Hola, a YEARLING!

That'd be my wee little Hola on the right (red), a yearling already! Where has the time gone! I am tickled pink with the way this filly is turning out... *deep sigh*... Why is she for sale again? Oh right... responsibility, budget, desire to travel... blah blah blah... The pyramids aren't going anywhere right? I can get another job... I dont have to tell DB...

*taps fingers on desk as she plots*

The Derby Reining Style!

This isnt new but I had to share...




I love the discipline of reining but I sure wish it all looked like that much FUN!!

Ride Like a Man

Between the weather and the madness of the holiday season I haven't been able to ride much this past month. I am hoping that this week I can get back in the saddle and spend some quality time getting Ella (and me) back in to shape. Over the couple months I am going to be working on cleaning up and fine tuning the basics of the foundation we worked so hard to establish last year. Ella has a great stop, she guides well, she is light in the face, I can move her shoulder and hips around, and her transitions are smooth. She has buttons. The problem is Ella has a habit of dogging it, or rather, I've created an environment where she lacks motivation, enthusiasm and try. Picture a child being asked to clean his room- he protests a little but eventually sloughs down the hall, dragging his feet, his hands hanging limply at his sides, a pout on his face and murmured "I dont want to" on his lips. That's Ella right now when I ask her to roll back, bored and uninterested. I think the reason for this is two fold. First, because I haven't given her a job. More than ever I believe a horse needs a job they understand to be happy. A happy horse will do what we ask with try, heart and enthusiasm. Secondly, because I don't ride her like a man.

No offense ladies, but we nag. We say "Don't do that!" ... and when they don't stop we get annoyed and it becomes "I saaaaid DON'T do that!" ... and of course that doesnt work so we go, *yank jerk* "OMG will you stop f-in flippin' flappin' doing that for finangians sake!!" (or something like that). And then finally, after getting more and more frustrated we go *smack* .... and they are like "Ooooh! Why didnt you just say so?".... To make matters worse the next task becomes a fight because we're still pissed off and royally annoyed about what they were doing before. It's a vicious cycle.

Men (okay not all men but hypothetical "men") dont do that. They say... nothing... they just go *slap slap* and merrily on their way. I haven't resolved to slap my horse more. I've just resolved to not bitch and nag. I'm only going to ask once. Then I'm going to make it happen. And then I'm going to calmly and happily move on to the next task like nothing happened. I'm going to ride like a man. Not the type of man who gets mad or mean or overly aggressive. I'm talking about the proverbial man's man, the quiet soft spoken horseman that quietly and unassumingly gets the job done with a firm but kind hand... that dark haired, cool, confident man that knows how to handle horses and woman in kind... the type that will grab a naughty woman hard by the shoulders and crush her to his chest, who kisses her hungrily... his course stubble rough against her velvet lips... he knows what to do... slips a hand behind her neck, knots her hair in to his fist and twists, thrusting her backwards to expose the pale skin of a long and delicate neck. He nips her, gently at first, teeth skimming her collar bone... then harder as he works his way up to the curls behind her ear. His hot breath licks flames beneath her skin. Her flush rises. In to her ear his voice growls his demand, so deep and husky with want...

*cough*

...


I dont know what just happened.

Sorry.

My Bob's Saddle For Sale- SOLD

This is the forth Bob's Custom saddle I've owned. I've been forced to sell every one of my beloved Bob's for reasons that had nothing to do with these lovely saddles. The first, a Bob Avila, I sold as I didn't have a horse and had decided I was "getting out of horses for good!" (that lasted all of like three months). I loved that saddle. The second I bought was a Randy Paul in a light oak. Beautiful. I sold because my old horse had a bulging shoulder and needed a treeless to accommodate. The third, my favorite, the love of my life, the one that got away. I sold that one for funds to go to Europe. I miss it every day. Then there is this current beauty... *deep sigh*

I loved this saddle from the moment I saw it. I had dreams of riding off in to the sunset in that big ol' plush seat. This is the first 17" saddle I've had and man, it's like a freakin' Cadillac... I'd love to say that this saddle and I have spent some quality time together but the sad sad sad fact is that we've only had one single solitary ride. One! Uno! I brought it home from the store, tried it on Ella, realized that it didnt have a chance in hell of fitting her ridiculously wide, round, flat and gigantor frame (Who let me buy a halter bred horse anyways?) and just about cried. I tried it on Marm (who is a 15HH stock horse type) and of course it fit... I got on Marm and took it for a tour around the paddock. OMG... I could just park myself in that saddle and go to sleep Lazy Boy style. I just haaaaad to keep it. I justified it by saying that I would just hang on to it for when Abby came home (she isnt freak-of-nature wide like Ella). So I put it away in it's bag and took it home where it has stayed since... since... March 29th 2011.

Now, I would still LOVE to keep this saddle. But I've decided to trade out this thing you put on a horse for something that you put a horse in *wink*

The only flaw on this saddle is a cut in the leather of the pommel. This cosmetic flaw made this saddle go from a $3000+ item to something I could afford. The saddle was also used in a few demos by the tack store that I bought it from so has a little wear (like where the buckles touch leather) but otherwise it is mint. The skirt is a slightly lighter color than the upper (I love that look) and it has the cut aways in the skirt for a close contact feel.

It is a Full QH Bars, a plush smooth padded seat and comes with matching back cinch. This is a 17" cutting saddle on a cutting tree but I planned on using it for everything from penning to reining, cowhorse and trails.

I would like to get it sold asap so have it priced at $1995 firm (us funds)

I *heart* Bob's Custom Saddles

I am trying to show you the cut away skirt in this picture (not my recycle bin:)

(sorry for the weird angle on this shot... was trying to hold the tape and take photo at the same time:)

(see cut in leather above)

(that white line by the Bob's stamp is not a scratch... maybe a hair or something on the lens)

A Case of the Jiggles

I watched this video and thought, "Wow! Looks like someone has a serious case of the jiggles!" Then I heard this small voice inside say, "... Pot... Kettle...Black... Seriously."

Spring is around the corner. Looks like Ella and I have our work cut out for us! Oh, and yes, her name is Ella. Ella Blue to be exact. The decision was finally taken out of my hands by L.. It was necessary. I was totally out of control. As L. and Ella have a very special relationship I felt she should do the honors (and that way I couldnt take this one back.) L. picked the name Ella Blue. I love it. It works. And best of all, I cant change it. *wipes brow* Thank Heaven!

Ninja

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! This coming year is a biggie for me... it is kind of split in two because in seven months I turn thirty... So I have seven months before I leave my twenties behind me for good... before I turn an age that makes me feel so... so... not a kid anymore. I have seven months left. I better make it count.

My goals are:

To travel somewhere by myself, depending on time and money I am hoping for Scotland but maybe just a road trip to Montana.

I want to haul my own horse in my own trailer to a place I've always wanted to ride.

I want to show my horse even if it is just at a local show.

I want to be become a Ninja. Dont ask. It's complicated.

I also want to take up yoga more seriously and become an actual yogi. That too is complicated.

And... well, I want to go to a bar and go dancing and get drunk. Which kinda seems the antithisis of the above mentioned goals... but I think I should do that at least once in my twenties. I said I had goals... I didnt say they were lofty... well besides the Ninja thing.