# Life at the edge!



## Stakie (Jul 11, 2011)

Let me get up to date here. I use to ride horses when I was younger. Even had one of my own while I lived in Virginia. That however was short lived as I moved and had no real choice in the matter. I took lessons elsewhere bbt I "outgrew" it and just did not have the passion for it anymore.

Currently I have found the love for horses again. As an adult I was comfortable enough to purchase another horse. This horse's name is Ziggy. He is an older horse. He was a rescue that I was fortunate person to find him. He has had much more training then I. However, we are both being trained once again. We are going to get in shape! I need re-learn rein control and I need to work with Ziggy on how to respond to whoa!

We are finally going to be moving from the rescue that I adopted him from and will be moving MUCH closer to my house. We will finally be able to spend much more time with each other starting on 7/28/11! I will be purchasing all "new" tack that fits us both. We *will* be able to ride the trails by next year!


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## Stakie (Jul 11, 2011)

I have not rode Ziggy in what seems like ages. Not because I do not want to but because he needed to have a trim. He finally got one yesterday. He is sound but needs some hoof conditioner. Just another item on my list of tack to get. I went to our local Agway today to price everything. I found just about everything I needed so far. I will be purchasing a saddle on friday. Thankfully I can put it on layaway. There are ALOT of things I need to get before I move Ziggy to his new home. It's a little overwhelming but it is sure worth it.

Ziggy needs a breast collar, well more like I need one for him. It makes me feel more secure while riding. It's VERY hard to find things that fit him being that he is a Saddlebred and most are made for the quarter horse structure. (So I am told) I have a color theme for him so I am going to try and stick with that while I look for everything.


Here is my list-

Halter - (Going to be ordered at Agway)
Treats- Check, picked some up today. Hopefully Ziggy will like these.
Bridle
Bit - (Argentine as a TT alternative)
Reins
Breast collar
New blanket/saddlepad
Fly spray - Still looking for a good brand that I like. Going to try a few different ones before I decide on a brand to stick with.
Nose brush 
Shampoo
Conditioner
Hoof Conditioner
thrush treatment
Reflective anklets
General first aid kit
Black/Red saddle bags
Stepping stool
Bumper helmet- Found one on Craigslist
NEW Fly mask
Salt lick
Bowl to go under feed bucket


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

Good for you and Ziggy! Hope y'all have many happy rides.


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## Stakie (Jul 11, 2011)

Thank you very much. I can't seem to find a good breast collar & set though. This will be one of those searches where it will seem impossibly.. but worth it in th end.. i'm sure.


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## Stakie (Jul 11, 2011)

Today was another day without Ziggy and I am going insane. All I can think about is getting him to his new stables. So for the past 24 hours+ I have been looking for his new tack set. However I can't seem to find one that will fit him. It's just like yesterday, I am having no luck what so ever. I need to find a bridal, reins, breast collar, and hopefully a saddle pad that are all the same color. (It's a peeve if they are different.) I had found one I really seemed to like but the breast collar would be huge on Ziggy. I am finding ones that are for ponies but not for horses. I was looking up Arabian sized tack sets.. but nothing. I need help. I won't be around for the next three or so days. So no tack searching. Which will inturn make me just a bit more crazy!


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## Stakie (Jul 11, 2011)

I finally got to see Ziggy on Friday. He was already sweating and it was 9;30 in the morning. It was the day I finally paid Ziggy's full adoption fee. Which means he is going to his new and hopefully permanent home on the 28th. Me and the fiancee went to the tack shop on Friday as well and put the saddle,girth, and saddle bags on hold. They open up Tuesday which is probably the next day I will see Ziggy. I am praying this saddle fits. Otherwise I will be waiting until they get another saddle that fits me. I also have to invest in a seat saver just to save my bum. It's all worth it though. They even said they could help me order the sizes I needed in the breast collar and the other stuff. Yay me! Still looking if I can find any better deals but this looks like it'll be it. I will be starting my lessons back up when it gets cooler outside, but I will be on my horse as much as possibel when he actually egts down here though. Wish me luck!


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## Stakie (Jul 11, 2011)

The last two days have been a roller coaster and the ride isn't over yet. It all started yesterday when I went to the tack store. I went to find out if the saddle I had picked out really does fit my horse. Of course I had to take him on a trial run down the street. It was the first time I took him out of a fenced in area. First time I rode him without anyone there and the first time I rode on the street with him. We rode for about an hour I presume and he did great. He started to trip over himself so I took him in early. It was probably the best day I had ever had with him so far.

I had hoped it would last today. It didn't. Today was probably the worst day we have had so far. He was really testing my ability as a rider. I was told I baby him too much and now he is taking advantage of me. I am pretty sure this is right, partially. He has become barn sour and maybe even a bit buddy sour or herd oriented. He is being moved tomorrow to the new stables and will be tested on that theory. However, today he was pulling away from me not really acknowledging me as the rider. Of course I had someone else get on him and he did fine. This person was much more forceful then what I am. I am thinking however he really despises the bit my trainer uses on him. So I am going to invest in a bitless to see if he likes that better. Hopefully it will make us both happy. Anyway, I tried to ride him today after all of that commotion and he almost fell on himself. He is not use to me being on his back. He is not use to being without shoes. (Which he has had all his life because of being a buggy horse.) I was told specifically not to get them. I really have to take care of his hooves and make sure they do not crack anymore.

Tomorrow is the day he will be moved to his new stables and hopefully his permanent location. It's all but five minutes from my house. He will be pasture boarded with one other horse. I will be the only actual boarder on over 30 acres of nice pasture. He will have approximately four acres to himself. I like that I will be the only boarder. At the same time there are ALOT of trails I will have to go alone. They also will be feeding twice a day which makes me VERY happy.

Well, I will leave the end of the ride for tomorrow.


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## Stakie (Jul 11, 2011)

So I know it has been a few days since I have posted. A lot has happened. The biggest thing is that Ziggy is at his new home. He has been great. I put the saddle, seat saver, and blanket all on lay away. I have found a bridle and will probably picking it up at the end of this week. So, he has been getting use to the grass. He has been getting use to the other horses and he is been getting use to the food. We had to switch him cold turkey which made me a bit ****ed off at the people who rescued him. He seems to be doing just fine though. I guess he was given a lot worse crap, right?

Anyway, I have been grooming him and visiting him for hours on end the last couple days. He seems to have settle in just fine but soon he will be pastured rather then in a stall. I think he likes that idea a lot more.

Here is the really big news though. My fiance.. said he wants to take driving lessons! So, me the rider and him the driver. Ziggy may have another pasture mate in the next year or so. We talked all this out and he seems to really into getting these lessons. So of course I made it very clear this needs to be something he wants to do because you don't learn this stuff over night. He said he wants to commit to it. We are scheduling him lessons for the next month and I am already on the hunt for his new best friend. I am so excited!


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## Stakie (Jul 11, 2011)

It's been such a long time since I was able to post. Life has caught me in a binde. With my new engagement I have had to travel a lot more. I feel so depressed when I am away from Ziggy for long periods of time. However, I know he is in good hands. My fiance was taking care of him in my absence. I came home yesterday and went straight to the stables. I found that his hooves look so much better.

I am close to getting my saddle paid off and now need to get a bridle set. There is so much on my mind. We picked up a lot of things while I was at Jersey. I got my fiancee a saddle. I got Ziggy some more shampoo and a nice Himalayan salt block. We need to pick up a few more items and I need to make a tack trunk/locker/box. Other then that not much going on in our world. Will update later.


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