# An Unfortunate Series of Events with Pepper



## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Hello everyone! Being the only horsey person in my family and most of my friends, I don't get to talk much about my horse - and when I do people tend to not care  So I'm going to talk all I want here instead. I also have an issue where once I start talking about my horse, I can't stop. So this first post especially is just unnecessarily long.

My name is Charlotte, I'm in high school and I (am trying to) do hunters with my mare Pepper. Pepper is a 14 year old AQH/Arab (quarab). 

I bought Pepper from my old trainer, who had her since she was 2 years old and broke her herself. Nobody at my barn rode Pepper because she was "crazy" (can confirm ). Somehow despite trying to sell her multiple times, my trainer always ended up taking her back because they didn't like her. I had always wanted to ride Pepper, but my trainer said no every time I asked. I did get to brush her a handful of times, and I had somehow fallen in love with her. 

Before I started riding her, I was riding a push button lesson horse and was honestly bored out of my mind. Therefore, we were going to move to a different barn where I could get new experience. However, in a desperate attempt to keep us around, my trainer offered to let me ride Pepper, and that was the start of a new chapter filled with joy, laughter, along with blood and tears (lots of them). I started riding her in January of 2014.

I was the first person to ride Pepper in who knows how long, so we spent much time in the round pen, building up our confidence together. Eventually, we were jumping about the same height I had been on my lesson horse (2'3" or so). However, we did not get there easily. Pepper was the master of running out of jumps, which I had very little experience with. My new trainer has told me I've stayed on when she probably would have fallen off. Yet I still manage to fall off a lot, generally I fall when I shouldn't and manage to stay on when I should fall. I remember vividly, the first summer camp at the barn when I was riding Pepper, I fell off three times in one day - on the same jump. The first two times, Pepper did a nasty runout right before the jump, sending me flying the other direction. The third time, I was prepared! But the saddle wasn't. While I stayed on, the saddle had slipped some, spooking Pepper, and leaving me hanging on for dear life and she galloped around the ring. I ended up falling and was just really mad, because all I wanted to do was jump the jump. I remember laying on the ground in defeat as Pepper continued to gallop like a madman. 

Afterwards, I learned that her teeth needed to be done and I, being the not best rider, was pulling on her mouth over the jump and causing her pain. That was the first day of camp, and I rode a different horse the rest of the week.

That was probably the worst day, but I refused to give up on her. Since, there have been countless refusals, runouts, panic attacks, spooking, tears, blood, falls, you name it. 

In August of 2014, I wanted to start showing on an IEA team, so I split my time between my old trainer and Pepper, and the IEA team at the barn I'm actually at now (not on IEA, but I do have Pepper here with me!). This made my old trainer mad, and she sold Pepper from me. (At the time I didn't realize that was why she sold Pepper, but I know now. She was a good person who made some very bad choices.) I was devastated.

However, like I said before, nobody ever kept Pepper for very long, so she ended up back at the barn. My old trainer did not want her there, however, and was trying to do anything to sell her. My mom ended up buying Pepper for me as a late birthday present. I learned the news on November 13th, 2014. She thinks I'm crazy for having this date memorized, but hey, horse people are crazy, right? 

We lived our lives (with lots of panic attacks and tears. I've learned that I'm actually terrified of jumping horses, but I refuse to let that get in my way. I've been put on anxiety medicine since lol!) until the day after this past Christmas (dec'17). We got a call from my trainers mother saying she had been caught doing illegal things and was being put into rehab. I have no idea where she's at now or what she's doing, but I hope she's doing well.

We moved Pepper to the barn we're at now, which is now having issues of its own. Read this post for more information on that : http://www.horseforum.com/horse-boarding/boarding-situation-very-long-post-sorry-790503/

So, back to the present. 

I went to visit Pepper yesterday, and it was... interesting to say the least. It started with me finding out that her pasture-mate has been biting her poor booty, as she's got bite marks all over it. I've also been having issues tying her as she does not stand if she's on grass and she spooks super easily when she's tied. I don't want to tie her to the fence in case she spooks and breaks something, so I tied her very loosely around a post inside her pasture (at least that way if she gets loose she's still in the pasture), which worked well until her pasture-mate came over and started biting her. I ran her away long enough for me to get Pepper, only to realize I forgot one half-chap inside the pasture-boarders tack shed which was a long enough walk that I didn't feel comfortable leaving Pepper by herself, so I took her with me. Once I got there, I had no choice but to tie her to the fence for like 30 seconds while I put on my half-chap. I just looped her lead around the fence post, hoping the pressure would be enough to make her think she was tied long enough for me to put on one half-chap.

Well, because this is how my life goes  she managed to spook at a blue bag (the dreaded plastic bags) before I could even get my half-chap zipped. I looked outside to find her taking a leisurely canter down the path back to her pasture. I sighed and walked after her, still with only with one half-chap on and brought her back up, where I held her and put on my half-chap, before walking her across the street to the covered arena. 

She tried to run me over like five times, so I closed the arena gate and took her bridle off to free lunge her a bit, trying to get some energy out. She took off cantering, only to stop at the other end of the arena where a bit of grass was sneaking through the fence. 

I got on her and she took off cantering with her head down, bucking. I let her run some energy out before we did some actual work on transitions. She behaved pretty well after that. 

Anyways, tomorrow I have to leave school early and hold her while she gets shod because last time the farrier came she tried to kill everyone (see link above for details). So, I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow. Hopefully nobody dies or gets hurt lol

Moral of my horse journey so far:

Flicka is a lie. It takes long, hard work to ride/train a horse. When I first started riding Pepper, I honestly thought it would be a miracle thing where she misbehaved for everyone but me and I was some sort of horse whisperer and yeah.

Now we're at the point where nobody else can ride her, and I can barely ride her. On my first lesson with my new trainer, she got on Pepper and her first words were "this is worse than I thought".

Also, I know it's not good that she misbehaves for everyone but me, but we're taking baby steps.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

So the farrier went great! 

Pepper's been pretty easy to catch lately too. I don't remember if I wrote about this in my original post (I think I did) but she was so difficult to catch that it took like four people one time. I fixed this by free lunging her around the pasture and making her work if she didn't come to me. Now, it only takes one or two times of "sending her away" so to speak and making her work before she'll come to me. Today it was only one, and she ran to the gate. 

Back to the farrier - I was super worried about today. At first, she was super jumpy (and I've also realized that the farrier isn't very careful with his stuff... he kept dragging things and just making loud sounds. You'd think after working with horses for so long he'd learn that some are more spooky than others, but whatever), but she soon calmed down and let him do her feet with no issues! I think the main thing was she was facing outside, so even though she wasn't actually outside, she could see out. 

The walk back to her pasture was nice too. When it's not a bazillion degrees out, it's actually a pretty nice little stroll. 

Oh, she also stood and let me pick her feet out without me holding her before the farrier was ready for her. I tried to make her clean as possible, which was difficult since it's been raining for literally two and a half weeks straight and my horse lives in the pasture, but she stood fine. 

Anyways, it was a good day!


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

She sounds like quite the character.... 


She sounds like a fun, challenging horse. Enjoy her!


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I went back and read your situation with the boarding. I agree with everything said, but want you to keep in mind that unless you get real lucky, every boarding situation will be a trade off. The situation you are in is bad, get out right away. Clean fresh water and no wasps is a deal breaker. But the most important part of horses is that you enjoy them. Your mare sounds challenging, but you love her and that is what will get you to improve your horsemanship. 

Also, if and when you ever get to the point of keeping your horse in your back yard you will truly appreciate it. It's a whole different level of connecting with your horse.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

*I ramble really bad, sorry!*

So today was terrible. Pepper was great, but I was not. 

I decided to tie her to the fence like I was at first, and just giving her enough lead to graze. I hate doing this, especially with all the flies, because I'm scared she'll get her hoof caught and get hurt, but I didn't really have another choice. I looped the lead around the fence post so that if something did happen she could get loose. Luckily everything was fine. I tacked her up and started off towards the arena.

When I got to the arena I realized I forgot her bridle! At my old barn, my trainer never wanted us to put the bridle on until we were in the arena, because it was safer to lead them in a halter so that the bit wouldn't hurt them if something happened. I don't know the validity of this statement, but I always feel better about leading her in a halter. Since this is engrained as a habit, I forgot to put her bridle on beforehand, and somehow managed to forget it all together. 

Anyways, _the wasps are still there_. I got Pepper's bridle, but as I was leaving a Lowe's Hardware truck pulled up in the BO's driveway, which is right beside the tack shed. Pepper spooked at this, which I don't blame her for at all because we were around the corner and couldn't see it until it was right at us. (It wasn't actually that near us, neither of us were in any danger of it hitting us or anything, but a big truck coming out of nowhere would've probably scared me too.) 

I wasn't prepared for this, so I tripped backwards into the door of the shed... where the wasps are. One got on the back of my neck and I about had a heart attack. I went to smack it as it stung my back, and then it stung my finger as I smacked it. Fun times. Anyways, in this act of self-defense against the wasp, I ended up falling on the ground as Pepper was backing away as quickly as possible, dragging me with her. (Side note: This is a great example of why I don't like to lead in bridles. If that happened with a bit, it could've cut her bad.) 

All of this while the Lowe's people and the BO's husband were watching. Apparently, they didn't care to see if I was okay, because they just kept talking.

Anyways, that happened and I walked across the street to the arena and barn to go tell whoever was there about the wasps. 

On my way there, one of those tiny roadrunner-looking birds (Brown Thrasher? I'm a horse person, not a bird person lol!) had made a nest at the outdoor arena fence and proceeded to run after me and Pepper. Looking back, this is pretty hilarious, but Pepper thought she was about to die. 

Finally, I told someone about the wasps, got my horse's bridle on, and mounted. 

Pepper was rocking it today. She did whatever I asked of her. Including stopping before the jump. Which I asked because I got scared. It was the tiniest jump ever, but for some reason, my brain would not allow me to allow Pepper over it. The second time, I honestly just got into the worst two-point ever and hoped she'd decide to jump it. Being the great horse she was today, she hopped right on over it. 

Generally, getting over it once is enough, but my anxiety was not having it. We did this like three more times, me riding like a literal potato and not giving her any guidance before I realized we were accomplishing nothing. I dismounted and chose to do some lunging instead. I set up a tiny jump and lunged Pepper over it a few times. She was great, super lazy, but great. We did that for a few minutes before someone had to do their lesson and I left. 

So again, Pepper was such a good girl. Sometimes when I get nervous it makes her nervous, but today she seemed to be okay and decided to take care of me. It can be hard with her sometimes, because I actually have to ride her. As in, she will not go over the jump if I don't stay alert and tell her to. But today she allowed me to be an awful rider and still do what she was supposed to. 

The wasps were still mad when I went to put my tack up, so I had a fun ten-minute fight with my brain to let me put my saddle up. Although, in my defense, there was one wasp that kept flying around instead of just staying put. I nearlt had a panic attack because I couldn't just leave my stuff on the ground. I would've just taken it with me but I still had to go inside and get my keys and lock the door back. 


So yeah, Pepper was perfect and I was a potato, but it's fine lol.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

This wasp thing is out of control. Hope you can get out of there soon.


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## ThoroughbredBug (Jan 18, 2017)

"Flicka is a lie." haha ohhhhmygosh I died at this. Honestly though if you can stick it out it sounds like she'll teach you a *lot.* 

My first horse was a royal pain the first solid year I had him, and he still has his moments if I'm going to be completely honest. But he's 10 now and I've had him a little over 4 years I think, so we've learned to deal with each other when things get sticky. But the first 90 days I had him was technically trial (he came from a very lovely ottb rescuer), and I _cant count_ the number of times I had a "he's such a pain I should send him back..." moment. Even the next few months after trial I considered just getting him in shape, and getting weight on him, then selling him... But here we are. I'm glad I didn't.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Wasps are still there. I came to ride after a nice relaxing day (also I remembered my anxiety medicine this morning so that there would be no panic over jumping) but there are even more wasps on the wasp nest than there were yesterday so I just closed the shed and said nope! Currently just chilling and letting Pepper graze. She is a firm believer of the grass being greener on the other side so I figured I would just let her eat some. There is one good thing about the pasture board here - it’s super peaceful. The main barn is usually full of people and there’s always at least one person there. But I never see anyone over here so I can just chill in peace! 

I don’t know why I never see anyone else out here. There are ten horses out here. Two per pasture and five pastures. I don’t know who owns them. I know my horse’s pasturemate isn’t owned by the barn. I don’t know who owns her though. 

Enjoy this picture of her stuffing her face with grass while watching the cows


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## Mewlie (Apr 14, 2017)

I personally would get some wasp spray and nail that sucker. Waiting around for others to take care of it - who most likely won't - would drive me nuts.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

^^ That's what I ended up doing. I told both the BO and the second-in-command (I don't know what her real title is, but she's the second trainer and works closely with BO a lot) and both said they get to it and never did. I understand they're busy, but there's always a stablehand around who could've gotten it on their way to feed the pasture horses. I just sprayed it with some Raid. I hope they don't come back. There were still some wasps around but maybe since their nest is gone they'll leave for good.

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Anyways, I went to the barn today determined to not be scared today since I didn't get to fix it yesterday. I only jumped two different jumps because I was nervous about the others and didn't have time to work through my nerves in a positive way because the other trainer had to use the arena for a little kid's lesson. I didn't want to bother them in their lesson. 

Six months ago at this time, I had some odd fear of cantering or trotting up to jumps without starting directly in front of them. My mare can be cheeky and likes to run out of jumps, so coming to them from around a corner where I might not be able to get her perfectly lined up was terrifying. It was like my brain couldn't do it all - turn, stay in position, pay attention to the jump, etc. So I always came up to the jump from a walk or stopped in front of it (not like right in front of it, I was far enough away to get a canter - although usually not a steady one if she started quickly). 

Today, we cantered up to the jump like it was nothing and we could start cantering from anywhere in the arena. 

I fell off a few weeks ago on one jump that I'm super wary about. I didn't jump that one today, but there's only two (and sometimes three depending on the day) that don't make me anxious. Two of them I have reasons, although they're kinda stupid lol. The first is that jump that I fell off on, and the second is one that has haybales underneath it so it's kinda like an oxer.

But today was good! I feel good about what we did, even though it wasn't much. I have an exam tomorrow so I don't know if I'll be going tomorrow, but if so I'll post about whatever we do. 

She's wearing a fly mask for the first time because the flies here are awful. I've never seen so many flies. Hopefully, she doesn't destroy it :lol: We'll see how long it lasts.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Went to the barn early-ish this morning (it was a nice 70 degrees vs the upper 80s it has been lately!). By some miracle, Pepper kept her fly mask on AND it was still intact! I was thoroughly surprised. 

Pepper still refuses to stand still. I also have yet to figure out where to tie her that works best. I'm thinking by her pasture because when she got loose that's where she went, so she probably wouldn't go too far. The only issue with that (well, there's two actually) is 1) the tack shed is kinda far away (and uphill and around a corner so I cannot see her when I'm up there) so if I need something that I don't have it's super inconvenient to get and 2) her pasture-mate likes to mess with my stuff and Pepper. The second one isn't as big as a deal because I can just move my stuff or shoo the other horse away, but it's still not ideal. 

I'm at a loss for what to do. I can get my tack locker in the big barn back for extra costs, but stall boarders get priority over them, so I'd probably end up getting evicted back to the shed at some point anyways, and there's still not really anywhere for her to be tied. I'm not supposed to tie her to another horse's stall and she doesn't stand in cross ties very well. She doesn't like her head to be restricted from both sides.

All this has been so far is me complaining, but she's really a great horse besides a few things, but no horse is perfect. Pepper's big thing is standing still. She doesn't do it. She also spooks herself if she's tied to a fence or something, and I'm not about to break something here. I feel like it would cost a bazillion dollars to replace anything :lol: 

I had originally planned to work on jumping today, but lessons were going on in both arenas and we're not really supposed to ride in the third one because the footing is bad. However, the third arena is literally two steps away from the pasture boarders, so maybe I should consider trying to get permission when it's not too wet. (Now I'm wondering if I could use it for some liberty and play time... we've only had one liberty/bonding/whatever day in the past few months...) I have ADD in case you couldn't tell lol!

Both lessons were little kids so I didn't want to get in their way, so we did some flat work. I learned that even walking can be hard work if you make it! My trainer taught me about bending a few months back, and I kinda put that lesson on the back burner, but decided to do some more today. We did a lot of walking and bending around corners, and I could see her 'remembering' as we progressed. At the end, the poor flies were getting to her and neither of us were getting anything done because she kept kicking at flies and shaking her head. Trotting was a little more difficult because I have to keep her steady while also trying to keep an inside bend. She's still learning, because she confuses me putting pressure with my leg to bend her as a cue to trot. We're getting there though! 

Wasps are gone, except sometimes a single one will be flying around. It scared the crap outta me when I was putting my stuff up. Oops! Now, we're dealing with ants!! Honestly, I prefer ants over wasps. Ants don't give me panic attacks! But apparently I did not store my treats very well, because they were ant infested and I had to throw them all out. Lovely.

Anyways, besides not standing still and being a little forward today, Pepper was good. I went by a local feed store and got some new fly spray and some hoof oil. She's lived in a stall all of her life, with plenty of pasture time at our old barn, but still stall time, so her feet were cracking a little. I'm going to go play with her tomorrow (probably no riding, just some TLC!).


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

What about a folding cart? They are in the camping section and under $50. You could stop by the shed, put your tack and stuff in it, then wheel it out to the pasture and tie her to the fence post. 

Looks like this 

https://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/...+Furniture&utm_term=107878542&utm_source=bing


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

You also might want to think about teaching her to ground tie. Some horses that do not like to be tied learn it easily, but even if she doesn't it will be another thing you can work on with this horse.


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## Dragoon (Nov 25, 2013)

Hiya
I ride an OTTB that had huge issues with the cross ties. HUGE. 
She had problems with being handled, period. 
I got around it by only attaching ONE tie, not two. And just let her circle. She was tied, but could move her feet. 
Since she gets amped up very easily, I decided to just ignore her circling, instead of trying to punish and correct her position constantly. I would keep brushing her, following her movements. Her circling did NOT get her escape from the brush. (she hates brushing). She gave up eventually. 
Now she waits for the crosstie to go on, then circles around to face the opposite direction. Where she will stand still as a stone while I brush body, mane, tail and do feet. Its not perfect, but I have a relaxed TB. 
After a ride, I do insist on facing the 'correct' direction and letting me attach two ties. Then I'll take the saddle off. After a long time of doing it this way, she still is very tense about having two ties. 
But letting her face the other way? She drops her head and cocks one hip. 

Maybe you could also compromise with Pepper? One tie and let her stand where she is comfortable...


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Haven't done much with Pepper lately, mainly due to the heat. 

There's a lady that used to board and ride where I did with Pepper before we were all kicked out due to my old trainer's personal issues... we still keep in touch, and she offered to let me come help her with her horses.

Where she keeps her horses is where I've been thinking about moving Pepper to, but I was told that you cannot ride without someone else there (and the arena is kinda tiny), which makes it nearly impossible for me to ever ride. Nobody in my family cares about horses, so they never come with me, and I only have one friend who rides, but I'd feel bad asking her every time I ride, especially since she wouldn't have a horse to ride. 

So I went to see Pepper today, gave her a nice brushing with lots of love, grabbed my saddle and helmet, and headed over to the other barn. I'm going to be helping her 'train' a mare she 'inherited' from our old trainer. The mare is broken and knows what to do, so I'm not really training her, but she's out of shape and very, very forward. The 'inherit' part is because my old trainer owes her so much money that the old trainer's mother gave her this mare to try and make up for it. 

I've ridden this mare before at the old barn, and I don't know what happened since then, because she was nowhere near as misbehaved then as she was today. Last time I rode her, I rode bareback, then saddled her the next day and was out in the arena jumping her around. Today, we didn't do anything but walk and trot because she was running around. 

I don't think I'm going to be truly happy at any barn unless it was in my backyard and I had plenty of money to make it how I wanted :lol: So, I'm probably just going to stay where I'm at. Someone actually got rid of the wasps entirely. When I sprayed them, the nest itself was still there, and today it was completely gone, so that's good. 

I have to babysit my brother everyday, so I'm going to the barn earlier tomorrow so that I have time to actually ride Pepper, then I'm going back to the other barn to work with the other mare. I'm trying to keep actual people's names out of this, but the mare I'm going to be working with, her name is Anya. She's super sweet, but has a lot of spunk!

It's super not hot today, so honestly, I might actually go back out to ride Pepper today when my mom gets home to watch my brother... Today's high is over 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the week.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I went to ride Anya again this morning. I free-lunged her first, and she was fine. She joins up and everything! I was excited to ride, hoping maybe we'd get something done, but I got on her and it was no different than yesterday. I'm hoping with some time and effort, she'll eventually slow down.

I also tried to canter, which went not very good 

She has a wonderful canter, but she does not stop. I used to have issues with my mare taking off and cantering like a madman, but her canter was out of control, fast, and scary for me. Anya was cantering at a good pace, maybe a little fast, but certainly not out of control or scary, but then she wouldn't stop cantering. No amount of rein pulling or sitting deep did anything, so I ended up doing a one rein stop! She doesn't seem to understand rein commands. Next time I go, I might experiment with no reins and seeing if she'll listen to my body. 

Right now, she'll basically take the bit and run through it. Her owner suggested a different bit, but I really prefer to not use harsh things if possible. I hate the bit I use on my mare, but my trainer told me to use it and I don't have a different one. She's much better than she was when I was told that, so maybe now I can graduate to a less severe one. 

I have her in a full-cheek corkscrew right now, and I just feel really bad putting it in her mouth! She's never shown much dislike towards it, but I still feel like it's not right. I also refuse to wear spurs. I'll carry a crop all day, because I can drop that if things go awry, but spurs are attached to my feet.

Anyways, tomorrow I know I'm riding Pepper. I think I'm going back to work with Anya, but I'm not entirely sure yet.


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

I've enjoyed reading your journal. 

As for the steering and stopping without reins, it's a great exercise to do! Just make sure you still have the reins on the horse so you can pick them up if needed, and do it all at the walk first! This is a fun thing to do with any horse, so you can try it with Pepper too even if you don't ride Anya again soon. It will really show you how much you and your horse depend on the reins


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Yesterday, I rode Pepper early and then went to ride Anya as well. I did end up using the corkscrew on Anya. She worked better in it but definitely did not like it. There was lots of head tossing! 

On my ride with Pepper, we worked on confidence over jumps. Apparently, there had been a show this past weekend (ngl, I'm a little irritated that this information wasn't relayed to me... but whatever) so the jumps were set up differently than usual. This was good for me though, because there was a line of crossrails along the outside, a line of verticals on the other outside, and two singles along the diagonals. I jumped the crossrail line multiple times, with no issues. Well, Pepper plodded up to one, stopped in front of it, then threw herself over it, very dramatic! But that was my fault for not having enough momentum, but it shows how much more confident we've gotten in ourselves. It used to be that if the situation wasn't perfect, she would not go over it.

After that, I wanted to jump the vertical single, but it looked scary. I didn't want to mess anything up by attempting and failing (even though I'm 95% sure Pepper would've jumped it), so I opted to put the jump down to the lowest hole. And of course, she jumped it fine. I jumped that a few more times before raising it back to its original height which may have been only 2' but it looked huge at the time and jumped it fine! We then took a nice stroll back to her pasture, where I attempted to put sunscreen on her pink nose... that never goes well. She will not let you rub things on her nose. You can pet it, but if you try to rub it, she goes back and sometimes does a tiny rear. It took longer than I would've liked for it to, but I eventually got the sunscreen rubbed in.

After all this, I ended up being 30 minutes late to ride Anya, but it was fine because there was a lesson going on anyways. While the trainer was okay with me joining, I opted to wait because I'm not quite comfortable riding Anya with other people around (except her owner, because I know the owner's other horse very well and he's basically bombproof). My old trainer used to yell at me because Pepper would run around uncontrollably and it was dangerous to the other people, so I don't like to ride with other people that I don't know. 

Looking back, she had riders jumping 3' in the same 'lesson' with beginners who didn't know how to trot so that was dangerous enough on it's own, let alone with me not being able to control a galloping pony! (I'm literally so glad that's not an issue anymore I can't even explain it)

I could literally rant for days about my old trainer. She was a good person who made terrible decisions. 

Anyways, back to Anya! 

I hopped on Anya with the corkscrew bit, and eventually, she began to listen. It was a fairly short ride because I was exhausted, so once I got the trot I was looking for, I let her stop.

I didn't get to try the reinless thing because I needed an empty arena for that, and her owner was in there. 

Just for fun, I also popped her over a tiny caveletti. Thankfully, she stopped when I asked afterward. Jumping will be an entire other obstacle when we get there. She takes the bit in front of the jump and barrels towards it. My old trainer (the one who owned Anya before) said it was just how she jumped and that you just had to go with her, but it's quite obsessive and not very safe if someone who didn't know what they were doing got on her. (Not that I know what I'm doing either lol!) 

Also, I'm a very vocal rider. The entire time I was riding, I was talking to her, like I was trying to explain what she was supposed to do! I also squealed over the jump because it took me by surprise (I do that a lot. Like, a lot.)

But anyways, I think yesterday was very successful! I took today off from riding and I'm taking the weekend off from Anya, just because her owner isn't going to be there until Monday.

Sorry if the formatting on this is weird, I think I clicked a button or something and it did something... or something :lol:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Yesterday was very unmotivating for me with both mares, but mostly Pepper.

Anxiety is awful. Arena was the same set-up except one of the crossrails was a vertical. I worked on just the crossrail and besides being lazy Pepper was fine. I cantered around to jump the line with the vertical first. I honestly don't know what happened, but I think Pepper stopped and then threw herself over it, because she's lazy as all get out sometimes xd. For some reason, it scared the crap out of me, and I was just all out of whack. I don't know why it bothered me so much, and honestly, even like two minutes after I couldn't pinpoint what actually happened to scare me. I think I had a tiny panic attack at that moment (if that's even a thing) and just forgot. I remember jumping the vertical and then jumping the crossrail. Who knows. My brain is strange.

Anyways, we strolled around the arena so I could put my brain back on after whatever happened, then decided to try and jump the scary vertical we jumped the other day. 

You have to ride Pepper. I cannot just sit there and expect her to jump, which is what I was doing. Occasionally, we'll have good days where this works, but not today. She runs out if you don't explicitly tell her what to do. She's an amazing pony for someone who knows what they're doing, which was not me. She ran beside the jump twice, making me mad at myself. I popped her over the crossrail and got off. Days like these make me want to get an easier horse. But, I've had her for four years or so, it's too late to give up on us now. I don't think anything can actually make me want to sell her at this point. 

On that topic, I'm super scared about going off to college in a year. My mom says I'll have to sell Pepper, which I don't want to do. She's my first horse ever, so the thought of selling her is scary and super upsetting. I am so grateful for everything they do, and I can't ask them to pay for a horse on top of helping me pay for college. I still have a year to enjoy though, so enough of this talk!

Afterward was better. I untacked Pepper in the arena and let her run around, except she didn't run around and rolled in the arena footing haha. I ended up getting on bareback, using the halter and leadrope as a 'bridle' and walking around. It was relaxing!


Anya wasn't very good either. I'm pretty sure she's in pain, either in her mouth or her back (or both). She was trying to rear on me and kept throwing her head up and then down and knocking me off balance. She had her feet done today and I asked her owner to ask the farrier to check her teeth too.

I put her back in the bit she was in originally. I'm not sure of the exact name but it's a dee-ring with copper rollers on it. She stopped fighting me as bad, but was still fighting me. 

I rode Anya again today, in a martingale. I'm just experimenting with things to see what she responds to. She was much better today than yesterday, although I'm wary to work too much with her until I know she's not in pain. She was fine in the martingale and it stopped her from throwing her head up, but she still likes to throw it down. I think I'm going on Thursday and I'll try to video tape her working, so I can see from an outside perspective what's going on. I would've done it today, but her owner had a lesson and I'm not comfortable enough with the trainer to ask if it was okay. She tends to pull against my hands with her head sideways, which is one of the main reasons I think she's in pain. If she was just fighting downward I'd be more likely to think she's just being bratty, but since it's to the side it bothers me. It's also hard for me to stay balanced when she's bending like a snake! 

Since I'm not her owner, I'm not in charge of what type of vet care she gets, but I think she needs her teeth floated and to be checked by a chiropractor. Pepper changed significantly after a chiropractor visit and teeth floating! 

I'm not sure if I'll be going to ride Pepper tomorrow. I know I'm not riding Anya because I have an appt and won't be able to make it over there with her owner. It's just so hot where I live right now. I don't know how people who live closer to the equator live. I'm dying here :lol:

Here's a picture for giggles. I took a picture of her while on her back, and she's looking at me like "what are you _doing?_" :lol:

on a completely unrelated note I just exited all of my tabs by accident and nearly died thinking I had lost this post before I could actually post it. thankfully it was okay haha


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Horses keep us humble for a reason.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Haven't updated frequently because I've just been frustrated and unmotivated. 

Today, Pepper was supposed to be shod at 8:30(ish). (Currently 8:36 and I'm still at home...) I'm supposed to have a lesson on Anya at 9:30 at the other barn. My plan was to go groom Pepper and hold her for the farrier, then head over to the other barn to work with Anya. However, at 8:26, someone from the barn texted me and said "the farrier will be there at 9:30". I was already running late, so I hadn't left my house yet, but 5 minutes beforehand she decided to tell me the farrier was going to be an entire hour later than he was supposed to be?

I'm so done lol.

Before that, the whole boarding situation happened at Anya's barn. Today, I (hopefully) learn my fate about that. Whether the other girl chose to board or not. My plan if they did was to sell Pepper (other reasons are factoring into this, not just where I'm boarding, so don't yell at me please) and lease Anya until I go off to college. However, Anya's proving to be more troublesome than I had expected. I've learned my lesson about expecting a Flika/Black Beauty outcome from Pepper, so I would prefer to not go through that again. 

For example, I was free lunging her in the arena yesterday, when she decided she was done and jumped out of the arena to go eat grass. Scaled a 4'6" fence like it was a pole, then happily trotted through the barn, to the other side where there was a nice area of grass. I was kinda in shock. I was planning on training her to be a hunter, but now I'm thinking she'd be a better show jumper, or even an eventer! Confession though, I was so much in shock that I just led her back into the arena, gathered our stuff, left, and showered her. I should've made her work more, but I was scared of her jumping out again and hurting herself. 

So, I've come to the conclusion that this horse is way too much for me to do by myself and am planning to start taking lessons with the english trainer at the barn so that I can have some guidance, because I don't know what I'm doing!

Going back to the barn thing, I think my one major 'turn off' (for lack of a better word i can think of) for a barn is inconsistency. My old trainer would cancel lessons on the fly anywhere from an hour to fifteen minutes beforehand. Generally, cancellations for anything (dr appt, etc.) require a 24 hour notice, and I know that was a thing at that barn too. If you cancel less than 24 hrs before(without a valid reason obciously), you were supposed to be charged a late fee. That should apply to the owners too... give me a discount if you cancel! I'll even give you three hours before, but if I'm already ready to go and you cancel that makes me so mad.

The farrier will still be there after my lesson with Anya so I guess I'll just go afterwards.

Sorry for the rant-ness of this post. I figured this was a better place to post it than a new thread on one of the other forums.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Horses are not really good jumpers if you look at gazelles, for example. Since she was able to pop over that big fence, a career as a jumper is a sound choice. And since the jumper set usually doesn't care much about other stuff if the horse can jump that big she should do just fine.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

So, still have no idea about boarding because BO wasn't there this morning.

Finally got some professional input with Anya in a lesson this AM. I wasn't aware I was having a lesson until I got there. Her owner really, _really_ wants us to succeed together, so she said she'd pay for a lesson. I told her it was completely unnecessary because I can pay for it, but she insisted. It went pretty well. We worked on trotting instead of running over some poles and backing up. Took awhile, but she eventually was able to trot and stop when I asked. I still had to hold her back more than I like, but she listened to the transitions. 

It's a 'tradition' for me and the owner of Anya to go on trail rides after we ride. While we were out, we walked along the side of a pasture that I think would be a great candidate for a pasture boarder. While there's no shelter, there's a whole bunch of trees on one side of it that I think would provide adequate shelter. I know the BO doesn't really offer pasture board, but I was hoping I could work something out with her. Maybe this could be a temporary solution until a stall opens up. I just don't know the BO very well so I'm not sure if that would go as well as I hoped.

Anyways, after that the lady at the barn where Pepper is at that deals with the farrier stuff (but's not the farrier? I have no idea what she does, all I know is she texts everybody about what day their horse is scheduled) texted me and told me the farrier would be leaving sooner than they expected, so I had to get there quickly. Pepper was fine besides one little spook at the giant fan the farrier had set up. For working with horses, he doesn't seem to be very aware of the fact that some horses are more flighty/spooky than others. For example, he walked under Pepper's head (in between me holding her and her chest) with the foot holding tool (I know nothing about farrier-ing lol sorry!) instead of walking around me. I could just imagine so many ways that could've gone wrong. I never walk under Pepper. At my old barn, I used to walk under the horses a lot (under their neck, let me clarify that. I have never walked under a horse's stomach) but then Pepper started pulling back when being tied and I very quickly broke that habit. 

But still, I'm just kinda dumbfounded about everything that's going on at this barn lol. I mean, being as expensive and 'nice' as it is, you would think they would have more cautious workers and stuff.

Another example - they let two mares into Pepper and her pasturemate's pasture because they didn't have enough shade in theirs. Now, this alone isn't bad, but then the girl leading the horses walked off, not even bothering to watch how they reacted. I was in my car, about to leave, so hopefully they weren't expecting me to watch them. I watched for like three minutes to make sure they didn't immediately kill one another, but I had to leave so I hope they're fine now...

My mom's pushing me to sell Pepper already. I really don't want to. I only have one more year of 'freedom' so to speak since next year I'll be a senior in high school, so I'd like to spend it with a horse. I know I have Anya, but it's not the same because I don't have as much of a bond with her. But my mom is set on the idea of selling Pepper. gsdyufaiohfddsjaojdfsdgjidaf <- my frustration on the keyboard 

anyways, I hope you all have had a good day <3


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Apparently, the people looking at the stall never got back to BO at Anya's barn, so it's official: The stall is mine! 

We've made plans to move her on Sunday if everything goes as planned. I'm so happy this is figured out.

I've been super stressed lately. My mom had surgery on her foot yesterday, so I have to babysit both her and my brother next week while my dad's at work. I have senior pictures on Tuesday, along with getting my hair done pretty early beforehand. As soon as that's over, I'll be much more relaxed. I have some social anxiety, and situations where I don't really know what to expect are the worst, so I'm stressing over this whole picture thing.

Anya's gone lame. I noticed it when I was working her the day she jumped out of the arena, and I think jumping that high and landing on not-arena footing made it worse. We did walk-only work today because that's what the trainer said to do. She wasn't apparently lame at the walk, only at the trot. 

My old trainer always worked the horses through lameness because she didn't have enough horses for someone to ride a different one. One of the horses there was lame a lot of the time, and she always said he did it to get out of work. She'd tell us to keep him on the grass (the arena was not fancy, it was grass except there was a path worn down from where the horses worked in the circle the whole time). Now, he's doing much better (not lame) so...

All of that was to say, I may not have the best judgment calls when it comes to things. I probably would not have trotted Anya anyways, but I definitely didn't after the trainer told me not to. She said it was okay to do walk work and stuff so I did what she said.


Today, I was struggling to get Anya to back up. In my lesson the other day, the trainer had to push on her to back her up until she would do it with me asking only. Since I was not in a lesson, nobody could push on her to back her up. Her owner was riding her other horse, watching me, and told me to kick her. This seemed counter-intuitive to me. I always thought that kicking meant go forward. But today, I kicked her while pulling back and she backed up wonderfully. 

Anyways, it was a pretty good day.


However, I did remember something this afternoon that made me mad, and I felt the desire to rant about it, and what better place than my good ol' journal! 

Basically, back with my old trainer, one day she texted me saying she was going to be late for a lesson, and asked if I could help the little girl (I'd say ~7 y/o) tack up the pony (same one who was always lame). I willingly agreed because that's just who I am. Anyways, we got the pony tacked up and waited a few minutes before she texted me again saying she was going to be even later (who knows what she was doing...) and if I could just get the little girl on the pony and let her walk for a few minutes. A little irritated, I agreed again, mainly because I didn't want the little girl to get upset or anything that she wasn't riding. 

So, we walked. Then I get ANOTHER text. It's my trainer again, asking if I could just give the little girl a lesson because she wasn't going to make it in time. 

This little girl didn't know very much, so it was more of just an instructed pony ride with some trotting, (also I've never given a lesson a day in my life before) but I did it for the little girl and her parents. I apologized profusely in behalf of my trainer since she didn't really learn much, but they said it was okay because it wasn't my fault and the little girl still enjoyed herself. 

Anyways, they left the payment for the trainer, which I gave to the trainer because she asked for it once she actually got there (like 30 minutes after the end of the lesson). Didn't offer to pay me a penny of it, even though, IMO, I should've gotten half of it for giving the actual lesson. 

So anyways, sorry for the rant there. It just made me mad when I remembered it. 

Also, sorry for any spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes. I'm tired I guess because I'm having issues typing.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Congratulations! You have the most amusing journal title on HF. Here's an award for you:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

SueC said:


> Congratulations! You have the most amusing journal title on HF. Here's an award for you:



Hahah thank you!


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I'm super excited about moving Pepper tomorrow and I feel the need to post something even though I haven't done anything since my last post. I'll post a picture of Anya back in late December compared to Anya now. I think she looks much better, although we still have a looong way to go. I'd post a picture of Pepper but I don't have any recent ones without my face in them because I like taking selfies with her. I'll get some tomorrow. Maybe. If I remember.

Don't get onto me about not wearing a helmet. I can count on one hand the number of times I've hopped on a horse with no helmet. The only reason I wasn't wearing one is that the tack room was locked and the BO had removed the key. Same reason I'm riding her bareback in a halter.

Speaking of not wearing a helmet, I just remembered a fail from a show. Basically, I was running late for my class, so I tacked up the mare I was riding, got a leg up from a friend, and started to trot to the ring. I hear my trainer yelling at me saying "Charlotte! You forgot your helmet and your gloves!!" Sure enough, I forgot both! I hopped off immediately and ran back to the trailer to grab my helmet. I was so embarrassed because it was a biiig no-no to not wear a helmet at that show. 

Anyways, I'll update you all tomorrow. Also, I use a lot of the words "anyways", "also", and "so", so... sorry about that!

I hope everyone's day has been good. It's been less than 80 degrees all day today! This is the first time in like a month. Usually the high is at least 90. I hate heat!


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Oh definite improvement.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Today was the day! I was planning on bathing Pepper and making her all pretty for when she got to the new place, but there are giant wall fans (they're built into the wall) beside the wash pit (which is on the end of the barn). They were turned on and it was super loud, so Pepper said nope and refused to stand still. This was all before I even attempted to turn the water on. Plus, the barn helper was bringing horses in so she spooked when they walked in because she couldn't hear them coming over the fan. I didn't want to rile her up before we got on the trailer, so I just brushed her and let her graze.

While I was walking around to get her, I had a bad feeling. Nothing happened, but my it's like my gut feeling was telling me I was making a mistake. In order to get to her, I had to walk past all three arenas, filled with the fancy jumps they have (including some that were being built) and the pastures. But I don't need all the fanciness, because I'm just here to have fun. right?

I hate this feeling, but even if the new barn isn't as good as I want it to be, it's just until I leave for college. I can deal with whatever for the next year and a few months.

I'm worried about when school starts again. It's great right now because I get to hang out with Anya's owner, but she only comes in the mornings. This works right now because I'm not in school.

These are all things I should've thought about _before_ making a decision, but I didn't think about it until now. I guess I was too focused on the fact that if I didn't take this stall now, I wasn't going to get it at all.

But even before the stall was available, I wanted to board. 

I don't know what's happening in my brain lol. 

I kinda want my old trainer and barn back (minus the illegal things she did). Being there for nearly six years, I guess it's been a 'culture shock', in a way, to be somewhere different. I was super comfortable there, I knew all the rules and I had some great friends. Now I've been thrown into something completely new and uncomfortable and I have to adjust.

Ugh. Sorry for my incessant rambling. I'm just frustrated at my brain :lol:



Regardless, let me talk about the actual move. Pepper was not happy about going into a strange trailer. The only trailer she's ever been on was my old trainer's stock trailer. So, I feel she had a good reason to be scared of the more confinement of the trailer that the new BO has. It wasn't as bad as some horses. Took a few minutes of standing near the entrance, walking a circle, and then loading. Once she was ready, she walked right on in. 

Getting out was a different story. She had to be backed out, which I don't know if she's ever done. She refused to back up at first, then once her foot hit the ground she had a small panic about the fact that one foot was on a completely different level than the others. But, we got her out safely.

At the new barn, Anya's owner also owns a gelding named Comet. Comet is her main horse, she's trying to sell Anya which is why I'm working with her. We both came from the same barn situation with the old trainer, along with the three horses. Comet and Pepper were practically married lol! Comet saw Pepper and started calling for her. It was the best thing ever. I didn't immediately bring Pepper to see him, so I put her in the ring near his pasture. I was there for about two hours, and Comet didn't stop neighing the whole time. Near the end, the neighs were more spread out, but he was still doing it.

Pepper seemed to settle fine. She had a nice dusty roll in the arena sand before falling asleep standing. It was adorable. She's going to stay in the round pen for a few days for her turnout, so after I filled up the bucket of water for her in there, I took her out of the arena and let her sniff Comet (and Anya, but they didn't pay much attention to one another). Comet was thrilled to see her. He used to be a breeding stud (gelded for awhile now, but sometimes his old days come back to him :lol


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I went to the barn early to see Pepper. I was planning to free lunge her, expecting her to be kinda wild, but she was lazy! I was amazed. 

So, taking this opportunity, I tacked her up (she even stood like an angel! no moving at all!) and hopped on. 

I was still expecting her to be on her toes when I rode since a) she hasn't been ridden in probably two weeks (oops) and b) she had never been ridden in that arena before. But no, she was lazy. Like, seriously lazy. Almost defiant lazy. Usually she does what I ask, I just have to ask harder, but at one point, she decided she was done walking and just stopped. I had to turn her in circles until she decided to walk again.

Until Anya's owner got there. Her other horse, Comet, was Pepper's 'boyfriend' back at the first barn. They loved each other... sometimes a little too much. Even though they got to greet each other yesterday, once she saw him again she just lost her mind. She was prancing around with her head held high, and honestly, it kinda scared me. 

Comet's owner brought him to the arena where I was standing so that they could touch each other, and I wish she wouldn't have done that, because that's when she really lost her mind. I had to get off there because I was afraid that she would either run crazy to get to him or their greeting wouldn't go as planned and she'd start rearing.

Luckily, they saved the negative part of their greeting until I was dismounted lol. Pepper sniffed Comet and for whatever reason kicked her front hoof out and squealed. 

I'm pretty sure all this stress brought Pepper into season (or heat or whatever it's called) because she was all about Comet. I had to put her in her stall so that his owner could get him ready to ride. 

Anyways, I rode Anya after I dealt with Pepper, and Anya was great too. Still way too much forwardness, but there wasn't as much fighting in the trot today. I accidentally jumped her (she jumped a caveletti that she was supposed to walk over) and it wasn't a big deal. Last time I jumped her, (which was also accidentally) she took off around the arena and I had to do a one rein stop. I guess she got excited? I'm not sure.

I feel like with Anya, I need to make sure nothing's a big deal (unless she does something right). Her walk to trot transition isn't very smooth. It's like she has to completely change herself to trot (I don't know how to explain it), so it can be hard for me to ride it well enough for her to settle down. And if she doesn't start the trot well it's hard to get it nice without walking again. But today she was nice enough. We didn't trot much since she's been lame lately. Only for like two minutes. 

Then we went exploring on some trails. That was a lot of fun. I love trail riding! 

I notice patterns in my writing sometimes. For example, in this entry, I used a lot of parentheses. I don't know if I always use that many but whatever. 

Don't know how to end anything when it comes to writing so I hope you've all had a great day. Mine's been great!


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I've always had trouble writing, that's one reason I post here on this forum, it's great motivation.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

whisperbaby22 said:


> I've always had trouble writing, that's one reason I post here on this forum, it's great motivation.


I really enjoy writing stories, but often I find myself lost on what to write about. Or, I'll start a story and not have any idea where I'm going, so I get frustrated. I should pre-plan I guess to give me a plot, but I have a hard time with that too.

So, if I have a real-life situation to write about, maybe it will help me learn to gather my thoughts better and it can translate into writing stories. 

Thanks for your feedback!! <3


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I rode yesterday and today. Anya's owner wasn't there yesterday and there was a three-person lesson happening in the ring, but they're super laid back and welcomed me to come ride. I made sure I was extra careful to not get in the way. There's another girl my age who rides Comet so I got to meet her and she's really friendly. While I was riding, we were only supposed to canter one at a time since it was really dusty so I stayed in the middle with the ones not cantering. They let me have a canter, and Pepper made me look like a fool!

She had been super lazy, and I got a little scared to look like I didn't know how to make a horse canter, so when I asked her and she didn't canter, I reached back and popped her with the whip. Pepper argued with me about that by doing tiny bucks/crowhops/I have no idea what they actually were but she wasn't supposed to be doing them. Anyways, after she finished that I couldn't make her canter for more than a few strides... so yeah.

Then I went on a trail ride (super short trail around the barn and arena area) with the girl who rides Comet. I didn't realize this until today, but that was Pepper's first trail in the woods since probably August of last year, and she was perfect! She looked at some things, but no spooking and she walked past anything she thought was scary. I think Comet leading really helped her. Those two have some sort of strange bond. We haven't let them free together yet because the BO said to wait until she was more settled in, but sometime within the next two weeks, I'm hoping to let the three horses out together to play and graze.


I also rode today. After Pepper's odd behavior the past few days I was starting to get worried. I've been caught off guard by her super-laziness compared to her usual high-strungness that comes with new places. But today, she was back to usual self. Lazy, but still willing. I rode with Comet and his owner, so it went great. 

It's crazy to see how far this horse has come. Anyone who saw her at this time a little over a year ago would probably think she wasn't the same horse. Last year about this time, I was just so discouraged and stressed with her. She'd take off at an uncontrollable canter as soon as I even thought about jumping over something and I'd panic. I haven't panicked on her at all since we moved from the first barn. Now, I'm not saying I haven't felt nervous, as I've still had anxiety, but there have been no panic attacks (I'm not 100% sure if they were actually panic attacks, but I'd just start crying and had a hard time thinking straight because of how frustrated and nervous I was, leading to awful riding that just enhanced the issue). 

A year ago, if someone asked to ride my horse who wasn't a really good rider, I would've said no way, for their safety. Now, I feel like you could put a little kid on her and she'd be fine. 

We have our bad moments, as everyone does. But, I just have to remember how far we've come and to not get discouraged. 


One thing with Pepper I have noticed is that she seems to be very wary of people she doesn't know if they try to do anything other than pet her. The person who feeds in the mornings told me that she was shy at first but she's warmed up to him a lot. I'm not exactly sure what this means she was doing, but it's like the thing with the farrier. She doesn't trust strangers. 

I remember our first ride with the trainer at the second barn, the trainer got on her and had a difficult time with her. 

Part of me feels really blessed that this horse trusts me so much and that I'm the only one who can really handle her sometimes, but the other part knows it's not good for her to be mistrusting of others.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I rode Pepper yesterday and she was great! We attempted 'jumps' (super tiny) which went well. I've noticed a pattern. The first jumps we do is how the rest of them will go. If she's not in the mood to jump, we don't do much jumping.

The reason for this is because the first jumps, I forget how to ride because of my nerves. So, if she doesn't want to jump and I'm not telling her to jump, she doesn't jump. Sometimes, she'll jump anyways, which calms my nerves enough to start riding like I have actually been on a horse before. We're starting with tiny jumps so that 1. she's less likely to refuse and 2. they're less scary to me so I'm more likely to ride.

I know this is bad, but I'm working on it!! She refused once yesterday and I took her back to it like nothing happened and we trotted over it.


Today, I had my first lesson at the new barn with Pepper. She showed some spunk today! Nothing too bad, just enough to keep things interesting.

The trainer told me Pepper's canter is actually a hand-gallop. I knew it was somewhat quick, but I didn't know we weren't really even cantering. Oops! So, we worked on slowing the canter, which was difficult because I was having a hard time half-halting without her just stopping. She's still super lazy, but I refuse to use spurs. I'll carry a crop because I can drop that in case of an emergency, but spurs (completely unrelated but Grammarly keeps trying to tell me the "s" in spurs should be capitalized???) are attached to my legs. I can only imagine if she spooked and I lost a stirrup or something and I had spurs on, with my legs kicking her on accident... oof no thanks! 

Also, another issue has arisen - Pepper thinks that when I start to sit the trot, it means to walk. 

I realized a few days ago just how easy it is to accidentally train a horse things. Pepper hadn't been ridden in probably four years before I got on her, so I was almost re-training her in a way. I was 14 then and didn't know what I was doing (still don't ). Because I would sit the trot when asking for a walk, Pepper has associated sitting trot with walking. My old trainer didn't make us do much (any) sitting trot, but luckily Pepper is not bouncy so it's not hard. Except it is because I have a hard time keeping her going while sitting trot. So I guess it's not easy, but it's certainly not the worst in the world. 

So after some sitting trot work and cantering, we went to jumping tiny jumps. No refusals today!! Pepper's habit of rushing jumps was definitely showing up today. She let out a nice big buck at one point! One of my favorite videos I have is of Pepper rushing up to a jump - as soon as I turned towards it she started doing some weird canter/crowhop thing and then jumped the jump out of some gait that doesn't exist (it was like cantering behind and trotting in front :lol. The whole thing is a disaster, but I stayed on and laughed it off so it's ok! 

One of my bestest friends who used to ride with me at the first barn came out to hang out after my lesson, and it was a lot of fun. She's thinking about taking lessons with me here, which would be great! I don't have many horsey friends because the old barn was super small and tight knit. 

Also, when I say my old trainer or the old barn, I'm talking about the first barn with the trainer that did illegal things and we basically were kicked out. The barn I was at right before the barn I'm at now didn't have much to talk about, except I didn't like it and the people were rude. I only had a handful of lessons with the trainer.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Had my second lesson with the trainer today and it went great!! 

She seems to know just how far to push me without causing me to panic. She also could sense my nerves before I even said a word and helped me through it all. For example, she noticed I wasn't really breathing when jumping, so she told me to take a deep breath over the jump, and the relaxation it brought changed the whole jump. Instead of a rushed jump, it was nice and smooth.

Also, Pepper didn't even ask to refuse a single jump today! And, we jumped 'scary' jumps!! I mean, they're not really scary, but they are a little bit. Because they were verticals, and one had a cross rail pole in front of it, which looks scary to me. But, if I don't act like it's scary, Pepper trusts me and doesn't look at it. 

Sorry, I'm just really excited about how today went. 

Cantering was all over the place. Pepper went between refusing to canter to doing her little hand gallop thing which just made me look like a sack of potatoes on the horse, but eventually, we got a nice canter going. So, I'm happy! 

Then, I got on the trainer's horse, who another girl had been riding, just to feel his canter and it was like nothing I had ever ridden before. It literally felt like a rocking chair. I feel like I could've dropped my stirrups and my reins and just sat there and I wouldn't have moved an inch. It was the most secure, comfortable canter EVER. It was crazy. He's a Fresian (I think that's what she said he was...) so, much bigger than I'm used to. I don't know how many hh he was, but it was much taller than my 14.2/14.3 mare :lol:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I rode Pepper Wednesday and Thursday this week as well.

Wednesday, the arena was wet so we didn't do too much. Luckily, the footing is pretty good even when wet, so we were able to do some trotting over little jumps. Anya's owner helped me some too. We both worked on looking up over the jump, instead of watching the jump as we approach it. I tend to do this and it just causes Pepper to run out, but if I'm looking ahead it goes much smoother. I attempted some cantering but it was just too wet for me to feel comfortable.

I also rode Anya for a few minutes before going on a trail ride with her owner. She didn't appear lame to either of us, so I'm hoping that I can start working with her again. She was also surprisingly lazy. For not being ridden in a good few weeks. I had the hardest time getting her to trot. Once she started trotting, it was still unbalanced and quick as it usually is, but not as bad. 

I'm leaving for the beach in a few hours, so I'm hoping that if she rests until I get back she should be good to start some light work again. 


I rode Pepper yesterday with Anya's owner again. The arena was drier than it was on Thursday, so we were able to get some good work in. I practiced a lot of cantering, and even did a flying lead change across the arena!! I know that Pepper knows how to do them, so it was just asking her to do it in the correct way. It took a few tries before she attempted one, and the first time she only swapped her back leading to an uncomfortable counter canter, but after that we did it correctly! I've never been able to do a lead change like that before. My old trainer never worked on them because, according to her, Pepper had 'automatic' changes. I have a video of me not getting a single lead change on a course at a show to prove that statement wrong, however... 

Regardless, if I ask her, she changes, but it's just a matter of asking her and doing it correctly. Within the past few days, I've learned how much shifting your weight affects the horse. For example, on my lesson on Tuesday, I also worked on shifting my weight landing a jump to encourage her to land on the correct lead - and it worked! So, when I asked for a lead change, I shifted my weight to the inside and she changed!

It's amazing how much I really don't know about horses and riding. At my old barn, I wasn't taught really anything other than just how to stay on the horse. I thought that since I had been riding for nearly six years there, that I knew a lot more than I really do. I knew that we had issues jumping, but I didn't know there was anything wrong with our flat work. 

Pepper doesn't even know how to back up! I didn't really even know that was a thing that all horses were supposed to know, but when the trainer realized we didn't know how to do it, she said it was very important that we learn. And we're definitely learning. Slowly, but surely.


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

So nice to read about all the good progress you're having lately!  You remind me a bit of a younger me (hope that's not too weird!). I just can tell you really love your horses and are determined to get better, but you are also really aware of your horse and how she is feeling when you ride. Like you are becoming a good team. I can't articulate it well. But I enjoy your journal.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Backing is a good exercise. I start out with just a few steps because some horses have to build up muscles. Eventually have them backing up 10 steps uphill, but take a while to get to that stage.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

whisperbaby22 said:


> Backing is a good exercise. I start out with just a few steps because some horses have to build up muscles. Eventually have them backing up 10 steps uphill, but take a while to get to that stage.


Right now I'm rewarding even the smallest step backwards. I like the idea of backing uphill, and we have a great place to do that, so I'll aim towards getting there. Slowly but surely, we'll get there.



NavigatorsMom said:


> So nice to read about all the good progress you're having lately!  You remind me a bit of a younger me (hope that's not too weird!). I just can tell you really love your horses and are determined to get better, but you are also really aware of your horse and how she is feeling when you ride. Like you are becoming a good team. I can't articulate it well. But I enjoy your journal.


Thank you so much, I really appreciate you taking the time to read and comment!


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Today was the first time in over a week I was able to get to the barn. I was at the beach from Friday-Tuesday, then it rained nonstop until today. We had a little bit of a drought for a while and then boom! Rain! And lots of it!

But it was finally sunny today and the arena was surprisingly not as wet as I expected. There was no standing water anywhere. 

I rode in a grass/dirt arena for most of my life so I guess I'm not used to how well-kept arenas work. At the old barn, any rain would cause the horses to slip and slide everywhere. Then at the barn before the barn I'm at now we had the covered arena so it wasn't really an issue.

So I wasn't planning to do any real work, just groom Pepper and give her a bath.

But like I said, the arena was surprisingly dry, so after I groomed her, I let her loose in the arena. She's not one for playing with me in liberty, but I managed to get a few little head tosses from her. She'll work (free lunge) if I ask her, but if I take off running or whatever she just ignores me. 

I mainly did that to get her energy out, seeing as she hadn't been ridden for a week, but she was chill. I decided to ride around bareback.

I'm a nervous rider, so bareback scares me. But, I see all these people just get on and ride with no worries, so I decided to be like one of them today. I asked myself what the worst that could happen - I fall off. So what? I've fallen off a bajillion times before. What's one or two more? 

The first two attempts to get on bareback (the hardest part for me) were fails - because I wasn't committed. The first time she walked off with my leg halfway on her back, so I slide my leg down and had to get back on the mounting block. The second time, I got scared before I could pull myself over and basically did the same thing I did the first time.

After that I took a second to think again about "what's the worst that could happen?". Which was that Pepper did run off while I was getting on and I slide to the side. Then we were back with the "I've fallen off 278644 (hyperbole) times, what's one more" mentality. But nothing bad happened.

She did get a little spooked when I dragged my leg over her back, but I stayed on just fine. 

After that I walked a little bit, trotted a little bit, then used the same mentality to decide to canter. I'd never cantered bareback before. But guess what? It was fine! Actually, it was pretty dang fun. It felt different than in the saddle, but I liked it. She did get a little excited when we went the second direction and did some tiny crowhop things (I really don't know what they are because she never does them when others are watching and I can't tell from on her back. She puts her head down and it's like a buck but it's not because her back feet don't really come up and it doesn't unseat me as bad as a buck does) but again, I was fine. 

The worst thing that happened was that I had horse hair all over my butt and my legs are a little sore. 


I gave her half a bath because she wouldn't stand still for me to do the other side and it was the most water action she'd let me do in like half a year, so I figured it was a win that she stood as long as she did. 

Then we went on a walk through the trails (in hand) because she hasn't been on the trails without Comet and I'm afraid she'll get too buddy sour about the trails if we don't go solo every once in awhile.

That didn't go too well. The arena was dry-ish, but the grass and trails are not. There's a small ditch at the beginning of the trail that Pepper lept over, nearly running me over, because it was full of water. Then, we were both trying not to slide around, so we got about fifteen feet down the trail before I decided it was a stupid idea and we can do it when we're not sliding in the mud. 

She did an even bigger leap over the ditch on the way back but besides me thinking I was about to die for a split second, we were fine. I let her eat some grass before giving her an apple and putting her back in her stall.

Hopefully it won't rain too much anymore so I can get back to riding regularly.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Had a lesson (by myself!!) yesterday. I forgot Comet's owner was on vacation so it was a private lesson. I got my butt kicked in the best way possible :lol:

Pepper kept me humble yesterday, that's for sure. The beginning of the lesson was fine. Did some trotting and simple stuff. 

We got to jumping little jumps to work on not rushing, and while it wasn't perfect, it got better. 

See, one thing that I never learned was that if I feel like she's going to rush the jump, don't jump it yet. My trainer was telling me to do circles until I felt she was ready to not take off at the jump. At the old barn with my old trainer, that wasn't really an option. I had to run at the jump even though I _knew_ neither of us were ready. This caused much anxiety and general lack of control, which led to us not getting over the jumps and eventually just running around the arena like lunatics. 

So we did lots and lots of circles. Circles until I felt ready, then we would head at the jump with much minimal rushing. It started to get better, until it got worse.


Pepper and I aren't really used to super hard work. I think I end too early when I ride, because by the end of the lesson I thought I was going to puke from the amount of work :lol: . I've become so used to my old trainer not really making us do work - no sitting trot, stirrupless, we cantered for two laps around the arena (it was a big arena but still), ect. But I am not complaining. We need this. It's good exercise for both of us and it's just good learning. No pain no gain!! We're both out of shape... 

After a few minutes of working on the jumps we decided to work on our cantering (well, we didn't decide, my trainer did, but you know what I mean) because Pepper canters like she's in a race. So a few laps of cantering while working on half-halting and doing an efficient half-halt so that she doesn't break. We then work on backing up, because Pepper doesn't know how to back up, and also so that we could catch our breathe because, like I said, we're out of shape lol. Then we go back to cantering, and this time Pepper decides to stop listening. 

The trainer tells us to canter at E, so we pick up a canter. She did a walk-canter transition, except it was more of a walk-crowhop (I'll take a video soon and see if she does it because I still don't actually know what she's doing) transition. So I bring her back down and we try again, except this time she explodes before I even ask her too. I may have made the ever-so-slightest leg movement and she took off with her thing again. So, after doing this twice we realize we have to fix it. It wasn't just a one-time thing, for whatever reason she is continuously doing this. I attempt to just walk her past E instead of cantering, but she does it again without me doing anything.

Back to our circles! We did more circles yesterday than I think I've done ever haha. But it worked. We walked circles going that direction until we got to E, and after making her circle at E a few times we were able to go back around and pick up the cantering without it being an explosion. 

Progress is being made! The trainer told me that once it gets cooler we'll start doing some serious work so that I can show next year. (I didn't realize this lesson wasn't serious work... send help) But in all seriousness, I'm so grateful to have a trainer as patient as this one is and who actually cares about our progress - and knows what she's doing.


I have a dentist appointment at four today, and I think I'm going to go ride after that. We're going to work on bending and circles. And canter transitions. We're working on getting some walk-canter that aren't explosive. Generally it's either a crazy walk-canter or it's walk-trot-canter.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I went to the barn with my little brother on Wednesday. He's allergic to horses but I really wanted some company and he didn't mind... he just couldn't brush Pepper. We went to the round pen to do some light work and I was going to try and teach my brother the basics of free lunging... buuuuut we were outside for about two minutes before the bottom dropped and it poured rain! So that didn't last very long.

Then I went on Friday to ride. I worked on my 'homework' from my trainer - bending around circles and half halts at the canter. I was pretty uncomfortable because both the trainer and the chiropractor who was supposed to be chiropractoring (I don't know what the word is :lol Comet were staring at me almost everytime I looked over at them. I have no idea what they were doing, but I didn't appreciate it.

But, as the chiropractor left, she complimented me on the amount of progress we've made in a month. She said we looked so much more relaxed and comfortable. 

Once I remembered that when she saw us ride the first time, it was like our second ride at the barn and there were a bunch of strangers in the arena, I realized that, while we certainly looked different today than we did then, the first time she saw us was really just a bad ride. But, I thanked her anyways because I mean, she complimented me! And she did say we looked good and relaxed, which was great. I'm hoping that she'll look at Pepper next time she comes. 

I went for a trail ride after that and Pepper had a nice spook at some unknown object. It was the biggest spook she's done in awhile. But even that wasn't too bad. She just planted her feet and started to spin around before realizing it's not going to eat her. Used to be her spooks always were followed by a bolt across the arena or down the trail. I think that all this moving around has been good for desensitizing her.

Then we rode today. At 3 in the afternoon. Worst decision ever. 

It was miserably hot. I went on a trail ride at first because there was a lesson in the arena. Then when I got back, the trainer asked me to take the lessoner on the trail. She's done this before and I don't appreciate it, but I'm not complaining. I can handle a somewhat bossy trainer compared to all the other things. I really don't mind all that much. Then I rode Pepper in the arena for like twenty minutes because it was just too hot. 

I think Pepper's in season/heat because she was just kinda all over the place. She was super looky and tried to spook a couple of times. She used to be super spooky all the time, but she's much better now. She kept pinning her ears at me too... silly mare. 

Anyways, I'm going tomorrow morning... when it's not nine thousand degrees. Hopefully when I'm not dying of heat exhaustion I'll be able to do some actual work.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Had a lesson yesterday that went fairly well. Pepper got excited at the end when we were doing poles and kept wanting to run off on me, but I never let her. If I don't overreact she doesn't actually run off. But she anticipates us cantering a lot so we kept having to do circles. Comet's owner was back so the lesson wasn't nearly as grueling... but to be honest I think I prefer the grueling lesson. Although I was physically in pain afterwards, I mentally felt great, like I had really accomplished something. 

But when school starts again I'll have to switch lesson times anyways so I think I'll end up back with the grueling lessons.

My first semester schedule is awesome. I'm taking two college level classes and then I have a free period first period. But the college class only meets twice a week, so MWF I have to go to school for only 90 minutes of the day... I still have online work to do for my other college class but I don't have to physically be at school.

Unfortunately, I don't get that liberty second semester! I have an online class first period and then I have normal classes for the rest of the day. 

Anyways, that just means more horse time for me! 

I applied for the college I want to go to today. I'm going to apply for others too, but I got the main one done ASAP!


I did some liberty/desensitization work on Monday. I brought out a colorful beach ball and tried to get her used to it. We got to where I could throw it up and catch it and she wouldn't care. As long as I wasn't too close to her. Eventually I want to be able to throw/catch it while riding her, but right now that would spook her to next week lol. 

I also tried some more bareback... she tried to walk off while I was still not all the way on, so I had one leg just on her back. I guess that spooked her because she took off trotting and I just fell right off haha. Into the wet sand of course... I was gross after that! But I got on again without falling and we just chilled for a little bit.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I fell off Pepper yesterday... 

We were trying to work on lead changes and I think she's been losing weight... so when I put weight in one stirrup the saddle slowly slipped and scared the daylights out of her! Since the saddle was on her side it was a short fall and honestly didn't hurt at all. But lesson learned - triple check your girth! Haha. Usually the girth goes on four each side so I don't worry about it but I will now! 

But besides that my ride went pretty great. 

Then today the poor mare had to be sedated to have her teeth floated  Although, it's kind of hilarious watching a drunk horse try to walk. Hilarious, but also scary because I was terrified she was going to fall over. 

Anyways, just a short little entry today! :gallop:


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I've had horses that had to be sedated for dental, it looks bad, but I've never had a complication from it.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

whisperbaby22 said:


> I've had horses that had to be sedated for dental, it looks bad, but I've never had a complication from it.


I appeared to be the only one worried, so I'm sure it was all normal. I guess they have better control of their feet than I think they do haha.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Back with a small update and then a small rant too.

It's been super wet this week so I haven't been able to do much. We worked on our cantering in our lesson yesterday. I'm learning to trust Pepper without having my reins super short. My old trainer always told me to have them short and put my hands forward so that I can easily just pull back, but then when I tense up I get in her mouth and Pepper hates that. So, my new trainer is working on getting me to have my reins too long until I trust her and then we can put them at a good length once I stop pulling. It was a lot harder than I anticipated to not shorten my reins and have (what feels like) complete control over our cantering - especially the upwards transition. But once I got there and we were cantering around with the reins long and Pepper's head low and relaxed, I couldn't take the smile off of my face. It was so much fun! 

I'm honestly having to relearn how to canter. I've only ever ridden in a light seat/half seat canter, so when my new trainer asks me to sit down I tend to flop a little and lose my stirrups. I'm having a really difficult time keeping my heels down I guess because it seems like every other time I'm trying to canter I just lose my stirrups. It almost seems easier to sit the canter without stirrups though, but we're getting there.

Today we worked on walk-canter transitions (which we never actually got one of) by ourselves. I realized that my old trainer was complacent with walk-trot a few steps- canter, so walk-canter was a struggle. Pepper didn't understand what I was asking, and we both got frustrated. So instead, I got a trot-canter transition, but an instant canter instead of trotting faster and then cantering. Basically, our transitions are awful haha. But, we're getting there. Slowly but surely  

I'm also going to rant about my mom for just a second - I'm getting senior pictures done with Pepper...

Oh, also I gave Pepper a bath today! She got super impatient but once she realized I was not taking her off the crossties until I was done, she stood fine. It was a struggle for most of the time, but it's such a big improvement. 

Anyways, sorry. So, I'm getting pictures done with Pepper tomorrow, but my mom insists that I wear sandals. I'm not comfortable wearing sandals around my horse... she's still a half-arab, and can still spook. Or just not be paying attention and step on me. She's not huge, but she's still chubby, and I feel like even a mini could break your foot if it stepped on you right. 

The BO also asked me to let a horse out last week because she was wearing sandals and didn't want to lead him without closed-toe shoes on. So, if she doesn't want to lead a horse (a pretty broke horse btw) with sandals, then I definitely don't want to. She's been working with horses for A LOT longer than me.

I tried to explain this all to my mom, but she just got irritated and just said "so you're going to wear steel-toed boots instead?" Like, no, there's a middle ground somewhere. But I just do not like the idea of having my bare toes near a prey animal that weighs half a ton! Plus, I might get in trouble with the BO, and I don't want that. 

The lady who's taking my pictures is the mom of one of my close friends from the old barn. And she did her pictures in sandals, and her horse is like 17 hands, so my mom thinks it's okay. She just refuses to listen to me explain. Anytime I tried to say something she just shut me down. 

Hopefully, I still have an intact foot tomorrow. Because I'm not getting out of this without my mom going ballistic. She's usually pretty chill and usually when things like this happen, it's not a dangerous situation so I just go with it and it all turns out okay. 

Anyways, sorry about that rant. I just needed to get that out lol.


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

Senior pictures with your horse will be fun! Wear what you are comfortable with, it's pretty unlikely your feet will very visible in many pictures so if your mom is worried about how it looks it really might not be an issue. That said, as long as you are careful you would probably be fine wearing sandals. I've actually heard that steel toe boots are dangerous around horses too, because if the horse stepped on the toe it could potentially bend the metal and trap or cut your toes! FWIW, I wore ballet flat style shoes in my senior pictures. The key is to know your horse, be aware of surroundings/things that could spook her and just be careful around her feet. Hope to see some of the pictures after you get them back.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

NavigatorsMom said:


> Senior pictures with your horse will be fun! Wear what you are comfortable with, it's pretty unlikely your feet will very visible in many pictures so if your mom is worried about how it looks it really might not be an issue. That said, as long as you are careful you would probably be fine wearing sandals. I've actually heard that steel toe boots are dangerous around horses too, because if the horse stepped on the toe it could potentially bend the metal and trap or cut your toes! FWIW, I wore ballet flat style shoes in my senior pictures. The key is to know your horse, be aware of surroundings/things that could spook her and just be careful around her feet. Hope to see some of the pictures after you get them back.


Thank you!! I did end up wearing sandals and besides getting all sorts of dirt in between my toes, it was all okay.

I'll post some pictures soon! 


---------------


Thursday I rode with Comet's owner, and it went pretty well. Nothing bad happened, but Pepper was seriously mad about cantering for some reason. No bucking thankfully, but there was some serious ear pinning going on! I was worried that she was in pain because I started using a new half pad, but I took that off and she was still pinning her ears at me. She's probably in season and just being mareish, but if she keeps doing it, I'll get the chiro out or something.

After our ride, I gave her a touch-up bath, which almost was a disaster because the BO was getting water work done and they turned the water off - but luckily I had got all the soap off of the spot I was washing when they did that. I wasn't done, but the soap was all off so it was okay. Pepper walked around the whole time again, but I didn't stop until I was done (well, until the water people decided I was done). 

My pictures were after that, and some of them turned out great! I was amazed that we got any good ones considering Pepper would not stand still and apparently half of the pictures either Pepper or I had our eye closed :lol: I wore a dress, which was a bad idea because I completely forgot I really wanted bareback pictures (I got some anyway). My favorite picture bareback was, unfortunately, me basically flashing my underwear to everyone but whatever haha. 

Then on Saturday, I went to a horse show (to help out, I didn't ride) with the girl that rides Comet and another little girl. They entered five classes each, and the little girl got first place in all except one class (she got second in that one!) I was extremely impressed! 

WE also learned that Comet likes to run around a bit at shows. He flew around the jumping course like he was a jumper (this was a hunter show), so his rider didn't place in her jumping. She got third in the flat class though. 

Also, there was a bazillion people there. One class was split into three because of the people, and all but two flat classes had to be split into two. It was crazy, and took forever. 

One class however, this poor girl was thrown over the rail into the grass. Apparently pony 1 was trying to pass pony 2, and pony 1 kicked out at pony 2. This caused pony 2 to flip out, throwing the poor little girl to go flying over the rail. This spooked pony 1, who did a huge buck and left his poor girl stranded in the middle of the arena. Pony 2 then was galloping around the ring, bucking and scaring the other horses and riders, who immediatley all got off their horses. It was insane. The little girl on pony 1 got right back on in the middle of the arena and did the rest of the class. Pony 2 was taken out and the girl on him was okay, but very, very shaken up. 

Other than that, the show went well. one horse got loose and ran around the cross country field, but that was it. 

School starts to tomorrow, and I am not excited! But it's my last year


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I wrote a long entry yesterday, which was just me rambling on forever, but forgot to post it lol. So here's maybe the tl;dr version? Probably not because I'll start rambling again. Maybe if I had horse friends I wouldn't ramble so much on here... :lol: nah I don't think that would change anything

Anyways, I rode on Tuesday after school for like fifteen minutes because the heat was awful. We were both sweating like pigs before we even finished tacking up. 

She was still pinning her ears at the canter... I'm probably going to go lunge her tomorrow after school (I get out at 11:35 on MWF) 
because it's only supposed to be 80... and it's supposed to rain at like 12:30. So hopefully I'll beat both the rain and the heat. 

I want to lunge her to work out why this ear pinning is happening. If it happens when I ask on the lunge, I know there's an issue. She never really misbehaves on the lunge, except sometimes getting a little too excited. 

I also want to start jumping her on the ground to build up more jumping muscles because I haven't really jumped her in a long while. We've 'jumped' super tiny jumps, but the arena's small enough I can free lunge her over some jumps without her running around... plus there's enough stuff to make a little chute if I have to. 

Completely off topic, but Pepper really is a pretty great horse. She certainly has her quirks, but she never misbehaves for the sake of misbehaving. And, I know most people say "It's always the rider's fault" or whatever, but she never pushes my buttons (in the bad sense) to make me even have to correct her. 

She used to be a wild child. I don't think I would say she's a push-button horse, but I think we've just learned each other (for the most part). I mean, she's far from perfect, but I see videos of horses rearing and bucking and throwing fits, and she doesn't do stuff like that. Some days I have might have to tell her instead of asking her to do things, but she doesn't rear or buck (well she occasionally bucks once or twice, but nothing like some horses). The only real issue we have is refusing jumps. And I have no doubts that that is all my fault. And she does rush jumps some and anticipate things... but nothing too bad. 

I wish my mom would understand this... she thinks Pepper is stupid. She's told me before that buying me that horse was the worst decision she's ever made... most of the time, the context of that statement was that she costs too much... but it really, really hurts my feelings. That horse has made me so happy.. anyways I'm wayyy off topic. (What did I tell you, I'm rambling about something completely different than what was originally in this post).

Yeah, so I'm lunging Pepper tomorrow. Fun times :lol:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Today, we had a _very_ unfortunate event! Pepper decided to cut her eyelid so that her eyelashes were hanging off. It was *gross.*

We called the vet out and they stitched her back together, and it should all be well. I'm just super worried because she rubs her head on everything already, and now with a messed up eye? Eeeek! I'm such a worry wart haha.

But this does mean no riding for at least two weeks! So, I'm probably going to work Anya some for Comet's owner. This whole thing really started because I was supposed to be working Anya, but I liked the barn so much that I moved my mare there, and then kinda just didn't ride Anya anymore. I feel kinda bad, but at the same time, I offered to ride that horse for free, therefore I'm not really obligated to do anything. 

I'd post pictures but they're kinda gross... 

I was holding Pepper's head still, because it was either sedate her to where she goes down or have her aware enough that she reacts a little bit. She was still enough for the vet to do her job (after two doses of the sedation medicine - I'm not a vet so I have no idea what it's called). They ended up just having to twitch her along with the sedation, which finally made her still. I stood with her to soothe her, but eventually the needles and blood got a little bit too much for me to handle and I had to sit down because I almost passed out. Any thoughts of possibly being an equine vet later in life were shut down today :lol: 

The poor girl that found her hurt was so upset about it. She was literally in tears about my mare! I wasn't sure what to do, because I had never met this girl before and she was crying over my horse. She was more upset than I was about this situation. 

Pepper has to have a lot of medicine now. Luckily, I don't have a first period at school (meaning I don't have to be there until 10am) because I'm taking some online college classes, so I can go care for her early in the morning. I also have to go in the evening to care for her too. Fun times :thumbsup:

On a happier note, I got some of my senior pictures back!! I'll attach some of them below. Between me and Pepper, it was a miracle any of them turned out okay. Halfway through, I had to turn my dress around because she kept slobbering on me and rubbing her face all over me. The one where we're sitting on the hay took like fifty tries to take. Pepper kept grabbing hay bales and pulling them in the hallway. Also, you can tell how dirty my dress is. And how much hay is in my hair. 

I also had some done at school a few weeks ago, so not all of my pictures include horse hair and hay. But the best ones do! :wink:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

So, Pepper got her stitches out yesterday. The vet that did them said to wait two weeks but a different vet took them out and said 7-10 days. They're from different practices (is that what you call it? they're two different companies).

One of the stitches did end up getting ripped out on Saturday (She got her stitches out Tuesday for the timeline). I called the vet and sent pictures and she said that it would be ok because it was the one on the end, except it could leave a larger scar. Too expensive and I didn't want to put Pepper through that again to get it restitched, so we just left it. 

However, that happened because of her fly mask. BO and I had taken Comet's (BO still owns the fly mask and was letting Comet borrow it, so we didn't take Comet's owner's fly mask) because it was larger around the eyes and wouldn't touch the stitches. But someone had put her usual fly mask back on. I assumed it was BO so I didn't think anything of it... but when I talked to BO yesterday she thought I had done it. 

I had school so I wasn't there when the vet took her stitches out. But I've learned that if something seems off (such as her fly mask being changed) that I just need to ask. I'm really peeved that Pepper's going to have a scar because someone changed her fly mask... I mean, I don't care about the scar, but it's just the principle of the matter.

But whatever! Someone had to take Comet's fly mask off of Pepper and put Pepper's fly mask on her... because the only time her fly mask was supposed to be off was when I was there cleaning her eye. 

Anyways, enough of that. I can finally ride Pepper! Except I can't because there's a hurricane coming. We're far enough inland that we don't have to evacuate, but it's going to rain and rain and rain! I overheard someone at school yesterday saying they hoped the hurricane would cancel school... so they want the hurricane to be worse for people on the coast just so they don't have to go to school? Some people...

I feel like a lot of this post has just been me ranting, and I apologize for that :lol:


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Just speaking your mind, and this is what the journal is all about.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

So yesterday I worked Pepper for the first time since her injury. I did take her out once a few days ago to do some 'liberty' type work, but we only walked. I did get her to follow me in over three poles aligned side by side so that we had to turn to go over them. She followed me without the lead and I didn't even have to bribe her with food! I forgot to include all this in my last journal, but it was so cool! 

When I took her out yesterday, she went ballistic, as I expected. She puts her tail straight up and canters in really small strides or she'll prance and trot with her head held high and lets out these ridiculously loud snorts. I wasn't anticipating actually getting any work done, I just wanted to get some pent up energy out, so I stood in the middle of the arena for probably ten minutes while she ran around like a hooligan. At some point, the BO came home and let her dogs out of their kennel (they're outside dogs) and one of them proceeded to chase Pepper down the fence line, spooking her. 

I'm trying to surpress some of my negative feelings towards the barn lately (such as someone changing her fly mask and letting dogs chase my horse around) because I know that everywhere I go is going to have issues. And both Pepper and I are happy here, Pepper has Comet and it's super laid back, so I don't feel judged, so I think the good outweighs the bad.

Just so I can get it off my brain, I do have a few complaints...

The BO, who is also the western trainer, smokes. She smokes in the aisleway to the barn (not the actual barn aisleway, but it drifts over there) and then the other day I was watching her give a lesson for a few minutes, and she was smoking in the arena! She's experienced, so I would hope that she has heard enough stories and have enough sense not to smoke near the horses and barn... but whatever. This is probably my #1 negative here. It's just rude to me because the smoke makes me cough and I hate it. 

Also while I was watching the lesson, I wasn't a fan of how they were treating the horses. One of the horses was threatening to rear on a young girl so the evening stable hand got on him and worked him. But she was yanking his face around whenever he misbehaved. 

I think the english trainer's horses just behave better because I don't see them doing stuff like this 

Now as a disclaimer, I am NOT saying that western is 'more abusive' or 'worse' than english. Just at my specific barn, the western riders are more forceful with their horses than the english. I've seen countless examples of forceful english riders just as I've seen countless patient western riders. 

Also, sometimes Pepper has no water in her bucket and I have to fill it up. (I just can't escape these water issues, can I?) 

The ring is tiny, so jumping full courses is nearly impossible, as are long gymnastics. And doing things like flying lead changes.

ANYWAYS overall I'm happy with the place. Occasionally, I have thoughts that I should have stayed at the last barn (covered ring, trainer that goes to large shows - my current trainer only goes to local schooling shows. But I'm not even ready to show yet, so that doesn't really matter.)


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Before I start this journal, I just want to say that I do read every response I get - I re-read some of my journal and realized I never really responded to anyone who posted. I do read them and take everyone's advice into consideration, and also would like to say thank you to everyone who has responded with compliments or just general chat. I do make sure to like everyone's replies so that you know I read them, but I'll start trying to respond individually because I feel like I'm being rude!!

-----

Went out to the barn yesterday before the hurricane hit (still hasn't rained here yet. I'm to the west of the center of NC, so we're hopefully not supposed to get hit too hard) to see Pepper and put some ointment on her eye. When I got there, my trainer was there and was going to give a lesson, so I stayed and watch the lesson. I really, really like to just hang out at the barn. I love the whole 'family' feeling. 

I think that's why I wasn't a fan of the barn we were at before. It was more of a school, and less of a family. While I could watch a lesson probably (I never asked, but I don't see why it would be a problem), I'd have to stay out of the way and silent. Now, I'm not saying I'm getting in the way now (I stay out of the arena and just watch), but it's just more friendly. Like, they all know and acknowledge that I'm there. If I were to watch a lesson at the other barn, it would almost be like watching TV or something - they'd ignore me. 

Now, some people probably prefer this - people stay out of your way and you don't really have to socialize unless you just want to. But I prefer the whole 'family' feeling. It's one of the things at the old-old barn that I loved. There were so few of us there that we all knew each other and were comfortable. 

Another example of this is when I helped at a show. I did this with my current trainer and my last trainer. With the new trainer, I was there to help and grab stuff, but also to be moral support. I was allowed to chill and watch the show if I wanted to. But with the last trainer, I was assigned a task (it was an IEA show, so I was assigned to hold a horse), but I wasn't really able to support the other riders. It just wasn't as enjoyable.

Anyways, I went out to the barn yesterday, and it was sunny! While the little girl was getting her pony ready, I did some ground work with Pepper. We worked on stopping, starting, and turning off the lead. Once we started, she'd follow me and stop and turn, but if we stopped and I walked forward, she wouldn't follow me. It took a little encouragement, but eventually I was able to walk off and cluck twice and she'd start following me. So I stopped there.

Then I let her graze while I watched the lesson. They kept commenting on how much she was eating, and I'm not entirely sure if they were joking or not, so I put her up for a while and sat on a rock to watch. This is when the sun really came out (we were out of school for the hurricane, but it was sunny ) so I decided to ride her a little bit. Like for five minutes. At first, she was a little forward (she hadn't been ridden in two weeks), but soon settled back down like usual. We cantered both ways and she was great! I love this pony so much!! 

I don't actually know if Pepper's a pony. She's either 14.2 or 14.3 (maybe 14.25, who knows!). 

It was too windy to ride today, so I opted to stay home and chill out today. I think today was the first day since last-last Saturday that I didn't go out to the barn.

Also, I don't know if I've explicitly said this, but the reason I stopped working with Anya is that she went dead lame, and still is. Nobody was riding her anyways, and her owner cannot easily afford to get her fixed. She's still trying to sell her (if anyone in NC wants this mare let me know lol. I'm pretty sure she can be un-lame with some vet work! ) but nobody wants to buy a lame horse, especially one who's 13 and is green-broke at best, so that's not really working out. 

Another also, this is completely unrelated, but I'm in some facebook groups and I saw this one person selling a horse stable and it's beautiful! I wish I was older (not too much though!) and rich and could buy it, because it was amazinggg! My dream job is to own a horse stable and give lessons.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

The proper way to measure is to do it right after a trim with no shoes. Measure three times, moving the horse each time to get a accurate measure. As an Arab, she might be considered a horse, some breeds are, even if they are short. 

Some people today do not know how to measure. I see this a lot on CL, 17 hand horses that are clearly closer to 15.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

whisperbaby22 said:


> The proper way to measure is to do it right after a trim with no shoes. Measure three times, moving the horse each time to get a accurate measure. As an Arab, she might be considered a horse, some breeds are, even if they are short.
> 
> Some people today do not know how to measure. I see this a lot on CL, 17 hand horses that are clearly closer to 15.


Good to know! Usually, she gets trimmed when I'm at school so I can't measure her, but I could get someone else to. 

It doesn't really matter right now though, because we're not showing at the moment or anything. I would be interested to know though. I'm really bad at estimating, so for all I know she could be 15 hh and I wouldn't know the difference. But my old trainer who I bought her from told me she was just shy of 14.3. 


----
Going along with this, I really don't actually know much for sure about Pepper. I've never seen her papers. I was told she was a quarter horse / Arabian, and I have no reason to think otherwise (I'm 101% sure she's part arab), but I have no idea who her parents were, where she came from, etc.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

One good way is to figure out how many inches your eyes are at and figure that in hands. My eyes are at 15.1 hands, so a 15 hand horse would be just below my eye line. Be sure to get a proper height on her before entering any pony classes, I once saw a horse measured and tossed out of the class.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

Same with measuring jumps. Figure out how high a jump is to your hips or waist. Then when you jump something in the woods, you will know exactly how high it was. By the way, horses jump much more willingly out on the trail than in an arena, so if you want to try something a little higher, try it first on the trail in the woods. Then you'll know you can do it. Especially if your friends do it first and you can follow them. A good way to push your limit a bit. And oh yes, don't jump alone, especially something higher than you've ever done . . . but you knew that.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

knightrider said:


> Same with measuring jumps. Figure out how high a jump is to your hips or waist. Then when you jump something in the woods, you will know exactly how high it was. By the way, horses jump much more willingly out on the trail than in an arena, so if you want to try something a little higher, try it first on the trail in the woods. Then you'll know you can do it. Especially if your friends do it first and you can follow them. A good way to push your limit a bit. And oh yes, don't jump alone, especially something higher than you've ever done . . . but you knew that.



I love jumping on trails, but there aren't very many trails with logs in them. However, due to the hurricane maybe we can find some fallen logs and make jumps or something... it's not too bad here luckily! I find trail riding and jumping to be so much more low-key and relaxing. Pepper is super good on trails, the only thing we have trouble with is water. She hates water, but there aren't any creeks or anything at our barn, so it's good that we don't have to deal with those, but also bad that we don't work on fixing it. 

With the whole friend's thing, I'm starting lessons with two girls my age and I'm so excited! If I get nervous I can just follow one of them. I feel like it's going to be extremely beneficial for both me and Pepper.



whisperbaby22 said:


> One good way is to figure out how many inches your eyes are at and figure that in hands. My eyes are at 15.1 hands, so a 15 hand horse would be just below my eye line. Be sure to get a proper height on her before entering any pony classes, I once saw a horse measured and tossed out of the class.


Great idea!! And for sure on the show thing, I would hate to be disqualified because my pony isn't actually a pony.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Ahhh I was lucky enough to be able to attend WEG on Thursday (9/20), and can I just say that watching those horses jump those heights in person is an entirely different experience than watching live-streams of them. I went with my mom's friend and her daughter (who is also my friend) and we had a blast. They had some Smartpak tee-shirts that were three for $15, so I bought three of those and then I bought this adorable shirt with a horse jumping that says "get over it". Then I bought a halter and lead from the Dover store in Tryon. Fun, fun, fun!!!!!


Anyways, the hurricane didn't do anything to my area of the state. A few places in my county had some pretty bad flooding, but besides a lot of wind a rain, no damage was done to my house or to the barn where I board. I'm so grateful for that and my heart goes out to those who were affected. 

I rode Pepper on Friday since the arena was finally dry and we weren't at Tryon. She was so lazy. My trainer told me to stop using the crop on her (I don't know why. I never really hit her with it, but her knowing that I had it made her more responsive) so I had some troubles getting her to trot. I also did stirrupless for 95% of the ride because I really need to strenghten my leg muscles.

-----

Forgot to finish that previous post oops! Anyways, I went to the barn on Sunday and Pepper's halter is too big! We bought the cob size which normally fits her, so I went ahead and took the tags off :eyeroll: It's only the noseband part, so I think we can punch an extra hole and it'll be okay. 

I convinced my mom to come watch me ride on Sunday, so I was able to do some jumping. It went well, and I jumped higher than usual. Not too much though haha. 

I also roughly measured Pepper and it looked to me like she was 14.3 and a half hands... However, she was scared of the measuring thing (I got it for free at WEG lol), so she was probably tensed up. But maybe she's less of a pony than I thought she was!

Also, I found this picture from 2016 of Pepper, and look how pink her nose is! You can actually see the outline of her blaze down her face in this picture. Her pink nose is my favorite thing about her looks I think. And her face, she's got a slight dish from the arabian side. Okay, her entire face is my favorite. She's just so cute, what can I say? :mrgreen: 

Went back to look at more photos and also found this picture from 2014 (I was a horse noob please don't comment on the placement of the halter!) 

--pictures are in the attachments because they were huge when I just put them in the post  --

Oh, and her eye looks so much better. You can't really even tell anything happened unless you're really looking for it. I'm soooo thankful for that <3


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

*really long post: rant, a little bit about recently, and then another rant*

I'm a little irritated and I just need to rant (not horse related). But first, let me tell you about my last few rides!

Actually first, let me rant about something horse-related that I just remembered. I've probably said this before, but basically, my old trainer put me on Pepper, knowing I was unable to successfully ride her. She did this because I wanted to leave to a 'better' barn, but she knew I wanted to ride Pepper.

Before we tried to leave, anytime I mentioned riding Pepper she would tell me about how dangerous she was. Then, suddenly she was about to lose a customer? "Here, ride one of the most dangerous horses at the barn!" 

Annnyways, I realized that Pepper was probably drugged when I first rode her. Because I know when I very first started, Pepper seemed pretty calm. I was able to pop her over tiny jumps and she would easily come back down to a trot and it was just very nice. Then, it started going bad. She probably stopped drugging her then because she knew I had fallen in love with this horse and wouldn't want to quit working with her.

And I know 101% that my trainer had no issues drugging horses... I helped her hide what she was doing one time with a different show by pretending to brush the horse (not Pepper, I don't remember what horse this was) while she shot whatever into his veins. I was young enough at the time that I didn't realize that was bad so I didn't realize I was helping her with illegal things. That being said, my real rant here is about one of our shows.

Probably our best show together, I realized my trainer had drugged Pepper. We had done a great job, but I noticed a little bit of blood right near one of her veins on her neck. By this point, I was old enough to know that drugging the horses was bad. I was devastated that our show wasn't really valid. Pepper was drugged. I cried on the way home from the show because I was crushed that we didn't really do that well because we were improving, but because she was drugged. 

----

Anyways...

I went to the barn on Friday. The BO was at a clinic so I thought it was just going to be me, but one of the western boarders was there. I didn't really feel like having to share the small arena with her, so I took Pepper for a walk. I was going to explore the trails, but someone put private signs on the trees  Which means no more trails! I actually did go down one on the opposite side which just leads to a gravel road. The signs were on the other sides of the trees so I didn't realize that trail was off-limits too until I came back. Oops! On that road though was a large puddle of water, so I worked on teaching Pepper to cross water. It didn't work too well, but she did walk across it, so I guess it wasn't that bad. 

Then I went on Saturday and just kinda played around. We jumped a handful of times. Oh, and I opened the gate without getting off! That's something I honestly never thought I would be able to do. I figured she'd always be too scared of me reaching for the gate and having to move chains and stuff, but it was fine! She didn't care! 

I've started to realize that you have to take the little victories. To some, opening a gate is an everyday occurence. But I am honestly estatic that we were able to do that.

My mom came with me on Sunday and we did more jumping, until I started to get nervous. She ended up running out of the jump and I decided to do something else and stop jumping. 

I also have come to the realization that I am trying to push myself too far. I feel like, because I'm less scared of jumping, I need to be able to jump over 2' and do all this stuff. But I don't. I need to get 100% comfortable at 18" verticals, then 2', and it will take awhile. And that's okay. That's how to do this correctly. I need to stop rushing my progress. I will progress at the pace that I need to, even if it's slower than I prefer or that other might be. 

-----

Anyways, now to my unrelated rant.

My mom decided I was going to work during market (idk if people know what this is, but for the point of this rant, it's just when local restuarants and stuff get ridiculously busy) at a restaurant where my aunt works. She didn't ask me if I was okay with this, just told them that I would work on Mon/Wed/Fri, when I only have one class. 

Writing this out I feel like I'm being selfish, but I don't really _need_ to work. I'd already have a job if it wasn't for my school activities and horses. 

So, I'm in the thespians club at my school (fancy name for theatre club). We have meetings on some Wednesdays and every Friday. When my mom told them I would work. Last week, the officers of the club (me and four others) got into a small argument because the girl who wants to be the leader feels like 'some of us' aren't putting enough commitment into the club. On one hand, this _is_ just a school club. Whatever we do probably will not really have any effect on our future. On the other hand, I do agree with her. Last year, the club was awful. So, this year we need to work very hard so that the club doesn't die next year when we leave for college. 

Even worse is that play auditions are this Wednesday, meaning I'm going to have to leave work early because I cannot miss them. Then, play rehearsals are going to start. Since I'm an officer, I'm basically guaranteed a fairly large role in this play. Meaning that I cannot miss rehearsals either. So, I'm going to have to leave work early. But when I told my mom this, she just said that the club can just deal with me being late. Which they can't really afford. Plus, everyone will be mad at me for being late. It's just frustrating for me that my mom didn't ask me first.



ANYWAYS sorry for this long post. I just have a lot on my mind, and nobody in my family wants to hear about my horse and then I can't rant to them about the job thing for obvious reasons. :falloff:


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Drugging horses seems to be a real issue, I'm somewhat ambivalent about it because without the high end horse world, my little trail horse world would not exist. But it is dangerous to ride a drugged horse. That much is self evident. 

As for the other rant, well that's just part of growing up. When you are an adult, you can choose your battles. I have no advice for you because I do not know your strengths, you will discover this with time.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

JMO, but I don't think your mother should have offered your help at a restaurant without asking you first. You will have your whole life to work, but not many theater experiences.

About the drugs, there is a continuum of drugs for horses starting with calming supplements like magnesium, vitamin B 1, valerian root, and zylkene. A lot of people around here use ACE to calm their horses in order to ride them. Next is diazepam and alprazolam which farriers might use. A horse can still stand on 3 legs with these calming drugs.

I know that many people ride their horses using these drugs without feeling like they are "cheating." I would not use them, but I don't think the stigma to using them is as huge as you think. Some people start out using ACE or diazepam, and after a dozen rides, have a good enough relationship with their horse that they can discontinue them.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

whisperbaby22 said:


> Drugging horses seems to be a real issue, I'm somewhat ambivalent about it because without the high end horse world, my little trail horse world would not exist. But it is dangerous to ride a drugged horse. That much is self evident.
> 
> As for the other rant, well that's just part of growing up. When you are an adult, you can choose your battles. I have no advice for you because I do not know your strengths, you will discover this with time.


I'd rather not drug a horse for any reason (besides medical or stuff like that), but I think the fact that my old trainer hid it from me makes me more mad. It also shows that she obviously did not believe I was ready to ride this horse in a show, yet allowed me to ride her anyways.

Maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but it just rubs me the wrong way.



knightrider said:


> JMO, but I don't think your mother should have offered your help at a restaurant without asking you first. You will have your whole life to work, but not many theater experiences.
> 
> About the drugs, there is a continuum of drugs for horses starting with calming supplements like magnesium, vitamin B 1, valerian root, and zylkene. A lot of people around here use ACE to calm their horses in order to ride them. Next is diazepam and alprazolam which farriers might use. A horse can still stand on 3 legs with these calming drugs.
> 
> I know that many people ride their horses using these drugs without feeling like they are "cheating." I would not use them, but I don't think the stigma to using them is as huge as you think. Some people start out using ACE or diazepam, and after a dozen rides, have a good enough relationship with their horse that they can discontinue them.


I have worked before for about a year, but quit because I was working 5-6 hour shifts until 10/11 at night by myself... both of my parents agreed I could stop working there. If it wasn't for the play and the musical in the spring, I would have a job right now. 

A lot of my issues with this job is that it causes me bad anxiety because of how busy it is. I also feel like I'm more in the way then helping, because I had no 'training' beforehand. It's a simple food retail job (is that the right word? It's a little resturant in the middle of town that's super popular. My aunt works there so my mom knows the owner [my mom knows literally everyone I feel like!] which is the only reason I got the job) but I don't know where even the simplest of dishes go and I don't just want to put them in random places because that will cause more problems if they cannot find them, so I have to interrupt someone to ask, and now I'm rambling about this. Sorry haha. Anyways...


I do like your last statement about having a good enough relationship. Thankfully at the moment if I drugged her to ride her she'd just fall asleep :lol: I did consider calming supplements for awhile but never got around to trying them. She's much calmer now! Like I said to whisper, I think it's more of the fact that the trainer hid all this from me that made me mad. 

---

Anyways, thank you both for your input! <3


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

(Graphic images at bottom of post. Don't scroll if it will bother you) 

I rode a few days ago and Pepper was stubborn as crap. As she was for my lesson today, but my trainer fixed it (sort of!) 

Anyways, besides her refusing to do what I asked and made me look like I didn't know what I was doing (which, tbh, is probably true) I had fun. I was just enjoying riding and took a trail ride afterward. I worked on trotting and stuff.

Although this one girl who was taking a lesson was making me mad. My trainer is perfectly fine with me riding as long as I stay out of the way. I had been riding for awhile so I was just going to do a nice trot to finish out my ride before cooling her off on the trails. I wasn't entirely sure what this girl was doing, so I stopped to the side of the middle of the arena so I wouldn't be in her way (this is a younger kid btw, probably about 12 or so? Maybe younger? I don't know lol). Well, she trots (painfully slowly, like a walk slow. I don't know how that pony was even trotting) up to me and stops right in front of me. For no reason. And she did it on purpose, it wasn't like she wasn't good at steering. So, as expected, Pepper and this horse try to sniff and greet each other. I know Pepper and did not trust her while I was on her to greet another horse that she doesn't really know, so I pulled away, but the girl tries to follow me until my trainer makes her get back on the rail. I left the arena at that point.

I saw her a few minutes later, trying to jump before my trainer asked her to. My trainer was standing in the middle of the jump, and the girl would turn her horse towards the jump (it's like a 12in jump if that) and expect my trainer to move? 

I don't think I could teach that girl if I was my trainer. I would lose my stuff! 

Anyways, I was super duper excited for my lesson today, since I've been waiting since late August to have a lesson on Pepper with the other two teens that ride. First Pepper got hurt, then my trainer went on vacation, and all I wanted to do was have my lesson! But, today the two girls didn't even come... lol. One forgot my trainer was back and the other was too busy filling out college applications (??). So I still didn't get my lesson with them, but I did get a private lesson instead, which was fine I guess.

Pepper does much better when there's another horse in the arena. She was stubborn and disrespectful (at least that's what my trainer said) to me. So, since my trainer knows what she's doing, she made me make her listen. Well, Pepper retaliated against that, and did her little take off and throw a few bucks thing. That happened a lot today. Apparently, I have a really good seat because I've had two trainers tell me that. I guess with how much Pepper throws random bucks I have to be prepared for anything! 

Although that being said, I still feel like I fall off a lot. So who knows. 

Hopefully next week I will finaaally get my lesson with the two teen girls!!! 

I felt like we had an extremely productive lesson today. Even though it wasn't the 'best', I enjoyed it. I was able to gain control of Pepper a little bit. We're getting there!!!

EDIT: Realized I forgot to add the pictures I was talking about at the beginning. This is Pepper's eye right after she got hurt and then her eye now. I am unimaginably thankful it healed so nicely. Huuuge props to the vet who came out on her labor day weekend to do such a great job with her stitches.

Pictures are in the wrong order. The first picture was taken while we were waiting on the vet. Second picture was taken today, about a little over a month after the initial injury. Third picture was taken a week after her stitches.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Yea, good job by your vet.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

so I wrote a huge post last week about how unmotivated I've been feeling lately, but then I didn't post it because I felt like I was just being a baby about things. also that's why I haven't been posting lately.

the tl;dr version of that: I'm leaving for college next August, by the time Pepper and I can finally do things, I'm going to leave her. Leasing her out is not an option because of reasons. I'm (hopefully!) going to a college about 1.5 hours away from my house, so coming to ride Pepper regularly is an unrealistic idea. I'm scared she'll just revert back to her old ways if she's not in consistent work. Also, I feel bad because I don't want my parents to have to pay for her while I'm at college. 



Going along with that, if it's going to be another five years before Pepper and I can start showing (this year plus then four years at college), what's even the point? That will make a total of almost nine years that I'll just be struggling with this horse.

I don't want to sell her now because I'm selfish and I want to be able to ride whenever I want. Leasing a horse is an option I guess, but again the selfish side of me doesn't want to do that (I want my horse, not someone else's). Plus, I've been loosely looking at horses for sale just for fun, and I can't find any leases that are off-site.

I was watching some Youtuber do this 'riding dares' video and my mom was sitting beside me. She looked over as these two girls were swapping horses without dismounting and said that if I could find a horse that would let me do something like that, I could have it. However, my mom tends to say things without thinking, so even if I found a horse like that she would never buy it for me.

Basically, I'm just ready to be able to ride and have fun. I'm taking lessons with two girls right now, and they're over here jumping 2'6" while I'm 'jumping' 6" poles on the ground. It is kinda embarrassing and unmotivating. I want to do that. I want to jump 2'6" and show and not be the odd one out. 

---------------------

Besides that, I had a lesson today that went well for the most part. Pepper trotted all the poles and the small jump (6") without acting like a lunatic. It's not even really the jumps/poles - it's turning towards them. My previous trainer (the one I was with only at the beginning of the year) was convinced that she used to be a barrel racer and that's why she would run when we turned. My current trainer thinks someone abused her at some point and she fell down or something while turning.

I really thought that Pepper had been with my old trainer (the one I bought her from) broke her and had her since she was little. But I honestly don't know anymore. I found an old sale ad that says the was 14 in 2014! Making her 18 now! I thought she was 14 years old now. Who knows!! Next time the vet's out I'll ask him to look at her teeth and see how old he thinks she is. This is all craziness!

The only bad thing about today's lesson was that Pepper let out two HUGE bucks (the 'bucks' I say she normally gives may just be little crowhops actually now that I've ridden these!). My old trainer told me that she hated the wind up her butt, but I never really understood what she meant. I think because the old barn had enough trees around it, the majority of the wind was blocked. But along the far side of the arena now, there's a nice little wind path, which went straight to her behind, and she was not having it!!

I was kinda proud though because my trainer told me I sat both the bucks very well.

However, at the end of the lesson, we were going to go for a trail ride, and I decided to walk the trail instead, because I was afraid of her bucking and taking off (or kicking someone) on the trail. 

My trainer called me a chicken and did the chicken wings motion. In front of the two girls, the little girl who was riding next and both her parents, and Comet's owner.

...

That just ruined it so I opted out of the trail ride entirely. She knows I struggle with fear and anxiety. Does she think making fun of it will make it any better?

Sometimes I think I should've just stayed at the previous barn. But it's too late now - there's no way my parents are going to let me switch barns again unless something really bad happens. 

But I mean, I think Pepper was really good today. She came back to me and settled down after both bucks. I was literally shaking after the first one because it took me so off guard. But I know she didn't do it to be sassy or rude or whatever you want to call it. She was genuinely upset about the wind. 

Sorry for this novel haha.


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

I'm sorry you've been feeling unmotivated and a little defeated lately. I think I understand where you're coming from, you feel you've put so much time and energy and work into Pepper, and you don't want that to all go to waste when you leave for college. Is there any chance you could find a boarding barn closer to your college and take her along? I know that is not always a reasonable thing (especially for a college student!), but if you were wanting to continue working with her it could be an option. 

I don't think it was appropriate for your trainer to mock your decision to walk the trail. Teachers should be lifting their students up, not bringing them down by playing off of insecurities. Additionally, at the end of a lesson I'm not sure why you wouldn't walk, as it could be a cool down for the horses, so I'm not sure why she wouldn't want all of you to walk the trail (rather than trotting, I'm assuming). 

Try not to compare yourself to the other girls in your lessons (I know that's easier said than done!) because you are all in different situations. It is frustrating to not be at the same level as far as jumping, but consider how much you've improved as a rider by working with a more challenging horse. Think of the improvements you've made with Pepper, and how far you have come - that's the only thing that really matters. If you want to get some experience with jumping higher, perhaps you could see about lessoning every now and then on a more seasoned horse who is capable and allows you to work on your position and confidence. 

As usual, I enjoy your updates, just wish things were not so blah for you at the moment!


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

NavigatorsMom said:


> I'm sorry you've been feeling unmotivated and a little defeated lately. I think I understand where you're coming from, you feel you've put so much time and energy and work into Pepper, and you don't want that to all go to waste when you leave for college. Is there any chance you could find a boarding barn closer to your college and take her along? I know that is not always a reasonable thing (especially for a college student!), but if you were wanting to continue working with her it could be an option.
> 
> I don't think it was appropriate for your trainer to mock your decision to walk the trail. Teachers should be lifting their students up, not bringing them down by playing off of insecurities. Additionally, at the end of a lesson I'm not sure why you wouldn't walk, as it could be a cool down for the horses, so I'm not sure why she wouldn't want all of you to walk the trail (rather than trotting, I'm assuming).
> 
> ...


 Comet's owner's daughter took Anya (the one who I was supposed to work with but went lame) to be a trail horse, so it's possible that his owner will bring the other horse (who she was free-leasing out to a little girl but they don't want him anymore) to the barn. In that case, I could definitely ride that horse to work on stuff like my position. 

I would love to bring Pepper with me to college, but there are a few problems with that. First of all, cost. The barns near the school I want to go to (NC State) are more expensive because they're in Raleigh. I could get a job to help work off that board, and I certainly would if that was an option, but my parents are afraid of me overwhelming myself. Then, I would not be able to come back to the barn I'm at now. It was a miracle there was even a spot to begin with, because it's such a small barn. And they don't offer pasture boarding or anything like that. Also, hauling is kinda expensive lol. Maybe if I can prove to my parents that I can handle it by getting good grades during my first semester, they'll be more open to moving her. 

For the trail ride situation, when I said walk I probably should have said lead. We always walk the trail as a cooldown, but I just felt more comfortable on the ground in that situation than on her back, so I got off to hand-walk the trail. It's a short little trail, and Pepper needs a little more ground-manners anyways, so I thought it was a good idea to walk both for my safety and to enforce some ground rules about leading (specifically pulling me to eat grass). I'm sure we would've been fine had I stayed on, but her bucks scared me more than usual as I wasn't used to that behavior. 


Thank you so much, I really appreciate you taking the time to read and reply <3


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

My trainer told me not to ride by myself. Which I forgot was a rule. I guess it's a rule? It's not written anywhere in the barn or on the boarding contract. But regardless she told me not to ride by myself.

I don't know if BO saw me out riding and told my trainer to tell me that or if it was just a 'be safe!' kinda thing. 

It's irritating and I understand where she's coming from, but I'm willing to take the risks that come with it. I spent three years going to the barn by myself and riding. Now I know 'anything can happen' and I'm definitely aware that Pepper is not the safest horse to ride alone, but I've got busy parents who work all day and have to care for my little brother who can't drive yet (he's only 12), so I don't really have a choice unless I ride like once a week. 

The real issue with this is the size of the arena. I can ride Tuesdays and Thursdays when my trainer is giving lessons, but I can't _actually_ do anything because I'll get in the lessoner's way. And they certainly have 'right of way' (?) when it's their lesson time. But that means I can't jump or work on poles or even canter. Or really even anything but trotting on the rail haha.

I was willing to deal with this until yesterday. I'm currently in our school's play and rehearsals start next week. The play is on Dec. 7th and we're super-duper behind (I'm not convinced that this play is actually going to happen.) so rehearsals are every day (kill me now lol) after school until 5. And by then, the sun's basically down so no riding. Not gonna lie, I hope that the play doesn't happen for two reasons- 1) i like to be able to ride my horse and 2) I have a pretty large role and trying to memorize lines and blocking within four weeks gives me a lot of anxiety. I'm afraid I won't be prepared when I get on stage! 

Luckily, I only take one class a day and then two classes on Tuesday/Thursday, so I can ride after my one class on M/W/F. Well, I could until I was told not to ride by myself. 

So I lunged Pepper yesterday since I wasn't supposed to ride and it went super well. Except she was ridiculously lazy!! I do not and will not touch her with the lunge whip (unless we're desensitizing where I just rub it on her and stuff), so I had a nice time trying to get her to trot. No cantering was done yesterday haha. I'll crack the whip behind her on the ground, and she used to take off and spook at that, and yesterday she didn't even blink an eye. 

We worked on ground poles and a little jumping on the lunge, so I got a nice workout walking around to make sure she was able to get straight to the jump and everything. She did pretty well. I found out that she spooks whenever she knocks a pole, so anytime she knocked it I made her keep working and go over it on the ground before putting it back up. If I don't make a big deal out of it, she won't either. Ideally, she doesn't knock them over at all, but we're getting there. 

She's getting a lot better about not running out on the lunge. I used to have the most difficult time jumping her when I wasn't on her back (well, even when I was if I'm being honest lol) because she'd just run to the side. She only did that once yesterday and it was my fault because I got distracted and wasn't telling her what to do. But we didn't struggle with actually going over the poles and the jumps which was a big improvement.

I'm really going to try and look at what all was good instead of the bad. Because I feel like I do a lot of complaining and not enough not-complaining. (What's the opposite of complaining??? :lol (google said gratitude, which isn't exactly what I'm thinking of, but close enough)

Also, completely unrelated, but I superglued three of my fingers together yesterday when trying to fix a halloween mask!


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

Lots and lots of people ride alone. A lot of us have no choice. I started riding solo at age 12 and let my kids ride solo at age 12. There must be some way you can get around this "rule." Maybe your mom could create a notarized document saying you are allowed to ride by yourself? You can really focus on your horse when it is just you and the horse. Hey, I'm sure you have a cell phone in your pocket. When I was a teen, riding by myself every single day, there were no cell phones.


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

Yep, I'm with knightrider, I was on my own from about age 12/13 - no cell phone until I was 16. I'd visit with your parents and the barn owner together to see if you could work out something allowing you to ride alone. Maybe there's a time during the day where you would be alone but only for a while until someone else shows up? 

Something I do, even now, is to text my husband when I get to the barn, when I get on with an estimate of how long I'll be riding, and then when I get off. Just for safety so someone knows where I am and how long I planned to ride. If the ride ends up being longer I send another text to prevent worry. Maybe a set up like that could work for your situation?


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

knightrider said:


> Lots and lots of people ride alone. A lot of us have no choice. I started riding solo at age 12 and let my kids ride solo at age 12. There must be some way you can get around this "rule." Maybe your mom could create a notarized document saying you are allowed to ride by yourself? You can really focus on your horse when it is just you and the horse. Hey, I'm sure you have a cell phone in your pocket. When I was a teen, riding by myself every single day, there were no cell phones.


Yes, I keep my phone on me at all times when I'm alone! I've been riding alone for at least two years now since I got my license, and probably some before that when my mom would drop me off at the barn. If they start really telling me not to ride by myself, then I'll see what we can do. The worst case scenario is I guess I'll change barns again. I think I've been playing musical boarding barns this year :lol: I wasn't entirely sure if this 'rule' about not riding alone was a common thing or not since the last barn I was at there was always a stablehand on the property during the day and the one before that my trainer couldn't care less what we were doing.




NavigatorsMom said:


> Yep, I'm with knightrider, I was on my own from about age 12/13 - no cell phone until I was 16. I'd visit with your parents and the barn owner together to see if you could work out something allowing you to ride alone. Maybe there's a time during the day where you would be alone but only for a while until someone else shows up?
> 
> Something I do, even now, is to text my husband when I get to the barn, when I get on with an estimate of how long I'll be riding, and then when I get off. Just for safety so someone knows where I am and how long I planned to ride. If the ride ends up being longer I send another text to prevent worry. Maybe a set up like that could work for your situation?


I usually do let my mom or dad know when I'm leaving for the barn but I don't usually tell them what I'm doing or how long I'll be gone. I should probably start doing that. (I do call when I leave the barn though) 


We'll figure something out regardless. Especially since it's my senior year, I'm going to ride as much as I can!


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I had a lesson today that went really well! Kinda... 

80% of it was good. :lol:


First, we did some no-stirrup work at the trot. My legs hurt now haha. My old trainer never (literally never) did no-stirrups. After a while owning Pepper, I did a lot more research and stuff about horses and learned that most trainers have no-stirrups at least sometimes, so I taught myself to not fall off with no stirrups (this has proven handy quite a few times). I probably don't look very pretty riding stirrupless, but I can stay on most of the time if I do lose a stirrup! 

Then we cantered. Well, we tried. Pepper would not canter the first way. Nothing I could do would make her canter, and my trainer will not let me carry a crop, so we did some speedy trotting until we turned around and went the other way. She cantered after a lot of encouragement this way, but she made me work for that canter. 

She also made me work to get her to trot. She did not want to work today!!

However, this meant that when we got to jumping a little bit, she was great because she was too lazy to get nervous. We jumped a tiiiny course (6 in at the most) but she was perfect! I was so happy with it. I haven't been able to do a course of jumps without her running since... well probably ever haha. Even though they were tiny, they were still jumps that she actually jumped over and didn't just trot over. It's a huge improvement! 

My trainer kept talking about how good Pepper was being, but then she would add comments like "let's wait until she starts bucking." First of all, comments like that do not help my anxiety about riding sometimes. Second of all, it kinda offends me that she always thinks of Pepper as being a horse that bucks a lot... she really doesn't buck that much!!! I mean, maybe to her she does if all her horses wonderfully behave all the time, but whatever... :icon_rolleyes:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I don't think I ever posted about this (sorry if I did!) but a few weeks ago we went on a trail ride around the front of the property (usually we only go around the back) and Pepper was so brave!

I remembered this because it rained all night and now it's super wet, so I can't go ride or anything. Then I remembered how at the old barn, BO would take us on trail rides (we had a really nice trail at that barn) (also the reason she took us on the trail was so that she wouldn't have to make-up our lesson; she took us on the trail as our 'lesson') and I really miss that. But then I remembered how Pepper and I used to be terrified of the trails, and how she would never go out on the trail alone. So that reminded me of this trail and how far she's come!


Pepper is not a slow horse. She does not appreciate being stuck behind Comet on the trails, and so on this trail ride I decided to lead because I didn't want to have to constantly be slowing her down and getting her off of Comet's tail. Pepper had never been around the front of the property like we were doing (it's right beside the pasture she goes in, so she's seen it before, but never when I was on her and never this close). She was certainly curious about everything - her ears were perked forward and she was looking around! But she kept walking forward and didn't spook at anything. Well, she was not a fan of this pile of rocks and had to take an extra second to look before deciding it wasn't going to eat her, but even that was great because she trusted that I wasn't going to ask her to walk beside something that was going to eat her.

It's funny to me how horses spook at the weirdest things. She certainly didn't 'spook' at the rocks, but she wasn't a fan. But we were walking around BO's house, and she had all sorts of 'scary' things (a couple of lawn decorations, miscellaneous things beside the house, etc) that Pepper deemed okay, but not the rocks! 

But she led the trail! She walked in front of the other horses (willingly!!!) 


Sunday, we went on another trail ride, just around the back property, and I let Comet lead. Which meant that I had to keep stopping Pepper because she would get as close to Comet as possible. And when I stopped her, she took that as an opportunity to eat leaves off the trees. So, the whole trail ride (it's only like five minutes [maybe not even that] to walk it both ways) she had some sort of branch in her mouth. Somehow, Pepper managed to get the branch stuck in her bridle, and there was a leaf that was touching near her eye. This was spooking Pepper a little bit, but I decided to laugh about it instead of freaking out and I think that helped Pepper to not spook at the leaf on her eye. 

But she wasn't going to get that branch (it wasn't like a giant branch, but still a branch of leaves) off of her face unless it was going into her mouth. So, she was walking while shaking her head and trying to eat the leaves. And somehow, she succeeded in doing this. It was funny, but it also reminded me how before now, I probably would've freaked out that she was going to spook, a and that probably would have made her spook.


I don't have school today, so I'm really bored haha. Sorry for the rambling :lol:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

It was too wet to ride today, so I groomed Pepper and hand grazed her for a while.

When I got there, she was in the round pen and not with Comet. I'm peeved that they've been separated after being put together in the first place because Pepper really hates being by herself and the round pen is somewhat secluded. Plus, the round pen is not adequate turn-out for her... it's small, super muddy, and there's no grass at all.

There are eight pastures/paddocks on the property. Four have grass and the others are just dry-lots. They also use the arena for turnout (which also bothers me but I'll get to that in a second). 

On the farm, there are only ten horses. One is in a dry lot with a 'stall'/shelter thing in it. Six are in the main barn, and three are in the trainer's barn. So, ten horses for eight paddocks? And my horse has to be in the round pen? I just don't understand why she rarely puts more than one horse in a paddock at a time. These are herd animals... back at the old barn, we had one huge pasture and every single horse on the property was turned out at the same time, in the same place. The pasture was large enough that if two horses didn't like each other, they just didn't get near each other. We never really had issues with fighting. Occasionally someone would come in with a minor bite, but that was the extent of any head-related injuries.

Our trainer moved barns once at the old barn and took most of the horses with her. The barn we moved to already had horses. We just let them out to be horses, and they had a few squabbles, but after a week or so everyone learned to get along without injury. There were 11 horses, so I'm not talking about a gigantic herd. Although there was a point before we moved that there were probably 20 horses together, but my old trainer had to sell a lot of them.

I honestly prefer that to having only a few horses turned out in separate pastures. Now, I haven't done research but I feel like it's kinda common sense? In the wild, horses stay in a herd. They're herd animals. Obviously, there are some exceptions, but in general, I don't like separating horses into one or two per paddock. Also obviously, I'm not an expert so maybe there's been research done to show otherwise but still... 



So all that was to say that I think all of the horses should, at the very least, be in pairs in their paddock. Today when I went, there were only two pairs of horses together. So four of the ten horses had a buddy and the other six were by themselves. 

Now, they can still see at least one other horse and depending on which paddock they're in, some can interact over the fence... which is electric so they can't really get too close. 

Also, since there were two pairs and one horse was in the arena, that left three pastures that Pepper could've gone in. I realized, though, that all of those pastures were the grass ones. I don't understand why Pepper can't just be on grass? They have such a strict grass schedule and I don't understand it. At every other barn that I've been to, the horses were either turned out in a grass pasture or in their stalls. There was none of this "horse in pasture 1 on this day, horse in pasture 2 on this day, etc" stuff that I don't understand. It's not like they're rotating pastures to keep the grass nice either. 

So, Pepper was isolated in the round pen that was so muddy that I got like 'suctioned' to the mud trying to walk in it, (there _were_ dry spots, but Pepper stood in the mud that was at the gate). She was separated from Comet after being put back with him. I'm going to ask why they were separated. They were together at the old barn for over six years, so I don't understand.


I had such a hard time getting her back in the round pen too after I was ready to leave. She planted her feet and did not want to walk forward. She hates being by herself. I'm sure BO knows more about horses than I do, but I know more about this specific horse than she does. And Pepper needs someone with her, whether it's another horse or another person. Before she learned to trust me, at the old barn you couldn't see the horses from the arena, therefore, trying to ride her alone was always really hard because she was sooo anxious. When I used to take her to schooling shows and to school the day before some 'C' rated shows, you couldn't leave her tied to the trailer by herself. I haven't been out to a show in a while to know if she's still like that. 


Also, she is turned out in the arena a lot. So, sometimes I have to take her out of the arena where she's relaxing, groom and tack her, and then make her go back into the arena for work. I feel like this isn't good for her. Maybe she's smart enough to realize that if I go with her in the arena, it's work (whether riding or lunging) and if I let her loose and leave it's relax time. Who knows.


I need to buy myself a farm and run it myself :lol: that's the only way I'll find a barn I'm happy at!

I'm not going to leave this barn unless things get really bad or BO doesn't try to help at all with the complaints I have. I'm not going to ask her a lot, but just things like 'please don't isolate my horse'. 

Sorry for rambling _again_ :icon_rolleyes:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Just thought of a little side thought but I can't edit my post anymore so I'll just add another! 

I decided to text Comet's owner to see if she knew why they were separated because I have a little social anxiety and texting BO makes me uncomfortable haha. 

But, that got me thinking - should I even have to ask these things? If Pepper was misbehaving, I feel like she should tell me so I can do something about it, or at least so I can know.

----

While I was typing that Comet's owner texted me back. Apparently, she was the one that put them together and not BO. So, I guess my thing about separating them after putting them together is less-valid since she wasn't the one who put them together. But the rest of my 'rant' remains. Comet's owner feels the same way.

Comet's owner said that the reason BO separated them after she put them together is that BO was afraid they would start romping around and someone would get hurt... so not even fighting, but she was afraid of them playing? Like horses do? Being social? Apparently, Comet pinned his ears at Pepper because she was trying to steal some of his watermelon his owner gave him as treats. She always gives Pepper some too. But isn't this normal horse behavior? If he bites her, so what? She probably deserved it :icon_rolleyes: And if both me and Comet's owner agree that we understand the risks of horses being horses, then she should have no reason not to. Make us sign a contract if she's that nervous about it. But these two horses have known each other for as long as I've known either of them, and how is Comet being with Pepper any different then when he was with Anya? Comet and Pepper have always been friends; before we moved barns, he and Anya didn't really care for each other that much. They didn't dislike each other, but they were just acquaintances I guess? (I don't know how horse herds work!)

Anyways, we're going to talk to BO about keeping them together. If she says no to something we both agree too... well I might be finding somewhere else. If I have to, I'll go back to the barn where the bad BO was at - that BO has practically fallen off the planet, and the lady that owns the barn will not have anything to do with her. One of my friends stayed there too. But at least I know how she'll be cared for and that she'll get actual social interaction with other horses...


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

I obviously don't know what your board agreement/contract says, but since you said that typically the other horses are turned out alone, maybe BO likes keeping horses separated to prevent injury and not have to worry as much about dealing with herd dynamics? A horse who's a bully to others can be hard to find herdmates he'll mesh with, and possibly instead of the BO having to shuffle horses around to find a compatible group (which is a big trial and error situation, potentially) she finds it easier to just keep them all separate and not have to worry about it. Personally that seems like a lazy way of dealing with it but just another way of looking at it. I wholeheartedly agree that horses should be turned out with others, but there are reasons to keep them separate sometimes. 

I think it will be good for you and Comet's owner to visit with the BO. A contract of sorts allowing your horses to be together might be an easy fix, but I definitely understand the consideration of moving if your horses aren't allowed to be pastured together or with others. Good luck!


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

A lot of interesting questions here, but it really does boil down to the fact that you are boarding. It will always be a compromise - unless you luck out - and you are correct as to being able to ask questions and even go to another barn, because you are the paying customer here, but in the end the rules will be up to the barn owner. 

The only way out is to concentrate on your career so that you can afford to get your own place. I was in my mid 40's before I was able to do so, and it really does make a huge impact on your relationship with your horse.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Comet's owner (she's the best!) talked to BO for us and she said okay to putting Comet and Pepper together. Apparently they had an 'argument' but nobody had any bite marks or anything so I'm not worried. I figure it was just them reestablishing dominance or whatever.

I rode today and Pepper behaved well for the most part except she refused to canter again. At first she cantered perfectly and was great! Maybe I should've left it at that but since she cantered so well I wanted to do it again. So, I asked her to canter again after we trotted and did some other stuff. 

She flat out refused to canter again. I'm going to try to get a video of her next time I ride, but I have to be by myself so it would be Monday before I did that. 

She pinned her ears as far back as they could go and she put her head up in the air, so I started telling her to canter instead of just asking. We were trotting like we were in a trot race at this point lol. When I started to kick her, she started trying to either rear or buck. I know those are like two completely different things but she's never reared while I was on her so I don't really know what a rear feels like or the warning signs. The only reason I don't know if she was going to buck is because her head was still in the air (keep in mind I have slack in the reins so I'm not pulling her head up). Regardless, it scared me so I made her stop and got off, twisted the reins, and made her canter at liberty. One whip smack on the ground was all it took and she cantered then.

So, I got back on and then she was fine, but BO had a lesson so I couldn't keep working her. But, I did make her canter while riding without being too scared after she rebelled, so I think that's an improvement. 

She trotted around nicely, before and after her tantrum. Also, she's starting to understand the leg yield now! But for some reason, we still have issues backing. For some reason, she is just not understanding me backing her up. I mean, it's getting better, but we still struggle.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Some horses, (I think they are the smarter ones) just don't think backing up for no reason is reasonable. Try only backing her out of an alley or something that she has to back up to get out of for a few days, and see if that makes any difference.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

whisperbaby22 said:


> Some horses, (I think they are the smarter ones) just don't think backing up for no reason is reasonable. Try only backing her out of an alley or something that she has to back up to get out of for a few days, and see if that makes any difference.


I have been told that she's smart because of the Arabian in her, and I believe it because of how quickly she's learning everything else. I'll try backing her out of somewhere and see if she's quicker to respond to that vs just backing in the middle of the arena


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I had a lesson on Sunday but forgot to write about it. Therefore, I kinda forgot some of the details. Including if she even cantered easily or not. I don't know how I forgot that because I'd either be excited that she listened or irritated that she wasn't listening. 

I _think_ she cantered without too many issues. Maybe a little resistance but still cantered. 

I do remember that we did some actual jumping which went very well all things considered. And by jumping I mean Pepper jumped over them instead of not jumping. There were two verticals that were just barely over 1 foot, and then some crossrails which weren't any higher, so not anything huge, but big enough that she actually jumped. I've started to forget how much fun jumping can be, so maybe since it's like I'm re-learning, some of the excitement will outweigh the fear. 

The issue isn't really the jump. It's turning towards the jump. Now, high jumps still scare me, but I think it's because of previous experiences with them that went poorly. And they went poorly because of the turn towards it. For some reason, when we turn towards a jump, Pepper gets nervous and will do a mini 'bolt' towards the jump. This happened a lot with the old trainer. I had no control to the jump whatsoever, and Pepper does need direction. So, I wasn't telling her what to do and I guess she prefers to not jump over jumping (or she was scared of jumping) and would run around the jumps. If we get a good approach to a jump where I'm in control, we pop over it no issue. But it's the bolting at the jump. My trainer always tells me to circle her to calm her down... but turning, as you do in circles, is a big issue for us, so sometimes it just causes even more issues. I do find that if I can get a good circle she'll calm down about the turns and it's easier when we turn towards the jump.

That being said, she was good on Sunday. No bolts (they're not really bolts - that's a bad word to use for them. I guess she just kinda runs off? When I think of a bolt, I think of an out of control gallop. She's not galloping, just cantering, and I can stop her pretty easily afterwards. Didn't used to be that way though, I used to have zero control) happened at all. I do have one issue - my trainer wants me to keep loose reins to help calm her, but I literally have no control if I do that. We're still working on moving off my leg, and right now if I didn't have my reins it would probably be close to impossible to get her over a jump in the middle of the arena. Also, if I give her complete rein, she will run off. I've tried. And she runs off. The trainer I had over the summer was convinced she used to be a barrel racer by the way she runs around turns. I really don't think that's true. I think she's just scared. Honestly, it's probably my fault she's like this.

My trainer wants me to ride practically reinless with how loose she wants them. And maybe her horses can do that, but Pepper can't yet. I need to have contact with the reins. My old trainer told me to ride her with short reins and just keep my hands forward so I don't pull in her mouth, so I'm used to having contact, and I feel so helpless without it. 

Anyways, here I go talking about the negatives again :icon_rolleyes: even though it wasn't bad on Sunday. We did a course (a course!!!) of four jumps (I haven't done that in who knows how long). 

We did plenty of circles in the first attempts to do the course. We also walked some of the jumps (that's how small they were) if after a couple of circles she wasn't calm enough to not run off. We also worked on stopping and attempting to back up after stopping. 

My trainer's gone off on vacation for three weeks, so I get a lot of time by myself. This is kinda bad because it means I'll be riding by myself since when I usually ride my trainer is there. However, I think BO is usually home because she has western lessons after the english lessons so it shouldn't be an issue. 

Although it's literally rained for three days straight. It started raining on Monday and I haven't seen the sun since. There's been breaks in the rain, but never long enough to ride, and even if they were long enough the arena's flooded.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I've had wind, today is the first day that I will be able to ride. When these winds blow I can't do anything with my horse because of the electricity in the air. When I take off the fly sheet it's so electric I dump it on the ground and pick it up with the rake.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

whisperbaby22 said:


> I've had wind, today is the first day that I will be able to ride. When these winds blow I can't do anything with my horse because of the electricity in the air. When I take off the fly sheet it's so electric I dump it on the ground and pick it up with the rake.


Static is the worst, I accidentally shocked Pepper the other day hard enough that she felt it and jumped! It was from me wearing a sweater while brushing her. I was a little scared to touch her again :lol:


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

I feel your pain. For the past week or 2 I have been afraid to touch anything metal - car, dryer, etc.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Rode today for the first time since last Sunday (so like 12 days... oops). I've been feeling kinda unmotivated lately, so I went once and just brushed Pepper because she's still my pet and it isn't fair for me to not go see her just because I don't feel like it.

But it's supposed to rain tomorrow and we have today off, so I rode her today. 

She's still being resistant to canter. It's so unlike her to just flat-out refuse to do things like this. I was really hoping that having a break from riding would help this issue (I was hoping it was just her being a mare and she'd stop, but it appears to be a physical problem). 

The chiropractor is coming on Monday, so I'm just not going to ride until she comes. I'm also going to see if she can inspect my saddle fit. I don't know if that's something she can do, but it kinda seems like she'd know about that. I'm not expecting her to like tell me everything a saddle fitter would, but maybe just an "it fits good" or a "look into getting a new one". 

But even on this chilly (41F) breezy day, she was no different than she was last time I rode. And that's good, assuming she's not in pain and doesn't feel like being 'hyper'. She was so quiet today! 

I took off her tack and asked her to canter at liberty, and she did that without much issue. And her ears were perked forward like they used to be when she canters. When I'm on her, her ears are pinned as far back as she can get them until we stop cantering. As soon as I cue the canter eve in the slightest, her ears start to go back. No ear pinning at the trot, but it still takes an uncharacteristic amount of asking for her to pick up the trot. 

Anyways I've said all this before. Praying that the chiro finds an answer and it's nothing serious...


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Sometimes reading through other threads reminds me of things Pepper used to do... and I realize how far we've actually come. When I think of our progress, I tend to think in terms of riding, more specifically, how our jumping is going. But, jumping is just a tiny fraction of everything we do. Just because I'm not jumping the height I want to be, doesn't mean we're not progressing!

For example, I remembered how I actually used to be scared of tying Pepper. She developed a habit of sitting back while tied and panicking at one point. Sometimes she did it because she got spooked by something, sometimes it seemed like she just decided to pull back. I was scared of having to saddle her because I was scared she'd pull back, the saddle would slip off, and she'd spook even more, then she'd fall and hurt herself or someone else. 

Thankfully she got over that. But I stopped tying her and would start just looping the rope around something. Enough that if she turned her head the rope wouldn't come off, but enough that if she spooked she could get away.

And trying to cross-tie her wasn't an option, ever. She'd walk around and throw her head, and it scared me. She probably wasn't actually doing anything bad, but I was terrified of her! 

I'm still worried about her breaking things though. But it's because I don't want to be responsible for paying for whatever we broke! But, she doesn't do stuff like that anymore.

I'm also not worried about her spooking very much. The old-old arena (with the old trainer before the old trainer moved to the other barn - so three barns ago?) was right beside a road. So, she's actually quite desensitized to cars and most of the time trucks, because every day there would be cars constantly driving by.

Although some people just want to watch the world burn... twice, people threw firecrackers (is that what they're called? those things that make really loud noises) out of their cars. I was there for one, but luckily my trainer had a hold of Pepper so I got off while my trainer was keeping her from bolting. The second time, one of the other girls was schooling a young gelding, and he reared up and she fell and hurt her back. She didn't break it luckily, but she couldn't ride for a while. 

She's certainly not bomb-proof by any means, and I would probably say she's still spookier than the average horse, but she's much better. She did 'spook' a few weeks ago when my empty water bottle fell off the arena fence behind her. But it was nothing more than a few scared steps forward before she settled back down. 

Chiro is coming tomorrow (nobody told me she rescheduled until I got there and nobody else was there)


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

Chiro has been rescheduled again! Yay! (not). At least I was told this time instead of showing up and nobody else being there.

It's okay I guess because I feel bad. I've either got strep or just a bad cold. My throat hurts in a specific spot (bad enough it woke me up in the middle of the night) and it hurts to swallow. I missed school yesterday but I should've just dealt with it and gone anyway because now I'm gonna miss today. I don't want to miss today because it'll be my 3rd absence, and if you miss less than 3 days you don't have to take certain exams. 

It's ridiculous. They punish us for being sick and missing school, so students come to school sick. Which then causes more illnesses and more absences.

And I always feel guilty about missing school. I don't have a fever right now so I feel like I should go to school because I can't be that sick if I don't have a fever, but I feel like crap and all I want to do is sleep. But the schools are like unless you're throwing up or have a fever, come to school! 

It's stupid. I hate it. I should be able to take a day to rest even if I'm not super sick without feeling guilty. I mean, am I actually resting now? No, because I'm worried about missing. Even now I'm wondering if I should just go in late so I don't get counted absent. 

/rant over

I brushed Pepper yesterday since I was already there. She was so muddy. So, so muddy. It was caked on her and hard to get off. I did't feel well yesterday either so I got about halfway through getting the mud off before I just decided to give her a treat and put her back in the pasture (I don't even like calling it a pasture. There's no grass.). 

I think my first post ever here was about these spots on Pepper's back, which was either ringworm or rain-rot. When I asked my trainer, she said we didn't need to call the vet and I was young and my mom trusted her and didn't want to have to pay for the vet to come out, so I never actually found out what it was. I should've just told my mom to call the vet anyway. 

So those stayed for a while until they went away. She actually has scar-type spots on her back still from them where the hair grew back black. Every winter, one of them comes back, in the exact same spot. I'm pretty sure it's rain rot, although I did end up with a strangely round, raised rash on my butt (how it got there, I have no idea) the first time she had them... but none of the other horses had it and there were probably 10-ish horses in the same pasture, so it didn't seem contagious.

All of that was to say, I really need her to be brought in when it's raining (or at least have a rain sheet on) so she doesn't get rain rot again. I don't know if she's being left out in the rain, but with how muddy she was and the halter was damp when I went to get her, I feel like she was. Which makes me mad - we're paying for a stall. I'm not against pasture boarding, but if I'm paying for a stall, I want to use said stall. 

But then there's the issue that Pepper cannot be by herself in the barn or she'll panic and probably either break something or hurt herself. So, it's not even like I could put her up myself, because someone else would have to come inside with her.

And, I'm not 100% convinced she's getting to go out on the grass pasture... if she is, it's at night. Which is when they're supposed to be inside because it's cold. Maybe since the weather is still mild, she's staying out a lot. If she's still going in the drylot everyday once it starts getting cold, I'm going to talk to BO. 

Wow, I ramble a lot lol. 


Also completely unrelated, I just realized that the title of this journal should be "a series of unfortunate events with pepper". Oops! Gives it more personality


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well. It's that time of the year, isn't it? If you don't have a fever/aren't contagious then technically it's safe for you to go to school as you won't infect other students, but I (as a former teacher) believe if you have the means to stay home it is better to rest up for a day than to go to school and run yourself down more. I know what you mean about not wanting to miss any days though, I was the same way!

About the rain rot, I believe horses only get it from contact, so unfortunately even if you manage Pepper really well, she could still potentially pick it up from another horse she's in contact with. It's a pretty common problem though and pretty easy to manage, which is a good thing! First thing I'd do is really wash your grooming equipment, to kill any bacteria that's already there. You can carefully remove the little scabs (moisten with water to help them come off easily) and wash her with an anti-microbial shampoo to kill the organisms on her skin. Since she seems pretty prone to it then yes, she really would be better off in the barn during very rainy or wet weather. Could you possibly see if your friend would be ok with her horse going in during the rain too? Then she wouldn't be alone. Yes, it would be a hassle to have to bring her in/out yourself, but since you're paying for board and the stall, you would think that someone would be able to do that for you.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

NavigatorsMom said:


> Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well. It's that time of the year, isn't it? If you don't have a fever/aren't contagious then technically it's safe for you to go to school as you won't infect other students, but I (as a former teacher) believe if you have the means to stay home it is better to rest up for a day than to go to school and run yourself down more. I know what you mean about not wanting to miss any days though, I was the same way!
> 
> About the rain rot, I believe horses only get it from contact, so unfortunately even if you manage Pepper really well, she could still potentially pick it up from another horse she's in contact with. It's a pretty common problem though and pretty easy to manage, which is a good thing! First thing I'd do is really wash your grooming equipment, to kill any bacteria that's already there. You can carefully remove the little scabs (moisten with water to help them come off easily) and wash her with an anti-microbial shampoo to kill the organisms on her skin. Since she seems pretty prone to it then yes, she really would be better off in the barn during very rainy or wet weather. Could you possibly see if your friend would be ok with her horse going in during the rain too? Then she wouldn't be alone. Yes, it would be a hassle to have to bring her in/out yourself, but since you're paying for board and the stall, you would think that someone would be able to do that for you.


It certainly is! My trainer came home from her trip and has been sick since, and I think the chiro wasn't feeling well either and that's why she rescheduled. Hopefully, her's is nothing serious so that we don't have to reschedule again (and because nobody wants to feel bad!). 

I can ask if Comet's owner would be ok with him coming in during the rain. I have no idea how she feels about him being out all the time. The barn helper comes in the afternoons and she's super friendly so I'm pretty sure she'd be ok with bringing her inside if it's supposed to rain that night, but BO might not be as willing to bring her in during the day if it starts raining.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I ended up being diagnosed with some sort of infection. The doctor said it could have been strep, but I really hate the throat swap things. She said she was going to put me on antibiotics regardless, so I opted out. I went to school the rest of the week, but I wasn't put on antibiotics until Thursday so, hopefully, I didn't infect anyone... 

Anyways, enough of that! Onto my journal entry, which, as always, is me ranting  

---
Pepper only gets turned out on grass 2/3 days of the week. If the chiropractor (she rescheduled again) doesn't fix this cantering issue, I did some research and found that ulcers could be causing the issue.

Since I'm not there 24/7 I don't know about some of the other symptoms (lack of appetite, laying down more often, etc). As far as I know, she's still eating fine.

But, I have some reasons why I think this could be the cause.

I read this on an Arizona vet's website: "Continuous pasture access is the best diet for all horses. When this is not an option, then at least 75% of the diet should be roughage, divided into four to six meals/day."

She's getting grass 2/3 days of the week during the day. In the mornings and evenings, she gets a flake of hay. Therefore, the other days after she eats her hay she's just standing there. She gets fed grain twice a day. Now, she's always gotten two meals, but at the old barn she was on grass everytime she went out. At the old-old barn, they were in to get fed grain and then went out to graze. There were multiple large round bales of hay in the pasture. So, this is the first time she's not gotten to graze every day. 

Then I also read that medicines can cause ulcers.

This issue really started after she was on bute and antibiotics for her eye accident. 

The chiropractor went through vet school (at the school I want to go to!) so I'm hoping that she can at least tell me what she thinks about my 'diagnosis'. I don't expect her to treat it or anything, but she could probably tell me if it's worth getting a general vet out. 

However, I did a lot of 'touching' around her belly area and nothing got a reaction out of her. She's not girthy and doesn't move when I tighten it. She does blow out, but she's always done that and once I walk her into the arena I can tighten it with no issues. 

I also know that I can usually get her to canter once after some asking, but asking a second time is like I'm killing her. I also read that exercise causes the acid to splash and can irritate the horse, which I think makes sense why she would be more resistant the more we work. 

Scoping is quite expensive and I know my mom won't be easily persuaded into spending that much money.

She always complains about how much Pepper costs, but it's not my fault. I got Pepper as a birthday present. 

---

Let me just write the complaints I have so I can get them all out and stop complaining!

Turnout - I'm not a fan of her not being turned out on grass very often. 
Turnout 2 - I don't like them separating horses. However, this seems to be a non-issue now that Comet and Pepper are together
Not supposed to ride by myself - I've just been doing it anyway. If they say something about it again I'll do something about it
Size of the arena - it's hard to work on some things 
No trail riding except one small trail around the barn  
The trainer has a tendency to say things that hurt my feelings (that makes me sound like a baby lol. I may just be overly sensitive) 
(Other than that she's a good trainer) 

There's probably some other superficial things 
So, looking at them, I don't feel like that's very many and some of them aren't that important. Like the trainer, I really like her despite the fact that she just has no filter when she talks. And, I can do most things I want to do in the arena. Sometimes, it's better that it's small because it just eases some anxieties. I can do liberty work without having to be running back and forth. 

The only real issues I've come across is we can't do a lot of gymnastics work because there's simply not enough room. And, I'm scared of attempting lead changes across the diagonal because I fell off last time due to having to turn sharply and the saddle slipping. The turns for stuff like that are just too tight.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

A few years back, a Horse Forum member named Elle put this video up on Horse Forum. Since I wondered about two of my horses possibly having ulcers, I palpated them according to the video. One showed moderate symptoms according to the video, and the other one showed a very mild reaction. My other two horses had no reaction at all. I treated the two horses that had some symptoms and then, later, when I palpated them, they showed no symptoms, and still do not to this day. Whenever I trailer a horse, I give it ranitidine ground up with a banana in case they might get ulcers from the trailering.






This technique is simple, costs nothing, and I found it quite helpful. I hope this helps you too.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

knightrider said:


> A few years back, a Horse Forum member named Elle put this video up on Horse Forum. Since I wondered about two of my horses possibly having ulcers, I palpated them according to the video. One showed moderate symptoms according to the video, and the other one showed a very mild reaction. My other two horses had no reaction at all. I treated the two horses that had some symptoms and then, later, when I palpated them, they showed no symptoms, and still do not to this day. Whenever I trailer a horse, I give it ranitidine ground up with a banana in case they might get ulcers from the trailering.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr05hMmLCY4
> 
> This technique is simple, costs nothing, and I found it quite helpful. I hope this helps you too.


Will definitely try this next time I go to the barn! Thank you!!


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

It could be ulcers, or it could be that she is just not spending enough time eating. Do some research on slow feeders. I personally do not use them, because if they do not work, they can cause a lot of problems. A horse should be eating about 17 hours a day.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I couldn't get the video to load at the barn, but I watched it beforehand and just kinda put pressure around her belly and where he showed and she didn't move.

I also rode today which I probably shouldn't have done, but I'm impatiently waiting for the chiropractor. If she doesn't come soon I might just call someone else and schedule it myself... It's also supposed to snow quite a bit this weekend so that will take away a bunch of riding time 


Anyways, I've decided that I'm just not going to ride until she gets looked at. Because one of two things is happening - 1) I'm hurting her by asking her to do things or 2) I'm 'training' her that if she pins her ears and acts like this she can get out of doing work.

But today I couldn't even get her to trot. It was ridiculous! My trainer and the barn helper said that she's just being stubborn, but I just feel like something's off. I have been riding her for nearly five years at this point, and the only time she's ever just refused to do something was because we were jumping and jumping is just a whole different issue, or because she genuinely didn't understand (like when we try to back up for example). But trust me, she knows exactly what I'm asking her to do. I believe this is called 'napping'. 

I don't really know what to do if the chiro doesn't help. I guess we'll need to get the vet out too, but I know my mom will be irritated about the cost. I said this above and I feel like it sounded really bratty, but my mom makes me feel guilty about how much my horse costs... but she's the one who chose to get her for me. But trust me, getting Pepper is one of the best things to have ever happened to me. Without her, I don't think I would ever really leave the house except for school. I love her and I'm unbelievably grateful for her. 

So, now I feel like I need to get a job to pay for her... but I don't really have time. I have more free-time than most probably, but it's scattered. Plus, next semester it will change. Monday, Wednesday, Friday I have one class from about 10-11:30. Wednesdays and Fridays I have a theatre club meeting at 3:30. So, I guess I could work from 12-3 those days... Tuesday and Thursday I have another class from 2-3:30 along with the 10-11:30 class.

Oh, the play I was doing got canceled because people didn't show up for practice. We had like eight people that actually consistently came to rehearsal, but we were doing "It's a Wonderful Life" which requires more than eight people. We started with like 20, and people just kept dropping because they didn't realize how much commitment it was.

But, when January comes I'll have class from 10-3:30. So, I can ride after school. I could work at like 5, but then I wouldn't have much time to do my homework. And in late January/early February, musical rehearsals start. Which are until about 6, so no riding on the days I have rehearsal, meaning I would want to ride on the other days.

I mean, if I had to, I could make it work. But, it would just be a lot for me to do. 

Anyways, I wasn't in the mood to do a lot of work anyways, so we basically walked around the arena for 30 minutes  It's days like today though that I really wish we had nice trails.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Yes, you know your horse, and what is best for her. Your trainer is just there to help.

Probably one of the best things you can do right now is to get a job. Just as the people in the play kept dropping out shows, being self sufficient and motivated is what moves you along in life. They are going to miss out on a great opportunity because they are not motivated. When I was a kid I worked as a maid, in summer at local motel, and during school I could rustle up working in somebody's home. The work was hard and boring, but it was a real lesson in business. Just keep looking around and asking, something will come up.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

whisperbaby22 said:


> Yes, you know your horse, and what is best for her. Your trainer is just there to help.
> 
> Probably one of the best things you can do right now is to get a job. Just as the people in the play kept dropping out shows, being self sufficient and motivated is what moves you along in life. They are going to miss out on a great opportunity because they are not motivated. When I was a kid I worked as a maid, in summer at local motel, and during school I could rustle up working in somebody's home. The work was hard and boring, but it was a real lesson in business. Just keep looking around and asking, something will come up.


I've been loosely looking. I've just had a hard time finding places with the right hours.

I worked for about a year at a frozen yogurt shop, but I was working alone until late hours so that's why I quit that job. My dad wasn't comfortable with me being there until 10/11 at night alone. 

I also worked about a month ago for a few weeks at my aunt's restaurant (well, it's not her restaurant but the one she works at), and I would continue doing that, but they close at 3 so I couldn't do that next semester. It's a small, hole-in-the wall type of restaurant, but I like it! I did not like working there very much, but I worked at the busiest possible time (that's why they needed me in the first place).

There's a local pizza restaurant I think I might apply at. I know some people working there, and it's a buffet so there's not as many chances for me to drop food  I'm very clumsy, and I'm worried about working at a sit-down restaurant, 'cause I'd end up spilling drinks all over people and dropping food!



I also looked at the slow feeders you mentioned. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm afraid Pepper would get frustrated that she couldn't just grab the hay and eat it easily and she'd just stop eating altogether. I'll see what the chiro says when she comes (and the vet if we need to bring him out). Since she hasn't been acting weird besides not wanting to move undersaddle, I'm thinking/hoping there's just something out of alignment which the chiro can fix. She went straight to her hay in the stall when I finished today and started happily munching away! Or, it could be a behavioral problem. Maybe she's just starting to calm down and become less arabian-like since I have an actual trainer who knows what she's doing, and I took her not being hyper as something I should worry about, and I've just slowly taught her that she can get away with this stuff.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I haven't posted in a while because I've literally been to the barn three times since I last posted. 

It snowed and the snow just stayed for a week. We missed four days of school. Even once it was safe to go back to school, the arena was absolutely terrible and it was so muddy that there wasn't really any point in going to the barn. Once the snow finally started to melt... it rained. And rained. And rained some more. 

There were a few days of some nicer weather where I was able to ride (last Wednesday). I hoped that having such a long break (it was 13 days) would 'heal' her but it did nothing. I mean, I hadn't ridden her for two weeks, and I had such a hard time getting her to trot. I was prepared to have to work to hold her back from all the energy she had, but she wouldn't move. And who knows when the chiropractor's going to come. Apparently, she won't work in the rain??? The barn is indoors... the horses can stay up so they're not wet... there's no reason she can't come in the rain. She never outright said she wouldn't work in the rain, but she's canceled twice because it was raining. 

I was supposed to have a lesson this past Sunday but I didn't go for two reasons - 1) we were having my grandma's birthday lunch and since church ran late beforehand, I would have to be leaving early. And I didn't want to leave her birthday lunch early. and 2) I really don't feel comfortable working Pepper as much as she would work us until I have her looked at.

I would've gone yesterday but it was Christmas Eve and BO's house is so close to the barn and they often have get-togethers which includes them going into the barn and sometimes riding and I'm really not comfortable trying to ride and groom with all them there... I'm sure they're fine people, but I just don't like people sometimes. Also, BO's grandson literally runs around the barn and while I really don't think Pepper would kick, I can't know for sure. Especially if a little kid goes running behind her. Any little kids she's been around have been properly told that Pepper isn't the sanest horse (she'd spook sometimes when kids started running or screaming) and to be extra careful around her. I feel this should be common sense for any horse.

And the same went to for today, plus it's Christmas day and I don't want to bother them on Christmas. 

I may go tomorrow if it doesn't rain.

The forecast for the next two weeks is absolutely awful. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny. But after that? Two days of rain, a partly cloudy day, three more days of rain, a cloudy day, and then snow??? So, only three non-precipitation days and two of them come after two or more days of straight rain. And I really hope it doesn't snow in two weeks. 

Anyways, I just figured I'd give a little update. About the weather since nothing else has happened :icon_eyeroll:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I went to the barn today because it's supposed to rain and I figured it's far enough from Christmas that BO won't have family over still. And even if she had, I wouldn't have felt as much like I was bothering them.

Nobody was there except BO and her husband, and the husband was in the barn for like ten minutes to put some feed in and let out a couple of horses. So nobody to bother me, and nobody to be bothered by me!

I didn't ride because I didn't feel like it and I wouldn't be able to get anything productive done, so I just enjoyed some time grooming and hanging out! My mom got me these grooming gloves for Christmas that she found and thought were cool. They worked surprisingly well and I liked them because it was easier to get to some places due to the flexibility of them being on my hands. 

BO also put out all the de-wormers for the boarders. I kinda thought she would deworm Pepper for me since she did that last month, but I guess she expected me to do it this time. I'd never dewormed a horse before today. 

I also wasn't expecting to actually deworm Pepper today. I was going to get my mom to come with me within the next couple of days to help me.

I don't know if I've ever explained this, but Pepper is the worst when it comes to her mouth/teeth/muzzle area. Putting her bit in is the extent of me messing with her mouth. The vet cannot look at her teeth without giving her something to calm her. I can't even put sunscreen on her nose without her trying to throw her head around and rear up.

But today... she let me worm her.... the first time....with no issues...

Who is this mare and what has she done with my horse? :lol:

I was going to try and do a little pretend worming in an attempt to decrease any issues. So, I touched her with it (she even tried to put it in her mouth herself. She was biting it!) and she was a little anxious and put her head up a few times, but none of the violent head throwing, backing up, rearing, etc that nearly pulls my arm out of the socket and gives me rope burn. Honestly, she was being impatient and walking around which was making it difficult because she wasn't standing still.

I decided to just try and stick it in her mouth like I would if I were going to worm herm to gauge just how many issues we were going to have. And she just let me put it in her mouth!! I took that opportunity and dispensed it in her mouth, and she just ate it. No issues at all. We didn't get a drop of wormer on the ground or anywhere that it wasn't supposed to be.

I don't know why she decided not to flip out. Maybe she trusts me more? If that's the case though, why can't I do something as simple as put sunscreen on her nose? 

I'm not complaining though, that's for sure. Hopefully, this isn't just a one-time thing. I gave her lots of peppermints afterwards.

Anyways, just wanted to share my first time worming a horse. Definitely was expecting the worst, and somehow got the best.


Oh, also a few weeks ago I went to the barn and the little mini pony was turned out in the arena. This pony is apparently impossible to catch unless you're BO or her husband. My trainer was there but she said she could never catch her and handed me a few treats and said "good luck". Well, the issue here is that this pony is ancient. So, I didn't feel very comfortable using my method of catching, which is to make the horse work until they give in. But, this pony was running from me by herself, so I just did that anyways. And it worked. After like ten minutes. My trainer watched me a few times and was trying to tell me what do to. I'll admit, I'm not the most knowing about horses. There's a whole dictionary plus some of things that I don't know. But, I do know that this method works for me. And I was progressing in this particular scenario. But she kept telling me "put the halter down, only carry the rope, ...". If I had been out there for 30 minutes with no progress, I would have been more likely to appreciate what she was telling me.

I know that she knows so much more than me. And maybe what she was saying would have worked, but when I did what she said it didn't help. She told me to put the halter down, and I did, but then I just had a rope to get her with once I caught her. My trainer also said, "I've never been able to catch her before". She could've just been trying to explain how hard this pony is to catch, but I thought she meant she literally had never caught her before. So that being said, I really just wanted her to mind her own business unless I asked for help and let me deal with the pony myself.

I ended up catching the pony after a few minutes. My trainer said "you just have to tire her out," after I had her.

Anyways, enough of that lol. I hope you all had a great Christmas! Mine was pretty good. I probably gained like five pounds from all the food I ate. :lol:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

*This is long (sorry!)*

Been a little while since I've posted here! I've written a couple posts but they always end up being me complaining about something, so I'm trying not to do that.

But first, a few non-horsey related things -

I got my acceptance to my first choice college yesterday! :happydance: I'll be attending NC State, majoring in Animal Science in the fall!! I'm super excited (and also a little scared!).


I also auditioned for our school's spring musical. We're performing Cinderella and I'll be playing the role of one of the step-sisters. I'm also equally excited and scared out of my mind. I've been in quite a few performances, a couple one's where I've been the center of attention on stage at some points (I had a solo in our concert last year, and I played "Dogberry" in our production of Much Ado About Nothing), but nothing even close to being this big. And, I know it's not a huge part, but I'm kinda terrified about having to learn a lot of lines in one scene. 

It's not even the singing I'm scared about. It's the lines! I'm terrified of forgetting my lines, because I'm not very good at improv. I've improved, but I'm not good enough to go on stage and forget my lines and then just roll with it.

But, I'm making this musical one of my top priorities, and I'm going to memorize my lines as soon as I can so that I can practice and practice until I can nearly say the lines in my sleep!!


I think those are the only two non-horsey things I wanted to share. 

Sooo, onto the horsey stuff! 

Now that the rain's eased up, some consistent lessons have proved to be more helpful than I could have ever imagined.

The ear-pinning stopped too. My trainer was very confident she was just being a mare, and that I just needed to tell her who was boss for a few lessons and she'd stop. 

However, I did not beat her or spur her or anything. I carried a crop and gave her a few taps on the shoulder when needed, and she stopped ear pinning and now goes forward without giving me attitude about it. I did not scare her into submission or anything that would make me believe that she's only moving because she's afraid of me. It just took my trainer telling me that I had to tell Pepper to do things and mean it to get her to respect me again. 

I've had quite a few lessons recently because the rain has eased up. I no longer feel like I may need to build an ark to survive the winter! 

The first few were pretty average. Now, if I had had lessons like that last year, they would be absolutely amazing. No running off or anything like that.

This ride was just me riding while my trainer was giving another lesson. She allowed me to do the small jumping exercise she had set up. 

The first few jumps were fine. I had a small chat with my trainer and the lessonee in the arena, and I pointed out how happy I was that Pepper hadn't tried to run off at the jumps anymore.

Well, I jinxed it. The next jump after that, Pepper ran off at the jump! But, I stopped her and went over the jump. She rushed it bad, but since we got over the jump fairly nicely, I decided to stop so that we didn't create anymore issues. When my trainer was done with her lesson, I asked her to put the jumps super small so that I could go over them one more time. Pepper went fine over those.


This ride was actually a lesson. It was with the same girl from the previous ride, and then one of the girls I usually ride with. The arena was literally frozen. I didn't know arena footing could freeze, but we were basically just riding on rock. At least, that's what it seemed like. My trainer walked around and said it wasn't as bad as it seemed from on the horse. And, her personal horse was one of the ones in the arena, so I trust that if she'd let her horse be ridden in the footing, it was okay for me too. 

All of the flat went well. I've been able to actually canter Pepper more than one lap. I've realized the big issue - I have very little calf muscles. I've ridden without having to worry about using 'more leg!' since Pepper's always been too forward, that now when i need these leg muscles, they're not there. But, I will get them back! I'm going to really work on that while riding, as well as working out some and making sure I pay special attention to my calf muscles. 

We did some jumping, and Pepper was amazing. I was afraid that after she ran off last week, I'd be nervous and we'd go backwards a little. But, nope! She trotted all the jumps, and my trainer even offered to let me attempt cantering them. I said not yet because I didn't feel ready yet.

I'm so amazed at this progress. I wish I had done something sooner - who knows what we'd be capable of now if I had switched trainers a few years ago instead of just this past year. I knew our trainer wasn't the best at the time, but I didn't know just how much could change with a new trainer.


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## whisperbaby22 (Jan 25, 2013)

Well congratulations on getting into college. That's a big deal.


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## NavigatorsMom (Jan 9, 2012)

Congratulations on getting into your first choice college, that is an awesome achievement!! College is such a fun and exciting time, and I am excited for you to get to experience that.  And congratulations as well on getting such a fun part in Cinderella! As a stepsister you will get a pretty big duet, right? That's so cool and I'm sure you will do well!

I'm glad Pepper is doing better for you. It happens sometimes that when we start getting better at riding and becoming a more active rider, rather than as much of a passenger, our horses might start testing a bit more since they aren't making as much of the decisions and are being asked to work harder. Once you both have an understanding with each other though, you usually start making a lot of progress, IME. It's also great that you've progressed so much with your new trainer! I know the feeling of "how good would we be if we had just started sooner?" but you have to try not to think so much of that and just look to the future and think "how good will we be in a few weeks/months/years".


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Congratulations on getting into college!!! That is so exciting! The musical will be fun too, I hope you get in!
My mare went through an 'ear-pinning, attitude' phase not too long ago. Took some discipline and I basically just had to prove to her that I am the alpha, NOT her. 
Been fine ever since! It's OK to go back to basics.
You will definitely gain muscles in your calves the more you ride and work at it. Great job! You guys are making great progress.


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

whisperbaby22 said:


> Well congratulations on getting into college. That's a big deal.


Thank you!!



NavigatorsMom said:


> Congratulations on getting into your first choice college, that is an awesome achievement!! College is such a fun and exciting time, and I am excited for you to get to experience that.  And congratulations as well on getting such a fun part in Cinderella! As a stepsister you will get a pretty big duet, right? That's so cool and I'm sure you will do well!
> 
> I'm glad Pepper is doing better for you. It happens sometimes that when we start getting better at riding and becoming a more active rider, rather than as much of a passenger, our horses might start testing a bit more since they aren't making as much of the decisions and are being asked to work harder. Once you both have an understanding with each other though, you usually start making a lot of progress, IME. It's also great that you've progressed so much with your new trainer! I know the feeling of "how good would we be if we had just started sooner?" but you have to try not to think so much of that and just look to the future and think "how good will we be in a few weeks/months/years".


Thank you!!! 

Yes, there is a duet! I've only sung alone (even with a duet parts are still just me singing) once in front of a larger crowd (not huge but big enough) and it was a solo last year, but it was only a handful of lines of music. I have sung many times alone in front of small crowds (~15-20 people probably) when we have karaoke at school, but that's a lot different because it's less pressure. Nobody really cares if I mess up then. 

I definitely understand how me actually making my horse do things would cause her to rebel a bit. I'm a little bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to my horse, so I accidentally taught her that was OK because I thought I was hurting her. 



PoptartShop said:


> Congratulations on getting into college!!! That is so exciting! The musical will be fun too, I hope you get in!
> My mare went through an 'ear-pinning, attitude' phase not too long ago. Took some discipline and I basically just had to prove to her that I am the alpha, NOT her.
> Been fine ever since! It's OK to go back to basics.
> You will definitely gain muscles in your calves the more you ride and work at it. Great job! You guys are making great progress.


Thank you!! 

It's good to know that your mare did the same thing, because I was afraid that she was in pain. I accidentally taught her ear pinning would get her out of work because I was afraid I was hurting her. She's never been much of a rebel. For a mare, she's not too moody (thankfully!!)!


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

I've had two lessons since the last update. 

The first lesson was crazy to me - in a good way. My trainer finally has let me carry my crop again, but I usually put it down before jumping, because usually, Pepper doesn't need any extra motivation for speed when jumping. Well, I put it down and then had to pick it back up two jumps later because she didn't even want to trot the jump! 

I had to ask her to go to the jump.

It used to be, I turned to a jump and just kinda held on as she ran at it, hopefully jumping and not running out.

But I turned her to a jump and got no reaction. We ended up walking over it (it was a tiny crossrail) and then I picked my crop back up. And we trotted some courses of three jumps (which might not seem like a lot of jumps, but considering how much it took for me to be able to jump a single jump successfully, I'm super happy.)


Now, my lesson yesterday was different. It was much warmer than it has been, and I guess Pepper was feeling good. I carried the crop but didn't use it, and I held onto it even we we started jumping because of the previous lesson. She willingly trotted all of them, although I had to stop her from cantering vs last week where I asked her to canter. But, as long as she goes the speed I want her to, it's all good for now. I did put the crop down since I did not need it.

So, Pepper gets very opinionated when she thinks we're done. For example, we took a break and stood at the gate while my trainer gave me and the other rider a water break. While we were relaxing for a moment, my trainer went to get something from inside the barn. Meaning, she opened the gate while we were standing there.

Pepper thought that meant we were done. I turned her away from the gate, and we did some unintentional circles while Pepper did her best to drag me back to the gate. My trainer returned and told us to walk a couple laps around the arena before we began work again. So, we did that... with Pepper fighting me the whole time.

We were asked to canter because Pepper and I's canter is... somewhat unorganized... My old trainer always had me ride in a light seat, so I don't know how to canter any other way. My trainer now is trying to teach me full seat. For some reason, anytime I sit down in the canter tracking clockwise, I lose my inside stirrup (the right one). I either lose it completely, or it falls back on my foot and is against the heel of my boot. Regardless, that foot is useless. 

I also cannot regain my stirrups while we're trotting or cantering. I will blame this on my old trainer, because she literally never, in the six years I rode with her, asked me to drop my stirrups. The last year, I spent a little bit of my own time riding stirrup-less because I wanted to be able to handle if I lost a stirrup, and I had started to trust Pepper enough to let me trot stirrup-less without taking off and me falling off. So, I actually had a hard time dropping my stirrups at a trot too. 

Anyways, that's off topic.

The first canter before the jumping and the gate situation was fine. I didn't lose my stirrup, and Pepper was going a nice pace.

But, after the gate situation, she got really mad that we were still working. So, I asked her to canter and she cantered like we were in a race! We lapped the other horse in the arena like ten times I think (lol!). I was unprepared for that, so I was just cantering around with one stirrup while attempting to steer in the tiny arena, around the jumps and not run into the other horse.

Although that cantering was pretty awful, it's the next part that really shows how far we've come. It'd be stupid of me to think Pepper's never going to try and run again, or that every lesson will be perfect.

Trotting for a few minutes is kinda like resetting Pepper. Not completely, obviously, but usually after trotting for a little bit we regain some sense of control. 

Now, before moving barns, we could trot, but as soon as we would attempt to jump again, it would all go to poop again. Pepper'd run off, and we'd have to start over. So, usually once I was able to get a solid, relaxed trot, my old trainer would let me quit (now, this was also usually after we had unsuccessfully jumped a jump multiple times and I was panicking...) 

But, my new trainer isn't like that. She's not going to let me get away with not doing things. So, she asked me to jump the small course we had jumped before the gate situation. So, we did.

At a trot. Without any crazy running. She did canter after the jumps, but she came right back to me.

I was stunned. I expected us to run through the course, maybe taking out a couple jumps on the way through. But no, it was relaxed and very uneventful.


So there's the end of my tangent. I'm just really excited about how not-scared of my horse I am anymore. 



I will also say that Pepper's got some concerning skin things right now. I believe she has ringworm, as her spots look like ringworm spots, and the ones I started treating first with some anti-fungal are healing nicely.

However, last week I found something really concerning... she's got a spot on the back of her front leg, near her shoulder area. It's somewhat bloody and raised, and at first I thought it was just a wound that had scabbed over. Well, it's not going away. And, I don't even know how she would have gotten a wound there in the first place. The only thing I could think of would be if she somehow kicked herself in the upper front leg with her back hoof. It's not in a spot where something like rolling on a rock could cause a scratch.

I had previously done some research on sarcoids due to being told that's what her ringworm spots could possibly be... it looks a lot like a sarcoid.

I asked my trainer, and she said that's what it looked like to her (before I mentioned sarcoids, so she thought of that without any influence from me). 

The vet's coming in March to do shots, so unless it starts getting worse, we'll wait until then and ask the vet what they think. I'm hoping it will just kinda go away and maybe it is a wound... but I don't actually think it's going to. 

Anyways, now that I've written a small novel, that's all I have today. :lol:


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## CharlotteThePenguin (Apr 2, 2016)

It's been a while!

I'm probably not going to start journaling again but I was looking up a few horsie things (for college... I'm taking a class called equine science!) and this website popped up. I had completely forgotten about this!

I reread my old journal posts and jeez, Pepper and I have come such a long way in the past two or so years. Like, my first posts about not being able to tie her anywhere? I don't even know how I managed that :lol: She can be tied wherever/however now (including cross-tied!)

Of course, we're not perfect. Still not jumping higher than 2 ft or so, but that's because we're working on more important foundational aspects of jumping before we move on to height. Particularly cantering the jumps. Cantering has always been our issue (even more than jumping because I believe the cantering issues caused the jumping issues). So, we are working on getting and keeping a steady canter to the jumps.

But, I have not felt the crippling fear that would cause me to cry and panic due to riding in a really long time. Yeah, we still have those days where I forget how to ride a horse, and Pepper starts acting funny, but you know what I do now? A) I laugh it off and B) think about how to fix the issues instead of dwelling on them. 

For example, occasionally Pepper will still run out of a jump. Especially at the beginning of the jumping session or if a jump is moved or changed. But, it's not really 'running', more of a side step. And I just circle her and do a better job of guiding her and 90% of the time she goes over it fine and we continue as if it didn't happen. The other 10% she may run out again but then we just work through it for five minutes until we both have our minds on right and then we continue. I haven't had to end a lesson without getting what we needed done because one of us flipped out in a really long time (like when we would refuse a jump so many times that my trainer would lower it and as soon as we got over it we were done... no, now we work until we're satisfied with what we're doing for the day).

We even went to a show! Sometimes I still get a little too hopeful about the whole "Flicka" situation (suddenly one day everything becomes perfect! Spoiler alert - it doesn't!), so the show didn't go as well as I hoped. When I really think about it though, it went pretty dang good. We won ribbons (there were like four people in our class so a few of them were last place but about half the classes I rode in, I beat at least one other horse so we weren't the worst!) and I only almost fell off once! 

Riding this horse has given me glue in my butt it feels like. Like, while warming up at the show, Pepper spooked and spun and by some magical force, I stayed on despite Pepper then slipping on the grass and me loosing both stirrups. I am certainly not complaining though, that's for sure. 

But also, I haven't had a 'reason' to fall off either (other than that spook). I'm going to regret saying this, I know, but I haven't fallen off in a really long time (relative to how often I usually fall!). The last time I remember falling, I was trying lead changed that didn't go too well. (ooh I found it in the journal! It's been since LAST August (as in over a year ago!)). *TOUCH WOOD* I've jinxed myself too many times but this is a new record and I feel like bragging. When I end up falling this weekend when I go ride, I'll know why :lol:

Anyways, Pepper is slowly becoming the perfect horse. I can do things with her now that I would have been too scared to (even super simple things... like cross-tying!) a year ago. 

Like jumping with no reins!!! I did that over some small jumps (18 inches or so) and it was so cool! I also learned through doing that that I am awful at distances. I got left behind so many times (but at least I wasn't pulling in her mouth!) 

Or free jumping... oh my goodness I was so impressed this past weekend. Usually trying to free jump Pepper just turns into her running away from the jumps, me getting frustrated, and us not getting anything accomplished. But I had had a long few days and was too tired to ride (found out that chasing a horse (not literally but I can't think of the better word) over jumps is not any less tiring, but I figured it was safer for both of us if I didn't pass out on the horse) so I played with her in the arena and she was literally an angel. So, I was like "ah why not" and set up a jump with a perpendicular pole on either side as a chute and asked her to go over it.

She went over the pole and tiny jumps perfectly. Usually, I would have to really, really keep up with her to make sure she didn't run around it, but I guess she was really up to it and she just kinda jumped herself over them. I didn't have an official way to measure how high we got, but I used my body to estimate and at home measured around 2ft9 or so. And she jumped it SOOO calmly; it makes me really excited for our future. 

That's enough rambling. I may update again soon, who knows. Just figured I would update and do a little bragging on my mare. She's the best!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Isn't it fun to look back & see how much progress you've made? Sounds like you and her have come a long way.  Happy to see an update from you. I think your bond has gotten stronger too. She trusts you. Things can only get better from here. You have every right to be proud & brag about it!!


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