Hello, I'm Kassandra DeLong, 27, A full time Mama and Wife, Housekeeper and farm manager. Although originally from Washington state and moving around a bit growing up, I have finally moved to Michigan from Kentucky in the summer of 2013. Together with my daughter and hubby, We are blessed to have a wonderful little farm in Southwest Michigan. I have been involved in the horse world for roughly 15 years, Becoming an actual (first-time) horse owner in 2004 to- Joe's Fancy Angel (AKA "Fancy") a Spotted Saddle Horse (SSHBEA) and TWH mare. Together we have trained and learned many things together, we have ridden the trail, showed on the rail and have explored many beautiful places together. Some planned, some not :) She is my heart horse <3
Some of my goals for 2016 are: 1. To attend some clinics, learn a few new things and grow as a team with my horse. 2. Spend more time in the saddle and on the trail (Being a Mom can claim all of your time, I am on-call 24/7 and I couldn't be happier! 3. I am looking forward to growing old friendships and making new ones. 4. My target is to put in a minimum of 300 miles in the saddle this year. (Better saddle up and get to riding) :)
I look forward to a wonderful year full of happy smiles and many miles.
01-04-2016 at 10:58pm .19 miles Fancy and I took a short bareback ride around the snow covered pasture wearing only her halter and a lead. Worked a bit on neck reining and side passing. It was cold! Beneath my many layers, I wore my January Jammies and even managed to snap a couple pictures to share :) Not bad for our first ride of the year.
01-04-2016 at 12:18am .13 miles Before turning in for the night, Fancy and I decided to spell the word "Hello" in the snow through the pasture, When we got done, I thought it looked pretty good. I have to admit, I was hoping to have a cool route to look at when I turned my map off and loaded it later... It kinda just looked like scribbling. We had fun though. It was still cold. I used the "MapMyRide" app and was pretty pleased with it.
01-16-2016 at 1:45pm 12.14 Miles Reining Clinic at Evergreen Valley Stables in Niles Mi. Had a wonderful time, Completed our first reining pattern. Although we were frequently on the wrong lead, and our spins were more like circles we stayed on path/pattern. We got some great tips from Corey Wilson from Performance Horses. Lots of cantering today.
03-23-2016 at 7:40 PM 0.09 Miles A short and sweet ride in the drizzle around the pasture using only a liberty lead and bareback. Worked on side-passing, shifting fore and hind quarters separately.
Our top speed was 1.42mph Haha Thanks Endomondo app.
04-03-2016 at 1:20pm 3.57 Miles Rode down the road to Painted Gaits Stable, Did some arena work as well as explore the surrounding trails with a friend. Finished off with more arena work. It was a sunny, windy day (~low 60's), a little bit chilly, but so much fun!
04-03-2016 at 5:16pm 1.68 miles Riding back home from Painted Gaits Stable. Was a peaceful ride home, Mix of flat-walk, and a gait. Met a few people walking, Fancy didn't pay them any mind. We averaged 1.41mph on the ride home. This was my first venture off our own land and exploring the immediate areas to our property. I think we can definitely get better time! Had a lot of fun today!
05-02-2016 at 2:05PM 0.66 Miles Rode from my barn to new front pasture. Bareback, with bridle. Was working on cantering without break in gait. Fancy was feeling fresh, and acted a butt so stopped workout, and did some groundwork and lunging.
05-02-2016 at 2:41pm 0.44 Miles Finished up the groundwork and lunging prior to workout start, Fancy was much more level headed and "in it" We had some wonderful cantered circles and finished up by riding back up to the barn. Ended on a good note. Today was a success.
05-08-2016 at 2:26PM 3.57 Miles Rode to Painted Gaits, from my house. Did some arena pole work and rode the trail around their farm with a friend. Fancy was very spooky today, But we worked through it.
08-14-2016 5.31 Miles 11:43am Went to Fort Custer. Rode with Shellie, Kristen, Janine and Patricia. We all cantered so much! It was Hot! But oh so fun! This is the first half of the ride. Found a huge hornets nest in the tack compartment of my trailer before leaving the house, Grabbed my leather gloves and quickly grabbed the nest with a garbage bag, tied it up and loaded up! BOOM, Nothing is gonna stop us today! Were going riding
8-14-2016 5.42 Miles 12:47pm Second half of the Fort Custer ride. It was so much fun. The trails were beautiful and the bugs were minimal. I love cantering! Janine's Horse Biggs, is FAST! He peppered us with mud as he sped away! Awesome ride!
10-09-16 9.81 miles 3:00pm Rode to Painted Gaits to visit a friend. Rode the trails, looped around the trails then some arena work, rode back home at dusk. Clocked Fancy going 10mph in her 4-beat gait :) Had a blast, it was a cool day in the shade.
10-09-16 9.81 miles 3:00pm Rode to Painted Gaits to visit a friend. Rode the trails, looped around the trails then some arena work, rode back home at dusk. Clocked Fancy going 10mph in her 4-beat gait :) Had a blast, it was a cool day in the shade.
11-6-16 13.00 miles 11.00am Had a wonderful time riding the Fort Custer trails with a friend. We worked on cantering in the woods and getting better reactions with leg pressure. By the end of the ride, Fancy was walking better on a loose reign, and more extended gait :) She really worked her butt! The weather was AMAZING and the remaining leaves on the trees were beautiful!
Hello, I'm Kassandra DeLong, 27, A full time Mama and Wife, Housekeeper and farm manager. Although originally from Washington state and moving around a bit growing up, I have finally moved to Michigan from Kentucky in the summer of 2013. Together with my daughter and hubby, We are blessed to have a wonderful little farm in Southwest Michigan. I have been involved in the horse world for roughly 15 years, Becoming an actual (first-time) horse owner in 2004 to- Joe's Fancy Angel (AKA "Fancy") a Spotted Saddle Horse (SSHBEA) and TWH mare. Together we have trained and learned many things together, we have ridden the trail, showed on the rail and have explored many beautiful places together. Some planned, some not :) She is my heart horse <3
ReplyDeleteSome of my goals for 2016 are:
1. To attend some clinics, learn a few new things and grow as a team with my horse.
2. Spend more time in the saddle and on the trail (Being a Mom can claim all of your time, I am on-call 24/7 and I couldn't be happier!
3. I am looking forward to growing old friendships and making new ones.
4. My target is to put in a minimum of 300 miles in the saddle this year. (Better saddle up and get to riding) :)
I look forward to a wonderful year full of happy smiles and many miles.
Blessed Be and Happy trails
01-04-2016 at 10:58pm
ReplyDelete.19 miles
Fancy and I took a short bareback ride around the snow covered pasture wearing only her halter and a lead. Worked a bit on neck reining and side passing. It was cold! Beneath my many layers, I wore my January Jammies and even managed to snap a couple pictures to share :) Not bad for our first ride of the year.
Forgot to add that I used the "Wanderlust" app on my phone to track these miles and I did not particularly like it, So will use "MapMyRide" next time.
Delete01-04-2016 at 12:18am
ReplyDelete.13 miles
Before turning in for the night, Fancy and I decided to spell the word "Hello" in the snow through the pasture, When we got done, I thought it looked pretty good. I have to admit, I was hoping to have a cool route to look at when I turned my map off and loaded it later... It kinda just looked like scribbling. We had fun though. It was still cold. I used the "MapMyRide" app and was pretty pleased with it.
01-16-2016 at 1:45pm
ReplyDelete12.14 Miles
Reining Clinic at Evergreen Valley Stables in Niles Mi. Had a wonderful time, Completed our first reining pattern. Although we were frequently on the wrong lead, and our spins were more like circles we stayed on path/pattern. We got some great tips from Corey Wilson from Performance Horses. Lots of cantering today.
03-23-2016 at 7:40 PM
ReplyDelete0.09 Miles
A short and sweet ride in the drizzle around the pasture using only a liberty lead and bareback. Worked on side-passing, shifting fore and hind quarters separately.
Our top speed was 1.42mph Haha Thanks Endomondo app.
04-03-2016 at 1:20pm
ReplyDelete3.57 Miles
Rode down the road to Painted Gaits Stable, Did some arena work as well as explore the surrounding trails with a friend. Finished off with more arena work. It was a sunny, windy day (~low 60's), a little bit chilly, but so much fun!
04-03-2016 at 5:16pm
ReplyDelete1.68 miles
Riding back home from Painted Gaits Stable. Was a peaceful ride home, Mix of flat-walk, and a gait. Met a few people walking, Fancy didn't pay them any mind. We averaged 1.41mph on the ride home.
This was my first venture off our own land and exploring the immediate areas to our property. I think we can definitely get better time!
Had a lot of fun today!
05-02-2016 at 2:05PM
ReplyDelete0.66 Miles
Rode from my barn to new front pasture. Bareback, with bridle. Was working on cantering without break in gait. Fancy was feeling fresh, and acted a butt so stopped workout, and did some groundwork and lunging.
05-02-2016 at 2:41pm
ReplyDelete0.44 Miles
Finished up the groundwork and lunging prior to workout start, Fancy was much more level headed and "in it" We had some wonderful cantered circles and finished up by riding back up to the barn. Ended on a good note. Today was a success.
05-08-2016 at 2:26PM
ReplyDelete3.57 Miles
Rode to Painted Gaits, from my house. Did some arena pole work and rode the trail around their farm with a friend. Fancy was very spooky today, But we worked through it.
08-14-2016
ReplyDelete5.31 Miles
11:43am Went to Fort Custer. Rode with Shellie, Kristen, Janine and Patricia. We all cantered so much! It was Hot! But oh so fun! This is the first half of the ride. Found a huge hornets nest in the tack compartment of my trailer before leaving the house, Grabbed my leather gloves and quickly grabbed the nest with a garbage bag, tied it up and loaded up! BOOM, Nothing is gonna stop us today! Were going riding
8-14-2016
ReplyDelete5.42 Miles
12:47pm Second half of the Fort Custer ride. It was so much fun. The trails were beautiful and the bugs were minimal. I love cantering! Janine's Horse Biggs, is FAST! He peppered us with mud as he sped away! Awesome ride!
10-09-16
ReplyDelete9.81 miles
3:00pm
Rode to Painted Gaits to visit a friend. Rode the trails, looped around the trails then some arena work, rode back home at dusk. Clocked Fancy going 10mph in her 4-beat gait :) Had a blast, it was a cool day in the shade.
10-09-16
ReplyDelete9.81 miles
3:00pm
Rode to Painted Gaits to visit a friend. Rode the trails, looped around the trails then some arena work, rode back home at dusk. Clocked Fancy going 10mph in her 4-beat gait :) Had a blast, it was a cool day in the shade.
11-6-16
ReplyDelete13.00 miles
11.00am
Had a wonderful time riding the Fort Custer trails with a friend. We worked on cantering in the woods and getting better reactions with leg pressure. By the end of the ride, Fancy was walking better on a loose reign, and more extended gait :) She really worked her butt! The weather was AMAZING and the remaining leaves on the trees were beautiful!