it's the little things....

So it has been almost 2 weeks since Pickles has gone to Apex to be Chloe's pony...Honestly I thought this would be so much harder. But it is so rewarding actually. Chloe does a great job of sending me texts and posting pictures to Facebook so I get to see my pony almost as much as I did in real life. I thought that I would worry and stress about Pickles behaving or if she was getting enough attention but seeing how much that little girl already loves that pony, I just can't help but be overwhelmed with joy. They had their first jumping lesson and Pickles was a star (like I expected less...HA!) Just knowing everything I wanted for her is falling to place, even though it might seem so small, makes a world of difference.

I have begun to notice little changes in Lily since Pickles has been MIA. I don't know why these changes are taking place but I love them. Lily has always been Miss Social Butterfly and seems to get into everything in her reach but lately it has been magnified. I feel that she is more interactive and focused on me and she craves attention and wants to be around me all the time. She sees me walking towards her pasture and her head is up in 2.2 seconds and she is heading towards the gate to meet me. I have always carried cookies around so that hasn't changed or had an impact, I don't think. But even getting tacked up, or groomed or bathed she is all about me and wants to interact with me way more than she used to! I love it!!!

I also find myself enjoying her more. Yes I want to show and yes she is a very nice horse that will be competitive but I am doing more of the fun stuff I used to do with only Pickles with her. I will go out and grab her from the pasture, throw on halter and lead and then take a trail ride with the pups, something I usually never did with her. Or I will do ground work for 20 minutes and then hop on and toodle bareback. It isn't the work ethic of we need to go jump courses or get her to use herself more, even though those are important things. It is hey lets just hang out and go maybe munch some grass while I sit on you and the doggies run around in the pasture.

So now that I have taken some big stressors out of my life I am starting to slow down enough to enjoy the little things. So whether it be enjoying the little posts about Pickles or Lily's little antics....I have realized its the little things that make everyday so special. Now if I could only transfer this to my like outside of horses I would be golden :)!!!!

Loss and Gain

So as I usually start off how much time I don't have to devote the this blog to see my progress and where I am going with my riding and horses in general. What spurs me to eventually get on here is my friend Becca who is religious about posting and they inspire me to put 10 minutes away to take a step back and blog...

This has been an interesting month to say the least. I will first focus on Pickles....On Saturday Pickles and I made the journey to Apex, NC to see if she would be a good fit for a 12 year old girl to free lease since I just don't have enough time to ride both her and Lily. My heart had been torn in 20 different directions making the decision to let someone else have my baby. Putting my selfishness aside and looking out for what is best for Pickles I decided to see where it all went.

We pull up at a really nice farm and I unload Pickles and I can see that her new lessor Chloe is busting at the seams! We take Pickles in and let her have some time in the stall for water and hay and then we tack up so I can ride before Chloe. Pickles knew Chloe was a bit smaller than me and was more than accommodating at putting her head lower for her to be bridled and brushed. We went out to the arena filled with huge jumper jumps and cross country jumps outside. I hacked around on a loose rein to give her every opportunity to be silly and she was a princess! I hopped off and Chloe jumped on. I have never seen a kid ride Pickles and my heart was overwhelmed with joy as I watched her walk, trot and canter around perfectly with this perfect 12 year old rider and they looked just lovely. I was a proud mom to say the least. I left the barn knowing that this pony will be loved by a little girl every day and I couldn't be happier.

On the way home Keith was telling me about the comments that the trainer had made about Pickles. He asked if I was a trainer because he knew I had broke the pony to ride and she was really nice and trained for only being 6. Needless to say this made me feel big for my britches and I was glowing. At that point I felt recognition for the past 5 years I had invested in her and it was from a complete stranger! So needless to say I feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and no longer will I go out to the barn and feel guilty for not being able to fuss for hours over both girls. Chloe keeps me updated everynight on what her and Pickles are doing and I am looking forward to their progress together!

I started changing some things with Lily over the past 2 weeks. I bought a Back on Track saddle pad and added my sheepskin and thinline to our saddle padding in hopes that I can get her to reach from behind more and use her back. I am not sure if it is me, or her or our tack so I am just a changing it all :) I also put her in a hollow mouth eggbutt. So with the tack changes made I have also made a schedule....a very loose schedule but one none the less.

One day we hack in the pasture - no collection, no equitation, nothing fancy. Just trotting and cantering up and down the fields as fast or slow as she wants, occasionally eating grass.

One day is ground work - Focusing on turns on the forehand and haunches, side passes, stepping up form behind and softening in the rope halter. This ends usually with me toodling around bareback in a halter and lead just because

One day we do hunter stuff and one day we get down and dirty with some dressage and then a trail ride walk around aimlessly day!

Over all it seems to be working great. I can feel improvement on the days we really work because every other exercise has the parts to make a whole. Conditioning, suppleness and mental wellness!!! Last night I was working on myself and quieting my mid section which tends to get a little loosey goosey when I sit the trot. Michelle told me to tighten my abs up instead of in and immediately I felt a difference both in me and Lily. She really started to step from behind and give me the impulsion I had been desperately seeking. It was only for a couple strides but it felt amazing. I wanted more but decided to be happy with a pleasant bit of brilliance then push the envelope to get more! Hopefully on a track to success and being able to show in May!!!!