Month: December 2019

Yesterday we covered my top 5 best memories from 2019, and for the sake of balance, it’s only fair to also talk about the less shiny parts. In general I don’t like to focus on what didn’t go well, because IMO you learn from it and move on, but I do think its important to be honest to anyone reading and talk about the bad as well as the good. I make mistakes. Sometimes things are disappointing. That’s just life.

The barn closing

I think the thing that gutted me most was when the barn I’d been at for 3 years sold to developers and closed down. The place was a bit rough around the edges, not at all fancy, and mostly a barn for very occasional trail riders, but it had tons of beautiful open land, they let me do what I wanted, and it was only 20 minutes from my house. Over time I’d come to make that place work quite well for me, and I was attached to those back fields in a borderline spiritual way. It wasn’t just the fact that we had to leave that was so disappointing, it was the idea of the land being turned into more disgusting cookie cutter neighborhoods. It still makes me ill to think about. Plus it broke up our Hillary/Bobby/Amanda trio of trouble. But, it did lead to bigger and better opportunities, so I suppose “for everything there is a season”.

Human injuries

In May I managed to sprain my ankle pretty badly when I stepped down on the edge of the mounting block (it’s STILL not quite right) and then had a particularly nasty fall a couple weeks later while XC schooling. I ended up under the horse, and while overall I was fine, I was pretty well banged up. The hematoma on my leg is now a permanent dent. I think I learned a valuable lesson about taking better care of myself and giving myself appropriate time to heal rather than being stubborn and trying to power through things (as is my general nature). I think. I hope. I’ve tried to take the “treat yourself like you would treat the horses” approach a bit more. Grit is one thing, stupidity is another.

Vet bills

It has literally been one freaking vet bill after another since June. It started with routine floats and vaccines and injections, then there was a respiratory funk, an allergic reaction, a hematoma that subsequently got infected, a skin funk from hell, a ripped off chunk of hoof/heel, a cut hock, a broken tooth that needed to be extracted, and then a mystery foot lameness. And now they’re due for routine stuff again next month. If I could go a month or two without giving hundreds of dollars to the vet, that would be fun. Between the money and the issues, it killed any hope I had of a fall or winter season. Which again, may have turned out to be a good thing, because it gave me time away from all that to really have a think about what’s most important to me and spend some time just enjoying the horses without any other pressures.

Going splat at Coconino

So, real talk, that was a shitty moment. We’d had the best XC of our life the day before, and by the time we stepped into the ring for stadium we were literally the only pair left that hadn’t been eliminated. All I had to do was stay on and jump the jumps in the right order and we’d win, taking the $1200 Open Prelim division money home with us. And we jumped the first jump brilliantly, then almost fell down in the mud a few times in the corner before sliding through fence 2, and I went flying through the air to end that dream with an unceremonious splat. Disappointing, for sure. To be honest though, I kept waiting for it to feel like some kind of soul-crushing, life-altering defeat and it just never did. This sport is hard. Shit happens. To everyone. It would have been freaking awesome to win and bring home some money, duh, but I was still really pleased with my horse and no matter how it ended, the XC was a career highlight that could never be erased or minimized. In the old days, pre-working-on-my-mental-game, I would have been absolutely devastated. Now it was just… a bummer. So I guess, depending on how you want to look at it, it could have been a good thing? Showed some growth anyway.

FEH Champs

While I was happy that Presto qualified for FEH Champs again, and grateful that he was sound and could actually attend despite trying to rip his foot off a month before and then cutting his hock a few days before, I was admittedly disappointed in the day. I believe heartily in the importance of the FEH and YEH programs and want to support them as much as I can, and I had really been looking forward to Championships. Prices went up this year, which I totally understand, but it was a lot to spend (like as much as I’d spend on a regular recognized horse trial) and a very long hot day (we had to stand in the sun in 100 degrees for a couple hours after we were done to wait for results) to show a baby horse on the line. While Presto wasn’t unsound from the cut on his hock, he did move very wide behind to protect it, which (fairly) they did not like at all and seemed to interpret as a substantial overall weakness. We got good pictures and more experience, so it wasn’t a total wash, but given the time and money involved, it was a bit disappointing. Naturally he was moving normally again within a few days, because horses.

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To be fair, these are really the only truly disappointing moments that spring to mind from the year. And even then, I think most of them have or will ultimately lead to something good. You live, you learn. Shit happens for a reason. Blah blah blah. I don’t always believe that, but as long as I’m learning from the blunders, I do believe they can turn into positives in the long run. Or ya know, build character at the very least? And honestly, sometimes my stubborn hard-headed self really does have to learn things the hard way.

I feel like every year I kind of change how I do these “year in review” type posts. I don’t really like doing just a summary of what happened, but I also think that doing a “by the numbers” thing kind of puts the focus in the wrong places. My goals are to have fun, enjoy my horses, and learn. Numbers don’t always really reflect that. So I’m going to try out something new and instead break up the year-recap into more of a Top 5 series. For today’s, we’re starting out with my top 5 memorable moments of the year, the bits that really spring to mind as the most spine-tinglingly “I’ll never forget that time when…” type of memories I made in 2019. These are in no particular order of course, because who could pick a favorite?

Finally getting a clear Prelim stadium round

I love Henry to the absolute depths of forever, but Jesus H Christ, it is hard AF to show jump clean on this horse. Especially at Prelim. XC is his forte, and he really just doesn’t care much if he hits a rail or three. Trying to dial in the stadium has been a lot of ongoing work. In February we finally pulled that shit together, and despite a few rubs they DID all stay in the cups. FINALLY. (I think it was a one-off incident of pure luck but shhhhhhh I’ll take it)

First “sit” on Presto

I don’t know that it counts as a “ride” since I literally just swung a leg over and sat on him at a standstill for a few minutes, but there’s nothing quite like the feeling of being the first one to sit on a horse that you bred. I was there when he was created, I was there when he was born, and now my butt will always have been the first one to grace his back. It seems like a small thing but after years of investing so much time, energy, love, hope, money, etc it feels like a magical moment. Especially when he’s a second generation homebred for me.

Henry’s first recognized Prelim

It sounds silly but once I knew Prelim was actually attainable, I really wanted Henry to have it on his official USEA record. I know, horses don’t give a shit about that, and since he’ll never be for sale it doesn’t actually matter at all, but something in me just really felt like he deserved to be an “official” Prelim horse. It’s a title he’s more than earned and I’m ridiculously proud of him. It kinda feels like a public record that testifies to the fact that he always tries so hard for me and is the most golden of eggs. When we sealed the deal on our first recognized Prelim completion, it was a great feeling.

Meeting Mighty Magic

Honestly that whole trip may have been the best yet, between Burghley and France I have so many great memories and cannot WAIT to do it again. But if I had to pick my absolute favorite moment of that entire trip, it would be meeting Presto’s sire Mighty Magic. We have met a lot of stallions in our travels but MM is special to me. I’ve loved him for so long, and finally getting to see him in person, and have him just be SO MUCH like Presto… it was awesome.

Conquering the jump that’s lived in my nightmares for years

You know how sometimes you see a jump and you’re just like hahahaha I would never jump that, you could not even pay me enough, that thing looks like death personified, EFF NO? I have felt that way about the Prelim/Intermediate (they share it) weldon’s wall at Coconino since the first time I laid eyes on it in 2016. Like I couldn’t even make eye contact with it then without wanting to barf. I figured I’d never have to jump it anyway, so I was content to let it live in the land of nightmares. And then we went to Coco and ran Prelim and there I was, staring that stupid thing down, trying not to shit myself. I still hate it, but we jumped it, proving once again that with the right horse, even those “never in a million years” things can suddenly be do-able. That whole XC round was probably one of the top 5 moments of my entire life, but finally jumping that stupid thing in particular felt equal parts terrifying and amazing, so it stands out.

It was definitely a year of stepping out of comfort zones and stretching ourselves, and also learning how to roll with the punches. Sometimes we succeeded, sometimes we didn’t (we’ll talk about the Fails in another post), but we showed up and we tried. I think I’ve finally learned how to really have fun no matter what happens, and how to put the most emphasis on the things that matter most (hint: it’s definitely not scores or ribbons or points).

The boys made out quite well this holiday season. Yeah I know, don’t they always? It started with Black Friday, with Henry’s sparkly AF hoof boot (the best hoof boot ever created, if you ask me) and the two new white merino wool Premier Equine pads (which may or may not still be sitting in the house with the tags on because I just want to enjoy them being pristine for as long as possible, ok?). Then of course it was Presto’s awesome gift from his horse mom, which continued the sparkly AF theme.

Things just kept coming in waves for them after that. There’s the Hylofit, which I’ve been using a lot as I bring Henry back into work,

but it did highlight the fact that since I moved to the merino wool pads, they take up less space under the saddle, and thus my girths are a little bit big now. Like… almost to the top holes on each side, which means there isn’t really enough room for the Hylofit to sit where it needs to once I mount up and tighten my girth. So I used one of my amazon gift cards that I got for xmas to order Henry a smaller girth, which will fit Presto better too. It has memory foam. Tres fancy.

I went back and forth for a while between a synthetic like this one or a full blown sheepskin girth, thinking about completing Henry’s already ridiculously fluffy outfit. But he’s never had an issue with girths (except the fake fleece ones, which rubbed him, because Henry) so I opted not to introduce more sheepskin maintenance into my life where it wasn’t necessary. Maybe next time.

I also used a visa gift card to buy a tack shop gift card, so that I can get the reversible navy and green elastic breastplate that I’ve been wanting for Presto. Still waiting for that tack shop to email me the gift card…

The boys also got an item that I’ve been lusting after for a while and talked about a lot – the space boots! Or more specifically, the Majyk Equipe cold compression boots. They look just as NASA-rific in person as I’d dreamed.

I haven’t used them yet, but I’m mega impressed by how well made and rugged they are. These things are legit. The ice packs are a lot thicker and sturdier than the LeMieux ones too, so hopefully they work better. We’ll find out soon. I’ve already played with the air pump, it’s quite fun.

Presto got a new Lund bridle, since he’s officially outgrown his old cob size one. Really that one hasn’t fit him well all year, he outgrew the headstall a long time ago, but now it’s just getting ridiculous and the straps barely reach. So now he’s got a new horse size basic snaffle bridle that should serve him well for the next couple years and be appropriate for any ring (he will probably find himself in some baby hunter classes at some point since I think that’s really good for the greenies). I just, uh… haven’t taken it out of the box and put it together yet. Probably this weekend, when I have time to condition it properly.

The boys also got some cleaning-type stuff, which they perhaps might not find particularly exciting, but I do. We’ve got a new product to us, Unicorn Grooming Spray, which is appropriately named. It’s all natural and has a nice mild scent.

And Blanket Safe, which I’ve been wanting to try for a while. I haven’t used it yet but I did open all the scents to smell them and omg they smell amazing. I can’t decide if I like the lavender or the clean linen the most. They’re anti-bacterial, detergent-free, and safe to use on waterproofing, plus I’ve heard really good things about their cleaning power for both blankets and saddle pads. If these work well on the blankets I think I might need to get their fleece and wool formula for my merino wool pads.

What the boys really raked in a lot of this year, though, was treats. Four different kinds, to be exact. Apple and Oats, Nicker Makers, Mrs. Pastures x 2 jars, and cheap Walmart oatmeal cookies (a favorite of Henry’s).

They aren’t the only ones who were a bit spoiled, either. I’ve gotten a few fun horsey things too, starting with the mounting block that I already mentioned. Really though, I love my 3-step. I think I will especially love it once I try to swing a leg over that giraffe I’ve got living out in the pasture.

I’m also branching out and trying some breeches that are totally new to me – first a pair of Montar from The Dressage Store, which I’ve basically been living in for a couple weeks… it’s too soon to say for sure but they might be my new favorite.

And a pair of Shop Halter Ego’s Perfection breeches in a gorgeous dark gray with navy piping. They’re super pretty.

So really I suppose we’re all spoiled creatures, and I’m gonna have a lot of reviews to write soon. Any of these things in particular that you’re particularly interested in a review on? I need to prioritize them somehow…

The Blogger Gift Exchange, hosted every year by Tracy at The Printable Pony, is quite possibly one of my favorite annual traditions. The equestrian blogger community has yielded me a lot of great friendships over the years, although granted I haven’t met a lot of them in person yet. Being able to do the gift exchange is a really fun, personal, and tangible way to reach out to the people behind the screen. I have not always known my recipient or my gift-giver very well in the past, but this year I was well-acquainted with both! My recipient was Stacie at Amateur at Large (we constantly enable each other to buy things, so it was quite apropos), and I possibly went a little overboard getting stuff for her. I couldn’t help it. Things just kept popping up that screamed Stacie. Like a cheese balls shirt.

I always do feel a bit bad for whoever is unlucky enough to get me though, because I’m very aware of how hard I am to shop for, but I actually knew my gift-giver this year too – Rhiannon over at The Horse is Not Black. Granted, I’m not sure if knowing me actually makes it more or less difficult to shop for me. Either way, she did great!

First of all, you people that are organized and put-together enough to individually wrap things – hats off to you. I literally just toss shit in a box. If I remember to do that before actual Christmas, get all the right things in the right boxes, and address it to the right person, it’s a win for me. Rhiannon totally gets extra points for presentation though, with all the nice wrapping. And Stewie, my JRT mix, absolutely loves to rip the paper off of presents, so he quite enjoyed that part.

Inside all the packages was a treasure trove of treats – for cats, dogs, horses, and humans. Nicker Makers are probably Henry’s favorite treats aside from the ultra-sugary Stud Muffins or German Horse Muffins (which are reserved only for special occasions lest he get The ‘Beetus), so he was delighted. He seriously raked in the treats this year, across the board. Stewie and Quinn both loved theirs too, and the kitten (who SO has named Orlock and I still call Hades, we are a house divided so this cat will probably have 2 names forever) gobbled his up as well. Grem likes to sniff treats, reject them, and then get mad about not getting a treat (it’s kind of her thing), so… Hades ate hers. Serves her right.

For me there was hot chocolate – an excellent choice because while I am one of the rare humans on this planet who doesn’t like coffee, beer, or wine, I do love me some hot chocolate. She also included a nice black Ariat merino wool headband, which will definitely come in handy doing barn chores this winter.

Stewie’s favorite part though?

The toys. He had seen me take them out of the box and set them on the table, so he was already whining and prancing while I was trying to take the first picture. As soon as I snapped it I handed him the reindeer and he took off around the living room. He might be 14 but destroying toys is still his favorite activity in the world. He’s very systematic about it… gnaw off an appendage, remove all the guts, find the squeaker, and then roll around in the gore. Within 15 minutes the reindeer was an amputee.

You don’t even want to see what he looks like now, a few days later. It’s gruesome. You wouldn’t be able to ID the body anymore. RIP reindeer, sorry you ended up in a house of horrors.

Aside from perhaps unwittingly becoming an accessory to reindeer murder, Rhiannon did a great job. Thank you! Another fun and successful Blogger Gift Exchange in the books. Hope everyone had a great holiday.

From our barn to yours, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!