♣Ambitious♣

Favorite show picture Favorite non-show picture Favorite thing you bought Referring to my saddle rack here Favorite moment on horseback No images, but galloping Duke along the grassy trails was really fun. Favorite moment out of the saddle Favorite “between the ears” picture Favorite horse book or article Do Boots and Wraps Overheat Horses’ Legs? Favorite horse ridden (or groomed/cared for) aside from your own Favorite funny picture of your horse No funny pics this year :( Favorite fence that you successfully jumped or movement that you conquered No pics of fences either because that video is on my trainer's phone :/ Favorite horse meme or funny picture So funny I keep a tab open on my phone with this image so I can show it to people. Created by artist  Sean Kirkpatrick .

2021 was the year that horses took a back seat to, well, everything else. It started with potential horse shows and ended with timidly cruising around 2'-0" courses. Eh, such is life. I finally said screw it with Blackjack and started having fun. At first, I committed to riding more bareback because it became a necessity if I ever wanted to have a decent enough relationship with him to go to a show. As time progressed, and I absorbed more hearsay, it coupled with my own observations, and I made the decision that I wasn't going to put Blackjack through the rigors of being a show horse. It wasn't fair, and even if I was underscoring his abilities, the horse is just as happy being stuffed with treats as he is jumping around at a horse show. There was a question of whether Liberty would be a potential show horse for me, and she could have been had she not been injured during her prison break attempt. Oh well, she too became a fun and exciting challenge this year. I'm p...

So, where do I begin . . . Life updates: I'm still depressed. Not as bad as a few months ago, but I'm, like, genuinely having a quarter-life crisis, and I wish I was joking. I moved to my very first apartment on my own to be closer to my job. I'm trying to find a new job. I'm applying to Ph.D. programs, and Los Angeles is at the top of my list. My sister made me install Grammarly and suddenly I feel a lot less confident about all 500+ ramblings that I have forced y'all to read over the last several years. I left my barn. After my last welcome back post, I did end up having a conversation with my trainer. It only made things worse. I got caught between my trainer and Satin's owner, and at first, it seemed that they just did not understand each other and could not get on the same page. Which is fair, and makes sense due to the emotional weight of the vet findings. As things unraveled, it became clear that my trainer was not honest about her knowledge of the situat...

After my last off property lesson, Trainer G and I chatted about what her goals are for me. She explained that when I was riding Blackjack, he didn't engage himself as much as when my co-leasee was riding. In response, I let her know that I, uhh, like, never jump him. It was like a light bulb went off for both of us. I don't really jump Blackjack because I know he gets used in lessons, and I've grown much more concerned with my horse's comfort and longevity as of late. She was grateful for my caution but assured that his lessons are light enough that I don't have to worry about over jumping him. She also really really wants to see my do a hunter derby with him. Like, she's fully visualizing it into existence. Never had a trainer straight up manifest for me, haha, but it's appreciated. With that, we scheduled a lesson for the following Saturday to specifically gain some miles together over fences. Saturday came along, and good lord, it was a tense morning. Sp...

Allow me to explain. Ever since I began to delve into a serious fitness routine, I've had to work the frequency and type of workouts around my school schedule. Architecture is routinely listed as one of the most time consuming majors, so I always scale back for my own mental health during the semester and pick back up once a break rolls around. This works out great with riding because it allowed me to figure out exactly what exercises would help with my collapse. It's a double edged sword though; while I know exactly what to do in order to correct my balance, there is inevitably an annoying period of shoddy riding before things get back into place. Naturally, I expect less than perfect right bends and right canter transitions when I'm not quite fit enough to support a better movement. If you look closely, you can see her blowing off my right leg and moving sideways through the poles It usually takes no longer than two weeks in order for me to get back into a routine . . . u...

  My trials and tribulations of fall semester. Song: "Doses & Mimosas" by Cherub

Favorite show picture Favorite non-show picture Favorite thing you bought Breastplate! Favorite moment on horseback No picture, but Liberty giving me a nice canter always makes me feel like I'm on the top of the world. Favorite moment out of the saddle Look at this moth I found. Favorite “between the ears” picture I'm about to take this one out of these annual posts because I just do not take between the ears photos anymore, lol. Here's a favorite from several years ago. Favorite horse book or article I have a couple enjoyable ones. Horse people had a lot to learn this year. 8 Ways to Lose Money Fast in Your Horse Business So You Want To Be An Ally How to Handle Mistakes In Riding Favorite horse ridden (or groomed/cared for) aside from your own Favorite funny picture of your horse Fun Fact: Blackjack had his jaw broken when he was a youngster, and now he drools profusely. Favorite fence that you successfully jumped or movement that you conquered Haven't really jumped or...

Two thumbs up for anyone who read the title and didn't think this was going to be another political post. Several months ago (like over the summer, that's how long ago), I took a lesson on one of Trainer G's lesson horses, Liberty. It was a jumping lesson, and boy oh boy was it exciting. Starting off, it was an accidental semi-private because the other adult amateur who was supposed to have a lesson right before me ended up pulling in at the same time as me. Whoops, no biggie though, we both know how to keep our space. I walked and trot Liberty around no biggie. She's actually very fun to flat because she's so straightforward. Notice how I said we walked and trot around. No mention of canter. Remember that. Rare photo of Liberty standing straight on the crossties . . . When it got to jumping, the crazy came out. Liberty is bred for performance. In her spare time, she teaches little kids how to post and also barrel races like an absolute beast. Naturally, jumping her...