six things

Things have been going basically the same. I'm riding lots of different horses, plus my own, plus trying to find a second job. Things are crazy. Anyway, I've been tagged by Erin over at Now That's a Trot! to do the whole "six things I'm proud of" meme, so I guess I'm going to do it now.

1. I am proud of how far my horses have come. This doesn't just include the horses I own, but the ones I've worked with. I feel like every time we accomplish anything, we are one step closer to winning the final battle. Though, I think I'm especially proud of each step my own horses take. I first got Captain when he was skinny and wormy, having not been ridden in a whole year. I knew he had all the talent in the world, though no one else seemed to think so. We kept going, though, and accomplished more than I could ever hope for. With Ace, he was just this horse out in pasture, who really didn't know anything besides how to go down the trail. Now he is quiet and calm, and so, so willing to learn.

2. I am proud of all my hard work. Three years ago, I was spoiled rotten, totally taking my horse for granted. I still resent my dad for pulling the plug and refusing to pay for my horse anymore, but without him I would never have learned how to work hard for the things I love and take responsibility. I'm now thinking about getting a second job, to pay for shows and gas and my car insurance. I feel like I have a lot more responsibility than the average 16 year old--I have all of this, and school. I'm a straight A, honors and AP course student, and have remained so despite working 3 days a week and taking care of my horses and other peoples' as well.

3. I am proud of my knowledge. I was reading at 3 (and really doing so), but I saved the Dr. Suess books for bedtime. Instead, I read as many horse books as I could possibly get my hands on. Veterinary encyclopedias became my 'thing' when I was 8, and my parents finally decided to buy me magazine subscriptions instead of $20+ encyclopedias and books. I'd been riding for a little over 5 years at that point, but I still had an unquenchable thirst to know more. I got my first horse at 9, a pregnant mustang mare named Lilly, and I was able to converse with the vet intelligably about her options. I want to keep myself as knowledgable as possible, just because it has been such a useful tool in my riding, showing, and horse owning. Without my knowledge, I don't think I would be anywhere.

4. I am proud to have a natural instinct. I've had people tell me that I have a "way" with horses, though I think that's because of hard work and experience. Some people have told me that I have a sort of instinct, though; I seem to know what's going to happen before it does. I can tell when a horse is going to buck someone off, or spook, or kick out, though sometimes they're obvious things. I know when to move out of the way, even if the horse is quiet, because I just know something is coming. I can look at a horse and know what they are, thinking, too, not in the "telepathic" sense, but by reading their body language and their eyes. I can tell what needs to happen when I'm riding, too. Oftentimes when I was in training, my trainer would call out something to fix only to stop short because I was already doing it. I can feel exactly what the horse is doing while I'm in the saddle, too, and can picture it in my head. I think most of these things are from years of being around horses, but sometimes I feel like I do things that're "right" even when I can't explain it, as if everything about horses has become second nature.

Can I be done now? Pleeease? Just this part has taken me two days to do, LOL.

I might edit it later, but for now I tag Crickett over at The Fluffly Files. Now go have some fun with your horses!

long, long weekend

Well, as promised, an update... and a hoarde of pictures!

First off, I just havehavehave to give an update on Ace. He was a STAR all weekend, totally relaxed and calm and basically a completely different horse. He didn't even try to kick me TOO hard when I put his Freedom 45 on his hocks... hooray! Anyway, I rode him Saturday AND Sunday, and he was totally sound both rides, head down, riding on the buckle very, very quietly; he was alert but kind of had a "been there, done that" sort of attitude. I say bravo, Acey, because he was definitely a stud muffin.

Speaking of being a stud muffin.... that there is Ace, being a total P-I-M-P and checking out Alygal, my TB project. More on her later, but isn't my boy soooo cuuuute? He's seriously such a hambone, too. He and Aly both were literally begging for the camera all weekend. You know, the big eyes, stretched out neck, "I know that's not a treat but it's a CAMERAAA!" kind of face. Makes for kind of craptastic pictures, but it's pretty funny to watch.



And, here's my moose, Captain. I've had him for five years now, and the story of how I got him is kind of cute, really. My mom's friend bought him for an unspeakable amount of money six years ago (he's the Canadian National Pinto Champ in a ton of events and has an ROM for APHA), but then he sat in pasture. She had him shipped from Canada and everything. Well, anyway, she had him passed onto me, to tune him up to be sold and show him a bit, so she could advertise him as being retrained by an 11-year-old. I wanted a reiner, but I fell in love with Captain instead, so of course I got him for a third of what he's worth. Now he's a total family horse and unfazable on the trails (unless there's some spooky water, then he's just an idiot, LOL), and we have a ton of accomplishments on our belt--dressage, jumping, a little cross country, lots of western pleasure (the good kind, don't cringe), equitation, etc. He's now my mom and sister's horse mostly, but he's definitely the ranch favorite, cause he's such a clown. I mean, really, that horse has more personality than I can even explain, and he's so much fun. I'm his mommy and always will be, but he likes grandma and auntie, too. He just doesn't listen to them as well. ; )

Anyway, onto Alygal. She's off the track, but then was a barrel horse after her stint as a racehorse, so she's never really had that mentality "trained out" of her. Aly's lovely on the ground--except when she's nervous, then she sort of has little conniptions, or rubs ALL over me, which I hate--and lunges wonderfully. Anyway, after she was a barrel horse, somehow she ended up with the Asshat of the Year, Red. He used to work at the ranch on maintenance, but got fired after he bashed his girlfriend's truck windshield in with a Louisville Slugger. Yeah, I'm telling you, he's a real choice kind of guy. Red's also the same guy who completely neglected his horse, Trinket (who is now owned by a 12-year-old named Katie), and basically almost killed her trying to shove her into the trailer so she'd go to slaughter. So, basically, Aly's pretty messed up, but luckily Jamie (who works in the office) rescued her and now it's all happy days.

Jamie's not done much with her besides groom her, so I've taken her on as a project. She's a real pretty mare, a nice mover and all, and level headed despite all the craptastic things that've been done to her. I fiiiinally got on her on Sunday, and wow she was tons of fun. I have to ride her in a sidepull because she's got tumors in her mouth--oh, the joy of gray horses--but Aly responds really well to it. She was definitely waiting for me to give her the go-ahead to take off, but we were in the roundpen and Aly found that it was much easier to walk than to hop in place and try to run. It was all in good fun though, and as soon as she walked quiet I hopped off. I'm stoked to ride her again, to say the least.

My other main project right now is Cheyenne. My mom's friend owns Cheyenne, and she needs to sell her asap because her landlord is saying no more. She hasn't really been ridden lately--actually, in almost four years, but she's such a nice mare it really hasn't bothered her much. I've ridden her a few times now (actually, I'm going out tomorrow to do so again), and am very impressed. She needs some of the finishing touches, like collection and softness on the bit and moving off of legs, but she's basically dead broke. It's sad to have to see her go, but I hope she finds a good home.

Phew. I got tagged to do that "six things" meme, but I think I'll save that for a later date and quit my babbling. Happy trails everyone!

back on my high horse

Last night, Ace and I had our first ride since the end of March. The vet okayed him for 30 minutes of walking under saddle three days a week, something that even I know means he's getting better.

He was fantastic. He used to be a bit of a spaz when I used to take him out to ride him, and he'd walk around the tie pole until he'd twisted the lead rope around so much that he couldn't move his head--then he'd get offended and basically wig out. It was a real nice, endearing trait of his, let me tell you. Actually it really wasn't, but it's alright now because he didn't even THINK of doing that last night. Hooray! Ace was totally quiet when I tacked him up and got him all decked out for our first ride. I got to use my new saddle which I absolutely looooove (Billy Cooks are the best) and plunked down half a college semester for, but I've only ridden Ace in it about four times. It fits all of the other horses I ride, though, so it's nice and broken in, just not really for him. Irony hurts, right?

Anyway, I got on him and rode in the round pen, just so that he didn't feel encouraged to prance and put up a fuss. He really didn't do anything after he put up three huge bucks when I was trying to get my other stirrup. Really, he was fantastic, and much better than he was when I was even riding him full time in March. I think he might just love his mommy more now, just because all she's been doing for the past four months is take him on long handgrazes, stuff his face with food, and generally put up a fuss over him. Ace has decided his favorite shampoo, even--y'all will probably find me crazy, but if I uncap them and hold them in front of his nose, he takes a long sniff, curls his lip, and then nudges the one he likes best. I. Kid. You. Not.

I'm off on a tangent again, but he walked flatfooted around for half an hour, moving off my leg and keeping his head nice and level, a serious accomplishment seeing as four months ago my mom said he looked like a giraffe, no matter what I tried with him. Ace was sore, but the roundpen has lots of little pebbles and it felt like he was just kind of ow, ow, ow-ing over them, not really out of pain but just that his foot is tender after getting that humongous stone bruise cut out. His old owner called Ace a pansy because he did the same thing when he was shoeing him, but that was because the guy was some kinda Barefoot Nazi and trimmed him basically to sad little stumps. See picture in first post to know what I'm talking about.

In all, it was a really, really nice little ride, and I'm totally proud of him. I might put up a little blurb on Wednesday about our ride then, and after this weekend I'm going to dedicate a post to all of my current projects, and my other horse, Captain. Plus I'm going to take a horde of pictures this weekend, so those should come up sometime soon. Phew. I'm a busy person, I'll tell you.

the whirlwind of money, tears, and time

It's been a while since I've posted last, but I've been fairly discouraged lately. It's sort of the same old, same old with Ace's recovery--he's had three sonograms since I've last written, and though the tear in his muscle was healing, he was still off. $600 later, and he's still off? I don't have the money for this, I was thinking. I'm saddled with a lame horse. A lame, sweet, pretty, entirely too talented horse to be stuck in a stall his whole life. I know the vet and my mom (who used to be a vet tech) thought that something had gone wrong in the sesamoid region, the one he fractured, and to be honest I did too.

But, then, the farrier came out and everything changed. Ace had an enormous stone bruise that hadn't abcessed out, from hoof wall to hoof wall, again due to the shoddy farrier work. Needless to say, that's why he was lame the first few minutes I rode him, not his sesamoid. It was a goddamn stone bruise that never abcessed. For crying out loud, if I'd known that it would've saved me a lot of premature gray hairs (maybe not at 16, but I digress). But, in any case, I'm very, very happy, and the tear has nearly healed. Ace's foot is a little stunted right now from having the stone bruise cut out, so he still bobs a bit on the rocks, but otherwise he's totally sound. Ace was moved to a stall with a run next to another horse who's injured, and they've become the best of friends. The vet said another couple of months and he'll be totally better and useable, as long as he keeps on with his Legend shots and eggbar shoes.

After four long months, there's finally an end in sight.

meet the taco horse

I've never thought I could get a horse for a taco. No, really, when I tried to hand over the dollar with the bill of sale to Ace's old owner, he told me to keep it as long as I would get him something from Taco Bell. I don't think he was serious, but when he came out the next weekend to shoe my new horse, I had a taco for him. Now, that darn horse has cost me a lot more than a taco, especially in the last few months, but I digress. Ace is single-handedly the most amazing horse I've ever owned, and not just because of his price, or how pretty he is. We kind of just click. You horse people know the feeling; you sit down on YOUR horse, and just let out a collective breath. It's kind of like sitting down on your favorite armchair, or behind the wheel of your dream car. It normally takes years to get this kind of feeling with your horse, as it did with my Paint gelding, Captain. I joke that I will always be Captain's "mom," because I can read his mind and know exactly what he's going to do, or how to get him to do something. It's a bit of the opposite with Ace; he reads MY mind, and executes anything I ask of him with the best effort he can.

He'd never really been ridden consistently, and I could feel that when I climbed on his back for the first time. I'd just tried to ground drive him, but the lunge lines behind his hocks made him scared and he ran from them. As soon as I got him to walk quietly, I'd stopped him and unattached the lines. He didn't have the best of ground manners, either, and had practically run me over on the way down to the round pen from his pasture. But he was so darned pretty, and sweet, I kind of forgave him, even when he wouldn't stand still for more than two seconds when I tried to tack him up. It was after I unhooked him and put the lines over the fence that he was standing there, quietly looking at me as if I was crazy to take a horse that I'd never ridden before. And, that was that. I climbed up his 16.3 hands and had the ride of my life. Ace was green, but light on the bit, and he was squirelly, but he moved off my leg. He was a 12-year-old-green-broke-baby-minded horse. But I had that feeling, that feeling of complete clicking-ness, and it was love at first ride for Ace and I.

It didn't take long for his "personality plus" to come out. He has this funny little quirk when he seems like he's eating his tongue, and he curls his lip when I scratch his belly or let him smell something new--and I will promise that he has to smell everything. He was a little off the first couple minutes that I rode him, but the farriers said it was a clubfoot from bad/inconsistent farrierwork, and I didn't think twice about it. I just made sure he was warmed up well and trotted for no more than ten minutes per ride, as I fully expected that foot to get fixed so I could ride him normally. He walked like a dog beside me, and stood still while tied and groomed, his half-Thoroughbred blood completely forgotten, until I mounted up. Then Ace was charged with energy, on the bridle and stepping up behind himself. It took a while to keep him from prancing, but soon he was walking on the buckle around the arena. He never did anything wrong or stupid, and was wonderful on the trails. He just had a lot of energy.

Then, one day while I was lunging him over some poles, he tripped and wouldn't put his leg down. I still remember screaming and crying that he'd broken his leg, and to please, please put weight on it. He didn't break his leg that day, but he had fractured his sesamoid ten years earlier, as a matter of fact. Ace has now been on stall rest for 60 days, and we're hoping it's a soft tissue injury, the fractured sesamoid having nothing to do with it. It's hard to stay positive, but it's as if all of our plans of jumping and going on camping trips and rigorous trail rides have gone out the window. Heck, I don't even know if he'll be usable again. I'm eyeball deep in vet bills, and Legend shots, and Surpass topical bute, and one eggbar shoe for his front left, and yet it's out of the question to pass him off to someone else. I walk him twice a day for ten minutes, and give him baths and grooming sessions. It's so very hard to know he's in pain. I want to chronicle his recovery, and his rehab, so I can look back at this first post and know this was a hard time and I'm so glad Ace turned out to be alright. I want to look back and say it was a false alarm, and that nothing's wrong with my beautiful perfect horse. I'm in high school now, and I want to be able to have Ace long enough to make a living and be able to turn him out on green grass to live out his days, and people will look and say what a pretty horse, and that he looks great for his age. He deserves it; he's had a long life, and I can only hope his life with me is even longer. Ace is worth so much more than a taco.