Coming Along

 

 

The progress Ink has made in this last month has been exciting and pleasing.  He pick’s up on things quickly and always tries to get it right.  I can only remember really riding him in the beginning and thinking, “oh this is going to be a long haul.”  Ink is such a tank and getting him on the bit eventually, was just way far out there.  I’m in love with how he feels now when he goes along soft in my hands and on the bit. 

Yeah, yesterday we did some more jumping again.  It was good practice for mom in the picture taking department.  Although she only got one of us actually going over the jump, I still give her props for the ones that did come out!  She’s getting ready to enter the contest =).

After the jumping, I just worked around the whole arena getting him to bend into the corners.  It was fun.

My mom rode Errika bareback and they did their own thing in between my mom taking shots.  Just the kind of day Errika likes.

Productive Ride

The dark skies are depressing.  I really miss the sun :(. 

My mom and I rode yesterday.  She rode Errika and I had a great ride on Ink! 

It was very productive, I worked on getting his neck and body to bend on circles, since he is a little stiff going right and tends to fall on his shoulder.  His jaw is really breaking loose and he goes on the bit much more easily now. I don’t ask much of him in terms of going on the bit at this point because he needs a lot of time to develop those muscles to hold it, but he’s getting the response down very well.  This was mostly done at the walk and I will continue to do that during the beginning and end of the rides. 

This is really funny..  Ink has been doing this a lot lately after we get done riding.  He will lift his back leg like a dog and stick his neck out and waits for me to scratch his belly.  He loooves his belly scratched, it’s just now he’s holding his leg up for me before I even do it! 

After I rode and un-tacked and scratched his belly, Matt let him out in the arena to roll.  It always feels good to him I’m sure, without his blankets on.  Apparently he had a lot of energy left and ran back and fourth after rolling bucking hugely as usual.  Then showing off his flashy trotting skills, haha. 

It rained today and is supposed to throughout the week, but it’s nothing bad as of now, so I think I’m going to head over there now to ride the big guy. 

NY Resolutions YR. 2 + Jumping in Style

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  A new year is about to start so with that is my 2008 resolutions.  Last year I did the same thing and I pretty much did everything on my list.  Now I have a whole new list to put to work.  If you blog, you might consider writing down your new years resolutions or goals in a post, so you can always refer back to it, keep yourself updated and report back when you achieve something and when the year comes to an end.  This years I’m listing my goals/resolutions and a little detail with them, such as why they are on there.  Here are mine:

- Show Ink (Dressage and/or Jumping)

I would love to compete Ink in training level Dressage this year and really progress in that area.  However Ink can jump pretty well and if all goes well I would love to work towards showing him in some little schooling shows this year.  I would like to emphasize that if we do show I would like to do 2′6″ as a modest goal. 

- School Ink 3′3″

Because I want to possibly show him in 2′6″ classes, I want to properly be schooling him over 3′ fences.  But I have a goal of jumping him 3′3″ under saddle.

- Ride Ink at the Beach

We haven’t done that yet, so I would love to take a ride out there.

- Compete Errika (Dressage)

I am so happy with how Errika is coming along, back in work, that I would love to show her in some schooling shows as well, training level Dressage.  She shows much ability to go out there and compete with all the others. 

- Get a Paying Job

I think I’m working towards that now.  But I want to be in a paying position to pay for my horses expenses and some of my own so my parents do not have that burden. 

That’s what I have for now, I know not that great, but I’ll revise the list next week when I have more time to write it all down.

Ink has been doing great, we free jumped him on Wednesday the 26th, and he did about 3′.  He’s so awesome to watch, Tim says he could do 5′ no problem. 

Ink now has back shoes on too.

Here are the links to Ink’s jumping videos!

Please comment on here about what you think =)

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec018.flv

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec003.flv

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec006.flv

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec013.flv

http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/royaels/My%20Videos/?action=view¤t=VideosDec015.flv

Errika!

 Wow I had such a great ride today on Errika!  I got to ride her beautiful canter =).  She’s such a forward horse that it’s hard to get her to just do a nice, relaxed canter.  Even when I would ask her to slow down she would kind of get freaked out because I would pull and then she’d get frustrated and speed up so usually our rides would be constantly working on getting her to relax just so I could ask her for a nice canter.  But today it came so nicely.  We were working at her “normal” pace canter when she slowed down, because she was going to trot, and I asked her just a tiny bit to keep her canter and she gave me this very nice, relaxed, fluid, easy-to-sit canter.  I was utterly delighted so the whole time I was just re-enforcing this excellent job she did.  And as soon as Errika realized I was so pleased, she kept trying to do it over and over again.  And it made her happy that I was happpy, the right kind of circle you want to be in.  I was so proud of her! 

Ink was looking pretty off today.  Matt lunged him while I rode Errika and he wasn’t looking his best.  Meghan says to put back shoes on him as well. 

That’s it for now!

Job!!

I got the most incredible email today from a trainer.  She personally contacted to discuss a part-time position at her barn.  The position she offered was working student, that has endless opportunities in terms of growth.  I would LOVE to teach lessons and do some barn management, which is what the job will possibly entail.  I so excited!  I hope to meet with her and some of her team possibly on Friday =)!

I rode Ink today.  I lunged him first with the stretcher and then rode him for a short time.  He was superb and felt so nice now that he has shoes on.  I can’t believe how well he lunged either.  He just started lunging, haha! 

I lunged Errika as well and then played with her in the arena.  She was so frisky!  What a workout. 

I started raining right after I got done with Errika, so for the rest of the day I mostly working in and out of the rain.  Now it’s coming down pretty good.  Oh and when I went to get Ink from his pasture, his blanket (the waterproof turn-out) was laying in the mud.  The front straps were still buckled, but the belly ones weren’t..  It was so weird.  He must have got it over his head somehow.  I just can’t figure it out…

Lesson Again

I had another lesson with Meghan today.  I rode at one of the barn she basis her training at.  I first rode a hot little OTTB named Art, which was actually fun in my opinion.  Despite almost being dismounted by the guy, I enjoyed riding him.  Then I rode one of her personal horses; Demon.  His name is so befitting lol.  No he was a sweet guy.  He’s funny, one of those ‘I like it my way’ horses.  He’s a tester, a true teacher on hooves.  I enjoyed riding him as well, both offered their own challenges.  The barn was nice, and the people were so friendly.  I love indoor arena’s, and it had a nice one.  A low-key facility, everyone who was there seemed down to earth.  After the lessons, I drove up to Meghan’s place to feed her horses.  Then Matt and I stopped at the barn where my horses are and gave them their nice warm grain.

I’m having another lesson tomorrow on Ink.  It’s raining right now so it’s hard to say if it will actually happen or not.  But maybe if it doesn’t, I can ride Art or Demon again.  I haven’t rode Ink since my lesson on him, but I’m sure he doesn’t mind much.  On Saturday we took Christmas Pictures, and dressed the horses up, not forgetting the reindeer antlers of course! 

I’m looking for a new boarding facility as well.  I don’t know how that search will go, but I hope I find something soon.  I really don’t want to get into what happened recently, but I just need something new.  My mom is upset about the situation, and this just shouldn’t be happening the way it is.  Please just overlook this section of my blog if you don’t want to hear this.  I’m sorry to add it in, but I just feel like it’s important, to me anyway. 

In better news however, my mom and I got an offer to organize/clean a barn thoroughly, something I blogged about earlier in the month.  I would assume it would be close to a $300 job or so.  But I really don’t know.  It would be awesome to do this for some of my living expenses.  Plus my mom and I are good at organizing, especially barns!

New Week

On Thursday, for Thanksgiving, we are going up to my Granpa’s.  Mostly the extended family, on my mothers side, is celebrating Grandpa’s birthday, more so than Thanksgiving.  We’ve done it like that for a few years now, mostly since Grandma passed away.  Matt is staying here to be with his parents on Thanksgiving.  Although I wish so much he could spend it with us.  But I do wish him a great time with his own family.  These decisions seem to get harder and harder as you grow older.  Where-as when you were younger, your parents would pile you in the car, along with the Pumpkin pie and off you went without a care.  Now that I’m entering adult-hood, and I am in a relationship with someone, I have to really think about things.  Such as Christmas coming up, how that day will be planned.  It’s not really a problem, I like planning occasions like this, but somehow I feel the real sight to this time is lost due to hectic chaos that surrounds.  It should be a pleasurable and enjoyable time you share with friends and family.  That initially is what stresses me out about it.  If I don’t do this, or that, or go here or there.  The drama, the frustration that happens afterwards or during is difficult to handle and still at the end of the day, have a true smile on your face.  I’m learning yes, so I guess I could take on each Holiday as a training camp?  But then again why?  I don’t want to be selfish, but I do have to admit I am yearning for Matt to come to my Grandpa’s for his birthday/Thanksgiving.  It’s his 91st Birthday and I want Matt to share this time with us.  Is this separation going to happen every year?  Is he ever going to have Thanksgiving with me?  :(  But then again he could be asking the same thing, and when am I going to spend Thanksgiving with his family?  If I felt comfortable being around them, I would.  But I don’t see my extended family that often, and my Grandpa isn’t going to live forever..  Oh golly. 

My mom is leaving Tuesday with her sister for Grandpa’s, and I was thinking of driving myself up there on Wednesday because I have class Tuesday night.  I have to find a “babysitter” for the horses until Thursday night.  Matt I’m sure would help..  Oh and then get this - on Saturday morning, we are driving all the way up to the snow for a wedding.  Matt and I weren’t planning on going, but in a few mixed events we decided to go ahead.  I will have a chance to take some photos… 

Life just dumped down on me all of a sudden.  I was doing fine, positive, and now I’m overwhelmed.  My bloody homework is due tomorrow for class, and I still haven’t got past that one part I was stuck on. 

My relationship with a certain person has been weird since that dramatic day.  I’m not social really, minding my own business, and throwing it behind me.  I don’t want to deal with this anymore, and I’m not going to deal with it later on (in the future) if it comes about, again.  Which I’m sure it will.  I deserve my dignity and respect.  I have most certainly been a VERY willing and respectful person, given the YEARS that this has come and gone.  But now I am just stepping out of whatever relationship there was, and this is now purely business if anything.  I will still remain respectful, and helpful while in contact, but by any means I reserve the right to plead the fifth and walk away at any time.  I am a human-being and everyone should be treated with respect, especially if they treat others like that.   

My 19th birthday is less than a month away.  Wow.  Not really enthused about it.  Birthdays don’t make things giddy suddenly.  So why get excited about it?  I don’t want any presents, honestly.  But when asked I said new boots (since my old ones were 25% sole-less), not show boots, just all-around boots.  Like the new Brittney ones from the Muck Company.   

Oh I just don’t know what to do.  I need a job, oh how many times I’ve said that, and haven’t found anything remotely interesting.  For $10 an hour I’d do all the horse-related chores at barns, but nothing.  My mom and I are now starting this new business venture; barn cleaning and organizing.  We’ll overhaul your barn =D.  A regular service for an hourly fee.  Then I’m going to pass out flyers for lessons/day camps for my family.  Adults and kids alike.  Errika will be ready to give beginner lessons in another month or so. 

Lunging Pt 3 (Getting it..)

Me & Ink!
Of all days, yesterday I didn’t take any pictures..  But I PROMISE today I will!  I told you yesterday that I wanted to take a video of him on the lunge, but we would have had our hands full.  Being’s as Ink is unblanaced and getting used to the whole lunging on a line thing, we have to help him move on the cirlce.  Ideally we would prefer the round pen for this.  As it makes sense right? The round pen, is round and thus can help Ink carry himself in circle, and it’s a consistant cirlce.  But unfortunately the round pen is occupied by a cute red gelding. We are only doing between 10-15mins of light trotting.  I must say Ink is catching on super fast!  This is only the third day he’s been, well taught to lunge.  After he was done yesterday he stopped, looked at us, and then we asked him to come in.  We hung out there, the three of us, and rubbed Ink, gave him kisses and hugs, told him he was a good boy.  He chewed in approval, lowered his head like he always does, and appeared to be asking “did I do good!?”  It was the cutest thing :). 

Ink is always so proud after he accomplishes something.  I can describe this horse as incredibly intelligent, full of heart, and always gives 100%.  He has a desire to listen to what we have to say, and tries really hard at what we’re asking. 

I have to say, these last few weeks I have been reflecting on the changes in him.  For one the kicking.  Now Ink came to us as a known kicker, and with a bang, and he would kick at a lot of things.  I wouldn’t say everything, but what was a swishing of the tail for most horses was a kick for Ink.  We have come to conculsion that in his past he developed that reacton.  And why do horses react with a kick?  As a defense tack tict.  It would have come from somewhere, being rough-housed at the track, inraged to higher agression, beaten or abused. 

Now these days Ink is not the kicker he used to be.  Sometimes he will lift his leg when he gets ticked off.  For example Ink is NOT a mens type of horse.  He has immidiately pinned his ears back at all the males that have come around him; my dad, younger brother, my dads friend, and Matt in the beginning.  But what is awesome to see is that Ink shows immidiate signs, right after the quick ears pinned reaction, of wanting to get to know you.  He kind of goes; “oh, he’s not going to hurt me..”  So I have been telling all the men that come around him to approach slow, don’t touch him, let him touch you first, and then we he is ready you can rub his fore-head (which he loves).  Kind of like an introduction. 

But in regards to his kicking.  There has been very little of it happening.  In fact he hasn’t kicked out for some time now, and even longer with any type of agression.  He has had a lot of emotional problems to over-come, so we couldn’t rush him.  Ink had to come around when he was ready.  I had to sit back, offer my support, love, and let him tell me when it was time to take a step forward.  And during that time, I had a lot of negativity from outside people.  Which really upset me.  I think for people who have not had the chance to work with a horses or horses, just see them being ridden and riding them, they fail to respect the emotional aspects and mentality behind a horse.  So it was hard for me to explain the stage during that time.  My dad just constantly asked when or why I wasn’t riding him and yadda yadda.  And I know to MANY people if we began work under saddle and maybe jumping people would go “wow he’s come a long way!”  But the truth is Ink doesn’t have a riding problem at all, and that’s not where the real progress, has or would be made, it’s in his learning to become part of life, and enjoy it for what it is.  And in that respect he has come a long, long way. 

Portable Stalls

First I want to update on Errika.  I have been very busy lately with her and I haven’t been able to check up on emails lately.  Things happend so suddenly and in a blur.  The Friday before last we visited her and went to talk with the vet, at her request.  We thought we had to put her down.  But the vet then said she wanted to try one last thing, but not to get our hopes up.  The next day the vet called, and said she had done a complete 1-80!  And just this past Friday, we brought her home!!  We have a large remaining balance to pay for the surgery she underwent, roughly $5,000.00.  To help raise money to pay for that, we are selling photos of her, taken by me.  To view all the details please visit Errika’s blog: http://www.dearerrika.wordpress.com

The latest news is that we; being my parents, Matt and I, are going to build to portable stalls for Ink and Errika this winter.  Errika is in the barn right now, for two months stall rest.  But after returning home and being off regular feed for nearly 4 weeks, she is skinny, and needs to be warm and dry during the winter.  As well as Ink.  We are going to shortly be looking for the paneling, but we already have the metal roofing, metal siding and plywood for the interior siding. 

 My other problem is bedding for the stalls?  Errika has wood shavings right now, but they are expensive for lasting only a few days.  I came across this product called “Dry Stall” in which is a permanate bedding: http://www.drystall.com  Has anyone tried this product before or know anything about it?  Comments and reviews would be excellent!

How has Ink been?  Well he still isn’t sound.  But he will be getting pads and shoes on soon…  Next week he is getting his teeth done as well.  He’s been a good boy lately :).