Horse hunting is hard!!

... And tiring, and time consuming but also super super addictive!! So, I've officially been horse hunting for 14 months (a year and two months, nearly three actually!) and still haven't found the right horse shaped creature :( There have been several very promising potentials though! But unfortunately they've all fallen through in one way or another (an injury that wasn't mentioned in the ad, under or over selling by the owner, or owners deciding to hang onto their ponies instead of selling them!) But by now I think I'm slightly qualified to run you through a brief list of some of the various perils of horse hunting!

"Smiles!"

For one, there aren't really any horses coming up for sale at the moment either. The amount of time I've spent scrolling through the same horse groups on Facebook, the listings on Horsezone and searching through gumtree, is embarrassing to say the least. Oh, and my phone battery isn't exactly my friend either "What do you mean you're out of charge again, it's only been like 4 hours on nonstop use wtf!?" oops.

"Talk to the tail"

The actual ads that owners write are another thing. The extraordinary amount of poorly written ads lacking basic spelling, grammar and punctuation, to the ones that don't include any information about the horse in question, or worse a combination of both, "Horze 4 sale. Pm 4 detils. Nice tipe Will b gon qickly". I mean they could be selling an awesome horse, but there is nothing about the ad that makes someone want to enquire about that horse! If anything it gives off a somewhat suspicious vibe that makes potential buyers want to stay clear away, just slightly counter productive if you ask me!

"No thanks."

 And a major pet peeve of mine, is when owners/sellers don't reply to messages, or take like 5 million years to reply. I mean if I've taken the time to send you a message asking about your horse, I'm obviously interested in him/her, and you're a) throwing away a potential home, and b) wasting my time. It's understandable if there are extraordinary circumstances (family emergency, accident, etc.) Otherwise don't do it! Even if you're busy and can't talk at the time, just a quick message to let me know that you've received my message and you'll get back to be later, would suffice.

Oh, and do I even need to mention the scammers out there?

"Um, scammers will not be tolerated."

And through all of this I've come to the conclusion I have a love-hate relationship with horse hunting, on one hand its entertaining and addictively fun (is it a word? Who knows, but now it is :P) but on the other is frustrating and pain staking! But I also know that *eventually* I will find the right horse creature, and the search and wait will have been worth it! Patience is a virtue kids!!

I'm Back!! + Updates and Recent Shenanigans!

So, it's been over 6 months since I last updated you guys, and this blog! #oops

Many, many things have happened since then (as you might have imagined!) so I'll try my best to fill you in on everything!

  

You listening? Because Cola is!

 

 I'll start with where I left off, in my last post (to be specific, the 9th of December, 2014) I was still on crutches with my injured leg!! Well, thankfully it healed enough for me to leave the sticks of  death behind (known to most normal people as crutches)! Unfortunately the swelling, pain and resulting lump in my leg didn't depart for 2+ months, which kinda sucked but I still rode anyway, because lets be honest some swelling and pain wasn't stopping me riding :') I did end up having to go to an acupuncturist in my area for a few sessions to get rid of it completely but the bonus was he also did some work on my back which was very helpful!

 

Do you guys think my photo taking skills have improved? Hahaha I think I'm kidding my self lol!!

 

Fast forward a few months (or majority of the year, because I have a boring life), to the end of May and Midge started getting sent back down to lessons! *celebrates* It was only after months and months of begging the managers and my instructor, but it paid of and I rode him for the first time in an arena for over two (or is it three) years! We had some interesting times, which included him llama-ing his was around and spooking a the fairies, but my instructor 'R' saw something and decided to let him stay, much to my celebration! He's been working super, super well and surprising all of us I think, and in only a few short lessons I made the decision to ride him in the ODE Glenworth was holding... I don't know why but I look back on it and laugh ;')

 

The ODE was um... interesting, to say the least. We had a pretty frazzled warm up, he wasn't used to seeing so many people around but he did listen to sum extent, if only it had carried on in our jumping round. The jumps were tiny (20-30cm, maybe 40cm for one or two) but we still managed to get disqualified on the second jump, the judge 'M' knew Midge, and his ways and let me finish the course so he wouldn't pick up bad habits, but to be honest that was probably a mistake *laughs*. The poor thing got so worked up and nervous/scared, we made it over the first two jumps and then half bolted the 3a and ran out on 3b, and the rest of the course consisted of him over jumping, spooking and bolting. I did make it out alive however, and had to stop him into a fence and jump off and walk him around, well out of other peoples way (while watching the course being set back up ;)

 

Both of us: "oh my god not again"

What even is this, I don't know and I'm sorry for burning your eyes with the horrible riding.

 

Then after an hour break, I was called to do my dressage test. There was not one single moment during the test that he was relaxed in any way shape or form, and I'm pretty sure all the parents felt sorry for me, jokes on them though I was laughing my head off and enjoying the experience (while making a rather long list of things to work on next lesson!) in short, we nearly squished several people just trying to walk to the arena, had a huge tantrum over walking into the arena because "the judges table is obviously very, very, VERY, scary", and then proceeded to nearly crash through the hot tape, nearly squish the judges and their table and be the entertainment for the day! He did have one or two moments where he did listen although they were rare, and I do think he did try really hard, I just kinda chucked him in the deep end! We didn't place (obviously) although I'm pretty sure majority of my marks for dressage were because she felt sorry for me!! Ahh, it was an interesting experience but I honestly enjoyed it so much, and was super good learning day! One of my highlights from the day was nearly getting dumped on the table in front of the judges *laughs hysterically*

My super awesome friend 'H' took some great photos that really captured our test as well!

 

"Nope"

*disclaimer* please excuse all riding, especially here I was trying to stop him taking off

My face = explains everything

He then became very apologetic and very cute 

Fave photo ever, excuse my fave though!

 

Funnily enough our next lesson, was the best I've ever had on him, so he must have learnt something (or he just felt really bad)!

 

And finally onto the horse creature buying thing! It's back and in fully swing!! I nearly went to see two really horses, one stockhorse x tb and the other pure stockhorse, but they both sold before I got to them which was a little sad :( but then I was given the opportunity to lease a friends horse while she was away for 5 months, that didn't end up working either because of timing and such! However, my old instructor 'K' has said she's going to be selling her tb in the next few months and she thinks he'd be perfect for me so we'll see how that works out!

 

Had the pleasure of taking photos of those lovely drafts in work, on a farm stay this holidays!

 

2015 has been a really crazy year so far, and its even crazier to think we're over halfway through it! I've had some really good times, but also some bad ones, and some sad ones one of which was when one of my favourite staff members/managers/friends left Glenworth suddenly and no proper good byes happened :/ Such is life I guess, and on the upside I started to talking to some pretty cool people that I'd known for a while but never really talked much 'H' and 'J' you know who you are, and ily very much thanks for just being there and being you <3

 

And I promise I won't let this blog get so neglected again! I've gotten my writing juices back and I'm ready to write (she says as she types this at 1:21 in the morning, when she should probably be sleeping but you know...)

 

 

 

Equestrian Journey Blog Hop: What will you not do?

I have never been so sick of sitting down. My leg hurts and my hands are bruising from sticks of death (read: crutches). 

So today I'm participating in Equestrian Journeys' first blog hop! Today she asks 'What will you NOT do?'

Firstly I will not ride with an instructor who is blatantly rude, ignorant or not listening to me. I'm paying you to learn and to have an enjoyable time and if I feel uncomfortable, unsafe or disregarded on more than one occasion then theres a problem. I took one riding lesson with an instructor on holiday once who put me on a horse she randomly selected out of the field, saying "There he looks pretty - you can ride him today" (she also never asked my ability or assessed me at all). Needless to say we left that property pretty quickly, nearly tripping over random pieces of equipment left lying around the place, generally the horses didn't look that well cared for and the two staff the we saw were extremely rude. No thanks!

Quick Update (Friday Foto)

This is has been my state since yesterday:

No it's not broken, it's actually a super bad infection from who knows where, causing bad swelling and bad, bad, bad pain (I can't walk on it, hello crutches!) By the way my leg on the left is normal, the right is the infected one :( basically if it doesn't clear up by tomorrow then I'll have to go to hospital, because it may get into my blood stream. So I had to cancel riding and volleying for tomorrow. Boooooo.

Side note; I told mum that'd I'd "cold hose it and stick it in a bucket of Epsom salts and water to draw out infection"😂

Funny how they get into our heads!

"Horse riding is easy, you just sit there!"

Ok, so I was talking a few people lately and they all had these 'misconceptions' about horse riding, horses and equestrians. So what I thought I'd do is TELL THEM THE FUCKING TRUTH. Because some of these are so blatantly ignorant, silly and just plain stupid! What I'll probably do is write about one per week/per post because I don't think I'd be able to write about more than one at a time XD

1. "Horse riding is easy, you just sit there! Also it's not a sport."

Let me try and be calm and rational here. Firstly what about horse riding looks 'easy'? The fact that we get a better workout riding for an hour than you do running for two? Riding a horse is a full body workout, it works more muscles than most other sports, also it's not just the riding, it's the grooming, tacking up, untacking, mucking out and other upkeep. Being an equestrian requires time, effort and COMMITMENT. You can't just ride once or twice and then leave, especially when you own one of the beasties :) Horse riding is also an OFFICIAL sport in the OLYMPICS, and defined by the dictionary as "A modern international sports competition, held once every four years". It's a SPORT competition, you can't compete in the olympics in a discipline that isn't a sport.

- End Rant -

Wordless Wednesy (Ok Maybe Wordless Thursday)

"Hi, this is my friend"

November's 10 Questions - From L. Williams

So, the lovely L. Williams, over at Viva Carlos has brought us yet another 10 questions post! So here we go...

1. Have you ever owned a horse?

Nope :( Hopefully soon though!

I want this 'lil nugget in my clutches

2. What is your favourite aspect of your discipline?

Well, seeing as I really don't have one specific discipline - I basically do whatever my instructor thinks is best for the day (or what she wants to work on with us) - I think that the best thing about horse riding is its not just the riding, I've made some really awesome friends through riding + I've learnt heaps from amazing people!

3. What pet peeves do you have concerning your discipline?

I don't experience this much at GV (I have witnessed this at a few other barns) but the mentality by some people of "If you don't have the latest riding clothes, the best horse and expensive tack then your obviously not a good rider". Firstly, what the fuck. I honestly can't comprehend these people!

4. Do you do barn chores?

I LOVE barn chores! Yes, I know I'm strange but I love doing anything remotely horsey, yes this does include shovelling their shit.

5. What is your least favourite barn chore?

Saddle Greasing. You try greasing 25 odd saddles in a row and tell me how it feels.

6. What do you consider the worst vice in a horse?

I'm going to have to go with rearing, I reckon its one of the most dangerous vices because once a horse is in the air it's really gravity that takes over, and lets be honest who trusts gravity?

7. What saddle brand is your favourite?

I've ridden in a Thorowgood and a Ascot  and my god they are 1000000x more comfortable than the kincade redi rides I ride on in lessons, though to be fair the kincade's aren't too bad.

8. Do you ride with a quarter sheet in the winter?

Never have, and probably never will, lol :P

9. Does your horse wear boots? What kind?

My imaginary horse doesn't :P I haven't actually ridden a horse that wears boots at all!

10. Full seat or knee patch breeches?

I've always ridden in knee patch jods, however lately (since the beginning of the year) I've been wearing through them suuuuper quick! Holes appearing in the 'seat' area in a month and completely unusable by 3 months (despite sewing up all the holes, the material is just completely worn through). So I though I'd just go and grab a pair of full seat jods, but when I tried them on in the store I couldn't life my leg up much, I'd have a hard time getting on a shetland to put it in perspective! I think its the stiffness of the full seat, tbh it feels like a thick piece of fabric tacked on, not built into the jods at all. So I was thinking of grabbing myself a pair of Kerrits Flex Tight II Full Seat, however I still don't know what these would feel like and I can't find anywhere to try them on. So instead I was thinking of buying Kerrits Flow Rise Performance Riding Tight, I've read multiple reviews on these and from what I've heard people say they're long lasting - people have had there pairs for over a year (way over a year!) despite the fact that they are a spandex material. Also added bonus is they're a fairly cool material compared to the dublin jods I've been wearing, and I live in Aus - and it gets goddamn hot here!!

The Flex Tight II Full Seat

The Flow Rise Performance Riding Tight

They both come in various colours btw.

So does anyone have any experience with Kerrits? I'd love to hear what you have to say!