Fun Horsey Survey

One of my fave fellow bloggers (Adventures with Shyloh) posted this survey and I thought it would be fun. 

Splurge or save:

1) saddle: Both. I can find really good deals and always go used but there are certain brands I won't buy because they are hard on a horse. i would rather get an older beat up version of a good brand than a shiny new saddle that will hurt my pony. 
2) board: Save. I just can't hack the expensive barns that require training. I don't want someone to mess with my horse and my paycheck can't take it. 

3) halter: Save. I love used if i feel the need for something fancy. 
4) bit:  splurge. I do buy used but I have found that the KK bits are magic on horses so that is what I ride miss Bre in. Dickie will eventually have one too. 
5) bridle:  Save. I have found some amazing deals and used bridles. I am a leather snob though so it has to be really soft and expensive looking. 
6) saddle pad: splurge. I have to admit that I have an unreasonably expensive mattes half pad for Bre. Bre knows if  you put the wrong pad on her back and will pin her ears. 

7) trailer: I don't have one but I will end up with a mid range trailer. I will never be able to justify a big fancy one though. 

First thing that comes to mind: 
1) Haflinger: My blogger friends horse Shyloh
2) Quarter Horse: Breedle Dee of course. 
3) Thoroughbred: My first horse Belle
4) Warmblood: This big goofy horse that lived next door to Dickie
5) Welsh Cob: A fancy hairy little eventer galloping through fields in the UK

This or That:
1) english or western: English-western kills my bum hip
2) tall or short: Tall. Really tall, for no logical reason
3) trail ride or beach ride: AHHH!! This is too hard. Beach, only because I still haven't been able to do it yet. 
4) long mane or short mane: Short, I like my horses ready to go to a show any second. 
5) hunters or jumpers: Jumpers. I can't watching horses go around on the forehard over fences
7) outdoor arena or indoor arena: Outdoor, but that gets pretty hard here in the winter
8) trot or canter: trot
9) canter or gallop: Gallop!!!
10) paddock boots, tall boots, or cowboy boots: tall boots but I wear paddock so my tall boots don't wear out. 
11) horse shoes or barefoot: barefoot if the horse can handle it. Bre can't. 
12) saddle or bareback: saddle, Bre is too bouncy to ride bareback for long

About you: 
1) How long have you been riding? 14 years. I started as an adult. 
2) Do you own or lease a horse? Own
3) Breed? Age? Height? Name? (if you don’t own or lease, you could talk about your lesson horse): QH, 14, Bre (reg Treat Me Gentle), 16h and Appy, 2yo, Dickie 16.1ish

4) Do you have any other pets? German Spitz and Aussie (he's my families dog but I feel like he's mine)

5) If your horse was a person, what kind of voice would they have (you can use a celebrity for an example) Bre would have a deep voice like the 1950s bombshell movie stars. Dickie would have a goofy nerd voice that sometimes cracks.

6) Does your horse have a “color”? If so, what is it, and what do you have in that color? Bre was mostly Blue. I LOVE pinks and purples but those colors clash with red. I haven't settled on anything with Dickie yet. I have to go use so I have been pretty much stuck with whatever is a good price and is quality. 

7) Does your horse do any tricks? Bre knows how to let herself out of any type of lock, does that count? Dickie can shake hands, target objects, and is starting to say yes. 

8) Have you ever dressed your horse up for Halloween?  I made crazy wings and a unicorn horn for an Appy I leased. Bre was dressed up in the summer for a costume show. She had streamers for a hula skirt, leis on her feet and neck and head. 

Favorites: 
1) Breed? TB
2) Discipline? Dressage and in my mind eventing

3) Coat color? Bay

4) Famous horse? Neville Bardos
5) Horse race/competition? I love eventing 
6) Brand of tack? Passier
7) Thing to do with your horse?  Anything they think is fun

Grown Up Pictures

I picked up a cheap saddle that acutally fits well enough for sacking out. YAY!!!

I look so handsome in my big boy saddle. 

He is wearing his first bit and very confused. He can't figure out how to spit it out so he can flip it around. Nom, Nom, Nom........

Thanksgiving Ponies

I don’t know why but I always feel compelled to see my horses on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. I think it is maybe because I started riding late in life. I had always wanted to have horses more than everything. I wished for a pony every Christmas even though I knew it was totally unreasonable. So when the holidays come I feel like I need to seem them to make sure they are real.

This Thanksgiving was perfect. The last few years it has been hard to squeeze in seeing my horse but I am housesitting at Bre’s barn for a few days. Dickie and Bre are less than five mins apart so I have easy access to both of my ponies. On Weds Romeo’s girl came out to ride Josey. Romeo’s arena is outdoor and turned to mush five months early. She is doing high school eq team so we need to get riding time in any way possible even if it’s not on Romeo. It was really fun to be able to visualize what Josey was doing. She is pretty talented, so with direction she rode Josey as well as I would have. We even worked on Josey’s understanding of the canter command because I was on the ground giving the voice command and using the lunge whip. They bombed around like they were off ot the races but she picked it up better than I have seen!!

Dickie was quite impressed with this teenage. He was sure that she didn’t know the rules and started nuzzling her. I could see him sizing up whether or not he could get a little taste of her. Luckily she is quiet and not much gets past her and she let him know that wasn’t acceptable. He was disappointed but still thought she was pretty awesome. Good teens are priceless. They are happy, have boundless energy, pick up heavy things, and think nothing of spending an afternoon riding in the rain.

It was wonderful to be so close to Dickie because I ran over there for a quick cuddle session late Thanksgiving night. I am so happy we have reached the point where I feel comfortable working with him loose in the stall. He is aware of where I am and makes an effort to respect my space. His tantrums are pretty rare at this point. He used to get his mind set on something and if you asked him to move over, not bite you, or pick up his feet up he might throw a fit and strike out. He also seems to be getting the concept that you can’t nip people. I can let him nuzzle me a little without immediately getting nipped. He has never been a mean biter. He doesn’t come at you teeth bared or anything but a friendly nip can still take a chunk out so I am working hard on this naughty little problem. 

It was nice to wake up to Bre and Romeo. I hate getting up early, even more so now that I am on a grave schedule, but being greeted by Bre’s loud rumbly nicker made it worthwhile. When I arrived home Thanksgiving night I was once again reminded of how loving my mare is. I trimmed her tail and mane. Now she actually looks like someone loves her. The neighbor gave us some blankets because he is getting out of horses and Romeo got to play pony model. I discovered that the reason he always seems to “grow” out of his blankets too fast is because he is wearing blankets two sizes too small. Oooops. Now he is wearing a grown up outfit. They seemed to enjoy beauty parlor time. 

Romeo says "Hi, kiss my nose please"

Romeo wants to visit but Bre would rather eat every little piece of hay. 

"Treats, puhhhleeeeeze?!?!?!?!" 

Blanket Time

If you have been reading my blog for long you know that the first two attempts at wearing a blanket didn’t go well. Dickie was sure that I had given him a portable chew toy. He didn’t take long to start tearing at the blanket like a lab puppy tearing the cushion on your favorite chair. Now that he is turned out with other horses, I have been pleasantly surprised that he hasn’t tried to tear his girlfriends’ blankets. That made me think maybe if I get him used to wearing a blanket when his mind is busy he won’t notice it is on. Last week I put on a fleece cooler and worked on clicker trainer right away. The next day I tried a wool dress sheet that has a few more enticing buckles than the cooler. I fed him dinner to keep his mind off the blanket. I also had a visitor tacking Josey up in the aisle and reaching his head out to taste her kept his mind busy. We were gone for about an hour and the blanket was in one piece when we arrived back. He didn’t seem the least bit concerned about his outfit anymore. I decided that I would try out a waterproof sheet. Josey’s mom had an extra she is willing to share and my extra blanket is too big. He looked quite dapper in turquoise. Apparently he finds the texture of the waterproof material yummier than fleece or wool because he chewed on it a little. However, he didn’t put his whole effort into tearing it and by the time we left he had stopped messing with it.

A week later he is still wearing his new blanket. I am so happy!! It has been getting colder and the rain is coming down in buckets. Sometimes he manages to get a buckle undone but other than that he has been a very good boy. He doesn't even wallow in the mud. That part shocked me because he is such a pig in his stall. I am sure he would have lived without a blanket but it's nice to keep them dry in the rainy northwest. 

Excting Dates in 2013!!

I had planned on going to a dressage show on Dec 1st with Josey but it was just too hard to pull it together. Since the move I have been trying to get my back up to speed again. I have also been shocked at how many little things are needed when getting set up at a new place. I have also picked up some crazy marathon shifts at work. Because they only had a part time position open I end up picking up last minute shifts and feel like I need to take any overtime that is available. That makes it hard to plan out a riding schedule. 

With all that in mind I decided since I was going to a show in January anyway I might as well work Josey into that schedule. Jan 26-27th there is a two day open schooling show coming up the end of January. The morning is halter and English rail classes and the afternoon is western. Romeo's young lady is going to show him so it will be a big fun day. Dickie is going to be entered into two halter classes. I am not sure if I will actually end up showing in the class. I am going to register Josey for the English pleasure walk trot classes. Not sure how we will do because she isn't a hunter but it will be a nice way to get every one out and about in a low key environment. 

I have a ride lined up but might be able to borrow my Mom's truck for Jan/Feb. It will be nice to have the flexibility to haul a few times before then. Romeo is at an outdoor and it deep and soupy early this year. It would also be great to take Dickie the Dofus to a new arena just to see how he handles it. 

February 13th is a really BIG day! Dickie is three!! I know that he isn't going to magically mature in three months but once he is three but I will feel better about short rides under saddle once he hits that mark. I plan on sitting on him bareback a few more times until then. I am not big on the concept of starting horses by getting on them one day and riding until the bucking is done. I plan to slowly increase activities that will prep him for riding and let him guide how far we go next year :) 

Meet Josey

Hi, my name is Josey and I am cute. 

I have talked about Josey a few times and I feel like she needs an offical introduction. I met Josey's owner through an internet site dedicated to rescuing horses. She was in another state and oddly enough it turned out she was moving ten mins from where my mare is boarded. We hit it off right away and I am going to force her to be my friend forever whether she likes it or not. Having good no drama horse friends are a must. I started riding Josey at the barn she stabled at when they first moved here. 

Josey is a 10 year old half Clydsedale half Appaloosa. I haven't sticked her but I would say she is about 15.2hands. She has a HUGE trot. It feels like you are on a much bigger horse. She moves like a dressage horse. I attached a video but it doesn't do her justice. It is a tiny arena and incredibly deep. I was holding her back because I wanted to work on bending. You can't see how much she floats because the arena bogs her down. 

Here was my assessment after the first two rides. When I first got on her she would be a little fussy when asked to trot. At first we thought she was being lazy but once she gets going this horse really trucks along. She's more likely to get going too fast. She is a big mover but has mostly been ridden in the mountains not in an arena. She seems to be apprehensive about turning. She will do the duck her shoulder in turn at the touch of your leg move but actually balancing while doing a real bend is hard. She either wants to pop a shoulder out or tries to go straight. She is also ready to drop to the walk from the slightest word from your seat. With a big trot like hers I am sure she has been pulled down to the walk by people who can't stay balanced. The other issue we are working on is her canter. She REALLY doesn't like to pick it up. I decided that she wasn't being lazy she just didn't have a real understanding of the canter command. If she has been a trail horse her command has probably been "go faster" on a straightaway with running into the canter. Being in a small deep arena is hard for a horse that only has experience with straightaways. 

The thing that I love about her is she is sensitive. She knows how to slow down from just your seat, and is light off the leg. She didn't seem moving out at first but after just a couple of rides she is really confident moving forward. She is also understanding that she can do different speeds in the trot and slowing down doesn't mean breaking gait. Even though she is still getting the concept of bending she turns like a dream from the seat and legs. The things that are the biggest pain on the ass to teach a horse who is already started are already in place with Josey. If your horse responds to your seat for go, slow, and turn all the hard stuff is done. 

Her canter is currently a work in progress. After watching her on the lunge I confirmed my suspicion that we weren't on the same page for a canter command and that she isn't very confident turning while cantering. Because of that we haven't been cantering under saddle. I want her to be really confident turning without having to deal with a rider on her back first. I also want her to canter from my voice command. Then I can pair that with leg/seat cues under saddle. 

I have only been able to ride her once in the new arena. It is big and the footing is perfect. Not too deep, not too hard. I was all set to ride her today but I was called in to work. She seemed to like it. She was forward and relaxed. I lunged her yesterday. Her canter was already better in the bigger arena with better footing. Previously it took quite a few tries to get a canter out of her and it wasn't balanced. Yesterday she popped right into going one direction without running. The other way was a little more challenging but still much better. I just love this horse. She is so smart and willing. She is also very talented. I see her as being a solid first/second level dressage horse with the right rider. Her owner just wants to love on her and take an occasional trail ride so she is looking for a someone to lease her. I know once she has a few more arena miles on her she will be a great dressage partner. 

Josey under saddle <<< Don't judge my terrible riding! This girl is still getting her riding legs under her after years of putzing around bareback. 

Don't touch my blanket!!!

Helmet Has Arrived

My new Lami-cell helmet arrived. I LOVE it. I am a hard fit. I also get headaches very easily. Even my glasses give me a headache. Baseball caps are cute but kill me. I have a huge head and it is a weird shape. I remember when I first started riding Troxel was pretty much the only option. Troxels don't fit my head at all. If I get one big enough not to squeeze my brains out it won't stay on my head. Then I had a skull cap made by international that was decent but roasted me. Now we have so many options that it is mind boggling. There is zero excuse not to were a helmet. I am sure that people reading this will come up with excuses but none are worthy. Every six months or so a riding friend knows someone who was killed or seriously injured from riding. And none of the injuries I have close hand knowledge of have been jumping. They have all been people tooling around western. 

If you don't wear a helmet you aren't just putting yourself at risk. If you are injured or killed the costs will be astronomical. What will happen to your family? Who is going to take care of your kids, your wife, your husband? Who is going to take care of your horse? Do you think your family is really going to put your horse as a priority when they have millions of dollars in medical bills. And in this current economy the odds of your horse getting a good home aren't great. 

Yes, helmets only protect your head. There are a million other injuries you can incur from a fall. For the most part though if you survive other injuries you have the capability of returning to normal functioning. Head injuries are different. Even when your body repairs itself you might never be you again. I have seen how heartbreaking traumatic brain injuries are. A young healthy man living in a group home, former doctor commits suicide because he can no longer practice, wife taking care of a husband who will never be able to work again (yes I have seen all of this and more). If you aren't responsible enough to wear a helmet you shouldn't own a horse. 

Anyhoo my lami-cell arrived a few days ago and I have had a few rides. It feels so good. The dial a fit harness seems to be the key for me. Then I can get one that is a little too lose and dial it down to the perfect size. I went for a ride in the rain and noticed that it kept the rain off my face and neck. We were out for over an hour and I didn't have my normal headache. It has vents that kept me from getting too hot. It looks very expensive and it isn't. If you have been drooling over the new crazy spendy helmets out there but can't handle over $100 bucks try this out. 

No excuses. Get a helmet and wear it everyday. 

http://www.doversaddlery.com/lami-cell-schooling-helmet/p/X1-36145/