Random Ramblings

I don't have anything new to report, but I feel like posting...

I thought about posting pictures of Daisy and I at fair..buuuut...I'm just going to post one. I posted a lot of photos on my facebook and I don't feel it's necessary to post them here too. I am under the impression that people don't care that much.
This one is of Daisy and I during the reining pattern...I'm thinking of actually teaching her to do good rollbacks and spins this winter. May be fun! If I recall correctly, her mom went to state for reining quite a few times...maybe she has it in her ;)

Notice me, the loser, was so worried about the pattern and such that I forgot to pull the chaps down for that class :P

I did a spider weave pattern with her mane that day ("spider weave pattern"...is there a real official name for it? :P), used 57 rubber bands (one more then 2009 :P) and got a lot of compliments...and a lot of kids stopping and pointing "LOOK AT THAT HORSE'S HAIR!" like they thought it came that way. So cute :) It actually lay flat this year. Loved it.

Other news...I've been looking into Tipperary jump vests, but they were all super expensive ($150-$200). I put an ad on craigslist in the "items wanted" section for a vest for up to $80 or cheaper. I received the phone number of a lady 20 minutes away who has a used clothing and tack shop (equestrian clothing) and had a few vests. I went yesterday (she's only open 4 days a month... :P) and she had two vests available: a flexrider one (which looks dorky, but I would have taken it if I had to) and a tipperary that just came in the day before. The tipperary fit! And, as a bonus, it's red with black trim! Red is our club color, and one of the combos I thought of doing for cross country *some day*, and it's sort of ironic that the trim is black because Jean always does XC in black and red..pretty cool. :) I love it.

Otherwise, camp is one week from today (!!!) and I might be doing a schooling with Jean on Wednesday! (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) :)
I'm pretty excited. Daisy's such a good girl :))
I've been using the boots...without the power straps. (I put them on, but the boots were pretty much impossible to get on with the power straps, and even WORSE to get off...I felt like I was gonna pull her hoof off altogether!) I did 2 pretty serious road rides with them, and I love them. Daisy loves them too. She steps much more confidently, and she feels better too...like she uses her body more. Pretty neat.

The horse flies are back again (started on the 1st of August. You think they understand calenders?). I always say they come in August, and here they are. They are vicious beyond belief...I put Daisy's fly sheet on, but they are relentless on her exposed neck. The only good thing is that they are super easy to kill. :P

I received my school schedule in the mail. *Shudder*.... as of tomorrow...one month left. That's a lot though! A WHOLE MONTH! :)...but yeah. It's goin' down soon.
ANNDDD! I registered to do a trail trial in our area (Like ACTHA but not) and I'm looking into doing a hunterpace in September too. I'm happy not eventing as long as I still get to play around cross country. I don't need stadium and dressage :P Not now, anyway. :)

And so...3 days to schooling, hopefully....7 to camp.

Until my next post,

Parade and My Coming Adventures with Daisy-Mae

I did not end up getting better in time to take the lesson on Ladd. Jean took it instead and it went well :)

I rode Bubba in the parade on Sunday and he was absolutely wonderful, again :) Such a handsome boy. I took red, white, and blue duct tape and wrapped it around his boots. You can sort of see it on one of his front's the the picture. What a good boy.

Picture by my Dad. (!!)

I found the picture below on my Mom's computer. It was taken just before I left for the XC schooling in May. I love how sharp Daisy looks :)

And my most exciting current news...I'm going to camp for 5 days with Daisy in August! :D I'm beyond excited. It should be really fun, especially since she gets to go with me. We're going to Forrestel Farm Camp. We'll be there over her birthday, too! :) And we have a pleasure show coming up this Sunday.

Happy 11th Birthday, Miss Daisy-Mae!

Today, Miss Daisy is 11 years old. She was born August 19, 1998.
Happy Birthday my Daisy girl!

BTW, for those of you who may notice, those reins *were* new...picture taken about a month ago. They were new and in-use until the day Daisy took off galloping with me using the reins on a halter and the snaps broke :-(...

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About a month ago I bought a box of "All Bran" the cereal, or w/e it's called, and a jar of molasses. Today, I put them to use. I made carrot and molasses bran cookies.

I almost got sick while I was making them. My stomach still feels funny now, just looking at the cookies. The molasses had the most disgusting smell EVER. I really felt like I was gonna lose my lunch :-P. I found the recipe here. The recipe is:

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup bran
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 cup grated carrots or apple

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and oil two cookie sheets.

Put aside a small bowl of white sugar and a drinking glass with a flat bottom.

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients thoroughly. The mixture shouldn’t be too wet, and should stick together.

Add more flour to make the mixture firmer and hold together if necessary. Drop by teaspoonfuls, about 1 ½ inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Grease the bottom of the glass, dip it in the sugar, and stamp the cookies to flatten them slightly. Bake for about 10 minutes. This makes about 25 cookies, depending on the size. Store in an air-tight container or bag.

I probably should have asked you horse people if you had a recipe...one NOT involving molasses. EW. The cookies turned out ok...they look strange, and although they described them as "crunchy" mine seem more like "rubbery" :-P but I did the ultimate test: I gave one to Daisy. And she ate it with gusto, nodding her head up and down like she does when she REALLY like something and licking her lips...well, as long as she eats them. :-P I have a mounted 4H Yautzy Road Yahoos meeting tonight (I'M RIDING BUBBA AGAIN!!!) so I'm considering taking some for the horses there...but don't want to be laughed at in case those horses don't like it. :-P

BTW, if you make the recipe, you WILL need to add more flour. Either that, or less molasses, I guess...

She's Gettin' the Hang of It

Right-lead cantering, that is.

*This is Daisy's usual face; with ears back. But I've gotten used to it. I just thought I'd show you...she likes to try to convince you that's she's better then you. I just ignore her attempt and it's fine. :)*

"Please open up my grass pen, Mom!"

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I've been working super hard on getting Daisy to use her right-lead. I think she's FINALLY getting it.

Everywhere we went, I didn't let her canter unless it was a right-lead. Maybe once a week I'd take a break and let her do whatever she wanted. Sometimes, she'd pick up her right-lead by herself. Other times, I'd enjoy her left lead, and how collected and strong it is compared to right.
Now, she's doing pretty darn well! She at least has a feel for when it's better for her to use right or left lead. Yesterday, I cantered her on our lawn, which is SMALL but it's better then absolutely nothing, and she started out with her usual left lead when it should have been right. She realized how hard it was, and I moved her down to trot and asked for canter again and she picked up her right-lead really quick. When we ride on the road, the shoulder of the road is kinda angled, and she'll pick up whatever lead makes the angle less noticeable...

Most horses should do that stuff without trouble; it's horse common sense. Daisy isn't that kinda horse. I think it's a miracle in itself that she does this now. Last year, it was left-lead or no lead.

My county fair is next week, and I'm going to be showing in it. I really hope that Daisy will keep up her leads in the show ring; we still probably won't win things like pleasure classes because she's not collected enough, but it's worse when you look terrible because she doesn't even do her leads right. Last show we went to, the judge pulled me over and said "You're a good pair, but you need to work on her leads a little." That was frustrating, because that judge had no idea how hard I was already trying.

At least I know that Daisy can do it now; it's not just for show-ring sake; it really is more comfortable for her to just do her leads then feel choppy going right using her left lead :-P lol.

Right now, I'm taking a break riding...I'm still riding, but yesterday I only rode in a halter and reins, and today and tomorrow I'm doing the same. That's because of this:

Daisy seems to have cut her lip on her bridle, and each time I use it it gets cut open again...I've been using the same bridle for 2 years, and this never happened, so I don't know what's up...I'm giving it some time to heal for now...


Tomorrow, Tuesday, Daisy is getting picked up and brought to Jean's house...Wednesday I have a kinda "lesson" with Jean on jumping, along with another 4H member, and then we have a 4H mounted meeting...Next Sunday is our first show. It's a games show(Gymkhana), so that's fun. :)
Monday is no show, Tuesday is English day at the county fair, so I ride all English classes, Wednesday is mounted (relay) games, Thursday is Western day, Friday is Gymkhana, and Saturday is an open show where we're staying for the English part of the day...

Until my next post,

Two Years of Joy and Learning

(Blue sky pics by me, middle pic by my Mom)

Two years ago today, I purchased my first horse, and you readers have followed me along almost as long, reading along as I experience the joy of owning her.

Daisy was not the perfect horse, to say the least. She still isn't. But I've learned so much. She's made me laugh so many times, been a comfort even more often, and is just always there to hang around with. I've decided that she's really just shy outwardly; she does love to be loved on. Her pinned ears show a nasty personality, but once you get past her head and scratch a little behind her ears, she's perfect.

As mentioned above, I've learned a ton. When I bought Daisy, I don't know how I did it. I knew nothing, zip, zero, zilch, about buying a horse. I went and "looked" at her without knowing what I was looking for. I wanted a horse I could ride. I still wonder what I was thinking...the first time I tried her out, she reared. And she wouldn't trot without crow-hopping. But I tried her out again. And bought her. Why? As I said in a post before, I had grown use to riding a horse (see here) that was challenging, and Daisy seemed to fit the part (*Understatement*). I fell in love with her personality pretty quickly; the way she pinned her ears like a monster, but how well-behaved she became after just a week of steady riding and reprimand. I've learned so much about the daily care of a horse that even riding lessons for 8 years can't teach you. How to deworm a horse, schedule farrier and vet appointments, deal with the drama of both, feeding schedules, providing hay, soaking a hoof in salt, etc (I have memories of all of these, some of which would have made me cry at the time, but at this point, I can only laugh at them, as it should be :)). There is a never-ending list of things to be done when you have a horse. I'm striving to make Daisy's life the best that I can, the best that I know how. I've learned that you can't set a person's opinion too highly, that you need to question it and find out things for yourself sometimes. That even though someone may tell you how to do something, and they always seem to know best, that there come times when you need to take matters in your own hands.

I've had a blast riding Daisy. She has those quirky days where I wonder again why I bought her in the first place, what I saw in her, when she is being so bad that certain day. But other days she impresses me and surprises me so much with her talent, that I wonder how anyone could have wanted to give her up. Sometimes I feel both in the same day.

She's also an awesome form of therapy. Bad day? Ride. Angry? Clean the stall like and lug hay bales to get that extra energy out (I must say that after owning her, I've gotten pretty strong). Sad? Give her a big huge hug :-P(for a horse that acts like she's mad all the time, she's a big sucker for hugs). Riding her is an endless learning process for both of us...from galloping her bareback for the first time and learning to balance while getting her to stop (haha, she loves to gallop), to teaching her to side pass, to, just today, getting her to finally do a right-lead canter. It's taught me to not always look to the biggest goal, but set little goals, and in that way, feel a big reward whenever that small goal is reached.

I've seen a glimpse of the show world, as well. When I bought Daisy, I didn't plan on showing, and didn't really want to. Then I did the county fair. She was amazing, and I had a ton of fun. After going to some local shows last fall, I had a reality check. I learned that Daisy did amazing at the county fair because the competition wasn't tough...so that was little let down. I've seen that Daisy isn't one of those slow stepping western pleasure horses, but she's also not a quick-like-a-bullet barrel racing horse, either. And I'm glad. Western pleasure horses? Pretty, but slow. oh so slow. I'm not sure I'd like that. Barrel racing horses? Fast. Very fast. but also hard to handle and pretty dangerous at times. Trail class stars like Daisy? Great. Because even though she's not top of the class in barrel racing or Western pleasure, she's great where, for me, it counts. I know I can ride her down a trail and not have to fear her spooking at something, and if she does, I know she's a sensible horse, and gets over it fast. We can ride on the road with cars and trucks speeding by, and she won't bat an eyelash.

For me, she's perfect. For others she may be too hard to handle, or not showy enough, or she may not have the greatest conformation, but for me, she's amazing. She's my dream come true. She's wonderful. I can't stress that enough. So maybe she's got her problems, but don't we all?

So in all, if I could redo the last two years, and buy her all over again, I'd do it again. It was so worth it. It's all a learning experience, with ups and downs, but so worth it.

Thank you, God, for blessing me with my Daisy-Mae. It was all in His plan.

Happy Anniversary, Daisy-Mae. To us. * insert sound of glasses containing apple juice clinking* (because Daisy likes apples and it looks likes champagne.)

Have a great Friday, everyone!

Trail Ride and No Name

So, on Monday after I round penned Daisy I took a trail ride bareback through the woods...I may post a video from that later. These are some pictures I took...

I don't think/know others that others think so, but I love black and white pictures. They are just so regal looking and cool...I love them. I LOVE this picture I took of Daisy on the ride...I think she looks absolutely beautiful! What do you think?

This is a new little Pony of America pony that Jean got on Monday for lessons...he is I think 17...his name is Dill Pickles...well, no one really likes that name and he's too cute to have a name like that! So he needs a new name. We thought about Benny, but I think it's too boring for him...I think Danny would fit him, but *others* :-P don't agree, lol...I'm enlisting your help. Any ideas for this cute little boy?

Catch Up

Sorry it took so long to post! I can't believe how busy I am already with school! (And Daisy, and Bible study, and the restaurant, etc)...this is just a cute pic of Abby and Genevieve...they lay on the porch together. :)

Daisy scared me by getting bot eggs on her. A bot fly lays the eggs, and they itch the horse so they bite them off, and then the eggs get inside the horse and hatch, and the larva (I think) eats at the inside of the horse, eventually dies, and then is discarded through the horse...lol...anyway, very bad.

See? All over her leg! I picked them off, though, but it was hard!

Dead bird the cats killed :-(...it's so pretty, even if it's dead...I hope you don't think I'm disgusting...it looks like it's stuffed...

My baby-Genny!! She's the most loyal cat I've ever known...she's m'girl.

Slightly blurry, funny picture.

Obviously I hadn't groomed her yet...haha.

A lot of fog last Saturday morning (Not the Saturday yesterday, but last week)...kept me from going riding with my friend Lydia :-(...I'll tell you all about that tomorrow!!!

This was taken from the house...you could barely see the coop.

SHE LOOKED UP FOR THE CAMERA!!!! A MIRACLE!!!

Grazing by the coop.

The barn at night.

My silly boy climbed a tree one afternoon...

^I LOVE this picture, it's so funny! ^ He's so cute, too.

Genny on the canvas covering our woodpile...she sleeps there a lot.

In the garage...cool pic, huh? That's a sled behind her :-P.

What's so interesting about this picture?! Daisy is eating grass in the laneway along the driveway. Normally she won't eat there--clover isn't good enough for her. She normally waits at the gate. I spent a sweaty afternoon this summer mowing that stretch by hand--ow...back and forth and back and forth...I'm glad she ate there now. Picture taken from above--on my parent's patio.

And, last but not least, our fat indoor cat, Freckles. She decided to cuddle up with the paper clips. Silly girl!

Isn't she funny looking? She's very sweet and loving though. She's fun.

Today was in the 90's, and now it's raining and windy...I took this photo this evening in black and white mode...I love taking pictures of trees against the sky. I don't know why, but I do.

I'll try to post pictures of Lydia and her QH, Stewy, tomorrow!!! :)

I won't be able to post as often now that I have school, sorry! :-(

10:00 PM