Sunsets and Soon to be School!

Work. All that has been going on lately is work. The job can be fun but it is definitely starting to wear on me. I'll be glad to start school up again. Upside though is that I'm rolling in the major G's!

As for school I am currently working on my application for an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) program. Crossing my fingers I'll be able to get all the references out in time, otherwise it is ready to go! A few weeks ago my grandfather, my uncle, cousin, and I were out at the golf course about to play a few holes. I was driving one of the golf carts with my grandfather next to me when he suddenly started having a seizure. In that moment I knew that this was what I was supposed to be doing, helping people in need. Luckily the cart wasn't moving and I was able to quickly take ahold of him so he didn't fall out. My grandfather ended up being okay, we called an ambulance and he was released from the hospital a few hours later. Through the whole debacle I remained calm and knew what to do. So, I'm really excited to see how the program goes, I mean, if I get accepted!

In other non-horsey news I got a second piercing! I absolutely love it too! Another amazing thing was that it caused almost no pain, it mainly felt like some one was just squeezing my ear really tight. The lady said it will take around six weeks to heal and I cannot wait to start changing it up!

As for miss Ava I have mainly just been checking on her and giving them some grain in the evening. I am trying really hard to at least take her on some walks (preferably with her saddle on) so she can still stay somewhat up to date on desensitization. She does great though, rarely will she spook and when she does it is very minor. Unlike at The Ranch, she was quite sensitive to things and would spook easily. I hope to ride soon, work is slowly coming to the end of its season so I can't wait to get a lot of rides in before the darn winter comes. Having a horse is so hard sometimes! But boy... I absolutely cannot get over them!

I think I came up with a name for the new place. I'm going to refer to it as Sunset Ranch because it has the most beautiful sunsets.

How Sunset Ranch earned it's name

Cute face <3

NOSE!

Monchy on foods

Night night girls

Horsey hide and seek, do you see the horsey?

The video doesn't have great quality but it is just of Ava and I fooling around in the pasture. Enjoy!

My double ear pierce, looooooove it!

Tack Store Haul!

So I found out a few weeks ago that my local tack store would be closing down. The place had been for sale for a while but no one had come to buy it so the owner decided to close up shop. Which I am highly saddened about but at the same time super excited about! Last week she held a sale where everything in the store was %35 off, storewide! I looked around and spotted a saddle bag that would be absolutely perfect but decided to wait because through the 8th - 12th she was going to increase it to 50% - 80% off everything in the store!! So, I took my chances with the saddle bag hoping no one would purchase it before the big sale.

Well, today was the first day and I got there bright and early, only a few minutes after she opened (people were already there!) and immediately went back to see if the saddle bag was there... It was!!

The starting price was $62 and the sale made it 50% off!!! Such a great saddle bag, couldn't ask for a better one!

1680 denier! Better than Ava's turnout blankey

After the saddle bag it took me a while to find some things but ended buying two more items.

They gave me this for free!! $17 worth!

I then got this saddle pad by Mayatex, super nice. Starting price was $153, pricey right?! Well, it was also half off which meant I only had to spend $76! Such a great deal and it will be perfect for trails.

After I got home I had to hurry to work but then I remembered about this Carhartt jacket that was on the 80% off rack, I don't know why I passed it by but when I finished work I headed back down there and bought it. Starting price was $120 and got it for only $25!!!!

I have been wanting a Carhartt for a really long time!

Anyways, I am so happy with my finds and may even head in there again as the last day nears, never know, they could put more things on that awesome 80% off rack.

Hot Hot Hot in the Mountains

Our schedule has been a little random lately. Work hasn't given me a dedicated schedule which is annoying at times but I will be working with them on that soon. It has also been so hot lately that going out to the barn in the day is brutal. Although, today I forced myself out there but ended up having an amazing time!!

As some of you may know I have been going back and forth on what to specialize Ava in. Such as jumping, dressage, western dressage, barrel racing, reining, roping, cutting, endurance, western pleasure, and even more! But in the end there was always something that made me change my mind. And even worse Ava was left without a job which makes our time together a little spontaneous (we like things planned, haha!) But a little while after we moved to the new barn my show dreams kind of slowed down, I started beginning to spend time with Ava instead of just work, work, working her all the time. Instead of running away she actually comes in (90% of the time, no one perfect!) to greet me and seems to be more willing to work. We are slowly but surely figuring each other out.

The weather has also been a little random too. One minute it will be blistering hot with no breeze and then it will get all stormy, what the heck?! But I caught it at the perfect time and decided to go on a ride, not just a round pen ride, an actual trail out of the pen ride. And may I add that Ava was amazing!

Here we are getting ready to go, she was being so good and actually straight tied for once!

Of course I had to warm her up and get all of the craziness out of her before we rode. I also worked with the plastic bag some more. She is getting really good, such an improvement from The Ranch, she would spook and take off whenever I tried riding her with it. I was very happy but of course was thinking the whole time "stay there pony, don't kill me, don't spook, it is just a bag, gooood pony, please don't kill me!" But she was great and after all that jazz was done we headed out.

Ava didn't spook once, although getting nervous at times she never did anything weird. We ended up having a great, safe ride and you could tell she enjoyed it.

Here is miss girl getting ready to roll after being given her rinse. Those little baths are really growing on her, she will cock her foot, sigh, and stand there the whole time.

In other news I made a saddle cover from a pattern off of SuitAbility. So easy to make although the dimensions were a little big for my little saddle but it still works perfectly. I also lined it with fleece to keep the saddle extra happy. Can't wait to sew some more stuff, next project is a saddle bag!!

Custom made fleece lined saddle cover. I love it!

At the rainy barn

Guarding Time Away

Work has literally been taking all of my barn time! Darn it! And ever since we moved to the new place I've only been on two or three rides but our last ride was wonderful! I don't mean to complain because I actually love my new job as a lifeguard, who knew?!

Ava Bean has been settling in nicely and definitely enjoying all of the space.

Not much to say, I apologize, especially after my pretty long absence you'd think I'd have much to say but quite the contrary.

I did try out my saddle again to make sure it didn't fit her and found out that it actually did! It left a complete sweat mark after a ride, happy day!! I was dreading having to look for another saddle.

I am also getting rid of most of my english stuff, I know in my heart that western is for me and shouldn't be changing my mind so much, soo, goodbye english equipment.

In other news, I homemade a skirt today and it turned out wonderfully. I wanted to start practicing sewing more so I can eventually design and create my own rodeo queen ensemble. Can't wait!!

Great coloring!

Oh... uhh.. hello!

Liebster Blog Award!

Ava and I are very happy to be the recipient of the Liebster Blog award from Saiph over at Wait for the Jump. We are really excited as this is our very first award!! Thank you so much Saiph!

How to Accept the Award
The Liebster Blog Award is a way to recognize blogs that have less than 200 followers. Liebster is a word in German that means beloved and valued. Here are the rules for accepting the award:

1. Thank the person that nominated you and include a link back to their blog.
2. List 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions given to you.
4. Create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate.
5. Choose 11 bloggers with 200 or fewer followers to nominate and include links back to their blogs.
6. Go to each blogger's page and let them know you have nominated them

11 Random Facts About Me
1. If I ever had a son I would already know his full name.
2. I do not like watermelon with salt, blech! It's just gross!
3. I try to keep my anger at bay because otherwise I will turn into the Hulk ;) 
4. I strongly dislike sleeping in complete darkness and if it is completely silent I get a little freaked out. 
5. I never thought boys had cooties even when I was little. It's true! I've forever been attracted to boys :P
6. I've always wanted to travel to Australia, despite all of it's dangers I am dying to go there.
7. Navy and Gold are my favorite colors
8. I have had a crush on Robert Downey Jr. for a really long time
9. I consider Ian Somerhalder to be the most attractive man of all time.
10. Horses are truly my passion, I will never get enough of them, ever, period. Even if we somehow part, I will always find my way back to them.
11. It may sound cliche but I absolutely love staying inside and doing fun activities when it is raining outside.



Now on to the Questions from Wait for the Jump!

1. Who is your favorite horse? (Either real or fictional) Why? Besides Ava it has to be Secretariat. What an amazing horse!

2. What is the most exotic/unusual pet you've ever owned? Hmmm, I would have to say ferrets on that one. 

3. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Easy! Ever since I was little I wanted to be a veterinarian. 

4. If you ended up being something else, what made you change your mind? The money, it would cost a fortune for the training and even then you wouldn't make much every year. Although, if the money weren't an issue I would enroll myself in vet school this second.

5. What are your long-term riding career goals? May it be with Ava or not I want to ride in an AQHA World Western Pleasure class or reining ;)

6. What is your greatest riding achievement? Being able to go out and ride every time without having to worry about being bucked off, which is good enough for me.

7. What is your greatest regret? Not having lessons and more professional training for Ava and I sooner...

8. What is your favorite movie? Why? I have a couple but one of my favorites is definitely Walk The Line. I have always loved Johnny Cash's and June Carter's love story and it makes me cry every time.

9. Have you ever read a book that moved you so much that it changed your life? Which book? Ehh, no not really, maybe a little bit, I can't think of one though.

Or this would do, haha!

10. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? What would your house be like? I would live in Texas. Of course I would want to move out of the country but I couldn't put Ava through quarantine, that would be too much for her. So I would move to Texas. We would live on a nice piece of land with a barn, indoor arena, and nice cabin for mua. 

11. If you could have any saddle, which one would it be? I would either want a cutting saddle or a saddle designed for trails. And of course it has to be made of high end leather and/or custom made.

Here are 11 Questions I Made for You!

1. You are stuck on a deserted island, what is the first thing you do?

2. You meet a stranger, he offers you two pills. He says the green one will take you on an amazing adventure although it may have dangerous/deadly consequences or he says you can take the yellow which will make you forget any of this ever happened. Which would you take? Why?

3. Would you rather own a unicorn or a pegasus?

4. What was your most memorable experience you and your horse shared?

5. What is a riding discipline you have always wanted to try? Why? ie. barrel racing, steeple chasing etc.

6. What was your favorite toy from your childhood?

7. If you show, what was your most favorite ribbon/award you earned?

8. You are at a bar (or restaurant if you are under 21!) what drink would you order?

9. How many siblings do you have?

10. What is your favorite time of the year?

11. Which do you like short horses or tall horses?

The 11 Nominated Blogs

1. Julie at The Little Bay Princess

2. Kitty Kat at A Horse is a Horse

3. Jennifer at How Did This Happen?

4. Jen at Tails of the Off Track Thoroughbred

5. Suzanne at Confessions of an AA Event Rider and a Convicted Over Thinker

6. Jessica at Spotty Horse News

7. Holly at Shoes, Shoes, Shoes... And Horses

8. Sarah at Eventing in Color

9. Allison at Adventures with Shyloh

10. NSRider at The Imperfect Perfect Horse

11. Laura at The Roany Pony