back in Switzerland

I am back in Switzerland again. The trip home wasn't too bad. I don't like to be in a plane for 8 hours. It's soooo narrow and stinks sometimes. It looks like everytime when I come home it's getting harder ! As soon as I am in the plane I miss everything from Canada. This time it's very bad ! Like I already discribed before I miss all the silence, horses, cats, people.... And I found out what I totally forgot to do : ride Seven (how can I tell if he is the best horse in the world when I never rode him ??), go to a horse auction and go on a pack trip in the moutains. So, that sounds like a really good reason to go back ! :D

my last day in Canada

It's my last day here in Canada. I will catch the plane heading to Europe in the afternoon. First,I will go for a walk in the rain. Check out the stores and let the town vibes affect me. I don't look forward to go back to Switzerland, to be honest. I guess I left my heart in the mountains, the Robson Valley.... where the nights are so dark, the sky is full of stars and the only sound you hear in the night is a car /semi from time to time and otherwise just silence. Or coyotes howl. Oh how I wish to be there right now !!! I already miss it. And I not even left the country yet....

final stretch

My time in Canada is almost finished... :( I took the Greyhound bus at 6 am to Prince George and there the plane to Vancouver. Now, I am at my friend's place til tomorrow. We have a good time, talk, eat and laugh a lot. I continue my journey to London tomorrow. I will take the plane in the afternoon. I don't wanna leave but everything has an end... right ? I got lots of invitations to come back... which I maybe will do.. ;) I will have time to find out what I want during winter. All I know now it will be pretty hard to live in a city again. All the noise, smells and planes... I will miss the dark sky with millions of stars.. I will miss the mountains, so close... and sure I will miss the people I met or went for a visit. Of course I also will miss my room mate, Shy. No one will sleep on my legs anymore or sit on my chest and purr ! :( All the horses... especially Alberta. I guess it's a good thing to be in Vancouver first and then return slowly to the noisy city Glattbrugg again. It's kinda a retraining from the countryside to the life in the city.... I prefer the country life, to be honest.

wonderful trail ride

Reg and I went for a trail ride yesterday. He rode Seven and I could ride Colt. Colt is a nice horse, nice trott. He was pretty hungry yesterday. :) First, we went to check out a trail to Swift Current Creek. The trail begins pretty good, wide and no bush grows into the trail. Then after awhile the bush gets thicker and trees are fallen down. Reg had to jump off the horse to cut some trees. It is a beautiful up there. Nice and quiet. It's like you are in another world. We rode as far as we could to a creek, another one then the Swift Current. It was amazing just to watch the water roars down the hill.... I totally forgot to take pictures of this creek I was so fascinated of it !!! Reg and I crossed the river over a fallen tree. It was a bit creepy to see the water roars under your feets and you only have to make a wrong step and you get wet... We made it across the creek and went to check out the trail on this side of the creek. It was a bit disappointing 'cause the bush got thicker and thicker the more you followed the trail. So we decided to climb up a hill and enjoy the view. Then, we went back to the horses and rode back to the trailer. Our goal was the trail to Little Lost lake. The trail started steep and the horses needed a bit of speed to climb up the trail. After we detoured throu the bush, 'cause there was a big tree across the trail, we came in a nice forest. Ceders gave the forest a touch of a rain forest. Nice, I really like that. It was like we dove in a different world ! Almost like Narnia :D And then there was the Little lost lake. Quiet, nice and wonderful. We tied the horses up which they liked so they can eat again :) We were alone which was good. I don't like to be at a place like this with hundreds of tourists... The lake gave me a feeling of calm and the sun made me sleepy. I realized I need places like that from time to time. This is a place where I can breath and enjoy a beautiful piece of nature !!! Before the sun went down we climbed on the horses and rode back to the trailer. It would be amazing to see the sun go down over the lake but then we would have ride back in the dark... and some places on this trail would be a bit tricky in the dark. I really enjoyed this whole day and I can't get enough of it. I really hope to go in the wilderness one day and just ride or hike in this wonderful area.

one thing I realized

When I came here in April I had no problem with jumping on a horse I don't know. So I jumped in Bandit's saddle and went for a trail ride. I completly trusted him... til I found out he tends to rear ! GREAT ! I sit on a box of tnt. And soon, he went up in the air ! My trust in horses was half way gone ! After my rides on Bandit in the clinic with Trish it was completly gone ! What now ??? I had to find it again. I tried so hard and worked and worked... finally, it came back piece by piece. The last two month I could ride Cody without my safety vest in the arena. For every other horse I wore the vest. I didn't take my vest to Edson just my helmet. I trusted Kidd enough so I can ride him without. This is a big improve for me. But still I won't ride Bandit even I found my trust again. It's not worth. All this, I noticed when I was out in the bush on Kidd's back watching out for places where cougars could hide.

visit in Edson

After my hard work at the Chris Irwin Clinic I went with Linda to her place in Edson. We had a good time together. I saw all the funny animals (again) : Cruiser, Mikey, Pluto, Pepper Ann, the stallions Banner and Rio, my cutie Kidd, Bam Bam, the Chicken Mafia,... Monday, we just relaxed, worked with horses (I worked with my cutie Kidd in the round pen :D) and then in the evening we went to Hinton for supper with Krissi and Lennard. Yesterday we went for a 2 hour trail ride in the bush. I had the chance to ride Kidd again. He is grown and has a good balance now. Kidd is not spooky at all. He really enjoyes the fact that he can walk in front of Scooty (boss) without getting punished for that :) I had to laugh when I saw that. I also was surprised when we met a few cows in the bush and Kidd pinned his ears at one cow. He dares to do much more then the last time I saw him. He is a horse again :) That's so nice to see. It was a pleasure to ride him. We had to keep an eye on the trees 'cause of cougars. It was a bit creepy to ride in the bush and not to know what's around the next corner. The good thing was I wasn't nervous at all ! I was sooo proud of myself.

Chris Irwin clinic II

We headed for Whitecourt on Thursday Sept, 17th. On Sept 19th and 20th was the Chris Irwin clinic. We went two days earlier to get the horses used to the new environment and Birgit and Mayo took a lesson at Chris'. I took Alberta with me. She was a bit nervous when her friends left her. The good thing was she could see her buddies when they were in the arena. The first evening I only lunged her which turned out pretty good. She is a good girl. The first ride the next day was also good. Then, the next day she got a scratch on her cheek which was pretty swollen and hurt. It was the first day of the clinic. So, Missy was good on the lunge line but as soon as I rode her and used the sidepull she showed me that her cheek is aching. Alberta was after a short time pretty pissed and I didn't dare to ask her for forward. All she did was try to rear, hop around or stall... She also refused to bend to the right side. It wasn't fun to ride !!! So Petra suggested a horse change. I got one of Chris' lesson horses, Thunder. We had a good time and he was a good teacher ! I had quiet to work on him. :) I also rode him the second day of the clinic 'cause Alberta's cheek was still infected. The second day was pretty busy for me, twice in the saddle and once round pen work... BUT I got my Bronze Certification for riding. :D I am soooo happy ! Linda, my friend from Edson and Mireille came to audit the clinic.

quiet a character

I had another funny ride on Miss Alberta today. She was pretty fast the last few days.... I guess she also likes this rides to a certain degree. Once she decided to have enough she just hopps around or speeds up for no reason. I hit this point today and she spooked 'cause of a tarp. I almost came off her. Alberta was nice and stopped so I could sit back in the saddle again. Then I should lope on the right side. She struggles with that since a few days. The left lead is no problem. As soon as you ask for the right lead in the lope she pins her ears and dashes forward only to make a turn then. It's kinda weird to sit !!! And all this without any bend. I have no idea in which lead she is when she pulls this stunts. Or sometimes she only hopps around and tosses her head. Yes, that's Miss pissy Pants live !!! Birgit put the lunge line on Alberta and I rode her in the lope on the right side. For some reason she started to hop around with her hindquaters which felt like bucking. It was pretty weird. Mayo and Birgit laughed pretty hard. It must look pretty funny ! Sometimes I think Alberta has no idea what her hindlegs do.... I wasn't scared even when she did her bucking thing ! I guess I am back again :D

a first lope with only a sidepull

Today was a normal day again which means feeding /cleaning in the morning. After breakfast horse work til noon. In the afternoon riding lessons and feeding /cleaning again in the evening. I rode Alberta again. We had a discussion on the right side 'cause she didn't want to stay on the rail. After a few taps with the whip she found it a good idea to stay on the rail now... Then the fun part started. We trotted, first 'large' then circles as well. In the meantime Birgit and Mayo loped Miho and Mojo. I really wanted to try to lope Alberta too... but I wasn't sure if we are already ready for that. Then Birgit asked me if I would like to try a lope with Alberta. :D Sure, we tried. We should lope behind Mojo. I usually prefer to do stuff like that alone. It's easier so I only have to concentrate on what I do. We tried first behind Mojo but after a half round we lost Mojo. So this didn't work and I decided to try it on my own... Alberta had some problems to find her right lead and so we were all over the place which was pretty funny. She switched the lead herself. It was pretty hard to sit ;) The left side was no problem and we were pretty fast !!! :) I had to yell at Mayo to speed up otherwise we would collide with Mojo. And all this with a sidepull !!! I decided to take Alberta to the Chris Irwin clinic. This will be fun !!!

only 14 days...

I can't believe how fast the time flys here !!! I am only here for 14 more days. Oh my god !!! I have to do as much stuff as I can in the next 14 days. There will be the Chris Irwin clinic, the visit at my friend's place in Edson, a trail ride (hopefully), take pic's of Dolly and Sunny and then the very last thing the cattle drive. Now, I hope the time will creep as slow as it can. On the other hand I look forward to visit my friends in Vancouver as well. But I definetly don't look forward to the journey back to Switzerland. I already know, I will have some problems to live in a town again. All the people, the crowds, cars, noise, planes... Oh my goodness !!! How many new buildings will be in Glattbrugg when I come back ?? I don't wanna think of that, not yet... I still have some time to push it aside. I already know a piece of my heart will stay here !!! And sure, I will miss all my new friends from this area.

Fall Fair part II

We rode in the parade of the Fall Fair in McBride today. It was fun and I was surprised I wasn't even nervous !!! Looks like I get used to stuff like that now :) I rode Cody just with a sidepull again. He was just looking around and not goofy at all. Nothing even bothered him... He just looked bit longer at the llama ! And sure, after the parade I needed to check out if my Engadiner Nusstorte got a prize ! YEP, I got the 3rd place for it. I was soooo excited when I saw that. Even I just got something like a ribbon, I am pretty proud of my tart :D I guess I wouldn't get a 3rd place with a Black Forest Cake...

fall fair

I dropped off the tart at the Fall Fair in the morning. Then we went to do a few times in town and back home. Around noon we had to help Marc put tarps on the round bales in the field. We were finish at 2 pm and squeezed in a quick lunch before we went for a trail ride up the loging road across the highway. I rode Cody again with the Sidepull. The loging road is pretty steep and there are every few meters ditches in the road. It's pretty annoying to ride there. These ditches are too narrow sometimes to walk throu. It must be an pretty intelligent person who had this idea.... ! Oh well, Cody could manage them pretty good. The view was unbelievable nice ! No clouds, just sun, mountains and trees. A great view over the Robson Valley. (once again I wished to be in the back country...) We rode to a point where the loging road ended and had to turn around. To turn around and go home was Cody's favourite part !!! If it was up to him he would trott down the hill... ! :) Then, when we had to cross the field he tried to go to the end of the field where the gate is. We wanted to hurry 'cause we were pretty late. The plan was to leave the house for a party no later then 5.30 pm. We were still on the horse out in the bush at 4.30 pm. Before we leave we have to do chorse and put all the horses and the tack away.... We managed to leave the house at 5.45 ;) One of Birgit's neighbours gave a Chilli Party. The food was tasty and we had a good time at the camp fire.

fall is here

It was pretty foggy in the morning while I was out and did chorse. The geese went for a fly like they do every morning since a few days. Yep, looks like fall is coming to the Robson Valley. I love fall it's my favourite season beside spring. Today, I wished more then before I am somewhere in the mountains... where I can enjoy the view of the fog hanging around the mountains, touch the treetops, then suddenly disappear and let the sun shine throu... I hope I will see this someday ! Anyway, It was too wet to ride in the arena and so I was pretty busy in the kitchen in the morning. I baked apple crisp for the party we'll go tomorrow and I also baked the Engadiner Nusstorte which I will take to the Fall Fair Baking contest tomorrow. In the afternoon we went for another trail ride. Mayo and Birgit rode the training horses, I rode Cody with sidepull. First, I wasn't so sure about that... But then I just decided to try it. He was fine. Only in the lope he had quiet some speed and when I wanted to block him he was stubborn and tried to speed up more ! Okay, I had a taste of Cody in speed :D Usually, he is pretty slow ! I was quiet surprised !!! ;) After this new experience we turned into the bush and from here we went up and down hill. Some parts were pretty steep. No problem for Cody :) He is a good horse for riding in the bush. Cody is funny... after awhile he had enough and just headed home :D The two training horses were pretty impatient and so they got a lesson in standing still. Cody was pretty bored, he gets this expression on the face... Soooo funny !

new week...

There were no lessions today which is good from time to time... We started work with Karma again, then Samy, B and Fire. My job was to get horses ready and treat B. She keeps to refuse work on the left side. I checked her quickly before she had to go to work. Her neck and back were definetly tense. After B's session in the arena I gave her a massage incl. stretches and mobilizations. I am curious how she is tomorrow... ! In the meantime it was 2.30pm and I didn't have lunch yet. We wanted to go for a trail ride and after go to town for groceries. The trail ride was fun again, I rode Miss Alberta. She did great even she found always a chance to eat... poor horse is always hungry ;D On our way home we saw three coyotes on the neighbour's field. That was nice !

Jasper National Park part II

Birgit, Mayo and I went to the Jasper National Park today. It was Mayo's first time in the National Park. We drove to Jasper Town to pick up our lunch in a bakery which makes tasty things like cookies, danish pastry, biscotti,... As soon as we had what we want we hit the road again. This time we went to the Valley of the five lakes. The weather wasn't the best, rain, clouds and sunshine. It was a 1 1/2 hours walk around the lakes. A nice view... which made me wish I could go for a ride on horse back here... (You are only allowed to ride a horse in the park with a permit) Our next stop was the Athabasca falls. Impressive like the last time, the water flows strong and fast down the falls... brave water drops... ;) Here were a lot of tourists !!! Unbelievable, how some of them were dressed ! One woman wore high heels !!! We took off to the Columbia icefields, just to see there was more rain, more tourists and a crowded gift shop. Then, was it time to go home again, all of us were tired. It's an 1 1/2 hours drive from Jasper to the Falling Star Ranch.

intresting trail ride

It was still to wet to ride in the arena or the round pen, so we went on the trail again. This time we took the two training horses, Karma and B, and Alberta. Mayo and Birgit rode Karma and B and I rode Alberta. She was pretty impatient when I groomed and saddled her. We took the trail throu the back field and then down to the Fraser river. It was the first time since a long time Alberta was on this trail to the back field. And sure, there were a lot of scary things... She was snorting and pretty forward at the same time. As soon as we were on the 'old highway' Alberta just walked forward and the other two had a hard time to catch up. We were all over the place, once right then left then in the middle of the road again... That's because she sees left and right intresting stuff and where she looks there she goes ! We looked like we were drunk !!! And then suddenly she stops and wants to eat. It was fun to ride her. Even Alberta is only four years old, I never felt unsafe on her back. Little horsey was pretty brave, she went on the trail without one of her friends. :) Karma and B are not exactly her friends, they are in a separat pen.

trail rides

After the down pour yesterday the arena and round pen are too wet to ride in. So we went on the trail today. Cody and I joined Mayo and Birgit who rode the two training horses. There is this field on the other side of the highway, it's big and we loped on it. It was my lope on a field with Cody. He was fine and I could enjoy it. Cody is always glad when things like that don't last for long.... :) 'cause this is too much work ! But when there are cows involved.... that's a different story :D After lunch we went for another trail ride. This time I rode Alberta, one four years old blue roan paint mare. After the session yesterday in the arena I wasn't so sure about rididng Alberta on the trail... but she is soo much fun to ride outside the arena. Even she loves to eat all the time, dreams and has not much of balance, she is nice to ride. I really enjoyed it. Miho, another youngster, didn't lift his feets high enough over a thick branch on the ground and it swang back when Alberta and I wanted to turn around the branch. She jumped to the side but it was so fast and not high. Til I found out what happend her feets were already on the ground again and I am still in the saddle. That was a cute hop ! I laughed so hard !

already september !!!

I rode Alberta yesterday for the first time. It is really different to ride a 'green' horse then one which is ridden it's whole life ! But Alberta is not a boring horse ! She is quiet and not spooky at all. We only worked in walk and trott and it went pretty good even I never rode with a bosal before. The ride on Alberta today was a bit trickier.... She found out pretty soon I am careful with her bosal and so she tested me again and again. Alberta just refused to stay on the rail and went 'large'.... When I tapped her with the whip she started to toss her head or hopped around. Yes, she is still Little miss pissy pants ! If Missy doesn't want to do something she can be pretty stubborn. And the funniest thing is Miss Alberta looks so innocent when she does this stuff... She can bite you with an innocent glance. I really like Alberta. Maybe I will take her to the clinic instead of Cody. We'll see... First I want to ride her a few more times...