Movie Review: The Horse Boy

So after all my horse/even non-horse friends telling me to watch this documentary I finally did a couple nights ago. (Yay for finals procrastination and netflix!) If you haven't seen it/read the book the story is about a family, whose only child, Rowan, is autistic. Along with being non-verbal, he suffers inconsolable tantrums, incontinence and doesn't show interest in making friends. However, Rowan has a keen sense and relationship for animals, horses in particular. His father, a journalist, grew up riding, and is also very interested in shamanism in relation to healing - these two loves give birth to the idea for the documentary. Basically, the family embarks on an epic adventure to Mongolia where they proceed to visit shamans and sacred areas on horseback. 

It was a pretty emotional story. Rowan initially refuses to get on the horses, and instead focuses on the van as his area of safety. This is especially problematic as the last leg of the trip, to visit the historic reindeer herders, is only passable on horseback. His shamanic experiences seem traumatizing, coupled with them making him drink vodka, his mother washing herself "down there" with vodka (on camera...), and then his parents being whipped repeatedly. The whole thing seems absurd and unbelievable... how is this suppose to help Rowan's autism? 

His father begins to ask the same question, and my heart completely broke for him. I've heard that the rate of parents of autistic children who end up divorcing is exceptionally high, due to the massive amounts of stress caused by the illness for all involved. There are quite a few scenes of him just completely breaking down over the whole situation, and questioning who he is as a father. It's very compelling, and beyond the absurdity of where they are, and what they are doing, there is a very real story and a face to families who have autistic children.

Eventually, Rowan begins to ride and seems happy, they make it to the reindeer herders who agree to perform a shamanistic ritual to rid him completely of the evil spirit of his maniac depressive great-grandmother they believe to be harbouring him. In the end, the experience seems like a good one for Rowan - he builds and develops a bond and friendship with the interpreters son, and after the ritual he begins to get over his incontinence, as well as playing with other children, and being more verbal.

The horse side of the story is pretty insane. When they first arrive they are told the horses have been ridden for 3 days to prepare them for "western riders" aka... they were broke 3 days previous. There's a scene where one of their film crew gets bucked off by a bucksin, who then proceeds to run into the Mongolia sunset... seriously. haha The father touts Rowan around on the front of what appears to be a wintec synthetic western saddle, while at first his mother can't stand more than 30 minutes on horseback. The poor woman... she is definitely the skeptic of the couple, and not a horsewoman, and also ends up getting kicked pretty badly by one of the horses. Just not her trip I guess. The Mongolian horses are of ancient, ancient descent, and they sort of look like wild mangy ponies, of all colours.

Overall, I really enjoyed "The Horse Boy", I thought it was a really interesting look into a parent's struggle and triumphs, and love, for a child who has autism. Rowan's bond with horses is fascinating, time and time again horses are used as tools for therapy, communication, bonding, etc. They really are amazing animals. Everyday I work at my camp I feel blessed to experience children around horses, there is something just different about how children interact with horses, to me, it is completely sacred.

I tried to look into how Rowan is doing now, it appears the family has started a treatment program working with horses and children with autism, and there is a blog of Rowan updates. However, I couldn't find any information on whether of not they believe the shamanistic rituals actually helped Rowan in the end.

If you haven't seen it - definitely check it out!

My non-horsie mother..

Today, I was bugging my mother about how she never listens to me, she has just arrive home from a little vacay in Arizona. When I showed her a picture of Jingle (the paint in the header), I asked her...

Well Mom, what's his name? ... uhmm.... JINGLE!

(Point 1 for Mom.. seeing as i've been talking about this horse for two years.)

His registered name? ... oh god, I don't know..

Okay, well what kind of horse is he? .... palomino?

No mom, that is a colour of horse .... okay, thoroughbred!

What about the horse I take lessons on, what's her name? ... oh ya, the horse that you ride that, that girl owns...

yes mom, that one. ... uhm, I have no idea.

I love her, she honestly is very supportive of this dream of mine, and always has been. However, in her own words, "oh what... i'm not good with names!" ... or apparently breeds and colours of horses. Yes, my tobiano bay APHA gelding is a palomino thoroughbred.... what can ya do?!

Internet Oddity: 1

... Pimp my ride turns into Pimp my horse?

Found this on a friends facebook page... very, very weird.

An Ode to Wranglers

Confession time: I love jeans.

More Confession time: I love Wranglers & I love riding in them. 

I don't know if it's the "cowboy aura" of them, the history behind them, or how those big W's make my bum look - but i'm hooked. In fact, I'm becoming a total Wrangler hoarder. I have about 7 pairs, ranging from your everyday, on the farm, type Wranglers to blingy, white-stitched, going-out and two-steppin' Wranglers.

This company "gets me" ad-wise

&, although I hate to admit it, i'm starting more and more to really love my blinged out Wranglers.

BUT, I have a seriously problem - when the HECK did Wranglers become so expensive? I recently had an old rancher tell me "Just buy mens, they are only like $30 bucks."

... But then I wont have decorated pockets, or pretty white stitching, or fading...

Now, I don't know the exact price of men's jeans, I believe somewhere between $30-$70, but all of the Wranglers I like are seemingly $100 and up! Girl, that is insane!

I am buying these jeans to predominantly ride in, aka I will be shoveling POO in $100 dollar jeans, I will be getting whacked my tree limbs desperate to rip up my knees in these jeans... and you are telling me that my poo covered, ripped up jeans are worth $100 dollars?! Woah Jeez.

Case in point, I recently found these beautiful Wranglers, which are part of the new "Booty Up" line.

Ladies, these looked really, really good on my bum, let me tell you something! Apparently they have "patent-pending" technology, darts, that lift and define the bum area... I don't know if that's true, but I dig this line of jeans. I have one pair that make me look phenomenal. I was so ready to buy them, plus about 20 other pairs, when I saw the price tag $110 !! WHAT?! No way jose.

I did some research on the Wrangler website and it seems the three lines I love the most, being...

1) Booty Up 2) Sadie 3) Mae 

...are all "Wrangler Premium", which i'm reading in-between the lines of as "super hella expensive." I haven't even LOOKED into the Wrangler Rock 47 line ever since last summer when a pair caught my eye and they turned out to be $140... heartattack central.

Then, there's what Wrangler touts as the "ultimate riding jean" - the Q-Baby, a lot of my friends, young and old, have had great success with this style of jean. I, on the other hand, have not. They fit me awkwardly, they make my bum look like a big saggy mess, and they just generally are not that flattering. (Refer to the model in the above ad.. those jeans aren't doing much for her, that horse is making her look way better, drool) Not a fan.. and yet I have two pairs, sigh.. as is life. If I remember correctly the Q-Baby's are slightly less expensive at around $80-$90.

Finally, Wrangler has "cowboy cut", "blues", "as real as Wrangler" and "Aura"... I have tried the Aura's (again.. gave me a serious case of the mom butt, and the other 3 I have yet to try.) I'm sure they are all slightly cheaper than the blingier, trendier fare I seem to gravitate towards, and that's because they are a little more plain, and that's all fine and dandy by me... if they made me look good.

But, like, let us compare...

vs.

.... the Booty Up's win again.

Thus, Dear Wrangler, please lower your prices. I've looked at other brands, and nothing is the same as your big W's across my bum... but your hurting my bank account, and thus.. my heart. Sincerely, Louisa.

What are your guys favourite styles of jeans for riding? Anything that's a little trendier but more on the cheap side?

Also - 10 followers!! You are all wonderful and I love reading all of your blogs. Thanks for joining the ride! Hope you don't look I'm too insane with all this clothing related rambling !! <3

Riding Diary: 12

Horse: Quiz

Time: 1 Hr

Ride: Well... I didn't exactly have another great ride, which is probably why I'm hanging my head like an old sheep dog and not writing about my lesson until now. I haven't had any time to ride other than in my weekly lesson lately, and that's really frustrating, and I think my frustration is really showing in my riding. Anyone who says this sport isn't hard doesn't factor in all the freakin' emotion that goes with it. Like... some days I can just feel Quiz working off my emotions alone... ugh.

Anyways, I can barely remember the ride (except for the end) but I'll try my best. We worked on trying to achieve that nice slow lope again, and she was doing better (as was I, I think). Things I need to remember is to keep my body upright when doing circles, I tend to lean into my circles, as well as not cranking my neck around... I'm throwing both of us off. My trainer also keeps reminding me to really drop my wrists at the stop, so another thing to put into the mental "to-do-while-riding" list. Finally, gotta focus on those releases, somewhere along the line I've mentally stored "releases" with completely dropping my reins and losing contact, which I obviously can't do when my horse gives for 2 seconds and then goes back to running around the rail like a crazy-noodle-horse, so I have to focus on smaller, but more frequent releases.

Once again, I felt like Quiz was being noodle horse supremo. I need to work on even contact, and just picking up a rein, not actually pulling more onto the rein... me and my noodle horse, woopeee.

Towards the end of the lesson my trainer set up three poles in a semi circle. The exercise was all about breaking down from the three gaits slower, and more complete. So I was to walk from Pole 1 to Pole 2, slow jog from Pole 2 to Pole 3 and then finish off the semi circle in a lope from Pole 3 to Pole 1. I just couldn't get it, Quiz wasn't breaking down like I wanted her too, then I was getting all flustered, legs were going everywhere, wrong leads were being picked up... it wasn't pretty. So, obviously I have a lot of things to really work on when it comes to transitions. Next time I get some trainer-me time I think i'm going to ask her to physically go over every step for me, because I ended up just confused during the entire exercise. I'm more of a physical learner than I realize, I like to be able to physically map out each step in an exercise.

However.. I'm in the middle of a hurricane of term papers that I've left to the last moment because I am a big idiot, so next Monday I wont be able to make my lesson, and then the Monday after that, my trainer is gone. However, this might be a good thing.. a little bit of a break so that I don't show up to my lessons mentally and physically totally unprepared. 

After all my exams/finals/projects/assignments are done (APRIL 13!) I plan to try to get out to the barn to practice way more, and hopefully by the time she's back I can be a little bit more in the zone.

For Next Time: ... wah, so far off :( Focus on my body more, drop those wrists & most importantly, work on the transitions and releases!

Big News!

Bar J Jingos Doc & I, on one of those perfect summer days.

My sunday Trail Ride had a few purposes. Namely, I needed to experience that forest stillness I mentioned, as well as just "get back to my roots" so to speak. You have no idea how comfortable my body was settling back into the rhythm of just heading in one direction, off into the sunset (cheesy, but true). I forgot how perfect the saddle I ride in out there conforms to my body. Old trails, and memories made were coming back to me. It was all very therapeutic for my soul.

However, I also wanted to discuss "my boy" aka that big adorable crazy-eyed paint in my header.. aka Jingle. You see, with the sale of the ranch, depending on the new owners, comes the realization that a lot of the horses may go to auction... and, as horse-lovers, we all know what that means. Especially here in Alberta, there's the reality that a lot of auction horses get put on stock trucks headed to slaughter. Obviously that's the extreme to what could happen to my baby, but there's lots of other less worse, but in my mind, still awful things, that could happen to him when the ranch changes hands. Honestly, even if someone I knew bought the ranch, I'm so emotionally invested in that horse that I just don't think I could walk away form him another summer. Especially with the lingering thought of another winter of him in some faraway pasture, without routine maintenance or check-ups. Nope. Not this winter folks.

So against all better judgement on my behalf I decided that Jingle would be heading home with me after this summer. This is huge - massive really - decision... I'm not the best at saving money, and now all of a sudden I'm going to have a 1200 lb kid, that will end up taking most of the money out of my bank account month by month. Screw it, I can't wait.

So... here I am rambling once again... I went down to ask if I could buy him, and offer up a deal. They took the deal! He's going to be mine! Plus, the saddle I used all summer was negotiated in the deal. (I'm praying to the higher power that he hasn't changed/the saddle is actually a good fit for him.. I know more about saddle fit than I did last summer, that's for sure.) ...I remember it being good though, pray with me please.

I also got to see his papers, and an itty bitty baby photo :) :) .. his registered name Bar J Jingos Doc :) I already know his papa, Gringo, who is a stud at the ranch, and his mama is a broodmare who i'm not familiar with. I also nailed down his official age... coming 8 in less than a month (April 28th is his birthday I believe) AND I also weaseled my way into asking if he could come home earlier than June. Apparently a lot of them will be coming home from winter pasture by the end of the month so I'm hoping my baby is on one of those trailers. Then I can bring him a horsey birthday cake, and groom the living hell out of him.

SO... this is all very scary, and suddenly super real, but also very exciting and makes my heart hurt with happiness because I get to see my baby so soon.

Now... I suddenly feel like I know NOTHING about horses... there is so much to know.. thankfully I have a good team of people around and behind me to nag, and I honestly feel like sitting every horse-owner I know down and grilling them about EVERYTHING horse-owner related.

Hey guys, guess what? I can do that... OVER THIS BLOG. So, if you're reading this, and you feel in a rambly mood like your author here, tell me everything. 

What are your essential products/grooming tools/tack and training tools/etc (I'm a bit of a product whore... I foresee myself going overboard). 

What are some words of wisdom you wished someone had given you when you purchased/owned your first horse? 

Random Advice? 

WHAT DO YOU FEED YOUR HORSES? (This is a huge one for me... he will be at a boarding stable, but I really am lacking in equine nutritional knowledge)

Basically, if you're reading this... tell me everything. :)

Trail Journal: 1

So, I figured that my "Riding Diary" posts have largely become consumed with my lessons, so another type of recording was needed for something that is nearest and dearest to my heart; trail-riding. Honestly, I think I am totally at my happiest when I am plodding along in the middle of nowhere, picking my own path through the deadfall (and in this first installment's case - ice).

So, my "Trail Journal's" will talk about my ride, but will also be more picture-orientated. So here goes:

I got to go for a ride at my beloved ranch. The clouds in this particular photo look particularly ominous, but it was actually a beautiful day.

My equine-partner was Hobo, the owner's relatively green horse. At first I was a little worried about riding this big boy (especially hearing stories of his owner being bucked off in the fall...) but I really had nothing to worry about.

I love this picture because I had gotten off to walk Hobo in an ice-y spot, and his look is just so, "what are we doing up here?! Take me back to my paddock?". Poor boy was absolutely soaked by the time we got home. I discovered Hobo is frightened by puddles... like, I mean, he full out nervous-shook when I walked him through a particularly muddy one... silly, but sooo cute, boy.

In the beginning I had planned to trek to the far lookout, but these photos show that getting there would be a little more treacherous than I would have liked on a day all by myself, on an already soaked and decently nervous horse.

But, fear not! I made it to the close lookout in my travels and took this shot of the spectacular view. My fellow BBJers will know this view well - they will also know that it never gets old, does it? It was interesting to see where certain areas were still bogged down by snow and ice, and where the river was unfreezing.

This is resident ranch-dog Meg, who was so excited to see me, and followed me along the entire way. In the end I was super thankful for her because I had forgotten how still, and often eery, a forest can be. It's been awhile since i'd been on the trail by my lonesome and I started getting jittery feelings, and my mind began wandering to horrible cougars lurking in the trees. Meg eased some of those butterflies in my stomach. (Although, Meg is getting quite old and senile... so, I often wonder how much of a help she would be.)

I love this photo! Meg is waiting for me to throw her a stick and you get a view of the brand new chaps on the first outing! They were absolutely wonderful, I love them.. I don't think I'll take them off this spring/summer. They protected me from some gnarly trees aswell. Hobo thought it would a wonderful idea to bash my knees into quite a few trees, and I was wearing my favourite Wranglers... thankfully, they were saved.

Lookin' good.

I took a break to enjoy the view, and thought Hobo would like a break aswell. He basically stood on top of me the entire time, nervously awaiting my next move.

I love these photos... he took some time to enjoy the view as well. I'm taking these photos from the ground, with my camera above my head.

Absolutely awful photo of me but this horse is just the cutest. He kept putting his head on my shoulder and head while I was sitting down, kind of nagging me to get on and get going, but also in a really cute, cuddly way.

.... don't tell my horse that I was cheating on him please?

The Red Barn at the Ranch. I swear, no matter how many fancy barns I step foot in, the smell and aura of this barn calls me home.

Two new barn kittens on the scene - 6 & 7, named because of their toes... redneck living ya'll.

Hobo... tired, sweaty and not understanding who the heck this lady was that took a pound of winter hair off his body, then jumped on him, forced him up a mountain side, and then took photos of his state afterwards.

All in All I had an absolutely wonderful first ride of the season, and can't wait until the ice melts and I can start exploring all my favourite places again!