10 Things You Didn't Know About Zander the Wonder Horse

Last week I was finally able to meet up with Emily at Princeton Show Jumping to watch her show Zander in the 1.30 meter jumpers. He is one of my favorite horses to watch, not only because he's such a hunk, but because he's super scopey and makes everything look smooth and easy. He can seriously lope up to 4'6" fence and sail over it like it's no big deal. You can tell he loves what he does and he's really been developing into an upper level horse.

Zander had his own thoughts about how much the fence should be sliced

And that's how I was able to capture this picture. The picture was taken in 1.30 meter jump off the day before the went in the 1.40 Welcome Stake . So many people had great reactions to his photo on social media that Emily and I thought that people might be interested in learning a little more about this wonderful horse.

1. Vivaldi aka Zander is a registered Irish Sport Horse by Ars Vivendi that was imported from Ireland as a three year old and Emily helped break, trained, and has ridden him since then.

 2. He thinks he's a person. He loves to sniff other horses while they're in their stalls but does NOT like to be turned out with them. He's quite lovable to people and doesn't understand why he can't get a human turnout buddy instead; he loves to play with people in his field.

 3. Speaking of turn out, he HATES bugs. He has to go out at 5am in the summer, head to toe in Bug Armour and makes it very clear when he's ready to come in.

 4. While Zander doesn't have many quirks anymore, when he was first broke as a three and a half year old he couldn't/wouldn't turn left. As in, he would run into the corner of the ring and hit his head rather than turn left (as you can tell from his slicing photo, he no longer has issues with left turns).

5. As a five year old he would throw temper tantrums that would land him in a time-out stall. Anytime he saw a mare he would become more interested in a breeding career rather than a riding one (even though he was gelded as a three year old). If he saw a mare within 1000 ft he would spin to the left and drag you to them, if you managed to stay on that is.

Zander's time out stall

6. He is an escape artist and needs an extra lock on his stall. He can undo clips and chains in a matter of seconds and will wander into the barn to find his people friends or look for treats. Speaking of treats, he thinks he's the king and we'd have to agree, so we treat him as such. He knows exactly who gives him treats, where they are kept, and will remind you if you forget.

7. Zander also has a mischievous side. At WEF last year he thought his stall would look better with a window, and with his brother Trevor's help, opened one so that they could keep in touch. They were caught in the act and both seemed pretty proud of themselves.

Hiiiiii, we haz window nowww!!!

 8. Zander loves to be curried, really loves it. He lets you know which spots he wants done and practically falls over when you find it.

9. His stall is his happy place; He doesn't like anything done in there other than getting cookies or scratches. If you try to pick his feet or wrap his legs, you better just pull him out because its not going to happen in his stall. He doesn't get mean, rather he's just offended that you're in his house and he'll just circle around his stall to try and get away.

10. He loves to jump and show off how high he can go, truly loves it. Recently he's been practicing serpentines and turning faster, which is probably where he learned his sideways jumping trick which he was also quite proud of himself.

And there are the 10 things you didn't know about Zander. Do any of your horses have any quirks or special talents that you find adorable? 

Homemade "Reinbow" Sprinkle Horse Treats

I've always wanted to try making my own horse treats and I finally got to try them out this week.

Reinbow Horse Treats
1 cup oats
1 cup flour
3/4 cup steel cut oats or flax meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 Tbsp Oil (Coconut or vegetable)
1/2 cup molasses
Sprinkles for decoration


1. Preheat over to 350. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Prep a greased baking sheet or one fitted with a silicone mat and set aside.

2. Add the oil and molasses and mix all the ingredients together until they come together into a "dough".

3. Spoon out a teaspoon of dough and with your hands roll into a ball. Press the dough flat with the tips of your fingers onto the baking sheet. If the dough cracks or crumbles a little bit, just reshape into
a disk shape.

4. Press sprinkles into the top of the disks and bake for 20 minutes.

5. Cool and enjoy!

*N.B These horse cookies bake crisp so they can be kept in an airtight container and do not need to be used up immediately :) Like all horse treats, please feed sparingly*

"Reinbow" sprinkle horse treats

 Here's a preview of the second batch of horse "cupcakes" I made, recipe to follow soon!

Panda tested, Panda approved

Lesson Recap 4/3/16

I'm a visual learner. I learn by seeing and doing. I'm sure everyone else will agree that they too find it really helpful to watch playbacks of videos or look at photos of their riding to really hit home on what needs improvement.

The last time I had pictures taken of me while riding I realized how LOONNGG my stirrups looked. I put them up two holes and voilà the issue I had with my saddle flap bunching up on me was gone.

Nope, too long.

In this weeks lesson I realized I need to open my pace a little more, maintain straightness to the fences, and use all of the available ring space for the turns.

Also, just because I see a long spot does not mean I should take it! This is a chronic problem of mine, and the spots just get longer and longer which leaves me all like...

In the words of George H. Morris, "Distances are like men...never take the first one you see, there will be always be another one."

After the long-spot-of-shame my trainer put a flower near the base of the fence and had me aim for it, which I surprisingly made happen on the first time and what do you know, broke my chronic string of long spots to the fence.

So the things to work on in my hacks this week that I learned from watching the videos

1. Move Panda off my leg
2. Clean transitions (always something to work on perfecting with us)
3. Not tilting my chin to the ceiling and riding (noticed on the videos)
4. Not riding with my mouth open (a personal goal after the barn owner asked if i was trying to catch flies)

Happy Valley Studios Horse Butt Mug

A couple months ago I saw some photos of these really cute coffee mugs floating around Pinterest. I love theses mugs, I think they are so stinking cute. They have a bunch of coat colors to choose from which makes them even better.

You can find some of the colors at Tack Room Inc or from Horse Lovers Trading Post

What do you guys think? Which is your favorite color?

Haas Grooming Brushes, Review to Come

I've been thinking about upgrading my grooming kit for a couple weeks now after coming across a post on The 900 Facebook Pony about a Leistner brush that totally knocked her socks off. I've always used the generic, synthetic brushes that are found at most tack stores and never really thought about changing them. After reading the post however, I really began to notice that my brushes just push the dirt around instead of lifting it up, up, and away.

I'll admit I've never was one of those hard-core-into-grooming people, my coat grooming routine basically consisted of knocking dirt/mud off, currying, and brushing with a dandy/flick brush. If there was dust left over *sometimes* I would run a rag over it, hoping it would disappear. After reading the aforementioned post, I decided to see if taking it up a notch with the brushes I already had would make a huge difference.

So for the past week I changed it up. My grooming routine was now knock mud off, curry, medium/coarse dandy brush, medium dandy/flick brush, and finishing with a soft brush. Yes it took slightly longer, and yes there was less dust, but I still felt like things could be better.

*I always flick out my brushes with a curry or against a sturdy corner as I go, but I didn't think to wash them before my little experiment. My brushes *may* have performed a little better if had washed them but hindsight is 20/20. Note to self, wash brushes next time I go to the barn.*

I looked into a few different brush brands but ultimately decided I liked the Haas brushes best. I researched their different models, looked up prices, and read other peoples reviews on which brushes they liked/found the most useful. After deciding which brushes would work best for me, I tried to convince myself why I didn't need to spend $75+ on new brushes, and hesitated on pulling the trigger.

*Enter my darling husband*

While perusing the internet yesterday he proceeded to ask me what I was looking for (as if he didn't already know the answer was horse stuff). I mentioned I was looking for new brushes and he asked if the ones I had weren't working.

*Crickets*

"Well, no." While I explained that they were alright but I was looking to upgrade, he mentioned he recently did the same with his computer keyboard...

*Crickets*

... I don't know about you guys but I've always used the keyboard that came with my computer or the cheapest replacement I could find if the first one broke. What could you do to a keyboard to make it any different from the one sitting next to it? How many special keyboard options could there really be out there I thought? Well, apparently there are $170 keyboards; ones that light up different colors and that have reduced noise key clicking and apparently really kick butt.

After picking my jaw up off the floor, I opened up the tab with my shopping cart of brushes and pushed purchase. So I am soon to be the proud new owner of some fancy, schmancy Haas brushes. The ones I ordered are:

1. Haas Military Brush- As per the Haas website: "The shorter and stronger bristles are for a thorough cleaning effect, whilst the longer bristles remove dust and enhance the shine. This brush really locks into a soft coat and ensures that every dirt, sweat and dust is taken to the surface of the coat. A particularly strong horse hair mixture has been used for this brush. The border is edged with longer bristles."

2. Haas Lippizaner Brush-"An exclusive horse hair mixture is used for this brush. The border is edged with longer black horse hair. The shorter bristles for gentle cleaning and the longer for removing dust and giving gloss."

3. Haas Noir Brush- "Special pure soft horsehair. Ensures moisturising and clean results with a natural shine."

 4. Haas Diva Exclusiv-"A Brush with Lambswool and the Border with soft Horsehair. For a perfect, glossy finish. Black with Leather Handstrap"

This brush may be a little over the top but hey, go big or go home.

5. Haas Kopfbürste Face Brush- "A face brush brush made of a mixture of very soft white horse hair."

I can't wait for them to arrive so I can finally try them out! Once I get the brushes and use them a little, I'll post a review of how things are going. If anyone has any questions about them leave a comment below or send me a message on Instagram @Rocky092.

 (P.S. The most useful brush info I found on the brushes can be found at Eqclusive LTD and Reinhold's Horse Wellness Store)

SmartPak also has their Spring2016 Sale so all the Haas brushes they carry are 15% off, win-win!

What's In My Tack Trunk

I saw this post done on the $900 Facebook Pony and thought it was pretty cool and that I would give it a go too. So here it is, what's in my trunk.

The top layer consists of things that get used the most. My Ogilvy half pad and baby pad on the left, Equifit Luxe open front boots, europro fleece boots, gloves, tack cleaning supplies, a small towel, a water, and thin baby pads on the right. I always keep a chap stick and extra hair nets in the top small transparent bins on the tack tray and below that are loose odds and ends that I don't want rolling around my trunk.

The middle layer consists of things that get used pretty often as well but are a little bit bigger. On the left is my grooming box with various brushes, 4 white polo wraps, a bottle of show sheen, and a box of exam gloves. Next to that is my bridle and Samshield, under which is my puffy riding vest. I keep a vest in my trunk after I realized I looked like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man when I wear it under my heavy winter jacket. Cue the following Tommy Boy scene. Next to that is a girth and a Smartpak fleece cooler.

Anway! The bottom layer of my trunk houses a first aid kit, a braiding kit, spare half chaps, bridles, a quarter sheet, and liquids I keep in a bucket (shampoos, a loofa for bathing, thrush medicine, hoof oil, etc). The very bottom layer under this are carpet squares to help keep the bottom of the trunk clean in case of spills or any other damage that might occur.

What's in your tack trunk?

Be sure to follow my on instagram @Rocky092

Hacking Outside

Today was the first time I was able to hack out at the barn and it was GLORIOUS!! While the indoor is huge it's nice to get outside for some fresh air.

Panda has been a great confidence giver for me these last few weeks and I'm really enjoying focusing on having fun and relaxing at the barn. I'm really excited for the show season to start and I'm going to   a couple of schooling shows before it starts since I feel like I've been out of the loop for forever.

 I also got the chance to apply my Personally Preppy helmet monogram and I LOVE IT! I'm really happy I went with the 2.5" instead of the 2", I feel like its the perfect size.

Panda was looking for mints after our hack which resulted in some adorable/funny pictures of us, she can be so sweet.

Hope everyone else was able to get outside today and enjoy the fabulous weather. I'll be super happy if this continues and even gets warmer.

Follow me on instagram @rocky092 to check out more of my photographs and posts.

Special thanks to my hubby Nick for coming out to take these sweet pics of me and Panda.

Equestrian Holiday Gifts and Stocking Stuffers

1. Personally Preppy monograms

Example of the black gloss helmet monogram from the Personally Preppy website

They make vinyl monograms and heat transfers for just about anything and everything you can think of. From head (helmets) to toe (boots) they have tons of styles, colors, and sizes to choose from. In addition to monograms they also sell jewelry, accessories, and home goods. I'll be stocking up on the heat transfers for my breeches ($5.99 for 1" glitter monogram), a vinyl monogram for my helmet ($8.25 for 2" black glossy), and monograms for my horse boots ($12 for a 1" pair) just to get started. They also sell a Personally Preppy baseball hat that is adorable (on sale for $16). You can fill up on stocking stuffers through their website or order a gift card and let your giftee pick the monograms out themselves.

2. C4 Belts- $30-$34

My newest C4 belt color combo, mint and gold chrome

I am seriously addicted to C4 belts; I have 5 classic belts and just ordered my first skinny belt. You purchase the rubberized belt and buckle separately so you can mix and match allowing for hundreds of color possibilities. C4 also donates 10% of each purchase to selected charities on their website. The thing I love most is that the buckles are interchangeable within their styles so I can swap out any buckle and place it on the same size belt of a different color, almost doubling my belt inventory.  My classic stock includes hot pink/hot pink, lavender/lavender, grey belt/silver chrome buckle, orange belt/turquoise buckle, mint belt/gold chrome buckle. My skinny belt is black with a black chrome buckle for work. These make great gifts or stocking stuffers and come in little plastic boxes for easy wrapping and storage.

3. Riding Sport Uptown Breech ($80)

Riding Sport Uptown breech in charcoal

My new favorite schooling breech is the Riding Sport Uptown Breech from Dover Saddlery. They look and fit great, people always compliment me on them and are shocked that they are under $100. They hold up very well, are super comfortable, and are very flattering. They feature a modern euro seat and soft flexi-cuff leg openings so no more discomfort from hook and loop closures. They come in charcoal and black with silver brushed details.

4. Ogilvy Jump Baby Pad- Starting at $37

Demo of the Jump Baby Pad with charcoal binding and turquoise piping

I just purchased my Ogilvy baby pad after loving my half pad for an entire year. This baby pad is wayyy more substantial than a normal baby pad. It actually seems to be the thickness of a normal rectangle pad to me. I wanted my baby pad to coordinate with my half pad so I ordered a white body with charcoal piping then upgraded to turquoise piping ($7 for single piping), a diamond monogram on the left side in turquoise ($12), and the Ogilvy logo in turquoise and grey on the right side ($10). I really love how it came out and will probably end up using it as my show pad it's so nice. If you want the Ogilvy logo embroidered on your pad you have to email in your order and they contact you back for the details. The Ogilvy sales team made it so easy and was a breeze to order the pad this way and it came out exactly how I wanted it and arrived quickly. The pad is also anti-microbial, anti-fungal, has an ergonomic shape, and it dries quickly. What's better than that?!


5. Ariat Heritage Contour Zip Field Boot ($290)

Ariat Hertiage Field Boot, available in back or brown

I just got a pair of these a few weeks ago for schooling and I'm in love with them. The elastic panel ensures a snug fit without causing me to lose all feeling in my foot. Gone are the days of "if you can't feel your feet than they fit right" and having leg cramps since the blood flow is interrupted by yet-to-be broken in tall boots. The elastic panel that runs the length of the boot allows for a slimmer, more flattering ankle and the leather quality is better than the last model of the boot. There is also a dress boot version coming out this spring that I can't wait to see.

That's all for now, hope Santa brings everything you wish for!

Be sure to follow me on instagram @rocky092

A Weekend Vist to Legacy Farm

I finally had some time to drive down to Philly for a lesson and visit some friends at Legacy Farm. I took horseback riding lessons there while I was in optometry school, they have amazing instruction and very high quality lesson horses. 

After my lesson I was able to hang around and take some pictures of Emily & Zander and Brianna & Bentley. Both pairs are very photogenic and it was hard to even take any bad pictures of them.

Emily always practices adjustability and responsiveness, Zander loves to gallop and we were all shocked at just how quickly he can move.

And here is his airborne!

Bentley is just gleaming in this picture, this shot is one of my favorites from today.

Thanks to Emily and Brianna for some great action shots of their lovely boys!