Breaking News: A Blissful June Evening

I'm writing this entry on June 30th.  This week has been pretty amazing, if tiring.  On Sunday, Lexi rode Violet for me in a Jill Jewett jumping lesson.  And Violet worked for the next 4 days straight afterwards.  She had a jumping lesson on Monday, a dressage lesson on Tuesday, and then jumping lessons on Wednesday and Thursday.  She's just been great about bringing her best self to her work.  And tonight was great because I rode with my favorite girls -- Lexi, Sophie, and Reaghan -- and we all did well.  Stacey raised the jumps a little higher and we all handled the challenge without problem!  And I'm happy to say that I practiced two-pointing more sharply and could feel myself closing my hip angle and releasing and opening my shoulders better -- at least just for this evening.  Violet and I rode a 7 jump course at the canter and only needed to break into a trot for a moment once to make a simple change.  We were smooth, ready, measured!  We had fun!  I was really proud of her tonight and on the dressage night.  In her lesson with Janet she was an agreeable kind hardworking girl who was doing her best to travel straight and be flexible and supple.  I love my red girl! 

I closed out my evening with her by giving her a bracing liniment body wash and then put a wonderful smelling liniment on her legs before tucking her into bed.  Then Lexi and I went for ice cream at the Ice Cream Station in the evening cool.  I'm tired, but so very happy!

Beautiful Surprise Storm

In early March, right after a period of nice weather and after all the snow had melted, we got a surprise snowfall during the night.  And it was just so light and fluffy and impermanent.  It was beautiful. 

My Arrythmias

I'm writing this entry on March 9th.  I've had lots of stress over the past few months and I've been dealing with damaged and lost relationships.  I'm sorting through changes.  Anyway, every few weeks, my heart will go into arrythmias which last for several days at a crack.  I think my heart truly is degrading -- the one pulmonary pig valve and it's affecting the function of the rest of my heart.  I can say that I do believe that I get fatigued much more quickly while riding.  My concern is that I won't be able to help Renny  achieve his greatness, if I become too disabled.  I'm really looking forward to what my cardiologist says this July.

Hardworking Sweet Sport Pony

I'm writing this entry on March 9th and this recent photo is Renny getting ready to work! His canter has been getting better and better and his trots are impeccable at collected, posting and extended.  He is getting to be really good at giving gaits when asked.  And just this past week, he's been started over cavaletti at the next highest notch.  After he turns 3 in May, he's supposed to be started over crossrails and worked at 18 inches for the summer -- lightly.  And then he will go into training with an A-circuit pony hunter trainer in Chardon. 

Breaking News! Grampa Celebrates his 90th Birthday!

On Saturday, June 25th, Grampa Sanchez celebrated his 90th birthday with a celebration with family.  It was wonderful.  Mary Lou made Grama's famous fruit salad, mom made potato salad, Angie made tons of yummy treats, and Bill grilled salmon, pork and chicken.  We were spoiled.  I'm proud to be a part of the Sanchez family!!

My Handsome Jackass

Here is a photo of Jackass taken in March, 2011.  He's so handsome.  And wonderful.  And caring after his own fashion.  He's been a remarkable cat his entire life and runs my household smoothly and with discipline.  Right now, he's the skinniest he's ever been and definitely showing the signs of age and illness.  But he does not let anyone see these changes -- he continues to rule our world with royal calm!

My Handsome Arcangelo

Namaste.

Renny's Situation

Renny is such a wonderful pony.  He works hard.  He's bright.  He's sensible.  He is talented and figures out things fast.  He's only got two knocks against him.  I bought him a stupid Indian leather bridle which is stiff and unpleasant, so we wrestle when I put it on.  I am determined to buy him a soft butter warm one, so that he knows that I love him and don't want to hurt him.  Second, I have a terrible collapse to the left, so he has to learn how to offset my list and still learn his lessons.  I am determined to use yoga and meditation to sit up and square and deep and soft in that saddle.

But anyway, because he's been so good about everything, and because he's a coming three year-old, we are getting ready to start him over cavaletti and crossrails!!!  I spoke with Melinda Zalesky of Quicksilver Farms and she said that she could take him for a few months this summer and fall to put training on him and then I could bring him along through the fall and winter and then she'd put another month of training on him in Spring 2012, so that he would be ready for his real rated-show debut. 

I am hopeful about his training options.  And I love him dearly!

A Circle of Jumps!

I am writing this entry on Monday, February 28th and these photos are from Saturday, the 26th.  This past week was very busy.  Violet had come off a week of 6 rides, with 5 of those rides including jumping, and one of them a training ride with Stacey.  And so she was trying hard to be soft and good and hard-working.  And so, this week, we had the great fun of cantering a circle of four jumps.  We were not perfect, but we had tons and tons of fun!!!  And then at the end of the week, Violet finally went outside.  I cried a little bit, I was so relieved!

After the Storm

I'm writing this entry on Monday, February 28th and this photo is from this morning.  Last week, we had crazy weather -- several very large snowstorms and then last night lots of thunder and lightning and then an epic furious violet rainstorm.  I was actually scared, but had to be brave because Jackass is even more nervous than me, but has responsibilities to guard us all.  So, here we are the next morning, relaxing after breakfast, grateful to have made it through the monsoon!

Happy Daffy Girl

In this photo, you see my girl's quiet relaxed intelligent happy eye -- she's so grateful to be back outside on a sunlit day!

My Beautiful Sweet Girl

In this photo, taken the morning of Violet's return to the great outdoors after 4 weeks of stall rest, you can see her cheap little bell boots designed to protect her from goofy mishaps as she runs pell mell.  I don't really like these boots.  They were so hard to put on!  But she was very patient and good and quiet and sensible as I struggled with the task.  Instead, I like her velcro boots, but I didn't want to use them in the deep snow because they are so soft and would flip up.  So, these are her icky winter boots!

Violet Returns to the Great Outdoors!

So, as you well know, Violet ran around like a goofy girl and on January 3rd injured herself and reinjured herself on January 13th.  So, she was put on stall rest for two weeks and then another week on top of that.  Then on top of all of that stresss, on the day she was supposed to return to the pasture, we got a wicked snow storm and horrible weather all week.  So, Violet was officially on stall rest with some indoor turnout with Molly for four crazy-making weeks.  But here she is in late February on her first beautiful sunlit day back at pasture.  My mind began clearing the moment I saw her!

A Beloved Girl

Namaste.

My Fearless Leader!

Here is a photo taken in March 2010 of my darling beloved sensible Jackass.

My Teams

No matter how stressed out I am about work, family, friends, money, life, etc.  I always look forward to seeing these two team mates.  I am always happy and peaceful around them.  Here the better halves of Team Renegade and Team Tenderness.

My Furry Sleepy Pony

Here is a picture of Renny taken in February and I am writing this entry on February 24th.  He gets a thick silky soft winter coat, so I bought him an equine furminator which works great!  Last night, after he and I were excellent in our riding lesson, I put him in the cross ties and he just put his head out nice and straight and even and took a happy half-closed lid nap while I groomed him with his furminator and then trimmed his Fabio mane.  I will have to take a picture of his more respectable hunter-length mane! 

My Trying Willing Renny

So, I am writing this entry on February 24th and I am getting close to my 100th ride on Renny and he is very close to his 120th ride overall.  And he has been fantastic.  He is happy to go over groundpoles, do simple lead changes on figure 8s, extend, working and collected trot.  He is nice and balanced on his circles.  He is a sensible joy to ride.  And Beth finally asked whether we were starting him over fences.  So, we've agreed that once he turns three in two months that we would move the cavaletti up from the ground to the next slot up.  I really believe that he's going to be a good sensible hunting pony with lots of go and no fear.  He has no fear and worries.  The only problem is that sometimes I think that I am degrading some of his skills -- his stop isn't as firm -- but I think it's because I am secretly giving him too much active leg.  We are both working very hard!!

My Amazing Violet

In this February photo of Renny and Violet, you don't necessarily get to see how cool they are.  In this photo, Renny was getting ready for a riding lesson and Violet was patiently quietly waiting for her friends to finish cleaning her stall.  Anyway, during her third week of stall rest, I had ridden her 5 straight days with jumping on each day and she was wonderful.  And I asked Stacey to put a training ride on her because I was going to visit my nieces and nephew over the weekend and I knew she wouldn't get much turnout because it was lesson Saturday and a Jill Jewett clinic on Sunday. 

So, when I got home, Stacey said that she and Violet had fun and that she learned a lot about what Violet was doing that was affecting my riding.  Violet likes to grab the bit with her left jaw and yank it and she is very bendy and flexible to the left, but stiff and unbendy to the right.  And that she thinks that Violet tosses her head impatiently when I ask for a canter because I grip with my knees.

So, Stacey gave us our Tuesday private lesson and helped me tweak my riding and let me tell you.  It was amazing!  Violet was soft and quiet and wonderful.  And we were able to transition up into the nicest sweetest most relaxed canter without head-tossing.  I was just so impressed.  Stacey said she would help me work on softness and riding with my seat and making my leg long and active.  My goal this year is to ride softer, so I was really glad for this great training ride.  And what's funny is that Stacey said that I would feel the difference, but I didn't really expect to, I was just trying to give Violet some exercises on my travels.

Snoozing Patient Girl!

So, on January 3rd, Violet hurt herself running around in her pasture.  She cut her back coronary bands with her front hooves.  And then on January 13th, she reinjured one of the cuts by hitting it again.  So, she's been on 3 weeks of stall rest to entirely recuperate. And she has been a patient good loving girl.  I have been riding her 5-6 times per week, lunging her, grooming her, praising her to keep her spirits up.  And then finally this week, the week of February 21st as I write this message, she was due to go back to pasture life.  But then we got ice rain, and snow, and more ice.  And now we're supposed to have 3 more days of ice rain and snow.  So, she is now deep into her fourth week of stall rest, but is still being a very good girl!  I love my patient girl and I am trying to be patient too, though my nerves are frayed!

My Little Fatty

Namaste.

My Baby's Braids

It's hard to imagine that he was ever so little.  He's my big boy now.  I am so very grateful that he has been a part of my life.  I just truly love this elegant, funny, smart, wise creature.  He's been so intelligent from his very very first moments of life!

Happy Handsome Fancy Pants Cat Day!

 I'm writing this entry on February 9, 2011 and this morning, Arcangelo  was being extra lovey and cuddly and playful, so I told him that it was Handsome Fancy Pants Cat Day!  A special day just for handsome cats before Valentine's Day which is for everybody.  He liked that very well.  And Jackass  spent the morning giving me meows of approval and satisfaction.  He wants to be my good friend because the next two days are going to be bitter cold and he wants to make sure he gets the best warm covers at night!!

Creative Mounting

From Bounce  by Robert J. Wicks (page 126):  'The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.'

A Free Young Girl!

From the book Bounce by Robert J. Wicks, a story about Martin Buber (page 109), 'The Rabbi Zusya said a short time before his death, "In the world to come, I shall not be asked, 'Why were you not Moses?' Instead, I shall be asked, 'Why were you not Zusya?'"

More LaCrosse Action!

"When you are fooled by soemthing else, the damage will not be so big.  But when you are fooled by yourself, it is fatal."  Shunryu Suzuki via Bounce by Robert J. Wicks

Equine LaCrosse, Moving Fast!

"Let our first act every morning be this resolve:  I shall not fear anyone on earth. I shall not bear ill-will toward anyone.  I shall conquer untruth by truth and in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering."  Gandhi via the book Bounce by Robert J. Wicks.

Wild Stuff

Namaste!

Sideline Action

Here are some photos of that elegant older gentleman and the wild young man! 

The Pick Up

Watching this young man ride and play was a hoot.  He was always in such good spirits and though he didn't have the grace and elegance of the older man, he certainly made up for it with energy and wildness and passion and true grit! He and his pony were having a blast!

The Play

Namaste! Rock on!

The Scuffle

Namaste!