One of my New Year's resolutions was to track just how much my ponies cost me in a year.  It's not that I don't already suspect, but I want to actually know.  

It's not as though I buy a bunch of ... things, instead, I think I spend a lot on their care.  That's one area that I don't scrimp on.  If they need medical attention of any kind, I tend to spring for it, and I spend a lot on preventative stuff.  I also spend a chunk on feed which includes beet pulp and rice bran.

I know you spend a lot as well.  You probably spend a lot more if you show at higher rated shows, but you might spend less if you have your horses at home, or if you don't show or travel.

As part of my New Year's resolution I'll post a monthly expenditure list.  If it seems too personal, it feels REALLY personal to me, please feel free to skip it.  If you're like me however, and like to get into the nuts and bolt of things, please feel free to study the numbers and compare them to your own.  Are horses more expensive in California, or am I getting a good deal? 

Here is what owning two horses cost me in the month of January ...

There are often other expenditures, but I managed to avoid them this month: gas for my truck and bedding for stalls.  I filled up last month and I bought several month's worth of bedding in November.  I'll need an oil change soon and tires will probably be on the list eventually.

We're going to Pomona for the Horse Expo on Saturday.  That will probably influence February's spending!  I'll let you know on Leap Day.

But winter just barely got here!  This is Sydney's by the way.  Speedy G hasn't yet started to shed.

Quick post-publish edit: I added some Edyta photos at the end.

The ride-a-Test.  How did it go?  I'll start with the Are You Kidding Me?! (in no particular order):

1. Sydney did not, I repeat, did not have a melt down.  In fact, we warmed up in a nicely plowed area, adjacent to the dressage court, that had no fence.  And we cantered!  With no safety fence!!!!!
2. I left ALL my riding clothes, boots, helmet, gloves, and Speedy's pad in my car at the barn, which was 35 minutes from the venue.  Yep.  Really.  After unloading both ponies, I opened my trailer door to get Speedy's pad and looked around in a completely baffled state of mind.  Where was the pad?  And for that matter, where the hell are my clothes and boots?  Well, crap.  Apparently, (said with one eye brow cocked) somebody (ahem) left everything sitting on the back seat of the car.  Did you panic?  Nope.  I simply walked around and borrowed the most basics items possible.  I had worn a decent pair of jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt that coordinated with the fleece vest I was wearing so I borrowed a pair of half chaps and two different helmets.  I had a cruddy pair of old Ariat Terrains in the trailer so I popped those on instead of my rubber boots.  Nothing like "showing" in jeans and funky footwear! 
3. Speedy reared several times during the warm up.  Speedy reared during the test.  Speedy was high as a kite.  Sydney was not.  Go figure!
   
4. Erica, from Of Academia and Horses, whom I finally got to meet, has to think I am a complete idiot!
5. I did not fall off, bail off, or look stupid while riding!

And now The Bad ...

1. Speedy G would not soften that neck of his.  He was braced through the whole test and refused to stretch over his top line.  Being higher than a kite has a way of making one's neck and back stiff.
2. Sydney wasn't very soft either.  He has an excuse though.  He pretty much looked like a giraffe for the entire ride.  Although, sneaking in a good here, Judge Mary did give him an 8 for the free walk.
3. Speedy G was a complete idiot at the trailer, but I knew he would be.  When he's alone, he'll stand there for days on end.  With a pal, forget about it.
4. Sydney had a tough time concentrating with Speedy G screaming and hollering for him.  I am certain that Speedy was telling him horrible things about death and dismemberment or at the very least, things about vaccinations and wormer.
5. Judge Mary pointed out that my thumbs need to be UP.  Doh!

And finally, there was The Good ...

1. Both boys loaded into the trailer as though they had done so hundreds of times together before.  They haven't.  Not even once.  I hadn't yet loaded them both together.  This was to be their maiden voyage.  I am glad it worked out.  They stood at the trailer, albeit on opposites sides, happy companions shooting the breeze.  Except for when Speedy took it upon himself to scare the bejesus out of Sydney with his tales of horror!
2. I rode both tests error free.  I had them memorized and had no trouble riding each movement from memory.  Good for me!
3. Sydney picked up the canter going both directions on the correct lead and did it fairly softly.  He scored a 6 on the right lead canter, our more difficult side, but then earned a 7 to the left with the remark, little more balanced in this direction.  Good for him!
4. My elbows were bent!
5. I met some really nice people.
6. I genuinely had fun!

And there you have it: The Good, The Bad, and The Are You Kidding Me?!

Click photos for a larger view and to see the captions.

Well sort of.  It's Kern River's Ride-a-Test.  I did one last October.  You get 15 minutes to do pretty much whatever you'd like with a "judge" to give you feedback.  In this case, it's Judge Mary, a USDF L Program Graduate.

I am riding Speedy G at 10:45 - Training Level test 1.  I am riding Sydney at 1:00 - Introductory Level test C.  

I was busy after work on Friday evening.  Even though it's not an official show, I like to treat it as such just to keep myself prepared.  So, I dug out my show stuff: pad, boots, helmets, gloves, etc.  I also gave all of my tack a thorough cleaning.

This should probably be a whole nother post, but since I am on the topic ... I just discovered both of these products.  Wow!  That Passier Lederbalsam is something else!  It made my leather really soft, and it smells lovely, too! The Effax combi stuff is also a great leather cleaner/conditioner. If you're looking for new leather cleaning/conditioning products, these are great!

Hey!  I am getting an award ... sort of.  Maybe I should rephrase that.  Somebody thinks what I write is worth mentioning to someone else.  That's essentially what this award is for.  It's a "pass it on" kind of thing where recipients get a shout out which they in turn pass on.

Now THAT'S a Trot! gave me, and a few others, the award as one of her favorite up and coming blogs.  Nice. Thanks, NTAT!  I love reading what she has to share.  She rides Standardbreds and lives far, far away.  Well not THAT far - New Jersey to be exact.  But if you live in California, New Jersey seems pretty far.  Anyhoo, she's an eventer who spends most of her time at the barn - my kind of girl!  NTAT writes about the pleasures and trials and tribulations of horse ownership when you aren't rich.  Yep, that sounds about right.  Find her here.

Here are the official rules of the Liebster Blog Award:
1. Copy and paste the award on this blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who gave us the award.
3. Pick your five favorite blogs with less than 200 followers, and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.
4. Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs.

If I accept the Liebster Blog award, which means "dearest" in German [at least that's what the directions say. I'll feel pretty stupid if I found our later that it means idiotic American!], I am to award it to five other up and coming bloggers that deserve recognition.  This is an easy one for me.  I don't read hundreds of blogs.  And the ones I do read, I read religiously.  Sooooo ... here are five blogs that I think you might enjoy.

I love, love, love reading A Horse Crazy Girl in Germany!  Lytha is originally from Seattle, but met the love of her life and so carted herself and her endurance Arabian, Baasha to Germany.  She shares her horse keeping journey as well as what it is like to live in a foreign country.  It's absolutely riveting!

I must have a thing for foreign blogs because one of my other favorites is Ride Groom Feed, written by Kelly in New Zealand.  We have had the most fun sharing the differences and similarities that we have encountered.
Kelly shows dressage and jumps.  Check out her blog for a fascinating look at what it's like to live on the other side of the planet!

Next is Erica's blog, Of Academia and Horses.  Erica hails from Bakersfield, but now lives on the coast as she attends Cal Poly.  We haven't met ... yet!  But ... we are both attending the Ride-a-Test hosted by the Kern River Chapter of CDS this Saturday so we will finally get a face to face.  In the meantime, check out her blog.  

Mel, over at Boots and Saddles, isn't a brand new blogger, but I know she writes for a smallish audience.  She actually will appeal to many, many people.  She is an endurance rider, dressage rider, and vet student.  She writes about a variety of topics that include her Arabian mare, Farley and her adorable puppy, Tess!  Check her out.

And since I can only pick five, I am also including Sarah at Eventing in Color.  Sarah is another California girl who is new to her sport.  Check out her journey with her paint mare, Spirit.