Day 2 of Greatness.

I may need to change the name of this blog from Green n' Green to Green n' Semi-broke, but it doesn't have as nice a ring to it, so I'll have to wait.

I went to the barn with Ophelia's mom tonight to ride. We left Seattle at 5 and got to the barn at 6:40... Traffic SUCKED!!! It should only take 30 minutes. That was the only bad thing of the night, and we managed to continually discuss how amazing our horses are. Actually, we wish we had video of them before to compare them to now. There were two other people there to ride, but luckily the girl who does gaming was just leaving. I got super nervous when she and her horse were FLYING around the arena. I was convinced that Denali was going to fall over and die. THEN I remembered that I'm the problem, not her.

I am working on (and by I, I mean my trainer is working on me) to get her to drop her head. She brings it up all the time. I have to work on her all night to get her to drop it, and as soon as she drops it, it pops right back up. Of course her trainer does something magical to make her keep her head down. I was trying it at the walk, and got it for the most part, but at the Trot, no go. I LOVE LOVE LOVE trotting!! I use to hate it, but while I was home I took up running. If you knew me you'd call me to make sure I mean running as in exercise and not running as in drugs (not that I touch drugs...I hope you get the point) ANYWAY, running has helped me have a better seat, and I enjoy riding (at least the past two days) so much more! I went running this morning and my knees have been getting revenge the rest of the day. They still hurt like hell and that's after lots of Motrin. I have always had bad knees, but they have never hurt this bad.

Babble, babble, babble....

Is anyone doing any shows? I have read most of your blogs if you follow this one, I am amazed at some of the things you do! I hope that we (Denali and I) can get into showing. Not big ones EVER, just local schooling shows.

Pictures soon, I promise!

Super Amazing Wonder Horse!

I'm back in Washington State...and VERY tired... Rode Denali today and she was AMAZING!!! She was so forward and very responsive!!! I'm so proud of her! The thing I'm most impressed with my trainer with is that Denali no longer almost goes over backwards when you put fly spray on her! For the first time I was able to put fly spray on Denali without getting out a rag and putting it on her that way. So happy! :) ...so tired. Hope that everyone's horses are doing well! I'll write more later. Maybe I'll even show off my amazing photography skills!!! :) I'm improving...well, that and my camera rocks!

Link

http://www.hsus.org/horses_equines/resources/

I'm putting this here so A. you can look at it, but mostly B. I can find it if GOD FORBID I ever need it. I really REALLY REALLY hope that when the time comes Denali passes away that she is at least 30 and just falls asleep under her favoriate tree in our field. This will require me to own a field, but I don't like the idea of sending her away for rendering, although I know it makes sense. If I can't bury her on my property, I'll have her cremated. Here's to hoping that I don't need to make that decision for at least 25 years. Hope everyone's horses are happy and healthy!! :)

Phone Update!

I haven't heard from Denali's trainer for a while, so I gave her a call. I forgot that this weekend was the property owners 60th birthday, so they had his party in the arena. No riding was done this weekend so they could get it cleaned up and set up (in case it rained.) Apparently Denali thought all of the 120 guests were there for her. She stood (from what I was told) right by the fence and called to anyone and everyone in hopes that they would bring her over some carrots or grass. She's such a suck up. I guess she had her own little fan club. What a horse! Hope all is going well with everyone's horses!

Oh! I was wondering if you had your horse in training how it works. Do you pay for a month and then that's it or do you pay for it by lessons? Denali's training is $350 for 16 lessons (1 hour.) It works out since sometimes I don't get out to the barn that often, and that way I know that she is being worked. It is expected that those 16 lessons will be done in a month, but sometimes that doesn't work out. When I first put her into training in March she was such a hot mess that we did a BUNCH of ground work. The trainer would show me something and then I would work on it for several days. That 16 lesson package lasted until May 1. That's when the real riding started. Have I mentioned on her that she is now cantering under saddle? I haven't ridden her while cantering, the day that the trainer asked for the canter I had been in the car accident and didn't want to die. :)

Hope everyone who reads this is having a great week! I love your comments!

6 months ago...

This is what my horse did.... I still just find it amazing that she was able to TAKE OUT the arena wall and NOT get hurt. Not only did she not get hurt but by the time I got over the shock of my horse going THROUGH the wall she had let herself into one of the paddock areas and was drinking water... Her look was priceless, as if to say, "What, WHAT? WHAT!" She was indeed shook up, but no worse for wear....

No other Denali news. She's still 3000 miles away from me. I guess she was great on the 4th of July (have I mentioned I LOVE her barn manager/trainer?) She put them in early, gave them extra dinner and apparently Denali thought it was the best thing Ever. EVER!

My friend reported that Denali tired to kick another horse through the fence who, God Forbid, was eating some grass. You have to understand that Denali has 0 grass in her paddock. Not a blade. Everyone else has grass, but my eating machine has destroyed it all. It's not a little paddock either. I guess 9 years ago before my BM took over the person before her had 4 horses (at least) turned out in the paddocks. The ground just never recovered. Denali doesn't help it by eating ANYTHING that sprouts. I'm glad that the BM checks for poisonous plants diligently. I wouldn't know what to look for.

Denali gets fed a huge breakfast and a huge dinner. I know it's not the ideal situation, and that horses should graze throughout the day, but 1. Denali couldn't be turned out with anyone. She's super food aggressive and 2. Denali DOESN'T need to eat all day. She looks like a tank. A huge muscular tank. Seriously, people can't believe she's a TB when they see her. Maybe I should make up some fake warmblood name and start my own registry. What's a country that doesn't have a warmblood breed yet? Humm...Kazakhstan? My Kazakhstan Warmblood. Sounds good right? This is coming from the same ADULT (yes, I'll admit it) that wants Denali's show name to be "your mom" because I think it would sound HILARIOUS to have someone announce, "Now entering the arena my name here on Your Mom." Sigh... I need a life... sorry! :)

1 Year!!!!!

One year ago today my world changed for the better, I just didn't realize it yet. Who knew that a wild horse bought at an auction could bring so much love into my life. My husband is amazing, and I love him with my whole heart and soul, but Denali just brings something to my life that I never knew was possible. She keeps me honest and lets me dry my tears in her mane.

One year ago, I had to figure out how the hell I was going to explain to my husband that I just made a VERY large financial decision on my own.

One year ago today my little girl dream came true!! I wish I could be with Denali today, but I know she's fine and happy. I love my horse!!!! I'm so glad that I decided to go to the auction!!!

Home, home on the range...

Right now I'm around 3,000 miles away from the girl. It's funny how much I miss her when I'm away. Part of me wishes that it was possible for me to come home for the summer and just haul her over here at the beginning of summer, then haul her back to the Seattle area at the end of summer.

I know people haul horses all over all the time for competitions, I just get really nervous with the idea of my precious baby girl (yes, I really just called her that) being hauled all over the United States without having a REALLY good reason. Other than I miss her and want to stay on the East Coast longer.

It's funny, a year ago I was leasing Yukon, an amazing 23 year old OTTB (who had been off the track for A LONG TIME of course.) Yukon is a school Master. He is very forgiving, but also loved to go fast. I loved that horse. I still love that horse. I would have bought that horse, but 1. I wasn't in the market for a horse, and 2. He as just a little older than I wanted for my first horse. I wanted (if I were in the market that is) a horse that I could ride for at least 5 years at least 4 days a week, if not daily. I couldn't be guaranteed that he would be able to do that.

Then, on July 6, 2008 I went the the Enumclaw Horse Auction. If you read this and know about the auction, you know how scary it is (for a horse.) I saw Denali, and there was just something about her that made it impossible for me to leave her. I don't know what it is, but the next think I knew I had grabbed my friends bidding number and won her. I explained to the hubby, that it was the same feeling that I got when I met him. I just knew that he was the one, and I just knew that she was the one for me.

Why I thought a 3 year old Appendix was a good idea, I dont' know. I thought I'd give her some more time to grow and then put her in training. Not so. I'm really glad that I have an OTTB, and not an Appendix. Everyone who meets Denali is so impressed with her personality, beauty, her smarts, and most importantly her heart, that I like telling them that she's from the track and indeed NOT CRAZY. I may call her crazy, but she's not "truly" crazy. She's a mare which sometimes I just think = crazy.

Alright, enough rambling.... I hope everyone has a happy 4th of July Weekend!! I also hope that none of your horses get too tramatized by the fireworks!! :)