Imagine. . .

Always being the one to take the photos and video of any horseback ride....I have the horse that stands, walks straight and actully likes to  relax, as I focus upon something else...

...HA! This is me focusing upon the phone, getting it ready to take a photo or two-  I got caught! The mare was enjoying the walk home, after the 10 miles we walked.

 My sister actually did get me in a few shots riding...the one that was going to be the best was a video on the surf the second day of our Autumn beach adventure...so..Just Imagine now- in the "photo" below, lazy tides going out, me and the mare walking in them..her looking gorgeous, me looking on.....

I was going to make stills from the video...and have some nice photos..BUT...the setting on the camera did not get changed and this is it!! The above photo! I do like it, as it is not posed...we were walking and talking...I smiled alot as my sis had the camera on me for like 5 minutes..tehehe. Oh well.

 The mornings were so nice at the Bay Ocean House. The water and Sunrise over the Tillamook Bay are always dreamy. My sis caught me taking shots of the Bay, after feeding the horses.

We had  farm fresh Omelette's/ Greek yogurt and coffee from the 2 horsey mugs I brought.

  My sister told me that, "While I got mom's boobalas, she got her talent for cooking" which is NONE...!!

We had a fantastic sisterly time..I loved cooking for her and we never had to go into town till the day we left, as I brought along all the provisions.

We sat in the hot tub every night, and had several rounds of coffee through out the day.

For the rest of the time......

 looked at the ocean's tide, through the ears of our mounts~

Went head long into the winds~

Pondered the sands of time~

Followed the lead mare~got our feet wet

Stood for moments at a time, taking in the serene views~

Had smiles inside my heart for my sister...as she took a gander back to me, smiling as we left the shore for the dunes~

Of course for me, photo editing on my phone photo's, is always a treat!

Made this into an oil~

These few, I turned into a memory collage, for us both~

One never knows the number of his/her days or times of life. Yet, while having the times of your life, being consciously aware to have a thankful heart ,  we may celebrate God's goodness openly and with all~

Thanks for sharing these times with me!!!

Wind through the mane....

. . . can carry cares away

Seaside refreshing

There are  no wasted moments, for a photographer at heart.... even a jaunt into the scrubby bushes-to hide from any onlookers - to  do you know what.

I looked up and saw this pink sky view, as the horses wondered why I had suddenly gone out of sight. I love my mare...she actually kept stepping towards the woods I was in, to get a better look at where I could be.

 I'm impressed with the camera's capacity to take lovely images on my "smarty" phone..I call it that cause of the words it makes up as I try to quickly TXT someone...if you don't proof read..sometimes you say things -you don't mean to!

After a heck-of-a morning trying to be relaxed and "on vacation",  yet leave in a timely fashion for the Bay Ocean House in Tillamook, Oregon, I was confronted with this (avert your eyes if you are sensitive to eyes with massive blood showing in a burst vessel..yea, I woke up to looking  like this! I was not too concerned...I have seen them before on friends and they randomly happen. Sometimes because of lifting too much weight...I had only packed the trailer a day before for this trip and nothing out of the ordinary was carted and heaved around.

Well my husband was way more concerned than I and since I knew my sis was not in town yet from her own part of the Oregon coast, I thought okay, go see the eye Dr. I found out 2 things. It is not anything to be alarmed over and that I have 20/20 vision! WOW, thought it was worsening but..guess not! The Dr. was so funny too..he said, "I could get my husband in trouble or- I could take it easy, allowing everyone else to do work around me because I couldn't". I just said," I will do all my own work and leave for vacation, if there is nothing seriously wrong, thankyou!"

Leave we did after my sissy helped vet near 17 horses that she also helped to rescue last week. My other sister works as an animal control Deputy in Lincoln Co. Oregon. They rescued the 17 horses from a terribly rancid personality in Seal Rock that neglected them for over 2 years time by never letting 4 of them out of a stall, never cleaning the stalls and leaving blankets ON 6 horses -year round -for 2 years!!! That is not all, but that is mostly the worst. These horse are all highly bred and papered. They are on a beautiful web site called Raingate farms. The woman once was prominent in showing breeding and selling the horses...she  somehow went awry.

We got to the B.O.H. beach house after dark..and I was upset a little that the first beautiful day for riding, had passed us by. We had 2 free days and nights..one was now gone. BUT...I came around to see the worthwhile efforts of my sister volunteering for such a worthy cause

Early morning view from the kitchen window of a  horsey wind chime..and mountains behind~

Sunrises are so warm and wonderful looking~ fishermen are on there way out to the bar of the ocean, during high tide~

 Horses fed and stalls picked...all is right in the world

Time for another cup of coffee!

The day was beginning nicely and becoming brighter as the morning sun rose higher~

We sisters made another fire and contemplated the days events...A bay side ride for starters, we decided. Heading out an hour before low tide would make for the best ride..should we decide to go for the ocean shore side.

The Herons were everywhere...some 10 birds could be counted, as we drove the 3 miles to the Bay Ocean Spit parking lot.

We followed Pantz mare along the bay side road...she was really "Kickin' Walkin'" fast like!!

                  It was perfectly wonderful weather, being near 60 and no wind this day as we rode along the Bay of Tillamook. The mares were good and pretty calm this day.

We found a little sandy 200 foot beach and tried to ride on it...but it was pretty sinky- deep- sand. Made for nice photos though!

We got to the end ofg the road and my sissy acted like she did not remeber me saying I did not want to ride the beach this day with hoof boots on...fearing I'd loose them. She insisted we go forth...my mare was fit and ready for the turning homeward...pretty uppity. I knew I'd be in for a battle of wills and having my trainer sister there...I was not up for her and my mare so I simply asked her to pony me back...which, in itself is hazardous.

My mare is so competitive..to be near another horse, no matter it was Pantz, is a whole- nother- level of uppity! While taking a lesson a week back, I  learned a technique from my sis. It gets my mares attention and she can have an almost instant release from me asking for her head lowered and longer..IF she yields as I ask when she become inverted and high headed...

I choose a side, when walking with others on the side of me. I choose the opposite side. In this case, the right. For three strides, I close RT my hand/ and apply RT my calf by lowering my heal, and ask for an eyeball. I release for 3 and re ask if she has not gone longer.

 If she has lowered her head,and has become attentive to my aides- I then lower my heals/squeezing the same hand as, about every other every third stride...just to communicate-Yes- keep it there.

WOW, it was a wild ride...but since we had done this technique before..she settled into it after only a few rounds of asking.  I LOVED how she settled into my hands..and then I could let the reins out, keeping my hands closed and a contact-though longer. As we walked along, it was my leg that kept her neck long.

Smart mare, she is!

It was about 4 pm as we got back to the trailer...Pantz had the slightest amount of foam in her mouth..it made my sissy so happy...this mare NEVER relaxes enough to  have a loose jaw and foam!

Hand grazing and another round of Strong Java we had upon arrival...we had ridden/ WALKED 10 MILES this day!

Sunsetting on the Tillamook bay second day on the coast with my sissy...made for more pink clouds

Night 2 of our times away..it was so cool, just us sisters...looking after the horses and me cooking for her....more to come..."~'

An Autumn

Hello my friends!

I know that I have been absent from the Internet.

I have really wanted to tell you about all that is occurring but- Out of respect for certain parties...wanted to wait for word on solutions first, to a delima  with my mare, discovered last month.

My sister above and her mare Pantz, enjoying an Autumn sit near a pond & lunch. And -of course, reviewing phone photos. We both have been using our phones for photography of late.

We have been taking the mares out together each week to get in shape for a BEACH OUTING tomorrow...it's finally here!

 My mare really-really liked- the one, tiny bite of Almond butter and jelly sand which I gave her!! But, " such food is not horse food"..., I told her..to her disbelief!

We are having an altogether wonderful Autumn so far...yea some colder foggy days but then today, of course I have to work, is forecasted for 70!

Last week while out and about riding, my mare showed some totally scary behaviour. She was unable to walk at all.... just little short steps.

I was out about some 4 miles when it happened. I jumped off and checked her by lifting all legs and it seemed to stem from her shoulder...the left one. She could NOT lift it. This MUST have been due to the vaccination shot of  Flu/Rhino, she recently had. That is the ONLY thing I could come up with. I hand walked her ever so slowly home and massaged her, gave her another Ledum round ( Homeopathic for puncture wounds)   after we arrived. The next day she seemed good. I tried to ride on the third day, after the shot...again, about 3-4 miles out...she locked up from using her right shoulder, this time. Again, we gingerly hand walked home. I gave her another massage, and had been placing ledum and Arnica in her feed since the first indications of pain showed. 

 I finally got my order from SPRINGTIME INC. of Spirulina waffers.  They are a whole food enzyme that assist people, dogs and horses in purifying the blood, assisting in allergies and breathing problems, detoxifying liver and kidneys and ulcer helper. It reduces inflammation, stimulates the immune, and is a nerve tonic of sorts. I began giving her just a couple..she'll actually eat them out of my hand!

The time, massage and supps seemed to help...on the Autumn ride with my sister, some 5 days after -was a goodie!!

Some of you may notice something different...it may be too subtle, so I'll assist you in the noticing of it.

This is NOT MY NEW ANSUR SADDLE.

My current dilema  is that my saddle has hurt my mare's withers. I did not see it coming and by the time it did...white hairs on the top and sides were there, after she shed her summer coat last month. Her grunting had increased, but I had taken her Easy Walker shoes off and thought it to be softer soles in front..I was wrong.

I've been depressed and left to decide that- NO MATTER WHAT- ALL SADDLES NEED TO BE FIT..and NOT just buy the consumer-me- that is under the belief that this is the one that will work,  not reading anything suggesting one make/model in the line is different-but in looks- than the other, for horse body confirmation/structure. 

 After spending 5 years and 5 other saddles looking, well , you all that know me best here do know- I put alot of research into the decision for this treeless saddle. Don't get me wrong..it does have a structure in there- A "Flex CORE" one that is the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden 1-4 hours on!!!

While it started out with 2 fingers of clearance.... there was NONE for the padding in the gullet to start with. See how it rests on her withers?

It has now settled to NONE when I sit upon it---without a girth! Sorry for the blurred photo..my sister was holding -an angry -TB mare to illustrate and took the photo too!

( you should have seen us doing that stunt to prove that the girth is not the problem, pulling it down upon her back!!!)

 Obviously, I lived to tell the tale!

So, in order to not ride without stirrups the entire time at the coast and at home after...we went for a quick fix-used saddle shopping.

We arrived at a favorite local tack store..and my sister started to call out the make of all the saddles she recognised, before we looked..she was always right! She cracks me up.

She got to one saddle....this one...and suddenly gasped and started fondling it, like a lost family member...

She had correctly called it as well, a "Stubben Tristian".  I sat upon it, on the fake half horse stand they had in the tack store. It felt very good to me. She then told me, after close examination, it was her old saddle. She knew because of 2 things..a divot out of the front pommel leather and an extra whole she had punched in the stirrup leathers, on  near side only.

WOW...I was smitten ...I measured the gullet "Point of Width"..it was the right looking amount. I checked it out to do a 3 day trial. It was near perfect..but the cantle was one inch below the pommel, making it have me sit too far back. I remedied that with a closed cell  "Cashel pad".

So my friends..while I may have given myself an ulcer because of stress surrounding this whole thing.... it really distresses me to think my choice was incorrect in my expensive saddle purchase... this inexpensive ( $200) solution may be alright short term for trails.

I still believe in the ANSUR Saddles. The" FLEX CORE" structure is the MOST comfortable I've ever ridden . Nary a back ache did I have, in the past 3 months! I think my mare too, as her back/shoulders never hurt her. It's this model that sucks for her..and the saddle fitter that comae out from the Co. showed me that by putting his "Excel" model on her..giving her 3 inches of wither clearance top and plenty for the sides too!

If I had only been informed of the differences...I WOULD HAVE chosen more wisely and definitely differently!!! I ALMOST got the right one...the choice would have been CLEAR to me which jump saddle to get if I had known one had better wither clearance! I was not the treeless saddle expert..but I tell you what..I am gaining in knowledge now!

My back is killing me already, from the few rides I have had on my Tristian...I had to order an "Enlightened Equitation"-" Seatbone saver- from Heather Moffit! A gal at the stable owns one and allowed me to use it..it did help!

So, tomorrow..it's off to the Beach with my sissy- and also -my Cashel  bareback-Softsaddle- I KNOW that is compy for me and the mare!!!

Wish me luck, send me prayers and just plain have hope , like I do that the ANSUR CO. honors me in the ongoing quest to correctly "saddle fit" my TB Wonder Wa mare!

See ya all soon, and I do hope to catch up with you all...and get OUT OF MY FUNKIFIED state of mind!

Sentimental

To be honest, this wonderful horse head pendant actually came long before the bridle in the post before did~
My husband, knowing of my love of everything equine, on a boyfriend weekend away (don't repeat that terminology) went antiquing and found this for me...thrilled I was to actually receive the goodies this time, As he usually would just "tell me" he found some cool thing, and not buy it!

I have been wearing it alot lately and as I hung it up in the boudoir, upon the mirror, I found it reflected the other side of the horse perfectly.

I love this metal peice of equine art and I love the man who gave it to me ~more!! Yup, I'm sentimental these days...Autumn does that to me, makes me reflective and happy. Our Anniversary is in a month too, perfect!