Shenanigans, Photobombs and Memories!

So, you know how I said I'd blog after every lesson? Well, my teachers have made it their mission to make that impossible. By that, I mean I've had a crazy amount of tests this past week, and the thought of blogging has been at the back of my mind!

But I did have an amazing lesson last week that I'm excited to share about!

It started off not so amazing. Gambler was being quite bad. He's been really awful in the halt when we ask him to soften. This particular day, he decided backing up incredibly fast and acting like he was going to rear was a wonderful way out of doing what we asked. Hey, you give them an inch and they take a foot, right? Jaclyn ended up riding him because of his dumbness, and boy did she kick his butt. The goal was to keep him in front of her leg whenever he acted stupid at the halt. If he wanted to back up, fine, but he was going to do it on her terms and he was going to do it fast. If he wanted to stand tense and like a giraffe, then fine, we can stand all day. But if he grabbed the bit and dove? Smack, canter, canter, canter, canter. Needless to say, he stopped diving onto the bit pretty quick.

Jaclyn got some amazing trots and canters out of him. Seriously, I can't believe how awesome he was looking! I got on at the end so I could feel what she had been doing. She doesn't touch the reins, it's all inside leg to outside rein, which just supports. it was so amazing and I felt like I was on a totally different horse!

Also, the sunset was gorgeous. God is so good, ya'll.

Unfortunately, the ground has either been frozen or I have been sick since my last lesson, so I haven't gotten much done in the pony riding department. However, I've spent lots of time crying into Gambler's mane. Sometimes you just have to do that, ya know? He is so sweet and adorable (and is such a camera ham). I know I say that every single time I blog.

But actually. He's the cutest. And he's miiiiine! (Totally the only valentine I will have... ever)

 He loves to be a dork in pictures, and I love it, because all the pictures I have of him show his personality so well.

Yes, even all of the selfies I have of us... he's always sticking his tongue out or looking dorky! The boy can't not photobomb his on pictures!

Oh, speaking of selfies. Two days ago was Lainey Ashker's, an eventing goddess (and selfie goddess) 30th birthday! She asked everyone to post selfies on her Facebook page. It was so funny and cute to see everyone's selfies with their ponies. And it made eventing nation! Things like this make me smile because I know I'll always remember them.

Today my lesson was cancelled because our ring was frozen and well, one word... Snowmageddon 2.0 is on it's way! I did go out to see Gambler though and got lots of funny and awkward pictures of him. Gosh, I love this boy! It was nice to get some snuggles and laughs in before what is inevitably going to be a few pony-less days.

 Gambler kept yawning, and I was able to catch some cute pictures of it! I love him to pieces (incase that wasn't obvious) :)

A Humbling Ride

Today was supposed to be my hack day on Gambler... yeah, that didn't happen. Because all of the horses were around the gate, I took him down to the ring to get on, with the plans of my mom just opening the lower gate to let us into the main field. On the way down to the ring, Gambler was prancing and snorting, and just being a dork. He can sometimes get goofy on the ground, but usually straightens up once I'm on him. Not today. He was super looky, jumping at every noise (gates slamming, people talking/laughing up at the barn, my mom moving her chair, EVERYTHING), ears forward, not listening to me at all.

What is going straight, you ask? What do you mean, you don't want me to drop my shoulder? What is a non-speedy trot? Canter? Hah!

That was our ride. Trotting around at 100000000 mph, head high in the air. Being sassy at the canter and popping his shoulder like nobody's business. Going straight takes way too much effort. It's in fact easier to race around the ring than settle into a nice working trot.

My goodness. It was awful. Where did my well mannered pony go? The one who has been perfect for the past two months?! Seriously, I got so frustrated. Thoughts of, OH MY GOD AND WE HAVE A SHOW IN A MONTH?! ran through my head the entire ride.

I literally got three strides of straightness and called it a day, because I was getting frustrated, and he was just acting so dumb.

On the bright side, it was 55 degrees today.

On the not-so-bright-side, we're supposed to get three inches of snow tomorrow. So that should be fun?

I might try to hack out next ride, but this week may be pony boot camp if this ridiculousness continues. I swear, I need a lesson every day with my trainer. Wednesday needs to hurry up so she can point out the thousand things I'm doing wrong that caused today's trainwreck of a ride.

Tomorrow is a new day, tomorrow is a new day. TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY.

That's what I'm telling myself so I don't cry with frustration and the emotion that is "holy $h^t we have a show in a month and I am going to be thrown off and killed at the rate we're going". 

A Perfect Friday!

Gambler munching on some hay while I tacked Auggie up

The ponies running around yesterday, Gambler on the left

With all of this ridiculous snow, I haven't had a real ride in almost two weeks! Needless to say, I was itching to get back in the saddle, and it was amazing to get three rides in today! Since I didn't have school and our ring was frozen on Wednesday (so no lesson), I had a lesson early this morning. Our ring was okay yesterday, but had re-froze overnight, so I rode Gambler in the field. He was a perfect little saint, despite the fact that he hasn't been ridden since last Monday!

My lesson was great. The ground was pretty hard, so we did mainly walk and some trot, no cantering. It's amazing the things you can do just at the walk! Despite Gambler being very good, he was a little wiggly and distracted being away from the herd. We worked a lot on getting him straight and supple. We also worked on halting just off my seat and leg. Gambler is now learning that whenever I close my leg, he must halt. Eventually, I'll be able to use that cue to ask him to collect. We also worked on getting him to seek the contact. He is doing so well!

We also talked about an appropriate conditioning schedule for Gambler, and came up with what I think will be super beneficial for his training physically and mentally. I'm super excited to see how he flourishes the next few months; I am so blessed to have such a great trainer. Here is what we came up with!

Poor guy was having a rough hair day! 

Sundays will be our hack day. For the next month, I will do hill work at the walk for one hour. At the beginning of March, I will begin adding in three sets of five minute trot sets. Mondays will be a dressage day. We will begin with a short hack in the field to warm up, then focus half our dressage school and softness and stretching, and after a short break, work on more trying things. Tuesdays Gambler gets special attention from my dear friend Florence, who loves him! Wednesdays I have my lesson with Jaclyn, which will be a jumping lesson from here on out. Thursdays will be a shorter and more intense dressage school, and Fridays will be a jump school focusing on whatever Jaclyn wants us to work on.

We'll reevaluate how this is working out probably in the middle of March, and go from there. I can't wait to have a super fit pony! :D

Ponies and sunshine, the greatest things ever! Love God's beauty :) 

After my lesson on Gambler, I rode Auggie. It was so nice to be back in the saddle. This horse is such a steady eddie, and although he isn't super exciting, he can be a fun ride. He was very up and willing today, which was nice! The ring was pretty much melted by the time I was riding Auggie, so we were able to get some nice trots in. He has a nasty habit of dropping his shoulder (much like Gambler) and requires a lot of support (just like Gambler... they must be comparing notes out in the field). We worked a lot on that, and I was really pleased how he was doing by the end of our ride. Hopefully this darn weather starts cooperating so that I can get more consistent rides in on all of the horses.

Auggie is definitely getting in a lot better shape. He had a nasty abscess in the fall that had him out of commission for a while, but he seems to be getting in better shape now. If this weather would just behave, I could start doing more intense trot sets and such on him. Ah, well.

Also - I have it on good accounts that getting a super huge horse (Auggie) the day after leg day is pretty painful. Just a PSA.

After riding the ponies, I went and met my friend Becca! She has a rescue named Oliver who is the darndest (new word?) cutest munchkin ever! He is tiny. It took me a while to get used to riding him, because I felt like he was soooooo narrow! I may or may not have looked ridiculously big on him, but oh well!

My friend Becca has only had him for three weeks. He's a... work in progress. By that, I mean he's a bit of a maniac, but he was really fun! Becca is doing a great job with him, despite his... spazziness. I can't wait to hopefully work with him more and see how he progresses. Right now, he can't canter like a sane creature (oh, he can canter all right! Just not when asked) but boy can he trot! It's funny, he is a super uphill mover. Those rescues, there are so many diamonds in the rough!

I feel so blessed to have such an awesome trainer, because I'm then able to share the knowledge she provides me with to others! When I rode Oliver, I worked on getting him straight and also listening to my seat/leg, not just the reins, which is what he is used to now. He was very responsive and such a good boy! He is so much fun to ride... That stride! Seriously. It feels like he's floating, it's awesome!

Becca is actually hoping to compete him at the show I am, Lord willing, taking Gambler to in March! Speaking of which, I am so excited. Here's to making February the best yet in prep for what will hopefully be an awesome competition season!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It snowed!! A lot! 

We now have about four inches, but had almost eight when it first snowed on Tuesday. 

I've only been out to the farm twice since then, but I was able to snap some pretty pictures. Gambler was of course such a lovebug, and my brother got some really adorable pictures of us.

It was so windy, and my poor pony seemed a little cold.


 I hate the cold so much. The wind, the runny noses, the red cheeks and ears, the layers... I'm just not a fan. I am a summer girl through and through.

I have no idea how people in the north or midwest do this. Seriously. This whole heating waters, smashing ice, having frozen fingers and toes, having your hair freeze on the way to your car...


I am not a fan.

On the bright side... I have an adorably photogenic horse AND a stunning farm to take pictures of.

Even if that is the only brightside. It's something.

And seriously? Isn't God's creation just ridiculously pretty? (Yes, it is) These pictures were taken around four in the afternoon, and I love them. The lighting was really pretty. (Even if it was freezing and I almost suffered from hypothermia as a result)

And also, I have a pretty cute horse too, I guess. He's pretty great, not to mention good looking. He was so happy to see me and gave me lots of snuggles. Even if the majority of the pictures of us are extremely dorky (I can make some pretty hideous

The Latest Events

Greetings, Internet! I haven't blogged in so long! Wow! I had intended on writing a blog post about 2013 in review, but obviously that never happened! 2013 ended well for both of us, with the emergence of an awesome new opportunity, fun hacks in the snow, spending time together on the ground, and a photoshoot with a friend of mine. The final product was impressive! I love getting pictures taken with Gambler... especially when the photographer can make me look pretty like Sarah did! I hope and pray that 2014 will be a good year for us! So far so good, and Gambler continues to be awesome, of course. Gambler is doing so well! God is good as always and continues to bless us with His mercies! 

Gambler continues to amaze me, and has improved so much. Some big things have happened since I last blogged, and I couldn't be more excited about some things on the horizon! I will say it again, God is awesome! Gambler continues to be adorable and try his little heart out, bless him! I am so impressed with this horse. And yes, I say that every time I blog about him, but I mean it! Seriously! He is so good. I will never tire of the view between this marker tipped ears of his! He is such a special horse and I realize that more and more every day! 

Some big changes have gone on since I last blogged! Around the beginning of December, I started training with a local eventer. It has been an amazing experience thus far, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us this coming year! We have been focusing a lot on getting Gambler straight on the flat and all I can say is wow! The difference it has made in both his flatwork and jumping is unbelievable. I feel so blessed to have found my trainer. She has worked wonders and the improvement he has already made is amazing! In addition to getting him straight, we have been getting him to stretch into the contact. Hopefully he will be maintaining a solid training level frame by our first show.

Yes, our first show! March 9th! So exciting. We will be doing a combined test - Intro Test A and an 18" jump course! We have only had two jumping lessons so far, but he has improved so much in just that time! He is very brave to the jumps, and the best part is that I find him to be very adjustable and willing. We did some canter work over fences yesterday for the first time, and he was very willing to adjust  his stride and take the distances I ask! Hooray for an awesome pony, and hopefully he will be just as awesome in the show ring! Gambler still thinks that putting effort into jumps is, well, too much effort! The result - lazy, crazy knees! We will be doing lots and lots of bounces and grids to fix that before our first show! 

It has been awesome to see Gambler get stronger just since working with Jaclyn. His canter is coming along great. We were having a really hard time with his right lead, but under her wisdom, he's doing much better! We have been doing a lot of transition work to get him stronger in the canter, and it seems to be working. She has us cantering half a 20 meter circle, trotting the full thing, cantering half, and so on. It has helped him a lot! We've switched his bit to a big happy mouth eggbutt, and he loves it! He is much more eager to stretch into the contact, and raise his back. It is such a nice change.

Gambler is also getting FAT! Which is a good thing, of course. He is almost at a really good weight, finally! It has been an uphill battle to get him here, but I am so blessed.

His ground manners continue to improve. He now stands on cross ties to be tacked (heck yes!) and even bridles in the aisle now. He is standing for the mounting block, and even let me get on him in the field the other day. It was so nice to just lay on his back and relax while he ate.

And of course, Gambler continues to be a total camera ham! Of course! He loves the camera and having his picture taken! I can't say I can blame him... He just wants to share his good looks with the world!

It is snowing cats and dogs (is that a thing?) today. We're supposed to get up to 8 inches. Needless to say, I probably won't be riding for a few days! Although it would be lovely if I could get in a nice snow hack tomorrow, something that has been a longtime goal with Gambler. The snow is so pretty, and luckily I was able to go get some quick pony cuddles in this morning before the storm hit! We caught some snowflakes as we were running up the hill to the car! I'm sure the farm is gorgeous right now with all the snow, though. It sure was pretty last snow storm!

So what is on the horizon for 2014? Well, I don't entirely know! I'm leaving that one up to God. Other than our first show in March, hopefully we will be able to attend some jumper shows over the summer. Maybe a few xc schools are in store for us. Perhaps another big change that is still in the works. Who knows! Whatever happens, as long as I have the best pony by my side, I know it will be awesome!

Hopefully I actually start blogging every week about my lessons. Maybe then I will remember all of the awesome info that my trainer throws at me! 

Olivia and Gambler!

Today, my friend Olivia came to ride Gambler! It was a lot of fun to see her and catch up. I know her through YoungRider, and she lives super close to me. I rode her horse Riley in the summer (and he is the cutest horse ever, except for Gambler of course).

It's always really fun to see other people ride Gambler. He is much better about other people riding him now then he used to be.

I rode Gambler for a few minutes before Olivia got on. He was so good. He's doing really well. He is still having a hard time going to the left. It's just hard for him to bend and go round, especially in the corners. I have a lesson next week, hopefully, and Heather will be of great help per usual! He got his lead going to the right on our second try today. Baby steps!

The ring is kind of a swamp from the rain/sleet the other day, and one half of the ring is a huge puddle. I wanted to trot Gambler through it and see what he did, but I had a feeling he'd slip, because he is dorky and clumsy!

Olivia looked really good on Gambler. She looks so tiny! He is getting so big, it's insane.

It's so cool to compare his movement in these photos versus photos from a few months ago. Such nice, positive changes, and I love seeing that!

Gambler's new blanket came in the mail yesterday. I spend and arm and a leg and approximately half my soul on blankets last year that Gambler destroyed and no longer fit him. Wah. They were really nice Rambo's, too. I was able to sell one that I never used, and hopefully I'll get around to fixing the other two and selling them for a little bit. He has a nice blanket from Smartpak though. It's an 81", holy moly. It's a little big for him, but he'll grow into it. And he looks awfully handsome in it!

Gambler is so fuzzy this year. Last year he grew hardly any winter coat, but this year he is all fluffy! I guess that means we're going to have a bad winter. He's nice and warm, though; I foresee lots of bareback this winter on the days that I'm too cold to do anything else!

Now, story time. So, Monday I fell off Auggie. It was hilarious. And I want to write this so that in ten years I can look back and laugh again. So, the fat pen ponies haven't been coming in when the rest of the horses do. I had to ride Auggie anyways, so I just volunteered to go look around the field for them. I got up to the top of the far hill, which is close to the road. Well, some dummy drove down the road really fast and honked, and Auggie lost it. Which is so weird because he's usually very calm and when he does spook, they're nothing bad! Well, this time, he jumped forward and to the side. I (not so) gracefully tumbled over his shoulder, "ass over teakettle" as Sally said. I was by myself, which was the scariest part, because I was as far away from the barn as I could get; as I was falling, all I could think about was what if I was paralyzed and I had to army crawl back to the barn! Oh, goodness. Luckily, I am all in one piece, albeit a little sore on Tuesday!

Also, I have a photoshoot with Gambler on Sunday. I am part excited, part terrified, because getting in front of the camera and looking decent isn't really my forte.

Thankful, Thankful, Thankful!

Did I mention I'm really thankful?

Okay, so not a day goes by that I do not thank The Lord for my amazing horse, and all He has blessed me with. If you've read any of my prior posts, you'll see that I pretty much just talk about how blessed I am by my pony just about as often as I use punctuation. But since it's the week of Thanksgiving, I figured I would write a whole long blog post because ya'll. I'm really blessed. And sometimes I don't remember that and snap at my farrier or get annoyed with my horse or cry to my parents about money. Sometimes I want to give up, because I'm so caught up in my own whatever that I don't see how good I have it.

But I have it good. Really, really good, in fact.

First and foremost, I have the best horse ever. And yes, I am super biased. But really, he is just the bomb dot com, and I love him with all my heart. He is the most forgiving horse I have ever met, despite his questionable past, despite the fact that I mess up a lot. He tries his blessed little heart out for me. Even when I am unclear, even when I ask too much, he puts his 100% into it, and I love that. He is the biggest goofball, with the funniest "smiles", the biggest yawns, the cutest face (I mean, seriously), and the dorkiest personality.

I am so beyond thankful for the people who helped Gambler and I get started. I am thankful for Annie, who brought my horse back to her farm as a three day old, and raised him. I am thankful for Jeff, who taught me how to train horses; who put up with me and all of my dumb mistakes, who sparked my interest in Christ, who gave me my passion for horse training, and who has played such a huge role in my life. I am so beyond thankful to my dear friend Kelsi, who has done so much for me and Gambler - who gave both Gambler and I a home and a place of love and safety last summer, who has supported me through everything, who knows more about me than anyone else, who has helped me realize I am good enough, and who has taught me that the people who don't see that don't matter. Though we are now thousands of miles away and don't take as much anymore, that girl means the world to me, because she has helped me and my horse become who we are today, individually and as a team.

I would not have a horse without my parents. Their support in my endeavors with Gambler mean so much to me, and I could not be more blessed. My dad has blessed me with a stable job at his office, that has taught me so much about the business world, as well as supplied me with the funds to pay for my portion of Gambler. My mom and grandmother are the most amazing cheerleaders, and are constantly helping me out in one way or another. I am also grateful for my dear siblings, who put up with me constantly smelling like horses, and who don't grumble (too much) about the fact that my mom is constantly driving me to and from the barn.

I am thankful for all of my amazing friends who have been there for Gambler and I from day one of bringing him home. I am especially blessed by my friends Ada, Madi, Allie, and Rebecca. These girls are just the greatest, and have helped me through so much. There is no way I will ever repay them. Rebecca was very helpful when I first brought Gambler home. She helped me with him so much and blessed me a lot financially, for which I am eternally grateful. She's the sweetest girl ever, and even though time has separated us, I am so beyond blessed to have had her calming and knowledgeable presence the terrifying first few months of owning Gambler. Ada and Madi have been here for me since before Gambler even came into my life. These girls are hands down my two best friends, and I love them both dearly. They're such amazing people and I don't know what I did to deserve such loyal, unconditionally loving, and amazing friends. They have blessed Gambler and I on so many levels, and I don't know how I will ever repay them. Ada continues to be my comic relief, my confidante, and the girl who puts me to shame with my riding because there is not a single inch of her that is not dripping with talent. Madi has helped me with Gambler's training so much, and has been such a source of light and encouragement to me throughout our struggles. She is such a loyal friend whom I love dearly. Allie is equally as amazing as all of these girls. She has encouraged me to improve and reach new heights in both my training with Gambler and my relationship with Christ. She's also the funniest person to ever live, and I love her dearly.

Gambler and I are so beyond lucky to have been able to learn from a lot of wonderful horsewomen this past year or so. There are absolutely no words to express how thankful I am to have been able to work with a friend of mine, Sarah, last winter. She helped Gambler and I through a very difficult time, and helped me to put some finishing touches on Gambler's very basic walk-trot-canter training. More recently, I have been able to take some lessons with my wonderful barn owner. She has taught me so much, and observing her riding her personal horses has really aided in my personal development as a rider/trainer. I have developed a love and appreciation for dressage that I never thought I could possess, and more than that, I have come to appreciate the hard work that it takes to run a farm. Heather is one of the strongest people I know, and I could not be more honored to be able to learn from her, about every aspect of life. I am thankful for Florence, who came into my life at an essential time, and has given me the confidence that I can do this. I am also thankful for Heather's sister, Kim, who is such a sweet warrior of a woman, and who will be helping me teach Gambler how to jump. I am so blessed to be able to learn from these women.


I am thankful for my awesome farrier, who puts up with me, and who has helped Gambler in so many ways. Gambler's feet weren't great when I first bought him, but thanks to my awesome farrier's hard work, they are now!

Last, but most certainly not least, I am thankful for my Sovereign Lord, who has somehow seen it fit to bless me with such an enormously wonderful life, dripping in blessings. Even though I mess up a lot, He loves me. And that truth has helped me through so much. Gambler and I have faced a lot of obstacles in our time together, as anyone who knows me personally knows. The Lord has helped us through a lot, when the odds were stacked against us big time. For that, I am so thankful. And I know, that whatever will happen, next week, a year from now, ten years from now... My God has got this.

On a few unrelated notes... my horse has been amazing (see the pictures of him struttin' it above as reference), and also, this is our third winter together. Time flies when you're having fun?!