Four Years Strong

This week it’s been four years since I went to see Tarma, handed over a decent sized check and hauled her home to my friend’s place and started inflicting my love and efforts and dreams upon her. While I was trying to sum up where we’re at for my dressage trainer at our last lesson, […]

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Fork in the woods

With our endurance season ending a bit earlier than expected, my focus is shifting towards winter work. I was able to fit in a quick overnight trip with a friend from the Dry Side, and it helped me realize that my desire for more adventures might also be shifting from endurance, at least for a […]

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Supplements

I do enjoy being an active AERC member for many reasons, chief among them the subscription to Endurance News. There was a recent interview with several successful endurance riders regarding horse nutrition, a topic I am currently struggling with. Puzzling out what Tarma needs in terms of nutrition to be a solid endurance horse for […]

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Still Prineville Ride Report

Well, for a ride that wasn’t even on my radar until about mid-April, our first expedition to Still Prineville definitely qualified as endurance! I’m super happy with where Tarma and I are at, in how well we’re flowing together. We’re at the spot where I can decide two weeks before a ride to enter, and […]

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Tarma’s Specialties

I realized in the shower yesterday I’ve never really written in depth about Tarma’s quirks, her likes and dislikes, what makes her tick and what hits her ick. With the spring crazies in full flag, it’s a good time to lunge before riding and capture some of what makes up a Tarma. A solid case […]

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Equine Ethics

As the ice outside my front door is almost an inch thick and I haven’t seen my horse in five damn days, why not wade in to the latest equine related hubbub? I’m not going to dig up links or anything, so here’s an outsiders quick summary: Some previously hot shot Hunter/Jumper rider from the […]

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Shaping 2024

When trying to distill my hopes, dreams, and work ahead for a year (though no hard and fast goals this year), the thesaurus is my friend. I knew my intentions for 2024, but it took some hunting to find the right summary word. Last year was all about putting the work into motion, racking up […]

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Temper

I don’t loose my temper often. I’ve worked hard to become an adult, a person who can pause just long enough in any given situations to avoid responding in a damaging way. That said, I’m still a flawed human, and last night showed it. Last night’s ride was…not ideal. We started off well enough, I […]

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Winter again

This winter, more than ever, I’m determined not to loose momentum. Yes this is more a season of rest and being a home body, though there is plenty of learning to pack in for us; horse, human, child and dog all around. With my husband and I planning on a European trip next year, my […]

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Groundwork never ends

Tarma was so soft and engaged when I went out into the pasture after work today, and I wanted to stay with this calm, open energy. Instead of working at speed in the round pen, we stayed grounded and worked on some ETS obstacles. After our last dressage lesson we really struggled with opening and […]

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