And back to work we go... tomorrow :)

Mystic has been thoroughly enjoying his naked pasture time this week! I have been a super neglectful mom and he hasnt been ridden since the expo. I went out and brushed him and re did his mane but thats about it. Luckily the weather has been super nice (for the most part) so he has been naked all week and boy can I tell he has been enjoying it! It was absolutely gorgeous today and is supposed to be nice tomorrow so he got his first sun screened nose of the year. We enjoyed a nice sunny night bareback trail ride tonight. Tomorrow? Back to real work. After a quick chat with our trainer tonight we have decided to go to our local pony clubs dressage league show in April and do 2nd level together! Lots of work to do :)

Tolo is also enjoying his extended time off work. He got a bath yesterday and has a wild man mane today but its pretty cute! My neighbors came out tonight and were telling me how happy they are that Tolo is back. They LOVED him being here before I first sold him and were sad when he left. The funny part is that Tolo and their dog Otto (an adorable yellow lab) are seriously best friend. I guess Tolo stood by the fence almost all day with his head on the ground letting Otto lick his ears, how adorable is that?! Hopefully I will catch it one day and get a picture. Then when I pulled in our driveway, coming home from seeing Mystic, I saw their little boy hand picking grass and feeding it to Tolo over the fence! They never even thought that he was blind! Its amazing to see the confidence he has gained just being a horse around here. Im starting to get my Tolo back :) Hopefully we can get him back undersaddle soon too. That wound be really nice!

Mystic and Tolos matching faces from tonight just with different ears!

Lazy eye and ear all on the same side haha!

When you wish they could talk

I have lunged Tolo the last two days and decided to hop on today just to see what he would do. From what I was told he has been pretty bad to ride recently but he has been lunging really nicely and has been quite calm all the way around that I decided I would test him out.

When I first got him back I thought he for sure was out somewhere but as he got more time outside moving around he started looking better. He cross fired a little while lunging but that could be lack of work/muscle also and it wasnt like he couldnt pick it up correctly and keep it, he obviously doesnt look bad (as I wouldnt be working him). He has tripped a few times while working, etc but there is so much going against him at this point with him being due for farrier (getting him out asap, came back from expo after ignoring him for almost a week and saw his hooves. What a bad mommy I was!), our 'arena' at home is really gross and un even, and he has been out of work for awhile now so I wasnt overly worried. 

Getting back onto him today definitely helped me make my decision to wait on working him at least until he gets new shoes and I get the chiropractor out here. Ideally I would wait till I found another place to take him. He was very short in his stride and irritated. After a few walking laps of me playing with him to see what he is like (it has been almost 2 years!) he settled down a little bit but when pushed at all (or asking anything really) he became really agitated and would have loved to buck had I let him. I cant say that isnt what he normally does as I havent seen him much since I sold him but it is NOT what he was like when I had him before. So how do you figure out if it is a pain issue or an attitude issue? Start from the beginning and go from there. I am actually praying that he is just totally out of whack in his body and the chiropractor can help. Just PLEASE dont let it be an attitude thing! LOL! We are starting with the farrier, then the chiro, then getting his teeth done. The farrier and chiro will happen by beginning of August but the vet may have to wait a month as Mystic is also due to get his teeth done and since he is in full work (and I want to keep it that way!) with show season among us he will take priority. Being a poor college student is no fun!!

Add on to last post

Round 1 Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX6oOWCCvUM
Round 2 Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNh53SXTgrQ

More pictures from round 2:

Winning isnt everything

I am about as competitive of a person as you can get and if were being honest who doesnt LOVE winning?! Years ago if I didnt make it into the finals (which we didn't) I would have left mad but last night I left with so much more!

We sadly didnt make it into the finals (which we knew we wouldn't once we saw that crazy course!). It was tough competition, he was the youngest horse to make it into the semis, and the course was all about scary objects. Since it is only the second year of the challenge here they are still changing it around and sadly it was much different then it was last year. Mystic is the type of horse that would have thrived much more in last years competition as it was more on the horses training, different skills, and speed versus this year which was all about scary obstacles. 

With that being said he showed me that he could pony up and do the scary stuff too! After walking the course I honestly thought we would complete two of the obstacles. I know the things that he is really scared of and there was about everything you could imagine all in one course LOL! Including a teeter totter bridge, a large hula hoop with streamer things hanging off it that you had to walk your horse through, hitting a ball into a garbage can with a broom, throwing a rope, walking and backing a spiral in white gaming chalk, and picking up one end of a pole and completing a circle around it while keeping the other end in a circle on the ground. He does NOT  like me holding things on him (as you can see with his round one video when I got the hula hoop!). Something about it just really freaks him out and he genuinely thinks he is going to die! So the fact that I had to hold a broom and hit a small ball, hold a pole and circle around it, and throw a rope gave us no hope, so I thought. 

So of course what does he do? He walks right on the teeter totter bridge (got a little nervous once it went down and thought he couldnt get off but nothing bad!), walked right up to the scary large hula hoop where I let him sniff and look at it for a little bit before he scooted his way through, grabbed the broom as he went sideways a little before I got him back to the ball where I hit it into the can, walked right through the chalk that he swore was going to eat him just a year or so ago in OHSET, jumped away from the pole at first but then did his circle, and only jumped a little as I chucked the rope of of him (cant throw one worth crap so I just threw the whole thing haha)! I think I was in shock the whole course as he continued to do everything I asked of him (well.. except for the sidepassing over the hay bales which we had to do again. Or not do I should say :) ) even if he was nervous or scared. Then after finishing the course all 10 of us had to go back in the arena where the crowds were screaming, stomping, yelling, etc and he couldnt have cared less about it all. He just really wanted to visit with the horse beside him! Here is a sneak peak of some pictures and round one video. Round 2 and more pictures to come!

He got dressed up with a bow in his forelock and his tail!

Jumped the narrow hay bale jump first time! He hasnt ever jumped hay bales

The pole that though about eating him!

What a good pony :)

Hula hoops eat horses

Wow, what a day! I had to get up this morning and go do barn chores and ride a horse before heading out to see my pony and get him cleaned up. After 1.5 hours of scrubbing we were loading in the trailer and heading over to the expo! Of course the whole traveling process went smoothly, like always. Once off the trailer we took him into the main arena where the All Breed Challenge took place just to show him around. It isnt the most inviting arena with round pen panels around the outside with banner, grand stands above the arena wall, etc. but he wasnt too fazed by any of it. It was definitely more looky and "hot" (for him!) then normal but nothing bad at all. After a short bareback ride we got him settled in him stall and headed to my competitors meeting.

Although I was planning on competing bareback I am glad that I chose not to. We didnt get the course until it was set and we were walking it right before we had to ride it and when we saw that you had to lead your horse in and mount from the ground we decided that it would be quicker with a saddle, not to mention less embarrassing!

Here is a quick outline of the course and how we did (video to come later):
-Enter, halt at cones and mount
Great, nothing too hard about this!
-side pass over 2 hay bales with a pole over them
Took some time but we made it over the first hay bale and over the pole but didnt get past the second hay bale and instead decided to hop over the pole lol! It really was a tight fit for a little guy!
-go over a bridge with a tarp off the end
He pretty much got right on the bridge. But how it was set up they didnt see the tarp till they were on the bridge and it looked scary! We took an alternate route off the bridge but then walked right over the tarp.
-halt at a cone and do a 360 forehand turn
Awesome! Especially for not working on forehand turns ever
-"leg yield" from one cone to the next
This was really confusing for me as to what to do so we just winged it. Seemed to work for us!
-get a hula hoop from the ground person and throw it over a pole
Well... they eat horses and he really wanted to let me know! After I got the 1st one he took off but stopped at the wall and I was able to throw it off him without too much more of a fuss. I opted not to throw the second one just to save time (it is timed!) and I knew he didnt like it anyways
-kick a big horse ball thru 2 standards
He really surprised me here by acting terrified of it! The only difference is that the cover on this ball was in a soccer ball pattern. But without too much convincing he kicked it right through the standards!
-go over a fan of trot poles
Going through poles has never been his strong point but we trotted, hopped, and jumped our way through
- pick up a pitcher full of water and do a figure 8 around 2 1/4 rounds on their sides and put the pitcher back
He tried to be scared of the stand it was on but once I got it we did our figure 8 just fine.
-pole bending pattern with 5 poles
What a stud! We cantered right through and even got a lead change or 2!
-back a zig zag thru poles (definitely not made for a Gypsy Vanner or a Belgian!)
I was super impressed with how he did with this. 1- we haven't really done much backing (kinda weird but true!) and 2- it was TIGHT! He did it great but did get a front leg outside of the pole on the last turn.
-canter around the whole arena and thru the end cones
Run pony run!

Was it a perfect go? Far from it. But I was SO happy to see that even though things were a bit scary to him, he never flat out refused to do anything. This was something completely out of the norm for him and he took it all in super well. And just to think he is only 5! Yes we have practiced some stuff at home (mostly our bridleless stuff) but it is completely different in a situation like that. He of course got lots of cheers and laughter from the audience, we are aiming to be fan favorite on Saturday to get us to the finals :)

Making some friends with this adorable little girl who came to watch us. How cute is this?!

Its show time!

Tomorrow is the day! Round one of the All Breed Challenge. I head out to the barn tonight to give him a bath (in our nasty nasty weather... thank god for indoor heated wash racks!). I have my last hope of getting the stains off his legs, hopefully it at leasts masks them a little bit. It looks so awful right now and I feel like I have tried everything I know.

We head out tomorrow to get him to the fair grounds in time to get him in the arena before any of the festivities start at 5. Heres to hoping for a nice relaxed chill pony for the entire course :) And to this pouring down rain and gusting winds to go AWAY...

The dangers of tack sales!

Alanna and I headed out for the Canby tack sale bright and early at 5 15 this morning. We got a booth and took a bunch of tack from our barn to sell along with a bunch of Alannas stuff. Since getting Tolo back I only had a shopping list, a very dangerous thing! Aside from us getting an outside booth that got rained on for a good hour (and got all the wind) we did really well and sold over $1000 in tack!

Since it is mostly western people that get booths there isnt normally much in terms of english tack but I did get a couple scores (I sent Alanna out to scout out the deals for me haha)! I got 4 saddle pads for 6 bucks total, a black w/white piping dressage bridle for Tolo for $25, a new Toklat fleece dressage girth for $10, and new black reins (since our beach incident where my favorite ones broke). I looked for a thicker dressage noseband for the pony but the only one they had wasnt a good deal. And if im going to pay that much I might as well get a new one!

Modeling his bridle! Little does he know he goes back to work soon!

Yesterday Mystic and I had super fun ride.... up until he dumped me haha! With the expo on Thursday I decided to pop him over some fences bareback since we are planning on doing it all bareback. I also threw on his bridleless neck rope in case he was feeling food enough to take him for a bridleless spin over fences. I set up a little cross rail and like a 2'3" oxer. He was a total star! So off came the bridle. He was totally driving to the fences and didnt even attempt to run out. I would give him the slightest inclination that we were going to the fence and he would totally take over and go right to it. Tight roll back type turns and everything. After a few times over the cross rail we popped right over the oxen no big deal! So here I am thinking dang.... this horse is a stud (which he is of course)! The next time over the oxer I try putting my hand out to the side. Apparently that translates to a Gypsy eating monster and he took off bucking after the landing.... yee haw! Needless to say I have a pretty swollen and sore leg. I did however get back on (still bridle less!) and jump him over it all again with NO issues what so ever. So lesson learned on my part. No hands to the side LOL. After I got up off the ground he walked right up to me and put his head on my chest, its was the most adorable thing ever. Now for my leg to get better for my riding final on Monday and the expo on Thursday!

Picture day!

Here are some pictures of Tolo today. I forgot to take camera to NDF so no pictures of the pony. Although we had a super fun ride today! I love that horse!

My favorite!

half buck half falling down?!

Hanging by the chickens and pig :)

Sun!

It has been GORGEOUS here the last few days. It came at the perfect time too. Like almost 70 and sunny! I know it wont last so I am thoroughly enjoying it while it lasts.  The last few nights I went out and rode the pony and we got to both warm up and cool out by walking down the road outside and even rode in a t-shirt and summer breeches! The pony was great besides a few 'discussions' here and there about going forward and being more prompt in his transitions and such. He was getting quite relaxed about the whole thing in fact haha By the end we had a few really nice transitions and a canter that I could ride all day long, it felt so good! I have been so busy and scattered brained about the upcoming expo that I think we will wait till after the expo for our next lesson but I cant wait to have it. Then maybe a league show in April? Who knows!

Tonight was Tolos night! Since day light savings it is actually light outside when I get off work, but by the time I get home from riding Mystic it isn't. Since it was gorgeous tonight and the pony has gotten the last 4 days I decided to come home and clean Tolo up a little. His mane was a complete wreck when I got him back. It was super long and super thick (especially for a TB!). I chopped a lot of it off but even trying to pull it afterwards seemed pointless because it would take forever. Tonight I pulled the clippers out and shaved about half his mane off on the under side and started pulling again. Much more doable! Someday he will look like a sport horse again! Hopefully I can find a time to have the chiro out soon so I can start working him. He really needs to go back to work and thrives off attention from his people. Overall he is doing great!

Let your hair down!

Yesterday Alanna came out to the barn and took some pictures of the pony and I with her new camera and they came out great! Its super hard to get nice pictures in an indoor arena (as most of your probably know!) so its nice to get some cute ones. He was decent for the time between the last time we went bridleless but wasn't as responsive as I would like him. I think it is just do to his lack of actual under saddle time recently with me being sick and all. So back to actual work he goes today! Thursday will be exactly one week till we are competing at the expo, ahhhhh!!!

His cute bow :)

Canter to halts

Cookie time!

Love this boy!

Just what I needed

I had a great ride on my pony tonight! I have been feeling quite over whelmed with the upcoming expo (totally unlike me!) and thinking there is no way we are ready for it. I had grand plans on jumping him tonight but by the time I got off work and to the barn I just wasn't feeling like setting up and tearing down fences. So I settled for a working bareback ride and he was awesome! I got my pony back :) After doing some of our dressage work I got some cones out and backed around them and side passed over them. We really havent done much backing or side passing so it was nice to see that he can do them whether or not they are gorgeous or not. Tomorrow is my moms birthday so Alanna gets to take him for a spin so I can take my mom to dinner.

Tolo continues to do really well. He thoroughly enjoys his pasture time and is wearing out his excuse for ripping his halter out of my hands when I try to let him go! I have potentially found a place to take him so I can start working him too. I am going to try to have the chiro out next week then start putting him back to work, got to get all that energy out somehow!

Beautiful day!

The ponies are all in heaven with this nice weather. Blankets come off, lots of pasture time (not that Mystic isnt on pasture everyday anyways but its always more fun in the sun!), and usually involves a nice trail ride. Today was no different and Alanna and I hit the trail with Mystic and Roz. It was still a little breezy but the sun was out and it was gorgeous! We rode 4 miles up in the hills. It really is a great mind break for them and also a good hind end work out even if we just walked.

I was just realizing today that we have less than 3 weeks till the expo. Then all the thoughts of "why did I enter us?!" "what am I thinking?" etc start coming to me! I know we will be fine even if he decides something there will eat him but it is different then anything I have ever prepared for. Then not exactly knowing what to train or expose him too, etc is all a mystery. It will be here before I know it!

Tolo continues to progress each day in leaps and bounds. He got LOTS of pasture time today and was such a happy boy when I went to get him. He has never been a fan of coming in from the pasture so I was prepared to have a little 'chase' around the pasture before he let me catch him, especially since he just started going out. I walk out to his gate and call him and to my surprise he stops grazing and walks right over to me. I think my heart melted :) he was super sweet! I brought him in a brushed him and he ate up all the attention. I am thinking we will be riding sooner then I originally thought but only time will tell!

Like a kid on Christmas

Since Tolo has been so good the last few times I have been with him as far as catching him and all (first couple times were iffy and he wasnt relaxed about it at all) I decided that he could have some fun outside today. My big concerns were that 1) he hasnt been on turnout at all since summer  2) if he got scared out there I am not sure what his reaction would be and 3) if he wouldnt let me catch him in his stall there is NO way he would let me outside!

Since my 3rd worry has gotten a ton better so quickly (he is following me around, stands not tied while I brush and blanket him, etc) I figured the other two will have to be discovered at some point. Better that he gets out to be a horse sooner rather then later. I have been hand grazing him and he seems very at ease and focused on eating when I do so I had a little bit of hope that maybe all the grass would just distract him right? Yeah.. wishful thinking!

As I walked him through the gate he was spinning around running backwards, trying to take off running, etc. Like a kid on Christmas that knew what was coming but could hardly contain themselves from the excitement! So much that whenever I went to unlatch his halter he exploded again. Seeing this I opted to leave his halter on. That way if something happened I could get him easier and I could get out of dodge from flying hooves easier once I let him go. Normally I would not allow this kind of behavior but given the circumstances I was much more lenient. He was so extremely happy to be free and ran around between grabbing some grass.

like a kid on Christmas I tell ya!

One thing that was very obvious to me (and even my mom) was that he is definitely funky in his hind end. A chiropractor is in his near future for sure. It is hard to explain but he just looked all sorts of out of whack back there.

Running and running and running! I was kind of worried with not being able to see out of his left eye if it would effect him running around out there but you never would have known by just watching him! Finally he settled down and his happily grazing as I type.

His lazy eye just adds character LOL!

So handsome :)

Poor Mystic is getting the shaft on his own blog! I am heading out to see him shortly and I think we are going on a walk outside. Ill be sure to get some pictures of him too :)