Equestrian Challenge Day 11

Day 11- Find a horse for sale online that you would want to buy

Lets see, its been so long since I looked for a horse cause I do not need anymore horses (if I keep repeating it, I am hoping I will believe it!) But if I were to get another horse it would either be one of 3 things..1.a sibling to my paint horse Razz.  2.  A team of drafts to drive, preferably Belgians.  or 3.  A young cutting horse to put in training.  So that is what I was looking for for this challenge.

1.  I have never seen a horse by Razz's sire for sale online, so I had no idea where to even look.

2.  Drafts are also hard to find online, I generally go to a sale at the beginning of May each year that is all about drafts and driving, so if I were to buy a team, it would probly be at their sale.

3.  So for this challenge I am going to pick a couple 2 year old cutters.  Since the NCHA Futurity was last week, I will pick from there, cause that is where so many go through.  And since the sale is actually over these horses are not for sale anymore, but I can provide a price they sold for and will be kinda fun to see how they are doing in a year or 2.

First is a roan mare (now this was an amazing horse, I almost didn't look at her just cause she is a roan, but I could get over the color for how cool she works as a 2 year old, I can only imagine her as a 3 or 4 year old. She sold for $15000 so kinda out of my price range (I wish!!)
Spoonful of Savvy 

 

I also like this sorrel colt.  He inst as dramatic in his moves as the mare, but he is so quiet and makes it look so easy that I think he would be awesome.  And his papers say so as well, both his sire and dam are NCHA earnings and have sired foals with earnings so that helps when looking at young stock.  He sold for Oh my I just looked!  Wow, can I pick em or what??? $75, 000!!!! Holy crap, maybe the mare was in my price range after all.
Jeweled Cat

OK now that I just about had a heart attack for picking that expensive of a horse, I guess I better go out and get a job, lol I think I need it for my next new horse!

Sunday Stills -- Holiday Lights

This week I am finally back in the swing of things.  I dunno why I missed the last couple weeks, but it is what it is and I am back now.  I went to Calgary on Wednesday and as we were leaving the mall I seen these pretty trees so we went back and parked so I could get a pic of them.  It didn't turn out as well as I planned cause the headlights of some car were shining, but I was home before I noticed.

And Every year our John Deere dealer puts lights up on machinery, usually a tractor, this year it was a combine, so I definitely had to put that one it :)

And lastly my own tree all lit up and with all mine and my sisters presents underneath it.  The family is coming out here for Christmas so on Wed, I just packed home her gifts as well so she won't have to bring them the when they come.

For More, check out Sunday Stills.

Equestrian Challenge Day 10

Day 10- How your family/friends feel about your riding

So how my family feels.

Well lets see.

My Mom and Step Dad are OK with it, although sometimes I think they get annoyed that I would pick to go riding over family stuff.  And they are right, I would pretty much pick riding over everything.  But as I get older (well I think that's why?) I would rather spend my family time with a few members at a time than the whole big crowds like we used to.  And they just don't get that.  Although they are supportive even if they don't even really know what cutting is, lol.

My sister she supports me I guess.  She understands better that is what I really like to do and she has a pretty busy life so we just find time in both our schedules to meet up and do stuff, seems to work pretty well.

My friends.  Well I have noticed over time that I really don't have many friends who I ride with.  I have neighbors who I like and visit with, but not sure they are friends.  And they sometimes think I am a little crazy when I want to ride everyday.    My riding friends support me and are trying to do what I am doing so it works well.  We also try to get together when we all can not ride and visit too, so that is nice cause seems like I am the only one riding now, for different reasons.

Equestrian Challenge Day 9

Day 09- Any injuries that occurred from riding

Somehow I am doing day nine on the 18th of the month, oops, oh well :)

Injuries from falling....well I can only remember 2.  I try not to fall off.  Sometimes I am not very graceful and it has been a while since I came off and I would like to keep it that way, specially since last time it was my own fault.  (usually is)

I was riding Gypsy, a kid safe horse in the arena at Jardi's and we were just loping around, and I could feel her saddle slipping a little to the inside so I just put a little extra weight in the outside stirrup and woosh the saddle slid all the way to the outside and I hit the wall and then the floor.  Ouch!  Boy was that stupid!  A friend was there and she took me to the ER (really slow on a Sunday night, lol) and he said nothing seemed serious and I had to go back the next day for x-ray on my shoulder.  I tried to get them to do my wrist cause it hurt worse but he said it was OK   I am still not sure it was, but later on it was still bothering me and I went to 3 different doctors and finally got told it was probly a torn quadrator muscle.  It took forever to heal, almost would rather a bone broke them soft tissue damage. (apparently I don't have any pics of Gypsy on this comp :( )

The first time was on my gelding Henry.  He was 2 and very green but good, I was also green but somehow we got along, he was forgiving and I didn't know any better.  He was a wedding gift from my father in law, we went to a sale and he said this was the only horse there he liked, so he bought him.  Figured if at 2 he could walk around the sale barn relaxed he would be OK at home.  Well it was about 2 weeks before my wedding and I had been riding pretty much everyday for the last month or so and he was really well behaved, so friend of mine came up and we were gonna ride through the cows.  i wanted to, they were right outside my fence but didn't want to do it alone.  But I hadn't anticipated how excited he would be to see other horses.  And he took off trotting around the yard and couldn't stand still and I didn't know enough to stop him and he went left and I went right and just fell off, I knew I was going and put my hands out to stop myself.  I got up and he was right beside me (probly wondering what I was doing on the ground)  I was gonna get back on and Doug said he thinks I should go to the doctor cause it looked broke.  I didn't think it was, hurt a little but I had just put my whole body weight on it of course it was gonna hurt.  But I am glad he did and Linda drove me to town and of course it was broke so I had a cast for my wedding!  The had to order in special the white color, cause they had no one who wanted white after they could get colors!  I was in every week for a new cast so I had many colors :)  It worked well, I had to do very little when I moved the few days afterwards though, I liked that.  And that was 8 years ago and it has never bothered me since.  I should scan in a wedding pic one day so you can see the cast in it, crazy!

(this was a few years later, he made a wonderful horse, I took him everywhere 

and everywhere I went they all loved him )

Equestrian Challenge Day 8

Day 08- A little about the barn/stable you ride at

Well there are 2 parts to this I guess.  In the summer I ride here at home mostly. although i do trailer a lot, whether to friends places  for fun or neighbors to work, or to lessons.  But mostly at home.  But since I have no arena at home, either indoor or out, I board over the winter.  Last year found a really nice place that my horse is kept alone (or with a friends horse) and barn is heated and arena is a nice size.  I really like it there.  The owner is really friendly and all the other boarders are nice as well.  Not many ride in the daytime which is fine by me, gives me lots of room to do my own thing.

 (her outdoor pen which has an waterer but no shelter yet)

 (the arena, there are barrel racers and jumpers there so never know 

whats gonna be set up when I get there, I have been taking Jessie over

 the lowest cavellettis at a trot, she thinks I'm crazy)

(my tack room, just an empty stall I share with 2 others, 

lots of room in there for our stuff)

Equestrian Challenge Day 7

Day 07- Your favorite ribbon won at a show and why

Well this is a fairly easy question to answer for me, I have only ever won one ribbon and it is still a mystery to me why i won it.  I took Bailey to a small community show a few years ago, she was only 4 and had maybe 6-8 months riding on her.  But we went anyways and I entered her in a couple classes, wasn't sure what but the Junior Western Pleasure was one of them.  Not even sure why I entered that class cause western pleasure is not her (ie slow she does not do, lol)  But out of a class of 8 we got 5th.  The only reason I can figure we got a ribbon is she loped right when I asked (even if we passed everyone like 5 times cause she is so fast) and she backed up with me hardly touching her reins.  Oh and we stopped when asked, not perfect, but pretty nice.  One horse would not lope at all a about 3 horses didn't back up at all.   And I think only one other horse stopped nice.  So I guess it was fair as in riding skill, but not in western pleasure.  And since I wasn't there to win a ribbon, just to get her out, I was pretty excited :)

(not the greatest pic cause she was tired and grouchy cause I wouldn't let her eat grass)

Real Life

So apparently I been to caught up in the Equestrian Challenge on her to talk about my real life.  Well I got another horse here (she is not mine, just boarding for a while so her foal could get weaned) and she is a sweetheart.  She does everything...cuts, jumps, trail rides, raises babies, just everything you can think of and is safe for beginners.  She is the one my friend is gonna ride this winter on and jump with me and Kali.

And about a week after she come I took Jessie over to the barn!  I rode her last Friday, Sat, missed Sunday cause of our Christmas Party and rode Monday   It has been a while since I been on a horse I guess (i know its about 2 months) but my legs were really sore Mon so yesterday I didn't go either.  But today and most days from now on I am going cause I wanna get some lessons in before Christmas and she is kinda fat and out of shape. (like me)

(Im sure it was the coldest day that I took Jessie over but I went anyways :)

I got all my Christmas decorations up except my Christmas lights cause I got solar ones this year and had no idea what I was doing when I went out to put them up and I don't know where to put the solar panel so it faces south and isn't covered in snow.  But hopefully before Christmas I will get them up.

(been having some pretty sunsets this month)

Oh and speakin of Christmas sounds like my family is comin Christmas Eve to stay overnight and we are gonna have stockings and presents and then dinner.  And later Christmas Day I am gonna go to Calgary with my sister so we can go boxing day shopping :)  I am real glad this is the plan cause then Neil's family can come out that day as well and we don't have to travel all holidays.

 (We got new phones and Telus sent us Purdy's chocolates, kinda a surprise to open that package!)

( Jam I made this week, Rhubarb raspberry, and Raspberry Cordial)

Equestrian Challenge -- Day 6

Day 06- All the tack and riding clothes you have (brand/color/other details)

This could be a long one, lol.  I have so much tack its kinda crazy and my ponies have way more clothes than me.  Clothes for riding, pretty much I prefer my Aura jeans and any type of top, tank tops in summer, long sleeve t-shirts, western shirts, long johns, and my wranger fleece lined jeans for winter riding.    And western boots, I do have a pair of muck boots the english tall riding kind, but they are very fitted and very warm so it has to be pretty cold and I have to wear fitted jeans, or loose jeans with them inside.

For tack, hmm where to start.  Saddles, I have 4 - my Sean Ryon Cutting saddle, McCall Wade ladies ranch saddle (I love love love this saddle), my old small western saddle that I need to find a new home for, and my I dunno brand name English saddle.

Bridles, I have at least one for every horse, Jessie has a curb with roller and now also riding inthe hackmore.  Razz mostly the hackmore and occasionally the twisted wire snaffle and hopefull one day the curb bit, after the two rein.  Bailey and Kali both have a snaffle.  Disco has a snaffle and a curb of which I hardly have used either.  Magic Jazz and Belle don't really have any, but hopefully Jazz and Magic will someday.

I have a huge variety of saddle pads, I love my tolkat coolback pad and also a felt pad.  I have some English pads for my English saddle as well.

I have boots and polos and collars and a driving harness and halters of every shape and style.

And horse blankets, I have so many, light, winter, rain, fly, coolers.  All kinds of crazy blankets.

Equestrian Challenge -- Day 5

Day 05- Your first fall

Well to tell the truth I don't even remember the first time I fell off.  I know we used to ride my grammas neighbors horse, me, my sister and my cousin all sat on her and she ed us around and if we were on the back we usually slid off when going up the hill, lol.  After a few times, we always made my cousin sit at the back (not sure how we got away with that but I was oldest so I got the front (the withers, not the best spot either really)

But after I really started riding on my own, I got a horse I called him Abraham, actually a friend named him and he was bad. He knew I didn't know what I was doing and so if you weren't paying attention (which I didn't know what to be paying attention too) he would just buck.  It didn't take much cause I had no seat and I didn't ever hang on to the reins.  After 6 times in one day, I decided I needed a new horse.  But of all the times I came off him I never did get hurt, I actually started landing on my feet!  I did ride him more in a smaller corral and he was better but still not good for a beginner either.  

I kept him over the winter and he learned me a lot!  I learned how to catch a horse, how sometimes metal brushes are nicer for horses than soft rubber (he hated the soft ones) and just in general what I did not want in a horse.

Sometimes I wonder if I had him now, I bet I would like him, and he wouldn't try much of that crap anymore, but he is gone and has been for 9 or 10 years so no point thinking about it.

I do have some pics of him, I might have to scan one in if I can figure out how.

Equestrian Challenge Day 4

Day 04- A ride that impacted your life

A ride that impacted my life, hmmm.  I absolutely have to say it was my first ride on Jessie.  Before her I never really knew what it was like to cut.  Still don't know why I was told it would be better to learn on the horse I had that had never cut that to go to a horse who knew the job.  Somehow in my mind I knew it too, but I liked Razz so much I ignored my inner voice (stupid!)  

The first time I got on Jessie I was a little nervous I never planned to ride that day and I never knew anything about the horse except she can cut.  But he said get on her she will be fine, even though she hadn't been ridden in 5 months.  That did not really put me at ease, nor did it when they changed her bridle while I was sitting on her.  But they were right and she was fine and I am pretty sure I was addicted to cutting the first time she cut a cow out of the herd and went with it.  It was the most amazing feeling and every time we cut I feel the same way.  I am pretty sure I learned more in that lesson than in the whole year before that.  However I do have to say that if I did not have the struggles and frustration with Razz, I am not sure I would have appreciated it as much.  So I guess circumstances do make the experience completely different and in this case so much better :)

Equestrian Journal Day 3

Day 03- Your Best Riding

This one kinda confuses me.  I don't think I have done my best riding yet, I kinda like to think every ride is better than the one before it.  I guess there are some rides I liked better than others, like the Sunday morning at the Leon Harrel clinic I was at in August, somehow everything I did just seemed to come together right for me.  And there are some rides that are just awful, like when I was working with Razz 2 years ago, just some days were like hitting a brick wall, luckily that happens less and less now.

But since I do so many different kinds of rides, I dont know even how to answer this, so I am hoping my best ride is still to come, and if it already has happened I will be very sad, cause I think I can do better, both at cutting as well as ranch work.

Birthday Dinner

Yesterday we headed to Calgary to finally get together and celebrate mine, my sisters, my aunt Bonnie's and my nephew's birthdays.  They have all been over for a while but trying to get together was not working well until yesterday. My mom and Clint also came and brought my Grampa.  I can't believe how warm it was there, plus 4, and we left and headed home and just outside Calgary was -19.  That is not fair, I was hoping we would get some warmth, and maybe we will it will just be a little slower getting here.

(had to use the one with the eyes, lol)

I love all the stuff I got from them :)  It was a fun night of dinner at eating at Ricki's then afterwards we got family pictures taken.  Long day but worth it, we never got home till 12:30.

I got Eeyore jammies with feet and a Eeyore cell phone case from my sister,

A lap desk, a icey salad bowl, some socks for riding, an M &M key chain light, and a spoontula and ice cream scoop from Mom and Clint.  Already using the lap desk and it works awesome.  Way better than a hardcover book, lol

And From my Aunt a Pooh bear mug and a couple pair fuzzy socks, which I love, it is kinda cold in our house in the winter cause of poor insulation and so they are so awesome :)

All in all a good night and we looked at Christmas gifts from me and Neil to each other, we already decided what we are getting, now just gotta pick it out.

Equestrian Challenge -- Day 2

Day 2 --  Current riding goals

This is a challenge for me.  Right now I am wanting to get cutting.  Have for the last year but its been slow going.  Much slower than I care for it to be.  But I am learning patience along with cutting ;)  My only specific goal in cutting is to go to a bunch of shows next summer (as many as I can) and over the summer get consistent.

But at the same time I am still working on the other horses, for instance wanting to get Razz into a two rein then into a spade one day.  And with Kali am gonna get her jumping this winter so that is another goal I gotta get done, pretty new to me as well.  Been around jumping a lot but never really done it.

And always looking to improve my riding.  I need better balance.  And I need to work on being more consistent and demanding, rather than just letting my horse decide sometimes.  I have for a long time if they are not being bad, not expecting more.  But now I know it is actually easier for them if they know exactly what I want all the time, but its hard for me.

Equestrian Challenge Day 1

Day 1 -- When and Why you started riding.

I don't really remember the first ride I ever had, my Mom rode lots,even while she was pregnant with me, so I guess I come about it naturally, lol.  But I did ride a few friends horses as a kid, but never got serious till I was in college in 97 that I started taking lessons and riding.  I did that for a couple years then got a job without a horse for a year or so the stared working at a stable but hardly ever rode there.  And when I moved to this area in 2001 I really started riding.  First was at work on the ranch and now more for fun.

Why did I start riding, I don't know.  I always liked horses since I was little but we lived in the city and could not afford one but it seems like I was always drawn to them and am so glad I have the chance to ride regularly now.  Seems like a part of me :)

Equestrian Challenge

So today I am opting out of Sunday Stills cause I don't really have anything that brings me luck, wish I did.  But Louisa over at Time in the Saddle brought up this Equestrian Challenge and so thought I might start working on it.  Doubt it will be done in a month, but 30 days isn't necessarily a month is it?  Oh well she didn't say it had to be 30 days in a row ;)

So here is the basics and will write out the question and answer as I go along as well each day.

Day 01- When and why you started riding
Day 02- Your current riding goals
Day 03- Your Best Riding
Day 04- A ride that impacted your life
Day 05- Your first fall
Day 06- All the tack and riding clothes you have (brand/color/other details)
Day 07- Your favorite ribbon won at a show and why
Day 08- A little about the barn/stable you ride at
Day 09- Any injuries that occurred from riding
Day 10- How your family/friends feel about your riding
Day 11- Find a horse for sale online that you would want to buy
Day 12- Favorite horse color
Day 13- Most Embarrassing moment
Day 14- Your dream barn/farm
Day 15- If you could speak to any horse, dead or alive, what would you say?
Day 16- Your most recent fall
Day 17- Your equestrian idol
Day 18- Your grooming routine
Day 19- A discipline you would like to do that you’ve never done before
Day 20- Your favorite horse show
Day 21- Your perfect schooling outfit
Day 22- The importance of riding in your life
Day 23- Picture of your favorite jump/combo
Day 24- Your best riding friend
Day 25- Your dream trailer
Day 26- Biggest riding pet peeve
Day 27- You know your an equestrian when….. (Give 5 original ones)
Day 28- Helmet or no helmet?
Day 29- A style/trend in tack/riding apparel that you don’t like
Day 30- Your Future With Horses

Made and Broken

You know when you have one of those days, where you shoulda just gone back to bed and got up the next day???  Well that's how today went.  Actually started last night.  I got this really pretty candle holder from a friend last year and haven't used it a lot but thought I would yesterday.

About an hour after I lit the candles I heard this weird pop.  Didn't know what it was so just ignored it and then about 15 minutes later another pop and glass comes flying out.  I guess the glass they used was not good enough for candles or something, but suffice it to say 3 of 5 glasses broke.

Then I was gonna make jam yesterday but of course forgot to thaw the fruit overnight so I pulled it out in the morning only to find I never picked up the raspberries from my moms.  Ack, so I pulled out plums and made a batch of prune perogies and chokecherry juice and made 10 jars jelly.  Not what I was looking for to make for Christmas gifts, but at least it worked.

But I went to wash the dishes and had kinda big pile drying and one of the casserole dishes fell off the counter and broke, of course as it was falling I tried to rescue it and smashed my finger.  That's when I thought of going to bed and starting the day over again tomorrow.  But I continues on and even got the silverware moved to a better place with a nicer holder.  I am gonna move all the coffee and stuff to the other counter and hopefully i have more room to cook without getting in the way of making coffee.

Then the horses were almost out of hay and Neil had to curl at 9 so he said he would feed them when he got home.  All day they were looking hungry (they got that down pat, lol) so I thought they were out and he ended up curling again till after dark so he says tomorrow   I was feeling bad for them, dont want them to be out of food for a whole day so I got my truck and picked a square bale and went to take it to them.  I go in the pen and find they still have lots of hay they just cant reach it!  So I move it around and go put the bale back, that will certainly hold them till tomorrow 

And hopefully it will be a better day tomorrow.