Break Through!

Before I write about Riley and I's break through, I'd like to write a little about the horses that I've been riding.


Sundancer or Dancer for short- He is a 7 year old paint gelding, that was pretty much left in a Field as a stallion with no real potential as a stud, waisting away his younger years, which really piss me off but I won't get into that. His current owners a Mom and a daughter are perfect for him, they gelded him right away and put him in training with my trainer to do english sports. He is broke, but doesn't know shit. I've been riding him for the past couple of days, working on bending and accepting the bit, boy is this horse stiff! This horse has this like quirk about him, when he transitions to a trot from a walk he sometimes kind of does this little hop, like a jump start, its really amusing. He's going to make his owner a lovely english horse after he gets over his lazy-ness, and when he gets more supple.


Skylar- Which is really weird that he's named that cause my old horse was called that. He is a 3 year old Thoroughbred/Draft/Quarter horse mix. He have the most fluid trot, it's to die for. He's a dressage prospect which I think he's going to rock at. He is green broke and very skittish on the ground. But we're slowly working on it. He has the most comfortable trot, you could sit any speed without bouncy at all. And he has an extension to die for. But he kinda sucks at steering and staying at the trot, and is deathly afraid of our arena door, but like I said hes a greenie and we're working on it. Oh and he wants to be EVERY ONES friend, its really cute. My trainer wants to get a quick sale on him, which will be sad but hopefully the buyer will keep him at the barn so I can watch him progress into a wonderful dressage horse I know he'll be.


And I really want to write about Clue. I don't get to ride him as much anymore now that he has a new rider. I really miss that horse, I go green with envy when they talk about how good/fun he is. We have a special bond, he taught be a shit load, and we worked our asses off together. But I guess its time to accept that he needs to give what he gave to me, a special bond and the love and joy of showing to someone else. And I will be keeping a hawks eye on her when she rides him, ha ha cause my Trainer and I know his buttons but she doesn't yet. We shall see how they do this summer when we start showing again!


Now time for the most important horse! Mr. Riley Pants, what can I say about you?? well Lyndsy told me that she wants to take him to an all color breed show (I forgot the name of it) in March along with a couple others that we have, so she wants to do a full body clip on him in the next week or so. But the thing is he's never been clipped in his life. So I thought it'd be a good idea to get him used to the shavers, my trainer has mini cordless shavers which are amazing, so I started working on trying to clip his nose in the isle, which he didn't want any part in, he was horribly bad about it, just tossing his head and trying to walk away. So I took him in to the arena for more space. He doesn't have an issue with the shavers being on him, it's just when I try to actually cut anything, which I think is tickling him more then actually scaring him, I shaved the top of his lip and nose, but he would toss his head when I tried to get underneath. We left it at that, I didn't want to get him to stressed about it. We shall try it again tomorrow.

I tacked him up and lunged him for a few laps then got on. The last couple of rides have been pretty bad, he has this major issue of being very chargy at the trot and dropping his shoulder and not offering to pick it up at all. And frankly I can sit a very bouncy trot, but I can't sit his bouncy trot for shit. And he makes me feel horrible to be bouncing all over his back. And he started doing this thing were whenever I put any pressure on the reins he would just stop, which isn't what I want, and I couldn't keep him going for the life of me. But today I got on him and as first he was chargy and dropping his shoulders, avoiding the bit. But after a couple half circles he started lifting up, accepting the bit, actually slowing down. I could actually sit his trot for once! I was thrilled, and he didn't stop at all when I put pressure on the bit. I ended it at the that, and got off. I gave him a big hug. Tomorrow he's going to be getting adjusted by our chiro cause I'm sure he would benefit from it a lot.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas hope everyone has an amazing day! Going go out and give Mr. Riley pants his presents, spree candy canes! then going to spend the rest of the day with my boyfriends family. [:

Christmas Eve

Don't get to see Mr. Riley pants today on christmas eve seeing as I have to work at my joy from 12 to 9! boo. But I'll be able to see him on Christmas! Will probably just lung him and that will be his present! haha

I couldn't have been even more disappointed in myself today. I was riding Riley and he just kept dropping his shoulders and speeding up. And I knew it was just because he is green and didn't know what i was asking, and doesn't have the muscle tone to be going slow like I want him too. But I just have such high expectations for him, and I know he can reach every single one of them. I just need to keep reminding myself that he's a baby and I have all the time in the world to get him better under saddle. It's hard going to horses that are broke to a totally unbroke baby. Thank god he doesn't act like one!


But on a brighter note, we rode with a bunch of other horses in the arena, one was even bucking and acting like a nut on the lunge, he just stood there and watched. This horse is not afraid of anything. Dogs and cats are running in and out of the arena and he couldn't care less. I seriously have a very special boy on my hands and I'm glad I have him. I promised to him and myself that I will never get annoyed/mad at him again when it's not his fault.

We practiced showmanship for like 2 seconds lol. He's sticking the stop, and the back up. But takes a few strides to get trotting, and is barely sticking the pivot but we do get a few good turns, and I have a feeling that if he practice a few more days he'll be sticking the pivots too.

Riley Vs The Cross Ties

Riley just loves twisting around on the cross ties. Then he just stands there with his head in the air waiting for anyone to rescue him, gah I love this horse.

What I hate the most...

Is blind spookers. I can handle spookers no problem, I was leading a very spooky arab-quarter horse mare to her pasture, and she saw our little "cow" and just jumped right to the other side of me, but she completely missed me. But when the spooker completely forgets that your even there. No way. I was leading this paint gelding and this idiot had his truck by our side door getting hay out of the bed of it, but instead of taking one down at a time, he made it all topple over, this gelding went flying behind me, ran me over, I barely kept my footing and he bruised the hell out of my heel.

Blah.

2010

So 2010 has finally came to an end and so much has changed.

I moved to a new barn and got an amazing new trainer. She's taught and is still teaching me so much. She stuck me on so many different horses from a 4 year old Arab gelding to a 3 year old (I believe?) paint mare bred and trained for Western Pleasure. I've developed as a ride so much from what I use to be like when I first showed up at Lyndsys barn and now I'm her second hand man. She sticks me on new horses and helps me work with her training horses.

Lyndsy also helped me sell my first horse Skylar. It was tough, a lot of people came and gone and she has yet bee sold. But lyndsy found an amazing couple who own their own little barn behind their house. They had two horses but one died so they were looking for a companion for there current horse. They loved her, and she did so good under saddle for the lady. I'm so glad that she finally found a loving home and I hope she can live there for the rest of her days.

I showed seriously for the very first time with Clue and it was very successful. We may have not won any of our classes but we did so good otherwise. We had our downs too, where I had to learn that not every judge will like you even if your horse gives you an amazing ride. I've met so many amazing people, and a lot of not so nice people. Sadly with me getting a new horse I won't be able to show clue anymore. It's going to be sad seeing someone else riding him at shows. But I trust the rider that we picked, and I can still ride him at the barn.

Thanks to Lyndsy bring me to her training barn that's where I found Riley my baby! I purchased him and now here we are, working our butts off, our up and downs, from being lame in all fours to being sound, fat and happy.

My goal for Riley and I would be to show Walk Trot at Beat the Heat show series at West 20 starting January 22ND. He'd have a little over 30 days under saddle so its a high goal but the way Riley's going, being so laid back and accepting I think the goals reachable.

So as good as 2010 was I'm super excited to start the year 2011!


Oh and on a none horse note, I'm starting my CNA class in February! [:

burrr its cold!

Today was a very successful day at the barn. Finally got my best friend to come out after her long hiatus from the barn! I lunged Riley without the side reins today and he did amazingly, picked up the canter right away, after a couple laps each direction I put the side reins on for reminders, plus he still needs more work with it. Anyway The last ride I rode him with my spurs so today I decided to do the same. At first he handled it pretty well, gave me some good laps around but then decided he didn't like this working business and every time I would ask with my spur he would slow down, stop then kinda kick out.. Babies .. I got one more good trot out of him with no kicking and decided to end it there. He's starting to really handle me being on him now. He doesn't seem so worried anymore on whats going on.

My friend got on him, and boy was he lazy! but besides that he behaved like an angel and gave her a good ride too.

I love my horse <3 he's going to be 4 soon!!

Where do I start?!

A lot has happened since I last posted! Riley is fat and happy in his new home.

We haven't been working to much on showmanship and I should really start so next show season if he's not ready under saddle we'll be able to show at least in Halter and Showmanship. But he's starting to understand how to pivot and set up, but he can't back straight for the life of him, or stop. He's been getting better at stopping, he stops after two or three steps so that's not so bad. Eh, we have time to work on in.

But we've been working A LOT with side reins while lunging to get him to start using himself. This horse didn't even know where his own feet were! When I first started lunging him (without the side reins) I wanted to see how he would do cantering, each time I asked him he pretty much nose dived into the ground. A lot of that did have to do with his feet, but also with him being so heavy in the front. But with a lot time and work he's finally able to pick up the canter right when I ask instead of speeding into it, and he's starting to collect up on his own without the aid of the side reins at the canter, which is a BIG step forward from what he use to be, I wish I took videos of him before.

When I bought Riley he had no rides under his belt, he was pretty much in his stall for his whole 3 year old life. So when we brought him to the barn he had the saddle on his back maybe 3 times? It took us about two weeks of all ground work till I got on. The first few times I had my trainer walk him around with me just loosely hanging onto the reins, after like 3 rides doing it that way I decided that he'd be okay being off the line, but we hit a issue...he wouldn't stand still while mounting, I always had someone standing next to his head while I was mounting, so now that no one was there he thought it was okay to just wonder off while I'm half way in the saddle. But that only took about a day to fix, that horse learns so fast.

So as of right now we've been just working on keeping him going!, he has the mind set that if he trots a few strides then he's done, silly boy. Yesterday we worked on lifting his shoulder because he's been dropping it a lot, and you can instantly feel a difference in the way he moves. I also tried spurs on him, the sooner the better I think, he handled them really well, he kind of jumped into the trot once when I really asked him with the spur cause he was completely ignoring them.

I'm just so excited for next show season, even if I don't get to show him till later on, I'm still so excited. I have to get my NRHA, Buckskin, Paint, and Ranch Horse card for next year, oh and I also have to get his papers from his old owners! Lots to do before next show season! and I'm SOOO excited!

Rileys coming home!!

I'm so excited. I'm going to be picking Riley up tomorrow!!!! I can't wait to have him at my barn so I can work him more often!! [: winter is going to be very busy. Going to work his little booty all winter long. He's going to kick some serious booty next show season! But I might be able to show him halter/ showmanship in October. That should be exciting.

Went out to go work Riley today. He's getting so much better about lunging. He's not testing me anymore and he's getting better about listening to commands. He's still not balanced enough for me to ask him to canter. And I kinda want to get his feet done before I push him hard. I lunged him with the bridle and surcingle on and he was less fussy about having the bit. He chewed for a bit but then settled into working. Then I took the bridle off and replaced the surcingle with my saddle. He tried to eat it the whole time I was putting it on lol. So I knew we weren't going to have a problem. This was just his second time with it on too. No bucking, no naughty-ness nothing. Just trotted a long like there wasn't anything on his back. I have this feeling that hes going to be a very easy horse to start. I'm falling even more in-love with him every day.

A couple days ago we worked with halter, I wanted to see if he would stand still. Hes very ADHD lol. But he trotted by me just fine and stood there as still as he can be lol. Then we worked on getting him to set...which he doesn't get at all.. but he's starting to pivot! Might take him to Spring Grove to show him halter and maybe showmanship if he's ready. That should be exciting[:

Happy Day

Went out to visit my baby boy [: I brushed out his amazing tail omg it looks so good. Realized he has a purple accent to his mane and tail!! haha how amazing is that?!?!




and for the best part of the dayy....*drum roll please*...... I put a saddle on him for the very first time in his life!! and he handled it pretty level headed!! I was so proud/happy/excited at the same time. I just can't wait to bring him to my barn so he can progress even faster then he is right now. Ugh so happy[:

Going to call Lakes vet for prices on farm visits and coggins so I can get some pulled on Riley so we can finally take him to my barn. It'll be so much easier to get him started. Times a-wasting!
But anyways I promised my friend that once shes finished she can use him for her high school equestrian team because her parents are stupid and wont get her a horse, but can buy cars/ and a boat. She's an amazing rider and she deserves it. Hopefully they get along well so it all works out. And hey shes gunna have the best looking horse out there :P

Picture timeeeeee

Went out to see Riley (His official name!) practically did the splits when I was lunging him. Clumsy boy. He needs a lot of work going clock wise on the lung. Actually he needs a lot of work lunging period. But hes only 3 so I'll give him a the benefit of doubt. I talked to his (old) owner today. We figured out a price and I'm paying part of it on Thursday and moving him as soon as she gets his coggins!. I'm so excited to have him at my barn, it's just going to be so much easier to be able to work with him on a daily bases. And I have to start ASAP if I want to get him ready to show next season! I think he'll be able to make it. His old owner thinks he would clean house in IBHA Halter. Wants me to take him to world. Lets just take baby steps right now okayy? lol.

Heres a crappy picture of my love bug I'll remember to bring out my camera next time.

Names?!?!

I have no clue what I'm going to name his. His current name is Timmy...uh yeah thats not staying! so far i got

Levi
indy
keelin
Regan
Keegin


Idk! im sure ill think of some more!

Lets introduce Mr. Timmy

Timmy(who by the way will be getting a new name) is a 3 year old AQHA dun gelding. He is already 15 hhs! He's going to be a big boy. but he isn't started yet. So i'll be doing it myself. He has had a surcingle on and I just put the bit in his mouth for the very first time a few days ago. He handled it like a pro. He's so mouthy the first time I tried to put the bit in he grabbed on to the bridle haha goofy boy. I eventually convinced him that the bit was the thing that is suppose to go in his mouth and not the bridle lol. I'm going to talk to his owner once I see her about letting me take him to my barn for a month to have a good start on him and see if hes still what I'm looking for and if everything goes well he will be my new horse![:


WHOOPS. my bad. He isn't AQHA how I thought that IDK?! BUT he is APHA/IBHA kay. thanks! don't dont mind the URL