Happy New Year

Wow!  I cannot believe I have let so much time go by without updating my blog.  It's not that I haven't been riding because I have.  Regularly too!  Boo and I are still working on rhythm, suppleness, and connection.  I think we may be working on that forever.  Boo knows how to do it...I sometimes struggle.  When we have those three things going for us we go ahead and work on straightness and collection.  We can only manage that for short periods of time. 

I am much more comfortable on Bay now too.  I don't ride him as often as I ride Boo but we have come a long way together.  I have a couple of friends that help me keep Bay exercised.  I found I just couldn't keep up with both horses and still have time for anything else.  I was burning out.  The ladies help me on Monday and Wednesday.  I ride Bay on Friday, and the DH rides him on the weekends. He's been taking him to cow sorting clinics.  It's so funny.  He has gone from dressage horse to cow horse!  I think I have the DH interested in looking into western dressage. 

I'm still working on my photography.  Having a great time with it.  Looking forward to posting a few things here now and then.  I'm also looking forward to doing some reading and catching up on all the blogs. 

Boo again!

Another shot of Boo.  I took this as a class assignment for a Basic Equine photograpy course.  Do you think I should have cropped out the barn door?  Because the background was so dark I thought leaving it in gave it a bit of context...not sure if it's to distracting...

I've finished my course and am waiting for the final critiques.  I'm not going to take another class for awhile.  I am just going to practice the things I've learned for the rest of the summer.  I'm also working through a workbook for photoshop.   I bought myself photoshop CS5 and there is a lot for me to learn there.  The workbook will help me get familiar with the basic stuff.  I need to have that down before September because I am going to go to Photoshop World in Las Vegas.  Hoping that sitting through the seminars there will really help me elevate my images to another level.

I have been riding both horses this week.  I noticed that my stirrup leathers were worn, so I replaced them yesterday.  Now I am squeaking  with every stride. I had visions of the leather breaking through at the most inopportune time!  Tomorrow is Bay's day to be ridden.  I have to admit that I get butterflies thinking about it.  Guess that's the sign that I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone.  I can only hope I'll end up being a better rider for it.

Riding Baythoven

I have only ridden two horses consistently in my life.  I started on a lesson horse.  Two years later I bought Boo.  I've been riding him ever since.  Bay has always been my husband's horse.  He's always been ridden by the hubby and what ever young lady was sponsoring him for 4-H, OHSET, shows, lessons, etc.  I've been on him maybe 5 times in 6 years.  Now that I'm going to be the one keeping him exercised I am going to have to learn what it's like to ride a horse with a completely different personality than Boo.

Bay is more laid back than Boo.  Some people read that as "lazy."  I guess he is a bit lazy.  He doesn't want to work, so he puts up a bit of a fuss in order to see if your up to the task of getting him to do what your asking.  Frankly, I am not quite sure I am up to the task.

I plan to start slowly.  Lots of ground work to get him to listen to me on the ground.  I guess we could call this the getting to know you phase.  Lots of walk/trot.  Since he almost unseated me when I asked for the trot on Thursday,  I figure we will just stick with getting the trot right before I move on to the canter.

Bay is a beautiful horse and his gaits are smooth.  Once we get a relationship going I think we will be fine.  He's only 15 and Boo is 23 so I'm kind of hoping that Bay will become my main riding horse when Boo is ready to retire. 

Beautiful Boo

It's been awhile
since I've written anything for the blog.  I hadn't been riding...I kept trying to get back on a regular schedule but it never seemed to stick.  In June we made the decision to move the horses once again.  This time we brought them closer to home.  It's an older barn and they only get half day turn out, but I am riding again and that is what I'd hoped for.  Sarah has decided to move on from Baythoven starting in August. It's time for her to try new challenges before she goes off to college in the fall.  We will miss her but we understand.  So, now we are looking for another sponsor for Bay and, in the meantime, I am riding both horses.  The hubby really only has time to help out on the weekend.  If this doesn't whip me back into riding shape I don't know what will. 

I've also been pursuing my photography journey.  I took this photo of Boo at the new barn about a month ago.  I'm having a blast with this.  I'm trying all kinds of things but horse photography is my absolute favorite.

I'm looking forward to getting back to blogging.  I've been reading and keeping up with everyone. I doubt I'll be able to write daily, but I am hoping for once a week at least.

Being there for Boo

Hmmm…wouldn’t you know that Baythoven would come up lame less than a week before OHSET’s (Oregon High School Equestrian Team) first meet.  The horse goes through down times just fine.  It’s like he has an inner clock that says show season is coming up, it’s time for some lameness issues.  I feel bad for Sarah because this is the only showing she was planning to do with Bay this year.  We’ve called in our vet and she’ll be out on Friday to check him out.  I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that it will be easily taken care of.

I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t been out to ride Boo in quite some time.  As a matter of fact I have only been making it out there about once a week to groom.  I’ve been letting my health problems dictate to me.  I can’t keep doing that.  So, today I put on my barn clothes and made the 30 minute drive out to see the boys.  Boo was the only one happy to see me.  Bay gets his attention from Sarah and doesn’t feel the need for mine.  Boo, on the other hand, only has me.  He was more than ready for a little grooming and treat time.  Once I got him cleaned up I tacked him up and put him on the lunge line for about 15 minutes.  We just did a light workout.  He’s not in any better shape than I am.  As a matter of fact he’s gotten a bit chubby.  He is in good company because so have I.  He’s still pretty fuzzy and I didn’t want him to get too sweaty.  Once we finished with the lunging I decided to cool him out from the saddle.  I climbed on and spent about 20 minutes just walking around.  That is the first time I’ve been in the saddle since October.  It did feel good.  I was a bit nervous but it all worked out.  Halfway through the ride I realized I’d climbed up there without my helmet which is something I never do.  Thankfully, he was a good boy today. 

When I turned him back out in the pasture he watched me for a bit before he went off to join his buddies.  I have been the only constant in this horse’s life for the past 10 years.  Today I realized that I need to make more of an effort no matter what’s going on in my life.  I love him, and I think he kind of likes me too.

A Change In Focus

Sarah isn't going to show Baythoven this year in the class A shows.  That means I don't have to keep up all those cumbersome memberships so necessary and vital to the show circuit industry. If Bay isn't showing, as far as I am concerned, there is nothing in those memberships for me. I do plan to keep my ODS membership.  That one always has educational opportunities for members even if they are not into showing.  A primary ODS membership comes with the "Flying Changes" magazine and it comes with a USDF membership which gives me the "USDF Connection" magazine.  Maintaining my connection with ODS will also give me the opportunity to help out at some of the shows.  I'd love to learn to scribe and I am hoping to get that opportunity.

I've decided to invest the money I would have spent on memberships into photography classes.  Of course I am thinking that my photography will take a decidedly equine bent.  I've already signed up for two classes.  One class in photography and one in photo shop.  I am jazzed about this turn of events.  It feels right.  It feels like a big adventure!

Gratitude

I made my way out to the barn on Sunday.  The weather had warmed up a bit and I wanted to check on the boys.  When I got there they were turned out into their pasture and were grazing side by side.  They paid no attention to me whatsoever until I made my way into the pasture with some horse cookies.  It was then they decided I was their long lost benefactor.

As they ambled across the pasture toward me I was struck by just how beautiful they both are.  Even in they're dirty blankets, even with their manes in a tangle and shavings clinging to their tails.  They are both pretty fuzzy.  I think Bay may even be fuzzier than he has ever been.  His tail is longer than I've ever see it.  It's past his hocks now.  Boo's tail has grown too.  It wasn't but a couple of months ago that I had banged it just above his fetlocks.  Now it's dragging on the ground again.  Looks like I will need to go out and wash it and bang it again on the first available 50 degree day.

I haven't been feeling well lately, but today for that few hours spent with my horses,  I forgot about everything but how much I love being with them. I have heard it said that people who have something that speaks to their soul, no matter what it is, will become so engrossed in it that they will lose time when doing it.  That is exactly what happens to me when I am with the horses.  Time slows down and eventually I lose track of it altogether.  I know I am not alone in this.  I know that almost everyone who will read this blog post knows exactly what I am talking about.  Aren't we lucky to have that? I know I'm grateful for every single moment.