Pictures from today's ride

Today I went on a trail ride with my friend, Mary Jo.

My mount was Santana, who I rode last spring for the Living with Coyote documentary.

After eight months on Mystyc, it was a relief to head down the driveway on this big, willing, uncomplicated horse.

For the first time in a long time, I was able to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Santana didn't get flustered when we ran into Diana and Guaranteed...

or nervous when they passed us and headed home. 

He crossed the stream multiple times without balking... 

and stood quietly... 

while I took pictures... 

of wildlife.

He wasn't bothered by bicycles...

and didn't get bronc-y or jiggy on the way home.

This was such a fun and relaxing ride... 

even the squirrels... 

wanted to join in... 

and follow along! 

I feel so fortunate to be entrusted with this lovely gelding... 

and I look forward to riding him down the road again and again!

Sweet reminders

Like every hobby artist, I love it when customers send photos of my tack winning big in the show ring.  

Expensive Confetti owned and shown by Niki Hertzog at Build The Barn Live in Millersburg, Pennsylvania
 Tooled English saddle by BCS and Erin Corbett, bridle & props by Niki Hertog and doll by Anne Field

However, I am just as excited to receive photos of entries in which my contributions were inspiration, information and, perhaps, photo documentation.  Leah Koerper recently sent these pictures from the recent Sweet Onion Live show in College Place, Washington.

She writes:   I've attached photos of my setups that used documentation from your blog.  The three posts I used for reference were:

• Western Leadline 
• Boot Race 
• Toilet Paper Pairs 

I placed first in Western Games with the boot race,

then second in Other with the leadline...

and got Reserve Champ Western (which is an achievement for me since I really don't know much first-hand about western events).

It was also special because the horse I used for the Western division is a portrait of my first horse love, a Quarter Horse gelding named Jaime that I leased during middle school. 

(Another picture of Jamie and Leah because they're so darn cute together!) 

In English I got first in English Games with TP Pairs... 

and went on to get Champion English and Overall Other.

Thanks for all your help past, present, and future! Your clear and careful photos are fabulous.

And thanks to you, Leah, for reminding me why I do this.  I've been in a bit of a blog/hobby/life funk lately, but your email has inspired me to keep writing!

Horny

It's taken three weeks, but my "weekend project" is finally done....

Or mostly done, anyway!  

I'm still picking at the finishwork and can't quite decide if I like the weathered stain look of the jump risers. 

Still, it's done enough to be show-able...   

Extreme Cowboy Trail here we come!

Another goodbye

For various reasons--some financial, some emotional--I haven't spent much time at Kenlyn lately.  In fact, it's been more than a week since I stepped foot on the property.

Fortunately, my barn buddies haven't forgotten me.  Last night, Edie sent me a message letting me know that both foals had been weaned and would head to their new homes later this week.  

I told James...

and we decided we needed to go to the barn to say our goodbyes.

James has always been partial to Fortunataa's little bay colt... 

so he spent most of his time loving on that one. 

For me, it's always been all about Spring Fever...

and he was his usual bratty, 

goofy,  

endearing self. 

Oh, I'm going to miss this face! 

Good luck, little men.  I hope you both have wonderful lives!

Circling back

There's a live show in Colorado Springs this weekend. For various reasons, most of them financial, I will not be in attendance. This is disappointing because I do like live shows. Fortunately, I've found something to distract me...

After years of talking about it, I'm finally circling back to photo showing.

The last time I took outdoor show pictures, I was still using a film camera.  It feels both strange and familiar to sit in the grass and shoot photos of my models.

Fortunately, I seem to remember how to do it!  

Today, I focused on some of the smaller and fuzzier members of my herd. Tomorrow, I'll use a different fence and maybe try a few performance pictures. 

Watch out, MEPSA!  I think I'm back.

Wordless Wednesday

Horse yoga, part two

When it comes to riding, I'm a jack of all trades/master of none. I have reasonably good basics and enough knowledge and experience to ride most horses passably well. Beyond that, I'm pretty average. There isn't any one area in which I truly shine.  

Mostly, I'm fine with that, but still...  who doesn't want to be a superstar?

Horse yoga isn't a real discipline like dressage or show jumping, but unlike those sports, it held for me the promise of being something in which I might excel. After all, I spent most of my teenage years hanging off a bareback horse. I have no fear issues in that regard, plus, I've always been flexible. Several years ago, I attended some drop-in yoga classes at my neighborhood rec center. I didn't stick with it long enough to learn all the steps, but poses weren't a problem. Lotus position on a horse? Sounds totally do-able.

And it was...

but aside from that, I am as average at horse yoga as I am at riding! 

Some of the positions were very easy for me...

and I was never afraid...

even when my yoga mat, Freddy, developed a bad case of the wiggles.

On the other hand, I really struggled with the upper body work. I have lingering pain and reduced range of motion left over from last year's broken collarbone. I've recovered enough to lead a normal life, but horse yoga brought my limitations to the forefront.

Despite that, I really enjoyed my first horse yoga class. The instructor, Heather, was so positive and encouraging. She made me feel like I was doing really well even when I wasn't.

Also, she made sure every move ended with some horse petting or kissing... and who wouldn't want to kiss Freddy!

Thanks so much to Heather and Trisha and Freddy and Arwen.

I may not have been a superstar, but I really enjoyed horse yoga!