Cativa Cativa Cativa & Ferrary Enzo

[Sarah]

I love reading about your work with Cativa and Enzo Gill!! It is so interesting, especially since "we" have been following them for nearly a year now. We'll have to chat on msn sometime soon - and say hi to Robyn for me!

[happilyeverafter]

haha yeah its kind of neat... I cant believe it--- I have known the kids for nine months. Incredible.

Anyway
I was up to the barn today and had an AWESOME afternoon.

I rode Cativa and she was amazing. Working with Christina is really really good. I get to work on whatever I want to do and she makes useful suggestions because she has done this whole "training young horses" thing herself.

Today we worked more on circles, turning and riding straight. Cativa did some very lovely circles, I think she is really getting the hang of it. She also did much better with changing the rein through long diagonals and from B-E/E-B. She is also more willing to ride straight down the centerline instead of walking into Christina.

I'm going up again tomorrow morning to ride and hang out.

I took some pictures today and I will post them later.....

[happilyeverafter]

Went up to the barn yesterday for the first time in a week. Man it was good. We were only there for a couple hours and I didnt get to ride (you'll see why in a few minutes) but it was good nonetheless I suppose!!!

We got there around 11 and at noon, two ladies showed up from Quebec to look at the horses for sale. Well. They came for Kozie but Sandra showed them everyone... including Cativa.

I had to take her out on the aisle and hold her while they looked her. The liked her pretty face but I dont think she moves well enough or is going to be tall enough for what they want. It was incredibly sad and all I could do not to cry. Everyone cross your fingers that they dont want her, okay?

They LOVED Kozie and really liked Rosso as well.

It would be nice to see Kozie go to a home where she would get all the really high dressage training... she is incredible.


I also got to see Balzano and Bella free jump. Holy cow. Balzano does 4ft like its an 18" crossrail. I think Robyn is going to have a lot of fun training him. I guess thats what happens when you're out of an amazing jumping stud like Fuhler. haha!

Speaking of Robyn, she came out to see the barn and will hopefully meet Sandra this week so they can figure stuff out. Its going to be a lot of fun to have her around

[Becca]

fingers crossed for you girl! hopefully kozie will go to a good home

yay for Robyn! i think i speak for everyone that we miss her so much here, i was hoping she stayed connected with the horses somehow!

[oxmaybesoxo]

Oh Gillian, its is the worst feeling in the world when you put so much into a horse and then have to show them off to someone else who wants to take them, especialy when you want to buy them yourself!
I REALLY hope they don't want your girl, we'll have to start fundraiseing for that down payment asap!
xo

[Erin ♥]

aww i hope they don't take Cavita away from you !!

[happilyeverafter]

WAHOO!
The ladies bough Kozie and not Cativa. YAY! This is great news not just for me but mostly for Kozie who will get one on one attention and training and will hopefully grow up to be a super star dressage horse like her dad.

In other news, today was an awesome day at Apple Hill, for everyone!
Enzo was wicked today- so calm and laid back. We worked for about 20 minutes and he was a super star. We did belly on from the block, walked around a lot and then did some leg over and sitting up a little bit. Sandra says in a month or less we should be doing everything normal, walking around and learning steering. Good old Enzo.

Cativa was AMAZING today.

We are trotting on our own now! Sandra just stands in the middle of the arena and holds a lunge whip (just in case she needs to help us stay out on the rail or something ) and off we go! Cativa's trot is so huge... I feel like we just fit perfect tho, its so awesome.

after Cativa I helped with Gazella. She has thrown Emilie a couple times so they wanted me to get on her... Gazella was pro! She didnt care at all and we walked around and did leg over- what a good girl!

Everyone else had good rides as well. Jen had 2 good rides on Jay and Zambucca, Elaine had a good ride on Bella, Abigayle had fun with Balzano and Christina and John did a flying lead change and got him cantering on the bad side

YAYYYY!

[happilyeverafter]

Today was another wicked morning at the barn. Got there for around 9, groomed the horses and tacked up Enzo. He was a star... we did some belly on from the mounting block, then did belly on, walk, leg over. He was so good for that that we did it again, but this time, sat up and walked for a bit. The next time I'm out (friday) we are going to try to sit up right away and walk lots. Good Enzo!

Worked with Emiliea and Gazella again today. Gazella was pro... we even walked a few steps with leg over, and she didnt jump /get startled when I was dismounting, like she did yesterday. What a good girl!

Cativa was funny today. She got really jealous that she didnt get to go first! She was whinnying and making a racket, it was kind of funny. Anyway, we tacked up after the other two were finished and went for a short ride. Cativa was kind of spooky/off her game but we worked through it...we did trotting on our own again. Today Cativa would trot, halt, trot, halt, trot, etc. She was making me work! We got her to keep going tho, she was a good girl.

Love that pony ♥

I'll get pictures as soon as its nice and sunny out again. Maybe I can even get a video of Cativa and I trotting

[happilyeverafter]

Was at the barn again tonight. Rode Cativa and she was really good... we did trotting on both reins. On the right rein she wasnt so good-- was a little spooky by A and a little uneasy in general. On the left rein she was awesome, just fast. Thats okay tho, she'll slow down once she becomes more used to whats going on.

Enzo was a good boy today. We did belly on from the mounting block, and leg over walking around. He is a good boy but is very small minded. We cant push him very fast or he gets very worried... hopefully he'll come around.

One difference in them today, Enzo doesnt care about the trailer. As we walked by I was banging on it and making a racket and he just ignored me, where as Cativa just about had a fit! She was pretty scared of it!!!!

Funny...

I got some pictures today. I will post them shortly.

Going to the barn again tomorrow, will update when I get home.

[happilyeverafter]

So i was at the barn both days this weekend...

Both horses have been really good. I am sitting up on Enzo now which is a great improvement. On Sunday I just walked on Cativa. There were two other horses in the arena and she was quite frazzled so we just gave her an easy job: Walk around for 20 minutes. She did a good job and settled down nicely and we had an enjoyable walk.

On sunday we had a new boarder arrive. Trigger is a 14hh arab gelding, bay with a big blaze and three perfect matching socks. I will take pictures when I go out to the barn on wednesday maybe.

Sandra gave me a baby picture of Cativa, it was pretty cute. I posted it in the picture place.

Oh- on saturday I also rode Gazella and Rosa. Both are doing well, however my stomach is full of bruises from doing "belly". Rosa is a lot like Cativa and I think I will be able to sit up on her and walk in the next week or so. Gazella is a little slower but she is doing a very good job as well.

More updates on wednesday.

[happilyeverafter]

Man... huge news to update from Apple Hill in general.

Kozi left this past weekend to go to her new home in Quebec. She was a good girl and did just fine on the 5 hr trailer ride.

We have two more new boarders: Tomi (Tommy) a dark bay hunter mare who looks a lot like Cativa. I dont remember her breeding but she is very sweet-- about 16.2hh and nicely built. Her owner is around my age and seems nice. The other horse is Diamond. A chestnut QH gelding owned by Andre, the resident cowboy.

Andre is back for the winter and is training a bunch of the horses...I think he is going to be doing Enzo! YAY!

We measured the horses on friday. Cativa is just under 16hh (wow--- she looks so much bigger haha) and Enzo is just over 16hh.

Cativa had a bad tummy again on friday so we gave her some pepto bismal and she was feeling much better. Didn't ride at all on friday, just groomed, hung out and enjoyed being at the barn.

I went up to the barn again this morning. Rode both horses... Cativa was really funny. She was doing good (we were trotting on her "bad rein") and then she saw Sandra holding the lunge whip (she uses it if we need help getting back on the track etc... we're not on the line or anything) and decided "I HATE YOU" and gave this funny little buck/canter/hop business. It was really funny.

To me it felt like a full on buck but Christina (who was walking John) says she just kind of hopped and then did a couple of awkward canter steps. Too funny. Way to go, Horse.

Enzo was a good boy today as well. We rode with Balzano. Enzo was a little worried but he was a good boy. Hopefully Andre will start working with him this week. Things should move fast then... I expect Enzo will be doing w/t/c in about 3 weeks or less.

If I can convince my parents I'd like to get Andre to do a month with Cativa. She is "smarter" than Enzo and I think I would be able to get on and almost be able to ride completley normal, like, old school pro, in just one month.

We will see

Going up tomorrow, will update again.

[happilyeverafter]

Went up to the barn today for 12:30. Got there, mucked a couple stalls then brought the horses in. I groomed Cativa and tacked her up right away. We rode today for a half hour or more and did trotting almost the entire time.

Funny thing about babies... they wear you out FAST. I'm totally exhausted and I didnt even ride Enzo or any of the other kids today.

Anyway, back to Cativa.

Got on, walked around for a bit then started our trotting on the left rein, her good one. Christina and John were riding with us so we got to practise steering and brakes in order to pass or avoid running into each other (although a couple of times we were a bit rude and cut john off by accident )

Cativa was AWESOME. Her trot was really steady and rhythmic today and not too fast. Sandra was actually able to pick on my position a little bit because it was like I was riding an old school master. Needless to say we were super happy.

Then we switched and did about 10 minutes work on the right rein (her not so good one). Steering was a little rough at times but overall we did totally awesome.

Cativa likes to come to a dead stop as soon as you say "woah"... haha it was all we could do to get her to walk after she halted

Oh well... good brakes!

Sandra was saying that maybe in the winter (january february) she will get Andre to do a couple weeks to a month with her. Yay! We'll be w/t/c-ing in no time

Enzo gets started in about 2 weeks, Andre is doing Zambucca this week just for a tune up etc, and Gazella gets her turn after Christmas.



After I got off Sandra said Cativa should have a sheet this winter because we're going to be working pretty hard... so when we left the barn Christina and I went off to Greenhawk. I wanted to get the purple fleece cooler but I wanted leg straps so Cativa could keep it on overnight. I ended up getting a wool cooler in a burgundy color- hopefully it will look pretty on Lil Sis

I'll take pictures when I go up next, which wont be until friday....

[Biz]

Exciting news, Gill!!! Sounds like the baby is turning into a teenager!
It's really rewarding working with babies, and it sounds like you're having a great time!

Keep up the good work!

[happilyeverafter]

So I was up to the barn today--- we were renovating some of the stalls! we had all new crushed stone and brand new mats put down in 6 of our stalls (the other 10 in the big barn are perfect) so it was a long day of hard work.

I wont get into the details of it too much, but will say that I love my "barn family", even tho some days I get frustrated or whatever, they are all totally amazing.

Emilie, Jen and I had to bring hay out to Sandra's herd in the field and we were out there for probably 20 minutes. First of all it was hilarious trying to pull this huge cart of hay through the field and the mud. Second of all the horses were following us and being amusing as they each tried to get some hay...

funniest of all however was Cativa and I playing games and running around together. She was the last to come up to the big hay bins and when she did I went to pat her and say Hi. When I went to her she tossed her head and pranced away. I laughed because normally she doesnt pay too much attention to me out in the field. Then I stepped to her and tried to pet her again... and she danced away! So then I kind of hopped towards her and this time she spun on her hind and kind of leapt into the air. By now I'm cracking up laughing so I take off after her. Just as I'd get close and jump at her she'd toss her head and take off in the other direction!

It was hilarious.
I've never been able to do that with a horse before... Beauty isnt particularly inclined to play with human beings (let alone just me) so it was a lot of fun to kind of have that connection and bond with a horse.

I wish we had gotten a video of the whole things because it was just hilarious.

Anywho, after we both calmed down we snuggled for a bit (she knocked my hat off, it was funny what a playful mood today!) and then she got to eat her hay!

Because everyone worked so hard, Sandra cooked a roast beef dinner for us all. It was a pretty fun evening--- when we first went up to the house we watched a video of Rosa, and then a video of the potential new horse. I dont think we're going to be getting her tho... too many possible leg issues. Anyway, after that we watched Grand Prix dressage and jumping videos that Sandra and Mark took when they were in Palm Beach (florida) two years ago. That was lots of fun! We ate supper and hung out together (woo barn crowd) and had a good time. It was really nice and dinner was delicious


Tomorrow we are going up for the afternoon... I'll be sure to get pictures of everyone riding!

[happilyeverafter]

Was at the barn again yesterday....

did some barn work, watched Sandra and Christina ride John (he was being a douche bag) and then I worked Cativa and Gazella. Cativa really made me work again yesterday.

oh and also SHE IS GROWING
Yay!

her bum has gone up about a half inch which makes it a little hard to ride being that you're always tipped forward. Oh well! We rode regardless and did lots of trot work. haha Got the little hop/canter step thing again when we had to use the whip to keep her going. It was kind of funny.

Anyway, Cativa was awesome and Gazella was a really good girl. I sat up all the way yesterday and we walked around for 5 minutes--- Zella didn't care Yay!

Also, Gazella is as good as sold to my friend Emilie. Yay again!