|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:34 pm
Each time I update it'll be in a new post. I don't own a horse, but I've been riding at a stable named Majoda for around 6 years now and I usually ride a little Quarter Horse named Notch. I visit the stable where my best friend Lauren keeps her ex-racehorse Halo Lad, and I work with an Appaloosa named Jezebel there too. So I'll be keeping track of my adventures and...everything else I find related here, I guess. Aaaand, that's all I have to say right now. Comments are very welcome. heart Weekend December 15-17Friday- I went to visit Halo and Jeze with my best friend Lauren after school, and we stopped at a tack shop and I bought a new hard brush on the way. It was too dark to take Jeze out once we got there, so I fed and groomed Halo while Lauren wrapped his legs up and mucked his stall. I swept up a little, and I've been working on scrubbing the bird droppings off the walls of the barn. We didn't stay long, but we had a good time. We usually do. Nothing much happened on Friday because I couldn't take Jeze out. I got to see her from the barn and she stared at me for a while. I imagine she was thinking, "Haha, you can't come and make me work today. I win." Saturday-My Majoda riding lesson is on Saturday. I get there and groomed up Mr. Notch ( this is pirate-Notch) and got ready to ride. Before I took Notch out for out lesson, I visited my little buddy Apple and gave her a pony treat. I don't get to spend much time with her in the winter. Anyway, the lesson was good, so was the weather. He was pretty lazy for the first few minutes, but he got more energetic quickly. We had a few nice canters. Bill, Diane's (the stable owner) husband, decided to start building the fence in the back end of the ring. The tractor with the big scary post-digging spike on the back spooked Notch a bit, but he got used to it quick. One end of the arena's going to become a covered roundpen and they're pushing the arena back, so a new fence needs to be built. I got to jump a little towards the end of the lesson, and it was really fun. The course was a little corssrail at the right side of the ring, then left lead canter, continue cantering past the group that was lined up in the back of the ring, cantering a second crossrail that was near the center of the front end of the ring and then stopping at the end of the line. We each got to go twice, and we were going to go to the right, but we ran out of time. Notch jumped really well, better than usual, and my riding instructor Maureen (Mo) said that we jumped the best out of the group for the day. =D I learned that on the 12th, the stable's oldest horse, Sapphire, died. Everybody loved her and it was sad to have to say goodbye, but it was her time and I'm sure she's much better off now. She was over 40 and she couldn't keep any weight on anymore. Notch's owner is supposed to take him back in April, he's only leased to Majoda, and I'll miss him like crazy if she does. Nobody's heard anything from her, so she might not be coming for him, but I won't get my hopes up. I mucked some stalls and helped with a beginner lesson before going christmas shopping at a local tack shop with my mom. I got a new pair of boots, because my old ones don't support my feet at all. I almost had to get men's boots because my feet are insanely wide, but I found a wonderful well-cushoned pair of women's tucked away that fit like a glove. I fell in love with them, and I can't wait to test ride them. I got some other stuff too, but the boots are my favorite. I ordered some hunter green half chaps online, and I can't wait for them to come in either. Later on that day Lauren picked me up and we drove out to see Halo. Unfortunately, his legs were bothering him pretty bad. He got a new infection in his front left, and he's being treated for it again. I took Jeze in and groomed her, and she was being good. She didn't try to kick me when I picked up her back feet, and that's always nice. She was pretty good today, but probably only because she was concentrating on food. Again, it was too dark to work her, but I got to groom her and a little contact's better than none. I cleaned up some more and Debbie (that stable's owner) told me I could buy Jeze if I wanted to and that I'm allowed to come out and ride her whenever I want as long as I feel comfortable on her and I think I can handle her. She asked me and Lauren if we could take care of her horses while she's away for a week or so later this winter, and she has an old pair of lightly used english boots she's giving to Lauren. Once I hit winter break I'll hopefully be out visiting Halo and Jeze a lot more often, and that should be nice. heart
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 11:02 am
awww thats so cute!!!
so are you gonna buy Jeze?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 11:47 am
I probably won't be buying her, but you never know what's going to happen. 3nodding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:26 pm
pook666 I probably won't be buying her, but you never know what's going to happen. 3nodding ahaha thats what I thought when we got our dogs....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 11:20 am
My mom's always like "You can't get a horse till you're done college!"
And, well, I'm a junior in high school so that's going to be a good long time from now...so chances are I'll have me a pony before then anyway. xd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 12:02 pm
Christmas & Saturday the 30th
Lets see....for christmas I got a new pair of awesome paddock boots that sure make my old ones look horrible. xd
I also got some new brushes, three kinds of horse treats, a suede cleaning kit, a pair of gloves, and hunter green half chaps, among some other non-riding related things.
Yesterday was my riding lesson, and I rode Notch as usual. I love the first lesson after christmas because everybody seems to have something new.
I was riding in my new boots and half chaps. This was my first time ever riding in half chaps, and it was so insanely different! Lots of fun. 3nodding
It was a fairly crowded lesson because the weather was so nice, but we all had a lot of fun. We did a lot of work at the canter, and we each got to jump a little too. It was an amazing day.
I wound up helping with some beginner lessons. I had to lead one of the horses from the ground for a while, because his rider was having trouble getting him to trot. But after a while he just followed the other trotting horses.
Once I was done there, my friend Lauren picked me up and we went out to visit Halo and Jeze. We stopped at a tack shop so she could pick up something or other. Anyway, we get to the farm and groomed our horses. I braided a star-shaped bead into Halo's mane, because Lauren liked the one I managed to braid into Jeze's. Jeze's braid was like an inch long, though. Haha. I've been braiding beads into her mane now that I figured out how to manage it. I started with yellow, blue and pink neon pony beads, and moved to a few teal star beads, and new time I'm going to braid in some gold pony beads so she has bling. xd
Anyway, my friend tacks up Halo and goes to ride in the neighbor's arena, and she asks me to watch for a while before I take Jeze out. She let me on for a little, too.
After a while I get Jeze and take out our new lunge line (my last one was stolen, so me and Lauren put together money for a new purple and black one). Jeze behaved well, and she only bucked a few times.
Once I was done we put Halo and Jeze out in the front feild and went to clean up the barn. Halo has a crush on Jeze. heart
We swept up, mucked out and then wandered out in the dark to bring the horses back to the barn and feed them.
It was a good day overall.
Lauren wanted me to get on Jeze, but I didn't feel like it.
Next time...maybe. Jeze behaves better in the neighbor's arena than in our sad excuse for one. It's grass, and that's not bad, but there's trees in one corner so you have to duck, and there's bunny burrows on the edges, so you have to stay to the inside.
So...maybe I'll get on Jeze in the arena next time if I'm confident enough.
I don't want to push either of us out of our comfort zone, she's been behaving really well lately.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 6:15 pm
Wednesday, January 3rd
Today after school me and Lauren went out to visit Halo and Jeze.
We decided that everything seemed good for a quick ride, so we went bareback. Jeze was really well behaved, she didn't buck, she tried to get to the gate a few times, but she didn't fuss much when I corrected her.
We stayed at the walk only, because I want to take little baby steps.
The entire ride wasn't even a half hour, and probably even less than 20 minutes. I think that's the best way to start with her, a quick ride at the walk that ends well, then building up from there over time.
I was very proud of her today. 3nodding I was sure to pat her lots and tell her what a good girl she was being.
After the ride, a car at the arabian stable nextdoor scared the heck out of Jeze for a second, and she wound up accidentally bumping into me. It wasn't that bad though.
Cars really seem to freak her out.
Right now I'm Jeze's favorite person out of the four people she knows, so that's not saying much. xd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 4:38 pm
Saturday the 6th
I rode a horse named Jack yesterday, because he gets bored just doing therapeutics and beginner lessons. He's the kind of horse that you have to constantly kick just to keep him moving, but he got a bit more willing after a while. I haven't ridden him since a bareback relay this summer, when he bucked to kick the girl behind him and got her with both legs. xd She's the only person he doesn't much care for. I'm not sure why.
He tried this little lazy rear/pop thing once, and I found it funny.
Jack's the horse I first learned to canter on like...four years ago. I really haven't been riding all that long, but I'm doing well compared to the other people who started when I did at the stable.
We did some jumping, and Jack just loves it. He doesn't get any good jumping with his regular lessons. Everybody says his expression is adorable as he's jumping. That's why he's Junpin' Jack Flash.
Riding Jack was a nice change for this week. I do hope I get to be back up on Notch next week, though. Vera, the stable owner's step-daughter rode him this week.
Majoda's website has some new pictures. www.majodastables.com
Notch is much cuter in person, but Apple's pretty cute looking. You can see Apple is ony of Ty's pics, too.
I didn't get to see Jeze this weekend. ;_;
And I have exams Thursday, Friday and next Tuesday. So I probably won't get to see her for a while.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:48 pm
My friend Lauren got on Jeze for a quick ride beacause her horse Halo lost a shoe somewhere. Man, Jeze REALLY hates her. Jeze decided to trot all on her own for a few steps, and then took up a stride of the canter before a little fit of bucking. Her tail was swishing all over the place. But Lauren quickly got her back under control and walked her over some poles before handing her to me.
So I get on and walked around for a bit, and you'd swear it wasn't the same horse. She's holding her tail and ears all relaxed, listening to what I have to say without TOO much of a fuss. Didn't buck or throw her head. We walked around the arena a little, did a few circles and backed up a few steps before ending the little ride.
I noticed that Lauren keeps her reins really short, and Jeze definately doesn't like that. I think she must do it to keep her head up to discourage her from bucking and to be sute that if Jeze acts up she has some control over her, but if that's the reason it doesn't seem to be working. Jeze likes to carry her head pretty low, but once it drops past a certain point you can be sure she's doing it for a reason. >.> If it's going to piss her off so much, she'll only want to buck off her rider even more.
Those two just don't get along. They're both too easily frustrated.
You know, the only time Jeze's bucked with me was on this horrible "trail" ride we were on when she got stuck by a thorn bush. I don't hold it against her because if I had a thorn bush on my butt, I'd be a little displeased too. And even that one time she wasn't bucking really badly. She only bucked enough to get the bush off.
So anyway, Jezebel hasn't killed me yet and all's going well. xd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:42 pm
Yesterday I rode Notch and we had a lot of fun. We were in a different saddle than usual, I was in the saddle that used to be used on a horse named Jackie beforse she was injured. It hasn't been used since August or so, and it was stiff feeling. The cantle's like insanely high compared to any other english saddle I've ridden in, but it's a really nice saddle. It took some getting used to for both me and Notch, though. Every time we stopped he's bend his head over and give me the most pathetic look ever. xd He was like "Hey...how 'bout getting out that old saddle, perhaps? Maybe...No? Later, then?"
We got to do some small jumps, and Notch was more willing than usual. He was trying really hard. He's really cute when he jumps. xd We started with just a lone of two crossrails, but we turned it into a little bounce towards the end. I don't think Notch's done one before and he was trying to figure out how to work it the first time or so, but the third time went really well. 3nodding
We had a really nice ride overall.
My other friend Lauren rode the horse she 1/4 boards (Buddy) bareback for a while, and he decided to scale the wmall fence next to a therapeutic loading ramp while she was talking to me. She says he did this earlier this week too. He was fine though, just scratched off some hair.
Then Notch was used for the next lesson, and his poor rider was dragged all around the ring. He'll do that if you don't use your eyes. I warned her about looking where she's going before she got on (she was nervous, never ridden him before), but she either forgot or ignored me. I had to watch the lesson for a minute or two while Mo went to the bathroom, so we went over the parts of the horse. How can two kids who've been riding for at least a year and a half not know where the withers are? Seriously, that's like the first thing I was taught before I even got on a horse. Oh well, at least they know now I guess.
Then Lauren picked me up afterwords, and we went to see Ojo run. He came in fourth, almost third, out of a large group. They've been having trouble finding races for Ojo, this one was supposed to be really tough for him so they were very proud of his fourth. We got to go back and cool him out and brush him too. I got to lead him around his barn twice, and it was pretty uneventful. My first time leading a racehorse that's still a racehorse. Haha. There's a new filly there, currently nameless. pancho (the trainer) says I can name her if I want. She's not even two yet. She's really cute. They paid $50,000 for her. She's really cute, and she wanted to steal my jacket. She'e sweet, I hope she stays that way.
Then we went to take care of Halo and I walked along the fence till I found Jeze so I could pet her a bit. And when I went to go into the barn she followed me along the fence. It was too dark for me to bring her in and groom her, though. So I promised her I'd visit her again after my exams are over. I groomed Halo while he had his wraps changed, swept up and fed him while Lauren mucked his stall. He was supposed to get new shoes today.
And now I'm sick. xp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 10:43 am
My cold's turned back into my regular allergies, so I visited Jeze yesterday. It's only just gotten cold here in South Jersey yesterday and the ground is frozen for the first time. So we only bummed around and had fun, nobody did much work. We groomed Halo and Jezebel and put them out in the front pasture (the nice one) and took some photos. cool       It was a nice day. Jeze was very well behaved. Lauren told me that she's convinced that Debbie's thinking about giving Jeze to me. xd My mom would murder me. Murder me good. I'm planning on buying Jeze a nice new halter, because the ones that are for her suck. The blue heart one in those pictures is really flimsy and the teal-ish one I usually use with her is actually for a fox trotter named Mr. Buttons. She has a purple one that seems to have at one time been nice, but it's nasty now, and a green one that's pretty much falling apart. So I think she needs a new one. I'd like to get a bright blue one, but I haven't seen one. She's not in urgent need of one, so I'll take my time finding a nice one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:43 pm
I rode Jack on saturday because the person that quarter-boards Notch was in my lesson, and I figured he could use more work. It was a pretty uneventful day. There was 6 riders squeezed into the lesson, the only lesson for the day. One rider was a beginner (I'm surprised they let her canter) and she didn't tighten the girth enough. The saddle slipped more and when she went to dismount and fix it it after it slipped a litte, and it then flopped sideways. I remember when I was in my first weeks I didn't tighten the girth enough and the saddle slipped while I was mounting. I bet that she'll always remember to check the girth after that, I know I did. It's a good way to learn. xd
I visited Jeze today. I rode her bareback, my friend got on Halo with the stable's only english saddle. She's a big fat couch. Haha. Nice and warm too.
Anyway, as soon as I flopped on Jeze she picked up a trot before I even got my balance down. Good thing she's really smooth, I probably would have fallen off otherwise. Heh. Anyway, she was trotting because the gate at the end of the arena was open, and it lead to a big open field that she apparently felt like checking out. But all was well and I walked her the rest of the ride. It was a pretty good day. Lauren took Halo out into the big field and started to canter him, and then a cat ran in front of him and he started galloping. I didn't know he had it in him! He was doing well today.
Lauren took Halo for a walk and I got off and led Jeze around. We trotted over a few PVC poles, which she stepped on, as usual.
She's broken many poles. There's two that are snapped in half completely from repeated crushings.
Anyway, I took her back into the barn and brushed her some more. I have found her itchy spot. cool Apparently, she loves to have her belly and shoulders scratched. Here eyes were closed and if she didn't have hay to eat I think she may have fallen asleep. I'm glad I finally found it, I've been looking all over for it.
She picks up her feet for me of my first request sometimes, which is really convenient. She's more comfortable with letting me touch her tail too. I can even pick it up without her giving me a fuss. So I took some time to comb it out. She doesn't have much to her tail, but it was kind of a mess.
We left after prepping the stalls for the night, because the horses would be staying in, out of the cold. I busted the ice out of the buckets while Lauren added more shavings and some hay to each one.
I got home around 6 and told my mom about my day. I was telling her about how I think lots and lots of cavaletti would help Jeze with picking her feet up more, because they helped Notch that way. Notch used to jump everything to avoid actually stepping over things. Cones, poles just laying on the ground, he'd jump everything or step on them. So everybody that rode him took him over cavaletti raised a little at a posting trot until he learned not to jump them, but to pick up his feet and step over them instead.
Anyway, that's what I told my mom that I think the farm needs, cavaletti. But all we have to work with is four half-poles, two whole poles and one pole with a semi-smashed end.
And that's when she said that "we could probably build some." It was nice to hear, beacuse up till now I thought she though of Jeze as "that nutso horse that was plotting to murder my daughter." xd
But Jeze is my little buddy. I'm her food-giver. Hehe.
Now I think she thinks of Jeze more as "the horse I don't have to pay for her to ride."
So everything's been going well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:48 pm
Me and Lauren went out to ride today. I haven't been to the farm in five days or so, and as we're pulling up I noticed poor Jeze is covered in mud. Dang, that took some serious grooming time.
Anyway, all the snow's cleared up so we decided to use the saddles for our little ride. Lauren's got her "new" used western saddle, and I use the beat-up old english saddle on Jeze.
So anyway, we go out and I get on and we walk. I was feeling really good about things today, so I ask Jeze to trot. She was very good about it.
After we make it around the arena once, she decided it was canter time. All of the sudden, we're cantering.
She usually bucks at the canter, every time I've seen her canter she bucks.
But she didn't buck once in the few strides I let her take. I would have been totally amazed if I had actually asked for it. xd
Hopefully she won't buck when I do ask for it. I'll have to see about that later on because we haven't worked enough at the trot yet.
I brought at apple with me for my snack, and I let Jeze have some of it. It was freakishly huge, so I had more than enough for me anyway. Her owner doesn't let her horses have apples, but as long as I wasn't giving her the core it'd be okay. She liked it.
So I had a nice day. whee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 6:03 pm
SAT yesterday, lesson today.
I rode Jackie, a beautiful dark bay (looks black) TB mare who I've known for years but never ridden till today. xd
She almost had to be euthanized over the summer due to a serious leg injury, and she'll never be the jumper and speed demon that she once was. She's come a long way though.
She's just walk/trot for now, and I rode her because the barn owner asked me to. She's not a lesson horse anymore, but she's still ridden to keep her exercised and help her build back muscle. She's able to canter a little, but she's never going to be allowed to canter in lessons again, from what I've been told.
MAN I thought she'd be all bumpy and limpy because of her leg, but she's so smooth! She drags it a little, but you can't feel it at all when trotting on her stronger side. Her bad side is a little off, but not impossible and horrible.
I've ridden a few...crippled rofl ...horses, and she really carries herself amazingly, considering everything.
No wonder she's the owner's favorite horse.
I wish I got the chance to ride her before she got hurt. xp
She was my favorite when I first started riding (because she's drop-dead gorgeous) so I'm glad I was able to ride her at least once.
In other news, Lauren's going to move Halo. That may mean no more Jezebel for me.
But I'm thinking about buying her. >.>
I don't think I can leave her where she is. The place Lauren's probably moving Halo to is a small self-care barn close to where we live (like 20 minutes away) where boarding costs less than $100 a month! That's amazingly cheap for where I am. xd
There's tons of trails, it's right on a river and there's almost no cars there at all.
It's a real old barn, and the guy that owns it just rents it, he doesn't know about horses.
But there's no other mares there, so I don't think Jeze would like it. She hates the boys. And there's no arena, just trails and the owner's front yard for riding.
Plus Jeze has been with the mares at the barn where she already is for most of her life, and I don't know how she'll get along without them. And I don't know how much she'll cost. She might be better off where she is.
I may have to say goodbye to her for good. It's upsetting.
Halo won't be moved for a while, so I still have lots of time to think about it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 11:27 pm
pook666 SAT yesterday, lesson today. I rode Jackie, a beautiful dark bay (looks black) TB mare who I've known for years but never ridden till today. xd She almost had to be euthanized over the summer due to a serious leg injury, and she'll never be the jumper and speed demon that she once was. She's come a long way though. She's just walk/trot for now, and I rode her because the barn owner asked me to. She's not a lesson horse anymore, but she's still ridden to keep her exercised and help her build back muscle. She's able to canter a little, but she's never going to be allowed to canter in lessons again, from what I've been told. MAN I thought she'd be all bumpy and limpy because of her leg, but she's so smooth! She drags it a little, but you can't feel it at all when trotting on her stronger side. Her bad side is a little off, but not impossible and horrible. I've ridden a few...crippled rofl ...horses, and she really carries herself amazingly, considering everything. No wonder she's the owner's favorite horse. I wish I got the chance to ride her before she got hurt. xp She was my favorite when I first started riding (because she's drop-dead gorgeous) so I'm glad I was able to ride her at least once. In other news, Lauren's going to move Halo. That may mean no more Jezebel for me. But I'm thinking about buying her. >.> I don't think I can leave her where she is. The place Lauren's probably moving Halo to is a small self-care barn close to where we live (like 20 minutes away) where boarding costs less than $100 a month! That's amazingly cheap for where I am. xd There's tons of trails, it's right on a river and there's almost no cars there at all. It's a real old barn, and the guy that owns it just rents it, he doesn't know about horses. But there's no other mares there, so I don't think Jeze would like it. She hates the boys. And there's no arena, just trails and the owner's front yard for riding. Plus Jeze has been with the mares at the barn where she already is for most of her life, and I don't know how she'll get along without them. And I don't know how much she'll cost. She might be better off where she is. I may have to say goodbye to her for good. It's upsetting. Halo won't be moved for a while, so I still have lots of time to think about it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
