January Re-Cap/February Goals

Well I really bit off more than I could chew with my January goals. Between work and getting sick I definitely didn't fit in as much as I had hoped I would. Fingers crossed February works out better but also sticking to fewer, and simpler, goals.

January Re-Cap

Gatsby

• Successfully move up to 20 minutes of trot-work by the end of the month.
• Sort of success. This did happen but it was officially on February 2nd...
• Start to re-develop muscles and fitness.
• This is a work in progress for sure. I have started riding him with draw reins on some of rides which is definitely helping. Right not we are not cleared for any hill-work or poles so that is definitely limiting.
• Lots of lateral work at the walk. I'd really like to improve our technique here and get everything going correctly before we start asking for it at the trot again.
• Definite success here. I alternate between using our long walks for hacks around the property and for serious dressage work. Gats seems to be responding well to both options.
• Be able to do our trot-work on the track with NO explosions.
• Don't know if this is ever going to happen. We have done our trot-work on the track a few times so far and to be fair, he hasn't been awful. Considering there are explosions even when we are in the arena I think this is a pretty big stretch.

Kanye

• Learn to ground-drive.
• FAIL.
• Start work on the lunge line with the faux-ssoa system.
• FAIL.
• Make progress on pony rides, NO BITING!
• FAIL.

Kanye really got hit with the brunt of my busy-ness over the last month. On the days I was able to make time to work with them it was usually only enough time for one so Kanye got relegated to a few hand walks and lots of treats, I don't think he minded to be honest. I did sit on him for the first time though! It was very brief and very tackless but he had a great attitude about it!

February Goals

Gatsby

• Be ready to move up to 30 minutes of trot-work by the end of the month.
• Work on relaxation/stretching at the walk and trot. Really get that back swinging!
• Straightness! This is a great time to get us on track in this area while we don't have much else to focus on.

Kanye

• Actually ground-drive!
• Lunge in the faux-ssoa at least once!
• Maybe try some more pony rides or...one or two short actual rides?!?!!?

Oh, Stomach Flu

Sorry for the slow blogging lately guys...I, along with pretty much everyone I know, has come down with an awful stomach flu the last couple weeks.

My riding schedule has been hurting from it as during the week crazy early mornings are the only time I have to ride and stomach flu doesn't really agree with that scheduling. I rode last weekend on Sunday and Gatsby was feeling great, a little too great actually. Then Monday we were bumping him up to 15 minutes of trot, broken down into 5 3-minute sets. We did two sets and then called it quits because he just didn't feel quite right. He trotted up sound on the pavement but I definitely felt something when I was riding.

My plan was to bute him Monday and Tuesday and then see how he felt for a morning ride on Wednesday. We did the buting but unfortunately I haven't been able to make it out again this week because I've been feeling bloody awful. I hate this because the same thing happened last week and I didn't get out to see him at all:(

Tonight I am going to go to bed extra early and hope that I feel well enough to sneak in a ride in the morning. I absolutely love my barn but the one (quite large) flaw is that we don't have a lighted arena, making wintertime riding very difficult.

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BADMINTON!!!!

HOLY CRAP!!! Just found out I have tickets to 3 days of BADMINTON!!!!! This is probably one of the most exciting moments of my life so I thought I should share:)

2014 Goals & January Goals

Last year I found myself sort of floundering from one poorly-made plan to the next so I thought that this year I should get back to goal making. I'd like to do annual and monthly but you will have to bear with me as I see how that goes.

2014 Goals

Gatsby

• Recover well from tendon injury and get back to full work.
• Compete in 1-2 horse trials, combined tests, etc.
• Compete in a couple local dressage shows.
• Stay happy, healthy, sound and fit.

Depending on how the remainder of his rehab goes, I'd like to shoot for a HT in April, probably at Novice since he's coming back from the injury. If that goes well I'd like to do a Training event or two sometime over the course of the season, all depends on travel, work and finances. Mostly I want him to stay healthy this year but I would love to be able to look back at this time next year and see some concrete progress being made, especially in our dressage work.

Kanye

• Be confident on the lunge line, working freely and with lunge tack.
• Develop a solid basic under saddle skills. Be able to WTC and possibly jump small courses.
• Do as many new things as possible, trail rides, new places, etc.
• Possibly compete at a very low-level at a local schooling show.

January Goals

Gatsby

• Successfully move up to 20 minutes of trot-work by the end of the month.
• Start to re-develop muscles and fitness.
• Lots of lateral work at the walk. I'd really like to improve our technique here and get everything going correctly before we start asking for it at the trot again.
• Be able to do our trot-work on the track with NO explosions.

Kanye

• Learn to ground-drive.
• Start work on the lunge line with the faux-ssoa system.
• Make progress on pony rides, NO BITING!

That's actually quite a bit for both of them so we'll have to see what actually gets done with my work schedule and all. Right now I'm looking at getting to the barn around 6:30 for my morning rides just so I can fit them in! Daylight Savings, get here faster!!!

Holidays & 2013 Recap

I hope everyone had some really nice holidays, wherever you may have been. Hubs and I had a wonderful surprise visit in England with his family. They are such warm, fun, friendly people and I always feel totally at home there. It was a very much needed relaxing week and I even got to ride a couple of times! I rode with one of George's friends from high school who show jumps. She has an adorable 16.1 ISH mare who I got to ride, she is VERY feisty, would definitely get along with Gatsby!

Back home now and getting back into the groove of things. Gatsby had his first trotwork since October yesterday and I ponied Kanye for the first time. Both went well but neither was without some hiccups...Gatsby had some explosions and Kanye kept biting the pony horse...

Now time for a year in review so I can get down to making some goals for 2014! First half of the year may be difficult as I wasn't back to blogging yet...

January

From what I recall this was a pretty cold and boring month. Wasn't yet motivated enough to do real work with Gatsby and wasn't too thrilled with my job. 

February

Went up to NorCal for Nicku's engagement party, tried on wedding dresses. Riding got put on the back burner as I rushed to prep for the big day.

Didn't go with this one.

March

Gave notice at my job, continuing crazy wedding prep, drove up to SF again to show George's brother and his girlfriend around, started my current job, enjoyed showing George's family around SB. Riding got pushed aside some more:( Did LOTS of wedding crafting.

Sister-in-law and sister-in-law-to-be

April

The big day arrived and was AMAZING! Missed out on a Debbie McDonald clinic at my barn which was probably for the best considering Gatsby had quite a few days off leading up to it. Drove up to Twin Rivers to spectate on XC day and decided I needed to get back out there. Went to one of my best friend's weddings in Carmel Valley. Couldn't afford any lessons but did TONS of dressage and started to get Gatsby and myself back in shape.

One of the best days ever.

May

Continuing working on our dressage, had a couple jumping lessons thrown in, really enjoying having some sort of goal again. George left to travel with the kids he teaches. I missed him a lot but tried to focus all of my energy on riding to keep busy. Loving my new job also which helped.

Worked on getting back to this.

June

Starting jumping more regularly. Went to Vegas for the first time since turning 21, decided it's not really my scene. Booked my flight to Europe to see George. Gatsby continued to be amazing and I loved him more and more every ride.

Vegas with my UCSB besties

July

Went to Croatia, Venice and Paris with George. My lovely friend Kim rode Gatsby for the first time in a dressage clinic and he was wonderful. Still toying with Galway in November. Decided to start blogging again!

Gatsby loves Kim!

August

Started to think about hock injections for Gatsby. Blogged a little. Went to England for my brother-in-law's wedding and an amazing Harry Potter Studio Tour. Decided against injections for Gatsby but to try Adequan instead. Drove up to NorCal for Nicku's BEAUTIFUL wedding and had a fantastic time!

How I feel at the HP Studio Tour

September

Turned 24. Got the cutest puppy ever. Sent in my entry for Fresno Horse Trials. But a ton of new crap for the show. Jumped 4'1 for the first time in a long while. Went to another wedding.

We want to do this again.

October

Prepped like crazy for the Fresno HT. Found a really cute 2 y/o at the track and considered buying him. Gatsby got injured:( I bought Baby Yeezy! Got my first blogger award. Realized I have no idea how to train a baby horse...wished myself luck. Best blogging month of the year.

New puppy. New pony.

November

Visited NYC. Started walking Gatsby under tack. Started a 5 day blogging challenge (still haven't finished it...). Celebrated Thanksgiving with my family and George's parents.

NYC is beautiful in the fall

December

Had freezing temps. Participated in an awesome blogger gift exchange. Got the go ahead to start trotting Gatsby. Celebrated Christmas on the other side of the pond with George's family.

Riding in England!

I hope 2014 is just as amazing as 2013! Can't wait to see what it has in store for us!!

Love Sick Pony

I think I mentioned this before but about a year ago I decided to move Gatsby to 24/7 turnout. Partly to save money but also partly because I thought it would be good for him. He had been on night turnout before (usually from 3-4pm till 5am) and it did wonders for him. So when a spot opened up with my BO's semi-retired mare I jumped at the chance to try it out. The mare is known to be picky about pasture-mates but she and Gatsby hit it off right away.

This is them sharing their first meal together. Love.

This has turned in to a wonderful situation for me because not only does Gatsby get 24/7 turnout but he also has a great buddy that he has grown super attached to. Until he becomes too attached.Gatsby and Jass (the mare) appararntly have a pretty strange relationship...Gatsby is totally fine and well-behaved if he is taken out and Jass stays, the separation doesn't bother him at all. In fact, he often seems relieved to be rid of her for a bit. But, if you take Jass out and leave Gatsby...major no no. He will call to her, buck, run like crazy, pace, etc. until you bring her back.

Here they are catching some rays over the summer.

Unfortunately we had a little case of this on our walk this morning. The farrier was already at the barn working on Jass. I brought Gatsby down to the cross-ties no problem. Everything was going fine until Jass was done with her shoeing and got put away. Gatsby was not pleased to say the least. I got him mostly calmed down (I thought), finished tacking up and got on. Bad decision. He was so anxious about her leaving him that he would not stop tossing his head on our whole walk around the track and actually did it so much that his curb chain unhooked from one side which just aggravated him even more. At this point I was pretty sure he was either going to re-injure himself or I was going to get thrown so I hopped off and walked him back to the barn.Our ride was much shorter than it should have been but at least no one got hurt.

Silly lovesick pony. Grrr...so annoying lol!

Blogger Gift Exchange

HUGE thank you to Tracy at Fly On Over for hosting the Blogger Gift Exchange. I had so much fun participating and cannot wait to do it again next year!

I picked Amanda over at An Eventful Life, who apparently lives in the coldest climate ever. I ordered her a wonderful "Heat-Tech" fleece turtleneck that I am hoping lives up to it's description and keeps her warm enough to do some riding this Winter. It was super fun to get the email with her info and pick out something I thought she would like. Also super stoked that it fit her (I went with a medium size to be safe haha).

Last Friday I received the sweetest email from Carly at Poor Woman Showing saying that she had ordered my present and had wanted to ship it to me herself to pack it with peppermints but didn't have enough time. So nice. And then, on Monday I checked the mail to find this...

Just the top one...still AMAZING!

I know everyone else grew out of these bracelets when they were about 13 but I kind of still love them. Super stoked to have one for Kanye (Chi-Town) now! Thank you Carly!!!!

Temps have been rising over here on the left coast. We had about 2 weeks of crazy freezing (literally) cold but now we are getting back to normal. It's kind of nice to be warm again but the cold was kind of fun and different also. Sorry to those of you who have that every winter though!

Kanye eating breakfast, frost on the ground.

This is my last week at work before my much-needed VACATION!!! I am so excited. Can you tell? Haha. Work has just been insanely busy lately and I feel like I am stressed and exhausted all the time which is no fun. And to top it off I have had hardly any time to go riding which just adds to the stress. Gatsby gets ultrasounded on Friday and then will have a week off before *hopefully* starting back towards full work!