Please, Come Back Winter

 

 

Soul On Fire

“The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before.”

Promise Yourself

“Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.”
― Christian D. Larson

Warrior Pony

When I came to the stable yesterday morning Milva was like always waiting for me at the gate. Only this time she almost gave me a heartattack. Her whole head was full with blood. She has a big cut 5cm long above her eye and it´s quite deep too and the wound was open. Because of the skin being so thin around the eye I decided against stitches, also it already started to heal up while I was there in the morning. After I cleaned up her head ít din´t look so bad anymore.
For exercise we are taking alot of walks right now. I think we both need a little break of our level 4 attempts ;) and just hang out instead.

Winter Love

Love Is Patient, Love Is Kind,...

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Kærlek - Love

30min liberty session this morning.
For a warm up we played stick to me and everything was going fine and she was tuned in with me...until I asked her to circle, off she went to the other side of the arena, crocked her leg, closed her eyes! and fell asleep...really Milva.... well, I guess I have to blame myself cause I rewarded her when she did it the last time...lol... and that I rewarded her this time as well and gave her lots of scratches didn´t help either I guess...lol...but then again, who cares! Whatever makes us happy!
When we did play the circling game she choose to canter immediately - because usually we stop after she puts in some effort in cantering ;), super smart pony, isn´t she. After giving me 3 laps in each direction and one flying leadchange we stopped - of course. So it was a very short session after all ;).

Snugglebug!!

Did I mention that I LOVE my wonderful, beautiful baby!!
-15 this morning, well it felt like -15 ;), the same temperature as yesterday. As you all know as soon as the cold kicks in Marion is getting an extra energy kick and off we went...
Warm up with a brisy walk around the pastures. You just gotta love winters!! It even snowed a little bit. I´m wishing for a tons of snow on my days off so Johan can take some magical pictures of us again ;).
This week we have been playing lots with draw towads me and now she canters towards me with her ears forwards. The funny thing is as soon as I don´t run back in a straight line neither does she and then she is doing flying leadchangs while coming towards me! How awesome is that!!! Talking about being a natural! At one draw back I got 3 flying leadchanges in a row. When I called her breeder to tell her once more that she sold her way too cheap to me and how awesome and intelligent Milva is her reply was - as always, that´s what she is bred for, it´s nothing special.
Well, it is very special to me! Milva is just a magical little pony to me!
Milva´s breeder also said I should stop calling her pony...lol...
Oh and also the barn owner was doing some work in the ridinghouse when I was in there and she gave some really good advice about collection and how to build up muscles right.
So much information...need to put in some extra hours Parelli next week...

Early Morning

Yesterday - warm up with a walk around the barn, playing touch-it with all kind of machines.
20min online on the 45`, circling game, change of direction and draw towards me in trot and canter to get our change of directions better, especially in canter. Milva offered one very nice flying lead change.
Today we played for only 15min mostly in walk.
In the aftenoon I went up to Halmstad to visit our 1* PP Sofie and picked her brain.
On a side note - Patricia, Hanna and I got some nice closets in the turn out stable for our things.
In mine I have most of my Parelli ropes, the bare back pad, a red step up stole and a bucket of oats in the step up stole - the pad on top of that.
When I muck out (which I still do every morning, even though we have a mucking schedule - talking about being a perfectionist) Milva is always loose outside the stable, munching hay, checking out things, teasing the other mares that are behind the fence,.... also, she has been watching me getting the oats for her.
This morning she sneaked up to the closet, always having an eye on me, opening the closet! pulling out the stepping stole with her mouth, pushing away the pad and the lid of the bucket and munching away oats. There wasn´t much left and she looked so adorable satisfied so I let her - guess I just tought her it is ok to open closets...lol....but that´s ok, after all she is my spoiled bratt ;).
For my memory - I bought a salt stone and a mineral stone last week for our horses.

Milva trailer - Hilarious!!!

Our neighbour thought Milva and I need our own little trailer....too funny!!!!
Note at the end - script written by Milva - ain´t that the truth...lol

Blue Hour

Love this picture!
Yesterday playing with liberty and then online. Milva was mighty tired of my liberty sessions and left me a few times to walk in snailspeed to the other side of the arena and then she fell asleep there.
Instead of motivating her or calling her back I went to her and gave her some long scratches and we just stood there, after maybe 20min she was ready to play again.
Do not have a timeschedule when you play with LBI ;):
Today I took her for a walk in the mist. I had actually planed to ride her but forgot about the dressage trainings that take place every Tuesday mornings.

Brideless Riding!

 

Early photoshoot with the bestest neighbour - who is baking homemade semlors as we speak.
Back to the stable now to clean my sadle and in the afternoon Anna from the south is coming and we are gonna watch Parelli movies.
Yeah for a horsey Sunday!

Passenger Lesson

10min passenger lesson and 5min follow the rail with transitions and backing up :). She is such a super smart pony! Lots of blowing out air and asking questions.
I had a interesting discussion with the stable owner and got some clearity on sideways under the sadle and on riding circles.
I´m happy I didn´t move cause the truth is that I board in a treassure box of information, especially when it comes to dressage.

Brideless Riding

Oh, why can´t I upload pictures now?? Not only my laptop is not co-operting right now neither is my phone. Maybe some undemanding time will fix it?!?
Anyway, riding is going super fine. I rode her now a few times brideless with only a savvy string around her neck and we can do sideways and backing up, walk - stop transitions.
Mostly I ride in the bareback pad but will use the sadle at least once a week...or so I will try to do anyway ;).

Orkan´s New Home

Orkan moved to a new stable yesterday and became a stable horse again. I visited Anita and him yesterday afternoon. Anita took this picture of Orkan´s new herd - the gray one is a 2,5 year old stallion, the dark one in the middle is a trotting horse and the one to the right is a nordswedish coldblood. It´s a boy´s herd only.
The stable is only 2,5km away from our stable so it should be possible to ride there later on.
It felt strange to came to the stable today and Orkan wasn´t there. I do think it´s gonna be more quiet in our herd now though...

Filmed Patricia´s & Tinka´s Freestyle level 2 Audition

 

Taped Patricia´s freestyle audition yesterday evening. Both did a good job and presented a lovely relationship.
Milva and I continue our freestyle riding...pictures will follow...

Merry Christmas!

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. ~Author unknown

Susan Cain: The power of introverts

The Power of Introverts - Ep 1

Freestyle

Riding is going very well with the natural hackamore and without - only using a savvy string around her neck. I´m not using the saddle right now mostly because I still think it´s a pain in the ass to saddle with. It´s so big, heavy, bulky and it takes forever to get the theraflex pad right.
Don´t get me wrong, I still love the Natural Performer - who wouldn´t. It´s just I´m a spoiled dressage girl who is not used to such big saddles.
Riding with the bareback pad is super fun though and I love to feel Milva so close underneath me so I will continue with it for a while and see how it goes.

Cancer - Step Outside the Box written by Ty Bollinger

No, I don´t have cancer but I also plan on not to  die of it.
A very good summory of truths about cancer treatments and preventions with alot of good references to researches to compliment this essential information.
A book that belongs in every household.
As a compliment to this book I recommend to also read "The 80/10/10" book written by Dr. Douglas Graham.
It kind of goes hand in hand with the cancer book.
The same information is backed up or reflected at www.nutritionfacts.org by Dr. Michael Gregor who reviews medical journeys, studies, reports. Giving you the most up to date and accurate information about nutrition.
Everything he presents is referenced so that you can review the actual study and by which organisation it was contucted.

First Bareback Ride

Two first´s today. In the morning, riding with carrot stick and in the afternoon riding bareback - or well, on the bareback pad. Milva is super soft without a saddle! She has a tremendous wide back and is smooth as a Cadillac. I think she likes it better without a saddle as well. Getting on her was no problem. I climped up on that little wall in the ridinghouse where you can sit and put my leg over her. She actually sidepassed on step over and stayed put until I asked her to walk on. Awesome pony as always!

Wordless Tuesday

Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can´t Stop Talking written by Susan Cain

In her new book “Quiet – The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking“, Susan Cain, a distinguished author, talks about introversion and extroversion and why they are both unique in themselves. In this book you will discover that society has made people think that there is something extremely wrong with being an introvert. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth according to Ms. Cain. In the information that follows, we will take a closer look at this new book and try to provide some insight that will help the reader understand why being an introvert is also part of the overall human makeup.




To begin with, you will get a whole lot more out of this book if you understand the basic meaning behind being an introvert versus being an extrovert. After all, the main purpose behind the book, “Quiet” is to provide you with a deeper understanding of what it’s like to live as an introvert in an overly celebrated extroversion society.



Being an Extrovert: Qualities



•Obtaining and being concerned with gratification that comes outside of one’s self

•Comfortable in large groups

•Always involved or engaged in public or community activities

•Gregarious

•Assertive

•Talkative

•Extremely enthusiastic

Being an Extrovert: Work Environment



•Sales

•Managing large groups

•Teaching

•Political aspirations

Being an Introvert: Qualities



•Predominately interested and concerned with one’s own mind

•More energy during self reflection

•Much more reserved

•Less talkative

•Much more independent

•Much more solitary

Being an Introvert: Work Environment



•Inventor

•Writer

•Computer programmer

•Sculptor

•Painter

Although the information listed above will show only some differences between introversion and extroversion, the idea is to give you an understanding of what it means to be either one, and how this book talks about being an introvert living in a society that promotes extroversion.



This book touches on a variety of different issues which begins with the ideal of being an extrovert. This is something that has been instilled in almost every one since their first day of school. Because of this cultural ideal, school systems combine 20 to 30 students in a single classroom based on the ideology that everyone is an extrovert, therefore everyone learns the same way. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.



Ms. Cain goes on to talk about charisma and leadership and how collaboration can sometimes be the main killer behind creativity. This is talked about in great length because there are introverts who are forced to collaborate with others and move away what comes natural to them and that is their creativity that comes from living and being within themselves. She also talks about how the extrovert ideal creates individuals that are not all that individual. Most people, over time begin to mirror each other which ultimately will limit the production of individuality.



In this book, Ms. Cain also talks about the historical roots of the extrovert ideal, the pitfalls, defining both introversion and extroversion, distinguishing what introversion is, and differentiating the core of both identities. She also talks about those that have both personality traits whereas sometimes a person may act as though they are an introvert, and at other times act as though they are extroverts.



Towards the end of the book, Ms. Cain also talks about the psychology of temperament, what it’s like to be an introvert in the workplace, child and education development, finding a balance in a person’s life in terms of trying to dominate one ideal or another, and what the future holds for the extroversion idealism and what it will be like to be an introvert in the future.



Quite frankly, this is one book that will have you riveted to the pages simply because of the information provided on both aspects of a person’s personality. “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” is a book that will help you understand that you have been created the way you are for a purpose. And as an introvert, you may feel that extroverts have it good right now; however, it’s important for you to know that you have a place – because when all of the noise dies down, people tend to look towards the thinker because for the most part an introvert really does have superior characteristics.

Productive Morning

Good thing I was productive in the morning cause now I feel like not doing anything for a long time - which just came in time now that I start my five days tomorrow.
Farrier was here first thing in the morning. It´s so convenient in our stable cause two farriers come every two weeks on a Thursday so I never need to make an appointment.
Milva was like a trooper again. She didn´t move one millimeter and volunteered every hoof.
After that a 20min walk around the pastures and then a liberty session in the ridinghouse playing with close range circles again and bigger ones and change of direction and a million transitions.

Brrrrr....

-12 this morning.
Playing with figure 8s and change of direction in w/t/c in the roundpen.
Squeeze game over barrles, sideways over the barrels.
Lay down with extrem friendly game.
Circling game with close range circles and bigger circles in w/t/c.

Wintermorning

-10 this morning and sunny. Took Milva for a hike around the pastures which was more adventerous than I had planned to. She pretended to be an arabian again and was pretty exuberant - that happened after I took those pictures but I think she already started to plan her mischief in that last picture ;).
It was super fun though and it never got out of hand and it was a really good workout for both of us. I only wishes I would have had snowshoes because of all the snowdrifts. On some parts we both sank down in the snow up to our knees.

Round Pen Work

Bright and early at the barn again. It took me 30min to get there though because of all the snowdrifts on the road.
Much improvement since yesterday´s session. It sure pays off to quit and I mean really quit when  teaching  Milva a new thing and she starts getting it and putting effort in it. Today she gave me some nice change of directions in walk and trot and smooth transitions. We finished our session off with circles in an open area - close range and bigger ones in w/t/c and change of direction and extreme friendly game while she laid down in z5 and walking around her slapping the ground.

Snö

-12 and snowstorm this morning, hurray for a ridinghouse!
I arrived at 7.30 a.m at the barn so I could build a round corral in the ridinghouse before everyone else showed up.
Milva was a bit flighty because of the storm outside and all the noises. It took a little while for her to connect to me. Round corral work needs some more sessions before I can tape. Typical me thinking everything is so easy. After a few discussions with Milva she did some nice change of directions though. She just needs to express her opinion about certain things before putting some effort in.
Later on I watched Patricia preparing for her freestyle level 2 audition and gave her some tips. We are probably gonna tape it next week - yeah - at least one of us gets some taping done.

Happy Birthday To ME!

Yesterday was my Birthday. I was early in the stable and played with Milva a little bit in the ridinghouse than had banana, chocolate chip pancakes. Later Shawn, Johan and I went to the Christmas market in Fredriksdal, here in Helsingborg. I love christmas markets but honestly those in Austria and Germany are better and more cosier than those here in Sweden.
In the evening we had mexican food and than watched a movie.
Johan took some nice pictures yesterday, I will upload them later on.