Every time I go to the tack shop I tell myself that I need to get new brushes. I’ll stop in front of them all hung up on the wall or overflowing out of buckets and ponder which ones I want after feeling them all for softness. Then I’ll tell myself that I don’t really need new brushes and promptly walk away.
This is great for saving money, but not so great for my horse who was being groomed with dirty tools. Unfortunately, the majority of my brushes were past the point of no return and ready to be tossed (except my very favorite soft brush) because I stink at cleaning them. Then I researched custom brushes and because I monogram everything, I had to have them.Continue reading “Product Review: Emily’s Equine Creations Custom Brushes”
The first year I did this, there was quite a difference in both Ax’s musculature and movement—you could literally see him bulk up and move correctly over the months. Last year’s post wasn’t as satisfying with its fair share ups and downs. Even though it started rough, we progressed to where we were better than we had been the year before.Continue reading “Transformation: 2015-2016”
While I have been horrifically failing to do the #heelsdownchallenge each month, I couldn’t ignore this month’s topic—what is your competition ritual?
As I am packing and prepping for our first multi-day show in over a year, I found myself needing to brush up on how the heck to get ready and what the heck to pack.
Month Before I start my preparations by calling my parents and begging convincing them to take the time out of their busy Friday to drive across the state to come pick Ax up and bring him to the show. Sure I am an adult, but that doesn’t mean I can or should be driving a horse trailer, so that I have to rely on them to drive us around like children.
This is when I body clip if I need to. Ax is a Sweaty Betty, especially at long shows where we are standing in the sun, so I like to keep his coat nice and short.
Two Weeks Before Around this time, I panic about packing and make myself a list of everything that needs to be packed and everything that I need to do before Show Day. This usually includes making a million versions of the list since I always think of more things that I need to bring and do.
This is also when I try on my show clothes and realize that my shirt is missing a button, breeches are stained, or gloves are missing so I have to make a mad dash for the tack shop (or my computer) to purchase whatever is damaged.
Week Of
Time to actually start packing things and crossing things off of my list.
Probably develop temporary insomnia due to fretting about things that could go wrong.
Two Days Before Quadruple check that everything is packed and that I haven’t forgotten the essentials. I’ll do this a bajillion times before I feel like I have truly brought everything I need.
Do any last minute trimming of whiskers, fetlocks, and such.
Look at my tack and decide to do it tomorrow when I’ll be super stressed and have no time to do it.
Day Before Clean my tack that probably should have been pre-cleaned the week before.
Bathe my dirty horse and fight with him over cleaning his face until he inevitably gives in.
Braid my now-clean horse because I am too cheap to pay a professional to do it even though mine look like they were done on the dark (because they probably were).
Bubble wrap and cover every speck of my horse in an effort keep him clean for the night.
Almost two months ago I took a much needed lesson with one of my old coaches from high school and before I even mounted my designated horse, I issued a warning to her and all of those nearby. “I’m rusty. I haven’t had a lesson since before graduation and haven’t been over fences since the summer,” slipped out before I could think to keep my mouth shut. Knowing my instructor (and not to my surprise) she quickly told me that she didn’t want to hear it.
On we went with the lesson and while it was far from perfect, it wasn’t awful. I chipped a fence, got left behind twice, and could barely go stirrupless to save my life, but I was more than a sack of potatoes. Before leaving, I got a little pep talk about things to work on, both personally and riding-wise, but the last thing she said was, “give yourself more credit.” At the time I simply laughed and nodded my head, but in the weeks since that Saturday, it has been resonating in my brain.Continue reading “Give Yourself More Credit”
Breeches & Boat Shoes 