Thirteen Years

I have many many things to be thankful for, but today I’m singling out a particular part of my life that I am so, so thanksful, and lucky, to have- my horse, Cochise.

Cochise was a thirteenth birthday gift from my parents. Well, we didn’t officially buy him until a few months later, but around my birthday was when I started leasing him as a trial. As of this November, Cochise has been with me for half my life.

Jumping, circa 2003

Cochise was still fairly green when I got him. Looking back, I can’t believe my trainer allowed us to buy him, with his level of training and me being advanced novice. I’d been riding for almost four years, but I’d never done any real training. The second and third days I rode Cochise were the first and second times I ever fell off too.

Circa 2004

I was very lucky to happen into a Natural Horsemanship trainer who helped me learn how to work with Cochise is a more constructive manner. He was an anxious, uncoordinated, and grumpy horse. But he was also sweet, smooth, and trainable.

Jumping bareback in a rope halter, circa 2004

Cochise was and is a very quirky, opinionated horse, but we learned together and formed a great partnership. Throughout high school, I rode almost every day. I met my best friend Robyn through Cochise- she leased him before she bought her first horse. Once she had her own horse, we often rode together.

Playing “broom polo” in 2006

One of the things I am most thankful for is that I never had to choose between attending my first-choice college and keeping my horse. I would have been heartbroken to sell Cochise- I don’t think I ever could have done it. Luckily, Robyn was starting her lesson teaching business just as I was leaving for college. Cochise, having come leaps and bounds since when I first got him, became a lesson horse.

In his new vocation as a lesson horse

Cochise is a great lesson horse. He will baby the littlest riders and challenge the more advanced riders. He’s safe and fun but makes a rider work- and learn. And best of all- he loves it. He gets to stay at home with his herd and be doted on by hordes of children. It’s the perfect job for a horse who is fantastic and versatile, and thrives on a routine.

Out with his herd, summer 2008

Ever time I came home from college I would get to visit Cochise, and he was always happy to see me.

Cochise meets my future husband, summer of 2008

After I graduated college, I continued to visit Cochise whenever I could.

On a trail ride, summer of 2011

And he continued to teach children.

Cochise at summer camp, 2012

Whenever I visited we would pick up where we’d left off.

Jumping bridleless, 2012

For a year Robyn and I took jumping lessons together. I would drive down once a week and we would load the horses up for the short trip down the road to our trainer’s barn.

Ready to roll, 2013

Unfortunately, driving an hour and a half each way to ride was not a sustainable plan. Plus, much as I loved Cochise, our goals were diverging- he was getting older, with a bit more arthritis, and still stressed a lot over going to new places. Meanwhile I was dreaming of more jumping, and eventually eventing.

So I decided to start riding nearer to home, and Cochise stayed at his perfect home, teaching lessons and continuing to lord over a growing herd.

Winter 2013

I am so thankful that my horse-my best friend-has such a wonderful place to be and thrive. Robyn has given Cochise the best of care and the finest life a horse could want- lots of time outside being a horse, a job to do, and plenty of doting attention. I miss him, but it’s wonderful to know that I can visit anytime I want, and that Cochise is happy, healthy, and has a forever home.

April 2014

 

Yesterday

My Belated Christmassy Post

We spent a lovely holiday with my family and today we headed out to the stable to visit Robyn’s family and the horses. The barn is always very festive around the holidays, with lights strung up and fir boughs on all the stalls (except for Hwinn’s stall, because she ate hers).

The newest boarders, Lolly and her guide-donkey, Jelly, wear their festive hair ribbons.

All of the horses got peppermints in their stockings, but Little Oscar also got an extra special present- a new rope toy!

He liked it very much. His “uncles” were intrigued, but were really more interested in the pepperments we had.

Please can I have another peppermint?

Last but certainly not least we tromped over to the other paddock where Cochise rules with an iron hoof. Mr. Mudball got at least four peppermints.

Happy holidays everyone! And just in case you need a tutorial:

NW Congress 2013: Custom Minis

Robyn and I had an amazing lesson this morning- Cochise was full of energy and perfectly behaved. My last ride on him was less than positive so it was really nice to get such a great one. We spent part of the time working on shoulder-ins (which he’s never done before) and then had a blast running a gymnastic line. Just a stupendous, fantastic ride.

Cochise and Emily grazed on the lawn while I emptied the trailer.

I’ve been working on models almost every day, but it’s not the most blog worthy stuff- lots of nit picky prepping. Ah prepping, the necessary evil. And since I don’t have much to blog about during that, I’ll continue posting eye candy from NW Congress!

I’m definitely not the only one who loves painting and collecting the little guys. Check out these lovelies from the Custom Mini division this year.

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Painted Poles for Ponies

As I mentioned in a previous jumping-themed post, one of my goals this summer was to finally paint all the barn’s jump poles. Actually, this has been a goal since last summer, but it never materialized. So I was determined it would happen this year.

And it did! At the yearly barn picture I set up poles and paint for everyone. The parents were almost more into it than the kids (who were also distracted by sack races, water balloons, and apple bobbing for both humans and horses).

By the end of the day, we had painted all but one pair of poles:

Left to right: cows, clouds, rainbow, starfish or flowers, ribbons/birthday party/maypole, red, signatures, purple with smileys, and handprints.

I asked the painters to come up with the designs, and they did some great stuff. The kids were especially excited about the signature poles. We had colored sharpies and white poles, and the kids wrote all their name on one pole and all the horses names on the other (often multiple times). I was particularly chuffed about this one:

My horse has a big fan club :)

We can set up some great, colorful courses now.

Clouds and rainbows!

Triple combo: starfish gate to cow print to natural

Foreground: cow jump. Background: actual cows. They seemed keen on watching us jump.

Robyn jumping the rainbow starfish oxer.

I love our new poles. They’re super fun for everyone, from the kids trotting over poles to Robyn and I making oxers.

Cochise and I enjoyed a fun jump session this Friday. In my never ending quest to desensitize him, I added some fun goodies to this cowprint/ribbon jump.

You want me to jump what?

Of course, Cochise being Cochise, he chose to have no problem with that jump and then throw a mini tantrum over the ol’ familiar barrels. That’s my boy!

Next up: model-scale jumps!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday

I don’t do Wordless Wednesdays as religiously as Braymere does. In fact, this might be my first. But I’m tired and done with staring at a screen, so here goes.

The MEPSA ponies are coming along. This is what they looked like on Monday. The Morgan in particular needs some serious work. I mean, orange much?

And here is a silly, short video of Cochise. I took it from his back while we were cooling out last Wednesday.

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