Blogger Secret Santa

Once again Tracy at Fly On Over hosted a fabulous Blogger Secret Santa. It's always one of my favourite parts of the year. I absolutely love this community and I always enjoy finding more blogs and bloggers to interact with.

This year I got Carey and had fun trying to figure out what to get her. Once I figured out a great option I reached out to the blogger community for some help getting it to me since shipping for it was outrageous if I shipped it to Canada, free within the States. Emma awesomely stepped up to help me out (as did countless others, I just got her email first).

Little did I know, Emma had drawn me so it worked out perfectly. I was completely shocked when I opened the package, expecting just Carey's book (you can find out what I got her here) and finding some adorable wrapped gifts.

How other bloggers manage to set their excitement aside to photograph before opening I will never know, I tore into them like a child on Christmas morning :)

There was a lovely black, white and burgundy bonnet that will look good on either horse :) I was just saying I needed more bonnets since I only had one nice one for two horses.

So pretty.

A couple of hand warmers (that have already been used for sub zero farrier appointments) were a perfect addition.

I was completely happy with both gifts and would have been totally content if that was it. But then I noticed I had missed one last item in the package.

I inadvertently saved the best for last, the most adorable fox socks.

Seriously, how cute are these?

Thanks Emma, not only for the awesome gifts, but also for helping facilitate Carey's gift. Also a big thank you to Tracy for hosting yet another awesome gift exchange.

Haiku Farm Blog Hop

I wrote this before the holidays, and then apparently never published it. Oops!

Yet another blog hop for content while my horses enjoy stuffing their faces and multiple layers to avoid succumbing to the arctic deep freeze. Thanks Aarene!

* Introduce yourself!

My name is very German, and therefore difficult for the general populous to pronounce. It's also unique enough that I prefer to go by my username for public posts (honestly, it wouldn't take much sleuthing to figure it out because it's been posted by a couple of bloggers but I like to keep the illusion). 

I'm a lifelong equestrian, avid eventer and a perpetual student. Who needs money anyways?

I've got more photos of me with this horse than I do with my dad

*  Introduce your horse(s)!

Currently the herd consists of 4 hayburners!

Dee is my leading lady. She is just the best. She came to me at a time when I needed a new horse to help me rebuild my confidence after the RedHellMare. People thought I was nuts buying an older, small, Saddlebred but it was the very best thing I could have done. She's 20 this year and while we've been dealing with some soreness issues she shows no signs of slowing down.

William is the new guy. He's a 5-yo, 16HH OTTB who ran his last race on Sept 10 and then shipped out to me (sight unseen) on Sept 12. He's such a good kid. He's got a great mind and a solid work ethic and it is exciting to see where we go in the next year.

Sullivan (better known as #littleasshole) is my hopes and dreams rolled up into a cute/ugly package. I've owned him since he was an hour old and he's out of a mare who reminds me strongly of my heart horse I had as a young teenager and by my friends very cool stallion who I had the ride on last year. He's seriously opinionated and would be a total trainwreck if he was owned by a beginner but I keep reminding myself that upper level horses have quirks, spark and strong personalities.

Chase is last but in no way least. I've owned him since he was 4 and he's 19 this year. At this point he really belongs to my SO more than me. They have quite the bromance going on.

*  What's your favorite horse sport?  Do you cross train in other activities?

I am an eventer at heart but I've dabbled in almost every discipline you can think of (I grew up riding western and didn't get into jumping seriously until I was in my 20's). I've got the cattle penning buckles to prove it :)

I will never tire of this photo

That being said, I get bored just doing one thing so I'm always up for a new adventure. I've discovered I really like endurance and would love to get out to a few more rides this year.

*  Who else in your family rides?

My SO will go on slow trail rides with me but it's not really his thing. He really just wants to give Chase cookies and brush him. Which is fine by me :)

My brother can ride (and is super talented) but hasn't ridden in years. He rode growing up because that's just what you did in our house.

But my mom is the biggest reason I ride. She is an avid horsewomen who has been riding since she snuck onto the back of one of her uncle Trotters in Germany. When I was growing up she trained horses and taught lessons as her profession. Nowadays she works with her business partner who is an equine osteopath. She has 3 horse of her own, including Merlin, the horse who took me to my first event and then babysat me through another after I blew my ankle, when I really had no business riding. She really isn't that interested in jumping but is finding her niche in Western Dressage, Cowboy Mounted Shooting and Extreme Cowboy (all done on her WB's).

My mother is far and away my favourite person in this world. I'm so incredibly lucky to have her in my life. I'm grateful every day that we have an incredible relationship, not only as parent/sibling but as friends and horsewomen. I see the relationships my friends have with their mothers and I realize that while I didn't grow up with any money (we were seriously poor) I grew up with experiences, strength and love that no money could buy.

*  What's your proudest equestrian accomplishment?

Conquering my anxiety and successfully completing multiple Training runs this year. 2 years ago, when I bought Dee, I was terrified to jump all oxers and most fences that were 2'9" and over. Dee (and a very skilled sports psychologist) help me figure out how to function and dispel those fears.

We survived our first Training!

*  What was your lowest moment as a horse owner/rider?

Having to let my heart horse go when I was 15. He unfortunately contracted Strangles when he was 19. He ended up with a paralyzed windpipe and was literally starving to death on his feet. I've never cried so hard, or for so long. It's been 15 years and I still miss that spitfire. He taught me so much, but most importantly, he taught me humility.

*  What's the most important small thing you ever learned in a lesson?

Ride from your elbows, not your wrists. Every time I manage to remember this my rogue left hand becomes manageable.

*  Do you have any riding rituals or superstitions?

I always wear my Straight Shot Metal Smashing bracelet on XC. If I forget to put on my courage one it's ok, because I wear my horseshoe one every day so I've still got one on :)

*  What are your short term goals for yourself/your horse?

Build up Dee's lower back muscles to help her stay sound. Let William set the pace of his training. Simple, yet so hard.

*  Long term goals?

I want to ride Prelim (I'd love to go above but that would require having to travel out of AB and who knows when the budget will allow for that)

*  If time and money were no object, what is your dream equestrian vacation?

Spending the winters somewhere warm with my whole herd.

*  What kind of horse activities were you doing 10 years ago?

I was living in Ireland 10 years ago so I was working as the Assistant Yard Manager and teaching almost all of the lessons. I was riding on the beach at least once a week but wasn't doing any competing. 

*  What kind of horse activities do you think you'll be doing 10 years from now?

I will very likely still be eventing. And hopefully I will have finally figured out how to get myself a driving pony to do combined trails with!

*  What is the quirk about your horse that you like most?

I love that Dee loves to jump. She's just as happy with a cross rail as she is with Training/Prelim jumps.

This is her expression, no matter the fence height

Location, Location, Location: ASSFS Blog Hop

It's been so miserably cold here that I have not been riding so I can really use the content boost. But  I wasn't sure I should write this during the cold snap and come off bitter about where I live...

Sarah of A Soft Spot for Stars started this fabulous blog hop. It's been fascinating to read about weather and cost differentials (except trims, apparently we all basically pay the same).

Location:

I live in Central Alberta, Canada, within commuting distance of Edmonton. The county I live in one of the highest horse/capita areas in the country (the highest is the area surrounding Calgary).

Agriculture and Energy are our most important and prevalent industries. While Edmonton is the capital city it doesn't have the high energy, bustling metropolis feel. Calgary (about 3 hours south) is a bigger city, and has a bigger city feel but let's be honest, is still a small city in the grand scheme of things (population of 1.1 million).

Our cost of living is on the higher side, but it isn't outrageous like some places. Property ownership won't put you into an unimaginable amount of debt. A middle of the road home in the city will run you $300,000. Acreages with 30 minutes of the city start around $500,000

Costs:

• Trim-$40
• Shoes-$120 for front, $180 for a full set, $220 for a full set drilled and tapped
• Average cost of full time training- ~$800 (plus board)
• Average lesson costs- $35-$55 for group/semi private, $55-85 for private
• Average monthly pasture board- $320-$400 with an indoor arena, $200 for no indoor
• Average monthly stall board - $700-$1200
• Hay: These prices are if you pick them up yourself, delivery is usually expensive. They also fluctuate wildly depending on the year. Last year, the drought pushed the price of rounds up to $150-$230, and that was if you could find any at all.
• Round bales (1100-1400lbs)
•  grass, $60-$80
• alfalfa mix $70-$120
• Square bales (50-60lbs)
• grass, $6-$8
• alfalfa mix, $7-$11

Weather:

Ugh, where to begin. We've been in a cold snap for the past week and a half. On Sunday it was -33°C (-27°F) at my place and the wind chill made it feel like-41°C (-42°F). This is the day basically everything I own froze. My car has a frozen fuel line, my skidsteer is not usable because the hydraulic fluid is too thick for th pump to move, the horse's automatic waterer froze, the furnace in my barn quit because the propane can't warm up quick enough to vaporize, and the diesel gelled in the Herman Nelson heater (which could have been used to help with any of the above problems).

Winter (FOREVER) (OR October-March)

With that being said, it's normally not this cold in December. Generally January and February is when we will experience an arctic cold snap. Our winters generally begin in October and last through March, sometimes hanging around until April (snow on May long weekend is to be expected though). Temperatures can vary wildly but the average for winter is -16°C (3°F) (I had to look this up). We get snow but nothing like Teresa gets out on the east coast though, or like Cathryn gets on the west coast. I'm pretty sure our annual snowfall is something like 50", and generally we will get a good dump in the fall and then it will melt before winter actually hits. And then again in the spring, the snow will be nearly gone and we will get another huge dump.

The snow makes for some great photos though
Also, #mindyourmelon

The days are short. In the winter it is totally normal to get to work in the dark and go home in the dark. I only see my horses in the daylight during weekends so it necessitated buying a super expensive but awesome barn light. On Dec 21, we will see the sun for a very short 7 hours. Thankfully we are super close to the days getting longer. Also, the sky is generally clear here, especially in winter.

So very very true.

Spring (April,May)

Spring in Alberta is a crapshoot. It could be relatively dry and warm (this year) or it could be a monsoon, or we can go straight from Winter to summer. But we will have seriously shitty weather on May Long, every single year. the one year Alberta Horse Trials tried to run an event that weekend it go snowed out. We're a hardy breed here in AB, a little snow doesn't stop us. 6" of slush will kibosh our XC hopes though.

XC Schooling in the snow.

Basically the same weekend as the above photo, two years later

Summer (June-September)

Summer here is fabulous! The temps average around 20-25°C (68-77°C) with some days hitting above 30°C (86°F). The days are long, think almost 17 hours of sunlight on our longest day.

I took these course walk photos at~ 9pm

Fall (September-October)

Yet another crapshoot, sometimes we get fall. Sometimes it gets skipped for more winter. This year we had a fabulous fall. We had a wicked snow dump and cold spell on Thanksgiving (Oct 10) and then it got beautiful again and the snow all melted.

This was taken the day I hauled Sullivan 5 hours south for his RPSI foal inspection, on Sept 8
3 days later most of this was gone.

Fall is my favourite season. I love the sound of riding through fallen leaves. I love the smell of fall. I love how there are no bugs because we've generally had a couple of nights with frost.

Almost all of our leaves turn yellow, I do envy those who live in places that have more variation in their foliage

Riding Demographic:

According to the 2011 Census of Agriculture Alberta has by far the most horses in Canada, boasting 34% of the total equine population (whereas Ontario is second with 21%). You can do pretty much anything you want to here (also anything within 3 hours is generally considered an easy drive). It's pretty split down the middle between English and Western disciplines. The summer is short, but packed full of shows and clinics. I can quite easily fill every single weekend from May to Sept with a show or clinic (fun fact, I did this once. I was super broke and burnt out by the time October rolled around).

For eventing there are only 6 events held during our short season (June-Sept) and the furthest is 5 hours away, the closest is 45 minutes.

We have a few really decent local tack stores, which is good because shipping to Canada is unfortunately almost always over inflated (I'm looking at you RW, it would not cost $40 to ship a pair of gloves...) or not even available.

Most Frustrating:

Aside from the weather? The fact that we top out at Prelim in Alberta. If we want to go beyond that we have to haul to the States. Alberta actually has a solid contingent of riders who are going Intermediate and up but many of them end up spending the majority of their time campaigning south of the border. Those who can't up and move down south end up travelling down once or twice a year for 3-8 weeks at a time.

Final Thoughts:

As much as I complain about the weather I really love it here. While it would be nice to live somewhere where indoor arenas aren't a complete necessity for winter riding I seriously doubt I will ever make a permanent change of address.

The eventing community here is amazing. It's super supportive and encouraging. We were talking about it among some riders at a conference (most of us  in different disciplines) and discovered that if you realized you were missing a girth/cinch you'd likely have to run out and buy one for cutters, reiners, jumpers, and dressage. On the flip side both the eventers and the endurance riders figured we could easily come up with a couple options from relative strangers. And as a bonus Rebecca Farm is only 9 hours away.

Natural disasters are very limited here. We get the occasional tornado (the last really destructive one killed 27 people and was in 1987) and major blizzard and forest fires are a serious concern for the more northern parts of the province. But that's about it for my area. No hurricanes, no earthquakes, no major flooding concerns. I'll take our winters over all of the above (plus we have no venomous snakes and no rats).

Blog Hop: Fuck Yeah!

Quite possibly the best blog hop yet has been brought to us by Beckz of I Will Jump Sweet Jumps.

I struggle with anxiety and panic attacks surrounding jumping since the Red Mare destroyed my ankle and then systematically destroyed my confidence. Because of this I love the idea of a post where I can collect some of my favourite badass moments. I'm going to come back here when I need a reminder that I am, in fact, a badass eventer.

I fell off later in this lesson, but at this moment it was for sure "Fuck Yeah"

Winning my first Extreme Trail class on my former PSG dressage pony turned eventer
(with a seriously bum ankle that made that stand nearly impossible)

First XC schooling with BestPony

First Hunt and first horse to have no issues with the spider

Most terrifying and exhilarating 2' jump

Rebecca Farm- Enough said

First Training, and the scariest jump on course

Stressaging like a boss

$900FB Pony Blog Hop: Top 5 Horse Show Essentials

1. It's been said, multiple times, but my absolute must have horse show essential is my Stanley trunk. My show stuff lives in it and only requires a quick double check before loading it into the trailer.

2. Back on Track socks and ankle brace.  Horse shows invariably require tons of walking on less than perfect surfaces. This consistently will lead to me limping and losing mobility in my ankle (it hates anything that isn't completely flat). When I wear the brace and socks I retain way more mobility and have less people stop and ask me if I'm ok, and did I fall off. Actually, all the BoT stuff is essential.  Dee's mesh blanket, no-bows and bell boots must go to every show as well. Gotta help out the old lady body every way we can.

3. Ecolicious Blinded by the White. I've got a pinto with white legs. Enough said.

4. Hanging bucket hooks. I have enough to outfit 3 stalls with 2 water buckets and a feed bucket each. I love them. I will never go back to hanging buckets with twine, bridle hooks or chains.

5. Virkon.  I always spray down every surface in the stall before Dee is put into it. Biosecurity is important folks.

Bonus item! I've worn my Straight Shot Metal Smashing Courage bracelet for every XC course this year. The only stop we had was when the footing was terrible ad we slipped (so it doesn't really count), otherwise we had no XC penalties. It's my good luck charm, especially since my Good JuJu charm fell off of it's hook somewhere on the South Peace XC course.

Good luck charm

SmartPak Favorite Products Blog Hop

Thanks to Breeches and Boat Shoes for converting this into a Blog Hop I can participate in (since I refuse to participate in a vlog).

What is your favorite equestrian-specific product that you use when you’re at the barn?

I'd say it's a tie so I'm including a product and a piece of equipment.

This time of year, I use EQyss Premier Equine Botanical Spray on a daily basis.  I absolutely love that it keeps the static at bay.  No more shocking the poor ponies while removing their blankets.  It also leaves their coats soft and shiny and I love the floral smell.

I also adore both of my PS of Sweden bridles(this one, and this one).  I've never had bridles I like so much. The quality, the workmanship, and the practicality make for really nice equipment.

What is your favorite non equestrian-specific product to use when you’re at the barn?

Baby wipes are a staple in my trunk. I've used them for everything you can think of, from a quick tack/boot wipe down, to cleaning wounds, to an alternative to showering.

What is your horse’s favorite equestrian-specific product to wear or use?

Dee absolutely loves having her face rubbed with a simple rubber wash mitt. Brushes and curry combs are not allowed, it must be a soft mitt.  

What was the best equestrian-related gift you were ever given, and why does it mean so much to you?

My mom gave me a horse for Christmas of 2013, which was pretty special and awesome but I think my favourite equestrian gifts came from The Boy for our first valentines day and my birthday (they're only 10 days apart).  We'd been together for less than 2 months and he got me 2 bling browbands that I'd been drooling over for Valentines Day. He then got me a brown Rambo cooler I had mentioned once in passing for my birthday. Both gifts were extremely thoughtful and impressive. I was sure he was a keeper after those for sure!

Browband and cooler courtesy of The Boy

If you had the ability to create any product or anything to make your time at the barn better, – no matter how ridiculous or against-the-laws-of-physics it might be – what would that be?

Jumps that set themselves up, reset themselves and then put themselves away. I love an empty arena!

Pony Express Blog Hop: Christmas Lists

This blog hop is fun!  And well timed since I have nothing much to write about since I still don't have a saddle that fits Dee (despite trying a plethora).

I've had horses my entire life.  I've been solely responsible for paying for my own horse and horse gear for 10 years. I always figured that the longer I had horses and the more stuff I got, the less I would need/want.  Why o'why does it not work that way?  I have stuff.  Lots and lots of stuff.  But there is still an always growing list of stuff I need/want.

For Christmas I really would like it if Santa could express ship me a custom Devoucoux (with a forward flap that magically fit my crazy hard to fit horse).

Ideally in black with silver piping!

Since that is not going to happen I do have some more reasonable wishlist items:

Every pair of breeches Aztec Diamond makes.

I can't figure out why it's blurry, it's not until I upload it :(

Or Annie's makes.

But especially these!

A PS of Sweden Breastplate.  My mom has said once I get a saddle she will order me one.  My mama is the best mama!  I'd also like one of their bridles (maybe my birthday?)

So purdy!  Must have!

A FITS Zephyr show coat.  Because it's mesh and breathes!  And it's still so classy looking.  A local tack store just had a wicked sale and I managed to snag this coat for 50% off.  Merry Christmas to me!

Ecogold cross country boots.  I like to support Canadian companies and I like science based facts.  So win/win here.

Watch the axe test video!

Dubarry boots.

Why is everything I want so pricey?!?

In all reality, I need nothing except saddles that fit my horse.  All spending money is going o be funneled into that endeavor for the foreseeable future.  Add that to the fact that the Boy and I are trying to purchase and acreage and I have a feeling these are all going to live on my list for awhile. It's nice to dream though.