# DryBones' Diaries



## ilyTango (Mar 7, 2010)

Good luck with your lessons, and I'm sorry to hear about the situation with your mom. As for the money issue...me and you are in the same boat there, though last summer I made several hundred dollars from babysitting and various jobs. I did make a lot, but my dad was still nice enough to pay for my horse if I paid for the tack. You'll get a horse eventually, just keep saving. I am going to scrounge away this summer and save up as much as I can, for no real reason other than I like money.


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

I'm saving. I'm thinking of making a soap business--with different molds, fragrances, and colours.

Today I had more issues with Sadie, but my trainer thinks being on her will help my muscles. I can barely get her to trot, let alone canter--but it's good working on balancing and collection in the slower gaits. She's old--we're both green to English, but with work and some weight gained she'll probably be a good horse.

Thanks .=]


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

Today was a very long, interesting day. I didn't ride, but I brought my kittens out to the stables this morning to give them to my trainer/BO--because I had them free to good home and she said that she would take them on. They were an absolute hit today--everyone who saw them freaked out, and they really were quite adorable. ^^

We bathed the four horses that were going to be used today, went out for lunch, came back and fed them their grains, loaded them up, and brought them to the park for the horse show tonight. Because I switched to English and the horse I normally ride is like..crazy out with barrels...I went ahead and passed on riding, but I hung out and did help a good bit, and in return my trainer gave me next lesson free (which she normally does when I work for her). It was fun to have Buddy with his lime green decor (and my friend had a pretty smashing uniform to match), have his tail and mane braided and all pads pretty and matching. I felt it all went fairly well, I thought. Besides, I got to know the barn family a little better, which is always a good thing.


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## Nita (May 24, 2007)

Sounds like fun! you're inspiring to me. =) I've kinda been following your journal, but haven't had a chance to post anything yet. In your first post you said you were looking for friends/support... If you need to talk or anything, I'm here! I know what it's like to have a mother who's not really a mom. You have snakes! Eww haha! I guess I'd like to hold one someday, but I may have a slightly irrational fear of them. lol. Good luck with our search for a horse! Are you looking for something to compete on or just for fun riding?

~shelby


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

Thankss 

Most fears are irrational. They're not slimy (I don't know why people think they are), or cold, and they do bite but mine have never even hissed or anything!

I don't really know. =/
See, I would like to compete, but I want to be realistic. Because of my disability, it'll be months, years before I get to the level where I will need to be at. I want a partner horse, but I /do/ want to go in buying knowing that I probably will have to sell and upgrade to a higher level horse if I need a higher level horse. I know that'll be hard and probably won't go well with me--I'll probably fall to death in love--but I think that even the pasture horses that are sound just not really 'heard of' or 'trained' are capable of doing little leagues. So if needs be, we can both learn whatever I'm gonna be doing.

Part of it might be /because/ of my disability I'm kind of wanting to compete a LOT because I have NEVER EVER been good at anything physically in my life. I've never won a race, played a basketball game on a winning team, anything at all. I feel like I have an opportunity now to do something, and I really want to.


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## Nita (May 24, 2007)

The only snake I've ever "held" (meaning not really ha!) was a water snake my sister and I caught. But it bit me and it hurt haha. Of course, it was wild and I was holding it by it's tail, so it had a right. =) Maybe someday...

The thing is, it seems to me that a lot of the horses that are strictly for upper level competing (and this is just MHO) seem to be kind of distant? I don't know, maybe it's just because I'm close to my horses and they're pretty much bombproof because I do everything with them, and the other horses aren't used to that. But they seem like everything has to be all business, all the time, and there's not really any pleasure in just being around them. Like they are TOO trained. I dunno, though, just my thoughts. I think that maybe a nice little QH (I'm biased, I love Quarter horses!) would be perfect. Just because they are SO smart. But they're affectionate. I've absolutely fallen in love with the breed as a whole. They're sweet to be around, but when you need them to work, or to show, they can do it. And it doesn't take much to train them. But if you're wanting to event or something, I don't know. All I know is reining bloodlines. =) 

yeah, I hear you. I definitely see what you mean.... I'm a VERY competitive person, but I do other things too... So if I never got the chance to, I would just be burning up inside to compete compete COMPETE! once I got the chance. I'd say go for it. =) I think it'll be awesome for you.


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

Hopefully. There's a free white Arab--and let me tell you, when does that happen? EVER? Well the lady's been "out of town" for about six months now, and is impossible to get a hold of so, I don't know, but I'm still searching. I love Arabs. The quarters on Quarter Horses bother me...I feel like they have big butts! 

I'd rather have a friend than have a show winner any day.


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## ilyTango (Mar 7, 2010)

A _free_ Arab? Why is s/he free? Be careful about that-that kinda sends up red flags for me. I mean, if you've rode him/her before and worked with it, Ok, but I would be cautious about it. And you get used to QHs' big butts after a while XD


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## Nita (May 24, 2007)

lol i LOVE their big butts! maybe just cuz i have one tho... hahaha. But yeah, definitely be sure that there's no catch to this "free" horse. 

yeah, I know. friend over show winner every time. =)


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

I'm gonna be wary anyways, but because it's a mo Ither of a student of my trainer I trust a little more, I just don't understand why she's avoiding. Then again, my trainer has a way with finding really thin, unhealthy horses for free that end up being AMAZING horses once taken care of and trained. 

Doesn't hurt to have both. ^^


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## Nita (May 24, 2007)

haha no kidding! 

yeah, that's sounds like a little better deal than if you had just heard of the horse.


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

I missed my lesson yesterday. =[

It was okay, I suppose, because I worked for the show the day before, and went to the beach all day afterwards. I was terribly sunburned, but beginning to blend today (I have an awesome tan too!). My brother is a lobster, and my father has terrible disgusting blisters. Yesterday my brother got ill from the sunburn and began vomiting shortly before leaving, so my father told me to cancel. I'm not sore, but my sunburn does hurt--but it's not stopping me from my 30 minutes a day on the recumbent bicycle to help me lose weight.


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## Nita (May 24, 2007)

darn. =( I hate missing a good chance to ride. lol, lucky! wish I had a good tan...


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

I'd rather be my normal skin tone (which is like...the lightest colour foundation they have) than be burnt. x_x


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## ilyTango (Mar 7, 2010)

Hmm...I'm wondering do you burn, peel, then go back to white? I burn, then the next day I'm brown. My sister (a redhead) fries under like, 10 minutes of sun, peels, then goes back to white.


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

In some places I've blended. Sometimes the burn doens't peel it just goes with the natural sloughing of the skin. But if you've previously tanned (and with the horses I'm not completely fair), I think I go back to where I was tanned before because that's what my melanin's used to.


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## Nita (May 24, 2007)

haha my skin tone is the lightest one too! seriously I'm like porcelain. The foundation numbers start at 0 and go to 10... i'm a zero LOL. and my sister is a 7. how unfair. 

but, on the up side, i burn, then am tan. so that's nice. xD


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

Yeah I'm porcelain. I hope I'm not too dark for VBS tomorrow though, or my foundation won't match. =o

Usually I just fade away into my tan from a burn.


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

Today was rather interesting.

I got to my lesson about five. I had to go out into the electric fence front pasture to get Sadie. I called for her. The pony Cocoa and the miniature Kiki both were far more interested than she was, but I walked out a good bit and kept calling and she whinnied and slowly walked to me.

While my instructor was finishing her other lesson I brushed her out, tacked her up, and made a mental note that she wasn't as huffing as much as she's been before. 

Today she rode her own horse, and that helped a lot. I got some trotting in, and got to practice posting. I'm still far more comfortable sitting in a western saddle, but it was really my first time to get going.

Near the end she wasn't exactly behaving. She started to turn really barn sour and go /straight/ to the gate, and there was practically nothing I could do about it. I was using all my weight, leg aids, driving that snaffle the way I wanted, circled her, bended her, but she wanted home. Well, Kathy got out her lunge whip--I guess that's whatever it is--that big long thing that doesn't really hurt them.


She didn't have a problem trotting after that, but she still continued to mess around. Messing around, trying to go around her, while following my lead, it was a confusing mess. There's this large--I assume a giant /pole/. Practically a tree stump that's six feet or so tall. She brought me not in before into the fence or after into the fence but right into that pole, and when she moved my knee made a loud cracking, snapping sound and I was half off her. Crying a little, really thinking of cussing, I managed to pull myself back on and get off, really hurting quite a bit.

I am purple/red in several areas, and had some minor swelling underneath my kneecap. The issue with me is is that because of my nerve condition I don't swell. I broke my feet (two each) four times last year and I didn't swell once, so I don't really know how serious it is. I can put pressure on it, I have strength in it, so I don't think I tore anything major, but I may have torn somethng really tiny. Sometimes I can walk and sometimes it hurts like heck--I'm taking it easy now, going to go to the doctor's office for x-rays/MRI's tomorrow, and sadly I have to pass on Vacation Bible School tomorrow. =[

My trainer mentioned earlier--and she kind of discouraged me from buying. She said until I can pull myself up on that horse I really shouldn't be looking for one. For one, I'm using the ramp now and I don't feel too bad, but she should understand this is the first sport I've ever done and I'm trying to overcome my MD--and I am! But it's a lot of strength training and exercising. I emailed a seller and am extremely interested--especially after seeing the pictures she sent me. That just means I'm going to have to work hard, which I don't mind, but I feel shortchanged. She spoke about her need to accomodate--and "you won't want to spend 3-400 dollars boarding", and I really feel--I'm going to have to upgrade trainers anyways once I get to the level I need to be at, because mine doesn't specialize in English. So why not go ahead and do that really local English stable that's just that, and I can train there? Eh, either way. Hopefully if I get my strength up to get up without the help of a ramp (which I think I CAN do I just don't have the mentality there), and get some more money (and babysitting references) saved up, I can help push her in my direction.


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## payette (Jun 3, 2010)

It is inspiring to read your posts! I recently tried making soap. . . Didn't turn out great- but it was fun, and there are so many possibilities! I would reccomend the book "Centered Riding", by Sally Swift, if you've not already read it. She used riding as a strength building/therapy for severe scoliosis. A very awesome book, full of great imagery. Look forward to reading more from you!


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks! I am kinda nervous about it.  I tried candle-making for a while, but it was a lot harder than it looked to get the wick centered and everything! I'll check out that book if they have it at the local library.


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

I went to the doctor today. He says it's just a lot of fluid and a really bad sprain.


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

I've been feeling a lot better about myself personally. I've been playing tennis an hour or so every couple of days, and working I feel like I've been doing better playing, and running.

Yesterday I did my first day of owrking for the lady at the stable. I just did some mucking stalls, and spent the rest of the two hours (most of it), washing algae out of water buckets and filling them back up again. Just an update. ^^


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

I had my first lesson with my new trainer yesterday!

First off, I was ridiculously nervous. I was shaking and nauseous on the whole drive there. I had already worked six hours for her before, however I wanted to impress her. Of course, I was nervous! An English saddle is far different than western, and I learned nothing from my old trainer.

She forced me to get on. I was very nervous doing so, and shaking, and hesitant. However, I did manage to get on by myself with her three-step mounting block. I also had to get on from the left side, which was very challenging for me since my left side is not as strong as my right. Because I am left handed, I had to get used to leading from the left and such. There were several grooming and tacking things I did not know, and I learned a lot initially.

We worked on many fundamental things. I had a very terrible posture, and was never taught correctly. I worked on stirrupless walking, raising my arms up and stretching, and keeping my eyes forward. Posture was one big thing! I also worked on balancing and being in the correct position by doing a bit of laps with two point, which absolutely worked my muscles--but I enjoyed it.

She had many metaphors, and amazing teaching. I learned so much--and when she pushed me she had reasoning and told me why what I was doing wasn't working and how to fix it. I have several bad habits gained by my old trainer.

I had some trouble trotting, but it helped me with my muscles. I had to kick a lot, but by the end I was doing very good cueing the slowgoing horse to trot. I felt balanced, and by the end I was doing a little better posting, but my hands kept pulling back, resulting in her always going back to a walk. The good news is--my hand positioning is very good, reins correct and thumbs up.

I did enjoy it and I'm glad I learned so much, I'm just concerned of my old habits.

However, I'm so happy that I mounted by myself without needing a handicapped ramp or anything. Her mounting block that was like three steps was a very good height and I was glad. =]

Emma


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## payette (Jun 3, 2010)

Awesome!


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## leonalee (Jul 1, 2010)

I just read your journal thus far! It looks like you are enjoying your lessons immensly and learning a lot, too! It stinks when you feel like you've hit a plateau with a trainer: I just recently switched, too, and I had the same feeling driving over to her farm! I wanted to learn dressage and was taking lessons from an instructor who was most proficient with western. I was super-nervous about the new instructor because she has competed and won Grand Prix, and while I want her expertise, it was still very intimidating!

I look forward to following your progress!!!


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks !

It is kind of embarrassing, though--I feel like a complete beginner again, struggling to trot and control the horse in a good posture--screw posture when your'e doing barrels. I was relatively good at that, having great times --well, 17 or 18 seconds, not /amazing/ lol, but still I could canter around the arena without a problem, and now I can't do /anything/. I know she's a brilliant rider, and I have to break bad habits, but I wish I wasn't so far behind =[


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

On another note--I learned a lot at work Thursday, only because I screwed everything up!

I filled up the water buckets--scrubbing through the ones that needed to be (had algae in them). That took a while, but then I basically did the stalls. I had to either use their flymask to put them in another stall or put their halter on (practice!!!!) and tie them up because they were all in their stalls (usually they're loose when I muck). I almost got kicked by an abused rescue horse I'm training, (basically with her I'm more of a trainer's apprentice) however she said I did the right thing and helped show me how to get her moving and get her *** out of my face so I could get control of that biting and kicking pony. In one stall I failed to /look/ and actually set a horse loose--but later I managed to get him! Frustrating, but I /did/ learn a lot.


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

You can check out my thread regarding my class to catch up a bit:
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-talk/i-love-my-class-=]-76366/

"Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole and once it has done so, he/she will have to accept that his life will be radically changed." 

Ralph Waldo Emerson has it clear...I've started a new life. My father is dating, now engaged to a wonderful woman with three wonderful children, sixteen, twelve, and fourteen. They are amazing, and pushing me to do things I want to do.

I've been struggling with school, changed my schedule, and fixed it all up. I'm going to start taking dance again--it's been since I was really young, but I really want to do it. My life is amazing with this family, I'm happy, really really happy, all the time. My mom and I are still tense, but we're getting past most things, I think.

But being in this Equine Science class, and in a class called Reel America (which is amazing! We watch movies the whole semester in a relaxed learning environment), I feel relaxed but I'm more and more drawn to riding, and really mad that I haven't been. I miss it a whole lot, and had to stop because of my school (I was taking three AP classes and it was overwhelming me so I dropped noe and dropped my PAP math to enriched), and now it's fixed. 

I feel really guilty about Cathy. I totally walked out on her. I know she kind of deserved it. Sadie was never really broken, there were signs everywhere--the condition of the barn, the animals starving--Susan's stable is so beautiful, and her horses are so healthy and...yet I still feel bad, just because I miss them so much. You know if I had the chance she was trying to get rid of a horse, I miss Buddy so much, regardless of all the trouble he gave me I'd rather have trouble than have a horse like Sadie that did absolutely. nothing. 

Anyways, lamentations. I really miss riding, and being in this class really makes me sure that this is..really what I want to do.

/sigh/


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

Just thought I'd mention I've been drawing a lot more too =]

But it won't let me post the image so xdrybonesxvalleyx on deviantART


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## HorseTrance (Jan 26, 2011)

I love your Diary <3 its awesome ^.^

Keep writing! =] xoxo.

And nice drawings. I dont seem to have time to draw anymore lol.


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