Pony Club and the H&D ODE!

Well Guys, i have great news !
Let me first start by saying that no, Georgie isn't better but i have booked the chiropractor for her for next Monday! So hopefully he'll be able to fix her, and that this next week off will let her rest and help her muscles relax again.
However, the amazing lady that owns Slate said that i could take him to Pony Club, and ride him in the ODE. I am so so so so excited for this Sunday, i can't wait. It will be like my old 12 year old self. Of course a few things have changed, we've both got older, wiser (Slate has atleast..) and we've both been through a lot, so it will be interesting to see if we are both still as connected as we once were.

If your new to this blog, let me just say that Slate is a legend of a horse. He is simply amazing and one of a kind, and i am so lucky to have this opportunity to ride him again.

I will of course keep you all updated, but i am only 5 weeks away from grade 10 exams so if i'm a bit late on the blog posts, i'm sorry! The only reason i'm writing in the middle of the day today is because i'm at home sick. :(

Anyways, please wish me luck! I know you all will. :P

'Horses, who'd have them?'

So the name of todays blog post has everything to do with this next paragraph. I don't even know what to write really. This weekend was terrible, 3 out of 4 horses injured in two days! Including Georgie! The muscles in her hindquaters and back legs have seized up and she's quite tight, probably from either slipping over or having a fight with one of the others. This means no riding and she needs a chircopracter. I'm really a lot upset, we were going to PC for the first time in months next weekend because my shoulder has finally come right, but now we just have to see how she goes during the week and on saturday. Fingers crossed for us please!

We had Georgie's first gymkhana last weekend, was such a fun relaxed day! We both had the best time and she was so well behaved! The judge in our ridden classes loved her, said 'she's a really lovely TB mare and i'd have no problems showing her in the more experinced competitions, like the Royal'. Well, i already knew she was lovely and no thanks to the showing as me and Georgie are more keen on eventing but i was still very pleased with my beautiful girl!

Also, i'd like to thank Ruffles from 'Just A Girl and Her Horse' for my award for this blog! It was my first award and i really appreciate it! It has made me much more motivated to write more frequent blogs. I'd give Ruffles an award back, as i lover her blog! However i actually have no idea how 'awards' work, or what they mean. But Ruffles, please know that if i did have a clue you'd be the first person i'd give one to!

Anyways, as usual i'll attach some photos, these are the ones from the gymkhana last Sunday! I'll also attach a link to my youtube account, i started all over again so at the minute there are only three videos up but please watch them!
Also, please leave a comment or subscribe to my blog, i love hearing from you all!

http://www.youtube.com/user/157SophieE?feature=mhee

My Youtube link. ^

Feral Georgie.

Hey Guys,
Well i've been giving the all clear with my shoulder and so Georgie is in the process of going from an very feral horse into a sane one again.

I moved agistment properties about a month ago, so where im now agisting has an indoor (which is great for when its raining!) and a lovely instructor who is giving me lessons although at the minute she's under the impression that my usually lovely, quiet, sensible horse is literally insane. Poor George.

Also, It really is a very long story, but the short and short of it is that in Georgie's paddock now is her Mum Antinea, AND Slate (read the last blog entries if you don't know about Slate..)! I'm so happy at the moment, even though i don't own either of them its so amazing to have Slate back in my life!

This Sunday I'm taking Georgie to a Fun Gymkhana purely for a fun day out! I'm very excited and really looking forward to taking her in the Topsy classes!
Then in another two weeks we'll have the October PC, and a week after that the H&D ODE.
All i can realy say is, thank God this weather has finally improved!
I was trying to upload a video for you all to see of my little Bubba having fun in the paddock after beakfast unfortunately its not working! So I'll just have to be happy with these photos of me and Georgie in a lesson last Saturday.

Eventing Season!

I'm so so excited, the season officially starts in one week from this Sunday! Starting with the Monmouth ODE (which i tragically can't attend as Georgie's not fit enough!) i can just tell this season is going to be especially amazing! However what i am most excited about, and a little nervous, is getting back into eventing again after a year off! I'm really putting everything into making little Georgie the superstar i know she is.
As you guys all know, she's straight OTT, very green and never evented before in her life so this season is going to be huge. I'm hoping to start her off with one grade 5 (for the people who don't event or aren't horsey or don't know the height of the grades, grade 5 is 50cm.) and then if she does well, and is quite confident and relaxed i'll move her up to grade 4 (65cm) in time for the next ODE. My plan is to hopefully do two of them, and then mover her onto grade 3 (85cm) in time to qualify for State Trials in March next year. This is my goal, however i'm keeping realistic and non-competitive too. If Georgie doesn't take to eventing like everyone thinks she will, then we'll take the season slow. This is her very first season and i'll have her forever so i don't need to rush anything.

On top of the above, i'm debating whether or not to do the Royal. We'd be entering the 65cm show jumping round, Novice Hack, Pony Club Hack, and a Rider Class. I know Georgie could do it all, however i don't know how she'd handle the noise, the crowds and the rides.

On top of that, she's actually not even in work at the moment! So starting tomorrow, look out Little Porge! Boot camp alert! I'll start with some lunging i think, because although i don't personally like lunging horses she is going to be a little bit spazzy, and i don't feel like injuring my shoulder again. And then i'll do lots of straight line work, transitions, and maintaing the same rythm. On Sunday i'll work on her canter transitions, which are a little messy at the moment, and maybe some cavaletti.

AND ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, i'll keep a long story very short but basically Georgie is about to have the company of two very special 4 legged friends sharing her paddock, SLATE (who you all know, if not read below!) and Georgie's Mum! Not owned by me though, but by Francine who gave me Georgie in the first place! I'm very, very excited! So excited i honestly can't put it into words!
Georgie's mum is coming tomorrow, and Slate in a week.

So guys, i'm very very busy at the minute but lucky school holidays are only a week away!
Also, thank you to my 8 follows, especially the ones who regularly comment on my posts, i want to say that i'd really love to comment back to you all but unfortunately something is wrong with my Blogspot account and won't let me! Sorry! But thank you all very much for reading these, and if you had questions or something, email me on facebook!

Gold Wraith Photography

I've started my own photography buisness, 'Gold Wraith Photography'! I mostly just photograph horses, and horse events. My first was last weekend at the Hunter Trials that turned into a Show Jumping training day.
I've always really liked photography, but now that i have my pretty special little camera that i got for my birthday i just love it!
Here are just a few of the very many photos i got last weekend!

One Slightly Insane Horse....

Well guys, i have to say that at the moment i have one very insane little horse!
Because of my shoulder injury and the fact that its been way to wet to ride, Georgie has literally had no work for about a month. She has become slightly feral and destructive...
Last weekend she got so destructive she thought she'd organise a break out at midnight on Saturday night. She went through the fence and took her boyfriend (My friend Sarah's horse, Monty) with her.

I cannot wait for next Saturday when i can bring Georgie back into work, and also have an indoor arena to ride in. I also cannot wait for thisventing season to start, two weeks now! Of course i can't do the first event on September 4th because obviously Georgie won't be fit enough, but ive it 6-8 weeks and we'll be out there!
I think when i bring her back into work i'll start by re-enforcing the basics like standing still while i mount and responding to my leg aids immediately.

Sorry this blog update is so short but with no riding and foul weather my 'Progress Reports' are very limited, unless you'd like to hear about trying to get a feral 5y/o to stand still long enough to fit new dressage saddle?

Curiosity

I've been noticing with Georgie since i got her 8 months ago, but especially now, that her reaction in a 'flight or fight' situation is always to investigate . I don't just mean in a normal 'Look at that scary blue pipe xc jump!' either, blue pipes are no problems for Georgie. I mean in a 'German Shepherd dog jumps out of a bush from behind her on a trial ride' situation. Her reaction is always to spin around and make friends. Always. Thats a bad example, and i know, i'm lucky she doesn't spook at dogs.
One morning i got down to my agistment and i couldn't find Georgie anywhere. I was getting rather panicy when the owner of the property had a call from a neighbour saying that they had a 'Chestnut who seemed to be having a nap on their lawn'. We raced up there to find Georgie lying down and completely passed out on their lawn. All because she'd got curious about whatever was on the other side, and jumped the fence.
Despite that, her curiosity has got to be one of my favourite things about her. I love that when she doesn't want to leave the paddock i only have to pretend to be looking at something she wants to see, and over she comes. Or that when i take her into the barn she'll put her nose into everything she's not supposed to. Or, my personal favourite, that she's so interested in her grooming tools that when i need someone to hold one of them i can give it to Georgie, and she'll hold it in her mouth. She's definately a cutie.
I think what adds to this, is that she's very, very bold. About everything. I don't know if i've written about this in an earlier blog, and if i have then feel free to skip over this.. On Georgie's first trial ride i took her on with two of my friends who both have geldings who are over the age of 10, one slightly less mature than the other though.. There were several times when the two boys would not do something that was apparently life threatenly scary, (like walk past some goats) and little baby Georgie would have to step up and take over, which she did perfectly every time without making a fuss.

I think i made my point, Georgie is a pretty non-fuss horse. Its hard to believe she's only been off the track 8 months.
We have our first Gymkhana this Sunday, if i can ever get better from this terrible virus. I'm pretty excited, get to make Georgie look all clean and well presented. Although that is actually quite hard as i have never actually seen a TB that gets a winter coat like Georgie, she looks like a wolly mammoth. Ohh well, i'm sure we'll have pictures by Sunday night.
Thanks for reading!

P.s, The above is a video i made of Slate and Georgie (read earlier blog post about Slate) on youtube, please subscribe to me if you like it!

Special Horse in a Lifetime.

'You get one special horse in a life time'.. Growing up thats what i was told, however i've been lucky enough to have two. Sundance Georgia obviously, but before her there was my best friend, Strathmore Slate.
There is no easy way to describe Slate, he is so many things. Everyday i had him was a miracle to me. He is one special boy. Slate is a 15.2hh Appaloosa x TB, he is now 19.
The first time i saw Slate as a very short 8 year old, he was the biggest horse i'd ever seen. I was ready for my next horse after outgrowing my very precious Lacey and we'd had a call from someone saying that Slate might suit. The day we went to see him the weather was about to break and pour down, so i only got to have a sit on him. One of the very obvious things to everyone was that my feet didn't reach the bottom of the saddle blanket, i remember feeling tiny sitting up on him.
We arranged that the weekend after i would have a lesson with my instructor on Slate and then we would decide if we would buy him.
The week leading up to that lesson was the longest week of my 8 year old life. All i did was talk about Slate. I dreamt about him. I'd even draw him (That was the week i discovered I wasn't artistic...). Finally Sunday morning came. It was pouring down. Water was everywhere, our bottom paddock became a dam. We had a water fall off our roof. Our chickens didn't even come out for breakfast. My Dad looked at my tragic face, took a chance and rang up and bought Slate.
Looking back on it now, i do not recommend this ! Although we had gone to see Slate, i hadn't ridden him and he could of turned out to be anything. As it happens, Slate turned out to be the best thing in my life from that day on. Slate was everything to me, he was my whole life, my super horse, my best friend.
In the 8 years i had Slate he taught me everything, it was like he would be whatever i wanted him to be. Did i want to ride Western today? Do a bit of neck reining? Fine, jump on Slate, he'd do that. Did i want to learn how to ask a horse for a square halt or leg yeild down the centre line? Fine, jump on Slate, he'd do that. Did my 10 year old self want to try jumping a metre? Ohh yes, Slate would do that (That is my favourite photo, me jumping 1 metre with the biggest smile on my face). Everything i wanted to try, Slate would be there, always trying to interpret what my little legs were trying to tell him.

Slate was there for me through everything, in the Summer when the grass was long we used to let the horses wander free on our 52 acres, and bring them back in at night. This was my favourite time, i used to pretend i was going looking for wild horses. I never took a halter or lead rope, Slate was the leader of our little herd of three and when he started to head back, the others would follow. When i'd find them i'd jump on slate's back and he'd take me home. Always.

I often dream that i still have Slate, that i'm still 10 years old pretending to be a cow girl and me and Slate would round up our 'cows' (the dogs..). Or me, bare back on Slate with no helmet no halter no nothing while he'd wander back down through the bush to his paddock. Or watching him when the farrier came, and giving him the 'warning look' when he'd try to pinch the farriers tools out of the bucket, and then the moment when i'd miss giving him the look and the bucket would fly across our paddock, tools everywhere.

Like i said, there is no easy way to describe Slate, and i hope i've done him justice writing this. He's just simply magic.

I won't tell you the sad ending to this story, because it ruins all the amazing times i've just shared with you. All i'll say is that (due to NO decision of mine) Slate was sold. He is now loved by another little girl, and i'm sure he's sharing his magic with her. However far apart Slate and I are, he will always be in my heart. I love you to pieces Slate, and i know i owe you everything, i will never forget.

Progress Update!

So, its been a few months since i've last updated my 5 followers on Georgie's progress! Sorry about that, i've been so busy with Georgie, school and a lot of other things. Here goes then,

Well, along with finally becoming an offical member of Pony Club, competing in Georgie's first ever competition, doing a lot of work on my position and Georgie's co-ordination with a few set backs, including a fractured shoulder (mine!), we've come so much further than anyone would of guessed if they'd seen us a few months back.

I'll start with Georgie's first competition, a weekend back in June Dodges Ferry held a dressage day that i thought might be a nice, calm, confidence booster first competition for Georgie. Despite the weather not being on our side at all during the week leading up to it, leaving me only one day to actually get on and ride my test, the Saturday morning came and Georgie was just amazing. We had very little time to warm up due to the horse we were floating with having some difficulties on the way down so I literally had time to just get on, walk and trot a few circles and then head straight down to introduce myself to the judge.
Georgie was amazing, a little full of herself due to not much of a warm up but i was expecting that. Coming out of the arena everyone said we'd done very well, and i was so proud of my little Georgie!
A couple of  hours later the results were posted and i was shocked to discover we'd come second! Definately not what anyone was expecting, especially me.

That June weekend was actually so busy, the Sunday after the comp we had Pony Club which was amazing fun as usual. We had a cross country lesson (the first time Georgie could actually jump anything, due to the last couple of times she's lost a shoe and been to green.) and i was fully prepared to have to sit out most of the bigger jumps because i was expecting Georgie to be a little reserved, but i was so wrong! By the end of the 30 minutes we were jumping the grade 3 water combination. As usual, Georgie never fails to suprise me and again, i was super proud of her!

After that weekend the weather pretty much came in and became a typical Tassie winter, cold, wet, 'sitting on your couch watching movie's' weather. Luckily for me the place i agist at has a pretty much all weather arena so as long as the weather wasn't wet i could ride.
Since then we were working on our canter transistions and flexion, my awful heels and jumping position. Until i found out i'd actually fractured my shoulder in a fall a few months back and i was given the 'No riding until further notice' by the doctors.
Everything had to be pretty much put on hold until the end of July (yes i know, almost there!), however the weather hasn't been great for riding anyway so i haven't missed much. And its been good for Georgie and I in the long run too, a lot of ground work, grooming and generally playing has just made our already strong bond, stronger.

So there you are, all caught up! Thanks for reading, i promise to post more blogs soon and not be so lazy next time!

My week without Georgie.

This week i have to go without seeing my beautiful pony until Sunday because we are packing and moving house! Unfortunately this has left me to be doing the only thing imaginable for a insanley horse mad teenager, Day Dream.
It's not a good thing in grade 10 when all you can do is day dream about your beauitful pony when you are meant to be studying the 'Treaty of Versailles'.
At the moment the only thing thats getting me through is remembering how good she was on our trail ride last Saturday. We went with a lady and her horse as a guide and calming influence as it was their first trail ride. Georgie was perfect and amazing, just as i expected her to be. Even when the other horse (a 15hh Arab called Oscar) was spooking at things Georgie just stayed calm and plodded on. At one point there was a 'really scary concrete pipe that was going to kill poor Oscar'! So Georgie stepped up to be the brave pony and fight the pipe, she walked straight over it without even thinking, and it was her first time walking over it too!
When we got to the beach all Georgie wanted to do was charge into the water and splash about for a bit, i love it when she does this as not only do i get wet and have hysterical laughing urges but it shows me how brave and no fuss she is. Water jumps aren't going to be a problem for her!
We didn't stay at the beach for long though as it was bloody cold and windy so we started our ride home. The ride home was so relaxing, once we got off the beach and into the bush a bit it was quite nice, no wind and not cold! Once Lou and Oscar were feeling a bit more confident we had a trot up some hills and along the grass. After an hour we were home again, i was kissing my snuggly rugged up pony goodbye and saying, 'I'll bring you lots of treats next Sunday so please don't get mad that you won't see me all week Georgie!' And then i had to go. That was only 3 days ago and i am already having severe horse withdrawal! God knows how i'm going to last another 4 days!

The one thing after my Saturday ride that Georgie needs serious work on is standing still while i get on. Every time i had to get off for anything it would take a good few minutes before she'd stand still while i got on! And she does the same in the arena, but for not quite as long.
Any tips or advice on what i can do to stop her doing this?

Those little legends of first ponies.

First ponies.
We've all had them, those naughty little rascals that know how to do everything they shouldn't, and also how to do everything that 5 year old horse mad girls need them to do.
I had two 'first' ponies, both as cheeky and loveable as each other.
The first was 'Lochlea Lamai' or 'Squidgie'. She came when i was 5 years old and my world revolved around her from day dot. She was perfect and amazing in everyway, she taught me how to walk, trot and canter and also how to sit a pigroot and always be on alert for sneaky things, e.g wrenching the reins out of my hands for the nibbles of grass arond the edge of the arena because she was obviously half starved, even though to look at most people would assume she was pregnant. Squidgie was a pinto pony, dark brown and white, about 12hh and 16 years old when she died of colic in my 7 year old arms. We tried everything to save her, the vet was there all day but in the end, when she couldn't fight anymore, we put her down to stop any suffering.
R.I.P Squidgie Moo, always loved and never forgotten.

The second 'first' pony was Lacey. And i say 'second first pony' because at 7 1/2 i wasn't ready for anything other than a 'close to bombproof as you can get' pony. Lacey was certainly that, she still had that 'I shall pigroot if you ask me to canter' attitude that Squidgie had, but thanks to Squidgie i was already an expert in sitting pigroots and rarely fell off.
Lacey was one of those ponies that had done everything, and done it well. She had done trail riding, showing, hacking, pony club, eventing, showjumping and games. The minute you put a bridle on lacey she would become rounded whether you asked her to or not. When she jumped she had the most perfect even tuck even over jumps 30cm high. However games were her specialty, her favourite game was racing my bigger horses from one end of the arena to the other, it would go like this:
Halting at the end of the arena, Lacey quivering with excitment.
Me shouting 'Ready?' to my oppoinent and Lacey's eyes getting as big as dinner plates.
And then, 'GO!' this was when Lacey would go from halt to gallop and run as fast as she could to the other end of the arena. She would ALWAYS win too.
After a year of having Lacey, (She was also a pinto pony, 12hh high and believed to be between 15-18 years old when we bought her.) we got the dentist around to have her teeth floated, upon looking in her mouth the dentist asked how old she was, and my father told him, '15 - 18years old.' Apparently not, this pony was already in her 30's and going strong. When i heard this i instantly forgave Lacey her pigroots, 30 years of cantering around an arena and i'd pigroot too.
6 months later we retired Lacey as i was finaly ready for a bigger horse, and she definately deserved to be turned out into a paddock to rest for the remainder of her life, still being pampered with brushing, bare back trail rides, rugging and lots of hugs.

First ponies are the horses who shape us as riders, determine the nervous from the confident, teach those of us who want to learn natural balance and how to look out for cheeky behaviour. We owe them our riding ability. I definately owe Squidgie and Lacey my (quite good actually) ability to sit a pig root! If i could i'd thank them for everything, they were unbelievable, amazing and incrediable ponies.

Sundance Georgia

I have this amazing horse, her name is Georgie.
She's a 5 year old 15.2hh Chestnut OTTB (For those non-horsey people or for those just not familiar with the term it stands for Off The Track Thoroughbred.)
I have owned her now for 4 months, a lady gave her to me as a retired race horse needing a new career as hopefully a Pony Club horse or possible eventer in the future, however she hadn't done anything and needed a lot of work and retraining before she could reach that point.
Georgie is my first young horse i've owned, my previous horses were all unbelievable schoolmasters who've taught me everything i know about horses. (A special mention always to Strathmore Slate, who i owe everything too.)
So at the 'young age of 15' many people warned me that taking on and retraining a young ex racer was a massive thing to do, however the minute i met Georgie i knew she had to be mine. The easiest way to describe her is a 'naturally beautiful cheeky teenager' who, when it suits her, loves a hug.

Georgie has come along in huge leaps and bounds from the moment i met her, she tries so hard with everything i ask her to do. From being a horse who hadn't been ridden in 6 months to Pony Club, beach rides and XC/SJ clinics within 3 months. Shes just an unbelievable horse to know, and an honour to own.
A special thanks of course to all those people who've helped me with her, especially Abigail.

I'd also just like to mention that before i had heard of Georgie, the one thing people had warned me never to do was buy an OTT race horse as some of them are known for their unpredictable nature, both in the saddle and on the ground. Either Georgie is an exception to every race horse out there or race horses deserve a lot more credit as amazing horses. I would happily own more ex racers in the furture, there are more than enough out there that need new homes as the statistics are 9 out of 100 race horses are rehomed, and the rest are sent to be dog meat. I would strongly recommend OTTB as a horse for anyone who is experinced enough (or has help) and enough time to put the effort and training in to turn them into anything you want them to be. In Georgie's case, a Pony Club horse and eventer.