Exploration

It's been cold and I've been battling mystery cough illness and some exhaustion. It makes riding difficult. I've ended up taking naps just to get through the day.

Today, I had enough energy to get out of the house while there was still daylight, with Hazel bundled up on my back, to go out and clean the barn. The manure has been building up from midweek. I keep the stalls clean but the runs start to accumulate more than I can get picked in the dark after work or once the poops have frozen to the ground.  Thanks to some freezing rain the other day, the parts of the runs that aren't covered are pretty much an ice skating rink and Gwyn and Saffron aren't going out on it at all. I don't blame them.

Anyway, after getting three wheelbarrow loads of manure out of the runs and getting the stalls nice and clean (note to self, go get more shavings...) I put the dinner hay in the stalls, threw a halter on Gwyn and took her for a walk.

I've gotten permission from our rear kitty corner neighbors to use their property to access the fields behind them. I wanted to see what that access looked like before riding up there, and also familiarize Gwyn to the walk up AND see how Saffron would behave if we just walked away.

Everything went well!  Saffron called a few times, but Gwyn was focused on me for the most part and behaved.  The path to the fields is NOT riding accessible, just on foot, until I can cut back some branches. So my plan with that is to bring up some cookies I made and ask if I can clip them back in that one spot. Yay bribes!

I've also been contacting the landowners of the fields back there to get permission to ride and so far I'm a go!  This is really going to make getting some good conditioning rides much easier to get without the fuss and time committment of trailering out. I'm very excited! It also opens up the possibility of accessing the Polly Ann Trail from home without dangerous road riding.

Trying New Things, 2017 Edition

This is a kind of horsey post, I've xposted it from my Mom/Science blog.

Since moving to Michigan I've gotten pretty involved in the Great Distance Derby, which has connected me with some local, likeminded horse people. I've gone to Flint to donate water with them on two occassions and gone on some trail rides. I even 'walked' a trail ride with Gwyn in hand just to get out and socialize while I was pregnant since I wasn't allowed to ride. 

The person who organizes GDD has also started organizing a Michigan and Midwest Mounted Archery organization, and is bringing clinics to the area. I wasn't able to do anything last year, but I have done some mounted archery with the SCA back when I lived in Florida. I was a fan of it then and I see no reason why I could do it now.  At this point I'm trying to dial back my expectations of what competitions we can do without really sinking time and money into some training for Gwyn and myself and being realistic about what is within our reach and what is possible in the future.  

Anyway, that's musings for a whole post on its own. Suffice it to say, mounted archery is a pretty darn reasonable hobby and the clinics are reasonably local and kind of budget friendly with the added bonus of including camping! Yay! I love camping!

So for christmas, Eric got me a very basic, junior archery set.  Two arrows, a cheap bow and finger and arm guards that are not meant for my fingers or arms. 

A nice January day! 

For winter training, my friend Heather organized a group of us to meet up and do an activity called Archery Tag at a local indoor sports complex. 

You get totally cool face shields that fog up the moment you start sweating.

And play on an indoor field with fake grass and 'obstacles' 

It's basically like dodgeball but with a bow and arrow.

AND SO MUCH FUCKING FUN OMG

The arrows are blunted foam and while you can feel them make contact, you aren't hurt, mainly because each team is kept separate from one another. You don't cross into the other team's territory and the  neutral middle is where you aren't allowed to shoot from or be shot. 

You can see me in the top part of the picture aiming at Heather, lol.

I've just let loose an arrow!

The game starts with all the arrows in the middle, Hunger Games style like the Cornucopia. 

The referee counts down and then it's a mad dash to the middle to grab arrows and then back to be out of range (or at least at an easily dodgeable distance)  or hop behind an obstacle to snipe the other team.  

You get someone out by hitting them with an arrow. But, if you grab an arrow, the person who shot that arrow is out and someone on your own team can rejoin the game.

I like hiding behind things, but the constant crouching and standing up to shoot and dropping back down. Let's just say I did a LOT of squats. My legs burned FOR DAYS. 

You can also see the white target with black spots. The game was won if you either took out all the opposing team by hitting them or if you knocked out all five of those foam circles. Our team won boths ways!  

Team "Don't Shoot Me!"  which is retrospect was in poor taste....

The plan is to do this monthly in the cruddy winter months (Feb and March) before clinics start up and riding can begin in earnest again.  Until then, I'll be using my baby bow to desensitize Gwyn because I'm planning to do a clinic in June!  I'm so excited!

2016 Review, Goals for 2017

2016

March
Teach Gwyn one trick! TBD  Gwyn learned to stand back and wait for food at dinner time! Useful!

April
Avoid going into labor during Distance Derby dinner  Check!
Introduce new baby to Gwyn Super check! Though we barely got this done in April. Much adorableness was captured

May
At least sit on Gwyn Check!
Alt goal- teach second trick to Gwyn/teach to highline in prep for camping Check! We got the highline down!

June
First post partum trail ride!  I don't think I got a trail ride in until July or August. Babies are needy.

July
Ride once a week HAHAHAHAHAHAH

August
Endurance ride at Kensington, novice 15 mile  Check!!  I made a further goal of maintaining a 6 mph pace and achieved that!
Ride twice a week Let's just assume that the 'ride x per week' weren't achieved.

September
Ride three times a week
Go to a hunter pace or local dressage show  I'm marking this as completed because I went to both a hunter pace AND the hunter trials but everything was in October.

October
LD endurance ride at silver Creek Check! Turtled the 30 mile and had a blast!
Polly Ann trail fall ride I ended up opting for the hunter pace instead of this event since they were on the same weekend and I ended up having to work that day.

November
Ride three times a week

December
Ride on new year's Eve Achieved!  I got 1.17 miles around the pasture with Gwyn
Teach third trick to Gwyn 

I'm overall pleased with the goals that I set versus what I achieved. I knew the year would be a challenge because of a new baby. And riding really did drop off toward the end but to that I blame more my new job. It's a balancing act being at the job and then also making time for both my kids who want to be with me, and riding is time away from them. Even Kaylee has expressed that she misses spending time with just me. So I'd pass up potential riding time in order to be a mom first and foremost.  That being said, here are my 2017 goals, with my job taken into account: I might make monthly ones later, but we'll get there when we get there.

2017 Goals

Attend 3 Limited Distance rides (Brighton in April, Metropark Express in August and Oak Leaf Run in October)
1 Hunter Pace
School cross country at least once
Trailer to or have a trainer come to the house for at least one lesson
In months where I don't have an event, trail ride at least once a month. 
Get permission from landowners to ride on farm field perimeters

So Belated Merry Christmas, Happy Yule, and Happy New Year, so long 2016, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Lights in the barn so my imagination doesn't go into overdrive when I open the door in the dark.

Saffron has a new sheet for resisting the elements, especially since we get some incredible wind.

Professional Photos from Oak Leaf Run

I've been a bit quiet on the blog front lately.  My thoughts are all over the place thanks to current events.

This was a welcome distraction to see yesterday. All photos are credited to Cathy Seaver and used with purchase.

Coming into the hold.

Heading out on the second loop.

Plus a Hazel, who was a hit at camp.

Oak Leaf Run 2016 - 30 mile LD

Our camp. We picked it out in the dark since it was first come first served. The truck tent went up well. Gwyn was perfect on the hi line. She adapted quite well for only being on it two or three times before. And while we had horse neighbors, she was effectively solo.  Good pony!

My alarm went off and I snuck out of the tent to go figure out when the LDs were leaving. I had about an hour (the 50s were leaving when I asked) so I signed in, paid and went to tack up since Mary (the ride vet) said I could vet in tacked up. 

When I got back Eric and Hazel were getting up so I helped get her cozy in the carrier that Eric prefers. 

Camping Checklist

Am I missing anything?

Living arrangements
Truck tent
blankets for layering
camp pads for truck layering
outdoor rug for truck layering
sleeping bags
pillows (2)
changing pad for Hazel sleep

Horse necessities
Hi tie
lead ropes
bridle
saddle
saddle pad
breastcollar
grooming tote
bale of hay
hay bag
grain
muck bucket
muck fork
riding boots
half chaps
water bottle holder and water bottle
ziploc bag for map and rider card
camelbak
water bucket
water in storage tank
fleece cooler
wool cooler
liniment


Clothing:
Me
Riding pants
3 pair underwear
hiking socks (2 pair)
t shirt
long sleeve tshirt
fleece vest
zip jacket (light)
fleece jacket
yoga pants

Hazel
Fleece jammies
wool onesie
wool footed pants
knitted  sleepsack
fleece sleep sack
footed pants
long sleeve onesies
diapers
wipes
pacifier

Eric
Pants
shirt
jacket
socks
boxers
boots/sneakers

Food
Breakfast
Premade coffee drinks
yogurt
bananas

Lunch
Premade sandwiches?

Dinner
Acquire on road?
Miscellaneous
Breast pump
bottle
frozen milk
cooler
spoons

Miscellaneous Other
Ergo
Baby bjorn
Bumbo
flash lights
Phone chargers
Phone battery pack

Metamora Hunt Hunter Trials

Alas, I didn't run my GPS so this day won't count for Distance Derby mileage. It was still a great day! I entered into two classes, a trail flat class where you follow a course but don't jump and then a baby jump course.  It had some of the permanent obstacles you see in the photos and also some itty bitty stadium jumps next to larger obstacles. Everything here was built to mimic what would be found out while hunting. 

Gwyn did pretty well. She doesn't like to turn left, which I'm beginning to suspect is due in part to the damage to her eye prior to the snakebite. I think we can work on it, but until then, turning left, especially at speeds faster than a walk, are an issue.  Thankfully I was here to have fun so taking wide right turns to then approach a jump with a hard left approach was fine to me.  And Gwyn was super brave over the fences. She only ran out on one (from a left bend) and circled around and went over after that. I think she prefers the solid fences to the pole ones. Those she can just push through.

I also tried to hold off on this post because there was a photographer there that day. They haven't been posted yet!!!  So I'm posting this now and I'll do a follow up with the pro shots of me actually riding.

It was a beautiful day. 

Kaylee also entered in a class! Her first horse show!  We dressed Gwyn up as a unicorn and really made an impression. Again, no photos since Eric was on Hazel duty but I'm waiting on that photographer.

I found Hunt Country

I picked the kids up from daycare and decided to go find where the Hunt Pace will meet next month (on my birthday!)  If things are close I like finding them before driving there with a horse trailer, just so I have an idea of what to expect with the roads and distance.

We were in for a treat.

Water complex with bank jumps.

Coop jump

The intersection listed on the Hunt Pace. I'm betting we park in this hay field.

Perfect pastures. I'm envious.

Only an hour from Detroit, folks, 30 minutes from the mess of Flint.  And like 10 minutes from my house, and it takes that long because it's all dirt road and you have to go slow to avoid ridiculous washouts and potholes.  

I wonder if they'll let me trailer over there to ride...?


And now I feel a huge desire to really shape up my pastures because my little farm is all raggly scraggly compared to those places and I'm kind of embarrased.

Safety Vests!

Being fat is not always conducive to riding. It's hard to find riding pants, but thankfully not impossible (I love you Kerrits!) Tall boots are out of the question until I'm willing to pay over $500 for customs or until my calves shrink. Show clothes are equally difficult to find unless I'm willing to pay. In other words, it's hard, but not impossible and requires lots of digging through online stores. Brick and mortars rarely have anything that fits me. Usually it's the size just below. I'm not that far out of 'standard' sizing. There is one item that has eluded me thus far. A safety vest for riding.

I've been wanting to take Gwyn Cross Country schooling for a while now, just to introduce her to baby jumps, but I can't as I'm required to wear a safety vest to school and compete. These are foam and are designed to protect you in the event of a fall. When I was a kid they were suggested but not required, but times change. They are now required and when you have a bust of near 50" and a waist that's similar, there just isn't a product that's easily found on the market.

But I found one. And for a damned decent price too.  The really cheap ones are about $150 and offer some protection, or the appearance of protection.  The expensive ones (without going custom) are $350+. Then, if you go into inflatable vests that puff up when you leave the saddle it gets even more expensive to buy the vest AND the CO2 canisters since it's a one time use thing. The one I found is made in the UK. Only 2 US retailers carry it and around the $350 price tag.

But thanks to currency exchanges and Brexit, a UK store is selling the size I need for $250 which includes shipping and customs charges.  SOLD.

Additionally, since I just got paid for my first article, that's what's funding this purchase. I'm so stoked. I'm one step closer to Xcountry schooling. There's a course nearby that is open for schooling, so YAY. YAYAYAYAY

If you're similarly well endowed in the body fat department, check out this website for body protectors.

Metropark Express 2016

One of my goals was to get to this event and I did it!  Originally I think I wanted to do the LD but upon reflection of the respective fitness level of both me and Gwyn, I decided it was better to do the intro. Plus, I really didn't think me being away from Hazel for long was a good idea. As it was, I was out 7 hours with travel and she didn't eat THE WHOLE TIME.  Silly baby.  But she was good for Eric, so that was good.

It felt like she was up every hour to fuss and feed the night prior and so when 4:30am rolled around and my alarm was set for 5, I just said fuck it and got up.  I pumped, finished getting things ready, and went to load Gwyn in the dark. Then I chased Gwyn around the property before she gave up and got on. It took less time than last week.

Kensington Metropark is an hour and 10 minutes away. If I take the highway, it's 70 miles, if I take backroads, 55miles. I took back roads. Bonus, I got to avoid construction.

I've arrived!

I'm friends with one of the organizers on facebook and she messaged me to let me know that the other rider doing the intro was planning on leaving with the LD riders (there were no 50s on day 2)  I decided to join them. The start was really low key and Gwyn did great. She wanted to go go go but was listening really well. My goal was to ride an average 6 mph pace for the ride. A 12 mile ride meant I would be done in 2 hours. Achievable!

The day was beautiful. I had a tech shirt on with a fleece vest while I was tacking up. The saturday ride had been brutal thanks to heat and humidity, but today was just spectacular and great for my draftie. I wore just the tech shirt on the ride.

This park sprays for bugs so there were NONE. It was so nice. And the forest was cool and pleasant with occasional spots where the trail was in the sun.

The one other intro rider was bringing a new horse along. He was totally down for my pace plan and we had similar views on how to ride the ride with our horses. It was nice to have someone to chat with. Last year I rode with a mom and daughter but they walked nearly the whole thing and it was brutal. It was so nice to actually move and cover some ground with purpose. My ass didn't get nearly as sore.

We had less dramatics over the water crossings this year, haha.

And I remembered where the trail went so I didn't get lost this time!

There's a water slide and lake over there.

On the I-96 trail (so named because it's an out and back down to the highway) you have to sign in that you got there so they know you didn't cheat the distance. I asked if I could just take a picture of me there. Ride management was a little stunned at the idea. I mean... I don't think I could get Gwyn close enough to write... or get off and get back on. Thankfully my buddy checked me in.

But I still took a picture for proof.

Snack break!  We took brief snack breaks for the horses and always let them drink from the streams we encountered. This trail is nice because there's a lot of water on trail that's good for the horses.

We took turns leading.  Both horses were fine. Yay!

Chill pony.

This sign was concerning for Gwyn, lol

Huron River

Out onto the blue loop, which we apparently didn't need to do. They changed it on us last minute, since blue had trees down after the storm the night before. Oops.

Easy tree to get around.

HARD tree to get around.

Crossing the river.

And into the river!

We played in this river last November, when I hand walked Gwyn on the trails with the Distance Derby folks. This time I got to ride in!  Gwyn walked right and took some nice deep drinks. I think going in right before we did vetting really helped her cool down. 

Proof! Yay!

 Vet card: Gwyn was a little muscle sore on her left front shoulder but nothing that impacted her gait. Her pulse was spectacular. We could have gone out for another 10/12 I think. I'm glad I didn't push it though.

I got a sweet t shirt