LOCK ME PLEASE C:

[Hime]

@Hano: In the end didn't get to ride... XP The people left around 6pm and by that time it was pouring and really windy, plus mom needed help cleaning up the dishes. But today, as soon as I'm done typing and eating, I'm definetly going to the stable.

@rain: I was going to say your stirrups might be bit too short as your knee kinda looks like it's sneaking over the flap, but I guess Hano knows more about hunter stirrups. XD And in the pictures it doesn't look like that, so I guess in the video the saddle just blends in with Riley making it seem like you leg is getting over the flap. But looking good anyway.
No offence, but personally I don't think that he would need a standing martingale on flat (at least judging by the video). Jumping could be different thing.

@Toppy: We are having a open house today. I was supposed to ride before it, but woke up late. I'm still hoping the arena is free so I could lunge Heta, which I haven't done in long time. And I definetly will get distracted if there's many people watching...
I had, or have, bad habbit of looking Heta's poll most of the time. So me looking up somewhere is better, though I still loose my focus sometimes and kinda just stare like you do.
I remember one lesson in collage we were told about open and pin pointed sight(dunno if that's the right words, but don't know better, I think other words were soft and hard eyes). Hard is when you are focusing your sight on something specific, like jump or certain spot, and soft is when you look forward but have no specific target, like you let your sight roam around a bit. Makes any sense? So soft is not excatly bad as then you can 'see' more, like movements on the side and such that could be potential spooks or simply where other horses are going on the arena.

@Riding and time: Well on work days I have to be at work by 6.15am, so that means I have to be up at least around 5 am, but I'm slow at waking up and hate rushing so 4-4.30 it is. Then get of from work usually around 2-4 pm depending on the day. If I get off at 4 I'm usually too tired to ride. Then I eat and sit down for while and check my computer. Usually I avoid heading out around 4pm as the rush hour is really bad right where I live and should get to the high way, which is also a mess at that time. It takes me a bit over half hour to drive to the stable, then at the stable I take usually at least 2 hours(an hour of riding, tacking up takes maybe 30 min and then after riding tack off, itch treatments and feeding over 30 mins for sure). So total time I spend on stable trips is 3-4 hours on work days and more on non work/other stuff to do days. In winter the driving takes more time, but then I don't have itch to treat. So I get home around 5-6, sometimes 7, eat, then mess around in internet, take a shower etc, and go to sleep around 10 if I have work or later if no work. The only time I have for social life is during the weekend when I surely have no work. Then it's ride around noon/after noon and hang out with friends during the evening.

@Money: I had over 1000 e saved earlier this spring, but I did that one fair and was unemployed for month so ended up with nearly no spare money for while. Then managed to save up to breed Heta and have no money troubles, just to find myself with no work during the whole July. Meaning I was broke once again. Now I have some work again, so I'm hanging in there again, and got my saddle sold so I'm getting 700 from that, but I need some extra for future vet bills and then 400-500 in spring for the foal, then money for registration fees later in fall. Though somehow they messed up with my last paycheck and I'm now missing one day worth of money. : P My hourly wage is 10.56, which is not too bad imo, so one day's pay is lot of money. So I need about 5 days of work to pay the boarding for one month and then 1-2 days to get the shoing money. I always think how many days I have to work to get X amount of money. XD
Not too bad but then there's the gas... Seriously 60e got me half tank full last time. I use about 6.5 liters(or bit more) daily to get to the stable. That's about 11e daily with today's CHEAPEST gas price around here. Last year the prices where 10 cents, or actually almost 20 cents, cheaper and I could put 20e to gas and drive with it for half a week. Sure we have different car now too, but it shouldn't eat so much more. So I'm feeling you there tiny. D:
I do have money on some sort of stocks and such where my parents have put it, but I'd rather not take it out just yet. Or at least all of it, as there's over 10 000e in total worth.

[Livid-Silver]

Wow I haven't posted on here in ages XD Last time was like page 604 or something xD I haven't got around to reading all the posts yet but I will eventually. I had a great day at the show though Donny went amazingly! I couldn't have asked for much better <3 We got two clear rounds our of three for show jumping, one refusal but it was my fault. The areana was really boggy and we over shot the line and either had to jump the wing or run out XD Dressage was a bit meh, the first test we did was pretty good for Donny but I could have ridden better and the second was blech XD If anyone wants a in depth recount of it I'll post it tomorrow :3 I'll see if I can get some pictures too

@Hano; Sly is gorgeous! He looks so cute <3

@Every other post I'll reply to tomorrow

[classi]

@ Hime; Honestly, about the martingale... I agree with you. But I'm way too chicken to ask about taking it off.

[Dolphinlover~]

@rain: Oh okay, that's different if they gave you a list. I was going to say if you just bought a random bridle, martingale, and boots of the interent without consulting with your instructor would not be very good at all. Not matter how experienced you thing you are xD I also, would love to ride 6 days a week and would give up my social life any day for that. If only we could afford that!

Speaking of bouncy trots, Mulligan has quite the bouncy trot! One of the bounciest trots I have ever ridden, actually. The first time I rode him it was a big step up lol. When my trainer asked me to do a sitting trot I was like o.0 uh-oh. I actually ended up doing quite well. My trainer was pretty impressed, and as I kept riding him I was able to half halt him and get him to nice trot that I can sit perfectly now! Mully's owner is super jelous since she can't even sit his trot. She is always telling my trainer how jelous she is of me that I can sit her horses trot and she can't xD

That's amazing that your parents would pay for you to get a horse. If I want a horse, I have to pay for it all by myself. That means no horse for me until I am old enough to pay for everything by myself.

@Hano: You are very welcome <3

That is very very impressive that your dad is going to build you one. I wish my dad was that handy xD I mean maybe I can buy the stuff to build one and ask someone to do it for me. That may end up being just as expensive as buying the trunk itself though /:
Well you my dear have tons of stuff. I only have my saddle, saddle pad, saddle cover, halter, and leadrope xD Unless you count tack spray, sponges, tack wipes, and crop. I am hoping to build my collection though.

Haha well compared to what you have saved it's not very much. Yep, same here. I am not allowed to get a job at my age either. That's great that you get allowance and that your mom pays you. I don't get an allowance or babysit/petsit (yet). I only spend my money on horse stuff too xD My parents tell my that I could buy myself new clothes or other stuff that girls my age should like but no xD Only horse stuff for me <3

@Barn time/school time: Well school starts this Tuesday for me so I still don't know my routine just yet. My barn is about 45 minutes-1 hour both ways, so it's a long drive. I get out of school at 2:05 and will probably get home around 2:45. Once I get home I will start my homework and try to get as much as I can done, before my parents get home at around 4:15. When my parents get home I will probably leave for the barn and do the rest of my homeworkin the car on the way there and back. I am guessing if we leave around 4:30 or 4:45 we will be there around 5:45. Then about an hour to groom and tack would make it 6:45. Hopefully only a half and hour to untack and clean tack making it 7:15. Then an hour drive to make it getting home at 8:15 and finishing up any homework that I need to lol xD Luckily I only have to go out to the barn once during the school week, either Tuesday or Thursday. Then I will be riding both Saturday and Sunday with my half lease still conintuing on Mully <3 They told us that we would probably have 3 hours of homework each night o.0 Which scares me. I hope it's not true though.

Wow this is late xD There was a storm last night so I couldn't post this.

Anyways, I will reply to everything else later, I am getting ready to go to the barn for my lesson 8D

[classi]

Bouncy trot horse club!

@ Dolphin; See, my instructor told me to go on SmartPak or Dover and get a simple hunter bridle, horse sized. A simple martingale, horse sized. And Eskadron boots. (:

[Hime]

@rain: XD Maybe after a while you have ridden him you could take it off while hacking him? Like after you have seen how he is when jumping. I know some owners easily over tack their horses with all sort of stuff that they don't actually need. Like buy 10 different rugs, and out of them end up mainly using 3-4 and some get used maybe once.
_____

Lunged Heta today after all. The open house wasn't so popular(=no one that we didn't already know came during the time I was there) as L barely marketed it at all, and the whole thing was part of bigger campain anyway.
Heta was really really lazy, which was odd after two free days. I did get her to trot fairly easily, but she was sluggish and I constantly had to remind her to keep it up. After loads of efford I got her to canter few times, but she always slowed down after a little while. I got her to canter around the whole arena once, with me running after her and swinging a broked lunging whip. XP I really need a proper lunging whip, or I had one but I forgot it to the old place. Downward transitions(mainly trot-walk) went really well though and she changed direction when I asked nicely too.
Heta's shedding like crazy... Seriously if the hairs were longer I'd say about as badly as she shed during the spring. I would need to rub her with rubber currycomb for hours to actually get all the loose hair off.

Some bad news as well. It seems like someone/some people have been coming to the yard and breaking the big hay bales wrapped in plastic. And these bales are not supposed to be fed yet as it's the new seasons hay that needs some time wraped in plastic to be good and also they are supposed to be more for the winter.
First L had noticed one bale had been opened at the back, so they had to feed it so it wouldn't go bad. Then today afternoon she noticed several smaller cuts on at least two other bales, which she hadn't noticed earlier and the knife was top of these bales... Oh my gosh she freaked me out when she came out of the stable really really angry looking demanding to know did someone do it, mainly her granddaughter(age 4) who is know to do some stupid things sometimes(like putting sand in horses water troughs outside), or know something about it. We were all shocked and said we knew or have seen nothing and the little girl said she didn't do it, which I believe as it takes some force to cut the plastic with knife and some of the cuts were higher than I'd say she could properly reach. They are suspecting the neighbors kids and their friends who were hanging out at the stable yesterday, even though they are told not to come with out permission. L is horrified if the bale with smaller cut goes bad even if she did patch it with ducktape and the other as such big holes it needs to be fed or it will go bad. She said the broken bales are worth about 800 euros total, and honestly she can't afford another set. My instructor was furious as well. The problem is they have no proof that the kids did it, but they really are the only suspects in this case.

[Bluebird22]

Rain: it's great your able to pay for everything! Your stuff looks really good too. All of that looks pretty standered, I don't know why they would say it wasn't right. From experience, SmartPak it amazing. The costumer service people are so nice and helpful! When my shirt didn't come and we called them. They said the manufacture was out of stock, but we'll do an even exchange of this nicer shirt! I was so happy! and all of my stuff came a week after I placed the order. Also I am so jellous of that trunk!!!! It looks so nice

Hano: I would defiantly chose horses over friends. You don't get to ride your friends! My barn it only five minutes away. But I only spend about I only spend an hour and a half there because in novice they dont let you tack up, but once I graduate this level, if I would go back and do another set, then I would be able to groom, tack, turn out. All that good stuff. Awww Sly looks so adorable <3 No worries I talk to Captain like that all the time. yeah...I get some strange looks lol

@how much home work/what you do. for my Tuesdays it 8:00 start school get dont around 2:30 3:00, take a break Make sure my rabbit and dog are doing good. Help with dinner/make dinner (I love cooking and my mother doesn't) get ready for riding, 7:10 leave for the barn, 7:15 check tack and start warming up, then finnally at 7:30 start my lesson. 8:30 untack and if it's raining put your horse in it's stall. Then go home do homework for my co-op, and at 10:00 go to bed. I have about 3 and 1/2 hours of homework, and more if I miss a day.

@the money topic: I had about $350 saved up in the bank, but I had to take out 200 to pay for my riding stuff. This week though I'm taking care of my neighbor's cats and she pays me. I'm not sure on how much though.

Gam Gam: I can't wait to see it! On Tuesday if it's not raining I'll have my dad take some pictures of my lesson. On a compleatly unrelated thing, Would you mind if I used your I<3 Horses stamp?

Toppy: no problem. I try to answer as many people as possible.

Hime: Oh my gosh, I'm sorry about the bails!! There worth so much. What I don't understand is how anybody (the neighbor kids) would that that is fun? It's like, "Oh were board how about we just go cut open a bait of hay?" I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like much fun to me lol.

[classi]

@ Hime; Maybe...

@ Bluebird; I know, that trunk is so gorgeous! And I can't believe my parents are buying me one (not necessarily that one) for christmas... they've spent so much money for my riding, I'm so thankful and blessed. I feel so spoiled. xD

[Toppyrocks]

@Hime- So then when I'm staring ahead that would be more of a 'soft' stare I guess, haha. Like I see everything but I'm not exactly looking at it, you know?

And that's awful about the bales! I really hope the second doesn't go bad, that wouldn't be good news at all
I hope the job you have now is stable, I can see how frustrating that would be to keep having to find new jobs.

@Rain and Dolphin- Well, I won't be able to join the bouncy-trot club, because I am very very lucky to ride a horse who makes me look good, even at the extended gaits xD Jesse is so smooth, that extending his trot across the diagonal full-out is fun, even when I'm sitting. But I have ridden very bouncy horses before, so I definitely feel for you. One thing I learned for sitting the trot (you might already know this) is to pretend your breeches have pockets, like jeans. And then when you start the sitting trot, kinda roll your bum under a bit so that you are sitting on your 'pockets' if you know what I mean. It helps quite a bit.

@Barn/riding time- As for days when I school and riding (only Wednesdays so far, but soon I'm hoping to have two lessons a week plus my lease day hack) I get home from school at about 3 or just before 3 if I don't hang around for very long. Usually I'm home at about 3:10. And then I laze around procrastinating, eating food, being bored for a good half hour, and then get changed and go to the stable earlier then I need to xD Then I get home at about 7:30 or 8, eat dinner, shower, do my homework if I didn't do it the day before (we are on a term system, so we have alternating days with four classes each day all year long, so we have two nights to do homework before it's due in the next class) and then be lazy on the computer or got to bed and read a book for a while.

So yeah, I am quite glad for our terms system, because it means that if we got homework assigned on, say, Tuesday, I won't have that same class again till Thursday. It gives me plenty of time to do it.

[Hime]

@Bluebird: I know... But they are really weird, like the ones that live across the street their grandmother used to own the stables. So they kinda think they can do what ever they like and drop by when ever they want. Though that is not the case and they've been told not to several times. I kinda get it's fun to to cut the plastic as it rips kinda funnily, but to do it on someone else's property and just heck of it... I do get it that they probably didn't understand what they did caused so much trouble, but still when they weren't supposed to even be there in the first place. My instructor was planning on going over there and talking to the people, but it's really hard accuse some one if they won't admit it as we have no proof it really was their kids.

@Toppy: About like that. XD I can't remember was it exactly like that but something among the lines.
I really hope that too, L said it's about month worth of hay...
I'm still at the same place I worked last spring, I'm the extra help that get's called in when needed... Before summer I had few days of work almost every week, so it's kinda semi-permanent, and now after summer it's getting back to that. But the problem is it's physically hard(lot's of moving, lifting, running, stairs=my knees ain't happy or my back) and I really really don't want to do it in winter. So I'm looking something seriously permanent and lighter work right now... It's just hard as I have no proper degree aside my grooms papers(which I think is seriously looked down by people) and basic education.
I've been told to think exactly the same way in sitting trot. XD Gosh I remember L yelling "Sit on you back pockets, remember the back pockets" etc.