2012 Russellville Christmas Parade

 Once again, we rode the ponies in the Christmas parade.  They were both really good and we had a great time! Lots of our friends were riding too, some of them 4H friends, some of them just horsey friends.  These pictures are horrible.  I guess I should learn what setting on the camera to use for night time!  But I'm grateful to Ted for taking them regardless. 

 

ClaireAnna on Cindy, Lisa on Grinch, Libby on Roan Baby.  Waiting for the parade to start. 

 

This is Grinch's 2nd year in this parade.  He was a very good boy! (A little figity, but nothing too naughty.)  It is Cindy's...um...can't count.  We started taking her when ClaireAnna was just 5 years old and I walked along side.  She's been in many, Christmas parades and other parades as well.  Her behavior is always excellent.

Dayna rode double with ClaireAnna on Cindy.



We tacked up and decorated the horses at home, then trailered them to the assigned location for the parade.  Then we mount up and wait for what seems like hours (actually, almost 2 hours) for the horses to move out.  Horses are always last, just before the fire trucks and Santa, so that people walking/ marching in the parade don't have to step in the horse pooh!

Notice the reindeer antlers!

ClaireAnna and I made her a sweater for a tacky Christmas sweater contest at youth group.  She didn't win because everyone said her sweater was too cute!  So she wore it for the parade and sure enough, a total stranger in the "audience" shouted to her, "I love your swearter!"  It is now the designated "parade sweater."

A Dream Come True

I'm sure she doesn't realize it.  She's just having a fun day with her friend, Dayna, who spent the night.  But this day, is a dream come true.  This day, is one I've been dreaming about since she was three years old - the day she first got Cindy and my mind started imagining what the future would be like. 

When I was 10 years old, I had a friend who had ponies.  When she'd invite me over, I was simply beside myself with joy.  We rode those ponies all over the countryside and it was some of the most wonderful fun I ever had.  I didn't have a horse of my own, but I pretended her pony was mine.  It was those days with Sabra and Nellie that cemented in me the joy and love for horses and riding that I have never gotten over.

It was eight years ago that I began imagining that someday, ClaireAnna would be able to share that kind of day with her friends.  I hoped that there would come a day when she'd have a friend over, and the two of them would get up early, saddle up a couple of ponies and head out for the trails.  Wouldn't that be something?!

Today was that day!

Getting to this day has taken patience, planning and discipline.  I've had to very carefully guide my daughter along the road to confidence and knowledge in horsemanship.  Cindy was a young pony, only 2, when we got her and Claire was only 3.  We could not just plop her up there and let them go.  And ClaireAnna was not naturally fearless on a horse.  Some of the things Cindy did scared her.  We had to go slowly with both of them.  We started out with lots of leading. 

I walked that princess on her pony all over this farm!

And they became friends.

We eventually graduated to me riding while ponying Cindy and Claire.  I don't have any pictures of that because I was on a horse!  We did that for many months.  Then we moved up to me walking alongside as Claire rode Cindy herself. 

This ride is one of the very first times that ClaireAnna rode independently as Ted and I walked along.

Eventually, Claire started riding lessons.  Cindy had two 30 day sessons of training at different points along the way and the two of them became a team.  They've done some clinics, 4H shows, lots of trail rides, camping trips, and jr. rodeos.  They've grown up.  Together. 

 During these growing up years, we made the decision to breed Cindy and she had a colt in 2008.  She named him The Grinch.  

And a new friendship began. 

Here is Claire riding Cindy, while Daddy walks the Grinch.  We did a lot of this.

As ClaireAnna grew in her confidence on Cindy, she was also developing her relationship with The Grinch as he was growing up, and looking forward to the day she would eventually ride him.  We had him started when he was three. 

This is their first ride together.

We started all over building confidence, his conficence in us, her confidence in him, and my confidence in them.  We went slowly and took a full year to transition Claire from Cindy to The Grinch.  For a long time, we took him every where they went and just tied him up.  Then I started riding him at arenas and on trail rides while Claire continued to ride Cindy.  We took him to her lessons and she rode him in the round pen and then the arena and eventually on a trail ride. 

This is the first time she ever rode him outside an arena - their first trail ride with trainer Brad Palmer.

In the spring of 2012, Claire and I hit the trails hard with the goal of giving both ponies lots of wet saddle blankets and Grinch the trail confidence he needed.  We started out me riding Grinch and Claire on Cindy.  Then we started switching horses mid ride, and eventually Claire on Grinch full time.  In June of 2012, the transition was complete when she took him out after a 2 week layoff and got up on him with no lunging and without me getting him started.  He was perfect!   

This was a pivotal trail ride on the red trail at Lonesome D.  She rode him for five hours and he was awesome and we both knew that day she would be riding him from then on. 

So today was the day!

Claire invited a friend over.  And when they got up this mornig, we saddled these two ponies and off they went! All by themselves! It was a great day! And my heart is full!

All Dressed Up!

ClaireAnna got out The Grinch today and tried on the outfit she got...for him....for her....for Christmas.  Let me try that again - it was her gift, but his outfit.  Follow me? And in case you didn't know, that's just exactly what 10 year old cowgirls want for Christmas - stuff to make their horses pretty!  ClaireAnna decided a long time ago that The Grinch's color is royal blue. So blue it is! Blue saddle pad. Blue bridle. Blue reins. Blue breast plate. Blue splint boots.  Blue bell boots.  (Boots were not tried on today due to muddy legs and hooves.)

Coming up out of the pasture.
For shame.  A red halter.
He does have a blue one....
somewhere......

I love this pony's butt.
It's very appropriate to say that about a horse.
(I only get in trouble when I say it about Hugh Jackman.)
But I digress.  Great job, ClaireAnna! on getting
Grinch's hooves clean. 

Making him pretty.

See Grinch? It's blue! 

 

First Trial Ride on the Farm

Today was a beautiful fall day.   Kinda breezy and a little cool, but sunny and beautiful.  ClaireAnna and I took Cindy and The Grinch out for a trail ride.  I rode him first because she was a little nervous, but I told her she could trust him.  When she realized I was right, we switched saddles and horses.  It was her first time riding him on the farm outside the round pen or the barnyard and only her second trail ride with him.  The Grinch’s behavior was impeccable.  He’s so calm and easy to ride.  He’s neck reining fantastically now.  He’ll go anywhere you point him.  He’ll lope off alone.  He’ll stay in a walk when the other horse lopes off ahead of him.  He even remains in a calm walk when the other horse comes galloping up behind him. He’ll go through mud, water, rocks, up hills, down hills.  We tested him on everything and he passed with flying colors! I know that eventually, he’ll have a bad day..do something wrong…. but so far, he’s been perfect for her. ClaireAnna had a blast!  Mother cried.  We just can’t stop talking about it and thinking about it!  She is one lucky, happy girl! Next week – Falling Waters!!

Here they are crossing a steep ditch with a narrow entry.  The Grinch didn’t like it when I tried it with him and I did get down and walk him through it.  After that, he didn’t hesitate again. 

Here they are doing what ClaireAnna loves most – loping across the pastures! 

2011 Ozark Memories Day

This is our small town annual festival in Dover, put on by the Chamber of Commerce.  We start the day out with a short parade through down town Dover.  I didn’t take any pictures during the actual parade this year because I was leading The Grinch.  It was his first time in a parade and he did fantastic!
Claire rode Cindy, as usual.   
The Grinch took everything in stride.  No spooking at all!  Next year, Claire will ride him and let one of her friends ride Cindy.
 
This picture of my friend Sylvia in her first every parade, show’s how excited Grinch was about being there!
After the parade, we went home to put the horses away and change our clothes.  Back at the festival, we had some snacks: funnel cake, tamales, nachos and soda. 
I did the skillet toss! I didn’t win, but I didn’t embarrass myself either!
 
They had a men’s log toss, but Ted’s arm is busted.  Here’s a random guy doing it!

ClaireAnna tossed the bean bags.    
This is our town, Na na na na na!   

First Lope

Had a great riding lesson on Cindy and Grinch today at Brad Palmer’s place.  Grinch had been fussy about his bit, which had never happened before so we put a halter on him and he rode just fine.  (Going to have his teeth looked at this week.)  So after Brad rode him for awhile, Claire walked and trotted him through the pole pattern.  At the end of the last two runs he broke into an easy lope.  I got the first one on video.  It was Claire’s first lope on the Grinch!

While Claire rode the Grinch, Brad gave Cindy a little attitude adjustment.  Out of shape and lazy equals one stubborn pony!

First Trail Ride Together!

ClaireAnna and Grinch had a great lesson today with their trainer, Brad Palmer.  He took them on their first trail ride together.  Dayna got to come along since she had just finished her lesson and was already saddled!  It is the first time Claire has been on the Grinch outside of a round pen or arena.  Brad says, “Grinch was solid as a rock.  No issues at all.”  They crossed a road, saw a car, crossed water and were followed by dogs.  ClaireAnna said, “That was AWESOME!”  Grinch will now be Claire’s main trail mount!  I’m so proud of both of them!  She’s yet to lope him.  That will be their next goal!
    

ClaireAnna and Brad