Summer and the One year Anniversary Coming Up with the Day Artax came into my Life

Well I haven't posted here in a few months. With Facebook and everything I really don't bother to post on here. Been loving Valley Chapel Farm. Took up jumping lessons and Artax has been phenomenal becoming an excellent jumper. The trails are glorious and I don't have to haul as often. I hope to check out some of the local parks close to Valley Chapel farm. Had a fabulous trail ride yesterday. Artax is definitely my heart horse. I have a more special connection with him than I did Fox or any of my previous horses. Recent pictures of our ride. 

Day 7 of the challenge and first ride in the arena

I had my first ride in the arena at the new facility. I lunged Artax to get him warmed up. He seems to be rusty on the left side of lunging. He can do the right side no problem and I can do the left side mounted. I know it's something that we can work on and I can add it to the challenge. Overall we had an excellent ride and I can't wait to take jumping lessons. Here's him in his new polo wraps after the ride

Day 6 of the challenge and new chapter

Today was day 6 of the 100 day challenge. During the challenge, it was also a new chapter and new beginning for us. Today was the day I moved Artax to Valley Chapel Farm. He is all laid back as ever. When he unloaded off the trailer, there was no snorting, no hollering, or any running around. As soon as I turned him loose, he took a nice roll in the mud, which he ended up getting all muddy. Here's pictures of him settling in and meeting the other horses on the other side.

Day 4 and 5 of the 100 day challenge

Snow is melting and it has been warming up! Hard to believe that January is almost over and February is almost here! On Monday, which is the first day of February, I will be moving Artax to a new boarding facility called Valley Chapel Farm. It's just a few miles south of Spokane in Valleyford. On day 4 of the 100 day challenge, I didn't have any pictures. I did ride though. Artax was was a little squirrelly that day. He hadn't been ridden in a couple of weeks and he didn't want to leave my friend's horse, whom he is somewhat herd bound to. I got off and did some groundwork to remind him who's boss and he was just fabulous once I got back on him. On Monday, which was day 6 of the challenge, Artax was just as chill as he always is and tried my endurance saddle on him. It fits him great and he looks amazing in it. I managed to get a couple pics of those. I am so excited about what the year has in store!

Day 3 of the 100 day challenge

Not much has been going on as far as horses. Weather has been too icky out to ride. The snow is starting to melt and the temperatures are getting warmer. I am participating in this 100 day challenge. It's where you post pictures of you doing things with your horse 100 days out of the year on this group called By Horseback on Facebook. You don't have to necessarily do it back to back each day. You can spread it out throughout the year. There's 365 days in a year and I manage to get some horse time in almost everyday, even during the cold season. I just went and gave Artax some loving. Here is my future father-in-law having a conversation with him, lol! 😆

Artax back in action

Well I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! Artax's wound is healing fabulously! It's a 3rd of the size it originally was. He's back in action for riding. I rode on New Years Eve and New Year's Day. I know that 2016 will have a lot in store for me including the upcoming shows at Spokane Sporthorse Farm in the spring. Artax will begin his new career as a hunter jumper. Here are some pics from my New Year's Eve 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Been extremely busy with the holidays! We had a crazy windstorm on November 17th! It beat the records of ice storm 1996 apparently! I was only 3 years old during ice storm of 96, so I really have no memory of it. It was way long before I got my first horse, which was 2002. Artax got hurt the night before Thanksgiving! Fortunately it was only a superficial wound and it is healing like a champ! We finally had the bandage taken off since it is starting to scab over. We've been putting on panalog, a cortisone cream to prevent from proud flesh growing. I haven't ridden in over a month because Artax got hurt and also because of the weather. Artax's injury is healing up nice and he's also walking as if he hasn't gotten hurt. It's mainly the weather and we have about a foot of snow now, so it will most likely be spring that I can ride again. As much as I dislike the snow, we really need it because last winter we didn't get snow so we had a huge drought this spring and summer as a result. It was awful with all those wildfires, most notably the Okanogan Complex fire. Not to mention all the bugs we got. We've had worse winters years back, got through them, and this winter is still not nearly as bad as those years back such as winter 2008-2009. That was my sophomore year in high school. I plan on moving Artax to Valley Chapel farm in the spring, so I can have more access to arenas and lessons so I want to get into dressage and jumping. I hope to do a schooling show at Spokane Sporthorse farm in April. Here are some recent pics of Artax! Happy holidays!