E-mail from a stranger...

Last year about this time I posted about my very first Mare, May.

http://beautyisgrace-y.blogspot.com/2010/04/meet-mabel-my-first-equine-love.html

I had been thinking a lot about May this past month and the other day I received an e-mail out of the blue.

Hi Heather,

I have no idea if this will reach you, but I was going through some old email and was pleased to find your posts about Myra. Thought you might enjoy seeing a pic of our gal “in action” – she is quite the worker bee…..

If this does arrive, and I hear back from you, I will bring you up to date w/her and her pasture mate, whom everyone mistakes for her sister…..it’s a pretty interesting story. And in the background on the left there is Marielle, my llama and their pasture pal who will be packing w/Myra this summer.

My best,

So I responded and was so pleased to see she is happy and has a twin!

Look a two headed horse!! I Cannot tell you how happy I am that this mare found a home. A home that respects her and has taken such good care of her. (May is the one on the left)

And here is May with Annie her long lost sister (Annie was a rescue that May's new owner took in and brought back to health) I just wish all horses were as lucky as May.

(FYI May's new name is Myra)

She's versatile!

Grace is an all around pony....Last weekend it was English Sport Horse Under Saddle at an Arabian Breed Show.

This weekend it was a great trail ride with some old and new friends.

There were 8 of us that left for the trail ride on Sunday. The weather was Amazing and we just headed off out the pasture and up to some groomed trails in the middle of a Christmas Tree Farm.
Grace was EXCITED. Trail riding is one of her favorite things to do. But she was a little more excited than I would have liked her to be. She just WOULD NOT relax and enjoy the ride. Maybe it was me. I may have been a little tense as it was our first Ride out this season and I guess I take as long to warm up and relax as she does but all in all it was a beautiful day and we all came home safe so it was a WIN/WIN.

Next weekend is another show weekend. Grace and I are doing our 'Western Pleasure' thing. Sparkly belts, shirts a my new cowboy hat. My horse can do anything. She is amazing! My Grace......here's to more beautiful weekends riding with friends! Bring on Spring/Summer!

Our First Breed Show!!! Results are in..

Well we had our first BIG show and Grace did fabulously. She earned a 5th place ribbon in the Half Arab Sport Horse under saddle class. I was a little disappointed in her placing as she had a FABULOUS ride. I could not have asked for more. Her transitions were great and the guy sitting next to me even leaned over and said...'I think that pretty bay has this one won' I knew she didn't have it won as the judge could not keep her eyes off of a pretty pinto gelding. I knew that horse had it hands down. But I was extremely proud of Grace she handled herself so well.

Her second class on Friday night was the Half Arab Sport Horse Show Hack Class. This one was fun. Kim was all dressed in tails and a top hat and Grace had on a Dressage Saddle and looked Quite impressive. It was so dark in the Arena that I couldn't get a good picture of her.

Here is a link to the pic I'm buying from the Show Hack class...she looks so fancy.

There were two horses in the class and her compition was a national champion Show Hack horse and Rider (or at least the rider was and the horse was at least a level 2 Dressage horse)

So I wasn't sad about our second place ribbon.

Then last but not least our Half Arab Junior Horse Sport Horse under Saddle class....They held it in the outdoor arena so I was a little concerned, but I made sure she had a nice walk around to get her at least one look see before going into the class. She did GREAT. A better ride than Friday night in the open class.

And here is the result!

Our Next show is May 7th and Guess what? I will actually be riding....It will be a total Western Pleasure show for Grace so we have two weeks to work on our Jog and Lope. Should be lots of FUN!!

Gracie's evaluation...

Today I had the pleasure of meeting a one time World Show Hack Champion Brenda Bureau. She came out to look at Grace and give her opinion on her potential in the Show Hack Ring.

She had lots of great advice.

She thought Grace had the body type and mind to do extremely well in the show ring. She watched Kim ride her under saddle and suggested that we lunge her for 15 to 30 minutes before she's ridden using draw reigns and get her to move forward using her hind end better. This will help her relax more under saddle and teach her how use her hind with ground work. This will also help with our bonding...

I'm really looking forward to learning how to use these new tools. I'm always excited to learn something new when it comes to horses and working them. I''m new to the English discipline so this will be fun.

After Gracies ride we let her loose in the arena so Brenda would be able to see her natural movement. She has a natural extended trot a that is to die for and has such natural movement. We just need to capture that movement and teach her how do do them on cue. If she does the SKY'S the LIMIT!!!

Grace and her imitation of Silver

So Thursday night Kim was going to ride Grace she was tacked up and ready to go. The weather was COLD 36 degree about. Kim hopped on and did a lap around the arena and right away I could tell it was going to be interesting.

Grace was extra spooky. Spooking at the gates and at the tractor at the cows at all the things she's seen a million times. Kim asked her for a trot and came around the corner and my girl bucked...I have never in her riding career seen Grace buck with a rider. She would not relax about the 6th time around the arena she spooked again Kim pushed her forward and UP she went. Doing her very best unwanted impression of Silver....

We checked her for saddle pain or back pain. But I think her teeth were still tender from her visit from the dentist.

Kim rode her Friday morning and she was fine.

I have never seen my Sweet, Sweet Mare behave this way. Totally out of character for her.

Grace-y Goes to the Dentist.

If Gracie could talk this is what she would have sounded like after Dr. Ron was done with her.

Poor baby tells me when she needs to have her teeth looked at. She puts up a minor fight with the bridling. It comes from nowhere. One day she bridles fine the next she is all high headed and will back up eventually giving in...she's fine once the bridle is in. She's pretty good at expressing herself.

She had 6 ulcers on each side of her poor mouth. She's been needing a float about every 6 to 8 mths. I hope this goes down to at least once a year soon.

She's very expressive about other things as well, she hates back straps on her blanket and isn't fond of getting her hooves picked out, but she loves her grain, and kickin' up her heals on a sunny days.

Anyhoo, she had yesterday off and will be back to work tomorrow.

My God has it really been since Sept..

Has it been since Sept that I have posted on this blog..I was bugging JP about her blog and realized I really have no room to be giving her a hard time. So much has happened since Sept.

Gracie is getting ready for her first Breed show. It's the AIM sport horse show. She'll be riding in 3 classes. 2 Hunter under saddle classes and 1 show hack.

She had her first ride tonight in a double bridle (Full Bridle) and she looked amazing. She still takes my breathe away. I should have taken pics but I was so fascinated with her that I completely forgot.

She has transitioned out of a snaffle and is riding in a shank for western. She actually looks really cute. At least cute enough for open shows...I have a goal to win at least one ribbon this year in a Walk/Trot/Canter class...

In June there are a couple of open shows that we are hoping to compete for High Point. Things are really coming together. Super busy show schedule this year.

The Picture above is from our first show this year my friend Kim rides her English (and will be riding at AIM) She had a second and a third placing at this show.

I hope all is well out in blogger land....I promise myself I will keep up more as I really want a diary of Gracie's progress. Boy has she come a long way!