Breathe, Ride, Repeat

I don't have a lot of cool things to say right now. Some parts of life are very good and some parts are very stressful. The ZB parts are very good. My little lady is probably mumbleover16handsmumble, is like sitting on my favorite couch, and is constantly getting compliments from other boarders for her gung-ho attitude and general perfection. 

when you hit the sunset light just right

My current focus is trying to break in my western saddle properly. Kinda. I can't really claim to be super focused. Due to not-ZB things, I'm trying to keep hobby stress low right now so messing around playing cow pony is about where my brain is at.

a nicely cherry picked moment

Did you know she's turning 9 this year?! 

where does the time go?

I really wanted to splurge and treat myself on fun teal western boots that were new and off the rack. Isn't that the whole point of having an adult job? You pay board and can afford to buy nice things at stores, LOL. 

But. 

Then every other animal I own decided that they'd like a pricey vet visit in the month of March so I guess I'm doing that instead. 

I actually don't think she cares at all.

I'm having a hell of a time figuring out how to transfer dressage training in a snaffle on the contact over to western pony on a loose rein in a curb. 

Or at least. I thought I was. 

LOOK HOW CUTE

We "work" 1-2 times a week and all other rides are 30 minutes flat footed walk to build baseline fitness. It's been unseasonably warm and she's still A YAK so we're easing in. It's really fun right now. She is trying SO HARD and keeps experimenting with her balance and frame and trying to find the right answer. I feel like we had a good breakthrough last week so now I'm just working on my timing for rewarding her try. 

we actually have these really nice balanced moments in a slow jog on a loose rein
they aren't long, but they're so good

I've spent a lot of time on walking days just breathing and letting time slow down--the feel of her back swinging underneath me, the spring grass starting to come in. I'm so lucky to have a horse like this and she matters more to me than anything other goals right now.

ever unconventional

It doesn't matter what tack she's wearing or how it looks to anyone else. I'm just enjoying the ride.

On Employment

When new people at the barn meet Zoebird, they tend to ask the same question:

What does she do? 

Really not sure why "wear cute outfits and have lots of fun" isn't considered a polite answer. 

We have this stupidly cute pink outfit for dressage that we put together. LACE ACCENTS. Yes. I need a shirt to match I think. 

it's ok i'd be jealous of me too

Then we took another ride on the western train and are building this awesome teal outfit.

I KNOW SHE NEEDS BOOTS

Plus there's this I-need-to-decide-if-i'm-going-purple-or-teal bareback outfit

can you even with her cute level? 
you cannot.

Oh and the things she does in these outfits are like:

fun

fun

Also hella fun.

It just cracks me up to classify "what we do". 

Like. 

today we're jumpers because it's a figure 8!

today we're dressage because sparkle browband!

now ruggedly western ranch horse maybe even wearing a saddle!

dramatic sunset pictures are always in style

wow let's take another moment with this great outfit

 

ZB is such a smart lady. She doesn't need endless repetition. She needs fitness appropriate to the job I am asking her to do. She needs clarity and direction on what her job is. No matter what tack she's sporting or what we're "doing", I expect her to be calm, soft, and willing to move her balance forward and back when I request it. 

lol what a cute horse!

I really love this outfit

I would love to get some lessons in this year. I really want to go on some field trips with ZB. We'll see if I make it happen (cross your fingers for SB gets to live in town for the first summer in a couple years). 

yup loving this color on her

With where we're at right now, I'm working on keeping a slightly open throatlatch with her nose poked out while moving forward in a level balance. I'm really enjoying using my pivo to keep me accountable here--she can't learn to go forward in a balance on a loose rein if I'm hanging on her face. 

is my horse

I find small things we can be successful at. Like. Eventually, I'd like to have a walk/lope transition on a loose rein in a level balance maintaining a steady rhythm. I don't have that today, so I focus on the balance and rhythm I want doing transitions from walk to trot (/jog, calm down).

So what does she do? 

IDK wear cute outfits and have fun, I guess.

pictured: tiny dog not having fun

Cantering Out of 2021

I love to do an orderly, month-by-month year end wrap up post highlighting our big adventures for each year. 

Buuuuuuut this is probably the least orderly year I've ever had. 

We kinda did everything. But also nothing. 

I didn't take a single lesson, haul off site once, go trail riding in a substantive way, or make it to a clinic of any kind. 

We did, however, cross off a bucket list item for me:

canter my horse bareback through a field

We also did the didn't-know-it-was-a-bucketlist-item:

jump bareback in a halter

We ticked off 2021 goals:

lope in snaffle

walk/job in curb

You can always count on us for great hair:

yup

Great outfits:

dressage

western too!

And great photo ops:

always be a unicorn

who is this fancy lady!

We definitely plunked away at traditional training:

peep new saddle pad

stay posted for more on this

And sometimes we did it in non-traditional ways:

barebacksies!

remember when she thought halters were optional?

Sometimes we just plain did non-traditional things:

tiny dog was NOT THRILLED about this

queue 70 lbs puppy exiting stage left

Can your dressage horse do this?

We trained a new barn dog:

the darling of all the barn ladies

And ZB continued to be the most stand up lady for any adventure:

family photo!

The only time I made it to a horse show was when I accidentally ended up showing a mule at the state fair:

NGL made me want ZB to have a mule baby

But ZB looked fabulous no matter what we were doing:

that shine <3

Whether we played cowgirls:

shiny

Or dressage pony:

you're welcome for the outfit

Or late night bareback adventure:

sometimes you don't knock the mud off

I can always count on her to be my very best lady horse.

<3

I had her in training for the greater part of the year and for the first time ever, canter is just effortless and if I got my shit together, I actually think we'd lay down a really nice 1st level test. I'm really missing jumping right now so we're messing around with poles and fitness and seeing where that takes us. I don't know what next year will bring (other than another list of fun goals!) but I'm looking forward to spending it with very-much-grown-up baby mare. 

Full Circle

this lady <3

 A little over four years ago, I was in a bad place. I'd never met Roxie's mom, but we chatted online occasionally. She invited me up to trail ride her big, gorgeous Roxie horse. 

(If you don't remember Roxiecorn the Horse Princess and her awesome mom, well, read this and follow their adventures here.)

ROXIECORN <3

I remember cantering through the mountains, giggling like a kid on a pony. Safe. Happy. 

I came home and made changes. 

I lost a lot, but I gained far more. 

horse pirates!

I made plans to meet Halo Horsebaby the month she was born, but instead I nuked my entire life and had to deal with the fallout. 

My path was northern last week and when I messaged Roxie's mom about meeting up, she hooked up the trailer and took me trail riding again. Halo is three now. I squealed when I saw her round little nose. Roxie's mom and I hit the trails again, and again, I was seated on the inimitable Roxie. 

group picture!

I'll always love that Roxiecorn for showing me another life. 

My whole world is different than it used to be.

the best

There is something so strangely transcendent about riding through a golden sunset on a brisk fall day, looking through the same set of ears that rocked my world. 

barebacksies

Something about having the kind of friends that hook up the trailer and say "come ride my Roxiecorn". 

Something about sharing a driving passion for life and horses.  

and the horses that carry us

Whether those rides are in the show ring or bareback alone at night, they're shaped me. 

My expectations. My goals. My life. 

that saddle pad tho

It's little things like choosing a career that affords horses and a job that gives you some free time. 

It's big things, like learning to hear what your horse says about you. 

It's setting the standard for the people in your life. For who they are to you, and for who you want to be to them. 

and trail rides in the forest

I'm in a whole different place now than when I first met Roxie and her mom four years ago. It's a good place, full of opportunities and challenges. 

I have my own horse princess now--if you're here, you know the inestimable ZB.

and yes, she looks good in sparkles

And yeah, it really can be all it's cracked up to be. 

Stay hopeful, my friends.