December 10 Questions

Thanks again as always L for the great questions!

Does your horse need shoes? Nope. I have never had a shod horse.

What do you think of the barefoot vs shoes debate? I have my beliefs and refuse to get in a debate over it and it's ridiculous how bent out of shape people can get between the two. Doing what's best for the horse is paramount.

A Misty hoof

 
Favorite season for riding? Late spring or fall. Perfect trail riding weather! Not too hot, not too cold, beautiful foliage, what's not to like?

 
How many shows do you think you’ve gone to? I have no idea... too many to count over the years. I started with 4-H and Open shows, then dressage league shows and High School Equestrian team. I've done a couple recognized USEA events and one recognized USDF show, mostly just little dressage or derby shows! I don't get to do as many shows as I would like any more, but I went to at least 5 this year.

My first recognized HT

 
Do you consider yourself a good rider? Yeah, I think I'm a good rider. Not particularly great, but I've got the basics down and can get on unfamiliar or green horses and put in a semblance of some good work.
 
How experienced do you think someone needs to be to own a horse? I don't necessarily think you need a lot of experience as long as you have someone who IS experienced to help you along the way. Working at a feed store and even at my barn I see people who are absolutely clueless in every single way about horses, yet they buy one and have no one helping them. They don't know what to feed, what tack to buy, how to measure them for any of that tack, how to know if their horse is colicking, how to clip, etc.  When I got my first horse my family was fairly clueless, but we had a great trainer that literally taught me everything from the ground up.

So long ago, so clueless

 
Have you ever gotten into a fight with your trainer? Yes, that first trainer on my first horse... She was an incredible trainer who I owe everything to. But my first horse was 16 years old, he was a ranch horse before I got him. We turned him into a great horse, but he was never going to be a show horse. It just didn't click in his brain how to do precise movements, etc. But she kept pushing me to show him in pattern classes when it just didn't work for us and I got into a screaming match with her over it at one point. Definitely regret it, but it's never happened again. I respect my trainers and the trainers I choose for myself now know what to push for and I have the appropriate horse to push in that way!
 
Describe your dream horse? I love horses with a little chrome, especially a soft spot for blaze faces. I like a horse with correct conformation, uphill and more short-backed horses. Personable and sweet on the ground, with a good work ethic in the saddle. Nothing fancy with gaits, though I wouldn't mind a horse with a little bit better gaits than Jetta. Not spooky. I like horses that are more than one-trick ponies since I love to trail ride, jump and do dressage.

Does anyone in your family ride? Not anymore. My dad grew up on a ranch so he rode a little when he was young and my mom loved horses when she was younger and actually bought herself a horse when she was in her late 20's. They tried to ride a little when I first got into horses and my brother actually took some riding lessons and went to horse camp with me, but no one besides me was really into it.

If you could ride any horse in the world, which one would it be and why? Probably Snowman. He just sounds like such a cool horse, I would love to have been able to ride him. 

Year In Review

Seems kind of silly to do a year in review post, since I did barely anything this year, but I think it always puts in perspective what I did do this year, and it's fodder for the blog!

January

I didn't do much this month, evidenced by my two measly posts. Mostly I was just riding Misty, still hoping to sell her and working on schooling her jumping, with some fun western stuff mixed in. I miss that girl!

February 

This is when Jetta decided to pop both hind splints just because she's impatient and rude and enjoys kicking the stall walls. Sigh. Her left hind has a giant goose egg left behind, but she's perfectly sound, she was never that lame to begin with. Misty went to her first dressage show of the year, which Misty did really well in except for a few spooky moments when the wind sounded like it was going to blow the whole barn over. We scored two 59% which was very disappointing, but this particular judge just never did like Misty.

March

Also boring, but I got to go to the nearest Dover store while I was in San Diego which was exciting!

April

This month was a lot more active. I audited an Eric Smiley clinic which was great. I got to go on several trail rides with Misty and just did more riding in general now that there was more light. Bought Misty more matching western tack because matching reasons. And that's about it!

Matchy matchy

May

I had a great dressage show on Misty and FINALLY broke into the 60's and we had an absolutely awesome cross country school. And more trail rides.

June

I took Misty to a fun derby, where she was amazing in dressage (scored a 27.8!) but was naughty on xc about a fence that went from sun to shade, but we still placed second! I also sold Misty which was very bittersweet and rough, but she went to a great home. Still miss her. I started riding my poor neglected Jetta again and even took her for a trail ride. The biggest milestone I think was surviving my first year of vet school! What a rollercoaster ride.

July 

I went on a ton of trail rides, both with friends and alone. I jumped Jetta for the first time in forever. And I floated Jetta's teeth all by myself!

Drunk pony

August

Just lots of schooling dressage on Jetta. She was being really awesome! I went to Nicaragua for two weeks for a volunteer veterinary organization and I bred Jetta! I took Jetta to a dressage show where she was absolutely AWFUL but the same judge who hated Misty, apparently liked Jetta enough to give us a 64% and 67% at First Level.

September

I posted about my little bun in the oven! And posted about saying goodbye to Jazz which was terribly sad, even though I hadn't seen her in a couple years. I took Jetta xc schooling and she was absolutely AMAZING. I entered her in Novice for a derby. We got eliminated over a ditch.... Lame. And I got Jetta approved for breeding with RPSI! And then I headed back to school. It was a busy month.

xc schooling

My little nugget!

October

I spent way too much money on "accessories" for Jetta and I took pregnancy announcement photos for Jetta.

**so shiny**

November

Nothing too exciting. I went for a fall trail ride, body clipped Jetta, snuggled ponies and that's about it!

I need a tiny one

Did some No-Stirrup-November rides

December

And then you're caught up! This month has been nothing new or exciting, evidenced by my lack of posts. I hope next year is even better, especially with my little nugget being due!

Weekly Update: Boring

 Apparently I missed a week? I was completely unaware of this and I can't even remember what happened... oops.

Well this last week was a bummer. Basically no riding was done, several trips to the vet hospital were made and there were 2 lame horses.

So, starting at the beginning...

Monday the 21st - I went to the barn and found Jetta with a swollen right hind. I lunged her and she didn't seem lame, so I was wrapping her legs when MK came down from the upper arena calling for me. Dundee sliced his coronet band open and it was gushing blood. He had been leaping and bucking around while being lunged, but there wasn't anything for him to slice himself on and he was wearing bell boots, so that was talented. We hosed it off and tried to see how deep it was but he was extremely painful and wouldn't let us touch it. We wrapped it up and he was dead lame, wouldn't put any pressure on his hurt foot. He almost fell down in the crossties he was freaking out about it so much. KP came out after she did a farm call and checked it out. She thought he should not be that lame and was worried about joint involvement. I trailered him to the school hospital and they did an xray and joint tap, everything looked clear. They kept him overnight to watch him.

At least she's pretty

Tuesday the 22nd - The next day Dundee's foot checked out all good and the next day when I picked him up he seemed almost sound! Such a princess. I was studying for a tough midterm the next day, so I just undid Jetta's wraps. Her legs looked nice and tight so I left them off for the night. 

Wednesday the 23rd - I went to see Jetta again, and just lunged her. Her legs weren't swollen and she still looked good on the lunge line. 

And she's adorable

Saturday the 26th - I went to the barn to ride and... now the left hind was swollen. Again, still sound but I threw her wraps on. At this point I'm not sure what to do about it - I'm pretty sure the deal is that she's kicking the stall because she's bored of being inside 24/7 now. I think the game plan is to ask the BM to put Jetta in the small paddocks outside during feeding time so that Jetta won't kick, and then bring her inside after everyone gets their grain.

Cankles

Monday the 28th - I undid Jetta's wraps and her legs looked good, but now she had cankles below where the wraps ended. She was absolutely wired so I tacked her up and lunged her. She looked fairly good. Every so often she took an off step, but it looked more like foot soreness stepping on the hard/rocky parts of the arena rather than actual soft tissue lameness. I got on and she was an absolute freight train. I couldn't even tell if she was sound or not she was so all over the place. Once I got her not pulling and working over her back she felt just fine. I got off and cleaned and put everything away, she had a little puffiness over her suspensory on her RH, but I think it's just a bruise. It's not tender when I press on it and according to KP she should be very sensitive to it if it was a suspensory tear. So now I just need to get her to stop kicking the dang wall!

Drama queen

Almost invisible bump

I really wanted to take her to a open jumper schooling night tonight, but given her puffy legs, absolute crazy hyperness, etc. I think I'm going to have to skip unfortunately. Lame horses are the worst! I just want to ride my pony...

Christmas List

I always really enjoy reading everyone else's Christmas wishlists, so I thought I'd add my own. I'm someone that always has a huge list of "I-wants" and this year is no different!

Tack

Le Mieux Windsor Halter - I just saw this gorgeous halter. It looks so neat and what do you know, it's in our colors. It'd only have to be for special occasions since I'm not sure how you'd clean it, but it's so neat!

Ogilvy custom baby pad - I can't decide if I want a navy base with turquoise binding and gray piping, or a gray base with navy binding and turquoise piping... But I think I need a dressage and a jumping one in my life.

Since we're going with saddle pads, I think I have a problem. I love these Le Mieux one's. I think I need a turquoise, emerald and plum one.

Majyk Equipe Color Elite X Country boots - as soon as these came out, I knew I needed them. In turquoise obviously. I've heard such great things about these boots and we are definitely in need of an upgrade.

Harry's Horse Dressage Boots - if it comes in turquoise, basically I have to have it. We already have some dressage boots, but I love the color of these ones!

Cambox Helmet Camera - I've been wanting a helmet camera for a really long time and this just seems like a great design!

Apparel

20x60 I need tee - I love this shirt!

G/FORE leather gloves - these gloves are gorgeous. They come in pretty much every color and look amazing, they would be so much fun to have for schooling in aqua!

Coolblast Medallion Shirt - I really enjoy this pattern. It's a bit out of my price range for a schooling sun shirt, but I'd love to give it a try!

Dubarry Glanmire boots - My Dubarry's have seen a lot and I love them but they are definitely starting to show their wear after a lot of hard use. I love this new design!

Miscellaneous


 Truck tent - this would make horse showing so much easier!

Portable water heater - It would be so nice to have hot water for bathing in the winter. I feel so bad using cold water so I try to avoid bathing, but sometimes it just has to be done! Stacey just got this one and gave it a great review so it's going on my list :)