Still Alive

Hey!

I haven't posted in ten whole days.

And

I've only posted three times this year.

But I am still alive.

My horsey activities are still on hold. Partly due to the cold and partly due to car troubles. But that's okay! In truth, these twenty days have been some of the best days in a long time. I'm beginning the last semester of high school and many things are finally coming together.

Since getting Gambler I have grown so much as a person. God has used this little horse to challenge me on multiple levels. Gamby is an Arab cross, which means he is highly sensitive and energetic. He doesn't think twice about taking advantage of my insecurities. I've learned to put my fears away and take a stand for what I believe is right, whether I'm standing up to my horse or other people or even myself. At the same time, I've learned not to get overconfident or cocky. No matter how many plans I make, something will happen to throw everything off.

I've seen a difference in myself this school year, which I believe is due to my experiences with Gambler. I have the confidence to open up to people and appreciate the friendships of these last four months, to dare to try jump at new (and risky) opportunities. But I also have the humility (at least I'm working on it) to take a step back, and realize that my plans for this semester aren't the be all and end all of my life. There is a big picture, and right now I'm trying to be content to see where God is taking me.

Purpose

My goal this school year was: "Keep an outside focus". In the past, I have started school with every intention to keep other aspects of my life going strong, but have lost focus before the first weeks are over. It's so easy to get caught up in grades, friends, homework and lose track of the whole purpose of school. School is not my life. School is merely a milestone along the journey. I go to school so I can move on with life and become a well-rounded human being, not to lose track of everything else and drown in numbers, letters, and figures.

Last year I stayed more grounded than I had in years before, due to three things (in no particular order). First, my job. I worked at Galloping Hills Equestrian Center several days a week, which forced me to get my homework done as soon as possible and reminded me there was a horse world out there that I wanted to be part of. Second, journaling. I've kept a journal (or several hundred) for as long as I could write. I found that taking time to write everyday about where I had been, where I was at, and where I was going kept life in perspective. Third, devotions. As a Christian, I want to display God to the world in my life. It's easy to forget or get distracted, but reading my Bible and taking time to listen to what He has to say has a huge effect on my day to day life.

This year, my goal was to keep an outside focus. I wanted to keep a healthy outlook and not get bogged down in nine months of school. I can't say I succeeded, but last Saturday I renewed my efforts. School is just a stop on the way. I'm not at all saying that it isn't important ('cause it is - fellow kids, stay in school!). I am saying that there is a lot more to teenaged life than high school. For instance, my horse. When I started to get caught up in the social life, the homework, and the stress, I found myself doing less and less with Gambler. As soon as I took a step back and looked at the big pictures, we started to progress. All that to say that I am going back to journaling, devotions, and horse-training with renewed vigor!

I think it was around 42 degrees today, really warm for December in rural Wisconsin. We had other plans for the night, so I didn't have as much time with Gambler as I would have liked. I put him in the cross-ties and attempted to comb his mane. It was hopeless. Wet, tangled horsehair is impossible.

The rainy gave the pasture a misty look.

Check out the bedraggled mane.

I was trying to get a picture of his "freckles" but the lighting was bad and he wouldn't hold still. If you look closely, he has a few flea-bitten spots on his cheek bone.

At Long Last!

It feels like a thousand years since Sunday. School makes the days seem longer anyway, but four days without Gambler are four loooong days.

I finally got out to see him last night! Sadly, we left the camera at home, so I don't have any pictures. It was really too dark to get good photos anyway.

In regard to my last post, I didn't spend a lot of time longeing Gambler, or messing around with the saddle like I have lately. Instead, I tied a bandanna to the end of my carrot stick and introduced Gambler to the "flag." He loved it. As I suspected, he wanted to eat it, which is why I didn't use a plastic bag. We played the Friendly Game, until he was confident and curious (which didn't take long). Then we worked--ahem, played-- the Driving Game. Interestingly, Gambler yields his forequarters and hindquarters way better with the flag than with anything else. He doesn't want to circle with the flag though, because he would rather chase the flag than walk away from it.

We ended our session with some more liberty. I wasn't sure how well that was going to go because I haven't played with him since Sunday. He did okay. At a walk, he circles quite politely. Last night we played with spiraling in and out at liberty at the walk. However, since I haven't been out to see him, he has gotten fat and lazy.

** Insert Freakout ** How does a horse get fat in four days!

So when I asked for the trot at liberty, his answer was something along the lines of, "Hmmmm, nah. I think I'll just walk faster and toss my head a little. That's okay right?" We'll work on that more--Ahhhhh, I caught myself. We'll play with trotting at liberty tomorrow or next Sunday.

One last thing, I tried some bell boots on Gambler yesterday. I'm not sure if they fit him, they could be too big. He was a total sweetheart when I was putting them on/taking them off, which is awesome, because I think that was the first time he's ever had boots on. The reason I think that is: one, he never had a need for boots at his old home, and two, the beautiful Spanish walk he pulled off when I asked him to walk in boots. Maybe someday I can teach him to do it on his own, but for now I'll enjoy the show while he figures out how to walk with little monsters on his hooves. I'm really sorry I didn't get that on camera!

Summer's End

This summer has been very eventful for Gambler and I. We have come very far together. The whole experience has been wonderful. Our journey is not even close to over, but sadly, this summer is.

Two days ago I started my senior year of high school. It is so strange to be a senior; I still feel like a sophomore. School has it's pros and cons like everything else in life. I really want to enjoy this year, since it is my last year of high school. However, it is hard to enjoy anything that takes time away from your passion; in my case, horses and writing. So far, it isn't too bad. I'm not taking very many classes, so there isn't a lot of homework. Some of the classes even relate directly to one of my future career paths: writing. But no matter how fun school is, I only have twelve hours of daylight and school takes up seven of them.

I still plan on riding Gambler as soon as he is ready. He has accepted the saddle and the girth. When I feel that he is comfortable and ready for a new challenge I will introduce him to my weight. Honestly, right now I would be content to just sit in the pasture with him. I haven't seen Gambley since Sunday, and I'm definitely feeling it.

Here are some pictures from our first five months together: March 2015-September 2015.

Looking Gorgeous!

Eat that tarp.

This is the first time I put the bareback pad on him.

/

Tarp? Why not

One of his better jumps