WW: Baby Sitting

Mac and Dakota have moved back to my horse trainers and this is one of the new guys to take their spot! RPSI silver yearling named Winston. So cute! 

Monty Monday!

Mom rode Monty this weekend and it was swell! I didn't tell her he had a week off until after she got on. She was much more relaxed which helped him as well. I taught her "spaghetti circles" aka changes of bend randomly at the walk all over the arena. I also showed her the feel of a proper long and low and to not be afraid of it.

For the first time I made her do everything on her own. She tacked up and asked me if I would be riding first and I said no. Then she asked if we were lunging. I had to walk her through a lot of steps but I wasn't babysitting her anymore. I could tell she was nervous because she delayed getting on. However, once she realized how chill he was she immediately fell into sync with him. They had a lot of great moments. Shes slowly getting back into riding so her stamina isn't the best.

One thing I've always struggled with is open fingers. It's humorous and enlightening to have to tell my mom to close her fingers because she used to chastise me a lot for that as a kid (and I still suck at it). 

Overall, they are forming a great partnership and hes been incredibly important to me as Ries is hurt. Best purchase ever.

Cheese

 

My blog is boring lately. Sorry. This isn't a pony post.

Because it's the weekend I feel like I can do this. Let's talk about cheese.

A few nights ago I wanted cheese with my wine. And the dumb cheeseplates are overpriced. So I was annoying and went to the deli section of my grocery store and got a few slices of 6 different cheeses.

6. Cheeses. Yum.

I stuck with my tride and true for the first three. Pepperjack, sharp cheddar, and provolone.

The new cheeses the girl behind the counter had me try were baby swiss, dill havarti, and garlic cheddar.

You guys. Garlic cheddar is life changing.

I just love cheese so I love them all but if I had to rate them I would do so as follows:

1. Sharp Cheddar

2. Garlic Cheddar

3. Dill Havarti

4. Pepper Jack

5. Provolone

6. Baby Swiss

This post is probably boring to everyone, but what is your favorite cheese? 

Man Boob Update

The left was last weekend. The right was yesterday. Hard to tell because the one on the left was wet. Oops. Still I see a slight improvement? I called the vet on Tuesday because I have no self control and he suggested bute for 3-5 days and if he didn't improve to have him out. It doesn't seem like he is seriously hurting..just annoyingly not 100%

I noticed a HUGE improvement yesterday when I took Ries out of his stall. He looked almost normal walking on the concrete and took off running once I got him in turnout. He is absolutely loving the cold pack massages and hand walking. He chews and sighs a lot. I believe the pulled muscle is indeed what we have here? 

Tomorrow starts the Monty weekend and hopefully Ries will be under saddle this weekend too! Yippee!

They love eachother

Pony Update

I spoke with my accupressurist about Ries's man boob and she suggested it could be a pulled muscle. Thus began the routine of hand walking, liniment massages, and coating in green cold pack. He seemed to really enjoy his walk and massage so I believe I'm right on track.

Meanwhile, I've been working with Monty. I've been house sitting at my horse trainer's which makes it extremely convenient. Despite the killer cold I've been having I've been getting out and doing a good lunge set on him. It also seems my Pessoa fits well on him, so I will be gifting that to him and my grey Ogilvy set. He looks a million times better since the first day I took him out this winter. His blanket rubs are starting to fill in, and he has a nice shine. 

I also am now the proud new owner of that lovely Custom. Just need Ries to get over his NQR! 

Case of the man boobs

Ive noticed the past two weeks Ries has been NQR when I walk him out of his stall. However, every ride he has been sound. Thursday, he had other plans.

This happened (much worse) last year, where his chest/armpit gets swollen and he is lame. Last year I treated this with bute and linament.

I sat in a jump saddle for the first time in forever, and while expecting it to be weird, this felt wrong. He had minor swelling in his chest again but was really loose in his chest and shoulder when I stretched. I hand walked him, gave him two grams of bute and tucked him in for the night. 

Yesterday he was sound, but still NQR. He trotted out beautifully in hand but I opted again for just a long hand walk session. Spring Vaccs are around the corner (next week) so my plan is to be cautious and see what the vet reccomends. So bizarre. 

The scary land of saddle fit

I know I'm not alone when I say that everyone hates trying to find a new saddle (well maybe not if your horse is a magical unicorn that is easy to fit). As you know, I came to the conclusion that my saddle was not working anymore. I didn't expect this to mean that my jump saddle also isn't fitting. 

Cue panic. About a week ago I had out a local fitter to try on a whole bunch of different dressage saddles she had on hand. I forgot to take pictures of the saddles but I believe I ended up riding in about ten. Ries was not happy with this. I was left feeling like I had no idea what I even wanted in a saddle anymore. What I did know was that I needed something that :

1. Had a medium wide/wide tree

2. Had a "scoopy" shaped tree

3. 18" seat 

4. Flock-able

And I was a rather large fan of buffalo leather. 

I was able to get a Custom Saddlery Icon Star in from a fitter who was cruising through. It was alright but not my favorite. After my last Custom however, I am a little partial. I texted her pictures and expressed my concerns and she thought she had a better alternative back at her house in Washington and agreed to ship it to me. 

In the meantime, Ries was a giant asshole to ride or even lunge. I was feeling extremely discouraged

.

I also took a visit to the local fitter's workshop. This was an event in itself! She explained a lot about saddles to me and was extremely helpful in my overall knowledge about them. I sat in a bunch of saddles to try and figure out what I liked. This later proved to be helpful with the fitter came back out to check out my jump saddle (because I'm paranoid) and we agreed it wasn't working.

One new saddle is something I can swing. Two, no. Hoping I can get my financials in order to be able to get one here soon. Super bummed about this because I had a jump lesson (finally!) scheduled for the weekend. 

The second Custom saddle got shipped earlier in the week and I'm in love. It seems to fit Riesling well (the fitter is looking at it this afternoon). Yesterday I had my trainer out to get her opinion of it. Let me just tell you, that was the BEST ride I've had on Ries in months. He was relaxed, listening, forward, and on the bit. There were no tantrums and my trainer and I basically were speechless. I'm thinking that means Ries likes this saddle but one more opinion can't hurt. 

Delinquent Mom

Hi. My name is Ries and my mom is bad and skipped class to try this gorgeous new saddle on me! I think it was pretty comfy because I went on the bit right away and cantered like a gentlemen. I think she should skip class and feed me cookies everyday instead 

Love, 

Lord Sir Grumpy Pants Cookie Mean Mugger 

Haulin'

Wow I have a lot of catch up to do. Been trying saddles like nobody's business, and I sold my saddle already! The weather has been crappy so riding is mostly just walking around anxiously and trying not to die. 

Anyways, my boss gave me a B&N gift card for funsies so I did a little shopping! I have one more book on the way, "How Good Riders Get Good". I saw how much use L @ Viva Carlos got from her readings so decided to jump in. The book by Janet Foy I bought because I remember someone (Emma?) talking about wanting to clinic with her so I figured why not.

Yay books! I also got a mug that says "Life the Life You Imagined" because that's what I need to start doing. Hopefully after studying tonight I should be able to write up more blog posts about what is going on in crazy land. 

Lesson Recap 2/26

Wow am I behind! 

I was telling CJ before the lesson that I was having a hard time getting/keeping Riesling straight. We started out by doing 3 loop serpentines. Immediately I noticed a change in how he was going! Hooray for simple exercises. Then we worked on sitting trot (Hoh boy) that I haven't practiced since last August. Riesling was particularly unenthused with this. He would not relax and did not want to stretch into the contact. 

We the moved towards collection and extension which at first he was having a little trouble with, but he seemed to get the hang of. He really enjoyed himself in the extension part when he figured it out (and I got to post!). When we started canter transitions Riesling threw a fit. CJ immediately stopped me and asked if he had done this before. I explained he had been like this and I normally return to a long and low trot to relax him and then ask and it is much better. She then came to the conclusion that something was wrong.

He didn't want to collect and he was rude about the canter. CJ speculated he had lower back pain and made the discovery that my beloved saddle was not putting Riesling or I in a great position. Swell. 

Luckily, she had a student with a Freisian TB cross that needed a saddle. I took it out to her barn for kicks and giggles and lone behold that saddle fit them swell. CJ had me hop aboard her mount and feel the difference. On her horse, it felt like that saddle fit me like a glove. So depressing. The student is talking with her mom and hopefully working out a deal to buy it!

Meanwhile this left me saddleless and needing a new saddle.  Out came fitter one! I'll talk more in depth about the saddle fitting appointment, but it basically left me feeling like I have no idea what I want in a saddle. Life is always keeping me on my toes!

Riesling as a character

The other day Austen, at Guinness on Tap recently posted about who her horse, Pig, would be as a character.

This idea has perplexed me for the past week, and I'm pretty sure I finally found out Riesling's character.

Jackie, from That 70's Show.

He's vain, immature, and thinks he knows best.

He thrives having his "person" but he still likes to think he controls the relationship.

He has friends but he really thinks he is the leader.

He much prefers to hang out inside than be cold in inclement weather.

He loves being spoiled.

Overall though, he is a good student, a loving partner, and I couldn't imagine my life without him.

Ww: cat in basket

Grand Vermont

Well here he is! The new boy! 

Why Mic? Why did you need another horse? Oh wait you don't! 

As some of you may remember I rode this guy last year for a client of my horse trainers. Unfortunately this OTTB just wasn't a good match for a 13 y/o & 8 y/o first time horse owners. My horse trainer ended up selling them her two lesson horses; Argorn (the Oldenburg) and Czoey (the awesome 23 y/o mare I did my first dressage show with). They aren't frequent fliers at the barn so she is still able to use them as lesson horses and I also get a kick out of riding them a few times a week. 

Unfortunately, this left Vermont sitting. He went to a dressage barn last fall to be sold but just wasn't selling. He came back for the winter and sat. And sat. And with all my house sitting I was doing (at my horse trainers)I would spend time just snuggling his head after I fed. I felt bad to see him sit and when the ground unfroze I offered to ride him. At this point the owners were tired of paying board on 3 horses. I described him to my mom one afternoon after a ride and she was surprisingly really interested in riding him. 

Bad shoulder rubs from his ill-fitting blanket :( 

My mom used to show A circuit hunters in her 20's and 30's. She seemed to lose passion recently. I was shocked and so happy to see her interested in riding again. (She rides Ries a few times a year, not nearly enough!) She was so excited to ride and scheduled a lesson with him the day after she gets back from vacation (next Monday). 

So I said what the hell and offered to buy him for a steal of a deal and take him to live at my house with me. Hes going to be boarded at my horse trainers until my arena is fully enclosed at my house (hopefully coming home next month). 

Hes 12 y/o. a total sweetie, and overall a really fun ride (compared to when I first started riding him!) I'm excited to surprise my mom with "her" new horse next Monday. Lets hope she doesn't kill me (hehe).