A Saddle For Me

Hey everybodies. How are you? I am fabulous. Cyd is a little bit sad though. She totally needs to buy me a new saddle, she just can't make my one work for me. Troubles is, she didn't budget for a new saddle. The one I wear now fits almost every pony she does pony riding on, except for me. We have tried all its various adjustings and the different pad options in all the combinations and I still don't love it. So now we are shopping. To do that, we need to sell the fancy saddle that Cyd has that she loves, but will never fit me. It is a super nice saddle though. Here is a picture, leave a comment if you want to see more if maybe you think your pony would love it.

17" John Whitaker, super comfty but doesn't fit me at all!!!

We are now looking for a treeless saddle for me, since that was what Cyd planned on upgrading me too (just not so soon). We are keeping the saddle I currently do pony riding in, and it's not so bad that I can't do any pony riding, we just have to be super careful with me and Cyd is going to check my back all the time. Hopefully we get me a new one soon. Maybe that's why I like to do my bucking practice now? I never did that before! Hey, if you have an English or a 'hybrid' type of treeless saddle for sale would you let Cyd know? I'd super-preciate it!! She doesn't like Western-y fenders cos for hurting her knees on them, and no horns cos I don't do cow things and she is a bit clumsy and not space aware and will probably poke her belly!

Don't Make Me Into Glue!

Hi everybodies, how are you? I am not totally fabulous. Cyd called me all kinds of names today, like ar***ole, and little b***ard. And she threatened to turn me into dog food, or send me to the glue factory. These don't sound like very much fun things for me to do at all. We adjusted my saddle, and I was trying to help, and totally wanted kisses but then I bumped my head on the door then bumped my head into Cyd's head and her bloods fell out her lip and it got lumpy. Then on my pony ride I did my stopping, but got fixed in a relatively okay amount of time.

Then I did amazing when we saw three dogs not on leashes and I didn't stomp them or kick them or be scared of them even when one tried to herd me! Then I wanted to trot everywhere. Cyd said no which made me sad. So I did stopping. That wasn't okay either. She's so needy always wanting to get her own way! We figured out our issues and went on our way. I crossed my ditch pretty good (Cyd hid behind a tree for the jumping bit so I couldn't tromple her) and we had snacks in the field.

She got back on and we only made it a very little way before I had a little strop, and Cyd got a bit stroppy back, so you know what I did? Had a full on tantrum, nearly bucked Cyd off, and she smacked her face on my neck during a buck-rear combo move. Totally split her other lip and bloods came out again. She stuck on for my tantrum, but when I was done she got off to do some breathing. She said all kinds of horrible things to me but in a nice voice, not yelling. We took a minute to collect our thoughts, and slowly slowly worked through my trouble spot with neither of us getting mad. Mostly I was good the rest of the way home, and we went the short way even though we were going to do a longer ride today. We wasted all our times being mad at each other. On the good side, I moved much better in my saddle adjustment and wasn't sore at home. Cyd will check me again tomorrow to be extra sure. I can't always be good, then there wouldn't be any challenge for Cyd and I'm still learning even though I'm growing up! And I made it all the way up the big hill without taking a break. It's gross and long and rocky but my booties keep my feet safe!

P.S. I'm not going to be glue or in a dog food can, fortunately I have many redeeming qualities to make up for our misadventures!

Now I'm Five!

HEY EVERYBODIES!! IT'S MY BIRTHDAAAAAAY!! And Cyd remembered this time and we had a mini party with Rocko T Dog and Aunt-T but Cyd forgot the carrots :( I am just like a grown up now cos for being five years old, even though I'm not even totally done with my growing (though Cyd hopes I am, I can't have that far Up to go, surely...) There were some silly goings on at my party and I'm not quite sure I loved all of it, but I totes got my bedazzlement without a fuss. There should have been glitter though. And it's apparently hard to find a birthday hat where we live that doesn't say 'Princess' or 'Birthday Girl'. Don't they know boys have birthdays too? The only one was ten whole dollars and Cyd says pony ridiculousness has a limit and that since I'm a pony I can't have a ten dollar hat :( There's loads of pictures cos for Aunt-T being my personal photographer. I also got my feet measured ready for more booties, cos right now I just have two, but I have four hoofies and grown ups need all their hoofies to have boots. I was much better behaved for my foot trimming lady at the weekend, cos for being five minus two days. Still not perfect, but not a complete scallywag eithers. Anyways, here's all my pictures!

Pretty proud of myself for being FIVE!

Watcha doin' Aunt-T?

Wait, what?!

What is THAT?

Ummmmm

Really, my butt too?

I got streamer-ed

Really, Cyd? REALLY?

Oh, I can't look...

But I'll take birfday smoochies

Totally rocking my birthday outfit

Rocko T got to wear my birthday crown too!

Just missing Uncle J

Miniature Birthday ride in my field

Thumbs are for eating?

Done with these shenanigans now

Cyd is not quite 13.2hh at her 'wither'

I am just more than 15hh at my wither

It's exhausting being a grown up!

But We Already Did Pony Riding?

Hey everybodies? How are you? I am fabulous, but got a bit tired this week. Cyd and Aunty V must have got confused and forgotten something Very Important on Friday. 

Never knew how smart this pre-ride nap was

Cyd got to not do workings on Friday, and she asked Aunty V if maybe there were some pony rides going to the woods with guest peoples that we could ask nicely to tag along with for companies. There was one in the morning, and one in the afternoon. We picked the morning one, and got me all brushed and ready and went to meet my friends in time to get on the pony trailer. This day I went with my bestie, and Poncho (huge!), Cowboy (also huge!), and Virshima (bigger than me). 

Aunty V says I look like a QH in this photo cos for my strongness and to mess with Cyd

Everybody snacking

We got to park in the field, and I tried to be a fearless leader pony but I didn't like the dark trail from the field to the woods so I had to go in the back. We did much fun at pony riding, Aunty V was teaching one of the peoples how to do pony riding on Cowboy. He learned fast, so we did some trottings practice and a little bit of cantering practice, though mostly I did trotting even when my friends went faster cos for it being a big hill. About half way time, I went back to being a fearless leader pony, with Aunty V and my bestie right behind me so in case I get stuck. Also cos for me not liking the really big horses right behind me, it makes me a bit nervous.

We were doing trotting with me in the front when something startled one of the big ponies and they sped up right towards me. The learning-to-ride person took a minute to make Cowboy do stopping and there was a bit of shouting from one of the peoples but you know what I did? I pulled up right away, and turned myself sideways like Cyd asked to block the way and I totally was brave. Cowboy stopped before he got to me, but we would totally have made him stop if he made it as far as me! Everyone said how brave I was, and a good fearless leader pony for acting like a grown up guiding pony. I did have a bit of a sticky moment when we ran into a different group of pony riders, and I thought I might like to go with them for a bit. Me and Cyd had a disagreement, and I had quite the little tantrum, but my bestie came next to me and told me to go the right way like Cyd and Aunty V wanted. Everyone laughed at my antics but I wasn't trying to be funny :( Cyd got off and led me down the hill cos for not wearing my booties and it making me feet not feel too great. We got back to our field uneventfully, all hopped in the pony trailer, and headed for home.

Nom Nom, I love daisies the most!

At my friends' house, Cyd did something weird. Usually she takes off my saddle, rinses my sweaty spots, then leaves me to dry in the sun while she helps put my friends away. Today, she left my saddle on, and gave me some mash food, and left me tied up. It was just a short while before she came to get me though. Then she did something weirder. She tried to put me back on the pony trailer. Um... Cyd? Are you forgetting something? We already went pony riding, silly! With Aunty V's help I got on the pony trailer, shortly joined by my bestie, and Whisper, and Poncho. When we got out, we were back in the field. What?! The peoples have lost their brains. We had two new guest peoples with us, and off we went again. D'oh. 

Snacks

We went to the stream first for drinking, and I had a silly moment when a stick got caught between my front legs so I leaped in the sky, and Cyd flew out my saddle, but I landed right back underneath so didn't actually jump her off. She thought she was going swimming! I calmed down right away and had a good drink, and a little snorkel. Then we had to go back up the hill and I went at the back so I could have rest breaks if I needed, even though we were just walking on this pony ride. I was grabbing snacks on the move, and pulled one and it turned out to be really long and dragged behind me. It was stuck in my mouth cos for me not letting go, but it was chasing me. The faster I went or sideways I went it still followed me. Cyd was trying to make me calm down and do stopping but she was laughing so much at me. When I stopped she was able to pull it out my mouth. I was sad to lose my snack, but glad it wasn't chasing me anymore. We went on different trails this pony riding time, but I didn't do any leading. On our way back, I got confused, so did my stopping. Aunty V asked Cyd how to help and you know what she said? "Just leave us, he'll figure it out." What?! Don't leave me. I kept stopping for a few minutes, but then decided I wanted to go with my friends after all, so off we went. I didn't even race to catch up. Once we met them again, Cyd hopped off to walk down the gravelly road again. She said she couldn't get off before so I don't learn that doing stopping always means she gets off. We got back to the field with no more adventuring, and it was really pretty and there were flowers called 'Naked Ladies' so we took pictures. Don't I look pretty?

Me and the naked ladies

I just want you to love me, wearing my best flowers for you!

I can't believe Cyd made me do two pony rides in one day. She says I shouldn't complain cos one was mostly walking, and the other was all walking, and my total miles was only twelve. But mentally I got very tired cos for being confused! I did really good overall, my main silly things were not bad misbehavings, so Cyd was really proud of me :)

We are so lucky!

Kite Flying and Fish Murdering

Hey everybodies! How are you? I am mostly fabulous. See my title today? Those are the things Cyd has been doing. I am the kite. And I did not kill the fish. She did. My Aunty B and Uncle P brought me new fishes for my water tub. I have previously been a murderer of fish, when they brought me my two orange ones and now there is just one orange one. Well anyways, Cyd wondered where the ceramic bowl that I smashed came from. There were tons of little pieces and we both hope I didn't eat any cos for it making me sick. It was pony field clean up day, so Cyd caught my orange fish in a little bucket, told me off for trying to tip it over, and dumped the water out my tub. A quick scrub and refill, while she goes to pick up my poops. 

"Oh hey Cyd" calls Aunty B. "Bugsy has new fishes in tank. Forgot to tell you last night." 

"Haha, silly Aunty B, you're so funny. Did you see me dump the tank and want to mess with me? Good joke. Haha" 

"No, really, three new little blacks fishes!"

"Oh ****!"

She only found one in the dirt, and it had died. I only killed one fish, she murdered three! This is why she has me and not an aquarium!!

Bonus silly picture of me

Anyway, back to me. Yesterday was circle practice as well as field cleaning day. Sometimes Cyd puts straps on me that go from my face to my belly, but today she put my saddle on. This is different. I didn't get my bridle though. She had some yellow tack in her hand not attached to me and we went to practice my circles. I'm a bit out if practice so Cyd says we need to do them more, maybe one time a week even though we'd both rather go pong riding on the trails. Apparently circle practice is good for grown ups too, not just baby ponies just starting their learnings. Once I warmed up and was doing everything good, Cyd clipped the new tack on. It was a butt strap called a crupper and I don't think I like it. I tried it on before and everyone laughed at me for acting silly. I did my blogging about it if you want to go look, there's even a movie of me. This time I did fine just walking, but at trotting time I clamped my tail and tucked my butt and leaped for the moon! Nearly made it too. I did rearing and bucking and just plain jumping up for five minutes then got over it and trotted really good. At least til we changed direction. I sprang with all my might for five minutes again then behaved myself. We turned both ways again and I was only a little bit bad, and on the third try I was really good. We have to practice this more before I pony ride in it cos for Cyd not wanting to be made broken by my antics. Also please share your tips for how I can learn to like my crupper better. I would much appreciate it :)

What's new with Bugsy?

Hey everybodies? How are you? I am fabulous, as always. Sorry for not writing to you sooner, me and Cyd have been really busy, me with relaxing and taking a break from pony riding, Cyd with recovering from being trompled, then running a people race called ultra marathon, then recovering from that. While I'm busy growing into an endurance pony, she is busy pretending to be one. Next month she's going 50 miles!!! I bet we won't be pony riding that week hehe.

Every now and again I take breaks in my pony riding, usually after doing a few hard-for-me rides close together. This way my brain can absorb all the new stuffs I'm learning and my bones and muscles get super strong and not sore from too much workings. I usually get lots of grooming and pony massage and extra practicing of my manners during these times. Troubles is, it also coincides with Cyd being super busy, so I might go a few days with not doing much. I live in a big field and can run and play, and can kiss (or bite - they're a bit mean to me) my neighbour ponies over the fence, and I have my rolling pits. Cyd got me toys to play with cos for me being a bit destructive in my field cos for getting bored. I'm not good at playing with them yet, but I'm getting better. I was super scared of the big one, but now I bomp it all over my field. I just don't do it when the camera is watching me. Cyd was trying to clean my paddock the other day, and I was distracting her with my playing. I was also running laps of my field, sprinting all over the place, but I didn't get video'd doing that, but there is pictures of me zooming in. Here's my video of doing playing:

Doing levitating

 

 I also have an ingenious way of eating my hay foods. I have a slow feed net so I have snacks available all day long which is good for my brain and my belly and also Cyd doesn't have to worry if her schedule gets all messied up and she is late for feeding time, and only having to come one time a day. There is not much grass hay around, so sometimes we have grain hay. Often I get both kinds in my net. The stalks on the grain hay are not the most delicious kind, and they don't come out of the net super easy. But the heads are super delicious, and I have perfected my grain hay slow feeding experience to just quickly eat the good bits:

I'm so smart!!

I did go on a pony ride today, it was super nice out and Cyd had the day off and no plans with Uncle J like normal for Sundays. We went on my longest solo pony ride so far, and we did loads of trottings practice. I was pretty much awesome for most of the ride, but did have some silly moments to make sure Cyd was concentrating. We went on a new trail for me, and were nearly at Aunty B and Aunty M's houses, and thought about going to visit but didn't know if anybody was home. I was a bit spookey-lukey at new things but only when we were trotting. I practiced my canter too, and am getting better at it. We also had another go at Cyd running on the ground and me trotting next to her and I did much better. There was a scary moment where we thought I might be choking cos for eating the pampass grass which is really long and tough and a bit sharp but luckily I was okay after just a little bit. I look like a grown up trail pony now:

I should be a model!

Cyd had to adjust my breastplate cos for me growing so much! We need to play with my saddle fitting though, it's not quite perfect, and that makes us sad. We have lots of options before we have to consider a new saddle though, so it should be figured out soon so I don't get hurted. If not, I will be accepting donations to get me a new kind!