C'est La Vie!

Here it is... brisk cool breezy morning. Life is calm cool and collected. You can let your mind run away with you on days like this by thinking "OK! I gotta get all this done today because if I dont I dont know when I will get another day like this!" .... then you get emmediately overwhelmed and feel like you just dont have the energy to do it and you may as well relax and enjoy this day... which happens to be Sunday!

With all the rain we have had lately, the leaves are filling up the yard with their friendly acorns and downed limbs which needs tending to. The grass is overgrown but wet so you cant mow it in the morning when you want to get it over and done with... and prior to getting into another project. The fencing needs to be mended in spots that nudge you EVERY day as its right at the gate and effect the connection but that can always wait. The water troughs should be cleaned as its got so many pecans, pine needles and leaves in the bottom ... but the water is clear soooo maybe not today. The stack of saddles for sale on the back porch needs to be cleaned and all the leather goods as the 2 weeks of rain has caused the growth of green mold to take over everywhere... what a task that will be... Awwww nawww ... cant think of that today. The floors in the house need sweeping and vacuum but geeeez I just did it ... so I cant be bothered ..... I mean I just did it! The dog needs a wash... and shave her hairy paws... so she doesnt bring in all that dirt... and smell like wet dog... OH... I just did that too.... so nope not today. I would really like to clean out that old barn and make it into my project work shop... is today the day for that? hmmmmmmmm ??? eeeesh.... thatsa big one... could I? Do I really want to? ......

If nothing else... Its gawwwww geous out... and I should DEFINATELY go for a ride... maybe enlist some locals to go to...

NOW that sounds like an efficient use of todays lovely weather!

Signing off

Over n Out

REALLY? ITS OVER.... Summer is over already?

I guess what they say is true... Time does fly when you are having fun!

I have two shows left for Southern Stockhorse and still standing reserve for the year as of now in Novice on Docs Little Zoey. Its been tougher than I had thought showing on her this season. Unfortunately when you buy a Ferrari ... you still need to learn how to drive it ... smoooooth!
BUT... the upside... if you have finally got your ferrari and its parked in the garage... paid for ... you take it out when you want it... or just sit in it at home... and its still a nice new shiny Ferrari ! Even if its 13 years old... its not loosing its value.... and new to you!

The deal is... I found out after my last show when I hit the dirt, I thought because I rolled my ankle that morning stepping off my 14h mount... on a good day 14h... into a hole ... that it was that... my ankle. Then two weeks later State Finals NBHA show... oh goodie... I hit the dirt again... at barrel two. AFTER that... my spirit was shattered... and I thought seriously? WTH! I cant ride, Im too fat... Im too old... I apparently cant even stay on finished an broke horses... so I better quit before I really get hurt....  I was just really hurt emotionally. Horses are my every day ... my whole life since 4 yrs old.... but I stopped riding. I joined Golds Gym in Southern Pines and decided to get a trainer. This is where I found out the truth. The truth is ... my right side is FAR weaker then my left. Hence it was only a matter of time without physical maintenance that I would have fallen off? Well there had been signs I was ignoring, my inner thighs look totally different, while posting my right legs  swings uncontrollably, my ankle is weak for sure and started wearing lace up support which has helped.

YOU THINK YOUR all that ... but your not... its in your head that you can do this or that... but 44 and loosing more every day... it was time to make a change... and it sucks! I want to do what I want when I want and eat and or do nothing.... BUT... if I want to ride, and I want to ride hard and fast... I had to get into a routine of eating right and excercise for my new lifestyle change... or it would just get worse!

I have two more shows left in Stockhorse and 5 more in Barrel Racing and then NEXT YEAR will be a whole new year.  I have had an offer on Zoey and may end up selling her, may sell my barrel mare... CHARLIE... well I have been trying to sell him since forever... and GOD may just be keeping him here for me to suck it up buttercup and get on with it on him in eventing.... which will remain to be seen.... Red will go to his new home in the end of OCT. Greyboy found a home up the street ... and life ... little by little is being simplified... which is nice.

ONE saying sticks with me....

IF you keep holding onto yesterdays junk you wont be able to grab onto todays gifts!!!
Every day is a gift and we need to grab it and growl!

Its Spring ~ Its Show Time !

We have been preparing for our Spring show schedule for months. Through the wind, rain, snow and cold... of course the FIRST show of the season "shows" just how much you prepared! The first show butterflys in your gut.... also in theirs caused the few incidents you fooled yourself into believing were not going to happen to you!  Lets start with the trailer loading... or lack their of. Working through that you get to the show and your horse is all puffed up .... so you have to work it out of him. Now relaxed and walking around checking things out... well you are feeling pretty good... UNTIL your ride time.... and it just never works itself out.... tripping and stopping and going and awful transitions.... hiccupping along... even falling outside the boundaries of the dressage arena because he decided NOT to bend and yield.... makes you feel like you cant possibly do anything right that day.
ITS WONDERFUL! Makes you want ot get right back out their and do it again! NOT! So much work needing to be done. The work so much better at home.... and it looks like you never rode at all when you bring them to the show! FRUSTRATING...

The day before that was your first cutting show on your new cutting mare hopeful. TIME and money spent on New tack new this new that... (actually new to me but used because it was all I could afford) and making sure to make time to get aquainted with your horse... trail riding ... working on refining, just being with her.... that is all part of the relationship needed to get the job done when show time comes, or so you think. Well, all is going absolutely perfect... UNTIL... you drop your rein and let her go on that cow. HOOOOOOOOOO WEEEEEEEEE you better hold on or your gonna hit the dirt....
I could  not hold her back off them cows.... she wanted to eat them alive! So unlike her. As when she is at Kings working cows she minds her P's n Q's even with her snaffle in. I now know that it was time to renig on the snaffle and get serious with a correction port for any future riding. No more nice momma... its time to roll!

CAPTION THIS!

I am a photographer, I hate to say that because there is a stigma, or an expectation associated with that label. I tend to get all these shots that others would miss or just dont wait for... I cant NOT whip my phone out and get these shots... but if I were a photographer with big guns... I couldnt have caught all these shots that I sooooooooooo enjoy snapping!

How can you not enjoy reviewing these goofballs? I love them all especially when their personalities come out! Most are of Charlie because he has the most expressive nature. On occassion I catch the others too and I like to put captions with them because you can almost hear what they are saying!

 

  

 

 

ANOTHER WEEKEND .... another barrel show...

Out of all the diciplines I have played a part of ... I have to say that NBHA is the most frustrating structually. No matter which equine sport you choose, all of them will have their political favoritism or the who-you-know formulas. NOT so much in this particular timed sport. If you have never barrel raced except in gymkhana shows you would be severely dissappointed to learn that your 15.489 time (which is a great time btw) fell "through the cracks" or also referred to as "in the weeds" so to speak and YOU get no money & no recognition as your best personal time!

Out of 84 horses the fastest time of the day only got a check for $185 and unless you plan on being the fastest horse of the day every time.... there is that chance you will get nothing for your efforts. That is interesting to say the least. Some days I cant get over that fact but most times I just try not to care. It sure does wear on oneself if you are working your horses to keep them in shape, feeding and caring for them the best you can, purchasing more expensive pads or saddles to make them more comfortable and therefore apply themselves better. Not to mention the costs involved in just playing the game. Some can argue the facts that its the same in all sports and say "you gotta pay to play" but if you work your tail off and are better than everyone else in your field the judge isnt going to overlook you without getting his neck on a chopping block. Of course that is just my common sense opinion.

Yesterday was a good day regardless, as I had a clean run at 16.5 and I barely started running at the gate as I was giving my eyes time to adjust to the indoor from the sunshine.... and didnt realize just how short the chute was lol! Well ... live and learn. Every pen is different, I need to be ready and more pliable! I have to admit I have never felt more at home in that 17" cutting saddle! I know it was a crazy move to give up my light barrel saddle but it was cramping my style and throwing my balance way off... this was my second time running my heavy sticky leather cutter but I need the room to get centered around those barrels because Sally will give you whip lash like an elastic. She is not nice about getting around them cans... she turns and burns and you better be with her or she will leave without yer!

Looking forward to this new season with a new district and new faces and new arenas... another new endeavor! Only to be compounded by adding my cutting show schedule to my barrel racing schedule and then sprinkle with a few jumping shows or trail obstacle shows or clinics and there it is ... B.U.S.Y.!

Only 3 Shows in NBHA NC06 to qualify for this years State Finals at the Bob Martin Ag Center
So I better be running... and working on getting to the first barrel and around them faster than THIS!

How many horses is TOO MANY?????

We all have to ask ourselves this at some point, that one day, you find you have over extended, is this  all worth it? I was thinking, " I have the space, the time, the money and the know how to work with this horse and then possibly sell it for a profit."  WELL not always the case & I was lucky enough to get through it unscaved. I have been in that situation before when 5 horses was too many... at that time I only had a 5 stall barn.... now I have 14 available stalls.... and behold I had 13 horses!
See a pattern emerging? My advice is: know your limits and dont build stalls "just in case" you may need them... or you may find yourself filling them like I did! Its all fun until the work kicks in and you are doing most of it yourself.

Our inventory was:  2 geriatric horses that moved over from out to pasture with a 3rd horse that used to barrel racer until her mind blew up. Now she really can only safely be used for trails and happily added them to my already at the barn two eventing appaloosas. THEN we had purchased 3 finished barrel horses, but before that got talked into a 15yr old double reg. AQHA with pedigree to die for BUT needed alot of work. Not long after that brought home a 2yo colt that needed to be gelded and broke to ride but was built like a tank. Yet that wasnt enough... a grey gelding with a CEO pedigree tickled our fancy and by the time the spring rolled around to finalize that deal he had been dumped out to pasture with an old injury and close to death, therefor we couldnt say no because well... he needed us to nurse him back to life. By then, we acquired another horse that someone thought they wanted but decided they didnt, oh BUT she had potential... but wasnt finished. Ahhh soooo wait...  we still needed something else.... a 1D barrel horse ya know because we THOUGHT we could actually ride one.... but we couldnt and THAT my friends was the straw that broke the camels back.... thank GOD! .... were you counting???? no we werent either at the time.... but THIRTEEN horses later we were scratching our heads thinking.... ??? now what?

You see? Where does it end? You have to make a decision... keep a bunch of horses that serve no purpose or let them GO and be a blessing to someone else. We only have so much time in a day and I can tell you from experience that you either just let them live beyond thier expiration date of usefulness under your loving care or get them fit right and move them out... and your time could be better spent ENJOYING yourself having a wonderful partnership with a few talented hopefuls.

I chose the latter... and we made some changes! We are now PROUD to say we have many empty stalls and each horse has their own paddock. Which is a whole other worry trying to get personalities to mesh ... which was an expensive lesson to learn. We still have baggage regarding those experiences .... and will not have to learn that again. The fencing was another issue that caused an expensive lesson one hopes never to experience again either. So life is better SIMPLIFIED! Dont kid yourself.... every pretty color out there in those pastures is nice to see BUT they are a living breathing creature that has needs, many needs... and YOU are the one that responsibility lies upon.

Both geriatric geldings are in loving homes. 

One actually is  just up the road with the trail only x barrel racer mare. 

 

The gorgeous double registered Smart Little Lena mare went to a great trail riding family. 

The lovely roan mare we acquired was reworked as a cow horse 

and will be shown by our friend this year with us in Southern Stockhorse Association. 

My eventing appy mare found a forever home 

back up north and will be competing this summer with her 13 yr old rider. 

 












The colt was gelded and I broke to ride, put some miles on him and he will be hopefully barrel racing with new owners.

The buckskin that broke the camels back... he is on trial with a friend that is doing wonders with him we just couldnt.

The grey is still in recovery,
stall bound for 5 more months and then
will be an amazing barrel horse.

We still have to get one more eventer to his new new home and we will be down to the nitty gritty.  

Of course.... I have neglected to say and save until last ... is that we got ONE more.... a finished cutting horse to complete our horse family.... but hey after making so much progress and a deal crosses your path ... you sometimes need to indulge on occassion!

 Everything works out... eventually and we keep the creme d'le creme!

LOOKING FORWARD TO ENJOYING OURSELVES THIS YEAR!

 

WOW ~ time DOES fly when your having fun!

Well here we are.... a typical day in NC ... blue skies and a big spotted nose!

Baby ~ has been the most amazing filly I have enjoyed watching grow up and be amazing!

She has been there done a LOT....  

barrel raced, trail ridden, shown in hand in ApHA circuit in her early years....

 she even had 5 national points in halter! 

Her love is jumping... a natural in dressage...

I will miss her endearing personality!

Her beautiful inquisitive looks... & her nonchallant attitude!

 

She has been enjoyed by everyone! Students foremost, family, friends... anyone can ride her.

She has returned to the cold north of MASS to be a blessing to a young eventer hopeful!

 and will be the apple of Lyndsay's eye this year! 

Baby... my first and only Baby.... I love you and you are Blessed to be a Blessing!

ENJOY every day, you are a beautiful soul!