Ebay Giving Works-SCR

I love horses (duh!) and I love helping horses in need. Being that I bought my first horse at an auction, and know how horrible a place it is, I never want a horse to have to go through there again (because it only goes from bad to worse if you're not bought.)

I can only rescue one, but I can try to help others. If you're a "fan" of Hercules the Horse on facebook (I made the page, probably the only thing 1,000's of people will ever follow) you can now donate directly to Second Chance Ranch the place that pulled him from the kill pen and gave him a new chance at life.

Second Chance Ranch is now signed up with Mission Fish, and that means that when you sell things on eBay, you can put down a percentage of the sale price to go directly to the rescue. The other great thing? The fee is waved. That means it doesn't cost you anything to donate. Clean out your tack lockers and give! If you have a rescue near you that you support instead, check to see if they are on the eBay Giving Works list of non-profits. It is easy (or so I was told) to fill out documentation.

*Disclaimer* I have nothing to do with Second Chance Ranch. I volunteer, that's it. I don't want any of my stupidity on here to ever be linked to the Ranch. Anyone who saves horses from slaughter gets a plus in my book :)

If you are a Fan of Herc, (and why wouldn't you be?) then check out the discussions. There is a brand new pair of shipping boots with 100% of the profits going to SCR.

I will write more ramblings later. :) Boy does my butt hurt today from riding yesterday! Lol, I forgot what it was like!

Click, Click, Click

I'm back, I'm alive, and I'm a little less bitchy (key word: little.)

I went into work to clean the fish tank out. I'm in charge or raising Salmon, and I'm pretty sure I should quit teaching and go into farming fish. According to the paperwork I got with the eggs, they should be hatching this week or next. They hatched January 11th and are about 2 inches long. Needless to say they put a lot of stress on the tank, but I don't want to release them yet. They are fun and I'm pretty proud that this is my first year in charge of the tank, and also the first year the eggs hatched.

Remind me to tell the story of my classroom when I taught middle school. Short synopsis: 2 guinea pigs turned into 13 VERY quickly.

Anyway, I was a nervous wreck all day. I don't know why. I've been like that all week. I left work an hour and a half early for my lesson. Yep. An hour and a half. I stopped and bought some coffee, decided to pay for the guy behind me, and ended up having a very nice chat with a very nice old man. He was counting out his change to buy a coffee, I couldn't help it. I'm a sucker for grandparents. He was going bird watching, and was pretty excited about it. I like doing nice things for people, random acts of kindness make me happy.

That still left me with an hour, but I left anyway. Turns out I'm glad I did. I thought I knew where the stable was. I even envisioned it in my head. Turns out I was totally off. Since my GPS was stolen I had to rely on the handy maps. I got to my lesson with 10 minutes to spare.

I really liked the arena, indoor with amazing footing. I rode a QH who was once National Champion for Halter. He was pretty, and he was safe. Just what I like. My instructor was really good. She said a lot of things that helped what I already know click. I signed up for three more lessons, but that's going to be it. I can't afford more than that. My husband already puts up with the horse. He's amazing and understanding, but not THAT understanding.

I have another lesson tomorrow with my trainer. We'll see how that goes. I called to ask how Denali was doing. She's back to her spring habits. Mud = mud puddles = fun. Denali loves puddles of water. She loves jumping in them, and she loves playing in them. It's fun to watch. Check out this video from last March.

Re-Introduction

Hi. Let me Re-introduce myself:

I have zero desire to WIN first place on my horse, I have all the desire in the world to put my horse FIRST.

I am confident that with the right rider, she could go far, but that rider is not me, and I don't want her going anywhere.

I do not own the world's most amazing horse (in my OPINION I do), nor will she go Grand Prix, but she is mine, and I wouldn't sell her for a million dollars.

I am a re-rider, this time dressage, 10-15 years ago, I did hunter/jumper at a barn that would probably be featured on the fuglyblog.

I am learning. I am learning about dressage, I am learning about riding, I am learning what it is like to take on an OTTB as your first horse, but you know what? No one can love her like I do.

This blog is about me learning, and in my learning sometimes I am wrong.

This blog is my opinion. Sometimes I'm spot on, and other times (see learning) I am wrong.

Giving me grief doesn't make it go away, BUT you can if you don't like it.

My rant for the morning. Thank you.

Adorable!

This video is adorable!

I am going tomorrow to a different barn with a different trainer. I need to get over my ridiculous fear of riding. I hoped up on my trainers horse tonight, and my heart was in my throat. I don't understand why. Yes, it's been since November since I rode, but I still have something I worry about and I can't put my finger on it. (Dying might be it)

I love my trainer, I love my horse, I love my barn. I just need a change of scenery. The trainer I'm going to is highly recommended by a woman I really respect. We'll see. Wish me luck!

Video

I found this video informative (edit: interesting). I was playing around on Youtube (I do have a life, I promise) looking at random horse videos and found this. SO. In case you didn't know, or you haven't seen this. Ta.Da!

I taught English for two years, I should stop and think before I just throw out adjectives.

I'm trying to remember....

What did I do with my free time before I had a horse?

Difference in Opinions

Here is how I THOUGHT our day would go:

I would go to the barn, get out the saddle, bridle, boots, side reins, etc. Spend some time loving on her (since I haven't been out since Sunday) then tack up and work on transitions on the lunge line.

Here's how Denali saw it:

My mom pulled in to the barn in her crappy old car. She doesn't even have the audacity to come say hi to me right away, she instead gets out my work stuff. She comes up, doesn't even let me nibble grass on the way back to the barn. This makes me mad. I then get my feet cleaned out. She puts on my stupid pink boots and leads me (she didn't like when I lead her) into the arena. She closes the gate, and I THOUGHT that I was free so I started to take off. I was STILL attached to my lead line, and started to buck in place. I got so scared that I started to buck in place. Mommy's friends came running because they thought I ate her. He he he....

Mom back in:

Denali defiantly started to buck in place. It was pretty funny, she has a bite mark behind her ear (not funny) and when she pulled back she got pressure there, and it obviously hurt. Poor thing. I made her walk with me to lock the other door (so she wouldn't open it again.) I can usually tell when she's full of beans, and I had no idea. She was so lazy walking in and getting groomed. As soon as that halter was loose she was off. She literally ran non-stop for 20 minutes. I got bored and started to take video. After about 10 minutes Ophie joined her for a romp in the dry arena.

I love that she's running around Ophie, and so excited to play with her. They're really cute together.




We joke that Ophie and Denali do synchronized galloping. They sometimes act like they have a whole act planned out in order to really show off for us.

I don't do anything to her to make her run like this! She does this all on her own. After the 20 minutes of NON STOP running. I took her to the cross ties, and she was dripping with sweat. As in a puddle on the ground. I decided to let her cool down a little bit before I tacked her up. I put her back in the arena while I ran to the restroom and well....



What I was thinking? I have no idea! Lol. She COVERED herself in dirt (this was side 2.) It was impossible to get it off, so I had to give her a bath. She wasn't too excited about that. It was raining outside, and she hates the noise of rain on the roof.

My smokin' hot horse :)

Ms. Denali and Ophie hanging out after running around like crazy.

When I named my blog, I wasn't expecting to show anyone it. I was making it for myself. I originally named it auctionappendix.blogspot.com, but I quickly learned that was a very dumb name. I then decided that wildponybeast would do! That's what Denali's "aunt" and Ophie's mom refers to her as (well, pony beast, I call her wild pony beast.) I think that's some good evidence as to why as stupid as it sounds, it is a really good name.


BTW, I saw that Dreamworks has a new movie coming out, "How to Train Your Dragon." I wonder if it will be helpful to me and working with Denali. :)