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!