tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26523003697927938632024-03-05T04:51:42.590-08:00Mustang DressageFrom wild mustang to willing partner as I try and decide what direction we should go...froglanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16784779618909752267noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-18717714766180299062012-01-19T19:47:00.000-08:002012-01-19T19:47:52.026-08:00Taking a step back<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So after our unexpected lesson last night, realized we have some holes in our foundation. Sure we can canter laps around the arena, but can we make a nice turn at a specific point? Can we come back to a trot <i>now</i> instead of 8 strides later?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Went out to the barn tonight with more of a plan than I often do. We were going to work on the things we learned last night. I was going to practice turning, stopping, walking in a straight line from point A to point B, and backing softly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We still had our wiggly moments, but going 'point to point' went fairly well, need to do a LOT more of that. Then we practiced turning--turn with my eyes, shoulders, belly-button, then leg if needed and lastly rein. We had some good turns that barely needed any leg, and some others that needed a 'yoo-hoo, remember me?' lift of the reins.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Backing went really well. He was shifting his weight backwards by the time I'd closed 2-3 fingers on the reins. I was very aware of releasing while he was backing so the backing was the reward, not stopping.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Need to practice stopping. A lot. I was trying to do it like we did last night, but without as much success, so I must've been doing something wrong, will have to figure out what though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lol, decided to do something I hadn't done for a long while, ask him to trot on a totally loose rein and not do anything as long as he kept trotting. And my goofy pony just does circle after small circle by the gate. He didn't get to stop and if he walked, he was put right back into a trot. Was interesting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then I asked him to trot and stay on the rail, on a totally loose rein. He would try to veer off the rail after turning one of the corners, so I'd push him back to the rail. The comical part was turning the corner by the gate. We'd come into the corner fine, but coming out of it he would do a significant veer to the left, so I'd correct him back to the right, only then he'd try and turn around. Took us a few laps but he finally made it through that corner with a light touch of the leg and touch of the rein.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, I feel good about the ride :)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq4YuPr-9o0sIRTYj180vHq8_NdIM5N68RyBjQCYVIIcM00msmaYvMgL49LyDe5KPCUzl9glko_flo7PuQ0HpCCRRwKKZb3gkSvHOQ8MNnpyFlL0a4wMIcuNajIXUVcskMsmAdb9s8mar/s1600/IMG_1961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq4YuPr-9o0sIRTYj180vHq8_NdIM5N68RyBjQCYVIIcM00msmaYvMgL49LyDe5KPCUzl9glko_flo7PuQ0HpCCRRwKKZb3gkSvHOQ8MNnpyFlL0a4wMIcuNajIXUVcskMsmAdb9s8mar/s320/IMG_1961.JPG" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out after our ride</td></tr>
</tbody></table>froglanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16784779618909752267noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-58650476289847965832012-01-18T20:03:00.000-08:002012-01-18T20:09:59.690-08:00Impromptu Lesson<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1qvPNAdgAxBDLl5ckhC-A3ucgJ7Bw7iMAmPwOZSLPlg773hMzMEg8yszES23YYpz0VuD9pbvxoxV7rhVxgQMCI42uzz2JtE6xkFG0MQqvmkHqcucxVeqq_mvyNPDwySH5rbfV1VFWdg_/s1600/IMG_1907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1qvPNAdgAxBDLl5ckhC-A3ucgJ7Bw7iMAmPwOZSLPlg773hMzMEg8yszES23YYpz0VuD9pbvxoxV7rhVxgQMCI42uzz2JtE6xkFG0MQqvmkHqcucxVeqq_mvyNPDwySH5rbfV1VFWdg_/s320/IMG_1907.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cody posing for the camera the other day. I love the camera on my new iPhone!</td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lately, it seems like our riding has been going backwards. Downward transitions were taking 10 or more strides to accomplish, if they even happened at all without resorting to a one-rein stop. Bending on a circle? Yeah right. We’ve been working so much on ‘forward’ that we’ve lost a bit in the process.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last couple of rides, I’ve tried to mix forward trots up with slower, methodical turning, and stopping, and backing. We’ve had a tiny amount of success, but I would still often end up frustrated.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Enter Sam.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I got out to the barn tonight, a couple gals I know at the barn were already out in the arena, one riding around on her Appendix QH gelding, and the other working with her young horse who has had some issues to work through. Sam is a gentleman from another barn who has been working with that gal and her horse and through slow, consistent work, they’ve made progress. Tonight I saw her riding her horse around bareback!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It wasn’t long after I got out to the arena with Cody that the other two were wrapping up and left. Cody and I were trotting around when I saw Sam come back out to the arena. I stopped to say hi and he asked how things were with Cody. I told him things were alright, but that Cody likes to ignore me. He asked me if I was sure that Cody was ignoring me—which made me pause a bit and try to explain. So I showed him how if we trotted off down the rail and I asked Cody to walk, he ‘ignored’ me for half the width of the arena before finally walking. So we got to talking and an impromptu lesson ensued.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the things he showed me and had me try I’m not quite sure how they would fit into ‘dressage’, but it is giving me a lot to think about. Hopefully I haven’t managed to mangle things too much from arena to keyboard.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First, he lowered the bit. I’ve wanted to have the bit lower in Cody’s mouth, so he learns to ‘pack’ it, but any lower than I’d had it and it would be hitting his canines. Well, by lowering it a hole on either side, if it just hung loose it was below his canines. Cody was mouthing it and mouthing it because it felt funny. Doing his normal bringing it up with his tongue so he could crunch it with his molars. I was having a hard time with this because of where his upper canines are, but Sam made me wait and give Cody a chance. Low and behold, his mouth calmed down. Now it is up to him to hold the bit and keep it in a comfortable place in his mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speaking of it being up to him. Sam is also of the mind that a horse should be responsible for going in a straight line, at the gait you ask them for, until asked differently. So no riding and pushing and bumping Every. Single. Stride. like some are apt to do. This is something I can very much agree with. That is one thing I have had a hard time accepting when taking more dressage-type lessons, being told to ‘bump bump bump’ or ‘push to keep him going’.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Whoa.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big, audible sigh, relax into saddle, pick one rein up, bring to hip, turn and look at his hip and disengage into a one-rein stop—if it takes that many steps. It took a few tries, but Cody was doing it most of the time with a sigh into the saddle and pick one rein up kind of against his neck if relaxing into the saddle wasn’t enough. The step of picking one rein up was literally picking it straight up before bringing it back to your hip, if needed. I found, that by just picking it up, it was enough of a reminder ‘oh hey, stop’ that he didn’t end up <i>turning</i> in the stop so much.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Back.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sam explains this in 9 steps. One, pick up the reins at the buckle in one hand. Two, make a loose loop around the reins with your index finger and thumb of your other hand and slide it down the reins towards his withers. Three, take a rein in each hand, holding it between thumb and hand. Four (through seven), start closing your fingers on the reins, one finger (on each hand) at a time. Eight, tuck your tail bone under. Nine, with your hands closed on the reins, bring your elbows in and back to your sides. At first, he was having me reward even bringing Cody’s nose down as I closed my fingers on the reins. Then, even if he did that, I didn’t release until he’d at least shifted his weight back. Next, hold out until he’d taken a step back. Sam said it was important to have your release timed well. It is better to release in the middle of a step than wait until the step finishes—if he doesn’t take another step backwards, by releasing after he takes a step, you’ve now rewarded him stopping instead of backing… Oh, and sit up tall and light before and while you are tucking your tailbone to give your horse somewhere to lift his back into and back properly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Turn.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turn your head and look, turn your shoulders, turn your belly button (which is turning your seat), turn your toes—he literally had me turn my toes in the direction of the turn, and this is the part that I kept messing up, but when I did it like I was told, it actually worked—use your outside leg and take your inside leg off, like you are opening a door. We worked on this at a walk, just doing 90 degree or quarter turns, and it felt like we were getting somewhere. Sometimes I’d forget and use my inside leg in the ole “inside leg to outside rein” idea, but if I remembered to take my inside leg off and use my outside leg to sort of push him into the turn, it seemed to work. This is going to take some thinking, and some experimenting to see how we do, and how it might work into a more ‘dressage’ type of riding.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Straight lines.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Without the rail and on a loose rein, my horse is very wiggly. He veers off one direction, I <i>try</i> to lightly correct him only it ends up overcorrecting and we veer off the other way. So Sam suggested we practice walking straight towards a target. Once there, stop and rest. Then we would turn 180 degrees with a combination of an indirect rein and moving his hindquarters for the first part, and then a direct-rein and move his shoulders over. Stop and rest a moment before heading out in a STRAIGHT line on as loose a rein as you can. He recommended we do a lot of aiming towards targets to work on straight lines.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would have loved to have done more but I happened to glance at my watch finally and saw it was 9:30! We were supposed to have the arena lights off by 9:00, oops. Hopefully, by writing this down I will remember enough pieces tomorrow when I go ride that we will take some steps in a positive direction.</span><o:p></o:p></div>froglanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16784779618909752267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-29428409618641440362011-06-25T12:47:00.000-07:002011-06-25T13:12:59.433-07:00Where has the time gone?The move to the new barn in January was a great decision. Cody has settled right in to life at the barn--he is in his stall with a fan during the hot part of the day, and is out in a field from afternoon until morning.<br />
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We've been riding! It was a slow start as I still really needed to build my confidence back up but we've made progress. I found a gal to take some lessons from and that helped a lot--just having someone there to not let me chicken out. We have gone from being nervous to trot all the way around the arena to cantering laps confidently.<br />
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Fun stuff lately is that we've gotten to go on a couple trail rides with a nice lady I met at the barn. She has this great QH gelding named "The Town Buzz", aka "Buzz". He's been a great trail buddy for Cody. Although, first time we went on a trail ride Cody decided Buzz was walking too slow and took off in the lead at a nice forward walk. The trail we've been on is just a nice, shaded (important in Florida!) loop around a lake. We've been there twice now and plan to go back again tomorrow. Fun thing about this lake is that there is an area where you can ride (or lead) your horse down into the water.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A view of the lake</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cody and Buzz</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_m4FUfYClbx7WeBey8WUWG4ncVmVwKKWm0Qn4W0bleCcyvusA_0DkyvwRoL4zD2cmcMBAxvc7xOCRrXCeIuIpOTe9tUAVq_AYzWIjahty_dDIY1l9qDPj1ieUNoHpskPG4blvzbNSctp/s1600/IMG_0516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_m4FUfYClbx7WeBey8WUWG4ncVmVwKKWm0Qn4W0bleCcyvusA_0DkyvwRoL4zD2cmcMBAxvc7xOCRrXCeIuIpOTe9tUAVq_AYzWIjahty_dDIY1l9qDPj1ieUNoHpskPG4blvzbNSctp/s320/IMG_0516.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Hubby climbed on Cody and went for a pony ride</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cody and Buzz get their feet wet</span></td></tr>
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The week around Memorial Day, my mom came to visit! Hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving. We had a great time :) On the way home from picking her up at the airport, we stopped to see Cody.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom says hi to Cody</td></tr>
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I found a dressage saddle, not sure I'm totally happy with the fit, but it's hard because it still seems like he has no topline.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cody was mesmerized by his reflection in the glass</td></tr>
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That gives you an idea of what we've been up to :)<br />
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Oh! Hubby and I have also been working on losing weight, I've lost almost 40lbs so far! Still have approximately another 40 to go, but hey, it's progress :)<br />
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Just for the heck of it, here is a couple pics from riding today.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qUggEwwCTgyLiRwCXx9VqZjguZQ5uyLd5EtJZdLQuHsiqXZEvp1suTxuY1whXVv97V9XzaWGlC6Y4wAcoOQAVcA762CpSravIK6YYPjCPizw9DxEjjOrwYnyc55kfjUyW1NqsXULVyuh/s1600/IMG_1327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qUggEwwCTgyLiRwCXx9VqZjguZQ5uyLd5EtJZdLQuHsiqXZEvp1suTxuY1whXVv97V9XzaWGlC6Y4wAcoOQAVcA762CpSravIK6YYPjCPizw9DxEjjOrwYnyc55kfjUyW1NqsXULVyuh/s320/IMG_1327.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to get to a spot for a pic</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7tfBlbkBMvNuk5BDUBypQ3iU4QuLwvyabWNXGtnk8z6W5dAhedVoiWi51JeSHhp6tPD5SOGREzyR0-Dz6kjRGDRdC8kcfceMhZcAduwKhjL5b_7xTL7MDeVQVS0rfohAi2fa0pHLMBb3/s1600/IMG_1323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt7tfBlbkBMvNuk5BDUBypQ3iU4QuLwvyabWNXGtnk8z6W5dAhedVoiWi51JeSHhp6tPD5SOGREzyR0-Dz6kjRGDRdC8kcfceMhZcAduwKhjL5b_7xTL7MDeVQVS0rfohAi2fa0pHLMBb3/s320/IMG_1323.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love that brand!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>froglanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16784779618909752267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-22972675505228623202011-06-24T21:54:00.000-07:002011-06-24T21:54:31.803-07:00It's Summer alreadyWhere has the year gone??? I have been terrible about updating this this year as you can obviously tell. Tomorrow I plan to have a good horsey day so I will take pics (what is a blog post without pics?!?) and write a nice update. Now, however, it is nearly 1am and I am sleepy! So good night and see you tomorrow :)froglanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16784779618909752267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-7207369102587616492011-01-30T17:07:00.000-08:002011-01-30T17:24:56.680-08:00The New Year<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtrAJ4ruhDgrYqwMJIrK7Xj23cOGKVtR_3LhZ76fuzWBwh_vTa0BSF-aFpi64IJM0XpI4SYTU0GFk0vefGvFwHOLuzBWZXfMtfeHFyXeDPuzunkv4EbRJrzsvUG1WxDd2PioWSuVSObzN/s1600/WP_000191.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtrAJ4ruhDgrYqwMJIrK7Xj23cOGKVtR_3LhZ76fuzWBwh_vTa0BSF-aFpi64IJM0XpI4SYTU0GFk0vefGvFwHOLuzBWZXfMtfeHFyXeDPuzunkv4EbRJrzsvUG1WxDd2PioWSuVSObzN/s320/WP_000191.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568154502056671650" /></a>Okay, so it's a few weeks <i>into</i> the new year, but thought I was overdue for a bit of an update.<div><br /></div><div>Design of blog needs work but the template designer was driving me nuts so I will tackle that another day.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cody spent about three and a half months at the self care barn. I was able to get some weight on him and he was looking good--just one problem, nowhere to ride unless I just wanted to ride in a big field. Now, if he were further along in his training I suppose that could have worked if I didn't mind riding in the dark all the time. In the 3 and a half months he was there I think I climbed on him twice, <i>maybe</i> three times for all of five minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div>So the hunt was on for a barn with an arena and lights! (Actual covered arenas seem very rare in south Florida). Looked into one place that had an arena but no lights and was sort of co-op type situation, but it was further away. Looked at another barn that was more than I'd really thought to pay in board but they had an arena and a round pen and best of all, they had lights! So I took a closer look at what I was actually spending on my partial board situation and when I added up the cost of board, feed, and gas (plus the time to go there twice a day) it actually came out to basically the same as the barn that had what I was looking for. So arrangements were made, a trailer ride was found, and on January 1st Cody moved to his new home.</div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgibzVicIzjaxFtpDHbeaZ6jf11STvnhK0uCr2LVI8BX4R7QzE4EzoZrRzTGB31ChDF4PJAjRV9uAVqy5IiBYoogP43j_d4l5TH3AjgA8pWk06y2CpsRLzjySzxqhqbFvVJPaf7NYrNqwdq/s320/WP_000154.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568154494875227890" /><div><br /></div><div>He spends the afternoon and all night turned out (they are working on finding a good fit so he can go out with a buddy in a field with more grass), there is a fan in his stall, he gets fed well (no skinny horses here!) and I can go to the barn after work and ride!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Now for the riding part. In the 4 weeks that he's been at the new barn I have ridden more than I had in the last 6 months. We can walk, trot and canter in the round pen, and I have walked and trotted in the arena (I know, I should just canter out there, but it's a big arena and I'm working up to it). We have been practicing one-rein stops, flexing left and right, backing, going over ground poles and all that fun stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am trying to find someone I can take some lessons from to help build my confidence and give me some direction with Cody but in the meantime we continue to plug along.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now if only I could figure out my saddle dilemma! More on that in my next post :)</div>froglanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16784779618909752267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-79924213240960554882010-08-11T20:28:00.000-07:002010-08-11T20:42:50.982-07:00Cross your fingersI am looking into moving Cody about an hour north of where he currently lives. To make that work, we are also looking into moving to an apartment complex closer to that barn. If all goes well (we have at least three apartments to go look at this Saturday) I will live 10 minutes from my horse instead of 30, he will have a stall that is open to a nice sized grassy paddock, and we will have an apartment that has a washer and dryer! I plan to do partial board so I can know just how much he is being fed and adjust as needed. I wrapped a weight tape around him tonight and it came out at about 840 lbs. I think he could easily stand to make it to 900 if not 950. I'll have to keep track to see how he does.<div><br /></div><div>Tonight was the fourth time I have lunged Cody in side reins. I'm working on rigging up some shims so my saddle doesn't sit low in the front so I have just been doing stuff on the ground lately. He is on the thin side but I figure we can work on building some muscle in his topline to help him fill out. He's doing fairly well, just needs to reach down and forward a bit more, but we're getting there. </div><div><br /></div><div>A couple weeks ago I was trying to hose him off and he was being a dork, something spooked him and he took off into a field that had an open gate. The rope dragging behind him and sometimes wrapping around a leg was totally freaking him out and he was running mad laps around the field. Once I got him to pay enough attention to stop I tossed the rope at his legs (like I've done a zillion times before) and that was no issue, he just didn't like it wrapping around his legs and/or dragging while he was moving. So...tonight I also clipped an old cotton leadrope to the top ring on the surcingle so that it was dragging along the ground as he trotted around. The first lap he freaked a bit but half stepping in front of him and saying whoa got him to stop for a moment and let his brain settle back into place. After that he trotted around and around with the rope dragging alongside him. He was often at a bit of an angle so he could keep an eye on the evil rope but all in all it went well. I think I'm going to do that a few more times.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have been terribly lax lately in updating this blog about my goofball of a wild pony, but with all the hopeful changes coming I'm going to try and keep it more up to date :)</div><div><br /></div><div>Wish us luck in the apartment hunt!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-10094073003943622442010-07-22T16:14:00.000-07:002010-07-22T16:33:50.405-07:00DaydreamsWhen I was little, my older cousin and I used to draw designs and make plans for a place we were going to have someday that we dubbed "Dream Ranch". We had drawings of barns, trails, a 3-story octagon shaped house, and sheets and sheets of horses we were going to have. I think at the time we had planned to breed Quarter Horses and Trakehners, lol. I'm sure a lot of horse crazy girls have dreams like this.<div><br /></div><div>That dream has never left me. My mind often wanders to day dreams of what I would make Dream Ranch today. There are thoughts of mustangs, of having an after school "homework and horses" program, a dressage ring and an "extreme" trail course, well, you probably get the idea. </div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't given up on my idea, but lately I am torn. Right now I am in Florida, down in Miami. Dream Ranch isn't gonna happen in Miami and we don't plan to stay here more than 3-4 years. The talk after that is to possibly go back to Washington or to go north in Florida up between Ocala and Orlando somewhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>I miss the mountains and I miss friends and family in Washington. What I worry about, is there any where to build my Dream Ranch in Washington? I don't want to step on anyone's toes and I fear I would be laughed at for such an endeavor. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ocala is definitely horse country. Rolling hills and horse farms all over. From Thoroughbred farms to Friesian breeders and everything in between. My mother-in-law keeps sending me links to property for sale up that way. They hope to retire up near Orlando in about 5 years and would like their children and families to be nearby.</div><div><br /></div><div>Could I build my daydreams in Washington?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-77787279619092643542010-06-29T19:41:00.000-07:002010-06-29T19:56:02.056-07:00My first trimSo...I got it into my head to try trimming Cody's feet. I want to keep him barefoot and so I've been reading about it and I emailed Andrea at <a href="http://mustangsaga.blogspot.com/">Mustang Saga</a> for advice since she trims her horses' feet. So far I have only attempted his front feet. What do you think? I figured if I didn't take too much off I couldn't screw up too badly, right?<div><br /><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykw2Rbj20SWU6ZqCO07QVGEnbmfAJdn0DB8KtD3nHYvAjXfmxJSGAHlxDH1O_8HlH6lDe3X9UeR1-1mI6SczLdE0ghDfVAvKJT9jjtkTgZs7zgVmYHx0zsssfPmMFELhLMIn-QqgflxQ/s320/my+first+trim+017.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488393416220385794" /> </div><div>Before, left front (he has always had that line you can see on his right front, there is an old injury on his coronet band)</div><div><br /><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgfIU6VY5Vdv3EGnHp9O_doPAzKIEaZlEt7nm6ZuvZsAbe5px3CTdExMCMY6EuxKohi5KiOxHYTUfVSxkPP9Keic82E88_n4j2oDOU6eD4mA5zwgwj21qwyKQUfF0LhexWUwkKz2xO7U/s320/my+first+trim+018.JPG" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488393421747878658" /> </div><div>Before, left front<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkb25AakEboGKqR2vY2j5jsNfQaObbUeKiSqoseaqQoLZa9W-zyktT409i64b_bJ4GkQ4h9F9zxltwO_HWg3HroxUnV3boEKNG9EJFj8wBeg-g1sUUOYwDZNiAzboNvsA8Ez2MX8tjjY/s1600/my+first+trim+021.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkb25AakEboGKqR2vY2j5jsNfQaObbUeKiSqoseaqQoLZa9W-zyktT409i64b_bJ4GkQ4h9F9zxltwO_HWg3HroxUnV3boEKNG9EJFj8wBeg-g1sUUOYwDZNiAzboNvsA8Ez2MX8tjjY/s320/my+first+trim+021.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488393428599782578" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a> </div><div>After, left front</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkb25AakEboGKqR2vY2j5jsNfQaObbUeKiSqoseaqQoLZa9W-zyktT409i64b_bJ4GkQ4h9F9zxltwO_HWg3HroxUnV3boEKNG9EJFj8wBeg-g1sUUOYwDZNiAzboNvsA8Ez2MX8tjjY/s1600/my+first+trim+021.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLhiSE6tGEao7ZCTKibGXavNo5E3YOa8o3fbh5SB6jeYTBBHIScInf-vBDJE02tY53OBGafJwEFzRyRuinx96Ej7Kueff1-iNrhSBRTpJ1cRl6dZAVxlWJ9Dk5MYoaKVn3FGgRfThung/s1600/my+first+trim+022.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLhiSE6tGEao7ZCTKibGXavNo5E3YOa8o3fbh5SB6jeYTBBHIScInf-vBDJE02tY53OBGafJwEFzRyRuinx96Ej7Kueff1-iNrhSBRTpJ1cRl6dZAVxlWJ9Dk5MYoaKVn3FGgRfThung/s320/my+first+trim+022.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488393436923005250" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a> </div><div>After, left front</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_LS6sH0A3XzhN63XmrvE5vJ16CkG8GoxMm_mNrRxXZmz_5VSMjhYUJ9lkwFaKeJTAPN4h-SP0Myc4_aSTxf-eaUDRy2_VDDeO5S-E53HB_UrpG-RmpFq2VKJQ89x6YMbCZ0Sbybu3_M/s1600/my+first+trim+025.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_LS6sH0A3XzhN63XmrvE5vJ16CkG8GoxMm_mNrRxXZmz_5VSMjhYUJ9lkwFaKeJTAPN4h-SP0Myc4_aSTxf-eaUDRy2_VDDeO5S-E53HB_UrpG-RmpFq2VKJQ89x6YMbCZ0Sbybu3_M/s320/my+first+trim+025.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488393444152437202" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a> </div><div>Left front done, right front still to go<br /><div> </div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-57775784278826818632010-05-16T09:59:00.000-07:002010-05-16T10:03:30.484-07:00Perfect Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytgzXHH8S93Gmt1sPOZkFzPL_kgJjWSlRtaFgKX0mGxquo_RDSYmzIMb-F3nHKCO3y77GZwlb7Mymez_7fu7mmuxikcezNcETdIOkvkkFxo_wlevAuhixnqtgiDMkrvdlKUIHwMKzwww/s1600/Cody+wedding+pic.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytgzXHH8S93Gmt1sPOZkFzPL_kgJjWSlRtaFgKX0mGxquo_RDSYmzIMb-F3nHKCO3y77GZwlb7Mymez_7fu7mmuxikcezNcETdIOkvkkFxo_wlevAuhixnqtgiDMkrvdlKUIHwMKzwww/s320/Cody+wedding+pic.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471913975156992402" /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytgzXHH8S93Gmt1sPOZkFzPL_kgJjWSlRtaFgKX0mGxquo_RDSYmzIMb-F3nHKCO3y77GZwlb7Mymez_7fu7mmuxikcezNcETdIOkvkkFxo_wlevAuhixnqtgiDMkrvdlKUIHwMKzwww/s1600/Cody+wedding+pic.jpg"></a>More pics when I get them back from the photographer :) Cody was a star! This was all of the third time I have ridden him outside of the arena or round pen. He went past cars, people, small screaming children, with only a second glance at a flapping table cloth for about 5 seconds. It was a wonderful day, not only did I get to marry a great man and best friend, I have an awesome horse :)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-27191869284815424012010-03-27T15:08:00.001-07:002010-03-27T15:24:04.345-07:00Spring is here<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IFRhlrQNj9CXk4iys9TybxQEcfzCy8qKqmyNmRERcv9qVO2h0oN1kBMMTH_YTSDd9y_N7RVmcvIfUYPwEgl2ay5T3Vr3tNyLgBJyGPs7vDiookz6d005UfuZvoOwnvsnlbnaRbrc3wA/s1600/Cody+010.JPG"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IFRhlrQNj9CXk4iys9TybxQEcfzCy8qKqmyNmRERcv9qVO2h0oN1kBMMTH_YTSDd9y_N7RVmcvIfUYPwEgl2ay5T3Vr3tNyLgBJyGPs7vDiookz6d005UfuZvoOwnvsnlbnaRbrc3wA/s1600/Cody+010.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IFRhlrQNj9CXk4iys9TybxQEcfzCy8qKqmyNmRERcv9qVO2h0oN1kBMMTH_YTSDd9y_N7RVmcvIfUYPwEgl2ay5T3Vr3tNyLgBJyGPs7vDiookz6d005UfuZvoOwnvsnlbnaRbrc3wA/s1600/Cody+010.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; align=center" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IFRhlrQNj9CXk4iys9TybxQEcfzCy8qKqmyNmRERcv9qVO2h0oN1kBMMTH_YTSDd9y_N7RVmcvIfUYPwEgl2ay5T3Vr3tNyLgBJyGPs7vDiookz6d005UfuZvoOwnvsnlbnaRbrc3wA/s320/Cody+010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453441299054688562" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Cody sporting a hat</i></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IFRhlrQNj9CXk4iys9TybxQEcfzCy8qKqmyNmRERcv9qVO2h0oN1kBMMTH_YTSDd9y_N7RVmcvIfUYPwEgl2ay5T3Vr3tNyLgBJyGPs7vDiookz6d005UfuZvoOwnvsnlbnaRbrc3wA/s1600/Cody+010.JPG"></a><br />The last couple of weekends have been really nice. Cody has been doing well, even if we are still just trotting around the round pen. I wasn't able to go out to the barn at all this past week, so the last time I climbed on him was last Sunday. He did great today! Tomorrow I may go back out to the arena. I also had a chance to talk to one of the other boarders today who goes on trail rides a lot. He is one who tends to go and and likes to GO, so I don't think we'll be tagging along with that group any time soon, but he said Susie, the barn owner, tends to go much slower and she goes on Saturday mornings, so I just may check into tagging along in a couple weekends. Well, first I have to ride him around other horses....just haven't had a chance to do that yet unfortunately.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kwUFQKgCrHnjI-5O_DiM7MJlTcJRjC73_69zg1UPPXI1BQy8XQwVVXwC1jdvONmQWI-7nzjQeOTy6YT7VXXNZ2-JfLRv6SJtgY_CtaqB6Y-Le9JSmLTX3OnDtgWuAx7daVq3OcQgfmA/s1600/Cody+007.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kwUFQKgCrHnjI-5O_DiM7MJlTcJRjC73_69zg1UPPXI1BQy8XQwVVXwC1jdvONmQWI-7nzjQeOTy6YT7VXXNZ2-JfLRv6SJtgY_CtaqB6Y-Le9JSmLTX3OnDtgWuAx7daVq3OcQgfmA/s320/Cody+007.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453441836212426626" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kwUFQKgCrHnjI-5O_DiM7MJlTcJRjC73_69zg1UPPXI1BQy8XQwVVXwC1jdvONmQWI-7nzjQeOTy6YT7VXXNZ2-JfLRv6SJtgY_CtaqB6Y-Le9JSmLTX3OnDtgWuAx7daVq3OcQgfmA/s1600/Cody+007.JPG"></a><i>I got some conchos and buckles to decorate Cody's bridle. You can't see them all that well, but they dress it up nicely :)</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-25729134297603548272010-03-06T17:37:00.000-08:002010-03-06T17:44:23.536-08:00I think I need a new name for this blogSo I've been thinking lately (I know, scary thought) but I don't think Cody is going to have the movement to go very far in dressage. He has nice forward movement, tracks up nicely at the trot, has a nice smooth looking canter, but he just doesn't seem to have that little extra spark of pizazz that makes a good dressage horse. So I've decided that what I'd like to do is get into trail riding. Either competitive trail riding or endurance riding, still trying to see what I can find around here (especially since I don't have a horse trailer). Who knows, if I can get in better shape, maybe in a couple years we'll try an Extreme Cowboy Race....<br /><div>So to that end, I found a new used saddle. It's in great shape and seems to fit him as well as I am going to find something to fit him right now (he still really needs to fill out).</div><br /><div>So here is my western pony, what do you think?</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqRqJRAwaxwFwFWulH5RqUumfHLn-YwxQLOrHcnH-84wLQTXnhqeUkpap64aUcm4fKhdukCxEGcLsVbQV5JS8XOB3ucEOSa15IPah5H2BLtpsJb55kEAcuOJ1lOgwchHmn6q3JdTTr_o/s1600-h/Cody+saddle.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445701648752520242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXqRqJRAwaxwFwFWulH5RqUumfHLn-YwxQLOrHcnH-84wLQTXnhqeUkpap64aUcm4fKhdukCxEGcLsVbQV5JS8XOB3ucEOSa15IPah5H2BLtpsJb55kEAcuOJ1lOgwchHmn6q3JdTTr_o/s320/Cody+saddle.jpg" /></a><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-60256886792888627412010-02-13T16:33:00.001-08:002010-02-13T16:33:53.515-08:00In the arenaVideo from our ride today.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tHsLbPuOHAA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tHsLbPuOHAA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-26224103616038204162010-02-06T15:45:00.000-08:002010-02-06T16:04:57.044-08:00New bridle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTMJ-qbjAGQK4gxYgCEu-dxWTrf9zhiauK7MY6Ia84xd8stqvn9FL6QiRA0xYOO93Pk2YQNOfiMAl7p29rYG9H8puxvz3vNJCIr57zg6-NVlzU86gooeT5qmxs5kUhi6P95_FLunfCFw/s1600-h/English+bridle.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTMJ-qbjAGQK4gxYgCEu-dxWTrf9zhiauK7MY6Ia84xd8stqvn9FL6QiRA0xYOO93Pk2YQNOfiMAl7p29rYG9H8puxvz3vNJCIr57zg6-NVlzU86gooeT5qmxs5kUhi6P95_FLunfCFw/s320/English+bridle.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435284828603283154" /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTMJ-qbjAGQK4gxYgCEu-dxWTrf9zhiauK7MY6Ia84xd8stqvn9FL6QiRA0xYOO93Pk2YQNOfiMAl7p29rYG9H8puxvz3vNJCIr57zg6-NVlzU86gooeT5qmxs5kUhi6P95_FLunfCFw/s1600-h/English+bridle.JPG"></a><br />There is a place called Sunset Feed a mile from our apartment. Nice place, nice people, could use a bit more in the horse tack department, but it's not bad.<div><br /></div><div>They had a sale awhile back (okay, it was Thanksgiving weekend) and clearance stuff was half off the already marked down price. How could I pass that up? I found a nice english bridle for a nice price, and a royal blue saddle pad. </div><div><br /></div><div>Today, I went out to the barn and when we (fiance came with me) got out there it turned out there was a birthday party going on. Barn owner (nice gal) came over to talk when she saw us heading to the barn and she said the round pen was fine to use. So I got Cody all tacked up and off we went to play in the round pen. I have some video that needs to be edited that I hope to upload later. </div><div><br /></div><div>Cody has been here two weeks today. The first week was just spent trying to brush out a lot of his shedding coat and letting him settle in a bit. Oh, and he has trimmed whiskers and a bridle path now. Never seen clippers before and he just stood there while I trimmed him up a bit. I wonder sometimes if he came in from the wild already trained...</div><div><br /></div><div>This past week we were back to working by the moonlight. Turns out even though he has had the last 5 months off he hasn't really lost much. I even ground drove him with a bit for the first time this week. The arena was a bit of a lake because there had been a downpour earlier that day so we just went back and forth and did figure eights alongside the barn. Got one other ground driving session in before today, out in the arena and we wove in and out of cones and such. Climbed on bareback for about a minute and a half one night and once with my english saddle on for maybe all of three minutes this past Sunday.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today we rode for 10-15 minutes, in the round pen, with a bit, with noisy kids and a fire going in a fire pit not far from where we were, with chickens wandering around along one side of the round pen, you get the idea. Cody didn't appear to care. We practiced turning and stopping and backing (I've never ridden him with a bit, just with the rope halter with side rings) and he did awesome. </div><div><br /></div><div>At this rate, I think he really will be ready for me to ride him in my upcoming wedding (May 15). Lol, I basically have as much time to get him ready for that as trainers do for a Mustang Makeover, think we can do it?</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-33977338433690020432010-01-10T19:18:00.000-08:002010-01-10T19:29:30.900-08:00YesToday, we stopped at a store on our way to his parents' house for dinner. This store happened to be a jewelry store. The item that was being picked up was an engagement ring! We had gone to "just look" yesterday (or so I was told) and I spotted a ring I rather liked. Today it is on my finger! When he got back in the car he proposed (totally unromantic I know, but sweet all the same) and of course I said yes :)<div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNwz8fGk11sMVlpLIlmexHMX4QHEnsM-4s-5XXJT8ci626JFrB6T7O098OpgL5njXYVIKBnnIhKkJ6SVQVmHa7Bat7_v4AAAj-UdHqvGhaWmVRee7A0JIfGLkZ5VenbDn0XCYts2JBms/s1600-h/ring.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNwz8fGk11sMVlpLIlmexHMX4QHEnsM-4s-5XXJT8ci626JFrB6T7O098OpgL5njXYVIKBnnIhKkJ6SVQVmHa7Bat7_v4AAAj-UdHqvGhaWmVRee7A0JIfGLkZ5VenbDn0XCYts2JBms/s320/ring.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425319078758705586" style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 177px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-31028220774569249742010-01-01T06:15:00.000-08:002010-01-01T06:23:22.467-08:00Happy New Year!I can't believe 2009 is done and gone already! I wonder what 2010 will bring? <div><br /></div><div>2009 has been a pretty eventful year for me. I moved to Miami, FL, I got a "real" job, I got a puppy, I climbed on my horse for the first time, I think it's been a pretty good year.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now for those blue moon pics. The sky was cloudy but when I went out to snap a shot the moon was peeking through an opening.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I think, for now, I'm going to leave them as dark as they were straight out of my camera.</div><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRmkCxUHVLhcmlWU9MOFYYumv_cgS1lkGXILRTn6PaMoNPd4nTz49FxCKH7haPUCLw12YnIIDTR1ZGhMadOpqQIrUHQmJMG_LgrJizFgoSFKQPTVEhpgAiGGedcu9M_6ojyMXSJ3aBOk/s1600-h/New+Years+Eve+004.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRmkCxUHVLhcmlWU9MOFYYumv_cgS1lkGXILRTn6PaMoNPd4nTz49FxCKH7haPUCLw12YnIIDTR1ZGhMadOpqQIrUHQmJMG_LgrJizFgoSFKQPTVEhpgAiGGedcu9M_6ojyMXSJ3aBOk/s320/New+Years+Eve+004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421776347366773746" /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRmkCxUHVLhcmlWU9MOFYYumv_cgS1lkGXILRTn6PaMoNPd4nTz49FxCKH7haPUCLw12YnIIDTR1ZGhMadOpqQIrUHQmJMG_LgrJizFgoSFKQPTVEhpgAiGGedcu9M_6ojyMXSJ3aBOk/s1600-h/New+Years+Eve+004.JPG"></a>The moon over our apartment building.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII305jx0gfPy8EoC8SNIGI_-9hx7wpEkBOIHtJ4GE8kiDd7kjmB-QPMiBoMqmUwxCZGTKBtlLaIVX7pzuJ5munZzV_JDV3tJVGbTfxUQmzy1tvxb1vZWt6Mwzq241qP_9iklJYbI1HAo/s1600-h/New+Years+Eve+005.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII305jx0gfPy8EoC8SNIGI_-9hx7wpEkBOIHtJ4GE8kiDd7kjmB-QPMiBoMqmUwxCZGTKBtlLaIVX7pzuJ5munZzV_JDV3tJVGbTfxUQmzy1tvxb1vZWt6Mwzq241qP_9iklJYbI1HAo/s320/New+Years+Eve+005.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421776336004646450" /></a><br /></div><div>The moon peeking out over a palm tree zoomed in as much as my little camera could go.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-33894572984408001952009-12-13T19:26:00.000-08:002009-12-13T20:07:44.140-08:00Finally found a placeI finally found a place to board Cody. It's further away than I'd really wanted, but the people seem really nice and there is turnout and places to ride. So this means I am can finally finish making plans to ship Cody. I used uShip to get bids from shippers and was able to find someone to haul my nutty pony from one corner of the country to the opposite corner for $1500. So the plan is to haul him here mid-January.<div><br /></div><div>The barn is about 16 miles away, but it's going to take 20-30 minutes to get there. But I plan to head there after work 2-3 evenings a week and then on weekends. They have a round pen and an outdoor arena (I haven't really seen any covered arenas around here, not quite sure why). I got a really good feeling from the place when we stopped by there on Saturday. We showed up unexpected (were out to drive past a few places and we saw people so thought we'd stop and get out) and they were in the middle of getting ready for a holiday party for their boarders and lesson kids. She let me wander and look around a bit and then showed us around and told us more about the place. And after all of that, she invited us to stay for their party! Sadly, we couldn't stay, but I thought that was really nice. So I am really looking forward to having my horse back!<br /><div><br /></div><div>I've been at my new job for 2 weeks now and it's finally starting to get interesting. I actually have a job now where my job title is "programmer"! It's fixing bugs and doing modifications for a company that has a software program that airlines use for tracking maintenance and engineering for airplanes and parts and such.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bummer thing about the job is that I have to wake up at 5:30 to get there on time! Since start times are an hour and a half apart and in differing directions, I am riding the bus to work. It's all of a 10 mile commute but you put that in city rush hour traffic (and the fact that I am riding a bus) and it turns into a 50 minute commute. I find the nice thing about riding a bus is that I can totally tune out the traffic and just read or look things up on my phone.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly, I've dropped my poor cell phone twice in the last week and put some significant cracks in the screen. Luckily it seems to still be working. Hopefully it will make it through to summer so I can get an upgrade.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-43090621466568724452009-11-21T20:44:00.000-08:002009-11-21T20:53:57.787-08:00How could we resist?We went to Ikea today because I had a coupon for $25 off our purchase and it expired at the end of the month and we could really use desks (2 people and one desk just doesn't work very well). Had a productive day and had lunch there (yum meatballs!). On the way home were gonna stop by a store to grab some soda and it happened to be next to PetSmart. Went in to look at the cats that are always there for adoption. Walk in the door and there are puppies. I haven't had a dog since I was five. Somehow we came home with this....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4JRyACErSETfhXPMSiXZY2923s-Wn1CM4-PKb_T_5PT5ZfXnSrprsEzEoMnKpDbPGU3m5Zdkgw2wBXVe-wdIMem5qJL8Zdfh5lnwDlNITDW3KeOyFJfanZhDFP2LIzd9DOo3UsKATNc/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc4JRyACErSETfhXPMSiXZY2923s-Wn1CM4-PKb_T_5PT5ZfXnSrprsEzEoMnKpDbPGU3m5Zdkgw2wBXVe-wdIMem5qJL8Zdfh5lnwDlNITDW3KeOyFJfanZhDFP2LIzd9DOo3UsKATNc/s320/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406785805477389218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Isn't he cute? He is 9 weeks old, was born September 15. He is Jack Russell and Shih Tzu so it's going to be interesting to see what he ends up looking like, right now he looks kind of like a solid colored Jack Russell.<br /><br />He is possibly in need of a name. The name the shelter had given him is Tommy and I'm just not sure if that feels quite right. Some other suggestions have been Pete or Charlie. Any other ideas?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-47471921572848855122009-11-15T09:13:00.000-08:002009-11-15T09:22:14.272-08:00English SaddleSo while I was in Washington for a few days last week, I tried my old Stubben saddle on him again just to see how it was fitting. It's not perfect, but it fits better than the Wintec I tried on him for comparison. And when I got home to Miami and I've looked at the pics I took a few dozen times, thought I would compare how he looked in it now versus when I first tried it on him back in February. I do believe I can say he has actually grown a little, lol.<br /><br />February 21, first time I put a saddle on his back<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rLTam9xZ2eRWbanY9mNiyrKfCqp43rxhsRjG4mIZjI0j4K0EBcM6ptjON77pdjnssUktrobBJ0fNThmg_JSQKf8W7J0tukEHIxkPWwzQ1nFPyVhuA6aQmIJszjn_X_-Y6ScC8hYauMw/s800/english-saddle.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rLTam9xZ2eRWbanY9mNiyrKfCqp43rxhsRjG4mIZjI0j4K0EBcM6ptjON77pdjnssUktrobBJ0fNThmg_JSQKf8W7J0tukEHIxkPWwzQ1nFPyVhuA6aQmIJszjn_X_-Y6ScC8hYauMw/s800/english-saddle.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><hr width="40%"><br /><br />Tuesday morning, November 10 before heading to the airport<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAfkqgvcZndX4SAeUdiucGk2-JggFUUEbowriqi2zjN9CVfcnCh9nRKyoRE9e14AURKiOxORUkHj2mdyJx5Kx5nTedTEJdpXJLsdS6rbtHfoOS3tuidJzYrmoV4wtyqSHa9CHDYakrfM/s1600-h/english-saddle-nov.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAfkqgvcZndX4SAeUdiucGk2-JggFUUEbowriqi2zjN9CVfcnCh9nRKyoRE9e14AURKiOxORUkHj2mdyJx5Kx5nTedTEJdpXJLsdS6rbtHfoOS3tuidJzYrmoV4wtyqSHa9CHDYakrfM/s320/english-saddle-nov.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404381122839472754" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Now that I have found a job (I start Thursday) I get to have my pony shipped here in about a month or so! So now I am really looking for somewhere to board him and I have been getting quotes from shippers. Does anyone have any good or bad experiences with any particular shipper?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-77708015821580861702009-10-05T20:08:00.000-07:002009-10-05T20:10:26.495-07:00Cody says Hi!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfEEa0ONX8zKUZnv8pED0S0WfKbQayXqBpHmUqo2dLkgyNTxCWUAaE8BfWNgGRKO2QLsRX7tpQshs6A12jdkosrIWakvmxH7hXKv-XqXO3NuYNPxSRlxuOJrR0noCiw9201cV56daI_w/s1600-h/Cody2+016.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfEEa0ONX8zKUZnv8pED0S0WfKbQayXqBpHmUqo2dLkgyNTxCWUAaE8BfWNgGRKO2QLsRX7tpQshs6A12jdkosrIWakvmxH7hXKv-XqXO3NuYNPxSRlxuOJrR0noCiw9201cV56daI_w/s320/Cody2+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389319025420629138" border="0" /></a><br />Mom took some pics for me. I am still working on finding a place to keep him that doesn't cost as much as rent and isn't a half an hour away. I miss my pony!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-36437108775414576872009-09-17T09:12:00.000-07:002009-09-17T10:43:14.755-07:00Quick UpdateFirst, gotta have a Cody pic:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZEA26UBfGdMuasXrlzkkh2Uk3NkSFfQpNxszUuDoZkf37WZoivxIUkmegmE4x9l0vAZtzHXOjm4ZxBt6-rqI45nAZRjM7gYtQ_6urQIX6j6nK2Lo1S38euHlt7wEuCQOnk5cjpTyY8U/s1600-h/Cody+and+brush+bag.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVZEA26UBfGdMuasXrlzkkh2Uk3NkSFfQpNxszUuDoZkf37WZoivxIUkmegmE4x9l0vAZtzHXOjm4ZxBt6-rqI45nAZRjM7gYtQ_6urQIX6j6nK2Lo1S38euHlt7wEuCQOnk5cjpTyY8U/s320/Cody+and+brush+bag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382470265800533682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mom has been taking good care of him for me.<br /><br />I've been here for two weeks now! Starting to feel kinda of settled in, I've been to the local feed/tack store once. They looked busy so I didn't talk to anyone, but I'd really like to start checking into places. The hitch there still being that I need to find a full time job. My part-time job isn't going to cut it if I want to be able to afford Cody's board here. Either that or another part-time job. Will just have to see how things pan out. Right now I am just grateful that I still have my part-time job and I can do it remotely.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-44678953440568024272009-09-01T01:01:00.000-07:002009-09-01T01:12:00.930-07:00Off to Florida!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9mWoZmhFs-bqLPjvkCnxcBesvZQIP7DxcQxb8ExffQWgSEfQts4agPKksjWM5D4U37Nu8zKe24YZv2b5BITi0Ex03g7QZIXqirhEvFSN7W4Hl1Sc1oBGLy4E5rSJZaMBq8hcJA5sUJw/s1600-h/CodyAtRail.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9mWoZmhFs-bqLPjvkCnxcBesvZQIP7DxcQxb8ExffQWgSEfQts4agPKksjWM5D4U37Nu8zKe24YZv2b5BITi0Ex03g7QZIXqirhEvFSN7W4Hl1Sc1oBGLy4E5rSJZaMBq8hcJA5sUJw/s320/CodyAtRail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376407959123038610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Okay, so I leave in a few hours to go to Florida. Not just for a visit this time, but to stay. Cody will hopefully be following in 2-3 months once I secure a job and a place to board him. He currently is tucked back in in the backyard where he looks up and nickers whenever he sees me come out the back door because he knows I'm a sucker and am likely to give him some sort of munchie (or just breakfast/dinner!). It's going to be hard leaving him behind for that long!<br /><br />This summer with him was good. I got a good start on him with 30 rides. There would have been a few more but his back was getting sore.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wL_onCgO6jkerhLtR9r9YbAsd9Ojd992lhE_NIz9yOTpYy1ibe3Qr3NNb9Peh4LlvATmyZF1SeSmNh2RIjOP4XaMFvivlRN0bmSaemfdt0AsSDqEGbe5e9syUd6s_rjWSZE4lEycGzY/s1600-h/Coyd'sBack.jpg"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wL_onCgO6jkerhLtR9r9YbAsd9Ojd992lhE_NIz9yOTpYy1ibe3Qr3NNb9Peh4LlvATmyZF1SeSmNh2RIjOP4XaMFvivlRN0bmSaemfdt0AsSDqEGbe5e9syUd6s_rjWSZE4lEycGzY/s320/Coyd'sBack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376407960688557154" style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" align="left" border="0" /></a>I've had a terrible time finding a saddle to fit and if you look at his back he just really needs to fill out. I hope he does and that his back doesn't look this bad forever. From the side he looks good, but from this angle he is, well, all angles!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-88156141045635862222009-07-24T21:45:00.000-07:002009-07-24T21:54:02.882-07:00Ride 23 - We loped!I've been wanting to ask Cody to lope for a week or two or three now but was lacking the guts to get it done. My friend Diane (who owns the <a href="http://www.justapleasurefarm.com">place</a> where Cody is staying for the summer) was going to come out and be that extra bit of encouragement that I needed this evening, but something came up and she wasn't able to. <br /><br />I had been riding him around the arena for a bit, he was trotting off nicely and we were turning okay and the thunder and lightning didn't seem to be bothering him. So I argued with myself and decided "you're going to do this!" and we started trotting a circle and I started asking him to canter. I've always kissed for a canter from the ground and he responds well. With me on his back he was just trotting faster and faster so we stopped for a moment so I could talk myself into following through. Off into another circle at a trot and this time I made a longer kissing sound and he figured out what I was asking and off we went! We cantered a few strides, maybe a third of a circle and I asked him to whoa and he did and I told him what a good boy he was. And then off we went to do it again! To top it all off, the few strides I did get tonight felt like it was going to be pretty smooth :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-19041793600920332762009-07-17T16:06:00.000-07:002009-07-17T16:09:41.884-07:00Doesn't he look good?Just a quick shot with my phone after we rode today.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLmM44wm2hl-y2ifirtuaR54MY8nNEfSrvZuOXjWJwimI_rd8elCFPdJ8VDXmlGREISMzpRMTLo1O0TuuVWPwSrCUgjzJCpfXlhuRE1ZtqNywhmh0-BVIWRz2_NFqr62uJrik8jNobBI/s1600-h/cody071709.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqLmM44wm2hl-y2ifirtuaR54MY8nNEfSrvZuOXjWJwimI_rd8elCFPdJ8VDXmlGREISMzpRMTLo1O0TuuVWPwSrCUgjzJCpfXlhuRE1ZtqNywhmh0-BVIWRz2_NFqr62uJrik8jNobBI/s320/cody071709.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359569855374231090" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-34289526105475405362009-07-13T22:18:00.001-07:002009-07-13T22:30:04.007-07:00Cody having fun in the arenaWell, I have ridden my pony 16 times now, he is doing really well :) Don't have any video of that unfortunately, but here is a video of him just kicking up his heels and having fun in the arena (got there too late to really have time to ride). It's a bit dark as it was late, but you can still sorta see, lol.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyJR-KWf9guOTaXrQC6pSV0BTQ3chZi5hZbq8vmbR2Q_Oh9YkDlTrGGfXRYgxiBtZsc5diMl4MwRfqcGdS_wQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2652300369792793863.post-58178790711220479302009-06-26T00:23:00.001-07:002009-06-26T00:50:42.829-07:00Proof I Rode My MustangOkay, so here is a short clip of me on Cody the third time I rode him.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Mn5gM4GKllo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Mn5gM4GKllo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4