Tag: horse

My Princess

indigoshellLeave a comment

The first horse I rode in OVS was Urbino. He was an old horse, mainly brown, and very tall. I constantly struggled to put his bit on, as he would always lift his head up above the reach of my arms. I’m 5’2 now. I was probably 5’1 or 5’0 two years ago, so I asked to switch horses that would either work with me better or was a tad shorter.

I switched horses maybe one or two more times before settling for Layla. I believe she was at least part Gypsy, tall, sturdy, and one of the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen. Her coat and mane was black and white while her tail was pure black. She was a massive horse, and had not been ridden a lot, so she was quite stubborn and didn’t quite like having the bit put in.

To my great dismay she would also lift her head up above arms reach, and for a while I got my taller friends to help me bit her. Being that short and weak was unbelievably frustrating.

Layla was a complete Princess, for she knew how tall and beautiful she was. The way she walked, the way she swayed when she lifted her feet up, made it seem like she was dancing down a catwalk.

Slowly she began to respect me, and after a while she seemed to understand that I was short and that I needed a little help when brushing her mane and putting her bit on. On the days where she felt good she would lower her head for me and on the days she seemed more stubborn she’d ignore me and let me struggle on my tiptoes.

She was pretty darn lazy, plodding along with her feet picked up high. A whip helped, but I had to teach her that she had to walk at a relatively quick pace and not hang her head. She learned quickly and was probably my smoothest ride ever.

I rode Layla for about a year and then moved on to different horses, but I visit her every day to brush out her mane and maybe give her a mint or a handful of grains. When I leave the barn I always look back, and she’ll always watch me leave with an inquisitive look on her face.

I always wonder what horses do all day, but maybe horses wonder what humans do all day too.

Just a Little Bit

indigoshellLeave a comment

I’ll consider myself an avid rider for the moment. The first time I rode a horse was when my trainer plucked me off the ground, from atop a tall horse mind you, and plunked me down onto said horse. He then proceeded to gallop 6467, the horse’s racing name and number, at full speed.

It was exhilarating and supposedly terrifying too, though I don’t recall feeling any fear. I remember my eyes tearing up due to the wind and the world around me reduced to blurry shapes. My heart was beating to the sound of stomping hooves.

I rode and jumped Tai Yan, sun in Chinese, for two years before stopping due to health reasons.

One of the first things I saw upon arriving at OVS was an Equestrian coach, sitting on a horse, and watching the cars go by.

The first day of sports I nearly hurtled myself into the barn to reunite with equine life.

After two more years riding horses and training ponies I’d say I’m quite familiar with equine creatures, big or small.

Little Bit was a dwarf miniature horse.

Dwarf. Miniature. Horse.

DWARF. MINIATURE.

IN WHAT WORLD DO HORSES COME IN THAT SIZE.

During camp I finally got a chance to explore the Back Pastures. Malachi, the Dromedary Camel, was the focal point of the back pastures, mooing and grunting and giving icky sloppy kisses.

After escaping Malachi I look around and practically trip over what I thought was a baby pony.

“Hey Little Bit!” our counselor croons, bending down to pet the creature. “This is Little Bit, our Dwarf Miniature Horse!”

OH MY GODS.

I stood gaping for a full minute trying to make sense of the little horse.

I did not understand how horses could be dwarf miniatures.

I felt like I had grown six feet because we were surrounded by miniature horses and they were so tiny. Little Bit dwarfed them all though and I was just speechless because it felt like Mother Nature bungee-jumped in front of my face waving a flag and said “NOPE”.

But not in the bad way. Walking around the mini-horses was an adorable experience but every second of it I was thinking “what is going on what is happening where am I what world is this.”

I’m still slightly in shock and denial.

Small Things Lover.

eternity1030Leave a comment

I am always obsessed with the small things.

According to Guinness World Records, the smallest horse in the world is a horse named Tamberlina of the U.S. state of Missouri.

However, this little guy may soon take its place. Born in April 2010, in Barnstead, New Hampshire, the three-day old pinto stallion, Einstein, is just 14 inches high and weighs only an incredible 6lbs.

Dr Rachel Wagner, Einstein’s co-owner, claims that “the Guinness Book of Records lists the smallest newborn horse as weighing just 9lbs.”

From Oprah to travelling across the U.S. it has certainly been an eventful first year for Einstein, the world’s smallest stallion, as he approaches his birthday.

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The might of Horses

venturatreker1 Comment

Today, I finally did something that I have been wanting to do at OVS for almost a year. I went Horse Back riding.


Upon arriving I was told I would be riding Lexi, the gentlest and easiest of all the horses.  That’s good of course, except she is HUGE.  Well not huge but pretty big.

While in the stall with the horse, brushing it and picking its hooves it really donned on me as to how big they are.  Although we claim to control them once you are on them or in the stalls with them, they can do whatever they want and you can’t stop them.

Once in the Arena and all mounted up it was time to walk.  Luckily Lexi IS the gentlest horse there so with a “HIGH HO SILVER AWAYYY” we were off at slow walk.

There really is something special about horse back riding.  For one only a hundred years ago or so they were the only means of fast transportation, and back then everyone knew how to ride.  Now its such a small part of our lives its quite sad.

It is wonderful that OVS still puts so much time and consideration into these powerful animals and offers such an incredible program to learn how to ride.

A Tropical Adventure (Continued)

kirbyfullyloadedLeave a comment

As I was saying, Costa Rica was an eventful trip.  We went to Manuel Antonio National Park.  It has this beautiful beach that’s right on the jungle.  We were already wearing our bathing suits so we went swimming and my dad took a picture of me spitting water at my waterproof Olympus Stylus 7.1

He’s been obsessed with motion water pictures ever since.  I used to be really into horseback riding.  I rode English in California but in Manuel Antonio, the only place we could find with horses rode Western.  It was tricky, trying to ride with one hand and the saddle was a little different.  It had a pommel, which I liked.  I could hold onto it and it was the perfect size for my hand.  My horse was really nice too, but the best part was the ride.  We rode alone along the deserted beach for hours.  It was foggy and cool, late in the afternoon.  The light was beautiful, calm and glowing.  I had never been on a better ride, and even though I quit riding 2 years later, I still never have.

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My Day at the Aquarium of the Pacific

yrreskrapLeave a comment

Today, I, along with 8 other students, ventured out (Haha get it? Ventured out as in…venture van?) to Long Beach and visited the Aquarium of the Pacific.

It was a long and tiring van ride. For almost 3 hours, I was dealing with the bumps and turns of the 101 until, finally, we filed out of the white container on wheels and breathed fresh air.

It wasn’t my first time at the Aquarium of the Pacific-I had been there a few years ago. However, it was Kai’s first time there. Together, we looked through tanks full of leafy seahorses and venomous stonefish as well as the egg cases of bamboo shark and clown fish (better known as the “Nemo” fish).

At first, I did not expect to have such a fun time. I had forgotten how fun aquariums could be. It had been almost 2 years since I have been to one, when I had taken oceanology class in Carlsbad for a month at the Academy by the Sea.

Anyhow, the day turned out to be one of the best in a while. Kai bought me a souvenir stuffed seahorse although I’m pretty sure that there are no such pink and orange striped seahorses that live in the ocean.

Overall, the day was great but I had this strange feeling that hovered over me since last Wednesday. I have been feeling very light headed lately, like I have been blowing a billion balloons. Oh well.