Happy Holidays and thank you. :-)

I'd like to wish all my blog readers Happy Holidays (no matter which one you celebrate).

And Happy Holidays and a big thank you to all the people that help me keep Hampton in the best shape he can be in. I really do have a fantastic team of people behind me and my horse.

• The barn owner, Libby, for taking us both back at literally a moment's notice back in October. She also keeps an eye on Hampton on a daily basis and is also a great friend to go riding with. This all while working two "normal" jobs. I think she works too much but that's just me. :-)

• My farrier, Mike, for keeping Hampton's feet in tip-top shape. Not only is he great with horses, but he is on time for appointments! He also happens to be married to a friend of mine from college, so I would consider us friends, too.

• My instructor, Janelle, for guiding Hampton and I through this dressage journey. Her knowledge and experience have made both me and my horse better. She pushes me and challenges me. And my horse appreciates that, I think. I sure do. Plus she's just an awesome person.

• Vets Dr. Cathy and Dr. Frank for their expert care of Hampton this year. Thankfully, he hasn't seen these two awesome women very much, however, Dr. Cathy's chiro adjustment made a HUGE difference in Hampton.

• Equine dentist "FlatTop." For fixing Hampton's mouth. :-)

• ALL of my horse friends for the emotional support and friendship! You know who you are!

• My roomie, Adam, for helping me start Hampton (even though he knows nothing about horses, much less how to start one under saddle). Bless his heart for holding the lunge line earlier this spring while Hampton was learning stop and go.

• And of course family for every kind of support possible (emotional, financial, etc. etc)

Ch-ch-changes

I changed the name of this blog. "Opening up the Chord and Counting Strides" was annoyingly long and didn't really make sense to me anymore. So I changed the name to "Contact." Ah, a short name. Plus, it makes sense for a dressage blog. And Pluuuuuus it's the name of a really absurd Phish song. Double score.

Let's make it 2 in a row

Helloooooo 30 degree weather! :-)

I didn't have a buddy to ride out in the fields today so I just bopped around the roundpen for about 15 minutes. Hampton was again very very good, and the deep snow made him work a little. I must say that riding through deep snow is the rad. Although I look like a slob. Meh.

his tail is getting long hubba hubba!!

The streak is broken.

Yaaaay I finally got a ride in yesterday!

Both arenas are still icy, but the BO and I decided that a close to a month off from riding was just not acceptable. So, we tacked up and went riding off into the corn fields.

I must say that I am SO SO proud of Hampton. Here we are ... a big 3 year old getting fed quite well, hasn't been ridden in close to a month, it's a chilly day, no lunging and we ride straight out into open fields. (And, um, the last time I had Hampton out in the fields it didn't go well) A recipe for disaster for a lot of people. Hampton was a perfect angel. My BO's mare is a safe, sane trail horse so I knew having her along probably tipped the scales in my favor, too. And hey, we only walked but at least it was a ride!

We were out for maybe 40 minutes. Saw a coyote, a few hawks, plenty of tracks in the snow from various beasts. Sometimes, when we both quit talking, just the sound of the horse's walking in the snow was so peaceful. And for a few minutes, I forgot that I couldn't feel my toes an I just enjoyed the beautiful winter scenery .. and my horse.

We got a little too close to a perimeter fence at one point and I heard something growl. "Shit." I said outloud. I was expecting a coyote to appear or something but thankfully nothing happened. Whatever growled though meant business. Yikes.

A Year in (sometimes goofy) Photos

2010 is winding down. It has its moments, that's for sure.

JANUARY 2010. Hairy yak. 

FEBRUARY. Snouts.

MARCH. Nom nom nom

APRIL. 

MAY. Move to new farm.

JUNE. Phish in Chicago.

JULY. Darwin award. :-)

AUGUST. Phish at Deer Creek.

SEPTEMBER. I get a new phone. Test it on kitteh.

OCTOBER. Barn drama. Move back to first barn. Hampton adopts a cat.

NOVEMBER. Back having fun.

DECEMBER. 2010 can kiss my ass. :-)

It's an alien! .. it's ... uh, me.

Annnnnd it's still frigid outside.

This is also what I wear to pick up men.

That's me in my barn get-up. Don't hate. It's warm. :-) I am sure my neighbors must think I am a gas station attendant or mechanic. Possibly a serial killer.

I have nothing new to report. I've just been checking in on Hampton - checking his legs and putting my hand in his blanket to make sure he's still toasty. Everything is hunky-dorey.

The BO and I are getting pretty fed up with not being able to ride. She was talking about driving her car around in the small arena to try and break up the ice. In the meantime, I think I might teach Hampton to pull a sleigh. Remember, I live in hilljack Indiana. By "pull a sleigh" I do not mean this:

I mean this:




Or even better:

Oh, winter. How I hate thee.

So since winter is being a royal bitch this year, I haven't gotten to ride. The ground is just too frozen, or too slick. Stupid stupid stupid. It's frustrating, but I suppose I can get over it this year. I mean, Hampton is still just 3. A month off is good for him. Even if January sucks as well, it won't be so bad. He's still growing. We can pick back up in the spring and likely still be able to do the 4 year old tests.

Anyway, I thought I would share with you one of the most hilarious posts I have read in a long time.
THE MANY ADVENTURES OF LAUREN writes "How to Survive Winter With Horses." It is hilarious, complete with art.