Decade in Photos

Thanks to May As Well Event for the bloghop! I know I'm a little late to the party, but hopefully I'll be able to catch up on blogging soon.

2010

When 2010 started, I had Phoenix and I believe we showed once before he came up lame.  We spent most of the summer trying to figure out what was wrong before he was diagnosed with side bone in his right front.  I made the decision to retire him at 15. I had started riding my former BO's gelding Buddy and once I started horse shopping she offered him to me. I bought him in the fall and spent the fall and winter playing around with him.

2011

In February Phoenix moved out of the barn and into my trainer's pasture to be a buddy to her retired mare and he fully embraced the retired life.  I continued to DO ALL THE THINGS with Buddy.  We jumped and showed in both the hunter and jumper rings, took western lessons, chased cows, and went on trail rides.

2012

Phoenix moved back to the barn, came out of retirement, and was leased by A who was in 4H and wanted to learn how to jump. Buddy and I continued to play with all the disciplines.


2013

At 17, Buddy started to show his age and while we kept showing in the spring and summer, in the fall I made the decision that he probably needed to step down and not jump 2'6" plus anymore. He did help me qualify for my first medal finals, and because horses, the only time in the 7yrs I knew him he was went lame three weeks before hand. I borrowed the wondermare Tia and while having rider error in our over fences round, had a blast. Phoenix continued to pack A around and she took him to her first show over fences. In the fall my former BO found an add for a 5yr old OTTB mare four hours away from us and convinced me to take her sight unseen after her owners agreed to give her away. In all honesty, I didn't really want McKenna, but agreed.

2014

Buddy sold very quickly once I listed him, and for more money that I was asking, totally spoiling me for selling horses. Phoenix came up lame and my vet told me in no uncertain terms that at 19 it was time to retire him for good. McKenna got all my time and attention that summer/fall and while I felt like we were stuck we did actually make progress. She turned out to be much greener than I thought when I got her and I spent much of my time learning how to sit her spooks/spins/bolts/rears.

2015

I came to the realization that I didn't actually like riding McKenna, and put her up for sale. We then have some fantastic lessons, including jumping 3' in a gymnastic. I got a new job, which was the exact same position as my old one, just at a different university. That alleviated a ton of stress and combined with actually feeling like I was making progress with McKenna, I reconsidered selling her. Phoenix colicked badly in November and I made the decision to put him down. It was very clear there was nothing the vets could do, and while it was the toughest decision I've ever made, it was also the easiest. McKenna moved to her new family (which is the barn Peebs is currently boarded at) a couple days after Christmas, and for the first time in 10 years I was horseless.

2016

Three weeks later I bought Peebs. I knew from the first ride was was supposed to be mine; he felt like home. There was some definite "get to know you" issues but once we figured things out I started having a ton of fun with him.  In our first show together, after having him for three months and not showing in almost two years, we won division champion. We continued to show that summer and Peebs proved what a rock star he is. I also bit the bullet and ordered my custom saddle since finding a used one to fit him and me was proving to be impossible.

2017

 
 
 Peebs continued to be awesome and I really started to trust him. We continued showing and having fun.  I decided to do a breed lease on wonder mare Tia but unfortunately she lost the pregnancy and was given very slim odds of being able to get pregnant again.  In the fall a fellow boarder at the barn offered me her homebred warmblood filly.  I initially said no, then went to see her, and after talking my mom into helping me pay for her I agreed to buy Cinder.  She came home in December. Also that fall a new trainer moved into the barn and started causing drama and issues that I tried my best to ignore.

2018

Barn drama got way worse in January and in early February I gave my 30 days notice. It killed me to leave the barn I had been at for 11 yrs and the owners who I considered my second family. But it turned out to be a blessing and, for the first time in eleven years, I could focus solely on my horses. Cinder turned 1 and we did all the baby things. Peebs was still a rock star and won division champion in the hunters, and reserve champion in the equitation at the first show I went to completely on my own. We ended the year by being series champion in our hunter division for our local schooling show series.  We also were second reserve champion in the hunters, and fifth in the eq for our state wide show association. 

2019

Cinder got to start show season off in 2019 in halter and showmanship. We won the halter for her first blue ribbon. Peebs and I dabbled in hunter and jumpers where we had some great rounds, and some not so great rounds where I forgot how to ride. The ponies moved to A's house for summer camp while I helped take care of the barn while A was away on an internship. I love TCF and was very sad that they only have one stall available for fall/winter.  Cinder stayed while Peebs moved back to GS.  Having the ponies at two different barns has been a challenge, but I'm learning to roll with it. Once another stall opens up at TCF Peebs will move back.