SD Blog Hop: Feed

I keep having things I want to talk about but I'm lacking new media and I keep forgetting what I wanted to talk about...anyway I saw this blog hop a while ago and wanted to participate! Better late than never?

Riesling

AM: 2 flakes alfalfa + 1 flake orchard
PM: 2 flakes alfalfa + 1 flake orchard
Grain: 1 lb Renew Gold + 1 scoop Cosequin + 1 scoop Biotin Daily + 1 scoop MSM

Czoltar
AM: 1 flake alfalfa + 1 flake orchard
PM: 1 flake alfalfa + 1 flake orchard
Grain: 1 cup LMF Super Supplement

Riesling is a hard keeper and I've finally found the recipe for success (or maybe he is just getting old and fat?) I've struggled at nearly every boarding barn up until the last one. I couldn't ever get anyone to feed him enough. I've also gone through a whole mess of different grains from various Purina Senior blends, to Triple Crown, to alfalfa pellets and rice bran. I'm in love with Renew Gold.

I've also used a mess of joint supplements. My favorites have been Tight Joints plus and Exceed 6 way. After I had to get Riesling's hocks injected 2-3 ish years ago I was determined to avoid continuing it. The original vet at Idaho Equine Hospital anticipated Riesling needing injections every 6 months to one year. At his six month check up, he didn't need them. Nor at his year check up. Maybe his hocks fused but I choose to believe the joint supplements did the trick.

Thank god that white has turned into green! 

Last year you may remember us having lameness issues. After blocking and x-rays it was determined that last spring Riesling broke his left rear fetlock and had severe arthritis and bone chips in the area. The vet was shocked by the x-rays but made a comment that if he wasn't on such good joint supplements he should have been dead lame. Since then I put him on Pentosan injections. I read that Cosequin worked well paired with the Pentosan and I wanted to prolong Riesling's career as much as possible. Since I've started the injections he is perfectly sound. The Cosequin is relatively cheap ($45 for 80 scoops on Amazon) so I don't mind paying for extra piece of mind. Riesling also has notoriously bad feet and Biotin Daily is also inexpensive. The MSM is so cheap it is thrown in for good measure.

LMF Supper Supplement on the other hand is what my trainer swears by and has all her horses on. It's cheap and I think it is a good over-all supplement to have any horse on. Not like a baby really needs any supplements or grain anyways, but it definitely doesn't hurt.

Viva Carlos Blog Hop: Naivete

What horse related or equestrian related piece of knowledge did you believe was true for an extended period of time that turned out to not be true?

I guess it's time I air my dirty laundry of stupid horse knowledge that isn't real. 

I basically though Ries was the best most majykal hunter

When I first started riding "hunters" I was taught to see-saw to no end. "Get his head down! See-saw!". Also, slack in the reins was a good thing. Oh and to lunge a horse that wouldn't "get his head down" while under saddle, I was taught to take a western bridle, run the reins under the chest, bring them up and over the top of the withers, and tie them in a knot. Then lunge them until the sun sets. 

This poor dude suffered my see-sawing and poor lunging skills

Luckily, my new dressage knowledge doesn't leave me like a hopeless freak. And seeing A rated hunters ride (instead of the unrated circuit I showed on as a kid) with contact, makes me happy that hunter rider's aren't actually dumb, I was just taught to be a dumb one. 

Such a saint, hes still a happy pony today! I'll have to write more about him!

And my last ungodly stupid knowledge was related to bits. I was taught the more breaks in the bit the more severe it was. So basically, Waterfords were of the devil. When I first worked at a tack store here in Idaho, I cringed so hard at the first girl who bought one. I didn't understand why everyone wasn't buying a single jointed snaffle. Sorry girl I gave dirty looks to who bought that Waterford (in fact, this was Alyssa, and I was MORTIFIED when I found out that I was the stupidest judgmental Californian-turned Idahoan that existed when we became friends). 

July 10 Questions

Since I find my rides to be ultra boring and uninspiring to talk about, I'm joining in on the bloghop for July 10 questions.

I miss this

1. Do you actually always pick the horse’s feet? Always? Really?

99.% of the time yes. The only time I haven't was when I've been running late on time and Riesling just got his feet shod a few hours prior. I once had a half leaser for my pony that didn't quite understand this logic. Well she didn't understand half leasing anyways. She was there getting him ready on one of my days and I asked if she had picked his feet already. She gave me a quizzical look and said she already picked them once this week. I then had to shudder and proceed to tell her that you pick feet every day. Yeah, she didn't last long.

This pony! 

 2. What is the biggest obstacle/reason preventing you from becoming a professional or competing full time with ease?

My parents. I have a ton of support from my friends and horse trainer but my family would rather see me work a boring desk job and go to school. Finally, after 3 years of college I've decided to pursue my dreams for real. This fall I'm going to school part time, working part time, and will be spending all my free time getting my hands on all the horses I can. I want to further my equestrian education as much as I can, however that doesn't mean school is going on the back burner. I'm still going to finish but at my own speed and continuing my education in hopefully what will be apart of my career.

 3. Do you think it will ever not be about the money?

No. I mean I'll ride anything I can get my hands on for the most part. But do I think if I hack on horses 24/7 and maybe have a nice lady who gives me critique I will compete and win against a full training rider and mount? Definitely not.

4. Was there ever a horse that you loved and really wanted to have a connection with, but it just never panned out? Details.

Ha. Yes. The first pony I ever leased was a palomino appendex named Blondie. I loved her even though she was a major bitch to me. She basically refused to jump with me, and my trainer would get on and she would do anything no questions asked. But yet, I didn't want to give her up and was hoping the owner would sell her to me one day. She turned me into a scared, unconfident  rider. She made me pretty terrified of horses and riding but I didn't want to give up. One time I was about to get on and my mom hadn't tightened the girth like I thought and as soon as I put my foot in the stirrup the saddle spun and she took off. Just about scarred me for life. It would take me an hour to take up after that. With lots of pauses to cry. My mom made me get over it and eventually I did get over it. But still, this pony seriously should have ended my riding career.

5. What is one weakness in your riding that even your trainer doesn’t pick up on, only you?

Thank god, trainer sees all.

Never tired of this

6. What is the biggest doubt/insecurity you ask or tell yourself in your head?

That I suck at riding and shouldn't own horses. There is a lady at my barn that says if you can't be there for your horse every day you shouldn't own a horse. Basically, she also believes that because she is at the barn 24/7 (shes not) that if she doesn't see me then I definitely am not seeing my horse. I care a lot about what people think unfortunately.

7. There is a barn fire. You are the first person to discover it and see that the roof is collapsing in slowly, and you can tell it’s going to come down any time. Do you call people first or head straight in to save the horses?

Call me crazy, but straight in to save the horses no questions asked. I would do anything I can to save them, and when I realized I did all I could I would call for help. Yeah maybe I'd get hurt in the process, but I would have regretted my whole life not trying to save them.

8. What is one event in your riding career/horse/anything that you’re still not over, even tho you might tell others you are?

Not being in a riding "clique". 

Love my baby ponies

9. If you could tell off one person you just don’t like, what would you say?

I'm mostly a pansy so this would be hard for me. I'd mostly just call them a hurtful bitch and attempt to get on with my life but probably still wouldn't. Yay insecurities. 

But fun story; I once was buying a horse from a "horse trader" of sorts. She mostly dealt with OTTBs.  She put me on a ton of fresh off the track 3-4 y/o's (don't ask me why I/my mom thought this was ok). But we finally had our hearts set on a 7 y/o that was mostly retrained. The working student had been in love with him but agreed with her and us that she couldn't buy him and was ok with him selling. We had a contract and everything. My mom had the check earlier than expected and she pulled me out of school to go up there and pay early and play with our new guy! We got to the barn to realize he wasn't there. Neither was any of the working students or trainer. A boarder told us that they might be showing at a local show. My mom and I were both pissed and concerned for our horse. 

We pulled up to the show grounds to realize she was at a different show across the street, but ran into my mom's lifelong trainer friend. We told him the situation and he was disappointed. Meanwhile, I stole my mom's phone and called the lady up and left her a mean 5 minute voicemail about what kind of person would do this to a 11/12? year old girl. I felt like such a badass and was so proud of myself. I told my mom and her trainer friend and trainer friend freaked out and scolded me. I cried. When we got back in the car my mom burst up laughing and told me how cool she thought I was and that the lady needed to hear how terrible of a person she was from a little girl. The one and only time I got my mind spoken clearly. 

My questionable choices

10. Have you ever seen questionable riding or training practices, but let it go/ignored it?

Of course, all the time. In fact, one lady at my barn tries to give me lessons while I'm riding with her questionable riding/training, but I tune it out. I guess I'm more of a people pleaser and as long as it isn't seriously injuring mentally or physically the horse I'll leave it alone. Or I'll tell someone of higher authority and let them make the call. 

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.

Roller coaster Typhoon

Wow. Interesting weekend to say the least. I'll go into detail in more posts but this is just the general overview. 

Thursday-Find more melanomas on Riesling's tail

Friday- Have a lesson where I finally realize my saddle doesn't fit & ride 3 horses (sit on another 2)

Saturday- Yoga + house cleaning

Sunday- Buy a horse (??!!) and have a saddle fitting with Riesling.

Yeah. I'll leave you with pictures of Ries being sassy on Thurs 

Viva Carlos Blog Hop: Planner Peek!

Shout out to Viva Carlos for not only this awesome blog hop but also for reminding me I need to actually use this planner. ha. 

My Planner: Lilly Pulitzer hard back weekly planner. I've had an assortment of planners but I really like the size of this one. 

much pretty

The quality is very nice on it as well (as it should be!). It definitely isn't the cheapest planner but I found it pretty comparable in prices to the nicer ones at office supply stores. 

How I plan monthly:

All the colors!

In the beginning of each month's weekly section there is an entire month calendar. I use this to write down general things I need to know such as due dates, house sitting dates, and sometimes I pretend to plan dinner ideas and put it in there. I try and color code different items. For example anything school related (that is normally a due date) I put it red (it used to be orange but I lost that pen). Color coding gives me a better idea of what my month looks like at a glance. 

How I plan weekly: 

I take items from the month calendar and elaborate on them more in depth in my weekly section. Due dates will have a time they are due in the planner in this section. I'll also put more "to-dos" on my weekly agenda rather than monthly. In the Sunday section in black I write things I want to get done for the week. This planner isn't perfect and it would be ideal to have a set of lines on the side to put this information. 

It isn't as organized and my life isn't as planned as much as I would like, but it is something I am working on. I try and sit down once a week to plan the next week and see what I have accomplished from the current week. Even if I don't take a second glance at my agenda after planning things, just the act of writing stuff down really helps keep me on track. 

My goals are to have more of my life planned out and to use my planner daily.