All I Want For Christmas Is....

In both my and my husband's immediate families, I am the only horse person. In both of our extended families, I am for sure the only English rider. I have a cousin who does some Western riding, and a great aunt and her daughter have a few horses (daughter used to be pretty serious about barrel racing...she has a family now, so not sure how much she still does). On my husband's side, I think there might be a cousin with a farm horse or two? Unsure on that one.

Anyway, what that all means is that around gift-giving times I usually have to come up with non-horsey wishlist items. I don't think my parents have gifted me with anything horsey in my adult life (besides cash, because cash always goes to the horses, of course), and my in-laws prefer to buy things in like real stores or something? Anyway, the top of my wish list is a gift card to Smartpak. Can't go wrong there. Or Riding Warehouse. I'm not picky!

Since they want to buy real things, I put a Noble Outfitters grooming tote (with a mesh bottom!) and some Under Armour wear (thanks CobJockey for the suggestion!) on my Amazon wish list. But now I need to come up with general things. We never made wish-lists growing up, but my husband's family is big into that. And surprises. I think I can remember 2 gifts growing up that were actual surprises on Christmas morning- paddock boots and riding lessons when I was in 4th grade and an iPod touch when I was about 19. My family tends to do small stocking stuffers and then have an experience (usually an overnight in the city and something like the aquarium, a show, etc).

All that to say- I can't figure out what general things I want. Maybe a puffy vest (for wearing to the barn). Or long warm socks (for under my riding boots). I really just put down three things I wanted and don't care if it's a surprise or not. I will of course appreciate anything they give to me. I love my in-laws, and they tend to be good gift-givers. I just don't need more "stuff" this year! I'm sure they are just as much at a loss on what to get their horse-obsessed daughter-in-law ;) I rarely wear jewelry, I have way too many hats/scarves/gloves, and I don't really like getting clothes as gifts since I can't try them on.

What non-horsey things are on your wish list?

State of Affairs

So as it is right now, I tend to ride in the evenings after work when no one is around. It means I have no photos. I really need to bribe my husband into coming down so I can get some new media. I have videos from the JW clinic a couple of weeks ago, but I really felt like we were embracing the suck that weekend, and it's a lot of not super pretty moments. Helpful for me to watch, but not really anything I want out in the world ;)

That's not to say we didn't have any nice moments. We actually did. But I've been having trouble figuring out what I'm doing (I'm very green at this level), and Lines isn't exactly the easiest horse. I am learning so much from him, but he is NOT a push-button schoolmaster! 

See? A decent moment!

At the clinic, I had wanted to work on our changes and see what we can do to improve them (he is late behind and runs off every single time). JW watched a few, tried to give me some tips and basically said to have my trainer work through them with me and my time would be better served doing something else. So the following week, I had G get on after I warmed Lines up so she could get a feel for his changes. Late behind. Every. Single. Time. She tried a few things, and finally we decided that it would be best right now to just ignore the changes and go for 10's on everything else. Perhaps they will improve with some strength building, but we think they won't be improved by schooling them. I watched his competition videos from last season and it's the same there. Late behind. 

With that being the plan, I am working on getting Lines' neck down and relaxed. He has this long swan neck, and on one hand can be sensitive to the curb, but on the other won't put his damn head down (yes, yes, yes...working on getting his back up, hind end under him, correct training, etc.). 

Looking good for an old man!

In other news, I FINALLY found a saddle to fit his weird old man back. I've tried well over 10 on him in the 2.5 months I've had him, and finally settled on a Jaguar XKC. It's got funky upswept panels in the back, which seems to sit well on his back. The seat is slightly small for me at 17.5, but the seat itself isn't terribly deep, so it seems to be working. I'll ride in it another week or so before I make a final decision. 

Not mine, but the same saddle.

And because I am buying a saddle, Lines just had new shoes put on, and board was due: 

True story. The struggle is real.

And finally, just for funsies:

Onward, noble steed!

November 10 Questions

*So....I wrote this last week and then never posted it because...well, I forgot. So three days into December, let's take a moment to remember the November 10 Questions*

One of these days I'll get into the swing of things and actually post interesting content. Maybe. I have a clinic coming up this weekend, so I'll have a report on that! I'm also waiting until after then to do the TRM Before and After Blog-hop, since I don't have any good media from the last month. I'll get to Tony's too, although he's not doing much these days, poor pumpkin.

But until then, I'll let Viva Carlos provide my content (again).

1. How old is the youngest/greenest horse you’ve ridden?

That would be Tony's younger full brother, Sacha, or Weissach BCH. I was the very first person to put saddles on both him and Tony, and was the very first person to get on Sacha as a three-year-old, although we did send him away for a couple months to get started once he turned four. Poor thing doesn't do much these days, but he is actually quite talented.

Wee baby Sacha.

2. How old is the oldest horse you've ridden?

Something like 28 or 29, I think. That would be Arron, a friend's Haflinger who was competing in eventing and dressage until nearly 30. He was trained in upper level dressage.

3. Were you scared of horses when you first started riding?

Nope. Not when I first started. I did end up getting scared at the second barn I rode at when we lived in Maryland. They left the saddles on the horses and had the riders go in and bridle them. There were a couple of biters/kickers, and one of the trainers was a yeller. It got to the point where I was scared of the horse and scared of the teacher. I didn't quit though!

Not nervous! I think I was no longer riding at the scary barn at this point though.

4. Would you say you're a more nervous rider or confident rider?

I'd say I'm fairly confident. I do get nervous with new horses since I broke my leg a couple years ago. Although I did get on one of my trainer's sales horses last week and it was amazing. He's only been in the barn a week and a half and two people have come to see him.

I used to be super confident!

5. Biggest pet peeve about non-horse people around horses?

When they don't think things should take so long. Like I don't just show up to a magically clean and tacked horse, and I can't just toss him back in a stall when I'm done. There's care involved!

6. A time you've been scared for your life (horse related)?

Oh yeah. The time a horse reared and rotated back onto me. That was fun. I was legit scared for my life and it really is a miracle that I only broke my femur and minorly fractured my sacrum and pelvis. It could have been so much worse, and I try not to think about that because it scares me! I was not wearing a helmet, which was the worst decision ever. Someday I'll tell the whole story.

Ah, good times. This really put a damper on my summer that year.

7. Have you ever fallen off at a show? What happened?

Nope! However, my horse has jumped out of the dressage arena multiple times and bolted like a nutcase, so I probably should have ;) 

8. What's a breed of horse you've never ridden but would like to ride?

Hmmm...good question! I can think of a few. Friesian (I've ridden a half-Friesian), Icelandic  (tolting would be fun!), Welsh Cob (um, major cuteness), or a really big draft horse. I've ridden part-drafts but I don't think I've ever ridden a full draft horse!

9. Describe the worst-behaved horse you've ever ridden.

Ahem. Should I just desrcibe my pony? He's given me the worst behavior over the longest time. The horse that flipped over on me was the worst behaved in a single moment though. Tony's just add up slower over time.

10. What's the most frustrating ride you've ever had?

Oh, I could think of a few with Tony where we just weren't getting it. He's reduced me to tears on more than one occasion. 

Tony's Family Tree

So people have been posting about their horses' family trees. Pretty sure they are all Thoroughbreds. Well, I don't have a Thoroughbred, but I love a good family tree! I know exactly zero things about Lines (his owner is supposed to send me his passport/papers to look at sometime...all I know is he was imported from Germany and used as a jumper in California before moving up to Washington to become a dressage horse years ago).
Tony, on the other hand, I know maybe too much about ;)

Tony's pedigree can be found here under his registered name Wheaton BCH.

I tried to find as many photos as I could! His immediate family is easy, as both his sire and dam (and full brother) live on-site. Haflinger colts are traced through their sire's line, and fillies through their dam's line (so all of tony's brothers' names start with W, and his full sisters' names all start with N). There are seven stallion lines and quite a few more mare lines (something like 13, I think).

Let's start on Daddy's side:

Sire: Waldheer van de Wortel aka "Wally". He was born in the Netherlands and imported as a yearling as a stallion prospect. He competed up to Training level eventing (I believe he was the first Haflinger in North America to complete a Training level event), and was schooling 3rd level dressage when an injury ended his career. He's now gelded and retired (except for when I occasionally brush the dirt off and climb aboard for a spin. He's fun). He has quite a few offspring out there, and tended to have really sporty kids with good bone.

Daddy back in his competitive days. Sadly I can't find most of his old competition photos since his owner switched their website host and now I can't see the pictures!

Wally last week. Nearly 20, and still so adorable!

Wally's sire is Wallenstein, an Austrian stallion. 

I don't know much about Wallenstein, but he sure is pretty!

Wally's grandsire is Winterstein. Winterstein was quite a popular stallion from Austria and can be found in pedigrees of many nice horses. I'm partial to the W-line of stallions :)

Sporty and substantial!

If we traced Wally's line all the way back, we'd get to the founding W-line stallion Willi, born in 1921. 

Tony's ancestor. I think it's like 7 generations back.

I don't know much about Wally's dam, Elisa, except that she was a silver-rated mare in the Netherlands, and was maybe also imported along with Wally? Don't quote me on that one though.

Elisa's sire is the well-known stallion Midas, who spawned several other stallions (including Midas Touch NTF, a popular stallion in the US). 

Midas at his inspection in Austria (late 70s/early 80s)

Dam: Noblesse BCH. Noblesse was born on the same farm Tony was in 1996. She was broke to ride at one point, and I believe jumping up to 4' (didn't compete, but did a few Haflinger demos). When Noblesse went through her inspection, she was the first American-born gold-rated mare in the US! The ratings are Gold, Silver, Purple, so she's obviously the best. She still hangs out on the farm. Her last baby is now 8, I believe. When she was younger, her mane was measured at 4 feet long at its longest point. Hair!

Momma a few years ago looking trim and lovely.

Momma about a month ago, looking a little rounder around the edges, but still as lovely as ever.

Noblesse's sire is Aristocrat TOF. This name might even be familiar to non-Haflinger people. Aristocrat has a Breyer horse model:

I don't think it particularly looks like him, but I have the model anyway. Haflingers represent! 

Here's the real Aristocrat. He's had quite a long competitive career in the midwest, and has sire many offspring. I also like the A-line stallions. From what I've seen, they tend towards a more modern, sportier build, and I like that in a competition horse. 

The real Aristocrat. He's beautiful, and I like how he's built. They did a lot of campaigning with him in the mid- to late-90s I believe.

Aristocrat's sire is Afghan II. Afghan II's sire Afghan (bet you didn't see that coming...) is considered one of the greatest modern Haflinger stallions (he was born in 1969).

Afghan II

Afghan

Afghan's sire Artist, another big name.

If we traced the A-line back two more generations, we'd get to Anselmo, the founding stallion of the A-line. Tony's great-great-great-great-great-great grandsire.

Noblesse's dam is Naomi NTF, who I sadly don't have any pictures of. Naomi's sire was Wall Street NTF, another son of Winterstein, and grandson of Midas. So really, all Haflingers are related ;)

Wall Street NTF

So that's what went into my darling Tony the Pony. I don't know many cute stories about his ancestors, but I know his sire and dam super well (I've known both of them since they were babies), and know enough Haflinger history and background to glean some interesting information. Kinda fun to hunt down all the pictures too!

Wordless Wednesday: Outfits

What can I say? I'm an adult amateur with a Barbie pony and a unicorn. Of course they have to have matchy-matchy outfits...This is just a few of our outfits. We have more. I may have a problem...

Media!

No words today, just a video. It's about a month old, but I think we had some really good moments!

I've got another clinic coming up this weekend, so I'm hoping to bribe my husband into videoing ;)

This was at one time an HD video, but I posted it to facebook, then downloaded it from there and put it here. Oh well!

Dressage Crash Course

A month and a half ago, I had never ridden a half pass, a medium gait, or a (purposeful) counter canter. I had never felt what upper-level dressage was supposed to feel like. I mean, I'd never even felt 2nd level- correct shoulder in and changes of lead through the walk. Now, I've got this incredible horse, one that knows far more than I do about this whole dressage thing. It's intimidating.

At least we look cute. Well, he does anyway.

But every day, I slog through. Often on my own in the evening, after I've worked a full day and then worked turn in at the barn (to afford board, which just went up again). No one is around and I push myself. Some days I feel like a dressage rider and some days I feel like a sack of potatoes riding an albino giraffe. Some days I have help from my trainer. I can't afford more than a lesson every other week or so (plus, I just don't have the time), and even then, I'm "paying" for my lessons by illustrating my trainer's book (which she is supposed to be working on).

We're dressaging!

We look a little better every week. I've been struggling with saddle fit (boo), and the saddle fitter was out last week and the visit wasn't super helpful (basically, the two saddles I have won't work. My trainer's saddle fits Lines well, but I sit terribly in it! Guess I'll be using it though).

I really need to get some new media- the pictures here are from a couple weeks ago, and I've been working on bringing his back up and neck down and control within the gaits. Hopefully I can convince my husband to come out and take pictures soon!

Pretty in pink! But oh so hollow through the back. It's better now, I swear!