Alberta Equest

Over the weekend I was really lucky to be able to experience The Mane Event in Red Deer, Alberta for the first time in my life.   For those unfamiliar with The Mane Event, it is essentially a giant Horse Expo.   It features many, many vendors in a booth-fair format, various clinics of all different disciplines, exciting entertainment, breed demo’s, a trainers challenge and so much more.   Months ago, 3 great friends/clients and I decided to adventure some 7-hours south in pursuit of a fun-filled ladies weekend.   We’re safely home, surely exhausted, and all of our heads are spinning with the wealth of information we received over the 3 days.   Naturally, we gravitated towards the English Clinics which were put on by Jeff Campf (Hunters and Jumpers) and Diane Creech (Dressage).   We also took in many presentations such as Overcoming Fear in the Saddle, Horse Biomechanics, Equine Bodywork, Schleese Saddlery, and got to attend a Q & A with Jeff as well...

"V" is a 16.2+ 2009 Jockey Club mare by Finality out of a Dixieland Brass mare. She was given to my close friend from her previous employer, who represented Canada at the 1996 Olympics in 3-Day Eventing and continually produces and trains horses to the CCI*3+ with hopes of making it back to the Olympics. V was a potential Olympic hopeful, but unfortunately sustained a suspensory injury that ended her career at that level of riding despite over a year of attempted rehab with some of the best vets available. While i'm sure it was a tough decision as she *really* liked the mare and regularly joked "don't you know you're a red-headed TB mare?!", it wasn't feesible to hang onto her, as she will never likely return to that level of riding again, though she is likely sound for lower level/basic riding and will hopefully be a lovely broodmare. My friend is going through a very transitional stage in her life and is not prepared to do much with her at this t...

While I have an update coming on my horses, I will save that for another day.  In the mean time,  BLOG HOP TIME! Stay Patient and Trust Your Journey As Equestrians, we invest a lot in our expensive habit regardless if we are ammy's just trying to get through the day with one leg on either side of the horse, or professionals riding 5+ head per day.  Everything costs money, and it adds up quick.  Our expenses are often spread out which lessens the blow, but at the end of the day it's still an expensive investment. We often discuss our reoccurring or random expenses, but what about the items we buy that last 1-10 years? I realize it varies daily depending on what you're doing, what the season is, etc.  But on an average ride this time of year, what's your worth ? Though i'm not really riding right now, I will pretend I am. Right now, it's evidently still Winter despite the Calendar saying otherwise.  I go out to catch Kidd to go for a ...

"If you're going through hell, keep going" - Winston Churchill 1 st  Quarter Goals, ·           Keep Kidd's mane tame ·           Continue to have fun, and literally just enjoy the ride ·           Track my Expenses ·           Find a feeding plan suited to Kidd   (See Post: 1st Quarter Goals ) So at this point it’s safe to say things have not gone to plan in 2018.   Things started well, but the mudslide quickly started and I’m feeling like I’m scraping rock bottom in my riding right now.   I know I will get through this, but this post is really difficult to write at this point as a result.   I’m shining light on my failure in doing this, but it needs to be done. I’m genuinely curious to add the recent expenses up, and perhaps in owing my sh!tshow of an equestrian themed lif...

It’s been a little while since I have blogged, but truth be told I have been really busy.   A lot has happened since my last post, and I’m going to focus on a few key points of interest and it's going to be  pretty straight to the point so bare with me. Kidd Kidd has been showing some improvement recently, and I am satisfied with my decision to back off on him and add some more ‘fun stuff’ into our routine.   Even though my plans set in a previous blog are set are completely out the window, I feel like despite wandering onto a different path as of late, it has benefitted us.   We have been really involved with the Vet in trying to correct some things and when I last posted about him he had both his Stifles & Hocks injected for the first time, and upon her last visit we had another follow up lameness exam and floated his teeth.   We saw definite improvement post injections, but he’s still wanting to carry his hips to the right and after exploring mult...

"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." -- Harriet Ann Jacobs It's been a while since I have blogged and the truth is, I have been really busy both physically, and mentally. Ironically, it's always the mental blur that inhabits my brain that makes me feel incapacitated the most.  While I am busy shaping up for our first horse show (which I run and typically try to ride in, too) on the Long Weekend in May, I have also been front row for the battle taking place in my brain for what seems like, indefinitely.  Both during the daylight hours and haunting my dreams as I sleep, it consumes me.  The fear and frustration is back. Just 'cuz. And PS, we are getting our new puppy on Saturday! C will be thrilled. Since the day I tumbled off Kidd some time ago, he has been different, and I imagine so have I.  At the risk of sounding like a voodoo-lady; like I shook one too many brain cells too l...

I stumbled across this Blog Hop this morning as I perused through my reading list, pretending this is not the busiest week at work in our 8 week rotation.  Not only do I love Blog Hops because it expands my reading list, but I love reading the posts.  This Blog Hop was originally created by 3Day Adventures , and in it, she asks you describe your horse(s) in 3 words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kidd Sensitive Kidd is a red head, through and through.  He's incredibly sensitive both emotionally, and physically.  If one little thing in his tack isn't how he likes it, he will be incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. While it's not in his nature to pitch a full-on fit, he revels in negative tension.  He is easily upset when not spoiled and told how brilliant he is, and while it's nice he's invested, it works against us more often than not. Fun-Loving Kidd loves to have fun and is very easily bored.  He is very true to hi...