Happy Anniversary

One year ago today... I met this guy.

What an amazing year it has been. his old guy has taught me SO much and I am lucky to have found a horse like him.

He has taught me about patience... when I first got him, he was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to catch.

He has been a solid partner who will sit patiently while I dress him up and grooms him and I can do just about anything to him. He is a wonderful first horse to have. He has built up my confidence really well after not having been on a horse in 9 years.

We have built up a great relationship and partnership over this last year. e have had many breakthroughs, yet still have things to work on.

 

 

Winter Photos

Here are a few winter photos from the farm! Enjoy!

 

Trying Something New...

SO - I went to the tack sale in Stony Plain yesterday. I found a synthetic English saddle for $10.

Hmm. OK! So I bought it... among other things....

I have NEVER sat in an English saddle... until today. I had to borrow a girth... that is typically used on big fat Canadian mares.
Now - the stirrups are a bit higher up so I had to get on his back from the tailgate of my truck, therefor I did not put any weight on the stirrup. I trotted him up and down the driveway and tested it out. It was ok! Except for the moment when he kinda sped up and I wasn't prepared and I went to grab the horn....

When I went to dismount.... THIS happened. He is such a good horse. He just stood there while I reefed on the saddle to try to fix it. When that didn't work - I had to reef on the buckles to take the girth off and they were pulled tightly because of the way the saddle had spun.

On another note regarding his progress - today when I went to catch him he actually came to me. I got into the habit of only taking a lead rope when I caught him when he was hard to catch and just leading him out like a dog. Today - just to see how he'd react - I tossed the rope over his neck - didn't secure it - and I started walking.... and he walked as if I was leading him. I even let go of the rope and he carried on. IO am so thrilled with the progress I have made with getting him to trust me!

Thanksgiving

SO - I get out to the farm yesterday morning and THIS!

Poor guy! There is an upper and lower gate on the barn where the hay bale is. The upper gate was closed but the horses can still get in and out. Judging by where I have hit MY head on it - it is about 5'6" up. There was a zap strap around the bottom bar and the tail part was snipped off.... I THINK that he was chased out by one of the grouchy mares and cranked his melon on that piece of tie strap. He's fine... he had a bit of a bleeding nose as a side effect, which became a bit more bloody after some excitement with a new horse. Of course - me having very little experience with horses as an owner - I was a bit panicky on the inside. Luckily I keep him with a friend who has had horses her whole life - so I really don't have to worry unless she is worried.

We consulted with someone she knows and we were advised to watch him for concussion symptoms. We put him by himself in the barn so he wouldn't get agitated. I went out to check on him and he was fine - other than being a bit bent outta shape for being in solitary confinement.

We are working on putting more weight on him before winter. Poor old guy is having a hard time with it. Feeding him a high fat food and going to get some beet pulp as well. Picked him up winter blankets to make it easier on him.

He has made so much progress over the summer. The last few times I have been out there I have been able to catch him without issue. Food is a great motivator. We did 2 big rides a few weeks ago and he was a bit slow... but a quick ride a few days ago and he was really zippy.

Oh! Proud horse mom moment: Saturday before we went to the lake for our ride,  I was leading him around with his saddle on. He was being very good and it wasn't taking much effort to get him to walk with me. So I dropped the rope and he continued to follow - starting and stopping along with me. So - fully aware of the fact that my $500 horse may run off with $700 worth of tack on him - I took the lead rope right off. He continued to follow.... so I walked right onto the trailer and he just followed me in. He has been a great horse to trailer since I got him. I have accomplished a lot with him and I am so excited about it!

NOW - this is Reno. Reno is the project horse.

When we were out riding last weekend, we ran into my friends friend out walking dogs on the trail.

Part way through the ride, Vanessa asks me 'Hey - you want another $500 horse?'

UH-OH.

We want to do some big rides next year - and I feel so bad pushing my old boy. Also - I always have people who want to go riding but it is hard with only one horse to accommodate the requests.

Had we not run into this lady - Reno would have been auction bound. Fate?

He needs to be broke to ride... so Vanessa picked him up - and if he works out as planned and if we are a good match I will be buying him. I wasn't really ready to get an unbroken horse and he was too good to pass up - so either way, one of us will have him in the end. He is a sweetheart. I REALLY hope this works out. I would love to have him.

HOW EVER - this is what Scooter thinks of him...

We will see how this plays out.....

Here are a few photos I took yesterday out where we picked up Reno!

And a kitten from the farm too... :)

 

 

How I Spent My Birthday

Here - in no particular order - are a few photos I took while out on a birthday ride with a few girl friends. It looked like we weren't going to get the sunshine that the weatherman said we were going to get, but when we got to Chickakoo - the sky magically cleared up and it was a beautiful day! I like to think my mother had something to do with that... Reminded me of my 30th birthday 2 years ago. I was still living on Vancouver Island and I went to Tofino for my birthday. The whole day was rainy and cloudy. I had always wanted to see the sun set into the ocean and I never had. During dinner and a restaurant on the water, right around sunset time, the sky cleared up and I saw my sunset. I was full of wine and very emotional over the experience. I like to think that was my birthday gift from my mother.

So - back to last Sunday - I worked my poor horse hard. He was pretty slow going for the most part but I had him running a few times!

We also took a picnic lunch out with us and found a nice spot to sit down and enjoy it. It was the perfect way to spend a fall afternoon!

 

 

Love

I love this guy.

This is the guy I have searched for my whole life. I fell in love with him the second I laid eyes on him... and just as with any guy - he is stubborn, he tries my patience... but none the less, he means the world to me.

He is teaching me.

He has more experience than I do and I am learning from him. He never lets me down. He continues to surprise me.

We were out riding trails a few weeks back and he was being a goof and insisted on walking in the bush about a foot in from the trail and he lost his footing and he went down - with me on his back. He popped right back up as if nothing had happened and he just carried on. I didn't fall.

He is funny. He just walks right through bushes as if they are not there at all.

He is nearly bomb proof.... takes a lot to spook him. He has his little ticks, but I trust him and he hasn't let me down yet.

We have been together for 5 months. He challenges me, he teaches me and he pushes me, but he is there for me and I am lucky to have him. He has made happier than I have ever been in my life and I count my blessings every day that he has come into my life.

I bought him partly because it has been a life long dream, but also because I had given up on men. He has distracted me from the loneliness and he has given me something to look forward to. He has yet to break my heart and he has yet to make me feel like I do not deserve him. He is a once in a lifetime love.

Any girl who has ever had the horse of her dreams will totally understand.... there is no greater love. especially when it is one that you have waited a lifetime for.

Doodling....

Just doing some doodling this weekend.... :)