I'm Wanty Again

Its that time of year again. That time of year a few months after Christmas and birthday, and a few months before eventing season begins. the season where where my inner tack whore becomes greedy again. So greedy. And wanty. The most wanty.

Its an ongoing sickness among equestrians. We are never satisfied with our current tack trunk. IT JUST HAPPENS. No one can stop it. Even if you try to crush it with reason, the whore persuades you to gaze longingly at Dover magazines and peruse Bit of Britian online. There are always new and improved things coming out. Things to buy! Money to spend! Must haves.

This Wanty season I don't actually want for much but what I want is expensive. Per usual. Some of the things I've always been like, "one day". Some of the things I actually NEED (need in the equestrian showing sense). Some I want but will never ever own because they are as much as a down payment on a car.

Things I "Need"

XC Bit: 

I'm still debating what would be best for Yankers on XC. The 3 ring elevator is too strong for him now that he's trained, but a plain snaffle is not enough. He pulls, but not enough to rip your shoulders out. He just needs a little "one-two" half halt and he comes right back, but he completely ignores the waterford snaffle and the slow twist full cheek I've tried.

 I was thinking either using a kineton noseband with the waterford, trying the gag converter hanger Dover sells or getting a combination Meyler bit, but even the meyler seemed a bit strong.  

Any suggestions from those with over exuberant OTTBs?

Kineton -$80

Meyler $90-$130

Gag converter-$70

Field Boots: $250

 

My current field boot are slowly dying and are 4 yrs old. I have a GIANT rip on the inside calf of one, they look like shit and are too small. I just have never been able to afford new ones. Ever since my half chaps quit on me two years ago I've been riding in my SHOW BOOTS instead of buying new half chaps. Mistake. I am an idiot. One of these days I will have to work some double shifts and snag a pair, hopefully off eBay, but seriously I need them NOW. My boots are nowhere near show (or regular riding quality since they don't fit) quality and make me look like a noob.

Things I Want

XC boots: Dalmar $80

These became popular last year with eventers and I've lusted after them since the first time I saw them. ALL of my eventer friends have them and swear by them. Lightweight, breathable and study, they are JUST want us eventers want and NEED in a boot for XC. Heat dissipation is a major issue to worry about with the tendons in the legs and these are specially ventilated just for that. I am in love with the look of them, especially since our XC are blue/white and they already have blue on them! I REALLY am going to save up for these this season. First thing on my list actually behind a bit.

Cool-Support Polos: Equi-Fit $85

Our BO and a few dressage riders use these and I've always liked the idea behind them. They are like polos, but they are meant for extra support and have a cooling effect on the legs, which polos do NOT have. Again, in summer (or anytime really) I always worry about the tendons overheating. They really do work but at the price I've never really been able to justify it. Maybe I will suck it up and buy some for our summer schooling sesh's. I feel Yankee is worth it.

Back on Track Blanket: $260

This would be nice to have for events to help ponyface feel a bit better. I don't know if they really work, but a few boarders have them and seem to think they do. Anything to help my baby after the exertion of a show. If only.

Thing I Will Never Have

Phillip Dutton Saddle: $I don't even wanna know

I will always want for this saddle. The first time I ever saw it I sat my ass in it and fell in love. It was like sitting on a perfect cloud. I heart the look of this gorgeous hunk of cowhide, the holes for breathe ability, how lightweight it is and the perfection it exudes. I love love love love it. Maybe one day when I win the lottery..

So gorgeous. I can't even.

So another Wanty season comes and will probably go, but I will give it my best effort to at least get field boots, XC bit and XC boots. I feel those are the most prudent, right? In the perspective of a tack whore who just wants the best for her pony..

Fun in the Sun

After a WHOLE week of not riding, I finally got some time off and the OK to ride outside in the snow. You know what that means...

PHOTO SHOOT!

We had a blast running through the snow with the ponies and havin' a good ole time. The horses were hella fresh and a little wild,  but we still had an amazing time.

oh hay!

It still makes me sad at how wimpy his tail is now. But the  mohawk is legit.

Fancy feelin' fresh!

My legs were so tired after two hours that when I jumped down, they collapsed. HA.

I love this horse so much!

Aren't they gorgeous??

I missed the ponies. Seeing them breifly at feeding times wasn't enough! I'm still sick, but I didn't care. Today was most likely the last day the snow would stick around since the temps were actually in the 50s and more than half of it melted. Before we know it everything will be mud and the horses will be digusting.

I HATE MUD SO MUCH WHY CANT SUMMER JUST BE HERE AND DRY EVERYTHING UP.

Snow. Too Much.

 I'm very used to the hazards of snow since I grew up in Ohio and we got snow on the reg there. Since moving farther West though I've been spoiled with little to no snow. Minus snowpocalypse 2011 that dropped 3ft. of snow on Missouri and froze the town for 12 days, nothing of real consequence has occured until this month. February is a bear. All winter we've had pretty mild temps, with a few days of bitter cold. I thought we were through it and I wasn't ever going to get to play in snow.

But I'm over it. I used to love snow. Fun to play in, ride in, and it got us snow days. Now, no one cares if you're stuck in the snow and you're not allowed to ride in it or turn the horses out. Its only fun to sled in if you're hammered and it gets you sick. It also makes cleaning stalls a royal bitch and sometimes knocks the power out for days on end.

All of this.

Getting sick was just the icing on the cake that made me realize that I no longer enjoy snow and I want to move somewhere where it doesn't exist. GASP. I've turned into an old bitty.

But really. We aren't allowed to ride outside in it (per BO rules for horses with shoes on) or turnout in it...sooo my  horse has been inside since Monday and is currently going insane. We can't ride in the indoor because there is no power and its hella dark in there and I do not want to be on a supercharged OTTB in the pitch dark.

I sincerely hope we can start TO tomorrow or else my horse might literally explode. Luckily we can put them in paddocks while we clean stalls...but all he does is rear and twirl and show me his contempt for the situation.

Mr. Pronto is over it too

Yankee says, "Please mom, can we go out in pasture? PLEEEEASSSUUHHH??"

And The Winners Are...

 You guys are a bunch of cheaters :P Though I do appreciate your belief in my ponys' abilities, so I won't punish any of you.

I wanted to apologize for the delay in announcement ( I was even going to make a sweet video with the names I drew, etc, but I've had zero time). Remember that snowstorm I was telling you about? Yeah it threw a major curve ball in my life... I just got un-stuck yesterday- thats four days stuck. I'm pretty sure I had several panic attacks, worrying about 3 jobs and how the horses would get fed. GAH GAH GAH. The most frustrating part is that NO ONE believed that I could still be stuck days later after a giant winter dump. I got shit from everyone, and a few people even told me I was being lazy and inconveniencing people on purpose- which blew my mind. Apparently there is no sympathy for people who have zero 4wd vehicles, that live at the bottoms of hills and are helpless in snowstorms.

GUESS WHAT ELSE. We have ANOTHER 6-9 inches coming our way tonight. Fucking awesome. Winter, I HATE YOU.

Anyways.

Drrrrrrrrumroll please...the winners arrrre...

SprinklerBandit and Cuna won for False!

Lindsay and Apollo won for True!

And the correct answer is....TRUE! He can actually free jump to 5'3! A few people mentioned they remembered reading it somewhere, which is impressive since the last time I free jumped him over 4ft was in 2010. Long time followers with great memories :)  I've never tried anything over 4'9 with anyone mounted, but I really don't think he is capable.

This was at 5ft!

This was the 5'3 jump. Worst. Video. Still. Ever.

 Another sad story about the snow. You know the WWU Jumper Show I've been practicing for for weeks now? Yeah. I can't go. My trailer is snowed in and there's no way my truck will get it out with the additional snow we are getting tonight.  I'm beyond upset about this. Not only are we READY but its one of my favorite shows and all my friends were actually going to come and watch. Ugh. Suck.

Hopefully I can get out and ride this week..I haven't ridden in what seems like ages.

Sorry to anyone who entered and didn't win, but I appreciate the following and excitement in the contest! The winners can email me at mavg24@mail.missouri.edu and we can work out deets. I will do portraits for anyone and have been slowly getting an etsy together, so feel free to shoot me an email until I get my shit together

Winter Storm Q

THIS morning I'm sitting here eating nothing (because I'm an idiot and didn't go to the store like everyone else did), watching a blizzard outside my window, flipping shit that I'm stuck and can't make that skrilla at work today AND most importantly, get to the barn to feed the horses this evening. AND THEN IT THUNDERS....loudly. THUNDERSNOW ERMAHGHERD.

But seriously, I am 100% stuck. I tried. Hurculean effort, but that snow is slick as snot and already 3 inches high and I live on a hill. Fucking hill. You are my bane today.

I set my alarm early to get up and scrub snow off my car before work and I walked out my door to see a pile of cars, a literal PILE, on my road. All of them were stuck. Grrrreat. I tried anyways and I am now a stuck duck.

TO NETFLIX!

I seriously hope this city gets its shit together and plows my road because the snow is expected to fall all day at a ridiculous rate. By the end of it all tomorrow we could have up to ten inches. But I'm pretty positive that CoMO only has like, 4 snowplows, I kid you not. Snow here isn't rare, but not common.

Eastern people, I KNOW this aint shit compared to your, but remember, I live in the Midwest. I'm pretty sure most people here are idiots. Like, the most dumb. One inch of snow and the whole city goes beserk with panic. WE are supposed to get 9 more that. People already can't function. City schools closed LAST NIGHT before any snow even fell. Wimps.

So here I am, bouncing around in my house, tweeking out that I won't get out by 4pm today and the horses will starve.

They won't actually starve, but the BO is older and literally cannot handle feeding all 21 ponies on the farm, by herself, in 4-8 in of snow. FREAKING. OUT. WORRYING. GAH.

Not much I can do about it but I still hate being helpless!!


Just a reminder, contest closes THIS saturday at midnight! I only have 21 entries out of 103 possible so get them in there :P You know you want something like thiiiisss...

Or this!

Drew these last night! So enter HERE! Its easy!

Big Girl Panties

As I sit here listening to my rap music, chomping on carrots and chugging coffee during my break after-work-before-work (job hopping is the most fun) I realized I found a renewed vigor for horsey life.

Could be that I'm moving to server at work. (I realize this is super prestegious position and I want you all to curb your jealousy for a hot minute before you get green with envy over that one. I'm not even mad bro. Sure, I'm a college graduate with 3 part time, minimum wage jobs, but at least I HAVE a job(s).) Could be that the Luke Bryan concert my boy bought us tickets for, is THIS Saturday. Could be that I had two AMAZING rides on the grumpynose this week. Could be that my lady time is now over. Or that spring is around the corner and all I can think about it show season. I don't know, but I'm just in a better mood, despite my downfalls.

Either way, its a relief not feeling so anxious and wound tighter than a two year old racehorse at his first race. I have major issues keeping myself calm and I'm pretty sure I actually need xanex prescribed to me to ingest on a daily basis so I don't have panic attacks but I feel the "ignore it until I can do something about it" or "it is the way it is" attitude works pretty good right now. No use stressing over things I literally have zero power to change. I had to put my big girl panties on and realize I have more than most do and even though I probably should be on welfare because I rarely eat anything besides carrots and protein shakes & I can barely pay rent, I don't believe in that system. I prefer to be poor and EARN my money. That gives me purpose. One day I will find my niche. I graduated college early and I'm only 22. Lots of life yet to live with my horse(s), boy and dog.

So thats how I beat my winter blues. I hope with Spring around the corner everyone is seeing the light in the wintery chasm. Despite the winter shitstorm headed our way, I'm trying to keep my head up. I just see it as a chance to play in the snow :)

As I mentioned, Yankee was amazing in the 2 flatwork rides over the past few days. I also started a riding "journal". Really, its the smartpak calendar they sent me, but I wanted to keep track of our rides without forgetting. I conveniently tacked up my calendar above my saddles, so I won't forget. That way I can look back to our last ride(s), see what went well, what didn't & see upcoming shows and events. Anyone else have a riding journal? I used to keep one back when I rode at NSF because I rode so many babies and I wanted to keep track, but Yankee's fell by the wayside.

One last reminder, my contest for a custom horse portrait ends THIS SATURDAY! To enter, just answer the trivia question in the comment section HERE.

Also I got an instagram just for Yankee! I have a personal one (checkmark115), but this new one is all horsey exclusive. If you want to add me, its ottb_eventing

Thanks!

Contest Time!

Oh, baby, we made it! 100 beautiful, interesting, wonderful followers! I love it :)

As promised, I shall be running a contest for anyone who wants to enter. Its pretty simple. I have a trivia question for you, I want your answers, and the winner(s) get a hand drawn portrait of their baby! Horse babies, not real ones.

Note I said winners. Yep. Two. I shall explain.

There is only 2 answers to the trivia question, true, or false. I will draw a winner from the correct answer and the incorrect. The correct answer winner will win a 9x12 drawing out of any medium (your choice). The incorrect answer winner will win a 5x6 graphite drawing. I will frame them, but I can't promise they will be fancy since I am post-graduate poor.

To see some examples of what mediums and styles I am most proficient with, click here.

Now, drumroll please........(pretend you hear one)...

Q: True or False, Yankee can freejump up to 5ft.

If you want to include with your answer a little bit about yourself and your horse(s), I would love that! Not necessary to win, but I know there are some of you that aren't in my blogroll and/or frequent commenters.

Contest runs for one week, so it closes next Saturday.

Hope you guys find this fun!

As for the previous comments on my last post, I appreciate them as always :) Getting and keeping a rock solid core is difficult. I loved the comment about the "photo clinic", I didn't even think about the landing equitation part of a fence!