great ride today

Knik Glacier

My instructor is out of town, Friday is usually training day. It was pretty nice out, so I took Spirit to the Knik River to ride. It was beautiful, around 30 and the footing was good. The long flat areas were great for her gaits, which she has been doing so nice since she has lost weight and gotten some muscle tone. Rebel was begging at the gate, but I took his momma instead and am glad I did. She is such a trail chicken, but seems to be doing better and getting braver. I don't know if she'll ever be perfectly calm all by herself, but like most things, she gives it a try.

People were shooting out there, which was a little scary when I realized I was wearing gray and she is a big brown fur ball. I just yelled between gun shots and they let me pass, it was very nice actually.

Coming back, we were alone and it was beautiful. Two bald eagles soared right above out heads, I tried to get a photo, but my crappy camera didn't get any good ones. The woodpeckers were out too.

Most of the pics look blue, maybe too much white out there.

Jim Creek frozen and perfect for glide riding along. All in all, we got to stay out for about 3 hours. It looks cold, but it was 40 when we got back to the truck. I was even hot at times!

I have pretty much stuck to my goal of riding all winter. With some "toasty toes" and "hot hands" as well as some other winter gear it has been pretty easy to do. The footing has been especially agreeable, not like years past with skating rinks out there.

I was so psyched to get out! Yea!

Eventing, August 2008

This is so late in posting, but I just got the CD of photos today, Thank you! She got some really good shots, I can critique my riding in them but I am not horrified looking at myself anymore. Maybe some lessons are paying off.

This is Jodi, my 23yo Appy. Man does she look good in these photos! The photog didn't get any dressage, by the time I rode it was like watching the grass grow. We were in the beginner, old lady, back at it after 25 years, division. Fossils over fences, hags on nags and all that! Jodi is a fantastic horse, she is my school horse, has taught many people to ride. I got her about 5-6 years ago, she is actually owned by a friend, but Jodi owns me so that's how it goes. Up to that point, she was just a backyard horse who wouldn't get on a trailer, lathered up when you trail rode and couldn't hold still. She has come a long way as an old lady! She is actually sweet sometimes, but don't depend on it.

Anyway, it rained all day. Not just a soft rain, but real horseshow rain. I made Jodi a stall in the trailer it was so bad. I love those slants! It was like having my own barn.

The Cross country was very fun, she seemed to like it better than anything else, which goes the same for me. She is my horsie double, really. We are a lot alike.

In the right photo on stadium, I put it in because you can see the rain and we both look like we feel the same about it. By the way, we came in fourth, out of about 8 people. Not bad for not thinking I wasn't going to do it the week before.

I love Rebel

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The baby is changing

Baby at about two weeks

Here are a couple recent photos of Baby Girl. Her color is just crazy! I did not expect the dark.

She has some very bright orange showing over her eye, but that's it, everything else is dark.

Army posing

A beautiful night, a beautiful ride, a great horse.

Poker Ride

So much has been happening, but today was a great horsie day at the poker ride! We took the boys and they were great! The last time we had them out together they were butts, but today was right back to the old boys. Army was following Silver close and would rub his head on Silvers butt when we stopped.
The trails were beautiful, the weather was cool but stayed nice and there were no bugs! Here are some photos, mostly of Silvers hind end.

The first photo is of the pre-ride meeting.


The second, some riders and the view.

Silver posing

So So's Ebony Gal

In searching through all my photos, I have never taken one of Ebony, now she is gone. She wasn't that photogenic anyway, but she was a great horse!

Ebony died on the prettiest day so far this summer from sudden and severe colic. She was 30 years old. She became my friend after a rough start, but spent the last years retired, fat and toothless. On a mash diet, kept in the barn when it was cold and coddled. I kept that darn $80 Furminator because for once in her life, she was first at the fence and would stand stock still while I brushed her. Well, not still, she would offer the parts of her that were itchy for me to groom.

I am so glad the evening before she died, I spend a while with her calming all her itchies. She was fine at the time, so I am glad she didn't suffer long.

Goobye Ebony.