I Want to Ride My Horse!!!

PSA, this post is boring. Lol.

So Mom was supposed to drive down today and help me watch Sianna so I could have a few minutes to myself every day before I go back to work. Which meant first thing tomorrow morning I would have been on a horse (it's not that I don't have time to ride, it's that I never have anyone here long enough to watch Sianna while I ride). Well, now she's driving down tomorrow. I'll still have Friday to ride and maybe my person and I can ride Monday morning before we cook out.

He REALLY needs to get on Rascal. It's been like 9  months since that kid's been ridden.

Even though it's been super hot, I've needed barn time. I put Sianna in the sling and we go in the stalls, under the fans with her horsies and we've been grooming them. I said I was going to let Twister go wild this summer but I lied. I'm going to start riding again, even just once or twice a week, and I hate the long mane. HATE IT. I grew up riding hunters and then spent a few years and the track then eventing...... you pull manes! It's ingrained in me to hate long manes. I'd pull Rascal's too but I've promised I wouldn't touch him.

before, the wild western ranch horse look

after. the gentlemanly, english horse look

Baby girl and I spent 2 days pulling Twister's mane, soaking both boys' tails in showsheen and brushing out the wind knots and combing through Rascal's mane. They both look pretty snazzy now. Ok, so snazzy might be an overstatement. But they're respectable and well-cared-for looking....

before being treated to tlc, the wild dingo on the chase

I'm also trying to get in shape a little bit... pushing a baby in a stroller through a mowed hay field is great exercise. FEEL THE BURN. I need legs that will keep me on frisky ponies!!!!!!

WW: 1st Ride Back!

10 min ride MADE MY DAY! SOOOO good to be back
on a horse!!! 

because he's really HER horsey now 

opened my tack box to see this... i think i have a problem lol

doesn't look quite so fat here. he was an ass but i don't care
at least we were riding!

Indecision

I'm 6 weeks postpartum and I cannot wait to get back on Twister. E was over last week to trim his hooves and I almost had her take the baby who was hanging out in the sling on me so that I could just SIT on Twister in the barn.

As far as what I do when I start riding again (which will still be at least another month... I'm still too messed up and have a bit of healing to do) that is the question.

I've been watching videos of me riding and I've decided Twister and I sucked at jumping. Well I did anyways. Why did no one tell me this?! I look like shit! I'm all over him. Jumping way too far ahead. Hanging on for dear life. I don't look confident and looking back, I didn't always feel confident. Especially during July. We were so off that whole month. I'm really shocked I never had a bad fall. Just luck that I didn't. That and I have a horse that would really rather I stay on.....

So do I trail ride and flat until I get my strength and riding muscles back (will take MONTHSSSS) and then ease into jumping maybe next spring? Or do I flat the crap out of Twister and get him ready for when Sianna will be big enough to ride on her own (at which point Mommy gets to go horse shopping!) and until she can ride him maybe just focus on the flat work and do some dressage clinics with Silke? Maybe a local show? But mostly putter. And yes, when she's a toddler, Sianna will ride Twister. He's huge but I completely trust him. He's perfect with kids. Ponies are evil.

Maybe becoming a mom has made me soft. 6 months ago I couldn't wait to be jumping again. But as soon as I was holding my little girl, everything changed. I still want to improve my riding. I love riding and someday Sianna and I will be riding together. But I've found I'm suddenly not so hung ho.....

my little farm girl

I guess I'll just ease into riding when my crotch finally feels well enough to be on a horse. And play it by ear from there........