Schooling Aftermath - Malachi's Dirty

     Schooling went great! Princess and I did lots of little logs and some beginner novice stuff. I don't think she had as much of a blast as I did, but she still looked great out there. Annie, (Kayln's horse) threw a shoe over the first couple of jumps and we has to pause. It was a good thing we did because it poured for two hours. When we got tacked up again the ground was all sloppy and wet so I was real cautious when jumping, but I can confidently say that we reached 2'6.

     I went out to the barn Wednesday and messed around with Malachi. He was so dirty that I just didn't feel like grooming all of that dirt, so I lunged him and bathed him. While we were lunging, I threw in some caveletties and he jumped three feet! I was so proud of hims! He jumped them all willingly, and he definitely had room to go bigger! I'm super excited to jump him myself.

Before Malachi's bath!

After the bath!

Schooling Tomorrow

     So tomorrow I'm schooling the Princess pony cross country at Longwood Farm South. I'm super excited because this is my first time ever schooling cross country anywhere besides a show. I plan to school Princess one more time after this but before she actually shows a full three phase. I would like to take Malachi, but one he'd be too much work, two there is only one other person schooling with me with one horse, and three he isn't quite ready to jump anyway. But I'm contently taking Princess to say the least.

     I am a little nervous about my vest if anything because it's my sister's vest, and we have quite a size difference. The vest is too tight and too short for me, but I can make it work without it looking too ridiculous. Mostly, I'm very excited. I've never jumped anything close to what these jumps claim to be in prestige or wideness. The only cross country I've ever down was down in Brooksville, Florida, and I did an Amiba class with Spyface, and it was all basically fallen logs and an occasional brush box with flowers. I'm hoping to have lots of fun with Kayln and Annie. There will be a stockpile of pictures and videos!

Yesterday's Ride Update

     As usual, we all were out at the barn yesterday and riding happened. :o Yes, it did. First I rode Malachi, and took forever tacking up because I had to change his browband over to the beautiful shiny new one I ordered last week and braid his mane. He's also really huge, and a quick tack-up can take about as long as an average tack-up. This lasted about 65 minutes. I was not at all impressed with myself. Everyone else had already ridden, and they were dismounting when I got on. :/ So, when I get his big butt out there I ride by myself, and I'm perfectly okay with that. We did a training test yesterday and I must admit that I'm truly shocked he did so well. The leads were a minor struggle because now he's getting his bad lead mixed up for when he goes on the other lead... It may be because I've been letting him end when he gets the bad lead correct, so he thinks, "I'll just get the bad lead, so I can end." Hims a very smart horsey-butt.

     So after I rode him it showered a little bit, which was okay, because we thought the storm would pass, so I go get Princess. We've decided to go schooling cross country at Longwood Farms next week, and I really need to get her ready for the three phase. Once she's all tacked up, I go ride around a little, planning to only work on the gallop and speed portion. I want to say this now, even if I don't know how long she can gallop, but this pony can run. She is so fast. I look ridiculous because I'm too tall for her, but all I can say is that she didn't care who was on her back, she wanted to run. It was good for her, she wanted to keep going, but after galloping over a couple of blown down sticks and limbs, she calmed and found a steadier rhythm. As soon as I got off, a giant hole opened in the clouds and it rained like God wanted us to craft an arc. We made it back to the pasture just in time. Sorry, no pictures my camera would have died by the willpower of the rain.

Princess Picture

     Yaaay!! I painted a pretty picture of the pony, Princess! Although I am no artist, I've never attempted an equine portrait before, and I must say that I am very pleased with the turnout. Usually I paint birds or mini sized doodles. I think the smaller I draw, the more accurate the picture because I've never drawn anything on this scale of largeness. This painting was done with tempera paints, (cheap egg paint) and I used a manilla folder because I don't have canvases or large-enough paper. But, nonetheless, I'm still proud of it even if it does look crappy on the computer screen. The colors are more vibrant and healthy looking in person.

Malachi in Braids! Eva Update!

     So, since it's been so darn hot, the boy needs a break from that thick mane he has. I've decided to do individual braids, because lets face it, I'm a horrible stylist. But while it was about to rain, I decided to kill time by taking a couple snapshots of his crappily done braids. I would totally french braid him, but no matter how many tutorials I watch, or how many times I try to learn with my mom who is a professional hair stylist, I can never get it going right. So here's those pretty pictures of hims. :>

I usually have bands, but when I'm braiding for fun, I'd rather him take them out.

He looks like a mule! And the forelock braid sucks!

Handsome :D

     Also today I worked the Eva! Well, if you consider getting her out to groom and walk her around a workout that is. But we've been practicing the "look at me" technique. She's getting better with those ground manners. I expect she'll be a fabulous horse because of how she's becoming more sensitive to us. She was quite a mess when we brought her out. She was definitely in need of some mane and tail conditioner!

The Horses and Ponies

This is my beautiful boy Malachi. He's a 15.2 hand Andalusian x Percheron. We do dressage right now but since he's sort of a project we're working up to three-phase. I fantasize he'll be a great jumper one day. I bought him last year for quite a steal of a price, so I'm very lucky to even ride an animal of his potential. If there's any updates, he's mostly the star.

This is Evangeline, she's an absolutely gorgeous 15.1 hand Belgian/Haflinger mix of some sort.  So far she's a project of ours. She will be a fabulous jumper one day!

This adorable little pony is Princess, a train and sell project of ours. I've been riding her for my sister while her arm is broken, and I plan to show her in a couple of three phases before she goes. She's a 13.0 hand Quarter pony.

My sister's hand-me-down pony, Spy. She is a 13.0 power house pony whom we love with all our hearts.

The Equestrian - How we do it.

We do not seek the erratic perception of physical surge, or the aptitude of mental dominance – but we do strive to maintain an adhesive bond between both hearts. We create harmony, cadence, and power behind gentle aids and assertive reinforcement. That is simply all it takes to be an equestrian. Respecting each wild-hearted is how horse and rider coexist. It is not in the ways that we hold our reins, however, in the ways we hold our hearts.

No matter the discipline, all equestrianism involves attachment – whether the horse is attached to you physically or soulfully. Riding the horse isn’t required; nothing is ever required. Limits are nonexistent as are goals, but prediction is what seems to hold back a lot of our equestrians, as they do not even know the time it will take to become real friends with their magnificent partner.

Most times it takes many weeks to determine whether or not horse and rider will pair well, but I must say that in the couple weeks it took to approach my own horse with a positive attitude I saw past the deep brown defiance in his eyes and saw myself reaching impeccable heights. It was until that day the mental bond sealed, and I was carried away in my own determination.