Updates, Updates, Updates December 3, 2009

Hey guys. I’m going to be honest and tell you that I really just haven’t felt up to posting on here lately. But I’m sick today and staying home from school, so here we go. (:

Logan is almost 20, so he’s going into semi-retirement. I’ve outgrown him and he’s just getting up there. He’ll still be around and I’ll still ride him, just not as much. (:

Being that I don’t ride Stormy anymore and Logan is out of the shows, that leaves me essentially horseless! But don’t worry. I’m on a show team this year and my trainer is letting me show her ponies until I can get a new horse, which will hopefully be in the Spring. (:

Every horse show I’ve planned since the September HLF show has been cancelled due to weather! Ahhh. It’s sooo frustrating. There is an HLF show next weekend that I am going to ask my trainer about, but it’s not guaranteed…

I took a lesson on Sunday with my trainer and rode a very cute medium pony named Fancy! It was so so fun to ride a pony again, I just love them. I had a really good lesson and I’m hopefully going out this weekend, too…maybe. Here are a couple pictures from my lesson!

I’ve Been MIA! November 7, 2009

Hey guys! I’ve been soooo busy recently with school and homework and friends and all that! Halloween was crazy with all the parties! But I’m back now to [hopefully] update regularly again. (:

Firstly, I’ve picked back up with riding Stormy and she’s been doing great.

Secondly, we have two baby mules. The second one was born two weeks or so after the first. Their names are Moonpie and Pepper, and they are both as cute buttons. Moonpie is about 7 weeks old now. (:

Thirdly, the show at Hardee Lane I mentioned in my last post went great, we got a third in eq flat and a sixth in eq over fences. We were having a perfect course, but then Logan trotted the last fence because my leg slipped. Ugh. Oh well!

Soo all the new stuff:

Logan got new shoes! He has always worn eggbars because he has “changes in his navicular bone”, but the new farrier hot shoed him and put him in plain horseshoes. So far so good! He’s moving sooo much nicer. I’m so happy!

On Sunday, we have our first horse show since HLF! All of the other ones we’ve planned on have been rained out. Anyway, we’re going to Nikki’s to show on Sunday. I’m taking Logan and we’re doing a ton of classes. I was going to take Stormy, but her owners took her to Ward this week. I’m showing one of Nikki’s green ponies, Molly, in the crossrails and babies. I’m super excited! She’s really cute and I can’t believe I’m finally getting to catch-ride something! So there will be lots of pictures from that.

I think that’s about it for now. I have new pictures, but I’ll made a huge picture post later on.

Adios! Maddy

All Kinds of Updates September 10, 2009

Happy 09/09/09! Did you know that this morning when it turned 9:09 was the only time we’d ever see that in our lifetime? Crazy, huh!

Anyway, on to horsey stuff. (: So, I have a wholeee bunch of updates because I’ve been swamped with homework and haven’t had a chance to get on! Unfortunately, it’s getting late so I have to do this quickly…

Update #1: I will not be riding Stormy anymore. Plain and simple. Don’t feel like going through that one.

Update #2: We have a baby mule at the barn! She was born last Wednesday. Her name, tentatively, is Moonpie. Joe & Judy absolutely love it, it was myyyy idea, but the final decision has not been made. She’s the cutest thing on four legs though!! Pictures to come, I promise. (:

Update #3: Logan is doing wonderfullll. I haven’t been able to ride him in the last week (and a half) because my anti-equine aunt has been here from Illinois. Thus, Lo has become a fat beast. I rode him today, however, and he was fantabulous. With the exception of three run-and-buck stunts, we had a great ride. I rode him out in the field and although he was fresh, he was moving really nicely. I worked on my equitation and also getting him to carry himself. We practiced our hand gallop and it was incredible. He’s such an awesome boy!

Update #4: Logan and I are going out to Nikki’s this weekend to school her jumps and ride in a full-size arena. We mayyy end up taking a lesson, if I can convince my mom to let me spend my babysitting money. I hope she does!

Update #5: Logis and I will be showing next weekend at Hardee Lane for the first time. I’m very excited. I know we are doing the 12-17 equitation and the 2′3-3′ hunters. However, for the hunters you can choose your height: 2′3, 2′6, or 3′. Although the Bo and I have been schooling around 2′9-3′3, my mom doesn’t believe we can do it. So it all hinges on how he behaves at Nikki’s.

Update #6: Nikki’s Fall Series begins next month. Her new prize list features a 2′6 medal, more eq classes, and a 2′9 division. Top Equitation Rider of the series wins a cooler, and the Top Medal Riders wins splint boots. I’m going to enter as many eq classes as possible, and obviously the medal. I’m just praying the judge likes me better than Caroline…

A Record-Setting Ride August 26, 2009

Howdy, guys! I’ve been pretty busy lately. I started high school on Monday (absolutely loving it!) so I haven’t had much time to post. But I do have some newish news.

I’m not really sure about Stormy anymore. I just…I don’t feel like riding her. I love her to death and she’s been so great for me. I like to think she feels the same about me. I’m just not sure where this will go with her. Her owners didn’t used to let anyone else ride her, and I went out the other night and someone was on her. It really sort of made me mad. The girl on her is obviously the reason I’ve had such a hard time with her lately; she was riding her in a horrible curb bit and wouldn’t let go of her face. Stormy has a very sensitive mouth and the girl is clearly not experienced enough to be riding in anything more than a loose ring snaffle. It really just is upsetting to watch one person to ruin ten months of hard work in one ride, ya know? Ugh. So Stormy and I might be breaking up…After all, I only started riding her because I was bored with Logan…

Speaking of Logan, he’s who this post was supposed to be about! He has made a complete 180 since the beginning of August. He’s been so wonderful; he has never gone this well for me. We have been riding bareback mostly lately because I feel like I really need to work on my leg. The other night, we were riding bareback and he got into a playful bucking fit (his new favorite activity) two strides out from a jump. I made it over the jump, even though I tried to pull him out of it!, but then came off when he resumed bucking on the other side. It hurt. ): But I got back on and we jumped the fence a few times to encourage good behavior up to it.

Then the fun began, the reason for the title of this post. I decided to see how high we could jump bareback. We got to 3′ and Logie got excited and pulled a long spot. We cleared it though! My mom, with much begging from me and our small audience, bumped the fence up to 3′3″. Now please remember: we are backback and my record height bareback is 2′9″ (tacked record is 3′). So Joe didn’t believe Logan and I could do it. Me being me, I just had to prove him wrong. We went to it the first time and we didn’t have enough impulsion. Logie dropped the rail. I begged to do it one more time, I was convinced we could clear it. We headed toward the monster rail a second time and let Logan go a little more. He took two honkin’ strides and then launched himself over the fence. We cleared it with inches to spare and landed safely on the other side. I was so proud! This is the horse everyone said would never jump higher than 2′9″ and still be sound. (He is as sound as block, by the way.) I just couldn’t believe it. The bascule he had over that fence was intense! And my leg didn’t move. (:

My horse is so wonderful. He’s just amazing. I plan on doing some more high jumping, so look out for pics.

Love My Logie! August 19, 2009

As some of you know, I had a rough patch with Logan. A very long rough patch. He got lazy and dull, and I didn’t want to ride him. He wasn’t any fun to ride and he didn’t seem to enjoy his job a whole lot either. I took a long break from riding him consistantly. From mid-May until the beginning of August.

I came back from my vacation out west to find a whole new horse. He’s spunky, he’s enjoying his job, and best of all, he enjoys being with me. Every time I step out of the car he starts nickering. He’s happy and he’s riding fabulously.

I’m beginning to remember why I got Logan in the first place, why I said no when a local trainer wanted to buy him in April, and why I couldn’t stop crying after I hung up the phone that day. Logan is my very best friend. He means more than life itself to me. I can’t imagine my life without him. And that’s not just because he’s a reliable ride or he has a nice jump. It’s because I have a bond with him that can never and will never be broken. My Logan is my everything.

A Minor (Major?) Setback… August 13, 2009

Hey guys. I have a few pictures to share, but first a little unhappy update. ): My stepdad is a police officer. The other day, his jerkish boss demoted him to make room for one of his friends. My stepdad, for no reason at all, took a $500 per month paycut. That’s pretty detrimental to our family since we don’t have a lot of money in the first place.

That’s not really the worst part. Well, in a way it is…but as far as horses go: if I want to continue showing, I have to get a job. Now, I don’t have a problem with working. I really don’t mind, especially if that means I’m the one calling the shots on what I do at shows, how many classes, etc. The problem is that it’s pretty darn hard for a fourteen year old to get a job when there’s like a million adults scrambling for work too.

Now for some pictures. I look really bad. I need to let my stirrups down a hole, I just keep forgetting!

Cantering.

Auto-releasing.

He likes the new tack room.

Coming Soon! August 11, 2009

Hey guys! Sorry I disappeared again, I was on a crazyyy vacation in Oregon with my dad and stepmom!

A big update with photos and all will be coming soon, I promise. A small update for now:

Stormy has killer girth sores, so I can’t ride her until they heal ):

I am riding Logan again and he’s being lovely. (:

Better Late Than Never, Right? July 26, 2009

I completely forgot that I didn’t post here after camp and our adventure in Aiken! I’m so sorry! Well, y’all better grab some popcorn or something because this is going to be one longgg post! We’ll begin with camp…

Camp was fabulous. Stormy and I learned sooo much. We worked on lead changes and bounces, which were both pretty new to her, and also did some fun courses. The first day, we had a slip-up and I nearly fell off. She jumped an oxer really funky, and then a dog popped out from nowhere when we landed. I somehow managed to stay on, but by the time I got her stopped at the rail I was laying on her like a bed! Don’t ask me how I did that, because I don’t even know! Haha. The second day, we were doing bounces and Sto had had enough. She turned out and I came off, but stayed on my feet. She was great the rest of the lesson. On the third day, we ventured over to Simpson Creek for a trail ride. Stormy was a superstar. She jumped right into the creek and cantered nicely on the trail. I was very proud of my pony! When we finished our trail ride, we went into the arena and played around. They had barrels and poles set up, and since Stormy used to be a barrel pony, I decided to try my hand at it. English saddle and all, we ended up with the fastest times! She’s such a gooood girl. Thursday passed with another lesson and then some bathing. Friday, however, was the most exciting.

We started the morning by touching up clips and then wrapping the ponies’ legs. Then we loaded up and headed off to Aiken! Somehow, along the way Ike and Stormy switched places in the trailer, so we had to stop and get all that straightened out. The rest of the trip passed without any mishaps. We got to Aiken around five and put all the horses in their perspective stalls. It was so exciting to be there! The show was over, so we decided to go ahead and ride instead of coming back after dinner. We tacked up and headed over to the ring and had a lax lesson. Stormy was ahhhmazing. We jumped all the jumps a few times, did a couple courses, and played follow the leader. I was worried about this one oxer because it was wider than what I school the pony over. She jumped it like it was nothing!! Once we finished our awesome ride, we settled the ponies in adn gave them each some bute to help them feel back to normal after a longggg trailer ride. Then we headed off to eat dinner and get some sleep!

Saturday was the first day of the show for us. Nikki let us sleep in an hour, which was very much appreciated, since we weren’t showing until later in the day. We gave baths and watched some of the show before getting tacked and dressed. Stormy warmed up nicely and I was really excited to go in the ring. Our first class was Long Stirrup Hunter U/S. Pony did fabulous and we got third place! Next was Long Stirrup Hunter O/F times two. The first course was good, and we pulled third again. Second course, I forgot which jump came next and I got eliminated for going off course. Too bad, because that course started out awesome! Our equitation got combined with Short Stirrup, so flat came first. I rode really well and got fourth place. Nikki said I didn’t place higher because I halfseated by canter. Hm, I thought you were allowed to that. Oh well. Next was over fences and I thought I had a really good round. I got sixth place. Sto and I were finally finished for the day, so we went back to the barn and cooled off.

Sunday, we showed first thing in the morning. We got entirely combined with Short Stirrup because most of the LSers had shown Friday and Saturday. I only showed hunters so we only had three classes. Our first course went alright, but I had a tough time getting her to move out. We got sixth. The second course was a disaster. The pony was just worn out from such a rigorous week and I couldn’t get her to stride out to get the long lines. We got a bunch of chips and didn’t place. I thought our flat was lovely, but we didn’t place there either.

I can say, though, that I am very very proud of Stormy. She is a fantastic little pony and I could not be any luckier that I get to ride her. I rode her one more time after the show, because I left to go visit my dad. I am so excited to get home and ride, you have no idea! Only four more days.

Shiny New Shoes :) June 19, 2009

Well shoot, it’s about time! Haha, Stormy finally got her shoes done yesterday. They look awesome! They are eventing shoes with clips, so I’m pretty confident I won’t have a problem with them coming off. Stormy seems to be liking them alot so far. Joe wanted me to trot and lope her around a little last night after he did them so he could see if she was square. She was a little tender at first, but after three or four trot strides, she got the feel for them and was square as a block. (: Not only does pony like them, but I love how they look, I’m more confident in her feet when jumping, andddd I love the sound of them on the concrete in the barn. Hahaha.

I rode Stormy tonight to brush up on jumping and courses before we head to camp. Only three more days!! I’m sooo excited I can’t even stand it! Anyway, the mare was superduper awesome tonight. We worked on shortening and lengthening of stride at the canter, and she did much better than I expected. I also started riding a little differently. If you’re a Maclay fan or are a YouTube equestrian and have watched videos from Wonderponyriders (Tory Hoft), you’ll know what I mean. Instead of sitting down on her and giving her more rein, I am riding more forward and riding with my hands further up her neck & the reins shorter. This way, I always have control and there’s not a slack in my rein over fences. It also allows me to follow her mouth over fences. (Here is a picture of what I mean: http://photos.syracuse.com/photos/post-standard/3103912b51a72007e1fee7d0691f5263.jpg )

I’m sure pictures will be coming soon…as soon as I find my camera….

Guess Who’s Back? (: June 16, 2009

Finally, after a week of being off and being extremely bored, I can ride Stormy again. Her hoof hasn’t been fixed yet, but her hooves grow at the speed of light so it’s healing quickly. She’s not lame at all so she’s a-okay to work. (:

I rode her yesterday just walk/trot/canter and jumped a teeny crossrail a few times. Today we worked quite a bit harder. We did lots of flatting and then jumped about 2′3″. I also set down a ground pole to school flying changes. She did great!

The arena is about 95% done, so I set up all my jups today. We have four right now, so there’s lots of building to do. After the ring gets a chance to dry out and whatnot, I’ll school Stormy over a few courses.

Joe and Judy are going up to the mountains for the weekend, so Joe is going to fix Stormy’s hoof tomorrow and also do her shoes. Finally! She’s going to look so fancy with little shoes on!!

We have a bit of work to do this week. I need to work on transitions. On Saturday, Stormy gets her mane chopped short little a hunter pony. (: Then on Sunday afternoon, we’re taking her out to Nikki’s to get settled in for the week of camp! I can’t wait! That’s right, camp is next week. I’m sososo excited. I know it’ll be a fantastic experience for both Sto and myself. I also can’t wait to get to know the other girls better, especially Caroline.

Some Non-Stormy News: I’ve started conditioning Sto’s half-brother, Sundown. He is about 19 and around 14 hands. I feel big when I get on Sto after riding him. Hahaha. He’s really cute and a very nice mover. I’m getting him in shape to use in our lesson program that we’re launching this Fall. I might show him on the flat a little this Fall, too, just to get our name out and whathaveyou.

Stay tuned. Pictures should be coming later this week and camp updates will be coming next week!