A friend for Spencer...what?

So, I've been keeping a bit of a secret... No, I haven't found a pony or a mini for Spencer and no, I didn't buy another horse (at least not yet!...  ;-)

A couple of months ago, an acquaintance from the boarding barn down the road asked me if I would consider boarding her horse at my place.  I wasn't sure - I was told that Spencer was a bully and difficult with other horses, etc.  I thought about it for a couple of weeks and asked around if this girl was ok and in the end we decided to go ahead and try it for a few months.

Bailey arrived yesterday (we hand-walked him down the road) and things are going well so far. He and Spencer are almost  twins - similar size, colour, etc.  They were both a bit excited at first (in stalls across the aisle) but after that, they both settled down. We decided to try turning them out together right away.  There was some squealing and kicking, but within 2 minutes, they were side by side grazing in the paddock!

I'll let the pics do the talking.

The initial meeting....

There were some pinned ears and funny looks from Spencer. (on the left) Bailey justs wants to eat grass.

Friends?  They grazed together for a good hour without any fuss, so I left them alone...

I came back out to the barn a bit later and found them grooming each other.  It was quite the session. I don't think Spencer has been turned out with another horse in years...

Spencer enjoying the grooming

Day 2 is going well so far as well.  I expect there might be some excitement once the honeymoon wears off...  LOL So far it is much better than I had hoped.  I also took Spencer out front this morning to work on some showmanship.  I am slightly concerned about them getting too attached as well, but Spencer was happy to work and didn't call out once.  Bailey called a few times, but he is in a new place, so it is normal for him to be a bit unsettled at first.

Here's hoping it all works out well!

Liebster award!

I have to admit I was a bit surprised to be nominated for an award – my readers have dwindled over the years, since my blog is more journal-like these days. So, I would like to thank the lovely STB Excellence for nominating me!


The Liebster blog award is to recognize blogs that have less than 200 followers. The word Liebster is German for beloved and valued. There are rules to this award...

• Thank the person who nominated you and include a link back to their blog.
• List 11 random facts about yourself.
• Answer the 11 questions given to you.
• Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.
• Choose 11 bloggers with 200 or fewer followers to nominate and include links to their blogs.
• Go to each blogger's page and let them know you have nominated them!

Wow – this is going to be a looonnngggg post – just warning y’all now! Anyone that reads all the way to the end can consider themselves recipients of the Liebster award!! ;-)

11 Random facts

1. I was a super picky eater as a child. I’ve mostly grown out of it, but still don’t like tomatoes, eggs, mushrooms, fish and seafood!
2. I love foreign languages – My French is pretty good, as I use it a lot at work, but in high school/university, I also studied Spanish, Italian, Russian and Polish. All I can remember now in those languages are mostly swear words and the basic “How are you, my name is...” stuff.
3.  I’m left handed – which amuses me to no end. It cracks me up when people say “I don’t know how you can do that (eat/write, throw a ball, etc.) with your left hand!!!
4. I love cats. I like dogs and all other animals, but love my cats. There are many pictures of me as a kid mauling one of our cats. ;-)
5. I love zombies – tv shows, movies, books, etc. I really liked the Walking Dead graphic novels and the tv show.
6. I am a master procrastinator.
7. I’m a tomboy – haven’t worn a dress in years and don’t even own a dress/skirt anymore.
8. I’m obsessed with tall English riding boots. I have many pairs posted on Pinterest and daydream of ordering many, many pairs.
9. I spend a lot of time on Pinterest
10. I’ve only ever spent one night in a hospital so far (touch wood!). I was 15 and had a concussion from a riding fall. I even had my Mommy there, since she was a nurse at our local hospital. 
11. I like machinery more than my hubby. I daydream of buying snowmobiles, atvs, snowblowers, tractors, bush hogs and all kinds of things!

Questions from STB Excellence:

1. Describe your perfect house/farm.

I’m pretty happy with my little house and farm right now. I feel pretty lucky to have my horse at home, but that being said, there are a few things that would be nice to have.

In the house – a large mud room with room for a dog shower and lots of room for muddy coats and boots. And a nice laundry room and a library! Ok, while I’m daydreaming, a big country kitchen would be awesome too! My current house has enough room overall, but it is a bit lacking in the mud room department!

As for the perfect farm, I would love hundreds of acres to hack on, but that just isn’t realistic. I would like a large sand ring (which is coming next week!! woo-hoo!) and an indoor would be a dream.

2. Explain the significance of your blog name.

Oh, my blog name. It was based on a nickname from university. I’m really short, and was wearing someone’s hoodie. A friend flipped up the hood and because the sweater was way too big for me, they thought I looked like a keebler elf. The name stuck for years. I used it for the blog because I started it with the intent of using it as a private journal. I keep meaning to change the name to be more reflective of horses, but never get around to it.

3. Is the glass half empty or half full?

I tend to be a pessimist, so in the past, the glass was often half empty. My hubby is a positive guy, so I’ve been retraining myself to the half full camp and it is going well so far.

4. If you were given $1000 to spend in ONE store, which store would you choose?

Only ONE store? Gulp. I have enough tack right now and $1000 wouldn’t buy me the English saddle I want... Sooo, I might pick a department store, so I could get a variety of stuff. I would probably drive to the US and go to Macy’s, given the choice!

5. Who is your equine mentor? Past or current. Describe.

I didn’t really have an equine mentor until quite recently. My current coach is just totally awesome. She has helped us progress so much and just has boatloads of experience to draw from. I hope she never retires from coaching!

6. Do you check caller ID before you answer the phone? Do you sometimes let it go to voicemail because you just don't want to talk to someone?

I don’t have caller ID, but I almost always let calls go to voicemail! Bad, I know, but I hate talking on the phone!

7. What's under your bed?

Probably a lot of cat hair and dust bunnies... :-S

8. What are your best characteristics? (And I don't necessarily mean physical!)

Hmm – another tough question! I guess my honesty and my loyalty are my best qualities. I tend to be a bit blunt sometimes, but I prefer honesty and straightforwardness (is that a word?) over deceit and half-truths and drama. I’m a very loyal friend as well, until people start taking advantage of that.

9. Where did you grow up? How far away are you from your hometown? (You don't have to give your personal address here, a region is fine!! Stay safe online!!!)

I grew up on a 50 acre farm near a very small town about a 7-8 hour drive SW of where I currently live. I’m in the same province, but pretty far from home. I do miss home, but came to my current location for university and a cushy govt. job.

10. What are your nicknames and how did you get them/who gave them to you?

See question #2 for the first nickname... Currently, I get LC a lot from friends and co-workers (my initials) and my nephews often call me “Lo” or “Lo-Lo” because one of them couldn’t pronounce my name when they were young. Typically though, my name doesn’t lend itself to nicknames or shorter versions.

11. What is your favorite book? Why?

I honestly don’t know if I can answer this – I have a lot of favourite books! As a kid, the Black Stallion series was my all time favourite. I read and re-read those books many times. (Close second and third go to the James Herriot books and the Chronicles of Narnia). As an adult – maybe Water for Elephants? Should I have picked a classic here? I also liked Wuthering Heights and read lots of Shakespeare! I also hate to admit it, but the Walking Dead graphic novels are the most enjoyable thing I’ve read recently. Not sure what that says about me! lol

Questions from Funder:

1. Where are you from?

See #9 above

2. Where have you been?

Here and there – a couple of short trips to Europe, the US, Mexico and the Caribbean. Still lots of places to discover…

3. What scares you the most (and I don't mean "spiders")?

Oh, spiders are at the top of the list! But aside from that, getting injured while riding, losing my job and having to sell my house, something happening to my hubby…

4. What's your favorite food?

Do I have to pick just one? Steak, followed closely by thai food.

5. What's your biggest regret, or do you not believe in regrets?

Ack. Funder – these questions are hard! I think regrets and looking back can be a bit draining on the spirit. I regret not studying more in university and maybe letting other people’s problems control my life a bit.
6. Favorite band (with links!)

Ok – I’m not a cool music person. I like pop, rock and country, with a dash of alternative. I love Maroon 5, Blake Shelton, Bon Jovi (I know, I know…) 80s hairbands.  Mumford and Sons, Fun! and Of Monsters and Men.
7. What's the first name you ever gave? (I named my first cat Butterfly. I was three. I have no explanation.)

I named a big white cat Fluffy when I was 3. That cat wasn’t around long and I was sad, so I also named the next 2 cats we had Fluffy - even though they weren’t fluffy.

8. Is there a name you're saving? For a girl child, or a homebred horse, or a funny cat name?

No, not any more. I did have a few names when I was younger.
9. Biggest personal accomplishment, present or future?

Hmmm – is graduating university and holding down a job an accomplishment?

10. What's your favorite book? (reusing this, but I always love to hear the answers.)

See #11 above
11. What do you want for your epitaph?

No idea – can’t say I’ve ever thought of this!

First show down – well, sort of!

So we went to our first show on Sunday. Unfortunately the western riding section in the afternoon was rained out!

I was able to get halter and showmanship done in the light rain. I sadly didn’t get any pictures of Spencer in his nice show halter and all groomed up. He looked pretty darn good. A friend came over on Saturday night and helped me bath him and band his mane. He stood really, really well for the banding and all of the clipping and preening. It took us about 3 hours on Saturday evening to do all of that and he stood like a rock for most of it!

Spencer in his PJs

It took me until about 10:30pm to pack everything and load the car. I had a 6am pickup time, so I didn’t want to be running around looking for gear. I had my little SUV packed to the brim! One thing to work on for the next show is re-organizing my gear a bit and minimizing the number of bags of stuff!

Spencer jumped on the trailer no problem and I picked up the same friend that helped the night before. She volunteered to help me through the day and I was extremely grateful to have help! I’m sure after I have a few shows under my belt I’ll be ok to do more on my own, but I sure appreciated the help on this one!

Spencer was quite calm at the fairgrounds and wasn’t concerned about the speakers or the other horses. The rain was a bit of a problem though. That horse hates water touching him and running down his side, I’ve learned!

We went in to the halter class and I was using it to get the first class out of the way. Spencer wouldn’t stand still in the line up – every time I would set him up, he would turn his butt so he could have his butt to the rain. After a few circles, I let him stand at an angle and set him up that way. Luckily halter class isn’t as picky as others – you can touch your horse and move around. We ended up getting 2nd out of 6, so I was surprised. We then stayed in the ring for grand and reserve – well, we stood sideways compared to everyone else - we didn’t win anything there, which I was expecting, since there were some real halter horses there.


One of these things is not like the others...!

Getting that first class over with helped a lot. I wasn’t as nervous as I was expecting, even with Spencer’s antics. I was concerned that showmanship would be a problem, but decided not to think about it. I did a few practice patterns outside the ring while waiting and he was ok.

The first 2 ribbons - I think I'm hooked!

When it was our turn to go in, I just did the best I could. He started out great and we got through the pattern to the point where we were to set up for the judge. Since the judge was my coach, I felt 100% comfortable and not nervous. As we approached the judge and halted, Spencer swung his butt around in her direction. I just shook my head and apologized.

I then just set him up on an angle and we recovered the best we could. I knew that would blow our class, but at least I remembered the pattern and did all of the steps correctly. I ended up 6/6 or maybe 6/7 in that class, which was 100% to be expected. I was a bit disappointed, but it was sort of out of my control. Spencer was being a goof - maybe due to the rain or him just trying to get the best of me...who knows?

After that, we went back into the barn (we had a stall for the day – which turned out to be very smart!) Spencer got some hay and I was able to relax. The rest of the show was cancelled around 12 and we started packing up to go home. I was disappointed I didn’t get to ride, but it also gives me another month to practice before the next show.

All in all, I had fun and got that first show under my belt, even if it was really short. And I got two ribbons. I always thought I wanted to show as a way to challenge myself, but man is it nice to have a couple of ribbons! Who knew that I would be a ribbon ho??? lol

There are some things I had to borrow that I need to buy and I definitely need a bit better system for organizing all of the little bits and pieces of weird stuff you seem to need to show. I’ll write more about my ideas on that later, but for now, I’m happy to have it all done!

3 days and counting... :-S

I’m getting down to the wire for this first show. I’m feeling quite nervous and there are 3 reasons why:

1. It my first show in many, many years
2. It is my first time taking Spencer off the property for an event
3.  It has been harder to ride at home than I expected. More on that below…
   

I haven’t been riding as much as I should be, due to the conditions at my place. I just have a grass ring and it has been raining like crazy for the past month. I ride on dry days, but the soil is clay under the grass and stays wet for a couple of days after the rain. Spencer is also a bit spooky in the ring since it is close to the road. I think it is me that is spooky and he just reacts to me. It is a bit funny that I can hack him on the road without much problem, but in the ring where it is safer, I’m nervous. Strange!

To try and come up with some strategies to help my nerves, I’ve been reading “Inside your Ride: Mental Skills For Being Happy and Successful with Your Horse” by Tonya Johnston and it has a lot of great ideas and strategies. One big thing is preparation – not just of your equipment – but your riding and training as well.

I’ve got the tack preparation pretty well sorted out, but the riding part has been lacking. I’m a bit disappointed in myself, but I didn’t really have a clear idea of how my ring/nerves would hold up now that I have him back at home. It would have been ideal to keep him at the boarding stable until the first show, but that wasn’t really financially feasible at the time.

I’ve been thinking over my goals for the show and I’m feeling ok about things. The riding won’t be stellar, but I have lots more shows to improve on that. For now, my goals/focus are going to be on the following:

• preparing my tack, clothing and horse (banding, bathing, etc.) to the best of my ability – there is a learning curve here, but I feel fairly comfortable with 99% of it. A friend is coming over Sat. evening to help get Spencer ready
• focus on the in hand classes and use those to calm my nerves and get used to the environment
• create a good off-property experience for both of us as a team
• use the riding classes to get used to riding in a show environment with other people and distractions. Spencer has been shown for years, so he knows what to do. I need to work on trusting him and focusing on my riding.

And – as a result of all of this – Richard has agreed that I need a sand riding ring to progress with my riding goals!!! I have a couple of people coming out this week to give me quotes. I’m going to move the ring to the back pasture as it is away from the road and there is more room to make the ring bigger if needed. I’m working on another post on the fun stuff I hope to work on around my little farm!

Show Prep – I’m a mess!

This year I plan to do a series of 4 club shows. If those shows go well, then I’m going to try the rookie day at the bigger AQHA show in late July. Club shows don’t really require the same level of fancy show tack/clothing as the breed shows, but I still needed to get my tack sorted out. I'm a total gear junky, so this was a great opportunity excuse for me to acquire more stuff!

I had been planning on searching for a used show saddle and was able to find one that worked from another boarder at the barn down the road. The fenders were too long for me, so the saddle was sent off to our somewhat local western saddle guy to be modified. I think I’ll be able to borrow a show bridle from the same girl, so that is a bit of an expense saved.

I also wanted to have a separate set of brushes and grooming supplies to take to shows. It just seemed easier to have separate sets of stuff (and another excuse to buy more!).

I know a lot of people that show keep a set of tack/grooming supplies in their trailers, so you don’t have to worry as much about forgetting things. My short term plan is to buy a big tool box on wheels and use that as my show kit, but for now I'm just using a big tupperware bin. It should be fairly easy to put in my car/SUV along with the rest of my tack.

I also bought a snazzy saddle protector, hanging bridle/halter bag and a western hat protector. And they all match! I clearly have a problem – but I’m ok with that.

I spent a large amount of time googling horse show packing checklists and found lots of great examples. I took inspiration from those lists and created a list that I can print out before each show and check off as things are organized.

Here are a few samples:

• Checklist 1
• Checklist 2 (best for an eventer)
• Checklist 3

I am expecting to be a mess of nerves for the first couple of shows since I haven’t done this in a lonnnnng time and I haven’t taken Spencer off the property to a busy venue yet. I’m hoping that by having all of my gear organized as best I can it will take away one worry of not having something I need. I’m sure there will be a few things that I won’t think of to bring, but that is part of the learning experience, I guess!

I started writing this post a few weeks ago and in re-reading it today, I had to laugh that I wrote: “I am expecting to be a mess of nerves for the first couple of shows…”. I should have written that I will be (and currently am!) a mess of nerves for three weeks leading up to the shows as well as at the show itself!! lol


Now that I’m coming down the wire, I realized last night that I have to firm up trailering arrangements (done!), send in my show entry (done!), and finish sorting out my tack. I still need a couple of things, including chaps. I’ve ordered a couple of pairs, so hopefully I can squeeze into one pair!

We are going to band Spencer’s mane the night before the show and I will have to practice doing it myself over the coming weeks. My coach is judging the first show (in in 11 days!!!!), so I will be on my own! Hopefully some of the other people I know will be around if I have a meltdown and need some help. :-)

OK – I’m off to go check my stuff for the 100th time and get some things done so I can try (ha!) to relax.

An unexpected friend and a heartwarming story

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not very sappy or emotional. So, when something touching happens, it really surprises me.

Spencer’s previous owner trailered him to my place last fall. She told me after doing all the paperwork that she was prepared to leave him on the trailer and take him back home if my place wasn’t to her standards – she was pretty attached to him and only wanted him to go to a good home. As she prepared to leave, she was visibly upset – she had a new horse to ride - but was going to miss Spencer. Usually I say the wrong thing to people or make a joke to lighten the tension, but this time I knew what to ask. I asked her if she wanted to stay in touch and receive updates on Spencer. She smiled at me with watery eyes and said “yes, please…”. She then hopped in her truck and drove away.

I sent her a couple of short emails with pictures over the next couple of months. She responded politely and sent me pictures of her new horse. I figured that would be the end of the exchange. When I started having trouble with Spencer in the late fall, I sent her another email, begging for advice/help. She told me to call her and we would talk. I think I spent a couple of hours over the next few days on the phone with her and her husband. They were so supportive and encouraging and that gave me the motivation to keep working with him. They even offered to buy him back if I got really stuck…

Fast forward to this winter – I hadn’t heard from her in a few weeks. I got an email to let me know that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was having surgery soon. She then sent me updates on her progress and treatment. The treatments were going well, but it would affect her show season. She was able to make it to a AQHA show very close to my house this past weekend. A week before the show, she told me more details about how she was diagnosed.

It turns out that last summer she was on a trail ride with friends and the horses stepped on some ground wasps. Spencer was stung multiple times in the face, neck and legs. He didn’t freak out, but was dancing around. She had to do an emergency dismount, but hit her chest/stomach on the saddle on the way down. She had a massive bruise for a few weeks and when the bruise finally went away, she was left with a lump. She is a nurse, so at first she thought the lump was just damaged tissue, but by January realized it was something much worse.

She had some tests and was quickly scheduled for surgery. She feels that Spencer saved her life, because in Canada, most women don’t start going for mammograms until they are 50. In her case, (she’s 47) if she had waited that long, it would have been too late. Due to her injury that day, it brought the issue to her attention.

It is a nice story, but it isn’t really the horse that did anything, it was the situation…but that is just me being a bit of a cynic. She asked in her email if she could come over and give Spencer a hug. I agreed of course, and we decided to work out a time during the show to pop over to my place. I’m only 10 minutes away from the fairgrounds, so it was easy to work out the details.

I spent the day with her and her husband at the show. She introduced me to a bunch of people from her barn who all knew Spencer. They were really friendly and were happy to hear that he was doing well.

During the lunch break at the show, I took her and her husband over to my place. I sent her into the barn alone first, to give her a few minutes. She then called me in – I found her in Spencer’s stall, crying and hugging him. It was so sweet, that it cracked my cold heart a bit… ;-) She and her husband were so happy to see him and we spent about an hour in the barn talking and laughing. I took a few pictures of the two of them and it was such a nice moment. She told my husband and I her story in great detail and it was really touching and special.

Who knew when I bought this horse that I would make a new friend and have such an experience with him and his previous owners?

Her prognosis is good, since the cancer was caught so early, so she and her husband are very optimistic. She is so positive and encouraging to me in my riding and it is so nice to have made another real connection in the horse world, when so many horse people seem to be dishonest, critical and clique-y...