TODAY...was NOT... a good day.
Okay, so being the positive person I am, I can see many good things about today....but right now, I just want to be grumpy....SO... be prepared to be grumpy with me and join in, in my little pity party...All are invited :/
I had my first lesson today at my new barn....and it didn't go well. Oh, Roberta is a great lady, and a great instructor....but apparently I am not a good student (today anyways) She didn't say that, I just feel that way.
I have a lot of work to do...working on my seat, and my center of balance, using my back and my knees to control the horse...things that I learned when I was 8,...but I am getting sloppy...and a little lazy (Okay A LOT lazy) . I am using my reigns too much, pulling on the bit, and Kissie is reacting to that.
Funny how you can get out of practice....I have been riding all summer focusing so much on endurance, and control, I forgot the basics....like trying to build a house on sinking sand (for all of you sunday school teachers out there) But I am just a little frustrated to have so many builders on site trying to build the same house using different blueprints.
Roberta is my 9th instructor...yeah 9..I have been ridin since I was 7 and I am almost 14. (you do the math because I hate math more than this day) For the most part, they all have different ideas on the correct ways to ride, saddle, groom, everything....its insane and VERY frustrating.
Okay....enough whining...I had a bad day, I am feeling a little defeated but I am glad to have Kissie, glad to have Roberta, and Grandparents who are able to give me this time with them both....and I am even glad for those 9 instructors. I learned something from each of them, and I am thankful. Time to put on my muckboots and start working....I am not going to let one bad day get me down.
Okay, party is over.....Time to let things go and move on....thanks for coming...really...A pity party isn't very much fun when you are all by yourself. :)
Katie and Kissie
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Almighty...
Sometimes we forget.....
Forget how blessed we are,
How quickly life can change,
That God is in control,
How much people really love us....
Then....GOD reminds us....
Sometimes He does it softly, and quietly...
Maybe we feel a soft breeze on our face...and remember who made us...
Or watch a report on the news about a far away country...and remember how blessed we are..
But sometimes....in a split second of time,your world is forever changed in a tragedy....and you remember that GOD is still on HIS throne....Still in control...
Its easy to forget that...we always want to explain things away, or make sense out of every thing that comes our way...but we cannot possibly understand it all, possibly see the entire picture like God does.
Then we are reminded....that People love us...and no matter what, God does too.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Yesterday I went to see my Best Bud, Kissie, with one of my Best Friends (another horse lover like I am).
When we got there, she was excited to see me, but also very curious to see a visitor with me.
Kissie can be skittish around new people. People haven't always treated her nicely, so sometimes she can be cranky or nervous around them.
However, my friend is a horse person. She has this sweet gentle nature with horses. She looks into their eyes and talks soflty, and I know that they really hear her. Kissie loved her. She immediately recognized a horse person and began to frisk her for treats. I know, SHOCKING!
After giving her treats, and kissie practically wrestling us for more, we learned a new trick...
Well...I learned this with my instructor last summer, it's Parelli style, which I love, but haven't practiced in awhile. (that's another story) I didn't tell Roberts this, I could use the refresher, and I think you can always learn something new and not feel like you know it all....trust me I do not know it all.....
Roberta taught me how to use voice commands and hand signals to tell your horse to back up or walk forward....
Teaching your horse to back in ground work...
I had fun with kissie, I can't wait to work Parelli with her again. It's going to be so much fun!
Katie
When we got there, she was excited to see me, but also very curious to see a visitor with me.
Kissie can be skittish around new people. People haven't always treated her nicely, so sometimes she can be cranky or nervous around them.
However, my friend is a horse person. She has this sweet gentle nature with horses. She looks into their eyes and talks soflty, and I know that they really hear her. Kissie loved her. She immediately recognized a horse person and began to frisk her for treats. I know, SHOCKING!
After giving her treats, and kissie practically wrestling us for more, we learned a new trick...
Well...I learned this with my instructor last summer, it's Parelli style, which I love, but haven't practiced in awhile. (that's another story) I didn't tell Roberts this, I could use the refresher, and I think you can always learn something new and not feel like you know it all....trust me I do not know it all.....
Roberta taught me how to use voice commands and hand signals to tell your horse to back up or walk forward....
Teaching your horse to back in ground work...
- First you take a crop in one hand and the lead line in the other.
- Then you take the crop and tap gently on the horses chest, and use the word back.
- Back her up a couple steps, then make her stand still for as long as you want her to, by using the word stand.
- If you do this process everyday, your horse will eventually listen when you ask her to back.
- First you take your lead line and pull the end behind you so it's close to the horses butt
- Then you take the end and shake it toward her butt and say walk.
- Repeat this process until she learns to walk when you say walk.
I had fun with kissie, I can't wait to work Parelli with her again. It's going to be so much fun!
Katie
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Warning...
Beep.....Beep.....Beeeppp.....
The following has been provided to you as a paid public service announcement....
Treats should not be placed in the same pocket everytime...horses (especially the smart ones) will search and search until they find it. Ever been frisked by a 1,000 pound animal? Yeah, it isn't pretty...:)
That is all.....
****No horse owners were harmed in the making of this public service announcement.....however, some were severly slobbered on.
Katie
The following has been provided to you as a paid public service announcement....
Treats should not be placed in the same pocket everytime...horses (especially the smart ones) will search and search until they find it. Ever been frisked by a 1,000 pound animal? Yeah, it isn't pretty...:)
That is all.....
****No horse owners were harmed in the making of this public service announcement.....however, some were severly slobbered on.
Katie
Friday, August 12, 2011
A Horse and Her girl..
SO, you want to know the latest......
Kissie and I have spent a lot of time together this week. I really haven't ridden her a lot this week, mainly because of construction, and the weather. But we did....
I remember when I used to ride at another farm and they would have a whole barn full of schoolies. Schoolies are horses that are provided to other students of all ages to learn on. Imagine this, lesson, after lesson, of the same things....day in and day out....like doing the math problem 4x4 one hundred times...eventually you give the answer before the question is asked. One time I barely held the reigns and the horse did everything for me. She jumped, cantered, walked..everything...like she was a robot. That wasn't always the way it was, but usually. I know it was good for me...I learned a lot with those patient, well trained horses. I loved my instructor, she taught me so much. But sometimes when I would look at them, they would seem old,. tired, dreaming of a week like I had with Kissie...wind in her mane, cantering across the field with no one on her back.....Free...I bet they sometimes dream of that. I promise to never forget to let Kissie have lots of times like that...just to be herself, like she lets me.
Remember to stop and take the time to appreciate the things around you and who you are with. :)
Katie
Kissie and I have spent a lot of time together this week. I really haven't ridden her a lot this week, mainly because of construction, and the weather. But we did....
- Go on some lazy, carefree walks.
- Let the wind blow through our hair (manes).
- Smell the changes in the air.
- Graze on some nice, sweet grass...Well Kissie Grazed, I watched :)
- Had some interesting talks about the annoying things of this world. Kissie, of course, agrees with me on everything.
I remember when I used to ride at another farm and they would have a whole barn full of schoolies. Schoolies are horses that are provided to other students of all ages to learn on. Imagine this, lesson, after lesson, of the same things....day in and day out....like doing the math problem 4x4 one hundred times...eventually you give the answer before the question is asked. One time I barely held the reigns and the horse did everything for me. She jumped, cantered, walked..everything...like she was a robot. That wasn't always the way it was, but usually. I know it was good for me...I learned a lot with those patient, well trained horses. I loved my instructor, she taught me so much. But sometimes when I would look at them, they would seem old,. tired, dreaming of a week like I had with Kissie...wind in her mane, cantering across the field with no one on her back.....Free...I bet they sometimes dream of that. I promise to never forget to let Kissie have lots of times like that...just to be herself, like she lets me.
Remember to stop and take the time to appreciate the things around you and who you are with. :)
Katie
Monday, August 1, 2011
The Daring Young Girl on the Flying Trapeeze
Okay, faithful readers, here is the story of my amazing acrobatic feat on the back of my horse.
It was a cold and rainy night....wait, that's the wrong story.....It was a sunny, beautiful morning. My mom and I went to see Kissy to have a ride, and work on endurance. When we got there I knew right away it was going to be interesting. The farm was having some construction done, and Kissie is not a fan of construction. Roberta had the big, open pasture open for me to train in. I was aware of the construction, so I decided to just keep it to simple endurance work...walk trot.
The first two laps were uneventful, Kissie was high spirited, but nothing out of control. On the second loop, just as we reached the far side, a lot of things happened at once. A man was digging near the fence, there was a loud noise from the construction, one of kissie's friends gave loud whinny from the barn, and I was in mid post. SO it was on that turn that she decided to bolt.
She bolted across the field, made a quick stop at the "boy's" barn (we need to have a talk) then ran straight back to the far side where the barn is. My mom caught her there, but Kissie was very pleased with herself. After convincing my mom I was okay, I got back on her. Why, you ask. Well because if I stayed off she would think it was okay to do that everytime. So I rode her a few more laps, slowly, and we talked. I made tight circles with her whenever I felt like she was becoming antsy. By the second time around she was calmer and we came to an understanding.
Kissie is a great horse....I went to see her again yesterday, and it was uneventful. My Grandpa came to watch, which was pretty awesome. Nanna sent me 2 new saddles...a treeless saddle, and Western saddle. Also some new reigns, which are my favorite. Thank-you Nanna, and Grandpa :) I tried the treeless saddle yesterday, it was so light, and I really like the way that Kissie responded to it. I am excited to try the Western...the more that Kissie and I learn the better.
Till next time....Happy Trails...:)
Katie
It was a cold and rainy night....wait, that's the wrong story.....It was a sunny, beautiful morning. My mom and I went to see Kissy to have a ride, and work on endurance. When we got there I knew right away it was going to be interesting. The farm was having some construction done, and Kissie is not a fan of construction. Roberta had the big, open pasture open for me to train in. I was aware of the construction, so I decided to just keep it to simple endurance work...walk trot.
The first two laps were uneventful, Kissie was high spirited, but nothing out of control. On the second loop, just as we reached the far side, a lot of things happened at once. A man was digging near the fence, there was a loud noise from the construction, one of kissie's friends gave loud whinny from the barn, and I was in mid post. SO it was on that turn that she decided to bolt.
"I fell mid air, and landed on my hands....okay, I landed in manure....a big steamy pile of manure."While it was pretty gross, it was also pretty soft. :)
She bolted across the field, made a quick stop at the "boy's" barn (we need to have a talk) then ran straight back to the far side where the barn is. My mom caught her there, but Kissie was very pleased with herself. After convincing my mom I was okay, I got back on her. Why, you ask. Well because if I stayed off she would think it was okay to do that everytime. So I rode her a few more laps, slowly, and we talked. I made tight circles with her whenever I felt like she was becoming antsy. By the second time around she was calmer and we came to an understanding.
Kissie is a great horse....I went to see her again yesterday, and it was uneventful. My Grandpa came to watch, which was pretty awesome. Nanna sent me 2 new saddles...a treeless saddle, and Western saddle. Also some new reigns, which are my favorite. Thank-you Nanna, and Grandpa :) I tried the treeless saddle yesterday, it was so light, and I really like the way that Kissie responded to it. I am excited to try the Western...the more that Kissie and I learn the better.
Till next time....Happy Trails...:)
Katie
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