Pony Post and Gratuitous Cuteness

I keep feeling like I need to post, but there isn't much to write about.

I decided to spend a full TWO MONTHS "home" in Minnesota and Wisconsin this year because let's face it, there's nothing else to do in the summer but ride and well, that's just not the same without my Bug.  So I said to hell with it and got a plant-sitter and headed west.  After two months of living out of a suitcase and three laundry baskets, and sleeping on 7 different beds, it was conceivable that I could be ready to go home.

The break was glorious though I did NOTHING horsey at all.  Lots of eating, tubing down the creek, boating/fishing on the river, campfires, fireworks, family, and friends.  Battery fully recharged and ready for another school year.

Upon my return I resumed riding my Lillypony, who is even more adorable when she's not all covered in sasquatch fur.

She is currently for sale as she doesn't seem to love life as a lesson pony and has taken to dragging the kids around.  Not maliciously, just that pony-mare "Yeah, no, we're going over HERE" type of thing.  She'll be happier as a one-kid pony. So I'm enjoying her while I can and trying to convince her to canter WHEN I ask for it and pretty please on the correct lead.  She's very picky about how she's asked for things, and I am just not asking for things the right way.  It's not her, it's me.  Thankfully I start my lessons back up after next week so I can re-learn how to ride.

I've also gone up to B's new farm and ridden Zip, who tolerates me about as well as Lilly.  Sigh.  Oh how I miss my big roany pony and how well we knew one another.  Zip's a reining horse and is pretty fun. I finally (4th time I've ridden him) asked for a spin correctly enough that he spun quick enough to make me dizzy.  :)  WIN.

I don't think I ever mentioned that the rabbit was re-homed back in November.  She was cute but she hated me and ate all my furniture so when Junior had his surgery she went back to the humane society from which she originally came, along with a pile of supplies and a donation check.  I got her off of craigslist, and found out later she had come from the humane society, which forbids their adopters from rehoming their adopted animals.... Ooopsies. They require the animal to be brought back to the shelter for rehoming. So after some conversations with the incredibly helpful and understanding volunteers/staff, I returned her to them.  Shortly thereafter, she was found to have breast cancer (apparently a common ailment in rabbits), had a mass removed and was rehomed to a family that loves her and can't imagine why anyone would give her up.  So that ended better than I could have imagined which lessened my guilt somewhat.  I would have never found the mass because she didn't let me touch her.  Everything happens for a reason.

I began volunteering at said humane society, too and currently am working with the cats.  I had an urge to do SOMETHING back in January when I was feeling very lost but I wasn't able to start the volunteer training until right before I left for vacation so I didn't start the actual volunteering until this month.

Somewhere in the past few months, I decided I should get a cat.

So a new furbaby has been introduced into my life.  He's been given the name Sir Helo Von Earsby and I'll call him Helo. It's pronounced Hee-low for all of you cool kids who didn't watch Battlestar Galactica.  He has been tremendously fun. I admit it's a transition again, to having a baby in the house. So far the cheap ikea sheer curtain is the only casualty, and oddly enough, I have two more brand new panels in the closet for when he's old enough to stop doing that.  See, sometimes hoarding pays off!

Yeah, I know.  Ears. Crossed paws. Perfection.

By the way, it's really hard to get any work done when he's either trying to sleep on me or trying to play with whatever I'm doing.  I lost count of the number of times I had to remove him from the keyboard while typing this post.

Until the next time I do something interesting...

Memorial Day

How horses help soldiers...


Throughout human history and even as recently as World War II, horses were used extensively in battle.  World War I saw an incredible amount of horses. Great Britain lost over 484,000 horses and an estimated 6 million horses were used on all sides in the war.  The horses were used as Cavalry mounts, pulling supply wagons, and heavy artillery. Horses of all sizes and lineage were used, but there was a royal decree in WWI that height of 15hh was ideal for mounts.

Soldier and horse in gas masks.

The "Military Seat" is actually the style of riding I was first taught, being the foundation of the New Canaan Mounted Troop and the Silvermine School of Horsemanship where my first instructor was trained.

You may have read Michael Morpurgo's novel "War Horse", or have seen the stage play or feature film of the same name.  The story covers the life of Joey, a thoroughbred horse raised by a young boy, then sold to the war effort.  The boy enlists in the army in an effort to find his horse.  Historical fiction, of course, but still an intriguing look at the life of horses in the war.... and Benedict Cumberbatch is in the film.... riding... so... you know... there's that.

 I was fortunate to be able to see the play with my mom in NYC.  The horses in the play are puppets created by the Handspring Puppet Company and are incredible in their ability to express realistic horse body language.  It was easy to ignore the fact that they were puppets, and sometimes even the horses were confused....

Me, before seeing the play at the Lincoln Center in October, 2012.
Yes, I was annoyed by the nylon halter in the poster. Pretty sure it was all leather in WWI.

But let's be serious for a moment.

Did you know that today, horses are still helping our soldiers, but in a different way. Many veterans enjoy the benefits of Equine Assisted Therapy.  Equines provide soldiers with both physical therapy and psychotherapy through a variety of non-profit organizations including PATH, Horses4Heroes, and Saddles For Soldiers and many more national and local organizations.  Some centers simply offer time with the horses, others follow researched-based curriculum that targets PTSD, reintegration challenges, and physical therapy for limb loss, traumatic brain injury, and other emotional and physical challenges.

Equine assisted therapy is fast becoming a proven and well-researched field. Researchers are finding again and again that time with horses can help people of all ages and backgrounds progress through physical and emotional difficulties.

One such program is actually offered by the same horses that carry fallen soldiers to their final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery.

PATH International Photo

Other organizations throughout the country help soldiers and their families cope with the physical and emotional challenges.

On my list of things to do if somebody ever hands me 100 acres and a few million dollars, is to set up a ranch style resort for veterans and their families to reconnect and strengthen their relationships following their service.  I envision guided trail rides and camping where the family gets to accomplish tasks together such as camp set-up, campfire building/cooking, scavenger hunts, moving cattle, etc.

Until that day comes, thankfully, there are hundreds of volunteers and generous donors working to provide Equine Assisted Therapy to our veterans.  Thank a Veteran today and do whatever you can to ensure our fallen are remembered and our living heroes are supported.

Sparkly Pretty Things

As Laura and I mentioned, we've been scheming on a project together.  I didn't expect my trip to Texas would result in homework, but I'm glad it did!

Here's a sneaky peek at the Showmanship jacket we're working on.  Those of you who follow Buckstitch Becky's on facebook have already seen it, so sorry for the old news. I promise more in the next few weeks.  I'm still working on the 30 appliques and haven't even started applying (photo is just a sample) the crystals yet: HUNDREDS of genuine Swarovski crystals in 5 colors (Blue Zircon, Aquamarine, Black Diamond, Silver Shade, and Crystal) plus Dark Grey "pearls" in two sizes. Oh, and the apps have some hand painting.  

These projects are time consuming and all that detail work makes my head spin.  But it's going to be SO AWESOME when it's done!!!  Since we're using one of Hobby Horse's Justine Tunics I will likely enter it into next year's Designer Contest and maybe I'll keep going UP in placings.  Ha!

2013 Contest Post Link - 2nd Place
2012 Contest Post Link - This is the one I made for R Lil Bit of Cash, 3rd Place

When Bloggers Collide!

I recently needed to go to Texas for a work conference.  About a year ago, upon learning I'd be going there this March, I casually emailed a stranger-blogger who I knew lived where I was going and mentioned I'd like to meet her.

Kinda expected to be told to please stop stalking her,  but instead she said "absolutely!!!"  I assumed we'd meet up for coffee or something, but after I lost Junior I needed to focus on something in the future so Laura of The Roany Pony fame, invited me to stay with her for a few days.  She even offered to let me ride Spencer Spectacular.  (Insert squealing fangirl moment!)

So as soon as the conference was over, (and I took a power nap in the hotel lobby) I was picked up on a street corner by a stranger and driven away to an unknown fate...

And it. Was. Awesome!

Even more awesome than I could have imagined.  I'm incredibly sad we don't live closer to one another because we would HAVE to be best horse show friends.

Laura really did let me ride Spenny and I gotta tell ya, that boy floats. FLOATS.  I admit terror at his gi-friggin-normous 17hh size, especially after only riding a 13.2 pony for the past few months.  Spenny, however gave me no reason to worry.  He did everything I asked and moved off the slightest pressure.  We didn't try anything hard, just trotted around and even did a few laps at the canter.  FLOATS.

I also got to spin him around at Showmanship which was super fun.

And he's also seriously adorable.  He seems to love to have his photo taken.

Showmanship Fun!

Taking a photo of Laura while she gets ready to take a photo of me on Spenny.

I even made a new kitty-friend.

On Saturday we drove up to Pilot Point and took a driving tour of all the fancy-schmancy ranches and training barns.  It was fun to see the signs of so many of the trainers who advertise in the magazines.  We also made a trip to the Smith Brother's store.

The last day before Laura drove me to the airport, I selfishly introduced her to the sport of Geocaching. I'm not an avid cacher, but I thought I'd check and see if there were any nearby and there happened to be one in the park right by her house!  So we took her adorable 5 month old basset hound and went hunting.  Thankfully we found the cache (eventually) and I was able to get my Texas badge.... I think Laura might have caught the 'Caching bug, too!

Laura even gave me some homework, so I'm busy working on that post-worthy little item.  One word: SPARKLY.

A huge THANK YOU to Laura and Spenny for a really wonderful (and much needed) Texas Horsey Adventure!!!!!

And for the record, she promised to come up for Congress in the very near future, so we'll have an Ohio Horsey Adventure to post about some day.