February Catch Up

"I am, master of my domain."

Alex and I have been playing a little catch-up these past few weeks.  First we missed time because my grandmother passed away and then I proceeded to get my yearly bout of the chest crud plague. I had been telling myself for two months, "I will not get sick...I will not get sick," but despite my best efforts the crud hit me.  As a result, I lost almost another week with Alex, which was unavoidable but irritating.  The chest crud still lingers, but I try to ignore/downplay it, so that the hubs doesn't try to keep me in the house and out of the barn :)

Over the last few weeks, Alex and I have gotten back in the swing, we've had some really great rides on the flat, played around over some small jumps and even gone adventuring out around the farm.  That's right, we're so brave that we have ventured out by ourselves!  I have been really happy with how he's handled the move and how we're coming out the winter.  If we can keep on this roll, I think we'll get some real miles schooling and showing this spring, summer and fall. 

Currently we're working extra hard to learn the half-pass at the trot.  As is typical, one side is better than the other.  Heading right, we're awesome... heading left... we are challenged.  Looks like we need to do more haunches in at the trot to the left... Alex will be thrilled.

In other exciting news, since we're learning so much fancy pants Dressage, I've decided it's time for Alex to have his own Dressage saddle.  This means I'm currently in the market, preferably, for a County Competitor 17.5 with a MW tree, 2010 or newer.  I would also be interested in a County Connection, same size and age.  There are two other County models, the Fusion and the Perfection, but I am not crazy about the exposed blocks on those saddles.  I have seen a few Fusions and Perfections that have custom covered blocks, but not many.  I would REALLY like to buy late model used if possible.

So if anyone sees anything that meets this criteria, I would be mucho appreciative if you'd let me know.  I am obsessively searching online, but I could always miss something :)

The Nearness of You

Last Sunday I lost my grandmother.  This Sunday the visitations and funeral are over and I am left slightly discombobulated.  Forgive me if this post is slightly discombobulated too.

My beautiful grandparents

Yep, that's me with the big mouth.

Me again...oh how she loved the grand babies.

Just a few years ago, still beautiful.

My mother's parents were really the only grandparents I ever knew.  My father's mother died before I was born and his father died when I was very little.  I spent a LOT of time with my mother's parents. For for the majority of my life my grandmother was the center of my grandparent universe.  

On February 7, 2016, just a few days short of the anniversary of my grandfather's death, my grandmother died. Never again would I wipe her lipstick from my cheek after a kiss, hear her scold me, tell me she loved me or ask me to move over where she could see me better.  I never thought the emptiness would come so quickly, but it has... the nearness I once felt is starting to fade.  All I have now are photos and memories... I have no more grandparents.

When people say "you're never prepared" for the loss of a loved one, whether the death is sudden or "expected," they are 100% correct.  Life will, most certainly, go back to normal and move on, but the world will be a little more empty.  I miss her already.

Settling In

Not too much to report from the land of Alex. We're still settling back into our previous home. This Saturday will be two weeks since the big move. Alex has been surprisingly very calm and collected during our rides, in what I consider to be quite a spooky indoor. He HAS thrown in a few little "Alex Moves" just to let me know he hasn't been a victim of an invasion of the body snatchers :) but nothing of any concern or near the shenanigans I was expecting. I have to say, I'm very impressed and encouraged.

Hoping to get out for a hack this weekend when it's 60 degrees hooray!

HI!

We've Come Full Circle

Last weekend has come and gone and we are moved to our new/old home.  Thanks to help from friends, the hubs and a cooperative pony everything went uber smoothly.  Alex seems to remember his previous home and has settled in nicely aided by a round of ulcer meds for his sensitive belly (like momma, like pony). We've had two nights of lunging and no stupidness! Hoping to sneak in a lunge and ride tomorrow before snowmagedon on Friday!  Let's hope that happy cooperative trend continues :)

Hi!

Treats?

Gimme gimme gimme treats or
I'll eat your phone!

Christmas Swag

Although I'm not really someone who loves the holidays, there are parts I do enjoy.  I always have fun putting up our Christmas tree and decorations, going to see the Nutcracker ballet and most importantly surprising people with great gifts.  I also love to be surprised by the gifts people get for me.  

This year I was somewhat shocked to learn that my Christmas present, from the hubs, had been purchased in October.  This was very intriguing, because generally hubs waits till pretty close to Christmas before purchasing my gift.  All kinds of possibilities ran through my head making it a long wait to Christmas day :)

The long awaited gift was the SOLOSHOT3 https://shop.soloshot.com/ which is basically a personal camera man. 

This makes it possible for me to video all my rides in high quality video without dragging someone to the farm with me.  This is an insanely cool gift... I can totally obsess about all the things... all the things I wish I could see while I'm trying to do/learn them!

Here is a video that another rider shot with the older model SOLOSHOT2.  It does not have the upgrades, bells and whistles that mine is supposed to have, but this will at least give you an idea how the system works.

The only drawback is that the SOLOSHOT3 isn't officially available till this spring, so I won't be able to shoot any cool videos for at least another couple months.  Rest assured that when it does arrive, I will be a video machine!

I have to say, the hubs sure knocked it out of the park with this gift!

  

Semi Wordless Wednesday

Alex loves his second career, but misses wintering in Florida as a racehorse. Poor guy, he could do without cold temps, but was a good boy tonight anyway!

Change in the New Year

Well here it is 2016... where has the time gone? In my case, time seems to have gotten away from me while I was busy, working and riding and just basically trying to get to my holiday vacation.  Now tomorrow morning I'm forced to go back to the grind... ugh.

I usually don't make any New Year's resolutions, but this year I decided to make at least one and that is to blog more / get back into blogging.  My goal is 1-2 posts per week, but I would love to exceed my expectations :)

Now for those changes I mentioned...Alex and I will be making a change of location in a few short weeks.  Unfortunately, the farm where Alex has resided since July of 2014 is being sold and that means that we'll be going back to our former barn.  Although I'm kind of bummed and a little stressed out about the impending move, I'm glad we're going to familiar surroundings.  Hopefully the move will be complete before the winter gets ugly.

Happy Belated New Year Everyone!