My lil pony

So I've pretty much been blissed out in pony land for the last 3 days. Svenna has been great, I've ridden twice, despite horrific weather (including a tornado! In the PNW???). The person who delivered her on Friday forgot a halter, so loaded and unloaded her with just a rope around her neck...she is that good natured. She is super super sweet and snuggly, to the point that I occasionally have to tell her to back off. I have always coddled my horses a little bit too much and allowed them to be in my space, and I'm going to try really hard not to let that happen this time.

She is quite a bit more green than I was expecting, and a little more wiggly in the crossties, but she doesn't make me nervous at all, even when she's being kind of a butthead pony. She is not at all spooky, I rode her all over the farm today in a rare spot of sun and she was very good.

Also, cutest thing ever today, I went to get Svenna out of her field and called her, and she lifted her head and nickered to me! As if that is not enough, she came galloping over to the fence. Seriously. It was the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

Anyway, tomorrow is the first day of school (latest start ever I know) and I have organic chemistry on the brain! I've done like 60 pages of reading and taken about a bajillion notes so I'm all ready, but still very nervous.

No news on Sid from the trainer...I'm assuming that's good!

Meet Svenna!

Looking for apples!

She is a total sweetie, but with this really cute cheeky personality. She is a 6 coming 7 year fjord, 14.2, and of lighter type for a fjord, although not light by most standards haha. She's had a lot of trail training and done some "extreme trail challenge" type stuff too, but otherwise pretty green in the ring. I feel totally comfortable with her, and just like to hang out with her.

But she is quite different than my old ride!!

Pretending to be dressagy

The field she is currently living in has barbed wire fence, and I am stressing so hard that she will get tangled up during the night before she gets delivered tomorrow. Of course I am also stressing about everything going well for the trailer...no accidents etc. I can't help it, I'm a worrier!!

But.....the biggest, most important question.....should I cut her mane in the traditional fjord way?? I like that it looks neater, and there are a lot of possibilities. I haven't had too many horses where I can leave the mane long and flowing though , so that's sort of intriguing too. 

Many mane possibilities!!!

I like some of the snazzier mane hairdos, but I can't tell how much upkeep that takes. Sid's mane is normally halfway down his neck before I get around to pulling it lol. 

Sid Update: We pre-vetted him and it went great....yay! He got professional photos and video today, and I guess there is some interest. I'm still so sad about it, I cry every night, but honestly I think that having the new horse as a distraction is going to be really good for me. 

So anyway, hoping that everything goes smoothly and I can update tomorrow that Svenna is home and doing well. We'll see!!!!

I am a crazy person!

I have a vet check on a horse tomorrow!!!!! I am very excited. She is pretty much 100% the opposite of Sid. The pinto horse did not work out, and in my state of depression over that I went and saw a horse that I was sort of "whatever" about, and it's love! It's a rare-ish breed, similar to a haflinger, but that's all I'm saying...I don't want to jinx it. If all goes well at the vetting I'll post some pics tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Horse shopping continues!

Despite having a horse coming in for a trial on Sunday, I can't seem to stop looking!! I'm seeing at least one a day until the new horse comes in....the reason for my nerves about the trial horse? he seems sort of behind where he should be training wise for 6 coming 7. 

But after seeing the horse I looked at today, I don't really know if there is anything to worry about! The horse I rode today was really fun, but almost TOO quiet and TOO finished. Crazy things to say, I know. But there is not much to do here in the winter with horses other than ride in the indoor (due to rain) and I just feel like I would have nothing to work on! She was absolutely sweet and adorable though, and I jumped around for the first time in a long time. 

Damn you hunter hunch! 

I'm not super excited to see the next two horses, but you really can't tell what they are till you go see! I can't tell if I'm being really indecisive or if I'm being smart by exploring all options. Ugh. Also I'm shopping by myself 99% of the time right now (unless my non horsey BF comes with) so I'm being even a little more wishy washy than normal cuz there is no one to back me up!

Also, a question to anyone/everyone: Do you have any horse shopping "tricks"? For instance, a horse I'm seriously interested I will ALWAYS lunge the horse at a trot on a small (long lead rope length) circle on hard ground. It makes any unsoundness really obvious and has saved me from many an unnecessary vet check. It was actually something recommended to me by my vet when I was horse shopping a lot years ago. Curious to see if anyone else has little things they always do when trying a horse. 

Sid is at the sale barn

Luckily I've been really really busy getting ready for school to start, so I haven't had too much time for uncontrollable crying jags. I saw him off on Saturday morning, and will probably go see him in his new digs later in the week. He's getting pre-vetted on Wednesday, with xrays and everything, so fingers crossed. He has super clean 2 year old xrays and has never been even a tiny bit off, but current xrays are a policy of the sale barn. He'll also be getting some professional photos and video in the next two weeks or so. This is the first time I've ever had to sell a horse at a sales facility, and wow...lots of prep, which turns out to be very expensive (shocker I know).

Yep, for 6 hours. 

In more exciting news, I've been horse shopping a bit (ok lots). Because I start school on October 1st and I will be slammed until next summer (thank you o chem, microbio, and biochem!) I would ideally like to pick something fun, cute, easy and SMALL in the next two/three weeks. It's turning out to be kind of a tall order. It's also very emotional because nothing makes you appreciate your own horse like riding someone else's!

Super mare with a fun personality, but a bit green for what I need

So the darling BF and I have been discovering the beautiful state of Washington through horse shopping! We have, at this point, literally covered the whole state, east, west, north and south. It's been fun, but I just want something to ride/pet/play with already! Luckily I have not met TOO many crazy lying horse people. For the most part (like the guy helping me onto the fjord) everyone has been incredible and gracious, even when I tell them "thanks, but not for me."

I looked at a few fjords, I adore my icelandic and the fjords seem like they might fit the bill: quiet, sporty, sturdy, and versatile. Unfortunately there are just not that many of them, so I looked at two with no luck and had to move on.  It's really hard for me to stop sport horse shopping and start pleasure horse shopping.

Beautiful farm

 However....I have a horse coming on trial next weekend!!!! Not to jinx it though. I'm super excited, he's really cute, quiet, and unspoiled. But still a major departure from what I'm used to size and training wise. So meet the new potential horsie:

Only ~15 hands

 Is he darn cute or what?? I hope it works out, but you never know with horses. It's really nice of the owner to let me take him on trial. I don't get him till next weekend, but I can hardly wait. So anyway, more finger crossing that I get to acquire my first pinto soon!

That face!!

Photographic evidence!

I've been riding Sid again! He's an absolute doll. Its the most remarkable thing...I'm really not scared of him at all. I thought I would be, but we just fell back into the same rhythm that we used to have. He is SO much fun to ride.

Not super flattering of him, but the only one where I'm not squinting.

So. The bad news. And the reason I've been absent. He's for sale, and I am so, so, so (a million so's) sad about it. I love him, he's so fun, he's the horse I've always wanted and finally got, he's nice enough to do the FEI stuff. But right now I'm beginning to realize that my first priority is medical school, and the next few years will not allow enough time to ride much, let alone show. He is not a horse you can hop on 3 times a week without receiving some serious attitude, and 3 days a week is what I have right now, and probably will be for a while. Everyone in my life supports me, and agrees that it is the right thing to do, but that really doesn't make it any easier. I've been up crying over him every night, I'm truly heartbroken. I've sold a lot of horses, but never ever felt so crappy about it. 

So anyway, I'm sort of in the throws of horse selling and horse shopping and it's all kinda sucky. But I'll get through it, Sid will end up with a fantastic home that loves, appreciates, and uses him, and I'll get something I can just hop on with no drama. Or at least that's what I keep trying to convince myself. 

Also photographic evidence of his cuteness.