The Feral Red Horse: End of Year Wrap Up

Even though the blogging has fallen off hardcore, I wanted to do this... so I shall!

January:

We battled the Polar Vortex with many coats and layers. I was completely sold on my new Back On Track blanket, which I threw on Foxie on a whim and found out that the old horse could still swing through her back after a few days wearing it. We did lots of walk and trot work in the then "new" indoor arena and began working with Erika, the resident H/J trainer to re-introduce Bailey to jumping after a fall of learning to carry her own lazy ass.

February:

Bailey had a small mental meltdown and lost the ability to canter fences entirely. My dressage saddle began to not fit her and at the end of the month, she sticked at 16.1. We jumped a lot in an effort to get back to cantering fences, and Foxie did some slow work in the arena.

March:

Bailey worked consistently through the month. We scheduled a float appointment, and discovered that the red horse doesn't load in the trailer. Like, at all. Doledrums ensued.

April:

In April we got our jump groove back and could actually go outside again. Bailey showed off and did some crazy spring piaffing, and saw the vet. Edee returned and we began lessons again. We jumped the white gate. Bailey lost her right to wear her soft and cushy Nathe bit, and got a new stall on May 1st.

May:

In May we were back into riding full swing, and began working on loading the naughty red beast into the trailer using bribes. This kind of sort of totally didn't work at all. Bailey continued to school at home like a bad ass over fences:

At the end of the month, one of my vets and Edee ended up getting Bailey to load by ceasing to put up with her shit, and we went to Edee's farm to jump. Bailey soared over her first 3' oxer and made short work of Edee's grid.

Trying to keep up the routine of good loading, I managed to mangle my hand after Bailey bolted backwards out of the trailer. The next weekend we schooled our first XC, at Roebke's Run and did down banks, ditches and lots of jumping, even though my hand was still pretty messed up:

June:

In June we prepped and then rode with Lucinda Green, and learned a ton. Lucinda loved Bailey and I learned to ride with my big girl breeches on.

After that, we did some more dressage, took more lessons and went and visited our friend Jane Braddock, who helped us do our last prep before Bailey's first horse trial in July. Bailey rocked around the course and jumped like the badass we know her to be.

July:

Bailey competed at Roebke's Run, at Starter, and finished with a number not a letter. She also turned 5, and it got really hot and both horses had a few days off. Edee was injured, and I panicked about not having a trainer.

August:

In August, I met my boyfriend and began applying for a new job almost simultaneously. BB schooled at JO with our friend Kati, and was a regular star:

We competed at Steepleview Horse Trial in the Starter Division. BB got second, and went on her first victory gallop.

She got a few days off and then it was right back to work, as we had another trial in a few weeks.

September:

BB went to Roebke's Run again the first weekend of September, and rocked it hardcore. We won our first blue ribbon, victory galloped to the William Tell Overture and had a great weekend.

Bailey got two weeks off, but I lunged her and she was a crazy prancing animal. I started my new job, and brought Bailey back to work, since I didn't get to work Foxie during Bailey's break due to a stone bruise.

October:

In October, we went and visited Jane again to finish off our season, and Bailey was a room without a roof.

We continued with riding and lessons, and blankets went on. The boy starts coming to the barn more, and determines that Foxie is the best pony, ever. He also did things like set up rockin' corners for the red mare to jhomp. She used this opportunity as a reminder that she has scope for dayz and was bored at this height.

November:

BB jumps some more things, and does some dressage. The boy and I have gotten quite serious and begin looking for a house. BB becomes a spooky monster in the indoor.

December:

Drew and I buy a house, and start to become quite domestic. BB does a lot of dressage while spooking like an idiot, and then redeems herself with bad ass jump schools, including some adventures at 3':

A photographer comes and takes some super pro pictures of my barn family before Foxie helps her make some art by being majestic and standing with her model at liberty.