My New Beauty!

:Ahhhhhhh: Isn't it beautiful!

After last weeks lesson I realized how much I really wanted a saddle just for dressage. We were trying to do some no stirrup work with a long dressage leg and I was having a hard time in my forward flap doing what she was asking. Plus I have always admired and wanted one. And this spring I plan on Harold and I hitting some dressage shows!

So this is a Cliff Barnsby Anky Van Grunsven saddle. It's been a tad used and abused but has plenty of life left! It has a small hole in one of the knee pads that I will have to deal with eventually. And some cracky leather in places that needs lots of conditioning. But I only spent $200 on it and it came with all the fittings! Stirrups, leathers AND a girth. All things I don't have, so it was great.

I have a dressage saddle pad on order and a dressage bridle. Just need a bit and we are ready to go! It looks like the fad is eggbutt snaffle?

My main horsey goal right now is to make it to some small dressage shows with my boy this spring/summer. That will be SO fun.

Anyway! I've rode in it twice and it's so comfy! It seems to fit my boy good too. The first time I rode him he was super lazy and the second time he was super zoomy haha. So I'll be glad to have a quiet medium ride!

Yesterday was when I rode him second, we went to the pasture dressage arena and he was awesome walking over there and tacking up behind my suburban (where I had my saddle) but after I got on he was so ready to go back to his pasture and friends that I was fighting him constantly. I never got him to relax and listen for long. He never picked his head up much above level and he was never scary or spooky, just always pulling towards the barn and never really softening his mouth and neck. And every time we halted he was trying to walk off again to the barn, which is unlike him.

We did get a little bit of good work before the baby monitor on my waist started letting me know Hailey bug was awake.

I will say it was cool and WINDY so I was proud of how chill my guy was!

Monday I'm back to lessons so will update after!

Pony Play!

As you can see the girls love her and she 

is doing so far! She is very sweet and friendly and lets the kids run up to her, scream and squeal around her, and also lead her around with no problems. I love that she is small enough I don't have to worry constantly about them getting run over or stepped on! Of course they will outgrow her pretty quick but for a first pony she is perfect. And I also have another little one coming up that will keep her busy in a few years!

I don't know much about her except what I heard second hand. She supposedly rides and pulls a cart. I don't know about the cart but she does fine with kids riding her and seems to know about this saddling business pretty good. She's not a big fan of cinching up which could mean she hasn't been rode a lot. To begin with we had to have some pretty firm ground work discussions, she was obviously used to walking on top of whoever was leading her and basically doing whatever she liked. Until I came along! Muahaha. I had a come to Jesus meeting with her (which entailed lots of her trying to run off at the end of the lead rope and even some rearing involved) and ever since she has done better and better each time. 

She MAY be pregnant but I still haven't confirmed that yet. She is pretty fat but it could just be her pony belly. With the holidays and all and the insistent rain I haven't gotten her to the vet. Hopefully this Friday! I'd love to get an ultrasound done on her just to see it for fun, and for the girls to experience it. That'd be so neat to see!! I've seen lots of baby ultrasounds but never a horse!

I bought the girls a Wintec leadline saddle for Christmas and we got to try it out yesterday. The girth the lady sent with it is a tad too long but we made it work. They were both quite timid about riding so they didnt do but a few steps (my oldest  didn't even want to move, lol) so it's fine for right now. They love to lead her around though!

In Harold news! I haven't gotten to ride him much lately. When I get a chance we have been out playing with the pony, lol. But I did get to ride Christmas Eve in our NEW DRESSAGE SADDLE! :Squee!: More to come on that!

I had a lesson FINALLY last Tuesday. It was on Goldie. There were 3 or 4 other girls in there so it was a tad busy. It was fun though! I wore spurs and Goldie was hot to trot! She was so forward and easy to get on the bit. She is very heavy in the hands though and will lean on you with no problem. I was so tired after from her pulling!

No lesson this week but hopefully back on schedule in the new year! 

Until later!

My DIY Dressage Arena and a New Equine!

So it's been a few weeks! I haven't had lessons in THREE weeks almost now, boo. We took of for Thanksgiving week and then the next week it rained. And THIS week it rained. We have been in a drought for months, and now it won't STOP raining. :roll eyes:

Anyway! I haven't got to ride Harold last week, or this week yet. But hope to Thursday or Friday.

The week before finally got my dressage arena up! It was a bit of a pain, but thankfully I had my awesome, handy husband to help me measure it all out and figure out the dimensions. I didn't have enough room for the long arena, but it works well enough!

Hubby pounding in my letters!

Harold super excited about it ;)

Surveying our new domain!

It was so fun! Harold did great, he was looking around a lot, but not spooky. I had a lot more motor with meant our test was nice and forward without me having to push, push! I walked and trotted him around a bit but the husband wanted to go in and watch the Iron Bowl (WAR EAGLE) so I hurried and just went through our test so he could video it for me. It was the first time he had ever done a dressage test in his life, I'm sure! LOL, but he rocked it. We of course are still working on connection and all, but he's getting it! Here we are!

I was so proud of him! His first halt was flipping AMAZING. What a good boy! I haven't got to ride out there again yet but definitely plan on it when I get a chance! All our work has paid off! I'd love to keep working him pretty consistent all winter and be able to start taking lessons at L's in the early spring so we can hit some shows when they start!

And the next exciting news!! WE GOT A PONY! AH! I know! The girls are so excited. Meet Snowy! She is a 10ish cremello mini horse. Who may also be bred. Yeah, I know! BABY MINI HORSE?! Adorable! I will be carting her to the vet soon to see for sure! Being a cremello means she could have a palomino or buckskin! EEE!

The girls are pretty excited! But we shall see how long it lasts, but if she just sits out there and eats hay, that is probably okay, its not like she will eat much!

So she was hanging out in a small pen inside Harold's pasture to get acclimated and all, but this morning I went to check on her and she was LOOSE out in the pasture! LOL. She had been having red marks on her shoulders so I think she has been pushing on the panels and finally got it opened enough where she could escape!

Anyway, they were all completely fine with her and even shared their hay, so we should be good!

Food??

Little, big, lol

Well, hopefully I will have a lesson update next week! Until later!