Christmas Westernaires Carhartt!

So I got my very own Red Carhartt for Christmas! I was so excited because every rider at Westernaires loves their red marshmallows. I can not wait to try it out! It is so warm and comfortable so I shouldn't be cold at my rides anymore! Just thought I'd post about it. Here is a picture!

Westernaires Blue Ropes 12 - 28 - 13

So Saturday was ropes. Our time got changed so we had to be there early in the morning. It was a beautiful day so it was nice not having to rope with layers on. So we were all just warming up and then Danielle showed up and had us make our big circle. Then we all did the flat loop routine as a group then instructed everyone to keep working on toe dances and around the back. I was working on my 15ft rope. Danielle came and gave me some advice. Bend your arm more. Move it more back towards the center of your head. It really does help and using those tricks I actually got my 20ft rope going! Danielle then taught me how to do two tricks. One with each rope. 15ft = Lay Down 20ft = Drag. So for the Lay Down you do a basic wedding ring with the 15ft loop then creep your hand up the tail to make it higher above your head. Then you go to your knees and lay back, stand up and ta - da! For the Drag you have a 20ft wedding ring going and you bring your hands down and switch it back and forth around your body twirling it around your feet. I tried that one a few times and it is really fun! I did smack my knuckles together a few times but it was a blast! I am so happy to be finally learning White Division tricks. Hopefully I can move to White Ropes in March. Another girl on my team is moving to the bigger ropes as well. I like having ropes in the morning much better. I decorated my ropes with colored Duck Tape. My 10ft is Purple, my 15ft is Green, and my 20ft is Pink. White Star Colors! Overall it was a great class and I can't wait to start working on my new tricks.

10 Foot Rope

15 Foot Rope

20 Foot Rope

Westernaires Rides 12-21-13

Well Saturday was interesting. I got weirdly sick in the morning so I missed grooming and J1. You know I'm sick when I say I can not ride. That's saying something. I started feeling better by the time White Star came around but I was steel feeling queasy so I watched the ride instead. So of course the day I'm not riding we do a Propeller for the first time. I was so jealous but they did really good. Fell apart in the middle a some points but not bad for a first try. I went and bought my 15 and 20 ft ropes and taped them before diagramming. I was feeling much better so I went to diagramming. I did not have to take a sequence test so I had more time for Quiz #3. Danielle really pushed us today. We did sloppy copies for 8 charts.We ran out of time so we went to the diagramming room across the fort and finished up. I just had to finish 1 chart. We got our corrections back from our first set of diagrams. I only have 1 correction! I just have to move a few riders. So I have 9 total diagrams due in two weeks.. Sorry for the delay in getting this post written. I was very sad that I couldn't ride but at least I don't have to make up anything. I also scored 34/35 on Quiz #2!!!! Very Good!!!!

Updates

So a lot of stuff is getting thrown at us. Here are some updates from our instructors.

We really want all of the riders to have spurs, they really do help with some of our horses. All riders will be expected to have spurs after the first of the year. Please wear them now, if you have them!

Ride:    Don't forget your spurs.  Come prepared and ready to work.
Diagramming:    Sequence Test ( I don't have too take this one because I have passed 3)

 Quiz 3    -    Museum Study Guide, American Flag Etiquette, and Rule book Sections (costumes through maintenance)

                                                  There is no reason why anyone will not be able to take this quiz.  We have attached information and the study guide just in case.

                                20 Handwritten Sequences (Also don't have too do)

 Don't forget your supplies and notebooks as you will be getting the second set of diagrams and corrections

Please Don't forget it is your responsibility to get with the instructor(s) if you have missed a class BEFORE the next class time to get the work you missed made up.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

        Based on the amount of missing pages that were not turned in last week, we as instructors will be implementing a new rule starting next ride.  The riders will be required to meet with the instructors at least 30 to 45 minutes prior to the White Star ride to hand in the required diagrams.  If you do not turn in all the diagrams that are due for that day you will ride the rail for the White Star ride.  You will still be responsible for paying for your rental horse for the day.  We are implementing this for safety reasons.

As you can see they are really stressing spurs because they really do help some of the livery horses and make it so we can learn our drill more quickly and efficiently. Our instructors are also stressing diagrams. If someone is falling too far behind and rides. They will be lost and not know where they are going and get someone hurt. I do not have to take a Sequence Test or turn in 20 Sequences because I passed the first 3 tests. I do have to take Quiz #3. Can't wait to ride! I wonder when we will get to start riding our drill... Probably at least by next ride.  It will be nice having two rides again. I am lucky I even get that opportunity. I hope the weather is nice and the arenas aren't muddy so we can lope again! Loping is by far the best gate ever. Such a fluid rocking motion and so easy to ride. Just slower than a full out run. Walk, Trot, Lope, Gallop! RIDE WITH PRIDE!!!

Who Are We?! WHITE STAR!

Westerniares Christmas Party 2013

Well the Christmas party was not what I expected. I arrived a little late, and they were presenting attendance awards. Then they transitioned into Ticket Sales. I didn't win anything which doesn't surprise me. Then they played a slideshow of the summer shows. It was pretty cool but it didn't highlight any Blue Division shows like Interclub. Then we ate cookies and drinks and that was all there pretty much was too it. It was kind of fun to socialize with my fellow riders, but it seemed like more of a White Division awards/graduation ceremony. Unless I am expecting an award I don't believe I will go next year. I will write this weekend for White Star!!!! Hopefully the weather is nice

Blue Ropes 12-14-13

So today was Blue Ropes! This was only my 2nd practice. We were all just practicing waiting for Danielle. She is also the T7 instructor who's class rides right before ropes. I can do the whole flat loop routine and over 10 toe dances. Apparently I practice a ton! I am a lot more advanced than my group. I guess practicing everyday for an hour helps. So I was doing my toe dances and Danielle saw me. She came over and said you've definitely got the timing but move your arm back a little. Oh my goodness so much easier! Then I was helping a girl who was brand new. After I got her going I practiced the routine some more. Left Hand, Behind the Back, Under the front leg, Under the back leg, around the shoulder, and toe dances. Then Danielle pulled me aside and had me do the whole flat loop routine. I was so nervous! This could make or break my chances of moving to white ropes. I guess I did good because then she told me that next week after White Star to go buy a 15ft rope and a 20ft rope, tape them and bring them too class in 2 weeks. Then she gave me a 20ft rope and had me practice with that. She showed me how to spin it around my head. You hold the rope the same way to start then bring your right arm out and around your head and let go. I actually got it to spin around my head! I had it going for a good minute... It is a lot harder than it looks. Danielle said I was really good! My only problem is I move my arm too much. I need to keep the movement in my fingers and wrist when spinning the 20 ft rope around. My arm hurts so bad but it was so much fun!!!!! I actually impressed Danielle! Overall it was a very good practice. I will write tomorrow for the Christmas Party!

White Star 12 - 7 - 13

It was so weird not having Juniors before White Star. We got to ride in the White Arena! I had never ridden in there before. It is a more square like arena, right behind the Volunteer Arena where Red Division rides. That arena is huge! We checked in then went to the Red Arena to get our horses. OMG it was SO COLD today! I got Smoke #49 We mounted up and rode to the White. Danielle called us to the middle. She said she couldn't believe we were riding today. It was that cold. So we would not be working the horses hard. Which means no Loping or Trotting today. We worked on drill maneuvers! We got to do about 4 thread the needles! I love those! They are so much fun! We did it as individual riders first. Then the last 3 in pairs. We also did a pass through. All the horses were acting so weird today! Probably because of the cold. Smoke wouldn't listen to me. He resisted my commands. So Spurs helped quite a bit. He was being real thick in the skull whenever a Halt Ho was called. He wouldn't stop! I had to pull back so hard. My arms are sore. Otherwise he was ok. We also circled in 4's. Lots of drill riding. Then was diagramming class. The room was warm! Yay! We turned in our sequences and diagrams. We then took our next Sequence Test. 100% I only have to pass 1 more. Then was our 2nd quiz. It was pretty easy. We had to label Line Up and fill in the heading. I hope I did good. Today we took a museum tour. We had to take notes. It was boring because I had just taken my tour for Tenderfeet in July. The questions will be on our Quiz #3. We have no diagrams to do this week :( I am sad because I actually like diagrams they are kind of fun. Once you get used to them. Just studying for next ride. I got 32.75 out of 35 on our first quiz! Yay!!! That's pretty good :) Here is Smoke

Smoke

White Star Ride

WHITE STAR IS RIDING TOMORROW!!! I'm so happy :) I will write tomorrow. I will be short one ride but I don't care. I still get to ride!!!! YAY!

Junior Rides Cancelled :(

I just got the email from my J1 monitor telling us that all BLUE Division Junior rides are cancelled. As of right now base teams are still riding. We will get an email tonight. Even if Juniors are cancelled 1 ride is better than none. I really hope White Star is still riding. We did get information about the Westernaires Christmas party of 2013! It will be on December 15. I am excited it should be fun :) I did not go as a Tenderfoot. It isn't mandatory but I want to try it out this year. I will write when I know about base teams! Hoping for the best!

Flag Boot!

I finished decorating my flag boot! It's green and purple! I am so excited for this weekend! I hope we do a Thread the Needle in Juniors again. That was a blast!

Ropes 11-30-13

I was unable to attend ropes yesterday :(  I will write in 1 week for base teams! I have lots to study for White Star

Due on Dec. 7
 - 20 handwritten sequences
 - 5 completed diagrams

On Dec. 7
 - Quiz #2
 - Sequence Test #2

Quiz #2 will cover Rule Book (Advancement - Chain of Command) and we will have to complete a diagram from the 5 we had to do for homework.