Saturday Stills & Some More Riders Remorse

Love Nancy's gentle eye in this

Another word light post from me as I still haven't had any saddle time after my lopsided lent resolution, I just spent three hours visiting with a friend in hospital after her operation during the week.

Kika lazily scoffing as she's top of the pecking order

Tomorrow will be the day, I can feel it. *nod*
The weather is good and I will get saddle time as no distractions on Sundays with everything is closed ;-)

Shadow puppet of myself & O as I take her to join my two in the turnout

I did get to spend time fawning over the girls as I turned them out, filled the haynets & lugged the 80L capacity wondervention (new word alert peeps = wonderful invention) that is H2Go and snapped the photos I am sharing in this post and on instagram.

H2Go in use & the girls checking it out

Sunshine just makes everything better and helps ease the guilts. I'm sure the girls are much happier rider free on turnout then if I was making them concentrate on circles and self-carriage in an arena setting.

Nom-nom all the scoffing is mine - says Kika
#awkwardmuch?

Tomorrow is another day full of promise - who knows a trail ride may be in our immediate futures :-D

Another final sweet Nancy shot before I sign off

Friday Fail

So much for my blogging about my lopsided lent forcing me to be accountable for my resolution to ride every evening.

:-(

It is now 19.20 and I am just leaving the office (working day is suppose to end @5.30), and I've a belated birthday dinner to attend for a friend at 8pm so no barn time for me today.

I hope to make up for it tomorrow & every other day between now and Easter. Heck if I can pull this off I will have earned a crapton of chocolate, right?! ;-)

Lopsided Lent

Rather than give something up for Lent, I am going to take something up; or rather make a vow & hold myself accountable by announcing it here. I aim to ride at least one girl an evening for the next 40 days - here's hoping I can buck the recent trend of inactivity we (read:I) seem to have slumped into!

I made this vow today as I walked to the barn in BRIGHTNESS (YAY for longer evenings) the fact that I didn't make it to the barn last night or the night before that ... shall be overlooked ;-)

Mirror Images and not just of each other the cuties,
but I snapped these photos in arena mirror

I did get to the yard this evening & not only that but I managed to get two great spins in on my girls. We are never going to be perfect but plenty positives to take from the fact that they have both been ridden a grand total of 3 times in the last fortnight, yes this evening IS included in that calculation.

#ShameOnMe / #BadPonyMama

Let's pretend these are "happy-to-have-work" ears
and not "what-can-I-spook-at" ears

Now that's enough waffle from me for a change!

I am going to leave you with a photo dump from this evening as I was a little snap happy!

Bit fuzzy (again from mirror) -
but I'm a sentimental softie
who thinks it's cute her checking on me

#FoamFace

I am not sure what contortion I am doing with my upper body -
but *HappyDance* my heel is almost down!

#BabyFoamFace

Kika is shedding out better ...

... ut Nancy is still by far the BEST @ shedding

Seven Deadly Sins Blog Hop

Huge thanks to the amazing L. Williams over @Viva Carlos for coming up with this fab blog hop idea!

As usual I am more than a little late to jump on the bandwagon as it is now Ash Wednesday & no longer Pancake Tuesday...although we are finishing off yesterday's pancake batter this evening - so it still counts in my book!
Well that and I haven't managed to ride either of my girls since Sunday, so I sadly have no ponio news to share; besides spring seems to have sprung weather-wise & I have been unable to take advantage of it, bar to turn the happy girls out at lunchtime...which is no bad thing as without my lunchtime dash to do so - I wouldn't be able to see them at all at the moment!

Back on track with today's post; the 7 Deadly Sins Blog Hop - Equestrian Edition!

Can't beat Cool Runnings for motivation - Google Images

Pride

Seven great things/strengths in your riding life

1. Two wonderfully forgiving horses
2. Great "horsey" friends (on- & off-line) & support network of understanding friends outside of horses
3. Wonderful family who take an interest but aren't over-bearing/-involved
4. Strive/Will/Desire to be better & continuously improve
5. Living 10 minutes walk from the yard
6. My forever job to help keep the horses & myself in the style we have become accustomed to
7. I feel great pride in my accomplishments with Kika, we have (knock-on-wood) bounced back from a dark place.

Envy - Google Images

Envy

Seven things you lack or covet for you or your horse

1. More Monies / Unlimited Funds - I really should play the lotto as that's the only way that is ever going to happen!
2. Properly fitting saddles for the girls & me
3. Financial ability & confidence to show over here
4. Access to lessons & clinics to help us improve
5. 2-horse truck to drive with my "normal" license
6. I envy those with solid Riding Positions, need the aforementioned lessons so people can continue to shout at me to keep my heels down, shoulders back, back straight & look up etc
7. Osteo/Physio/Chiro for myself...the horses want for nothing, yet I'm probably bent like an S-hook in the saddle

Sticking with unicorn + fantasy theme of post so far...Rage - Google Images

Wrath

Seven things that make you angry

1. Animal abuse/mistreatment
2. Bad manners - I don't require a full blown conversation from other yard users, but if I greet you - I don't think a simple "hello" back is too much to ask for!
3. Arena sharing etiquette - respecting distances and awareness of other arena users. (Apologies, I know I go on about this a lot - pet peeve perhaps)
4. My inability to keep my heels down & head up makes me angry - personal frustration that I am STILL making these errors
5. Costs - why does everything equine-related cost so much?!
6. People not wearing helmets when riding - yes it's your head, but other people care about that head...think of others & what a poor example being set

Poopa Scoopa

7. Filling a wheel-barrow/Poopa-Scoopa thing and not emptying it for others to use after you...again probably ties into earlier manners issue; but get's my goat enough to get it's own slot on the list.

Sloth

Seven things you neglect to do or cut corners on

1. Tack cleaning; I love cleaning all the leather things on a sunny day...but sadly there are never enough sunny days nor time for me to clean gear after every ride - although I really wish I could as I find it so therapeutic!
2. Saddle pad laundry - it's really starting to pile up with two horses! I wish my yard had a washing machine I could use - needless to say the folks aren't thrilled when I "borrow" theirs...might have to invest in an extra one for my flat/basement...
3. Thorough grooming - only happens for my girls on weekends, weeknights they get quick body brush, hooves picked out (before riding, rarely after if in arena) and if they are very lucky mane & tail
4. Pulling Kika's mane, she's not a huge fan of it and i don't have time to keep it as short as I'd like...right now it's in dire need of tidying up.
5. Cleaning my girls stables in the evening - they are cleaned in the mornings & the girls are turned out most of the afternoon/evening. If I have the time to ride and/or there is no clean straw within easy usage distance, I don't clean the stables again
6. Walking around the front of my girls, I am lethal at walking behind them when they are tied & will probably get kicked some day for my laziness
7. Bit cleaning, I do rinse each girls bit after every ride...but if it is cold I don;t get my fingers wet making sure they are properly clean

Greed

Seven most expensive things you own for your horse/riding

1. Kika
2. Nancy
3. Annual Board & Insurance for both
4. GP Saddle
5. Dressage Saddle (second hand)
6. GPA Helmet (although I bought that on super sale)
7. Horseware Rugs (Although also always bought on some sort of sale/discount)

Horses = unbridled joy - Google Images

Gluttony

Seven guilty pleasures or favourite items

1. Both horses are my guilty pleasure, just getting to see them brightens up my day
2. Whickers/Nickers when I arrive at lunchtime to feed/turn them out
3. Horsey smell - not manure, you know what mean off their coats, sawdust/straw/hay etc etc
4. Hearing nice things/compliments about my horses
5. Horsey friends on- & off-line; you guys are inspirational
6. Mane & Tail Spray
7. Being able to turn my horses out more or less 24/7 for their & my well-being

Happiness = Horses - Google Images

Lust

Seven things you love about horses and riding

1. The equine community/camaraderie & friendships - horse people just get it!
2. Mental, physical & emotional benefits of being outdoors and caring for something other than oneself
3. Continuous learning curve
4. Mentioned above in Gluttony, but cannot beat that horsey smell for feeling like I'm home/all-is-well-with-the-world
5. Improving & getting things right - feeling that lightbulb moment when it just clicks between horse & rider, no better feeling in the world
6. Keeps me active, out of the house and out of trouble
7. I just love horses, always have (see Friday Flashback posts for baby-me riding pics) and think I always will

Thank you so much L for coming up with this fab idea for a blog hop, if you don't already follow her awesome blog - you really should!
You are totally missing out on all her epic'ness!

PS: Am totally having a brain-fart and cannot figure out how to get blog-hop code to appear at the bottom of my post. If a more tech-savvy reader could help me out with this, I'll be eternally grateful!

Some SUN-day Saddle Time

Sorry, this title is not supposed to upset those who are facing into more snow & cold but it was such a glorious day today that I couldn't help the title of this post. If it's of any consolation I have heard rumours of snow coming back our way, so this isn't set to last...best take advantage while I can, right?!

Nancy & I in outdoor -
taking full advantage of sunshine!

I sat on both girls for the first time since Monday today and while neither of them were perfect; neither was horrible either - and sure in all honesty...not having been worked in almost a week, they were actually pretty awesome, especially Miss Nancy who was cool as a cucumber in the outdoor.

Splash effect after rain soaked outdoor work,
 of course she got groomed afterwards so no residue
nor irritating-itchy-sand-affects (I hope)

Kika and I played in the big indoor arena and Nancy & I got a glorious spin outside in the sunshine (it wasn't so nice when I was riding Kika #sadtimes).
I just covered the basics with both girls, w/t/c; circles, serpentines & changes of rein to get all our brains synchronised again and singing from the same hymn sheet. My mam & dad were driving by & spotted Nancy and myself in the outdoor so they popped in to say hi...my mother suggested I pull my stirrups up a hole as my legs looked too straight and I was pulling my heels up too high - I told her I just ride poorly but was willing to try anything to help me get better.
I will have to see over the coming days of it makes a positive difference or if it'll have the negative effect of my knees hitting the dressage saddle knee blocks in the wrong place - the saddle isn't the best fit for me in any case, but until I can afford to change the saddles for both girls I can't even think about getting a better one for me - weird reasoning...I know, but sure I'm weird & I accept this ;-)

Nancy's feathers are growing!
Extra hair-brushing for her feet ;-)

I then spent the afternoon at a Carnival Parade up the country, which L & I spontaneously decided to check out. It was awesome, loads of people dressed up, fab floats pulled by tractors & free sweets!
No better way to spend a sunday afternoon!
I did snap some photos on my phone...but sadly I'm not sure atmosphere was adequately captured :-/
However I am only to happy to share photos if there is any interest in seeing them, perhaps a Mostly Mute Monday post tomorrow ;-)

PS: Apologies for the lack of Kika photos in this post, but seeing as i rode her first & did Nancy immediately after...K didn't spend as long in the cross ties nor does she stand as quietly & demurely as N. Miss Kika has to make a scene & grates on my nerves by pawing the ground with her front feet and no matter how much i ask/tell/yell at her not to - it makes sweet FA difference to her. So to spare me and others using the common grooming area I prefer not to leave her tied as i fuss about doing other things

Saturday Stills - Shedding Season

I hope to keep this relatively wordless as I don't have much news to share. I haven't managed to sit on a horse since Monday's hack in the woods. The girls have been full of beans when being turned out so I decided to loose lunge them this evening so they could run around to blow off some steam, they then both got some pampering/grooming to help with the shedding season.

Kika being her usual charming self and not letting Nancy by
- despite K being lazy & not wanting to move much

N get's to stretch some as K's lazyness wins out & her circle gets smaller ;-)

Alien-Flash-Ponies

I bought a new toy to help me cope with shedding season & I finally managed to remember to pick up some mane and tail spray - so the girls were royally spoiled (in my opinion) with their grooming this evening.

Yep - Nancy is the best at shedding

Kika top - Nancy bottom...
Round 2 of shedding grooming to Nancy

Earlier in the day I accompanied a yard friend and her horse to a vet clinic (Pferdeklinic St Georg Trier) just over the border in Germany where her horse will spend the next month receiving hydro-therapy treatment for a tendon injury... yes I have photos of the set up!
I hope to go back and see her horse availing of the hydro treatment - plus hopefully get photos or maybe even a little video. It is a new set up, the clinic itself is about a year old and the Hydro treatment section is a few months old. Another horse from my barn went last month and the Main Instructor at my yard's own horse is going there in two weeks for similar treatment for a tendon injury.

The set up (not very clear in photos below) is a walker-type system with water instead of sand underfoot; there is rubber matting everywhere to prevent slippage as best they can and the water levels themselves are never more than knee height. The treatment is more successful when the horse has to physically lift it's legs out of the water to walk vs swimming - more conducive for muscle-building without the tress of walking/exercising a tendon injury. My friend's horse has been being hand walked for three months and is now beginning to feel better enough in himself to act the maggot while walking, so i think this hydro-therapy will be a great distraction for his OTTB brain and hopefully prevent him doing himself further damage by messing while being lead.

All horses have their legs hosed before going into water-walker
& all wear "nappies" so that water doesn't get contaminated

All horses get some solarium action before
& after the water-walker

I think that about sums up my day - hopefully I can log some saddle time tomorrow & monday as I have a lovely la-la-long weekend!

Thursday Titters

My sister sent me this so I had to share, as I knew you guys would geddit ;-)

Not my image, but don't have a link for it - no copyright infringement meant

This is going to be a bit of a humorous post as I meant to post this list when I shared the Wordless Wednesday Ireland photos.

Remember this list when someone asks "Are you Irish?"

You know you're Irish if...

~ The person that you insult most is probably your best friend

~ During your youth much of your food was boiled

~ You're strangely poetic after a few beers

~ You don't know the words but that doesn't stop you from singing

~ You can't wait for the other guy to stop talking so you can start talking

~ You have no idea how to make a long story short (Totally applies to me & this blog!)

~ Tea is the solution to every problem

~ And holy water is the solution to every injury

~ Saying 'I will yea' means that you definitely won't

~ 'For the craic' is the best reason for doing anything

~ Nobody can go a day without saying 'Jaysus'

~ You have a gift for swearing

~ You can insert the name of a gardening tool into any sentence and it still makes sense, e.g. 'I had a rake of drink last night' or "I'll be out in a minute, I'm just shoveling down the dinner'

~ It's perfectly acceptable to call your mother 'mammy' even though you are a fully grown adult

~ Saying 'Now we're sucking diesel' means that you are happy with the outcome of the situation

~ Drinking 'tae' is everyone's favourite past time

~ You're scared of the wooden spoon

~ The word 'like' goes in every sentence

~ You can say "Any craic' to a policeman and you won't get arrested

I also came across this link to a Ryan Gosling Equestrian Meme...I haven't had a chance to scroll through it properly yet; and you guys have prob already seen this as you're much better techies than me ;-)

I am hoping to share a Friday Flashback tomorrow as I missed last week, not sure how well that feature is received...
As for actual horsey news, well the girls have had two lovely sunny spring days in the turnout and may get another day off this evening as I found out that one of the cinemas here is showing a live transmission of War Horse from London...if it has subtitles (really hope so) the Guru & I will go, if not sadly probably not- although not that sadly as if I don't go to cinema/theater I will ride, so not that big of a loss at all! :D

Not my image