Dressage Day One

We survived! Who knew a little white fence and judge shack could be so terrifying!

Lots of firsts for Savvy today:

1. Box stall! Yes, Savvy, you need to go in it. No, Savvy, the pile of shavings in the middle will not eat you. Yes, the door needs to be closed, but no, it will not move like the dreaded trailer.

2. Warm up arena! Yes, Savvy, other horses will move around. No, they won't hurt you. No, you do not need to call dramatically to each horse that leaves. Yes, you have to move around too!

3. Dressage ring! Noooo, Savvy, don't spook at the judges' booth....(hand on forehead--just carry on). Yes, corners are for turning...crap not turning...omg we are an inch away from jumping out...(hand on forehead--did I just squeak out loud?--just carry on).



Loving the sand box!

Best part -- there is a day 2!!

Show Day!

We are off to our first dressage show this morning!

It is called "Give it a Go" with the first day receiving a 45-minute slot to ride the test and then get feed back and coaching on it. The second day is the show.

Savvy has been bathed...twice. White horses are a permanent struggle.

Truck and trailer packed.

Strawberry daiquiri packed (**in case of emergency-open bottle**).

Wish me luck!

No more ponies, no more ponies, okay just one more!

If someone had told me Thursday morning I would be owning one more horse, I would have laughed and laughed.

One, I have no money.

Two, the one and only next horse on this property would be a perfectly trained, quiet, medium-sized pony, has to be mare, safe for kids, not too old, not sick and affordable. Ha! Even typing it now, it sounds unrealistic.

So at 10:00 a.m. when I passed by an add for a broke, quiet, medium-sized pony, mare, 'suitable for inexperienced rider', 12 years old, alive and breathing on all four legs, and ... affordable. Ha! I immediately pulled hubby to the computer and said 'voila! Our children's ever-desired trusty steed!'

And he didn't say no. The crazy man FORGOT to say NO and further more, said how the funds could be found...I might have almost died on the spot! I couldn't feel my legs and my heart was beating wildly. I may have said I would message the seller and my hubby left for work.

Many hours later (many hours in a truck pulling a trailer with two intermittently fighting children on a road to the middle of nowhere*ohmygodkillme*) I arrived in a yard of said pony for sale.

She emerged from a box stall all fluffy mane and big sweet eyes. I could tell she was kind instantly. We went over a thousand questions and then the seller saddled her up and rode her in the round pen. A thousand more questions and then I got on and tried her out. Broke! Not back yard pony broke but nice riding horse broke.

Of course I bought her. I wanted to throw up and jump for joy at the same time.

All I had to do now was first survive the long drive back with really tired, extra grumpy, hungry children and pray hubby would remember NOT saying NO when I got home. Then, of course I got a flat tire. Okay, cosmic gods are going to make me earn this pony. Handled and back on the road. I even think I could have done it on my own if the good samaritan hadn't stopped and helped.

Please welcome the newest member of our little farm!  

Meyla, 12 years old, 13.1 hh, Icelandic Pony

I think hubby will be okay...eventually.



Heart Horses

Jen from Stories from the Saddle asks:

Do you currently have your "heart horse"? What makes a "heart horse" to you? If you don't own a horse, have you ever leased a "heart horse"?

I have been incredibly fortunate to have been blessed with the horses that have come into my life. Writing this has really highlighted that for me and it reiterates we may not get what we want at any given time, but we do seem to get what we need.

My first heart horse was a pony named Flicka. This sweet, forgiving pony was at the mercy of an unsupervised seven-year-old's imagination.












She was my race horse, my trick pony, my cross country adventure and my get-away partner in crime. I had over 100 acres of farm to explore and did so on my little super pony. Every little girl should have her Flicka.










 

I also was lucky enough to find Good And Cozy. We bought her as a just turning 4-year-old Thoroughbred. I challenged her to do all the things and she met the challenge (and I mean everything - English jumping and dressage, western pleasure, reining, trail, barrel racing, pole bending, etc.)  I loved Cozy so much, but I don't believe my teenage brain really appreciated the gem she was. Now as an adult and having experienced so many other horses in my life, I can now see just how lucky I was to have a horse like her.





 

Family.

Miss Tea is hands down THE heart horse. I know this is the result of owning her from a baby and going through so much personal struggles with myself and health issues with her. We know each other inside and out and she helped me through one of the toughest stretches of my life. I almost gave up on horses, and in choosing to work with her and complete her training, we made it to this incredible point together. We overcame our fears together and rely on each other in a way that nobody can understand. It is strange, when I look at her I don't even see a 'horse', more like a soul I know very well.




She always makes me smile! :)

And finally Savvy. She is the unexpected grasp on my hand and heart that I cannot shake off. I never liked Arabians. She is half arab. I have love of tall horses. She is 14.1. White? Really? How do you keep that clean? The moment she put her muzzle to my hand as I led her around when first meeting her, she had me. She has something special. She engages you, looks into you and wants to speak to you. She is the most "interested" horse I have ever come across. She wants to know/do/see/touch all the things!

All in the family

Kidlets and ponies and shows, oh my!

Showmanship Halter Class

My son has been in a few shows before this one, but it would be my daughter's first show.


We entered PeeWee showmanship halter class and lead line riding for 8 and under.


I entered a couple of English flat classes and loved the experience of not giving a darn how they went. I was basically using them as a warm-up for Miss Tea so I would be assured she would be good for hubby and my son in the lead line class.

My son placed first in halter class and my daughter placed third.


I then had my English pleasure class which went well, followed by English equitation (which was a pattern) and then Hunter Hack.




This actually really happened!

I was a bit surprised Hunter Hack was also a pattern and had two jumps it - a cross rail and then a massive-looking vertical. Strangely enough, I did not get nervous and Miss Tea did it perfectly.




Then our final class was the lead line. I led my daughter on our rogue pony and hubby had our son on Miss Tea. (It was also hubby's first class ever!! sqee!)





Pony dashed a bit and my daughter fell off, but I scooped her up, plopped her back on and carried on! She sounded excited when she said "That was my first time falling off!" and did fine for the rest of the class. 




All the little riders in the class tied for first of course, and received a fun bag of treats and toys along with their ribbon.

It all went so well, we might to it again at a different show next weekend!

 

Savvy goes to school

I am on cloud nine! Savvy girl had her very first official riding lesson in an indoor arena.

This is the arena we were headed to - so lovely and bright!

So many what ifs were in my head. Would she be okay in the indoor arena? Would I even be able to get on her for our lesson? Would I live? (haha..ha...of course I new I'd be fine. Emergency dismount is my specialty after all.)

When I arrived coach was so lovely and helpful. She made sure all gates were open and didn't rush me. I saddled up at my trailer and headed into the arena to hand walk Savvy around and let her take it all in.

Coach had another rider scheduled to ride with us to help Savvy feel a bit more secure. While I waited for her to saddle up, I had plenty of time to just chill and walk snorty girl around.



always cute

Finally it was time to get on and when I sat in the saddle I was happy to find a quiet pony under me. She is still learning about standing still for mounting and did a great job of it!

Off we went and she felt fabulous. I concentrated on holding the reins with loose contact and just focused on quiet forward movement. When ever I lost her attention I would quietly ask her head back to forward and then back to loose rein.

Before I knew it, we were doing trot exercises. She took it all in stride, but ended up getting tired and I actually had to use my crop now and then to encourage her on, but in her defence it was soooo hot and I don't think I ever trotted her that long all at once before.



practicing trot circles the day before our outing

It all went so well and visions of dressage piaffes and passage are dancing in my head! I have trained horses before, but every time when I reach that moment where I can see it - that moment of "Yes! This horse is becoming a riding horse!" I am always humbled and amazed by a horse's willingness to listen, learn and try for us.

I can't wait for next week's lesson!

Trying all the things

This past weekend I signed up for a Distance Riders clinic and intro ride. I am so delusional.

What the pros look like.

Me.   Stop laughing.

In the morning clinic we were without horses and we learned about the sport and went over what is involved in the vet checks when starting and coming in from a loop. It was very interesting to learn about all my horse's vitals and how to take them.

About half way in my brain started to realize that the afternoon ride was not going to be a relaxing trail ride in the park...just breath...it will be great...

Miss Tea is a bit of a princess. She grew up in a rectangle pasture with level ground and no trees.

And she is not exactly...agile...princess can trip like no other over a pebble.

But we did it! Baby girl went through that bush like a bull in a china shop! She stumbled her way over fallen twigs, wavered and wiggled her way in and out of deep horse trails, spooked at fallen trees and boulders. I'm so proud of her for staying up on all fours! lol... Special baby.

Needless to say, this sport is challenging and stuff like conditioning is necessary. And an agile horse might be a good start too.

Hey, I had fun and my horse seemed pretty into it, so I call it a win!