Homemade Fly Spray Recipe
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
To the equestrian, summer means trail rides, horse shows and gorgeous sunsets over green fields. Unfortunately, the warmer weather also brings with it the equestrian’s biggest nuisance: flies! There are many options for fly control, but for the individual horse, the most popular is the tried and true fly spray. But it’s so expensive! Last year I made my own, and today I’m sharing my homemade fly spray recipe. As the owner of a sensitive, horse who hates flies, I’ve run the gamut of fly control. I’ve tried just about every fly spray out there, but I found myself spending hundreds of dollars ..read more
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Equestrian Spring Cleaning Checklist
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
It’s finally warming up around here (and seems to be staying that way), and I’ve never been so excited for spring before! I’ve been really busy so far this year — between family, work and riding sometimes I feel like I never sit down. One thing that really helps me stay sane is checklists and let me tell you, there’s just something soothing about doing some spring cleaning. So this year I wrote up an equestrian spring cleaning checklist, and each trip to the barn I’ve been crossing items off the list — it feels SO GOOD! I’m even sharing my printable checklist PLUS my favorite cleaning supplies ..read more
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First Horse Show of 2020
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
Originally, I hadn’t planned on showing at all this summer. Between having a baby, figuring out life with an infant and then COVID-19, horse shows were put on the back burner. Then this spring, with Niko’s training going so well, I realized it would probably be best if Niko DID get out at least a little bit this summer (if any horse shows were allowed to happen). So I spoke with Trainer J, and planned to send Niko to the next local horse show in early August. We figured she could at least show him over fences and maybe if he was good and I was riding again by then, I could hop on and do a flat ..read more
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My Little Future Equestrian
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
This year has been a lesson in flexibility and adaptability. Unlike many people, I knew 2020 would bring a lot of change (hello, becoming a new mom!), but COVID-19 definitely added even more uncertainty into the mix. I had planned to do a blog post right around the time baby was born with some lovely newborn photos I had scheduled… but obviously that didn’t happen since I’m just now blogging about it and baby is three months old. Photo by Joanna Andres Photography My daughter, Riley Jean, was born April 29, 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. She had some health problems at birth that led to ..read more
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Returning to Horseback Riding Postpartum
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
As soon as I stopped riding during my pregnancy, I began plotting my return to the saddle. Horse girls get it — any time out of the saddle is hard, but with such a long break I was definitely concerned about how long it would take me to get back in shape. I planned to take it slowly and listen to my body — my goal was to get on a horse (even if it was just to walk one lap around the arena) 6 weeks after I have birth, around June 1. Of course baby girl arrived a week late, and I had a c-section which I wasn’t planning on. But I was still really determined to just SIT IN THE SADDLE. Prior to mou ..read more
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Junior Rides for Niko
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
In my last update on Niko he moved to a new barn for some professional training while I was pregnant. I really like the trainer there (Trainer J) and even in just a few months, I’d already seen positive progress. In fact, Niko was going fabulously — not really showing the random spookiness I had experienced in the fall. He was going so well in fact that I began to wonder if maybe this change was due to the quality of rider (because I’m a neurotic worry wart). So after about 10 weeks of full-time training, I asked Trainer J if she would feel comfortable putting a good riding junior or amateur i ..read more
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An Equestrian Nursery
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
As soon as I found out I was pregnant, and having a little girl, I knew I wanted to design an equestrian nursery for her. Unicorns are a popular little girls theme, but I wanted something more classically equestrian, with touches of pink (and not overwhelmingly girly). I started by picking out a color scheme: light, muted pastels immediately stood out. I could incorporate some light pink with mint green and baby blue. Combined with the white walls and faux-shiplap wallpaper that was already up in the room we planned to use for the nursery, I thought this would create a bright, but softly invi ..read more
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Horseback Riding During Pregnancy
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
Whether or not to continue horseback riding while pregnant is an incredibly personal choice that should be made in consultation with your doctor(s) and partner. I am neither, so this article is not medical advice nor is it intended in any way to be what you should do, it’s simply what I chose to do. For many equestrians, riding isn’t just a hobby — it’s a lifestyle. I rode on average 5 days a week year-round for many years before I got pregnant, and I probably spent 30+ hours each week at the barn. The longest time I’ve taken off from riding was four weeks due to work when I first graduated co ..read more
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Niko Goes to Bootcamp
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
After finishing up our show season (way back in August, I’m super behind ya’ll), Niko got some time off. I usually slow down in the fall, especially right after showing all summer long — it’s just nice to take the pressure off and enjoy some downtime. Anyways, after about two weeks, I tacked up for a short, stretchy ride and Niko was just… not quite right. After another week or so, he blew an abscess out of his right hind heel and was MUCH improved almost immediately. Of course, that was right when I called the vet, so I got to spend some money hearing “yep, it’s an abscess,” but better safe t ..read more
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First Horse Show of 2020
The Printable Pony
by Tracy
3y ago
Originally, I hadn’t planned on showing at all this summer. Between having a baby, figuring out life with an infant and then COVID-19, horse shows were put on the back burner. Then this spring, with Niko’s training going so well, I realized it would probably be best if Niko DID get out at least a little bit this summer (if any horse shows were allowed to happen). So I spoke with Trainer J, and planned to send Niko to the next local horse show in early August. We figured she could at least show him over fences and maybe if he was good and I was riding again by then, I could hop on and do a flat ..read more
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