Today I had a magic ride. It was cold- low 50's, and near raining all day, naturally the horses were a bit on edge. I thought "Eh I gotta work Nova anyway". So out of her stall she came, and I turned her out in the arena for a good half hour maybe longer. She was out a while. I considered putting her away, but then thought "She will really never be broke if I don't ride her". So I tacked her up.
I mounted quickly, not giving her time to realize what was happening and walk off. Score one for me, no argument today. We headed into the arena, where I began a stressful and uncomfortable ride. I found myself holding my breath, and very tense. Nova was acting up too, which didn't help much. I don't really trust her yet, but I eventually realized who I do trust- myself. I took a deep breath, and let it out. Nova did the exact same. I kid you not, she was holding her breath until I stopped holding mine. After that she was wonderful. She stayed on the rail, she was obedient, she gave me beautiful round circles with great flexion. And best of all, she was breathing so well.
For a few moments during this ride I felt a deep connection with this filly. I would think "Lets whoa" and her feet would freeze. It was as if we were the same body, so in tune and synced up. We were doing things that she had never done before, pivots, working in the box, circles at the lope, and she excelled as if she had been asked these new challenges a thousand times.
I have this sort of 'magical' connection with Roxy, where I can ride her for the most part with my thoughts. I think something and she does it, but it doesn't seem so special on her. I have had so many years to establish a deep feel with Roxy it's only natural that we work well together. Really it's just the consistency of riding her, that she feels my subtle changes and knows what I'm asking before I ask it. But Nova has under 40 rides on her, Nova has had hardly any action under saddle, let alone much deep bonding time with me. So to be able to feel her reading me is just plain cool. I am ever amazed by this filly. She is an excellent little horse, that is so open and has such an impeccable willingness to learn. I wish I was still wired to learn like this baby is.
Have you ever had that magical deep feel connection with a horse?
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
Every Girl's Best Friend
I am in love with my pony. When I got her she was monstrous and terrible. When looking to buy her I was stepped on, and even bit a few times, naturally I thought to myself "She'll be the perfect children's pony!" She has become such a happy little pony. She loves me to pieces, gets along with all her neighbors. Has the pony next door calling to her when she leaves and arrives, and has stolen my heart. I have thought before that I want Roxy to be the horse that my children ride, but I change my mind. Blossom is my future children's first ride.
It seems silly, yes I know this, but a pony has to get out! So I do ride her. All 36 inches of her carries me well - and I'm atop her under 10 minutes. The little horse that went from not trotting, is currently loping. That is something I really didn't think that she could even do with a rider. I try to pay especially good attention to when she's getting tired, and she doesn't ever exhibit any. No huffing and puffing- not even heavy breathing, she never breaks gait, and she doesn't feel or look as though she is struggling. My little Blossom loves to be ridden, she stands at the gate, whinnies, and paws when she sees me coming to get her.
I have this secret plan of making her a really bad ass little pony. I want her to run barrels, and do reining. Although I question if she is physically capable of reining, I think a little gymkhana pony is very much within her range.
I would love for a child to lease Blossom and show on her. She is such a wonderful and loving pony. She does not have a pony-tude at all- only love and sweet pony kisses.
What horses in your life have unexpectedly captured your heart and held it hostage?
It seems silly, yes I know this, but a pony has to get out! So I do ride her. All 36 inches of her carries me well - and I'm atop her under 10 minutes. The little horse that went from not trotting, is currently loping. That is something I really didn't think that she could even do with a rider. I try to pay especially good attention to when she's getting tired, and she doesn't ever exhibit any. No huffing and puffing- not even heavy breathing, she never breaks gait, and she doesn't feel or look as though she is struggling. My little Blossom loves to be ridden, she stands at the gate, whinnies, and paws when she sees me coming to get her.
I have this secret plan of making her a really bad ass little pony. I want her to run barrels, and do reining. Although I question if she is physically capable of reining, I think a little gymkhana pony is very much within her range.
I would love for a child to lease Blossom and show on her. She is such a wonderful and loving pony. She does not have a pony-tude at all- only love and sweet pony kisses.
What horses in your life have unexpectedly captured your heart and held it hostage?
Friday, December 21, 2012
The SidePassing Baby and Great Rains
My lack of blog spots has been due (in part) to the major rain storm that we've been having. It rained all last week, and most of this week. It rained and rained and rained. Which is fine with me, I put a synthetic saddle on my horses and ride in the rain all the time. However, when it rains a few days in a row, it creates deep slick arenas. I have never had a horse injure themselves in wet sandy arenas, because I have never ridden or turned out my girls in one. We have an open track that stayed dry, but I don't feel comfortable riding or lunging a hot Nova without some walls keeping her enclosed. So Roxy and Blossom have been out plenty, but Nova has been penned up.
Prior to all this rain Nova has been getting really good at side passing, and separating her body. Lots of great fluid movements and leading by the nose and shoulder. Here are some great pictures of her side passing the last time I rode her.
She'll need a refresher on work after all this time off, but after that she'll be ready to start getting a headset put on her. I'm tired of her head flying in the air every time I ask anything of her- specifically backing up. Nova could use a lot of work on her back up.
Prior to all this rain Nova has been getting really good at side passing, and separating her body. Lots of great fluid movements and leading by the nose and shoulder. Here are some great pictures of her side passing the last time I rode her.
I love her baby face when she's trying to figure things out.
She'll need a refresher on work after all this time off, but after that she'll be ready to start getting a headset put on her. I'm tired of her head flying in the air every time I ask anything of her- specifically backing up. Nova could use a lot of work on her back up.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Nova Needs Work
Managing 3 horses and a pony is quite a burden. The pony is currently going online for lease sometime this week. I even got her her own pony saddle. It's the most beautiful saddle I own, and actually fits me quite well on the saddle rack, despite being a 12inch- I have very little booty. Burden number 1 lifted.
My plan for getting the girls more work is ponying. Lots of ponying up the mountain. Nova needs to see trails, Roxy loves trails, I love both of them, why not combine all these needs and loves into one action. So Nova will be traveling via Roxy up the mountainside for some time.
In the arena we continue lunging over ground poles. Under saddle Nova is working on flexing. She moves like a robot horse right now, and I'd like her to separate movements in her head, shoulder, barrel, and hip. She's taken to playing lately, and since being laid up for a cold, she's yet to get into the rhythm of work. Some trails should knock that eagerness to learn right back into her.
In other news- I have chickens! My parents brought home 3 4 week old hens! Super cute babies! We have 2 rhodesian reds, and 1 buff orpington. They don't have names yet. The Buff is the palomino (ha!). Ok that wasn't even a little funny... She's the yellow one.
My plan for getting the girls more work is ponying. Lots of ponying up the mountain. Nova needs to see trails, Roxy loves trails, I love both of them, why not combine all these needs and loves into one action. So Nova will be traveling via Roxy up the mountainside for some time.
In the arena we continue lunging over ground poles. Under saddle Nova is working on flexing. She moves like a robot horse right now, and I'd like her to separate movements in her head, shoulder, barrel, and hip. She's taken to playing lately, and since being laid up for a cold, she's yet to get into the rhythm of work. Some trails should knock that eagerness to learn right back into her.
In other news- I have chickens! My parents brought home 3 4 week old hens! Super cute babies! We have 2 rhodesian reds, and 1 buff orpington. They don't have names yet. The Buff is the palomino (ha!). Ok that wasn't even a little funny... She's the yellow one.
Nova's feed bucket was the only tub laying around for them to inhabit. They did not like being confined and popped up onto the rim fairly quickly. Their coop was built, and they spent the afternoon outside. Where my dog eagerly, and confusedly, watched them.
Buff girl sleeping in my lap.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
My First Love
October marked the 6th year that I have owned Roxy. What a journey these past 6 years with her have been. I have had so much fun learning from, and teaching Roxy. We have both grown so much, changed, developed, maturity, and become great at our sport. It makes me terribly sad that at just 10 years old Roxy is no longer perfectly sound.
Barely into her prime years, and she's going to live with a stifle injury for the rest of her life. Thankfully it's not bothering her. We went on a trail ride, and I really pushed her, I felt terrible. We did a lot of hand galloping, and some steep inclines. But the next day she had zero swelling, tenderness, and was not lame. Today I lunged her, and she was so funny! While Dolly was obidient and well mannered, Roxy was prancing around. Her tail was held high and as floated around me. I have no clue what type of fancy trot it was, but I know that I enjoyed watching her do it. She bucked, and played with Dolly, and despite the fact that she was misbehaving I loved it.
I remember the day that I got Roxy. After my mother's year long quest to find me a horse, we finally settled on Roxy. A gorgeous dun mare, with loads of personality, and tons of potential. She also needed more work and training then we understood. I spent the first 6 months of horse ownership galloping entire trail rides with older women on experienced well broke horses. My filly was hardly 4 and 1/2 and I rode her in a full cheek snaffle bit. I ruined her. She didn't stop, she hardly steered, she had no clue how an arena horse should behave, and she had absolutely no ground manners. We needed help, so we reached out to my current trainer. Her barn was about a half hour walk away from where Roxy currently lived, so I trail rode over. My mother drove beside me the whole way, as the trail was the side of a road.
Soon after our first lesson, my mother and I moved Roxy to my current barn. This is when My mother fell in love with Dolly, but this is not Dolly's story- it's Roxy's. Roxy was obese, crazy, and had one speed GO FAST. So naturally I thought "Hey let's do gymkhana! Why not make the hot crazy horse that doesn't stop even crazier?" Well Roxy was really good at gymkhana. And my trainer wanted us to calm her down, so we also did flat classes. Roxy makes a divine English horse, but lacks in the western pleasure aspect. Despite my own disappointment in my mare, we always placed really well.
Since stopping showing, I have spent the last few years loving my horses, collecting more, and always trying to remember that Roxy altered the path of my life. I am especially thankful for this little green mare, had I bought a finished gelding who knows how bored I would have been. Roxy has been feisty, sassy, and a challenge. Although some days I wanted a perfect, quiet horse, Roxy has always been what I needed. Now that I've learned from my challenging Roxy, I can really appreciate horse with a personality like Nova.
Barely into her prime years, and she's going to live with a stifle injury for the rest of her life. Thankfully it's not bothering her. We went on a trail ride, and I really pushed her, I felt terrible. We did a lot of hand galloping, and some steep inclines. But the next day she had zero swelling, tenderness, and was not lame. Today I lunged her, and she was so funny! While Dolly was obidient and well mannered, Roxy was prancing around. Her tail was held high and as floated around me. I have no clue what type of fancy trot it was, but I know that I enjoyed watching her do it. She bucked, and played with Dolly, and despite the fact that she was misbehaving I loved it.
I remember the day that I got Roxy. After my mother's year long quest to find me a horse, we finally settled on Roxy. A gorgeous dun mare, with loads of personality, and tons of potential. She also needed more work and training then we understood. I spent the first 6 months of horse ownership galloping entire trail rides with older women on experienced well broke horses. My filly was hardly 4 and 1/2 and I rode her in a full cheek snaffle bit. I ruined her. She didn't stop, she hardly steered, she had no clue how an arena horse should behave, and she had absolutely no ground manners. We needed help, so we reached out to my current trainer. Her barn was about a half hour walk away from where Roxy currently lived, so I trail rode over. My mother drove beside me the whole way, as the trail was the side of a road.
Soon after our first lesson, my mother and I moved Roxy to my current barn. This is when My mother fell in love with Dolly, but this is not Dolly's story- it's Roxy's. Roxy was obese, crazy, and had one speed GO FAST. So naturally I thought "Hey let's do gymkhana! Why not make the hot crazy horse that doesn't stop even crazier?" Well Roxy was really good at gymkhana. And my trainer wanted us to calm her down, so we also did flat classes. Roxy makes a divine English horse, but lacks in the western pleasure aspect. Despite my own disappointment in my mare, we always placed really well.
Since stopping showing, I have spent the last few years loving my horses, collecting more, and always trying to remember that Roxy altered the path of my life. I am especially thankful for this little green mare, had I bought a finished gelding who knows how bored I would have been. Roxy has been feisty, sassy, and a challenge. Although some days I wanted a perfect, quiet horse, Roxy has always been what I needed. Now that I've learned from my challenging Roxy, I can really appreciate horse with a personality like Nova.
The first time we took Roxy anywhere was to our old ranch's Halloween show. We have not a single photo of me riding her, as I spent most of my time on my seasoned lesson horse Peaches Deck.
Our First show was at the ranch down the road.
My first blue ribbon! Awarded to me at the show my trainer put on for all her students.
Roxy dreaded training for western pleasure, as this photo clearly depicts.
I spent a lot of time lounging around on his mare.
My little girl looking quite dapper.
She runs fast patterns.
Can't beat Roxy (or most appys really) when it comes to speed.
Roxy makes such a great trail mount. Point her in a direction and she goes over or under anything in her way.
She makes for such an awesome mount in terms of working other horses. She ponies anyone, she acts around others with confidence that rubs off on them. It's just awesome to have a mare like this when I work so often with problem horses and babies.
Our most recent adventure. Heading on a trail that I would rate at a 7/10 Roxy is an awesome mare!
So I'd like to thank Roxy for all the times we've almost slammed into the rail trying to stop, the times we made my mother cringe thinking we were going to hurt ourselves, the blue ribbons, laughs, cuddles, snuggles, and all the sweet horsey things she does to let me know that she doesn't choose to kill me today. I will have Roxy until the day that she dies, hopefully in her old age she'll calm down enough to be the horse that my future children learn off of. I would love for them to hold the memories of her that I do.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Visit with Gideon
Sorry it took me a while to get this post up! I went up to see Gideon last Monday! He is doing so well, he has gained about another 100 pounds I would say. He is doing so well, and they love him so much. We arrived, and rode for a while. He lives with two Peruvian Pasos an older mare, and a gelding. They have mare motel stalls, attached to a large pasture. My mom, 7 year old nephew, and I went out to see my little boy.
He looks so good, and he rides really well! I also rode his new owner's Paso mare- so smooth! She had a crazy little lope.
Gideon is doing well, I am so thrilled for his great life! I rode him around their property, they have a big field where they grow oat hay, and a western village. The husband (Gideon's true owner) does western reenactments. They are actually taking Gideon to try out for a movie in January, so I hope that they do well. Gideon jumps in and out of the trailer for them, crosses water, and just goes everywhere they ask with grace. They told me that he loves water, he crosses it and plays in it while riding.
This is the story of a perfect rescue and re home situation. Gideon is doing so well, this is the perfect life for him, trail riding, and living with other horses. Here are some pictures of me riding him.
Gideon is doing well, I am so thrilled for his great life! I rode him around their property, they have a big field where they grow oat hay, and a western village. The husband (Gideon's true owner) does western reenactments. They are actually taking Gideon to try out for a movie in January, so I hope that they do well. Gideon jumps in and out of the trailer for them, crosses water, and just goes everywhere they ask with grace. They told me that he loves water, he crosses it and plays in it while riding.
This is the story of a perfect rescue and re home situation. Gideon is doing so well, this is the perfect life for him, trail riding, and living with other horses. Here are some pictures of me riding him.
And to imagine, this is where he started out. This graceful and gentle natured animal, that wasn't even respected enough to be fed. I am overjoyed for the opportunities, and life that I have given to him. I saved his life, he will always hold a special place in my heart.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Little Fella
I have been receiving updates and photos about Gideon since selling him, which I absolutely love! And today, I am going out to see my little fella. I am so excited to see him all filled out, and beautiful. He's been trail riding regularly, going on 16 mile trail rides through the mountains, crossing rivers, big meadows, and he's loving it. I'll be sure to take lots of photos and tell you all about it! I am thrilled to see Gideon again!
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