Lets Just Be Who We Really Are

A couple weeks ago my sister had a friend over for a photo shoot. The girl had made a costume and wanted pictures with her costume and a horse. And...I have a horse. :) So my sister got to practice her photography and I got to hang out and watch them take pictures. Then when it was time I got Chester ready and worked with them as they took pictures with him. Afterwards, my sister snapped a few pictures of Chester and I just being ourselves. I think we got some really fun ones.

Chester being his sweet gentle self.

I'm giving him a treat. He's so fuzzy!

(Nummm, I love peppermint treats!)

He was sooo good!

This is one of the best. I love it!

Then he thought (as he does every once in awhile, silly boy) that one of the chains on the hackamore bridle was supposed to go inside his mouth, like a bit. It doesn't, of course. There are two chains that go under his chin. 

                                           Uhhh...do you have any more treats?

 Uhh, Malory I think this chain is supposed to go in my mouth. No, Chester, I have told you before that does not go in your mouth. Smarty pants...

Me loves my pony! 

There is nothing new and exciting on the horse front here. It rained really hard here for about two  weeks straight so the ground is super soft and my round pen is a lake. Chester's exercise consists of walks in the front yard and hand grazing on the hill. I did get on him before the rain came and trotted around in the front yard a little bit. I do love that about Chester. That I can let him "sit" for a little while and still get on him and he's fine. He can get excited to be out and have energy to use, but he's not totally crazy. 

Our farrier moved to another State, so we are getting a new one. He's scheduled to come out on the 24th. I'm not nervous about Chester, (I know he will do great) I am excited to see how it goes and wondering how it will all be though.

 The Lord provided our first (and only so far) farrier at the perfect time. Before we had a horse, he and his family visited our church and we had them over for lunch. Come to find out he was a farrier. We mentioned that we had goats that needed their hooves trimmed and that we weren't the best at it. He was like, "I do goats too!" So we all marched out to the goats and he showed us how he did it while trimming up one of our goats that had hooves that grew about an inch a day. He actually flips the goats and then "sits" on them to trim their hooves. (His wife assured me that doing it that way doesn't hurt the goat. That was nice to hear.) :) 

He gave us his business card and we kept him in mind. Well, four to five months later we got Chester and we called him up and he has been our farrier ever since. One visit shy of three years. He was a great farrier and will be missed. 

In the meantime, Chester and I have high expectations for this new farrier. ;) We like quality work and a good friendly attitude.  

 

 It has been super cold lately so Chester is a HUGE fuzz ball. Like a fuzzy teddy bear. Haha, I will have to take a picture of him with all his fur sticking straight up. 

I hope you all have a great week! Blessings to all!

                          This is me enjoying the cold weather and a hot drink. ;)

Flash Back To June

On this rainy, wet, soggy, dark, cold October day I think it perfect to flash back to June. When the weather was nicer, warmer and much more enjoyable over all. This was all after he coliced...maybe a month. So I was still keeping an eye on him in that light. I was pretty busy in June finishing up my senior year of high school; then with my graduation. So our time spent together mainly consisted of him grazing while we just hung out. Sometimes that's all you need to do with your horse. Simple bonding time. Even though I wish I could ride him more, or had ridden him more when I had the opportunity, it's not all about riding. I haven't ridden my horse as much as other people do. But I have built a great relationship with him because I have spent time doing simple things; like hanging out while he grazes and talking to him while I brush him. Riding definitely improves your relationship for better or for worse. BUT, riding isn't everything. Sometimes it's in those quite moments that the horse shows you that he trusts you. Not just when you ask him to jump that 4' jump.

I had taken him out to graze and he didn't want to come back in. He's so sweet and gentle. 

Sweet boy wants to go back out. Then I decided to try to take a selfie together. I took about ten and I got one good one. Or more like one that I approved of. :P But Hey, horses have big heads. Haha!

It's not too bad...

I really like this picture, even though there is a huge lens flare. He looks great; so handsome. 

Then I graduated from high school. Big moment in my life. This was my outfit for my graduation party/ceremony.

Chester day dreaming. Or more like longing to go out to graze. I really like this picture too. You can even see his eye lashes. 

Then, I got this horrible super scary stuff (to Chester). Fly spray. Yep, one of Chester's worst fears. The flies were getting really bad and I didn't have any. So I looked around at different brands and finally decided on this one that I bought off amazon. I like it: it works well and lasts awhile. It smells like lemon. :P 

This is Chester being cute. We were out just walking around while Papa was doing something in his yard. Well, Chester grazed most of the time. 

Staying hydrated with fresh clean cool water. 

Doing whatever...probably finding a place to roll. 

There is most of our June...slow, but we had some good bonding time.

I hope you all had a nice week. Thank you so much for all the sweet comments I have gotten on the last two posts. It makes me feel special that you care enough to comment and take the time to read my blog. Thank you for that!

Mr. Fuzzy Ears

A little bit ago I went out with my phone and took some pictures of mr. fuzzy ears. It was a sunny day and I think the round pen was wet to I couldn't do anything with him. Right after I took these pictures, I let him out to graze right outside his yard. I had put up the white fence so then I would leave his main gate and another section open. Allowing him to go back in if he wanted to. Which, a few times he ran back in. =)   

                                                            Mr. fuzzy ears himself!

                                                                ~Day dreaming~
 (I love this picture!)

                                   "Did you get the picture, or should I look back again?"

                                                   A little blurry but a unique picture.

 He wants out so bad! He would undo the gate if he could! ;) Sometimes he stands there and knocks the gate trying to get it open.

This was a few weeks ago so he is now a lot less fuzzy. He's shiny now! I will get a post up with more recent pictures real soon!

Summer Showed It's Face, We Jumped For Joy!

I decided to put up my original layout, as I was kinda stressing out on trying to figure out a fun nice header for summer. I will make a new one but I really wanted to get rid of the snow!

Now onto more interesting things!
Summer decided to show it's face. Chester and I were like, "ground work, riding, hanging out together, everything!!" Then, of course the rain came back and my round pen turned into a swimming pool last Monday. Oh joy! Here's the thing, it rains, the round pen gets MUDDY and has standing water, it stops raining and starts to dry up. As the weather gets nicer I do what I can with him where I can in the round pen. I can do ground work with him in about 80% of it. But that's not a big enough area to ride. I also rake it as it's drying out to even the ground. Well, the sun comes out, drys it about about 90% and Chester and I are getting really excited and doing lots of stuff.....then drip, drip......Swoosh! It pours!! Then I start the process all over again!
Two weeks ago I took Chester out on Thursday, it was around 75 degrees. I had worked on ground work three or four times over the past week so I was ready to ride! I tacked him up and even used my new saddle pad. (He looked so purty!) It was a really warm day so we were both laid back. (We had like three days where it was 70-82 degrees and that was super hot for April. Also, it just jumped up there; it wasn't gradual.) Meaning we were like, "man it's hot out here and the flys are awful!" The bugs were pretty bad.

Anyways, you get the picture! So we wandered down to the round pen and I tighten the cinch. I sent him in a lunge circle and he was really calm with no bucks. He went in two or three more circles and then we were done. He was doing fine and I didn't think I needed to lunge him. I tightened the cinch again and stepped in the stirrup.....SLIP! The saddle slid sideways. So I made the cinch tighter and tried again.....SLIP! The saddle slid sideways again! By this time it needed to be adjusted because it had slid off his withers and I wasn't using a breast collar. I undid the cinch and fixed everything. This time before I got on I stuck my figures between the cinch and his girth area. It was quite tight! Once again I lifted my foot and put it in the stirrup.....SLIP! I was ready to chuck the saddle and ride bareback. But, I wanted to use the saddle. After hollering, "Oh this saddle!" my mom came over and asked what she could do to help. I asked her to go get my other saddle pad in my tack room. My thought was, my new saddle pad was so clean and new that it was just plain slipping!
All this time Chester was calmly standing there, almost falling asleep. I will admit though, when I was tightening up the cinch a few times he was like "hey" and would walk forward. So he did move around some. He has improved so much though, from being really hyper to almost falling asleep! He is definitely back to his normal self. Calm, yet ready to rock and roll!

After I got my other saddle pad, it didn't slip as bad and I was able to get on and ride. Chester was excited and was ready to go but since I didn't have a whole lot of room to ride I stayed at a trot. He was really responsive to leg cues and neck reining. He kept wanting to turn sharply. Like around a barrel. So I pulled my right rein across his neck and started bumping his right side. He responded really well and started going in a circle and then even pivoted at one point. I think if I worked with him, he could totally spin. He definitely knows how to pivot. Sometimes if your riding him and you all of a sudden turn him he will pivot. It's really cool! I feel like a professional! =P My horse knows how to do lots of stuff, I just need to learn how to ask him correctly.
Back to the ride, he did want to go to the gate, but I would turn him and go the other way. Once the round pen is totally dry and I can go in a circle around the whole thing, I will put him to work by the gate so he won't want to go there. =)
He did fabulous though and we both had a grate time! We even cantered a tiny bit....only a few strides. But we didn't have the room too so I slowed him down. After we walked, trotted around and practiced stopping and backing up and had a grand time, we called it a day. I got off and then walked around and he followed me. It was SO cute! I loved it! I will admit he did turn towards the door a couple times but I grabbed him and turned him back to me and the he kept following me. =) It was a good day!

                                                                   Here we are!
(Please ignore my white arms. =/ The poor things haven't seen the sun since last summer.)

                     "Back up, we're not done taking pictures yet." Look at those ears!! =)

Oh ya, and I was going to use my hackamore bridle, (I had cleaned it a few months ago so it was all ready) but once I put it on him, the little buckle on the neck part was rusted open. And I couldn't get it shut! So I put his halter back on.

Here are some pictures from the day before. I just worked him from the ground a little bit. It was more hot than the day I rode - so I took it easy.

Walking down to the round pen. Ah! Isn't he purty!! (No...no I'm not biased.) ;p He looks like a bigger horse here. He is coming up a little hill.

"Papa's taking a picture of us Chester, your supposed to be looking at the camera!" Oh well, he's cute looking that way too!

We're getting our priorities straight! (Or he's eating a tiny sprout of grass.) I usually brush him before I take him out. But why brush him....if he's going to roll!

                                  Dude, just roll! It has to be the perfect spot, you know.

                                                                  Here we go!

                                                           Oh ya, that hit the spot!

                                                                  Up we go!

                                                          Now we have to shake!

                                                            Aw that feels good!

QOTD: How do you break in a new saddle pad?
And, if I'm not using a breast collar and the saddle is slipping backwards, does that mean my cinch isn't tight enough??

Silly Fun

I love this picture right now! It's clear, it's unique, he's not in a "perfect" stance, I put a filter on it, and it just looks so good! I LOVE it! =)

This one is just a fun goofy picture. I got the idea from Kalin. (Thanks Kalin!) ;) I think it's fun to have some random photo shoots with your horse. Whether nice pictures, goofy pictures, fun pictures or even everyday pictures. =) They help keep those memories and fun adventures alive! You all should know by know that I LOVE pictures! I take tons of them! I can't just take one! =)

Here's the first try at it and it didn't turn out as good. I think it's kinda fun that he has his tongue out though. =)

Do you guys have any fun ways or pictures you take with your horse?

Oh, and by the way, I changed my instagram account to @wind_sparrow. Do you guys like that? For the life of me, I could decided on a name! I didn't know whether I should go goofy, serious or something that has to do with my name. Too many choices! :) I'm sticking with wind sparrow for now though.

A Little Randomness

I did it, I got an instagram account. I have been thinking about it for awhile and finally decided to do it. It's not just horse stuff, but I will be posting lots of horse stuff on there; so if any of you are on Instagram, I would love a follow!
Right now it's called bitbybits but I am thinking of changeing it...not sure though.

Ya'll have a great safe weekend! I have some fun posts coming up with lots of pictures!

Annies Asteroid

I have been a slacker....I know. But when there are horse adventures to be told, I will tell.
I did have someone over the other day that wanted to brush up on their horse grooming and tacking skills. Chester did great! He did try to sneak off when I was busy talking to someone....but I saw him. ;)
I "weighed" him the other day with my weight tape, and he has gained about 100 pounds since the last time I "weighed" him which was maybe a year ago? I can't remember. =)
He actually doesn't like the weight tape. So after he ran around his yard not letting me get within twenty feet of him, I set down the weight tape and got his halter and he submitted to me. When he has his halter on he switches from a free roaming pony in his yard, to, a pony that's like, ok what are we going to do?
I do groom him free though....I don't always put on his halter when I'm doing stuff with him in his yard. Anyways, back to the weight tape. Once I had him standing there I put the weight tape around his heart girth area and lined it up and what not. I wasn't sure what numbers to look at so I read the directions out loud while holding the tape on him. He wasn't super comfortable but he was standing there quietly and being a good boy. As I was reading the directions a loud I came across, "make sure the horse is not holding it's breath." I looked at Chester and asked, "are you holding your breath?" He was looking straight ahead, not moving a muscle, eyes open a little wider then normal and wasn't blinking. I told him, "I think you're holding your breath".  He did great and I was able to finish and when I was done gave him some peppermint treats. (Actually, before I "weighed" him, I gave him a peppermint treat in the same hand that I was holding the scary white thing.) =)

I then went on to de-worm him. He did great for that too. I'm not an expert at giving him stuff orally. He was totally relaxed about oral stuff when I got him but has since taken to not liking it. I think it might be because I'm "newer" at it? It's not that hard to do though....so maybe not.

Alright, you are probably wondering what Annies Asteroid as to do with this post. Well, I wanted to share a game with you all! It's called Annies Asteroid. My dad made it! You can down load it for free off Itunes. It's made for a phone or Ipad, so if you don't have one I don't think you can get it. (If you don't have a phone I totally understand. I just got my first phone a few months ago, and I'm eighteen.) =) If any of you check it out or get it, let me know what you think! Go Here to see it.
 I think it's really fun and can get addicting once you get the hang of it. Please pass on the word! Enjoy!


                           

Post Spring Cleaning

I brought my main saddle inside the other day. I brought it in so it can warm up, then I will clean it so it will be ready to use when the sun arrives! I have two saddles but one is bigger then the other. I use the bigger one. Even though....the smaller saddle's seat is so much more comfy then the bigger saddle's. My big saddle fits Chester better though so that's the one I go with!
I also brought in and cleaned off my hackamore. It had mold on it from getting moist out in the barn.

Here is what it looked like before I cleaned it.

                                                                      Before...

                                                                      Before....

                                                                      After!

                                                                        After!

  This bridle has a story behind it. It has been loved by a couple horses and people. It was given to my horsey friend for her first horse. After they used it and made memories with it, my friend gave it to me when I got my first horse. (Chester of course!) I thought it was so special to be passed on to me for my first horse, after it had been used for a couple first timers already. It was such a special gift to me and I can already tell you stories and memories I have made with it.

I Love My Pony

 I got in a little while ago, from taking Chester out for some exercise. Let me tell ya! I love my pony!
 He is truly a sweet horse. As long as he gets fed, watered and exercised, he is a fun, sweet, gentle horse to be around. I will admit, right now he has a bunch o' energy. Lately though, I have been taking him for walks. Letting him eat some grass and walk around to stretch his legs. It has definitely helped to use some of that stored up winter energy. =)
It also helps to keep the inflammation in his back left leg down; which I've learned older horses get inflammation (in their legs) from not moving around a whole lot. Chester has one leg that will kinda "swell" when he doesn't get any exercise. It goes down, literally moments, after he starts walking. So I haven't worried about it.
I haven't ridden him in a long time- I was thinking of working/exercising him all week and then maybe riding him Saturday. (Like, tack him up and walk him around.) It'd be good for both of us. =)


My pony and me...

                                                                   Besties!

A Flash Back

Hey guys, I'm doing a flash back through the past two years I have owned Chester. Lots of pictures!

                        First picture ever taken of me and Chester. That's my youngest sister.

He was a cutie! And still is! = )

First picture of just me and Chester. I was nervous he was going to do something or go somewhere. :)

                                                                  Me and my sis!

                                                                All of us girls.

                                                               First time on him!

                                He was so patient with all the picture taking and all the "firsts."

                                              He was trying to look at the camera!

Then my sisters all got on him- my younger sister, right below me...

                                                                  Next sister...

                                                                  Last sister

 He was on the skinny side when we got him. Plus he was on a hill in this picture so he looks a little funny.

                                                So relaxed...just chillin out! = )

  First time we took him out of his yard. He came from a place that had short, scrawny, brown, dry grass. So he was like in heaven here!

                             Everything was new so there was some snorting and deep breathing. ;)

                                            He's like, whoa, this is a strange place!

                                                          First time all tacked up!

                                                   First time riding him all tacked up!

           Once you own a horse you come to find out that cowboy boots and stuff like that are necessary. But this was pretty soon after we got him so...

                                                     First photo shoot with him...

 I brushed him and got him ready, then I ran and got the camera. He rolled when I was gone so he was wet. = / Silly boy!

  I thought I would bring carrots to help him take pictures. That was a mistake. He had to eat all the carrots before he could stand still. = )

                                                                A new bareback pad....

                                                                Trying it out!
        

                                               Summer is here! First summer I had him....

                                                        Working with him....

                                                                        Riding!

                                      Talking to my mom who is taking a picture of me. Such a pretty boy!


More picture to come tomorrow!