A New Found Appreciation

This week I've ridden quite a lot. Three days and six horses to be exact. Not one of those horses was Rose. Don't worry, she's fine, and getting ridden to boot! One of my more advanced students, EB, has returned from summer vacation and is hacking her twice a week for me, starting this past week. Between the two of us she should get back in shape quickly, and I cannot wait to really start jumping her again!

So, what of these six horses you might ask? I am coaching the IHSA team again this year, and we are currently in the process of waking the school horses out of their lazy summer comas. Given the quantity of horses that need to be conditioned, and the fact that I need to be there to supervise anyway, I decided that I'd hop on a few of the more advanced ones and start figuring them out from their backs. This has been good, because I'm getting a fuller understanding of their individual quirks. They are mostly all hard workers and very willing, albeit they have seen better days and some have a few mechanical problems. All in all they have good spirits though, and are invaluable as school horses for that reason.

However, every day while driving home I reflect on my big beautiful mare and realize just how wonderful she is. For all our little squabbles and her funny little quirks she is an amazing horse with sensitive transitions and fluid comfortable gates, and I am so lucky to have her in my life. I'm looking forward to getting back on her, but that will have to wait until the end of next week once conditioning ends. I just don't have enough babysitting time to do both at once.

Happy trails and swooshing tails!
•DS•

Conformation Photos Over Five Years

Due to popular demand, here are Rose's conformation photos from every year that I have them (there is no yearling photo).

3 months old

2.5 years old (awkward growth spurt, but better conformation photo)

3.5 years old

4.5 years old (awkward growth spurt again)

5.5 years old

Happy trails and swooshing tails!
•DS•

Yearly Conformation Photo

Every fall, I take a conformation photo of Rose to compare her to the day I brought her home. I used to do the photos about the same day in the end of September every year. However, I discovered that in Montana her winter coat starts growing in sooner, so I've had to up the photo shoot by a month. Without further adieu here is the side by side...

Two Years Old, October 2009

Five Years Old, August 2012

She's definitely grown up a tad!


Happy trails and swooshing tails!
•DS•

A little here, a little there

All I can say is that given everything Rose is amazing. Due to visitors and miscellaneous obligations Rose ended up with nearly two weeks off again. At long last I managed to make it to the barn yesterday and get in some pony time. I am hoping that with summer winding down I'll be able to get back onto some sort of riding schedule.

At any rate, Rose was wonderful.  You would never know she had any time off. She was calm and sweet and completely happy to work. I have to say that is one of the things I love about her. You can let her be for a while and then pick right up where you left off. It is a total Gatsby quality. In addition to riding, I finally manage to have enough time to also pull her mane. It had been about four or five months since I last pulled it (due to giant belly and then newborn) and it was very long...about eight inches. I had hoped to bathe her as well but ran out of time. Hopefully I can tackle that after my next ride!