I promise Im alive!

The lack of internet is really hindering this blog, isnt it? My posts are few and far in-between, sorry! I am still around and doing my thing, nothing too outrageous or special.

But the other day I wanted some pony time, but Gypsy is already losing weight due to the cold and the winter, so I didn't want to ride her. So I hopped on paint and rode him english for the first time in his life. He was actually a real good boy, we trotted around and he behaved just fine. The canter attempt was pure awful but thats okay, when is the last time painto has cantered? Who even knows? But as far as the Gypsy weight issue, I gave in and bought her some senior grain and some rice bran. Hoping that will help pack on some pounds. The grain makes her happy :) Ive been riding her western, like Im sure ive mentioned at some point in these posts. She was behaving great in the western getup, but I wondered if it had taught her some good lessons for the english side. And voila, it did! I rode her english and she put her head down and I let her have contact on a nice long-ish rein, and we trotted around the arena great! Yay!

Then a day or two ago I met up with my friend Jessica and we went on a little trail ride on a christmas tree farm. I rode Lacey, here is a picture of her. She is a Morgan mare. She was pretty good, except for the trotting and short gallop where she forgot that reins meant to slow down, or at least pay attention. But it was fun anyways, It has been so very long since I had a fun gallop!

So um Yes.

I couldn't think of a decent title for today. So bite me.
Anyways, life continues as normal. I have been working miss Gypsy, I started again at work and have been working with Beary and Cheyenne. Beary pretty much retained everything I taught her last year, which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. She is no-fuzz calm about being lunged, saddled, driven, you name it. She doesn't care all that much. Riding, now, that is her tough part. HA! She tends to think moving forward off pressure is more of a suggestion than a command. She was being real naughty about it yesterday, so out came the good old riding crop. I ask nicely, a little less nicely, demand it, and if still nothing, whack! It didn't take too long before she realized it may be a good idea to just walk forward. And she was walking out too! Not a horrible poke along slow as molasses walk. So I call it a success. A minor success, but for lazy Beary, moving forward is a big step for her.
I also rode Cheyenne, and boy was she being a pill! I think it was official be crazy day. She was so mad that I took her out of the grassy pasture and asked her to work! She tried to bite my feet...and not just the little oooh, nip your toe! No...She reached around and tried to take my foot off. So she got in some big trouble too. And then she got over herself and worked quite nicely. So I suppose that is success too.
And Gypsy, yes my little Gypsy midgit mare. I rode her with a friend from the barn down to the river a few days ago. And it went well, nice and fun. Rode into the river and splashed around- yes you read right- Gypsy went in the water and didn't fuss! All was great, then we started back, Gypsy spooked, hopped, I fell off balance, saddle slippage....Me on the ground, Gypsy running off into no man's land. AH! So I ran and found her.. So yesterday, being the stubborn person I am, decided to take her back there and have a GOOD return trip. So bareback and alone, we walked to the river. And she was perfect! Nice and calm, right into the water. Splashed around, got wet, yay for good times. And we walked back very very carefully. And....all was well. YAY! So I was happy with miss pony. But one of these days I need to work on her canter transitions and such in the arena, instead of always screwing around on trail rides. Ha, I figure that is what this winter will be for, when La Nina shows her ugly face and drenches us with so much rain that we all want to die.
Sorry I am stingy and haven't posted pictures...let alone the lost lost videos. Not having internet at my house makes life very difficult. So I can't upload pics when I'm on school computers, and every time I try to upload the videos, blogger website has a heart attack and doesn't want to upload. Very annoying.

No good, very bad day.

Sorry for the long absense. I've been real busy lately.
Anyways, took Gypsy to the vet this morning to be ultrasounded for prego check. Would have been day 29 or so. And the vet found Gypsy to be very much so NOT pregnant. Awesome. There goes money down the drain. So then we took the horses trail riding. I thought Gypsy might do somewhat decent, what with her training of late. Ok no. She was terrible. World's worst trail riding horse. She pranced the entire way, save for the time or two I let her canter, and the time she galloped up a hill. But walk? Oh no! No walking. Just prancing. There was one very shining wonderful moment where she was walking miraculously on a loose rein and it was fabulous! But then it was gone. And she more than made up for her good moment by being a retard the rest of the ride. And she was so anxious and hyper and freaked that she sweat herself into a foamy, dirty, disgusting mess. Oh great.
And here I was thinking that I could take her to the trail trials tomorrow. Yeah no. Not a chance. She would kill me. And if not, she would just pick a fight and we would get into a huge big argument and the trail trial would be so completely not fun. I have the urge to write less than nice words here, but I am attempting to resist.
Everytime I think I'm getting somewhere with that horse, she goes and shows me that she will never be great at anything- or at least not good enough. Sure, she is walking and trotting totally beautifully in my arena at home now! Oh just gorgeous! But try and do that if I take her somewhere else? Yeah right! So there goes any shows. Try and take her out and enjoy a nice quiet trail ride? You gotta be kidding! I get so frustrated with her, I feel like I'm never getting anywhere with her. I kind of wish that Sam had been the younger one, and Gypsy older. Then I could take Sam to the trials, and have a great time. Sam was awesome, he was calm and chill and fairly responsive. You could enjoy riding on Sam. With Gypsy sometimes, it's like I can't remember when I ever thought riding was ever enjoyable and fun. Every day is training and every new thing I try with her is a battle. I mean, she really is a great horse. She is beautiful, and can move beautifully and is so athletic. When she does it right, it is awesome. The problem is the amount of time she DOES do it right is so small. The previous training she had was just so bad and full of holes, that she just can't get past it. It is so hard to undo what she learned, and try and teach her the right thing. If she had been trained correctly when she was first learning and was still young, god she would have been great! She could have been the cutest little hunter jumper. But nope, she is too wrapped up in her own silly head.
Ah whatever. End rant. Turns out I am going to borrow Merlin the amazing Gypsy Vanner from my friend and I am going to ride him in the trial tomorrow. I love that horse, he is awesome. Not sure how he will do with all the trail obstacles, but he is calm and controllable and at least I will have fun. So I am at least glad for that.

Whipple Creek Wednesday

Well Im home on spring break now, and I had to leave Gypsy behind! Sad day, I miss her! But she could probably use a little break, and I've got a friend keeping good care of her. In the meantime, I went trail riding with one of my best buds today! Took her two morgans out, and boy was that trail insane! I was riding the ex-park show horse, and my friend was on the baby lol. But all went well....after going down STEEP steep hills, and back up them, and crossing a few bridges, and navigating some squishy mud! It was great fun, Its been way too long since I've gone on a fun trail ride. So that was fabulous. In the picture, the left horse is mine, and the right is hers.

This horse is her little baby in training- she did great! Crossed the scary bridge and walked nice and calm. The horse I rode is in the background back there...

In other news again... Haha, well I just have some random photos to share, actually. Last...Saterday it was, I went with the lady I work for to get a couple of her horse's teeth floated at the vets. I went to help out and such. And so the mare we work with in training class was there, and she got done last. The vet cleared her to load in the trailer and leave. We got her in, and she proceeded to almost fall asleep! She had her eyes closed and was leaning all her head's weight on the trailer tie! It was hilarious! :)

I was rather amused....

And last but not least, I went to the wonderfully fabulous Canby tack sale over the weekend, and bought things I don't really need...and stuff I actually did need! Success! I bought Gypsy a riser pad that is the full length of the saddle, instead of the ghetto cantle one I was using. Lets see....also got her a new bit (a D snaffle with copper rollies in it!), some polos, and the rest slips my mind. Also ended up with a saddle, which is great, since I've been borrowing someone elses saddle for months, since my old one was ruined. This one actually fits her and looks nice, and is mine! Yay! And the polos...hehe, are purple and pink. I am slowly turning my horse into a pastel easter egg! A blue/purple blanket, a purple/green/pink stable sheet, a purple halter, and now pastel polos too?!?! Ha, but its so adorable. Now I just want to buy her a dark purple saddle pad, and my evil plan will be complete..


But come on? How can you resist this cuteness??
I love watching her trot in these polos...hehehe
Oh and this is her new saddle too.

My friend is holding her for me, and making her all pretty :)