A moment of hope

Also this weekend, I got the wonderful opportunity to ride Lyra down at New England Veterinary Hospital. It really is a truly wonderful place. When I arrived to give my pony a kiss, and go for a ride, she was standing like a pro in her stall quietly like she had been doing so all her like. I went in with a peppermint, and gave her a snuggle before getting her tack together and hopping on! She was so happy to see me which gave me so much joy, and while I was tacking her up, I realized how much I really had been missing her. Here is a picture at Left of New England Equine!



She was so good for our ride. At New England, they have a very nice indoor round pen where the footing is nice, and the lighting is perfect. You are only allowed to ride in this space because of liability, but even so it was nice, and we had a great walk-trot-canter workout that lasted long enough for Lyra to get a tast of riding again. Here is a picture of our ride ---------------------->

Even though I miss her so much, yesterday marked the one week milestone. In 2 weeks, she comes home and is all mine again! Cant wait (: Chao for now. <3 <3

The Bliss of the Weekend!

This week has been great! It started with a wonderful dressage lesson on Tuesday riding snickers! Very fun. Anyways, yesterday Addie, Isabel and I got out of school early (at 1:15) and drove 2 and 1/2 hours to Greystone Stables where Isabel, Addie, and I have frequent lessons to keep up our Hunter Jumper position and way of riding. We are also on the York Equestrian Team, and sense that is a Hunter Jumper thing, it helps to have monthly instruction. The stable is a really fun environment because it is a busy barn with fun people and a wonderful, helpful staff! Truly, a great place to ride.

Our EQ team had a horse show coming up on sunday (october 30), and we were all very excited to compete. It would have been my first competition with the team, and its not easy because you compete a horse that you have never seen or ridden before, and you jump a course! Unfortunately, mother nature decided to change our plans, and it SNOWED in MA the day and night before our competition. Even though our trainer promised us that the show would not be canceled, it was. And Isabel and I were so disappointed! The up-side was that we had gone to Dover Saddlery the day before (See image at right) ----------->, and we had a fun night in a Hotel with a nice restaurant in it! Anyways, lucky the horse show is postponed to a later date, and we have one coming up very soon anyways, so all is well, and I can not wait for next weekend!

Hopes, Dreams, Planing, and Disappointment

I wanted to blog about some things that have really been bothering me lately! Because of recent, and previous events, such as Lyra obtaining Lyme disease, I have been thinking a lot about what the two of as a team are going to do this winter for training, and what our summer goals and plans may look like!

Currently, Lyra and I are at a beautiful farm in Appleton Maine, it is a beautiful place! However, their are parts and pieces of boarding and training there that I don't like so much. I do have to say that we have  everything an eventer needs besides a indoor arena, which is totally necessary for Maines winter months. I also feel as though I am not supported by my trainer in my decisions, or hopes with Lyra. All I want at the moment is to be at a barn close by that has an indoor riding arena where I can train through the winter, and to have a trainer that really wants to work with me, and have ME to her training, and not pay for her to be trained by someone else. I would also like a trainer that would support me with training this tricky chestnut thoroughbred mare that I call Lyra!! Somehow I don't seem to have anything close to this, and I feel so stuck! Sometimes I feel like I am just being a drama queen, but is it to much to ask to want someone to support you and your wanting's with riding? Hopefully, some miracle will surface for us, and Lyra and I will be able to get something done this winter, training wise. Of course that would be after she gets home from New England Veterinary Hospital.

I hope that whatever comes with spring is a happy horse and rider, who have been working there tails off all winter to improve themselves! My only goal for the spring months is to get Lyra to a place where she can Walk, Trot, Canter,and jump in a controlled, and safe mannor. Also where we are both happy and not so stressed out when we are riding. I hope that this hard work would lead to a wonderful week at GMHA Junior Horsemanship Clinic for us. I learned SO much last June when I went, and I feel like if Lyra and I can go down with a good bace, we could learn SO much, and have those great experiences prepare us for a overwhelming summer of fun! After camp is over next year, I would love to go streight home with my friends from last year to board, and work for Jessica Halliday at Highland Acres farm in Grafton MA. This is a wonderful boarding, and training facility where my friends from GMHA board and train there event horses! I have heard nothing but wonderful things, about Highland Acres, and I think it would really benefit both my training, and Lyra's training if we were in a place with other fun riders and friends that are doing the same things that we are, and also with a younger, more fun and advanced trainer like Jessica who wants to work with me and Lyra to achieve our goals JUST as much as I want to work with her! The comforting part of this dream, is that my mom is finally totally down with my ideas! So it is nice to feel like I have someone on my side about my goals! I think this plan would be so much fun to cary out for the rest of 2012 summer. It would also give me a break from the Maine training and eventing world, because like it or not, there is greener grass on the other side of the boarder (: (:

My loving friendship with the doctors at New England Veterinary Hospital

So, I am sorry that this first blog post has to start off with bad/sad news, but after having a wonderful horse named Blaze die at New England Vet Hospital this past June, I am totally not looking forward to taking my OTTB mare down there for 3 weeks to get her Lyme treatment. Yeah, totally stinks that Lyra has Lyme... especially because I have this fly spray that has TICK repelling qualities, and still Lyra managed to get bitten. I have to say that I am not just pissed that she has Lyme, but also that I am used to seeing her everyday, and riding her as well, and this is going to be a three week set back for us because we have the BN goal for next year! Anyways, I will be able to go and visit Lyra on the weekends and ride her at New Englands round pen, but that is totally not enough for me! Hopefully with the support of best friends, I will keep my cool these three weeks, and remain in a positive state. (That is Lyra at the Right ---> )


On a happier note... I had a wonderful Weekend with the amazing Ashley Shaffer! We did all kinds of FUN things, but when I arrived at her house on Friday evening, we attempted to bath, and braid Duellsa and Ryn in the poring rain... It was totally fun, and worth it in the end because both mares looked amazing at the Infinity 2-phase! Ryn won second in then Elementary division, and Duellsa obtained fourth in the Beginner Novice devision! YAY PONIES! Then, upon arriving back at Ashley's house, she gave me a wonderful riding lesson on Kieko who is her BN packer who got second at Snowfields HTS this year at BN! YAY! It was a great lesson, and I totally appreciate everything Ash has done with that fine mare! After a early to sleep night, we woke up to the morning of the Stewart Pittman clinic at Peppergrass farms. Again, Duellsa and Ryn were going, and Ashley had two great lessons that were SO fun to watch! I just wanted to say THANKS SHAFFER for a fun filled weekend (: (: (That is a picture of Duellsa at Right ----> )