She finally got it, my lil short human has finally figured out that if she leans forward on one side, there is no way for me to be straight.  She has to be even so I can be even, I mean, does she have any idea how hard it is to keep 1200+ beautiful muscle balanced and forward while trying to compensate for her weaknesses?  I think not, I have enough to think about, sit up straight woman!  I heard the trainer tell my lil human, "right shoulder back, farther back, more back" and my lil human respond "I feel like I am totally sideways"  Both her trainer and me said NOPE YOU ARE FINALLY STRAIGHT.  And of course, I could move beautifully and keep my rhythm, it's just so much easier to just have to concentrate on myself and not try to "fix" her also.  Maybe we can finally make some progress now that she has finally figured out that I am NOT the problem.

I hope your riders figure out their issues before you have to endure the same frustrations I have.

Best,
Princess Bella

I think my lil short human is finally grasping that I am a princess and princesses need a lot of bling. Today she brought my new brow band, she seemed very proud of herself and excited to present me the brow band I deserve as it is very shiny and finally fits me.  I kept trying to tell her that my old one was not large enough or sparkly enough, she finally got it.  This brow band lets my ears move freely and doesn't feel like its squeezing my head.

I will do my best to not ruin it, hopefully she can keep it clean.  I know she cleans my bridle after every use, which I appreciate, so I am sure it will stay sparkly.  I also got boots that have sparkles on them, but they are kind of thick and I keep scuffing them, my lil human said we will keep them for special occasions and use the thinner ones for everyday work.

I hope to get all of my bling on one day and have a pic for you soon.  I had an allergic reaction to some fly spray and look like a sock monkey right now, so there will be no pics of me until I feel back to my normal beautiful self.  As a teaser, here is a pic of my new sparkly brow band.

Today my lil short human wanted to ride bare back.  She said she likes being able to feel my back and how the muscles are moving and she said it improves her seat.  I think she was just too lazy to get the saddle and the girth out and put that on me also. I don't complain though, I get a treat after she clambers onto my back because I am so good and just stand there trying to keep my balance while she shimmies onto my back.  She kind of needs an extra step on the mounting block thing, but I guess they don't make them any taller. We just walk when she rides bareback so I was happy, it was hot again today and I was kind of tired. 


Hopefully tomorrow is bareback day also!


Smooches
Princess Bella

Remember my Princess day where I had this fabulous photo shoot?  Well, my lil short human got the pictures, don't they look great?!  I can't believe how the photographer captured my good side in all the photos!

If you are ever looking for an amazing photographer, that has this super cute fuzzy unicorn stick pony that you can snuffle, look no further than the amazing Holly Casner, Equestrian Photographer 

My lil short human said she is buying all of the pictures.  Well, of course, why wouldn't she?  I think I am quite photogenic.

 Yours Truly
Princess Bella

Well, I survived the dreaded Fourth of July.  Actually my lil short human said she was very proud of me, I wanted to know if I got extra carrots for that, instead I had to endure a bath.

Although I like to be clean, shiny and pretty, I would also like her to hurry up.  I tried to make it fun by having her squirt the water in my mouth. It was super fun when I would shut my teeth and the water would squirt all over her!  She just laughed, my lil human is a good sport.

I made the mistake of showing her how good I've been in school by staying on the bit and being forward.  Now I get in trouble when I pull my giraffe routine when my lil human asks for the trot. Must remember to not show off and keep my lil human in the dark on what I can do for as long as I can.

Here is a picture of me all shiny

Tip for the day:  Keep lil short humans in the dark on what you are actually capable of doing!

Until next time:
Princess Bella

My lil short human said it's my birthday!! I am not sure what that means other than apples, carrots, scritches with that Furizzy thing and no work so I am all in!  She hasn't used the Furrizy for awhile and it felt sooooooo good.  For some reason she thought it was funny that I enjoyed it so much, I kept moving so she would get the most itchy spots.  She then made me do my "sit ups" where she scratches under my belly so I have to use all my muscles to lift it up.  She says it's good for me, I say, you do sit ups all day and tell me how good it is for you.  The treat dispenser also came and got some grass for me, so I guess "your birthday" is a day you get to eat yummy things and feel good.  I like "birthdays" and think I should have them more often.

I hope tomorrow is my birthday!

Love
Princess Bella

This is me stretching all out, you can't really see my lip but even it is stretched out.  Look at my lil short human, you can't even see the top of her head heehee

I am definitely a Princess. If you had any doubts, listen to my schedule for today.

Clip
Bathe and groom
Braid mane
Fluff tail
My lil human cleaned my bridle sparkling clean
Keep my coat clean and shiny with cape (otherwise known as sheet, but I like to refer to it as my cape)
12:30 PHOTO SHOOT
6:00  Massage

Yes, I had my very own photo shoot.  The photographer kept telling me how beautiful I was, LOVED  IT!  I posed for all these different looks and had my mane in a braid and out of a braid and got lots of sugar and compliments.  My lil short human kept getting in the way, I had a look I was trying to convey to the camera, but she kept wanting me to stretch my neck out without moving my feet, again, with the keep your feet still while you moving just one body part.  I did get to admire myself in a mirror and then they had the cutest little unicorn stick pony thing I loved to snuffle.  I did get sugars and treats which was a nice pay off.

After my photo shoot, I relaxed for awhile before my lil short human and me went for a walk.  She chose to ride bareback, which I kind of like because I am not asked to do anything strenuous.  I then got my massage, which I enjoy, but was so tired of standing still!  I did my best, but was just done with this whole, be still thing, plus it was my dinner time.  My massage therapist did mention that my shoulder was much looser and she could tell I had been doing a lot of lateral work which is equivalent to you humans doing a million squats and thigh squeezes.  Yes, a princess must keep her butt in shape.

Here is a sneak peek of my photo shoot, more pictures to come!
Shout out to Holly Casner, who captured my beauty and was so patient with my lil short human.

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hollycasner/

Well, today was not relax day.  My lil short human tacked me up and we went to work.  It was kind of warm and I was tired so when she asked me for the trot, I tried my Bella Dance one more time and again, she just kept on cantering so I stopped that and decided with the heat, it would be better to just do that ridiculous trot thing.  She was so excited, she just kept saying over and over what a good girl I was.  A sugar would have better, but I'll take the compliment and pats as long as there is sugar next time.

Silly lil human

Princess Bella

Relax day!  My lil short human came but we didn't have to do any work.  She told me it was my "day off".  I like day off days, she grooms me, tells me how pretty I am and then we go for a walk and the best part, eat grass!  I love it, a perfect day for a princess.

I love my lil short human

Princess Bella

Lesson day, I thought I had my "Bella Dance" all worked out and well timed.  Again, no one seemed to appreciate the effort I put into this.   My lil short human seemed to enjoy my canter! She just kept going and going and going.  This was not going as planned so stopped that and went into my trot, skip, trot, skip.  She just kept counting, "1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2,"  Like I don't know what the cadence is for a trot, I've been doing it my entire life.  I try my best to get her to appreciate my Bella Dance, but in the end, it was just easier to do the 1,2,1,2,1,2.  Once I did it, I got to quit so maybe next time I'll just do this stupid trot thing they all seem to want.  I tell you,there is no appreciation for interpretive dance here.

Disgruntled Princess Bella

Another successful walk down to the gate and back, this seems to make my lil short human very happy!  She brought the other human, whom I have named the "treat dispenser" with her.  He didn't disappoint, he tried to hide a sugar in his pocket but I knew it was there, silly human.  The treat dispenser is always running around taking pictures and videos of us.  Sometimes he appears out of nowhere and scares the heck out of me.  My lil human just tells me to calm down, ha, she will be grateful when it's a horse eating monster and not the treat dispenser, then I'll tell her to calm down.  I think we have another serious lesson coming up, I better polish up on my Bella Dance.

Until next time
Princess Bella

Lesson time - today we had a serious lesson, I had to trot.  I am not particularly fond of trotting right now.  I like to imitate a giraffe, and then do this really cool hop, skip, trot, canter, trot thing.  My lil short human does not seem to be impressed and the trainer person keeps telling her to just keep riding.  I get tired, it's a lot of work to do this complicated impressive gait that I like to call "Bella's Dance".  At one point, my lil human actually wanted to me to keep up the canter, I quickly rethought putting that lil piece in my Bella Dance, as it is hard to keep up the canter around and around, especially with my human on my back.  I heard my trainer say something about "working on this" next week.  Eeeck, I am going to have to figure out how to perfect this gait.  We had a good ending though, we walked all the way down to the gate and back, I like those endings.

Creative Dancer Princess~
Bella

Big day for my lil short human!  Since the "incident" where I forgot that I should not leave my lil human as a sacrifice to the horse eating monster, she has not been excited to ride down to the gate and back.  I love this change of scenery (other than the scary kid noises) and miss it, but she mentioned something about not ever bouncing back if she hit the hard ground or something like that so we've just done a short walk around the barn after our rides.  Well today................drum roll please.............. she rode all the way down the driveway!  I was so proud of her and of course I did not do anything to make her fall off.  Pffft silly lil human.  We were going to come back up, but then a car came up the drive way.  I told my human I could handle it, but she chose to dismount and walk up after the car passed us.  Honestly, it's a lot easier to get up that driveway when she isn't on my back, so I was all for it. It's uphill coming back and a lot of work.

I will continue training her to relax and enjoy the ride, but it is funny to pull my giraffe imitation when a bunny jumps across the drive way.  Heehee

Loving the sun!

Princess Bella

This is a video of me snuffling my lil short human.  She just loves it!

My lil short human and I had a lesson both Friday and Saturday.  Friday went really well!  My lil human was supporting me and doing the right things in her saddle.  Saturday, not so much.  I think my lil human was stressed and I have enough to worry about that I can't take on her stress also so it was not as smooth as Friday's lesson.  But as my lil human says, "there is always another day and another ride."  We did get to take a walk around after the lesson, which I like.  I finally get to see something other than the four sides of the arena, over and over and over and I am not expected to bend this way or that way,  it's relaxing.  My lil human gave me kudos for walking through the puddle, little things seem to amuse her so much!  She said I was brave, yes I am since you never know if its a little puddle or a hole in the earth of which there is no escape or if an alligator is just waiting for you to get close enough to nab you, but we've walked past/over this particular puddle a few times so I thought I would impress her with my bravery.

I think I heard my lil human talking about checking that my saddle still fit correctly, I guess while my feet were healing I may have lost some muscle but of course, I still maintained my girly figure!

Looking forward to more strolls outside!

Forever,
Princess Bella

Easy day!  My lil short human showed up late, she said something about traffic, and drained and on and on.  I let her tell me these things as I know eventually I get a cookie!  She said I was a mess, I said I look like a horse.  Horses get dirty, they roll, they run, they kick up their heels.  I had a great time today, although I did scratch my face on something which took the hair right off.  I hope nothing is permanent, a princess cannot have a hairless scrape on her face, eeeck!  My lil human ran her hand over it and told me to be careful.  She used that Furizzy thing again, I love that thing.  Stretched my lip and neck waaaayyy out and moved so she could get the itchy spots.  Then she brushed me down and we went for a walk.  It was nice, I did feel the need to get much taller as we got closer to the scary noises of what my human refers to as "kids".  I just don't understand why they screech and yell if there isn't some predator after them.  I tell you, if they don't stop with those noises, a predator is going to come and give them a reason to screech.  All was good though, my increased height and puffiness ensured that any predators would think twice before coming after us.  We then ate some grass, grass is so good right now, and I went back to my stall for the night, but not before my lil human delivered my good night carrot and told me I made her day much better.  I am glad I can do that, a princess should make her subjects feel loved and cherished.

I think we have a lesson coming up so I should have much more to chat about next time.

Until then,
Princess Bella

It's been a busy week!  I went back into training, this means that my "teacher" rides me, or teaches me something and its very hard.  She makes me work!  With my lil short human, I can sometimes get out of things, with my teacher, no way!  My lil human told me she was very proud of me and was super excited that I had what she called "grown up hair".  I wasn't thrilled, I like my hair to be loose and flowing, as all princesses should be.  It felt funny also when I had to go to work and use my body to bend the way my teacher wants me to.  I thought she was actually pulling on my hair while we were going around the arena, but then realized that it just felt that way when I put my head down. Sigh.............the things a princess has to put up with.

My lil short human and I had a lesson, this is where my teacher tells her the things she should be doing to get me in the right position.  This means I have to work and it's hard!  She makes me bend this way and that way and actually use my muscles. My lil human kept pulling me one way, so, I would swing my butt out of the way and move there, but the teacher kept saying, "no start over".  Ugh!  I guess my lil human wanted me to move my front legs and keep my butt in the same place.  Now why would she want this?  It is much more efficient to move my very shapely, voluptuous butt over, but NOOOOOOO I have to move my shoulders over which by the way is very hard!  Get down on the floor on all fours, I dare you, do it right now.  Once balancing on 4 legs, oh did I mention that you also have a lil short human on your back?  Keep your back legs still and just move your front legs over.  Hard isn't it?  I finally did it, and got a lot of pets and praise,but I think it deserved at least a cookie. Lets be efficient here ladies, let me move that butt over and you get the same result, my body has moved over.

Next, my lil human asked me to trot, which I did and my lil short human was all excited, I am like Really?  I've been trotting for awhile now but if you are happy I am happy. Of course, this could be because last time we trotted around. I saw that monster in the corner and well, I am not proud of this, but felt the need to get my lil short human off my back because it was me or her and, well, I kind of forgot that we are supposed to be a team and launched her.  Good news is the monster did not eat either of us but I guess I am not supposed to leave my lil human behind as a sacrifice to the horse eating monster only I can see.  I guess in hind sight. I could have safely gotten both of us out of the corner before being eaten so I promise to try to keep this in mind on all future rides through the monster zone.  Looking forward to next week and what new and torturous things my teacher will think for me to do, whatever it is, I hope it's not braiding my hair into that grown up hair thing!

Until next time
Princess Bella

 Apparently, this is "grown up hair"  whatever!

Today we lunged and went for a ride in the arena.  That monster is still in the corner of the arena, but after a little episode decided to be brave and did my best.  Going in circles to the right, I am much more comfortable at the canter, so that's what I do.  My lil short human, thinks I need to trot, argh.  I tried my best, but didn't always do the right thing.  After going around and around in circles, we rode around the arena, I kept trying to figure out when my lil human would want to go faster, usually its when we go along the long wall, so I would get all ready to surprise her and go faster on my own. She didn't seem to appreciate this and told me we were walking today, soooooo boring!  pppffftt.  I guess the good thing is I didn't get all sweaty and she seemed to be happy so be it.  I do like to wear my special warm up, Back On Track sheet before and after work.  I guess I'll keep my lil short human for now.

Signing off

Princess Bella

Today was massage day!   It's been awhile since my lil short human has gotten me a massage and it felt sooooo good.  My right shoulder has been tight and sore and my hips.  The massage person is very nice, and calm and relaxing. She listens to me, moving away from areas that are just too sore to relax and giving areas that feel good longer times. I tell her this by looking at her and sighing and licking my lips.  Sometimes I get so relaxed I toot, but she tells me good girl so I guess it's a good thing while getting a massage.   I felt so much looser and relaxed when she was done, then my lil human put my special Back on Track sheet on me to help keep my muscles warm and loose.  I wish everyday could be massage day, but I did hear my lil human making another appointment for me in 6 weeks so I can look forward to that.  These are the things that make me love my lil short human all the more.

Feeling so good,
Princess Bella

Today was my day off.  My lil short human gave me carrots and told me to have fun outside before the rain started.  When I got back into my stall, I could tell my lil human cleaned it.  I had fresh, clean water, my stall was all fluffy and grain pan was sparkling clean.

I love my lil short human

Princess Bella

Well, my lil short human didn't disappoint.  When I am in the grooming area, I am connected to these rope things, they call them cross ties.  There I was, being good, when the horse across from us was kicking his stall,  ugh.  Next thing I know, my lil short human has the "stick of fear" and is waving it at that other horse and getting a little too close to me.  I don't want the "stick of fear" anywhere near me and being stuck in these cross tie things makes me really feel trapped.  I tried telling her and thank goodness she listened!  Well kind of, she undid my cross tie things and then told me she didn't know what happened to me with the "stick of fear", but that we needed to get over it. Next thing I know, she expects me to walk NEXT to the "stick of fear".  WHAT?!  No way, put that thing away, I am being good, it doesn't need to come on our walk.  She insisted, telling me I needed to be brave and check it out.  Really?!  Fine, I just wanted to move on so took a deep breath and looked at it, waiting for it to start attacking me.  Well, she might have been right, it didn't attack me, in fact it just sat there.  I looked at it with my left eye, then my right then took the plunge.  I SMELLED it.  I moved it with my nose and smelled it.  My lil short human was SO proud of me. She told me I was so brave, so good.  So, I bopped it again, I got pets and praise about how brave I was. All was good, then she wanted it to touch me.  Really?  Now it has to touch me?  Fine, I stood stock still so I wouldn't provoke it into attack mode and she rubbed it on my shoulder.  I didn't like it, but if this is what we needed to do so I could eat grass, I would do it.  She did it one more time and told me I was super brave and she was proud and that we could eat grass.  Finally!  I still don't like the "stick of fear" but it turned out ok.

The things I have to do............
Princess Bella

(Note: my human wants me to explain that the "stick of fear" is a dressage whip, with a shredded plastic bag on the end.  Like that shouldn't be scary or something,  pphhhlleeaaze)

Today my lil short human groomed me and gave me treats and let me eat grass.  We then went for a walk down the driveway and back.  She told me I was brave, I don't like one of the areas, weird noises come from it.  My lil human says its just kids, but she understands as they scare her too. Apparently "kids" are something to watch out for.  I like these days where we just relax and do quiet things together.  When she was done brushing me, we went to my stall where she insisted on braiding my forelock.  It was flowing and beautiful, I looked like a Disney pony, but she wanted it out of my eyes.  I only did the giraffe imitation once, she had a good hold of it and it kind of hurt when I tried the giraffe thing.  Sigh......   My lil human then thought it would be fun to sit outside my stall door in her chair.  I don't think that is fun.  She should be brushing me or feeding me or getting me princess water.  She shouldn't just sit there.  So, I kept encouraging her to get to work by continually poking her with my nose, snuffling her boot, messing up her hair but she wasn't getting the message.  In fact, she moved her chair over so I couldn't reach her!  This called for clearer communication that she needed to get out of that chair so I began bopping my head up and down. I've seen humans do the equivalent with their arms, they wave them at each other to get them to come closer.  Since I don't have arms, I thought this would be good enough.  Nope, she just sat there and told me to be careful I don't bonk my head.  Argh! Sometimes I wonder about my lil short human, I guess I will need to be more patient with her and find another way to make myself clear.

I can't wait to see what she does tomorrow.............

Princess Bella

I did it!  I got my lil short human around the arena without incident.  I had a little "episode" as my lil human likes to say, at the beginning while she was "lunging" me (going in circles over and over and over ugh).  I wish she could see what I see. Obviously her eye sight isn't that good as I know there is a horse eating monster crouched behind the arena wall in the corner.  She tries to see it, even takes me over to the corner telling me "there is nothing there" but she just can't see it.  Poor lil human, no wonder they say they are easy prey.  I will continue to work on being brave and not reacting to the monster, sigh...............it's so hard but my lil short human loves me and she hasn't let anything eat me yet, so I will try

Until next time
Princess Bella

Next month will mark a year that I've spent with my new human.  I've finally got her trained to allow me to drink from my water bucket, WHILE she is holding it.  Water tastes so much better when she is still holding the bucket, so fresh!   She still complains that I am like a Mastiff, showering her with water from my mouth after I've slurped up that yummy water.  I don't understand what the big deal is. Its water for gods sake, you will dry.  Isn't that what you tell me as you force me to stand still while purposely aiming that hose thing at me?

She still insists on kissing my nose and combing my bangs.  I can't see what she is doing, so it's frustrating to stand still, but kisses are nice so I tolerate them.  I don't care for the constant brushing and braiding of my forelock, I am a Friesian!  I am meant to have flowing, beautiful hair.  Let me be au'natural woman!  Of course, the cookies I get for being still make it somewhat tolerable and I will continue to work on standing still, and not imitating a giraffe.  Even though it is entertaining watching her try to reach the top of my head.

I will continue training my little short human, as she is making good progress and I feel is worth the effort to bring her up to my standards.  I think its going to be a good match, as long as she continues to understand that my love and trust is an earned gift.  To be cherished and valued and never taken for granted.  So far, she seems to get that  :)

Until next time,
Princess Bella

My lil short human thinks I am ready to go back to work.  I am not quite so sure, I still get these weird lil sensations in my right front foot, but I will try.  She has proven that she does listen to me, so I will give it my best and tell her, quite clearly, if it doesn't feel good.  I am getting kind of bored just going in circles and walking around anyway.  She told me that the massage therapist is coming on Sunday, that will be nice.  The chiropractor person came last week and I got new pad things on my feet. My lil short human is trying her best to get me feeling better so I will try to do what she is asking.  We shall see, wish me luck.  Better yet, wish my lil short human luck!

Princess Bella

Oooohhhh my lil short human got this rake/brush thing that feels so good!  She calls it a Furizzy
When she hits a really good spot, I stretch my neck way out and it makes my lip all stiff, I LOVE IT.  I dont like it when she moves away from the good spot, so I try to tell her by moving back and forth, she usually listens but sometimes she tells me to stand still which is not what I want!  Listen to me lil short human, I know exactly where I want you to groom me, if you were a horse, I'd give you a little ear pin, but I know you wouldn't understand so I just try to make it easier for you.

In heaven............
Princess Bella

Aaaack!  My right front hoof hurts, actually both my front hooves hurt.  I've tried to be good, but I just cannot stand it any longer.  When my lil short human, asks me to trot, I try but I just need to get off that foot as fast as possible.  This makes her laugh and ask me why I am hopping around like a rabbit.  Its not funny!  I think she understand as she has stopped asking me to trot and brought in this other human with a camera that took multiple pictures of me.  They were all weird, blue and green and then my hooves were RED!  Apparently, RED is not good, RED is hot and hot is not a good thing when I am just standing still.  After that my lil short human brought in the vet.  EECK!   Those vet people just never smell quite right, but they do have cookies.  After thinking I was a circus horse, trained to stand on these little wooden blocks and be still, they seemed to be able to figure out why my feet hurt.  My lil short human has had the farrier add pad things to my front feet that help them feel a little better and she gives me magic carrots that have a weird little pill in them, but all I can taste is the carrot so all is good.  I appreciate that my lil short human is trying to figure out how to make me better, I heard that not all horses get this treatment and I am grateful.  I think I'll let her braid my forelock and limit my imitating a giraffe to just once.

Until next time,
Princess Bella