My First Gel Manicure

The beginning

I got a gel manicure as a pre-university treat I believe on the 11th of this month . I really love it. I have the color Wooden Shoes in OPI Gel Polish. I usually don't go for a brown color, but it was pretty because it had a hint of sparkle. I was hoping to get a more mauve color polish, but my manicurist didn't have the color I was looking for. But this brown color is quite lovely. You can never go wrong with a brown polish. 

The odd thing was that two nails chipped about two or three days after I got them done. However after about 5 days, I was able to get in contact with my manicurist so that she could fix them for me. I love my manicurist, she is very lovely. I will miss her when my family and I move to the West Coast. Even though they chipped and I got them fixed, they last very well when I am riding. They don't chip or anything. But I do wear gloves the whole time I am at the barn.

Now.

This is my nails today, still as lovely as they were when I got them done and fixed. I can't wait till my three weeks are up. It should be done around my birthday which is when I will give myself a new gel manicure as a birthday treat. It's not a bad price where I get them done, I pay $25 for a gel manicure. 

I do recommend gel manicures because you can go three weeks without major chips because the polish is sturdier than normal polish, just make sure than your manicurist cleans her tools. 

The Three L's

Like

I know it has been awhile since I have done the three L's, I was a bit busy. For this weeks 'like', I am starting to like this season's line of clothing at Banana Republic. It's so chic yet casual. That's the kind of fashion of love. Although, I do like the fancy gowns and outfits I see celebrities wearing, I prefer casual because you can make it look dressy. Hopefully one day, my closet will have a few bits of Banana Republic in it. I do like their fit and flare dresses, so chic. 

Love

I really love The Hobbit; the films I mean. I haven't seen the second one but I watched the first one during Christmas. I fell in love with it! My favorite character is Thorin.. I love how strong willed he is when it comes to getting his mountain back. I love Richard Armitage. I've seen him in the Vicar of Dibley. He is so handsome, plus he's English. He has these deep piercing blue eyes like Tom Hiddleston's that cause you just to become lost in them. I have grown a deep love for blue eyes now, although I still love brown eyes. It's a dual love though. I'll also say that in the end, I do fancy a nice English gentleman. Any Englishman.

Loathe

I've been loathing fast food a bit lately.  It just makes my insides feel so terrible. I've stopped eating McDonalds after the documentary "Super Size Me" made me loathe the food chain due to the way they make their food. It's absolutely ghastly. Their burgers could sit for a year and not change in appearance, it's gross. I would rather grill a fresh beef patty on the grill rather than buy a burger from McDonald's. I prefer home cooked meals rather than fast food. Home cooked food I feel is loved more than fast food when it comes to preparation. 

Day 2 of Ryan Minor Clinic

Yesterday, we worked mainly on equitation whereas today we worked on a jumping course.

This is the course

We started the day off with a good long warm up walk at a brisk pace. After our horses were warmed up, we moved into a posting trot with a soft hand but enough to still maintain contact with the horse. After we trotted around a few times, we started to do a sitting trot on the short sides where we would drop our stirrups and then once we hit the long side we had to pick them up while still trotting and proceed into a posting trot. 

We starting jumping only one cross rail, the red one in the photo. Then we proceed by going around the jump at the end and coming down the diagonal line starting with the green jump and proceeding to the white/brown jump. Then after that set, we added the yellow vertical and the red cross rail. Hercules did good in the beginning of jumping but once we made a new course, he went crazy!

I don't know if you can see in the photo, but on the far right on the arena there is a set of two white jumps. We started with those two then proceeded to the green and the brown/white set where we then came around to the right and went over the yellow vertical and then the red cross rail which was turned into a oxer. He did refuse a few times but we got over it. We have to have a good amount of speed in the beginning and then slow him down after the yellow vertical. 

I do enjoy these clinics because I get advice that I use in my future lessons with Kitchie. Ryan told me that I need to use strong speed in the beginning and then indicate to Hercules that I want to slow down. Also, Ryan said I should switch up my mounts every lesson. So this week I ride Nappy, then Baby, then Hercules again. I need to ride a horse that gives me a lot of work to use my hands. With Hercules, I tend to not use my hands since I have become used to riding him. I need a challenge or three.

I would like to have a lesson or two with Ryan at the barn he works at. Maybe a possible birthday present. 

My Second Ryan Minor Clinic

I have been so blessed. I am able to ride in another Ryan Minor Clinic this weekend. Today, we worked on equitation classes. We started with Ryan teaching us the proper way to mount and dismount.

He demonstrated how we were supposed to mount and dismount our horses. We first stand near the horse's head with our reins gathered in our hands grasping the mane at the withers. Then we place our foot in the stirrup with the stirrup facing us and then do three hops. On the third hop, we grab the cantle of the saddle and place ourselves in the saddle. Mind you, I never knew there was a "correct" way to mount your horse, so it was a good lesson!

After that we did a lot of power walking. Basically we wanted our horses moving at a powerful walk. While doing this, we had to walk our horses over a small jump as though we were walking over a log on a trail ride.

We then moved up into trotting. We worked a bit on trotting where we would come down to a walk and walk our horses in a straight line then continue trotting. Ryan than added a trot pole to the other side of the arena where we had to do an exaggerated two point position. I don't have a photo for that, sorry!

Lastly, we moved into our jumping!

Even though I had taken a week off since I was sick, it really hasn't affected my riding skills. Surprisingly, it has actually improved my jumping. Well, our jumping. Hercules and I have improved since the last clinic and we will conquer our faults such as our speed and leads.

We started off with a small vertical and then added a small cross rail. Hercules didn't refuse at all until the second jump was higher, but that is normally expected with him, but we will fix that in the future.

Sorry for the blurriness! You get the idea!

Poor Hercules was getting bored when we had to stand and wait for our turn. He kept shaking his head up and down as if he was saying, "Come on, let's go!" I think most of the time when he was curving his head down that he was trying to chew his martingale. He's a strange little horse, but he's my baby. 

Little kitty cat sunbathing during the clinic. TOO CUTE!

I think that is the highest I've jumped so far. I think it is about 2'6''. I will check tomorrow to be positive. Hercules and I will be doing our second day of the clinic where will be jumping a course. It's exciting! 

Better jumping photo!

Finally, we cooled out our horses and went in the middle to chat with Ryan about how he has seen improvement in our riding.

My handsome man was such a good boy. He got many peppermints as rewards along with some good pats. He also got the privilege of rubbing his head on my back!

So glad my mum got this photo of him. He was just staring out the window at something I couldn't see. He is so photogenic. He should be in the Dover Saddlery catalog.

And there you have it, the end of Day 1 Ryan Minor clinic for me and Hercules. I believe we rode for about 2 hours or more since I had to get on to warm him up. It's astonishing because one of the girls in my group was 10 years old. The very age when I started riding. I love seeing younger kids ride; it reminds me of the past.

It made me smile to learn that a group of girls I know that ride at the barn were telling my mom that I was a good rider. One of them was bummed when I wasn't at the barn last week since I was sick; she wanted to ride with me. They were also in love with my winter boots. I love when younger girls look up to me as a more experienced rider. I enjoy being their role model. I wonder if they are riding in the clinic in the morning with me.

Toodles!

Tom Hiddleston's 1M Mark

Can you guys believe that Tom Hiddleston now has 1 million followers on Twitter. It is a glorious accomplishment by his talent and dedicated fans. I love the "Well, blow me down & slice me with hot buttered toast, what a thing." I have a feeling it means something similar to "Wow" or "I'm flabbergasted!" I would like to one day actually know what that means but I heard something similar to this on Black Adder this afternoon so I do think it means "Well, then. That's very surprising." I do however love the word "flabbergasted." It sounds so classy and high end. I've been trying t expand my vocabulary in order for me to sound more intelligent and appealing. I had a long chat about it with my mum last night. 

On that last note, congrats to the everyone who helped get Tom to 1M followers and to Tom being their idol and inspiration!

Congratulations Zara Phillips!

Olympic Silver Medalist Zara Phillips has given birth to a baby girl! The baby girl weighs 7 pounds and 12 ounces. This little one is 16th in line to the throne. I wonder if this little one will be an avid equestrienne like her wonderful mother? 

Anyways.. I congratulate Zara and her husband, Michael on the birth of their beautiful baby girl!

Photo Credits: Google Images

Future Horse Related Post this Weekend!!

Hey guys! Since today is Thursday and I am still sick, I cancelled my lesson in order for me to get over this cold completely. With a few more daily and nightly doses of DayQuil and NyQuil, I should be better by the weekend.

However, most of you know that last year before Christmas, I did a Ryan Minor Clinic for two days. Guess who is going to be at the barn this weekend! Yup, you guessed correctly; Ryan Minor. I am so happy that I am able to attend another one of his clinics. He is here doing a three day clinic but unfortunately I cannot attend the third day since I am preoccupied, but I am able to attend the other two days. It's perfect to put on my equestrienne resume. 

Stay tuned for clinic photos!