Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Ammo

Over the weekend I took my annual trip to the Fairhill International Event in Maryland. “Eventing” is the ultimate test of a horse and rider and has been referred to as the Triathlon of equestrian sport. Through tests in dressage, cross country, and show jumping the horse and rider work together to show that they can compete in the most demanding and highest levels of equestrian sports.

At Fairhill the highest level to watch is the CCI 3*. Horses and riders who do well in the 3* event may qualify to compete internationally or at the Olympics or World Championships. Pretty cool huh?

Well as much as I was excited to watch some of the top riders and horses in the world compete in the 3*, I was even more excited to see some of my old friends!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

My very special friends from the World Famous Chincoteague Pony Drill Team were visiting from Chincoteague to perform with their special ponies!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

Before I even made it out to watch the cross county course, I parked myself in the stands to cheer on my friends. Did you know that some the ponies are even descendants of Misty…and that pony second from the right…we’ll she’s my pal Blitz’s full sister, “Surf n’Turf”.

I had a blast watching their amazing choreographed drill.

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

Then it was time to head over to the Cross Country Jump Course where the 3* riders were competing. Can you believe that I’ve never actually watched a horse do Cross Country before? Usually when I visit the Fairhill event I go on the Stadium Jumping day, which means all the jumps that the horses go over are contained inside an arena.

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

Well on the Cross Country course the horses and riders race through miles of terrain over HUGE elaborate jumps like this one. Can you believe they jump stuff like this? Which by the way, this one was pretty tame compared to some of the other jumps.

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

As you can imagine the horses that compete in these events are in peak physical condition. I was in awe of their athletic ability.

I really enjoyed Cross Country Day and I loved being able to hike around the course watching my favorite riders race over jumps!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

At the Fairhill Event there is lots to see and do (and shop for), including many food choices too….yum!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

I actually drew quite a spectacle at the event with my fancy coats, and my warm snood (it was a pretty chilly day). Not only did many people stop to take my picture, but even these Alpacas couldn’t quite figure out why I had so many layers on.

Well if I had fur like them maybe I wouldn’t have to wear all these layers!

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

Before heading home I made sure to squeeze in as much fun as I could. I played in the straw…

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

…I rode a pony (sort of)…

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

…I rolled in the Fairhill grass (which by the way this Maryland grass isn’t much different from my Pennsylvania grass….just saying’)….

Fairhill International Cross Country Adventure with Ammo the Dachshund

….and I even dug a hole (shhh! don’t tell anyone!).

And don’t worry, I made sure not to dig it right smack in the middle of the Cross Country Course. (I’m not that evil).

Until next year Fairhill!

When Dogs Go Crazy Over Leaves

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Ammo

Ok well technically there is only one dog going crazy over leaves, and it’s me!

Hanging out in Leaves // Ammo the Dachshund

Something about those crunchy leaves just gives me the case of the zoomies!

Doesn’t this just make you want to run outside and play in a pile of leaves? Does your dog get the zoomies in the fall too?

A Little Boost for Working Dogs

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Ammo

Disclaimer: this post is brought to you by Chewy. All opinions are my own and I only share products I think you and your dogs will love.

Trooper and I are really hard working farm dogs, but you probably already knew that.

Well, that is until all that hard working catches up to us. Contrary to what you may think, dogs get tired too.

Thanks to our pals at Chewy.com we’ve now got a little secret weapon when us working dogs start to get a little groggy, Instinct Raw Boost Mixers!

Instinct Raw Boost Mixers make it easy to add protein-packed raw to your pet’s kibble for health and vitality. These little raw bites provide pure animal protein for lean muscles and strong bones, as well as natural ingredients for optimal nutrient absorption, and nutritious oils for healthy skin and coat.

Key Benefits

Great topper for kibble
High quality, raw nutrition in a convenient and easy-to-serve form
Pure protein for lean muscles and strong bones
Natural ingredients for optimal nutrient absorption
Nutritious oils for healthy skin and coat
Freeze dried and all-natural for an irresistible taste
Grain-free and gluten-free
No artificial colors or preservatives

While Instinct Raw Boost Mixers are great for adding to your daily kibble, Trooper and I have also been snacking on just a few throughout the day to give us that little boost of energy.

You can snag these Instinct Raw Boost Mixers from my friends at Chewy.com on sale for about $13!

Little Boys vs Dogs

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Ammo

When our hay guy delivers to the farm sometimes he likes to bring along something special for Trooper and I.

Little Boys vs Dogs - who will win?

We wait ever so patiently when the truck pulls up.

Little Boys vs Dogs - who will win?

Well, Trooper is a little less patient with his waiting, but he tries.

Labor Day Weekend Fun with Ammo the Dachshund

But the wait is over when the farmer’s little boys pop out of the truck! And then suddenly it’s an epic battle of Little Boys vs Dogs. I’ll let you be the judge of who won….

It was me and Trooper wasn’t it? I knew it!

Does your dog love playing with children as much as Trooper and I do?

Farm Dog Duties

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Ammo

Farm life isn’t always fun and games, sometimes there are important chores to be done.

Labor Day Weekend Fun with Ammo the Dachshund

When a big delivery of hay from our farmer friends showed up at the barn, I knew Trooper and I would have a busy afternoon helping to unload it.

Labor Day Weekend Fun with Ammo the Dachshund

So it was up to the hay loft to prepare for some heavy lifting!

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

The farmer’s kids tagged along on the adventure, and Trooper and I thought they smelled like dirt, candy, and a hint of worms. You know, all the stuff little boys normally smell like.

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

With the hay elevator hooked up, it was time to get stacking.

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

Only Trooper and I realized that stacking hay was better left to the humans, you know, because of the paws and all.

Labor Day Weekend Fun with Ammo the Dachshund

That’s ok though, because Trooper and I found other ways to be useful and we promptly broke out into a wrestling match to entertain the farmer’s boys.

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

After the hay was stacked in place in the loft Trooper and I set out to inspect every last bale. We’re very paw-ticular about what our special ponies are eating. So we go in search of anything that shouldn’t be in there, sometimes we even find smooshed snakes or other rodents!

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

This time everything checked out a-okay though, aside from us picking up a few cobwebs along the way.

Farm Life + Stacking Hay

That’s ok though, the cobwebs are part of our patented “farm dog” smell. The verdict is still out on which scent is better…..little boy, or farm dog. (but it’s pretty safe to say that anything stinky is the BEST SCENT EVER).

Does your dog like to help with dirty tasks too?

How to make a Fake Rabbit Hole for your Dog

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Ammo

Disclaimer: this is NOT a sponsored post, but it does contain some affiliate links.

It’s no secret that I am OBSESSED with holes. After all, my breed was originally bred to go down holes and hunt down badgers.

And go down holes I do! My mom has had to pull me out of many ground hog holes around the farm over the years, and because of my affinity to go hunting whenever I feel like it I now wear a GPS tracker whenever I’m on the farm. While my tracker gives mom piece of mind, she’d still prefer my escapades kept me a little closer to the barn, which is why she decided to dupe me!

So I decided to share how my mom made me a DIY Fake Rabbit Hole so all you other dogs out there won’t get tricked like I did!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Rabbit Scent (or any other scent your dog might prefer)
Spray Bottle
Water
String (I used bailing twine)
Paper Towel
Shovel or Post Hole Digger

Step 1: Choose a spot to dig a hole about 2 feet deep. Make sure you choose a spot where no one could fall in it (placing a marker when it’s done is helpful too). A spot near a bush or tree makes it more believable to your dog as well.

As you can see just the sight of a hole was enough to get me interested!

Step 2: Mix your Rabbit Scent with some water in a spray bottle and mist it into the hole. You can make it stronger by foregoing the water if your dog doesn’t seem interested.

Step 3: Tie a paper towel to a string and mist with the rabbit scent. Drag the towel to and from the hole to leave a scent trail for your dog to follow.

Trooper and I picked up on the rabbit scent trail right away.

But only one of us really cared…..I’m pretty sure you can guess who!

Well I feel pretty silly getting tricked with a fake hole, but I did have a really good time digging to my hearts content. So fake or not, I don’t regret it one bit. Well except for the fact that it landed me in the bath a few hours later!

Do you think your dog would be tricked by a fake scent hole?

*Be advised that fake animal scents can attract other wild animals as well. So be aware of where you are putting it, and make sure to supervise your dog especially if they are out at night.

Winter on the Farm

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Ammo