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Friday, December 30, 2011

Team 44: Sonador

 

Sierra

 

I am 14 years old, and I attend Norris High School of Firth Nebraska. I am the youngest of 4 children.   I began riding at the age of 7, and  have been involved in Horse 4 H since I was 9.  I am presently a member of the Salt Valley 4H Club of Lancaster County. 

 

Lots of what I know now has sprouted from the roots of my mom, Cindy.  I am not sure if I would be a horse lover without her. (I have a feeling I would have been more involved in the sport world.)  My grandfather bought her first horse for her when I was only 7 years old.  Mom and I had always been horsey, western people..but I never imagined we would have a horse that belonged to the family.  Little me began asking for at horse of my own.  That fall we brought home a horse named Turbo who was from a lesson camp.  Later on in November we brought home a little 20yr old Arabian named Lacey, and she became my new mount since Turbo had to eventually go back to him real home in the spring.  2 years later I advanced to my show horse, Sonador (Sone-ya-door).  (Lacey still lives with us and is now 25yrs old, still trucking along as the little bay Arabian I will always remember.)

 

Sonador Is a 9 year old Bay Quarter Horse. She stands 16H tall and weighs about 1200lbs.  Sonador has proven to be an invaluable partner for me.  Sonador has a calm spirit, thinks her way through obstacles, wants to please and is always willing to give her whole heart and best try.  She is sure footed, and always tries her very best to perform the movements and tasks asked of her.

 

I have shown Sonador in Local, County, and the Nebraska State Horse shows in 2010 and 2011. We are the 2010  Nebraska State Reserve Champions in Junior English Equitation.  Together we show English Pleasure, English Equitation,  Western pleasure, Western Horsemanship, Showmanship, Halter, Trail, and the first levels of Dressage.  Sonador has also been a trusted mount for a leisurely ride out on the trail.

 

I am an advocate of Natural Horsemanship, and it has truly shown in our relationship. On warm sunny days it’s not uncommon to see Sonador lying down by the barn with me alongside her.  I mostly enjoy arena riding, so we will see where it takes me in the derby!:)

 

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56 comments:

Sierra said...

I have been riding for about a week now thanks to the beautiful weather! Yesterday I had a Dressage lesson with my instructor Dara, and really broke some ice. It was probably the best ride I have have ever had on Sonador. Her trot and canter has been gradually changing in the last 3 weeks as she has really started to understand rocking back on her haunches to get the job done. Yesterday was an eye opener because we had an uphill canter both directions..(Working on this for the past year) and a very bouncy working trot. So proud of her. Both her and I took it easy today in our ride..we are both muscle sore!

Cindy said...

It was a beautiful ride to watch hun. So proud of your commitment to her. im anxious to get a gps on you in the arena & truly see how many miles you log with and hour or two of long trotting and cantering!

Sierra said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sierra said...

Date: 1/2/12- 8 miles
Date: 1/3/12- 2 miles

Total mileage: 10 miles

Sierra said...

Rode all 3 horses today..it was great!

Date:1/3/12- 6.11 miles

Total mileage: 16.11 miles

Sierra said...

Date: 1/4/12- 3.24 miles

Total mileage: 19.35 miles

Just realized today was my half birthday by doing this..LOL!

Sierra said...

Older horse died. She was my first horse..So it was a little set back in my riding.

Date: 1/7/12- 2.86 miles (Had fun on a pleasure horse!)
Date: 1/8/12- 7.96 miles

Total mileage: 30.17 miles

Sierra said...

Learning there is nothing better for me than my horses. They were all I could think about at school today! I'm thinking about taking my Dressage patterns tomorrow to study during school in my free time!
Sonador was FANTASTIC today, and really cleared my mind. Dressage is constantly amazing her and I in our riding. I never knew how much it could really help. It seems like in the past month or two things in the Dressage area are really starting to click for us..and today was proof to me of that. I couldn't be more proud of my girl right now and the muscle she is building throughout our conditioning. I swear I can see a weekly difference when I look down at her neck when riding. Her top-line is really building up!
Not looking forward to tomorrow's cold weather..Why can't every day be like today!?

Date: 1/10/12- 8.54 miles

Total mileage: 38.71

(Mondays I work at a horse barn for 2-3hrs..so those are Sonador's and my days off:))

Sierra said...

Rode in the arena and out on the trail today with mom! Had a great time:)...Just proves show horses can be trail horses too!

Date: 1/14/12-15.23 miles

Total Mileage: 53.94

Sierra said...

Western pleasure again today.. sure doesn't rack up as much as dressage does!

Date: 1/15/12- 3.03 miles

Total mileage: 56.97 miles

Sierra said...

Nice having the school day off to ride..

Date: 1/16/12- 8.64 miles

Total mileage: 65.61 miles

Sierra said...

Getting riding fever.. sooo I decided to go outside and do some walking exercises from the saddle even though it was a sloppy muddy mess:)

Date: 1/26/12- 1.97 miles

Total mileage- 67.58

Sierra said...

Dressage lessons sure rack in the miles!
1/28/12- 13.32 miles

Total mileage- 80.90 miles

Sierra said...

Western pleasure again today..Sure doesn't bring in much miles!

1/29/12- 2.88 miles

Total mileage- 83.78 miles

Sierra said...

1/31/12: 11.58 miles

Total Mileage: 95.36 miles

Sierra said...

2/1/12: 4.69 miles

Total Mileage: 100.05 miles

Broke 100 today! Woot Woot! I know that's nothing compared to all the 200ers..But I'll catch you all in the summer;)

Sierra said...

Two horses yesterday.. trying to boost my mileage up a little bit!

1/1/12: 4.18 miles (Just did some equitation patterns:))

1/2/12: 12.92 miles (Worked on some canter extensions!)

Total mileage: 112.46 miles

Tammy Vasa said...

Sierra - Can you double check your miles. I was matching yours thru your Feb 1 post. If I use 100.05 from Feb 1 and add in 12.92, I get 112.46. It looks like maybe you entered your 2/1 ride twice, but the numbers aren't matching? I'll go with what you have - 112.46 but don't want to short you. Let me know if there is a correction by using the comments here. That way we have a record of it. Thanks!!

Sierra said...

Woops! Sorry Tammy. I should've said that was an update. I forgot I had added in on Feb. 1st. What happened was I walked Sonador up to the trailer to untack and did not stop the recording. Then proceeded to walk back down to the barn and fed. My GPS told my it was 4.69 miles. (With the walking and feeding miles) I added that in on Feb. 1st without realising I didn't stop the GPS until after feeding. The next day I got off and stopped the mileage right away. Then I realised I probably added in miles with the walking and feeding I did the day before. Feeling bad, I suptracted some from what my GPS was telling me to make it more fair. Go with the lower number. I hope this all makes sense..I feel really bad now because it was all so confusing! Again, totally my fault for not saying it was an update. This would make my total milage 112.46.
95.36+ 4.18 + 12.92 = 112.46 miles

Sierra said...

2/12/12- 4.64 miles

Total Mileage: 117.10 miles

Call me crazy, but I rode today! And let me say... it was a BLAST. (Even if I froze my butt off the whole time;))

Sierra said...

2/14/12- 6.72 miles

Total mileage: 123.82 miles

I would like to say I brought home a new western pleasure project for me to work on. Her name is Elite and she is an absolute sweety with lots of potential!

Sierra said...

Miss Elite is doing FANTASTIC...Oh, and Sonador is too:) Blessed to have the horses I have.

2/15/12- 12.58 miles

Total mileage- 136.40 miles

Sierra said...

2/20/12- 13.21 miles

Total mileage- 149.61 miles

Sierra said...

2/26/10- 4.91 miles

Total mileage- 154.52 miles

Great day for some spring baths and a little bit of riding!

Sierra said...

Dressage lesson today!

2/29/12- 12.91 miles

Total mileage- 167.43 miles

Sierra said...

3/2/12- 4.02 miles

Total mileage- 171.45 miles

Sierra said...

Still to muddy to ride in the arena..Forcing me to ride in the pasture! Good exposure for Elite though!

3/3/12 4.56 miles

Total mileage: 176.01 miles

Sierra said...

Got a disk for the tractor today! Might have spent more time on that thing getting the arena ready to ride than I did actually riding! It was fun anyways:)

3/4/12- 7.82 miles

Total mileage: 183.83 (Funny number! Ha! :))

Sierra said...

3/5/12- 5.07 miles

Total mileage: 188.90 miles

Sierra said...

Soooo looking forward to daylight savings time!!! :D

3/6/12: 4.09 miles

Mileage to date: 192.99 miles

Sierra said...

3/7/12: 4.34 miles

Mileage to date: 197.33

Sierra said...

3/8/12: 8.45 miles

Mileage to date: 205.78 miles

Sierra said...

3/9/12- 4.78 miles

Mileage to date: 210.56 miles

Sierra said...

3/12/12- 7.83 miles

Mileage to date: 218.39 miles

Sierra said...

3/13/12- 6.09 miles

Mileage to date: 224.48

Sierra said...

3/14/12- 11.24 miles

Mileage to date: 235.72 miles

Sierra said...

3/15/12- 4.41 miles

Mileage to date: 240.13 miles

Miss Elite and Sweet Sonador are both coming along great in their training. Sonador and my first dressage show is coming up in about 2 weeks, on April 1st. 2 weeks after will be Elite, Sonador and my first open show. From the looks of how training this week has been going..We will be ready! (Knock on wood)

Sierra, Sonador and Elite

Sierra said...

3/17/12- 15.44 miles

Dressage lesson and rode Elite today!

Mileage to date: 255.75

Sierra said...

3/18/12- 8.32 miles

Mileage to date: 264.07 miles

Tammy Vasa said...

Sierra - your mileage to date on last entry should be 263.89. The math error was on your March 17 ride. You were at 240.13 and rode 15.44 on March 17. That should bring your mileage to date to 255.57 (not 255.75 - looks like numbers just got transposed.) Then on Mar 18, add 8.32 to total 263.89.

Double check your math to mine, but I believe that is right. I didn't catch the transposed number the last time either... :)

Sierra said...

Looks good Tammy! I've been doing the math in my head..So I must have just got the 7 and the 5 mixed around :)

3/21/12- 8.21 miles

Mileage to date: 272.10

Sierra said...

3/24/12- 11.20 miles

3/25/12- 9.03 miles

Mileage to date: 292.33 miles

Sierra said...

3/26/12- 6.27 miles

Mileage to date: 298.60 miles

Sierra said...

3/27/12- 8.58 miles

mileage to date: 307.18 miles

Sierra said...

3/28/12- 7.55 miles

3/30/12- 8.31 miles

3/31/12- 12.02 miles

4/1/12- 11.12 miles

Total mileage: 346.18 miles

Sierra said...

Just some slow easy going pleasure today. Elite is coming along great!!!

4/2/12- 3.16 miles

Total mileage: 349.34 miles

Sierra said...

4/4/12- 3.12 miles

Total mileage: 352.46 miles

Sierra said...

4/9/12- 8.22 miles

410/12- 7.06 miles

total mileage: 367.74 miles

Sierra said...

4/11/12- 4.61 miles

4/12/12- 7.43 miles

total mileage: 379.78 miles

Sierra said...

4/14/12- 9.38 miles

Total mileage: 389.16 miles

Sierra said...

4/18/12- 6.57 miles

4/19/12- 4.90 miles

4/21/12- 2.82 miles

4/22/12- 7.23 miles

Total mileage: 410.68 miles

Sierra said...

4/24/12- 8.05 miles

4/25/12- 6.74 miles

Total mileage: 422.47

Tammy Vasa said...

Correction.... 425.47. You shorted yourself 3 miles. :)

Sierra said...

Thats what I get for doing it in my head.. sheesh!
Really wishing I could carry a gps with me when I have a dressage show , I have a feeling it would really rack in miles!

4/26/12- 5.46 miles
4/27/12- 7.23 miles
4/29/12- 6. 89 miles

Total mileage: 445.05 miles

Sierra said...

5/2/12- 7.81 miles

Total mileage: 452.86 miles

Worked on flying lead changes today! Need to get them nailed on the straight away. 3 other girls and I are going to try and use them in our drill team!

Sierra said...

Tammy- You can take me out of the contest, I haven't been keeping track of miles AT ALL this month.. and probably wont over the summer. I run cross country, play softball, and ride two horses over the summer and when I get to ride it is kind of a hassle to worry about miles. Hope everyone understands. I had fun while it lasted! Good luck to all the remaining teams!