# Under Construction: CT to Tevis



## Brighteyes

_“I tell people I'm too stupid to know what's impossible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time, they come true.”_
_--Debi Thomas 
_


I'm always wanted to start a HF journal, but lacked an interesting subject or journey which merited recording. I still lack an interesting subject or journey which merits recording, but I'm starting a HF journal anyway. In an effort to have this make slight sense, I will set a premise for my writings, starting with my dream.

My dream is somewhat large, but they don't call 'em dreams for nothing. The thing I love about mine is that, despite its largeness, it is certainly not impossible. I even go as far as to say it isn't even _implausible..._Though when I take that liberty, people give me that smile that says, "This kid is gonna be disappointed sooner or later." This dream is to complete one of the big, famous 100 mile endurance runs --preferable the Tevis-- on my mare. Such an endeavor would be accepted with a nod if my mare were an endurance bred Arabian, but she's a few miles shy. 


My mare is a four-year-old spotted saddle horse (SSH) -- in simple terms, a spotted Tennessee Walker. She was registered under the name "Flash of Lightening" (spelled incorrectly on her papers), but her former owner simply called her "Baby Girl". She came with a halter with a name tag on it, so I have neglected to change her name. Those tags were just too fancy. 

Silly filly seems to think she's an Arab though. (A sign?) She spooks at shadows, leaves, small horses, tarps, black mats, flags, and threatening trees. She hates to stand still. She has a lot of heart, loves to run, and enjoys the trail. She's just as smart as an Arab and highly trainable. 

Also, she gives fabulous nose kisses. If nose kisses win races, we got this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lengthy premise now aside, I can inform you of our current situation. 

As of now, Baby Girl and I are in training for competitive trail (CT). CT is a stepping stone; the rung in the ladder before you step up to endurance. We will hang around CT until we start winning and are prepared and knowledgeable enough for endurance. This may take two years or more. 

At this stage in our training, we have logged only one CT ride, in which we claimed a horsemanship score of 95 and a horse score of 88. These scores will have to come up in the future. Our goal for the year is 94+ on both cards.

This time of year is our off season. Our first rides will probably occur in the mid to late spring. Therefore, part one of the journal has begun: *"Conditioning"*


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## Brighteyes

*1/1/11 -- Rainy Day*

From Sunday to Thursday, Baby Girl and I had worked hard and made incredible progress. She quickly mastered standing still to mount and ground tying, and I must say I was very impressed with myself and my horse. When I first met her, mounting actually scared me. The moment the reins were put over her head, she pranced and struggled. She backed away, swung her butt to the side, walked off... All the tricks in the book. It got no better once you were seated in the saddle. She continued to try to run off or back rapidly. She did this every time I requested she stand still, and we occasionally struggled so badly she would rear up. 

It took us only two days to fix this "hopeless" situation (the rest of the week was merely perfecting it), proving that Baby Girl was not and is not a disobedient horse, but spoiled and hyper. 

During this week we also did a lot of trail rides, usually going three to eight miles a day at mostly a walk. Baby Girl is currently very out of shape and seemed to have "forgotten" some of her saddle training. It came back to her quickly, however. By Wednesday, we were riding trail bareback and in a halter. Good horse.


Now that you (I enjoy breaking the fourth wall) have been filled in regarding out first week together (it was a pivotal week and I felt that a short summary had to be placed in this journal), I can move on to current affairs:

Currently, it is raining hard outside. I checked the forecast and it is suppose to clear up by tomorrow, leaving us with party cloudy skies and a very wet, nasty Sunday. I have decided on a little arena work: ground poles, circles, bending... Probably a little work on side passing and neck reining as well. We will leave trails for another day.


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## Brighteyes

*1/2/11 -- I Lied*

The arena work I said I was going to do... I lied.  Well, I just sorta-kinda decided to do something more fun. Everything dried up more quickly than expected and the trails were ready for new hoof prints. Also, my former trainer, Megan, was in town. That calls for fun.

I went out today at about 2:00, dressed fashionably in blue floral patterned rubber rain boots with my breeches tucked in. I feel mildly ridiculous just wearing breeches with paddock boots, so I was a little embarrassed when Megan pulled up. 

She decided to ride Firefly, my horsie worse enemy. This was probably a good thing for Fly, who hates everyone but Megan. I rode Baby Girl. We went off on a five mile trail ride. We trotted a good bit and even cantered, which was great for Baby Girl.

Upon arriving back, we decided to mess around in the arena. (Does this count as "arena work"?) The head trainer, Ashley, being done with her lessons, joined us in rounding up miniature ponies on horseback and driving them into the holding pen. Baby Girl displayed a lack of cow sense (pony sense?), but enjoyed galloping after the ponies nevertheless.

I attempted to get Baby Girl to jump a small cross rail (about six inches high), but she kept dodging to the side or stopping before the jump. Understandably, she was confused. I am inexperienced in jumping, so I allowed Megan to ride her. Megan got her over the cross rail a few times and allowed her to quit at that. It had been a hard day for her.

To perfect my jumping, I rode Firefly over a few jumps. My jumping is _frightful_. I need lessons.

Overall, it was a good way to start out the new year.


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## Brighteyes

*1/8/11 -- The Week's Work*

This week was pretty uneventful, though not devoid of milestones. My trainer got Baby Girl to jump over a tiny cross rail and says she's a natural. Baby Girl and I went on a trail ride alone with ZER0 jigging, which makes me think she's starting to trust me more and allowing herself to be assured that the gremlins will not eat her if she's out alone. She has been ridden every other day. I would prefer every day, but something always gets in the way.

Today was a good one for me. Baby Girl's right knee was a little swollen --not enough to make her lame or even uncomfortable--, so she was allowed a day off. I instead rode Firefly, my least favorite horse. I jumped her over cross rails ranging from eight inches to a foot in height. She refused several times, but I turned her around and kicked her over. Once she realized who the boss was, she gave me no trouble. Afterwards, we went on a nice, relaxing trail ride. Upon arriving home, though, the trainer and I chased chickens for half an hour, trying to put them up for the night. I wanted to let them stay out and be eaten by owls after the first 15 minutes of chasing, but we came to the conclusion that we would be killed by the BO, and that was not worth it.


Tomorrow, Baby Girl and her brother Rocky will be leaving the farm for a few days to visit their former owner. Ill weather is coming Sunday night and there aren't enough stalls at the barn to keep them warm and dry.


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## Brighteyes

*Bad Weather Ahead and a Bareback Ride -- 1/8/11*

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Baby Girl and her brother are going to stay with their former owner due to ill weather. It's suppose to hit in about an hour; we expect power outages, freezing rain, and ice storms. Baby Girl is in a stall currently with a heat lamp, her blanket, and lots of good hay.

I didn't allow her to go on vacation without some work beforehand. I went out today around noon, clipped some reins to a halter, and set off bareback. I didn't even take off her blanket it was so cold. We had a long ride and it was good exercise, but we ran into some issues. Her pacing was terrible today... Until we get that fixed, no more halter. She has also had a relapse of barn sourness and jigging. The jigging doesn't present itself when we are riding in a group, but is back with vengeance when we are alone. Non-existent readers, have you any tips on stopping the jigging?


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## Brighteyes

*1/10/11 -- Ice/Snow Day*

The snow hit middle Georgia hard last night. Schools all over the state are closed, bridges are down, and trees have fallen across the roads. Pines weighed with ice are leaning at incredible angles, looking as if they are going to snap at any moment. The entire landscape is a mix of bright white snow and yellow-brown slush. It is about 30 degrees and not suppose to get any warmer.

Baby Girl, baby brother Rocky, Jackpot, and miss Missy are all safe from the elements. The two mares are in stalls with plenty of hay and bedding, and the two geldings switch out stall time; one stays in the loafing shed outside while the other is in a shall, then they switch out every few hours.

I went to visit and care for the earlier today. I cleaned stalls, fed carrots, and gave more hay. All was well.

At the home farm, the other horses where at pasture. In this weather?! They had blankets on, but it was freezing rain and icing over. I would rather have them in stalls, but what ever. My horse is warm and taken care of, so my duty to horsekind is done for today. 


I'll post pictures of snow day 2011 soon~


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## Amlalriiee

I'm subscribing...I'm also a competitive trail rider, and getting my horse in shape for summer as well! If you're curious, my journal is "I pay my psychiatrists with feed and hay". Anyway....good start on your journal so far! I'm so bad about keeping mine up to date...and horrible at riding more than once a week too, now that it's winter in Maine!! It sounds like you're making a lot of progress, so good work! 100 miles is a lofty goal, but even if you don't make it to 100 with this mare, you at least will be making plenty of progress with her and in the end will have accomplished something to be proud of, I'm sure. I've seen almost any breed excel at CTRs with the proper conditioning, endurance it's a little less common =P My mare is a quarab so she's half of what you'd expect, but very heavy built and a panter. I don't expect to reach 100 with her or to do endurance but if I can get her through some 60/80 mile CTRs I'll be happy. 

Jigging: When she's jigging try to keep half-halting, and relax immediately when the jigging stops. She'll figure out that she gets her head when she relaxes. It might take some time, but I think it will help. Also, be careful that you're not tensing up and leaning forward, because this encourages jigging, and therefore she might get confused as to what you want. Make sure you're sitting back and deep like you would at the walk on any old lazy school horse....don't anticipate her acting up. Good luck! Can't wait to read your progress!


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## Brighteyes

Amlalriiee --


Yes! Another CT rider! I thought I was alone in these forums for a while. Tons of formal English riders, a couple trail riders, and very few competitive distance. I'm very lucky I'm in the South; it's riding weather all year round! As long as it isn't raining, it's fit to ride. Speaking of Maine, if you ride NATRC, you're in my same region. Most of the rides are in either Alabama or the Carolinas. Woah. That's a lot of driving. :shock:

Yep! If I don't make 100 miles, I'll still have made 50s... If I don't make 50s, I'll still be on the top of CT, etc. There's no way to lose and tons to gain. As gone as I can look back on my horse in the earlier days and see she's a better animal now than back then, I might as well have won a 100 miler. 

Jigging... The anticipation of misbehavior is probably what's getting me. When I anticipate, I lean forwards, get nervous, etc. Next ride, halt halt and calm myself!


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## Amlalriiee

No, I ride ECTRA, most competitive rides for us are in Vermont but plenty of rides in Maine and NH as well. I may see you at Tevis someday! You know I AM jealous of the year-round good riding, BUT I love snow too, so I'm torn. We got a foot and a half today and it's still snowing...it's crazy but I love it...aside from the drive home today!

Don't worry...I think most of us CT/endurance riders tend to ride very forward. It's part of what makes us fit for the sport is that we want to GO GO GO. But yes, make sure that when you DON'T want to GO GO GO that you're not asking for it =P Just sit back, take a deep breath, and RELAX.


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## Brighteyes

*1/15/11 -- Groundwork/I Ache All Over.*

It's been five days since my last post. This isn't due my me not feeling like posting, but nothing happened for several days. Only now have I accumulated enough of the week's events to make a sizeable entry. 


Yesterday, Baby Girl was still at her former owner's barn. The weather had cleared up beautifully, so I headed over. I took off her blanket, groomed her up, picked feet, and took a few conformation photos. We than proceeded out into the yard for a little groundwork. We started with the basics of sidepassing, and reviewed turning on the haunches and forehand. She did well and received a couple good rubs on the butt for her obedience.

Deciding she needed a little exercise, I looked for a lunge line. I couldn't find a lunge line, so I tied two lead ropes together, creating a ******* lunge line about 12 feet in length. After a sort deliberation --the Horse Forum certainly wouldn't approve of my creativity--, I began lunging. After convincing my spoiled horse to get the hell away from me and trot AROUND, not OVER, the handler, we worked both sides at a walk and trot for 15 minutes.

After a cool down and brushing, we transported Baby Girl back to my home barn and turned her out. It was about 5:30 in the afternoon; almost dark.

The day after --today-- I went out about 1:00 in the afternoon. Baby Girl and I enjoyed a simple, uneventful (jig-less) trail ride with a new student, who was my age. I'm excited to have someone my age around the barn -- everyone is either very much younger or older.

After, I decided to ride my arch nemesis, Firefly. We did some jumps at a trot -- little crossrails and such. All was well. 20 minutes into my jumping fun time, I was cantering away from a jump and turned squarely towards the next one. When turning, one puts weight in the outside stirrup... I must have over done it, because my stirrup leather snapped. Mid-air, I managed to inform my friend matter-of-factly, "My stirrup just broke", before tumbling to the ground and landing hard on my right hip.

I thought I broke it for a minute. I have NEVER fallen that hard. I lay helpless on my side, frantically shooting off I'm-okay-really-s. I couldn't walk, so I lay across my friend's horse's saddle, holding on the girth and allowing my legs to dangle off the other side.

Currently, I am sitting in bed. My hip, as well as most of my body, hurts like crazy. I believe I may have pinched a nerve. If I'm better by tomorrow, I'm going trail riding.


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## Amlalriiee

OUCH! Glad you had no jigging on the ride you did get on your girl for  Of course it may have simply been because somebody else was with you, but it's still good.


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## Brighteyes

*1/16/11 -- I STILL Ache All Over, and Am Doing Little to Help the Fact*

^^

Very likely. She doesn't realize that I can protect her from the forest dragons, I guess. She is very reluctant to go places without her friends. 


_________________


Woke up today feeling like a train hit me. I was so sore I wouldn't move my neck or walk without significant discomfort. I was also troubled by the fact my injured right leg was much weaker than my left and I had an odd pins and needles feeling in my thigh. Pinched nerve indeed.

So what did I do, in my bruised and broken state? I headed to the barn around lunch time and begged the BO to let me ride my horse. Of course, I got a no from both the BO and head trainer, who said I must be both hardy, confident, and **** stupid if I wanted to ride again. 

So, I spent two hours on groundwork and beginner jumping lessons. I put Baby Girl on a lunge line (they said I couldn't ride; didn't say a thing about lunging) and once she was settled into a steady gait, asked her to jump a six inch cross rail. She baulked initially. I twirled my rope until she at least stepped over it.

During our next attempt, she slowed down, unsure, but semi-crow hopped over it. Stop, pet, repeat three more times. By the forth time, she was jumping somewhat smoothly and really seemed to enjoy it. 

We switched directions and repeated until she was jumping decently from that side as well.

Not 20 minutes in, she started showing signs of exhaustion. We stopped jumping for the day, rested for 10 minutes, and got a couple sips of water. It was a hot day for January.

Afterwards, we continued groundwork. She quickly conquered all our trail class obstacles --a shaky bridge, a pedestal (which she got all four feet on), a tarp, among others. We also worked on sidepassing, turns on the forehand, and turns on the haunches. 

Finally finished, I was also convinced by the head trainer to help her pick the pony paddock and assist her in setting up a new jumping course.

After the day's work, my back and hip threatened to give out. My toes went numb at one point, and the benign pins and needles tinging in my thigh transformed into a painful burning. I had overworked myself, definitely.

Now at home, I am still exhausted. The burning has ceased, replaced again with the pins and needles. Maybe I should see a doctor... Anyway, tomorrow I hope I am fit for a trail ride. A little riding will probably be less of a strain than all the stuff I did today.


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## Brighteyes

*1/17/11 -- Rainy Monday*

I woke up at 10:00 am today (I didn't have school on account of Martin Luther King Day), saw it was raining outside, and went right back to sleep. And hour and a half later, I received a text from my BO. 

"All 8 horses out by road. GATE LEFT OPENED."


:?


I called her and pleaded ("At least nothing died..."), so I got away with a ten dollar salary docking. 


At least since it's raining I'll have a day to rest my leg, which feels no better than it did yesterday. It's suppose to rain tomorrow as well, so I may not get a lot of riding in until Wednesday.


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## Brighteyes

*11/19/11 -- Back to Work*

Today was a pretty boring day. This morning the sky was blanketed with gray, but it cleared up to a beautiful, cloudless blue by the time school got out. I rushed immediately to the barn and got Baby Girl from the pasture.

Since she hadn't been ridden in three days, I decided to start out her work week lightly with an hour and a half long trail ride at a walk only. She was a good pony and didn't jig a step. She was also a little sweaty after the ride; humidity, perhaps. This short, slow ride was also good for my hip. The pain is still there, but isn't as severe as yesterday or the day before. 

I rode in a Western saddle (on the account of my stirrups still being broken), which was really weird for me. Western saddles are just so... big. They are comfy though, in a bulky, secure type of way.

I tried to jump my friend's horse over cross rails, but couldn't get into two point quite yet (or post, for that matter) without my hip complaining.

In other news, my trainer is coming back from Atlanta on Friday so I can have a real jumping lesson. I am learning to jump right now as a time killer... I don't like to ride without a competitive aim on the side of CTRs. I'm hoping to one day find a saddle seat instructor, but learning to jump for now won't hurt and earns me some respect and experience in the "real deal" competitive world.


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## Brighteyes

*1/21/11 -- Disappointed in Myself, But I Have An Awesome Horse*

I'm very disappointed in myself. My jumping lesson was today and I felt like I didn't accomplish anything. I rode two horses in that hour long lesson, Cody and Firefly. First was Firefly, whom I have mentioned many times on this forum and a handful in my journal. I got on, trotted, and I felt like a noob. My trainer hold me to put my heels down... I haven't been told that in what feels like years. Among other complaints, I post off my toes, lean forward, don't release right over fences, and have lost my half seat canter. That canter... Ugh. I CAN canter that horse --I can canter most any horse--, but half seat isn't my friend, and neither are short reins and the horse diving into the bridle and throwing off my already tedious sense of balance. My actual jumping was okay, but lack luster, in my opinion. 

Just to add to my emotional distress, I left the God damned stall door opened AGAIN and two horses got out and were galloping free across the pasture. 


So, I was basically having an _very_ off day. I was so angry that I couldn't do what I knew I _could_ do I almost started crying. Angry at myself... Not my horse or instructor... I just hate myself today for not being my best.


I mean, the 11-year-old in the lesson before my did better! I'm the jealous type, I will admit. Everyone at the barn, even the head trainer, is competition. Silly, right? I just can't help it...


In other news, I rode Baby Girl before this lesson, so I guess I have her my best. We went on an exercise trail run for about an hour. We walked about 50% of the time, gaited 25%, and cantered 25%. (I know, too much cantering.) She is finally hitting her proper gait, I think. Every so often, I could convince her to get in a couple paces of a proper rack. It felt great.

I'm beginning to like her a lot. We're starting to get to know each other better and come to a more complete understanding. She's a good girl and very smart. 

At the end of the day, the BO gave me a sign up sheet for the "Equine Communication Challenge" in Edington, Georgia, and said she would trailer my horse and I down there, along with her horse Amber and the head trainer's horse Cody. I'm not sure what it's about --some Parelli thing, I assume--, but it has obstacles and $100 cash prizes for first, so why the heck not?


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## Brighteyes

*1/22/11 -- "Dressage"*

Very short post today. I went out briefly to visit and rode for about 20 minutes, bareback, just to stretch her out. Walking around is boring, so we worked on lateral movements. Successful leg yield!  Very simple and easy little exercise, but I'm very happy. When I got her, she was trained like most gaited horses I've met; seat cues and reins only, no leg unless you're requesting a speed up. After almost a month, she's finally gotten that leg doesn't mean go faster, but move over. Next, I'm going to try to teach her shoulder in. I feel like a dressage queen, ha ha!


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## Brighteyes

*1/23/11 -- Pacey Pony is Pacey... Inflexible Pony is Inflexible..*

Today I told myself very firmly, "I will _not_ ride today." I haven't had a weekend off for four weeks. I turned off my 10:00 alarm in favor of sleep. At about 11:30, I awoke again and got some breakfast, still steadfast in my decision not to ride. My phone started ringing in the next room (playing my theme song, "Dog Days are Over"). I answered and spoke to my grandmother. She offered to take me to the farm so I could ride. I declined. "Well, if you change your mind, call me back," she said. 

I wandered over to the window and pulled back the curtains. The sky was huge and blue and alluring... I called my grandmother back and told her I wanted to ride. 

I have no will power. :lol:


Anyway, I arrived at the farm about 2:00 and got Baby Girl from the pasture. The question was, to saddle or not to saddle? I was feeling bareback, so no saddle.

We went to the round pen and did a little walk-gait session. My grandmother filmed us so I could see her gaiting... Pacey, pacey, pacey! Grr...

The trainer arrived and I was kicked out of the round pen, so I went to walk around in the field in front of the barn. Remembering yesterday's "dressage", I decided to pretend to a do a pattern. My poor pony is terrible inflexible... She wouldn't bend properly around turns, and her turns were terrible in general. She rushed, dropped her shoulder, and all the other things that don't make good turns. Her circles were equally bad; she couldn't bend her body in an arc to save her spotted hide.

So, we worked on turns and circles for a while. Eventually, she at least did the "pattern" at a walk, quietly and without rushing. I've learned with her to ask nicely, ask for little, and reward generously, so we went on a trail after that to mentally cool down. Being a trail horse, turning properly and flexing to any degree is mentally straining.

While on this ride, she was still hyper and jiggy, as usual. She had been hyper all that day. After a few calm steps, I decided to heck with it, let's do some stupid stuff. So I took up on my reins, grabbed some mane, pointed her down the trail, and let her gallop. 

I'd never galloped bareback before, so it was very exciting. She kept on running and I was afraid to stop her, because she would hit that crazy pace and bounce me off before returning to a walk. It seemed like half of forever before I got the nerve to try and slow her down. 

I remained mounted through deceleration. We returned to the barn with minimal jigging.


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## Brighteyes

*1/24/11 -- Pacey Pony Trots Briefly*

My hip was bothering me again today, so I decided that riding wasn't the best idea. I set up four ground poles about a human stride apart each and lunged Baby Girl over them. As I had hoped, this broke up her pace and she started to trot. Any gait other than a pace is appreciated and desired. We attempted a short cross rail after walking and trotting the ground poles, which she hopped over no problem. Once I'm feeling better, I may jump her once or twice under saddle.


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## Brighteyes

*1/26/11 -- Windy Day Thoughts*

The wind is gusting terribly and the ground is still spotted with puddles and muddy from the recent rainstorms. These factors, combined with the chilliness of the air and the amount of homework I have to complete, have turned me off from riding today. 

Baby Girl's pacing has recently become so annoying to me that I have put forth all the effort I can to fix it. It seems that my best attempts currently aren't good enough. I simply am not knowledgeable or experienced enough to make her gait. A long running thread I posted on this forum has yielded a promising solution: send her to a trainer. She has never gotten any professional training and has probably step paced her whole life. Her recent turn to hard pacing was probably prompted by being re-conditioned; pacing is easier for tired ponies. 

I'm not sure how long she would have to stay at the trainer's. I have no experience with normal pace breaking time frame. Once she gets gaiting semi-constantly, I can probably maintain it and keep her in the habit with help from my gait savvy BO (who unfortunately can't re-train my horse either; her horse is trotty, not pacey, so she doesn't know what to do. But she can still stay on the ground and tell me how we're looking). I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say Baby Girl may be away for a month.

Vivache recommended me a trainer in Virginia, which is about a nine hour drive. I plan on calling in the next few days to see if he can do anything for me. Meanwhile, I shall continue to consider the problem and all its possible solutions, though I'm leaning more and more towards letting the professionals handle it.


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## Brighteyes

*1/27/11 -- Bareback Trail Day*

Today was easy and uneventful. I rode about two hours on the trail, bareback at a walk, with two other people. Very, very relaxing. But, since I couldn't walk a trail for too long without messing with something, I worked on getting Baby Girl "on the bit" -- or, technically, accepting bit contact and giving slightly at the pole. She didn't like it too much, but got use to it quickly. We did for for a couple minutes at the time. Once she accepted it and flexed her pole, I let her have her head back for a mile or two. I figured this would help her round her back up and possibly help the pacing.

Speaking of pacing, my mom still approves of sending her off to training. I haven't yet gotten her to call the trainer, but I'm working on it. 

Speaking of working, I'm going to have a lot of that to do. The trainer wants me to go to a show with her in April and enter Baby Girl in a western pleasure class, if they'll permit gaited horses. Obviously, I don't expect to place. I just want to look good from the stands, ribbon or no ribbon. The experience will also be a plus for us both.


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## Brighteyes

*1/28/11 -- Bareback by FORCE*

I'm going completely soft on my horse. She hasn't had a serious work day in half of forever. One of the students had to borrow my saddle, so I was stuck bareback again. We walked and (attempted to) gait around the arena for an hour. I jumped her once, and though it was more of a trot over (the crossrail was tiny), she went over. I'm was happy with that. Afterwards she got lots of cookies and went back to pasture. Spoiled mare.


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## Brighteyes

*1/29/11 -- Long Trail*

Bareback again today, just because. I checked her back and she wasn't sore from the past two days without a saddle, so I figured another day would hurt as long as I stayed balanced. I've never had trouble with over riding bareback, but I'm paranoid.

It was a simple little training day. We walked probably 12 miles over various terrains, from Georgia pines to thick hardwood forest to grassy terraces and opened fields. The sky was a clear, pale blue and it was warm for the first time in an eternity -- almost 70 degrees. After so many hours of riding, we were both tired as could be by the end of the day.

Tomorrow, the head trainer, my former trainer, and I are going to Atlanta to check out a POA. We're in need of new lesson horses. This little guy is suppose to be a good flatwork pony and jump a little. Just what we need. I can't wait to ride him.


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## Brighteyes

*1/30/11 -- Trip Canceled*

Little to report today. My trip to Atlanta to see that POA was cancelled for unknown reasons. I just received a text message that read, "You can sleep in because we're not going to Atlanta". Grrr...


So, I did indeed sleep in. I'm taking a break from riding today. Baby Girl deserves it. She's been very good this week. I probably won't be able to ride again until Tuesday due to rain.


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## Brighteyes

*2/1/11 -- A Month Together*

Wow... I can't believe I've had my horse for a month! Time has flown in a way -- the days have run together into one long trail ride--, but yet I feel as if I'm know Baby Girl forever. I can't imagine life without her anymore.


This month has been one of laying a foundation for advancing our training together. I wrote a series of goals on a scrap of notebook paper at the beginning of this year. There we a total of twelve 2011 goals. So far, we have accomplished:

-- Standing to mount and ground tying.

-- Beginning lateral movements. We can leg yield! In the beginning, Baby Girl didn't even know what leg meant, aside from "Yee-yaw! Let's run!" She can side pass on the ground as well and ALMOST under saddle.

-- Bareback the trails. I use to afraid she would pitch a hissy fit, as she did at random times, and I would come off. No more hissy fits now, so she's bareback approved.

Three out of twelve, in the first month of the year! Doing good. 


This month of February, we hope to accomplish these two goals:

-- Compete in a small show. On the 19th, we'll hopefully be going to a trail obstacle challenge. And possible even compete in a gaited pleasure class at my friend's show in April.

-- Collect her canter.

-- Neck rein at a walk.

My on going goal is to get her to stop pacing. I want this done by at least the end of 2011.



The first ride of the new month will hopefully occur tomorrow, if it doesn't rain. Fingers crossed!


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## Brighteyes

*2/2/11 -- The SECRET and Smokey*

We got a break in the rain today, but only today. The rain is suppose to continue tomorrow and into Saturday. Since this will be my only ride this week, I did a lot of stuff.

We leaped right into this month's goals. I changed her bit from an argentine to a D-ring snaffle... Or actually, I changed her whole bridle, being that I was borrowing the bit and didn't want to unsew stuff. It was her baby brother's, but he isn't ridden much and doesn't use the bridle often.

We went out onto the trails, walking and flat walking to get use to the bit. We hit a running walk a few times for a few strides unhill. After a good warm up, we galloped. I attempted to collect her, and we almost ended up with a three beat canter. Mostly, we went along at a hand gallop, which is an improvement over the bat-outa-hell gallops she usually does. 

Afterwards, she was extremely excitable and wanted to jig back to the barn. To be expected. After a few minutes of this, I got very frustrated. I don't remember my thought process, but I decided to back her up very slowly and calmly. It was a MIRACLE. After a few steps back, she started relaxing. We proceeded home the rest of the way at a quiet walk.

However, we didn't stop our lesson at home. We cantered a single lap around the round pen (we previously couldn't do this; she refused to canter in the round pen) and even jumped a small cross rail (after several refusals).

We proceeded to the big paddock next to work on obstacles (which she does best when tired). She refused to step on the pedestal mounted (she would do it on the ground), so I sat while my friend tried to pull her up there. After many refusals, we got two feet. She stood quietly. I allowed her to back off and do it again. The third time she put her feet on the pedestal without my friend's ground assistance. Victory!


I also met the head trainer's horses. Being that I mention her a lot, I might as well name her. She is known as Ashley, and she is rapidly becoming a great friend of mine.

She has two at her house: Smokey and Star. Star is a appendix and a Western pleasure showstopper. The horse can trot so slow it's like walking. I rode her bareback and in a halter for a few minutes and really, really liked her.

But I liked Smokey even more. Ashley hates Smokey; she thinks he's ugly and annoying and looks too much like a racking horse. I happen to like racking horses, so I'm okay with that. He is an appy cross, and is some kind of heavily grayed out strawberry roan/varnish appy. We has a heck of a sway back and an awkward head. He's more than twenty years old. For some reason, I felt a strange pull towards him. She says I can ride him whenever I want. I have faraway dreams of making him into an English walk/trot/canter horse... Very faraway dreams.


----------



## Brighteyes

*2/3/11 -- Communication Challenge*

Today we officially submitted our entry forms to the Equine Communication Challenge. The competition will take place on February 19th. The challenge is a series of obstacles one must take their horse through. The horse must show no fear, be willing, and the handler must not use excessive force or encouragement to get their horse over, around, and through the various obstacles. The horse has to go quietly with the handler and act like it's no big deal. The horse also has to do basic stuff like sidepass, turn on hauches and forehand, etc.

Baby Girl and I will be doing two classes: in hand and novice undersaddle. I'm sure we'll rock the in hand. I'm a little worried about the undersaddle. We practice on our obstacles at home and she did incredible, as usual. She's very good at that kind of stuff.

I'm very excited. This will be Baby Girl and I's second competition, and our first as an official horse-and-owner pair. I hope all goes well.


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## Brighteyes

*2/4/11 -- Terrible Day*

Today was a not a good day. I had to work a pony party and was awoken an hour early to hear that the horses had gotten out of their stalls and I had to come and sweep the barn before the guest arrived. It had been raining for three days straight -- raining torrents. It was miserably cold and wet out there. 

Baby Girl was, for lack of a more appropriate term, a total ***** today. She refused to work with her. She acted up, pushed me around, and didn't do what I asked. She refused to stand still, walk quietly, or generally behave. I put her on the pedestal to show the kids and she leaped off and landed almost on top of me. There went my bad ankle! She was a pushy, disrespectful, hyper brat. 

Tomorrow, this will change. It may have been my attitude that she fed off of at first, so I will return to the barn as calm and cool as a cucumber. If she tries anything than, total pony smack down coming her way. That obstacle challenge is in less than two weeks, and as my barn owner said, _"We need to bring guns to this knife fight." _


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## Brighteyes

*2/5/11 -- Compromise, maybe?*

Today was a little better.

It started off sourly. I took Baby Girl out to the obstical course in-hand and tried to work on sidepassing. She would do it, but we made no progress past our good days in the past. Undersaddle, she was still in a mood and refused to walk around quietly as I asked her to. 

Attached to the lesson paddock is an opened air, two stall barn. I put her in one of the two stalls for a mental break and I sat in the window. Baby Girl came over and rested her head on my leg, as if to say, "Mama, I'm trying. It's just too much for me." 

Later that day, Ashley, the BO, and I went for a trail ride. I think this was what Baby Girl needed: a break from the arena. It did wonders for her attitude. No more obstacles for the next two days. I know her well enough to know she won't improve on something she's sour with. And if she doesn't get that sidepass down by the end of the week, so be it. You can't have it all. She tries hard for me, which is compromise enough.


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## Brighteyes

*1/7/11 -- Rant*

First off, it turns out I've gotten the dates wrong in my journal for the past little bit. Yesterday was actually the 6th, before the 5th, etc.


Today was bad. Very, very bad. So bad that even setting up a new jumping course couldn't make it better. It wasn't a hitch in Baby Girl's training that made it bad, but other horse related and non-horse related things.

First, I woke up and realized it was Monday.

Next, I went to school and got sent home for a dress code violation because "my sleeves weren't fitted well enough around my arm". A period after that, we ran our butts off in PE.

My day got better at the farm. We set up a new jumping course. I didn't ride because it was too wet and Baby Girl needed a break day.

Instead of going with my friends to see an Arabian lesson horse prospect, I was forced to eat dinner with my dysfunctional and mind numbingly unpleasant family, minus my mom, who I haven't heard from in a week. Sadly, I'm not surprised, because she's abandon me before.

I than started an argument with my granddad over whether I was responsible enough to keep Baby Girl's papers at my house. Apparently, I'm 10-years-old and completely irresponsible. He automatically assumes I'm an idiot and can't care for anything and will lose my horse's papers, yet gives me no chance to prove that I'm not. He also doesn't even let me _touch_ my horse without adult supervision, despite the fact I'm going to _drive_ soon. So I spent 20 minutes crying while I got yelled at.

In summery, I made a graph, because graphing makes me feel better. 100 is best day ever, while 0 is the suckiest of the sucky.


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## Amlalriiee

^sorry you had such a horrible day today, but that Equine Communication Challenge you mentioned a few days ago sounds pretty awesome!!!


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## Brighteyes

Yep! I'm looking fowards to that, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel style. Just keep thinking positive... I'm sure we'll rock it, as long as no side passing is involved. :wink:


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## Brighteyes

*2/8/11 -- Before and After*

Today was a simple trail ride. Blue skies, gorgeous weather... How could I not? It was a refreshing break from obstacle practice. Baby Girl seemed to enjoy it fairly, despite being continuously and sometimes roughly half halted when she was in the back to avoid rubbing her head against the butt of the kicking gelding ahead of her. When she was in the front, as usual, she enjoyed herself.

I took some new pictures today, so I could do a before and after. Has she gained any muscle?

*BEFORE*








*AFTER*










"I'm not fat... I never was. Silly filly," Baby Girl says, sticking her tongue out.


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## Amlalriiee

You made that difficult by swapping the side we're looking at!!!! The colors are totally reversed and it's throwing my eyes off. I _think_ I see a difference in muscle tone...it's not drastic, but if I look closely I think I see it. She definitely looks more trim in the barrel/girth area.....not that she was ever fat! =P hahahah I LOVE that last picture of her....and love her coloring as well!


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! Sorry for the flip around... I couldn't find my before picture of her other side.


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## Brighteyes

*2/9/11 -- 0.0*

God just delivered me an endurance saddle. 


My grandfather found an 1918 McClellan cavalry saddle in a barn, just laying there. It's in BRILLIANT condition. I cleaned it off really well today and found most everything in working order. It won't take much at all to make it rideable. I just need the cinch rigging reworked. I sat in it and it fits me perfectly. If it fits Baby Girl, I'm more than golden. 

After a little cleaning...










Pretty good some something about 90 years old.


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## Amlalriiee

^^Wow, cool saddle!!!! Even if it doesn't fit it'll be an awesome artifact to have!


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## Brighteyes

*2/11/11 -- Trails, Photo Shoots, and the First Signs of Spring*

I think it's pretty neat too. If I can't ride in it, my BO offered to buy it. Either way, it's a cool find!

____________________


I neglected an entry yesterday, on account of my lack of entry worth achievements. I went out after track practice, played on the obstacle course, and jumped in hand. In between this and the last time I had ridden her, something has triggered a massive outbreak of shedding. My currie comb was clogged multiple times with massive quantities of hair. Spring is almost here!












All day at school today, I was dying to get away. The week had gone and full of stress... Immediately after the bell rang, I ran from class to the car, changed into my riding jeans and faded tee shirt decorated with orange beet pulp streaks and horse snot rubs.

I tacked Baby Girl up and intended to disappear for a few hours, out on the trails. We rode for miles across the countryside. We explored varying terrains, from the dark, sun dappled woods, to the muddy, cool creek bottoms, and out into opened fields and beside quiet rural roads. We galloped long paths carved into waist high grass and gaited slowly up hills. We stopped a few times for water or for rest, enjoying the easy silence.

A few pictures from today:




















I've always thought this little house was cute... We passed it today on our way home. You can't see it very well in this picture though.


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## Brighteyes

*2/12/10 -- Trail buddy!*

Today we went on a little bareback trail with two other horses. Nothing crazy happened. Pretty same-old same-old.

Today though, I'm going riding with a friend of mine from school. She'll be coming over to my barn and will ride Amber the TWH. She has ridden western mostly, but has had a lot of time off since she last got on a horse. I'm not expecting any drama; just a quiet, relaxing day out on the trails. I hope my expectations are fulfilled entirely.


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## Brighteyes

*2/13/10 -- No Buddy, But a Lot of Cleaning*

My trail buddy got sick and couldn't show. :-(


So... I decided to go to the barn anyway and clean tack. I cleaned several saddles, Baby Girl's halter, and a couple bridles. I went on a short trail ride and bathed Ashley's horse Cody. I worked for three hours, and should have made around $25 bucks. 

I arrived home later in the day to prepare for Valentine's Day tomorrow. As a joke, I bought Cody a card, a rose, and some carrots and said they were from Baby Girl. (Irony, since she hates Cody.) The card read, "I want to sink my teeth into your delicious quarter horse butt. Love, Baby Girl."


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## Brighteyes

*2/14/11 -- I Feel Successful*

Today Baby Girl got her feet done. The farrier made my day with his comments. "Is this the same mare I trimmed a few weeks ago? Looks like a different horse!" He said she was the fittest looking of all the horses at the barn and had come along beautifully. (He also said my BO's horse was fat. To this, I laugh. She is chubby.) 

Afterwards, Baby Girl got a bath. I shampoo'ed her up and conditioned her mane and tail. I put her tail in a back, scrubbed her up real good... It really helped get all that shedding fur out.


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## Brighteyes

*2/15/11 -- I Almost Killed by BO*

My BO is getting her horse Amber ready for CT season after the mare had been basically sitting for a few weeks. She invited me to go along with Baby Girl on one of their training runs. I left school immediately after track practice and rode my horse in shorts and cowboy boots. 

Amidst this ride, we decided to gallop a little stretch of dirt rode. Well... Baby Girl went to the side. Amber followed, and my BO fell off the side. I was scared to death I had hurt her for a while, but she was okay. It must not have been that bad, since she invited me to go on another training run tomarrow.

My BO and I went around eight miles at mostly a gait with a little cantering and frequent walk breaks. She says Baby Girl has great natural endurance and recommended I try some rides in the Open Division after I complete a few more Novice. In Novice, you go around 15 or so miles a day for two days, making it a grand total of 30 miles. In Competitive Pleasure, the division directly above Novice, you go the same mileage as Novice but with more difficult obstacles. In Open, you do the same obstacles as Competitive Pleasure, but you go up to 30 miles a day, or 60 over a weekend. I would be jumping Competitive Pleasure, but obstacles are not Baby Girl's thing. She does have the endurance factor, so jumping to Open might actually be a good idea, since endurance would re-gain us those points.

Either way, this is a couple months in the future, so I'm not thinking too deeply now. 

As for right now, Challenge in four days. The funny thing is, the Challenge is on Baby Girl's birthday. She'll be turning five on competition day.


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## Brighteyes

*2/16/11 -- Too Boring to Deserve a Title*

Today was pretty boring. I got out of school, went to track, and went directly from track to the barn. By the time I got out there, it was late, so my BO and I went to the paddock and did some in-hand stuff -- playing with the giant soccer ball, jumping, goofing around... After that, I groomed her up, cleaned her stall (that horse can mess up a stall expertly), and watched her flirt with her half brother. She's funny when she's in heat.


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## Brighteyes

*1/17/10 -- Tomarrow is the Day!*

I went to the barn and packed most of my stuff today. Two bridles, two saddle pads, chaps, lounge line... All kinds of stuff. I went to the store and bought snacks for the horses and humans. All I have to do is pack my cloths. 

Also, Baby Girl has a talent for messing up a stall. It's a terrible, beautiful thing, how dirty she can get a stall. It's amazing in the same way house fires and flash flood. "Oh my GOD!" is always preceded by, "Wow". Good thing she's staying outside in the round pen with Amber and Cody tonight.

We're leaving at 2:30 tomarrow. I'll be at the barn around 10 or 11:00. Baby Girl needs to be ridden a little at a walk to stretch out, get ANOTHER bath (mostly white horses are a pain), and be generally fussed over before we leave.


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## Amlalriiee

WOOT....goood luck!!!!!


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## Brighteyes

I'm on my phone, so the update today is brief. Arrived at Cloud 9 farms around three o clock. Obstacles are EASY. All except for any involving lateral motion. I'm entered in two classes: novice in hand and novice undersaddle. I have little hope of winning either, since Baby Girl hates turn on haunches and sidepass.

Today was practice, so tomarrow we will see. Currently it is midnight and I'm in the hotel room. My BO snores like a leaf blower, so I wont be sleeping well tonight.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

*1/19/11 -- 5th Out of 5... Is Bad.*

Wow. Today was... Wow.

Baby Girl and I ended ended up doing three classes, the additional class being liberty, where you have no halter and your horse is running free. Liberty was a huge fail, but I'm not mad about it. It was pretty funny! Baby Girl was just like, "Uhhh... No halter... No listen... OOOH! Distraction!" I entered only so there would be ten people in the class and the winner could get a 100 dollar cash prize. I'm a giver. :lol:

Our novice undersaddle class actually went pretty well. Nothing major happened. We even got a ribbon in our in hand youth class! 5th place... Out of a group of five. Oh well. The ribbon is pink and pretty.

I met a kid my age with a mini named Teddy, whom I loved. He was sooo cute and did great. He was among those who beat Baby Girl in the youth classes. There was also a paso, who was short and gray and gorgeous. There was a kid with an amazing appy who could stand all four feet on the pedestal, and a cute little TB jumper. The funniest thing was, Baby Girl was the best jumper out there, and she's just a gaited mutt with spots.

Overall, Baby Girl and I got a bit of a feel for shows. I love the atmosphere. I love all the riders and horses running around, and the smells of the hay and feed, and the neighs of horses calling to each other. I love how you can just sit around the picnic table with your horse and eat a sandwhich and talk to random strangers who don't act like strangers at all. I love the rows and rows of stalls with the faces of horses I've never seen before sticking out into the aisles, and the horses being led around the grounds or hand grazed in a field. It's sorta like heaven.


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## Brighteyes

*2/20/11 -- Back on the Ball*

With the Challenge over, I can finally get back on the CTR conditioning ball. We started today with a four mile walk/run/canter trail ride, and an additional short one mile trail ride with friends about two hours after the first. She was sweaty and tired, but not exhausted. Very nice; I like a sweaty horse at the end of the day.

Baby Girl's gait has improved greatly. I got a_ beautiful _run walk out of her and lots of good flat walk. I think it's because I've been allowing her to trot when given permission; it may have helped to break that lateral action.

I'm also going to break my first horse soon... A recently gelded four-year-old miniature named Phantom. Oh me, oh my.


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## Brighteyes

*2/22/11 -- On Which I Wish Terrible Things Upon My Friend's Horse for Selfish Reasons*

Baby Girl and I went with my BO and Amber around 5 miles today at an average speed of around 4 MPH. We included a good bit of gaiting into our ride and good, quick flat walk. Baby Girl hardly broke a sweat, but Amber was dragging her feet. Guess whose CTR season is looking up? :wink:

Speaking of, my BO's daughter has a horse, Sky, who is having problems with his legs swelling up. Because of this, she may not be able to make it to the Urwharrie Forest Ride at the end of March... If she can't go, I get to go. 

This may sound terrible, but I hope Sky's legs are swollen like tree trunks until early April. I'm a selfish *****. :shock:

Keep y'all posted on further developments! I'm going to go examine my moral condition.


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## Brighteyes

*2/23/11 -- Imma Rebel!*

Baby Girl got a day off, so I rode Amber for about an hour. I went galloping down the terrances and realized I had forgotten my helmet. I was several miles away from home and walked back slowly, afraid that fate would choose that day for me to fall. I'm a crazy helmet freak; I don't feel secure without one. However, I did feel like a rebel, hair blowing in the wind as I galloped.

Amber looks like a mule, has fur like a yak, and spooks like an Arab. She makes up for these qualities by having the most beautiful canter I've ever ridden. Her yak fur, however, took two hours to dry. I had to sit around for two hours while that hairy beast dried enough to be turned out. Homework? Amber didn't seem to care, or she would have shed out already.


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## Amlalriiee

You are on a roll...CTR training always gets a late start here in Maine, due to weather. 6-10 more inches of snow today/tonight!!!! will we ever dig ourselves out?! haha


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## Brighteyes

*hands snow shovel* Good luck. I'm going to go ride. It's 75 degrees here! :wink:

I love the South. <3


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## Brighteyes

*2/26/11 -- SPANISH TRAIL *and* MY TRAILS.*

So much good news today. First off, I'm going to Spanish Trail in Florida on the 10th!  My first ride of the season will be coming in... Two weeks, I believe that is. It will be an excellent first ride because it's flat and sandy -- not near as challenging as Uwharrie hills, and no shoes required. The next week is going to be crazy intense. Baby Girl is getting pushed in preparation for a fast paced ride.


Secondly, tomarrow Ashley, Baby Girl's former owner, my BO, and my BO's daughter are all hauling our horses out a few miles to my grandfather's land. He has 2,000 acreas and miles of trails. I'm going to be be the guide. Ha ha, I'm going to get everyone soooo lost.


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## Amlalriiee

^^sounds fun!!! 
Thanks for the snow shovel, I definitely needed it. Got one wheel of my car stuck in a snow bank....hhahhaa. oohhhh how I <3 Maine


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## Brighteyes

*2/27/11 -- That Dude's Face... LOL.*

We were at my granddad's land and started out riding by 4:00. The BO's daughter couldn't come, on account of a bad headache, but Ashley, the BO, and Baby Girl's old owner --Mr. Ronnie-- were there. Ashley was riding Missy, an older racking horse. It was a fully gaited ride, so no slow ol' quarter horses to cramp our style.

Ashley and I ran and ran and _ran_. Baby Girl and Missy loved it. We gaited and cantered the whole time -- and we were there for three hours.

Halfway through, Mr. Ronnie's horse stepped in a hole and strained a tendon. We thought for a second the horse had broken his leg... It scared us all terribly. They had to trailer the horse home. Not wanting to ruin mine or Ashley's fun, the adults told us to go ride by ourselves. "But be safe; no running."

I am ashamed to admit we contiued to run. We got to the dirt rode and I let Baby Girl run wide open, as fast as she could go. I've never done that before... Wow, what a feeling!

When Ashley and I were galloping like bats outta hell, we passed this guy, who was standing in his yard. The look on his face was absolutely to die for. He was so confused. "Horses? Huh. Them are going fast..."

In short: BEST. TRAIL RIDE. EVAR.


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## Brighteyes

*2/28/11 -- Tired Poneh is Tired*

After our run yesterday--which I calculated via google earth to be 8.5 miles at a gait and canter with very little walking--, Baby Girl was exhausted today. I rode her in the pasture bareback and in a halter just to stretch her out a little. We walked and gaited a little, and galloped a short distance while, for stretching purposes. I checked her carefully for soreness and detected none. I checked feet, looked for girth rubs, etc. All good.

I'm going to be missing the next two days of riding due to track. I'm going to give her the day off tomorrow and ask my friend to ride her Thursday. 

Since the month of February is at its close, we must do the monthly progress roundup. I set two goals at the beginning of the month; to collect her canter and neckrein at a walk. Her canter is now fairly collected, and her neck reining knowledge is basic. I count these goals as passed with a C+. Further work will be put into them.

Our biggest process in February has to be her great improvement in gait. She has a good, solid flatwalk and is improving her run walk. I've found that having her pace sometimes is unavoidable due to the difference in speed between my horse and others. I have developed separate cues for both gaits. As soon as her run walk is fast enough, I will no longer use the pace-step pace-rack-thing cue and just be left with a run walk. Allowing her to pace with permission has done nothing to harm her gait or slow process. For gaited horse people, just is a controversial approach. But what works works.


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## Brighteyes

*3/1/11 -- Spanish Trail, Here I Come*

Papers filled out, entry fees paid... I'm officially in it, and have faith I'm gonna win it!


I'm going to get back to riding Thursday. It's suppose to storm all weekend, so I'll be getting my miles in the rain.


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## Brighteyes

*1/3/11 -- My Girl is FIT*

Today I got out of school and took Baby Girl on a run. She had been out for work for around three days, so she was fresh when I got on her. We jogged for around two miles and then galloped a mile around a big field. After that, I stopped, got off, took off her saddle, and timed to see how long it would take to get her P and R down. Less then three minutes! That's FIT. Fit enough for Spanish Trail, definitely. 

Other than that success, she peeved me all day. She refused to stand still or ground tie; she wanted to move and twitch the whole ride. On the way on, she jigged a good deal. She has jigged in a while, so I'll give it the benefit of a doubt. She was just having a super hyper day.


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## Brighteyes

*1/4/11 -- Interesting Discovery*

The first thing I did with Baby Girl today was free lounge. I had never free lounged before. We did a little join up type thing. It only took a few minutes.

Ashley and I then decided we were going to go running. I saddled Baby Girl and wrapped her legs. She looked so funny and cute! She was wearing a red paisley saddle pad, a blue tail bag, and pink polos wrapped with green duct tape. :lol:

We can for a few minutes. We got to the big field and raced. Ashley turned Cody wide open and SMOKED Baby Girl and I! Baby Girl is so slow! Cody got a little full of himself and ran right through the bit. Baby Girl ran after him. It was wild! Scared me a little for a minute. Once we got them stopped, I told the whole "ha ha my horse just beat your horse's ***" speech. True, true... But my horse's endurance is rockin'.

We were out for about three and a half hours and went four or five miles. It was a great workout for Baby Girl and filled me with confidence that she is ready to run this season.

My discovery? Running wide open is good for horses. After Cody got his run, he was an angel. He's NEVER an angel. It was like some annoying itch had finally been scratched. He wasn't tired. He was just relaxed and happy. Running must be good for their minds.


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## Amlalriiee

^ I agree with this...to some extent of course! You can't let them take off all the time, but I think they appreciate being allowed to every now and then! It gets that pent up energy out!


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## Brighteyes

*3/5/11 -- The Great Gray Thing*

Cody was a western pleasure horse for some time. He was never allowed to run undersaddle, so it seemed to help him a lot. I'm guilty of letting Baby Girl lose a little too often.  I just love to run, and so does she!

_________________________________________________________


It rained today. Not torrential rain, but annoying, scattered showers that formed huge mud puddles and ruined trail footing. My mood seems very linked to whether the sun is out or not. Of course the sun was not out on such a day, so I started this morning a little depressed.

I received a text around lunch asking me if I could go the barn. I said sure, since I didn't have much else to do that day. I figured I was being recruited for work, since Ashley doesn't like to hang out there alone. I knew there were no lessons that day, so neither of us were likely to get any riding in. 

I arrived at the barn and Ashley asked me if I wanted to go to her house and ride her pasture puffs. "YES!" If I have loyal followers of this log, they (you) may recall my mention of her horse Smokey, AKA, the Ugly Gray Thing. I love him. He's a 20-something-year-old gray appaloosa cross with a very swayed back. He was left on pasture a few months ago to die before Ashley's father bought him as a companion horse for her mare, Star.

Smokey hadn't been ridden in the three months he had been in Ashley's care. He hadn't even been taken from the pasture and tied, so we didn't know if he tied at all. He was fine tied to the hitching post though. I groomed him up, and he looked almost a little pretty. He back is so swayed that no saddle would sit up there, so I hopped on this horse (who we weren't even sure was broke) and rode him around the pasture in a halter.

WOW. That horse was amazing! He neck reined, steered off leg... He was a little rusty, but he knew what he was doing. I hope Ashley doesn't sell him like she says she will. If I could afford another horse, I would buy him. I want a horse like him I can just walk trails with and not worry about showing. I would keep him for the last few years of his life and love him to peices. I promised if she kept him I would ride him and take care of him. Some horses I meet, I just fall in love with...




















I was about to bend down and hug his neck, but he walked off.


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## Brighteyes

*3/4/11 -- Let's Get Beautiful!*

We started off today with a two hour trail ride at a walk. It was fairly uneventful, save getting lost in a pine forest, finding that black tarps are a ton scarier than their blue cousins, and playing on a huge pile of dirt in someone's front yard. (The dirt's owners didn't mind too much. They liked horses.)

After arriving home, Baby Girl needed a bath. She was covered in red clay and sweat. So I set to work. I spend a hour bathing that horse. I lathered her up with diluted whitening shampoo, scrubbed her legs, and washed her mane and tail (which got a break from its tail bag for a few hours today). She looked GREAT afterwards. Soooo white...

Uploading pictures.


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## Brighteyes

Look, ma, that tobiano has white markings!


















Profile. 









Ms. Amber, who got a bath today as well.

















The girls hanging out to dry.









One final pose before turnout.


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## Amlalriiee

she is SO clean!!! GOOD JOB


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## Brighteyes

Thank you.  I love bathing horses, even more than I do riding. When I go out tomorrow, I can imagine that beast will have rolled and ruined her pretty whiteness, just to spite me. Oh well. She gets another bath Wednesday before Spanish Trail. Ha ha, she will be clean, no matter what!


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## Brighteyes

*3/8/11 -- Last Prep Day at Home*

I got off late from track today, so we just did some groundwork touch ups. We worked on turning on the forehand and haunches on the ground. She has finally gotten turn on the forehand almost perfectly. Her turn on the haunches isn't as clean as I would like it, but it's a turn. Her sidepass is certainly not very clean and still in its early stages of being (I went back to square one on that and tried a new approach). We did a little lounging (we have to do that for vet-ins and I want it to look good). She did okay, but has a problem stopping. 

[RANT] 

Ashley sort of ****ed me off. She's like, "My students are going to kick your butt at the next trail challenge!" and "Look at (insert student worked horse)! Sooo much better than yours!" and "You're already done working her? No wonder she's so crappy." She was just kidding with all the above statements, but it still put me in a sour mood. My horse is great. Suck it. 

She doesn't respect me very much as a trainer because I don't _beat the living crap_ out of Baby Girl or work her for hours and hours. I can't do that. I get no results from "tough love". Baby Girl blows up or shuts down. She doesn't learn when she's scared or annoyed or tired. Her horse may respond to being harshly drilled, but it doesn't work with my horse. 

[/RANT]

Anyway... 

Packed up and am ready to move out day after tomorrow. I'm craving a blue.


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## Amlalriiee

^That would make me cranky as well. Don't tell her, we don't want her head to explode, but I think Baby Girl is a lot better looking than Amber according to those post-bath pictures!!! ahh sometimes horse-insulting jokes just do not settle well...


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## Brighteyes

I like to call Amber "the golden mule" or "the flaxen yak" behind her back. Insulting other people's horses makes me feel good. :wink:

I get pretty fed up with insults towards my horse and towards myself as a horse trainer. Baby Girl just turned five and I've been working with her for three months. She was a pasture pet prior who got ridden every two or three months. I don't know who in the heck expects her to be as good as eight-year-olds who have been worked with for four years like Amber or experienced 16-year-old show horses like Cody (her other favorite for teasing me with). As far as me... I have two years experience. I'm patient and quiet with my horses. I don't push and slap. My method doesn't work as fast as Ashley's, but it sure works. And my horses don't end up hating their jobs.


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## vivache

Let's see who's laughing when Baby Girl's all up in this joint, winning blue ribbons in our gaited classes.


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## Brighteyes

Heck yeah! I'll have a whole album of her posing with blue ribbons strung from her bridle and strutting around the arena like a boss. Whose horse is crappy now, huh?


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## Amlalriiee

Brighteyes said:


> I like to call Amber "the golden mule" or "the flaxen yak" behind her back.



That is SO funny!!! I was thinking her face looks donkey/mulish and was going to say that, but decided not to!


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## Brighteyes

Old fashioned plantation walker face. :wink: She even has mule ears!


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## Brighteyes

*3/14/11 -- The 36th Mile: "Life is sweet"*

A first and a second.  Baby Girl got her first in conditioning with a score of 94 out of 100, and I got the second in horsemanship with a score of 92. First place prize was a salt bucket with "Spanish Trail, Junior Novice Conditioning, First Place". My second place was a glass soda mug with "Spanish Trail, Junior Novice Conditioning, Second Place". Cool prizes.

Brief Summery of Events:

We arrived at Blackwater State Park on Thursday around nightfall. I put Baby Girl and Amber in their stalls, set everything up, and slept in the back of my BO's F-350 truck. 

Friday, I registered and donned my orange number 60 penny vest, which I lived in for the entire weekend. I lost a point during the vet in for not switching hands when I was trotting circles. Also, Baby Girl moved a little when they were checking her over. Otherwise, good vet in. 

I also rode a little Friday, to stretch the horses out after the six hour trailer ride yesterday. Blackwater is not the prettiest place on earth -- it's mostly pine trees, flat land, and sand. However, these factors make it great for training and conditioing. It was a good location for the first ride of the year. 

Saturday, woke up at sunrise, saddled my beast, and headed out for my first 24 mile day. The pace was slow -- only five miles per hour. Baby Girl flat walks five miles per hour, so we didn't even have to trot. Very easy. The obstacles killed me a little. Obstacles aren't Baby Girl's thing, since she just turned five and doesn't know her sidepasses and turns. We lost a majority of our points over first day obstacles. 

Our P and Rs looked GREAT. Baby Girl had no problem at all holding up to the distance. 

Sunday was the most fun day. Soooo easy. Only around 15 miles. We started that day with a trot in, to assure the judges that every was sound. Baby Girl did BRILLIANTLY. She got into her little gait and when around the cones with no problem. Sunday obstacles were easy as well. No more sidepasses or mounts (Baby Girl recently decided that she liked to move when I tried to mount).

Overall, the only thing that killed us was sidepasses and standing still. I have two weeks till our next CTR. Maybe I can straighten it out. 

All for now! Might go into greater detail later!


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## Amlalriiee

^AWESOME!!! Sounds like you did great! Odd how ours do not have obstacles....? I mean, there are natural obstacles, but they don't set any up on purpose!


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! 

Are y'all just judged on condition?

Most of our obstacles are natural. Crossing streams, sidepassing over logs, backing, climbing hills...


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## Amlalriiee

Yeah 100% condition...they don't judge the rider either, which in part may be a mistake. Oh well though! Hard to believe you did a 25 on time at a walk only?? Maybe our time constraints are different as well...? hhaha jeez I'm not sure but I know we have to book it to make it on time.

ETA: time constraints wouldn't be comparable anyway since they have to allot for obstacles with you guys  neverminddd


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## Brighteyes

Being gaited, Baby Girl walks out at 6-8 miles per hour. We had five hours to complete, so our average pace was around... 5 mph? Taking into account stops. 


Heck, if y'all are doing 100% condition, maybe I should try. :wink: My poneh can run forever and drop P and R to resting in three minutes.


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## Amlalriiee

OH...just out of curiosity...is first truly "first" for you guys? We do Grand Champion, Reserve Champion, First, Second, Third, Fourth. But we also at some rides have first first, second first, third first, first second, etc. haha confusing. Depends on the number of competitors. 

YES...I'm sure you guys would do quite well! I'm not sure what Georgia terrain is like, but I'm sure you have hills and some rocky terrain and such right? You guys would pretty much be all set! I think we get 4 1/2 hours for a 25, and no obstacles. Our rides include a 20 min hold, mandatory, so you'd have to ride at an average of 5.9-6.1 mph I'd say....a little quicker if you want to play it safe, you can always drag out the end if it looks like you're too early. So you might have to break into a trot for a half a second


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## Amlalriiee

^nevermind...again, I'm not reading carefully tonight! And I may possibly be insulted at how easy this is for gaited horses!!! We have to trot the whole time almost! You wouldn't have to AT ALL!


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## Brighteyes

We keep it simple. First is first highest score, second is second highest score.


Yep. Gaited makes it easy. I didn't have to trot more for more than 5 minutes all weekend.  I just glide right past those trotting horse people, no posting or two point required. I love gait...


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## Amlalriiee

That's amazing! ....maybe i want my next horse to be gaited...hmmm...


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## Brighteyes

I totally recommend them. *thumbs up*


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## Brighteyes

*3/15/11 -- People and Their MOODS.*

It was threatening rain all day today, so I just went out to do a little sidepass lesson with Baby Girl. She managed to step over once in both directions after a little work. I quit on that note. 

However, I'm haven't a little friend "drama". I'm having pretty terrible mood swings today, so I arrived at the farm amidst a bad one. So... I was a little bratty to Ashley. Just a little. I didn't talk much to her. That put HER into a bad mood. The good thing about my moods is that they last about five minutes. Hers last ALL DAY. So I had to deal with her grudgey bitchiness. I apologized to her for being a brat, and she was like, "That's fine." in a really huffy tone. She was even rude to my mom. Her tone of voice was so gruff and she sounded mad and annoyed. 

I said good bye when I was about to leave. She replied "see ya" in a huffy tone again. So I told her, "How about a little smile?" And she didn't even turn to look at me. _*****._

And she wants to go to Uwharrie with me next week... I could rant all day about how much I don't like that idea. She'll enter with Cody the Fricken Wonder Horse and beat everyone and brag to me when I have a hard time with my GREEN FIVE YEAR OLD. You can't compare the two! She didn't even teach Cody what he knows. My old trainer did! GRRRRRRR.


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## Brighteyes

*3/17/11 -- Racing Myself?*

Baby Girl got a few points off her last card for moving while I mount, so I tacked her up and walked her through the woods, armed with only a crop and fierce determination. I found areas of good terrain so I could get on easier. I parked her out and put the reins over her head, commanding her to stand. A command she knows, but has recently lost respect for. If she moved a STEP, she got a crop to the shoulder, yelled at, and backed away. I made sure that, for around three seconds, she thought she was about to DIE. After several of these death threats, she stood to get on. I mounted, sat for a few seconds, dismounted, and continued to walk in hand down the trail. We did this several times until she no longer moved when I got on. 

After arriving back (our lesson was short; maybe 20 minutes), I bathed four minis and cleaned stalls. As I cleaned these minis, my BO informed me that my only competition in the junior novice two day division at our next ride wouldn't be able to make it. :-( I guess I'll be racing myself.


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## Brighteyes

*3/18/11 -- Dude. My Horse is Stuck.*

I got scared to DEATH today. Baby Girl and I were on a trail ride and arrived at the dam. Some idiot had dug it out and there was a channel with water flowing through it. It looked harmless enough, so I decided to cross it. Baby Girl was apprehensive, so I was like, "It's okay. Momma says it's okay..." She put a food in there and _sank to her belly._ I jumped off. She just lay in the mud, stuck, with this expression. "Hey... I'm sorta stuck in the mud." She didn't struggle or even look scared. She glanced over at me, expecting me to get her out.

I panicked a little (I hadn't brought my cell phone and was miles away from home), but I unclipped her reins and attached them to her halter. Again, she didn't act freaked out at all. She moved around a little but knew she couldn't get out by herself.

I pulled at hard as I could and told her to walk on. She braced against the lead and managed to hook a foot on the bank. With a little more pulling, she crawled out. She lay on the dry ground and panted for a minute while I rubbed her shoulder and told her she was good. "Yeah... I totally meant for that to happen. You passed the challenge." She gave me the "Yay, master is pleased!" look and got back on her feet.

I checked her legs. Nothing wrong. I re-mounted and rode her back up to the creek. She wasn't scared. She probably would have gone in again if I asked. We rode for the rest of the day without a problem.


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## GoWithTheFlow

YES! Another CT rider ! And in GA! Awesome! Scary ride ,thank goodness yall are okay . I'm starting to condition my mare . This is helping me greatly.lol I has a Quarter horse .... I'm wanting to 'rescue' a TWH or SSH from a auction ,to be my main horse and use her as my back up.lol 

Man, I wish I could find a Gaited Mule ! That would be AWESOME lol 

Sorry , I kinda hijacked this thread .

Congrats to you and Baby Girl .


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## Brighteyes

Yay! A CTR friend! You can join the club. *hands patch* How long you been in the game? Hasn't been long for me. 

I LOVE a gaited mule. Or any mule, actually.


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## phantomhorse13

glad your mare is ok! smart girl for her to keep her head and not panic and thrash and get herself more stuck.

a good reminder to us all to _always_ carry our phones when riding, esp out alone.


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## Brighteyes

DEFINATELY. This was the first day I had ever forgotten my cell on a trail. You never know what will happen!


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## jdw

Brighteyes, are you also a trainer?


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## Brighteyes

I'm an apprentice trainer, of sorts. I'm not paid to work with people's horses. I'm mostly an exercise rider, barn hand, and groom. I study casually under Baby Girl's former owner. I train them under supervision. I get to ride a variety of horses and help train whenever I'm needed or wanted.


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## GoWithTheFlow

This is my first year .lol I think I'm around your age .I'm starting to get my mare ready .But it's been put on hold ,since she is pregnant . 

I'm also under supervision when I'm around horses . lol

I looove mules , donkeys, and gaited horses. 

My Step Grandma is friends with Cindy Keen in Dublin ,GA . So that can help me get going better.lol 

I'm soooo joining NATRC ! lol


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## Brighteyes

Weird, dude! Gotta PM. 


And I'm under supervision too. :-( Heck, I'm about to drive by myself, yet I can't groom my horse without an adult staring down my back? I understand riding (a little), but just hanging out? Have mercy!


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## GoWithTheFlow

I know .I mean come on ,maybe 10yrs old and under but shesh! I'm a 14 (almost 15)for crying out ! But I geuss we are such special people.haha


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## Brighteyes

I know, really! At least they care about us... *grumble*


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## GoWithTheFlow

Haha ,Yeah.lol I haven't ridden yet ,but it looks like rain is coming .


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## Brighteyes

*3/20/11 -- Shoes, Wire, Videos*

Worked another pony party today. After three such parties, I managed to make exactly $96 bucks. My horse's shoes for Uwharrie are going to cost a hundred, so me and my BO decided to break even. No money for me, but my poneh gets shod.

After a hard day of parties and dealing with bitchiness/cattiness/immaturity, I decided to go for an hour long trail ride. I took some video from my cell (to be posted soon), but also ran into some barbed wire. This barbed wire had been passed, unnoticed, hundreds of times, but decided at that moment it was going to attach a horse. Baby Girl flipped over and fell on top of me, but I managed to free myself (only my leg was caught) and her. She sustained only a small cut on her left hind foot, a few inches above the pastern.

This hasn't been my weekend for trail rides, eh?


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## Brighteyes




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## GoWithTheFlow

This is just not your weekend ,is it? lol Glad ya'll are okay though.


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## Brighteyes

Me too, sista. Luckily, nothing bad has happened for two days!


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## Brighteyes

*3/22/11 -- Imma Sale Sniper*

It's been a boring few days. I haven't gotten to ride hardly any. Yesterday I went to Tractor Supply with 23 bucks to blow. I got a curb strap, but also found my eyes drifted to a little yellow sticker on some shipping boots... They were originally $50, but were marked down to $12.99. Dang at the sales! I picked those suckers right up. I needed a pair too, since Uwharrie is six hours away and over hazardous terrain. I don't want anyone scrambling around and hurting themselves!


Also, Baby Girl got all four shoes put on today. It turned out to cost $120... So I was around 20 short. My BO said she would foot it if I cleaned the round pen. Let's examine the situation. I clean that round pen all the time. If I just go ahead and pay her twenty, I'll end up doing it anyway. So... I can either do it and get paid, or do it and not get paid. Either way, I'm cleaning her roundpen. Not because I have to, but because I'm afraid she'll give me _the look_ if I don't. Because of _the look_, I pretty much pay board to work at that barn. :wink:

In riding related news... There is no riding related news. I haven't been able to ride much at all lately. I don't know why... It just seems like I've been riding rarely in these past two weeks. I have been doing a lot of ground work though. Also...

Baby Girl side passes!  

Yes. Almost perfectly. On the ground, but it's sooo nice. I feel accomplished like crazy. Her turn on the forehand is still a little rough --she moves her front feet a little--, but I'm liking it.

After this joyous discovery, I played "musical obstacles" with some students. I won both rounds. Pretty much, Baby Girl and I had a good --almost perfect... Well, perfect-- ground work day. 


I'm still concerned over Uwharrie. I've heard these judges are super, super picky... Worried...

Also, I haven't even started packing yet, and I'm leaving Thursday morning. I need to get to work...


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## GoWithTheFlow

*Sweet!*

Awesome !lol What a good deal too. 

I rode a little yersturday bareback cause my saddle doesn't fit her anymore. haha She was a total pain in the butt .lol She likes stainless steel bits with copper rollers . :roll: Course I do not have a bit like that, but hey thats what Birthdays are for .:lol: 

Check out my Member Journal.lol (Pregnant Pasture Puff -to CTRs )

Good luck at Uwharrie!


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## Brighteyes

*3/23/11 -- Ready to Launch in Five... Four...*

Thanks! How long has it been since she was ridden? She's probably just being a brat because she's coming off pasture. Bits aren't too expensive... 50-80 bucks. I would start mowing lawns and babysitting. :wink:


_______________________________________________________


Leaving tomorrow! I'm very excited. Today my BO and I went on a ride to evaluate my horse. This was my last day of real training, so what I got is what I got. And what I got is very good. 

Our trail ride was around three miles, walking, over newly harrowed land. It was warm today, so both my mare and I broke a sweat. The heat has gotten to the horses; everything is an effort. They walked like they were wading through molasses. 

Baby Girl's shoe have done a good thing for her gait. Her trot is better, her flat walk is MUCH cleaner, and her run-walk is... Still coming along. :wink: Her canter has gotten nice, despite that I haven't ridden her at a canter for a while. Maybe it's been all the other exercises we've been doing helping her balance and collect.

Also... SIDEPASS UNDER SADDLE, BABY.

I'm extremely happy with that. I remember thinking a few months ago, "This horse will not sidepass. When she learns eventually, we'll have come far." We have! Almost four months together, and one mountain has been climbed. It's like a few years ago, when I learned to post trot. I knew I would do it eventually, and when I post trot like no one's business today, I think back to when I was a little kid and how much I've grown. 

I can't wait to show Ms. Sara. She said I would never solve all my horse problems --sidepass and standing to mount-- in two weeks. The icing on the cake is proving the doubters wrong. 

I probably won't post everyday while I'm away, but I'll try to keep updates. They'll be from my phone, so they'll be short and simple. 

Tomorrow, I'm getting up early (around 7:30) to bathe Baby Girl and Amber and load the trailer. I'm looking forwards to making my baby look wow for those judges.


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## Amlalriiee

^AWESOME job with the side-passing!!! Good work


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## GoWithTheFlow

Good job with Baby Girl ! I hope ya'll do awesome this weekend !

Dreamer hasn't been rode for almost 2 months.lol And I might be getting a job at my friends house .(She's getting like 6 horses in for training so I'll have to saddle horses, cool horses out , unsaddle , turnout ,catch ,and record her for client updates . )


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## Brighteyes

*The 37th Mile: "Dang...So much harder than Spanish Trail."*

When I come back from competition days, I always have a hard time starting these posts. Soooo much happened this weekend.

Let's start from the end: I got two blues.  My BO and I swept house. She got a first, a second, and a sweepstakes, which is like grand champion, in CP. I almost sweepstakes the novice division. I was only three points off, at MOST.

From the beginning:

We arrived early, after I gave the horses baths, and settled in nicely. I rode a little Friday to stretch them out and was unsure about these mountains. I had never seen mountains before, and my horse hadn't seen them nice she was a weanling in Tennessee. I got height sick a few times and Baby Girl kept rushing the hills. I was unsure about how well we would do.

Saturday went... Great. :shock: That was our first competition day. Baby Girl had never ridden that well. She had a zen moment of mountain horse realization; she was bred for this. Her mom and dad were climbin' horses, born for hills. She learned she was a mountain climbin' mare! It was _beautiful_ to watch.

Sunday was fine as well. She lost a few points for gut sounds (she refused to drink water from creeks) and had a little fill in her back legs. She finished the ride with a score of 96 out of 100, which is a dang good score. The vet judge liked her a lot and said I had a great little mare for one so young. I really liked that vet judge and hope to see her again one day.

She stood like a lamb for me to mount, didn't rush, jigged minimally, and was very good with her obsticals. Obsticals seemed to be hand picked to play to out advanges. BACKING. Tons of backing, which is what Baby Girl does best. She got excellent marks.

I got 100 out of 100.  Perfect score! Perfect scores are excessively rare. My BO, in years on competing, has never gotten one.

All in all, it was a 9.5 out of 10 weekend. It would have been a 10 if it didn't rain on us. My BO says I'm her good luck charm because she worries about me more then her riding, so she places better. Maybe that means she'll keep taking me along...

Today, I arrived in the barn to find everyone in abnormally high spirits. That was the perfect wrap up for a good set of days. Another Trail Challenge is coming up, and I'm optimistic! I don't know when my next CTR is, so I need something to do.


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## Brighteyes

*3/29/11 -- Projects*

It was overcaste and gray outside today. I hardly wanted to go out to the barn. Craving a change in pace, I brought my dog with me and spent three hours alone at the barn, just my dog and horse and I.

Baby Girl still seemed a little tired from Uwharrie, so I decided not to ride. Instead, we did a little simple groundwork. She did okay. I went through the obstacle course with my dog Mushroom. The dog can do it as well as my horse! I asked the BO, once she arrived, if we could have a dog liberty class. And she agreed! I wonder who will win the most ribbons now -- my dog or my horse?

Interesting news:

Mr Ronnie, Baby Girl's former owner, is getting back into horse breeding. He bred two mares recently: Missy, the TWH; and Goldie, a QH. He is also probably buying a weanling rocky mountain stud, which I would get to show.  I really hope he buys it, so I have a project to attend to during the off season. 

Sadly, this also means he's selling his SSH gelding, Jack Pot. I'll be showing Jack Pot a little until he's sold. Mr. Ronnie's bringing him over day after tomorrow so I can start working with him. 

I'm excite for all the new projects I'm getting. I'll be working with a stud, Jack Pot, and the broodmares. There is a lot of opportunity to learn. Mr Ronnie is a colt starting, foal raising, horse breeding legend.

Also, summer is coming. Open shows, maybe? I'm not sure when my next CTR is going to be. I know I'm going to the Nimblewill clinic on the 30th of April, where I can show off my skillz, but I would really like solid dates on my next competition. From what I hear, I MAY be able to make it to Honey Creek in OCTOBER or King's Mountain in NOVEMBER, and am assured a ride to the Region 5 benefit... Whenever that is. :/


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## vivache

WTF. Bring me all these gaited horses. 8|


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## Brighteyes

Here are some Uwharrie pictures. 


















Trotty walker likes to trot.









...Especially uphill.


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## Brighteyes

Wha ha ha! My gaited horses! Mine! :wink:


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## vivache

To fix that, don't let her run up the hills. Insist on a long, loose walk. That way she'll build the muscle to get up them quickly and won't break her walk.


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## Brighteyes

Yep! No more running uphill. It's not good for them anyway, rushing things like that.

For the next two weeks, I'm not going to allow her to trot a step. Since I don't have any CTRs, I don't need to use that gait. I need to get that run walk back up to par. :wink: Strangely, her walk has actually gotten better since she's started trotting... Got the lateral vibes out.


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## vivache

Trotting is good for front end, pacing is good for rear end!


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## GoWithTheFlow

AWESOME girl !I'm so happy for ya'll ! I love the pics ! Oh yeah PM me about Jack pot ,please.lol


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## Brighteyes

*4-3-11 -- Time Flies*

It's been days since I updated this journal. Busy, busy, I've been. Shows and injuries and rain and spring breaks.

Starting with springs breaks... I've been enjoying mine, even though I've only ridden a few times. :? In my defense, it's been rainy.

I went to a show Saturday with Ashley. She brought Cody and her reiner Hunny (who's a bitchy!mare). I scoped out some classes. Next show, I'm thinking of bringing Baby Girl and doing English equitation (since it's not judged on the horse), trail, halter, and showmanship, as well as showing Cody in a few 19 and under classes.

A few days ago, Baby Girl got her leg cut up in the pasture. I thought it was minor and failed to mention it, but it's grown to be a problem and is developing proud flesh due to my sucky horse care (I left her for two days and didn't clean it). I picked the scab and got it to bleed again, cleaning it out. I bought one medicine from Tractor Supply that is suppose to work miracles. This thing isn't developing proud flesh if I have anything to say about it. Lesson learned: Clean wounds everyday. Why must lessons be learned the hard way...










Despite her wound, we managed a little walking trail ride, to stay up on our Ps and cues.


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## Brighteyes

*4-4-11 -- Worried*

I went out for about 20 minutes to just take care of Baby Girl's wound. It doesn't look much better than yesterday. I'm starting to get a little worried. I rinsed it with antibiotic liquid and warm water first, then sprayed on some Vetericyn. I let it soak in and reapplied Vetericyn, followed by a rubbing of Swat to keep the bugs off. She also got another dose of Bute, because area around the wound was tender and swollen. I imagine she must be sore.


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## GoWithTheFlow

Try raw honey . I hope she gets better soon!!! Prayers for Baby Girl !

I haven't been able to ride ,because I hurt my knee .  We are thinking that Dreamer is NOT pregnant ,and that means I can work her harder .


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! Raw honey? Never heard of that techique.

Have you had a vet confirm she was pregnant in the first place? I would get one out to make sure... Wouldn't want to hurt the foal, if she has one.


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## GoWithTheFlow

Yeah . I know . She was confirmed last may ,but she could have aborted . She does not look pregnant ,and we are going to get her checked soon. I'm not going really work her until we know for sure. 

It was in a magazine of mine .lol Weird right?


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## Brighteyes

*4-5-11 -- Put the Lime on the Pony Foot...*

Not as weird as what vet suggested, GoWithTheFlow.  

My mom took her dog and my dad's dog to the vet today. We use the same vet for all the animals, so the doctor also treats my horse. Word had gotten around about my blue ribbon reputation (I have a huge head now) and the vet inquired about how Baby Girl was doing. My mom told him about her problems with her leg and the developing proud flesh. He suggested a cure: pickling lime and meat tenderizer paste. 

Lolwhut?

I researched the properties of each and found that it is a very plausible cure. :shock: Wonder Dust, used for proud flesh, is similar to pickling lime. Lime was used by the old fashioned folks for wounds all the time. Meat tenderizer is used to clear feeding tubes at hospitals (my mother is a pharmacist) because if it's relatively gentle way of dissolving clogged food... Or in this case, granulated tissue. People have used it for proud flesh over the years as well. This cure is not a new idea.

(Before applying, I rode her a little. Got the most beautiful running walk with amazing head nod and even a little front leg action. We are working on bridleless riding. She can now stop from a walk without rein contact 50% of the time. We're working on backing and only touched on turning.)

Soo... I used a 50/50 solution of lime and tenderizer, mixed with a little water to form a gloppy white paste like the stuff dentists use to imprint teeth. After cleaning the area and making the wound bleed again, I smeared the paste on the affected area. The bleeding increased, for I suspect the paste went into affect quickly. Baby Girl didn't seem to be in terrible pain as if it burnt or anything. In case, I gave her some more Bute before turning her out.


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## GoWithTheFlow

Yeah . Honey helps infection , proud flesh ,and heals faster . It's all natural , doesn't burn , and is easy to apply . 

Copied from a website. Thank you Natural Horse World !

*More than 4,000 years after Egyptians began applying honey to wounds, it is now being sold for regular wound care all over the world. *
*Called Medihoney, it is made from a highly absorbent seaweed-based material, saturated with manuka honey, a particularly potent type that experts say kills germs and speeds healing. Also called Leptospermum honey, manuka honey comes from hives of bees that collect nectar from manuka and jelly bushes in Australia and New Zealand. *​

*Honey dressings and gels, as well as tubes of manuka honey, have been gaining in popularity with scientific reports on their medical benefits and occasional news accounts of the dramatic recovery of a patient with a longtime wound that suddenly healed. *
*Regular honey can even have mild medicinal benefits but manuka honey is far more potent, research shows.*
*The most important factor in any honey used for medicinal purposes is that it should not have been heat treated like the honey we buy for eating - people prefer it to be runny but heat treating to keep it that way kills the active ingredients. *​ 
*"It's been used on wounds where nothing else will work," said biochemist Peter Molan, PhD, a professor at the University of Waikato in New Zealand who has researched honey and other natural antibiotics for 25 years. *
*He's found manuka honey can kill the toughest bacteria even when diluted 10 times and recommends it especially for people with weak immune systems.*​ 
*"There's more evidence, clinical evidence, by far for honey in wound treatment than for any of the pharmaceutical products" for infection, Molan said. However, it won't work once an infection gets in the blood. "It's not a miracle."*​ 
*







Honey has been used for healing wounds on horses with great results. It is easy to apply (sticks well) and doesn't sting so horses tolerate treatment better. It can be plastered on an open wound or bandaged on more severe cuts and burns. It has proven to be especially helpful at reducing the proud flesh that grows out of control as the flesh over populates and stops the skin from covering properly. As you can see from the photos above and below, honey heals quickly - this knee injury which was a couple of weeks old and hadn't responded to other treatments went from the size in the top photo to less than half the size in ten days of daily treatment.*
*







More recently, hoof care professionals have discovered honey is excellent for treating thrush. Here is an outline of treatment provided by Chrisann Ware of Equethy: *
*Wash the hoof first with vinegar and water and use the same syringe and tube to flush the gunk out of the hoof sulcus. *
*Then warm the honey in a tub or hot water and put it in the syringe (cattle syringe where the needle would attach works best as they are large). *
*We get the tubing from pet shops that sell supplies for fish tanks - the small tube that they sell for air hoses is ideal but don't reuse it in case you are spreading thrush from foot to foot.*
*Pass the tube as deep into the sulcus as you can. You will be surprised how far it can go in some horses with contracted frogs and heels it seems to go very deep indeed. I think this is why most treatments don't work as they don't get to the anaerobic bacteria in there.*
*You will know when you have gotten the honey in deep and filled the sulcus as it often comes out the back near the heels.Just wipe this excess that dribbles out all over the frog and sole and put the horse in a boot for a while, or if you don't have boots just tie it up on a clean concrete area with some feed for 20 mins until the honey does its job. Its gets absorbed quickly and doesn't remain sticky.*
*You can buy Manuka honey in the large supermarkets and its much cheaper to do this than to buy it from a specialty health food store. If you buy it from the "medical" supplies it costs double what you pay for it in the supermarket. If you can't get medi honey or its equivalent then just ordinary honey from a local bee keeper is excellent too. We haven't found any difference in the results both seem to work well.*​ 
*To read a case study on treating a severe tendon wound with honey, click here*​​​


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## Brighteyes

*4-7-11 -- Jackie!*

Yesterday, I retreated Baby Girl's wound as usual. Nothing to report, aside that it looked a great deal better.

Today I went to the vet with my dog for her yearly check-up. While there, I showed the vet some pictures of Baby Girl's healing leg. He said it looked great and to continue what I was doing until the proud flesh was gone.

I went out to the barn afterwards and washed the leg off. Finding all the proud flesh gone shock, I simply washed it, applied Vetericyn, and put on a little honey, just as GoWithTheFlow suggested. I figured it wouldn't hurt and wasn't as...harsh as pickling lime and meat tenderizer.

Tomorrow, I'm going to get back on the ball with my work. My BO showed me the trail challenge ribbons. They're extremely shiny, and I want one.

I realized at the beginning of this month that I had no goals set and couldn't think of any, so I decided this month will have a simple agenda: ride bridleless at a walk. I will be focused on this all April.

I will also be training Jackpot (affectionately referred to as Jackie) in order to show him at the challenge. He was dropped off at the farm today, and I plan to ride he and Baby Girl both tomorrow. It's going to be a LONG Friday.


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## GoWithTheFlow

You got a PM! And awesome! And to the PM we are coming .haha


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## Brighteyes

*4-8-11 -- Bubba!*

Instead of the planned for training of Jackpot, I went on a trail ride with GoWithTheFlow, who is pretty awesome in real life. She bought with her Bubba, who is uber cute and foundation-y. I want to steal.  Everything went fairly well, aside from Baby Girl's embarrassing forwardness. I had to stay in her mouth pretty much the whole ride, probably not leaving the best impression regarding her supposed well-trained-ness. Otherwise, it was fun to have someone else to trail ride with.


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## Brighteyes

*4-9-11 -- CT to Walmart?*

Bad news. Baby Girl's lame. 

I went out about ten in the morning to ride her and found she had cut herself again, on the opposite leg of her previous injury. This cut was like the slashing of a knife; straight and deep. I walked her back to the barn and washed it off before taking her to the paddock for a little in-hand. I was ponying her off the golf cart when she suddenly started to hop on three legs at the trot. I stopped immediately and walked her the rest of the way.

I trotted her in-hand before Ashley. She was obviously lame at the trot. It looked like she was loping on her back end. Her lameness was also present at a walk. Since I wasn't looking for it, I didn't see it. We hypothesized that something was wrong with her stifle. There was a lump of swelling there.

I bathed her with anti-bacterial shampoo and luke-cold water. I discovered several other scratches while doing this. I hosed her legs and stifle with colder water. I applied Vetericyn to the new cut as well as her numerous old ones and put her in the stall to rest.

It was only noon, so I decided that I might as well ride Jackpot. Ashley saddled up Cody and we went on a trail ride, intending to go the two or three miles to Mr. Ronnie's. Instead, we went on an adventure. 

We found that Mr Ronnie wasn't home and explored random roads and trails. We searched for dirt roads to run. Finding none, we plodded on the shoulder and headed to Tractor Supply and Walmart, eight miles away.

We arrived at Tractor Supply, horses hot and tired. The employees took our pictures and gave us water for our horses. We walked nonchalantly around Walmart, "parking" our horses in the spaces while people and cars swarmed about.

It was pretty much the best trail ride ever. Words cannot describe. We crossed the highway and had a big rig honk the horn at us! :lol: We ran dirt roads and attracted all kinds of attention at the stores! When people asked about the horses, we simply told them gas was expensive nowadays.


Once home (it was almost dark by that time), I checked Baby Girl's lameness again. A little better. I left her in the stall overnight after another dose of bute (she's had that a lot recently) and more first aid for the legs. If she isn't better by tomorrow, we're calling the vet.


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## Brighteyes

*4-10-11 -- Glue Prospect*

Baby Girl was still lame today. It has gotten a little better. Since she is improving, we decided not to call the vet. I moved her out of the stall and into the round pen for tonight. She is staying with another lame, beat-up mare named Star, who was injured in the pasture as well. The two of them liked each other a surprising amount. They tried to kick at each other only once, but both their hurt legs couldn't handle much kicking. "Kick, kick, OW! TIME OUT!" We are calling them the "glue prospects". 

Other than that, I did a lot of barn chores: cleaning stalls, organizing the tack room, washing ponies... Boring day. I miss riding and working with my horse.


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## GoWithTheFlow

AWESOME trail ride ! I bet that was sooo fun ! I hope Baby Girl gets better !


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## Brighteyes

*4/11/11 -- Attitude is Everything.*

I got in huge trouble for my riding to Walmart incident. HUGE, HUGE trouble. My BO almost fired Ashley. I was afraid I was going to get kicked out.

The interesting part is... This didn't turn out too bad after all. :shock: The most fantastic thing --I'll probably remember it for the rest of my life-- happened yesterday.

My BO is extremely scary. She is stern, professional, and has something about her that commands my respect and obedience. She's never mean; she just always in control. Queen bee. Strict parent figure. 

I had to go to the farm and talk to her. I took my last breaths of fresh air and hid for 15 minutes behind a rose bush before I had to speak to her. I was crying, of course, when I finally had to confess. I fully expected I was about to be fired, banned, and ostracized, therefore losing everything, burning my dreams, and leaving me in a very dark place. I was ready for my doom when...

She teared up and hugged me. :shock: 

She doesn't do hugs. And she never, ever cries. My mom's known my BO her whole life and has never seen the women cry.

This out of character moment actually scared me more than being yelled at. At least I was PREPARED to be yelled at.

She basically told me, "Don't ever do that again. EVER. You could hurt yourself." All the time staring me right in the eyes, as is her unsettling habit. Then she let me go.

I spent the rest of the day, between intervals of crying into my horse's mane, trying to figure out what in the world happened and how I got off so well. Ashley got herself torn up. It was equally my fault... Why didn't I get that I deserved?

My mom said I had a talent. "You can take a pile of crap and come up smelling like a rose every time," she told me. She explained that I had one good thing about me, and it was my attitude. Unlike Ashley --who is catty, rude, and grudge-holding--, I cannot hold a grudge against a soul or bring myself to be rude. My punishment had little to do with the crime. My punishment was a direct result of my reaction to being found out. I did what came naturally: cried, begged for mercy, and took the blame upon myself and only myself. THAT is why I wasn't fired. 

The moral of this story: your attitude will get you out of anything.


(Including Trail Challenges, because part of my punishment is not competing. :wink


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## GoWithTheFlow

Man, I know thats right . But yeah that was dangerous ,and a good life lesson learned .

We might not get to go Friday night to the clinic part ,because they are indoceing Ms.Libby's daughter in labor that morning.  LOL But if we can we might bring 2 horses, NASCAR and Bubba !


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## Brighteyes

You BETTER come. If I can't beat those other kids into the ground and walk away with two blues and a sweepstakes, you have to for me. :wink: PPLLLEEAAASSSEEE...


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## GoWithTheFlow

I'll try my best to! Her daughter has already dialated 3cm ,so she can go any minute (so she says).lol !


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## Brighteyes

*2/17/11 -- My Huge Head: Justified.*

I've never gone so long between posts. :shock: Probably because the last few days have been a stressful affair with a sporadic internet connection.

To get you all up-to-date, I was allowed Friday afternoon to compete in one class in the Trail Challenge. Only one. I was like  I had exactly one day to prep and memorize my course. Didn't matter. I was happy to compete.

A little girl was also going to use Baby Girl for in-hand classes. I love this kid, even though I usually hate children between the ages of 0-10. We practiced and they did great on Friday. 

Competition day (yesterday) rolls around. The kid and Baby Girl do their pattern. They don't place, because Baby Girl wouldn't listen. She isn't a kid's horse, really. But the kid was happy as a clam and got a pretty completion ribbon.

After that, my class comes up. I decided to do junior novice under-saddle. There were about 20 kids in that class! I didn't expect too much. There was another of Ashley's students who was riding Amber. Amber was prime competition. That horse is pwnin'.

Surprisingly, we made an almost perfect run. :shock: Baby Girl didn't back perfectly and we messed up the L pattern a little, and her sidepass wasn't great (but at least it was present). Otherwise, perfect 10s and one 9 across the board. We finished with a 110 out of a possible 120. Pretty dang good, being that I was about to faint the entire time and proceed to faint directly after dismounting due to dehydration and not eating anything all day.

We then collected our blue ribbon. 

From last out of five to first out of 20. How's that for improvement?


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## Brighteyes

*2/18/11*

I rode Baby Girl bareback down from the pasture today. We had some minor drama about wanting to hurry back, so we ended up spending half an hour doing "dressge patterns" in the pasture before returning to the barn for some serious round pen gait work (which I got on video and posted in the gaited horse section of the forum).

After our gait work, which was a moderate sucess, Ashley rode Baby Girl on a trail. I went along with Firefly. I tried to teach Ashley to ask for a run walk, but she ended up aiding Baby Girl into a rack instead. Oh well. It was a pretty rack.  

After a wash-off, I was out. It seemed like my time at the farm was short today.


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## Brighteyes

*2/19/11 -- Lounge Line*

Today I decided to work on lounging. Baby Girl is a terrible lounger. I laid out some trot poles and let her trot around me in a large-ish circle. The poles forced her to actually TROT, not pace, like she enjoys doing at the lounge. I had a lot of trouble slowing her back into a run walk though. She wouldn't relax and just paced slowly. After a five minute fight, she finally settled into a little run walk. I than had to repeat the fight in the other direction. 

I tried to get her to canter briefly, but she has trouble cantering in circles in seems. I had three canter strikes then allowed her to rest. We finished the day with a cool off flat walk. 

I'm going to ride tomorrow. I have to work on that bridleless stuff.


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## GoWithTheFlow

Bridleless is awesome. lol Good work on the last few days.


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## Brighteyes

*2/20/11 -- Fail Valley.*

I rode just a little trail today. 


Yesterday I was super excited about Baby Girl's little "run walk". I found out today that her run walk is actually a really fast dog walk. It isn't even a flat walk. It's also pacey. 

And I don't know what to do about it. 

It's terrible to think you're going in the right direction when you're actually still almost as terrible as when you started out. Four months of daily riding... I can't even get a true running walk. That's harsh.

I make diagrams when I'm depressed.


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## GoWithTheFlow

It's okay . I'm suffering with a butt head of a mare (shes in cycle more or less LOL) . She has the hardest mouth on a horse that I have had in my entire life . Right now we are working on softness . So you are not alone in the Valley of Fail .


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## Brighteyes

The Valley of Fail is more fun with friends. :wink: Yay for fail!


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## Brighteyes

*2/21/11 -- An Inching Kind of Progress*

I was GOING to take a mental health day off today and sit at home eating cookies and watching Glee, but I decided, "What's better for metal health than a gallop?"

I hadn't had a running day in a while, being that running often turns Baby Girl into an Arab and I was worried about her stifle. Said stifle hasn't been bothering her for days. She isn't sore or favoring it, even after a fairly decent ride she received a three (?) days ago. 

So, I saddle up and began my long standing summer fly wars. The flies are terrible now. Huge, biting, blood producing, nasty flies... I sprayed myself and my horse with the most lethal frickin fly spray I could find and forced Baby Girl to wear a fly bonnet over her ears. 

We had three good gallops. First we canter, then I let her go into a gallop for a while, then collect back to canter for a few strides before transitioning to a walk. And I always ask for canters from a walk, figuring it'll help her get the forehand and use her butt to take off. She's gotten pretty good. Her canter is much more balanced and collect able then it use to be. It still feels... Weird. It's not HARD to sit, it just feels like she moving a lot underneath me and taking short strides when she's actually not. I'm going to call it a gaited horse thing for now. They move weird.

After having our fun, I tried something a member here recommended I do to help her square of her scary-middle-gait/pseudo-runwalk. It involves driving her into the bridle and correcting her pace with a series of squeezes of the calves to make her use her butt. And heck it works! Her dog walk is much squarer now. 


I hadn't had a trail ride that good in a long time. It was a good day.


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## Brighteyes

*2/22/11 -- Changes on the Horizan*

Very simple day. My trainer appeared at the farm and she, I, and a few students went on a nice trail ride. Nothing eventful happened. It was relaxing and nice, with a good gallop and some goofing around. 

Also, my BO bought a new lesson pony for the farm! I'm very excited and will be helping to put some trail miles on her. She's a 13 hand POA mare named Cinnamon. 

But on the way from from the farm (my trainer was dropping me off), she told me that Ashley was about to get fired. For being a *****. It's true; she is a *****. But I have some strange, grudging loyalty towards my friends, as much vice as they possess. Emotions are mixed. Things will be changing a lot for me... Like it is said,_ "If there were no change, there wouldn't be butterflies."_


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## GoWithTheFlow

Durn, barn drama stinks .And cool about the trail ride .


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## Brighteyes

Yeah... I really hate drama. I just wish everyone got along and never conflicted. It'll never be like that, except for in my dreams. :wink:


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## Brighteyes

*2/23/11 -- Feed Duty*

Another trail today, since one lasting upwards of two hours. Mostly walk, some trot, and one good canter. After so many days of intense riding, Baby Girl was beat. She's getting an easy day tomorrow, if I do anything with her at all. 


I came back to the barn in the afternoon to pick stalls and let horses out. We're leaving the horses up during the day now because of how hot it is and our pasture lacks shade. As much as I dislike keeping horses in stalls during the day, this will certainly help with sun bleaching and flies. Speaking of flies, we started farm-wide feed on fly control today.

Tomorrow morning I have to come about noon and feed horses again --funny thing is that we only have four horses, all mares, at this point, so there are stalls for all-- and keep them up until about 6:30 in the afternoon. 

It's very relaxing to be at the barn by myself... I really enjoy the silence and being able to interact with my horse in peace. I hope I get to do feed and turnout duty more often. I probably will end up with feed/turnout responsibilities during the summer.


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## Brighteyes

*2/24/11 -- Virginia Highlands?*

I went back to the barn around four in the afternoon to check with my BO and be sure that I fed everything correctly that morning. She had no complaints -- a shocking thing indeed. 

Baby Girl was enjoying her day off. I took her from the stall, cleaned her legs, and turned her out. Happy pony.

After that, my BO announced that her daughter won't be able to make it to the Virginia Highlands ride in three weeks and asked if I could go along.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to go, but it will be difficult to work out a schedule. School is in the way. If I go to that clinic in Canton, Ga, my missed school days will be maxed out and I'll have to take an exam, which I generally don't have to take on account of good grades. In order to make it to these two events, I'll have to drive myself to Canton after school. The problem is, I can't find anyone to drive me. :?


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## Brighteyes

*2/25/11 -- Fly Wars.*

Decided not to go to Canton. Too much trouble. Virginia or bust! I will miss visiting with my friendly nemesis (Nemesis A) and her little horse/pony (it's an excessively small horse -- I call him a hony). However, I will see my other friendly nemesis (Nemesis B) at Virginia, where I hope to destroy her and her little Arab too!

To prepare for destruction, my BO and I went on a fast-paced eight mile conditioning run. It was late morning, but still hot as could be. The FLIES. My oh my, the flies! Biting, nasty flies that made Baby Girl bleed where ever they landed and bit. Her ears were bloody. (Shortly after this ride was complete, I went to Tractor Supply and bought a fly mask and concentrated fly spray.)

Baby Girl again proves she has the heart and the endurance. My BO says I might as well go ahead and go Open next year. I'll have all winter to improve Baby Girl's obstacle performance. Once we get a good, clean turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches, sidepass, and back, anything is possible.

Getting back to current issues, Baby Girl and I are ready to rock Virginia Highlands. It'll be an interesting trip -- a 10 hour drive through three states with three people stuffed in the back of an overloaded F-350 and three horses to haul behind.


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## GoWithTheFlow

Idk i can make it in June .  I brusied my tail bone . Ouch ! 

And that sucks about the flies ! We have them bad too, but not that bad .


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## Brighteyes

Suck it up and two point it, sista! :wink:


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## Gidget

this is great. I enjoy reading about BG and your progress  I am having my first endurance ride in August so I'm working on getting Gidget into shape. I am hoping to go on a ride tomorrow if the weather isn't horrid..dang Oregon..all it does is rain and the wind was bad today so I only rode for about a half hour.

You are doing great. You need to post pictures of you and BG.


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## GoWithTheFlow

We need rain ! lol It's getting dusty at my house.

My tail bone is better .lol And someone is coming out to look at my shetland.lol 

So did Ashley get fired?


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## Brighteyes

Thanks, Gidget!  I'm glad to have a couple people who enjoy reading this journal. 

Weather had been great down here.  I hope everything clears up for you!

Pictures tomorrow then! I like accuses for pictures anyway. :wink:



We do need rain... The creek's dry at my place! The Ashley situation is... Interesting. The word-up is that she is going to be fired any time now. BO is very fussy about her. Probably right after school and our lesson program ends for the year. (We don't teach during the summer; only during school season.)


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## Brighteyes

*2/26/11 -- Ponehs!!!*

Baby Girl and I went for a three mile fast paced jog/run today to build up her cardio. We warmed up with a walk on a loose rein and then moved into a trot. We trotting for five minutes, cantered for two, and walked for five. We repeated this several times, trotting for longer each time until we were trotting 10-15 straight minutes. Afterwards, I sponged off her sweaty spots and placed her back in her stall (we're still under the day time stalling policy).

In other news, Mr. Ronnie went out and bought two ponies: one for him to flip and sell, and one for the BO to use for children.

The one that will be staying at the farm's name is Gidget/Gizmo. He's a 15-year-old, 13 hand bay gelding, not a spot of white on him. He looks like a Welsh cross of some sort. I rode him briefly in a halter and found he definitely needs a bit in his mouth. Very little response to the halter. Afterward, he got his teeth floated and was given a good bath by yours truly. He's a CUTIE, and I'm really going to enjoy working with him. He's presented himself as a calm, well mannered little guy so far. He also pulls a cart. After he gets his shots and coggins papers, he'll be moved to the home farm.

The other pony doesn't have a name (for now, he call him "Rascal"). He's a five-year-old, 13 hand high, blue roan tobiano gelding. He's VERY flashy. His ground manners are poor -- he's a little pistol! He was part of the deal to get Gidget. I'll be helping Mr Ronnie train him as well. Boy, what fun. :? He isn't as stout as Gidget, so I couldn't sit on him for more than 10 minutes straight. Maybe I'll train him as a driving pony first and then recruit some kids to help me out with undersaddle.

Cinnamon, the POA, will be at the farm tomorrow. I don't know much about this pony, so I'm hoping for the best.


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## Gidget

yay pictures!

Btw,I need to PM you!


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## Gidget

this is you and BG climbing cougar rock..cool picture huh!? My friend and I lifted this mat up and this is what we found!


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## Brighteyes

I see it! Wow, that's neat.


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## Brighteyes

*4/30/11 -- Exercise Riding*

The past few days have been super boring. Yesterday, I rode Baby Girl and my sister rode Amber on a little trail. Today, my BO called and told met to ride Amber and give her a good workout. I did this, and had a BLAST. I rode exercise riding other people's horses. It mixes it up. One day, I want to find a huge endurance barn and hire myself out to ride other people's horses.


As far as my own horse... I've run into some scheduling problems with Virginia. My school exam schedule is messing up my plans. I'm going to have to beg the administration for some leeway...


Also, my phone broke, so no pictures. :-( Soon I'm going to have a picture explosion, where all my good pictures from recent times are uploaded.


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## Gidget

they have endurance barns?


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## GoWithTheFlow

Sweet ride! lol That stinks about the phone . lol!


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## Brighteyes

Yep! Endurance barns are as real as dressage and jumper barns! CTR barns exist too. My barn is sorta one of them. However, CTR people don't really like other people riding their horses. Their horses are generally very sensitive to a single rider's cues --which was totally non-standardized--, so you have to re-learn how to ride every time you work with one. :wink:

Yes... I miss my phone. :-(


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## Brighteyes

*5/3/11 -- The Routine*

I haven't updated in a while. I took a good weekend off after riding Amber and did nothing on Monday but lounge Baby Girl a bit. She's gotten really good at lounging. Maybe good enough to debut during the fall ride season. For now, trotting in hand is still my comfort zone.

Today was the same-old, same-old. Tacked up and rode off at a trot (which, despite being a gaited horse sin, is a devilish necessity), transferring after a little ways of jogging into a canter, and then back into a trot. For ten minutes we did this: trot trot trot canter trot trot trot. I then allowed her to walk for about five minutes and repeated trot/canter cycle several times. We went only about five miles until we reached the edge of the property and walked the whole way home. No jigging. I'm very proud of how quiet Baby Girl's grown. She can go quickly from a gallop to a walk and continue walking quietly on a lose rein afterwards. Her trail horse manners are improving greatly.

After arriving home, I sponged her back, neck, and head off with cool water. I've found that completely wetting a horse after a workout isn't doing much in the way of cooling them, because the water rapidly grows warm and forms a hot, soggy blanket around them. Water must be flicked off around 30 seconds after being put on the horse, whether sponging or bathing. Leave it on any longer and it gets surprisingly, miserably hot.

I ground tied Baby Girl next to a fan on high to "blow dry" her. She really enjoyed it, and was surprising not scared at all, despite all the noise that thing made.

I've almost raised all my Virginia money. I've got 100 bucks; almost enough for shoes. My entry fees are paid, travel expenses covered... I'm fighting for that ride. Not even the educational system can stop me. :twisted:


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## vivache

Where in VA are you going? I might be able to help with somethin'. ;D Are you doing the Dominion trail stuff?


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## Brighteyes

Ivanhoe, where ever that is. 

I'll be doing the Dominon 100 in my dreams for now. :wink:


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## vivache

GURRRRL you're going to be in BFE. Last time I was out that way, there was an overweight, shirtless man walking a sheep on a leash by the road.


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## Brighteyes

Overweight guy - shirt + sheep + leash = Win or fail? I can't decide. Either way, why didn't you take a picture? :lol: Facebook profile pic... I can totally see it.


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## Brighteyes

*6/14/11 -- Lesson*

I haven't been posting recently due to nothing at all happening that is worth noting. However, today Baby Girl and I got my trainer to do a lesson with us.

Baby Girl is very independent -- something I have fostered, for it makes a great trail horse. Independence is great to a point, but she has a problem tuning in and listening -- really listening-- to me when asked. My trainer had me do an exercise with her called the "one two step" She took two poles and arranged them into 60 degree angle. She had me follow two courses: the one step path, where Baby Girl stepped into the angle for one step; and the two step path, where Baby Girl took two steps inside the angle. All the while I had to bend her in a continuous circle and use leg pressure to move her to either the one step or two step. I also had to shorten and lengthen her stride to get in the right number of steps and all that good stuff.











The result of this exercise was a horse that waited for me to give her directions. She was very in tune and waited for commands. I had to lift a finger to make her stop or turn, she kept at a perfect speed, listened to my leg...


After I had her focus, we did a little jumping. Trainer set up a bounce. At first it was short -- maybe a foot high. By the end of the lesson, the bounce at grown to staggering heights (maybe two and a half feet, ha ha). Baby Girl actually used her body and engaged her hind end. :shock: She's a great jumper. That bounce was nothing for her. She could go much higher... But certainly not at this point. We still have form to perfect and grids to work on. I'm going to start doing more dressage and grid work with her.


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## Brighteyes

*6/15/11 -- "Horsie, I'm Up Here... On Your Back... LISTEN!"*

Cutest thing happened today... Baby Girl saw me drive up to the barn and galloped down from the pasture to see me. *.*


My trainer told me to do some more little arena stuffs a few times a week and get miss mare in a zone of focus for a few minutes at a time. We did little dressage patterns and reviewed the one two step. I didn't have a saddle today, so I just jumped two or three times over a little cross rail. Just for kicks and giggles. The bounce still stands on the other side of the arena as a proud reminder of how awesome we can sometimes be. 

Baby Girl, being a mare, was having a slightly off day. When she's off, she goes hard sided. I had a bit of a time getting her to move properly off my leg, but it wasn't too bad. Overall, our little review --we only rode for 30 or so minutes-- was nice. For the rest of the week, we will be going extra easy.

Also, who's super pretty?




















Looks like she's racking at liberty!


----------



## Gidget

Beautiful~


----------



## Brighteyes

Thank you Gidget! 


Leaving for Virginia at 9:00 am tomarrow! 12 hour drive... I hope the boss is in a good mood. Spending 12 hours with someone who, when grumpy, is as scary as a pack of wolves is never fun.


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## Brighteyes

*Around the 15th Mile: "OMGZ! Stone bruise?!"*

Bad news ahead...


We arrived at Iron Mountain Horse Camp after a 10 hour drive from Georgia, spent the night, and vetted in the next morning. The camp was great, and the mountains were BEAUTIFUL! These were the prettiest trails I had ever seen. My friend/nemesis was there with her horse, Koda. I was like, "Yay! Competition!" The next day (Saturday) she rode with me and the boss. Overall, this set the tone for a very fun ride and I was really enjoying myself. 

About 15 miles in, Baby Girl tripped over a root and went down on both knees. I hung on to her neck but didn't come off. She got back up and shook it off. I supposed it was no big deal and that she was just tired and not watching where her feet were going.

Well, minutes later, she started to limp. From the saddle I could see her head bob every third step. We had just gone through a section was very rocky trail. I got off, thinking she had a stone caught in her foot, and picked her hooves.

That didn't help. She continued to bob her head, but didn't appear to be in pain. Her ears were forward and she kept step perfectly with the boss's horse (Amber) in front of us.

The bob started to grow less pronounced. I thought she had worked the stone out of her shoe or whatever. Once back at camp, I discontinued worrying about it, washed her off, and put her in her stall to rest. 

Two hours later, the vet judge came around to check horses. She found Baby Girl's right front leg to have a swollen tendon. She wrote it down as a suspensory ligament strain due to lack of conditioning. Lack of conditioning? Not likely. Something more serious was suspected by my boss... The boss came to get me (was I soaking my swollen ankles in the creek) and said I had a call to make.

Went I saw it, I immediately thought, "Holy... Bowed tendon..." and FREAKED. Mentally, at least. I stayed outwardly very calm. Since the vet judge had checked it, the swelling had reached a new point of severity. 

Word spreads fast around NATRC camps, and soon everyone with a DMV or comparable knowledge was crowed around my stall. They came to a consensus. "Could be a bit of suspensory... Could be bowed... Looks bowed... Bowed..." So my call came in: go on the next day with that swollen leg, or pull. I decided to pull myself. 

After having her stand in a cold water creek for around 30 minutes, we standing wrapped her legs for support and left her in the stall for the rest of that night and the following day.

While she was stall bound on the second day, I did P n' Rs (pulse and respiration checks). The Open level riders (the highest level) are BEASTS. They are amazing. This one lady with a leggy Arab is officially my idol. I learned a lot of about conditioning and cooling horses from these people. This experience also made me want to do Open more than ever...

We left on Monday and returned to town with my bowed tendon horse. I reset my goals. Unless the vet (who is coming sometime this week) says differently, I am not sitting her Baby Girl's back until July first. That gives her six weeks of limited turnout and rest. I'm not doing another CTR on her until the end of September, when we will take Heart of Dixie by storm. Heart of Dixie was where I met Baby Girl. I guess this year may just go full circle and I'll end up back where it all began, only with a lot more than I began with.

In the meanwhile, I will still be on the NATRC circuit, but without Baby Girl as my loyal mount. Instead, I was offered Fly, the buckskin ***** herself. In three weeks, Fly and I will take the Nimblewill Challenge...


----------



## Brighteyes

*5/25/11 -- Big, Bad, Buckskin Mare*

Hosed Baby Girl's legs with cold water. The swelling has gone down so nicely that you can barely tell which leg is hurt. It is still, of course, tender when squeezed or fooled with. Not tender enough, I'll say! I'm going to cut her bute in half so she'll be sore enough not to fool around in the pasture. She was acting like such a buddy-buddy hyper fool and pacing her paddock I had to turn her out in the five acre pasture with the other horses. *sigh* She'll probably cause less damage to herself out there then if she stays up and paces back and forth all day.

Meanwhile, I started working with Firefly. Surprisingly, our trail ride went well. I put a bit in her mouth (she was formerly ridden in a hackamore), and she works very nicely with it. No more diving into the bridle; she carries herself much better. The bit is a simple D-ring snaffle with a bit of copper for taste. Baby Girl's bit.

It's a chore to have to start another distance horse from the ground up, basically. And I only had three weeks. I guess my readers --assuming I have them-- are about to get a crash course in conditioning a low level CTR horse.

Here's the plan: 

In a pinch, LSD -- long, slow distance. Three to five days a week. Basically, 75% walk and 25% trot for miles and miles. Slowly add in cantering and longer trots, but without sacrificing walk time. Say you ride for two hours. You walk an hour and a half and trot for 30 minutes. The next day, you trot for 45, but you still walk an hour and a half. Walking is the most important gait for low level CTR horses. It builds muscle, tendons, and ligaments. Trotting builds muscle and wind. Cantering builds wind. Wind develops first. You get better wind in a week or two. Muscle comes next, taking a bit longer. Tendons and ligaments take the longest, so spend more time on them if you're tried for time.

The rest of the week, we cross train in the arena. Trotting poles is VERY important. Small jumps, using the body efficiently, working all three gaits... A bit like "dressage", lower case D.


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## Brighteyes

*5/26/11 -- The Law of Universal Balance*

I've noticed recently that my life seems to be a perfect balance of bad happenings and good happenings. After every really good thing (or a series of good things), there is a set back. After every set back, a really good thing happens. 

Baby Girl's tendon injury was a bad thing that I "knew" was going to happen. I had been having too much good luck. We had run up as a dark horse pair and become the top junior team in the entire 15+ state region. Now that's gone.

In comes the law of universal balance again to make it all better. Now I have a backup NATRC horse with a chance. I'm thankful for Firefly. I also got a rescue horse named Belle (AKA Gluestick) -- a scared, malnourished little draft cross filly who is just about to turn two-- to work with. My compensation for working with her may be up to $100 a month, rumor has it. To the BO's daughter, Belle's owner, I am thankful. 

It keeps getting better. God knows what Baby Girl's career meant to me. 

I get _another_ project horse -- a young 13 hand pony named Rascal. He will be delivered to the farm tomorrow. When we re-sell him, I get half that profit. 

Ashley is leaving June 1st, and I'm full time barn manager. I'm a _barn manager._ 

From now on, I'll have to divide this journal into sections by horse. There will be a sub-heading for each horse: Belle, Firefly, Rascal, and Baby Girl. This will be a summer to remember. 

Despite all these wonderful things, I would give it all up for my Baby Girl to return to her former level of soundness. She'll never be the same... The tendon will always be weak... One door closed until there is barely a crack, but several more opened down the hall...

Tevis has never seemed so far away... But maybe something different is drawing closer.


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## Brighteyes

*5/27/11 -- New Format is New and Different*

Let's try the new format!  

*Firefly:*

Rode her today on a walk/trot/minimal canter trail. We were out for about 45 minutes. We would have stayed out longer, but it was about to storm and we could hear the tornado siren in the distance. :shock: No complaints from her today. She needs some dressage type work to get her off the forehand, collect her trot, and make her less stiff. Riding her is like riding a 2x4 that has been shot out a cannon.

Also, Baby Girl kicked the crap out of her, leaving her with a scrape near the flank. 

*Baby Girl: *

Poor thing is off the bute today. I've knocked down her grain ration, so she is barely getting a pound and a half a day. The combination of lower grain and ouchy leg has her bottomed out energywise. She's quiet as a lamb and seems depressed. I almost think she misses getting ridden... This past week I haven't had much time for her. I change her polos, hose her leg, and put her back in her stall. The little love sponge misses her human.

*Belle:*

She's come a good ways in only three days of human interaction. Day one: she was scared to DEATH. Nipped at me, kicked at my hands, stood at the cross ties and shivered... She wouldn't even allow me to touch her legs. By the end of day one, I could touch all four legs, but couldn't pick up feet. She was still iffy about her body being touched.

Day two: Bathed her well. Touched all four legs, her whole body, and picked up two front feet. Still freaked about fly spray and not good at standing still when tied. Prone to panic.

Day three (today): Groomed her all over and picked up all four feet without resistance. Still prone to panic, but much more trusting of me. 

*Rascal:*

He arrived yesterday afternoon when I wasn't at the barn. Little pony is frickin insane, so I've been told. Mr Ronnie calls him "flighty", "disrespectful", and "unpredictable". He needs groundwork to work out respect issues. Baby Girl HATES him. He thinks he's a stud. I wonder when he was gelded... He's about four now. 

None of my fears have been yet validated. I didn't manage to get my hands on the little stud muffin today... He's only 13 hands and fine boned, so I won't be able to ride him for more than a few minutes at a time. We'll be doing tons of ground driving. Before that, however, we must master the lunge line. I'll start on that tomarrow.

___________________


A student at the barn has taken out a half lease on Gizmo. She'll be coming out a few times a week to ride. However, she has no tack of her own and I assume she assumes that school tack is opened to her. Ashley also assumes that she can use my saddle as school tack... Therefore, Gizmo's leasee and I may need to have a discussion about my saddle. Mainly, "Do not use." I ride every day, sometimes twice a day. I can't have her use my tack when I _need_ my tack.

I need to get rid of that thing anyway and get a nice leather one... Maybe I'll just sell it to her for about $300 and get a used dressage saddle off Ebay.


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## Gidget

Ohhh,I am sooo very sorry about BG! That makes me so sad for you and her. It is infact a bowed tendon? Are you able to still do endurance with her or are you finding a new mount for the sport but keeping BG?

Again,I am so sorry. Keep us updated.


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## Brighteyes

I'm beyond hoping it isn't bowed. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck... It's a duck. It looked exactly like the picture below "high bowed tendon" during the acute stage. Many sessions of cold hosing have successfully lessened the swelling to the point you can barely tell one leg from the other. Which is good, I guess. It's what I can't see that is truely concerning...











That's all in the air... The vet is coming out Tuesday for a follow up exam. He should be able to give me guidelines for treatment in the next month or two. But beyond that, I don't think he'll know. It'll be a long wait to see if she'll ever been endurance sound. Months. 

_If_ she can't handle distance anymore, I'm not sure what I'll do. I'll surely have to get another horse. No question. The real question is, what will I do with Baby Girl? I'm not sure if I could keep two...

If there is any hope she'll be sound enough ever again, I'll keep her on pasture for as long as she needs. A year? Fine. As long as there's hope.


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## Gidget

OH WOW!

O.O

I don't know what to say as I know you adore that horse. Are your parents upset about it? That's one thing you have to risk with endurance though. I will pray for you and Baby Girl. She's a lovely girl. My husband had an appendix and he had a bowed tendon. He was still very rideable untill he went blind.

I have an arab welsh cross who should be 14.2 + hands. She is going to be my official endurance horse  Gidget is going to do some endurance but when I get into it,into it I have Stormy.


Give your girl a hug for me. She's a pretty little thing.


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## Brighteyes

Thank you. Prayers and pasture rest. Sounds like a very effective combination. 

I haven't even tried to make my parents understand. I think they have a gloomy concept of the serious nature of the situation... But are stuck with thinking that this will pass like a rolled ankle. It's a bit more chronic than a rolled ankle...

I've been spoiling her recently. She gets treats every time she sticks her nose over the fence to see me. All she does is get groomed, fussed over, and put back out to pasture. No more strict diet control or workouts... It's the horsey good life. I'll get her a nice red apple and tell her it's from you. 

Sounds like a nice little horse. Good size. Arab spirit and Welsh hardiness is a lethal combination!


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## Gidget

awwww 

She is living the horse's dream!
I bet Gidget wish she had a life like that 

You know what you could do(horses love it)...core out an apple,get some grain and mix molasses in into the grain and pack the middle of the apple with this. Also,wheat bran or oatmeal works too. After you do that drizzle more molasses ontop of it...very messy but so much fun to watch them have apple juice mouth =D


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## Brighteyes

Wow. That sounds delicious. I'll make one with her feed tomarrow morning. And take my camera! Drooling apple = possible cute picture.


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## Brighteyes

*5/28/11 -- Lunging for Respect*

*Firefly:*

She got the day off today. I just didn't feel like tacking up and riding for an hour or two... A day's break won't kill either of us. 

*Baby Girl:*

All swelling and heat is out of the leg, so I opted to hose her down with warm water instead of cold to promote circulation. I imagine circulation isn't the best in a polo wrap and a little blood flow would possibly start off the healing process. 

*Belle:*

Belle is starting to act less skittish. I fly sprayed her all over, and she didn't freak out in the slightest. At first she was a little unsure, but gradually that faded away. She once again lifted all four feet quietly and held them up for a minute. I tapped on her hooves with the hard part of a brush to simulate a farrier working on her feet. She didn't mind much.

*Rascal:*

I'm liking him a lot. He's wickedly smart. 

I can see from out first day of interaction that he is a social butterfly with a case of pony ADD. He doesn't like being caught in the pasture and walks ahead when led. He does have an odd energy... Like a loaded gun or a stick of dynamite. His eyes are everywhere -- the exact opposite of the "kind eye" people talk about. 

I tackled disrespect and pony ADD in one exercise -- lunging for respect. It's a Clinton Anderson thing. I'd never used his methods, but I was willing to try. (Below is a video of what Rascal and I were doing. Ours wasn't _quite_ as elegant, but looking pretty good.)





 
He had been lunged before, but was rusty of his whoa and changing directions. The funniest thing was, despite how worried I was about his interesting mentality, it took about five minutes to get him on my team. He got into the exercise and paid total attention to me. One ear in to listen, chewing and thinking... He was enjoying the challenge, as sure as anything. 

He's something special. I don't know why, but there is something about him. Lots of spirit to be harnessed and redirected, perhaps.

Since the Clinton Anderson lunging thing worked so nicely, I thought about trying some of his other groundwork exercises. I think I'll work through this video of exercises with him, probably in addition to other stuff. Belle could use a bit of this desensitizing too...


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## Brighteyes

*5/29/11 -- Simply Unnatural.*

*Firefly: *

Actually had a nice little ride on her today. I threw on the bareback pad and went on a 30 minute walk/trot trail late in the afternoon. My trainer came by and told me that if she wasn't jigging on the trail, you've got a good thing going. She hasn't jigged since our first day out. 

*Baby Girl:*

I washed her mane and tail with some shampoo to make them all moist and shiny. Really, I just wanted an excuse to hang out with her. Leg is looking nice enough. It doesn't seem to hurt as much when the tendon is squeezed as it did in days previous. 

*Belle: *

Didn't do much with her today. I just fed her some apples.

*Rascal:*

Ah. This is where my day always gets interesting.

We reviewed our lunging exercises. He didn't "pop" through his directional changes as much as he did yesterday. He didn't have as much energy. This is possibly a good thing. 

We pretty much covered the entire video I posted yesterday, shy of the neck stretching stuff at the end. He yields his hindquarters GREAT, is starting to yield is forequarters, and can back okay. The backing needs refinement for sure. I'll review the whole video with him tomorrow or the next day until perfection is achieved. 

After our lesson, I tried to brush him off and fly spray him. He FLIPPED OUT. He threw his butt at me (not actively attempting to kick, but that crap doesn't fly with me) and rear up on the cross ties. I calmly continued to spray, one hand ready to pull the quick release in case he flipped over.

He also did something I'm not sure what I make of. He got extremely angry with me and my annoying fly spray, so he plunged forwards (as far forwards as the cross ties would allow) and started to root in and knock down pots of flowers that were sitting on the shelf in front of him. :shock: I _swear_ he was throwing a fit and knew that was a bad thing to do. Like then a kid gets mad and starts breaking stuff. He was throwing an actual tantrum. 

It was weird... I will say here and now there is a human trapped in that horse. Everything about him is just... Unnatural. No natural creature should be able to give looks like he can. His eyes aren't like those of any other horse I know. 

My BO asked me how I was doing training him shortly afterwards. I simply said, "He's kind of insane."


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## Brighteyes

*5/30/11 -- I Hate People.*

Today I didn't accomplish enough to go to the full out four horse format. The only thing I did accomplish was ****ing myself off to a high degree. More on that later. First, we have a Rascal update.

My BO HATES him. She and my trainer have come to the consensus he is proud cut -- which makes perfect sense. He runs poor Gidget around the pasture and marches around with his harem of mares. He made Gidget fall over two separate times. That poor pony is going to get run to death. The BO put Rascal in the small round pen to keep him away from the other horses.

As far as training the little stud muffin goes, he reviewed everything and refined our groundwork. He has accomplished everything in the video. I guess now I'll have to ride him. 

I took a picture of him today with his forelock sticking in the air like a troll doll. The face of evil is adorable. 


Now, to how I hate people:

Baby Girl was suppose to go to the vet tomorrow morning, but my ride bailed out on me at the last minute. Now I have to cancel my appointment for the second time in a row.

If this was an isolated incident, I wouldn't be nearly as fed up as I am. However, the adults in my life are extremely unreliable and I've been bailed out on _one too many times. _Not only by this person, but by my mom, dad, grandparents... Everyone. I can't trust anyone in the world to keep an appointment. 

I want _my own_ truck and trailer. I want to never rely on anyone ever again for anything. I want to drive myself to the barn, drive myself back, pick up everything my horse needs by myself, and take my own freaking horse to the vet. I don't want to have to ask any favors of anyone and come and go as I please. I don't want to be a slave to anyone's schedule or lack of dedication. If I could go everything for myself, I would be extremely happy.

I've been bailed on so many times that I have become _paranoid_. I cannot force myself to trust anyone to get me anywhere or to show up at when I ask. I trust people so little that I stress myself out. Each time I ask someone to do something for me (I am forced to, since I don't have a car), I actually expect them not to. That's sad that I have so little faith in my fellow man.


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## Brighteyes

*6/2/11 -- Hyper!*

*Firefly:*

Just rode bareback on a trail today. She was the best horse in the group!

*Belle: *

She may be going to the vet tomorrow to get her coggins re-drawn... More on that later. 

*Rascal:*

Rode him today! I rode him yesterday in a rope halter, but he didn't do much at all. Today I put the bit in his mouth. The BO said his old owners had to pull him around to steer. I had no such issues. He's very light in the face and reflexes beautifully. He's still very green and doesn't know much. To be expected. His trot is crazy and fast, so we stuck to walking for now until we get that down. He dislikes stopping (throws his head), but actually settles in and backs alright. He just needs some more time spend on him at a walk getting his cues together.


*Baby Girl:*

She has gotten so hyper active since she hasn't been ridden. She weaves in her stall, struggles with the cross ties, walks ahead of me when I lead her... I haven't been working with her since I can't ride her, so she's gotten a bit bossy.

We're going to the vet tomorrow, possibly with Belle. Her leg looks nice; no heat or swelling. Maybe it was just a mild strain and she'll be rideable soon enough.


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## Brighteyes

*6/4/11 -- Baby Girl Treatment Update*

Casting aside all things done with Rascal and the crew that I don't feel like typing, Baby Girl went to the vet yesterday. As you may know. 

Her tendon is confirmed torn is two places and I was given DMSO to apply to it. The DMSO is working GREAT! I love that stuff. Only a day into treatment and the swelling is gone.

Also, I finished my article for the NATRC magazine. Watch for it in the next issue of "Hoofprint".


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## Gidget

Brighteyes said:


> Casting aside all things done with Rascal and the crew that I don't feel like typing, Baby Girl went to the vet yesterday. As you may know.
> 
> Her tendon is confirmed torn is two places and I was given DMSO to apply to it. The DMSO is working GREAT! I love that stuff. Only a day into treatment and the swelling is gone.
> 
> Also, I finished my article for the NATRC magazine. Watch for it in the next issue of "Hoofprint".


 
Ouch,poor BG!
How long will it take to heal? Will or should she make a full recovery?


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## Brighteyes

I'm still planning on staying off of her for six weeks. She should be riding sound again after a long, slow rehab. The possibility of re-injury is still high, so I'm not sure if that means it's truly a "full recovery" or not.


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## Gidget

you might want to see about getting a supplement. You may want to think about getting this for her or any horse you plan on riding for CTR and endurance 

SmartTendon - Horse Tendon & Ligament Supplements from SmartPak Equine


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## Brighteyes

I'll talk to some people and see if they think supplements will help... I'm always nervous about those things. It's hard to be sure they're actually helping.


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## Brighteyes

*6/5/11 -- Trail Riding with the Devil*

*Firefly: *

She's still a fat cow (the spring grass is killer!), but her fitness is improving slowly. Nimblewill is on the 17th... I hope she'll be ready.

*Baby Girl:*

The meds are doing her well. I've lowered her grain ration yet again. It's helped her to calm down a bit more. 

*Rascal:*


My trainer took him on a bareback trail ride. He'd never been on trails before, but he did surprisingly well. Much better then arena work. On our second trail of the day I rode him bareback. He's a sweet boy. The trainer thinks he's mostly Arab, and his "unruliness" is just typical baby Arab behavior. She said the best way to break a horse is to ride trails. That's the way she trained the horses she broke. After a ride or three in the arena, all work continues on trails. That's where they learn trot/canter, turning, leg cues, and everything else. This is how horses were broken before arenas. Get them a bit use to saddle and weight one day and trail ride them the next.


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## GoWithTheFlow

You are doing an article for HoofPrint ?! I've been really busy ,so I haven't been able to check on here much .


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## Brighteyes

That's alright.  Nothing much happens in this journal anyway.


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## Brighteyes

*5/8/11 -- Maybe I'm a Bit Amazed...*

Today was a pure Firefly kind of day. I went out early in the morning with intention to ride her then, but the BO wanted me to help her load some llamas she bought from the guy down the street. (They're cute llamas!)

Later that afternoon, I returned to the farm. Everyone had been turned out. I took my helmet out into the field and rode Fly to the barn bareback and bridleless. I've never trusted a horse like that before.

Feeling confident, I decided to knock out something else I had never dared to do: gallop her bareback. I did just that, several times. We trotted, cantered, galloped, jumped... We were out for two hours exploring rural roads.

It was a nice day. I'd never thought I'd say it -- I've had a vendetta against Fly from my days as a young student --, but I really love that horse.


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## Brighteyes

*6/10/11 -- FLY! Quit That!*

Fly was being a total biotch today. A beginner student wanted to go on a trail ride with her. I figured that was okay; Fly had been used for kids before with varying degrees of success. Fly, though argumentative, is undoubtedly sane. 

I was riding Rascal bareback, and the boss was riding Amber. I was in front letting Rascal ride out some energy, Amber behind him, and Fly in last place. Fly started to jig like CRAZY. She is famous for that. She never does it to me because I simply don't allow it. I was a little annoyed that she was testing the student like she was. 

Fly just got more and more trotty and reckless. She pushed her way to the front of the pack and trotted off in front. I was ****ed! Fly never pulls that crap with me!

It got so mad that the boss and the student traded horses. Fly would hardly behave for the boss. I would have ridden her myself, but I was the only one present who could handle Rascal.

The boss was mad at her today and suggested changing her bit and putting her running martingale back on. I made a point that Fly NEVER acts like that with me. I don't know what Fly's problem is... She isn't my horse. She needs to behave for everyone. Once Baby Girl is back in action, Fly won't be "mine" anymore. It's great in movies and books when a horse only likes one person, but in life that isn't a good thing. 


On a side note, Belle is annoying me as well. She bolted away from me when I was leading her, appearently. I say appearently because I hit my head and don't even remember the incident.


Oh, and I said goodbye to my old lady today. :-( Missy... I'm going to miss her. We went on a 30 minute good bye ride. I don't think I'll ever meet a horse quite like her again. That old mare had the fire. She could rack 20 miles per hour and run like crazy. She takes care of her riders. If you get off balance or lean forwards, she stops or slows down so you can reorient yourself. She actually helps you when you're losing balance, like she doesn't want you to get hurt. She is 14 hands of spirit. She's leaving tomarrow to a new home where she'll show a timid rider the ropes. She's fast and she's hot, but she'll take care of a rider.


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## Brighteyes

*6/12/11 -- Um... Thank You!*

Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I say to myself, "I better update my journal." This is one of those times.


Yesterday I had an amazing trail ride with a couple of out of town friends. All seven of us went out on a trail. *Fly* was terrible (dang, girl! Hold it together! Nimblewill next weekend!) , but I must rave about *Rascal*:

My baby did sooo good! One of the kids rode and fell in love with him! They rode him on the trail and bareback in the arena. He was the best pony of the group. He was so well mannered and sweet. He has a really great personality when he gets comfortable. It took someone else riding him for me to see how nice of a horse he really is. In a year, he'll be incredible. He has gone back to Mr Ronnie for now, but I'll be seeing more of him soon.

The BO daughter got me a new horse to work with as well. Her name is *Sugar*, and she is a literally unhandled 3 year old paint/QH. She looks like a dressage horse. Beautiful movement, great build, bloodlines of a champ, and breath taking markings! I haven't posted pictures here in a while, so I'll take a few of her. 

By unhandled, I mean it. We taught her to tie today. She's never had a bath or her feet done. All she does is lead. She is very difficult to catch. When I saw her being unloaded, the BO's daughter said, "Look! I have a new project for you!"

"Ummm..." I wasn't sure how to react. Finally, I answered with an enthusiastic "Thank you!"

I was told that she will need to be handled just like *Belle*, only she will be more difficult. "Belle was a good first project for you," says BO's daughter, who needs a good nickname since that alias is cumbersome to type. "Sugar will be harder. A good second project." 

Speaking of Belle, she turned two not long ago. Unsaddle training will begin soon. I hope I'll be able to help with the process.


In *Baby Girl* related news, I'll be able to ride her soon. 18 more days! Her leg looks perfectly normal and is no longer a bit painful to her. I'm going to start weaning her off the DMSO in the next few days.


This entry was a little disjointed (and misspelled; this computer doesn't have spellcheck), but I'm feeling a little disjointed myself. So much stuff ahead! I get Rascal going well, he gets taken away and replaced with Sugar! I'm feeling spread pretty thin these days. This summer has been anything but a time of rest!


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## Gidget

wait..so when you say your rascal is he like yours yours? or one you are working with...you have the best job ever! I was wondering if it would be okay if I started an online journal on here about Gidget's progress and my life as a stable hand. I am helping beginners at camp!


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## Brighteyes

I don't own him; I just love him. Horses I really like are "mine". :wink: 


Go for it! If you do start one, I will journal stalk you. I love reading other people's progress! And I love anything Gidget related.


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## Gidget

Awww,thank you! I love updating people about my pride and joy and the same goes for you and BG  I am glad she is doing so much better as I was concerned she wouldn't be able to do any endurance or CT rides.


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## Brighteyes

*6/14/11 -- I Minored in Llamaology*

Yesterday *Fly* and I have a fabulous ride. We had the greatest, most fullfilling canter and had an interesting experience picking our way through the woods. We got caught in the dark a few miles from the barn. I couldn't see a thing, so I slacked my reins and let her take me home. The forest was dark and scared even me a little, but Fly plodded along until we found our way out into the opened spaces. The moon was full above us, lighting up vast grassy fields with silver. It was like a dream. 



Today wasn't as magical; just really busy. Kids summer camp is under way, so I arrived at the barn to feed and set up around 8:00 am. After being rushed and run ragged, the farrier arrived. I was excused from kid duty to assist him and relay horses. *Baby Girl* got her back shoes pulled, but I kept fronts on. I decided to keep *Fly* barefoot.

Then the llama shearer arrived. I also assisted the llama guy by holding down Prince. I learned some interesting things about llamas and clipping them. First, most of the time when llamas are clipped, they are laid down. You tie a rope to their front feet and a rope to their back feet and stretch the critter out between two trees so they cannot struggle. After they're laying down, it's easy. Getting them to lay down in sorta hard. I had to hold Prince while the hobbles were attached to his feet and then pretty much tackle him to the ground. Afterwards, I held his head so he couldn't get up again. 

I learned that male llamas are tons more dangerous than I thought. They have three sharp "fighting teeth" near the backs of their mouths. These teeth are curved backwards and remind me of gator teeth. Appearently, these teeth are used by male llamas to castrate each other in the wild. :shock: The shearer had a scar where a llama had attacked him. Llamas also kick and indeed do spit nasty, half digested grass.


But enough about llamas. Back to horses.

I didn't get to see *Belle's* entire farrier visit because I had to leave, but she wasn't freaking out and allowed her first hoof to be rasped and trimmed. I'm proud. I hope she was good for the whole visit. *Sugar *isn't getting her feet done this time around. She's still a bit nervous about picking up hooves and such.


After this (it's been a long day!), I went to feed Mr Ronnie's horses, Goldie and my baby *Rascal*. I was delighted to see Rascal. I gave him a good pet and fed him a pear. Mr Ronnie left me very simple instructions for feeding his animals. The note was something like this: "Feed and water Goldie and Rascal Tuesday through Wednesday. Put in stall in morning and turn out at night." 

He didn't really tell me WHAT to feed them. There wasn't a peice of paper saying half a cup of grain and half a cup of oats or anything like that. I just guessed and fed Rascal half a pound of grain and half a pound of oats, wet. Goldie got about three pounds, half and half, wet as welll. I don't know if I should feed her more since she's two months pregnant... I also didn't feed hay since it wasn't hold anything about that. I'm sure they'll survive.


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## Brighteyes

*6/15/11 -- Nothern Bound!*

I'm very excited. Heading to North Georgia tomarrow for Wimblewill! It's only three hours away; that's the shortest drive of the season.


Fly and I have neglected to practice our vet in, but we will when we get there. I hope she isn't difficult to longe or anything. We had a nice little ride today; she's behaving nicely. She is much better alone, however. I'm going to see if my boss will let me ride this one alone or with some horses Fly doesn't know. I can position myself in the middle of the pack so I don't get lost and stay on time. 

My only competition is "beatable", says the boss. This person is riding a new horse as well and can be "a little lazy with her Ps and Qs." I would love a set of new blue ribbons. 

Luckily, I've been anything but lazy with Fly's training. I'm only human and Fly's only horse, but hopefully we won't have any unforseen mess ups. If Fly rides like she does at home, we should do okay. I'll just have to stay on the ball about not letting her trot up or down hills and keep her calm, so I don't have to pull on her mouth the entire time and get bit rubs.


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## Brighteyes

*The 2nd Mile -- "I miss my horse" (6/20)*

I'm not sure if I enjoyed Nimblewill. Well, I enjoyed it --it's the only place I wanted to be that weekend--, but it just didn't feel _special_. 

Camping was primitive, so we --the boss and I-- had a time setting up camp. We had to haul all our water (160 gallons), all our food, generators, and everything needed to survive in the forest from home three hours away. Only three hours? YES. The drive was nothing compared to eight hours to Uwharrie and almost 10 to Virginia. 

I had fun hanging out at camp among the people whom I have grown farmilar and comfortable around. 40 people from various states had their rigs set up all around us. I talked to everyone. They asked about my horse, I asked about their's; we talked about horses like old friends, even though I only saw them at rides. Otherwise, they were many hundreds of miles away. That's always been one of the most interesting things about NATRC: you meet people. Everyone you meet is unique. They all have quirks and habits and things you can learn from. You meet their horses, which likewise teach you. You make friends and look forwards to seeing them at the next ride. For an undersocialized child like me, this is amazing. 


Despite my good times at camp -- petting Terri's new puppy, being given five baby chickens by Mrs. Ginny, fondly making fun of Phillip, speaking to my favorite loveable nemesis Emma, mocking the n00bs, mocking my boss, and so much more--, my ride was miserable. 

Mrs. Ginny asked me how everything had gone Saturday afternoon. 

"Alright," I said. Just alright.

"She's just not your horse," said Mrs. Ginny. Exactly. 

I am ashamed to admit that I cried for the first five miles because I missed Baby Girl. Sometimes when I was caring for Fly in camp, I became sullen at the thought that I wasn't sharing this experience with MY horse. I tacked Firefly up with all Baby Girl's tack, and it just didn't look RIGHT. 

When I was out on the trail, I felt like Fly was riding her own ride and I was riding another. There was no togetherness -- no harmony. I suppose I didn't allow there to be any, because I wasn't willing to try. I'm not a person who connects with horses on a personal level. Baby Girl is my one personal connection and I don't think I could ever "bond" with another horse while she is living and breathing.


I only did a one day on Fly anyway. I did this originally because I wanted to ride against someone else. Marnie, who was suppose to compete against me, moved to Open. I was ****ed. If I had Baby Girl, I would have moved divisions with her and kicked her back to Alabama. Instead I competed against a first time rider -- a cute red headed boy about my age on a lazy little bay mare -- in one day novice.

I would like to state now that novice bores me to tears. You talk 80% of the time, which isn't my style. It's SLOW. I very much want to move up to open, but I can't with Firefly. She just isn't an open level horse. 

I collected my awards Saturday night. I got first place as a rider with a 97, which is pretty good. Fly checked out grade one lame on both front feet due to being barefoot on rocks, so she lost to our only competition and got second. She scored an 89. Otherwise, her card was nice. No leg problems or soreness. Fly use to always check out sore when the boss rode her. I stayed in half seat for most of the ride for that reason.

Aside from the lameness, the points we got off for was stupid stuff. Obsticals. I MUST practice more. 

I must here inject a semi-rant: Why is the world does my nemesis Emma refuse to compete with juniors? She is about my age and has done well in her classes. This year --strangely the year I started to ride seriously-- she started to compete with adults despite having me to deal with in juniors.

I would like to thing she's scared of Marnie and I. It's okay to get beat by adults, but if you get beat by someone your own age... That's another story. Marnie did junior opened, but Emma decided to go with the adults. Why? There were several open juniors. It's not like she wouldn't have any competition. Instead, Emma went with the adults and lost big. Which is okay, because they're adults. BUT, is Marnie beat her... 

I think the reasoning behind her not wanting to compete with me is similar. God forbid she loses to ANOTHER JUNIOR. 

I'm going to get her into my class one day. The boss won everything at this ride. The CP riders are getting mad that the boss is destroying them so... If you win big in CP for long enough, you get pretty much forced to open level. Once the boss goes open, I'm following -- I have no choice. Once I'm up there, Emma can't hop division and run.

/End semi-rant


I have so much more I could say.... A lot of memorable things happened this ride. Many memorable thoughts pasted through my head. This post is already overly long, so I'll have to bring them up as they come. I have things to say involving Dawson Forest, Heart of Dixie, next year, ride managing, spotted mares, mustangs, plans, and decisions. Big things --huge things-- are happening. It'll all come up eventually. 

I would also love to tell y'all the story about how I fell off the waterfall when I was suppose to be doing P and Rs on Sunday, about Rocky getting caught in his tie out rope, the storm that blew through Saturday night, punking the vet judge, baby chickens, Big Foot, and SO much more! Maybe another time.


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## Brighteyes

*6/21/11 -- Damned Spotted Mares.*

I helped at kid's camp today and was surprised at my effectiveness as a teacher. I taught the campers parts of a saddle, how to tack up a horse, and how to take off and put on a halter. After snack time, I even taught "riding lessons" to some of the older campers who were also students at the barn. Ashley did a terrible job teaching these kids basic equitation... We went round and round with hand position and upper body straightness. 

I come off a little strong when I teach, but nevertheless the kids seemed to like --or at least tolerate-- my efforts to imprint the basics on their brains. I was buttering them up for my trainer who is coming up from Atlanta, as she does once a month or so, to teach a few lessons to students interested in advancing their riding. I don't think my trainer would be very happy to spend an intermediate English riding lesson reminding kids to take up on their reins and keep their hands forwards. Despite being much more of an active teacher than Ashley and being a bit sarcastic and strong, they learned. Maybe they learned _because_ I was an active teacher. One of the kids even hugged and thanked me. 

And guess what horse I used for the lessons? Firefly. And she did awesome. Once those kids started riding correctly, she was a much better horse for them. 

I met the new regular trainer, Katie. She will be replacing Ashley. She comes off as sweet and easy to get along with. We will be riding together tomarrow afternoon, so I can introduce her to the lesson horses.

I went to Macon to the book store to pick up some new material. I purchased "Establishing Respect and Control for English and Western Riders" by Clinton Anderson. I liked how his methods worked with Rascal, and I intend to use the exercises for those **** spotted mares. Mercy, they make me crazy sometimes. :lol: Belle has become a sour little brat who pulls away from me when I led her and runs when I try to catch her in the field. Since she ran me over a few days ago, I've been a little nervous about leading her. I need to suck it up and get that beast to respect me. She has to be saddle broken eventually, and bad ground manners = terrible saddle manners. The same with Sugar.


I also go "Dressage 101" by Jane Savoies. I think I'm going to start "dressage" at a walk and rack with Baby Girl to keep it interesting while I'm rebuilding that tendon. Dressage principals are sound for any sport, and cross training is a must for distance riding.


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## Brighteyes

*6/22/11 -- "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star..."*

I talked very, very breifly with the BO's daughter today. She worked with her two spotted mares for a while. Sugar got a bath. Belle got kicked in the hock by Gizmo. I'm going out early tomarrow. I'm going to put the bareback pad on Belle and handle Sugar.

Baby Girl got some quality time. She got groomed well, tail brushed, mane conditioned, and all that good stuff. She highly enjoyed it. I must say, the more I'm around "bad" horses (Belle, Sugar, Rascal) and horses who don't care for me (Fly, Amber), the more I like my sweet, loving Baby Girl, who lowers her head for the fly mask, stands perfect still when ground tied, and goes to sleep when I brush her tail.

I rode with Kate today. I love her! She's a great rider --better than I am; very in control. She's super patient (something Ashley wasn't at all), quiet with her aids, calm, and knowledgeable. She rode Gimzo today and demonstrated all these traits with the jiggy little pony. She got an exellent walk to canter transition both ways and returned him to a quiet walk.

I rode Fly. We trotted around some, did some circles, all that. I was riding in a Western saddle, which I've only ridden in twice before. Due to me not knowing how the girthing system worked, the saddle slipped and I fell off at a canter. I was amazed at the shear lack of drama. I landed perfectly on my feet, Fly stopped and stood still, and I put the saddle back on and contiued working.

Kate rode Fly too. Fly didn't give her too much trouble, except some ear pinning. Fly is arena sour, but only at the canter. She doesn't like cantering in the arena. 

Kate asked tons of questions about how the horses were trained (how is he trained to take his leads, etc?), where everything was to go, how everything was to be done. She was super considerate and took no liberties. The boss will like this.

She also has some interesting little personality quirks. She sings children's songs when she rides, talks to the horses, and accounces to herself everything she does. "Strong steady outside rein, inside leg, half halt." She is also very afraid of the dark. I turned off the tack room light while she was in there and she choked on her water.


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## Brighteyes

PS: You just got photo bombed. (These are all from VA Highlands!)

Rackin', I think. Gaited horse people: rack or saddle gait?


















At liberty:









From left to right: Baby Girl, Amber, Rocky.


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## Brighteyes

Hamin' in up in VA.


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## Brighteyes

*6/23/11 -- Bareback Pad of Awesome.*

I arrived at the farm a little later than usual to find the gate closed and none of the horses fed.  "This is odd," I thought. "I hope the BO didn't die." I went ahead and fed everything, consuming time I wanted to be using working with the spotted mares. I was still afraid the boss was dead. 


I caught Belle first. I've found a system that works well with both mares. You start with a review -- touch them all over to remove ticklish spots and calm them down. Rub their entire bodies, down the legs, the head, and flanks. After you've "warmed up", more on to serious business work. In Belle's case, she got to wear her first bareback pad. She took it like a champ. She niffed it, nuzzled it, and got use to it being rubbed over her entire body. I then layed it over her back and girthed her up losely. 

There was next to go reaction on her part, so I tied her to a tree to think it over while I worked with Sugar. Sugar went through the same "warm up", but her serious business work was getting feet picked up. She is kicky with her back feet and almost knocked my teeth out with her hock. Eventually she allowed me to pick up all four feet with a fight. 

She also got to smell the bareback pad, but I didn't tack her up.

As a "cool down", both mares are rubbed all over again. Something about beginning and ending in their confort zones keeps their heads from exploding.

Eventually the BO showed up alive. This was around noon. She said she had been sick all day and was glad I covered the barn. "And oh yeah. You have barn duty this weekend, starting... Tomarrow."



I came back later in the afternoon to ride with Kate. Kate didn't show up, but came back around dark when I was untacking Fly (we went on a little t/c trail for about 30 minutes) and gave me a valid excuse. She was nice about it, so I didn't mind too much.

Speaking of Fly, I did a bad thing. I had a temper with her today and didn't get anything done. Not like, "OMGZ! ABUSE!", but overly harsh. She wouldn't sidepass properly or back patterns, so I got a little mad. I feel sorry. I was having a bad riding day where I couldn't find my balance and I kept losing my stirrups and the like... Whenever I have another bad day, I'm going to walk my horse back to the barn and get off before I start something stupid.


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## Brighteyes

*2/25/11 -- I Make Horses Lame. Like a Boss.*

I haven't been able to ride recently. I've been too busy taking care of the barn. The only thing I've accomplished is giving Baby Girl a bath, which she accepted with a degree of "meh".


I finally got to get back on a horse today during my lesson with my trainer. I rode Gizmo the pony. He was a trotty, jiggy little thing. Kate had him riled up from her riding him previously. We did the one two step exercise and were fairly successful. I learned the importance of using outside rein as speed control. I also found that I've been riding with my stirrups much too long. I brought them up a little (my legs are so short already that there weren't any more holes; I had to wrap them!). My chair seat fixed itself, my toes pointed more inward, and my lower leg quieted down. Posting was much easier. When I ride trotting horses, I'll have to remember to keep my stirrups short.

30 minutes into my one hour lesson, Gizmo suddenly went lame. I left it before my trainer saw it. It was suddenly difficult to post. I had to force myself up and down, for my horse no longer gave me a boost to rise. He had pulled a muscle in his stifle. 

We returned him to his stall. I got Fly and tooled around while my trainer taught a beginner. I made myself the "good example" and walked the one two step. I got to trot a little and go over a small cross rail. I mostly just enjoyed being instructed, however little, and being around my trainer.

And then Fly went lame. 

She was ouchy on her front right foot at the trot, to which I say, "Seriously?" Why must every horse I sit on come up lame? It isn't anything I'm doing... Just a streak of bad luck. I was also the last student of the day, meaning I got all the tired horses.

Oh well. It was still a nice day.


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## Brighteyes

*6/27/11 -- "Well, Yeah. You Are Tresspassing."*

Today was fun. I caught those S.O.Bs who ride four wheelers down my trails. I also worked with Sugar today, putting the bareback pad on. Aerosol sprays still freak her out BAD, but we'll work on it. 


Anyway, I went back this afternoon feeling spry and energetic. I got Baby Girl out of the pasture and decided I was going to go a four miles loop... Leading. 

So we jogged in hand for a mile or two. I love to run. It turns out I'm more NATRC fit then my horse... Baby Girl was breathing harder than I was and wanted to stop and walk.

Then, I heard a noise. Baby Girl and I froze and stared. There was talking coming from somewhere not far away and the sound of fourwheelers. 

"Caught 'em!" I thought triumpently.

Baby Girl and I snuck up on them. I finally spotted two on a four wheeler at the end of the trail. I waved pleasently. They knew they were screwed.

They pulled over on the time of the trail and I jogged my horse up to them. Everyone's scarier with a horse. And the conversation went:

"I'm sorry we're tresspassing..."

"Yeah. You are tresspassing." Serious face.

"But our friends are caught in the mud somewhere, by a tree in a field..."

"Go up the road and left. Do y'all need any help?"

"No thanks..."


And they drove away. I happily began to look for the rest of their group.

I found the rest of this group not far away. I could hear them, since horses are a great deal quietier than four wheelers. They had gotten stuck near a closed off trail. There were several of them, all young. One of them, around 12, came to talk to me. 

"Sorry m'am, we won't tresspass again." I'm sure they will. But the puppy dog eyes were cute. 

I asked them if they needed any help. They didn't (they were scared to death), so I headed back to the barn with a grin on my face. "The boss is going to LOVE this."


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## Brighteyes

*6/29/11 -- I Miss You, Cody...*

Cody is gone. He left us yesterday morning. http://www.horseforum.com/horse-memorials/hes-gods-horse-now-90247/#post1081425

I have to say it again. I miss him. 


Part of grief is moving on. I couldn't bare to post in this journal yesterday... But horse life moves on. I have to force myself to post about today and not yesterday...

Today I worked briefly with Sugar. She's gotten much better about feet -- not even a struggle. She cross ties well and no longer avoids me when I try to halter her. Sometimes she even comes up to me. She turns to face me in the stall. I'll be able to tack her up with a real saddle soon. 

My first ride on Baby Girl will be tomarrow. I'm excited about that. It'll only be walking for a while, and maybe a little gait on the straightaways. Maybe riding my horse will turn my mood for the better.


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## Brighteyes

*7/1/11 -- BG's Back! and Sugar's First Saddle*

Got my ride Baby Girl today!  

We went on a short loop trail of maybe two miles. Baby Girl is the kind of horse that needs to be ridden every day or every other day... After six weeks off, I could feel her coiled under me like a spring. She tensely plodded down the long driveway away from the barn. Sour fool didn't want to leave. I didn't even allow her to turn her head and look back at her friends. This horse isn't getting away with the slightest thing anymore, I've decided. Time to man up. (Mare up?)

She isn't a testy horse, but she did some dumb stuff that she knew I wouldn't like. She rushed hills and walked a thousand miles per hour back to the barn. I had no toleration of that and made her back whenever she did something wrong. Not only back; back smoothly, straight, and with the head down. 

Near the end of the ride, I made her do two perfect sidepass steps to the left and right, stop, and wait quietly for my next command. No rushing, moving, or otherwise being a brat. The results were nice. I got good backs, sidepasses, and stands.

I guess you could say I was being a little tough for the first day back to work, but I wasn't asking her to do anything she couldn't do. She is my personal horse; she must be perfect. 


Back from the ride. She's brooding. ("Mercy, women! I hate rides when you make me do right.")










Look at that nasty, foamy sweat mark. I'm not sure if the wive's tale is true, but she does only seem to get foamy sweat when she's unfit. 













Also, Sugar got to wear her first real saddle today.  She did GREAT. If I sat on her tomarrow, she probably wouldn't care. 

(Notice is the below picture how she is standing the EXACT same way Baby Girl was in her picture.)











She's so cute sometimes...


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## Gidget

awww,congrats! BG has put on some weight also.She looks pretty good!


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! 


Oh, Baby Girl is fat! She has the muscle tone of jello. She doesn't look bad fat, at least. I like it when she has a little bit more on her neck; makes it less ewey.


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## Brighteyes

*7/3/11 -- Breaking Halter and the Water Hose Wars*

My BO texted me this morning, saying she had showed the pictures of Sugar with her saddle to her daughter. The daughter said, "Great. But I want a groundwork foundation, so much saddling." Okay. I'd be happy to.


So today, we tackled the big enemy. _The water hose. _


Sugar had been bathed once before, so I figured she was going to freak out mildly and than be alright. WRONG. She freaked out majorly. I would never have guessed this horse had seen water in her life. (I later learned she hadn't really be "bathed"; just a little water down the legs with the hose on a low setting.)


I first had her tied (solid; she's learned to abuse the blocker tie ring and just get out whenever). I got the hose on a soft setting and quietly filled her bucket. I gradually got closer to where Sugar was tied. She decided the water was about to tear her limb from limb, so she sat back HARD, reared, and acted the fool. I stood there as calmly as possible, though not perfectly calm. I was scared she would pull the fence out of the ground or hurt herself. 

Then she broke her halter. GRRRR! My fault! Totally my fault! Her rope halter had a brass buckle to clip the crown peice. This buckle broke and she was free. Having a horse break halter SUCKS. Sugar now knows she CAN break a halter and CAN get away.

The best thing about starting an unhandled horse from the ground up: if you don't let them, they will never know how strong they are. If you never let them win, they never figure out they CAN win. 

Sugar won, and she will never forget that. However, there are many small battles in the Water Hose Wars. She will not be allowed to rest on victory. 


The boss arrived. I told her about Sugar's episode (or my episode rather, since I was still kicking my self about not realizing brass breaks). She advised me to catch Sugar (she was running about the arena and not wanting to get caught again), put her in a stall for a few minutes so we could both cool down, and then try again. 


This I did. The boss selected a sturdy oak tree and fitted a new rope halter on Sugar. We tied her to the tree and began again.

Sugar saw the water hose in the boss's hands and immediately flipped out. She sat back, plunged forward, and reared. The boss stood calmly, not moving the water hose. I was calm as well, since the boss was out there with me.

Eventually Sugar stopped struggling. From a save distance, we sprayed water all over her back and hindquarters. At the end of the lesson, we progressed to her belly, upper neck, flanks, back legs, and other scary areas.

So another battle of the Water Hose Wars was won. Sugar 1: Me 1.


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## Brighteyes

*7/5/11 -- Circles That Are Circular*

I had a perfectly wonderful ride today on Baby Girl. The weather was looking rough, so I didn't want to go on a trail. I thought it would be a great day for a little arena work. 

We started with the good 'ol one two step. My trainer is big into using it for horses of all levels to improve strength, focus, bending, etc. It works incredibly well and have found myself returning to it often. 

Baby Girl's mouth is so soft. I can move my hand centimeters and she responds. I love that. After riding other horses for these last weeks, I have come to appreciate that about her. She has the best mouth of any horse I've ridden. 

After warming up, she bended beautifully. We maintain nice circles that looked like circles! We use to fall in all the same and end up losing bend. I discovered I need to be more active in my use of the outrein rein. After that finding, circles have improved 120 percent.


After walking patterns for probably 30 minutes, I felt she was warmed up well enough to gait a little. We only did large circles and laps around the arena fence. She isn't as relaxed at higher speeds, so we still need more work at the higher gears. 

We cooled down with more perfect pattern walking and called it a day.


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## Brighteyes

Ooh! And forgot to mention that the little article thing I wrote in the Hoof Print came out today. I'm thankful that they let me write something for the newsletter and seeing it in print made me feel super special.


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## Brighteyes

*7/17/11 -- It's Been a Really, Really Messed Up Week...*

This week has sucked. Since my last post forever ago I haven't gotten nothing done, made no progress, and have barely ridden my horse or worked with Sugar.

The only productive thing I've managed is to take a lesson on Baby Girl with my lovely trainer. It was nice. Baby Girl was being a catty little brat and kept on trotting without permission and wouldn't hold gait. She also hates turning right and trekking right in circles. This I must fix.

...Or this I would LIKE to fix, but she threw a shoe and I can't get it put back on till Tuesday. MERCY. I want to ride my fraking horse!


Sugar's owner came into town when I was away on vacation (which wasn't fun for the most part, except for a key part I will talk on in a moment). Sugar kicked at her and laid her ears at Mr Ronnie. Sugar appearently hates strangers (especially men). I hope Sugar's master believes me when I'm saying I am making progress with this mare. *I* am. Sugar thinks *I'm* her master, if you get what I mean. I don't own her, but I work with her. She knows me best.

As far as my vacation, I got to ride on the beach. It was very relaxing. I was mounted on a horse named Dublin. He was a huge, beautiful bay draft cross, probably a retired fox hunter. He was wonderful gaits and was the most well behaved beast I've sat on for a trail. He did his job perfectly. The employees at the barn were nice and the horses were all well cared for. 

The best part was being able to arrive at nine in the morning, have them tack my horse, ride, and have them take my horse back and care for him. After being in the employee's shoes for the longest time --our jobs are very similar... Stable hand work--, I could appreciate how easy I had it this time around.


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## Brighteyes

*7/19/11 -- Pride as a Driving Force*

I worked with Sugar today with her foot issues. She is getting on my nerves... My pride is injuried after her misbehavior with her owner. When my pride is injuried, productive things happen. I have something to prove... More than feet picking up (even though that's naturally where I start). I have to produce a good over all animal and make the BO's daugher proud. And, more importantly, make myself proud. I'm a very prideful person, but I like to justify my hubris. :wink:


I'm please with Sugar. She lets me pick up her feet just fine. Happy as I was, there are holes. I asked the boss to pick up Sugar's feet as well. Sugar wasn't nearly as pleased, but she didn't kick. Sugar doesn't like other people. She didn't like the daughter a bit because she didn't know her. She doesn't mind the boss as much; at least she tolerates being handled by her. 

I'm going to get Mr Ronnie over to handle her. Sugar needs to get over herself. What better way to prove to her that other people are just dandy and have her be treated kindly by a huge, scary man.


In other news, Baby Girl is getting her shoes re-set tomarrow. I'm going to get some video of me riding her, for kicks and giggles.


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## Brighteyes

*7/20/11 -- Re-Shod and Sugarness*

Quick post today. Probably an unnessicary post as well, but something I just like to write stuff. Writing helps me simplify my life. 


Baby Girl got re-shod. I'll be riding her tomarrow and getting some video.

The farrier went into Sugar's stall and picked up her feet. Sugar wasn't happy, but she picked them up. Good.

The boss and I dicussed what would become of Sugar and Belle in the next few months. I was always under the impression that the daughter would soon take Sugar and leave Belle, but it seems to be the opposite, logically. However she takes will have to be pasture boarded, and Sugar would be impossible to catch. Belle would be possible, though annoying, to catch. I'm not sure what this means for me. Maybe the two spotted mares will be staying for longer than I thought. If they stay long enough, hell, maybe I would saddle break Belle. I am confident I could sit on that mare tomarrow and trail ride, calm as she is. 

I wish I could talk to the daughter about this and see who's staying and going, but I guess I'll keep training in the dark. I'm assured to have both mares at the farm at least until the end of summer. Which is in less than a month.


----------



## Brighteyes

*7/22/11 -- Heaven*

The last two days have been wonderful. It's like a glimse back to the beginning when it was only us, Baby Girl and I. Back when there was nothing required of me outside my duties to my own horse, and I had no better way to spend my afternoons than to trail ride for hours. 

Yesterday was a relaxing trail in beautiful weather. Nothing but trails -- no responsibility or duty in the world other than sitting on Baby Girl's bare back and letting her walk through the woods, reins slack against her neck. It was quiet and relaxing and wonderful... A real pleasure. Most people trail ride for pleasure, but it's usually all business for me. I let myself relax that day.

And then today. Today I came to the barn to find myself completely alone. I tacked up my horse and went to ride for a half an hour in one of the big, freshly moved pastures. 

After a little riding, I parked Baby Girl next to a fresh hay bale and jumped off. I lay on the big round bale and watched the shadows get long and the sun set. It was cool for summer; a little wind kept us comfortable. Everything smelled like fresh hay. The pasture was bathed in traces of orange sunlight and the clouds in the western sky were pink. It was so quiet and delightfully lonely. I was just Baby Girl and I, in the middle of a huge pasture. There was a dreamlike air to the scene.

I have decided that heaven on earth is a simple place with a round bale and a horse.


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## Brighteyes

*7/25/11 -- Sugar's First Trail*

_[Personal stuff]_

School is starting soon -- about two weeks to go. I've been busy getting together my summer assignments (I still have three books to read!), shopping for cloths (which I'll be doing again tomarrow), worrying about being in the same class as the stuck up AP kids, planning my 16th birthday, _and_ working with the horses. It's been feverish... Sophmore year is looming around the corner like a monster in the shadows. Worse is my approching sweet 16. I feel like I'm running out of childhood and have wasted what has elapsed, despite my best efforts.


This notion of "growing up" has been on my mind and draining my spirit like a tick drains blood. I'm waiting for something terrible to thrust me into the adult world... Like suddenly being too old to lay out on round bales and play away the day. Or being forced to interact with adults on their level. I think the latter would be the most horrible.

_[/Personal stuff]_



In other news, Sugar is doing well. She let me catch her in the stall easily without any running around. She didn't rear when I asked her to go somewhere she didn't want to. I put her on the cross ties and groomed her well -- no fuss. We went for a little walk on the trails, marking the first time she has seen anything but the barn and a five acre pasture. 

She was a ball of nerves for the first miles, but was enjoying new sights and sounds. Near the end of the walk, I was relaxed and singing snips of random songs ("Don't stop believin'! Hold on to that feelin'!"). Sugar didn't mind my horrible singing and seemed to like my cover of "Rolling in the Deep" best.


Tomarrow, she gets her feet trimmed. I'm going to stay after kid's camp to hold her, since she fancies me over the boss. She picked up and held feet nicely for me over the past fews days... I'm hoping all goes well.



And my readers would probably like to know what happened to Baby Girl these days. After our few trail rides, she's gaining her fitness back quickly. She's sharp on cues and ready for some CTR fun times. September isn't long away. :wink:


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## vivache

Midnight particularly likes it when I rap. :'D


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## Brighteyes

I tried a little Missy Elliot, but Sugar spooked a few times, so I changed the song. Haters gonna hate.


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## Brighteyes

*2/27/11 -- Nasty Wet Horses*

A short and unnecessarsy post for today!


It was raining. I slept until two in the afternoon. It kept on raining. I went to the barn anyway.

I took out Sugar from her stall, groomed her until she was pretty, brushed her mane, and engaged in another round of Fly Spray Wars. I won.

Got Baby Girl. Brushed her wet, nasty, muddy hide. I then did something terrible. I cut her tail. :shock: The last few inches were thin, scraggly, and faded. I cut them off at fetlock. I (personally) thought it looked better. A little shorter, sure, but fuller and thicker appearing.

Also, the boss's husband come around and said I had the prettiest horse at the farm.  Yes, prettier than the amazing Amber, much to the annoyance of the boss.

And that was my boring, boring day.


----------



## Gidget

you should get pictures of BG and her new tail-do.

Gidget got her mane trimmed...I need to trim it shorter for buttons but hate to have to super short and pulling will make it no longer there.


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## Brighteyes

*7/30/11 -- Ground Driving*

I almost want to pull Baby Girl's mane because it's so thin and nasty at the bottom. _Almost_. If she wasn't a saddle horse I would, but since you don't braid saddle horse manes, it would be weird to pull it. 

Here's that tail... It use to drag the ground. Now it's all... Short and stuff. Weird.












Anyway, today Baby Girl and I did some ground driving. Why? Because driving is fun and I have a far off vision of Baby Girl pulling a two wheel cart down the road while I wave at people. If only I could get a harness... And a cart. 

Also, the boss got herself a cart for her minis and wants me to break them to drive. I figured I might as well get a little experience with my easy going horse before tackling her viscious miniatures.


My ground driving equipment wasn't the best... I tied up the stirrups on my saddle and ran two lunge lines (one of my own and the other borrowed/stolen from Sugar's stuff) through the stirrups to her bridle. I stood back and tapped her butt with a dressage whip until she realized I was asking for forward motion. From there on it was easy. Her turns weren't great, but she stopped and backed up well. 

It was a little weird for me also. I only had two aids: my whip (which I don't even know how to use "properly) and my reins. It felt all disconnected. Near the end of the lesson I was more comfortable. 


I will leave you with a terrible picture of Baby Girl and I from kid's camp. My face is scary. Sun in my eyes.


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## Gidget

Awww,you and baby girl are so pretty!

Also I like her tail.It's not really that short.


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## Brighteyes

Thanks, Gidget!  The tail length takes some getting use to, but it's growing on me more. I just need to braid her mane and she'll look like a proper English horse.


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## Gidget

You should post a picture everyday in your journal.I read it all the time and love it!


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## Brighteyes

I could do that! Sounds fun. I like excuses to take pictures.


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## Brighteyes

*8/1/11 -- Thinking About Doing Something Stupid*

After a terrible weekend of barn sitting, I arrived at the farm this afternoon to find my boss had returned early from a NATRC board meeting she had been at all weekend. And she was in a hell of a mood. She decided all her employees are worthless and can't do a thing right. She's mad at the boys who do manual labor because she thinks they accidentally killed her rabbit and they neglected to do some chores she told them to. 

(The rabbit story is a fun one. The rabbit dug out from its pen and Sparky killed it. The boss says she moved the rabbits to a pen they couldn't dig out of the day before she left, and someone had moved them _back_ to their escape-able cage. For some reason. :shock

Thinking I was going to be caring for the barn alone, I was surprised (and afraid; very afraid) to see her. I tip toed to the paddock to get Baby Girl, but was sighted.

By some miracle, she wasn't mad at me. She was mad at my trainer (who re-arranged the tack room) and the boys. I stood there and blankly listened to her complaints, nodding at appropriate times but otherwise being quiet. And acting scared. Have I said today she scares me?


Then she tells me Mr Ronnie has done it again. For the past few weeks, he's been in a funk about his horses and wanted to sell them all. You know what he did? He bought three new mares. The man now owns six horses and has a three stall barn. My, my, my...


Obviously, he can't keep that many horses. He asked my boss to buy Rascal, who is up for sale and needs to go ASAP. And that's when I began to entertain stupid ideas. 

"I want him." 

Let's break this down:

-- Rascal is $750, tack included. I could resell him for $1500, more or less, with training. I board at a lesson barn. Kids want ponies, and Rascal is a good kid pony prospect. I already know one girl who loves him. I could do an out of barn lease for a year if I wanted. All in all, he wouldn't be hard to resell.

-- I make about $150 a month just doing this-and-that barn work. Regular board is $250 a month for a stall, feed, worming, and the works. If I did self care pasture board with Rascal, I imagine it would be cheaper. With the self care option, Rascal would be thrown out in a pasture. I would provide grain if needed and worm him myself. He wouldn't get a stall or anything fancy.

-- He's got great little barefoot feet, no health issues, recent coggins and vet check, recently floated teeth, and is up to date on everything. 

I went over these points with Baby Girl while we trail rode, bareback and in a halter. I wasn't expecting to be able to ride today, so I was barefoot and in ratty shorts. She was having a wonderful day... Mares. The bad days are bad and the good days are amazing. We did an hour long loop, talking and enjoying ourselves.

From a cost standpoint, I can see a second horse happening. However, I would have to work out special terms with the boss over board. She may not go for it. She says the barn is almost full. Her daughter maybe be taking Belle to Atlanta, so that frees up some space...

Rascal seems like a safe bet for a first project or maybe even a second personal horse. Plus, he's adorable and I love him. :wink: I fear I may be entertaining this idea because I love him... What do you all think of this whole scheme?

I leave you with a few pictures from a couple days ago. 


Look at that face!









Hanging out by the round bales.









...Eating them.


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## vivache

Wellllll... is he gaited? :'D


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## Brighteyes

I can _make_ him gaited... With patience, ropes, and some duct tape. :wink:


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## Gidget

Just curious..do you have to have parental apporval?


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## vivache

A gentle pony is worth his weight in gold. He'd be a good resale project.

As long as you still bring Baby Girl up here to get a gait going!


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## Brighteyes

Since I still live in my parent's house and eat their food, yes. Until I move out, everything goes through the parents and grandparents. I can't buy a horse without running it over them first.


You'll see Baby Girl eventually. If she keeps switching gaits, you'll be seeing her soon. :twisted: Joe can touch her and turn her into racking horse gold.


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## Brighteyes

*8/1/11 -- Baby Girl vs. Spurs*

Baby Girl and I had a busy day today. I went out at around five in the afternoon for a lesson. Trainer set me up in the round pen ("I thought this place was for noobs..."). I warmed up for a couple minutes at a walk and gait. 

She was being really mellow and good for me. I dropped the reins and did turns with just leg and seat. I impress myself sometimes. Bridleless is neat and has show off potential... I didn't consciously teach her, so I guess I've been riding somewhat correctly.

And then began the pain. My trainer said Baby Girl held her head like a trail horse/star gazing giraffe/llama. She had me go around the pen at walk, squeeze with my legs, and push her into the bridle. If you do it right, she drops her head and rounds her back. She did what she was suppose to a couple times at a walk in one direction. 

We trekked the other way. Baby Girl becomes a different horse when she changes directions, and this direction's horse wasn't as cooperative as the other direction's. Baby Girl started to ignore my calf squeezes and such. Trainer got me a pair of little spurs to reinforce my leg. Baby Girl isn't too stupid a horse and figured out the scale of spur niceness: calf squeeze, harder squeeze, little spur, more spur...

Eventually she rounded out decently at a walk and gait in one direction. I wasn't quite as successful in the other direction, but it wasn't a complete failure. Just needs a more time for it to click.


We tried not to spend too long in the round pen; sandy footing is tough on a horse. We did some work over poles in the arena. Baby Girl did the poles perfectly. It was _impressive_. Those little spurs really helped her lateral movement. I could squeeze a calf and she would move over immediately. It wasn't so much that I needed apply them; she just knew they were there. And when I needed to use them, it was just *tap tap*. 

It's the small things that amaze me. 


After a very long, hot hour, I cooled Baby Girl down and washed her off. A boy scout troop was coming to get their horsemanship badgers, and Baby Girl was going to be the demo horse. For about an hour she stood still and got pointed at, poked, petted, tacked, untacked, and tacked again. She was very good despite the gawking crowd surrounding her.


Overall, I'm happy with her. She was a good girl today.


In other news, I talked to the boss about Rascal's hypothetical board. $100 a month. He would get a little grain in the morning to keep him out of the other horse's business while they got fed, but no other perks. As the boss explained: "I will not touch him. If it's storming or snowing outside, too bad. If a tornado comes through, I'm going to let him get sucked up." Sounds like a good deal.

His owner liked him being out 24/7 as well. He gets crazy locked in a stall anyhow; it's better for his mental health to roam all day. The only thing that bothered Mr Ronnie is the summer pasture. The grass is high and rich. Ponies who get 23 hours a day of high grass are known to founder... I hope Rascal will keep a grazing muzzle on for another month. In September the grass will start thinning out, and by October there won't be a problem.


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## GoWithTheFlow

Awesome ! I really like this Journal ! And Rascal sounds like a good horse to invest(sp?) in . 

Maybe I should try my little english spurs on my hard headed mare .


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## Brighteyes

*8/3/11 -- Saddle Breaking Belle*

Today was a Sugar day. I hadn't messed with that mare in a while, and you know how she gets when she isn't handled. She "forgets" things; she forgets we saw this, did this, experienced that already, and is scared like she hasn't seem it before. This was demonstrated nicely during an interlude with the fly spray. She lunged circles around me and reared up once or twice. 


Her personality type is frustrating. I wish she could get over things the first times; I wish thinks stuck in her brain. I decided to push the point and be more thorough than usual with the fly spray. I would "over desensitise". 

It used a whole big spray bottle of water and took 20 minutes until I was happy. I sprayed that mare until she looked like she had been soaked with a hose. I sprayed from all sides and angles. I sprayed her untied, straight tied, cross tied, and in a variety of locations. I would walk around and suddenly whip out my spray and get her with it until she ceased to be surprised by the suddenness of the action. I walked slowly towards, building suspense, and sprayed her. 


God help me if she forgets this tomorrow.



I than moved on to a horse with a personality I appreciate. Belle was born to be a dead broke trail horse. She's calm and quiet, though a little pushy sometimes. She remembers things and can be worked with inconsistently, unlike Sugar.

Her owner gave me permission to start saddle breaking her. Like I need another project, eh? The boss held her rope and I lay across her back. She shied away twice, but at the end of the lesson she was being led with me draped across her. Easy first day. Good, easy horse.

Tomarrow I'm going to see if I can visit with Rascal. I'll take some pictures.


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## Brighteyes

*8/6/11 -- SURPISE!Pony*

Interesting development in the Rascal case.

My boss wanted me to come out to the barn in the early morning. I didn't have a ride, so she picked me up and carted me over there. We chatted about the latest Mr Ronnie scheme. He bought another horse to add to those pally mares. Sigh... :lol: He is a mad man with a barn.

I got everything ready for that afternoon's kid's camp, fed the horses, and the usual. Strangely, it never entered into my mind _why_ I was needed. It was just an average day. The boss handles it on her own, usually. But I'm what you call obvious. I just went with it. 

I was then told to go into the woods and collect moss. 

Me: But it's like 100 degrees... Why do you need--

Boss: Get the moss.

Okay... So I went for a long woodland walk looking for moss.

I got a call on my cell phone 15 minutes later. Boss asked me to go back to the barn with whatever woodland goodies I had. "Someone wants to speak to you." Hang up.


Back at the barn, I found the boss still on her phone. She pointed me out towards one of the paddocks the horses stay in during the day. And behold, inside was none other than Rascal.

I said my hellos and that I was glad to see him. He seemed pretty pleased to see me. He had mellowed down so much since I worked with him last. Once an aloof pony, now a lap dog. He has so shiny and healthy looking! His coat and condition were stunning.


Then I learn why he's here. The boss bought him. At first, I was thought "I wantz meh investments! GOONNNNE". But then I was like XDDD. Because she sorta just bought a horse for me to ride and her to pay for. 

He's like a free lease. It was explained that he is mine to do whatever. He will be "mine" until December. When December comes, either he will be: 1.) Taken to Atlanta to be sold for profit, 2.) Sold to me.

This is _good_ because I've gotten a new horse.

It's bad because I've gained a horse, but I'm out of the money. 

Meh. Screw the money. I've got a pony. He is now, for all intents and purposes, mine. Or mine to pretend he's mine. Something like that. :wink: He's my imaginary pony. 



Funny thing... I can't decide if I think he's pretty or not. He's certainly... Unique looking. I like his build, but I can't decide if his color is attractive or insane. 










What is the name if this color anyway? :shock: Tobiano over dapple gray? Over blue roan? Something else?











What breed is he? What cross? He is so flippin weird looking.


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## Brighteyes

*8/8/11 -- Accomplishment*

I had to assist the farrier today. The boss had to leave early, so I was stuck holding horses for trims. It was tedious, boring, ect.


Not all of it. Sugar got her feet trimmed for the first time. It was amazing. She did amazingly. She didn't kick, shy, spook, pin her ears, pull her feet away, or anything silly. She took it like a veteran. It was impressive enough to justify my boss's filming of it:





 
Quality is horrible, but there it is: Sugar allowing the farrier to trim her feet. Proof in the pudding! I feel like a not-so-bad trainer. I can take my $50 at the end of the month knowing I accomplished exactly what I said I would.


Last day of summer today... Baby Girl and I have an epic ride planned. Maybe not EPIC, but possibly a good farewell to Summer '11.


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## Brighteyes

*8/9/11 -- Farwell, Summer!*

I reserved the last day of summer for fun. 


It was raining when I got to the barn. Of course, I wasn't going to waste my last day of summer, so I rode anyway. As usual, it was just bareback and a halter. I didn't figure I was going to go on much of an adventure (I thought I was just going to have enough time to circle the pasture). 

But it didn't thunder. In fact, everything started to clear up.











We rode for a good long time. Today was the coolest it's been all summer. The air was fresh and smelled like rain. The soy bean fields were beautiful after the shower. We walked between narrow rows of bushy plants that rubbed against Baby Girl's sides and got lost in a sea of soy beans.

There is a dirt path leading directly down the middle of the field. Pulled out my phone and took some rider's eye view footage of Baby Girl and I moseying through and gaiting out a bit.





 

After doing something that was fun from Baby Girl's perspective (and mine), I did something that was fun purely my definition. Bathing!












Baby Girl doesn't hate baths, but they aren't her idea of a good time. However, there if there are two things I would rather waste my life doing forever, it would be bathing horses and riding trails. 












She looked GREAT. I wish it wasn't so dark in the barn, or these would be decent pictures. I love her pose. 











Arab halter neck stretch.











Pretty sunset of the year, right outside the barn door.


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## Brighteyes

*8/10/11 -- Rascal's Pros and Cons*

I finally got to ride Rascal today! I just took him on a trail to evaluate what he knew. It's been so long since I last rode him. 

Pros: Great smooth trot, not spooky, returns quietly to a walk from a trot, walks on a loose reins, didn't offer to jig, doesn't rush up hill climbs, just a generally good tempered boy...

Cons: Runs off when you mount, doesn't stand still, stiff body, hard mouth, impatient.

That's the basics of what I picked up today. He isn't very well educated regarding the bit and resists downward transitions and turns. He can't stand still. It's a victory if you can count to five without him moving. Basically, he's a green baby horse. 

Not writing much today. Tired. I hate school. Just needed to get some thoughts down. I will elaborate tomorrow.

Also, Baby Girl still looks fabulous after her bath yesterday. Even the boss noticed her shiny whiteness.


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## GoWithTheFlow

OMG! He is sooo flippin' adorable !! I say a dappled gray tobiano and a paint /welsh cross . 

Rascal sounds like Dreamer . Only she stands still and she is hard to get going at first . 

And Dreamer is getting a french link snaffle .Mawahahaha (evil laugh) Because she gets away with too much in just a halter (I'm weak and working on that .LOL) 

Baby Girl is looking awesome too!


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! I think he's pretty cute myself. 


How is Dreamer doing? You know, the Region Five Benefit is the first of September... You should haul that pasture puff up there and join the party. Bring Bubba.


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## Brighteyes

*8/12/11 -- Rascal, I Believe in You!*

Today was a good day. I got to work both of my fur babies.


Baby Girl did some amazing arena work. She was perfectly obedient and hardly fussed when I asked for more difficult movements. I say hardly because we had a little trouble with the shoulder in to the right. Yes; we did real shoulders in, but wimpy leg yields. It was nice. We did most exercises in gait. Surprisingly, she didn't try to pull a trot on me today. The harmony was perfect throughout the session and I dismounted pleased with my horse.


After washing off Baby Girl, I immediately hopped on Rascal. Rascal started the day showing his flaws. He through a hissy fit at some fly spray and blew up when I asked him to cross the creek. (I added these to things to a mind file I call "Rascal's List", where everything I need to work on is stored.)

The boss ride along with us... Or rather I rode along with her. I'm like the puppy on her heels some days and just love to ride in company. She was disappointed with Rascal's issues, but I defended him. I argued for his potential. The risk of him getting prematurely sold is very, scary real.

Another blessing from above: the gate to the old dirt rode was mysteriously opened today. The dirt rode was once my favorite place to ride. It was closed down and gated off months ago. This was the first time I had seen it opened.


Rascal had an adventure. He got to see so much and get in a lot of good undersaddle miles. Rascal once again proved spook free and fearless. He didn't spook once; Amber spooked several times. 


On the way back to the barn, Rascal got to canter for the first time. At first he would canter a few strides and fall back into a trot, but he soon gained confidence, stayed in the gait, and even started picking up on the cues to canter. 


When we arrived back at the barn, I made Rascal stand still while I mounted and dismounted several times. I tied him to a tree and washed him off, despite him being a little weary of water. He got over it.


The boss and I then went to visit Mr Ronnie and his new horses. His horses were beautiful, well conformed, and well bred. He picks nice stock. (He did pick Baby Girl, remember?) We talked about Rascal. Mr Ronnie believes in Rascal's potential to be a great pony. I believe in Rascal too. I just have to get the boss to believe in him.


The boss knows I love Rascal like my own, but she doesn't see how much of a gem he is. A diamond in the rough, as the cliche terminology says. She saw his good side and bad side on today's trail. It is my duty to make the good side shine and fix the bad side up. Maybe, if I can do that, Rascal will stay for good. 


He needs a lot of work. I have until Labor Day to fix Rascal's issues. If I can do that, there is a chance he could stay at the farm and another horse will be sold at Christmas. Lord, help me.


(In other news, the boss was in the best mood today she has been in 12 years. It was scary. *.* But amazing. She gave me free board for a month as a birthday gift. You have to know her personally to realize the shear out of characterness... She was all _happy _and _chatty_.

She even made a joke of sorts. We were talking about the farm's lack of full sized saddle horses, and she said, "Why don't I just buy Baby Girl?" I was astonished into silence for the first time in my life. She said my lack of response was her ultimate win.

Has the world stopped turning?


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## Brighteyes

*8/13/11 -- Baby Girl Demonstrates Dead Broken-ness*

[Pure brag]

Today I took a couple for a trail ride. They needed dead broke horses, so the husband rode Amber and the wife Baby Girl. Baby Girl padded along like a dead broke 20-something. She was perfect. She did obstacles for the wife without any hesitation (Amber refused to do what the husband asked), crossed the creeks, and navigated tricky alternate routes around fallen trees calmly. Baby Girl wasn't testy and didn't take advantage.


I'm impressed. Baby Girl has impressed me a lot recently. At five years old, she already acts like a veteran. Eight months of work and she's as broke as a horse who's been on the trails for years. 

She's now an approved mount for newbies. A little girl who comes out to the barn for therapy will be riding Baby Girl for her lessons. It'll be fun. I love when other people ride my horse. I hate one person horses. I want a horse who is well trained enough to listen to anyone without a fight.

[/Brag]


Also, tomorrow I must ride my least favorite horse, Cinnamon. I hate Cinny for two reasons: 1.) She's a brat, and 2.) If she didn't exist, Rascal would have a guaranteed spot at the barn. 

But yeah... Bratty, bratty mare. Pins her ears, pulls back, bites, doesn't listen, jiggy as hell... Just MEAN.


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## vivache

It's a walker thing. 

We could put morons on Midnight. They just couldn't get him to gait correctly(and that means I qualify as a moron... oops). He'd carry them, though.

Does this mean that I'll get to ride her when you bring her for training? :'DDD Or are you gonna say 'Joe, don't let Caitlin ride her. She's a moron.'


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## Brighteyes

Don't you worry! She's perfectly moron proof. You'd have to be an advanced moron to not be able--

Well. _Maybe_ you can ride her. :lol:


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## Brighteyes

*8/15/11 -- Ticking Off the List*

School has been kicking my butt HARD. I can barely balance homework and horsework. It's getting stressful. I barely have the will to brag myself to the barn. Today I just wanted to stay home and take a nap, or maybe go on a relaxing trail ride with Baby Girl. But noooo... Rascal needs my attention more than Baby Girl at the moment, so today was a Rascal day.


I didn't have much time, but I figured a little training is better than no training (and is actually even better than long sessions for younger horses). For about 20 minutes Rascal and I did some ground stuff. We lunged at a walk and trot. He is brilliant on a lunge line. He reads body language better than any other horse I've seen. 


He is very attentive on the lunge line, unlike under saddle. On the line, he is respectful, quiet, and will stand still and wait for commands. Now, how do I get him to do that under saddle?


After getting a little freshness out, we dealt with fly spray. I got my bottle of water in a spray bottle I used for Sugar. Just like Sugar, I let Rascal run around me, back up, and do whatever he wanted to do while I sprayed him. The moment he stood still, the spraying stopped. 

We progressed to spraying his whole body. He stood quietly, getting a cookie every once in a while for good behavior. 

After he was over himself, I looped the rope around a fence post. Horses react differently to things when tied (or when they think their tied; the rope was just wrapped around the post so there was a little resistance but still wiggle room). I learned that with Sugar. Every time I thought I had Sugar cured, I would tie her and spray her only to find she was still afraid, but _only_ when tied. It seems that you have to train a horse to accept things while both tied and untied. 

Rascal eventually allowed himself to be sprayed while tied to the fence. He's cured for today. However, if he is anything else like Sugar, multiple sessions will be required to get some consistency.


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## Brighteyes

*8/16/11 -- All Aboard the Rascal Boat!*

I'm very selfishly pleased with today. I feel a little guilty about it, but I'm still very pleased. :twisted:


My trainer was in town today. My trainer is on the spot to decided who she wants to keep at the farm -- Cinny or Rascal. Trainer HATES Cinny four times as much as I do. She hates that mare with passion.

She is also a Rascal fan. 

So trainer decides that something just be done with Cinny, because Cinny is a horrible brat. Training occurs; Cinny throws fits when told what to do. One thing led to another, and eventually Cinny REARED_ like an effing Lipizzaner._

**** horse did _airs above the ground_. She reared and jumped so all four feet were well in the air. She did this twice. It was horrifying. I was afraid Cinny was going to flip and hurt her rider.

Trainer stayed on (respect), but she had enough. Now Trainer's hate of Cinny is very, very justified. **** pony is dangerous. I refuse to ever sit on her back. I don't _do_ rearing. I'll never ride a rearing horse. 


This being said, Trainer is now on the Rascal boat and wants him to replace Cinny. One up for my cause.


However... The boss is an issue. She doesn't like Rascal and (my trainer suspects) is too proud to get rid of Cinny. Cinny was her purchase. The boss over paid majorly for Cinny and won't admit she did so. The boss won't ever admit she went wrong with that pony. Cinny is good for nothing but glue, as far as I'm concerned. 


With Rascal's fly spray issues resolved and several days of being at the barn alone next week, I can have Rascal prepared to wow. There will be no way to deny Rascal has earned a place at the farm.


I, personally, already think that keeping Cinny is stupid. She rears. She's suppose to be a child's horse. Who can see past that? Rascal has a lot of issues due to inexperience, but he isn't dangerous. And he has a good attitude, unlike that ear pinning, pushy, bratty little cuss.


... I sound like a mom degrading my child's competition. This shiz has become personal.


----------



## Gidget

love reading these


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## Brighteyes

Good to hear! Sometimes I wonder sometimes if anyone but me likes my journal. :lol:


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## Brighteyes

*8/17/11 -- Baby Girl's a Lesson Horse, Rascal is Sane, and Sugar Tries*

I helped Trainer with lessons today. She's teaching me to instruct so I can fill in when she isn't in town. Some kids just want little refreshers in between their "real" lessons; I can handle that. She taught a double lesson while I walked around with her and observed. She asked me questions like, "What is student A doing wrong? Which student is tense through the upper body and which is tense through the lower?" I answered cautiously, because I am great at making myself look stupid.


Since Cinny is a crazy POS, we only had three approved lesson mounts: Gizmo, Firefly, and Amber. So many kids can be taxing on those three, so I volunteered *Baby Girl* as a lesson horse. Baby Girl is very responsive to aids, so she is good for high-beginner/intermediate students learning to refine their cues. 

I was also thrilled to show off Baby Girl's well trained-ness and good personality. When she picked up her feet easily for the young rider (a skill all our other lesson horses lack), my trainer gave me a surprised thumbs up. Of course, I was all :'DDDD

Baby Girl has never gotten away with anything in her life; she doesn't know she CAN. Therefore, she doesn't try stuff. The only testy thing she did was try to walk off when stopped. Her rider corrected her, she was like, "Alrighty... You win. I am your slave."


Inbetween lessons, I messed with the incredible *Rascal.* He is confirmed cured of fly spray issues. He is picking up feet readily, backing on command, turning the on forehand, and all that basic ground mannery stuff. He got hosed off while cross tied without any fuss. I then proceeded to leave him tied there for an hour. I didn't intend for that, but I got busy and left him for too long. It certainly didn't hurt; he no longer paws when tied. With these basic ground manners, Rascal has proven to save some level of sanity in the boss's eyes. No more ranting to me about crazy, disrespectful, impossible to handle ponies!


*Sugar* also got a little training in. I taught her to lunge at a walk/trot (very nicely, actually). We went through the obstacle course and completed the tires, the tarp, and the pool noodles hung from the trees. She put her two front feet on the teeter totter and she starting to comprehend the pedestal. 

For the first time, she tried to please me. She _tried_ to do the course. She's never cared for pleasing me before. She has always been slightly disconnected from humans, but she seemed to have a little trust in me today. She followed me through some scary stuff first try. She stepped on that horrid blue tarp without even a pull on the halter. It only took a few nice words. 

She worked herself up in the beginning, when we were lunging, but that all ended when I picked up her feet. Why? I dunno. I just wanted to see if she would do it, even in her excited/fearful state. I've been told that picking up feet takes trust in the human from the horse's perspective. Maybe she knew I wasn't trying to hurt her after that. Four feet and some reassuring words later, that horse was my best friend.


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## Brighteyes

*8/17/11 -- Baby Girl's a Lesson Horse, Rascal's Sane, and Sugar Tries*

I leave you with Rascal after his bath:


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## vivache

When you bring Baby Girl up here to get her gait straightened out, you are going to have a SUPERHORSE. No lie! :'D She'll just be a joy to ride in every sense of the word.


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## Brighteyes

Once she gets that gait right, she'll be so perfect the world will just explode. Nothing that awesome should exist on earth. :wink:


You must ride her, moron or not. She is love.


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## vivache

If she's up here at show season, she and I can go show my old, dumb huntseat trainer a thing or 2.


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## Brighteyes

*8/20/11 -- Sugar Completes the Challenge and Baby Girl has a Stupid Day*

For the past two days, Sugar and I have been working on that **** obstacle course. Today, we beat it. She now does all the obstacles, lunges, backs, ground ties, and a myriad of other good stuff. Some refinement is needed, of course, but I'm not complaining. 

She also now bathes while cross tied. Huzzah.



















Then I rode Baby Girl. Baby Girl wasn't at her best today. We had a fight about sidepassing a barrel. I eventually had to get off and make her do it on the ground. Afterwards, she proceeded to be retarded and not move off my leg. 

Then she rushed through ground poles. She dropped her shoulder coming out of them and drifted like a **** dragster. Her rushing caused her to hit the cavaletti, so she eventually "trained herself" to slow down in order to avoid ouchy poles. 

We still had that whole thing with the dropping shoulders. I had to get on her hard with a dressage whip for doing that. By the end of the ride, we had it sorted out. 

I think Baby Girl's brattiness might be a relapse of Trail Horse Syndrome. THS causes horses to resist hard work and develop an unhealthy independent streak. Affected horses lack work ethic. Basicly, Baby Girl's gonna have to get over herself, cause tough arena work happens. It's not all circles and leg yields and happiness.



Ooh! And yesterday Rascal got ground driven. He's starting to accept the bit and devolop a soft mouth. His stop/stand is decent on the long rein, his back is crooked but present, and his turns are surprisingly light. The that ground work has improved his manners as well.


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## Brighteyes

*8/21/11 -- Where's My Victory?*

Today I worked Rascal on the long lines again. I got him a new girth at Horsetown (the local tack shop) so I could use my saddle. At first, he acted a little bratty. I asked him to back and he would throw a small fit. At one point, he half reared and then jumped forward. We worked through the attitude and ended up with a beautiful straight back and light-ish stop. 


I untacked and cross tied him in the inside wash rack. He got impatient and threw a fit, pawing and struggling and throwing himself around. I ignored him. He was in a rope halter (unbreakable) and tied in a safe location. For 30 minutes he struggled, working himself into a sweat. It was a bit heart breaking...

After he calmed down, I checked him over to make sure he hasn't strained anything and rinsed him off. Despite him not escaping/hurting himself and eventually ceasing to struggle, I don't feel like the problem is fixed... He was just too tired to carry on. Another thing to add to Rascal's List: the inside wash rack.


I feel as if we've done enough ground work over the past few days. Tomarrow, I'll saddle up and ride.


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## GoWithTheFlow

I too love reading this ! lol Rascal is like my two horses combined .lol How did Rascal's ride go ?

Not to Hi-jack your journal . But I took Dreamer to a Big Trail ride saturday ! And WOW! She did beautilfully ! She was flipping awesome !


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## Brighteyes

I didn't get to ride him... I decided Baby Girl and I needed some time together and Rascal needed a day to cool down after flipping out so hard yesterday. _Tomorrow_, I will ride him. Cross my heart and I have promised. 


Feel free to hijack this journal at will. Sounds like Dreamer has come a ways! What have you two been working on? I need details.  I'm happy she's working well for ya!


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## GoWithTheFlow

Oh okay . I hope he does good for ya . 

We have been working on seat and leg ques .lol I had to take her back to preschool . Oh and giving to the pressure at first , then riding out alone , and now her attitude ! haha She just gets bratty . But I'm trying to get her into conditioning . I think she'll make a good NATRC horse .


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## Brighteyes

Attitude tends to get better the more you train them. However, some horses just always have that bratty edge. :wink: I can't wait for her first NATRC ride. I STILL think you should to the Benefit Ride or Heart of Dixie... I want some company to ride with! Pleeeeease...


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## Brighteyes

*8/23/11 -- And Finally, a Good Day*

Rascal and I had a nice ride. I kept it short and sweet -- about 30 minutes in the saddle. We started in the round pen. He stood almost perfectly for me to get on (squee!), stopped without too much effort, backed with minimal resistant (a head throw every few steps, crooked, but it wasn't much of a fight), and stood quietly for longer than I've ever known him to. 

He's still a little brat about staying on the wall in the round pen. Pony will drop a shoulder and fight to the center like no one's business. It pulled this once at the trot and I almost fell off. :shock: I'm such a pity. Heels down, genius! 

He is also bad about stopping randomly at the trot. He just decides, "Wait... What was I doing again? Trotting? Errr... I don't think so. Walking, yeah." 

My legs hang below his barrel, so I have to get all out of whack to cue him with my heels. I almost want to wear my spurs so I can reach easier, but I think he needs to be trained bare legged first. 

No huge complaints expect some issues at the trot. We'll work those out. He also gets a little weirded out when I post. "What ya doing, bouncin' around like that? Maybe I should just walk... *Screeeeeech, HALT*" 

We'll work it out.


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## Brighteyes

*8/26/11 -- A Warning and a Canter*

I rode both meh ponies today... Rascal for only a few minutes and Baby Girl for a few hours.

Mr Ronnie come over to the farm. I tacked up Rascal to show him what that pony had accomplished and see if he would present me with any useful advice. Rascal acted his best throughout. He stood perfectly to mount, backed, stopped, trotted little patterns... Super cute.

Mr Ronnie was pretty pleased; he said I still had a long way to go, but was heading in the right direction. He also warned --commanded me, rather-- to never, ever hurt that pony or be harsh to him. In his words: "Don't be like that girl." That girl being Ashley. Mr Ronnie has faith that I can train kind horses in a kind way... I promised I would. 

He also have me a birthday card with 30 dollars in it. "This will pay for your stall at Heart of Dixie." Thank you! That was very, very nice.

After our demonstration, I switched saddles and went on a long ride with Baby Girl. She was full of energy! And a bit grumpy. I've learned to ignore her moods, though.

We explored new territory and were out for almost three hours. We rode at the lower end of a NATRC pace -- 25% gait and 75% walk. We cantered for the first time in months up a gentle hill. I don't remember her canter being so strung out and fast. :lol: We need to work on that.


It was a fun day. It left a nice taste in my mouth, more noticeably so than other "good days." Mr Ronnie's Heart of Dixie card and the faith he has in me stuck in my mind as something significant...

I leave you with Baby Girl eating some grass whist making a stupid face.


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## Brighteyes

*8/29/11 -- "G-L-A-M-O -- What's the next letter..."*

Region Five benefit ride with weekend in North Georgia. I'm still going to ride Rocky. I'm heading up there on Friday. I sorta kinda don't really wanna go.  I miss riding MY horse at CTRs... When I rode Fly that time it was miserable. Even though Rocky is a great horse (better than Baby Girl, honestly), it's just not as fullfilling when you aren't riding your own horse. I'll still love visiting with my people and friends. Hanging out with the other juniors is cool. Beating the other juniors is amazing.



Due to the stress of this ride, the boss was all tense and ****y today. I hadn't been to the barn for three days, so I suppose she thought I was slacking off and not helping her prepare. Usually I'm the one packing the trailer, ect. Maybe I should have been; if she had called, I would have been out there packing that **** trailer in the pouring rain and thunder. I asked several times if she wanted my help, but she waved me off. I was like :?.


Onwards to important stuff... Rode Rascal on a very long trail (very long because the boss's stress level was about to make the air in the barn explode). He was jiggy as hell. Weird thing for him to pick up... He's never been jiggy before. It was a two hour battle of take and release with no clear winner. 

I want to throw it up as a bad day. The moment I got him from the pasture I could tell I was dealing with a different horse than usual. Tense, tense, tense...

To ease the tension, I sang snatches of random songs for two hours. As I sang my (horrible) redition of "Glamorous" I looked to the side to see two boys staring at me from their yard.  My rapping was better, at least.


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## Brighteyes

*8/30/11 -- Well, That Was Cool.*

I only rode for a few minutes today... But it was a pretty amazing few minutes. Baby Girl was extremely dirty (I couldn't even tell she had white on her), so I decided to ride and then maybe give her a bath. I threw on the bareback pad and halter and went to play in the round pen for a few. 

She was on fire today! Very responsive. She neck reined beautifully -- a skill she that has taken her months to grasp. She was moving off my legs, stopping with just my seat... So I decided to take off the halter and see what would happen. We rode around completely tackless (save my "whoa dammit!" rope, which was tied around her neck in case she wouldn't stop).


It was a cool feeling. Her bridless is soooo excellent. I'm going to have to do that more often. 


She was good enough that I didn't bother to bath her at the end of the ride. I just fed her an apple, groomed her, and turned her out. Yes; I was that impressed.


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## Brighteyes

*1o/1/11 -- Uninteresting Post is Uninteresting.*

I rode Amber bareback for a while and schooled in the paddock. It was pretty boring. I got Baby Girl out around nightfall and did some more bridleless. She wasn't as good as yesterday (mares have their days), but I weaned her off the neck rope and rode completely off leg. She gets very anxious sometimes when on a lose rein. When I cue her, she breaks from a walk into a nervous pace. She does this a good bit for the first ten minutes, but settles down a little toward the end of the lesson. I hope practice will make perfect.



I'm also packed and driving to the Benefit tomorrow. I'm ready to party. Ride, meh... I miss riding Baby Girl. Have fun and socialize? Very yes. I'm still in to win, even though competing isn't looking as lovely as usual. I need the points for high point horsemanship.

Speaking of points... As a team, Baby Girl and I are second in the region. I hate being in second. This ride won't help our team score a bit since we aren't together... I can't wait till Heart of Dixie. It's KILLING me.


But let's not get ahead of myself... Region 5 Benefit or bust.


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## Brighteyes

*10/3/11 -- Good Job, Rocky.*

The Benefit was actually pretty fun. I got to "mentor" two first time riders who were about two years younger than me. I had a good time with them and the rest of the crowd of kids Ms. Juliet brought. We all went on bareback trail rides through the woods and caused general commotion around camp.


Since the Boss wasn't riding (she was ride manager and didn't have time), I had to ride with the two kids for the first few miles and do a good portion of the rest alone. I've never ridden alone; usually I just follow the boss and let her keep up with timing and pace. I HATE timing. Keeping on time is the toughest, most stressful thing on earth.


Despite or because of, I actually like riding by myself more than with other people. I found a pocket near the front of the pack. I also really like riding near the front. It's faster. Me and the boss are usually riding for max time (the latest you can possible get back without losing points). Rocky and I raced min time (the earliest you can get back without losing points). We almost got back too early. We had to slow down a lot near the two mile marker.


This ride was super, super easy. The obstacles were nothing -- a judged mount, a trot by, and backing down a hill. Pssshaw! Give me something to work with. The terrain was hilly and rocky with some open spots. 

The only mild kicker was that it was pretty hot and humid. People who didn't know how to cool their horses were having issues at the P and Rs with high respiration. Most of the other novices had this issue (which came back to bite them later!) Rocky had no problems. He lost only one P and R point, which he probably would have regained if I had asked for a recount.


The only terrible thing was my check in. I SUCKED hard. It was the worst check in I've ever done. Rocky refused to trot in hand. It was embarrassing. When I lunged him, I let out the rope too soon. *facepalm* We had the same problems at check out. I lost a total of three points of my horsemanship card for horrid checks.


At the end of everything, I got out with a 97. A pretty decent score... But I still ended up with third place. Those first timers I mentored beat me by a fraction of a point. I guess I did too good a job teaching them.


On the flip side, Rocky won the entire novice division. He beat not only the junior horses, but all the horses in the one day division. That's an accomplishment. 


I was proud of him. But I still wished that was Baby Girl winning that big. She would have. And her vet ins are off the scales. We would have at double 100s that weekend, Baby Girl and I... I guess I'll never fully enjoy a ride without her. People around me knew too. They smiled sympathetically when I mentioned her.


All in all, the Benefit was pretty fun. I really went it alone this weekend. I cared completely for my own horse, set up my own camp sight, woke myself up at six in the morning to tack up, and rode for miles without seeing a soul. I'm proud of myself.

A few miles in a met a nice lady with a green Arab who let me tag along with her for a while because the group she was riding with was being rude and inconsiderate. I helped her train her horse by switching between leading and letting her lead, so her horse would learn to do either. We trash talked the rude group she came from and laughed for a few miles. Funny thing... I never asked her name. I have no idea who she was. I wish I had asked.


Lots of little moments stand out, like all rides. I won't bore you through. Highlights include swimming across a real river on horseback, cantering trails, eating really good food, getting my picture taken in front of a nuclear reactor, getting warned 5 separate times that sleeping on the grass will give me chiggers, and playing with Marnie's pug puppy.


Pictures coming soon.


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## Brighteyes

*8/13/11 -- Updates, ACTHA, Trailers, Canters*

I've been taking some time off from horses. I haven't sat on a horse more than twice since Benefit. It's been surprisingly good for me. I needed a mental break and some time to catch up on school work and sort out family issues. Now that I'm caught up (more or less) in the non-horsie fractions of my existence, I'm ready to dive back in. Serious business time.


Since my last update eons ago, I have succeeded in getting Sugar into a trailer. It really didn't take much. She literally followed me in on a lack lead line. Knowing Sugar and her dramatic fits and claustrophobia, her stepping willingly into the trailer without fear was the most surprising/rewarding/amazing/awe inducing thing I've seen in a long time. 

Sugar is growing up. I've taught her everything I can. She's outgrown me. She's graduated Jackie's horsie kindergarten and is ready to move on to bigger things. The trailer loading confirmed that she has grown up mentally. She trusts people now and is willing to give them her mind. She's ready to leave the farm, I think. She's ready to go farther.

Maybe Baby Girl and I will go farther too. We've had some good canters since my last update. Heart of Dixie is _next weekend. _That's our anniversary. Baby Girl and I had our first adventures that weekend. It was her first, my first, and our first time for a lot of things. We're gotten stronger since than, don't you think? I think we've certainly gotten stronger during the year this journal has chronicled. Heart of Dixie just feels like a _big deal. _And I'm a little scared... I feel confident, but at the same time overwhelmed and under prepared. 


Baby Girl and I are also doing an ACTHA ride this weekend. ACTHA is like the softer and fluffier version of NATRC. The ride is only eight miles long. There is conditioning factor; no P and Rs or vet judges. The only thing that matters are six natural-ish obstacles you meet along the trail. You and your horse are scored from 1-10 depending on performance at each obstacle.


Sounds easy, eh? Well... Probably not as easy as I'm making it sound. 

NATRC and ACTHA love to fight. ACTHA gets more members and more money since the rides are only one day and the membership/ride dues are crazy expensive. The ACTHAs of course they're all that and a bag of chips... We NATRC-ers think that too, but more so. And we ride longer, so we are instantly better. :lol:


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## Brighteyes

*9/18/11 -- We're no dream team (but we're living the dream)*

Had fun at the ACTHA ride! Crazy, galloping, flying, runnin fun.


Ms Juliet and the girls (three of them) arrived on Friday. The four of them, the boss, and I went for a nice little trail ride... Of terror! :lol: That shiz was fun. Those Atlanta chicks are speed demons. We trotted and cantered almost the whole trail. Baby Girl turned into a fire breathing monster, of course. When I let her run, she leaves her brain behind. 


The next day (after a night of driving golfcarts through dark trails, throwing melon slices at each other, and being generally a little crazy), we threw ourselves together for the ACTHA ride. I felt totally unprepared. I usually plan my NATRC trips down to the detail, but I just rolled with it for once. 


There isn't a pace time in ACTHA, so you can ride the trails as fast or as slow as you want. We rode fast. We cantered down pine rows and trotted twisting wooded trails at speed. It was thrilling. I let Baby Girl open up and gallop full on a dirt rode once.


Obstacles... Meh. Baby Girl and I found out we aren't anything special. I like to think we're some kind of invincible dream team with loads of uncommon talent. But we really aren't. 

The six obstacles were: 

A small log jump (she aced it; I jumped ahead).

Picking up a hat off the ground with a stick (she kept moving and I droppped the hat off the stick three times).

Walk in the water along the edge of a pond (she hesitated going in and kept trying to sidepass over to the bank. I had to keep bumping her with outside leg. We just looked sloppy).

Walk under some vines (perfect!)

Drag a log (perfect! Surprisingly).

_Open a rope gate..._


We failed sooo hard on the rope gate. Baby Girl wouldn't even get close to it. I walked her up to it and tried to sidepass her over towards it, but she sidepassed AWAY from it instead. Jerk. She didn't want to get close to it at all. Sour brat...

After two tries, I just told the judge, "Look, I'm just here to learn. Tell me how to do this." He schooled us briefly on gate opening. We'll be practicing tomarrow.


After two days of running, I'm also going to spend the rest of this week decelerating Baby Girl. Too much speed.


Also, goes Baby Girl look like a Arab? :shock: Everyone I met was like, "Ooh! Purty! Half Arab?" Whaa? "Arab/Paint?"


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## Brighteyes

Cantering, pictures by Ms Juliet. Talent lady, taking pictures mid gallop! (I'm the fat *** with the white shirt, if there are any doubts. :lol My friend in on the cute Paint.


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## GoWithTheFlow

I'm soo sorry I didn't tell you I didn't get to go to the Actha ride ! I really wanted to go too . 

Looks like y'all had a ball ! 

My 2 yr old gets the pony thing . :? LOL! He is 13.3 hands . I think he is a paint crossed w/a mutt .


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## Brighteyes

I did! And you would have too. If you had come. Boo you. :twisted:


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## Brighteyes

*9/21/11 -- ACTHA, I'm Going to EAT you!*

...Because that log drag totally deserved a 10! :twisted: So did that jump, in my never humble opinion. 

They finally posted the official results on the ACTHA website. Check 'em out:













It was that effin' gate! :lol: **** that gate!


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## prairiewindlady

Just wanted to say I've spent the past few days catching up on this journal. You're doing a wonderful job with Baby Girl and Rascal (and the other horses as well), and I have learned so much about CTR...I am considering getting into it myself with one of my mustangs. Keep up the good work!


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## Gidget

I haven't been on your journal in quite some time and I agree with PWL.

I enjoy all the posts and updates.


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## Brighteyes

Thank you! I'm glad you like this little old journal.


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## Brighteyes

*I survived the Dixie Death March!*

… And checked out sound!



Dixie was fun. It exposed a lot of holes in our training, but also brought to light our strengths and the progress we’re made since that first ride last year. We have a lot to work on. I see that more than ever.

Let’s break it down briefly, hitting the highlights and lowlights:


Friday:

Our check-in was the bomb. After dealing with Rocky’s check-ins at the Benefit, it was wonderful to have a horse whose check-ins her strongest area. Most people lunge their horses, but I always trot circles in hand with Baby Girl. Baby Girl can lunge, but I can make her look better if I run circles in hand. And evidently, they looked REALLY good. I got an unheard of four pluses and a “loverly!” with an R. That’s serious success coming from that horsemanship judge. 

Saturday:


Three’s a crowd. The boss was riding with a first timer, so I found myself a few partner. Shortly after the first P&R, she fell off her horse and broke her collar bone. I was alone for ten miles… I didn’t see a soul. It was a scary feeling. 

Baby Girl started to show her herd boundness. She called and pranced. Two ladies sort of joined up with me, though we didn’t officially ride together. The loose partnership helped calm Baby Girl down a little. 

Sunday:


I rode out first in my class to avoid the boss and Amber. Amber kept calling to Baby Girl and vice versa, so I was told to stay 15 minutes a head. So began the day of the hellish herd boundness. 

Baby Girl spent more than half the time tensely racking at walking speed. She looked like a paso fino. She was so nervous out there completely by herself. I tried to figure her out. She didn’t like other horses leaving her, but she would leave other horses. I found those same two ladies that loosely paired with me the previous day, hung out for a while, and then trotted off. They reappeared periodically, which assured Baby Girl she wasn’t completely abandoned. Eventually, she was somewhat cool with being without them. Near the last five miles, she was even okay with another horse trotting away and leaving her



We checked out with a horsemanship score of 89 and a horse score of 92.5. For what it's worth, Amber's score was only 92.  I'm going to post pictures of my horsemanship card (it's pretty interesting; I got picked apart!) and sort of elaborate on that. Obstacles were interesting... I'll explain them once I post my cards. But, as a highlight, we completed a sidepass better than Amber and the boss.



Also, trophy:











It's for first place in my class, but since I was the only one in my class, I just say it's a huge shiny completion award. Which is somehow terrifically meaningful. Survive a whole year with Baby Girl, get a trophy as a one year anniversary gift. Bow a tendon and come up perfectly sound... That's worthy of a cool trophy, I think. Never has a completion award been so significant.


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## Brighteyes

*...And Here's Those Cards I Promised!*

I'm guessing most of my readers (yes, THOSE readers -- they exist, I swear!) have never been to a CTR and have therefore never seen a card. Here's my Dixie horsemanship card (in chunks, so it's readable). The horsemanship judge was pretty picky, which makes these fun to look at.

#1) I TOLD you my circles were beautiful! Quadruple pluses... Hey, baby!

...And after that were was a backing in hand thing... I ran out of time. :/










#2.) Basicly, I got picked to peices going up a hill. However, they later asked for a sidepass (good) and a figure eight in an opened field (excellent).












#3.) We backed up a hill (good). They did a "brake check" during the first five miles. You were suppose to stop and settle as other horses trotted away. I'm surprised all I got was a minus! 

...And then we did a trot by and my equ got picked to peices again.

We did a mount after our first P&R. Baby Girl, that distracted COW, moved and made my slam down on her back.












#4.) Judging error. They hit me and two of my friends with this. My stall and the boss's were set up exactly the same, and the boss didn't get points off. Our name/number tags were in the same _exact_ place.


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## Brighteyes

*10/2/11 -- Dancer, the Warmblood Boomerang.*

Nothing cool has happened to me. How boring.


Let's see... I ponied Sugar on a trail ride with me. Baby Girl is a terrible pony horse... She kept pinning her ears and acting like a cow. Sugar had fun though. 


I rode Rascal walk/trot on the trails, working on transitions. He came up lame near the end of the ride after stepping on something that ouchy-ed his frog. His hoof is wrapped and poulticed. 


The only almost interesting thing that's happened is the return of Dancer. My second lesson ever was on Dancer. He's a tall, bay Dutch warmblood. 22 years old. We sold him years ago... But he ran into hard times with his new owners and got tossed around. Eventually, he got back to Meadowchase Farms.

He's a grumpy, pushy old man... Dragged his owner around -- quite literally. The only thing I remembered about Dancer was his abhorrent ground manners. I remember grooming him before my lesson... He would always pin his ears and try to bite. When I tried to get on him in the round pen, I was warned he might spin around and bite my legs. :shock:


Strangely, I'm glad to see him back. He's a piece of my personal horsie history come back around. He moved all the jumps and things out of the lesson paddock so he could live there. 

The boss plowed a _new arena_. Now I have a HUGE place to ride, with jumps and poles and things. Best thing about it is that there are no more ponies/horses to move before you start working horses in there. No more pestering minis!


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## Brighteyes

*10/4/11 -- This Button?*

I'm trying to get back on the updates. Remember when I use to update every day? You now why? Because I use to be able to ride every day! School is killing me. I can't ride my horse more than four days a week, at most. I've recently been getting on her two days a week on average. It's starting to show... She needs frequent riding. If I don't ride her consistantly, she gets lazy, sour, and grumpy when I do ride. 


But I _think_ I found the gait button. We were doing a slow step pace. I collected her head to try and tighten it up a little. She broke into a trot. I sat deep, half halted, and drove her into the bridle. She did a slow but very engergetic racky thing, paso style. It felt weird... I could feel her front end elevate and her driving herself from the back. I may have simply achieved a flashier step pace? Oh well. It was a cool gait.


My trainer's spending the weekend at the farm. I'm hoping to get in a lesson or two. Maybe I can get someone to film it. Critique is love. 


Also, Sugar half reared in the trailer and smacked her nose against the top of the door. Poor thing has a huge, deep cut on the bridge of her nose, right below were the noseband of the halter sits. I'm concerned. For two days it's been swollen, but is getting better.


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## vivache

Filming is gooooooddd.


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## Corporal

Great journal. It takes some time to keep posting on this--GOOD FOR YOU!!
I was curious about the gate--


Brighteyes said:


> It was that effin' gate! :lol: **** that gate!


Was it a horse problem or human? The reason I ask is that when my family took our horses on vacations we trained my (older, now passed on) horses to help us open gates, pricinpally bc DH and I were just lazy! lol
I'm training my two 5yo's to push open gates between pastures in preparation for opening/closing gates mounted in the future. NOW, when I'm schooling my KMHSA gelding in my small arena and I say "field", he walks over to the gate and tries to push it open with his head bc he likes the big field better. Just thought I might be able to help. _(If it was just a bad day or an evil gate, ignore this.)_


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! 

Baby Girl refused to go up close to it. She sidepassed AWAY from it when I asked for her to sidepass up to it. She wasn't the least bit afraid of that evil thing; she was just being bratty and uncooperative -- sour. She use to be sour in the same manner about sidepassing/turning on the forehand.


She hates it so I built a rope gate and have been working her on one side of the arena and letting her rest standing next to the gate... It's an annoying issue. I don't know why she hates gates (she has since I got her)...


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## Brighteyes

*10/19/11 -- Onwards, Towards the North!*

Me and Baby Girl are heading up to Ashville, Tenneesee, for Honey Creek tomarrow.  I'm excited. It's a new ride on all new trails. It's suppose to be beautiful. Big South Fork is close to McNatt farms, where Baby Girl was born. Ha ha, I wonder if she remembers her home state! 

The ride's going to be huge too -- 60 people are signed up. That's the first full ride all year. That means lots of new people to bother.


Speaking of new people, there is a kid in my class. Megan, I think her name is. Never met her nor heard of her, save that she did Ride the Edge a few weeks back. Since she's new and not on the board for the region award, I'm going to have a stress-free time kicking her ***. Since I'm ahead in points, I wouldn't be care _if_ she beat me. I'm going on cruise control these last few rides; I'm gonna have fun instead of worrying.


My favorite vet judge is at this ride. Ms. Stephanie, who judged Uwharrie. I love that women. 


I'm totally relaxed, prepared, and ready for this ride. I'm very dangerous when I'm confident.


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## Brighteyes

*10/24/11 -- I'll Retire on This. (For Now!)*

I'm so proud of Baby Girl. She's an angel from heaven. 


Honey Creek was a huge success for us. The trails were tough and beautiful. We crossed an actual _river._ The White Oak River. Four times.It was terrifying. The water was belly deep at best and dropped off suddenly in places. There was a safe path of shallow (relatively speaking) water that led across. If you fell off the path, you fell into water deep enough to swim in. The bottom was strewn with huge rocks too! I don't know how we didn't get a foot caught! The White Oak was 40 feet across and took an excruciatingly long time to cross. 

We rode into caves and under natural rock formations. The rocks were a sight to behold. There were boulders the size of houses. Naturally, this meant the trails were rockier than expected. Baby Girl only had shoes in the front. She was so ouchy Saturday afternoon I had to get the farrier-on-call to put backs on her. She couldn't even walk on hard ground, even after the shoes. The next morning, we had a soundness trot on GRAVEL. I thought we were done for... But by some miracle, Baby Girl wasn't a bit lame. She didn't take a lame step for the rest of the ride. 


The vet judge, Stephanie, is amazing. She was the judge at Uwharrie, Baby Girl's second ride. She said Baby Girl was getting a lot more consistent and complimented us highly on an in-hand obstacle that involved us backing around a maze of rocks. Stephanie told me she always liked me and Baby Girl as a pair, even back at Uwharrie. Compliments from her mean the world to me.

She also gave us a whole lot of "excellents" on our horse card. Baby Girl finished the ride with a 97 and 12 pluses. :shock: That's amazing. She lost two points on fill in the back legs and one point on gut sounds.

Baby Girl's P&Rs were also epic. She got a zero and eight once. She didn't even breath in those 15 seconds they counted. And a heart rate of eight is about the lowest you can reasonably get. The rest of her P&Rs were three and nines. Pretty good!

My horsemanship card also came out super clean, with a score of 98. I lost one point at check in for running ahead of my horse when I was trotting in hand (a stupid error!) and another for bracing my legs ahead when I rode down hill (very true! gotta work on it!).


Baby Girl completed every obstacle asked of us with flying colors. There was a back, back in hand around rocks, stand and tie a ribbon on a tree, two judged mounts, navigating a difficult hill, and crossing several creeks.



Of course, we got double blues.  The real kicker was that we also got a breed award. Best spotted saddle horse! There were a dozen there, and my humble mare beat them all! A five-year-old in her first year completing and a kid rider _curb stomped_ Honey Creek!



I was going to go to King's Mountain in two weeks, but I'm done. I'm resting on my victory. Baby Girl deserves some time off. I checked the national website. Baby Girl has accrued 180 competitive miles, and, due to my riding other horses while BG was out, I have stored up about 220. As a team, Baby Girl and I are first in the region by a long shot and third in the nation. Drink to that!


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## Brighteyes

*11/7/11 -- Update From the Dead*

I haven't updated this journal in forever, simply because nothing has happened. After Honey Creek, Baby Girl's been on semi-break. She's been enjoying it. I'm having a tough time at school, so I've only been able to ride three times a week. Not a problem; winter is for rest.


Today my trainer brought her horse, Siegfried (AKA "Seaweed), to Meadowchase to stay for a while. He's a super cool horse -- 17.0 hand high bay Trakehner gelding, five years old. He's amazing to ride; great trot, EASY canter. On the ground, he's a little pushy (puts his head into your space a lot). She's going back to Atlanta for two weeks, so I'm in charge of him. I'm giving him a bath tomarrow.  


Baby Girl and I are going to do more jumping, I suppose. Bridleless is fun, so we might do that. We need to set some goals for this winter. Even though I can't ride much, it would still like a few things done. Updates will probably be super infrequent from here on, with CTR season over. 


I do have a photo thread I'm going to try to keep updated though. Check it out:

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-pictures/baby-girls-supa-sexy-picture-thread-102547/


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## Brighteyes

*12/24/11 -- The Anniversary Special*

Merry Christmas, and happy anniversary to Baby Girl!  Today is one year since my Christmas (Eve) pony was given to me. Yep. Christmas 2010 was a good, _good_ day.

In this past year, Baby Girl and I have gotten to know each other very well. We've gotten to trust each other. It's wonderful when a horse trusts its person, but it feels even better when you trust your horse. I trust Baby Girl. I have faith she'll take care of me; she'll never hurt me. I have never felt scared --not for a second-- riding her. Even running around the pasture bareback and bridless... Jumping scary heights... Galloping as fast as she can go and never worrying about losing control...Knowing she wont' let me fall... That security. That's beautiful.

This year, I wished for love. I wished for a partner. For a friend. This year, my wish was granted.


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## Brighteyes

*Pt. 2 -- Let's Run*

*Year 2 -- Let's Run* 

1/1, Entry One

Another year, and nothing is really different for me and Baby Girl. Same barn, same town, few of the same problems, same dream... With a slightly clearer plan on making it. Add a few new skills, more experience, and a few hundred miles. We've got a team.

This year's overlaying theme comes from my trainer, Megan, who I think heard it from the head trainer of the horse production _Cavalia. _The horses in the show never given the same part for long. Before they retire, each horse has done everything. They are constantly being trained and retrained. It keeps them thinking and interested in their work. Cross training is key.

In 2012, I'm going to apply that to my own training. I'll try to do something different every day. Run full out in the pasture one day, do some gait work the next, circles and turns at a walk and trot after that, ground work another, and wrap my horse in a blue tarp and walk around the following afternoon. Jump once in a while. Ground drive. Pretend to be a reiner. Run barrels. Something like that.

But I'll have to start that tomarrow, since today it's _raining_. Ugh. The only horsey thing I can do today is put on Baby Girl's blanket this afternoon. 

_Happy New Year!_


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## InStyle

Makes sense to me!! I try and do that with myself, the dogs and horses. I love to do cross training! Today I made the dogs pull sleds with weights ( 2 smooth fox terriers per run pulled about 25lbs each) my exercise was running beside them. And in horses, well it was a lazy day hopped on bareback and walked around the pasture. The wind was awful!

Are you going to do your training as a journal, so we can all 'see' you two progress ?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

I have a pit bull cross who pulls as well! She weights 60 pounds herself and pulls about 80 pounds of cinder blocks stacked in a wagon. She loves it. I'm trying to build up her strength so she can comfortably pull me. 

Yep! I plan on entering most everything I do, with lots of videos and pictures and notes. Hopefully, you will see some progress! I'll also post competition results, random adventures, plans, and all that. "A day in the life"-like.


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## Brighteyes

*1/3/11, Entry Two*



La trainer, Megan, has been home for a couple days now. I've been helping her with lessons. I'm the barn equivalent of the plucky office girl. I walk into the pasture with the kids to get their ponies, clean stalls, run manure, take checks from parents, help tack up and down, and do menial gopher type tasks such as making sandwiches and carrying messages. I am the butt of many, many jokes and everyone's favorite chew toy. 

Sometimes, I get to actually teach the kids. My specialty is confidence building bareback lessons of pure fun. I also teach kids to fall off properly. It's a good gig.


Sometime between lessons, I actually got to ride my horse! At the beginning of the year, I like to get a diagnastic preview. So I took some video of Baby Girl's gait and canter. Her gait looks a WORLD better than it did last year. The canter (2:53) is fast, but not too terribly unbalanced.






 

This is last year. No canter, since she couldn't even canter last year.





 

I also spent an entire day in my pajamas.











Sometimes I take students on trail rides. We got back early, so we played on the teeter totter. (That yellow horse is Amber, and the student is one I call Ginger.)













Once I'm finished with lessons, cross training can begin. It's hard to get time to teach new things when lessons are going on and I'm needed. Meh.


I'm also almost finished with my Epic List of Yearly Goals (AKA, The List). They shall be posted, and I will start work to reach them.


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## Brighteyes

*1/8/12, Entry Three*


Happy balloon day!


With two jobs and school, it's been difficult to ride my horse recently. And probably will be until spring break. However, I've been finding time for sort sessions on non-riding related activity. Cue balloon day.

I worked at a pony party today. I begged these balloons off one of the parents, got my horse from the field, and started messing with her.

Baby Girl has two great fears: balloons and plastic bags. After treats and sweet talking, she made nose contact. It took an additional 30 minutes after nose contact for her to completely comfortable.


I will admit; I haven't done a lot of desensitization with this horse. I'm lazy in that department. I want to ride her in parades eventually, so balloons and plastic bags must be conquered.

End result:


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## Brighteyes

*1/12, entry four*


As my older reads know, I have three kinds of days: bad days, boring days, and good days. Boring days are common. They include trail rides to nowhere particular, because-I-have-to arena work, grooming sessions on days when I don't have time to ride... Bad days happen as well. Days of attitude and annoyance and steps taken backwards. 

But once in a while, there is a good day. Today was a good day.


The boss is in New York. Austin, doer of _man_ual labor, has a day off. I'm in charge of feeding the horses, but otherwise free. So, for the first time in more than a week, I get to school Baby Girl!

We tried out a new bit. A lovely little Myler just like this:












I wanted a comfortable curb for Baby Girl for schooling and trails. She wasn't perfectly comfortable in her Argentine -- too many pressure points. The Myler gives generous tongue relief, has short shanks, and has independant side movement for direct reining as needed. 

Baby Girl of course loved it. Horse has the softest, easiest mouth. I could stop with my pinky from a hand gallop. 

We schooled circles and did gait work. I tried haunches in and shoulder out to see if I could get her a little less lateral. 


I wanted her to have an easy day, so I asked her to walk so we could cool down. She kept trying to do a little jig pace of impatience. Excess energy + brain taxing schooling = pace jig. 

I got her to walk for a little while, just for the sake of her listening to me. Then we turned to the trails and galloped. I let her gallop as fast as she could, brought her down, and galloped full tilt again. 

My horse is happiest when she's running. She loves to run. After a five minute gallop, she was a content, less hyperactive little mare and walked back to the barn. We school a little more, walked quietly, and I dismounted. 

It was a perfect day. So peaceful. After our ride, I washed and rebraided her mane and tail. I made her some bran mash, which she enjoyed in her stall while drying off in her garish purple cooler.

Yep. Not a wrinkle in today.


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## Brighteyes

1/15, entry five



Did me and my mare's favorite thing today: "mock hunter pacing." 


I don't know a lot about hunter paces, aside from horses gallop, jump things, and attempt to complete the course as near to a certain time as possible. 

Baby Girl can trot about 12 miles per hour without too much effort. She has a huge stride and Arabian staminia. We have a section of trail exactly eight miles long. At an average speed of 12 miles per hour, we aimed to complete this course in 40 minutes. Along this trail are various obstacles: hills, downed trees, creek crossings, and ditches. These are what makes it fun, especially the "grand prix jumping log", which is about two and a half feet high. Yeah, yeah. But I'm not a proper hunter and I'm not riding a proper hunting horse. It's a big deal. :wink:


We came in right at 35 minutes. A little fast, but close. After that was done, we slowly gaited another couple miles and walked for about 15 minutes to cool down. Her P&Rs dropped back to normal quickly.

On tough conditioning days, Baby Girl gets extra after ride love. She gets hosed off with cool, not cold, water while some alfalfa hay cubes soak for later. Icetight clay poultice is applied to all four legs. She loves that stuff.



I'm not sure what I'm going to do tomarrow. I'm off school and don't want to waste a day. Suggestions? Nothing too tough, since we had such a hard day today. Thanks!


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## Brighteyes

Who has the cutest face? You know who.











Who is cute even when stomping flies? You know who.











I personally think she looks great in her purple and black tack. Got it for Christmas and I'm liking the color scheme. That halter bridle is just fabulous. And the matching breast collar. And the splint boots that match the matching breast collar. *crazy purple-plosion*

And the black pad. Winning.


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## Brighteyes

*1/22, entry five*


Today, the boss and I went on a day trip to Silver Spur Riding Club. She is trying to put on a NATRC ride there in May, so we were checking out trails and deciding on a basic route. 


We rode for about three hours. The area was under a tornado warning, but we didn't care. Or rather, I didn't care. 


We moved out most of the way. For the first hour, we stayed at a fast trot and canter. Afterwards (the boss's horse was getting hot with all her hair) we trotted/walked.

Baby Girl was very good. She was just as quiet as when we're at home. She enjoyed our first hour of flying down the trails. It was a play day, so we kept it fun.


The trails at Silver Spur was super runable. It's flat, with a lot of logging roads. Even the one track trails are neat and trot-able. There were a million pine trees (boss wants to call the ride "Singing Pines") Everything looks the same, so it's easy to get lost. Here's a little video of the typical scenery during a walking break:


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## Brighteyes

*1/25, entry six*



Today, we free jumped. Busy as I am, I didn't have time for a proper ride, but my horse really needed to break a sweat sometime this week. I set up a tiny grip in the round pen and free lunged. The grid was two round poles spaced for cantering and then an 18 inch vertical. Baby Girl is canter challenged. Grid work in the past has helped her canter considerably.

She was gorgeous over that grid! Her jump and canter immediately before and after the grid was smooth and easy. She found her feet and didn't miss a beat.


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## Brighteyes

*1/28, entry seven*


Today was fun! First, I got my drivers license! :happydance:

That means more riding and more horsie stuff for me! I can go to clinics and shows. I can also ride more regularly. I can get up earlier on weekends and ride all day. It's gonna be epic.


The first place I drove was the farm, where I rode Baby Girl for about an hour. We did figures, circles, and lateral stuff in the field for a while. Once we were warmed up, we jumped a little. I worked on my form. I tried a little grid work, but it's hard without my trainer there to pick up the poles we always knock down on the last bounce. 

Her jumping has gotten really good! Our single jumps were grand. I'm learning myself, so the better I get, the better she gets. 

I do have problems with my release. Sometimes I peg her in the mouth. Sometimes I fall forwards. I drilled myself about these today and am doing it a lot less now. 

After our warm up, I asked Baby Girl to do turns on the haunches and forehand. Her turns on the haunches were great, but, weirdly, her turns on the forehand sucked. She wouldn't keep her front legs still. I guess that's another thing to work on.

Tomarrow is another full riding day! What shall I do?


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## Brighteyes

1/29, entry eight



Decided we needed some chill time today, so we worked mostly at a walk on bridleless/neck reining. I was feeling chill too, so I just had her in a bareback pad and a halter. Baby Girl... Was not so chill. She is annoying arena sour and tense. She wouldn't walk and kept turning to the gate every time I put her on a lose rein. I get her gait around for a straight 10 minutes to take the edge off. 

I hate how much contact it requires for her to stay in her gait and at a stable speed, by the way. I must work on this. I want to ride her on light contact or a completely lose rein without her breaking gait or speeding up. Another one for the List.


She finally calmed down and gave me her brain back. She started doing really well! At first she tensed up and paced through her turns, but she soon started to turn without speeding up. Her stops here great; never had to touch her reins. She even backed a few steps without rein cues. 

At the end, I took the halter off and left myself with a lead rope round the neck. We messed around for a few minutes like that. She didn't try to drive for the gate for once! What a victory. Getting her to walk in the arena on a loose rein is a victory. 

I was having too much fun and carried on too long. At the end, she was starting to lose attention span. Note: gotta be careful of that. She kept her mind on me for a good 20 minutes. That's how long I'll try to keep sessions.


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## bellagris

I love this, you've got such a positive attitude! When I first started training Sable, I kept a journal similar, it worked amazingly well for tracking progress, problems, strengths.

Way to go! :-D


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## Brighteyes

5/2


Thanks Kstinson! I'm a pretty happy person, so my journal is firmly on the idealistic side. 

Well, not as idealistic as usual today, but we all have our off days. 

Today was an _off day._


I had a lesson with my trainer this morning. My horse had been used the previous day for the kid's lessons. We use her sometimes to teach kids to gallop because she's smooth and has wonderful brakes. So she had been galloped and paced like crazy the day before. (It takes a college degree to get this horse to gait, so the kids let her pace.) 


I knew from the second she turned tail and ran from me in the pasture today was going to be one of those days. 


Once I caught her, she refused to stand tied like a lady, wanting rather to swing her butt around and paw halfheartedly. 


I mounted up and she very blatantly walked off. 


She than dove with the gait when I tried walking her on a lose rein to warm up.


Afterwards, she PACED. Little cuss paced like an effin standardbred. No amount of leg, no change of body position, no amount of collecting her head... Nothing would make her stop pacing. No even step pacing; HARD pacing. Even the tried and true methods, like gaiting up a hill or leg yielding, broke that pace.


So that was the lesson. Me wondering what in the world had gotten into my horse and trying everything to fix it. Eventually, I gave up and got off. She wasn't being _disobedient_. Something was bothering her and I should give her a few days off and try again.


After all that galloping (soreness?), her bad mood (mareness?), and it being so hot today (winter coat + work = no energy?), I was willing to give her the benefit of a doubt.


Than I found the damning thing! She had a cut on the inside of her hind leg. Fresh; possibly from that morning. I touched it. She pulled her leg away.

That explains a lot. She wasn't lame, but that cut combined with all those other factors might explain our bad day.


Now she's been given three to five days off. Just for her troubles.


We're going to an ACTHA ride near Atlanta on Saturday. I want her to feel good for that.


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## Brighteyes

*2/12*


Baby Girl and I did great at the ACTHA ride. We had a lot of fun with Megan, who was riding Spirit. The trails were rocky. I thought I was going to be alright, but Baby Girl has softer feet than I thought. She got a hell of a chip out of her front right foot and walked on eggshells on the rough parts. Note to self: front shoes.

We dressed up for the Valentine's themed costume contest, but didn't win. We can't win a thing at these rides! Our scores were almost perfect (well, I was pleased...), but we didn't even make top six. Oh wells.

Here's miss priss about ready to load up on the trailer for a short two hour trip north to Atlanta!






















Costume'd!




















The little bay pony back there is Gizmo, and his rider with my little ginger friend who hangs out at the barn with me sometimes! Little ginger had a nice time at the ride with her (shamefully disobedient) pony!











It was so COLD. Dear lord! I never shiver. Ever. But here is photographic proof of my being miserable and shaking like a leaf in the cold. (The wind was blowing hard, as you can tell by my messer-then-normal hair.)











Here are my actual scores. I regret nothing!


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## Brighteyes

[Personal blog/]

And since this can double as a personal journal, I may add:

Well... The boss and I had a pretty big fight near the end there. She left her horse's halter and lead rope tied to the trailer. I tied my horse to said trailer. A terrifying plastic bag floated by. Baby Girl freak out. She spun around and got her hind foot caught in Amber's hanging halter. Baby Girl kicked and struggled. Megan and I couldn't go around her to release the halter without getting hurt outselves. The halter eventually broke. 


"Is her leg broken?" Megan asked. Mercy... I thought it might be. She held it up awkwardly for a second. I came to terms with my horse's mortality at that moment, which is a terrifying thing.


Thank God, all she got was a rope burn. She was more scared than anything. 


The boss approched me while I was still shook up about my baby almost hurting herself and demanded I buy her a new halter, it was all my fault, I wasn't in proper control of my horse, it wasn't her fault at all for leaving her halter in a position where it could hurt other horses, etc. Imagine if I had left MY halter there and HER horse had gotten caught. She would have flipped her f-ing lid. And here I am: not mad when I could be, still scared about my horse, being a lot nicer than she would be if the roles were reversed._ I wasn't making a big deal, or any kind of deal, about it. The drama was all her._


When I disagreed with her as respectfully as possible, she snapped. It was no longer about a halter (I offered to pay for the halter anyway, but still told her I didn't think it was my fault). I hate to say it, but to me it seemed like it was all about being the queen ***** to her. She felt like I was challenging her authority. I wasn't meaning to. I didn't mean anything other than what I said. I didn't want to pay 30 bucks for a halter when she left it in a location where it could have and did get broken. (And hurt my horse. She didn't even ask about my horse. If Baby Girl had broken her f-ing leg, but women probably wouldn't have given half a ****.) That's all. No shading of meaning or trying to dominate her or anything like that.


Oh well... We all have our "personality defects," me foremost. I can't change the people around me; just myself. I regret nothing I said or did. Hopefully she won't hate me for life, because I certainly don't hate her. I love her and am very greatful for everything she does for me. I'm not the least bit angry. I just don't like being bullied for attempting to solve a problem by agreeing to disagree. Just because she is my boss and has authority over me doesn't mean she can treat me like a door mat. I'm perfectly content to submit under fair circumstances.

[/Personal]


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## Brighteyes

*2/16*

*Entry eleven*


The sky was threatening rain today, but I took my chances. I haven't gotten to ride near enough. I got on bareback and played indian on the trails for about two hours. Baby Girl was my "war pony." I rode in a halter, because it made me feel more indian than a bit and bridle. XD

We galloped up hills, jumped logs, and trotted around while I threw my hands in the air and made "battle calls." :lol: I got off at the creek and made "camp". I tied Baby Girl to a tree and built sand castles in the mud. I smeared mud all over her like war paint. It was too much fun! I amaze myself with how well I entertain after school.


After the fun was over, we still had too much energy. We worked in the arena for a few minutes before I got off and did some desensitizing.

I seriously need to invest more time in desensitizing that mare. She was scared to DEATH of a pool noodle. Really, horse?

Me coming towards her with the noodle didn't help, so practicing throwing in down and sending her over it. Her approching it vs. it approching her seemed to help. One day to two days a week are now going to be devoted to scary stuff. Because this is just silly. Scared of a pool noodle... Mercy...


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## Brighteyes

2/18

Entry 12


I went riding at Mingo Trails today! Mingo is a really awesome place. We've moved the NATRC ride there. If you're within driving distance, you better come to our NATRC ride in May. Seriously. You can ride with me and Baby Girl! It'll be epic.


Anyways, we GSP'ed the trails and got mileage. We rode a total of 15 miles in about six hours. A little slower than NATRC pace, but good conditioning. We got in a little moving out. 50% gait; the rest walk or canter. Baby Girl was very good and stayed quiet, even though we were riding with a horse she didn't know. She didn't try to kick or be ****y, as she is famous for.

My little mare learned to cross mud like an Open horse! Previously, she didn't know how to walk through it. She would go in, but scrambled once she felt herself sinking. After going through mud for miles, she learned to be calm and place her feet. I also learned to trust my horse and give her her head. Mud makes ME nervous, because of Baby Girl's scrambling. I would ball up and keep contact on the reins for security. I've FORCED myself to quit doing that so my horse can do her job and pick through the mud.


She gained a lot of confidence and even went first through some places the other horses wouldn't brave!


I also waded across a waist-high river with her following beside. The Mingo people thought I was crazy, but I had to check footing! I wouldn't want some horse's new found mud confidence to be ruined. I spent several hours after that wet and freezing.


Baby Girl got a little hot, even though the weather was even a bit cool. She has a lot of hair and is shedding like crazy. Spanish Trail is three weeks away and HOT. I'm going to spend a lot of time with a shedding blade...


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## GoWithTheFlow

I'm so coming to Mingo ! I've been there before .It was a blast!

I get neverous at mudd crossing too . I was doing the same thing too. And friday I also learned to give my horse her head too .


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## Brighteyes

You can totally hang with me all weekend. I have enough space on the highline and a two horse trailer I'm going to convert into my club house. We'll be the coolest people in camp. Party all day! :lol:


You bring Dreamer? She been doing well?


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## Stephie

I just read your journal entries and I really liked them so far! You seem like you have so much FUN with your horse... which, sadly, don't see too many people doing now-a-days. Good on you!


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## Brighteyes

Yep! I try to have days when there isn't any pressure. Just have fun and not ask for much. I don't want to be so serious all the time! At heart, I'm a ten-year-old kid with a pony who just likes to ride.


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## GoWithTheFlow

Okay ,I'll see what I can do . 

She's been doing pretty good . She still protests the first 10 mins. of every ride ,but thats a mare for ya .:lol: 

She is the best trail horse I've ever had . Last time I took her to Mingo ,she rocked only problems were a little jigging and just hardly had no patience (sp?) at first . She didn't jump the creek crossings , ditches/ruts ,or hight roots(they came right above her knees) ! :wink: She kinda scrambled at little in the mudd crossings ,but that was because I didn't give her ,her head .


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## bellagris

Brighteyes said:


> *1/25, entry six*
> 
> 
> 
> Today, we free jumped. Busy as I am, I didn't have time for a proper ride, but my horse really needed to break a sweat sometime this week. I set up a tiny grip in the round pen and free lunged. The grid was two round poles spaced for cantering and then an 18 inch vertical. Baby Girl is canter challenged. Grid work in the past has helped her canter considerably.
> 
> She was gorgeous over that grid! Her jump and canter immediately before and after the grid was smooth and easy. She found her feet and didn't miss a beat.


I did this yesterday haha, all the jumpers were free jumping their horses so I decided to see what Sable had in her lol. Although she wasn't free jumping 4 feet like some of them I was very proud, she didn't balk and by her 4th run she had cantered over a 4 jump grid with jumps at 2 feet. We started with poles on the ground, then set up one verticle, then set up one more after another run and then set the one that just goes straight across (I'm not a jumper, don't know the name haha) anyways one girl took some video so if she can load it I'll post a fellow TWH taking some jumps!!)

Anyways she show boated and had a real good time, was rather hot to ride after that, but tons of fun!


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## Brighteyes

GoWithTheFlow said:


> Okay ,I'll see what I can do .
> 
> She's been doing pretty good . She still protests the first 10 mins. of every ride ,but thats a mare for ya .:lol:
> 
> She is the best trail horse I've ever had . Last time I took her to Mingo ,she rocked only problems were a little jigging and just hardly had no patience (sp?) at first . She didn't jump the creek crossings , ditches/ruts ,or hight roots(they came right above her knees) ! :wink: She kinda scrambled at little in the mudd crossings ,but that was because I didn't give her ,her head .


 
My mare can be a little annoying for the first few minutes to. It just gets better. I'm glad she's doing well for you! Mingo has some fun stuff. The yellow and purple trails are so pretty. All their one track is nice.

The only thing Baby Girl really hated out there was the "rollar coster" hills. She had to walk them uber slow so she wouldn't rush up and down. 



kstinson said:


> I did this yesterday haha, all the jumpers were free jumping their horses so I decided to see what Sable had in her lol. Although she wasn't free jumping 4 feet like some of them I was very proud, she didn't balk and by her 4th run she had cantered over a 4 jump grid with jumps at 2 feet. We started with poles on the ground, then set up one verticle, then set up one more after another run and then set the one that just goes straight across (I'm not a jumper, don't know the name haha) anyways one girl took some video so if she can load it I'll post a fellow TWH taking some jumps!!)
> 
> Anyways she show boated and had a real good time, was rather hot to ride after that, but tons of fun!


 
Two feet! Baby Girl and I are still freaked by stuff that high. :lol: She doesn't even like it free jumping!

Defineately upload that video! I wanna see some gaited jumping. I'm glad Sable isn't as awkward as Baby Girl was starting out! :lol:


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## GoWithTheFlow

Dreamer didn't like them either ,she keep on trying to rush up them at first .


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## bellagris

Alright Brighteyes...behold...the TWH jumper hahaha

I swear she did make this run without knocking anything down. But this is the only one video the girl with the camera took. Sable was feeling rather dejected after we finished, poor girl went and stood in the corner until I came and gave her some scratches and a cookie for being good. A horse after my own heart, treats fix everything...she happily plodded along behind me and left the arena post crunchie.

Sable's (TWH) 1st time jumping - YouTube


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## Brighteyes

Ha ha, she's got springs in her shoes! :lol: She's not bad at all! Now you have to do that grid on her back. Make a jumper out of her yet!


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## Brighteyes

2/18


I went to the NATRC year old awards in Greenville, South Carolina last weekend. Baby Girl and I did GREAT. We got highpoint horse, highpoint rider, highpoint team, and the beautiful Shannon Memorial Award, which is given to a "worthy junior rider who displays excellent character and horsemanship" every couple of years. HONORS!

We finished out last year beautifully, and I hope we do even better this year. 

Speaking of this year, I'm moving up a division. I'm going to ride a little Open level and see how it goes. Baby Girl and I love speed and do well over distances, so hopefully this is the place for us. Novice is getting too easy. We consistantly excel at the Novice level, so it's time to humble ourselves again! :lol:


Here's some pictures from awards:


Me and my lovely, horse-disliking sister.











Me and the Shannon Memorial. HONORED.











I got a trophy, Baby Girl got a very nice blanket.












Cute, sleepy horse.












And here's EVERYTHING we won last year. 













And me and Baby Girl.


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## Brighteyes

Also, here's what my show days are looking like for the next few months:


*ACTHA* ride on the 7th of April in Millegville IF trailing works out. I don't even like ACTHA, but I love getting off the farm. My little ginger child and her pony are going and invited me so kindly. 


*Spanish Trail* on the 17th! YAY _NATRC_! Two day novice, so make sure we haven't regressed over the winter. Should go well. I'm not a bit nervous.


*NATRC Clinic* on the 30th. Not sure if I'm bring Baby Girl, but I hope I can. I love playing around at clinics. YOU, anyone-close-to-Georgia, should come.


All the way in May, the *Benefit Ride! *I finally get to ride Open. This is going to be a party. YOU, anyone-close-to-Georgia, should come.



I really need more stuff to do! Between the clinic and the Benefit, I'm going to be so bored.


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## bellagris

Very cool! Babygirl has come a long ways since you were trying to decide if she was the best fit as a horse for you, good work, she has such a kind eye! I am hoping to get Sable and I into our first CT this year, I'm building a house/planning a wedding and showing Sable in the TWH shows so not sure how much time I will have to train for it -but it's in the plans! If not, I may loan her to another gaited rider at the barn who wants to go as it would be awesome experience for Sable. 

and thanks, she does have some springs, last year when she was a baby my BO brought her into the barn to help calm another horse down (this was a failed attempt lol) I guess someone ran an air compressor on the other side of the door at the end of the arena and she spooked, and jumped a 3 ft jjump with her blanket on! Not ideal, but impressive nonetheless lol


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## Brighteyes

Thank you! I'm very certain now she's the horse for me now. She's just so perfect, personality wise. We just work together, and she takes such good care of me. 


It would be really good for Sable! Being around all those other horses with no close friends and having to watch them all come and go really seems to help a horse out. They paw and scream for a while and then decide they don't care. Helps them get more independent, having to be by themselves all weekend in that environment.

Sable makes me want to go and jump my horse... It's been raining for five straight days! Hopefully tomarrow. I'll catch some video.


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## bellagris

For sure, the shows I go to are great for her, being in classes alone etc. But there is something entirely different about outside. She's a steady girl, although she is a lot of horse (very smart and bossy and a total gas lol) so she should prove excellent as a trail mount alone or in groups. Eventually  Right now she has minimal alone trail riding, something I plan to work on this summer a lot more now that she is broke. 

I can see very much that Babygirl and you mesh, your pictures, videos etc she is always very happy looking and so are you. That's the way it should be  Bad days happen, but even those are still fun with the right horse. Be sure to post those videos when you jump!


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## Brighteyes

3/4


Jumped a little bit! Baby cross rails. 





 


She was really good. She was a little strong for the first few minutes, but quieted down afterwards. I'm not going to jump her for another four weeks, because I'm afraid she'll start to get sour. I'm glad she's figured out how to canter away! We went on a trail afterwards, for which she was good and quiet.


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## bellagris

Looking good! I thinkyou are probably right that switching it up to keep her from going sour is a good thing, smart horses get bored and with boredom comes bad attitude. 

I rode sable yesterday and everytime I go past the jumps along the rail where she did the grid she gears up to go and eyes them up like she is going to do a grid. Smart girl. lol 

Love that you can ride outside so much, we're expecting half a foot of snow today...blahh


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## Brighteyes

We might get to go to a cattle work clinic this weekend (pray we get a spot and a ride!) That'll be something totally new! Pony gets bored so easily. I can't do anything more than two days in a row. I'm not sure what I'm going to do next ride... I need ideas! We're doing Spanish Trail next weekend, so I'm not doing any more trail riding until then. (Somehow she just trail rides better after we haven't done it for a while...)


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## Brighteyes

3/8


My ride to the cattle clinic didn't fall through. :-( 'Tis a shame... I really wanted to go. However, I met a lady who was going on a day trip to a Parelli play day about an hour north of here. I'm not a follower of comercial NH, but I love trips, meeting people, playing with my horse, and learning new things. She invited me and Megan. She has a three horse trailer and would take Baby Girl. Megan might not bring a horse, so we'll share Baby Girl if need be. Yay for things to do on the weekend!


It was a warm day today. The fire breaks had just been harrowed and the woods burned. It seemed like a lovely day for some canter sprints... I didn't want to trail ride for a while, but canter sprints are just too fun.


They're great cardio! You canter for five minutes, gallop full out for one, and then drop back to a canter for five more minutes. In between, you walk or slow gait. Baby Girl worked up a heck of a sweat.


The best part was galloping the fire breaks. They have a lot of turns. Baby Girl can do excellent flying changes! I feel very in-tune with my horse when we gallop like that. You gallop as fast as reasonably possible on the straight aways, sit back and slow down for hills, sprint up the hill on the other side, bring her back and lighten up for the lead change around the turns... It's effortless and instinctive. You feel so connected; it's like reading each other's mind!

I got a little low quality video of us opening up in a field. This wasn't fast as possible (about 80%), but it still felt like flying.


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## Brighteyes

3/9


Today was a nice day, and I feel like telling you about it. Megan was teaching a little girl named Sierra, who is made of love and sunshine. I love that kid. She wanted me to join in her lesson. I got Baby Girl, bareback and in a halter. Sierra and I had a competition; who could hold two point the longest. I was bareback, so she won. :lol:


Afterwards, Allison (ten-year-old with great horse sense) came to ride her lease pony. Baby Girl got a bath. Afterwards, we hand grazed our horses and did gymnastics (I had the best cart wheel!) in the front field until it was near dark. I love days when I just relax and play. I don't have near enough fun with other people.


Parelli play day tomarrow! Baby Girl is in the pasture wearing her pretty Shannon Memorial turnout sheet to keep clean. Forbid she tear it!


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## Brighteyes

3/10


Wow, I loved the play day! 


We had a very productive day. I learned some new tricks, like sidepassing in hand smoothly. The lady who brought me, Mrs. Amy, is very good with ground work and gave me a lot of tips. I'm going to devote more time to groundwork from now on. It helps engage their brains and can translate to improved under saddle work. 

Also, how do I learn to do off line work? Liberty seems fun. My horse doesn't have the desire to be with me like some of the horses I saw today. I really must look into this... 


Baby Girl and I also had 50 first dates with a lot of scary stuff. There was a scary pond I forced her in to. The water was muddy and deep and prime location for water roaches, appearently. (Also, roaches is now the code word for scary things. The instructor said, "Imagine the scariest thing in the world..." "ROACHES.")


She was terrified of a blue tarp (we worked hard and are 90% not afraid now!) and a road marker (which we are now 99.9% not scared of.) 


The biggest thing today was keeping her _quiet_. I rode bareback so I wouldn't be tempted to do anything wild. :lol: We walked and gaited slowly. We didn't buddy up; we drifted between horses. Sometimes, we went off right by ourselves. On a group trail ride, I made her stand while other horses moved on. When she wouldn't stand, the instuctor told me to move her feet left, right, and sideways. She had a nervous habit of playing with her bit. I can tell if she fired up if she does that. After "getting her thinking" with some lateral movements, she stood quietly and didn't chomp. I'm glad I've found a trick to make her relax.



I think I might ride Spanish Trail alone next week. I really want her to be more independent. I'm certainly not riding with a known buddy of hers (E.G Amber). She is going to be moving to Open and won't be seeing Amber again anyway. Time to grow up.


I'm going to ride her at Mingo tomorrow. Allison and Gizmo are coming along. Mrs Amy may come and bring her lovely horse Thunder. After that, no more riding until Spanish Trail. Breaks are good.


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## Brighteyes

3/11


Riding at Mingo was lovely today. Baby Girl was so good and quiet. She gaited slowly even when the other horses trotted out far ahead. She was light on the bit and a perfect lady 95% of the time. Towards the end of the ride, she started not responding to my leg cues. She was tired and found that my weak ankles can't produce much of a nudge. I'm going to wear spurs this weekend at Spanish Trail. I'll probably use them very little, but they will certainly come in handy if I need them.


Speaking of Spanish Trail, Baby Girl is getting her pre-ride week off. She won't be ridden until Friday when we're in Florida. She'll get some chill time and I'll be able to do extra school work I'll be missing.


I can't wait!


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## Stephie

I still love reading your posts! You seem like you do such fun trail activities with your horse, it inspires me to try to be more active with Eli. ^.^
Where in Florida are you coming to?


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## Brighteyes

Welcome to Florida State Parks

Black Water State Park in Milton! It's right under Alabama. Great camp, okay trails (sandy, lotsa pine trees, flat -- a lot like home), hot as hell. :wink: 


I'm going to right up an actual entry soon, but I'll go ahead and say we got double blues in the biggest class we've ever been in! I thought we were screwed... We jumped the trot poles, right one thing. :lol: Had problems with hydration (95 degrees and 90% humidity) and gut sounds (like always!). Buuuttt... Appearently, everyone else in my class sucked just a little more! Not sure how. We were competing against finished NATRC horses and endurance horses. Epic win.


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## Brighteyes

3/20


So... Let me tell you about Spanish Trail. 


We had to leave early, therefore I don't have my cards, so I can't share photo copies. But we did exactly three obstacles perfectly: a turn on the forehand and back, a turn on the forehand and back in hand, and a simple sidepass over a log. Otherwise, we were blowing crap left and right. :lol:

First thing we didn't do great on was a three part obstacle. There was this HUGE gully. You went down hill into it, stepped carefully over a log, and climbed up the steep other side. Baby Girl was fine going down the gully, fine stepping over the log, and scrambled/rushed up the gully on the other side. Meh.


Second thing we failed was a simple mount. Yeah. Why is standing still so hard for her? She is so anxious all the time. (More on that later...)

Third thing we blew was a MAJOR epic fail. Horses went one at a time around a bend in the trail at a trot. We were told to trot until told otherwise. Around that bend were four logs set up like trot poles. They were a couple inches off the ground... Just little pine limbs. Baby Girl bounced it. She jumped the first two, landed, and then jumped the second two. It was so terrible I laughed. I can't WAIT to see what my score cards say about THAT.


Fourth thing was a simple trot. The judge asked us to trot away from her in a straight line. Baby Girl was being lazy, so a simple squeeze didn't work. I nudged her with my spurs and she did a beautiful canter depart. Got the lead and everything. Too bad I wasn't asking for that. 

Baby Girl's conditioning held up pretty well. She had major problems with gut sounds, despite us eating constantly on the trail. It's her anxiety. She's so worked up constantly she knocks her whole system out of wack. Next weekend (more on that), we're going to try beet pulp. It's not treating the cause, but it might help keep things moving.

It was hot as hell, so she lost hydration points here and there. Her cap refill wasn't great sometimes, because of heat and lack of water. We didn't have any soundness issues; no lameness or soreness.


So... This weekend Baby Girl is going to be ridden Open at Uwharrie.  Courtney, the Boss's daughter, had her horse tweak a muscle. She needed someone to ride on Open so she could go with me and Coco (more on that). Baby Girl was the only horse that had a chance. Plus, she offered to pay her entry fees and pay for Baby Girl's back shoes. It was just too good a deal. Courtney is an experienced Open rider who will take care of Baby Girl and see if she is actual Open material. Fingers crossed they do well. I'm nervous about giving my child over to someone else.


And Coco... Coco is an experienced Open horse (President's Cup Champ!) that I'm riding for the owner. The owner is chairing the ride and can't compete. The horse needs points. 

About that anxiety... That's what I've decided all of Baby Girl's problems stem from. The more I ride her, the more I think her pacey gaits have more to do with what's between her ears than what's going on with her legs. 

She had stress knots on her neck. Two, one of either side of her neck. They're about three inches and circular. That's from being tense and anxious during riding. 

Her not standing still for mounting... Anxious. She was standing there and literally _shaking _because she wanted to stand still so badly just she _just couldn't. _She wanted to please so badly, but the situation was just too much. She was always tense, but it's gotten so bad recently. 

Her gut sounds and her not drinking water on the trail (and all the issues stemming from that)... Anxiety. She just can't relax.

And I don't know what to do! Courtney's horse had the same exact problems... I'm hoping she can help me. If we could get past this issue, Baby Girl would be so much more happy. She would like her job. I feel bad for her... I don't like that she isn't comfortable on NATRC rides.


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## Brighteyes

Also, for all you NATRC-ers (and future NATRC-ers): here's some videos of vet ins. Narrations by Courtney.


First is a proper, good vet in:






 

And here's me and Baby Girl demonstrating an incorrect vet in! Failing that bad was HARD, by the way. We usually have perfect vet ins. It was fun to do. :lol: Baby Girl was like, "Are you retarded?"


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## Brighteyes

3/21

Packed up the trailer! I'm heading to Uwharrie tomorrow!

I've never been nervous about an NATRC ride. I've never lost sleep. But I'm _nervous_ about this one. I want Baby Girl to complete the ride sound and safe. I want her to be Open horse material... Because I'm not sure what we'll do if she isn't. Not every horse can do Open. Great novice horses sometimes just aren't cut out for it. It's a big step up.

Somebody say something encouraging! I need some love... It's like sending your kid to school for the first time. I'm giving Baby Girl over to the care of another rider -- whom I have complete faith in... But that doesn't make the worry any better.


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## Brighteyes

3/26


Proper post tomorrow! But Baby Girl did GREAT in Open! She loves it! Got a 97. We have to work on some serious standing still issues though... More on it later!


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## Brighteyes

3/27


I love Open. 


Baby Girl is so happy there. She likes to be able to move out at her speed without being held back all the time. She can into her 10 mph trot and go for long periods like that. In Novice, she gets to trot like that a couple times per ride. In Open, she can move out where ever it makes sense. We walk where we have to, slow gait where we can't trot, trot when the trails are good, and canter when we can. Baby Girl enjoys that pace. 

She loves that she can move out right after we leave camp. It helps her release all her morning jitters. Forcing her to walk while she's fresh stresses her out a great deal. She'll walk when I tell her to, but she's tense and unhappy. I want her to be happy and comfortable. She is both in Open. 

She is generally less anxious if she is allowed to move out. Her gut sounds were improved due to her being less emotionally stressed in Open than in Novice. She drank more water, didn't go off her feed, behaved better, and was just more pleasant to ride.


But that doesn't mean her first Open ride was perfect. Courtney rode her with me, as I was riding Coco. Courtney said I had actually done a pretty decent job with her. She was soft, flexed well, worked well off leg cues, responded precisely to the bit, and was willing. However... She doesn't know how to stand still.  She blew every one of her mounts (we did about six) and was all over the place during vet in (which she doesn't do with me, but hey... A training hole is a training hole), and was a mess waiting for obstacles. 

Standing effects _everything_. I could get away with it in Novice because she was such a **** good Novice horse in other areas. But in Open, something's going to have to give. I remember "fixing" her standing issue when I first got her, but she's going to need a serious refresher. 

Courtney said her biggest plus was her fitness. She's athletic and in great shape. Her P&Rs were better than President's Cup champ Coco. She's well built and sound. Nothing is stopping her that I can't fix.


Oh, and Coco and I did great. Coco is a champ. She taught me the Open horse way. She didn't mess up anything I didn't mess her up on. :lol: She was a one women horse, but she tolerated me. And I'm a one horse women, so I tolerated (and appreciated) her. I've decided, however, I'm done with other people's horses. I like my own. Though Coco was a great ride, I still wished I was on my Baby Girl.


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## GoWithTheFlow

In case you haven't found pics . 

NATRC-Uwharrie-SAT-2012 - BeckyPearman's Photos


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## Brighteyes

Yay! Pictures! I'm glad you had the link!


Here's some links for all the readers:


Courtney and Baby Girl:

NATRC-Uwharrie-SAT-2012 - BeckyPearman's Photos

NATRC-Uwharrie-SAT-2012 - BeckyPearman's Photos


Me and Coco:


NATRC-Uwharrie-SAT-2012 - BeckyPearman's Photos


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## GoWithTheFlow

No problem ! NATRC posted it to Facebook . lol


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## Brighteyes

I always miss things on facebook. I swear my little notification thingy is messed up...


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## BooBear

xD It's 2:40 AM and I just read through this entire thread. Definitely subbing.


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! Glad you liked it!


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## Brighteyes

4/5


I've only really worked my horse twice we got back from Uwharrie. But that's okay, because both times we actually accomplished something! I would rather have two good work days than several okay work days.


Our first good day I really got around to two things I never wanted to start fights over: standing still and sidepassing _well_.

We went alone on the trails. Trotted, cantered, did our thing. After she was brimming with energy after a good canter, I asked her to stand perfectly still. The fight was fairly mild. Instead of nagging her or backing her up, I would just spin her in a tight circle (a one rein stop-ish thing) until she stood still. When she stood, I let her have her head back.

We did this a_ lot. _The real fights started when we were within a mile or two of the barn. She really wanted to get home. I made her stand several times. 

With me and Baby Girl, if you don't cause a fight, you haven't set the limits. I wanted her to get ****ed, so she would know that whatever she did or however much she wanted to, I wasn't letting her move. She tested this new rule and found there were no loopholes. We're on our way.

We always work for 15 good minutes once we're back at the barn (prevents barn sourness!), so I decided to tackle another annoying problem. Baby Girl hates sidepassing to the right. She doesn't like the left much either, actually. 

I made her open a gate. Another thing she hates. We did it one step at a time. Every time she got mad and starting backing up and not listening, I patiently kept cueing until she listened, gave her a second to think about it, and started over. Slowly and with frequent breaks, she opened that gate. She sidepassed both ways with light cues and no fight. We ended on that.


Today, we did 15 minutes of good ground work. She did some beautiful lunging and direction changes (I felt at natural horsemanship-y). She sidepassed down a fence in hand and over a pole. I know it wasn't much, but it's confidence building. If a horse can spend a day doing something well and pleasing its owner, that horse thinks much more positively of work. It's good to praise the hell of a horse for doing something simple once in a while, to keep them happy about working.

Also, boring journal needs pictures. Tomarrow, I'll take some. Boring journal needs color.


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## Brighteyes

4/8


ACTHA ride yesterday.

Baby Girl was so frickin good. 


She was quiet 90% of the time (which is extremely impressively for her). She got a little chargey mid way through when everyone got clumped up at an obstacle, but guess what? That standing thing. Fixed it. 

She stands like a champ, no matter what is going on around her. Horses in front of her cantering off? Stands. Waiting for an obstacle? Stands perfectly. Even in her most higher, chargey state -- even when I can't get her to _walk_ -- she will stop dead and not move when asked to stand. 


I thought this issue would be a lot harder to cure. All it took was immediate, consistant one-rein stops whenever she tried to move accompanied by my serious business tone -- "_STAND."_

To re-enforce the cue while she is still, I made sure the reins were completely loose and pinched her wither between my thumb and index finger. Why? Because it works for some reason. :shock: Especially when mounting. Put pressure on her wither and she doesn't even try to move.

(Speaking of mounting, she also did that perfectly.)


Once they post the scores on the ACTHA website, I'll tell you about all the obstacles. We didn't blow a single one!


And guess what? Miracle of miracles, we got third place out of 12. In the Open division. :lol: LOLwhut? I was surprised! The lady who put on the ride was like, "Aren't you 16? You could be in Junior Novice, ya know." She was surprised when I did so well too.


PICTURE TIME.












Me and Ginger (who is a sweetie) and her pony (who is trouble):










Me and Ginger during lunch:










Hitting Ginger with a dressage whip:











Letting Baby Girl graze after the ride:


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## Brighteyes

A couple from my cell phone:


I braided her tail and put a cute little flower in it.











Strike a pose.












Our ribbon. I've never been so happy to get a third.


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## Brighteyes

4/9


Official ACTHA scores:











The labryinith was a tight maze of tires. The wild life box was a kiddie pool and a much of scary plastic animals set in the center of a tiny circle. I had to trot straight into that box and around those scary critters without even looking at it prior. Kind of tough.

All in all, happy with these scores. I especially liked my trot weave. It was beautiful.





In other news, I've decided to minimize the trails for the next few weeks. I've said that before, but I'm serious that time. I want trails to be FUN. Currently, they are work. I will only trail ride once a week, as a treat. 

I will concentrate on arena work until the Benefit. Dressage and obstacles. My goal is going to be having her stretch of back and neck in gait and _slow down that frickin canter. _I've been shying away from extensive canter work due to her age, but she's strong enough now that I think she has a fair chance at success. I'm going to basically re-teach cantering, starting with trasitions in the round pen.


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## Brighteyes

4/11


I kept my word! We did transitions today. And we weren't _that_ bad.


We worked in the round pen, so I wouldn't have to worry about steering and could put her on a loose rein at will. 


We started with some gaiting. D ring snaffle. To get her attention, I practiced having her yield her jaw and lower her head. She gets how to lower it, but she hasn't figured out how to hold it there for more then 5 seconds at a time. Which is fine. She's building the muscle to hold it for longer slowly. Also, I don't want to push the issue and make it a negative thing for her.


After we got a good, relaxed gait, I asked for the canter. We would canter a lap or four (kept it mixed up) and then try to return neatly to the gait. The transitions to and from the canter weren't as snappy as I would have liked. It took several strides to achieve a change in gait. But it'll get better.


Walk-gait-walk-gait-canter-gait-canter-gait-walk... Until it was better then when we started.


Her canter is still too fast. By the end, she was trying to figure out how to slow herself down. I'm hoping it will come.


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## bellagris

I have some thoughts, I'll post tomorrow when I'm not on my cell phone, but my coach just got back from tennessee barns and learned some really great tips that work with the horses natural movement to accentuate it and I can't believe how quickly it worked with Sable! She is gaiting so much better and way more fluid. 

AS far as cantering, if you can get her to pick the canter up from a walk and go back to a flat walk that helps them stay slow, also if she gets going too fast -stop her and back her up. If you're in a bigger arena and she starts going fast cut a circle and slow her that way before going large again. Another thing is that the trainers my coach was with said they lunge each horse 15 mins before every training session. 7.5 one way 7.5 the other with a 1 minute warm up on either side. They gradually make their circle smaller as it slows them down and teaches them to be slower.



Brighteyes said:


> 4/11
> 
> 
> I kept my word! We did transitions today. And we weren't _that_ bad.
> 
> 
> We worked in the round pen, so I wouldn't have to worry about steering and could put her on a loose rein at will.
> 
> 
> We started with some gaiting. D ring snaffle. To get her attention, I practiced having her yield her jaw and lower her head. She gets how to lower it, but she hasn't figured out how to hold it there for more then 5 seconds at a time. Which is fine. She's building the muscle to hold it for longer slowly. Also, I don't want to push the issue and make it a negative thing for her.
> 
> 
> After we got a good, relaxed gait, I asked for the canter. We would canter a lap or four (kept it mixed up) and then try to return neatly to the gait. The transitions to and from the canter weren't as snappy as I would have liked. It took several strides to achieve a change in gait. But it'll get better.
> 
> 
> Walk-gait-walk-gait-canter-gait-canter-gait-walk... Until it was better then when we started.
> 
> 
> Her canter is still too fast. By the end, she was trying to figure out how to slow herself down. I'm hoping it will come.


_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

Oooh! Can't wait to hear! 



I'll try walk-canter-walk next session. I'm not sure how successful she would be. I'd almost rather have a nice strike off from a gait versus running her into a canter from a walk. She did decently from a gait; took her around five steps to transition from the moment I asked. I wonder if she would even go walk to canter at this point without drama and having to be run into it. I'm trying to make cantering into a calmer experience (which is where I went wrong for a while; I used that gait only to race around), and having a dramatic transition would heat her up quick.

Definately going to reduce circle size next ride and see where that gets me. Good idea.

Also... Form or speed first? I'm allowing her to go as slowly as she can without her canter getting lateral. If I allowed the form to slip a little, I could reduce speed and maybe get form back in time. Or I could continue to play the scales at a higher speed and slowly reduce it without sacrificing form.


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## bellagris

okay, this might end up being a 2 part message -busy at work today  if my thoughts are a bit all over the place sorry -I was unloading a couple new horses at midnight last night and up for work at 6:00am today...sleeeepy

Anyways, running a horse into a canter actually tends to make them go faster -mind set so to speak. With Sable when I first taught her the canter I had to run her into it and just let her go until she got the rhythm...but as soon as she was able to run into the canter and hold it for any length of time she was ready to do it from a walk. For show walkers must go into the canter from a flat walk -or near stop and typically their canter at its most desirable is as slow or slower than their runwalk, so going into it from a walk tends to make them go into the canter calmer and slower. Sable is an anticipator, we get to the corners (where it is easiest to pick up her leads) and she puts that head up and tries to run walk, I slow her down until she is dog walking and think maybe I wont be asking, and then I ask and she picks it up calmly. 

What I did with Sable was Dog Walk -cue for canter, circles to keep her slow, then after she held it for a couple of circles going a slower speed I transitioned to a flat walk. Praise praise praise! You can practice this on the lunge line to help her understand, but Baby Girl should be able to do it. The better she gets at it the larger you can go, I find that bringing them down from the canter while they are doing exactly what you are asking is effective as they always see slowing down as a reward and if the reward was given for that form of movement they are more likely to repeat it again next time. 

If Sable gets going too fast, I cut a circle, slow her down regroup and start over again. If you ask for the canter and she starts to run into it -slow her down to a flat walk and start over. I did that with Sable and in one riding session we went from running into it to ending on her finally picking it up from a walk. I chose to end it there so she would remember it, and she did it properly the next ride. Also if she goes really fast I stop and back her up 5 steps. 

As for form or speed first, here is how I work it. You want your horse to learn that nice rocking canter, sometimes then need speed to get their stride properly -so if you want that you need to let them go a bit. That is where the circles come in -they help to slow the horse down in their form once they get it while still holding the stride. Hope this makes sense some -it's a balance! Circles for Sable who is more lateral actually serve to help her get under herself better and rock more as Baby Girl is more lateral I think you will find they help her out too.


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## bellagris

just to elaborate, if I were you I would try circles first to slow her down -just go smaller and smaller until she slows down and holds it, then gradually make the circle bigger, if she starts speeding -make your circle smaller. 

The reason I would try this first is because if you're going slowly without form and more or less flat you are training her to move flat (this can be changed and altered with work but if circles have the same effect while causing her to get under herself and enhance her stride rather than go flat -you're ahead of the game)

I also think that the lunging that those trainers do for 15 minutes prior to training would have a great affect at slowing her down as she learns to go slowly in a smaller lunge and also is a bit tired when you ride her so will ten to be a bit slower. Might be worth a shot anyways


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## Brighteyes

Thank you! Great advice!


Tried it today. We lunged our 15 minutes walk/trot/canter both ways. She was pretty calm when I got on her. She stayed incredibly calm through the whole workout, actually.


We tried walk to canter. Not as bad as I thought it would be. She didn't quite run into it, but it took a couple steps. Her strike off was rough and fast, but it got better the more we did it.


Her right left lead canter was alright. Still fast, but she's carrying herself better. We were in the arena, so I could vary circle diameter. She had a tough time holding the canter in the small circles, but it did slow her down. The couple good half circles (she usually manged half a circle before speeding up or breaking) were actually pleasant to ride. She just has to find the rythmn and _stay_ in the canter.


She kept cross cantering on the left lead. Which I'm not sure what to do about exactly. :shock: She wouldn't pick up the back.


The thing she's shown the most improvement in is actually her downward transitions. She can actually go from a canter to stop without diving onto the forehand. My friend rode her so I could see how she looked. She actually sat back and slid half a foot to a stop like a reining horse. :lol:


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## bellagris

That's awesome! It's always helpful to see someone else ride your horse! Sounds like you made great progress, it takes time to get them picking it up from a walk, but if you improved then youre on track for sure! Glad the lunge helped -its nice to know you can get on your horse and ride her without lunging, but it can certainly help their mindframe and suppleness so you can really train. With the circles if she can't hold them too small, I'd just move out a bit and go as small as she can go while holding it. The main idea is to slow her down and get her rhythm rather than break it. 


We have a gelding who crossfires on the back when cantering on one lead and is fine on the other. After much much much work and different method attempts we found that he needs to have his head tipped out especially while going around corners. He would look in and lose his lead. Maybe that will help? It feels a bit odd to do. Does she hold her canter on a long line normally? If she does, watch what she does with her head. It would be really beneficial to canter him on a long line andd have a person standing on the outside so that can see from behind. 

Sounds like a great ride today! Woo hoo!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

She canters perfectly on the lunge. She doesn't bend very much in her neck. She looks sort of stiff and straight through her body. As staight as a horse can be cantering on a circle. 

I might have thrown her off with all the bend I was asking of her. I was leading with my inside rein and mantaining a bend in her neck, thinking maybe she would pick up her leads easier. My outside rein was lose and only used when she started to drift. That's pretty different then I usually ride. I generally have a pound of pressure pressure on the outside and an ounce more on the inside if I'm turning. I don't ask for that degree of flexion in the neck. 

Maybe I was over flexing and causing her to cross canter? She starts cross cantering around the more severe bends (because my circle was kind of egg-ish).


I'm trying to get myself a lesson this weekend. I need eyes on the ground. I honestly have a hard time telling when she's cross cantering. I can feel leads on other horses, but her canter is weird. It's already so short strided, quick, and unbalanced I can't tell if we're doing a terrible but correct lead canter or cross cantering. :lol: She doesn't even _look_ like a normal horse when she canters, nevertheless feel normal.


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## Brighteyes

So, there's this show in June...

AndBabyGirlandIaredoingjumpers. 

Yep. 2"3' jumpers. The smallest jumper class they offer! 

Meg and I went to watch a show on Saturday to scope out the competition. Meg's horse's full sister was doing 3 foot jumpers and I was like, "THAT LOOKS FUN. ME GUSTA." So now I want to be an endurance rider with a little jumper on the side. For lulz.

But not hunters. Hunters are lame.

So today we tried Baby Girl out on a course. She's never done course work; only grids and single jumps. The course Meg set up was pretty difficult. Three verticles and a combination. You had to roll back after every jump. I love roll backs. It gives you the same high as going flying changes down the trail as the path twists. Raw power combined with a graceful control that comes effortlessly. That's why jumping courses is fun. You feel so **** powerful.

Baby Girl likes it. She finds her distances very well. On approch, I just have to stay out of her way. She's learned to see the distance and charge the last five strides to the jump. I was like, "How do you slow this thing down?!"

Meg told me not to. She jumps better if you just stay out of her way. Plus, she isn't very scopey, so whatever makes it easier for her.

We're going to jump once a week until the show. I believe in us. We're heading to a place where few gaiteds have done before. We're a green horse and rider pair -- we've never shown before. But I think we'll do alright.


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## Brighteyes

4/25


Trail rode today! FINALLY, some good conditioning time! It was 50% gait, 25% walk, and 25% canter.

Her gait is looking pretty good recently. She's learning to shift her weight to her back end, which gives us considerable knee action up front. More importantly, now that she is using herself better, the gait is grandually getting less lateral. She's learned to break at the pole and hold her head in a better position to get a more racky rack.

Her canter is getting slower and smoother. She has NO problem picking up her leads on the trail. No cross cantering, unlike in the arena doing circles. Toward the end she got a little annoyed and wanted to gallop.

She's gotten really good about parking out and standing perfectly for me to mount. I got off twice on the trails to test this out. Both times were good. She's gotten away from standing perfectly still when I just stop her randomly on the trail though. She had to be reminded that the rule still stands.


The best part was her walking back like a quiet little lady. No jigging at all.


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## Brighteyes

4/27


Lunged today and took our first steps hobbled.


Her lunging was pretty meh. Sometimes it happens. She was lazy. Her trotting was alright, but she sometimes didn't want to change directions. And our canters on the lunge were TERRIBLE. I couldn't get five strides out of that mare. Grrr. I mean LOOK at her. Not her usual energetic self. Eventually I just let her canter a couple and stop as a reward. Just _getting_ that canter was hard. 





 
BUUUUTTT we did finally hobble. (With a cotton rope tied in a quick release around her legs.) I've been playing with her legs with the rope for a while and I finally thought she was ready. She took it like a champ. Not scared at all.





 

She didn't care a bit.




















******* rope hobbles. 











Going to Mingo to trail ride tomarrow! Might do light work Sunday, and then the rest of the week off until the Benefit!


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## Brighteyes

4/28


Rode at Mingo today for over three hours! It was hot; the flies were everywhere. We kept a decent pace with a good bit of trotting. Mostly we were there to work, however. I tied a TON of ribbons to trees. Those trails are going to be perfectly marked for the Benefit.

Baby Girl was full of perfection. She sidepassed nicely up to trees and stood for me to tie ribbons. She stood quietly in the creek and drank water. When we left her buddy, she was decently calm.

She was very good about standing in the creek; she hates standing in water. She was being trustworthy and I needed to fill my water bottle. So I lay over the saddle on my stomach and reached down into the water to fill the bottle. :lol: I flailed around, and she just stood. 

She stood for two perfect mounts, even when her buddy was walking off. 


She was so good that I'm not even going to ride Sunday. She's going to get the rest of the week off.


I'm starting her ride prep diet on Wednesday. In addition to her morning grain and sups, she'll be getting four cups of beet pulp and a serving of electolytes, as well as an additional scoop of MSM powder. Other then feeding, I'm not touching her until she's trailered to Mingo on Friday.


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## Brighteyes

4/30

Today, I asked a six-year-old lesson student which horse she wanted to ride. "Baby Girl!" Who am I to say no to my favorite six-year-old. I wasn't going to use Baby Girl for the rest of the week, but it would just be walking on a lunge line.

_It was so cute._

Miss Mare was such a baby sitter! She picked up her feet and held them for the kid. We walked on the lunge line, slow and steady. When the kid started to lose her balance, Baby Girl stopped and wouldn't move until she thought the kid was ready. She took care of that kid and LOVED the attention she got. One day, that mare is going to be the best baby sitter a kid could ask for.


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## Brighteyes

5/6


We completed our first Open ride together! And I think we did great. 

We had our issues. Really just one issue from which many problems sprung from. Baby Girl's anxiety attacks and herd boundness were in flying form. But I'm going going to be negative, because I can honestly say I'm happy. Happy with her and happy with our ride.

I was completely, 120% on my own. I got a friend to haul up my horse. I provided everything (feed, buckets, highline, hay) and took care of my mare with no help or supervision. I parked my truck near her and slept in the bed. I wake up at night (it was a beautiful full moon) and find Baby Girl laying in the shadows of the pines, looking like a unicorn from a fairy tale.

I camped on the other side of the universe from any horses, but close to the vet in/out station. Why? 1.) Because I didn't want Baby Girl buddying with any horses stabled close by. I wanted her rest, relax, eat, and sleep perfectly alone. Because alone isn't that bad.

And 2.) Horses were constantly coming and going. She made and lost many friends in the first two days. :lol: She buddys up on SIGHT with complete strangers. If horses were constantly coming and going, maybe she would stop stressing herself out trying to best friends with any horse she sees.

All in all, I wanted her to learn to be comfortable in her own skin. That she can be Baby Girl Alone. Or Baby Girl Independant even in a crowd. By day three, our camp independance are coming around. She no longer paced circles and screamed constantly. She didn't buddy up when I was taking her for walks around other horses. She still called occasionally.

Our trail independance didn't come. We rode with Coco and her owner. Baby Girl attached herself to Coco and didn't let that mare out of her sight without having a panic attack. Baby Girl's brain doesn't work when she's nervous, resulting in us blowing a sidepass obstacle. 


On her card, she lost a total of only seven points:

2 points for a slow cap refill time. She lost one point on Saturday and one at vet out on Sunday. The vet said she was probably needed to be ridden more. I ride hard enough, but not LONG enough. I have to put in some 20 mile training days. This was her only points off in the soundness/conditioning department. 

One half a point for nervousness when crossing a web of logs. Buddying.

2 points for losing her mind and not sidepassing. Nice judges; I expected more.

1 point for hesitating when crossing a scary ditch. I was like, "Whut? Why you scared?" I told you. She gets nervous and BOOM, there goes the brain.

One half a point for being slightly resistent when told to trot, stop, and stand perfectly still. She didn't WANT to stand. She wanted to run to Coco.

One half a point for being a little resistant backing up a crazy hill. Not really RESISTANT. She just had second thoughts about my sanity. What sane owner tries to back up a bank with lose, slippery sand? :lol:


On the PLUSSES:

She had an EXCELLENT (!) mount and did good on anything else.


I got a 97 on my card. For easy to correct stuff. Baby Girl didn't want to trot at the vet out (I'm going to start carrying a buggy whip and wack her butt with it when she's being an ***). We pony-ed another horse and let him get too far behind us; I needed to keep him more at our side.

I got an good on my mount too, but still got a point taken away for dragging my leg over the cantle. Oh well.


Of course, Marcy had a higher score than me and got double firsts. But I won't say she won, because she didn't. I didn't feel this way until a lady came up to me after awards and said, "You deserved to win. Because you trained your own horse. You didn't send her away for a couple months and have a finished horse delivered back to you. _You_ made that horse. So when you win the national championship, you can take that ribbon and it won't be stealing." 

This is the second time I've heard someone tell me I deserve to win for training my own horse. And I had that moment where I started to believe them. Maybe there is accomplishment outside the ribbons. Maybe I have something to be proud of. Remember, once a upon a time, when a 14-year-old girl fell in love with a crazy spotted mare and the story began? It's been a journey to get this far. And now, realizing what I have is maybe a little bit special, I can keep going strong.


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## Brighteyes

We don't look too bad after 60 miles! Still alert and hyper as ever. 

She lost some weight along the line. I was surprised. This stuff is hard work!




















Also, me and my sweet gum unicorn at a P&R.


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## Brighteyes

5/10

Had a lovely day doing in hand work with Amy!


Amy is a groundwork expert. She can make a horse do _anything_ in hand. We worked on sidepassing, backing, speed control, and desensitizing.

Baby Girl isn't too scared of a swinging lunge whip, but still isn't fond. Instead of coming at her with the whip, Amy hold me to walk away and have Baby Girl follow. Things are a lot less scary if the horse is coming a them versus a scary thing coming at the horse.

Baby Girl's sidepassing was GREAT. Mine wasn't as good. I kept pulling her head and standing at her side versus in front of her shoulder. Once I figured out how to do it correctly, Baby Girl looked great.

We made a lot of progress with backing. At the end of the day, she was backing with just a wiggle of my hand -- I didn't even have to touch the rope.

I learned a value lesson on speed control. I just need to pick up one rein, hold it, and release BIG when she slows down. I tend to keep constant pressure when I get nervous and Baby Girl tries to move/act hyper/worried. I'm never keeping constant pressure in her mouth again (unless I'm going English-y dressage/jumping work). I will break myself of holding on to her mouth when I get nervous.


We'll be practicing our ground work every couple of days until we get it perfect.


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## Brighteyes

5/13


Went to Mingo yesterday and rode lightly for about 2 hours. Baby Girl and I rode off by ourselves to pull ribbons left over from the Benefit.

Baby Girl was just so **** good. I actually don't have anything to complain about.


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## Brighteyes

5/14


Just kind of wanted to post for no good reason. Because I'm leaving for Virginia Highlands CTR in two days and I'm nervous.

Because last year's Virginia Highlands (as some loyal readers may remember) wasn't good. That's when Baby Girl bowed her tendon and I thought for a while I had lost my competition horse. That tendon doesn't bother her anymore. Not much. Sometimes that leg gets a little "off" (not lame or even _visibly_ stiff; I can just feel it because I know her 100% movement so well). But she hasn't taken a real lame step since I started riding her again coming off lay up.

I don't know why I'm so paranoid about this old injury on this particular trip. It's like Virginia has some kind of ironic mist hanging over it. One year exactly... But I think like a novel and must remind myself that my chances of a hurt horse aren't any higher that weekend than any other.

And it's an eight hour drive my central Georgia. I'm not looking forward to that. And it's not our standard four day weekend. We aren't coming back home until Tuesday, because we're visiting some old horsie friends and riding at THE Greenbrier.

(Yes, that one ---> The Greenbrier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia )

Did know there were stables there? Apparently, there are. And a river. I'm going to swim in the river at the Greenbrier. #YOLO


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## Brighteyes

5/22


I'm back from Virginia! I didn't get to ride the Greenbrier, but I still had the best NATRC ride ever. (Even though I can't solidly pin down why.)

Baby Girl was a crazy *** on Saturday. She jigged for 30-something miles try to catch up with the horse in front _that we weren't riding with_, reared and twirled at I asked her to stand still, and almost knocked the vet judge off the cliff.

There was one obstacle for the horsemanship judge (the lovely Kim) where I was suppose to sidepass laterally over a log and then back over another log. I was like, "GREAT! Good obstacle. I can do that."










I stopped Baby Girl in front of Kim to settle her before starting my sidepass, but she refused to stand still for three seconds and backed and swirled and reared. Her bestest friend Coco had contiued down the trail without her and she was having a panic attack. 

She crossed over the first log once without my permission. Kim told me to just back her over the other log. I refused. I restarted and sloppily sidepassed log A (she reared over it with her front feet) and quickly backed over log B. "Thank you, Kim, and have a wonderful day," and jigged off.

Then I was asked my the vet judge about 30 feet up the trail to do a 360 degree turn on the forehand. Baby Girl struggled around and almost pushed the vet off the edge of the cliff, reared again, but finally did a sloppy turn on the forehand. It was embarrassing.


Day two: Baby Girl was absolutely perfect. :shock:

We went all day on a loose rein, quickly climbed up and down mountains, trotted quietly behind Tango. Tango was the horse we were riding with that weekend. He's a very handsome appy and her owner Regina is the nicest Open rider I've been around. Regina likes to talk and sing Sunday school songs randomly. She tells really funny stories. I hope I get to ride with her again.

I can't even tell you much more about day two because it was a beautiful day of nothing happening.


The vet judge is famous for being super hard, but Baby Girl managed an 89. She had sore withers (like half the other horses competing), interference on both back pasterns (one of which I swear was old and the other of which wasn't visible but was "tender"), an MAW point off (checked in with a four and checked out with a three), and only one point off for rearing that time.

To put that in contex, President's Cup winner Coco checked out with an 86. Tango checked out with an amazing 97. Second place in Open for Baby Girl.

My horsemanship card was a 94. Not bad. I'll take a picture and let y'all look for yourselves; it's pretty self explanatory.

It was a tough ride! But a good one. My favorite so far. Baby Girl's growing into her job. Her vet cards are getting better in many areas. She's starting to drink water out of mud puddles and eat as she walks down the trail. She's learning to take care of herself. Eventually, she'll figure out how to survive obstacles without another horse close by. Maybe by the end of this year.


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## Stephie

Wow! Good job! Congrats on the progress with Baby Girl, I'm sure by the end of this year she'll gain more independence. ^.^


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## Brighteyes

Thank you! I hope so!


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## Brighteyes

5/25


We did a ton of work. A two hour trail ride with a student (I allow some of the intermediate kids to ride my horse), a jumping lesson, and than another hour trail ride.

The jumping lesson was fun. We did courses for the second time. We had fun, but I think we should go back to grids for a little longer. She doesn't quite know how to use her butt over jumps properly yet.





 




 

And an epic(er) fail:






 

It was FUN though. And I love cross training.


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## Brighteyes

5/26


I was super bored today. It took a lot of effort not to go out and ride. Baby Girl needed a day off.

It's high 90s in Georgia this time of year. Hot and dry. We haven't had good rain in weeks. The pastures are burnt and dry as old bones. The grass crackles under foot and put off clouds of dust if you drag your feet.

Because of this, Baby Girl gets to stay in a stall during the day, from about 10 in the morning to sunset that evening. Which is nice, because it keeps her from sun bleaching or getting too hot in a pasture with no shade.

However, she gets even less grazing time on already low quality pasture. Combine that with her already high work load; she's getting THIN. Not too bad; it's just starting. You can readily feel ribs, her withers are prominent, and her hip bone is starting to become apparent. 

She's getting fed twice a day now, plus a flake of alfalfa hay and four ounces of cocosoya oil in her afternoon feed. Cocosoya smells like heaven, by the way. Hmmm, butter scotch-y.

We're riding for a couple hours tomarrow with Amy. Fun! I can show her how much we've progressed with our ground work.


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## Brighteyes

5/27


Went running today at my Grandfather's property! We cantered for miles. Meg was riding her big, not-very-trail-broke six-year-old warmblood Siggy. We started off the ride with the Boss and Amy and our friend Tim, but Siggy was prancing and being stupid. Meg and I separated from the group and had our own adventure cantering dirt roads. We only rode for about two hours, but it was intense.

Then a funny thing happened. Meg and I had gotten off the horses to let them catch their breath. I fainted and went blind for about 5 minutes.  I don't remember the fainting or anything immediately before or after. I just remember sitting on my horse while Meg called for help. (Meg said Baby Girl sidepassed up to a high place and stood really still for me to climb on.) Baby Girl was walking really slow after Siggy. My vision was still gone; it was like dark clouds had rolled over my eyes, because the darkness wasn't absolute, but moving. It was trippy. :shock:

I'm just glad I was riding Baby Girl. She takes good care of me.


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## GoWithTheFlow

I think Baby Girl knew something was up when you blacked out .I hope you are alright .Sounds like it was a fun ride ,apart from the fainting . I know I get dizzy (like I'm going to faint but don't) when I get to hot or dehydrated .Maybe thats what happened to you ?

Oh yeah , how is the Mane Clip ?


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## Stephie

Oh my gosh, how freaky! I'm glad you're okay, I hope you stay well.
What a good girl she is! It's amazing how they know when something's wrong, and she is so loyal to take such good care of you. ^.^


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## Brighteyes

Mane clip is super cute! Gotta send you some pictures!


Baby Girl's a good one. That was probably the calmest she's ever been, carrying me back. She really is a super safe horse. She helps me keep my balance when I'm about to fall too. She helps me out a lot. Best horse I could have gotten in that aspect. I've never felt unsafe on her.


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## Brighteyes

6/5


The year's half way over and I feel like I've accomplished nothing. 

The Jasper ride is this weekend in Alabama. My third time going Open, and I still don't feel like much of an Open rider. Baby Girl's buddy issues have seriously discouraged me. I just... Don't see it getting better. I've stopped dreaming.


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## bellagris

ahhh don't get discouaged! You have such a positive outlook on riding and have come so far with Babygirl:-D 

She will get there eventually, if you continue to make her listen and behave. Sometimes it just takes trying a different form of communication...or in some cases a lot of different forms, until you find the right one. What is your typical routine when she gets her buddy issues?


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## Brighteyes

I'm usually very positive... I'm still working on that Tevis Cup thing and am totally convinced I'll get there. Which is crazy, but I can still just _feel_ it. More so than ever, actually.

That's why I was pretty surprised at myself when I started to think so.... _Gloomy_ about this issue. Every other problem we've had, I've always felt we would overcome. I just don't see the light with this one. But that doesn't mean I won't stop trying. 


The hardest part about her buddy issues is that they are only present in competition. On a temperment scale of one to ten, she is a two or three at home and a _nine_ at a ride. A different horse. So it's hard to train since she never makes the mistake at home. Open pace is almost endurance fast; it leaves no time for training. I don't have time to let her freak out and calm herself down. She doesn't have time to get _over_ it.

So we spend the whole ride in crazy mode.

Since I can't stop and circle her on the trail when she jigs, the only thing I can do is put her behind a horse and check and release with one rein. (Two reins and she braces and runs through.) Every time I release, I get about one walking step. But her brain's so far gone she doesn't even realize she walked and THAT'S why she got a release. 

See why this is frustrating?

_Sometimes_, she gets it. I don't know why she gets it sometimes and not others. And she walks like a brilliant little lady. So I guess there's hope. 


When I have to stop her at obstacles, there is nothing I can do. We're being judged; I can't just take five minutes to calm her down. Her buddy has walked ahead without her and the world is coming to an end! So I take a huge deep breath, smile, and try to do the best I can. She twirls and backs and rears... And I have no idea what I can do but keep my cool.


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## bellagris

That is very frustrating sounding! 

So you're not allowed to stop or go in reverse direction at all, as per rules? Sorry -haven't doe a CT yet. I know it would screw your time up, but the one thing I have found that can really help is turn her right around and make her go in the other direction when she spazzes like that and as soon as she calms down turn around and boogie. If she freaks, turn around again and do it until she quits. It might be counter productive at your event and you may place lower, but if it works you might not have to deal with it anymore and you may place higher in the long run. 

My trainer said to us before our show, if you're in a class and your horse misbehaves, freaks out or does anything not safe -do what is best for the horse and use it as a training session. Go back next time and the problem should be less and your success should be higher. 

I totally understand about when the judges are standing there and there isnt really much you can do but just get through it. If you correct it on the trail you may find that she isnt an idiot when you get to the judging obstacles. 

I dunno, thats a rock and a hard place for sure, but maybe go into one CT thinking of it as a training session and just set your mind frame as training rather than competing? I know last year for our first show we went into them with the expectation that we would use it for training and work through any issues we found so that we didnt have to deal with them show after show.


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## cakemom

Is there a place where you can school her with other horses?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

I could do that, but only for a short amount of time. If I backed tracked too much, I'd run into other riders. Or worse; the Novice pack. :shock:


It would be the correct thing to do to use a ride to train... But I'm going to be honest here and say I would hate to travel 500 miles away from home just to make my horse freak herself out until she calmed down.  That's what I'd have to do. Do everything I could to get her out of her comfort zone and let her blow up a couple times. I definately wouldn't do well competitively that ride. Assuming it only takes one ride to let her completely implode and disolve until there is nothing left.


I wouldn't mine an explosion at something else. Maybe an ACTHA ride or a group trail ride at Mingo. Those would be the only other places I could school her around other horses. For her to act out, we have to be away from home and in a group of horses she doesn't know. Double insecurity?

OOH. Parelli play days. That would be ideal. People expect you to train at those things and actually go out of their way to help you train. I'll look for one happening in the next couple weeks and let that be ground zero.


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## Brighteyes

6/14


It took me a while to post about Jasper, because I couldn't decide what I say. I couldn't decide what I thought.

Still not sure what I think, but I figured y'all would like to know that we're not dead/injuried, nor did anything disasterous happen. :lol:

Actually, the lack of disasterous behavior was alarmly wonderful.

Because she didn't behave badly at all. :shock: In behavior in hand at camp was 99.9 percent perfect. (Ground work is magic!) She didn't even act like an idiot in her stall constantly. She was fairly settled.

On the trail, we rode with a quiet little racking gelding named Preacher. Baby Girl didn't bond with him strongly (I'm starting to think she doesn't bond obessively with geldings), so we were cool parting ways during lunch break and after the ride was done.

Also, almost zero prancing. Both days. Even leaving camp Saturday morning. Loose rein the WHOLE time. 

(^^ Just figured out this board support gifs. I love reaction gifs.)




Whenever anyone asked me where my "crazy spotted demon child" had gone, I told them she was either over it or building it up. 

_She did all the frickin obstacles. _With no drama. She didn't do some of them _perfectly_, but she wasn't a bit nervous.


The thing that gets me about that weekend, though... Her conditioning kind of sucked.

Well, it didn't SUCK. She was just the lowest scoring Open horse. Her score was 71.5; the winning horse was an 86. The vet judge was a killer, let me tell ya. I gotta photo copy my horse card. It's full of information.

Vet did a 'bolics check every. Time. She. Saw. Us. And counted off points for every value that changed. She looked at about six perimeters.

And Baby Girl got stoned bruised somewhere during the last 8 mile loop and checked out grade 1 lame in the front right. (Not too worried about that; lameness is just a fluke sometimes.)

That score, however, is a super honest way to see where Baby Girl is at fitness wise. Compared to the other Open horses, she's like a Thelwell pony with asthma. :?

And my horsemanship score was meh. 91. Not even an interesting 91; just an "I got lazy" 91. I can fix horsemanship easily. It's easier to train me than my horse.

The plucky kid in me wants to say that the hardest part is almost over.

Maybe I'm being premature in saying this after the Virginia Highlands episodes. Last week, I honestly felt like I would never see the light of day on this one. A week and a ride later... She settles.

For now, I choose to make myself believe that the hardest part is over. Because a little hope is dangerous. 

Sooooo... What's the easy part? If the hard part is passing?

Conditioning! Endurance horse style, serious business conditioning!

Refining obstacles! 

Ground work, because it's magic!

You know, stuff I didn't worry about because I was too busy worrying about my horse being too big of a panicy moron for any of it to matter. You can't do anything with a horse that wont settle; this much I've learned.


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## Brighteyes

6/15

Did a conditioning ride this morning! I MISS conditioning so much! I don't know where I've been or what I've been doing for the past few months, but I haven't been doing enough 30 minute trots! 

So we did a 30 minute trot. After 30 minutes, we still haven't settled into a steady trot; she was still speeding up and slowly down every dozen strides. So it ended up being a 45 minute trot. 

I somehow forget to use the GPS on my phone to track of mileage and average miles per hour. *facepalm* Baby Girl probably has an 8-10 MPH medium trot. I don't like math, so I'm just going to say about 7 miles total?

We enjoyed. Baby Girl's favorite thing is trotting on the trails on a loose rein without me bothering her. 

Next time: use tech to actually know how far and fast we went.


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## bellagris

that's awesome! Sometimes it is just like they have an 'a-ha' moment, the bulb turns on and you're just getting it. 

At least now you know she can behave and act broke, ride her with that expectation/intent everytime now that she act that way and her tantrums will lessen I imagine as if you're confidence is building in her, her confidence in herself and you should be growing too.  

way to go!


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## Brighteyes

Thank you! 

I imagine it was more pleasant for her to ride like she was broke and sane as well. What horse doesn't like a loose rein and a relaxed rider? Horses can't enjoy that kind of anxiety. I don't enjoy it either. :lol: 

I do hope her new found sanity is here to stay. I'm starting to put a little confidence in her, and she better not make me regret it!


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## Brighteyes

6/17


Yesterday I tried a new thing to better our cantering problems. I figured maybe it would help us _both_.

Our cantering problems have been touched on a lot. But I've never actually been like, "This ends NOW!" and done something about it. I've only dabbled and haven't put in a consistent effort.

Why?

Okay, I'm going to be honest:

Cantering in the arena makes me nervous. Said it.

My trainer never taught me to canter in the arena. She didn't teach me much cantering when I was a regular student. I learned to canter on the trails, so that's where I'm comfortable. In fact, I'm the cockiest, most fearless trail rider ever. I can go from zero to 60 in five seconds and jump two and a half foot logs.

But the prospect of cantering in a confined space makes me claustrophobic. It's mostly the steering. Something about having to steer while being constricted in a ring just makes me nevous. Combine that with a horse who doesn't truely canter but GALLOPS... And I just can't be effective.

Sooo... I decided to screw steering. Screw reins in general! Contact? Naw. Riding Baby Girl's freakish cantagallop is hard enough without messing with reins.


I mounted up in the round pen. Our round pen is pretty big; good for mounted work. I warmed up at the walk and trot. When it was time to canter, I held the end of the reins with one hand and was like, "JESUS TAKE THE WHEEEEL!" 

So Baby Girl cantagalloped around. With no reins, she made repeated efforts to cut into the center of the circle. Didn't matter much to me. She didn't get to stop in the center (no reward = waste of time), so I just let her go wherever. As long as she cantered. The speed was her choice. Direction her choice. Just CANTER.

I was going to sit pretty and just let her cantagallop until she slowed down. She couldn't cantagallop forever.

But she could for a pretty long time. 10 minutes or so. Round and round. And I sat. Chilled. Balanced.

She started to decide that this galloping crap was exhausting. She tried to trot, and I was like, "LOL... Nope. Canter slower."

And Lord she tried. She tried to canter as slowly as possible without breaking into a trot or pace cantering. She never got really slow, but she I think she was almost truely cantering near the end.

I let her stop for 10 minutes and "think about things". (I was about to die too... I was tired.) Afterwards, we tried again. 

There are no more racing around, for sure. Yesterday's lesson probably helped too. She wasted a lot of energy trotting really fast at first. She was starting to realize that I wasn't always going to let her stop immediately and she better conserve energy.

After a final effort (effort... She didn't achieve canter, but she did TRY), we quit for the day. That lesson helped ME a lot. Without having to worry with steering, I'm less nervous about cantering in the ring.

I honestly didn't expect a perfect canter anyway. We don't canter regularly. She doesn't have the muscle. 


Today, I'm saddle sore for the first time in months! That lesson was a killer, but a great confidence builder for me. Not sure yet whether it helped Baby Girl. We'll see.


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## Skyseternalangel

Great job!!

Love that word.. cantagallop


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## Brighteyes

6/18


Mini post!


Did ground work today. I got myself a new lunge whip. It's purple with a solid handle and a removable string. Like a giant carrot stick, only it didn't cost me a kidney. It's the little things. :wink: And Baby Girl's ground work is looking fab.

So, in bigger news:

A few days ago I e-mailed this lady, Cathryn. She's a legit endurance rider with the Arabs and the ton tens and all that hot mess. 

So I e-mailed and and asked if she ever wanted a riding partner to give me a call. She sometimes calls early in the morning and asks people if they want to come along. I requested she put me on the list and keep me in the loop.

She e-mailed back (!), saying she would. She asked me for my number and said she'd pick me up.











WHOOOHOOO! Endurance rider type people!


I hope I get that call one morning soon. I'd love to ride with her.


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## Skyseternalangel

How exciting!!!!!!


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## Brighteyes

Yep!  In the horse world, it's the people you know, ya know? Getting to know someone who does what I want to do will hopefully open some doors for me. Plus, riding with someone new is just _fun_. I like to ride alone most of the time, but other times (especially during the summer; I lack school socialization) I just want to be around people.


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## Skyseternalangel

How true! Gotta have those social networking skills to really go far in the horse world. That's how you find out the best instructors, get to go to clinics, find good horses to buy, get to go on nice group trail rides, etc.


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## Brighteyes

I went out today to feed Baby Girl. It was about 2:00 pm, so she'd been in her stall for a couple hours. I turned her out in the round pen for a couple minutes for release from energy. She trotted and snorted like a crazy Arab while I sat in the middle and snapped pictures with my phone. Two came out okay, so I figured I'd share.


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## Brighteyes

6/20


Went on another conditioning ride today! I GPS'd it this time. We went a total of 8 miles in one hour and 15 minutes (excluding a 10 minute break to check P&Rs and a 20 minute warm up walk in the beginning). Crunch the numbers, and that puts our average speed at 6 mph. Seems a little slow, but we did a lot of walking.

Her P&Rs were fine too. She wasn't the least bit stressed. For the next week or two, I'll keep doing rides about that same pace, but maybe spend more time out. I'll try to put in at least two long (three hour) rides a week.

Between those, I might a shorter (one hour) ride with an average speed of 8 mph. That'll require a lot of trotting, some cantering, and very little walking.

I'll put in some arena work too, as well as obstacles. Wouldn't want to neglect the finesse.

That'll be my basic conditioning plan for the rest of summer. If everything goes well, we'll give 'em hell at Heart of Dixie.


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## Brighteyes

6/21 

Today we did nothing but sit around and graze in the shady, wooded spot near the gelding pasture. It's a nice place to hang out during summer. Minus the gnats, which were terrible. Sometimes, it's nice to just _be_. Just sit together and eat some grass.


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## Brighteyes

It's 2 in the morning, and it's been a scary night, guys. Something's wrong with Baby Girl.

At 6:30 pm yesterday, a student and I went on a little ride. She rode BG and I rode Amber. We rode walk/trot/canter for 30 minutes. Light work for BG and nothing I haven't done with her before. 

I always walk for the last five or ten minutes, back to the barn. I noticed BG was sweating from head to tail. Even her face was sweating heavily. This isn't normal for her. Amber was hardly sweating. I wasn't sure what to make of it. 

Back at the barn, student untacks BG and hoses her off with cold water. It takes 7 minutes on average for BG's P&Rs to come down to normal. After 15 minutes, I was concerned. I really started to pay attention at that point. She was panting hard --absolutely heaving -- and her heart was going a mile a minute. 

I cold hosed that horse for 40 minutes. She was so hot. I've never felt a horse put off that much heat for so long. 

I knew there was absolutely something majorly wrong here. I called the Boss over. We took her heart and resp properly: pulse of 22 and resp around 19. After 40 minutes of standing under cool water.

I tried to walk her out of the wash rack. My heart stopped. She couldn't hardly move. Her back end was bizarrely effected. She had a hard time moving her back legs. She dragged them. 

We pulled her into the front yard. She munched a little grass. P&Rs roughly the same. No gut sounds. Cap refill slow. Gums sticky. Blood pressure low. 

We called the vet. The guy on call wasn't a horse specialist. He wasn't much help. It was too late to take her anywhere. 

We called Paula. She suggested BG had been bitten by a snake, but we found no evidence of that. She told us to test the range of motion in her back legs. It was minimal on both legs, front, back, and to the side. Paula guessed it was her back. True, her back did look different than normal. More rounded, but only slightly. You wouldn't see it as abnormal if you didnt know the horse. 

After she finally stopped putting off heat all over, nothing in particular was hot and there was no swelling anywhere. 

At this point, BG became very lethargic. She was no longer interested in grass. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused. She hung her head and zoned out. 

We gave her bute at the vet's suggestion at around 8:00 pm. She showed no improvement.

We put her in the round pen with water and hay. She didn't touch it. No interest. I sat with her for 2 hours. She didn't move from where she was standing. She didn't even move her head. 

Since nothing was improving, we gave her a bantamine shot at 10 pm. This helped. She started to regain alertness, but didn't try to walk. She began to nose at her hay soon after, but didn't eat. 

Around 11:30 pm. I offered her a hand full of grain. She took it. She was quite alert at this point, but took no steps. She began munching on hay and drank a little water. 

Since then, she's been eating hay. Her breathing still hasn't returned to resting, probably due to pain. I'm spending the night at the barn and will check on her hourly. Tomarrow, we are going to see an equine specialist vet and do whatever we need to do.


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## paintsrule

Praying for you guys. Please keep updated when you can.


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## Brighteyes

Thank you Paintsrule! It's been working, because she's a lot better today.


At 8:00 am this morning, she was walking around. She was short stepping severely in the back and shuffling. Her butt muscles were rock hard and sore, though not hot to the touch. She didn't appear to be in a lot of pain. Just stiff, a little achy, and not quite herself. She eat her morning grain happily and had finished off her hay during the night. Even though she was so so _so_ much better, I got her a vet appointment anyway. The appointment is for tomorrow at 3:00 pm at Central Georgia Equine Services. Which I'm excited about this _seeing. _I've never been to a big vet facility.

I went home for a couple hours (finally got some rest!) and came back to the farm around 4:00 pm. Baby Girl was standing in her stall and looking rather sluggish. I took her out for a short walk to eat some grass. Her walking was more fluid than that morning.

Amy came by. She's a believer in homeopathic stuff and energy healing and other "crazy" stuff. I thought it was pretty crazy, but I can't dis it until I try it. She had some little herb pills. I don't remember what the plant's name's were, but they were for treating nerve pain and muscle soreness, respectively. Amy says her horses love the stuff and will pick the pill they need for whatever is ailing them.

Funny thing. I could have sworn it worked a little. Could be a fluke.

I'm not sure about the energy healing thing. Supposedly, a person can make a ball of energy and allow your horse to take it from you and use it. Amy says Baby Girl caught on to the concept immediately and loves taking her some energy.

I was like, "Alrighty then..."

Whether it works or not, I'm going to research it. Knowledge is magic.

I put Baby Girl back into the round pen alone for another night. I soaked her with the hose and put her in there dripping, hoping it would tempt her to roll. I imagine that would help stretch out her back a little. Before I left, she would trot the fence line for a couple strides and toss her head, like she wanted to play. I'm glad she's feeling better.

I still want to know what the hell make her so sick in the first place. So I can make sure it never happens again.


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## paintsrule

Im so glad to hear shes doing better! She seems like such a neat horse i'd hate for her to have something go wrong. I'll continue to think of her and pray for continued recovery and answers about whats ailing her so she can get all fixed up and be back to being your wonderful endurance partner!


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## Brighteyes

6/27


Baby Girl is acting very normal. Bright eyed, alert, eating, drinking, moving.

However, today was the scariest day, because the vet told me my horse was lucky to be alive.

Dr. Cook (amazing lady) did a blood panel. Take a look:










That's terrifying. 

Look at the potassium (K+). Normal is 3.5. Hers were almost off the effing chart. Her muscle enzymes were also so high they were _off the charts._ So high the vet's machines couldn't give us a number. They had to send it off to UGA to get a real number. 

That's 48 hours later. Imagine what it was when she was really sick. 

Dr Cook was amazed she lived. From the symptoms I described, this was _severe_ Rhabdomyolysis. Commonly known as tying-up or azoturia. The vet said on a scale of one to ten, this was a nine. And that's only because all the ten horses were dead. It was one of the worse cases she's ever seen.

Horses die from this. Baby Girl almost _died_ in that round pen two nights ago, right in front of me.

Vet said if I had just left her alone and not cared for her like I did, she wouldn't have made it. Everything we did -- the bute, the banamine, holding food and water up to her nose, staying with her all night -- saved her. Especially the water. Something as easy as holding water up to her nose to drink was a deciding factor. That's how tedious the situation was.

Another deciding factor was that fact that she is a tough, badass little fighter.

It's a amazing she got away without permanent kidney damage and didn't go into renal failure. With those blood test results, it's a **** miracle.

It wasn't a text book case. We aren't sure what triggered it. Light exercise for 30 minutes. That's all we did. What happened. What was different. Why that ride. Why not when I went 60 miles? When I galloped the last three miles in at Uwharrie? 

The vet suggested this Rhabdomyolysis was genetic rather than from a lay off or high grain diet. The triggers aren't well known, but _something_ set it off. Once you have one attack that severe, you know your horse is prone to it. The rate of recurrence is higher now.

Her whole diet has to be changed to protect her. That's what the vet said; I had to protect her now. We have to cut out carbs and sugars. Baby Girl now has to draw all her fuel from fat. She'll be consuming one pound of oil or other fat source daily, split between two meals. There isn't a "treatment" for Rhabdo after you get out of the danger zone; only prevention.

We're going back to the vet for more blood work in about two weeks. Until then, no exercise for Baby Girl. Once her enzymes are normal, the vet will give me an exercise program to slowly bring her back. Consistent exercise if important for Rhabdo horses.

Baby Girl is now two kinds of special... A special miracle _and_ special needs.


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## Brighteyes

6/28

Didn't do much today (since we're not allowed to :wink, but just wanted to update and say Baby Girl is getting her personality back. She's starting to act quirky again and is trotting around the pasture a bit. I'm having a hard time getting her to eat all the oil she's suppose to be getting... Anyone have a favorite dry fat source? Is rice brain a good choice?


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## Brighteyes

6/30

Baby Girl didn't act like she was feeling well today. Probably because of the heat. It was 106 degrees. She was standing in her stall sweating. I went back mid afternoon and rinsed her off with cold water.

"This week has really sucked."










She's gone on strike and refuses to eat her oil/grain mixture. She ate it under protest when I added soaked alfalfa pellets.

Barn life has been so boring since I'm not allowed to work her. :-| Meh.


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## Skyseternalangel

I'm glad she improved these past few days. It's so effing hot over there, the poor dear. 



Brighteyes said:


> 6/27
> Dr. Cook (amazing lady) did a blood panel. Take a look:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's terrifying.
> 
> Look at the potassium (K+). Normal is 3.5. Hers were almost off the effing chart. Her muscle enzymes were also so high they were _off the charts._ So high the vet's machines couldn't give us a number. They had to send it off to UGA to get a real number.
> 
> That's 48 hours later. Imagine what it was when she was really sick.


How do you read the bloodwork panel? How do you know what's normal?
I have to get one done for Sky soon because he's exhibiting really scary symptoms. Hives and red blotches on his back (like sunburn) so gotta see what's up :/


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## Brighteyes

Welcome to blood panel reading 101!  In COLOR.











The black arrow is pointing to the column of names/chemical abbreviations. Pop any of them into google to get the full names. NA+ stands for salt, K+ for potassium, CK is a muscle enzyme, ect. Immediately next to the names is the level of each in your horse.

The blue arrow column is a lot of science-y measures. You don't need to know the exact levels you are looking at; just if they are normal or not. Basically, ignore.

The gray arrow tells you where your horses numbers fall in a scale of normalcy. Look at the purple dot. NA+ or sodium. Baby Girl had a 140, which is normal. You can tell if it's normal at a glance by seeing if the little black bar (highlighted here in purple) is within the thinner black bars/brackets (circled with purple). If it's outside to the left, it's too low. Outside to the right and it's too high. All of Baby Girl's values I haven't colored are within the normal.

On this blood test, abnormal levels have a black box around their names and levels. Look at K+ (potassium). See how the black bar is way outside the thinner black brackets? Way too high. The exact number of the reading (8.5) is next to the chemical's name.

The black dot (GLU or Glucose) is the same way!

The green dots are muscles enzymes. Look at the squiggle in the green boxes. That means it's too high to get a reading. Notice there is no thick black bar in the gray column boxes.


I hope you find out what's happening to Sky and can get him better! It sounds like an allergic response to me.


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## Skyseternalangel

Thank you so much for breaking that down for me!!

Thanks, I hope I do too. And I hope your girl continues to improve. Lots of hugs <3


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## Brighteyes

7/2


Dr Cook got Baby Girl's blood panel results from UGA today. You know the results are extreme when your vet uses multiple exclaimation points. 

Normally, CK level is anywhere from 300 to 500. Her CK level was 62,097. (Cue multiple exclaimation points from the vet...!!!!!) Normal AST levels around around 300. Hers was an "alarming" (as the doctor said) 12,810.

"To make this even more impressive the samples were drawn 2 days after she became ill." 

CK has a HALF LIFE. So double that.

So I lay down and cried at this situation's alarming and ever growing level of insanity. What the hell am I going to do.


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## horseluver2435

Oh, you poor dear. At least she is improving/feeling better? Sometimes, it's better to not dwell on the situation- you might drive yourself insane. ): It will get better, and the best thing for BG is to take care of yourself so you can continue taking care of her. Jingles sent your way.


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## Brighteyes

7/10

Good news!  

Baby Girl went to the vet yesterday. The blood panel was (miraculously) good and she is cleared for light riding! :happydance:

By light riding, I mean 30 minutes a day (I can ride every day if I want). Gait for two minutes, walk for two, gait for two. No cantering. I can add five minutes a week until I get to about two hours. By Septemeber, she should be about back to where she was. 

Also, she is on her special diet for _life. _And is going to make every day of the rest of that life hard, apparently. Because she _will not eat it._

Nothing is working any more. Alfalfa pellets, rice bran... Molasses helped a little, but she isn't suppose to have sugar. If she doesn't get her pound of fat a day, her body won't covert over to this new source of energy. And I might get a sick horse again.

She'll eat if I give her a little more grain with her fat sources. But finding low starch/high fat/low sugar grain is a wild goose chase. I've tried a dozen feed stores. The only thing available locally is Omegatin. Which comes in 20 gallon buckets and is extremely frickin expensive. :?

RAWR. 

But I rode her on a 30 minute trail yesterday and she was fine! Today we went over to Amy's and did a lot of ground work. I'm learning to move all four of her feet by just looking at them and tugging the halter slightly. It's a real mind game, but kind of fun. Homework for me!


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## bellagris

oh my gosh! Your week has been terrible, I am a firm believer that our horses try their best for us and it sounds like she tried her best to live with your help because you were there trying your best too. yikes!

On a feed note, have you looking into Step Right - Level 8 (i think... yellow bag anyways) it's hi-fat. I have to be careful what I put Sable on because carbs make her crazy ... she goes from steady eddie to a horse whose had 8 cups of coffee twitching out, on them. 

Anyways I know it is hi-fat but maybe it has some carbs in it...worth looking into as it is a dry feed and palatable, could make the oil go down better if it would work for her.


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## GoWithTheFlow

I feed a low starch/sugar feed by ADM ,called Ultra Fiber . Its not that high in fat though . But it did put the weight back on Dreamer . Text me I'll give ya more info . Maybe make her a mush ? Thats what I do ,because Charger got kicked in the neck by a horse 4 hands taller than him .(He's a shrimp compared to that mare .) Anyway he tends to choke easily ,so he gets a mush of feed and beet pulp . Maybe up your hay quaility if you can like Timothy or REALLY good grass hay ? I'd also up her fiber ,it adds energy .(not Hotness ,just good ol' stamina ) lol


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## Wallaby

subbing! 

I hope she continues to improve and starts eating!
I know when Lacey had her most recent major bought of ERU, her appetite was super gone for a couple of weeks. Then it miraculously re-appeared. I hope Baby Girl is playing that same game...


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## Brighteyes

Thank you everyone! It really has been kind of a rough week... It's getting better though. Rode again today, 30 minutw walking trail again. She had energy to burn after we were back and wanted to gait some, unlike last time. Riding is probably stretching out her sore muscles. But I also think she just likes being ridden. She's beem acting so much happier since she started getting worked again. I wonder if a horse can honestly miss work...

She's started eating again! I finally found a combo I think is going to work. Two cups of rice bran, two cups of Omegatin, and half a cup of oil. (I think... I have the amounts of each written down somewhere. Bad memory for numbers.) Feed that twice a day.

At least, it's worked for a while. She might get sick of it again! 

Gonna keep riding every day and hope she keeps improving.


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## Brighteyes

7/16


Baby Girl and I have been living the _slowwww_ life. She's feeling great. Still eating, enjoying light work, working on lunging... Just chillin'.

We've trail ridden a couple more times since I last posted. Hardly any trotting. She's gotten into the habit of trying to trot without permission on the trails, so I figured we're going to walk until she no longer wants to trot.

It won't hurt, since I've been looking forward and it feels like time has stopped for us. It's the weirdest thing. We're always going somewhere. The last two years, it's felt like we're always moving. But that feeling of _urgency_ is gone. 

Maybe it's summer heat. The humidity pools around you and almost drowns you.

My entire motivation in riding is to win. I admit it. Doesn't seem like a good source to draw power from, huh? I like winning more than riding. 

But with our competitive future uncertain (it really hurts to type that)... I'm having a hard time riding anymore. That sounds terrible and shallow and selfish, but this is a journal made of honesty! And admitting is the first step! 

So here I am, stuck in limbo. Trail riding for 30 minutes a day. Not really looking forwards to anything. Weirddddd.

Gonna make some new goals to survive this mood I've been in recently. I think I'm going to start training for barrels. :lol: What? Seems like good exercise. Lots of bending and circle work. 30 minutes is the perfect time frame! 10 minute warm up, 10 minutes of circles walk/gait, and the last few minutes walking the pattern perfectly? 

My mom got me a book of western arena exercises and told me to work through it. Heck, maybe I will. I've gotten pretty soured of trail riding recently.


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## Brighteyes

7/18











This has been a Baby Girl's really long mane appreciation post. :lol:

It's thin at the bottom (the picture makes it look worse than it is), but it looks nice in person. It's twice as long as it was last year! 

I left it down when I rode her today. Ick. Got caught in my reins and all tangled. Her neck was covered in sweat. Yep. Braided it back up after that. Totally impractical, manes. :wink:

Also, look at my fat horse.










Ewww. What a whale. :lol:


Anyway, I rode trails today. Added a little more speed. Did some gaiting. Pretty meh gaiting, but yeah. She was fine. She enjoyed doing something that wasn't walking. We refreshed our obstacles on a fallen tree. She sidepassed onto it and backed off of it very pretty like. I was riding in a rope halter, so our communication wasn't all that refined.


I was going to start my promised barrels today, but the arena was trashed. The grass was knee high. So I did some basic lateral flexing from a stand still (she's gotten super stiff recently) and will practice circles and bending in the pasture until I can get the boss to mow the ring.


Okay, here's a thing:


I was going to go on a trip to Leatherwood first of August. I was going to take Baby Girl, but then she got sick. The boss offered her horse, Amber, a few days after BG got sick. I was like, "Thanks! That's sounds great!" That is a push button, easy horse. But today she got all in my face. "You need to be riding Amber! Do you want her to tie up on the top of mountain?" 

This really ****ed me off for some reason. If she knows anything about conditioning, she would know that two weeks isn't going to do much for this horse's fitness. If she knew anything about azoturia, she would know it's actually pretty frickin hard to tie up a horse that isn't genetically prone to it. 

(If she knew anything about manners, she would know if you offer someone a horse you don't make them work for it.) *cough cough AHEM*


Maybe it's less that, and more the catty way she acted about it. _Some days... Some days..._

Anyone, the point of that story: I think I might just bring Baby Girl. I'll ride the beautiful Leatherwood mountains for... One hour a day (she'll be up to an hour by that time). I would rather ride my own horse for an hour than someone else's all day anyway. Plus, this is vacation. I plan to watch TV and eat wheaties for the rest of the day.


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## Brighteyes

7/21


Baby Girl tied up again today.


It was really mild. She was short stepping in the back, her butt muscles were hard, sweating, and she took 45 minutes for her breathing to return to normal. She was reluctant to move and acted a bit lethargic. She was, however, responsive and fairly alert. She ate when offered a little rice bran to test her appetite and grazed. It was at its worst about two hours after the ride and slowly got better. 

I called the vet. She said to Bute her, and use Ace if she was acting terrible uncomfortable. She wasn't acting terrible, so I held off on the Ace and just did Bute.

The ride that caused this mini flare was 40 minutes, a lot of walk with a little bit of gait. Exactly what we had been doing for several days now. The _only_ difference was a 30 second canter. Like, legit. _30 seconds. _Not sure if this was what caused it, but I suppose it _could_ have. Doc said some horses are amazingly sensitive.

The vet said to take it slower. I told her what I had been doing. "Well... Make it a slower slow," she said. Doctor also tossed in the idea of a muscle biopsy, to try and see _exactly_ what's up. 

I'm really... Disappointed. Frustrated. Worried. Mostly the last one.


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## Wallaby

:hug:

:sad:

That really stinks! at least it wasn't a severe episode, I guess. :-|

This is kinda just spitballing but is there anyway you could move her closer to where ever you live, while she recovers? Totally random, I know, and maybe this doesn't even really apply to you, but back when I was boarding Lacey 15 minutes from my house, it was THE WORST to go all the way out there, just to -what felt like- sit around doing "nothing".
After I moved her "home" (technically a 5 minute walk from my house) it became so much easier to have "lazy" days and take my time with her. It's actually a problem sometimes because I sometimes end up not working her for a week or two, just because I was feeling too laid back about the whole thing.
But anyway, I wasn't feeling like I wasted gas just to do nothing so there was less pressure to push for something she wasn't ready for, you know?
Maybe that's not possible for you, but if it is, it might be easier to bring her back slowly and not have any expectations (I don't think this instance was caused by you but you sound like you've been struggling) if that's a major issue for you... 
Then, of course, after she's past the "acute" period, after some space has been put in between these episodes, move her back to your normal barn and start training again... Just a thought. 

:hug:


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## Brighteyes

Thanks for the hugs! Hugs are really loved right now.


I know what you mean! The first couple days after her first episode, I went to the barn and hung around for an hour or two, just letting her hand graze, feeding her carrots, and watching her eat hay in the stall. I had to fill my habitual riding time somehow. It felt weird to not be at the barn, so I would just go and do _nothing_. My excuse was that I was coming to feed her the afternoon meal, but that doesn't take two hours. The boss would look at my funny and give me an odd job to keep me was standing around like a moron.


What I would really, really like to do is put up a fence in my back yard and let her life there for a couple months. I wouldn't feel pressured into doing anything. I could go out, hop on bareback, and walk around. Practice obstacles, do lateral flexion exercises for five minutes, chill out... 

Removing my expectations is the hardest thing. Because I've always had such high expectations of her. I can't deal with her not being everything I felt like she could be. This was suppose to be my heart horse and we were going to do _everything_ together.


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## GoWithTheFlow

Hugs !:hug::hug::hugraying for you and Baby Girl ! 


It is so much better having horse(s) at home ! I can just go out there and what seems to be "doing nothing" ,actually means the most to me . Just going out there and loving on them . Spending time with my horses is so relaxing .


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## Wallaby

Brighteyes said:


> Thanks for the hugs! Hugs are really loved right now.
> 
> Removing my expectations is the hardest thing. Because I've always had such high expectations of her. I can't deal with her not being everything I felt like she could be. This was suppose to be my heart horse and we were going to do _everything_ together.


Anytime.  

I SOOO know what you mean!! 
When I first got Lacey, I was into riding English, wanted to learn to jump, wanted to blow up the shows, wanted to just go cantering around constantly, etc. However, Lacey had other plans - she's extremely difficult to fit to an English saddle so I had to start riding her western, she turned out to have never jumped before (and turned out to be terrible at it), she was 23 instead of 19 like I was told, and she was hot hot hot AND barely greenbroke after 15 years off, so to avoid dying, we spent our first year just doing groundwork+riding around at a walk.
It was super super tough at first but we figured out how to make it work - it turned out that she loves trail riding and that Aussie saddles generally fit her (like riding English, only a little different!) so now we just do that. We do a bit of running but we mostly just mosey along the trails, looking a scenery and enjoying each other's company. The trails keep my mind occupied so i don't feel like I'm missing out much but I still really wish we did _something_ show-worthy because I've never been in a show and Lacey is the one I want to go to a show riding.

Then, on top of all that^^ this last April it turned out that she has ERU (Equine Recurrent Uveitis)/Moon Blindness. It went un-diagnosed for so long that basically at this point, if she has another severe attack, she will be 100% blind in both eyes. She's about 95% blind in her right eye and 90% blind in her left. When I first found out, I thought everything was over with a capital "O". She was in so much pain for weeks and she was spooking at the littlest things, thinking they were going to kill her. As the weeks passed, she started figuring out her new way of life and I started figuring out our new way together. 
There's still a lot for us to learn and I'm so scared for this winter (the attack in April was caused by her catching a chill, in April! What is going to happen in January when it's 10*F??) but I'm letting her attitude be my inspiration. She knows she's basically blind but she's allowing that to make her better. She's learning words ("stall", "step", "careful", etc) to help her navigate her world safely and be able to be handled safely. And she's doing it with grace and dignity.


Anyway, that was a whole lot longer than I meant it to be, but basically, I totally, 100% get it. 
I had really high hopes going into horse ownership but I had to choose whether I wanted to be more committed to my dreams or to the horse I love. I chose my horse and I can tell you that it was the right decision. Definitely the harder, more painful decision, but also the better one.
I don't think you should give up your dreams just yet, or at all (I still hope to jump, show, run around constantly, etc, one day!), but be ready+willing to shift those dreams a bit if that's needed. Your dear Babygirl is worth it and I'm willing bet that she's going to end up teaching you a ton about something you never knew about. 
I had no idea that I was going to end up being this trail fiend and well, here I am! :lol:

Keep your chin up, girl! :hug: :hug:

and sorry again for the length, _someone_ *points at self* was apparently feeling chatty. :lol:


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## bellagris

So sorry about your day. Just a thought, but I had amazing results from it in my own experiences. My mare couldn't canter, she would seize up in the back end in an arena and go lame, short stride and not want to move forward at all. I had a chiropractor/acupuncture guy some out -also a vet. And he worked with Sable and actually increased the blood flow in her rear through adjustments and acupuncture. Last time he came out -right before I bred sable, he told me that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her and he'd take her for a CT today. In my opinion because I have seen it on horse after horse at pur barn, chiro and acupuncture go a long way to solving problems. 

I was so frustrated because it seemed everytime I would try to canter her she would go lame, and just yesterday we did 3 laps on both leads without hardly breaking a stride. Obviopusly the situations are different, but if you can increase her blood flow it should lower her blood pressure and lower her chances of tying up -may be worth a look if you haven't tried that already. Sables bones were cracking and I could visibly see the relief on her face.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

Baby Girl actually has a chiro appointment on August 8th! Awkwardly, it's the first day of school and at 10:30 am. :/ I won't be able to be present during the appointment, but it was the only time I could get since the guy only does multiple horses (my friend is getting her pony done). I also have to find someone to trailer her over, since my ride flaked out. But it will happen! She's been needing this for some time. She's started to get what looks like the very early stages of kissing spines. I don't know if this guy does acupuncture, but I'll request it done if he does.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

Wallaby:

You certainly do get it! _Exactly_ how I feel right there.


More committed to my dreams or my horse... I have to choose my horse. When I first got into the horse world, I was upset that people threw away horses that could no longer do what their owners wanted them to do. Horses that had been there for them for years. Horses that were old, or had health problems, or even horses that were young and just used up. These were great horses who gave their owners everything they had and some after that. It's almost like... If a horse gave everything it had, up to and beyond it's ability...It's just fair to do the same for them. I'm never going to be _that_ person, who throws their horse away. So I guess I do have to be ready to shift my dreams.

Please feel chatty more often! I love to chat.


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## bellagris

good stuff! I had amazing results from that so hope that all works out for you too!!


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## Brighteyes

7/30


Just wanted to quickly update, since I haven't typed up on entry in a while. 

Nothing has really happened. I haven't ridden Baby Girl since her last tiny incident. Save jumping on tackless in the pasture and walking back to the barn. 

I'm going to start consistently riding her again on August 9th. That's the day after school starts. I'm going to ride five days a week, no exceptions ever. Take it real slow. I'm dying with impatience but I want to be consistent and can't really be consistent when I'm as busy as I am now.

I'm going to Leatherwood on Wednesday. I'm riding Amy's horse Thunder (not sure if I've already told y'all that or not). I'll take pictures and try to have fun.


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## Brighteyes

8/6


I'm back from Leatherwood! Fun little ride. It's a really pretty place. Our cabin had a pasture right in the front yard. We could sit on the porch and watch the horses.

The trails vary from rocky, steep, tough, and nasty to rolling hills with minimal rock. Thunder, bless him, had never seen a hill in his life. He trotted up and down the hills, tripping and struggling. He ran me into trees and off trails because he didn't want to walk in the rut in the middle of the path. He had no idea how to pick out good footing. He had no sense of pace and was tired after 20 minutes every morning.

It got better though. He eventually realized the ruts are the safest places to walk and trotting down hills is dangerous. (It took a lot of correcting on my part for him to realize this.) He still rushed up hills a bit, but whatever. Not every horse can be a trail horse.

He was quiet and low energy. Very calm. Never buddy sour and always came down to walk, even after a good gallop on the meadow trail. I appreciated that.

Aside from riding, we didn't do much. We rode in the mornings and in the afternoons. Between that, we watched the Olympics and a old TV series called Flambards. :lol: We took turns cooking and ate really well every night. I slept in a tiny bed in the loft. The bed was about five and a half feet long and very narrow. Which was alright, since I'm only five feet tall. 


It was open house at school today. School starts on Wednesday.

I've starting working Baby Girl again. We lunged for 15 minutes today. I'll do the same tomorrow and start riding as planned.


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## Brighteyes

Also, here's a pic of Thunder and me!


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## Brighteyes

8/8


Couldn't find a ride to the chiro :-(, but I'm getting one to come to the barn this fall. Within the next couple weeks, hopefully. Putting that disappointment behind us...


Baby Girl lunging has been going very well. We picked up our game today and did 25 minutes of lunging, 50/50 walk/trot. Not a problem! It was HOT out there. We worked until she got a good sweat going on her flanks and her breathing was fast, but not to the point of panting.


She was reluctant to trot at first, out of sheer laziness. By the end of the lesson she did beautiful walk-trot transitions with only a raise of my hand and came back down to a walk with a slight vibration sent through the rope. It was awesome.

She was stiff circling to the left for 10 minutes. She wouldn't do the nice, relax trot I like. Only a hard, tense pace. I increased and decreased circle size at a walk, having her spiral in and out. That loosened her up and we got a great trot in that direction at the end.

Ideally, I would want her to _gait_ on the lunge. But she's so tense that trotting is okay by me if it lets her stretch down and raise her back. We practice a fast dog walk, almost a flat walk. She's never even been close to a flat walk on the lunge, so this is an interesting development and I'm not sure where it's coming from.

Anyway, riding her tomorrow! The first day of school was today. It was alright. Junior year... Yay. :? Gotta start thinking about college and all that...


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## Brighteyes

8/9

I woke up this morning really inspired. Not for any reason, really. Second day of school and I'm suppose to be miserable. All day at school I kept day dreaming about riding my horse. Time came around that afternoon, and a storm was coming up. I got to the barn and saddled by 4:30. It started raining HARD. Storming. Wind and rain.

I got the boss to come with me on her horse Spirit. We headed off through the woods while the clouds turned over. We were completely soaked in three minutes by driving rain.

Baby Girl was nervous. She gets really nervous in storms. She turns around the pasture when thunder sounds. She knew better than that under saddle and tried to hold herself together. I figure it's good to practice riding in these kinds of weather. You never know what you'll get caught in. 

We rode for about 40 minutes. Ran a little over. It was mostly fast walking and a little gaiting. I rode in my rope halter again, because I figured out how to tie my lunge line like a set of reins and a mecate and feel all cool. :lol: It was just a really nice ride.


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## Brighteyes

8/11


Been riding! 


Yesterday we did some arena work. A lot of flexing and bending. We did lateral flexion from a stand still. It took a lot of stretching for her to get comfortable with it, and she didn't want to reach all the way around. Her left side was especially stiff. Vertical flexion was a real struggle. Firstly, she didn't really understand. I was asking her to yield her jaw from a stand still. She was pretty sure I meant back up. When she finally did get what I was asking for, she wasn't fond of it and got rather irritated. I imagine it wasn't fun to stretch like that. I didn't ask for much and quit once she put in a little effort.

We did bending in circles as well. Only at a walk; she was way too stiff to do it at a gait. Well, she could, but it wasn't fair to ask. Too tough. Gaiting is always easier in straight lines anyway. 

[speculation]

(Speaking of her gait, it's actually pretty smooth nowadays. :shock: She isn't as hollow. Maybe she does and has always had PSSM. It would explain why she has defied all efforts to round her back and can't canter well. People with PSSM horses say that even before the tying up spells their horses always had problems with using their hind end and back muscles, resulting in hollow trots and fast, unbalanced, four beat canters. It also explains why her gait and musculature got _worse_ after I started working her hard. I looked back at my first year journal and saw little comments I made here and there. Looked at pictures and saw her top line and hind quarters regress. Looking back, I can see some _suspicious_ things.)

[/speculation]

We also did some walking over poles and touched on turns on the forehand and hindquarters (which SUCK).


Today, we did a lighter day. We warmed up on the lunge for 15 minutes. It was raining and the ground was wet. BG hates rain, so she was a little grumpy. She was looking nice and loose today. I rode for 15 minutes after. Walking circles, bending, flexing... Just a review of yesterday. She was a lot looser and much more willing to do some vertical flexion. Actually, her vertical flexion was pretty good, as was her lateral flexion. 

Also, her square halts are looking fab.

Anyway, good ride! Gonna do a trail tomorrow. Back to the rope halter for some chill time.


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## Brighteyes

8/12


Trail ride!


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## Brighteyes

8/20


Been a while since I posted!


Well, I've still been riding. Six days a week, doing various things. Trail rides, ground work, lunging sessions, a little arena when I'm feeling patient. No major breakthroughs yet, but I'm hoping for some improved ground work at least.


A really cool thing happened on Saturday. I saw in the paper they were having a horse nutrition seminar at one of our local feed stores. So I went and it was awesome. The nutritionist's name was Marty, and he works for one of the biggest feed companies in the southeast. He started the morning with a really cool lecture on feeding the performance horse.

I got to talk to him during lunch break about Baby Girl. I told him about her history and all. In a long, rambling sentence. And the first thing he said was, "I'm sorry." :lol: And went on to tell me what he thought I should do.

First, I told him about how crazy she gets when she's under _stress_. Her diarrhea, refusal to eat, shaking and worry on the trailer (she literally stands in the trailer and _shivers_ all over) teeth grinding, generally crankiness, girthiness... Stuff I just put up to being tired. He said she probably has ulcers that are being really pushed by stress. Which explains why she is such a magnificent spazz monster at competitions and it just gets _worse_. (This was followed by a lecture on ulcers, which had me nodding my head. Sweet serendipity.)

Not sure what I'm gonna do about _that_. I got 99 problems.

Next, he gave me a bunch of free coupons for feed. He said to try Legends Performance Pellet. Which is 10% fat and uber low starch and sugar. ("It's great for special horses, ulcer problems, and hot heads. You really won the lottery there.") He advised a pound of Legends and a pound of rice bran twice a day to start. Increase the rice bran if she starts losing condition. He said he likes his performance horses thin enough where you can see a little bit of a rib if you work them hard, but can only feel their ribs usually. Right now, BG is about perfect.

He also recommended I add a selenium and vitamin E supplement, since our area if low in selenium and you can't kill a horse with extra E. He also said to try thiamine for a month, to see if it helps calm her down. Helps some horses get themselves together.

I ordered this all off Smartpak for like 40 bucks. My grandparents even paid for it, since my birthday is coming up. I was all:












He gave a special warning about grass. It was unlikely BG tyed up off her little bit of Strategy. I realized it had been raining hard for three days. For three days she had been grazing 24/7 in a freshly watered pasture without any work. Oops. "Find yourself a grazing muzzle, put her up part the day, dry lot her and feed hay... Be very careful of winter weeds."

And he gave me his email. Yesssss. I have my own nutritionist.

Somewhere in all this, he asked me what kind of riding I did. "Endurance-y type stuff. CTRs. Distance." 

And he smiled. "Well, good. That's 96% aerobic. Perfect place for her. Best place she could be."


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## bellagris

That's great news, glad she is coming along!! You know, if she is pacing on the long line or any other time it may be because she is stretching those lateral muscles out (if she's been doing it more lately, it could be why she is improving on her gait as well) anyways when Sable is pacey and stiff -if she tends to want to pace, I ride it and let her to do but make sure the rest of the session or the section of my ride is all pacing so she doesnt get confused and there is a clear distinction...it can be really good for them. Usually she can be brought back down after a nice walk after because she is much looser.

Just an observation, TWH are so willing and will try against all odds to please you. Sounds like BG is carrying that quality


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## Brighteyes

I sometimes have days when I just don't care about her gait! I just give her a loose rein and trail ride in whatever second gear she likes. She usually paces for a couple minutes and starts trotting once she feels looser. I'll post the rough gaits and only sit when I'm asking for an actual gait. Lately she's been offering me an almost legit flat walk under saddle when she's loose and ready. Pretty cool!

Today we did an hour straight of good conditioning trail. Fast walking and trotting. Probably the most intense thing we've done in a while. She loved it. 

And she certainly does try! Even on little things. After our trail, we worked on the ground on this cool new trick. You stand on the mounting block and the horse siddles up next to you so you can mount. It's actually pretty challenging. BG got frustrated at first, because she didn't know what to do. She kept swinging her butt around and facing me. She kept trying hard though, and eventually understood. She HATES this kind of stuff, so it's great that she managed to hold herself together long enough and make the effort. 

Once I get this trick down really well, I'll make a video. It's neat.


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## Brighteyes

8/23


Another difficult, beautiful day of ground work!


Amy had me and Baby Girl, and Julia and her lease pony, doing some pretty tedious stuff. "Meh meh, foot control, foot control, meh meh, control those feet!" was Amy's war cry. 

First, we reviewed.

Me and BG practiced the "squeeze game" like yesterday. Amy made me send her through some scary pool noodles hanging from a tree. I wasn't allowed to move my feet. I sent her back and forth in a half circle, making her really hustle, disengage, and face me. 

Then we reviewed our line up to the mounting block trick. Which she did very, very well.

After that, Amy put a single tire on the ground and told me to put BG's front feet in it. I was like, okay...

"Focus on the tire. The tire. The tire." And I did. Stared daggers into that frickin tire. 

And yes, she did step into it. :lol:

Amy upped it and made me sidepass over the tire until I was straddling it, then back her up into the tire. This was more difficult, but we did it eventually. Both front feet!

The whole time, BG was a ball of nerves. She hate hate HATES brain work. She was breathing hard and worked up, but trying her best not to misbehave.

I was allowed to try it mounted after that. It took a couple minutes and BG was really frustrated by the end, but she did it and I gave her a break.

Next was sidepassing an L. BG liked this better than the tire because it required more motion and she's less stressed when she can move her feet. She sidepassed that L pretty great.

After that, I was told to ride back to the barn. Slowly. :twisted:

I got a lot of resistance from BG because her brain was shot and she just wanted to go home. But whatever. Amy said she does feel better moving her feet, so my all means, more. We spun a lot of circles and backed up around almost the entire arena. We spun, backed, stopped and rested, and I asked nicely with a loose rein for her to kindly walk on. If she didn't, we spun and backed.

We did this for a couple minutes until my annoyed, anxious, brain blasted horse walked to the barn. 

In other news, feeding a quart of alfalfa pellets before work makes BG act less like herself. Less girthy, less irritable. No more diarrhea after/during work. The calcium is suppose to buffer the stomach. A nice, easy thing to give her to make her feel a bit better.


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## Brighteyes

8/25


Rode for two hours today! 

It was a really lovely day. Not humid (pretty big deal in Georgia), clear skies, a little breeze. It _smelled_ like fall. The entire world smelled like decaying leaves and drying hay and cleanliness. A little crispness in the air.

BG had a lovely time. Her walk was huge and loose. Her gait was amazing. She just felt good. Ears flopping, head low; enjoying a good walk.


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## Brighteyes

8/26


Baby Girl was so so so very good today!

We rode for three hours. It was suppose to be an hour/hour and a half ride, but we got _lost_. We (Amy, the boss, and I) rode to my _house_. That place where I live when I'm not at the barn. Sorta neat, standing around in my own backyard.


And Baby Girl was up for it. _Loved_ it. She hit a low point an hour in (our pace was a bit fast that first hour), but pepped back up after five minute's rest and _owned_ the trail the rest of the ride. 

She was nice and quiet. She didn't get chargey or anxious, even heading back to the barn. Walked like a quarter horse when I asked _and_ walked like a TWH if I asked for that gear. She's really gotten good in her rope halter. I haven't put a bit in her mouth in a couple rides. I really don't need a bit for trail riding anyhow.


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## Brighteyes

8/29


It was my birthday yesterday!  Great day. A lot of fun. I'm having a little family party on Saturday, so I basically get a birthday _week_!


Most of my out-of-state family already send me gifts. They asked me what I wanted, and I said I wanted money to buy horse feed. :lol: I got a total of around 150 bucks, which can buy a couple weeks of rice bran and Legend with. 

My grandmother also ordered BG's supplements, which I gave to BG for the first time yesterday. Smartpaks are just the coolest. I geeked out.


(My friends asked me what I got, and I was like, "HORSE FOOD! " They questioned what 17-year-old gets so happy about horse food.)


Today I went out to the barn to teach a lesson. It got rained out hard, but I got to see BG. Amy was showing Julia how to move each of her pony's feet individually and make him square up. I tried it with BG and she did it perfectly without any fuss or confusion or a word between us. I squeed, because this made me really happy. It's like we have a common language and we can finally talk. Which is a weird thing to say over something so minor and small, but it was a little break through.


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## Brighteyes

9/5


Been a couple days! Haven't been riding much. Had a busy weekend taking care of the barn and several days of rain. I almost rode during the blue moon, but wimped out because I'm scared of the dark.  I visited in the pasture, heard some coyotes crying, and ran back to the barn like a little girl. True story.

I did have a really good ride a couple days ago. Good hour of arena work at the walk and gait. Pretty decent gait, for Baby Girl. I finally put together how to half halt, which helped a ton. It's more of a "half go" than any kind of stopping. Whoda thunk it.

We trail rode a couple times. About 45 minute trails. Nothing big. BG had gotten a lot quieter on the trail recently. She no longer jig paces. I put an eight-year-old kid on her for a trail on Monday and actually felt decent about it. When BG started jigging, all the kid had to do was lift up on one rein and it stopped.


I got my SSHBEA magazine today and was surprised to see this half page ad in the back.











Who are those chicks? :lol:

Hint: BG and I at last year's Virginia Highlands! Now in a magazine! Thanks, Board, for putting us in there! I have _no_ clue how you got that picture or why you selected our lowly team, but it made a rough day happy. 


Going to do some riding this week for SURE!


I leave you with a blurry picture of BG and I. 












EDIT:

Forget to say! We got fecal egg testing done on equines at the farm. Baby Girl only had egg count per gram of 300. The lowest count of all the horses at the farm! Yessss... A problem my horse doesn't have. ;D Recheck in 4 months and less worming from now on!


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## Brighteyes

9/6



GREAT trail ride today! An hour and a half. The first hour was 50/50 walk/trot, which is a large-ish deal. :wink: BG was really good for the first hour. She listened perfectly. We practice some obstacles on down logs. I didn't even have to use rein pressure. She did trot-walk-halt transitions just on voice and seat. Pretty easy in the arena, tough on trails! She gets rather forward out there. Less so today, since lately she's been a lot calmer. She still enjoys her trotting, but doesn't argue when I ask for a walk. 










She was a little iffy the last half hour, walking home. She started trying to jig, so I backed her butt up the trail for a long ways. Took care of it.

She also got to canter for 30 seconds, which she enjoyed. :lol:

I brought my dog, Mushroom, along. I bring her a good bit, actually. 

She trots beside the whole time.











She and Baby Girl love each other. After every trail ride the pair of them go on, Mushroom lays next to Baby Girl in the wash rack and they get hosed off together.


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## bellagris

cute! she looks really good!

I wish i could take my dog on rides, sadly Ryder is an english mastiff and just doesnt have the stamina ...more of a 'i'll stay at the barn and make sure no horses get out' type of pooch haha

BG looks great though, her weight and muscling is looking back to normal. She's such a pretty girl. Is she 5 now?


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## Brighteyes

I love Mastiffs!  Cool dogs! 


Thank you! She's a cute little spazz.

She's still a little heavier than where I want her, but she's losing some weight now since she's being worked (and winter should take care of some of the extra). She has that crease down her back that just incenses me. :lol:










She's actually six! She's a 2006 model. 



We played a little today in the round pen.















 
Then I tacked up and rode for about 20 minutes. Just because. We did some brain riding for the first bit. I had her doing roll backs, backing up (a lot), going from a back to a trot (which is super fun for me), leg yielding, doing one rein stops from a walk and trot, flexing... Everything I could think of that BG hates. :wink:

I had my camera in the truck, so I was like, what the heck, let's make a video. I haven't put up a video of BG being ridden in forever.

Well, I picked a heck of a day to video, because that PACE. :lol:





 
Well, you can't have it all.



Going to Mingo or Silver Spur or somewhere tomorrow with Amy. I can't wait to get away from the farm! It's so boring riding here after a while, and I haven't trailer BG in a while. I want to see if you traveling mood swings have improved.


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## Brighteyes

(Double Post.)


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## Brighteyes

9/8










My horse is in a pond. My day > your day. 


Amy and I went to Mingo and rode for three hours. One of those hours was fooling around in this pond though. I stripped the saddle and went _swimming_. 

It was awesome.


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## Brighteyes

9/9

Today is BG's day off, but Amy e-mailed me more pictures from yesterday. 


After swimming, I carried my saddle home. Because I didn't want it to get wet. :lol:











Note BG's "I give up on life" expression, and its contrast with my utter joy.











Full body.











Sipping her bath water.


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## Brighteyes

9/11


I rode yesterday, and BG was a hot blowing snorting pacing mess. So let's forget that happened and move on with the cool stuff I did today. :wink:


Amy said she needed to come up with harder things for me to do, since I can do most of her crazy "beginner" tricks and some of her "intermediate" tricks. So she decided my first high intermediate trick was going to be backing my horse onto a traffic cone.


Yep. Not around or next to. Amy wanted me to put BG's back foot on top the cone. I wasn't allowed to move _my_ feet at all.

Oh, and I was at the very end of my lunge line. 15 feet away. 

I was like, "Nonsense!"

Amy gave no damns and made me do it anyway.


So I used all my ground worky skillz to line her up to the cone, back her, bring her forwards when she avoided the cone, back her again, move her butt, move her forehand, move individual legs...












"Amy, this is too hard."

"Blah blah, you almost got it."













"I GOT IT!!" 


And I was very pleased with myself. Amy was like, "Now do it again."


So I did. And BG consciously avoided the cone. When it would have been easier to step on it, she took a huge step away. Just testing was all. How serious I was.

I got her to do it two more times and then stopped.

Afterwards, we did some other stuff. Sidepassing over a mounting block (which she did pretty well), some bridleless... Amy taught me how to get BG to back without a bridle, which I've always wondered how to do. BG picked it up super quick. I've never though of her as a very smart horse, but today I started thinking of her as above average. But come to think of it, all horses could be "above average" if someone worked with them. It's all about teaching them to think.


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## Brighteyes

9/16


We did an ACTHA ride yesterday at Silver Spur.


I think we did a pretty good job. The trail about about eight miles and we had six obstacles. We did Open again, because why the freak not. I don't care about placing at these things and feel more accomplished doing Open poorly than Pleasure well. :lol:


We rode with Courtney's horse Sky (a TWH who has a very similar personality to BG) and Juliet's horse Jackpot (BG's uncle or something like that).

Since Sky is so similar to BG, me and Courtney had some good talks about our horses quirks and issues. They rode really well together. 

But only those two. If you added Jackpot to the mix, BG was high as a kite. I shouldn't blame Jackpot for this; in an ideal world, my horse should be able to keep her cool despite the crazy energy given off by other horses. But the world isn't ideal so I was _annoyed_.

BG spent the first two miles and the first two obstacles acting like herself. Pracing and doing stupid rears and acting a bit like she did during the Virginia Highlands distaster run.

Our first obstacles was an uphill. Stop at the bottom (or twirl at the bottom and rear), walk to a cone (or prance to a cone), and trot (prance) the rest of the way up. 

Micheal, the local pro horse trainer, told me I was doing the right stuff. Check and RELEASE. He also said to try circles. "But circles don't work!" I said. He told me I was going punishment circles. We wanted me to pretend I was doing an exercise; practicing bending and giving to the bit, not punishing her for not standing still. And it worked! It's all in my head. Gotta stay calm.

The next obstacle was _weird_. They had a back pack on a pulley. You had to grap the rope and back your horse, pulling the back pack off the ground. You than had to turn on the forehand and back towards the pulley system, allowing the back pack to return to the ground.

I don't even want to talk about it.


Anyway, Courtney, love her, was really concerned about my horse. BG was acting all anxious and she knows the anxiety factor involved in tying up is _huge_. She was just as concerned as I was about not letting my horse get sick again. So Courtney told me we were slowly walking the rest of the ride and told Juliet to gallop ahead, because my horse was pace jigging herself exhausted.

After that, the rest of the ride went great.

We did a mount next, and I thought we did perfect.

Next obstacle was a stuffed animal being pulled across the trail in front of us to simulate an animal running out. BG stood perfectly still and blew at it. It was cute. <3

Then were was a some logs on the trail. You can to negociate them and then sidepass off one. BG picked her way through. Tried so hard. Did great. She didn't want to stop and sidepass midway through (see picture below), but she threw in some good sidepass steps once we collected ourselves.










Last obstacle was the "labyrinth", which was a TIGHT maze of logs. It was so tight it was hard to go through in forwards, nevertheless backwards. We had to back it. BG stepped over a lot of the logs, but we made it.


Overall, it was a good ride. BG didn't finish her grain that night through. I touched her girth and she layed back her ears, so I figure she's gotten a little ulcery. I noticed some teeth grinding and grumpiness immediately after the ride.

Aside from the first two miles, this is the calmnest she's been at an ACTHA ride. Progress is good.


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## Brighteyes

9/17


Don't really have a reason to post today. Just wanted to write. Some days I just like to write.

Baby Girl is going to have a very light week. I'm leaving for Heart of Dixie on Thursday morning. I'm going to volunteer. Hopefully I'll get a job more important than P&Rs. :lol: I mean, it's important, but not very glamorous. I want to be a judge's secretary sooo bad. 

Baby Girl will be staying at Mr Ronnie's. I'll probably ride her over there Wednesday afternoon. 

Hopefully I'll get in a good ride tomorrow that'll keep me up for the rest of the week.


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## Brighteyes

9/18


Today was a good little ride. We're finally getting back up to speed. 45 minutes; 75% at a good, forward trot.


Back at the barn, we did transitions to and from backing. Walk a few steps, back a few steps, walk a few steps. Quick as you can, with no hesitation. Near the end, I got what I wanted. When I asked for a stop, she immediately sat back on her haunches and backed up. Lovely!


Gonna go on an hour trail tomarrow with a student and then I'm off to Dixie.


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## Brighteyes

9/25


Had a great time at Heart of Dixie. I was on P&Rs, which is a pretty meh job but sort of important this ride. The rest of the crew were vet students from Auburn and didn't know anything about the sport. I was one of the few people who knew what the freak was going on around there.

Did that for two days and that was basically it.


I did, however, talk to Cheri, the horsemanship judge. She's had a lot of national champions and at least one president's cup winner. One of her multiple national champions was a tie up prone mare. She competed this horse all over the nation. Her horse's case was pretty similar to Baby Girl's.

She said it probably wasn't necessary to wait till spring to compete Baby Girl again if I was confident she was fit. It's been three months and we've found what works for us. 

She recomended a product called JC's X-Tie Up for ride weekends. 

Cheri also said the most important thing is the first 30 minutes. Her mare always tied up in the first 20/30 minutes of a ride. Baby Girl seems to favor this too. Cheri said to get up early and walk/trot around camp for 30 minutes before you head out. Your horse is good with that, you are 90% safe.

Which brings to me to Sweet Halloween in Rockford next month. You have_ no idea_ how much I want to go to this. I saw the calender at the beginning of the year and was freaking out, because this ride sounds ballin. And the manager _really_ needs riders.

Cheri will be horsemanship judge, and guess who's vet judging?

STEPHANIE! 

The ride is in Alabama, but I've heard it's hard as hell. Slow pace, but rolling hills. Rocky. Need shoes. 

I'm not calling anything yet. I originally didn't plan to compete until King's Mountain at the soonest.

Which is only two weeks after Rockford...

And originally originally I didn't want to compete until spring...

So I'm not calling it yet.

Baby Girl isn't in the _best_ shape. She's in _good_ shape. She's done a lot of walking these past few months.


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## Brighteyes

9/27


Had a really good arena session today!

But before that, here is BG hanging in the pasture.










I got out there and rode her tackless back to the barn. Too long to walk. 











Anyway.


I tried a new bit today. I wanted something that wouldn't poke her tongue like my single joint. I got a full cheek French link snaffle with a mouth piece a bit thicker than my old D ring. 










We started with 10 minutes of walking. Nothing special. I set up some trot poles; four of them. I started with them slightly raised, but BG was having too hard a time, so I put them back on the ground.

We did an arena session of pure trotting. In arena work, I like to either trot the whole time, pace the whole time, or gait the whole time. 

I also decided if I'm ever going to trot this horse, it better be a good trot. I've been doing some reading on dressage recently and am trying to apply that.

Between trots, we did a lot of backing, leg yields, one rein stops, flexing, etc.

After 30 minutes of trot work, I decided to see how this canter thing was doing. She was very well warmed up and trotting along nicely, so heck.

And dammit, it was _good_.

Nice, prompt transition. I kept contact with her mouth and half halted around a decent sized circle. 

Then a great thing happened. She leaned into the bit (not in a bad way; more seeking contact). I let the reins slide through my hands a bit. She raised her back and slowed her canter. At first, I thought she was trying to buck. :lol: That's how significant it felt when she rounded out. Five strides of that and I let her stop and walk. Hopefully she knew what I was getting at.


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## Brighteyes

10/3

Hello, October! Where did you come from?


Just a short update. Lunged for around 25 minutes, 50/50 walk trot, on Monday, with a student on her back.

Did a 1 hour trail today, and afterwards had a student ride BG in the arena for an hour. 90% trot, some pole work. BG still isn't very consistent over the poles and hasn't quite found her feet.

BG also got the hell kicked out of her yesterday. She and the two head mares both wanted some scraps of hay in a stall. BG got pinned against the wall by one mare and kicked four times. The right side of her rump and flank have half moon kick marks that took off hair but didn't break skin.

I cold hosed the arena, 10 minutes off and 10 minutes on, twice with cold water and applied from salve to the spots. She didn't seem uncomfortable, but it just _looked_ like it hurt. God knows she's tough.


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## Brighteyes

10/5


We JUMPED! 

I really miss jumping. 

After a couple of trot pole sessions, I figured BG was up for a few low fences.

After a 20 minute warmup and some trotting poles, I set up a very simple grid. First it was just a vertical, about a foot and a half high, and two poles spaced about 7 feet apart after it. 

After we gained confidence with that, I made the grid a bit harder. I had a vertical, a ground pole, and then a cross rail. At first, BG felt a little over faced. She tried to duck out after the vertical and avoid the cross rail. I had to give up holding mane and actively steer her towards the final jump. While in two point. In the air. :lol: Once I got it right I felt pretty frickin successful!

Once she did the grid completely once, she had no more thoughts about ducking out. She actually quite enjoyed herself.

We rode for a total of 45 minutes in the arena. Plenty of trotting before and after jumping.

I then joined the boss on a trail ride. We just walked and were out for about an hour and a half. BG wasn't the least bit tired and was very good for the trail.


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## Brighteyes

10/6


Went a long trail ride today! We were out for about three hours, the boss and I, at Mingo. It was hot and sandy and even BG seemed a little over it after two hours. :lol: We walked, trotted, and cantered a good bit. 

I brought Mushroom too. She had to trot behind me the whole time. Bless. I had too tired beasts at the end of that ride!

But BG isn't out of hell yet! Megan, my old trainer who has sinced moved on from Dublin and my barn, was back in town. She invited me to trail ride with her and her lease horse Lacey. I got the boss to drop me off at Megan's boarding barn. I'm keeping BG there until Monday for trail riding fun times.

We plan to ride tomorrow morning, right at sun up. I hope it goes well! I feel a little bad for BG. She's going to have three tough work days in a row. Well. She'll be ready for Rockford in two weeks for sure.

EDIT:

Forgot to tell you about the cutest thing she did today at Mingo! Amber was scared to death of this plastic baby pool and wouldn't go up to it. BG was scared too, but inched up to it when I asked despite. She touched her nose to it, and I was prepared to be happy. Then she started pawing, put her front feet it in, and looked at me like "Sooo... I usually get pet for this kind of stuff." 

So I chilled with my horse standing in the pool while Amber and the boss spooked circles around me. I felt so accomplished. I usually measure my horse one a scale of one to Amber. If she can do something better than Amber, I win.


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## Brighteyes

10/4


Baby Girl is totally back! She really shined today. 

Megan and I were saddled up and out on the trails at 8:00 AM. Sun had just come up. Cool, misty, breezey morning. BG was happy to see me after a night alone in the pasture. She trotted up and stuck her nose in the halter. "Ready to go."

Megan's mare Lacey is still a little green, so she was a bit hot for the first 20 minutes. BG cared not and walked steady.

After a good bit of walking, we did a 10 minute warm up trot down a sandy trail in the planted pines. All was well.

After 30 minutes, the day was going so nicely and the horses were acting so sane that Megan and I decided to do some cantering down a long dirt road. I figured now or never; gotta see if BG is good for long canters.

We cantered for a long while, all the way down the road. The mares were heaving and sweating, but still very willing to move forward. Megan asked me if it would be okay to "check Lacey's speed index." Lacey had never been run full out before and this would be a good place to try it. So we raced.

And God, we grew wings! It's been months since I've had a good run. We flew, wide open, faster than I've ever galloped. If I haven't see the trail of hoof prints behind me, I wouldn't have believed we ever touched the ground.


We spent four and a half hours on the trail that day. Walking, trotting, and cantering with reckless abandon. We waded into a clear pond and pawed at fish. We rested underneath ancient trees and munched on grass. We found a wide, grassy lane shaded by oak trees that made me and Megan think of fox hunting county. We galloped it.


It was a totally ideal day and some of the most fun I've ever had.


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## Brighteyes

10/12


Ground work day! I haven't done groundwork in a while, so I figured it would be a nice day. I got bucked off a mule yesterday (long story), so I was too sore to ride. :lol:

We started with desensitizing to the whip. Which I have to do every single time, since always starts out to suspious. She was good and allowed me to really beat the ground with it. 

Next we did the back-and-put-your-foot-on-a-cone thing, which took 15 minutes. BG knew what game we were playing, but she didn't want to play. She tried to wear me down about it, but I wouldn't leave her alone until she had that foot on the cone. She eventually stomped on the cone, totally under protest. Left it alone after that.

We did a little backing patterns. It looked a little rough. Needs work.

Next we free lunged. BG is funny about free lunging. I'll send her out. She'll walk for a minute, and then suddenly explode into a gallop. She'll run and kick and buck. She'll try to change directions, and I'll have her roll back and reverse. She'll run until she no longer wants to run, walk a couple a laps, and wait for me to let her into the center.

I was feeling lucky, so I got out the big bad plastic bag on a stick. BG is terrified on that bag, so I just did one side. Tapped in on the ground in a steady tempo and let BG spook and stare until she stood still.

After work, I tied her out for about an hour and a half. 

"I do not like the highline of shame."










"No. Not at all."











But it's good for you!


She has no patience being tied. Time to learn.


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## bellagris

awe, i just love the way you described your day with BG. My fiances family owns about 300 acres of land and a big chunk of that is a valley with a river running through it -trees rising on either side and tons of old paths that were used to drive on before real roads were made. I love to ride on those and imagine what it was like. Very cool. Have't read in awhile, but it seems that all youre belief in her has paid off and she's early back to her old self. Glad everything worked out for you! 
I havent ridden in 3 weeks...well for my birthday one of my best friends whom i ride and show with got a bottle of wine and celebrated my quarter century by riding bareback and haveing a glass of wine lol...one of the best most free feeling rides i have ever had on her . After our last show I gave sable a week off and by the time I thought to get back and take her for a mountain ride the snow was blowing and we've reached a daytime high of 2 whopping degrees celcius. nasty. Shes due to foal in April or May so i wont push her too hard this winter but sure do miss her. Time to ride soon!


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## Brighteyes

I love bottom lands. Rivers are my favorite places to ride. Around here, we have a wide, shallow river with tons of sandy four wheeler trails that I'd love to ride one day. I've canoed down it and couldn't hardly enjoy because I'd so much rather be camping with my horse on one of the sand bars and playing in the river!

That sounds like a great ride. Shame that your riding season has turned over. 2 celcius is, what, mid 30s? That's FREEZING. In Georgia, anything below 40 is cancel-school-stay-inside-wait-for-spring weather. I've also only seen snow once before... It's wet. That has to make it worse!

Baby Sable is going to be precious. I'm sure you can hardly wait!


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## Brighteyes

10/14

Had another awesome two days!


Yesterday, BG and I had a play day. We just did fun stuff and didn't really care. Silly sort of day. My friend Grace came along with me and wanted to play with my camera, so she took some pictures of our antics.

So what makes a good picture? Running, we decided. So I got on bareback and in my rope halter and ran back and forth down a section of trail so Grace could take some pictures. It was fun. Not many of the pictures turned out great, but this one was kind of striking.











Afterwards, we still had daylight and wanted to ride. So we both rode BG around the arena. I jumped a couple times and got VIDEO. :lol:





 





 

Just little grids. The last vertical was two feet even. I was all laughing and goofing off the whole time, which wasn't a bad thing. I take riding way too seriously sometimes! I didn't yesterday. I just rode and was happy. I also like having a friend to horse around with.



Today, BG and I went to Mingo and rode for about 2 and a half hours. The pace was decent, but not too fast. Susan brought her paso. Again, it's nice to have some outside company. When it's just me alone, or me and the boss, things fall into monotony. For the rest of the week, I'm going to take it easy on BG. Little trail rides and lunging a bit. I think she's ready for Rockford, and I'm not usually confident about these sort of things.


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## Brighteyes

Let me tell you about Rockford. 


They held the Championship Challenge there once upon a time. Ran it at 5.2 miles per hour. Why would they run the CC so slow?


Because Rockford is a _beast_.


It's the toughest ride in Region Five. Even the veteran Open riders acknowledge that it's a monster. It's a 50 mile weekend; 30 the first day and 20 the second. They ran it at 4.4 miles per hour (mid time) this year. Rolling hills. Which sounds pretty prissy, but these hills were god awful. There was no flat ground. Rocks _everywhere_. You were constantly going up or down. Because of having to go down the hills pretty slowly, you had to trot everything even remotely trot-able to keep your average at 4.4 mph. Every time you walked, you were losing time.


I vetted in pretty successfully on Friday afternoon. Cheri pulled out an in-hand obstacle for the first day. It was simple looking, but tough to do because of how narrow it was. The logs were barely far enough apart to fit a horse between. BG and I didn't complete it (had a tough time with the turn), but we would have if given more time. Homework! Overall, I didn't feel too bad. We did a lot better than most.


BG vetted in clean with all normals and zeros. So it began.


Day one:

We rode with Paula. There were only four Open riders (me, Paula, Regina, and Marty). BG did wonderful on her first obstacle (a mess of sticks and crap in the road to pick though). She's so careful with her feet. I let her have her head and she prisses her way through, watching those branches carefully.


An hour or two later, and Paula and I are completely and hopelessly lost. It's a sick feeling. We got turned off somewhere. We lost where we had come out and couldn't even backtrack our way out. We trotted up and down a dirt road for 30 minutes before giving up on finding our lost trail and simply trying to find _a_ trail. Any trail.


We eventually ended up back on trail, but not on track. We were behind the Novice drag riders. 30 minutes behind time on a ride where making up time is almost impossible. 


We cantered to our first P&R, pretty convinced the crew had moved on already. We caught the last of the Novice pack, stripped the saddles off our horses, and started cooling them. I thought I wasn't going to pass this one. No way. We had been racing for miles.


It's a real testament to BG that she recovered within five minutes. After her pulse was down to a decent number, Paula said to put my saddle back on. We didn't have time to waste. We walked and got in line for a metabolic check. While waiting in line, we got our numbers taken. :shock: I am so proud that BG still passed. We didn't get time to settle at all.


We cut in front of Novice in line and got our metabolic checked. Still all normals and zeros! Cheri had another in hand obstacle for us. There was a log. Sidepass down the log, turn on the forehand (stepping only the back legs over the log and leaving the front ones completely still), step back over the log, sidepass the opposite way, and mount your horse.


BG was lovely.


And off we trotted off again! And trotted and trotted for miles and miles, with the impossible mission of making up time.


20 miles in and we were back at camp. Still behind time. Regina pulled before the first P&R (lame horse), so Marty joined us for our after lunch loop of 10 more miles. More trotting and trotting and cantering and hills. But, at the end of the day, we got in on time. 



Vet check that afternoon. BG was still sound and in fair shape for such a tough day. She had some swelling and heat in her girth, probably due to the saddle siding and shifting all day. Metabolic looked good.


Day two:


Paula, Marty, and I were team Open again. Day two was 20 miles. We had a trot out and check up before we could leave camp. BG's girth was still tender, but no longer hot. She had developed some back soreness during the night, but it was very mild. 


Day two actually went pretty according to plan. We stayed on time for once, even though it meant trotting basically the whole ride. BG rocked a backing obstacle and a canter to stop transition, and did good on all the other obstacles.


We vetted out pretty clean! Still had a sore back and a sore girth, but we weren't lame (huge accomplishment at Rockford). 


During awards on Sunday afternoon, Cheri said something that really struck me. "Consistency. Consistency is the most important thing. Consistent means every time you handle your horse. Every ride, 60 miles or around the barn. Consistency makes horses secure and comfortable, because they don't like to guess. Never change the rules, so set ones you like. Consistency, because perfect practice makes perfect. Don't practice until you get it right. Practice until you can't get it wrong. And that starts at home. Daily. Every minute you spend with your horse is training for a lifetime." So I wrote in big letters CONSISTENCY on an index card and put it on my saddle


All in all, it was both the toughest and easiest ride I've ever done. It was tough because of, well, you can guess from the ride story above. But it was easy because Baby Girl was the best she's ever been. She's never been so easy, quiet, and well adjusted. (Which is probably why her metabolic were so good. She's finally _calm, _and can now focus on conserving energy and taking care of herself.)


This horse was a _machine_! She _got it. _I pointed her nose down the trail and it was all business from there. She knew where to trot and how fast. She had her head down, looking at the terrain, to determine where to put her feet, where to drop to a walk, and where to kick it into gear. She knew what a 4.4 mph average felt like and maintained it with no help from me. 


She really took care of herself. She decided when she needed food. She knows better than me what she needs, so I let her snag grass as we walked. When she saw water, she put her head down, skimmed across the creek, found a spot, and drank. I didn't stop her. She stopped herself when she needed water. When she didn't, she just kept on walking right through the creek. 


She's come together slowly, and then all at once. She isn't perfect, but she's really grown up.


----------



## Brighteyes

PS:

We had a little costume contest on Saturday afternoon. BG and I were gangstas. (Her "bling" is flipped around backwards in the picture. There is actually a big golden "B" on the other side. :lol










"I didn't choose the horse life. The horse life chose me."


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## Brighteyes

10/25

Short update!

I rode in the round pen today. Round pens are, as a general rule, for babies. But I made an exception for today due to not wanting to worry about steering during our lesson.

We started with a little bit of ground work, which went really well. Her free lunging was a thing of beauty.

I mounted up afterwards. Rope halter. I had one ground pole set up on the rail, so remind BG to maintain a trot. I was reading something in a book yesterday, which finally made it clear how to get a horse to lower their head and neck and not just tuck their nose. I can tuck BG's nose fine. But her head is still high as a llama and that's always bothered me. 

I first got her to lower her head at the walk. All you do is jiggle the reins. That's it. Weird that I never figured this out before. After some confusion and trying really hard to figure out what I meant (you could see the gears turning in that little head of hers), she dropped her head a fraction of an inch. Release! This went on for a while until the cue was solid and I had her walking around with her head to her knees.

We did this at a trot as well. The head stayed at her knees. I had to re-cue every couple of strides, but hey. It was a nice trot. 

I tried it at the canter. Nope. She's not ready. She still can't canter in a round pen without it being a wild and unbalanced affair.

Eventually, I'm hoping that trotting with her head low will encourge some roundness of the back. Once I can round her back, lots of good stuff could happen. At the very least, lowering her head relaxes her.


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## Brighteyes

10/31


Haven't updated in a while! Just wanted to say I'm leaving for the last ride of the year, King's Mountain, tomorrow! I'll be riding Open Lighweight instead of Junior, to help Paula get enough points to be President's Cup runner up. She's tied with a Region 4 lady, so this ride is a big deal for her. I'd be honored to be beaten by the great Paula. 

BG has been well, and I'm hopeful! I've been doing some light riding since Rockford (a couple long trails, jumping up to two feet, getting out and walking whenever I got time). Wish us well!


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## Brighteyes

11/5


King's Mountain was two 25 mile days, so it came and went like those summer rain storms I'm going to miss so much as winter passes through central Georgia (it was quite cold today). The pace was slow and the terrain was undemanding. Mostly flat. Carriage trails through an orange hardwood forest with leaves covering the ground.

Baby Girl wasn't perfect. I went through my stages of grief pretty quickly. She really upset me with some of her behavior at obstacles. Her calling, prancing, buddy sour, mind losing ways resurfaced with vengeance this weekend. She twirled around during vet in on Friday. We went on a ride that afternoon to kick some energy off of her. All she did was call and prance.

Saturday wasn't much better. We rode with Paula and Gary. Gary is the national president. THE. He and Paula are also both multi-national champions and President's Cup winners. I rode behind them both in my usual way. When BG starting acting like an idiot, it was so _embarrassing_. She jigged and backed uncontrollably and lost her mind. And I'm sure Paula and Gary thought I was an idiot too.

The cap of it all... One of our obstacles on Sunday (I set out that day with a positive attitude, hoping that BG's issues had resolved themselves) was so simple. Sidepass up to a large rock. Dismount. Wait two seconds. Remount.

I walked BG up in front of the vet judge (her name was Carrie and she's pretty much my new favorite) and asked her to stop and settle. BG backed and twirled and lost it. And I... Shattered. 

Because you know what I do every single day? _Every day when I ride this horse, I sidepass her up to a fence to get on. Every time I dismount, I sidepass up to the fence to get off._

I usually talk to my horse. But this time I _yelled_ at her. _"I want you to do this because I know you can!" _

Gary and Paula stared divisively and Carrie regarded with some sympathy and the vet secretary told to me calm down, but it's hard to calm down when your horse just broke your heart like that.

Humiliated. That's how I felt. And I thought... I work too hard to suck this bad. Why is does everyone have a better horse than me, when I spend so much time and heart on BG? People who ride their horses once a month have better horses than me. Am I wasting my time? 

The weeping stage passed within an hour. Gary and Paula don't really talk during rides. Only occasionally to each other and never to me. I hung back and felt sick for a while. That lump in the throat when something goes wrong and makes it hard to swallow. Ugh.

I felt pretty ugh the rest of the ride. I passed miles of trail and didn't even see it because I was just too frustrated. 

And then it was over. Last ride of the year. I really wish I didn't let it end that way.

But here's the positive section of this entry:

I saw this written in a locker room once: "Q: What do you do when you play a bad game of tennis? A: Play more tennis."

The solution isn't to give up, but to keep it up. Play more tennis. Ride more CTRs. And that's what I'm going to do. This too shall pass.

And if it doesn't, I have a amazingly sound and very well conditioned horse. She lost no points in metabolics or soundness. She's still a machine. There are some horses who just can't deal with the stress of these rides physically. Some don't make it one ride, some make it for two or three before being deemed upsuitable... Some break down between the stress of training and competing. BG gets stronger every ride and every season. She takes better care of herself, paces herself better, and comes out with more energy... Carrie says she's really powerful. One of the most athletic horses she's ever seen. 

Rough patches. Sometimes rough patches make it hard to appreciate the rest of the ride. And appreciate a horse. As I type this, I remember highlights. Like Paula sincerely thanking me for helping her with her national ranking. I rode Coco earlier this year at Uwharrie and jumped class this ride to make first worth more points. I hope Paula gets that silver with the addition of those points I helped her win. Because I want to be a part of that legend.

It's time to start winter training for our 2013 ride season. Let's play more tennis.


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## Brighteyes

11/6


Because pictures. 

The trails looked like this. Nice, right? Fall-y.










Trying to look precious.


















Chillin' in her cooler right before vet out on the second day.


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## Brighteyes

11/7


These next two weeks are going to be busy. In a sadly non-horsey way. Weddings and family trips.

So I've decided to do something a little strange. I'm giving BG two weeks off. I'm going to call it "Winter Break", because she deserves some time to run around in the cold, grow some hair, and be a horse without my interference. Mare hasn't gotten time off for the sake of time off in... Two years. I think it may be good for her brain. 

The last couple times I've ridden her, she's seemed... Unhappy. Frustrated. That's sort of a weird thing to apply to a horse, but you gotta be around her to see what I'm talking about. Hard to explain, but it's almost like she's lost her enthusiasm to help me out. She was always so good at getting with me, but between Rockford and King's Mountain, she hasn't been as interested in being my other half.


We haven't done anything fun since Rockford. Our riding has been pretty monotonous. So after her two weeks, we're going to have a "Baby Girl Day", where we do whatever she wants. She likes trails the best, so we'll do that. Whatever speed she likes. Walk the whole thing, if she wants to walk. Trot it. Gallop it. Turn around and go home. She asks me when she wants to do something, so it's simple to let her. 

For example, she always asks to trot up her favorite hill. Quickens her step and sees what I'll do. I'll always check her back, but on Baby Girl Day, I'll let her trot up the hill, down the other side, and take off at a flying gallop if she wishes. 

It's a bit of a change of the rules, but I'll think of it like our I-don't-give-a-****-what-gait-you-do days. She asks once what kind of gait I want, quickly realizes if it's a gait-properly or gait-questionably sort of day, does what I want, and doesn't ask anymore. We choose a set of rules at the beginning of the ride and never change them midway through. The beginning of each ride is me telling her how we stand for the rest of the session.


It's a bit of a hippy dippy idea, huh? :lol: It's sort of hard to put my theory down in words, but it seems pretty legit in my head. It might help and hopefully won't hurt.


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## Brighteyes

11/13


Winter Break is killing me. That is all.


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## Brighteyes

11/20


Baby Girl is back to work!


Lightly though, on the first day. Ground work to begin with.

She did well. She started out pretty heavy (especially backing), but she got the sense whacked back into her with a lead rope. We practiced figure eights at a trot (both directions and from both sides), turn on the haunches (always room to improve those things), turn on the forehand (because ours have always been pretty sub par), backing and coming forward without hesitation...

We did a lot of "tire work". Put the front legs in a tire. Stand there. Move the hind quarters. Stand there. Back legs in the tire. Such and such. It's a lot of move and stand. Tough stuff though.

I taught her to back up by pulling on her tail. She's really good at it. 

She wasn't happy about backing her back legs into the tire, but that's a difficult request boarding on unreasonable, so our one or two successful attempts were, therefore, epic.


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## Brighteyes

11/21


My aunt and her boyfriend were over from Texas for Thanksgiving this week. He had never been on a horse before and he begged me to let him ride. Since I am a riding instructor and actually love teaching people who want to learn (it's the 10% that don't that make me ***** about my job), I gave him a lesson of Baby Girl. 

Yes. Pictures and videos of this event do exist and will be posted as soon as I receive them. 

It's was all good and sweet. Baby Girl was nice for him. We started on the lunge line and got to the round pen once boyfriend was balanced and had the basics of equitation. Funny thing. Apparently riding position is a lot like golf position. :lol: Shoulders, hip, and toe lined up; bend knees slightly; light on the feet (or in this case, in the saddle). Boyfriend had a golfing background, so the lessons transfered quickly. 

You don't use reins in golf, so that was a little trickier. :wink: I've begun to see a positive correlation between the amount of training I put into this horse and her decline in acceptance toward beginners. 

The more training I put into her, the harder she is to ride. Even for me. I see it mostly on the ground. I can't make stupid mistakes doing groundwork anymore. She'll get confused and doesn't know what I'm asking. She's getting smarter than me. :lol: Under saddle, she no longer tolerates "rudeness" on my part. I can't ask too hard, or improperly, or lazily. It really bothers her. Bizarre. 

She and boyfriend had a difficult time coming to an understanding when reins were first introduced in the round pen. Baby Girl tossed her head and jigged if leg or rein was applied too hard too soon, or a "questionable" cue was delivered. I do commend her patience, however. Boyfriend found that Baby Girl's sensitivity was a great teacher, since you really knew if you were doing something wrong.

It all worked out very well in the end. Boyfriend turned out to be a very good rider for someone with only one lesson under his belt.

I got to show off on my horse afterwords. We showed Aunt Dawn and boyfriend all our cool groundwork tricks, rode tackless, and jumped a bit. 

I am also happy to report that Baby Girl has been consistently jumping 2"3'. I think that's as high as we'll go without a trainer. I'm unsure if Baby Girl has the ability to comfortably and safely navigate higher fences. And I as a rider am not really trained to go higher than that either. I also must remind myself that I took up jumping as merely a mental and physical cross training exercise for both of us. 

Tomorrow is the promised Baby Girl Day. Let's hope no one falls off or ties up.


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## Brighteyes

11/22

Baby Girl Day was pretty fun! She ran around with her head in the air like a wild child and had a blast doing it. She galloped woodland trails as fast as she could manage, complete with flying changes around the bends. We intermittently galloped and walked for around an hour, remaining in each gear as long as Baby Girl choose. She galloped until she was spent, walked a few minutes, and galloped again. I had to cap it off at an hour, because she would have run until her legs gave out. So we turned around and, for the first time in a long time, walked home without argument.


Yes. Video of this does exist. Behold a shaky, crazy cell phone video of one of our countless sprints! I had no reins and was running full tilt through the woods, so forgive the quality. 





 

After I hosed her down, I remembered it was Thanksgiving today. We celebrated yesterday, but that real thing was today. It was a beautiful day for thanks giving. 70 degrees and a sky like a robin's egg. A breeze to keep us cool. The air smelled great. I'm thankful for the small things like that. That are so essential you don't even think about them until it starts to rain.

And I'm thankful for Baby Girl. She _is_ special. All I've asked from her is everything she's got -- and what's left after that, too. And the special part is that she's given me just that. Sometimes I feel like I've stretched her thin and beyond her limits, and she only holds together because she believes in me more than I believe in her.


So thank you for today, Baby Girl; and for every day after.


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## Brighteyes

11/24

I didn't really want to ride today. I wanted to _sleep_. But I'm glad I ended up forcing myself into a short session, because it was quite productive.

Let's start with yesterday. I watched a ton of horse training DVDs (and the movie _Buck_, which was great!) at Amy's house. Every time I watch horse training stuff, my first reaction is to go home and try it.

What I wanted to try today was working the hindquarters. Which I've dabbled in, but never particularly addressed. So today was hindquarters day.

You can start introducing the idea on the lunge line by asking for roll backs. Usually when I change directions on the lunge, I yield her hindquarters around, pause, and change directions. 

Today, I would get her going at a flat walk, step in front of her shoulder, switch to the opposite eye, and PUSH her shoulder around.

Sort of like this. Only mine were better. :twisted: BG REALLY rocked back on her haunches and rolled 180 degrees. (This horse is being a little sloppy about isolating his front end and planting the back pivot foot.)





 
Once I got on, I worked only two exercises: the "yoyo" and turn on the haunches.

I think I've described the yoyo before. It's when you back up, go forward, and back up again with no hesitation. Back-forth-back-forth-back-forth. Teaches them to use their butts to take off. BG is decent at a walk, but not at a trot. Never tried it at a canter.

So we worked it at the trot. I don't know if it was our lunging work earlier, but she really got it today. She backed like a reiner and popped forward into a trot. The down wards transition from the trot to the back wasn't great, but the upward transition was excellent.


Next, we did turn on the haunches. We backed a couple steps to get her weight on her butt and cued for her to move her front end. She was doing true turns on the haunches 180 degrees in both directions. 

It was only about 15 minutes of riding, but it was a nice 15 minutes.

I leave you with BG hoping I'll change my mind about riding.


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## Brighteyes

11/30


Had the best solo trail ride I've had in a long time. What made it different? I figured it out. All it takes is _slow_. I've been told for months that I need to go slow, and I've tried, but today I got the essence and subtleties of slow. 

The moment I decided, finally, that I have time, patience, and understanding; and I will not be offended personally by my horse's behavior. That's when I figured out slowness. And that's when Baby Girl started to slow down too. 

She always jigs to the barn. Always. A little gaited horse head-in-the-air, pace-really-slow jig. It's always bothered me more than anything, that jigging. I've always been frustrated. Today I decided I didn't care, personally, but I was going to fix it. So we turned circles and did one rein stops and paused on the trail and walked around with her head lowered (it calms her down and makes it hard to jig pace). Nothing different then anything I always try. The only different was my attitude.

And for the first time in as long as I can remember, we walked home.


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## Brighteyes

11/6

I did a cool thing today! I sat on one horse and lunged another at the same time. :lol:

It's a lot harder than you would think. The horse you're sitting on has to understand _intent_. You're sitting on this horse, swinging your rope and clicking and driving the horse you're lunging around you, but the horse you're sitting on has to understand all that has _nothing_ to do with him. 

You also have to lunge a horse from a sitting position high in the air, which is difficult as well. :lol:

I tried this with Amber and BG. I sat on Amber and worked BG first. I thought this would be the easiest set up. It took BG a while to get started circling (she wanted to face me and stick in one spot). Amber had to be reminded to stand still very frequently, but was getting the idea that my cues weren't being directed at her near the end. She needs more work in this respect (as does BG need more work being the lunging horse.)

I switched and sat on BG and worked Amber next. This, to my surprise, worked better. BG did her best to stand still (she's already had a little training with intent), but sometimes got nervous and would inch forward (never just walk off) or back up. Amber lunged well, but was a little sassy (she's kind of an ***.)

Overall, it was a really interesting exercise. I'll definately practice some more.


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## Brighteyes

11/6

Did some jumping/conditioning today!


Central Georgia doesn't have hills. Hill work is important. It's been recommended to me that I supplement a 30 minute straight trot with gymnastics and pole work.

So BG and I did a simple conditioning exercise in the arena. My entire arena is roughly dressage sized. In the center of the arena I set up four trot poles and, 20 feet or so after it, a 1"6' cross rail.

You circle the arena, staying on the rail, at a medium trot. Every other circle, you cut to the center and do your simple jumping grid. Continue trotting for two more laps. Do your grid again. Repeat for 30 minutes.

I thought it would be tougher than it was. However, her form over the cross rail got a touch sloppy during the last five minutes, so there was a little something there. 

Might trail ride or work on more ponying tomorrow. BG needs brain work, so maybe some ground work before.

I leave you with this face:


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## Brighteyes

12/15


I haven't written in a while. I just wanted to say that, aside from one key thing, Baby Girl has been well. We haven't done anything particularly noteworthy. The usual groundwork, conditioning, obstacles (almost got that back around the tree knocked out), and some fun stuff (rode at Mingo a handful of times).


That key thing... Well. We're experiencing a pregnancy scare. 

A few months ago, the boss bought a yearling TWH colt, which she assumed was gelded. I don't particularly fault her. I mean, don't we all usually take someone's word that a horse is a gelding? It's a complicated he say she said situation, but the point is that she thought he was a gelding and he is actually a stud. 

For several weeks, I've been noticing the little colt mounting my mare. Only her, from what I've seen. I just thought, "Wow. I can't believe she's letting him do that." But I thought he was a gelding and my mare wasn't harmed. So heck. I ignored it. I've heard of gelding's attempting to "breed" mares.

Now that it turns out he's a stud. He's a year and a half old. A couple months ago, the boss's daughter mentioned what looked like "scar tissue and fluid build up" between his legs. In hindsight, it wasn't scar tissue. 

He's been pastured with Baby Girl for months, so help me God.

The vet is coming out on Tuesday to see if Baby Girl is in foal or not. I'm going to go find a dark hole and crawl into it.


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## Brighteyes

12/17


We're going to Dr. Cook on Friday morning for an ultrasound. Fingers crossed for a negative.


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## Brighteyes

12/20

We play too much.
































Vet tomorrow.


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## Brighteyes

12/21


Our vet visit this morning went well, I suppose. Dr Cook certainly remembered "The Horse Who Lived" and said she was looking good. She was glad to hear we've been having no problems and finished two CTRs after an epic bounce back. Doctor said Baby Girl's lost some weight since last visit, gained some muscle, and looks super shiny in her always summer-length coat.


And she is pregnant. Around three weeks along.


Doctor gave me a syringe of lutalyse, which I'll give Baby Girl on Wednesday. Lute is a safe and easy way to end early term pregnancy, Dr Cook said. There are side effects, but only short term. Sweating, cramping, colic like symptoms, and generally acting miserable. These symptoms last around 30 minutes, and then it's all done and over.


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## Brighteyes

12/24


Our second anniversary was a simple affair. 

Two years ago today I got a Christmas pony. That day, the adventure began. We've been running together ever since. Partners in crime, explorers, competitors... Best friends. I'm so lucky.

It was a rainy, cold, miserable day today, so we celebrated by spending a quiet 20 minutes together in the refuge of the barn. Baby Girl received a few handfuls of alfalfa cubes soaked in warm water to heat her back up before I had to turn her out into the elements again. I tried to brush her a little, but it wasn't much use since she was soaking wet. She appreciated the effort, though.


Nasty food muzzle.











"Just gonna wonder around the barn and check for treats on my way out..."


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## Brighteyes

12/25

Merry Christmas! 


I got such a good haul this year. I got a new brush bag, some sugar-free apple flavored horse cookies, a pink fly mask for summer, and purple riding tights


Oh, and did I mention a _new saddle_?!










This beautiful thing is a Specialized Eurolight. All _black_, incredibly lightweight, very adjustable, and epically comfortable. (And it came with a mohair girth. For the win.)










Baby Girl thinks it makes her look fat.











I think it looks nice. I definitely need some new saddle pads (that dressage pad is huge!). Ajusting it was a pain in the tail and I don't know if I got it right. I'll have to post some pictures for evaluation.

I'm just so glad that I'm free from the evil Wintec. :twisted:


I'm going to try to ride in it as soon as possible (stupid weather!) I'm super excited! The Evil Wintec bridges and puts off some nasty shoulder pressure. I can imagine BG's movement will be so much more free after a couple weeks in a proper endurance saddle.

And I won't be mocked as much for unconvential tack! :lol: As much. I do still ride in a rope halter, but at least my saddle is totally pro.


Squeeeeeeee!


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## Brighteyes

12/27


I gave BG the lute shot today...


That's some scary stuff. I'm glad I was warned. Five minutes after I injected her, she was sweating massively. It was literally like someone had sprayed her with a hose and left her to drip dry. Her hung her head over the stall door and sweat dripped from her nose and around her eyes onto the floor... A little pool formed from the sweat dripping off her belly...




















She looked _miserable_. I could barely watch.











20 minutes in, she started to cramp really bad. She laid down, rolled, and bit at her sides. She stayed down for 10 minutes. After that, she got up, shook herself off, and was fine. 30 minutes, and it was over.


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## Brighteyes

12/28


BG was well today. I've been working for several sessions with the **** plastic bag on a stick, and I'm _finally _making some progress. She's still tense as a spring, but will allow me to rub her with it along her top line and legs. It's going to be a while before she's genuinely comfortable with it, but we're getting there.


We also did a little round penning. Her trot to walk transition at liberty is looking great -- she use to only want to race around. Now she's even a little lazy about trotting. It's a lot easier to speed







her up than slow her down, so I'm not complaining.


Amy gave me an interesting gift for Christmas. As I've previously described, Amy's one of those natural horsemanship, holistic, homeopathic nuts. :lol: I've found a certain amount of legitimacy in her madness (especially in her horse training methods, which are pretty frickin legit) and she's proved me wrong a couple times. But I'm not sure about this one. She got me a 20 minute chat with an animal communicator. 


Amy swears on this lady. Her name's Colleen, and Amy's spoken with her a number of times. Amy has told me some interesting stories about what Colleen knows about her horses. Some of it is pretty crazy -- crazy as in uncannily accurate. She has a website: http://www.holisticanimal.com/


So I need to make a list. Questions I'm going to ask my horse. Animal communication is suppose to be a two-way conversation with Colleen acting as a translator. I have no idea what kind of questions to ask BG. If you could ask your horse a question, what would it be?


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## Brighteyes

12/30

Did a little lunging today. I didn't have time to ride properly, but I really needed to exercise this mare! To make it tougher, we lunged poles. 


Wallaby, if you happen to read this: I have a goat too. She isn't an awesome goat like yours. She's actually sort of creepy. :lol: Her name is Ms Goatie and she likes to eat tails. She lives in the arena and bothers me when I work horses in there.





 


It's a little hard to lunge when your driving hand has a phone in it and the frickin goat keeps attacking. :lol:


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## Brighteyes

12/31


I did something new today. I got BG's feet done by a barefoot trimmer, Micheal. BG's been barefoot since October, but our current farrier is a shoe guy, not a natural hoof care specialist. He does a "pasture trim", which is different than a legit barefoot trim.

BG's feet have always been pretty meh. They flare and crack. She looses shoes. Thrush every couple months. White line disease once, which resulted in a huge amount of hoof wall being taken off. Shoes go on and off constantly during the on season. Maybe it's time to try something new.

Micheal took off frickin lot of hoof. He said BG has high heels, long toes, and has been walking on her toe and hoof wall, which results in a soft, thin, chalky sole. (He also said she still has a touch of thrush.)

To trust him to hack at my horses foot, or not to trust him? Well, I trusted him, so let's see where that takes me. He did warn me she will be a touch sore at first. The transition to walking on her whole foot (sole included) versus just walking on the outside of her hoof isn't going to be perfectly pretty.

But her actual hoof is, ascetically, very pretty now. The mustang roll is nice looking. :lol:

He also taught me to do my own touch up trims. :twisted: I feel powerful. I need to buy myself a nice rasp.


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## Brighteyes

1/1/13


I write to you around 1:00 am, on January the 1st, 2013.


Another year is gone; another journal gets wrapped up.


I don't have a lot to say. It's been a tough year! But we've progressed_ so_ much. We grew up in 2012; got smarter, got stronger, and learned what endurance means (not giving up.) 


Isn't it strange how day by day, nothing changes; but when you look back, everything is completely different?

When I look back on this journal, I'll remember this is the year where_ I_ figured things out. Baby Girl has always had it in her. I learned better ways to do things. She learned as I myself was taught. We learned together and taught each other. I realized that this isn't the training journal of a horse; this is the training journey of her rider.

And to Baby Girl I say: thank you. For dealing with my mistakes and temper and impatience and lack of trust. Thank you, my quick and curious and strong and beautiful little mare, for giving me your best in 2012. I'm so proud of you.

Welcome 2013; let the games begin!


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## Brighteyes

*(Pt. 3) Chances Are*

I went on a trail ride today. About two hours at a brisk walk. While I was out there, I starting thinking, "What do I want out of this year?" Usually, I have a set of goals already thought out weeks before the new year. But there I was, on January 2nd, 2013, with only the vaguest idea.

I felt pretty good about last year, even though most of my competitive ambitions were superseded after the tie-up incident by my immediate goal of _just getting back on the trail_. But now we're back and healthy and (theoretically) there isn't anything we can't do. This will be my last full ride year before I head off to college... I guess it's time to take a chance and go for broke.

So I'm going to go for the big three of the junior open division: Junior Grand Champion, Junior High Average Horsemanship, and a Junior National Championship.

Chances are... Well, hard to say. At the end of it all, it's going to come down to luck and staying power. 

Inevitably, I’m going to get discouraged and want to quit. I’ll decide that this is pointless; we’re no good and never will be, and we don’t belong in the game. My attitude is my main problem. All my problems are attitude problems. So this year, instead of focusing on correcting my horse, I’m going to correct myself. 

This year, I will:

1.) Do hard things. 

2.) Never waste a ride.

3.) Remember you only lose if you aren’t happy with what you did. Never do anything you wouldn’t be proud of.

4.) Never give up.

5.) Be proud.

6.) Be patient.

7.) Be quiet.

8.) Be appreciative.

9.) Give an unlimited number of chances, and always believe something good just might happen.


Happy New Year! I hope it's gonna be the best.


----------



## Wallaby

Subbing!


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## Brighteyes

Ha ha, pressure's on! :lol: Now I gotta make this good!


----------



## Brighteyes

1/4


I began fighting the thrush war on the 3rd, and I think I'm winning.


When Micheal trimmed BG's feet, he said she had thrush -- the most worrying of which was deep in her sulcus. The sulcus is the line that divides the frog in half. When thrush gets down in there, it's mighty hard to kill. Especially with the rainy weather we've been having. Daily I have been picking her feet, scrubbing them with Dawn dish soap, allowing them to dry, and then applying "Pete's goo."


Pete's goo is super simple: it's equal parts anti-fungal and antibiotic creams, mixed together and placed in a large syringe. You squirt the stuff up into the sulcus and there you go. People have said it's very effective and more gentle than bleach or other homemade cures.


Compared to last week's rank, gooey frog, we're starting to look good:











This foot thing is generally starting to go well, I think. She is no longer tender on pavement and her soles are slowly starting to harden up. I'm going to need some easy boots to compete with, however, if I choose to keep this up. :? I've had two experiences with easy boots: once with Coco at Uwharrie last year and once with Thunder at Leatherwood. Coco's boots came off twice the entire 60 miles (each time at a gallop); Thunder's came off every other mile. It's all fit fit _fit_. How tedious. I might need to start experimenting soon if I want to be booted up by Spanish Trail.


-------

My friend Grace and I stayed up until 2:00 AM last night making flagging ribbons for the NATRC clinic at Mingo this coming weekend.

We cut 150 one inch wide/two foot long strips of (uber tacky floral print) fabric and attached them to 150 clothes pins. 











The morning after, BG and I set out to flag some trail. I attached a bunch of flagging to her breast collar and stuffed the rest in my saddle bags. I had five miles of trail to cover.











"Really? Five miles of stop and go and sidepassing up to trees and BLAH." And fires me the mare glare.












But she was a very good girl and did a lovely job helping me flag.

Mingo is a sand box! We did those five miles as fast as reasonable through a sea of sand. BG was ready to walk by the end. :lol:










Her favorite man Thunder was there. She stood tied next to him like a little lady during our lunch break.













We're going back tomorrow to finish up. When I took off her saddle at the end of the ride, I noticed dry spots near the middle of her back on each side. Maybe bridging? I made a couple adjustments to the fitting cushions, so we'll see what everything looks like tomorrow.

She doesn't seem uncomfortable. In fact, she acts **** comfy! Her movement has _really _improved. The most dramatic difference is in her flat walk. It's so free and easy. She no longer has to jig pace to keep up with faster horses. She seems happy.


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## Brighteyes

1/5


_Almost _finished with the trails at Mingo. We timed it today and identified places that need pie plates, white flags, etc. We concluded our five miles will be paced at roughly 3.2 MPH. With obstacles included, total time on the trail will be around 1:45. We'll send people out in three groups (fast walkers, medium walkers, and slow walkers) five minutes apart. BG and I will be leading the fast walker group and riding point. (We'll also go back to Mingo on Thursday or Friday to do a quick run through to make sure no one has tampered with our ribbons.)

"I hate walking. Especially behind other horses." *grumpy ears*









There is a lot more to be done before the clinic, but at least the trail is almost set up. I'll also be heading at least one station during the in camp portion of the clinic; I'll probably do metabolics (I hope) or demonstrate an obstacle.


I also played in the pond. But it was cold, so I got out.










And I believe my saddle adjustments may have finally hit it. The sweat patterned look good and uniform at the end of the day. She didn't sweat much, so it's hard to tell from this picture. But I didn't see the giant dry spot that worried me yesterday.


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## prairiewindlady

Just wanted to say I've spent the last couple of days reading this journal and I have learned a lot from your posts! You are a talented horsewoman AND writer - keep up the good work!


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## Brighteyes

Wow, thanks!


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## Brighteyes

1/12


I arrived at Mingo late on a Friday afternoon. It was almost dark. The boss had brought the horses over around noon and had BG high lined with a bucket of water and a little hay. After I got her better settled in, we went for a little ride with my NATRC friend Emily and her pony George. BG historically hasn't done well in strange locations without a buddy from the barn. She was a touch nervous going out with only George (and she was leading). She jigged some and acted a little hot, but I was still impressed that she was only a _little _hot and jigged only _some_.


Back at camp, I had the best bed ever waiting for me. 










I cleaned out the back of Amy's (massive warmblood sized) trailer, blew up an air mattress, and made myself a _suite_. Now that's camping in high style.


The clinic officially started Saturday morning. Courtney, Keri, and I worked at the vet-in station, with BG was a demo horse. Poor BG wiggled and snorted for the first couple rotations. Keri pretended to be our vet judge and did a mock exam. BG grew tired of having her feet picked up and her mouth messed with over and over again. She would stand in tense frustration until Keri was finished touching her. We were then directed to lunge a couple circles. BG took this opportunity to blow off her annoyance and proceeded to pin her ears, jump, and canter her circles.

"And that's how not to do it."

The riding part of the clinic followed shortly after. BG was a mixture of annoyed, tired, and irritable. The mare glares were impressive, but we couldn't quit yet. 

(Yes. She her rope is being held down by the top of my tool box. She doesn't know she isn't tied. Don't tell her. :lol: That truck is my traveling tack room.)









I was promoted to point rider and had to keep 10 minutes ahead of the main group. Emily and George rode behind us. 

We kept a 7 MPH pace for 4.5 miles until we reached the obstacle Emily and I were to judge. The obstacle was to walk your horse to a log, straddle the log, count to five, and proceed down the trail. Everyone, for the most part, did awesome. 

BG was pretty anxious, but not overbearingly so until we were riding the final half a mile home after the obstacle. Frustration levels had crossed the event horizon by that point, and there was nothing I could do to pacify her. It had been a hard day, so I didn't start a major fight. I half halted the rest of the way back, _asking _for a walk but not _insisting_. Sometimes, it's not worth winning if your horse was to lose.

She quieted down once her saw her friends over the hill and walked the final two minutes to camp. I untacked her, hosed her off (it was 80 degrees today), and gave her half a tube of electrolytes. All was well again. That ride wasn't so bad. The world didn't implode and wasn't going to. Hopefully BG noted this.


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## Brighteyes

Additional pictures for you all:





















The hay field across the street in the morning. (My favorite place to run.)


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## GoWithTheFlow

I love your new journal ! Awesome job !


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! :happydance:


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## Brighteyes

1/19


I haven't been riding much in the last week. In fact, today was the first time I've ridden since the clinic last weekend. I haven't actually worked my horse in too long; I've just been trail riding and playing. 

Today we did more of that. Megan came down from Atlanta. She borrowed a horse from Ronnie and we trailered down to Mingo to camp for a night. 

We got there at dark on Friday, settled in horses on the high lines, made a fire, and cooked brussel sprouts. 











The morning after, we rode for around four hours. Nothing much happened. Just a chill little pleasure ride. BG isn't much of a pleasure horse. Walking aimlessly frustrates her. She likes to be on a mission. :lol: It was more me to who enjoyed just riding for the sake of it!






















It's still good for BG to ride with as many other horses as she can, so I at least felt I accomplished that. She needs a refresher ring work course, which is in the books for next ride.


Also, those who read last year's journal, remember how Amy got me 20 minutes on the phone with an animal communicator for Christmas? I finally have a date and time. 4:00 this Monday. I'll make sure I tell you all about it.  I've really got to think up some questions.


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## Wallaby

OH MY WORD. That looks+sounds like so much fun! 
I miss riding...and riding with other people! haha And exploring via horses...

Glad you had fun!


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## Brighteyes

Yeah, it was awesome! I love riding in good company.  And camping. I adore camping.


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## Brighteyes

1/20

Arena work, I promised. Well, my ankles hurt today (tendinitis), but heck if I wasn't going to work this horse. Maybe not ride, but work. Heck, it can even _in_ the arena. So I decided to challenge myself and see if I should free lunge the whole arena.

The results were interesting. :lol: I had NO speed control. The large space made her pretty sassy! I had decent directional control and some control over the size of the circle. Her stop was alright. I could step back and she would trot up to me the first time I asked 50% of the time. 


Main result: interesting, though small, pictures of running sassy poneh.





























Run, little horse!


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## Brighteyes

1/21


Colleen was very friendly! And knew way too much about my pets. 

The session was only 20 minutes, but it was pretty packed. I have very talkative pets. :lol:

I sat in Amy's office to limit distraction. I had a list made before hand with about 10 questions I wanted to ask Baby Girl. I didn't know how this was all going to work; Amy had only given me a faint idea and always ended with, "You just gotta try it. You'll see." 

It doesn't help that I have a horrible anxiety about talking to strangers on phones. That anxiety disappeared almost immediately when Colleen brightly said hello and asked me for my horse's age and a brief description of her appearance. (She was just super nice to talk to.)

Animal communicators act of a sort of translator between animal and person. When I asked questions, Colleen would often get a picture and sometimes receive a more precise "quote" from the animal. Some of the stuff BG and the other animals said made sense to me, but not to Colleen. Which was neat.

I asked BG several questions. I can remember snatches of dialogue. A lot more was said, but I can only remember so much at the moment:

Me: "What does she like to do?"

Colleen: "She enjoys doing things with her feet. She loves to learn. She likes doing things that work her brain and not just her body."

Colleen: "She also likes to do something that involves her picking up her feet really high. It's not fast. It's sort of a side-to-side motion. Gliding over the ground, not much faster than a walk. Like a dance. 'Shay-say' was the word she used particularly. I don't know a lot about horses, but does that make sense to you?"

(I'm not _sure _what she means here, but it sounds like some sort of gait. Possibly a step pace or saddle rack. As far as "shay-say" goes... I have no idea what that word means. I spelled it like it sounded when Colleen said it.)

Me: "She got really sick about six months ago. Does she ever hurt anymore?"

Colleen: "I'm feeling pain right behind the rib cage, in the flanks and hindquarters. Was this where she was hurting? She says, 'My *** is fine now.'" 

(Thanks, BG. :lol: That's a relief.) 

Colleen: "She says she likes the peppermint things. The round ones."

(How'd she know about those?!)

Me: "She must be talking about the treats I got her for Christmas."

Colleen: "Probably! She also likes green apples."

Me: "She doesn't get a lot of those. They're harder to find."

Colleen: "She says you'll do anything for her. You'll find those apples."

Colleen: "She also enjoys kisses. Is she a kissy sort of horse?"

Me: "Ha, she loves to give me 'nose kisses.' She's super affectionate." 

Colleen: "She says she really enjoys performance time. She appreciates that you always do different thing with her, so she never gets bored."

Me: "I'm glad! I try to keep things interesting!"


Me: "I'm not sure if she doesn't get it or something, but whenever I circle her around during trail rides, it's because I want her to slow down. She likes to walk fast, especially towards the barn."

Colleen: "Ha! She does understand exactly what you want, but doesn't see the point of going slow. Especially going back towards the barn. Being finished for the day is a joyous thing."

Me: "Can you ask her to please slow down? It'll be a lot easier for both of us."

Colleen: "She says she'll try, but only if you give her something special as a reward."

Me: "She can have two huge handfuls of cookies if she walks slow."

Colleen (speaking for BG): "Okay. I'll try." 

(Did I just telepathically argue with my horse? :lol

Me: "Does she like traveling?"

Colleen: "Yes. She likes going new places. Especially places where she can learn new things. She really loves to learn. She isn't very fond of traveling during the summer. She hates hot, still air. She would rather ride in the little opened trailer."

(BG prefers the small stock trailer we use sometimes to the large goose neck.)

Me: "Does she like being ridden in a bit or without one?"

Colleen: "She finds it a little easier to understand what you ask when you're doing brain work if you use a bit, but she likes them both and thinks she has the best of both worlds."

Me: "How does the new saddle fit?"

Colleen: "She says it feels a little strange, but it's much more comfortable than the last one. She likes the new pad."

(Possibly talking about the way the bottom of the saddle uses two large fitting pads instead of hard panels.)

It only gets stranger from there. Because my dog butts in. To be clear, Colleen didn't eve know I had a dog.

Colleen: "Your dog wants to speak with you. What's her name? She's a short haired dog, right?"

Me: "Yes. Her name is Mushroom."

So Mushroom tells me how happy she is and how much she loves me and how she loves living with me. :lol: It's funny, because she "spoke" exactly the way I would imagine she would. 

Colleen: "How old is Mushroom?"

Me: "We don't really know. She's stray. Maybe around three."

Colleen: "Mushroom says she's five. But stray dogs often say they're older than they really are. Hard lives make them age faster mentally. She says she was with four others, and they all left together."

(Weird. She knew Mushroom as a stray and she knew I found her wandering with a pack of four other dogs.)

Colleen: "Mushroom says she loves riding in the car with you. She likes listening to music with the windows open. She likes how you put on quiet music when everything's calm."

(Weird. Because that's exactly what Mushroom and I do all the time.)

Me: "Ask Mushroom about her puppy hood."

Coleen: "She really doesn't want to talk about it. She's shutting down on me. Some dogs don't want to revisit their pasts because it isn't a place they want to be. She's very happy you found her and loves you very much."


The weirdest part was about my tortoises. I don't think I've ever mentioned them, but I own two large sulcata tortoises. I have NO CLUE how Colleen knew. I mean, everyone has a dog, right? She might have guessed that. _But she knew I had two desert tortoises. _ If that's luck, that's crazy.

Colleen: "What are your two tortoise's names?"

Me: "Steve and Tommy."

Colleen: "Tommy is the one that comes out most. Steve is shy. He likes to hang out in the burrow."

(That's so perfectly right.)

Colleen: "Tommy wants water. Did you use to have a dish for then to soak in?"

Me: "Yes. I haven't used it since they were babies, but I had one."

Colleen: "They also request some kind of white stuff. I'm not sure what they mean. It's some sort of nutritional need."

(They probably want their calcium block, which I haven't put out in a couple weeks.)

I thanked Colleen for her time. 20 minutes passed amazingly fast. My only regret is I didn't record the whole thing. 

So I'll come out and say it. I think this is pretty legit.  I mean, it wasn't just that she knew a ton about my animals without being told anything before hand. It was that when she spoke for my animals, it sounded _like them_. BG sounded young and sweet and a little sassy and just... Like I always thought she would. Mushroom spoke just the way I thought she would. Word choice, mannerism... Everything was just so _them_. 


(And I can't get over the fact she knew I had two desert tortoises.)


----------



## Brighteyes

I forgot my favorite part:

Colleen (speaking for BG): "What are we gonna do tomorrow?"

Me: "Whatever you want."

Colleen/BG: "Let's do _everything_." <3


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## Wallaby

Perhaps, for that strange word:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sas...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

?


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## Brighteyes

Hmm... So it's a type of dance? *looks it up* It seems there is an alternate spelling, chassé, as well. 

Definition:

n.1.A movement in dancing, as across or to the right or left.

v. i.1*. *_(Dancing_) To make the movement called chassé; as, all chassé; chasse to the right or left.



I get it now! She's talking about lateral movements. :lol: When we do "dressage" in the arena, we do leg yields, shoulders in, etc. with the radio playing in the background. She thinks she's dancing.


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## Brighteyes

1/24


I had a wonderful ride today. After a rough day at school, all I wanted to do was run to the barn and go for a ride. I didn't want to see or speak to anyone. I grabbed by bridle from the tack room, jumped on my horse bareback in the pature, and let myself out of the back gate. I disappeared for two hours. We covered around eight miles of trail. Baby Girl was perfectly lovely and walked the whole time. We stopped to eat nice patches of grass, cleaned limbs off the trail, and even got within ten feet of a deer at one point.

BG even kindly did two things she hates to do: backed around a tree while I touched the trunk with one hand, and backed between two trees that were barely wide enough to fit through. All this with no fight. 

I usually share only "interesting" days in this journal, but sometimes ordinary days have a memorable quality to them. As I sat on her back and let her eat a patch of green winter grass, I felt like I was returning to a place where something important had happened. And I thought, "Wow. This is why I fell in love with horses."


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## Brighteyes

1/30


I've ridden BG on a couple little trails recently with my students. She's been very good. Nice slow walking. :wink:

Today, I decided it was time to do a little touch up trim. My trimmer has showed me how to do it, but I've never attempted it myself. :shock: I didn't rasp off much. When in doubt, I left it alone. The only parts that needed to be leveled out were heel buttress and the back portion of the quarter. Her toe was a bit long, so I rasped it an acceptable length and _attempted_ a little mustang roll. 

I only did front feet, and it took me around 30 minutes. :lol: I don't have a hoof stand, so BG stretched her leg out in front of her and placed her hoof on an overturned bucket. Also, my rasp doesn't have a handle. That's some ghetto trimming right there.

Right









Left









Side (Left in front)










I'm going to try to ride tomorrow, if the weather holds up!



*In other news...*


BG won the National High Point Spotted Saddle Horse award. :'DDDD We're going to have our own article in the magazine! With pictures and words and stuff! 

Me:


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## SoldOnGaited

I don't know much about hoof care, but her hooves look great to me. Kinda looks like she's posing with her sexy leg out lol. Good job! 

The image of you had me busting up. I can just imagine. Congratulations!! That's awesome. You go girl(s)!!!!! :clap::clap::happydance:


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## Brighteyes

Ha ha! :lol: Sexehhhh!


Thank you! I'm super happy. I didn't think we had accomplished much competitively, so it was a REALLY nice surprise!


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## Brighteyes

1/31

I teach riding lessons three days a week. I have six students ranging from six-years-old to 15. It's a cool job, and makes enough money for me to pay for rides, feed, and other horsey things. 

This is Elizabeth. She's six-years-old. She's a cool little kid. She got to ride BG today because she had been begging for weeks. 

So here's several very short, cell phone quality clips of Elizabeth riding BG. 





 
Baby Girl loves this tire.





 

She usually loves this ball as well, but not today!





 

Elizabeth wanted to experience the "standardbred trot", so I let her. Poor thing. :lol: That trot is so awkward. It's pretty smooth, but not smooth enough to be able to sit effortlessly. But it's still smooth enough that you don't get any help posting. I usually let kids who aren't great at posting sit it, with varying degrees of success. 





 

BG has gone through phases of kid safeness. When I first got her, she was dull and spoiled, but a good "tug and kick" trail horse. She progressed until she was too sensitive for kids to ride and thought every movement they made meant something. She's since learned intent and realizes what the kids "mean" and what they don't. So now she's great in the arena and gives the kids everything they know how to properly ask for. 


Hopefully _I'll _get to ride this horse tomorrow!


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## Cacowgirl

Really like your horse, & the stories you write about her & your adventures. Thank you for sharing your reading-that was pretty amazing. Funny how the other animals came in on it.


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! 

The reading was pretty cool. I want to save up some money and do another one as soon as possible! I already have so many things I've thought to say since last time.


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## Brighteyes

2/2


Yesterday, BG and I went on an 10 mile jog. We averaged around 8 mph. It was very pleasant. I haven't been doing much speed on the trail recently due to BG's jigging habit, but she hasn't jigged in several walking rides. She handled a faster ride brilliantly without any fuss. 


Today was gorgeous. Sunny, still, and a little nippy. Just the way I like it. My friends and I decided to spend the afternoon hanging around the barn. Grace is horsey; she rides a little and works as a barn hand. Her boyfriend Mycal is not horsey, but the vote was two-to-three for the barn. :wink:

We got up BG, groomed her, and Grace rode her in the round pen. 










Grace and Mycal











I also had witnesses in case I died trying to ride completely tackless with only two dressage whips to reinforce cues to change directions. 

I've ridden tackless before, but not in the big arena. And not using the two sticks method. When using the two sticks, you keep them by your side as "neutral", or hold them out parallel to the neck to block movement to the sides. To turn, you use your leg cues, drop your stick to neutral on the inside ("opening the door") cue with your stick next to the outside shoulder (just like you would cue a turn on the haunches on the ground.)

It was pretty cool.  I expected some kind of learning curb, since I had never ridden like that before. But BG was perfectly perfect. I had total control directional control (I could even direct her to walk over poles and jumps) and speed control/brakes. I had a little bit of a back up, but not great. I had no sidepass, turn on the haunches, fancy stuff, etc. But heck. I felt so cool just being able to steer with such accuracy. 
































I've started e-mailing the SSHBEA about BG's highpoint thing... They want to know "interesting things" about my horse and I for the article. I don't do interesting things. There isn't anything interesting about us. I have no idea what to tell them. "Maybe tell the readers why you ride a spotted saddle horse, do you only compete in NATRC, did you raise her, how long have you had her that sort of thing." Oh boy...


I leave you with a pretty pony face.


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## Brighteyes

2/8


I haven't updated in about a week, so here's what's been going on:

I got feet trimmed on Monday. Trimmer said thrush was gone and her giant sulcus crack is healing up. The crack isn't nearly as deep. Her frog just generally looks _better_.

Left front foot (the worst one):










And a side shot of that same left front:











Wednesday, I went on a short trail. It was fresh, windy, bright sort of day.

Pasture mates.










Everything is so dry and yellow.










Mushroom tagging along and carrying her back pack:











I had a great day of groundwork today. I practiced moving every part of BG's body individually, and BG practiced standing still and waiting for my commands. We did a short undersaddle portion. We practiced sidepassing, turns on the forehand, and turns on the haunches. Her haunch turns are looking great. She can do a full 360 spin both ways without moving the pivot foot.

Also, we can back around trees now with one hand touching the trunk. Yessss.


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## Brighteyes

2/10

Lots of riding!


Yesterday I did about 12 miles at a 6 mph pace. I got permission to ride on some new land across the highway and got pretty zealous about exploring it. Some of the connecting trails weren't "trails" in the strictest sense. They were deer paths with orange flagging every hundred feet. I had to jump old fences, pick through brambles, and use NATRC skills in real!life. :lol: 

It makes me greatful I have an excellent trail horse.

I also have a sour arena horse. BG was grumpy today. I started off lunging her, and all she wanted to do was run around. She trotted and cantered for several minutes in the lunge line, giving me all sorts of sass. The sass turned to annoyance when I finally got on her. I was going to do some schooling in a snaffle bit, since she's been ridden bitless for months and I want my horse to know her Ps and Qs in both setups. She tensed her body, locked her jaw, and braced. 

We trotted poles, practiced transitions, and did roll backs. I was getting frustrated (I sometimes think she gets frustrated first and I feed off of _her_), so I quit for the day, put her hackamore back on, and went trail riding for an hour. 

As if I send a message, she behaved wonderfully on the trail. She laterally sidepassed a large log, opened gates, walked slowly, and overall listened intently. 

I feel like _I'm_ being trained. She either gets more opinionated as time goes on, or I get better at listening.

I leave you with the knowlege that V-day is drawing near.


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## Brighteyes

2/11

It rained today. It's suppose to rain till Thursday. :-( So I've been doing indoor lessons with the kids. They like to draw on the horses with washable markers. BG has a lot of white on her, making her an acceptable target. Result: :lol:











Signed up to go to an ACTHA ride in Twin City Saturday. It'll be a fun little day trip to work on obstacles on strange trails. I like ACTHA as a training opportunity. I want to see if all the work I've done with BG over the winter had paid off and she is at least getting _better_ with her buddy sourness issues.


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## Brighteyes

2/14


Happy V-day!  

Pony love and treats to all!


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## Brighteyes

2/16 

That ACTHA ride was really fabulous, okay. 

I was riding "buddy," so was wasn't scored or competing. I still got to do the obstacles and asked the judges what they thought, however.

Six obstacles:

Cross a tarp --

Everyone knows that tarps don't grow on trees and shouldn't be in the woods. :lol: That's what BG thought. I rode her up to it. She stopped with all four feet spread and snorted up a storm. I asked her to walk over it. She reached down, sniffed it, and walked over it when I asked, despite being scared. I really liked that she crossed it even though it was against her better judgement. The shows that she trusts my decisions and believes me when I say it isn't dangerous. I was more happy with her being afraid and crossing anyway than if she wouldn't have given it a second thought.

Trot weave --

Three poles were set up in a "pole bending" type pattern. I was asked to weave through the poles one direction, stop, and weave through the other direction. I was perfectly happy with how BG handled this obstacle.

Rain coat --

I gave these ladies a scare with this one! We were suppose to ride up to a rain coat hanging on a tree, take it off the tree branch, put it on, and then place it back on the tree. I was feeling all fancy. I sidepassed up to the tree and picked up that coat. The coat got about to my shoulders when BG bolted sideways. :lol: She ran sideways around 20 feet. I clung to that coat, because letting go is for quitters. XDD

I felt myself loosing my balance, swung off (landing perfectly on my feet), turned BG to face me, and stuck that rain coat at her nose. She sniffed it, sighed, and was all, "Ooooh. Rain coat. Gotcha. Sorries." 

The ladies at the obstacle were in a panic. I was standing next to my horse laughing and smiling. I was all, "Can I use your truck to remount?" Before they answered, I walked over, stood on the tail gate, had BG sidepass up to me, got on, and was off down the trail again.

Turn on the haunches --

I bossed this obstacle. We were told to do a 360 degree turn on the haunches both ways. BG did it was a little reining horse of perfection. The judge was extremely impressed.

Back a figure eight --

Two sticks were placed on the ground a horse length apart. I was instructed to back a figure eight around them. BG was brilliant. She calmly and quietly executed the obstacle and was all I could ever ask for.

Turn on the forehand --

... Wasn't great. It was a simple 360 turn on the forehand in both directions. BG's forehand turns aren't great, but, as the judge said, "I've seen better and I've seen a _whole lot worse." _

The turn on the forehand and rain coat are homework.


It rained the whole ride. It was 35 degrees, blowing wind, driving rain. Several people pulled, but I've ridden in worse for longer. :wink: 










BG stood around the trailer in her fancy rain sheet we won last year.





















That sky!










The trails were mostly pine trees and broom straw. Beaver Creek is a quail hunting plantation. I even saw a quail! It was uber cute. I loved it.











Janna and BG love each other.






















I'm just so happy BG was calm the whole ride. She is getting over her buddy issues. At this ride, at least. She never got into a state so excited that she absolutely wouldn't stand still. She needed reminders sometimes that she needed to stand, but it didn't take much. I would circle her with energy if she wanted to move. She allowed other horses to leave her. She stood while other horses walked away. She walked away from her friends and did obstacles in a perfect state of mind. We didn't have to _fight_ this whole ride. That's something special. 











When she's good, she gets a handful of peppermint horse cookies when we finish. Today, she earned all the cookies.


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## Brighteyes

2/21

A few items of news:

Firstly, going to the obstacle trail challege this weekend. Love it.

Secondly, the region 5 mini convention is weekend after this coming weekend. The weekend after the convention is SPANISH TRAIL.  Ride season is in our midst. More on that later.

Thirdly, I got my high point SSH awards in the mail from the SSHBEA yesterday! They sent a beautiful ribbon and classy black leather halter with BG's name on the near cheek piece and "NATRC High Point SSH 2012" on the opposite cheek.





































That ribbon says "champion", and I never thought we would be the champions of anything. We've come a long way, and I didn't realized that until I saw it on a ribbon and ran my fingers over the the brass nameplate on her halter. Success made tangible, to help me realize what has been in front of me. I have an amazing horse.


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## Brighteyes

2/23

We had a nice trail challenge. It was FLOODING, however. 

My pasture.










The barn.










Baby Girl was quiet 92% of the time. Her BFF Amber was there, and BG tended to look Amber's direction, but there wasn't any major drama if Amber walked away. BG was mostly content to stand with me sitting on her back and watch the other horses take their turns. I had to circle a few times, but nothing too dramatic. 

BG wasn't happy when Amber was taken away and she was left alone in her stall, and BG wasn't happy when tied alone to the trailer. When I was with her (especially on her back, oddly; I had more trouble keeping her calm from the ground), BG was fine. Maybe I'm finally becoming the horse she needs.

Chillin' in the stall.









She was a little upset during her turn to do obstacles, but, in the grand scope of BG's fits, all I saw was her _improvement_ in managing her emotions.


There were eight obstacles, all set up in a small covered arena. We weren't allowed to practice on them prior, so this was a while new thing for BG.

Off-side Mount: BG was a little nervous, so she took one step on her mount. Could have been worse.

Mail box: Mail boxes are a hell of a lot scarier opened than closed! :lol: BG sidepassed neatly up to the box and allowed me to open it. However, once she realized opened mailboxes are weird looking, she spun around and sniffed the thing. Well. I had to close the mail box, and BG refused to sidepass back up to it. I gave up; pushing her could have caused more fear and I wouldn't have gotten anything done. Gotta pick your battles.

Trot poles: We had to trot some raised (really close together) wood poles, stop over the last one, and sidepass off it. That's sort of hard. The arena had a little gravel, so BG wasn't eager to trot. When asked to stop over the last pole, BG didn't settle before we sidepassed.

Bridge: Walk onto a rope bridge. Stand for five seconds. Again, BG didn't completely settle.

Board pin wheel: I'm was so proud! This is something we've never done before. There were two barrels placed two horse lengths apart with a wooden board layed across them. You grabbed one end of the board and walked a circle, keeping the other end of the board on the barrel. You had a complete circle and returned the board to its original position. I thought she would freak out, like the rain coat incident of last week. But nope. Excellent.

Back over a pole: I feel stupid for not practicing this enough. You just had to back all four fee over a pole on the ground. BG caught it with her back feet once or twice, but completed the obstacle well.

Jump: We were suppose to canter to the jump (around a foot high), but BG has a god awful canter and there wasn't room to really pick it up. So we trotted nicely over the jump, and I thought it was a good trotted jump too.

Dismount and pick up your horses left front foot: Easy. I jumped off. Asked for the foot. BG picked it up and placed it in my hand.


Overall, good ride. I think a few people thought it was a little strange how happy I was after our turn. I mean, to them, my horse probably didn't do great. But she did great for _her_. As long as she keeps improving, I'm going to keep praising.  All the cookies for Baby Girl!


I leave you with arena mirrors.


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## Brighteyes

2/24

I have more pictures from the obstacle challege. 

At the barrel pinwheel










Mail box sidepass










Before it got scary










Trot poles!












In other news, I put in an order today for some renegade hoof boots. I got a size 0. I hope they aren't too small! BG was between sizes. :? We shall see.


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## prairiewindlady

Love the photos! She sure is a lovely mare! How tall is she? Y'all look great together


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## Brighteyes

Awww, thank you very much!  She is around two inches shy of 15.1 hands.


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## Brighteyes

3/1


Got my renegades!  Yay!

They seem to fit really well. I rode hard in them today. Trot/canter, full out gallop, mud, water. Stayed on and in position. I like them.

They are also a zazzy red color. My students call them "Baby Girl's red high heels." :lol:




















We basically did a full tack check today. I tacked up just as I would if I was going out for eight hours. Then I rode fast and hard for an hour to make sure everything was going to stay put. Everything indeed stayed put. 










That was probably my last good ride before Spanish Trail next weekend. I feel unprepared and worried. I hope I did enough homework and conditioned hard enough and practiced perfectly... I want to finish strong and not embarrass myself.

Well, tomorrow morning I'm off to Auburn, Alabama, for the regional convention. It'll be fun to see my NATRC friends and kick off the year!


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## paintsrule

Those are neat!


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## Brighteyes

3/3


I was so embarrassed last night. I experienced literal tears of joy.

I'll keep it short and sweet. The mini convention marvelous. We toured Auburn Vet School and attended two great lectures. One lecture was titled "Riding for a Better Hoof," and I added to my knowledge regarding barefoot performance horses. The other lecture about about metabolics. I had a great discussion with the vet about PSSM, and we shared our war stories.

I went out for ice cream, window shopped, chatted, and touched _the _actual president's cup. :lol:

Awards came around. BG and I received three regional reds (2nd place horse, rider, and combination in open junior) and two national whites (4th place open junior horse and rider.) 

I also ate cheesecake and cheered a lot.

I promised you guys tears of joy, and here they are:

As you may remember, I did a couple open lightweight rides to give Paula a bigger class so she could receive more points for winning. I even rode Coco last year at Uwharrie, as Paula was chairing that ride and couldn't compete. Paula was trying for president's cup, and _every _point counts.

I adore Paula. I rode Coco my first open ride. Paula rode with BG and I on our first open ride together, and has let us tag along almost every ride after that. I do my best to stay out of her way and not mess up her ride.

Everyone has someone in the game they want to be emulate. I want to be like Paula. 

Unfortunately, Paula didn't get president's cup. She claimed a close third overall. Which is still _amazing_, mind you. Coco was also awarded a national championship. (Which is also a big deal, for my readers who have no idea what this means. :lol National champions get a sterling belt buckle engraved with their horse's name.

And Paula let me have it. 











She said I deserved it. I don't believe her, but it means the _world _for your hero to tell you that. Cue happy tears.


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## Brighteyes

3/4

Buckets. **** them. So many buckets. 

Twice a year, I remove buckets from the trailer. I scrub them, bleach them, and set them out to dry in the sun. I also clean out my travel box and restock last minute supplies. Currently I am lacking:

- Powdered electrolytes. I currently have only tubes and the dose which comes daily in my horse's smartpaks. 

- Long sleeved tee shirts. Because laying is an endurance rider's ally, and it's going to be _cold_. 

- Number 13 stall tag. I bought my number for the year. I will be 13 every ride, so I need to print out a big, laminated sheet of paper with horse info to stick on my stall/highline.

Really, that isn't bad. I usually run out of a lot more stuff over winter break. :lol:

I did a tack check last week... I've already sent in my deposit... Trailer's on its way to getting packed...

We're leaving for Spanish Trail on Thursday morning, and I'm desperately nervous. I just hope I've done enough over winter break. I hope my horse is fit and will stay sound... I hope she'll _behave_. God, I hope she'll behave. It's not that I have no faith in her... It's just that I can't picture this going well. Which I guess is almost the same thing. :? 

I hope I get proven wrong. Wish us luck! My next entry will probably be next Monday-ish when I'm back in town. For now... I'm going to do my best to chill out!


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## Brighteyes

3/11


I have really bad news, everyone. We made it 10 miles into the ride before BG slipped on some gravel, slid into a hole, bent back her pastern. She took a couple steps on three legs before managing to place weight on her right front with difficulty. She acted like it was broken. Twenty more steps, and I knew we were done.

I led her up a little hill to the spot we were told to wait for the emergency trailer. The walk of shame. All the other open riders passed us and asked what was wrong. Lame horse. Lori jumped off her horse and trotted Baby Girl in hand for me. At this point, BG had walked it off a bit. She looked sound at a walk, but bobbed her head at a trot. 

BG bowed a tendon two years ago. Same leg. I think/thought she re-bowed it and knew in my heart it was time to stop. But the decision was wrenching. It was right, but it _hurt_.

When BG figured out we weren't going on, she was _furious_. I have never seen a horse so legitimately angry. She baulked and tried to pull me down the trail. She didn't get why in the world we were walking in hand "the wrong way!" She was _not_ getting in the trailer. Like a spoiled child. I coaxed her in eventually.

Everyone knew I would beat myself to death if I had time, so Patrica told me she would take my horse to camp, hose her leg, and put on standing wraps. I was immediately made a vet secretary and wisked down to Stephanie, the vet judge. (Stephanie is my favorite vet judge, so life could be worse.) Stephanie only had one secretary before I dropped in. One of her secretaries didn't show up. Lucky for her a rider got pulled within 3 hours on Saturday. Just what she needed! :lol:

Secretarying is actually harder than riding, by the way. I spent all weekend hanging out with Stephanie and writing whatever she said. I was field secretary; I stood next to Stephanie while she checked horses on the trail or in camp. It was a great job; I actually learned a lot.


It was also an excellent job to keep me from worrying about my horse. There was nothing I could do except for what I was doing.


Excitement covered a lot of pain, I discovered when I returned to camp. BG was dead lame at a walk. Her leg was hot and swollen at the pastern/lower tendon area. I cold hosed and kept it wrapped.

Sunday (day after), she appeared to be getting better. She was almost sound at a trot in a straight line. A little head bobbing, but not much. 

Well... Today was a turn for the worse. We drove home, and I turned BG out last night in a smaller paddock with a bunch of foundered ponies so she wouldn't run around. This morning she was dead lame again. Head bobbing at a walk, hurting, miserable lame. 

I called Dr. Cook. Dr. Cook was pretty concerned. She told me to keep BG on stall rest, ice her leg, and keep it wrapped. It seemed to be healing when she was resting in her stall all weekend, but just couldn't handle walking around in a paddock. 

Stall rest is the lesser of two evils. PSSM horses should never be stalled. Well, except for now. :? I took BG off all grain and am hoping we won't have a compounded tie-up/major lameness problem.

I'm taking her to the vet for a sonagram and maybe an x-ray as soon as possible. We need to know the extent of the damage. The lameness and pain is worse this time around than last bowed tendon... If this is even a bowed tendon. It might be a problem in the fetlock/pastern joint. 

Either way, it looks BG is out of NATRC for at _least_ the spring season. At worst... Well. I had a well respected women tell me horses with tendon problems shouldn't be open horses. (I've had people tell me horses with PSSM shouldn't be open horses either. The first time we bowed a tendon, people said we weren't going to come back. We came back kicking. But maybe third time's the charm...)

A lot depends on the next few days. I don't want to jump the gun and say life is over... But I don't want to say everything will be okay either. Truthfully, I don't know. I just don't know.


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## prairiewindlady

Oh NO! I'm so sorry to hear this! Poor Baby Girl!

I feel your pain (sort of)...I was conditioning my own pony for endurance when he came up "lame" with a stifle problem... :-(

-


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## Brighteyes

Sorry about your pony. :-( And thank you for the condolences.


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## Brighteyes

3/12


Baby Girl's getting worse. I put her in the tiny round pen outside for some air, like the vet recommended. Still wrapped and everything. A few hours later, she was dead lame. She could barely walk. 

I took her in, iced down her leg, and gave her more bute. She's back on stall rest. She can't handle turnout, even in a 20 foot round pen.

We're going to the vet tomorrow morning. All I want at this point is to be able to ride her again. I can wait six months. I can wait a year. I want this to be okay.


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## paintsrule

I'm so so sorry. I'll be praying and thinking about you both. Keep us updated when you can. I've always admired you two. -hugs-
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

Thank you so much! I'll update ASAP tomorrow. It's like 1:00 in the morning and I can't sleep... I'm so nervous...


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## Wallaby

Oh no! I just read this update! I'm so sorry! I'll be hoping and praying for the best possible outcome! 

Keep us posted. :hug:


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## prairiewindlady

Oh no...I will be praying that she is alright. Let us know the diagnosis as soon as you are able!


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## Brighteyes

3/13

Sometimes, things seem so perfect that it can't be by mere chance. I've always been a fan of saying things will work out. But occasionally, things work out in a way so sublime... It's like reading a book. All the elements come together.

BG went to the vet today. She wasn't terrible lame this morning, as she had been in a stall all night. Dr Cook's assistant trotted Baby Girl in hand in a figure eight pattern. BG didn't respond to flexion tests or palpation of her tendon/lower leg. BG wasn't even terribly lame when trotting on dirt. BG's leg was only a little hot and hardly swollen.

I stood on the sidelines, puzzled, as Dr Cook told her assistant to trot BG on the gravel driveway. BG was suddenly dead lame in a manner similar to what I have observed over the past several days. I was dumbfounded, but Dr Cook half smiled and pulled out her hoof testers.

It didn't take long for the hoof testers to find a spot near BG's toe that caused my little mare to nearly leap out of her skin. Dr Cook brushed away some dirt to reveal a small, half moon shaped black spot on BG's sole. Dr Cook made a quick slice with a hoof knife. A drop of pus oozed out.

"We have an absess." 

Dr Cook sedated BG and drilled a small hole in her sole. Puss and blood leaked out. I was thrilled. :lol: One of the happiest moments of my life. 

"You'll be riding again in no time!"

Dr Cook showed me how to pack and dress BG's hoof with betadine, duct tape, and cotton. I was instructed to soak it once a day in a betadine/epsom salt solution. It should be better in less than a week. 

Remember how I said we slipped on some rocks? Well. We didn't. A rock pierced BG's sole. That was the cause of her lameness. The lameness got worse when inject started to set in. That explains a lot!

BG was less thrilled and is still a sad little mare. But she's a sad little mare who isn't crippled for life! 










She doesn't even want to put weight on it!











Okay. So BG will probably/hopefully be back for Dixie next weekend. That means... That National Championship is _on_. But only with some help. 

I told you guys that BG getting pulled last ride allowed me to hang out with Stephanie all weekend. Well, Stephanie seems to think I'm a pretty tolerable and okay human. She gave me her number and told me that she would take me to any ride in region five. The boss promised to take me to 9 rides. Spanish Trail was one of them, but it no longer counts. Amy was going to take me to one later in the year, but plans changed. I need 10 rides to get a national. If Stephanie can take me to one... This thing might just be possible.

Let's back up to yesterday now. The boss noticed I was terrible depressed over this whole BG thing. This is my last year as a junior, and at the time it seemed BG was down for the count. So the boss called Catheryne.

Catheryne is an endurance rider and collector of Arabs. Catheryne has been a little over her head lately. Stuff happens. She had a proven endurance horse for sale. Her name is Catalina Comet, AKA Cat/Miss Kitty. She's a 14.2, light gray, nine-year-old Arabian mare. 

I signed a free lease agreement and whisked Cat away. 

BG became unexpectantly competition worthy... And I still had an Arab prancing in my pasture. What did I do?

Ask Catheryne may I pretty _pretty_ please keep her.

So, everyone. Because we got pulled at Spanish Trail, I recieved a way to get to rides all over the region, an Arabian, and a soon-to-be-sound BG. Couldn't have written it better if I tried.


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## Wallaby

Fantastic news!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so so sosososososososoSOOOO happy for you guys! I was seriously really worried.












:happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance:


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## Brighteyes

You have no idea!    I was so scared. I didn't even sleep last night. I didn't know what I would do if something serious was wrong with BG. I was prepared for tragedy. When the vet told me everything was going to be okay in a week, I was all, 











Here. Take these owls of happiness.


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## Brighteyes

3/14

Poor BG is still lame as a one legged duck. I changed her hoof banaging. Soaked for 20 minutes in betadine/epsom salt. Packed with betadine soaked cotton and rewrapped. It took me forver! Luckly, BG is a very good patient and get me play with her foot until I got it right.

"Get this bag off my foot. Pleaseeeee."




















I've started working with Cat. She's a smart girl. I'm just fixing things as I find them. She's hard to catch, for one thing. I closed off two gates to the larger pastures and walked her down in the smaller pasture behind the barn. The first time I did it, it took 15 minutes. Second time, 5 times. Third time, barely two minutes.

It's easier to catch horses when they're been taught to be caught. I put her in the round pen and free lunged her until she started asking to slow down. A little longer and I called her to the center. She trotted up and stopped around 20 feet from me. I walked up to her. She walked away, so I sent her out again at a trot. Repeat several times until I could send her out and go up to her without fail.

Bridling and haltering needed fixing. She's been allowed to raise and throw her head. That's not gonna fly for me. I'm a short little person, and she has a very long neck. She has to bend down and flex around. She's learning this very quickly! Tons easier to handle already.

She's nervous around my stick and string. Worked on desensitizing. She trotted and snorted for several minutes while I quietly slapped the whip against the ground. But after she got it, she _got_ it.

Future star Cat.










Ay-rab neck.


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## Brighteyes

3/16

Wanted to drop in an update!

BG is getting less lame. She's been promoted from her stall to a small pen near the foundered ponies. Mostly because the stall is making her crazy.

I had my first ride on Cat! Yesterday, we did ground work. We worked on sidepassing, free lunging at a walk, and trying to get her feet into that effing tire. :lol: For all her intelligence, she could not/would not (I suspect would not) put her feet into the tire without my actually picking them up and _placing_ them inside. 










Today we rode. I put her in a full cheek french link. Her owner rode her in a wonder bit, but I didn't have one and like snaffles better anyway. The bit was a little thick for her (she has a shallow mouth), so I may try to find something thinner when I can. 

We worked on one rein stops, flexing laterally and at the pole, quiet trot/walk transitions, and backing. She could be lighter in the mouth (especially backing and transitions), so we're working on that. We just started sidepassing on the ground yesterday, and she's already sidepassing a few steps undersaddle. So smart.

She does have problems standing still. Not like BG's standing still problems; BG's just nervous. Cat is all, "I've always been allowed to walk off when I want and I do what I want." :lol: 

Cat bucked a little when first asked her to trot, and bucked harder the first time we cantered. When she realized I wasn't scared of her, she gave up. No fight in this horse.

She's a little spooky, but I'm game for it.

Overall, she's a really nice horse. A couple things gonna give, but she's got a lot going for her.


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## Brighteyes

3/25


We did it. 


But let's back up a couple days. Tuesday of last week, precisely. Tuesday, and I was dispirited. Baby Girl was questionably sound at a trot in a straight line, and inconsistently lame in circles. I had was soaking her foot twice a day and keeping it clean. She was making progress towards soundness, but it was _very_ questionable -- _preposterous_, even -- that she would be ready for the 50 mile Spring in Dixie CTR. Even if she did become sound, there was a _hole_ in her foot. NATRC drug rules forbid medications that would keep that hole clean. 

I had given up. No national championship. I _failed_.

Then Paula called.

"I heard you wanted to win a national this year," she said.

"Yes ma'am."

"You could still win it on your Arab. You just need 10 rides."

I'd been hearing this for days. Everyone told me to campaign Cat and give BG the year off. BG's chronic. Always sick or hurt. Plus, it's good to ride other horses, they said. BG won't mind, they said. (_I'd mind_, I said.) You'd have a real chance with Cat, they said. (_There's always always a chance_.)

"... But you could try Baby Girl. There are ways to manage. If she's lame Wednesday, but it's only a grade one, you have a chance. It might disappear by Saturday -- when it counts. But if it doesn't, you just went a long way with a lame horse and lost a national. The Arab would be a safer bet. But if you want to bring Baby Girl, there are ways."

I asked her the ways. Paula told me to keep BG's boots on all weekend, even in the stall. Every time I pass that horse's stall, take off the boot and sanitize it with a 30% bleach/water solution. Spray BG's foot with hydrogen peroxide and Vetericyn. All these treatments are legal. The key is to keep the hole as clean and free of debris as possible.

Wednesday, and BG was still lame in circles.

Thursday morning, Baby Girl was questionably sound. I had Cat's hot pink halter over my shoulder. The Arab was coming to Dixie, I had decided. It was logical and safe. The best decision. 

One of the hardest decisions you'll face is choosing whether to walk away from a crazy dream or to try harder. 

I decided to try harder. I threw Cat's lead rope over BG's neck and loaded my little mare into the trailer. 

My friends said I was insane. Was I really betting on a lame horse to become sound over night? And was I going to ride that horse 50 miles and hope for the best?


Vet-in Friday morning. Baby Girl was _sound_. 


We rode out Saturday at first light. I rode with Sarah and her insane horse Motion. I just tried my best stay as far back was possible.


It was rainy, muddy, cold, and miserable. BG fell into a mud hole that went up to her belly and lost one of her boots. The boot on the abscessed foot. At the P&R five minutes later, I noticed. Panicked, I cleaned the foot and transferred my one remaining renegade to the bad foot. I rode for 25 more miles that day with only one boot.

Saturday afternoon. Still sound.

Sunday morning. Still sound. Rode 25 more miles with one boot and covered in mud. Many trails were impassable due to flooding. It was tough.

Sunday afternoon. Did our circles at vet-out. 100% sound.

One ride down. Nine to go. The national lives. BG was an angel the whole ride. I have a ton of praises to sing to that little horse, but maybe in the next post. I just wanted to go ahead and say: 

We made it. We couldn't do it, but we did it anyway.


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## paintsrule

Congratulations! Thats amazing! You have a wonder horse there! Its like she somehow knew the ride was this weekend and wanted to go and do well as much as you did, so she did that for you and her, amazing.


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## prairiewindlady

That is wonderful! Y'all are so inspiring! Are you still planning on going to Uwharrie? I am planning to be there...not riding but possibly volunteering or as a spectator


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## Brighteyes

She's pretty cool, isn't she? :happydance: She does a great job. She's awesome at what she does and loves it as much as I do. She gives 110% and I'm very grateful!


I'll be at Uwharrie! That's one of my favorite rides.  We would LOVE to have you come and do P&Rs. I can help you sign up as a volunteer if you'd like!


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## Brighteyes

3/27


Yesterday was Baby Girl's seventh birthday. Oh, how they grow up. I gave her a few apples, but otherwise let her relax in the pasture. It's good to have time off between rides. She's conditioned, and I think she's well prepared for almost any obstacle they can throw our way. She was so wonderful at Dixie that she deserves her two weeks. The Benefit is weekend after next. Another day, another 50 miles! Living the dream!

I've decided to dedicate some time to continuing to get to know Cat. I've only ridden her a handful of times -- once a week at most --, but spring break is starting tomorrow. 

We did a short trail today.

She's calmed down. Last week it was a struggle to get her into the wash rack for a bath, she ran away when I went out to catch her, and she spooked at every squirrel on the trail. No more of that!











I sent in a huge Distance Depot order yesterday. I bought BG a little S hackamore (so I can stop competing in my ghetto rope halter), a new renegade, and got Cat her own bridle. BG's bridle is a little big. 











Also, Cat is shedding like CRAZY. 










BG doesn't grow a coat, so I absolutely love taking a shedding blade to Miss Kitty. :twisted:


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## Brighteyes

This lovely creature is enjoying the first warm, sunny day in several weeks.











And THIS lovely creature had a rough day at work!












All I wanted to do was take her for a walk in the woods. I've never before ridden her alone on the trails. She is content to walk when ridden with another horse. Today, all she wanted to do was TROT.

We spent an hour on the trails, working on walking quietly on a loose rein. I'm seeing aspects to her personality that are different than BG's. When BG jigs on the trails, adding energy in the form of tight circles and one rein stops only intensifies the problem. 

BG is best slowed with gentle half halts. The half halt method had no effect on Cat. "Quiet" one rein stops followed by several seconds of standing were also ineffective. I figured out that Cat is best slowed to a walk by pulling her around in several tight, _energetic_ circles before giving her another chance to walk on a loose rein. 

Fascinating. I love new horses.


I did force her to stop and stand several times, however. She kept rushing in and out of the creek. I made her stand in the water for a few minutes.










And stand under a Bartlett pear tree. Because those trees have wonderful white flowers in the spring. And if I'm going to teach a horse to stand, we're going to stand in pretty places.











We did eventually walk home, though it was very much under protest. I'm taking her to Mingo tomorrow to mark trails. That'll teach her to stop and stand. :twisted:


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## hemms

Love your riding attitude and writing style!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Wallaby

Oh my goodness! Cat sounds SO MUCH like Lacey! It must be that good Comet blood! :wink:
She sounds downright sass-tastic, just the way I like my horses. 

And BG looks very content with her hay! How does she feel about sharing "mom"?


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## Brighteyes

Thank you very much, Hemms! 


Cat is sass-tastic. :lol: I like it. 

She's very interesting. Unlike BG, who only does "bad" things out of fear or misunderstanding, Cat is downright malignant when it comes to disobedience. :twisted: She tried to out last me with our trotting fight today -- just like she attempted to out last when during my first few times catching her in the pasture! Silly pony. What I lack in skills I make up for in persistence! :lol:


BG seems a little off put by my divided attention. When I go out in the pasture to catch Cat, BG trots up like, "Well, hello. Time to play?" I have to shoo her away before I halter Cat, because BG likes to chase Cat away. :shock: And then BG follows us back to the barn and waits there until Cat and I return. I feel bad about not paying attention to BG (I haven't even groomed her since Dixie!), but Cat needs my time...


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## prairiewindlady

Sounds like you are having fun with both your girls! It's amazing how different two horses can be, isn't it? The two I ride are complete opposites! 

As far as Uwharrie goes a lot depends on whether or not I can procure a babysitter for my daughter, lol. If so I would love to volunteer. But if I can't I will still be there as a spectator! (I should know for sure by tomorrow)


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## Brighteyes

Awesome! Either way, I guess I'll see you there!


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## Brighteyes

3/29


Had a great adventure at Mingo with Cat today!




















She was a very good girl, save a few sassy moments. She likes to rush hills. An annoying habit, as she insists that it's much easier to get up and down those things with a little momentum. :lol: I suppose it may be. You know, easier for _her_. All day today: 

"Careful, Cat... Slow down..." 

"NO." *trots hill/through mud/jumps creek*

*trips/stumbles/flails*

"There you go, Cat. There you go."

And for a while, she would listen to me when I requested she take terrain slow. :lol:

She has a _to die for _trot and canter. We rode with gaited horses. They would do their fast gait and I just cantered slowly behind them. <3 Her trot is also so smooth and floaty. I could ride her to the moon.

She's very happy to hang out in the back of the pack, which is appreciated.











She wasn't very good for marking trails. She hates standing close to trees/branches/whatever and refused to side over. Homework, homework. 

Unfortunately, I discovered after the ride she had a large, hot bump on her back. It appeared she had been bitten by a bug and my saddle rubbed it and caused it to swell. :-( I'm sorry, Cat. I put cold water on it, and won't be riding her until it no longer hurts. It won't take long. Maybe I can take BG for a walk tomorrow. She'd appreciate the attention.


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## Brighteyes

3/30


I rode BG today. You know, for five minutes. :lol:

I gabbed her and Cat from the pasture around 3:00 this afternoon. Poor Cat still has a sore back. The bump, while reduced in size and puffiness, is still tender and hot. :? I'm a little concerned. If it's still tender in two days, I'll be properly concerned.

It was hot, clear, and still today. The air wasn't moving, and that kind of weather makes me lazy. I groomed both the mares. After putting some more cold water on Cat's back, I turned her out. My new tack from Distance Depot came today. I spent forever adjusting BG's hackamore.

I think it got it almost right. Might have to keep playing with it. 











Mostly, I sat in the stall, and we hung out.











She stood guard over me like horses stand over their sleeping herd mates in the pasture. "Sleep, little human. I'll watch for wolves."











I forced myself to ride for five minutes, just to see how easily cues would transfer over in her new head gear. Very easily, it seems. She did everything I asked without translation issues.


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## Brighteyes

4/3


Heading to the Region Five Benefit Ride tomorrow!  BG's been well, and I feel good about this one. Pray we finish!


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## prairiewindlady

Keeping my fingers crossed! I'm sure you and BG will rock it!


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## Brighteyes

4/7


One year ago at the Region Five Benefit, Baby Girl and I embarked on our first open ride. We finished, "but it wasn't pretty." Metabolic points were lost. Obstacles were blown. Prancing, spinning, and general bedlam. I asked the vet judge if he thought Baby Girl would ever be a "decent open horse." 

"Patience. Time. Miles. And one day, by accident, you'll have a great horse."

Patience? It's just going to _happen_?

The judge's statement fell into the ridges of my brain. (I couldn't imagine a calm, prudent, seasoned Baby Girl.) It resurfaced today, and I got a smile out of it.

Today, Baby Girl "accidently" got a perfect score of 100, high point SSH, and open sweepstakes.

Baby Girl decided this was her weekend to show me what she was capable of. And it seems that she is capable of excellence far beyond what I ever thought was possible. 

Everything I asked she did in an agreeable fashion. She cared for herself on the trail. She relaxed and conversed energy. Her anxiety was minimal, which allowed my anxiety to disappear. (Do you know how _freeing_ is it to have confidence in a horse? To not have to dread obstacles, vet checks, metabolics, or simply tying to a high line?)


So yes. It quite the weekend. Perfect 100s are rare. Breed awards are very nice. Open sweepstakes is _amazing_. There were 15 total open riders (lightweight; heavyweight; and I, the only junior.) Sweepstakes means BG beat all 15 of their horses. (Among them national champions and a president's cup winner.) 

A lowly junior rider on a young horse she trained herself? Inconceivable! :lol: Further more, Baby Girl. _I_ never would have thought.

Sweepstakes is worth 18 points. That's three rides worth of points. :shock: Helps us down the road to a national championship very nicely!


My gratefulness to this creature. She gave 'em hell.


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## Wallaby

That's fantastic!! Way to go!!


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## hemms

Woo Hoo!! Congratulations!!! Total happy dance, over here!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SoldOnGaited

Way to go girl!!! That's great!


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## prairiewindlady

I knew you would do well, but this is AWESOME!! You and BG have worked so hard...you deserve it!


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## Brighteyes

Thanks so much, everyone! 



(And yes. I high fived my computer.)


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## Brighteyes

4/11

I'm having a hard time procuring renegades for BG's back feet by Uwharrie next weekend. I ordered size 00s, but they were too small. However, my 0s are too big. Awkward. I e-mailed the company some pictures and hope to get this resolved soon as possible. It is THIS kind of thing that fills me with anxiety. 

Actually, I'm mostly here to offer you a cool picture. BG's best obstacle at the Benefit was a canter/bank. We were instructed to take off at a canter from a halt and follow the trail up a hill. Midway up the hill was a washed out "stair step," like an eventing bank, about a foot high. We were to jump this and continue down the trail without fuss. 

I was all, "This is exactly the kind of thing I do on trails at home!" :lol: And I went all hunter/jumper on them.

Canter to victory!


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## Brighteyes

4/15

Bless my soul. I've had a time. So guess what time it is? Rant time. In which Jackie bursts forth with uncharacteristic frustration. And gifs.


I started e-mailing renegade on Thursday. Right after I realized my boots weren't quite right. I sent pictures from all angles, etc. The company said it was probably okay, but I needed to ride in them. Friday, I actually got to try them on my horse. I lunged her. She kept brushing, dragging her toes, and eventually interfered so badly her boot came flying off. 

I e-mailed renegade again. They said it sounded like the boots were too narrow. I e-mailed back saying, "Okay. I really need boots by Wednesday. Can you rush my a pair of 0s if I send you guys a tracking number ASAP?" 

_And they never. E-mailed. Back._











Okay. Well, I guess I need shoes. As much as I don't want to shoe her again, you gotta do what you gotta do. So I called my farrier. Who didn't answer. And eventually called me back today. I asked if he would be around any time this week to put shoes on my horse. 

No. He's in south Georgia shoeing 39 horses and he won't be back until Friday. 





Well. 


So I called Regina, who is secretary for Uwharrie. She gave me a number of the farrier on call for the ride. I called. Farrier was all, "Lolnope. Out of town. Sorries."

So I called Regina again, who called Von, who called a guy named Scott. Who is a farrier. On the edge of despair, I dialed Scott's number and hoped fourth time was the charm.

*****! Scott said he would put on two back shoes on Friday around 3:00. Either that, or I could do pour in pads in the back. Which is an interesting option, though I'm unsure if they would survive three days in the rocky hell known as Uwharrie National Forest. 

Back feet covered. But my anxiety will not be lifted until those shoes/pads/whatever are on her back feet. 

In the meantime, I'm going to keep e-mailing renegade until they answer and let me exchange my boots. Alas. Such awesome boots. So difficult to get.


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## prairiewindlady

Oh man! I feel your pain. I have been following your "booting venture" with interest as I am not sure whether I will boot or shoe when I start really conditioning w/my horses. Right now I am leaning towards shoeing...but we'll see.

BTW if you are in desperate need of a farrier, my friend's husband is a really good farrier out of Ramseur/Randleman NC (not too far from Uwharrie)...if you want I can PM you his number. Just in case


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## Brighteyes

Please do! I could use a backup-backup-backup farrier.  In case Scott fails me.


I really like my boots. My horse moves in them better than she ever did with shoes. It's just acquiring and fitting them that's the pain! But once they fit, I never have to worry about shoes again. Which is sort of freeing. Baby Girl's feet have showed notable improvement after a couple months of barefoot trims. Her frogs have grown and make contact with the ground, her heels have filled out, no more white line/thrush. It really seems better for her and for our situation (need protection every two weeks for rides and that's it), which is why I'm fighting for barefoot so stubbornly. Her soles still suck. :? But maybe we'll get there.


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## Brighteyes

4/16

More problems, my friends! 

Baby Girl's PSSM is acting up.

I noticed a few days ago she was reluctant to pick up her back feet. I shrugged it off, putting it up to a cranky sort of day. She wouldn't hold her foot up for me today without ears back and trying to pull it away. Her range of motion was compromised. Her butt muscles were slightly hard. 

I lunged her, and she was dragging her back toes. :?

I told her to kiss her pasture goodbye, because she isn't seeing it again until next winter. (Not without a grazing muzzle and only for a couple hours at most.) Say hello to daily exercise and (dun dun dun dun dahhhh) _the pony pen._

The foundered pony club, BG! Where there is a low-quality round bale of "busy hay" and grass eaten down so low you have to sift every bite for dirt.

No ma'am. We are not tying up this year.


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## Brighteyes

4/17


Heading off to Uwharrie tomorrow. I had a good feeling about the Benefit. I don't have the same good feeling about Uwharrie. Maybe it's the shoe run-around... Maybe it's Baby Girl's little PSSM flare... Maybe it's the fact that Uwharrie is mountainous and rocky -- the opposite of my central Georgia home.

I just want a completion. A decent score would be nice too. But the vet judge is the infamous Mike. He's tough. It's gonna be a hard ride! Uwharrie's trails are very technical. You have to watch your step and pace it smart. 

Breathe in... Breathe out. Gonna be okay.


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## evensteven

I love you.
Seriously.
I just want to say, I read all your journals in like a month. They inspired me so much. -cries- Like really! Now I want to get my own horse and train em to do competitive trail riding. Really, I just want to do everything, but ctr is on my top 5 list.
You. Are. An. Awesomefrigginfantasticalamazing trainer. I mean, how old were you when you got her? And how long had you been riding? I've been riding for three years now and I know I couldn't do _that_ yet.
I love Baby Girl and all her sass. And Cat too! She's soooo pretty. I really hope you get that national.
Good luck in Uwharrie!


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## Brighteyes

D'awww! Thank you so much!  <3333


I can't believe you read all my journals! And liked them. :lol: Whenever I read back, I either laugh or cringe! If you're ever in my neighborhood, you can CTR with me any time. 

When I got Baby Girl, I was 13 or 14, I believe. I had been doing weekly lessons for about eight months.  

Thank you for the well wishes! I read your post for the first time on my way to Uwharrie (couldn't reply as I was on my phone) and was thoroughly encouraged! The national (barely) survived another ride. I have very _interesting_ (for lack of a better word) ride story to report tomorrow.


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## evensteven

xD LOVE THAT GIF. Ahhhh. I did! Actually, yours is probably the only journal I've read that I actually liked. I feel like I can read your words in your voice even if I don't know you. x)
Are you serious?! You're amazing! I can't even think of anything else to say! Really! 13/14? And only eight months? You must've really studied before you got Baby Girl. xD I live far away from you, but now I want to visit just to see you. That sounds really creepy. :lol:
You must tell your story. I love you and Baby Girl. 
Nuff said.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## prairiewindlady

Can't wait to read your ride story! I was thinking about you this weekend...especially as my new horse (endurance hopeful?) arrived on Saturday!


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## Brighteyes

Ha ha! Not creepy at all! :lol: If I ever do some rides in the west (I've always wanted to visit region 4), we can meet halfway.

I wouldn't call myself amazing! :lol: I have generalized anxiety disorder, Tourette's, and OCD. Feeling "hunted" all the time helped me understand horses. Understanding the way horses see things is half of horse training. Made me a quick study! (I actually started this very journal on my doctor's recommendation! )


Prairiewindlady, tell me about your new pony!  How exciting!


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## Brighteyes

4/23

Before Uwharrie, I believed _I_ was the determined one. The one too stubborn to give up. I thought if I quit, Baby Girl would quit. It was up to me to carry us through. To take care of us both.

I was wrong.

It rained all of Friday. We set out Saturday morning into the chilly mist of the Uwharrie Mountains. Baby Girl rated herself perfectly behind Motion, and all I had to do was keep out of her way. 

20 minutes into the ride, I glanced down and noticed the renegade on Baby Girl's right front foot was hanging around her ankle. I leapt off, surprised it had become dislodged (since adjusting the fit, I haven't had a boot come off.) And then I freaked out.

The wire that connected the heel captivator to the boot shell was frayed and broken. I inspected the mud covered heel captivator and found the back was slightly cracked. (We later surmised that Baby Girl, who was wearing back shoes, over reached caught the front boot.)

The left front boot had also been dinged in the back. I removed both boots, placed them in my saddle bag, and decided we had maybe five miles with bare front feet before we would have to pull. Her sole hadn't even healed from the abscess. And that was caused by one little rock. Uwharrie is the rockiest ride in region five. Rocks ranging from finger sized to the size of a basketball littered the trails so thickly in some places you couldn't see the ground. Palm sized pieces of sharp white quartz were interspersed as well. Like arrow heads. 

Every step could be out last, and I knew it. I had a small panic attack. Have you ever felt like you could burst into tears and vomit at the same time?

Baby Girl focused intently on the trail. She got smart quickly and picked over the worst of the rocks. That's not to say she didn't hit some bad spots, or that it didn't hurt. It hurt, but she kept on. 5 miles. 10 miles. 15 miles. Sarah let me ride in front for a while. If it hurt too much, Baby Girl would surely have stopped. I decided to let her decide when this was too much.

30 miles. Sore over rocks, but sound on soft stuff. Baby Girl kept the 5 mph pace without my help. She trotted when she found what she thought was a good stretch to trot. She walked when she needed to walk.

Back at camp, vet checks. Mike, who is already the toughest vet judge I know, had plenty to pick apart. Surprisingly though, it wasn't her legs. Her _back_. Her back was so amazingly sore. Withers, mid back, loins. Plus her girth. 

Meanwhile, I was trying my best to get a farrier out to put some shoes on BG's fronts. Unfortunately, I couldn't reach anyone. 

To my incredible surprise, BG passed Sunday morning's vet checks and was cleared to go out for our final 20 miles. She conducted herself in this final leg with a grim determination. It was as if she had set her sights on finishing this CTR even though I myself had thrown the ride immediately after the loss of the boots. It was all her at that point. Sore feet, sore back, grumpy, and tenacious. 

And she did it. 50 miles on broken little feet. I never would have thought.

After we vetted out (and Mike marked up her card until it looked like someone had bled on it), I laid my head against her shoulder and told her I was really, _really_ sorry. Because that seemed like an appropriate thing to say. I quit on her mentally. But she never quit on me. There is no quit in that mare.

(And I thought back to a conversation I had with Amy months ago about animal communication, shortly before my first session with Colleen. "Anyone can communicate with animals. You just have to open to it. Animals speak to you telepathically. Little words, feelings, and phrases that feel out of place and random."

_"If you got my back, I'll go on."_

That random phrase came from nowhere at all and stuck in my mind. I wanted to record it here, so I won't forget. Next time I talk to Colleen, I'll mention it.)

So rehab began. It's going to be hard work getting her ready to do another ride next weekend. She looked so _spent_. Her back was massively sore, so I gave her a gram of bute Sunday night. And we went home.











The next morning, I inspected her more closely. Her back was still sore, and her abscess is open again. Abscesses form a "cavern" after they heal -- a hollow spot in the sole. Her hollow spot was caved in at Uwharrie and is at risk of re-infection. I'm sanitizing it twice a day and keeping it clean. Light round pen work tomorrow to loosen her back up. I turned her out in the big pasture today with a grazing muzzle to let her walk around with her friends for a few hours. Then back to the little paddock. 

Oh Baby Girl. Sometimes words fail to communicate how special I think you are.


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## evensteven

Ahhh! That'd be awesome! But I'd have to get a horse first, so I'll tell you when I do. Then maybe we could plan something. x) I'm excited now.
Really? That's amazing! You might not think it, but I do.

Uwharrie sounded tough! That's awesome that Baby Girl pushed herself to finish it! Hope she feels better soon.

Are you training her for endurance or are you just doing competitive trail?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

At first, I was purely doing CTRs as prep for endurance. CTRs are a more controlled setting and teaches horses to pace themselves and behave. You also have a lot more time with the vet than in endurance, so it's a lovely place to start. I was originally going to move out of CTRs when I thought BG was ready, but I've found I really like NATRC more than I intended. NATRC is like endurance... With style. :wink: You can't just have an athletic horse. You have to have an athletic, quiet, sane, sensitive, well trained horse. In my opinion, NATRC is harder to master than endurance. :lol:

I still want to do a little endurance on the side. A couple 50s, when BG is ready mentally. (Honestly, she could probably do a 50 now.) At least one 100, just to say we can.


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## evensteven

When I do get my first horse, we will definitely train for CTR. With style~ It does sound a little harder than endurance. Especially with all the little extra things thrown in.
Do you think she could? I mean I think she can. I know she can! She's tough that's for sure.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## prairiewindlady

What a special little mare she is! I am so glad y'all completed - though I wish you had a little easier time of it! 

Personally I don't think I could do CTR...I'm the kind of person who gets antsy if there are too many rules so I will probably stick to endurance myself. But I love following your adventures!


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## Brighteyes

Ha ha! I actually get nervous when there are too few rules! :lol: I love love _love_ order. I sometimes imagine endurance rides, and think about how many people are going to be passing me and that shot gun start. :shock: 

In NATRC, we don't pass each other. Or if we do, it's a once a ride thing. And we go out in the mornings one at a time in 15 second intervals and in an order decided the previous night. 

Endurance would blow my mind!


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## prairiewindlady

Haha, just about every endurance rider I have spoken to has advised waiting in camp until about 15 minutes after the start for that very reason

Maybe someday we will try a NATRC ride. But we have a lot of training to do before we are ready for something like that!


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## Brighteyes

4/28

For the past couple of days, I've seen spent. When you are around horses constantly... Training, completing, teaching... The exuberance and the life leeches out until you're just going through the motions. 

I hit a low a few days ago. It was a bright Thursday afternoon. No homework, nothing to do. But I stayed at home, even though Cat needed riding. Repeat Friday. And I planned to repeat this Saturday as well, but I received a call from my old trainer Megan. Megan was in town for the weekend and wanted to go ride. 

I didn't want to. But I did.

Sunday, today, I woke up early and saddled BG. I haven't ridden BG just around the property for weeks. I met Megan at the road. She was riding a green quarter horse mare named Lacey. And we trotted off in search of "adventure."

We found adventure. Two hours in, we realized we were incredibly lost in the woods. This would have bothered me normally. But sometimes getting lost is the best thing you can do. It was a fun ride. We jumped every log on the trail. We trotted for miles and cantered up hills. We weaved down deer paths for half an hour trying to find a trail. We raced, full out, at every opportunity. (BG won every time.) 

This is Megan's best "I'm lost" face.











While wandering, we found this cool (creepy) cabin. I took a picture of it and realized the horse's reflections could be seen in the window. Neat.











We eventually picked our way to a road and followed it back to the barn Lacey lives at. Megan and I planned to ride that afternoon as well, but it began to rain while we were out for lunch. Sooo... How to get my horse back to the barn...

Between thunderstorms, Megan (in her car) escorted me up the rode to the edge of my barn's property. I was bareback (didn't want to get my saddle soaked in the downpour) and looked like a wet rat, I'm sure. 


"One... Two... Three... _SPLIT!"_ 

At that, I raced down the edge of the field at a full gallop. I bet I could gallop back the barn through the woods faster than Megan could get there with her car via normal roads.

We tied. :lol:

I haven't had that much fun riding in a long time.


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## Brighteyes

More pictures!


Baby Girl and I at the creepy house in the woods.











And we're lost.


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## Brighteyes

5/1


We're leaving for Faye Whittemore Farms CTR in Alabama tomorrow!


I hardly unpacked lasted week, so it didn't take me long to get everything ready. Packed feed, tack, and bought five pounds of apples and carrots. Ready for action. 

I even had time to bathe BG. Probably useless, as she'll certainly get dirty during the night, but I can at least say she was pretty for a while. 











I hope this ride goes better than my last. I keep telling myself that there is no reason why we cannot be amazing this time around. The only thing standing between greatness and me is... me.


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## paintsrule

Good luck! really rooting for you guys, I admire you!!


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## evensteven

Good luck to you and BG! Hope you get a perfect score!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SoldOnGaited

Best of luck to you. You 2 rock!!!! Go Babygirl!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## prairiewindlady

She is so CUTE! Good luck!


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## Brighteyes

5/6


Points. That's what it's all about. Not the points you get for finishing a ride, either. The high ones. And the low ones.

It rained all of Friday and into Saturday morning. We rode out at 8:00 am after a delayed start. Sarah had pulled that morning. She said the trails were going to be slick -- too dangerous for her taste. Stephanie, Michelle, and I rode together. (Midway through the day, we were also joined by Ester.) We called this little group "The Estrogen Brigade," as it consisted totally of females riding mares. Baby Girl led and kept pace, and I navigated. I never thought Baby Girl would ever be a lead horse, but she nailed it like a pro. 

It was awfully pretty after the sun came out.










I didn't do my job as well as Baby Girl did hers. I managed to misread some ribbons and cut off a mile of trail right before the second P&R.

I had no idea until Carol and Regina (who had been in front of us before I cut trail) trotted up to the P&R two minutes after my group arrived. 

They curtly informed us that we cut trail -- a fact which we were unaware of until it we were shown on the map what we did. After they got us to admit to it, Carol began to raise almighty hell.

Last year, Carol fell from her horse during a ride. Her horse left her behind. She caught the horse a couple miles down the trail, and Carol got on and rode the rest of her mileage. However, NATRC rules state that all forward progress must be made while mounted. Therefore, Carol didn't complete the mileage legally and did not legally finish the ride. 

Now, Carol wanted _us_ disqualified. And her hell raising at the P&R wasn't helping my group's case to stay legal. She was going to report us at the end of the day.

Ester said, "If she's going to get us disqualified, why even bother going out for our next loop?"

Because Michelle and I were not letting someone's ***** attitude scare us off the trail, and the rest of the group was along for the ride.

So off we went. I was scared to death of being disqualified, Michelle was mad, Ester was annoyed... And Stephanie was her normal happy self. Because that's Stephanie for ya.

We made it through our first day. Back at camp, the controversy was discussed by the rules interpreter and judges. It was easily decided that the Brigade was safe from disqualification. 

But the Brigade was still ****ed, and all the (uninvolved) riders were taking sides. Another ride. Another war.

That was Saturday's drama. Which was nothing compared to the near tragedy of Sunday.

The Brigade (minus Stephanie, who was only doing 25 miles) rode out together on Sunday morning behind Carol and Regina. Carol and Regina were dragging, and we kept catching up to them. 

Around an hour into the ride, we found Carol stopped on the trail at the foot of a rocky climb that looked like stair steps. "Can we pass?" asked Ester.

Carol was standing between her horse and Regina's horse, holding the reins. She turned and tensely hissed, "No. Someone fell off."

"Who?"

"Paula."

Ester, Michelle, and I sat on our horses for a moment, processing this information. People fall sometimes, but the atmosphere at this fall wasn't normal. I noticed Gary and Marty's horses were standing off to the side of the trail. The reins were over their heads, and the horses weren't moving. Gary and Marty were no where to be seen. 

I asked, "How bad is it? What happened?"

Carol told me she wasn't sure, but we just needed to wait a minute. Regina appeared from behind the rocky stair steps and franticly asked if we had any vet wrap. 

We gave her what we had. Regina had no time to explain much and scrambled up the rocks and back out of sight. Two minutes later, Regina appeared again and asked for coats, saddle pads, and shirts. 

At this point, we finally learned what was happening. Paula needed to stay warm. She was going into shock.

Paula had attempted to take an alternate route around the stair steps. The alternate trail and the stair step trail were divided in the middle by a ditch and a vertical wall of rock. The alternate rose 15 feet above the normal trail. 

The exact reason is still not known, but Coco fell off the edge and into the ditch. She fell 15 feet and landed on Paula.

Here's a picture. Does it no justice.










She ended up down there.











Regina handed me a pile of coats and saddle pads to bring to Paula. I scrambled up the rocks and over the hill. I will never forget... Paula was laying on a rock, wrapped in blankets. Her right eye was swollen completely shut, and she looked deathly pale. In fact, she looked _dead_. 

Coco stood a few feet away, shaking. Her knees, shoulder, and right side were torn. Her leg was emitting a steady flow of blood, which pooled around her hoof.

I didn't look for more than 15 seconds, and I'll still never forget. 

I stood with the horses while everyone else was with Paula. The horses didn't need much watching. Every one one of them (seven total) stood solemnly. Respectfully. I think they knew something was wrong.

It took two hours to get the EMTs down into the valley. Marty led Paula across the river and up the mountain a ways on her horse Prime. Gary followed. This left Ester, Michelle, Regina, Carol, and I alone in the valley and unsure what to do. We stood next to each other in total silence until the ride manager arrived. 

"What do you folks want to do now? About the ride?" the manager asked.

What ride. We forget about the ride. 

"I guess we need to get back to camp and see what we can do," Regina finally managed. 

Regina had her hands full with Paula's things. Her glasses; her cracked, broken helmet; her water bottles; a bloody rain coat. We all took a few pieces and tied them to our saddles. (I took Paula's helmet and strapped it Baby Girl's breast collar.)

Ester mounted her mare Dana and started climbing the stair steps. Dana attempted to go the wrong way around a tree. Ester tugged the mare over, throwing Dana off balance a little. Dana threw her head, and both Ester's reins ended up on the same side of Dana's neck. 

Ester screamed. She had a panic attack. I caught Dana by the bridle and led her down the stair steps again. Ester leapt off and sat on the ground. We all took this as permission to finally cry. We were all so broken and shaken. 

We did make it out eventually, but never parted. The entire open division (including Marty and Gary, once they finished getting Paula out) stuck together, in silence again, for the remaining miles. 

Our final two miles was through a massive cow pasture. I don't remember who said it first, but someone suggested we ride like a drill team. In a wing formation, with "Sargent Gary" as the point. 

We did. And suddenly we were all laughing, delirious with happiness. Just from riding in a triangle. 

"You know, this is a response to trauma," Marty said. "The littlest thing just makes you so giddy." 










Paula ended up with a broken wrist, a few broken ribs, a back injury, and a broken bone under eye. Coco was stitched up and should recover quickly. It was miraculous that Paula didn't die in that ditch. I love that women so much, and I hope she'll ride again. 












You go to rides and hope your horse is amazing. But sometimes, amazing things happen among people too.


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## evensteven

Holla holla holla holla. Holy crap! That happened in two rides?! Drama and then.. Tragedy.. I really do hope Paula gets better. From previous posts about her, she sounds amazing. They were both very, very lucky. A 15 friggin feet fall? That's beyond dangerous for someone who fell of their horse and then their horse landed on them. I'm glad it (kind of) ended on a happy note.
Update about Paula when you hear about her! I mean like when she gets better and stuff. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

She is amazing! She let me tag along with her on my first 50 mile ride -- babysat me right through. Taught me so much... She's the first person I call when I don't know something. I owe her so much.


She got to go home today.  She can't do much, but she's at home. NATRC-ers from all over are going to her farm to help out. Coco needs treatment, all her other horses need care, etc. It's amazing how together everyone is in this.


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## evensteven

THAT'S GREAT! I'm glad to hear she's going to be fine! Go Paula! Are you going to help out too? Glad Coco is okay too!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

I'm going to try! Paula's place is a three hour drive from me. A drive which I would have to undertake alone. I would have to go through Atlanta as well. My dad isn't totally on board for that. :? I'm only 17, yada yada. Ugh. But I could _help_! I can take care of horses. I could treat Coco... Things like that. I hope he lets me go...


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## evensteven

Really? That's pretty far! Maybe you could take a friend or something so you wouldn't be completely alone. You know? Then your dad would be on board with you!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

5/11


One more week of school until summer vacation. 


In other news, Ms Kitty. 











Cat hasn't had a post of her own in a while. Spring ride season is over, leaving me three/four weeks until the French Broad Classic CTR to play with my little pony.

I worked her and Baby Girl yesterday on the ground. I set them both loose in our 60 foot round pen and free lunged one mare at the time. It's a good exercise to teach intention, especially since Cat and BG both are quite... Over reactive. It was a circus for the first few minutes. I tried to lunge BG and ignore Cat. Cat ran around wildly, BG less wildly. Soon, both settled. Cat trotted to the center and stopped next to me, where she quietly stood. BG composed herself and trotted.

I switched afterward. I lunged Cat and ignored BG. The two settled into their jobs more quietly this time. BG chose to remain in the center and eat grass. Cat finally settled and walked when I asked.

I put a halter on Cat and practiced lunging on the line, disengaging hindquarters, lunging half circles between the fence and I (good for claustrophobia; the beginning of teaching how to send), and lining up to objects to mount. Cat is very sensitive and demands I be sensitive to her as well. I can "bully" BG to an extent; Cat explodes if I handle her "rudely" or with too much energy. Interesting. 

Today, I added some under saddle work. But no before Cat had a small meltdown in the cross ties.

Cat is worried about cross ties. (Now that I think about it, when I went to pick her up, she was standing in a wash rack with only one cross tie attached to the side of her halter.) It takes some sweet talk to get her to even go into our wash rack. She seemed chill today, so I cross tied her.

All was well. I groomed one side. I asked her to move her hip away from me. All was no longer well. Cat isn't aware that she can move in other directions besides forward. When pressure is applied, Cat, you can move sideways. Backwards. Other nice directions. When I asked her to hip to move, she was confused. After a few seconds of this, Cat lunged forward. She found the end of the cross ties and panicked. She flipped around in the wash rack. One of the panic snaps plinked open, allowing her to swerve into the barn isle. Now that I had room, I released the other cross tie. 

At the end of it, we were on the other side of the barn. I walked Cat around until the terror drained out of her. I lead her back into the wash rack and ground tied her while I brushed her. I asked her to move her butt back and forth, not tied. She was like, "Oh. Oh okay."

I cross tied her again. She had no problem moving her hip next time I tied it. Saddled up, and she was good. 











Then time for the real work. :lol: We reviewed what we learned yesterday. Free lunged at a walk. Did a lot of moving hindquarters, forehand, sidepassing, and generally moving off pressure in ways that aren't forwards. 

Got on her. With all her love of responding to every request on the ground with forward motion, she isn't very forward under saddle. Laziest Arab ever. :lol: She sucks back at the trot and flat out refuses to canter. So we worked on that.

I dropped the reins and asked her to trot. I let her trot in any direction she wanted, as long as she A.) trotted (no walk or canter), B.) trotted with energy.

Sometimes, when horses also have to worry about direction, they don't get the energy part. So I like to work on energy as it's own thing.

After getting a consistent trot and trot/walk transition with no reins (great things to teach at the same time), we cantered. It was a mess for a while. :lol: I dropped my reins and asked. Little mare bucked and trotted faster. I sat back and kept asking. She cantered, I quit nagging her. It took 10 minutes of nagging, bucking, and cantering five strides at a time for me to get 60 seconds of consistent forward canter motion.

And then I had to do it again the other way. :twisted:

After a couple great canter laps, we quit for the day. I consider it a very successful session. She's such a quick learner, and fascinating to work with.


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## Brighteyes

5/12


It was another bad day, everyone. 


The boss called me at 10:30 this morning. She said that BG wasn't eating and was lethargic. I rushed out to see. The boss put BG into a stall. BG is usually happy to see me. When she didn't turn around when I called her name, I knew there was something wrong. She stood completely still with her head to the ground. I took vitals: heart rate increased, gut sounds increased, respiration increased. I called my vet, and we agreed she was colicing. Colic scares me. Some of the best horses I've ever know died of colic. 

I gave BG 10 CC of banamine and turned her out into a grassy round pen. BG was beginning to nibble at some grass and walk around when I received a call. It was Mycal.

My best friend Grace was involved in a car accident at 10:30 that morning while on her way back from Savannah. Her brother, who was in the car with her, was dead. Grace was taken to the trauma center, but no one knew anything else.

I called my dad, who works at the Macon hospital currently and use to work in the Savannah hospital. He was able to gather that she was in critical condition and going in for emergency surgery. She might die, he said.

Helpless. I was helpless. Nothing I could do.

I stayed with BG for 30 more minutes. She started trotting around and eating regularly. Good. That's one concern down.

Still nothing in the world I could do but wait. I sat in my chair in the round pen in a state of simultaneous disconnect and panic. It was Paula all over again. I hadn't even recovered from Paula. I still didn't sleep through the night.

The boss asked me if I wanted to go riding. I said yes. Because riding is the only thing that helps my anxiety sometimes, and what else better could I do. I jumped on Cat bareback. We walked through the woods, and I felt better. Not the best, but better. We trotted and cantered bareback for an hour, and the boss and I talked about horsey things. I felt... Removed from reality. Because four hours drive from me, my friend was dying. And I was in the woods on horse in a glass bubble of my own.

I had to leave Cat eventually, and the fear returned. It's 10:00 pm, and I don't think I'm sleeping tonight.


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## evensteven

Oh my castiel. That's horrible! Just pray that everything gets better. Your horse and friend will pull through. You just have to believe they will.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## prairiewindlady

So sorry to hear about your friend's accident. I'll be praying she pulls through. Hang in there...


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## Brighteyes

Grace is doing better. She's still in ICU and on a ventilator, but she's now in "serious" condition instead of "critical." She had a surgery today to take out part of her intestine (she had an abdominal wound). Friday she'll have a surgery to fix up her back. Something wrong with the vertebra/disks. I'm going to go to Savannah as soon as they start letting in non-family. 

Me? I haven't slept in over 24 hours.

And Baby Girl? She's still acting a touch lethargic, but she's eating and her vitals are normal. I'm suspecting ulcers. She's also been losing a lot of weight recently. I think she might be going to the vet after our next ride for some "stress test" blood work (to make sure we aren't having any tie up action) and I'll discuss everything with Dr. Cook.


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## Brighteyes

5/14


Baby Girl coliced again this morning. I wasn't there; it happened around 1:00 pm, and the boss treated her with 10 CC of banamine. She was fine by the time I arrived at the farm at 4:00. 

What is causing this? She was kept in a round pen with some grass all Sunday, and turned back out in her normal paddock Monday afternoon. Monday afternoon, she didn't eat anything but a couple (six) alfalfa cubes soaked for three hours in a bucket of water and her Cool Calories. 

Tonight, she's in a smaller grassy pen with no access to hay.

I know this sounds stupid, but this journal's for honesty, so... I hope she doesn't die. So many beautiful horses I've known have died of colic. So I'm paranoid and scared. 


She wasn't acting "right" when I turned her out today. I can't even place it. But it hasn't right.


Grace is still in ICU, and recovering well from her surgery. I haven't had a lot of updates on that. Keep tough, Grace.


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## prairiewindlady

Colic is indeed very scary - but Baby Girl is a survivor. Feel better soon BG!


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## Brighteyes

5/17


Baby Girl has been well. She's acting normal and finishing her food. We still don't know what caused the colic. But whatever it was, hopefully it's over. My vet says to bring BG to the office if she has anymore problems. Doctor thinks it's just the stress of rides every other weekend catching up with her and causing a flare of ulcers/stomach upset. We have a while until Biltmore (three weeks?), and then we have Virginia two weeks afterward. And that completes the spring season. Two months of no CTRs follow. Proper recovery. Just two more rides, BG. You gotta last.

BG is sort of rough looking right now. She's gotten thin. Body condition wise... She's a four. :? She's on 24/7 round bale and all the oil I can give her. It's always a fight with her.


So I rode Kitty today. She was awesome. Such a quiet horse in groups. We rode in a pack of four. BG isn't tolerant of groups. As in more than one other horse. Cat could care less. So consistent.











I've ended up liking Kitty way more than I intended.


----------



## Wallaby

In reference to BG's current issues, maybe you've already gone down this "list," but have you really thought about+hashed through what specifically might be stressing her in her world?

[Engage "Story-Time with Wallaby"]

Last summer when I was fostering Lady, Lacey seemed like she was nearly falling apart, for lack of a better term. 
She had lower energy than I had ever seen, was less interested in food (though, being "Queen of Fatties", she never actually lost weight), was not interested in rides, kept having ERU flare ups (literally once every 2 weeks or so), and her hind legs were totally cut up from somehow stepping on herself. 
I assumed she was finally feeling her 27.5 years of life and went along for a few months, basically preparing myself for the worst. But then, somehow I got the feeling that it was not yet her time. My second though, past her age, was that something was seriously stressing her and causing these issues as a side-effect.

So I started listing everything that could be bothering her and highest on that list was LADY. So I sent Lady back to the rescue (feeling terrible about it, of course, but Lacey comes first). Then, second thing on the list was ERU-related pain. So I started her on a daily low dose of safe painkiller.
And we just kept going down the list, taking things one at a time and solving them "right."
Brought home the goats to keep her company because, though I liked the idea of another horse around, Lacey's dearest friends were (at the time) deer and I figured that goats would probably be enough like deer that she should like them pretty well.

Anyway, I soon had my girl back. Her appetite returned, along with her enthusiasm for being ridden, her ERU episodes have nearly ceased, and she's all over doing really well.

Basically, the moral of this "story" is that the biggest thing wrong was the thing I that thought was the most "right" - Lady. I had no idea until I really ironed out everything I had seen and put the little pieces together.
Another horse is probably not BG's main issue, but try assessing what you've seen from her, especially the little things, and think about what she's "saying" in BG-speak. Is everything peachy-keen, or is there something really wrong that you've missed (from seeing it every single day and figuring it's not a big deal to something really small that just changed)?

:hug: :hug:


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## Brighteyes

I like Wallaby story time. 

Maybe she's stressing because I took her away from her best friends in the big pasture? She's been living with the foundered ponies for a few weeks. She "seems" okay with it, but I know she's very bonded to Amber and Spirit.

Another thing I've changed lately is that I just haven't been riding/working her much. Sometimes, I don't pay attention to her for more than five minutes a day for two/three weeks. I use to work her at least 4 times a week. I've been avoiding working her even, because work doesn't help a thin horse.

Summer's here, and it's getting super hot during the day. That's changed. BG has never been a fan of the heat. But there isn't a lot I can do about that...

More will probably come to mind the more I think about it. It's hard to think of things from a horse's point of view sometimes. Changes that don't seem dramatic to me are probably world altering for her. :?


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## Brighteyes

5/20


Today, I started making attempts at normality. 

Firstly, I tried to restore Baby Girl's normal. I turned her out (with a grazing muzzle) with the mare herd on the 15 acre pasture. I used her as my lead horse during a group trail ride. I groomed her thoroughly, like I had no time constraints. Tomorrow, I think I'll give her a good bath.

Secondly, I tried to restore my own normal. I've let a lot get away from me in the past week, I thought. Then I realized it's been longer than that. It's been a few weeks. A few months. How long has it been since I _galloped_? Since I rode because I wanted to? Since I took a walk in the woods?

There are only two horses I've ever really bonded with. One is dead, and the other is Baby Girl. I've had working relationships with many horses. Horses come and go... You can't stand out for heart to every one. You'll run out of pieces to give away. I aimed to have an amiable working relationship with Cat, but sometimes you just don't realize. I fall for horses like I fall asleep -- slowly, and then all at once. :lol:

I arrived at work an hour early by accident. My first lesson wasn't until 5:00, and I was there at 3:45. When the boss told me, I was a little annoyed. Another hour to spend at the barn when I wanted to be elsewhere. And it was the first real day of summer vacation. 

Cat nickered at me from the pasture. I was planning to mope around for an hour, but...I grabbed her bridle, swung up on her bareback, and took a walk in the woods. Not for any training purpose. Not for conditioning. Not because I felt like I needed to. But for me. Because I wanted to take a walk with Cat. It was all so spontaneous.

After a few minutes on the woods, I felt a stillness and courage within myself. A stillness that's like air in that you don't notice it until it's gone. And when it returns, you gasp. 

And I was _happy_. (Which is sort of a big deal.)

I think it's going to be a good summer.


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## Brighteyes

5/22

Rode BG for about an hour today and gave her a bath. It's been so hot, and she has some nasty, flaky patches of skin on her back. She enjoyed her little bath (but wasn't too fond of me scrubbing that dead skin off.) I groomed Miss Kitty. Kitty will need a bath soon too... Maybe tomorrow, or this weekend.

Mostly, I ran around in the pasture with them about dusk.


"I have to wear a grazing muzzle AND a fly mask..." #SpoiledHorseProblems











"Love me. Give me treats. I will follow you around the pasture and run off all the other horses you try to pet."











"Because I'm fabulous."











"Meh."











"MEH."











"Hey."


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## Brighteyes

5/26


Today, I faced my fear!

I'm afraid of the dark. So afraid that I turn on every light in my house and lock my doors at night. I even sleep with my lights on.

I've gotten to where I'm able to be in the dark with another person, but I'm still too afraid to be alone. So I thought instead of jumping from being in the dark with a friend to being in the dark alone, I would take a half way route. I decided to ride at night.

Obviously, I rode Baby Girl, because I trust her unconditionally. I trust her to take me home safely and to autopilot down the trail without me having to worry. I also trust her judgement of scary things. If anything truly dangerous was in the dark, she would get us away from it. Otherwise, she wouldn't spook. :lol: If she worries, it's something worth worrying about.

I started out when it was still light -- around 7:30 pm. Everything was great until the sun started to set, and the woods started to shadow over. I was all, _I don't want to do this Idon'twanttodothis._ 

But BG wasn't worried, so there was no need for me to be, right?

8:30, and I saw the first star. I also started to sing, because that's what I do when I'm scared. 

("_All the single ladies, all the singles lad-_-- ohmyGodwhatwasthat.")


The sun went down all the way. There is an awkward moment of the night, right after the sun sets but right before the moon rises. Basically... Worst part of the night. BG ignored the crazy human on her back and kept walking. (She's immune to my drama by now.) I sat quietly and focused on the only thing I could see -- the BG's bright white markings. It reminded me of being on a ship at night and staring down into the water.

But once the moon was up... It was beautiful. Everything was silver, and bright as morning.











We got back to the barn around 10:00. And I didn't die.


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## Brighteyes

5/27

Megan was in town this weekend, so she and I decided to ride the mares for a few hours this morning. Megan rode Cat, and I rode Baby Girl. We were out around 3 hours and covered 15 miles.

Poor Kitty was so tired! Around 10 miles on, poor little pony ran out of gas. We stopped at a church to give her some water and let her rest for a few. She was all, 










"Let's go home now."

(Because I took no pictures, my horses = cats.)


And BG was all, "I effing love trail rides. PRANCE! TROT! THIS IS LIFFEEEE."












So yes. Good fun.


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## Wallaby

OH MY GOSH. I lovelovelovelovelove gifs and I really really really like that your journal is full of them. 

Makes me laugh. Every time.


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## Brighteyes

Thank you! I love them too. I have a huge collection saved on my computer that I haven't found use for yet. (And probably never will, because they're weird.) So I therefore call to order...

USELESS GIF PARTY


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## Brighteyes

5/29

About a week ago, I noticed BG had some scruffy, scabby patches on her back. She's mostly white, so I figured it was sunburn. A few days ago, I noticed it was starting to look like not-sunburn. I consulted by little blue book of horsey diseases (which I bought for myself after BG's fourth major illness/injury) and decided it was rain rot. Eww.

I began treatment by currying the living hell out of those scurfy patches. BG was all, 


__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content











(She is now plotting her revenge, and refuses to allow me to catch her in the pasture.)

I treated it with MTG after I got the scabs off, and have been currying/MTG-ing for three days. It's already looking good. Aside from not having any hair in those patches. How embarrassing. 


And Kitty. Oh Kitty.


I rode her bareback on the trails for three hours yesterday. She is whiskey in a tea cup. She got in one of her moods where all she wanted to do was trot and toss her head. I started trotting her in small circles. She suddenly stopped and refused to move. I got irritable and kicked her on. She took off bucking across the field, slammed on the brakes again, rolled back and bolted.

Lucky for me I stick very well, even bareback. I hauled her to a stop (eventually), bent her around a couple times, and we proceeded down the trail like there was never a conflict to begin with.


Oh, my sassy pony.


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## Brighteyes

6/3


Some days, I get frustrated at Baby Girl. Actually, it's a mixture of frustration directed _towards_ her and frustration _for_ her. Because half the time she's falling apart. :lol: Bowed tendon, tie up, abscess, white line, colic, weight loss, rain rot...

Today, she got new shoes on. She's been shod all around since the week after Uwharrie. Pour in pads on the front. She's been sound -- but has no traction, a white line spot that had to be dribbled out today, and it costs me 200 bucks every six weeks. 

Rick the farrier took her pads off today. From across the room, I saw his expression go, :shock:

I was all, 











He showed me the sole of her foot, which has been hidden by pour in pad for weeks. A quarter of her sole was back, rotten, and collapsed; new sole was just beginning to form over it. In the center of the decay was a still visible but healing puncture about the size of a nail head.

"Well. Definitely was a larger abscess than we thought. I can't believe she's been sound."

Me either, Rick.

Well. If the nasty patch of rain rot on her back doesn't get us, I'm placing my bets on this.



So I rode Kitty.










Who loves to roll in red clay but is otherwise fine.

Kitty and I had an amazing ride today. We fight sometimes, but today we found some harmony. We trotted comfortably for long stretches without pulling on the bit. When we cantered, I had one hand on the buckle of my reins and the other relaxed at my side. She didn't get hyped, spook, buck, bolt, or jig home. She was very agreeable. 

We rode for two hours. Walk/trot, with some cantering to built wind. She's pretty out of shape. :lol: She was exhausted at the end.


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## Brighteyes

6/5


Heading to Biltmore tomorrow! It's gonna be hot! I hope BG does okay. I'm hoping for soundness and no soreness. :wink: Wish us luck! As always, we need it.


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## Wallaby

1. Be sound, BG! Be sound!! [Also, I accidentally ended up naming one of "my/Lacey's" deer "Baby Girl"...and now, whenever I talk about her -which is allll the time, I alternate between feeling like a dork and thinking of you :lol:]

2. I LOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVELOVE









Kitty!! She reminds me so much of Lacey. It makes me really happy. And especially since they're actuallyfactually related...it's like a double happiness situation. She is basically the cutest. Just basically. :wink:


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## Brighteyes

I love Kitty too! She's uber cuteness.  


And BG did Biltmore! I got just what I wished for: no soreness and perfect soundness.


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## Brighteyes

6/11


Biltmore was fun! I've never been there before, and I love going places I've never been. The estate property is beautiful. The trails interlace fields, pastures, and roads. It's like riding through a quiet medieval village. 

It was paced good and fast too! Trotting and cantering the whole time!  Our first day was 35 miles, but our second day was only 18. 

Unfortunately, it rained every day. Starting on Friday. I hid in the truck and creeped BG from the side mirror.










During short periods of sun, I laid around and relaxed! Kicked up my shoes. Found a six leafed clover. 




















We parked the trailer in the middle of a pasture. Primitive camping, no frills. Got trailer-arm-tie-things, which make tying to the trailer 120% better.











Rode between storms on Friday morning to check out the trails. Wet, muddy, some rocks. Not overly difficult, but technical enough to keep you on your toes.











After that ride, we cleaned up, and BG gifted me with a perfectly flawless vet-in.

Her flawlessness continued throughout. Her obstacles were all either perfectly excellent or very good. 

I'm very proud of her, but I'm also proud of me. Cheri horsemanship judged this ride. Cheri is a tough judge, so doing well under her is really worth something. I finished with a score of 97, and one of my dreams came true -- I got praised during ride briefing.  

Cheri said my "techniques and cues were very interesting but yielded good results." 

I was all,











Cheri also publicly praised my my epic hand gallop.

As you may know, I have a love/hate relationship with BG's canter. If she isn't cross cantering, it's really smooth and powerful. However, it's also uber fast. Our last obstacle on the second day (48 miles in!) was a canter. I was told to stand at one end of a long straightaway and "canter until told to stop."

BG is the master of cantering from a standstill. I can _think _"canter" and shift into position and she is OFF. So we did that. Cheri yelled "canter!" and BG went from zero to gallop in half a second. 50 feet later, I heard Cheri yell "stop!" BG _slid _to a stop, like an effing reining horse.

I was the _only _person to get an excellent for my canter.  Cheri said BG and I should run the derby next year.


And guess what? This was ride number 5 for us. WE'RE HALF WAY TO OUR NATIONAL.


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## SoldOnGaited

WHOOP WHOOP!! You go girlllll!!! I never had any doubts that BG would pull through for you. She's just awesome.

I love reading your stories...the way you write them makes me feel like I'm right there with you. :lol: That definitely helps when I don't have a horse to ride myself lol. 

I was doing this when I read about how BG kicks booty....



then when you got uber praised, this...



I agree. I think BG would be great at derby. She for sure loves to be out and about. Of course, pics and documentation are a must! :-D


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## Brighteyes

Thank you!  BG is definitely awesome. 

If you're ever around central Georgia, Cat and BG are available! I can't image not having something to ride... :shock: 

I like how we communicate via gif now. It makes me happy.


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## evensteven

"What fresh hell is this?" That made me laugh _so_ hard. xD I like Cat. She's adorable! Ahhhh. 

HALFWAY TO NATIONAL YO. WOOTS.


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## Brighteyes

6/13


I've been trying to exercise BG every day for at least 10-20 minutes to keep her from tying up. I've also been wanting to do some new things with Cat on the ground. Fun things. So I decided that it was time for Miss Kitty to learn to jump. (And BG got to jump too. For exercise and demonstration purposes.)

I put them both in the round pen and built a very simple grid, as pictured below.









I walked Kitty through it a couple times. She wasn't too sure about gymnastic work! But after she got her confidence, I think she enjoyed herself. She confidently trotted the grid, and cantered out a few times. She comically over jumps. :lol:

BG appreciated a chance in the routine. She usually only gets boring on-line lunging for a few minutes a day. Gymnastics is also great for fitness, especially in a place with no hills.


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## Brighteyes

6/14


A new student was added today to Meadowchase Farm's modest lesson program. A timid 14-year-old girl named "Anna." 

I usually use BG for first time lessons. BG is good at being polite: tacking up, grooming, lunging at a walk. Always quiet and trustworthy. Today though, BG was very special to Anna.

Anna, despite being timid, is great with body language. I started Anna off (after grooming and such) by asking her to move BG around the round pen. Anna is a wonderful manipulator of energy, and she was able to move BG at a walk and trot in both directions and stop her with a virtually invisible cue. Practically a _thought_. 

So naturally BG liked Anna. Anna was afraid to actually ride BG, but I managed to get the girl on. Anna is a big girl, and I'm rather small... So there was difficulty there. BG squared up and braced, trying to remain as stable as possible when Anna clamored on.

Anna was afraid to walk. Every movement BG made scared the kid. So BG squared up, braced, and refused to move. Five minutes later, when Anna was ready to move, BG took one step. Then stopped. One step. Stopped. When Anna lost her balance, BG popped her shoulder out just right to stabilize Anna.

By the end of the lesson, Anna and BG were walking slowly for 20 or 30 steps at a time, stopping and regaining balance when needed. 

Anna's biggest problem of the day was dismounting. Anna couldn't (or was rather too scared to) bend her leg around the back of the horse and slide off gracefully. Instead, Anna leaned forward, over BG's neck, and carefully stretched out her leg toward BG's tail. After finally getting both legs on one side, Anna was suddenly too afraid to slid the short distance to the ground. Anna dangled there, panicking. So BG parked out. Parked out so far that Anna's dangling feet actually touched the ground, and the girl was able to stand.

BG was taught to park out five years ago, when she was sent for two weeks to a local trainer to be broken. I haven't parked her out since, nor as she offered to park out until today. <3

Some horses sense your fear and take advantage of it... But the best horses sense your fear and prove there's nothing to be afraid of. Even though I always say teaching lessons pays the bills and leave it at that... Sometimes you see some special stuff.


----------



## Wallaby

I SO know what you mean! Lacey does the same thing. 
For instance, yesterday Lacey was thrilled to see her Friday lesson kid. She actually nickered when she saw FLK (she's usually pretty quiet, except to me...so her "talking" to someone other than me = HUGE)! 
But then, once we got her all tacked up, she started just acting sassy with a capital "b." :lol:
She was sassing allllll over the place, refusing to do things she usually has no problem with, etc.

Then I started looking at FLK. And I realized that FLK was totally stiff as a board, locked up, and just generally freaked out. So I started talking FLK through it, getting her relaxed, having her halt Lacey and recollect her own thoughts when she needed to, getting her body back in the game, etc. 
I stopped thinking about what Lacey's problem was and started listening to what she was telling me about FLK.
By the end of the lesson Lacey was plodding around, with her head level and back swinging.

FLK got off and said "Lacey had that whole lesson planned out from the start, didn't she?" And I couldn't say that she didn't. 
Most of the time I'm pretty sure I'm just facilitating Lacey's lesson giving abilities. :rofl: I'm not the "real" instructor...I'm just the instructor's apprentice. hahaha
And the parents are just like:











So much this: "Some horses sense your fear and take advantage of it... But the best horses sense your fear and prove there's nothing to be afraid of. Even though I always say teaching lessons pays the bills and leave it at that... Sometimes you see some special stuff."


----------



## Brighteyes

People say horses are stupid. 











Some horses are so harmonic with people. It's like some people are "animal people." Some horses are "people horses." And some horses are natural teachers.


----------



## Brighteyes

6/16


Today was Father's Day. And my father requested to ride a horse.


Look at Father. What fun we are having. Baby Girl loves her butt curried.











Ride, Father, ride!











Father hasn't ever ridden a horse. I thought he did pretty well.


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## Brighteyes

6/18


Rode BG on the trails for an hour today and worked on a few obstacles. We're leaving for Virginia Highlands CTR (one of my favorite rides) on Thursday morning. Virginia is a lovely escape from the 100 degree temperatures here in Georgia; it's going to feel like a vacation!

Stephanie and Cheri are judging. I love those two. On paper, it looks like it's going to be a good ride. I'm hoping for another solid ride like Biltmore. Or dare I wish for a crazy awesome ride like the Benefit? :lol: Not going to lie, it's been my pipe dream to repeat that performance. 

At minimum: sound and not sore. Wish us luck!


----------



## evensteven

Good luck! Your father should ride more! haha! "Father hasn't ever ridden a horse. Ride, Father, ride!"
Made me laugh really hard again.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Brighteyes

Had an almost literally perfect ride. 










It was great, so I had to say. Real post about it tomorrow!


----------



## Brighteyes

6/26


Virginia was very solid. Wonderful, even. Sara wanted to ride by herself, so Michelle and I rode together and had too much fun. :lol: It was like we weren't even competing -- just having a little day ride, nothing to worry about.

BG stayed relaxed a majority of the time, which is a major victory for her. Loose rein, no pulling or frustration. I suppose she's been "conditioned" all year just by competing, because it felt like I had a major motor under me going up those mountains. She never got tired. 

Saturday night, everyone got to look at their cards. Marty and I were tied for first; each of our horses had a score of 100. I rode out Sunday morning very hopeful that maybe, just maybe, we'd get the sweepstakes we needed. 

I thought BG was perfect Sunday too.

However, during awards, Baby Girl's name didn't get called. Marty's horse Prime sweepstaked again. 

I got my cards back and saw that BG's final score was a 99. 










And I was soooo mad. Not frothing at the mouth mad. But annoyed, what-the-hell, this-is-bull-crap sort of mad. 

I always talk with the judges after awards. Discuss cards, thank them, say goodbye. I talked to Cheri first. She gave me a 97.5, which is pretty good. I need to work on flexing my knees and ankles, among other things. I need a lunge line lesson.

Then I talked to Stephanie. She was in her truck and about to leave. Stephanie is basically the happiest person I've ever encountered. It's just her _voice_. She has an accent I just can't quite place, but it's vaguely northern and totally exuberant. Like she loves everyone and everything and the world is a rainbow and you are a special special snowflake. 

"You almost got sweepstakes. That's awesome! Good job!" And she shut off her truck and got out to hug me. 

And I thought, you know what. BG was awesome. And just because someone was more awesome doesn't mean that we weren't awesome too. She's better than she's ever been, and I'm proud of her.

NATRC is a game, and everyone comes to play. As Cheri always says, it's a game of nuance. That one point I lost was because BG fidgeted during a sidepass and refused to go slowly and settle. Prime doesn't fidget. That was the difference between BG and Prime this weekend. So small, so insignificant, so _nuanced_ a difference. 

I have a summer to find nuance. Because I love this game.


----------



## Brighteyes

6/27

Yesterday was BG's annual physical with Dr. Cook. I like to schedule annuals after rides, so I can get a blood panel done and check for increased muscle enzymes. 

Everything seemed normal. BG's blood panel looked excellent. The only thing Dr. Cook was concerned about is that BG is much too thin. She's slipping from a solid 4 on the body condition scale to a low 4 or maybe even a high 3. :? You can see every one of her ribs and prominent butt bones. She isn't starving by any means; she's still energetic and happy. She just really needs a little more than 100 pounds before ride season begins again in September. She weight taped at 910 pounds. Our weight watchers goal weight is set at 1050.

To do this, Dr. Cook proposed we increase her grain for around 2 pounds a day to 6 pounds a day, along with her normal 2 cups of oil. If that doesn't work, she has a more serious underlying condition causing the weigh loss. Hind gut acidosis, gastric ulcers, etc. 

6 pounds of grain is a lot for a PSSM horse. The grain she's on is only 12% NSC and is 10% fat, so it's probably safe. In Dr. Cook I trust. Hoping for happy muscles and some steady weight gain.

Also, we had a profession photographer at Virginia. Pretty pro photos as soon as I find a way to scan them.


----------



## Brighteyes

7/2


Pictures from Virginia. That is all.


----------



## Brighteyes

7/4

The time I have been afraid of is here.

Cathryn, Kitty's owner, has given me an ultimatum. Buy Kitty, or she'll take Kitty back. 

I have been free leasing Kitty for longer than was probably originally intended. Maybe I've taken advantage of Cathryn's kindness. I don't mean to be selfish by it -- not at all!-- but I maybe I _have _been selfish in the most benevolent way possible by not wanting to give Kitty up. 

I'm not sure what to do. I've wanted to buy her for a while now, but I never thought my opportunity would come this soon. 

I'm going to college next year.

I can't bring Baby Girl. Let's think realistically here. Baby Girl's PSSM requires specialized care. Not every stable offers 24/7 turnout AND feed twice a day. You can have one or the other, and BG critically needs both. Among other things. Such as almost daily exercise, expensive food and supplements, and particular farrier care.

I can't do that. At least not for my first semester, when I'm sure I'll be crazy with the newness of it all. 

Kitty however, could be pastured boarded with no grain. Or stall boarded with less than ideal amounts of turnout. I could ride her once or twice a week, and get feet trimmed when needed. Just like I've been doing with her for months now. 

It makes some sort of sense, doesn't it?

Kitty is listed for $2500. Cathryn is open for some negotiation, so I'm going to offer $2300. Then I'll offer $500 down, and pay $250 a month after that until she's paid off. 

I'm going to run this by Cathryn tomorrow. If she doesn't accept this payment plan, I simply can't buy Kitty. 

I'll have to take up some more hours at work, but it isn't unrealistic. I've secured a good amount of lessons and some training gigs. I'm going to sell my banjo and my Wintec 2000.

It may be crazy, but you have to admit that most of the crazy things I try work out.


----------



## Wallaby

DOOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO IIIIIIIIT. Go get it, girl! :happydance: 

There's a an episode of 30 Rock where Lemon compliments Jack on his painting skiilz and he sing-songs to himself "only the best" or something like that = insert that here. [I tried to find a clip but had no luck]

Inquiring minds want to know, what are you going to do with BG when you go off to college? It sounds like you have her boarded at a pretty ideal place, will she just be staying there?


----------



## Brighteyes

I always appreciate imaginary 30 Rock gifs. 


Well. BG is gonna be a tough one. Her current boarding situation is as close to ideal as can be. Finding another boarding barn like that is close to impossible. :? But I don't want to leave her for months at a time. She also needs regular exercise to keep her muscles happy.

It also seems like a horrible waste to just _leave _her. She's just starting to act finished! It takes 2,000 miles for a horse to grow a brain, as they say. :wink: She's an awesome CTR horse, and I would love for someone to continue to compete her. I'm hoping, in my wildest idealistic dreams, to find a person to lease her. A quiet rider with confidence and good aids who would compete her and take care of her. Watch her as carefully as I do.

In the very least I need a quiet rider who wants a super safe trail horse to ride several days a week. She just needs to be used and monitored. 

And after I find a suitable boarding facility or a person who is willing to let me lease a pasture close to wherever I'm in college, I can take her back.


----------



## Brighteyes

7/5

Since I was going to Cathryn's anyway, I took Grace along. Cathryn had a couple chickens for sale that Grace wanted to look at. Plus, I needed Grace in case I couldn't drive back.

Last week, I went to the doctor about a rash on my leg, and they told me I had lyme disease. The antibiotics I've been on have been making me feel nauseous and overall not great. I had to reschedule a lesson this morning because I didn't want to throw up all over my student. A few minutes out from Cathryn's, I felt only slightly better than I had that morning.

Cathryn is about five feet tall and has the lively disposition of a jack russel. She swept Grace and I around the property. She showed us her friendly herd of ancona ducks and their adopted chicken companion who quacks rather than squawks. She shepherded us around her basement brooder room filled with newly hatched guinea fowl. We petted her goats and sampled the soap she makes from their milk. Grace selected a small gray Swedish flower hen chick, which she offered to pay for but Cathryn insisted it was free.

As I petted her pretty bay Arab Leggs, I casually asked how many horses she had now. 

"Eight. Or nine, counting Cat. But I'm now sure if I should count her anymore."

So it was time to talk about that part. I had been feeling slightly nauseous the whole time we had been at Cathryn's farm, but now it was overwhelming. I swallowed and laid out my offer. I spoke so quickly and in such a small voice I'm surprised Cathryn got it all. I stepped away before she could reply.

"... And now, m'am, will you excuse me for a second?"

And then I threw up behind Cathryn's barn.

"Okay," said Cathryn.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I have lymes. Antibiotics. Ya know."

"No, I mean okay. Write me a contact."












Victory.


----------



## Wallaby

:happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance: :happydance:


I'm really excited about this for you!!


----------



## Brighteyes

Yes! Isn't this exciting!?   


The only thing I feel like I may need to do is get a PPE down. Since the object of buying her is to have a sound horse to ride. I would be incredibly surprised if she didn't pass though. *shrug*


----------



## Brighteyes

7/6

Wrote up a contract. Gonna meet with Cathryn later this week to sign it. 

Also, it's been raining. My ponies are a mess. Between showers, I got bored and lay around in the pasture with them.

Kitty butt.











Baby Girl butt.











Baby Girl and Kitty share their pasture with several other horses. Including these two-year-olds, Willa and Bear. Willa and Bear are partners in crime and nibble my toes. Otherwise, they're rather cute.











Nom nom nom.











Kitty hung out with me for a while.



















Baby Girl. She's put on a few pounds and is starting to look okay.











It started looking stormy again, so I headed back inside. Nice day of doing nothing, but I hope to ride tomorrow.


----------



## Brighteyes

7/15


... And I still haven't ridden.

It's been raining for days. Raining every morning and every night. The pastures are flooded. Poor Kitty... Her hips and the backs of her cannon bones are covered in rain rot.  It's useless to treat it at this point... I can't kill it until everything dries up. I put some MTG on and curried, but it's probably an effort wasted. 

Both mares have thrush. Again, useless to treat until everything is dry. They're constantly standing in water. BG got her shoes and pads off on Friday, so she's tender on hard surfaces as well. 

Well, I'm sure you want the good news now. Good news: meeting with Cathryn to sign the papers for Kitty on Friday. 

I also weight taped BG, and she's gained around 30 pounds. She's looking _nice_. Aside from being muddy and wet all the time. :lol:


----------



## Wallaby

Brighteyes said:


> Well, I'm sure you want the good news now. Good news: meeting with Cathryn to sign the papers for Kitty on Friday.
> 
> I also weight taped BG, and she's gained around 30 pounds. She's looking _nice_. Aside from being muddy and wet all the time. :lol:


YAY! to this part!!



Brighteyes said:


> ... And I still haven't ridden.
> 
> It's been raining for days. Raining every morning and every night. The pastures are flooded. Poor Kitty... Her hips and the backs of her cannon bones are covered in rain rot.  It's useless to treat it at this point... I can't kill it until everything dries up. I put some MTG on and curried, but it's probably an effort wasted.
> 
> Both mares have thrush. Again, useless to treat until everything is dry. They're constantly standing in water. BG got her shoes and pads off on Friday, so she's tender on hard surfaces as well.


BOO to this part!

Poor Kitty and poor BG! 
:hug: :hug:


----------



## Brighteyes

7/19

Today, I took senior pictures. I had a couple done with my saddle, BG and Kitty's bridles, and my favorite awards -- national whites, high point SSH, and Coco's national championship buckle. Once they're up online, I'll post them. 

To hold you over... Here's one of me hating my life. :lol: For six pictures, it sure took all day.











Also, I bought an Arab.










Meh Kitteh.

I haz the papers and everything.


----------



## Brighteyes

7/20


Got in a good ride today for the first time in a while. The rain held off for an entire day, leaving the trails were dry enough to move out a little. It had been threatening to storm again all day, however. So I took both mares out. I rode BG and had Kitty pony beside. 

Don't they just look _thrilled_? :lol:











We stayed out for around an hour at a moderate trot. BG held up well despite not having been ridden hard since early June. Kitty didn't have too many problems either. Aside from trying to get in front of BG, which resulted in my whacking her between the eyes with a tree branch. BG took this as permission to pin her ears and bite at Kitty whenever she starting inching in front. 

Afterwards, I gave both mares an anti-fungal bath. I scrubbed BG's back cannons until they bled.  Kitty got the scratches scrubbed off her heels. 

I rode Kitty again later that afternoon with the boss. An hour and a half of walk/trot. 

I've been thinking about what I even want to _do_ with Kitty. 

I don't need two CTR horses. BG is a great CTR horse, and you can't fill those shoes. Any CTR horse I trained after BG would be a disappointment. 

When I was young -- well, not too young. Three years ago. But it feels like a lifetime -- I wanted to do 100 mile endurance rides. That was the big dream. But sometimes on the way to the dream you get lost and find a better one. CTRs. President's cup... Hall of fame. That's a better dream for Baby Girl. (And as always, I really think she could do it.)

Kitty isn't a CTR horse. She's sound and fit, sure. But she isn't a people pleaser. It's her way or _no way._ She doesn't appreciate the 6 mph CTR pace. She appreciates whatever pace she **** pleases to go. Obstacles? She'll do it to stop me from nagging her, but she isn't happy and isn't putting any extra effort into it. 

Sure. She could be made into a CTR. But is it worth the effort? Nope. Not to me. 

Good. Fine. I have a 100 mile endurance horse then. That's her.

She needs improve her carriage and lightness. She needs flat work foremost. Maybe cross train in dressage. Pull from weight off of her, add some muscle, cardio. I'll have a 50 mile horse by spring. She did several 50s in 2011/2012, so her legs are already made. 

I have this problem, as you can see. :lol: I'm a dreamer, a doer, a thinker, a planner. I see possibility everywhere. But as I've said before, maybe I'm too stupid to know what's possible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true.


----------



## Brighteyes

7/22










Did a short session with Kitty today. Transitions. We played the scales up and down. Walk/trot/canter and back down.... And eventually walk/canter and canter/halt. She had a tough time with halt/canter and canter/halt, but her departs starting getting good towards the end. She got the lead four out of five times, but she hates tracking left. 

At first, she just hated cantering in the ring. I don't think she's ever had a set canter cue. I cue for a canter by swinging my outside leg back and giving one tap. Like a windshield wiper blade. And she _hated _it. :lol: Got into the canter bucking and bucked for ten strides or so. Afterwards, she kept her ears pinned and her tail wringing. 

She thinks she's really scary. In reality she's a 14 hand little white princess pony.

I worked her through the attitude. Now she's at least civil. Even without any actual misbehavior, her expression was all,


----------



## Brighteyes

7/24

Amy asked last week to use Baby Girl for a lesson with some 10-year-old girls. I said sure. Why not. 

Today, I got a call from Amy. Right before I was ready to hang up, she added as an after thought:

"Oh, your horse was really bad today."

"Which one?" (I immediately thought Kitty.)

"The spotted one."

"Oh really?"

And Amy describes my horse refusing to stand still and turning circles and generally being the little *** I know she can be but hasn't been in a while. All because the other horses were moving and she wanted to move too.

I guess it's time for a training ride. 

Say it with me Baby Girl. Yeah! :twisted:










I got Katheryn (not to be confused with Kitty's former owner *C*atheryn with a C) to help me out. To make it easier, I sometimes call her Kat. (Not to be confused with Cat with a C, a less affectionate title bestowed upon Kitty when she ****es me off.) 

Anyway, Kat leases one of the boss's TWHs, and I do trail lessons with her occasionally. Today, however, I was teaching both Katheryn and Baby Girl a little trail lesson.

We played "leap frog." Baby Girl's least favorite game. To start, Kat asked her horse Spirit to stand still while BG and I walked on down the trail. Spirit twisted around a little, so Kat one rein stopped her and all was well. I stopped BG, and Kat walked past me. BG spun once, but calmed down after a few checks back with the reins. We did this for several cycles before we turned it up to eleven. 

Instead of walking, Kat galloped past me, stopped, and waited. After both horses were quiet, I galloped past Kat's horse. 

BG was all,










She did little rears and spun and carried on like a brat. I'm ashamed it say it's been a while since we've played leap frog, and it shows.

I got the best rear while practicing the hardest variation of the game. I trotted behind Kat. Just trotting happily along. Then I asked BG to stop and stand while Kat's horse picked up a canter and disappeared down the trail. 

Let's just stay it took several rounds before BG stood for me. :lol:

After about 30 minutes, BG was sweaty and annoyed but willing to stand. Kat and I plan on playing leap frog again next lesson. Wha ha ha!


----------



## Brighteyes

7/25

I got the horses a melon. Horses love melons.


After five minutes of staring and extreme contemplation, Kitty decided she will eat this water melon in the most lady-like and reserved fashion possible. 




















Baby Girl saw the melon, claimed it as her own, and attacked anything within 30 feet of it. 










I think they enjoyed.

Also, according to the weight tape, BG has now gained 60 pounds.

Look, hardly any rib! (Just a little bit of the back two.)










And the butt bones on the top are only a tiny bit visible.


----------



## Brighteyes

7/26

I worked both the mares today!

Baby Girl got a super light day. Ground work only. We practiced lunging half circles and reviewed desensitizing to the plastic bag. This time, I tied the plastic bag on the end of my carrot stick string. For an added "flying wildly through the air and trying to kill you" affect. It made a wonderfully scary sound as it whizzed around. :twisted: BG did well.

Afterward, I began to teach to her sidepass towards me. For mounting purposes. I reached around with my stick and tapped her opposite side. At the while, I had a rope around her barrel to assist in pulling her towards me. 

She picked it up quickly! I eventually didn't need the barrel rope anymore. She sidepassed to me with a light tap of the stick. 

Here she is ground tied in the isle. Chillin out.










That afternoon, I rode Kitty. I started out with ground work. Her lunging walk/trot was nice, but I had a hard time getting her into a canter. We managed half a circle cantering both ways before I let her quick. Good effort. It's hard to balance in a circle.

I rode squares with her. Trot/canter. She's finicky about her head. I took up some light contact and tried to ignore her nosing out and head shaking. 

(She also drops food when she eats. I think she needs her teeth checked. I need to call Cathryn and see when she was last floated. She needs to have a coggins pulled by August 8th anyway.)

It took a few laps each direction and at each gait to calm her down. She likes to pop out a shoulder and drift around corners. Squares, intrinsically, involve four corners and four straight lines. Straight lines mean the whole body has to be straight. She can canter with her head nearly bent to my knee. :shock:

The last few laps were very nice. Probably because she was getting tired and I was just warming up. :lol:

Also, I need riding lessons. I haven't had a lesson in years. If I'm going to ride a trotting horse and do ring work (which Kitty needs), I need to be able to ride effectively. Kitty needs to lighten up, round her back, and engage her hind end. I need to be able to help her do that. The search begins.


----------



## GoWithTheFlow

I know a dressage trainer . I want to take lessons from her as soon as I earn some money. Text me and I'll give you her information .


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## Brighteyes

GoWithTheFlow said:


> I know a dressage trainer . I want to take lessons from her as soon as I earn some money. Text me and I'll give you her information .


Yay! Texting you! :happydance:


----------



## Brighteyes

7/27


News flash! Midyear standings released today!


----------



## Brighteyes

7/27 (also)


So I was pretty happy about midyear standings being the way they are. A 20 point lead in horse is a pretty good gap for an Open Jr. class. It wouldn't be impossible to catch up at this point, but it would be at least difficult. In the rider category, my lead isn't as much -- just 12 points. You can't get additional sweepstakes points as a rider, so I'll gain 6 points per ride for the remaining four rides of the year. BG will gain the same, unless she sweepstakes again. (To which I'm not holding my breath.)

All BG has to do is stay sound and complete four more rides! I think we might actually pull this off. 

In celebration, I did something I haven't done in a while -- went on a good old fashion run.

When I first got BG, all we did was run. We ran the sun up in the morning and the moon up at night. With work and school and trying to use my limited riding time "wisely," running just hasn't made it into the books. 

The idea came spontaneously (like all the most fun ideas.) The sun was starting to set, and BG and I were doing groundwork in the front pasture. Groundwork was going fine, but BG was a little lethargic and bored with it all. So I tied my lunge line into reins, swung up bareback, and took off trotting into the twilight. 

The first time I asked for a gallop, I didn't request full power. She gave me around 50% of what she could really do. Flying changes around the curves of a woodland trail. Jumped the logs and the banks. When we ran out of trail, I slowed her to a walk and let her catch her breath for a few minutes.

It was getting dark quickly, and we were far from home. We cut through the woods and found ourselves on a flat, grassy stretch on the edge of a broom straw field. It was a mile or so in length, good footing and straight all the way.

I asked BG for a gallop. She struck off at that 50% speed with no problem. So I decided to see what 100% felt like. 

Oh my God. I never remember her being so _fast_. She's in the best shape of her life, so she might actually be faster than I remember. I gripped her mane and didn't breathe the whole run, all the while vaguely wondering how fast I was really going. 35? 40? Who cares. Faster than I've ever been. 

It was exhilarating. To feel all that power underneath you. Makes me remember how I fell in love with horses in the first place. 

And yes. We got home by dark. :lol:


----------



## Wallaby

Did you look down at her legs for a second, while galloping??! 
That's my favorite part of galloping - wondering how on earth Lacey's legs can move that fast without flying off or getting tangled. :rofl:


----------



## Brighteyes

I did! I felt so motion sick! :lol: BG often cross canters, so those legs are super crazy. 

But mostly I just hung on for dear life. Bareback and in a halter. I was like, "Please please _please _stop when I ask..."


----------



## GoWithTheFlow

Man I wish I was brave enough to do that ! It sounds so awesome . I'm working on that problem though. 

You need to get a GoPro camera/ helmet cam . And post videos on your journal.


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## Brighteyes

It is a lot of fun! You're never really "ready" to try it the first time. You just do it and hope you survive. :lol:


I've always wanted a helmet cam! My birthday is coming up. Maybe I can buy myself something nice. ^^ I can even wear it during competitions and show y'all all the pretty places we go.


----------



## GoWithTheFlow

YES ! Please do ! That would be awesome .


----------



## Brighteyes

7/29


Rode Baby Girl today at a good trot/canter pace for around an hour. Just to make sure she hasn't lost fitness during these months of light work. Nope. She good. :lol:


Also, senior sports picture. I consider horseback riding my sport. My school agrees. So I got a sport picture like all the "normal" athletes.


----------



## Brighteyes

8/1


August! _August!_

My birth month, the hottest month of the year, and the month I go back to school. Speaking of school... Six more days of summer freedom. 

Anyway, I rode Kitty and Baby Girl today. In the morning, I had Anna ride BG on a trail while I rode Kitty. Both mares were little jerk wads; they wanted to jig all the way back to the barn. I expect this kind of behavior from Kitty, but BG? I was able to correct Kitty, but Anna had trouble with BG the entire ride. Again, I don't know where that horse's brain went.

I put my next lesson kid, Sierra, on BG for another trail ride. Sierra has lovely hands and a nonchalant disposition that BG likes. BG acted up for Sierra as well. She continued to jig (and be circled and corrected by Sierra) for 30 minutes. All at once, BG gave up and walked the rest of the way home. I considered this odd behavior noteworthy, but I suppose BG was just having a crappy morning.

(Kitty gave me no trouble on the second trail.)

(Also, Kitty continues to drop abnormal amounts of food when she eats. I called Cathryn, who said it has been little over two years since Kitty got her teeth gone. We're having the vet out soon to pull coggins; I'll get her teeth floated while the vet is here.)

(In other news, I started feeding Kitty one pound of Triple Crown 30% ration balancer last week. No more loose stool. Very energetic but focused Kitty. Product approved.)


I came back late this afternoon because I had nothing better to do. I decided to do a little training with my irritable spotted horse. I threw on her hackamore and rode bareback.

I taught BG a few days ago to sidepass towards me. I carried the lesson over today by standing on the mounting block and having her sidepass over for me to mount when I tapped the opposite side of her wither with my finger tips. It was neat. 

Her turns on the haunches and forehand were perfect, though the turns to the right were better than the turns to the left. Due to lack of practice, her sidepass is a little laggy. She sidepassed some impressive Ls and Ws though, and she was very careful and slow about it. 

Our next ride is Ride the Edge, which is the second weekend in September. It seems far away, but I know from experience how these things can creep up. If she's as good as she was this afternoon (not this morning!), she'll be hard to beat.


Oh, and you want pictures? Fine. Here's a picture I took with Kitty to parody bad horse for sale ads. :lol: (Standing on horses in ads is a pet peeve of mine!)

"Fer sale: White Ay-rab mare. Obviously pretty calm since I cun stand on her."


----------



## Brighteyes

8/7

Went back to school today! My schedule is easy, and I don't think any of my classes are going to be too hard. I only have 6 periods instead of last year's 7. I have a younger sister, however, who has a full schedule, so I am required to wait around school for an hour until she gets out. As annoying as this sounds, I think it will be most advantageous to my studying. I've always had a problem with distractions once I get home, and I have subsequently never been one to study or do homework. With this hour of dead time, I'm almost forced to study. 

Since this is my senior year, so also begins the Great College Hunt. 










I want to get admitted to _somewhere_ as quickly and painlessly as possible. I hate the waiting game and playing by ear. I have no control over college admissions, and there's little I handle worse than loss of control. (And surprises. I hate surprises.) I'm thinking about early decision, so I can as quickly as possible know where I'm heading next year and my chance of being accepted by my first choice is better.

And no. I will not be able rest until this is accomplished. You know me. A bit single minded. 

In other news... BG and I playing on hay bales.











Poor BG has an ear ache. I'm not sure why. I noticed when she threw her head when I bridled her. I was in a rush, and I just put it up to my being a little too hasty when tacking up. I didn't rush unbridling, and she still threw her head. She wouldn't allow me to the touch the ear -- the left ear and only the left ear. I examined it with a flash light, but I couldn't find any redness, swelling, or parasites. From my prodding and testing, the soreness is somewhere near the base of the ear on rostral side. Whether the pain originated on the outside (like she bumped her head) or from the inside of the ear where my flash light couldn't reach, I am not sure. 

I put some Swat around the base of the ear and put on BG's fly mask for the night. The boss promises to text me in the morning and tell me if BG's still sore. One of Amy's cousin's horses had bad ear mites recently that were a ***** to treat. The mites also left him permanently head shy. I hope it isn't that!


----------



## Brighteyes

My computer crashed, so I'm on my phone and must be brief. BG's ear is better. She had a nest of ticks in it. Amy and I twitched her and removed the ticks. She's shy about the ear still, but that should get better with a little work.

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

8/11

Also, poor Miss Kitty is lame. Her foot is pretty sore. Probably from thrush/white line. I left for four days, during which it poured rain. Kitty's feet are now cracked and ragged. She was okay for a few minutes during our ride, but she rapidly deteriorated after we began trotting.

VIDEO0004 - YouTube

I treated all four feet with thrush buster and packed medicated cotton balls into the cracks.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

8/13

Founder is one of the nastiest words I can think of.


I promised one of my students, Lizzie, that she could ride Kitty today. Kitty had gone to the vet that morning for a routine teeth floating and coggins. She was mildly lame yesterday from suspected deep sulcus thrush, but I supposed letting a kid ride her at a walk for a few minutes in soft sand wouldn't hurt. 

When I arrived at the barn right after school, Lizzie met me at the door and said she couldn't ride Kitty because she was on medicine. 

"What?"

I immediately thought that maybe Kitty was still feeling the lingering effects of teeth floating anesthesia. The boss came forward and said,

"She's foundering in all four feet."

"WHAT?"

... What?

The boss explained that Kitty could barely walk this morning. Dr. Cook did a lameness examine and found her obviously lame in all four feet, with a strong digital pulse and significant inflammation of the laminae. 

Huh?

My first question was after a series of "what"s to make sure I heard this right, was to ask how this happened. 

"It's mechanical founder. She has flat feet, and it got really dry after it rained a few days ago. Her hoof wall wore away and forced her to walk on the soles of her feet. Or something like that."

And then the boss added, after a few seconds pause, "She does have thrush too though."

"Great."

Dr. Cook prescribed stall rest for at least 10 days (more if her digital pulse hasn't returned to normal), four special shoes, and Bute for 6 days.

By the way, I'm extremely upset about this. So much so I don't even feel like writing anymore. Because all I want to write is this:

AA;LKDFAJ;LDKFJA;LJF;LADJF WHY WHY WHY.


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## Wallaby

NOOOOOOOO.

:hug: :hug: :hug:

......at least it's not metabolic?? Hmph. ((((( :hug:


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## Brighteyes

I'm so _confused_ as to why this happened. _Is_ there a metabolic factor, because it just seems strange to me for her to founder just because her foot were too short? In all four feet? Does this happen a lot? Because all the horses were exposed to the same weather conditions and were trimmed at the same time by the same farrier. I know very little about run of the mill grass founder, nevertheless metabolic and mechanical founders.  












...I just need to know so I can make sure this doesn't happen again. Was it my fault, even? Because I feel like I take horses and ride them to their graves. Everything I touch gets hurt.


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## Brighteyes

8/14


Oh, Kitty.

She seems fairly comfortable in a well padded stall, but she struggles on grass and concrete. She's getting stir crazing from being in all the time. I've been bringing her out and hand grazing her, but she's pretty over her stall. The frustration is real. This afternoon, she paced circles until she was limping again. I made her a toy with an empty oil jug; I cut holes in it and put some feed inside. She pushed it around the stall to get the feed out. That and a lot of "busy hay" has helped assuage her boredom. 

I also have pictures of her feet, if anyone's interested. They look beat up. But really beat up enough to founder?

Left front.










Right front.










Left rear.










Right rear.











I apologize for the quality; she would barely let me pick up her feet. :? When I came in today, she was laying down. She laid for a while, got up and eat some hay, and then laid back down. She doesn't seem distressed; she's probably just trying to get off her feet.


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## Brighteyes

8/15

Kitty's feeling better today. I moved her outside to a small paddock -- maybe the size of two stalls placed side by side. The footing is a sandy loom. Even after several hours in the paddock she wasn't severely lame at a walk, so I'm letting her stay there overnight for a trial. If she has moved around too much and made herself limp at a walk, she's going back to a stall. 

Of course she's still massively lame at a trot even though she's on two grams of bute a day. 

But I called Dr. Cook and actually got to talk to her! Dr. Cook says she misses me. We like to see each other every couple months. :lol: She also said that if the lameness doesn't clear completely up in two weeks, we'll need to take x-rays. Kitty has laminitis (similar to "road founder), but we doubt the coffin bone has rotated. With some therapeutic shoeing, we're hopeful for a full recovery.

She gets her bute reduced to one gram a day tomorrow. Three days after that and we're done with the bute. Thank God.


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## prairiewindlady

Wow. I hadn't visited your journal in a couple weeks and was quite surprised to login and see this. Sounds like Kitty will be fine though. Good. Laminitis SUCKS. I have a mare with it right now. It has gotten so bad that we may have to put her down 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

Awww! I'm so sorry about your mare. :-( How'd she get laminitis?


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## prairiewindlady

Brighteyes said:


> Awww! I'm so sorry about your mare. :-( How'd she get laminitis?


She had it when I got her. We are going in for x-rays on Wednesday. Pray for us...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

I certainly will pray for y'all!

Hugs!


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## prairiewindlady

Thanks Let us know how Miss Kitty is doing...hope she is feeling better!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

She's actually feeling a lot better now! She's no longer lame at a walk, and she's only lame at a trot in circles. (All of this on soft ground of course. Packed dirt is still death on the battlefield.) 

The farrier is coming Friday to shoe her. (And Baby Girl too.) Hopefully after she gets her soles off the ground she'll become completely sound. She and BG have been living together in their own little paddock. I come out in the morning before school (around 6am), feed them, and give them both a flake of soaked alfalfa hay. I sort of enjoy taking care of my horses myself. It's so peaceful at day break. And that tranquil hay crunching sound they make is heaven.

How did your mare's appointment turn out?


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## Brighteyes

8/23

Things are looking grim on the Kitty front. Rick the farrier came out today to shoe both the mares. I've been working hard to have enough to pay for my horses -- I had just enough for BG and Kitty to be shod all around with their respective special shoes. I bought feed yesterday that will last roughly a week. Basically, the finances are wiped out for August. They always are. My horses live paycheck to paycheck.

The horses are generally shod and Rick gone by the time I return from school at 3:30 pm. But today I saw Rick's truck and trailer still parked near the barn entrance. Rick was waiting for me. 

Kitty's feet are falling apart. I knew they were bad, but I hadn't realized to what extent. Rick cut a notch of hoof, revealing appalling separation of the white line, and demonstrated that he could stick a horse shoe nail up Kitty's hollow, diseased white line up to the nail head. 75% of her wall is separated -- that's infection roughly three quarters of the way up her hoof. It's as brittle as a dry nail; I could snap off pieces with my fingers. 

We're going to have to resect the majority of her hoof wall. A resection so huge that it must be done under veterinary supervision. The resection will take place in about a week. Afterwards, Kitty will get a special set of shoes called sigafoos.

http://www.soundhorse.com/

(Which is an absolutely adorable name.)

We're also concerned that the white line disease has started to creep into her coffin bone, resulting in possibly chronic lameness and maybe even coffin bone rotation. X rays are needed. This is going to be a very long recovery.

But as I mentioned. My horses live paycheck to paycheck. All this foot care will probably end up at about $500. :shock: That is distressing. But, "You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed," said my favorite children's book. I am responsible for these horses, because they are mine. I'll never throw away a horse with problems. I didn't throw away BG; I won't throw Kitty away either.



There are some other options, which include hoof casting and nailing a shoe into the casting. However, covering up white line with a shoe will cause the infection to spread. Casting will help the laminitis and make Kitty more comfortable, but it's a Band-Aid to the other problem. The only way to get the white line in one fatal swoop is major resection. :?


I'm falling prey to that old Job mentality. Why me? I already have a PSSM horse. Why is Kitty falling to pieces too? 

Oh well. The struggle is a part of the story. In the end, everything is always okay. And if it's not okay, it's not the end.


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## Wallaby

:hug: :hug:


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## barrelbeginner

0.0 my eyes hurt.. Just read.. EVERY. Post.. subbing.. hope your horse turns out to be okay


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## Brighteyes

Thanks for the hugs, Wallaby! Panda hug right back at you.




Barrelbeginner: Every post? 


Here. Here's a puppy licking a cat. You deserve it.





I'm going to try to give BG some attention tomorrow. With all this Kitty drama, BG's been overlooked. First ride of the fall season is only two or three weeks away. :shock: I'm totally not mentally ready.


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## barrelbeginner

haha let us know how shes doing! TAKE PICTURES


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## Brighteyes

I'll be sure to take some pictures of my pretty pasture puffs! 

Also, it's late August and Kitty is starting to get fuzzy ears. <3 Yessss. So cute.


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## Brighteyes

8/25


It felt like fall today. The sky was huge and pale and clear. The air had that smell to it. 

Also, I took pictures. You ask, I deliver. (I just didn't promise they'd be good.)

(I should leave this crap to Wallaby. There's a reason mine is the wordy journal and hers is the pretty journal.)






































Even Kitty was feeling the cool air this morning! (And the drugs. Kitty was feeling some bute.)




























And afterwards she laid down. Because movement is hard.











BG and I went on a trail ride. The trails were wet but gorgeous. BG continued to be all hyperactive. So we did some speed racking and enjoyed ourselves.

As you can see, my trails are basically a huge turf racetrack. :lol: Eight miles of racetrack.











Plus sand and soybean fields. Welcome to Georgia. 











And my dog Mushroom.











BG and I rode for around an hour and a half. All was well with the world for that hour and a half.


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## Wallaby

That ride looks WONDERFUL!! Can Lacey and I come?


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## prairiewindlady

Oh dear! I feel for Kitty, and for you! My main riding horse (TWH stallion) actually has heaves...between him and my mare my vet bill has rocketed upwards of $700 in 3 months! (I'm still paying that off). 
My mare's appintment was ok. X-rays revealed little rotation and some sinking of the coffin bone. Her biggest problem is that she has massive abcesses. We can't shoe and pad her til they heal and as soon as one starts to heal, another appears out of nowhere 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

Wallaby said:


> That ride looks WONDERFUL!! Can Lacey and I come?


Ha ha, please do! I've always been in want of a riding partner. When Kitty's sound again, we can be TWINS. :lol:


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## Brighteyes

prairiewindlady said:


> Oh dear! I feel for Kitty, and for you! My main riding horse (TWH stallion) actually has heaves...between him and my mare my vet bill has rocketed upwards of $700 in 3 months! (I'm still paying that off).
> My mare's appintment was ok. X-rays revealed little rotation and some sinking of the coffin bone. Her biggest problem is that she has massive abcesses. We can't shoe and pad her til they heal and as soon as one starts to heal, another appears out of nowhere
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Ick! That's some tough luck! Two horses out. :-( We have a TWH with chronic heaves. It isn't fun to deal with!

Why is she abscessing like that? Ick. I'll keep your ponies in my prayers.


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## Brighteyes

8/27


Short update. Ride the Edge is September 14th. (The weekend after next.) Heart of Dixie of the weekend right after the Edge. This journal is shaking off the summer dust and going into competition mode again.





This sort of campaigning breaks down horses. After a summer of light work, BG gets trailed 8 hours on Thursday, stays at a strange campground for four days, gets ridden 50 miles there the difficult mountains, and trailered 8 hours back on Monday. After two days at home, she gets trailed again to Alabama to do it all once more.

These two rides are going to be the toughest. And if we fail, we're done. I'm scared, because we're come so far and beat so many things. 


In other news, a nice lady for FOSH called me today. BG is enrolled with their distance program. FOSH wants me to write an article for their magazine, _The Sound Advocate._ They didn't give me any real guidelines; "Just tell us about you and your horse." 

So.... What should I write about? :shock: Seriously. Help me.


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## Brighteyes

8/29


Miss Kitty's feet were really ouchy today; the digital pulse was pounding. I'm not sure why she gets better and then worse again. :? My white line treatment stuff should be here soon so I can begin foot rehab.

But pictures.


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## evensteven

Poor babes. They better get better! Which I know they will because they're tough cookies. It's because of that darn rain. Bleck. Kitty still looks fab though. Even with khgslg hooves, she strikes a pose. Dat tail tho.

To answer the magazine question, write about how you got BG and how far you've gotten with her. It can't be that hard right? I mean from a couple years ago to now, you've gotten really far with her. She's an amazing horse! She even toughened out at that one competition where her feet nearly gave out! Explain about all the hard times you've been through with her, but she always made it out all right in the end.


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## Brighteyes

Kitty is chronically fabulous. :lol: Girl can't help it.


I like that idea for the magazine. I'm going to wait to submit the article until after King's Mountain CTR, so I have a while to ponder. I mean, BG can kick a lot of *** for a PSSM horse with an old bowed tendon, foot problems, and no professional training. She's actually pretty special, I think. Everyone thinks there horse is special, of course. But BG is a rare kind of special. :lol: It's like BG hit her genetic potential, and then just kept on getting better because she was too stubborn, too audacious... She gives everything she has and what's left after that too.

^^ If I can communicate the above in more elegant terms, I think this may turn out to be an interesting article.


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## Wallaby

I believe in you!! :happydance:


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## Brighteyes

9/9


I haven't posted in forever, so I am updating to inform you all that I am not dead. :wink: In fact, I'm super alive. Ride the Edge is this weekend.

I've been swaying from terrified to excited at least once an hour. Summer stands were just posted by NATRC National, and Baby Girl and I are still holding first. This is great news, but it also means we have a lot to lose. I've never had a lot to lose -- that's new.

Baby Girl is looking so _good_. She's shiny and muscular and has gained 50 pounds since Virginia. 

Pray for a solid ride. A solid ride like Virginia or the Benefit. Or even Biltmore or Faye Whittemore. 

This may be my last post until I get back from the Edge. I'm ready to run again.


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## Brighteyes

9/16


_"A literary epic is roughly defined as a lengthy story which takes place over a long period of time and follows a single protagonist who strives to accomplish a specific goal (a 'quest'). Over the course of this story, extraordinary things occur and multiple 'battles' take place. Epics are generally divided into multiple 'parts,' each part ending at the climax of a great adventure."_

I was reading notes for my British Literature class on my way home from Tennessee. Carnell was sitting up front. Her Australian shepherd Bear slept on my outstretched legs as I leaned against the door and stared out through the opposite window as cars raced by down I-16 north. Traffic was at a standstill on our side of the divided highway. Heat waves glittered over distant pavement. We were just south of Atlanta. Carnell passed back Tupperware container of cubed cheese and peach slices. One of the horses swayed in the trailer; I could feel the truck move. I took two cheese cubes -- one for me and one to sneak to Bear. 

Suddenly I realized something. I reached for my phone and pulled up the NATRC mid-year standings.

And realized... We did it. 

But let's go back to Thursday afternoon first, and I'll tell you guys the story.

I got my grandfather to trailer BG and I as far as Columbus in the old two horse stock trailer. We set out at 6:00 am when the stars were still up and arrived in Columbus at 8:30. He dropped us and all my stuff at Keri's barn. I threw BG and my ride supplies onto Keri's trailer (along with her horse Cindy Loo Who), and the journey continued. We were set to arrive in Jamestown, Tennessee, in roughly eight hours. 

45 minutes outside of Columbus, we blew a tire. We pulled over to an abandoned parking lot with weeds growing through the cracks in the concrete. There we waited in the scorching Georgia heat. I unloaded BG and tied her to the trailer. I poured water over her periodically. She ate hay from her net and looked fairly resigned. 

Four hours later, we were on the road again. This wouldn't be the last time my nerves were frazzled that weekend.

A freak thunderstorm occurred shortly before we reached Jamestown, slowing Keri and I another hour. All together, BG was in transit for 14 hours on Thursday. She came off the trailer stiff and exhausted. I walked her around East Fork Stables campground for a few minutes and decided my weekend was already dead in the water. 

Saturday wasn't just frazzled nerves. It was pure panic. Michelle and I got lost about an hour into our 36 mile first day. We were lost for 30 minutes before the safety riders found us. We had cut off five miles of marked trail, which we had to make up in spite of having galloped several miles of dirt roads attempting to get back on course. BG and Michelle's poor mare Raisin were heaving. Michelle and I talked it over. Either we gave up, or we made it up. We made it up. We did those five miles in less than half an hour, and pushed an eight mph average a majority of the day to get back on time. We made it to the two mile marker and walked in with minutes to spare.

But Saturday was nothing compared to the hysteria which was Sunday. But out of Sunday's hysteria was born a moment that I will never forget.

Michelle and I got lost again. We trotted straight past a pink ribbon, and we kept trotting until we reached East Fork Stables. When we realized we were wrong, we galloped back to the last point we knew was right. Also, we galloped straight into a surprise P&R. Michelle and I were _massively_ behind. If we couldn't get out of this P&R quickly, we simply couldn't make up our time. 

People have told me my best and worst quality is that I am extremely competitive. Competitive to the point of foolishness. I wanted to get out of this P&R quickly and cleanly -- not loose any points. I remembered around a year ago when Paula and I got lost at Rockford. We were around 30 minutes behind and cantered into a P&R. Paula taught me a trick for situations like this. This trick is either worth everything or gets you held for not pulsing down.

"Michelle. Take off your saddle and cool Raisin." Michelle did so, and I untacked BG. We are given 10 minutes to pulse down. Michelle and I couldn't afford to stay there a minute later. I poured ice water on BG's neck, belly, and between her back legs. Paula was working the P&R that day. I looked at her for approval. I told her my plan. Michelle overheard and told me I was crazy. Paula told Michelle to trust me. Michelle did.

After three minutes of intense cooling, I barked at Michelle to saddle up again. That was the plan: cool your horse, take the pulse with your hand, see if it's down. After that, saddle up, and then get your pulse and respiration taken right before you ride off. Putting a saddle back on a hot horse with jack your rates to the sky, but that's the risk you take to get out as quickly as possible. 

Or you could get held. That was a real possibility.

I put the saddle back on BG and saw her respiration spike. A pair of workers came to take her numbers. Pulse was 48-- passing; no points lost. Respiration was 40. Points are lost if respiration is above 32 breathes per minute. 

"I want that respiration recounted," I said. You can get a number recounted if you think it was incorrect. But the number you get when you recount is what you're stuck with. Sometimes the second count is higher. BG's respiration was an honest 40; I counted along with the P&R worker. I asked for a recount because I felt like that extra 15 seconds it would take to get someone over to recount her would be all she needed to come down. It was a huge gamble, and the chances weren't good.

Paula came over to do the recount. I don't know and won't ever know if BG honestly came down in those 15 seconds or if Paula helped me out in a major way. I didn't count with Paula; I closed my eyes and held my breath.

"32," said Paula. 

That's a pass. No points lost. Michelle and I galloped out of the P&R.

We hit a rough part of the trail shortly. Deer Gap Loop. Scrambles up steep hills. Rocks the size of coconuts and larger. Narrow trails and awful switchbacks. Michelle and I were terrified to get lost again. Terrified to get DQ'd for coming in late. We cried and screamed at each other. I wanted to strangle her, and she wanted to strangle me. But we wanted to complete more than we wanted to kill each other, so we pressed on. 

The five minute climb up Deer Gap Hill was the final battle. It was the hill from hell. Narrow, rutted, and steep. Loose rocks tumbled out from beneath our horse's feet and rolled down the mountain. BG stumbled and almost went to her knees. Michelle begged to stop, and I cried that we _couldn't_. If she stopped, I'd leave her behind, because I was finishing this ride _dammit_. 

At the top of the hill stood the vet judge, Donna. She was taking metabolics. Michelle and I were worried our horses wouldn't pass because we pushed them so hard. Donna took CRT, hydration, gut sounds... The whole nine yards. 

"All zeros. Perfect job, ladies," said Donna.

"... You sure?" I asked.

"Yep!"

"How?!"

Then I asked her when the last open rider had passed.

"Oh, around two minutes. You're on time."

So Michelle and I cried for happier reasons.

We did an extended trot to the next P&R. Passed again. Horses were fading. They took a big drink at the last watering hole, and I shot them up with electrolytes. Five more miles to camp.

We made it in with two minutes to spare. 

My last challenge of the day seems more important in hindsight, because I realized that it was another spot we either made it or broke it. 

Cardiac Recovery Index. Or a Ridgeway test, we sometimes call it. (I have no idea why.) It's a simple test, but a real point killer. After 60 miles of stress and strain, you present your horse in hand to the judge. The judge takes your horse's resting pulse rate and then asks you to trot your horse 250 feet. After you return, you horse gets to rest for 30 seconds. They take the horse's pulse again. If the pulse rate is higher the second time, you lose one point for every heart beat over the original number. The Ridgeway test really shows how well your horse is recovering from work.

BG's resting rate was 46. I trotted her out, and 30 seconds later she had a 46 again. The was the first time I've ever passed a Ridgeway test.

The vet did a full exam on BG and deemed her fit to continue. With that ride completed, BG now had exactly 1000 competitive miles. 

Awards came later, and I had no hope left in me. I was exhausted, mentally and physically. Ride the Edge was the toughest ride I've ever been on; I'm sure it beat Baby Girl to hell too. All those extra miles... All that galloping... All that charging up and down hills... We completed, but it wasn't pretty at all. I felt terrible about doing that to my horse.

I was half asleep and hardly listening when I heard them call Baby Girl's name for open sweepstakes. Everyone cheered, and I almost cried for the hundredth time that day.

I would like to put my feelings in better words, but words are inadequate. Baby Girl is an extraordinary horse. 

Monday, and I was back in the truck with Carnell, who was going to drop me off when she passed through my town. I was holding a square of cheese, and I remembered. I pulled out my phone and looked the midyear standings. BG had 48 points as of August. I never thought we'd sweepstakes again. I didn't count of that. The Ride the Edge sweepstakes was a huge class was worth 16 points, so...

BG has 64 points now. "_The requirement for a national championship is 60 points..."_

_64 points!!!_

I remember taking a deep breath and thanking God we made it. 

What a gift. A sweepstakes, 1000 miles, a national championship. 

A 1000 miles together. So this the end of a chapter. The climax of a great adventure in Baby Girl's epic. And I'd like to thank you guys for coming along and being there and enjoying the ride. And believing in us.  It's been a lot of fun.

This journal is about chances. In the opening post, I also said we'd need luck to get this far. Well, I've found luck to be quite predictable. If you want more luck, you take more chances.

And guess what? Heart of Dixie is this weekend. We're going to finish out the last three rides of the year. Because there is no kill like overkill. :happydance:

PS:

I found the edge.


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## Wallaby

OH. MY. GOSH. WRITE A BOOK now. I feel like I just read the awesome horse version of Eragon or something. Not even close to kidding.

My mind is blown. That was so good.


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## Brighteyes

Ha ha! If I wrote a book, I'd be the only one who'd read it. My journal series is sort of bookish though. Despite being about real life and written in real time, it's surprisingly... Well, it has a plot. It only has a plot because I'm _amazingly_ single minded, but the plot is there!  (I also find the plot mildly interesting, but I'm biased.)

I'd also have to learn to write. I re-read some of my posts and I'm like, "Wow, I write so choppily." :lol:


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## Wallaby

Psh, I'd read it if you wrote a book!!! You have SUSPENSE in your writing!! I couldn't be suspenseful if I tried, but YOU, my friend! 

Me, after reading about your latest ride:











SO GOOD. Mind blown. :happydance:


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## prairiewindlady

I agree - you are an excellent writer (and rider). When I "grow up" I want to be just like you
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

Awww, you guys!


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## Brighteyes

9/18


Packed and ready for Heart of Dixie tomorrow! BG seems decently rested, and hopefully she's ready to go. I'm _excited_. Which is sort of a big deal, since usually I'm more terrified than excited.

Also, farrier came and worked on Miss Kitty today. I've been soaking and cleaning her feet daily (with the exception of the several days I was away at the Edge). She's on 30 mg of biotin a day. My farrier liked what I've been doing with her, and he said the infection should be killed off. He caste her hoof and nailed four shoes on. I worked her walk/trot/canter on the lunge today, and she was sound. I can finally get back on track with Kitty's training. She's turned into the sassy queen of fatties. 

Next post will be after Dixie! Wish us luck!


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## Brighteyes

Also, some pictures from the Edge:

On the ride to Columbus in the stock trailer:










The parking lot where we waited for half of forever:










Post ride in one of East Fork Stable's little paddocks:


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## evensteven

OH MY CASTIEL. That was the best friggin' post ever. It was like a story, full of adventure and suspense. I was rooting for you the whole time! Please write a book. :lol: I would read it too! Go BG! She's a real tough cookie. You got yourself some lucky horses. This may be a little late, but good luck at Heart of Dixie!


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## Brighteyes

Thank you! I'm a little late replying as well.  If I ever do write a book, it has to be illustrated. I'll learn to draw and get back with you. :lol:


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## Brighteyes

9/28


Heart of Dixie was a week ago, actually. I haven't posted until now because of how busy I've been. Back to back rides aren't only a strain on my horse, but a strain on my life. :lol: I've spent that last week studying and making up homework, as well as working a few extra hours to recover financially after my time off.

Also, Kitty's sound again, so I've been working her. 

I really shouldn't have gone to Dixie. I don't regret it or anything, but BG had a hard time. We call Dixie the "flatlander's 50" because it's (of course) flat. Not only flat, but also sandy, hot, humid, and _fast_. 

BG only had two days out at pasture after the Edge -- not enough time to recover. I realized this near the end of our 35 mile first day, when I saw two large interference marks on her back right pastern. She also stocked up a bit over night in her back legs.

The second day, it rained. Not a full on rain, but a misty veil. Like riding through a cloud. Nevertheless, the temperature reached an impressive 85 degrees. I wasn't worried until I reached down to touch Baby Girl's neck, and she felt like she was burning up. Moderate temperatures combined with 100% humidity and a wet horse are disasters for cooling. Humidity prevents evaporation, obviously. But water is an amazing insulator, and the wet, static layer that covered BG's entire body was like a blanket. 

I stopped and dismounted on the trail to sweat scrape her. 10 minutes later, she was wet again and burning. We entered our P&R. I stripped the saddle off and sweat scraped some more. Added cold water and scraped it off. Fanned intensely. She barely met criteria for moving on, but we made it out.

I glanced down at her back pastern again. She re-nicked the interference she received yesterday. I sighed. This was not our ride. 

We checked out on Sunday afternoon with slight enema in the girth area, and the vet said my horse overall looked pretty tired. I had to agree. 

While it wasn't our cleanest ride, but did yield something: confidence. 

How, you might ask? We really didn't do that well.

But BG's behavior was very good this ride. She waited patiently at obstacles, didn't act like a buddy sour idiot, and threw no tantrums. We celebrated her 1000 miles at potluck on Saturday night and received a lot of great compliments from people I really respect. Marty said I would be "tough to beat" when we moved up to lightweight next year. Which may or may not be true, but I'm honored she thinks so. 

We did win a cool bronc halter. All the juniors who completed the ride got one. 




















Also, fat Arabian.


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## Brighteyes

9/28

(Yesterday's entry is misdated.)


Today I did some flat work with Kitty. Kitty hates cantering, trot poles, trotting slowly, trotting quickly... Basically, Kitty hates being told what to do. 

Usually, she's just like,




But today, she was all, 





She was good for slow trotting. She was even fairly placid when asked for a medium trot. She ringed her tail and acted ****y during a sub-par extended trot. 

And then there was canter rage. 

I've been practicing a verbal canter cue on the lunge line for a while. She does it very well. She's an exceeding verbal horse. On the lunge, all I have to do is say "canter."

I asked her kindly for a canter with my verbal cue. She went into it just fine, but after a lap around the arena decided she would rather quit, please. The mental conversation went like this:

"Canter," I said. 

"No. I already did for like 60 seconds."

"Canter, right now."

"How about no?"

"CANTER."

"FRICK YOU FINE."

She went into a choppy, fast, disgusting canter that I could barely sit. I kept her ahead of my leg, and she smoothed out. All was well. I gave her some rein and let her canter lose for a second...

Sneaky creature threw her head to her knees, slid to a stop, and started bucking in place. She threw four good bucks, spun 180 degrees, and attempted to bolt the other direction. I was ready for that; she loves the whole bolting thing. I one reined stopped her, backed her up across the arena, and then asked her to canter again. 

"Now canter."

"Ugh... _Whatever_."

And she was almost a lady the rest of the ride. Cantered on both leads for around five minutes each. Did more extended trotting. Dismounted and all was hopefully forgiven. I think it was, because she still comes to me in the pasture. :lol:



















Meanwhile, BG is acting all lethargic. She isn't finishing her grain, even though she's contently grazing in the pasture. She has that tired, over trained look about her again. She usually acts a little funny two or three days after getting home from a ride, but it's been a week, and I'm worried.


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## Wallaby

Brighteyes said:


> Basically, Kitty hates being told what to do.
> 
> Usually, she's just like,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But today, she was all,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been practicing a verbal canter cue on the lunge line for a while. She does it very well. She's an exceeding verbal horse. On the lunge, all I have to do is say "canter."


Are we sure The Doctor didn't bring a young Lacey back with him, after he visited her as a youngster? :rofl:

Cuz really. Lacey is, no joke, identical. She knows SO many words..it's scary. haha
AND she hates being told what to do too. Once you've "passed" her tests, she'll grant you the ability to make suggestions...but do anything that could be seen as a demand and oh boy. Thankfully she doesn't get mad like she used to [she used to try and "scare" me into getting off by bucking/rearing/spinning/bolting - she hated it when people fell off...but wanted them off = the solution, obviously, was to appear as wild as possible] but telling her what to do = as much resistant as she can muster to EVERYTHING...even things she wants to do. :rofl:

I love Kitty. 

And I hope BG comes around asap!! :hug:


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## Brighteyes

It's sort of funny! Like, BG does not know a single word. It took me forever to get her to associate clicking with "move," and she sort of knows "whoa." Kitty has quite a vocabulary! She knows her name, walk, trot, canter, easy, back, over, square up, stand, whoa... I think Kitty would make a great trick horse. She's playful and wicked smart. 

Kitty usually gives me some sort of fight the first couple times I ask her for everything. First time I ever rode her, she even bucked at a trot. Kitty is definitely out to try and scare me. Unfortunately for her, I'm not easily scared. I find her anger management and authority issues sort of amusing, actually. :lol:

I accept your theory. The Doctor went back in time, stole a Lacey from an alternate reality, and brought that Lacey to me to keep. He was all, "Trust me. I'm the Doctor. Also, apples." And Alt!Lacey trotted onto the TARDIS.


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## Brighteyes

10/3

Shoal Creek is next weekend, right? Shoal Creek is going to be held it Talladega National Forest, right? Right.

Well, the government shut down and all the national parks are _closing_. 

Unless the government restarts by Tuesday, Shoal Creek is canceled. Unless...











I vote Sarah's house. Party at Rockford.

I'm just, _ugh_.



Anyway... Jameson out. :evil:


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## evensteven

That's kind of dumb! Why would they shut down national parks, just because of the government? Don't they have park managers or something? TELL THEM TO DO THEIR JOB! Sheesh. They need to take Patrick's idea and move it elsewhere. The government is ridiculous sometimes.

LET'S HOPE IT STARTS BY NEXT TUESDAY.


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## Brighteyes

All the "nonessential" government employees are sent home, including park rangers. With no one to run the parks, the parks have to close down. 

Our ride two weeks after is at King's Mountain National Park. If the government doesn't start back up, both rides are gone. I doubt it's going to go on as long as to mess up King's Mountain, but Shoal Creek is in danger. 

I'm still totally in favor of moving it to private land. Either to Heart of Dixie or Rockford -- I think those are the only two rides we have that are on private land. But that's hard to do in less than a week. :? Heck, there's an endurance ride at Shoal Creek this weekend -- the Alabama Yellowhammer. AERC has to be out of there by noon Saturday or face incredible fines.


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## Brighteyes

10/4

Word on the street is that Shoal Creek_ is_ getting moved to Sarah's. Unfortunately, it may also be changing weekends. If the weekend it's being held changes, I can't go. But even if it doesn't change weekends, it's going to be tough. I have senior occupational research this Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. (I'm going an internship with a chemist in a nearby city.) Baby Girl would leave on Friday morning with the boss and her horses. I would follow several hours later in my car, probably arriving after dark at Rockford. I could do a dredged Saturday morning vet in. :? 

I want to throw in the towel and just not go, but I promised Paula I would support her ride. Loyalty over convenience, always.


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## evensteven

You have to go! For BG and Paula! Let's just hope they don't switch the day. Actually, they kind of need to, because at least if you get there late on Friday, you'll have a better chance than on Tuesday.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

10/6

Shoal Creek is officially moved to Sarah's house. 




My friend Grace and I will probably be making the journey on Friday. I was thinking... How would y'all like a road trip video log? Because I found my (fairly crappy) video camera yesterday and am dying to use it.

PS: Rode BG at Mingo for a few hours. Rode Kitty around the farm. Wormed them both. Bought feed. Worked extra hours. Got money. Get ready, world, because I am on top of life.


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## MaximasMommy

I love your journal! I had never heard of competitive trail riding before. It sounds really fun! I agree that you should write a book. You already have a lot of stories here in your journal to work off of. You could sprinkle them in, along with a lot of pictures, and write a book about competitive trail riding. It could be training, conditioning, and care tips. You already have a vast amount of knowledge to share. I think once you sit down and look at what you have already written, you will find that half the work is already done. Maybe an ebook would pay for your college!


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## Brighteyes

Paying for college sounds awful nice.  I doubt I would make enough money off a book just to break even on the price of getting an e-book published... But I'm honestly starting to think writing a book would just be a neat little thing to do. There is a lot of material hanging around in three years worth of journals. Maybe I could take some creative writing courses. I've been looking for something fun to minor in.


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## Brighteyes

10/16


Shoal Creek wasn't as clean a get-away as I hoped, but it certainly wasn't something to be ashamed of. I came out a lot better than some people.

By some miracle, I arrived at Hatchet Valley Farms at 4:00 pm on Friday. I vetted in, narrowly avoided the dreaded Saturday morning vet in. (Our vet in, by the way, was flawless.)

Sarah promised that this would be "the easiest Rockford ever." Due to short notice, we would be riding the "day rider trails." 25 miles a day for two days. 

I don't know if anyone remembers my journal entry about last year's Rockford. It was BG's first ride back after her near death PSSM experience, and nobody thought we'd be back in the game again. We proved them wrong. Completed the hardest CTR east of the Mississippi River and swore I would think twice about Rockford from then on.

Well, Sarah had me and a lot of people fooled with her assertion that this ride would be easy. I came in prepared for trail similar in difficulty to Uwharrie or a particularly hot Virginia Highlands. 


_This_. I would have rather done 100 miles at Uwharrie than the killer 50 I endured at Rockford. 

First, it was not 50 miles. Emily GPS'ed the trail. We did a total of 64 miles.

Second, our pace was ridiculous. They told us to stay in our 30 minute window, which was perfectly possible the first half of the ride. Then you hit the hard trails and those extra miles that weren't suppose to be there. You went from being on mid-time to being 20 minutes behind. 

Third, it was _hot_. Nothing hurts a distance horse (especially a non-Arab) like the _heat_. Once you get the internal body temperature up, you're screwed. You won't pulse down and you're out of the game. One horse overheated within the first two hours and was pulled. 

These three factors in mind, Baby Girl and I toiled through the mountains. And my God in heaven was Baby Girl _fantastic_. She's a machine. Maybe it's her weirdo metabolism, but she doesn't hit the wall. Michelle's little horse Raisin hit the wall near the end of the second day. We brought her back with some electrolytes and a walking break. That put us terribly behind time (not that we weren't already terribly behind.) 

We trekked a few more miles and met Marty and Regina a little past the two mile marker. Their horses were suffering too. Baby Girl was the only horse with enough energy to maybe complete the ride on time, so Marty and company told me to go ahead. Baby Girl trotted on. 

Baby Girl was unbelievably fresh. She hit her 10 mph extended trot and flew. (I heard Marty say, "We should have put her in front before!" as we pulled away.) The other horses followed BG's lead (reluctantly), and we all made it in with four minutes to spare. 

Stephanie and Emily were somewhere behind us. Or that's what we all thought. We got a call when we got back that Stephanie's horse had run out of gas in the creek and was standing there shaking. A vet was sent down there to look at her and bring her back up. Sigh. Rockford claims another victim. 

We did a CRI (Ridgeway pulse) immediately after returning to camp. I was prepared not to pass. BG received a 36 in and a 34 out. Ha ha, slower the second time. Not bad at all. 

I almost pulled BG the second day. The second day was hotter than the first. BG panted half the ride. She dragged in to the second P&R panting hard. I had already put two tubes of electrolyte into my little mare. I threw all the cold water I had access to on her. She pulsed down and stopped panting, so we went on. BG wasn't the only horse having problems cooling either.

We vetted out immediately upon return to camp the second day. BG trotted out like a little lady. She didn't even seen that tired. Unfortunately, she had some heat/pain in her girth (tack issue!) and the vet said she was 1st degree lame on her right front foot. Her tendon seemed sore from all the down hill trotting. Fair. The vet saw a lot of lame horses that day.

So not the cleanest, but not bad for Rockford. Her metabolics were all excellent. I can play with my tack. If this lameness never comes up again, I'll just shrug it off as a bad day. I'm happy.

Also, I have the most attractive pony on earth.




















Another reason Rockford was hard: I had to sleep in a tent.










And pump up an air mattress with a bike pump.


Up a hill...










I believe this was one of our rougher P&R stops.










Waiting to be timed out on Sunday morning.


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## SoldOnGaited

Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!! 



You and Baby Girl are so inspiring. I just *love* reading your stories. I could read them all day (as in the form of a BOOK..._wink wink_!) And the best part is...THERE'S PICTURES!!!!!!!! LOL

You write in such a way that I feel like I was there. Good stuff!


Give Baby Girl one of these for me...she's the BESTEST!!



Keep on keepin' on!


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## Brighteyes

I did! She was all,


Oh come on, BG. You know you want the loves deep down.


Anyway, thanks so much!  I've always wanted to inspire people. For someone to look at me and say, "Because of you, I didn't give up." That's the real dream.


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## Brighteyes

10/17


Baby Girl is no longer lame. She seems well and good. I've moved her to the high pasture with Miss Kitty, whom Baby Girl attacks at every opportunity. Sibling rivalry, I suppose. It's been warm these past couple days. I've been teaching a lot of lessons. Gotta make that money. I put in a $200 dollar Distance Depot order yesterday. :? Had to restock. Got a few rides worth of electrolytes, a crupper (I'm tried of BG's saddle slipping!), and a new helmet -- a very pink Sportage. King's Mountain is in three weeks or so. Afterwards, I'll be saying goodbye to BG for a while.


Don't fear! It's temporary. Sarah and I are trading horses for a month. Till December. In December, Sarah is hosting a NATRC ride in Florida. She's campaigning her horse Motion heavily in 2014, and I have been deemed worthy to ride him. (Being deemed worthy to ride someone else's horse is a big deal. Borrowing someone's heart horse is like being granted part of their very spirit..)

Sarah will take Baby Girl back to Hatchet Valley. I'll ride BG at King's Mountain. I'll vet out on Sunday, hand Sarah my lead rope, and Sarah hand me hers... And it's a trade. 

I'm nervous, but I feel like I need to do this. I'm too protective of BG. I can't help it. For all her strength... She's so fragile sometimes. 

(I realized I haven't been away from BG for more than a few days in almost four years.)

It's a big step for me, mentally, to trust someone else with my most valuable thing. That's why I feel like I need to do it.


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## Brighteyes

10/18

Who's ready for some personal information? I promise pictures afterward as a reward. :wink:

I've been having a hard week. It all began Tuesday, when my mother told me my school was not going to allow me to travel to the Dominican Republic for our annual spring mission trip. The school called my mother their concerns on Monday, but Mother was too afraid to tell me until she had a conference with them for fear of upsetting me. 

I may have mentioned this prior, but I have Tourette's Syndrome. I'll call it moderate, I guess. I have days when it's constant and days when you can barely tell. Lately, I've been having more "severe" days than I've had "quiet" days. (Lately meaning since the beginning of the school year.)

Voodoo is a major influence in Dominican society. The people of the Dominican believe in demonic possession, and have been taught since childhood what "possession" is suppose to look like. Most of the people who we interact with on our mission are children who don't know better. My particular case of Tourettes is a little... Demented looking. My friends, before any of this was even brought up my the administration, always joked that I was processed by a demon cat. (My tics include purring and meowing noises.) I also scream, babble nonsensical phrases, jerk around, roll my eyes back in my head...

So yeah. The administration doesn't want me to go into Voodoo land looking like a stereotypical case of possession. :?

This whole controversy opened a can of worms indeed. I've been informed that teaches and parents have been complaining about my Tourettes being a distraction in the classroom. So in order to continue to go to _school_, I have to get this Tourettes under control. 

So, how does one get a case of Tourettes under control? 

_Hard drugs._

Haldol, Orap, Prozac, Sarafem, Zoloft...

Those first two are a_ntipsychotics_, by the way.

I'm going to my family doctor on Monday. He should refer me to a neurologist. 

(If I have to miss a ride because of doctor's appointments, I will need antipsychotics. :evil: ) 

I just... Don't want to change who I am. I don't want to be _tranquilized_ for the convenience of others.


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## Brighteyes

My ponies are frickin beautiful, by the way. (They don't mind if I have Tourettes.)




























(The little mare is Cinny. She's Kitty's best friend.)


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## MaximasMommy

Will taking those prescriptions make it unsafe for you to ride? My trainer was telling me that she stopped doing therapy riding because it wasn't safe for the people on anti psychotics to be around the horses because their reaction times were affected.

Oh and I think it's total crap that people expect you to change for them. How come they aren't changing for you? It's a stupid double standard. It's not like you are hurting anyone.


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## Brighteyes

I hope I can still ride... If I can't ride on antipsychotics, I'm not going to take them. Because I am _not_ giving up riding. Antipsychotics are the second line of treatment for Tourettes. First is Clonidine (which is like the only one that is safe and low side effect.) I have taken before and it actually made me worse. :? I wonder what my tier three options are? 

I'm totally not hurting anyone. Distracting and annoying, maybe. But not hurting anyone.


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## MaximasMommy

Seriously, how many kids in your school are working, paying for and taking care of two horses, and competing at and winning national events. It's a true demonstration of your patience and character that you are considering these meds because of their comfort level. I'm hoping that the doc will have just the right stuff to help your symptoms, for your own comfort level. Just don't let them convince you that there is something wrong with you, because you are amazing and have accomplished more than most people will in their lifetime.


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## Brighteyes

:shock: That's a very high compliment. I'm honored.


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## Brighteyes

10/23

Tack issues are of the devil, basically. Want the good news or the bad news first?

Good news:

BG took to her crupper well. I got two new saddle pads: one pink and one purple. 

Bad news:

Firstly, my sheepskin half pad is about to fall apart. It won't survive next season I bet. I need to get a new one, but a new Mattes is $200. :shock: I'm looking into a ThinLine. I can get one from 100-125 on Ebay. 

Secondly, my saddle just doesn't work for Kitty. I generally ride her bareback, but I'm trying to start some serious training with her. _Every_ time I've put a saddle on her, she's gotten girth rubs. My Specialized, which works great for BG, just isn't rigged right for Kitty. Kitty's girth groove is very forward, and her belly slants towards her armpits. The girth works it way forward until it rubs her. No amount of saddle fit adjustment or variation of girth type helps. BG also has a long, straight back. Kitty's back is short and has a lot of rock to it. Specialized saddles are adjustable, but they have limitations.




I suppose I'm in the saddle market again. Something center fire or 3/4 rigged. I'm looking into Big Horn saddles, because they're fairly cheap (around $300 used), light, and easily available. I'm not going to spend more than $500 on a saddle. So something good and used is what I'm seeking out.


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## Wallaby

Have you thought about an Aussie? 
I have a "Kimberly Synthetic Endurance" from Downunder Saddlery that has fit every Arab [only 3, but still - it was too wide for one of them, but it's a "wide"...the angles were perfect] I've put it on. They all had the typical Arab back, like you're seeing on Kitty. 
It has a dressage-style girth situation and has never rubbed Lacey...and Lacey is a queen of rubs too!
Other bonus: I got a "second market" one [it has a small scratch in the seat...nothing bad - Kimberly has their "seconds" for sale on their website] for $215-ish but, I believe, they're under $300 new.

Anyway, that might be something to look into. 

I used to have a Big Horn for Lacey and, as far as western saddles go, it fit her ok...but the shape just wasn't quite right [too straight through the back]. Even the Arab-tree one wasn't really right. The rock on the Arab-tree was better but it was REALLY narrow.

And 1. LOVE the gif. :wink:
2. Yay for BG liking her crupper! Cruppers are my favorite. I ride Lacey in one and now, whenever I ride in a saddle without one...it feels so naked! :lol:


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## Brighteyes

The boss rides in an Aussie. A Wintec. I've ridden in it a handful of times, but I never liked it much.

Yeah... Kitty needs a decent amount of rock. She's fairly narrow in the shoulders, but she widens out through the loins. I really just needs saddles to try on her and see what fits. :? 

Too wide saddles aren't a huge problem. You can pad up a too wide saddle, but you can't do a thing for a too narrow saddle.


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## Brighteyes

10/26


Courtney was in town today, so we went off and rode for an hour between lessons. I already had BG tacked up; I practiced sidepassing toward me and bridleless stopping/backing/steering earlier and just left her tied to a tree for later use.



















See, pretty purple saddle pad.










I grabbed Kitty from the pasture and rode bareback. I couldn't even put on a bareback pad because of her raw, hot girth rubs. So Courtney and I went out to play. We screwed around on the over grown jumping course. Courtney took BG over a few jumps, and told me to try Kitty. I've never jumped Kitty under saddle. But whatever. So here, captured on film, is Kitty's first undersaddle (errr, bareback) jump:





 
Afterwards, Courtney galloped off without any warning. I was just chilling my reins slack, and Kitty went from zero to 20 in no time. :lol: I regained my reins, but not before Kitty began bucking and crow hopped. She hopped impressively hard, and left me clinging beneath her neck like a sloth hugging a branch. Noticing my predicament, she stopped and allowed to hang awkwardly (as I laughed) for a few moments before I dropped to the ground at her feet. Possibly my favorite fall ever.

Because of this, a new technique for bareback mounting came into play: the neck mount. :lol: This was my first time trying this, and it was so awkward.


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## Brighteyes

10/27


So... I bought one saddle and acquired another.

Firstly, the saddle I bought. Ebay for 150 bucks.










It's a Lovatt and Ricketts. It's probably an AP, and but it may be an older dressage saddle. It looks to be in decent shape -- in the very least useable. Lovatt and Ricketts makes saddles that fit Arabians famously, so I'm vaguely hoping it will fit Kitty. (Praying it isn't too narrow! The seller had no idea what size tree it had.) And if it doesn't fit her... I need a catch ride saddle. Something I can just throw on any horse I'm training. Since I sold my old Wintec, I've been in an awkward spot of borrowing saddles.










Can anyone eyeball how wide they think this sucker is?










Secondly, I acquired a saddle. I texted Catheryn last night about my woes regarding Kitty tack troubles. How my Specialized wasn't working, rubbing her, etc. Catheryn said she always rode Kitty in a Specialized; it was the only thing that didn't rub her. She still had the saddle -- a very nice, almost new Trail Master, custom fitted to Kitty -- and offered to sell it to me for 1600 bucks. I absolutely didn't have that sort of money and refused. Catheryn promised to keep an eye out for saddles that may work for me.

The next afternoon, around lunch, I received another text from Catheryn. She sent me a picture of her Trail Master, molded and disused in her horse trailer, and told me I was welcome to come get it. 




I was all, "What now? OHMYGOSHYES."

So I scurried over to Catheryn's after work, unsure of the conditions that would come with this saddle. I hoped it made it clear enough that I absolutely did not have enough money to buy it.

Catheryn was trimming her goats hooves in the barns. A black and white goat stood tied to a milking stand as Catheryn worked on her feet. I assisted Catheryn in catching and trimming two more goats before I cared to ask what was going on. Because being with Catheryn is like being caught in a whirlwind and the island of the lotus eaters at the same time. Together, we fed some chickens, visited with some newly hatched ducklings in the brooder, and admired Catheryn's baby Friesians who were finally outgrowing their awkward stage. Catheryn all the time chatted about riding her horse Possum for the first time in year that morning, a new brood of Swedish flower hens on the way, a recipe for lavender scented goat milk soap...

Actual discussion of the saddle was shocking in its brevity. She clambered into her dark horse trailer. The air smelled humid and stale and rushed out at me like a gust of August wind. Hadn't been opened in a while, I suppose. Catheryn trudged back out carrying a pretty black saddle covered in patches of greenish mold. 

I put the saddle in my front seat, and as I drove away, Catheryn yelled, smiling, "You just have to return it eventually. Last thing I gave you that you promised to return I never got back!"

"You," I grinned back, "are awesome, you know that?"


----------



## Wallaby

This gif:










I'M DYYYYYING. 
I'm sitting in a silent hall, alone, surrounded by quietly studying students...and I just guffawed out loud and am now trying to stifle giggles. 
The people around me hate me now. 

:rofl: :rofl: That was priceless.

Also, YAAAAAAAAY for the saddles!!! I'm so excited for you!!!


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## Brighteyes

10/30

I shouldn't be journaling; I have a lot of stuff to pack and it's 9:00 at night. We're leaving to King's Mountain CTR quick-as-we-can tomorrow, and the boss _demands_ I have everything in the trailer, sans myself and my horse, tonight. So I really shouldn't be journaling, because I also have a paper to finish writing for English class (due tomorrow -- my sister will hand it in) and I need to clean my aquarium and...

But I'm just going to write a little anyway. My worry about sending BG off comes and goes in waves... Monday I was okay; Tuesday I was ready to call it off. Wednesday I said to myself, "It's only a month." Thursday... "Holy crap, an _entire month."_

I said "see you later" to BG yesterday. I was in the barn packing my tack into my large black storage box, and it maybe 9:30 pm. The barn was an island of light complete darkness of the surrounding pastures. Of course, you can't tell they're pastures on moonless nights; the landscape looks like a placid black ocean. (And staying at the barn at night always makes me feel like a fish in a bowl.)

I'm terrified of the dark. 

But I had a bizarre itching to go out there and visit the far pasture where Kitty and BG live. It's a huge pasture, but maybe I could catch a glimpse of their pale colors in the starlight of they happened to be close enough. I drove my truck and parked parallel to the gate, bright lights on and doors locked. Locked why? The dark. I'm afraid of the dark. Illogically afraid of what may blend in with the darkness.

There is a lean-to shed about 100 feet from the fence line. Inside are four pipe corral panel stalls. BG paced back and forth inside one. Someone forgot to let her out after feeding her that night.

Kitty and her pasture mates stood grazing close by. I could only see dark coated Gizmo and Cinnamon when they flicked their tails or ambled forward. Kitty was brightly visible, ghostly pale as she is. 

I shut off the truck (no lights anymore) and felt my way through the darkness toward BG. I opened the door and closed myself inside the pipe stall with her. I sat on the top rail. (I wasn't ready to run back to my truck yet.)

BG sidepassed over and offered me a chance to climb onto her back. When am I going to get another chance to ride like this? I thought. I clamored on and opened the gate. BG walked with purpose, ignoring my sitting on her, and the rest of the herd followed. A five minute walk led us to a low, grassy section of pasture. BG stopped and grazed. The others did so as well. 

I sat quietly on BG and observed. My eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and realized the dark was not complete. The light's of four cities on four sides of me filtered into the night sky. The only stars were directly above me, but if I stood on Baby Girl's back I might have touched them.

I felt like I was glimpsing into a secret life. The herd stood together, and I sat on BG's back and listed to my horses breathe. BG bent her head around occasionally and sniffed my foot, as if to check on me. ("Still there, human? We finally get to do something together that I think is fun.")

I realized after a long time I was going to be late getting home. I asked BG to walk me back up to my truck. She ambled up the hill towards the beacon of light that was the barn. Kitty followed at her hip, like I was ponying her. I wondered what it was like to gallop without any tack at all. I tried it. 

BG shot off at a run. The cold air and the swirling darkness blinded me, and all I could see were flashes of white light. I clutched a handful of BG's mane so tightly my nails made half moons on my palms. I opened my eyes and saw Kitty keeping pace at my shoulder as we sprinted in the darkness. 

BG stopped at the fence and allowed me to dismount. Good night, and thanks for the ride.


----------



## Brighteyes

11/5

King's Mountain 2012 broke my heart. Baby Girl did not stand still for a moment. It took three people to vet check her -- one on either side plus me, clinching her halter with a white knuckle grip. She pranced for 50 miles. She screamed and spun on the high line. She reared in frustration at every obstacle. I cried. I screamed. I wanted to sell her, but nobody wanted the crazy mare. I would have shot her, but I couldn't dig a hole deep enough.

With my first two options unattainable, I went home and worked. And there was a wild back there when things weren't going so well. I was working so hard and not seeing any results...

It's taken me a year to get to King's Mountain 2013. We put one foot in front of another all year, Baby Girl and I... And I looked back, sitting around the campfire minutes before the beginning of awards, and realized that, with that one-foot-in-front-of-another, inch-by-inch, I-believe-in-the-improbable attitude... We climbed a mountain and won a battle.

It was a special ride. A perfect ride. BG threw a shoe 10 miles into our first day, and resulting tenderness killed any chances of sweepstakes... But we put in a solid ride. Perfect metabolics. _Amazing_, clean, _beautiful _obstacles. Sometimes you lose a shoe. What are the chances, and what can you do about it? Chances giveth and chances taketh away. Spilled milk, basically. I felt like a winner. I felt like my horse was, _is_, better than anyone else's. 

Since this was the last ride of the year, they called off the names of Region Five's official 2013 national champions. I stood up when they called BG's name. I stood up with the owners of legendary NATRC horses, and I felt like I was on my way.

_That_ was the day we became national champions.

This was my last ride in the junior division. This was my last year before I move on to college. This may be my last big campaign, come to an end. Or maybe not. You never know what's around the corner. It could be nothing, or it could be everything.

I can't wait for _everything_. <3


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## Brighteyes

10/6

Life with Motion. 

I haven't worked with Motion thus far. He arrived Sunday night, and I put him in the round pen with some hay and water, within sight and smell of the herd which he will be living with for the next few weeks. The boss has expressed (and continues to express) her animosity towards him. It does not help that his show name is "Loco Motion," and he has a bad reputation for said "loco" factor. It isn't a secret; Sarah even recognizes he has some issues. The boss observed with disgust as Sarah wrestled Motion into our trailer, and I worried on the way about how I was going to safety get him _out_ of the trailer. 

Well, he backed off the trailer like a bullet from a gun and landed in a heap on the grass. He rose, shivering, and pushed his shoulder into me. 

So began Jackie Law. I took the end of that lead rope and, with a loud "NO SIR", struck him on the shoulder. He leapt (two feet in the air at least) and planted his feet. He continued to shiver with excitement, but I could see he was making an effort. I had his attention. 

I had to whack him in the chest twice more as I walked him to his paddock. He wanted to rush the gate, but he restrained himself and walked cautiously and quietly. I let him go and left him alone until the next afternoon.

Our first feeding session was interesting. I was warned he was food aggressive, so I entered the paddock with a lunge whip and a bucket of grain. He flattened his ears and tried to move me off his feed. I came down on him with that lunge whip. He retreated to the other end of the paddock. I stood over "my" grain. If he approached, I ran him off. Eventually, I walked away and let him have my "leftovers." 

The next day, I turned him out with the herd -- Kitty, Gizmo, and Cinny. Sarah primarily wanted Motion to come live with me to help with his socialization issues. He has always been the dominate horse. No one moved him. He has a history of aggression, especially towards geldings. I expected him to gain dominance over Gizmo's mares, but, to my great joy, Gizmo kicked Motion's little black *** all over the pasture. 

Kitty and Cinny move Motion as well. He eats last; he drinks last. He follows where the others lead and says far out of Gizmo's way, least he be chased away. 

I feel a little bad for Motion. His world has been turned upside down. But horses fix other horses way better than people fix horses. The herd is the most natural part of horse life, and Motion needs to learn to be a part of one. Hopefully things will settle down in the next few days and Gizmo will allow Motion closer (but not too close) to his mares. 

We did give Motion an ally today. Willa, a two-year-old black filly who could be his daughter. She still moves him, but at least she's nice to him as well.


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## Brighteyes

11/9


I got to really work Motion today. God help us both.


I'm not sure what kind of ground training Sarah is into, but Motion would be back on the ground well for me. I taught me the "rope wiggle" method, which he picked up on fairly quickly. He is easily confused, but instead of "thinking" when he's confused, he MOVES. He squirms and wiggles and get distracted and unfocused. Keeping his attention and keeping him still are difficulties. 

It took me 20 minutes, but I backed him into a stall. Step by step. He would swing his butt left and right to avoid the stall, and I would move him right back where we started. He was like ping pong. Swing butt left, swing butt right... Intensely sometimes, because if he wanted to wiggle I to be the one directing that movement. Once his was in the stall up to his hip, backing him in the rest of the way was easy.

He worked lunging. He likes to cut the circle and get too close to me. When I lunge, I don't want a horse close enough to me that if it kicked I would get hit. I walloped Motion on the shoulder a handful of times and got some nice big circles. He comes to the center when asked to stop. I don't like that, so I taught him to stop and turn to face me from the end of the lunge line. 

I think I may ride him tomorrow. Work on one rein stops and bending.


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## Brighteyes

11/10

I'm so worried.



I was just informed that Courtney cannot ride BG at the Christmas ride. BG cannot sit in a stall for four days. She'll tie up. I don't know if I'll be able to find anyone to ride her, or what I'm going to do...

I'm just a huge massive ball of anxiety.


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## Brighteyes

11/12

I think I may have found a lessee for Baby Girl. 

Julia is a cute girl, about two years younger than me. She has a little bay racking mare that she _loves_, but the horse unfortunately developed heaves. Julia wants to go open and do the open junior thing I did this year, but her heaves horse cannot manage hardcore distance. Julia has a mother, Nora, with whom I've been communicating. 

I heard Julia needed an open horse through the grapevine. Courtney brought me into this by tagging me in a post on Facebook. I private messaged Nora and asked if Julia was still looking for an open horse. Nora politely declined, saying she found one that may work. 

I thought that was that, until Nora messaged me two days later, asking me if BG was still available. The horse Julia tried "wasn't going to work." Nora gave me her number and we set up a time to call.

This was starting to sound serious, and I didn't even know these people. I called Courtney. "These people aren't idiots, right?" I asked. "I mean, they're good riders?" Courtney assured me she had not seen anything negative about the pair and that the daughter was, for what she had seen, a good rider. Courtney said she'd sniff them out for me via some mutual friends. 

I talked to Nora. Nora said she wanted a horse not just for competition, but something her daughter could love and bond with and trail ride every weekend. 

I tried to talk her out of it at first by just I telling her to truth. BG is hot, but never dangerous and always controllable. BG can intimidate nervous riders. BG has problems standing still sometimes, and you have to have good timing to correct that. BG needs light cues and soft hands, but also a firm handler when necessary. She isn't a beginner horse. She's a finely tuned competition horse. She has PSSM, crappy feet, and she's a hard keeper. 

Nora said okay. An optimistic, "we can work with this" okay. 

I talked to Nora again a few days later in more detail. She said Julia was interested in the idea, but Julia wanted to bring Baby Girl home and get to know her before competing her. I did not want BG moved from Sarah's house. I trust Sarah, but I again insist that I don't know these people.

"She's at Sarah's house, an hour from your place. Feel free to go up there and ride her," I said. Sarah would supervise and nip this thing at the bud if it wasn't going to work.

"We'll see if we can ride her this weekend," said Nora. 

Shortly after, I got a call back from Courtney. 

"From what I hear, they're great people. They work closely with a good trainer. The daughter knows her cues. Seems like a good situation. Probably couldn't find a better one, really."

_Julia may not get along with my horse and I'm back to square one. Julia may fall in love with my horse and I don't get her back._

Along this train of thought I allowed a snip of hope to come through. I must be logical, not emotional. If Julia doesn't get along with Baby Girl, I get to keep my horse a few more months. If Julia does get along with Baby Girl, Baby Girl has a good home.

(Two weeks ago, I think it was. Two weeks ago I sent BG away with the intention of having her back with me soon.)

Logically, this situation isn't dire. I may have a lessee. I _wanted_ that, remember? I wrote _here_, in this very journal, that I wanted a lessee to love and compete and enjoy Baby Girl. Why is this so hard?

Because I miss her so much already.


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## Brighteyes

11/15

I talked to Nora again last night via facebook message. Julia is going to ride BG tomorrow at Sarah's place. 

She told me she called her vet and talked to him about BG's PSSM feeding requirements. She doesn't have a Southern States dealer in her area, so she is trying to find a good feed to switch BG over to and a fat supplement other than oil. She inquired about how many times per week BG needs to be ridden, turnout conditions, etc. 

All in all, Nora seems pretty serious. I'm getting that a lot of thought is being put into this.

Nora is concerned about suddenly thrusting this new horse upon her daughter, who is still very attached and feels like she is betraying her current horse. I told Nora I understand what that felt like... To feel like you're "pushing aside" a horse you've invested your whole heart in...

("I knew you'd get it," said Nora.)

I applied to college at Auburn University yesterday, and I will know if I'm accepted by December 15th. 

Everyday at school I sit in the lunch room facing a wide white column. On that column hangs a piece of paper. On that paper, handwritten in neat, bold Sharpie, is a quote -- a poem. I don't remember the exact date of its appearance; the quote was probably crudely stuck there with two pieces of silver duct tape since the beginning of time. 

_"The Weaver"_

_My life is but a weaving_
_between the Lord and me;_
_I cannot choose the colors_
_He works steadily._

_Often times He weaves sorrow_
_And I, in foolish pride,_
_Forget He sees the upper,_
_And I the underside._

_Not till the loom is silent_
_And the shuttles cease to fly,_
_Shall God unroll the canvas_
_And explain the reason why._


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## Brighteyes

11/17


Nora rode BG yesterday with Sarah. As this was happening, from off and out of my hands, I rode Motion for the first time.

And he was great, actually. He lunging is much improved; he can _almost_ contain himself and continue walking the entire time. I appreciate the effort. 

I did a lot of things like that which taxed his brain. He almost had a nervous breakdown when I requested he put his front foot _inside_ a large tire. He stepped over it, around it... But I kept at him until he touched it with his front hoof. Then I let him rest. I had to help him by actually picking up his front hoof and putting it in the tire a few times. He is yet to, completely on his own, pick the foot up and place it inside. But I did position the foot on the side of the tire and he finished the action, placing it firmly on the ground inside. We stopped there. Motion looked like he felt accomplished.

Afterward, I sent him over some jumps. Not for the sake of jumping. This was actually to help trailer loading of all things. (So was the tire.) I want to be able to send a horse over/into things that scare them. He was scared to jump my 18 inch cross rail. I kept the pressure on, he jumped it, we rested. I want to do things that scare him, so he learns to deal with his fear.

I sent him between myself and the fence...The tight spot between who trailers... All sorts of scary places.

Then I finally rode him. We did transitions. I wanted to freak him out/**** him off so we could deal with that emotion undersaddle. Transitions always get him. He didn't want to walk; only trot. I shut him down with one rein stops. Eventually he realized this was like the lunge line; he had to control himself. 



















Here are some pasture pictures of Kitty, Motion, and the rest.














































Also, bonus Sparky the farm dog.










After leaving the farm, I logged onto facebook and saw a message from Nora.

"Call you in a little while. Love your horse."

So I waited.

And waited.

And waited. 

Finally, at 11:30 (I figured it was only 10:30 in Alabama), I called Nora. She explained that her family got caught up watching football, and she hustled out of a loud room to talk to me. 

"So..." I was afraid to ask. "How was she?"

"She was great."

"Didn't give you any trouble?"

"None at all!"

Sigh of relief. Nora continued:

"Sarah and I rode for a couple hours. Great ride. I think I can manage to ride her at Christmas if I can get her to stay in her gait. I think Julie wants to ride Nicky {Nicky is the heaves horse} one last time in novice. Julie is having a hard time letting go of Nicky..."

"I understand," I said.

"Do you think Baby Girl could do a novice ride? I think Julie would be more inclined to ride your horse if she could do novice first. Julie's never been open, you know."

"... You could try it, if you were really set on it. But it wouldn't be a fair assessment of the horse. She's an open horse. That's her job. Waiting on obstacles, the crowds, the constant movement in the P&Rs, the slow pace... That just isn't what Baby Girl is about."

"Okay. Well, we'll ride her open. Either me or Julie. I need to take her home for a few weeks so she and Julie can get to know each other if there's any chance of Julie riding her at Christmas."

"Be my guest. Just be careful. I don't have a lease contract out on you guys --or Sarah for that matter. If this goes further than Christmas, I'll need paperwork."

"We'll know by the end of the Christmas ride if we want her or not." 

There was a pause here between Nora and I. I sensed some tension, either from me or from her. 

"Julie didn't come ride today because she had a lot of history homework to do. I asked her if she really wanted to know how the horse did. I asked, 'Do you _really_?' She said, well, sure. I told Julie that Baby Girl was my dream horse."

Another pause.

"I don't mean to spin you in circles, honey," Nora assured hastily. "I know you want an answer. I'm telling you all these good things about this horse and I think she'll work out great. But I'm getting her for Julie. Julie has to be on board."

We talked for a while longer about other horses in our lives, dogs we loved, mules who bucked us off... I like Nora. I like talking to Nora. We talked for an hour before we finally hung up.

I went to bed feeling sad, but a hopeful sort of sad. This is Nora's dream horse, she said. Baby Girl is my dream horse too. I hope she's Julie's dream horse as well.


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## Brighteyes

11/17 (later that day)


Catheryn (Kitty's former owner) and I went out on a conditioning ride today! She brought along Leggs, her lithe bay Arabian. Kitty was a fun ride. We were out for two hours. Catheryn's horse has a crazy extended trot, so he did that most of the way. I was left cantering behind. We cantered for 30 straight minutes, trotted for a couple, and cantered some more. 

My favorite part of the ride was the field.

"We aren't suppose to into that hay field," Catheryn pointed out, nodding toward a gigantic, flat field -- so wide I couldn't see the other side-- sown with manicured costal bermuda. "If you really wanna get a workout today, we can gallop it."

"If we gallop fast enough," I grinned, "no one will even see us!"

"Exactly!" Catheryn affirmed, and we tore off across the sweeping sea of crunchy, browning winter grass.

My best moments are always at a gallop. The snapshots in my head that are so clear I could paint a picture are midstride. The sky was textured with lumpy gray clouds, overcast, no wind, a misty veil of rain. Kitty's ears were pricked forward, and she smelled sweaty and earthy, like the woods after a storm. I will never forget (and by recording it in this journal, I _will_ never forget) running full speed, Kitty half a length behind Leggs and sprinting on the inside...Taking a sharp corner as we followed the hay field's twisting outline....And _never_ wanting to stop. I wanted to run forever, and at that moment I felt as if that were somehow possible.


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## Brighteyes

11/21


I got a letter from Auburn saying that they have received all my required admission materials and I am now officially in the admissions pool. I will receive word as early as December 15th if I make first round. 

I haven't been riding this week. We moved Motion to the big gelding pasture, and the poor thing is having a hard time adjusting to the change. I worked with him some more on his food aggression issues last night. The food aggression is improving, but it isn't something I can cure. I board; I don't feed him in the mornings. Without consistent work, he will never rehabilitated. I'm going to show Sarah what I've been doing with him and hope she will take heart and continue. However, there are a lot of issues I haven't even touched.

He's so _insecure_. His comfort zone is impossibly tiny, but could be expanded with the right kind of work. If you challenge his mind, and he beats his own fear, he's so _happy_. _Balanced_. He's _just_ learning to balance himself. (He'll probably be a wild ride at Christmas.)

I think I've done more harm than good to him in the long run. I get this horse, and I think I can help him. I show him a better way to do things. But is that really _fair_? Is it fair of me to show him how things could be _better_ and afterwards return him to a situation that causes him frustration? 

He's a good boy, and maybe the only one who gained anything during our month together is me. I feel like I've learned and grown in my horsemanship through my interactions with Motion.

On the Baby Girl front... Nora is moving her from Sarah's in the next couple days. She'll be staying at Nora's until Christmas to prepare for the ride. I hope everything goes well.


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## Brighteyes

11/22


BG tracking status -- currently in transit. She's in the trailer heading to Nora's right now. (I just spoke to Nora.)

I pray she arrives safely and gets along with Nora's other horses.


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## Brighteyes

11/22 (later that day)


BG safely arrived at Nora's, as expected. I spoke to Julie via Facebook message. Julie seems excited, and will hopefully ride BG tomorrow. Julie sent me some pictures:


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## Brighteyes

11/24


Yesterday I laid Kitty down for the first time. She did great! It only took around 5 minutes to let her down. She laid calmly, and I fed her some cookies and rubbed her. I laid her down twice more, each time easier than the last. She was relaxed the whole time and seemed to enjoy this new trick.










I didn't lay her down by tying her foot to the saddle horn like most people seem to do. That seems dangerous to me. I tied her foot to one end of a LONG rope and wrapped the rope around her barrel twice for leverage. This way I controlled the pressure and release of the foot rope. If I wanted a complete release should things go sour, I could drop the rope and Kitty would have her foot back. 

I also had a LONG rope attached to her halter. All in all, I wanted to be as far away from this madness as possible. 

Struggling was minimal though. Five minutes and she was laying calmly. 

We practiced again today with good results. Soon I won't need any ropes at all.


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## Brighteyes

11/24 (Later that day)


News on the Baby Girl front:


Julie says she loves her. Julie put up all kinds of cute pictures on facebook -- if you're friends with me, you've probably seen them. They had their first ride together yesterday, which Nora informed me went well. Julie's old horse was dull on aids, so Julie has to adapt and learn to cue an excessively light horse. BG does NOT get along with a rider who can't cue lightly, so Julie better get it together. 

I had a long trail ride with Motion today. He was kind of a *******. "Loco Motion" indeed. I could not get him to walk more than five steps at a time before breaking into a nervous, chargey pace. We circled, weaved, backed (backing didn't work; made him rear), one rein stopped... He just couldn't control himself. He had one good walking streak along the perimeter of the pasture fence. Lose rein, normal walk. Then Gizmo started galloping, and Motion started bucking, and I, for the hundredth time that day, wondered what the hell this horse's problem was.

He was covered in sweat, and I was frustrated and confused. I wish I was a good enough horse person to know _why_ he is the way he is. I suppose this is what Sarah has always warned me about. I never doubted he had it in him, and I actually feel better to have gotten that experience over. No more surprises now.

We did groundwork when we got home. Walked on a lunge time, backed into a stall, practiced feeding time manners -- these have all improved tremendously. You can't win all of 'em all, but you can win 'em some.


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## Brighteyes

11/25


I'm about to leave for Kentucky. I will be gone a week, leaving behind my poor ponehs. I am upset by this, for I would rather play with than than do anything. 

Some interesting news has surfaced. I've been keeping secrets again. This isn't final though, so I'm trying my hardest not to get my hopes up. 

I'm a member of the AERC facebook group. An _FEI rider_ (we shall call her Erica for now) posted that she was in need of a crew (one or two people) for a ride in South Carolina on the weekend of February 1st. A ride that happened to be only three hours away from me. I checked by calendar for conflicts...

I felt an _odd_ goading to reply. (You know how you sometimes get those _feelings_?) I sent her a facebook message -- a message that began by informing Erica I was an 18-year-old high school student with CTR experience (no AERC), but I was good at following directions and very familiar with distance horse care. 

I expected to be shot down for being young and non-AERC. On the contrary, Erica replied promptly. She was not deterred by my age necessarily, and she was actually impressed by my distance experience. Erica planned to fly down from Canada on a Friday. Her horse would be on sit at the ride site.

"Would you pick me up at the Columbus airport, drive me to our ride site, crew for me all day Saturday, take care of my horse, and drive me back to the airport on Sunday?"

"Definitely," I replied. 

Erica asked for a few references -- three horse related people and one non-horse person. (Like a frickin job interview! ) 

I called the boss and asked permission to give her e-mail and number to Erica. The boss willingly complied, and she seemed excited at this opportunity. 

I plan on contacting Ronnie, Amy, and Catheryn, and maybe Bill as additional references. I'll make those calls tomorrow. 

If I am chosen for this job (which I may not be), _I get to crew for an FEI rider._ What a way to get your toe into AERC waters! 

After this facebook conversation ended, I got curious. I googled Erica, and found all sorts of impressive stuff. Number one in her province, etc. I also happened upon an article about Valerie Kanavy. 

Valerie Kanavy is probably the most famous endurance rider in the world. 1994 and 1998 World Endurance Champion.



> Some of Kanavy's other accomplishments include 2003's World Champion Master, six IAHA (now AHA) 100-mile and one 50-mile championship wins and four 100-mile reserve championships, seven Race of Champions in the top ten (including one first and one second), 1999 AHSA Horseman of the Year, Virginia's 1999 Horsewoman of the Year and USET Whitney Stone Award. She has more than 15,000 career endurance miles under her belt.
> 
> In January, 2009 Kanavy received the Maggy Price Endurance Excellence Award. In 2010 Kanavy won the Americian Endurance Ride Conference 100 mile National Championship on Spectacular Gold and in 2011 had yet another medal added to her name bringing home the Individual Bronze Medal and Team Silver Medal at the Pan American Games in Chile on homebred Spectacular Gold.


Taken from U.S Endurance Athletes Association website.

Spectacular Gold... _Gold_... 

Something was triggered in my mind.

Wait. I remembered reading another more recent article about Valarie's horse... But his name wasn't _Spectacular_ Gold... 

Gold... Gold... GOLD!

_Gold N Comet!_

She bought a horse named Gold N Comet. I remember reading about it. I _remember. _That name stuck with me. I remember... I was wrapped up in two sleeping bags in the back seat of the dually on Saturday night, and I was crying steadily and quietly because BG was hurt. March 2013, Spanish Trail CTR, and I was trying to distract myself by reading the latest news on some equestrian site...

Almost a year later, as I struggle to sleep yet another night due in part to BG related grief, Gold N Comet's name came up once more. 

It made more sense now, that I was attracted to that name. I mean, I now own a Catalina Comet. 

Comet was a great sire. Plenty of Comet horses out there.

I searched Gold N Comet's pedigree. 

Gold N Comet Arabian

Oh my... Hold the phone.

Catalina Comet Arabian

Gold N Comet and Catalina Comet are full siblings.

Straight up. The full sibling to the Greatest Endurance Rider Ever's horse.












Let's get this series of improbable events straight:

1.) BG stepped on a sharp rock at just the right moment and just the right angle to puncture her sole. What are the chances of that in and of itself?

2.) Because of that weird thing, I read an article about Gold N Comet. Why? I just happened to click it.

3.) Two days after reading an article about Gold N Comet, a horse named Catalina Comet _fell_ into my hands. Was basically forced on me to assist by the boss. Borrowed from Catheryn, whom at the time I did not even know.

4.) Almost a year later, I see a post from an FEI rider, which in tern leads me to a ramble around the internet that leads me to the reveal that the tragic events at Spanish Trail... Happened for a reason. _I even got a hint._


The plot of 2013 reads like a novel. Foreshadowing isn't suppose to happen in real life; it's a literary device, put in by the author to warn of future events. I didn't know the future. The twists and turns aren't suppose to turn out this neatly. I couldn't make up stranger, greater endings to my adventures if I _tried_. 

The title of this journal is "Chances Are." The chances must have been a million to one!

Or maybe there aren't any chances after all.


----------



## Brighteyes

Also, bonus yearling!Kitty:


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## Brighteyes

11/30


I had a great session with Kitty today. We began with some "full pasture round penning," because she did _not_ want to be caught. I previously taught her to turn and face me in the round pen and walk with me when I walk away (basic hooking on/join up/whatever you wanna call it). This technique works in a 20 acre pasture as well, as long as you have a golf cart to keep up with your horse. :lol: I drove her in circles (steering the golf cart with my knees, two hands on my rope) and took charge of the circle's direction. If she wanted to run away from me, dammit I'd make her run on my terms.

I stopped, and she turned to face me. I got out of my golf cart and walked within 15 feet of her before she trotted off again. So more "round penning." We did this several times before she trotted up to me and stuck her face in my arms like, "Oh my God... I give up..."

She was covered in sweat and heaving, so I let her stand around and catch her breath. We relaxed together, and she stayed with me even when the herd moved on. 

After the break, we proceeded to the round pen. We practiced our laying down. She was sweaty and wanted to roll, so she dropped immediately and had a great time.

We did some basic ground work, and a little taste of more technical stuff. I got her to back, one foot at a time, over a pole on the ground. I could control and place each foot. Total foot control is the goal of working with horses, after all.

I practiced sending her over jumps. She had a big cross rail to conquer today; probably two feet. :lol: She has little confidence jumping, but making her do things she's afraid of helps her grow emotionally. 

We practiced basic backing/sidepassing/turn on the forehand/turn on the hindquarters. I just got her bareback and ran through these things. I tried a new bit on her; a thinner eggbutt snaffle. May be more comfortable than my thick full cheek French link? We'll see. 

We laid down one more time at the end of the session. It was the best lay down yet! No ropes required. I just picked up her foot, asked her to drop her head and sniff the ground, and she flopped right to the dirt. She seemed pleased with herself.


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## Brighteyes

11/30

More BG news:


She's getting along well. Julie seems to have decided to ride her at Christmas. Nora wants Julie and BG to ride with Motion and I. Sounds fine to me. Me and Sarah use to do that all the time. I'll get behind Gary and Paula (and maybe Bill if he's riding with Paula). Let those speed demons disappear, and Julie and I can hang back and find our pocket. Hopefully we'll have a quiet little ride. I'll lead; Julie can follow. Newbies always have to stay in the back. It's open rider code. :lol: When you get to lead, you know you've made it.

But Julie and Nora seem to have their minds made up. They bought BG a blanket of her very own yesterday, and Julie keeps posting lots of cute facebook pictures. They asked me to transfer her NATRC profile to their account as well...

Okay, more news:

About three days ago, I got my acceptance letter from Auburn University. 




Now, CELEBRATE WITH ME.


----------



## Brighteyes

12/1


It's December! I can't believe another year has almost gone.

Rode Kitty today. The boss came with, and we stayed at a walk mostly. Stayed out about two hours. It was a nice day. The air smelled good and the woods were as quiet as a church yard. 

Kitty doesn't seem to like her new bit much. She tossed her head more than usual, but I'll give it a couple more rides to make sure she just wasn't having a ****y day. 

We practiced obstacles. Kitty's obstacles are very unrefined, but we made it through. We (with no elegance or grace to speak of) backed over a log, around a tree, and between two tight trees. She isn't good at "improvising." If we haven't practiced it on the ground and in the round pen first, no way in hell is that obstacle happening on the trail. :? And that head tossing... Dang... I have got to fix that.

I have time though. For one of the first times in my life, I _have_ time. There are no national awards I'm seeking out, or competitive goals for this coming year. This coming weekend is Christmas in the Pines, and after that is a _blank page_. I'm burned out with competing. Today, the boss asked, 

"Is there any way we can not go to Christmas ride?"

I sighed. "I promised Sarah I would ride Motion for her. And I need to see Baby Girl. But after this, we don't have to go anymore." I brightened. "We can be done."

"Can we really be done?"

I signed again. My expression faded, and I looked at my feet. "No. I don't think we'll ever really be done. Not entirely."

(Like Bukowski once said, "Find what you love and let it kill you.")

So I went home and checked good old Facebook. I saw some cute pictures of Baby Girl, countered those with some cute pictures of Kitty...

E.g.





























...And saw a message from Erica that said I got the job and will be crewing for her in February. :happydance:


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## evensteven

WOOOOOO. That sounds really exciting! Glad Julie and BG are getting along. Are they thinking you might sell her to them?? That's what I'm picking up from reading this. But, on the other hand, Motion sounds like a crazy piece of horse. And is Kitty Catalina Comet? I feel really stupid for asking, but I'm pretty sure that's what you were saying, haha. That is so cool that you have Gold's FULL SISTER. You are going to start doing endurance with her, right?


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## Brighteyes

I don't think I could ever sell BG. Long term lease... Sure. I'm having trouble with it emotionally, but it's the responsible thing to do. But selling her? Having no connection to her anymore? I just couldn't. I'm living on the hope that in a year or so I can get her back...And we'll raise hell again and win the President's Cup one day.





And yes; Catalina Comet is Miss Kitty's registered name. :wink: I'm planning on doing endurance with her. To what extent... I don't know. 50s? 100s? I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to another big dream yet.

She'll never make a top notch NATRC horse, but I'll do NATRC as conditioning (and to spy on all my old friends!) 

I need to get my own trailer and/or someone to catch a ride with before I can go AERC. But I do what I can. Things tend to work out for me. 

Yeah, Motion is quite a character to say the least. :lol:


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## Brighteyes

12/11

Fear has got to be the biggest problem horses fear. Their own fear. Their rider's fear. Some horses are too empathetic. These horses are the "bad ones" and "the troubled ones." They feed on their owner's emotions. They tune into their rider's frequency until you don't know whether the origin of a thought or feeling came from within you... Or from within your horse. 

"Baby Girl reminds me a lot of Motion," wrote Sarah in an e-mail sent to me a few days after she began riding my horse. It isn't generally considered a complement to have one's horse compared to Motion. He's "volatile", "unpredictable", "dangerous", and "crazy." But Motion is Sarah's heart horse, so for my horse to be compared to him was meant in a complementary way. She liked Baby Girl, but Sarah wasn't going to say she just liked something. That's not her style, I thought.

Five weeks pass. Sarah keeps BG for a few of those weeks before she passes her to Julie and Nora. I keep Motion, and I find that I like him. "I think we're going to have a good ride," I texted Sarah as we drove down highway 94 to Milton, Florida. "He reminds me a lot of Baby Girl." I blink and realize what I said. And what I mean. Yes, there is something very similar among those two. Five weeks, and I felt like I had known Motion for four years. We got along in the end, that was all I knew.

Baby Girl was looking bright when I first saw her. Gleaming white; bay spots shining like a copper ring; bowed up and alert. Julie clutched the end of the lead rope as BG walked circles around the girl. BG was beautiful, but unsettled. BG sometimes got into that state of mind, so I blocked her out and continued settling Motion in. 

The complements I got regarding Motion on Friday were incredible. Everyone told me how good he looked. How shiny and alive me seemed. How relaxed he was.

"I've never seen him so calm," said Leigh, whose horse was stalled next to mine. "He's actually pretty cute. I mean, I've never seen him be cute before." Leigh paused, chewing a thought. "He's just so chill."

Chill he was. His vet-in was so good that I received a shout out from my favorite vet judge Cheri at ride briefing that night. Big, big deal. I looked at my feet and wasn't sure how to handle the praise. This was my first Open Lightweight ride. Adult division, and I wasn't comfortable making any waves. 

A women with greying hair and sharp eyes catch my gaze from across the room. She was Cheri's secretary, and she had given me and Motion a critical look during vet-in earlier that day. No harsh judgment... Just observation. She was watching us with extra care. 

Saturday morning. Julie and I rode together. BG came out of camp like a shot. I put her behind Motion, who was relaxed and slow. He wasn't interested in chasing the horses in front of him like BG was. He had found a stillness within himself that I had be told he didn't have. 

BG continued to prance madly behind me. I held out my hand, and BG respected that as a warning not to pass. Julie's face was pale, and her fists clutched the reins with white knuckle grip. 

"Slack your reins and relax."

"She's pulling on me!" Julie hissed urgently.

"Who's pulling on who?" I replied with a smile. "Give her a chance. If she charges forward, pull back. Let her make the mistake she chooses. Then _release_."

I gave and released Motion several times. He relaxed beneath me. Jello between my legs, swinging loose reins.

10 miles in was our first P&R. BG refused to settle. Julie was frustrated. BG swung a hip to the side.

"Put her butt right back where it needs to be. Just keep putting parts of her back in their places. It's no big deal. She never loses P&R points."

Julie didn't seem to care about points. She just wanted the horse to stand, but all the want in the world wasn't going to settle BG. Julie's want was _frantic_. I could feel it, and it made my stomach hurt.

BG passed the P&R (I knew she would), but she refused to stand still for Julie to mount her. Julie swung on, and BG started to back up quickly. "Release, kiddo. Relax. You can take the lead for a while."

BG relaxed as much as she could as the lead horse. Julie started to give the poor creature her head. Every time Motion got close to her or next to her, she darted off and blocked him. BG wanted the front.

("Huh," I thought. "Interesting.")

25 miles in was our first real obstacle. It was as simple sidepass up a hill, stand still and tie a ribbon to a tree, and sidepass back down the hill. Motion stopped, settled, and slowly and precisely did the obstacle. Cheri told me that was, "Pretty dang good" and her sharp eyed secretary threw me a nod. I nodded back.

BG and Julie were up next. It was over before it even began. Julie clutched the reins tightly and held her breath. Tension boiled from the pair. Julie clung to the reins. BG started to back uncontrollably. Julie kicked her, sending BG into a frantic sidepass, then a turn on the forehand, a bolt to the right, and finally a rear. Julie started crying, and BG looked nothing but afraid. BG wanted to run, to flee, but Julie spun her in a sharp circle. BG managed impressive speed in such a sharp configuration. 

"RELEASE!" I screamed. My angry voice is rarely heard, but this was an injustice. "DROP THE REINS." 

Julie finally gave BG a small release. BG pranced forward and settled beside Motion and I. BG expression was now a 50/50 of fear and frustration. Julie was panicked and crying.

I sighed. "Let's go, kid. Back to camp in five miles."

...

...

...

_What happened?_

_I've never seen BG act that way. I've never seen her act... Dangerous. _

_She's acting just like..._

Well, just like Motion acts when Sarah rides him.

I looked down at Motion and rubbed his shoulder as he walked. Such a good boy.... Why?

...

...

...


Julie pulled. She said BG was too much horse for her. I agreed. Cheri agreed. Everyone thought it wise -- safe -- that she and BG not continue. But I went on, Motion and I. We rode with my great friend Esther and sang Christmas songs and laughed for 25 more miles on Sunday. Motion was perfect. Settled. Calm. Where was the crazy, volatile beast Sarah promised me he would be?

We vetted out Sunday afternoon, and the sharp eyed lady threw me that nod again. 

"I think I know you from somewhere," I said. I did. I'd seen her face before. 

"Maybe you do. Let's talk after awards. Heard you've had a rough weekend."

"My weekend has been amazing. My horse's -- MY horse's -- wasn't as great."

I caught up with the sharp eyed women soon after. She was sitting at her trailer. She occupied the only chair, so I sat on the ground.

"Remind me, what's your name again? I hate to rude," I asked sheepishly.

She told me her full name and the name of her business.

"You're Sarah's trainer!?" I blinked. "And Julie and Nora and... A lot of NATRC-ers, actually. Yeah, I've seen you in pictures. Sarah took a lesson on Baby Girl with you."

"That's right!" she grinned. "You've gone a great job with Motion. And with Baby Girl. She's a great horse. Very light."

I was shy again. "Thank you... I got her when she was four. I -- I trained her myself. I don't want to know if I want to admit to that after today..."

"It wasn't your fault. It wasn't the horse's fault."

"You saw her rear! She could have hurt Julie... She should have known better... I mean, everyone probably thinks she's a whack job!"

"Everyone thought Motion was a 'whack job' too. A chronic one. But you _know_ he isn't."

"Motion is perfect," I said quickly.

"There is nothing wrong with Motion," said the women. "No one who knows anything thinks there is anything wrong with Baby Girl after today either. It's how you ride. You ride those two, and they aren't afraid. You make them comfortable. And brave. You make them brave."

"She made me brave. Baby Girl did."

The women smiled. "It was a mismatch of personalities. Baby Girl and Julie." And more reluctantly, "And Sarah and Motion."

She continued, "Horses are herd animals. Horses communicate non-verbally. The herd leader warns the others about danger via emotion. The lead mare is afraid, so everyone better be afraid too. Fear... Fear is a problem."

"You aren't afraid," she observed. I nodded. "And you trust those horses. Despite their track records. You trust in them, and give them so many chances, and they trust you."

That night, I left Motion behind. I gave him an apple and said goodbye, I'm sorry I have to go, I'll miss you dearly...

BG stood tied to a fence rail as the boss got the trailer hooked up. Around my neck was Motion's first place metal. Yes, he won. We won Open Lightweight with a score of 99. (Sarah was pleased.)

I breathed into Motion's nose, and he breathed back into mine. _Don't forget me. _

Then I loaded BG into our trailer. Next stop, everywhere.


----------



## Wallaby

THAT. IS. SO. GOOD.

And SO true. 

I used to be Julie, before Lacey. Then I got Lacey and we were Julie+BG for 2 excruciating years...thennnnn we finalllllly figured it out. 
Correction: *I* figured it out. Lacey knew all along, Lacey was waiting for me to figure it out.


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## Brighteyes

Heck, I was Julie+BG just last year. Around Heart of Dixie Spring, I believe, everything started coming together. I give BG all the credit for the rider and trainer I've become. Without her to challenge me to be brave... I would never be. I feel sort of sorry for Julie. She could have become "one of us."

Two roads diverged in a wood, and Julie -- Julie took the one more traveled by. She didn't feel the calling. What could have been, given time... BG would have made her an amazing rider, because BG doesn't settle for average.


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## Brighteyes

12/20


I've been MIA for a couple of days, but that's because I have the flu. :? Or rather I had the flu. I'm over it now, for the most part. I still feel hella weak and tired, but I haven't had a fever in two days. 

So I went to see BG and Kitty. I think they're glad I'm not dead. I did groundwork with each of them in the pasture (very lightly; I can still hardly catch my breathe!) and groomed them both as well. I had their shoes pulled a few days ago, and Kitty is slightly lame on the front right. BG's feet look slightly _awful_, but she's as sound as could be. (Or her super pain tolerance is showing again. You never know with that horse.)

It's winter. I can't afford to put shoes on horses right now (I missed a week of work because of the flu and am in dire financial straights). If the poor critters are lame, I can at best give them some time off, a barefoot maintenance trim, and maybe some biotin supplementation so I'll have better feet to put shoes back on in the spring.






















It's that Christmas time of year, but it's been tough lately. Christmas Eve is Baby Girl and I's fourth anniversary, and the day after New Year's is Kitty's 10th birthday. I may combine their respective holidays and give them both presents on the 24th. It won't be much: apples, carrots, a cupcake for each of them. Merry Christmas, babies.


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## Brighteyes

12/22


I felt strong enough to ride today, so I threw a bridle on BG and jumped on her bareback. Susan, Amy, and the boss were out riding the trails, and I intended to track them down.

And BG acted like a huge jerk.

Well, she was okay until I actually found the group. I put her in the back, which displeased her royal highness. She was all, 










Tossed her head, pranced, acted like an idiot. We did a lot of circles. 

While keeping her behind the group of a teeth grinding annoyance, she did well when we practiced obstacles on the trail. Great sidepassing, turns, backs... She settled and stood neatly when asked. But it was like she only had two gears: stand and prance. 

When we returned home, I kept working her after everyone else put up their horses. We did rollbacks, "reining spins," bridleless work, backing around trees... She knows _so_ much, which makes me even more annoyed that she apparently doesn't know how to walk quietly on a trail. :? It's like I sacrificed basic training for "cooler stuff."


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## Brighteyes

12/25

Merry Christmas!

It was awfully cold today -- for the South, anyway. 40-50ish degrees with some chilly wind and overcast. I had a nice day with my family and went to go feed the horses after everyone retired for a post-holiday nap. 

I received some lovely gifts, but my favorite was a new camera -- a Nikon D3100. I've wanted to upgrade from my cheap point-and-shoot to a DSLR for a while now. 

I also got a GoPro Hero3 (Silver Edition). Once I get a fast enough memory card, you all will be treated to epic helmet cam videos. Oh, horses and technology. My loves.

I snapped a handful of decent pictures (I will post them later) and led Baby Girl to her stall. In the fading gray afternoon light, I sat on the ground, back against the fence. I was freezing. My entire frame began to shake. I hadn't recovered completely from the flu, if I was honest with myself. Downtime is tough on me, and I would almost rather be sick than sit around. 

Baby Girl nosed around in her food. Kitty stood nearby, hip cocked and head low, quietly observing me with her sleepy doe eyes. Suddenly, I sat bolt upright and drew in a lung full of chilly air. I felt like I had done this, seen this, all before... 

_("_Déjà vu_ is a French word translating literally to 'already seen.' Having the strong sensation that an event or experience currently being experienced has been experienced in the past, whether it has actually happened or not.")_

Last Christmas, and the Christmas before, and the Christmas before that... Every one I spent at the farm, with Baby Girl...

And I realized I couldn't remember the Christmases before Baby Girl. I ransacked my brain, but I couldn't locate a single image... No tree sans horse ornaments... No Christmas list without her name on it...

_("_Jamais vu_, a French word meaning "never seen," is a term used to describe any familiar situation which is not recognized by the observer. Often described as the opposite of déjà vu, jamais vu involves a sense of eeriness and the observer's impression of seeing the situation for the first time, despite rationally knowing that he or she has been in the situation before.")_

My mind is a mess, of course. Tourettes Syndrome and its comorbidities... The daunting drugs used to subdue my symptoms... Phrases along the lines of "ambiguously autistic" being tossed about in hushed discussions between my parents and doctors... Adolescent traumas of which my only memories are second-hand stories...

Maybe it isn't surprising I have forgotten so many Christmases. But who wouldn't be a little stunned upon realizing they haven't experienced a majority of their life? Perhaps it is a cruel mercy that I don't remember.

Kitty came to stand over me, her muzzle hovering inches above head. I could feel her warm breathing. She does this to her herd mates when they lay down in the pasture. She occasionally protects me as well.

I wonder what next year will be like? Everything has to change. 

_What if we aren't together next Christmas?_

A petty thought perhaps, but it provoked a sharp gasp and made Kitty raise her head. Baby Girl stopped eating and stared at me.

"Well, maybe it doesn't matter to you guys. But it matters to me."

Baby Girl turned her bucket over with her foot, spilling her feed. I glared at her.

"I tried to get rid of you, you know. But you were too big an idiot for anyone to want you but me. Now I don't know where we'll be next year. I have, for once, no plans. No course of action. No way to get the three of us to Point B." 

I looked up at the sky. The overcast was patchy now, and I could see a few murky stars. I added, more quietly, "No way to make sure next Christmas is worth remembering."

I blanketed Baby Girl and turned her out. She and Kitty galloped off and disappeared. I stayed for a while and watched the sky clear up.


----------



## Wallaby

"liking" this because you seriously are THE BEST storyteller. 
I do not cry as a general rule and you just made me cry from sheer feels. Well done.










:clap:


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## Brighteyes

Sorry about your feels.  










Also,


<33333

Thank you! Before I posted this, I was all, "People probably think it's weird when I go all creative-nonfiction on them." But sometimes I just gotta get it off my chest and it comes out... "Creative-nonfiction-y" more than "journal-y."


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## Zexious

NOPENOPENOPENOPE
xD I love it

Creative non-fiction-y is more fun than journal-y anyway


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## Brighteyes

12/27

So, some nice stuff happened today.

First, I had a great ride on Kitty. I haven't been on her back in a few weeks, and she was just excellent and super calm. Also, fluffy. Like a giant white marshmallow of fuzzy pony.

(Pictures I took of her on Christmas day.)





























Second, I got an e-mail from the NATRC national office about this creature:



















After a hard year, I was ready to rest on our laurels. Or laurel. We just had one -- the national championship she gained when she curb stomped Ride the Edge. 

If you recall, she was pulled at Spanish Trail 2013 after puncturing her sole, and she barely completed Uwharrie. I was sure that cut us out of the running for Junior Grand Champion Horse, which isn't based on points but on _averages_. She nailed some super high scores during the later half of the season. Rarely lower than a 98. I didn't realize that those scores pulled up her miserable Uwharrie/Spanish Trail averages to a respectable level.

Very respectable, it seems. Because Baby Girl is Grand Champion Horse -- the biggest award you can win as a junior. 

Well, that was unexpected. :shock:












We get to be in the rule book forever. Like so:











I've been encouraged to go to the national convention in Oklahoma City to accept this award. That would be pretty sweet.


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## Zexious

That is so exciting!! Congratulations!!


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## Brighteyes

Thanks! I'm pretty excited. Took me totally off guard. :shock: I mean, I was happy with my national, just chillin' and celebrating. 

...But I'm not complaining. :wink:


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## Wallaby

[just liked and unliked that SO many times, I like it that much. Also, I wanted to give you like 40 "new likes received" notifications]


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## Brighteyes

I got a couple notifications. :wink:


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## Zexious

xD That is fantastic.


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## Brighteyes

12/28


The boss, Amy, and I trailed to Mingo today to get started on the Benefit Ride trails. The Benefit is in March, and we have a lot of trail to mark and verify times. 

Amy and one of the locals went to check out the novice red trail, and the boss sent Baby Girl and I down the green and blue open trails. The boss herself went to check out novice purple and yellow. 

As funny as this seems, I've never ridden at Mingo by myself. I usually ride with the boss, because I have no sense of direction. But she trusted me to this task, and I assured her I would time those trails correctly.

I was worried that Baby Girl would be a little idiot being ridden by herself, but she was actually pleasant. She gave me a nice gait for most of the ride, and she even walked after a little give and take "discussion" between us. The trails we timed were a total of 10ish miles. With the inclusion of connecting trails and skipping around, BG and I probably got it a 15ish mile day. I feel like I haven't had a serious conditioning ride on her in a _long_ time, but she definitely still has it.









http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&sour..._NvYfW-4d9yAT-s-K9nsXQzA&ust=1388376456350890


Also, ordered a memory card for my GoPro today. Helmet cam videos are coming soon.


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## Zexious

^That'll be bomb! Looking forward to it 8D


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## Brighteyes

12/29

My three cousins, aunt, and uncle flew in from Texas today, and the cousins were itching to ride a horse. Luckily for them, I happen to have some horses. Baby Girl and Kitty to the rescue. 

The ponies tolerated the cousins well, considering the cousins have never ridden before. Kitty was super nice to smallest cousin Olivia, and Blake LOVED Baby Girl. 







































Jack didn't ride much, but he liked Kitty.










Uncle and Kitty, who enjoys scratches.










I got to ride BG and show off after everyone else was done. I rode her bridleless and climbed all over her.


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## Brighteyes

12/30


This will be my last post in this journal. New Year's Eve is tomorrow. I'll watch the ball drop and see in 2014 (with great expectations.) I'll always cling to 2013 though, because it was a magical year.

On the first page of this journal, I made a list. I re-read it, and it seems so long ago. Like a different person wrote it. (A different person did. Years change people.) It was a list of my goals for 2013 -- quite an abstract list, compared to previous years. The last item on the list made me smile:

_"Give an unlimited number of chances, and always believe something good just might happen."_

Ironically, I was _given_ more chances than I gave. More perfect scenarios, more dark horse victories. More fairytale moments. More times when I realized that if one thing in my life had changed, everything would be different today. 

Not that it wasn't a struggle, because it was sometimes. Sometimes it was so, _so_ hard. And I wanted to give up.

Thank God I didn't. 

Baby Girl never gave up on me either. She has her flaws, but she never quits. She's wild, but she's magic. Horses are supposedly a reflection of their humans. Maybe deep inside of me is that spirit of tenacity. Tenacity of a kind of bravery, I think, and I've always given Baby Girl credit for making me brave. 

And I give Kitty the credit for making me happy. For comforting me. I can fall apart with her, and she'll stand with me until I burn and burn out and am ready to stand back up. (She's a young horse, but her eyes have a depth to them -- like she's seen centuries.)

I'm lucky to have both these mares, and it's been an honor to spend the year with them. I'll never forgot galloping Kitty around the hay field, and Baby Girl's name being called at Ride the Edge. I'll never forget Baby Girl's determination to complete Uwharrie, and her anger at not being allowed to continue at Spanish Trail. I'll never forgot loading Kitty onto the boss's two horse bumper pull and taking her to the farm, never imagining that I would not be returning her. Always with me will be the moment I, crying miserably, walked up to Kitty in the pasture and informed her she was now an "only child." And a month later crying again, both miserable and hopeful, when Baby Girl returned home.

These images are 2013. The hoof prints on my heart. And with them the three of us will march on to an uncertain future, but we are not unarmed. If 2013 has taught me anything, it's this:

If you believe in dreams, chase them. Chase them until you're out of breathe. And then, keep running.

Happy New Year! I hope 2014 is everything you wish for. :happydance:


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## Brighteyes

*(Pt. 4) The In-Betweens*

1/2

_(_Liminality _(from the Latin word_ lîmen_, meaning "a threshold") is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of rituals, when participants no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold when the ritual is complete. During a ritual's liminal stage, participants "stand at the threshold" between their previous way of structuring their identity, time, or community, and a new way.)_

I graduate in May, and I already feel like this place is no longer my home. I look around my room and recognize it will only be my room for half a year more. I go to the barn to see my horses. I realize in a few months I will no longer be a riding instructor there, and the hunt has begun to replace me. I'm only half present in this little town.

I always set goals for the new year, but this year is different. I don't have _goals_, I have a single _goal:_

1.) Stay together.

Baby Girl and Kitty and I. We take our first steps into the new year with uncertainty. I have no plan. And a goal without a plan is only a wish.

_(More recently, usage of liminality has broadened to describe political and cultural change. During liminal periods of all kinds, social hierarchies may be reversed or temporarily dissolved, continuity of tradition may become uncertain, and future outcomes once taken for granted may be thrown into doubt...)_

This journal will cover the last six months of my high school life and my first semester of college. So I step into 2014 with uncertainty. With a bizarre feeling of being stuck in limbo while the pages of my life story are caught mid-turn. With the feeling that I am not an adult and yet not a teenager...But something in between.

Yesterday I made my wish at midnight. Let's see if we can make it happen.


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## Brighteyes

Continued at http://www.horseforum.com/member-journals/pt-4-betweens-338601/#post4435425


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## Brighteyes

Also, for those of you new to this series, let's introduce you to my horses. It's raining here in Georgia today, so everyone looks like something the dog chewed up. :lol:

This is Baby Girl, 7-year-old Spotted Saddle Horse mare. (PSSM positive, occasionally annoying, and a national champion CTR horse.)



















(And a pretty bad beotch. :lol










This is Miss Kitty, 10-year-old Arabian mare. (Whiskey in a tea cup, very affectionate, and an endurance horse.)


----------



## Wallaby

[subbing!!]


----------



## Brighteyes

^^ Oooh! I love chemistry cat! <3


----------



## Wallaby

From what I know of you, I had a sneaking suspicion you probably did!!  










:happydance:


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## Brighteyes

1/3

The weather here is horrible. 20 degrees at night and windy. I'm sure all you northerners are laughing, but it's quite cold to someone who isn't use to such temperatures. Kitty seems fine with it; she has a thick winter coat. BG has no winter coat (she doesn't grow one for some reason) and is starting to loose the "winter 30" as I call it. She drops 30 to 50 pounds during January and February. I've been keeping her blanketed and increasing her feed. :? She already has 24/7 round bale access. I can't think of anything else I can do.

But this post isn't so much about that as it is about my first attempt at clicker training. I started with my dog:










This is Mushroom, my five-or-six-year-old pit bull cross. She's a sweet girl and quite smart. Also, very food motivated. I thought she'd respond well to clicker training. 

I bought a book -- _Reaching the Animal Mind_ by Karen Pryor --, a clicker, and some training treats. So it began.

I started with showing Mushroom the food to get her attention. She knows some tricks already, so she jumped and sat and rolled over and all. I ignored her. I wanted to teach her to go into her crate. I waited until she calmed down, got bored, and took a step in the direction of her crate. Click. Treat. 

It was a coincidence, but clicker training is built on coincidence. Several more times Mushroom took "accidental" steps toward her crate. Click, treat. She caught on soon after and starting making very purposeful steps toward the crate. Suddenly, the light bulb when off in her head and she trotted right up to the crate. Click. Lots of treats. Next attempt, she entered her crate. 

I attached a cue to the action. "Kennel!" Mushroom easily connected the cue and the action of entering her crate. Well, that was easy.

To make it harder, I also taught her to leave my room. I waited for accidental steps toward my door. In the same manner as entering the crate, I taught her to leave my room. "Go away!"

I'm going to use this method to trick train Kitty, and also for more mundane things. I bet I could teach BG to stand still while tied in the stall, to park out, and free jump -- all areas where "traditional training" hasn't yielded much success.


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## Wallaby

1. I could not love it more that your dog is named Mushroom. It fits my perception of who you "are" SO well. And it makes me laugh so hard. <3 It's kinda the best. 

2. I'm so glad you bought that book!!! Do you love it? I'm actually rereading my copy right now too. Probably one of my more favorite books ever.


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## Brighteyes

She looks like a Mushroom though, doesn't she? :lol: I saw her, and I was like, "This is Mushroom, and she shall be my dog." 

I LOVE the book. I'm only half way through and am finding time to read more nightly. I can't wait to try this stuff out on the horses. :happydance:It's gonna be really cool.


I also have sort of an update for today. 

Today, I started looking for a job. A new one for when I move to college, because my dad has made it clear he isn't supporting my horses once I leave. I had before me a list of Alabama friends who own businesses, and I started calling. My first try was a winner -- Keri, the lady who I hitched a ride with to Ride the Edge last year. She owns a vet clinic. She needs help over the summer at the clinic, which is in Columbus, Georgia, around 30 minutes from Auburn. The job's mine if I want it, and I'd start June 1st.


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## Brighteyes

As you guys can see... The law is upon me.  Technically, you aren't allowed to have but one journal in the horseforum journal section. I have four-- one for every year. Because of my disregard for the rules, my threads (all four of them) have been merged. This makes me very... Uncomfortable. I like the shake the dust of my past yearly by starting a whole new thread. I don't feel... Right... Posting in this super-massive-black-hole thread. Especially since the title is now the original title of my first journal. The titles of my journals are very important (each one is a reference to a song) and not seeing this year's song when I'm posting about this year... I just can't. This journal is very important to me, so I think I'm going to move the journal to a new host site.

However, all my horseforum friends are also very important to me... Would you guys still read my posts if I posted on a new site? I would still be on horseforum, but the journal would not be. 

I'm probably going to move the journal to tumblr. Which could be very fun.


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## Wallaby

hahaha your 4 year journal's "black hole"-level length=my 1.5 year long journal. :rofl: :rofl:

But yes, I'd follow you on Tumblr! You should definitely get Tumblr. I have one, it would be easy for me to keep up. :lol:
The one bummer about tumblr is the inability to respond to posts like we do here..but if you turn on the "ask me anything" button, there's an option to "name" the button and you can turn it into a way for people to [though not publicly] respond to your posts. 
Also, I'm prettty sure blog links aren't allowed of the HoFo, except for in your signature, so be careful of that one.


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## Brighteyes

It's not even the length so much as it's all squashed together. :shock: Like a sandwich of confusion. It loses some of its meaning all sandwiched together... 

I'm currently trying to figure out tumblr. Can you PM me a link to yours so I can "follow" you? (I think that's what it means. "Follow" = subscribe, sort of?)

If I did host the journal on tumblr, it probably would be just the journal anymore. It would be a lot of random stuff, which a tag particularly for the journal.

(How does everyone feel about that?)


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## Wallaby

Sure! Mine is just a chronicle of my adventures using public transit so it's a departure from the Tumblr "norm" but my friends were clamoring for a blog and Tumblr seemed easiest. haha

I thiiiiink you could probably even make two "blogs" [I haven't tried it but there's a "manage your blogs" tab..implying that multiples on the same account are possible? haha], one for the journal and one for other stuff, to keep them separate if you wanted. That might be nice for the more un-Tumblr-initiated followers. 
[also, selfishly, I don't understand hashtags+Tumblr..I'd get confused. :rofl: ] 

I'll send you that PM!  Follow away!


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## Brighteyes

My sister said there is a way to make a "tags list" or something, so I can make a page with links to all my tags to keep you people straight. :lol: Or something. This will be a grand experiment.

Tumblr seems pretty easy. It's a nice multimedia platform. I can post videos, pictures, text, audio... It may actually be a more interesting way to journal?


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## Brighteyes

It's official, my friends. The journal has moved! Follow the link in my signature (Run Pretty Far) for it's new home. The new!journal will be a lot more multimedia. Like an electronic scrap book. Video, audio, pictures, and good 'ol writing. To comment on stuff, just click the "Talk to Me!" link at the top of the page and comment. Leave your name so I know you're from HorseForum. :wink: We'll see how this works out.


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## SoldOnGaited

Brighteyes said:


> It's official, my friends. The journal has moved! Follow the link in my signature (Run Pretty Far) for it's new home. The new!journal will be a lot more multimedia. Like an electronic scrap book. Video, audio, pictures, and good 'ol writing. To comment on stuff, just click the "Talk to Me!" link at the top of the page and comment. Leave your name so I know you're from HorseForum. :wink: We'll see how this works out.


Wow, I just read what happened to your journal. That's a huge bummer mashing them all together. I got an email notice from HF that there was a reply to your thread but the name listed threw me off...I didn't remember that title LOL. Now I understand what happened. 

I don't have a Tumblr account but am definitely going to sign up just to read your blog and keep up. Your stories have been so entertaining and inspiring and I can't believe that it's already been 1.5 years since I started reading them. Time really does fly when you're having fun! 

Biggest, bestest wishes to you, Baby Girl and Kitty for all the things you need to stay together. Be it job, money, school, competitions, lodging, what have you, I send hearty amounts of good will and love for your endeavors. You are a miraculous girl and deserve to give yourself some of the credit you douse onto your horses. They wouldn't be who they are if not for you! I sometimes can't help but feel like a proud mama reading about your successes, trials and errors. Good or bad, you come out tougher, stronger and wiser. Tough cookie that you are...you're a pretty bad beotch yourself! :lol: :clap: :thumbsup:

Here's to the *BEST* 2014 there can be!


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## Brighteyes

Awwwww! <33333 Thank you so much! That's one of the sweetest things anyone's ever said to me.

And a happy 2014 to you as well! 

If you have any trouble with tumblr, just PM me here or whatever you need to do. I absolutely don't want to lose your support, and it's a huge comfort to know someone who cares is reading my posts.


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## Brighteyes

Soooo... It's been almost a month since the journal moved. Anyone having any troubles? Comments? Complaints?


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## prairiewindlady

Brighteyes said:


> Soooo... It's been almost a month since the journal moved. Anyone having any troubles? Comments? Complaints?


I can't really comment on your tumblr journal but have been following along and enjoying your photos
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Brighteyes

Cool!  Thanks!

You can comment if you just click the "Talk to me!" tab at the top of the page. You have to comment "anonymously" since you don't have an account, but you can always just sign your name at the bottom. :wink:

I have to say, the downside of tumblr is not being able to communicate with y'all like I could on the forum here.


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