Paper Crow

Happy October!

Again, it has been awhile since I posted. :( But I have been enjoying the great fall weather.  Last night Quest and I went for a walk around the hay field with two other horses and riders. It was lovely. We saw 4 deer crossing the field. Quest was a gentleman.  The ride was short because it is getting dark here around 7 pm. Quest has a nice winter coat started and is super cute when he is fuzzy. I like to call him my woolly mammoth. We have made progress in out riding. Lessons are very helpful. I am thinking that I will try some dressage schooling shows next summer. I get lots of crazy ideas.

A Good Friday

It has been a rough week. But, Friday was a good day. It was not super hot, there was a breeze and it was only sprinkling for my riding lesson at 10 am. I rode outside and it was nice. Even better was the fact that I rode well and Quest and I had improved. We made nicer circles, collected a bit at the canter and our trot work was nice. No pulling, tugging or melting down. My trainer even said that things were coming together nicely! Her praise is hard won. Maybe it was all coming together since I was an emotional wreck and was really glad to see my pony after not riding for 4 days. The rain made the ride fun. Now I am thinking that I would like to work towards doing a few dressage shows next summer. See about getting feedback on my riding from judges. It's a thought- an notice I said NEXT summer. Small steps.

On a side note - Tulah and I have been missing Merryweather. But she is happy and healthy and that is what I ultimately want. I had her for more than 4 years and it was time well spent. Tulah will be going to the vet to be spayed in the next week or so. She has been sick alongside Merry- just not as bad. After she recovers we will welcome a new baby to the family. I like to have 2 girls so that they can chat and learn the ropes from a grand dame. I had 3 girls at one point but I think that two is easier. Tulah will get the chance to be a mentor, like Merryweather and Nimue before her.

50 things Horse related

I found this on two of my favorite blogs A Good Horse and Glenshee Equestrian Center and thought I would take a turn.

1. How old were you when you first started riding? 11 years old for riding lessons, but pony rides before then

2. First horse ridden: a lesson horse at age 11 ???
3. First horse trotted on: don't remember but I was at Green Pastures Farm - possibly Tug

4. First horse cantered on: Tug?
5. First Horse fallen off of: Andy

6. Most recent horse fallen off of: my Quest
7. Most terrifying fall: Andy, a big chestnut, who took me down with him when trying to pick up a canter. It was a trip into a nose dive, and still to this day I am a little freaked about a horse stumbling. I hurt my knee and was real shaken up, I was probably 12.

8. First horse jumped with: Tug

9. First horse who ran away with you: The one I remember the most was an appaloosa named Rattler

10. First horse that scared the crap out of you: Rattler, he could spin and bolt and you were in the dirt

11. First horse shown: Tug
12. First horse to win a class with: I haven't won a class

13. Do you/have you taken lessons: yes, I did for years

14. First horse you ever rode bareback: don't remember

15. First horse trail ridden with: Rattler
16. Current Barn name: I board at View Hello Farm
17. Do you ride English or western?: English 
18. First Horse to place at a show with: Tug or Ashley
19. Ever been to horse camp?: No
20. Ever been to a riding clinic? Yes, a sidesaddle clinic
21. Ridden sidesaddle? YES, and I love it!!!
22. First horse leased: Never Leased

23. Last Horse Leased: see 22

24. Highest ribbon in a show: Red-2nd

25. Ever been to an 'A' rated show?: No
26. Ever competed in pony games/relay races?: No

27. Ever fallen off at a show: no
28. Do you ride Hunter/Jumpers?: no
29. Have you ever barrel raced? no
30. Ever done pole bending?: no
31. Favorite gait: Trot - yes I know I am weird

32. Ever cantered bareback?: Not yet
33. Have you ever done dressage?: Currently doing
34. Have you ever evented?: No, but I was a groom for an event rider, and I got to see it up close.

35. Have you ever mucked a stall?: Yup

36. Ever been bucked off?: Yes

37. Ever been on a horse that reared: Almost - it was close to a rear
38. Horses or ponies. Horses, always been too big.

39. Do you wear a helmet?: Yes, I made my mom a promise.  Though sometimes I don't wear one in parades
40. What's the highest you've jumped: not past 3 feet that's for sure
41. Have you ever ridden at night?: In an indoor arena with lights :)

42. Do you watch horsey television shows?: Whenever I can!

 43. Have you ever been seriously hurt/injured from a fall?: See 7 - I messed up my right knee, ligaments/cartilage?? no surgery need though

44. Most falls in one lesson: 2
45. Do you ride in an arena/ring?: Yes
46. Have you ever been trampled by a horse?: No

47. Have you ever been bitten?: Yes, as a kid at a birthday party. Pony hauled off and bit me in the meaty part of my shoulder.
48. Ever had your foot stepped on by a horse?: Lots of times
49: Favorite riding moment: Probably riding sidesaddle with the Southern Ohio Ladies Aside in the 2009 Inaugural Parade in Washington DC. Though I really enjoyed riding sidesaddle again with SOLA in the 2008 Chicago Thanksgiving Parade.

50. Most fun horse you've ridden: My very own first horse Quest!

Shedding season

So Quest is a huge hairy beast during the winter. Well as of January 31 he started shedding. This is a long process that is not over until May some time, and then he starts growing his winter coat inAugust. I don't mind too much, I love to groom him and he seems to enjoy it. He will just hang his head and stand there not moving. My saving grace for the shedding season..... 

Although it is around $3 each, the block works really well to remove hair. I go through a couple of these each spring. Couldn't live without them. I will spend an hour working on Quest. I am a bit of a fanatic about grooming and getting my pony ready for the spring. I also can't wait to wash his tail. Yeah, I know I'm weird.

So thank you Farnam for a great product that I always have in my brush box.

2 years today!

It was 2 years ago today that I bought my horse Quest. I drove 4 hours north to WI with my trainer to look a a couple of horses. He was on a small farm with a camel and other animals. I didn't even find the ad it was my trainer. She was wanting to look at a horse and thought that the draft cross they had might work. I had no idea what this horse was or looked like when I started the trek at 8:30 am on that Saturday morning. What I found was a big black and white dirty horse that I promptly wrote a check for.

I know, I was crazy, but the trainer liked him and he was in the price range. Now, I wasn't looking for a show prospect, just an all around English horse. What I got was my dream horse. He is very sane with wonderful gates. Sensible and has carried me through 3 parades as well as tolerated me learning sidesaddle. I think he almost prefers the sidesaddle over anything else. He loves apples, pears, carrots, watermelon, oatmeal raisin cookies, and sometimes bananas. Heis very willing and patient not to mention handsome!

It is very hard to believe that he is mine and that I have had him 2 whole years!