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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

TTOTD is Making It!!

Well guys, I am going to make it! I am strong, capable, independent, and I can do this dammit! I am actually getting excited about moving and starting living my life how I want to. I am looking forward to having less to take care of, being on my own time table, and doing things the way I want to. I have grand plans of eventually being able to board my mare nearby and even grander (slightly crazy) plans of learning to ride sidesaddle and showing her (that reminds me, I need a new helmet LOL). Anyone know of a good instructional book/videos for this little endeavor? There isn't anyone in the area that does sidesaddle, so I will be blundering along on my own here.


Anyway, ending the personal update, here is your daily installment of Tacky.






No, your eyes do not deceive you, it IS a purple English bridle.

19 comments:

  1. Oh Gah! I'm sure it has a saddle to match? Ick!

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  2. It's a purple English bridle...and it looks SHINY!!! How could you possibly say no?

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  3. Glad you're doing well. I want to ride side saddle too, but I haven't found a good way to do it sans side saddle and instructor.

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  4. LOL..looks too close to pink for me...now if it were a nice, deep purple, I know someone that would LOVE it..
    As to sidesaddle...finding a good, but not too pricey saddle is hard. I finally gave up and this winter have a new project...I bought an antique (from maybe earlier this century?) sidesaddle for less than 200 on ebay...tree still good, leather even decent. I needed a winter project anyway, so I am going to restore it (with help of books...I have dabbled in leather working, but this will be a new experience) and then teach my gaited stallion how to ride SS..there were a few books on ebay too, so check there (I already had some SS books)...it really is NOT that complicated..the main thing I think, is teaching your horse to move off a whip cue on the off side, vs a leg cue. Start on the ground and tap him in a specific spot on the side for "over" in front (forequarter yield), "over" in the middle (side pass), and "over" behind (hind quarter yield). And being solid on voice ques helps too for stop, go, gait changes...( I cluck for a walk, double cluck for trot/gait, kiss for canter, whoa for stop..etc) Oh, and finding a good girth is interesting too...there is a good pamphlet out on ebay "buying your first sidesaddle" or something..not expensive and she writes out how to avoid all the mistakes (like the multitude of 200$ made in india ripoffs...I bought a few BEFORE I learned about this, LOL...was a pain as they a) all sat weird on my horse (usually resulting in me sliding off the back of the saddle) and b) the girths did not match up with the riggings..weird stuff..
    But have fun! I still am learning too and am wanting to enter some parades and such net year with my boy :)

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  5. That bridle is even worse than pink!

    Side Saddle. Check out the International Side Saddle Organization's web sit. http://sidesaddle.com/index.html

    They have a library on line with videos and a list of instructors. Loads of information. Good luck. Side Saddle is fun. I haven't done it in years. I don't have the nerve to ride my current horse aside, he likes to rear when upset.

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  6. Oh, gosh, I love purple. I wear a lot of it. But my horses don't; and if I could afford a custom paint job on my vehicles, I still wouldn't paint them purple. Purple stripes, maybe. Purple western saddle blanket, maybe.

    There IS such a thing as "too much of a good thing." Thinking of a purple trailer (even an old shabby two-horse like mine) makes my eyes hurt.

    Crabby today, Ruthie

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  7. That's purple? It is unlike any purple I know.

    Once my ex-husband moved out, it was grand. So be strong and enjoy yourself.

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  8. If you are contemplating sidesaddle, I highly recommend reading this blog:

    http://ridingaside.blogspot.com/

    She's exploring the world and history of sidesaddle and has a lovely well-informed blog with tons of great pictures.

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  9. Good luck with moving forward in your personal life! You can do it!

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  10. Just caught up on everything via your posts.

    I'm appalled at what he did, and congratulations for moving on! My ex-husband woke up one morning and claimed he didn't want to be married anymore. Went on 3 dates with 3 different women, moved in with & eventually married #3.

    I lost my house and was almost homeless with 3 yo daughter until a friend offered up his apartment as he was moving back home to help his parents out financially.

    5 1/2 years later, friend has turned into fiance and (for you FHTOD fans) is such a *T*O*T*A*L* upgrade, it's like night and day! Ex-hubby sits on his ginormous butt with ginormous new wife in his tiny condo and plays on the computer. Seriously ... my daughter was asked by her godmother how you can tell two people are married, and her reply (after coming home from a weekend with her father)? "Because they text all the time." WTF?

    Fiance and I (with now 9 yr old DD) are in nice $^#@* house (constantly under renovation but loving it LOL) in the semi-country where I get to ride 2x week, work in horse rescue, fish in musky tournaments and while still not petite, in much better shape because I am not sitting on my butt all day, every day, all weekend!

    Ex-husband still hasn't told me why he wanted a divorce (and I would have stuck it out for DD), but I SO got the better end of the deal, so I've eventually let it go....for the most part.

    Like OldMorgans said, once he moved out, life was grand. My electrical usage dropped by 75% (the electric company actually called me about it!) from not having the TV on all the f*&%^$g time, I dropped 50 pounds just from not eating all the crap he had to have and overall was just a much more pleasant person.

    Hang in there :)

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  11. I have to be the dissenter.

    Puuuuuuurrrrrrrrple. Mmmm.

    Sorry.

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  12. It is an "odd" color purple!! I like purple, but not shiny, wierd colored purple on my tack.

    I'm so happy to hear you are doing better. You are woman, we hear you ROAR!

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  13. Good going. It did not take you much time to move past why and onto "so what?". You will be a stronger person in the end if you go ahead and recreate your life for yourself. You have to be comfortable in your own skin. Definitely go over and Check out Julie at Riding Aside. She could help you out and be a friend, too.

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  14. Hey I got sent this looovely ad, but thought it might be more suited to your blog. http://lasalle.craigslist.org/grd/1477486876.html

    Glad to have you back!

    http://badwaystosellyourhorse.blogspot.com/

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  15. Yay for you!!!! Like the old Cowboy Junkies song says "I kinda like the extra few feet in my bed." ;)

    purple bridle..... Only if it was a nylon trail riding thing.

    But I would love a purple car! my hair looks purple right after I color it (Herbal Essences Brazen Raisin) and that makes me hoppy.

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  16. ew bridle and for sidesaddle try this blog http://ridingaside.blogspot.com/

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  17. Yep, me also going out on a limb to say I actually like it and it would look great on my black arab mare.

    Saying that though, I don't know that it would look good on any other colour horse except black.

    But then purple is also my favourite colour so what can I say .........

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  18. Glad to hear you are finding some happiness and moving forward. Happy Thanksgiving.

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  19. My horse has a purple bridle but it's webbing and not that type of purple. You can see our lovely purpleness on my blog if you're really interested x). If it was darker purple I'd have it in a snap.

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