GREAT GREAT GREAT meeting of the minds

I was on Eventing USA blog and got to watch a great seminar on breeding and preparing a horse for 4 Star Eventing. Hosted by Bruce Davidson with other speakers like

his son Buck and good friend Denny Emmerson.

WOW... I mean great insight!

I was meant to hear it.... FOR SURE!

Everything they speak of... I have done....

well except going to IRELAND to train cross country in the Spring!

NOW WOULDNT THAT BE GREAT?

But honestly.... I learned to ride young, bopped around,

messed around endless days in the barn,

enjoyed riding for hours, I think back and Q "gee how far was that?!" Racing 3 wheelers, hanging with my horse in the pasture, showing locally, and understanding partnership.

In the last 20 years I have enjoyed

endurance trail rides

team penning

cutting

barrel racing

pole bending

dressage

Hunting cross country

showing western pleasure in AQHA circuit

& putting 5 national halter points on Baby just for something to do!

Now... I have not been nationally recognized for any of it.

Not even regionally mainly because I just enjoy doing whatever I want with my horses.

Side saddle and driving are things I have not tried AS OF YET, but I own a carriage and harness and have future plans to drive Baby at Acadia National Park SOON....

and a proud mamma I will be , as I will have trained her myself.

So goes the EVENTING... "I can almost taste it" are words I have used in my BLOG profile... and so Bruce has mentioned in this seminar. Those words speak to me and give me new hope and continued drive to keep on plugging forward toward my dream of

competing at the **** level.

I mean why NOT?

When not having a support group and going this dream alone ... it gets tough and you wonder, is it all just $$$ that gets you to the top? Is it luck? Is it a little of each or really is it the drive and hard work that one puts in day after day? I hope it is the latter.... as I will keep on keeping on after hearing this message that was meant for JUST ME! I have a OTTB and an evening TB / Appy that has scope and drive and play and courage... I KNOW HE IS THE ONE!

ANYHOOOOOOO... intersting seminar that hit many Q I had in my mind.

Answering most all of them... honestly... the getting fit one... hit really hard :()

ENJOY the movie in the link!

http://useventing.com/blog/?p=7433

Endurance Saddles from Hilason

http://www.hilason.com/

Check it out !~!
After being so happy with my new working saddle...I mean for the money...

how could I not take a peek at the rest of their selection?

This is a endurance saddle that some of you trail riders/endurance riders may be interested in...

Light weight... cushion seat... leather.... and REASONABLE!

You can also find them on ebay for less than they advertise on their website!

Worth a L@@K!

Enjoy!

When you dont have something nice to say......

ROLEX ~ Day 2 vaca ~ Dressage

Day of Dressage

Amazing day taking in the riders

&

anxieties of competition.....

Exciting!

All pictures in compitition I took while there at the event.

The preview to get your heart pounding are pics I got online.

ENJOY!

ROLEX video is complete!

Day 1 of our trip to Lexington KY.

A couple of the pics are blurry cuz they were scanned from tiny

thumbnails provided by WALMART ~ as they neglected to actuall

put my pictures on the CD and that is all I had from our first DAY of pics!

REALLY was upset.... you can check my old post... probably.. swore :)

a video a day... keeps the naggers at bay!

ENJOY!

... Freestyle... memory lane

ME with Tessi at 13 years old!

Tessie was just 8

thought it was cool to show off the

HI HO SILVER moves I taught her!

OMG! So young....

OH... then again... not so young... 19 here...

showing off what I used to do with Tessi when I was 13...

NICE... OMG!

After shows ... when tessie was all white and clean and snuggly and tired...

we would nap :) I think I was 19 here too

This is us breaking for lunch at a show...... where else would you sit?

OF COURSE.... great idea... lets sit under our horse and relax!

HELLLOOOOOOOO.... brainless... again here at 17 years old I was...

completely brainless!...

thank GOD... TESSI had a brain about her!

Look at that angel dearest look on her face!

OMG!

THEN WE HAVE ....

BABY!

TA DAAAAAA!

She apparently is in training for my next gig!


This is what my little Baby darling is learning....

isnt that wonderful?
Ya!.... my little tessi in disguise!
THANK YOU HALEY!

:)

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

ROLEX

Lexington KY Arena Entry

Rolex 09 DAY 1 Dressage

Day 2 The Water Complex during Cross Country

Day 3 Stadium Jumping ~ the Calumet Farms Sponsored Jump

Well we all knew this was coming right?

I can tell you after ROLEX this year... it was bound to happen!

66 and still competing!

GO BRUCie BABY!

Denny Emerson & long time friend Bruce Davidson

Denny hands over the bronze replica

AKA "Grandfather of Eventing"

Inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 50th anniversary

at this years USEA meeting & Hall of Fame Galla in Virginia

Bruce is legendary due to the fact that he has won the ROLEX at least 5 times!

Add that up quick and you are talking 3/4 of a Million Dollars!

Reining still is the way to go if you are in it for the money...

but then again... you cant have as much fun as you do

3 Day EVENTING!

Denny Emerson was the trainer I was planning on going to in VT

this summer with Angel for a week.

What a week we would have had!

... but Angel had other plans... like summer vacation

...with a absess!

My new working saddle...

Well I did it!

.....AGAIN!

I got another saddle!

I had to get something for Charlie

... and Jason to trail in....

NoT everyone that rides with me wants to ride english

... or dressage...

nor would they feel comfortable to!

So being that I am so nice and all....

and I am only doing this for SOMEBODY ELSE...

I got a great Wade Tree... working saddle....

and a fabulous deal I MUST SAY!

Frugal Franny coming at you !

So another purchase on EBAY!

Shop VICTORIOUSLY!

Thats my moto!

You KNOW YOU WANT IT!

Jealous much?

(.) (.)

"

Q

Boyz first snow of the season....

This is a story about Angel & Charlie....

... but mostly about Charlie....

Love action pack pics!

Especially of athletic Charles!

Charlie telling Angel off

Charlie trying to tell me off!

The Dance!

Charlie has left the building!

Of course this new format on Blogger SUKS... so I couldnt arrange photos in order

and so you have just viewed them backwards....

Big Deal :)

XAMA has arrived!

HAS ARRIVED ?????.... but from where?????

Lets see shall we......

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!

YA! exactly!

WOW!

from far far away.... in a land unlike our own for sure...

they have cold cold days ya know over there... like ooooo brrrrrr

60 degrees! PUH!

WHATEVERRRRRR!

Hadrianna, Xama's trainer came over with her to be sure she settles in nicely

she went shopping for a jacket when she arrived in Florida ~

I know... florida... shopping for jackets.... that is funny too!

JUST Look at that face!

.... she loves people and attention and she will have no lack of that!

XAMA

pronounced: "Shhhama"

she arrived happily safe and sound at 3 a.m. Friday morning

she acts as if she has been here the whole time...

and mind is quite relaxed.
the other roomates however....

only gazed quietly and in awwwwww of her beauty

for hours from across the isle of the barn.

the new addition of that side of the barn built mainly for Xama

was lit up not only because the new boards were a bright honey color

but also because of her Lusitano Aura Glow :)

The barn is quite happy as is the new owners ~

Joyce and Ron Berthiaume.
The tale is far from over because Xama is due in the Spring!

Look at her move out... what a doll!!

Xamas brother ~

Valete Das Manqueiras

... and other brother

Realce Das Mangueiras

who resembles his father alot....

of course the beauty comes from the amazing father!

MEL OR

check out the fire in his soul...

an amazing equus!

We Rode Big....Then We Went Home !

I will have a video showing our jumping all 4 horses.... Kaitlyn took Breeze & Dutchess

& I trailered Angel and Baby which Haley did agree to jump Angel ... which I was suprised by.... I mean really? OK! Go for it!

No that is not considered collected Kaitlyn... mouth is gapping... reins are TOO tight and nose is behind the verticle..... to answer your girls Q... no no no

NO ! NO! NO!.... wrong again... except this time is WORSE! Dont do that to poor Dutchess :(

probably chokin her ... look!

What a pretty picture... OK biased because its my dear Angel.... but also because how can you take an ugly picture this time of year?

I mean really! AWWWWW what a darlin... well until you see the video :)

Dotti even got a little jaunt on Miss Baby... but only cuz somin' bigger n better came across Haleys agenda!


Tune in next time for SCARY VIDEO!... may post just in time for HOLLOWEEN!!!!!

LAST Jump Nite at Wild Run Farm OCT

Angel & I

He is doing much much better now that his drama is over.

We are moving above and beyond

He looks happier...

there is far less tail swishing and teeth grinding...

both great signs of success!

Listening and not pulling reins out of my hands...

staying tucked longer and round before jumping.

Perfect take off... both rears firmly planted side by side... ahhhhhhhhhhh


I even got to take a round on my dearest darling sweet cheeks.... after Haley reluctantly gave me the opportunity.... :)

thanks Haley! I may even give you a credit on gas being your so nice & all !


Not my best side...but it shows her big ol' hooves... and my heels are down
... PHEW!

HALEY RICHARDS!

R U looking down?

BETTER NOT BE teaching my horse bad work ethic!

Haley's best side....

WELL! Cuz she always has a scowl on ...

NICE TUCK BABES!

WOW!

I mean WOW... take off down the runway from a mile away...

she has pegusus breeding I believe it was her moms side :)

See! Scowling... well... not smiling anyway... it was her last go of the nite.... BABY was tired although Haley could go a million more rounds... Baby calls it a nite after 79 jumps!

LOOK at that!

NICE NICE NICE

heels down... and chin up.... hands supporting... and horse happy!

HELLO ...!!!!!!!! PICTURE PERFECT...

oh and of course the fall foliage was just he icing on the cake!

After SEVERAL refusals on a jump already jumped 3 rounds clean

...

it was time for Candace instruction!

You can see Breezy wishing she was in on the scoop...

The "UH OH" you can see in her eyes!

after that ... it was back to the MILE HIGH club!

LIKE HOLY!

Sweet little jumper... this is what SCOPE looks like!

NO WAY NO HOW does breeze knock a jump down

... she might refuse if ILEAN is in the house

... but if all is perfect... her SCOPE gets the job done!

& this is the view of success :)

another nice view of a good "crest release" in the works...

chin looks a little "down" ... if you look close & compare other pics you will see the horse refects the riders perspective on where the eyes are

... HMMMMMM very intersting !

STILL LOTS TO DO

.... but we all are enjoying the journey and need each other to edify the good

and take note of the bad and keep plugging onward an upward!

Good job girls!

... maybe its time for HEP cross country course ?

... and I say....

GO BIG OR GO HOME!