Christmas Card Reveal!
So after reading all my posts about our 2009 Xmas cards (Post 1, Post 2, Post 3) – I’m sure everyone is dying to see the final designs! So without further ado….I give you our 2009 Holiday Cards!
So are they what you expected? Did we outdo ourselves this year, or do you have a favorite from years past? Better yet – what does your Christmas card look like? Post a link…I’m always looking for new ideas for next year’s cards!
Happy Holidays from the Trick Ponies!
www.ponypaintings.com
Sometimes you Fall
Minnow minus me - USPC Nationals Lexington, VA
Yes, its inevitable. You can’t be a horse person having never experienced the almighty fall from your mount’s back. In fact – it makes you a better rider. Are you brave enough to remount, can you learn from the mistakes you made?
There are falls to laugh about – like the tumble into the water jump your horse disliked, and there are falls to cry about – like the day you broke your arm. We all pray they never become tragic, but its always a risk we take when mounting up on an animal with a mind of its own.
Me on the ground after being dumped by Blitz
I’ve seen my share of spills. At 10 I watched my friend break her femor on a cross-country jump – at 20 I watched a friend tear her acl after hitting a fence. I’ve been dumped over fences, onto fences and under fences. I’ve missed dismounts and face planted in the sand in front of thousands of spectators. I was even flipped over a row of fencing when a horse decided to go over backwards on me. Thankfully none of my sustained injuries ever kept me from my love of horses for too long.
On Monday evening, my mom was not so lucky. She decided to take Blitz out on a short trail alone – just her, Blitz and the dog. I wish I had been there – things might have been different – but alas I was not. On the way home Blitz decided to act like the 7 year old (immature 7 year old I might add) that he is and make a break for home. Amidst the bucking (and the fact that my mom was riding bareback) she decided to emergency dismount to avoid something serious from happening. If you have never done an emergency dismount, its something that every horseback rider should know how to do. Essentially it is being able to unmount from your horse no matter what speed there are going (and land safely on your feet). Perhaps I will do a post later on the proper techniques.
About to faceplant off of Minnow
Anyway in dismounting my mom must have landed too hard on her right leg, because it buckled under the pressure. Blitz took off in a flash for the barn and left my mom on the ground with the dog. Her knee had completely given out and she was unable to walk and in excruciating pain. Thankfully she had a cell phone on her and was able to call for help. Luckily I was in the area.
Xrays later showed nothing broken, but an MRI confirmed multiple torn ligaments among other things, leaving her knee literally hanging on by a thread. She will need surgery and likely won’t be riding for a while. This sounds very serious, but I am so thankful that nothing worse happened!
My mom lives for her horses. She’s at the barn every day making sure they are well cared for and everyone is healthy and happy. Its been 2 days and I can already feel her sadness from being kept from her animals. I pray for her swift recovery and her return to the horses. And as for Blitz – he’s getting coal for Christmas.
The Best of the Best
So last time I posted I showed some photos of my Christmas Card Mishap. Today I’m sharing the good ones! It wasn’t all chaois during our Christmas Photoshoot, so here’s the Trick Ponies at their finest!
So..which one do you think my parents chose to feature on their Christmas card? Which is your favorite? I’d love to know!
Three’s a Crowd
So as I posted before, my parents decided to feature the Trick Ponies on their Christmas Card this year. The idea was simple – get them to stand together holding fake berry swigs in their mouths. The reality was – its never that easy.
I knew I probably should have worked them on targeting a stationary spot on the ground first (like a carpet scrap or piece of wood), but of course I never got around to it. I have taught all of my boys to stationary target the pedestal. Meaning when I put out their pedestal – get them upon it and ask them to stay put, they will all do so. (well Boomerang needs a bit more practice with this one). But since I only have one pedestal, the problem arose, how do I get all 3 of them to stand together? The answer is – I never actually did! Ha!
In fact, I have never worked all three together at the same time. Not because I don’t want to – but mainly because I didn’t want utter chaos, and currently Minnow is the only one I trust to “behave” properly when the food pouch comes out and there are competitors for the treats.
So anyway – that will all be a task for another day…now onto the Christmas Card. Below are a series of outtakes from the attempt at a Christmas Card (all before the sun set). I did end up getting some nice ones, but I will have to save those for another post. I hope you enjoy a good laugh at my attempt to “corral the wild Chincoteague Ponies”.
-KD
www.ponypaintings.com
The Family Business
Ammo at 8 weeks old taking a ride on Blitz
My Dachshund Ammo has been assisting the Trick Ponies since he was about 8 weeks old. He loves pony rides, pony kisses, laying under the easel while the ponies paint and of course eating pony poop. So after 1 full year of “assistant” duty I decided its time for Ammo to join the ranks as an official member of the Trick Ponies of Chincoteague. What do you have to do to be a member? You have to be able to paint!
So a couple weeks ago I started working with Ammo on his paintbrush skills. We began by targeting a paintbrush – which Ammo took to in no time. Then he was rewarded for licking the brush, and eventually putting his teeth on it. We’ve now progressed to picking up the brush on his own and pretty soon I will ask him to target the brush to the paper. Below is a video of Ammo practicing his new brush skills.
Dog Paddling over to Chincoteague
Although this is the first time Ammo may be picking up a paintbrush – its actually not his first painting. After a painting “mishap” ammo helped Minnow to create this wonderful work of art! Its now proudly hanging in my Studio at home. I can’t wait to add lots more of Ammo’s creations to my walls.
