2015 In Review

What a year. Only rode about half of it which makes me sad. But growing a tiny human sucks the life out of you like nothing else ever will. So totally worth it... but still!

The year started pretty good. Galloping in the snow and as soon as spring came we got ready for an early April show which Twister did great at for his first time showing in over a year.

the micklem was my fav purchase this year!!
(getting ready for the april show on mr can't recognize
jump height)

We went to a clinic in May and worked on Twister not being a hardmouthed hardheaded brat. I took home a lot of homework but such is life when your horse is "thick".

very pretty moment where Twister got it

After that first show we worked a lot of flat work and building stamina and muscle. The plan was to hit a HT in the fall. But first in June we did another CT and did great. It was such a super confidence booster and Twister was so relaxed and happy to go out there and show off....well in the stadium anyways.... our dressage test was a spooky mess.... I was pretty happy with the CT but knew we had so much more to work on.

ZOMG! Shiny white rails pinging death rays!

soaring the "scariest" jump in the ring

We watched a clinic in July and rode in one in August after I already knew I was pregnant. From June to August our dressage work was better than it's ever been. It was much more fun to say "hey today is dressage day".

THIS TROT

August Clinic

Our jumping got bad though. Not sure why. Ideally, as your flatwork improves so does your jumping.... but no. We couldn't get coordinated. The more trouble we had the less confidence either of us had. Before our June show I was feeling awesome about our work over fences. I'd even set up a couple of 3' jumps and felt pretty confident about them. At the show we jumped 2'3" like it was no big deal. End of June to August (before I stopped jumping before I knew about tiny human) we could barely do 1' smoothly. We fell apart. Our dressage looked great though!....

should have found a dressage show after this moment

ughhhhh

I started working with Rascal some. So was my person. He's a smart kid, if not a little hardheaded himself..... But I think that's just an appy trait.

After I found out about the little one I kept riding until the energy started getting sucked out of me like no body's business. At the beginning of September we went on a 3 or 4 hour trail ride. Twister was fantastic. Rascal was really awesome too for his first ever group ride/long ride.

Now I only ride once ever 2 or 3 weeks. Twister is pretty well behaved, but all we do is hack down the road or mosey around the farm. I haven't put him through his paces and really feel there is no point right now. Why fight with him to remind him of his summer lessons to not ask him to do it again for 2 weeks then start all over. I don't have the energy or strength right now for that.

17 weeks i think?

He's been pretty good for the most part about going down the road. I miss riding English but my ass hardly fits in my 18" seat right now...... So we ride western. I don't think Twister really gives a rats ass as long as he's being shown attention and getting to go somewhere.

Twister's feet have slipped too, as you all know. But we're trying to get back on track. Probably the worst thing I could be doing right now is NOT riding him. He needs the blood flow stimulation to his hooves. And with the weather being so warm here in Kentucky I could be riding, however, it's pretty freaking swampy out there.....

I stopped doing conformation shots a couple months ago. Twister looked so awesome and now he looks pregnant too. I think August (bottom middle) is my favorite shot. He was a beast.

they go in order left to right Jan through August. The last is Nov.

I don't have any riding goal for next year. I'm going to keep riding until I physically cannot get in the saddle anymore and then I will have baby girl and recuperate. I hope to be riding again by July, at least the occasional hack. But once I'm sleep deprived and have a tiny baby demanding my time that may not be realistic lol. Twister will have a super easy year in 2016.