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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

fun times in DC with Austen + Pig!

So you might recall that Austen from Guinness on Tap recently relocated with her husband and horse and huskies to DC - practically my back yard!! So obviously I had to welcome them to the area! (Sadly Isabel didn't join me... maybe next time?)


look at this sweet face!
We met up at Austen's barn - which is just as gorgeous as described - and I had the pleasure of meeting Pig and his friendly pasture mates when they came right up to the fence to say hi. 


i think he appreciated the fans while getting tacked up
Never mind that it was hotter than hell outside, Austen tacked Guinness up and off we went to the arena - which was also just as lovely as it looks in pictures.


disregard my poor photography and timing skills and check out this arena! (and also Pig's matching game)
The arena was easily 10* cooler than outside, aided in great part by the gorgeous windows (each complete with its own picturesque vista) and numerous ceiling fans. 


seriously, look at those windows!
Of course the real fun was watching Austen put Pig through his paces - they were just up and off and whisking through 2nd and 3rd level movements like nbd in the time it typically takes me to get my girth/stirrups situated and start picking the reins up haha. They made it look so easy!


wait a second - these aren't my typical chestnut ears!?!?!
But then suddenly it was *my* turn - whaa?? I found myself sitting on this lovely TB gelding trying to figure out exactly how quietly I could use my aids while still getting the right reaction (hint: a lot quieter than my usual - I may or may not have inspired a porpoise-like moment in the first canter transition. Austen very diplomatically suggested I ask with a little less next time - sorry Pig! lol). 

Really tho he was just the nicest horse and Austen had me working on things like steering from just my seat and using the very slightest lifting of seat bone and shifting of weight to canter from the walk. Honestly the horse felt like he could probably do it all by telepathy anyway. What a treat to ride him! Now I just need Austen to come to Baltimore and show me how fancy Isabel can be too haha. 


bath time with Pig was much less dramatic than with Isabel - plus omg look at these wash stalls! *drool*
Then it was time for a shower for the horse and a quick visit to the local tack shop followed by a shower for the ppl too (and a tour of Austen and Christian's new house) before heading downtown to take in the sights. And by sights, we obviously mean horse statues and gelato. Obviously!


found you, Gen. Logan!
Austen had done her research and outlined not only the optimal pattern for hitting the nearby (and numerous, omg so many horses!) statues, but also where we might stop for gelato along the way. Perfect! 


this was obviously super exciting. or just ya know, insta-delirium, just add heat lol
this horse looks pretty easy going
but we couldn't figure out where to cross the road to get closer to him...
not a horse but this stag was still pretty awesome
is that you, isabel?
#majestic
(and uh, no we're totally not standing in the middle of the road for this shot lol)
can't beat gelato, horse statues, and brightly lit capital buildings (covered in scaffolding but who cares)
We rounded out the evening with a delicious and fresh Italian dinner (as our server repeatedly proclaimed). I had the squid ink pasta - yum! Then a little more touring of the national mall and various notable buildings in the area, complete with more gelato and horse statues! 

Thanks so much Austen for showing me around your new barn and town, I had a great time!

45 comments:

  1. Ah, you are close by to me too. I am about 45min south of DC. Glad you were able to welcome Austen and Pig to the area while enjoying some riding and sight seeing.

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    1. very cool - i think there are actually a whole bunch of us in this region

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  2. SO FUN!!!! I can't wait to hang with you girls next month ahhhh!!! :D :D

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  3. Most. Beautiful. Indoor. Ever.

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  4. Obviously you have to come back ao we can finish the statue list (On a cooler day! Geesh!), ride Pig again, and check out some more fresh! crisp! food. Ha! I had so much fun!!

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    1. yes i would love to!! thank you again so much for having me out to visit!

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  5. Looks like a fun day :)

    Also, I totally know exactly where that weird circle is...I stayed at a hotel right down from that circle when I was in DC for WIHS last year! #DCisconfusing

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    1. oh neat haha - and yes DC is definitely super confusing

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  6. Oh my gooooosh let me know next time you meet up and I'll totally metro in to DC!!!!

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    1. excellent!! we'll have to make that a thing that happens! :D

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  7. drooling over that arena!!!! twister says we need to move there :P

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    1. lol i'm purposefully not showing isabel pics lest she get any ideas

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  8. That looks like fun! What a fabulous indoor. Very impressive!

    I had no idea DC had so many horse statues. I don't see any when I go to work! Where are they hoarding these things!?

    It's a good thing they gave you the fresh dinner. I hate it when they give me the one that's a week old.

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    1. True story: DC has the largest number of equestrian statues of any city in the world! Super cool! They are all over the place!

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    2. there's apparently a wikipedia page for horse statues in various cities. who woulda thunk? and yea i definitely appreciated the fresh food. our server seemed to think it was a bit of a novelty lol but eh, when it's balls hot out there i'll take just about anything

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  9. Wow that looks like so much fun!

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  10. What a fun visit! Horse and statues and gelato, oh my!

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    1. gelato makes everything so much better. only thing better than gelato is gelato twice :D

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  11. Whoa!! That is so amazing -- I absolutely LOVE Austen & Pig -- how cool that you got to meet them and hang out!!

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    1. i was definitely a great time - yay for meeting awesome horse ppl from the internet lol

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  12. It's awesome you spent a day with a fellow blogger! The indoor is just gorgeous and Austen and her horse look great. It's great you got to ride a horse like hers that responds to such light aids.

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    1. it was definitely very cool riding Pig. i suspect Isabel would respond equally well to light aids, except that she's so used to my noisiness. perhaps she'll be happier when i can quiet down tho?

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  13. Aw how cute! I love when bloggers meet up in real life! I've had the pleasure of doing that a few times myself, always fun :)

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  14. Looks like so much fun! How cool you got to meet up in real life!

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    1. yes i thought so too! this is such a neat little online community, and everyone is even better in real life

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  15. Bahhh I attended U of MD for 3.5 years...too bad we didn't know of each other back then because hang outs would have been in order. Glad you both had a great time!

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    1. i know right? i've seen that on your blog before and i had a ton of friends who went to college park - and it's super close to baltimore!

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  16. I was just in DC not too long ago and was surprised by all of the horse statues. Sounds like a great time!

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    1. there are SO MANY, right? and we only barely scratched the surface

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  17. Legit jealous of such a fun day and blogger meetup!

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    1. you'll just have to lmk next time you're out here ;D

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  18. Looks like the perfect day for horsey people!! :) So cool that you got to meet up and ride Pig!

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    1. definitely a perfect day (minus the heat lol)

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  19. Replies
    1. it really was a blast - everyone should come do it!

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