Blog Hop: The Liebster Award

I have been nominated for a Liebster Award by a fellow blogger whom I also know in the non-web based world; though, we do talk a lot by instant messenger. Scarletpen28 has nominated me for the Liebster Award which is an award that helps new bloggers (with under 200 followers) connect and promote each other. It also adds a bit of fun, motivation, and encouragement for newbies. It's like a blog hop so here goes!

The Liebster Award Rules

1. Link back to the person who nominated you
2. Answer the questions given to you by the nominator
3. Nominate up to 11 other bloggers with less than 200 followers
4. Create 11 questions for the nominees
5. Notify all nominees via social media/blogs

My Answers to Scarletpen28's questions...

If you could be any animal for a day, what would you choose and why?
I love cats and I think they are probably the most hilarious and awesome animals to be around. However, I admit that their lives can be pretty dull if they're house cats. I'd choose an animal that has a very different environment and experience, I'd pick an animal of the sea. I choose a large whale like the blue whale. I could swim all over the oceans and see the world's coasts!

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Where to start... rubber neckers on the road, slow walkers, people who don't poop and scoop, crab grass... I'd pick the city raccoons (there is a family of 6!) that live in our neighbourhood and are climbing my trees, eating my raspberries, pooping in the yard and driving my fur babies bananas at night.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?
That's a tough decision since I haven't seen all the places of the world. To date, I'd choose to live in Iceland. The simplicity of the land and the amazing natural wonders like the aurora borealis, hot springs, volcanoes, and being so close to nature yet close enough to the city (specifically Reykjavik) is perfect. The weather is also surprisingly tolerable for a Canadian.

What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
At this point, quit my comfy office job without knowing exactly what I want to do next.

Why did you start a blog?
I wanted to document and record my adventures.

What is your most impressive hidden talent?
I can't be surprised. I have managed to foil EVERY SINGLE surprise that +ADW has tried to plan for me, including the proposal :D

What is your most prized possession?
As I've gotten older, there aren't really any possessions that I prize above the people and critters in my life.

Describe yourself in 10 words.
This isn't really a question... but I'd describe myself as determined, easy-going, genuine, honest and a little obsessive.

What is the most amazing experience you have ever had?
I want to keep doing amazing things so it's possible I'll out do this one but the most amazing experience at this point is arriving at the Gate of the Sun in Machu Picchu.

When you were 5, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I don't remember what fancy or whim I was entertaining at 5 but I suspect that I wanted to work with animals in some capacity. Most likely I wanted to pursue the veterinary field or I simply wanted to ride horses and keep cats :P

Did you pursue it?
Not the veterinary field part, but the other part? Yea, part- and full-time!

What’s your go-to healthy recipe for a busy weeknight?
I'm not terribly creative and can be INCREDIBLY lazy when I have to eat for myself so I would say I've gone with a green salad with whatever other vegetables I might have on hand and some sardines or other canned fish. I add a simple oil and vinegar dressing with garlic powder (yes, I can't even pull myself together enough to mince fresh garlic) if I'm feeling like it needs an extra kick.


I nominate...

• Laura of Bit by Bit
• How Do I Equestrian (I am sorry, I don't know your name!)
• Grace of The Horseback Artist

Questions for my nominees:

1. Why do you blog?
2. When did you get started with your horseback riding journey?
3. What is the most challenging thing you find, about horseback riding?
4. What is your favourite vacation spot/experience?
5. What is your favourite novel/book and why?

POST SCRIPT: I nominated those who I know for certain have less than 200 followers. If you are reading this and would like to participate anyway, please do and leave a comment that you've done so! I'd love to read what your answers are.

Blog Hop: 2014 Year in Review

I'm participating in the Blog Hop that +Laura of Bit by Bit initiated on her blog! She's doing a "Year in Review: 2014 and a blog hop". Like Laura, I am an adult student and don't have nearly as much experience as many of the riders in the blogisphere. I hope that this will be an opportunity for me to recognize both successes and short-comings.

WINTER (January - March)

Dark saddle pad, cremello horse

This past winter was really rough for everyone with regular dumpings of snow and super cold temperatures. Included was the ice storm of 2014 that sent many of us into the dark and cold for several days. But this never stopped any of us and we continued to ride. I worked a lot of jumping basics such as a crest release, 2 point, jump position recovery, straightness, soft eyes ahead, what it meant to land on the correct lead, better tools for adjusting trot and control of the trot through the seat/body. I ride two other horses, Quinn and Bons. I also bought my first piece of tack (no horse yet), a navy and green saddle pad, which I cleaned too.

SPRING (April - June)

The single elusive 2'9 jump that one time

Things really start to progress for my riding in the spring as I start my 2 lessons a week once the weather is nice and I am excited to continue working on my progress. We visit an A circuit stable called Forest Hill Training Centre and see how things are 'on the other side'. At my stable, I attend a clinic on showing and basic horse care for part-boarders, informally learn about the Pessoa Lunge line and head out on my first hack. I also experience my first major fall off of Ariel and I ended my diagonal jar and donated all the proceeds ($201.00) to Equine Guelph in memory of my instructor's horse who passed. I spend my first entire lesson on bareback at walk and trot and another time, get to jump a single 2'9 jump successfully! I participated in my first Blog Hop and did something different when I attended an off property clinic at Cadogan Farms to learn about le TREC.

A Le TREC exercise (I didn't get the chance to participate though)

SUMMER (July - September)

Off property at the Erin Fairgrounds

With so much happening in the spring, it's not really a surprise that things continue at full speed in the summer and I unintentionally learn the full body half halt (this has been tricky to reproduce instinctively), started my first mini-course of jumps (like under 2'?), did my first off-property lesson at the Erin Fairgrounds, bought a riding vest, brought my stirrup leathers down a hole from 7 to 6, work on a simple training level dressage test and have a very successful garden with 75% germination of the garlic planted the fall before (I also grew potato, beans and other leafy vegetables).

I've been told I clean up pretty well from time to time
(http://anniaveephoto.ca/)

In August, things take an interesting turn when Ariel is injured and I start riding other horses. I end up riding Bons (whom you're already familiar with) and a new gelding named Hank (the tank!). Hank is often a winner in the show ring and his riders place both well and frequently with him. That said, he knows his job and can anticipate certain asks of the rider, but (and that's a big but), he requires the rider to be diligent, clear and on the ball because he's lazy and sneaky otherwise; I learn to use a lot of leg in that lesson. On my blog, I participate in my second blog hop through Chronicles of a Moody Mare and blog about "a close call".

Things get REALLY busy this summer because +ADW and I get hitched in late-September. We have a lovely ceremony at the church I grew up in and celebrate on Ward's Island in Toronto. Unfortunately for me, there were not any horses involved.

FALL (October - December)

Stanley C. Panther *mew*

October had me try my hand at cleaning my grooming brushes since I figured they get Ariel (and Molson or Bons) clean so where does the dirt go? Evidently, into the brushes because they're pretty filthy when I wash them; I create this post for newbs who are looking for a way to do this. During lessons, I work on grid work and more focus on my ride into jumps and out. Sitting up recovering are my focuses as well as riding a good distance into the jump before take off. Around Thanksgiving, +ADW and I adopt a new kitten and purchase a home (literally across the street from my parents :P). Bucky gets his second Halloween photo shoot and is dressed as a crocodile this year.

Croco-Bucky

Sometime in October and November, I update my blog template and continue to work on updating it to suit my needs (it's still in a state of flux). I have another eureka moment when I figure out how to 'tell' Ariel which lead to take for jumps and which way we're going (provided my ride in is good), following the jump. I encounter a dilemma about whether to attend a clinic or go to a show that my brother was telling me about... I chose the latter and missed the lunging clinic that Sheri was holding. Sheri puts out exercises that work on our distance by learning to judge (still a work in progress!) distance of jumps to see when we take off and how to shorten/lengthen strides. As if to say that it's time for me to consider pausing my 2 lessons a week, I get a flat tire late in the evening on my way to lesson and I'm fortunate that J and Sheri are such awesome people to help me get to lesson and crawl the car to the stable. We attend a Royal Horse Show at the Royal with the stable and for the first time, we watch pony racing and Ian Miller in the show jumping competition. The month's lessons were primarily focused on jumping with breaking down the distance, control, communication, leads etc. I also change stirrup irons to those flexy ones that bend for a deeper heel and a more soft impact for the knee.

+ADW and I enjoying Paris (France) around Christmas time

We take a 2 week hiatus in December to vacation in Paris where I was able to add to my UNESCO World Heritage Sites listing. While in Paris, we visit most of the major sites and eat a lot of very good food and pastries, and get lost in the romanticism that is the city of Paris. Despite going on vacation, it isn't really like me, to just stop doing 'stuff'; I collaborated again this year, with +Laura, another adult rider, on her blog posting for her series of "12 Days of (Horsey) Christmas". The posts document a series (12, to be exact!) of fun, practical and wonderful gifts for the equestrian in your life (or you!). Upon my return to the stable, I start out with a great lesson where I went in with a very determined mind-set that felt like I wasn't gone for as long as I was. However, the subsequent lessons that followed definitely left something to be desired. Granted, at this point, I have returned to riding once a week because the winter weather is in full effect so I'll be focusing on getting my fitness levels and sleep schedules in check so I'm ready for spring!

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Having done this exercise to review my year, I see that I had noticable progress once I started taking 2 lessons a week. It's not that it was leaps and bounds but I felt like progress was being made (however small). I did drop all my 2014 year's resolutions it seems and will need to do better this year (more about that in a future post). A lot happened this year that were all big milestones (like getting married, buying a home, riding off-property and visiting Paris) so those certainly did interfere, but I'm not one to accept that as reasonable excuses. This past year was an incredible year full of changes and progress and I'm really pleased. That said, with all the great progress it will become my baseline and I look forward to continuing to improve in 2015!

Blog Hop: A Close Call

The majority of non-riders don't get it.

It is no easy feat to climb on top of a +900lbs beast and then proceed to tell it what to do; you can't out-muscle these animals. Climbing on top is a risk we take and I'm sure there has been more than one occasion where one either does something dumb, didn't know any better or just let your guard down for a second and gotten your butt served to you. I'm participating in the Chronicles of a Moody Mare's blog hop: what is one close call that you have lived to tell the tale about?

I've previously written about the closest call I've had: my epic fall in the middle of a corn field with Ariel going full tilt. Strangely enough, hacks aren't really my friend. The times that I have gone out (with J), usually result in something ridiculous happening. I manage to laugh it off because it's generally pretty funny. The first time, Ariel tripped (at the walk...) and fell forward and I slid off over her head and landed on my feet. The second time was the epic fall and the third was the bugs.

The epic fall hack started out wonderfully. It was nice weather and everyone was out having a good time. We were nearing the stables through the brush at a trot/canter and one of the ponies did a deek at the fork and his rider slid off and landed in the bush (she ended up fracturing something in her wrist) he continued running which only freaked out the other horses because they all probably figured he was running from a big baddie. The lead horse took off too and then Ariel got it in her head (I probably should have gotten off, in hindsight) that she needed to chase after the others. For what reason? I'm not too sure. Trying to keep her back was challenging because of the mare in her and she just wanted to turn around and lead the others out of there. It was becoming increasing difficult to keep her still or even turn back while J went to help the fallen rider. Like I said, no way to out-muscle a +900lb animal mare. I let her trot in a very uncomfortable manner to get some of the jitters out and I thought that might help but once she reached open space (i.e. corn field), she just took off. I have never galloped in my life and was both terrified and trying to remain calm to go through what I should do to recollect her--both brain and body. Then, I lost my left stirrup: the straw that finally broke the camel's back. Off I slid too.

I don't even remember much of what happened except hearing +ADW calling at me to stop and turn around. Once I hit the ground, I knew I couldn't stay down long because I needed to be sure she didn't trample me. I got up quickly (I'm surprised at how fast I got up) and looked around and saw a large rock a few centimetres away from my head and Ariel... standing a few feet away munching the grass/corn stalks. She was suddenly calm and collected... looking at me as if to say, with a mouthful of grass, "Oh hey. So I told you to hang on but you didn't. I hope you're okay. You really should just let me take the lead next time."

Typical Ariel.

Blog Hop: Continuation School

This is the first time I've tried one of these things; I'm trying the blog hop from Viva Carlos' blog that asks the question: why do you continue to ride?

I have been riding for just under 2 years now. I took it up as an adult because I never had the opportunity as a kid. I could have stopped... considering the location of the stable is an hour each way. I currently ride twice a week (both are lessons) and it's challenging on weeknights to go up on your own when you're already tired. But, I keep going because it allows me to let go of everything that brings me down. Yes, I don't always have a shining lesson and I get frustrated, but I realize that all these things are under my control and I always have the chance to learn and improve.

As well, the change of scenery in every way imaginable is such a huge factor of what keeps me going. I work in an office with little to no autonomy some days and lately, I've been having more crappy than good days. So, when I get up there, the scenery of the country, the air, the animals that don't lie to you or keep a sneaky agenda are all around. Everything is (in a way) pure and un-adulterated by humans.

I sound a little cynical but riding has helped me get on with the cynicism that I have to face on a frequent basis... it helps me refocus and see the forest for the trees. I'm reminded about how complex yet simple nature can be... how fair animals and nature, are--you get back what you put in. I have the opportunity to spend a lot of alone time to reflect or just be. All this aids in redirecting my frustrations and actually helps me apply skills learned in riding (not so much how to canter... but more like learning to change perspective etc) to other areas.

Even when I'm wiped, I still find the time I spend doing this to be very refreshing and helpful with getting me refocused.