I've started this post a few times this week because in a word, this week a has been HELL. I worked 3 freelance jobs between Thursday and Sunday, adding 20+ hours on to my already insanely busy schedule and regular work time. I had two big meetings this week and I have another freelance job tonight after work. I'm not saying the extra money isn't nice (and needed) but I am worn out. On top of all that I have had literally the worst week at work in 8 years. The dust is starting to settle, thankfully.
5.10.2013
5.03.2013
work, freelance, work, repeat.
I popped out to the barn on Wednesday evening to say hello to Riley, put a little zinc oxide on his nose and organize my stuff in the tack room. I have literally no time to see him for the next week and it makes me a bit sad. Luckily, as part of the sale agreement (see: worst timing ever to buy a horse) my friend has offered to ride him 1-2 times a week for me to keep his education going. I have 4 freelance jobs in the next week on top of my regular schedule and I'm hoping to squeeze in some pony time Sunday morning before one of them... Saturday's job is 12 hours though and I'm not sure if I'll be human Sunday morning.
Luckily, my friend indulges me and sends me cute pictures and updates when she rides him. This pony makes me smile:
Luckily, my friend indulges me and sends me cute pictures and updates when she rides him. This pony makes me smile:
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| Starting to look less like a raggamuffin. |
4.29.2013
Check one, two.
Today marks one full week of horse ownership. You would think that after waiting so long for a horse of my own I would have been eager to get out to see him every single day... but no. I've been a nervous nelly... After watching a friend go through a very tough situation with a horse she had on trial (long story short he mysteriously punctured his stifle joint and had a 50/50 chance of recovering) at our barn, I felt the need to insure Riley before I did anything with him. Yes, it's probably a little bit paranoid of me, but I'm hopefully going to have him for a long time, and I'd rather get this all squared away now than deal with heartache later. I called 6 places to get comparable quotes and finally settled on a plan that met all my needs and was not crazy expensive.
Finally Saturday (after watching Rolex XC) I drove out to see him. I brought Kiki's old bridle to see if it might work for him (mostly because it has a full cheek). I don't know why, but I was really, really nervous. Has anyone else experienced this new-horse syndrome? I was so nervous that I literally forgot how to tack him up for a minute and got very tunnel-visioned. He was being quite naughty as he and his pasture mates had been careening around just before I arrived, and I pulled him at feeeding time. He's a very easy going horse 95% of the time, but he's a bit of an ass when there's food involved, so he was very squirrely for grooming and tacking. I had decided after our excitement at the PPE that we need to install proper lunging technique and it seemed like the perfect day to work out some kinks. He seems to understand lunging in a very basic way, but it was clear that he didn't understand cues, so we spent a little while working on simple transitions and proper behavior on the lunge. One he was warmed up a little I put a neck stretcher on him (on the easiest possible setting) to help him work on softening at the poll. He spent most of the time sort of fighting against it, but eventually relaxed and softened quite nicely. Seeing as he's just coming into work and he's still young, I only want to incorporate a few minutes of "hard" work at a time, so he doesn't get burned or or resentful. He definitely wanted to figure out how to answer what I was asking, and that made me very happy. I hopped on (with Kiki's bridle -- which fit like a glove and looked quite cute on him) and a different saddle to try. It's a Pessoa close contact saddle I'm borrowing (more on this later). We worked on more transitions on the flat in both directions and also worked on getting him to focus on me and not the other horse in the arena. He needs so much work on developing contact and bending, so I'm trying to mix up his work load to keep him forward and happy. I think in a few weeks, I'll be able to come up with a list of goals for us to work toward, but for now his rides are quite basic. The weather was beautiful all weekend and I was eager to go somewhere for another conditioning ride. My friend and I headed over to The Laurels Preserve which is essentially miles and miles of protected land with trail and open fields to ride in. There was a competitive trail ride going on (we passed a bunch of lovely looking horses along the way) which added a fun element to our ride since we were often going in the opposite direction of them.
Riley started off a little looky and curious. We parked the trail down the road from the entrance, and we hopped on and had to walk along the road to get there. He was happy enough to follow his buddy, but definitely keeping an eye on the woolly donkeys and cows along the way. Once we got into the trail system he settled a bit. I have to remember to wrap my legs around him so he knows I'm there and that everything is fine. He seems to relax with that support. About 10 minutes into the ride we found a fun log to jump and we popped over it a few times with a small audience of couple and their two well-behaved dogs. E suggested I take Riley over to a stream to cross and come back, but he was not thrilled about this option. We had a bit of a discussion and I pulled him away to re-approach. We came back and he got very wiggly, and climbed up the bank to the right of the opening, I wasn't really sure what he was going to do once we were up there, and he wiggled around some more, leapt left and...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I fell off.
Luckily, I rolled mid air and landed on my shoulder a little but my hip/back took the brunt of the fall on a well-placed rock. I was inches from the water (which I was grateful for) and Riley didn't take off. Ouch. I got back on, re-approached defensively and we went in without drama. It was odd being that he's never had a problem with water before, but I think leaving his buddy and this being a pretty big stream made him question whether or not he really wanted to go. Needless to say, I'm eager to get him out XC schooling, since he's going to need to learn to walk, trot, and canter through water without a buddy! So, with dirt in my teeth (truly making me feel like an eventer) we continued on our ride. We were able to get in some really nice trot sets over gradual hilly terrain. We walked up and down most of the steeper hills for fitness and we found a really nice huge field to get some canter/gallops in. E was riding her 5 year old TB who thinks he knows best, and he was none too pleased with having to stay at Riley's speed. The first time, we cantered side by side up the hill, then let them out to a gallop at the top all the way across the field. The second time I went first, this time really driving him up the hill, and let him really go at the top (I got into a gallop position, tucked my fingers into the yoke and clucked him on), behind us E's horse just about lost his mind having to wait, and bucked in place until he relaxed and she let him go, I could hear them coming up behind us as I urged Riley on, they caught up with us and we had a nice gallop across the field. Having two very different horses, we tried to work on boosting their confidence in different ways. E's horse was VERY upset about not leading, so she forced him to walk side-by-side with us. Riley got very antsy and annoying standing still at various points, so we worked on that intermittently throughout the ride. We got in another nice slightly downhill trot set and walked the rest of the way home. Once they figured out where they were, they happily marched along the path back to the entrance. We rode for about 2 hours and the horses we quite tired by the time we got back to the trailer.
I want to get him out as much as possible to work on his fitness, I think it's terrific for his brain to trailer to new places and have it not be a big deal whatsoever. There's a nice field behind the barn with hills that I can walk over to when we can't trailer somewhere. His coat still looks awful, it's in a weird shedding/curly/gross stage, but I am starting to see a cute pony under there (and he's getting a daily supplement, I think Omega Shine). He's going to be lovely in a month or two. Ps. While he didn't object the the Pessoa, and it felt fine on the flat and conditioning work, it's not a great saddle for me to jump in. I felt really out of balance even just over a little log, and I think it's partially to blame for me coming off so easily (stiff, slippery leather and a close contact saddle), but it's ours to borrow for now, so we'll make it work until we can get something better for both of us.
Finally Saturday (after watching Rolex XC) I drove out to see him. I brought Kiki's old bridle to see if it might work for him (mostly because it has a full cheek). I don't know why, but I was really, really nervous. Has anyone else experienced this new-horse syndrome? I was so nervous that I literally forgot how to tack him up for a minute and got very tunnel-visioned. He was being quite naughty as he and his pasture mates had been careening around just before I arrived, and I pulled him at feeeding time. He's a very easy going horse 95% of the time, but he's a bit of an ass when there's food involved, so he was very squirrely for grooming and tacking. I had decided after our excitement at the PPE that we need to install proper lunging technique and it seemed like the perfect day to work out some kinks. He seems to understand lunging in a very basic way, but it was clear that he didn't understand cues, so we spent a little while working on simple transitions and proper behavior on the lunge. One he was warmed up a little I put a neck stretcher on him (on the easiest possible setting) to help him work on softening at the poll. He spent most of the time sort of fighting against it, but eventually relaxed and softened quite nicely. Seeing as he's just coming into work and he's still young, I only want to incorporate a few minutes of "hard" work at a time, so he doesn't get burned or or resentful. He definitely wanted to figure out how to answer what I was asking, and that made me very happy. I hopped on (with Kiki's bridle -- which fit like a glove and looked quite cute on him) and a different saddle to try. It's a Pessoa close contact saddle I'm borrowing (more on this later). We worked on more transitions on the flat in both directions and also worked on getting him to focus on me and not the other horse in the arena. He needs so much work on developing contact and bending, so I'm trying to mix up his work load to keep him forward and happy. I think in a few weeks, I'll be able to come up with a list of goals for us to work toward, but for now his rides are quite basic. The weather was beautiful all weekend and I was eager to go somewhere for another conditioning ride. My friend and I headed over to The Laurels Preserve which is essentially miles and miles of protected land with trail and open fields to ride in. There was a competitive trail ride going on (we passed a bunch of lovely looking horses along the way) which added a fun element to our ride since we were often going in the opposite direction of them.
 |
| Cheeky pony doesn't want to share his hay |
Riley started off a little looky and curious. We parked the trail down the road from the entrance, and we hopped on and had to walk along the road to get there. He was happy enough to follow his buddy, but definitely keeping an eye on the woolly donkeys and cows along the way. Once we got into the trail system he settled a bit. I have to remember to wrap my legs around him so he knows I'm there and that everything is fine. He seems to relax with that support. About 10 minutes into the ride we found a fun log to jump and we popped over it a few times with a small audience of couple and their two well-behaved dogs. E suggested I take Riley over to a stream to cross and come back, but he was not thrilled about this option. We had a bit of a discussion and I pulled him away to re-approach. We came back and he got very wiggly, and climbed up the bank to the right of the opening, I wasn't really sure what he was going to do once we were up there, and he wiggled around some more, leapt left and...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I fell off.
Luckily, I rolled mid air and landed on my shoulder a little but my hip/back took the brunt of the fall on a well-placed rock. I was inches from the water (which I was grateful for) and Riley didn't take off. Ouch. I got back on, re-approached defensively and we went in without drama. It was odd being that he's never had a problem with water before, but I think leaving his buddy and this being a pretty big stream made him question whether or not he really wanted to go. Needless to say, I'm eager to get him out XC schooling, since he's going to need to learn to walk, trot, and canter through water without a buddy! So, with dirt in my teeth (truly making me feel like an eventer) we continued on our ride. We were able to get in some really nice trot sets over gradual hilly terrain. We walked up and down most of the steeper hills for fitness and we found a really nice huge field to get some canter/gallops in. E was riding her 5 year old TB who thinks he knows best, and he was none too pleased with having to stay at Riley's speed. The first time, we cantered side by side up the hill, then let them out to a gallop at the top all the way across the field. The second time I went first, this time really driving him up the hill, and let him really go at the top (I got into a gallop position, tucked my fingers into the yoke and clucked him on), behind us E's horse just about lost his mind having to wait, and bucked in place until he relaxed and she let him go, I could hear them coming up behind us as I urged Riley on, they caught up with us and we had a nice gallop across the field. Having two very different horses, we tried to work on boosting their confidence in different ways. E's horse was VERY upset about not leading, so she forced him to walk side-by-side with us. Riley got very antsy and annoying standing still at various points, so we worked on that intermittently throughout the ride. We got in another nice slightly downhill trot set and walked the rest of the way home. Once they figured out where they were, they happily marched along the path back to the entrance. We rode for about 2 hours and the horses we quite tired by the time we got back to the trailer.
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| Petey is curious, and Riley says, "mmmmm, hay" |
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| Trailer buds. |
4.24.2013
Rolex Predictions, revised
So I wrote a draft for my Rolex predictions, but it was a few weeks ago and three of my favorites withdrew for various reasons. Since it's gearing up tomorrow and the jogs are today, I feel a bit more secure in declaring my favorites to win.
I spent an enormous amount of time writing the other draft, so I'm going to keep this one simple.
My predicted winner: William Fox Pitt & Seacookie (I also entered them as my guess for EN's contest) *Granted WFP seems like a gimme, but this is high-stakes for him as he's going for the Grand Slam. While I'm certain he could ride a giraffe around the course, I'm eager to see them go. I'm expecting a really good score in dressage, likely finishing on that for a top 5 finish for sure.
Other combinations in the top 5:
Peter Atkins & Henry Jota Hampton: First of all, I adore this pair. How many **** horses do you know that can tote a 4 year old kid around a lead line class? Peter has had a string of really bad luck over the last few years and I would love to see all of their hard work find them in the top 5. I think they'll be in the middle of the pack after dressage (maybe closer to the top than bottom) but they'll go well around XC, fighting for the leader board on Sunday.
James Alliston & Parker: I really like Alliston's riding style and his approach to his new business (he's focusing his attention on breeding and training quality stock in the US). They had a rough go around last year falling at the 2nd fence XC, but I picture them looking for redemption this time around. *Bonus points for being an OTTB.
Jennie Brannigan & Cambalda: I believe this is Jennie's first trip to Rolex (and possibly her first ****), but they've had a great Spring season so far. I think they'll be at the top of the leader board after dressage, and will fight hard to keep their place over the weekend. There's no question that this horse can jump, and Jennie is a consummate professional. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed for them!
Becky Holder & Can't Fire Me: I love this horse, not to mention he looks like a chip off the old Courageous Comet block! Last year they were in the middle/top of the pack after dressage and unfortunately were forced to pull up two fences from home on XC with a teeny, tiny knee scratch. A really unfortunate set of circumstances for them and although it was clear the scratch was very superficial, when you're riding a grey horse on television, these little things can get blown out of proportion. Again, I see this pair looking for redemption. *Another OTTB!
Can't wait to follow along online (live!) and watch everyone go. Only wishing I was there... someday!
I spent an enormous amount of time writing the other draft, so I'm going to keep this one simple.
My predicted winner: William Fox Pitt & Seacookie (I also entered them as my guess for EN's contest) *Granted WFP seems like a gimme, but this is high-stakes for him as he's going for the Grand Slam. While I'm certain he could ride a giraffe around the course, I'm eager to see them go. I'm expecting a really good score in dressage, likely finishing on that for a top 5 finish for sure.
Other combinations in the top 5:
Peter Atkins & Henry Jota Hampton: First of all, I adore this pair. How many **** horses do you know that can tote a 4 year old kid around a lead line class? Peter has had a string of really bad luck over the last few years and I would love to see all of their hard work find them in the top 5. I think they'll be in the middle of the pack after dressage (maybe closer to the top than bottom) but they'll go well around XC, fighting for the leader board on Sunday.
James Alliston & Parker: I really like Alliston's riding style and his approach to his new business (he's focusing his attention on breeding and training quality stock in the US). They had a rough go around last year falling at the 2nd fence XC, but I picture them looking for redemption this time around. *Bonus points for being an OTTB.
Jennie Brannigan & Cambalda: I believe this is Jennie's first trip to Rolex (and possibly her first ****), but they've had a great Spring season so far. I think they'll be at the top of the leader board after dressage, and will fight hard to keep their place over the weekend. There's no question that this horse can jump, and Jennie is a consummate professional. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed for them!
Becky Holder & Can't Fire Me: I love this horse, not to mention he looks like a chip off the old Courageous Comet block! Last year they were in the middle/top of the pack after dressage and unfortunately were forced to pull up two fences from home on XC with a teeny, tiny knee scratch. A really unfortunate set of circumstances for them and although it was clear the scratch was very superficial, when you're riding a grey horse on television, these little things can get blown out of proportion. Again, I see this pair looking for redemption. *Another OTTB!
Can't wait to follow along online (live!) and watch everyone go. Only wishing I was there... someday!
4.23.2013
It's official... and a poll
Of course, no horse story would be complete without a little drama, right? Well, we finished up the day with a celebratory beer while we waited around for the farrier to put a shoe on one of her horses. A few hours later I decided to leave to make the 45+ minute drive home, about a mile away my car just shut off and died. Yep, the ink was hardly dry on the paperwork and my car broke down. Thank God for AAA+. I was able to get a ride home and the car was towed home safely. Hopefully it's something minor!
Phew. On to fun things! In the sidebar I've added a poll. I need your help re-naming Pip! I think Pip is a cute name, but after getting to know him a bit better I think he needs something different. He's such a laid back, chill kinda dude, we actually played around with the idea of giving him a reggae themed name! But I'm more of a beach Boys fan than a reggae lover, so here are our choices, with descriptions. Keep in mind his JC name is Women No Easy (barf).
Fleetwood Mac, aka. Mac - I grew up listening to these guys and I love their mellow jamsssss.
Irish Goodbye, aka. Buzz OR Junior - Irish goodbye is the term for when you sneak out of a party or social gathering without saying goodbye. I am renowned for this, and since he was foaled on St.Patrick's Day, I think a little nod to that would be cute. Also, Buzz is my uncle's name and Junior was my Dad's nickname growing up. I love both of those options!
Don't Worry Baby, aka (?) - Beach Boys, and thinking about surfer dudes just chilling out... yea! Need a barn name for this option!
Little Lion Man, aka (?) - I think this is super cute... since he's red and kinda rides like a big pony. Plus, he's brave.
Game Show Host, aka (?) - This is the name I was convinced I would name my future horse, but it just doesn't strike me as the right choice!
Bonus: I'd love to hear any other suggestions you have! Please vote in the side bar for your favorite and comment on this post with any suggestions for barn name or otherwise! Thanks!
4.18.2013
Superstitious OR How I Segue Into a Big Annoucement.
Like all horse people I am superstitious. Admit it, you know you are! For example, I ALWAYS wear two pairs of sock when I ride... and there are other things too... but I won't get into a laundry list of my idiosyncrasies right now. The point is, I am superstitious, to the extent that I try not to talk about certain things in my life out of fear of jinxing them. I mean, isn't a proven fact that when you talk about "X" something terrible happens?
No?
.
.
.
.
Okay... (deep breath) --
No?
.
.
.
.
Okay... (deep breath) --
4.16.2013
News! A giveaway! Contests! Things!
*I have some other big announcements to make too, but you'll just have to check back to see... muhahahaha!
Second verse, same as the first
Last Saturday I got bullied* into going to another hunter pace. This time it was being held by the Cheshire County Pony Club, basically over the same general hunt land we rode in last time just a few farms away.
I was super excited to take Pip out again (this would officially be his second outing to date) and I was more than a little bit curious to see how he would handle himself the second time around. This time we went in two groups, I rode with Pip's owner and his former owner (the woman who picked him up off the track) on their two more experienced mounts. We were one of the first groups out as we got there almost a full hour early and we needn't have worried, because all the ponies stood quietly on the trailers stuffing themselves with hay. One of E's students arrived with mimosa fixings so we all had a little toast before heading out (not a shabby way to start off the ride). Pip was definitely more "up" this time, he took a big look over the fields and seemed quite eager to get going. My team members recognized that I was a bit unsure of myself and gave me some encouragement right at the start and before I knew it we were trotting off down a huge hill and into the woods. This hunter pace was set up a little differently. There were wayyy more jumps right off the bat (including some XC jumps along the way), I would say Novice/Training height... One of the first jumps was at least 2'9" and a big, solid log pile with a huge puddle on the landing (which you didn't see until you were on top it). Well, I trotted Pip up to it and he sort of crawled over it. He wasn't being naughty, I think the puddle just got him backed off... the other two started following behind us but they refused to go over it! Ha! Brave Pip! Since it was the beginning of the ride we didn't over-school the questions. We didn't want to get them all worked up over a silly log so we continued on. There were lots of logs along the way (that we jumped) and some really vomit-inducing fences that I went around. Pip put on a confident face and tackled everything I pointed him at. There weren't all pretty as he has a tendency to take a look before leaping, but he's honest as the day is long. In my defense some of the jumps were wicked solid and I didn't want to over face him or I on our second outing together.
This ride was much different than the last one taking us though the woods for the first 1/4 of the ride. The environment seemed to get a lot of the horses pretty keyed up and for the first half hour we let a lot of groups pass so we could get our horses to chill and just STAND. Even Pip was raring to go on occasion! We got to our first big field and we wanted to let them all have a good canter to clear out the pipes. Riding with spurs certainly helped get Pip's engine revving and he kept up much better than last week! The other big difference on this ride was that the terrain was much hillier than last time. The countryside around there reminds me a lot of Virginia with these enormous cascading valleys and peaks. It was really nice to let Pip figure out his way across the terrain and he was incredibly balanced for being a bit out of shape! At one point we jumped into a pasture and past an old barn to find a big herd of Belted Galloway cows hanging out. I was nervous that our horses were going to freak out, but they took a peek and cantered quietly to the other side of the field! The last half of the ride was mostly cantering/galloping and walking (walking because the hills were MEGA steep). We got in some lovely canter sets and Pip had energy to spare along side his team mates. I was really proud of his effort, he's going to be something else once he gets in shape! Towards the end we got in a solid gallop across acres and acres of land (again, hilly) and I could really feel the gears underneath me. I clucked him on to a gallop and he roared up next to our team mate heading for my friend who was ahead of us on her giant TB. It was such a nice feeling letting him really move out and he never once got silly. He came back down quietly to a walk where they both told me that I NEED to buy him... as he cantered up to the finish line, I was again grinning ear-to-ear with nothing but so much love for my little chestnut friend.
Total ride was about 5-6 miles, nearly all in two-point over lots and lots of hills... I think it's safe to say we ALL got a good work out. Oh yea, I wore my new paddock boots/half chaps and they were really comfortable. A tiny bit of rubbing just behind my knee, but nothing major. The boots feel like I've owned them forever and the chaps will only get nicer over time! Win-win!
We got back to the trailers, I stripped Pip and let him graze on the lovely spring grass in his cooler while we waited for our other team to finish up. We got everyone loaded and headed over the the infamous tavern, The Whip for food and a beer. The ponies stood in their trailers quietly while we relaxed and ate. We got back to the barn and gave everyone a nice bath (it was almost 70 by the time we got back) and they got turned out to play for the night.
I sadly didn't get ANY pictures this time, but I promise you we had an amazing ride!
*By bullied, I mean they basically told me a trailer would pick me up at 10:30am Saturday and that I should be ready. My friends are the BEST enablers.
I was super excited to take Pip out again (this would officially be his second outing to date) and I was more than a little bit curious to see how he would handle himself the second time around. This time we went in two groups, I rode with Pip's owner and his former owner (the woman who picked him up off the track) on their two more experienced mounts. We were one of the first groups out as we got there almost a full hour early and we needn't have worried, because all the ponies stood quietly on the trailers stuffing themselves with hay. One of E's students arrived with mimosa fixings so we all had a little toast before heading out (not a shabby way to start off the ride). Pip was definitely more "up" this time, he took a big look over the fields and seemed quite eager to get going. My team members recognized that I was a bit unsure of myself and gave me some encouragement right at the start and before I knew it we were trotting off down a huge hill and into the woods. This hunter pace was set up a little differently. There were wayyy more jumps right off the bat (including some XC jumps along the way), I would say Novice/Training height... One of the first jumps was at least 2'9" and a big, solid log pile with a huge puddle on the landing (which you didn't see until you were on top it). Well, I trotted Pip up to it and he sort of crawled over it. He wasn't being naughty, I think the puddle just got him backed off... the other two started following behind us but they refused to go over it! Ha! Brave Pip! Since it was the beginning of the ride we didn't over-school the questions. We didn't want to get them all worked up over a silly log so we continued on. There were lots of logs along the way (that we jumped) and some really vomit-inducing fences that I went around. Pip put on a confident face and tackled everything I pointed him at. There weren't all pretty as he has a tendency to take a look before leaping, but he's honest as the day is long. In my defense some of the jumps were wicked solid and I didn't want to over face him or I on our second outing together.
This ride was much different than the last one taking us though the woods for the first 1/4 of the ride. The environment seemed to get a lot of the horses pretty keyed up and for the first half hour we let a lot of groups pass so we could get our horses to chill and just STAND. Even Pip was raring to go on occasion! We got to our first big field and we wanted to let them all have a good canter to clear out the pipes. Riding with spurs certainly helped get Pip's engine revving and he kept up much better than last week! The other big difference on this ride was that the terrain was much hillier than last time. The countryside around there reminds me a lot of Virginia with these enormous cascading valleys and peaks. It was really nice to let Pip figure out his way across the terrain and he was incredibly balanced for being a bit out of shape! At one point we jumped into a pasture and past an old barn to find a big herd of Belted Galloway cows hanging out. I was nervous that our horses were going to freak out, but they took a peek and cantered quietly to the other side of the field! The last half of the ride was mostly cantering/galloping and walking (walking because the hills were MEGA steep). We got in some lovely canter sets and Pip had energy to spare along side his team mates. I was really proud of his effort, he's going to be something else once he gets in shape! Towards the end we got in a solid gallop across acres and acres of land (again, hilly) and I could really feel the gears underneath me. I clucked him on to a gallop and he roared up next to our team mate heading for my friend who was ahead of us on her giant TB. It was such a nice feeling letting him really move out and he never once got silly. He came back down quietly to a walk where they both told me that I NEED to buy him... as he cantered up to the finish line, I was again grinning ear-to-ear with nothing but so much love for my little chestnut friend.
Total ride was about 5-6 miles, nearly all in two-point over lots and lots of hills... I think it's safe to say we ALL got a good work out. Oh yea, I wore my new paddock boots/half chaps and they were really comfortable. A tiny bit of rubbing just behind my knee, but nothing major. The boots feel like I've owned them forever and the chaps will only get nicer over time! Win-win!
We got back to the trailers, I stripped Pip and let him graze on the lovely spring grass in his cooler while we waited for our other team to finish up. We got everyone loaded and headed over the the infamous tavern, The Whip for food and a beer. The ponies stood in their trailers quietly while we relaxed and ate. We got back to the barn and gave everyone a nice bath (it was almost 70 by the time we got back) and they got turned out to play for the night.
I sadly didn't get ANY pictures this time, but I promise you we had an amazing ride!
*By bullied, I mean they basically told me a trailer would pick me up at 10:30am Saturday and that I should be ready. My friends are the BEST enablers.
4.15.2013
SPRING SALE!
Hi all!
I am working on two really cool paper cuts for a client and I felt inspired to offer a Spring Sale since this is typically a quiet time of year for custom work. I'm excited to have lots of fun things on the horizon so I'm eager to pick up some freelance work to help subsidize them!
Take advantage of this sale on your very own, one-of-a-kind portrait of your furry friend... You know you want one!
Visit my Etsy shop HERE and enter code SPRINGSALE35 at check out to receive 35% off your your entire order! Pass this code on to your friends, it's good for a limited time only!
Portraits can be of varying sizes, have multiple animals in them, and even include people (if that's what you want). I'm working on a really cool one now pulled from a photo taken with Instagram, so even cell phone photos can be utilized (in most cases). I'm happy to combine separate photos to create a composite shot and include any little details you like, such as competition colors etc.
I've never run a sale before, so I'm hoping it garners some attention! if you've been on the fence about getting one made, now's your chance!
So what are you waiting for?
xo
I am working on two really cool paper cuts for a client and I felt inspired to offer a Spring Sale since this is typically a quiet time of year for custom work. I'm excited to have lots of fun things on the horizon so I'm eager to pick up some freelance work to help subsidize them!
Take advantage of this sale on your very own, one-of-a-kind portrait of your furry friend... You know you want one!
Portraits can be of varying sizes, have multiple animals in them, and even include people (if that's what you want). I'm working on a really cool one now pulled from a photo taken with Instagram, so even cell phone photos can be utilized (in most cases). I'm happy to combine separate photos to create a composite shot and include any little details you like, such as competition colors etc.
I've never run a sale before, so I'm hoping it garners some attention! if you've been on the fence about getting one made, now's your chance!
So what are you waiting for?
xo
4.11.2013
Product Reviews
I've been stepping up my game lately with riding gear, either out of necessity or want and I thought I'd share my thoughts about my recent acquisitions.
Last year I started looking for a new XC vest. I haven't worn one since I was a teenager and my body has certainly changed dramatically since then. I knew I wanted something Beta 3 tested (the regular Tipperary's are not) because if you're going to wear a safety vest it might as well have more protection than you think you need. Also, I don't care about looking svelte on horseback, I'm already wearing breeches and a helmet so any cute factor has gone out the window. I care about being safe and having equipment that fits correctly.
As it turns out, vests are not one size fits all and a quick search of COTH or the internet reveals that personal preference is all over the place when it comes to vests. Last summer I took a trip to Dover to get fitted for one and discovered that I am an odd shape. For reference sake, I am 5'6", 140lbs (about 5+ lbs over my normal weight), I wear a 36C bra and I have a 30.5" inseam... meaning I am a bit short backed (though I don't look it). The conclusion we came to at Dover was that nothing Tipperary makes fits me... we tried a Charles Owen JL9, which I really liked the feel of, but they would have had to order an adult front and child's back to make it fit properly... so I waited... and I researched. Word of mouth tends to be the way I stumble across most of my favorite purchases and after reading several threads about the Rodney Powell vests I decided to give them a closer look.
Even from a quick glance, you can see that the Rodney Powell is much shorter in the back than most vests:
Despite how it looks in the picture, the back does come down lower than it appears but not nearly as dramatically as the other brands. It's made out a new type of foam, similar to the Charles Owen (but not a gel) that conforms to your body as it heats up. The price point for this vest was a bonus too! When it arrived I was a bit nervous about the fit, being short-backed I was really worried it would come down too far in the back and interfere with the cantle. At first, it felt bulky and little bit like a stiff life-preserver. But what I really like about this vest it the ability to shape the fit to your body. Before I put it on I loosened the velcro straps around the ribcage, put it on, zipped it up (with all the velcro undone), got it situated and then tightened and fastened the straps around my torso. It gives a nice custom fit and unlike some of the other vests it can expand and contract depending on how many layers you're wearing. Compared to the CO it's much more lightweight. Last Saturday was my first time riding in it on a sunny spring day (around 60 degrees) and it was comfortable and not too hot. I am a heavy sweater and I was really worried about how much a vest would add to that factor. The vest neither got in the way of my arms or the cantle of the saddle, so I would say it's an excellent fit! The true test was having to ground mount out in a field while wearing it which I was able to do without too much trouble. One of the cool things about the Rodney Powell's is that they come in really amazing custom colors. You can buy them direct from their shop in England and customize nearly every aspect for no additional charge! Check them out here: http://rodneypowell.co.uk/ I would say what I am most impressed with this vet is how custom fitted it feels. The vest comes with very clear instructions of how it "should" fit and if it doesn't you are supposed to send it back and get a different size. There were explicit instructions on the package that references how may ribs you should be able to feel below it, where it should hit near your hip bone etc, which I found really useful.
As I was getting ready on Saturday for the hunter pace and I casually zipped on my half chaps, I cringed when I felt the toggle for the zipper snap off in my fingers! Luckily the chaps were all the way on (and well, stuck on for now) and I snapped the tab over them. They held up the rest of the day, but getting them off was a bit tricky. It was time to replace them. Since I got back into riding a few years ago I've been really hesitant about splurging on "nice" stuff. There's always that voice in the back of my head telling me not to spend lots of money because this is just a casual hobby. Since 2009 I've only bought 2 pairs of paddock boots and one pair of half chaps, more breeches than I care to admit, gloves, helmets, field boots (that I HATE), show apparel (that has not been used), etc, etc. But I take good care of my gear, I never leave my helmet in hot places, I try to keep anything leather clean and oiled, so it's not surprising even after all the abuse I've put them through, that my half chaps held up really well. To be clear, they were Dublin something-or-others that I think I spent maybe $50 on. My paddock boots are also made by Dublin and they were not expensive... I'm going to guess around $70, while I'm sure I could have found cheaper ones, I have to insist on real leather for longevity sake. I do everything in my paddock boots so they take a lot of abuse. Mucking, snow, rain, mud, they have to be able to stand up to anything I'm doing around the barn. I don't need them to be 100% waterproof, but I also don't want to soles letting in water when I walk through a puddle.
So Sunday I found myself in the position of having to find new paddock boots AND half chaps. After a few recommendations from friends, I made the trek to Dover to try some things on. I wasn't sold on the idea of half chaps and paddock boots, but I feel like they've come a long way design-wise and most lower level competitions accept them in place of field boots if they are full grain leather, black and match. Enter Tredstep. A friend of mine just got the Tredstep custom half chaps and raves about them. I'll admit, I had some boot envy when I saw hers. they are made out of beautiful leather, they have Spanish cut tops, they zip in the back and fit snugly around the ankle creating a really nice boot silhouette. I have impossibly small calves (circumference) and the length is normal so finding ones that will fit is often challenging. To make matters worse, my left calf is ever-so-slightly bigger than my right, which makes wearing my lovely field boots very painful at times. I tried on the Giotto laced paddock boots which I really liked the look of:
I tried these on with the Tredstep custom half chaps on top. The half chap fit (after being measured) was better than any tall boot fit I've ever experienced. I was sold. But... The top of the zip on the paddock boots has a little tab to close the top, similar to a tall boot with a back zipper. So the profile of the half chap and paddock boot was, clunky. And I could already tell that over time, the half chap would take the brunt of the damage from having a little tab and button underneath it. I opted to try on on the same paddock boot with just a plain zipper in front (which, I actually prefer -- nothing like the though of getting your laces caught in the stirrup of a runaway horse to make you change your mind):
After I fell head-over-heels in love with this combination, I thought it might be worth trying on a pair of nice comparable tall boots... She pulled out a really nice pair of boots to try on (I think they were made by Mountain Horse) that fit nicely enough, but I could tell they would be a bitch to break in and the fit around the bottom of my calf/ankle was very loose and after tall boot break in that extra bulk from them "dropping" can really get annoying.
So I wound up with this combination:
The leather on the half chaps is nicer than any tall boot I've ever tried on (thank the Irish for that) and the look is seamless and very, very custom looking. All told, the combination cost around $290, but really worth it for a versatile and comfortable look. Tredstep has a really good warranty and I feel like these are going to hold up the wear and tear I put on my gear. Most of all, they are really, really nice. There's a big difference between low and high quality leather and Tredstep certainly proves that! While they were a bit more of an investment than I was hoping to make, I know they will be well worth it. The break-in time should be significantly less than a pair of field boots (considering it's hard form me to mount in my current ones). I'll let you guys know how they feel this weekend since I get to take Pip to another Hunter Pace! You can oil and condition them just like a pair of tall boots and I have a feeling I will like them more and more as time goes on!
What are your thoughts?
Last year I started looking for a new XC vest. I haven't worn one since I was a teenager and my body has certainly changed dramatically since then. I knew I wanted something Beta 3 tested (the regular Tipperary's are not) because if you're going to wear a safety vest it might as well have more protection than you think you need. Also, I don't care about looking svelte on horseback, I'm already wearing breeches and a helmet so any cute factor has gone out the window. I care about being safe and having equipment that fits correctly.
As it turns out, vests are not one size fits all and a quick search of COTH or the internet reveals that personal preference is all over the place when it comes to vests. Last summer I took a trip to Dover to get fitted for one and discovered that I am an odd shape. For reference sake, I am 5'6", 140lbs (about 5+ lbs over my normal weight), I wear a 36C bra and I have a 30.5" inseam... meaning I am a bit short backed (though I don't look it). The conclusion we came to at Dover was that nothing Tipperary makes fits me... we tried a Charles Owen JL9, which I really liked the feel of, but they would have had to order an adult front and child's back to make it fit properly... so I waited... and I researched. Word of mouth tends to be the way I stumble across most of my favorite purchases and after reading several threads about the Rodney Powell vests I decided to give them a closer look.
Even from a quick glance, you can see that the Rodney Powell is much shorter in the back than most vests:
 |
| Rodney Powell ($169-$219) |
 |
| Charles Owen Kontakt 5 ($236-$277) |
 |
| Tipperary Pro ($349) |
 |
| Charles Owen JL9 ($230) |
 |
| Tipperary ($259) |
As I was getting ready on Saturday for the hunter pace and I casually zipped on my half chaps, I cringed when I felt the toggle for the zipper snap off in my fingers! Luckily the chaps were all the way on (and well, stuck on for now) and I snapped the tab over them. They held up the rest of the day, but getting them off was a bit tricky. It was time to replace them. Since I got back into riding a few years ago I've been really hesitant about splurging on "nice" stuff. There's always that voice in the back of my head telling me not to spend lots of money because this is just a casual hobby. Since 2009 I've only bought 2 pairs of paddock boots and one pair of half chaps, more breeches than I care to admit, gloves, helmets, field boots (that I HATE), show apparel (that has not been used), etc, etc. But I take good care of my gear, I never leave my helmet in hot places, I try to keep anything leather clean and oiled, so it's not surprising even after all the abuse I've put them through, that my half chaps held up really well. To be clear, they were Dublin something-or-others that I think I spent maybe $50 on. My paddock boots are also made by Dublin and they were not expensive... I'm going to guess around $70, while I'm sure I could have found cheaper ones, I have to insist on real leather for longevity sake. I do everything in my paddock boots so they take a lot of abuse. Mucking, snow, rain, mud, they have to be able to stand up to anything I'm doing around the barn. I don't need them to be 100% waterproof, but I also don't want to soles letting in water when I walk through a puddle.
So Sunday I found myself in the position of having to find new paddock boots AND half chaps. After a few recommendations from friends, I made the trek to Dover to try some things on. I wasn't sold on the idea of half chaps and paddock boots, but I feel like they've come a long way design-wise and most lower level competitions accept them in place of field boots if they are full grain leather, black and match. Enter Tredstep. A friend of mine just got the Tredstep custom half chaps and raves about them. I'll admit, I had some boot envy when I saw hers. they are made out of beautiful leather, they have Spanish cut tops, they zip in the back and fit snugly around the ankle creating a really nice boot silhouette. I have impossibly small calves (circumference) and the length is normal so finding ones that will fit is often challenging. To make matters worse, my left calf is ever-so-slightly bigger than my right, which makes wearing my lovely field boots very painful at times. I tried on the Giotto laced paddock boots which I really liked the look of:
 |
| I really like the break mid-way in the leather and that they had false laces, they zip in the back |
I tried these on with the Tredstep custom half chaps on top. The half chap fit (after being measured) was better than any tall boot fit I've ever experienced. I was sold. But... The top of the zip on the paddock boots has a little tab to close the top, similar to a tall boot with a back zipper. So the profile of the half chap and paddock boot was, clunky. And I could already tell that over time, the half chap would take the brunt of the damage from having a little tab and button underneath it. I opted to try on on the same paddock boot with just a plain zipper in front (which, I actually prefer -- nothing like the though of getting your laces caught in the stirrup of a runaway horse to make you change your mind):
 |
| Very similar to the field type boot, but with a working zipper in front and overall a typical jodpur boot feet. I like that they sport the same break at the ankle joint. |
So I wound up with this combination:
 |
| And, I'm in love. |
What are your thoughts?
4.08.2013
Beaming!
I have another post in the works (it's my yearly Rolex prediction post) but I wanted to recap my amazing day from this weekend!
My friend asked me coyly if I had any plans for Saturday. She's a constant trouble-maker (of the best kind) so I sorta knew where she was going with it, and I responded, "nooooo". Then she wrote back asking if I wanted to take her 4 year old on a hunter pace with her fellow business partner, E. Um, yes please.
My friend asked me coyly if I had any plans for Saturday. She's a constant trouble-maker (of the best kind) so I sorta knew where she was going with it, and I responded, "nooooo". Then she wrote back asking if I wanted to take her 4 year old on a hunter pace with her fellow business partner, E. Um, yes please.
4.05.2013
Hunter Pace -- you betcha!
I was asked if I'd like to take a 4 year old to his first hunter pace tomorrow. What am I going to say, no? Don't be crazy! Any chance to ride is good enough for me. Plus, I have a real soft spot for this guy. I've ridden him once and although the steering/bending isn't there and he's wicked green, he's totally game and sensible. Bring it on.
All I ever want in a horse is one that will meet me halfway. Gotta love greenies! Wish me luck and I'll follow up with a full report!
All I ever want in a horse is one that will meet me halfway. Gotta love greenies! Wish me luck and I'll follow up with a full report!
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