Two Years!

Baby Gambler! 

On October 8, 2011, my life changed. It was what I thought would be a normal Columbus Day Monday at the farm - morning feed, stripping the baby barn, doing miscellaneous chores, hilarious conversations over lunch, helping with training and maybe riding. And yes, in that sense, everything was normal. But on that day, the Lord introduced me to the horse who would change my life. 

Gambler. 

The picture I sent to my mom, of my new horse

It was a cold morning for early October, and I was doing feed with Kelsi. I remember our conversation word for word. We were feeding field four and five, when I spotted this huge, handsome bay gelding trotting around in field four. He had a black halter on, and was covering so much ground!

"Who is that, Kelsi?" I asked. 

She shrugged. "Garfunkel. He was over at Remington and had an uncanny knack for jumping the fence. He ran through it when we were over there and has a chin abscess, so now he's here." She seemed annoyed about it, for a reason I couldn't fathom. 

After I scarfed down a sandwich, I went out into the field and pet Garfunkel, telling him he was so cute and that I loved him. His chin abscess needed cleaning, and I volunteered. He'd never been led before, I was warned. He might do something stupid away from the herd. He was really big, was I sure I wanted to be the one to lead him down to the barn (a very long walk)?

Gambler being lunged

I took him into the barn, and tied him to go get the stuff to clean his chin. He stood there and turned his head to look at me. He had a funny way of turning his head - not his neck, just his head. It's something we'd laugh about for a long time. The first words I told Garfunkel down at the barn that day was, "You're just so cute! Do you want to come home with me?" Tracy walked by, and commented on how much he seemed to like me. "You should go home with her, Garfunkel!" She crooned. We turned him out in the little lot behind the barn to do some chores, before lunging him over some poles to see what he did. I snapped a couple of pictures of him, which I excitedly texted to my mom, telling her about "my new horse!"

First time sitting on Gambler

Seeing as Gambler had barrelled through fences several times, we decided we should lunge him over some poles to see what he did. I have some videos, and they make me laugh because he was the biggest klutz ever at that point. 

For the next few months, every Saturday that I was out there was spent playing with Gambler. The first thing I would do when I arrived at the barn was go see Gambler, and love on him. I have such wonderful memories of quiet, misty winter mornings spent hugging Gambler's neck in the field, watching my breath freeze right in front of me. 

And then Chris and Mike came along. Mike was doing morning feeding and wanted to start working with horses. I still remember meeting them on a snowy morning, hopping into the truck as they drove down from the mustang field. When we got to the field G was in, I excitedly introduced them to my horse. Mike smiled sadly. "We're planning on adopting him!" And that's when I thought the sky was going to come crashing down around me. My horse? No! They couldn't! "I... oh!" I said, smiling weakly, trying to hide my fear. "Maybe I could work with him for you guys!" They agreed to that. 

I spent the next few months in fear, wondering when my precious horse was going to be taken away. I talked to Mike, and he promised me that I could always come out and ride Gambler once they took him home.

And then the adoption fell through. I'll admit it, I was happy and excited. As horrible as that sounds, I was so relieved. 

Day 1 of horse ownership!

It was at this point that Jeff became such a large part of our lives, about February of 2012. He started working with Gambler for me once or twice a week as well as mentoring us on Saturdays. Jeff is largely a part of my success, and all of the ground work and exercises I know I can attribute to Jeff. 

I sat on Gambler for the first time on March 17, 2012. My goal had been to get on Gambler by my birthday, April 9th. When Jeff told me to go get my helmet, I was in shock! When I first got on Gambler, I burst into tears. I could not believe it. I was sitting on the horse I had trained! The one I loved more than I thought possible! I had done it!

The condition Gambler was in when I first bought him

This was just the beginning. I rode Gambler two more times at Eagle Hill. 

Around mid-April, Gambler started rapidly losing weight, due to what I now speculate was ulcers. It broke me to the core. Here I was, 13 years young, knowing nothing about horses, watching my horse waste away before me, with nothing I could do about it. 

So I asked my parents if I could buy Gambler. And they laughed at me, until I showed them pictures of his poor condition. And then they said I could buy him. The next few weeks involved me frantically calling a million barns and asking my friends all sorts of questions and trying to get everything squared away. 

Gambler and Kiki (about three weeks after I bought him)

On May 12, 2012, my mom and I signed the papers that officially made us Gambler's owner. It was one of the happiest days of my life, and so nerve wracking. All of a sudden, I was in charge of this horse. Whatever happened to him, I was responsible. 

It was thrilling and scary at the same time. I now had Gambler all to myself! 

Those first few weeks of having Gambler home were brutal. As he got more energy, his personality really started to come through, but he also tested me. He would rear, he would back up at rapid speeds. I vividly remember how one time I was lunging him in the field, and he took off galloping! I let go of the lunge line, and he ran around the field for a good five minutes with the line flying out behind him, until he stepped on it and broke the breakaway on his halter. 

One of the last few weeks that I had been at Eagle Hill, I met a woman who happened to have adopted a horse and boarded in McLean! About a month into owning Gambler, she started to come help me once a week. We had him going on the lunge with tack, and planned on getting on him by the end of summer.

At the end of June, Gambler got hurt. I first noticed it one afternoon when my friend Becca was out, and he had a little heat in his right front. He was barely lame, but I could see it. I freaked out. I called the farrier, who came out the next day. He told me he could barely feel the heat, but that it was definitely there, and that I needed the vet out to further assess it. The vet came out and told me that he'd probably injured a tendon, but only an ultrasound would tell; regardless, he'd need to be on stall rest. I started frantically calling layup places, and they all said the same thing. Board would be about $1k a month. I was working for my dad once a week, and at this point barely paying for a quarter of board. I freaked out. We couldn't pay $1k! Then I called Kelsi. She was working at a polo horse vacation farm, and told me that I could keep Gambler there for even less than what I was paying at Linda's. Gambler went to Kelsi's farm the next day, and that began what was the best summer of my life. I stayed at Kelsi's multiple days per week, and spent the hours in a sunny daze of laughter, manual labor, greasy food, learning how to drive the golf cart, swimming in the moonlight, watching crappy TV, leading horses while she drove the gator, and more. 

Gambler's second week under saddle. 

Gambler was on stall rest for a month, before he was started back into work in August. The plan was for me to move him back up near me in September, so I could see him multiple days a week while in school. I rode Gambler for the first time on August 12. I rode him off the lunge line for the first time later that week and we even trotted. Those were some of the happiest days of my life. Kelsi rode him the days I couldn't, and we cantered the morning of September 2 (on the lunge), before I brought him home. 

And then it was back to square one again. When I brought Gambler home, he had been under saddle for less than three weeks. We did a lot of groundwork, and slowly he got better under saddle. Here I was, 14 years old, riding a horse who had been under saddle for only a handful of days, all by myself! It was exciting and terrifying, and I loved every minute of it. 

Our bond continued to grow, and we both continued to improve. 

Then Chris past away. As I mentioned above, Chris had been planning on adopting Gambler. His death shook me to the core for a number of reasons, but I started to feel like maybe Gambler wasn't supposed to be mine. I almost gave him to Mike, but somehow I didn't give up.

Yet, I still had something tugging on my heart. I stopped riding Gambler as much, and generally dreaded going to the barn. I took a few lessons with Heather, which helped to an extent, but my heart still wasn't in it. 

In December, the amazing Sarah, who had worked with Gambler when I first got him, re-entered our lives. She saw there was something wrong with our relationship, and gave me the reality check I needed. 

From our photo shoot in March! 

Sarah continued to work with Gambler and I through the winter, and slowly we both started to improve, feeding off of each other's new found confidence. 

In March, something happened. Gambler became grouchy, angry, and sluggish. He lost weight rapidly. Something wasn't right. I suspected ulcers, and put him on ulcer-guard. It was expensive and sad to lose a month of our training, but we strengthened his behavior on the ground. 

In April, I finally got back on Gambler. We continued to make progress, but I felt like we were in a holding pattern of no improvement. I pressed through, however. We started riding strictly in the field, and I started to finally have fun on Gambler! It was refreshing. The beginning of the summer was off to a great start, even though I was no longer taking lessons. We spent the summer simply having fun, galloping around the field like maniacs, riding bareback in the pouring rain, relaxing and not really doing any work. It was fun, if not the greatest. 

And then Gambler went lame in August. Always something, huh? White Line Disease. My wonderful farrier put shoes on Gambler in the beginning of September, and we've been back in work since. 

These past few months, I have started to take a few lessons, and as I have mentioned before, Gambler now has a leaser who rides him on Tuesdays. Classical dressage training has really made him improve, and I have learned so much. Gambler continues to be amazing and the goofball he always has been. His work ethic has really started to shine through and he is really maturing mentally nicely. I love him with all of my heart, through his shenanigans, through my mess-ups, through the days that don't go like I wanted. He tries his heart out for me, knows how to make me smile and laugh like a mad woman, and just has the funniest personality ever. I am so blessed with this horse, and pray that we have many more years together! The opportunities with this horse are endless, and I feel like he would do anything. 

We have had people doubt us, I have doubted us! I have been told I was stupid to by a horse for love instead of talent (not that he is lacking in it) and that he was worthless, I should have left him at Eagle Hill. I have almost lost this horse many, many times. We have faced hardships, mental, financial, physical. I have cried and screamed and been too rude to him. He has been pushy and a stupid four year old. We have forgiven each other. We love each other. We compliment each other well, if I do say so myself. We have had people against us, but more than that, we have had people support us. And for that I am so, so thankful. Here's to many more years with the best pony by my side! 

**Yes, I know this is, oh, almost a month late. What of it?**

These Last Two Weeks!

So, I realized I haven't been great (read: really bad) about blogging these past couple of weeks! Here's just a little summary to catch everyone up to date. Gambler has been doing really well. I am very impressed, thankful, blessed... you name it. He has matured mentally so much, it just blows me away on a daily basis. He still of course has his expected baby moments, but he has gotten much more respectful on the ground and under saddle. Baby's growing up!

Two Sunday's ago, my best friend Ada came out to ride Gambler. She adored him, and it made my heart happy. Ada is honestly the greatest person ever. She has helped Gambler and I through so much, and we wouldn't be here without her. She is one of the most, if not the most, talented rider I have ever met, and went to IEA Nationals last year! When she's famous, I'll get to be all "yeah, that girl was my best friend, holla!" and it will be awesome. Anyhow, she's going to start riding Gambler whenever she is free and, Lord willing, will be the first one to jump him at a show. :) Dear Ada: if you're reading this. I love you. Incase you were wondering. Well anyways, Ada rode Gambler and adored him! She had a huge smile plastered to her face the entire time, and it was basically the cutest thing ever.

Ada even jumped Gambler over his first cross rail, and it was seriously adorable. I have jumped him over a few cross rails in the past and the log out in the field, but this was his first time cantering a jump, and he took it like a little pro. Since, I have jumped him twice, and am on cloud nine!

Then and now! How times have changed! :) 

I honestly can't even believe how far this horse has come. It just blows my mind. Tuesday, October 8, marks two years with this horse. I am so beyond proud of the progress we have made, and am excited for the progress that will come within the next two years. Gambler has gone from a skinny, timid, awkward, disrespectful, confused, three year old, and is slowly turning into a star. Now he shines with health and confidence, is generally well behaved, is learning every day, and is five and a half! When I met Gambler, I was a thirteen year old with absolutely no clue who I was. I was hurt, and sad, and scared, to name a few things. I was utterly lost, had no faith in anything, and didn't love life. I am now fifteen, full of love for Jesus, and passionate about life! I am so thankful to the Lord for having blessed me with Gambler. We both saved each other in various ways, and I know for a fact that my life would not be the same without this amazing horse. I feel so beyond blessed to call him mine and pray that we have forever together.

Gambler is continuing to learn how to move correctly over the back, and get round. He is doing wonderfully at this, and improves every day. I continue to joke that he wants to be a Western Pleasure horse, because he'll oftentimes put his head down in the dust and just jog along with no care in the world!

His canter has also improved in leaps and bounds (and strides, I s'pose). He is slowly starting to get more balanced, especially going to the left, which is his hard way. His corners are still kind of atrocious and terrifying, but we'll get there. He had  kind of developed a "dirty" canter, in that he was always trying to trot, so I have started riding him in spurs. I don't need to use them, but I think they have helped him mentally in that he knows that he will get a little poke if he tries to trot. Now, he doesn't even try, and just canters along like a perfect little pony!

He is continuing to do well for his leaser. I am sure he enjoys the relaxing time he gets with her. I am so thankful to the Lord for blessing Gambler and I with Florence's presence. It really sparked a change for the better in our training, because I realized I needed to just get out there, ask people for help, and it would all be okay. With the stress of school, it's nice to have someone go out and love my horse for me once a week. And he sure deserves the rest.

I did some tiny tiny tiny cross rails with Gambler last week under Florence's guidance, but they were so small he was able to just step over them. I had a jumping lesson with Heather this past Monday though, and it was so beyond amazing. I just can't even believe how blessed I am to have this fabulous horse in my life. He takes such amazing care of me, it blows my mind. We started off with cavelettis, then to a small cross rail. I was tense, and Gambler got that. As Heather put it, he wanted to take care of me, so was sucking back and hesitating, as if waiting for me to tell him it was okay, and then he'd just trot over that. Because we weren't really getting anywhere, I got off, and we lunged him over a larger jump. My word! This animal can jump! Them knees! Then I got back on, and we cantered a jump. I was still a little tense, but Gambler was ready, he was just taking care of me. I prayed through it, and loosened up and relaxed a little. It was so amazing and fun. Our last jump, which Heather didn't get on video, was perfect. The second pole was raised to a vertical, so we basically jumped a (baby) oxer! Yay pony! So proud of him. He just blows me away, he took such wonderful care of me and jumped like he'd been doing it his whole life!

I am so excited to learn with Gambler and get back into jumping as he learns how to jump for the first time! It will be a great experience for both of us, I think.

I am also so proud of him for how he went for Heather. She rode him for the first half of our lesson and couldn't stop talking about how wonderfully he was doing! I look up to Heather so much. She is such a talented rider and trainer, who has so graciously allowed me to learn from her. Her saying that I have done a good job with Gambler is the absolute utmost compliment, and I feel so honored for her to think that.

The rest of this week, we have just been doing flat work. I also rode Auggie yesterday. Preparing for Month of Hell, also known as No Stirrup November, by dropping the stirrups for the whole ride! I can do no stirrups on Gambler, piece of cake. He is comfortable, and I am so used to riding him that I can sit his stride very well. Auggie is a whole other story. His trot is bouncy, lofty, lurchy, inconsistent... awful. It isn't that lovely to post, with stirrups. It is even less lovely to post without stirrups. And sitting?! Oh boy.  Somehow I did it, though! Poor Auggie has really been run through the gutter. He had that nasty abscess and then was sound on and off. He came in lame on Monday, so the vet came out and did extensive (synonym for expensive) x-rays, and thinks there may be a bone chip that has gotten irritated due to the abscess. Today he finished up his round of antibiotics, but poor guy hasn't been feeling so hot as a result. I rode him very lightly yesterday just to stretch him out, but he was super groggy and lethargic. Today he was running a fever, wasn't eating, drinking, or pooping. Poor baby, hopefully he feels better soon.

Today my ride on Gambler was great! It actually started pouring rain as I was tacking up, but the sun was still out! A few minutes after I started riding, I saw a rainbow! Of course had to take a picture! Isn't it gorgeous?! I feel so blessed to be able to bask in God's beauty, while worshipping Him doing what I love best, thanks to the talent's He's given me. Oh, I just love my God!

I also adore riding in the rain. Any rain. Hot, summer rain, or cold, winter, sleet-y rain. There's something just so awesome and fun about it! Luckily it stopped raining though, so we didn't get drenched! Today I worked with Gambler a lot on circles. Circles til he dropped! He did really well and is definitely starting to get more balanced, even going to the left. Our last trot was nice, stretchy, and he was bending around my leg very well. I'm hoping to be able to take another lesson on him within the next few weeks, because Heather always makes great progress with him within just one ride!

We also did lots of canter work, and he was great! We had some great walk-canter transitions yesterday, so today we worked on canter-walk transitions. Piece of cake for this pony! He's so fabulous!

He gets tomorrow and Saturday off, which I'm sure he's ecstatic about. He has been an absolute pill to catch this week, so a couple days off will hopefully let his brain recuperate from the overload of work (shocker... he's been ridden every day this week. Novel concept!),  so that he's well behaved and respectful on Sunday. I'm excited because I'm taking pictures of Kim and Rita on Sunday! So thankful for this amazing barn; amazing people, amazing horses... The Lord is so good and so faithful! He has blessed me with so much, and I am beyond grateful. Gambler really is the biggest blessing in my life. I know I say that on essentially every post. But it's true. He makes me smile so big. He makes me laugh. He makes me cry sometimes, and then he makes it all better. He makes me so darn happy. When I'm with him, I'm content. He's the best de-stressor ever! He's taught me so much. He's taught me how to not give up, and he's taught me how to ask for help when I need it. He's taught me how to forgive, he's taught me how to ask for forgiveness when I mess up. He has taught me to trust, to close my eyes and trust that someone will catch me when I jump. He has taught me that being trusted is a privilege, not a right, and how to earn someone's trust. He has taught me how to love, he has taught me to not take love for granted. He has taught me how to pick myself back up every time I am broken, and he has picked m up and glued me back together. He accepts my crazy, my scared, my angry, my happy, my sad. He accepts it all, and forgives me when I do something wrong. He loves me, he tests me, he entertains me. And I love it. I love every minute of it, even when I don't. Because what this horse has taught me is priceless, worth more than all of the money and hard work and sweat and tears that has gone into this animal. It is priceless. In these past two years, I have learned so much. I have so much more to learn, but luckily I have the best pony ever who will be by my side while I learn it!

My Horse is a Saint

Incase anyone was wondering.

Want proof?

Today. Everything about today. But mostly, how hard this horse tries for me. I just can't even put into words how proud and impressed I am of this creature. He has a heart of gold, and he truly showed that to me today. Now, more than ever, I believe this horse would sooner hurt himself, crash through a fence instead of refusing, anything, to try to please.

I just have no words.

Today, we had a perfect ride. He was not great about tacking up, but I was optimistic we'd have a good ride. Well, I get down to the ring and he was meh about getting on. I had to get off to tighten my girth which I couldn't do from the saddle, and he was perfect for when I mounted a second time. Then I dropped my crop, got off, got on again and he was great.

We had a flawless walk trot ride. Perfect transitions, he stayed consistently round, it was great. I cantered him going to the left per usual, and then decided to try the right lead canter, which I hadn't done in a while, because that's the way that he would always pull me to the rail. He was a saint. I just can't even. But it gets even more amazing. I wasn't supporting him enough with my outside leg around a corner, and he got off balance and tripped. Not just a normal trip but a pretty big, almost to the knees, kind of trip. And he somehow managed to get up and keep cantering, without breaking stride. Say what?! What a perfect little boy. Well, after doing some more work, we went to canter that way again, and he picked up the wrong lead. He tried so hard to fix it, and it was hard for him. First, he went from being on the wrong lead to switching his lead in the back. He was so confused, and reallllllly wanted to get it. I was like, okay, we can trot bud, and start over, but he wouldn't. He eventually got it. I'm such a proud momma.

You guys, this is the horse that I've never taught lead changes too. He has auto changes in the field, and on the lunge... but this?! I couldn't even believe it.

I can't wait to start jumping him. His giving heart and desire to please blows me away, and I think he will be a great honest jumper because of it; he will try his heart out to get good distances for me, take the bad ones I give him, be awkward but not refuse... I just have a feeling.

I'm blessed, ya'll. Really blessed.