Update on Me and Dixie

[Annie&Dixie]

Well, I haven't posted at all on h.com forum lately. I became fustrated as many others did and just lost interest.

I have also been extrememly busy. I've got school, work, an internship, and Dixie now.

Dixie has been doing wonderful! I am totally in love with my girl! She just keeps on amazing me.

She has become much better with her backing up, she is actually giving to the bit and setting her head correctly instead of way up high in the air. Her cantering is improving bit by bit which is enough for me. A week or so ago, me and my bestie at the barn switched horses. Dixie did well for her, I was so proud. And then just the other night, she got on Dixie bareback to help with her balance and such. I just walked around with the both of them talking and again, Dixie was great. She is also a saint...I kept on trying to jump on her bareback without any step-stool or anything and she -for the most part- just stood there. I would love to be able to ride her from her big pasture in the cold...it doesn't look like I'll be doing this anytime soon though. :rolleyes: Oh well, no biggie.

I am also estatic because I will be going on a 3-day-trail ride with 5 other people and their horses. I leave this Friday and will be back on Sunday. I will be sure to come back with pictures this time!!

Oh and the last and final thing is that I made the website for the BO and the payment that I'm getting from it might cover Dixie's price so this is a huge thing for me now to think about. I have always planned on buying her, I just didn't think it was going to be so soon and my mom is hesitant about the whole thing since my job isn't the best job right now and while I can happily maintain Dixie's costs, my car's insurance and gas, and with extra in the bank, I am not gaining much each month. It's just a big thing for me to think about. I know that if I don't buy her though that I will regret it. I am also however not much better about my worries with college and keeping her.

[FatSpottedAppy]

That's great, I'm glad you and Dixie are doing so well together.. it sounds like you guys have a pretty strong bond. You'll have to keep us posted on you buying Dixie, I hope everything works out for you.

[JackieB]

Hi Annie! Great to hear the update on Dixie. I had noticed that you weren't posting much anymore on the old forum and hoped all was well with you and Dixie. Glad to hear that it is.

Your weekend trail ride sounds awesome!!!!!!! I'll bet you've got a packing list that would make someone mounting an Everest expedition proud. :D:D Be sure to take lots of pictures and just relax and have fun.

[Annie&Dixie]

FSA - I hope we have a strong bond, I often feel that we do and I have been getting many compliments about how much Dixie has changed since I've been with her. She's such a good horse. I will definitely keep you posted on buying her!

Jackie - Oh you know it! I have been making a list and adding on to it for the last week or so, I have been so excited about this!

Ok, I want to hear your opinion on this. So I had planned on buying her in about 6 or 7 months from now once I was done with school and had the time to get a full-time job, hopefully with better pay. The BO has offered me that the money could go towards buying her (of course), a discount on my board for a number of months, or I could bring her in for a few months and pay the normal pasture price. It sounds nice to be able to bring her in. I'm just not sure if I should go ahead and buy her now -or soon- or if I should buy her in 6 months and then bring her in for the colder months...I just don't know. And it's not like I won't be making any more money from the website, I will still be maintaining it and there's still that possibility of it counting for most of Dixie's price and then I could work off the rest or something once I'm out of school...that would be easier. I just don't know.

[FatSpottedAppy]

Well, is there any rush in buying her? Is there a possibility that you might lose her if you don't buy her now? If not, then it might be easier on you to go with the other options. That's just my 2 cents.

[Annie&Dixie]

No, there really isn't a big rush in buying...I guess I just want to make that step, I feel like I've waited for this for a while. As long as I'm leasing her, she's mine.

Now I'm kinda leaning towards keeping her pasture-boarded with the discount, she likes to be outside and while it's easier for me for her to be in a stall, I don't think she'll enjoy it. Also that way I could save more money which is always nice.

[Equine_Woman]

Thats great about the trail ride!! Glad you are going to bring us lots of pictures!!! I've never been on a multi-day ride, well except when we went camping but we made it back to a base camp every night.

I think you will make the right decision on if it's time to buy her or not. You sound like you have a great head on your shoulders!!! Good luck on whatever you decide to do!!! Dixie is a gorgeous horse!

[cloedoll]

That's awesome news! I'm glad you found the perfect horse for you. I noticed whenever my horse would work through their back and round up at the trot, it was so simple to get them like that at the canter! Hehe. I hope things continue to go well and that you come back more often now that we have a kick butt forum! :D

[Annie&Dixie]

Well I just sent in an e-mail telling the BO that I want to go with the discounted pasture board so it's final! I'm happy with this decision...I can buy her once I get out of school and have a full-time job with hopefully better pay. It's not like I could lose her either, like I said, as long as I'm leasing her, she's all mine. Even the people who are leasing her to me call her my horse. :) Makes me happy.

See? This is what I do. I start freaking out and then I calm down and make a decision. Too bad the freaking out part is so aggravating!

EW - I guess I should correct myself, we'll be at a base camp as well. It's the APHA ride in Ohio so I guess it's actually the OPHA ride. We'll be going to Malibar first and then over to Mohican...I think we're camping out at Mohican for both nights. Me and my barn bestie are staying in her tent and the horses will be picket-lined. We get fed too by OPHA which is completely awesome in my book! I try my best to make the right decision with everything and thank you for the compliment about my big 'ole head!

Cloedoll - I'm glad I found the perfect horse too! I love her so much and like you said in the introduce your horse thread, I think we grow closer everyday. ;) I'm sure I will be posting more now, I just hope everybody else comes here!

[JackieB]

You made a good decision, Annie. There is no reason to bring her in (Buster's never spent a day inside, other than a walk-in shelter, during his nearly 18 years as far as I know), and you need to pay her board now (so it's good to apply the discount immediately).

I'm sure that over time you will be more comfortable and calm in making your decisions. Confidence often comes with experience. And be sure to forgive yourself for mistaken decisions. As long as you are evaluating a situation carefully and trying to make the best decision (which is almost certainly never going to be a problem for you with the way you analzye things), you'll look back and find that your decisions were good ones almost every time.

[Annie&Dixie]

As always, thank you Jackie. :)

I am so weird about my decision making. I first try to deal with everything calmly, after that I start freaking out (I try to hide my freaking out of course...I do this but asking lots of questions and never shutting up about it), and then I finally make a decision that I'm comfortable with. And then while I'm doing all of this, I am constantly over-analyzing every possible outcome. Well, nobody can never say I won't be prepared!! Haha.

[cloedoll]

Cloedoll - I'm glad I found the perfect horse too! I love her so much and like you said in the introduce your horse thread, I think we grow closer everyday. I'm sure I will be posting more now, I just hope everybody else comes here!

Aww, that's great to hear. It's nice when there is just an automatic click.

[Annie&Dixie]

Aww, that's great to hear. It's nice when there is just an automatic click.

It sure is.

I also wanted to add that I'm so happy that you've got your perfect pony as well! Cloe is one of kind, definitely. And you and her are a perfect match! :)

[cloedoll]

Aww, thanks, I really do appreciate that! She's with me 'till the end, that's for sure. Love, love, LOVE that pony, lol. xD You and Dixie seem quite the pair as well, I'm looking forward to many more stories, pictures, and videos.

[Annie&Dixie]

Woot! 4 DAYS until my trail ride!

[Arrow]

Sounds like things are going really well! You've got to make decisions at your own pace, I personally stick in my heels if I feel crowded. I'm also well known for bouncing things off folks until I talk myself into the right choice--that's o.k., I think, you can ask for advice and take some of it, all of it, or none of it. Talk (or post!) through things, then decide for yourself. You sound quite sensible to me!