I changed the name of the blog as Kiki is no longer the main source for my adventures -- I felt a little funny writing so much about other horses etc under her title. I will make a page dedicated to her and her inspiration for chronicling my horse passion.
Hope is doesn't cause too much confusion.
12.06.2010
11.30.2010
birthday dress options
um...yea:
The Gallop with Glamor dress from Modcloth, or...
The Highest Accolades dress from Anthropologie.
I tried on the Anthropologie dress and even though I usually hate strapless dresses, I noticed on their site that it has detachable straps. Also, the sweetheart neckline is quite flattering. The best part about this dress is that the rosettes have little cartoon horses drawn on them that look just like my tattoo!
I probably won't end up getting either, but a girl can dream, yes? How cute would they be with a pair of red heels, or tall brown boots???
Swoon!
The Gallop with Glamor dress from Modcloth, or...
I tried on the Anthropologie dress and even though I usually hate strapless dresses, I noticed on their site that it has detachable straps. Also, the sweetheart neckline is quite flattering. The best part about this dress is that the rosettes have little cartoon horses drawn on them that look just like my tattoo!
I probably won't end up getting either, but a girl can dream, yes? How cute would they be with a pair of red heels, or tall brown boots???
Swoon!
11.28.2010
teaser and disclaimer
Disclaimer: I WILL resume my daily challenge tomorrow...I was in the middle of the woods without reception for the last four days!
Teaser: A panorama I made while car-topping during the Thanksgiving Hunt in Virginia this weekend:
Teaser: A panorama I made while car-topping during the Thanksgiving Hunt in Virginia this weekend:
11.24.2010
11.23.2010
DC Day 2- Meaning behind your blog name
This blog was inspired a little chestnut mare named Kiki, who's name grew on me as much as she did during our time together. A home bred Hungarian WB/Thoroughbred cross she flopped into this world with a mind of her own. Apparently, from B's recounting, she refused to be born on schedule. People waited day and night for her to drop but she decided she'd enter the world in the middle of the night out in a field. B ran to see her new bay colt out in the field, picked up a leg and realized her bundle of joy was a chestnut filly!
11.22.2010
30 Day Challenge
Inspired By Erin over at http://nowthatsatrot.blogspot.com/ I have decided to give this 30 day writing challenge a go. I've never, ever been good at following through with journals (in general) much less been able to keep up with something this demanding, but now that things in my work life have slowed down a bit, and I have a little more time to goof off I figured I'd give it a shot. It's been interesting and entertaining finding out more about my blogosphere friends!
Here are the topics (of which I may edit slightly here and there):
Day 1-Introduction, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your siblings
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you’ve traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you’re afraid of
Day 11-Favorite tv shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you’re looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you’ve learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture
--------------------------
So, Here goes...
Day 1-Introduction, recent picture, and 15 interesting facts:
Hi, I'm Niamh (pronounced "neeve"). I am a 31 yr old photographer living in Philadelphia. I am the head photographer for a rare book company and also have a little freelance photo business on the side. I live here with a wonderful roommate and a kick ass dog named Hugo. I started riding when I was 4 years old, instigated by my Godmother who owned two backyard horses (we still go riding together when I am in Ireland)...my journey continued throughout 4 countries learning many disciplines and after a hiatus after college (try, an 8 year hiatus) I started riding again. A friend convinced me to start volunteering at an equine therapy center, fist just working with the kids and eventually exercise riding the horses, and I caught the horse bug again. One thing is for sure, it's here to stay. I found myself a terrific trainer in South Jersey and a little family of friends and riders there that make me feel like home.
Here's a recent photo of me as I said goodbye to Kiki-
Interesting facts, hmmmm...
1. I hate peanut butter. TRUTH. I didn't grow up in the US as a child so I had no real exposure to it. The only time I can even handle being around peanut butter is to make bones for Hugo that I stick in the freezer. I can't stand the smell or getting on my skin. Blargh. (*also, see Pumpkin and Watermelon -- I know, I am not American!)
2. I have lived in 4 countries. I was born in Ireland, lived there until I was 3, we then moved to Freeport, Bahamas where I spent my childhood, we then moved to Yorkshire, England and my parents promptly split up...my Mom moved back to the US and after remarrying and several visits from my sister and I later, we decided to move here. I spent my teenage years in Daytona Beach, Florida and moved to Philly a few years after college.
3. I am naturally blond. Hard to believe because I am Irish and I have been rocking this red hair for the better part of 10 years, but it's true. Occasionally it really comes out when I can't get my feet to move in front of one another or my brain turns to scrambled eggs.
4. For the last 20 years, I have lived 4000 miles away from most of my family. It's something I have grown accustomed to but still feel sad about. I have become intensely independent because of my unique upbringing, but have somehow stayed very sentimental.
5. When I was a child I was convinced I was an alien. My older brother told me I was from another planet and would draw pictures of me as a martian. It wasn't until I was about 7-8 that his guise was exposed. My Mom and I had flown to Miami from Freeport to find a dress for my First Holy Communion and she got my ears pierced as a gift. When we got back to the island I jumped out of the car and ran up to my brother exclaiming "Owen, I got my antennas pierced" and the story was revealed to my mother. To this day he still calls me by my alien name "NOID".
6. It took me 11 years of riding to FINALLY fall off a horse. I have always been good at staying on (something I am still good at) and could cling to the side of a horse like a monkey. The first time I fell was with a barn sour pony named Sterling and we slipped in the middle of a jump course. We both fell, I was thrown clear of her, I got up, dusted myself off and my instructor handed me the pony, gave me a leg up and told me to finish the course.
7. I have the attention span of a 2 year old. I'm not exaggerating when I say I have been working on this post on and off all day. If I'm not doing three things at once, I can't get anything done. For example, I am doing real work, filling out a passport renewal form, and writing this, all while chatting online to friends. This has gotten much worse as I've aged and sometimes I feel like I need to be on medication for it. I get distracted really easily, and seem to only work well under very tight deadlines.
8. When I was little I was allergic to everything. I mean EVERYTHING. Including my Mother's milk. We had to keep goats so I could have goat's milk instead. I started to grow out of some of the allergies as I got older but when I started riding I was allergic to nearly everything related to the barn -- horses, dogs, dust, hay, grass, cats, the sun, air...so I demanded to be medicated so I could ride. It was torture sometimes, but I must have built up an immunity to most of because I am hardly bothered by any airborne allergies now, save for black cats.
9. I had a bad case of Pica when I was young due to all my allergies. Not the gross kind where you do weird things with your poo or anything. But I would eat sponges, grass, wallpaper, rugs, and my favorite thing of all time -- LEGOS!
10. I have have had some pretty interesting career goals throughout my life. I'll pull a good cross-section. As a little kid (when I thought my brother would be a pilot for TWA), he and I decided we would collect food and drop it off over poor countries with his plane. When I was a little older I wanted to Be David Attenborough (nature tv show host extraordinaire). As a teenager I wanted to be a reconstructive surgeon (I was really good at art and science). In college I started off studying forensic psychology to become a criminal profiler.
11. I tried out for Wheel of Fortune once as a teenager. I did really well in all the written portions but was told that I didn't have the "wheel of fortune" personality. Sigh. I was a painfully shy 15 year old.
12. I have four tattoos that are all very unique. One is a Shel Silverstein drawing, one is the handwriting of an artist I admire, one is a drawing of a pony that my friend (who is a toy designer) drew, and the fourth is of an owl holding two ropes, at the end of one is a mixtape and the other has a graffiti spray paint can (that ones for my sister and it's on my ribs).
13. One of my biggest hobbies outside of horses is crafting. I spend wayyy too much time on sites like http://www.designspongeonline.com/
14. Sometimes I feel as though I was born in the wrong time period. I can really see myself living in the late 1950's. My penchant for all things mid-century would suggest this and oh, the clothes!
15. I was once nearly blind. I've always been terribly far-sighted and at some point I simply refused to wear glasses anymore and my eyesight suffered because of it. By the time I was a junior in high school I was having migraines 3-4 days a week and couldn't study or read. After visiting with my eye doctor and going through a series of tests over a few months he he said my eyes were deteriorating at an exponential rate and that I currently had the vision of a 65 year old woman. He told me I would be legally blind by the time I was 25. I got a great deal of my reading for classes on audio tape and managed to get through the next two years of high school still in the top of my class. During college I made a huge shift in majors and became a photographer. Wouldn't you know that by picking this as a career I have strengthened my eyes to nearly half the prescription they were when I was 15? In fact, because my right eye is my focusing eye, It's actually significantly stronger than my left. Photography has saved my vision, and while I am still have a tough time seeing without my glasses, I am not blind!!!
Ok, fingers crossed I can keep this up...now to figure out how to make a link so people don't have to scroll through this whole damn thing.
Here are the topics (of which I may edit slightly here and there):
Day 1-Introduction, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your siblings
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you’ve traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you’re afraid of
Day 11-Favorite tv shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you’re looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you’ve learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture
--------------------------
So, Here goes...
Day 1-Introduction, recent picture, and 15 interesting facts:
Hi, I'm Niamh (pronounced "neeve"). I am a 31 yr old photographer living in Philadelphia. I am the head photographer for a rare book company and also have a little freelance photo business on the side. I live here with a wonderful roommate and a kick ass dog named Hugo. I started riding when I was 4 years old, instigated by my Godmother who owned two backyard horses (we still go riding together when I am in Ireland)...my journey continued throughout 4 countries learning many disciplines and after a hiatus after college (try, an 8 year hiatus) I started riding again. A friend convinced me to start volunteering at an equine therapy center, fist just working with the kids and eventually exercise riding the horses, and I caught the horse bug again. One thing is for sure, it's here to stay. I found myself a terrific trainer in South Jersey and a little family of friends and riders there that make me feel like home.
Here's a recent photo of me as I said goodbye to Kiki-
Interesting facts, hmmmm...
1. I hate peanut butter. TRUTH. I didn't grow up in the US as a child so I had no real exposure to it. The only time I can even handle being around peanut butter is to make bones for Hugo that I stick in the freezer. I can't stand the smell or getting on my skin. Blargh. (*also, see Pumpkin and Watermelon -- I know, I am not American!)
2. I have lived in 4 countries. I was born in Ireland, lived there until I was 3, we then moved to Freeport, Bahamas where I spent my childhood, we then moved to Yorkshire, England and my parents promptly split up...my Mom moved back to the US and after remarrying and several visits from my sister and I later, we decided to move here. I spent my teenage years in Daytona Beach, Florida and moved to Philly a few years after college.
3. I am naturally blond. Hard to believe because I am Irish and I have been rocking this red hair for the better part of 10 years, but it's true. Occasionally it really comes out when I can't get my feet to move in front of one another or my brain turns to scrambled eggs.
4. For the last 20 years, I have lived 4000 miles away from most of my family. It's something I have grown accustomed to but still feel sad about. I have become intensely independent because of my unique upbringing, but have somehow stayed very sentimental.
5. When I was a child I was convinced I was an alien. My older brother told me I was from another planet and would draw pictures of me as a martian. It wasn't until I was about 7-8 that his guise was exposed. My Mom and I had flown to Miami from Freeport to find a dress for my First Holy Communion and she got my ears pierced as a gift. When we got back to the island I jumped out of the car and ran up to my brother exclaiming "Owen, I got my antennas pierced" and the story was revealed to my mother. To this day he still calls me by my alien name "NOID".
6. It took me 11 years of riding to FINALLY fall off a horse. I have always been good at staying on (something I am still good at) and could cling to the side of a horse like a monkey. The first time I fell was with a barn sour pony named Sterling and we slipped in the middle of a jump course. We both fell, I was thrown clear of her, I got up, dusted myself off and my instructor handed me the pony, gave me a leg up and told me to finish the course.
7. I have the attention span of a 2 year old. I'm not exaggerating when I say I have been working on this post on and off all day. If I'm not doing three things at once, I can't get anything done. For example, I am doing real work, filling out a passport renewal form, and writing this, all while chatting online to friends. This has gotten much worse as I've aged and sometimes I feel like I need to be on medication for it. I get distracted really easily, and seem to only work well under very tight deadlines.
8. When I was little I was allergic to everything. I mean EVERYTHING. Including my Mother's milk. We had to keep goats so I could have goat's milk instead. I started to grow out of some of the allergies as I got older but when I started riding I was allergic to nearly everything related to the barn -- horses, dogs, dust, hay, grass, cats, the sun, air...so I demanded to be medicated so I could ride. It was torture sometimes, but I must have built up an immunity to most of because I am hardly bothered by any airborne allergies now, save for black cats.
9. I had a bad case of Pica when I was young due to all my allergies. Not the gross kind where you do weird things with your poo or anything. But I would eat sponges, grass, wallpaper, rugs, and my favorite thing of all time -- LEGOS!
10. I have have had some pretty interesting career goals throughout my life. I'll pull a good cross-section. As a little kid (when I thought my brother would be a pilot for TWA), he and I decided we would collect food and drop it off over poor countries with his plane. When I was a little older I wanted to Be David Attenborough (nature tv show host extraordinaire). As a teenager I wanted to be a reconstructive surgeon (I was really good at art and science). In college I started off studying forensic psychology to become a criminal profiler.
11. I tried out for Wheel of Fortune once as a teenager. I did really well in all the written portions but was told that I didn't have the "wheel of fortune" personality. Sigh. I was a painfully shy 15 year old.
12. I have four tattoos that are all very unique. One is a Shel Silverstein drawing, one is the handwriting of an artist I admire, one is a drawing of a pony that my friend (who is a toy designer) drew, and the fourth is of an owl holding two ropes, at the end of one is a mixtape and the other has a graffiti spray paint can (that ones for my sister and it's on my ribs).
13. One of my biggest hobbies outside of horses is crafting. I spend wayyy too much time on sites like http://www.designspongeonline.com/
14. Sometimes I feel as though I was born in the wrong time period. I can really see myself living in the late 1950's. My penchant for all things mid-century would suggest this and oh, the clothes!
15. I was once nearly blind. I've always been terribly far-sighted and at some point I simply refused to wear glasses anymore and my eyesight suffered because of it. By the time I was a junior in high school I was having migraines 3-4 days a week and couldn't study or read. After visiting with my eye doctor and going through a series of tests over a few months he he said my eyes were deteriorating at an exponential rate and that I currently had the vision of a 65 year old woman. He told me I would be legally blind by the time I was 25. I got a great deal of my reading for classes on audio tape and managed to get through the next two years of high school still in the top of my class. During college I made a huge shift in majors and became a photographer. Wouldn't you know that by picking this as a career I have strengthened my eyes to nearly half the prescription they were when I was 15? In fact, because my right eye is my focusing eye, It's actually significantly stronger than my left. Photography has saved my vision, and while I am still have a tough time seeing without my glasses, I am not blind!!!
Ok, fingers crossed I can keep this up...now to figure out how to make a link so people don't have to scroll through this whole damn thing.
life is FULL
I forgot to mention in my latest post that Kiki is officially gone. She arrived safely at her new home in Wellington, Florida to start her days as a show pony. She's settling in well and her new owner said she's been VERY quiet. If there's anything I know about that mare it's that you can't get too comfortable with her quiet demeanor. B told her that now is the time to really start working with her. She apparently dropped some weight on the trip down, so she's in a good place for the new girl to stay on top her antics. I can't wait to hear how she progresses. B offered to forward me some photos but she wanted to ask first because she wasn't sure if I would get upset. She's so kind!
I have been busy socially in a way that is a bit unfamiliar to me. So much of my spare time over the last 6-9 months was spent at the farm working with Kiki, leaving very little time for me to do much socially. I was so worried about how I would cope after my journey with Kiki ended, but thankfully things have shifted around in my life outside of horses to allow for new adventures and excitement. I haven't missed her as much as I thought I would because of so many new distractions and I am really grateful for that. It's made the transition so much less painful.
Although last week was incredibly busy at work, my two best friends (that are married to each other) and their lovely baby we here visiting. It was chaotic, but really nice to see them and I got to spend lots of time playing "Auntie Niamh" and took some cute photos of him too.
Tah-Dah! Little Radley! These were taken on my lunch break at Rittenhouse Park near my office...somehow we always make the best out of the little time we have!
My lesson on Arizona Saturday was fine. No big breakthroughs there, but we had a nice ride outside (it was gorgeous) and I rode in tiny spurs. They certainly helped and we got some really nice trot work in the end. He's a very difficult horse to keep straight and riding outside was especially challenging as we had no wall or rail to keep us from riding around crooked. Once I got him to stop blowing through my outside hand and leg tracking left, he felt great. Forward, straight and round. The girl I was having a lesson with had to get off her mare after a few minutes because she was lame, so I let her hop on Arizona and canter him around a bit. Arizona continues to teach me something every time I work with him. Saturday, it was that he doesn't like new "things" in the barn. He's not a spooky horse per se, but he does get goofy around certain things (ie. a pile of blankets in a new place in the barn). This time, it was a group of 4-H girls sitting in a circle in the dark barn as I grabbed him from turnout. About 30 yards away from the barn he started acting like a maniac. When he DOES spook, it's BIG. Beth warned me to watch my feet as he started snorting like a dragon and danced around me. We stopped near the entrance and he was just bursting out of his skin. I got nervous, which made him more nervous (good job, Niamh) and finally someone from inside the barn came out, grabbed the lead rope and walked him in, quiet as a mouse. Sigh. He also has developed a bad habit of being difficult to bridle. It's extremely frustrating, but patience seems to be the only method that will work with him. Any sign of force and he shuts down. B said he's always been a bit challenging but that it's definitely gotten worse over the last year. I just have to sit there with my hand over his poll, bit lightly touching his mouth until he's ready. We don't want to use treats because he gets pushy around food and none of the usual tricks work to get him to open his mouth. It's much like working with a horse that won't load on to a trailer, everyone wants to give an suggestion/help you when you're standing there with a horse that is being opinionated. In my experience it's often better to wait things out...I know plenty of methods of getting a bridle on an goofy horse (*see Kiki) and none of those tactics are going to work with him. It's certainly not going to help my experience with this horse if somebody else has to bridle him. B and I have talked about riding him in a hackamore to see if he prefers a leverage set up rather than a bit. He grinds he teeth constantly with the bit so perhaps he would enjoy the freedom?
I have been busy socially in a way that is a bit unfamiliar to me. So much of my spare time over the last 6-9 months was spent at the farm working with Kiki, leaving very little time for me to do much socially. I was so worried about how I would cope after my journey with Kiki ended, but thankfully things have shifted around in my life outside of horses to allow for new adventures and excitement. I haven't missed her as much as I thought I would because of so many new distractions and I am really grateful for that. It's made the transition so much less painful.
Although last week was incredibly busy at work, my two best friends (that are married to each other) and their lovely baby we here visiting. It was chaotic, but really nice to see them and I got to spend lots of time playing "Auntie Niamh" and took some cute photos of him too.
Tah-Dah! Little Radley! These were taken on my lunch break at Rittenhouse Park near my office...somehow we always make the best out of the little time we have!
My lesson on Arizona Saturday was fine. No big breakthroughs there, but we had a nice ride outside (it was gorgeous) and I rode in tiny spurs. They certainly helped and we got some really nice trot work in the end. He's a very difficult horse to keep straight and riding outside was especially challenging as we had no wall or rail to keep us from riding around crooked. Once I got him to stop blowing through my outside hand and leg tracking left, he felt great. Forward, straight and round. The girl I was having a lesson with had to get off her mare after a few minutes because she was lame, so I let her hop on Arizona and canter him around a bit. Arizona continues to teach me something every time I work with him. Saturday, it was that he doesn't like new "things" in the barn. He's not a spooky horse per se, but he does get goofy around certain things (ie. a pile of blankets in a new place in the barn). This time, it was a group of 4-H girls sitting in a circle in the dark barn as I grabbed him from turnout. About 30 yards away from the barn he started acting like a maniac. When he DOES spook, it's BIG. Beth warned me to watch my feet as he started snorting like a dragon and danced around me. We stopped near the entrance and he was just bursting out of his skin. I got nervous, which made him more nervous (good job, Niamh) and finally someone from inside the barn came out, grabbed the lead rope and walked him in, quiet as a mouse. Sigh. He also has developed a bad habit of being difficult to bridle. It's extremely frustrating, but patience seems to be the only method that will work with him. Any sign of force and he shuts down. B said he's always been a bit challenging but that it's definitely gotten worse over the last year. I just have to sit there with my hand over his poll, bit lightly touching his mouth until he's ready. We don't want to use treats because he gets pushy around food and none of the usual tricks work to get him to open his mouth. It's much like working with a horse that won't load on to a trailer, everyone wants to give an suggestion/help you when you're standing there with a horse that is being opinionated. In my experience it's often better to wait things out...I know plenty of methods of getting a bridle on an goofy horse (*see Kiki) and none of those tactics are going to work with him. It's certainly not going to help my experience with this horse if somebody else has to bridle him. B and I have talked about riding him in a hackamore to see if he prefers a leverage set up rather than a bit. He grinds he teeth constantly with the bit so perhaps he would enjoy the freedom?
11.19.2010
off radar
I realized my last post was at the beginning of November! Yikes!
Well, quick update about where I have been over the last few weeks. I've had a handful of lessons on Arizona. Some good, some bad. Our jumping lesson a few weeks ago was a complete disaster. For one thing, I am out of practice and he's a handful over fences. I was nervous and lost focus throughout the lesson which afforded some dangerous riding displays on my part. I finally got it together towards the end of the lesson, but not until B nearly pulled me off of him. Yes, it was that bad. I mean, they can't all be winners -- right? Sometimes I really need a lesson where B has to raise her voice and get after me. I can be my own worst enemy in the saddle and it helps to have someone point out that I am getting in my own way. Once I broke the task down into smaller parts I was able to ride much better and give Arizona back his job of getting over the fences. I was simply doing too much. Since that day I've only ridden him once and we had a really nice flat lesson. We worked on stretchy trot exercises and we decided that since it takes him a good 20 minutes to warm up, it might be best for me to only have hour lessons on him. We had some crappy canter work (my fault) but I was really happy with the trot work in the end. We're starting to figure each other out. I finished pulling his mane (without being stepped on this time) and only had to use the "cheater" for the last 4 inches near his ears. Hooray! I was scolded for making him look like an event pony, but I think it looks great! HA!
This is the busiest time of year for me at work (for those of you who don't know I am a photographer for a rare book company) and I've been swamped here, staying late and working some weekend hours. I hired a new assistant last month and although it was a little tough at first to acclimate her into the work flow she is proving to be quite an asset. We just finished up our lats Christmas catalog and so I am back to photographing less expensive stuff for our website and working on production projects. I can breathe a sigh of relief until the end of January when things will pick back up.
Tomorrow I have a lesson at 12, a semi-private with another girl who is silly and neurotic and we have fun together, so we'll see how I do after nearly 2 weeks off. I'll try to get some video!
Well, quick update about where I have been over the last few weeks. I've had a handful of lessons on Arizona. Some good, some bad. Our jumping lesson a few weeks ago was a complete disaster. For one thing, I am out of practice and he's a handful over fences. I was nervous and lost focus throughout the lesson which afforded some dangerous riding displays on my part. I finally got it together towards the end of the lesson, but not until B nearly pulled me off of him. Yes, it was that bad. I mean, they can't all be winners -- right? Sometimes I really need a lesson where B has to raise her voice and get after me. I can be my own worst enemy in the saddle and it helps to have someone point out that I am getting in my own way. Once I broke the task down into smaller parts I was able to ride much better and give Arizona back his job of getting over the fences. I was simply doing too much. Since that day I've only ridden him once and we had a really nice flat lesson. We worked on stretchy trot exercises and we decided that since it takes him a good 20 minutes to warm up, it might be best for me to only have hour lessons on him. We had some crappy canter work (my fault) but I was really happy with the trot work in the end. We're starting to figure each other out. I finished pulling his mane (without being stepped on this time) and only had to use the "cheater" for the last 4 inches near his ears. Hooray! I was scolded for making him look like an event pony, but I think it looks great! HA!
This is the busiest time of year for me at work (for those of you who don't know I am a photographer for a rare book company) and I've been swamped here, staying late and working some weekend hours. I hired a new assistant last month and although it was a little tough at first to acclimate her into the work flow she is proving to be quite an asset. We just finished up our lats Christmas catalog and so I am back to photographing less expensive stuff for our website and working on production projects. I can breathe a sigh of relief until the end of January when things will pick back up.
Tomorrow I have a lesson at 12, a semi-private with another girl who is silly and neurotic and we have fun together, so we'll see how I do after nearly 2 weeks off. I'll try to get some video!
11.01.2010
This post is dedicated to Klein Mare!
There's only one true draft horse at the farm and he's got a GIGANTIC personality. Anyone who has spent any time around drafts will tell you they are (quite literally) larger than life. My experience at Pegasus exercise riding Belgians and Percherons (and subsequently getting my riding "sea" legs back in a hurry 2 years ago) gave me a serious understanding of just how smart these gentle giants are.
When we played bobbing for apples on Saturday, it was clear that Major felt like he was surrounded by amateurs. He waited patiently for his turn (last -- as usual, he's very low on the totem pole in his herd) after watching the others really struggle with the task...he more or less strolled up, brushed his shoulders off and got into the game. He took a quick drink, and grabbed an apple, first try, and under 30 seconds. Maybe it doesn't seem like it's that hard to do, but let me tell you...5 horses went before him and couldn't figure it out. Not even a little bit. He might be the oldest, the chubbiest, maybe the slowest, but that horse...he is ALL heart. And, he's no dummy...he's the only horse (at this farm) to refuse a jump (**on two separate occasions) during a lesson with me...and I was bareback! Sneaky bugger.
Here's the video:
When we played bobbing for apples on Saturday, it was clear that Major felt like he was surrounded by amateurs. He waited patiently for his turn (last -- as usual, he's very low on the totem pole in his herd) after watching the others really struggle with the task...he more or less strolled up, brushed his shoulders off and got into the game. He took a quick drink, and grabbed an apple, first try, and under 30 seconds. Maybe it doesn't seem like it's that hard to do, but let me tell you...5 horses went before him and couldn't figure it out. Not even a little bit. He might be the oldest, the chubbiest, maybe the slowest, but that horse...he is ALL heart. And, he's no dummy...he's the only horse (at this farm) to refuse a jump (**on two separate occasions) during a lesson with me...and I was bareback! Sneaky bugger.
Here's the video:
10.27.2010
Wellington, Saratoga, I never really knew ya.
I needed to do something before SAD kicks into high gear. The sun's low placement in the sky and the shorter days all indicated that winter was knocking quietly at the front door.
I had two weeks off of riding, rather unexpectedly, as my life became intensely busy. I think the break was healing for me, allowing me to think internally about what my next move should be. I had investigated the possibilities nearby for a new place to ride. I still may pursue some of them, but for now, I am staying put at my current barn. I realized last night that I DO feel warm and welcome when I am there. I DO think everyone is handling me with kid gloves about Kiki, and I respect that. But they are also being extremely kind and generous, they certainly don't want me to leave. I think for a minute, I let myself believe they were shipping Kiki off because I wasn't a good enough rider, or they didn't trust me, or worse. I know, it's silly...but your mind goes into terrible negative places when you are down. I have always been very hard on myself, and something like this would only make me examine myself with a microscope. After a really good lesson last night, B broke the news to me that they may have found a new home for Kiki. A girl in her early 20's (I think a working student) came to ride her with a trainer friend. The trainer adored the mare (and also rode her). Kiki pulled her usual antics, but they girl stuck it out and was hardly fazed by any of her behavior. She decided she would like to come back to spend the next few days at the farm with B and L to get to know Kiki a little better and ride her for a few days in a row. If things go well, she'll be loaded up Saturday on her way to a beautiful facility in Wellington, Fl. So, we'll see. B said she'd call me Thursday to let me know how things are going. As much as I am still very sad about her, I think this new home sounds ideal. The girl would be living on property and would be able to ride her everyday. It's a barn filled with people showing on the hunter circuit and I think Kiki will be thrilled. I am really happy that if she does go, I'll get to say goodbye on Saturday. I had already made plans to be there to photograph everyone's Halloween costumes and ride, so hopefully with all that going on, I won't get too sad.
In other news, I think I've decided to lease another horse. Part of my depression was fueled by the feeling of not having a project. As much as I like going out for 2 lessons a week on various horses -- which is great for my riding, it's not terribly cost effective, nor does it feel fulfilling for me. I still really want to get back into showing and I need a horse that can take me there. Someone athletic, gutsy, and forward...enter, Arizona. Roughly 16 hand chestnut OTTB (from Saratoga). He's one of B's personal horses (I think he's 14, but he acts 6) and he is lightly used in the lesson program with some of the advanced girls. He's a flashy horse with three white socks and a big blaze, and well, um...a chestnut's personality. How can I put this lightly...'he doesn't play well with others' -- another dominant chestnut, I must be nuts. He has a huge personality, the kind of horse that walks into an arena and demands to be noticed. On top of that, he has a brain that is thinking constantly, and you have to be faster than he is to ride him well. Sure, he'll putz around with his head in the air like a giraffe for anyone, but he'll move out, back swinging with contact if you ask him the right way. He is superbly adjustable, a really neat horse to ride as you can nearly see the gears turning in his brain. And can he jump? Holy moly this horse can jump...knees up to his chin and all heart. I cannot wait. So B and I made it our goal to get him to the 3 foot division together by spring. Nothing's official just yet, but I knew she was throwing him my way for a reason. The girl that was leasing him decided to switch to a bit of an easier horse and so he's open again. When I brought it up last night B just kinda smirked and said she was glad I was thinking about it. She knew that if she could make it seem like my idea it would work *she missed her calling as a therapist. I would have never wanted to lease him if she had pushed in the wake of Kiki's departure.
So, onward...a new journey, with a new chestnut. My very first (horse) love was a chestnut mare named Cleo when I started riding for the first time in the Bahamas. I guess we are meant to be together.
And here are a few photos of the new mount (and not me riding):
I had two weeks off of riding, rather unexpectedly, as my life became intensely busy. I think the break was healing for me, allowing me to think internally about what my next move should be. I had investigated the possibilities nearby for a new place to ride. I still may pursue some of them, but for now, I am staying put at my current barn. I realized last night that I DO feel warm and welcome when I am there. I DO think everyone is handling me with kid gloves about Kiki, and I respect that. But they are also being extremely kind and generous, they certainly don't want me to leave. I think for a minute, I let myself believe they were shipping Kiki off because I wasn't a good enough rider, or they didn't trust me, or worse. I know, it's silly...but your mind goes into terrible negative places when you are down. I have always been very hard on myself, and something like this would only make me examine myself with a microscope. After a really good lesson last night, B broke the news to me that they may have found a new home for Kiki. A girl in her early 20's (I think a working student) came to ride her with a trainer friend. The trainer adored the mare (and also rode her). Kiki pulled her usual antics, but they girl stuck it out and was hardly fazed by any of her behavior. She decided she would like to come back to spend the next few days at the farm with B and L to get to know Kiki a little better and ride her for a few days in a row. If things go well, she'll be loaded up Saturday on her way to a beautiful facility in Wellington, Fl. So, we'll see. B said she'd call me Thursday to let me know how things are going. As much as I am still very sad about her, I think this new home sounds ideal. The girl would be living on property and would be able to ride her everyday. It's a barn filled with people showing on the hunter circuit and I think Kiki will be thrilled. I am really happy that if she does go, I'll get to say goodbye on Saturday. I had already made plans to be there to photograph everyone's Halloween costumes and ride, so hopefully with all that going on, I won't get too sad.
In other news, I think I've decided to lease another horse. Part of my depression was fueled by the feeling of not having a project. As much as I like going out for 2 lessons a week on various horses -- which is great for my riding, it's not terribly cost effective, nor does it feel fulfilling for me. I still really want to get back into showing and I need a horse that can take me there. Someone athletic, gutsy, and forward...enter, Arizona. Roughly 16 hand chestnut OTTB (from Saratoga). He's one of B's personal horses (I think he's 14, but he acts 6) and he is lightly used in the lesson program with some of the advanced girls. He's a flashy horse with three white socks and a big blaze, and well, um...a chestnut's personality. How can I put this lightly...'he doesn't play well with others' -- another dominant chestnut, I must be nuts. He has a huge personality, the kind of horse that walks into an arena and demands to be noticed. On top of that, he has a brain that is thinking constantly, and you have to be faster than he is to ride him well. Sure, he'll putz around with his head in the air like a giraffe for anyone, but he'll move out, back swinging with contact if you ask him the right way. He is superbly adjustable, a really neat horse to ride as you can nearly see the gears turning in his brain. And can he jump? Holy moly this horse can jump...knees up to his chin and all heart. I cannot wait. So B and I made it our goal to get him to the 3 foot division together by spring. Nothing's official just yet, but I knew she was throwing him my way for a reason. The girl that was leasing him decided to switch to a bit of an easier horse and so he's open again. When I brought it up last night B just kinda smirked and said she was glad I was thinking about it. She knew that if she could make it seem like my idea it would work *she missed her calling as a therapist. I would have never wanted to lease him if she had pushed in the wake of Kiki's departure.
So, onward...a new journey, with a new chestnut. My very first (horse) love was a chestnut mare named Cleo when I started riding for the first time in the Bahamas. I guess we are meant to be together.
And here are a few photos of the new mount (and not me riding):
10.18.2010
Life has a funny way of showing you things
I took this weekend off in order to have a little mental break from all of my anxiety surrounding horses. I know, I should be over the whole Kiki debacle. But I'm not, and I will likely be feeling the sting of her absence for quite some time. I am sentimental to a fault. Part of me wishes that she was already at a new home, so I didn't have to hear her whinny at me across 33 acres. I want her to get into steady work again -- and soon, before she gets too comfortable out in the field. Just bringing her in and lunging her last Tuesday was um, entertaining, to say the least. Never in my life have I seen her leap that far off the ground with all four feet and deliver a bronco style buck that any cowboy would be grateful for. She actually came up a little off after a few good moves like that. We finished up and I trotted her up and down the driveway so B could get a look at her. Yep, she was off alright. Silly girl. She was a complete love bug for grooming and made an effort to solicit petting and scratches from anyone in the vicinity.
I have been thinking a lot about trying out a few new instructors. Not because I don't adore mine (because I do), but because I am having a hard time being there while Kiki is still sort of in the picture. Training that mare was such a huge part of my life. Let's recap: I don't own a car and when given the opportunity to work with this psychotic mare, I figured out a way to get to the stables (35 miles away) 4 times a week. I work full time and have a dog and a home to take care of and managed to still have a fairly good social life. Working with that mare meant complete sacrifice on my part, and I was willing to do whatever it took to see her through. On top of all of that, I put my own riding aside to train HER. In the process I lost much of my finesse to staying on and moving her forward. I know that ultimately, I learned more about my riding by working with her, but I know that if I had been riding a more seasoned horse 4 times a week, I'd be much further along than I am now. *sigh*
So that leaves me here, questioning if I should go take some lessons some place else. B and L have certainly afforded me great opportunities there, and I know that will always be my 'home' barn, but I think for myself, I should try to find a barn that is geared a little more towards my goals. I think part of my issue is that I am at least 10 years older than most of the people that ride there (in fact, I would guess maybe 15 years older) and if there are people closer to my age, they either lease or own horses, so I'm a bit of an outcast. Riding Kiki let me feel more at home there, more comfortable with the other people putting in loads of hours with their horses. I think seeing all of Kiki's stuff hung on a hook away from the regular tack -- with my stuff piled together in the corner -- made it all hit home. We don't have a space there anymore. I am just someone who takes lessons now.
There are a few places nearby -- one where a good friend takes dressage lessons with a terrific instructor that I have heard great things about, and two event instructors within the same distance as my current place. I think I should take a lesson at each place and just see how it feels.
In reference to this blog title, I am always floored by how life shows you things just when you need them. I've been meeting new people every week as the new guy and I get to know each other and he was especially excited to introduce me to a friend of his who is 'into horses too'. I like that blanket statement, because at the core, it IS true, I will probably get excited about anyone into horses. But what are the chances they are interested in English riding, or better yet, eventing??? He had mentioned that she was looking to buy a new horse and that maybe Kiki would be a suitable mount...ha, I thought.
So Friday rolls around and I am out late in the city (since I decided to take Saturday off) and we end up meeting up with her, her boyfriend and a few other friends. We get introduced and immediately start talking horses, and she began showing me pictures of her new acquisition, a leggy chestnut colt from Philadelphia Park (he will of course be gelded soon). And so I inquired, what kind of riding do you do? (It was clear she had been out of riding for quite some time, she and a friend had decided to purchase this horse together (one financially backing and the other training him).
Wait for it.
.
.
.
.
.
.
She replies, "I competed in three day eventing, through the advanced level'. I am certain, the look on my face was hilarious as I stood there trying to maintain my cool and not ask her ONE MILLION questions. So I casually asked her if she had the new horse vetted, and where she was planning on boarding him etc. I just added her on facebook, and then found this:
Yea, that's Rolex, in 1999. I nearly fell out of my chair at work.
I am hoping to get to know her MUCH better, obviously, and who knows, perhaps her purchase of this new prospect means an easier transition for to me start training at a new barn -- she wants to keep him at an event barn obviously.
Total new (horse) friend crush!
I have been thinking a lot about trying out a few new instructors. Not because I don't adore mine (because I do), but because I am having a hard time being there while Kiki is still sort of in the picture. Training that mare was such a huge part of my life. Let's recap: I don't own a car and when given the opportunity to work with this psychotic mare, I figured out a way to get to the stables (35 miles away) 4 times a week. I work full time and have a dog and a home to take care of and managed to still have a fairly good social life. Working with that mare meant complete sacrifice on my part, and I was willing to do whatever it took to see her through. On top of all of that, I put my own riding aside to train HER. In the process I lost much of my finesse to staying on and moving her forward. I know that ultimately, I learned more about my riding by working with her, but I know that if I had been riding a more seasoned horse 4 times a week, I'd be much further along than I am now. *sigh*
So that leaves me here, questioning if I should go take some lessons some place else. B and L have certainly afforded me great opportunities there, and I know that will always be my 'home' barn, but I think for myself, I should try to find a barn that is geared a little more towards my goals. I think part of my issue is that I am at least 10 years older than most of the people that ride there (in fact, I would guess maybe 15 years older) and if there are people closer to my age, they either lease or own horses, so I'm a bit of an outcast. Riding Kiki let me feel more at home there, more comfortable with the other people putting in loads of hours with their horses. I think seeing all of Kiki's stuff hung on a hook away from the regular tack -- with my stuff piled together in the corner -- made it all hit home. We don't have a space there anymore. I am just someone who takes lessons now.
There are a few places nearby -- one where a good friend takes dressage lessons with a terrific instructor that I have heard great things about, and two event instructors within the same distance as my current place. I think I should take a lesson at each place and just see how it feels.
In reference to this blog title, I am always floored by how life shows you things just when you need them. I've been meeting new people every week as the new guy and I get to know each other and he was especially excited to introduce me to a friend of his who is 'into horses too'. I like that blanket statement, because at the core, it IS true, I will probably get excited about anyone into horses. But what are the chances they are interested in English riding, or better yet, eventing??? He had mentioned that she was looking to buy a new horse and that maybe Kiki would be a suitable mount...ha, I thought.
So Friday rolls around and I am out late in the city (since I decided to take Saturday off) and we end up meeting up with her, her boyfriend and a few other friends. We get introduced and immediately start talking horses, and she began showing me pictures of her new acquisition, a leggy chestnut colt from Philadelphia Park (he will of course be gelded soon). And so I inquired, what kind of riding do you do? (It was clear she had been out of riding for quite some time, she and a friend had decided to purchase this horse together (one financially backing and the other training him).
Wait for it.
.
.
.
.
.
.
She replies, "I competed in three day eventing, through the advanced level'. I am certain, the look on my face was hilarious as I stood there trying to maintain my cool and not ask her ONE MILLION questions. So I casually asked her if she had the new horse vetted, and where she was planning on boarding him etc. I just added her on facebook, and then found this:
Yea, that's Rolex, in 1999. I nearly fell out of my chair at work.
I am hoping to get to know her MUCH better, obviously, and who knows, perhaps her purchase of this new prospect means an easier transition for to me start training at a new barn -- she wants to keep him at an event barn obviously.
Total new (horse) friend crush!
10.13.2010
re-channeling my energy
Lately between work and what has been going on with Kiki, I'm feeling overwhelmed at the end of every night. I've been trying to figure out a way to channel my energy into worthwhile projects...and as a result Hoof Woof Images was created. I suppose working professionally as a photographer has made me forget that I actually can take good photos of things other than rare books. In fact, I am REALLY good...if anything, I am a little rusty technically, but that will all come back with time and execution. So, yesterday I had a photo session with two wonderful horses and their very kind owner (who will hopefully hire me to photograph her two dogs in the future) and here are a few samples:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)