pictures of me and my friend riding. She has very little riding experiance. I try to teach her as much as I can but I see her once a month : /
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BTW
i realize im riding Mureno in a western saddle.. in a english bridle...
Im making a switch to English and the saddle hasn't come yet , but i figured i'd start with the bridle so theres not too much change at once :]
Also dont mind the bad riding, I was goofing off and not in my "lets learn" state of mind : ]

So, I know most of you are on the East Coast..

But I'm sort of desperate. For my old trainer, anyway. She has GOT to sell her horse. She has a degenerative bone disesae that prevents her from riding and finding a suitable job. Her horse is worth like 15 grand. He's got 90 points with the APHA in western pleasure, and more in halter and showmanship. He's done dressage (he's probably a bit rusty), he jumps cute, and he trail rides, does just about anything. However, he isn't a cow horse. I learned to ride on this horse. He's been a lesson horse for ages. He started as a lesson horse at 4, he's now 16. No soundness or joint issues at all. I rode him after Christmas, and he was wonderful despite the fact he hadn't been ridden in ages then because people were "scared" of him..he can be a bit of a grump sometimes but a simple "Knock it OFF" cures it.

She's selling him for $3500. That includes his western saddle, his saddle pad, his bridle, halter and lead rope, and his blanket. I don't know how to help her. If I were still in Oregon I could go ride him for her and show him to people, but I'm not. Short of bringing him here, I don't know what to do. Things have gotten really tight for her..I don't want to go into details about it though. That's not my place.

He would be worth shipping across the country. He could easily go back into showing on the circuit. Does ANYONE know anyone that would buy him?? Her only request is that they let her visit him. She's had him since he was 22 months old and did all his training herself. He was bound for the canners before she bought him. I really don't want him to end up back at an auction if she gets that desperate. I want him, but I can't afford him, much less a fourth horse. I have no idea what to do. I honestly have no idea why he hasn't sold yet. My only thought is that she hasn't been advertising him because she does love him to death and doesn't want to lose him. It also could be his "attitude" and he doesn't WANT to leave so he's being a jerk to everyone who rides him. Must be the Impressive. By the way, he's N/N.



Nevermind my stiffness in the video. That was during the time I was absolutely terrified of horses thanks to Mr. Kishou-butt. Today, we galloped around the pasture with NO problems. =D

So i left for the farm on Tuesday and came back today... Wednesday : ]
I took some pictures but of course whenever there was a good picture moment no one had their camera : ]
so here are the boysss : ]
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From equisearch.com

Here is the complete television coverage schedule of the 2008 Olympic equestrian events. Please note that in some cases, a 12-hour broadcast slot is given, indicating that the event can be shown at any time within that slot. All times are U.S. EST.

Okay.
so.
Last Sunday night I get a phone call from Biscuits owner , she leaves a voice message that goes like this....( o btw its obvious shes DRUNK)
" Joanna it's D, im sitting here my my dads grave, and he just came by and told me to stop fooling around, to get a job and to get on Biscuit. Joanna I think it's time for me to get on Biscuit .. right now. Im going to hop into my car and drive over. If he hurts me LET him , I don't care anymore I need to ride that horse. "

My first thought is... oh shit. NO SHE is not ready to ride that horse nor is that horse ready for a drunken lady.....
I tried calling her back nope nothing.
I called the BO ( my boss) no answer.
I was worried.
I couldn't get over there because I was on the farm...
Monday I call in the morning no answer. I go to the barn. Biscuit is there.. a little scraped up ( found out later it was from a tree..)
It turns out she DID come to the barn, tried to saddle up Biscuit, but Biscuit reared when she tried to put the bridle in, and broke one of the stable lights. She tried again, and well he kicked her in the knee. She tried again and he reared and she had enough....
My dad says a horse will ALWAYS smell alcohol as well as any other animal.
She sat me down on Monday saying she is bringing Biscuit to an auction.. she said shes sick and tired of Biscuits attitude.
I started crying, but than i got angry. I have been working with this horse VERY HARD. Treating him like my own, and we have gotten a bond. Not only that but he is AVERY good horse. But what could I do? It is HER horse. But an auction... : '''[
So of course me Joanna being the crazy person that I am decided to go into her "saddle fund" Working 3 jobs this summer saving up for a saddle , and decided to buy Biscuit.
Call me crazy
Call me stupid
.
New plan now is to....
Bring Biscuit to the farm this weekend.
Take the whole summer to "train him " not that he needs much at all.
and well my neighbors( not the crazy one) daughter is looking for a well rounded trail horse. She is a great girl, who knows her horses, but she doesn't like to compete just leisure ride, and maybe they'll match up?

my life is a soap opera

Okay as 99.9% of you know I have been working with a horse named Biscuit. (There a post somewhere a few weeks back if you want to look at it)
Our journey has been a little... rough....
After the second day I lunged him he colicked, so I didn't do much work with him just a lot of petting and "hanging out"
After the colic when i would lunge him and "crack" the whip he would put his ears down and charge at me... but not to hurt me he would stop a good distance away. I was a little worried because I haven't seen this kind of behavior before.... He would run fine until I would crack the whip *gently* to "wake him up ". Well Today I went for a different approach. I Held the whip in my hand and when I raised it he started to walk, if I would lower the whip he would slow down. He ran perfectly for 7 minutes than switched sides. Out of nowhere I wanted to see if he would join up with me. I ran him , and saw the inviting mouth gesture. I put down the whip and walked to the other side of the ring. A couple seconds go by and I feel a warm breath on me. I walk away again. Once again Biscuit follows, putting his muzzle on my head. I walk away a third time. He follows like a puppy. I finally acknowledge him and give him a pet. I found his "spot" because he looked very very happy. After I didn't even need to clip his lead rope on he followed me back to his stall for a nice rub down , followed by pasture time : ]
days like this make me happy : ]

oh BTW I took pictures
and a video with my camera phone but I don't know how to upload them to photo bucket...
i upload to MY ALBUMS in T MOBILE but I'm stuck there : /

 New, looking for subscribers, comments etc ... 

Thanks xo.

Hi guys!
Are the Olympics being broadcast anywhere besides television?  I really want to see the equestrian events but they don't really show them here (Chicago).  Usually just a five or ten minute blurb and only if America is doing well.  Any suggestions?  The Olympic website isn't being very helpful.

I am really jazzed for the Olympics this year!

To ride a horse is to ride the sky
That is one of my favorite quotes of all time. Sure we have our bad days, but the good days top those.
Whenever I have a good day I always think that quote to myself.
Well this past weekend I took my quote to a new level. Of all my years that I have been riding horses, whether when it was when I was 5 on a trail ride, or a month ago going over 3'6 jumps I have never trusted a horse enough to gallop for fun. I have been in situations where I was riding in the gallop but never out of want just because
1) the horse spooked
2) I didn't have control
There was never a need to gallop, or a "trust" between me and the horse to go into the free spirted run.
Last weekend I was working with my "newest" horse Black Jack. I've had him for hmm about 6months now and well we haven't developed that "bond" yet. A month ago I took him riding outside of my arena/ring to ride around the farm , see how he reacts to ..well basically everything... ha ha . He did fine, but I felt like he still didn't trust me as a rider, and I didn't trust him as a mount to "take care of me".
Well this past weekend we went out to the fields. He was very good we were doing figure eights, and other random flat work. We trotted, we cantered... and when we were cantering without even thinking my body took over and nudged him to go faster. At that moment you could almost hear the "click" between us. He was galloping, I was on his back crying with joy. I felt that he was "taking care of me" not just "running".
It was the greatest feelings in the world.
I now truely understand...
To ride a horse, is to ride the sky