My Horses

New Ponies

2006-09-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

This Week I get TWO new ponies!! Yaay!!

The first, I guess isn' t that new, I have had him several times before. His name is Asa and he is the Mielke's. I will be teaching lessons at RiverPoint Ranch on him.

The second- now this is the exciting part- the second is one of the Morgans that Bethel got this spring. He is ready to begin his work under saddle, hopefully next summer I will be riding him for camp. His name is Mutt. I think he is about six years old. He is so incredibly smart and loves people so much. Here's a picture of him!

Sad Week

2006-08-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

This week was a sad one in my horse world.

Shazam (my little cutsie buttons) was in an accident and severely wounded his inside hock. He has a 2" by 2" by 2" (thats right, like 2" deep) puncture right above his left hind hock. Between Carole and myself, we have been working very hard to keep it clean and bandaged, but since its in such an awkward place, we have had terrible luck keeping the bandages from sliding, and it is now grossly infected. Changing pus saturdated bandages three to four times a day is not what I had in mind for my last week of summer vacation.

But, I suppose I could look at the bright side- he's not dead yet.

Anyway, I also got some news from my coach in Maidstone saying that maybe this week wouldnt be so great to come down and train for the week. So, that leaves me at home with nothing to do, as my one horse is injured and all, as in every single one, of my friends are at Sr Teen.

Not only that, she changed her mind on lending me a school horse to use for testing, meaning I paid the Canadian Pony club a ridiculous amount of money to prepare for my last Regional Rating, before I move up to provincials, and now I can't do it. Boo, that sucks.

Even Jazz isn't being nice to me. The last week of horse camp she decided to take up head tossing again, meaning that the Standing Martingale has to go back on. If there is one thing I hate using, its the standing martingale. All she does is through up her head, and then the martingale catches her on the nose and she rubs holes into her nose with the cavesson noseband every time she throws up her head. Little monkey.

Anyway, that's enough of my whining for right now.

I'm out.

Jazz was

Jazz- In-Training

2006-05-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

Jazz and I are finally getting ready for our first real competion. A real rally.
I'm so excited. I hope we do well. At Quiz I qualified for Nationals, it would be nice to qualify for Zone Championships. But I doubt it will happen.

Her training is so intense. Everyday we do 1/2 hour of solid hard grooming, 1/2 hour of hacking to condition her and train for the cross country portion, and 40 minutes of dressage. Occasionally we jump in there as well. She is such a great little jumper. Her dressage stinks though. I am curious if we will even make it through the test. I doubt it.

Her herdboundness is finally starting to come off. Everyday she still throws a hissy when I ask her to leave the yard, but its becoming less and less of a big deal. I can't wait until she doesn't care anymore.

Its been expensive getting her ready to go.

So far I have given her 6 different vaccines: Influenza, Eastern Equine Encephalomylitis, Western Equine Encephalomylitis, Rhinopneumonitis, West Nile Virus, and Tetanus.

That came up to 60 dollars. (Not bad, I know, but it was soo little liquid, just 2 tiny cc's)

I still need to get her teeth floated (rasped), That will be about 100 dollars. I hope I can afford it before I go. Hopefully that will help her with her head.

Went riding today!

2006-02-19T14:06:00.000-08:00

Well, today after church I was tired and grumpy so I went riding! Jazz was an absolute moron and was being very bad, but I got a few pictures, so I thought I would share one. I would put more up, but dial up takes forever!!! Actually I think it is Jazz's saddle that makes her be bad, im pretty sure it pinches her. Anyway, here she is!! I know I look like a retard, haha.

Meet- The RUNT!!

2006-02-17T13:26:00.000-08:00

Well, that only leaves one more horse to introduce- Daistar!!

Daistar (DAY-STAR) is a just about 3 year old Arab gelding. I got him 2 years ago when he was about 10 months old. He was really ugly then, and he isn't quite gorgoeous yet either. O well! His new favorite past time is eating things- anything. On Tuesday I caught him chewing on my new saddle- that was a bad day for Daistar, haha. Anyway, he gets to "be a horse" for at least another year until he finishes growing. Im expecting that he will be my biggest horse, probably about 16.1 hands or so. Anyway, here he is: doing his favorite thing!

Good Girl..... AIYA!!!!!

2006-01-22T15:11:00.000-08:00

Oh Jazzy, you are the devil.

First she's awesome, she cruises over her little jump. She holds her head all pretty. She does exactly what I ask. And then she is a bucking kicking, squealing monster. Yikes!

So, it was her first day jumping. Her 10th time cantering. She did awesome going over her little jump. It was really quite cute. But when I picked up the canter and moved into 2 pt, she bucked and hit me in the butt with my saddle. Its even my comfy saddle and it still hurt!!! So, I gave her a little punishment and asked for it again, this time she kicked, bucked, lunged forward, and was dumb, so I gave her a little bit bigger punishment. Then I asked for a canter again, and she shot to the left, but I held on with my leg, then she shot the other way, and I held on with my other leg, back and forth, back and forth. So today, my butt is killing me and my legs feel like death. Ouch!! Haha.

That was yesterday. I worked with her again today and she was doing very very good. It was only lunging work, but she did a beautiful little 2' fence. Sooo cute!! Only 1 more foot to go up..... and then a rider on there too, haah, thats the hard part!

Meet my Nemesis

2006-01-20T19:43:00.000-08:00

This is Shadow. She is a pain in the _____. I hate her more then anything in the world. She is ugly, and she drools, she is lazy, and she farts, and she's downright mean. I rode her in the show this summer and got disqualified from 2 classes thanks to her buttheadness. The picture is so far away becuase any closer you might be blinded by her disgusting Apaloosa eyses. This picture is amazing though- she's actually jumping the fence, not just stopping and then going and then stopping and then going and then stopping and then going....

Meet Shazam!

2006-01-20T19:28:00.000-08:00

Shazam is a 3 yr old Arabian Gelding given to me by Amanda Brucks last summer. Shazam has always had a wild streak, and it has been quite hard to get his trust. I am finally starting to get it (18 months after I got him) and he is becoming quite the character. Shazam has started his basic training of saddling and longing in October, however with school and everything I have been too busy to really get him going.

Update: I have started working with him for the last week. He's smart, likes to jump over and out of things, and hates my "flag" by his flanks. I was planning on being able to ride him by today, but I don't think he'll be ready till next week sometime, if I can work with him some more. Finally, here's a picture of the little rascal!!

Meet Snowy!!

2006-01-20T19:17:00.000-08:00

Snowy is an 8 year old Arabian Mare. She actually belongs to the Mielke's but I have been in charge of her training and then selling her. This summer I used her for BGC horsecamps where she learned some tough lessons about working all by herself. Some of these lessons included her rearing up so high she just about flipped over. Another was when I had had enough of her prancing, got off, tied her up, and let her stand there freaking out for over an hour. Ohh, the joy. She too has piled me countless times. I did take her to the show in Meadow Lake where we did Gymkhana. She did awesome there placing one first and two seconds. Go Snowy!! Snowy is currently for sale for $2500. Her price will increase to $3000 at the end of this summer.

Meet Jazmyn!!

2006-01-20T19:07:00.000-08:00

Jazmyn is a 6 year old Arapaloosabredian Mare. That is the fancy term for a Heinz 57 horse. Anyway, I bought her in March, a month after the horse I had originally bought died. However, by buying her and not the other Clyde/TB, I saved myself 2000. So far she has been quite a bit of fun to train. She was very abused at her old home so it has taken me about 6 months to get both her trust and respect. Now we are working on riding work away from the other horses. She has a beautiful trot and canter and is very athletic. By next summer I am planning on competing up to the 3' jumper divisions and testing my C1 and possibly C2 Pony Club rating. Although she is small (only 15.1 hh) she has a huge stride which I am having alot of fun learning to ride. Definately a difference between her and all the other QH's and Apaloosa's I have been riding!

Meet Jet!

2006-01-20T18:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I think it's about time to throw some pictures in here, so let me introduce you to Jet.

Jet is a 10 year old Thoroughbred Quarter Horse with a very bad bucking problem. For the past year I have been retraining him and showing him in Dressage and Hunter Under Saddle.

So far we have been to only two shows. The first was in Saskatoon where he was on his worst behavior. He tried to throw me before I even made it to the warm-up ring and so I lunged him for 45 minutes until he was completely exhausted. By then did not have the energy to either buck me off or do well in any classes.

The other show in town was a little better, however he had had the last 3 weeks off intensive work, so he was a little rough around the edges. We still won the Jr. Champion !!

Why do I do this again?

2005-11-30T19:06:00.000-08:00

My saddle doesn't fit my horse.
$700 on Gill.
My horses are growing and need free choice hay.
$300 on Gill.
They still won't keep weight on. 20 lbs of hard feed a day.
$500 on Gill.
I don't have anywhere to ride them. Build an arena.
$200 on Gill.
I still don't have anywhere to ride them. Its icy.
$1700 on Gill.
Gosh Gas is Expensive:
$200 on Gill.

Hmm- that makes. $3600

No wonder i look like a freaking grub. Hahah.

Trail Ride With Braden

2005-08-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Today I went out for a trail ride with Braden. It was pretty fun. Except the horses were very hard to catch. Same as yesterday. Yesterday they were very hard to catch. I got a bloody nose from catching horses. I also had a swearing match against one of my mares, Jazmyne. It was really annoying. Took me over 2 hours to catch them. O well, she'll learn.

Just Another Day

2005-07-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

Today, and this whole week, actually, have been pretty normal. The horses are starting to behave a little better, and everything seems like it is finally working out, which is nice. I talked to this guy from Dorintosh about getting shavings for the bedding today. He said I could have them for free if I picked them up myself; that was nice of him. Slowly, everything is falling into place and coming together.

Snowy is really starting to be good. Although she hasn't gone a single session without trying her absolute hardest to buck me off (and the bruises all over the legs from being bashed into the forks of my saddle testify!) she has improved tremendously. She now works solidly and on contact, and doesn't slip and lean at the canter. She has balance and knows how to move. I'm so exited for the show. Give it a few more weeks work, and she will be as good as gold! I have recently decided not to enter her in any jumping competions, and see if I can use my old jumper one more time, if he is in any shape to ride.

Jazmyne is coming along too. I rode her again today, and we TROTTED for the FIRST time!! Pretty soon we will be ready to graduate from the roundpen and out into the real world! I have decided that Jazmyne needs to start living inside. I have arranged to get shavings for her for bedding in the barn, and hopefully I will get my hay soon. I feel bad for locking her inside during the summer, but it is so hot and the bugs are soo very bad that she is getting terrible sores all over her body. Her ear is ripped up from bug bites; her chest is raw; her stomach swollen and scabby, and her face a mess. Poor thing breaks my heart. But if she stays inside during the heat of the day when the bugs are the worst, she should hopefully get better.

Can't live with them, Can't live without them...

2005-07-18T20:06:00.001-07:00

I went on a canoe trip two weeks ago. By the third day, I was getting shaky; I needed my horse back. Last week I spent the entire time on or with a horse. By the third day, I needed to get away from them. I was going crazy.

What is it about those animals anyway? First, they steal your heart. And then they crush it into a billion little pieces. And with one little nicker or lick or something else painfully cute, they steal it all over again.

Anyway, a quick update on what everybody is up to:

Jazmyne is finally losing weight. You can see a little bit of her ribs, and the crest on her neck is finally turning into muscles. Perhaps I might start feeding her again. She's getting better at alot of things, although she still is a pain to catch, regardless of if you have oats or not. But she stands still when I get on, and is starting to understand the idea of longing and driving.

Snowy was going really well last week at Amanda's house. She was starting to hold herself in a nice frame and actually look like a show horse. But today I took her out on a trail ride with dad, and she spooked super hard core at something and piled me. Sometimes I wonder what goes through her brain. Most of the time I wonder if anything at all makes it through. She's such a genius. Anyway, I am still planning on showing her at the end of August, and am going home from Sr.Teen a day early to get ready for it. I am planning on doing quite a few western classes, as well as some showmanship on Saturday. On Sunday (yes, I'm missing church) I'm doing a few English Pleasure and hack classes, two dressage classes, a few hunter rounds, and hopefully some jumper. Jumper starts at 2'6" this year, and goes up to 3'3". I wish I could go in the modified jumper (3'3") but I stopped riding my real jumper, so I will have to call it quits at 2'9" on Snowy, if that. After the show, she will be up for sale for $3500.

Shazam started his training a few weeks ago, and is doing alright. He knows a little about doing the "face-up" which is a training technique used to get the horse's trust, respect, and attention. He also stands for saddling, and allows a rope to be swung all around him. Next summer I can ride him, and hopefully sell him for $2000.

Daistar is still my little baby. He moved out for the summer though, and is living at the Mielke's house with Shazam. He is growing lots and is starting to look really pretty.

Asa is doing alright too. He went on a trail ride with me today and did really good. The bugs annoy him though, so he tossed his head and jigged, which didn't really bug dad, but Im a little nervous to use him for a lesson horse on Friday. I don't like using Snowy very much, simply because she likes to buck, but I don't want Asa to scare my students. I don't know what I'll do.