Copper's Road to Recovery: Kissing Spine Surgery

16/08/2023

1,243 miles and 18 hours so far! Getting so much closer to West Virginia!!

Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa. Tomorrow we get into Missouri!

28/07/2023

In the process of moving, but always time to ride and have a little fun to take away some of the stress. Ba****ck, halter and a lead line and working on those cues. It’s been a while since we have done stuff like this but I’m proud! It was a good time 🐴

14/07/2023

Exciting changes coming up next month! We got chiropractor and teeth work done today!

11/06/2023

It’s been a while since I have posted on here! We have had some exciting and crazy changes recently. Copper has a new home in our backyard! It’s a dream come true for me and I think he is quite happy as well having two huge pens all to himself. Ever since we brought him to the new place he has been doing well and I’m so glad he got accustomed to his new life so easily. Enjoying these next few months until we move onto our next journey wherever that may be!

09/04/2023

Horse Expo 2023! This year we are doing ETS at the intermediate level. 4th out of 20 for the in hand and 5th out of 14 for the riding portion! Super proud of my boy. He makes the best faces 😂🐴

03/04/2023

Best feeling in the world! I haven’t been able to do this in years and it’s amazing the difference from before his surgery and now ❤️

30/03/2023

My handsome boy is 19 today! 🎉❤️

23/02/2023

100% Couldn’t be more accurate!

Relationship over drills

We might have big goals, deadlines, and expectations for our horses, but don’t let those achievements make you forget about the connection your horse probably desires with you.

Little girls spend time braiding, brushing, and doting on their horses and have some of the purest relationships. In turn, those horses would run through fire for their little people.

Some of the biggest names in performance horses REALLY love their horses. You can usually tell which ones they are.

I have to wonder how many times these horses give us just a little more because of the relationship they have with their person and their desire to please.

What if we prioritized listening to our horses when they communicated with us over progress.

Listen when they’re having a bad day and need to skip a training session.

Listen when they’re performing poorly and trying to tell you something is wrong.

Listen when the timing is inconvenient and you want to just push through.

What if we had the kind of relationship with our horse, that we could look in their eye and know if today needs to be about rest and recovery rather than another day of drills.

I know when I’m begging life for a break, 3 days of working hard aren’t near as helpful as a single day of rest.

Maybe spend a day grooming, sit and eat breakfast together, or do some in hand strengthening, or massage them for a day.

A nurtured horse loves well and usually performs better.

03/02/2023

We love our BEMER sessions!

30/01/2023

It was cold but it was a much needed ride! Good for the soul 💗

27/01/2023

Yeehaw Copper! 💜 I love these!

20/01/2023

Copper got a much needed grooming session! Mane and tail braided and a new tail bag 💗

19/01/2023

Halter and leadline kind of day 🐴

09/01/2023

A year ago today I finally rode my horse after his surgery! What a happy day and the difference from then to now is just amazing! Couldn’t be any happier 💕 This picture will always be a proud memory

02/01/2023

Starting the new year off right! First time cantering in about 3 months and Copper did great! Started out very stubborn but once we worked through it he did wonderful! This year we are getting back in shape! 💜

30/12/2022

2022 was a great year! A year to start over and experience as much as we could together. Super proud of my boy and how far he has come since his surgery! Dreams do come true and I’m a lucky girl to have such a wonderful horse ❤️

26/12/2022

🐴❤️ Sweet boy!

21/12/2022

Copper is feeling good! 🐴

26/11/2022

First time riding ba****ck in almost 2 years! Copper did great and stood so well at the mounting block while I took my time getting on. It was a scary but nice feeling to do this again 😊

06/11/2022

Well Copper and I went to Eugene Oregon for the National Mountain Trail Championships! Copper did a fantastic job these past three days competing and I couldn’t be any prouder. This is my favorite video from the second half of our run in the Logan Arena. The trot around the boulders we scored a 9 and the water box or “holy water” as they called it we got a perfect score of a 10! This horse has a heart of gold and I just love him and his willingness to just go out there and get it done! I love my partner ❤️

20/10/2022

What a difference a year makes 🐴

10/10/2022

Copper and I completed our last ETS event this weekend! We took home FIRST place overall in the in-hand portion and won a $100 D&B gift card and then we took home SECOND overall for the riding portion and won a porta grazer!

Friday in hand we placed 2nd in intermediate and Saturday 3rd in Novice for the trail course.

Couldn’t be any prouder or happier with how far Copper has come. Still makes me cry because all that hard work, love and dedication has paid off tremendously!! I always knew he could do it and this medically challenged and old boy can keep up with everyone else just fine ❤️❤️

30/09/2022

1 year anniversary for Copper’s surgery! Can’t believe it’s been a year already. He’s come a long way since then 🐴❤️

29/09/2022

Mountain Trail Clinic! We have a lot to learn still, but it was so much fun! A few years ago, he bucked and reared at every obstacle.. now he tries and trusts me and the difference is amazing! Feeling better plays a big part in it all too!

12/09/2022

Oh I’m so excited!!! Only one more ETS weekend until we find out the final results! I’m thrilled and screaming for joy🐴❤️ Getting so close to my goals!! I would love to walk away with the buckle and jacket for this series. It would mean so much to me!

04/09/2022

Copper is still going strong! JD will be coming out on the 12th and hopefully he can get him feeling 100% again! Idaho City ETS this upcoming weekend! 🐴 Getting closer to my goals for this year and hopefully we can achieve them together!!

08/08/2022

My favorite obstacle, the car wash. Copper had to boop them all as he went through and surprisingly backed through them too! Super proud of this one! We did a level 3 and we both got a 7 out of 10! 🎉

08/08/2022

Little adventure to Bend Oregon this past weekend! Super proud of Copper! We bumped up into intermediate for the on course event and got 5th out of 10 people. He tried his best and attempted every obstacle! 🐴 I really love these trail challenges!

29/07/2022

4 years together! We celebrated with an enjoyable little ride together, new rein chains and a bath! Definitely seeing a nice change in him since his body work and new supplements!