I'm ready for the holidays and this snow to go away. I don't mind the festivities and the good cheer. This traffic is what's killing me. In the stores and out on the road. I'm usually in my car by 5:15-5:35pm. We didn't get onto HOV until 6:00pm. I was in my car at 6:30pm. I had to go to the grocery store and Wal-Mart. I actually saw my father at Wegmans. :P I'm like I know that man! It's my daddy! haha.

When I get back from Xmas, I'm so getting on. The arenas a more managable few inches rather than 2'. So I'm going to do some light hacking.

::dreams of riding in an indoor arena::

Sigh.

Thanks Mom!

My mother and I are funny gals. We're both strong, stubborn, slightly crazy and love our things. My mom would wish that I was the super feminine cute girl who's into designer clothes, make-up, and boys.

While I like boys, can deal with makeup, my designer brands include: Pessoa, Ariat, and Mattes. Not Louis Vutton, Burberry, and whatever.

Last night as I was making cookies, my mom was like I wore your paddock boots and they have holes in them! The only reason why I kept my paddock boots is because I'm a pack rat. I actually haven't worn them in a long while.

So she said I'm required to buy a new pair of paddock boots, she's footing the bill. And on top of that she wants to buy me a dressage saddle bag and boot holders.

She asked me about my new saddle. And I told her its not an easy process getting a sddle. The saddle has to fit me and the horse etc.

She asked me about my tall boots. She hadn't seen them in a while. I told her they don't fit. My calf is to big and it's a hassle to get new ones. So she grabbed my Dover catalog and was like here's my credit card buy this and that and this and that.

O.o

Then she was like, how much do they cost. I said 650. I didn't realize that's where they start. A full pair is going to be a helluva a lot more, I just talk to the Dover lady. My mother said that's fine. Get what I want, even if it costs $1200.

She also mentioned that she wants a darn plane ticket, so she's getting rewards on her card. So I'm helping her a little bit. Plus all she wants in return is for me to get her a pair of Ariat terrains.

Yeah $800+ boots in exchange for $80 boots. I can handle that.

Looking at Dehner and Der-daus. Konigs are too much and I've heard they're really stiff. I know the pain involved, but I don't want to die because of my boots.

Snow Fest 2009

My cutie sniffing my toe.
We braved the weather and did our barn work.
Snow Gallop!
Our Home
Snow Angel!
Why are you on the ground mom?

LotR

I watched the Two Towers yesterday with my dad since the snow blocked us in. Now we're watching Return of the King.
I have to admit movies like this make you just want to ride in a battle charge and go into battle. Or at least it does me.

In college I studied History. If I continue my masters I want to study horses in warfare. Movies like Lord of the Rings may not be steeped in real history, but Tolkien had to base it on something right.

I love the battle charges, hate the well elephant scenes, (Im not going to try and butcher how Tolkien spelled it). But it's amazaing how much human kind has perfected the art of killing each other.

I have to say I never liked the Shadowfax in the movie. I guess we all have our ideal version of beauty.

Anyways I'm distracted watching the movie. So I'll go now. Sorry for the grammatical errors I'm to multitask.

sore horse

So I went to Lauren Sprieser's farm out in Marshall, Va. She has a beautiful place. It is so immaculate and stunning. I walked inside her barn to sign my waiver and nothing was out of place. I wish I could have a place like that, except more pastures. But then again Lauren is a trainer I want to breed. So difference of needs.

Anywho.

So I rode western for the fact that I don't have an english saddle. Felt a little weird riding western at a dressage facility. lol. But she was totally cool with it.

Lilly was a snorting machine. Everything was out to get her. Her arena was beautiful. I would have enjoyed looking at it more if I wasn't riding a snorting and spooky horse.

She's seen mirrors before, but at Lauren's place they are bright and shinny and clear. And omg the horse in the reflection is coming at me! AHHH!!!! <---That's in Lillys head.
She would spook at the side mirrors too.

Eventually she settled down enough were we could actually work a bit. She had me do a lot of circle and serpentine work. Trying to get Lilly to focus on me and not at the scary reflections. She also wanted me to really establish a good rhythm for the pony. She told me to look for songs to sing in my head when I ride to help my rhythm.

Lauren asked me to canter. ::cringe:: She canters fine the first time, she did the little head shake like she was thinking about bucking but didn't. Then Lauren said she knew what I was talking about.

She thinks either 1 of 2 things. 1. Lilly is still sore from the ill fitting saddle. 2. Lilly thinks she is still sore and remembers the pain.

So she told me to do the bute test. Give her bute for two days and then ride her, if she still acts sore than it's #1. If she's fine it's #2.

We worked in the other direction. Lilly started to buck at the canter, I had an oh shit moment, a brief second where I thought I was coming off, but I held on. Then I asked her again and she was fine. Silly pony.

Lauren ended short, because of the soreness issue, which I didn't mind anyhow. She ended up giving me back some of my cash.

I added bute to her dinner. Since it's blizzarding out there today it's going to be a light day. I kind of want to hack a bit in the snow, but we'll see how brave I get later.

Massage Therapy for the Rider

So with the addition of Big into my riding schedule my back has been incredibly sore. Lilly works my legs more, but Big tries to pull me down with his big old head.

So I didn't have a ton of cash and I thought about those Chinese folks in the mall. At this point I'm desperate I needed a massage. So I found them and this Chinese man did his magic.

Feel sooooo much better. Last night I rode Lilly. I was a little sore but wasn't in pain.

I am tenatively going to ride Big tonight. I want to do Christmas shopping tonight so I'm not sure. I have to meet someone tomorrow who I won't see until after Christmas so it's like bleh. I want to ride.

Fitting and Conformation

So I've been riding in my friend's saddle now and then. I took it out yesterday and rode in it. I can't get comfortable in it. It makes me want to pitch forward when I ride. So I think I'm back in search for a new saddle. augh.

Lauren Sprieser is hosting a saddle fitting clinic sometime in Jan. So I may head up and attend.

Riding in the saddle made me begin to see how much her being downhill effects my position. I've always known she is downhill, but that saddle made me really see.

Also when I ride Big I can see why ppl tell you to avoid downhill horses. With Big I don't have to fight for my position and my seat. I can stay balanced easier. I just have to fight to keep him straight and plus he wants to pull me down with his big heavy self.

So I'm going to be saddle searching again. I'm not sure how much I have saved up. My savings account automatically takes money out of my checking, but I don't think I have enough to get a 2k saddle. Plus I need to keep some money aside for my down payment on my truck.

I'm working for my old restuarant Christmas eve and NY Eve.

Money makes the world go around. *x*

snow cold ewe

So I've began to hate getting old.

When I was a kid riding in the snow was cool and fun. You just add a lot of vasoline in your pony's hoofs and off ya go.

But as I reach the old age of 25, riding in the cold is just plan awful. We've been getting lucky with abnormally warm weather for November. But no more. Saturday was a rainy snowy icky mess.
Sunday was beautiful during the day, but I wasn't feeling the best so I slept until 4. When I went to the barn it cold.

I've been trying to work my schedule out.

Monday: no riding, hang out with parents
Tuesday: off
Wed: ride Lilly
Thur: ride Big
Fri: off
Sat: ride Lilly + Big
Sun: ride Lilly + Big

But lately it seems to want to rain or snow on my ride days. Tuesdays it's a crapshoot, if I get on I get on. Tonight tho I won't be lucky. We're getting rain and then maybe snow. Checking the weather this morning it seems like it's going to be snowing a lot in the coming week. *x*

Everyone is starting to release their show schedules. I manage Quantico Riding Club shows so I have two out of three judges so far. I need to email one. I like Jan Garlitz, but since we've used her two years in the row I'm going to switch it up. So we'll use Aviva Nebesky and Lauren one more year and then 2011 I'm not doing the shows so they can do whatever they want.

Show managing is a thankless job. Yes you get some thanks, but I don't think some of the ppl in our barn really realize how much blood, sweat and tears go into these shows. I've had to network and be the ultimate hostess. And sometimes put my own money into the shows. But ah well.

I'm probably not showing Lilly in our own shows next year. I may show Big and take Lilly to just to outside shows. My friend is taking care of her some nights in exchange for riding time. I'm going to ask her if she wants to show her next year, instead.

Let's Ride Drunk!

So with all this rain it's been a stop-and-go ride situation. I wish I had an indoor arena. But I gotta work with what I got.

I rode over the weekend. I rode Big both Saturday and Sunday. I only rode Lilly on Saturday. I didn't work her too hard. I had gotten tired from riding the train wreck. Big is a good boy, but he's a train wreck to ride. He's all over the place. I have to work on making him move forward and being responsive to my leg and as well as straight. Well he didn't want anything to do with this riding business.
I do some groundwork with him before I ride. Not too much just getting him to respect my personal space. He has a habit of walking onto of people. He wants to fall on his forehand and then he's so uncoordinated he just trips.

Sunday I lunged him and worked him in the round pen. He was a good boy. He was much better under saddle. But he was tired. He really has no stamina. So I got him to go straight and do circles in both directions and we were done.