Riding and Ponies

So this summer my plan was to sell both Trio and Dee.  Really want to get down to 3 horses and that would make 4 but 4 I really like and want to keep them all so I guess for now 4.  Well I had Dee listed for sale this spring had a lot of interest but only 2 people came and I know the one guy and I knew it wasn't what he wanted but he came anyways lol.  And the other guy called back and liked her but really wanted her more broke, not sure why he called back but I think he was hoping I would lower the price more but I'm not offering that he didn't suggest it and so then I was so busy with branding I pulled her ad down and figured Id list her later after I rode her more and got her nicer.  Well then the summer was so wet and then bugs that I hardly rode at all.  So she got turned out and left, like everyone else.

Well I do love driving and was gonna get Pally going, not sure if shes ever done it but shes sensible enough I think she would be good.  So I got a cart no harness yet, but was still awful weather for being outside.

Then last week I saw an ad for a driving pony, he loves it done it a ton and that would be even better for me cause I'm pretty beginner, done it a few times but not enough to be real comfortable with it.  hes been driven with a stoneboat pulling and in a cart so excellent.  Well I don't need another horse so I asked if she would trade, gave both Trio and Dee as options and after I told her Dee gets herdbound and doesn't steer very well but is totally safe she says that's exactly what she wanted!  What????  she is tired of unsafe and can deal with others and they have a bunch of grandkids who ride and want to train a horse but she wants them safe too so she will work for that as well, and they never ride alone so that part isn't a big deal.

So we made a plan to meet in Brooks and try them out.  Well I got there early planned on riding first cause if I gotta haul down and pay might as well make it worthwhile.  So I took Razz too.  Got there and she said was running late which turned out to be a good thing cause they were doing motorcross bikes across the road and Dee thought that was awful.  didn't care when she could see them but they would make noise and then just appear.  So we wandered over there and after a few large snorts she was ok with them, sorta.  I saddled Razz and then they showed up.  We did the pony first, he seems so quet, he looked around a bit at all the new stuff but not worried then they put the harness on him and it was all work.  We never hooked up the stoneboat cause woulda scared everyone elses horses cause they are super loud but I had seen videos of it earlier.  I drove him around and messed up and  he just waited till I figured it out.  They lowered the traces and the guy pulled on them while driving and he just put his head down and worked.  Yay exactly what I wanted!!

(just waiting)

(around the building is a tame rabbit, hes so cute!)

I was worried then that he was way nicer than Dee and I kinda said so but they wanted to see her anyways so I saddled and bridled her and got on the mounting block and opeend the gate on her, not perfect but she did it.  Then she didnt want to leave Razz as normal but a few small circles she started listening and then I did a bunch of figure eights and circles and walking and trotting and even a few loping steps.  Then he got on and rode her she was pretty nice for him, he loped almost half the arena that surprised me.  Called a few times but still listened.  They liked her, whew.  so we made the deal and now I own a pony called Jumping Jax or Jax for short.  Haven't done a lot with him as I been up at the supreme and I have no harness but soon :)  Hes also been rode but not very much, he acts like its his 3rd ride which is fine, I don't wanna ride him anyways.

Afterwards I rode Razz in the arena there, shes so fun but somehow always wants to go as fast as possible in the arena, I'm sure its my fault so we did a bunch of arena stuff I haven't done on her in a long time and didn't take her long to remember it all.   But since I had my trailer hooked up already on Monday loaded up Jess and Razz and went riding in the fall colors so pretty to ride this time of year.

(good ole Jess :))

Rode Jess first in the arena then ponied Razz out around the field then came back had lunch and it was so nice we went again haha, this time I rode Razz, poor girl had 2 long days.

And Then Sunday/Monday

After the clinic I went home turned out Jess and unhooked my trailer.  It was dark so I quit.  I had plans to get up early in the morning and go to Calgary to pick up my sister.  I got up at 4 and out the door shortly afterwards.  Picked up Heidi and headed back to Drum.  Been half a day already and was only 8!  But we picked up our race packages for the Drum Half Marathon and then hung around to until it was our time to start.

Weirdly enough we wore matching blue shirts and both put our green race shirt on top, we were thinking it was cool we matched, might do it again next year.  Finally they did the warmups for our race and since we knew we were walking the whole thing we stayed at the back.  Was a good day for it, was raining earlier that morning but it quit by the time we got there.  Was a bit cool but nice temperature to walk in.

(too bad the pole was in front of Heidi's face the scenery is sure pretty)

(not us but thought it was cute with the giant dino 

in the background as on our shirt hes chasing us )

We walked not too fast but not too slow, Heidi's ankles hurt if she goes too fast and my broken toe wasn't so great if we walked at all but I tried to save it a bit and it wasn't too bad afterwards.  We finished in 1:56:02.  Not bad, I didn't think we would do under 2 hours so was happy with that.  Got our medal and a pic with the dinosaur and then they had mini donuts.....for free!!!!  MMM  who can argue with that???  We stuck around a bit and visited with a few people and then headed back to Calgary but we made a couple stops on the way.

First was at Beiseker to see the giant Skunk, I had seen him before but never took a pic so it was perfect.  Heidi didn't have any giant things off her list now she has a few :)

Then down the road a few miles to Irricana, where they have a giant horse.  Of course we also saw a Unicorn which I had no idea was there.  I had to save Heidi from him he was gonna stomp her!

Then we drove over to Airdrie where they have a cowboy with real clothes on, a rooster, a bull and Maters cousin.  That was fun.

Then off to Calgary to make crabapple jelly and butter.  We never finished that night had to finish up in the morning cause we were just too tired.

 Long weekend but it was a lot of fun.  I came home Monday afternoon and just rested I was tired!

Weekend Plans Start with a Clinic

Last Thursday night I was asked if I wanted to be in a clinic over the weekend, well I was busy Sunday so I said if I can only go Saturday I sure would.  I like his clinics they are fun, we do all sorts of things and he makes everyone feel good :)  So as I was looking online for him and I never found it lol but I did come across the girl who bought my grey Princess horse.  She still has her and they look good together so I stole some photos off Facebook of her.

Anyways back to the clinic I took Jessie cause shes always good and I like to work on me, I'm tired of working on the horse and I need to improve.  So away we go.  He has a few things in mind but asks us what we all want to work on, there was a few things and so he worked them in.  We started with crazy riding, just going all over working on steering exactly where you want.  Then we set up cones and loped circles at the same speed making an even circle.  I had a little trouble, Jess kept slowing down as we approached the crowd so I had to pay more attention.  Then we put the cones in a row and 2 barrels at the end and we weaved through them steering with only one hand.  I never thought of it but as we come away from the second barrel she just booted it home, lol I had to slow her down and make her go back through the cones.  Been a long time since we barrel raced but I guess she still remembers.  We did it a few more times and made wider circles and she slowed right down.

Then he put a half full bucket of water on barrel and we had to carry it from one to the next, she had no trouble with them she wanted to stick her nose in in thought it was food I guess lol.    Then we sidepassed over logs and carried a raincoat around and then stepped on it, I didn't think she would but sure enough.  Of course I sometimes feel like I can cheat with her cause its so easy to move her shoulders if I do it at the right time she has to.  of course sometimes I think she just does it to get it over with so she can stand.  Then lunch time.

After lunch we opened and closed the gate and walked over the bridge and then we got to jump!  Jess isn't much of a jumper but we did jump over it a couple times.  It was set pretty low so they could make it over without jumping.  Then we went into the indoor and we got to work cows :)  I got to go first and Jess was pretty well right on.  Yay I was super excited for her cause its been a really long time since we done that and I might borrow her out for a few lessons this fall so a neighbor can try cutting.

That was all for the day, whew I was tired but it was so good, wish I coulda made it back for a second day, but we are gonna set up a smaller clinic with just us and take a couple horses each and see what we can work on cause we are all at the same level.  He has a ladies night there as well might try to join that have to see what winter brings.  I do want to ride Jessie and Dee and hopefully get Trio going as well.

Dinosaur Park Again, Biking This Time

So I had never been to Dinosaur Park since I was a child and now I went twice this summer.  Never planned to go again but on the long weekend I saw a post they were allowing you to walk or bike on the Nature Preserve Trail.  Normally you don't get to go on that trail unless you work there or on a bus tour.  So I figured it was worth it to go on.  And it was.  Neil suggested we biked so biking it was.

When we got there the park staff suggested we go left on the loop and I'm glad she did.  It was gravel and kinda hilly, but the biggest hill was on the right and we got to coast down it.

(not 5 minutes in Neil sees someone he knows)

(Admiring the view while stopping for water)

(I think these are cool)

(another water break)

(and I got him to take my picture)

(pretty high cliffs in some spots)

(nice road to travel on, a lot of big gravel which was a challenge)

(the scenery is just cool!)

(a ferry type boat the lived on and got to the park with, its new this summer)

(so Neil rowed it)

(a rib fossil they left partially burried)

a trial for lifting crates onto boats, cars now)

(the cube rock was pretty cool)

(and Neil again waiting for me to take more pictures)

Took us an hour 20 ish.  And I was a little tired, had to walk up some hills but makes me feel like the rode from Banff to Canmore is totally doable.  Yay!  Since that's coming up this weekend!  Yikes.