Change - It's a Good Thing - New Blog Address

For the longest time I've been utterly frustrated with Blogger.  I have issues uploading photo's, attaching video's etc - it's been so frustrating that I stopped posting.

I miss writing though, I miss the chronological order of training posts, and a place to store training video's etc.  So I decided to move to WordPress.  

I've tried adding the code to have my blogger address simply re-direct to my Wordpress URL but that was a frustrating failure too - Blogger's fault as their underlying HTML/XML is not standard.

For WordPress blog I had to buy a domain name.  So thought, what better time to put the cart before horse and come up with farm name, for my future farm.  My logic is that the Wordpress blog will simply transition into my future farm's website - no more expense, no multiple sites to maintain and update etc.

So if everyone that currently follows me would please add the following URL to your "Blogs I Follow" list I would be greatly appreciative.

www.firstsightdrafts.com

It's fairly basic layout at the moment a it's still in it's infancy but all my previous posts and comments are there.

Sometime today I will post on how I picked that as my farm name. It has major sentimental meaning to my husband and I.

Thanks Everyone!!!

Round Pen Clinic (including injury) -- Lots of Pictures!!

I signed Jim and I up for a clinic called "Round Penning It's Not Just For Running" and it was last weekend.   We were to take both mares - Jim to handle Rosie and myself Bonnie.

Looking forward to a day together with our horses we packed a cooler and it was a beautiful 60 degree day in southern Ohio in January.

Since Jim would be handling Rosie both on the ground and riding, I wanted to be sure that Rosie's brain was in the game so I hopped up on her bareback.  Well -- I attempted to that is.   When I pushed up off the tall jump block my left knee made an audible pop, and felt the crunch grind along with the worst pain ever.  Had to have Jim lift me off her.   I was bound a determined to not let this ruin our day so I hobbled into the tack room, grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and one of my standing wraps.  I "cowgirl up'd" you could say wrapped my knee, loaded both mares into the trailer and headed out.

Waiting patiently

***note*** the horses are sweaty, especially Bonnie.  It was nearly 65 degrees that day in January.  They are in full winter coats and everyone was sweating just standing around.  The most any horse did that day in the form of "work"was trot four circles around the round pen.

Thankfully Logan, my youngest son,  came with us and the clinician was very gracious and allowed him to take my slot with Bonnie.  I spoke to the clinician explaining Bonnie is EXTREMELY sensitive  and Logan is very green with only a handful of rides in the past few years and has never ever done any ground work.   To say I was nervous on how the little spitfire mare would be for Logan is an understatement.

Clinic was about moving your horse around and getting to want to be with you "Join Up".

Helping Logan with the stages of "Point, Lift, Swing"  

Sneaking up

Whatcha Do'n Boy?

Hmm -- you look kinda interesting!

"Joined Up" 

Jim's turn!

Get Move'n!

"You're not paying attention to me!" sneak attack!

"Oh Hi!"

"Joined Up" 

 And the riding - it was about balance and transitions.  With and without reins.

.. and Jim riding Rosie for the first time well over a year

My injury - torn lateral meniscus - pre-surgical MRI is this coming week.   I'm hoping surgery is scheduled asap as I have a goal to be riding by mid March for the Ride The Park event at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Long Over Due -- Pictures Included!!

Ok Ok - I've been a bad blogger lately.  It's really not my fault though.  Blogger hasn't been playing nice and it's been rather frustrating to say the least.

Up until this past Saturday the mares and I have been pretty busy. Lots of new things going on.

"S" asked if she could use Rosie in a couple of riding lessons with Jen Truett, who is a well known bio-mechanics instructor using the Mary Wanless "Ride With Your Mind" theories.  Of course I agreed!   I've also been fortunate enough that I've been able to go with S and Rosie to watch the lessons. S also given me one lesson on Rosie fixing my seat, legs, etc to be more mechanically correct.

"S" and Rosie

One of the things that really needed to be addressed with Rosie is forward movement.  So with S's assistance I've *mostly* gotten over my brain and am demanding if the answer to the ask isn't immediate and with purpose. We want her leaping *UP* through the transition and maintain the *UP* down through the transitions.  The result is me getting left behind (good thing - I'll catch up quickly as my muscles develop)

Rosie is again teaching folks the joy of riding a draft - first my youngest son rode her bareback with halter and clip on reins last Saturday.  He had a blast with her - not too keen on trotting as she has a lot of bounce.

 

.. And Jim is riding again.

Lastly... I signed a contract and sent off the deposit for a breeding in April 2013 to

Sugarbush Harley's Classic O 

He and Rosie are so closely matched in conformation, and they fix each others faults that in the worst case I have a nice foal, in the best case I have a phenomenal foal.

photo credit for Sugarbush Harley's Classic O to Wolfstar Studio.