Take A Chance.

Take A Chance is my mini who I love dearly. He is AWESOME. If only we have like 16+ hh.

First, Background. - I started showing mini's for fun. There was a barn in my neighborhood and their mini club came to the barn I was boarding at the time. We started talking and I showed with them one show in 2010. That fall we were down playing around and a paint mini was going to go to a new home. Kevin went out to catch him to show his new owners his behaviors and personality. This mini was suppose to be a present to Kevin for his birthday but the mini hated Kevin no matter what. Kevin spent hours in his stall trying to get his trust. The mini was even sent away to driving school to learn to drive cart but the trainer said he was to stubborn to do it and was sent home. Kevin spent 30+minutes trying to catch this mini, I WAS DYING from laughing so much. Little mini kept running around away bucking and having fun. Not a great impression on his new owners. I asked if I could try to catch him. I walk out to the field, and had to "trap" him in the corner to get him but still it took all of 5 minutes if that. Took mini to Kevin and he walked him around. Little guy was bucking and kicking out, the whole nine yards. I was sitting on the ground and Kevin wanted to go grab something and asked me to hold the mini. I reached for the lead line while still on the ground and Kevin warned me that the mini was a handful. I was use to full grown Pippi and studs and TB's, - Little mini a handful? I think not. But Kevin was right and he kicked out at me. I smacked him and told him no and made him stand there with no grass. Kevin thought it was funny and told me to walk him around for a second. Mini bucked and reared and I got a bit mean and told him no. That evening after fighting with little mini and finally getting him to respond correctly, I ended up with my show mini Take A Chance. The owners told Kevin he would be stupid to sell a beautiful mini who had potential.

I worked with Chance all winter in 2010 - 2011 and we showed in 2011. KICKED BUTT.

Present - Chance is a great halter mini and an even better Jumper. He jumps 3' and loves it. He gets jealous if I work with an other mini or even work Pippi. He will let me do just about anything with him including walking over a tarp, into a babypool, jumping "scary" object, ect. When I started jumping Pippi over oxers and gymnastic courses I decided Chance needed to do it also including bounce strides, and one lead distances. He clears it all. I even let the 11 year old and 9 year old I babysit jump him. The higher he goes the more excited he gets.

Pippi and Chance at local fair

3' Oxer(:

Supreme Mini at festival

Take A Chance

Can I come get a treat now?

Rollinggggg

I am very proud of him. Many of told Kevin and Donna that he would never be anything let alone a great show mini yet he continues to prove them wrong. This year I am hoping to take him to larger shows and continue to jump. I hope to be jumping 42" soon so that he is jumping World Level(:

Impatient!

I got an email from Equine Affaire saying they got my application and sent it to the clinic people. According to Facebook, this is the most applicants they have ever had, great. My email said I should hear from them about clinics the first week of March, so that is either this week or next, Eeeeepppp! I have been super busy youtubing EquineAffaire applications to see my competition. Some look nice, others well.... But yeah I just want to know. I requested time off at work for it. The closer we get to March the more nervous I get.



We just bought our Fantasia tickets for Friday night. We saw it last year and it was awesome. This year it will be mom, Donna and I. We chose Friday since my clinics I hope to be in are Thursday and Friday (maybe one Saturday) so Friday seems like a good day. Our seats are decent. I'm excited (:

Breaking News!

Pippi let me use clippers on her? Yes you read that right! Scary horse eating clippers! Oh Em Gee!

First back ground - we bough Pippi when she was four. I trained her myself after she had had a hand full of people on her back. Before us, she was at the local fair grounds where she was not exposed to anything really. Back when we first got her we tried using clippers. Well....it was a nightmare. We even tried doing it while she was drugged so that she would realize it wasn't super scary. We turned the clippers on and she walked two woman out of her stall. She was not having any part of it. Once we turned them off her head dropped again and she was out. We tried everything, vibrates near her grain, doing other horses in front of her stall and for a year and a half I worked and worked with her. By the end I had been head butted and given a black eye and we were just frustrated. We decided it was just hurting our relationship and used baking razors on her nose and bridle path.

Now I decided it is time to take charge - BAM! Last night we fought a bit but by the end she had a bridle path. Today was a big deal. She fought and thru her head and head butted and stomped. I lunged her some, fought back and only got kicked once but we now have clean fetlocks (: SO HAPPY! They don't look great by any means, but they are far better. Yay! I was going to ride her but decided she can have the day off since she was awesome by the end. She still won't let me do her nose or eyes or under her head BUT we are better. Once she figures out her legs are still there after a few times maybe she will let me do her nose.

Roll Backs(:

I LOVE ROLL BACKS! as does Pippi.

I could do roll backs all day long. Idk why I love them so much but I do. I so rather have a hard course with roll back after roll back after roll back. I swear Pippi can take a jump, land and turn to the next jump like a pro. This is one reason that I love hunter/equ and another reason why I would like to try jumpers. That is just forward horses finding the fastest way around the course, jump, land, TURN! We could so nail that.

This weekend at Donny's Barns Open House he made a course that had roll back after roll back (just for me) and there were some tight roll backs. YAY! Of course I told mom she didnt have to film  my Equ. course and she didnt when it was PERFECT! Oh well, mom did get some roll backs when the jumps were set at 18" - 2' ish.

So what do you think?

Great Weekend!

This weekend was just what I needed to get my anti-Pippi-ness gone, and to regain confidence in myself as a rider and in Pippi as my mount.

To start off I am a bit crazyyyy. Lets face it. Mom has said it a million times before I get "Show Crazy". I get all worked up and stressed, heck this weekend was just an open house I was riding in, not even a show and I went off the wall. To start, Pippi got her legs washed again and Miracle Groomed. I did it a bit different this time then I normally would bc last time was a mess.

To start off I put lots of water in buckets, lots of buckets. (: Last fall mom bought a large bucket that I could use to soak feet, or ice her legs after hard jumping. Well I stuck one leg in at a time and used a cup to pour water on her white legs. Then shampooed away, Rinsed, and moved on to the next leg. No mess, and clean legs - Till the morning when I went down and brat rolled ):

Donny came down Friday and got her, I followed up so I could A) Help set things up and B) Ride her the day before everyone showed up. We got to his barn and I tacked Pippi up and prepared to ride. Donny set up a line of jumps set at 2' and 2'6ish. Pippi was being rushy but we got over that. By the time we were done Donny was impressed with us over 3' and Pippi was wore out. Whoooo....

 Now I went up on Friday to help set up...haha. I did little setting up. Donny is the owner if Meinmotion, "Nemo" too me. A 17.2ish hh TB that was a rescue. I LOVE HIM. I can not explain how much I love this green green green horse. Nemo is a total sweetheart and I have loved him since I first saw him in a field covered in mud from rolling. The is only one thing wrong with him (Besides the fact that he doesnt belong to me), he has stifle problems in one of his back legs. It caused him to be off a bit some days and other days it swells up like crazy with little riding and then he has days were he is a champ and unstoppable. Did I mention I LOVE HIM? Anyways, I went up to help Donny, by riding Nemo(: He gave me the option, probably new I would do it anyways, and it was great. At first I was a bit worried, not going to lie, he is HUGE compared to my 15ish hh mare and I am not a fan of falling of any sort. Plus Donny thinks it is funny to make me nervous and told me Nemo thru a fit a few days ago, great. We got over it. Trotted come ground poles to help his stifle and even cantered (a lot without Donny watching, like I said he makes me nervous. and I didnt want him telling me how bad I looked) But yeah, it was great.

On to Saturday. Jumping started off the Open House so I was working by 9am. Pippi got mad at the little stuff and decided she was a race horse...arggg. But once the jumps got up to 2'6ish 2'9ish she was fine. There was one sketchy jump that every time no matter the height we couldnt get. She was getting most of her leads and some distances where good. My Equ course the second time was unbelievable. I have video but youtube is being slowwww......  I did get lots of compliments on her and us. One little girl loved her to death and cooled her down for me while I helped take down the jumps. Another guy said she looked like the most in shape horse there (she better be she get worked enough, jeesh). I hope this is a good step in a new direction instead of stepping back, again.

For the flat portion of the open arena Donny let me ride Nemo, yes I love them both. Donny had rode him in the jumping part, Nemo got
 ALL his leads off the fences and even cantered a course for the first time (2' was his high). For the Flat he got all his leads, was responsive, and a gentleman. He still has a ways to go, will need surgery, and lots of work but I LOVE HIM. If Donny sells him I will be broken. But as of now it looks like he is staying for awhile still(:

Look, I have horse ALL the way done my Leg.

So yeah it was a great weekend. Pippi gave me great rides and I got to ride Nemo. Plus great people, beautiful horses and a fun time.

Better Late....

then never. I have a few things to tell everyone but first I would like to Thank Everyone and Anyone for their kind words about my show last weekend. Pippi and I are kinda in a rough patch again. Heck what else is new. I am somewhat Anti-Pippi. I just wish she wouldnt let her head get in the way of showing. We would have done so well if she would just trust me. And I truly believe that. I wish Pippi would have more trust and I as her rider. I am after all, the one who has owned her for almost four years, I trained her and she is far from abused. Grrr... But on with the good and out with the bad.

And I am sorry it took so long to write again, this time I can blame it on school and work. It snowed last weekend. I decided to go out and take Pictures of the horses in the snow. (: Pippi was first. I took her jacket off, she wasnt pleased and took her out. Now Pippi is my baby but I wish I could put Chances personality with her sometimes. But here are the pictures....

 Hiiiiii Pippiiiiii

 Look At That Trot!

 I dont know why but I feel like Pippi looks like a tank here.

    Chance has been getting worked again too. I jumped him for the first time since the last show in October and he was so excited. He bucked and kicked out on the lead line. My shoulder was sore the next day from holding him back.
     He also got to go out in the snow.

 

Favorite Picture of him

 

Why must he always roll?

     I taught Chance to come to me after he was done running, well he didnt want to run very long and came back to me often. And I had to keep pushing him away.

So yeah. The horses enjoyed the snow I think. Of course it was gone after two days and now everything is wet.

Where my friend boards they are having an open house/coggins clinic and our vet will be there. My friend is borrowing the jumps he game me and since he will be down here anyways he is going to pick Pippi up and I'll get to ride in their indoor. Yayyyyy!

Bad Blogger!

Okay, I have been a very bad blogger. I wish I could blame it on school or work but that is not the case. I just haven't felt up to it since the terrible show. I did try to post about it after the weekend but my iPad was cranky and only posted the title. Grrr...! And I really don't feel like talking about it yet again so if you'd like an update read Mom's blog.

The fast recap Pippi decided it wasn't a show day and wouldn't even do the opening circle.

But I had a lesson this weekend and yay! my canter is way better. I can hold my upper body still now but I need to get a bit stronger.

Equine affaire applications are due tomorrow (tho mine has been in for....a long time) and hopefully I find out soon if I got into any clinics.

Sorry to all my followers and the blogs I follow for being dead this past week, I will attempt to catch up on everything in the mean time (:

nightMARE!