So Many Adventures!

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous and also super tired cos for going on three adventures in three days! I have done 36.3 miles in just three days. Lucky I have some days off, we don't want me getting tired or sour. I was really happy to go out again, I shoved my nose in my halter and waited patiently for my Hueyfriend to arrive. We went pony riding together yesterday and had SO MUCH  FUN! We only did walking, but it was a twisty turny uppy down slippy slidey narrow trails. I got to practice so many skills, like listening to little squeezes from Cyd's leg to make me sidle a teensy bit to not bruise her knees, and not being scared when she scooted her feet up by my saddle cos for the gap being just too skinny, and mostly doing all my stuff with barely rein contact to practice for our neck loop goal. There was a bit of a snafu when Hueypony got a bit stuck in my pony trailer. He is like me and doesn't like to come out of pony trailers backwards, but unlike me who is sticky, he refuses to do it at all. Silly pony. He wasn't good at turning either. He was stuck! Lucky though, my rear tack room is only held in with pins, so Cyd took them out and folded it up and now he had room to turn around. Problem solved for now. Another problem though, he was meant to come with me to meet Waylonpony today. But he has puffy fetlocks. This is not okay, so he had a resting day. (Any suggestions other than stocking up, which seems most likely, much appreciated.) So I ended up loading by myself like a good pony. Driving out to the forest, I had to pull off the road for a HOUSE driving down the highway! But I unloaded quietly, got my saddle so very fast, didn't freak out when big trucks flew by, and walked off with Waylonpony on a loose rein like a good pony. We did have some adventures on our ride today, like taking the dinosaur trail to cross the creek. The creek was so high and flowing super fast from all our storms lately. After some debating, I got sent first to see how appropriate it was for ponies to cross. I was a very good pony and stepped in, and it was really deep! Turn around, go back to the other route. It was quite deep there too, but a much easier crossing. See how high it is on Waylonpony:

Next obstacle was our rocky steep bit. Guess who was the leader pony? I had a bit of trouble at not really wanting to go through the puddle at the bottom of the trail, but I fearlessly led the way up, picked a great route, paused to take pictures of my friend doing his first time going up, then carried on up like a clever pony. Next was the start of lots of uphill trotting. I got tired on the second leg (that comes immediately after the first, but much steeper!) so had to do some walking, but I did really good and so did Waylon, except he is quite fast. Today I also practiced my jumping, I am actually starting to get a little bit good at it, and each time I do a good jump and get praised I put my head and ears up sharp for being happy. Cyd is going to teach me better in the spring when Uncle J makes us some jumps, then I can do bigger trees. I only had one tiny tantrum, when it was time to leave one of our rest places, and it started raining and I said NO, but I got over it really quickly. I also learned what pocket Aunty E keeps Waylonpony's cookies, and that I should be involved in people tangerine snacking. Something else that happened that is exciting and most people think our riders are strange for being excited: Waylon did peeing with a rider! He never did this before. It took him five hours, but he's learning. We both had big drinks at the bathtubwatertrough near where our trailers were parked. Neither of us drank much more than a few sips on the trail, which is not normal for me. I'm not a fan of puddle drinking, and the creeks were all a bit scary for me today. I need to do better at that. When we got back to my house, Cyd took me to my rolling pit without my blanket cos for me seeming pretty itchy on our pony ride. I rolled and shook and rolled and shook for ten minutes! Now she's going to remember that on days that I keep my blanket on, I should have it off to go do rolling at least a few minutes, and after my pony rides too. We are experimenting with putting my old saddle on me, just cos it didn't fit me before, doesn't mean it won't fit me now. I had even sweat marks, and didn't have any tantrums, so maybe it's good? I didn't feel sore backed when we got back, but usually I don't show that until the next day, so Cyd's going to check me tomorrow. I love going on so many adventures, but now it's time for me to rest, to help me get strong!

Grown Up Adventures

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous. I went adventuring today in Jackson Demonstration State Forest. Guess how I got there? IN MY OWN PONY TRAILER!

Me, Cyd's truck, and my pony trailer in the forest!

It was really windy when Cyd came to get me this morning. I was very curious as to who was in the pony trailer outside my house and kept doing looking. Cyd got some of my hay and gave it to the pony in the trailer. I'm not sure that's okay. I did some running and bucking and snorting and was a little bit crazy. Cyd got me to stop long enough to put on my halter and tie me up to start getting me ready to pony ride. Of course when she wasn't looking I broke free and snapped my tie string. I kinda stood still to get my saddle and breastplate. Then it was time to get in the pony trailer. The door was open and I looked inside to find... no other ponies? Where was my friend for the day? I was not sure about this, and did a lot of looking and sniffing, and jumping when the wind made noises. I thought about it for a good couple of minutes, and finally decided that maybe it was okay to get in. Cyd closed me in (and double triple checked my door). I patiently waited until she was done loading my things, then it was time to go. We drove very carefully all the way to the egg taking station. I did a little jump when we got there while Cyd was parking, maybe cos for a wet branch tickling my butt from the tree we drove close by and made me jump? Once it was time to get out I wasn't too sure again. I was allowed to turn around instead of having to go backwards, as a test to make sure there is room. Hueypony isn't good at backwards, so we used me as a tester that there was turning room so he doesn't get in my trailer and get himself stuck there forever. I turned easy peasy! I looked out the door and did snorting. Cyd laughed cos for me having been here loads of times, but never by myself. Aunt-E and Waylonpony and Gunnerdog weren't here yet, and I didn't think leaving the safeties of my pony trailer was wise.

Luckily I was much calmer now than when I was getting my saddle, and it wasn't so windy, so I patiently waited tied up and got the rest of my things so we were ready. Soon our company was here and it was time to go. We had an excellent ride, with both of us ponies behaving really quite well. Waylonpony and me are a good match for pony riding. We did trotting and cantering up the really big hill, only taking a couple of breaks. I got quite upset on the ridge trail at one point, looking sad, ears back, throwing my head totally everywhere, but neither Cyd or Aunt-E could find what was wrong with me. I was definitely distressed about something, not just being a bratty baby. I also got stuck at one point cos for a tree being in the way. Waylon got around it just fine, but I couldn't possibly figure it out and didn't trust Cyd to pick a good route. Waylon had to leave me behind, and it still took me a while to figure it out. Once I was over though, I didn't panic and rush to catch up but walked along on a loose rein just being alert. Good job, me! 

Taking a break after the big uphill

Our pony ride was really quite uneventful, which is a bit unusual for us, but very pleasant for our peoples. We meandered back to the pony trailer, and I got my saddle off and it got put in the pony trailer, in one of my TWO tack rooms (I have a spare tack room in the back which is why pony number two in my trailer has to come out backwards - great for stashing all my gear when I go enduring! The back one folds down if we want less storage and more pony room.) I got my snazzy cooler on, then we practiced doing my vet check style trotting out on a rope. I did it excellently! I was much faster at getting in my pony trailer to go home. Cyd tried to see if she could send me in self-loading styly and I thought about it but wasn't quite ready, so she hopped in with me and I followed her just fine. It started raining as we drove home, perfect timing. We had such an excellent adventure today!

I'm in my very own trailer!

Happy New Year

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous and very excited for 2016. Happy New Year everybodies! I finished the year with a great ride with my Aunty V and Aunt-T, and a not so great ride when we realised my blue trial saddle was really not going to be perfect for me, so back to the drawing board on the saddle front.

I'm getting very muscle-y with all my training

We had a very casual ride in our group cos for Hueypony recovering from getting an owie, probably from being silly in the bad storm. It is also excellently good for my brain to do relaxing. I was a good leader pony for quite a bit of time. I even walked politely up the steep hill, adjusted my pace appropriately so everyone could keep up, and didn't get excited when Hueypony got a little bouncy right behind me.

Good leader pony, and Hu has antlers for Christmas Eve Eve

I was very excited for my last ride of the year, enough so that Cyd called Aunt-E to tell her what time she should hear from us that we were home safe, I was that bouncy. I did settle down back to my usual self, but apparently jumping in the sky for no reason is not appropriate, especially in the middle of the road. Oopsies.

My last pony ride may have been on Monday, but one more exciting this happened for me before the end of the year. Cyd worked really hard, and saved her lots of pennies, and sold her most favourite truck. Why? To buy us our very own pony trailer!

I didn't get to go in my new pony trailer yet, Uncle J has a little bit more work to do on Cyd's truck to make sure it's totally safe to tow me along, with all the lights and fancy braking system. Safety safety!!! It needs a bath too, but otherwise is in fabulous shape. I have TWO tack rooms to put all my things in, one on the side, and one in the back. There is also space for a friend to go adventuring with me. I have two windows, although right now I cannot go down the road with my windows open because there is nothing to stop me putting my face out, or even jumping out. We don't think I would jump out, but probably all the peoples whose ponies have tried also thought they wouldn't jump out. Safety safety! I can't wait to go on all my adventures!

Of course we had to celebrate the New Year with a pony ride, but it was really cold. Cyd decided we should go bareback so her legs could be warmed up by my body. I was very well behaved, and even did a lot of my ride with my reins knotted on my neck. I am such a good pony sometimes. You can see my bareback hands-free riding movie by clicking here! We hope you have as much fun in 2016 as we're planning to have!

Of course I wore a hat for New Years Day. Cool ponies wear hats

Sometimes I'm Bad

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous, of course. Today I went pony riding with Aunty L and Pretty and Tillydog, who is tiny but awesome. She totally keeps up with us ponies, and even goes on long rides. This is Tillydog:

Adventure dog

We did pony riding with Aunty L last week too, and I got super confused cos for her having two ponies. That was a nice easy ride, cos for some spots being slippery, and everyone wanting to do relaxing. I was quite excellently behaved, only having an occasional sticky spot. Today I had a REALLY BIG sticky spot. I had been doing so awesome, I went up the rockface, and did some big trottings, and power walked up a big hill, and was being nice to Prettypony and Tillydog. 

Sharing my hayfoods politely

Then we got to turn on Brandon Gulch trail, and I asked if Prettypony would go first. This made Cyd and Aunty L decide that I had to go first cos for being trained to be a good pony. I was a bit stuck, but we did some of my things for unsticking, and I was brave going around a fallen tree, and marched in the front like a fearless leader pony. Then it was time for trottings practice, and I decided I absolutely totally possibly could not go even a tiny little bit. Cyd did some of my things, and I just planted myself, so she hopped off and ran and made me do trottings that way. She got back on, we trotted a couple strides and I said nopenopenope so off she got again and I had to go fast, and then again a third time of getting off. Cyd was getting pretty bothered by me, and the fact she wasn't wearing her right shoes for running, and had lots and lots of clothes on so was now super hot and sweaty and I was being a bratface. Finally we got me going after some big discussions, and everyone got to breathe for a while. I did pretty good for most of the rest of the ride, only getting momentarily backwards thinking, and very quickly figured out I should just do forwards like Cyd said. Phew! I also did good at letting Prettypony trot away from me faster than I could go, and I even walked on a loosey rein while she did trotting like a good pony. I did some tricky trail too, remember my rock face that is hard for me but now I'm getting good at it?  Today I went up and down it. Down is hard but I totally used  my Big Boy Brain, and carefully figured where to put my feeties so we didn't fall down. I can be grown up when it counts!

When we got back, Cyd took off my saddle and checked my back again. No soreness. This is a good sign. We still need to do a longer ride (we did 12 today, pretty good) to see how it really is for me. Cyd ordered a new kind of pad cos for us not having one that fits, then we can do a super good test, but we think we like it for me. We're also going to be calling a lady who does pony acupuncture here, cos for there being a couple of things Cyd thinks it will help me with. I practiced my trotting out again. I did it super good, two times cos for Cyd dropping her phone the first time and we had to do another to go back to fetch it. I looked perky, and only one time I got a little bit ahead but my rope got swung and I backed off. Such a good day for us today! Thanks for taking us Aunty L, and for being patient with me when I do my bad behavings.

Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Fish?

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous. Though it turns out I have been LIED TO! By Cyd, and Uncle J, and Aunty V, and basically anyone who ever told me monsters don't exist. We'll get to that later. 

Umm, why are my ears tied up?

This morning, Cyd came to see me, and did a big sigh cos for me being all wet standing in the rain earlier, instead of keeping dry in my shed. She put my snazzy cooler on me, then got my trial saddle out, and my pink pad, and my bridle, and her helmet. Soon Aunty D arrived with Ticopony's trailer, and he was in it. I got spooked by a neighbour and pulled back and ran around with my tail in the sky, but calmed down as soon as Cyd caught my rope. I hopped on the pony trailer even though there was a puddle right by my entrance step. I was very securely totally latched inside with no open doors, and we set off for Jackson State Forest, one of our favourite pony riding places. When we got there, Aunty E and Waylonpony were already there ready to ride with us, along with Gunnar the dog.

Gunnardog

Sighdog came with us too.

Cyd asked Aunty D to look at my back cos for it being tense, and she doesn't think it's saddle related, but learning to use my body right related. I wasn't painful, just a bit anticipatory. I got some warming up, then we got our saddles on and were ready to go.

L - Waylonpony   R - Ticopony

We did an explory route today, that Cyd thought she maybe kinda knew, and it totally worked (though there was a long bit in the middle of not really knowing where we were and guessing by logic which turns to take, ssshh). Yippee for new loopys. I was in the front for our first trottings, then Ticopony overtook me, then Waylonpony overtook us both. They had a little race for seeing who was the leader and I wanted to race too, but Cyd said Nonono Bugsy, stay here out of the way. I pouted but just did trotting, and even got loose reins for being good. This was my good behavings of the day, whenever there was dramas in front of me, I just stayed out of it and only needed occasional reminders to listen to Cyd instead of copying my friends. Well done Me!

I had a little bridle malfunction...

There were some really big hills on this pony ride. Once we are all fit and strong it will be excellent training for our enduring rides to do trottings up, but we were huffing and puffing just walking today. There were some really slick spots and we all did some sliding, but no pony fell all the way down which is good! I, of course, wasn't perfect. At one point when I was the leader pony, I got myself all jazzed up for no reason, which was getting Tico excited, which made me bounce some more. It wasn't my worst bouncing, but with all the slipperies and other excitable ponies all trying to be good, we just decided to do stopping for a while. This helped my brain get back between my ears where it apparently belongs, and we didn't escalate to crazy pony status.

The biggest adventures of this pony ride happened in the last mile though. I was striding out in front being a fearless leader pony, when I heard a big noise. I spun around to face my friends and they were nervous too. We went to keep going down the trail, when 'whoooooshsmash' went the tree branch. I spun around again and tried to flee, and my friends were scared too. This is called widow maker, and lucky we were far enough away that we were safe, but only by ten strides or so. It didn't hit the road, but imagine how more scared I would have been if it was next to me. I didn't want to go down the road in front anymore, so Tico took over with Waylon nearby for protections. I kept looking for monsters and Cyd was laughing at me, until I TOTALLY SAVED HER LIFE! 

All my friends

Remember how I used to be totally scared of going in the water cos for there being sharks? Turns out, I was right all along. We were on the road above the creek, and something started splashysplashing down below and behind us. I nearly jumped out my skin, and was ready to flee again. You know... to save Cyd... honest... The peoples all laughed at me, and told me it was just something called salmonfish that got a bit stuck in the shallow bit of creek and had to jump around to get itself free. But I know the truth. It was a shark, and without me and my swift action we would have died. I just know it! And you know what, Cyd? Singing "Who's afraid of the big bad fish" is just mean mean mean. You are a bad pony owner and I saved your life anyways! You all lied to me about monsters.

Very grey damp day, with some drizzlies

No more eventufulness after this at least. I did really good at practicing my enduring-style trot out. My back wasn't sore after our adventure. I decided I was starving, and Cyd forgot to bring my haybagsnacks (see, BAD pony owner!). S'ok though, I just stole some of Tico's.

Thanks for taking us riding, we do have good adventures, even if they are a bit rambunctious.

Saddle Testing Again! & A Close Call

Hello everybodies! How are you? I am fabulous, except for one problem. I am hunting for the perfect saddle for me. This is my current experiment that we are trialing:

Excuse my pink pad, it isn't permanent

This is a Podium, the Champion XT kind. I'm pretty sure I'm a champion, and it's my perfect colour, so it should be perfect for me right? Maybe XT is for Extra Tall like I seem to be getting? (It's entirely possible that Cyd is shrinking...) We have done two rides in it so far, a short ambly kind, and a bit more zoomy 9.5 miles with big hills.

The first ambly ride, we used a big black pad called Matrix from Aunt-E. The pad is a bit too big for me:

More like a blanket

Sorry for ditching you

It wasn't much of a test for me, but enough for Cyd to like it enough to ride longer in it. I mostly did patiently waiting for the cutting of trees on this ride. One bit Cyd tied me to a tree, but I freed myself like I like to do, and I started to leave. Cyd was in the middle of trying to toss a branch twice her size into the bushes out the way, which spooked me into going the other direction. I barged through the rest of the trees waiting to be cut, and took myself down the trail. Cyd is so lazy she didn't even chase me. Turns out I was heading the long way home, and there was at least one tree down about half a mile away that would almost certainly be big enough to stop me, so she wasn't too worried about me being gone for long. Pretty quickly I realised I was alone and came back to find Cyd finishing clearing the trail while she waited for me. Do you like my "Sorry I left you in the woods" face? I was quite sproingy this day, but mostly well behaved.

Today newer Aunt-E, who is Waylonpony's person, came to collect me and Cyd to go teach them a new loopy in Jackson State Forest. I had been hiding in my shed all morning cos for it being rainy, which is good cos it meant I was dry to get my trial saddle on. We brushed off my fur and got my saddle on me, and then the rain came back so we ran to my shed, and hid in there watching through one of the holes in the wall to see when the pony trailer arrived. We got me loaded up with no problems, Cyd closed the door, the peoples got in the truck, and we were on our way. It's a short way down my road, past my friend's house, and onto highway 1 to go to our trails. You know what is super really lucky? Aunt-T was in the yard at my friends' house, and she spotted something really important. Her and Aunty V did yelling and running and waving, and lucky we spotted them and pulled over on the side of the road. Aunt-E and Cyd jumped out for all the commotions and you know what they found? THE PONY TRAILER DOOR WAS OPEN!! So many bad things could have happened. My ranch peoples did their yelling and jumping, and another ranch person was even jumping in their truck to chase us down to make us ponies safe. THANK YOU FOR SAVING US! Now Cyd will thoroughly check and be paranoid over doors forever. I was a bit confused as to why we stopped so soon and why I could see out the back. It's lucky I was tied in (a rare occurrence for me), and that we were driving down hill which kept the door mostly closed kinda. Heart attacks all around, but me and Waylonpony are safe! Our day can just get better from here.

A bit high necked, and saddle a bit forward

I was feeling a bit stubborn for some bits of our pony ride today, not wanting to stand by the fence for mounting, not wanting to go around the gate, or on this particular trail. I'm a pain in the butt sometimes. Other times I was really good, and I was actually mostly nice to Waylon, even when he got really close to me, and even when I did emergency stop (shark infested puddle) and he crashed right into my butt. We did some good trottings practice, and good canterings, I did right side kind and left side kind. I even went next to Waylon, and in front, and behind, and a little bit of passing. Go me for forgetting to be mean most of the time. It was quite rainy for the first bit of our ride, but we were under trees a lot, and it wasn't freezing cold. Cyd got to test her new waterproofs in actual rain, and stayed dry - yippee. I looked bedraggled, but it turns out I'm waterproof under my fur.

Eww I'm wet

I moved out really good in my trial saddle, and Cyd was hoping for a sweat pattern to check. Troubles is I was all dry under there. Tonight she's going to wash my pad so we can look for a dirt pattern instead. My back felt pretty good, but when Cyd came to give me my hay tonight she touched me and I was a bit sensitive and tensed up on one side. She touched me again and I was fine, so maybe it was just me being sensitive (I do do that sometimes) or maybe I was a bit sore? More careful testing required.

 On the way home I was being a leaderpony, I wanted to walk in the front and do my big walk, leaving Waylon behind, but then I would get scared of something and have to wait for him to go first. That way, he can be eaten to distract the monters while I flee. Thanks, buddy, 'preciate it!

When we got back to the pony trailer, you know what we remembered to do? Have me do a polite trot out like I was at an enduring ride. I did it super awesome, then Cyd thought she saw me take an off step, so I did it again. I must have stepped on a stone cos I was just fine, but I was a little more sassy on the trot back the second time. We went home uneventfully, and Aunt-E double checked the doors at the top of the dirt road before going back on the highway, just in cases. Thanks for taking us pony riding Aunt-E and Waylonpony, and thanks for being patient when I was being a bit of a brat.

This is my grumpy face, I ran out of goodness on the way home

Forest Riding

Sharing is caring!

Hello everybodies, how are you? I am fabulous. Today, I went pony riding with Aunt-T and Hueypony and... you'll never guess... Aunty V and Leopony. They are usually sooo busy but there was a little gap where everybody had free time so off us ponies went in the trailer down to one of our favourite places. I was being a bit bad when Cyd was getting me ready, doing my dancing, and trying to help her put on my go-faster booties. Finally I was ready, and Cyd hopped on. I was so raring to go that I was very distressed at Cyd trying to reach her big red cup of coffee on the hood of the truck to carry down to where my friends live. I started doing jumping in the road and in the end she did a big sigh and walked me down on foot (so we didn't spill the coffee obviously). 

Once I was at my friends' house I did even more dancing, and lots of posing. I posed tied to the pony trailer, I posed trying to get in the pony trailer, I posed once I was inside. When we got to our parking place, I posed on the outside too. Hueypony was kind enough to share his hayfoods with me, thank you Hueypony. 

All the peoples got their helmets, and got super bundled up in their warm clothes, and off we went up the trail. I did a lot of being a leader pony today. I did get stuck at one point and Cyd had to hop off and make me do my things for unsticking. Thanks Aunty V and Aunt-T for patiently letting me figure my stuff out. This is why Cyd should have discussed with me the other day instead of letting me win by letting our friend go in front. It didn't take me long to get smart again though. I even went in the creek first by myself like a good pony, and had a little drink even though it was super cold and I wasn't working hard cos for the ground being slick.

We stopped by the watertankbathtubthing for some drinking and the people to do peeing and photoing. Look at the giant mushrooms we found:

My hoofy for perspective

Cyd had to do peeing so she very securely tied me to a tree. This is why having a good tying pony is good, she can put me just about anywhere and as long as I think I'm tied it's okay. Today's tie-spot? A twiggy branch coming off a fallen branch on the ground, nothing that would actually hold me if I decided to leave. 

It was so cold my breath made smokes!

I was also being polite enough today that I was trusted to be good so that Cyd could hold Hueypony's reins for a minute. I did good, except for wanting to hold Hueypony too, but I didn't chew on his reins so it's okay.

Guide pony in training!

My biggest achievement today though? I went up the rock trail. I have never done this before, and Cyd forgot when we were here last week. She tried to make me go up, with the plan of Waylonpony coming next, except for me not liking it and trying to go backwards and I nearly made me and Cyd fall off the edge and crash into rocks. We did enough of going forwards to make it still a god learning time, but then we turned around and took the roundabout trail like I usually do. Today, Hueypony went in front, Leopony went next, and I went in the back in case I did my backing up again, so just us fell down, not taking anybody with us. I had no problems though. Just like Cyd thought, I just needed some confidence and guidance. Aunty V did videoing with her helmet camera of how awesome I did. We don't know how to put my movie here, but you can see it by clicking here. Thanks for movie-ing me, and taking me pony riding! We had so much fun!