Presto has had TWO rides in the past week, bringing us up to a grand total of 7 in the last month and a half. So, ya know…

Just kidding, there’s nothing really serious about it. I ride him when it works out time-wise and weather-wise, but since I have the luxury of not having to do a “first 30 days” or “first 60 days” type of training scenario, I can take time between rides and it’s not a problem. He retains everything just fine even if a week goes by in between, and his body can have more time to adjust to all this new stuff.

Ride #6 was on Sunday, and by the time I got to him it was really hot and sticky outside. That’s fine baby-riding weather though, less likely to incite shenanigans and our rides have only been 10-15 minutes long, so no one would be dying of heat stroke. I did our usual routine of tack up, lead him to the ring, lunge him with lots of transitions for a couple minutes (I’m not trying to make him tired or take the edge off with lunging, I’m trying to focus his brain – hence transitions), then get on. And in the beginning, all was fine.

Then all 3 of the other horses completely disappeared from his line of sight and he Did Not Like That. To be fair, he didn’t get scared or worried or lose his mind. No, he just got mad. He threw a bit of a tantrum where he only wanted to go the direction he wanted to go (towards where the other horses had gone), and at the speed he wanted to go there (real fast). He flipped me the bird like an angry mare. Which, joke is on him, angry mares are my specialty. So, ya know… we discussed it. Not in a mean or domineering way, but basically my theory was if you really think you want to go in that corner then ok, we shall go to that corner and work, and when you decide you’re ready to go where I want you to go like a civilized creature, then you can rest. It didn’t take him long to get the concept, and he decided maybe it was better to just play my game because his corner wasn’t really that fun after all.

While he was temporarily possessed by a demon in the beginning, we ended the ride on a good note, and instead of dismounting in the ring like I usually do, I decided to ride him back through the field and around to the barn. It was his first time hacking back, and as soon as we left the arena he did a little “I’M FREE” head toss/scoot (newsflash, he was not free) and then settled down and walked back like a good boy.

But since he was kind of an angsty teen on Sunday, I didn’t want to wait a week in between rides. If it was going to be a continuing problem I wanted to nip it in the bud sooner rather than later. On Tuesday I got Presto out and repeated our usual program: groom, tack, walk to arena, lunge for a couple minutes with lots of transitions, then get on.

Whatever evil spirit took up residence in his soul on Sunday was completely exorcised, and he was really really good. Not one single naughty moment. We walked for a while, working on some little half turns off the rail, circles, baby leg yields, etc. Then we picked up the trot, doing some circles here and there but mostly working on regulating his tempo and rhythm. The go/whoa/turn is working pretty well now so we can start to focus on the foundation of his gaits a little bit more.

Once we trotted both ways and did some transitions I went ahead and cantered. I cantered him a little bit back on ride 5 – like literally 3/4 of a circle one direction – but this time we cantered a couple big circles each way. Then I brought him back down to trot, crossed the diagonal making a big figure 8, halted, and ta-da, done. Twelve minutes. Good boys have easier lives.

Here’s a one minute condensation of clips if you want more than GIFs. I’ll have more footage on his next vlog. Maybe even some that’s not from my phone propped up on a tripod.

Now that Presto’s not just a super drunken noodle I’m starting to see and feel some of his natural quality. Even at an awkward, growthy age, his natural balance is quite good. He’s not a dressage horse, but for one that’s bred to gallop and jump, it’s definitely not a bad starting point. He covers so much more ground than Henry, and is much lighter in his front end and across the ground. For his second time cantering under saddle, and in a dressage ring no less, I was pretty impressed with how well he was able to keep himself together. Right now the only real criticism I can give him is that he’s pretty busy in the mouth and tries to get his tongue over the bit, but… we’re 7 rides in. He’ll figure it out.

He’s also really started to bloom in the last few weeks, rounding out a bit and physically he just looks so much stronger and more mature. It’s pretty exciting to see him start coming together into a real horse. And, of course, to ride him. I’m not disappointed.

I was one of those lucky enough to qualify for and receive a government stimulus check last week. A small piece of it went towards paying my taxes, which was ironic in many ways – here government, have some of your own money back – and also, the reason I owe on my taxes is because of all my side gigs. Why do they think I have the side gigs in the first place? Anyway. While I’m in a “hoarding money” mode and want to put most of the stimulus check in savings for the tiny house or whatever unforseenhell may be waiting, I also wanted to use a little bit to give back to some of my favorite small businesses that I know are being majorly impacted right now.

There are so many vendors that are SOL without horse shows. Many of those mobile tack shops that we’ve come to rely on and enjoy so much at shows make most if not all of their living from just that – shows. Being down and out for several months is a huge blow. Luxe Eq, a store that I’ve worked at a few times in the past, is a mostly-mobile vendor that travels from show to show, so when it came time to pick a few shops to spend some of my stimulus check at, they were an easy choice.

They DO have a website, so that makes browsing easier, and they’re also offering personal shopping, which is pretty cool. Want to browse the mobile shop a bit, or maybe have questions about how things fit or compare to each other? You can contact Megan and get a one-on-one shopping experience via Skype, Facetime, or Zoom. For instance, I didn’t really know what I wanted so I just said “What do you have that’s green and under $X?”. And she proceeded to pull out a few different pieces to show me, plus even tried on some different brands of breeches to show me how they fit. If you can’t be there in person, it’s definitely the next best thing. And fun. Highly recommend.

They’ve also got some good deals happening right now, like a big Animo sale, 30% off show shirt sale, sweaters on sale, belts up to 50% off, free shipping over $100, $50 gift card with orders over $250, etc. The sale page has all kinds of great deals. Or, if you’ve been thinking about trying one of the higher end brands but were nervous to just buy online, maybe the personal shopping experience could help you pick a fun splurge item.

Megan is super nice and really knows her brands well, so if you have any questions about fit, sizing, or how things compare, definitely just ask. You can email or message or Instagram, she’s easy to reach. She can 100% steer you in the right direction or maybe even suggest some better options you may not have known about. I started at Animo breeches and ended up at Cavalleria Toscana, after seeing the fit comparisons. Luxe EQ has a lot of really cute casual clothes in addition to riding clothes, too, so I’m 100% certain they have something for pretty much everyone.

If you’re lucky enough to be able to give back a little bit to your favorite horse show vendors right now, please consider it. And if you’re looking for a place to support with a little bit of that stimulus money, please take a look at Luxe EQ. They’re good people. ❤

Ok, I’m ready to admit that this covid situation is starting to wear on me a bit. It has sucked BIG TIME since the beginning, of course, but I am of the “you can’t control every situation but you can control your attitude towards it” persuasion so I was trying to focus on the positive and keep perspective. And in the beginning, that wasn’t too hard. I love being out at the farm all the time, not wasting 1.5hrs of my day commuting, and not having to put real clothes on. I’m also really good at handling solitude, and indeed I prefer it.

I have it WAY easier than many (or even most) other people, which I am acutely aware of and immensely grateful. But even I am starting to feel a bit “over it”, which I always feel majorly guilty about and thus don’t ever say out loud, because I do have it way easier than many other people. Like… oh no, poor me, stuck on the farm with my horses. Even I want to roll my eyes at that idea. If you’re going to be isolated somewhere, there is no better place to be. So for the most part I’ve tried to just sit in my corner, not complain, do my part to try to help this pass as quickly as possible, and be grateful.

This weekend it finally started to break through my wall a little bit though. It’s the uncertainty that’s getting to me, I think. The fact that everything shut down right when the SO was about to start a new job, which got put on hold, which technically makes him unemployed. And the fact that I work in the oil and gas industry, which in case you haven’t noticed is absolutely in the shitter in a big major bad way. Cheap gas is fun when you’re filling up your car, but it’s slow death to our industry. Pay cuts are likely imminent, and perhaps reduced work schedules. We’re just trying to weather it, at this point. I am really sad that we had planned on ordering our tiny house right about now, and that’s on hold for the foreseeable future, at least until SO’s job starts or he finds another. I miss seeing my friends. I miss being able to go have lunch with my dad. I miss traveling (RIP Ireland trip that never really even got off the ground). I miss the opportunity to go to horse shows, even if I didn’t take them. I miss chips and effing queso and chicken tikka masala.

On the other hand, every time I start feeling like I want to indulge in a little self-pity, I think this whole thing has been a really big reminder not to take anything for granted. That life can change in an instant. That we are entitled to nothing. How when you strip all the “noise” away, it’s easy to see what’s really important to you. All the things I miss so much are such huge luxuries that it just sounds silly in the grand scheme of things. And that ultimately, I’m an insanely lucky person, even now. Especially now.

Still, sometimes the feelings sneak through, even when you try to barricade them behind positivity and gratitude. A little bit of anxiety and gloominess seeped out this weekend. Which… admittedly might have partially been triggered because I binged all 6 seasons of Schitt’s Creek and a long book series simultaneously and finished BOTH the same day, which kind of left me with an even greater sense of loss because I’m totally one of those people that gets really invested in fictional places and characters. I’m still not over it.

Thus, naturally, my drug of choice that’s been helping me cope? The horses. They always help.

In one of those classic “can’t tell if I’m losing my mind or finding myself” moments, I may have dressed up Quinnie and Henry in some wildflowers. More than once. It’s the prettiest time of year in Texas, at least, and one day while I was headed out to fly spray Quinnie and bring Henry in to ride, I found myself stopping to pick some flowers. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve done that. Probably not since I was a kid. Both horses got flower crowns. I’m noticing little things like all the different shades of flowers, because that’s what you get to do when life slows down.

Presto also got his replacement ball at the end of last week, and it’s his new (same) BFF. How would it even be possible to watch him play with his ball and NOT have your spirits lifted? This kid is a one man comedy show. During particularly frustrating work conference calls (of which there are so many now) I can step out onto the back porch with my laptop and watch the horses, which instantly lowers the anxiety level.

I’m also still able to ride, and there is no amount of Xanax that would ever have the same effect as swinging up onto your favorite horse does. I have to admit that I’m enjoying this pressure-free time with Henry, where I don’t feel like we HAVE to have a lot of structure, or we MUST work on any particular thing. I mean… I’d already been doing that for a few months before any of this started, but now I don’t have to feel guilty about it. I haven’t even put a bit in his mouth in like 2 months, and I could not possibly give less of a shit about it. I’m just having fun with my horse, exploring, tuning out the world for a while, and doing whatever we feel like doing that day. And sometimes instead of riding I just sit there and watch him out in the pasture, grazing with his friend, and I get a full recharge of happiness from the fact that he’s happy.

When I’m looking between those ears, I remember that this too shall pass. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Life might look a little bit different afterwards, but things tend to happen in the way that they need to. Maybe this is an opportunity for a “reset”. If nothing else, it’s definitely changed how I see some things.

Hope everyone is hanging in there, especially if you’re not able to get adequate horse time.

When we last left our baby friends, they had been turned out in the same pasture together but had not interacted much yet aside from appraising each other from afar. Over the course of this week they finally got to meet and play, and one of them quickly emerged as the undisputed boss of the pasture. I’ll let you decide which one that was…

A little while later…

Poor Remi, he’s so sweet and gullible that has no idea he’s being outwitted by a crafty filly.

Fast forward a little more.

But, ya know… maybe there’s just something about Remi that starts to win you over. Like the ever-present opportunity for a good challenge in which to prove your blatant superiority.

And so it goes, Remi’s ever-present optimism and delight in having a friend, and Oakley’s constant scheming, out-maneuvering him and out-witting him at every turn. But sometimes, when she thinks no one is really looking…

Happy Friday!

Well, friends, I’m afraid I have to be the bearer of some tragic news today and announce that our dear friend Ball has passed away.

To be more accurate, he was murdered. By his one and only friend Presto. Granted, their relationship has been abusive from the start so this might not be much of a shock to any of you. In fact, most of us are probably more like “wow, I can’t believe Ball lasted as long as he did”. But, you know, that’s beside the point.

Anyway, Presto was the only one who liked Ball at all, indeed most were terrified and offended by his very existence, so what choice did Ball really have in friends? Presto did love him, just in a slightly… warped and violent way. In fact, you might even say that ultimately Ball was loved to death. There are worse ways to go.

Ball was only with us for only a relatively short time, just a few months, but lets be honest, that’s about 2.5 months longer than anyone really expected. We’ve always known how this would end. The writing has been on the wall from the moment Ball had the ultimate misfortune of landing on my doorstep. In the words of Dean Koontz, “fate cannot be sidestepped or outrun.”. Such definitely proved to be the case with Ball, destined for a short but well-lived life.

His last day was a busy one, and he got a lot of attention. Ball even enjoyed a little airborne time in the morning, and I hope that in those moments he felt free and at peace.

Because that very evening he was stomped to death. An ugly end, to be sure, but once he sustained the death blow it was all over very quickly. Just… POP… and there he went. The life gushed right out of him via a gaping quarter-sized hole. It was a gracious and dignified end for a faithful friend.

Presto has shown no remorse for what he claims to have been an accident, but he does seem to miss Ball. While they didn’t play together every day, the times they did share were rollicking, exhilarating, and memorable. Ball, you will be greatly missed, and there will never be another quite like you. 

Ok that’s not true, another one that literally looks exactly like you will have the same misfortune of being delivered here today. But, ya know… Ball 2 has a big cover to fill, I think we can all agree on that. Will he be as faithful and durable as you were, loyal friend? Time will tell.

Cheers to you, Ball, some of the best $25 I’ve ever spent.