I Finished!!!

I finished my Horsemanship Challenge from the group I was in on Facebook.  Just barely.  It ends on Saturday and I finished Monday with 34 rides and 40 hours.  I am actually kinda disappointed in that it took me so long.  Makes me sad how little I did get to ride all winter.  Normally I try to ride 5-6 days a week but this year with hauling and I don't like to haul when its more than -20 and it was way too many days this year.  So not near enough riding occurred.  I think I need to really push to try to get an arena, although my friend S thinks that I should just go to Brooks cause its such a nice arena there and heated and huge.  But I have thought of that too, even though its cheap to ride there it still costs gas and wear and tear on the vehicle and takes forever, being an hour drive each way.  Wasn't too bad when I have company but just exhausting everyday by myself.  If I do keep using it I will definitely need a barn.  It is pretty miserable to come home and be tired and then have to stand outside and change blankets and feed horses when it was so cold.  If I could do it in a barn wouldn't mind it at all.  Lots to think about to prepare for next winter.  I thought of just turning them out and not riding all winter, but I don't know what I would do, would probly go insane with boredom.  So don't think that's gonna happen.

 (So excited that Jessie's tail is this long, last summer is was shorter than her hocks :) )

I had no intention of finishing my challenge yesterday, I had about an hour and a half left and thought I would just ride and then go back today and finish it up...or ride outside.  I brought both Kali and Jessie and we headed off a little later than planned but its light late now so not as big a deal.  I got on Jess and she was kinda being a dork but oh well just ride her though it and we worked at the trot for a long time and then I asked for a stop and she just kinda walked and then stopped.  Well that is never acceptable so we did it again and same thing so we did it again and I pulled on her and backed her up hard and then we did it again and she stopped!  So I thought that was the end of it, but no we loped and she just randomly stops, so we lope again and she just cuts the corner and totally ignored my leg to put her back.  Well that was it so I made her work lots of lope and lots of trot work and mostly lots of sideways work.  She was just in that mood that she didn't want to listen, it took a little over an hour and she was soaked and tired and listening right away again :)  I had previously thought maybe she was sore, but no heat or soreness anywhere I could find she just was being bad I think (and I hate complaining about her being bad cause she doesn't even really know what bad is)  

(I see this sign everyday on the way home, this is where I live :) )

Then it was Kali's turn.  As I was changing saddles (and cinches, lol) the cart lady came.  I don't mind her there, neither horse is afraid of her cart and it is a big enough arena we have lots of room and a little difference is good for them, and besides Kali is better when there are more people in the arena...and I mean more, we rode with 10 others in there one day and she loved it, goofy horse.  Anyways she was all upset cause I tied Jessie where she couldn't see her.  She is a little buddy sour although she cant be bad either, lol she just tried heading that way if I give her a chance.  But every time we headed back to the gate she decided to go faster, so we spent a lot of time trotting and I made her go fast away from the gate too, she has a nice fast smooth trot its so easy to ride so glad I got that in her she used to hardly move when trotting, kinda like she usually is loping.  And since she was so energetic I got her to lope lots too, used her enthusiasm for the gate as a starting point to lope and she loped the nicest I have rode since I got her, I was amazed....but now I know she can do it, lol.  Was a good ride, I think I might put her in a different bit, not that I can't control her in a snaffle but I think shes ready for more, we will see if I can find something before tomorrow.  I think the cart lady thought she was all excited cause of her at first but I said she was more worried about her buddy and it was obvious she wasn't even looking at the cart, not even enough to distract her a little.

 Then since both girls were so sweaty I grabbed my clippers and clipped Jessie's front legs, she has so much hair and when it gets muddy its just gross and I worry about scratches although none of my horses have ever had them I don't want them and it looks so pretty now :)  Next time will be back legs, woulda done em at the same time but the guy was coming in to drag out the benches from the sale and it was right behind them so I don't mind waiting for another day. 

 But that added up to finishing the challenge :)  I would like a summer challenge, maybe a bareback challenge or something different, since I am getting bored, been almost a year I been riding by myself and I need to add some interest to keep me motivated.  I do like cutting and lessons but its the in between rides that I need to do to keep Jess in shape that get pretty old.  Maybe I need more people to ride with so there is always someone but no one close to me wants to so I guess I will have to entertain myself again for a while.