Ginger's Relatives

I'm suffering from serious horse withdrawls. So what'a girl to do? Create hypothetical breedings to daydream about even more Sec D awesomeness? Check.

In the course of researching the perfect boyfriend for Ginger, I of course have to research her pedigree. I came across a few of her half brothers and sisters from her dam's side, and thought it was super neat to see how much they all resemble their dam. Here's Ginger's mama, Ayr Hawks MacKenzie Rose :

from http://www.davidsondales.com

I hadn't seen that picture before, Ginger sure turned out a lot like her mom!

Ginger, summer 2013

Here's Ginger's half brother, Whispering Telynor. There's definitely a family resemblance:

From: http://www.davidsondales.com/Telynor

Another half brother, Whispering Sparkling Comet. 

http://jensingspringsfarm.weebly.com/stallions.html

Yet another half brother. Sugarlane Ovation:

www.sugarlaneponies.com

Finally, a half sister! Talywern Fair Rose:

http://www.llawenfarm.com

And one more half brother. Whispering Magic Marvel:

From http://evenstarwelsh.com

Ginger's dam appears to have had a pretty long broodmare career - these are just her foals I can easily find online. What's funny is most of the boys appear to have been stallions at some point in their lives, so their stats are mostly listed. From what I can see, they're all between 14.1-14.3hh. Ginger is the giant of the family at 15.3hh. I can't find much info on her sire, but I'm guessing he must have been taller than most. Ginger, of course, is obviously a girl of extremes, so I wouldn't be surprised if she's just the odd one out. It would only make sense :)

The Most Boring Blog Ever Award

I nominate myself :)

Thank you again to everyone who has stuck through this incredibly uninteresting part of my life with me.

Ginger is fine, I still miss her more than I can say. Work has totally gone crazy, with coworker insanity and all sorts of departmental drama. I try to stay out of it, but it's a small department. I hate conflict and the stress of feeling like the middle ground is getting to me. I can't wait for this contract to be over! I prefer the drama around me only comes courtesy of super cute Welsh Cobs :) After 6 months off, I suspect she's got a little bit saved up for me.

Ginger's barn on the coast. Also, the status of my department at work :)

The Drama Pony being dramatic over picture taking

I've been in a real funk the past month or two since May. I'm typically the girl who is always happy and positive - you know, that cheery person that annoys the crap out of you, particularly on before-coffee Monday mornings.So, this whole serious persona and NOT feeling like I radiate sunshine and rainbows (ha, I never really felt like that, but I love the visual) thing is kind of new and weird to me, and apparently not conducive to blogging. (Or doing much of anything interesting.)

Ginger,G, and I. 2012. (Sorry,  I couldn't resist.)
Also my Halloween costume circa 1985. Yes, that makes me old, but it's a fact that is too awesome not to share.  No, I am not going as far as sharing the actual pictures of my uber cool self.

OK, never mind. That picture has cheered me up considerably. Carry on with your day :)

Human Jacket Reviews

I have to start by saying I love, love, love my Kerrits gear. I love it so much that I have had two very similar winter coats from them in different colors. Sadly, the first one is pretty beat up after numerous winters at the barn. Most of the buttons and zips are now unreliable at best. The second one? It was pretty roomy to start and now I've lost a bit of weight and it's just too big. My search for a Kerrits replacement ended in disappointment as it appears the coat I love has been discontinued. I was willing to try another style, but after months of eBay and sale stalking, I couldn't find an appropriate Kerrits coat in a price range I felt comfortable with.
Kerrits discontinued "Precip" coat that I love:

Lots of nice coats at www.kerrits.com

I'll insert a quick recap of what I need in a winter coat because it's probably more of a spring/fall coat for some of you.

1. WATERPROOF. I hang out on the Pacific Coast. Water resistant doesn't cut it. There's nothing worse than being out in the cold/wind/rain an hour or two from home and feeling water trickling through the seams of your new (expensive) coat.

2. Multipurpose. I'm on a budget. My coat has to be fitted well enough to ride/run/hike/bike in, and look presentable enough to wear to the grocery store now and then.

3. Dark color. So I can pretend no one can see how dirty it really is.

4. Not too 'puffy'. While it definitely gets chilly here in Alberta, the coast sees more moderate temps and I get pretty grouchy if my coat is making me all sweaty and gross. I have a gorgeous Mountain Horse down jacket that I wear maybe once or twice a year because it's so warm. Which makes me sad when I think how cute it is and how much it cost. So, I look for lighter weight and figure I can always add a layer if I'm cold ( or move around a bit more!).


Being the penny pinching, horse expense drained girl that I am, you can bet I was shopping for my new winter coat on the clearance rack this past spring. I failed to find the perfect coat. Instead, I found two very nice coats for screaming deals. Both were about 75% off retail so I felt I could justify the splurge.

Jacket 1 - Columbia Hot Thought jacket. MSRP $140.

Sounds like it would be baking hot, right? Nope, it's a super lightweight waterproof coat with a tinfoil-esque lining designed to reflect your body heat back at you and keep you warm. Or something like that, I admit to not reading/understanding all the gimmicky scientific sounding words on the tags.

http://www.columbia.com/Women%E2%80%99s-Hot-Thought%E2%84%A2-Jacket/WL2127,default,pd.html

Pros:

-Super light weight.

-Flattering fit out of the saddle

-Waterproof!

-So far, keeps me at just the right temperature, even with just a t-shirt on the below freezing mornings we've been having

-Feels like decent quality 

Cons:

-Not crazy about the color (same as picture)

-Fits a bit on the long side, I suspect that will equal it bunching up around my midsection while in the saddle

-Hood is attached, and tucks into the collar. Not sure how I feel about that, although I suppose it's main purpose is to be my rain coat so I'll need the hood more often than not :)

Overall: Nice coat, but I wouldn't have paid full price for it.

Next up, coat 2.

Outback Trading Company Oxley Softshell jacket. MSRP $120

Such a pretty coat, and it fulfils my need for plaid. It has a soft shell exterior and a nice fleece lining.

http://www.outbacktrading.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=479

Pros:

-Definitely designed for time in the saddle. Length is just right, and back tapers down a bit to cover better while you're riding.

-More traditional than the Columbia jacket. Looks a little more professional for some of the lessons/clinics I go to. It matches all of my breeches.

-Nicely fitted, so even though it's a thicker coat, it doesn't look overly bulky.

-I did end up getting stuck in a rainstorm last week and it kept me dry. I don't think it's up to serious long term rain, but nice to know I'll be OK if the weather surprises me now and then.

-Dirt fighting/hiding capabilities.

-Well made

-Looks cute with jeans, I've worn it for walking to work on casual Fridays and got compliments on it.

Cons

-It has an attached hood. A rather bulky attached hood. I'd rather it had no hood or a detachable hood since I've got my helmet on in the saddle and won't use a non waterproof hood at any time - I'd rather wear a cute hat if I'm cold out of the saddle. 

-Too thick for more intense sports (running, mountain biking), but I can see myself hiking and walking in this one, as well as riding of course. 

-Fit is on the small side - I had to go a size up. (which isn't really a con except for making me feel fat ;)

Overall: Love this coat, wish it was west coast standard waterproof, then it would be my favorite coat ever. I would actually consider buying this coat even at full retail price.

The clock is ticking - not too long before I go home and try these coats out a little more seriously on horseback!

Updates

Wish me luck, the municipality I live in on the coast is actually getting closer to the 21st century and hiring a tech type person. I sent my resume in this morning. I'm keeping it secret from G because I don't want him to be disappointed if I don't get it. On the other hand, I'd LOVE to surprise him with good news. Whichever the case, I have resisted all temptation of pay raises and promotions here and am still on schedule to return home in December, job or no, although working student is still on the table. The dream property is still waiting for me, (as is G lol) and life is generally feeling like it's still moving along in a positive direction. But still, a job AND my man AND my Gingersnap all in one place? Dare I dream to lead a normal life like everyone else ? :)

Ginger is still happy as a clam (Are clams happy? Really? Where did that come from...sounds like something my grandma might have said!) and enjoying her all inclusive vacation from the stresses of real life. I get regular updates regarding her awesomeness, but sadly no new photos to show you yet. I can tell you she's been healthy and happy and even been excellent for the farrier the whole time she's been gone, so I suspect it really was an issue with that one specific barn and farrier. And hey, maybe she's grown up a little too. I have no clue what I'd do if she really has randomly become all grown up and mature about things - she's such a princess it's hard to imagine even when the farm owner tells me she is 'quiet' and 'easy' to have around :)