Israel trip March/April 2016

Finally perfect weather.
18th of August. Since a few days now, we have a big high over the country, which means, we have nice cold nights, and beautiful sunny days and blue sky.
So you make the most of it.
It's been rainy ever since we came home. On average we would have 1 sunny day and the rest raining. Now it's clear blue skies and sun. The sun here has strength, even in the winter.
But signs of Spring is here already.  I have seen beautiful plum blossom and some cherry blossom.
I have started with workaway helpers again. I have 4 horses and they all need to get fit and need riding.
So I have had Vera, who was a fun life loving bubbly 19 year old, super confident and horse experience with own horse at home.
She stayed for 2 weeks and now I have Kristina, more mature and older with great horse experience and she is more reserved, but that's fine as we all have different personalities.
Yesterday I took Kristina to Mount Maunganui and walked part of the track. We saw Oscar the seal, bathing in the sun.

Then we walked up Leasure island and that was a great view too.
Today I took the horses to Noble's farm( 800 beef and sheep station in Katikati) and met up with my riding friends: Keri and Maxine. Later we also met up with other club riding friends.
Had lunch after the ride. I let Kristina ride Gemma. Today Gemma was a bit more agitated and we figured it was her bridle. We think her bit int he moth was too small for her and the sides of the tom thumb was pushing into her outer cheek. So tomorrow we will put a bigger copper bit and a different bridle. See how she goes.
After that I want to train her to go in a hackamore bridle, that is a bitless bridle.
Today we rode a good 2 1/2 hours , up and down hills and crossing little creeks.
The horses will be quite tired tonight.
Tomorrow's ride will be much easier.
This is part of my " normal" life, and I am certainly enjoying it.
Bye for now.

Riding on the beach

So here we are, back from our amazing trip now, 6 weeks ago. I can't believe how fast time has gone since we are back.
It seems time was not flying by as fast when we were travelling then now.
But anyway, we have had a lot of rain since we are back.
But yesterday it was a fine day and my friend txted me if I wanted to come for a ride on the beach.
I also decided a few weeks ago that it would be good for me to have a workaway girl again for a couple of weeks just to get things going again, one for oiling all my tack and secondly to help ride Gemma.

So Vera came on Monday and yesterday we went for a beach ride with my friend Keri.
It was a great ride. We rode for 3 hours. After riding on the beach we decided to ride on the road till the end of the road and then back to the roundabout and then back on the beach.

So out of the boring jobs we also get to have a great day and that makes life so much better.
You cannot compare the feeling of going flat out on a gallop on the beach with the wind going through the horses ears and hearing the waves of the sea breaking. The horses love it too.
I hadn't planned on going fast on them as this was only the first time we rode after 4 months of not riding, but.. they went great.

I watched Gemma being ridden by Vera, an experienced 19 year old and what I saw I liked.
We had lunch after the ride by the truck like I use to do when I led treks. Now it's still fun to do anyway with friends.

So I feel confident that I can ride her too.

That's all for now.

Cheers, Marianna.
Below, Vera riding Gemma. I am on Chockey.