2018 In Photos

As a take on the "Favorites" blog hop made popular by Amanda at $900 Facebook Pony, I'm going to recap the year month by month with favorite photos and minimal text. Hope you're attached to good internet...

JANUARY

I kicked off the new year in West Virginia with Liz, hiking in -8 temps and enjoying our silly husky dogs.

I spent the rest of January moving, so Bast went for some nerve wracking hacks and occasional arena rides. Mostly he was on the back burner.

I did enjoy all the time I could spend with my boys, though.

But I did get to spend time supporting (and photographing) friends at their outings!

FEBRUARY

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We really put in a lot of good work.

Except for when we didn't...

I also took my favorite photo of Emma and Charlie.

MARCH

We were beset by injury setbacks when Bast popped a big splint on the outside of his front right. Obviously this slowed him down... 

APRIL

Pig's system started showing signs of struggling, as he developed a body-wide fungal infection that we just could not kick.

For Bast month started well...

But ended poorly...

My wallet bled, but the vet assured me we were just looking at hematomas to a massive degree, not anything broken.

MAY

We moved to a new, lower key, farm. Despite reservations, Bast settled in quite well.

Pig and I started teaching the little guy confidence through regular ponying adventures on the property.

The pastures were in terrible shape, and Pig struggled hard to put on weight and look good. I became militant about making sure his forage levels were adequate.

By the end of the month, Bast had finished his ulcer meds and returned to limited work. He was showing a lot of mental stability and trainability, despite a love of coming behind the bit.

At the end of the month, I got to cheer on Emma and Charlie. I also got to snap this awesome photo. Way to go guys!

JUNE

We returned to cantering, which led to lots of awkward moments as Bast worked his hind end around those breaking up hematomas. 

We also started the unfortunate trend towards leaping in to the canter like a methed up drunk giraffe. #attractive

I welcomed Asterid into my house, and she has been the best thing ever.

JULY

Bast went for his first solo trail rides at the new property, and was a total star.

We also started working with my trainer. Our first lesson was just after a huge thunderstorm, which left a lake in the ring. Bast was so thirsty after our lesson he drank from this pond for 5 whole minutes, leaving trainer and myself in stitches.
(summer summary)

AUGUST

I spent the summer legging up a friend's endurance horse, with the plan to compete in several LD races. Unfortunately he ended up coming up with an injury that flared at our first outing and cancelled his whole season.

Bast and I went off the property for our first horse show experience at Loch Moy's Twilight Eventing.

He was a genius. I was so proud.

SEPTEMBER

Jan came to visit. I got to see someone else ride Bast for the first time in almost a year, and we also played around a lot.

Bast and I messed around with jumping.

And did lots of galloping... on purpose.

We also went back to Loch Moy for more show experience. I was again blown away by Bast's work, though the judge was less impressed with both of us.

OCTOBER

Both boys had a lot of down time and more relaxed schooling.

Though that doesn't mean we weren't still working on straightness and going forward into the reins in every ride.

Still, the focus was mostly on building relationships, enjoying days it wasn't raining, and keeping them both at optimum health as winter approached.

Also my dogs are amazing, and I love them.

NOVEMBER

I bought an older Custom saddle from my trainer, and it changed Bast and I's life immediately for the better. Turns out being balanced in a saddle makes a huge difference.

Liz came to visit, and I loved watching her ride my boy. He was a total unicorn for her.

He was pretty amazing for me too.

We even showed off our field galloping skills on the side of a steep muddy hill without dramatics or scary moments. This horse has come so far in the last year.

We pulled out Pig and I warmed him up for Liz.

She was nervous about galloping him, but I couldn't get over how good he looked once he got going. This old man is just the most amazing bionic horse.

DECEMBER

Weather, work, and holidays kept me from riding my horses much this month. Bast took full advantage and spent most of his time smushing his body into squishy mud. Gross.

Pig meanwhile has stayed mostly spotlessly clean, confused about why I would ride him with his blanket on, and overall pretty happy about hay bales being returned to the field.

Meanwhile I spent time standing out in the rain taking photos of Emma and others at a local Philip Dutton clinic, which yielded some amazing photos.

REFLECTION

This year was very up and down, but I think it's ending on a very positive note. I'm off now to do some very exciting things with Bast, which I'll be talking about soon. Hopefully these things lead to a much more positive 2019, complete with a good show season and positive development from my young horse. Keep your fingers crossed!