Lulabelle's Managerie

Sale list

2011-10-05T16:46:00.001-07:00

Its time to sell the mini stuff, and Ollie!

Here is what I am selling:

Ollie: 15ish bay mini gelding. Very sweet, Ollie will follow you around like a dog, he gets along with other horse great and loves kids. He hasn’t been ridden by kids much, but he is great with them on the ground and for lead line rides. He is well trained to drive single and double. He is not as comfortable driving double, but is great single. He would be good for a beginner driver wanting a more goey horse, but not a full size horse. I might be selling him with a cart and harness. I would also be happy to give some driving lessons to whoever buys him provided that I don’t have to travel too far.

Mini Surrey: Made by Buggy Bobs, this surrey is adorable and the perfect size for two small ponies or large minis. It is a couple years old, not used much but stored outside with only a tarp cover. The fringe needs replacing and the metal could use some TLC. Comes with team pole and possibly leather mini team harness (see below).

Mini team harness: Leather with collar and hames. Super cute, in great condition, only used for one summer. Made by Ron’s Horse Harness in Canada. Would like to sell with surrey.

Mini easy entry cart: Sized for a large mini, in good usable condition but needs some work to be pretty.

Mini single harness: Biothane, well used, but serviceable for training and daily use.

In addition to the mini tack I also have several saddles for sale:

Crosby jumping saddle, 17 or 18 inch seat, well used. Wide tree, used on warmbloods.

Crosby Corinthian saddle, all purpose, 16.5 inch seat. Good condition. Medium tree.

Corbette all purpose saddle, 17 or 18 inch seat. Well used, could use some new billets. Wide tree, used on Arabs.

Argentinean Dressage saddle. Pretty and comfortable little dressage saddle made in Argentina. Small blemish on back of saddle. 17 inch seat, medium narrow tree, great for high withered or narrow withered horses. Lovely saddle.

Marciante Endurance saddle: not sure of the seat size, but I fit in it and I use a 17 to 18 inch English seat. Very well made and comfortable saddle, but the seat is a bit hard. Excellent trail saddle ( I would not recommend for endurance as posting in this saddle is not fun), with lots of ways to attach stuff to the saddle. The tree is mediumish and well made. I really love this saddle for trail rides.

Plantation saddle. I really don’t know much about this saddle, it looks comfy but I have never ridden in it as it doesn’t fit any horse of mine. It was an impulse buy because I really wanted a plantation saddle! I’ll try to gather more info on it.

I am so out of it

2011-01-31T12:39:00.001-08:00

And not doing my normal stuff. Oh well. Quick update and maybe one of these days I will get back to blogging again.

I haven’t ridden since August. Yes, I know, its been forever. Although I really do miss riding, I don’t miss dealing with Lucy. I haven’t taken her out since the last time she was trimmed (and she is very overdue) yet last weekend when I went to take her and Georgie out, she saw the halter and make a squeal that deffinatly translated into a swear word and took off to the other side of the pasture. Meanwhile Georgie saw me coming with the halters and walked over to me. Guess who got to come out and get brushed and get treats?

The reason I wanted both of them out at the same time is because I want to start ponying her off Lucy on trail rides. However Lucy is going to have to get it down in her big head that going for a ride once a week is not going to be the death of her.

Everyone desperatly needs a trim. Whey have they not been trimmed? Because I haven’t been paid in over a month and I still owe my trimmer from last time. Lets not get into that.

In non horse related life I have taken up running, and because I read the cool new running book, barefoot running. Because I was not crazy enough to begin with with owning horses and all, I’ve decided to start running all over the mountains without shoes!

But in all seriousness, running barefoot is amazing! I had only been running for a couple weeks when I decided to try it. Arobicly I could handle the distances I was going, but my legs and ankles where hating it. Then I ran barefoot and my feet practicly left my body (and lungs) behind. I really enjoy it and hope to keep running and running barefoot.

I started knitting my first sock! I really suck at following patterns, I generally end up just making up my own thing, which is fine with crochet since I have been doing that for quite a while and am good at it, but with knitting I am really just a beginner. So last week I picked up some sock yarn and am now more then half way through my first sock. Its very fun! But we will see how I feel when I get the the second sock.

Well thats all for now!

Horses are a weird sometimes

2010-11-10T14:12:00.001-08:00

Wait, did I say sometimes? I meant all the time.

So, to no ones great suprize I did not ride over the weekend. I was all ready to go, trailer hooked up and all, but then decided I wanted to stay home to clean.

There must be something wrong with me. Because not only did I make that decision, but I did clean, and I was happy with the decision later.

But really, it needed to be done or else it would bother me all day that I could be home making my house look pretty.

But why, you ask, are horses weird? Because the last couple of mornings, of my two mares, one has been running around like an idiot and putting herself in harms way by slipping and sliding and the other has been very careful and stoic about the mud.

But its the 10 year old QUARTER HORSE (who is generally very calm and level headed) who is running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and my almost 2 year old HALF ARAB filly who is trying to be careful in the mud and not being overly ranbuncous (not a clue how to spell that word!).

I tell ya, horse are strange!

I think Georgie might be in a growth spurt, she LOVES to have her neck scratched right now. So much so that she will stop eating her grain to put her head in the right spot while I scratch her! Lucy never really went through itchy periods while growing up.

I’ve got a great video to share next time!

I can’t believe I haven’t ridden in two months

2010-11-04T17:51:00.001-07:00

And I am too tired to be overly upset by that fact. While I can deffinatly say that these last two months have been because of stress, I just realized that I have not ridden consistently (or blogged consistantly) since last August/September when my dad first missed his mortgage payments. One might ask what that has to do with me. Well, in addition to living with my father (although the property I live on is not mortgaged) I also take care of all of his personal finances. So to say that I have been stressed out this last year since we have been unable to make our mortgage payments, would be a wee bit of an under statement.

BUT I WILL RIDE! Atually I was supposed to ride today, but I ended up going over to pull a permit instead ( yippy!) and then had to track down the inspector to get him to sign off on it.

So I guess I will ride tomorrow. And then again on Sunday, hopefully.

If I can just get myself to start going out riding for a couple weeks I will get back into the swing of things. Although all things said and done I would have an easier time motivating myself to ride if I didn’t have to bribe my horse to come out of her pasture (or to just come near me).

I am up and down about taking her to a ride, but then haven’t I EVERY year for the past three years? Well I guess we will see. I might suprise myself.

One thing is for sure, Lucy is more then capable of earning her keep by being ridden out on the trail and its about time she learned that!

Since this blog is called Lulabelles Managerie next time around I will post pictures of our little bantoms, our polish roosters and my new cockatiel.

A change of pace

2010-10-01T18:28:00.001-07:00

Sort of. Horses have been very much so on the back burner lately. Or possibly they have been taken off the stove altogether. I desperatly want to be doing stuff with them, but just don’t have the time/energy/motivation. I really wanted to get Lucy pulling this fall. I really really want to drive her. I think she would enjoy the training. I think she would enjoy driving. I also think that I won’t be getting her driving because I don’t seem capable of following through on anything anymore.

The really annoying thing, is that horses have not been pushed aside for some other really big importaint/fun/exciting/life changing/has to be done kind of thing. Its just because my stress level has reached a point where I am always tired and often on the verge of tears. Some days it nearly impossible to get the energy just to do my normal everyday work.

Add on top of that my incredible desire to do a bunch of work around the house, both inside and out, in the garden, at the hay barn and tack room and in the pasture as well as work on the horse trailer, but I never have the energy to do any of it. It makes everything very overwhelming and frustrating.

Loren’s work schedule has been increased so that he generally gets to work at 10am and works 6 days a week (sometimes 5 and sometimes 7), which makes doing anything at home with the horses very hard. I’m so tired from being stressed out that I never seem to get enough sleep, so I sleep in. And when I do get up I generally have housework I have to do. I don’t know how women who work full time keep their houses clean.

Anyway, the point of this post was to point out something that I realised the other day. While I truely love making plans and schedules for my horses, I really think they are not helpful, to a point of being unhelpful actually. When I was younger I never did that kind of stuff. I trained two driving horses and finished Lucy into a nice trail horse without a plan, without a detailed schedule for training and without keeping track of every training session or writing down progress. I just went out everyday and trained them. Because I wanted to. Because other then school work (and that was very flexible) I had very little I had to do or think about.

I think I would be better off just taking my horses out when I can schedule in the time, and just brushing them until I decide what the hell I want to do with them.

I think about my horses all the time. I think about what I want to do with them, I think about what they should be learning and what I would like to do with them.

Now I need to go do something with them.

Equine Articles

2010-08-12T10:48:00.001-07:00

Couple years ago when I was cleaning up I had to come to a decision on all my old Dressage Today and Practical Horseman magazines. In the end I decided to cut out the articles I wanted and throw then rest away. So a couple weeks ago I thought it would be nice to have them all on my computer and since my sister had just gotten a new scanner, I “borrowed” it and got to work. I scanned in all (or very close to all) the articles, uploaded them to google docs and have now put the links in my blog!

I thought about doing a post for each one , with keywords so that you can search them, but now I am just way to tired of the whole thing to do any more!

Well, enjoy!

3 steps to shoulder-in

“Improve your horse’s straightness, suppleness and balance with this essential exercise from FEI rider Todd Flettrich”

4 Stages to Halt

“FEI trainer Volker Brommann Explains how good halts develop from a foundation of trust, understanding and patients”

6 Steps to Half Pass

“ A British Olympian gives you his Strategies fro building power and expression in this lateral movement”

9 Techniques to improve the halt

“ FEI trainer Volker Brommann explains how to develop the halt through the training levels and gives tips on how to improve the movement and correct common problems”

10 Training concepts from Kyra Kirklund

“Kyra Kirklund takes horses and riders in and out of their comfort zones to improve their riding”

10 Training tips from Conrad Schumacher

“ Instructor Spotlight: This popular teacher educated U.S riders at nationwide clinics last year”

12 Tips on Throughness

“ Instructor Spotlight: International Academy head, Ralph-Michael Rash, teaches the basics and more at a USDF trainer’s conference”

16 Training solutions from Michael Klimke

“ An advocate of classical dressage principles offers theory and hands on help”

2003 Dressage Tests

“ They’re meant to be friendlier to horses and more challenging to riders. A leading competitor, trainer, coach and test-writer explains what that means for you and your horse”

A horses Dominate Eye

“ Instructor Spotlight: Cindy Sydnor explains how a horse’s dominant eye can affect his training”

A soft swining back naturally

“ You might not get it with long and low or round and deep, says this top competitor. Here’s why not and what she finds does work!”

A Well Trained Horse Begins With The Rider

“ At a Kentucky Symposium, German trainer Conrad Schumacher explains how rider education is the beginning of correctly training the horse”

Begin Half Pass

Breaking through your can't barrier

“ Reprogram your subconscious mind with positive self-talk to reach your potential”

Build a Stronger Bridge

“ Olympian Sue Blinks discusses developing your horse’s topline so it serves as a suspension bridge of musculature, making self-carriage possible”

Building a Sound Horse

“ Top German rider Heike Kemmer shows how to create balance from the beginning of your horse’s development and keep it through Grand Prix”

Building Power in Relaxation

“ A top German professional explains how to make your horse active and cadenced without losing relaxation”

Canter Departs

“ There is absolutely no reason for me to see how you ask for the canter, says Lendon Gray. Here she explains the invisible aids (and the trick to applying them) that produce a responsive, balanced transition”

Canter Departs and Sitting the Canter

Canter Transitions

Canter without Bouncing

Check your Connection

“ A California based trainer, coach and judge explains this commonly confused concept and gives you exercises to improve it”

Classical Lessons

“ Instructor Spotlight: Inspiration comes to New Mexico via the Spanish Riding School”

Classical Versus Modern

“ Four representatives of the traditional school – German horsemen Klaus Balkenhol, Hannes Muller, Martin Plewa and Dr. Gerd Heuschmann – team up to explain why, in the end, there’s only one way to train a horse”

Collection just happens

“ Dutch Olympian Tineke Bartels discusses the skills needed to achieve the ultimate goal for your dressage horse”

Coping with Fear

“ In this excerpt from her new book, It’s Not Just About the Ribbons, the international dressage rider and coach – and savvy self help guru- tackles head on what may be the most universal of rider problems”

Create Balance Between the Aids

“ A student of German Olympian Nicole Uphoff explains this foundation concept”

Develop Straightness and Ambidexterity

“ Respected author, clinician and judge Charles de Kunffy helps riders interpret some of the basic directives of the dressage training”

Develop your Dressage Leg

“ An FEI judge explains proper leg placement to achieve maximum effectiveness”

Developing good hands

“ In a new book, this German instructor shares his knowledge of how and why a rider must acquire good hands”

Dressage: A Guideline for Riders and Judges

“In this exclusive excerpt, this respected FEI judge describes the principles of training to riders then explains how the movements should be scored from a judge’s point of view”

Establishing Equestrian Ideals

“ A respected clinician, author and instructor gives a guideline to develop excellence in horsemanship”

Exercises That Do the Training For You

“International dressage judge and trainer Lilo Fore gives an overview of her easy,progressive gymnastics program to supple, strengthen and tune any horse – a program she presented in a recent seminar at Lendon Gray’s stable”

Exercises to Learn the Aids

“World Cup finalist George Williams gives you nine exercises to become more effective with the application and timing of your aids”

Exercises to Learn the Aids Part 2

“Understand the three ways that a horse’s hind legs work”

Forward, Deep and Round

“ Sjef Janssen, trainer of Olympic gold medalist Anky van Grunsven, explains the controversial riding forward and downward and why he doesn’t want to train differently”

Forward Not Fast

“Teaching a horse to go forward is the founding of correct dressage training"

From the Ground Up (Training Successful Event Horses)

“Training successful event horses – such as 2001 Fair Hill CCI*** winner The Native – begins in the round pen, says this Olympic gold medalist”

German Training System

“ You don’t speak German? Thats OK. Stephen Kiesewetter is translating teh German training system for North Americans”

Get Him Off Your Hands, Part 1

Get Him Off Your Hands,Part 2

Global Dressage Forum 2001

Global Dressage Forum 2003

Gymnasticize Your Horse Part 1

“Your Horse is an athlete, says this top California rider. In this new series, she’ll show you how to treat him that way”

Gymnastisize your Horse Part 2

Gymnasticize Your Horse Part3

Gymnasticize Your Horse Part 4

Heaviness a Vicious Cycle Your Can Break, Part 1

“ This leading trainer’s simple exercises will help you create a positive hand to mouth connection and a freer moving, straighter more balanced horse”

Heaviness a Vicious Cycle You Can Break, Part 2

Heaviness a Vicous Cycle you can Break,Part 3

Heaviness A Vicious Cycle You Can Break Part 4

Horsemanship: a Comprehensive book on training the horse and its rider

“ This equestrian classic is a reissue of the out of print English edition of Von der Koppel bis zur Kapriole, a 1941 German text that covers training the horse and rider from teh beginning through haute ecole”

How the Horses Back Works

“ An equine physiotherapist and a veterinarian discuss anatomic knowledge and current biomechanical concepts involving deep and round”

Improve with In Hand Work

“ An FEI “I” judge and retired head trainer of France’s Cadre Noir explains how and why to begin schooling on the ground”

Improve your dressage seat, out of the arena

Impulsion Versus Speed

“ The top finisher in the US show jumping selection trails for the World Equestrian Games explains what both qualities are and why you need more of one (impulsion) and less of the other (speed)”

In Front of the Verticale

“Bert Rutten clarifies a ruling principle that has, in practice, become fuzzy: Riding in front of the vertical. He explains why its important and how to do it”

Isabells System Unveiled

“ Riders learn the nuances of German Olympian Isabell Werth’s Training methods at the USDF National Dressage Symposium”

Learn Balance and Self Awareness: The Alexander Technique

“ Apply proven principles to your dressage riding to develop efficient body movement”

Lessons in Longeing

“ An examiner for the USDF Instructor Certification Program explains longeing techniques and gives corrections to training problems”

Lightness from the Start

“ Sweden’s 1998 World Cup Champion Louise Nathhorst shares two exercises to help you develop a light and elastic horse”

Listening to Your Horse

Make Your Intentions Clear

“ Helene Asmis Clifford teaches riders about their responsibility to understand the principle of clarity of intent”

Making 3 Star Horses on a 4 Year Plan

“ Going Advanced by age seven? Two time Olympic three Day gold medalist Phillip Dutton explains the program that makes such progress possible for the right horse”

Mental Gymnastics

“ This chartered psychologist explains how to improve your riding by developing a crucial aid – your mind”

Mental Gymnastics part 2

Mind, Body and Spirit: A Gymnastic Riding System

“ Excerpts from international dressage trainer/competitor Betsy Steiner’s new book”

Mind, Body and Spirit: A Gymnatic Riding System Part 2

Moving the Horse Off Your Leg

Neck Control

“ Conrad Schumacher’s student explains his system for positioning your horse’s neck, allowing you to channel his energy for better overall control”

Position is Everything

“ Instructor Spotlight: stresses that balanced rider’s core must stay centered”

Posting Trot

“ International dressage expert Lilo Fore offers a from the ground up (really!) short course to get you posting in harmony with your horse”

Preperation Builds a Partnership

“An FEI rider talks about communicating with your horse through half halts”

Refusals and Runouts

Reward Often and Keep your Horse Attentive

“ Author, judge and clinician Charles de Kunffy explains why these two elements are important in training”

Ride Into An Outline

“ Dressage Expert Lilo Fore Explains what it means, why it’s important and how to achieve it”

Ride the Perfect Walk Pirouette

“Give this underrated movement a the attention it deserves with a three step plan from Pan Am Games medalist and judge Donna Richardson”

Ride the Test Right, Part 1

“ Respected competitor, trainer and coach Kathy Connelly shares her strategies and insights for riding First Level, Test 4, Movement by movement”

Ride teh Test Right, Part 2

Ride with Precision

“Focus on improving your dressage skills with this top rider’s four exercises”

Riding Lessons German Style

“ Hoping to strengthen her dressage, an American event rider braves the “German System” at the International Academy for Equestrian Studies”

Round and Relax

“When you learn to speak your horse’s language, says this four time Olympian, you can talk to him about moving his body differently”

Round Pen Dressage

“ Top dressage riders are using round pens and long lines to relax and train their horses. 1988 Olympian and USET dressage chef Jessica Ransehousen explains why and gives tip for trying it yourself”

Round your Eventer

Sitting Trot

Sit Without Stirrups

Shoulder in and Shoulder Fore

“ This excerpt from the German National Federations Advanced Techniques Of Dressage teaches you how to use the shoulder fore as a prerequisite to shoulder in”

Seat and Position Primer

“ 2001 World Cup winner Ulla Salzgeber shares her thoughts about the seat and discusses how it affects the riders influence on the horse”

Schooling Notebook: The ZigZag

“ Make your horse more supply and loose with this leg-yield exercise from Jane Savoie”

Slow and Steady (longeing)

“ There are times when slow works and times when it doesn’t”

Slow Down and Think

“ Instructor Spotlight: Riders push old habits aside to improve”

Smaller Steps for Greater Balance

“ Olympian Kyra Kirklund demonstrates a simple solution to common balance problems with horses at any level”

Speed Control

“ Through one of their students, Sjef Janssen and Anky van Grunsven share a key to their success – Training a horse to go forward and come back without losing impulsion or submission”

Stabilize your Dressage Seat

“ In her new book, a popular internationsal clinician and author gives her innovative approach for developing an independent seat”

Stretch over the Topline

Stretch Through the Topline

Stretched, secure, supple sittting

“ And relaxed as a limp thread is how you’ll feel after doing Lendons Grays’s fun calisthenics on the longe”

Suppling Through the Levels

“ A top Canadian Trainer explains how varying the exercises in your daily routine helps your horse move smoothly through his training education”

Take Control on Cross Country

Teaching with Analogies

“ Instructor Spotlight: using visual imagery, Felicitas con Neumann-Cosel teaches complex training concepts to her dressage students”

Teach your Horse to be Active and Soft

“ Instructor Spotlight: Dr. Cesar Parra explains the dressage concepts of riding forward through the neck and allowing everything to happen together”

The Art of Test Design

“ Learn how the test writing committee develops tests that encourage the classical development and gymnastic training of the horse”

The Effects of the Aids

“ Olympian Steffen Peters urges riders to fine-tune their aids and have high expectations to increase the horses mental understanding”

The Essential shoulder in

“ A Dutch Olympian shows you how to develop maximum expression in this essential movement that teaches flexibility and obedience”

The Living Dynamics of Pirouette

“ WEG contender Betsy Steiner goes beyond technique and explains how to balance and refine your aids so that every stride of this upper level movement fires off”

The Scientific Exploration of the Half Halt

“ A visit with Dr. Hilary Clayton at the McPhail Equine Performance Center offers evidence about the execution and timing of the Half Half”

The Simplicity of Dressage

“ In their new book, Johann Hinnemann and Coby van Baalen discuss the German training scale – six concepts that are the basis for a horse’s entire training. In the preface, van Baalen says, “this book is about the simplicity of dressage, not because dressage is so simple to do, but because all dressage theory always comes down to the same basic priniples.” This excerpt comes from Champter 6: Impulsion”

The Walk, the Most Difficult Gait

‘ A top German judge discusses the nuances of the walk and what judges are looking for”

Timing of the Aids

“ Gymnastics from the Baron Hans von Blixen- Finecke”

Training of the Rider

“ The teaching of dressage requires well educated trainers, well prepared horse and the methodical development of riders”

Training the Horses mind

“ From training piaffe in hand to developing a better seat, Lisa Wilcox and Ernst Hoyos give a rare look into their daily training routine”

Trot, canter, trot transitions on a circle

“ Build a solid foundation for your dressage horse with this exercise from Pam Goodrich”

Trouble sitting the trot? Equilates to the rescue!

“ This top trainers ten minute daily program will improve everything about your seat and aids, including your ability to sit”

Turn on the Forehand

“ Upper level rider and coach Tuny Page explains how this sometimes controversial exercise can be a useful introduction to lateral work”

Turn on the Forehand on a Circle

“ Improve coordination of your aids as well as your horse’s obedience, quickness and straightness with Jayne Ayers”

What made a terrific lesson

You can strengthen your base

“ Simple on the flat and over fences exercises that will strengthen your lower leg and deepen your seat”

One proud mom!

2010-07-09T10:10:00.001-07:00

I’m so proud of my girls right now! Well, my boys too but not nearly as much.

Yesterday was trimming day. Always fun. Lucy used to have major issues with getting her hooves trimmed so trimming day has always been held in high regard as to behavior.

Although the reason I am proud of Georgie is more significant, Lucy’s is sort of a longer standing proud.

I guess I better just tell the story huh?

So Loren and I took our ducklings home yesterday, and since I needed to help him get things set up, I just tied Lucy up and left her with Luke (my trimmer). To most people that doesn’t seem like a lot, but Lucy has been through a lot with trimmers and being able to just leave her there with him and for her to hold still and be (pretty darn near) perfect is a major accomplishment! I even commented to Luke that I don’t know when she turned into my dependable horse. When did she go from being my nervous, skinny little mare, to my sturdy, dependable trail horse (odd how her qualities are also used on trucks!)?

Lucy is really a wonderful horse, and somewhere in the last couple of months I have truly come to see that. Odd since I haven’t been riding much, or really spending much time with her at all.

Now there’s Georgie. I could not be more proud or happy with her at this moment! I was horrible in that I did not spend nearly as much time working her her feet since her last trimming (which was only about a week after brining her home, and not a real fun experience for any of us). In this last week I did do some work with her back hooves until she got the point that I wanted her to pick them up, but I didn’t hold them much wanting to take it slow. Apparently Georgie doesn’t really need to be taken slow.

Luke was able to pick up and work with both front hooves for an extended amount of time (she would only let him have them for about 15 seconds), she let him put them forward on the hoof stand (although she looked horrified about it) and she let him pick up and trim her hind feet despite not having them picked up yet.

Truly, she was a really good girl. She did finally get tired having her feet messed with and started refusing to let him pick them up, but really, I think she did amazing otherwise. I can only imagine what I will be able to do with her once I start working with her more.

I still stand by my earlier statement that she is going to be a jumper. I think its only a matter of time before she jumps out of their current paddock, as its fences are lower then my pasture (no horse is jumping that fence!). So she used to just jump down the wall in my paddock, well yesterday when she was throwing a fit because Lucy was out getting her feet trimmed, she jumped up the 3 foot wall! She only just made it, but keep in mind that she wall is at the very least, as high as her shoulder when she is standing below it. One of these days I will get a video of her jumping the wall, although I truly hope she does not try jumping up it again.

I still haven’t quite figured her out yet. I really get the impression she is not the kind of horse that bonds with one person and will only do certain things for that person. Lucy was kinda like that, she would let me do whatever with her but other people were often not allowed near her unless she knew them. Now of course Lucy is pretty easy going and more then willing to let new people come up and and touch her and play with her (and ride her too!). Georgie on the other hand, seems like if she understands what you want, and its clear that your going to make her do it, she is going to do it weather she knows you or not. And it really seems like she will do just about anything you ask of her as long as you give her time to understand.

I feel like I got over a bit of a hurdle with her yesterday and deffinatly feel closer with her now. Even though she always lets me pet her and handle her, she was emotionally distant or maybe I just didn’t know how to read her. Now I feel like I can read her look better.

Now I can’t wait to start working with her more! The last couple of weekends I have been mostly cleaning house, but this weekend I am riding my wonderful mare and working with my amazing filly!

I’ll try to get some updated pictures of her for the blog.

I have not fallen off the face of the earth

2010-06-20T21:22:00.001-07:00

But I kinda feel like I have! Or at least the normal me.

Things have been hectic and rough. Really rough. Not for me, but for my dad which might as well be me for how much it affects me. In fact it stresses me out more. I don’t let issues in my life affect me too much, but when its someone else’s problems that I need to handle, its much more stressful.

I’m also stressed wanting to do things in my life that I used to do and am finding that I just don’t have the time or energy for those anymore. I am having a very hard time handling this as well.

I’m very, very frustrated with my horses, or I was anyway. Now I just don’t have the energy to do anything with them.

Lucy first:

I really wanted to start doing some flatwork with her and work towards some eventing. I was determined that I would be able to do training with Lucy out on the trail, with enough determination I could do it, I was sure. Except I have very little drive to actually do it.

Then I realized that I hate shows and that all I would be working towards with eventing. My problem is that I want to wow everyone with my amazing little horse. I want to take the horse world by storm with my amazing skills with my little grade horse. I think to big and always fall short of my hopes. My life would be a hell of a lot easier if I just aspired to lower aims. I don’t seem capable of looking low and therein is the problem of my doing anything for any length of time.

Well anyway, back to my mare. I have been riding out of the trail with her every once in a while and have been enjoying that. I am pretty sure I want to get her ready for the Fireworks endurance ride so I can get that first endurance ride out of the way and see how Lucy handles it.

My other plan is to get her driving, eventually.

Georgie is a whole nother kettle of tea! First off, she is by far smarter then Kezi, and that scares the daylights out of me! I am so worried of messing up with her that I am too scared to do anything with her. Well that and I don’t have the time to work with her (bad, bad me!!). Some moments she is an excitable Arab that doesn’t think, just moves. And other moments she is a thinking, calculating Morgan, that knows exactly what I want, and then decides if she wants to do it.

She has surprised me in two different instances lately. First, one day when I had her tied up and was working with her hooves, she got her lead rope caught over the top of her head. I have seen well grown, fully trained horse flip out over such instances. Georgie just tensed and waited while I fixed her.

Also, my future endurance horse is…. a jumper! In my paddock I have a small stall area that is raised up. On two sides the walls are about 4 feet high with a 2X6 about 4 inches off the ground (there were planks all the way up to make it enclosed but Lucy popped them all out with her big fat butt!). Georgie thinks that jumping down this is a funer way to get to the other side of the paddock, despite the fact that its also on a hill once she lands. Lucy could never navigate that without hurting herself, and she certainly wouldn’t do it unless she felt that was the only way to get away from something scary.

Georgie is smart, calculating and very sure of herself. Like I said, I am scared shitless that I am going to mess up with her. I think she has limitless potential for whatever she puts her mind too. I’m trying to keep things simple with her right now, teaching her to pick up her feet and go for walks with me and bond with me. But even those easy things will encounter other issues and I am scared of approaching it the wrong way.

Other then that I adore my filly!

On a non-horsey side note, I got truly drunk for the first time ever a couple of weeks ago ( I have been pleasantly tipsy before) and lets just say I will NEVER do that again AND I will NEVER DRINK VODKA AND POMAGRANITE MIXED TOGETHER AGAIN.

Ever.

Again.

Got it?

Good!

Lucy growing up

2010-05-26T13:52:00.001-07:00

I got stuck waiting for a washer and dyer the other day, I got bored and so decided to make a photo slideshow of Lucy in the past ten years.

Yes, everything in my life revolves around my horses!

Anyway, she is going to be ten this fall! WOW! I’ve had her since she was 5 months old! I don’t have any from that age since I didn’t have a digital camera at the time, but I have some from every year starting at one.

I need to remember to take lots of pictures of Georgie as she too will grow up quick!

crochet fly masks

2010-05-24T17:39:00.001-07:00

So this is something I have been working on since late last summer. On several rides Lucy was just having major problems with flys, so I decided I better make some fly masks for her. And since I crochet I didn’t see any reason to buy them. But as I thought about regular fly masks, I realized I didn’t like them. One of Lucy’s biggest problems in flys on her nose, which traditional crochet fly masks don’t do anything for, and other are ugly mesh.

So I decided to make something that would take care of her whole face. And look kinda cool at the same time.

Now, yesterday was supposed to be the first test run, however I had forgotten to add something at the bottom to secure it with, so weather they work or not is still up in the air, and I will kinda need a ride with flys’ (its been too cold lately for them).

Weather or not I managed to make them cool looking or not, is really a matter of opinion. I am unsure as of yet, part of me thinks they look pretty cool, and part of me thinks they are uber dorky and feels I should not submit my horse to that kink of embarssement! I tried to style them after old horse armor, but some how the look isn’t quite the same in baby blue crochet!

So without further ado, my crochet fly masks (a work in progress!):

This one did not come out nearly as well, its too narrow. I think I will add a border.

Now I plan to add tassles, at least on the nose, if not above the eyes too.

* Oh and the very pissy look on Lucy’s face is not because she doesn’t like the fly masks, but rather because she was trying to eat while I was taking the pictures.

Very interesting ride over the weekend

2010-05-05T13:07:00.001-07:00

I am having a really hard time figuring Lucy out. We went for a longish (probably a bit over 5 miles) ride considering she hasn’t been out much this last month.

I think Lucy has given up fighting me and just goes along with what I want. Its very strange and I really can’t figure it out.

She was her normal slow self going down our hill, I hate walking her down it as I know she dislikes it and I don’t think it is good for her to be walking downhill that much without a good warm up. But my trailer is still wired for the other truck so I rode from home.

Going up the other side of the valley was pretty normal, except that I really wanted Lucy to walk in the middle of the road now that she has boots. But she is just so used to walking on the side that she kept fighting me. Or her back feet were still hurting on the rocks.

So now on to the strange part. I rode down White House Canyon, which is a flat, chalky road. When I asked her to trot, she stayed trotting. She only tried to break to the walk, once or twice, and didn’t even try that hard.

So have I just pushed her so many times that she is done fighting me about? Now I kinda feel bad, even though this is what I wanted.

The only problem I had was that her trot was agonizingly slow, espeshally for her. I had a hard time posting to it and staying balanced.

I also trotted her up a good section of my road (which can be rather steep at times) and she did really good and just powered up it. No breathing problems or anything.

Strange.

So for now the plan is to ride every weekend (possible both days sometimes depending on what my rides are like) and ride as often as possible at home during the week working on flatwork kind of stuff.

Right now I am mostly working on half halts and transitions. And a little bit of lateral work. I like to do turns on the hunches and forehand. Not so much as a dressage movement as much as teaching her to move her body in different ways. She understands what I want, but her head goes up like a giraffe whenever ask her to do either one. So I am working on her softening and listening to me more.

I still haven’t gotten to play with Georgie much yet. My sister and I took her and Ollie out to eat grass on Sunday and that was fun. I always pet and scratch her when I feed, which she seem to enjoy. If I take her out without Ollie though, she is just herd bound. Which of course means I need to do it as much as possible so she learns to see me as another of the herd.

Hopefully more updates on her soon!

What I learned on our Hesperia Adventure (or Georgie is home!!)

2010-04-25T19:59:00.001-07:00

First of all, YES! Georgie is in fact home and healthy and happy!!

But what I learned in the process:

Haulers are rather expensive:

Initially I had planned on having her hauled home. I didn’t really want to make that trip in my truck, or make that trip again period (5 is pretty damn boring). But it turns out that hauling a filly in a box stall costs between $450 and $550. Um, for five hundred miles, and an eight hundred dollar horse, thats just too much.

So plan B. My dad (suprising) offered to drive me down to get her in his truck. WOW. Wasn’t expecting that! He didn’t want me driving my truck all that way with the steering not being right (the steering has never been right since I started driving that truck but apperent its only now a problem).

Friends can’t always come through in times of need:

Not friends won’t, just that they can’t always. My first choice of trailers to borrow (I’ll explain why not my trailer in a minute) was a co-worker of Lorens, but turns out the door on his trailer doesn’t always stay on, not so good for a long trip. My second choice (who has lent me her trailer before) was uncomforitable lending out her trailer when it wasn’t insured. I can understand, losing ones trailer would be a big deal. My third (who I just happened to run into in town and remembered that I had hauled for her before) co-owns her trailer with someone I don’t know and didn’t really want to ask if it would be ok. Really? Who co-owns a horse trailer?

I really need to rewire my trailer, and apperently my truck too:

So the reason that I couldn’t just take my dads truck and my trailer is because the trailer isn’t wired for his truck. Let me side track for a minute and explain this: When I first got my trailer it was like any other, it had its little end thingy and I had an adaptor for my truck and one for my dads truck. Then one day, I um, well, ahem kinda hooked up my trailer but, cough cough, didn’t hook up the electical. Um yeah. It drug on the ground for about 5 miles and totally stripped the end bare. Just wires left. Sigh. Yeah, my bad. So when my dad rewired it, for whatever reason that is beyond me ( but made perfect sense at the time) we rewired the connector straight into the adaptor, so only my truck (and other trucks with the same kind of hookup) would be able to haul my trailer. Yeah, bad idea!

So we finally just decided to see what we could do about hooking my trailer to his truck. Everything worked except the tail/running lights. So in theory we could drive down in one day and back the next thereby not needing the tail lights. Really glad we bypassed that option.

So on Wednesday (the day before we were supposed to go get her) my dad and I started work on the trailer. We succeeded in going from turn signals and brake lights working, to nothing working. Great. So in the end we left it till the next day, rewired the connector to my dads truck and left in the afternoon.

Bring along cash for an emergency, and you will be faced with one:

So arriving at our hotel (we got there too late to load and Loren wanted a good nights sleep anyway, and as it turned out, yet another thing that is a really good thing we didn’t do!) we found that the engine was leaking water all over the place. Not one for dramatics, I said lets go to bed and deal with it in the morning, not really anything to be done now. Plus I was very tired and had already slept a bit in the car. Last time I dealt with radiator problems I cracked several heads on my car, for those like me with little car knowlage, this means that you just killed your engine that that your vehicle aint goin nowwhere for a while!

Anyway, next day after a hardy Denny’s breakfast (you can always count on Denny’s!) because I believe that any problem should always be dealt with with food in your stomache, we went off in search of a car repair shop. Luckly the one we found was very helpful, figured out what was wrong pretty quick (long dead water pump) and fixed it by early afternoon. Which was the time I had planned on being home at. Oh well at least we got home!!

I bought a wonderful horse:

Well of course I did!! Silly me! But really, she did great! Her breeder thought it would be best if we pushed from behind to help her figure out her way in (my trailer is a step up). I really have to admit, despite being facing with a small dark trailer, and having a rope around her butt pushing her in, she tried really hard to figure out what we wanted and never freaked out. It didn’t take us very long to get her in and then she just stood there next to me, nervous but calm. Wow, is this really an Arab? She rode perfect the whole way, she didn’t even freak out when we left the farm and all her friends.

Horses from the desert take some adjusting in the mountains:

The poor thing had a hard time figuring out how to walk up and hill, with uneven terrain to boot!

Lucy has rules about new horses and her respect for me as herd leader stops once the halter is off:

I brought Georgie and Ollie up to the pasture on Saturday morning after they had all eaten their grain. Lucy and Huck hadn’t even noticed that I had a new horse and that Ollie had been in another paddock all night. Lucy came down to inspect the new inmate, sniffing her and deciding her plan of action. As soon as I took the halter off though Lucy bit her and kicked her, and then chased her off up the hill. No more then I expected really. But Georgie did not learn her lesson quickly. She kept trying to come down the hill to the hay piles (at which Huck and Ollie were peacefully eating). So Lucy decided she needed to really instill fear of God (in this case Lucy) into Georgie. So commenced the chase around the pasture, and remember that my pasture is very large, very hilly and has lots and lots of trees, both upright and on the ground. In fear of my new filly’s life I decided to follow them to keep Lucy from hurting her. At which point I learned:

That Ollie is a truely sweet horse:

Lucy corned Georgie in the far corner of the pasture, then chased her behind one of our water tanks. At which point I felt that Lucy had her pinned in a bad spot and talked with Lucy about it. No really, I just sat petting Lucy’s head and talking to her about it. Then I went over and pet Georgies head and stood with her knowing that Lucy would not charge Georgie with me there. Lucy finally left (glaring at Georgie every couples feet) and I decided to move Georgie from behind the tank. So I turned Ollie (who was standing behind her) around and pushed him out. He ran off around the side of the tank and started to run down the hill, but then stopped, turned around and run up to Georgie and sniffed her nose. After that he stayed with her the rest of the day. It was pretty darn cute that he stayed with her! Although considering all the care Lucy and Huck showed for him the night before when I took him out to put him with Georgie I can kinda understand him sticking with the filly!

That I have really wonderful and awesome boyfriend:

And that I cannot say enough! I probably didn’t mention that I cannot drive a cluch, and that my fathers truck is in fact a cluch. So Loren drove the whole way, and put up with me telling him how to drive (even though he has in fact trailered before ) and learning to back up a trailer. He is wonderful!!

Ok, enough talk! Pictures of Georgie!!!

One of those silly little things we ponder in life

2010-04-20T12:02:00.001-07:00

So this morning I was laying in bed listening to the rain, commending myself for having the fore site to put Lucy’s blanket on the night before, before it started raining (rather then waiting to see when it would start raining the next day, and inevitable it would start raining before I got a chance to get the blanket on her resulting in a cold, wet idiot of a horse that jumps a mile if you try to touch her) when I starting pondering blankets and horses.

I usually am pretty good about putting Lucy’s blanket on before it starts raining, as long as my father has warned me about the inpending rain as I never bother to check the forecast, if I am curious, I merely ask him, otherwise he will generally tell me.

So do you think that somewhere in the dark recesses of our horses minds (pushing aside the parts that think about hay, grain, whinnying at friends and how much being ridden sucks I am not sure how much is left) they relize that when we put the blanket on them that isn’t going to start raining?

Although there are times when I leave putting the blanket on till the last minute or am not prepared for the rain, for the most part her blanket does go on pre-rain. And there have only been a few instances where I put the blanket on and it didn’t rain. If it fact Lucy is aware that it will start raining after the blanket is put on she must have been very confused those times!

I KNOW my horse wants her blanket on when its raining, why she runs around like an idiot when I try to do so is beyond me, but I know beyond a doubt that Lucy is cursing my very name every second when she is in the rain without her blanket. I think that is why she is hard to blanket once the rain starts, she is just so pissed off at me that I didn’t get it on in time that she feels its ok to make my life hell because I DIDN’T BLANKET HER BEFORE IT STARTED RAINING.

Lucy takes her personal comforts very seriously. VERY seriously. I (and even more so, Loren) make fun of her to no end because we know how seriously she takes her comforts.

But I still have to wonder if she sees me coming with the blanket and thinks to herself: “Ah crap its going to rain!”. Although probably Lucy blames the bad weather on me. It really wouldn’t suprize me in the the least, I do believe she blames all her other woes (and I am sure that is a very long list) on me.

Now do I wonder if Huck and Ollie realize its going to rain when Lucy gets her blanket on? Ollie, no. Ollie’s brain is mostly used for wondering why nobody loves him, why Lucy gets to wear a blanket (and what he might do to get such special treatment), divising tactics to make sure his head gets into the bucket first (he isn’t so good at that) and planning his next escape from the pasture (which is the only intelligent thing he ever does).

Huck, I am absolutly certain KNOWS EVERYTHING. I have no doubt that he knows every little thing that is going on at our house from how many eggs the chickens laid that day to when its that time of the month for me. If Huck could talk he could explain every one of the worlds problems, how they came to be and how to fix them. But he wouldn’t because its too much of a bother. Huck is not a horse, I think he may have an alien experiment gone very wrong, or perhaps very right, I’m not quite sure!

Anyway, thats what I was pondering today!

Just a bit out of it

2010-04-19T14:44:00.001-07:00

Eek! Haven’t updated in a while! Not a huge amount to tell.

I haven’t been riding much, just too tired. I stopped riding Fadzki, I just wasn’t enjoying him that much.

Haven’t ridden Lucy in a while, but I am trying to get back on schedule.

Right now I am trying to figure out how to get my filly from Hesperia to home. Its harder then it sounds.

I told Loren that we could no longer stay up every night playing wow. Apperently I was very loud about this (I would chalk that up to sleep deprivation and moodiness from having not ridden in a while) because Loren refered to it as “yelling” and took me very seriously.

I got the flu last Friday and therefore missed a beautiful weekend to ride. It sucked.

So hopefully better news (or any news!) soon.

Ah, wait….

2010-04-02T22:21:00.001-07:00

…. this isn’t what was supposed to happen, was it?

I decided to start riding Fadzki (who has really great endurance potential) I wanted to ride a horse that was eager to be out on the trail moving out and going for long rides.

Why? Because Lucy does not like moving out a lot on the trail and going for longer rides.

So I put out the word that I might be looking to ride with another endurance rider and found Daniela, and of course Fadzki.

So what is the problem? Um, this horse moves out less then Lucy! Ok so I have only ridden him twice out on the trail, both times by myself (its weird riding a horse that you don’t know out on the trail by yourself, with Lucy its like going out for a hike with a friend). But really, this horse is driving me up the wall! I have a hard time getting him to move out and his gaits are appalingly slow! I miss my big strided QH.

According to Daniela he will move out more with other horses, well so does Lucy, thats not the point!

Of course this is a really wonderful learning oppertunity, I will be riding with Daniela who has been riding endurance for several years, and her mentor Dom who is a great endurance rider. So even if Fadzki is a bit slow and annoying (I will try not to go into how annoying I find it that I have to control exactly where he puts his feet because he is a scatterbrain), I will get a lot out of the deal.

I WILL go for a ride this weekend! Even if Daniela has to cancel because of the rain and I have to ride Lucy bareback. I will ride!!!!

Uhggg!

2010-03-31T11:37:00.001-07:00

Can I say it again? Uhhhhggg!

I am so tired. PCA had a fundraiser dinner on Saturday night and I ended up sick enough to not be able to eat and drink properly, but not sick enough to be able to miss it. It would have been a major issue had I missed it anyway.

Uhhhggg!

Somehow I managed to get put in charge of yet another fundraiser event, I swear I am going to leave the organization, but I can never quite bring myself to do it. Now I am stuck with planning this trail ride since I am doing it to get one horse person in perticular there (who is my friend) and because no one else in the organization is capable of putting together a trail ride like this. And of course after that we will be having our hike-a-thon again, and since I planned it last year, I guess I will have to do it this year too. What I really want is to go back to what I did in the begining, just being the secratery really.

Uhhhgg!

So I am only just now getting back to my normal sleep and self. My sickness has gotten better (thank goodness!) but I still have a sore throat. See I got this sore throat on I think Friday morning. It was really bad and it hurt to swallow. But it got better throughout the day. But on Saturday it got much worse and I was unable to swallow any food or water without great pain. I did eat, but not nearly enough. On Sunday I went through the day in a haze, not just because I was tired but also because my sore throat still hurt and I still couldn’t eat without pain. On Monday it was the worst. Even without eating anything I was in pain, it was horrible. It even woke me up in the middle of the night the pain was so bad. But apperently once its that bad it gets better because it felt much better yesterday and today. It no longer hurts to swallow, but I still have a sore throat and cough.

Uhhhggg!

But then I have had a cold for the last month and a half so its not much of a change.

Uhhhggg!!

So because of this event I haven’t ridden Lucy in two weeks. Last week because I was too busy (although I did ride Fadzki, but that just made me want to ride Lucy even more) and this week because I haven’t had the energy to get up in the morning to ride.

Uhhhggg!

Well anyway, hopefully I’ll get back to my normal schedule soon and be riding Lucy in the mornings again.

Crazy week, and Hurrah for Spring!

2010-03-24T17:51:00.001-07:00

I love spring, I just wish I had more time to enjoy it! Although part of what is making me so busy is horses, so I shouldn’t complain too much, but I still will!

Lucy is doing really, really well! I rode a couple more times on my trail at home doing flatwork last weekend and was very happy with her. Then I rode with my friend Ellie in Portola Valley. We rode up from the bottom of the mountain up to the top and had lunch at a resturant up there. Lu was a bit confused when I left her tied up with Firefly (and really cute little Morgan that I have ridden in the past), but she kept herself busy by staring ademendly at the firehouse close by. She kept up with Firefly really well (and she is in very good shape) and she floated when we trotted.

When I got back to town I unloaded her at my sisters and took her for a walk up and down the street. I would love to be driving her this summer so I need to get her used to town. My sister brought all the kids out with us and walked behind, which Lucy didn’t mind at all. She was very cool and composed about the whole walk.

On Saturday I rode with another endurance rider who’s horse I am going to be riding over the next year or so. She rode the horse I will be riding and I rode Lucy. Lucy was an angel and behaved herself really well, which was good because Fadzki did not! We decided it was him having not been out for a while and being out with a new horse, and a mare at that.

Daniella was very impressed with Lucy as a trail horse, and love hearing about how precieve Lucy, since I get very caught up in how I think she should behave and whatnot. I’m glad that I have brought her along nicely, espeshally now that I will have another baby around soon.

Today I rode Fadzki by myself at Daniella’s, first in the arena and then on the trail (her rode leads up to a really nice park for conditioning). He is still very tenative of me, and soooo slow! But I think that is because he doesn’t know me yet. Daniella wants him ridden on contact so that is taking some getting used to. I am suddenly really aware of Lucy’s smooth, flowing walk now! Or at least my body is! His walk is very rough and slow, and Daniella rides in a freeform which was a much wider twist then I am used to. So my body may be a bit beat up until it gets used to things. It certainly feels wasted today! But then I am REALLY busy right now.

Anyway, I am going to ride Lu tomorrow morning so I can enjoy a nice smooth pace before riding Fadzki again on Sunday.

I am really really busy right now because I got put in charge of a fundraiser dinner for PCA, AGAIN!! I am so tired of being put in charge of these things. And the really annoying thing is that I have agreed to put together a benefit trail ride later this year. Grrrr! But at least for that I have friends that I know I can help from, and mostly I will be inviting my horse friends.

So right now I am really stressed and tired and can’t wait for Sunday, hopefully Fadzki will be easy to ride with the other horses and relaxing. After I get back from riding I am taking a nap. Seriously!

Well then, thats my very long update! Its getting close to the time for Georgie to be coming home and I am getting excited and a little worried about how I am going to fit everything in.

I don’t feel any older, just more tired

2010-03-15T14:29:00.001-07:00

So yep, I had a birthday. Good old 21. I went to work, got yelled at, made macaroni for dinner and watched Lord Of The Rings. Very exciting.

But really, these days, getting older just feels like a farce. Like I am supposed to be older and wiser and more in control of my life. But it seems like every time I get close to being in control and happy, it all goes down the drain again.

I wish I had more to say on this subject, but oh well! I’ll be back with my weekend ride info!

Oh and as far as feeling tired, I HATE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!!

Whoah Nelly!

2010-03-12T15:45:00.001-08:00

So I rode bareback yesterday. Yeah. Its hard to walk straight today. Initially I was thinking I would try to ride bareback twice a week to improve my sit trot and balance. But in consideration for my bum and Lucy’s back, I’m thinking once a week tops and maybe just without stirrups at first!

I did however get to ride all the way to the end of the trail. The flat spot out there is bigger and flatter then I remember. I think I might be able to use it!

I meant to trot and canter Lucy bareback but she didn’t want to canter. I think it was because I wasn’t well balanced. We did however trot for a really long time (she was happy to keep going and going) and I got to a chance to work on speeding her up and slowing her down through my seat.

I really wanted to ride this morning before the rain. But we stayed up till 2am last night and I just could not get out of bed. I slept waaayyy in! I really need to get proper amounts of sleep if I am going to ride on a regular basis. And Lucy really needs it. She generally is waiting at the gate when I go to feed in the morning, then while I am getting their grain she runs half way back up the pasture. When I bring the grain in she come charging back down the pasture to the spot where the big bucket is. Well this morning I was apperently taking too long because she came charging back down the hill, and straight at me! I actually had to jump out of the way!

Lucy is usually much better at respecting my space then that! I was too suprised to punish her and probably couldn’t in the mud anyway. But she deffinatly needs to get out and be worked more!

Hopefully going to go for a trail ride this weekend.

Lucy’s first horse show

2010-03-10T19:19:00.001-08:00

This is from about two years ago, Lucy’s very first horse show. She was just getting sick at this time, it was about a month or so before she got rally sick and lost weight. But at this time she had very little energy, and my vet told me to “feed her more grain”. Ummm, not thats not the problem!

Anyway, I got lots of great photos from my old trainers husband who does professional photography.

This is what Loren took during dressage:

Warm up, way hunching here!

She’s um, pooing here! Not sure how putting my hands up in the air is helping!

I am unsure if we are walking or trotting here!

And cross county from the professional photographer:

Yep, Lucy isn’t into jumping over anything she can trot over!

Horrible position here!

Oh my goodness! Is that a real jump!? Or at least two legs of the ground at once!

OOO! Hay! Can I eat it mom?

Just had to show off my pretty braid

OMG a tiny fence! What on earth am I going to do!? Ok not sure what is with the terrified look on my face I have jumped that bigger jump next to our little puny jump a ton of times.

Still with the terrified look! But Lucy is as cool as a cucumber!

Love this picture! We look nice and together here.

This one is pretty cool too!

Umm, not only did I get left behind here, but I look like a beanpole!

I really like this picture, minus the RV in the backround.

Love that reach! Just wish she would actually jump!

I think this is funny!

Whoah! A real jump!

Another pretty tail picture! And I think this is a really interesting angle.

She just looks so pretty here!

Wow! Big trot!

Love, love, love this picture! I was soooo thrilled with her after our cross country course! She LOVED it!

Well that was our first show! We won 3rd in Cross Country which suprised my old trainer (she hasn’t worked with Lucy much)

Some thoughts on Lucy’s training

2010-03-10T17:08:00.001-08:00

So, I haven’t been riding, due to one night over the weekend when Loren and I stayed up all night. It generally takes me a week or so to recover, provided I get normal sleep the whole time.

So getting up early to ride has been out, actually just getting up on time has been hard!

But I have been doing some thinking about Lucy’s training, eventing and endurance wise. And I have been reading some dressage articles (a few years ago when I was still getting dressage today, I went through all my old magazines and cut out all the interesting articles and put them into one big binder, its really handy!).

Conclusion number 1:

Lucy may not have been getting enough calories for the kind of work I was asking of her last Summer. Lucy only gets large amounts of grain in the winter to keep her weight up. I only feed more grain if I think her weight isn’t right. Maybe she won’t expend the energy out on the trail if she feels she doesn’t have the reserves to handle it. Maybe I am giving my horse too much credit! But I think I might continue giving her grain this Spring/Summer and see how she does.

Conclusion number 2:

If I am riding Lucy at home during the week, working on dressage training, then perhaps if I take her on a long trail ride once a week and do lots of trot/canter work, she might not hate trail work so much.

Conclusion number 3:

We are going to Shine and Shine Only in April! That will give us enough time to get her in shape (she should be fine for a 25 miler without a huge amount of conditioning) and should give Georgie enough time to settle in first. Then I can see if Lucy enjoys the competition enough to work through her not liking the conditioning aspect. I was pretty sure I would take her to one. If not Shine and Shine Only, then Fireworks.

Now I really need to ride! Yesterday was my birthday, and it was upsetting to not get to ride! So I am deffiantly going for a good ride this weekend and then get back to riding during the week next week.

Crazy ride!

2010-03-10T16:56:00.001-08:00

It started out all normal and fun, and turned out very crazy and not so fun!

So I did a lot of trot/canter transistions, Lucy seems to really like moving out more. I am still having problems with my stirrup strap twisting at the canter, can’t figure that out! Lucy’s canter is so big and fast! I am hoping lots of trot/canter transitions will slow it down and collect it a bit.

She was so excited to canter that she picked up the canter on her own just before I was going to ask, very strange for Lucy!

Then further down the trail I got off to clear branches (its a bit beyond her to hold still for me while I am on her back right now).

And….

Its started dripping on us! Grrr it had been so pretty and nice out! So I threw my sweatshirt over my saddle to keep it from getting too wet while I continued clearing.

Then….

Boom!!! Huge long clap of thunder that scared the living daylights out of Lucy and I. Eli was the only one not scared! Lucy spooked and got all bug eyed, and for some reason the thunder made me really nervous (no idea why!).

So (leading a rather antsy Lucy) we heading home.

It started raining harder. So out of concern for my saddle I mounted back up.

Then….

It started hailing. And I am not talking little tiny friendly sized hail, no I’m talking decent sized pieces of ice.

Hitting my arms and Lucy’s neck.

My arms got rather red and sore.

The only good thing is that it was warm for hail so I wasn’t too cold despite the fact that my sweatshirt was under my bum!

Yep, crazy ride!

Frustrated, but riding

2010-03-04T12:27:00.001-08:00

So I am finally riding on a regular basis again! But I am very frustrated!

First, my total awesome discovery!

Lucy gets bored on the trail and needs more to do and think about.

Obviously this is something that should have occurred to me before, and in a way it did. I was aware that Lucy was getting bored riding on the same trail all the time, but it hadn’t occurred to me that the reason she doesn’t like trail riding as much is because there is very little to do.

Anyway, this gives me a great opportunity to start her driving and get back into eventing. IF I had an arena that is. Yep, that's the rub!

This week I have ridden three times and am having fun working on transition and whatnot out on the trail, but every time I think how much better we could be doing in an arena. I do have a couple options open to me:

- Convince my dad to clear an arena, we have two spots that might work but would require cleaning, tractor work and tree falling.

- Trailer out to a friends house a couple times a week. I have two barns close by that have arenas. One is about 15 minutes away, I used to board there but had some issues with the owner. We are still friends and get along and she is ok with me using the arena. The other place is about 30 minutes away. I board here on and off and am very good friends with the owner, but she drives me crazy! He arena is waayyy nicer, but the weather at her place can be a lot worse then the other. I also owe her money, so I am hesitant to ask her any favors.

So one way or another I am going to work in an arena or whatever I can find! Even if I end up boarding again for a while, THAT would get my dad going on putting in an arena!

So my rides! They were fun! Mostly I am concentrating on using my seat to influence Lucy’s speed and gait. She is pretty good, but not consistent. Some times she will transition down from a walk to a halt just from my seat, no reins, other times I have to give her lots of reminders. I am also working on walk/trot transitions and trot speed. Her trot is very fast and strung out right now so I prefer to not sit trot, plus my body is a bit out of practice in that area! Hehe! This morning we did some trot/canter transitions, its been a while since I asked her to canter out other a long stretch, rather then just a stride or two. She seemed to really like it! I love when she has energy!My canter aids suck, so our transitions are horrible! But its something to be worked on!

Considering how much time she has had off lately, I think she is doing quite well! I on the other hand need to get in shape and work on my position badly!

So far we are staying together and somewhat in rhythm about 50 to 60% of the time. Quite often, especially during transitions and the trot, I kinda fall apart and loose contact and are whole rhythm is thrown off. BUT I am not doing so bad regaining the rhythm and balance. And hey, its kinda hard to keep a good rhythm and balance when going up and down hills and dodging branches!

I have been working on retraining her the leg yield aids, but she is very antsy. I think I will do some groundwork with her on that to help her remember.

So far my plan for trail riding is to go on a real trail ride (where we don’t work on transitions or anything) once a week with someone else whenever possible. And in new places whenever possible. That way when I do take her out for solo trail rides, it won’t seem quite so boring. Hopefully.

Defining moment

2010-03-01T13:23:00.001-08:00

Or an “ah ha” moment! I had one just the other day.

Loren and I got home late from his parents house where we were celebrating his brothers birthday. I went out to feed the horses. My flashlight was not cooperating at all! The battery and the bulb were both dieing. So I was struggling through the muck with an armful of hay and hardly any light. When the horses came down to eat Lucy was shivering so I decided I better put her blanket on her. She was suprisingly good about holding still for that, she doesn’t always like holding still for the blanket. It always amazes me how much trust our horses put into us. I can throw this huge blanket over her back and she barely flinches. And it always amazes me how much trust we put into our horses, I can stand right before my horse and reach between her legs for the leg straps and know that she would never kick me (withstanding any outside influences, in other words if something were to spook her from behind), that in fact she will stand perfectly at ease while I connect everything.

Anyway, even though it was raining, and dark and late and cold, I really didn’t want to leave my horses. I was just so happy being with them. Lately I have been getting home late and not always feeding because I am dead tired or its raining out. I feed them extra in the morning but its not really acceptable to let them go that long without food in front of them. I have always taken the best care of my horses that I can. So missing dinner feedings will not be happening anymore, my horses did not choose to come live with me, but I would like to think that they are in a better then usual situation for horses.

Anyway, it made be realize just how much I need to be with my horses. Even if I am not riding them.

Wet weekend

2010-03-01T12:58:00.001-08:00

So I was dead set on riding this weekend, but not till Sunday because I really didn’t want to get my new saddle wet.

I got my new saddle wet.

What ended up happening is that on Saturday morning I went into town to do some e-mailing and it was just so beautiful that I decided to ride then and drive Huck on Sunday.

Lucy was so energetic! She was practicly trotting down the trail as soon as I got on. I think being fed grain and having not been ridden for a while made her more excited. When we did trot though it made it even more obvious how much I need to work on balancing her since she would throw me forward whenever she came down from the trot.

I was worried about getting the front of my saddle wet whenever we went under a branch that had drops of water on it. I was very upset whenever a drop landed on the saddle. I should have saved my anxiety.

I ended up turning around at one point because the trail was overgrown with broom (a non-native shrub that grows to be just over the height of Lucy) and I knew it would be totally full of water. Normally that would not deter me, but with my new saddle I wasn’t taking any chances. As it turned out it was all for naught anyway. It started raining on us barely a minute after we turned around. It was very upsetting!

Lucy, it turns out, does not like being out in the rain, which is funny because I have ridden her in the rain before without problems. But on Saturday she was either very energetic or just really not wanting to get wet. She actually came close to taking off with me at one point! She kept trying to trot then when I leaned down to go under some low hanging branches she decided to start trotting and didn’t listen right away when I asked to walk. That is Lucy taking off!

Anyway, it didn’t turn out so bad! It turns out my saddle can handle getting rained on better then I expected.

There were a couple of things I didn’t like about the saddle:

1. I was very concerned about the fit. The panels seemed to be digging into her shoulders a bit before I got on, but once my weight was in the saddle they eased up considerably.

2. The panels come very close to sitting on her spine. I kept feeling it and it didn’t feel as if they were, but I am still a little concerned about that, a longer ride will show better.

3. Because the panels are so long I ended up placing the saddle further back on her back then I would have liked. I think I can move it forward the next ride since I now know that the panels will ease up once I am in the saddle.

4. When going down hill the back of the saddle made an odd thumping sound. I am pretty sure it was one of the back rotator things (what connects the flex panel to the saddle tree). I could feel it if I put my hand on the panel and Lucy didn’t seem to like it much. I am going to take the booties off and see if I can find what was moving.

Other then that, the saddle was amazing! Very comforitable and well balanced. I will hold out judgment on how well it fits until I go on a longer ride and can assess her sweat marks.

Sunday

Sunday was way fun! I took all the horses out to eat grass by the generator shed. Everyone was pretty happy since I also fed them their grain out on the driveway so they didn’t have to stand in mud to eat it.

I took Huck to town to drive. I cannot wait until I can get him long lining and driving in an arena so I can figure out why he is so crooked in the cart. It may be an adjustment on his harness but either way I think he would benefit from some long lining work. Which I need to do to prepare him and Ollie for Tandem driving anyway.

Pictures to go with update

2010-02-24T11:42:00.001-08:00

I’m such a space case! I was so upset yesterday that I couldn’t find my camera cord so I could get the pictures of the filly on my blog, then realized 5 minutes before leaving for my meeting I remembered that I can put my memory card straight into my computer. Sigh. Some days are more trying then others.

But, now I can post the super cute pictures!!

All babies together (three Morabs and one Arab)

The bay filly that I was initially interested in.

The gray colt.

The Arab filly.

And my girl!!!

Her father:

And one of the gray ones is her mom:

So I have more of the foals, but figured I wouldn’t over do it!

Oh and my new saddle (I hope to try out on a ride this weekend)

It looks so comfy! And I can’t wait to see how the flex panels work!

Update!

2010-02-23T15:30:00.001-08:00

So what has been going on with me? A lot! I have a new saddle and am on my way to having a new horse!

I would post pictures but I can’t find the cord to my camera = (

Anyway, I am buying a yearling morab filly. No name yet but I am pretty sure I am going to name her Golden Georgiana, Georgie for short. I get decide her resistered name, which is so exciting! Her father is a dark golden palamino Morgan and her mom is a gray spanish Arabian. She should be at least 15.2 but could easily reach 16hh. Her father is very stout and she is already quite stout herself.

When I intially inquired about the yearlings (two fillys and a colt) I was more interested in the bay filly (the colt was out for me completly), but when I got there the gray filly came up and gave me a horsey hug. It was almost like she was saying, take me home! I really liked her outgoing personality, so I decided on her.

I should be brining her home in April, I can’t wait to have a baby around again!

So very exciting weekend! Plus a very pretty trip to Southern California in the bargain as well.

Yet and another week without riding, and guess what?

2010-02-19T16:38:00.001-08:00

I won’t get to ride this weekend either. Although the reasons why are much better then last weekends. Or the weekend before that.

Lets recap shall we? So weekend before last I really wanted to ride, then threw my back out on Friday morning, inhibiting my movements so riding was out. I finally felt better by Wednesday, when low and behold, I got a bladder infection. For those lucky enough to have never had one I will not describe how painful they can be, and I have a very high tolerance for pain.

Then mother nature decided that that wasn’t enough to make sure I would ride, so the next day I ended up with a nasty cold.

Lets just say that besides not getting to go riding, my valentines day sucked.

This weekend riding is out too, but its pretty worth it.

I did NOT ride this weekend

2010-02-08T13:47:00.001-08:00

You can’t tell but that was said through grit teeth. I am not overly pleased about it.

It was a beautiful weekend, just a little rain on Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon.

But I did not ride. Why?

1. Its very, very muddy in my pasture and on trails and road around my house. I hate dealing with the mud with my horses and having to deal with slipping (both my and the horse). I have to have rubber boots on to ever think about going anywhere near my horse and she is a bit of a mess. Dead winter is a sucky time to live where I do.

2. My truck currently has a hot tub in the back, and an almost flat tire that needs to be pumped up, and (probably) a dead battery so it will need to jumped and its in town, rather then at my house. Too much of a hassle right now.

3. And this is the biggest of all. I through my back out on Friday morning feeding. Its still not back to normal. There is no way I would ever consider getting on a horse with a bad back, let alone that I probably couldn’t even get up there! Feeding was not fun with my back hurting since I have to walk up hill and then down hill and back again in 3 inch deep mud.

4. Do I even want to deal with Lucy and her attitude right now? I want to ride, but if I ride her then I won’t want to ride. So might as well pine after riding rather then being mad at all my horses because Lucy doesn’t want to be ridden.

I have no idea when I am going to get to ride again.

Well that lasted long

2010-02-05T18:37:00.001-08:00

I am having horse withdrawal. But not because I want to ride Lucy. Well ok maybe a little bit!

I had a dream the other night that I was riding Lucy in a 25miler, and hey we actually finished. Although I don’t think Lucy was really enjoying herself in the dream! I was having a blast though.

So I woke up the next morning and wanted to go for a ride. And today I looked at horsey stuff for the first time in two weeks (thats a really long time for me!).

Even though I want to ride Lucy, I also really don’t. I am thinking about leasing her out as a lesson horse over the summer. But am not sure that Lucy would be happy with that.

Nor do I want to ride Lucy and fight with her more and get put off from riding again. But I really don’t want to bring home another horse.

Oi!

Taking a leave of absence

2010-01-21T12:39:00.001-08:00

From Lulubelles Managerie and from horses. It could be just a couple months or it could be a year or more.

Obviously I can’t completly ignore my horses, nor will I. But my entire life and existence can no longer revolve around my horses. They just are not worth it anymore.

I’m not sure exactly when the break started, but I believe it was somewhere around three years ago when my mom died and suddenly I had a lot more responsibilities and time constraints. Even since then my horse time has just gone downhill, I also resent it a little bit for taking any extra time I would have previously spent on think I did when I was younger.

I spend more and more time away from my horses, and feeling guilty for not paying attention to them. But I can’t feel guilty for just plain not wanting to be with them.

I have found lately that I want to be the person I was before my mom died. Weird that at 20 years of age (well almost 21 now!) I want to be the person I was at 15 more then anything else.

This has been coming about for a while now, so its really not a big surprise for me. It hurts, but I just don’t seem to enjoy having to make time for horses, probably because I use the term “have to” so much with them any more. I love all my horses a lot, but for now they will be more like pets that I can pamper when I feel like but not have to feel guilty for not riding or driving. Yes, I will ride and drive, but not as much and only when I don’t have any else I might want to do, which quite often I do.

I’ll be on here from time to time I would imagine since I will still have ride stories to relate, but not as much as before.

I will be switching over to a new blog for my non-horsey posts, it should be fun!

My new blog: http://jlbennett.blogspot.com/

I’ll try to still read my current list of horsey blogs whenever I can, but it will probably slip a bit. Unless I completly change my mind about a vacation from horses. But considering how long and gradual this change as been, I doubt it.

Fare thee well!

I love stupid people, they are so entertaining!

2010-01-20T17:25:00.001-08:00

So its raining, but exactly a surprise, its January and its supposed to be an El Nino year. But after almost two weeks of really gorgeous weather, in which many of our fruit trees decided that it must be Spring and that it was time to flower (we are pretty sure that it turned cold within enough time to divert disaster), its a bit of shock to suddenly have a whole week worth of large storms rolling through.

So what does this have to do with stupid people and their entertainment value? Just wait, I’m getting to that! First a little synopsis of what its like when it rains in our arena. Lets follow the process of the rain.

I am going to assume that you (those odd,strange people out their that take pity on me and read my ramblings) already know how the water gets into the clouds and on to land, and not show just how long ago it was that I learned that by stating something completely wrong, thereby becoming one of the said stupid people.

Once the storm does make it on land, it releasing its precipitation while moving over the land. UNTIL it meets a block, such as a large mound of rock and earth, such as a mountain, such as all the mountains that surround Pescadero, such as the one that I live on. So, in case you didn’t get it, storms often get stuck over the mountains surrounding Pescadero and its environs. Our mountains can soak up quite a bit of water, but once they are at capacity, then the water runs off into creeks.

First, however, the rain seems to have a personal vendetta against me and my poor horse, as it frequently renders my pasture a complete swamp with many small rivers running through it. Add in the wind that is keeping the rain company and you have one really freaked out horse and two little drowned rats. Tromping through the relative ponds and rivers that constitute the paths leading to my pasture brings up the very good question as to why I still have horses.

Bear with me, we are getting to the stupid people part, I know your anxious.

Once the rain is done tormenting me and my poor horses, it then goes on to the join a lot of other non-tormenting rain in the creek, by way of often displacing large sections of earth, most often depositing the earth right in the road that I like to use to get to work.

From there the rain turns the once docile and picturesque creek into a raging torrent that I would prefer to not get in the way of.

On its journey from the mountain creeks to the ocean, rain coming out of the mountains surrounding Pescadero often is dumped into Pescadero Creek. A creek that surprisingly enough passes through Pescadero (sorry, I just couldn’t help that one). This creek has a funny thing about, a long time ago the farmers in the area filled it with slit. It has something to do with the marsh that the creek runs through right after leaving town. Its a long story that I would have to ask my father for more details to fully understand. But back to the the story; said creek passes under Pescadero Creek road before heading to the marsh and then the ocean. At this particular spot the creek bed is only about two feet lower then the road itself, owing to aforementioned silt. Whenever the creek has any extra water deposited into, such as after a big storm or several, it backwashes into the adjoining field and road (it wasn’t taught very good manners). At the best of times this creates up to six inches of water that can only be passed through my driving on the left side of the road as the right side slops down and will be under twice as much water. At the worst, but just before the whole town is actually flooding, the water can be up to two feet or higher of water and can often move quite quickly despite the sandbags in place to help. This spot on the that floods is about a hundred yards long or more.

So you have the picture in your mind of what this looks like? Now let me explain that nary a year goes by that this does not happen to some degree or another. And nor does a year go by that some idiot (or several idiots) doesn’t get stuck in this water.

Now how stupid does one have to be to drive up to a flooded road, see that there is even a scale that shows how deep the water is, and that even some of the locals don’t go through but are instead all out of their cars and watching the other idiots who have tried to go through and are now stuck, and STILL DRIVE THROUGH!? And some of them even surpass the normal standards of stupidity and actually try to pass the already broken down car by going into the deeper water.

Blink.

Really long blink.

Sigh. Yes, there really are people that stupid in the world and unfortunately they always happen to visit Pescadero when the road is flooding. But they do serve the purpose of entertaining the locals. I’ll freely admit that when leaving town today and coming upon the scene at the bridge I was having a lot more fun then I had in a long time! Not only were there two small subcompact cars stuck right in the middle of the water, but there was also a very expensive looking Mercedes that was out of the water and in the process of being towed. A couple of locals gleefully informed me that that the Mercedes tried to pass the other two cars. How it got out of the water I am unsure about as I do not believe even our local tow guy would be willing to drive his truck into that water to rescue a car. But that's not all! On the far side of the water, wanting to get into town were several PG&E trucks and the school bus. If not for the stupid dinky cars the school bus would have been through in a minute and the work trucks shouldn’t have had a problem either. But alas, stupid people abound and so no one could get through even if they were capable.

I, myself would not have gone through even if it hadn’t been blocked. Despite the fact that I drive a Jeep Liberty, which has plenty of clearance and is heavy enough not to be pushed around by the current, I have been driving through there both as a driver and as a passenger for twenty years and know when to not join the stupid people! In my truck I might have dared though. I have gone through several times when I would recommend that a small car should not, but I have learned when to go through and when not too.

So as you can see, the rain and stupid people provide boundless entertainment for the Pescadero population.

Maybe we need something else to entertain us.

Or maybe we just find humor in everything in life.

Or maybe all the stories you hear about weird country people are true and you should stay very far away from us, since we obviously find you city people entertaining when you do something stupid. Which is pretty darn often.

You should come visit Pescadero, its a fun place!!

Pride and Joy?

2010-01-13T16:19:00.001-08:00

How often do you ask your horse to do something and when the response is quick and exactly what you wanted, your just blown away?

I love those moments! They are best for people like me who brought her horses along from almost day one. While Huck did know a bit before I bought him, and Lucy did have other trainers, Ollie is all my creation and most of Lucy too.

I had Ollie out over the weekend preparing him for driving again since I want to start the boys tandem. It was long lining him and just so amazed and happy when he listened to all my cues and responded promptly. It really gives one a sense of pride with their horses, that they put that work into them to get them that far.

I often forget how much work I did put into them since I don’t spend as much time with them now as I should. Sometimes things get in the way and I only hope that will change soon!

That is one reason why I want another horse to bring up my way. At least then I can blame any faults on myself rather then being annoyed that I have to correct other peoples mistakes.

My horses are my pride and joy, because I helped make them what they are and I am proud of what they are.

Just a couple of maybes on the go to see list

2010-01-06T12:34:00.001-08:00

I found both of these guys after a morning of hard cragslisting! Hehe! I now have a whole bunch of cragslist ads in my inbox because I wanted to look over them more but not inquire about them yet.

So the two that I am the most interested in going to see:

Red Hot Special

Quarter Horse X Arabian gelding, three years old

His Craigslist ad

His sale page

He is bred for reining, but is a very well put together for that price.

He might be a little too small though, hoping the owner will get back to me on his current size.

AND

Shermandell Viscount

Morgan stud, two and a half years old

His craigslist ad

His website

So yes the downside is that he is full Morgan. But he is going to be one Hell of good looking horse! While I fully believe that he would have just as good of a chance at being good at endurance, he isn’t really the sort that is going to win the Tevis. But then do I want to win the Tevis? Its not high on my list! Finishing Tevis however is (on my list, not really that high though). So I am looking for a 100 miler. But I really don’t want a full Arab. I am very partial to half Arabs. Most particularly Morabs and Anlgo Arabs, love them.

Either one of these boys would be great family horses, probably good at driving and could have kids ride them, and do some eventing. When I was looking at Ocean I was fully convinced that I wanted a high strung Arab that was a supurb athlete. Now however I think I want a horse that is more versatile but still enjoys long distance riding (or being ridden at all!).

I want something a little more calmed down that isn’t real high maintenance, but can still get up and go on the trail. So I may have to sacrifice having a 100 miler for that, I can deal with that.

What I really like about these two boys is that they are just ready to be started under saddle. So I would get to shape them just the way I want them. Getting to do that with Lucy was so wonderful I would love to get to have that experience again, although this time I would be cutting out the boring first couple of years!

Animal Communicators

2010-01-06T12:06:00.001-08:00

What do you think of them? Ever come in contact with one?

I have had several interactions with a really nice woman named Chris. Back when I was trying to figure out what was wrong with Kezi, she responded to a post on the endurance open group. She told me that she thought there might be something going on in her back right leg. I was obviously very interested to know why she felt this, and so I found out about her “gift” for lack of a better term.

She ended up talking to Kezi about her past and the foal she had lost at one point. It was very interesting, but I still wasn’t sure that I really believed in these kinds of things. I believe very firmly in that horses do not think in the same way we do, and therefore cannot communicate with other animals that way.

Now weather I believe in psychics or telepathy is a whole different story. I like to keep myself firmly planted in real down to earth believable facts. But I keep my mind open to just about everything. I am willing to listen and take away whatever I want. More often then not, I believe a lot of these people are just very good at telling you what you want to hear. If its not what we want to hear, then most likely we will not believe.

One of the more mystical things that I do sometimes practice is the use of Osho Zen cards. Not only do they give very good advice, but they are easy to interpret to almost any situation. Plus they are very pretty!

Now back to the animal communicator; this last fall when I was going through everything trying desperatly to figure out what to do with Kezi, someone suggested an animal communicator. They recommended someone to me, but I decided to talk with the one I already knew.

She told me much of what I already knew, that Kezi was in pain and wasn’t sure she could make it through winter. It really helped my decision and when I did put Kezi down she went very peacefully.

Now I am at a loss as to what do with Lucy’s increasing hate of being ridden or even touched.

So I talked with Chris again. She said that Lucy wanted more “mom” time, time just spent being groomed and loved. I have always found that Lucy isn’t much into being just groomed, however I can easily interpret this as being taken out to be played with and not ridden. I had been feeling like Lucy needed some time just being played with and not taken out on long rides. Chris said that Lucy felt that we needed to reconnect, which is exactly along the lines of what I have been feeling lately. I used to be able to take Lucy into the arena without a halter on and do all sorts of movements with Lucy following me. She would join up wonderfully with me and follow me all over the place. This is back when I was boarding and had ready access to an arena and round pen. Now I don’t do this as much at home. I think its time to put in a round pen!

Chris also said that Lucy felt there was something off in her hooves. Could just be because her hooves have been a little off this year from being left too long last year, but they are defiantly coming back around.

All in all it was a great reminded of what I already knew, but wasn’t really paying any attention too.

Even if Chris can’t communicate with horses, she certainly can give excellent insite into your relationship with your horse!

Next: Some horses I would like to go look at (maybe!)

Its mine! I saw it first!

2010-01-06T11:36:00.001-08:00

I am adding yet another saddle to my collection! Wait, no! TWO!!

Yes, you read right, my weird thing with never being content with one saddle has finally lead to me buying not, but two saddles within a couple weeks of each other.

Once I just bought and will be shipped tomorrow:

http://www.horsegroomingsupplies.com/horse-forums/fs-western-plantation-saddles-and-misc-tack-309072.html

It just looked like a really fun saddle for the price, and I am really into trooper/plantation style saddles.

And this one I am going to send a check for part next week and pay the remained by the end of the month:

http://monterey.craigslist.org/grd/1517991620.html

I mean come on! Who can pass up a saddle like that for that price!? I didn’t have the fortitude in me to do so! The funny thing is even though I find the flex tree intriguing, I had never planned on owning one myself, but to tell you the truth, I have been day dreaming about sitting my tush in that heavenly looking saddle!

Sigh. I am SO weird.

But hey, if I do end up buying another horse soon I am pretty much guaranteed that at least ONE of my soon to be 7 saddles will it!

Next: Chatting with animal communicator about Lucy

This is one nice looking horse for the price

2010-01-05T13:31:00.001-08:00

http://redding.craigslist.org/grd/1512752533.html

Yeah? He is just so far away! Grrr!

Oooo! Road trip to see Lorens friends in Oregon!!

On the subject of another horse

2010-01-03T10:36:00.001-08:00

So, will I be getting another horse?

Lets look at the facts:

I have had four horses for the past year and a half, while also having large vet bills at the same time and managed it ok as far as finances.
I have to push myself to ride Lucy.
Lucy hasn’t been as ok with being ridden since she was sick, is it unfair to make her go out for rides after what she has been through?
Lucy makes a great riding horse for my sister, who can’t ride very often which would suit Lucy.
I would really love to center on training Lucy to drive this year, but I still need to get out on the trail.

So, will I be getting another horse?

Yep, you betcha! How soon, well its hard to say. I could limit myself to exactly what I want: morab, mare over 15hh, greenbroke with trail experiance.

Or I could go take a look at this adorable 15.3 arab/tb type gelding who is a complete sweetheart and who really needs a home as his owner is pending foreclosure.

Of course wait a month and I could find another horse that really needs a home and is adorable and sweet!

I might wait a bit, or I might not!

Last ride of 2009

2010-01-03T10:27:00.001-08:00

And first ride in a month, boy is my body yelling at me!! I can’t believe how quickly I got out of shape!

I was so excited to get to ride, it was a really nice day despite the early forecast of rain.

But when your horse is Lucy, the good never lasts. Lucy didn’t want to be touched. While I am used to this (and having to bribe her with grain) it really puts a damper on your ride. I almost didn’t want to ride just because it was upsetting how much Lucy didn’t want to be ridden.

I did end up catching her and trailering her down to one of my favorite trails that I haven’t ridden on since last spring.

I had a ton of new stuff to try out so tacking up took a while, luckily Lucy is patient!

Heart Rate Monitor:

Yea! I got to use my new heart rate monitor! It was a little confusing since I couldn’t get to work the whole first half of the ride, but then I decided later that was because her coat wasn’t wet enough (I wet it down with a washcloth, but I don’t think that was the best). I will deffinatly see about getting the gel.

Once it did work though it was pretty cool to see what her heart rate was! The only annoying part was that it was preset with limits and the low limit was 80, so it kept beeping at me on the way up! I ended up turning it off on the way back down since it wouldn’t stop beeping. So I need to change the presets.

I also learned that its a bit temperamental! Get the watch too far away from the monitor and it will not pick anything up (and really I wasn’t that far away!) and get it too close (like inches) and it starts going haywire!

Other then that is was pretty cool! Can’t wait to use it for actual conditioning, right now I will be using it to monitor Lucy’s condition as she comes back into work.

Easyboot Bares:

Worked quite well actually! I thought for sure that Lucy’s huge ground covering trot would throw them off, but no problems. This was the first time we had ridden in them. I had tried them on before but wasn’t confident about using them. However since Lucy’s last trim I think her hooves have been changing shape (for the better) a little bit, and that she will fit into the 1’s longer now.

One of the boots did squeak, which was unbelievably annoying! However after watching Lucy walk for a it (and surprisingly not tripping and falling as I was walking too!) I determined that that boot was looser and that I could tighten it up a bit and that would probably (hopefully!) fix the squeak!

Outback Saddlery leather saddle bag:

Was a little bit of a disappointment. I got this for Christmas. It’s really pretty and of really nice leather. I like that I can put it on either a western or English saddle (my endurance saddle is very western) and it can hold a lot. However, its nearly impossible to get into from the saddle, it just hangs too low. So for carrying lunches and stuff you won’t need while in the saddle its great, but deffinatly needs to be paired with something with easy access.

Lucy was pretty slow on the ride and kept wanting to turn around. We trotted a couple times but only very briefly. I have to admit, the ride wasn’t really all that much fun. Lucy is a great horse, but she just isn’t that much of a riding horse anymore. I think she will be great for rides now and then, and as a second horse for taking my sister riding, as she is much more willing to go out with other horses.

I meant to go for another ride this weekend, but I was still sore from our ride on Thursday, and really wasn’t sure I wanted to deal with Lucy. It kinda takes the fun out of it when your horse really doesn’t want to be there.

I am still planning on getting her in shape for Shine and Shine only, but we will see if I don’t give up from lack of enthusiasm.

Here is a map of my ride:

http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?t=p&q=http:%2F%2Fapi.motionxlive.com%2Fmotionx-remote%2Fapi%2Fgps%2Fhost%2F958e9829-fce9-4789-848c-aedd3876ffd0&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=37.213925,-122.33036&spn=0.027615,0.06712&z=14

Stats:

Name:
Butano 12/31

Date:
Dec 31, 2009 1:43 pm

Distance:
6.75 miles

Elapsed Time:
2:16:12

Avg Speed:
3.0 mph

Max Speed:
8.6 mph

Avg Pace:
20' 11" per mile

Min Altitude:
10 ft

Max Altitude:
1,040 ft

Stop me before I do anything stupid!

2009-12-29T17:58:00.001-08:00

I had asked about this mare back when I was looking for an endurance mount. She is still up for sale. She reminds me of Kezi somehow. Loren has forbidden me from getting another horse this year, but I am still on and off thinking about another trail horse. Theses days its mostly because I want to be able to ride with my sister and Loren and whoever else that doesn’t have a horse to ride.

http://www.bayequest.com/b001/showads.php?ClassType=ID&maintype=126652&subtype=all&mth=1

Seriously, I am not sure I can keep myself from buying another horse! I really liked having both my mares, and having two ridable horses was great, and yet when was the last time I rode?

And I am calming down on the endurance stuff (I am still wanting to go to some rides and train for it) and remembering why I got into it in the first place, because I LOVE trail riding!

Lets see how much Loren yells at me when I bring this girl up!

Happy 101

2009-12-29T12:35:00.001-08:00

So Mel passed this blog award on to me, I have to figure out ten things that make me happy then pass it on to ten more people. Unfortunately I only really chat with two other bloggers, and since one is Mel and the other she also nominated I think I’ll leave that part out!

Things that make me happy:

1. Watching my horses run in their pasture. Especially Lucy, she is very agile and pretty even when running up and down hills!

2. The first 10 minutes of any ride. It doesn’t matter how mad I might be at my horse up until that point or how bad our ride might go, I am always just so happy when I first mount up and start down the trail!

3. Snuggling with my boyfriend! Especially on cold mornings!

4. Driving from home to work and back again, I live in the most picturesque place possible!

5. Planning my rides the day before, I like to sit down with a map and go over how far/long we will be riding and how we will ride the terrain.

6. Hanging out with my sisters, even though we are all very different, we usually have a great time hanging out.

7. Playing with my dog, or taking him for walk. I raised him as my trail riding dog so he loves to go on rides with me, unfortunately I can’t take him on a lot of the trails I ride on now, so its always nice to ride at home and bring him with.

8. Ummmm, is it weird to put playing wow!?

9. Having a clean house, it doesn’t happen very often but when it does its so nice!

10. Living in a small town, where everybody knows you and looks out for you (or is just plain nosy, depends on how you see it!)

Gee I thought finding ten things that make me happy would be hard!

Right now all I want to do is go riding! I haven’t ridden Lucy since October and I haven’t ridden at all since Desert Gold. Too many things keep coming up. The weekend before Christmas my dad and I went to Las Vegas, I got the flu and now I haven’t been eating that well since then. I would have gone for a ride this last weekend but it was raining on Sat so I cleaned my tack room (Lucy now has 5 blankets! Two turn outs, one show/stable, one sheet and one fly sheet).

On Sunday I had every intention on riding and the weather was great. My truck was in town at my sisters so I went to pick it up, however it was low on diesel (I think anyway, my trucks fuel gage doesn’t work and I haven’t driven it in a while to remember how much I put in the last time), and the gas station in town has three of its pumps out, which is including the diesel! So I thought about riding at home, but didn’t want Lucy’s first ride in such a long time to be all climbing hills. I finally decided to take her for a ride at home on our short trail but while grooming her I got really lightheaded and had to hold on to her for support. I wisely decided to ride another day! Instead I took her out to graze and sat on her bareback in my mud boots, it was fun!

But now I really, really, really want to ride! Especially since I got a heart rate monitor and a really nice leather saddle bag for Christmas!

Oh and I think I want to buy an Australian saddle for Lucy! I like my Marciante, but I think I want something a little more English. We will see!

Happy New Year!

Updates!

2009-12-15T11:30:00.001-08:00

Really not much to update on though. I haven’t ridden since Desert Gold, first it was horribly cold, then it rained and now I am just too busy. I am enjoying getting my work done right now and its pretty muddy out anyway.

I was hoping to go riding this weekend but I may be going to Las Vegas with my father. I hoping to get out of it since I don’t want to be away the weekend before Christmas.

I actually haven’t been doing much of anything horsey even my usual online horse research for one of the thousand things I feel it nessecary to research.

Mostly I have been catching up on work and doing research for my story.

My boyfriends mom gave me a bag full of leeks which I am now trying to find a good recipe for! Not entirely sure what I am going to do with them, I have never even eaten them before!

I’m also supposed to be going to a livestock auction to look for a cow for my dad for Christmas. This was origonally my idea but now I am not so sure I am up for it. I was so busy and out of everything that I put it off until this week, cause I kept forgetting that Christmas is next week. I am so not ready for Christmas.

Anyway, I am not sure I want to buy another animal that eats a lot of food. As it would live in my pasture I would feed it, and as I already feed another of my fathers animals (Huck belongs to my dad) and care for it. Plus I really don’t want to have to take all that time off to go to auction and whatnot.

Well anyway, I guess that is it for now. I was hoping to ride this week but now my dad wants to leave on Thursday (he wanted to leave in the morning but the horses are being trimmed in the afternoon so I can’t leave until like 5) so I will be missing a whole day of work. Of course as Loren pointed out, this is my boss who I am going with!

2010 rides

2009-12-09T13:58:00.001-08:00

I will deffinatly go to one of these, just not sure which yet and might go to more then one.

1. Shine and Shine Only 3/13:

Why: Its practually in my backyard, it won’t be much of a drive for me. I will get to condition there before the ride if I want.

Driving distance: 66 Miles, 1:40 driving time

The trails should be fairly easy, there are not many big hills in San Jose.

2. Shine and Shine Only II 4/17:

Why: If Lucy does well at the first one and I like it, why not go to the second one?

3. American River Classic 4/24

Why: Putting this ride on here is insane, but I would so love to do it! Its far away (by my standards!) and from what I understand its not an easy ride. However I would really love to do it someday. Obviously I would have to chose between this one and shine and shine only.

Distance: 165 miles, at least 3 hours driving time

4. Wild West Pioneer 5/28 5/29 5/30

Why: Well Mel loves this ride, so there must be something good about it! Still quite a ways away. I will hopefully know by then how Lucy is feeling about endurance rides and would possibly ride two days if she was doing well and enjoying it.

Distance: Well further then American River Classic!!

5. Just Coe Crazy 6/5

Why: Close and I really enjoyed riding in this park. Again I would have to chose between Wild West and this one.

Distance: 90 miles, 2 hours driving time

6. Diablo Trail 6/26

Why: Again very close by, and somewhere I can condition at first.

Distance: 75 miles, 1:40 Driving time

7. Eastern High Sierra Classic 8/14

Why: Again a ride that I would really like to do at some point, but may be too hard for Lucy this year (or at all). I have seen pictures from this ride and have decided that I need to go there in person!

Distance: 250 miles, at least 5 hours of driving!

8. Desert Gold! I think I would like the chance to ride this one with Lucy, as I did really like the park.

So now that I know there will be a shine and shine only in March (just a couple days after my birthday!) I am more likely to go to that one or the one in April. Depends on what Loren and I do for our birthdays (they are a week apart).

If I manage to get to one ride I will be happy, if I get to one ride other then shine or shine only I will be thrilled. And if Lucy just really takes to endurance and I really enjoy it with her we will go to as many as we can afford! And that Loren is willing to have us gone for! Heheh!

I don’t think I will get to ride this weekend because of the rain, I almost rode this morning but decided to get to work on time instead. So who knows when I will get to ride, but I am deffinatly having horse withdrawl!

The Lucy factor

2009-12-07T15:04:00.001-08:00

Yea, a post about Lucy!

So I have plans for this year, not goals. Some of them may turn into goals, but for now they are plans.

I just realized on Saturday that Lucy is nine now. Its hard to believe that she is that old! She is such an amazing horse!

So our plans for this year:

Ride at least once a week, possibly twice.
One long ride a week (10 to 15 miles)
Some work on driving at home (short sessions)
As little trotting as she likes. I will not make her trot more then she wants to, but it will be my decision to walk not hers.
We will not set out specific miles, times or paces before a ride, we will just ride the ride we feel like doing at the time.
I will keep a very detailed log of our rides and study it as much as possible to make sure I am keeping her happy and not over working her.
We will ride at home no more then two rides in a row.
We will ride somewhere new at least once a month until there are no more close places to ride that we have not been too.
I will trailer her to my gate to ride rather then just walk from home as she doesn’t like that.
I will take her to a ride in Spring and see how she likes it!
We will have fun!

Well I think that is about it! I don’t know which ride yet I want to take her too. Loren really wants me to take her to one as soon as possible. Even though she is still in great shape it will take me until the end of the year to get her back into as good of shape as she was at the end of summer.

Its interesting because reading back through my blog posts, she was actually doing quite well. She did have her off days, but all in all she was doing really well. I think I just pushed her a little too far on that 20 mile ride (although I did learn that she is capable of doing that milage, and that was a tough ride!) and I rode her too much at home.

I need to make sure I don’t make any of the mistakes I made over the summer and do all the things that helped. I think keeping the milage at 8 to 10 miles was really good and will be a good time to up her speed, very slowly. Or I may not up her speed at all until after her first ride. I think she will be a lot faster at a ride and may start to want to pick of the speed after her first ride. It may be that I will not work her at very fast speeds at home but mostly do hill work, and let her pick her own pace at rides (which I think will be faster then at home).

We will see what happens.

I told Loren about twenty mule team, which he thinks I should do, but I am concerned that for her first ride its pretty far away. I would deffinatly stay as long as Mel is there, I think.

Hopefully I will get to ride this weekend (rain might be gone by Sunday!) and so I will get to see how well Lucy has retained her condition.

Well this weird week just won’t end will it?

2009-12-03T15:31:00.001-08:00

So today I came to the decision to quit all of the non-profits I help out at. This is actually a rather long list once I thought about it”

Pescadero Conservation Alliance, I was their “human resources” in other words I did everything that no one else wanted to do, and I answered questions.

Pescadero Foundation, I am the treasurer, we have a meeting next week at which point I will inform them of my decision (which I might note, it was not my idea to be in this position in the first place)

Pescadero Arts and Fun Festival, technicly I am not a part of this organization, but I have always helped out being the daughter of one of the founders and sister to one of the current members. I have never missed one festival, I was two when they started.

Community Christmas tree, sponsered by the Pescadero Arts and Fun Festival, ,my mom and Lorens mom were more or less in charge of it. When my mom died I just kept on getting the tree and helping Kellie decorate it.

The funny thing is that I had pretty much decided most if not all of them before today. But today is when I decided to get out of PCA, it had to do with an e-mail which I will not go into. PAFF I knew right after that I was not interested in going or helping out anymore, and I had just told Loren yesterday that this would be the last year for me with dealing with the tree. Why? Because I use terms like “dealing with the tree”. I am no longer happy doing these volunteer jobs. I want a more simplistic life, I thought that I wanted the busy fast paced life my mother lead. A part of me too thinks that really, I wasn’t in it for the good and the humility of helping, but because I wanted to be important and praised for me great abilities. I wanted to seem busy and importaint and just really good at what I did. But the fact of the matter is I am not good enough at any of these things for myself. Other people seems happy with the jobs I do, but I expect more. So until I am capable of more (lets not forget that I am only 20 and have been involved with many of theses things since before I was 18) I would prefer to simplify my life a little more. My job is hard and stressful enough.

My dad will be upset, because he really liked me being involved at PCA, but I have to admit (and I can only admit this here) I don’t see the organization going anywhere. I think it will continue to flounder until it just dies. I know this shows no confidence, but I trust my instincts and they are rarely wrong.

Its funny because in many ways I think everything with Ocean helped start this.

I thought I wanted a really nice talented endurance horse to take me far – I really just want Lucy.
I thought I enjoyed having a fast paced busy life – I want something more simple that allows me to enjoy what I am doing in the moment.
I thought I wanted to be involved in a sport that allowed me to plan everything and monitor my horse health and condition and that I could make goals and schedule – I want to just ride my horse and no longer have goals or ambitions (for the time being), I want to ride then go home and be happy that I just rode, not depending on how many miles we went or how fast she went.

I know, I promised no more unusual posts! But its been a very strange enlightening week, what can I say!!

Enlightenment

2009-12-02T18:36:00.001-08:00

Who, me?

Nah!!

But really, I did have a moment of enlightenment yesterday, it was brief, fleeting if you will!

I was researching religions for my story (no, I really was having fun) and while doing a bit of reading up on Buddism I realised something. See I have known quite a bit about Buddism from my family, most the female members, so its ideas are not wholly unknown to me. However I have never really sat down and studied its teachings before.

It has four noble truths:

Life as we know it ultimately is or leads to suffering/uneasiness (dukkha) in one way or another.
Suffering is caused by craving or attachments to worldly pleasures of all kinds. This is often expressed as a deluded clinging to a certain sense of existence, to selfhood, or to the things or phenomena that we consider the cause of happiness or unhappiness.
Suffering ends when craving ends, when one is freed from desire. This is achieved by eliminating all delusion, thereby reaching a liberated state of Enlightenment (bodhi);
Reaching this liberated state is achieved by following the path laid out by the Buddha.

Number two really hit me. When I was planning on buying Ocean, I was oppressed with all the problems assosiated with having to spend that amount of money and all the time I would have to spend with him conditioning and whatnot. After the ride when I decided I did not want to buy him, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest, I felt so much better.

I realize now that I was pushing myself towards the goal of Endurance because I felt that I would have no direction in my life without it and that Lucy would never be useful in that respect. I thought that I wanted to be busy caring for an athlete and conditioning him, now however I am realizing that after all I went through with both mares I just was to relax and enjoy my horses quietly.

Anyway, thats my philosophical post of the week!

Horse are a horrible, horrible disease!!

2009-11-30T22:32:00.001-08:00

Why do we not have a cure!?!?!?

So I just posted about how I want to spend more time with Lucy and how she is my baby and how much I love her and want to ride just her.

And do you know what happens??

I find this:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/grd/1488550829.html

And I think: oh she is cute and needs a home!

The really ridicules part? I wasn’t even looking for horses, I was looking for COWS!!!

Grrrrrrr!!!!!!!

Loren says that I need a break from horses, and I totally agree. But my mind keeps saying “but she is so cute and needs a home!”

Why must we be this way?!?!

The big 100!!

2009-11-29T22:16:00.001-08:00

Yep, number 100! I have managed to continue to find things that I feel are interesting enough to talk about for 100 posts! Well I find them interesting anyway! Hehe!

So rather then talking about one specific thing lets take a look back over 2009 and then just talk a little bit about what is going on right now.

Winter 2009: Started brining Lucy back into work, very slowly. At that time she couldn’t really go for more then a 5 mile ride without being too out of breath. We never even thought about trotting up hills and her hill work was extremely limited. Mostly I rode her on my short 3 mile trail at home that is very flat.

Kezi was lame on and off. I took her to see the last vet we worked with.

Spring 2009: Looked at a beautiful Anglo-Arab gelding while I was seriously considering putting Kezi down. I still kinda wish I had gotten him, he was quite a horse. But I wasn’t ready to give up on Kezi and I have since learned that I truly am a mare person.

I put Kezi on anti-inflamitories for a very long time too see if it helped at all.

I continued working Lucy on the trails, upping her mileage but rarely her speed. She didn’t seem as into trotting as before she got sick.

Summer 2009: Continued Kezi’s time off. She stayed sound for the longest time since owning her.

I really buckled down with the conditioning with Lucy. I took her to an endurance seminar where I learned that Lucy is rather competitive. I started asking for more trot, just not on our longer rides. She was still doing well on our longer rides but not so much when I asked her to trot a lot.

I took her for one very long ride on a hot day, deffinatly shouldn’t have and she really resented me for it. She refused to let me touch her in the pasture and so I stopped riding to repair our relationship.

Kezi went very, very lame at the end of summer.

Fall 2009: I struggled with the decision to put Kez down. I also struggled with the decision to buy an endurance horse. I saw what I did to Lucy over the summer as a failure. I had seen that she was not as into our longer, faster rides as she was before she was sick. I came to the conclusion that she needed more time off after her sickness. I shouldn’t have put her back into work so soon after she got better, even though she did have a whole year off it was while her body was repairing. I made the absolute decision that Lucy would never be an endurance horse because she did not like it. Yet I think I may have overlooked a lot of things. I’ll post about soon.

I made the decision to put Keziah down. I miss her like hell, but I do still feel like I made the right choice.

I decided to try a really nice endurance horse on trail. While being a drop dead gorgeous horse (he even made Lucy look scrawny and unpretty by comparison, and LOVE Lucy) and just full to the brim with talent, the horse just turned out to be an ass. No easier way to put it. I worked with him and I was patient, but in the end it was his attitude that made me not like him. He just didn’t care about anything be going fast, always. I didn’t feel secure around him at all. His behavior at the endurance ride was bordering on some major disrespect and was just not something I wanted to have to deal with, especially for $4500!!

I met Mel! And Farley of course! I loved them both! I hope I get to continue going for rides with them both! It turns out we have ton in common.

I went to my first endurance ride. After two years of doing little else but push towards doing endurance, it all seemed to come crashing down around me. I found little that I enjoyed. Mel and many of the other riders were pretty awesome, I am glad I got to spend time with them. But I am not an “on my own” kind of person. I really like my home life and it takes a lot to drag me away from that, apparently endurance was not enough. Had I had Lucy there I imagine that things would have been a lot different. I wouldn’t have been alone at the ride (unfortunity Mel doesn’t count since I only just met her), I would have had a good friend who would have been there for me. Instead I was camping with an idiot!

If things hadn’t come to such a culmination with the idiot things again would have been better, but still not great. I got the sense that many of these people have little time for people who are new, or just are not used to it happening. It certainly didn’t help getting yelled at by the in timer, but I wasn’t her only victim, other rides were getting it too. I understand having a bad day, but I am NEVER that way to people I don’t know on a bad day! Its almost like since they all know each other (for the most part) they feel like they can be kinda titchy and no one will care.

There was also a deffinatly feeling of just not belonging there. I don’t know why, I can’t really explain it, yet when I left it was a huge relief to get away. I guess there is a part of me that sees bit fancy trailers and what I know are very expensive horses and saddles and go back to schooling days when we HATED those riders. I know these ones are not the same, but its hard to stop thinking that way. I love that everything about me and my horse is mismatched and hand me downs and just well, whatever works! I always prided myself on having raised (pardon the expression, its the only one that suites) a wonderful mare that I am always finding new reasons to love and wonder at! Besides the fact that she is practically a medical miracle (she repaired nerves she should never have, and came back from something that NONE of the vets thought she would) she has always been an exceptional horse (unless you need to cross a bridge! Hehe!) and well, she loves and trusts me. Because I had Lucy nothing else ever seemed to matter. But with the idiot, everything seemed different. Like I needed to live up to the rider he was supposed to have, or that now that I had an endurance horse, I needed to be an endurance rider. I don’t know, its hard to explain. I wasn’t there to try my best with my own horse that I had worked so hard with, I was there to try out a horse that I expected to behave a wee bit better (as per what his owner said).

Well I could go on moralizing this experience to death, but really the bottom line is that I need Lucy, and Lucy only. Maybe she will turn out to be more into endurance after she had had some time off, maybe not. But I would rather be out on a boring slow ride with Lucy, then a fast paced conditioning ride on a horse that I haven’t had the same life experiences with.

One does not go through losing their mother (and best friend) with a friend, who you then have to almost lose just a year later without it leaving some kind of mark. Lucy has left a mark on me that will never go away, the mark of love.

So, now that I have been through all sentimental and crap, now what? What will 2010 bring (other then the winter Olympics and a lot of confused people trying to figure out if they should say oh ten or twenty ten!)?

Well I really don’t know! And guess what? I also don’t care! Not right now anyway! I have spent the last two years desperately wanting to get involved with a sport I hardly knew anything about. Now that I know that that can be put aside for now, in order for me to repair things with Lucy and get a handle on my life outside horse, the options are limitless.

It feels weird, so abruptly letting endurance go. It constitutes a huge change in my life, not only have I tried it and not liked it, thereby changing all my horsey habits and ways of thinking, but I also got really close to something then was ok with letting it go at the last minute. Normally once I get involved in something like buying a horse, I stick with it just because its what is easiest and I assume that it is what I want. Although admittly I have never been in this exact situation before.

Ever since Friday I have had my nose in a book, and have mostly not thought about horses. I pulled out one of my old notebooks with one of my favorite stories in it and started thinking about improving on it and extending my database of the world I am trying to create. I get my best ideas while driving so I will need to implement the recorder on my phone.

I know Alicia really wants to drive Lucy, so that will be down as a major to do. I don’t know if I will ever be comfortable driving Lucy in town, but you never know.

The tree lighting is next Friday, so it may be time to pull Huck out of semi-retirement and get him out for a Christmas kickoff drive (we love to deck the boys out in Christmas decor, its pretty darn cute!). Alicia would be happy!

I am kinda looking forward to some time off from horses, not worrying about there health, or trying to keep up on a conditioning schedule, or trying to figure out how I am going to afford that new saddle or new horse or new anything! I can stop being on the edge of something, be it the end of one horses life, buying a new one, or getting into a new sport. Instead I can just sit back and enjoy what I have created over the past eight years. My wonderful girl. I know I will still have days when I will scream and yell at her, and think that she will never be useful as a riding horse again. But its much nicer screaming and yelling at her knowing that the next day we will be back to normal again.

Hopefully the next post will be back to being a little bit more normal! I am just in a really reflective mood right now. Knowing that for the present I have given up endurance (its not entirely off the board yet, in essence nothing really ever is) is so weird and almost alien that it was board to spark some interesting and deep thoughts.

Well, thats all folks!

Ah my first foray into endurance riding

2009-11-27T19:32:00.001-08:00

And probably my last. It was not short and sweet. It was more like long and cold, stressful, pain inducing, and dream shattering.

Really not wanting to go started several days ago. I don’t take well to new things, but often I will force myself to go so that I can see for myself if I enjoyed it.

I did not.

So now I know.

Of course to say I did not enjoy myself is a little off. I REALLY enjoyed getting to spend time with and chat with Mel. If she hadn’t been there I would have really hated it. Plus the people who camped next to me were very nice ( I ended up riding with the daughter for a while since we both had nutcase horses).

Most of the people that were riding that I met seemed really nice. Some were kinda distance and others just sort of ignored me (I am referring to when I was out on the trail), but a lot of them were super nice and asked to make sure I was ok when I was walking Ocean.

The ride staff on the other hand. Well, whats the point of putting on a ride if your going to be pessimistic to the point of where I have to wonder if they really enjoy endurance or not. They were EXREAMLY unhelpful, and I even got yelled at by one (well sort of, she wasn’t being nice lets put it that way).

I generally hate being around large amounts of people, even people I do know, and people I don’t know are even worse. Its not that I am shy, I just don’t like it. I knew that in endurance there were a lot of people around, but that once you started going and getting to know people that it was like a big family. I figured I would just have to bear it until it was like that for me, but now I see that I really don’t want to have to go through that.

The last thing that I really didn’t enjoy was something that really surprised me. It turns out that I HATE sharing the trail. I have grown so accustom to having all the trails to myself as a rider that I really hate being on the trail with other riders passing. I was the happiest when I was more or less at the back of the pack and was able to ride Ocean through a very pretty place all by my self. Of course at that point I was desperately wishing I had my wonderful mare.

Not for the fist time either. I think the whole experience would have been better had I had Lucy along instead. I did make me uncomfortable having Ocean since I don’t know him and don’t trust him. And of course Lucy is capable of behaving herself, almost all of the time.

I can’t believe I really wanted to go off an ride another horse other then my study, dependable and wonderful mare. Lucy is one of my best friends, and being out on the trail with her is always peaceful, even when she isn’t doing what I want!

I will be in contact with Ocean’s owner this weekend. He is not worth what she wants with all his faults. I am not sure I would pay anything for that brat! He just never got better, just worse. Until I was ready to club him over the head. Then I just wanted to club myself over the head so I could get away from him.

I will not be looking for another endurance horse. Kezi was my attempt, she didn’t work out (although was still very much loved despite that) and that is that. I am happy to go back to riding my trusted steed.

Maybe somewhere down the line I will take her to an endurance ride since I do know that Lucy can be competitive when other horses are around. But my real interest in endurance has always been the conditioning part. Having something to work towards and to keep me on track. But now I am not sure if the rides are enough to get me out there conditioning after all.

Wherever Lucy wants to go or do is what we will do. Even if its just hanging out in her pasture most of the time. Lucy has done so much more, given me so much more, and been through so much more then I could ever believe, she deserves to be my pampered princess.

We will see how I feel after the weekend when my body has recouped from having to walk almost 10 of the first 15 miles since I could no longer handle Ocean’s “energy”.

Pictures from at Henry Coe!

2009-11-24T12:02:00.001-08:00

Finally! I remembered my camera!

It was a very nice day!

Ride at Henry Coe with Mel and Farley

2009-11-23T10:17:00.001-08:00

So I forgot my camera once again! So I will just post this without pictures and get the pictures up tomorrow, assuming I can remember my camera then!

After trying to ride together all Summer and Fall, we actually managed to get together, and ironicly enough, we will also see each other at the ride next week!

What fun day! Mel was a lot of fun to ride with, and Henry Coe park is really beautiful!

Pre ride:

Ok, so getting up at 6am on Saturday isn’t usually how I like to start the weekend, but for getting to ride with Mel over in Henry Coe was worth it.

I was only a wee bit concerned that Ocean might not get in the trailer, I had been pretty sure that after our ground work session on Thursday he had gotten the idea. I was right! Although once in the trailer he would not calm down!! He kept putting his head out of the door and then back in, pawing and kicking and just generally making noise. I hate horses that move around a lot in the trailer. To me, when a horse makes noise in the trailer, I need to go check on it as something is not right, that is what Lucy taught me. Luckly though Ocean calmed down and rode the rest of the way like a pro! I was very happy with how well he trailered, espeshally since we were on the road for two and a half hours getting there.

The Park:

Henry Coe is an amazing place to ride! If it weren’t for the fact that I have well over a half a dozen fantastic parks to ride in within an hour, including Big Basin which does not require that I have to trailer, I would ride there more often!

Certainly for riding with Mel it will be a great place to ride in to get away from our normal haunts.

I really liked how the trails were cut into the hillside much the same way the access road in the big cow fields along the highways are. It made me feel like I was riding in an old cowfield (which I think we were given all the old fences and buildings, guess I need to read up on the history of the park!).

Ocean:

Ocean was great! I am simply amazed at this horses energy! Even at the end of our ten mile ride, he was still jigging and trying to get me to let him canter. I think I have my 100 miler horse!

Even though I got several really nice trots out of him, he started two new bad habits:

1. pulling the reins out of my hands at the trot or walk when he wanted to canter. I have a lovely blister from that!

2. He has figured out that I will only let up on the reins if he trots. So he starts trotting then really goes fast and moves into the canter. Like if he is trotting I won’t notice that he has started trotting!

He did really good trotting after we let the horses gallop up one hill, normally that is not allowed for my horses, but it was so much darn fun! And Ocean really enjoyed it! I am trying to allow him some fun since I am always ragging on him to trot!

But other then that, and some jigging and some trying to run me down going down hills, he was great! No really, I am very pleased with him!

Mel and Farley;

Well, first of all, riding with Mel was a blast! We chatted gaily the whole time like we had known each other for years! Mel and I seem to agree on pretty much everything when it comes to our horses! Non-horsey stuff, well ummm, why on earth would we talk about something non-horsey!?!?!?

I have riden with two other endurance riders, but always with Lucy who doesn’t believe in long distance riding. I think it was really good for Ocean to ride with another endurance rider and horse. And for me too! Most of the riders I have been riding with lately are slow and boring, Mel seems to move at a similar speed to me.

Farley was great! The perfect little endurance horse! She minded her own business and was very business like!

Mel,other then just being a lot of fun to chat with, was very helpful with advice and praise for Ocean! It was pretty funny when Ocean would finally trot and Mel would praise him before I could!! Hehe!

I didn’t realize before talking with Mel how lucky I have it with where I live. She was telling me that she would probably be more willing to try and top ten if she had better places to ride. Everywhere that I ride is a fantastic with both steep hills, easy hills and lots of flat. Just riding at home I always have to travers several miles of trail not including which ever trails I decide to go on.

Mel and Farley have a certain confidence about them that I hope I have at some point!

Oh, and on a more entertaining note, I sooo wish I had a picture of Mel’s face when she thought she heard a cougar! Between Ocean’s huffing (he huffs a lot!) and Farley’s boots it was hard to hear the bird, so Mel thought it might have been a cougar. No worries, I would be just as likely to freak out! But I still had to make fun of you!

Post Ride:

Was a wee bit scary! See I currently don’t have any headlights on my truck, so I had to be home before dark or I would be stranded. I also had to get diesel or wouldn’t make it home. The problem was that I wasn’t sure if I had any money in my account since Oceans owner deposited the deposit I gave her ( I had not expected that). So I tried finding a place to get diesel in Gilroy (why can’t gas stations just say they have diesel rather then you having to slow way down and look for green pump handles?!?!), wasted 20 minutes there after excitedly pulling into a Rotten Robie then realizing that I was pulled in the wrong way (they had arrows on the ground indicating which way to pull in) and I got such dirty looks from the other drivers that I left.

Then I had a brilliant idea! I used to get hay in San Jose once a month and know how to get there and where the closest diesel carrying station is. How perfect! I just got off at the hay place, got diesel (thanking my lucky stars that I had enough money and wasn’t stranded!) and then, because I know the area quite well, was able to quickly get back onto the other freeway which is the one I wanted to be on in the first place rather then having to make the switch from one freeway to the other. I know non of that makes sense, but I was starting to really worry since my phone had run out of batteries just after our ride, and I didn’t have a charger since the plugs in my truck don’t work.

Plus I got home in enough time to get pizza before going home and getting home before dark.

Its been a long time since I had a whole day out riding like that and had such a great day!

And I no longer am that worried about this horse on a 30 mile ride! I think he could do a 50 no problems (not that I am going too!!)

First week with Ocean

2009-11-22T16:45:00.001-08:00

Yea, we survived the week together! And enjoyed it too! I LIKE riding him and LIKE taking him out for rides, and he LIKES it too! What a novel idea, actually enjoying my prefered hobby and sport!

Tuesday:

First real ride at home. Used Lucy’s saddle pad under the regular pad with the Collegiate saddle. He was really good out on the trail by himself. I did some ground work with him before getting on as he didn’t want to hold still. Did a little bit of working on the trot on the way out. He jigged the whole way back (thats a mile and a half!) so he didn’t get to go fast then! He was very concerned about the dogs being behind him, but it didn’t effect him too much.

Wednesday:

Meant to go for a fairly long ride, but ended up leaving too late in the day (darn work!). I rode down the road and up Gazos. He is super bouncy downhill! I am a wee bit concerned about him injuring himself because he isn’t very careful going down hills.

Anyway, worked on getting him to trot again. Doing better, he just is so determined to canter that he keeps trying over and over again. I got a couple really good trots out of him though. So progress!

Thursday:

Worked on getting him in the trailer. Did some ground schooling with him, which he did quite well at. Spent a good amount of time working on getting him in the trailer. He tried all sorts of evasive manuvers, but in the end my persistance won out and he got in and stayed in. I was pretty confident that I wouldn’t have any problems trailering after that.

Nothing on Friday, as it rained and I figured I would give him a day off before riding with Mel.

Cute pictures of Ocean and Ollie

2009-11-16T19:19:00.001-08:00

I got a few good pictures when Ocean and Ollie were playing, mostly they ended up blury. I got some great videos, but my camera can’t rotate the videos afterwards, so they are sideways! hehe!

Lucy is annoyed here!

“what!?”

“hey what about me?”

“tag!”

“your it!”

“hey, come back here!”

Awww! How cute!

Wow! Somebody got carried away white the whiteout!

Oh my goodness I am blinded!

“are you making fun of me?”

“see how regal I am?”

Look! Its the first REDWOOD LEAF!!! Ocean has now been properly christened!

So many more to come I am sure!

Ocean

2009-11-16T12:57:00.001-08:00

So my weekend was exusting! but pretty fun, and very productive!

Saturday:

I went a picked up a load of hay in the morning. Was pretty easy as I had two guys helping me, but the bales are longer then normal so I had a hard time fitting them on the trailer. Loren would have been handy as he is the tetris master when it comes to fitting bales of hay together!

I dropped off the truck and trailer and went back to town to meet Kathryn with the horse. I wanted to make sure she made it ok so I figured I would just meet her in town.

She came with her whole family. Boyfriend, three kids and dog!

She decided after seeing how long of a drive it was that she would take her saddle and tack back then, rather then letting me use it for the next two weeks. I think she felt uncomfortable with me using the saddle, which I understand. I also think that by doing so she has forced me to buy a saddle for him more solidifying his place at my house! Haha!

He took my place all in stride, didn’t blink an eye at anything! So cool and calm with new places!

Lucy was very unsure of him. She kept protecting the mini’s from him. If one of them got too close she would run over and get between them and give the gelding a dirty look! It was really cute! He didn’t mind and just backed off.

By the end of the day he and Ollie were having fun playing with each other! I got some videos, but haven’t got them on yet.

Sunday:

Sunday was a very interesting day! And very tiring!

In the morning I unloaded and stacked the hay. 26 bales! The last 10 I ended up just dropped off the truck and not stacking, my muscles were screaming! I also had to restack half of what I already had there, so that took some time and effort. I will be getting one more load then we should be set for winter! Yay!

After I was done I my older sister Alicia came up for a ride. Just as I was collecting all the tack the peacock made an appearance in the paddock and scared the gelding, which set off Lucy (who is NOT scared of the Peacocks at all, she was just being a brat!). So everyone was a bit on edge when we took them out. Luckily Lucy forgets that she is throwing a fit easily and chilled out. The gelding did the same. Lucy was very patient with Alicia getting her ready, seeing her pick out her feet was really funny! Alicia let Lucy hang her hoof almost on the ground rather then making her hold it up!

I didn’t have a saddle that fit the gelding so I put him in my blue western headstall with my snaffle bit and rode bareback (what! am I crazy!?!?!) I had left my helmet down the hill at the trailer so we walked the horses down and got on there.

Lucy:

Lucy was an angel the whole ride! She totally acted as though she was on a normal ride with me and there was someone else riding with us that she had to wait for (Lucy hates to wait, but when you make her stop and wait she will watch for the other horse!). I got the impression that Lucy only really listened to Alicia about half the time and just did her normal old thing the rest of the time! She is such a good girl! Still the mild yet business like trail horse, even with a totally new rider on her! See you have to understand that in the whole 8 eight years I have owned her, she has only been ridden by I think four people. Three trainers over a couple months, and me. I wasn’t sure how she would take a new rider since its been so long since anyone but me has ridden her, and a newbie on top of that!

The Gelding (don’t worry I have a name for him now!):

He was pretty good considering everything. He totally let me get on bareback and didn’t mind me riding bareback (although I ride bareback a lot so my seat is pretty good). The one downside is that the owner showsheened the hell out of him so I was slipping all over! He didn’t really like that face that Lucy walked faster then him, but wasn’t a totally nutcase about it. He did jog quite a bit trying to keep up. I think if he walked normally he would be able to keep up, but since he is ADD (Arab Distraction Disorder) he can’t. He HAS to learn to keep his mind on the trail! So far its everywhere! I got off to get the gate and ended up doing groundwork on most of the ride. He does not pay attention to me at all. He reminds me of Huck so much!! I did notice that when I would stop and make him look at me, he would lower his head and be more relaxed. So hopefully a lot of groundwork will help him in the saddle too!

Really though he has obviously just been allowed to do what ever he wants on the ground. Not ok with me! But I see potential. It helps that I have already been through this with another horse just like him! Although we only really came to an understanding after I bonked him on the head with the whip a couple times! Haha! But Huck listens and behaves now.

This guy deffinatly wanted to go for a longer, faster ride. I don’t blame him, but he will have to learn that sometimes we just walk. I am sure that a lot of it was just being in a new place with a new person. Probably right now he is hating me since I make him behave! But in the end I hope he likes have a few more rules (most horses do).

So, thats my weekend (well the horses part anyway, the rest was pretty much crap).

And yes I have chosen a barn name for him! Yay! I didn’t like Scout, and knew one already. So his new barn name is: Ocean! but you probably already figured that out from the title huh?

Some post Kezi thoughts

2009-11-16T11:04:00.001-08:00

So now that it has been a couple days, I am reflecting on everything with Kezi.

I miss her like hell, but I still feel I did the right thing. I am so glad I have not regretted it! Although I am not sure it has entirely sunk in.

Lucy was the most aware that something wasn’t right. She whinnyed for Kezi all afternoon and when my dad went up to bury her Lucy woke me up whinnying, somehow she knew that Kezi was still up there. Ollie got over it quicker then I had thought he would.

I still find myself talking about her and comparing her along with my other horses. I figure that will take a while to go away.

My dad said that he would like to plant a tree over her, except that the spot where we buried her is now going to be a small access road for my paddock. So we are going to put in along the fence since the spot is very close to the fence.

Its still feels weird her not being out in the paddock with the other horses. Although the new guy has helped me get my mind off it. The horses are still in the paddock since we accidently took out a post when backfilling the hole. I wonder what they will do when they get up there.Lucy knows that Kezi went up there and never came back.

Lucy hasn’t been overly nice to the new gelding. I wonder if she isn’t over Kezi yet, or if she just doesn’t like him that much. Or it could be that she needs more space. I think everyone will be happier when they are turned out in the pasture.

So coming up next will be my gaga for the new horse post!

Really? REALLY? REALLY?

2009-11-13T21:22:00.000-08:00

Yep, I'm annoyed! I have been sitting here most of the day (does any work ever get done at this desk?) trying to figure out how I am going to afford ANOTHER saddle! And how I am ever going to find "just the right saddle"!!!! I mean I went through a lot of different saddles when choosing a new one for Lucy.

Of course I have two weeks with Kathyrns saddle (a reactor panel, cool huh?) but then unless one of my saddles fits him (not likely) and even if one does they are both jumping saddles that I will want to replace with a nicer endurance saddle.

I just had to rant, because I hate saddle shopping!

Quick assesement of his tack

2009-11-13T14:03:00.000-08:00

Him or his being of course the gelding (who I have not given a barn name to yet!).

I just looked up the bit that he has, its a level 3 kimberwicke, kinda harsh for an endurance horse:

Not what I would choose to put him in, but I will use it during the trial period.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/myler-ported-barrel-kimberwicke-bit-mb-33/p/X1-01200/cn/1469/

What a blast!

2009-11-13T12:49:00.001-08:00

Literally! This gelding is a blast! He goes from walk to canter to gallop totally under control! But I am getting ahead of my self, lets try and bring some order to this post.

So, yesterday I dove up to Healdsburg to try out the Arab gelding. All went well.

Loren and I got to play with him for a bit while his owner went to make lunch. He is a bit nervous but not too bad. Typical energetic Arab that didn’t want to hold still. We walked him around because we were not sure where to tie him.

He has bad ground manners (which she told me) but he seems to know it! He hangs his head when you reprimand him like he knows he shouldn’t do it but can’t help himself! He got along with Loren great! (gee I wonder why!? = )

He is VERY nippy! I hate that, but am willing to work with it. The more distressed he is (like while loading, or not loading as the case may be) the more he nips and potentially bites.

I think he will be better after a few groundwork sessions, which he will be getting a lot of next week!

Under saddle, he is very well behaved, other then that he does not believe in trotting! He has been allowed to just run full out and thinks its fun. I have to admit, it is kinda fun! He is very controllable, I never felt like he was going to take off with me.

BUT he needs to learn that I will ask for the trot and he needs to give it to me without a fight. On the other hand, I will be happy to let him canter a lot out on the trail if that is the pace he wants to set and he does well with it.

I think I will need a heart rate monitor to really know for sure.

So I definatly foresee a lot of arena work with him. I think it might help him to learn to relax and stretch his neck down. He is very high headed and his current bit does not help. I may try him a couple times on shorter at home rides in a hackamore to see if he finds it more comfortable.

I agree that this horse could be a top tener, and a 100 miler. Although we didn’t go for a very long ride, I just feel it! The horse has lots of energy, but seems happy to just amble along. Its just the canter thing that makes him so so efficient. But I think that is just because of how he has been ridden over the last two years.

Tomorrow his owner is bringing him to me. Why? Because he doesn’t like my trailer! But I am not worried, I think after some groundwork, he will learn to go in!

I guess another update tomorrow or Monday. I may not come back to town after I go home to settle him in.

Keziah will never be forgotten!

2009-11-11T16:52:00.001-08:00

For now, the slideshow of her will sufice. I will come back when I feel like it and have more time to talk about how it went. It was all very peaceful and and seemed like everyone (except the vet) was ready for it. Loren commented afterwards that of the three of us, he didn’t expect us to do better then the vet!

But I was ready for it, and at peace for it. There were no tears left to shed, had there been, I would not have been ready.

We are our horses personal trainers

2009-11-06T15:53:00.001-08:00

I am pretty sure that every endurance rider used every resource availible to learn about conditioning their horse. I know I do. I have made researching conditioning articles and creating new conditioning regimes into my second hobby.

And why not? We are conditioning an animal that cannot tells if something is wrong or if we are pushing them to much, to ride in 100 mile races (I use the term race here because you do have to finish by a certain time, so its not like your just riding your horse over 100 miles at your own pace, you are on a trail with other riders for a set time.).

I do a lot of research on human conditioning as well, not for me (I hate running!) but because many of the princables that you will learn for horses is the same for humans. I have read that conditioning a horse is very similar to conditioning for a human, I am not sure if I totally believe that yet, but I will go with it for now.

The really big difference is that of course the horse cannot tell us what is going on with their body. So not only do we have to understand our horses current level of fitness; we have to know HOW to condition them without injury, we have to know WHAT develops good endurance, we have to know WHAT they need to eat in order for them keep of with our conditioning demands, we have to know HOW often to condition them and HOW long of rest to give them. And we have to do this all off just reading their body language! Imagine if every personal trainer in every gym had to do that with all of their clients!

And of course lets not forget that we need to condition ourselves as well. WE have to be able to keep up with this amazing athlete that we have now created.

Gee, who knew the job of a personal trainer could be so difficult!

Once I bring this horse home, and most deffinatly if I buy him, you will find the personal trainer monster within me come out. I LOVE to share my newfound conditioning/training articles and books as well as conditioning schedules and records. Not one little thing will be left undone with this horse. EVERYTHING will be recorded and mapped out for his training, conditioning and diet.

So I will most likley add links to my favorite articles, and probably be posting about them more too, as well as my favorite training schedules (assuming blogger can link pdf files).

Well thats all! May not hear from me until Monday, when I very well may have a new horse to talk about!

Equus RX

2009-11-06T10:24:00.001-08:00

This is an interesting product I came across today while browsing.

http://www.equus-rx.com/html/order.html

I watched a couple of the videos since it looked pretty cool, but I wanted to know how it works.

Its a bit expensive and I don’t really see how it can help you set conditioning schedules, but I like that it can help you track them. I didn’t see weather you could make reports that can show you trends and whatnot.

I like the idea of it, but I bet I could put something together similar to it on Excel (everything can be done on excel!)

Maybe I’ll try the 14 trial and see what cool stuff it has, then model my own after it. Or maybe I’ll like it so much I’ll buy it sometime down the road! But if I can make a spreadsheet that does basicly the same thing, with just a little more work, then why buy it?

I love making spreadsheets on my horses conditioning and health. Keeps me in touch with my horses while at work! Haha! Its just the way I am, if I am not creating some new worksheet for tracking progress, or to map out conditioning, I’m not happy.

I’ll have an update on this.

Whats in a name?

2009-11-06T10:18:00.001-08:00

There was a topic going around on ridecamp not all that long ago about renaming a horse. Some people talked about naming a horse after something they wanted the horse to be like.

Interesting idea.

Quite a few years ago I read an article about the silly names you see in children’s hunters (the writer was a horse show mom who’s daughter did hunters). It was both interesting and funny. She came to the conclusion that they should just name then honestly:

“We spent so much money on this horse, he better win a blue!”

Or, much simpler:

“blue ribbon” or “I win”

Some horses are given regal names, some are given names that are named after something popular (why? I could never figure this one out!)

What about endurance horses? What names should they be given?

“passed the vet check!!”

“I go fast” or “I never stop” might also work!

Might make a bit more sense then the many odd registered names you see on these Arabs! Some are really cool, and others are just impossible to pronounce!

But what about “barn names” as we refer to them? We rarely refer to our horses by their registered name ( I would never refer to Huck as Goose Downs Little Obsession, in fact I try not to embarrass him by telling people that was his name!), so we come up with barn names.

Sometimes they are a variation of the registered name, sometimes not. What is important is that we like them and they fit our horses.

Now I only have one horse that came with a registered name, all my other ones (excepting Lucy) just had barn names. All of them (except Lucy and Detta) I renamed. I just couldn’t help it!

I have several rules when it comes to my horses names:

1. Cannot have the same name as: a horse I previously owned, a horse I used to ride, a horse I know personally, a horse that friend owns but I have never met, a horse that I have never met nor know the owner of but saw the same and didn’t like it.

2. Cannot have a name that I do not like

3. I simply like getting to name my horses, so really all the other reasons are moo points (like a cows oppion, doesn’t really matter!)!!!

So what names did my horses previously have?

Detta, my first horse, well that was her name! Never accured to me to that I could change it!

Lucy, did not have a name when she came to me.

Huck, was Obi (short for his registered name) hated it, considered calling him Ozzy (he had a LOT of mane!)

Ollie was Doc, but I had a friend with a horse that name, plus I didn’t like AND I wanted it to match Hucks name (Huckleberry and Olaliberry)

Keziah, was Wendy, knew a horse with that name, and didn’t like it.

So why the question of names all of a sudden? Because whenever I see a horse I might want to buy, I HAVE to rename it! When I was looking at the anglo arab, I had renamed him Mie Tei (like the drink, no idea on the spelling) even though I never got him.

I am more or less obsessed with renaming horses!

But no, this new one does not have a name yet. But not for a lack of trying! I have decided to name him after a sports car, he is fast, therefore he will have a fast name! I will hold off on giving him an actual name until I go see him (and bring him home)

Well…..

2009-11-04T13:18:00.001-08:00

No, I did not put Kezi down this morning, no I did not change my mind.

Its as simple as my vet was an hour late and then missed us by minutes. See I live behind a locked gate, which is about a mile down the road from my house. So we wait at the gate for people like the vet and farrier. I am used to my vet running late, that happens.

We waited for an hour then went back up to the house to give the horses water so we could go to town (where we get cell reception).

We got back down to the gate at 11:30, just a half an hour from when we left the gate to go home.

Turns out the vet was there between 11 and 11:30. Now they want to reschedule for next week.

This is bad. Why?

Because I was prepared to do this today. Really, I was. I had everything planned out, I was at peace with the decision. I wasn’t even crying that much in the morning while I moved the horses around and fed. I was sad and hurt, but I knew everything would be ok in the end.

NOW, I feel worse. Like I am going to have to go through the past week all over again (a week that was rough and seemed to take forever).

AND I am supposed to bring Scout (arab gelding) home on Sunday for our three week trial. It would be easiest all the way around if everything was done and over with Kezi.

To top it all off, I already have taken half the day off, tomorrow I am hoping to go pick up some hay. So I can’t really afford to take another day off next week as well.

Really, I am feeling worse now then I did this morning. I don’t want to be at work or doing any of the number of things I should be doing.

A lot of odd random little things

2009-11-03T13:27:00.001-08:00

Reading Boots and Saddles always makes me feel like I should be more in depth with my posts rather then just going on about how my week was. I write on a very shallow basis, I don’t delve deep into what happened and why. I take things as they come and generally accept how things are. I tend not to question the way things are done if there is nothing I can do about. And yet I question athority at every oppertunity. If I don’t like the way something is done I will say something. But I am not going to ruin the rest of the day because of one little thing that bothered me. I easily let go of things. Probably because I don’t settle down to one thing indeffinatly, and yet I also hate change.

Confusing huh? Example: I love living at home, its beautiful and a wonderful place to live. I don’t want to move away despite wanting to have a house of my own with my boyfriend. So I hate that possible change.

But I get bored with things so quickly that I get bored with what I am eating before I am even done. I can eat half a meal, not be able to finish because I am full of that perticulare food, then go on to eat something entirely different 10 minutes later.

Some with horses, I get really into endurance, then eventing, then driving, then I go back round again!

Luckly for my boyfriend, I do not get easily bored of him!!

Does a lot of who we are come from our family? Are there types of familys? Like musical families, fashion families, farming families?

I come from a athletic family. Most of us played sports, and were good at it. I am the only one that still is into a sport really.We are also a liberal family, that believes very stongly in women can do anything. Very importaint for a family with three daughters and one son!! The girls in my family are very strong, and independent and well, kinda scary! We do not appreciate men doing things for us. If we want it done, we will do it ourselves!

My family is very mom and pops, small bussines orianated. My father owns two small business, both of which I work for for him. My closest sister owns her own business, my oldest sister works for a small business and my brother also works for my dads business. We try to shop and eat at small family owned shops.

Ok I am getting bored of being philisophical!

The first gelding I was looking at sold. So I guess that would be why I never heard back from her.

I talked with the other geldings owner. She is very happy with the prospect of me owning him. She is willing to be flexible on his price and payments for me, as well as his trial. She really wanted me to know that he is a very forward horse and really likes to canter, not trot. We talked about ways to help him slow down and conserve his energy. I think she was pleased that I had some ideas and wasn’t just put off by his energy. She was also happy that I wanted to work with him in the arena to help him and that I do a lot of ground work. She thinks I should take him when I come to try him so I can have a long trial period with him.

I am very excited!

I’m making a video for Kezi today (provided I have the time). I’ll post it tomorrow or Thursday. Not sure if I am coming to town at all tomorrow.

Hopefully my posts will be a lot more exciting soon!! And not so sad.

Halloween Parade (and the last day of pictures!)

2009-10-30T15:14:00.001-07:00

So I kinda skimped on the pictures yesterday, but thats ok, because I have whole bunch for today!

Yep, the classic Pescadero Elementary School Halloween Parade!

Yeah! My sister and I were dressed as football players, and Riley was a cheerleader (Eli was supposed to be one too but I left everything till the last minute and he didn’t have a costume, or a bath!)

My sisters costume from the back

Aaannnd My sisters costume from the front, Riley looks confused

Riley is eagerly awaiting the parade!

The parade starting to gather

Getting bigger!

Ummmm.. Yep! Thats it! All kids now gathered!

Riley cannot wait for the parade!!

There they go!! (she is the toothfairy!)

Aannnnd there they went!

Waiting in line for treats!

Yea, candy!!!!

The end of the parade route, the last two candy stops: Yep, time to go back!

I want so candy

Oh! Yes, yes, yessss! BEEF JERKEY! (coming from the hand of my aunt, which is never empty, for the dog!)

Ahh! A well deserved break from my adoring fans (Riley is very popular!)

Could I possibly look any sadder?

And that concludes this years coverage of the Pescadero Elementary school Halloween Parade

Pictures in the morning at the house

2009-10-29T11:51:00.001-07:00

So I took these on my way to and on my way back from feeding:

The view of the porch

The other paddock with the girls blankets ( I was supposed to wash them!)

The hay barn!

The girls eating

The veiw out the garden

View of the garden

Venus De Milo

Venus again

And the peacock

So I have almost hit 1000 pictures on my iphone!

My drive to work, in pictures!

2009-10-28T14:35:00.001-07:00

Because I was lazy and it was cold! So I didn’t want to get out of the car!!

I didn’t get as many close to home because I forgot! I’ll try to get some of our road, its very pretty!

This would be a pretty awesome horse to have!

2009-10-27T18:06:00.001-07:00

So I had a whole post all written out about all the different horses I am looking at, but then when I went back to this boys ad I had to stop and reconsider.

Lets look at this objectivly, I want to do endurance now, but I also want to do the conditioning on the horse myself. So where is the compromise?

If I truely wanted to do really well in this sport, THIS is the gelding to buy. Yes he is old, but he still has plenty of years of competing left in him. And who knows where I might be in 10 years anyway!

I still have moments of not knowing if I even want to continue my endurance horse search, and rather just work with Lucy with eventing again. But on the other hand I would LOVE if I could do both, or at least dabble in eventing with Lucy.

So enough talk! Who is this amazing horse you ask? Just take a look!

http://www.endurance.net/classifieds/classifieds/index.php?a=2&b=8163

His record:

http://www.doublejoy.com/erol/Individual/HorseHistory.asp

I talked with this woman briefly a couple weeks ago but she wasn’t interested in a least to own or payments. So I didn’t talk with her again until I saw his ad again today, so I e-mailed her again. Awaiting responce.

Sorry for the real post and not just pictures! I will post my pictures tomorrow!

Thanks!

“Monday Monday!”

2009-10-26T18:19:00.001-07:00

Monday Monday, so good to me,
Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be
Oh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee
That Monday evening you would still be here with me.
Monday Monday, can't trust that day,
Monday Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be
Oh Monday Monday, how yould cou leave and not take me.
Every other day, every other day,
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes
You can find me cryin' all of the time
Monday Monday, so good to me,
Monday Monday, it was all I hoped it would be
Oh Monday morning, Monday morning couldn't guarantee
That Monday evening you would still be here with me.
Every other day, every other day,
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes
You can find me cryin' all of the time
Monday Monday, ...

Oddly enough Monday didn’t find me crying, for once. But I was distracted beyond all belief! Very annoying, I got hardly any work done at all. I hope I bounce back fairly quick after I put Kezi down. But enough talk,pictures!!!! I took all of these about 5 minutes ago! haha!

Picture time for the animals!

2009-10-26T10:37:00.001-07:00

Ok so these are mostly pictures of my cat and mini horses, but they were just being so cute!

Yes my cat is always this weird!

I spy Lucy!!

He was attacking the dirt but I couldn’t get a good one of him actually doing so!

I got quite a few like this, those two are so alike!

Ollie will do anything for attention!

My boys!!

Sorry that was only six, but it was a rough day and I only really picked up my phone to take pictures once.

Picture Perfect Day

2009-10-24T18:37:00.001-07:00

Well, maybe not! I kinda forgot for most of the day, I woke up and remembered so took some pictures, then forgot until the end of the day.

So here is what I came up with, I spent the night and whole day at my fathers property in town (we live about 10 miles outside of town):

First pictures of the morning, view out our barn where we spent the night:

Then this afternoon the outside of our barn:

The neighbors, willow tree (the gave it a brutal haircut not too long ago, it was horrible!):

This is more or less where I work! The little tower attached to the house is my office (the upstairs part anyway) and the big tower with the deck around it is our vacation rental. Pictures are best taken from on that deck but we had guests in today:

My sisters pig Mortimer, I gave him to her for christmas, which was funny because he was born on christmas (we got him in February, long story):

Her other pig Ivy (she is sitting for food!):

The beautiful hills of Pescadero (I’ll get better ones in the following days):

My sisters dog Riley, he is the funnest dog! You will see more pictures of him in the days to come!:

AND, although this is a super wonderful picture, this is really what my boyfriend and I did most of the day (play wow and in this picture watch evolution! Oh and yes I am on HGS):

Thats all folks!

Confusication

2009-10-20T15:08:00.001-07:00

Sooooo, I haven’t posted on here for a while. Seeing as my mind changes everyday as to what I am going to do, I would be posting a lot to keep up with everything!

So, first off I made the decition to put Kezi down. She wasn’t getting any better, only worse. So I decided rather then making her suffer through winter I would put her down before the rains.

So then I turned her out with the other horses to have some fun, secretly I was hoping she wouldn’t do well indicating that getting to move around wouldn’t help, even though that was what it seemed like to me. Within a day or two she was much better then she had been in her paddock, although she was on anti-inflamitories the whole time it seems like she was moving better in the pasture.

So I took her off the anti-inflamitories since I started questioning my decition. Then the rain hit and she went lame again. Now I feel bad for doing that since I only did it because I knew I wouldn’t be able to put a sound horse down.

So I was on the brink of calling my vet yesterday when I had a talk with my dad. He felt that I should try talking to some of the rescues about finding her a home as a companion horse. I said I would try that but personally I don’t think its the best option. I would just be putting all of Kezi’s problems onto someone else. Plus Kezi’s winning personallity doesn’t help her at all. I am willing to let my horses have to deal with her being the super bitch, but other people might not.

So now I am right back where I started. Loren isn’t very happy about and keeps reminding me of all the reasons I chose to put her down. It would be a lot easier if I could look at her and feel like she really is in pain.

And of course she is effecting the rest of my life. Kezi makes me worry, which makes me not ride Lu, which makes me unhappy, which makes me stress out, which makes me overwhelmed which means I don’t get much work down, stress out even more and be upset about what I should or should not do.

Loren and I had a mini vacation at the beach house (its not that far away from where we live, in fact its near when Loren works which is why we were there) this last weekend. It was nice to hang around the house while Loren was at work and just read and play wow. But then I cried both going to sleep and when I woke up on Monday because I didn’t want to go back to all my problems.

As much as I really like that gelding I was going to go look at, I am just not settled enough to do so.

I wish I didn’t have horses right now

2009-10-05T16:30:00.001-07:00

I have had the most horrificly horrible day ( I have started crying for no apperant reason several times and can’t sit down and concentrate on anything) which is coming off a horrible weekend (not entirely, I did have a lot of fun with my sister and her best friend Ashley when we went roller blading, but that was short lived) which was the ending to a horribly horrible week.

Why?

I have been trying to make the decision about Kezi’s fate. Should I put her down since I know she is pain, or give her to a retirement faculity assuming she isn’t ready to go yet.

The decision has been rough , but after many long talks with Loren, and lots of advice on Bayequest and the horse forums, and also with the help of an animal communicator (who I am not entirely sure I believe in) I made my decision.

Since I know winter will be very difficult for her, but she just doesn’t look ready to go yet, I am going to wait until the rains come so she has a little bit more time, but she won’t have to go through the pain of another winter.

At some point I will show all the whys of how I came to this decision but right now I just don’t feel like it.

I am still coming to terms with this decision, which Loren thinks would be easier if I did it sooner rather then later since this solution puts it off. But it also gives me more time to accept that that is what I am doing. I made the decision last week and haven’t changed my mind yet.

Now the biggest thing weighing on my mind, is if I am ready to get another horse. I really, really want an endurance horse. Lucy has made it very clear that she will never be my endurance horse. I am not happy just trail riding any more. I want to go faster and do more and have a point to my riding. But I feel guilty looking at getting a new horse while I still have Kezi.

I think the idea of getting another horse will make me happier, but I still would have to contend with putting Kez down.

I don’t think my happiness should rest on weather or not I have a new endurance horse, and yet that is part of what is making me so down.

Hopefully I will have another blog that will be a bit more cheerful soon, although I don’t really feel like riding much right now.

Quick update on last couple of rides

2009-09-28T18:24:00.001-07:00

So I have been riding Lucy up in Pescadero Creek Park. Very nice place to ride, my current favorite! I went by myself last weekend and with Carolyn this last weekend.

Its a really nice place to ride. But try as I might I can’t seem to ride there without seeing how perfect it would be for endurance riding. I can’t seem to enjoy my rides anymore with all of this hanging over me.

The next couple of weeks are going to be difficult.

There are no words I can think of explain this post

2009-09-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

There are just no words really. Well don't let my boyfriend hear that!! I have been talking his ear off!!

So I have come to the difficult decition again. Yes that one. I just don't know what to do.

Do I put her down or not? Is she that unhappy or not? Can I continue to handle the stress or not? Will I be able to be happy without the horse I want? Because Lucy is turning into more of a bitch everyday! I know she needs time off and some more fun stuff, but I just know that she is not cut out for endurance.

I know I can't give Kezi away. Does that mean I am stuck with her for the rest of her life? Constantly wondering how much pain she is in? Having to deal with her being lame then being sound then being lame? I know it sounds mean to say I would be stuck with her, but for me, in my situation I need my horses to be useful, and since Lucy really isn't but was here first, I think the staying rights go to her.

I think knowing what is wrong with her would only make the decition more difficult. Would there be a way to make her sound? How sound woudl she be? Not sound enough to do endurance I am sure. Then I have a horse that I don't feel comforitable with giving away, but can't use for what I bought her for.

Maybe I need to just see what options there are as far as giving her away, maybe I am too pessimistic about it.

I just want a horse that enjoyes going out for a ride and working. That doesn't have health or soundness issues. That doesn't run away from you every time you go in their pasture because they hate going out to do anything.

Maybe I just don't need horses.

Change and acceptanc?

2009-09-15T10:08:00.001-07:00

So I had this whole blog post all ready in my mind (yes its sad, but I plan out my blog posts in my head!) but now I am not so sure about what I was thinking.

So what I had accepted was that neither of my mares are ever going to be endurance horses. Lucy has never really enjoyed being worked, she is not a horse that needs or wants something to do, nor is she the kind of horse that needs lot of attention. All she really wants out of life is to hang out in her pasture with her friends.

So for the last couple weeks Lucy has been very anti-social, I am not even allowed to touch her in her pasture. I am pretty sure she is just mad about our last couple of rides (one very long and hot one that I don’t blame her for not being happy about, and one rather short ride with another horse that she was just a brat on!) and doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.

And of course Kezi is lame and I am concerned that this is not getting any better.

So instead of riding on Sunday, I hiked, and was very happy with it. I was deffinatlly considering just hiking over the next couple weeks and not riding much, just spending time with Lucy in her pasture and brushing. But then yesterday I went by the bookstore and picked up two books on trails in California (California’s State Parks, a day hikers guide by John Mckinney, I do not recomend, not a fantastic book. And Peninsula Trails, by Jean Rusmore, Exellent book, really like it a lot for trail in my area!) and browsed through them last night. While looking through them I was thinking about how Lucy does seem to enjoy, or at least has more energy, when we are out riding on other trails rather then at home. I always assumed this was because we were riding with other horses and she gets a bit competitive, but then I realized that I have never taken her to a new park (or a park we don’t ride in often) by herself. So now I am going to spend some time at other parks rather then at our trails at home to see if this makes her any happier. My current plan is to hike at the trail on the weekend so I can asses parking and such then ride there during the week.

I am still of course deciding what to do with Kez. I am hoping to hear back from my local vet about when she is coming out so I can get her some anti-inflamitories and also talk with my vet about her oppion on Kez (she has met Kezi once last fall).

I am also thinking about that if I do rehome Kezi if I want to look for another endurance horse. Lots of big decitions.

Is this a good idea?

2009-09-09T11:13:00.001-07:00

I am really posing this question to myself so it helps to get it down in my blog where I can read it, and I am also open to suggestion.

So I haven’t mentioned it yet since its a bit upsetting but Kezi is lame again. Very very lame. Like she can hardly move on it kind of lame. The weird thing is that she was being very lathargic in the days leading up to when she came down lame, like she didn’t injure the same thing. But her shoulder is swollen and there is no heat in her leg at all. I could have Luke test her feet but I really don’t want to drag him all the way out for that. Maybe I’ll have Kacie do that when she comes out.

Russ feels like we shouldn’t overlook the possibility of another injury, but I think its highly unlikely on the same leg to not be the same injury. He also thinks I should have Nancy come out and look at her but how she can tell if its the same injury when I cannot is beyond me. I like Russ a lot but sometimes he has too little faith in my ability to know my own horse.

So anyway I am having a hard time keeping up beat about her now, but I feel like I would like to continue trying to get her sound. Put her back on anti-inflamitories and keep her calm. But once winter comes I need a different place to keep her. Even if I can get her sound by winter I am not sure I will be able to put her out in the pasture.

So my idea:

Trade her for a temp home over the winter. I would take a young horse that needs conditioning on the trail and she would get a suitable place to live for the winter. When spring comes I get Kezi back (hopefully still sound) and the people who kept her get their horse back in shape.

I like the idea of taking a horse to ride over the winter since I think it will help Lucy and I too. That way I can slow down and spend more time with her not on the trail while still getting to get out on the trail conditioning.

So now I am trying to decide if I want to start looking now or wait a bit longer since I wouldn’t want to initiat the trade until latem November early December, but it might take that long to find someone.

Also do I know for sure that if I make the deal now I will still feel comforitable sending her away for the winter if she goes back to being sound fairly soon.

So lots to think about on top of a really busy week with work and the hike-a-thon this weekend!

My girls in their new digs!

2009-09-08T17:45:00.001-07:00

I got my new sidepulls last week! So I rode Lucy in hers on Sunday (will post about that later, it was an ok ride) and tried Kezi’s on in her paddock since taking her out just seemed cruel. So I gave her some grain and then took some pictures, but she wasn’t really cooperating very welll!

So Lucy:

And miss Kezi!

She looks so pretty in Blue!

Sometimes bad decisions are good lessons

2009-09-01T15:09:00.001-07:00

Although I wouldn’t really say I made bad decision, just one that didn’t turn out so well!

So I was rather excited about my ride on Sunday, I chose Sunday because it would be not as hot. I fed Lucy extra hay the night before and extra rope and ride both the night before and the morning of. I bought snacks for myself for out on the trail, I made myself eat breakfast and I had new easyboots to try out.

We didn’t end up using the easyboots but that is really not part of this story.

So this was our projected ride:

(the blue line is the route I was taking)

Long, but I felt we were up to it, I felt that coming up Howard King could be a bit strenuous but that we could take it slow.

So I turned my GPS on at Sandy point (after walking down my road, and then riding up Gazos) and did a lot of trotting down Whitehouse Canyon Road. She was really good about keeping up a good pace, although for her it was rather slow.

Turning off onto Henry Creek was the first time in a long time we have gone on a trail we didn’t know out in Big Basin! It looked a bit foreboding, as it was pretty steep and along a ridge.

Here is the view at Henry Creek Trail:

Very pretty!

So I walked down the Henry Creek trail and was pretty much cursing it as the most horrendous trail ever by the time we finally got into the shade! It was one of those roller coaster trails, that goes up and down a lot! And for some reason Lucy was not into going downhill that day, go figure! She also thoroughly enjoyed walking really close to the brush and swiping herself on it. I allowed it figuring she needed to itch herself until I found that she had caught her saddle blanket on something and pulled half of it out from under the saddle!

I was rather surprised to find that when we got to Henry Creek there was no bridge! I’m not used to that, usually in my local parks little baby creeks that dry up in the summer have bridges over them! This on the other hand was a substantial creek that was rather deep for late summer. Creek crossing is not a problem for Lucy, unless of course the creek bottom is all very slippery bedrock! I let her go in before crossing to cool herself off and she almost slipped and fell in several times. She seemed glade to get out. So how to cross was a bit of an issue. I decided against riding her in case she fell while crossing, at least then only my saddle might sustain injury. So I lead her across, or my like we both slipped and slide across! It was refreshing to be splashed though!

So at that point we were on the Skyline to the sea trail. I have been on this trail before, but not for many years. We followed the trail up to where I assumed the Howard King trail was. There we got a bit of a surprise, the Howard King Trail was not open to horses! So looking at my map the trail says it allows horses further up so I assumed the whole trail was open to them.

So now I had three choices:

Go back up Henry Creek Trail ( I really didn’t want to have to experience that trail twice in one day!)

Go down to the McCrary Ridge Trail which would take us a couple miles out of our way.

Go way down almost to the ocean and take the trail that goes up to chalk mountain (which is a couple miles down the trail from where I turned on to Henry Creek.

I choose the McCrary Ridge Trail.

So we went trotting the two miles or so back down the Skyline to the Sea trail , which was fun, its a nice flat trail.

When turning onto the McCrary Ridge trail its posted that its recommended for horses only as it has steep climbs, nice to know! But hey I am on a horse and therefore should be fine, right? Right!? Um yeah. We would have been fine if the trail had stayed in the trees, like the first half, and if it hadn’t been such a hot weekend, and if I hadn’t decided to get off to spare Lucy the extra weight (yeah 130 lb is so much to a 1050lb horse!) and if I hadn’t poured most of my water into my odwala to water it down after the creek and then refilled the bottle with creek water. Creek water is bearable when cold, and I would rather go 10 miles without then drink it hot! This coming from the girl who grew up and still lives off creek water, but I guess its all in what your used to!

So I didn’t drink until the creek on Gazos, bad idea as it gave me a headache.

So anyway, the McCrary Ridge trail was nasty! Steep, hot and unbearable. Before I even managed to get to the top I was desperately wishing I could be home! And considering I could see close to where my ridge is from there, way across the valley, it was a bit disheartening. Because I felt like hell I assumed Lucy did too, although other then slowing down and taking lots of breaks she didn’t seem that bad. I managed to drag myself back up on top of her at the top when we got to Hihn Hammond Road.

Nice views though!

Hihn Hammond road would be a lovely ride under other conditions. Lucy didn’t like going down hills at all so I had to get off to keep her pace up.

It was so wonderful getting to Gazos! I turned my GPS off at this point since it was close to being out of battery.

Gazos was easy peasy! Lucy recovered quite well, especially after she drank and we trotted most of Gazos. She drank again at Sandy Point (oh did I mention that she drank at Sandy Point on the way up? Very impressive! She is learning drink before we head out!)

Down Gazos and up our road was also very easy, although we still ended up getting home really late!

So all in all we were out for nine hours, we road between 22 and 24 miles and amazingly recovered well! Lucy seemed fine, and I just needed a good night sleep!

But we defiantly won’t be going on that ride again for a little bit, even though Lucy recovered well I want to make sure we don’t get caught in the heat again! But it is a good ride for working up hills, that long ridge is a good workout then at the top it stays mostly flat until back around at Sandy Point. Maybe in a couple months when the weather is cooler.

I need to make up my mind if I want to continue with distance on our rides or stick with 10 mile rides and up our speed.

So here is the route I ended up taking:

And here is our GPS, I turned it off at gazos so we do continue in an arch around the next ridge back to Sandy Point.

http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?t=p&q=http:%2F%2Fapi.motionxlive.com%2Fmotionx-remote%2Fapi%2Fgps%2Fhost%2F3fe37e87-dfd5-46a6-b4f5-d1396a152949&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=37.164268,-122.254754&spn=0.075923,0.075359&z=13

August rides

2009-08-29T17:40:00.001-07:00

Have been fantastic! So we didn’t really ride around PAFF much, no wonder there, I was so tired and stressed out from PAFF.

The week after PAFF Penny asked me to go riding, we have been trying to get together to go riding for quite some time now, so it was great to finally be able to meet up!

Penny took me up to Pescadero Creek Park. I was fabulus! The trails are really nice, pretty much single track only, so Lucy got some practice trotting single track.

Getting to ride with Scout was awesome, not since riding with Gerti and Eddy have we riden with a horse that went the same speed as Lucy, or faster, which is fine for Lucy since she will match her pace to the horse if they are going faster then her, just not if they are going slower then her.

It was beautiful weather and Lucy did great!

Then on Tuesday of the next week Sarah and I went riding. We went to Henry Cowell which was pretty easy to get to. Lucy was very energetic as I think the ride with Penny was a bit shorter then our normal rides. Lucy left Reba in the dust a lot! We went up one trail that was very sandy and we trotting almost the whole thing. It was way fun because we were weaving in and out of the trees the whole time. It was deffinatly good to work in the sand.

When we got up on another fire road Lucy decided we needed to trot some more, so she kept picking up the trot on her own! Unusal for her!

Oh and I didn’t have to get off for a bridge once! Lucy even went over one in front of Reba, which really I think is best because Reba can be a wee bit slow and Lucy gets really impatient on top of worried about the bridge. I used my lead rope a bit to get her moving and suprisingly enough she went forward and sniffed the bridge and was ovously trying to make the effort to go over on her own. It was great!

I did get off to go under a bridge that Lucy got a bit freaked out about on our way up, so I figured for how good she was I would get off and make it less scary for her!

I did a good job of staying hydrated and fed, and non sunburned!

So I have been scanning all my maps into my computer so I can make smaller copies of just where we are riding, because the maps are too big to deal with on horseback, thats why I like bikemapdude maps! I am also outlining my favorite rides and will make notes on them so I can go over them before and after the ride.

Yes I over analyze my rides!

We are going on a new loop in Big Basin this weekend! Should be very exciting!

Must my horse destroy everything?

2009-08-29T17:39:00.001-07:00

I swear Lucy is out to destroy everything I have to contain her. And the really funny thing is she rarely escapes once she destroys the fence, or as in the case of this morning, her gate.

Luckily she did not actually destroy her gate, no she just lifted the whole thing right up and off its hinges! And mind you this is not a small gate!! Its a rather substainal sized metal and wire gate!

Lucy has already offically broken a fence in every pasture or paddock at my house, now she can add bringing down a gate to her list. Although, come to think about it, it does seem like she torn up the gate in the first paddock at one time too. I remember having to repair it anyway.

Well, anyway, just had to be annoyed at her for that! My next blog will be an update of our last couple rides.

Why the end of August is so important

2009-08-18T19:04:00.001-07:00

So the end of August is coming up, why is this important? Because back in May when I was trying to figure out what to do with Kezi I decided to wait unit the end of August and if she was still sound I would either turn her out with Lucy or start working her more. So now the end of August is two weeks away, Kezi is still sound and I am very excited to be doing something with her!

Unfortunately PAFF kinda threw me off so she hasn’t been out for a walk in a while but she is doing quite well as far as running around her paddock with out any problems goes! She is gaining more muscle in her shoulder, which is fantastic, but its kinda lumpy, not smooth like her other shoulder. We shall see what comes of that, hopefully her muscles are just progressing at different rates.

So now the question is what am I going to do with her? Turn her out with Lucy or start working her? I think I will start doing some more parelli stuff with her, some ponying off Lucy and some walks for a couple weeks then see how I feel about turning her out with Lucy.

Turning her out scares me so much because she could go tearing down the mountain at full speed and completely mess her leg up again, but at the same time I feel bad for her being stuck in the little paddock when she feels good and seems to be doing so good, plus I think it would help her heal to be able to move around more. Of course hopefully she is already completely healed.

I shall update!

Since PAFF was this last weekend I haven’t gotten to ride since our long ride. I am hoping to ride Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

So our first longer ride since Lucy was sick!

2009-08-10T10:04:00.001-07:00

So we got to ride yesterday, yeah!

And it was a fabulous ride! I am very excited about it, well I would be if I could move very much, haha! But I will explain about that later.

The ride set up:

So my plan was to ride from home, up Gazos to Johansons. Then Johansons to Middle Ridge Road, back to Gazos and then home.

Here are my estimates on mileage:

Home to Sandy point 3.9 miles

Sandy Point to Middle Ridge Road, via Johansons 2.5 miles

Middle Ridge Road to Gazos 3 miles

Gazos to Sandy Point 5 miles

Sandy Point to Home 3.9 miles

Total: 18.3 estimated.

I can’t say for sure how long we took since we stopped to talk several times and I did not check the clock as soon as I got home. But I left the house at 11.30 and got back in the house at 6pm. So I would say that total ride time was about 5 hours, maybe less.

Prep:

Well obviously I took Lucy! And her normal tack, Marciante saddle, Parelli hackamore, I had to use my baby blue breastplate on her since I left my good one in town :( It hangs too low on her shoulders I think. I packed the back saddle bag with a bottle of water, sunscreen (after applying two times!), hoof pick, map, twine (always in there), craisins (also always in there and probably a bit old at this point!), stethoscope (which I never use). But I defiantly need a new saddle pack as this one bounces around too much.

I got to ride my my trail stirrups! I hadn’t done so before because the fenders were wider then the stirrups, and I didn’t want to stretch out my fenders. So I wrapped my stirrups in cardboard then taped them so that the top part where the fender sits was wider. It worked pretty well but then my fenders could slip sideways a bit and not say straight on the stirrup, but I think that help my stirrups sit straighter and made it more comfortable for me.

Then I put my english seat saver on my endurance saddle, I don’t have one that fits it yet and seriously needed it! I was determined not to have a sore bum.

Here is Miss Lucy all ready to go! She looks annoyed.

So the breakdown of my ride!

Home to Sandy Point:

I walked her down my road as usual, its just much easier not to have to fight with her since she will try turning around to go home until we get a certain distance away from home. I think we were making pretty good time up Gazos until we met up with this guy and his dog, who I ended up talking to for a while. Lucy was happy since we stopped right at a big bunch of grass! She is defiantly doing better breathing wise going up that hill, I am very pleased!

At Sandy point we met up with Eric ( I bought Lucy from him when she was 5 months old). This was the second time I had met up with him I think Lucy is one of his nicer horses that he bred. I won’t go into how he breeds his horses all that right now since it doesn’t have anything to do with our ride.

Sandy Point to Middle Ridge Road, via Johansons:

So at this point we started trotting some. Pretty much only on flat but I did start pushing her up a few small hills. I have been letting her walk up all hills even little ones so now I am reminding her that she is capable of trotting up the hills. I think we did this in about 20 to 30 minutes. I did make her trot quite a bit, all flat spots at any rate. Although Johansons is rather hilly, I knew it would be nothing compared to what was coming on the next trail!

Middle Ridge Road to Gazos:

So the middle ridge road is pretty much all up and down. Mostly down, but some up (going south east anyway). I got off and walked it all. I let her stop and eat quite a bit. I figured it would be our time to settle down and get our energy back for Gazos, or at least for Lucy to get her energy back for Gazos. I let her eat since it would help keep her hydrated, put some food in her stomach and give her a chance to stop and rest (and me too!). We met up with a rather large group of hikers on the middle ridge road. I would say we took at least an hour on the middle ridge road.

Gazos to Sandy Point:

This was probably the best part of our ride, the walking and resting on middle ridge road really paid off as Lucy was really refreshed and ready to go! Gazos is more or less flat so I knew we would be doing quite a bit of trotting. At first it was a little too downhill to do a lot of trotting, then it evened out and we started picking up our speed. We came up on the creek that I had remembered from before just when the trail started to flatten out more. I filled my water bottle and let Lucy drink. She did drink but not a lot. We pretty much trotted at least 50% of the time if not more until we came to the open areas. Lucy was more into trotting at this point and would spring into the trot at the lightest touch, but I let her choose more or less when we walk again. She is still learning to trot longer distances.

When we came to the open parts I doused her with water and reapplied my sunscreen. She was trotting gaily when we got back to sandy point, I think physically she could have done more, and possibly mentally too. At Sandy Point Eric had water for us, she drank a lot more there!

Sandy Point to Home:

I walked her down Gazos as is my norm, mostly to save my knee which was killing me from my stirrup. The pain had gone all up into my hip! I got back on after the gate and figured we would walk up the hill, even though Lucy felt like she could do some trotting. I let her choose what to do and she choose to trot a bit. I was ok with this because she was energetic and breathing well. We met up with my father, brother and his two kids at the spring. The kids of course wanted rides, Tyler as finally gotten over being afraid of the horses, and even remembered Lucy’s name! I was really surprised. So they got a short ride (was impressed that Lucy was ok with turning back around away from home) and then Kylie got to ride on Lucy up to the house. This is where my story goes a little bit downhill, not for Lucy or Kylie but for me. Lucy was a gem, I love having a horse that can go out and do endurance training so well and then come home and be safe for my 5 year old niece!

While Lucy did great going up the hill, and Kylie had a blast, I literally almost passed out! Lucy walks very fast, and Kylie kept talking with me so I got really out of breath. When we were almost to my driveway was when I realized that I was in real danger of passing out. I have never passed out before but came really close once when getting stitches out. I made myself walk her up to the pasture then sat down my the feed bins while Lucy munched on hay. If I had stood up at all I would have pass out for sure. A couple times when I sat up more my vision went all black. I sat for quite a while so my brother came up with Tyler to let him sit on Lucy while she was eating too. It was pretty cute, but I was too out of it to really care. I have no idea how long I sat there but even when I did get up to take Lucy down to be untacked I had to sit down on the ground every 50 feet or so. I had to drag myself into the house to get a piece of bread so that I had enough stangth to unsaddle Lucy. I was pretty weak the rest of the evening and even this morning I am still weak and my legs still really hurt.

So why did this happen? Very simple, I never remember to eat before going out riding. I ate like four pieces of cheese before I left at 11:30 then walked at least 5 miles on our ride which was rather long! I managed to keep myself hydrated but not fed. Loren was a bit mad since he keeps telling me I need to eat before riding. I am a bit strange in that I will often not eat even when I am hungry. I would probably have more energy and less breathing problems if I ate more.

I am defiantly going to buy some little packets of nuts and dried fruit for packing in my saddle bag for next time.

I think Lucy could handle a ride like this every two to three weeks.

I had some thoughts on interval training. I was thinking that I should work her up hills a bit more before doing much IT, use that as our IT for now and not higher speeds. We shall see what happens.

What did I learn on this ride?

I need to eat before and during my rides! I take better care of Lucy then I do myself!

I need sports bra for riding (I had some bra strap issues! hehe)

I need a better saddle bag, preferably one that holds more water bottles.

And Lucy is in great shape! Yeah!

Little tid bits here and there

2009-08-07T18:54:00.000-07:00

So I guess first an update from last weekend!

I didn’t ride, I know I am horrible! but I did get Kezi out! yeah!

I lunged her just a little bit, we had been working on her just walking when she is on the line and she seemed to remember! I then went up to the trot and whenever she started getting too excided I would slow her back down and go back to the walk. It didn’t take very long before she was calmly walking and trotting around on the lunge, I am very happy!

She is a lot of fun to work with! Our walk went well too.

On Tuesday I trotted her a bit more and she really seemed to enjoy that! She is much easier to trot in hand then Lucy. Lucy feels no reason to slow down her normal speed just so I can keep up!

I don’t know if this is Kezi’s normal speed or if she is just being considerete of me.

I got my laptop over the weekend! Wowo I am excited, but I am been stressed that almost isn’t that exciting. But it still is at times.

So tomorrow I am taking Lucy for a much longer ride then usual. We shall see how it goes.

Three hurahs for Keziah!!

2009-07-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

Soooo , miss Kezy has been going out for longer walks! Why? Because she needs it something bad! If I feed at all late, she throws a fit and runs all over her paddock, sometimes I don't even have to feed late for her to do that!
So I made the executive decition (isn't it great being the excutive of our own little barn?!) that Kezi either needs to get out more or be turned out with Lucy. Since turning her out with Lucy still seems like a scary proposition, I opted for taking her out for more walks!
I have been rewarded by seeing both her front feet chip a little on the rocks (really common where I live) which I liked seeing because it means that she is putting equal wieght on both legs when walking. Then this morning she did a little hop rear to face me and came down on her bad leg while holding her good leg up! Then when she was eating she was resting her good leg rather then her bad leg! Its all so very exciting!

So now the plan is for lots of walks down the local trail, a few up and down the road and some parelli sessions, which might include some lunging but I don't know about that yet. I would like to start walking her saddled up, but even though the Marciante fits her I might see if Lucy's old dressage saddle fits her and use that since I would feel better about her jumping around with that saddle on rather then my new pretty saddle! I might also do some long lining down the trail, but I would feel better if I had her behaving on the lunge first before doing that!

Right now riding isn't in the plan, but I have a feeling its one of those things that will just happen. Like one day when I am getting ready to go for a walk with her I will grab my helmet and hop on half way down the trail.
We shall see what happens, I am still very careful with her.

When do we train vrs. condition?

2009-07-31T17:01:00.000-07:00

My advice is to train before your horse runs you over running away from the very scary bridge.
Unfortunitly I did not follow that advice! Not that she really ran me over, but just bumped against me, which even that she is well trained enough to know not to do. So I have decided that it is time to get her over this whole bridge thing, she is eight after all, she should be used to them by now!

So on Sunday (the day I tried my new saddle out, yes I did get it!) rather then heading off on a long conditioning ride up into Big Basin, I decided to end my ride at my bridge (that I have been getting off to walk her over) and just work her over the bridge for a while.

First I worked on her going over it without my getting off, she came really close to going over but she got so worked up that I held her back and didn't allow her to go over since I was concerned about what she might do that freaked out on the bridge. Once I decided that she was at least willing to consider going over I got off and walked her back and forth over it about six times. Then I got back on and rode her over it about four times.
She did great! She was much calmer about it after that.

In the end we did get some conditioning in when we decided to trot up most of the hill! We trotted about a third of the way up then power walked the rest of the way. I was very pleased because she is getting closer to being able to trot up the whole thing ( which will bring her back to the level of fitness she was at before she got sick).

So I need to remember that sometimes I need to train vrs. condition.

I might as well put todays ride into this post as well. It was fairly uneventful other then being my first real ride in my new saddle! Very exciting! Oh something kinda cool did happen. Lucy and I heard a tree fall. I don't know why its so cool, but I found it to be really cool!

I think I have hit upon our current conditioning regime. I don't really have one but was following one without realising it!
So currently our rides are roughly about 10 miles long, so they can be anywhere from 8 to 11 miles. We are riding from home so about 3/4 to 2/3 is walking. We walk down our road, then up Gazos into Big Basin then we do off and on trot for a couple miles (generally not more then 4) then we ride back possibly doing some trot up my road. So all in all we only do about 2 to 3 miles of trotting. So over the last couple of weeks I have been uping the langth and duration of trotting but not the over all langth of ride. I have to not only condition her body slowly, but I am also conditioning her mind to trotting for long periods of time.
So far its working well and I am very pleased!
I think once we start trotting almost all of the flat I will up our langth of ride to 15 miles (with some 10 milers still added in) and have medium langth walks inbetween longer trots.
I need to start cantering her more so she gets used to it so we can do interval training down the road.

Have saddle pads become the new saddle?

2009-07-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

I truely belive that there are more choices in saddle pads today then saddles. What happened to the saddle pad just being a barrier between the horse and saddle to give a little comfort and protect the saddle from dirt?

It seems like it wasn't that long ago that a western rider would put a blanket folded in half under his saddle and an english rider would put a fitted sheepskin saddle under theirs and that was that!
Now we have ortho, equi, air, and god knows how many "fixer" saddle pads!

We have pads made out of every substance known to man kind, and in every shape, size, thickness and color (exept of course the size for my saddle!), and yet finding the right pad can be a headache and a stomachache!

Oh and lets not forget type! With no slip pads, and half back pads, and baby pads (to keep your saddle pad clean of course!), wither releaf pads, your main pad (why isn't this our only pad?) and theraputic pads ment to save yours and your horses backs, one could concivable have up to 4 pads on their horses backs at once all doing different things!

Ok, so why the sudden annoyance at saddle pads? Because my new saddle (if all works out!) will need one! I keep my saddle pads fairly simple, I have several english square pads, because they will fit under just about everything in a pinch ( like my new endurance saddle, I tested it out with my square pad folded in half under), a couple of fitted pads (one A/P and one dressage) a western pad (square simple LOTS of padding, too much actually) and two cloud nine pads that I would rather ride bareback then use (and we know how I do bareback! haha!).

So now that I need a new pad I am wondering, do I take a trip into saddle pad land and hope that I come back alive, or do I just buy a pretty western blanket and fold it in half and call it good?
The main questions are:
Do I want to go insane trying to find just the right pad? and even insaner wondering if I got the right one?
Do I spend that much on a bit of weird material I have never heard of before? I mean come on, I wont' even spend over a $100 on a pair of boots for myself!

On the other hand don't I care enough about my horses back to spend that much on a nice pad that will make her back feel all nice and cool and theraputic? (insert Lucy's comment: Umm it doesn't matter what you put under my saddle, a saddle is saddle and if it fits it fits and if it doesn't fit it doesn't fit, no saddle pad is going to make me feel any better about you strapping a hunk of wood and leather to my back and traversing the countryside.)
Actually Lucy the tree is made out of ralide, whatever that is!

Excuse me while I run from flying hooves!

Ok, back on track, we were talking about my buying a new saddle pad, oh yeah here is what I predict.

I buy a cheepy pad from horse.com or valley vet, probably a wester blanket, use that while I look for the "right" pad, and after weeks of endless searching relise that there is nothing wrong with what I am using and go with that!
Since I have now come to this conclusion one could assume it will spare me hours of researching saddle pads, but no that would make me not horse obsessed and if I wasn't horse obssesed I wouldn't be here talking about this. No, I will spend huge amounts of time researching something I will never buy!

Stonewall Vrs. Marciante

2009-07-28T11:39:00.001-07:00

And the winner is:

Marciante!!

Maybe.

Well ok here is the story, I picked up a Stonewall Endurance saddle and a Marciate Endurance saddle to try out over the weekend. I really liked the looks of the Stonewall and felt like it was the one I wanted, provided it fit.

Fit: Initially both fit. But the Mariante had a more secure fit I felt. Once I saddled up and got on the Stonewall seemed to be pressing down on her withers. The Marciate felt fine the whole time.

Comfort: Here is where I was suprised. The Stonewall was really uncomforitable! The lip on the edge of the seat was highly uncomforitable on my thighs! And the seat its self wasnt' overly nice either. As soon as I sat down in the Marciate I loved it! But When I rode in it I found that after a while the seat gets a bit hard, I would deffinatlly need a seat saver unless I plan on only trotting from now on.

Balance: I didnt' actuallly ride in the Stonewall since my girth was too long, and I didnt' like the fit anyway. But the Mariantes balance was excellent! Very easy to post in.

So yes the Marciante won, but weather I am buying it or not is another matter. I really should decide today since I am taking it back today. Actually, I dont' have to since Loren said that he might be going to Santa Cruz tomorrow. Hmmmmm.....

Two ride updates, home and Wilder

2009-07-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

Yes I got to go to Wilder, but I better start with the ride at home first.

I tried out an endurance saddle, Big Horn I think. It was horribly uncomforitable! I used my sweatshirt as a seat saver and even then my butt really hurt, as did my thighs. The seat was just at a bad angle for me.
I rode farther down Gazos then last time, my phone lost signal so I just turned the GPS off, but I did figure out that I went about 4 miles from Sandy Point so it was probably a 10ish mile ride. I went about two miles further down Gazos then my last (bareback!) ride. I trotted Lucy in under the trees, she is learning that we are trotting more and getting used to it. Unfortunitly I can't trot her out in the open because there is usually bedrock which she won't trot on, and I understand. I need to get her boots!
Other then that the ride was pretty uneventful, everything was normal. Oh but it was a beautiful day!
I didn't ride on Sunday, just felt like Lucy and I both needed the day off.

So yesterday I rode with Sarah, Lucy and I both enjoyed riding with her and Reba. Reba looks really good, although a bit underwieght, Sarah agreed. I was suprised that Reba kept up with Lucy and I so well, but we did still outdistance her from time to time. Lucy kept up her normal pace the whole time and deffinatly could have done more! We only went about 8 miles.
We ate up at the top of the loop and Reba and Lucy made friends!
On the way back down I walked for a bit to keep the flies off Lucy, they were relentless! I need to make or buy her a fly mask for riding. I could easily make one of those crochet ones, I can after all crochet quite well!

I rode in my wintec since it fits the best of all my saddles. I must admit I only just feel what Becky was talking about about the saddle being to narrow, but she knows more then me! I do wonder if I should try another gullet size. I feel like if the regular is too narrow I can't go that direction and if the regular wide is pinching at the top I can't go any wider. But maybe I should try before spending more money on a new saddle.

We saw the markings for the Fireworks ride, I so wish I could have gone to it! I would be getting everything ready for it today! Or I would just take the whole day off tomorrow for it, but alas, it did not work out. I am still thinking about shine and shine only or Calero Classic, but feel like I really would have liked to have started with Fireworks.

Sarah won't be going to Santa Rosa this semester so we talked about going camping with the horses sometime this summer. Ellie said that she was talking to Penny about going with her up to Point Rayes, so maybe we will see if we can tag along. Penny and I have been meaning to ride together for years! And Ellie and I haven't riden together for over a year.
I will update on that.

Well anyway here is our ride:
http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?t=p&q=http:%2F%2Fapi.motionxlive.com%2Fmotionx-remote%2Fapi%2Fgps%2Fhost%2F3de1c540-0fe9-4ea5-96c4-692f2331fdee&ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=36.981592,-122.089648&spn=0.060473,0.108662&z=13

All the pretty saddles, for sale!

2009-07-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

So I finally got all the pictures up of my saddles!

Blue headstall and breastplate. The snaps have a bit of rust on them, and there are a few stains from the rust on the nylon, but they are both in working order. The headstall comes with split reins.

My Wintec Endurance Pro, phone ran out of batteries before I got pictures of the gullet. It currently has the medium wide in it and comes with with the regular gullet too.

This is my western saddle. Its very comfy and secure. Currently has to stirrups.

Collegiatte AP saddle. Well used, but could be used for schooling. Very secure, might be good for on the trail.

Crosby Jumping saddle. I love this saddle! Although I think it needs to be reflocked! Its pretty wide and was used on a Warmblood.

Note the tear!

This is all it says about where its from.

This is my Argentina dressage saddle. This has a narrow gullet that will fit a higher withered horse. I rode in this on the trial and it was really comfy!

Thanks!

A week of bareback trail rides...

2009-07-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

Now, being only twenty, I had assumed going out bareback while trying to find a properly fitting saddle wouldn't be an issue. I used to ride bareback all the time. I took lessons on huge WB's bareback for crying out loud! And I used to take Lucy out bareback all the time.

But have you ever, perchance riden a ten mile ride up and down hills bareback? Well, in a bareback pad anyway. I rode bareback on Wednesday and even though we only went 3 miles Lucy still sweated and my jeans were drenched and hairy and I was a little grossed out! And belive me, its takes a LOT to gross me out! HA! Aperently once your over 18 things like going totaly bareback just don't suit anymore.

We totally had fun on our Wednesday ride, since it was short and the weather was lovely. I think Lucy was glad not to be going out for a really long ride. I did notice while riding how far back her shoulder comes, I think her shoulder might have a lot of motion to it because of that little bit of TWH in her.

SUNDAY

Yes! The day of reckoning! Can I survive a long bareback ride without hurting me or Lucy? Well I succeeded in one part. Lucy did fine! I however recked me knee. But I will get to that in a bit.

I decided to ride from home, we will be doing this when we ride in Big Basin from now on, she is in good enough shape and the hills are good for her. I did walk her down a lot of my road since she didn't want to leave home.

She had a really good pace going up Gazos. We went down the Gazos trail after Sandy point. We went about two miles out. The last mile or less I got off and ran. I was highly impressed with myself, I usually die running that far. Then I got on, we turned around and trotted back up where I had just run down. I had been a wee bit concerned that I might end up bouncing too much if I trotted for long periods of time. But my abdomins prevailed and absorbed all the bounce. Then burned like hell later! Oh well, Lucy's back wasn't sore so all was fine.

But the bad and good part was that I found out what hurts my knee when riding. It turns out it has nothing to do with going down hill. It has to do with the angle of my hips and knee. Because my legs were pushed wider by Lucy's fairly wide back ( I guess, but Lucy's back isn't really wide) my knee hurt the whole time from the angle.

So now I am not sure if I need a saddle with a wider twist or a narrow twist. I had the knee problem in both my Crosby (sort of a medium twist) and my Wintec which has a very similar twist.

I guess I will have to just try several different saddles out! Great, so now I have another condition on what saddle I get!!!

But now it looks like I wont' be doing Fireworks. Even though I am going to try the stonewall and Marciante endurance saddles, I won't be able to buy anything until I get paid, which might be a while. I also wont' have the money for the entry fee either. So Shine and Shine only might be our first event. We will see.

Lucy did really well though. Once we got off our own mountain she seemed happy to be out on the ride. We only went about 10 miles and I think she could easily handle longer conditioning rides at this point. But I need to stick to 10 miles when trotting her very much.

Very quick saddle update

2009-06-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the feed store. A couple of maybes but not enough to bring them home.

1. Collieget dressage. Nice looking saddle, newish, looked to be about right for Lucy. $320, I don't have a dressage girth to try it out with so bringing it home was out of the question.

2. Black endurance saddle. $100 in fairly good condition, but looked not quite right for Lucy's back. Did deffinatly think about brining it home to try, but just wasn't sure enough.

3. New endurance saddle. $525 this was something the feed store had bought, but it was an unusual maker I had never heard of. It was of a very weird design, western type seat with an english type saddle flap. It also was rather heavy!

So now I need to try General Feed and Seed. OR just see about that barefoot chyanne in Santa Cruz.

I won't have enough money for anything though right now since we are not getting paid what we were suppost too! Grrrr!