Winter Break and Saddle Fitting

 We normally get about a week of winter-ish weather here. I had high hopes we might not got any snow at all this year (sometimes it's just freezing temperatures), but no such luck - we got pummeled.

"Winter is coming"

 We are now enjoying all the chaos that goes along with living in probably the only place in Canada that is forever surprised when it's actually cold or snowy. I've come to believe no one who lives here is equipped to function in actual winter.  I swear I drove by a city snow plow yesterday, but there was no blade where the actual plow part should be (and definitely no plowing of roads has occurred the past few days) so I don't know. They had the lights flashing and stuff, so it did at least LOOK nice and helpful :D

Our other toxic habit here is for everyone to update their social media with "look!snow!" pictures

Yesterday was the annual bingo card of closed/blocked roads, power, internet and water outages and people confidently driving their small cars with summer tires. I've never been more grateful to work and have the horses at home. 

In a great stroke of luck, the tack store had winter and winter-ish gloves on sale last week because they thought spring was coming. To be fair, I did too, but I bought a few pairs 'for next year'. I don't find these ones exceptionally warm, and the advertised touchscreen friendly finger doesn't work for me/my phone BUT they do keep my hands dry and I can do things like thread hoses to taps and untie hay nets with them on, so that's huge. My old pair literally froze to the faucet (and my skin) a couple of days ago so these are making me very happy right now. 10/10 would recommend at half price.

It looks like we're going to get another week or so of below freezing temperatures, so Sophie gets a vacation. That's fine, she was actually going to have one anyway because that saddle I waited so long for and had so optimistically hoped would be an answer didn't work. Honestly I know keeping them in some sort of work is healthy but my motivation to do groundwork, poles, and and longeing took a hit with that so I don't mind an excuse for a little downtime.

Absolutely in her element and loves snow days

I've gone deep down the rabbit hole as far as fitting myself (needing a 17-17.5" seat) and the very short backed (15" of usable space) pony, and I feel like I've tapped every resource I have and tried a multitude of things. That could be a topic for another post. 

I think since Sophie likely isn't staying with me forever and the coblets are getting ever closer to riding age, I'm (finally) not overly emotional about it, more just curious about the problem itself. What might the science might be behind rider weight on shortened panels? How does that affect balance and weight distribution? It seems like a fairly common topic with different opinions and studies contradicting each other. It seems like everyone isn't even in agreement that rider weight can't go past T-18.

Long story short, with that question (and several others) over the past few years I was eventually so far down the rabbit hole, so completely off track from my original questions, and yet still so interested, that I started signing up for actual education in the matter. Which lately has led me to starting the SMS (Society of Master Saddlers) saddle fitter training and qualification. I know there are other organizations and opportunities out there, but this path is the one made sense to me (and my like of UK made saddles (and ponies!) didn't hurt).

Do the color coordinated house and feed buckets make me look obsessive? (I seriously JUST noticed I did that thanks to this picture and now it cannot be unseen). Or is it my tendency to go all in on any thing that interests me?

It's reasonably an 18 month to 3 year process for someone totally invested, but at this point in my life that's realistically not me. I'm just going to see where it goes and take courses and get experience as and where I can. I have a career outside of horses that I'm not looking to replace (and I have big time Imposter Syndrome even starting down this path) but also I do think I have space to add something that I'm really excited about and interested in, whether it leads to any long term credentials or not.

Good night, ponies! I love how the paddock spotlight lights up their little window and I can see them in there from the house, makes it look so cozy on miserable nights.

Support System Appreciation

 I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but I am absolutely spoiled by my husband. He's always been 200% in my corner any time I need anything. Sadly for him, I am a very independent and self sufficient person that hates asking for anything, so that's awkward. I used to feel like I owed him every time he did anything and I wasn't comfortable being in 'debt' if I felt like I couldn't return the favor. But, as the years have gone on, I'm more willing to let it go (at least with him, the rest of the world remains a challenge).  

Speaking of time going on, Tradey sometimes looks surprisingly grown up.

But no, never mind, that is definitely a baby horse bottom :D

G retired quite young (lucky!) last year. I'm 10 years younger, have a $$$$ hobby and am very easily bored so I'll be staying gainfully employed for the foreseeable.  Current status is that he's got all the free time in the world and I have very little. So, he's started feeding and doing morning pony paddock mucking out. That works nicely because he actually enjoys it and I can instead fit in a quick workout and start work an hour early(that means I am done early and get an hour of late afternoon daylight to enjoy even on the darkest mid winter day).

Light until 5:30 right now! (Tradey was absolutely not interested in putting his ears up or posing.)

BUT. But. G had a minor surgery last week and is taking a vacation from being Chief Pony Caretaker for a month or two. Here I am again, up well before the sun, being accountable for my own stupid equine hobby :)

Frosty morning sunrise

I'm not actually complaining, because I enjoy seeing the horses first thing and they're really not 'work' for me. I'm THAT person, the one that likes all the day to day probably even more than I like riding. Plus, I don't mind an excuse to skip a work out now and then :)

Buck is the 'quieter' one but every morning I wake him up (literally) and then he NEEDS to run around and go nuts for 20 minutes. It's hilarious.

To be fair though, G deserves the world's biggest shout out - there is a lot of work that goes into keeping horses, especially keeping horses at home and I honestly don't think I'd have three of them if I was the sole person looking after them. 

Look at their sweet little faces. Don't be fooled. The more I feel like I need to hurry, the more chance these two dump that wheelbarrow.

In fact, that discussion was had again recently. I purposely haven't made any Sophie related plans or goals because I was leaning towards sending her out (to a trusted person) to sell. Horses are expensive, and one of my 2025 goals is to save money for a new truck. But, turns out that once again G refuses to vote Sophie off the island. 

She's a smart mare...she's SUPER sweet with G, lol. She loves him, but is less than polite to me if she thinks she can be.

My vote is never a consistent one, I waffle back and forth. With Chief Pony Caretaker status, G gets a full vote these days. I joke she is his, now.  So, she stays another year at least. It's easy to question things when I'm not doing much with her (that saddle to try is STILL sitting in a warehouse somewhere waiting to be delivered) and I know she'd thrive with a full time job and her chosen person, but it is nice having her around to putter away with while the cob boys grow up.

Newest Ridiculous Recycling Project

 We've been going through so much hay this year. Sophie eats very little, but the two boys are hay eating machines. 

So, I'm left with baling twine. SO much baling twine. No one around here takes it as recycling, so I've been putting it out with the household garbage every couple of weeks. I don't like doing that, but also the more 'traditional' methods of reusing it only go so far on a small hobby farm with newer fencing and gates ;)

Finally, a quick journey down the YouTube rabbit hole gave me a few ideas. Lead ropes, door mats, baskets, rugs, wreaths...there were a surprising amount of ideas. If I'm honest, none of it looked like anything I'd be excited to create or own :) But still...the idea of repurposing it felt solid. The base to all the ideas seemed to start with braiding the strings together, so I went with that to start. I 'cheated' and doubled or tripled up the strands so my braid actually consists of 6-9 hay strings.

look, I braided string

Because I was invested-but-also-not -invested in this, I just tied new strings to the old ones when I needed more. No fancy splicing, knots, braids, or trying to make it look pretty. Starting in September, by mid December I had one really long, butt ugly 'rope' that I would never use as an actual rope. Cue new YouTube search.

And so, after about an hour of 'weaving' said rope I ended up with the world's most unique door mat. It makes me laugh because it's bright and weird, so I think we'll call this a win.

I should move it to the front door so people have a warning of what they're getting into around here, right off the bat.

Was trying for a pic of Tradey holding it to show you but it turned into a toy very quickly

Reading List

I feel like I used to post book reviews fairly regularly. The Kindle app assures me I still consistently read 80-90 books a year, but for the most part it's a long while between reads that are both equine relevant AND good enough to want to share. Realistically it might be a case of the book count being more of a testament to insomnia than anything.

I do, however, have a few I've meant to recommend this past year:

1.

I feel like I've owned this one in the past and it maybe got lost in a move. The good news is that it's still an excellent resource for the days when you're feeling uninspired. I like how it maps out the exercise for you, and also gives tips for how you should ride it and what you're hoping to accomplish. There are exercises for any level, but for the most part they're simple enough. But, let's be real, the 'simplest' ones are always the hardest! My chances of running out of things to practice from this book are very low. My one complaint is that my newer version is printed on cheaper paper and I wouldn't want to actually have it out at the barn with me anymore. I guess that's what cell phone cameras are for though, right?

Bonus mention: Anything else Jec Ballou is worth a look too - I have the Equine Fitness book, as well as the 55 Corrective Exercises for Horses and while there is a bit of crossover, I find them all useful.

2.

This one I picked up on a whim after a working equitation clinic. I was pretty fascinated by how fun and easy it is to jump in at an intro level on your well rounded ammy horse, but like all equine sports there is a lot to know if you want to really start to perfect things. I like how the obstacles provide a visual purpose for the patterns and flatwork and practical skills we all practice on our horses - adding them seems to be more fun for everyone. Also, the people involved always seem to be a really good crowd. If you're looking for something to try, I'd 200% recommend. 

Anyway, the book.  I really enjoyed this book - it's got a perfect mix of great photos and diagrams and a ton of inspiration for fun exercises to set up. I'm going to be referring back to this once it's time for the cob boys to be started under saddle. I think a lot of the exercises and tips in this book are going to make learning new skills a lot more fun for them. If you're interested in showing WE I feel like this book could be a goldmine of advice and how to's. Or if you're a dressage rider that wants to open the arena gate on horseback or cross bridges on the trail this could be for you :) It breaks down all the obstacles you'd expect to find into bite sized training pieces and would be a nice addition to your more dressage marketed exercise/training books.

3.

This is a great little book. I really enjoy how straightforward it is. The first 75 or so pages are dedicated to a (concise and well written) overview of preparation and knowledge for building and  utilizing the exercises in the book, then it's on to the exercises. I'm admittedly not one to sit down and read a bunch of pages filled with 151 diagrams of poles. I AM however, the person who gets to the barn and thinks "I should set something up!" and that's where this book will save me. Literally flip it open to a random page and there will be something there for me to try. Even better, each chapter is organized by how many poles are required, so I could be a little less chaotic and start where ever my motivation takes me. I appreciate the simple check boxes under the diagram that tell you what the exercise targets - "Straightness" "Impulsion" "Bend", etc and what gaits and movements you can practice. I think the one thing missing - for lazy people like me - might be to have the ability to cross reference those, so if I want to target straightness for example, I could be referred to a list of relevant pages.

4.

This one might not be of much interest if you have a saddle fitter (but really, I would still recommend, knowledge is power and all that). If you're like me and without reliable on the ground help, this book is wonderful and absolutely full of things I wish I knew years ago. The internet and saddle fitter social media pages have been a great resource for me, but as with all horse topics, 3 people will have 5 different opinions and without someone to bounce ideas off of, I'm left a bit confused sometimes. What I really needed was a book where everything is laid out logically by the same author, based on a single system that I can easily refer back to and cross reference elsewhere. I also appreciate having a really detailed base of knowledge (even just having the diagrams and correct words for things!) to refer back to so I can feel more comfortable asking any new questions that arise :) My only (small) critique is that while the illustrations are well done, I'm a real world example type person so this sometimes misses the mark a photo might have made for really easy reference for me.

To Do in 2025

I have some thoughts around goal setting these days. Lucky for you, Emma wrote an excellent post that sums it up beautifully and much more eloquently than I could have attempted. While I'm not one to write up a big plan for the year anymore, January still gives me the urge to get things in order. Whether that's tidying up my trailer and getting it ready for spring adventures, or using this space for bigger picture life organization.  

Where we're at:

If my equestrian life was a sports team I'd definitely say we're in the rebuilding/development phase. But, there's a lot of fun to be had in this space. Arguably the most fun, even.

no shortage of fun here

We all know the foundation of the big dreams is just a bunch of smaller building blocks, mixed with a good dose of enthusiasm and a dash of luck.  The building blocks are the most important part of the puzzle and where a lot of us will spend years of our time, but still it's tempting to downplay things... like "sorry my blog is boring, my young horses aren't riding age and I am only doing x,y,z this year." 

Thinking on the future:

The first step in hitting those big wins is confirming I still want them. I like to pause now and then and check in as to whether this path are still something I really want. It's easy enough to continue on and stick to the plan, but speaking from experience, my dedication will be lacking and the rewards won't be great if my heart isn't really in it anymore. So:

To Do #1: Write down what I hope to achieve this year and in the mid to long term. Commit to keeping an open mind and reevaluating things periodically. I'm guilty of setting vague goals and persisting well after things are fun or this beyond my control have changed potential outcomes - just so I can tell myself I completed all the measurable pieces in my control...often losing the important part (the qualitative 'enjoy and have fun!') in the process. 

This was a nice 2024 view, but not pictured was the absolute misery of hiking up here (and back down) in a crazy storm. Trees were literally falling around us and the trail was a waterfall. I thought we would die, so 1/10 for that effort, should have been sensible and gone to the gym (or even (gasp!) rerouted when the weather hit.)

To Do #1A: It has to stay fun. It's OK if there are low points or things get tough for a bit (hello December weather making me question why I even own horses), but if I'm dreading showing up on a regular basis, it's time for a redirect. My husband is great at questioning why I'm still stubbornly going down a path when he can see it's not one I'm finding rewarding. I should probably listen to him more, he's lived with me for 20 years at this point and probably has an idea of what he's talking about ;)

What I can do now:

My goals do change and are in a bit of flux right now, but the base motivation to just be out there having fun and learning new things is very consistent. I think I'd like to get back to lower level dressage and eventing once the boys are riding age, but I think the priority for me is to be a happy and confident rider on two happy and confident, fun all around, well adjusted ponies. Working backwards from that:

To Do #2: Keep giving the baby ponies positive life experiences. They're going to be 2 year olds this spring, so (fingers crossed, not seeing any signs of brain installation yet ;)  mentally and physically mature enough that we can probably go for longer hike and leads a little further from home and choose a couple of friendly clinics and events for them this summer. Building blocks for well adjusted ponies.

The ring sand is finished so I think in hand poles and obstacle courses could be in our immediate future too

To Do #3: I gotta pay for this stuff. Sit down and make an equine related financial plan/budget for the year. Cry if I have to. Top of mind is that my truck is well past needing replacing. I don't think it's needed this year, but 2026 me will be grateful for a nice amount of cash on hand for a new reliable tow vehicle. I've been borrowing G's truck when I need to hook up the trailer and while we make it work, it's not going to be a solution as the boys get older and I want to get out more regularly - G needs a truck too.

He needs his own truck for all the barn help I ask for ;)

 To Do #4: So cliche, but I need to keep consistently prioritizing taking care of myself. My mental health has honestly sucked this past year. I'm aware and I know the triggers and yet I just didn't do anything to help myself. Top of mind as far as gym/yoga/riding fitness - I'm still quite a bit weaker on my right side than my left. Some days that is just going to be life due to ongoing injury, but there is always room for improvement and I'd like the 'good day' baseline to be closer to symmetrical. Future happy confident rider is going to be a lot harder to maintain if the mental and physical pieces aren't ready.

This not-a-saddle at least helps me keep my balance monitored

To Do #5: This is the hardest one. I started removing what's not working for me in 2024. That included ending relationships with some people, stepping back from others, setting a whole lot of boundaries, and letting go of long term goals and thoughts about who and where I should be that weren't serving me well. I simply hit a point where I just couldn't continue as it was anymore. But, a blessing in disguise because it needed to happen. I still am feeling a bit fuzzy/guilty/sad because I hate conflict, I like making people happy, and a lot of things I thought were OK to accept...actually weren't. And oh yeah, I'm not a huge fan of change either. But, mostly I'm relieved because there's already so much more room to breathe and just be me, if you know what I mean? It's something I'm going to need to continue into 2025 and beyond, so bear with because I'm not great at it yet. 

Whew, that got personal.

I'm excited to see where 2025 takes us, and I'm looking forward to following along with all of you.

The Sun Came Out

 Sometimes, I feel like writing, but I don't know where to start. I know there's things I did and want to chat about or things I'd like to write about to be able to look back on.

A quick scroll through my phone camera roll usually provides the inspiration. And, wow is my camera roll ever a reflection of not only what I've been up to, but how I've been feeling. Case in point - this is all I had for the second half of December.

I mean, we all love a good poovalanche though, right?

So, we can deduce I delivered some manure to my parents' garden. Apparently there was nothing else even remotely worth documenting or more inspiring to me than a 5 sec video of poo :D

 Since, then, though, things seem to be on the upswing.

Heading in to my first office day of 2025 and there was a bit of a sunrise

Look! Sunshine is coming! This made me happy after months of grey and rain. It's a gorgeous trip when the weather cooperates. 

Since then, we've had almost a full week of the sun peeking through here and there. It's rained hard at night a few times, so the groundwater is not receding, but it feels like everyone just took a deep breath and is waking up and getting ready for spring.

Especially this one. My right middle finger was sprained a couple of weeks ago due to longe line shenanigans, and she regrets nothing. She'd try it (and did try it) again, in fact. Yes, I am aware that's poor pony behaviour, longeing is time to work, not play. But, did I mention the sun came out and we've all temporarily lost our minds? 

Let the pony out of the paddock, enjoy your wish for total chaos.

Speaking of chaos, the kittens are 8 months old now and prime chaos attractants. They were probably just as crazy a few months ago but now they're full size and it sounds like they're demolishing the house every night.

 This guy just turned 10, and influenced the kitten color scheme. My order for twins to him didn't pan out though, the kitten fluff didn't expand to luxury proportions like the OG Kitty. But in hindsight, 2 more of this guy would have been crazy, even for me.

In other fluffy creature news, the boys are already starting to shed. In true baby pony fashion, they're not ready for the feels of that and you've never met two itchier, muddier ponies in your entire life. They're malfunctioning right now.

For some reason, only Bakari pictures. He's been the most eager to get a good grooming so he goes first, and I guess by the time I do something with Sophie and finish with Reggie it's been too dark for photos.

This sunrise was crazy - no filter added

Nicer weather means time to pick up some hay

Unloading done under supervision, of course

Other than that, my saddle to try is still waiting in a foreign country. I didn't realize our post office isn't accepting international parcels, so I will need to be patient until they catch up to the backlog from a labour dispute prior to Christmas. 

The house has been progressing. I got seriously sidetracked over Christmas, building a custom kitchen cabinet that really I had no business attempting. It turned out great, but it took me literal days and wasn't what we might call an effective use of time. We're on hold now for one last visit from the plumber and electrician, and then I*think* the only outstanding thing will be tiling the kitchen backsplash and maybe picking out a dining room light, but obviously we can move in while we do that. This is the second full renovation I've done of this house and I'll go on record here saying I hope it's the last. Also, it's never getting rented again. We live in it or we sell it, that's it :)

Brighter Days Ahead

 Literally, as the days grow longer again. 

Figuratively too. I have all sorts of things I want to do or I want to write about here but the winter blahs were winning in a big way and creeping into pretty much every aspect of life. I'm not cut out for these winters - I think I simply need more sunshine and outdoor time (if I'm making a big ask of the universe, I'd love more riding time too). 

On that note, a new (to us) saddle is in the mail. Bareback pad is lovely but a bit of a safety concern this time of year when 'big field' turnout is limited and feral ponies rule the day. You'll have to look closely, but the blue pen line is 'now' and the cardboard cutout is what we used when ordering her saddle 18 months ago. It's slightly shocking since she was 7 and buying the fancy saddle for her then felt like it should have been a safe bet. (Also, no wonder she hated it after a few months.)

She's fuzzy but not overweight. Out of shape, yes, but I think an xw tree is legit where we are at now. Fingers crossed the new one is a good fit (or at least a reasonable starting point).

Sad times because I really, really loved that saddle (Amerigo Pasubio), but Sophie made her feelings known and I was aware it probably wasn't ever going to work for us again. Just for fun I measured my baby horses and at 20 months old they're wider than that (mw-w tree) saddle as well so it will likely need to go off to a new home.

Shiny Bakari. Sorry for the middle of the night photos, it's really like 8pm but our barn lights are kept low in respect of the neighbours.

Daytime Tradey naps

The nice thing about feeling a bit 'meh' this time of year is that we get a new one. My logical brain knows it's just a date on a calendar, but a big part of me embraces a reason to mentally draw a line under everything and start fresh. Endless possibilities, suddenly at my fingertips! Spring daylight feels like a tangible thing to look forward to again.

It rained this much between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day and of course we had no power Christmas Day. That about sums up this winter's weather, but it was a nice excuse to not have to cook anything!

I got him this new ditch for Christmas. I joke but he actually loves it. Tools with handles are his favorite so you can imagine how helpful he wanted to be with the raking and shoveling. Now he's low key old man horse watching the river flow by his cottage.

Two very helpful creatures. If you'd have asked me a few years ago I would have said geldings are not for me, partly because they turn everything into a chaotic game if you give them any leeway. Here I am in the future where stealing and dragging my manure fork away every time I turn my back is a hilarious game for them. Timewasters, and not only do I allow it, it makes me laugh.

If I was to only post everyday photos this is probably what you'd get 90% of the time. Tradey's actually respectful and polite, but he's also insatiably curious and friendly, so if you let him he'd be this close all day long. Buck is a bit more pushy/testy by nature so my personal bubble with him is a bit stricter. It's fine though because he's secretly my favorite :)

One last Dec 2024 Sophie picture. Onwards to 2025!