The way to heaven is on horseback

Well my new jacket arrived last night, but things got really busy so I wasn't able to post anything about it before and this is the first chance that I have got to come on my blog, update my posts and look at what everyone else has been up to.  So first of all when my jacket came, I got my mum to bring it down to my at school because I was cold but also because I was just super excited to get my new jacket, and I love it! When I first got it and put it on I realised that it wasn't as warm as I first thought it was going to be, but it was really comfy. The jacket is bright pink and from the picture I thought that it was going to be the thickness of a Bronte riding jacket, but it wasn't so for anyone that thinks about looking in to buying this it isn't as warm as it looks. I think it looks warmer because it is quilted. Then at the collar it has a big collar, you'll see what I mean from the pictures that I am putting in this post, and the inside of the collar was ...

okay so i was planning on writing a longer post for you lot about equi-theme and things that they do that I like at the minute, they have lots of things in pink which i totally love as I'm sure that most of you can tell that it is my favourite colour! So on monday I ordered a new riding Jacket that came in pink purple and brown, its a quilted jacket, and I can't wait to show you all it when I get it, but I haven't got it today so I am hoping that it will come tomorrow. I also plan on showing you all some of my favourite products that are in the horse market. Tomorrow I will be doing a longer post and won't be as stressed because unfortunately tomorrow morning from 9 til 12:00 so that will be something that's out of the way, I will also be showing you all some of the things that I have made during my textiles lessons over the past few years, it ranges from a punk theme to a theme of fairieality and then a theme of belly dancing which is the theme that I am curre...

I forgot to mention in my last post that I would be making a new page, this page is todo with my savings, and the process that I am going through to save money up for my horse next year, I am not the best at saving so thought that if I put it as a page on here it was something that I would more likely to remember to keep up to date. Also tomorrow I plan to tell you all about a new brand that I have found and loved its called Equi-Theme not sure if you guys will of heard of it, if you have let me know what you think of it as i have just ordered a new jacked from them, and would love to know your thoughts about Equi-Theme. If you haven't heard of them then if you check back tomorrow I will have some information up about Equi-Theme and I will also have some of there favourite products, included in my post.  Until Next Time  A Girl With A Dream.

Well guys I have been sitting for the past hour trying to figure out what I wanted to put in a post because I am loving being able to update you all on the things that are going on in my life, now while the majority of this post is going to be not horse related by the end of it I am sure that I will have snuck something horse related in to this post Okay so to start with today was my mock art exam it was a total of 5 hours long, and I have done two of the hours today and then I am going to be doing the other 3 hours. During the mock we are to see how much work we can get done in 5 hours which is a third of the time that I get in my final exam which is going to be 15 hours, I really have no idea how I am going to manage 15 hours, drawing in complete silence with out my phone or an ipod, that could be interesting but that exam isn't til some time in May. However after my broken hand, in may and two christmas' ago when I draw or type for too long my hand starts to hurt. T...

Hey Everyone,  Today I'm doing something a bit different, on some blogs I have seen a survey going around and thought that I would give it a go.  Splurge or save:  1) saddle:  save! find a good saddle that is a decent price, and comfortable for both you and the horse. 2) board: Save. Find a board that is a good price, with good facilities. 3) halter: Splurge, its important that it's comfy for the horse to wear, will last a long time and looks good. I love the Halters with the sheepskin/fluffy inside lining. 4) bit:  save 5) bridle:  Splurge, a bridle that looks good, and has a bit of bling but is practical at the same time. 6) saddle pad: Save, theres lots of adoreable saddle pads, that don't cost a fortune. 7) trailer: Not saving but not splurging either a trailer that is in the middle, with good facilities but not to expensive. First thing that comes to mind:   1) Haflinger: gorgoeus main and tale. 2) Quarter Horse: slow and well bui...

So yesterday me and mum and my nephew went up to west hallam riding centre to brave the cold weather so that I could ride Gatsby, i got him all tacked up, brushed and nice and shiny and all though it was cold I loved every single minute of it. We decided that we were going to do some pole work, to give us a break from the complicated moves that we have been doing mainly the shoulder in, but that we would still try to incorporate the moves in to warming them up and through out the lesson.  The main thing from the lesson that I was buzzing about was the fact that for the majority of the lesson me and Gatsby worked in a really good outline, he dropped his head down when asked to and was perfect he's such a good fella when he wants to be that is, so the trot work was great and the main improvement was that I managed to keep my elbows in which is something that I am practicing now while I write this so that I get in to the habit of doing it while I'm riding, because I think the...

There are so many things going on at the minute to do with horses that I can't decide what to write and when to write it! I never thought that I would get to having 100 posts on my blog in less than a year, I'm not very good at sticking to things and love writing my blog for you all to read and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. For my first post of today cause you never know if I get bored later I might write about something else.   On Sunday after the work in hand it was time to watch the 'Pas de Deux' this is where two matching stallions (personality wise) ride in total symmetry and harmony and they are the centre piece of this performance. The riders position themselves so that they are mirroring the other horse and what one rider does at one end of the school the other does at the other end of the school. They move in strict time to the music and use perfect lines. The two riders then demonstrate all the movements of the classical schoo...

To anybody who hasn't seen the Spanish Riding School I highly recommend going to watch it because it is amazing its one of those things that you'd want to see once in your life. I could probably watch it a second time (if i had my canon camera so that i could take pictures with it but no such look this time, instead i got pictures on my blackberry so I'll tell you now they're not the best quality). They were truly magnificent it was almost magical being able to watch them. The partnership between horse and rider was magnificent, after spending four to six years as an Eleve (also known as a cadet) they then move on to being assistant rider, and get there own horse once they have their horse it stays with them til they or the horse dies, so the bond is something that could never be replaced. As an Eleve they spend at least a year riding on a lunge line with NO stirrups and NO reins, my mum made me laugh and said I wouldn't be good at that I'd spend more time on t...

Okay so as you all know today I went to see the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, and learnt loads of amazing facts that I have never known before like that there are 6 different families of Lipazzaner horse not sure how you spell it and I got some sneaky pictures unfortunately its been a long day today so tomorrow i will be updating you all about how today went, OH and i got to see CARL HESTER LEE PEARSON AND CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN

So Today I rode Gatsby and had a good time. So far even though it looks like its going to be a cold winter, and not very nice at all (though I am hoping there is no snow and no thunderstorms as they tend to freak me out! But I was really excited to see that Fiona had got a new surface for the indoor school it is now rubber chippings she had said that she was going to do it and we were going to be the first one to use it. It took fiona and the gang from 10am yesterday til 7:30pm last night for Fiona to have the new school surface laying fat on the ground, and covering the entire arena, it was really fun to ride on and there wasn't as many puddles on it. But it also seemed to make Gatsby feel like he was lighter, he really seemed to enjoy it and have fun. Well his ears were forward the entire time!  Today we decided that we were going to carry on the shoulder in and work on the outline but more focus on the shoulder in than the outline! It was really funny because for the first ...

This weekend is going to involve lots of posts from me to my blog because tomorrow I get to ride Gatsby, who I am still debating asking my riding teacher If i can ride him bareback a this is something that I have never done and would really like to do, but I know that I will be continuing working on Dressage, leg-yielding and shoulder on. This is something that's always fascinated me and now that my foot is feeling better its something that I am hoping to be able to work hard on!  Then on Sunday it will be time to go to the spanish riding school of vienna at the NIA in Birmingham, something that I have always wanted to see and now i will get a chance to see, this also has a feature performance by Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin (not sure if that is spelt right) so i am hoping to be able to get some good pictures for you all to be able to see it is going to be a horse filled weekend for me and I wouldn't want it to be any other way.  I've had a good night tonight...

I've always wanted to try riding Bareback but never really had the guts to do it plus I haven't got my own horse to do it with. But recently I have seen lots of people posting about riding Bareback and that they really enjoy it and find it more comfortable but is it really that comfortable?  I've rode without stirrups in walk and trot, never really tried it in canter, and often think people are made when they do. I found that while being able to stretch when riding without stirrups that I just end up feeling unbalanced, but then I got put off it when I fell off Tuesday doing trotting without stirrups, and have never really tried it again since then. Is it easier to ride bareback than without stirrups? Let me know what you all think please, especially those of you that ride without stirrups or ride bareback?  until later  a girl with a dream 

I know that Bonfire night has been and gone but I have only just got around to putting the pictures on my laptop of Brody's first bonfire night, for those of you who do not know Brody is my big sister's little boy making him my nephew and two days before bonfire night it was his first Birthday so I thought id share some of the pictures with you. I hope you like them.  Mummy and Brody having cuddles while watching people playing with Sparklers. Look Mummy we are playing with the Sparklers. And Again Bit blurry but its still a cute picture. Happy families. :') Happy families again Daddy and Brody watching the fireworks, dont they just look so cute together, Fireworks that went Bang, Brody's response hide his head in mum or dads shoulder and pretend like they are not there was one of the cutest things that I have ever seen. Mummy, Daddy and Baby unfortunately it was dark so the pictures might not be the best quality but they ar...

So Today has been a pretty hectic day, because last saturday after my riding lesson i damaged the ligament in my foot, and it was extremely painful so i got it checked out at a&e and strapped up to make it a bit easier to ride but mainly to make it easier for me to walk because at the minute walking's really painful. So this morning I woke up at 9:30ish to go down to help build a bonfire at eyes meadow in duffield. It was a good laugh and got done a lot faster than we thought it would get done, as it only took one hour instead of two hours.  Gatsby after he worked nice and hard. Looking over his stable doot at me, my mum and sam as if to say 'where's me carrot' unfortunately today he didn't get any. He Looks nice and shiny after a good groom, and now is happily in his stable with his fleece rug on though ill let you all in on a trick Gatsby can do he's not learnt to undo the stable door!  Then my friend sam cam back to mine and then he came to see m...

hey everyone as promised after I updated my blog last time I said I was going to put some pictures up so here they are, hopefully you'll all be able to see how much better Gatsby looks now than he used to look. Gatsby looking all shiny, this horse is a miracle worker, the first time I rode him was in the pitch black, cold, freezing my butt off in Broomfields new indoor school, and we did a dressage competition together. From the first time I rode him I knew that he was doing to be a horse that I get on with, and now here we are 7-8 months later and I'm still riding him, I even changed schools to ride with him. I trust this horse 100% Cleaning his muddy legs so hes all shiny everywhere. Stroking Gatsby he has one ear forward and the other back, he really doesnt like people near his face and his ears, but he trusts me not to hurt him and I never will. Gatsby is the Centre of attention :') Looking good 'Real Amber don't you have enough pics of m...

so yesterday I had another riding lesson at west hallam riding school :) it was amazing, when i got there i spent 25 minutes grooming Gatsby and making him all shiny (Although he was extremely shiny before I even did anything). Then I tried to clear his hoofs out but there was no such look it took forever because somehow he had managed to get all little rocks caught up in the mood in his front hooves. They did eventually come out, then i tacked him up and he was very co-operative (putting his head down) cause normally he puts his head up high and when he does this i cant reach his ears.  To start with we did some warming up, in walk making sure to include the leg-yield in walk so that he would be ready for it when we went in to trot, in walk he was much stiffer although we got a couple of crossovers. Then we went in to trot and he was much better, Gatsby seems to manage things alot better when you did it in trot he seems to find the walk a lot harder and he also seems to go be...