Things I Want

I want a 4 wheel marathon carriage for Amble

I want a well fitted saddle for Amble

I want a hula hoe for me to remove weeds in our Pioche yard

I want to go to Pioche!

 

Sigh

We drove the hour to Shelton for the tack sale, minutes before we arrived I got a text from the saddle fitter, she was there and had her eye on a Tucker saddle so when we arrived the first thing we did was use the cut outs to measure and it looked pretty dang close to a fit. So Lan & I drove all the way back home, loaded up Amble and hauled her to Shelton to check.

And it didn't fit.

I mean, it fit really well but Amble is just so round that the saddle rocked side to side, no matter what pads or shims we tried. Two hours. And still no saddle.

Don't laugh, we were changing the stirrup length.

I will hold onto the cash ($900) and put it toward a cart but I still need to ride so I'm thinking its going to be with a bareback pad. 

Tack Sales

There is a tack sale an hour away from our farm and I'm planning on being there early. I have my saddle fitting forms, and Sarah the saddle fitter, will be there doing her thing so if I have any questions she will be able to answer them.

The sale should have about 30-50 saddles and maybe, just maybe, 1 of them will fit.

IF none fit, there is a saddle 90 miles south, nearly into Oregon, that will work for now but its $650, its a POS and its a long way away in case I have to return it.

Wish us luck.

I'll Ride Anyway

I don't have a saddle but I'll try to ride anyway.

 

When Plans Go Awry

Wildfire

Wifi

This girl is 18 today!

And this girl, Ambleside, is 4.75 years old. I've made an appointment for her to get a saddle fitting in a week & before then I need to gather all the stuff the fitter requested:

Saddles

Blankets

Pads

Amble will be getting a bath between now & then and I'm hoping to get Lan to scrape all the poop out of the arena so we can use it. I'm so broke (and today is payday) but I *might* be able to get a few loads of sand to put in the arena.

And let me throw this into the middle of my post for whatever good reason:

We loaded up the truck & trailer and went out to Tahuya, had a lot of fun.

This photo has been taken by use a LOT of times and this year, in March, there is very little snow in the Olympic Mountains.

Closer shot

It normally would look like this

I'm waiting to see if we get chosen to go on the Cross State ride boot camp they are doing in April on the 11th & 12th. Its just the one night of camping with your horse to learn about all the stuff they do in camp and there will be 2 short day rides. I tried to get on their list but the leader guy said they're only taking people who are doing the ride this year (which we're not, Amble is NOT ready for that) so we're on the waiting list and will only find out on the 7th if we can join or not. either way, I'll be able to ride Amble IF I have a saddle that fits her well.

This old Abetta is my best choice but Stephanie has an Arabian saddle that she will bring over to try out as well. I'll have a variety of saddle pads and blankets for the fitter. Honestly, I have never even sat in this saddle.

I also don't have a bit large enough for her mouth and I know I could buy one for $60 in Spanaway but I really do not want to drive that far to get one. I WILL drive that far though because they are the only store that has them in stock, ordering online would take too long.

Anyway, its pouring rain, another pineapple express is here and we've gotten a lot of rain today. I was supposed to work but I'd have been extra and working in the rain & I just couldn't handle that thought so called in. I'm not physically sick, just sick of work.

 

Feeling Better

 I'm feeling better about my recent life decisions. I KNOW Ambleside won't be ready to go on a 2 week trek across the state, I'm not going to be ready and I don't feel like Lan is too excited about it. Even as I was planning on the ride, I was dreaming of being in Pioche and working on the house.

I've started watching a LOT of YouTube renovation channels, there and thousands to choose from. What to do in a bathroom, what not to do in a kitchen, how to change this for that, how to make this better or hide that. It's all available at the tips of our fingers. Most of the people are flippers and I'm really not interested in their cheap changes, I really like watching the people who are going to live in their homes once they are finished. 

Janna Phipps has been great, for a young girl she's fun to watch and her disposition is funny. She can take a down turn and make it UP. She can cry and then sees the bright side.

In other news...

I have paid for 1/2 a beef and we should be able to pick it up in a couple weeks I guess. I'm not asking for them to do anything extra, mostly steaks. I'll be glad to not have to go buy hamburger at the grocery store.

Amble and I will be having another driving lesson with Stephanie, she will be here in an hour. She texted that she wants to drive Amble in her halter and since I did that myself last week I know Amble will be OK with it. I might need to use a better halter, her regular one has squared metal side thingys and the long lines don't hold onto it well.   I just grabbed one of the leather halters thats been hanging on Bucking Brown and washed it up really quick, that might work.

I need to go open the gate for Stephanie, take some boxes out to the barn for her and sweep the barn aisle. I'm looking forward to this lesson.

Dirty Feather

 Black Orchid Ambleside

Shes got a lot of feather but thankfully not as much as so many Gypsys. It's enough to be impressive and gorgeous but at the same time not too heavy and cause problems.

On Thursday we're going to have a visitor, Stephanie will be coming over to help me get our harness sorted, the biothane harness I purchased for $900 & had shipped here from southern California. I know its got 3 pieces missing, 2 of which are the ones that will attach it to the cart. Stephanie is also going to be teaching me how to drive, since Amble already knows how to be driven.

The photo above is Amble with semi clean feather and tail, which this IS NOT a current thing. She hasn't had them washed off in quite some time and I do not want them dirty when Staphanie arrives. So on Wednesday afternoon, after I get home from work, I am going to give them a good washing.

I will be taking the Dawn dishwashing soap to the barn with me and I will follow directions I have had written down and attached to my computer monitor for over 10 years.

1. Wash tail

2. Condition.

3. Soak in white vinegar

4. Using Dawn, wash feather, deep down to her skin, watching for anything in there that might irritate her or cause concerns.

5. Wash, rinse, condition again

6. Leave in conditioner, aka Cowboy Magic

I'll leave her overnight in her stall with a deep bed of shavings. In the morning they will be dry and fluffy and as long as there were no issues noticed while washing, I will brush them out let her hang out in the arena till noon, when Stephanie arrives.

In November I had the riding instructor over to give ME a lesson & Amble bucked her off. I do not know if that was due to an ill fitting bit since I have a 5.5" and need a 6" or if it was the saddle not fitting properly. So I have ordered a saddle pad with shims. 

This is a dressage pad but I am hoping it will work with she short western saddle. I could not find any in a pony length.

Vacation Begins In 48 Hours

I'm very thankful for the new truck we got in May, this 2025 F-350.

Diesel, 4 doors, 12 cup holders, 4 wheel drive, A/C. Our previous truck only had 1 of those things, being diesel,

It wasn't set up for towing like they bragged, we had to put a lot of money and work into it to get it set up for that. So far, we've hauled Amble to Yakima and back and took the sxs out to Tahuya once and I'm happy to say it hauls pretty dang nice. Now we'll be hauling the sxs to Pioche, 1,000 miles, and we're confident it will go well.

Amble came home 3 days ago and I've ridden her but it was only a pony ride, she will not move forward for me. First I tried with the cheap Cashel saddle and it was a no-go, then bareback and that was much easier to stay up there. I definitely need a 3 step mounting block.

I've posted a bunch of photos of her with a cheap Wintec saddle that might fit OK but its not going to be the one I ride her in forever. I'm really sad the $900 saddle I really like doesn't fit.

 

Vacation Prepping

We'll be leaving home to go to Pioche in about 10 days and I couldn't be more excited.

I've been gathering necessary supplies and stacking them in the living room, I have 5 old kitty litter plastic containers that I'll use to transport our stuff, those containers and uniform size and shape, have sturdy handles and are waterproof.  I've got items ready to put into the containers but am waiting to see just how much stuff I'll have all together before I start stuffing. I already have one with food in it and I'll have at least one more.  I need to freeze a gallon jug of water to use in the cooler to keep things cold. So much to plan for! 

Lan has already begun working on some plumbing things; a distribution panel from hot water to different areas of the house. This consists of red and blue PEX pipe with valves and fittings mounted on a 2x4 piece of plywood; each one will be able to be shut off individually from the rest in case we need to shut off water just to the bathroom or kitchen.  There will be hot water to utility room, kitchen sink, bathroom sink and cold to same areas plus the back yard.

Thats one of the things Lan will be working on, I need to find SOMETHING I can work on while down there. If we had insulation rolls I'd be cutting it and stapling it into the walls but thats not going to happen yet. I do have cross stitch but I'm not going to use that 'work' and work.

In horse news: 

Amble comes home next Saturday. I'm going to have her harness there and ask Wil or Teresa to help fit it to her properly. I'm also going to borrow a saddle from Terry and see if it fits her. God, I'll need a saddle  more than anything.

I suppose I should start my Christmas Wish List, on it I'll need a nice buggy whip.

This coming Friday, the day before Amble comes home, we are having a yard sale, what I always advertise as the BIG ASS BARN SALE. We have a bunch of stuff already inside the garage, need to get it set up better.  Theres stuff all around the walls not for sale and we either need to move it all or cover it.  I have a ton of crap inside the house that I'll take out Thursday night and set out. I need tables and they need to be clean.  There are 2 picnic tables here, a round patio table and a tiny cafe table. I should sell both those last ones, or take the cafe table and its 2 chairs down to Pioche since we only have a couple camping chairs there now.

 

Ambleside Is Growing Up

I bought a slightly used saddle for Amble yesterday, a 2022 Circle Y, cordura, 15" seat with a rounded shirt and trail stirrups. I paid $900 for it.

The seller only used it twice on her horse.

I think she looks good with it on.

Its XXWide, measuring 8.25" wide between these conchos

It doesn't pinch

Now I need to get her started under saddle. I suppose I could just get on her but that would be completely stupid since I am NOT a horse trainer.

Once it stops raining I'll take her out to the round pen and get her going in it. I can do ALL the ground work and even use it for driving her and use the long lines from her cart harness.

Daisetta Cordura Trail Saddle 6914

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New to the High Horse Cordura line, this Daisetta Trail Saddle offers a number of custom options to really make this one your own. Featuring High Horse's new border tooling pattern extending from the Pommel back to the cantle, and topped off with new copper flower conchos.

From there, you choose from a black suede or black grainout double padded seat, walnut or black finish, and regular, wide, or extra wide tree. The short, rounded, 26" skirt makes this a great option for the shorter backed horse.

An adjustable position flat plate rigging gives you the freedom to choose your rigging style and the tall cantle will provide security under a variety of trail conditions. Cordura fenders and skirt keep this saddle down to a mere 21lb. Long saddle strings make this a great choice for the trails.

Made in the USA.

*Main picture shown is Walnut in color

Specifications

• Seat Size: 13" 14" 15" 16" 17" 18"
• Color: Walnut or Black
• Seat: Double Padded
• Tooling: : Border
• Rigging: Adjustable Position Flat Plate with angled rear dee
• Tree: Regular, Wide, Extra Wide (13" and 14" Extra wide can be special ordered)
• Cantle Height: 4"
• Silver: Copper Flower
• Swell Width: 12"
• Horn Size: 3-1/4" Neck, 2-1/4" Cap
• Skirt Size: 10" D x 26" L
• Weight: Approximately 21 lbs.
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