Thursday, September 8, 2011

Anniversary Give Away!

Three years ago today I brought Junior home. I was so doubtful that making this "thing" I had wanted my entire life into a reality was a smart decision.  I worried about finances. I worried about illness and injury and I was terrified I didn't know enough to become a horse owner.  Something bad was sure to happen at any moment.  That's why I became the Overanxious Horse Owner.

The first few weeks were hell.  I never wrote it in the blog or even said it to anyone, but I thought I had made a terrible mistake. I had wanted a calm, broke, horse.  I brought home the opposite.  He was pushy in the stall, had horrible ground manners, and he was hot and too forward under saddle.  He paid no attention to me.  He barely ever looked at me.  We had no connection. I was heartbroken.

But I trudged on and focussed on the good moments because I am just not a quitter.  I didn't want to give up.  Over time we got his mental state cleaned up through increased turnout and decreased grain and things started looking up.  I started thinking about showing and setting some goals for us.

Junior gets a pedicure on our Anniversary.
Now it's three years later and we've come an awful long way. I learned to be the kind of leader he respects and obeys, and he learned the boundaries of human-pony interaction.... well, mostly.  I once thought of sending him back, and now I cannot fathom the idea. Monet even thinks he's my equine soul mate.   Even though he's an accident-prone houdini who knows exactly how to push each and every one of my buttons, giggling all the while, he belongs with me.

Have you seen Tangled?  I swear they used Junebug as research for Maximus. People tell me they love watching us interact because he's so funny.  I've even had someone say "He actually looks like he's laughing sometimes!"  And I am SURE he is because he's way too smart and way too silly.  BTW, I picked up the handle "Sillypony" over 10 years ago when I started needing an internet handle.  I had no idea that one day I would OWN the Silly Pony and that I would turn out to be the Serious Girl.  He drives me nuts, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

New Wenglish Showmanship Halter
New Did you know that the traditional 3-Year wedding anniversary gift is LEATHER!?!?!  Yes, I KNOW we're not married - eeew.  But I like traditional things so I looked it up out of curiosity and couldn't help but use it as an excuse to get us a new leather halter and lead we can use in Hunter Showmanship.  We've been using a bridle up until now because that's "correct" but more and more open shows are allowing the halter and since he works SOOO much better in a halter we're jumping on that wagon!

I chose a Billy Royal set from Schneiders.  I like my western show halter of theirs so I thought I'd try this.  I didn't want to spend a ton and I like this color.  It's a little more workman-like than the fancy stitched/padded ones, but I like it.  The cheek piece could be an inch longer, so I need to check Schneider's new sizes to see if another size would fit better.  The lead is beautifully weighted for the proper coil while showing.





AND...

 in honor of our three years together, I'm giving away a box of our Favorite Things.  Don't get TOO excited, I'm not Oprah; I have a budget.  And yes, these are NEW items, not my old used stuff.  :)

The Box Contains:
  • Vetrolin Shine: so your pony can have a tail as lovely as Junior's and all your friends can say how soft your pony is.
  • Velcro Spur Straps: so you can have quick in-n-out access to your spurs without buckles.  Easy to use, easy to maintain.  ** If the winner is a non-English-Spur-wearer, I can trade this out for: Rubber Spur Tiedowns: The best thing for keeping your spurs from become anklets, especially if you swap your boots around.  Keeps them right in place without having to crank the spur straps down!**  Or if you don't wear spurs, I'd be happy to keep them and use them for you. ;)
  • Bick 4: Because once you go Bick you never go back.  
  • A Diary of the Overanxious Horse Owner Bumper Sticker & Magnet!  So you can boast your allegiance to the world! (or just hang your grocery list on your fridge)
How to win?  
  1. Become one of us!!!  You must be a public follower of the blog, so join up if you aren't already one of us. 
  2. Leave a comment about your FAVORITE post/story/thing about reading this blog AND which of the giveaway items you are most excited about!  
  3. On September 18th Junebug will randomly select a Reader who will be notified via a blog post on that day.  
  4. The lucky lucky winner will then email a mailing address to me and your prize will come to you!  So easy!

So think of your FAVORITE reason to read this blog, greedily plan how you will use your plunder, and comment away!  Good Luck!!!!

14 comments:

  1. Aww congrats on your three year! That is awesome! Milo and I hit four years this last june - Im totally on apge with you on how far we have come, like night and day!

    Well, Im already a follower, so step one is done. ;)

    My favorite post?? Hmm, probably the one where you toured the barn for us, cause I love video. :) Hmm, but I also liked the video where Junior snuck out of the arena. I guess I love the posts showing the goofy character of Junior, cause it reminds me of Milo. :) PLus I love the videos and pictures of course. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Milo! Don't forget to include which of the Giveaway products you are most excited about! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congratulations and well wishes for many more amazing years together!

    Follower - check.

    My favorite stories to read include your training success stories, from lessons to show-days. I love reading about how far you've come and what works and doesn't work with Junior. There are so many tips within those posts many of them apply me and my horse. Thank you for them!

    What I'm most looking forward to in the prize would be the Bick - so right, once Bick never back. Amazing product.

    Love the showmanship halter! Congrats again!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sillypony,
    Congratulations on three years with your wonderful horse, Junior. He seems like a great horse, and you are a dedicated owner (and a good writer). I just came over to your blog from Horsecentric, and enjoy your blog, and wanted to enter your great contest. I've made you a follower on my blog (A Thousand Pounds of Fragile Horse) and really enjoyed reading your blog about making your own bit warmer. How ingenous to do that! I, too, use a bit warmer (the kind that uses hand warmer packets) but it is impressive that you made your own!
    Like you, I got my first horse three years ago after riding school horses for years, and like you, I was so worried at first. My horse and I have come a long way, and he is the light of my life. So for all these reasons, I really enjoy your blog, even though I am new here. So I hope to win your contest!!
    The item I like the most in your winning basket is the Vetrolin. It is a great product and does a great job! I don't know what the Bick is so am curious about that.
    Lastly, Junior is a beautiful horse and I hope you and he have many more wonderful years together.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congrads on the 3 year anniversary, my mare and I have a lovely date with our one year on the 10th, so I understand the feeling:)

    Already a follower, so check...

    My favorite posts were when you designed your tack box (I will admit I was jealous)...and I love your barn tour video:)

    LOVE Vetrolin Shine!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Congratulations on 3 years! I'm so glad you didn't end up getting rid of Junebug. He's such a sweet boy and you make such a great team. :)

    I love your blog because I feel we have a lot in common (both have Paint horses, both show, and both have horses who constantly give us grief) and I love reading about all your adventures. I most enjoy the show posts, though, because of the showmanship videos. I love the new halter, by the way!

    Lilly said she's most excited about the Vetrolin and least excited about the spur straps... I'm most excited about the Vetrolin too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yay for 3 years!! That's WAY better then a wedding anniversary to a guy (eewww!).

    Honestly, I LOVE reading your early posts, when you were truly "Overanxious". I'm 9 months into my first horse ownership and it's nice to know that there's the potential for the same happiness and success at our own 3 year anniversary. You're certainly a whole lot less anxious! You give us hope!!

    Hmmm...item we're most excited about? The spur straps! 'Cause we don't wear them, so I'll get to demand pictures of YOU wearing them on my behalf!!! : )

    What of the box

    ReplyDelete
  8. Congrats on 3 years!! This post gives me hope that I will connect with the new mare I bought this summer and we will both make some progress...

    I think my favourite posts are show reports - I have always wanted to show, so I live vicariously through others. :-)

    The giveaway I'm excited about is the vetrolin shine!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Happy anniversary to you and Junior!

    I have to say the building of your tack box and going to shows are my favorites posts. I like that you ride both Western and English.

    The product I'm most excited about? Rubber spur strap thingys. My spurs constantly bounce around.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations on 3 years! It must feel great!
    I don't think I can narrow my favorite post down to one. I love how you are not afraid of posting all the silly things junior does. And I absolutely love how honest you are with your feelings.
    I have really enjoyed living vicariously through your blog all the conundrums type faced. Such as your search for a saddle and bridle, and show clothes, and of course your hunt to stay warm.
    I do have to say that I have purchased the plans for a couple of the tack boxes that you showed. I have had one built, I love it. It was wonderful finding it in your site.
    I want to say I appreciate all the things you've made and shown us how to make. The bit warmer was great.
    Please keep up the great work.
    If I were to win I'd be interested in the shine and english velcro spur straps. I keep meaning to get some to try.
    Congratulations again on your "leather" anniversary! LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yah! Happy 3 Years! Gosh these are amazing animals, aren't they?!

    I was similar to you...."oh.my.goodness. I just bought a 4-year-old and I'm not sure what to do next." Thankfully he as a good head... ha ha!

    Anyhow my favorite posts on your blog are anything about feeding/horse nutrition. I make Excel spreadsheets too! I even color code mine. Ridiculous! Anyhow, I love to hear what you're doing with J's feed.

    I am most excited about the Vetrolin Shine. Grayson's winter coat is charcoal/steel gray and when you shine him up, the white hairs in his coat look like slivers of silver. It's awesome! ha ha! I mean you can never have too many shine products. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I just stumbled in...love the blog!

    ReplyDelete