scrapbooking anybody?

Anybody scrapbook? (Right, I know….with all that extra time we horse-people have so much of??). Well as much as I like sharing all my fun horsey happenings on here, it’s not one of those things I can, say, share with grandparents. Or put out on a table at a horseshow. Or really, flip through quickly. Because let’s face it, even when I know every word (because I WROTE every word), I can’t browse through the archives without rereading every word (and frequently editing to correct typos). So, I scrapbook. And of course, I scrapbook my pony (it’s not like I do anything ELSE that would be worth remembering).

And now that I’ve made a few pages, I thought I’d share them. And see if anybody else out there scrapbooks their horsey ventures.

My introduction page (with journaling and a bracket yet to come) – map of Ohio, the auction catalog and Snow’s listing page, and her actual hip number (complete with hair :-P)

After they decided they didn’t get along, I REALLY had to go back and scrapbook the week that Snow and Allie were together when they first came back from Ashland – when they were attached at the hip (suggestions for embellishments welcome!):

Snow learns to lunge – my first attempt and really working with her:

Winter….first time with a saddle, first time with side reins…

Spring…first show!

Crazy Ears:

And my favorite, from this summer…GREEN:

cars

If there’s one thing that drives my dad crazy more than the horse stuff in the house, it’s horsey stuff in the car. My dad has this idea that cars are strictly for transportation – you get in, you get out. If you brought something in with you, it comes out as well. And it must be clean – inside and out – ALWAYS. Nothing can give the guy a hernia quite like entering my and my mom’s cars.

My dad drives a mere 5.03 miles to work. He has hobbies like golf and fishing. So he’ll put a set of clubs into his truck, and then take them out. Or he’ll hook up the boat, and then unhitch it.

My mom has a 45 mile commute. I have a 68 mile commute. We both have horses. And if that weren’t enough, we currently have three horses at two different barns. By the end of the week, we’ll have three horses at THREE different barns. At any given time, I can be expected to ride all three of them. Those of you with horses understand completely what this means – my car MUST be a rolling tack room. Those of you with an hour long commute also know what this means – I must be able to effectively LIVE out of my car.

The end result? My SUV that can seat five can fit about three quarters of one person – the driver must not be much bigger than me or that won’t really work either. But, should we ever stumble across one, my car is capable of sustaining a small army (and their horses) for several months.

This also achieves some strange looks from coworkers. When going out to lunch, it makes sense to have a group all ride in one car. Larger groups, and we try to rotate among those employees with large enough vehicles. The first time everyone looked at me and I said, “sorry, I’ve got four saddles and six bags of feed in there – no room” they shrugged it off. Two months later when it was, “sorry, I’ve got two saddles, a bag of beetpulp, three stinky winter blankets, my coveralls, my muck boots, and a hose – no room” I think they passed it off to poor timing. Two months later when it was, “sorry, I’ve got a sulky frame, three garment bags, two pairs of boots, two duffle bags, four show sheets, and two rubbermaid containers – no room” they decided I was really crazy. The one time I did have room, I assured them that while I couldn’t smell anything, I was sure they wouldn’t appreciate the stench.

The real problem is my mom’s car is much the same way. So when a show weekend rolls around and I ask to take my dad’s truck, we get a panicked look that amounts to, “Fine, but you have to decide which vehicle I’m taking instead….and then clean it out!”

a little girls’ freaking fairy tale pony

I’m looking for advice on how to best handle this situation.

Kiddo in question is BO’s 7 year old. BO has three kids – one toddler who is very well behaved, one teen who used to have a pony but has since lost interest, and the 7 year old girl. Kiddo just discovered out irresitable ponies Monday. Kiddo has a friend over, the two of them see our two ponies, and of course, they want to RIDE! Mom/BO says NO, they aren’t their ponies. Mom/BO also alerts us to this (kudos to her!).

Last night, Kiddo comes running down to the barn as soon as we get there, chattering non-stop, asking us the ponies’ names, and then telling us how she likes this one better than that one because this one picks up her head when she reaches in to pet her while they’re eating, and big sis’s old pony used to look just like that one, and she asked for a pony like this that was her size and mom said no and and and and…

Then it was, “Are you going to ride out here?”
“Eventually”
“Yeah, but are they good to ride?”
“They can be 🙂 ”
“Yeah, but are they broke”
“This one’s not, she’s just a baby”
“Yeah, but what about that one? Is she broke”
“She let out a BIG buck with me last week”
“Yeah, but is she broke?”
(finally cluing in) “No, she’s not broke”

Kiddo continues to chatter away while she reaches up and braids my girl’s forelock.

So, I figure my fooling her into thinking this horse isn’t broke will last, oh, another eight hours or so – until we go to ride 😉 I sympathize with the kid’s predicament, I really do. I was a horse crazy kid without a pony of my own. And worse yet for her – her mom has several, but they’re all either babies or broodies that aren’t broke to ride. And then we show up with two awesome ponies.

Now, the one mare IS a saint, and would take care of any rebel kiddos who happen to climb on. That doesn’t mean I want it happening!! Also…one pony really isn’t broke to ride (and is a bit too…athletic at that!), and the other isn’t above biting treats out of your hand – even treats that aren’t there 😀 And Kiddo can’t tell the two apart yet. The other issue is, of course, both ponies are friendly as can be, have great ground manners, and would all too willingly come running up and then stand by the fence while you climb on.

Alerting Mom/BO to anything alarming would obviously be first on my list. But how should I best handle the Kiddo on a day to day basis? I’d let her help me groom, but wouldn’t want her trying it on her own. I’d even take her for a ride, but again, don’t want her doing it on her own. Everything else about this place seems okay so far, and I’d really like to stay here if I can figure out a good way to keep the kid happy from a distance 😉

Any advice??

(It’s all my fault really…my filly IS simply gorgeous…don’t know WHO could resist her 😀 😉 Really though, all that hair and a shiny gold coat that comes running when you call? It’s like a little girls’ freaking fairy tale pony)

new haflinger fan in the making

My brother and his girlfriend had their baby! And what kind of aunt would I be if I didn’t have a haflinger for her already?? 😀

Leadline classes, here we come!

go dad!

So, I bought this used and abused sulky for starting the three year olds. Lighter than the cart, and already abused – perfect

This is what I bought:

I planned to replace the seat and probably seal the new shafts, but otherwise it was exactly what I had in mind (note the four or so paint colors on the metal ).

I picked it up, brought it home, and to my surprise it promptly disappeared the next day, with the wheels and shafts left in my garage!

I’m not sure if my dad was particularly bored at work or WHAT, but he called me to ask what color I’d like (navy, always). Then to check what shade (my choices were “mom’s crown vic blue” or “state cop car blue”). Then he e-mailed me this:

WOW!!!

I told my pony we’re going to have to enter a harness race or something now that we have a spiffy sulky!!

oops…long time, no updates

Well, completely unintentionally I’ve neglected updating – again!

Things have gone fairly well this summer, although we’ve made it to zero shows and changed our focus repeatedly.

Most importantly – I’ve sworn off shows of any kind for the next year. We’ve moved the ponies to a pasture board situation, and I couldn’t be happier knowing they’re going to get fuzzy, dirty, and be much happier for it. Even better – there is much more in the way of riding facilities – ring, fields, dirt road, and trails nearby.

Snow has just done GREAT all summer. I’ve been on her back again, and she impresses me every time I ground drive her. I even took her down the road, and she did great! Passing cars, mailboxes – NOTHING bothered her except for what I could only figure was a rock, but I’m sure there was a horse-eating monster hiding under it 😉

My mom and Anna are also proving to be the perfect match we all hoped for. My mom has ridden her regularly, and even cantered on her own for the first time in more than fifteen years! Her confidence is up enough that she’s even considering showing again, after having been royally turned off to competition as a kid.

Allie is going to the Haflinger Registry fall sale, as my mom just doesn’t have the time for a second – green – horse. Although Allie is probably the only greenie my mom will have the confidence to ever work, I think it’s a good thing.

So, that has been our summer. I can’t believe it’s already Labor Day….and I’ve accomplised nothing! Oh well, the horses are happy, so I’m happy 🙂

And now, some pictures from the summer:

Anna is the eptiome of a “do-anything” horse:
driving

western

dressage

And we already know she jumps!

But more importantly…my mom’s steed 🙂

And Snow just keeps getting better and better:

She’s also a fan of Mardi Gras:

But too much partying will make a girl tired: