The Beach!

Sooo, I went to the beach last weekend and it was amazing! Basically we left on Saturday, drove for three hours, and rode on the beach (galloped) for about five hours!! (not all at the same time, we took a break and fed the horses). It was sooo much fun! We had a lot of adventures: we found a dead shark:

And several girls got bucked off of their horses, and one girl got kicked in the knee, but other than that it was amazing on Saturday! Here are some pictures of Saturday: 

(This one is my favorite when me and Ruby were under the pier)

(here is me with my group, but I'm riding Jabez - the second one from the left - because he was bucking, so my teacher told me to ride him, but he was such a good boy and was so fast! Btw, Ruby couldn't keep up with the other horses, they were soo far in front of me and she was going so slow!) 

(me on Jabez again :)

And on Sunday we rode at a farm for a while, because my teacher gave a vaulting lesson to the lady there, so I rode Ester, who is the hardest horse to ride at the barn because she is sooo powerful and fast! But she was really good :) I also rode her on the beach on Sunday, and we cantered through deep water, which is really hard for horses to do, so it was really fun! 

(me jumping Ester!) 

And finally, a picture with our group with a mini!

I don't know about you, but I am soo thankful for my barn, and for the horses there, and for my family and friends! God has blessed me with so many wonderful things! I hope everyone has a great week! Happy Thanksgiving! 

Fall

So far I'm really enjoying Fall. Leaves are changing colors, the weather is perfect for riding and spending time outside, and I'm getting a lot of fun opportunities! Every Monday I teach a lesson, and sometimes I lounge Ruby for the Vaulters, and that is what I did yesterday. It was super fun, a good bonding time, and a good way for me to further understand how she works, what she likes and what she doesn't like. I also get the opportunity to spend time with the other hoses whenever I feed them, or fill the water buckets...

(Above is me and Ester. She is super sweet!)

(And me with Mercy, the baby of the family. She is three, and is a goof!)

Also, down the road there is this pasture with this adorable gated horse, and I go and visit him sometimes, so I did that today to get pictures, but he was put away in his pen, but I got some pretty pictures of the farm anyway. 

That's all for today! I hope y'all have a great week!!! (I get to go to the beach on Friday!! So excited!!!)

To the Beach We Go!!

SO EXCITED!!!!! I just confirmed with my riding instructor that I am going to travel with them next weekend to the beach!! We will be taking the horses(obviously I'm taking Ruby) and galloping (not cantering, galloping) across the beach for two days, and staying in a nice, beach front condo, while eating at a local restaurant every night. Luxury!!!  Anyway....I obviously haven't gone yet, so I haven't got pictures, but I will make sure to take lots, and then I'll post them later, but I was just so excited that I had to post something!!!

I hope y'all have a wonderful night, and rest of the week!

Trick or Treat?

Greetings fellow human beings of this strange and rather interesting world. I come bring delayed news of my not so fascinating life. Sorry for how late this post is, I have been so busy, my life is hectic and crazy, school is taking over everything, and my moments at the barn have been awesome but somehow they seem so short in length, seeing as I'm stuck in the depressing and life threatening jail of homework and drama...*sigh* Life...Your probably wondering where horses come into this, because isn't this blog supposed to be about horses, or something like that?
   Surprisingly enough, a lot has gone on with my barn and Ruby, and I have just been to lazy to take the time to get on here and write. I started out so strong, but then...it kinda fell apart... -_o Anywho, I'm on now, aren't I?
  In lessons I'm still working on drill team for the show, and that is going pretty well, I would rather spend time working on things that I need to work on with Ruby, like jumping, striding, leads, collection, all that fun stuff, but we don't have time to work on that, sooo...Also, last week Ruby was lame because she had an abscess in her left front hoof, and her feet were really sore afterwards, and we just put shoes on her last Wednesday.
 Since my lesson is on Friday this week we went trick or treating, and we took the horses! To explain how this is done you have to know that we went to a very nice neighborhood, and you also must know that we are like celebrities to kids, so wherever we go we attract attention (or should I say, our horses attract attention.) Other then that it is pretty simple; we just rode through the streets, all in costumes of course, and people would flock to us, and some would even have apples and carrots prepared for us! I do have a picture of me and two of my friends, but it isn't amazing quality, and the lady who took it kinda cut me in half, but I'll post it anyway. (FYI I'm the one on the far right, and I dressed up as a wraith rider from Lord of the Rings, but you can't see my costume very well)

So one of the fun memories of the night was when three of the horses started chasing a apple along the road, like they were playing soccer with their faces. It was so adorable! They couldn't bite it because since it was round, and every time they tried it would just roll away, and every time it rolled away they would chase after it! Picture three horses, walking after a rolling apple, all with their noses down by the cement, sometimes catching up to it only to push it away. It reminded me of Maximus from Tangled: 

He is one of my all-time favorite characters - I'm reminded of him a lot in my interaction with horses; these next pictures reminds me of my relationship with Ruby:

This last one especially, because none of the horses really like Ruby at the barn, so they get in fights a lot. Rapunzel: "Nobody appreciates you, do they?"

Well I'm off to bed, I hope you all have a very good night and day tomorrow! 

    Peace, I'm out!

The Biltmore

Last weekend my instructor Ms. Carol took me and a few other students to go on a competitive trail ride with ACTHA at the Biltmore. It was so much fun! Me and another girl slept outside next to our horses, and we got to eat amazing and healthy food! We rode two days, each day was probably about 8 miles, and the trails were beautiful; most went through the woods, but at some points we got to gallop across fields, and even see the Biltmore from hilltops! I took Ruby and she was amazing! It was her first competitive trail ride, and we took home two firsts. Here are pictures!

Haha, Ruby is so big compared to the others! 

Our group in front of the Biltmore:

My instructor took a selfie...

And we did some jumps..

Overall it was one of the funnest weekends ever!!

Lessons - Drill Team Practice

It's fall, and it is perfect time for riding! My lesson group has been putting together drill team patterns for the show that Shea Rose holds for all the lesson groups every winter. I'm really excited for it! Every team has a theme and gets to put together their own routine. We are going to do the 80's and we're not done making our routine yet, but we have decided that we're going to do the Dragonfly, Peace sign (we made this one up), Heart, Ride to the Boot, Thread the Needle, and some Diagonal Jumps. It's complex, but fun!
  Ruby has been good, but she is lame. :( :( *tear!* I still rode her, but she isn't sound, and we don't know why yet. Get well soon, Ruby!

Every Saturday I go out to the barn to do the barn work, but I also spend time with my girl! She loves attention and likes putting her face into yours. XOXO

Introductions!

My name is Lydia Bastian, I'm fourteen and I've loved horses for as long as I can remember, and have been riding since I was about four years old. I've lived in Guatemala and Costa Rica as a missionary kid, but we moved to North Carolina almost four years ago. 

   Last year I started searching for a new barn to ride at, and I found the best barn I've ever ridden at: Shea Rose Farms! I love being spending time there, it is my home, and one of my best friends lives there. Her name is Ruby and she is a Belgian/Thoroughbred cross. She is 16.3 hands high, and she is such a joy to ride, and so much fun to be with!We are still getting to know each other since she has only been at the barn since August! I know your dying to see her, so here's some pictures! 

Me and her: aka best friends forever!

Isn't she such a pretty girl?

XOXO Love you, Ruby!