We started the year with our traditional big road trip to Arizona and Texas. Coming back, we were determined to get into a better swing of things with the barn. And we have. Several times. And life has conspired to throw our consistency out the window again in every case. First it was the weather.… Read more »
Piper
Another Year
2016 is well and truly over, which is a little hard to believe. And part of the reason for my silence on this blog is things have been tough going for us as far as the horses have been concerned for the last many months. Looking back at my stats, I spent only about 100… Read more »
A Navicular Diagnosis
When I started Piper in early 2015, she was sound. However, as we moved past the first few rides and got going a little, at times I felt she was a little off at the trot. It was always really hard to pin down, or even be sure of. Some days it was maybe, maybe… Read more »
The State of Piper
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Piper came into our lives. Having her this long wasn’t totally the plan. My plan was to get her started in the spring, ride her a ton in the summer, and most likely sell her in the fall. If I kept her this long, I imagined… Read more »
Summer, Take II
It’s the end of August, and somehow my brain thinks summer is just starting. I suspect said brain is going to be disappointed in the near future when I have to start wearing layer upon layer of clothing to comfortably go outside, and riding is once again done in a large, frigid building. On the… Read more »
Piper’s Progress
We’ve been in a good riding pattern since we got back from South Dakota. It’s been fun getting to know K’s new horse a little, and the weather has been wonderful. We’ve changed our ride combos and gone back to riding Steen and Nevada together, then switching to Laredo and Piper. This is mostly because… Read more »
Opening Doors
Recently Bruce Sandifer has taken to posting short videos on Facebook. These are awesome because usually he’s just chatting about what’s going through his head as he’s working with a horse. One of my favorite things about him is he’s so willing to express uncertainty, to say he’s just trying something out and he doesn’t… Read more »
Late Spring Update
We’ve had a beautiful spring here in Iowa. Not much rain, quite a bit of sun, and lots of really temperate weather. April was a good month with the horses. Loretta I’ve continued to do work both with Loretta alone and with Loretta and her owner together. We are seeing a lot of really good… Read more »
All Three Gaits
It feels like we’re finally back in a good groove with the horses. Work is coming out of the first quarter crazies as well. That plus some nice weather have made it a lot easier to get out on horseback with more consistency. Last week we got out twice mid week and rode Piper and… Read more »
98 Hours to Go
I love weekends. Our days go like this: We wake up naturally, and make coffee. I spend a few hours writing. We make breakfast, eat, and head to the barn. We ride two horses each, head home, have tea, and wile the afternoon away reading or doing a workout or whatever else we feel like.… Read more »