boy work ethic Renny, saddling up for his trainer and lesson.  I don't think I took any pictures of stink eye, but it was a good one and not at all easy to mistake for anything other than the teenage version of "you suck!"

I Researched for Renny

Again, video and photos from Renny's early training days.  Earlier this week (August 23rd) when I was having a riding lesson, Stacey and I were chatting about the downfalls of racing and she was mentioning how she hates racing because of how hard it is on horses.  And I agreed, but I said that I kind of like racing because without it, there'd be no purpose really for thoroughbreds and people would care for them even less, in a way.  And we got onto the topic of how horses fall onto hard times and how she doesn't like backyard breeders.  I said that I felt bad that I was a backyard breeder, but I was glad I had Renny.  And she gave me a great compliment. She said that she didn't consider me a backyard breeder because I had researched for Renny and knew what I was doing and that he's turning out great.  She's someone I respect, so I was very pleased for those words.  And I am very very very pleased that I've had this experience with my darling beloved pony. 

Anyway, what's funny about these photos is that he looks so small, but so much has changed in the training month since they were taken -- Renny has muscled up and gotten much stronger looking and better defined along his rear and back.  He's not a tiny baby anymore, he's truly a working green pony!

Renny is Advanced

I'm not going to lie.  Sometimes I would get upset with Renny's trainer because he would do things which I thought were super advanced -- like teaching Renny to sidepass beautifully, half pass, halt and back, turn fully on his forehand and haunches.  I'd tell him, quit pushing Renny.  All he needs to do is trot forward a little bit at an even pace for the video.  But I was flat out wrong.  Coy has Renny performing very well and relaxed at all of his work.  He circles beautifully, serpentines, is happy in his upward and downward transitions.  Is happy about a true square obedient non-testing halt.  It's truly an astonishment.  And then finally Coy told me that I had to remember that because Renny was so advanced on all his groundwork lessons that it really wasn't comparable to talk about the first 30 days -- that really Renny  is ready in many respects for tasks that might appear in Days 60-90.  Which made me proud.  And a little sad.  But mostly proud.  

Renny is Awesome!

Again, some photos and video from Renny's early training days.  I haven't been easy on Coy.  Sometimes when he and Renny have a disagreement, I'm really bent out of shape.  I don't like to see my little guy confused or with his feelings hurt, though I know it's part of the process.  Luckily, those moments were few and far inbetween.  But it became clear by the end of the training that Coy needed to work more with me than Renny.   I was acting more like his Grandma or groom.  After each training session, I would give Renny a bath with anti-fungal shampoo and anti-fungal spray and put triple antibiotic cream on any worn areas by his girth.  And I rub down his legs with aromatic gel and liniments.  And I love love love on him.  Coy says that I need to be much more observant and really appreciate the fact that every single moment I am with Renny, I am training him.  That I need to be vigilant about opportunities to train him to be quiet and good and sensible.  So, each day now, I have to handle Renny and learn how to manage the hard stuff, like picking up and holding his back feet and correcting him in the crossties when he's bored and testing.  I am glad that Coy is trying to make me a "horsewoman" as he calls it rather than a horse enthusiast.  I want Renny's life to be a good one, so I need to help him with all the manners in life he'll need!  I'm grateful that I have the world's best trainer!

Renny is World's Best Green Pony

Okay, here again are some photos and video from Renny's first week of training, and I am writing this entry on Day 25, in late August, when Renny has really come into his own.  Coy was really kind to me and let me watch the training and he tells me routinely that part of the reason that Renny is so ahead of the game is because of all the groundwork I put on him.  That he never shows up at a place to train and the horse is absolutely ready to mount.  So, I'll be jumping all over the map in the posts over the next few weeks -- I probably should have been more systematic, but I was really just caught up in the magic of watching Renny be greenbuilt.  But here's what I know -- I knew that this week, the week of August 23rd, was going to be a big one for me.  It's the 5-year anniversary of my accident and Hurricane Katrina.  I'm teaching three classes for the first time in my life.  I was going to be riding Renny myself for the first time.  All good, all exciting, all strange.  I felt like this week was ripe with magic and possibility and spiritual energy.

So, here's what happened on Wednesday, the actual anniversary of my accident.  I received an email from Beth saying that Renny was wonderful.  I had a great riding lesson with Violet and Stacey told me that she and Coy were talking about how amazing Renny is and how hard he's been working and how advanced he is and how my groundworked helped.  And then Gay told me that Mary had watched some of Renny's training early in the day and thought Renny was doing super.  So, you can imagine how wonderful I felt.  And that was just the right kind of magic to bring to Thursday, the day I actually got to climb onto that beautiful sweet hard-working agreeable intelligent athletic pony.  He was light, responsive, willing, but quiet!  I had a great time in the sunshine, riding him in the dressage arena.  I felt like a happy happy girl!

My Baby in Training - Renny is Really Talented!

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Okay, so I am writing this post as the start of a stream of posts about Renny in training.  We've had a very busy summer.  I am writing this entry on August 27th of what will be his 25th day of training and the day after the first time I rode him myself!  I can hardly believe I've had that pleasure.  There is so much, so much to say.  So, I wanted to try and sell Renny as a little guy because I feel he's such a late Spring baby.  But Beth at St. George told me he was absolutely ready and so did Stacey, so they permitted me kindly to let Coy break out Renny.  So, this training started in late July, so these burst of videos and photos are a single day just a week or so into his training. But Renny was already showing great intelligence and skill.  In fact, Coy was able to mount him on the very first day.  When Coy got on him, I was shocked, just shocked.  Renny stood with some confusion, but he didn't panic, act naughty, buck or do anything but try to figure out what was expected of him.  And coy, well Coy looked absolutely purely still and empty and calm like the Buddha. In fact, I've never seen a face more representative of Buddhist art.  It was amazing, truly an amazing moment!

Renny Has a Good Mind!

Here again is photo from Day 24 and video from a week or so earlier.  Just look how relaxed and sweet he looks.  What was cool about this August 26th video is that Coy was showing me his hunter head set and hunter working trot and let me tell you, Renny was trotting with his nose down and tucked in and his neck level with his back at a brisk relaxed no-nonsense forward reaching even trot.  The man is the best trainer on the face of the earth!  Oh, and he makes me happy because he routinely bursts out with observations about Renny's good mind!  Which makes a Grandma proud!

Renny is Growing Up!

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So, I am writing this post on August 26th which is Day 24 of Renny's training.  Here you can see him quietly being ridden in the outdoor arena.  It was a fun morning session.  Renny gave Coy colt attitude about longing, but then after he lost that fight and had his feelings hurt, he and Coy, simply walked out of the indoor arena and quietly around the grounds over to the outdoor arena and had a quiet little ride.  And then I got to ride and I had Coy's kind help.  He was such a good quiet kind teacher and he put all these little safety stops on Renny, so it was really a very special experience for my first day riding my little guy.  I can hardly believe that Ren's changed so much now and grown and matured so substantially that I was able to ride him and enjoy him today!!!

My Little Chefs, Again!

They were just too cute, so here's another photo of the happy little pastry chefs. They thought breaking eggs and using the mixer, and filling the cones, and decorating was too fun!

My Happy Chefs

When we went back to Rhinelander, mom had set up a wonderland for her grandchildren.  The girls had presents of dolls, outfits, and special princess beds.  And mom had purchased them chef's aprons and hats and helped them with the fun task of making cupcake ice cream cones which the girls loved, loved, loved!  They thought the task was truly brilliantly fun.  So, here are photos of them working hard!

Happy Dancing Boy

This summer after teaching my two summer classes, I went to visit my family.  Elena brought Emma, Clara and Stephen to visit mom and dad, so I tagged onto that trip.  We went and stayed at the Kalahari in the Dells and spent two days at the Noah's Ark Waterpark which was a real blast.  And then we went home to Rhinelander to hang out for awhile.  I love my nieces and nephew and baby Stephen thought I was cool because I could act so silly.  Anyway, the very first few moments I saw them at the Kalahari hotel, I had a good good laugh.  They'd been traveling by plane all day and then took a 3 hour car ride, so they were pretty wired.  The first thing Stephen did to unwind was dance and rock out to the music on his little fire truck.  What a rockin' boy!

Coy, Renny and Me

Here is a goofy picture of Team Rengade.  I don't deserve the happiness that's been gifted to me this summer.  Beth said that I could have Coy come and train my little pony.  Stacey has been so helpful and nice with her perspective.  Friends have offered good wishes and come to see the training.  Lexie came to visit and cheer us on.  Kelsey offered to help with his sale video.  Emily gives sage medical advice. Todd helped give Renny a nice safe working pony trim.  And my little boy has been an angel.  He has taken on the life of a working pony with grace, ease and intelligence.  He has had compliments heaped on him.  He's been called the world's best green pony.  He's been called handy, good-minded, intelligent, light, responsive, balanced.  It's been a ridiculously happy time in my life this summer.

Renny and Me as a Team!

I haven't written in a very long time and so much has happened this summer.  I wouldn't even know where to begin.  So, let me just say that I am writing this post on the first week of class, the day after my 5-year anniversary from my accident with Hailee, in the week of the 5-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, after a month of Coy training Renny.  And this photo says it all -- today I rode my little handsome wonderful pony who I love so very much.  He is light, responsive, lovely, delightful.  He's all that and a bag of chips!

My Secret Hope

I secretly hope that one day, Violet gets to be a dam.  She'd be tremendous and loving at the job.