back to the holiday shopping on November Hill

I was absolutely thrilled yesterday when I went to the post box and found a package from Curious Crow Jewelry.

I discovered Curious Crow when Linda Carson at the 7MSN posted a photo of a gorgeous donkey necklace. I was holding down the work of November Hill Farm solo (with the help of a friend who came for three days) while the rest of my family went to the beach. When I saw the necklace Linda posted I immediately ordered one for myself as a reward for a week of hard work taking care of my animal family.

And when I got that first necklace in the mail, I was so impressed I contacted Curious Crow to see if they might make something very special for me. I knew I was looking at a fairly intensive dental procedure, and I wanted to treat myself for finally summoning the courage to go through with it.

Wendy and Jenny, Curious Crow artists, were wonderful to work with and took great care in coming up with my custom design. I couldn't be more pleased with the results. And because I waited a little longer than they thought was necessary to get the final product, they sent me a gift - another necklace!

(actually, two, but shhhhh! one is a secret)

Here's the original donkey necklace plus my tree of life one that they sent as a gift. Click on the images below to see them in greater detail:

And, get ready... here is my custom design bracelet. It makes my heart sing every time I look at it. All my equine friends in one herd:

I love the boxes almost as much as the jewelry! Head over to Etsy and see what they have on hand, and if you have an idea for something special, don't hesitate to ask. They are wonderful.

lessons in riding, 14: two's company, seven's a... herd?

My schedule on Thursdays is typically pretty packed, so I had in mind that today would be a break day from riding for me and Keil Bay. Things changed late this afternoon and suddenly I had time available, so I went out and brought him in. He was a mud cake and had to be curried, and then I forgot to put my stirrup leathers back on the saddle so had to leave Keil Bay at the mounting block (he followed me to the gate and then waited there for me) to get them.

By the time I was in the saddle it was dusk and the full moon was up over the tree line.

I looked up, saw it, and said "Wow! Keil, look at that moon!" You might not believe this, but I am serious - he looked up at it.

All I wanted to do today was take it easy and enjoy some walking and a little trotting. He marched forward the same good way he has all week. I was focused on how his stride was moving my seat, noting that when I even thought about it his stride lengthened.

Then BANG. Cody managed somehow to open the arena gate. Before I could get to it to close it, in he came, followed by Salina, then Redford and Rafer Johnson, and finally Apache Moon.

I knew if I got off and took the time to get them all out I'd end up deciding it was time to stop. So we rode with the herd.

At first they were all following Keil Bay. Then gradually each one found his/her spot and something to do in it.

Salina and Redford went to the corner by the hay tent and grazed for stray bits of hay. Rafer Johnson found an empty hay net hanging on the gate and tossed the metal ring in the bottom into the air over and over again, pointing out that yes, the hay net is empty, and yes, technically, this is the time I usually serve hay.

The pony rustled through fallen leaves looking for acorns. Cody stationed himself at X so my changing directions across the diagonal wasn't really an option.

Keil Bay and I used the empty half of the arena and did some trot circles, leg yielding, a little shoulder-in, and mostly just relaxed. Those dark shadows in the back field aren't quite so scary when you have your entire herd with you.

Keil and I have had a blast this week - and I guess it was time to share the joy!

donkey rescue - a dream come true

CLICK HERE...

Make sure to watch the video!

lessons in riding, 13: rain is good

Today I was determined to get a ride in between my morning chores and our hoof trim/consult this afternoon for Rafer Johnson.

Rain was due to blow in today but it was delayed so I managed to get all the work done and thought I was ahead of the game to ride too. I did a quicker groom than usual on Keil Bay and tacked up. Just as we walked through the arena gate the rain started.

I have ridden in rain before but I'm generally not going to start a ride in the rain - if it starts while I'm already riding I'll finish up. But our string of great rides has been so wonderful and yesterday's canter was so beautiful I really wanted to ride today.

The wind was gusting, the rain was falling, but there we were. All tacked up and ready to go. So I got on.

I hoped it might stop, or at least stay minimal. Keil Bay went into the most gorgeous frame the moment we walked off from the mounting block. I was instantly sucked into the ride. We warmed up at the walk as usual. The harder the rain fell, the better he got.

And the wetter, but I barely noticed.

The trot work was incredible. And the rain got harder and he got better. It was bizarre! But wonderful. He seemed to enjoy the work. By that time the entire herd had come in and gathered underneath the barn shelter, where they stood and watched as Keil and I kept going. He was in total work mode. Focused, alert, completely balanced between fore and hind. I felt the circle of energy going from my legs and through my hands.

I could not bring myself to stop. We got wetter and wetter and neither of us cared. At one point we were doing a very collected trot against the rain, which was slanting toward us. It felt like the angle of the rain actually slowed us into the collected trot.

I've seen Keil Bay circling his herd in rain storms before, where he looked like the paintings and sculptures of the Etruscan horses, rounded and soldier-like, and that's what he was doing today, except I was on his back instead of watching from the ground.

At some point it occurred to me that I usually find a good note to stop on - but today, even though the weather itself was providing a huge "stop" note, the work was so perfect there was simply no way to measure when to stop. What finally did it was when my eyes got so full of water I couldn't see.

In the barn, I realized everything was drenched except the area under Keil's sheepskin pad and the area of the saddle I was sitting in/on. But I was ecstatic and so was he. His bridle was dripping when I pulled it forward over his ears. I piled his manger with hay and gave him his post-ride snack of alfalfa pellets and oats. I was so nurtured by the ride we had I didn't realize until dinnertime tonight that I literally had nothing to eat all day long.

I'm not sure what the lesson is here - except that when you feel the pull to ride, go for it. I would never have thought a ride in the pouring rain could be so incredible, but it was.

and a little addendum to the previous post

I was so curious about Keil Bay's incredible forwardness the past two evenings I made sure that yesterday I got into the arena with him well before sunset. Mid-afternoon, in fact, and with our crazy weather it was also actually MUGGY out, with some biting flies that obviously took advantage of the weather to propagate and find horses' legs.

It wasn't actually summery outside, but close enough, considering they all have winter coats at this point.

So, the question was, was Keil Bay's extreme forward motion because I was riding him at night? Or is he really feeling that good?

He is really feeling that good.

I did a nice warm-up at the walk and we moved right into the trot. Big trot. Forward trot. Ears up trot. Power trot. And then some trot that got so powerful it felt like Keil Bay was going to motor us right through the arena fence. In several places around the arena he was trying to leap into the canter.

We did some trot serpentine work in an effort (on my part) to use up some of that energy. It worked *while* we were in the serpentines but as soon as we were on the rail again, he really really wanted to canter. He was getting very annoyed that I wouldn't let him, and I was feeling like if I DID let him it would be like releasing a highly-taut spring. Could I stay with that?

Probably I should have used the mantra "just do it" but I got hung up envisioning that spring releasing and me trying to sit on it, and psyched myself right out of trying.

Daughter happened to be riding Cody at the same time so I asked her if she wanted to hop on Keil Bay and see what his canter looked like. She got off Cody and hopped on the Big Bay. One walk stride, two walk strides, CANTER.

It didn't burst out in any way except beautifully, but it was big and it was forward. He looked absolutely fabulous. (and so did daughter!)

She stopped briefly to raise the stirrups a hole and then cantered him in both directions. When she got off I asked how it felt and she said "weird."

What? That gorgeous canter felt weird?

"It was like a big fast rocking horse."

And all I can say is:

The power.

The brilliance.

The Hanoverian.

KEIL BAY.

He's a rocking horse for big girls. :)