500th...

Yahoo for my 500th post! I actually started horse blogging first on my families blog and then when Henry started taking over, I started him his own.

It has been really cool to be able to journal about this process and look where we were and where we are...

July 2011

Summer 2013

It's amazing what 2 years, a great trainer and dedication will do!

Shout out to Kat and Andy for capturing my progress through pictures! Such a blessing!

Happy Halloween!!

Back to the indoor we go...

Got Henry, quick groom (love having a clean horse under the blanket <3), tacked up, lunged and headed into the indoor.

It was chilly last night, Henry wasn't very wild in the round pen but perked up a little as we walked around waiting for the others. Once we got to work he settled is quite well.

He felt great, I felt like our flatting was great, we were on the same page and I loved it!

We moved onto jumping... an X on a circle and then a line with my oh so fav lattice panels :) 5 strides in the line, he was forward but it wasn't bad.. no stopping so I'll call it a win!!

I walked and walked and walked to get him to dry, then put on his cooler and then curried and curried and curried.

Turn out today, idk tomorrow, trainer ride Friday, lesson Saturday.

Everyone is hosting contests... I want to win! :)

Henry and his bff Louie

Ended up being SUPER quick at the barn last night.. hubby set up a dinner with some friends for 6 pm leaving me not enough time to ride when I didn't get to the barn till 5- oh and had to pick up B and get to the restaurant ha!

Lesson tonight, idk Wed/Thur, hopefully a trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday :)

Don't forget to check out Sprinklerbandits contest!

Weekend it up!

Friday I made it out to the barn but ended up just lunging Henry.. well I was going to lunge and then he did it for me. He was NUTS!

Ended up having to walk him for about 25-30 min to get him cooled down/heart rate back to normal and dry...so I could groom, grain and blanket him.

Saturday was our trainers annual halloween party. Erica and I still rode. It was nice hacking around with her! Then we went for a walk around the property and watched some of the eventers jump.

Cleaned our boys up, cleaned tack and chatted  alot :)

Henry wants more apple please!

The party was fun!!

Kat and yours truly (pink lady)

Hack tonight, lessons tomorrow, something Wednesday, off Thursday, idk Friday and lesson Saturday.

Beka is doing a contest! Make sure to check it out!

So as some of you may remember, I am on the hunt for a good shampoo- I have settled on Imfusium 23 for his mane and tail but still wanting something I love for his body... I would love to try either the Brightening or Tea Tree shampoos!

It's Friday!

Henry just got turned out yesterday... was supposed to get a trainer ride today but that didn't happen so I'm going to try and get him out after work.. hopefully a hack tomorrow too.

In better news- got my Horse Box!!

BTW you should all be watching the Washington Horse International Show!

Show Nerves Break Through!!

So at this last horse show, I had a bit of a break through with my nerves...

I realized that I wasn't breathing while on course and that in turn made me feel like I was going to puke. When in lines or approaching jumps, I would hold my breath and count in my head in order to keep still and a steady pace.

While schooling Friday I realized this.. the jumps didn't scare me but I was feeling like I was going to puke so I started counting under my breath- forcing myself to breath and magically it was better!

Saturday my nerves didn't play a factor in anything, I actually had FUN showing and it was awesome.

Now my body was pissed that I got less then 5 hours of sleep the night before but I'll take that over show nerves and feeling like I am going to die!

WINNING!!

Nothing Special...

I think I forgot to mention the chaos of the first class at the show.. basically someone fell off, other horses freaked out and the riders were jumping off the horses, the girl behind me almost ran me over BUT Henry was a rock start, wasn't shaken by it and I was able to smile and keep relaxed!

Notice the rail isn't in the up on the back poll, good thing I didn't touch it!!

Ok so now 2'6 looks so small to me! Thanks Kat and Andy for the pics! :)

You can see that we were relaxed and had some great moments on course, even though we didn't place I was really proud of us and wasn't mad (not to mention they were big classes, lots of horses in the 2'6.. so 2'9/3' is calling our name!).

Tuesday's normal lesson was canceled but I decided to hack anyways.

I stared my ride out with a 4.5 minute 2 point session and ended with a 4.5 minute 2 point session.

I basically just hacked... it is hard to ride when your 2 year old is there, she was not cooperating with sitting still or in one spot last night.

Off today, hack Thursday, trainer ride Friday, hack Saturday.

SunShine Award

Thanks to Paola and AmberRose for the nominations!

The Sunshine Award is for people who "positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere." The nominee must do the following: thank the person who nominated her, nominate ten bloggers of her own, answer the ten questions given to her, and post them and the Sunshine Award button to her blog.

 Here are the questions:

1. Mares or Geldings? Geldings
2. English or Western? Hunters baby!
3. Do you prefer "younger" or "older" horses? Right now younger, later in life probably- older
4. Have you trained a horse from ground zero? Yep.. not to a finishes finished horse tho.. but put a foundation on yes.
5. Do you prefer riding or groundwork? Riding for sure but solid ground work is needed too
6. Do you board your horse or keep it at home? Board, one day i'll have property!
7. Do you do all natural things or just commercial stuff? I am not sure I understand this... I am not a fan of chemicals if that is what they mean.
8. All tacked up or bareback? Tack, Henry is not a smooth ride at the trot ha!
9. Equestrian model? I want to ride like Beezie!!
10. What's your one, main goal, while being in the horses world? Ride well and do right by Henry...

People I nominate (tried to pick those I hadn't seen nominated yet):

Diary of a Horse Obsessed Girl
Forging Fiction
Fly On Over
Calm Forward Straight
P1 and P2
The Spuder Standard
House on a Hill
Alchemy Eventing
A Horse is a Horse
Dandyism

9:20 yeah yeah!

A few pictures from last weeks lesson 10/16/13 - Thanks Kat and Andy!! And video :)

I am in love with this picture!

Monday night hack.

Got Henry, groomed him, looked him over, made sure his back wasn't sore and he didn't have any pains from the weekend, tacked up, did a quick lunge to see if there was anything in there and got on.

The arena was freshly drug- glorious!

We worked on crisp trasitions with his head down, lots of long and low and paying attention to me (he doesn't like hacking in the arena alone).

I decided to time myself again in the 2 point..

Bam!

It was weird, I was in paddock boots and half chaps so this time my ankles started hurting the most.

Lesson tonight, off Wednesday, hack Thursday, idk Friday and hack Saturday.

SV 10-19-13 Recap

My new pumpkins - LOVE!

Thanks everyone for the well wishes!

Friday we headed out to the show around 10:45. Got there pretty much before anyone else so we unloaded, tacked up and schooled...

We started in ring 2 and hacked around and then warmed up over the little jumps (maybe 2'-2'3) and the moved over to ring 1 (where we would be showing) and I though man those jumps don't look 2'6 but oh well... I asked my trainer and she said eh they are about 3 ft - ha! We schooled them and Henry felt great.. I had to remember forward forward forward and when I did, it was awesome.

We rode hard schooling, I was pooped as was Henry. Lyssette and I cooled the boys out by taking a walk around the property a little. Then we untacked, bathed and let the boys graze while they dried. They were so cute together- wish I had taken pics- they were literally sharing blades of grass.

Saturday we were up bright and early. Our class was pretty much first of the day. I wasn't nervous per say but my body wasn't happy about the 5 hours it got of sleep and the early morning demands.

My bff came up Friday night so she was there to help Saturday morning and that was awesome! Shes a horse person (does reining) so she started lunging Henry while I got checked in at the office.

I finished lunging and tacked up and got on.

Henry was solid, awesome and amazing in our first 5 classes- we got 1st in our Eq class, 2nd in our under saddle, nothing in the 3 OF classes but thats ok because they were big classes and he was good, nothing horrible happened but it wasn't as stellar at the machine packers that won :)

We had a little break (maybe an hour or so) and then I had one last flat class. Got Henry ready and got on and he was NOT having anything to do with a nice low and long headset- I wasn't feeling to hot about this last under saddle class. He was spookie and done with me ugh. Oh well so is life... we got second in that last class.

Untacked, hosed off, vetrolyned and packed up and headed home.

Next time the plan is to do the 2'9-3' stuff so there aren't so many people in our classes and well we can do it :)

Cell phone pic from my bff- 2'6 looks so little lol!

All tucked in at home Sat Night

Our satin :)

Henry got Sunday off with a nice turn out session, today will be a light hack and some cleaning, maybe a lesson Tuesday, off Wednesday, hack Thursday, trainer ride Friday (I hope) and hack Saturday.

Trainers annual Halloween party is Saturday and I still don't have a costume... any ideas?! Last year we were the dancing IPod people, year before we were Waldo... help!

“Focus on riding the horse you’re on each day, not the horse you rode yesterday or the one who won or lost a class in his last show. Horses are like us: They have good days and bad days. Start each day with a clean slate.”

—	Danny Robertshaw

T -24 Hours

We leave for the show in 24 hours.. eek!

Had a lesson last night. The flat was kind of work on my own and then I was told to jump because day light was quickly leaving.

We jumped...

Henry was good!

B came with me cause hubby was working and she was super good, played in the arena sand (literally was covered) during my lesson.

Kat and I headed back up to the barn when we were done and cleaned up out ponies, hand walked them till they were dry and gave kisses (and grain).

Hack/packing/bath today, schooling at the show tomorrow and show Saturday- eek getting nervous!

Hug a little tighter

A horse passed at the barn yesterday so we didn't have a lesson... I don't know the details but from what I understand it was unexpected and a heart attack. My stomach turns and my heart hurts for the owner, I can't imagine.

Another horse was put down last weekend... I am praying nothing else happens.

So sad for the owners.

In better news Henry got new shoes last night- he's all ready for the show!

I turned him out for a bit while I visited with Erica.

I guess I better start packing for the show... I feel like I haven't had any time!

Let the nerves set in....

Lesson tonight, hack Thursday, schooling at the show Friday and show Saturday!

Don't forget about the Show Ring Ready contest!

7:22.9

Bam! Feel the burn

Hacked last night and timed myself at the 2 point again. I have been doing more conditioning in 2 point then actual longevity so it was cool to see that it's paying off!

I only rode for about 30 min cause he was being good and well I did what I wanted and no need to push it.

It's amazing to me how much better he is to ride with other horses then alone... oh well its good for him!

Lesson tonight, turn out Wednesday, hack Thursday, schooling at the show Friday and show Saturday... eek!

Got the family pictures back, there are 2 or 3 that i like but none that are great.. next time I need to bring another horse person to help get Henry to pose and look cute.

Contest Allert!! http://showringready.blogspot.com/2013/10/giveaway-time-courtesy-of-dream-horse.html Kickstarter URL: http://kck.st/19wh1CY

Eek Way Behind...

Lets start with some video from 10-5-13 :)

Thursday I turned Henry out and chose to set jumps so that come Saturday, I had a "fresh course" to induce a little bit of the show nerves.

Friday was a trainer ride and they said he was great, yahoo!!

I also went and watched my bff show and she did awesome! Took 2nd in a class of 79 entries!

Saturday was our fav group lesson!

Hacked around with the gang.. for jumping we did:

Warmed up over the Rainbow X. Then I did a course: outside 6 stride line, right turn to the black and yellow 6 stride, left hand turn to the outside 4 stride to 2 stride, left turn to the vertical, right roll back to the wall.

For the most part it was a good course, trainer picked apart a few things and we worked on those but overall the lines went great and that is what I was wanting to work on since that is the essence of a hunter course lol!

Cooled out on a little walk with some of the ladies.

I cleaned Henry up since he we have the show next weekend and had family pics Saturday evening.

The sneak peak of our fam pics from Saturday evening...

It's my party and I can cry if I want to!!

Man work places should give you the day off on your bday! I guess taking me out to lunch and making me a cake, peanut butter cookies and pumpkin bread is pretty nice.

My desk this morning

Back to reality... Had a lesson last night.

I was there early so I groomed Henry, tacked up and then hung out for a bit. He was acting super sleepy so I thought about not lunging him.

Chillaxing

Eventually I did and I am glad I did.. he was NUTS!

Got on and walked a bit while we waited for our trainer.

We hacked, she made us do a little no stirrup.. I tried to get her to jump Henry since it was the closest lesson to my bday.. didn't work.

We did that same wonderful line that we did Saturday... vertical 4 strides, oxer, 2 strides vertical.

I had some great moments and some interesting ones.. but overall it was a good lesson. I like that we are working on some lines since that is what we will have to do at the show, lots of lines!

Cooled out, untacked, grained while I cleaned, took Henry home and gave kisses.

My Grandma sent me some bday money so I bought this:




Henry will get today off, hack Thursday, maybe a trainer rid Friday and lesson Saturday. Also lots of cleaning Sat to get ready for the show and family pictures Saturday afternoon! :)

Dance the Night Away

The barn was super busy last night!

Hubby and B came with me and while I changed and got stuff out, my hubby got Henry. Man it's so nice when he does that!

Groomed, tacked up and hopped on!

I am riding in my show boots to get ready for the 19th. It's amazing how much I love riding in them and how awesome they feel!

I also rode without a spur and Henry was responsive and good most of the time.

Did two spurts of 2 point, each 3 min. My goal was to really try and engage my core to get stronger and not just push through the pain.

It wasn't a very eventful hack.. I was just getting out to get us both moving.

Henry was good so no drilling was needed... we even practices out HUS nose on the ground trotting and canter lol!

Cooled out, hosed off, grained while I cleaned, took Henry home, cleaned his stall, filled his water and gave kisses.

Lesson tonight, off Wednesday (tho I will probably go up cause what other way would I like to spend my bday then at the barn :) haha!), hack Thursday, maybe a trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday..

We are taking our new family pictures at the barn Saturday late afternoon... I am SO excited!

Sacramento Internaltion Horse Show

Friday was full of fun stuff...

Henry has a trainer ride and he was awesome!

Then when I got off work- hubby B and I went up to SIHS.... it was SUPER quiet when we got there. I was hoping to catch some of the "normal" classes but we must have missed them. We walked around the few venders, grabbed some dinner and then found our seats for the evening program.

Picture on the bottom right is 6 ft 5 inch

They had the Land Rover Ride and Drive- the riders jumped 6 jumps, then ran a little course on foot and then drove a Land Rover through 4 sets of cones... it was so much fun!

There was also the high jump which is crazy! There were 6 riders that qualified and 2 went into the final roung. Jenni Mcalister on Here I come won, 6 ft 5 inches was the last jump... C R A Z Y high!

Saturday was lesson day...

We were out way to late Friday night and I was a smidge late to the barn but since I have been blanketing Henry, he was clean I was super quick taking up and was in the arena at the same time as my trainer.

We hacked around... ended up doing about 7-8 min of 2 point through the lesson (thank L for keeping track!).

We ended up jumping a line- X 4 strides to an oxer 2 strides to a vertical.

At one point trainer put a box under the vertical and raised it.. Henry tried to run out and we ended up taking  out the standard but I didn't fall off and he jumped it ha!

After the lesson B rode Henry, he was such a good boy! She told me she wanted to jump with the polls all the way at the top! NO FEAR!

Turn out Sunday, hack Monday, lesson Tuesday, off Wednesday, hack Thursday, idk Friday and lesson Saturday.

Hunter Princess Blog Hop – Why Do You Love Showing?

Don't get be wrong, winning ribbons is awesome at shows ... but I love showing because I enjoy what goes into prepping for the show.

Cleaning my tack like it's never been cleaned before, trying to prefect everything in lessons, packing things up, picking out the perfect outfit and representing my trainer the best I can.

I don't love the nerves and have yet to figure out how to calm them, they tend to take over ha!

On that note, Henry and I will be doing probably the final show of the year on Oct 19th. Maybe we will find something else to do but nothing is on the horizon right now.

Base Line

Sad that this is all I could do, my back was burning like crazy ugh!

Dear Back,

Ugh you are a pain... why do you insist on hurting?!

Please feel better so I can 2 point for dayssssss and have perfect Eq like Beezie! :)

Thanks!

Here are some videos from Kat :)

Hope you enjoy our interesting courses and me freaking out on the bank ;)

Course Work- Tuesday Night

Bank Work- Tuesday Night

A bank.. what?!

Don't forget to enter the 2 Point Challenge!

Oh I've been watching the Capital Challenge all day, I mean working hard at work ;) How fun it would be to show there!

It's getting dark to early these days!

After tacking up, lunging and getting on- the sun was setting. I started the lesson before anyone else was there... we dove right into cantering and then added some counter bending- oh it was great fun, Henry and I both loved it :)

We were a hot mess to the right with a left bend but eventually got it all sorted out.

I walked a bit while Erica and Lyssette warmed up and did flat work.

Then I jumped....

Warmed up figure 8'ing over the rainbow X... So many little technical things to remember! But it feels good to be at a place that we are asked to do those things and can do them.

Then we did a course- X to gate, left turn to the Domino boxes, right turn to the one stride, right turn to the gate to rainbow.

My pace wasn't all there.. I was to slow into my rainbow/gate line so he kept hauling... gotta get that worked out. We finally ended well and we are both sweaty but feeling accomplished.

I thought I was done but no we went down to the bank and trainer made us do that up and down, once at the walk, a bunch at the trot and canter... Henry was loving it more then I was- it freaked me out. Up is no prob... down oh lordy that scares me. It was funny how Henry was pulling and having a great time doing it though.

Thankfully I have a trainer who tells me this... often ... cause I need it lol!

Cooled out, untacked, sponged his saddle area, grained while I cleaned tack and he dried, blanketed and gave kisses.

Hack tonight, off Thursday, trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday.

2 Point timing will happen today, wish me luck!

Winter is coming...

Compliments of my 2 year old :)

Last night I was on my own for the hack. There were people around the barn so that was nice to not be alone :) And I begged hubby to come with in-case no one was there.

Got Henry, tacked up, did a quick lunge and hopped on. By this time there was a lesson going on.

BTW he is getting his winter coat.. I swear it happened over night!

Henry was pretty good, a few hairy eyes at the flapping tent and the guys and their trucks (jumping in and out, messing around, leading this in it and driving way to aggressively) but as long as I keep my inside leg on him and lift my inside hand a little, he pays attention to me and is a good boy.

I worked on soft (backing, halting, keeping in a frame) and traditions (sharp, keeping in a frame and a good pace).

My new pad has started to squeak .. it's lovely lol.

After I was done and cooled Henry out, B got to have a little ride... I love that she wants to ride Henry. On the drive to the barn she told me that I was going to ride Buster and she was going to ride Henry- good try girl! Henry was SO careful when B was on him... I lead Henry and Hubby kept a hand on B in-case something happened and he needed to grab B. In no time she will be hacking him around!

Hosed off Henry since he was sweaty and hubby walked him while B and I cleaned tack, put everything away and chatted with Erica :)

Lesson tonight, off tomorrow, hack Thursday, maybe a trainer ride Friday and lesson Saturday :)

She Moved to Texas  is having a contest.. check it out, errr not cause I want to win!